Midst of the fighters, slipping a little in pools of Snargaluff

Juice, toward the top of the marble staircase into the entrance

Hall.

"I'm Draco Malfoy, I'm Draco, I'm on your side!"

Draco was on the upper landing, pleading with anoter masked Death

Eater. Harry Stunned the Death Eater as they passed. Malfoy looked

Around, beaming, for his savior, and Ron punched him from under the

Cloak. Malfoy fell backward on top of the Death Eater, his mouth

Bleeding, utterly bemused.

"And that's the second time we've saved your life tonight, you two-

faced bastard!" Ron yelled.

There were more duelers all over the stairs and in the hall. Death

Eaters everywhere Harry looked: Yaxley, close to the front doors,

In combat with Flitwick, a masked Death Eater dueling Kingsley

Right beside them. Students ran in every direction; some carrying

Or dragging injured friends. Harry directed a Stunnning Spell

Toward the masked Death Eater; it missed but nearly hit Neville,

Who had emerged from nowhere brandishing armfuls of Venomous

Tentacula, which looped itself happily around the nearest Death

Eater and began reeling him in.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione sped won the marble staircase: glass

Shattered on the left, and the Slytherin hourglass that had

Recorded House points spilled its emeralds everywhere, so that

People slipped and staggered as they ran. Two bodies fell from the

Balcony overhead as they reached the ground a gray blur that Harry

Took for an animal sped four-legged across the hall to sink its

Teeth into one of the fallen.

"NO!" shrieked Hermione, and with a deafening blast from her wand,

Fenrir Greyback was thrown backward from the feebly struggling body

Of Lavender Brown. He hit the marble banisters and struggled to

Return to his feet. Then, with a bright white flash and a crack, a

Crystal ball fell on top of his head, and he crumpled to the ground

And did not move.

"I have more!" shrieked Professor Trelawney from over the

banisters. "More for any who want them! Here--"

And with a move likea tennis serve, she heaved another enormous

Crystal sphere from her bag, waved her wand through the air, and

Caused the ball to speed across the hall and smash through a

Window. At the same moment, the heavy wooden front doors burst

Open, and more of the gigantic spiders forced their way into the

Front hall.

Screams of terror rent the air: the fighters scattered, Death

Eaters and Hogwartians alike, and red and green jets of light flew

Into the midst of the oncoming monsters, which shuddered and

Reared, more terrifying than ever.

"How do we get out?" yelled ron over all the screaming, but before

Either Harry or Hermione could answer they were bowled aside;

Hagrid had come thundering down the stairs, brandishing his flowery

Pink umbrella.

"Don't hurt 'em, don't hurt 'em!" he yelled.

"HAGRID, NO!"

Harry forgot everything else: he sprinted out from under the cloak,

Running bent double to avoid the curses illuminating the whole hall.

"HAGRID, COME BACK!"

But he was not even halfway to Hagrid when he saw it happen: Hagrid

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 555