The Boy Who Had a Choice (D.M)

Part 33

We all split up into small groups and headed our separate ways with a plan to meet in the Great Hall again. I willed my body to stop shaking as myself, Lola and Rory clambered through the rubble, keeping a look out for any sign of danger. Lola and I had made a silent promise with one another that the first call would be to protect Rory. None of us dared look each other in the eye anymore.

"Stop. I need to be sick" Lola announced, giving us no time to react as she ducked behind a pile of bricks and threw up everywhere. Rory looked at me, scrunching her nose in disgust. Her wild hair was blowing across her face as the wind picked up.

"Tie your hair up, it's getting in your way." I said, turning my back on the both of them as I glanced up at the dark sky.

"Okay. I'm done, let's keep going." Lola said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand as she stormed past me, Rory following closely with her now braided hair.

The sound of my heavy boots crunching on the floor echoed through the silence in the courtyard. I gripped my wand tightly, terrified of every step we took closer to the Great Hall.

We walked up the steps slowly and stepped around a corner only to come face to face with a death eater. Instinctively, I shoved Rory behind me and flicked my wand at him, obliterating him before he even had chance to give us a second look.

"Keep moving. Stay on your guard" I whispered quietly to the pair of them.

A mob of screaming students ran past us in the opposite direction as the three of us launched ourselves down the flight of stairs. We ducked as a death eater flew across our heads, Rory knocking them to the ground as we pushed through the huge double doors that led to the Great Hall. Lola ran straight for Seamus who was desperately throwing his magic out as he was getting cornered by a death eater, sending out a stream of magic that cause the giant dark figure to collapse on the floor.

"What's the one thing I told you not to forget?" I hissed at Rory as I watched Lola pull Seamus behind a fallen table as she began cleaning his wounds.

"A shield is my best friend, I know I know, I'm on defence only" she said, smiling lazily at me.

"Good girl, stay out of trouble and go help Lola by fixing up the wounded." I replied, giving her a small smile, her eyes twinkled bright as she bounced off; eager to help despite the utter destruction around us.

I didn't know what I was supposed to do, everywhere I looked there was a dead body or a duel happening. It was complete chaos, impossible to tell who was winning or losing. There seemed to be an equal amount of dead bodies from both sides of the battle. I swallowed hard and knelt down next to a younger student and helped pull a sheet over a body that lied there, eyes closed and skin cold. As I stood up, two large black shoes appeared in front of me.

"Well well, if it isn't the bitch who bit me." A menacing voice said, the familiarity sending a shiver down my spine.

"You back for more already? Thanks, but I'll have to pass, it took me months to get the taste of your filthy hands out of my mouth." I replied, tilting my head cockily at Corban Yaxley as I twirled my wand around my fingers.

"I should've killed you when I had the chance, you won't be so lucky this time" he spat, aiming his wand at me. Every spell he silently fired at me, I bounced off with one of my shields. His moves were fairly predictable, so it was easy to anticipate where and when he was going to attack. I grinned lazily at him as I effortlessly blocked every spell, watching the rage boil up in his face fuelled my adrenaline, I kept reminding myself that he was still Draco's family and I wasn't going to be the one responsible for killing him, no matter how much I wanted to. He seemed to catch on that it learnt his pattern and switched up his attack which meant I had to step sideways in order to avoid being hit. I stumbled slightly and he took the opportunity to disarm me, snapping my wand in half before I had chance to get it back.

"You stupid STUPID BITCH!" He laughed at me, but I just stood there smirking at him.

"You think I need my wand in order to beat you?" I said, chuckling as I clenched and unclenched my fists at my sides. He frowned as I stared at him. "Confringo" I whispered, blasting him backwards into the wall. His head smacking on a pile of rubble. He groaned, rubbing his head as he stood up. His eyes fixated on me as he threw every spell he knew at me, the only thing I could do was hold up a shield to protect myself now that I didn't have my wand. There were only a few spells that I could do without it and I'd just used the most powerful one.

I refused to let myself show my fear as he got closer and closer to me, my shields holding up strong. I glanced sideways to see Rory heading in my direction, I tried to shake my head in warning, but those two seconds were all Yaxley needed to wrap his giant hand around my neck and shove me against a wall, his wand digging into my neck.

"Not so cocky now are you? I am going to drag this out as long as I can, make you suffer in ways you never thought possible." He whispered in my ear as he laughed softly. Fuck. I scratched at his hand with my nails and kicked my legs, trying to wriggle free from his grip but nothing worked. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears as he squeezed harder, cutting off the blood supply to my head. One more minute and I would pass out.

"Stupefy!" I heard Rory scream next to me and Yaxley froze, letting go of my neck as he collapsed to the floor. I fell down, coughing as I got my breath back. "Olivia! Are you okay? Here, take my hand" she said, helping back up off the floor.

I looked up to see Yaxley getting himself back up of the floor, turning around, wand pointed at Rory as he snarled a spell at her. I transformed myself into my wolf form and leaped towards Yaxley. My jaw clamped down around his neck, the force of my leap knocked us both to the ground. His hands clawed at me, one hand scratching down my face as he tried to shake me off him, but I bit down on his neck harder until I felt his spine snap between my teeth. His body went limp beneath me, but I didn't let go until I'd completely ripped his throat out. The metallic taste of his blood flooded my mouth and I felt the warmth of it drip down my throat as I stepped backwards, turning back into my human form.

I turned around ready to hug Rory, to thank her for saving me yet again. My body went cold as I saw her tiny body lied completely still on the floor. My heart dropped through my stomach as I threw myself to her side, waiting for her chest to rise and fall as she breathed. But it never did.

"Rory!" I cried out. "Come on Rory, you're okay. You're gonna be fine, just stay with me." I sobbed hard, my bloody fingers gripping her own hand.

Her bright brown eyes were still open, staring lifeless at the ceiling above us. I lifted my free hand and brushed her loose hairs from her face.

"No no no no no no, this isn't happening. This can't be happening" I mumbled, my whole body began shaking as the realisation hit me. "Please Rory, I'm so sorry. Please come back."

"Olive?" I heard Lola's voice come up behind me. My head whipped around and I opened my mouth to explain to her, but only loud sobs escaped me. "Oh my god" she whispered, clutching Seamus's hand as they both saw the body that laid beside me, Seamus reaching out a hand to gently close Rory's eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry" was all I managed to get out before the three of us completely broke down together.