Of Constellations → 𝘥. 𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘧𝘰𝘺

xxxiii. abrupt departure

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chapter thirty three

abrupt departure

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"STOP!"

I was too out of it to recognize who the voice belonged to, but the pain fell away seconds later. The fog of confusion lifted. I felt the chill in the air again, but I could barely move.

"What is it, boy?" Silas demanded. "You should be out there fighting, coward!"

"Theodore is searching for you. He says he wants to talk to you, that he's changed his mind and wants to join us after all. Go to the entrance hall."

It was Draco's voice. Enough control returned to me to open my eyes. He was standing there, face grey and sweaty. There was an almost green tinge to the hollow of his cheeks. His lip was split and there was a trail of dried blood all the way down his neck.

Silas stood still for a few moments and then, before Draco could react, shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

The wand Draco was holding, which wasn't his own hawthorn wand, soared through the air. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open as he reflexively held up his arms in surrender.

I knew what I needed to do immediately.

"Liar!" Silas said and then paused for an unnaturally long time. "Use Occlumency if you want, but you can't fool me. I'll find my son."

 Stupefy, stupefy...

"You've been taken in by the blood traitor's daughter too, haven't you? It figures. You're just like your father—sniveling, weak-willed little weasels, the both of you!"

Stupefy, stupefy...stupefy!

It was a nearly impossible spell to do without a wand, let alone without a voice. But it was now or never. Silas was backing Draco into the wall and I could tell that Draco didn't have the strength to fight back.

I'd been spending months practicing for something like this. 

"I'm still on your side!" Draco said. "Don't kill me, please!"

Stupefy! STUPEFY!

I tried to reach for my wand, but it was too far away, and my body was still too feeble.

Silas stepped forwards, grabbing Draco by the front of his robes. "You're a terrible liar, boy. You're here to protect the girl. You and Theodore both are beyond repair. All three of you are dead now."

Draco took a sharp breath in and then pressed his lips together as he drew back his hand and punched Silas so hard the crack echoed on the walls. Silas covered his face, groaning in pain. Draco had seemingly managed to dislocate Silas's jaw but, clearly unused to Muggle-style fighting, he was clutching his wrist, expression contorted in pain.

"Avada—"

STUPEFY! STUPEFY! STUPEFY! STUPEFY! STUPEFY! STUPEFY!

Draco was clutching his left hand to his chest and had his back pressed flat against the wall. He was staring at nothing like he was preparing to fall over dead any second. But, then, Silas lost his grip on his wand and collapsed to the floor.

"What the fuck?" Draco asked no one in particular, his voice shallow with pain. He looked around the corridor to see who had saved him and then, bizarrely, protected his face like he expected someone invisible was going to hit him.