Harry Potter: The Price of Silence.

The Gold Mask continued his retreat. His feet were just inches from the cliff drop.

Out the corner of her eye, Hermione saw Parkinson be engulfed in chains. She heard her fall to the floor, screaming and thrashing while Harrison checked her for concealed weapons.

Hermione tried not to feel too elated when Lee restrained another Black Mask and threw their wand over the edge of the cliff.

"Expelliarmus!" Hermione shouted.

The Gold dropped his wand like it'd given him an electric shock. It flew quickly into the air, and then landed delicately in Hermione's palm.

The battle was almost over. They could do this. They were going to win. A part of her couldn't believe it -

And then she heard it. A loud clap of thunder that wasn't thunder at all, but gigantic reptilian wings beating against the air.

The roar started low. The sound was hoarse but then it deepened. The crescendo was ear piercing. Hermione's hands instinctually flew to cover her ears to shield her from it. It was hideous, she swore she could feel it vibrating in her blood. Seamus was right, it really did make the very earth shake.

The moment she saw Black Shadow, Hermione knew she was going to die. The dragon appeared over the cliff top quicker than she thought imaginable, its gargantuan wings propelling it quickly over the hilt before baring down.

A male figure sat proudly between its shoulders, Demon mask firmly in place.

As the dragon circled the battlefield from overhead, its shadow blackened the earth. Every flap of its wings felt like being hit by an invisible tidal wave. Hermione fought to keep her feet planted firmly to the floor, focusing on not falling over despite the unforgiving force.

The dragon opened its mouth as it came back towards them; an amber light emitted from within.

Hermione felt the heat of its breath before a single flame had even left its mouth. The wave of fire moved at an immeasurable speed, quicker than she could even think of a possible shielding charm. Not that it would have done any good. No spell was powerful enough to shield her from that. Flames shot from the reptile's jaws, exploding onto the grass and disintegrating Kyle and Robert instantly.

They never had a chance of escaping it. Didn't even have enough time to scream.

The Gold Masks triumphant cackle raised the hairs on Hermione's arms. "You're dead," he laughed cruelly, manically. "You're all fucking dead now, little girl."

Fuck Kingsley.

Hermione cast a final hex, the white light connecting with the Gold's torso with such a force it sent him careening over the edge of the cliff, leaving him to the mercy of the jagged rocks beneath. She imagined it killed him instantly, the mixture of gravity and the height probably pulled him towards the earth with such velocity that his body exploded upon impact. Hoped it didn't though. Hoped he survived, just so he would suffer. Lay there for hours in agony while he waited for the sweet kiss of death.

The dragon started to turn at the other side of the field, ready to make another pass over their heads. It roared again, the low vibrations of it made Hermione's skin pebble. Its mouth and underbelly ignited, illuminating with fire.

"Get the girls!" Hermione shouted. "Quickly!"

Harrison leaped forward. He knocked another Black Masks unconscious and snapped their wand while Hannah sprinted to the back of the carriage. She quickly disintegrated the locks and swung the doors open.

"You're safe," Hannah cooed as she outstretched her hand, eyes locking with the terrified girls inside. "It's okay. You're safe."

"Got any ideas?" Tonks shouted as she cast a shielding charm over the carriage.

"Maybe one." Hermione fumbled in her bag, then threw the Cloak of Invisibility to Harrison. "Use this to conceal the carriage and take the girls to safety. We'll stay here and distract the Black Masks. Hopefully it'll give you enough time to escape."

Harrison's eyes widened with realization. He opened his mouth, presumably to protest, but Hermione cut him off.

"We don't have time to argue! There isn't another way! Get the girls and-"

The little sunlight they had was blocked by a demonic shadow. The dragon was directly overhead, high in the sky and nose-diving with incredible speed towards them.

"Go!" Hermione screamed, the terror clear in her voice as the dragon's mouth opened. "Now!"

Hannah and Harrison quickly mounted the Threstrals. Harrison pulled the reins tight and forced the beasts into a run. Hannah cast a charm on the cloak, extending it with magic so it would be large enough to cover the carriage and Thestrals.

The dragon started to close in, every flap of its huge wings propelling it closer.

"You need to go quicker," Hermione hushed through clenched teeth as she knocked out another assailant. Her eyes swept from the carriage, to the approaching dragon, and then back again. "Come on, you need to be quicker!"

The Thestrals finally pulled the carriage into the air, their small wings bowing, perfectly in sync as they dragged the box from the ground. Hannah caught Hermione's eye, gave a small nod - probably a thank you for saving her life - and magically draped the cloak over the carriage and the thestrals.

And then they were gone. Disappeared into nothing as they made their escape - with the slaves.

Mission completed; the girls had been saved.

As the remaining Order members started to Apparate to safety, Hermione and Tonks stayed behind to do a final headcount. Hermione scanned the battlefield for anyone too weak to escape on their own. She refused to leave anyone behind.

Susan Bones: dead.

Xander Lowe: dead.

Robert Marks: dead.

Kyle Elliot: dead.

Hannah and Harrison: escaped.

Josh Rhodes: escaped.

Lee Brooks: escaped-

Hermione hadn't seen the dragon breathe fire, but she felt it. Fucking hell, did she feel it. Even though she was at least a few hundred feet away from the beast, as soon as the dragon opened its mouth and its flames collided with the ground, it felt like a bomb had been detonated. A tsunami of impossible heat smashed into her body and sent her flying into the air.

She landed flat on her back, the fall stealing her breath. She tried to get up, but the throbbing aches in her body pulled her back down.

The beautiful grass was completely eclipsed in fire around her. Through the roaring flames, Hermione thought she could hear someone praying that she was still alive.

The heat continued to increase, getting much, much too hot. The flames were inches from her body. Hermione tried to blink through the pain, tried to force air into her lungs -