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Ennervate


Bilius whirled about as three figures emerged from the deep woods, staying among the sparse trees at the edge of the forest beyond. He quickly aimed his wand as Derek and Chriselda drew theirs and jumped up from the log clumsily. The moon and stars gave just enough light through the higher branches to show the silhouettes of the figures as they neared, their wands held high as they approached.

Derek’s voice was as strong and deep as he could make it as he barked, “Lower your wands and we won’t hurt you.”

A high cackling laugh sing-songed towards them, “Oh aren’t you just adorable!” cried a woman’s voice, “Did they teach you how to say that at school?” Her giggles were bone chilling and mocking. “Ickle wittle ones going to die!” she sang, “Wittle baby ickle ones! Don’t you wish you didn’t play at being adults now? Wish you’d stayed warm in your beds with your teddies now, don’t you?” She practically skipped towards them in a dancing sort of walk, causing her hood to fall from her head but a great mass of black curls shielded her face from view just the same.

Derek knew they needed to send the signal to McGonagall, but he needed a moment to do it. He took a deep breath and then, as fast as he possibly could - “Incendio!” Fire erupted on the ground between them and the three Death Eaters, right at their feet. The leaves and debris lit quickly and hot, making the three Death Eaters stumble backwards, thrown off guard for a moment. “RUN!” Derek shouted, and the three of them turned. Unfortunately, being at the edge of the clearing, the only way to go away from the Death Eaters was into the open field. They rushed, trying to get a good head start before the three figures could regain composure and get around the flames to follow.

Halfway across the field, Derek paused, letting Chriselda and Bilius get ahead of him, and he turned to look up at the sky. He thought of the laughter they’d just had beneath the trees, of the feeling of happiness they’d shared, of the thought of spending the rest of his life with Chriselda… “Expecto Patronum,” he called out. His Patronus, a small dragon itself, swept from the tip of his wand. He’d been the one chosen to cast the spell to warn the others they needed help because his was the only of their three patronuses with wings. “Go to McGonagall,” he commanded it, “We need help!” He turned and ran before the misty white of the patronus could go.

Bilius looked back to see the patronus sweep across the field, delaying the Death Eaters, who had made it out of the line of trees, as they ducked away from the dragon-shaped patronus as it swooped up into the sky, headed for wherever McGonagall and the others had gone. Derek was sprinting toward them, and Bilius waited for him. Chriselda hadn’t realized either had stopped and was nearly to the barn, halfway across the field. Turning back, she could see the trees they’d been sitting beneath were all aflame, thick black smoke rising up over the woods as birds flew into the moonlight to get away.

The three Death Eaters recovered quickly from the sweeping patronus. Malfoy broke ahead of the others, being the first to have regained himself. He was shooting silent spells across the field at Derek and Bilius, and they ducked to avoid them. Chriselda was shrieking encouragement from the barn, where she held open the door.

“Two can play the fire game,” murmured Rudolphus. “Confringo!” He shouted, aiming for the barn.

Chriselda shrieked as the ball of fire struck the barn doors directly behind her. Inside, the horses panicked, smelling the smoke as half the building went up in flames almost instantly. They were kicking and breaking their stalls with their powerful legs. “Protego” she shouted, casting a barrier between the fire and the horses inside. Then she turned to face the Death Eaters. “Stupefy!” Her spell struck Rudolphus, who was still directing his fiery charm at the barn and he stumbled backwards.

“We need to get to the trees!” Bilius shouted, pointing to the other line of the woods. Beyond the barn, the muggle house was lighting up, the owners having noticed the fire. It was only a matter of moments before they would come outside, “Keep them away from the muggles! This way!” He ran diagonally, toward the woods.

Lucius turned to follow after him, leaving Derek and Chriselda to be handled by Bellatrix and Rudolphus.

Rudolphus had recovered from the stupefy, which hadn’t struck him full on, and went for Chriselda and the two were dueling now, sending sparks at one another quickly, silently, so that each was dancing about, avoiding the jets of red and blue and green light that shot between them.

“Ickle wittle little one,” sing-songed Bellatrix, still skipping as she chased after Derek, who was torn between helping Bilius and helping Chriselda. He glanced between them, trying to decide who needed the most help as Bellatrix cackled, “Crucio, crucio, crucio!” He managed to hop and duck around each spell she sent at him.

There was a crack - immediately followed by several more - and suddenly there were several members of the Resistance there in the field, between Derek and Chriselda. Distracted by the arrival of the others, Chriselda hit Rudolphus with a stunner and he fell back to the ground. Bellatrix let out a shriek of disapproval and turned herself toward the Resistance, not wanting them to have time to apprehend her husband.

Seeing the Resistance had arrived, including McGonagall, Derek turned immediately toward helping Bilius. He raced across the grass. He could see Bilius was nearly to the line of trees, the third Death Eater right on his tail. Quickly, Derek waved his wand, concentrating with all his might at the line of trees, and he disapparated from where he’d been, suddenly appearing between Malfoy and Bilius as Bilius rushed into the woods. Derek raised his wand as Malfoy reared to a halt, having not suspected Derek to appear there. “Stupefy.”

Malfoy stumbled back to avoid the spell. “Crucio,” he shot back. Derek leaped behind a tree to avoid the first spell, but he stumbled on a root and when Lucius sent a second wave of the curse, it hit him and Derek let out a shout of pain as he hit the ground, dropping his wand. Lucius laughed darkly.

Bilius heard the commotion behind him as Derek writhed on the ground and turned back to help Derek. “Protego!” The cruciatus momentarily backfired and Malfoy had to duck to avoid being hit by it. Derek was panting, trying to recover, on his hands and knees, struggling to find his wand among the leaves, unable to really see straight from the pain that was still shaking his nerves. Bilius stood between Derek and Malfoy, wand raised and ready as Malfoy raised his own, each facing the other.

“I’ve waited a very long time for this,” Malfoy murmured. “Just you and me, Weasley, outside of school. No Professors about, no limits.” He lowered his hood to see more clearly, a smile snaking over his lips. “Just you and I.”

Bilius recognized him for the first time then and he felt a wave of panic and resolve both simultaneously cross through him. His hand shook slightly as he kept his wand steadily aimed… and they began to duel.

Derek was still struggling to find his wand. He felt dizzy and numb from the cruciatus. He’d never expected it to feel as horrible as it had, despite all the times that it had been described to him in classes and by people who had felt its effects. The light from the spells being shot between Lucius and Bilius was casting a red glow on the leaves as he searched desperately for the wand among them, the night punctuated by their shouts and curses. If he could only find his wand - he could stupefy Malfoy while he was busy concentrating on the duel - it could be over, they could have won and even apprehended the Death Eaters… but where the bloody hell was the wand?

As Malfoy and Derek dueled, suddenly his arm burned, the Dark Mark calling him to return to his master. He grit his teeth, not wanting to give in to it. He had no choice, though, he knew. The Dark Lord would not be kept waiting.

There came a crashing through the trees and Bellatrix, breathless from running, came up behind him, “Time to go,” she sing-songed, “Finish him off. Quickly.”

Lucius locked eyes with Bilius and hesitated, ducking to avoid the spell his opponent had just shot at him, he shouted to Bilius, “I hate to cut our fun short, but the Dark Lord beckons.” He paused, the curse stuck in his throat as he ducked a second spell from Bilius.

He couldn’t do it. The realization hit him like a cold blast. He couldn’t do it. He lowered his wand and with a crack, he disapparated.

Anger flaring as she looked at the spot where Lucius Malfoy had stood, Bellatrix raised her wand. “Avada kedavra!” she shouted.

Time seemed to come to a near stop. Bilius saw the green light explode from the witch’s wand, saw the look of satisfaction that seemed to pour over her face as the glowing sparks shot forth. They were so close… and then something threw Bilius back, a force - strong and hard - and he found himself falling, the trees looming overhead, the man in the moon smiling down at him. He hit his head, and his vision blacked out for a moment, stars floating before his eyes. There was a shout - a heavy thump on the ground beside him - a crack, and screaming voices…

Bilius sat up, a splitting pain running through his head, unable to recall exactly what had happened that had caused him to fall or even how he had ended up in the woods at all… He remembered running… running across a field… needing to hide, needing to get away from - from hooded figures... He reached his hand up to his skull, feeling blood there, matting his hair. He’d hit a rock and hard, he realized. He blinked in confusion around at the trees, dimly lit by the moon. He could hear footsteps and shouts coming closer, calling his name and another name - Derek’s. Derek was here, he recalled, and he remembered in flashes hearing Derek crying out as a hooded figure hit him with the Cruciatus Curse…

He looked around and he saw Derek there, laying on the ground, just a couple feet before him, knocked out as well. Bilius crawled across the leaves, a throbbing going up through his skull and his neck as he struggled to get closer. “Der,” he murmured, “Get up, I think we’ve won, they’ve gone, at least.” He grabbed his wand and Derek’s, too, which was a few feet away on the ground and he shook Derek’s shoulder, then took his wand and aimed it at Derek’s chest, “Ennervate,” he murmured to counteract the stunner Derek must’ve been hit with.

But Derek didn’t wake.

“Is it the body bind then?” Bilius asked, “Finite incantantum,” he tried.

Still nothing.

“Ennervate,” Bilius tried again, his voice desperate.

A hazy memory of green sparks flooded Bilius… and the force of something pushing him back… and panic doused him, like cold water had been poured over his head and his veins went numb as he grabbed at Derek’s shoulder, “Ennervate, ennervate, ennervate,” he begged, shaking him hard, “No.” He knew already, but his brain refused to process the concept, “No, no, no, no. Derek, don’t you bloody dare,” Bilius snapped, “Don’t you bloody dare. Ennervate, damn you! Ennervate!”

There were suddenly people, surrounding him, coming through the trees, as the other members of the Resistance arrived.