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screaming in agony。
'That was just a taster！' said Bellatrix； raising her wand so that Neville's screams stopped and he lay sobbing at her feet。 She turned and gazed up at Harry。 'Now； Potter； either give us the prophecy； or watch your little friend die the hard way！'
Harry did not have to think； there was no choice。 The prophecy was hot with the heat of his clutching hand as he held it out。 Malfoy jumped forwards to take it。
Then； high above them； two more doors burst open and five more people sprinted into the room： Sirius； Lupin； Moody； Tonks and Kingsley。
Malfoy turned； and raised his wand； but Tonks had already sent a Stunning Spell right at him。 Harry did not wait to see whether it had made contact； but dived off the dais out of the way。 The Death Eaters were pletely distracted by the appearance of the members of the Order； who were now raining spells down upon them as they jumped from step to step towards the sunken floor。 Through the darting bodies； the flashes of light； Harry could see Neville crawling along。 He dodged another jet of red light and flung himself flat on the ground to reach Neville。
'Are you OK？' he yelled； as another spell soared inches over their heads。
'Yes；' said Neville； trying to pull himself up。
'And Ron？'
'I dink he's all righd … he was still fighding de brain when I lefd …'
The stone floor between them exploded as a spell hit it； leaving a crater right where Nevilles hand had been only seconds before； both scrambled away from the spot； then a thick arm came out of nowhere； seized Harry around the neck and pulled him upright； so that his toes were barely touching the floor。
'Give it to me；' growled a voice in his ear； 'give me the prophecy …'
The man was pressing so tightly on Harry's windpipe that he could not breathe。 Through watering eyes he saw Sirius duelling with a Death Eater some ten feet away； Kingsley was fighting two at once； Tonks； still halfway up the tiered seats； was firing spells down at Bellatrix … nobody seemed to realise that Harry was dying。 He turned his wand backwards towards the man's side； but had no breath to utter an incantation； and the man's free hand was groping towards the hand in which Harry was grasping the prophecy …
'AARGH！'
Neville had e lunging out of nowhere； unable to articulate a spell； he had jabbed Hermione's wand hard into the eyehole of the Death Eaters mask。 The man relinquished Harry at once with a howl of pain。 Harry whirled around to face him and gasped：
'STUPEFY！'
The Death Eater keeled over backwards and his mask slipped off： it was Macnair； Buckbeak's would…be killer； one of his eyes now swollen and bloodshot。
Thanks！' Harry said to Neville； pulling him aside as Sirius and his Death Eater lurched past； duelling so fiercely that their wands were blurs； then Harry's foot made contact with something round and hard and he slipped。 For a moment he thought he had dropped the prophecy； but then he saw Moody's magical eye spinning away across the floor。
Its owner was lying on his side； bleeding from the head； and his attacker was now bearing down upon Harry and Neville： Dolohov； his long pale face twisted with glee。
'Tarantallegra！' he shouted； his wand pointing at Neville； whose legs went immediately into a kind of frenzied tap…dance； unbalancing him and causing him to fall to the floor again。 'Now； Potter …'
He made the same slashing movement with his wand that he had used on Hermione just as Harry yelled； 'Protege/'
Harry felt something streak across his face like a blunt knife； the force of it knocked him sideways and he fell over Neville's jerking legs； but the Shield Charm had stopped the worst of the spell。
Dolohov raised his wand again。 'Accio proph…'
Sirius had hurtled out of nowhere； rammed Dolohov with his shoulder and sent him flying out of the way。 The prophecy had again flown to the tips of Harry's fingers but he had managed to cling on to it。 Now Sirius and Dolohov were duelling； their wands flashing like swords； sparks flying from their wand…tips …
Dolohov drew back his wand to make the same slashing movement he had used on Harry and Hermione。 Springing up； Harry yelled； 'Petrificus Totalus！' Once again； Dolohov's arms and legs snapped together and he keeled over backwards； landing with a crash on his back。
'Nice one！' shouted Sirius； forcing Harry's head down as a pair of Stunning Spells flew towards them。 'Now I want you to get out of…'
They both ducked again； a jet of green light had narrowly missed Sirius。 Across the room Harry saw Tonks fall from halfway up the stone steps； her limp form toppling from stone seat to stone seat and Bellatrix； triumphant； running back towards the fray。
'Harry； take the prophecy； grab Neville and run！' Sirius yelled； dashing to meet Bellatrix。 Harry did not see what happened next： Kingsley swayed across his field of vision； battling with the pockmarked and no longer masked Rookwood； another jet of green light flew over Harry's head as he launched himself towards Neville …
'Can you stand？' he bellowed in Neville's ear； as Neville's legs jerked and twitched uncontrollably。 'Put your arm round my neck …'
Neville did so … Harry heaved … Neville's legs were still flying in every direction； they would not support him； and then； out of nowhere； a man lunged at them： both fell backwards； Neville's legs waving wildly like an overturned beetle's； Harry with his left arm held up in the air to try to save the small glass ball from being smashed。
The prophecy； give me the prophecy； Potter！' snarled Lucius Malfoy's voice in his ear； and Harry felt the tip of Malfoy's wand pressing hard between his ribs。
'No … get … off … me： Neville … catch it！'
Harry flung the prophecy across the floor； Neville span himself around on his back and scooped the ball to his chest。 Malfoy pointed the wand instead at Neville； but Harry jabbed his own wand back over his shoulder and yelled； 'Impedimenta！'
Malfoy was blasted off his back。 As Harry scrambled up again he looked around and saw Malfoy smash into the dais on which Sirius and Bellatrix were now duelling。 Malfoy aimed his wand at Harry and Neville again； but before he could draw breath to strike； Lupin had jumped between them。
'Harry； round up the others and GO！'
Harry seized Neville by the shoulder of his robes and lifted him bodily on to the first tier of stone steps； Neville's legs twitched and jerked and would not support his weight； Harry heaved again with all the strength he possessed and they climbed another step …
A spell hit the stone bench at Harry's heel； it crumbled away and he fell back to the step below。 Neville sank to the ground； his legs still jerking and thrashing； and he thrust the prophecy into his pocket。
'e on！' said Harry desperately； hauling at Neville's robes。 'Just try and push with your legs …'
He gave another stupendous heave and Neville's robes tore all along the left seam … the small spun…glass ball dropped from his pocket and； before either of them could catch it； one of Neville's floundering feet kicked it： it flew some ten feet to their right and smashed on the step beneath them。 As both of them stared at the place where it had broken； appalled at what had happened； a pearly…white figure with hugely magnified eyes rose into the air； unnoticed by any but them。 Harry could see its mouth moving； but in all the crashes and screams and yells surrounding them； not one word of the prophecy could he hear。 The figure stopped speaking and dissolved into nothingness。
'Harry； I'b sorry！' cried Neville； his face anguished as his legs continued to flounder。 I'b so sorry； Harry； I didn'd bean do …'
'It doesn't matter！' Harry shouted。 'Just try and stand； let's get out of …'
'Dubbledore！' said Neville； his sweaty face suddenly transported； staring over Harry's shoulder。
'What？'
'DUBBLEDORE！'
Harry turned to look where Neville was staring。 Directly above them； framed in the doorway from the Brain Room； stood Albus Dumbledore； his wand aloft； his face white and furious。 Harry felt a kind of electric charge surge through every particle of his body … they were saved。
Dumbledore sped down the steps past Neville and Harry； who had no more thoughts of leaving。 Dumbledore was already at the foot of the steps when the Death Eaters nearest realised he was there and yelled to the others。 One of the Death Eaters ran for it； scrabbling like a monkey up the stone steps opposite。 Dumbledore's spell pulled him back as easily and effortlessly as though he had hooked him with an invisible line …
Only one pair was still battling； apparently unaware of the new arrival。 Harry saw Sirius duck Bellatrix's jet of red light： he was laughing at her。
'e on； you can do better than that！' he yelled； his voice echoing around the cavernous room。
The second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest。
The laughter had not quite died from his face； but his eyes widened in shock。
Harry released Neville； though he was unaware of doing so。 He was jumping down the steps again； pulling out his wand；