"Right, 'Moine, Ron lay down. I'm going to set of the Cruciatus curse, and I don't want it to hit you." Cintadel explained, they laid down close to each other. Ron gripping Hermione's hand. "Crucio!" A bolt of green shot from her wand and hit the wall leaving a black scorch mark.
"Nice shot," Ron smiled.
"Just because I didn't hit you. Stand up, I need to get rid of you now. Thanks for being my friend, you shouldn't have trusted me though. Sorry about this," they had stood up and had looked mock scared. "petrificus totalis." Their bodies froze and clattered to the floor.
Cintadel fled out to a window and shouted: - "MOSMORDE!!" The Dark Mark hovered in the sky. She moved quickly back to the Gryffindor common room. Inside Harry sat b the chess set, she smiled feebly at him and sat opposite.
"Hi," he said painfully.
"They'll be fine Harry, their just petrified. We need to wait for the message to go to the hall," she replied. No sooner had she spoken that McGonnagal dashed in.
"All pupils report to the Great Hall," she bellowed. Everyone cast shocked glances at one another and then filed out. Cintadel and Harry last.
*****
Cintadel and Harry rested on their sleeping bags, she felt the potion wear off, she leapt up as her skin aged. The pupils around her gasped, screamed or made other noises directed at her. She looked at Draco who was situated nearby but had his back to her bored. Smiling weakly at Harry she ran. She reached the edge of the forest when a pair of strong hands gripped her. Tears she hadn't realised had existed fell down her cheeks, she gazed up at the person who'd grabbed her.
"Lucius," she sighed. "I've failed, the potion wore off and everyone saw me."
"WHAT?" he was angry, shaking her violently. "I KNEW I SHOULDN'T HAVE TRUSTED AN IDIOTIC CHILD!"
"Lucius, I'm sorry. I didn't intend on this happening," she sobbed.
"Wait," his eyes narrowed at something behind her. She turned around. Something, no someone blond was pulling something towards them.
"Father," the voice, unmistakably Draco's, drawled. "Harry Potter."
"Draco, my boy, congratulations!" the elder man released her grasping Harry. "The Dark Lord will be pleased. Cintadel, I knew you wouldn't fail me."
"Of course," she was slightly taken aback by Draco's actions, he wasn't taking all the glory. But, he'd done the one thing she never wanted to see happen.
"You must return to school, Cintadel and I will deal with the rest."
*****
Lucius grinned as Draco returned. Cintadel's mind was racing she didn't know what to do. Harry's body was limp, if she did nothing she'd be honoured beyond her wildest dreams. Yet, Harry was a friend and he trusted her to stop this. Without giving it a second thought she whipped out her wand.
"Leave him Lucius, I'm not doing this. He trusted me and you taught me to be honourable. I won't let you hurt him, release him," she had shocked even herself, the man sneered.
"Oh, don't be a fool you stupid girl. You won't be able to stop this," he stated.
"RELEASE HIM, NOW! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WIN THIS TIME. YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER ME. EVERY TEACHER IN THIS SCHOOL WILL AID ME AND YOU WOULDN'T STAND A CHANCE. YOU MAY BE RUTHLESS BUT THIS TIME I WON'T GIVE IN TO YOU!" Cintadel hadn't realised that several teachers had appeared at the door of the school, but Lucius had. He realised that this fight wouldn't be one he'd win.
"You will pay for your disobedience," he snarled before disappearting. Cintadel dropped to her knees and held Harry affectionately. Dumbledore slowly made his way down to them and the journey back to the castle took what seemed like forever. Hermione and Ron rushed to the side of Harry's invisible stretcher and went with him to the hospital wing. Cintadel slumped to her knees and wept. It was over for her, with Lucius having disowned her her mother would too. She had nowhere, it was time for her to start over for herself.
*****


THE END