I stared at Harry in shock. He looked just like he did in the Ministry. There was glass on the floor still and I saw Dumbledore not to far back. We were still in the Ministry. Like it had been minutes rather than days I had been gone. My head was rushed with questions.
Had it been a dream?
Did I hallucinate?
No. I believe that I had been with Cedric.
But…what had happened? Harry's voice broke my wondering.
"Nicole…can you hear me?" Harry asked, his voice thick with worry and loss. I looked at Harry but said nothing. "Nicole can you talk?" Harry asked his voice rising in worry. I blinked and gulped as I raised my hand towards Harry's cheek. I saw I was no longer in my demon dog form. Harry smiled and leaned to my hand making contact with my palm. I hissed in horror and sprang from Harry's lap. I flipped into the air and landed many feet away from Harry in a crouched position.
Harry stared at me in horror and surprise. I curled my lip up and a deafening, agonizingly painful screeching growl erupted throughout the room. Pain shot through me like I've never known. I grasped my chest in agony. I wanted to rip into my chest and pull out my heart as it tugged on its strings once again trying to escape the pain. My body felt like it ignited on fire, it was burning my entire being. I screamed in pain, I never really felt pain, not easily. I screamed and screamed as I fell onto my hands and knees. I looked at my clothes to see them ignite and burn. I gasped in terror and looked at Harry. His eyes were wide with terror, horror and heartbreak. I tilted my head up and screamed loudly.
"Professor!" Harry yelled. "What is happening?"
I saw Dumbledore walk closer to Harry. "I don't know Harry, but I will guess that she has lost control". Dumbledore said sadly. Harry's eyes went wide with loss.
"No." Harry whispered. "No! She hasn't! She is strong and she can't!" Harry yelled at Dumbledore. "Why would she? She came back to life so why would that change her?" Harry asked in confusion and anger.
I looked down to see my clothes burned into ashes. Before I could cover myself in embarrassment, a black leather snakeskin like material erupted from my skin. I stared at it in horror. It slid out of my skin and wrapped around my body like vines. It was pointed at the ends as it slid over my body. It wrapped around me and joined in certain spots like it was making a piece of clothing on me. Once it wrapped around me I stared at the snakeskin like outfit. It developed into the length of short shorts and slid up the center of my back and wrapped around my neck; revealing the Dark Mark scar on my chest. It covered my breasts but revealed my stomach it connected the bottom part from my sides. From the shorts it wrapped around and around down my legs like vines. I looked at arms and the material ended in points at my upper arms and looked like it faded into my skin. I followed down to my hands and my nails were the claws again but they were sparkling like diamonds; still black. I slowly stood up and looked at Harry, he gasped as he looked at me.
To my surprise he took a slow step towards me. I grunted in pain and stumbled backwards leaning over. Now my body felt like it was in the Atlantic Ocean. My body felt cold like it never had been. My body shivered convulsively and I gasped for the air I didn't need. Christ I wanted nothing more than to die and escape this pain. I watched as my skin began to expose a blue color. It slid across my skin and left a mist like appearance. It would start out somewhere dark then streak out in points and faded into my skin. It did this at my hairline and disappeared into my cheeks and the top of my forehead. It was a dark blue at my elbows and flowed out to my upper arms and wrists and disappeared into my skin from points. It did the same on my legs and stomach. The only places that remained with some of my natural skin tone was most of my face, my hands, my shoulders, my feet, most of my stomach and my chest. That reminded me and I looked down at my scared Dark Mark. It was black and protruding more than ever. It seemed to slither beneath my skin. I looked down at my stomach seeing the blue spike out in the middle and disappear.
"Nicole?" Harry said cautiously.
I let out a short growl and looked at Harry. He gasped again as he looked at my face. I scrunched my brow in confusion. I turned to look at my reflection in the reflective wall. My eyes went wide as I gazed at the face looking back at me. My eyes were fully black except for a very thin and tiny lined circle of gold that used to be my full eye color. My hair was now pitch black except for the faintest and darkest tint of red. I turned back to Harry and glared at him.
Harry looked at me shocked.
"Nicole…it's me…Harry" Harry said in worry.
I continued to glare at him in hatred. What? Hatred? I don't hate Harry! It wasn't his fault that I came back! My body healed naturally, well unnaturally. So why do I want nothing more than to kill him and drain him dry? My thoughts were briefly distracted as I lift my hand up to my face. I opened my mouth and placed my fingers on my canines. They were pointed faintly but enough that you could notice from a few steps away.
"Nicole?" Harry said cautiously again.
Finally I spoke.
"Where is everyone?" I asked is the most eerie, hissing, demonically and darkest voice I ever had.
Harry seemed to be a little shaken.
"They-they are in the room still fighting off the Death Eaters" Harry replied nervously.
My eyes went wide. So it had only been minutes here. I growled lowly too low for Harry to hear.
"You mean…that the Death Eaters are still in there…alive?" I asked still in the same dark voice.
Harry looked at me in confusion, "yes…why?"
I smiled evilly and replied, "good". With that I took off running back to the room. They were only Death Eaters, so it wasn't like I was going to do anything truly evil I said to myself. I ran as fast and hard as my legs would push me. Faintly I heard Harry call my name in a panic but I didn't want to have to kill him. And I knew at this moment it was inevitable…it was going to happen.
I burst through the door to see the battle continuing. I stared all around in hatred. I looked down at my right hand and then threw it up in the air like I was tossing something up towards the ceiling. A loud crackling boom sounded causing everyone to look up as something lit the room. Of course I could have seen perfectly but I wanted to see each of the Death Eaters's faces as they watched me kill them. With another wave of my hand each of the Order members were shot back to the wall. I did it as carefully as I could but it was hard with so much power flowing throughout me and not knowing much about it; not to mention how much death and pain I wanted to cause right now. I heard Tonks and some of the others grunt in slight pain. I flinched the slightest bit.
I looked at some of the Death Eaters no one had seen me yet and their faces lit up with joy. I scoffed they thought I was helping them. I growled deeply as I jumped up onto one of the rocks crouching on it. I heard the Death Eaters gasp and turn to look at me. They stared at me in shock and confusion.
"Who are you?" a Death Eater asked in frustration. Lucius came into view and I looked at him. He stared back at me curiously but not welcomingly. I tilted my head to the side slightly like an animal trying to figure something out. He looked into my eyes and recognized me.
"She is one of them! I don't know what happened to make her look like this but she is with the Potter kid! Kill her!" Lucius yelled. From the corner of my eye I saw multiple Death Eaters raise their wands at me. I smiled as I stared at Lucius. He looked at me in confusion and within that middle second I launched myself off the rock. Lucius raised his wand at me and shot a spell. I was flying through the air, my body straight as I turned myself over and over dodging Lucius's attacks. Once I was close enough I wrapped my right arm around his neck and swung myself behind him and landed on my feet as I placed my left hand's pointer finger claw under his jugular. I slammed my back to the wall, causing it to crack with my arm tightly around Lucius's neck. He grunted as he pulled on my arm surprised on how I didn't budge a bit.
"If you want to keep your life I suggest you tell your boys to stop," I said flatly and darkly.
Lucius laughed. "My girl! You think I would believe that you would kill me? You?" Lucius mocked.
"Why wouldn't I? Voldemort does it without a second thought. So what would make me any different?" I asked in disgust.
"But you and the Dark Lord are nothing alike" Lucius laughed.
"That's what you think but you couldn't be further from wrong" I said flatly.
"Oh really? And what could you and the Dark Lord possibly have in common?" Lucius asked.
"If you want to know and I promise you if I were in your position I would want to know, then tell your boys to lower their wands and listen," I replied
Lucius sighed and held up his hand. The Death Eaters slowly lowered their wands.
"So. What could you and the Dark Lord have in common?" Lucius asked again slightly amused. I looked from the side of his head towards the Death Eaters and jerked my head upwards slightly sending the Death Eaters's wands shooting into the air and out of sight.
"Well…" I began and kicked Lucius behind his knees.
He yelled out in surprise and fell to the ground. I kicked him over so he was looking up at me. I placed my foot on his chest holding him in place. I looked at his wand and shot it up in the air joining the others.
"The largest and most common thing I share with him unfortunately is…blood" I replied in disgust. Lucius looked at me like I was crazy. I looked up towards the light that was shining throughout the room. The light pointed towards me and glowed on my Dark Mark scar. I looked back down at Lucius. His eyes were wide in disbelief. He lifted his head up some to get a better look.
"It can't be…"he said softly.
"But I am" I replied hatefully.
Lucius continued to stare at me in disbelief. He looked down at once as if showing respect.
"May I stand my mistress? To better admire you?" Lucius asked nervously. I grimaced, god the Malfoys were pathetic. I removed my foot in a swift motion as Lucius stood at once. He looked at me in shock. He seemed to look up and down my body in admiration and, I scoffed lightly once. Wow and in…lust. Unbelievably but not totally unexpected I felt the same, the book said that I would be the most seductive thing ever and that I would be close to a Succubus, feeding off sexual energy and desire to have it. I cleared my senses at once luckily. At least I had some control still.
"Have you come to join us and finish off these Order members?" Lucius asked hopefully. My eyes went wide and I made the light focus throughout the room once more. I then heard a quiet gasp that no one but whoever was standing directly next to them and me could hear. I knew who it was. Tonks.
I turned my head around to stare at Tonks pined against the wall. My heart cringed slightly and I felt my brow tilt downward, causing Tonks to sense that I did not want to hurt them.
"Nicole?" Tonks said quietly and nervously.
"You are NOT to address the Dark Lords daughter!" Lucius yelled in anger.
I turned back to Lucius and it took all my strength not to rip his head off then. I smiled lightly, "Lucius I can handle things myself" I said calmly.
"Of course my mistress, I was only trying to make you not feel angered." Lucius explained.
I smiled at the irony and sighed with a 'hmm'. I turned back to Tonks and began to walk towards her.
I stood in front of Tonks a few feet away. I stood there awkwardly, then took a breath and took a few more steps closer. Tonks's eyes were filled with worry and some hurt.
"Tonks…I'm so sorry" I said quietly enough that Lucius wouldn't be able to understand me.
"Nicole…don't abandon us! They aren't the right people to fight along with! I know it's hard but you can't give up," Tonks said quietly and sadly.
"Tonks…don't worry." I said as I reached out and touched her hand the slightest that Lucius wouldn't be able to tell. "…I'm not." I replied with a slight smile. "You're just going to have to trust me ok?" I asked hopefully. Tonks just stared at me. "When I get the chance I will release you guys when I think it is safe and you run ok?" I said.
"Nicole…no leave this to us. I know your upset but I don't want you to get hurt," Tonks said.
I smiled, "Thank you Tonks but…if I don't do this…"I shuddered. "Then something terrible is going to happen" I finished. Tonks looked at me curiously. "I cant explain now but trust me" I said. I smiled at Tonks as I turned and walked back to Lucius.
"Stupid Order. Must run in the family, she and Sirius were in the Order. Must be a mess up in the family. Both worthless family members drawn into the same idiotic Order." Lucius mumbled.
I stiffened and gritted my teeth.
"I will have to remember to congratulate Bellatrix for getting rid of Black. Nothing but a worthless waste of spa-AH!" Lucius exclaimed as I threw my fist into his face as he walked behind me. Lucius flew across the room and slammed into the wall. He stood up slowly confused. "Mistress, what did I say?" Lucius asked trying to hide his anger.
"First off don't call me mistress. I am not in any way going to be in relation to you, the Death Eaters or Voldemort" I said in disgust.
Lucius began to walk back to me in disbelief. "I'm afraid I don't understand. You're the Dark Lord's daughter. Why wouldn't you work with us?" Lucius asked in frustration.
"Hmm. Let's see…" I said as I dramatically rubbed my chin. In a flash I whisked over to Lucius as I grabbed him by the throat and pinned him to the wall. "Perhaps because I want NOTHING to do with my so called 'father'! I hate him! I hate EVERYTHING he is! I want nothing to do with anything he is doing! I am NOT like him! I hate everything about him! I want him to die painfully for taking the first person that loved me even for what I was! I want him to die for killing Harry's parents!" I screamed. "I just want that bastard to die! I want…to kill him myself." I exclaimed as venom from my teeth ran down my throat.
Lucius stared at me in silence.
"But for now…" I said then threw Lucius behind me into the ground. "Your Death Eaters will have to do…besides it's killing me to have to resist the blood of so many people with blood that don't deserve it" I said darkly as I glared at the Death Eaters. "If it wasn't for one of your fellow Death Eaters I wouldn't have known the taste it could provide me".
Lucius looked at me in hatred. "You killed Vladimir!" he exclaimed in disbelief. I felt the Order members gazing at me. My heart twinged.
"Is that what his name was?" I said hiding the pain I was feeling.
Lucius glared at me in rage.
"So! I take it you want to fight?" I said as I jumped onto on of the rocks. "Well…" I began as I looked up. The wands came flying back down and landed at the Death Eaters's feet. Lucius's landed sticking out of the ground by his left hand. He looked at it then at me. I motioned at it with my hand and head. He scrambled up grabbing the wand as he did. He stood pointing his wand at me. I looked at the Death Eaters.
"I think you can pick up your wands now" I said hushed humorously.
The Death Eaters bent down and grabbed their wands and pointed them at me.
"Before we begin!" I said. "I want to know Lucius…how will you fight something…" I began then suddenly seemed to disappear. "…That you can't see?" I asked my voice echoing, sounding everywhere.
I watched Lucius and the others look around everywhere trying to see me as I ran around the room on the walls too fast for them to see. I spotted a Death Eater I would start with. I jumped off the wall and landed beside him silently. The Death Eater began to back up nervously while I dramatically I picked at my claws. He came close and began to turn around as I glanced over my shoulder at him. He gasped and raised his wand as I threw my arm behind me hitting him in the face sending him into the wall. The others turned to me where the sudden noise came from. Lucius raised his wand and shot a spell at me as I smiled and turned around disappearing again. The Death Eaters began to get even less eased then they were.
I began to run across the walls silently watching them from above. I came across the same Death Eater I punched and jumped behind him this time noisily causing him to turn around and gasp raising his wand. I reached out and snapped his neck easily.
I looked at Lucius and he seemed surprised that I actually did kill someone. If it wasn't a Death Eater I would have resisted but I needed to kill something and now. But it wasn't enough. I had so much rage and anger that I needed to kill every single Death Eater in this room to quench my anger and now…thirst.
Lucius snapped out of his surprise as he raised his wand at me while I jumped into the air disappearing again.
"Fire your spells! Everywhere I don't care! Fire at the walls, the ceiling everywhere! Just do it!" Lucius yelled in rage.
I smiled as I continued to run across the walls. I laughed at Lucius he looked around to try and see me. The Death Eaters raised their wands and fired randomly across the room; I dodged the spells easily. If I wasn't what I was I would have thought that it was odd that it was so easy. I jumped in front of a Death Eater scaring him in my sudden appearance. I laughed as I punched him in the face. Then I spun around and kicked him across the face. I spun around again as I kicked him in the back. I sensed another Death Eater. I turned to see another Death Eater fire a spell at me, I jumped out of the way and landed behind them as I reached my hands behind his neck and flipped him forward onto his back. I turned back to the first Death Eater to see him standing up and look at me. He looked down at his wand. I flew across at him as he bent down to pick it up. I grasped his shirt as I sank my teeth into his neck. His cry caught everyone's attention. I circled the room as I drained him causing his cries to fill the room from everywhere. Everyone scanned the entire room in terror. Then suddenly it went quiet again and the Death Eaters and Lucius looked around and rocked on their feet nervously. A sudden loud thud behind Lucius caused some to jump. Lucius turned to look on the ground to see the drained Death Eater. I laughed as I continued to circle the room.
This is where it turned chaotic. Some of the Death Eaters lost their nerve and turned into the black mist and flew out of the room. The others continued to fire their spells across the room. I jumped down beside another Death Eater and grabbed him throwing him into another Death Eater. I then flew across to another and kicked them hard in the back. I heard their spine crack beneath my foot and I smiled proudly. I turned to see a spell flying at my face. I lifted the Death Eater up and threw him towards the spell causing it to hit him. He began to twitch and scream in pain; well now I knew what that spell was. I jumped up again as I flipped across the room landing behind two Death Eaters standing next to each other.
"Psst!" I said quietly causing the two Death Eaters to turn to me. I reached out as they raised their wands at me and smashed their heads together hearing them crack knowing I killed them instantly. Lucius turned towards me and yelled out in anger as he threw another spell at me. I smiled and laughed lightly as I jumped to my right and disappeared. I jumped off the wall and threw myself into another Death Eater. They flew across the room as I clutched onto him driving him into the ground. I sat up straddling the Death Eater and began to punch him with not even much of my strength maybe ten times and his head was nothing more than a bloody pulp. I turned my head to look at Lucius glaring at me.
We both looked around to see it was just him and me now.
I released the Order, Ron, Hermonie and the others. Most of the Order began to run towards me.
"Wait!" Tonks yelled causing the other Order members who were running to turn and look at her in disbelief.
"I can't tell you why but we have to let her finish" Tonks said.
"Nymphadora! Are you mad?" Moody yelled.
Tonks surprisingly ignored the Nymphadora part and replied, "Please trust me! If we intervene Nicole assured me something terrible would happen."
The Order members were paralyzed it seemed they didn't know what to do. Eventually Tonks convinced them to escape but I could read from someone's head that they were returning soon.
Lucius looked back at me and I smiled at him. He raised his wand as I flew across the room at him while dodging his spell. I threw myself into him as I held onto his robe and threw him into one of the boulders. He began to get up as I landed in front of him. He was surprised that I was already in front of him causing him to jump back some. I laughed as I slammed my fist into his face not to hard because I wanted to have some fun with him. He flew to my left a few feet away and lay on the ground for a second before getting to his feet.
"What? Can you not fight with magic?" Lucius asked mockingly.
"I just prefer more hand on hand combat" I replied darkly. "But I guess that's not fair to you so…" I said as I disappeared again. I reappeared across from Lucius. "Do your worst." I said calmly.
Lucius raised his wand as he shot a spell at me. I grabbed the spell and flung it back at Lucius. He stumbled backwards as I reached my hand behind me and threw it out towards Lucius as a spell of my own flew across the room at him.
We continued to duel for minutes and minutes more. Unlike me Lucius was beginning to tire. I smiled as I threw another spell causing Lucius to fly back and hit a boulder. I smiled as I walked forward, about to finish him off.
"Nicole!" I heard someone yell and recognized the voice. Inside I screamed in anger, it was Harry. I didn't want him here for this. I turned to look at Harry.
"Harry! Get out of here! You don't need to be here for this!" I yelled at him.
"No way! You're coming with us! Your going to be fine we just need to get you out of here" Harry yelled back at me.
"Harry! I'm not kidding get out of-" I said but Harry cut me off in a terrified warning.
"Nicole look out!" Harry screamed as I turned back to Lucius as I heard him curse.
"Avada Kedavra!"
I saw a green light flash towards me as I finally turned towards Lucius. The green light slammed into my gut. I grasped my middle and hunched over slightly as I stumbled back. I slowly looked up at Lucius to see him smiling victoriously.
"NOOOOOOO!" I heard Harry scream in agonizing heartbreak.
I fell to my knees still holding myself. I blinked a few times in disbelief then fell backwards landing on my right facing Harry my eyes closed.
I must have been paralyzed at first because I continued to hear everything.
"NO! Nicole! NOOO!! Please NO!" I heard Harry scream and could tell from his voice someone was holding him back again. I heard movement on the ground close to me; Lucius then spoke.
"Voldemort would be ashamed! His daughter wasn't as strong as him." Lucius said mockingly.
"Shut up! She is stronger! She is better than him in everyway!" Harry shouted in pure hatred and pain.
"Well as you can see Potter obviously she is the one who is dead while the Dark Lord is living" Lucius said mockingly.
I began to see everything in my head too. What was going on? How long till I was dead again?
I saw Harry's eyes go wide while he was staring at me. Why? I then realized why. Harry stared at me in disbelief as I stood behind Lucius. Lucius looked at Harry's face confused he then turned.
"As you can see Lucius, obviously? I'm not," I said darkly. Lucius's face was filled with disbelief and shock. I smiled as I lunged up onto Lucius. He fell backwards as I sat up on him. I smiled as I opened my mouth widely. I leaned back down and sank my teeth into Lucius's neck. I closed my eyes as I sighed as his blood ran down my throat, quenching the dry ache since facing him. I drunk eagerly until something broke through my enjoyment.
"Nicole? Nicole you need to stop." Harry said calmly I opened my eyes to see Harry kneeling in front of me. I was so absorbed in this that I glared at Harry as a threat to my meal, which technically he was.
"Harry…" someone said warningly.
Harry's eyes went to his right showing that he had heard them. He looked back at me as I stared over Lucius's shoulder. My teeth still in his neck but not draining him; waiting for Harry's next move. Harry slowly reached out and placed his hand on mine. I felt him shiver; I hadn't thought that I was still so cold. I had just gotten used to it is all.
"Nicole, you don't want to do this." Harry said calmly and confidently. I continued to stare at him. I guessed I looked like a wild animal guarding its kill. Harry began to rub his thumb across the top of my hand in a soothing gesture. "Nicole…if you finish him off…then he wins…but if you stop now it will show that you had the strength to say no. And that will show how much better and stronger you are than Voldemort" Harry finished all the while looking in my eyes.
I continued to look at Harry, not moving a muscle. I began to feel my resolve coming back then Harry began to lift my hand off of Lucius's chest. That went against the primal part of me and I snarled at Harry as I slammed his hand away from me and it smashed against a boulder.
"AH!" Harry exclaimed in pain as I heard his hand crack against the boulder. No matter how much of me was a monster, that brought the real me out of the blinding primal part of my being. I stared in disbelief at myself. Harry's face was twisted in anguish and looked back at me. He looked into my eyes and that made my whole body ache with disgust and shame. I shuddered as I looked down at Lucius who had begun to go pale from the loss of blood.
I stood up in one swift movement, which caused some of the Order to walk towards me.
"Wait!" Harry ordered placing his good hand behind him telling the Order members to stay back. Harry brought his hand back and cradled his broken one.
"Nicole?" Harry said flatly.
I looked at Harry for a second more than looked up at the Order members. Next to them I saw the rest of the students. I felt my heart fall into the pit of my stomach and my throat clenched shut. I charged towards the Order members and the students. I heard them gasp as the Order members pulled them out of the way. They waited for me to turn and attack but I continued to run out the door.
I didn't run as fast as I could because I knew that Harry would be coming for me anyway. I still had to get out for a few seconds to inhale some clean air that wasn't tainted with blood.
Well! I am really impressed! The voice I despised that existed in myself spoke.
"Of what?" I asked in disgust.
Of how much power you showed in that room. I wish you could have seen yourself! I of course sat back and watched.
I froze. "Wait…that…really was me back there?" I said in disbelief and horror.
Well duh! If it wasn't you would have had not waited to kill Lucius. You would have just killed him and the Order members the minute you saw them
"But…I still killed some people…that isn't me" I argued.
The voice seemed to scoff then sighed, well it is obviously. Ironic actually. You were so afraid of losing control and becoming a monster, which you call me…and yet…you killed anyway.
I said nothing for a while not sure what to say.
Even if you tried to tell me that you regret it we both know how much you enjoyed ending them back there
I continued to stand in place then argued, "I did n-"
Yes you did! If I could show you what you looked like back there…oh man would I love to see your face!
I shunned away in shame.
Don't be angry! Its what you are!
"Says who?" I asked in disgust.
At that moment I heard footsteps behind me.
"Nicole?" Harry yelled.
I ran to the fountain and stood behind it.
"Nicole? Where are you? Please come out," Harry asked.
The tone in Harry's voice made my heart twinge again. With a sigh I began to step out and saw what my skin looked like in the moonlight. I gasped as I stared at it. It glowed like the moon did. I stepped back out of the light. What would Harry's reaction be? I stood in place panicking on what to do.
"Nicole…please?" Harry said again
With another sigh I looked around the fountain enough for Harry to see me. He sighed when he saw me.
"Oh thank god your ok Nicole" Harry said.
I scoffed a little harshly, "Ok? Does this look ok to you Harry?" I nearly spat out as I stepped out into the moonlight. I heard Harry's gasp but continued. "Glowing in the light? My nails now claws that could shred steel? My voice sounding like a demon's? My teeth that could pierce granite as if it was butter?" I nearly screamed as I turned towards the fountain and saw my reflection. I looked at it in horror to see my eyes coal black.
"My eyes black as the heart of Voldemort?" I continued. I looked back at Harry as I said this. Harry opened his mouth to say something but seemed like he didn't know what he wanted to say because he closed his mouth again.
"No Harry. Nothing is ok now," I said. "Not anymore anyway" I said quietly as I turned back to the fountain.
"What do you mean 'anymore'"? Harry asked curiously.
I guess I didn't say it quiet enough after all.
I sighed and blinked afraid that tears were going to emerge.
"Harry…how long was I dead for?" I asked continuing to have my eyes closed facing down at the fountain.
"um...I guess maybe 5 or so minutes" Harry replied surprised at my question.
I let out a sharp burst of breath in shock. "Wow" I said in a near whisper.
"What is it?" Harry asked.
"Harry…when I died…it was days for me" I replied cautiously. I heard Harry gasp in horror. "And while I was gone…I saw Cedric" I said opening my eyes at the end to look up at Harry.
Harry was silent for a minute then came out of his shock. "Nicole…I had no idea…I'm so sorry" Harry whispered.
"I know…its ok, it's not your fault," I said weakly.
I noticed that Ron, Hermonie and the others had appeared.
I looked at Harry and saw him start to walk towards me to embrace me. "No." I said harshly my voice showing the demonic tone. I turned away and walked away a few steps. "You cant be around me Harry. I'm too dangerous." I replied painfully.
"Nicole…I'm not afraid of you. I trust you" Harry said seriously.
"I know that" I replied in agony. "But I don't trust myself."
Harry continued to stand in place. "Besides…now?" I sighed then continued, "…I'm a lost cause".
"What are you saying?" Harry asked nervously. I felt him shift his weight back and forth in nervousness.
"Harry. I killed people back there. That kind of stuff isn't just forgotten," I said in disgust.
"Yeah! But…you did it to keep from killing Dumbledore and I" Harry said.
"That doesn't mean anything to anyone when it comes to the law" I said in argument and anger.
"I know…but…we'll fix it. I promise" Harry said sternly.
"Harry! Will you just stop?!" I nearly screamed as I turned to Harry.
"What?" Harry asked confused.
"Stop acting like I am not a monster and everything I do will be forgiven. It wont be! I am done for! He has finally won!" I exclaimed in frustration.
Harry stood in place staring at me. I stared back at him as he began to walk towards me. "Harry…" I said again but he interrupted me.
"No, Nicole you listen!" he nearly yelled. I stood in place and stared at him in shock. Harry walked the rest of the way and took my hands ignoring the cold that he felt.
"I am not afraid of you and I never have been. If I had it would have meant that I didn't fully believe that you could survive and be strong enough for this. Yet here I stand and so that means I do. Nothing has changed since I stand here now at this very moment. So why are you doubting yourself when you have done nothing to change my belief in you?" Harry asked while he stared in my eyes.
Now I opened my mouth but didn't know what to say. So tears filled my eyes and looked down away from Harry's gaze but he grabbed my chin and tilted it back up to continue to look at me.
"Now I know you love Cedric but I need to tell you now how I feel about you." Harry said seriously. I felt my breath catch; I knew what he was going to say. "I have felt this way for awhile but never found a time that would be right to say it at. But I think it matters now more than ever for you to hear it. Nicole, I love you" Harry said sternly. "Like I said I know you love Cedric but I want you to know you still have someone who loves you in that way too. I love you with all my heart Nicole, I'm sorry you are hurting and afraid but by god I am not going to just sit back and let you suffer trying to spare my feelings. I am going to be with you every step of the way because it will pain me too much if I don't" Harry finished. I continued to stare at Harry and his face seemed to show a little more happiness.
"What is it?" I asked in the same dark voice still.
Harry smiled and turned to the water. I looked in and saw that my eyes weren't black anymore. They were still mostly black but now had the thin gold ring that I had when I attacked Voldemort.
"See? You are strong enough and you are good. When it comes to the relation of you and Voldemort, it isn't how you are alike, its how your not" Harry said as I marveled in the reflection. I then turned up to look at Harry. I jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly.
"Whoa!" Harry said in surprise, then hugged me back.
"Thank you Harry" I said noticing the darkness in my voice seemed less and began to sound normal again. We continued to hug for a few minutes then when we pulled back Harry's face lit up even more as his eyes went wide.
I looked at him worried slightly. He smiled as he lifted up my hand in his in front of my face. I gasped as I saw it was normal. I looked down to see my clothes back to normal and the Dark Mark scar was still there but no longer black or protruding as much. I touched my hair and pulled it into view to see it back at its brown color with the faintest of a light red tint.
I looked back at Harry after a few seconds of checking that everything was back to normal again. I smiled at him, "Thank you again Harry." I said almost crying to hear my voice back to its normal sound. Well normal as in what it was before. It still had its ringing sound but I knew that was permanent.
Harry smiled and pulled me into another hug.
"Oh dear god Harry. What am I going to do?" I asked as tears began to well up in my eyes.
"I don't know…but I will be by your side the whole way." Harry said. I smiled as we pulled back. Harry took my hand as we began to walk back to everyone.
All of a sudden Harry stopped in place. I turned back and looked at him curiously. Harry began to grunt and fell to the ground. I stared at Harry confused and terrified. I watched as Harry twitched slightly on the floor and was grunting.
I turned back to Dumbledore. "Professor!" I yelled at him. Dumbledore rushed to me as I ran back to Harry. I knelt down in front of Harry with Dumbledore at my side. Harry looked up at us and his eyes were a bright blue.
"You've lost old man," Harry said except it was Voldemort's voice. Dumbledore and I stared at Harry in worry. Harry yelled out and fell on his back again.
"Harry…" Dumbledore said.
Harry yelled out again and continued to twist and flip randomly. Harry's grunts of pain were agonizing to hear.
"Harry. Remember what you told me earlier?" I asked Harry as I got down closer to his face. "It's not how you are alike. It's how you are not." I said firmly. Harry grunted again and flipped to his side and seemed to go limp.
"You're the weak one." Harry said staring off into space. "And you'll never know love, or friendship." Harry continued. "And I feel sorry for you." Harry said harshly. Harry again flipped around and grunted. Harry then flipped onto his back and something seemed to fly out from his chest. Dumbledore and I stared in front of us where the glass that had turned into sand hovered in front of us in a ring around Harry.
"You're a fool Harry Potter. And you will lose." Voldemort said as he appeared in front of Harry.
The sound of the chimneys activating made us all look forward. We saw the Aurors appear out of the green flames. Voldemort stared at them for a single second then disappeared causing the glass to fly around him. Dumbledore and I looked at Harry again. I then looked up at the Minister.
"He's back." The minister said plainly. I felt my whole body tense up and ready to attack. No don't do it. Don't kill him no matter how much he deserves it. I kept telling myself. I took a deep breath but it wasn't enough. In that single second the whole transformation took place again. I felt the burning black spread across my skin as the blue tint covered me too. I felt the claws reach out from my nails and saw my hair change color. All of this took place in a middle second unlike last time. I growled as I jumped over Harry and charged on all fours at the minister.
"Nicole, no!" I heard Dumbledore yell.
I got closer to the minister and saw his eyes go wide as I jumped off the ground and reached out at him as I tackled him sending him sliding on the floor with me on top of him.
We came to a stop and I held the minister by his collar.
" 'He's back'?" I mocked in my dark voice. "You think?!" I yelled. I pulled my fist back and slammed it across the minister's face. I wanted nothing more than to use all my strength but I couldn't afford to kill the minister. Wait…I…I'm controlling who I would kill in this form? I don't believe it. I pulled my fist back and hit the minister again. With my left hand I held the minister's collar while my right smashed into the minister's face over and over.
I felt myself being pulled up off the minister. I knew it was the smart thing to do but deep down part of me wanted to keep going. And deep, deep down faintly a part of me wanted to end him but I knew now that that would never go away.
"Let me go! You stupid son of a bitch! You bastard it's all your fault!" I screamed at the minister as Lupin and Moody held me; two other Aurors were holding the minister. I pulled from Lupin and Moody's hands trying to get to the minister again. "If you would have just accepted it! If you had then Cedric wouldn't have had his killer running around for a year freely! You son of a bitch, Sirius might even still be here because the breakout might have not happened if everyone had known that he returned. More security and precautions could have been at Azkaban!" I screamed at the minister as my voice began to become horse and my eyes watered. "It's all your fault! Damn you! Damn you!" I screamed as I fell down to the floor.
For the first time in awhile I had a good cry. This wasn't just a simple cry I sobbed hard and loud. I couldn't breathe if I had needed to and I ached all over. I noticed Lupin crouched down next to me. I looked at Lupin from behind my hair and threw myself at him wrapping my arms around him and cried into his shoulder. Lupin put his arms around me and held me as I cried hard into his shoulder. I finally let it out.
After a minute or two I pulled back and noticed I was back to normal again. Lupin smiled weakly. I smiled back as he helped me up. I looked over at Harry to find him unconscious in Dumbledore's arms. I ran over to Harry and sat next to him. I knew now that Harry would never leave me, just like I would never leave him.