The Dark Promise// Theodore Nott

Ch 20

The first step was uncoiling the eating curse from around his organs. That would be the hardest part. It was like she was performing muggle surgery. One of the servants came in with a stool, so she could sit down as she concentrated. Draco's wand felt different than hers. After years of using the same wand, using another one felt strange to say the least. It was springier than she expected. Or it just felt springy since hers was very stiff.

The Dark Lord kept his composure throughout the process, surprising Olivia. She was secretly looking forward to giving him unimaginable pain, but if he was feeling it, it didn't show on his face. That was until she stared pulling the mass off his organs. Once she was able to loosen it up enough, she started pulling the threads that binded it to him. A deep hiss escaped from his mouth as he clenched his hands. The woman who had been standing by Draco took a step forward, readying her wand, preparing to strike. "Stop it! You are going to kill him!"

The Dark lord held his hand towards her, pushing her back with an unseen force. "Let her finish!" He hissed before sinking back down into his throne. Olivia continued, her eyes never leaving the man's stomach. Sweat began to collect on her forehead and her mouth began to dry up from speaking the incantation over and over. She had been working on him for over an hour, making his supporters restless. She had stated it would be a long and painful process, and she wasn't lying then.

She stopped her incantation, looking over her work for a second. She put her hand to her chin before placing it back on his belly. The mass was soft and squishy now and she could move it around with her hand. It was no longer binded with his body, but if she didn't act fast, it would begin to seep it's threads into him again. She looked up at Draco, slightly scared to address the woman who stood next to him. "I need something to contain it. The book didn't say how I should dispose of it once it was out."

The woman next to him pursed her lips. "So, it's happening? Will he be back to normal?" There was glimmer of hope in her eyes. No not really hope, maybe it was love. Did this lady love the dark lord? How could anyone feel anything but fear for this monster. He wasn't even human anymore. "Yes, I believe so." She stated, watching Draco leave the room in search of some containment for the curse.

Olivia continued her enchantment, keeping the black mass loose before Draco returned. He was carrying a large urn. It was made of pure silver with no decorations. "We can put it in this." Olivia stared at it for a second, coming to the conclusion that it would suffice. She directed her gaze to her patient now, speaking to him in a professional voice. "My lord, I am about to expel the curse from you now. Please brace yourself." He nodded and Olivia could feel everyone in the room collectively hold their breath.

She flicked Malfoy's wand with tiny movements, slowly pushing the mass upwards. It inched its way out of his stomach, now fully collected in his chest. She pushed up further, so it was now near his esophagus. He began to choke, feeling it creep up his throat and through his mouth. Black liquid began to spew out of the corners of his lips and run down his neck. It wasn't a pretty sight, but Olivia knew she had to keep going. There was no going back now.

Gurgling sounds expelled from him as the bulging curse was now hanging halfway out his mouth. Some of his death eaters turned their head from the gruesome display. Some continued to watch in intrigue. One of those men was Malfoy, his gaze never leaving her. Olvia could feel her body weaken. It was taking a considerable amount of magic and energy to fulfill her task. When this was all over, she would be incredibly exhausted.

It was almost completely out. The Dark Lord's body was now covered in the black ooze. Finally, she heard a pop, as if she had broken a seal of some sort. She pulled out the remainder of the curse, the Dark Lord now able to take a deep breath. She swirled the curse in the air, levitating it in front of her. She tried to scrunch it up, making it as small as possible. Malfoy opened the urn, placing it to her side as she squished the mass inside. He placed the lid back on top, before reaching his hand out for his wand. She begrudgingly handed it to him, not wanting to be wandless once more. The curse tried to fight its way out of the urn before Draco sealed it himself, stilling the curse and putting it to sleep.