What a Terrible Mess

Chapter 22

Five houses were on fire when they arrived, witches and wizards alike were running toward them as they ran towards Honeyduke's. No one was dead yet, as far as they could tell. They slowed as they neared and hid alonside a small general store, peering out at the candy store. Narcissa and Rose could be seen at the door, sticking their heads out only to fire hexes at the group of Death Eaters. Harry looked for the tell tale signs of the most dangerous of Voldemort's followers. There were none, just the same small group from before; Harry counted ten. Among their ranks were other Slytherin's they'd gone to school with, and a handful of Ravenclaws.

"I don't see them." Neville said, his eyes searching. Harry didn't either. Where were Draco and Blaise? He could hear children clearly crying inside the store, screaming in fear. "Harry!" Neville said, and following his gaze Harry found Draco. He hadn't managed to make it inside the store, and was currently lying on the ground, his back to a large display Honeyduke's had set out. At the side of the building, farthest them, Harry caught a daring flash of green- Blaise.

"Ginny, Ron, stay here and try to draw their attention. Hermione, go over there to the neighbor building, we'll watch your back. When it all breaks loose, Hermion you. get. in. the. store. Help heal as many as you can... Neville, you're good with medical magic. Is there any way I can talk you into going with Hermione?"

"Go fuck yourself." Neville snapped, staring at his mate, glued to the side of store as a Petrificus Totalus barely missed his head.

"Gotchya. I'm going after Draco. Let's drive them out of here."

Just as Hermione made it to the building, undetected, Harry saw Remald Skeptor, a Ravenclaw two years ahead of him raise his wand and point it directly at the display Draco was using as a shield, he intended to set it on fire.

"Incen-"

"Sectumsempra!" Harry roared, his wand pointed at the boys back. Then, turning to see Pansy Parkinson firing a curse at Narcissa, "Ascendio!"

A Death Eater Harry only knew as a relation slammed down in front of him and then into a nearby tree as Ron yelled, "Everte Statum!" Harry took off at a dead run, away from his friends and toward a carriage laying toppled in the road. The entire group knew they were there now.

"CRUCIO!" He heard someone yell, then Ginny's scream of pain. Ron was roaring.

"DIFFINDO!" and then "Lacarnum Inflamari!" and someone else was screaming now.

Harry raised his head up to see what was going on, one of the death eater's was screaming, his robes ablaze. Several younger ones were knealed with shield charms up, protecting the others. Neville had made it to Harry and was panting heavily.

"Draaaaaacyyy..." That was Pansy sounding eerily like Bellatrix.

"Sod off Pansy! You're not going to win this!" Draco fired a well aimed hex at her but she managed to dodge it.

"Is it true Draco, you're some form of... beast now? You and that fag, Blaise?"

"Your mother's a muggle!" Blaise called back.

"Crucio!" Pansy yelled, missing Blaise again, Harry had to grab Neville hard and sit him back down "come on out Dracyyy- I hear Veela's are magnificent in bed- maybe you could give me some before I kill you?"

Harry snarled and it was Neville's turn to grab him.

"They don't know it's us Harry."

"They're bloody well about to." Harry snapped.

"Crucio!" Pansy again with more conviction than before, but this time, Draco was screaming. "Incendio!" Pansy roared, and Draco's shelter as well as Honeyduke's was on fire.

Harry calmy stood and stepped out.

"Wanna know something Pansy? Veela's are amazing in bed, especially Draco!" He called, narrowly missing a hex from Pansy's rage. But, Harry had what he wanted, her attention and everyone elses. Ron, Ginny, and Neville took this as their cue and strolled in. Together they all began to fire hexes and undoing those they'd gotten hit with.

Draco quickly joined the melee, as did Blaise, both rushing in so quickly it frightened three of the Death Eaters into running behind Pansy. Harry felt a sharp pain in his arm and knew it was broken. One of Neville's legs was swollen grotesquely and Blaise and Draco seemed to have been hit by the Hogwarts Express. Ron had blood all over him, as did Ginny but they all continued to walk- and limp- toward the Death Eaters. Harry and Neville held up the most powerful shield hexes, keeping anyone from getting hit again. Then, Pansy screamed and rushed at Harry- a dagger drawn. Draco rushed for them, but Harry had seen her already.

"Expelliarumus! Petrificus Totallus!" Harry yelled and she froze, sliding in the dirt to a stop at his feet. Harry resisted the urge to kick her, though Neville didn't. Loud pops surrounded them all at once and Harry spun around, his wand stuck in someone's throat.

"Harry!" It was Tonks, and some other Aurors. What were left of the Death Eaters disapparated on sight. Harry immediately turned his attention to the burning building. Yet, there was Hermione, smoldering and covered in ash, surrounded by a group of about twelve crying children. He spun around again, checking that everyone was okay. More aurors were apparating in, while others disapparated to take prisoners to Azkaban.

"Harry- it's over- calm down, it's okay." Draco said, placing his arm around the Gryffindor's shoulder. Then, Harry noticed several things all at once he saw Ron racing toward him and heard two people scream at the same time, one was Hermione, the other Pansy- somehow free from his curse,

"Serpensortia!"

"HARRY!"

All Harry knew was that he'd been flung to the ground, hard. Then, Draco was falling backwards, hand to his throat. The snake Pansy had cast was wrapped around his neck, choking him tightly. Several swollen places showed where he'd actually been bitten. Harry dove on top of Draco, covering the smaller male the best that he could with his own body.

"Finite Incantum." He hissed in what he believed had been Paseletongue, banishing the snake. Draco gasped for breath. Neville slid to his side as Draco's face began to really swell,

"Anguis Mordetis! Anguis Mordetis!" The swelling vanished instantly and Harry cheered. Draco set up, grinning,

"I owe you one, Longbottom." Blaise ran up and wrapped Neville in a hug.

They all sat there, Neville and Hermione casting different healing spells while the Aurors scattered around, carting off the wounded and putting out fires. Harry looked over at Draco. He appeared to have been beaten pretty badly- they all did. Though, Draco and Blaise appeared to be worse than anyone.

Remembering what Draco had said about healing, Harry stood and moved to sit in front of Draco on the ground, leaning back into him. Draco leaned forward, his arm draped across Harry's shoulders.

"Who would have thought the Ferret Prince of Slytherin would almost be killed by a snake?" Ron said, having lain out on the ground between Ginny and Hermione. Harry smiled fondly at the red head.

"Blaise, Blaise!" Draco said, turning slightly to look at his own best friend who was currently curled up in Neville's lap.

"What's up Dray?"

"I think this particular victory calls for a victory song- don't you?"

"What did you have in mind?" Blaise asked, sitting up on his elbows. Much to every Gryffindor's (except Ron) delight, Draco began to sing and Blaise joined in.

"All around the mullberry bush, the dragon chased the Weasel..."