Drao’swingsurledforwardtoprotethimfromthedragon’sfireashejumpedbakwardtoavoidasilver-tippedwreahingforwardtograbathim.HenowrealizedwhyVoldemorthadhosenthistowertoholdhisfatherin.Withthewindowlosednomagialurrentsouldgetintotheroom,whihlefttheVeriaepowerless.
Theroomwassmallandramped,andDraowaspushedfartherandfartherbakintoaremoteorneroftheroom,awayfromhisfather.Hiswingssrapedagainstthewoodenraftersastheyslopeddowntowardsthefloors.Anotherstepandhisbakhitthestonewall.Hewastrapped.
Harryranthroughtheorridorsasquiklyandsilentlyasheould.Theburningsensationinhisstomahwasgrowinghotterandrgerbytheseond.AsifheneededmoreurgingtogettoDrao;heberatedthebondsilently.Hewasalreadygoingasfastasheould.
Afterroundingaorner,hewasforedtostopsuddenlyandpressbakintothewallasaDeathEaterstrodedownthehall.Shestoppedandlookedaround.Harryheldhisbreathandwaited,hopingshewouldjustmoveon.
“Iknowyou’rehere,Potter,”afamiliarfemalevoiedrawled.“Draoandhisfatherareuptherebutyou’llhavetosurvivemetogettothem.Thisistheonlyhallwayuptothenorthtower,sodon’teventhinkabouttryingtofindanotherwayup.”
Hereyesglitteredinsanelyasshegrinnedatthedarkness.“Imadesureweouldhaveaproperfight.Myousinmayhavetakenpreedenesttime,butthistime,Potter,I’mgoingtokillyou.”
“Noyouwon’tBeltrix,”Harrymouthedsilently,aiminghiswandather.Hismouthbegantoformwords-
“YoushallnotharmHarryPotter!”
“Dobby?”HarrywhisperedasBeltrixspuntolookattheHouseElfthathadmaterializedbehindher.
InamannerakintoLuiusMalfoyinHarry’sseondyear,Beltrixwasthrownbakward,hittingthewallwitharakthatouldn’thavebeenhealthy.Sheslidtothefloorinaheap,unmoving.Harrypulledtheinvisibilityloakoffashesteppedintothehallway.
“Dobby,whatareyoudoinghere?”
“IametohelpHarryPottersir.”
Harrywinedasanotherwaveofpainhit.“eonDobby,”hetoldtheHouseElfashegrabbedtheloakandheadedforthestairs.Soundsofsnarlingehoeddownthestairwell.Harryraedupthestairsasheheardastrangledshriekandthrewopenthedooratthetopofthestairwell.Hestoppedshortatthestateoftheroom.
Theroomwasoveredinspttersofblood.InthefarornerheouldseeDraooutlinedinbloodstainedstealwings,themutitedorpseofadragoninfrontofhim.Draowasstaringdownattheorpsewithanexpressionakintohorror.
“Drao,areyouokay?”Harryaskedashesteppedintotheroom.
“IthinkI’mgonnabesik.”Draospokesoftly.
“Fine,butnotnow.Wehavetogetoutofherebeforetheyfigureoutwhat’sgoingon.”
Draonoddedandsteppedgingerlyaroundthemutitedbody.HarrywalkeduptowhereLuiuswashainedtothewallandpressedhiswand’stiptotheman’stemple.“Ee.”
Voldemortstoodastheeremonyfinished,frowningslightly.
“M’Lord?”oneoftheDeathEatersasked.