Supported & Torn (HP) {Book 3 of the Wild & Free Series}

31. The Only One He Ever Feared

"He hasn't gone!" I yelled.

I did not believe it, I would not believe it; still I fought Tonks with every bit of strength I had: She and Lupin did not understand, people hid behind that curtain, I had heard them whispering the first time I had entered the room — Sirius was hiding, simply lurking out of sight —

"SIRIUS!" Harry and I bellowed, "SIRIUS!"

"He can't come back, Harry and Liana," said Lupin, his voice breaking as he struggled to contain Harry. "He can't come back, because he's d —"

"HE — IS — NOT — DEAD!" Harry and I roared. "SIRIUS!"

There was movement going on around us, pointless bustling, the flashes of more spells. To me it was meaningless noise, the deflected curses flying past us did not matter, nothing mattered except that Lupin and Tonks stop pretending that Sirius, who was standing feet from them behind that old curtain, was not going to emerge at any moment, shaking back his dark hair and eager to reenter the battle —

Lupin and Tonks dragged Harry and me away from the dais, me still staring at the archway, angry at Sirius now for keeping Harry and me waiting —

But some part of me realised, even as I fought to break free from Tonks, that Sirius had never kept Harry and me waiting before... Sirius had risked everything, always, to see Harry and me, to help us... If Sirius was not reappearing out of that archway when Harry and I were both yelling for him as though our lives depended on it, the only possible explanation was that he could not come back... That he really was...

Dumbledore had most of the remaining Death Eaters grouped in the middle of the room, seemingly immobilised by invisible ropes. Mad-Eye Moody had gotten up and helped Dumbledore with the Death Eaters. Behind the dais there were still flashes of light, grunts, and cries — Kingsley had run forward to continue Sirius's duel with Bellatrix.

"Harry? Liana"?"

Neville and Rowan had slid down the stone benches one by one to the place where Harry and I stood. We were no longer struggling against Lupin and Tonks, who maintained a precautionary grip on our arms nevertheless.

"Harry... Liana... I'b really sorry. . . ." said Neville. His legs were still dancing uncontrollably. "Was dat man — was Sirius Black a — a friend of yours?"

"Harry... Liana..." Rowan whispered. "I know he much he means to you... I'm so sorry..."

Harry and I nodded.

"Here," said Lupin quietly, and pointing his wand at Neville's legs he said, "Finite." The spell was lifted. Neville's legs fell back onto the floor and remained still. Lupin's face was as pale as Tonk's.

"Let's — let's find the others. Where are they all, Neville and Rowan?" Tonks asked.

She and Lupin turned away from the archway as she spoke. It sounded as though every word was causing them pain.

"They're all back there," said Rowan. "A brain attacked Ron but I think he's all right — and Hermione and Lucy are unconscious, but we could feel a pulse —"

There was a loud bang and a yell from behind the dais. I saw Kingsley, yelling in pain, hit the ground. Bellatrix Lestrange turned tail and ran as Dumbledore whipped around. He aimed a spell at her but she deflected it. She was halfway up the steps now —

"Harry — Liana — no!" cried Lupin, but we had already ripped our arms from Lupin's and Tonk's slackened grips.

"SHE KILLED SIRIUS!" bellowed Harry.

"SHE KILLED HIM— WE'LL KILL HER!" I yelled.

And we were off, scrambling up the stone benches. People were shouting behind us but we did not care. The hem of Bellatrix's robes whipped out of sight ahead and we were back in the room where the brains were swimming... She aimed a curse over her shoulder. The tank rose into the air and tipped. Harry and I were deluged in the foul-smelling potion within. The brains slipped and slid over us and began spinning their long, coloured tentacles, but we shouted, "Wingardium Leviosa!" and they flew into the air away from us. Slipping and sliding we ran on toward the door. We leapt over Luna, who was groaning on the floor, past Ginny,who said, "Harry — Liana — what — ?" past Ron, who giggled feebly, and Hermione and Lucy, who were still unconscious.