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Chapter 20-Teddy

Things got a little crazy after that. Vic pushed Dom into Lorcan's waiting arms as Dolohov shot a cruciatus at James. Luckily, James dodged it easily and emerged from behind a stone column unharmed. "You'll have to try better than that if you want to kill me." he replied cockily.

Dolohov yelled something unintelligible: half a spell, half some kind of primal scream. The tunnel around us fell apart. Light spun and sparked as I fell to my knees, cutting my skin on soot and rubble. Victoire…I jumped to my feet. "Is everyone all right?" I called.

No one yelled back. Shivers ran down my spine. "Vic? Dom? Lysander? Lorcan? James? Where are you? Answer me…now..."

"Turn around, Teddy Lupin." Dolohov called.

"No." I said.

"Turn around now, or I will kill every single one of your little friends-starting with the pretty blonde one."

I bit my lip and turned around. Dolohov was standing in the middle of the room, his wand aimed directly at Dom. "Kneel before me. Then, perhaps, I will spare your life and those of your friends. If you don't…you are only children. You don't stand a chance against me."

I knew he was right. Reluctantly, I dropped to my knees. I valued my pride-everyone does-but the family was my first priority. I was the oldest one here and should've known better. If I'd just stopped them when they had the chance…none of us would be here now. I wouldn't have this family ripped apart because of my lack of judgment and apparent hero complex.

Then again, they all might have died at the hands of this murderer.

"Excellent. Put down your wand."

So I did.

"Let us go. We won't do anything to you-I promise. I've followed my end of the bargain. Now it's your turn." I said somewhat shakily.

He smirked. "Did you really think that I would let you go? Are you really that naïve?" Before I could say anything, he raised his wand. "Avada-"

""OVER MY DEAD BODY!" Lorcan, of all people, rolled out from behind a wooden crate. "Expelliarmus!" The spell was executed perfectly-within seconds, the Death Eater's wand was in his grasp. I was very proud.

In the next moment, I'd lunged for Dominique, pulling her quickly to safety. "Are you all right?" I asked quietly.
She nodded. "Fine. Let's do this." She went to stand by Lorcan. Lorcan looked quite pleased, if I do say so myself.

"Teddy!" Vic came to stand next to me. Dust and dirt streaked her hair, her arms and legs were torn and bloody, and blood was tricking a cut on the side of her nose, but she still looked beautiful to me. More beautiful than she had ever looked before. Then I turned back to our enemy.

"You won't win." I could see each of my charges now, all pointing their wands, all glaring at Dolohov with a cold, hard fury. "You are outnumbered."

Dolohov smirked. "Very well then. I guess you might as well know that I was the one that killed your father during the Final Battle."

My vision went red. I could barely see straight I was so angry. I raised my wand and had almost finished saying the first part of the killing curse when someone screamed my name, jolting me back to reality. Dolohov was laughing hysterically, tears streaming down his face. I wondered why he was laughing. After all, I was going to kill him. He'd killed my father. He deserved to die a horrible death.

"TEDDY LUPIN, YOU LISTEN TO ME RIGHT NOW!" Vic was screaming at me.

"What?" I asked in a cold, distant voice that I barely recognized as my own. My wand was still trained on our prisoner.

"You can't kill him, Teddy."

"Yes I can-and I will."

"Teddy, you know that he's the only one who can undo the spell. He's the only one that can end the comas. If you kill him…besides becoming a monster-our cousins will never wake up. You don't want that on your conscience, do you?"

Reluctantly I lowered my wand. My eyes stung with tears that I desperately tried to suppress. I hated this man. If it weren't for him, I would have a father. If it weren't for him, I would be normal like everyone else. He was the reason I'd never know what it felt like to have a dad play catch with you in the yard or take you to the cinema or buy you your first car. He was the reason my father wouldn't see me graduate after my seventh year or choose a career. He'd never be a grandfather. He wouldn't see my wedding-all because of Antonin Dolohov. He'd changed my life forever with a wave of his wand and two simple words: Avada Kedavra. Now he was going to get away scot free. He'd only go back to Azkaban, which obviously had no effect on him.

"Don't succumb." I felt hands on my shoulders and soft lips brushing my cheek. "Don't give in."

"I'm not going to, Vic. I promise."

"How touching. I'm sorry to say that I really must be going though. I have much more important things to do than terrorize you and fellow brats all day." Dolohov got to his feet. "Good show, Lupin. However, you forgot one little thing in your nice capture: I still have wandless magic." He mumbled something under his breath again.

"What did you do?" I screamed.

"I would love to tell you, but that would spoil the surprise."

Time froze. I felt the way Vic was clutching my shirt, like it was the only real and solid thing in the room; as if she was expecting me to protect her from an unspeakable horror. Lorcan was shielding Dom protectively with his body. James and Fred were already running, though I could tell there wouldn't be time for them to reach the exit. Lysander was following them. He was eyeing the wand in his brother's hand with a look of utmost loathing.

I observed all these things-and all these people who needed me now more than ever. We'd been extremely stupid to think we stood even a slim, slim chance against him.

In one moment, I observed everything that was going on.

By the next moment, the world had exploded.

Sorry about the short chapter, but my computer is going to restart very soon and I need to save this. The remaining few chapters of this story will be longer.