✔️ 𝐔𝐍𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐃 → 𝑐.𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

18 | P O W E R

     WITH FRANK SLUMBERING in the pocket of his robe, Charlie Weasley came to halt after spinning in the Hog's Head's fireplace, his eyes immediately locking with a pair of sparkling blue ones he knew perfectly well but not at all.

     "Ah, the cavalry arrived", Aberforth Dumbledore greeted him casually. "Lupin and Shaklebolt are halfway through, you better hurry —"

     "No, listen", Charlie cut him off, turning towards the fireplace. He had to hurry. Bill would follow him soon. "I have to do something. Something important. Your brother —"

     "My bloody brother and his missions!", Aberforth growled, shaking his bearded head. "It's easy, I guess? He had a favour for easy missions. Unfortunately he was always way to noble to do them on his own."

     "Can we leave your family issues out of this for now? I need to find a woman and her bloody dragon, before it's too late! I'm leaving now and I beg you to not tell my family. You will tell them I took the tunnel and waiting for them in the castle, because —"

     "Because that's exactly what you will do", Aberforth again cut Charlie off. "A dragon crossed Hogsmeade not long before you arrived, and let me tell you it wasn't the most frightening creature I saw tonight."

     "She's here?" Charlie had never felt that restless before. Every second longer he remained at Aberfoth's pub was just a waste of time.

     As he was about to turn around, Aberforth grabbed his arm, holding him back. "She landed in the forest. She's not alone. Death Eaters entered the Forbidden Forest earlier. They're  assembling in there. Preparing for their attack."

     "Ana wouldn't —"

     "She would and she has!", said Aberforth and a green flame appeared in the fireplace behind him. "Don't be stupid, Weasley! Forget about that woman, she will not fight for you. This war is already lost."

     A silhouette started spinning in the flames, and Charlie knew his chance had passed away. He had failed Dumbledore's mission.

     "The war is lost when the last man will stop to fight for what is right, Aberforth", Charlie hissed, while his brother was materialising in the fireplace. "You might have given up, but I won't."

     Before Bill could stop spinning, Charlie stepped past Aberforth and into the passageway that would lead him up to the castle and into the final battle.

     When Aberforth was right and Ana had joined Voldemort's followers, he knew he wouldn't make it home tonight. None of them would. But if there was the tiniest bit of a chance that this was just a trick, that Ana hadn't utterly chosen the dark side, then Charlie would do anything to save her or die trying.

•✧•

     Ana Voinescu watched the Dark Lord in amusement. She never really understood the man's obsession with a stupid teenage boy. He could rule the world, but no, he wasted all of his power for hunting a hormonal seventeen year old teenager in the peak of his puberty. This planned battle was beyond pathetic, and even more stupid was his idea of said hormonal teenager run into the Dark Lord's open arms, just because he politely asked him to.

     "What's that for?", Ana asked after listening to Voldemort's weak speech. "Their shield charms aren't really what's holding you back, isn't it?"

     Though Ana couldn't deny Hogwarts' teachers were some of the mightier witches and wizards existing in this world, their shields were weak, built up in fear and despair, easy to break by a wizard as powerful as Voldemort.

     Ana, though, would walk right through those shields, like a knife through smooth butter. She kept this to herself. It was a pleasant entertainment to watch the Dark Lord's poor actions.

     "You should never underestimate the blatant luck of Harry Potter", Voldemort retorted in this high-pitched voice, his snake-like nostrils widening. "By entering the castle, of course hundreds of his supporters will die, and in the hustle of this, somehow Potter will manage to escape." His red gkowing eyes, reminding Ana of her own, sending an uncomfortable shiver down her spine, stared into the forest, as if he'd expect Harry Potter to appear out if the shadows every given second. Though their eyes were equal, their power wasn't, and Ana started wondering what it was that had Tom Riddle's eyes turn into red gkowing orbs. His voice, though, snapped her out of her thoughts. "I am aware he won't come to me just like that. But Harry Potter is no coward. That's what will make it easier to get at him. My Death Eaters are getting ready to enter the grounds. When just enough of Potter's friends had lost their lives by the hands of my men, he will come."

     "I have a small guess that you want me to join your puppets in this quarrel", said Ana, throwing a glare at the hooded men waiting for Voldemort's command. An embarrassing masquerade. Ana didn't understand the use of hiding their identities. She herself wanted her victims to look into her uncovered eyes while the light in theirs was slowly fading. Or maybe quickly, depending on Ana's mood. A smirk appeared on her lips by the thought of it, and her head moved closer to Voldemort. "Just don't forget I am not yours, Tom Riddle", she whispered into his ear, watching his shoulders tensing by the sound of his real name. It was driving him bloody mad having to tolerate her impoliteness, and she, Ana, was smirking, enjoying the awareness that he couldn't do anything against it. Most powerful evil wizard your ass!, she thought, her red gkowing eyes shimmering against the paperwhite skin of his skull, the she said in a dangerously soothing voice, "I won't follow your instructions. I won't follow anyone's. As soon as I enter this war, the battlefield is mine, and everyone joining the fight is utterly at my mercy." She took a step back, making her way across the glade, back to her dragon, before she added, "Including you, Tom."

•✧•