Afterlife? ITZY's Journey after Hogwarts

Chapter 19

Soaring above the skies with my black feathered wings. Looking up, I saw the red gradient sky, setting every moment I take a peek. Looking down, I see the grey, striped cat that seemed to differ from the dancing trees and faded bald trees with snow to pile on it's branches.

I haven't felt this wind for a long time. Not since before the attack.

'C'mon.. We don't have much time,' a senior auror told me. We had arrived in front of a house. White walls, blue roof and a bent mailbox. M-my house.. there was a broken broomstick at the front, it belonged to Raejin. She loved Quidditch, but she never really planned to make it a profession.

Stepping into the house, I expected to see broken vases and holed floors and broken glass everywhere; but no. I took my time to look everywhere as the group did too. Why don't I feel like I'm home? Why did I have a bad feeling inside me? Crumbling my insides to pieces.

'Mom? Dad?' I didn't call Raejin's name because I knew she was stuck in Hogwarts, sigh.. I wish I could relive those moments again; Yeji, Lia, Chaeryeong and Yuna.

My distraction took me away from reality. 'WATCH OUT!' I heard someone shout from the living room, soon faded. I activated my legs and ran into my room. Flashing with green lights from here to there. What was this chaos? I saw black figures, death eaters, taking charge on everyone and fallen bodies of the senior aurors.

'Protego!' I shielded myself from the incoming spells. 'Diffindo!' A shout travelled from my mouth to his ears as the large cut ran across his body with red liquid like wine flowed out like there was nothing to stop it. Flicking back and forth my wand, I couldn't hold it back for long.

'Confringo!'

'Petrificus Totalus!'

'Expulso!'

Spells came out my wand and mouth once the death eaters came flooding in. There were too many. I couldn't take it. Then my mouth sort of slipped when I cursed, 'Avada Kedavra!' After saying that, I covered my mouth with my own private palms and backed off, stepping back until my back touched the table that used to hold my mother's favourite vase, which was now broken. 'I-I didn't mean it.. I didn't..,' I murmured to myself, not realizing someone eyed me, secretly and unseen. I closed my eyes and tears fell out my eyes, I can't believe I just said that..

Then I heard whimpering like a crying old dog on the streets. I tried to open my eyes, but what I saw reminded me of my boggart I feared to face. My parents.. Raejin.. And a black shadow even more dominant than them, someone that looked even more superior than us all in the room; me, my family and that person. He had eyes that gave me dragon vibes, intimidating, cold and fiery at the same time. I didn't dare look at him in the eyes directly. He had crossed legs as he sat on that armchair my father loved to sit on, which was now torn into whatever disaster it was.

'That was quite a show Ryujin,' he started as he laid his hand on Raejin's shoulder; struggling to open her mouth of even strangle out of his touch. 'Don't-'

'I won't hurt them. Just.. Maybe a little,' he chuckled slowly and then smirked by himself, showing the pleasure that he's feeling. 'You don't have to wonder how I know you're name, why you're here, what I'm doing, because you'll understand everything soon enough,' he stated it all loud and clear, slowly but surely. 'Now,' he stood up to tower over the four of us. He crouched his knees a bit and grabbed the collar of Raejin, forcefully taking her body up to stand. 'You're going to prove yourself useful, Ryujin. I know you. You have a burning dark side on the other side of the light just wanting to be noticed.'

'No I don't. You don't know me, and you can't make me help you.'

He laughed and his devilish laughter filled the entire room. 'Ryujin, I felt your darkness the moment you cast the curse onto my own death eaters. I was the first to witness an auror do that. You can't doubt it Ryujin.'

My lips quivered in fear just a little. I knew I had to attack him now but my nerves and muscles couldn't possibly take my wand up and just strike him. 'Attack me. Jinx me. Kill me, if you can. But if you do, death eaters will come here and wipe out your family in front of your own eyes.'

The whimpering became louder. Raejin started to cry slowly, taking in what might happen. He lured out his free hand and had his other still clenched onto Raejin's collar. 'If you come to my side. I'll promise you that your family will be safe. You just have to help.'

'Ryujin.. Don't please,' my father whispered. 'SILENCE! I want her to make the choice! Not you. So, what will it be Ryujin? The death of your family? Or join my side, where you'll be free from all this.. Rules and regulations.'

My mind raced. I love my family but I really don't know. If I do join him, well, it's going to break everything I've trained for to become an auror. My dreams, crushed. 'Ryujin, it won't hurt to join me.' He shook his hand a bit for me to take it. 'Do it! Think of it as an opportunity to see who's in charge. Just let every thing inside you to burst out, all the anger and darkness.'

'Who are you and who are you to ask me to join you?!'

'Ryujin, I was just like you. I wanted peace and harmony, until I found out that was going to be impossible as soon as I found out that my uncle died. He was the only one to actually care for me like a child! The stories of him inspired me to do this, and I can't believe you can't recognize me after all the things he and I have done. Don't you see? I've been called the successor of the Dark Lord. As an auror, I'm surprised you don't know much about this.'

I gasped.