𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 | ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟚 𝕠𝕗 ' 𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕔𝕝𝕚𝕔𝕙𝕖 ' HIATUS

xliv

Sirius hit the ground with a hard thud, it felt as if every step he fell down jammed farther up into his ribcage than the one before. He jumped up and watched in horror as Eurielle was thrown backward, a scream of pain leaving her mouth right before her head hit the archway with a sickening crack that rang throughout the room.

" ELLIE!" he heard Harry scream.

Bellatrix roared with laughter but it quickly faded as she began dueling with Kingsley. With trembling legs, Sirius crawled up the dais. And then he saw it. His daughter lay on her side, unmoving. Blood soaked the stone around her head, Sirius felt himself sink to his knees, tears welling up in his eyes.

No, he thought to himself, she couldn't be.

" Ellie?" he whispered, a tattooed hand reaching out to touch her pale cheek, it was already cold.

There was a pained scream from behind him and once again he heard Bellatrix's maniacal laughter, " Did I kill her, Siri?!" she jeered.

A sob escaped his throat as he brought Eurielle's body to his chest, no she couldn't be. He placed a hand in the middle of her chest and his insides went cold, there was no soft thud of a heartbeat, there was nothing.

Sirius let out a scream of anguish as tears poured from his eyes, this couldn't be happening, it couldn't be.

" HARRY NO!"

Sirius looked over with wide eyes as he saw Harry rush after Bellatrix who was whooping and laughing singing the same thing over and over, " I killed her! I killed her!"

She wasn't, she couldn't.

Ellie would wake back up, send him one of her rare smiles, and tell him she was okay.  They would clear his name and she and Harry would come live with him and Ev, they'd be together again.

He picked her up with ease and he turned to Remus, " W-We need to get her to Poppy!" he yelled desperately, holding her limp body tightly to his chest, " WE NEED TO HELP HER MOONY!"

Dumbledore had rushed after Harry, he was sure he'd be fine, he needed to help her, " WE NEED TO HELP HER!" he screamed.

Remus stared at Eurielle's body with wide eyes and a pale face he grabbed her wrist and placed two fingers to the vein, and he looked up to Sirius, " Sirius she-,"

" NO SHE'S NOT!" he roared, more tears pouring from his eyes, " SHE CAN'T BE! GET THE OTHERS, I'M GOING TO TAKE HER BACK TO HOGWARTS!"

Before Remus could say anything Sirius bolted down the corridor that Dumbledore and Harry had disappeared down.

She couldn't be.

He picked up his pace.

She hadn't got the chance to really meet Evelyn yet.

He heard shouts from further down the hall.

Ellie couldn't be dead.

"Merlin's beard — here — here! — in the Ministry of Magic! — great heavens above — it doesn't seem possible — my word — how can this be?"

He would bring her back to Evelyn.

"Cornelius, I am ready to fight your men — and win again!"

Sirius was panting once he reached the end of the hall, his arms shaking like mad under the weight of Eurielle but that was the farthest thing from his mind as he ran across the Atrium floor.

" S-Sirius Black!" screamed a man, " Get him!"

Sirius twisted so the stunner didn't hit Ellie and he fell to the ground Eurielle falling limp beside him, "Rennervate!" thundered Dumbledore.