Chapter 314 - The Dark Mark (1/2)

Chris screamed. Her eyes watering from the pain in her head. She felt her head was going to explode, blood was going to come from her ears. There was no way she could think a way out of the wailing of hundreds of Banshees. But she knew this couldn't be the end. She had to find a way.

”Muffliato.”

Chris cast the Half-Blood Prince's spell on herself. The shrieking sounds became less deadly but were still painful. Nonetheless, now she could think. She created a shield around her to stop the Banshees from reaching her then raked her brain for ideas.

There should be something to stop Banshees.

She recalled all the books and classes of Defense Against the Dark Arts but the only time she had heard about Banshee was in her first year, in Gilderoy Lockhart's class, where he claimed that he had charmed the Banshee with his smile. She felt angry. Angry on stupid Lockhart and on herself.

How could I miss something this important?

All of this happened within a minute and knowing she didn't remember any special way of stopping Banshees, she tried to use the silencing charm, which obviously didn't work on the Banshees. They went quiet for hardly a few seconds before shrieking again. Finally, Chris started to stun them.

A few of them stumbled, one or two of them bound in ropes, but the others behind them merely stepped over or on the fallen bodies.

”Stupefy!” Chris yelled and at once five or six Banshees went flying.

Then Harry came out of the shack with an almost unconscious Dumbledore leaning on him. Chris looked at them and gasped. Taking advantage of her distraction a Banshee reached her and before Chris could stun her she scrapped Chris' back with its long sharp nails. Blood spurred from her wound. Moaning Chris punched her on the face, the Banshee stumbled backwards.

Harry's condition was worse. As soon as they walked out, Banshees attacked them. While, one hand on his ear and other supporting Dumbledore, he wasn't in the position to do much. But hearing Chris scream he wrenched his hand from his ear and attacked the Banshees.

”Petrificus Totalus!”

”Muffliato!” Chris pointed her wand at Dumbledore and Harry, and made the noise less to their ears. Then again turned to the Banshees, ”stupefy! stupefy! Harry, take Dumbledore and keep moving!”

”What about you?” Harry yelled back. ”Impedimenta!”

”I will clear the path as much as I can then I will follow you,” shouted Chris.

”Bad idea. Stupefy!” Harry yelled slashing his wand through the air. ”We can go together, c'mon. I am not leaving you.”

”Harry —” Chris began impatiently but at the very moment two Banshees jerked Harry away from Dumbledore and another three Banshees got hold of Chris. One of them lunged and took a chunk of her shoulder muscles. Chris howled in pain and the pain was so much with the pain in her head that for a second she thought that was the end. Voldemort guarded his fragment of soul carefully and he will get it back while she and Harry lay there dead. . .

But. . . Dumbledore. . .

A bright — too bright light erupted through the darkness, crimson and gold. The light was too much so Chris closed her eyes but the next second she realized the Banshees had let go of her body. Then a hand beckoned her.

”Christina, quick.”

Relief washed over her as Chris opened her eyes. The light was still too defining but she didn't care. She quickly stumbled towards Dumbledore. Harry was already at his side. The Banshees were staggering away from the light. They had gone quiet. They were just staring at the light while stepping backwards.

Dumbledore led Chris and Harry back towards the stream.

”Unlike most dark creatures, Banshees feel. . . awestruck at bright lights,” said Dumbledore faintly. ”They admire it as much as. . . they fear it. They are hungry for. . . light and beauty. But creating a so much big. . . and bright light source. . . is surely difficult. . .”

Dumbledore staggered and Harry and Chris hastily supported him.

”I am weak. . . .” Dumbledore said.

”Don't worry, sir,” said Harry at once looking anxious and Chris noticed for the first time, a ring on Dumbledore's left hand, from where something black was spreading to his hand and arm like a snake.

”You wore it?” Chris cried out in disbelief. She never expected something like this from Dumbledore.

”I had to check something, Christina,” Dumbledore's voice sounded slurry.

”Don't talk now,” said Harry sternly, he glanced at Chris then turned to Dumbledore. ”Save your energy, sir. . . . We'll soon be out of here. . . .”

Chris knew what he meant. This was not the time to discuss what happened inside the cottage.

Soon they were in the water. Harry started swimming while Dumbledore leaned on him. Chris couldn't swim, the empty hole on her left shoulder was throbbing with pain and she barely felt her left hand.

”It's going to be all right, sir,” Harry said over and over again. ”We're nearly there. . . . I can Apparate us back. . . . Don't worry. . . .”