Harry and the Death Eater's wands were instantly blasted out of their hands and went flying toward the entrance of the Hall of Prophecies. Both scrambled to their feet to chase after them, the Death Eater in the lead, Harry right behind. Neville stood frozen, clearly shocked by what he had just done.
"Get out of the way, Harry!" Neville shouted again, clearly desperate to make up for his mistake.
As he raised his wand and cast another spell, Harry dove aside just in time.
"Stupefy!"
The red light grazed the Death Eater's shoulder and hit a cabinet with a glass front, mounted on a wall covered in various hourglasses. The cabinet crashed to the ground and shattered, glass flying everywhere, then it bounced back to the wall and restored itself, only to fall and smash again.
The Death Eater's wand landed on the floor next to a glowing bell-shaped glass dome. He grabbed it quickly. As he turned, Harry ducked behind another table, his mask slipped down, blocking his vision. With his free hand, he tore it off and shouted, "Stupe–"
"Stupefy!" Hermione had caught up and screamed the incantation at full volume. A red flash struck the Death Eater in the chest: he froze mid-motion, arm still raised, wand clattering to the floor. Then he fell backward into the bell-shaped glass dome.
Harry expected him to hit the solid glass with a thud and then slide to the floor, but instead, his head passed through it as though it were a soap bubble. He lay flat on his back across the table, motionless, with his head sunken into the shimmering liquid-filled dome.
"Accio wand!" Hermione shouted, and Harry's wand flew from a dark corner into her hand. She tossed it to him.
"Thanks," Harry said. "Okay, let's get out of he, "
"Watch out!" Neville cried in alarm, staring at the Death Eater whose head was inside the dome.
All three raised their wands, but none of them cast a spell. They gaped in horror, watching as the man's head began to change. It shrank rapidly, becoming bald and smooth. His dark hair and stubble seemed to retract into his skin. His cheeks smoothed out. His head grew round, coated in soft down,
As the Death Eater struggled to rise, a grotesquely tiny infant's head sat atop his burly, muscular neck. But as they stared in disbelief, it began to swell again, returning to its original size, thick black hair sprouting once more from scalp and chin.
"It's time..." Hermione said fearfully.
"Time?" Harry echoed, confused.
The Death Eater shook his head groggily, trying to recover. But before he could regain control, his head began shrinking again, back to baby form.
A shout came from a nearby room, followed by a crash and a scream.
"Ron?" Harry shouted, tearing his eyes away from the bizarre scene. "Ginny? Luna?"
"Harry!" Hermione screamed.
The Death Eater had pulled his head out of the glass dome. His appearance was monstrous, his baby-like head shrieked, his thick arms flailing wildly. One massive fist narrowly missed Harry, who ducked just in time. Harry raised his wand to retaliate, but was shocked when Hermione grabbed his arm.
"You can't hurt a baby!"
There was no time to argue. Harry could hear more footsteps coming from the Hall of Prophecies, growing louder. He realized he'd shouted too loudly, he'd given away their location.
"This way!" he called, waving them over. The door on the far side of the room stood open, leading back into the black circular chamber. They ran for it, leaving the staggering Death Eater with the grotesque baby-head behind.
Halfway across the room, Harry saw two more Death Eaters rushing toward them through the open door. He immediately changed direction, diving into a dark, cluttered little office to the left, slamming the door shut behind them.
"Quick, " Hermione began, but she didn't have time to finish her spell.
The door burst open. The two Death Eaters barged in, shouting triumphantly:
"Impedimenta!"
Harry, Hermione, and Neville were blasted off their feet. Neville was flung behind a desk and disappeared from view. Hermione slammed into a bookshelf, and thick volumes tumbled down, burying her. Harry's head smacked hard against the stone wall, and stars exploded in his vision. He felt dazed, disoriented, unable to move.
"We've got him!" the nearest Death Eater yelled. "He's in one of the offices, he's—"
"Silencio!" Hermione shrieked.
The Death Eater's voice vanished. Through the eye-holes of his mask, he was still mouthing words, but no sound came. His partner shoved him aside.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Harry shouted as the second Death Eater raised his wand.
The spell hit. The man's arms and legs snapped together, and he fell flat on his face at Harry's feet, rigid as a board.
"Great one, Har–"
But the silenced Death Eater suddenly raised his wand. A jet of purple flame shot from it, piercing Hermione's chest.
She gave a soft gasp of surprise and crumpled to the floor, completely still.
"Hermione!"
Harry dropped to her side. Neville crawled quickly from beneath the desk, his wand held defensively in front of him. The Death Eater kicked hard at Neville's head, breaking his wand and smashing him in the face. Neville howled in pain and clutched at his mouth and nose.
Harry turned, wand raised, and saw the Death Eater tearing off his mask.
Harry recognized the pale, twisted face instantly. It was Antonin Dolohov, the same wizard the Daily Prophet had identified as one of the killers of the Prewett brothers.
Dolohov grinned savagely. He pointed first at the glowing orb still clutched in Harry's hand, then at himself, and then at Hermione.
Even without words, the message was clear:
Give me the prophecy, or she dies like the rest.
"You're going to kill us all anyway!" Harry shouted.
Panic surged through his brain. He couldn't think straight. His hand rested on Hermione's shoulder, she was still warm, but he didn't dare look at her directly.
She can't be dead, she can't, if she is, it's my fault,
"Do' (Don't) gib it to hee (him), Harry!" Neville called out from beneath the desk, blood streaming from his broken nose. "No' ma'er wha' he does!"
There was a thunderous crash outside the door. Dolohov turned,
The baby-headed Death Eater had staggered into the doorway, still screaming, swinging his enormous fists at everything around him.
Harry didn't hesitate.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Dolohov froze and fell face-first across his fellow Death Eater, both now rigid and unmoving.
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The complete release can be accessed through Patreon.com/Crimson_Lore