The last enemy

Chapter 62: The forbidden forest

- NO!

Draco screams to his aunt, making her eyes narrow at him. He looks down to the ground before muttering:

- She might know something. She was pretty close to Dumbledore.
- Alright, then I guess you'll have to come with us pretty girl!

She says, walking in my direction. When she reaches me, she nods to one of the other Death Eaters before starting to climb up the stairs. I look shocked since I wasn't able to go up before. They must've done something that only allows dark wizards and witches to go through.

The remaining Death Eaters follow her, Draco giving me an apologetic look as he walks away. While he does, I whisper only for him to hear:

- I'm also not sure I'll be able to forgive you if you do it. I care about you and don't want to lose you. Please don't do —

He doesn't have time to answer though, as he is pushed in the staircase by Fenrir Greyback. I am left with the man that Bellatrix nodded to. I huff angrily and my captor immediately scowls:

- Quiet!
- There is literally a fight going on! I could scream and the level of noise would still be the same!
- Are you asking for me to kill you?
- I don't know, am I?

I say, faking asking a question. I take a few steps to the right, getting myself closer to my wand. That's good, I just have to keep him talking. He growls:

- You don't want to play with me.
- But I'm not! I never formulated a question asking for you to kill me. You're inventing it.

I say, smirking ever so slightly. He takes a few steps in my direction as I take a few steps away. Suddenly, I hear somebody shouting behind me:

-  Stupefy!

I watch as the Death Eater falls to the ground. I  quickly jump towards my wand and take it in my hand. I turn towards the new potentially dangerous people, raising my weapon high in the air. I sigh of relief as I recognize Tonks and Remus' face in the darkness. My godfather runs towards me and I hug him. I hear him whisper:

- Thank god you're safe...
- Glad you're alright too.

I say, grinning as I look up to him. Tonks separates us and asks me:

- Where did they go?
- Up the stairs. Astronomy tower. There's a spell though, we can't climb it.

As though to demonstrate that, I put my palm against the shield, feeling something close to cold stone on my hand. The pair of them indicate me to step away. Tonks screams to somebody down the hall:

- They've blocked the stairs! Reducto! REDUCTO!
- It won't work! I've tried!

I shout as she continues to helplessly send spells towards the shield. She's still trying when I hear something. It sounds so far away that I would've thought it to be a whisper, but I know what it means. It means it's done. One of them killed him. It's over. Knowing they are likely to come down any minute now, I tell my godfather and his girlfriend:

- Look out, they are coming down. I'm going back to the fight.
- No you're not! I'm not letting you leave alone!

Remus says, grabbing my arm as I walk by him. I give him a sad smile before saying:

- I appreciate the fact that you care, but I'm not helping if I bench the fight. I'll be fine, I promise.
- Remus, you know her. If there is one seventeen year old that can fight off Death Eaters, it's Eleanor.

Tonks says, smiling sweetly to me. I know they have not heard the killing curse, otherwise the conversation we would be having would be very different. I give them a fake-grin before running back to the battle. Voldemort is going down. At least, today.

...

I run away from the courtyard. The screams and the crashes are still echoing. At least, I know most of the people I know are alright.

I fought there for about twenty minutes before heading towards the forbidden forest. I saw Snape going that way and I need to talk to him. Dumbledore told me to trust him so that's exactly what I'm going to do. I just really hope that he was right.

The sky is dark and starry. There are no clouds to hide the moon or the constellations. It's ironic that such horror would happen on such a beautiful night. I look to my surroundings, sadly. This will probably never feel the same. Without Dumbledore to protect the wizarding world, the Death Eaters will most likely control all of England.

The ministry has already been infiltrated; its only a matter of time before they have complete control over the minister. Hogwarts will maybe even be controlled by Voldemort next year. That means that muggle-borns won't be able to attend. I don't know what they'll do about Half-Bloods though.

I try to push these thoughts away and concentrate on my task, right now. It's hard enough as it is; I don't need that much on my mind at the same time.

After a while of running, I come upon the edge of the forest. I look around me and spot Hagrid's house, burning. For a moment, I want to go check to see if he's fine but then I see Harry, with Hagrid. Taking a deep breath, I enter the forest. The darkness in here is overwhelming and my hand seals itself tightly around my wand.

I survived till now, I'll survive this too. A few minutes later, I am relieved to see a familiar shadow, running deeper into the forest.

- Snape!

I shout and he freezes on the spot. I get closer to him until we are standing at approximatively six feet. He slowly turns to face me. I see on his face that he looks a bit nervous.

- Dumbledore told me. That he asked you. And that I need to trust you.
- He also told me to trust you.
- Who did it? Who killed him?

I ask, knowing the answer will probably tell me whether we are winning this war or not. If things didn't go according to Dumbledore's plan, these battles are lost before they even started. Luckily, to my relief, Snape says:

- I did.
- I guess we'll have to continue to act like he told us to, then.
- Yes, I suppose.

We stay like this; none of us daring to move. When the tension is unbearable, I ask:

- Did he tell you; the rest of his plan?
- A part of it. He also told me that you will learn it when the time is right.
- okay...

I whisper. It is comforting to know that even though Dumbledore isn't here anymore, there is still an adult in charge. I couldn't do it alone, I just know.

- I'll need to go, they will be waiting for me. You be safe, Eleanor.
- Wait, stupefy me so that it looks real. Otherwise, they'll be suspicious.

He frowns and raises and eyebrow before asking:

- Are you sure?
- Yes.

I nod. I watch as he takes out his wand and carefully points it in my direction. I close my eyes, waiting for the spell to hit.

- Stupefy.

I hear it loud and clear. It's as if it echoes through the trees. I can almost imagine the spell making its way through the air just to hit me.

There are probably creatures out there, waiting for a defenceless and weakened victim. If I'm stupefied, I will be just that. Okay, maybe I didn't think this through.

But my thinking is cut short as black fills my mind and I find myself unable to think properly. I feel my body relaxing and a few seconds later, touching the ground. My mind tries to fight off the spell to stay awake but eventually, I give in and let myself fall asleep.