Fan Fiction ❯ Buy Some Time: A Life for a Life ❯ Three Seconds ( Chapter 1 )

A/n: please don't jump my case if something's not right. I tried to follow the book and not stray too much from the basic plot. This is a Sirius/Lupin fic!!! And yes, I know it's Harry focused in the beginning, but it's necessary...

Harry released Neville, though he was unaware of doing so. He was jumping down the steps again, pulling out his wand, as Dumbledore turned to the dais too.

It seemed to take Sirius an age to fall. His body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backward through the ragged veil hanging from the arch....

~*~*~*~Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Page 806. Paragraph 1.~*~*~*~

Harry stood in horror for a moment, watching his godfather fall into the veil of no return. He began to move forward, prepared to launch himself at the slowly descending form of Sirius, but someone beat him to it. In a blur of motion Lupin flung himself at Sirius. The seconds passed like days as Remus, his heart beating painfully against his ribcage, reached for his dear friend. It was over in three beats.

One... He was close... He could feel the heat from Sirius' body.

Two... They were touching. One arm had slid between Sirius and the veil... Almost

Three... They collided. Fell sideways. Remus felt his forehead smash into the archway. Darkness..

~*~*~

Harry saw the dissatisfied frown on Bellatrix's face. Saw her raise her wand to finish the unconscious pair off. He didn't think. His wand hand flew up. His own voice sounded odd as he bellowed the first thing that came to mind. He couldn't stop the satisfaction that rose in his throat as the green jet of light surrounded Bellatrix.

He shifted his focus to Sirius and Lupin before the light had faded. He flung himself down beside them. He barely heard his name being called... Barely heard before he fell forward...

~*~*~

Dumbledore didn't shift his attention from the Death Eaters, even when he heard the bellowed spell. He had priorities. But others weren't so clever to hide their shock and curiosity as they turned towards the source of the sudden prickle in the air. They all turned to watch as the first sounds came from the boy's mouth. Even the Death Eaters themselves couldn't help turning to look (Which landed a good number of them under a stun spell).

His voice rang clear and harsh through the room, the magic prickling through the air, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

There was hate in his voice. Despise. He wanted her dead. With all his heart he wanted to look down at her dead body and sneer. He wanted to see her hit the floor, her eyes wide and blank. All of them were frozen, waiting. Nobody ever got a spell right the first time. Half didn't believe he could make anything more than sparks with the spell. Half of them thought perhaps Potter had just signed his own death slip, that the spell would be reflected back and kill the boy as it had failed to do the first time.

There was a long, tense silence as the jet of green light poured out of his wand towards Bella, who's mouth was curled in a snarl as she raised her wand to deflect the blast of emerald. She had the triumphant glint in her eyes of someone who'd just lost a sickle and found two galleons.

"Harry Potter, today you die!" She said loudly but calmly as the light neared, others were calling to him, "HARRY! Harry no! Look out!" Mad-eye was aiming at Bellatrix, bellowing "INCARCAROUS!" Kingsley had bellowed the body-bind spell, and someone else had shouted "STUPEFY!"

The green light seemed to freeze, half-surrounding Bellatrix, unsure of where to go. In the meantime the three other spells hit her and she was bound, frozen and stunned in an instant. Her wand clattered to the ground. Anxious stares snapped back to the green light as it began to move again...

There were shouts and cries and screams as it finally found it's target... No one expected... No one had thought... They were shocked and horrified, and they were filled with surprised joy. It was a day to remember...

~*~*~

A/n: Who's dead...? <.< >.>