* * * *
The windows of the house lit up with a green flash and The Five instinctively ducked before realizing that the curse had been performed on someone inside. Their thoughts all ran cold and to one person; Snape. Kendra's face grew pale and she stood, darting toward the front door. Harry and Hermione both reached out to stop her, but before they could she had thrown open the door and stepped inside. Her only thought was getting to the Potions Master before it was too late, if it wasn't already.
"She's going to get herself killed," Harry muttered angrily, drawing his wand and following her. He rushed headlong into the house, hoping to get to her before someone realized that she was there and without her wand drawn.
The others stood as well and took their wands from their robes, cautiously pointing them forward and preparing for any Death Eaters. As they started toward the house they could see that Kendra had remembered her own wand and was struggling to untangle it from her robes. It slipped from her fingers, but she caught it and yanked hard. She pulled it out a second too late and the curse hit her shoulder as she turned.
A surprised scream escaped her lips as she stumbled backward and hit the wall behind her. Her wand fell from her fingers and clattered to the floor, then rolled toward the door. Ron rushed forward and scooped it up before another Death Eater could take it from her. Her body twitched and a pained scream escaped her mouth, causing Harry to wince and cover his ears. Ron had to look away as the curse rocked her body, he had never seen anything other than a spider affected by the Cruciatus curse before.
"Give it to me," Voldemort growled, leaning over Kendra's tortured body. "Now, I want it or I swear I will kill your professor. I will make him suffer in ways you can't even imagine."
When she didn't respond, Voldemort cursed angrily, then pointed his wand at her. Her body rose in the air and hovered with a brief moment. Then, with a flick of his wrist, Kendra was sent sailing out of the house and toward the others, her body limp. Harry and Ron tried to break her fall unsuccessfully and she slammed against the ground, her head lolling back and cracking against the street. Blood began to pool under her head and Harry's face went pale as he knelt by her side.
Voldemort stepped into the street with his wand drawn, his Death Eaters following behind him closely. His body was crackling with energy, his anger and frustration from the past few days finally boiling over into an undiluted rage. His wand was steady and pointed straight at them as his slanted eyes scanned them carefully, trying to decide which of them had the talisman.
"It has to be her," he growled, pointing to Kendra's unmoving form. "She's the leader, the one that connects all of you. Dumbledore has to have given it to her." He advanced on them and Harry grabbed Kendra's shoulders, dragging her backward. He stumbled across the street to stand on the grass on the other side, still cradling Kendra close to him. She mumbled something and he pressed his hand to her head wound, hoping to stop the bleeding.
Voldemort laughed. "Fine, then I'll do it the easy way. Accio talisman."
Nothing floated toward him. The air remained completely empty and Parvati thanked every God she could think of that Voldemort didn't know the name of their sacred talisman.
"Damn it!" he screamed, clenching his thin fingers in frustration. "She has to have it! She has to!"
"She doesn't," a weak voice said from behind the group and Voldemort turned to find Snape on the stairs. His legs were trembling and his eyes were threatening to close at any moment, but he remained standing with his wand drawn. "And you're fooling yourself if you think you're going to get it."
One of the Death Eaters nearest Snape rose his wand, but the Potions Master had his already raised and he muttered, "Petrificus Totalus."
Voldemort laughed again, the sound harsh and grating. "Do you think a simple curse like that will hold a Death Eater?"
Snape turned to look at him with heavy lidded eyes and he attempted a smile. "Avada Kedavra," he murmured. His wand swept over the first row of Death Eaters and they fell, bodies still twitching.
"It's not as strong when you use it on many, Severus. You ought to know that," Voldemort said.
Snape looked at the fallen bodies. "Seems to work just fine."
"Are you here to stop me?" Voldemort asked. "Are you here to save your students?"
Snape's shoulders rose and fell. "Something like that."
"Expelliarmus!" a Death Eater yelled suddenly and Hermione and Harry went down at the same time, their eyes rolling back. They had both had their wands pointed at Voldemort and it appeared they were about to try a curse on him.
"Crucio," Snape called, with as much power as he could muster, and the Death Eater fell to the ground as well. Snape narrowed his eyes in his intense concentration and he scanned the scene through the door. Ron and Parvati both looked terrified and the other three were lying on the ground, though from where he stood he couldn't tell if they were awake or not. Dozens of Death Eaters stood between them so getting to The Five would be a suicide mission. As he raised his eyes from his students to the danger, he noticed the Dark Lord raising his wand.
"Confuto!" Voldemort yelled at Snape, pointing his wand. The curse knocked the Potions Master to the ground and he tumbled down the last few stairs to lay in a heap at the bottom. He trembled and tried to rise, but couldn't.
"No!" Ron screamed, knowing they needed Snape now more than ever. Kendra, Harry and Hermione were all unconscious, leaving him to fight alone with only Parvati by his side. "Wake up!" he called to his friends. "Please, just wake up. We need you."
Voldemort laughed harshly, the sound cutting through Ron and bringing tears to his eyes.
"I am eighteen years old," he muttered to himself. "I don't cry."
"What now?" Voldemort asked, his voice hard. "Your friends have fallen, your professor could very well be dead. That last curse was probably enough to stop his weakened heart. You two are left all alone." He took a few steps toward them, expecting them to back away and leave Kendra unguarded, but Ron and Parvati stood their ground.
"You really want to protect that talisman, don't you?" Voldemort asked. "She has to have it and I want it." His eyes flashed angrily. "I want it, do you hear me? I want the bloody thing she's hiding! I want it!" Energy crackled around him, licking at the air and charging it with an intense energy. "Give it to me boy, or I swear on my very life that I will rip you limb from limb!"
"Do it then," Ron said, his voice wavering only slightly. "Just go ahead and do it. If you kill me it's over, you win." His eyes had narrowed and his face was flushed with anger. "Do it!"
Voldemort stepped forward, his mouth set in a thin line and his wand raised.
"Adflicto affligo," a tired voice called over the crowd. Several Death Eaters went to the ground, screaming as they fell.
Voldemort turned, unprepared for the sudden interruption.
"Fracta artus," Snape coughed out and a elderly man whose hood had fallen off screamed as his leg snapped.
"Discerpo," Voldemort yelled, but the curse missed Snape, shattering the floor near his hand.
"Adflicto affligo," Snape repeated wearily and a few more Death Eaters fell.
Ron and Parvati watched with wide eyes as Snape fended off Death Eaters with curses they had never even heard of. His wand flashed a different colour with every word and they went down around him, falling to the curses like they were no more experienced that first year students.
"Petrificus totalus!" Parvati suddenly screamed next to him, her wand pointed at the Death Eater who was slowly working his way toward Snape. "Confuto," she called. "Petrificus totalus."
Ron snapped into motion a moment later, his wand flying and his mouth shouting curses and charms he thought he had forgotten. Around them the Death Eaters began to fall, dropping off to the ground or running away from the battle. They could do it, they were only two students, but for a moment, Ron thought they'd actually be able to do it.
"Stay!" Voldemort screamed. "Push forward!"
Beyond him, Snape was finally standing again, pushing himself forward from the stairs and stumbling out the front door. His legs threatened to give under him, but he paused, leaned against the wall and regained his strength.
"Impedimenta," Ron called, pointing his wand. "Locomotor mortis! Stupify!" he yelled, spewing out any charm he could recall.
"Rictusempra," Parvati said and a nearby Death Eater fell onto the ground in a fit of laughter.
"Tickling charm?" Ron asked.
Parvati shrugged, her face set in grim determination. "Stupify! It was the only thing I could think of."
"Give him time to get back on his feet," Ron said, catching Snape's eye. "Keep doing whatever you can to stop them from getting to him."
"Incendio," a voice murmured from the ground. A fire spread rapidly between the Potions Master and the Death Eaters as Harry slowly got to his feet. He nodded to Ron and Parvati before going to Hermione and kneeling beside her.
"She's still out," he said, as the others continued their assault.
"What about Kendra?" Ron called.
"I'm awake," she moaned, then stood on trembling legs. She took a few steps forward and Ron reached out, handing over her wand.
"Thanks," she said, "but I don't know how much help I'll be. My head is spinning."
"Do what you can," Parvati said.
"Avis!" Kendra called, pointing her wand weakly. A flock of birds flew out of her wand and attacked the Death Eaters.
"Not my chosen method, but I'll admit, it works," Ron said.
"Impedimenta," Harry yelled.
"STOP!" a loud voice commanded them all and they found themselves unable to move their wands. The flock of birds flew away and the smoke from their wands cleared slowly. They were surprised to see many of the Death Eaters fallen or frozen, unable to fight. The ground was littered with broken and bleeding bodies and the fire still raged between them and Snape, blocking him from their view.
Voldemort's wand was raised, holding them captive with his powerful magic. Hermione woke slowly and the Dark Lord turned his gaze to her, quickly capturing her and putting her under the same spell. For the first time, The Five were given a real glimpse at what Voldemort could be.
His body was thin and tall, but it rippled with power, an electric current snaked through the air toward them and held them there. His face was flat and frightening with crimson eyes and colourless lips that were currently pulled back into a sneer. The pupils of those horrible eyes were simple slits, shining in the coming morning. They spoke of many deaths and the lives of many innocent people lay within his eyes.
For the first time, The Five were truly frightened of him. They were no longer angry or disgusted by him, they now feared for their lives. He would kill them with a simple word, a lazy swish of his wand because he could. They knew that now, he could have murdered them at any time, but he didn't because they had something he wanted.
Parvati knew then that it was time. She reached into the deep pocket of her robe and gripped the delicate necklace with tight fingers. It felt like silk sliding between them, the pearl was as soft as sand against her palm and more than anything, she wanted to keep it hidden in the folds of her robe and never speak about it again.
Instead, Parvati drew the necklace from her pocket and held it before her. It shimmered gently in the orange sunrise, the deep red on the horizon glinting off the pearl. It was beautiful and it was deadly and only she knew of the consequences that would follow its use.
Voldemort's gaze ticked to her, then returned a moment later as he realized what she held in her hand. His lips turned up into a smile and he held out his hand to it.
"Child, give me what is mine."
Parvati tightened her fist and set her quivering lip. "No," she said firmly.
"Give it to me," Voldemort said, his voice dropping to a low, hissing tone. "Give it to me now or I will kill him. Don't think I will hesitate."
"I don't," Parvati answered.
Snape stepped through the flames, looking stronger than he had earlier. His legs were no longer shaking, though one was dragging behind him as if he couldn't use it any longer. His dark eyes were burning and the dancing flames were reflected on the glassy surface.
"Trucido," he said, his voice expressionless. The remaining Death Eater were thrown to the ground as his curse cut through them, ripping their insides out and mutilating their bodies. Their screams cut through the silent morning air, violating the neighbourhood with their obscenities as they slowly perished.
Voldemort stared at him. "So the rumours have all been true. There is a curse worse than the killing curse."
Snape glared back. "And I was the only man alive to know it."
"That is the case no longer," Voldemort replied. His wand raised toward Snape and a deadly smile crossed his face. "Thank you, Severus Snape."
"Cohibeo!" Snape bellowed, a dark smoke escaping his wand and slipping over Voldemort's body. The seemingly harmless trendils wrapped around him, binding him to his place. He struggled to free himself, wrenched an arm free and pointed his wand again.
"Expelliarmus!" Snape yelled.
Voldemort's wand did not leave his fingers, but he was thrown back slightly, staggering under the magic. The dark smoke still held him tightly.
"Do it now!" Snape roared at them. "Now dammit, do it!"
Parvati was startled into action and she motioned the others to come around her.
"Say it," Snape yelled. "I can't hold him forever. Say it."
They reached forward with trembling hands, each gently touching the necklace. It gleamed in the light, brighter than it had been before. Flashes of memories flooded their eyes and Kendra cried out, bombarded with the frightened thoughts of all. Her fingers remained on the necklace though, as they all saw things they could never explain. The past, the future, it all rushed by them as the intense and powerful magic overwhelmed them.
Parvati, the young seer, closed her eyes and let the magic wash over her. She smiled gently and said, "Contineo."
A white light burst forth from her body and pierced the other four, continuing through them to wash over the entire street. Screams were heard, horribly painful screams seemed to be coming from everywhere. The blinding light covered them all for a few seconds and then everything will black.
* * * *
The windows of the house lit up with a green flash and The Five instinctively ducked before realizing that the curse had been performed on someone inside. Their thoughts all ran cold and to one person; Snape. Kendra's face grew pale and she stood, darting toward the front door. Harry and Hermione both reached out to stop her, but before they could she had thrown open the door and stepped inside. Her only thought was getting to the Potions Master before it was too late, if it wasn't already.
"She's going to get herself killed," Harry muttered angrily, drawing his wand and following her. He rushed headlong into the house, hoping to get to her before someone realized that she was there and without her wand drawn.
The others stood as well and took their wands from their robes, cautiously pointing them forward and preparing for any Death Eaters. As they started toward the house they could see that Kendra had remembered her own wand and was struggling to untangle it from her robes. It slipped from her fingers, but she caught it and yanked hard. She pulled it out a second too late and the curse hit her shoulder as she turned.
A surprised scream escaped her lips as she stumbled backward and hit the wall behind her. Her wand fell from her fingers and clattered to the floor, then rolled toward the door. Ron rushed forward and scooped it up before another Death Eater could take it from her. Her body twitched and a pained scream escaped her mouth, causing Harry to wince and cover his ears. Ron had to look away as the curse rocked her body, he had never seen anything other than a spider affected by the Cruciatus curse before.
"Give it to me," Voldemort growled, leaning over Kendra's tortured body. "Now, I want it or I swear I will kill your professor. I will make him suffer in ways you can't even imagine."
When she didn't respond, Voldemort cursed angrily, then pointed his wand at her. Her body rose in the air and hovered with a brief moment. Then, with a flick of his wrist, Kendra was sent sailing out of the house and toward the others, her body limp. Harry and Ron tried to break her fall unsuccessfully and she slammed against the ground, her head lolling back and cracking against the street. Blood began to pool under her head and Harry's face went pale as he knelt by her side.
Voldemort stepped into the street with his wand drawn, his Death Eaters following behind him closely. His body was crackling with energy, his anger and frustration from the past few days finally boiling over into an undiluted rage. His wand was steady and pointed straight at them as his slanted eyes scanned them carefully, trying to decide which of them had the talisman.
"It has to be her," he growled, pointing to Kendra's unmoving form. "She's the leader, the one that connects all of you. Dumbledore has to have given it to her." He advanced on them and Harry grabbed Kendra's shoulders, dragging her backward. He stumbled across the street to stand on the grass on the other side, still cradling Kendra close to him. She mumbled something and he pressed his hand to her head wound, hoping to stop the bleeding.
Voldemort laughed. "Fine, then I'll do it the easy way. Accio talisman."
Nothing floated toward him. The air remained completely empty and Parvati thanked every God she could think of that Voldemort didn't know the name of their sacred talisman.
"Damn it!" he screamed, clenching his thin fingers in frustration. "She has to have it! She has to!"
"She doesn't," a weak voice said from behind the group and Voldemort turned to find Snape on the stairs. His legs were trembling and his eyes were threatening to close at any moment, but he remained standing with his wand drawn. "And you're fooling yourself if you think you're going to get it."
One of the Death Eaters nearest Snape rose his wand, but the Potions Master had his already raised and he muttered, "Petrificus Totalus."
Voldemort laughed again, the sound harsh and grating. "Do you think a simple curse like that will hold a Death Eater?"
Snape turned to look at him with heavy lidded eyes and he attempted a smile. "Avada Kedavra," he murmured. His wand swept over the first row of Death Eaters and they fell, bodies still twitching.
"It's not as strong when you use it on many, Severus. You ought to know that," Voldemort said.
Snape looked at the fallen bodies. "Seems to work just fine."
"Are you here to stop me?" Voldemort asked. "Are you here to save your students?"
Snape's shoulders rose and fell. "Something like that."
"Expelliarmus!" a Death Eater yelled suddenly and Hermione and Harry went down at the same time, their eyes rolling back. They had both had their wands pointed at Voldemort and it appeared they were about to try a curse on him.
"Crucio," Snape called, with as much power as he could muster, and the Death Eater fell to the ground as well. Snape narrowed his eyes in his intense concentration and he scanned the scene through the door. Ron and Parvati both looked terrified and the other three were lying on the ground, though from where he stood he couldn't tell if they were awake or not. Dozens of Death Eaters stood between them so getting to The Five would be a suicide mission. As he raised his eyes from his students to the danger, he noticed the Dark Lord raising his wand.
"Confuto!" Voldemort yelled at Snape, pointing his wand. The curse knocked the Potions Master to the ground and he tumbled down the last few stairs to lay in a heap at the bottom. He trembled and tried to rise, but couldn't.
"No!" Ron screamed, knowing they needed Snape now more than ever. Kendra, Harry and Hermione were all unconscious, leaving him to fight alone with only Parvati by his side. "Wake up!" he called to his friends. "Please, just wake up. We need you."
Voldemort laughed harshly, the sound cutting through Ron and bringing tears to his eyes.
"I am eighteen years old," he muttered to himself. "I don't cry."
"What now?" Voldemort asked, his voice hard. "Your friends have fallen, your professor could very well be dead. That last curse was probably enough to stop his weakened heart. You two are left all alone." He took a few steps toward them, expecting them to back away and leave Kendra unguarded, but Ron and Parvati stood their ground.
"You really want to protect that talisman, don't you?" Voldemort asked. "She has to have it and I want it." His eyes flashed angrily. "I want it, do you hear me? I want the bloody thing she's hiding! I want it!" Energy crackled around him, licking at the air and charging it with an intense energy. "Give it to me boy, or I swear on my very life that I will rip you limb from limb!"
"Do it then," Ron said, his voice wavering only slightly. "Just go ahead and do it. If you kill me it's over, you win." His eyes had narrowed and his face was flushed with anger. "Do it!"
Voldemort stepped forward, his mouth set in a thin line and his wand raised.
"Adflicto affligo," a tired voice called over the crowd. Several Death Eaters went to the ground, screaming as they fell.
Voldemort turned, unprepared for the sudden interruption.
"Fracta artus," Snape coughed out and a elderly man whose hood had fallen off screamed as his leg snapped.
"Discerpo," Voldemort yelled, but the curse missed Snape, shattering the floor near his hand.
"Adflicto affligo," Snape repeated wearily and a few more Death Eaters fell.
Ron and Parvati watched with wide eyes as Snape fended off Death Eaters with curses they had never even heard of. His wand flashed a different colour with every word and they went down around him, falling to the curses like they were no more experienced that first year students.
"Petrificus totalus!" Parvati suddenly screamed next to him, her wand pointed at the Death Eater who was slowly working his way toward Snape. "Confuto," she called. "Petrificus totalus."
Ron snapped into motion a moment later, his wand flying and his mouth shouting curses and charms he thought he had forgotten. Around them the Death Eaters began to fall, dropping off to the ground or running away from the battle. They could do it, they were only two students, but for a moment, Ron thought they'd actually be able to do it.
"Stay!" Voldemort screamed. "Push forward!"
Beyond him, Snape was finally standing again, pushing himself forward from the stairs and stumbling out the front door. His legs threatened to give under him, but he paused, leaned against the wall and regained his strength.
"Impedimenta," Ron called, pointing his wand. "Locomotor mortis! Stupify!" he yelled, spewing out any charm he could recall.
"Rictusempra," Parvati said and a nearby Death Eater fell onto the ground in a fit of laughter.
"Tickling charm?" Ron asked.
Parvati shrugged, her face set in grim determination. "Stupify! It was the only thing I could think of."
"Give him time to get back on his feet," Ron said, catching Snape's eye. "Keep doing whatever you can to stop them from getting to him."
"Incendio," a voice murmured from the ground. A fire spread rapidly between the Potions Master and the Death Eaters as Harry slowly got to his feet. He nodded to Ron and Parvati before going to Hermione and kneeling beside her.
"She's still out," he said, as the others continued their assault.
"What about Kendra?" Ron called.
"I'm awake," she moaned, then stood on trembling legs. She took a few steps forward and Ron reached out, handing over her wand.
"Thanks," she said, "but I don't know how much help I'll be. My head is spinning."
"Do what you can," Parvati said.
"Avis!" Kendra called, pointing her wand weakly. A flock of birds flew out of her wand and attacked the Death Eaters.
"Not my chosen method, but I'll admit, it works," Ron said.
"Impedimenta," Harry yelled.
"STOP!" a loud voice commanded them all and they found themselves unable to move their wands. The flock of birds flew away and the smoke from their wands cleared slowly. They were surprised to see many of the Death Eaters fallen or frozen, unable to fight. The ground was littered with broken and bleeding bodies and the fire still raged between them and Snape, blocking him from their view.
Voldemort's wand was raised, holding them captive with his powerful magic. Hermione woke slowly and the Dark Lord turned his gaze to her, quickly capturing her and putting her under the same spell. For the first time, The Five were given a real glimpse at what Voldemort could be.
His body was thin and tall, but it rippled with power, an electric current snaked through the air toward them and held them there. His face was flat and frightening with crimson eyes and colourless lips that were currently pulled back into a sneer. The pupils of those horrible eyes were simple slits, shining in the coming morning. They spoke of many deaths and the lives of many innocent people lay within his eyes.
For the first time, The Five were truly frightened of him. They were no longer angry or disgusted by him, they now feared for their lives. He would kill them with a simple word, a lazy swish of his wand because he could. They knew that now, he could have murdered them at any time, but he didn't because they had something he wanted.
Parvati knew then that it was time. She reached into the deep pocket of her robe and gripped the delicate necklace with tight fingers. It felt like silk sliding between them, the pearl was as soft as sand against her palm and more than anything, she wanted to keep it hidden in the folds of her robe and never speak about it again.
Instead, Parvati drew the necklace from her pocket and held it before her. It shimmered gently in the orange sunrise, the deep red on the horizon glinting off the pearl. It was beautiful and it was deadly and only she knew of the consequences that would follow its use.
Voldemort's gaze ticked to her, then returned a moment later as he realized what she held in her hand. His lips turned up into a smile and he held out his hand to it.
"Child, give me what is mine."
Parvati tightened her fist and set her quivering lip. "No," she said firmly.
"Give it to me," Voldemort said, his voice dropping to a low, hissing tone. "Give it to me now or I will kill him. Don't think I will hesitate."
"I don't," Parvati answered.
Snape stepped through the flames, looking stronger than he had earlier. His legs were no longer shaking, though one was dragging behind him as if he couldn't use it any longer. His dark eyes were burning and the dancing flames were reflected on the glassy surface.
"Trucido," he said, his voice expressionless. The remaining Death Eater were thrown to the ground as his curse cut through them, ripping their insides out and mutilating their bodies. Their screams cut through the silent morning air, violating the neighbourhood with their obscenities as they slowly perished.
Voldemort stared at him. "So the rumours have all been true. There is a curse worse than the killing curse."
Snape glared back. "And I was the only man alive to know it."
"That is the case no longer," Voldemort replied. His wand raised toward Snape and a deadly smile crossed his face. "Thank you, Severus Snape."
"Cohibeo!" Snape bellowed, a dark smoke escaping his wand and slipping over Voldemort's body. The seemingly harmless trendils wrapped around him, binding him to his place. He struggled to free himself, wrenched an arm free and pointed his wand again.
"Expelliarmus!" Snape yelled.
Voldemort's wand did not leave his fingers, but he was thrown back slightly, staggering under the magic. The dark smoke still held him tightly.
"Do it now!" Snape roared at them. "Now dammit, do it!"
Parvati was startled into action and she motioned the others to come around her.
"Say it," Snape yelled. "I can't hold him forever. Say it."
They reached forward with trembling hands, each gently touching the necklace. It gleamed in the light, brighter than it had been before. Flashes of memories flooded their eyes and Kendra cried out, bombarded with the frightened thoughts of all. Her fingers remained on the necklace though, as they all saw things they could never explain. The past, the future, it all rushed by them as the intense and powerful magic overwhelmed them.
Parvati, the young seer, closed her eyes and let the magic wash over her. She smiled gently and said, "Contineo."
A white light burst forth from her body and pierced the other four, continuing through them to wash over the entire street. Screams were heard, horribly painful screams seemed to be coming from everywhere. The blinding light covered them all for a few seconds and then everything will black.
* * * *