November Snow

f o u r t y - t h r e e

I ran back to the Slytherin common room, one of the only place I could think of that had a big fireplace. With Umbridge out of the picture and the Inquisitorial Squad struggling with the Puking Pastilles, it didn't matter if the chimneys were under surveillance. They wouldn't be able to catch me, not that fast anyway. I always had a jar of Floo Powder hidden deep inside my trunk in case of emergency and this was exactly what a emergency was. I grabbed it and back to the fireplace.

"12 Grimmauld Place." I shouted and threw down a handful of powder.

The green flame roared and I started spinning around. Few seconds later, I found myself standing in the old fireplace in the House of Black, in front of me was a shocked Kreacher. Leaving his offensive murmurs out of my ears, I bolted out of the room and bumped right into Tonks. She fell backwards and looked up at me with widened eyes.

"What? You're supposed to be at school." She said.

"No time to explain. Harry's in danger." I said quickly.

"Snape has just informed us." Sirius emerged from the meeting room "We're leaving, now!"

Moody, Lupin, Shacklebolt were right behind him, they all wore an angry look on their faces. They grabbed their coats and wands in a quick pace. Tonks also stumbled and followed suit.

"So what are we going to do?" I asked.

"We are going to the Ministry of Magic and save Harry and his friends." Sirius said "You are staying here."

"What? No way! I'm an official member and I'm going!" I argued.

"You're fourteen, that's underage." Lupin explained "It would be safer that way."

"While we're arguing whether you should go or not, Harry is in trouble." Moody grunted "You're staying, that's official."

"No!" I exclaimed.

Sirius waved his wand and I felt a powerful gush of wind pushing me backwards. My back hit the back of the open wardrobe and the door slammed shut as soon as I was pushed in. I kicked and punched the door, but it didn't even open. 

"Let me out!" I shouted "Sirius!"

"I'm sorry, Nov. But I can't put you in danger again." Sirius said from the outside "I've done that too many times."

Followed immediately were loud cracks, telling me all five of them had Disapparated and left me behind in a charmed wardrobe. I kicked the wooden door again in anger, but it didn't worth the effort, the door remained shut. I searched for my wand and pulled it out from my boots. 

"Alohomora." I pointed at the door.

Nothing happened.

"Didn't really expect that to work." I mumbled "Dunamis! Liberare! Annihilare! Emancipare!" 

Still, nothing happened.

"Oh well, this is going to hurt." I groaned "Bombarda!"

The door exploded, wooden splinters jabbed me in my arms as I shielded my face. It hurt, but I didn't waste much time to think for myself. I bolted to the fireplace with another handful of Floo Powder. I then paused. I didn't know where to go in the Ministry of Magic. Well, may what must comes comes.

"Ministry of Magic." I threw down the Floo Powder.

Once again, I felt the flame roaring around me and shut my eyes close. Wind blew at my face and hair as I travelled with great speed through the Floo Network towards my destination. I felt my feet touching the ground few seconds later and opened my eyes again. I was in the Ministry of Magic, but there was no one around. I followed my instinct and ran to the right, the closer I got, the louder the sounds emerged from the direction. I quickened my pace and soon found myself in the middle of a fight between Death Eaters and the Order in the Death Chamber. In front of the veil stood Harry ad Sirius fighting against Lucius Malfoy as a manic laugh from Bellatrix Lestrange echoed the place once more. 

"Nov!" Someone called.

Behind a large boulder were Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny and Luna, hiding from the battle. They all looked terrified, though Tonks was right near, fighting to protect the children. I ran towards them and crouched down at the boulder, just in time to dodge a curse aiming at my head.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked.

"Helping out. What else?" I fired back at whoever had tried to curse me which turned out to be Bellatrix Lestrange.

I sprinted towards Harry and Sirius, dodging another curse and expelled a wand out of a Death Eater's grip as he aimed at Harry. I reached them just in time, as soon as Harry knocked Lucius Malfoy out with the Disarming Charm.

"Nice job, James." Sirius said, then he turned to me "I thought I told you to stay back."

"That's the only thing you cannot tell me to do." I said, panting.

"Avada Kedavra!"

After that, everything was a blur. Just few seconds ago, I was talking to Sirius, he was smiling approvingly at Harry and the next thing I knew, he was on the other side of the veil in the Death Chamber, floating away like he was some kind of spirit. Harry, well aware of what had happened, screamed and cried in agony as he attempted to dash through the veil and dragged Sirius back, only to be held back by a pained-looking Remus Lupin. Most Death Eaters in the Chamber was captured, but Bellatrix Lestrange ran free through the hallway, skipping and chanting with a sing-song voice.

"I killed Sirius Black." Her voice echoed from the dark hall.

That angered Harry. He broke free from Lupin's grip and chased after the psychotic woman. Lupin looked at him sadly, then backed to the veil which Sirius had gone through and would never come back. Tonks and Shacklebolt looked down with grief, Moody became angry as his fellow friend and member died, Hermione and the others stifled a sob. I picked up Sirius' wand and ran after Harry.

As soon as I reached the Atrium, Dumbledore appeared through the Floo Network and approached Harry who was pointing his wand at Bellatrix Lestrange. She looked scared, but at the same time, a twisted smile was visible on her face. Standing by Harry was Voldemort, his skin was pale, in total contrast with his black robes, his skeleton-like fingers gripped his bone-white wand, where his nose used to be was two reptile-similar slits. 

"It was foolish of you to come here tonight, Tom." Dumbledore said "The Aurors are on their way."

"By which time I shall be gone, and you shall be dead." Voldemort said.

The two most powerful wizards, one on the side of the angels and one on the side of the devils, engaged in a magic duel. Lestrange slid into one of the fireplaces and disappeared. I stood and watched as two streak of lighting, one red and one emerald green connected and battled for an advantage. As he fought Dumbledore, Voldemort attempted to hit Harry several times, but he missed. Disconnecting his wand from Dumbledore's, the Dark Lord conjured a giant serpent made of flame. It attacked the former Headmaster of Hogwarts, but he was able to extinguish the flaming creature and sent the fire towards Voldemort. The Dark Lord put out the flame before it could reach him. Using the limited time he had got, Dumbledore trapped Voldemort inside an orb of water, I quickly sprinted towards Harry. 

"November, no!" Scolded Dumbledore as he knocked Harry off his feet.

The water orb fell down and Voldemort escaped, he fired off a storm of black matter at Dumbledore only to be blocked by the white-haired wizard. Then, Voldemort released a powerful storm of power and shattered all the glasses in the Atrium, Dumbledore and Harry dropped down to avoid being jabbed by the sharp pieces of glass. I, unfortunately, wasn't out of the range yet and a rain of shattered glass poured right on me. They jabbed me all over my arms, my hands and scratched my face. A large piece of glass stabbed my thigh and I fell over, letting out a scream at the shooting pain.

The yell attracted the Dark Lord's attention. He turned to look at me, in his eyes held a glint of cruel happiness. Dumbledore waved his wand at me, a gush of wind pushed me into a fireplace behind me and with a roaring green flame, I was sent away from the Ministry of Magic, the last thing I saw was Voldemort turned back to his angry self and attacked Dumbledore with flying shards of glass.