In The Shadow of Our Choices

Chapter 119: The Last Stretch

Previously:
Elizabeth, Sebastian, Ominis, and Anne joined Andrew to watch the Auror raid on Clagmar Castle, the last hideout of the Rookwood gang. During the fight, they spotted a small group escaping. Elizabeth and co went to check it out after she thought she caught a glimpse of Nathaniel Rookwood. She turned out to be correct, so they engaged the group. Elizabeth dueled Nathaniel, suffering a Cruciatus curse in the process and ultimately taking him down with a Rupturing Curse. She then decided to spare his life.

Elizabeth

Sebastian had quietly handed her a vial of essence of dittany when they arrived back at Feldcroft. Elizabeth had just begun gingerly rubbing it into her bruises when Anne approached her, her face still white as a sheet.

"Erm, Elizabeth?" Anne asked, swallowing hard. "What... what was that spell you used? The one at the end - it was purple."

"Oh," Elizabeth said, clearing her throat when the sound came out as more of a croak. "Laceratio Mors, the Rupturing Curse."

"That looked almost identical to the curse Victor Rookwood used on me that night," Anne said, looking like she might be sick.

Sebastian's head snapped up at that. He'd been sitting cross-legged on his bed, sewing up a rip in his robes.

"That's not possible," he said, "It was one of the first things they thought of."

Anne shook her head.

"No, it... looked a lot like it, but not exactly," Anne said, throwing up her hands. "I remember purple flames, and they went through my shield charm just like... but it wasn't a slash like Ellie did, he shot it straight at me."

"But it's always a slash, that's the wand movement."

"And that's why I said it was similar."

Anne glared at her brother, but Sebastian only pointed at her with the sewing needle.

"Look, we found that curse in a very old spellbook," he said, "There were no variants of any sort listed. According to Andrew's father - and from what we've seen personally - it is a popular spell with the Rookwood gang. I don't know where they learned it, but it's always been the same as the one I found."

"I'm just saying what I saw," Anne said hotly. "Maybe it wasn't the same spell, but it was similar."

"If it wasn't the same spell, then it wasn't similar," he said, "So I don't see why-"

"Oh Merlin, give it a rest Sebastian," Ominis snapped, from where he was meticulously healing a series of small cuts in his skin. "You of all people should know how easy it is to modify a spell, and how easily it can mess things up. Merlin, even without modification, if you miscast a spell like that..."

Elizabeth nodded along with what Ominis was saying. She cleared her throat before contributing.

"'Never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself with a buffalo on his chest.' - I will say, after I was hit with it last fall, I had waves of pain, just like Anne."

Anne gestured at her approvingly.

"I'm just saying," Sebastian said, scowling. "The healers know how to treat the Rupturing Curse. I remember them trying the potions for it - it was one of the first things they tried. You'd think it would've helped, even if it was miscast."

"And all I said," Anne said "Was that the spell looked similar."

"It wasn't -"

"Alright, I've had enough," Ominis said, turning his wand towards the twins. "Silencio."