*walks home from the tube, enjoying the night air rather than apparating directly in, Shanpen loping by her side* *has two bags over one arm, Lynx's birthday present in the one, and a new pair of shoes in the other because she simply couldn't resist* *in her other hand she carries dinner, the heavenly scent of Lynx's favourite takeaway curry giving a spring and speed to her steps*
*when they reach the hotel, Shan stops in front of the door, a low growl in her throat* What is it? *she puts her hand on the door, and feels a whine in her ears, something from the earrings* *eyes go wide as she realises that's what warning Fred put in, that the wards have been breached in the hotel*
*shoves the door open, calling out as she bursts in* Lynx? Lynx!!!
*too many things to handle all at once* *the lobby filled with people, one hurriedly scribbling something on a piece of paper, a frantic owl dancing on the table nearby* *panicked Muggles, eyes wide and uncertain* *the loud crash from the left, upstairs* *swears under her breath* The Krums.
*the boy is out; she saw him leave with a mate from school and his mate's parents* *but the elder Krums were in last she knew, and in trouble* *takes the steps two at a time -- the anti-apparition wards won't allow her to simply pop up* *can hear growling, barking, and a faint roar as she goes*
*no need to burst through the door into the suite; it hangs on torn hinges, shoved to one side* *Mrs. Krum lies on the bed, limp and bleeding from a horrific tear to the gut* *her husband still stands, facing off against a great bear and a lionness* *a lynx -- her brother lynx -- stands by Krum, a low snarl coming from his mouth*
*she screams* *Lynx's attention snaps to her, and the bear pounces as soon as he is distracted, swiping a large paw at Krum's head* *the older man ducks away, catching a glancing blow* *his wand is already out, but the
reducto misses, taking a chunk out of the wall*
*Lynx growls, trying to force her back, standing in front of her* *the lionness paces closer and closer, as she tries to fumble her wand from her pocket all the while wondering how this could be happening* *under her breath* The wards...
*she gets her wand out just as Lynx looks up at her, then back at the lionness, and it snaps all into place* *Lynx fell for another animage* *who is right there, about to --* *rolls to one side, with a shrill shriek, as the lionness pounces at her* *Lynx gets in the way, rolling over and over with the lionness as she bites at him, snarling* *he doesn't fight back, doesn't RESIST and she starts screaming his name until he DOES something* *oh dear gods, he loves her and that's her and she's betrayed us and is Mrs. Krum dead?*
*scrambles to her feet, wand out, trying to ignore the growls of pain as Lynx and his lover fight with sharp claws and teeth* *fires a spell at the bear, catching him a glancing blow on the shoulder, ducking when he turns around* *tries to back up, but the bear barrels into her, wrapping its thick arms about her waist* *teeth bite into her hip and she shrieks, feeling and oh dear gods
hearing bones crunch*
*the bear drops her, rearing back, blood dripping from its teeth* *her leg collapses under her, hip mangled, and she hits the floor with another hoarse shriek* *fires blasting hexes at it, forcing it back until it turns on Krum who bends over his wife* *it sweeps a large paw at him, catching the side of his head*
No! *rolls over, pushing herself to her knees, firing as hard as she can, as fast as she can, ignoring the lionness and cat and the sounds which have gone from growls to whimpers of fear and pain* *can't do anything to stop it, as the bear wraps heavy arms around Krum and squeezes, until it drops him like a broken doll and turns its attention back to her*
*the fight off to the side is over, and the lionness backs away from Lynx's body, looking to her* *she can't get a breath, can't seem to think past the blinding pain in her crushed hip* *falls and drags herself backwards, her left hip so much meat and crushed bone, unable to feel her foot at the end of the leg*
*ducks, even though she's already down, as a blasting hex comes through the doorway, striking the bear squarely in the chin, taking him down in a spray of fur and blood* *just barely sees the lionness leap for the window, shattering glass as it escapes* *hears someone yelling that the woman on the bed is alive, that the blond on the floor is the bunny-girl from Halloween who came through the Ministry with Thomas* *she'd laugh if she could, but it hurts so god-damned much, and the pain washes over her in a red haze and she can't help but let go and sink into the soft quiet darkness that folds all around her* *after all, they're Aurors* *she'll be safe*
*and then everything goes away*