Butterfly Effect ; H. Potter

48. priori incantatem.

Wormtail approached Harry and Antheia. Antheia tensed her legs so she could support herself when the ropes were untied. Wormtail raised his new silver hand, pulled out the wad of material gagging them, and then, with one swipe, cut through the bonds tying the two of them to the gravestone.

There was a split second, when Antheia considered making a run for the Portkey, but she glanced at Harry, who's injured leg shook under him as he stood on the overgrown grave. The Death Eaters closed ranks, forming a tighter circle around them and Voldemort, so that the gaps where the missing Death Eaters should have stood were filled. Wormtail walked out of the circle to the place where Cedric's body lay, and returned with Harry and Antheia's wand, which he thrust roughly into their hands without looking at them. Then Wormtail resumed his place in the circle of watching Death Eaters.

"You have been taught to duel, Harry Potter, Antheia Lupin?" said Voldemort softly, his red eyes glinting through the darkness.

At these words, Antheia remembered the Duelling Club at Hogwarts she had been to during her second year. All she had learnt there was the Disarming spell, "Expelliarmus" ... but that spell wouldn't be of much use here, she thought. Even if she or Harry had somehow managed to rid Voldemort of his wand, his Death Eaters would surely outnumber them.

"We bow to each other," said Voldemort, bending a little, but keeping his snake-like face upturned to them. "Come, the niceties must be observed ... Dumbledore would like you to show manners, bow to death, now ..."

The Death Eaters were laughing again. Voldemort's lipless mouth was smiling. Antheia and Harry did not bow. She was determined to not let Voldemort play with them. She refused to give him that satisfaction.

"I said, bow," Voldemort said, raising his wand - and Antheia felt her spine curve as though a huge, invisible hand was bending him ruthlessly forwards, and the Death Eaters laughed harder than ever.

"Very good," said Voldemort softly, and as he raised his wand, the pressure bearing down upon Harry and Antheia lifted too. "And now you face me, straight-backed and proud ..."

"Who to kill first ..." Voldemort said, twirling his wand in his fingers. He then turned to Antheia with a slick smile on his face. "Your mother put up a fight. Let's see if you will too."

Voldemort raised his wand, and before Antheia had even raised her wand, she had been hit again with the Cruciatus Curse. The pain was blinding, quite literally. She could not see where she was and white-hot knives seemed to be piercing every inch of his skin. She was aware she was screaming but she could barely hear herself, or the horror-filled yells of Harry beside her.

And then it stopped. Antheia jumped to her feet; she was shaking uncontrollably. Antheia turned to Harry but as soon as she did, Voldemort had hit him with the Cruciatus Curse. Harry was on the floor, screaming louder than she had ever heard him scream before.

"A little break," said Voldemort, the slit-like nostrils dilating with excitement as he removed the curse from Harry, "a little pause ... that hurt, didn't it, Harry and Antheia? You don't want me to do that again, do you?"

Antheia didn't answer. If she was going to die in this graveyard, she wasn't going to die being teased by Voldemort.

"I asked you whether you want me to do that again?" said Voldemort softly. "Answer me! Imperio!"

And Antheia felt the sensation that her mind had been wiped of all thought ... it was blissful, to be away from her mind, it was as if she was simply dreaming ... just answer "no" ... say "no" ... just answer "no" ...

I won't, said a voice in the back of her head, I will never ...

Just answer "no" ...

I will not ...