The Secret War | Dramione

Chapter 18

Inverness was on fire.

A large river ran through the heart of the city.

They had apparated in the middle of a square.

Muggles were running and screaming in all directions. Homes by the river were burning, and cars were abandoned in the middle of the street.

Yaxley was arguing with Lucius, while Helen and Snape tried to find Edevane...

Hermione struggled to breathe under her disguise. Dolohov's mask was tied too tightly to her face. She feared her hood would slip off at any moment...

"WATCH OUT!" Draco shouted.

A muggle building in front of them collapsed.

Hermione and Draco ran, fearing they'd be trapped underneath the wreckage.

"Keep moving!" Draco shouted. "Come on!"

Muggles were crossing suspension bridges that led to the other side of the city. Some of them dragged their possessions along in suitcases, while others left everything behind.

In their panic, people shoved past each other. A child was left behind crying, as his father was lost in the crowd.

Hermione looked away from the bridge, her eyes scanning the streets.

Some muggles didn't dare move at all. They knelt in the middle of the square, hanging on to each other, as buildings around them collapsed.

"Where's Bellatrix?" Hermione asked Draco. Her voice still sounded like Dolohov's, altered by the potion Snape had given her. "She's supposed to bring Harry—"

"I don't know," Draco said, taking in the scale of the destruction around them. "I don't know..."

Edevane was leading Voldemort's Albanian army. They were advancing on the allies...

A large band of muggle rebels fought back, firing weapons at both the Albanians and Magical Alliance alike.

Gunshots and curses rang throughout the city, as the worlds of magic and muggle collided.

Hermione gasped when she saw the Arévalos standing in the crossfire, but the bullets bounced off their arms and torsos. Their dark cloaks billowed behind them, as they tried to compel the muggles to stay back, while the Order and the Alliance fought Voldemort's forces head on.

Some wizards dueled on the ground, while others fought on brooms in mid-air.

Hermione spotted Mad-Eye Moody as he aimed a curse at Rookwood and two others.

"Look!" someone shouted.

Hermione froze. In the distance, she could see a large loch that led to the ocean. The sails of the Dragomir billowed in the wind, approaching the city.

Nikola had come to join the fight.

Above Hermione, Braaten flew through the air, riding his eight-legged stallion. He shot curses at Edevane but the old wizard was quick to react, sending a forceful blast his way.

Braaten was nearly thrown off his saddle, but he recovered and made a nose dive for the Death Eaters gathered below.

They scattered, as the hooves of Braaten's horse slammed into the ground. The creature galloped across the square, trampling several of Edevane's followers in the process.

Hermione heard a loud roar. She looked up and saw one of Voldemort's dragons soar down, making a dive for the allies. In unison, they raised their wands. They conjured thick ropes that wrapped around the dragon's neck.