✔️ 𝐔𝐍𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐃 → 𝑐.𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

17 | T H E D E A L

     "YOU CAN'T GO looking for her, are you mad?", Bill barked at his younger brother. "Charlie, she said no. You'll run into your own death. That means if you even find her!"

     "A dragon riding woman shouldn't be too hard to oversee", Charlie replied. "Also, I have Frank here with me."

     "Oh, yes of course that's making the whole situation less bonkers", Bill snorted. "You know that Frank will be grilled by an Ironnelly in less than the blink of an eye? So if you don't plan to have some candlelight dinner with grilled Occamy on the menu for Voinescu, you better forget about this stupid plan of yours!"

     The Occamy let a deep growl erupt from his throat, but Charlie silenced the creature with the raise of his hand. "This Occamy was the one observing Ana for weeks now. You know that not half of the people the Daily Prophet said she killed were actually murdered by her?"

     "That's what Frank told you, yes?" Bill's sarcastic voice made the serpentine beast hiss.

     "Frank wasn't supposed to return to me unless Ana would leave the Romanian mountains. You think it's a coincidence that she left the same day that were now going to prepare for a battle?!"

     "I think that if she's intending to enter the battlefield, we're all nothing but grilled Occamies!"

     The two brother's voices grew louder with every word, and soon the rest of the Weasley family hit the Burrow. Fred and George came for looking for Ginny. Arthur and Molly got ready for leaving for Hogwarts. And so should Bill.

     "Bill, listen", Charlie finally sighed. "I know this could backfire. I am well aware of Ana's powers and I know what she did in the past. But you didn't get to know her the way I did! She's more than just the evil creature everyone is seeing in her. Hell, she had primroses in her bloody garden!"

     "That of course excuses everything. No, you listen now", Bill cut Charlie off, as the younger of the two brothers opened his mouth once more. "If You-Know-Who will appear at Hogwarts tonight — and as far as we're informed by now, he will, we'll need every man, every woman, against him. And we definitely won't count on this murderous girl you've lost your heart on!"

     "Dumbledore trusted her!"

     "Dumbledore trusted Snape, and look where it got him." Bill paused. Charlie wanted to complain, but he didn't want to speak out loud what was bothering him. Because Dumbledore didn't trust Ana. Dumbledore had trusted him, Charlie. And Charlie had failed, if he wouldn't get this one last chance to get this one task a dead man had given to him done. "C'mon now, we're leaving."

     Charlie followed Bill into the house, where their parents already stood in front of the fireplace.

     "Is it wise to travel to Aberforth via floor network?", Molly asked, throwing a sceptical glance at the sparkling powder in her hand.

     "The streets of Hogsmeade are cursed with their detection charms, they would get us before our feet fully hit the ground", Bill explained. "And apparating inside the Hog's Head would make too much noise."

     "But the fireplaces are supervised", Charlie said.

     "They're all preparing for the battle, I don't think the ministry will give much of a damn about Aberforth's chimney right now." Bill reached out the old plant pot for Charlie. "You first, Charles. Aberforth will show you the way."

     And Charlie took a hand full of the floor powder, his fingers slightly trembling, as he did so. The guilt of his fail roared inside him, threatening to destroy him. But he did as he was told, and emerald flames took him away. 

•✧•

     "I HAVE A deal for you."

     The dragon behind her didn't look more or less impressive than the young woman herself; red glimming eyes in the semi darkness of the forest, pale face framed by waves of strawberry blonde her that got enflamed by rays of a setting sun that fought its way through the tree tops.

     "I am listening", he said, his voice cold like his whole appearance.

     Ana took a step closer, what even his bravest fighters reacted to with visible discomfort.

     "I am on no one's side", she set her point, "but I have some ... let's say, missions to complete. There are people amongst your lots as well as amongst theirs, who have to pay for the things they have done."

     Ana's eyes wandered over the crowd, catching the eyes of those who's life's she longed to take — and they knew it.

     "Amycus Carrow", Ana continued, "is in the castle. He will die at my hands."

     Amycus Carrow showed no mercy as his wand pointed at the young girl laying in her bed. When it came to 'healing' abnormalities, he preferred the cleansing of the mind through pain.

     Ana blinked to get rid of that memory; the one of yellowish teeth grinning down upon her, while the Cruciatus Curse shook her petite body to the bones. Amycus Carrow, the healer. She never got at him throughout the years. Always this close. Never close enough.

     "Octavius Nott. The one who stepped on my primroses, when you first send him to me to make me an offer." Ana caught Nott's eyes in the crowd. "He's here, because I let him get away that one time to resend you my decline. I know he was one of the men who came to attack me months ago. Therefore he will pay."

     "But what will you do in return for me, Miss Voinescu?", Lord Voldemort spoke, his tone remaining icy. "You declined my offer once. Say, have you changed your mind?"

     "Fair to say, your ideals still suck", Ana snorted, "but after that agreement, we lived peacefully in coexistence for years. I want that condition back. I want peace and solitude for my own. I will help you win this war. In return, I will have my revenge on those who deserve it. I will help you win this war, therefore you will never bother me again as soon as the victory is yours."

     Voldemort watched her, his eyes as red as hers, but without the dangerous gleaming in their depths. His were cold and empty, emotionless. Soulless.

     "Deal", Voldemort said, and screams and yells erupted from the crowd, as Octavius Nott's head rolled from his shoulders to the ground.

•✧•