In the Shadow of Seventh year

Chapter 19: A Terrible Test

"Crucio!"

Alyssa's screams ripped through the air and one moment that was all there was. 

Then all hell broke loose.

Poppy sprang forward and threw a well-aimed 'Diffindo' to Kaelia Gaunt, who dodged it by skipping aside, smiling like she was having fun. 
   The poachers around you took it as their cue and began firing spells at you and your friends from all sides, forcing you to take your eyes off of MacMillan so you could shield yourself against a 'Levioso' thrown your way.

"Aw, did I hurt your precious little granny?" Kaelia's taunting voice was heard somewhere behind you and you turned towards her after knocking out the closest poacher to you with 'Stupefy'.
   The woman had her wand aimed at Alyssa again, who was now silent and lying on the ground, unconscious. 
   "All you have to do is agree to the deal and she'll be spared. Oh and give us that Diricawl." Mrs. Gaunt told Poppy, who was red in the face from rage. 

"You really don't know me or my grandmother if you think I'll ever back down from destroying you and your poaching organization." The Hufflepuff spit the words out. "And we'll never give you any Beast, so forget that Diricawl."
   Aiming her wand, a yellow streak of magic shot towards the woman and lifted her up in the air, before a purple streak struck her and slammed her back down on the ground. 
   Kaelia struggled to get up, obviously taken by surprise and you didn't fight the smirk forming on your face. Poppy had been practicing on her non-verbal spells the most and was now the best at it out of all of you. 

"You little bitch! I'll make sure you'll regret that!" Kaelia yelled and began firing a string of spells towards Poppy, who either deflected them or dodged them, throwing her own spells back.
   Ominis tried to get closer to them, but Angus Sweeting popped up in front of him.
"You gonna have ta go through me first, boy." His cold and beady eyes focused on Ominis and a wicked smile settled on his lips. "Let's see how well the blind bat can duel."

His words made your blood boil, but you couldn't see what happened next because you got blown away a few feet by a 'Bombarda' that Violet Sweeting had hurled at you. 
   You scrambled to your feet and saw Sebastian fend off two poachers near you. 
"Don't get distracted! We can take them as long as we stay focused!" He yelled, before blasting one of his enemies with 'Confringo' and using 'Protego' to protect himself from a 'Stupefy' from another.

Sebastian was right and instead of trying to keep track of Poppy and Kaelia or Ominis and Angus, you focused on your own fight with Violet and two other poachers. 
   Your uncle hadn't moved yet, which worried you, but you couldn't afford to think about that now. 

"I remember you, you're the one who wiped out all of our camps with our little brat." She wasn't smiling like her husband. Her face was pure anger and hatred. 
   "I'll make you pay for what you did! Expulso!" She was fast and you were hardly in time to throw up a shield, which shattered on impact, making you stumble back a little. 
   "Not before I make you pay for what you did to Poppy!" You threw back at her. "Diffindo!"
She dodged the spell, but it hit the poacher next to her, making him fall down with cuts all over his body. Violet didn't bat an eye at her fallen colleague, solely focused on you. "I'd like to see you try!" 

Violet threw a 'Reducto' at lightning speed towards you. You tried to dodge but it grazed your arm and you yelled out in pain when you felt the bones break. 
   "Oh, did I hit you?" She asked mockingly. "You should be thankful it's just your arm."

All of a sudden thunderclouds and lightning came down upon you, distracting the both of you. It didn't take long for you to realize it was Garreth and Nerida who had managed to take their Thunderbrew simultaneously. 
   Both were fighting off at least five poachers, but their brews helped to weaken their enemies a lot as lightning struck them. 
   "Watch out!" Anne's voice screamed, but Nerida already got hit by the 'Expulso' thrown at her. The Slytherin got knocked into a stone wall and fell down in a heap like a marionette doll getting their strings cut.