Loss - 5

"I'll go," Shannon said, stepping forward and looking as if she'd had more than enough excitement for one night.

"Bon," Fleur said. "Go, now."

Shannon glanced at George who nodded and handed Ginny's purple pet Pygmy Puff to her. "Go ahead and take Arnold. We'll be right behind you."

"I'll go check on the girls," Fred said, tearing his eyes away from Narcissa as if deciding she wouldn't pose any more of a problem.

"I'll come with you," Harry said just as the entire house shook from the force of a blast somewhere on the street. Harry had to grab the door jam to stay upright. Glasses and dishes fell from the shelves as cabinet doors opened wide, swinging on the hinges. Fleur stumbled with the Floo powder and would have dropped it without Bill's steadying arm.

"Looks like they're here," Fred mumbled, his eyes wide.

"Mother, go, now," Draco said, sounding panicked. He pushed his mother towards the fireplace and nearly jumped in after her.

"Ginny! Hermione!" Harry called, sprinting out the door, Fred on his heels.

The house shook again, knocking Fred and Harry to their knees. Harry was certain he heard the sound of the front door imploding. Looking up, he could see Ginny and Hermione on the stairs. The tremors from the last blast had caused both girls to lose their footing, and they had to grasp the railing to keep from plunging to the bottom.

"Who dares to disturb the sanctuary of my father's house?" Mrs. Black began screeching from behind the curtains that had been sealed over her portrait. They still hadn't managed to find a way to remove her from the wall, but the curtains had at least hidden their activity from her view. "Blood traitors, vermin, scum….Mudbloods! All invading the pristine beauty of the home of my ancestors."

Scrambling to his feet, Harry sprinted to the hallway where he had a clear aim at the entrance hall but could still remain behind the cover of the wall. He pointed his wand at the open hole where the door had once been and managed to Stun the first two Death Eaters who emerged. He kept his aim and continued firing, but it soon proved futile as there were entirely too many of them. They entered headquarters like a row of worker ants, demolishing anything in their path.

The house rattled and shook every few moments, and Harry wondered what was being done to the outside. Obviously the Death Eaters weren't trying to hide their activities from the Muggles, and he thought he could faintly hear police sirens in the distance.

He and Fred tried to cover the stairway from the attacking Death Eaters to give the girls time to regain their footing and continue their descent. A well-aimed Blasting Curse impeded their progress when it hit the railing, demolishing it. Harry felt his breath catch in his throat as he watched Hermione tumble over the side while Ginny fell down the remainder of the stairs. She landed with a thump at the bottom, clutching her knee.

Hermione managed to grab hold of the ruined railing, but she dangled precariously above the entrance hall, and several of the Death Eaters had already taken aim. Her legs swung wildly as she tried to reach the stairs to hoist herself back to the landing. Harry attempted to cover her with a Shielding Charm as he began firing hexes as the closest Death Eaters. Hermione screamed when a Blasting Curse exploded on the stairway near her left ear. Harry didn't think she'd be able to hold on much longer.