Bellatrix turned at the commotion and as she saw Rookwood fighting with a tentacled creature, she retraced her steps cautiously with her wand waving back and forth. "So some of the children want to play rough do they? Come out, come out where ever you are," She sung in a child's voice. "I want to play too."
Neville's blood boiled at the sound of Bellatrix's voice. She was the one who had tortured his parents and now she threatened someone else Neville cared about. He was not about to let the deranged witch hurt Luna. He launched himself out from his hiding spot and aimed his wand at Bellatrix's back. "Reducto!"
Bellatrix whirled around at the sound and blocked the spell effortlessly. "Well well who do we have here? Could it be little Longbottom?" A wicked smile cross her face; one that showed the cruelty that existed in her soul. Slowly, as if she was a feline stalking her prey she moved slowly back down the path.
"You bitch," Neville declared as he stood there, drawing Bellatrix away from Luna and Hermione. "You tortured my parents."
"Oh yes," Bellatrix giggled insanely as she stopped. "Your mother's screams were most...delectable."
"REDUCTO!" Neville shouted again and again Bellatrix stopped it without effort.
"Tell me where the prophesy is and I'll see if my Master will let me keep you as a pet," Bellatrix offered.
"NEVER!" Neville snarled and again tried to hex the insane witch.
As she blocked Neville's hex, Bellatrix's wand continued on a path and ended up directly at Neville. "Stupefy!"
The jet of red light barely missed Neville as he dove behind a boulder.
"Did I frighten the little baby?" Bellatrix asked. "Give me the prophecy or your mother's screams will seem mild compared to what I'll do to you," Her cackling laughter echoed throughout the chamber.
Anger tore through Neville's mind as he looked around for something to do. He knew he couldn't actually beat the witch, but knew he had to do something to protect Luna. He just wished there was a way to get Bellatrix through the door.
"The door!" Neville thought and a plan came to mind. He pulled the fake prophecy orb from his pocket and then stepped back out onto the path. "This?" He asked the crazed witch as he held the orb out in front of himself. Behind Bellatrix he could see Hermione and Luna had emerged from their hiding spots and was attempting to sneak up on the witch. Catching their eyes, he gave only the slightest shake of his head, hoping they understood.
"Give it to me," Bellatrix demanded.
Neville backed away from Lestrange slowly. As he neared the door that hid the veil, he gave her a smile. "You'll have to catch me," He said as he turned and pulled it open. With a final look back to make sure Bellatrix was following, he stepped through the door into the blackness beyond.
"NEVILLE!" Luna shouted as she started running down the path. "Stupify! Reducto!" She yelled at the back of Bellatrix.
Bellatrix turned and sent a stunner at the young blonde girl and smiled in satisfaction as the spell hit her squarely. As the girl stumbled, Bellatrix ignored her and the other girl as she hurried after Longbottom and the prophecy. Her entire focus was obtaining the orb her Master desired. The blackness that hid what was behind the door didn't bother her as she and the other Death Eaters had already realized the stuff was only a nuisance and not a threat. As she passed the threshold of the door, she could already hear the praise her master would give her as she handed him the orb he wanted so badly. It was her last thought as her cackling ended abruptly a second later.
The shield hat had performed exactly as promised, and the stunner that had hit Luna only caused her to stumble, but she quickly regained her balance and raced toward the door screaming Neville's name. Just as she got to within a yard of the wide opened door, Neville stepped back out of the blackness.
The impact of Luna racing into Neville's arms almost knocked both of them back through the door.
"I...I thought you...you..." She said as tears came to her eyes.
"I had to do something," He explained as he wrapped his arms around the blonde girl. "She might have found you if she kept coming back up and I couldn't..." He paused as he continued to hold Luna. "I knew if I could get her to follow me...well I knew to step sideways after I got through the door," He said. It was then that he fully realized what he'd done. He had just caused the death of the one person most responsible for his parents' condition. He promised himself that he'd visit them soon and tell them that she was dead.
"Bellatrix is gone," Hermione said to Harry. "Rookwood is fighting with a brain," As she said that she summoned Rookwood's wand and snapped it in two.
"Can he see you?"
"Maybe, but he's struggling for his life since the brain is wrapped around his neck and head," Hermione replied as she sent a silencing hex toward Rookwood who was still grunting as he struggled to get the brain to release him.
"Leg lock him, but make sure you get his wand," Harry said. "Keep an eye on him though," Rookwood was someone who they wanted alive. He might know other people in the ministry who were loyal to Voldemort. "Don't take chances, if he gets free, either stun him or kill him."
"Already snapped his wand and he won't escape," His wife assured him. She sent the leg locking curse at Rookwood who immediately fell to the ground and continued to silently struggle. Hermione realized he was too close to the entrance. They didn't want people staying close to the doors, but to run down the path. She quickly levitated Rookwood down the path closer to the veil.
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