Against the dark Hearts

Chapter 59

On Saturday morning, just as I'm putting on a coat, there's a knock on my door. Sebastian has been sleeping in his own room so that we can be focused and well-rested for our flight to the small coastal village.

We've decided to take our broomsticks to get an aerial view, as Floo Powder is practical but also dangerous. We don't know what awaits us there. I straighten my shoulders and walk over to the door, which I swing open. A brief kiss as a greeting.

"Ready?" Sebastian asks, and I nod uncertainly. I thought my adventuring days were over, but here I am, possibly embarking on a new one.

Our journey is uneventful, except for a few Blast-Ended Skrewts flying towards us. As we fly over the lake, there seems to be nothing going on except for bad weather. We start descending when a red streak zips past me. I immediately draw my wand and cast a silent Confringo in that direction, but I only hit a rock. Sebastian grabs my hand and pulls me behind some trees and into a cluster of different bushes.

"Be careful," he whispers, as if I didn't know that was dangerous. I furrow my brow and look at him, and when he points forward, I see it too. A group of witches and wizards walking along the lake's shore, dressed in battle attire. Protective runes and vests that would ward off cutting spells.

I audibly exhale and look at Sebastian with alarm.

"They look like..."

"...Grimward's people," he whispers.

Horrible images flash before my mind's eye, and a shiver runs down my spine. If her people are here, she can't be far away.

"We need to get out of here," I whisper.

"Too late," someone says loudly, and I recognize the voice. It cuts through my thoughts like sharp glass through skin. It leaves cuts and reopens an old, crusted scar.

An explosion follows her words, and I only feel pounding in my head as I try to get up, leaning on my wand. I see Sebastian being held firmly by both arms and struggling to break free.

NO

This time, she won't take him away from me. I wrench myself free from the ground, ignoring the pain shooting through my leg. I ignore the fear and memories trying to incapacitate me, trying to paralyze me and leave me helpless.

No.

This time, I will sweep anyone aside who even looks at him the wrong way.

My gaze is fixed firmly on one of Margaret's henchmen as I reach out. I have no idea where my wand is, but I don't need it for this.

A bolt of lightning from above hits him. I can't prevent Sebastian from also getting hit, as I deliberately aimed at the one holding him. He's thrown to the side, but he seems to be okay. I can't worry about him right now. I have a different target.

"Accio," I say, and my wand flies from one hand to mine.

I point it at the white-haired woman in the red cloak in front of me.

"I'm not a little girl anymore, Margaret," I say, and she laughs. She mocks me with her laughter, but I've had enough.

She's broken me. She's made me forget who I was, beyond my obsession with a boy I loved when I was 18. Not again. I'm not a little girl anymore.

"Crucio," I hiss between my teeth, clutching my wand so tightly in my fist that my knuckles turn white. The curse hits her square in the chest, and her laughter dies down, replaced by a blood-curdling scream. I've never heard anything like it in terms of pain.

I want her pain to be a thousand times worse than the pain I've experienced since coming to Hogwarts. No, that's not enough.

I want her to feel my pain over my father's death. I want her to feel the pain I felt when I sat alone on the stairs, watching the other children play. I want her to feel the agony of Lodgok's murder, the pain inflicted by Harlow, when he hurt Natty. She should also feel the pain I felt when Eleazar sacrificed himself for me. The heartache when Sebastian briefly chose Nerida, and the Bludger that caused it.

Sebastian's attack on the Astronomy Tower. Nerida's attack.

My mother's death.

Her taking Evangeline away from me.

Her taking Sebastian away from me and raping him.

I want her to feel all of that and be destroyed by the pain.

As she writhes in agony, her henchmen rush toward me, and for a moment, I'm afraid one of them will catch me. But then I see a bright green streak fly past me and hit one of them.

I interrupt my curse and briefly stop cursing Grimward, just long enough to conjure a Patronus and send it to Ominis and Evangeline.

Unfortunately, it's also enough time for Grimward to fumble for her wand with trembling hands and cast a weak Depulso at me. However, it's still strong enough to push me backward.

I bump my head lightly and feel an open wound that starts to bleed. My fingers are lightly coated in blood as I touch it.

Rumors, my ass.

It's a miracle they didn't show up directly at Hogwarts.

It's a miracle they didn't show up directly at Hogwarts.

I gasp in shock as I see the face of the supposed Margaret Grimward slowly begin to change. This was a distraction, and I fell for it. Sebastian and I exchange a hurried glance, and it seems we have the same damn thought.

I run to my broomstick and wait a brief moment for Sebastian to reach his, so we can fly off together.

In the air, I send another Patronus.

"Ominis and Evangeline are to return to Hogwarts immediately. Grimward is back!"