The Dark Lord's Pet Princess

78. Check Mate

As Larissa walked into the courtyard at Voldemort's side, she couldn't help but feel like an awful person.
All of Harry's friends and teachers cried when they saw his dead body, and they gave her and the death eaters the coldest glares. And even though Larissa knew Harry was alive, it didn't make her feel any better.
The only thing that gave her hope was that Nagini was no longer in her protective bubble, but slithering beside Voldemort, utterly defenseless.

"Harry Potter is dead" announced Voldemort, to the crowd in front of him.
A young boy suddenly charged forward, and Voldemort disarmed him with a quick flick of his wand.
"And who is this? Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight, when the battle is lost?" Questioned Voldemort.
"It is Neville Longbottom, my lord. The boy who's been giving the Carrow's so much trouble. The son of the aurors" answered Bellatrix as she came forward, eager to please her dark lord.

"Ah yes, I remember. But you are a pure-blood aren't you, my brave boy?" Asked Voldemort.
"So what if I am?" Said Neville loudly.
"You show spirit, and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a fine death eater" replied Voldemort.
"I'll join you, when hell freezes over"
"Very well, if that is your choice Longbottom. On your head be it".

Voldemort then summoned the Sorting Hat from the headmasters office, and forced it onto Neville's head.
"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts. And there will be no more houses. The emblem, colours and shield of my noble ancestor Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone. Neville here, is going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me" informed Voldemort.
With a flick of his wand the hat caught on fire, causing Neville to scream in pain.

It was then that Larissa realised she would have to act. But she wasn't alone.
A hundred or so people charged into battle, parents and relatives of the students, had come to fight for the school.
A large giant calling out Hagrid's name also arrived, followed by centaurs, thestrals and Buckbeak the hippogriff.
As this happened, Neville threw off the Sorting hat and pulled out a silver sword from inside it; the sword of Gryffindor.
He then jumped forward and sliced off Nagini's head, with one single stroke.

This was when everyone realised that Harry was no longer in Hagrid's arms, and they began wondering where he had gone.
With the battle recomencing, the death eaters charged at the enemy, pushing them back into the castle.
"You should get out of here" said Voldemort, as he grabbed hold of Larissa's arm.
She pulled herself free and withdrew her wand, "I'm not going anywhere, for I am no coward".
"You are my last Horcrux, and I'm not taking any chances" snapped Voldemort.
"And I'm not going to leave. You made me your queen, so I will fight beside you".
Voldemort could do nothing as Larissa charged into the castle with the rest of the fighters.

Once inside she saw death eaters falling left, right and centre.
First Yaxley, then Dolohov, Macnair, Fenir, Rookwood, and Thicknesse.
Larissa looked across the room and smiled as Molly Weasley utterly destroyed Bellatrix, putting an end to her psycho cousin, once and for all.
Voldemort too, saw this happen and screamed in anger as his most faithful supporter was killed.

It was at this moment that Harry reappeared in the fight, and Larissa realised that her time had come.
If Harry was to be successful in killing Voldemort, then she would have to die.
"You cannot kill me, Potter!" Announced Voldemort smugly.
Harry looked over at Larissa and gave her an apologetic glance, for he knew what she was going to have to do.
"No, I can't. Not yet anyway" he agreed.
Voldemort's face fell as he realised that Harry knew Larissa was a Horcrux.

Larissa sighed and took the crown off her head, dropping it onto the ground, allowing her loyalty to Voldemort to fall with it.
She then removed the small vial of poison she had been carrying around for years, and downed the contents, before anyone could stop her.
Once she had drunk the poison, Larissa threw the vial away and gave Voldemort the middle finger.
"You traitor!" Screamed Voldemort.
"That's for being an abusive arsehole" she mumbled, before collapsing to the ground.

But before her head hit the floor, a blonde figure appeared beside her and caught her.
"Draco" whispered Larissa.
"Aunt Larissa, what have you done?" Questioned Draco.
"What had to be done. I promised I would protect you, and since you will never be safe while Voldemort is alive, I had to help kill him" revealed Larissa.
"But I don't want you to die"
"I'm sorry, but it's too late for me".
Another figure suddenly appeared at her side.
"I'm going to kill him" promised Harry.

"The Horcrux inside you, is it gone?" Asked Larissa, who could feel the poison running through her body, taking her life from her.
"Don't worry, it's been destroyed" reassured Harry.
"Then you had better go and defeat him, once and for all" encouraged Larissa.
"I will... Afterall, I am the master of the Elder wand, not Voldemort"
"That's good to know".
Harry got back up and turned around to face his foe.

Larissa turned back to look at Draco, who had tears in his eyes.
"I'm going to miss you" he sobbed.
"I'm going to miss you too. I don't want you to watch me die, so you should go and find your parents, since I know they're looking for you" replied Larissa.
"No one should die alone" insisted Draco.
Larissa smiled, as those were the same words she had used earlier when talking about Severus's death.
"Don't weep for me, I'm going to a much better place" promised Larissa.
"I wish we'd had more time together, since you are my favourite aunt" revealed Draco.
"I am greatful for the time we did have together, and it makes me happy to know that I was your favourite... Goodbye now, little dragon".
As Larissa's breath left her, she closed her eyes for the last time, putting all of her pain and suffering behind her, forever.

****
When Larissa opened her eyes she found herself in a white room, standing opposite two similar looking boys with black hair.
"Hello Larz" grinned Sirius.
"Siri, Reg, I've missed you both" admitted Larissa, as she ran towards her brothers and threw herself into their arms.
"We've missed you too" informed Regulus.
"Come, we've got so much to catch up on" informed Sirius.
"Don't ever leave me again" replied Larissa.
"I'm not going anywhere, big sister. I promise you, that we shall never again be parted".

*************
Thank you for reading my book all the way to the end. I'm sorry it ended up being this long, I never intended to write this many chapters, but the story just kept progressing in my mind.

Larissa's story was not a pleasant one to write or read, so thank you for sticking around to the end.

If you like my work, please check out some of my other fanfics, that are more pleasant to read.

Mischief Managed.