All Good Things

Chapter 25 - Turn Tail and Run

Victoria

The ancient magic had begun to create a vortex around them, whipping both of their hair up into the air as they were surrounded by the white-blue power. Her skin buzzed as it ran over her arms and torso in lightning-like pulses. Tori stared Eliza down right to the very second she raised her wand and cast, the red light of the dark spell coming just short of hitting her in the chest before she stepped just to the right. Her eyes met the blonde's now wide, icy blue ones, fear clear in her expression.

"Really? The cruciatus curse? I know pure-bloods dabble in the dark arts, but you would think you'd know when you're outmatched." Tori raised one hand rapidly, the magic latching on to Eliza and sending her careening forward. "Now, see, I could continue handling this with magic like my mother would have. But I feel like you deserve some good old fashioned muggle punishment like my dad taught me."

Tori reeled her magic back in, breathing deeply before she pulled her arm back. Gods, she wished she could have captured on some of that moving picture film the look on Eliza's face when her fist connected to the silky white skin of her jaw. It was clear the blonde had never done any kind of fighting that didn't involve magic when she sat primly on the ground, one hand on her jaw, glowering up at the taller witch with her mouth ajar.

"You hit me!" Eliza's voice had climbed an octave, her already shrill screech now reminiscent of an actual harpy.

Tori pressed one foot firmly into Eliza's chest, pushing the elven witch backwards onto her back before stepping firmly onto her wrist.

"Don't know what you were expecting really. You touched my girlfriend." Eliza started to reach for Tori's ankle, prompting her to push down harder, the wand falling from her grasp. "Try it again, and I'll break it."

"What in the bloody hell are you?" Eliza looked truly terrified as she stared up.

"That really depends. See, I could have just been a pain in your arse, but then you went and stalked and hurt the love of my life after you sent her spiraling down a pit of self-loathing and anger. So now, I'm your absolute worst nightmare." Tori knelt over her, grabbing a fistful of white-gold hair. "So pretty. It'd be a shame if..." She snapped her fingers, the silken locks catching fire and burning unevenly until it was butchered just up to her shoulders.

Eliza squawked indignantly from her position on the ground, writhing against Tori's grasp. She managed to get her knees up under Tori and knock her back, catching her off guard. Eliza grabbed her wand from where it had rolled out of her hand and took aim at the dark haired witch. Tori rolled out of the way, pulling herself up and turning to face her aggressor. The blonde made a poor attempt at trying to hit Tori, her fist not even landing before she had a hand buried painfully in the hair at her scalp and was flipped back down onto the ground.

"Gods, did you just try to punch me? I'd commend you for the effort, but maybe you should stick to your element. I have four older brothers and hail from the muggle world, sweetheart. You're not getting the upper hand on me." Tori yanked Eliza's head back, pulling her chest off the ground with it. "You know, Poppy doesn't want me to kill you. You're really lucky that what she wants is more important to me than what I want."

Eliza flicked her eyes back in the direction Poppy had run off, sneering up at Tori. "You have no idea who you're up against. I'll have the Ministry at your door if you hurt me any further. My family-"

"I'm not afraid of your family, you barmy twit. I'm not particularly afraid of anything, really, especially the Ministry, considering I have them in the palm of my hand." She didn't think Eliza's eyes could get any wider. "I stopped an entire bloody rebellion during my first year as a witch where they couldn't even contain it. Even disposed of an entire region full of poachers with that wonderful little whirlwind of a Hufflepuff over there. I am the Ministry, darling."