The Girl Who Hid | ✓

|56| Priori Incantatem

Wormtail approached us and with one swipe, cut through our bonds and took out our gags. There was a split second, perhaps, when I might have considered running for it, but my injured leg shook under me as I stood on the overgrown grave, as the Death Eaters closed ranks, forming a tighter circle around us and Voldemort, so that the gaps, where the missing Death Eaters should have stood, were filled. Wormtail walked out of the circle to the place where Cedric's body lay and returned with our wands, which he thrust roughly into our hands without looking at us. Then Wormtail resumed his place in the circle of watching Death Eaters.

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

At these words, I remembered, as though from a former life, the dueling club at Hogwarts I had attended briefly two years ago. All I had learned there was the Disarming Spell, "Expelliarmus" and what use would it be to deprive Voldemort of his wand, even if I could, when I was surrounded by Death Eaters, outnumbered by at least thirty to two? I had never learned anything that could possibly fit me for this. I knew I was facing the thing against which Moody had always warned... the unblockable Avada Kedavra curse— and Voldemort was right— our mother was not here to die for us this time... We were quite unprotected...

"We bow to each other, Maisey. I'm chosing you first. Your brother will be your second; he can watch you die," said Voldemort, bending a little, but keeping his snakelike face upturned to me. "Come, the niceties must be observed. Dumbledore would like you to show manners. Bow to death, Maisey."

I looked over at Harry, terrified. The Death Eaters were laughing again. Voldemort's lipless mouth was smiling. I decided to not bow. I was not going to let Voldemort play with me before killing us... I was not going to give him that satisfaction.

"I said, bow," Voldemort said, raising his wand— and I felt my spine curve as though a huge, invisible hand were bending me ruthlessly forward, and the Death Eaters laughed harder than ever.

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

"And now— we duel."

Voldemort raised his wand, and before I could do anything to defend myself, before I could even move, I had been hit again by the Cruciatus Curse. The pain was so intense, so all-consuming, that I no longer knew where I was... White-hot knives were piercing every inch of my skin, my head was surely going to burst with pain, I was screaming more loudly than I'd ever screamed in my life and I heard Harry call out to me—

And then it stopped. I rolled over and scrambled to my feet; I was shaking as uncontrollably as Wormtail had done when his hand had been cut off; I staggered sideways into Harry and he helped me steady myself, turning back toward Voldemort.

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

I didn't answer. I was going to die like Cedric... Harry was going to die as well, those pitiless red eyes were telling me so... I was going to die, and there was nothing I could do about it— but I wasn't going to play along. I wasn't going to obey Voldemort... I wasn't going to beg.

"I asked you whether you want me to do that again," said Voldemort softly. "Answer me! Imperio!"

And I felt, for the second time in my life, the sensation that my mind had been wiped of all thought. Ah, it was bliss, not to think, it was as though I were floating, dreaming... just answer no... say no... just answer no...