James Potter and the Radical Revivalists

Chapter Five

“I’m sorry. It’s not worth it,” she was saying. She paced up and down the hall, her wand in between her hands. She twirled it in a figure-eight motion. As a fly buzzed by, a beam of light shot from her wand, and the fly fell.

“How can you say it’s not worth it? We must succeed. Since you failed at catching Potter and his friend that night-”

“I failed? You were the one who gave the failing command to kill them! Anyway,” she took a deep breath, “we’ve captured his friend. Carson. And we already had Wood; that sent both Carson and Potter into a good hole of despair.”

“You’re so young, you don’t understand,” he said. “It does not matter how many students we have, or which ones, it only matters that James Potter is falling right into my- I mean, our hands. He’ll be here within a few weeks, I suppose.”

“I’m old enough! Fifteen is a fine age to be doing this,” she sighed, sitting down in a blue chair. The room was chilly, so she pulled her scarlet cloak around her. “After all, when you were fifteen-”

“When I was fifteen I was stupid.”

“Oh, please, M-”

“Stupidity. Shear stupidity. If you think that risking your life for the one you love, and then watching them die in your arms is smart, there’s something barking mad about you.” He rose from his armchair, pulling his hood up. “On another subject, I think it’s time we have a little chat with our new friend.”

The girl stood as well, drew her wand, and exited through a door on the far side of the dark room. When she returned, a tall, dark-haired boy was with her, with a steely look on his face.

“Ah, Mister Tarshis. How kind of you to join us,” he stared at Tarshis, who roughly pulled his arm away from the girl, who frowned.

“I have nothing to tell you. Sure, I tried to kill that idiot Potter, but it obviously didn’t work. After all, you were there,” Daniel Tarshis snapped. His voice and body showed he was ready to fight, but his fidgeting hands showed a tinge of fear.

“Indeed, you did fail. I do not approve of failure, Tarshis. I think it’s time you depart,” he added, nodding to the girl. With a grimace, she left through another door.

“You don’t approve of failure,” Tarshis repeated. “Then what do you call not doing a thing for seven years? It’s my turn to graduate this year, not yours. You had your chance last year. Oh, that’s right. You failed the O.W.L tests, not to mention the incident in-”

“Be quiet! Yes, I admit I had faults, but it all lead up to now. I am in command here, Tarshis. Not you. Of course, you did wound Potters’ cousins, and a few of his team-mates, but never did you kill any of them. You know of my operation, and of the hostages that are so kindly staying with us. There are five of them, all alive, and I’d love to make it five dead.  But until we have Potter in our presence, he cannot watch them die, cannot watch them suffer, cannot understand that he’ll be the next to die by our wands. Enough have already perished at my hand. He’ll be the last. You seem frightened, Tarshis. Am I scaring you?”

“No,” Tarshis choked out, his hands now frantic with fright. His eyes were wide with fear, and he groped at his pocket for his wand. He pulled it out, its black-ash tip almost touching the others’ chest. “You don’t frighten me.”

“I don’t, do I? I can very much make that happen. Not directly, at first, but I’ll start with that second-year sister of yours…then you’re thirteen-year old brother next…”

“No! You’ll never get to Maggie and Ben! I’d die for them!”

“Would you? Would you give up living for two children that most likely drive you insane everyday? The two siblings that you wish were never born?”