Hogwarts Legacy and The Triwizard Tournament

08. Liberation

Note: New episode! Enjoy :)

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Lana's tears had wed her face, she tried to dry herself, but all she did was get dirtier, since her hands had been on the ground which was covered with a thin layer of sand and dirt. Harlow was looking at her with a creepy look on his face, he also playing with her wand like he was going to break it in two but he didn't. He even sat beside her in silence. Lana's breath could be heard because it was heavy and slow. Lana wished that if this torture was going to continue, he could end her right now, because she had already gotten used to the pain. Maybe if he killed her, he will go straight to the point. No need of theatrics...Lana had never feared Rookwood, but Harlow had always managed to make her skin crawl.

-Cruc...!- Harlow was about to cast the cruciatius curse again but someone stopped him. One of his loyalists, his right hand she presupposed.

-Could you stop animal? You will kill her, and he wants her safe and sound- an Ashwinder had entered and crouched down to where Lana was lying- he is about to arrive-.

The ashwinder looked at her and with his wand healed some of her wounds, which made her get some relief. He mused as he saw the session of torture Harlow had put her through. It didn't take long to close the wounds with a kind of shiny purple viscous cream. It burned at first but the scratches quickly disappeared. Then he proceed to clean her face gently. She had a strange feeling. Who was about to arrive? Sebastian? Would he let them torture her? Her heart broke instantly when that reflection came to her mind.

-That's better- he said looking if she had more wounds- get her wand back-.

-What is that boy thinking? She will kill us all with one blink if I didn't take her wand away- Harlow replied in disgust.

-Is she that good?- the ashwinder laughed.

-Maybe Rookwood can tell you, oh wait, he can't because he is dead...SHE KILLED HIM!- his eyes could reflect his madness.

-Calm down Harlow, for Merlin's sake- suddenly a gold-tipped paper airplane appeared flying overhead- he's here, come on-. 

The ashwinder made Lana stand up on her feet and walk towards the stairs to the upper floor, the one where she came in to the huge lounge with that enormous ceiling next to the cell where she was torture. She couldn't barely walk, she could still remember the pain of the curse passing through her entire body. As they walked towards the main courtyard, she made sure they couldn't see Natty or Garreth. Although at the same time she felt great hopelessness for not knowing where her friends were at that moment. She just prayed that they were hidden, or even better, as far away from the Rookwood castle as possible. She wished they had returned to Hogwarts, if not with answers but the most important, alive.

The moonlight was brighter than ever, she closed her eyes for a few seconds. The light was blinding. The place was full of dark wizards who escaped from Azkaban, she recognized more than one. Soon a few people had gathered around her, forming a circle, and in front of her, a small opening in a corridor to let in someone important who had to arrive at that precise moment. In whoever's place, Harlow appeared with a half smile and carrying his wand. Although Lana had gotten hers back, she wanted to see what her destiny had in store for her. Who was that important person that she was going to arrive at. She gripped her wand so hard that the white knuckles on her hand could be seen.

Deep down she knew who the important person was, the "boy".  She whispered. 

-Sebastian...- and there he was. Lana couldn't believe her eyes.

He was obviously older than she remembered, his features had hardened. And although he was evidently thinner, he did not look as degraded as the Daily Prophet photographs. He looked almost the same as the day he left but with his hair covering his forehead and slightly longer than the last time she saw him. His beautiful freckles around his face.