Lucky

The First of the Fallen

Morgana Black was so thrown into the moment, battling so ferociously and sincerely, that when a young man laid his hand on her shoulder, she spun around and pointed her wand at him, preparing to stun him or blast him backwards. Instead, she lowered her wand quickly, her face lighting up with delight, and threw her arms around the man. "Tim!" She cried, as the young man laughed and hugged her back. "You were about to kill me, there, Morgana!" He exclaimed. "Honestly! Where's your infamous "loyalty" trait!"

Morgana laughed, and aimed her wand over his shoulder to stun a Death Eater who was advancing towards them, before turning back to Timothy. The two of them stood back to back and kept shooting spells at various Death Eaters as they talked. "What are you doing here?" Morgana inquired over her shoulder. Timothy hexed a Death Eater, before replying. "I joined the Order of the Phoenix after I left Hogwarts. Did a bit of undercover work for them. I heard Hogwarts was under attack, and I just had to come back and defend it. Still home, after all." Morgana smiled, before throwing an impedimenta jinx at a group of Death Eaters. "Me and Em are co-captains. Won both matches we've played so far," she told him smugly. Behind her, Timothy grinned proudly. "I know. Scarlett Cross was telling me. Did I tell you - I got a position playing keeper for Puddlemere United?" Morgana almost lost concentration. "What?" She screamed. "Oh, Timothy, that's fantastic!"

By now, they had cleared all the Death Eaters in the area, so they turned back around. "I'm proud of you, Black. Knew you'd be a great Quidditch player, I did," Timothy insisted. Morgana grinned. "And I'm proud of you too, Bridges. Puddlemere! That's insane." Timothy smiled at her. "Thanks, Morgana. I've met a girl too, the most amazing girl. Her name's Amy, and - and I think I'm going to ask her to marry me." Morgana almost felt tears prick in her eyes as she smiled at Timothy in delight. The fact that such incredible news could come at a time like this was just - unbelieveable.

They ran back into the battle, parting ways to go and fight. "Good to see you. Bridges," Morgana yelled back over her shoulder. "Good to see you too, Black. Show 'em how it's done!"

Morgana grinned and ran back into the crowd, her Quidditch Captain's confidence in her spurring her on.

The battle was brutal and ferocious, Death Eaters shooting curses and unforgiveables everywhere, while the Hogwarts side favoured stunning spells and impedimenta jinxes. The aurors had already made a couple of arrests. Morgana still hadn't found Harry. She had no idea where he was, and was starting to get worried.

Suddenly, Morgana was engaged in her most furious duel yet, as she found herself in combat with Ivy Shafiq. In that moment, it all became real. Up until then, they had just been students, squabbling children. Now, as Ivy's Dark Mark burned, and her eyes filled with hatred, and jets of green light spilled out of her wand, Morgana knew that their childhood was over. They had been forced to grow up in a number of hours. All of them had.

        Shafiq was backed up by Rabastan Lestrange, who shot a killing curse straight for Morgana. Samara Beech and Harriet Broom both leapt in quickly, helping Morgana in her duel. Samara and Morgana took on Rabastan while Harriet focused on Ivy. They all duelled fiercely, until Ivy Shafiq disarmed Harriet. Her wand clattered to the cobblestones, and she was left defenceless.

       Samara glanced around at her best friend, who had been sorted alongside her on the very first day, six years ago, and stuck by her since then. Ivy Shafiq was uttering the incantation. All that was going through Samara's head was that, in a split second, Ivy would kill Harriet. And for one of the first times in her life, Samara didn't know what to do, or how to do it.

"Harri!" She shrieked, and Shafiq was distracted momentarily by the sound of her voice. She turned her attention away from Harriet and, using this moment of weakness, of fear, to her advantage, looked straight at Samara. "Avada Kedavra," she muttered softly, almost casually, pointing her wand at Samara's chest.

         It seemed to happen in slow motion. Samara's eyes were lit up by the green glow, full of surprise. And then, empty, and lifeless, as she crumpled to the ground, her body hitting the cobblestones.

        Ivy Shafiq lowered her wand, staring at the girl, the classmate, she had just killed, before she turned tail and ran, tears threatening to spill over. Harriet Broom's screams could be heard resounding throughout the whole castle. She flung herself towards Samara's lifeless body, weeping and crying out. "Sam, please! Wake up, please, please come back!"

       With a swift, angry motion of her wand, Morgana had stunned Rabastan. She stared at the two girls - at Samara's limp, pathetic looking body, Harriet's desperate, tear stained, pleading eyes. Morgana felt she should cry, almost in respect, but the shock of how quickly it had all happened still shook her to the bone. She couldn't even begin to comprehend crying.

          For a moment, all seemed still and silent. But they were still in the heat of battle, and so Morgana raced towards the castle to alert someone of Samara's death.

__________________________

           When she pushed open the heavy oak doors to the Great Hall, she was met with a Scene that contrasted so much with the raging battle outside. She had pictured that there would be more people in there, fighting. But instead, the hall was almost empty and very silent, the clamour of war outside like a distant echo.

         The only people in the hall were a young woman, and an older couple, as well as Professor McGonagall. The Professor had her arm around the younger lady, comforting her, while the older woman sobbed into her husband's shoulder. They were all crowded around something - a body.

As Morgana crept a little closer, she realised that this was the body of Timothy Bridges.

It was as though the world had stopped spinning as Morgana took in the sight of the brave Quidditch Captain lying their, on the floor of the Great Hall. His hair was tousled and his face stained with mud, a long cut down his cheek. His eyes were closed, as though he was sleeping peacefully.

Morgana couldn't comprehend it. He was gone. He was right there in front of her, and yet he was gone. The young woman weeping over him, Morgana assumed, was his girlfriend, Amy. She also assumed that the man and woman were his parents.

Finally, Morgana forced herself to speak, as Professor McGonagall noticed her. "Excuse me, Professor," she choked out through the prickling tears. McGonagall nodded, turning to address the young woman. "One moment, Amy," she excused herself, and led Morgana out of the hall to a corridor.

The Headmistress looked Morgana up and down. "I'm glad you're alright, Miss Black," she told Morgana sincerely. "But you did promise not to do anything stupid." Morgana nodded. "I know, Professor. But it seemed stupid to do nothing." They were both silent for a moment. "You most likely saved my life," McGonagall told her, referring to when Morgana had distracted Lestrange from killing her. Morgana shrugged. "How could I not have?"

She breathed in the silence, the tension in the air. "Samara Beech is dead," she told McGonagall, all in one breath. McGonagall stared at her, fresh tears spilling down her face. "No," she whispered. "No, not two in the one day." She looked Morgana up and down. "Who was it? Who killed her?" Morgana didn't meet her eyes. "Ivy Shafiq, in Slytherin." McGonagall shook her head. "Black, just as sad as a young person losing the life ahead of them, is a young person ruining the life ahead of them. Ivy Shafiq has unfortunately had her life written for her. Her parents have put pressure on her, forced her into the life she lives. We cannot blame children for the mistakes of their parents."

"Professor," Morgana asked tentatively. "Who killed Timothy Bridges?" McGonagall gave a sigh. "Rodolphus Lestrange," she whispered. Morgana closed her eyes, placing a hand against the wall for support, as she thought of the life that had lain in front of Timothy - a place on a professional Quidditch team, a life of service to the Order of the Phoenix, a life with a woman he loved. Morgana's chest hurt as though her heart was being torn apart inside it.

The worst part was, this wasn't even the last life that would be taken that day. As Morgana knew well, another life was still to be lost. It was just up to Morgana to make sure they didn't die in vain.