Chapter 253 - The Glorious Battle (1/2)

Dumbledore's eyes swept over Chris and then over Harry and their friends. He was speeding past them when the man nearest realized Dumbledore was there and yelled to the others. One of the Death Eaters ran for it, scrabbling like a monkey up the stone steps opposite. Dumbledore's spell pulled him back as easily and effortlessly as though he had hooked him with an invisible line —

”Chris, are you alright?” Jason hugged her tightly.

”Ye — yeah,” Chris was staring at Dumbledore, who had most of the remaining Death Eaters grouped in the middle of the room, seemingly immobilized by invisible ropes. Mad-Eye Moody had crawled across the room to where Tonks lay and was attempting to revive her. Behind the dais there were still flashes of light, Sirius and Aurelia were duelling with Bellatrix.

”Let's go,” said Ginny and they resumed walking, though, this time the situation was less threatening. Dumbledore was there.

They all finally made it to the brain room and from there to the hallway out to the lift. As Jason pushed the button marked Atrium and the door of lift shut, all of them except Chris sank down. No one said anything but thousands of messages passed among them in silence.

The grill opened as they reached the Atrium, they walked out, took four or five steps and saw Voldemort, Malgino and Stormy standing in front of the fountain.

All of them froze. Chris' first instinct was to push her friends back to the lift and kill Voldemort, Malgino and Stormy right there but then she stopped. Malgino's creepy smile and her friends' fearful faces floated in front of her eyes.

Then Harry screamed clutching his head. Chris felt her legs glued to the floor and something pulled her towards those three monstrous figures. Within a second Chris, Harry and all of her friends were standing six feet away from Voldemort and Malgino.

”So you smashed my prophecy?” said Voldemort softly, staring at Harry with those pitiless red eyes. ”Months of preparation, months of effort . . . and my Death Eaters have let Harry Potter thwart me again . . .”

”I told you, my friend,” said Malgino quietly as the entire situation had saddened him. ”I told you what was going to happen but you chose not to believe me. But it doesn't matter now, he is in front of you.” He then turned to Stormy. ”I wouldn't like to see these children suffering anymore, Stormy. Bring me the keys and finish her.”

Stormy stepped forward but then looked at Voldemort expectantly and waited for him to say anything.

”I have nothing more to say to Potter, Kzeal,” Voldemort said quietly. ”Potter, you have irked me too often, for too long. AVADA KEDAVRA!”

”Harry!”

Ginny, Luna, Colin, Neville, and Ron, all of them screamed. But the golden statue of the wizard and witch in the fountain sprung to life, they leapt from the plinth, and landed on the floor with a crash. The wizard in front of Harry and the witch in front of Chris, then the Goblin, Centaur and the House-elf came to life too and defensively stood around Jason, Colin, Neville, Ron, Ginny, Luna and Hermione's body.

”What — ?” said Voldemort, staring around. And then he breathed, ”Dumbledore!”

Chris looked back with everyone else and saw Dumbledore was standing in front of the golden gates.

Voldemort raised his wand and sent another jet of green light at Dumbledore, who turned and was gone in a whirling of his cloak; next second he had reappeared beside Harry.

”Are you not going to help your friend, Malgino?” said Dumbledore as he sent a spell towards Voldemort, there was no amusement in his voice.

Voldemort disappeared and Stormy tried to move in front of Malgino but failed to move. She was also tangled by invisible ropes.

”I am an observer, Dumbledore. Also, I don't think my friend needs help,” said Malgino smiling. ”The Dark Lord stands alone.”

”So you will wait?” said Dumbledore to Malgino as Voldemort reappeared.

”There is no talent like patience, Dumbledore,” said Malgino as he stepped back. ”Don't you agree?”

”Yes, that I do,” said Dumbledore as he advanced on Voldemort.

”You will be dead today, Dumbledore,” spat Voldemort sent another Killing Curse at Dumbledore but missed, instead of hitting the security guard's desk, which burst into flame. ”You have created enough obstacles for you. The world will know today that the Dark Lord never fears anything.”