𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐦 {𝐡.𝐣.𝐩}

XXI- Grim Faces

Evergreen scrambled in the darkness, keeping a firm grip on her friends while attempting to shine light with her wand.

"Lumos," she tried, but again, it did not work.

"Good job, Draco..." she heard Bellatrix say, somewhere around the entrance of the Room of Requirement.

About a dozen footsteps rumbled the corridor as Death Eaters filed out from the room and followed Malfoy's lead out of the pitch-black corridor.

Evergreen stood absolutely still and waited until the last footstep went inaudible, and when she was sure they were well gone, she called into the darkness, "are you two all all right?"

"Fine," Neville and Ron answered, both sounding shaken, but solid.

"Good... We need to wait until the Powder wears off,"

It wasn't long before the darkness around them faded away, revealing the seventh floor corridor again.

Evergreen wheeled around to look at the two of them; they both had horrified expressions on their faces, probably mirroring hers.

"What happens now?" Neville asked in a low voice, glancing at Evergreen hesitantly.

They all knew what they were about to face.

Evergreen tried to gather her thoughts, brainstorming loopholes, but deep down she knew the only right thing to do.

"We fight," she replied weakly, "we've got to."

It was the answer Ron and Neville had expected but were not prepared for.

"We've got to alert the professors," said Neville hurriedly. "We've got to tell them-"

"If they don't know by now, then I'll be damned to say that it's too late." Ron sighed. "Our best chance is ourselves. We need to go find Hermione and the others." 

At the mention of the girl, Evergreen went cold.

"Right- we've got to go now-"

"This way, Minerva!" A voice shouted from below. "I saw them head down this hallway-!"

Is that-?"

"My dad!" Evergreen cried. She would recognize Remus Lupin's voice anywhere.

In an instant she had left Neville and Ron- she sprinted down the corridor, ignoring their cries, and hurried down the stairs. She had to get to her dad- he would fix everything. She would be safe with him. And wherever Remus was-

"Sirius!" Professor McGonagall's voice shouted from below, "Sirius, Tonks- this way!"

Evergreen ran as fast as she could- she shot through the sixth floor corridor past the boys' bathroom and down the next flight of stairs; it would be a deadly fall if she tripped, but she didn't care. Getting to her parents was the most important thing right now.

She turned at the next corner and immediately screeched to a halt, for the most terrifying scene laid out in front of her; there were two figures tussling on the ground-

One of them, with his flaming red hair and pierced ears-

"Bill!" Evergreen shouted, gripping her wand. "Bill- hold-!"

But the person leaning over Bill sunk their teeth into his collar. He was out in a second, his head lolling grotesquely as the person- monster- mauled him.

Evergreen raised her wand, eyes wide in terror, and cried, "REDUCTO!"

But her sheer terror made the spell come out wonky- it zigzagged, hitting a nearby window.