Harry and Amelia Potter

7.22

Luna takes Ollivander's withered hand in hers and Dobby reaches out. Then, they vanish.

The boys and I peer at each other, then rush up the stairs toward the sliver of light under the door above.

The knob turns and light splashes into the cellar as Wormtail fills the doorway. We stiffen, then watch Wormtail fall forward, stiff as a board, tumbling in a heavy heap on the cement floor below.

We turn back as Dobby appears, Wormtail's wand in his tiny fist. "Who gets his wand?"

The boys look to me.

"What?" I question.

"You get his wand." Ron says, like it was obvious.

"Why me?"

"Because your smarter than we are." Harry smirks.

"You've got a point there." I grin

Quickly, cautiously, I, brandishing Wormtail's wand now, pad toward the main room with the boys as Dobby slips off in another direction. As Ron steps past the lifeless Snatcher without a glance, Harry hesitates, glances down.

Something flutters in the Snatcher's pocket. The tip of a golden wing. Harry crouches, looks. It's the Snitch.

Harry looks up, sees Ron and I gesturing for him. Quickly, he takes the Snitch and slips it in his pocket.

As Harry joins Ron and I, we look out over the steps. Slowly, Bellatrix comes into our view, towering over Griphook, who holds the sword, studying it. Hermione lies at Bellatrix's feet. Seeing her, Ron starts to lurch forward. Harry restrains him.

"Well?" Bellatrix questions.

"I left Gringotts employ many weeks ago, but when I was last in your vault, the sword was there."

Hermione studies the three of us, then watches as a Bellatrixs hair drifts free and, as if in floats through the air, strand of a dream, and catches on her shirt.

"Perhaps it just walked out on its own then." Bellatrix glares.

"There is no place safer than Gringotts, Madam LeStrange."

"Liar! You can't deceive me!" As Hermione looks up, away from the hair, Bellatrix slashes the dagger across Griphook's cheek and a deep gash opens. He barely flinches, the hint of a smile on his lips. Bellatrix looks mildly unnerved by his reaction. "Consider yourself lucky, Goblin. The same won't be said for this one."

Bellatrix poises the dagger over Hermione.

"Like hell!" Ron mutters. Bellatrix wheels, sees Ron pelting forward. Harry and I follow suit. Before she can do anything, I wave Wormtails wand.

"Expelliarmus!" Bellatrix's dangling wand shoots free, tumbles end over end, right into my hand. "Stupefy!"

Lucius Malfoy drops instantly, his wine glass shattering in a burgundy bloom on the hearth. I toss Harry Bellatrix's wand. Narcissa and Draco draw theirs. Jets of light spray across the room.

I take on Draco as Harry takes on Narcissa. Ron goes up to Lucius and begins punching him in the face. I look to Draco.

"Draco, please. You know what the right thing is."

"You don't understand." Draco looks terrified, but it looks like he's purposefully missing with his spells. I haven't had to block one yet.

"You remember what I said, in the bathroom last year?" I ask him. "Nothing worth doing is ever easy."

He looks to me with wide eyes, then slowly begins to lower his wand.

"Stop or she dies!" Harry, Ron, and I freeze, seeing Hermione leaning limply against Bellatrix, the dagger at her throat. "Drop your wands." Ron stands rigidly, staring balefully at Bellatrix. "I said drop them!"

"All right!" Ron shouts, then looks to us. "Mia, Harry, do it."

I fling Wormtails off to the side while Harry drops Belatrix's.

"Pick them up, Draco. Now!" She instructs him. He winces and does what she says. "Well, well, look what we have here. Harry and Amelia Potter. All bright, shiny and new again. Just in time for the Dark Lord." I glance at Harry and then in the mirror opposite, seeing that the Stinging Jinx is wearing off. "Call him, Draco."

Draco hesitates. But Lucius doesn't, pulling up his sleeve and touching his finger to the Dark Mark on his forearm. Harry and I's scars constrict and we grimace in agony. Draco holds back tears as he stands there next to his mother, fearful. Bellatrix cackles maniacally, her knife pressed against the tender flesh of Hermione's neck. A bead of blood bubbles on the blade and then a grinding noise is heard.

I glance up, seeing the chandelier begin to tremble. As the tinkle of glass fills the room, Bellatrix stares directly upward, watching as the chandelier bursts free of the ceiling and plummets. Bellatrix bolts and Hermione staggers clear, falling into Ron's arms. Griphook grabs the sword and as glass explodes in razor-sharp slivers, Draco screams and covers his bloody face.

I run up to Draco and put my hands on the blood-soaked wands. I stare into Dracos eyes. "Do the right thing."

He nods and I take the three wands, wheeling, points all of them at Lucius.

"Stupefy!" Lucius flies off his feet and drops in a heap.

"You dirty little monkey! You could have killed me!" I turn, seeing Bellatrix raging at Dobby. The elf stands fearlessly across from her, defiant.

"Dobby meant only to maim or seriously injure, not kill."

"For God's sake, Cissy, you've got a wand! Use it!" Narcissa hesitates. Dobby waves his little fist and Narcissa's wand flies from her hand.

"How dare you take a witch's wand. How dare you defy your masters." Bellatrix screeches.

"Dobby has no master! Dobby is a free elf, and Dobby has come to save Harry and Amelia Potter and their friends!"

I toss Ron and Harry a wand, grabbing Hermione's beaded bag and joining the others in the center of the room.

"Give the Dark Lord our regards." My hand closes on Dobby's and the drawing room begins to spin. Bellatrix's face twists into an ugly blur. Her arm rises, dagger in hand. There is a flash of silver. Then, all goes black.