The Dark Mark (The Girl Who Lived part II)

At Last

I plunged the dagger downwards. But when the shard wasn't a centimeter away from piercing Draco's neck, I hesitated. I was gaining control again. My fingers loosened around the shard until it fell through the cracks in between my fingers. The piece of glass spiraled downward until it shattered against the pavement. It felt as if something had physically knocked me off my feet. I felt winded. I collapsed into Draco, beginning to sob uncontrollably because of the swirl of happiness, sadness, and everything in between. Neville had beheaded Nagini, and I was finally free of Voldemort's control. Draco massaged my back whispering words of reassurance in my ear. "It's not your fault, Scarlet. It wasn't you". 

By the time I'd managed to pull myself together again, the battle had recommenced. The shouting of spells that echoed from the Great Hall could be heard all throughout Hogwarts. "We may not have the vanishing cabinet, but we can still run away together. Forget everything that happened. Start anew". He said. But his voice sounded distant. It was the events within the Great Hall that occupied my thoughts. "Look what we have here". The voice was neither Draco's nor mine. It was female. We turned our heads to find Bellatrix standing not a foot away. Draco handed me my wand, and withdrew his. Holding Bellatrix at wand point. His hand trembling. I did the same, except keeping my hand firm. "I'm disappointed in you, Draco. You're supposed to be dead. And you". She turned to me. "You've been a naughty girl. I knew you wouldn't amount to much. But Voldemort wanted you alive. He said that your relationship with Harry would be of use to us. And it was. How do you think we managed to convince Harry Potter to turn himself over? We threatened your life, and he was no longer the legendary, "Boy Who Lived". But simply, a boy in love. Voldemort considered sparing you, but he has no more use for you. And he gave me the job to terminate you". A glow emitted from her wand. She may have been fast, but I was faster. "Expelliarmus". I shouted. Her wand flew across the room. Draco and I took the opportunity to escape while she retrieved it. I flicked my wand, repairing the shattered window, while Draco barred the door behind us as we made our way to the Great Hall. But Draco's quick thinking didn't last long. As she blasted right through the walls. "Miss me?" She smiled devilishly as she tilted her head. 

There was a long exchange of casting and dodging spells between the three of us while we backed away towards the Great Hall, not daring to turn our backs to her. Bellatrix would fight dirty if she had to. When we reached the Great Hall, not only did we have to avoid Bellatrix's curses, but also the ones that ricocheted off the walls. Various lights had emitted from our wands, and before I knew it, the charm bracelet that had saved my lives countless times from Bellatrix's deadly curses, disintegrated as a whole. No charms left. I had to be extra cautious now. 

And as Bellatrix began to utter the worst of the three unforgivable curses, the killing curse, time seemed to slow. So much to the extent that I felt as if I were watching the events play out frame by frame. I watched like a deer in the headlights as Bellatrix's lips formed the word, "avada kedavra". I dodged the curse by only a hair. And while I was recouping, she uttered the first portion of the killing curse. But before she formed another syllable, I was forcibly shoved out of Bellatrix's line of sight. "Mrs. Weasley?" I'd known that she was wandering around Hogwarts assisting with the battle preparations, but nevertheless, I was surprised. "Not my daughter". She said, followed by several profanities directed towards Bellatrix. They shouted curses towards one another with no sympathy in their eyes. The two were out for blood. And as Molly Weasley battled Bellatrix, the last Death Eater sided with Voldemort, the students crowded around to watch. The two had the intention to kill. "What will happen to your children once I've killed you? When mummy's gone the same way as Freddie?" Bellatrix taunted. 

This stirred an unimaginable anger within me. How dare she threaten Mrs. Weasley and use Fred's name in that fashion. I lunged forward, my wand at the ready, but George caught me, evidently as disturbed as I was. "It's not your battle to fight". He said. I squeezed his hand for reassurance, in fear of Mrs. Weasley's life. I scanned the audience for Draco, who had disappeared. He must've gone to find is mother. Mrs. Weasley was as peeved as I was. Her face had turned that tomato red to match her hair. As Bellatrix cackled at her cruel joke, Mrs. Weasley took her shot. Bellatrix's eyes glazed over, her smirk that ran in the family fell to a frown, and she toppled backwards onto the stone floor. 

But before we could cheer for her victory, Voldemort blasted McGonagall, Slughorn, and Kingsley backward as he pointed his wand towards Mrs. Weasley. He roared in an outrage. We watched as the blinding light flew towards Mrs. Weasley. "Protego!". A familiar voice shouted. But no, it couldn't be him. He was dead. I was hearing things. But when we whipped our heads to the source, we all gasped in surprise to find Harry standing there. I wasn't certifiable, and Harry stood there, certainly not dead. "Harry". I breathed. My knees buckled. Neville caught me. 

When Voldemort set his sights on Harry, he seemed to forget about the rest of us and Mrs. Weasley who had destroyed his second in command just moments prior. Voldemort snarled as he and Harry encircled each other. "Just who are you planning to use as a shield this time, Potter? That Hermoine Granger? One of the Weasley's? Or even better, what about Scarlet? I'm sure she'd happily shield you". Voldemort's lips curled upwards. He scanned the crowd, and stared at me with his sinister eyes with a coldness that mimicked that of a snake. He changed targets from Harry to me, directing his wand towards me. "Let's get this out of the way, shall we?" But before Voldemort was able to cast a spell, Harry spoke. "Nobody. We've destroyed all the Horcruxes. Today, it's just you and me. And only one of us will walk out of this alive". 

There was more conversation between the two before the battle commenced. Blinding lights emitted from the wands and flew across the room. It was the battle I was waiting for, that determined whether I was free or not, and I couldn't bear to watch. I buried my face into Neville. While other students showed no difficulty, mesmerized by the light show.

When all was silent, I peeked out from Neville's cardigan, anxious to find the outcome. In the middle of the Great Hall which now served as an arena, only one person emerged from the duel alive. Harry stood over Voldemort's stiff body, tucking his wand into his jacket. Harry had defeated Voldemort who would never rise again. And at last, I was finally free.