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Her hair whips across her face as she pivots toward the piercing screams.
To her left, chaos reigns, and she mutters, "Oh, fuck," hastily seeking refuge behind a nearby tent to avoid being swept away by the panicked crowd.
Alora should be in the tent, shielded from the deafening clamor. With her wand clenched tightly, Josephine braces herself as the crowd surges closer, everyone fleeing from encroaching Death Eaters.
Someone collides with her, causing a stumble. She needs to find Alora.
The only route lies sideways, risking exposure to the Death Eaters, but she presses on regardless.
"Alora!" Josephine yells, futile amidst the cacophony of screams.
Think.
Alora must be hearing the chaos by now, the ominous laughter of the approaching Death Eaters.
She can't stay rooted. Josephine raises her wand, shooting up blue sparks to signal Alora, even as the crowd thins, signifying the Death Eaters' proximity.
After igniting the sparks, Josephine veers away from the crowd's path, darting into the woods. The Death Eaters will follow the main mass.
The tents lie ravaged, a haunting scene unfolding as Death Eaters, draped in dark robes and silver masks, toy with captives, their laughter chilling the air.
A distant cry of "Crucio!" halts her sprint momentarily, hidden behind a damaged tent. Darkness envelops the woods ahead, seemingly intensified by the Death Eaters' presence.
No, she can't intervene. The Death Eaters wield the Unforgivable Curses; her spells won't be enough. Their retaliation is reserved for sport.
Before plunging into the woods, Josephine conceals her bag, then resumes her panicked sprint, breaths escalating.
She refrains from casting light spells, needing concealment. Dense trees block the moonlight, casting shadows all around. Taking cover behind a tree deeper into the woods, her trembling hands clutch the wand, drawing it close to her chest, breaths ragged.
A noise at the forest's edge pierces the silence, faint but discernible, "I saw someone run in here! She's mine to kill, you run along now," a muffled voice declares.
Josephine curses inwardly. Alora's safety weighs heavily on her mind. Her hands shake as she mentally rifles through available spells.
"I saw you run in here, girl," the voice persists, closer now. "You might as well come out."
It's a woman's voice, and Josephine knows she has no choice.
A twig snaps nearby, and in that moment, she fervently wishes she were recognized as Tom's spy. But Death Eaters don't differentiate; she's a target.
Magic use is warranted now. Josephine steadies herself before emerging from cover, casting a non-verbal spell at the Death Eater.
A crimson light surges from her wand, hitting the Death Eater's chest. The death eater must have a protective charm as she is just blasted back a few feet.
