Dysfunctional

1 - The Department of Mysteries - Part 1

Dumbledore had just arrived, rounding up the Death Eaters, invisible ropes binding them. Mad-Eye Moody was crawling towards Tonks, attempting to revive her.

Only one pair was still battling, apparently unaware of the new arrival. Harry saw Sirius duck Bellatrix's jet of red light: he was laughing at her.

"Come on, you can do better than that!" he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room.

The second jet of green light missed him narrowly as he dodged it out of reflex.

Harry's heart went to his throat as he released Neville, though he was unaware of doing so. He was jumping down the steps again, pulling out his wand, yelling 'Stupefy!'

He watched as Bellatrix ducked, then, her eyes widening in realization that Dumbledore had arrived, started running up the steps. She turned and her face full of malicious pleasure, carelessly threw a bolt of purple light behind her at Harry.

It was coming at him so fast and before Harry could even think of anything, someone had pushed him aside.

A loud crack was heard as Sirius fell to the ground and gave a shout of pain. Bellatrix cackled and turned tail. Harry saw Lupin helping up Sirius who was gasping, out of the corner of his eye. Enraged, Harry bolted after her. He couldn't let her escape, he couldn't let her roam free when his godfather had to hide...

Lupin was shouting at him "Harry, wait!" but Harry ignored him.

She aimed a curse over her shoulder, but Harry easily deflected it with a Shield Charm. She ran on towards the next door and Harry followed.

Ginny was in the room helping Luna. Bellatrix aimed her wand at Ginny who froze in terror.

Quickly, Harry yelled, 'Expelliarmus!' but Bellatrix had whipped up a shield easily deflecting it, then ran towards the door.

Determined to not lose her from his sight, Harry bolted after her again and entered the corridor with the revolving walls. Bellatrix tried to slam the door she was leaving through, but Harry was quick. He yelled, 'Aberto!' at the door and the door flew open before it had even closed. Harry ran through it to find the corridor that led to the lifts stretching ahead of him, torch-lit and empty. He ran forward and could see a lift clattering ahead; he sprinted up the passageway and slammed his fist on the button to call a second-lift. It jangled and banged lower and lower; the grilles slid open and Harry dashed inside, now hammering the button marked 'Atrium'. The doors slid shut and he was rising...

Harry would be lying if he said he didn't feel a bit of foreboding going after Bellatrix alone. But after everything she had done, Harry would hate himself if he had a chance to catch her and the only reason that had stopped him was because he had been too scared to take it.

Besides, she wasn't going to kill him. He knew Voldemort wanted to finish him off himself. Of that he was certain.

oOo

After Voldemort and Dumbledore had stopped duelling, and when he was sure Voldemort had decided to flee, Harry made to run out from behind his statue guard, but Dumbledore bellowed, "Stay where you are, Harry!"

For the first time, Dumbledore sounded frightened. Harry could not see why: the hall was quite empty but for themselves, the sobbing Bellatrix still trapped under the witch's statue and the baby phoenix Fawkes croaking feebly on the floor..

Then Harry's scar burst open and he knew he was dead: it was pain beyond imagining, pain past endurance

He was gone from the hall, he was locked in the coils of a creature with red eyes, so tightly bound that Harry did not know where his body ended and the creature began: they were fused together, bound by pain, and there was no escape-

And when the creature spoke, it used Harry's mouth, so that he felt his jaw move...

"Kill me now, Dumbledore..."

A familiar voice echoed distantly, calling for him.

Harry wanted to call back to him, wanted to shout for help. Blinded and dying, every part of him screaming for release, Harry felt the creature use him again...

"If death is nothing, Dumbledore, kill the boy..."

Let the pain stop, thought Harry... let him kill us... end it, Dumbledore... death is nothing compared to this...

Harry felt rough hands holding him, the same voice talking, pleading to him. Though Harry couldn't see him, Harry recognized him immediately.

A surge of emotion filled him as Sirius held him and ran a hand through Harry's hair. He felt the creatures coils loosen, and the pain was gone and he slipped into the darkness.