Chapter Fifty

The bent and twisted form of Neville stepped out into the light, his head stuck out from his neck at a sickening angle, his arms hung loosely at his sides and his legs were bent in an unnatural way, the lower half of them were angled away to the sides so that his feet didn't come together on the floor. On top of that his shoulders were slouched forwards so that his back was humped. The contorted form of Neville slowly began to turn towards them.

Luna gasped, and Neville's head span around to face the three terrified people, then the rest of his body followed, dragging one leg slightly, Neville lumbered forwards.

"Now I see you little girlssssss!," Neville's contorted voice spoke.

"Impedimenta!" Draco shouted, and Neville paused momentarily, then he let out a bone-chilling laugh.

"Stupid wizard!" the voice sneered, "You think you can stop me so easily! I have spent centuries strengthening my powers against mortals, and all you can do now is destroy the vessel containing me!"

"Repellendum!" Hermione shouted, orange sparks flying out of the end of her wand, and Neville's body flew backwards through the air, landing with a crash on the marble floor.

"Stop it!" Luna cried to Draco and Hermione, "You heard him! You're going to hurt Neville. Neville was already getting up from the floor.

"Well what should we do?" Draco asked Luna, desperation beginning to show in his voice, "I hate to say this - but right now it's either Neville or all of us!"

"Oh God!" Luna cried as Neville once again limped towards them, and then she shouted, "Somnus!" but Bertram was too fast for her, he whipped Neville's wand out and sent her spell back at her with a simple reflection spell. Luna crumpled to the floor, where she immediately began to snore.

"Good job it was only a sleeping spell." Hermione said, but their problems were far from over as Bertram/Neville was getting closer.

"His reactions are unbelievable," Draco said, "I don't want you to risk another spell in case he hits it back at you."

Hermione was terrified, "Well I don't want you to either but what else..."

Draco had stepped forwards into the moonlight, he could see Neville's eyes from that distance, and Luna had been right; they were entirely black and demonic looking and a depraved smile twisted his features maniacally.

"Draco!" Hermione cried, "What are you doing?"

"You will not harm these women Bertram!" Draco said, still moving slowly towards their possessed friend's twisted body.

"And you think you are going to save this one?" the evil voice taunted him, "The one who set me free! The one whom strengthened by will, who teased me with her flesh, who reignited my spark of hunger, who reunited me with my Dark Gods. Who even now bears my label of ownership."

Draco felt an unbridled anger rising up inside of him.

"Don't rise to it Draco!" Hermione pleaded, "That's what he wants!"

But it was too late, the blood was pumping so hard through Draco's veins that all he could hear was his pulse throbbing in his ears, his face became hot as he raised his wand.

"CRUS CONTERUM!" Draco shouted at the top of his voice and a gruesome 'CRUNCH' rent the air. Neville's body dropped like a sack of potatoes, and Draco could see where the bone had split the skin of his leg where it was visible through a rip in his trousers.

"Ohhhhhh!" Neville's voice moaned.

"Oh my...!" Hermione screamed, "Has he gone? Neville is that you?"

Draco and Hermione rushed forwards and knelt over Neville's broken body.

"What happened?" Neville asked in a weak voice.

"Your leg is broken" Hermione said gently, "everything will be okay, don't worry."

But Neville had fainted after hearing that his leg was broken.

"I will carry him to a sofa." Draco said and he picked up poor Neville and took him into the parlour. Hermione went to find a phone or another way to send for help.

She found a muggle phone in the large kitchen, and she dialled 999. The operator on the other end of the phone spoke clearly, "You are through to the emergency services, which service please?"

Just as Hermione was about to say 'ambulance', a strong hand clasped her around the mouth, another hand took the phone roughly from her, slammed it down and then ripped the cord out of the wall.

Hermione fought as hard as she could but her attacker was too strong, she was pushed violently out of the kitchen and dragged up two sets of stairs and along corridors. Hermione saw that she was being taken to the room where she was attacked the first time and as she was forced into the room, the door was closed behind her and she was thrown violently onto the bed. Stars swam before her eyes as she slammed her head into the wall but she managed to clear her vision long enough to see the face of her attacker.

"Oh my God, NO!" she screamed, "Draco!"