Forsaken Bloodlines {HP x GOT}

Chapter 4.19: Life and Death

Lyanna woke up in the Hospital Wing, her mind a whirlwind of memories from the graveyard. She sat up abruptly, heart pounding, and scanned the room. Her eyes found Cedric's still body lying a few beds away, his father sitting beside him, head bowed in grief.

Lyanna forced herself out of bed, her legs weak and trembling, and approached them. Mr. Diggory looked up as she neared, his eyes red and swollen.

"Ah, so you're the Malfoy girl Cedric would not stop talking about," he said, his voice thick with sorrow. "You really are different from the rest of your family."

Lyanna's throat tightened as she looked at Cedric's pale face. "How is he?" she whispered.

Mr. Diggory sighed deeply. "He was already dead when you brought him back. Your attempt to restore his life did little, only bringing his heartbeat back. But according to Madame Pomfrey, he's brain-dead."

Tears welled up in Lyanna's eyes, and she bit her lip to hold them back. "I'm so sorry," she choked out.

Mr. Diggory nodded, his own eyes filling with tears. "I want him to rest now, but I didn't want you to not be able to say goodbye."

Lyanna's heart ached, but the thought of saying goodbye was too much to bear. She couldn't do it. She turned abruptly and marched out of the Hospital Wing, her mind set on one thing: finding Professor van Houten.

She found the professor in her office, slamming the door shut behind her. "You will bring him back, Melisandre! You must bring him back to me," she cried, her voice trembling with desperation. "I know you can give life back to the dead. Please. If this must be the last favor I ask you, then please, do it!"

Melisandre looked at her with a mixture of sadness and concern. "There are always consequences in bringing the dead back to life, Lyanna," she warned.

"I don't care," Lyanna replied, her eyes burning with determination. "I will do anything that I must."

Melisandre sighed. "Only death can pay for life."

Lyanna understood immediately. She knew whose life she would take: Barty Crouch Jr., who was still imprisoned in the castle. It seemed like a win-win if she rid the world of him. Melisandre was taken aback by Lyanna's determination, a hint of fear flashing in her eyes. She saw how Lyanna's resolve mirrored her mother's ruthlessness, willing to take a life without hesitation if it meant achieving her goal.

"You must not speak a word of this to anyone," Lyanna demanded. "Not one word of what we do must get out."

Melisandre questioned her, bewildered by the lengths Lyanna was willing to go. "What is your plan, Lyanna? You would lie to everyone you trust, everyone who trusts you?"

"I lied to them the moment I understood who I really was and who I'm meant to be. It wouldn't hurt to do the same with this." Lyanna's eyes hardened. "I will avenge what happened to Cedric, and I will destroy anyone who dares hurt the people I love."

Fear flickered in Melisandre's eyes, but Lyanna was too consumed by her 'mission' to notice. The eerie conclusion settled in Melisandre's mind: Lyanna was becoming more and more like her mother, a woman who would stop at nothing to protect her own.

~~~

Later that night, under the cover of darkness, Lyanna made her way to the dungeons where Barty Crouch Jr. was being held. She moved silently, her footsteps barely making a sound on the cold stone floor. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she kept her focus on the task at hand.

As she reached the cell, she saw Barty Crouch Jr. sitting on the floor, his back against the wall, his eyes closed. He looked up as she approached, a sneer forming on his lips.