Simple and Young

The Battle of Hogwarts Chapter LXXXIX - Epitasis

George and Laura were running in the many staircases of the castle, trying to get to Fred to block the secret passageways. That was when the first explosion happened. The walls seemed to shook, the stairs trembled and dust fell from the roof.

"It came from the Astronomy Tower." said Laura. "I've got to see if anyone's hurt." and without glancing back, she rushed in the next staircase. George had wanted to shout to her that he loved her, but it had stayed in his throat as he looked at his partner going away.

❧

Laura was walking in a hallway, empty except for her. No one here was blooding or lying on the ground. Good.

But as she was walking, the ice started to form on the walls, cold, so cold. Dementors. A bunch of them flew from a broken window and were entering the castle. Laura heard a woman's voice screaming in the hallway next to hers. She didn't think twice, picturing in her mind George and her dancing together in the rain.

"Expecto Patronum!" yelled Laura, casting the spell towards the Dementors.

A bright blue light emerged from her wand, a feline, chasing the Dementors who were quickly backing away and out of view. The feline was not alone, there was a bird with it. The four-legged animal ran back to Laura, and she realized its shape, elegant black fur stretching on its body. A black panther. A protector, brave and wise, discreet but powerful.

She took the briefest second to admire her Patronus before rushing to the woman who had screamed, only to see Peggy in the hallway on the left, eyeing a flying blackbird.

"Sorry for screaming, I panicked." she apologized to her friend. "Beautiful panther by the way."

"Thanks, pretty nice Patronus too." Laura replied.

They ran together until the end of the hallway, where they arrived in a staircase. Peggy went down to the fifth floor, and Laura up to the seventh. There were countless of Death Eaters, curses and hexes flying around, forcing Laura to take cover. Let's continue while staying alive, they need you, Laura she said to herself, like a prayer. She cast jinxes and hexes to the numerous Death Eaters, defending herself, until arriving next to a student who was sitting on the floor, clenching his bloodied leg. She quickly healed them.

"There you go. Find shelter somewhere and stay safe, now." Laura said to the Gryffindor student. They had been bleeding badly, but they would be alright from now on. If just they managed themselves. Laura knew they wouldn't; they weren't a Gryffindor for nothing. But at least Laura avoided them to die, for now. Laura looked at the hallway, trying to find someone else to help, when she saw a Weasley duelling. She ran to the red-head, trying to get to them in time.

"Experialmus!" she cried, the Death Eater's wand soared in the air and was caught by Laura.

"Incarcerous." cast Fred. Rookwood fell on the floor with a loud thug, thick ropes suqeezing his body.

"You really saved me there, Laura." he thanked his friend before walking away to duel other Death Eaters.

"Always glad to help." she answered before resuming her look out for injured wizards.

Laura was baffled for a brief second as she saw Percy was fighting against a Death Eater, before smiling weakly. She was glad he had come back.

She was turning a corner when she stopped on the spot. She knew he would probably be here, but she didn't except her to face him, in the complete chaos of the battle. The man in front of her barely smiled before she tried to hex him. He dodged, but Laura didn't linger. They duelled, their father backing away progressively as Laura cast spell after spell without rest.

She couldn't think straight. He had killed her brother, had bring grief and fear on her family. He had done countless of terrible things to countless of people. She was angry. If I'm on fire, you'll be made of ashes too.

Her father nearly slipped on a stair and avoided falling down the staircase. During the second he took to gain his balance again, Laura had held up her leg and kicked him hard in the stomach, pushing him down the nothingness behind him and letting him fall down. She rushed down the stairs, keeping her eyes on him. When his body had stopped rolling down and was lying on the hard cold stone floor, he stirred.

"Stupefy." she said, looking down at Rabastan, with all her anger and disgust.