Challenged Love

Chapter 37

THE WAR:
I had never seen chaos such as this before in my life. Lethal spells flashed across the atmosphere, striking people one by one. Explosions rung in my ears, and Death Eaters swarmed the premises.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione went to go find the other horcruxes, and Draco went to the Slytherin dungeons to free the Slytherins. Meanwhile, Blaise, Lara, and I were caught in the midst of a cold-blooded war, dodging curses and fighting off Death Eaters. Screams sounded from everywhere, lives were being taken, and Hogwarts was being destroyed. Hogwarts was dark, devastating, not the magical boarding school I had grown accustomed to. The sight was gut wrenching. Everything here is a disaster. I coughed against the flames that bursted around us.

"Look out!" Blaise warned us as a large chunk of the ceiling crashed onto the floor beside us.

The three of us rolled out of the way just in time, ducking under a staircase for cover. Just as we made it under, a spell came flying towards me, but I didn't realize until Lara stepped out in front of me.

"No," I stopped, all the air leaving my lungs.

Lara fell into my arms ever so gracefully, her pink eyes wide and blood shot.

"Lara please," I begged.

I tried shaking her. I patted her cheek. I begged and begged and begged. I held her close, shaking against her as panic reeled within me.

"Lara answer me," I pleaded even more.

Blaise knelt down beside us, feeling for her pulse. "She's alive, just hit with a Stupefy spell."

Why would she do that? She should have just let me take the spell. A tear fell from my face onto her forehead. I needed her back conscious. I needed Lara. I needed Blaise. I needed everyone to make it out alive even if I didn't.

Through the smoke, I caught a glimpse of Jane Norman fighting off a group of courageous third years. She killed all of them, every single one slaughtered by her hand. I was horror stricken by the sight.

I couldn't take it.

"Blaise, please take you and Lara somewhere safe," I ordered before rising to my feet, wand clutched in my hand as if I were going to stab someone.

"Where are you going?" He took Lara's limp body in his arms. He sounded terrified. I was terrified.

"To get revenge," I merely stated before taking off.

Blaise called out to me, ordering me to come back and claiming how outrageous this way. I didn't care. The outcries of the war drowned out his protest. I darted from wall to wall, heart pounding in my chest. I chased after her. I followed Jane through the corridors. All I could think about was the last moments I was with Kasper, standing side by side in the nightmare I had always envisioned. How could Jane let her own son die by the hand of some random Death Eater? How could she stand there and not do anything? I continued to chase after her until she stopped in the Great Hall. That's when she turned around and noticed me for the first time.

"Miss me, yet?" I remarked, narrowing my gaze at her.

I'm not sure what had gotten into me. Maybe this was what Kasper felt moments before his departure, a sense of courage and a willingness to sacrifice yourself for the ones you love.

She smirked, raising her wand. Her dark hair brushed behind her, contrasting with her pale features. I saw Kasper for a moment. "Come to duel, Miss Rosewood?"