The Greatest Kind of Magic

25. Expecto Patronum

Crack!

Ginny heard a gasp as she whirled towards the sound. Footsteps, running footsteps, rushing towards them out of the lightless alley. Caught already! she thought, desperately searching her head for some brilliant idea to help them escape. She glanced back over her shoulder at the imposing building where she knew her Liam had to be. Her immediate urge was to run towards it, away from the footsteps which were fast closing in. Rush in there blindly? That'll be the stupidest thing I've done today, and everything I've done today has been stupid! But to stand here and fight, just me and three Muggles against who knows how many?

She felt the Muggles move to stand close beside her, ready to take on whatever came out of that alley.

"Do something!" Jessie begged, grabbing her arm again. "Anything!"

Ginny closed her eyes, and reached for the first spell she could think of.

"Lumos," she said.

The footsteps came to an abrupt halt. Ginny's eyes snapped open, but it took a few seconds to adjust to the sudden glare.

Professor Dumbledore, flanked by Remus Lupin and Tonks. And behind them, Harry, Ron and Hermione, struggling to get past the three adults.

"It may be prudent, Ginny," said Dumbledore, "to put that light out."

Ginny was reluctant to do so. She was afraid Dumbledore and the others would disappear again, or worse, turn into Death Eaters. But after a moment's hesitation, her rational self won and she obeyed.

Once again, they were plunged into darkness. But this time, there were voices - familiar, if not entirely friendly voices - guiding her back into the alley and to what felt like safety.

Ron was on her immediately. Clasping her shoulders, he gave her a powerful shake. "I. Can't. Believe. You did that!" he hissed into her ear, obviously struggling to keep his voice down. "You're trying to kill yourself!"

"Ron," said the quiet voice of Dumbledore, "now is not the time to chastise your sister. You're all in grave danger here and must return to Hogwarts immediately."

Ginny broke free of Ron's grasp and rushed towards Dumbledore's voice. "Professor," she said quickly, terrified that she'd be sent back before she could explain, "we can't just go, we can't just leave Liam! He's in there, he's the one in grave danger! Please, we have to do something!"

"Ginny," said the Headmaster in a pacifying tone, "we're not going to leave Liam to the Death Eaters. But we can't do any more until some reinforcements arrive - and you should not be here when that happens."

"You mean you'll have to wait more, and you won't let me help, and Liam will be dead by the time you get in there! You can't send me away, you can't send me back without him! And you can't waste any more time! He's been in there for hours already!"

The silence echoed when she stopped to take a breath. She realised she'd been shouting - shouting in a noiseless alley within arm's reach of a Death Eater fortress. She clapped a hand over her mouth, feeling everyone around her holding their breath.

"Sorry," she whispered.

The alley lit up in a blaze of crimson light.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

All around, figures began to Apparate - dark, hooded figures. Dumbledore leaped in front of the students, spreading his arms wide as if to shield them. His wand flashed - once, twice, three times - and a wall of fire roared up, blocking the enemy from view.

"Run!" shouted Lupin as the air came alive with wand blasts and shouted curses. "All of you - get back!"

Ginny found herself hustled away from the wall of flame, backing into the darkness - and towards the fortress.

"Hide yourselves!" Lupin shouted above the noise, whirling to fire off a shield charm. Three curses crashed into it, one after another. "Go now!"

In the flashing light, Ginny looked at her companions. Somehow, Lupin had managed to herd all the students together. Harry, Ron and Hermione stood beside Davey, Jessie and Sarah. As another spell whizzed over her head, it dawned on Ginny that she now had twice the number of companions she'd started with - and with magical powers to boot.

"Come on," she said, backing further away from the battle. "Lupin said to hide. We'd better move."

She saw Harry glance over his shoulder, wanting to join in the fight. Hermione grabbed him by the sleeve and pulled him along. "You'll only distract Dumbledore," she said. "Look! The Aurors are here already!"

A second wave of Apparitions had indeed brought reinforcements. Crack! Crack! The Aurors joined the battle, doubling the noise, doubling the yells and bangs and flashes of magic lightning.

The students, now out of the fray, were forgotten by both sides. We're not much of a threat to Death Eaters, Ginny thought. And the Aurors won't notice us unless we get in the way. A plan was forming in her mind as they moved further and further from the battle. She was certain Dumbledore wouldn't like it, but she kept going, wondering if she was the only one who realised that each step they took brought them closer to the fortress.

***

Ellie stumbled out of the tunnel, blinking in the sudden light. Hardly bright enough to read by, but after the long darkness, it was like the blaze of a thousand candles.

She was in a vast cavern, its boundaries lost in the darkness. She could hear the sound of dripping water.

"Hey!"

Someone seized her from behind. "Look, Leighton! Your girlfriend's here!" Crabbe's voice. He grabbed Ellie's wand out of her hand.

Ellie struggled against his grasp, but she knew it was no use. Crabbe's hands were like vices. "Let me go!" she yelled pointlessly. Jeering laughter echoed round the cavern, all the more frightening because she couldn't see its sources, only vague silhouettes in the darkness.

"Oh, we'll let you go," said the voice of Draco Malfoy. He laughed a horrible laugh. "Of course we'll let you go. But you have to see the show, first. Your beloved Leighton was just about to tell us how much he loves Grady. Weren't you, Leighton?"

Where is the DA? Ellie thought as she was pushed forward towards Malfoy's voice. They were right behind me! Her heart lurched as she realised they might've abandoned her. They saw there were too many of them. Why should they risk their necks for me?

The dark silhouettes parted, and finally Ellie could see Jeremy in the pale green light of a small torch. He was tied to a stone pillar, his feet about a metre off the ground. She couldn't see his face clearly, but something dark was trickling down his cheek. With a wave of nausea, Ellie realised it was blood.

"You're sick," she gasped. "You're all sick."

More laughter. Malfoy stepped into the light. "Sick, are we? We're not the ones poisoning our world. We're not the ones helping Muggle filth."

He turned his back to Ellie, so that he was facing Jeremy. "Repeat after me, Leighton. 'I'm a filthy Muggle and I don't deserve my wand.'"

Jeremy remained silent.

"I can't hear you, Leighton!" Malfoy held up his wand. "Say it!"

Jeremy shook his head. Ellie wasn't sure, but she thought he was looking at her.

"Right, then. Guess you haven't had enough yet. Incendio!"

Jeremy's sleeve burst into flame. The flickering light threw his face into stark relief, a horrible image of agony. For a moment, he gritted his teeth, eyes screwed shut. Then he started screaming.

Ellie screamed, too, struggling harder than ever against Crabbe's grip, choking as she smelled burning flesh. "Stop it! Stop-"

CRASH!!!

The cavern lit up for a split second, with a sound like thunder. Green smoke appeared out of nowhere, filling the space - Ellie couldn't see anything anymore. Crabbe released her abruptly, dropping Ellie's wand. He swore, fumbled for his own wand, and in the moment of hesitation, Ellie whirled and kicked out blindly. Her knee crunched into his groin. With an "Oof!" the Slytherin doubled over, his wand tumbling from his grasp. Ellie snatched it up along with her own.

"Eloise, get Leighton!" Neville shouted as a red flash told her the fight had started.

She didn't need further asking. She cut the ropes with her wand, wincing as Jeremy fell to the floor in a heap. A spell crashed into the column, just where his head had been. Ellie screamed, ducked, then thought better and threw up a shield. She whirled back to Jeremy.

Apparently the magical smoke could put out fires, because he was no longer burning. But Ellie knew he was badly hurt. Every muscle in his face was tense. When she put her arm around him, she could feel him shaking.

Something banged into Ellie's shield, which shattered into sparks.

"We have to get out of here!" she yelled. "Can you stand?"

Jeremy shook his head. Ellie thought he couldn't stand, but to her surprise, he gasped, "Not leaving. Must get... Malfoy."

"Jeremy, you need the hospital wing!" Ellie ducked as another spell flew past. "We're outnumbered, we have to leave!" She turned, firing off another shield charm, wondering how long she could last.

"All the more... reason to fight," croaked Jeremy. Using the pillar for support, he got to his feet. "I need... my wand."

"Wait, Jeremy, just wait!" Ellie knew he'd try to fight no matter what it cost him. The least she could do was heal him, if she could. She grabbed him by the shoulders and steered him behind the column, which shook as another spell crashed into it. But at least it was something solid.

Ellie concentrated hard, hoping she remembered the spell correctly. "Episkey," she said, tapping Jeremy's blistered arm. He cried out, but then she felt him relax. "Where else are you hurt?" Ellie asked, squinting in the darkness and smoke.

Jeremy took her hand and guided it to a spot on his other arm. "Here," he said.

Ellie healed it - that arm had been fractured. Then Jeremy directed her to the cut on his face, which was still bleeding, and to his chest, where his robes had burned right through. A loud bang echoed around the cavern, and the column trembled again.

"This'll have to do," Ellie said.

Jeremy nodded. "Thanks, Ellie." He straightened up, and peered around the column, ducking back quickly to dodge a spell. "I need my wand."

"Take this one," said Ellie, holding out Crabbe's.

"I want mine," he said, his tone darkening. "I need my own wand. That bastard Malfoy has it."

"This is better than nothing," said Ellie, offering Crabbe's wand again.

Jeremy grabbed it. "Come on," he growled, stepping around the pillar again, with a determination Ellie hadn't seen before.

She followed him at a jog. Most of the smoke had cleared, and she could see bodies lying still on the floor. Slytherins or DA? Ellie couldn't tell. Either way, she hoped they were unconscious. Not dead. I just hope they're not dead.

Most of the fighting had moved back down the tunnel. Seamus Finnegan was still duelling with one of the Slytherins, who turned to flee when he saw Ellie and Jeremy. "Where's Malfoy?" barked Jeremy, grabbing Seamus to stop him running after the Slytherin.

Seamus pointed into the tunnel. "We knocked out half a dozen of them. The rest are running away."

Jeremy ran on without a word. Ellie struggled to keep up. It was hard to believe that a minute ago, Jeremy could barely stand. Somehow I don't think it's my healing that's giving him strength. Ellie knew Jeremy was bent on revenge - so much that he wasn't thinking. Please, Jeremy, don't do anything stupid!

"Look out!"

Ellie didn't know who'd shouted, but she ducked down just in time: a section of wall exploded above her, showering her with broken stone. A slab the size of Ellie's head crashed to the floor, inches from where she crouched. Ellie scrambled to her feet, wincing as a smaller piece of the wall bounced off her shoulder. "Protego!" she shouted just in time, as a curse came hurtling out of the darkness and bounced off her shield.

With a burst of speed fuelled by fear and determination, Ellie dashed back into the tunnel. Suddenly, she was in darkness - a darkness which screamed and writhed with fighting bodies, punctuated with flashes of spells.

"Protego!" she yelled again, pushing through the melee. In the darkness, she couldn't tell who was fighting whom, and she didn't really care: all she wanted was to find Jeremy, to stay with Jeremy. Ducking and dodging spells, casting the shield charm every few seconds, she searched for him among the fighters. Before she knew it, she had broken through to the other end of the tunnel, where the fighting was spilling out onto the stairwell she'd descended a little while ago.

Ellie pulled up short, confronted with the yawning abyss at the centre of the well. Gripped by a sudden fear of the black emptiness, she tried to back away - but she knocked into someone who had come out of the tunnel behind her. Ellie turned-

"Expelliarmus!"

The spell hit her hard in the chest. She stumbled backwards as her wand flew out of her hand. She landed hard on the steps and slid towards the edge, arms flailing wildly. Ellie screamed. Suddenly, there was nothing underneath, nothing but space...

"Got you!"

Somebody grabbed her by the ankle. Ellie's body slammed into the side of the stairs, but she was still falling, she knew this was the end, this was death...

Her robes tightened around her neck, then someone landed on the steps above her with a gasp. Ellie swung out over blackness, screaming, dragging her rescuer slowly down.

"Help me!" shouted Jeremy's voice as Ellie slid down further and further. Her whole body was dangling over the abyss now. The only thing that kept her from falling was the grip on her leg and robes.

Suddenly, she stopped dropping, and felt herself hauled back up, her head banging painfully on the stone edge. Jeremy groaned with the strain of holding on, but somebody else was dragging them both back onto the stairs... Somebody else was saving them...

"Got 'em! We got 'em!" said a deep voice as Jeremy released Ellie's robes. Ellie blinked, gasping for breath as she struggled to see who had saved them.

A sudden light forced her to shut her eyes - somebody had lit up a wand.

"You idiots! What did you drag them back up for?"

Ellie's eyes flew open as her stomach twisted. Malfoy! He was standing a dozen steps below them, holding up his lit wand. Near Ellie, holding Jeremy between them, stood Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini.

"You said you wanted..." Nott began uncertainly.

"I wanted Leighton for sport, Nott!" said Malfoy impatiently. "You're as dumb as Crabbe and Goyle! He's just as good dead. Could've been a nice accident, falling into that hole. Tragic, really." He smirked. "Why don't you just throw him back in?"

Ellie scrambled to her feet. Zabini grabbed her by her jumper, and pulled her out of the way. He peered over the edge, dragging Jeremy closer.

"Uh... are you serious?"

"Yes, you idiot!" yelled Malfoy, baring his teeth. "What is the matter with you? Are you afraid to kill him?"

"Well, uh..." Zabini glanced up the stairs behind him, as if looking for some support.

Nott mumbled something under his breath - the only words Ellie could make out were "...going too far..." and "...pure-blood."

Malfoy groaned. "Yes, he's a pure-blood! Merlin's beard, have you been on Mars for the past year? He betrayed us! He sided with that scum, Grady - who, for the record, is pure-blood, too! You were quite happy to torture them both, but this is too much? This is going too far? When did you develop morals, you brainless twit?"

"None of us ever signed up for murder!" A new voice echoed in the stairwell. Ellie looked up - in the light of several people's wands, she could see that a crowd had gathered above them. She realised it had been quiet for some time, that the fighting had stopped. Had the DA been defeated?

"Bauer," whispered Jeremy. "It's Bauer."

Malfoy exploded. "Murder? Murder? Yes, it's murder, you cretins! What did you think we were gonna do with him, huh? How the hell do you think we'll be serving the Dark Lord? I'll show you murder, you dimwitted slugs!"

Ellie heard footsteps now, as Bauer approached. She could see several other figures following him.

"Call us cretins, will you? Who the hell do you think you are?"

"I am Darco Malfoy, a faithful servant of the Dark Lord! You'll pay for this, Bauer!"

"Oh yeah? I don't reckon I'm the only one who's sick of your dictatorship. You nearly got us all expelled once already, and you never, never take the blame for the shit you make us do. You had us all quivering at the thought of what you might do to us if we don't follow you. And why? Because you threaten us with the Dark Lord every time someone squeaks a word against you!"

"Half your parents are Death Eaters!"

"Yeah, but half our parents aren't. And none of us want to land in Azkaban with your daddy."

Ellie thought that Bauer was pushing it, that many of the Slytherins were on Malfoy's side and would step in to silence Bauer. They'd step forward, they'd stand beside Malfoy... Wouldn't they?

Malfoy seemed to feel the same way, because he smirked contemptuously at Bauer. "Looks like we found ourselves another little traitor. How about the rest of you go tie him to the pillar? We'll have more fun tonight."

Ellie peered up the stairs at the audience. A few figures started to move forward, but stopped after just a few steps. And then she realised: there were far more people up there than there had been Slytherins in the cavern. What with everyone who'd been knocked out in the fighting, there was no way there could be that many of them. Which could mean only one thing: the audience was made up of Slytherins and DA both. They'd stopped fighting to see what Malfoy would do.

Bauer's right! They are sick of him controlling them; they're not loyal to him except through fear... And even if some of them are, they're waiting to see who'll come out on top. They won't risk their necks for Malfoy when they can't be sure he'll win!

She realised that Malfoy had just come to the same conclusion, because the smirk on his face wavered.

"You're all traitors!" he said, but the force had gone out of his voice. He no longer sounded confident - he sounded scared.

He backed down the stairs, looking behind him as if searching for support. But of course, Crabbe and Goyle weren't looming behind him as they usually were: they had both been left behind, unconscious in the upstairs hallway.

"You'll pay for this, Leighton," he warned, taking another step backwards. Suddenly, Ellie noticed that a couple of steps behind him, the edge had crumbled away, as if a giant had taken a bite out of the stone. She called out, "Malfoy!" in spite of everything he'd done, terrified he'd tumble into the abyss.

"You shut your face, Midgen!" he yelled with sudden venom. "This is none of your business!"

He took a step forward, as if to grab her, then faltered at the sight of the Slythrins' cold faces. He stepped backwards again, but this time, his foot twisted under him and he collapsed, howling in pain. But his fall didn't end on the step he'd been standing on - he slipped further down to the crumbled edge, and there was no more stopping. Nott and Zabini rushed forward, but they were too far. Malfoy fell, his screams echoing in the darkness.

To Ellie, and eternity seemed to pass before the screams cut off with a sickening THUD. Only echoes remained, slowly dying away.

After that there was absolute silence, until on the stairs above, somebody started to sob.

***

Ginny... Ginny... Ginny...

Liam's howls of misery had subsided to desolate whimpers as he held on to the last part of his soul. Everything had been taken apart, groped, shattered and cast aside - his memories, his hopes, his passions and his dreams. All that remained was Ginny, and once she was gone, there'd be no more Liam.

The sudden withdrawal of the Death Eater's presence came as a shock.

"...any idea what you just did, you blistering idiot?"

The Death Eater's voice, confined to Liam's mind for so long, echoed around the chamber. It took Liam a few more seconds to register that somebody else was in the room.

"...attack. You can finish the brat later!" A woman's voice, sharp and angry. "What's taking you so long, anyway? You've been here for hours!"

The Death Eater's voice came out in a hiss. "Don't meddle in what you don't understand. Your little interruption has cost me hours of work. For your information, the 'brat' has been an immense challenge, and thanks to you, I may now need to start from scratch!"

"What are you talking about, Leighton? Look at him!"

Liam heard her footsteps approaching. Before he could even think of defending himself, she kicked him hard in the stomach. Liam moaned.

"He's broken," the woman said with a laugh. "What more do you need to do?"

"Legimilency takes more than a few kicks, you stupid bitch! I'm telling you, if there isn't an army of Aurors scaling the walls of this fortress, the Dark Lord shall hear of your idiocy."

Liam held his breath as he listened to the Death Eater's footsteps draw further away. He heard the clang of an iron gate. "If he escapes, you'll answer for it. Petrificus totalus!"

Liam's body froze. He heard the gate slam shut. The Death Eaters' voices, still arguing, receded into the distance.

Liam was left in silence, motionless, the tears drying slowly on his face.

***

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

Auror after Auror Apparated outside the fortress, launching into battle before the CRACKs had even died away. Smoke, sparks, curses whizzing back and forth - and the black shapes of Dementors and Death Eaters bursting from the gates.

Huddled against the fortress wall, Harry longed to join in the fighting.

But he couldn't. Not yet. Dumbledore would never forgive me if I got myself killed now.

He smiled grimly at his silent joke. The Prophesy had never seemed so ridiculous.

"We have to move," said Hermione. "We're not safe here."

"Where can we go?" asked the Muggle boy - Davey. "I hate to say this, but we're kinda running out of options."

Wrenching his eyes from the gate, Harry looked the other way, following the stone wall to where it disappeared in darkness.

"It's a dead end, I told you," said Ginny. She had dashed off just a few minutes ago, Ron following at her heels. She'd returned quickly. "A blind alley."

Harry turned back to the gate. It was still open, though the rush of Voldemort's minions had stopped. He wondered how many were left inside.

He looked at Ron and Hermione.

"No way," said Ron bluntly. "What if we can't get out?"

A green blast - a killing curse - ricocheted off the wall above them.

"Shield charms," ordered Harry. "You three..." - he turned to the Muggles - "...stay between us." He pointed his wand at the open gate. "Expecto patronum!"

The silver stag burst out of his wand, lighting the way ahead. Harry ran after it. Ron followed, swearing under his breath. The others came behind.

I must be mad, Harry thought.

Another green spell exploded off the wall above him. But it's the only chance we have.

***

The two Death Eaters ran towards the gate. Now that he could hear the battle, Leighton was forced to admit - silently, of course - that the matter really had been urgent.

Not that he'd ever say so to his companion. The foolish woman did not understand Legilimency - she could never grasp how difficult it'd been to bring the kid under control.

Love... the hardest force to beat. He shuddered. He always felt unclean after battling love. He would win in the end - usually in much less time than he'd spent with this Grady. But the struggle took its toll. Leighton felt weak and tired - not at all prepared for another fight, even an ordinary one like this.

And then I'll have to return to that brat and finish him off. I just hope he won't have enough time to recover his strength. Blast those Aurors! He was nearly mine... And a prize worth having, after the fight he gave.

Leighton tried not to think about the boy escaping. He hoped it would take him a while to recover enough to do so, but with Rogue Magic, one could never be sure. Anything was possible. If only there'd been time to take him back to the cells...

There was nothing he could do about it. Just remember his weaknesses - at least I won't have to search his memories again. The ambush - to think my own son set it up! Leighton felt a glimmer of pride. A true Slytherin...

He turned his mind back to the victim. I know about the girlfriend now, too. He hid it well. I almost missed it - what a disaster, if I had! But he's mine now. If this battle doesn't last too long...

The sound of hooves stopped Leighton. A white light rushed towards him. Startled, he backed away, reaching for his wand-

"Avada Kedavra!" he commanded, blasting the light with a killing curse. He just made out a shape - a glowing silver stag - before it winked out of existence.

"You idiot!" said the woman. "It was just a Patronus."

Leighton grunted in annoyance. He felt foolish - doubly so, because the woman hadn't lost her wits like he had. She was creeping ahead of him now, pressing against the wall, her wand ready. Leighton was forced to follow her example - the caster of the Patronus had to be somewhere ahead.

When we find him, I'll make him pay. He won't catch me off-guard again.

***

In his heart, Liam held Ginny, his precious, precious Ginny. He had come so close to losing her - to losing himself. The sudden release from the Death Eater's grip had been a miracle. If he comes back, I'm gone. If he comes back... I can't let him take her!

Ginny! She'd been his only protection, his last defence against slavery. If it hadn't been for her - his love for her - Liam knew he would've been a zombie long ago.

Now the cold, the pain, the terrible memories - none of it mattered, because he was still himself, still Liam, and he still loved Ginny. That's what matters. That's all that matters.

He felt her warm hands in his. He saw the moonlight shining through her hair as they turned together, dancing to his music. My Ginny.

To think he'd nearly lost her - and for what? Rogue fucking magic. That's what that bastard wanted - my rogue magic. I nearly lost the most precious part of me, all because of rogue magic.

Well, it's not gonna happen. I don't care. I can die - I can will myself to die, rather than lose my Ginny. If the bastard comes back - he won't have me, he won't take her from me.

Liam felt something building inside him. Not rage, not hatred - something far more powerful. Determination - no, not quite. Certainty. Not just hope, not just faith - but absolute certainty that his love was stronger than anything the Death Eater could do to him.

And with his certainty, Liam felt his magic. A great, raging cauldron of rogue magic, ready to burst, straining to burst.

I will not lose Ginny. They can't take love from me when they want my rogue magic. They can take everything else, but not that. Just let them try. This time, they won't beat me.

I love Ginny so much more than that.

Liam unleashed the maelstorm.

***

"Expecto patronum!"

The silver stag galloped towards the waiting Death Eaters. Leighton raised his wand, this time pointing it past the Partronus, aiming for the spot from which he'd seen it emerge.

And then he froze. A great tidal wave of magic surged over him and through him, gripping every muscle, every bone, every cell in his body. A wave which smelled, tasted and felt exactly like Grady - his last victim, a mere boy whom Leighton had thought was all but beaten.

But it wasn't Grady. In the few seconds while Leighton could still think, he realised that something was wrong, that this magic wasn't just coming from Grady - it was loose, free, wilder and more powerful and more dangerous than anything that could come from a human, however tenuous their control.

Unable to move a muscle, Leighton stood helpless as the stag galloped past him. He didn't see the female Death Eater fall to a simple stunning spell, nor did he notice the group of teenagers running past.

His eyes blind to his surroundings, Leighton remembered himself as a young boy - choking and gasping as his brothers dunked his head under water. Coughing, struggling, his heart pounding in terror - Help me mummy, help me! - then suddenly the image faded, and he remembered he had no brothers, and he'd certainly never had his head dunked underwater...

Now he was a young woman, sobbing as her child lay still in her arms, his blood trickling down her chest. I turned around for a second, just a second - the screech of tyres still echoed in her ears.

And now he was a girl, struggling to scream against the hand clamped over her mouth, as another hand reached under her skirt...

One after another, Leighton relived every memory he'd ever used to enslave those unfortunate enough to possess rogue magic. Not just remembering, but reliving them in a way he never had through his Legilimency.

This time, he was really living the victims' memories. He felt their pain, he felt their terror - and he felt their minds succumbing to his own attacks, not through his own mind, but through theirs.

Leighton's own memories didn't stand a chance. He didn't even feel his own mind crushed under the onslaught. He was lost in the horrors of all his victims. Unlike them, he didn't have a human mind to fight against. Against rogue magic, there was no defence.

***

Somebody screamed. And screamed again. And kept on screaming.

Harry froze, and incantation dying on his lips. "What..."

Ginny shoved past him, racing towards the sound. "Liam!" Ron tore after her.

Harry had no choice. He ran, too.

Two figures blocked their way: one on the floor, curled up, his screams now turning into sobs. The other with wand in hand.

"Avada Ke-"

Ginny tackled her to the ground. "What did you do to Liam, you bitch! What did you do! What did you..."

Ron grabbed Ginny, trying to pull her away. But the Death Eater still had her wand - a wand, which had so nearly unleashed the death curse.

"Expelliarmus!" bellowed Harry. His spell hit Ginny and the Death Eater together, and both their wands flew out of their hands. Startled, Ginny sprang back - and before anyone else could move, Hermione jumped forward and shouted "Stupefy!"

The Death Eater collapsed, unconscious.

Now they turned to the sobbing figure. He did not look up, or speak, or make any sign that he knew they were there. He just kept sobbing, oblivious to his surroundings.

"It's another Death Eater," said Hermione. "Harry - what did you do to him?"

Shocked, Harry raised his hands. "Me? I just cast a Patronus! A Patronus can't do this... can it?"

"No," said Hermione. "Never."

Ginny stepped a little closer to the sobbing Death Eater, though still keeping some distance. She hugged herself, hunching her shoulders. "I... I thought it was Liam. When I heard the screams. I thought..."

Hermione put an arm around her. "It's okay. We understand."

"I thought it was him, too," said a quiet voice behind them - Jessie. Harry had almost forgotten about the Muggles. "Do... do any of you know what happened to this guy?"

Harry shook his head with the others.

"We should shut him up, however it happened," said Ron. "He could snap out of it any minute."

Harry nodded. The man unnerved him in a way never could have if he'd been standing and pointing his wand at Harry. Something had happened to him, very suddenly, while Harry and the others were just metres away. What sort of magic could do this?

"Silencio," said Hermione, and the sobs became inaudible, though the Death Eater shook as much as before.

"Maybe you should stun him," suggested Ron. "And... tie them both up. I wish we could hide them, too."

"There's no time for that," said Hermione. "We need to hide ourselves - we've already been here too long. I'll stun him, and put them both in a full body-bind. That'll have to do."

She cast the spells quickly, while Harry, Ron and Ginny scanned the floor for lost wands. Harry found two a few metres back along the tunnel - the female Death Eater's and Ginny's. Ron found the other.

He glanced back over his shoulder as they went on, wondering how soon these Death Eaters would be discovered. The fortress seemed deserted for now, and Harry hoped it would stay that way.

Long enough to find Liam. Long enough to get out of here.

***

"Stop," said Ginny suddenly, halting them all in their tracks.

Harry looked at her curiously, but instead of explaining herself, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"What..." Ron began. Ginny held a finger to her lips.

Silence.

Ginny opened her eyes. "Can you hear it?" she whispered.

Harry shook his head with the others.

"Hear what?" asked Hermione.

Jessie gasped. "I can hear it! Music. Is that what you mean?"

Ginny nodded, her face breaking into a smile. "He's here. He's alive! It's his music!"

Harry gaped. He still couldn't hear anything.

"You're not telling me he's found a piano in here?" asked Davey in obvious disbelief. "Only Liam would be mad enough to..."

"No, it's not that simple. He's not really playing it. It's magic, OK? Come on!"

With a whirl of ginger hair, she was off, running towards a sound Harry couldn't hear. To his surprise, Hermione followed her without questioning. And more surprising still, in just a few seconds, the other Muggles also seemed to hear the music. "That's him all right!" said Sarah. Davey grunted agreement, puffing as he ran.

Harry slowed his steps, straining to hear this music. If this is magic, how can the Muggles hear it? And if it's not... well, that's even weirder.

He thought he was imagining it at first. Faint and distant, the music seemed to come not from the surroundings, but from within Harry's own head. And yet, it seemed to come from a certain place, leading, guiding him in the direction Ginny and the Muggles were already running. This is definitely magic. But what sort of magic?

Harry didn't understand it, but he followed Ginny. Another dark hallway... a flight of stairs, leading down... and an iron gate, blocking the way forward. Harry saw another downward stairwell to the right.

Ginny flew to the gate. She grabbed the bars, shaking them. "Liam!"

Harry looked through the bars. He saw a largish space, lit by a single torch, which was fixed to the wall opposite the gate.

Liam was lying beneath it, completely still.

The floor was strewn with rubble - dust, bricks and scorched masonry. One of the columns supporting the high ceiling had been destroyed, and the walls bore the marks of a fierce battle. Magic or dynamite, Harry thought. Nothing else could've done that.

As Hermione began fiddling with the lock, the music faded and died. Ginny shook the gate frantically. "Liam! Liam!"

Liam didn't move. Harry peered over her shoulder, holding his breath. Ginny kept calling Liam's name, her voice becoming more and more panicked.

The rattle of the gate echoed through the fortress. Harry grabbed Ginny by the shoulders. "Shhh!"

She stopped shaking the gate immediately, but he could feel her trembling. A sick feeling began working its way out of Harry's stomach - were they really too late?

Hermione fiddled with the lock, trying several different spells. "It's not working," she said. "We need a key."

"What about Liam?" asked Jessie. "Can you... is there..."

"Can you find out if he's okay?" Davey completed her question.

"If he's under a spell, I might be able to remove it," said Hermione. "But if it's anything complicated..."

Harry prayed silently that whatever she did would work. Please let it work. Please let it be something simple. Please let him be alive...

"Finite incantatem," said Hermione. And immediately, Liam's body slumped on the floor, released from the stiff position he'd been locked into. He groaned, coughed, then slowly lifted his head. Harry released Ginny, drawing a deep breath.

"Liam!" Ginny shouted, grabbing the bars again. Harry flinched at the noise.

Liam froze, peering towards them. Harry held up his lit wand, helping him to see. "Liam, it's us!"

Jessie sprang forward to stand beside Ginny. "Are you okay?"

Liam rose slowly to his feet, using the wall to help himself up. Still without saying anything, he rested for a few seconds, then stumbled towards the gate.

Ginny reached through the bars to embrace him. For a brief moment, nobody else moved. Then the Muggles grabbed hold of him as well, clutching his arms and his shoulders and trying to hug him and Ginny both, the bars still between them. Liam pressed his face through the bars, hiding in Ginny's hair. "It's you, it's really you, I can't believe it. I thought I was gone. They tried to take my mind, Ginny. They tried to take my mind..."

Harry stood back, feeling strangely isolated. He didn't want to intrude.

I'll have to interrupt them soon, though. The Death Eaters can come back at any minute. He saw Ron also fidgeting impatiently. Only Hermione seemed unconcerned about the danger: she watched Ginny and the others with a smile on her face, blinking rapidly.

"Hermione," said Ron, prodding her in the arm, "we still have to get him out of there. And get all of us out of here."

Her head jerked, as if snapping out of a trance. The smile disappeared. "You're right. I just wanted to give them a moment."

Harry took this as a cue, feeling somewhat relieved. He tapped Ginny on the shoulder. "Come on. We have to go." He turned his attention to Liam. "Liam - do you have any idea how they locked this gate?"

Liam seemed to notice him for the first time. "Um... It was just a key, I think. I think. The Death Eater had it. They... they only left a couple of minutes ago. When I heard you..." - his voice dropped to a whisper - "I thought you were them coming back." He buried his face in Ginny's hair again. Harry saw her arms tighten around him.

Harry hesitated, feeling awkward, but now Hermione stepped in. "They? How many of them were there, Liam? Do you know which way they went?"

"There were two. A man and a woman. She said something about an attack. That's all I know."

Hermione turned to Ron and Harry. "Do you think..."

"...it was the two we ran into?" Ron completed her sentence. "They have to be. All the others were outside before we went in."

"We don't know that for sure, Ron," said Hermione, furrowing her brow.

"It's worth a try, though," Harry said, itching to get moving. "Better than waiting here to be caught."

"Someone should stay here," said Hermione.

"We will," said Jessie. "Won't we?"

The other Muggles nodded vigorously. Harry knew Ginny would stay, too. She hadn't said a word to anyone but Liam since they'd found him.

And now Harry was running back through the dark hallways, Ron and Hermione beside him. It seemed easier with just the three of them. It seemed natural.

"We must be getting close," puffed Ron. "Can you remember how far it was?"

Before Harry could answer, they turned a corner and he saw the two Death Eaters, still lying where they'd left them.

"I really hope they're the right ones," said Hermione, shuddering as she bent down to search the woman.

"I'm just glad you can do a good stunning spell," said Ron as he knelt down to search the man.

Harry stood back, listening hard for any sounds of battle. When they'd been here before, he could hear the blasts from outside. Now everything was quiet. All he could hear was the sound of...

"Footsteps!" he gasped, his wand immediately up. "We have to go!"

"Got it!" said Ron at the same time, pulling a bundle of keys from the folds of the Death Eater's robe. "And a wand - it could be Liam's..."

Harry pulled him to his feet. "The battle must be over... the Death Eaters are coming back!"

They ran.

Harry quickly pulled ahead of the others. He glanced back and saw Hermione struggling along behind, and Ron slowing down to stay with her.

Harry forced himself to slow down - he couldn't leave them behind.

"Take the keys, Harry!" said Ron. "Open that gate. Go!"

"But..."

"Go!" screamed Ron and Hermione together.

He grabbed the keys and ran.

Muscles aching and chest screaming, he skidded to a halt in front of the gate, the Muggles scrambling out of his way. He rammed a key into the lock. To his relief, it turned, and...

Nothing happened.

Harry swore. He tried another key, which didn't fit. And a third, which fit, but didn't turn. He glanced over his shoulder: Ron and Hermione had caught up and taken defensive positions, their wands pointing up the stairs. Harry hoped that Ginny was guarding the other stairwell.

One by one, he tried all the keys. None of them opened the gate. In desperation, he shoved the first one into the lock again, turning and jiggling it in the hole, hoping against hope.

"Alohomora," he said finally, knowing it wouldn't work - it couldn't possibly be this simple...

The lock clicked. Harry stumbled backwards as the gate swung open.

"There they are!"

Harry whirled. The Death Eaters were at the top of the stairs. Ron and Hermione barely had time to cast their shield charms before several curses ricocheted off them.

"Come on!" he shouted, moving to guard their rear. "Ginny - you lead!"

She seemed reluctant to step away from Liam, but she obeyed. Liam leaned on Davey for support. He would slow them down - but Harry was amazed he could run at all. He looks like he's been trampled by a Hippogriff. He's not going to last much longer.

The stairs leading down twisted around themselves, protecting them from the Death Eaters' spells. Harry only hoped they would lead them to a way out - sooner or later, the Death Eaters would catch up.

"We're going the wrong way," croaked Liam, stumbling on the stairs. "There's nothing down there but cells. We'll be trapped."

"Maybe we can find another way out," said Harry. "We can't go back, Liam!" He was struggling to keep the panic from his voice. He cast a powerful curse to collapse the ceiling - it might hold off the Death Eaters for at least a little while.

They reached the bottom. Harry saw a straight corridor, this one well-lit by torches. But up ahead, their way appeared to be blocked - by a shimmering, silvery membrane, beyond which Harry could see another barred gate.

"I don't believe it," whispered Ginny. "Liam - is that...?"

"The magical barrier, yes. If we go through it - there'll be no magic."

Harry tightened his grip on his wand. So they'd reached a dead end at last. They had to fight now - there was no escape.

Hermione, however, looked excited. "Harry - the keys!"

He fumbled in his pocket, looking over his shoulder for any Death Eater who got past the collapsed tunnel. It would only be a matter of time.

Hermione grabbed the keys out of his hand and ran straight though the membrane. Harry guessed she would try the keys, but it turned out the gate wasn't locked at all.

"Come on!" Hermione shouted.

"Are you mad?" yelled Ron. "With no magic? You want to be trapped in there?"

"They won't be able to cast any spells, either! And since the gate is in here, and we have the keys, we can lock it and they won't be able to use magic to get through. It'll give us a bit of time, at least. We'll figure something out. Come on!"

It made sense - Harry could see it made sense, in a desperate sort of way. But to be trapped in a place with no magic - that was terrifying. His feet dragged as he approached the barrier. Magic was his hope, his shield. He'd be naked without it. Without magic, what else did he have?

"Come on!" screamed Hermione as a bolt of red light flew out of the stairwell. When it hit the barrier, it disappeared, as if it had simply been absorbed. Ginny, Liam, and the three Muggles were already behind the gate.

"This is the stupidest thing we've ever done," said Ron. Harry didn't nod or speak. He closed his eyes as he stepped through the membrane. Another spell disappeared behind him - if he hadn't been on the other side already, it would've hit him. Hermione ushered him through the gate, Ron following close behind. After several attempts to find the right key, Hermione locked the gate behind them.

And now they were really trapped. But at least they were safe for the time being.

For a moment, none of them moved. Harry tried to decide if he felt any different, now that all magic had been blocked. He'd expected to feel stifled, or perhaps to feel as if some part of him had been taken away - but in fact, he felt exactly the same as he had before he'd crossed the barrier. Terrified, exhausted and trapped. Magic didn't make much of a difference.

Liam sank down to the floor. "This was where they kept me. Not sure how long for."

Davey sat down next to him. "It's almost four a.m. You've been here for hours."

"Hours?" Liam laughed for the first time since they'd found him. "I thought it was days. It's four a.m., the night of the Pearl Jam concert?"

Davey nodded. "Hard to believe, huh?"

Harry leaned against the opposite wall, closing his eyes. Yes, it was hard to believe.

"There was another guy here, too," said Liam quietly. "They took him away. The Dementors did." He paused. "They're those things that..."

"We know," said one of the girls, probably Jessie. "They suck out all your happy feelings."

"Uh-huh. And they're invisible in here. I mean, they'd be invisible to you anywhere, but I can normally see them - only Wizards can see them. Not in here though. I could just feel them, and see this guy being dragged away by invisible hands."

Harry opened his eyes, shuddering involuntarily. Liam looked strangely impassive - as if he'd just described an ordinary day, not a terrifying ordeal. Ginny, however, didn't seem to believe his demeanour: she crouched down beside him and hugged him tight.

Harry looked away.

"So... what do we do now?"

Sarah asked that. And Harry realised that now, the Muggles had just as much power as he did. Anything they did here would have to be non-magical. And the Muggles were probably better at thinking of non-magical solutions.

"Well," he answered, "Anyone who has any ideas..."

"We should look for a way out," said Jessie. "Maybe there's a window, or something..."

"Jess, it's a prison," said Sarah, rolling her eyes. "If there are windows, they'll be barred just like the gate."

"Well then, I dunno, you think of something," Jessie grumbled, sounding hurt. "I knew it was a stupid idea."

"It was the only one any of us had," said Liam quietly. "Come on Jess, give yourself a little credit."

Jessie was silent for a moment, then she said, tentatively, "Well, maybe we can look for some weapons. Something we can throw, maybe. Their spells can't get through the barrier, but if you throw a rock back at them, it'll still go through. Right?"

It wasn't much of a plan, but it was better than nothing. Harry noticed that the spells had stopped coming: the Death Eaters must've realised it was pointless. He wondered what they were doing now.

Maybe there's another key. Or maybe they can remove the barrier? Harry hadn't thought of that before. We won't be safe here for long...

They searched all the cells, but found nothing more than a few pebbles. The cells were completely bare - there wasn't even a blanket for the prisoners. Not that there were any prisoners. Harry wondered what happened to the man who'd been here with Liam. And what would've happened to Liam if they hadn't found him.

Harry felt a sudden wave of cold.

"Oh, no..." whispered Hermione.

In an instant, they were all on their feet. Jessie stood against the wall, ashen-faced. Davey and Ginny supported Liam, who looked as if he was about to faint. Hermione grabbed Harry by the hand. Her other hand clamped around Ron's arm.

"Dementors," said Sarah. "It's those Dementors, isn't it?"

A handful of pebbles wouldn't help here. Harry could feel the chill spreading through his bones. Through the gate and the magical barrier, Harry could see the dark, hooded figures streaming down the corridor. The moment they reached the barrier, they disappeared: but he knew they were there, massing up against the locked gate, as more and more of them came behind.

"They can't get through the gate," said Hermione breathlessly. "They still can't open it."

"But how long till someone comes with a key?" argued Ron. "We have to do something. Now!"

"A Patronus," said Harry. "That's all that'll help."

"But how can you cast a Patronus without magic?"

Harry's brain worked quickly, frantically. He grasped onto a desperate hope. "Look. If the Dementors can exist in here, even though there's no magic, maybe Patroni can, too? Maybe there's more to them than magic - maybe magic is just what we need to see them. I mean, Muggles can feel Dementors, but they can't see them, right? Maybe it's the same with Patroni."

"You have to try it," said Davey instantly. "Whatever it is... try it."

Harry aimed his wand.

Happy memory. Think of a happy memory. Don't think how hopeless and stupid this is.

Happy memory...

He closed his eyes. I'm going to live with the Weasleys. They're my family.

His left hand grasped the hem of his jumper - the lumpy Weasley jumper Mrs Weasley had knitted him for Christmas.

"Expecto patronum!"

Another wave of cold washed over him. The Dementors didn't move. There was no magic.

Harry turned to the others. "I'm sorry."

Hermione seemed to be fighting back tears. Ron just shook his head. "You tried, mate. It's okay."

Liam straightened up suddenly. He looked at Harry intensely. "No. No, it's not okay. You have to try again."

"There's no magic, Liam. I can't cast a Patronus without magic."

"You just said it was possible! And I reckon you were right." He stepped forward, taking his weight off Davey and Ginny. "Listen. Cast the Patronus. But don't just think about some random happy thing. Think about someone you love. Maybe everyone you love. If I hadn't done that, that Death Eater would've brainwashed me hours ago. Think about someone you love, and you'll be able to do it. I swear."

Harry looked at the others. The Muggles appeared perplexed, though Sarah was nodding her head. Ron and Hermione looked doubtful, but they obviously weren't going to argue. Ginny was holding on to Liam, and looking at Harry with the same intensity as her boyfriend. She, at least, seemed to believe he was right. But Harry wondered how certain Liam himself was.

Taking a deep breath, Harry again closed his eyes. Through the buzz of bad memories struggling to claim his mind, he heard Liam order: "Everyone else, do it as well. Think about people you love. All of you. As hard as you can. Do it!"

Suddenly, Harry felt a hand slip into his. And an arm around his shoulders, leaving his wand hand free. He realised they were all holding onto each other - a solid line of bodies across the width of the hallway, with Harry in the centre. He felt the warmth of the people beside him, overcoming, at least slightly, the dreadful chill cast by the Dementors.

He also heard the rattle of keys in the iron gate.

Now or never, Harry.

Ron. Hermione. Mrs Weasley. Fred and George. He concentrated on his family - not on having a new family, but on loving them, in a way he'd never acknowledged to himself before. He pictured their faces - Ron, Ginny, Mr and Mrs Weasley, the twins... The he added Hermione to the mix, and then Hagrid and Dumbledore and even Sirius...

Because I still love him, even though he's dead... People you love aren't always happy thoughts - so Dementors can't suck them out of you! Maybe that's how Sirius survived Azkaban...

With the faces and the memories of everyone he'd ever loved firmly in his mind, with his love for them firmly in his heart - and his friends holding on to him with all the love and warmth and support they themselves could muster - Harry took a deep breath and bellowed:

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!!!"

Harry felt his hand and his shoulders, where his friends touched him, grow hot and tingly. The feeling spread, up his left arm, down his back and legs, and then back up over his stomach and legs and into his wand arm. His hand shot back as the energy surged through his wand. Harry gasped, his eyes snapped open...

His Patronus appeared from the magical barrier, galloping away towards the Dementors. The Dementors disappeared in a flash of white light, but more were coming down the stairs...

And suddenly, another Patronus appeared. A dog - Ron's Patronus. And right behind it, came an otter, which Harry knew was Hermione's.

Amazed, Harry watched as Ginny's Patronus - an eagle - and a swan, which Harry guessed was Liam's, followed.

But it didn't stop there. A great bear followed the swan, and after the bear, an owl. Last of all, a kangaroo hopped out of the barrier, and chased away the last remaining Dementor.

The corridor beyond the gate was once again deserted - though after the brightness of the Patroni, it seemed darker than before.

"I'll be surprised if there's a single Dementor left in this fortress," whispered Hermione. "Harry, that was amazing!"

And suddenly, they were all talking, slapping Harry on the back, yelling, "That was awesome! Harry, you're brilliant!"

Embarrassed at the attention, and stunned by what had just happened, Harry could only mumble, "But it wasn't me... it was all of us. I just cast the spell. I couldn't have done it alone."

"No way, mate," said Ron, slapping him on the back again. "No way you're getting out of this one! I've never seen anyone cast eight peoples' worth of spells like that - and three of them Muggles! I don't think just anyone could've done that. It's you, Harry. We're bloody lucky it was you."

"He's right," said Hermione. "I've never heard of this happening - never, in all my reading. That was amazing."

Harry looked at them all, the warmth spreading through his body. He really had done it - something not even Hermione had ever heard of. Through his wand, he had cast the spells of eight people - three of whom had absolutely no magic of their own! He was sure that the last three Patroni had belonged to the Muggles.

But now it was time to think of their next step. "So, we're still stuck in here," he said, wondering now if the same magic could possibly get them to safety. "I'm not sure we could open the gate the same way."

While Harry was still thinking about how they could escape from the dungeon, he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. He squeezed his wand instinctively.

But the person who came rushing down the stairs, his wand raised and his robes smoking, was Albus Dumbledore.