Aria Ashborn and the Deathly Hallows (A Harry Potter fanfic)

Chapter 12: Malfoy Manor

"She can't stand! We can't apparate!" Hermione shouted as Ron and Harry, panic-stricken, approached Aria and Hermione. Suddenly, *crack* *crack* *crack*. Death Eaters were surely apparating all around them, but they had no idea from what direction. Meanwhile, Aria had managed to tie her overshirt around the wound to still the bleeding. Harry bent down to carry her.

"No." said Ron, lifting Aria into his arms instead, "It's you they're after, mate. Come on!" Then, there was a loud bang that hit the stump where Aria had just been sitting and Harry, Ron, and Hermione started running.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Spells were hitting all around them, barely missing as dark figures chased on foot. Hermione and Harry were quickly ahead of Ron, who was slowed down because of Aria's weight. She held onto him tightly, her knee now in numbing pain. Ron went slower down a hill as to not drop Aria. Chains shot out from the wands of the pursuers, coming very close to Ron's ankles. As Aria looked back, she discovered that the ones chasing them weren't Death Eaters but Snatchers. The only one she could make the face out of was a tall man with untidy brown hair that appeared to have a red streak. He was gaining on them quickly.

"Ron!" Aria shouted as he ran, "I'm slowing you down! Just leave me and save yourselves!"

"We aren't going to leave you!" panted Ron, who had now begun to sweat profusely.

Bang! The chains from one of the Snatcher's wands had hit and latched themselves around Ron's ankles and Ron crashed to the ground, dropping Aria. Aria rolled so much that she became disoriented by the time she had stopped. It took her moment to realize where she was. Despite the pain from sticks poking her body, Aria began to do her best to crawl. She didn't get far before large hands had grabbed her by the collar and pulled her to her feet.

"Caught 'em, Scabior." said a deep voice, coming from the person who was supporting Aria, whose knee felt like it was screaming. Aria turned to see that her captor was none other than Fenrir Greyback. Not a moment longer, the one called Scabior had brought over Hermione and---Harry? It was him but his face was lumpy and distorted as if he had had an allergic reaction to berries. Three more snatchers had their wands to Harry and Hermione's throats while Greyback had a foot on Ron, keeping him on the ground. Scabior examined the four of them, staring each of them down as he kicked up leaves with his black, leather boots.

"Hello Beautiful," he said to Hermione, causing the hair on the back of Aria's neck to stand straight up.

"Don't touch her!" Ron shouted but could say no more when he took a kick to the stomach from Greyback.

"Stop it!" Hermione cried as Ron took a second blow.

"Your boyfriend will have worse than that if he doesn't behave, lovely." sneered Scabior, before turning to Harry, "What happened to you ugly? What's your name?"

"Dudley." said Harry, through swelling cheeks, "Vernon Dudley."

"Check the list." Scabior spat to the Snatcher holding Harry's arms, "And you ginger?"

"Weasley..." Ron panted, "Barney Weasley."

"Weasley eh?" said Greyback, "Wouldn't be related to that blood traitor Arthur Weasley, would you?"

"Piss off!" Ron shouted, "Arthur Weasley is ten times the wizard you are!"

"I'll take that as a yes." said Scabior moving on to Hermione as Ron was kicked hard again, "How 'bout you, lovely? What do they call you?"

"Penelope Clearwater." said Hermione, rather convincingly, "Half-Blood."

"Deanna." said Aria when Scabior looked to her, "Her sister."