Extinguished 🩵 Harry Potter [2]

xii ⟶ More Dark And Dark

Then, a loud, high voice seems to slice into her skull, as though it radiates from the walls. Thea feels her face blanch, and she glances worriedly at Fred next to her, who mirrors her expression.

"I know that you are preparing to fight. Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood. Give me Harry Potter, and none shall be harmed."

Tears, ones of fury and terror spring to her eyes, hot and stinging. She finds Harry again, and all she can do is stare, as he stares right back. She wants to run to him, cling onto him and never let go, but it's like she's frozen.

"Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight."

"But he's there! Potter's there! Someone grab him!"

At the sound of Pansy Parkinson's shrill voice, Thea leaps from her seat and strides over to Harry and stands before him, reaching behind her to take his hands and link their fingers together. As she does, a huge wave of students get to their feet, joining her in creating a protective shield around him.

"That's embarrassing, isn't it, Parkinson?" Thea snickers, earning a dark glare from the girl.

"Thank you, Miss Parkinson. You will leave the Hall first with Mr Filch. If the rest of your house could follow, then the Ravenclaws, please!"

Thea watches as the students trickle out, trickle out of the hourglass that is Hogwarts, each one of them a grain of sand, each a second, as they tick by to midnight. Only a few older students remain, all sparing glances at Harry and Thea. After a moment, Thea is pulled by Harry over to the Weasleys.

"Where are Ron and Hermione?" Harry asks.

"Haven't you found – "

Thea watches Mr Weasley as he trails off, her eyes following his as they land on Kingsley Shacklebolt as he addresses them all.

"We've only got about half an hour until midnight, so we need to act fast! A battle plan has been agreed between the teachers and the Order of the Phoenix. Groups of fighters will be taken up to the highest Towers, excellent positions from which to work spells. Other groups will be taken to the grounds. We'll need somebody to organise defence of the entrances of the passageways into school –"

" – sounds like a job for us," Fred interrupts, pointing between George and himself.

Thea glances at Fred, and he gives her a wink, which she returns with a salute and a shout of, "Be careful, you idiots!" as they run off.

"All right, leaders up here and we'll divide up the troops!"

"Potter, Cindercroft, aren't you supposed to be looking for something?"

"What? Oh, oh yeah!"

Thea laughs as McGonagall rolls her eyes and walks away.

Thea turns to Harry, and swallows down the heaviness of her fear.

"Where do you want me to go? Shall I –"

"Look for Ron and Hermione?" they both say at the same time.

Thea's eyes find Harry's, and as they stare at each other, he somehow seems more vivid, more real than he ever has.

Although she does not set on fire anymore, his look still alights her, still warms her so thoroughly it's like the cold so stubborn in her veins melts away and she forgets it for a moment, a moment that seems like a shard of her dreams, disjointed from the reality – the tragedy – they're living in.