The Other Side: A Harry Potter FanFiction

Chapter XLIII

“Stupefy!”

            Bellatrix lunged out of the way. The red jet of light hit the wall where her head had been moments before. “Missed!”

            Sirius growled. His insane cousin was taunting him, as usual. His hatred and rage boiled inside, making him more determined to end it, once and for all.

            Aiming for the wall ahead of Bellatrix, he shouted, “Expulso!”

            The wall blew up, sending chunks flying everywhere. Bellatrix, with a high-pitched scream, fell backwards in an attempt to get out of the line of fire. A large piece of the wall hit her arm, making her cry out and drop her wand.

            “Accio wand!” Sirius yelled.

            Bellatrix screamed and dove for her wand as it lifted off the floor and whipped towards Sirius. He reached up and caught it easily, moving it swiftly so it pointed directly at her.

            Killing her with her own wand, he thought, A fitting end for you, dear cousin.

            Then another thought occurred to him. Killing her while she’s defenseless would make me just as bad as she is. I don’t want to stoop down to her level.

            But I want her dead…

            He bit his lip and shook his head. “No. Not like this.”

            Bellatrix looked up at him incredulously. “You have you’re opportunity, Siri. Aren't you going to take it?”

            “I’m not like you, Bella,” Sirius said, glaring down at her. “I wouldn’t attack a person without a weapon.”

            “Then you’re a fool!” she spat, “This is a war! As long as you have that attitude, you will fail!”

            “Then I fail. I can accept that, because if we lose now, we will be remembered, not for our loss, but for our purpose, and people will continue to fight for that purpose. Can you say the same?”

            Bellatrix said nothing, simply shot him a look of pure venom.

            “Sirius!”

            Sirius turned around and saw Lana racing down the hall towards him, her face wet. “Lana. What’s wrong?”

            “It's Cedric,” she said upon reaching him, her voice tight. “He’s…” Her face contorted in sadness.

            “I know,” Sirius said softly, “I was there, remember?”

            She took a breath to calm herself, eyeing Bellatrix on the floor. “What happened here?”

            “Bellatrix is defenseless,” he replied, “I have her wand. You remember the counter-curse?”

            “Yeah: Verto Orbis Terrarum, Pro Melior, and Pro Peior. Each three times.”

            “Good,” Sirius said, turning on his heel and starting down the hallway. “Now’s when we start searching for the prophecy. We would’ve heard back by now if anyone had found it, so it can’t be in the Great Hall or the Slytherin Common Room.”

            “Where should we look now?” Lana asked, following.

            “The Headmaster’s Office,” Sirius said, “And if its not there—”

            “Oh, Siri!”

            He stopped. Lana, noticing, turned and looked at him, and then at Bellatrix standing behind him.

            Her eyes widened.

            “I may not have my wand,” Bellatrix said, brandishing a curved dagger, “But I most certainly am not defenseless!”

            Sirius turned around slowly, glancing at the dagger. “I spared you, and this is how you repay me?”

            “You’ve forgotten one small factor,” she said, “I am not a nice woman.”

            Before Sirius could respond, move to stop her, or leap out of the way, she brought the dagger up and plunged it deep into his chest.