chosen - harry potter

Chapter 19 - In the Dark

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

The floor was cold against Cassia's throbbing shoulder. She blinked, her vision still unbelievably clouded. Her stomach turned, overtaking her in nausea. She breathed steadily, looking around her. She was huddled under a desk. The room was empty. It was startlingly quiet, though she could hear distant voices from above her.

Something pressed into her hip. Her hand shaking, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the glass orb that she had taken. It somehow hadn't broken in the course of the battle.

She squinted, not understanding why all of these orbs were being hidden in the Ministry. Had it been explained to her? She couldn't remember. She couldn't remember much of anything. Everything was a bit fuzzy.

For seemingly no reason, she lifted the orb as high as she could and threw it to the floor, watching it shatter. A sparkling light escaped from it, accompanied by the voice of a woman:

"A girl born at the meeting of light and dark...of power and fear...The Dark Lord will mark her as his heir...Power granted...given as a gift...lived as a punishment...A symbol...a martyr...Defiance for love rewarded with betrayal...

A boy born where love is worth less than power...less than pain...The Dark Lord will mark him as his soldier...Power granted...given as a punishment...lived as a gift...A symbol...a martyr...Defiance for betrayal rewarded with love...

Children born of darkness...Examples...Symbols...Martyrs..."

Cassia stayed on the floor, absorbing the words. A martyr. She was going to be a martyr. She was going to die. And who was the boy? His name wasn't on the orb. She felt her chest rise and fall quickly, panicking.

A frantic laugh echoed through the room.

"You've listened to your Prophecy, have you?" Damien said, his voice higher pitched than usual. Cassia could see his feet walking toward her from under the desk. "Haven't you wondered why we weren't after that one? It's because we've heard it! You don't have to be a martyr, stupid girl! Make this easy on yourself!"

He stooped down to look under the desk, grabbing Cassia by her hair and pulling her.

"Stop!" Cassia screamed.

Damien threw her down on the ground. For once, his eyes didn't look bored. He looked elated. 

"You will accept the Dark Lord. You will. You were born for this."

"No!" Cassia yelled, her head pounding again.

Damien pointed his wand at her furiously, but it shot out of his hand at once. Cassia turned to look at where the spell had shot from, and standing at the staircase was Sirius. He shot a second spell at the defenseless Damien, and he was sent flying backwards, hitting the wall with a thud.

"Sirius!" Cassia gasped, still on the floor. 

"Are you hurt?" Sirius said after making sure Damien was unconscious. He hurried over to her.

"A bit, but I'm okay," Cassia said, sitting up. Sirius kneeled next to her.

"You saved my life, Cassia. Again," Sirius said with a chuckle.

"I did?"

"You did. Bellatrix was going to kill me. You disarmed her before she could. No one even knew it was you since you were under the desk," Sirius said gratefully. 

He shot a spell toward Damien, seemingly wrapping him in invisible rope. He stood up and stuck his hand out to Cassia, pulling her up by her uninjured arm. She stood only for a moment before wobbling, almost falling. He supported her under her arm, helping her out of the room. He pulled Damien by the ropes, holding his wand up absentmindedly.