Rated: K+
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
International Wizarding School Championship
Writing School Challenge
School and Year: Beauxbatons, Year 5
Prompt: "Oh, I may be on the side of angels, but don't think for one second that I am one of them." – Sherlock
Technique: Making dialogue flow.
Words: 964 (10% leeway)
Died Like a "Hero"
It was obvious that there was at least one spy within the Order—or else there was be no way their best members were all being coincidentally taken out one by one and annihilated. Their numbers were narrowing at an alarming rate.
As he walked through the Order's headquarters, he heard Sirius Black whisper to James Potter, "There has to be a spy."
But no one knew who it could be.
It seemed that everyone else reached the same conclusion, as a very ominous atmosphere had spread among the members of a group that once had a solid and trusting atmosphere.
In one of their meetings, Dumbledore addressed them about it, "Instead of being suspicious of each other, trust is exactly what we desperately need, especially in these dire days."
A murmur of approval followed.
"Trust, huh," he said sarcastically under his breath. "Says the man who barely reveals his plans to others; the man who relies upon and uses their trusts for himself."
Fortunately, no one heard him. He should learn to keep his thoughts to himself.
As they left after the meeting, he could feel Dumbledore's eyes peering into everyone's souls one by one, daring anyone to spit out their true loyalties. No one spoke out.
A squirrel darted out of the moonlit path as a cloaked figure made his way to the meeting place. As he stepped on broken branches, he wondered about his actions.
"Am I doing the right thing?" he asked himself.
Of course not.
He sighed heavily—he was a goddamn hypocrite, and he had only realized it when he was faced with the threat himself. He was one of the few people who were fiercely against You-Know-Who and stubbornly stood by his principles, but as soon as they threatened his wife, he reluctantly decided to join them secretly.
"More efficient than cowardly Pettigrew, at least." Rookwood patted him on the back, after seeing how useful he could be.
He gave a strained smile. Being a spy made it easy for him to earn his rank among the Death Eaters, and he did so faster than anyone has ever witnessed before.
The Order of the Phoenix met at an obscure place, and he was the Secret Keeper. Dumbledore had trusted him, and it pained him to break that trust.
"I trust you will do a good job," Dumbledore had said.
"Of course!" he replied vehemently.
But that was before he joined the other side. He hadn't revealed to the Dark Lord that he was the Secret Keeper yet. He took a deep breath and a shiver passed down his spine before he entered the haunt of the Death Eaters.
It was an all-out battle.
The goal of the Death Eaters was to eliminate them all, but the Order—even when taken by surprise—was powerful.
Of course, he was pretending to battle from their side—he had yet not revealed that he had betrayed them, and they were much too shocked to think of it.
"Don't touch him!" Dorcas yelled as she unleashed a Shielding Charm in front of him, protecting him from an incoming Curse. It made him question his loyalty for a split second. However, it left her defenceless, and so he instinctively yelled, "Stupefy!" at one of her attackers.
Yaxley looked at him in surprise for a second before he laughed, "When are you ever going to reveal yourself, you coward?"
"What are you talking about?" He cast a Knockback spell. He had always wanted to hit Yaxley like that, so it felt good.
They all were trying to escape. They all split up in random directions, running for their lives. Bellatrix caught up with him and cast a curse, to which he yelled, "Protego!"
The charm knocked her back a bit and he said, "I'm alone. You can drop the act."
Bellatrix then asked something that chilled his bones, "Who said I was acting?"
"Wh-what are you trying to imply?" He stepped back.
"You're on their side!" She screeched.
"Oh I may be on the side of the angels, but don't think for one second that I am one of them," he said, hoping that that would clear his loyalty with the Death Eaters.
"Well," cackled Bellatrix, "we just have no use for you anymore!"
He paled. "What d-do you mean?"
"You told us what we needed, and now it's time to get rid of you," Bellatrix said softly.
Looking at Bellatrix's eyes, he realized that she was lying. He gritted his teeth, "You just hate that I'm more useful to the Dark Lord than you are!"
Bellatrix's eyes widened, and that was when he knew he was right. While he knew she was lying, he had simply guessed the truth.
"You," she smiled, "you're smarter than I thought."
A Blasting Spell, far too quick for him to deflect was on his way.
He couldn't even gasp when it hit him.
Around 15 years later...
"You all right, Potter?" grunted Moody.
"Yeah, I'm fine," lied Harry.
Moody took a swig from his hip flask. "Come here, I've got something that might interest you," he said. From an inner pocket of his robes, Moody pulled a very tattered old Wizarding photograph.
"Original Order of the Phoenix," growled Moody. "Found it last night when I was looking for my spare Invisibility Cloak."
Harry took the photograph. A small crowd of people, some waving at him, others lifting their glasses, looked back up at him.
Above him, a spider scurried away as Moody told him about the various members of the Order, and added how a lot of them died brutally.
"...and that's Emmeline Vance, you've met her," Moody explained, "...and that there's Lupin, obviously… Benjy Fenwick, he copped it too, we only ever found bits of him…"
Benjy Fenwick—he died a "hero".
I feel bad for Benjy Fenwick because now I made him a villain even though canonically he's a good guy. In the last minute, I realized that I should've used a Death Eater who worked in the Ministry.
...I also feel like I messed up my whole prompt.
But hey at least I'll get 1/10 for trying :)