GLAUCOUS
(adj.) frosted; pale bluish-grey, like early morning fog
DRACO HAD NEVER FELT TRUE FEAR UNTIL HE HEARD THE GUTTURAL SCREAM OF IMMENSE PAIN TESSA LET OUT. At once — he dropped and abandoned his examination and hurried over to the girl who thrashed on the floor feverishly.
"Mr. Malfoy, get back to your seat!" Marchbanks called out to him. "Mr. Nott — sit down!"
"Tessa," Draco said in a panicked voice, gathering her in his arms. "Tessa, talk to me." He tried to shake her awake, but she had slipped into unconsciousness. Her face was streaked with tears, and her body was limp and heavy on him.
He glanced over to Harry who was in a sluggish state and was being helped up by Tofty. "I'm — I'm fine, sir," Harry stammered. "Really . . . I just fell asleep. Had a nightmare."
"Pressure of examinations!" Tofty said sympathetically. "It happens, young man, it happens! Now, a cooling drink of water, and perhaps you will be ready to return to the Great Hall? The examination is nearly over, but you may be able to round off your last answer nicely?"
"Tessa," Harry blurted out as soon as his eyes fell on Draco who was holding her on his lap, and Theo who was checking her temperature and pulse. "My sister — you need to help my sister."
"I got her," Draco said gruffly, scooping her up in his arms as he strode out of the Great Hall with Theo ahead of him and pushing the door open.
"You two haven't finished your exams!" Marchbanks said from behind them, checking on their works.
"Tell her 'fuck the exam'," Draco muttered to Theo as he stepped out of the threshold.
"He said we'd like to submit them early, thank you very much," Theo said instead before hurrying after Draco who had already reached down the corridor.
They heard footsteps echoing down the hallway, and Draco threw a glance to see Harry sprinting over to them. "Is she okay? What the hell happened?" he asked breathlessly, eyebrows drawn together in worry.
"I . . . I don't know," Draco whispered helplessly as they quickened their pace to the hospital wing.
They burst in, and found Madam Pomfrey spooning something into Montague's mouth, and she jumped in alarm. "Potter — Malfoy — Nott, what do you think you're doing?" Her eyes fell on the unconscious girl in Draco's arms, and she ushered him over to help her on an empty bed.
"I need to see Professor McGonagall," Harry said as the matron checked Tessa's vitals and announced she just needed rest. "Now. It's urgent."
"She's not here, Potter," Madam Pomfrey said as she left Tessa with the two Slytherins sitting on either side of her bed, and returned to Montague. "She was transferred to St. Mungo's this morning. Four Stunning Spells straight to the chest at her age? It's a wonder they didn't kill her."
"She's . . . gone?"
"I don't wonder you're shocked, Potter. As if one of them could have Stunned Minerva McGonagall face on by daylight! Cowardice, that's what it was. Despicable cowardice. If I wasn't worried what would happen to you students without me, I'd resign in protest."
"Yes," Harry mumbled and went over to stand next to Draco who was gently stroking the hair away from Tessa's pale face. The bell outside rang as the sound of people flooding the entrance hall and corridors echoed.
"You can go," Draco muttered. "To Granger and Weasley with whatever it is that's so urgent."
Harry hesitated. "I don't want to leave her," he quietly admitted.
"I'll look after her — she'd want you to go."
Theo watched silently from Draco to Harry as the latter finally turned and hurriedly ran out of the infirmary. "Well — that was the strangest conversation I've ever heard between you two. An actual, civil conversation between you and Harry Potter."
Draco sighed, frowning as he gently brushed her cheeks. "You'd be surprised with the things we do for the people we love."
ϟ ϟ ϟ ϟ
Tessa was burning. She was burning in an endless pit of raging fire. It felt as though she was falling — or maybe she was lying still — but either way, darkness covered her like a cocoon.
A dark, wicked voice crooned in her head — one that chuckled coldly and played with her mind. I have been looking for you, Teressa Potter.
She screamed and forced herself to resist the vice-like grip Voldemort had on her. Struggling against him rendered her completely useless.
After all this time — you've shown yourself to me. You've been hidden from me for far too long.
Tessa continued to fight against him — against the pain that enveloped her body and crushed her mind and soul in scorching flames. But there was death — death engraved on skin that invoked fear in her.
A cruel laugh echoed in the darkness. You are not as powerful as I'd hope you to be. Why waste your strength in resisting me, when you can create everlasting reign over the world?
Suddenly — the agony stopped, and the immense heat burned out to an empty void.
She was floating — suspended in time and space where nothing existed.
Light flickered from afar, and, drained of energy, Tessa reached for it.
It's time you stop hiding in your brother's shadow and make a new place for yourself, Teressa Potter.
She willed every single fiber of her body to stretch toward that pulse of energy. The same thrum it gave her when she met silver eyes and a wry smile. The same embracing feeling it filled her when she heard drawled purrs and and sensuous laughter. Her fingers grazed the orb of glowing fire — and her body exploded with the ferocity and earth-shattering roar of the dragon whose blood flowed in her veins.
No, what are you doing? You cannot defeat me, you useless and pathetic girl.
And she realized — this whole time — that wicked voice inside her head was Lord Voldemort, and she would not give in to his deceit anymore.
"You know what, Voldemort?" her voice burned with a thousand flames that sent sparks of havoc and years' worth of fury down their connection. "Fuck you."
Tessa woke up screaming as the world shattered around her.
ϟ ϟ ϟ ϟ
"TESSA!" someone was shouting as they tried to hold her thrashing body down. "Tessa, calm down its me! Theo — help me!"
A male voice grunted in frustration. "I'm trying — she's burning me!"
"Tessa — Tessa, stop!" the first boy was yelling again, and then there were hands cupping her face urgently. "Look at me."
Silver eyes.
They calmed her down and eased her hammering heart to a steady beat. She panted heavily, sweat beading down her neck and temple as she searched his face.
Draco continued to hold her in place. "That's it," he said in a taming voice. "Keep looking at me."
She swallowed roughly, the snarling demon inside of her settling down as she fought the rising panic. "Draco?" she whispered hoarsely.
"I'm here," he said, not once letting his eyes leave hers. "I'm here, and you're okay. You're okay."
"I'm okay," she repeated, her eyes fluttering shut as her body limped with the realization on where she is and what was reality.
"Good girl," Draco whispered, bringing her against him as he embraced her fiercely. His lips found its way to her head as he murmured, "I was so scared when you started to convulse and shake for no reason."
Tessa pulled away from him to bring herself against the pillows propped against her. She saw Theo perched on the far edge of the bed, a wary look on his face. "I couldn't touch you," he murmured, "your skin was literally on fire."
She offered him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry," she reached a hand out for him with palms open.
Theo hesitated before he covered her hand with his. He smiled faintly before they both retracted their arms again.
"What happened?" Tessa asked Draco. "When I passed out — what happened after?" Her eyebrows furrowed. "Harry? Where is he?"
Draco told her everything that happened, and she made a move to get up before both boys hurriedly pushed her back to the bed. "You're not seriously planning on going after them right now, are you?" Draco asked wearily. "Especially after what just happened to you?"
Tessa scowled and watched the two boys who had their arms crossed at her. "What an overbearing pair of mother hens you two have become."
Theo let out an affronted gasp and covered his mouth dramatically as Draco rolled his eyes.
"I'm feeling much better now — let me go find out what happened to Harry."
Neither of them even twitched an eye.
Tessa scrunched her nose at them before suddenly pointing at something behind them. "OH, MY GOD — LOOK!"
"Where?" Theo blurted out and spun around to the nonexistent threat as Tessa jumped out of bed and sprinted out of the door she'd opened to another place.
Theo's mouth hung open as he faced Draco with a baffled expression. "Did you really let her run away just like that, mate?"
Draco's mouth was still pressed together in a grim line as he watched the door he let her run out of. "There's nothing I can do or say that will stop her from fighting for what she wants to protect with her life." He threw Theo an irritated glance. "And I'm not the idiot who turned around and let her get away."
Draco sighed and shut his eyes for a moment. Please stay safe.
ϟ ϟ ϟ ϟ
"Tell me everything," was the first thing Tessa said when she slammed into Ron, Neville, Ginny, and Luna. She paused upon taking in their cut lips, scratched cheeks, and bruised eyes. "What the hell happened to you?"
They explained everything to her about what Harry saw of Voldemort having Sirius, Umbridge catching them, how Harry and Hermione lured the toad away into the forest, and how the rest of them jinxed the Inquisitorial Squad to escape.
Tessa left them for a minute to open a door to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place — but found the house empty. She couldn't even find Kreacher anywhere, and didn't know where he was hiding. She went to her house as well, but Uncle Kasi nor her mother was there.
"Let's go — we need to find Harry and Hermione," Tessa said with a scowl as she led the others into the heart of the forest where she knew they'd encountered Grawp or the centaurs.
"Smart plan," Tessa heard a familiar voice say angrily from far ahead. "Really smart plan. Where do we go from here?"
"That was Harry," Tessa murmured as they walked faster to the source of the voice.
"We need to get back up to the castle," Hermione replied.
"By the time we've done that, Sirius'll probably be dead!"
The group entered the small patch of clearing to see Harry kick a tree angrily with Hermione standing in front of him.
"Well, we can't do anything without wands," Hermione said hopelessly. "Anyway, Harry, how exactly were you planning to get all the way to London? It's not like we can all follow Tessa through her doors — and she isn't even awake right now."
"Tessa is very much awake and would also like to know how we can all get to London," Tessa couldn't help but to blurt out with a grin.
The two spun around in surprise before instantly striding forward and pulling her into a hug. "Thank God, you're okay," Harry said.
"I was so worried when I saw what happened," Hermione added.
Tessa pulled away with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry — I'm okay now." She turned to Harry. "I checked Sirius's and my house, but I couldn't find anybody."
"So," Ron said, handing over Harry's wand, "had any ideas?"
"How did you get away?" Harry asked them, taking in their cuts and bruises.
"Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm, Neville brought off a really nice little Impediment Jinx. But Ginny was best, she got Parkinson — Bat- Bogey Hex — it was superb, her whole face was covered in the great flapping things. Anyway, we saw you heading into the forest out of the window and followed. What've you done with Umbridge?"
"She got carried away," Harry said. "By a herd of centaurs."
"Damn," Tessa stomped a foot to the ground. "I can't believe I missed that!"
"And they left you behind?" Ginny asked Harry.
"No, they got chased off by Grawp," he replied.
"Who's Grawp?" Luna asked interestedly.
"Hagrid's little brother," Ron said promptly. "Anyway, never mind that now. Harry, what did you find out in the fire? Has You-Know- Who got Sirius or — ?"
"Yes, and I'm sure Sirius is still alive, but I can't see how we're going to get there to help him."
Tessa raised her hand. "I can open a door and sneak into the Department of — "
"No!" they all protested at once as Harry added, "It's too dangerous — especially with you going all alone."
Tessa slowly put her hand back down. "I can be very quiet and sneaky — "
"Tessa, no."
"Well, we'll have to fly, won't we?" Luna suddenly piped up in a knowing voice.
"Okay," Harry said irritatedly and turned to her, "first of all, 'we' aren't doing anything if you're including yourself in that, and second of all, Ron's the only one with a broomstick that isn't being guarded by a security troll, so —"
"I've got a broom!" Ginny chirped.
"Yeah, but you're not coming," Ron retorted angrily.
"Excuse me, but I care what happens to Sirius as much as you do!"
"You're too —" Harry began.
"I'm three years older than you were when you fought You-Know- Who over the Sorcerer's Stone, and it's because of me Parkinson's stuck back in Umbridge's office with giant flying bogeys attacking her —"
"Yeah, but —"
"We were all in the D.A. together," Neville said quietly. "It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real — or was that all just a game or something?"
"No — of course it wasn't —"
"Then we should come too. We want to help."
"That's right," Luna agreed with a smile.
"Well, it doesn't matter anyway," Harry said frustratedly, "because we still don't know how to get there — Tessa, we already said no — "
"I thought we'd settled that?" Luna interrupted. "We're flying!"
"Look," Ron said angrily to her, "you might be able to fly without a broomstick but the rest of us can't sprout wings whenever we —"
"There are other ways of flying than with broomsticks."
"I s'pose we're going to ride on the back of the Kacky Snorgle or whatever it is?"
"The Crumple-Horned Snorkack can't fly," Luna said, "but they can, and Hagrid says they're very good at finding places their riders are looking for."
Tessa followed her line of sight and found an empty space between two trees. She frowned slightly, knowing what Luna was talking about. "It's thestrals, isn't it? We're going to have to ride thestrals?"
"Yeah," Harry said, reaching over to pet one.
"How many are there?"
"Just three."
"Well, we need four," Hermione said, nodding at Ron, Tessa, and Harry.
"Five, Hermione," Ginny corrected, scowling.
"I think there are seven of us, actually," Luna piped up.
Tessa smiled faintly. "Ah, Luna — the only one who knows her maths."
"Don't be stupid, we can't all go!" Harry said angrily. "Look, you three — you're not involved in this, you're not —"
They burst out protesting at once, and Tessa sighed at Harry. "It's their decisions — we need to respect that."
"Okay, fine, it's your choice," Harry gave in. "But unless we can find more thestrals you're not going to be able —"
"Oh, more of them will come," Ginny said confidently.
"What makes you think that?"
"Because in case you hadn't noticed, you and Hermione are both covered in blood," she said coolly, "and we know Hagrid lures thestrals with raw meat, so that's probably why these three turned up in the first place . . ."
"Okay, then," Harry said thoughtfully. "Ron, Tessa, and I will take these three and go ahead, and Hermione can stay here with you three and she'll attract more thestrals —"
"I'm not staying behind!" Hermione insisted furiously.
"There's no need," Luna said with a smile. "Look, here come more now. You two must really smell."
Harry turned to wherever the thestrals must've appeared. "All right, pick one and get on, then."
Tessa was helped onto one by her brother, and she had to tame her heart for a moment when she got on the invisible creature.
"This is mad," Ron said faintly. "Mad . . . if I could just see it —"
"You'd better hope it stays invisible," Harry grumbled darkly. "We all ready, then?" They nodded at him in response and he looked back down at his thestral. "Ministry of Magic, visitors' entrance, London, then. Er . . . if you know — where to go . . ."
For a moment, the thestrals didn't move — and then a split second later, they'd skyrocketed into the air so fast that Tessa was pretty sure they all screamed. She grasped onto her horse, finding his neck as she wounded her arms around and held on for dear life. The thestrals soared across the twilight sky, and Tessa closed her eyes for a moment and felt the breeze flutter across her skin and hair — imagining it to be Quidditch.
Then suddenly — she screamed again when the thestrals plunged toward the ground and onto the pavement. But just as the horses reached the ground, they glided lightly and kissed the earth in the smoothest landing Tessa could ever possibly imagine.
She slid off the thestral, her face drained of color as she stumbled on the street and roughly bumped against a telephone box. "Not doing that again," she muttered, pressing a hand over her mouth to keep from hurling out her guts.
"Never again," Ron agreed as he fell off his thestral and landed on his face. "Never, ever again . . . that was the worst —"
"Where do we go from here, then?" Luna asked Harry.
"Over here," he said, and made his way to the telephone box Tessa was leaning against for support. "Come on!" He made sure everyone was squashed over the other inside before he said, "Whoever's nearest the receiver, dial six two four four two."
As Tessa went and did it, the dial whirred and a female voice echoed inside the box, "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."
"Tessa Potter, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger," Harry said swiftly, "Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood. We're here to save someone, unless your Ministry can do it first!"
"Thank you. Visitors, please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes."
Seven badges slid out of the metal chute and they all pinned it on their robes as instructed.
"Visitor to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium."
"Fine!" Harry said loudly. "Now can we move?"
The floor groaned and the telephone box moved down into the Ministry of Magic. The Atrium was completely empty, and there were no fires burning into the mantelpieces against the walls.
"The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant evening," the woman said smoothly as the door flung open.
They all jumped out from the cramped telephone box and quickly set off sprinting down the hall. "Come on," Harry said quietly as he led them all into a lift that brought them to the ninth floor — Department of Mysteries.
Directly across of them stood a plain black door amidst the dark corridor, and Tessa gripped onto her wand tightly as she wearily watched the determined expression on Harry's face. She walked alongside her brother, her heart pounding as she glanced around the place.
"Okay, listen," Harry whispered as they came to a stop a couple of feet before the door. "Maybe . . . maybe a couple of people should stay here as a — as a lookout, and —"
"And how're we going to let you know something's coming?" Ginny asked with eyebrows raised. "You could be miles away."
"We're coming with you, Harry," Neville said firmly.
"Let's get on with it," Ron said with a nod to Harry.
Tessa didn't want to let her brother walk headfirst into the door, but she followed closely when he did so. They entered a large, circular room that was entirely black, reflecting their lights on their wand on the floor. Handleless black doors stood all around the wall that brought Tessa's stomach plunging down to her feet anxiously.
"Someone shut the door," Harry muttered.
Before any of them could do anything, there was a deep, rumbling noise and the wall rotated. Tessa reached over instinctively to throw a hand in front of Harry protectively as the wall spun, and then stop.
"I have a really bad feeling about this," Tessa said quietly.
"What was that about?" Ron whispered.
"It was stopping us from realizing which door we came from," Tessa replied with a frown, eyes roving through the similar black doors. Not that it mattered to her, she can easily yank a random one open and find her way out. But the others were in trouble.
"How're we going to get back out?" Neville asked nervously.
"Well, that doesn't matter now," Harry said. "We won't need to get out till we've found Sirius —"
"Don't go calling for him, though!" Hermione advised urgently.
"Where do we go, then, Harry?" Ron asked.
"In the dreams I went through the door at the end of the corridor from the lifts into a dark room — that's this one — and then I went through another door into a room that kind of . . . glitters. We should try a few doors. I'll know the right way when I see it. C'mon."
Harry made his way to the first door, ready to push it open or strike it with his wand when Tessa walked over. "Maybe — maybe I should go first," she said, sliding into place in front of him. "Just in case." She pressed a hand over the cool door, and pushed it open — a little bit suspicious on how easily it had opened.
They entered the room carefully, observing the lamps hanging from the ceiling on gold chains. It was empty except for a large, glass tank with green water. White objects drifted lazily and swam inside the liquid, and Tessa recoiled away upon realizing what it was.
"What're those things?" Ron questioned.
"Dunno," Harry mumbled.
"Are they fish?" Ginny breathed out.
"Aquavirius maggots!" Luna said excitedly. "Dad said the Ministry were breeding —"
"No," Hermione replied in a thick voice. "They're brains."
"Brains?"
"Yes . . . I wonder what they're doing with them?"
"Let's go," Tessa said, leading the way out. "This isn't right — we have to find another door."
"There are doors here too," Ron said with a jerk of his thumb toward the wall before walking out after Tessa.
"In my dream I went through that dark room into the second one," Harry said. "I think we should go back and try from there."
"Wait!" Hermione said sharply before Luna closed the door behind her. "Flagrate!" She drew an X with her wand, and just as the door shut closed, the wall spun again. But as it stopped, the X still burned on the door they'd went in already.
"Good thinking," Harry said. "Okay, let's try this one —"
Tessa went over first and opened it. It was bigger than the first one, and it resembled a stone version of a courtroom. A dais stood at the center of the room, and there was an archway on it that looked as though it might crumble any second now. There was a black veil that hung over it, fluttering lightly despite the fact that there was no wind.
At the sight of it — the vicious beast snarled inside of her, as though warning her to stay away.
"Who's there?" Harry said at once, moving past Tessa and jumping down the bench.
"Harry, you idiot," Tessa hissed and jumped after him. "You don't ask that out loud; nobody's going to answer back."
"Careful!" Hermione whispered.
Tessa flanked Harry's side, her wand raised as she served as a guard that looked around while she followed him. The beast inside warned her again not to look at it — not to be tempted by it.
"Sirius?" Harry spoke quietly as they circled the dais.
"Harry, let's go," Tessa said, the plunging of her stomach getting worse as her insides twisted violently. "Something doesn't feel right, let's go."
"Okay," he said, but he did not move. "What are you saying?" He was still staring at the black veil with curious interest.
"Nobody's talking, Harry!" Hermione said, coming over to them.
"Someone's whispering behind there. Is that you, Ron?"
"I'm here, mate," Ron said, walking around the archway.
"Can't anyone else hear it?" Harry demanded.
"I can hear them too," Luna said, joining them. "There are people in there!"
"What do you mean, 'in there'?" Hermione asked angrily. "There isn't any 'in there,' it's just an archway, there's no room for anybody to be there — Harry, stop it, come away —"
Harry pulled his arm back from Hermione who'd tried to grab him.
"Harry, we are supposed to be here for Sirius!"
"Sirius," Harry repeated. "Yeah . . ."
Tessa latched her hands onto his shoulders and forced him to spin around to her. "Look at me," she said quietly yet firmly. "We need to look for Sirius right now. Snap out of it."
Harry blinked once, twice. A sort of realization dawned on his face and he nodded absentmindedly. "Yeah, let's go."
They quietly walked back out and entered the dark room where Hermione drew an X before shutting the door behind her.
"What d'you reckon that arch was?" Harry asked.
"I don't know, but whatever it was, it was dangerous," Hermione said.
Tessa watched Harry approach a door and try to push it, but it wouldn't open. She frowned and walked over to push it as well but it won't budge.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked.
"It's . . . locked . . ." Harry muttered as Tessa started to throw her weight against the door.
"This is it, then, isn't it?" Ron said as he walked over and tugged Tessa out of the door. "You're going to hurt yourself, stupid," he mumbled before resorting to take her place and slam his shoulder against the door.
"Get out of the way!" Hermione said and pulled her wand out. "Alohomora!"
Nothing happened.
"Sirius's knife!" Harry pulled out the knife and ran the blade through the cracks from top to bottom and tried to push it open. It stayed shut, and what's worse was that the blade had melted.
"Right, we're leaving that room," Hermione concluded with a nod.
"But what if that's the one?" Tessa muttered.
"It can't be, Harry could get through all the doors in his dream," Hermione retorted and placed a burning X on the door.
"You know what could be in there?" Luna wondered as the wall spun again.
"Something blibbering, no doubt."
The wall stopped spinning again, and Harry pushed open another door. "This is it!"
Tessa quickly followed after him and was met by a brilliant glare of sparkling lights. Clocks filled every single spot of the place, and there was a tall crystal bell jar at the end of the room that brought about the light.
"This way!" Harry said as they all walked down the lines of desk and headed toward the crystal bell jar.
"Oh look!" Ginny pointed as they approached it. Inside, there was an egg that cracked open to reveal a hummingbird.
"Keep going!"
"You dawdled enough by that old arch!" Ginny sniped but obediently followed.
"This is it," Harry said. "It's through here." He glanced back at them, and with a nod from his sister, he pushed the door in front of them open and found themselves in a place full of nothing but shelves of dusty orbs that faintly glowed in the darkness.
"You said it was row ninety-seven," Hermione whispered as they silently walked down the aisle.
Tessa felt herself shiver slightly at how cold the room was.
"Yeah," Harry breathed out.
"We need to go right, I think," Hermione said, peering over the number on the shelf. "Yes . . . that's fifty-four."
"Keep your wands out," Tessa softly ordered.
They continued down the aisles of shelves, the only sound being their quiet breaths and the quiet shuffle of their footsteps.
"Ninety-seven!" Hermione whispered as they reached the end of the row.
"He's right down at the end," Harry said. "You can't see properly from here." He walked ahead and led them forward. "He should be near here. Anywhere here — really close . . ."
The gnawing in Tessa's stomach worsened, and her mouth had a strange, bitter taste she didn't like. Nothing with what was happening right now felt right — she didn't like it at all.
"Harry?" Hermione quietly called.
"Somewhere about . . . here . . ." he said upon reaching the end of the row. "He might be . . . Or maybe . . ."
"Harry?"
"What?" he snarled.
"I . . . I don't think Sirius is here."
Tessa watched as her brother ran down the other end of the row again, but there was still no sign of Sirius anywhere.
"Harry?" Ron called out, staring at one of the orbs on the shelf.
"What?" Harry muttered back.
"Have you seen this?"
"What?"
"It's — it's got your name on," Ron said. Tessa swiftly walked over to peer at the glass sphere he was pointing at.
"My name?" Harry joined them as well as they all glanced up to read the inscription.
S.P.T.to A.P.W.B.D. Dark Lord
and (?) Harry Potter
Tessa blinked. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"What is it?" Ron asked. "What's your name doing down here?" He glanced around the other orbs on the shelves. "I'm not here, Tessa's not here. None of the rest of us are here."
"Harry, I don't think you should touch it," Hermione said as he reached a hand out.
"Why not? It's something to do with me, isn't it?"
"Don't, Harry," Neville blurted out anxiously.
"It's got my name on," Harry said stubbornly.
Before he could reach it, Tessa had snapped her fingers over his wrist. He turned to look at her, a little startled to find her hazel eyes burning like embers. "Don't do it," she said lowly. "Let's go now."
Slowly, she let go of his hand and made to turn — but Harry had swiftly reached up and snatched the orb from its place.
"Very good, Potter," a cold voice drawled from behind them. "Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me."
Tessa's spine locked as she froze on her feet. At her peripheral vision, black hooded figures Apparated directly around them as their wands pointed at them. She spun around to find herself face to face with Lucius Malfoy. "Don't do it, Harry," Tessa growled, moving to stand directly in front of her brother protectively.
Lucius narrowed his eyes at her. "Teressa Potter — yes, I've heard of you. The Dark Lord told me you'd be here." He laughed wickedly with no humor. "After all this time, you've been right in front of me — yet Draco has never mentioned you once."
"Leave Draco out of this," Tessa snarled viciously.
Lucius stared at her for a moment with a calculating gaze before turning to Harry. "To me, Potter," he drawled and held out his hand.
"Where's Sirius?" Harry said.
The Death Eaters all laughed at that, and a female voice to their left said, "The Dark Lord always knows!"
"Always," Lucius echoed. "Now, give me the prophecy, Potter."
"I want to know where Sirius is!" Harry boldly said.
"I want to know where Sirius is!" the woman mimicked.
"You've got him. He's here. I know he is."
"The little baby woke up fwightened and fort what it dweamed was twoo."
"Shut up," Tessa snarled, an inhuman growl leaving her lips.
"Don't do anything," Harry muttered quietly when she and Ron stirred. "Not yet —"
The woman screeched out laughing. "You hear him? You hear him? Giving instructions to the other children as though he thinks of fighting us!"
"Oh, you don't know Potter as I do, Bellatrix," Lucius huffed. "He has a great weakness for heroics; the Dark Lord understands this about him. Now give me the prophecy, Potter."
"I know Sirius is here," Harry said again. "I know you've got him!"
"It's time you learned the difference between life and dreams, Potter. Now give me the prophecy, or we start using wands."
"Go on, then," Tessa said, forcing the killing calm to slip on her face as she raised her wand up to her chest. Hermione, Harry, Neville, Ron, Luna, and Ginny all followed suit.
"Hand over the prophecy and no one need get hurt," Lucius repeated.
Harry let out a bark of laughter. "Yeah, right!" he said. "I give you this — prophecy, is it? And you'll just let us skip off home, will you?"
Suddenly, Bellatrix had shrieked, "Accio Proph —"
But just as quickly as she'd casted the spell, Tessa had already shouted, "Protego!"
Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at Tessa. "You insolent little thing."
Tessa smirked coldly. "Touch my brother and my friends, and I'll show you exactly how much of an insolent thing I am."
"Very well, then —"
"I TOLD YOU, NO!" Lucius roared angrily. "If you smash it — !"
Bellatrix stepped forward, bringing down her hood as her pale and gaunt face reflected under the orbs' light. "You need more persuasion? Very well — take the smallest one," she ordered the Death Eaters. "Let him watch while we torture the little girl. I'll do it."
Harry stepped in front of Ginny. "You'll have to smash this if you want to attack any of us. I don't think your boss will be too pleased if you come back without it, will he?"
Bellatrix stilled.
"So, what kind of prophecy are we talking about anyway?" Harry mused.
"What kind of prophecy?" Bellatrix repeated in disbelief. "You jest, Harry Potter."
"Nope, not jesting. How come Voldemort wants it?"
They all hissed at that. "You dare speak his name?" Bellatrix whispered.
Tessa raised her chin haughtily. "Why not? For someone who likes to act like a big, bad wolf, you sure are sissies to say Volde — "
"Shut your mouth!" Bellatrix shrieked. "You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips?" She turned to glare at Harry as she sneered, "You dare besmirch it with your half-blood's tongue, you dare —"
"Did you know he's a half-blood too?" Harry added. "Voldemort? Yeah, his mother was a witch but his dad was a Muggle — or has he been telling you lot he's pureblood?"
"STUPEF —"
"NO !" Lucius deflected Bellatrix's spell, but it caused a shelf to fall next to them as several orbs shattered to the ground. "DO NOT ATTACK! WE NEED THE PROPHECY!"
"He dared — he dares —" Bellatrix was angrily cursing out. "— He stands there — filthy half-blood — impudent sister — "
"WAIT UNTIL WE'VE GOT THE PROPHECY!"
"You haven't told me what's so special about this prophecy I'm supposed to be handing over," Harry said as he glanced from the smashed orbs and to Tessa.
Understanding dawned on her face as she gave him the faintest of nods.
"Do not play games with us, Potter," Lucius hissed.
"I'm not playing games," Harry said innocently.
"Dumbledore never told you that the reason you bear that scar was hidden in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries?"
"I — what? What about my scar?"
"Can this be?" Lucius cackled delightedly. "Dumbledore never told you? Well, this explains why you didn't come earlier, Potter, the Dark Lord wondered why you didn't come running when he showed you the place where it was hidden in your dreams. He thought natural curiosity would make you want to hear the exact wording."
"Did he?" Harry asked as Tessa discreetly turned to pass the order to Hermione so she can tell the others. "So he wanted me to come and get it, did he? Why?"
"Why? Because the only people who are permitted to retrieve a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries, Potter, are those about whom it was made, as the Dark Lord discovered when he attempted to use others to steal it for him."
"And why did he want to steal a prophecy about me?"
"About both of you, Potter, about both of you . . . Haven't you ever wondered why the Dark Lord tried to kill you as a baby?"
"Someone made a prophecy about Voldemort and me? And he's made me come and get it for him? Why couldn't he come and get it himself?"
"Get it himself?" Bellatrix repeated with a wild laugh. "The Dark Lord, walk into the Ministry of Magic, when they are so sweetly ignoring his return? The Dark Lord, reveal himself to the Aurors, when at the moment they are wasting their time on my dear cousin?"
"So he's got you doing his dirty work for him, has he?" Harry said, brushing his knuckles against Tessa's as a signal. "Like he tried to get Sturgis to steal it — and Bode?"
"Very good, Potter, very good," Lucius said. "But the Dark Lord knows you are not unintell —"
"NOW!" Tessa shouted and all of them yelled, "REDUCTO!"
The shelves around them exploded as hundreds of glass orbs tumbled over and shattered against the floor.
"RUN!" Harry yelled as they all sprinted away from the shelves that were still falling upon the other.
Tessa ran, roughly slamming against a Death Eater before she rammed her elbow against his face and continued down the hallway. "Reducto!" she yelled again, pointing at a shelf that she sent bursting on another Death Eater as the orbs came crashing down.
"Hurry!" Tessa shouted as she sprinted behind Harry who slipped through the door that led them back to the Time Room.
"Colloportus!" Hermione panted, sealing the door behind them shut.
Tessa glanced around them, and her heart stopped. "Where are the others?" Ron, Luna, and Ginny were not with them like she'd expected them to be.
"They must have gone the wrong way!"
"Listen!" Neville whispered as they pressed their ears behind the door.
"Leave Nott, leave him, I say," Lucius was snarling at the other Death Eaters, "the Dark Lord will not care for Nott's injuries as much as losing that prophecy — Jugson, come back here, we need to organize! We'll split into pairs and search, and don't forget, be gentle with Potter until we've got the prophecy. Tessa Potter must stay alive no matter the cost — the Dark Lord needs her as much as that prophecy — make sure no blood of hers is spilled — you can kill the others if necessary — Bellatrix, Rodolphus, you take the left, Crabbe, Rabastan, go right — Jugson, Dolohov, the door straight ahead — Macnair and Avery, through here — Rookwood, over there — Mulciber, come with me!"
"What do we do?" Hermione asked them.
"Well, we don't stand here waiting for them to find us, for a start," Harry said. "Let's get away from this door."
They sprinted as fast as they could toward the door that would lead them back to the circular room of doors — when something huge slammed against the door they had sealed behind them. "Quick," Tessa said and pushed them aside, "hide!"
"Stand aside!" a rough voice shouted. "Alohomora!"
Just as the door flew open, they all dived under desks, and Tessa covered Neville who was shaking so badly.
"They might've run straight through to the hall," one of the two said.
"Check under the desks," another said.
Harry poked his wand out of the desk and pointed at him. "STUPEFY!"
The first Death Eater was thrown backward into a grandfather clock, while the second moved aside to avoid the hit. Hermione crawled out of the desk as he pointed his wand to her.
"Avada —"
"MIONE!" Tessa shouted and leapt toward her, tackling Hermione to the floor as Harry grabbed the Death Eater by the knees.
"EXPELLIARMUS !" Neville cried out as both Harry's and the Death Eater's wands flew out. "Get out of the way, Harry! STUPEFY !"
The spell missed the Death Eater and hit the cabinet behind him, sending it bursting into shards of glass. He picked up his wand again and pointed it at Neville.
"CONFRINGO!" Tessa bellowed as flames shot out of her wand and hit the Death Eater in an explosion. She turned around to meet the gaping faces of the others as she picked up Harry's wand and returned it to him. "Come on, let's go!"
There was a shout from a room nearby, followed by a crash and a scream.
"RON?" Harry yelled. "GINNY? LUNA?"
They turned and ran into a door that was ajar, finding two more Death Eaters across them. Tessa yanked open a door and pushed them all inside a small office.
Hermione started, "Collo — "
But the two had already burst inside and shouted, "IMPEDIMENTA!"
They were all knocked back off their feet. Neville was thrown over a desk, Hermione smashed into a bookcase, Harry slammed into the stone wall, while Tessa was practically flung backward into the opposite side of the room. She groaned in pain that flared up the back of her head as she crumpled to the floor.
"WE'VE GOT HIM!" one of the Death Eaters yelled, "IN AN OFFICE OFF —"
"Silencio!" Hermione cried out as Tessa crawled toward them.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Harry shouted at the second Death Eater who fell to the ground immobilized.
Hermione panted. "Well done, Ha —"
Tessa let out a cry of dismay when the silenced Death Eater made a slashing movement as a purple flame passed across Hermione's chest, and she crumpled to the floor motionless.
"HERMIONE!" Tessa shouted, her body aching and roaring in pain as she struggled to get on her knees.
Harry fell beside Hermione as Neville tried to approach them. Tessa gasped when the Death Eater kicked hard at Neville's face, breaking his wand along the process.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Tessa yelled in fury, snatching her wand from the ground as she held onto the desk to push herself up.
The Death Eater ripped off his mask and pointed his wand at Harry. It was Antonin Dolohov, the wizard who had murdered Fabian and Gideon Prewett.
Tessa started to shake violently as she stood straight with her hands clenched.
"Whaddever you do, Harry," Neville gritted out in pain, blood spilling down his mouth and chin, "don'd gib it to him!"
Tessa panted heavily and before Dolohov could even see it coming — she let out a shout of fury as fire exploded around her. The burst of flames she'd let out toward Barty Crouch Jr. during the day Cedric died had blown up once again as she channeled her anger toward Dolohov.
The Death Eater was thrown backwards, the heat stunning him as he was knocked out unconscious against the ground.
Tessa let out a weary sound, crumpling to her knees again as Harry tried to reach for her. "I'm okay," she mumbled tiredly, crawling toward Hermione.
Harry tried to shake her. "Hermione, wake up."
"Whaddid he do to her?" Neville asked, approaching them with a hand over his swelling nose.
"I dunno." Harry tried to shake her again as Tessa slumped against the wall beside her for a moment, drained of energy.
Neville reached for Hermione's wrist. "Dat's a pulse, I'b sure id is."
"She's alive?"
"Yeah, I dink so."
"Good," Tessa breathed out, eyes fluttering shut as she struggled to stay awake and not pass out. She winced when she felt a massive lump on the back of her head. Draco's going to be absolutely livid when he finds out . . .
"Neville — Tessa, we're not far from the exit," Harry whispered. "We're right next to that circular room. If we can just get you across it and find the right door before any more Death Eaters come, Neville, I'll bet you can get Hermione up the corridor and into the lift. Then you could find someone. Raise the alarm. Tessa, you're hurt, you should — "
"Shut up, I'm staying with you," she said at once, eyes flying open to stare hard at him.
"And whad are you going do do?" Neville asked, frowning at Harry.
"Tessa and I've got to find the others," Harry said.
"Well, I'b going do find dem wid you dwo," Neville said.
"But Hermione —"
"We'll dake her wid us. I'll carry her — you're bedder at fighding dem dan I ab —"
Tessa grinned crookedly as she pushed herself off the wall. Neville picked up Hermione and threw her over his shoulder.
"Wait," Harry said, handing Neville Hermione's wand, "you'd better take this."
"My gran's going do kill be," Neville said through a mouthful of blood as he kicked his broken wand, "dat was by dad's old wand."
They silently crept out of the office and made their way back to the circular room. The X's that Hermione made we're fading, and they looked around the doors.
"So which way d'you reck — ?"
Before Harry could finish his sentence, a door to Tessa's right burst open as three people fell out.
"Ron!" Harry shouted. "Ginny — are you all — ?"
"Luna, are you okay?" Tessa asked, approaching them.
"Harry," Ron said, giggling as he stared up at Harry with unfocused eyes. "There you are. You look funny, Harry. You're all messed up."
"Ginny, are you okay?" Tessa asked Ginny who was whimpering and holding her ankle.
"I think her ankle's broken, I heard something crack," Luna whispered. "Four of them chased us into a dark room full of planets, it was a very odd place, some of the time we were just floating in the dark —"
"Harry, we saw Uranus up close!" Ron said, giggling. "Get it, Harry? We saw Uranus —" Blood trickled down the corner of Ron's mouth.
Luna went on, "Anyway, one of them grabbed Ginny's foot, I used the Reductor Curse and blew up Pluto in his face, but . . ."
"And what about Ron?" Tessa asked, eyeing Ron who was still clutching onto Harry's robes.
"I don't know what they hit him with, but he's gone a bit funny, I could hardly get him along at all."
"Harry," Ron said, still giggling, "you know who this girl is, Harry? She's Loony. Loony Lovegood."
"We've got to get out of here," Harry said firmly.
Tessa went over to help Ginny as Luna grabbed her other arm. They all limped over toward a door, when another one across the hall burst open as Bellatrix and three more Death Eaters entered.
"There they are!" Bellatrix shouted.
"CONFRINGO!" Tessa yelled again amidst the Stunning Spells they were throwing as they ran through the door ahead.
"Colloportus!" Harry said as soon as he slammed the door shut behind them.
"It doesn't matter!" a man called from the outside. "There are other ways in — WE'VE GOT THEM, THEY'RE HERE!"
As swiftly as they could, Tessa, Harry, Luna, and Neville sprinted along the doors and sealed it shut. But Luna didn't reach one in time before it burst open and five Death Eaters charged inside. Luna was sent soaring towards the floor where she was knocked out cold next to Hermione.
"Get the Potters!" Bellatrix screamed as she ran toward them.
"Hey!" Ron said, staggering to his feet. "Hey, Tessa, there are brains in here, ha ha ha, isn't that weird, Tessa?"
"Ron, get out of the way, get down —"
"Honest, Tessa, they're brains — look — Accio Brain!"
"RON, NO — !"
Every single person in the room turned to watch — even the Death Eaters had looked over to see a brain leap out of the green liquid and stop midair. Suddenly, it spun violently toward Ron as ribbons of images unraveled and wounded around him like tentacles.
"Diffindo!" Harry yelled, but it wouldn't let Ron go.
"Harry, it'll suffocate him!" Ginny screamed as a Death Eater sent a stunning spell that hit her right on the face.
"CONFRINGO!" Tessa shouted, spinning around and sending a burst of flames exploding at the Death Eater who'd stunned Ginny.
"Flipendo!" a Death Eater yelled, sending Tessa thrown backward across the room as she slammed against the hard floor, knocking into a desk.
"You fool, we're supposed to leave the girl unharmed!" another snarled at him.
"STUBEFY!" Neville shouted, waving Hermione's wand. "STUBEFY, STUBEFY !" But nothing happened as the Death Eaters closed in on them.
Tessa groaned in pain as she got to her feet, panting heavily as she wiped blood off her cut cheek. "OVER HERE, YOU UGLIES!" she screamed and got the attention of the Death Eaters. She locked eyes with Harry who instantly sprinted over to her, the two making a run for the door behind her as they all followed after them.
They burst inside a new room and found themselves back in the place where the stone archway stop. Tessa faltered on her feet, hands on her knees as she fought against the beast roaring viciously in her. Harry fell flat on his back on the dais as he breathed raggedly.
Death Eaters suddenly filled the room, their laughter ringing all throughout. And before Tessa could even see it coming, someone had gripped her arm tightly and yanked her over with a wand pressed against her temple.
"Don't move," drawled Lucius Malfoy whose mask was off.
Tessa snarled at him in response, but stayed still as her heart pounded against her chest. She couldn't do anything, especially when she was completely drained of energy.
"Potter, your race is run," Lucius said to Harry. "Now hand me the prophecy like a good boy."
"Let — let the others go, and I'll give it to you!" Harry said, getting up on the dais. "Let Tessa go!"
The Death Eaters laughed as Tessa snapped, "Harry, don't give it to him."
"You are not in a position to bargain, Potter," Lucius said, grip tightening on Tessa's arm. "You see, there are ten of us and only one of you . . . or hasn't Dumbledore ever taught you how to count?"
"He's dot alone!" a voice shouted and they all saw Neville approaching them. "He's still god be!"
Tessa's stomach plunged to her feet. "NEVILLE, NO — !"
"STUBEFY!" Neville shouted, "STUBEFY ! STUBE —"
One of them grabbed Neville and pinned him to the floor. "It's Longbottom, isn't it?" Lucius sneered as Tessa struggled in his grasp. "Well, your grandmother is used to losing family members to our cause. Your death will not come as a great shock."
"Leave him alone!" Tessa snarled viciously at Lucius.
"You shut your mouth!"
"Longbottom?" Bellatrix repeated with a wicked smile. "Why, I have had the pleasure of meeting your parents, boy."
"I DOE YOU HAB!" Neville roared back in absolute fury and pain.
The Death Eater pinning him down grunted, "Someone Stun him!"
"No, no, no," Bellatrix cackled. "No, let's see how long Longbottom lasts before he cracks like his parents. Unless Potter wants to give us the prophecy —"
"DON'D GIB ID DO DEM! DON'D GIB ID DO DEM, HARRY!"
"Crucio!"
Neville's screams filled the air as he fell to the floor, convulsing in agony. Tessa was screaming as well, thrashing wildly in Lucius's grip as two other Death Eaters had to help hold her down. "STOP IT! LEAVE HIM ALONE! PLEASE — HURT ME INSTEAD."
Neville's screams stopped as Bellatrix swiveled around to raise an eyebrow at Tessa. Her lips pulled up to another cruel smile as she crooned, "Your mother had begged for me to stop. Oh, she screamed and cried to make me stop until she couldn't take the pain anymore." Bellatrix cocked her head at Tessa and raised her wand.
"Bellatrix, stop," Lucius snapped hotly. "We have orders that she stays alive and unharmed."
Bellatrix didn't look away as Tessa snarled at her, "Do it. I dare you."
She opened her mouth to cast the spell when Harry blurted out, "Stop!" He was holding the orb out with a shaky hand. "Don't hurt them anymore."
Lucius let go of Tessa and moved to take it, but then two more doors above them burst open as seven more people emerged into the room. Tessa's knees nearly gave out on her when she saw who it was: Catherine, Kasimir, Sirius, Remus, Moody, Tonks, and Kingsley.
The room exploded in spells that were thrown left and right, and Tessa instantly fell beside Neville who was also approached by Harry.
"Are you okay?" she asked at once as Harry helped him up.
"Yes."
"And Ron?"
"I dink he's all right — he was still fighding the brain when I left —"
The stone floor exploded and Tessa let out a scream as they scrambled away. She had just jumped out of the destruction, only for someone to roughly grab her. "You're coming with me, girl — AH!"
As quickly as the Death Eater had yanked her aside, he let go of her as he was blasted to the opposite side of the room.
Tessa spun around and saw — "UNCLE KASI!" she whimpered as he enveloped her into an embrace.
"Stay with Harry and Neville," he breathed out swiftly, pushing her toward them as he dueled with another Death Eater.
The three struggled to move across the room when Dolohov suddenly approached them and shouted at Neville, "Tarantallegra!" Neville's legs went into an uncontrollable fit of movement, chasing him to fall. "Now, Potters —"
"Protego!" Tessa shouted, her arm covering Harry, but the spell deflected and struck her instead, as though a knife had slashed across the side of her face.
"Tessa!" Harry shouted as the girl stumbled and fell backwards.
Dolohov raised his wand again. "Accio Proph —"
Sirius had come barreling out of nowhere, ramming into Dolohov as Catherine sent a jet of flames hurtling toward the Death Eater. Dolohov was thrown backwards as the gold faded from Catherine's eyes. "I can't anymore," she panted, taking out her wand instead.
"Mum!" Tessa shouted and ran toward her mother who swiftly pulled her into a hug.
"You need to get out of here," Catherine said just as Tonks shouted from across the room. "Now!"
"Harry, take the prophecy, grab Neville, and you three run!" Sirius yelled as he and Catherine sprinted away to where Bellatrix stood.
"Can you stand?" Harry asked Neville.
"Put your arm round my neck," Tessa said as Neville grabbed onto her and Harry. Just as they lifted him up, someone had come barreling toward them and forced them to fall backward.
"The prophecy, give me the prophecy, Potter!" Lucius snarled as he jabbed his wand into Harry's ribs.
"No — get — off — me . . . Tessa — catch it!" Tessa swiftly caught the ball just as Harry yelled, "Impedimenta!" and sent Lucius blasted into the dais where Sirius and Bellatrix were dueling.
Remus jumped between them and Lucius and shouted, "Round up the others and GO!"
The two hauled Neville up to his feet and tried to help him walk. Before they could anticipate it, Neville had knocked roughly into Tessa's hand and sent the glass orb shattering to the floor.
"Harry, I'b sorry!" Neville cried, "I'b so sorry, Harry, I didn'd bean do —"
"It doesn't matter!" Harry shouted. "Just try and stand, let's get out of —"
"Dubbledore!"
"What?"
"DUBBLEDORE!"
Tessa momentarily let go of Neville to turn around, but suddenly there was an arm that had circled around her middle. Before she could scream, that person had pressed a hand over her mouth. "You're coming with us to the Dark Lord," the man growled in her ear as he tugged her to where the others were at.
Tessa tried to scream and thrash in his arms, kicking and biting — but it proved useless. She saw Dumbledore running down the steps and blasting a Death Eater next to him off his feet. She tried to yell again for help, but no one saw her.
Until she caught the eye of Sirius who was laughing at Bellatrix. His grin faded as he took in the way she was being brought over to Lucius.
It all happened too fast.
One second she was struggling to break free from the Death Eater who had been ready to knock her unconscious just to keep her from shouting or escaping.
Then Sirius had abandoned his fight to run toward her as he pointed his wand out to send the Death Eater thrown backward.
But it was too late — a stream of red light had bursted out of Bellatrix's wand and the force was sent directly into Sirius's chest.
Tessa was underwater again. She was screaming as she watched Sirius's face go blank, falling backwards into the veil on the archway. Time seemed to have slowed, because it took forever before he fell through. She was still screaming and shouting, she didn't even know when the Death Eater had let go of her because she was running and stumbling as she fell to the ground.
And then he fell through the archway and vanished into nothing.
There was a buzzing in her ear that only stopped when Bellatrix Lestrange's triumphant scream echoed.
"NO!" a guttural scream filled the room as Catherine stormed the room, flickers of gold tendrils snaking around here as her eyes burned gold.
Tessa didn't even have any control over her feet as she tried to move to Bellatrix, fury enveloping her from head to toe as she let the tears freely fall down her face.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Catherine was shouting when —
"Cathy, stop!" Remus called out firmly from the other side of the dais in the midst of Bellatrix who was still laughing madly and victoriously. His face was pale, his eyes empty and hollow as he repeated quietly, "Stop."
Tessa shared a brief look with her mother as Kingsley moved past her to continue the duel with Bellatrix. The two walked around the arch, and all the air escaped from her lungs as Tessa lurched forward to fall on her knees beside him.
She didn't know whether she was screaming or crying; she didn't even know it was real until her mother had let out a pained shout of complete agony and cover his body with hers.
Because Sirius Black wasn't the only person who they'd lost that night. They'd lost a beloved friend, an uncle, and a brother. Kasimir Valentine was dead.
A/N
This is the very very first chapter I decided to open in the pov of Draco! And unfortunately end with the deaths of Sirius and Kasimir :(
At least one of the worst of deaths is over — or is it?
So uh this wasn't a very...happy...chapter, but we all knew it was coming right? Any guesses on how the next one is going to be?
Order of the Phoenix is coming to an end, and it's almost Half-Blood Prince!!! Anything you're looking forward to in that book?
I hope you enjoyed this chapter (despite their tragic fate) and don't forget to vote and comment! Thank you for reading!