Within the Room of Requirement of the Pillars' Hogwarts, the six children stood with bated breath.
Half an hour ago, they had sent Daphne's newly summoned Pokémon — Mismagius — on a reconnaissance mission.
The otherworldly creature was not only like a ghost, able to pass through solid walls and turn invisible, but it could also cast various Spells like a proper witch to fit the situation.
Seeing it slip past the wooden guards of Room of Requirement right in front of their eyes had only added to Mismagius's mystery.
Still, that didn't change the fact that they had sent her out on a deadly task.
First and foremost, the children needed to find where the Pillars were keeping Madam Villanelle and Sirius Black.
Second, they needed to know how well they were guarded.
Third… and a touch more selfish… they needed to know if the Pillars could catch Mismagius roaming the corridors and trace her back to the Room of Requirement.
In a way, the summoned Pokémon was as much a crucial soldier in this mission as it was a sacrificial pawn.
"We had to do it," Darcie said, looking at Daphne.
Daphne, who had been keeping a cold quiet all the while, nodded. "… I understand."
Suddenly, a chime echoed through the air, sounding just like wind chimes.
Their heads snapped toward the sound as purple mist began to gather in the center of the room.
"Mismagius!" Daphne called out in relief.
"Misssssss…" the Pokémon cried softly, floating over to its summoner.
Darcie and the others gathered around and began asking questions, with Mismagius answering by shaking or nodding her head.
After a while, a heavy silence fell over them.
"… I think…" Ron started, unable to finish the sentence.
"It's too late to abandon the mission," Darcie said, shaking her head. "We have to rescue Mentor and Sirius. Or… things will only get worse for us from here on."
"… But how?!" Harry asked, clearly wanting to push forward. "They are keeping both of them in the Great Hall, surrounded by hundreds of wizards and witches! Don't they have anything better to do?!"
Unlike Harry, Draco kept his cool. "Look, I have an idea," he said. "We already know this Hogwarts is laid out just like ours. So… I can Apparate right next to Madam Villanelle and Sirius."
"Rubbish!" Darcie snapped. "Not happening!"
"Oh, I'm all ears to hear your brilliant plan, Darcinominium!" Draco snapped back.
Surrounded by Daphne, Hermione, Harry, Ron, and a floating Pokémon, the brother and sister glared at each other.
"He does have a point, Darcie," Hermione said gently, while Harry and Ron nodded in agreement.
Darcie gritted her teeth.
She sighed. "Look. Mismagius didn't get anywhere near Mentor and Sirius, right?"
The Pokémon nodded, a clear scowl on its face.
Daphne elbowed Darcie, warning her not to upset Mismagius, since she had already told them about the Pokémon's unpredictable temper.
"All I am saying is that there must be protective spells keeping anyone from reaching them," Darcie continued. "What if you Apparate right next to them and can't even touch them? I know your Acute Perception lets you Apparate and Disapparate instantly — fast enough that the people in the Great Hall might not catch you right away. But if there are Wards, or worse, Curses, you'll need time to break them. If you can't, you'll just end up captured alongside them."
Draco's face fell as he thought about that possibility.
The others went quiet, too.
Harry and the rest realized that if Draco's plan went wrong, they wouldn't just fail — they would weaken the Order of the Black Phoenix's position in this war even further.
"But…" Darcie added, making them look up with renewed hope, "… that doesn't mean Draco's idea is completely useless."
"Can you stop being so vengeful?!" Daphne hissed in her ear. "Why do you always have to get back at anyone who annoys you?!"
The Pokémon looked at Daphne with interest.
Harry, Ron, and Draco stared with open mouths, having never heard Daphne snap like that before.
Daphne realized how it sounded and blushed, looking away.
Darcie smirked. "Listen," she said, as the mood eased up a bit. "If Ron and Harry combine their Spells — Mecha Eye and Brave Heart — they can quickly spot the Jinxes and Curses placed around Mentor and Sirius. Then, Mismagius can use her magic to chant Counter-Spells and clear the way. All Draco has to do after that is grab them and jump out."
They all looked at Darcie, still confused.
How did that solve the main problem?
"Yes," Darcie admitted. "To pull this off, you will need two things. First, a few minutes. Second, a few minutes where you aren't getting blasted by hundreds of enemy wizards."
Draco recognized that tone immediately, and his face hardened.
"No!" he shouted. "Absolutely not!"
Darcie stood up slowly and drew both of her wands, the yellow cloak floating gently behind her back.
"I will buy those few minutes for you," she said flatly. "I have Lilith. All you need to do is focus on escaping with Mentor and Sirius the second you get an opening. Once you're clear, I won't have any reason to stay behind and let a mob of killers chase me, either."
There it was again.
Harry, Ron, Draco, Hermione, and Daphne felt a cold wave of déjà vu.
Only half a year ago, Darcie had stayed behind to hold off Voldemort on her own, using Lilith to send them back to safety.
Now she was doing it again… against an entire hall of ruthless enemies.
The worst part was that deep down, every single one of them, including Draco, knew she was right.
"Hermione," Darcie said, turning toward the door with a small smile. "I need your help with something. The rest of you, wait for the signal."
As the two girls walked toward the door, Draco called out from behind, "What signal?!"
Darcie raised her wand high and gave it a sharp flick…
… causing a tiny, bright firecracker to pop at the tip!