"I believe you have something I require. How did you come to get such an object in your possession may I ask?"
"Surely you know how it works, seeing as you know so much about it."
He let out a frightening cackle, making my skin crawl.
"Oh she's a brave one Nott, standing there bold as brass while the love of her young life watches on, completely under my power."
"You wouldn't dare kill him."
"No I wouldn't, his mother is rather protective of him, as well as his aunt, but Nott? Nott would do it in an instant. I believe there was an incident with your mother just a short while ago?"
"Mummy and daddy together again. How sweet." It took all my power to not finish the smug boy there and then, but I kept my attention on Voldemort.
"Now, will you hand the wand to me? Or are you going to make it difficult?"
"Let him go first."
"Ah you seem to think I'm open to bargaining. Well, if you are not going to hand it over willingly, then I have to do something I didn't want to do."
He lunged forward and I thought he was going to come for my throat, but instead he grabbed my left forearm and placed his own wand to it.
"NO PLEASE NO!" I heard Draco scream, followed by the sound of a slap from Nott and I closed my eyes as the pain shot through my arm and rippled through my body.
It felt like a white hot rod was being pressed to my skin and it's a wonder how my arm wasn't dripping with blood. I tried to shake him off, but his grip only intensified, holding me captive as he burned his mark into my skin. He eventually pulled away and I looked down to see my arm bearing the same mark I had seen so many times before, on Draco's own arm, the mark of a death eater.
"Now you are one of my own, you must do as I say. Now hand me the wand, my servant."
"No."
"No?"
"No."
"Ok, have it your way, stupid girl. CRUCIO!"
I doubled over as the spell hit me, my whole body full of the pain of a thousand knives, and my screams bounced off the walls of the stone tower, echoing around the whole castle. I withstood it for as long as I could, until I caught Draco out of the corner of my eye, shaking his head at me, telling me to stop fighting it.
Shaking, I held the wand out to him, and he snatched it from me, laughing. In seconds he casted his mark into the sky, a giant skull and snake slithering through the night, and then he was gone.
Draco's ropes were released and Nott fled, knowing full well that if he stayed any longer I would have killed him with my bare hands.
I flung myself down to Draco, who was hunched on the floor.
"Are you ok? Where does it hurt? I'll get you a healing potion come on." But he shook his head.
"I can't believe he did that to you. I can't believe he gave you the mark."
"Oh you really think I care? I've got bigger things going on now."
"No Belle you don't understand, he will know where you are every second of every day, you're completely under his power now."
"Well then" I said, pulling him to his feet. "We'll just have to make sure he dies as soon as possible then won't we?"
I pressed my lips to Draco's and he pulled me close. The kiss tasted of blood and sweat, but just the mere touch of our bodies made me feel safe. I didn't want to let go of him, he was the only thing I had left now. I had nothing without him.
"It's all my fault this has happened. Everything comes back to me being a stupid fucking coward!" Draco's cheeks were stained with tears and I ran my hand through his hair.
"Personally I just think this spices up the relationship. Matching tattoos is a serious step up!"
"Trust you to always find the humour in a bad situation Belle."
"I've got nothing to lose anymore. I mean literally, I literally have nothing. Might as well make the best of it."
Harry was waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs.
"I heard you scream. What did he do to you?"
"He has the wand if that's what you're asking, but I had to put up a bit of a fight before I handed it over didn't I? Couldn't just give it to him, that's too easy. Got myself a little tattoo in the process though." I showed him my arm and he held it, examining it. It was still red raw from the pain, and it burned even when no one was touching it.
"Tori, I-I-"
"Harry Potter speechless? That hasn't happened in a while. Come on it's not all that bad, I'm not going to start worshipping him just because he gave me this, it means literally nothing to me. Where is everyone?"
"Did you not hear?" Hermione asked.
Draco and I exchanged confused looks.
"Hear what?" He asked.
"He's called his forces off. Harry.....Harry has to go and...." Hermione couldn't even finish her sentence before breaking down in tears.
Harry took a deep breath before saying "what she's trying to say is that.....I'm the last horcrux. I've known for a while. So the only way to kill him is....if I die. Tonight. He's asked for me. We came to find you so I could say goodbye."
I threw myself at Harry, tears flooding down my cheeks.
"What am I going to do without you?"
"You'll be fine. You don't need me, you never have."
"Tell her I'm sorry will you? And my dad? Tell them I love them."
"0f course."
We broke apart and his hand lingered in mine.
"It's been fun Potter."
"Goodbye Greenwood."