| Girl on Fire |

114

VERONICA MALFOY

As we walked down the halls, I had this feeling. A pit in my stomach. Fear. I watched as the students marched in groups, by year, sorted in their houses. You could feel the tension and I could hear the whispers. "Death eaters." "Malfoy twins." "Mattheo Riddle." "Snape." "Potter." they said. We arrived at the doors to the Great Hall and Snape was standing where Dumbledore once stood every year when he gave those famous speeches. To his left were the Carrows and to his right was Mattheo. Mattheo and I locked eyes and he held out his hand. "Veronica," he said with a nod. I walked over and took his hand. I held tightly and watched as the students filed in. "How bad is it?" I whispered. "Potter was spotted in Hogsmeade." he said. "It's coming, isn't it?" I asked. "What?" he asked. "War." I said.

"Many of you are surely wondering why I have summoned you at this hour. It has come to my attention that earlier this evening, Harry Potter was sighted in Hogsmeade." Snape announced. The room erupted with hushed whispers. "Now, should anyone, student or staff, attempt to aid Mr. Potter, they will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transgression. Furthermore, any person found to have knowledge of these events, who fails to come forward, will be treated as equally guilty. Now then. If anyone here has any knowledge of Mr. Potter's movements this evening, I invite them to step forward... now." Snape said. I felt the Gryffindors' eyes on me. Ginny and I locked eyes and I shook my head slowly. A warning. She nodded in understanding. The room was silent. You could hear a pin drop.

Seconds passed, and I heard footsteps. All of the sudden, Harry Potter emerged from the group of Gryffindors wearing a Gryffindor robe. All eyes fell on him as he stepped into the center of the room. My stomach lurched. "It seems that despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a bit of a security problem, headmaster." he said smugly. Just then, the doors burst open and the Order of the Phoenix swarmed in. Fucking hell. Weasley, Granger, the Weasley twins, Bill Weasley, Fleur, Professor Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Longbottom, Dean, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came in, wands drawn. "How dare you stand where he stood? Tell them how it happened that night! Tell them how you looked him in the eye, a man who trusted you, and killed him! Tell them!" Potter yelled.
Snape hesitated a moment, then drew his wand and pointed it at Harry. My hand went to my wand and I gripped the handle. Mattheo drew his wand but kept it at his side. Harry drew his wand, but Professor McGonagall stepped in, pushing him aside. Harry does the same, but is pushed aside by McGonagall, her wand pointed at Snape. I could see a look of hesitation flash through both their eyes. But nevertheless, the first spell was fired. I felt Mattheo pull me back, so we weren't caught in the crossfire. I watched as Professor McGonagall fired curse after curse and Severus did nothing but deflect. All of the sudden, one of the spells backfired and hit the Carrows. Severus's eyes fell on them and he disappeared into an apparition of black smoke. "Coward!" Professor McGonagall yelled. Then she turned to the students.

"Potter-" she started. I watched as Potter fell back, his eyes glossing over and his face becoming pale. The room became dark and cold and there was an ominous feeling. I felt a chill run down my spine. Suddenly, an ear piercing scream filled the room. Followed by another. Then I heard his voice. I felt Mattheo tense up and I knew he heard it too. My mark began to burn the flesh of my arm as he spoke. "I know that many of you will want to fight. Some of you may even think to fight is wise, but this is folly. Give me Harry Potter. Do this, and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have one hour." he said, his voice hissing.

"What are you waiting for? Someone grab him." Pansy's voice broke the silence. But Ginny, Granger, Weasley, and some of the other students stepped in front of Harry, blocking her path.
Before anyone could say anything, Filch ran in. "Students out of bed! Students out of bed! Students in the corridor!" he shrieked. "They are supposed to be out of bed, you blithering idiot!" Professor McGonagall snapped. "Oh. Sorry, ma'am." he mumbled. "As it happens, Mr. Filch, your arrival is most opportune. If you would, I would like you, please, to lead Miss Parkinson and the rest of Slytherin House from the hall." Professor McGonagall said. My face fell. "We've got to go." Mattheo whispered, pulling on my arm. "Exactly where is it I'll be leading them to, ma'am?" Filch asked. The dungeons would do." she said. "Now, Veronica. We have to go. Apparate." Mattheo said. "What about them?" Filch asked, glaring at us. All eyes fell on us. "Now." Mattheo said. Then I felt myself sucked into the pitch black apparition.

When we landed, we were right outside the Slytherin quidditch locker rooms. He pulled me inside and locked the doors. "What the hell are you doing?! My brother is back there! My friends!" I exclaimed. "We can't help them if we're locked in a dungeon too!" he exclaimed. I huffed. "Fine. What's the plan?" I asked. "We get our friends. Then we get out of here." he said. "What?!" I said. "We disappear. Somewhere far away. Somewhere he'll never find us." he said. "Are you mad? We can't just leave-" I started. "We have to." he said. "Why?" I asked.

"Because...he knows." Mattheo said.