Okay, I know my story is really long but the last chapters are approaching! The final one will be submitted sooner than you think so keep reading and please R&R. Thank you for all your support.- Rayne
"Department of Mysteries." Chimed the elevator's monotone voice as they stepped out into the cool air of the black stoned hallway. All was quiet within the Ministry, everyone already home from a long day's work. But somewhere, deep within the bowels of this part of the Ministry of Magic, Sirius could be one of two things. Dead or alive.
"It's this way." Harry said softly to his group of friends who trailed silently behind him. Harry led the pack, his wand out, ready for anything that might stand in their way. He was worried, anxious that time had run out and he would be too late. The other, who were concerned as much about Sirius as he, were scared, afraid of what may lie beyond the door they just approached. If Danica were here, if he didn't have to leave her fighting off a room of Slytherins, he wouldn't have been so hesitant. She would've smiled at him and opened the door, going ahead of him to put her neck on line. Just in case.
"Ready?" He asked, looking out of the corner of his eye to see the faces of his friends. They all nodded. No matter the cost, no matter the risk, Harry had people who would stand beside him till the very end. The end could be today. It could be tomorrow. Or years from now. But he had people who would fight for him, fight with him. So as he opened the door and stepped into the black, he felt braver. They needed a leader. And a leader he would be.
"Whoa." Was all Ron said as he tilted his head back, looking up into the towering shelves that stretched for what seemed like miles ahead of them. Creeping down the first few isles, Harry gazed around at all the glass balls, aqua mist swirling inside each of them. The holsters they all sat in were different. Every single one was individual. A different size, a different shape with designs on the bottom. He looked closely to see tags on every single orb. Names. They all had names on them.
Harry then read the number plate on the edge of the shelf closest to him. His heart skipped a beat. Sirius. He walked faster, holding his wand up, the tip illuminated with Lumos reading the numbers as he passed. Sirius was further down.
He counted the numbers out loud, the others hastily following behind him, pointing their wands in the shadows seeming to move throughout the room. Harry's hear pounded in his chest as he got closer and closer to where he had seen Sirius within his vision. He was scared of what he might see. Sirius could be lying in a cold, lifeless heap in a puddle of his own blood. He could be withering in pain, asking for death before his very eyes. Harry could've seen his godfather murdered before his very eyes if Voldermort wanted him to.
But none of that happened. As Harry approached the exact spot where Sirius had been during his insight, Harry found it empty. He shined his wand to the nearby isles and saw nothing. Nothing but rows and rows of glass orbs.
"He's not here. He should've been right here." Harry hurriedly said, in panic. Was he too late?
"Harry, he could've been safe all this time. Maybe the Dark Lord wanted you to see that to get you here." Hermione whispered to her best friend, her eyes warning him that she felt danger approaching.
"Harry. This one has your name on it." Neville announced with a shaky voice. Everyone turned to him as he looked up onto a nearby shelf. Harry approached cautiously. Reaching up to where Neville was pointing, Harry studied the holster. Snakes, like the basilisk he had defeated in his 2nd year, held up the small orb with the mist swirling inside that kept his eyes captivated. As if being involuntarily drawn to it, Harry picked up the orb. The mist, glittering and abstractly magical began to form the image of a face he recognized from a few years ago. The crazy Divination professor. The one who spoke of destiny and fate as if they were gods. Her voice whispered in his ear, speaking in a tone that sent chills down his spine. And as he stared in the smoky orb, he heard that same voice say
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..."
A prophecy. It was a prophecy, telling the life of Harry Potter. He turned to the others who opened their mouths to speak when they saw the frightened look on his face. He truly was the Chosen One. The one who would have to rid the world of the Dark Lord once and for all. And from what he had heard one of them would surely die. It could be Voldermort. Or it could be Harry. He was going to have to kill Voldermort. He was too young to take a life. How could this all be happening to him?
The air grew chilly, settling beneath his clothes and onto his skin. He felt the breath of death brush his cheek, mocking his insecurity of the thought that he might have to take another's life. Could he really do it? Could he say those words that even the thought leaves a bad taste in his mouth? Could Harry Potter really rid his world of the Dark Lord?
"Nicely done, Potter." A voice that seemed oddly familiar said, breaking his comatose state. They all turned around, pointing the wands at the intruder who snuck up on them. He took in the sight of long black cloaks and masks disguising their faces. His heart skipped a beat and he couldn't believe his luck. Death Eaters. "Hand over the prophecy." The leader spoke, holding out his hand to Harry. With the other, he waved his fingertips in front of his own face, his mask dissolving into smoke and vanishing into thin air to reveal the pale face and platinum blonde hair of Lucius Malfoy.
"No. I'm not giving you this prophecy." Harry said, his arms protectively spreading out, keeping his friends behind him. The adrenaline began to pump through his veins, causing his eyesight to sharpen. There were about 8 more Death Eaters behind him. He needed an exit. They could not hold a fight with wizards older and more experience than them in this limited amount of space. If anything, he needed to avoid a fight. Get them out of here as soon as possible.
"Awww, how sweet. Itty, bitty baby." A woman's voice said softly as she walked out of the shadow of Lucius, her long, lacey black dress sweeping the floor as she stood at Malfoy's side, her hand on her hip, the finger with her wand attached to it tapping against her side rhythmically. A wave smashed into Harry, sending his stomach into knots. She looked familiar. She saw Sirius' face within her own. Harry could see the Black family traits portrayed in her prison withered features.
"Bellatrix Lestrange." Neville said, anger, the first time he had ever heard or seen from Longbottom, seeping into his voice. He could hear the labored breathing of Neville as he tried to keep his cool. Harry thought back to the time Neville revealed what had become of his parents, why he had lived with his grandmother all this time. Bellatrix Lestrange, along with Barty Crouch had tortured the Longbottoms into madness.
Neville could have been the Chosen One. He could have been the one whose shoulders endured the burden of the Wizarding World. But it had been Harry. It had been his parents who had died.
"Neville Longbottom, am I right?" Bella asked, cocking her head at the side to gaze at the child of the couple she happily threw into insanity's grasps. She rather enjoyed that. Even though it got her locked up in Azkaban. "How's mum and dad?"
"Better now that I'm about to have my revenge!" Neville quickly raised his wand and everyone tensed, readying their own as well when Bellatrix and her army prepared to attack.
"Be nice, Bella. We don't want to upset the children." Lucius tapped Bellatrix's arm, warning her with his eyes to put her wand down. She did as she was told, regrettably, puffing some stray hair out of her eyes with her breath.
"Where's Sirius. I know he's here….where is he?" Harry shouted, taking a step towards the Death Eater until Hermione pulled him back by the arm. He wanted his godfather. He wouldn't hand over the prophecy but he wouldn't leave this place without knowing his godfather is alive and safe.
"It's about time you learn to tell the difference between dreams and reality, my dear boy. Do you really think you have a chance against all of us? A bunch of children. How pathetic."
Harry knew Lucius spoke the truth. Surely, nearly every single one of them was either going to get seriously hurt. Or worse. Dead.
The prophecy could be all that Voldermort needed to defeat him and take over the Wizarding world. A war was at hand. Harry knew that. But was endangering the lives of his closest friends worth protecting something that may or may not cause his downfall? His thoughts must've shown on his face, his brow furrowed and he bit his lip as his hand shook, not sure whether to raise his wand or not.
"I can make this all go away, Potter. I can put a stop to all this and everyone in this room will walk away completely unharmed. Including you. All I need is the prophecy." Lucius held out his hand once more, Bellatrix leaning forward, ready to strike like a cobra waiting for the opportune moment.
Harry hesitated. He glanced behind him at the scared faces of his friends. They didn't want to fight. But for him, they would. Could he really ask for it though? He looked into Lucius' face, seeing the menace. Harry could not talk his way out of this way. He had no sword, no diary, no Goblet of Fire. It was just him, the prophecy, and his wand.
"Don't do it, Harry." Hermione whispered in his ear, her hand resting lightly on his back. He was confused, unsure of what to do. This was all so much. First he learns that he must be the one to destroy Voldermort. Not Dumbledore, not the Aurors, him. He must kill Voldermort or he would kill him. He would kill hundreds of people if he wanted to if Harry did not stop him. And now he must decide between saving a vital piece of the Order's victory. Or putting his friends in absolute danger. He didn't want to make the decision. He didn't want to decide anyone's fate. Once again, he wished he wasn't Harry Potter, the boy with the lightning bolt shaped scar across his forehead.
"In your dreams, Lucius. Harry isn't giving you anything."
His heart fluttered and he felt the fire in his veins begin to calm as Danica stepped out from the shadows of the isle standing between Lucius and his gang and Dumbledore's Army. She grinned at Lucius who scowled in return, his body tensing oddly at her appearance. Bellatrix smiled, her eyes scanning over the girl Harry had fallen in love with. She looked surprised, intrigued at how a girl just walked out of the black, unseen, and unheard. Her red jeans had her wand in her back pocket, her hands buried within her black hoodie. She seemed completely calm. As if they weren't just facing a group of malicious Death Eaters. Harry wished he had that kind of bravery. He was glad to see those gray eyes look at him, convincing him that everything would be okay. She had everything under control.
"Stop playing, hero, Potter. Give it to me!" Lucius shouted, thrusting his hand back out into the empty air. Danica looked down at his glove clad fingers and smiled, the look of mischief maker on her face.
"Hey, Lucius. You got something on your hand."
He looked down, growing extremely impatient. Muttering about stupid children under his breath, he searched for whatever this child could possibly be talking about. There's the opening. Danica slammed her fist into his face, causing him to bellow in anger as like his son, he held his now broken nose.
"Go! The door! Move, move, move!" Danica screamed, pushing Harry and the others back where they came. The isle was narrow. They had to run one behind the other. Hermione led the front and Danica held the back. She kept her hand right on Harry's side, keeping close pace with him and reminding him that she was right there. And she wasn't going anywhere. Not this time.
"After them!"
She looked around, her eyes scanning what could now become a battlefield. Nothing but rows and endless rows of prophecies, as far as the eye could see.
"Watch it!" Harry shouted at Hermione when a Death Eater landed in front of her, his wand out, ready to attack. Dumbledore's Army then split up into different directions.
"Damnit!" Danica said, trying to find her friends within the maze of glass and magic that surrounded them, caged them in.
A spell flew past her ear, the burning sensation singing her hair as it almost struck her. Several of the glass orbs fell as the attack missed its target. Another one flew towards Harry but Danica pushed him, making him turn a corner where the charm hit another Death Eater that tried to trap the two young wizards.
Her ears picked up the sound of breaking glass, of the ominous hiss of prophecies going up into vapor, never again to be contained so that the owner may hear it. She heard the grunts of her friends and Death Eaters as they battled within the small and space less battlefield.
"Impedimenta!" Danica shouted, pointing her wand at the cloaked man who just appeared in their path, his voice already ringing out to cast a spell that Danica did not want to hang around to find out. "Harry, now!"
"Stupefy!" Harry missed by mere inches as Neville slammed into him after running for dear life, Luna in tow. Danica looked up and the Death Eaters were soaring about in their black, smoke like state. It was hard to pick a target, see who was who. They moved too fast. Pointing her wand in the air, standing back to back with Harry, Neville and Luna, Danica sent the Conjunctivitus charm shooting towards the enemy above. With a successful hit, one came crashing down and plummeted, unluckily into the main isle. Harry cringed at the sound of cracking bones.
"We got to move. Now foll-" Danica started but never finished as she howled in pain from Ron charging into her, stomping on her foot and his elbow in her stomach when Hermione rammed into him. He muttered panicked apologies as the Death Eaters landed, appearing before them as they stepped out from the smoke. Maliciousness and the instinct of there being no mercy strangled the air as Danica began to curse under her breath, looking around for an exit. They were being cornered.
"REDUCTO!" Ginny shouted, sending the Death Eaters flying back into one another. Danica flinched as one slammed into a rack of orbs, sending them flying everywhere, the crashes of the rows and rows of prophecies ringing throughout the endless room. And like dominoes, they began to fall, one after the other, straight towards them.
"Go, go, go!" Danica screeched, pushing everyone ahead of her. "Turn left here!"
They all skidded, making a sharp turn, their lungs set on fire and stitches in their side as they raced towards what they soon saw as they door. Harry sprinted ahead of the pack, leading them to safety as the room around them began to collapse. Glittering and shimmering pieces of glass flew everywhere as the sound of dropping metal and crushing rang in their ears. Danica took a sharp breath as a piece of broken prophecy dug into her cheek, leaving a gash. She felt the chaos nearly feet behind her. Danica pressed forward, pushing Neville ahead as he began to lag behind. The door, they had to get to that door!
And so they did. Harry threw it open; too late to realize he could not stop himself from falling into what seemed like death's oblivion. His feet rocked on the edge as he tried pushing his weight back, to avoid plunging into the abyss. But no success as Harry was sent flying into the black empty air when Ginny ran into him. One by one, they all jumped out the doorway before it closed, gravity pulling them down to somewhere. They all prepared for a gruesome and painful impact.
Thankfully, it never came. Mere inches before bone cracking landing, the kids stopped in mid-air, halting their speed and velocity. Just as they began to sigh of relief, they were dropped once again, let down by a soft thud. Everyone groaned and hissed as they slowly got up, checking the damage on themselves. Luna was bleeding from her nose. Neville had a gash across his chest, only slight crimson staining his sweater. Ginny limped, trying to walk off her sprained ankle.
Harry looked over himself, grateful he seemed just fine. He looked up at Danica who patted herself for any other injuries. He immediately went to her when he noticed a piece of glass stuck in her cheek, causing the wound to bleed heavily.
"Hey, don't move. Let me get that." He whispered softly, walking over to where she was standing. She flinched at his touch which was unlike her. He held her face gently in one hand as he slipped the prophecy into her fingers to pull the sharp, uncomfortable object out of her pale skin. She shut her eyes and cussed under her breath, a little louder than anticipated until a huge chunk, the size of his pinky finger, came out.
"There we go."
"Thanks," she muttered, immediately handing him the prophecy to have a look around.
He watched her begin to circle the area that they were in. A doorway stood in the middle of the rock like hill they were standing on. Danica gazed curiously at it as Harry noticed the remainder of the room looked like an arena of some sort.
They had survived a battle with Death Eaters. They, only children of 15, had escaped the clutches of blood-thirsty followers of the Dark Lord. Harry couldn't help but feel a little proud of their success. If it weren't for Danica, if it weren't for him teaching Dumbledore's Army, Harry was more than sure not as many people would have made it out alive. That girl, the one conversing with a stern look on her face, was an angel sent to him. Where would he be without her?
That girl had took his hand and showed him the light within all his darkness. She had encouraged him when all else seemed hopeless. She loved him, as one of her best friends, not because of his fame, of his looks, but for him. And he knew, deep down and for sure in his heart that she would stand with him till his dying day. She would be the friend that Sirius and Remus were to his parents. The true ones.
"Everybody down!" screamed Danica out of nowhere. Harry snapped out of swimming in his own thoughts and instantly hit the ground, putting his hands over his head. Immediately, he found himself in angry, swirling darkness. The presence of other bodies around him began to disappear. Panicked, he opened his eyes, trying to see through the black mist that had spread out before him. He was about to shout out Danica's name when it all cleared.
Harry shakily got to his feet, looking into the tip of a black wand. His gaze wandered up the arm and to the face of Lucius Malfoy. Harry's stomach twisted in knots.
No. He thought he had escaped them, led his friends to safety. It turned out to be the exact opposite. He led them straight into death's undecided hands.
He looked around and saw each and every one of his friends held captive at wand point, scared expressions on their faces. They knew one false move and it would be over. How could Harry let it all come to this?
Danica stood closer to him than all the others. A man he recognized as Antonin Dolohov held her by a handful of her hair, pulling her head back, his wand pointing straight at her neck. Harry noticed she did not struggle. She hardly showed any emotion other than concern for her friends. Besides that, it looked as if she completely gave up fighting, as if she knew all hope was lost. Did his Danica really just give up?
"This is the last time I am going to ask, Potter. Give. Me. The. Prophecy. Or watch your friends die." Lucius spat, his face swollen in angry, still obviously in pain from Danica breaking his nose. Harry hesitated once again. He hated this! When he needed to make a decision, why must he always stop and think! Which is more important? His friends? Or the entire Wizarding World?
And for what seemed like the millionth time since he met her, Harry looked over in the direction of Danica. He needed her. She was wiser, she was stronger. Harry admitted it, then and there as he looked to the girl who held his bleeding heart in her hand, she was the better wizard.
With the connection they had developed over the year between the long talks, the tears and even the laughing fits, Danica told Harry with her pale gray eyes, the eyes he had wished he would have the chance to swim in forever, Do it.
He sighed. She was right. Now was not the time to be a hero. Now was the time to make the right move. Lucius would give the command and within a second, without mercy or a second thought, he would watch his friends, the first girl he ever fell in love with, die. No more death. Harry didn't think he could handle anymore.
So he sighed, commanding his arms to raise up and drop the orb into Malfoy's hand which would, along the line, end up in Voldermort's diabolical grasp. And Harry would look back on this moment and realize he had caused the hundreds of deaths the Dark Lord would be accountable for.
He looked into the eye of Lucius Malfoy as he loosened the grip on the prophecy, ready to let it fall into the enemy's vicious hold. The look in the man's eyes made him shudder. He will rise again, fully and more powerful than ever. How many Lucius' will he make?
Harry closed his eyes, ready to surrender. He would regret this one day, he knew it. But the lives of his friends were worth it.
I'm sorry…
"Oi, get away from my godson."
And with a cringe worthy smack, Lucius was sent to the floor by Sirius Black's fist. Harry's eyes shot open and relief flooded his entire body as he saw his godfather, living and breathing before him, saving him from what could've been the biggest mistake of his life. Sirius crinkled his eyes, smiling in the small moment they had before they must fight. Harry wanted Sirius by his side for the rest of his life. He couldn't see a life any other way.
The Order began to appear, one by one in blinding white smoke. They flashed brilliantly as their feet touched the ground after appearing out of nowhere, when all hope had finally seemed lost. And like the spark igniting the beginning of a war between angels and demons, Lucius hit the floor and the fight began.
But not until she saw him. In a blur of speed that even she didn't catch, Antonin was knocked back, sent flying away from her and into the wall behind them. She turned to see him get back up, groaning and rubbing his neck. She grinned. She never really liked that guy. But it was when she looked back towards the direction she was facing, Sirius and Harry fighting side by side against Lucius did she see him.
Remus J. Lupin stood before her, his tall thin frame blocking her view of the battle going on. Not that he needed to. Everything, from the second she looked up and into those sky blue eyes, disappeared. It was just her and him standing there. It was just Remus reaching out and touching the gash across her cheek gently, his hand shaking horribly. He looked down into the pale face of his angel and he felt his heart trying to pound its way out of his chest. It was just her as she closed her eyes to the warm sensation of his touch, the longing to feel it suddenly disappearing as he stood before.
"Forgive me." He whispered, desperation in his voice. He had missed her. He didn't hate her for all the things she said.
But if only he knew that she already did from the second she realized what she had done to him. She would be the one begging for forgiveness soon.
"Watch it!" she pushed him away, creating a gap between them that let a charm fly past. He nodded his thanks towards her as he turned to begin battle. Before he could even turn back around to see where she was, Danica was at his side, fighting along with him as a pair of Death Eaters approached.
"Ready?"
"I was born ready." She replied, the edge returning to her voice. Danica grinned and raised her wand in her famous pose. Lupin even had to catch his breath as the dark seemed to bend around her, forming to her shape to leave only the light. She pointed her wand to her opponent and with the flick of her wrist, a spell was cast, travelling at such speed not even the Death Eater could catch it in time. Soon, he found himself unable to move.
Danica sprinted to him, her fist pulled back as she put her wand in her mouth. Shoving her knuckles into his face, Danica used her momentum to jump into the air, flipping over the enemy, twisting in mid-air to land a kick to the side of his face. The Death Eater fell to his knees from the impact. When Danica landed she took her wand into her hand and shouted out, "Reducto!" sending him flying in Alastor Moody's direction.
She stepped to the side, knowing Remus had just cast a spell. The ball of color and sizzling magic soared past her and struck Rabastan Lestrange in the stomach.
The battle went on for a few more minutes. Remus rushed to the aid of Tonks as Danica made her way back up to the point of the hill where Sirius and Harry fought Lucius. She noticed the pieces of shattered prophecy at Harry's feet. A wave of panic rushed over her.
Oh no.
She looked around her, at the battle that had come alive from the pages of Wizard History textbooks. Like years and years before, those who followed the Dark Lord fought those who defied him. But this time, the Second War, who would win?
Ron's opponent fell onto his face as he cast the charm to enlarge his teeth so massively, they pulled him forward. Hermione ducked as an Expelliarmus was aimed at her. Luna danced around the arena, dodging and firing in her own beautiful style. Nearly smiling to herself, Danica sprinted towards Harry. She heard Sirius call him James. He did look a lot like him.
The Order and Dumbledore's Army seemed to have an advantage in numbers as they advanced on the Death Eaters. Danica had some hope that the outcome of this fight wouldn't be as bad as she expected.
But she was wrong.
She heard them. She heard the words that no person should ever have to say to another. The Unforgivable words. Hearing them with her own ears left a bad taste in her mouth that forced her to fight back vomit. Someone had cast the Killing Curse. And she had a feeling about who was going to receive it.
Before her heart could even beat again, before she sucked in another lung full of air, Danica took off in Remus' direction. No. Not him. Her eyes scanned the room frantically, looking for his graying hair and his scarred yet always kind face. The world, her world, was about to fall apart, break into so many pieces if he died that she would never be able to recover. A place without Remus, a world where he did not exist meant nothing to her. If that Curse hit him and he passed into death's crushing embrace, quickly and painfully, Danica didn't think she would survive through the agony. Nor did she want to. The beauty would be gone from the world. The reason for her to live, to fight would burn out just like the life from his very soul. From then on, she would walk this empty earth, afraid and alone. Two things she never was because always, she had Remus. He was there from the very beginning. He was there when she needed a father. He was there when she needed a brother, when she needed a father. Since she was old enough to think about such things she had revolved her entire life around him. The one and only reason she had joined the Order was to be closer to him. So she could be with him when he was sent out on the missions that kept him away for days, weeks, even months.
Without Remus J. Lupin, Danica Lorenzo no longer had a reason to live.
She felt her ankle twist beneath her as she jumped from a ledge and onto the ground that Lupin stood on, fighting with his back turned. Time moved in slow motion even though mere seconds passed by. With every fiber of her being, Danica knew what she was doing as she stopped, standing in front of him, her arms straight out, protecting him from what would've been his final breath.
She would never see Fred again. She would never kiss him again. The day when Harry finally took his place as the Chosen One would be a day she would have to miss. When Ron finally wakes up and realizes that Hermione loves him, she'd miss that to. She'd miss the rest of her own life. But she was ready to give that all up, in a matter of seconds Danica made her choice to give her life for Remus.
So as she looked up into his sky blue eyes when he turned around, shocked to see her standing there, a look on her face that rattled his bones, Danica shed a tear, whispering her final good-byes to the man who was her best friend, her brother, her father. And even though it pained her to admit it, she told her head to shut up and let her heart speak. He was the love of her life.
Forgive me, for what I have done…
She waited for death to come for her, to knock on her door and take her away from the world she had hopefully left a mark on.
For him, she would give anything. Even her own life. And she would lay it down 1,000 more times.
But death didn't come for her. It came for Sirius.
Danica's eyes shot open as she heard the sound of Harry's voice carry throughout the chamber in an agonizing scream. She was wrong. The Killing Curse was not meant for Remus. It was meant for Sirius.
Lupin pushed her out of the way, sprinting as fast as he could to try and reach Harry before he dived into the Death Chamber after Sirius' body. Danica saw his face before he entirely disappeared, his spirit visible enough to be seen floating up to heaven on angel wings. He looked at peace.
She watched, all feeling gone from her body as Remus held Harry in his arms, restraining him. The look on his face made her want to fall to her knees and cry. He lost Sirius, the only remaining family he had left. He clawed at Lupin's sleeve, trying his hardest to escape, screaming out his godfather's name in a tone no boy of 15 should have to use.
And Lupin, he looked like a man trying with every ounce of strength in his body to not lose control. He just lost his last best friend. How much more death? How much more suffering must everyone go through until all this is over?
This wasn't supposed to happen.
Taking one last look at Harry and Remus mourning over the death of Sirius Black, Danica took off into the small narrow passageway that she saw Sirius' murderer disappear into. She went after Bellatrix Lestrange.
Rage shook her entire body as she followed the woman who skipped ahead, shouting to no one in particular in an overjoyed voice at how she was the one to kill Sirius Black. No. This wasn't supposed to happen! Not Sirius! Not anyone!
"You promised! You promised no one would get hurt! TURN AND FACE ME!" Danica bellowed, reaching for her wand in her back pocket. She was so angry she couldn't even see straight. And guilt racked her entire body until her knees felt as if they would give out.
Bellatrix turned, her sinister smile plastered on her face. Danica cringed.
"Oh boo hoo. So someone died, big deal! Technically, that's not getting hurt. That's ending up dead." She let out a laugh that echoed through the hall of Floo Networks within the Ministry of Magic. Chills ran up Danica's spine and she felt tears begin to prickle her eyes. Wrong. It was all wrong!
"We made a deal! I would get Harry and the prophecy and in return no one would get hurt. In return, Remus Lupin would not die!"
"And so he didn't!" Lestrange quickly strode to Danica who stood frozen, her wand gripped in her hand as she stared into Bellatrix's eyes, trying to hold back the tears.
"You agreed to the term 'No one would get hurt and Remus Lupin would not die.' You said nothing of anyone else not dying. The Killing Curse is not painful. Besides, you didn't keep your part of the deal either, Danica. And I just couldn't stand looking at the face of my disgusting cousin." She smiled that rotten smile, seeing such promise in the young girl's face as she once again protested.
"I agreed to get Harry here so he could acquire the prophecy. Lucius is the one with slippery fingers. I stuck to my part of the bargain!" She spat in Lestrange's face who scowled at the girl.
"You found a loophole. As did we. Face it, Danica, you are one of us now. The Dark Lord is very impressed with you." Bellatrix ran her fingers through Danica's hair, looking admiringly at the beautiful pale face before her. Such pride swelled within Bella. This girl would become the most important asset to the Dark Lord. "But of course he would be. After all, you are my daughter."
Danica closed her eyes, accepting what her mother said as true. She is no longer better than the Death Eaters who had attacked Dumbledore's Army. She was now a spy, branded a traitor. And once the Dark Mark was permanently etched into her skin tonight, her betrayal would be for the entire world to see.
But at that moment, only one other person would see who Danica Lorenzo really was. Bellatrix smiled, backing away from her daughter and vanishing into the green flames, leaving with only a few words that would haunt Harry for what he thought would be the rest of his life,
"She looks just like mum, doesn't she, Potter?"
Danica turned, her eyes wide in disbelief, wide in despair as Harry trembled where he stood, expecting to find Sirius' murderer. But instead he found a traitor. He found the girl he loved stammering for an explanation, the Black traits now portraying in her face. And if he took away years of prison and evil from Bellatrix's face, he would see Danica's within it. Mother and daughter. Death Eater and accomplice.
She held her wand to his face. "I did this for you. For him. For everyone. Please understand." She begged with watery gray eyes. He didn't understand. And he never would. So he raised his wand to that pretty little face as well.