CHAPTER 6 – Final Confrontation
The founders ran towards the Astronomy tower, in search of Elizabeth and William. The warning signs were out, the blood-splattered moon, the red rain; however there was no sign of either student.
Will's mind was overloaded with panic and confusion. "Elizabeth?" he called into the night.
A soft moan drifted over to him. Every other thought flew out of his mind, she was alive, she may be injured but at least she was alive. Will carefully moved to where the noise had come from, though he couldn't see her. He peered around the rooftop in search of her. Will knew she couldn't have gone too far.
His eyes fell on a figure lying on the ground a few feet away from him. He almost breathed a sigh of relief, until the figure began speaking. "I love it when it rains, don't you? I love the sight, the feel, the sound, the smell of it all. Most of all I love the taste."
Will noticed the girl was lying flat on her back, staring up at the sky with her mouth wide open. She smiled as the raindrops hit her tongue. The girl sighed contently, licked her lips and slowly sat up. Her straight, dark, wet hair plastered onto her face made her look infinitely more vulnerable and innocent than she was.
"What are you doing here, Chantelle?" William asked harshly. He was unable to see her properly; however William recognized her voice, and the mere tone of pure hatred that rang through every syllable she spoke.
Chantelle laughed softly. "You catch on fast, Will. Perhaps not fast enough." She giggled again. "You do realize I'm here to kill you."
Will just stared at her. "Where's Elizabeth?"
"Let's just say, after tonight… she'll be gone," she whispered harshly. "Oops."
"Don't you dare hurt her!" William ran towards her, his wand raised ready for a fight. "You hear me, bitch?"
"Or you'll what?" Chantelle asked calmly as William's figure froze. "I'm not going to hurt her, I still need her. You, on the other hand, I have no use for."
She walked towards him, smirking with triumph. As Chantelle stood in front of him, barely centimeters away, she pushed his head sideways and whispered in his ear. "I'm going to enjoy this. I promise you it won't hurt." She leaned over and opened her mouth, her white fangs drawn ready for the kill.
Will could feel her warm breath on his neck and he scolded himself. How could he think about sex at a time like this? He was going to die and Elizabeth, where the hell was she?
Chantelle drew back, a huge smile on her face. "She's busy." As she moved forward to bite him she faltered. Why not have a little fun with him? He obviously enjoys this, she thought as she pressed herself closer to him.
She kissed his neck softly and heard his indrawn breath. The shudder that followed drew a smile from her. William couldn't believe what was happening. She was seducing him and he was enjoying it, responding to it. He must be going mad.
Her hands slid down his chest to his pants, she unbuttoned them, her mouth watered as she saw his white briefs. Working them down, she held her breath, knowing she was going to make him lose control.
Will didn't want her to proceed, he needed to find Elizabeth, but as Chantelle leant forward and her lips brushed the sensitive skin, he nearly lost it. "Chantelle," he moaned.
Chantelle stared down at him, seeing the passion and rage he could never have feigned. He was hard beneath her and close to where she wanted him. She shifted slightly until he slid into her. William groaned in surprise.
He rolled Chantelle onto her back and brought his lips down to hers, increasing the pressure and her whole body seemed to sigh as his tongue entered her mouth. Nice perk, she thought happily.
As his hands squeezed her breast, kneading the aching flesh, she knew it was now or never. Slowly, she reached behind her and drew a small knife out from the top of her skirt. The trembling was becoming shuddering and she was desperately trying to hold onto the knife.
Chantelle lined the knife up and prepared to strike, willing her mind to stay focused. The pressure was building steadily. A drop of sweat trickled between her breasts, she lifted the knife and…
Will's mouth closed over her nipple. She cried out, dropped the knife and wrapped her arms tight around him. She only returned to her senses when she heard the faint clatter of the knife hitting the ground.
Will heard it too and stared around for the source. Spying the small dagger he lunged towards it. Chantelle followed suit. Will punched her face and knocked her away. Grabbing the knife he leapt onto her, holding the knife at her throat.
"Now," he spat. "Where is she?"
Chantelle smiled pleasantly. "Who are you after?"
"Elizabeth!" Will ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Where the hell is she?"
Chantelle thought for a moment, mocking him. "I am not sure." Will lifted the knife above his head, preparing to bring it hurtling down. "Go on Will. Right here," Chantelle tapped the soft, flesh of her neck where a pulse was slowly beating. "Be a man."
He hesitated for a moment, Chantelle closed her eyes. "I'm not falling for that again," Will said matter-of-factly. He stared down at Elizabeth's form, blood racing through his veins. "Don't think I won't kill you, Chantelle."
Will raised the knife once more, lined it up with the soft fleshy area she had directed. He gasped as he saw Elizabeth's clear blue eyes, but he continued to bring it down. "Will, no!" She moved at the last second. The knife punctured her right shoulder.
Cursing his inability to kill someone he lifted the knife again. He lined it up once more and froze. The necklace!
"Elizabeth? Stay awake, Elizabeth," He pulled her gently into his arms, rocking her tenderly.
"Will? Please, go and get the founders," she mumbled.
Glancing up at the moon, Will watched as it moved behind the clouds, obscuring it from view. "I'm not leaving you."
"No, Will," she tried to push him away. She collapsed back into his arms with a soft moan. "You don't understand you have to go."
"Not without you!" he whispered.
"Do you have the box?" Will had to strain his ears to hear her; she was growing weaker by the second.
He pulled the small black box out of his pocket along with the crumpled letter. "Yes. I haven't opened it yet." William pulled his pants on with difficulty, trying not to disturb her.
"Don't open it, not yet." Elizabeth shut her eyes slowly.
"Why not, Elizabeth?" he asked softly, pressing firmly on her shoulder to stop the bleeding.
"As long as you have that box, I'll be with you. Nothing can hurt you," she cried out in pain as he pushed harder.
Elizabeth sat up and held him against her, trying to block out the pain, squeezing his shoulders tightly. Will lessened his hold on her and laid her back down. "Why were you here with Jonathan?"
Elizabeth hesitated. "I suppose you have a right to know the truth." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before proceeding. "After the scare at Christmas, I began to wonder who would be next; 'my first love'. I realized soon after that I had already fallen in love – with you." She opened her eyes to see his reaction, but his face remained the same pale mask.
"So?" he prompted.
"I didn't want to lose you, so I started seeing Jonathan. I thought I could grow to love him and he'd die." She smiled. "He did, but it wasn't the same."
Will stood and began pacing. "So?"
Elizabeth sighed heavily as she followed him with her eyes. "Tonight we came up here, I told him we were over and anything else he wanted to hear. I had hoped Chantelle would kill him. Chantelle never got the chance to kill him."
William froze and turning slowly stared at her. "How'd you know she would come tonight?" he asked curiously.
"The bloodied full moon," she replied simply. "It wasn't overly hard to figure out. My necklace changes as well. The eyes turn dark green instead of the red color they usually are."
"Why?" William watched her expression carefully. His stomach began to knot itself, something wasn't right here.
"Well," Elizabeth sat up slowly, holding her shoulder in pain. "I'm not really sure. Salazar gave it to me, to control Chantelle." She gasped and stared at Will in horror.
He glared at her, confusion and rage seething through him. "What do you mean 'control' her?"
"Nothing," Elizabeth stood up quickly, ready to run. Will grabbed her shoulder and held her still. "I didn't say-You must have misunderstood me."
"What did you mean?" he shook her violently.
"Nothing!" she cried. "I didn't mean a thing."
"Damn right, you didn't mean a thing. You were a joke, one big lie from the beginning," he muttered bitterly.
Will shoved her away from him, satisfied with the yelp of pain she gave as she hit the stone rooftop. He turned his back on her and began to walk away as a hand shot out and grabbed his ankle. "Let me go Elizabeth, or so help me I'll-"
"I didn't know!" she whispered. "I only found out a few days ago." Will tried to kick her away, but lost his balance and fell over. "I tried to stop it, I couldn't."
"I risked my life against the very thing I was trying to save!" He pushed her away and stood again. "Do me a favor. Make it quick and painless." Will grabbed her, one hand tangled in her hair, the other pressing against her wounded shoulder. Dragging her onto her feet he pointed to his neck. "Go on!"
"Is that what you want?" she stared into his stone-cold face.
He shrugged. "What does it matter anymore? Just get it over with."
Elizabeth stepped closer, barely leaving an inch between them. She could feel his warmth radiating off of him. Will took one last look at the castle, the sky and the world. He closed his eyes tightly, not wishing to see his killer's face before he died.
Elizabeth took a deep breath, closed her eyes and pushed her teeth against his soft skin. She felt the little pulse against her tongue and as she pushed harder William's skin broke beneath the pressure.
"William!" someone screamed from behind him. He opened his eyes as a bright blue light shot past his ear and hit Elizabeth. She collapsed at his feet.
"Ranulf, are you all right?" Will turned and saw the founders standing meters behind him and he nodded slowly. He put a hand up to his neck and felt for the two holes. All he found was a small drop of blood from a pin-prick sized hole.
Somewhere below him Elizabeth groaned. He looked down and saw a large cut above her left eye. Crimson blood made its way down her face. "Elizabeth!" He dropped beside her, cradling her head gently. "I'm sorry."
A faint moan escaped her lips but she didn't move an inch. "Elizabeth? Please wake up." He gently shook her.
Elizabeth's eyes opened slightly. William could tell she was having a few problems focusing on him. "Will?" she murmured softly. "I thought you would be happy if I didn't wake up."
He sighed in relief. "No. I think I'd die with you," he said as he hugged her closer.
"Ranulf, you don't know what you're dealing with. Hand her over," Salazar's voice commanded.
Elizabeth stared into William's eyes and suddenly it all made sense. "No one knows what they're dealing with, except you." William said matter-of-factly. "On Halloween you said the spell wrong, you asked for something like this to happen. When it did you got scared and gave Elizabeth the necklace." He stared at the necklace. "So you could control Chantelle."
Elizabeth tried to smile but it ended up as a grimace. The burning sensation was back. The necklace began to sear her neck. She tried to push William away but he wouldn't let her go. "What is wrong?" he whispered.
"I have to go," she said before trying to free herself again. "Please for your own good. Let me go."
"They'll kill you." Will nudged his head in the founder's direction.
"I don't care! I don't want you to get hurt." She struggled once more but failed again. She pulled his head down and kissed him hungrily.
"Time's up, William, walk away or you will die with her." Godric said unhappily.
Elizabeth's hand snaked up between the two of them; she closed her fist around the serpent necklace and pulled it free. She pushed it into William's hands and pulled away.
Running to the edge of the roof, she drew her wand and held it to her neck. "I will do it."
Elizabeth groaned as her figure changed once more into Chantelle. Will glanced up at the moon; it was still hidden beneath the clouds. He realized for the first time that he was holding the necklace in his hand.
"Nice to see you again, Chantelle," Salazar said pleasantly. "I'm sure you already know Mr. Ranulf."
"We've met," she mumbled happily. Chantelle glanced down at the wand in her hand and smiled. She peered behind her at the long drop off the castle roof. "How is everyone this evening?"
"If you don't mind, we'd like to finish this tonight," Helga said conversationally.
"Not a problem," Chantelle grinned coldly. "I'll just bite my friend here and I'll be on my merry way." She moved three steps towards him and froze. He was holding the necklace. "Damn you Elizabeth." Chantelle grinned at William's heartbroken expression. "If I can't kill you, my dear William, I will just have to settle for second best."
Chantelle's wand erupted with a bang, followed by a bright red light. It shot straight towards William. He didn't move. Will tried desperately to get out of the line of fire however he seemed frozen to the spot. He tried to scream though no sound came out.
Shutting his eyes he awaited the impact but it never came. Opening one eye slowly he saw a clear blue wall preventing the curse from hitting him. As he opened his other eye he realized the curse was slowly, but surely, breaking through the protective barrier.
He felt something burning his palm and glanced down to see the necklace Elizabeth had left him. A voice echoed through his mind, use it Will.
William focused all his energy into the necklace. With each passing moment the barrier grew stronger, larger and changed to a darker blue. However, with each passing moment William found it harder and harder to concentrate, when all he really wanted to do was lie down and rest.
Finally the barrier absorbed the last of his strength and he fell to his knees, completely drained. "Thank you, Elizabeth. I couldn't have killed him without you," Chantelle laughed coldly.
The explosion that followed shook the entire castle, as the curse shot back towards Chantelle. She screamed as it hit her stomach and she fell to her knees gasping for air. "What a lovely payback," she smirked. "He just killed you. You didn't get to say goodbye," she shot at William.
He didn't say anything. William just sat there in shock. "Why?" he whispered minutes later.
"It's nothing personal," Chantelle murmured back at him. "I'll even make you a deal. To show that there are no hard feelings, I'll let you see her," she paused for a moment deep in thought. "Only if you promise to die slowly, deal?"
"No!" he breathed harshly. William panted for air, his chest felt as though an iron bar had wrapped itself around him. "I don't want to let her see me suffer."
"Poor, noble William, you're torn between two." She shook her head mockingly. "You don't want to see her suffer, yet you love her and couldn't bear to never see her again. Yet, you would never forgive yourself if you let her see you in pain."
Will turned his head away from her, looking at Godric for help and reassurance. Godric could only shake his head in confusion and shock. Will sighed. "Let me see her!"
Chantelle smiled innocently. "See who?"
He turned and glared at her. "Don't toy with me, Chantelle. Let me see Elizabeth." He tried to stand but groaned in pain and fell back down.
As soon as the words left his mouth, he watched on as Chantelle transformed into Elizabeth, her body falling to the ground.
The sight of Elizabeth's mangled body tore at William's heart. He crawled over to where she laid unconscious on the stone roof. "Elizabeth?" he whispered. He eyed her pale skin and her pained expression. "Please wake up."
Her uniform was drenched in blood. The white blouse stained from the wound on her shoulder and a new gash on her stomach. Her shirt was torn into pieces, the dark red shone brightly in the moonlight against her pale skin.
He shifted several strands of hair off her face, carefully running his hands along the lesion above her eye. He gasped and withdrew his hand instantly as his fingers came in contact with her skin. She was cold as ice.
Will shook her fragile body gently. "Elizabeth?" he whispered. "No…"
Godric had moved to stand behind William. "Come now, there's nothing more we can do," he said gravely. "William, we shall get you fixed up." Godric lifted a cheerless William to his feet and half-carried him as they walked away.
"Will?" came a voice from behind them.
William turned and almost died of shock. "Elizabeth?"
A faint ghost-like image of Elizabeth had formed beside her body. "In a manner of speaking," she looked down at her dead body on the ground. "Surprise…"
"You're alive?" he muttered incredulously.
Elizabeth's image hesitated. "Not exactly, I'm here but I'm not here. Do you understand?"
William shook his head at a loss for words. He felt Godric's strong hand squeeze his shoulder in a reassuring way. His eyes kept moving between the flickering image before him and the body on the ground. "Are you a ghost?" he asked finally.
"No, I'm only here to say goodbye." Elizabeth smiled timidly. "That's the thing about Hemomorphesis," she pointed to her body. William watched on in amazement as Elizabeth's corpse disappeared from the roof, leaving only the flickering image. "You can not die because you never really lived to begin with."
"Hemomorphesis?" he mumbled back in confusion.
"Remember when we read up about it?" she took a few steps towards him. William couldn't believe his eyes, the image was Elizabeth down to the dot. It had the same voice, the same walk even the way her eyes sparkled with tears when she was about to cry. "I never lied to you, it is like having two people inside you – that's what Chantelle was – but there are hundreds."
The image grew hazy. "This is just another part of me, a memory if you like."
"Elizabeth? What's happening?" William asked softly.
"I have to go, I'm afraid." Her face grew sad as she stared back at William. "It will only be for a short time. I would bring you with me, however-" the image disappeared.
"What? Take me! Elizabeth!" William screamed into the darkness.
She appeared once more in front of him, nothing more than a cloud of mist. Her eyes burned into his. "Open the box," she whispered.
He turned, stared at the founders for a brief second, pulled the box out of his pocket and stared back at her. As he opened the box he leaned forward and kissed her. Elizabeth's arms wrapped around him and held him close. William was amazed at how real it all felt. His injuries didn't hurt anymore, his mind went blank and a little voice whispered, "I love you."
William smiled. He was going to be with Elizabeth forever.
A piercing scream howled around them, the castle shook violently and a flash of lighting shot across the sky, breaking the full moon into tiny fragments. William felt his entire life being sucked out of him, before everything went white.
Salazar walked into the girl's bathroom casually. The night's events still playing in his mind, he barely realized where we was headed until he looked around the hidden chamber he had created before Elizabeth was created.
The stone pillars loomed over him, while the giant stone carving of himself stared back at him. He gave a weary sigh and ran a hand over his face. "I guess there are some things that should never happen."
He pulled a piece of parchment and a quill from a small bag and began to retrace his footsteps over the past year. Thankfully all the other students had made their way back home before this mess. No one would be any wiser to his spell, except for his descendants.
"Mudbloods," he whispered angrily. "They will be the downfall of this school."
Godric had never wanted to listen to him that was why he had purposely spoiled their precious ceremony. Chantelle was to be his helper, killing everyone who wasn't pureblooded.
As he wrote, he couldn't help but stare at the serpent necklace. Perhaps, he thought happily. There will be luck yet.
He rolled the finished letter up and placed the necklace inside it. "One day, they will call you back, Chantelle." He placed the scroll into a small hole in one of the pillars, took one last look around the chamber and sighed. "Then my work will be complete."
Salazar left the chamber and walked out the castle doors. He knew there would not be a place for him at this school any longer. "One day," he whispered, and with that he left Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for good.
