(Neville's POV)

"I love her, but sometimes I want to shake her silly," said Ron.

Our team of six, five Aurors and Draco Malfoy, had followed Hermione's locator. A blizzard hung overhead of the prison. It wasn't one that any of us knew about, so we chalked it up to the Death Eaters constructing it themselves. Crafty, sneaky blokes.

We were the main infiltrators in this. Other Aurors, some we barely knew, were stationed around the sides, ready to help out when we made our initial way in. It was hard to convince them that Malfoy was on our side, but we made it work.

"You've got to admit, it worked," said Katie. She looked at the building apprehensively. "She's too smart for her own good sometimes."

"I doubt we'll be able to Apparate inside," said Dylan. "We may have to blow the doors in like we did with the Manor."

"Again, I thought the element of surprise was what we were going for?"

Dylan shrugged. "They'll know we're here sooner or later. If there are a lot of prisoners in there, it'll be hard to smuggle them out without eventually being noticed."

"If everyone's ready to do this," said Harry, his way of calling us all to order. "Break off into pairs, try not to get yourself alone. The goal is to free anyone we can, arrest any Death Eaters we can get our hands on. Got it?"

"Got it," said the rest of the group.

Wordlessly, I took charge, with Malfoy at my side. Together, we blasted the doors in. The few guards that were around we knocked out easily. Katie magicked handcuffs on them, snatching their wands. She and Dylan got them outside of the walls of the prison.

The pairs split up. Though instinct told me Malfoy was trouble, this time around, he seemed to not be. A part of me still wanted to believe this was all a farce, that he had tricked us all into a trap.

I wasn't sure where we were heading, but we were getting close to something, if the chatter was anything to go by. The voices ran their way to us. All of them sounded female, with the occasional male barking orders to hush up.

"How many do you think there are?" I asked Malfoy.

"I don't do their bloody payroll, how would I know?"

"Like Harry said, we don't get split up. We tackle this, together."

We took careful steps towards the growing voices. Levels upon levels of cells held cramped bodies. The odor was overwhelming. The level we were on had a few Death Eaters as sentries.

Any prisoners that saw us we hushed quietly. Once we cleared our current level, we broke open the doors. We couldn't contain the frantic stampede that followed. On levels above and below, Death Eaters bellowed in outrage, barking orders.

Malfoy and I alternated between freeing prisoners and shooting at Death Eaters. We were in the women's section of the prison. The Death Eaters had no age range when it came to prisoners: some were old and fragile, others were barely of age to have attended Hogwarts.

"Get to safety!" shouted a familiar voice.

We headed up a level, taking down enemies and freeing more prisoners. I got Hermione's cell open.

"Great timing," she said. She looked barely harmed, a good sign. "Keep going, I'll herd them in the right direction."

We scoured all the levels, opening all the cages. Those who didn't scatter right away went straight for their captors. Malfoy and I tried to help as much as possible, but some were too brave for their own good. Most who went after the Death Eaters wandless collapsed in lifeless heaps on the floor.

The uproar was impossible to avoid now. Those freed were directed to the exit. Few kept around to help others get out just as quickly. The Death Eaters that were overrun by inmates received a taste of their own medicine. Their unconscious bodies were locked away.

Through the runners, I searched for Jenelle. I knew she'd look for me if she saw who was liberating the prisoners. But I couldn't catch any glimpse of her. Perhaps she's heading outside, waiting for the flow to die down before she comes back in. While the notion would be welcome, it would be dumb on her part to come back in defenseless.

"I think we're clear," said Malfoy, taking his look around the levels. "Hopefully Potter and Weasley have cleared out the men's area."

"We can go help them," I suggested.

"Neville!" Hermione pushed her way through the last throngs of escapees. She bent over slightly to catch her breath. "They took her, Neville."

Jenelle. "Blast it. Where?"

"I-I'm not sure, but I know she's not here."

"I've got your back, Longbottom," said Malfoy firmly. I nodded in thanks.

Hermione disappeared with the rest of the freed captives while Malfoy and I left for other parts of the building. Any Death Eaters we encountered fought briefly before Disapparating away. Catching them all will be impossible. We'll capture who we can.

We found a stairwell, taking our time, scouring the levels for any enemies. We didn't come across many. Doors opened and slammed shut, frantic feet ran away from our approach.

When we exited the stairwell, the walls and floor began to rumble all around. I lost my balance, careening into the nearest wall. Malfoy lost his footing, landing on the ground.

"The bloody hell?" he snarled. I helped him to his feet.

"We've got to keep going," I told him. "I'm not leaving until we find Jenelle."

"Cool, then once you find your little love interest, I have someone I'm not leaving here without either."

"You think it's funny, do you?"

"I'm not joking, Longbottom."

I believed him.

Our dizzying turns led us to a set of double doors. There was commotion on the other side. As we approached, the ground beneath us rumbled in anger. Almost as though it wanted us gone.

We ran through the tunnel, exposed to more chaos. Spots of black ran for cover or Disapparated. At the mouth of the tunnel, I could see the true scope of what this was. A dueling arena. Above, the ceiling was falling apart, raining pieces down on the stands as well as inside the arena.

In the midst of the place coming apart, through the dust, I could make out figures. I have to try to find her. I can't leave without her. We've been together through this from the start. That's how we're going to finish this.

Falling chunks of ceiling became a hazard. I looked through the stands. No one remained, with the exception of a few unfortunate souls to be crushed by incoming debris.

"Jenelle!" I cupped my hands to let my voice carry. "Jenelle!" I ducked as a green blast came for my head. I hid behind the nearest chunk of ceiling, Malfoy beside me.

"Was it her?"

"Can't be, she wouldn't try to kill me." I poked my head up.

It wasn't Jenelle, but the woman had a sinister look in her eyes. Her gold waves fell long, eyes full of murderous intentions. The woman in front of her had locks dark like raven feathers. Her eyes were empty.

Malfoy popped up beside me. "Ember?"

I wasn't about to ask for a backstory.

"Look for your girl, Longbottom. I'll try and get this under control."

As I snuck behind chunks of ceiling, Malfoy stepped out from cover.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy," crowed the woman with gold hair. "It's been a while. How's Mum and Dad?"

"In hiding, thanks to your lot."

"Did you take up an Auror's job? Waste of time, if you ask me."

"Ember. Ember, please."

I looked up from my hiding spot. Malfoy had a surrendered position, though his wand remained firm in his hand. The girl with raven hair—Ember—tilted her head, as though Malfoy were speaking another language. Her wand pointed directly at him.

"Remove the curse from her," Malfoy snarled to the woman clad in black.

"You know the way to do it, Mr. Malfoy. But do you have what it takes to go through with it?" The woman looked to Ember. "Kill the girl. Kill anyone who gets in your way."

Frantic now, I maneuvered through the maze of debris. Best case, Jenelle got away, and the woman and Ember didn't realize it yet. Worst case...

A heavy cough pulled my attention. I ducked under spellfire, moving towards the source. I almost cried in relief.

"Jenelle," I rasped, falling to all fours beside her. Her head was coated in drying blood, her body trapped under debris.

"Oh Merlin, I'm delirious," she croaked. Her eyes were half-open. "The world is ending, and you've come to save me."

I lifted the debris off her with magic, pulling her into my lap. I reconstructed the debris to act as a wall of defense. Ember was still on the prowl, under the woman's influence. "It's really me, Jen. I'm here." I couldn't Disapparate, not with her in this condition.

"My wand. My wand." Jenelle's hands moved feebly around. It was a few feet from us.

"Accio Jenelle's wand," I murmured. I caught it just before it could hit her over the head.

Jenelle screwed her eyes shut before opening them fully. "I didn't know you had a twin."

"You've taken a nasty hit to the head," I half-teased her. Spellfire began to eat away at the wall I made. I gently laid Jenelle down on her back. "Stay down." I put her wand back in her hands, just in case.

Malfoy and the woman exchanged spellfire, leaving me to deal with an Imperiused Ember. Sucking in a breath, I popped out from cover, shooting spellfire her way. I jumped back as nothing but green came at me.

"Stupefy!" The shot hit her directly in the chest. Malfoy screamed in outrage at the sight, and I waited for the moment he turned on me. Instead, he increased his attacks on the woman who had Imperiused Ember. I ran to Ember, who moaned lowly. She would be fine, just probably have a serious headache was all.

The ground continued to rumble under our feet. Malfoy did not let up on the woman. Her wand was disarmed from her. She did not cower at Malfoy's superior stance.

"Arrest her, don't kill her," I warned him with a shout.

"Stupefy!" A red blast was sent into the woman's chest. She didn't move once she hit the ground.

"Not dead, just sleeping," said Malfoy bitterly. He spat near the woman's body. "We've got to move. This place is going to bury us if we don't."

"I don't know if I can move Jen, she's got a head wound," I panted. "Ember will be fine, I just hit her with a Stunning Spell is all."

"Neville!" came Hermione's loud shout from one of the tunnels of the arena. She and Ron dashed inside, avoiding falling ceiling bits along the way. She gasped at the sight of Jenelle. Malfoy gathered Ember into his arms, shuffling her a bit. I gathered Jenelle in mine. Ron went to the unconscious woman, pulling her up to her feet. Hermione rushed to help him.

We just made it out of the arena in time; it was engulfed by ceiling chunks and dust. Ron and Hermione took lead in finding the exit, with the woman firmly between them both. Jenelle stirred in my arms, but she didn't wake.

We were back in one of the cell areas, which was slowly crumbling in on itself. Ron broke off from Hermione and the woman. Hermione nearly collapsed from taking on the woman's full weight.

Hermione screamed as the woman with the golden hair sprang alive. The two wrestled until Hermione was nearly flung over the edge of the nearby railing. Hastily, I found a safe space to put Jenelle down, pointing my wand at the woman. Malfoy ran past with Ember, the woman didn't bother to attack either one of them. I pointed my wand at the woman, who in turn pointed her own at me.

"I'm not going to Azkaban. My journey ends here, and so will yours."

Killing Curses were thrown my way. The woman advanced, forcing me to back up. The ground continued to tremble under our feet.

She nicked me with a spell, thankfully not the Killing Curse, and I stumbled into the railing. She smacked my wand out of my hand, it fell to one of the lower levels.

"Neville!" Hermione screamed.

My eyes were fixed on the threatening wand on my face.

The woman stumbled forward, as though something hit her from behind. Her face twisted into a snarl and she whirled around.

Jenelle, a trembling mess, had the woman at wand point.

"Enough." Her voice was calm, yet lethal in a way I never thought I would associate with her. "If you truly want to die here, we won't stop you. But do it on your own terms. I'm done murdering."

While the woman advanced on Jenelle, I hastily went to help Hermione back on level ground. Hermione kept close, as we both watched in awe as Jenelle, as fatigued as she looked, took on this woman. The fierceness in her gaze...if she hadn't been caught up in a duel, I would've kissed her.

"Neville, don't!" Hermione had to grab me when a spell knocked Jenelle off her feet.

"Oh, don't worry, you two won't be ignored," the woman said, with her back to the both of us.

"It's over, Lyla." Out of thin air, a man was beside us. Hermione pulled us away to let him pass. His wand was pointed at the woman's—Lyla's back. She turned slowly, smirking.

"Time to pluck the thorn out of my side," leered Lyla.

The man looked at Hermione and I. "Get Jen out. I'll deal with this old bat."

"How do you know her?" Hermione demanded.

"We were together, once. We may disagree on each other's views, but this is not what I want for her."

"Pathetic," sneered Lyla. "You were a rising star, Brian. And yet...the one thing that kept you chained down you refuse to let go of."

Brian. Jenelle's...oh. The time did not call for me to deal with Brian in my own way. He was willing to take on Lyla, someone on his side, so we could escape.

I wasn't about to refuse his gracious out.

Intense spellfire was exchanged amongst the two Death Eaters, allowing Hermione and I to run past the two. I regathered Jenelle, and the three of us left the dueling allies behind.

The cold air and snow had never felt more welcoming.

On shaky legs, I buckled to the ground, keeping Jenelle firmly against me. Malfoy sat in the snow, murmuring into Ember's hair. Hermione went to Ron to embrace him. There were many more captives than Death Eaters.

"We recovered what wands that we could," I heard Dylan reporting to Harry. "The Death Eaters locked them up for safekeeping until it was time to go to battle. If we can, we'll scavenge the ruins once the dust settles and see what we can recover."

"How many did we lose?"

"Not sure. Right now, we have to move everyone to St. Mungo's to get checked out. We'll get them reunited with their families and go from there. And this lot," Dylan gestured to the Death Eaters, "we know just what to do with them."