February of 1996

76

On the other part of the castle, the hood of the Death Eater dueled by Percy moved, showing the opponent to be Pius Thicknesse, the Minister for Magic that was under the Imperius Curse by the Death Eaters, and Percy hit him with a sea urchin jinx. Back at the corridor was full of duelers with some Death Eaters that were masked fighting students and teachers.

Dean Thomas was face-to-face with Antonin Dolohov, while Parvati Patil was fighting Travers. Colin and Irena were going against two death eaters. He had a smile on his face as he was sending spells and dodging them.

The death eater sent Colin flying backward, "Colin," Irena screamed, looking behind her shoulder seeing him on the ground. "I'm good," he was able to say. Irena looked back at the death eater that threw Colin. Irena's facial expression changed, and she raised her wand and shouted, "Crucio" He twisted through the air like a drowning man, tossing and howling in pain.

She was going to check on Colin, but she saw a familiar face in the crowd of death eaters. She made eye contact with the woman, "Hello, mother," Irena said, and her mother walked closer to her. Irena couldn't even recognize her mother as she stood in front of her that was not her mother.

Agatha looked different; probably from spending too much time with the death eaters, she looked skinnier, her hair was a mess, and she had dark bags under her eyes.

"I should have killed you at that wedding. I won't make the same mistake twice," her mother said as she was walking around her, ready to attack. Irena had a firm grip on her wand as her mother circled around her.

Irena didn't want to hurt her mother even though she didn't even know the woman that gave birth to her.

"Once Im done with you, I'll kill that bastard son of yours," Agatha said with a devilish smile.

That's when things changed for Irena; she was not going to allow her mother to touch a single hair in Alek's head, "You will not hurt my son," she said firmly.

Agatha only laughed, not believing that Irena was capable of doing anything she had always been weak. "You won't do anything, Irena, and maybe I'll kill that Weasley boy too," she said, smirking, knowing what that was doing to Irena.

"You will not hurt my family, I won't allow it," she said, sending a spell her way, but Agatha easily dodged it. Jets of light flew from both wands, the floor around their feet became hot and cracked, both witches were fighting to kill.

Both women continued to send spells to each other. Irena looked firmly at her mother, who only had a smile on her face; she was enjoying it. Irena was able to steady herself after a spell hit her "you're too weak, Irena, you will die right here," Agatha threatened.  Irena was afraid she couldn't deny that, but she wasn't going to die without fighting as long as she could. She was fighting her mother for Alek and Fred for them to have a long future; she didn't want her mother to hurt them in any way.

Irena sent a last spell to her mother; the realization hit Agatha, the smile disappearing from her face as she fell to the floor lifeless Agatha Becksky was dead.

"You have fought," said the high, cold voice, "valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery.

"Yet you have sustained large losses. If you proceed to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not want this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat instantly. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured. There was a moment of silence, and then he continued by saying, "I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If at the end of that hour, you have not come to me have not given yourself up, then the battle will continue. Harry Potter, I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

Irena ran looking for Fred; she hadn't seen him at all; she wanted to know he was fine.