A hiss sounded as Nagini dragged her heavy body across the table and slithered over. Seeing Bellatrix's hand already pressed against the door, the giant snake, in her panic, suddenly lunged forward, reared up, climbed higher and higher, then rested her head on Bellatrix's shoulder.
"Nagini, stay here," Bellatrix ordered after glancing at Nagini's belly, swollen because she still had not finished digesting. Then she pushed open the stone door. Narcissa hurried in front of her to shield her behind her, only to be grabbed and shoved back by Bellatrix.
Narcissa did not argue. She followed her sister, striding quickly down the deep, dark corridor, and tried to say something to ease the tension. "Bella, why can Nagini understand those of us who don't speak Parseltongue?"
Bella marched ahead in quick little steps without looking back and snapped, "Cissy, you'd best ask less about the Master's affairs."
After that, the black sisters fell silent and hurried on, warily straining to see through the darkness. The familiar dark corridor now felt dizzying, with its twists and turns, the flickering firelight, and Narcissa's pounding heartbeat.
Along the way, they could still faintly hear angry roars and explosions from ahead, followed by screams. Narcissa felt chills run over her back again and again. This battle, it seemed, was still raging fiercely.
"Bella, let's not go over there. If they still haven't dealt with the problem after all this time..." Narcissa finally could not help suggesting to her sister, "The Dark Lord had only just left when we were attacked. This is a trap..."
Bellatrix still said nothing. She pressed her wand to the Dark Mark on her arm, then flung her hand away in fury. "Damn it, someone's blocking our ability to send messages! Who's bold enough to oppose the Dark Lord!"
Just