✔️ 𝐔𝐍𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐃 → 𝑐.𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

25 | A L A S T M E M O RY

   Pushed along the rising path up the hill, Ana was forced forward by two bully guys that would no longer be alive, if Bellatrix Lestrange wouldn't have taken the task to have her wand against Charlie's neck, maniacly grinning, as he as well had to follow the orders of the enemy. With every step she took, her jaw clenched a little tighter, until her teeth felt like breaking. It took everything from her to hold back for the sake of Charlie Weasley's precious life.

   They exchanged glances every couple of steps, and the plead in Charlie's eyes was still visible, but what could she have done? She was the one to stop this. But she wouldn't let his life be taken in exchange for a thousand others. Not for a million. Not even for hers.

   "What a shame it has to end like this", Ana muttered, and Charlie's head snapped up as her quiet voice reached his ears. "I really wish I knew you before, Charlie Weasley. It had been a pleasure."

   They had reached the castle, and immediately Voldemort's voice was echoing over the grounds.

   "Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone."

   "The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you, and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."

   "NO!"

   A scream of purest agony was exploding in the silence that had followed Voldemort's words. Ana heard Bellatrix laughing, but her eyes remained on the small crowd of survivors streaming out of the shelter those fragil remainings of the once so strong castle walls had granted them, to see the truth of Harry Potter's death themselves.

   People we're calling Harry's name, just to be silenced by Voldemort in a bang and a flash of white light.

   "It is over. Set him down, Hagrid. To my feet, where he belongs."

   The half-giant that had carried Harry Potter's lifeless body all the way up, lowered the boy's corpse onto the grass.

   "You see?" said Voldemort, and Ana watched him striding backward and forward right beside the place where Harry lay. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"

   She had to think. Voldemort was distracted; distracted by Harry's death, distracted by those still unwilling to lay their weapons down and surrender; distracted by a single boy breaking free from the crowd in a useless attempt to attack ...

   "I'll join you when hell freezes over", the boy, Neville, shouted. "Dumbledore's Army!", he then yelled, and there was an answering cheer from the crowd, whom Voldemort's Silencing Charms seemed unable to hold.

   "Very well", said Voldemort, hissing a laughter. "Still so unconvinced, I see. Maybe it will help to prove my Superiority a last time." He turned around, his arm spread open in a wide gesture, and the Death Eaters parted like the sea. "Bring the woman to me."

   One of the Death Eaters gave her a push, and Ana, with an angry hiss, obeyed this order. Step by step she made her way through the row of dark wizards and witches, their satisfied grins would be her last memory, and she didn't want it to be, so she threw a last glance over her shoulder, where Charlie was struggling against Bellatrix Lestrange's spell that held him in place, as if he was just nothing like one of those tamed dragons he used to work with ...

   The rows closed and Charlie was gone, so Ana straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin, facing Lord Voldemort with no hint of fear on her still so young face.

   "Anastasia Voinescu", said Voldemort, then turning to the survivors. "Transilvania's most frightened monster. And presumably your mightiest weapon." Eyes back on Ana, he circled her. "So week. So fragile." He smiled at her. "Her powers are nothing compared to those of your Dark Lord!"

   "Ah, screw you", Ana hissed at him. "Come on, Tom, do it. I didn't come here to listen to your bullshit."

   "No, my dear", he replied, his eyes narrowed, but his lipless mouth still spread to a grin. "You came here to die."

   "See your last warrior die", Voldemort's voice boomed, echoed over the grounds. "See Anastasia Voinescu die at my hands!"

   "If you're not doing it soon, I'll die of old age", Ana said in a bored voice, and by the way he now glared at her, she knew her last seconds were about to run out.

   His white, skeleton-like hand raised his wand — and Ana blinked. She knew that wand. She had seen it several times, casting useless spells on her young body. Spells that could never save her. And now this wand was killing her. Dumbledore's wand.

   "Avada Kedavra!"

   Whirring like a hurricane, the green light came aiming at her with the power of a hundred thunderstorms, and Ana considered to close her eyes in the split of a second left to her — but she didn't. All her forces were needed to hold back the natural respond of her powers to a life-threatening situation like that. She needed all her will to let it happen. To die.

   The spell hit her straight in the chest and threw her off her feet, and as it did, the air around Ana was exploding and the world was sinking in chaos of red smoke and particles, before there was nothing but blackness left for her.

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