Discovery

70.

TW- MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH
read at your own discretion.

Six curses flew in six different directions and the shelves opposite them exploded as they hit.

"RUN!" Harry yelled, and as the shelves swayed precariously and more glass spheres began to pour from above.

We ran for what felt like an eternity, and the Death Eaters stayed on our tails the whole time. They chased us through the shelves, all the way through a door at the end of the hall. Before I could stop myself—

The floor had caved, and the seven of us fell through. I landed flat on my back in a sunken pit, where a stone archway stood on its dais. The whole room was ringing with the Death Eaters' laughter.

Before I could react, the Death Eaters grabbed each of us— except for Harry— who was standing in the center, still clutching the prophecy.

"Potter, your race is run," drawled Lucius Malfoy, pulling off his mask. "Now hand me the prophecy like a good boy. . . ."

"Let — let the others go, and I'll give it to you!" said Harry desperately.

A few of the Death Eaters laughed.

"You are not in a position to bargain, Potter," said Lucius Malfoy, his pale face flushed with pleasure. "You see, there are ten of us and only one of you . . . or hasn't Dumbledore ever taught you how to count?"

I looked over to see Neville, struggling and kicking; several of the Death Eaters laughed.

"It's Longbottom, isn't it?" sneered Lucius Malfoy. "Well, your grandmother is used to losing family members to our cause. . . . Your death will not come as a great shock. . . ."

"Longbottom?" repeated Bellatrix, and a truly evil smile lit her gaunt face. "Why, I have had the pleasure of meeting your parents, boy. . . ."

Neville fought so hard against his captor's encircling grip that the Death Eater shouted, "Someone Stun him!"

"No, no, no," said Bellatrix. She looked transported, alive with excitement as she glanced at Harry, then back at Neville. "No, let's see how long Longbottom lasts before he cracks like his parents. . . . Unless Potter wants to give us the prophecy —"

"DON'T GIVE IT TO THEM!" roared Neville, who seemed beside himself, kicking and writhing as Bellatrix drew nearer to him and his captor, her wand raised. "DON'T GIVE IT TO THEM, HARRY!"

Bellatrix raised her wand. "Crucio!"

Neville screamed, and tears sprang to my eyes. I looked away, not able to fathom the pure evil I had just witnessed.

"That was just a taster!" said Bellatrix. "Now, Potter, either give us the prophecy, or watch your little friend die the hard way!"

I looked back to see that Harry was holding the prophecy out for Lucius Malfoy to take. But before the older Malfoy could grab the orb, two doors burst open and six more people sprinted into the room: Sirius, Lupin, Moody, Tonks, Miranda, and Kingsley Shacklebolt. The Death Eater released me immediately, and I fell to the floor.

Malfoy turned and raised his wand, but Tonks had already sent a Stunning Spell right at him. Harry suddenly dived off the dais and pulled me out of the way.

Spells were flying through the air, and Harry and I laid flat on the ground in order to shield ourselves from the battle going on above us.

"Uh...thanks..." I said, still in complete shock.

Harry nodded, then crawled away towards Neville. I stayed put, too scared to move. Sparks flew and walls exploded, and I was terrified to get anywhere near it.

Before I could react, a flash of green light flew right in my direction. I was too stunned to even move out of the way—

A hand grabbed my arm and dragged me away. I looked up to see my sister glaring down at me.

"A killing curse comes flying at you, and you lay there like a dead hippogriff!" she yelled, still dragging me far away from the scene.

I couldn't even begin to form words. I could have died...

"Great, now you're mute, too! Just stay out of the way, ok? You can't die when you're not even fighting back— STUPEFY!"

And just like that, she rejoined the battle, cursing as many Death Eaters as possible.

"DUMBLEDORE!" someone shouted.

I turned around; directly above us, framed in the doorway from the room upstairs, stood Albus Dumbledore, his face white and furious.

As he began to descend the stairs, the Death Eaters realized Dumbledore was there. They didn't hesitate to make a run for it.

Only one couple was still battling; Sirius and Bellatrix, apparently unaware of the new arrival, were throwing curses at each other in a violent fashion.

Bellatrix threw a jet of red light at Sirius, but he ducked and let out a laugh.

"Come on, you can do better than that!" he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room.

She hurled another curse, which Sirius blocked; but when Bellatrix shot a second spark out of her wand, he barely missed it. A third curse was thrown and Sirius had no time to block it, but luckily it was deflected— and not by him.

"Don't mess with my father!" Miranda shouted, hurrying over to aid Sirius.

"You silly girl!" Bellatrix cackled. She began firing curses at my sister, but Miranda managed to block each one.

Then, without warning, Bellatrix sent a green spark out of her wand, and vanished in a cloud of black smoke.

The curse was aimed for Sirius; before anyone could react, my sister dove in front of him, knocking them both to the ground.

"NO!" Harry shouted, running toward Sirius.

For a moment, my heart stopped. I was glued to the floor, too scared to see if they were alive.

"SIRIUS!" Harry was yelling. "GET UP!"

I closed my eyes, not ready to face the truth. I listened to Harry's shouts as tears fell down my cheeks.

"I'LL KILL HER!" he roared, and I opened my eyes to see that he was running from the room, and Lupin was chasing after him.

I looked back to where Sirius laid. He looked peaceful, and almost like he was just sleeping. But Miranda was too late...

Miranda.

I felt my stomach do a flip-flop. I had been so worried about Sirius, I hadn't checked on my sister.

I rushed over to where she laid on the stone floor, only a few feet away from Sirius. But as I got closer, my chest began to pound.

Why wasn't she moving? Did she fall too hard?

I knelt down and tried to shake her awake.

"Miranda," I said loudly. "Miranda get up..."

No movement.

"Miranda...I'm not kidding!" my voice grew more urgent.

My hands began to shake. My heart was practically beating out of my chest.

"Get up!!" I screamed.

I felt hands on my shoulders. I turned around to see Sirius, alive and well, trying to drag me away from my sister.

"STOP!" I shrieked. "MIRANDA! WAKE UP!"

Tears were pouring down my cheeks. She couldn't be dead... She just couldn't be...It was Sirius...he was...

"LET ME GO!" I shouted at Sirius, but his grip on me only tightened.

"Ella...please..." Sirius said calmly.

"I can't leave her!" I screamed, my voice shaking. "It was you! Not her!"

The room felt like it was spinning. My vision blurred, and I felt Sirius stand me up and he pull me away from my sister's lifeless body. But now I had no fight left in me. There was nothing I could do.

Miranda was gone.