ruins ; harry potter [1]

eighteen ; voldemort returns

Diana couldn't hear anything. She couldn't move. The world moved in slow motion. She vaguely watched Kingsley continue the fight with Bellatrix, but she couldn't look away from the spot where Sirius Black stood only moments ago. There were no tears, but there was an empty hole in her chest that had been ripped apart, compressing her lungs until she couldn't breathe and pushing her heart until she could only hear the fast rhythm thumping in her ears.

She stood for what felt like years until she saw Kingsley get thrown backward by a spell cast by Bellatrix. She could hear everything now and everything moved fast and normal and she was running, running so fast the wind whipped her hair and people shouted at her to stop but she didn't, and she ran after Bellatrix who was already nearly to the top of the steps.

"BELLATRIX!" she yelled, but Bellatrix just cackled in response and disappeared into the Brain Room. Diana followed her, pumping her arms as she ran, and a wave of the disgusting liquid from the tank spilled out and doused her, and brains were getting thrown at her but with a flick of her wand they were easily sent away. She could hear footsteps behind her, and she immediately knew it was Harry. They ran past Ginny then Luna then Ron then Hermione, who was still unconscious. Bellatrix was already past the circular room and into the corridor to the lifts. By the time they entered the circular room, Bellatrix had shut the door, and the walls were spinning.

"Which one is the way out?" Harry yelled once the walls were still, and as if it was waiting for the question, a door to their right opened, and they ran out into the black-tiled corridor. Diana heard the lift clattering ahead, which meant Bellatrix was already on her way to the Atrium. They burst into one of the lifts and Diana repeatedly pushed the button marked 'Atrium' and the lift closed and they were rising.

They forced themselves out before the grilles were fully open. Bellatrix was already near the telephone booth now and she looked back, and when she saw them, she laughed and threw a spell toward them. They took cover behind the Fountain of Magical Brethren.

"Come out, come out, little children!" she mocked. "What did you come here for? I thought you were here to avenge my dear cousin!"

"I am!" shouted Harry.

"Aaaaaaaah. . .did you love him, little baby Potter?"

Harry was furious, and Diana watched him spring up and yell, "Crucio!"

Bellatrix screamed and was thrown to the ground, but she was not in pain. She scrambled off of the floor immediately.

"Never used an Unforgiveable Curse, have you, Potter?" said Bellatrix. "You need to mean them! You need to really want to cause pain---to enjoy it---righteous hatred won't hurt me for long---"

"CRUCIO!" Diana screamed, and the force knocked Bellatrix a few feet backward before she started screaming in pain, writhing on the floor. The screams echoed through the room and it gave Diana a savage satisfaction to watch her struggle against the pain. She liked it. After a few moments, Diana relented, and Bellatrix cried on the floor.

"Get up!" Diana yelled, fury emanating off of her in waves. "You're weak! GET UP!"

Bellatrix stood up slowly, but her face showed no pain anymore: she was furious, and her eyes were dark and angry.

"GIVE ME THE PROPHECY!" she snarled, her body rigid and her eyes evil.

"You didn't see my little show?" Diana taunted. By the time she had smashed it, Bellatrix was already preoccupied with Neville and then Tonks. She must not have seen it. "It's gone! I smashed it!"

Diana heard Harry take a sharp breath a close his eyes tightly. He was in pain. "And he knows!" Harry yelled. "He knows you've failed him!"

"What? What do you mean?" Bellatrix cried with evident fear.