It was all happening too fast.
She didn’t have time to step forward before another killing curse came her way - narrowly dodged by pure luck.
“Anna!” Harry cried out on instinct as they all ducked down.
“Stupefy!” She hissed in return, yet her spell missed. Anna cursed in frustration as she pressed her back against the wall.
“Harry! Anna!”
Anna jerked around to see Ginny, Luna and Ron coming towards them - Ron seemingly delirious and Ginny not much better, as the red head seemed to be leaning most of her weight on Luna.
“Ginny! Down!”
But she was too late, and was forced to watch as Luna was flung across the room, and Ginny collapsed against a bookshelf, only to be hit by a spell mere seconds later and fall to the ground.
Anna cried out in frustration. “No, no, no!” She tugged at her hair.
Why did they come here? They shouldn't have come here. And now she was going to lose everything because she isn’t strong enough.
Why isn’t she ever strong enough?
“Anna!” Harry’s shout broke her out of her stupor as he pushed her out of the way of another curse, the two rolling across the ground.
“What are you doing?” She demanded hotly.
“Saving your stupid life.” He retorted.
“I don’t need your help. You can’t be there to save me forever you know.”
“Watch me.” Harry challenged, pushing her down as more spells came raining down over them.
Pushing them right by the polished shoes of none other than Lucius Malfoy.
He held out his hand, his other hand holding his wand to her head. “The prophecy, Potter. Now.”
She only glared. “Release my friends first.”
I won’t let them die. No one else is going to die because of me. Never again.
Lucius laughed. “A bold statement for someone in your shoes. You think you still have a choice, don’t you?”
“And it’s funny that you think you’ll be able to get it from me without my cooperation.” Her eyes blazed with anger.
“Oh, we won’t need to wait long.” Bellatrix smirked. “All little girls like you - they think they’re so invincible. That nothing can shake them.”
The witch wet her lips. “It doesn’t matter what I do to you. You are a bit of a masochist yourself, I can tell. But what about…what I could do to him.”
Bellatrix smirked, pointing her wand to Neville. “Crucio.”
Neville began to scream in agony, body flailing in an unnatural dance.
Stop.
Stop. Stop. Stop.
“STOP!” Anna’s thoughts were finally able to be verbalized, the bile coating her tongue making it nearly impossible to speak. “Get away from him!”
He’s just a kid.
He’s just like me.
They were both children, stuck in a world of adults.
A world where it was kill or be killed.
Bellatrix cackled in glee. “So many little friends to choose from. Why should I stop? Give us the prophecy, girl.”
The taste of blood filled her mouth as she bit down on her tongue. If she gave it to them, they would know. All of them would know. She would be hunted down and be slaughtered - anything to keep Voldemort alive forever.
The question was, was her life worth more than her friends?
Her fingers twitched, but she made no other indicator of reaching for it.
What is wrong with you, Potter? Give her the stupid prophecy.
She pursed her lips.
Bellatrix smirked. “Playing hard to get? No matter. Though I do wonder…how much more can the Longbottom boy take?”
Anna was frozen as Bellatrix took her arms, pinning them to either side of her head against the wall.
She couldn’t move.
Nausea ran through her as Bellatrix came even closer - close enough that Anna could smell the stench of her breath.
“Anna! Just give it to her!” She heard Harry’s shout from where he was being restrained by Lucius.
“Let go of me.” She said calmly, though her voice shook.
She shook.
“Aww,” Bellatrix cooed. “Is the little girl scared?”
The witch twisted her broken fingers, eliciting a strangled shout as pain ran white-hot through her entire arm.
“Give it up. You can’t do anything anyway. You’re helpless.”
“Get off!”
Suddenly, multiple figures came into the room, sending out multiple spells of their own.
Bellatrix’s cold hands were gone, replaced by the warm and comforting arms of none other than Sirius himself.
“Are you safe?” He asked first, dark onyx eyes swimming with emotion.
She couldn’t help but flinch at the initial contact, but she nodded anyway. Even though she still felt those disgusting cold hands, holding her down against her will.
Why couldn’t she have thrown her off? After all her sessions with Tonks, after everything she’d been through, she still hadn’t been strong enough.
Helpless.
Anna gritted her teeth as Sirius handed her wand back - retrieved from where it had been thrown across the room.
“You and your brother need to get out of here. Harry - all of you. Go.”
Harry hesitated, about to relent when another killing spell went in between them, and they were all separated once again.
She gripped onto her wand tighter, but her tongue was numb, seemingly unable to function as she watched the spells light up the room.
You’re too weak. Just go. You’re a burden.
“No. no.” Anna whispered. “I’m not.”
She didn’t realize that Bellatrix was right behind her.
She didn’t see Bellatrix raising her wand.
And she certainly didn’t see Sirius before it was too late.
In slow-motion, she watched as he fell. She watched the light fade from his eyes, as the life in his body fell limp as he passed through the veil - victim of a spell meant for her.
Harry’s cry was deafening.
Sirius was gone.
YOU ARE READING
Lillian 'Anna' Potter || Order of the Phoenix
Hayran Kurgu"SOMETIMES, IT'S EASIER TO FORGIVE THAN IT IS TO FORGET." It was revealed by J.K Rowling that when Lily Potter originally died, she was with child. What if Lily had her second child before Voldemort showed up at their house in Little Whinging? H...
