All the way II: And Even Further

Hermione and Severus apperated outside the prison. Hermione took a deep breath and was about to start up the steps when, suddenly, two guards came running out of the huge doors. Hermione and Severus moved out of their way quickly. Outraged shouts and yells, from what Hermione assumed was the prisoners, followed.

"What’s going on?" She asked.

One of the started stuttering, "F...f...f..."

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Lucius pulled Annie, urging her to go faster. He could hear the flames crackling behind them, spreading throughout the prison. The men and women behind the bars were yelling, pleading for help, but Lucius couldn't. He didn't have the time and he didn't have the keys.

They rounded a corner and all that was in front of them was another stretch of damp hall.

"Lucius..." Annie panted.

"Yeah...?" he asked as they carried on running from the raging fire.

"I know... I’m supposed... to be a Gryffindor... but... I'm scared... of... fire..."

He could hear the fear in her voice as she started to slow down from exhaustion.

"Come on..." he urged her, "I bet the exits just around the corn-"

They rounded another corner and were met by yet more corridor. Annie moaned in despair and started to cough. He pulled harder on her hand.

"Do some magic..." he hissed, trying not to choke on the smoke surrounding them, "Do anything..."

"I... can't..."

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"Fire?" Hermione repeated, "And you're leaving them all in there?"

The more composed man nodded, "It was getting over crowded anyway. At least now it can be rebuilt bigger and we won't have all those ugly bastards to look at."

Hermione snarled, grabbing the keys he was swinging on his fingers.

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Severus watched in horror as Hermione disappeared into the smoking building. He lunged forwards, trying to stop her, but some one grabbed his arm.

The two large guards pulled him away, one of them saying, "Don't bother, Snape. If you've got a nut case like that for a wife, I’d think her being in there is for the best, you get what I mean-"

Severus swung his arm back and seconds later the guard was sprawled on the floor. The other, larger guard pulled the first man to his feet and launched himself at Severus.

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Hermione ran desperately, trying to find Annie and Lucius, and unlocking the barred doors on her way. The men and women charged out, racing in all directions, hoping to find the exit. Hermione pointed to the way she had come and most of them tumbled over one another, trying to go that way.

When she started to cough, she took out her wand and cast a spell, allowing her to breathe clearly. When her toe hit something, she looked down.

"Thank... Merlin..." Lucius croaked.

Hermione dropped to her knees beside Lucius and Annie. The girls hand reached out blindly in the smoke and Hermione caught it in her own.

"Don’t let me die..." She whispered.

"No one is going to die." Hermione said firmly.

"My... dad...?" Lucius asked.

Hermione realized she hadn't seen him get out. Once she had cast the same breathing charm on Annie and Lucius, she threw the keys to the boy, "Go and find you're dad. Quick. Then apperate out -"


"I can't -"

"But your father can." Hermione countered, "Now go."

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Lucius ran. Finally, he found a hall he recognized and used that to find his dad. The Older blonde man was clawing at the bars, screaming.

Lucius unlocked the doors, put his arm around the other man and used him as a guide to apperate to the outside.

It was ciaos. More guards had been called in from their days off, to help round up the free prisoners, but the prisoners had other ideas. People were fighting and shouting. Smoke was flowing from the building, the old stones starting to crumble away.

A hand on his shoulder turned him around roughly.

Snape was breathing heavily, blood dripping from his lip, "Where is sh-?"

Some ones shouts cut through him, "GET BACK!"

And he had shouted just in time, for not a second later, the whole building collapsed.