𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐒 | 𝐃.𝐌

₁₉ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇꜱᴄᴀᴘᴇ

Hermione nodded and began walking in step beside Ava. Ava kept an eye on every door and window. Listened to every noise and was prepared to hide and fight. Whichever it may be.

Ava grabbed a long sharp silver sword with a black handle as she passed the weapons and then grabbed throwing knives and shoved them in the belt she had wrapped around her thigh before leaving.

And finally, she grabbed the bow and arrows and gave them to Hermione. Hermione wouldn't have a clue how to use them but Ava did. Hermione simply held them for her.

When they reached the door which Ava knew led into the corridor, Ava stopped Hermione from walking out.

"Let me check it's clear," Ava said and Hermione nodded.

Ava walked forward, stepping out into the cold, dark corridor. Broken cobblestone and bricks lay abandoned on the ground, candles on the walls, lighting the gloomy corridor in a golden tint. The silence was loud as Ava walked out, sword drawn and looking left and right. She saw no one. Heard no one.

Ava turned back to Hermione and waved a hand for her to come to her side. Hermione's scrawny body walked toward Ava and then looked left and right also. Not because she didn't believe Ava but because she was curious. The hallways she once walked to lessons with Harry and Ron, now destroyed into hell.

Ava pressed a gentle hand on her shoulder as though she could see what Hermione was seeing. Hermione jumped and blinked, looking up at Ava, who offered a delicate smile.

"Let's go," Ava said and Hermione once again nodded as she paced into a walk beside Ava, who held out her sword, ready to protect herself and Hermione.

┈˃̶༒˂̶┈

Ava was aware of every sound and noise. A rustle sounded in front of them and Ava was quick to grab Hermione's hand and pull her into a nearby alcove. But only a rat waddled across the hallway in front. Ava released a heavy sigh she didn't know she held in before she walked out again.

Ava wasn't sure where she was going. She knew her way around Hogwarts at school. The great castle was huge, like a maze, but still, Ava found her way around with ease. But this was no longer the Hogwarts she remembered. The dark lord had taken over and Hogwarts was not a death maze. They had added buildings onto it. Parts of the castle had been destroyed and a few rebuilt.

Ava tried her hardest to think of the right way to go. But she only guessed, reassuring Hermione she knew where she was going.

However, in front of them stood two large doors, so tall, they had to tilt their heads back to see the top. Ava came to a stop.

"What is this?" Hermione asked peering upward.

"I have no idea," Ava answered honestly.

"Should we go through?" Hermione questioned.

Ava feared they had no choice. All the corridors seemed to lead to these doors. The exit would be this way. And if not an exit then some way of escaping. She wished she asked Draco more about the castle but that didn't even come to her mind in those days spent with him.

"Yes," was all Ava responded. She knew it was a bad idea. But they were already dead. It is sunrise soon and soon it would be clear that they escaped. Everyone will realise they are missing.

Terror twisted in Ava's gut but she had to be brave for Hermione. Hermione had too much hope now. Ava couldn't let her down.

Ava approached the doors and Hermione followed. She pushed the door open slowly and once she peered through and checked it was clear, she stepped through and Hermione followed.

This corridor was much grander. No candles lit the corridors, instead, flame holders perched on each wall, holding large flames. The hallway was much brighter. Which meant it would be easier for them to be seen.

"Quickly," Ava said and walked hastily through with her sword drawn. Hermione followed a step behind Ava.

But then, a large male in armour rounded the corner and froze in front of them. By the white nightgowns, it was clear where they had come from. Who they were.

"Hey—!" the man yelled in a harsh voice and began moving toward them.

"Ava—?" Hermione whispered behind her.

There was no lying their way out of this. Ava was only left with one alternative.

She pulled up the cloth of her gown grabbed a knife from the belt around her thigh and threw it at the man. The blade hit the male in his lower neck. His hands came to his throat and began choking on air as blood poured out from his neck.

Her first kill.

But she felt nothing. No guilt. No sorrow. No proudness. Instead, she grabbed Hermione's shaken hand and ran ahead, and past the man who had now fallen to his knees as death consumed him. Hermione looked but Ava didn't dare. Not even when she heard his armour clash on the ground as his body fell to the floor.

A vast amount of adrenaline coursed through Ava's veins and it only made Ava walk faster. Keep more of an eye on her soundings and her ears open.

Just before Ava round the corner, she looked back. And saw two more males running toward them. Ava and Hermione picked up their pace as she swapped her sword with her bow and arrows with Hermione.

"Keep running," Ava yelled to Hermione.

She grabbed two arrows, stopped in her run, turned around and at once — she fired the arrows. The arrows flew through the air and then hit both males in the neck.

Second kill. Third kill.

She immediately began running again and caught up with Hermione, "here!" Ava yelled and again they swapped weapons. And just as they did, another man appeared ahead.

"Stop!" he yelled, his voice echoing off of the stone walls.

"Don't stop!" Ava yelled and Hermione didn't protest as they both ran toward the man.

Ava gripped her sword tighter and held it out in front of her. And when they passed him Ava sliced the knife on his side, his stomach slicing open, and blood and guts spilling to the foor. And blood sprayed on Ava's face.

Her fourth kill and yet she still felt nothing.

She kept running and Hermione ran fast, neither of them knew where they were going. But sounds of men's yells sounded all around them and Ava didn't know where from. She panicked but didn't let it show.

They will escape. Hermione will be free of this hell.

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