Another Year at Hogwarts

To my right, Bellatrix stood with Hermione in her arms. Her silver blade was still pressed against Hermione’s neck. From where I stood, I could see a tiny hint of blood on the blade. In front of her stood Draco, Narcissa and Greyback. Each of them held their wands out towards Harry and Ron, who had both stepped out from behind their hiding places.

“Well, well, well,” Bellatrix smiled as she stared at Harry, “look at who we have here. It’s Harry Potter! Now, that’s the ugly face I remember.”

I quickly looked at Harry to see that the swelling of his face was disappearing. The skin around his eyes shrunk is size, making his emerald eyes more viewable. And it was clear, even from where I stood, that rage was burning in his eyes as he and Ron stood helpless as Bellatrix threatened to kill Hermione.

“Don’t hurt her,” Harry ordered while staring sternly at Bellatrix.

She grinned. “The Dark Lord is on his way,” Bellatrix informed. Obviously, she must have called him while we were fending off Harry and Ron. “You deaths draw near!”

“You—!” Ron began as he took a slight step forward.

“Nah ah ah!” Bellatrix shouted. She then turned her attention to Narcissa and said, “Cissy, I think we ought to tie these heroes up again while Greyback takes care of little Miss Mudblood here.” Her black eyes flicked up and met Ron’s as she said, “Say goodbye to your friend.” Blood then began to trickle down Hermione’s throat as Bellatrix pierced her knife deeper into Hermione’s skin.

Just then, a creek was heard from somewhere above us all, and everyone looked up to see what it was. Secretly, to my relief, there, sitting on the crystal chandelier was a tiny figure dressed in a dirty pillowcase.

Suddenly, he disappeared just as the chandelier came crashing down towards Bellatrix and Hermione.

In a panic, Bellatrix let go of Hermione and stumbled backwards. Ron quickly rushed up to Hermione and rescued her from the falling chandelier as Harry rushed at Draco and fought over the wands. Harry quickly got hold of the wands and sent Draco flying backwards and stunning Greyback. He then turned his attention to me and sent a curse my way. I crouched to the ground and dodged the attack.

Another piece of the baby blue stone clunked to the floor.

“GET HERMIONE OUT OF HERE, RON!” Harry ordered.

“Expelliarmus!” I cast, only to miss Harry’s wand by an inch.

“Stupefy!” he cast back just as Ron and Hermione Disapparated out.

His spell would have hit me, but thankfully, his aim was off due to him jumping back to avoid Narcissa’s curse. But just as she raised her wand to send another curse at Harry, the same tiny elf that was on the chandelier appeared before Harry. His bright green eyes locked onto Narcissa, and with a snap of his finger, her wand went flying out of her hand and into the air.

“You bloody little house elf!” Bellatrix shouted as she made her way across the pile of broken crystal and took her place beside her sister. “How dare you try to kill me? And how dare you disarm a witch? You dear to disarm your master?”

“Dobby has no master!” Dobby informed as he bravely took a step towards. He placed his hand upon his heart and said, “Dobby is a free elf! And Dobby is here to save Harry Potter and his friends.”

“Free elf or not, you’re going to pay for trying to kill me!” Bellatrix shouted in rage.

“And Dobby had no intention of kill anybody. Dobby only meant to severely hurt,” Dobby innocently informed.

Harry, with the protection of Dobby, reached a hand out for Griphook, who was hiding behind the same sofa Harry was hiding behind earlier. “Come Griphook. We’re getting out of here.”
The goblin quickly walked to Harry’s side as Harry prepared to Disapparate.

Everything, all of a sudden, moved in slow motion. I could see Harry and them beginning to disappear, and from the corner of my eye, I could see something silver leaving Bellatrix’s hand and flying in the direction of Harry, Dobby and Griphook. In that moment, I had two choices. One: I could try and leave with Harry right now. I could attempt to stop him, and accidently Apparate with him, Dobby and Griphook. However, there’s a chance that I won’t be able to catch them in time and end up being left behind, and exposing who I really am. Option two is to reveal myself now—reveal myself as Violet Bell and secure my escape out of Malfoy Manor since my charm was breaking. However, this means that Draco and everyone else will know that I’m still alive.

Time was short, however, and I had to make a decision. So, before I even knew it, I reached my hand out and charged at Harry and the others as quickly as I could. I shouted at them to stop and reached my arm out as much as I could so that I could Disapparate with them.

“Victoria!” I could hear Draco calling, but I couldn’t stop now.

“Harry,” I gasped as my hand reached out and managed to grab onto his sleeve.

I could hear Draco’s voice ringing in my ears as I disappeared with Harry and the others. Apparating with Harry seemed so much different than with Draco. Maybe it was because this was the first time I’ve ever Apparated with Harry, compared to Draco. Unlike with Draco, the ride wasn’t as quick or pleasant. I felt as though I was on a roller coaster—it was a feeling similar to how I felt when I first Apparated with Snape. I felt as though I was going through a hundred loops while being tossed violently from side to side. I could also feel a force pulling on me, pulling me away from Harry. But I knew I had to hold on—even if it was only the corner of Harry’s sleeve that I was holding onto.

I suddenly felt something rip me away from Harry, and I flew into the air before tumbling onto the sandy ground. I groaned painfully as I remained on the wet, sandy ground.

“We made it, right?” I could hear Harry exclaim. “This—this is Shell Cottage, right, Dobby? Dobby? Where are you?”

“Harry…Potter…” a faint voice called out.

“Dobby,” I heard Harry gasp. “DOBBY!” he cried. “No… No, no, no! Ron! Hermione!” Harry called out desperately through sobs. “No, you can’t—you can’t die Dobby! HELP! SOMEONE HELP!”

“Dobby…is happy… Dobby is with…his friends…”

“No, you can’t die. Hang in there, Dobby! DOBBY! Please, don’t die—don’t! Don’t die, please don’t—”

“…H—Harry…” I heard Dobby whispering, “…Pot—Potter…”

“No,” Harry sobbed. “NO!” he bellowed before breaking into tears.

“Harry,” I heard a female whisper. “He’s gone now…”

Harry sobbed for only a moment longer before recomposing himself. He then said, “I want to give him a proper burial—a non-magical one…”

“All right,” an unfamiliar male replied. “There’s a place in the garden that you might find suitable.”

“Come on,” a woman with a tint of an accent said, “let’s all go inside.”

“Wait!” I hear Dean exclaim. “W—who’s that over there?”

There was a moment of silent, and I knew immediately that everyone was now looking towards me.

“Hermione—HERMIONE!” I heard Ron shout.

“Y—YOU!” I heard Hermione’s shaken voice shout. Behind her, I could hear Ron chasing after her while calling out her name.

I could see Hermione’s shadow hovering over me, and it was soon joined by the shadow of Ron. She then ordered for me to get up, but when I didn’t move, I felt her kneel down onto the ground behind me.

“Hermione be careful!” Ron shouted as Hermione placed her hand on my shoulder and roughly turned me around.

I heard a gasp escape both of their mouths.

“H—Her—Hermione…?” I panted. Through my hazed vision, I could see the anger on her face quickly disappearing and replaced with a look of horror and concern. Ron, on the other hand, looked as though he had just seen a ghost.

“It’s me…Vi…” I stopped and inhaled deeply, “I’m…I’m Vi—”

Without letting me finish, Hermione quickly lifted me into her arms as Ron fell to his knees beside her. Tears came pouring from her eyes as she brought her free hand up and placed it against the side of my neck.

“Wha…what’s wrong?” I gasped.

“Don’t talk!” Hermione tearfully ordered. She quickly turned her attention to Ron and said, “Ron, call Harry! He needs to come over here NOW!”

“R—right,” Ron shuttered. I could hear the panic in his voice as he screamed Harry’s name and begged him to leave Dobby and come over to where the three of us were.

“Why…why is…” I had to stop and catch my breath. “Why’s everything…so blurry…Hermione…?” I asked between breaths.

She gasped sorrowfully and said nothing to answer me. Beneath her sobs, I could hear the sound of running footsteps coming towards us. Hermione continued to sob as she hushed me and carefully adjusted me in her arms.

“I’m so sorry!” Hermione exclaimed as I let out a painful groan. “Keep—keep your eyes opened. Okay?” she begged as she pressed her hand harder against my neck.

Between her hand and my neck, I could feel a warm, slippery substance.

“Come on, stay with us!” Ron said with tears in his eyes.

A blurry figure suddenly appeared behind Ron, and he turned around and said that they needed to take me somewhere.

“I…I…” I was trying to tell them that it was me—Violet. I had to tell them. But the words were hard to get out. It was hard for me to breathe, and it was even more difficult for me to stay awake at the moment.

Hermione turned to Ron and the other person and shouted something at them, but I couldn’t understand what they were saying. As Hermione turned her attention back at me, her worried face began to blur to a point where I couldn’t even distinguish where her eyes were.

The last thing I heard was Harry’s voice calling my name.

Violet.