Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Part Three / Chapter Seventy-Eight
She was running as fast as she could. Any form of spark, light or flicker resulted in Venus completely dashing the opposite direction, afraid that Metatron would pop up from somewhere and actually be able to kill her this time. The nearly broken down protective shield was her guide and she pelted until she felt her heart best through her ears. Chaos littered Hogwarts. The students that volunteered to stay back fought off Death Eaters and Angels, stunning them mostly, and taking any chance to restrain them. Flashes of different colored spells flashed in front, behind her, above her and beneath her in every direction as she entered the nearest corridor.
In the farthest corner, she spotted an Angel. He was hovering over a student. So, Venus swiftly and stealthily snuck up behind him and with the Archangel blade from her late uncle, she stabbed the Angel through the back and he disintegrated into the air. Cho Chang was sprawled out in the ground, breathing heavily with some scratched and scrapes on her face.
"Thank you!" She scrambled up to the ground grabbing her wand.
Venus shook her head. "No need to thank me. Stay safe out there."
Cho Chang nodded and wished her the same good fortune before disappearing. Before Venus had the time to catch a breath, a red spark of light zoomed past her face. Barely grazing her nose and ricocheting off the cobblestone wall. A Death Eater came charging at her, attempting to push her down, but with a wave of her hand he was in the air and slammed against the ground.
How dare he? Was he really stupid enough to think he could actually kill her with a simple Unforgivable Curse?
This man did not represent all Death Eaters, but to Venus, he was one of the same. Apart of the same plan that dismantled, smashed and shattered her life into the pieces it was in right now. She was angry. Hell, she was more than angry. Venus held her arm out and the Archangel blade threw itself back into her palm. She snatched his wand from his grip, breaking it in half before chucking it outside of the window.
He gave her a disgruntled look. "Don't touch me, you filthy halfbreed!"
"I don't think that's how you should speak to someone holding a knife over your defenseless, weak, useless body."
The Death Eater grumbled attempting to lift himself up. And to no avail, he remained glued to the ground and stared at the ceiling helplessly. He refused to meet Venus' eyes. She wasn't sure if he was humiliated or disgusted of her. Perhaps it was both, but it didn't necessarily matter to Venus. All she felt was anger coarse through her veins, her heart pumping in and out gallons of hate-infested blood throughout her body. Maybe it could explain why she stabbed this man, and why she continued stabbing him until she felt bone.
"What am I doing?" Venus was horrified at herself. This pulsating anger subsided, but left the girl wrecked in guilt. Her hands shook as she wiped his blood off on his own robes before taking off down the corridor.
She stopped, watching the battle from above. Students, Teachers and Adults that apparated to help battled below her. Spurs of light launched from the ends of wands and the palms of Angels. Many flew back when struck by a spell, others managed to dodge out of the way or repel it and containing dueling before one of them had finally fallen.
Venus couldn't believe she was watching multiple deaths occur beneath her and if she squinted her eyes a bit harder, she could see their souls separate from their bodies.
Life felt like it was happening a bit slower. Death Eaters and Angels launched themselves at Venus, only to be bounced right off of her. Like an invisible dome protecting her, she walked down the hallway unfazed at all of the men and women pouncing at her with the intent to harm her. They couldn't. The only person that'd cause such pain in her life were Metatron and herself.
As she made her way into a different corridor, on her way toward the Great Hall she spotted a Death Eater and another student fighting. Venus immediately sprung into activity, grabbing her wand and sending a stunning spell at them. She could have used her fingers, but what's the fun in that?
The body of the Death Eater dropped and the person fighting them was revealed. They recognized each other immediately.
"Venus?" The girl said, her long curls were messed with debris and she tucked her wand back into her pocket quickly.
Venus sighed. "Cordelia, what are you doing here?"
"I'm fighting."
'Absolutely not' were the first words that came to Venus' mind. She wasn't the girls mother, but she was the closest thing she had to it and Venus refused to let Cordelia die on her behalf. Not when she was this young, with so much time ahead of her.
"You're a fighter, a true Gryffindor." Venus began looking solemn. "But, even a Gryffindor knows when to back out of a fight when they have to."
"I've told you this since I've met you I—"
"You want to fight, I know. But I will not let you die fighting. You're only 12 years old!" The older girls voice broke into a shaky sob. Cordelia's hardened face softened, her lips pointing downwards into a frown.
"I'm sorry." Venus apologized. There was no use of wiping her tears when more continued to pour down. "You're one of the last remaining people who I actually love. I cannot lose you, I can't. You wouldn't understand the guilt already. Please, Cordelia. I've let you off the hook before but now— now I've got the put my foot down. You cannot be here."
Cordelia looked like she wanted to protest, but bit her tongue. Venus' sudden outburst was certainly a shock and the young girl felt guilt begin to settle in her belly. Had she been selfish all these years? Was her grandfather really only trying to protect her? Was Venus trying to do the same thing?
"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I didn't— I didn't mean to hurt you."
Venus wrapped her arms around the girl. "You didn't hurt me, you could never hurt me. You just scared me is all." The two girls stood there for seconds before Venus let go and wiped the tears off of Cordelia's cheeks. "Can I take you home, sis?"
Cordelia grabbed onto Venus' arm and nodded. She felt lucky. Lucky that she had people around her and someone who reassured her how precious her life was, how valuable it was. Her parents certainly didn't care and could explain why she was always so reckless with herself. But, she only had Venus to thank, for allowing her to restore the value back into her existence.
