The Death Debt

Chapter 16

Sirius awoke with a sudden jerk. He flailed his arms, fighting off a cloak that no longer covered him. Severus slowly eased into a sitting position as Bellatrix shouted from next door, "What are you screaming for, you stupid elf!?" He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, slow and heavy. There came Regulus, his feet thundering down the stairs in time to Kreacher's cries. "What's going on!? Kreacher, are you hurt!?"

Sirius seemed full of adrenaline, his eyes wild behind tangled hair, and he was up, running, without questioning the disappearance of the cloak or the missing chair. Don't think, Sirius thought. He burst out of the bedroom and Severus trudged after him. His face was an empty mask. Don't feel, Severus thought.

The door to Lady Black's room was wide open. Kreacher stood at the threshold, tugging on his ears, howling. Bellatrix had her back pressed against the far wall in the hallway, staring into the room, eyes wide, her hands wrapped around her own neck.

Regulus tried to push past them but Severus grabbed him by his shoulder. "Don't."

Bellatrix whipped her head around at the sound of that one word. "You," she hissed, storming forward, looking no less terrifying in her nightdress than in her blood-stained black robes. Severus took a step back, bumping into Regulus, but he wasn't the one Bellatrix was interested in.

"You! You did this! You killed Aunt Wally! Decided to get even, did you!?" Her white hands lunged for Sirius's throat.

"Stop! Let go!" Severus shouted, grabbing onto her wrists as she continued to choke her cousin.

Sirius was trying to wrench his head away, his feet kicking; Bellatrix hardly reacted to the blows he landed. She had the strength of a woman gone mad; she felt no pain, no fear. Her hands were like steel.

"Regulus, help!" Severus shouted, but Regulus didn't answer. He was gone, and so was Kreacher.

Sirius's lips were starting to turn blue and he was making an awful gurgling noise. Severus let go of Bellatrix's wrists, pulled back his fist, and slugged her across the face. She stumbled, finally releasing Sirius. As Sirius slumped to his knees, gasping, Bellatrix managed to right herself. She twirled around, teeth bared in an animalistic snarl. "Fucking mudblood," she spat and punched him back.

Fuck, I think my nose is broken, Severus thought through the haze of pain and the spray of blood. As if it wasn't large enough already.

Someone was yanking him on his arm, pulling him to his feet. Sirius, who was still deathly pale, and could only manage to rasp out, "Run." But it was too late. In the few seconds it took to get his feet under him, Bellatrix had darted into her bedroom and returned with her crooked, black wand, raising it into the air.

"I'll teach you your place, mudblood!" She screamed. "Cru–"

There was a flash of red light and Severus shut his eyes on instinct, clutching at Sirius's hands.

"She's down!" A man's voice shouted.

Severus opened his eyes and blinked. Bellatrix was lying face-down on the ground, unconscious. There were three men in red Auror robes circling her as they edged into the hallway. Kreacher was running after them, pointing wildly into Lady Black's bedroom. "There! There! Kreacher's mistress! Oh! Oh! Someone help her!"

One of the Aurors stuck his head into the bedroom before pulling it back out. "Jesus fucking Christ," he whispered. "She's been decapitated. What the fuck has been going on in this house?"

Sirius pulled him closer as another Auror ran up to them. "You kids alright? Don't worry, you're safe now. I'm going to need you two to come with me. That's it now. Steady. We'll get you a healer for that nose. What about you, young man? Are you breathing alright? Having any difficulties? Okay, let's go. Just step into the fireplace..."