* * *
Harry was barely conscious, just hanging on by a thread after Draco’s last Cruciatus, when something happened. Draco went quiet and hit the ground, and the others started yelling. Hope growing within him, Harry forced himself to look at what was happening. Two of the former Death Eaters were down. Ginny! It must be! He saw his wand, sticking out from beneath Malfoy’s petrified body. This was one lesson he had made certain to learn: he opened his hand and, with all the concentration he could muster, thought, “Accio!” His wand jerked, then flew free of Draco and into his hand.
He heard Crabbe’s voice, “Well, now, look what we have here.” There were footsteps. Harry tried to conceal his wand behind his arm, waiting for a clear shot. “It’s the Weasley girl! She got a wand, somewhere. Probably had it stuck up her jumper. Can’t blame her, a girl lookin’ like that.”
Harry peered in that direction. Crabbe was bending over and picking up a wand. He stood back up. He was on the side opposite of Harry’s wand, and Harry couldn’t get a bead on him while bound. Crabbe began walking back toward the light. Another of his captors was standing, his upper torso bound by ropes. He was trying to tell Crabbe something, but could not make himself understood.
“Well, the situation has changed, hasn't it?” Crabbe said to the other man. It was Goyle, Harry realized, having spotted the unconscious body of Goyle Sr. lying a short distance away. “Don’t worry, I’ll release you — as soon as I’ve taken care of Potter!”
Harry readied himself. Goyle was still mumbling something from beneath the ropes. Crabbe walked up so that he was looking down directly into Harry’s face and said, ”Now, you get to burn to death like my son! But it’s going to take longer . . .”
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