Bellatrix's Lost Daughter

Ch. 48 Fighting

A few more days went by agonizingly slow. I could feel the darkness of a battle looming on the horizon. I stood with my mother in a dark room while we all listened to my father. He spoke of heading to Hogwarts to get Harry. My heart ached knowing that he would have to die because he refused to listen. Kyle stood a few feet from me. While he looked at my father but his eyes kept drifting back to me. The concern was evident on Kyle's face as my father looked towards me.

"Tonight the fight end," my father said before we all disapperated to Hogwarts.

We stood above the school together. My mother on my right and my father just in front of us. I took a small shaky breath before stepping forward.

"When we take the school disarm the children only. They are innocent and unprepared to fight," I said loud enough for the group to hear. "We will win the right way even if the order wants to play dirty." My father looked at me with pride in his eyes. I rejoined my mother standing beside her. We both had black gowns on. Hers was tight fitting while on mine the bodice was the only tight part and the silk flowed loosely the rest of the way to the floor. My dress had a slit up the front to allow for more movement.

"Kyle stay with Natasha," my father said as we walked slowly towards the school. We were greeted by Snape.

"Minerva defended the boy," he said as my breath caught. I knew why she did but I also knew she placed herself between the sides where she couldn't win.

"I'll find her father. I'm sure she was holding out hope he would listen," I said firmly as Kyle came to my side. His hand took mine as I apperated into the school. We had made it into Hogwarts just as the barrier went up preventing the other death eaters from following. I gazed up at the barrier with a frown, taking the barrier down would take time.

"Natasha," Minerva's voice called to me. I turned to see the grim expression on her face. "I tried to get Harry to understand but he is too far gone. I'm sorry." I looked sympathetically at her.

"I know you tried. I will try one last time but I don't think he will listen to me either," I muttered thinking about the boy who lived. I may not have chosen to be with him but that didn't mean I didn't care for him.

"Tasha. You might not be able to save him maybe you shouldn't watch him go," Kyle said sensing the small amount of concern I had left for Harry.

"I'm fine," I said firmly. "Where are the kids?" I asked Minerva.

"We sent the younger ones home and those who stayed were warned about what was to come," she said simply.

"What about Katie?" I asked as Minerva paused.

"She refused to leave so we put her in the dungeons with the Slytherin house. I thought she'd be safest there," Minerva said as I took off towards the dungeons. Surprisingly no one tried to attack me. I rushed into the room calling for her.

"Katie!" I yelled as she pushed to the front. I smiled picking her up resting her on my hip. Her blue eyes were filled with so much fear that my heart broke.

"Tasha," she muttered burying her face in my dark hair. I rocked her gently while Kyle watched us.

"Kate you need to stay with me okay," I said knowing it was too late to get her out of the school at least until the magical barrier was gone.

"I was scared you were going to leave," she whispered as I froze.

"It's okay, I am not leaving you Katie," I said firmly.

"My parents told me they couldn't be my family anymore," she murmured as anger filled my body.

"Then I'll be your family!" I said instantly as she tightened her grip around me.

"The battle has started Nat," Kyle said as I nodded. I had my wand held tightly in my hand while my other held Kate up. I braced for people to come after us and within a few minutes the door had been blasted open. Slytherins ran out of the room joining the fray.

"I'm going to take Kate somewhere safe," I told Kyle.

"No," she said firmly.

"This is no place for you Kate," I said as she shook her head. I sighed. I didn't know what to do so I sat on the couch in the Slytherin common room with Kate on my lap. "Kyle tell my father I can't fight."

"You know he needs you," Kyle said harshly.

"No he doesn't at least not yet," I muttered. Kyle frowned but didn't argue. He drifted off to tell my father. I cast a protection charm around Kate and me to make sure no one would hit us without my knowing. Kyle returned a few minutes later sitting beside me.

"He said come when he calls and bring Kate," Kyle said as I nodded. We sat in silence while chaos raged outside. I continued to hold Kate close as she clung to my dress as if I would vanish.

"You have fought valiantly and I call my death eaters to leave you to dispose of your fallen without interference. Harry Potter I now request you to come to me instead of allowing others to die in you place. The choice is yours Harry Potter, you have one hour," my father's voice filled everyone's head. I apperated to my father with Kate in my arms and Kyle beside me. He looked towards me walking towards us. Kate cowered as I held up a hand telling my father to stop.

"Kate this is my father. I promise he's like me. He won't hurt you," I whispered to her as she looked up her blue eyes finding his warm brown eyes.

"Hi," she said as he smiled walking slowly towards us.

"Hello Miss Thrush," He said as my mother came to my father's side.

"She looks like a Weasley," my mom said causing my father to laugh.

"The Thrush bloodline is a distance relative of the Weasley family," my father said.

"She is a Riddle now," I said as my father looked into my serious eyes.

"I see. Well welcome to the family Kate," my father said as she smiled. We were about to speak more when the snapping of a twig caught everyone's attention. Harry was here.