Chapter 39:

Michelle was going to ask another question, but felt the spark again and once more found herself on the floor. This time when she picked herself up, she could tell she was back in reality.

Harry yelled out to her, "Michelle, get out of here!!"

She turned towards his voice and saw he and Snape were already bound against the wall. She started towards them, when someone spoke her name. She stopped dead in her tracks. Turning slowly, she saw the man she had seen in her dream. Voldermort was behind her.

He inhaled deeply, "Fresh Seer...a scent I will always recognize. Come here..." He lifted his wand and uttered something Michelle didn't understand. All she knew was she was walking towards him. She tried to dig in her heels, but it didn't matter.

"Trelawney was right. You are a true Seer. I can feel your power. It is intoxicating. Much better than this pathetic man in the corner."

Michelle was glad her fear masked her surprise. If Avias was strong enough to perform the ceremony, then why would Voldermort say such a thing? She pushed the thought out of her mind and concentrated on trying to stop moving towards the Dark Lord.

He reached out and held her face in his freezing hand.

Michelle cringed. It felt like someone was draining the blood out of her body. She started feeling dizzy. She was going to pass out.

"What did you see?" Voldermort stared into her eyes. "Yes...I can see it too...it is just as I wanted..." He turned Michelle so she was facing Harry, but still held her head in his hand. "I was so disappointed to discover I could not use my wand to kill you Potter. I sent my servants on a quest...find an easy way for me to end your miserable life. Too many more confrontations with you and I would not be strong enough to do the deed myself. Then, the Seer who had served me years ago, came crawling back to me with an idea. Use another's power and save my own." He gazed on Michelle fondly. "She is so young and strong. I can feel her pulsing inside me."

"If you hurt her..." Harry growled at Voldermort, sounding braver than he felt.

"Oh the irony...the girl you care so much about is going to be the girl who ends your life..."

Michelle felt like she was shrinking inside her own body. It was dank and cold. She could hear Voldermort speaking to Harry, but the voices were becoming more and more distant. She barely sensed Voldermort pushing her head down to her chest. His grip tightened and she sank further into herself.

"Take a look at her now Potter..."

It was Harry's turn to almost scream. Michelle looked up and her eyes were completely black, like a snake. Her face had gone a sickly white and when she smiled, Harry saw nothing resembling his girlfriend.

"Hello, lover..." her voice was like ice. "Oh, I do believe Lord Voldermort, that the great Harry Potter is going to cry. May I go lick the tears from his cheeks?"

"Promise you won't bite off his flesh?"

She frowned, "You're no fun..."

Harry could feel the tears stinging his eyes, blurring his vision. His mind raced as he tried to come up with some way to get out of this awful situation. His wand, as well as Snape's were being held by Trelawney. He'd tried to free himself, but he could barely stand thanks to the Dementors all over the prison. Avilas seemed to be cowering in the corner. He considered freeing Michelle from Voldermort's grasp, but had no idea how to accomplish the task. His heart was breaking. Everything seemed hopeless. Even so, he couldn't let Voldermort see his fear. He stood up as straight as he could and blinked the tears from his eyes.

Voldermort began to laugh, "Even to the end, you try and stand up to me. I will give you something for the effort Potter. I am going to enjoy watching you die. Would you like to know how it is going to happen? I wasn't sure myself until Trelawney told me what was in Michelle's journal. She kept dreaming about a knife, and as fate would have it, she found just such a knife. I almost laughed myself giddy when I heard about that day..."

Michelle could just barely hear Voldermort speaking. Everything she'd written in the diary began to go through her mind. She locked on one thought. The knife. The inscription on the knife--your heart will set you free. She now understood what would happen when she uttered the spell from her dream. She could hear Voldermort taunting Harry, describing how Harry would bleed to death slowly. Michelle felt Voldermort controlling her hand, making her reach into her robe pocket and pull out the knife. Seeing Harry's reaction had made the Dark Lord laugh even louder. His head was reared back as he instructed Michelle to kill Harry.

Michelle focused on the feel of the knife in her hand. She concentrated on the inscription again. She repeated the spell over and over till she could feel her lips moving. She thought about how much she loved Harry. She heard Voldermort gloating; he had closed his eyes. He wasn't paying attention; he was too involved in his own pending triumph. Michelle inhaled as though pulling in all her strength and power.

Harry watched Michelle fingering the knife. Voldermort was really enjoying himself. Cocky bastard, Harry thought. Michelle raised her arm to throw the knife. Harry made himself look at her face. Even though she wasn't herself, he wanted her to be the last person he saw before he died. Michelle's face lowered as Voldermort's went back with a roar of laughter. Harry saw her grip on the knife tighten. She looked up and for the second time tonight, Harry almost cried out. Her eyes were normal. Her face was normal. In fact, she almost seemed to be glowing.

Breaking free of Voldermort was like breaking the surface of the water after a deep dive. Michelle had control of her body. She looked at Harry so he would know it was really her. Reaching back with her free hand, she grabbed Voldermort's hand that held her head. Her fingers clamped around his wrist. She threw the knife and it spun end over end as she yelled out the spell.

"Elongata extermina! Invertae vortea!"

"What are you doing?" Voldermort tried to pull away, but Michelle would not let him go. He had taken her power away and she was going to get it back.

She extended her hand and controlled the movement of the knife. It stopped before reaching Harry and froze in the air. It stretched until it was the length of a sword. Michelle could feel Voldermort trying to regain control. She concentrated on the knife as it hurled back at her.

Harry yelled out Michelle's name just as the sword found its target. It plunged into Michelle's chest and came out through Voldermort's back. It was driven into both of them. A bright light seeped out of Voldermort's fingertips into Michelle. They both jerked as though a current were running between them. Michelle held onto Voldermort's hand as long as possible. Harry could see the blood from her wound turning her shirt a crimson color.

Trelawney was finally jolted into action. She pointed her wand at Voldermort. Yelling out a spell, the knife seemed to shrink. Voldermort fell back as Michelle fell onto her knees before landing on her side. Trelawney went to Voldermort, but he hissed at her. He stumbled towards the door. Avilas was there waiting.

"Corpus Expelliarmus!" he pointed his wand at Voldermort.

Harry couldn't believe his eyes. Voldermort suddenly vanished with a yelp of pain. Avilas pointed his wand at Snape and Harry releasing them from their bonds. Harry stared at Avilas.

"Where did Voldermort go?"

"I sent him away..."