Light in the Darkness

Chapter 94

Adelaide woke up, feeling a sense of doom. It had been months of the same thing. She would get up, go to class. Potions was her only escape with the sweet Professor Slughorn. Dark Arts was the worst. Amycus would summon the kids who were given detention and they were used as target practice for class.

Many resisted the first couple months, but around November the students were so worn down and broken they would do whatever they were told. Adelaide would whisper protection incantations over the students and use her legilimancy to tell them to fake being hurt. The students were never truly injured, but she couldn't save the emotional scars the other students suffered from using the dark spells on their fellow classmates.

One day Amycus strutted up and down the class and smirked, "We're going to play a little game. There are no limitations. The winner gets a pass from detention for the rest of the term. No more Cruciatus Curse, now doesn't that sound nice?"

Adelaide felt her gut twist as the Slytherins, who mentally broke weeks ago, flipped into survival mode, practically drooling over the proposition. Amycus pointed at Adelaide, "The first person who can take down Burke wins."

Adelaide felt a dark cloud pull at her. Amycus knew damn well no one other than Draco would actually be able to beat her. He just wanted to see her snap. She was the only one who refused to break under his regime of torture. It infuriated him, he wanted to watch her fall. He was always insanely jealous that Perseus and Adelaide were favored by the Dark Lord over him and his sister.

What was so good about her?

She clearly took no pleasure in serving the Dark Lord like he did, yet she was given multiple tasks, she was given the glory, the fame, the title of being the Dark Lord's Hell Hound. He wanted her to break, he wanted to watch her fall, to crumble. He wanted the Dark Lord to see her break under his efforts.

The sky turned even more grey outside the windows, thunder rolling deeply. Amycus bit the inside of his cheek as she pulled her little attitude magic on him. This made him even more angry, she didn't have to try. Magic seemed to bow at her feet, it did for all the Burkes. So much talent and it was wasted on her hesitancy, her empathy. He hated it.

The first person to step up, no surprise, was Pansy Parkinson. She had a wild look in her eye. She wanted to take a swing on Adelaide. Little did she know how powerful Adelaide truly was.

Draco grabbed Adelaide's wrist, "Be careful Addie."

Adelaide furrowed her brow, there were at least thirty people in the room she had to duel. She had a lot of stamina, but not that much.

Before Adelaide could even assumer her position, Pansy shot a hex at her. It hit Adelaide square in the arm, causing a deep bruise to form. With a quick flick of her wand, Pansy's wand went flying across the room. Her face contorted into rage as she stepped off the platform.

Amycus yawned dramatically, "Boring! Let's see, how about....Neville Longbottom!" he cackled at the boy as he stood up to the platform.

Carrow took deep pleasure in torturing the poor Gryffindor. Neville constantly stood up for younger students and fought back when Carrow tried to spew his cruelty in class.

Neville's eyes were determined when he stepped up. Adelaide didn't blame Neville for despising her, although she wasn't sure if despised was the best word. He just associated her with the Death Eaters.

He fired shots back-to-back, each more powerful and raging than the last. However, he was no match for Adelaide. She blocked his spells and knocked him flat onto his back, summoning his wand into her hand.

She went up against fifteen others, her arm growing severely tired and her breath beginning to grow labored from blocking so much rage. She didn't realize how despised she was until this, but everyone who went against her let out their complete frustration on her.