FAILSAFE

Chapter Eleven

(there was a double upload please make sure you read ten first)

May 2, 1998

Theodore Nott felt the air crackle with tension as he stood in the dimly lit hallway of Hogwarts. The resonance of spells and distant roars echoed through the stone walls, a foreboding symphony heralding the onset of the battle. Beside him, Draco Malfoy wore a mask of determination, his stormy eyes reflecting a mixture of fear and resolve. The flickering torchlight played on the sharp angles of his face. The weight of what was to come bore down on them, casting a pall over the once-familiar halls of the castle.

"Go, Theo. Get Pansy out of here," Draco's voice cut through the chaos, urgency threading every word. Theodore hesitated, a heavy pause that lingered in the charged atmosphere. The gravity of the situation settled in, and though fear clung to him, he nodded in acknowledgement as Draco turned and sprinted down the corridor. The task was clear, yet anxiety gripped him.

Navigating the corridors became surreal, the torchlight casting stretched silhouettes that danced with the erratic rhythm of the distant sounds. Spells collided in explosive bursts, and the roars of magical creatures created a disorienting cacophony that reverberated through the stone walls. Theodore found himself torn in different directions, the echoes of chaos pulling him in conflicting paths. The castle, once a sanctuary, now felt like a maze of threats from all angles. Panic threatened to overwhelm him as he sought safety in the darkness, the intermittent flashes of spells revealing the uneasiness etched on every face he passed as he contemplated the best course of action amidst the swirling storm of charged magic.

Finally, a stroke of luck guided him to Pansy Parkinson, standing alone in a secluded alcove. The torchlight flickered gently, creating a subtle play of light on the surrounding walls. Pansy's eyes, wide with worry, mirrored his own. The flickering flame accentuated the vulnerability carved on her features. "We have to go," Theo urged as he gripped her arm to keep her close, his voice a mere whisper in the chaos that encircled them.

Pansy's immediate concern surfaced as she asked, "Where's Draco?"

The weight of reality pressed upon him, a heavy burden that made each word resonate with a truth neither of them wanted to face. Pulling her closer, his grip tight, "We can't wait for him. We have to leave. He told me to get you and go." The air seemed to thicken with his words. She nodded in acknowledgement, her head bobbing in every direction as her eyes flicked nervously. Theo didn't like that look.

As Pansy moved, her gaze caught a glimpse of a masked Death Eater turning the corner. Determination flashed in her gaze as she pulled them aside, demanding information with a fierceness that hid the vulnerability beneath. "Have you seen Malfoy?" she questioned. Urgency and fear laced her words as her eyes flitted around them.

The reply came swiftly as he pulled his mask down. "Last I saw, he was by the lake." Theo couldn't help to pity the young man. He looked like he wasn't much older than they were. He appeared nervous as he tightened his grip on his wand. Pansy wasted no time, leaving Theodore behind as a spell collided with the rocks beside him. He wanted to scream after her, but her name felt like a lump in his throat as he tried to force it out. He slid back into the shadows, the fleeting warmth of Pansy's presence dissipating in the cold corridor as his back hit the frigid stone. Fear hung in the air as Theo watched her vanish into the chaos. His body hummed with charged energy as he tried to figure out what to do next. He wasn't fearless like Draco, or selfless like Pansy. As much as he tried to emulate those qualities, he couldn't centre himself to do it now; the rumbles of the castle made it hard for him to focus. To breathe. To try.

It took longer than Theo wanted to admit to follow her. The battle raged as he moved, the air crackling with the energy of magic. Flames erupted from one side, engulfing the stonework in a fiery inferno, while icy shards rained down from above, creating a dangerous obstacle course. With his heartbeat thundering in his ears, its deafening volume momentarily disorienting him, he swiftly moved aside just in time to avoid a hex that narrowly missed him, colliding with the ground instead. He pressed forward, his heart pounding in his chest, adrenaline fueling his every step. The rubble beneath him trembled from the impact of the powerful spells clashing, shaking loose small chunks of stone that rained down like deadly hail. He dodged and weaved through the crumbling courtyard, his movements calculated and precise, scarcely avoiding the lethal onslaught of magic that threatened to consume him. The sheer intensity of the fighting made it difficult to see, a swirling maelstrom of colours and flashes blurring his vision.