The Witch and Her Vampire

Eighteen

I had been right before I went through the entryway. It did hurt—a lot.

The first thing that registered in my mind was the pain—the pain of the flames as they licked my clothes and skin. I was sure to have burns after this. Many, many burns.

I let out a panicked yell as I the flames made their way up my clothes and threw myself to the ground, rolling about until I was positive the flames were gone.

I didn't think I'd be set on fire! I had thought that if I went through fast enough it wouldn't happen....

"Carina Black," rasped a voice. I whirled around to find Quirrell standing with his back to me, and a misshapen face I guessed to be Voldemort on the back of his head. "Come to rescue her friend."

I groaned in pain as I scrambled to my feet, nearly falling over but somehow managing to keep my balance.

I glanced over. Harry was standing there, bound with rope, and staring at me with wide eyes.

"Run, Carina!" cried Harry frantically, struggling furiously. "Get out of here!" Instead of running toward the exit, I ran for my brother. "Duck!" Without thinking, I heeded his words and dove for the ground, catching sight of a green spell whizzing over my head.

The fall hurt, I could tell you that much.

As quickly as I could, I managed to get back to my feet and grab the ropes binding Harry, attempting to untie them—it didn't work.

Cursing, I yanked out my wand and shakily placed the tip near the part of the role binding his wrists.

"Diffindo," I muttered, and the role split away. "U-Untie yourself. I'll hold him off."

"You cannot defeat me," hissed Voldemort. "Quirrell, disarm her."

Before I could react, my wand shot out of my hand and my eyes flickered to where it had landed somewhere across the room.

Quirrell advanced on me, wand raised, and I took a few steps back, trying to get to my wand.

I was too far away.

Without thinking, as I ducked under another spell, a large rock caught my eye; I snatched it up, straightened, and threw it without really aiming for anything.

It hit Quirrell in the nose, and I would have laughed if he weren't trying to kill me.

Harry barreled into him and knocked him over, and I could only watch as the man clutched his bleeding nose in pain while Voldemort shrieked about one thing or another.

My brother stood in front of the Mirror of Erised for a moment before he turned to me, and without words, I knew what he was trying to say.

Run.

We both bolted for the door, but Harry was suddenly shoved over by Quirrell, and a blood red stone—the Sorcerer's Stone—was thrown within mere inches from his hand.

Everything was blurred now.

With hazy eyes I saw Quirrell put his hands around my brother's throat, I tried to run to him, but fell; the last thing I heard was my professor screaming in pain before I succumbed to the blackness.
__________________________
When I awoke, Harry was lying in a bed next to me, talking to Dumbledore.

"What...what happened?" I muttered, sitting up with a groan.

"Ah, Miss Black!" said Dumbledore brightly. "You're finally awake."

"And feel like I got hit by a truck." I scrunch my nose, before I realized something. "Where's Quirrell?? And the stone? Are Ron and Hermione okay?"

He chuckled. "Yes, your friends are fine. And as for Quirinus....well, I'm afraid to say he didn't make it. And the stone has been destroyed, and—" He held up a hand before I could ask my next question. "—yes, Nicholas and his wife shall perish. But, to some, death is but the next great adventure."

I frowned at him. "What happened after I passed out?"

He grew sober. "Harry had already destroyed Quirrell. You see, Carina, because of his mother's sacrifice, Voldemort was unable to touch him—the love that lingered was something so foreign and so powerful that it overwhelmed him. The spirit fled, but Quirrell perished. When I found the both of you, you were unconscious. I got you, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and Mr. Weasley back here." He looked at the burns littering my body. "You are very brave, Carina. I believe I shall let your friends see you, now."

He walked off, and Hermione and Ron rushed in; Harry hopped off his bed and made his way to sit on mine, and I scooted up some. Before I could so much as say a word, Hermione had thrown herself at me and engulfed me in a hug.

I winced.

"Oh!" exclaimed Hermione, pulling away and eyeing me with concern. "I'm sorry—" I suddenly grabbed her and yanked her forward, pulling her into another hug.

"—it's fine," I cut in, before pulling away and offering her a weak smile. "I'm only a little banged up."

"A little? Carina, those are third degree burns!!" She frowned at me. "What were you thinking?!"

"Uh...that I had to save my brother?"

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "Of course you were."

"Well, I think it was wicked," announced Ron. "So, Quirrell's really gone?"

Harry and I exchanged looks, but began to explain.