The Girl Who Fought | h.p |

Bye, Bye, Dumbledore

Harry apparated with a weak Dumbledore resting upon his shoulder. Together, they rushed into the Three Broomsticks where they were met with Madam Rosemerta. She wore nothing but fluffy slippers and a dressing gown. 

"I saw you Apparate as I was pulling my bedroom curtains! Thank goodness, thank goodness, I couldn't think what to — but what's wrong with Albus?" 

She came to a halt, panting, and stared down, wide-eyed, at Dumbledore. 

"He's hurt," said Harry. "Madam Rosmerta, can he come into the Three Broomsticks while I go up to the school and get help for him?" 

"You can't go up there alone! Don't you realize — haven't you seen — ?" 

"If you help me support him," said Harry, not listening to her, "I think we can get him inside —" 

"What has happened?" asked Dumbledore. "Rosmerta, what's wrong?" 

"The — the Dark Mark, Albus." 

And she pointed into the sky, in the direction of Hogwarts. Dread flooded Harry at the sound of the words. . . . He turned and looked. There it was, hanging in the sky above the school: the blazing green skull with a serpent tongue, the mark Death Eaters left behind whenever they had entered a building . . . wherever they had murdered. . . . 

There was only one name bouncing around Harry's mind; Nova. 

"When did it appear?" asked Dumbledore, and his hand clenched painfully upon Harry's shoulder as he struggled to his feet."Must have been minutes ago, it wasn't there when I put the cat out, but when I got upstairs —"  

"We need to return to the castle at once," said Dumbledore."Rosmerta" — and though he staggered a little, he seemed wholly in command of the situation — "we need transport — brooms —"

"I've got a couple behind the bar," she said, looking very frightened. "Shall I run and fetch — ?"

"No, Harry can do it." 

Harry raised his wand at once. "Accio Rosmerta's Brooms!" 

A second later they heard a loud bang as the front door of the pub burst open; two brooms had shot out into the street and were racing each other to Harry's side, where they stopped dead, quivering slightly at waist height. 

"Rosmerta, please send a message to the Ministry," said Dumbledore, as he mounted the broom nearest him. "It might be that nobody within Hogwarts has yet realized anything is wrong. . . .Harry, put on your Invisibility Cloak."  

As they flew, Harry wondered how long they'd been gone. What was happening at the school? He wondered if his friends were alive. He wondered if the D.A. was able to stop them. 

"ROAST THEIR ARSE, NOVA!" James shouted. 

"FRY THEM LIKE CHICKEN NUGGETS!" Regulus joined in. 

"'Ello, Death Eaters," Nova greeted with a grin. The others hid behind the walls, ready to attack. 

Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and literally the whole D.A. hated Nova's plan. 

"Hello, Little Lupin," Greyback grinned sickly. 

"What a pleasant surprise!" Nova said 'excitedly'. "I didn't know it was trash day! I thought trash day tomorrow night!"

"You think you're funny?" Alecto Carrow said. She had several teeth missing and her long nose was one to rival Snape's. 

"I think I'm hilarious," Nova grinned. "So . . .what brings you to my neck of the woods?"