Slytherin Princess | ✓

sixty-three

Running through the entrance hall, I ducked under jets of curses and jinxes. In the Great Hall, Lord Voldemort stood at the teachers' platform, commanding his followers and throwing his own curses from his wand. I pointed my wand at the Death Eaters around me, jinxing and Stunning them.

There were even more people storming up the front steps. I saw one of the older Weasleys overtaking Horace Slughorn, who was still wearing his emerald pyjamas. They seemed to have returned at the head of what looked like the families and friends of every Hogwarts student who had remained to fight, along with the shopkeepers and homeowners of Hogsmeade. The centaurs Bane, Ronan, and Magorian burst into the hall with a great clatter of hooves.

The house-elves of Hogwarts swarmed into the entrance hall, screaming and waving carving knives and cleavers, and at their head was a house-elf that looked to belong to Dark wizards, his bullfrog's voice audible even above this din: "Fight! Fight! Fight for my Master and Mistress, defender of house-elves! Fight the Dark Lord, in the name of brave Regulus! Fight!"

They were hacking and stabbing at the ankles and shins of Death Eaters, their tiny faces alive with malice, and everywhere I looked Death Eaters were folding under sheer weight of numbers, overcome by spells, dragging arrows from wounds, stabbed in the leg by elves, or else simply attempting to escape, but swallowed by the oncoming horde.

I saw Yaxley slammed to the floor by George Weasley and Lee Jordan, saw Dolohov fall with a scream at Professor Flitwick's hands, saw Macnair thrown across the room by Hagrid, hit the stone wall opposite and slide unconscious to the ground. I saw Weasley and Longbottom bringing down Fenrir Greyback, the Hog's Head owner Stunning Rookwood, Mr Weasley and the old Gryffindor Prefect flooring Thicknesse, and Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy running through the crowd, not even attempting to fight, screaming for Draco and me.

"We're here!" I shouted at them. "Narcissa! Lucius!"

They spun around and saw Draco and me running to them. With open arms, they embraced us.

"Draco— Adelaide— We need to go—"

"No," I said firmly. "I need to fight. You two have no wands, go hide, but I will fight. I have to right some of my wrongs."

"If Adelaide is fighting, so am I!" Draco nodded.

Narcissa looked torn and looked over to Lucius for help.

"I love you both very much," he said uncharacteristically, stroking our faces. "Fight for what you believe in. We will be here when you come back."

I flashed him a quick smile and knew he was genuine in his word. Draco and I ran back into the Great Hall to see more mayhem break out. Hermione, Iverson, Weaslette, and Luna battling Bellatrix in a far corner. It was as though Bellatrix's curses weren't hitting them. They seemed protected.

Bellatrix laughed and pointed her want at Weaslette, "Avada Kadavra!" but the curse missed her by an inch. Before I could rush forward and curse Bellatrix myself, a loud voice shouted,

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!"

Wheeling around, I saw Mrs Weasley throw off her cloak as she ran, freeing her arms. Bellatrix spun on the spot, roaring with laughter at the sight of her new challenger.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" shouted Mrs Weasley to the four of them, and with a swipe of her wand, she began to duel. Molly Weasley's wand slashed and twirled, and Bellatrix Lestrange's smile faltered and became a snarl. Jets of light flew from both wands, the floor around the witches' feet became hot and cracked; both women were fighting to kill.

I tried to turn my attention to other Death Eaters, Stunning them as they charged, but Mrs Weasley's cries caused me to look back.

"No!" Mrs Weasley cried as a few students ran forward, trying to come to her aid. "Get back! Get back! She is mine!"