§Annabeth§

We followed Percy and Harry down the hall, them quickening the pace with every step. Then, they turned the corner, and we heard a girl scream.

"I've got this." I said, unsheathing my sword. I cautiously edged around. Percy and Harry were getting up from the ground, seeming to have ran into some dark-skinned girl I hadn't seen before. I motioned for the group to follow.

"We were just coming to get you, Lyra." Said Percy in a falsely happy-go-lucky voice. I stared at him like: How do you know this girl? He blushed, then said, "Everybody, this is Lyra Clarion, the one we are looking for. We met her when we were prisoners here."

Harry stood motionless, his mouth wide open. "How did you escape?" He asked finally

"Yeah, how the heck in Tartarus is that possible? What about the force-field?"

We all stared at Percy and Harry questioningly, but they didn't bother explaining.

"I threw a bobby-pin at it," she said, matter of factly, "it was an electromagnetic barrier."

I didn't like this girl one bit. It was my job to be the smart one. And I didn't even know what an electromagnetic barrier was. Not to mention, she was stealing my boyfriend.

§Percy§ *ba-dum-crash*

When Annabeth glared at me and looked at Lyra, I blushed. Not because I actually liked her (in that way), but because I couldn't believe that she thought that. As soon as my face turned red, I regretted it. I knew from the murderous glare Annabeth gave Lyra, that she had taken it the wrong way. Annabeth had once

§Lyra§

Why were Harry and Percy- and all these other teenagers- here? I thought they had escaped. Well, either way, there was something I needed to tell them.

"We killed Lord Malum," Harry informed me first. I thought back to the screams I had heard. And then that weird feeling, like an electricity switch had just been turned on inside me. As if my heart was suddenly squished.

Oh my god. I put my hand to my head, realizing. Now the only part of Lord Malum's soul… was in me. The last hurdle to destroying a bad wizard was to destroy me, too. I had to tell them.

"Guys, I-" I started to say, panicked. But then one of the girls cut me off.

§Ginny§

I looked at Lyra. "Who are you?"

"I told you, she's Lyra," Percy said, rolling his eyes. Then he must have remembered our mission, because he suddenly went mum. Was this really Lord Malum's horcrux? Why would he choose a random girl from the Ministry? What could stop us from destroying the horcrux?

Destroying her. No. We couldn't. I looked at Harry desperately, and he looked back, face grim. Would he do it- for the greater good? Would he make the same mistake as his mentor, Dumbledore, had? No, Harry wouldn't do that. He and Lyra spoke at the same time:

"Lyra, I don't know how to say this-"

"Guys, you have to kill me. I'm a-"

"You're a horcrux."

She stared at him. "You know?" We all nodded solemnly. "Then you know you have to destroy it. Me. Kill me, now. For everyone. It- It doesn't matter," she choked, yet sounding determined.

"No." It was Ron who spoke. We turned to him. "We can't let you," he told her, not even asking Harry or Percy. "We'll, we'll find a way. I'm sure of it. Harry could..." Even as he spoke I watched him begin to doubt himself.

"It's okay, guys," Lyra said. Suddenly, she started to shake violently. When she started to speak again, her voice was deep and uneven.

"DO NOT HURT HER. DO NOT TOUCH HER, OR YOU SHALL DIE PAINFULLY. YOU-" the voice paused. "YOU MAY DESTROY ME. I WILL TELL YOU HOW IF YOU KEEP HER SAFE." Lyra stopped shaking and blinked. She faltered as if losing her balance and took a step backwards. Leo and Annabeth quickly caught her.

"It was him. He spoke through me," she said. Then her expression turned from faint to firm. "He's lying. If you let me live… soon enough he'll take over me, and you guys will be in danger. I can't let that happen."

I respected her bravery, but something about the way that voice had sounded- almost in pain. Desperation. Love.

Lord Voldemort was rumored to be unable to love, but, I decided, that couldn't be the same for all villans. What if… I shook away that thought. I couldn't be pitying the bad guy. I didn't bring up my muse, but I watched as the others squinted, also doubting Lyra's verdict.

Harry stepped forward. "Lyra, I… we… no. We won't let you."

She smiled sadly. "Will that matter in the end?" Before he could realize what happened, she swiftly took the wand from Harry's hand. She whispered something, and there was a split second of green light. I reached to her. No, I thought. But it was too late. Lyra Clarion was dead.