Obliviate My Heart {Book 2}

36. Sam's selfless act

Wormtail approached Harry, who scrambled to find his feet, to support his own weight before the ropes were untied. Wormtail raised his new silver hand, pulled out the wad of material gagging Harry, and then, with one swipe, cut through the bonds tying Harry to the gravestone. Mine broke as well.

"Samantha, restrain Aurora." Voldemort commanded. "We can't have her missing out on all the fun."

I considered briefly running for it. But no, I couldn't. I wasn't leaving Harry. I wouldn't leave him here alone.

Sam came up to me, and stood directly behind me, her wand pressing into the back of my skull. "If you care for my safety and your brother's at all, you will not run." Sam hissed in my ear, her voice laced with fear.

"You have been taught how to duel. Harry Potter?" said Voldemort softly, his red eyes glinting through the darkness.

Harry was silent. "We bow to each other. Harry," said Voldemort, bending a little, but keeping his snakelike face upturned to Harry. "Come, the niceties must be observed. . . . Dumbledore would like you to show manners. . . . Bow to death, Harry. ..."

The Death Eaters were laughing again. Sam was silent. "What, don't find it funny?" I hissed.

"No." Sam whispered. "I'm not like them, Rory. I joined out of fear and protection for Jia. Not for any other reason."

"You're still allowing this to happen though." I hissed.

"Do you think I want it to?" Sam said, a broken tinge hitting her voice. "I want things to be normal, I want to be carefree and innocent. The things he made me do--"

Her voice broke off in a broken shard as the laughter died.

"I said, bow," Voldemort said, raising his wand - and Harry's spine curved forward painfully and the Death Eaters laughed harder than ever.

"If I was brave, I'd stop this." Sam said, her voice wobbling. "I'm so sorry..."

"Very good," said Voldemort softly, and as he raised his wand the pressure bearing down upon Harry lifted too. "And now you face me, like a man . . . straight-backed and proud, the way your father died. . . . And now - we duel."

But before Harry could react, Voldemort had hit him with crucio again. Harry bent over in agony, his scream echoing through the graveyard. Not caring, I broke free of Sam's restraint, and bent down to my brother's side.

"Tut, tut." Voldemort drawled. "Interrupting a duel.... we are full of stupidity tonight, aren't we Aurora? Crucio!"

And then, it hit me. Blinding white pain, that made me double over in pain. A scream escaped my lips without having the restraint to hold it inside. My limbs were shaking and my mind was on fire.

How could Cole have gone through this for years on end?

I felt black spots come to my vision, and I slumped on the grass, accepting defeat. "No!" I heard Harry vaguely shout. "This is between us, not her!"

I felt arms support me, and then my vision came back in shards. Sam was supporting me, leaning my shaking body up against the gravestone. She sat next to me, her wand still pressed to my neck.

"A little break from you," said Voldemort, the slit-like nostrils dilating with excitement towards Harry, "a little pause from you . . . That hurt, didn't it. Aurora? You don't want me to do that again, do you?"

I was silent, still shaking in Sam's embrace. "Cat got your tongue?" Voldemort cooed. "Harry, what do you think? Imperio!"

"I WON'T!" Harry yelled, panting as he faced Voldemort.