The Flight Of The Vulture

Chapter 18: Hope

May 2nd, 1998

Belle charged forward, yelling at the top of her lungs. It was absolute insanity. Flying creatures, centaurs, giants and hundreds of concerned parents were there to battle for their children. Belle had lost sight of her daughter in the crowd, but knowing she was alive strengthened her determination to get to her. She was almost to the courtyard now.

She sent hexes and spells to everyone who resisted her plowing through. Even out of her form as a vulture, she could smell the death around her. It was becoming more and more pungent as she stepped over each Death Eater's body.

She eyed each one, praying none were Jack. She recognized a few faces as people she had seen at her home. Each more evil than the next and she felt more and more relief.

She saw Narcissa and her husband racing through the crowd, not really fighting, just yelling out their son's name at the highest level that could possibly be reached.

The chaotic battle seemed to be raging both inside and outside of the Great Hall. Her daughter was on the steps leading into the castle dueling a couple of much too familiar faces. Samantha was beside a boy in a Hogwarts Gazette shirt and they seemed to be holding her own, but Belle knew they wouldn't be able to hold for long. It was her brother's Kyle and Glenn, they were dueling. The men were sending curses at them and shouting loud profane taunts.

The boy was knocked back, hopefully he was just stunned and not the alternative. Belle couldn't smell death from his body, so she assumed the best. 

Belle ran to help her daughter who was now standing solitary and alone against her brothers.

"Mum!" Her daughter cried out. A wide smile stretched across her bloody and bruised face.

"Oh little Belle. What's it been? Twenty-maybe thirty years since we've seen you? " Kyle cackled out as their body language indicated they were prepared to duel her.

"Twenty or thirty years too soon if you ask me!" Belle cried out stepping in front of Samantha, "Now get away from my daughter."

"Glad to see your hiding really kept you and your safe, because you will always end up right back where you stand, battling your past." Glenn taunted back sticking out his tongue.

"Instead you are still the worthless little worm you've always been." Kyle continued his taunts, making Belle lose what little respect she had left for him as her brother.

"No one talks to my mum like that" Samantha cried out before stepping out from behind Belle and sending a spell his way. "Especially not ugly Brenna bastards like you."

The spell narrowly missed Kyle, but her daughter began furiously dueling him. This left Belle to face Glenn. They sent spells back and forth, narrowly missing and equally matched.

Glenn the man who had caused so much fear in her childhood, now looked like nothing more than a man. He fought like one too. She was no longer defenseless, she was a full fledged witch who could stand her own. 

"Your little muddy runt must be the little girl Dolohov set on fire last year." Glenn cackled as they dueled. "It's a nasty shame I didn't try that with you back in the day, saved us all a load of trouble if I'd have just killed you while you were young. I wasn't creative enough."

Glenn sent a spell towards Belle, laughing with his eyes still fiery and maniacal. He cackled as she blocked it.

She could feel her blood boil remembering the small child he'd hurt, remembering what he'd done to her.She remembered the cold nights when she couldn't sleep because she was worried that he was the monster beneath her bed. He no longer had that power over her and she kept repeating that in her mind.