(back to Lola's pov)
the fight had spilled into the castle and there were people at every turn, so we had to be careful.
after breaking into several classrooms and smashing everything in sight, we ran into Bellatrix.
"there you all are." she grabbed my hand. "come on."
"where are we going?!" i trotted after her.
she didn't answer, taking us out of the school and towards the Dark Forest.
"what are we doing in here?" i tried again.
she turned back and pressed a finger to her lips as i spotted a group of people illuminated by an eerie blue light.
"wait here—quietly." she hissed and disappeared into the shadows.
i let go of her hand and took Draco's leaning back against him as he wrapped his arms round my waist, resting his chin on my head.
the lights brightened as Father joined the circle, walking towards a large tree.
i realised there was someone tied to the trunk.
"Potter." Tom growled.
"someone must've come for him," Pans figured. "i heard footsteps just before the fire started."
Bellatrix returned holding five silver masks.
"here." she handed them out. "hoods up."
i fixed the mask over my face and tucked my hair into my hood, checking Draco's and pushing strands of his singed white-blonde hair back from his face.
once satisfied, Bellatrix nodded and put on her own mask before beckoning us forwards.
we joined the circle, filling the gap left for us.
i heard a sharp inhalation of breath from my left but resisted the urge to look at Pansy, instead trying to work out what caused her reaction.
it didn't take me long to see what.
beside the tree Potter was tied to, was a huge man in chains.
Hagrid.
a Death Eater stepped forward, untied Potter and pushed him forwards into the middle of the circle.
"oh, how i have longed for this day." Father was delighted. "Harry Potter, the boy who lived... come to die."
Potter pulled out his wand but Father was quicker, sending a volley of spells his way.
Potter managed to deflect them all but it was clear that his duel with Tom and the fire had exhausted him.
i could already hear his breath coming fast and hard, and watched his chest rise and fall rapidly.
Father, who had done nothing but apperate, easily overpowered him, resulting in Potter being pinned back against the tree by a cord of white light wrapped around his body and over his mouth.
Potter strained, trying to break the bonds, but there was no escaping.
"i had hoped this would've been somewhat harder..." Father drawled. "your parents put up quite the fight, you know."
"don't you dare talk about my parents." Potter hissed.
Father only regarded him slowly.
Potter's eyes slid over to our direction and i could tell he recognised us, despite the masks.
"look at me." Father demanded.
Potter ignored him.
"i want to see the light leave your eyes..."
still, Potter stared in our direction.
when Father turned to see who had his attention, his smile grew.
"ah, my children, their friends." he spread his arms. "remove your masks and come forth."
this couldn't be good, but we had no choice other than to obey.
i dropped my mask onto the leaf littered ground, replacing it with another not-physical one, before walking towards my Father, embodying the relaxed Riddle arrogance even though my mind was racing, heart hammering.
"stand in a line, if you will."
again, we obeyed.
"you will die tonight, Harry Potter." Father turned away from us. "but if you will not look at me, then it will not be at my hand."
i had a feeling i knew where this was going.
"you will however, look at my children..."
my jaw locked and my fists clenched.
"so, whoever you look at... will kill you."
i willed myself not to shake, not to let my second mask slip, as Potter's eyes skimmed over Pansy, Matteo, me, Draco, Tom and lingering there... before they slid back to Draco...
and came to rest on me.
"Lolita..." Father turned to me. "the baby, the daughter... come."
i brushed my hand against Draco's before joining Father a few meters away from Potter.
"you know what to do..." he stared down at me, unblinking.
"yes, Father."
"then have at him." he stepped aside.
i took another step forward and raised my wand, surprised that my hand didn't shake as Potter's eyes bored into mine.
what felt like weeks passed as i took several deep breaths. "find his glasses."
whispers arose, but a death eater came forward without question and threw the glasses at his feet
Potter placed them on his face. "Lola-" he stopped himself.
i regarded him.
"you don't have to do this... i know you don't want to."
"you don't know me, Potter." i spat out.
"i see you in lessons, at Quidditch and lunch, in Hogsmeade... even in London one time... you're happy."
"yes, i am."
"what do you think you'll get by killing me?"
"ecstasy." i began to relax.
he swayed for a moment before lifting his wand.
but he didn't aim at me, he the wand was pointed over my left shoulder, where i knew Draco stood.
"we don't have to do this, Lola." he said slowly.
"you threaten those i love at wand point, then tell me we don't have to do this?" i laughed. "you must be deranged."
"enough dilly-dallying, Lolita." Father barked.
"just listen-"
"arvada kedavera!" i cut his words off.
the bolt of green light shot from the end of my wand and struck him in the chest.
he went down immediately.
Hagrid roared.
i stepped forward, watching the light leave his eyes, just as Father wanted me to.
"dead." i looked up at Father.
and he did the strangest thing.
he genuinely smiled.
his face split in two as his teeth flashed, his eyes shone.
"my daughter!" he laughed. "my Lolita, i always knew you had it in you."
he had never called me his daughter before—always the daughter, the youngest, the baby.
i stared blankly at him as he opened his arms, motioning me to come forward.
i obliged and he folded me into his arms, but it felt all wrong.
it wasn't like when Draco hugged me, or Tom or Matteo or Pans.
it was cold and stiff and awkward and made me want to recoil.
"you strong, strong girl." he patted my back. "well done... well done!"
i felt like i was in a daze.
he released me and i took a few steps back, my gaze flicking over Potter's lifeless body, coming to rest on Hagrid.
he was screaming, battling with the chains as tears poured down his rugged face.
"what have i done..." i whispered.
"you have saved us, my girl! you have done what so many couldn't..." his voice darkened. "you have done what i couldn't."
and he was right.
i had killed Harry Potter.
i had killed Harry Potter.
i had killed Harry Potter.
i, Lolita Riddle, had done what the Dark Lord couldn't...
"shit," i breathed, the corner of my lips twitching.
"i think a congratulations are in order!" Father clapped his hands.
and the circle of Death Eaters sank onto one knee.
i turned in a circle, observing each bowed, masked face, staring as they all lowered their bodies to the ground, in an almost foetal position.
they worshipped me.
me.
only four people remained standing.
Tom, Matteo, Pansy and Draco.
each of them stared at me with differing emotions.
envy, awe, surprise, and something i couldn't quite decipher.
a mix of envy and awe and surprise... and something softer... love.
love i knew protected myself and him, and expanded to cloak Pansy and my brothers.
love, something he had shown me, taught me.
something that knew no bounds, no restraints and no restrictions.
and in that moment i knew.
i knew i could destroy my Father even with the horcruxes.
because i had something he had forever lacked.
love.