Starry skies and Gardenias

Chapter 189

The masked figures that soon surrounded them raised their wands.

"They will be aiming to kill," Isabella told Regulus, caressing his hand softly.

"We'll get out of here just fine," Regulus said, more to himself than her.

"Yes, we will," Isabella said confidently.

Isabella noticed that Voldemort hadn't brought Nagini with him. What a shame. She could have finished everything off then and there if he had.

"We don't wish to fight today," she told Voldemort and the others could only marvel at how she spoke to the Dark Lord as though she was greeting a particularly annoying guest at a tea party.

Isabella wasn't scared of Riddle. She never was. 

But the cold atmosphere that he brought along with him seemed to freeze everyone's bones and their blood run cold. 

"You have something of mine," Voldemort said quietly. "Being Dumbledore's pet must have given you confidence. Didn't he teach you any manners,"

Isabella frowned. She was no one's pet.

"That was incredibly rude, if I might say," she said dryly. "But it is not yours either, Mr Riddle,"

"Regulus," Voldemort said quietly and Regulus gripped Isabella's hand tighter, the mark on his arms searing with unbearable pain. Isabella could feel his hand trembling in hers and she felt her heart crack for him. He had been through a lot because of her.

"Your betrayal will be forgiven," Voldemort said. "If you bring me the girl,"

"No," Regulus said with a raspy voice, reeling from the burning pain in his arm.

"Stop it," Isabella said, glaring at Voldemort. "I won't let you hurt him,"

"Then turn yourself in," Voldemort said, raising his wand. "Or don't,"

There was no more conversation.

The duel broke out.

Or so it seemed. But Isabella wasn't fighting.

She had conjured a brilliant blue shield around herself and Regulus and not a spell that Voldemort cast penetrated the barrier.

Isabella's priority was Regulus' safety. Nothing else mattered at the moment.

The Dark Lord's frustration was evident as the dragon launched flames at anyone that approached it. All James, Lily and Sirius had to do was aim at the Death Eaters, hexing and stunning them.

Regulus' grip on Isabella's arm slackened and Isabella turned to look at him in alarm.

He was gripping at his left forearm, eyes watering as he gasped for air.

Something inside Isabella snapped and she raised her wand, staring straight into the gleaming red irises blazed with anger.

And even as fury seemed to overtake her, she came to a realisation that hit her with the force of a bludger.

She had seen this somewhere, long, long ago when she was a little girl, aged twelve. It was in a dream.

The very same dragon with Lily, James and Sirius mount it, leaving a collapsing Gringotts. 

. . .Well, then. All they had to do was leave.
Yes, she should keep her aims clear. They had to leave and destroy the Horcrux.

"Regulus," Isabella said softly, holding him up. "Let's leave,"