Bellatrix looked back and saw that the Order of the Phoenix had completely secured the entrance to the hall.
Besides Arthur, she spotted several familiar faces.
Remus Lupin, Alastor Moody... and Sirius Black!
The moment she saw that handsome, haggard face, Bellatrix's breathing stalled for an instant. Then, an even more vicious light burst from her eyes.
"Sirius..." she hissed with a laugh. "My dear cousin, have you come to die too? Perfect. I can send you to see that filthy Mudblood friend of yours—"
"Shut your filthy mouth, Bellatrix!" Sirius aimed his wand straight at her. His voice trembled with rage, but there was even more icy killing intent in it. "You've failed!"
"Failed?" Bellatrix burst into wild laughter, her chilling cackle echoing through the hall. "Hahahaha—who says so? You?"
She looked to either side. "For the great Dark Lord! Charge!"
The Death Eaters immediately cast Blasting Curses and various hindrance spells, scattering into different black doorways.
"Don't let them get away!" Moody roared.
His magical eye tracked the Death Eaters' movements the entire time. Like startled rats, they crashed through the black doorways they had each chosen.
The doors that had been forced open swiftly shut again, and the spacious hall of the Department of Mysteries returned to silence.
"After them!" Sirius was about to rush toward the doorway Bellatrix had entered when Lupin stopped him.
"Don't rush in! We don't know what's inside!"
Dumbledore swiftly swept his gaze across the black doors, his brow tightly furrowed.
"Tom..." he murmured. "To make such a spectacle and infiltrate the Ministry of Magic himself... His entire life, he tried to control everything—power, life and death, fear...
But deep in his heart, he had always been tormented by one thing: fate, or rather, the unknown fate."
Vincent immediately understood. "A prophecy?"