The pain hit her with such force that she fell to the ground, writhing. White hot pain seared her all over. She tried not to scream, that would only give him more satisfaction. But then the pain grew. It filled her, so that all she felt was pain. A scream escaped from her mouth. It was high pitched and filled with the agony that Roxie felt. She heard the cruel, high laughter of Lord Voldemort and the rat like chuckle of Wormtail. And then it stopped. The pain lessened and the laughter died down. Roxie rolled over so that she was on her knees. She let her head hang, so that she wouldn't have to look up into Voldemort's eyes. "Did you like that? Because if you did your Lord would be happy to provide you with more of it."
"No, my Lord," Roxie panted. "I think that was enough."
"You think that was enough?!?" Voldemort roared. "And who are you to decide what is and isn't enough?!? You are nothing more than a spineless little girl who can't follow simple orders."
"I'm sorry, my Lord. I tried."
"No, I'm the one trying. I'm here with Him while you go frolic with the Potter boy," Wormtail spat.
"Silence Wormtail! That's very hypocritical of you. I seem to remember you begging him for your life three years ago," Voldemort gave a sneer. Wormtail bowed his head and started to stutter, apologizing profusely. "I don't have time for you right now Wormtail! Go make yourself useful by preparing a meal for me." Voldemort gave a wave of his hand.
"Yes, Master." Wormtail bowed and then he exited towards the kitchen.
"Roxie, Roxie, Roxie. What should I do with you? You try to convince me that this boy is nothing to you, but then you go spouting out phrases that contradict that. You love him?"
"Master, I…" Roxie interrupted.
"Do not interrupt me! I am speaking and you are silent. You only speak when you are told to! Now I already know that you told the young boy that you loved him. First of all, I am not happy that you didn't report this to me. I had to resort to Legilimency. Now normally I encourage the use of this skill on my foes, but I don't like to use it on my followers. You should have reported to me right away!" The snake in the corner was startled by the sudden shouting and she gave a hiss. Voldemort hissed to her in response and she seemed to calm down. "Secondly, I don't like that you said 'I l…' those things. I told you to stay close to him, but I didn't mean that close. Pretty soon you will have the feelings that go along with those words! Then where will that leave us? How will our task be completed? Plus I despise that word!" Voldemort added as an afterthought.
"But Master, you told me not to make a single move that would ruin the idea that I did feel these things for him. It would have been odd if he told me that he loved me and I didn't say anything. Surely he would have dumped me and moved on. And then where would that leave us? How would our task be completed?" Roxie added these last words before thinking. She flinched, anticipating His wrath.
But Voldemort simply laughed. "Aren't you a clever little girl? You can use my words against me. Once again you shock me; I would not have thought you capable."
"I'm capable of a lot of things you don't think that I can do," Roxie spat defiantly.
"You little brat! How dare you be smart with me?" Voldemort flicked his wand. There was a flash of light and Roxie was hit in the stomach. The force was so strong that Roxie flew backwards into the wall behind her. She slid down to the floor and crumpled. "Not so snotty now are you?" Voldemort walked over to her and looked down. "Get up." For a second Roxie considered staying on the ground but then she felt a cold hand reach down and yank her hair. Her head jerked back and she looked up into two snake-like eyes. "I said get up!" He released her hair and she stood, cautiously. "Very good. You see, you're already learning to be obedient. Now since I am such a generous Lord, I will give you one more chance. Go back to beloved Hogwarts and make sure that you don't do anything that will displease me because if you do…" Voldemort bent low and Roxie could feel the chill of his breath as he whispered to her. "I will kill anyone and everyone that you care about." He pulled back. "Remember this." He gave her a wink and then with a flick of his wand she was back in her hospital bed. Why me? Roxie held her head in her hands and then she began to cry. She tried to stifle her sobs, knowing that if she was heard Madam Pomfrey would be sure to keep her for another week. She couldn't be here for one more week; she had something important to do.
"Well, dear, you do seem to be better although you do have a few fresh bruises. How did you get them?" The nurse was fussing over Roxie and Roxie was just waiting to get out of the wing.
"I fell out of bed. I do it a lot. It's nothing to worry about and besides they don't hurt."
"Well I guess if you feel well enough, you should go back. Classes do start back tomorrow. Go on then, before I change my mind." Madam Pomfrey waved her hand impatiently. Quickly Roxie gathered her things, and rushed from the wing.
Right outside of the Gryffindor tower, Roxie ran into the person she had been dreading seeing, Harry. "Rox! Madam Pomfrey finally let you out! I'm so happy to see you!" Harry bent down to kiss her, but Roxie pulled away. "What's wrong?"
"I can't do this." Roxie lowered her head.
"Still a little sick? Well that's ok, we don't have to kiss. That's not all this relationship is about." Harry chuckled.
"That's not what I can't do. I can't…" I don't want to do this. But you have to or Voldemort will not be happy and you know what happens when he isn't happy. "I can't date you anymore," Roxie blurted out. There I've done it. Are you happy Master?
"Oh," Harry looked stunned and hurt. "Oh, well I understand." No he doesn't. Hell, I don't even understand it.
"I'm sorry. I hope we can still be friends though. I wouldn't want to lose you completely." If I can't date him, maybe I can at least have him this way.
"Absolutely. Yeah I want that too." Harry gave a weak smile. "I've got to go to the library to do some homework though." He gave her a small pat on the shoulder and then he walked away from her. Roxie watched him go. I didn't want to do that. She willed Harry to understand that. She willed him to turn back and refuse to let her go, but he didn't turn back. He walked to the end of the corridor, turned a corner, and then he was gone, in both senses. Gone from the corridor and from me. For the millionth time since she had started school, Roxie began to cry. I wish that I had never agreed to join Voldemort. Then I wouldn't have to do what he said and I would still have Harry. Roxie pushed her way into the common room. She looked around, but all she could see were blurred shapes. Finally, she spotted one that looked like a door. She moved through the room and she walked up to her dorm. She flung herself onto her bed and broke down. The door opened.
"Roxie! What's wrong?" Hermione walked over to Roxie's bed. She sat down next to Roxie and she started to rub her back. I remember when Harry did that. Now he'll never do that again. Roxie sobbed harder. "Roxie stop crying and tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing really. It's just…Harry and I broke up."
"That's awful. But I bet…"
"No offense Hermione, but I would kind of like to be alone right now." Roxie pulled the covers up over her head, like little children did when they were trying to block out the monsters. Maybe I can block out all the bad things in my life too. Roxie sighed, she knew that wouldn't happen, but it was a nice thought. Hermione gave a sigh and then the bed creaked as she got up. She made her way across the room and then she edged out the door. Roxie gave a sniff and then the waterworks began again.
A week later, Roxie opened her eyes. She looked over at the calendar. Today's my birthday, so why aren't I happier? Then Roxie remembered. A week ago she had been forced to dump Harry. Her whole group of friends, including her, had been different that week. She had been miserable all week, not able to get over her loneliness. Harry had tried to be her friend, but she could tell that it still hurt him. Ron kept shooting daggers at her with his eyes; obviously he was not happy with the way the relationship ended. Hermione hovered on the outside, trying to keep everyone happy. It was like walking on thin ice, however, because she had to say just the right things, so that Ron wasn't angry and Harry and Roxie didn't resort to complete silence as they had the first day after the breakup. That's why I'm not happy. Roxie sighed and got out of bed. She got dressed and then began to make her way downstairs. When she was about halfway down the staircase she heard voices arguing.
"He's up there moping in our room. And it's all that stupid slag's fault!"
"Ronald! How dare you say that and how dare you blame her! She's just as sad about the break up as he is."
"If she's so sad then why the bloody hell did she dump him."
"She dumped him?"
"I bet she told you that he dumped her. She just wants your sympathy!"
"No she didn't tell me that. All she said was that they broke up."
"Well then go upstairs and make her tell you exactly why she did that! I want to know why she ripped my best mate's heart out and if she doesn't give an answer that I like then…"
Hermione cut him off though, "I'll ask her tomorrow. Today is her birthday. I forbid you to mention anything to her and you can't be anything but nice to her."
"Since when do you get to dictate what I do?"
"You'll do as I say or I won't ever kiss you again." Ron gave a defeated sort of grumble. Hermione's words seemed to have the effect that she had wanted.
"You wouldn't…" Roxie reached the bottom stair and she gave a cough, so as to announce her presence.
"I didn't know that you were up!" Hermione gushed. "Happy birthday!" She enveloped Roxie in a big hug. "I got you something. Here, open it." Hermione handed Roxie a package in the shape of a book. Sure enough, when Roxie pulled the paper off, it revealed her very own copy of Hogwarts, a History.
"Thanks Hermione." Roxie tried to summon up a hint of happiness, but it was as if her body had forgotten how to be happy. She just couldn't do it.
"Here." Ron moved forward and handed her a small box.
"That's so nice of you Ron." Hermione was obviously pleased that he was being nice to her.
"It's not from me. It's from Harry, you know the guy you dumped." Ron gave Roxie a hateful look.
"Ronald! I told you…" Hermione started to bicker with Ron again. He still gave me a gift. Roxie sat down and looked at the small package. It was wrapped in light blue paper, her favorite color. I told him that once. He laughed and told me that it was such a girl color. Roxie smiled. Leave it to Harry to make me happy when I don't want to be, even if he isn't really here. She ripped the paper off and saw a small velvet box inside. Great I ripped his heart out and he bought me jewelry. She opened the box and saw a small, delicate chain with a silver heart dangling from it. She lifted the necklace out and saw that there was something on the back, an inscription.
"I will always love you whether we are together or apart, Harry."
Tears blurred Roxie's vision. He still loves me. And I still love him! She looked up and saw that Hermione and Ron were still arguing. With trembling fingers, she put the necklace back in the box and closed it with a snap.
One quick decision later, she was running up the stairs to the boys' dorms. Scanning the doors, she found one with a plaque that read "Sixth years". She knocked and heard a voice inside say, "Come in."
Inside, Harry sat on his bed, parchment and a quill on his lap. "Hey, what are you doing?"
He didn't look up, but he replied, "Writing a letter to Lupin." And then it seemed to dawn on him who was speaking to him. "Roxie?! What are you doing in here?"
"Oh I just wanted to thank you for the gift."
"What gift?"
"The necklace. It's beautiful."
"How did you get that?" Harry pointed to the box.
"Ron gave it to me."
"He must have found it in our room."
"Oh well, if you don't want me to have it…" Roxie walked over to him and held the box out.
"No, I bought it for you, but with all that happened between us I just wasn't going to give it to you. Not yet anyways."
"I read the inscription. And I just want you to know that I feel the same way."
"Yeah like I said, I bought it before we broke up. Now I feel kind of stupid for…What did you say?"
"I said that I feel the same way. I love you Harry!" Roxie blushed.
"Then why did you break up with me?"
"To tell you the truth, I don't know. I was having a bad day. Or maybe it was a side effect of the medicine Madam Pomfrey. Although, I've never heard of 'making the worst decision of your life' listed as a side effect of medicine." Harry stood up, the parchment on his lap fell to the floor.
"Give me the necklace." Oh no, he wants the necklace back. Reluctantly, Roxie handed the box over. Harry opened the box and pulled the necklace out. "Turn." What is he doing? Roxie obeyed. Then she saw his hand unclasping the necklace in front of her. She understood. He put the necklace around her neck and she turned around.
"How does it look on me?" Roxie asked giving fake model poses.
"Beautiful. So does this mean that we're back together?" Harry added casually. Roxie pulled him to her. She kissed him. His hands fell to her waist and she played with the back of his hair. "That was nice, but you never answered my question. Are we?" Harry joked.
"You betcha." Roxie gave a smile.
"Good because…" Roxie cut him off.
She put a finger to his lips and whispered, "You talk way too much." This time he pulled her to him. They kissed and the world seemed to melt away. This is just like the movies. Roxie was happy and she smiled internally as she and Harry's tongues played with one another.