~Astra~

"Colette!" I slammed into the balcony railing seconds after she fell, but of course it was too late to do anything about it by then. Wren ran up next to me moments later, grabbing my arm tightly as we both watched our friend hit the ground. There were screams from below, people already rushing to her, but... there was no way she'd survived that. From here, I could already see the blood pooling around her head, see the horribly wrong angles of her limbs...

I choked on a sob, and tears blurred the vision as Wren pulled me back from the railing. This couldn't be happening. Not Colette. So suddenly... she didn't even let us say goodbye. And she was gone. Truly gone.

Stillens was yelling at the guards who had come into the room at the noise. Suddenly, I had somewhere to focus all this grief—it was rage, actually, at the man who was really responsible for all of this. Without thinking about it, I pushed Wren off me and stormed towards Stillens. "I hope you're bloody happy, Henry!"

He cut himself off midway through berating the guards, or maybe giving them instructions, I don't know. They took the opportunity to slip out, leaving Stillens' full attention on me. Perfect. "This is your fault. All of it! You lost your precious little spellmaker, Henry! How does that feel?"

"Silence!" he thundered, reaching out to grab me. I darted out of his way.

"Shut up!" My hands were both clenched into fists, but I knew that if I got close enough to punch him, he'd be close enough to grab me, too. Best to keep a little distance. "You play with people's lives like they're nothing, and you dare to be upset when they turn on you! I'm so sorry you lost your favorite toy, Henry! Why don't you follow her down?"

Stillens was breathing heavily, his glare on me more intense than I'd ever seen, and I almost quailed. But if he was this angry at what I was saying, it had to be because he knew it was true, he knew he was a monster, knew he'd never get that horrible spell back, knew he was responsible for this. I stood my ground, wand clenched in one hand and a fire in my eyes that I could only hope rivaled his in intensity. "I don't know what you are, but you're not human," I said in a low voice. "Maybe you once were, but not anymore. You're callous and cruel and have no thought for anything except power. And that's going to be your undoing. I'm going to be your undoing!"

"Enough!" Instead of some speech about how small-minded I was, not being able to understand his grand plan for the good of the world, he just lifted his wand. "Crucio!"

Honestly, it was starting to feel like he used this spell as a crutch when he knew he couldn't actually defend what he was saying. Just wipe me out with pain, hope I forget what I was talking about in the agony of it. For once, though, I remained fully aware, even as the pain coursed over me, bright and fiery and terrible. Because, somehow, Colette's death hurt worse than the cruciatus curse ever could.

When he stopped, Wren was kneeling next to me, eyes frantic. I managed a smile (don't worry), then held out my hand to her. "Help?"

She did, eyes darting between me and Stillens, who had his back to us again and was observing the scene below. It would've been a great time to shoot him when his back was turned if I hadn't been convinced he expected me to do that. My impulsivity was predictable, I realized with a wince. The words might have been a surprise, but me running at him like I was going to murder him hadn't been. If we were going to make it out of this, I couldn't let him be one step ahead of us anymore. For Colette's sake, I could channel some restraint.

So instead of casting a spell he would easily block, I put my wand in my pocket and took a deep breath, ignoring Wren's confused frown. With her hand still in mine, I started towards the balcony, coming to a stop a few meters away from where Stillens was.

My eyes automatically sought out the place where Colette had fallen, but her body was already gone. The fighting hadn't started yet, so I suppose they wanted to clean up that mess before anyone got freaked out. Absolutely mad.

Wren was watching me warily, and though Stillens hadn't even glanced in our direction, I had a feeling, based on his lack of response, that he was waiting to see what I was about to do.

Artemis had told me she couldn't figure me out; I was too unpredictable. The fact that Stillens thought he could, indeed that he already had... that wasn't going to fly, not least because I didn't believe that. Without fail, he put all of his eggs in the basket of my care for my friends and family, and while that was a safe bet, it was also a very narrow view of my motivations.

For example, it entirely left out the fact that I was now hellbent on revenge, in whatever form I could get it.

"Did you always know you were going to grow up into a genocidal dictator, or was that a surprise?" I didn't give him the satisfaction of watching for his response, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw Stillens narrow his eyes. Wren tugged on my arm, probably to tell me to stop it, but I ignored her. "I mean, I suppose the dictator part is a stretch. Russey really seems like he does what he pleases, right, Wren?"

Now Stillens did turn to me, a glare on his face. I smiled pleasantly back. "Was tiny little Henry sitting in his mummy's lap and telling her all about how he was going to rule the world by death and destruction?"

"Astra," Wren whispered urgently, but I just patted her arm, eyes trained on Stillens as if I'd simply asked about the weather and was waiting for a response.

"What game do you think this is?" Stillens asked stiffly. He didn't look rattled by my questions, though that certainly didn't mean he wasn't rattled.

"I'm just curious," I said, shrugging lightly and turning back to the crowd. "You're such an interesting case study on psychopaths, you know."

Before he could say anything, shouts from below caught my attention. My eyes swept the crowd, finally following the direction Wren pointed to where several Hogwarts students were holding signs aloft and yelling. What they were saying was indecipherable from here, but I understood the intent—they were protesting the execution. We were too far away for me to make out who was there, but it was a fair guess that it was a bunch of my DA-sympathetic friends.

The next thing I knew, a burst of green light had flown across the room from somewhere almost directly beneath us. It hit one of the students, who crumpled. Immediately, there was chaos.

"Oh no," Wren breathed.

I fought the urge to tense up. It was starting. But we were still here, with Stillens, and I needed to keep it together. "All these deaths today will be your fault, Henry. How does that make you feel?"

Stillens turned away from the balcony then, shaking his head. I guessed he was trying to act like he didn't need to watch, being so sure he would win. Arrogance. That was something I could use.

I turned around to see him better, though Wren was still watching what was going on downstairs. I'd probably need to pull her away in a moment, before she saw something neither of us wanted to see. Stillens finally came to a stop halfway across the room for us, and he didn't bother turning around when he asked, "What are a few deaths for the cause of a brighter future?"

"I wouldn't call hundreds a deaths a few."

"You still don't understand the scope of what I'm offering you, Astra Lestrange. This paradise will not end with Britain. Together, we can give the entire wizarding world unheard of peace."

As Stillens turned back to us, I tugged Wren a few paces away from the balcony. I needed her with me, not distracted. She squeezed my hand, and I realized she'd been paying attention the whole time. Well, good. I hated to admit it, but I was so grateful to not be alone. "Britain was at peace until you came along."

"But was it truly a peace worth having?" Stillens gestured vaguely towards the balcony edge. "You yourself have admitted the flaws of this society you entered into. Injustice. Avoidance of progress. A ruthless clinging to tradition. And you want to return to this peace?"

"No." I rolled my eyes. Hadn't we had this conversation? "But wanting change and overthrowing an entire government so you can be a dictator aren't the same thing. What makes you think you can solve all of these problems?"

"Within a generation, they'll be gone entirely."

"Because you're kidnapping children and brainwashing them into your disgusting excuse for a cause."

Stillens eyes flickered to Wren for a moment, and I was really proud of her for not flinching away. Instead of addressing that, though, he gestured towards the balcony again. "Look and see what your desire to hold on to an old, flawed system is costing you. You say this is my fault, and yet it is your DA who cannot let go of the past and accept what has already happened. It is your DA that started this fight, and if they continue, none of them will remain to see the end."

I couldn't help glancing over my shoulder. Even from a meter or so away, I could still see the battle going on below. It was impossible to make out individuals, but I could imagine my friends' and family's faces on everyone fighting. There were already bodies on the floor, dead or dying. Screams and wails were the only sounds making their way up this high.

"People are going to be hurt today," Stillens said, and I nearly jumped. He was far closer than he'd been a moment ago, and I hadn't even heard him come up behind me. Now I turned back to glare at him as he continued speaking. "People will die, thanks to this resistance movement of yours. But it could all end now. No one else needs to die."

In spite of myself, I wavered. He was just saying what I wanted to hear, obviously. But... on the off chance he wasn't...

"All you need to do is join me, Astra Lestrange. Join me, and they'll have no choice but to follow."

I hesitated, wondering if that were actually true. Wren had said I was a symbol... But I'd only come here on the assumption that it wasn't true, that the DA would continue fighting without me. Surely they would, right?

"Don't listen to him, Astra," Wren said softly. She was trying to pull me back, away from Stillens, but he grabbed her arm and yanked her away with such force that she stumbled.

It was enough to snap me out of my thoughts. For a moment, I stared at him, not bothering to hide my anger, but instead of actually saying something about Wren and potentially making him more upset with her, I set my jaw and shook my head. "What makes you think anyone will give in just because I do? That's quite a gamble. You must think highly of me."

Before he could respond, someone cleared their throat behind him. We both turned to look, and though I'd already known he'd show up at some point, I was a little surprised to see Nico Jasper standing there. He was watching us apprehensively, and I couldn't tell if he always looked that much like a corpse of if he genuinely was paler than normal. His eyes darted between me and Wren before they settled on Stillens. "I... um... they said you wanted to see me, sir."

Stillens dropped Wren's arm immediately, which made her fall. I reached down to help her up, all the while watching Nico warily. He was on our side, I guess, but I didn't know how that would translate right now. If Stillens had me hurt Wren again, would Nico go along with it to keep his cover?

"Perfect timing," Stillens was saying, crossing over to where Nico was. "You will have to do."

"I'm sorry?" Nico said, somehow walking the line between confusion and disrespect perfectly. He cast a concerned glance at us, but Wren shook her head. We were fine.

"I have had quite enough of my niece's interfering," Stillens said, a disapproving frown on his face as he looked back at us. "The ideal punishment took it upon herself to throw herself off the balcony, so you will be stepping in."

Nico started, glancing at the balcony with alarm. I guess he'd already been on his way up here when Colette had... well... never mind.

"Unless, of course," Stillens said, pausing to look at me with a raised eyebrow, "You'd like to give in?"

"Not on your life," I snapped.

"Well, then. Lestrange requires further persuasion, and my niece requires punishment. You can handle both of those at once."

"You want me to put her under the imperius curse?" Nico confirmed. When Stillens nodded, he pursed his lips. "I... I haven't used it on her in nearly a year. I don't think it'll be as strong."

"Do as I say," Stillens said in a low voice. Nico shuddered and nodded.

The next thing I knew, everything was gone. Well, maybe not gone, but everything was lovely. I don't think I'd ever been that happy in my life; in fact, I was a little confused how I could possibly ever not be this happy when everything was so perfect.

Astra, came a voice, speaking in my head. I couldn't see who it was, but it sounded vaguely familiar. And kind of unhappy. Why would it be unhappy?

Listen to me, the voice insisted, so I stopped thinking and listened. Astra, you're under the imperius curse.

The what curse? I asked. Imperius sounded so pretty, but curse? That was a nasty word. I couldn't possibly be under a curse, not when I felt this good.

No, you're definitely under a curse. I put you under. Do you know who I am?

Well, if the voice said I was under a curse, I guess I was. It was a pretty nice curse, though. I tried to think of who the voice could be, but no one really came to mind. Um... I don't know. God?

I'm not bloody God, the voice said. I got the distinct impression that it rolled its eyes, if it had any, which made me sad. Why was the voice so upset?

Damn it, Astra! It's Nico. You know who I am, right?

Nico? That sounded familiar, now that I thought about it. Nico... Nico Jasper?

Yes! Don't forget that. You're really upset that I'm in your head, okay?

No, I'm not, I thought.

Be upset.

And suddenly, I was upset. That wasn't fair! I'd been having such a good time. What's the deal?

You're angry at me, Astra. I'm trying to tell you what to do, and you don't like it. You don't like being told what to do, right?

I mean, I guess I didn't. What I really didn't like right now were all these negative emotions. Fine, I thought sullenly. I'm upset. What do you want?

Throw me off.

I don't know what that means. I was starting to be less angry, thankfully, but I was still sad. I wanted to do what the voice said, but I didn't know how.

Throw off the imperius curse, Astra. You don't like me. Get me out of your head.

How? I demanded. You're really killing the mood, you know.

Why is this harder than getting you to do what I want? the voice said. It felt like it was groaning. Throw it off, Astra. It's not a difficult concept.

Have I ever done it before? I was trying to remember if I already knew how, but I couldn't.

No. But just... I don't know. Stop thinking so much, and just let the curse do it for you.

What does that mean?

Throw it off!

How?

Just throw it off!

I'm so sick of you!

And suddenly I was back in my body, kneeling on the floor with my hands clamped on either side of my head. I blinked in confusion. Had I actually just resisted the curse? Did it count if I was just doing what he'd told me to?

When I looked up, Stillens looked furious and Nico looked shocked. "I... I'm sorry, I don't know what—"

"Do it again!" Stillens ordered, glaring at me. "Put her under!"

Nico hesitated. "I mean... she threw me off, sir," he said quietly. "She'll probably just do it again..."

"Overpower her." Stillens turned his glare on Nico, and to his credit he didn't cower. I took the opportunity to take Wren's hand and let her pull me to my feet again. "You did this for an entire year, and now you tell me she's too strong for you?"

"She's been with the DA. They might have trained her how to resist it."

Stillens let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine. I suppose you'll just have to do it yourself."

Nico blinked, clearly as confused by that as I was. "Do what myself?"

"The cruciatus curse," Stillens said impatiently, gesturing at Wren. "Unless you've truly grown too weak for this position, that is."

Nico stared at him for a moment, seeming caught off guard. I didn't see how this was a shock to him, considering who he was talking to. I guess I had to admit a lot had changed since the last time we'd been in a situation like this. I'd just assumed he would do it, but I guess he really wouldn't want to hurt Wren. If it had been me, on the other hand...

"No."

Next to me, Wren's mouth dropped open. To be honest, I was blinking in surprise, too. That had nothing on Stillens' face, though, as he turned back to look at him. Even paler than normal, as if he was now livid instead of just extremely angry. "What?"

Nico shook his head, eyes on Wren. "No. I won't do that."

"Nico..." Wren sounded pained. I could manage a hint of admiration that he'd do that for Wren, but it didn't change the fact that I was incredibly tense. If Stillens was a basket full of poisonous snakes, Nico had just given the whole thing a good shake. I was the only one who was supposed to do that.

Stillens had a look of disgust on his face now, lip curling as he studied him. "I'm going to give you one chance for me not to have heard that. I'd choose your next words very carefully."

"I'm not hurting her," he snapped, eyes narrowing. I have to admit, I had to respect the guts it took to hold to that in the face of Caymus Stillens' wrath. Just a bit, though. Couldn't go giving Nico too much credit.

Stillens' eyebrows had raised in a look that was somehow incredulous and furious at the same time. "Do you understand what disobedience to me entails, boy? You'd accept the consequences of that? For this girl?"

The way he spat out the word made me want to run and shove him off the balcony, even if I went down with him. Wren's hand slipped into mine just then, and I realized that if I did that I'd be leaving her to face her mother and their accomplices alone, with just Nico. I couldn't do that.

Nico was looking at Wren again now. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her shaking her head quickly. Though she didn't say anything, it wasn't hard to understand the message she was trying to send—don't do it. The flash of conflict across his face told me Nico got it as well. It only lasted a moment before he turned back to Stillens. "Yes, I would. I'm not going to hurt her."

Stillens had a look on his face that I'd never seen before. Eyes boring into Nico's with an intense hatred, anger so deep that I almost shrank back. He seemed like he was growing even taller as he drew himself up straighter than he had been, which I hadn't known was possible. Nico was standing his ground, expression hardened into a glare, but I could see him trembling from here.

It was probably only a few seconds, because I held my breath the whole time. Wren was frozen in place, breath growing shallower, and now it was my turn to tighten my grip on her hand, remind her to stay present. Wouldn't do to have a panic attack right now.

"Crucio."

He'd whispered it, not yelled, but somehow that struck more fear into me than if he'd raised his voice. My stomach twisted in knots, and I found myself fighting to breathe, even as I was squeezing Wren's hand to help her calm down. One moment Nico was standing, the next he was on the floor. When his screams of pain I'd so often wanted to cause hit my ears, I flinched. A horrible sound. A piercing, terrible sound. Maybe I didn't hate him anymore.

Wren's grip on my hand had grown so tight that I reached over to cover it with my other hand, gently loosening her grip. She was shaking, lip trembling as if she was about to cry. When my hand enveloped hers, her gaze turned towards me, and I saw tears gathering in her eyes, along with a deep pain. The same that showed up when she talked about breaking, or killing people, or first year. Surely she couldn't feel responsible for this, could she?

The screams stopped abruptly, and I tensed up. Though Nico was already trying to push himself up, he was struggling; how long had that lasted? It didn't matter—Stillens' gaze had turned toward us.

Well, actually toward Wren. She shrank back a bit as he advanced on us, and I tugged her closer to me, moved to step in front of her. That didn't last long—Stillens flicked his wand, and suddenly it was as if a giant hand was shoving me backwards until I stumbled down several meters away. By the time I stood back up, it was like an invisible wall had descended. I wouldn't be able to get any closer than this.

Luckily, Wren looked like she was trying to calm down on her own. She had started breathing deeply, as well as closed her eyes. They flew open when Stillens grabbed her chin and jerked it up, forcing her to meet his gaze, but at least she seemed marginally more steady. The sound of her wand clattering to the floor after he'd twisted it out of her hand was suddenly the loudest thing in the room.

After thirty seconds of silence (I'd counted), I was beginning to think that they were locked in the mental struggle of legilimency and occlumency. Just then, Stillens spoke. "It seems I've underestimated you, Wren."

She shook her head as much as she was able to with his hand still holding her chin firmly in place. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"It appears to me," he continued, completely ignoring her, "that this annoying tendency you have of making people care for you might just be useful to the cause."

Her eyes darted to me, but Stillens must have tightened his grip on her because a moment later her breath had caught and she'd flinched. Still, she tried to shake her head.

"I'm beginning to realize that there are a large number of people who would do anything you asked of them, simply because it was you who'd asked. A large number of people who would do anything—give up anything—to keep you safe." He gestured to Nico with his wand. "Jasper, choosing treason over inflicting pain on you." His wand flicked toward me. "Lestrange, giving up paradise for you. James Potter, begging to be hurt to save you from it, breaking in to my home and risking death only to rescue you. St. Pierre, who'd apparently kill herself before touching you. School rivalries ending with those students in the palm of your hand. Your parents, sneaking behind my back over and over to protect you. Hempsey, growing soft when she's meant to be interrogating you. Even Isaac Predatel himself, giving up everything to let you escape."

Stillens paused for a moment to study Wren's face. She was trembling more than before, but hadn't broken eye contact with him. I tried to push towards her, but it was like pushing against thick glass. That didn't matter—it wasn't soundproof, clearly. "Wren! Don't listen to him! He's just a psychopath. He just can't comprehend that people actually care for each other."

For an instant, she met my eyes. Almost before I could register that, though, Stillens dropped her chin and stepped away. Wren had only just turned back to him when he drew his wand up, then just as quickly brought it back down. Before it had dropped more than a few centimeters, ropes of lightning had sprouted from the top, and they all slapped across my friend like an electric whip.

I shoved against the wall keeping me away as Wren cried out, face contorting in pain. Though the tendrils had only wrapped around her head and shoulders, the lightning was coursing down her body, her arms and legs, electrifying everything. She dropped to her knees after a few seconds.

It stopped so suddenly that I drew in my breath. Nico had made it to his feet, but seemed to be facing the same barrier problem as I was, shoving against the air and going nowhere. Both of us completely unable to interfere.

As Wren seized up, a crackle of electricity rolling across her shoulders, Stillens turned his eyes on me. "Unless you'd like to see that again, you will be silent."

I shot a glance at Nico, whose mouth was open in horror. Maybe he'd never seen that one before. He didn't protest, though, and I suddenly found the idea of not saying anything much more appealing. Better than watching this.

Stillens took my silent glare for a yes, I suppose, because he turned back to Wren as if I wasn't there. She cowered from him as he grabbed her arm and hoisted her to her feet (with a lot more strength than I'd expected from an old man). Stillens barely acknowledged her fear, sparing just one look of contempt before launching back into his monologue.

"People are drawn to you, Wren. You've just seen yet another demonstration. Even the great Harry Potter, in the end, gave up his life and the idea of his son's safety simply to spare you. If he'd let you die, he would have escaped with the others."

Wren shook her head again, coughing as she tried to speak. "I never asked for any of that," she said hoarsely.

"And that's precisely why it's such a valuable asset." Stillens studied her, for the first time seeming to see more than a pathetic mess, which had always been the impression I'd had before when he'd deigned to acknowledge her around me. She wasn't meeting his eyes anymore, but he didn't even seem to care. "You are charismatic, Wren. You draw people in without even trying. Do you know what power that could have if put to use intentionally?"

She was shaking her head again, weakly trying to pull away from his grip on her arm. "I don't know what you think I can do, but I can't. I won't."

Now, Stillens glanced at me once again, and I felt a chill go down my spine. "Perhaps," he said to Wren, "you need a little persuasion."

~~~~

Question of the Day: Is it just me or did any of you guys also think for almost your whole life that charisma was a bad thing because you'd only ever heard it used to describe cult leaders?

Answer: Imagine my shock when someone just casually calls my little brother that is all I'm saying.

Vote and comment!

~Elli

Word count: 4726