Columns of black smoke descended from the sky, landing upon this ravaged land.
The cruel, unrestrained laughter of the Death Eaters and the Dark Wizards under the Dark Lord's command turned the faces of the Ministry of Magic's forces ashen.
"If you kneel and lick my boots now, I might mercifully spare your life, Black!"
Bella stood atop a rise, laughing wildly at the tense-faced Sirius.
"I could never learn that groveling way you have of licking Voldemort's robes, Bellatrix—"
"You dare speak his name, you lowborn bitch!"
Sirius's cold, contemptuous voice successfully enraged Bella. Screeching shrilly, she charged down the slope to settle the score with Sirius.
"Don't be rash, Bella!"
A hooded wizard whose face was hidden called out. The voice was easily recognizable as Lucius Malfoy's.
"Don't forget what the Dark Lord told you!"
"I can kill him first and go afterward. I'm killing him first! No one is allowed to interfere—he's mine!"
Bella screamed madly. Her slashing wand triggered a violent explosion before Sirius and Mad-Eye, but it missed them.
"Take Norus away. He's completed his mission!"
Mad-Eye waved his wand, tossing the unconscious Thanatos to the stunned Typhoeus. Then he swung his wand, sending ripples through the air.
"You lifted the Anti-Apparition Charm, Alastor!"
The battle-ready Sirius cried out in surprise.
"It no longer matters!"
Moody deflected a spell Bella fired as she ran toward them, then shouted to Typhoeus, who was supporting Thanatos.
"Take him to King's Cross Station!"
In an instant, the light from the spells converging on Typhoeus was brighter than the sun itself. But Moody had been prepared. He swung his wand and roared—
A solid wall suddenly rose before Typhoeus, buying him one precious second.
Bella did not care in the least that two insignificant nobodies had escaped. At last,