𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒-ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕪 ℙ𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣❥

𝐇𝐁𝐏 𝟐𝟓

Emily felt as though she too were hurtling through space; it had not happened. . . . It could not have happened. . . .

"Out of here, quickly," said Snape, "Draco, grab Lupin."

Draco stared at his cousin who had fell to her knees on the floor, sobbing into her hands, once again blaming herself for the death of someone she cared deeply for.

Snape knew that Draco wouldn't do it and wasted no time in lunging forward and grabbing Emily himself.

"Just kill me!" Emily shouted, "I'd rather die than join his side. Kill me, damn it!"

Snape's grip was too strong, he seized Malfoy by the scruff of the neck and forced him through the door ahead of the rest; Greyback and the squat brother and sister followed, the latter both panting excitedly. As they vanished through the door, Harry realized he could move again. What was now holding him paralyzed against the wall was not magic, but horror and shock. He threw the Invisibility Cloak aside as the brutal-faced Death Eater, last to leave the tower top, was disappearing through the door.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

The Death Eater buckled as though hit in the back with something solid and fell to the ground, rigid as a waxwork, but he had barely hit the floor when Harry was clambering over him and running down the darkened staircase, determined to get Emily and avenge Dumbledore.

Terror tore at Harry's heart. . . . He had to get to Dumbledore, he had to save Emily and he had to catch Snape. . . . Somehow the three things were linked. . . . With Emily's power, she could reverse what had happened if she had them both together. . . . Dumbledore could not have died. . . .

Emily fell at the last step, seeing everyone figting but soon enough, her sight was blocked from a cloud of dust that suddenly overcome her.

As they ran, Emily's sight now clear, she saw Lupin, Eric and Ethan all fighting with death eaters a while on.

This was the perfect opportunity.

"Eric!" Emily screamed at the top of her lungs, "Help me! Help! Please!"

Eric turned around, he hurried to Emily, expecting Snape to hand her over straight away for they were all on the same side, but Snape looked back at a few death eaters and nodded toward Eric.

"Eric!" Emily shouted, noticing what Snape had ordered, "Run! They're going to-"

A green light hit his chest, pushing him down to the floor, his head crashing aggressively against the stone floor.

"ERIC!" screamed Emily, trying her hardest to get out of Snape's grip and claw towards her brother, "NO! ERIC! PLEASE, NO!"

Harry leapt the last ten steps of the spiral staircase and stopped where he landed, his wand raised: The dimly lit corridor was full of dust; half the ceiling seemed to have fallen in; and a battle was raging before him, but even as he attempted to make out who was fighting whom, he heard the hated voice shout, "It's over, time to go!" and saw Snape disappearing around the corner at the far end of the corridor; he, Emily and Malfoy seemed to have forced their way through the fight unscathed.

As Harry plunged after them, one of the fighters detached themselves from the fray and flew at him: It was the werewolf, Fenrir. He was on top of Harry before Harry could raise his wand: Harry fell backward, with filthy matted hair in his face, the stench of sweat and blood filling his nose and mouth, hot greedy breath at his throat —

Suddenly, a girls voice screamed, "Petrificus Totalus!"

Harry felt Fenrir collapse against him; with a stupendous effort he pushed the werewolf off and onto the floor as a jet of green light came flying toward him; he ducked and ran, headfirst, into the fight.