Against the dark Hearts

Chapter 60

I land at the Hogwarts bridge and run as fast as I can, with Sebastian following behind. He's limping a bit, and if it weren't for the adrenaline pumping through my body, I'd probably feel differently but this is a matter of life and death.

As I enter the entrance hall, it's already a half-battlefield. Students, teachers, even nurses and the caretaker are here, defending the castle.

This is all my fault.

I want to help, but I know this is just another distraction keeping me from the Repository. I start running, as fast as I can.

I rush down the stairs through the wine cellar and past the dragon statue. Past wounded students, past lights and fighting teachers.

Behind me, I hear Sebastian panting, and then more footsteps. As I turn my head slightly while running, I see Ominis and Evangeline storming through the door hand in hand, hurling one of Margaret's henchmen against a wall, where he slides down and lies on the ground.

In the Map Chamber, chaos reigns. The portraits of the other Guardians have all been destroyed. I see the fabric they were painted on slowly burning away.

Curses are being fired around us. Red beams, green beams, protective barriers, and blinding bright lights illuminating the area around us.

The door to the Repository has been forced open. I have no idea how they managed it, but I don't care. I need to hurry now.

I duck and dodge another red beam as I rush through the door, dragging my friends with me.

"You take care of Grimward's people; I'll look for her," I say.

Ominis, Evangeline, and Sebastian start shouting wildly, and I can't understand any of them.

"This isn't new to me, I know this place, and you don't. You have to trust me. I can handle this," I shout over their voices.

We run through debris and rubble, remnants from the last time I was here. It doesn't take long for us to reach the center and see them standing there.

Grimward isn't alone, she has a handful of her lackeys with her. They're trying to break open the sphere I sealed over a decade ago to contain ancient magic.

I clench my jaw and grip my wand tightly once again.

I aim it at Grimward, determined to do what I must.

She has to die.

I know Evangeline knows it, my thoughts are so loud that even someone who's not a Legilimens should hear them.

"Avada Kedavra," I say tonelessly, and a bright green beam shoots almost smoothly toward the witch -

-and misses.

She turns around and looks at me. She smiles.

Sebastian wants to step forward, but I hold him back.

"You take care of her dirty followers," I say, moving ahead. I keep my wand aimed at her.

"Who do we have here? Is that the Hogwarts heroine? Betty, isn't it?" she mocks.

I don't respond. I just look at her coldly. She wants to see me break down, but I won't give her that satisfaction again. I shut out everything that could distract me from my goal. Everything except the sheer will to hear her scream in pain and then simply die.

I briefly close my eyes and conjure another lightning strike that hits right behind Grimward. She's thrown forward, and her companions in all other directions.

"Expelliarmus," I say, and her wand is thrown away.

As she tries to get up, I step on her hand. "You thought you could take him away from me again," I hiss and step on her hand again.

"Imperio," I whisper, aiming my wand at her.

I retrieve her wand and give it back to her.

Kill your companions.

A silent command she immediately obeys. I smile. There's a hint of madness in my eyes.

She stands there alone, a slave to my will.

Cut your own skin.

Another silent command she follows. I laugh.

"Who's whose toy now?" I whisper in her ear.

"Crucio," I hiss, and Grimward - the real one this time - collapses in pain.

My Imperius breaks at that moment, and apart from the pain from my curse, there's a look of horror in her eyes at what just happened.

My final spell completes the circle of Unforgivable Curses, and as the green beam shoots out of my wand and hits her, it's as if she looks at me one last time, full of doubt and disbelief.

For my mother. For Evangeline. For Sebastian. For me.