✔️ 𝐔𝐍𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐃 → 𝑐.𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

24 | O F F E R E D

   "STAY CLOSE TO me", Ana whispered, her hand brushing Charlie's, and he took the opportunity to intertwine his fingers with her's.

   "Close enough?", he breathed back at her, but she didn't answer.

   Out of the forest, one by one at first, then in a multiheaded crowd, emerged black hooded figures, still though covered by the morning's silky layer of fog carressing the meadows of the hill that lead up towards the castle.

   "Okay, you know I could end it right now", said Ana as quiet as pissible, crouched behind some bushes surrounding the lake. "With a snap of my fingers." She held up her hand, already knowing she wouldn't use her powers, before Charlie could even shake his head.

   "No", he answered in a low voice. "We have no idea if they have prisoners. See the tall guy walking ahead of them. I'm almost one hundred percent sure that this is Hagrid. He's carrying something ..."

   "So what do you want to do now?", Ana asked, her impatience growing. She wasn't one to wait and hope for a happy ending. No, Ana wanted to see her enemies burn on pyres for their crimes.

   "We'll follow them, c'mon", said Charlie, his hand still entangled with her's, he pulled her along with him as soon as the last man had left the forest behind and dove into the misty morning.

   "Ah, stabbing their backs, are we?" Ana's eyes were immediately gleaming red, as she watched Charlie raising his wand. "Seems like I have a bad influence on you, Charles. So you start left, and I'll start righ—"

   "We're not murdering anyone!", Charlie hissed in a sharp voice, that caused the last in line of those hundreds of Voldemort's man to turn around and straightly look at Ana and the ginger. His lips opened — his neck did a one hundred eighty degree flip and he sunk to the floor.

   "From now on", Ana Cooley replied, stepping over the dead body, while Charlie was surrounding it.

   "Yeah, from now on ...", the dragon tamer grimmly growled. "So here's the plan", he then whispered. "We're knocking them out. One by one. As quiet as we could. Not making a fuzz. And not ki—"

   "Yah yah, no killing, I got it", Ana scoffed, rolling her eyes, then fixating the back of those black hooded figures in front of her. "But if they try to murder us, I will teach them a lesson about death. Agree?" There was no answe. "Agree?", she again asked, turning around.

   "Agree", a cold, high-pitched voice replied, and Ana stared into red eyes, equal to hers, and a pale, snake-like face.

   Lord Voldemort's wand was buried into Charlie Weasleys throat, and Ana's heart skipped a beat, before it started to hammer against her ribcage. Her powers immediately enflamed, hands covered in red smoke, eyes shining through the night like rubies.

   "Not a good idea, Miss Voinescu", Voldemort spoken and the Death Eaters started circling them. "Tame yourself, or your young friend here will learn what it means to fight alongside with the Dark Lord's enemies."

   "You'd be dead before you could wrap your tongue around a spell", Ana hissed through gritted teeth, taking a step closer, but Voldemort just laughed.

   "You can kill us all at once", he said, and the wands of hundred men and women around them raised, "but if only one of us will be faster than you, he will hit the ground before I do."

   Ana hesitated, and he seemed to notice it.

   "Such a handsome boy", said Voldemort, looking at Charlie. "Even a pureblood! Your taste in men is astonishing, Miss Voinescu. And I am a generous man. Though you've had betrayed me, I'm giving you a second chance. I'm sure the deal we will make this time will weigh more than the last one. Conditions seemed have to change." His eyes traveling back to Ana, Voldemort smiled. "What's more of a worth for you, Anastasia Voinescu? Your own life", he asked, circling Charlie with his wand still at his throat, "or his one?"

   "Speak your demand and let him go!" Ana was panting heavily, her heart still racing.

   Voldemort's cold smile turned into satisfaction.

   "Surrender", said Voldemort, "and he will live."

   "Fine." Ana's powers flickered around her body, then died. Amber eyes instead of ruby red ones were connecting with Voldemort's. "Now let him go."

   "No, no, girl", said the Dark Lord, chuckling bemused. "I want you to fully give up. I want you to surrender everything. Lay down all your shields and let me show the world that Lord Voldemort show the world that no man, no woman, is able to compete to him. Tonight, let me bring them their saviours corpse", he made a pause and his eyes pierced into Ana's, as he said, "and murder the oh so feared Anastasia Voinescu right in front of their unworthy eyes."

   Silence fell over the field, until —

   "No! No, Ana! Don't you dare give into this!" Charlie was winding away from Voldemort's wand, stepping forward, rushing towards Ana, but he fell to his knees, his screams echoing over the grounds, diving into the forest, where the trees repelled this gruesome sound.

    "Stop!", Ana shrieked, and to her surprise, Voldemort obeyed, lowering his wand.

   "This is my one and last offer, Miss Voinescu", he said, his voice cold, his face no longer amused, but dangerously determined. "You will surrender. You will let me murder the most vile creature in front of everyone. The anomaly. The monster. You will give in, and your lover will live. This is my only offer. Take it, or the next time I will raise my wand, he will never scream again."

   Ana's eyes one last time locked with Charlie's, who was still crouched on the floor, jerking with waves of long deceased pain. He tried to get to his feet, but Voldemort kicked his back, and Charlie tumbled back forward.

   "Don't do it", he pleaded. "Don't do it. You're the only one left to stop this. I'm not worth it. I'm not worth it, Ana. You can stop him!"

   With all the force she could afford, Ana tore her eyes off of Charlie, looking straight into Voldemort's face, as she growled, "I'll do it."

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