89: The last victim

(Nathan POV)

I stood up and closed the book that was on my lap.

(Another failure...…. I could not find anything again. There is no mention of such a creature in any of the books I have scanned so far. The worst thing is that I don't know the method of the attack. Only if I had a little more information I could figure out what that creature was.)

I was in the library trying to figure out what was the creature that was terrorizing the whole school.

(I need more information. Let's take a break. There is no productivity right now.)

That was what I thought to myself but the truth was that I could not sit there in the library. The silence was getting to me. It was getting more and more uncomfortable. It was suffocating. What even was this...…

I placed the book back into the rack and exited the library.

Slowly walking down the corridor I was thinking about what to do next. There was nothing in my mind…. No way to find out about the monster, or the heir of Slytherin. But something had to be done. Granger had been attacked and no one knew what was coming. I was angry, Sis was angry. And Potter was scared. I had no reason to butt into this matter but that man or woman, whoever he or she was had ruined the first fun thing that had come into my life since forever. I was so going to enjoy seeing Beatris being trained by sis. It was going to be so much fun, and it had been ruined. Now I was angry. And also, if this kept going on then the ministry would close Hogwarts. That was also a concern. Although we Morningstars usually did not attend any school but for us it was difficult. We had no one to teach us magic. I could learn on my own and believe me that I had tried to tell sister just that a year and a half ago but she did not agree with it. She said that I was not going to self-study, Rather I would go to school. And here I was, stuck in this obnoxious place. So I should be happy that the school was closing down. But as much as I hated to admit it... I had gotten attached to this place. It was peaceful and it was a fun place to be. And here..... I felt somehow.... Comfortable. And once I had accepted that fact, there was no going back. I would do everything in my power to save the thing that was mine from harm.

Thing things like that I exited the school and came out into the open. I was going to look for a place where I could train again. That was the only thing I knew that could make me feel normal again and I really needed to feel normal. I walked slowly and reached the lake. And exactly at the same spot again I saw Beatris sitting there. I had talked to her about her not being the heir of Slytherin right here. And once again she was sitting under the same tree, in the same position, and crying like she was before.

(Since when did I take the duty of babysitting.)

I walked and sat next to her.

"So, for how long are you planning on crying like that," I asked her.

"Go away." Was her only answer.

(You little twirp.)

I barely held back my punch or else I would have broken a tooth or two.

"And here I thought that I would be of some help. I guess that you don't need any help from anyone." I gritted my teeth and spoke.

"NO! I don't need help from anyone." She spoke without looking towards me.

(THIS LITTLE...…. I WANT TO KILL HER SO BAD.)

She was hurt and I had to hold it in. She was not in her right state of mind.

"The potion will be created soon enough. And she will wake up. She is not dead you know. And the professors will find out about the chamber of secrets. So...…." I was saying things I truly meant.

"Why are you even sitting with me here." She looked up. Her eyes were swollen and red.

"Huh? Wha-What?" I was taken aback as I was not expecting this kind of retort from her.

"I asked why are you sitting with me here."

I could not speak a word. The little girl I had always teased was bearing her fangs at me.

"What are you even saying...." I still did not know what she was saying.

"We have been studying together for almost two years and in that span of time you have been nothing but an absolute jerk to me." She spoke with so much spite in her voice that I could not even speak. "Then why am I that you are here right now? You have passed your message across very clearly.... I get that you hate me... I don't know why... I have no idea why anyone hates me, you, Snape...….. Malfoy. I never did anything to any of you and yet here I am suffering." Each and every single of her word was like an arrow. Sharp and precise. "And now here is someone who calls himself the Heir of Slytherin and he is trying to ruin my life even more than it already is...…." She stayed quiet for a while. "So I will ask you again, Nathaniel Morningstar...… Why is it that you are sitting here with me? I know you don't like me then why?" She looked straight into my eyes, tears streaming down. I stared back at her with no words coming out of my mouth. And then as if something was guiding me, I got up and walked away from her. I could not give her an answer because I knew that every single word she had said to me was the absolute truth.

(What was I thinking? I never would have approached her before. Then why did I approach her now? No matter what problem she was facing, I would not have approached her but why now. And twice at that. She is right about it. I don't have any right to go and console her.)

I looked back at her. She was sitting with her head between her knees again. Probably crying.

(Let's just get it out of my mind and go train.)

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(Anna POV)

I was waiting patiently for Gus inside the common room. He had never before left my side and he had been doing it more and more often nowadays. And then the door of the common room opened and Gus walked in. I ran towards him.

"Where have you been Gus," I grabbed him by his shoulders and shook him. "I was so worried." I checked his body to see if he was injured anywhere. "Don't go again like this without telling me." I scold him. But...….. he simply smiled.

<What are you...… my mother.>

I was not expecting this.

"What you mean mother.... I am your sister.... What has happened to you Gus." I asked him.

<Nothing has happened to me. It's just that my eyes were opened. Mr. Tom Riddle showed me everything. He is my benefactor. What have you ever done for me....>

(He did not mean that did he?)

He meant that or not, it did not matter. My eyes got teary.

"Gus..." I tried to pat his head, but he pushed my hand away.

<Don't touch me. You are a hindrance to me. I am going to achieve great heights In the magical world. And for that to happen you need to disappear from my life.>

Every single one of his words cut deep into my heart. Why was he saying something like this? We had always been together. I did not understand.

"Gus??? What's gotten into you." I spoke. It took every ounce of willpower I had in me to say those simple words.

<There is nothing wrong with me...…. It s just that Mr. Tom has opened my eyes.>

And then he raised his hand and even though we were some distance apart, it felt as if someone was choking.

"Gus..... Stop." I whimpered as I fell to the floor due to the lack of air. "Gus..... please....." I could not speak anymore…. "Stop.... You are hurting me." And then he let go. Air rushed into my now almost empty lungs.

*COUGH COUGH COUGH*

I coughed severely, my mouth foaming a little. And then he pulled my face upwards and looked into my eyes.

\Never try to cross paths with me again. Our relationship is over./ I heard his voice reverberate in my mind. And then darkness took over me.

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(Nathan POV)

I slashed upward and my sword left my hand and flew up.

"OH SHIT." It revolved in the air and fell away from me.

"DAMN IT," I spoke while trying to close my fist. I had lost all strength in my arms. I could not even form a fist.

(All that commitment that I will not think about this matter again and I ended up overthinking about it.)

I had been practicing my sword for who knows how long. It was to the point that now I could not even hold the sword in my hand due to exhaustion. And in all that time I had not been able to get what she had said out of my mind. Not even for a second. Every time I swung or slashed my blade..... I thought about what she had said. My biggest concern was not that she was angry or sad.... No nothing like that. What I was concerned about was myself. What had gotten into me? Why did I go to console her? When had I changed this much? I was not this weak. So why was it that I had gone there? Only months ago it would not have affected me. But now I went to her. AND I FREAKING CONSOLED HER. I dropped the other sword as well and grabbed my head with both my hands. I sat down on the ground for a moment to calm my mind.

(I need to get stronger. And fast. I should try and unlock the seal once more.)

But what I did not know was that the strength I was soughing was going to be needed sooner than expected.

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(Anastasia POV)

I had promised myself that I would not indulge myself with people other than my family. But I had broken that promise. I had become attached to people. And now that one of those people was crying, my heart ached so much that wanted to scream. I had promised myself that I would not interfere in the matters of the magic world except for those relating to the Morningstars. The matters related to the guardians of Pandora, but I was going to break that promise as well. I was going to kill that monster myself.

I looked up from the book that I was reading and gazed toward Hermione. The kid was laying there motionlessly. She looked at peace. But I knew that there was no peace in this state. I wanted to free her but there was no potion yet. It was still in progress, but it would take time. And then something else happened. I was sitting in the hospital wing when It arrived. Something I was not at all ready for. I had seen a few children like this since the beginning of the school year. But what was in front of me right now made my blood boil.

(I was at my limit, but I still decided to not do anything just because we Morningstars can't interfere in the working of the world. We are just the protectors. The Guardians of Pandora. But what good are we as protectors when we can't even protect a few children? All the rules and all the regulations can eat dog shit. I am going to find this monster and I am going to fry it.)

"I promise I will take your revenge and I promise that I will bring your brother back from the chamber as well," I said to Annabella who was laying petrified in front of me on the bed. There had been another attack and Anna was the victim. And according to the note left on the wall...… Augustine was taken by the monster into the chamber.

"Someone is going to die by my hands."