They were laughing. They all laughed as he lay on the floor of the common room, Ginny Weasley towering over him, "And mind you Adams, don't you ever mess with me again," she said, her voice filled with glee, her wand raised. He could still feel the affects of the Bat-Bogey Hex. His face was hot with embarrassment. He got up and limped toward the dormitory.
"Hermione," he said, running after her, "Hermione, please listen to me"
"No" she said, turning around, "I've told you Sam, I'm not going out with you." She began walking toward the door. He ran ahead, blocking her way.
"Get out of my way Adams" she said, raising her wand. He took out his own. "Or what, 'mione? He said amusingly, trying not to show how hurt he was by her tone.
"Or I'll hex you, 3, 2 …"
"Protego" he said as she yelled, "Stupefy!" His shield charm was weak; the stunning spell lifted him off his feet and darkness engulfed him.
He had no idea how long he lay there, in that empty classroom: when he awoke night had fallen. "Good evening, Mr. Adams" said a pleasant voice to his right. Lifting his head he looked into the kind blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore. "Miss Granger is a powerful witch, isn't she?" he said. Sam stood up; he had never been so embarrassed in his life. "Good evening Sir," he mumbled and without waiting for a reply he left the room.
Harry Potter had just killed Lord Voldemort. Sam watched as they celebrated: he felt envy, jealousy, self-pity, all at once. He looked at the three of them, 'The Golden Trio' and his heart filled with longing; longing to be a part of it, longing to be famous, longing to be powerful.
And then the answer came to him as he looked at Lord Voldemort's body.
From what he had heard and read, he had made out that Lord Voldemort had been an excellent student, he had studied, he had experimented, and he had practiced. In a single moment his life was changed forever.
His parents were separated; his mother had never liked magic. Less than the month after the divorce she brought home another muggle man: they had decided to marry. He was nice enough in the presence of his mother, but turned into whole new person when they were alone. He remembered the shouting, the thrashing and the ill-treatment. One day his father saw it all. He sought revenge and paid the price, dying in Azkaban a year later.
And now he stood at the window, immersed in memories of his childhood years thinking about what his father would say if he saw him now.
There was a knock on the door, "Enter," he said and Marietta walked in. Marietta: his most trusted, his most loyal servant. He had taught her himself.
"Yes, Marietta?"
"Bad news My Lord," she said, "The Mudblood Granger is recovering"
He did not react. He had expected it. She was after all, an outstanding witch. He did not speak for a long time and then finally said, "It does not matter. You may go now"
Harry Potter did not listen as a tall grim man in a black suit went on and on about Ron's accomplishments, 'outstanding aurur' … 'devoted husband and a wonderful father' … 'lived and died for the defense of our world' … it did not mean very much. He only knew one thing and it was this: his best mate was gone forever, Harry would never see him again and this was all Adams' doing.
He looked at Rose, Ron's daughter, seated next to him, sobbing quietly, he thought of Hermione, still in St. Mungos, unaware of Ron's death and his heart filled with grief and hate: grief for Ron's family and hate for Adams for tearing them apart.
"Harry come on," said a voice behind him. "Wha?" he looked around and saw that the service was coming to an end. They were lowering the body into the white tomb, much like Dumbledore's. Harry raised his wand; Roses of different colors, red, and black, white, golden appeared over the tomb and then fell over it, completely covering it. With a last look at the marble tomb he turned and walked away.
Granger being in St. Mungos gave him an idea. There were others there too. He had always wanted Neville Longbottom to be with him, having maintained a kind of a friendship with him at school. Longbottom's parents were in St. Mungos. He was the most powerful wizard on the planet … he could do it … a plan already forming in his head, he strode from the room, through the hall and the garden and out on the road where he disapparated.
He glided along a narrow, dark street, pausing only to read some of the addresses. "Ah, yes" he said as he drew level with a door, "E-54, The Longbottoms" His hand pulled out the wand beneath his cloak and pointed it at the door, which burst open. He was over the threshold as and elderly woman came limping into the hall, her wand raised; a flash of red light and she crumpled on the floor, unconscious. "Who's it Grandma?" called out Neville Longbottom, his voice betraying fear. The bathroom door opened and out walked Neville, totally defenseless and looking straight into Adams face, who had raised his wand.
Neville was lifted off his feet and forced into an armchair where ropes conjured from thin air bound him tightly. He tried to speak but no sound came out, his tongue had been glued to the roof of his mouth. Adams conjured another chair and sat down facing Neville.
"Listen to me, Neville" he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Will you join me?" Neville shook his head viciously, trying to break free. Adams removed the silencing charm.
"I'll join you when hell freezes over," Neville yelled.
"I thought not," Said Adams calmly, "but I can offer you a lot Neville"
"I don't care what you can offer me, you bastard" Neville shouted back, redoubling his efforts to break of the ropes holding him.
Adams gave his wand a tiny flick: he knew this would convince him otherwise. A picture of Neville's parents appeared in mid-air as they were now, and then it changed to how they were before Bellatrix tortured them. Adams smiled. Neville was at a loss for words. He just looked at the pictures as they changed again and again. His parents almost insane to his parents all well. Adams looked him straight in the eye.
"I can do it, Neville" He said in a whisper, "join me, and I will give you back your parents." He got up, "Enlighten your grandmother to this discussion when she wakes up" he said, "I' am sure she would like to get her son back. Should you agree to my offer, send an owl to Malfoy Manor," And with this swept from the room, closing the door behind him.
Now he had only one more job to do. And this time hate and fury filled him as he apparated outside his mother's house. And now he felt triumph … he had waited for this … hoped for this. His heart beat faster, adrenaline pumped and excitement mounted as he raised his wand, blasting open the door. There was an immediate uproar. The big burly man sprawled on the couch, watching TV looked up … recognition dawned upon his face and he jumped up, his mother ran out of the kitchen, wearing an apron, a small knife clutched in one hand: she had evidently been busy preparing dinner. It seemed to happen in slow motion; recognizing him, she moved forward to slap him, but as her hand made contact with his skin, she yelled and jumped back: a large burn mark had appeared on her hand.
A girl in her mid-twenties ran down the stairs, "What's all that noi" she began, but stopped short when she saw Adams, "Holy cow! Is that you Samuel?' she said, clearly astonished. Hannah: his half sister, he had always despised that haughty, arrogant girl, so full of herself. The Fetzer family stood absolutely still, like statues. No one moved, not even his stepfather, who a moment before had been ready to charge at him.
He moved toward his stepfather giving his wand a small flick, "Silencio."
Standing barely a foot from him, he raised his wand pointing it at his chest, "No more shouting from you, eh," he said, hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face, "But you shall pay," he continued, "undoubtedly you shall pay."
The yew wand slashed through the air, "CRUCIO!"
The man was on the floor screaming, his face contorted with pain. Both wife and daughter rushed forward, but finding their way blocked by an invisible barrier, were reduced to begging Adams to stop. No one heard the screams: the silencing charm over the house saw to that.
At last he removed the curse and looked into his stepfather's eyes and what he saw there satisfied him: intense fear. "Legilimens."
Images from the man's life flashed before his eyes. And now he saw his childhood and knew that the man was seeing these images too. "Brings you back some, huh?" he said and the silkiness of the voice was more dangerous than the most terrible curse. Jeff Fetzer stared into those coal black eyes and knew that they would be the last thing that he would ever see.
Adams carefully pointed the wand in the man's face; he wanted to see it happen … wanted to savor the moment of revenge … Avada Kedavra." His hatred exploded into the curse, there was a flash of the brightest green and the floor trembled; he turned on the spot and was gone and none too soon for the house came down the next instant.
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