"Crucio!"

And the bright, blinding scarlet light hit its target for the second time.

Matted, mane-like hair covered his face as he lay gasping, writhing and shrieking in pain on the filthy, bloodied carpet of the small office he'd been cornered in. He was still clutching his wand, but it was energy wasted. It wouldn't be any use against his current opponent. He was too powerful.

His attacker lifted his wand, giving brief relief to his victim. "I'll say it again, Scrimgeour – tell me where I can find Harry Potter, and I shall spare you - give me the location, and you shall be forgiven."

"I – I won't," he choked out, bloody saliva spraying from his mouth.

"My patience is wearing thin, Scrimgeour! Tell me now, where Potter is, or I shall be forced to kill you!" He lifted his wand, giving brief relief to his victim.

"Then you'll have to murder me." he said. He shook and he forced his voice to steady itself. It was far from calm, but too free of terror for his predator. The scarlet in his eyes gleamed brighter than ever, and a smile that only the prospect of murder could bring to his face was curling dangerously on his ghastly lips.

"Oh, there is no doubt that I will – but you will tell me where the boy is hiding, first." He barely managed to keep the joy out of his voice.

And another beam of bright red light shot from the tip of his wand. It was hard to tell which sound was most terrible upon the spell hitting the recoiling man: was it the tortured cry of terror and anguish omitting from the man who lay shuddering on the ground, or was it the shrill and ear-splitting shriek of thrill and pure delight at the sight of the innocent man suffering enormously at his own hands, from the attacker.

The Minister stopped squirming. He raised onto his hands and knees and crawled forward towards the snake-like, stick-thin man. He looked straight into the red slits of his eyes, swimming with evil and hate, glowing in the anticipation of murder.

"You won't win this war, you fool, he's stronger than you are. " The bloody spit projected from his mouth had barely hit its target of Lord Voldemort's feet before he saw it.

The green light flew at him, and time seemed to slow down. A peaceful whooshing sound filled his ears, he felt suddenly very calm and a previous conversation play back out in his mind.

"It's time you learned some respect!" he had said to the boy.

"It's time you earned it!" Harry had retorted fairly.

The corners of his crooked mouth twitched slightly, and a millisecond later the killing curse hit him dead in the centre of his chest. Earned it he had.