THAT SUMMER, Chapter 19
By Reija Linn
Harry
There he stood before me, my nemesis, the shadow that had followed me around throughout my life, ever since I had been a small baby. The one I had encountered so often, in many shapes and carrying many names, and who had escaped his downfall too many times already.
The man who was responsible for the deaths of my parents and of Arthur Weasley, who died protecting me, the death of Ron, whom I had loved. The man who had driven Molly Weasley, who had been like a mother to me since first year, into insanity. The man who had caused the deaths of countless people, who had disrupted families, and dealt with lives as if all of us were just balls in a game of Quidditch.
This man was Voldemort, and in me he would once again meet his downfall, so I had swore to myself.
"Harry," he smiled, though no smile on the features of this, this creature could ever make his cruel face more friendly, and it was a cruel smile indeed he showed me. "Harry Potter. How pleasant to meet you again. This time, there is no one here to protect you. No mother to die for you, no lover to throw himself in the way of my curse. One of my devoted servants has taken the one who has pledged to fight with you, and no one if left to defend you, this time. This time, you are alone. Greet your death, Harry Potter, and perhaps you will see your dear parents again..."
Voldemort laughed, a laugh that was loud and shrill and cruel to no end, and that twisted his face even more than it already was. I tried to grasp the spells I had learned, tried to remember the words and gestures, but seemed unable to perform even the simplest jinx. Bill...
Bill was captured?
Around me, the grounds were alight with fire, or was it only the colours of the different spells performed? All sounds around me blended into one piercing note that rang in my ears, and echoed in my thoughts.
Voldemort seemed amused at this, with mind-numbing slowness he rose his wand and pointed it in my direction. That was when something in my mind clicked, and I tore up my wand - too late. With a smile of victory, the Dark Lord whispered his curse "Crucio".
He seemed to be enjoying playing with me, for he did not use the Avada Kedavra curse at once. Pain rippled through my body as the Cruciatus Curse hit me, so terrible I almost let go of my wand, being unable to do much more than crouch on the ground, pain rippling through my body.
"Crucio."
I was weak, I had always thought myself strong, but at that moment of endless pain, I felt as weak as a child, weak and alone and afraid. I could hardly muster more than a few feeble curses that hardly seemed to have any impact at all, and try to block his repeated curses, this well of pain that threatened to destroy me.
Where was Bill? Was he still alive? Where had they taken him if so? Had Voldemort spoken the truth? And if he hadn't, why wasn't Bill here?
"Crucio."
Endless pain, throbbing in my head, throughout my body, numbing. The words... a curse, any curse... the words, what were the words? I couldn't remember...
"Harry..." My mother's voice? "Harry..." No, Ron. It was Ron, calling for me... but Ron was dead... did that mean I was to die?
In those moments of pain, death seemed almost like a blessing.
"Harry... you have to fight back. It's not your time yet..."
Oh, Ron, but how?
By Reija Linn
Harry
There he stood before me, my nemesis, the shadow that had followed me around throughout my life, ever since I had been a small baby. The one I had encountered so often, in many shapes and carrying many names, and who had escaped his downfall too many times already.
The man who was responsible for the deaths of my parents and of Arthur Weasley, who died protecting me, the death of Ron, whom I had loved. The man who had driven Molly Weasley, who had been like a mother to me since first year, into insanity. The man who had caused the deaths of countless people, who had disrupted families, and dealt with lives as if all of us were just balls in a game of Quidditch.
This man was Voldemort, and in me he would once again meet his downfall, so I had swore to myself.
"Harry," he smiled, though no smile on the features of this, this creature could ever make his cruel face more friendly, and it was a cruel smile indeed he showed me. "Harry Potter. How pleasant to meet you again. This time, there is no one here to protect you. No mother to die for you, no lover to throw himself in the way of my curse. One of my devoted servants has taken the one who has pledged to fight with you, and no one if left to defend you, this time. This time, you are alone. Greet your death, Harry Potter, and perhaps you will see your dear parents again..."
Voldemort laughed, a laugh that was loud and shrill and cruel to no end, and that twisted his face even more than it already was. I tried to grasp the spells I had learned, tried to remember the words and gestures, but seemed unable to perform even the simplest jinx. Bill...
Bill was captured?
Around me, the grounds were alight with fire, or was it only the colours of the different spells performed? All sounds around me blended into one piercing note that rang in my ears, and echoed in my thoughts.
Voldemort seemed amused at this, with mind-numbing slowness he rose his wand and pointed it in my direction. That was when something in my mind clicked, and I tore up my wand - too late. With a smile of victory, the Dark Lord whispered his curse "Crucio".
He seemed to be enjoying playing with me, for he did not use the Avada Kedavra curse at once. Pain rippled through my body as the Cruciatus Curse hit me, so terrible I almost let go of my wand, being unable to do much more than crouch on the ground, pain rippling through my body.
"Crucio."
I was weak, I had always thought myself strong, but at that moment of endless pain, I felt as weak as a child, weak and alone and afraid. I could hardly muster more than a few feeble curses that hardly seemed to have any impact at all, and try to block his repeated curses, this well of pain that threatened to destroy me.
Where was Bill? Was he still alive? Where had they taken him if so? Had Voldemort spoken the truth? And if he hadn't, why wasn't Bill here?
"Crucio."
Endless pain, throbbing in my head, throughout my body, numbing. The words... a curse, any curse... the words, what were the words? I couldn't remember...
"Harry..." My mother's voice? "Harry..." No, Ron. It was Ron, calling for me... but Ron was dead... did that mean I was to die?
In those moments of pain, death seemed almost like a blessing.
"Harry... you have to fight back. It's not your time yet..."
Oh, Ron, but how?