RAGE

When they stopped spinning a moment later, they were in a dusty old shack. Hermione let go of Draco and Goyle and moved towards the stained window. It was hard to see through but there were no infected in sight towards the homestead. She went across to the other window and looked out. There were no infected on the grounds or beach.

She moved back to Draco and took out her wand. She cast a full disillusionment spell on him and the broom and squeezed his hand, willingly him strength. He squeezed back gently and then made for the back door, opening it slowly.

She heard him jump off the ground but then there was only silence. Goyle and Hermione waited silently for him to return. A minute later he tiptoed in with two small children.

“Were you seen?” Hermione whispered.

“No.” Draco whispered back. “But we have to hurry, the infected know that they are in the roof and are trying to get in.”

Hermione nodded and cast the disillusionment charm on herself, waiting at the window. She heard the light pop as Goyle left and then the jump as Draco went to collect more children.

Goyle returned a few moments later. He looked at Hermione and nodded. Everything was going well so far. They heard Draco land this time. The children came in but Draco did not. They heard him leave the second the children were inside. Goyle grabbed the children straight away and disappeared. Hermione looked out the window. If she concentrated, she would have been able to see Draco.

Goyle again popped into the shack, this time panting a little.

“You alright?” Hermione whispered.

He nodded.

Draco dropped some more kids off and was gone again before they scurried inside. Goyle disappeared and because Draco was going to get the last load of children, it was Hermione’s turn to go. She made sure she couldn’t see herself and she went out the back door. She looked around the corner. She could see the outlines of the adults climbing out of the window. She heard Draco land next to her. The kids went inside and they heard a small pop.

“You’ll be fine.” She heard Draco whisper behind her. “I’m here to protect you.”

She nodded and then remembered he couldn’t see her.

“Thankyou.” She whispered gratefully. “I’ll put them all under full disillusionment and then send four at a time running to the shed.”

“If I can, I’ll take some of the elderly ones on my broom.” He replied stepping a little closer to her.

“Alright. Just be careful, Draco.” She warned.

“Don’t worry, I will.”

She heard him jump off into the air again. She looked at the homestead again and saw that the first few were almost at the lattice. She took off at a sprint, wishing that she wouldn’t be seen and doubting her magic for one of the few times in her life.

It felt like such a long run. She felt like she was so out in the open; like she would be chased down. When she got to the homestead she leant against the wall. Catching her breath, trying not to make any noise. She heard the lattice creak. She immediately cast a silencing spell on it. She saw that it was a woman and three men.

When they were all down she peered inside. There were no infected in sight. She pulled them close, speaking so softly.

“I’m putting full disillusionment on you. When I tell you, run to the shack. Don’t look behind, don’t stop. You’ll be Apparated away in pairs.”

She saw them nod. She then cast the charm and then sent them off. She peered inside and saw two infected walk from one room into another, out of sight. She saw the next group climbing down. She immediately cast the charms on them, not taking any chances. All it would take is one infected looking out the window and spotting them moving.

She gave the same speech as she did to the first group. After a few moments she sent them running. By her calculations, they had taken sixteen. There were half of the survivors still to come. She heard the screams of some infected inside but they did not enter any of the eastern rooms. No doubt they were getting angrier at not being able to find a way into the roof. They would try and climb soon.

The next group began to climb down and again she cast the spell.

“When I tell you, run to the shack. You will be Apparated away in pairs.” She repeated.

She looked inside and saw an infected walked into the room, pacing around, looking for something to use in the hunt for the survivors. When he walked out again, she whispered for them to run. He returned a moment later as the next two groups came down. He must have spotted an outline because he screamed and ran to the window, tripping over a chair as he went.

Hermione only just got the charms on in time. They all pressed against the wall and waited. He looked all around trying to spot them. A moment later three more infected ran into the room, wondering what all the commotion was about. To Hermione’s horror, she realised two of the infected were Percy and Penelope.

She covered her mouth, stopping herself from crying out. When they all decided it must have been a false alarm, they ran back out of the room. She sent off the next four and waited with the remaining four. She saw four more people climb down and cast disillusionment on them. A few minutes later she sent off the next four. Then she realised the four she was standing with were Ginny, Ron, Charlie and George.

She took the silencing charm off of George.

“How many are left?” She asked in a low whisper.

“Three.” He answered, his voice shaking. “Mum and Dad and Blaise Zabini.”

Hermione quietly thanked him and put the silencing charm back on again. She had no idea Blaise Zabini was there with them. She assumed Draco would be pleased. They were best friends at school.

She sent the three running to the shack. They were reluctant to go with out her but she begged them to run. She moved away from the homestead slowly to see how the last three were getting along. She heard Draco land next to her.

“There are three left.” He whispered.

“I know.” She whispered back. “Can you take Molly?”

“Yeah.” He said. “As soon as Blaise and Mr Weasley are down, you have to run, there are infected downstairs now and I think they’re about to come out.”

“Okay. Tell them to hurry.” She said, slightly panicked.

As she said it, she heard a scream from the window next to them. An infected had heard her speak. He smashed his fists against the windows and the glass shattered all over them. Hermione pointed her gun at him quickly and pulled the trigger. Hitting him squarely in the eye, he fell to the ground dead.

“Hurry, Draco.” She said, not bothering to whisper.