my inheritance (g.w x o.c)

chapter fifty-seven: taking a stand

I rushed forward. "No," I yelled, and everyone gasped, watching as I put myself in front of Voldemort, between him and Harry. His wand was already raised so it was just a foot from my face. "I won't let you do this." I held eye contact even as he shook his head.

"Oh, Larissa," he sighed, bringing a hand to his face. "Larissa, Larissa, Larissa... I truly hoped my assumptions weren't true." I glared at him. "But sadly, here we are. All my time wasted, the years of training and sacrifice I made for you, gone. You aren't who I raised you to be."

"You're right," I agreed. "I'm not who you raised me to be, and I wouldn't want to be. You have taken everything from me. From everyone." I motioned around at the death eaters who looked horrified at what I was doing. "You killed my parents, you destroyed my dreams, you killed my baby." My throat got tight as angry tears filled my eyes. "You've taken everything from me. I've been loyal to you for years, doing your bidding, killing whomever you asked, and that wasn't enough. Severus Snape gave you everything. He fought for you, killed for you, destroyed his name for you. But somehow none of that was enough."

"Destroyed his name?" he scoffed. "He was building his name up. He will be remembered for his sacrifices he made to get me in power."

"You're so blinded by your desire for power that you don't even see it, do you?" I asked. "Snape wasn't fighting for you. He hasn't been fighting for you since the moment you killed his love. You think he has, but he's played his part well. He's the reason I'm here today, the reason I've been able to make it through all of your games. And he's one of the reasons that you're going to lose."

"Enough," he yelled, firing a spell at me. I quickly blocked it.

"I know your tricks, Tom Riddle," I snapped.

"Don't you dare call me that."

"I know your mind games..." I blocked another spell. "I know what makes you angry, the things you try to hide from the rest of the world." He fired a few spells that I easily blocked. He was quite predictable. I needed the death eaters to see who he truly was. That none of us were worth it to him if we stepped in the way of his path to power. "And I know just how weak you are, Tom Riddle." He paused. "You're so fearful of death, of leaving behind the world without having any control over it. That scares you. It scares you that a couple of teenagers were able to find and destroy the very things that are keeping you alive. It scares you that all you have left between you and death is that bloody snake. And that makes you weak. Not love, not caring, but being so afraid of death that you kill just to cheat it."

"You stupid little girl," he raged. The one thing I did not expect was the cruciatus curse. The moment it hit me, I flew back, writhing in pain, but I refused to scream. "You are just as naive as your parents." I gasped for air as he released the curse. I met eyes with Harry, but barely shook my head so he wouldn't do anything. I pushed myself over so I could look up at him. He stood over me, fire in his eyes. "You think I'm weak? You think I'm scared?" He fired the spell at me again, and I closed my eyes as every fiber in my body screamed. "Does this feel weak? Do I look scared?" He released me once again. "I trained you. I turned you into the witch you are. Without me, you are nothing." He stared down at me, waiting for me to break eye contact, but I glared right back. I was breathing fast and sweat covered my forehead, but I didn't care. "You could've had it all. I made you Minister of Magic. You were my right hand. Didn't that feel good? To finally have all the power you wanted?"

"I didn't want to kill those muggleborns," I argued. "I didn't want to force families apart or enact all those laws. You did. That wasn't my power. Those weren't my choices. You were never going to let me have any power that wasn't controlled by you. Because you can't trust anybody. You have to be able to control everybody."

"Of course, I do," he acknowledged. "Because the moment I don't, someone like you comes along, thinking they can change my way. But you're wrong. I'll always find you out, and when I do..." He trailed off, hitting me with the cruciatus curse once more. "They will pay." I panted as he released the curse once more. "However, I am not without my grace. So I will give you one last chance, Larissa. You can fight for me, return to my side as my strongest recruit, and you will receive minimal punishment for your judgement of character." I pushed myself up again and glared at him. "Or, you can choose to stand beside Potter and see how long your life lasts."

"Go to hell."

He smiled. "If that's your choice..." I groaned as another wave of pain shot through me. As I struggled to remain as quiet as possible, I heard him take steps towards me. He released the curse, and I looked up at him, gasping for air.

"Is that... the best... you've got?" I asked. He lowered to my level.

"Far from it." I was ready for the Killing Curse to come my way. Or maybe, I was hoping for that. For this to all finally be over. Because what came next was a hell of a lot worse than dying. Open up, my dear.

"No," I whispered though his wand was still pointed at me. I pushed myself away from him. I finally managed to break eye contact as I fought his control. Snape had trained me against this very thing, possibly for this very reason. It had always come so naturally to me. I could read people's minds and block out others. Yet in my weakened state, when I thought I'd finally be free of his terror, I found it to be the most difficult thing.

Just let me in, Larissa, you know you want to. I've been there for you since you were a child. I've trained you, made you who you are. Let's get our relationship back. We can mend this.

"Stop," I begged, turning away from him and covering my head with my arm. Everyone watched. Whether they knew the internal battle that was happening or not, I couldn't tell. I was too focused on keeping him shut out. All I could hear were screams that I knew all too well, screams that had come as the last breath of people I'd killed. How he was able to drum these up, I didn't know, but it was enough to drive a person mad.

Just let me in. Let me in, and maybe I'll spare the twin. Maybe I'll let you have one more moment with him before it's all over. Before I kill him just as I've killed Snape. Or maybe I'll have you kill him, just as you've killed all those innocent people. Oh, you loved that. You laughed when you'd do it.

You did that, I argued. You made me do that.

Did I? I don't recall controlling you before. I believe you did that all on your own accord because deep down you enjoyed it. Deep down you love the idea of killing anyone who stands in your way. And not as far down as you think, we're actually the same person.

My anger got the better of me. For a moment, my mind went blank as anger clouded every thought I had. Then everything went black, and I sat up to look him right in the face.

There she is.