Lupin dragged Harry away from the platform.
Harry was still staring at the arched door. He was a little unhappy that Sirius had made him wait outside. As he struggled to break free from Lupin's arms, he came back to his senses. Sirius had never made him wait before. Sirius had always risked her life to come to him and help him.
If Sirius did not come out of the arched door when Harry was calling for him with his whole life, the only possible explanation was that he really was not coming back...
Dumbledore had trapped most of the remaining Death Eaters in the middle of the room, as if they were tied there with invisible ropes.
Moody crossed the room and crawled to Tonks, trying to wake her up. Light flickered behind the platform, and there were snoring and shouting. Kingsley had already run forward to continue his fight with Béla Trix.
"Harry?" Neville moved step by step to Harry's side.
Harry stopped struggling, but Lupin was still holding his arm cautiously to prevent him from rushing over again.
"Harry, I'm really sorry..."
Neville said, his legs still moving involuntarily. "That man — it's Sirius Black — your friend."
Harry nodded.
"Come," Lupin said calmly, pointing his wand at Neville's legs. "The end is the end."
The spell was broken. Neville's legs returned to normal and he stopped moving.
Lupin's face was pale. "Let's get to them quickly. Where are they, Neville?"
Lupin turned away from the arched door as he spoke.
Every word made his heart ache.
"They're over there," Neville replied. "One of the brains is wrapped around Ron, but I think he's okay now.
Hermione doesn't know anything, but she's still got a pulse — "
There was a loud bang, followed by a scream from behind the platform.
Harry saw Kingsley fall heavily to the ground and cry out in pain: Dumbledore was sweeping his wand around, and Bellatrix Lestrange was scampering away, tail tucked between his legs, head in his arms, and tail between his legs.
Harry took the opportunity to aim a spell at her, but she dodged it. She was already in the middle of the steps.
"Harry — no!"
Lupin shouted, but Harry had already broken free from Lupin's loosened grip.
"She killed Sirius!" Harry roared. "She killed him — I'll kill her!"
He rushed out and quickly climbed up the stairs, ignoring the shouts of the people behind him.
The edge of Béla Trix's robe disappeared in a flash. They were back in the room of brains, and the brains were still swimming.
She didn't turn around. Instead, she cast a spell over her shoulder.
The box of brains rose into the air and tipped over, and Harry was drenched with the foul-smelling liquid that poured from it: the brains slithered down his body and wrapped their coloured tentacles around him.
Harry shouted, "Ugadim Leviosa!"
They immediately left his body and flew into the air.
He ran straight for the door, leaping over Luna, who was groaning on the ground, and Ginny, who was calling out to him. "Harry — what's wrong?"
He ran past Ron, who was smiling weakly, and Hermione, who was unconscious. He pulled open the door to the black rotunda, only to see Béla Trix disappear from the opposite door. In front of her was the corridor leading to the elevator.
He ran as fast as he could, but she had already slammed the door behind her. The wall was spinning.
Harry was once again surrounded by the blue light of the spinning candles.
"Which one is the exit?"
The wall rumbled to a halt again, and he shouted in bewilderment, "Where can I get out?"
It was as if the room had been waiting for him to ask. The door behind him to the right flew open, and the corridor to the elevator was there, empty and lit by torches.
He ran. He could hear the rattling of one of the elevators in front of him. He sprinted down the corridor, around the corner, and hit the button with his fist. The second elevator came down with a grating clatter. The grating door slid open. Harry rushed in and slammed the button marked "Main Hall."
The door closed. He rose gradually, and before the grating was fully open, he pushed his way out and looked around.
Béla Trix was almost to the elevator at the end of the hall, and he ran after her.
She glanced back, aimed at Harry, and cast a spell.
Harry ducked behind the fountain of the Enchanted Brothers. The spell whizzed past him and struck the golden door at the other end of the hall with a clang like a bell.
There was no sound of footsteps. Béla Trix stopped.
Harry hid behind the statue, listening carefully for any sound.
"Come out, come out, little Harry!"
Béla Trix cried in a babyish falsetto voice that echoed over the polished wood floor.
"What do you want with me, eh? I suppose you're here to avenge my dear cousin. "
A strong hatred that Harry had never experienced before welled up in his heart. He jumped out from behind the fountain and roared, "Gouge my heart!"
The spell knocked Béla Trix to the floor. She screamed, but did not writhe in pain as Neville had done. She was on her feet in a moment, out of breath, her smile gone.
Harry ducked behind the golden fountain again. Her return blow caught the handsome Wizard in the head, and his head fell twenty feet away, gouging a long gash in the wood floor.
"You've never used an Unforgivable Curse, have you, boy?"
She cried, no longer in her babyish falsetto voice. "You need to give them evil power. You need to inflict real pain. Then you can use them well. Just anger won't do me any good for long. Let me show you how. I'll show you what I'm made of — "
Harry was on the other side of the fountain, moving slowly along it.
"Gouge!" Béla Trix screamed, and Harry had to crouch down again. The centaur's arm that held the bow was knocked away, and it fell with a thud a little short of the golden Wizard's head.
"Potter, you can't beat me!"
Harry could hear her moving to the right to take better aim at him. He crouched behind the centaur's legs, his head level with the house elf's. He edged back around the statue, trying to get away from her.
"I was, and am, the Dark Lord's most loyal servant.
I learned the Dark Arts from him. I know the powers of my spells that a wretch like you could never hope to attain — "
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