Told you it was short. :)
But hey, at least it's here! :D YEEAAH. Uhhuh. MAAANIC. dundundun.
Sorry. It's twenty to midnight. I should be asleep D: You see what I do for you? DO YOU?
I'll shut up now :) here's chapter no. 28.
Chapter Twenty-Eight - Vengeance.
It was unreal. It seemed like some Hollywood Blockbuster - the drama, the villains and the fallen heroes, all fitting into the places of a stereotypical action movie. But this isn't a film, Jessica realised, as she brushed the wetness from her cheeks with her sleeve. No, this was life. Real life. It had all really happened, all those years ago, and the only trace of it was the legacy and the orphans the tragedy had left behind.
Orphans. Jessica took a quick, deep breath and blinked back the fresh wave of tears.
A quiet, shaking voice dragged her back to reality.
"You killed my father."
Teddy didn't turn around as he spoke, but there was only one person he could have been talking to. Jessica just stared at his back, his clenched fists at his side - but he was still unable to stop them shaking.
"You killed my Dad. It was you."
Slowly, purposefully, he turned. His eyes were blazing through his tears, his face set in stone - it made Jessica slightly scared to look at him. His eyes were swimming and puffy and red, but it made him no less forceful. Everytime he spoke, he got a little more confident, a little less shaky.
"I have no father. And it's. Your. Fault."
He accented the last words through gritted teeth, and Jessica shivered, one tear escaping through her closed eyelids.
As she opened her eyes, they widened in horror and disgust as she regarded her teacher.
Gently was smiling.
The sight made Jessica sick, but she didn't dare move. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw some of the adults edging towards Gently, and some towards Teddy, but they were too slow. He made an odd, sniffing, gasping noise and drew his wand from his pocket so quickly Jessica barely noticed. He raised it at Gently in a shaking hand. Jessica held her breath, but Ron was first to react.
"Leave it Teddy. He's not even worth the breath."
But Teddy didn't listen. He just repeated himself, "It was you. You killed him-"
"I don't deny it," Gently drawled, stepping towards Teddy, mocking him, edging him on. The sickening smile was still creeping across his face, a horrible sort of challenging glittering in his eyes, almost asking Teddy to attack. Instantly, Hermione was between them, her wand at Gently.
"Don't take an-"
"Move aside, girl. This is between me and Lupin." And he pushed her aside so roughly she was knocked straight off her feet, her wand skittering across the floor. Ginny was immediately at her side. Ron was immediately at Gently's, his wand pressed into his neck.
With a smirk, Gently pressed his own into Ron's stomach.
"Drop your wand, Weasley."
But Ron didn't budge. Gently jabbed him harder.
"I said - drop your wand."
And then Ron was backing away, clutching his stomach in pain, and the children were backing away in fear, and both Neville and George were marching towards Gently-
"No!"
The scream had come from Teddy, his scratching voice breaking through the tears. He was shaking his head violently, still pointing his wand at Gently, who was slowly turning round, the smile returning to his face,
"No-"
"Teddy, stop. Stop no-"
"He killed my parents!" he screamed, loosley directed at Harry, who was tentatively creeping towards him, "he was there, he killed them -" there was a heavy, pregnant pause, as Harry kept edging towards his godson. But Teddy only had eyes for the Death Eater before him, as he cocked his head to one side, giving him a slightly manic look.
"And now I'm going to kill him."
It all happened at once then. Jessica could hardly bear to watch.
Teddy raised his wand, ready to fire, but Harry was at his side too fast. He grabbed hold of the boy's arm, lowering it forecefully and holding him so he couldn't get to Gently. Teddy was screaming and Harry was shouting, Gently was laughing and Lily was crying...
Gently, too, raised his wand, and with one, swift flick a light shot from the end. Jessica ducked, her mind racing and her heart thudding in her chest, but it soared straight over her head. It ricochetted off the wall - nobody noticed they were in a different place - and hit Nick square in the chest, sending him collapsing into Victorie's arms. It was Angelina and Fleur who got to him first, screaming the boy's name, but he seemed to be having some kind of fit - his eyes rolling back into his head.
Whilst George ran to Nick, Bill and Ron lunged for Gently, lowering the man's arm and pulling it forcefully around his own back. But he still had his wand, jutting into Bill's chest - and the man was sent flying, soaring into the wall as Gently pushed Ron aside with ease.
But Ron had Gently's wand, and when he fell, it snapped, causing Gently to roar in anger. He was just heading for Ron when Teddy freed himself from Harry's grasp, leaving his wand behind, and not even Percy's desperate attempt to grab the boy could stop him. He ran, ran for Gently, and Jessica backed away, hitting the wall behind her and watching, knowing there was nothing she could do as Teddy reached Gently and grabbed hold of his collar, punching him hard in the jaw.
But Gently was strong, and he held the boy's arms, snickering into his fear-stricken face. Both Neville and George ran to his aid, pulling Gently away, as Harry began to run, tucking his godson's wand safely into his pocket.
Jessica's breathing was hitched. It was all moving too quickly - she could hardly keep up. Gently was heading towards the children as he shook free of the men's grasp, pushing Neville aside like a ragdoll and escaping from George's arms. He towered over them all, a horrible sort of sneer on his face despite his bleeding nose and bruised jaw, reaching where James and and Lily stood as all Jessica could do was watch. James quickly pushed Lily behind him, sending her flying into Jessica and sending both girls staggering away from the action - a place where both of them stayed, Jessica still stunned and Lily in tears. James stared up at his teacher, trying desperately to hide the fear shining in his eyes.
And Teddy staggered back, losing his balance, spotting what he sought on the floor...
And Nick cried out in pain, and Victorie in terror, as he stopped twitching and curled up in agony...
And Gently was towering over James, threatening him and looking for a wand, any wand...
And Teddy quickly knelt down, retrieving Hermione's from where it had fallen what seemed so long ago, standing to glare at Gently with firey eyes...
And there was shouting - so much noise...
"Nick! Nick! It's going to be alright, I promise-"
"Give me your wand, boy, or I'll take it from you."
"Bill! Bill are you alright?!"
But Bill was fine. He was coming to his senses. He saw as Gently backed away from the children, unarmed, gritting his teeth and turning, and as Teddy raised his wand with nothing but pure burning anger and demolishing hatred shining in his eyes ... and it was him who had the last shout before that all-destroying, merciless green light filled the room, causing Jessica to close her eyes-
"TEDDY!" he screamed, "NO!"
