Gerard Way and the Triwizard Tournament

Chapter 52

Chapter 52

"Gerard Way," the man said. "I've been expecting you."

"How do you know my name?" I asked.

"That's not important," the man said. He paused for a moment before saying, "Forgive me, I'm being rude. I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Augustus Rookwood. There are fifty words for murder and I'm every one of them."

What was I doing? This guy killed Mikey, and I was just standing there like an idiot. I pointed my wand at him and shouted, "Avada Kedavra!" Nothing happened.

Rookwood laughed. "You don't have it in you, kid. You don't really want to kill me."

"YOU KILLED MY BROTHER!" I screamed.

"I didn't mean to kill him," Rookwood said. "I was trying to jinx you, since I knew that you were a blood traitor, but the spell hit your brother instead. Oh well. You'll pay for what you've done soon enough."

"Avis Oppugno!" I exclaimed, and a flock of birds flew out of my wand and began to attack Rookwood. He did a quick spell to make all of them vanish and then tried to do a Stinging Hex on me.

"Protego," I said, and I was protected from Rookwood's hex. I attempted to do a Leg-Locker Curse, but Rookwood blocked it. He then performed a Trip Jinx on me, which I didn't have time to block. I fell onto the floor, and my wand was knocked out of my hand.

"Crucio!" Rookwood shouted. A flash of red light came from Rookwood's wand, and I suddenly felt a sort of pain that was like a combination of my bones being on fire, my intestines being ripped out, and having an itch that I couldn't quite scratch. I screamed, hoping that someone would hear me, but Rookwood and I were the only two people in the Shrieking Shack, and hearing my screams only fed Rookwood's desire to hurt me more. He cast the spell again, and just when I thought the pain couldn't get any worse, it did. "JUST KILL ME ALREADY!" I screamed.

The room seemed to get even darker than it was before, and I suddenly felt very cold. I saw a figure covered in a dark, hooded cloak coming towards me. I had never seen one of them before, but I had seen them enough in books to recognize this as a Dementor. I reached for my wand, but it was just out of my reach.

Images began to flash through my mind. I remembered when Mom and Dad told me that Grandma had passed away. I remembered all of the times when Darren and his friends had tried to make my life miserable. I remembered seeing Mikey being thrown around by the Whomping Willow and hearing him scream. I tried to find a shred of happiness to hold onto, but I couldn't find one. I was being tortured by my own memories.

The Dementor pulled back its hood, and I saw its grey flesh and a gaping hole where its mouth should have been. It came closer and closer...

The hardest part is letting go of your dreams, I thought as the Dementor began to clamp its jaw around my mouth.

I heard someone run into the room. "Save yourself, I'll hold them back!" Frank shouted. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!!!" A silvery scorpion floated out of Frank's wand, and it chased the Dementor out of the Shrieking Shack. "Stupid Dementor," Frank said. "I'm the only one who gets to kiss Gerard!"

"Seriously? I did not break out of Azkaban to battle some Mudblood first year," Rookwood said. He pointed his wand at Frank and shouted, "AVADA KEDA-"

"Expelliarmus!" Frank said before Rookwood was able to finish the incantation. Rookwood's wand flew out of his hand.

I managed to stand up and grab my wand, which I then pointed at Rookwood. "Stupefy!" I exclaimed. Rookwood fell backwards onto the floor and was rendered unconscious.

"Whoa, that was awesome, Gee!" Frank said.

"We have to go," I said. "Rookwood could wake up at any moment, and when he does, he'll be looking for us. He'll want to finish what he started."

"So we need to go back to the castle," Frank said.

"No," I said. "That's where he expects us to be, and if he gets into Hogwarts, who knows what he'll do? Frank, where do you live?"

"Battery City," Frank answered. "Why do you ask?" I opened the door and stepped outside. The village of Hogsmeade was soaked in the amber glow of the setting sun. I raised my wand into the air and held it there. "What are you doing?" Frank asked.

"I'm calling the Knight Bus."