We looked at each other, and I was pretty sure that Marlene's pale face mirrored my own.

I gulped, suddenly feeling very sick.

"Do we lock ourselves in now, or what?"

Marlene reached for her wand on the table. She looked at it, lost in thoughts.

"Maybe we should check? Maybe it's nothing, and if it is, it might be better to face them away from the muggles."

I took a deep breath, reaching inside the pocket of my sweater to pull out my wand. "You're right. We're trained, we can do this. Let's protect the muggles."

Asklepius hooted again, but I ignored him this time. "We have to hurry, though, so that they don't get very far, in case it's serious."

Marlene nodded and quickly summoned our shoes. After we slipped them on, Marlene left the apartment without another word.

I followed her and locked the apartment door with a whispered "Colloportus."

Standing next to me, Marlene nodded, quickly grabbing my hand and squeezing it, as if saying we got this.

Then we quietly rushed downstairs, looking around to see if someone was in the building. Once we were on the ground level, we could see that the main door was still closed.

"I'm really getting suspicious now," I whispered, not daring to move any closer.

"I've got your back," Marlene whispered. "Stay vigilante, and we'll see if there's actually someone in the front yard. We have to stay calm, it might be nothing."

She said that so easily.

I felt anything but calm, but nodded anyways, gripping my wand tighter.

"Okay," Marlene murmured, putting her right hand on the door handle. Her other hand was holding her wand, ready to fire a curse anytime.

"I'll open in three- two-"

I took a deep breath and raised my wand.

"One."

The door swang open, but we didn't see anyone in the yard. At least not in front of us.

"I take the left, you take the right."

We walked through the door together, and I immediately turned left, ready to fire at anyone I could see.

Marlene took the right side.

I glanced at the bushes and trees behind the field of grass. I didn't see anyone, but I... I thought I heard something big move.

"Stupefy!" The blue flash shot towards the closest bush, and something fell out from behind it. Or rather, someone.

I'd recognise those hooded masks anywhere.

"Now!" A deep voice shouted, and five more Death Eaters appeared out of what seemed like nowhere.

I couldn't believe my eyes when they stepped out from behind bushes and trees from all across the garden. I couldn't believe that we hadn't been able to see them sooner.

I mean, my hit had been a lucky shot, but there were five more of them!

When we noticed that we were completely encircled, Marls and I instantly took a step closer to one another.

Marlene had to dodge a green flash first, and then all of the Death Eaters opened their fire at us.

I had to think fast and analyse the situation all while dodging the curses. There were five of them and two of us.

Any confusion on how they'd gotten here had to be shoved to the back of my mind.

We were lower in number. There was an apparation ward that surrounded us, so in order to disapparate, we'd have to get past the Death Eaters. We didn't even have time to fire any spell at them, since we had to concentrate all of our magic on the shield charms or curses to redirect the green flashes.

Our advantage: The house was behind us, so we didn't have to watch our backs. The only danger that came from that was muggles. If they heard the noise, they'd come out of their flats, and I couldn't let that happen.

Clenching my teeth in concentration, I conjured a metal shield instead of a magical one. It was barely enough to block one spell, but of greater use for an offensive move. I blasted the shield at the Death Eater directly in front of me. He got knocked down, and after I blocked the incoming curse from the Death Eater next to him, I had enough time to lock the door behind me before another flash came my way.

At least the muggles were safe, now that they couldn't get out.

The Death Eater had gotten up again in the meantime, so I was back to fighting the two Death Eaters in front of me, and the third one who fired at me and Marlene both.

But to my relief, I noticed that the fall had taken its toll on the Death Eater. His moves were sloppy and the curses slow.

I managed to reflect the next curse in such an angle that it hit the weakened Death Eater.

(I chose not to think about what horrible dark curse I might have hit him with.)

One down, four to-

Marlene hit one of the Death Eaters fighting her.

So three more to go.

Three against two, that seemed much more manageable.

Being used to the incredibly fast-paced duel, it was almost easy to to hit the next Death Eater with a Petrificus Totalus.

Marlene took out another Death Eater, too, and I couldn't believe it.

We were winning! After being ambushed by six Death Eaters!

Together, Marlene and I turned to face the last standing Death Eater, ready to take her out as well.

She managed to block both of our attacks, but it looked like she'd crack soon.

When another bright flash hit the woman's shield charm, it illuminated the whole garden.

That was the only reason why I saw something move in the corner of my eye. I summoned a shield charm just in time, so I only saw the flash hit it.

The Death Eater I'd stunned before the battle had even started had recovered. He'd gotten up without any of us noticing, and he'd almost managed to hit me.

So we were back to two versus two.