"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
"James..." Lily Potter wept softly as the triumphant yell reverberated through her very bones, mocking her with the chilling certainty that the one she loved was gone. She clutched Harry to her chest, as if together they might escape her husband's fate. As it was, the heavy footsteps were already thudding towards her son's room, where they lay huddled in a corner. James...her heart broke freshly as she thought his name...James had tried to give them time to run, but it hadn't been enough. A sudden burst of light as the door swung wide, the pain in her eyes almost welcome, for it turned the monster who faced them into a featureless shadow. She couldn't see the smirk that must be spreading across his face, couldn't see his mouth begin to form the words of the deadly curse once more...
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The woman crumpled in a heap, and Lord Voldemort smiled to himself. "Two down..." he pointed his wand at the wailing child "...and you to go. Avada Kedavra!"
The sobs quieted abruptly with the rush of green light, and he nodded in satisfaction. He Apparated outside, cast the Mark into the air, and quickly left the smoking ruins behind. He had a little appointment at a house called...The Burrow.
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"Honey? Are you listening to that?"
Molly Weasley started slightly at her husband's voice - she'd been uneasy all night, and had barely noticed that the wireless radio had begun to play something that would be far more in her older sons' taste than hers. Small wonder that Arthur's confused, she chided herself, quickly reaching for the dial. As the sound ceased, however, she tilted her head. Was that something from upstairs?
"I'm going to go check on the kids," she said quietly. Arthur nodded, immersing himself once more in his book - another Muggle manual, she shouldn't wonder.
She found all the children restless. Whatever had been niggling at her, they felt it too. With a sigh, she granted Bill's request that they could go downstairs - hopefully, they'd fall asleep more easily with their parents. As they started down the winding steps, Molly turned toward Ginny's room.
Her only daughter, too, was awake, her tiny eyes blinking furiously as her mother entered.
"Shh, sweetie," she crooned, gently lifting the infant out of her crib. "Mama's here, Ginny love."
Her daughter secure in her arms, Molly headed into the hall. When she was at the top of the staircase...she heard the screams.
"James..." Lily Potter wept softly as the triumphant yell reverberated through her very bones, mocking her with the chilling certainty that the one she loved was gone. She clutched Harry to her chest, as if together they might escape her husband's fate. As it was, the heavy footsteps were already thudding towards her son's room, where they lay huddled in a corner. James...her heart broke freshly as she thought his name...James had tried to give them time to run, but it hadn't been enough. A sudden burst of light as the door swung wide, the pain in her eyes almost welcome, for it turned the monster who faced them into a featureless shadow. She couldn't see the smirk that must be spreading across his face, couldn't see his mouth begin to form the words of the deadly curse once more...
¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤
The woman crumpled in a heap, and Lord Voldemort smiled to himself. "Two down..." he pointed his wand at the wailing child "...and you to go. Avada Kedavra!"
The sobs quieted abruptly with the rush of green light, and he nodded in satisfaction. He Apparated outside, cast the Mark into the air, and quickly left the smoking ruins behind. He had a little appointment at a house called...The Burrow.
¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤.¤
"Honey? Are you listening to that?"
Molly Weasley started slightly at her husband's voice - she'd been uneasy all night, and had barely noticed that the wireless radio had begun to play something that would be far more in her older sons' taste than hers. Small wonder that Arthur's confused, she chided herself, quickly reaching for the dial. As the sound ceased, however, she tilted her head. Was that something from upstairs?
"I'm going to go check on the kids," she said quietly. Arthur nodded, immersing himself once more in his book - another Muggle manual, she shouldn't wonder.
She found all the children restless. Whatever had been niggling at her, they felt it too. With a sigh, she granted Bill's request that they could go downstairs - hopefully, they'd fall asleep more easily with their parents. As they started down the winding steps, Molly turned toward Ginny's room.
Her only daughter, too, was awake, her tiny eyes blinking furiously as her mother entered.
"Shh, sweetie," she crooned, gently lifting the infant out of her crib. "Mama's here, Ginny love."
Her daughter secure in her arms, Molly headed into the hall. When she was at the top of the staircase...she heard the screams.