| Girl on Fire |

111

MATTHEO RIDDLE

I was pacing back and forth in my dorm when I felt it. Her pulse. It was weak and faint. But her mark was summoning me. She was summoning me. I apparated to her location within seconds.

I landed on wet sand. I felt seawater hit my face and I smelled the salt. was on a beach, then I saw a cottage. I ran towards it with my wand ready. "Veronica!" I yelled. Nothing. My heart was racing. "Veronica, where are you?" I yelled. Then I saw him. Potter. I immediately pointed my wand at him and he did the same. "Potter! What did you do to Veronica?" I exclaimed. "I'm the one who called you here." he said sharply. My face fell but I hid it. "Is she- is she dead?" I asked. "No," he said quickly. "Then where is she? If you hurt her-" I started. "She's inside," he said. I started to walk forward but he stopped me. ""How do I know you won't kill us all the second you have her back?" he asked. "You don't." I said with a smirk. "He glared at me. "You don't trust me?" I asked. "Why would I?" he said. Then I realized it and I couldn't help but laugh. "So she didn't tell you, huh?" he asked. "Tell me what?" I asked. "Hell, do I have a story for you..." he said. Then we walked inside.

Once we got inside, Potter stopped. "Ok. This is as far as you go until you explain yourself." he said. I scoffed. "Me? Explain myself? Where's Veronica? And what did you do to her?" I said.
"She's fine. And she'll remain that way. But I want to know what you're talking about. What happened at school? What happened to Ginny?" he asked. "So that's what this is?" I said. "What?" he asked. "You are holding Veronica hostage as punishment for Ginny." I said. "No! I don't even know what happened to her! Nobody will tell me anything! Please, just tell me if she's ok. If it were you in my shoes, I would do it for you. Even though you did what you did and you are who you are." he said. "How generous, chosen one." I sneered. "Please, tell me she's ok." he said. His voice was pleading. I could see tears pricking in the corners of his eyes. He loved her. He loved her the way I loved Veronica. The way I would do anything for her. "She's fine." I said. "Thank you, thank you so-" he started. "Don't thank me." I said. He stopped. "Thank Veronica. Thank Veronica for the survival of Ginny, and every one of your friends at that school. She's the reason they're alive," I said. His face fell. "Tell me what happened. Please," he said. I nodded. "After the death of her mother, she changed. She saw what her life would be if she continued on this path, and I saw it too. I thought we could have power. I thought I could give her power. But I couldn't." I said. He was quiet. "I didn't know what she was doing at first. She kept it up for months before I found out. But then I did." I said. "Found out what?" I asked. "She was a spy. For your side." I said. His face dropped. "What? How? What do you mean?" he exclaimed. "She was corresponding with Dumbledore's army, or what remained of it. In secret. She provided them with any supplies they asked for, she told them about patrols, wards, passwords. She supervised detentions to protect them. She did it all." I said. He was in shock. "Why?" I asked. "You should ask her." I said. He just nodded. "And Ginny?" he asked. "That's when she took it too far." I said. "What do you mean?" he asked. "I know she told you. She told you what happened to her. Did you think she was lying?" I snapped. "No-well-maybe? I thought she said what she said so I would trust her. I mean- that's what I thought after." he said. I scoffed. "Wow," I said. "I'm sorry." he mumbled. "You should be. Because she wasn't lying. And one of the men who did it, who hurt her, was Amycus Carrow. A teacher at Hogwarts." I said. "He's the one who raped Ginny, isn't he?" he asked. His voice cracked. "No. He didn't. Veronica made a deal with him. She said he could have her, in exchange for the rest of the girls at the school." I said. "But Ginny-" he started. "Fuck, Potter! It's not all about Ginny! Yes. He tried to hurt her. But he didn't get far. Veronica stopped him. And then she sacrificed herself, her dignity, her body, her mind, everything...for your girlfriend, for your friends. All those people you left behind while you saved the world, Veronica saved them." I said. "I didn't know that," he said. "Of course you didn't. Did you even think for one second about what would happen to all your friends at school while you ran off to hunt horcruxes?" I asked. "How did you-" he started. "My father and I know far more than you think. I kept him off your scent as much as I could but you made it very difficult. I mean, breaking into the Ministry? That didn't go so well the first time, did it? Why try it again?" I snapped. "Umbridge had Salazar Slytherin's locket," he said. "Why didn't you just wait for her to leave the Ministry?" I asked. He paused. "We didn't think of that," he muttered. "Fuck, how are you not dead?" I snapped. He rolled his eyes. "You got your answers, now I want to see Veronica." I said sharply. He looked down. "Ok, but just a small thing. Ron lost his temper and-" he started. I had heard enough. I stormed up the stairs and Potter followed after me, trying to explain. I ignored it all. I opened door after door until I found her. I froze as I saw her. My Veronica. She laid on a bed, unconscious, beaten to a pulp, while some blonde lady healed deep slice marks. Potter ran in and I grabbed his collar and slammed him against the wall. "So what was your plan? Huh? Keep me talking while your healer fixed her up? Do you think I'm a fool? Did you think I wouldn't notice?" I screamed. "He didn't mean to. Ron's had a hard time, he didn't-" Potter started. "I swear on my magic, if she doesn't wake up, I will kill you. And I won't be merciful. I will make it slow and painful." I seethed. "Mattheo, enough." a weak voice said. I turned around and Veronica was standing behind me. Her frail body was wrapped in a blanket and I pulled her into my arms. "What the hell happened?" I asked.