2 | CONFESSIONS° HARRY POTTER

17 | CALYPSO

ACT FOUR, grief
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN, calypso

"CRUCIO!"

Iris was yanked out of the way of the curse by her mother before she even knew what was happening. Her focus had been entirely on Cordelia and she hadn't noticed Finnick sneaking up behind her until she heard him yell the Unforgivable at her. She glanced over at Calypso with wide eyes and her mum was on her feet in a second, hitting Finnick with spell after spell.

Death Eaters had made their way into Hogwarts not too long after Dumbledore and Harry had left. She didn't know if they were back, or if they were even alive, but she hadn't had much time to worry because she and the others were engaged in a battle at Astronomy Tower. The only members from Dumbledore's Army that had answered Hermione's call were Luna, Ginny, Oliver, Sabina, Tracey, and Neville. When they realized the Death Eaters had invaded Hogwarts, the Order had been quick to arrive on the scene and they wasted no time in hitting the Death Eaters with as much force as they could muster.

Calypso pulled Iris away and the pair retreated as the Death Eaters blocked and raced up the stairs of Astronomy Tower.

When Iris was safe and out of the way, Calypso held her at arm's length.

"Are you hurt?" She asked frantically. Her hair was shorter than Iris had seen it in a long time and her wedding ring was seated firmly on her ring finger. Fenrir Greyback had nearly cornered Iris earlier, and he probably would've attacked and killed her had it not been for Remus saving her. Then, she found Cordelia and ran after her.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Iris said dismissively. She searched around and saw members of the Order racing towards them.

"Good, let's go." Calypso smiled proudly at her daughter before turning to the others. "They've blocked the stairs — Reducto! REDUCTO!"

Half of the ceiling had fallen between them and there were more Death Eaters coming their way. Iris went back into the fight and aimed spell after spell at whatever Death Eater she could find. She saw Veles slithering on the floor beside her before he launched himself into the air and bit Finnick's neck, attacking him brutally.

Iris turned around back towards the stairs and saw Fenrir Greyback launching himself from the fray and jumping on top of a person who Iris couldn't see.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

She cried out and turned around to see Amycus Carrow standing in front of her, who was throwing hex after hex at her while she dodged them: Amycus was giggling, enjoying the sport: "Crucio — Crucio — you can't dance forever, little —"

"Impedimenta!" yelled Harry. Iris turned to him, surprised to hear his voice.

His jinx hit Amycus in the chest: He gave a piglike squeal ofpain, was lifted off his feet and slammed into the opposite wall, slid down it, and fell out of sight behind Oliver, Ron, Professor McGonagall, and Lupin, each of whom was battling a separate Death Eater. Beyond them, Iris saw Tonks fighting an enormous blond wizard who was sending curses flying in all directions, so that they ricocheted off the walls around them, cracking stone, shattering the nearest window —

"Harry, where did you come from?" Iris cried, but there was no time for him to answer her. He put his head down and sprinted forward, grabbing Iris, and narrowly avoiding a blast that erupted over her head, showering them all in bits of wall —

"Take that!" shouted Professor McGonagall, and Iris glimpsed Alecto Carrow sprinting away down the corridor with her arms over her head, her brother right behind her. Harry launched himself after them but his foot caught on something, and next moment he was lying across someone's legs.