The Girl Who Lived Chapter Seventeen: Truth

A chill ran through Daisy's body. Muggle London was certainly not a safe place to be. Scratchy, thoroughly spooked, leaped suddenly from her pocket to the floor. He scuttled away.
Daisy strained to see him in the darkness, but instead she saw several dark shapes lying on the floor. She heard Scratchy crawl away and the door slam shut, narrowly missing his tail.
There was one window at the very top of the room spilling moonlight on a patch on the floor. The shapes were in the shadows. Daisy thought for a moment that they looked like bodies.
She pulled her wand from her robes. "Lumos," she said. She waved the beam of light towards them and her heart stopped. Lavender Brown and the two missing second years lay still on the floor. Daisy feared they were dead, but after gazing at them for a while, she saw they were only sleeping. She breathed a sigh of relief. Of course they were sleeping. She herself wanted to lay down with them and sleep, but she knew that would not be a good idea.
She didn't know how to wake them up, but she didn't want to leave them there alone.
She went to the door to see where she was, but as she turned the handle, she found it was locked. She pointed her wand at it.
"Alohomora," she whispered. The lock didn't budge. It was a magical lock. How could that be if she was in Muggle London?
Daisy's head began to spin with fear and fatigue. She sat down to clear her mind. Then she heard voices outside the door.
"Wormtail, you're sure?" said a rushed high-pitched voice.
"Yes, Master. I can remember it now," said a second slightly fearful voice.
"How you could have forgotten surpasses me. How long do you expect me to forgive your blunders?"
Daisy's stomach tightened as she realized who they were. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she had never been surer. She lay down completely and shut her eyes. She knew they would expect her to be asleep.
The door opened easily and two men stepped in. Daisy saw through cracked eyes that one man was pale, tall and slender and the other was short with an ashen complexion and clearish hair. They stood before the open door.
"That's her, Master." He pointed a finger at Daisy. She noticed that his hand was made of some type of metal.
"Awaken." Daisy suddenly felt wide awake. She was left with only fear as she opened her eyes and looked into the face of Lord Voldemort.
"Get up, girl," he demanded. Daisy scrambled to her feet. She hated him for what he had done to her family, mostly to Harry, but she wasn't stupid. She could play his game without betraying anyone.
"What is your name?" he asked.

"Daisy Peterson," she said as calmly as she could manage.
Voldemort gave her a look that she couldn't read. "Who are your family?"
"My parents were Jonathan and Elizabeth Peterson," she said. She didn't say this to cover anything up, they were more her parents than the Potters, no matter who had given birth.
Voldemort gave her the same look. "Do you know that there are consequences to lying to me? Do you know who I am?"
Daisy nodded slowly.
"Then you'll know that I won't tolerate this. I know who you are, thanks to Wormtail here, or should I say Scratchy?" He gestured to the man beside him. He looked down at the floor beadily. Daisy stared at him in horror. Exactly what Sirius had told her would happen was happening. All she had done was tell one person.
"Master traitor, he is," Voldemort said with a laugh. Daisy felt like she was going to be sick.
"Miss Potter," he said. Daisy felt an emotion she didn't recognize at being called her rightful name for the first time. "I thought wiping your family out would be easier, but there is always a surprise with the Potters. No matter, it won't be long until you and your brother finally meet the rest of your family." Daisy glared at him coldly. She had had enough.
"You can't kill Harry, you're not strong enough," she spat.
Voldemort's eyes flashed with anger. "You will see soon enough. Summon him here, now."
"No," Daisy said, blatantly refusing. She knew in that moment that she would rather die than sell out her brother.
"You must show some respect," Voldemort told her. "This will teach you. Crucio!"
Daisy's muscles all painfully seized up suddenly. She felt as if her bones were cracking. She couldn't bear it. She wanted it to end.
A moment later, her eyes were opening from the floor. She got up quickly as she could to face her attacker. She looked at him with full hatred.
"Do you need some more, or are you willing to cooperate now?" he asked.
Daisy had never felt more pain, but she could stand it to avoid Harry's death. "Never."
"Than perhaps we should change tactics," he said. Daisy was surprised. She wasn't expecting that, but before she could say anything, Voldemort already had.
"Imperio." Daisy found herself floating on cream colored clouds. She had no thoughts or worries. Only paradise. A small voice said calmingly... Summon your brother... Summon Harry Potter, that's all you must do.
Daisy took her wand out and pictured Harry in her mind. "Acciocuput Harry Potter," she said softly.
Suddenly, she was back in the dark room with Voldemort. She gasped when she realized what she'd done. Why was the summoning charm the only one she could do properly?
"Thank you so much for your services, I'll deal with you later," Voldemort said. "Slumber."
Daisy grew tired again. She blinked her eyes strongly, and lay down. Voldemort expected her to fall asleep. The fact that she could take it was not something he needed to know.
The minutes stretched longer and longer as they waited in silence. Daisy could barely keep herself awake. She wondered what would happen when Harry got here, or if he would come at all. She hoped he wouldn't. It would be all her fault.
Voldemort was getting more and more impatient. Nearly an hour had gone by since Daisy had summoned Harry.
"This may take longer than I expected, Wormtail," he said finally. "Watch the girl. I have something to attend to." He pointed his wand at Daisy and she feared he would curse her again, but instead he shot vine- like ropes out of his wand, binding Daisy's wrists and feet together.
"Yes, Master," Wormtail said. Voldemort swooped out the door and shut it behind him. There was a moment of nothing at all, but then Daisy was alarmed to see Harry, an invisibility cloak falling from his shoulders, point his wand at Wormtail.
"Stupefy," he said. Wormtail fell limply to the ground and Harry fell dead asleep, crashing to the floor.
Daisy's ears listened for any sound. There was none. Her wand was still in her hand. She turned until it was pointed at Harry. "Awaken," she said, mimicking the spell she heard Voldemort say.
Harry stirred, and his eyes opened wide. He saw Daisy and looked confused.
"Harry!" Daisy said. "I'm so sorry, this is all my fault. Get away from here."
"Slow down," Harry said. "What's going on?"
"Voldemort, he's trying to kill you," Daisy told him. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to summon you."
"It's okay," Harry said. "Let me help you." He pulled a penknife from his pocket and cut the binds.
Daisy stood up quickly. "We need to get out of here. Voldemort will be back soon."
"I know. I've been here for about ten minutes." Harry said.
"How? How did you get here?" she asked.
"Floo powder," Harry said. "I told Dumbledore as soon as you summoned me and we both came, but he fell asleep the instant we got here. He's back near Diagon Alley. I went ahead and found you without him."
"Where are we?" Daisy asked.
"It's a manor or something," Harry said.
"This is where Voldemort lives, I think," Daisy said suddenly.
"What is that?" Harry asked looking at the sleeping students.
"The missing second years and Lavender. Voldemort must have kidnapped them or something," Daisy said. "But we have to leave, now."
"Wait," Harry said. "I want to take him with us." He looked down at the unconscious Wormtail. "He can clear Sirius's name."
"Make him feather-light," Daisy said on a spur, she remembered the day in Diagon Alley that Maggie had made her books lighter. "Do you know the spell?"
"Yes" Harry said. "Agilis."
Daisy was nearly in tears with guilt. "I'm sorry," she said.
"It's alright," Harry assured her. "I've been waiting for a chance to get Wormtail in my hands." They heard quick footsteps in the hall.
"It's him," Daisy cried.
"Get back down," Harry said. He pulled the invisibility cloak over Wormtail and himself. Daisy threw herself to the floor and shut her eyes as the door flew open.
"Awaken," Voldemort roared. Daisy's mostly clear mind became even clearer as she looked at him.
"Where is Wormtail?" he demanded.
"I don't know," Daisy lied. "I was asleep."
"You're lying," Voldemort yelled. He was insanely angry. "Crucio!"
Again, Daisy felt deep pain. She screamed out and tried to keep her heart beating. She stumbled, about to fall over, and tripped on something very large. She flew over it onto the ground. The spell was gone, but she could feel the pain still. She shook uncontrollably on the floor and looked to see what she had tripped over. She closed her eyes when she saw. It looked like there was nothing there, but Daisy knew that it was Harry beneath the cloak.
"What do we have here?" Voldemort said. He swept his hand over the spot and brushed off the cloak in the process.
"Harry Potter," Voldemort whispered wickedly. "Here to save the day again, no doubt. Or at least your sister."
Harry's eyes widened. "What the hell are you talking about?" Daisy shuddered.
"Ah, she didn't even tell you," Voldemort said. "Daisy here isn't all she seems, are you?"
Daisy looked up at Harry regretfully. "I can explain," she said.
"Your twin, it seems, has been keeping things from you all year," Voldemort continued.
Harry looked at her hurtfully realizing the obviousness of it all. "It's not true, is it?" he asked.
"It is," Daisy said quietly.
"That doesn't matter now," Voldemort said. "You'll both be dead in a moment. You see, Harry, as I have said over and over, you can't escape me. I was only so lucky to find a way to get you here. Your dear sister couldn't wait to tell a little rat about you. I knew you would come if she summoned you."
Harry stared at her in disbelief. She bowed her head shamefully and looked away.
"It's an ingenious plan isn't it?" Voldemort continued, "This spell. No one, not even your precious Dumbledore, figured it out. The more magical power you have and the closer you are to me, the more tired you get. I'm surprised you are still awake, but not your squib sister. She could last all night if she had to, the fake."
"She'll be the next to go after you. Then your friends. All will fear me again."
"Dumbledore will never fear you," Harry spat. Voldemort seemed to get even angrier.
"As my friend Lavender tells me, he already fears me. The school hasn't been crazier since my memory set the basilisk on the school. These children have been very helpful to me."
"But now it is your time." He raised his wand. "Av-"
Daisy leapt from the floor and raked her hands around his neck. She would kill him with her bare hands if she had to.
Voldemort tried to fight her off, scratching and hitting, but he seemed to be in considerably more pain than Daisy was.
He was screaming out shrilly. Daisy saw that smoke was rising from beneath her hands. She held them still.
Harry stood motionless, and stared.
"Go!" Daisy yelled him. "Run away. I'll hold him off!"
Harry looked even more intently and didn't move.
"Go, please!" Daisy screamed. She couldn't hold on much longer. Voldemort's hands were beating at her. Harry took off, one of Wormtail's arms in his hand. Daisy moved her hands to Voldemort's face and saw the rawness she had left below.
Voldemort gave one final cry and collapsed. Without a look back Daisy ran after Harry. She saw him up ahead and caught up.
"Faster," she cried. She grabbed part of Wormtail and they sprinted through the maze of hallways until they found the door. They pushed open the glass pane and kept running. After a few blocks, they ducked behind a corner and sat down gasping.
Daisy looked at Harry wearily. He looked back blankly and wrapped his arms around her. She held onto him with all she could.