The Unknown of the Order (Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

Battle Continues

"Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. 

"You have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a waste. 

"Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat, immediately."

Several black robed figures snarled, then turned to exit the hall, a few of them limping or bloodstained. No one stopped them. With dismay, Sarah realized there weren't enough fighters left to stop them if they'd wanted. 

"You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured."

Sarah glanced at Selene's dead body then, back to her brother. 

But Jacob had disappeared. 

*****************

The northern battlements had been breached. In fact, they'd all but come crumbling down. Barnaby felt the stone quaking and groaning beneath his feet as he ran toward the gap in the wall that Death Eaters had begun to pour through like an inky flood. 

Tonks and Lupin levitated chunks of stone that had broken off due to the giant's attacks to block the path of the Death Eaters in between defending themselves against curses, but it did little to stem the flow. Barnaby followed them, as well as Tulip, as they jumped down from broken stone to broken stone to take a stand, to defend the gap in the wall. 

There was a pause in the tide of Dark Wizards as his spells hit. Barnaby stunned three or four before they could react--they fell, to be trampled on by their comrades. The Death Eaters halted their charge to fire back spells of her own. 

Barnaby heard a gleeful cackle and saw a mess of curly, black hair. Bellatrix Lestrange commenced a duel with Tonks. Barnaby knew from her reputation that Bellatrix was one of the greatest duelers of their age. Tonks would certainly hold her own, but she'd need help, and Lupin and Tulip were distracted by other powerful Death Eaters. 

Barnaby fought off three Death Eaters who'd spotted him stunning their fellow soldiers. He waded through enemies, knocking them back with blasting jinxes. He winced as he was hit in the back by some kind of stinging jinx, but he continued toward Tonks, painfully slowly.  

Flashes of green light lit up her face as they flew mere inches from her. She was not afraid. Her jaw was set in determination, and her eyes held that purposeful glint they'd always had at school when she was up to a bit of mischief. 

Then, they were blank. 

Barnaby still charged forward, though all the sound seemed to have been sucked from the world. He wanted to catch Tonks before she fell to the ground. As if that would save her, as if the green light had not hit her square in the chest. As if she weren't already dead.

But Tonks hit the stone ground. Bellatrix cackled in delight. 

"NO!"

Lupin fired one last spell at the Death Eater he'd been fighting, then abandoned the battle to run to his wife. But the spell missed. Barnaby saw the Death Eater's grin as he pointed his wand at Lupin's back. Barnaby raised his own wand to disarm the man, but he was knocked back by a blasting jinx from some unseen foe. 

Another flash of light, and Remus Lupin didn't reach his wife. He fell forward on the ground, his wand bouncing from his hand, as if it knew he'd wouldn't be needing it again. 

Tulip screamed in agony. The Death Eater she'd been dueling fell before her, but she'd barely had time to raise her angry, tearful eyes to Bellatrix, to wave her wand in the direction of the witch who'd murdered her best friend, before Bellatrix giggled once more, dancing happily on the spot as the jet of green light hit Tulip in the stomach.