Percy Jackson and the Department of Mysteries

160) Luigi Likes It Hard

"Ron!" Harry called, rushing toward our four friends, Neville and I got on his heels. "Ginny — are you all —?"

Ron, who had been supported by Seamus, stumbled forward and latched on to the front of Harry's robes, giggling hysterically, "Harry. There you are.... Ha ha ha.... You look funny, Harry... you're all messed up..." His face was very white, something dark trickling at the corner of his mouth. Abruptly his knees gave out, but he kept hold of Harry's robes, pulling Harry down into an awkward bow.

"What happened?" I demanded, turning to Seamus. One of his eyes was was swollen shut, but he didn't seem to care.

We watched Luna help Ginny lean against the wall, and he said, "I think her ankle's broken, I heard something crack. Five of them chased us into a dark room full of planets. It was so cold in there, and some of the time we were just floating in the dark—"

"Harry, we saw Uranus up close!" Ron giggled some more. "Get it, Harry? We saw Uranus — ha ha ha —"

"Anyway, one of them grabbed Ginny's foot. I blew up Pluto in his face, but..." He gestured to Ginny, who was breathing quite shallowly, eyes squinted shut.

"And what about Ron?" Harry asked, voice high as he stared at his best friend.

"I don't know what they hit him with," Luna said glumly, "but he's gone a bit funny, we could hardly get him along at all..."

"Harry," Ron giggled as he whispered, though he definitely was not nearly as quiet as he thought he was, "you know who this girl is, Harry? She's Loony... Loony Lovegood... ha ha ha..."

"We've got to get out of here," I said, hoisting Ron to his feet and tugging one of his long arms over my shoulders, Harry doing the same. "Luna, can you help Ginny?"

"Yes," Luna said calmly, tucking her wand behind her ear and wrapping an arm around Ginny's waist before helping her up.

"It's only my ankle, I can do it myself!" Ginny insisted, but a moment later she'd turned white and nearly toppled over. I was suddenly reminded of a time over a year ago, when I'd broken my ankle fighting Death Eaters with Seamus, and she'd helped set it. I wondered if she'd ever thought she'd find herself in the same position I'd been in. Probably not. I never expected to wind up doing the things I did.

We started toward a door. I'd just pressed my free hand against it's cool surface when another door at our backs was flung open, Bellatrix screaming, "There they are!" As several other Death Eaters followed her into the spinning room.

Stunning spells shot around us, and I shoved the door open, let go of Ron, and closed the door behind Neville and Hermione.

"Colloportus!" I cried just as the Death Eaters hit the door, breathing a sigh of relief, or maybe of exhaustion.

"It doesn't matter!" One of the other Death Eaters cried. "There are other ways in — WE'VE GOT THEM, THEY'RE HERE!" He was right; we were back in the brain room, doors lining the walls. Worse yet, I could hear more footsteps from back in the spinning room.

"The doors!" I pulled out my wand, running toward the closest one. "Seal the doors!" Luna, Neville, and Harry did as told, Seamus knelt down by Hermione, grimacing. He didn't have his wand (I'm not sure how he blew up Pluto without it, but props to him, anyway). I could hear the Death Eaters trying to get in, occasionally slamming into doors we'd already blocked off.

It was only a matter of time, I suppose, but I turned when I heard Luna yell, "Collo — aaaaaaaaargh...." She was sailing through the air, five Death Eaters bursting through the door she hadn't made it to in time. She smacked into a desk, rolled over it, then landed, as sprawled and motionless as Hermione.