Neville turned to head down the path as well. His position was a small opening between two boulders near the front of the Dais. Just as he took the first step Luna grabbed his arm. As he turned back to her, he found her lips on his cheek very close to his lips.
"For luck," She said as she reached up and adjusted his hat on his head. "Be careful Neville."
"You too Luna," Neville replied. His eyes lingered on hers for a second before he turned and ran down the path. When he got to the bottom, he reached up and opened the door a few inches and then took his place in the boulders. From where he was, he could see the door, but no one coming down the path could see him. If he got into trouble, he could step backward a step or two and disappear into the darkness. A small yell and Harry would be there to help.
"Ready?" Hermione asked Luna after seeing their men off.
Luna nodded as her normal dreamy gaze seemed to harden.
They took positions behind boulders on either side of the main door. As with Neville, their position opened behind them so they could step back into the darkness and away from danger. Their role was rear guard. To help them in case of overwhelming danger, they each had two of the brain jars beside their feet, ready to be picked up and lobbed into any threatening danger.
Just as they got into position, they heard a splash and curses as some of the Death Eaters had won free to the circular room and had ran directly into the swamp.
"Shut up," Lucius snarled. "They obviously didn't come as unprepared as we thought," He continued. "In pairs start searching rooms. Get that prophecy and kill the brats."
Two seconds later the door opened. Hermione glanced from behind her hiding spot to see who it was. "Dolohov and Rabastan," She said to Harry.
"Hope this works," Harry replied. "Be careful."
"You too."
Neville had the opening move. When he heard the door open he sent a banishing charm at the door in front of the Veil causing it to slam shut.
"GOT THEM!" Dolohov yelled over his shoulder to Rabastan. "They just ran through that door," The two men raced down the path until the got to the door in front of the Veil. They yanked it open and ran through it. Their yells of triumph disappeared almost immediately.
"Two down," Hermione said. She was surprised at the sense of satisfaction that surged through her at the knowledge the man who'd cursed and almost killed her last time met his end. She then remembered that she could have killed him in the cafe when they had found them after Bill and Fleur's wedding. "We should have done it then Harry. Even then it was our fault he got a chance to kill again."
"We're older now...well sort of," Harry replied. "We hadn't really seen what they do with our own eyes then."
"Hermione watch out!" Luna yelled suddenly.
Hermione had accidentally kicked one of the brain jars and it had collided with a boulder. The glass had cracked enough to allow the brain to win free. As Hermione glanced down at where Luna indicated she could see one of the brain's tentacles stretching out toward her foot. Luna did not hesitate as her wand was up and a blasting hex hit the small creature splattering bits of white matter over Hermione's foot and leg.
Hermione whirled around and saw what had happened. She looked over at Luna. "Thanks."
Luna smiled. "That's what friends do right?"
"Exactly," Hermione replied. "I'm glad you're with me."
The door burst open as obviously Luna's screams had drawn the attention of more Death Eaters. Fortunately the Death Eaters were startled enough by the strange scene in front of them that Luna and Hermione were able to fade into the darkness just in time.
"It's Bellatrix and Rookwood," Hermione said to Harry. She'd just caught their profiles before hiding. Harry and Hermione both clenched their wands tighter while at the same time Hermione reached down for her last jar containing a brain.
SLAM! The door in front of the Veil closed with a noise as Neville once again did his job.
Bellatrix jumped around as she heard the door close. "Ah the babies went that away," She said to Rookwood as she started running. She was halfway down the path when Rookwood yelled. "Bellatrix WAIT! This is wrong."
They had been worried about Rookwood. He worked in the Department of Mysteries for years and would know there was no room like this one. Luna didn't waste time. She threw one of her brain jars directly at the man who had his back still to her. Her aim was true as the jar smashed into the back of Rookwood's head.
"This isn't...AHHHH" Rookwood argument was cut off in a cry of pain as the jar crashed into his head and then shrieks of terror emerged from him as the brain unfurled around his neck. It took a couple of seconds for him to realize what it was, but when he did, he dropped his wand immediately so he could use both hands to try to dislodge the creature that now had two tentacles encircling his neck and another across his face.
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