True Terror

"Yes, that's right, Harry. I'm the one who set the stage by opening the Chamber of Secrets, painting those messages on the wall and strangling the groundskeeper's roosters. I'm the one who led the Basilisk to attack the Squib's cat, the ghost and the four Mudbloods. I knew you would be able to find this place, and now you're here."

"Well, you've got me," said Potter. "What could you possibly want with me?"

Ronald Weasley tried to say something, but Mafalda waved her wand and conjured a gag around his mouth.

"How is it that you— an apparently completely ordinary boy, managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time?"

Harry was confused. When had he ever defeated Dumbledore at anything?

"You got off with a mere scar, while Lord Voldemort lost his powers and was reduced to dust? There has to be something more to it."

Weasley and Daphne both cringed when they heard the "V" word.

"What's that got to do with you?" asked Potter, stunned. "Your parents couldn't possibly have been followers of his."

"Consider it a personal interest of mine," admitted Mafalda. "I've always admired him, you see. He had the talent to do great things, and he seized the opportunity to do so. Even when he still studied at Hogwarts, he had everything; charisma, power, loyal followers and he inspired fear in both his allies and his enemies."

Mafalda's eyes grew manic. Oleandra almost thought a red lens flare effect would appear in her eyes.

"But somewhere along the way, he lost something very important to him, you see. For a long time, he trod on a very fine line, but before he could figure out what he truly wanted, you snuffed him out, Harry."

Mafalda smiled.

"Do you know what he lacked? Subtlety. A delicate touch. But now, I have obtained what I needed. There's one last thing I need to know, and it's how you defeated Voldemort, so I don't repeat the mistakes of the past."

The instant she finished her sentence, a burst of flames appeared out of thin air. A gold and crimson Phoenix emerged from the flames, singing an ode to hope. Oleandra felt giddy, like she could do anything, like everything would turn out all right. The large bird held some sort of brown rag in its claws, which it dropped in front of Potter.

"Fawkes?" Potter said.

"I recognize that thing," said Mafalda, looking at the rag. "That's the old Sorting Hat… Well, whatever Dumbledore has planned with that thing, I won't give him the satisfaction of having it work. Depulso!"

Potter watched in anguish as the Banishing Charm sent the hat flying into the pool of water that bordered the path to the statue of Slytherin.

"Once I'm through with this school, there will only be one House necessary. I'll let you guess which one," said Mafalda, smirking. "Still, I expected better from the old fool. A songbird and an old hat, ha!"

She turned back to Potter.

"Now, for the last time. Answer my question, or your little friends will suffer."

"No one knows why Voldemort lost all his powers, all right? Least of all me!" said Potter spitefully. "But I know why he couldn't kill me. My mother sacrificed herself to save me. There, are you happy now?"

"Ahh, the old white magic counter-charm," said Mafalda thoughtfully. "That would do the trick. In the future, when someone does that, I'll simply kill them through other means than the Killing Curse. It doesn't hurt to switch it up once in a while."

"You said earlier that the greatest Wizard of all time was Voldemort, but you're dead wrong. It's Dumbledore. And whatever you have planned, Dumbledore won't let you."

"Just like Dumbledore didn't let me attack four Mudbloods?" said Mafalda, a smile on her face.

 "And Voldemort's also out there," Oleandra piped up. "Dumbledore seems to think he'll be back, and I don't think he'll want a second Dark Lord competing with him!"

"Oh, you have no idea how right you are," Mafalda cackled, her smile widening even further. "Now that I know it was just a fluke you beat Voldemort, Harry, I'll be getting payback on his behalf."

"Ladies, I'd close my eyes, if I were you," said Mafalda lightheartedly, addressing the twins. "I still have some uses for you, so don't go dying on me now! But don't worry about missing out, you'll be next soon enough."

Oleandra closed her eyes tightly. She heard Mafalda hissing and then the sound of stone grinding against stone. Then came a much louder hiss in response. No doubt about it; she was calling the Basilisk! They were all bound tightly with ropes, there was nothing they could do to save themselves! 

At that moment, Oleandra knew true terror. She was moments away from death. She couldn't move, she couldn't even open her eyes to see how she was going to die. There was nothing she could do, there was only despair. Mafalda was laughing madly —

"Graaahhh!" shrieked Oleandra. She felt as if something was being branded on her forehead. Something new was consolidating within her, but what it was, she had no clue. The fiery red-hot pain was beginning to spread from a single point into eight branches, drawing invisible lines. She was close to something, but then…

Oleandra felt a burst of heat on her back, and suddenly her limbs were free. Fawkes had come back, and it was singing its song filled with hope once more! The feeling in her forehead receded instantly, and the pain was gone. She heard a terrible scream; the sound of great impact, and the sound of stones falling.

"NO!" screamed Mafalda, before hissing angrily at the Basilisk. The Basilisk's eyes hadn't been damaged by dark magic; therefore, they could still be healed later on. It was only a minor setback.

"You can open your eyes!" shouted Potter. "Fawkes blinded the Basilisk, it's safe to look!"

Oleandra's eyes flew open. She rolled out of the way as the rampaging snake slammed its tail down where she had been and got up to her feet.

"You should have killed us when you had the chance!" yelled Daphne triumphantly, before pulling a small phial from her bag.

"Daphne, NO!" screamed Oleandra, but she couldn't stop her sister from downing the potion.

Daphne's veins turned a vivid green and became quite visible on her skin. Her hair was also turning a lush green, starting from their roots. Just when all seemed well, Daphne started foaming at the mouth. She stumbled a few steps before keeling over; she no longer seemed to be breathing.

Oleandra rushed over to her side, but before she could make it, she suddenly spat out blood and fell. She felt as though her entire body was on fire, she was bleeding from all orifices and blood was seeping out of the pores of her skin. The ALU spell she had cast earlier had finally taken effect, granting her great power, but her young body couldn't handle all the magic coursing through her veins. 

Oleandra reached out for her sister's hand, half sobbing, half-choking out her next words, bloody tears dripping from her eyes.

"Da…ph…ne…"