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Chapter Eighteen

Everyone still at Hogwarts continued securing the castle. I knew what was coming our way. Standing here and watching the Death Eaters come in our direction made this feel all the more real. Was my father amongst that crowd? I lowered my wand and looked over at Selina who was staring out the window with an unreadable expression. I bet she was wondering if Cole was amongst the crowd as well. This was really happening, and I knew a battle was coming our way. A battle meant destruction, injuries, and the worst, deaths. Without thinking I took Kent's hand out of nervousness and he squeezed it reassuringly. "It will be okay," he said from next to me. I couldn't find the words to respond so I nodded. I hoped it would be okay.

Not long after that, our protection charms were being deteriorated by the Death Eaters. Everyone around me was panicking. "What the hell do we do!" Selina screamed as we rushed down the hall. Our wands were at the ready.

"There isn't anything else we can do," I responded out of breathe. People were running all around us, accidently bumping or pushing through us. I held tightly onto Kent's hand as Selina followed closely behind us while pushing everyone out of her way.

"What do you mean?" she responded horrified. "So what, we're defenseless then?"

"What can we do? If we keep putting the charms up, they'll keep taking them down. We're outnumbered if you can't tell!" I responded a bit more snappy than usual but I was panicking.

"So we're screwed?" she responded. We kept moving and pushing down the hall. The explosions were getting louder. They were getting closer. Kent was trying to get us more towards the Great Hall, considering that is where most people would be. We couldn't run from the fight, but we had to get in the safest position possible.

Another fifteen minutes passed and everything continued getting even more chaotic. Then the loudest explosion yet happened and I felt the ground beneath me shake. We weren't at the Great Hall yet. All of us stopped at the rumbled of the floor. Someone was running down the hall in fear, "They're here! They're in the castle!" he yelled as he passed.

Within minute the castle was full of Death Eaters. The came in through all exits and began destroying the school. As we ran to get the best advantage point possible, I saw caved in walls and ceilings. "This way," Kent said leading us away from the destruction. We turned sharply into another hallway. It was just the three of us so I thought we were safe...until there was an explosion behind us and the wall began caving in around us. Our escape was blocked from ahead. Black figures were approaching us. My heart was pounding. Selina was laying on the ground as she was hit by fallen stone. Her forehead was bleeding as she put her hand onto it and looked up at me worried. She was covered in several other scratches.

I bent down and pulled her to her feet as Kent stepped in front of the two of us. "Are you okay? Do you feel dizzy?" I asked quickly getting my wand out and doing the best I could to heal it. The mark was still there but at least the bleeding was stopping. The cloaked figures were closing in on us.

"I'm fine," she said wiping her hand on her jeans and stepping back. We turned to face the Death Eaters approaching us. Kent put his hand in front of me, not allowing me to move forward. I wasn't going to let him do this alone.

"I recognize you," the Death Eater cackled as he got closer looking at Kent. "All of you." He looked around at the three of us. His face was pale and eyes were dark. "Look who it is," he called to the blonde haired other behind him. A smirk formed on his face as spotted us all.

"Our three prison breakers," the blonde laughed."So what do we do with them?" Kent went to cast a spell but the other one disarmed him, disarming Selina and I in the process as well. Our wands flew behind us.

"Not a move," the dark eyed one sneered dangerously. We all froze as they got closer. "Do we capture them and turn them into Lestrange?" He asked not taking his eyes off of us. "Or do we rid of them?"

"I say we rid of them." the blonde answered in an amused tone. "Save us the trouble of bringing them back." Kent squeezed my hand. I knew what he was going to do, he was going to step back and try to get his wand. But I was wrong. He turned to look at me. "Any last words?" the blonde one laughed.

"Fire," Kent said calmly. I then remembered what I could do...

"Fire?" the dark eyed one laughed. "We're not going to fall for that." Then it registered on his face as well, he looked at me. It was the reason they held me at Malfoy Manor after all. Because I was 'dangerous'. I never thought of myself as dangerous, but I could be and in this moment I had to be. Concentrating to the best of my ability, stronger than ever, I imagined flames. I imagined the Death Eaters covered in flames. I pictured them suffering twice as much pain as they put on so many people. And when I opened my eyes, they were. I heard the screams. We didn't have long as I knew they would find a way to put them out.

"Come on!" Kent said yelling to us. We grabbed our wands. The three of us ran past the men on fire. We ran as fast our feet could take us. There were limited options to which pathway we could take so we chose one to the very far right. It was risky as it led us right to the moving stairs. One of the railings were completely caved in but to make it even worse, Death Eaters were coming our way. This time we were extremely outnumbered. With all of my ability I was able to take out two, but five? I looked at Kent hopelessly. "Stupefy!" he yelled towards one of them, but it was deflected.

The Death Eaters approached us and the three of us shot off spells. They fought back. I had to duck a few times. Kent even got in front of me but I made my way next to him because I wasn't letting him do this alone. "My father's one of you," Selina cried stepping back. "The US Minister! Stop firing at me!" I turned to give her a look. Seriously Selina? "What? We're outnumbered!" she pointed out to me. Her cry to them caused them to stall for a moment and Kent was able to knock one of them out. Yet they continued fighting us and ignored Selina's protests. The wall behind us caved in as they were cornering us. The only way to get away from them, would to be go over the railing. Lucky for us we were on the fifth floor. As they came closer, Kent was getting closer and closer to the edge because two Death Eaters were closing in on him and it was making me nervous. Yet I couldn't get close to him as one man was caving in on me. Selina was being cornered by another.

Then I was disarmed. I reverted back to thinking of my flames. From the corner of my eye I could see Kent struggling. From the other side I saw Selina losing energy. I could barely concentrate. The flames weren't strong, but there was enough to take out the man going after me. He screamed and flew back trying to brush them off. Within seconds I had a terrible decision to make. Selina or Kent? Kent suddenly lost his footing and was nearly slipping over the edge. The Death Eater cornering Selina casted 'Bombarda', causing the ceiling and walls to collapse around her. Picking up my wand my heart nearly stopped. Who to save? I couldn't save them both. I felt my body heat up in panic. My head was pounding at the decision I had to make.

"Expelliarmus!" I cried jumping to my left and grabbing Kent from falling over the railing. Everything around me was a blur and the explosions in the distant disappeared for a moment. The men I cast the spell at both fell backwards, one actually going over the railing and falling to his death. I wasn't strong but I held onto Kent's arm for dear life. I wasn't letting him go over. My feet were slipping but he used his strength to pull himself back up. When he was back on his feet I was too afraid to look behind me. I looked up at Kent instead to see his reaction, he was staring behind me in shock. "Is Sel-" But I couldn't finish, I had to see and what I turned around to was unexpected.

The Death Eater who was attacking Selina was laying on the floor dead. Cole was standing above him. His cold blue eyes were staring into mine. He didn't say anything to Kent and I. We promised him we would keep Selina safe, but went Kent fell I had to react. My instinct was to grab Kent. I was lucky he was there to get Selina in time. "You killed him," she said as he pulled her into a standing position. "You're supposed to be on the same side."

"He was trying to kill you," Cole stated seriously. Clearly he had no issue killing anyone, which suddenly made me fear for our lives. "I thought I told you to keep her safe? Didn't you owe me?" He stepped a bit closer to me.

"They did, many times. Don't," Selina said putting her hand on his arm. "If it was the other way around and you were falling over the edge, I would have saved you. Let's just get out of here." For the first time I saw relief in her eyes. She wasn't here to fight on our side or on the other, Selina was here to find Cole and she did. I was a hundred percent sure he was here for the same reason. "There's been enough fighting to last another year or two." Cole looked once more at us, saying nothing. His dark expression read 'you got lucky'. Selina took his hand and the two of them were off.

Kent and I regained ourselves and then moved on in fear that more would come our way. We made it to the Great Hall to find out how many deaths there were. Fred...Fred Weasley who was so kind and guided us here. It broke my heart as tears burned in my eyes. Idella was over in the corner tears streaming down her face as she stood with her cousins. I wanted to rush over and hug her. Then I saw Lupin and Tonks lying lifelessly next to one another. Who else? I couldn't look. "You're alright!" Charlie said rushing over to me and hugging me. Luna was beside him. "I got worried when I couldn't find you."

"I'm glad to see you're safe too," I responded. It made me sick looking around this room. So many already dead and injured...what have we gotten ourselves into. "How is everyone else?" I added, afraid to even ask.

"Managing," Charlie responded with a sad expression. We both know that was barely true. All around me there was sadness. Hopelessness was in the eyes of several people passing around. I was beginning to feel the same.

Suddenly a dark voice filled the hall. Everyone silenced. "You have fought bravely, but in vain. Every drop of magical blood is a waste. My army will retreat. Harry Potter, I am now speaking directly to you. You have allowed your friends to die for you. Join me in the Forbidden Forest. Do so, or I will kill anyone who tries to keep you from me." The silence remained and then everyone broke out into panic.

"You don't think Harry would go, do you?" I asked horrified looking at my friends.

"He may," Luna answered honestly.