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THE DEATH EATERS STRIKE. ┕━━━━━━━★━━━━━━━┙
BRIAR FROZE IN HORROR. The screams were getting louder from beneath the bridge, and it wouldn't be long before a Death Eater looked up and saw them. The Slytherin in her acting on instinct, she grabbed Sirius's hand, she pulled him so that they were out of sight of the bridge.
"What are you doing?" Sirius demanded, wrenching his arm out of her grasp once Briar had yanked him into a deserted, narrow by-lane. "Those are Muggles dying out there! We have to go help!"
"Help?" Briar almost screeched. "How exactly do you intend to help, Black? Those are at least a dozen full grown men who are trained In the Dark Arts, and you want to fight them alone? I think you'd be doing a lot more damage than good!"
Sirius shook his head, pulling his wand out from his jeans pocket. Briar watched him in disbelief. Was he completely insane? "I don't care. I can't stand here while they torture and kill innocent people! You can join me if you want to, or you can run like a coward-"
"I'm not a coward! For Merlin's sake, would you stop and think? You can't go march in there like some bloody hero! They'd kill you before you could even lift your wand, do you not understand that? You can die for a hero with a cause if you want, but I'm sure as hell not letting you die for nothing!"
Sirius stared at her, his grey eyes torn. It was clear that he saw her point; they were two teenagers, only one of whom could use a wand. But there was some part of the Gryffindor in him that wouldn't let him run while people died nearby. Briar watched the battle raging in his eyes silently, while clutching his arm. "Sirius. Please."
Something in him cracked, and he turned around, noticing that some of the Death Eaters were starting to apparate to the top of the bridge. Two of the cloaked figures were clearly visible on the other side and Sirius tensed, grabbing Briar's hand. "You're right. We have to run. If I can't protect them, I'm going to at least protect you."
"Can you apparate?" Briar asked desperately. She knew how to, but it was risky. She wouldn't be seventeen for another month and with the Trace still on her, she didn't think it was an option. But if Sirius could do it...
"Yes, but not side-along!" Sirius replied quickly. "I can't take you with me unless you want to risk getting splinched."
"That's okay, just go-"
"No! There's no way I'm leaving you here when you can't even use a wand," Sirius replied firmly. "We just have to run and find somewhere to hide. Come on!"
