Winnie Bulstrode thinks she understands what absolute despair feels like.

That hopeless feeling of falling under a bridge of sorrow, with your lips falling open ready to argue that everything that you're hearing simply can't be true. It's that feeling of that bitter hand of dismay that grips your shoulder and with one final tug, it throws you under.

She can hear a buzzing in her ears, the feel of Theo's hand on her wrist, but it's all wrong. It's distant as if she was a thousand oceans away from that very moment instead of standing there, next to it. She can see the bruises, and the injured, she can see the blood, she can smell the sweat as it clings off their bodies. But all she can understand is that Cordelia Flint is gone and Harry Potter is not injured.

It's that crack of sorrow that causes her to run, that causes her to break.

Eleven hours earlier.

Seeing Harry Potter scream in agony as he clenched his forehead was probably the very reason why she should have never decided to be friends with anyone. Feeling the coldness that radiated from him seep into her very own body, a tart, bitter taste twisting into her lips as panic set into her heart. There were reasons like that often meant trouble followed after, and when it comes to Harry Potter, it's a promise.

Maybe she should have minded her own business and lived her past year as every other year. But then she would be in a home with parents who hated her more than life, with her life tied away to a mass murder without a say.

So perhaps that's the reason why she's running through the halls of Hogwarts now, her heart racing and searching everywhere for her cousin.

But deep down inside, she knew she was doing this because she had grown to care for the people in her life too much. Especially for Harry, especially when he had spent the past ten minutes yelling until his voice was hoarse that Voldermort had Sirius. She had once said she would follow Harry to the end of the earth, and apparently, that day would be today.

"Cordelia!" The blonde yelled, spotting the lighter brunette standing and talking to Theo on a staircase, students filtered in and out around her. Each was excited about how exams were finally over, discussing plans for the summer holidays and how they would sleep for weeks. For Winnie, the only thought on her mind was saving the only person who offered her a home. Her cousin turned, glancing down at her with a narrowed eyes expression as Winnie ran up the stairs, her Hogwarts robe bellowing at her feet as her hair fell down around her face, the black ribbon that tied it back had fallen out during her time speeding through the halls.

"Winnie? What's the matter?" Cordelia questioned quickly, her blue eyes sparkling with concern as Winnie sucked in deep breaths. Her hands squeezed into the brunette's wrist painfully, fingers digging into her fabric as she glanced over at Theo. The boy watched them both with a narrowed expression, his eyes flashing juniper as he locked eyes with her hazel ones. For a moment, she had the nerve to reach out to him, take that familiar warmth he radiated and comfort her pounding heart.

But Sirius Black could be dying, and there wasn't any time for anything else.

"You need to come with me, now," Winnie snapped, twisting and intertwining their hands before pulling a bewildered Cordelia down the stairs. At that same moment, Harry was trying to sneak into Umbridge's office once again to call on Sirius. While both Ginny and Luna distracted any students that tried to walk down that hallway. The only problem was, everyone knew Umbridge would come and find out sooner than later, meaning so would her squad.

"Wait! What's going on?" Theo called out, running to catch up with them as Winnie gritted her teeth, freezing on the bottom stair and looking back up at him. He came to a halt a few steps up from her, his hand on the railing with his other holding the strap of his bag. Winnie's eyes floated to Cordelia's, who was watching her with a look of worry tracing every feature of her face. Silently, the blonde begged her cousin to say something, but Theo couldn't get involved. He didn't know anything, and she just couldn't face him at that moment, not with everything going on.

"Look Theo, it's probably nothing. I'll see you soon okay," Cordelia sighed, looking back at the brunet as Winnie sighed, feeling the brunette's fingers squeeze hers. Not taking any more chances or time, Winnie tugged Cordelia down again. Pushing their way past the crowds and towards the empty hallway that held Umbridge's office. As they got closer, Winnie could hear the sounds of far too many feet, quickly she turned so that they were pressed against the wall. "Wha—"

Winnie caught her off, pressing her finger to her lips before she slowly peeked over the corner of the wall. Spotting Umbridge and some of her chosen students walking quickly towards her hallway. Squeezing her eyes shut, she leaned her head back, knocking it against the back of the wall softly. "Shite," she breathed, cursing under her breath before she opened her eyes and looked at Cordelia, whose eyebrows were drawn down around her forehead.

"Look, I don't have much time to explain this, so I'm going to be quick about it, and when you're done I need you to restrain me okay?" Winnie asked quickly, turning to face Cordelia.

"What? Why would I—" Cordelia started to question, eyes wide and her eyebrows drawn down against her face. Winnie sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose before she spoke once again.

"Voldermort has Sirius Black in the Department of Mysterious, Harry believes he is killing him over some prophecy," Winnie waved her hands, catching Cordelia off guard as the girl's mouth fell open. "I assume you know about Harry learning Occlumency?" Winnie questioned quickly, as Cordelia clamped her mouth shut, nodding.

"Yeah, I've been helping him whenever I'm free," the brunette admitted, this time catching Winnie off guard as she blinked. Cordelia flushed slightly, looking down at her shoes as Winnie momentarily smiled, thinking of her two best friends spending more time together. Until the thought ached away at her chest, reminding her of a certain brunet boy with his interchanging eyes.

"Okay well, right now Harry is breaking into Umbridge's office to try and speak to Sirius through the Floo, and well... that's not going to go well so we need you to know so you understand what's happening." Winnie paused, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth before signing and continuing. "Whatever he finds in the fireplace, I have a feeling it won't be good. But I know Sirius is the only family Harry has left, and well.."

"He'll do anything to save him," Cordelia added, understanding flicking across her face as Winnie grimaced, nodding her head. She had a feeling since the first moment Harry mentioned it that nothing will go smoothly over the next few hours, she had a feeling they would end up in a wider mess than usual. The twindles of fear twisted around her gut at the vision of Sirius actually being dead, his body crumpled against the floor and blood pouring out of open wounds.

"He can't die Lia, he can't." Winnie whispered, breathing in heavily as she looked up at Cordelia. He couldn't die, not just for her, not even for her. But for Harry, Harry Potter, the one who saves everyone, Harry Potter and the one who smiles but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. The boy who never had a choice in anything, the boy who deserves this small thing, who deserves to have Sirius alive and well.

"I know, and he won't." Cordelia squared her shoulders, determination filtering across her face. Strong in the ways the world couldn't make the blonde, Winnie took the bravery that oozed off of her and headed straight into the pits of hell.

Winnie's arms were locked behind her back, overlapping as Cordelia held onto her. Tightly but not tight enough to cause any real harm, just enough to make it seem real. They had appeared in the hallway at the same time Ginny, Luna and Neville, ( whom she had no idea where he came from, but was grateful all the same for him being there ) were being dragged into Umbridge's office. The two cousins shared a glance at each other, just as Millie appeared with a piece of black fabric.

"Good for you cousin, catching the dog of the family," Millie drawled, her lips twisted into a bright grin as Winnie glared. Her lips twisted up into a scowl as her sister stared down at her through her nose, "here. Umbridge wants them gagged," Millie held out the piece of fabric towards her, before disappearing into Umbridge's room.

"Do you think if I spit on her, our ancestors will cheer or burn me?" Winnie sneered, as Cordelia snorted, her hands still behind her back.

"I think I'll burn you if you don't," Cordelia drawled, about to let go of her wrist just as Marcus appeared next to them. His eyes watching them both closely, Winnie froze, staring up at her cousin. That was the reason behind many of her nightmares over the past few months. She hadn't seen him much anymore, always disappearing, always looking as ill as the plague, she always had an inkling of why. It was the shifting of his sleeve against his left arm that made the guilt in her gut flare up.

"Here, let me," he held out a hand for the black fabric. Winnie kept her gaze on him, watching as he stared at his younger sister with a hardened gaze. Disattached shut down from everything that made him, him. She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat as Cordelia passed him the fabric, her eyes meeting his blue ones. She lifted her chin, staring up at him with a look of disdain and hurt, twisting her lips into a line as he wrapped the gag around her mouth, tying it on the back of her head.

She wondered for a moment if he felt guilty if he questioned whether or not they were acting. She surely knew that Marcus Flint couldn't care much for her, but perhaps he did nothing to save his sister. Cordelia was all he had left in the world, and she wondered how much further he would go before even she would be out of reach.

Cordelia moved her forward then, and just before they reached the room, Winnie struggled. They planned this, having to fight against one another in order to perfect their act, her arms twisting painfully behind her back as Cordelia dug her fingers in harder against her bones and skin.

"Got' em all," Marcus spoke as he entered the room from behind them, shutting the door with a click as Winnie's eyes instantly shot around the pink room. Everyone was held against the wall, and Hermione shoved behind her sister. Ginny was trying to kick the shins off Pansy, who held her by her robes. Ron was snuffed against the wall by Draco, who looked far too overly pleased. Neville, who looked as if he wasn't exactly sure how he got there in the first place, was now being held by Crabbe. Luna, however, was simply staring out the window, untouched by anything.

Cordelia moved them so they could stand between Ron and Hermione, both glancing at them before quickly looking away. Everyone had a gag around their mouths, at least, all except Harry, who sat in a chair in the middle of the room, Umbridge standing before him.

"Good, good," drawled Umbridge, her face twisting into a wicked grin as she watched Ginny fight. "Well, it looks as though Hogwarts will shortly be a Weasley-free zone, doesn't it?" Malfoy laughed joyfully at this, and Winnie locked her jaw from beneath the gag. Her eyes narrowed into slits at the blond.

"So, Potter," Umbridge drawled as she looked back at Harry. "You stationed these lookouts around my office and you sent this buffoon," she paused, waving her hand at Ron. "To tell me the poltergeist was wreaking havoc in the Transfiguration department when I knew perfectly well that he was busy smearing ink on the eyepieces of all the telescopes. Mr. Filch has just informed me so." Winnie grimaced, and there was their flaw. "Clearly it was very important for you to talk to somebody. Was it Albus Dumbledore? Or the half-breed, Hagrid? I doubt it was Minerva McGonagall, I hear she is still too ill to speak to anyone."

Winnie listened as some of the other Inquisitorial Squad laughed at that, her stomach twisting into disgust all over them.

"It's none of your business who I talk to," snapped Harry, his fingers gripping the edge of the chair and turning white from Winnie's view of him.

"Very well," her voice twisted into a sweet, high pitched voice. The same one she used when addressing younger students who seemed to be all types of wrong for her, Winnie narrowed her eyes at her, standing in front of Cordelia as the pink lady looked at Draco. "I offered you the chance to tell me freely. You refused, I have no alternative but to force you. Draco — fetch Professor Snape."

Winnie turned her head to the side, watching as Draco nodded for another Slytherin to grab Ron. Before the blond twirled a wand that looked eerily similar to Harry's and stuffed it in his pocket. There was a silence after he left, besides the scuffling off people fighting against their captures. Winnie could feel Cordelia squeeze her wrist in reassurance from behind her, as Winnie stood observing everything else in the room.

Ron's lip was dripping blood slowly down onto the carpet below, his face twisted into a scowl as he fought against Goyle who was now holding onto him. Hermione was still moving from beside her, face pressed into the window slightly, as Millie simply held onto her with a smirk. It was Neville, however, that was the most troubling to her. His face was turning increasingly blue from the grip Crabbe had on him, his arm wrapped around his neck.

"You wanted to see me?" Snape questioned, as the door opened again. Their potions Professor stepped inside the room with a familiar drawl to his nose, eyes tracing everyone as Draco stepped in from behind him.

"Ah, Professor Snape," Umbridge spoke cheerily, smiling as she looked up at him. "Yes, I would like another bottle of your Veritaserum, as quickly as you can, please."

"You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter," Winnie watched as he observed her cooly, lips pulled into a line, watching grimly down upon her as her face fell. "Surely you did not use it all? I told you three drops would be sufficient." Despite the fact that nobody could see her lips, Winnie smirked from beyond her mask, feeling pleased with the idiot's mistake. Even she knew that.

"You can make some more, can't you?" Umbridge questioned urgently. Causing Winnie to snort and roll her eyes, earning a glare from Draco who came to stand close to them, mostly just to watch Harry with an overwhelmingly pleased smirk.

"Certainly," Snape replied, his lip curling. "It takes a full moon cycle to mature, so I should have it ready for you in about a month." Winnie snorted once again, finding this whole situation quite amusing, only Cordelia squeezed her wrist in warning as Umbridge glanced over at them.

"A month?" She squawked, her face swelling a cherry red. "A month? But I need it this evening, Snape! I have just found Potter using my fire to communicate with a person or persons unknown!"

"Really?" Snape questioned, showing interest and a great look of disdain as he looked at Harry. "Well, it doesn't surprise me. Potter had never shown much inclination to follow school rules."

"I wish to interrogate him!" Umbridge bellowed in what Winnie couldn't help but think resembled a child throwing a tantrum. Her hands balling at her side and her face turning a dangerous crimson.

"I have already told you," Snape drawled smoothly, sighing as he looked back at her. "That I have no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish to poison Potter — and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did —," Winnie snarled from beneath her gag, moving her jaw slightly as she narrowed her eyes at the greasy-headed Professor. "I cannot help you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to give the victim much time for truth-telling."

"You are on probation!" Umbridge screamed, Winnie's eyes rolling as she glanced over at Ron. Who's lip was still bleeding, the two shared a greatly exasperated look. "You are being deliberately unhelpful! I expected better, Lucius Malfoy always speaks most highly of you! Now get out of my office!"

Winnie watched as Snape heaved an ironic bow, before turning to leave, his hand brushing against the doorknob just as Harry yelled out. Her eyes snapped to him, hearing him yell about Padfoot at the place where it's hidden. Her eyes widened, snapping back to Snape who froze.

"Padfoot?" Cried Umbridge, looking urgently at Snape who slowly turned his head back to stare at Harry. "What is Padfoot? Where, what is hidden? What does he mean, Snape?" Winnie watched, her eyes wide as the second ticked by, for a minute she debated on whether or not Snape would just simply tell her.

"I have no idea," he drawled coldly, causing Winnie to breathe out slowly. Her wrist twisted as Cordelia nudged her foot against her ankle. Twisting her head to the side slightly, she watched as Cordelia shook her head from the corner of her eye. Clearly addressing the girl to be quiet, while all eyes watched Snape. "Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage. And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little. If Longbottom suffocates, it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork and I'm afraid I have to mention it in your reference if ever you apply for a job."

Winnie glanced to the side, watching as Neville sucked in a deep breath once Crabbe's grip loosened. Snape left, closing the door with a snap and leaving them all behind with a raging woman who looked as if she could explode any minute. The woman started muttering to herself, pacing and shaking her head, looking as if she was on the bridge of insanity. Her heart began to hammer with the intense emotions pooling into her chest and stomach, anxiety from the rest twisted around her as her fingers started to twitch. Winnie shifted backwards slightly, her eyes watching intently as her body grew rigid with tension. She had seen this type of madness before, she had seen it all before in the form of her father before he snapped and shattered everything around him.

The blonde squeezed her eyes shut, taking in deep breaths from behind her gag, ignoring the struggle that came along with it as she forced herself to think of the one person that brought her both comfort and heartbreak at that moment. Cinnamon with spice, lopsided grins with dimples and curly chestnut hair that would fall in front of his eyebrows in ringlets. Theo, Theo, Theo.

Slowly, she felt the burn in her chest disappear, turning into a dull nagging feeling as her fingers slowed their twitching. Winnie opened her eyes then, seeing Draco staring intently at her with narrowed silver eyes, the brunette narrowed her own eyes, eyebrows knitting together before she drifted back towards Harry and Umbridge.

"You're forcing me, Potter ... I do not want to," Umbridge started, speaking louder as she tapped her wand against the palm of her hand. Breathing heavily and staring hard at Harry, Winnie felt herself freeze to her spot. "But sometimes circumstances justify the use ... I am sure the Minister will understand that I had no choice. The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue," Umbridge finished quietly, just as Winnie shook her head, yelling out a muffled no from beneath her gag.

"No!" Shrieked Hermione, her gag coming out and testing against her neck. "Professor Umbridge — it's illegal." Even Winnie could see that it was no use, an awful, hungry look had formed its way across the teacher's features. "The Minister wouldn't want you to break the law, Professor!"

"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him," Umbridge snapped, as she panted slightly. Her wand moved to different parts of Harry's body, apparently deciding which part of his body to curse. Winnie started fighting against her cousin, no longer carrying about the fact she wasn't supposed to be caught, this was beyond insane. She fought, twisting her wrist against Cordelia's, just as the brunette let her fingers slip from hers. Apparently not being too hard on fighting against her. "He never knew I ordered Dementors to go after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him, all the same."

Winnie's movements instantly froze, her hands that were reaching to take off her gag froze halfway. Staring hard at Umbridge who admitted to sending the Dementors after a child, in a muggle neighborhood for no reason. The blonde moved to pull down her gag the same time Malfoy moved forward, snagging her wrist and twisting it behind her back harshly.

"You lost your grip Flint," he drawled, looking over at Cordelia who moved to hold onto Winnie, only for Draco to move her away and hold her near the wall. "I don't think so, the last thing we want is this dog getting loose," he snorted, holding her arms painfully behind her back. The female fought against him, knocking her shoulder against him with no prevail, his hold was like a vice holding her tightly.

"She's my cousin, give me her back," Cordelia argued, narrowing her eyebrows at the platinum blond boy who smirked, holding her against the wall still so her face rubbed against the many cat pictures.

"She's a blood traitor," he snapped, this time Hermione cried out, breaking everyone's own little bubbles to look over at the girl. Winnie watched as her sister jumped away as Hermione began to cry into the back of her robes, disgust painted across her face while Winnie thanked Merlin for small miracles.

"Well, well, well," Umbridge drawled, standing up from where she stood over Harry. Winnie tried to twist around, trying to see the whole situation and not just Hermione and her sister. However, Malfoy dug his fingers in tighter, pushing her further against the wall as she scowled. "Little Miss-Question-all is going to give us some answers! Come on then, girl, come on!"

"Er—my—nee—no!" She could hear the muffled shouts of Ron from beneath his gag, while Winnie kept her eyes on the weeping girl. Her eyebrows furrowed as she watched Hermione sob deep into her hands, sounding choked and fierce.

"I'm — I'm sorry," Hermione blubbered, "But — I can't stand it—" Umbridge came into her view then, shaking Hermione by the shoulders.

"That's right, that's right, girl!" She said excitedly, seizing Hermione and throwing her into another open chair. Winnie's neck ached, chaining itself to stare at the sobbing girl. Her eyes narrowed into slits at the same time she noticed that despite the wallowing sounds coming from the brunette, there didn't seem to be any tears following.

"Now then... with whom was Potter communicating just now?"

"Well," gulped Hermione into her hands. "Well, he was trying to speak to Professor Dumbledore..."

Winnie breathed out a sigh of relief into the black gag that was wrapped around her mouth. Whoever decided they were to ever doubt Hermione Granger, was the laughing stock of the century, as the girl did have a trick to play on the old bat.

"Dumbledore?" said Umbridge eagerly, eyes glistening with glee. "So you know where Dumbledore is, then?"

"Well... no!" sobbed Hermione. "We've tried the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley and the Three Broomsticks and even the Hog's head--"

"Idiot girl, Dumbledore won't be sitting in a pub when the whole Ministry is looking for him!" shouted Umbridge, disappointment leaking into the sour tone of her voice.

"But-- but we needed to tell him something important!" Hermione wailed, hands more tightly over her face, and Winnie knew there were no tears to accompany those sobs.

"Yes?" said Umbridge with a sudden resurgence of excitement. "What was it you wanted to tell him?"

"We... we wanted to tell him it's r-ready!" choked Hermione, and Winnie moved her jaw slightly. Noticing that her cousin went to lean against the wall from beside her. The blonde tried to wiggle her wrist away from the blond behind her once again, only earning an unforgivable twist in her arms against her back. The female winched slightly, feeling shards of pain emit up her wrist and towards her elbows.

Oh, she was definitely going to be stabbing Draco Malfoy, painfully, through his bitter-cold heart.

"What's ready?" Umbridge demanded, her voice rising even higher.

"The... the w-weapon," cried Hermione.

"Weapon? Weapon?" inquired Umbridge, and her eyes seemed to pop with excitement. "You have been developing some method of resistance? A weapon you could use against the Ministry? On Professor Dumbledore's orders, of course?"

"Y-y-yes," gasped Hermione. "But he had to leave before it was finished and n-n-now we've finished it for him, and we c-c-can't find him t-t-to tell him!"

"What kind of weapon is it?" said Umbridge harshly, her hands still tight on Hermione's shoulders.

"We don't r-r-really understand it," said Hermione, sniffing loudly. "We j-j-just did what P-P-Professor Dumbledore told us t-t-to do . . ." Umbridge straightened up, looking exultant.

"Lead me to the weapon," she said. "I'm not showing . . . them," said Hermione shrilly, looking around at the Slytherins through her fingers. Winnie heard Draco groan audibly from behind her, which made her grin in satisfaction from beneath her gag.

"It is not for you to set conditions," said Professor Umbridge harshly, and Winnie snorted, eyes rolling as her face rested against the wall still

"Fine," said Hermione sobbing into her hands again, "fine . . . let them see it, I hope they use it on you! In fact, I wish you'd invite loads and loads of people to come and see it! Th-that would serve you right — oh, I'd love it if the wh-whole school knew where it was, and how to u-use it, and then if you annoy any of them they'll be able to s-sort you out!"

These words had a powerful impact on Umbridge, and she glanced swiftly and suspiciously around at her Inquisitorial Squad, eyes landing on Cordelia where she stood, foot propped up behind her against the wall. She shrugged her shoulders, making Umbridge scowl lightly before her bulging eyes rested for a moment on Malfoy, who was too slow to disguise the look of eagerness and greed that had appeared on his face. Umbridge contemplated Hermione for another long moment and then spoke in what she clearly thought was a motherly voice, making Winnie roll her eyes once again.

"All right, dear, let's make it just you and me . . . and we'll take Potter too, shall we? Get up, now —"

"Professor," said Malfoy eagerly, and Winnie squeezed her eyes shut, cursing the gods above for making Draco Malfoy a person. "Professor Umbridge, I think some of the squad should come with you to look after —"

"I am a fully qualified Ministry official, Malfoy, do you really think I cannot manage two wandless teenagers alone?" asked Umbridge sharply. "In any case, it does not sound as though this weapon is something that schoolchildren should see. You will remain here until I return and make sure none of these" — she gestured around at Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna — "escape."

"All right," said Malfoy, looking sulky and disappointed.

"And you two can go ahead of me and show me the way," said Umbridge, pointing at Harry and Hermione with her wand. "Lead on."

They left the room, silence ticking around them and then as if she had been waiting for this moment, Ginny Weasley managed to maneuver herself out of Cassius Warrington's hold, slipping her wand out of his pocket and then sticking it in his face, grinning broadly from ear to ear as blood dripped steadily from her eyebrow.

"Let us go, or I hex your arse."

Malfoy growled, a deep noise in the back of his throat as he continued to hold her against the wall. Ignoring the needles that stabbed and pricked at her arms from his hold, she tried to twist herself free. Winnie's legs reached out, kicking his shin roughly at the same time her cousin suddenly stood up.

"Let her go." Cordelia warned as Winnie craned her neck over her shoulder, seeing Cordelia standing with her wand shoved into the nape of Draco's neck. Her lips tilted up into a smirk as the blond inhaled a sharp breath.

"So you're with them now, aren't you?" Malfoy sneered, lip curling.

"What if I am?" she countered, sticking her wand further into his neck, making him wince.

"Cordelia, stop it," Marcus said from somewhere behind her. "Put the wand down. Let's just keep them restrained, and--"

"Stay out of it unless you want me to hex you too," she growled in response, throwing a look at him over her shoulder. "Tell them to let them go."

"No."

"Okay," she said, and without even blinking an eye she fired a spell at Draco. Winnie blinked, not believing what she could be seeing as Draco's hold slipped from her wrist. Sighing in relief, she sagged to the floor, knees pressing into the ground as she reached up and tore the gag off of her head. Discarding it on the ground, her fingers rubbed at the aching joints of her wrist. Eyes narrowed, she turned to look at Malfoy, only to be greeted with a scene that caused all her anger to momentarily halt.

The boy stood in front of her, a bright red spot on the side of his neck that began to swell twice its size. Resembling something of a quaffle ball a scream erupted from his lips. And then, as if someone had stuck a match in his mouth, steam started to bellow out from his lips. Winnie, half believing she was in a wonderful dream, started laughing loudly. Eyes were wide and her hands came to clap together on her lips. The boy, who was both holding the side of his neck and trying to keep his mouth shut, ( which came to no prevail as it stuck being pried open with puffs of steam ) turned to look at her. Molten eyes glared at her as if she was the one who pinned him to the wall.

Suddenly she remembered her plan to stab him.

"You're not my sister, but this will do," Winnie snapped as Cordelia stuck out a hand to help her up. Taking it, she quickly pulled herself to her feet, and without warning, she sucked in a deep breath before spitting on the blond boy. Scowling, she turned, ignoring the absolute horror that emitted from him, she pulled her wand out of her robes, twisting it around her fingers.

Her eyes landed on her sister, who was raising her wand at Ginny who stood unaware of the hex that was about to be flying her way. Quickly, Winnie raised her wand, disarming Millie as her wand came barreling towards her outstretched hand. Bewildered, Millie looked over at her as Winnie grinned. Waving at her, before her smile vanished and she shot a stunning hex at her. Gritting her teeth, she threw her sister's wand on the floor, kickingit with the toe of her shoe towards a desk.

She blew out a puff of air, blowing a strand of hair out of her face as she turned to look at every one. Seeing that everyone had been disarmed or jinxed so terribly that they had run out of the room. Winnie stepped over a knocked-out Crabbe, her lips twisting into a scowl down at the boy as she walked over to stand by Cordelia.

"We need to go down to the Forbidden Forest," Ron said quickly, pushing past them towards the door which he flew open. Winnie, who didn't find it in her to question anything further, followed closely behind. She had a feeling that nothing else that happened that night would be incredibly easy, she supposed that it was all worth it anyway.

Or at least, she hoped it would be.

"What was that jinx you used?" Winnie breathed loudly as they ran, footsteps echoing through the halls. They didn't care that a teacher might have seen them, or that they almost stampeded over a group of innocent first years, all they cared about at that moment was getting to Harry and Hermione before it was too late, and then Sirius Black would be dead, and Harry would no longer have any family left.

Winnie's wand slipped back into the pocket of her robes, hair swooshing from the fallen bun she had earlier that morning. Her eyes darted over to Cordelia, waiting for her answer as they continued to run out onto the Hogwarts grounds.

"It's this nifty little jinx I found in this book of mine," Winnie hummed, her eyebrow raising slightly, thinking that it was definitely not just some book. Not considering the way Malfoy's face had resembled something like a pot overheating."I'll tell you about it--" Whatever Cordelia was about to say, was halted as the group all came to a sudden stop behind Ron. Winnie, who skidded against the earth, heels kicking into the dirt, narrowed her eyes over at the redhead male whose eyebrows rested drawn down against his face. "Why'd you stop?"

"Shhhh," He said, and they all fell silent. "I'm trying to hear them." Winnie glanced over at the woods that stood mere inches away from them, she wasn't exactly sure what he was trying to hear from where they stood, but it wouldn't be much.

"You won't be able to hear them from here, Ron," said Ginny, pushing her way forward and moving out to stand in front of him and Cordelia. "We have to get closer."

"There's a clearing just up ahead," said Winnie from behind her, suddenly remembering when Hagrid brought them down to see the Thestrals.. "Hagrid took us there to see Thestrals a while back. We can check there."

"Brilliant, Winnie," said Ron brightly, and they hastened to make it to the clearing as quickly as they could, and then, as they got closer, they heard a thump, and a thinner tree shook slightly in view. "Over there.

"Be careful not to disturb any creatures," said Luna softly from behind them, Winnie glanced over her shoulder at her. Seeing the honey blonde completely unfazed by this all, walking as if this was an everyday thing. "We should really be quiet."

Winnie held back the urge to say that her talking was certainly not helpful, but decided better on it the moment Luna smiled over at her. So they sauntered ahead, trying to stay as silent as they could, stepping on the forest ground as softly as they could. Soon enough, voices from behind the clearing, just a few feet ahead of them, drifted into earshot:

"By the time we do that Sirius will be dead!" Harry was saying rather loudly, and Winnie grimaced slightly. Her thumb twisted the silver ring around her finger, silently praying that his outcome didn't come true. Everyone turned to look at each other as they rushed in the direction, and within seconds, the two Gryffindors they had been searching for loomed into view.

"Well, we can't do anything without wands," Hermione said hopelessly, dragging herself up from the floor as they approached. "Anyway, Harry, how exactly were you planning to get all the way to London?"

"Yeah, we were just wondering that," answered Ron loudly enough to get their attention, and they peeked their heads around a few trees to see them, and Hermione's face, under the light of the moon, visibly brightened at the sight of them. "So, any ideas?" He asked, pushing away a low branch as he held out Harry's wand to him.

"How did you get away?" asked Harry in amazement, taking his wand from Ron.

"Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm, Neville brought off a really nice little Impediment Jinx," said Ron airily, now handing back Hermione's wand too. Winnie watched, her eyes glancing around the woods and trees that loomed over them, her feet carrying her to stand closer to Cordelia. "But Ginny was best, she got Flint— BatBogey Hex — it was superb, his 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," said Harry. "By a herd of centaurs." Winnie let out a snort at the comment. before she clamped her mouth shut as a few people glanced at her. In her defence, imagining the person she despised behind being carried away by centaurs was pretty amusing to her.

"And they left you behind?" asked Ginny, looking astonished.

"No, they got chased off by Grawp," said Harry.

"Who's Grawp?" Luna asked interestedly, and Winnie, having no idea who Grawp was, looked over at both Harry and Hermione, wanting to know as well.

"Hagrid's little brother," said Ron promptly, and Winnie and Cordelia's eyes snapped to him, but no further answer was given, and they sighed in defeat.

"Anyway, never mind that now. Harry, what did you find out in the fire? Has You-Know-Who got Sirius or — ?"

"Yes," said Harry, and he winced, Winnie watched, her stomach dripping as he pressed his hand to his scar. "And I'm sure Sirius is still alive, but--" A rustling in the trees behind them made him halt, as Winnie glanced over her shoulder, eyes squinting through the trees but seeing nothing but a wide cast of greens and mist that circled around them. "I can't see how we're going to get there to help him.

Another rustle, another glance. Winnie chewed on the inside of her cheek, eyebrows furrowed as she turned to share a glance with Cordelia. The brunette shrugged, ignoring the shiver that ran down her spine, it was most likely an animal, she told herself. No reason to get freaked out by the rustling sound in the middle of the Forbidden Forest.

Except that was totally a reason!

"Well, we'll have to fly, won't we?" said Luna matter-of-factly, and Winnie wrinkled her nose, instantly deciding she didn't like the idea of flying all the way to London. One glance at Harry, whose jaw locked as he pressed his fingers to his scar once again, crushed all complaints on her tongue.

She could fly if it meant Harry didn't lose anyone else.

"Okay," said Harry irritably, rounding on 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 —"

A flash of red light burst from behind them: Hermione screamed, tripping over her shoelace and falling onto the floor as Winnie jumped. Feeling Cordelia's hands grip her shoulders, she angled her body so that Cordelia was behind her as she stood with her wand raised in front of her. Heart hammering in her chest. as Ginny Weasley fired into the air behind them. Blinking, the brunette squinted her eyes toward the body that had flown back into the air and landed rather harshly on the ground.

The dim daylight seeped down through the trees and the clouds, taking a step closer with Cordelia's hands still on her shoulders, Winnie expected to see one of Umbridge's bodies on the ground, or perhaps even a teacher. Instead, her feet halted into the ground, wand hand dropped to her side as a gasp left her lips.

Theo Nott lay sprawled out on the ground, surrounded by grass and sticks.

"What the fuck?" She could hear Cordelia mutter from beside her, while Winnie's heart continued to hammer against her chest. Her feet acted on their own accord, moving her towards him as she landed harshly on her knees beside him. Ignoring the edge of a stick that dug into her knee as she dropped her wand down beside her.

Bitter emotions still ate away at her heart, the same emotions that made her lay awake staring at her ceiling. The same agony that made her walk away from him just the night before with her heart severed into two.

But now it was displaced, covered by the grip of concern that chewed its way down her throat. Forming a thick lump that stung painfully as she swallowed. Her hands reached up to touch him, halting halfway in the air as she watched Cordelia press her fingers to his cheek. The boy groaned, eyes rolling in his head, half confused and half wavering in and out of consciousness as the blonde sucked in her bottom lip between her teeth. Theo's breath left his parted lips in ragged movements, chest heaving as mossy eyes blinked open.

It wasn't until those same eyes caught their way into her own that her hands finally moved. She leaned down slightly, her hands moving back his hair as he stared up at her. Confusion seeping from his gaze, she glanced up at Cordelia, seeing her watch him with narrowed eyes and her hands clenched in her lap. Her fingers moved slowly through his hair, smoothing them back from his forehead as his breathing continued to come out in ragged and short bursts.

"Where the hell did you come from?" the blonde whispered to him, and he breathed out, but was interrupted by Neville. Winnie, who wasn't even acutely aware of what was happening behind her anymore, stared down at Theo. Concern seeped its way into her heart, she watched as he tried to sit up, only to groan and fall back against the ground. Winching, she moved so her hand was placed under his head, his eyes squeezing shut as he sucked in another ragged breath.

She wondered for a moment if he had the air knocked out of him, and when he sucked in a rather sharp breath, winching as he did, she knew that he did.

"Don't try to move yet, okay? Just take it easy, I'm not going anywhere," she muttered, out of the corner of her eye she was aware of Cordelia getting up and walking back towards the group. She realized that she probably shouldn't be here, he wasn't hers, and she wasn't even sure if she wanted him to be that.

Winnie wasn't exactly sure of much anymore, all except for the pain in her chest at the idea of him being injured.

So her focus stayed pulled towards the boy that had nearly signed his heart to another. His eyes opened, heaving out a cough as she furrowed her eyebrows downwards.

"I followed," he paused, his voice croaking as mossy green eyes moved towards her. Slowly, she pulled her hand from the back of his neck, smoothing her fingers down against his forehead. "I followed you," he finished, wheezing as he sucked in a breath. Her hand moved off his face, the corner of her lip tilting upwards slightly because of course he would follow them, he could never leave things alone.

His hand sought hers out, as she sucked in a breath. Feeling him press her hand into the middle of his chest, where he continued to suck in shallow breaths. Her eyes trickled downwards towards it, feeling the thumping of his heart beneath her fingers as the warmth of his hand radiated into her own. She stared, eying the lines of their hands against the sharp contrast on his black robes that were still done up across his chest.

Millie touched his robes too.

Her heart twisted painfully, slowly, and she tore her hand back away. Resting it in her lap, sitting back on her heels. Her eyes darted up towards the sky, that was slowly trickling back into the moonlight, the soft hue of light trickling down towards the leaves of trees.

"You're an idiot for that," she commented, staring down at him as he frowned, his hand resting empty against his chest. Winnie glanced back over at the group, she realized that they couldn't just leave him there. He certainly wasn't about to join them either. Watching as Cordelia stood watching Harry intently, she realized she couldn't make Cordelia stay behind. It would have to be her.

She really did hate Theo Nott, and perhaps she didn't all the same.

"Stay, don't move. I'll be back," she grumbled, shooting him a glare as she leaned to get up, at the same time he shifted to lean up. Halting, she pressed her hand into his chest, narrowing her eyes at the completely stubborn boy. "What did I just say? Stay, I'll be back." She ordered, pushing him back lightly as he narrowed his eyes at her, she gritted her teeth together in annoyance.

Whether it was because he actually listened, or because of the pain in his back, he didn't move again. Winnie would like to say it was due to the former, but she, unfortunately. knew it was anything but that.

The blonde walked towards her cousin, watching as they stared into an empty space of air. She could hear the word Thestrals coming from Ron's mouth, making her assume that the very empty space wasn't so empty after all.

"He's in shock," Winnie whispered to Cordelia, her eyes glancing behind her to see that Theo had leaned up, but in fact stayed sitting on the ground. He was currently in the process of rolling his left arm at that moment.

"Understandably," Cordelia responded, and Winnie bobbed her head in agreement, her arms crossing across her chest as she twisted the ring on her finger. She glanced back at Theo again for a moment, seeing him roll his other arm before she looked back at Cordelia. Concern still is at her bones for the boy on the grass behind her, and though she hated to admit it, she knew she wouldn't have left him behind no matter the circumstance.

"I think I'm going to stay here, you go with them," Winnie said, and Cordelia's eyes widened, the blonde ran a hand through her tangled hair. "I have to tend to Theo--"

"You don't have to do anything," Cordelia said back, as Winnie watched Harry waving the Thestrals to them, signalling for them to get on one. "You've got to come with us, we need your help. Or, I'll take Theo back--"

"Cordelia, go," Winnie said simply, pushing her towards the Thestrals. There was no way she was allowing Cordelia to stay, not after the stunt she pulled into the office with her brother. She was going, and Winnie would stay. "You'll be more helpful than I am, trust me. I'll stay. Go be with Harry, he needs you right now."

"What he needs is his friends," Cordelia muttered, but Winnie cut her off, her teeth grinding together in her mouth. Of course, she knew that Harry needed his friends, and the ache that grew in her chest at the idea of them possibly entering hell itself choked her dry. The images of the red-eyed monster that haunted her dreams flared to life in her mind and she knew, deep down, that he would be there tonight.

But one glance back at Theo, and she knew she couldn't leave.

"You're his friend," she replied calmly, arm reaching out to touch her shoulder, and Cordelia leaned into her touch for a moment before breathing out, Winnie smiled slightly, knowing she would leave.

"Fine. I'll go," she told Winnie, whose eyes gleamed in the moonlight. "You stay safe, alright? I think I have my compact. Call me if anything happens, okay?"

"Of course."

Cordelia squeezed Winnie's shoulders and gave her a wistful look before she, followed the direction of the others as they climbed on top of a Thestral. Winnie stood, her arms crossing her chest once again. A grow of discomfort twisted through her as she watched her cousin seemingly sit on the air. And with one final look from Cordelia, the brunette, along with the rest of the group, took off into the air.

Leaving Winnie standing with a confused Theo Nott, and her heart lodged in her throat. Her eyes shut, the growing moonlight seeping into her skin as she prayed nothing else would go wrong that night. That everyone would return safe and nobody would get harmed or killed.

But as these things usually go, nothing is ever easy, and the night is just starting.