The Mudblood

Chapter 90 : Year 4

"We are the help," I muttered to her, stopping short at the end of the row to listen.

"I know you've got him!" Harry exclaimed, eliciting laughter from a group of Death Eaters that I had deduced was quite large.

When I finally mustered the courage to peer my head around the shelves of prophecies, I saw only two male Death Eaters farther down the hall, both of who held their wands toward a row that I assumed Harry and the other's were positioned in. At first I didn't recognize either of the men, but then my eyes focused on the greasy hair and pocked-face that could only belong to Augustus Rookwood. Luckily, he hadn't noticed Astoria and I peeking at them, but I knew that if we tried to eliminate them, we would be spotted.

"We need to get closer without being seen. Be quiet and follow me, okay?" I whispered to Astoria, who nodded silently before taking in a deep breath and drawing her wand.

After one last check that Rookwood and the unrecognizable Death Eater weren't looking, I slunk along the side of the shelf and scurried into the next row, lessening the distance between myself and the Death Eaters only minutely. Astoria mimicked my movements, and I breathed a little easier once we were concealed again from their view. At this rate, all of my friends would be dead before we could even reach them, so I hurried my pace and skipped from one row to the next with slightly less care.

"I TOLD YOU NO!" Lucius's voice roared through the hall once we were only about ten rows away from them. Startled, Astoria hiccoughed a little too loud, and I held my breath, not daring to move, as I listened for any sign that they were aware of us. Lucius's voice droned on, and the woman Death Eater's voice continued to shrill, so I assumed that we were safe. 

Nodding to Astoria, I slipped out into the aisle and froze immediately when the unrecognizable Death Eater, whose mask covered his face and hood covered his head, turned his face toward us. I remained paralyzed, hoping he wouldn't notice me in the dim lighting, but then he pointed his wand toward us, and I knew it was only a matter of seconds before he hexed us, and all of his Death Eater friends would know of our presence.

"Impedimenta!" I breathed, shooting a jinx at him that just missed, due to my poor aim with my left arm.

Luckily, before the Death Eater could speak a word, Astoria popped up beside me and repeated the spell, sending an Impediment Jinx at him that decelerated all of his movements in the same way Pansy had been slowed in Umbridge's office. His current attempt to turn and tell Rookwood that we were here would take minutes...hopefully...

"Do you know any spells that will silently debilitate him before he tells Rookwood?" I asked Astoria lowly.

"Um, do I look like I know any defensive spells? The only reason I was able to do that one was because I watched you do it," she hissed irritably.

"Right, well, c'mon then," I mumbled to her before skipping two rows to get closer. Once we were safely concealed in the row, I heard the unrecognizable Death Eater beginning to drawl a word.

Rookwood immediately whipped toward him and snapped, "What are you trying to say? Spit it out, we haven't got time..."

"Hurry," I mouthed to Astoria, and, because Rookwood was distracted and the other Death Eater took a whole minute to utter one word, we were able to skip three rows unnoticed.

"Shut your mouth!" the woman Death Eater screamed, and I had to throw my hand over Astoria's mouth to prevent her from squeaking.

"We're almost there," I breathed to Astoria, clutching my wand tightly at my side.

"And what are we going to do once we get there?"

"I—uh—I don't really know, exactly—"