Always Remember

II.

I stared at him for a minute, trying to decide whether this was real or not. The experience suddenly felt surreal. The man who had claimed so much power over me once, now powerless behind the cold metal bars of his cell. Even if the cockiness in his voice suggested otherwise, he was a defeated man. 

"You don't look so good," I start, testing the waters of how this conversation would go. He inspects my expression for a moment before letting out a chuckle. 

"You're not looking too good yourself, either," he replies and I suddenly become aware of my sleep-deprived state. Damn. I should have concealed the symptoms of my nightmares better so he wouldn't have any idea how weak I had gotten. 

"It's a lot of work, being Head of the Committee." I challenge. I didn't want it to be obvious that he had caused me so much mental harm. I haven't moved since he emerged from the shadows but Billingsgate walks forward, as far as the bars would allow, and wraps his hands around them, leaning his face through. 

"It doesn't seem you are handling it as well as I had."

"I am handling it! Better than you did!" I snap and he smirks. He had wanted to get a reaction out of me and I gave it to him. I take a deep breath and try to calm my nerves. I was on edge but I need to be focused. I can't slip in front of him.

"How's Draco?" he asked with genuine curiosity. I smile a bit, knowing that he had no clue what had happened after he was sent to Azkaban. When he had realized Draco's memory charm had successfully erased Draco from my mind, Billingsgate laughed until he was taken away. Perhaps, knowing he succeeded in ruining our relationship is something that kept him satisfied while locked away. I dared to take a step towards him with a smile.

"He's doing well. He's right outside, actually." I watch as Billingsgate's face falls and it takes all the self-restraint I have to not laugh in his face. 

"Why-?" he starts. 

"Because I remembered him, Billingsgate. The memory charm didn't work all the way and I still have memories leftover. You didn't break us." 

Although Billingsgate looked somewhat different than he did all those months ago, he flared his nostrils the same way he did was he was enraged and it fed my satisfaction. I don't even give him a chance to reply.

"You failed, Billingsgate. You failed at everything. You failed at enforcing your natural order. You failed at killing Draco. You failed at destroying me. Now you are here, rotting, in this tiny cell," I say and I can't help but let out a series of giggles. The more I talked, the better and more powerful I felt. Billingsgate was nothing like the man from my nightmares anymore. He was wasting away. He couldn't hurt me. Even if he had a wand, I couldn't fear him anymore. How could I when I had survived him? How could I when he would always be here, paying for what he had done? 

I watch as Billingsgate's knuckles turn white as he clutches onto the bars and I wait. I wait for any insult or challenge he might throw at me but all he does is open his mouth and let out a series of screams. I watch as the deteriorating man acted like a caged animal. 

"You fool. You cursed mudblood! Do you really think I am the last wizard who thinks as I do? You're wrong! Another like me will come, just you wait! There will always be more like me! There will be another to restore the natural order!" he screams. 

As I listen to him scream it's as if I can see the nightmare version of him fading away into nothingness. I closed my eyes, savoring the peace that came with its absence, and when I opened them I realized it was silent. Billingsgate had screamed all he could, used up all the energy he had, and just stared at me. I could read in his face that he was shocked by my calmness. I walked even closer now, just outside an arm's reach from him.