Forsaking Fate

Marking the Equal

Chapter 9

Two Years Later

Staring straight ahead in an attempt to ignore the two men at her sides, Destiny waited patiently for the invitation to enter through the large doors across the hall from her. When they finally opened and a bald little man stuck his head out and nodded at them, she rose from the bench on which she sat and glided gracefully into the room.

The last two years had been kind to Destiny physically if not mentally. Having finally had a growth spurt, she was now 5'2" and no longer considered comically short. She had taken Blaise's place as the beauty of Slytherin and, along with Draco Malfoy, was considered the royalty of the house. Mentally, the years had been cruel as she had watched the relations between magical creatures and humans deteriorate. With her heavy burden, she found herself unable to keep together her home life and had become withdrawn to the point that her family barely even noticed she was there.

Entering the room with her head held high, she moved to the center and gave a small curtsey to inform the inhabitants that while she respected their leader, she was not his inferior. Rising up, she looked straight into the eyes of a snake in the head of a man.

"So, you are Destiny Black?" the pale man asked.

"I am, Sir."

"I hear you have come to me with a proposition."

"No, I came to hear what you had for me. I was merely feeling generous when I decided to come to you instead of the other way around."

Leaning forward, he gripped the edges of his chair and hissed, "You insolent brat-,"

"Hear me out, Sir. I am currently negotiating with not only you but with the Light as well. My only care is that when this war is over, I am on the winning side and that that side will grant all magical creatures freedoms they deserve. With this guarantee, we will join that side and victory will become inevitable."

"Why should I agree to give mutants rights? You must give something in return."

"I will be giving you victory," Destiny repeated.

"There are still ways to lose. Never become so over confidant as to believe that you are invincible."

Tilting her head thoughtfully, she murmured, "What if I knew the key to victory- absolute unstoppable victory if you were to kill one person."

Leaning forward, Voldemort replied, "I'm listening."

Smiling, Destiny continued, "There is a prophesy; a prophesy that tells how to defeat you, just as it tells how you could win."

"Go on."

"It says that neither you nor the other can survive while the other lives. Meaning one of you two will have to die for this war to end."

"And who is this other?"

"The one you shall mark as your equal."

*****

Hurrying up the lawn of Hogwarts, Destiny paused at the Quidditch fields where practice was ending. Sitting by a tree, she waited for Draco to exit the showers.

"Hey," she greeted with a smile.

"How did it go?" Draco replied.

"By the end of the year, negotiations will be completed one way or another."

Nodding, he changed the topic.

"I made Potter's girlfriend cry while you were gone."

Sneering, she replied, "Like it's so hard. Ginny Weasley's a wuss."

"You would think that even low life scum like Potter would be able to do better."

"You would think so. Changing the subject now; Potter and Weasley make me queasy. Anyway, Remus is getting married this summer and you're invited."

"Do I have to come?"

"Draco! You can't leave me by myself! It's going to be awful! It'll be like a Gryffindork convention!"

"Yes, that really makes me want to go." Glaring at her, he finally sighed. "Fine."

Entering the Entrance Hall, they came to an abrupt halt as their way was blocked be a group of Gryffindors.

"Well, well, if it isn't the scum of Hogwarts," Rosaline Black smirked.

Giving her sister a look of disgust, Destiny attempted to pass without comment.

"What's the matter snake? Too cowardly to speak?"

As the others around them laughed, Destiny stepped forward and murmured so that only her sister could hear.

"Remember little girl, bravery has gotten many killed but the cunning always survived much longer."

"At least I'll die a hero," Rosaline shrieked, "and not an embarrassment to the family!"

Eyeing her disdainfully, Destiny replied, "I'd rather be a disgrace for eternity than you for a minute."

Face twisting with hatred, Rosaline raised her fists to punch the older girl when a voice behind them demanded to know what was going on.

"Nothing Granger," Destiny replied, giving Harry and Ginny's interlocked hands a disgusted look. "We were just having a family chat."

"She was threatening me!"

"No, I was insulting you. There is a rather large difference. If I was threatening you, you would be on the floor in tears."

Glancing at the assembled crowd, she swept away before anyone could think on a come-back, Draco laughing loudly behind her.

*****

As time passed in seemingly great sweeps, the school year ended and the children of Hogwarts once again returned to their homes. As always, it was a bit of a shock to return as the castle kept every threat and fear at bay. Back in the real world in which their parents lived, fear was a daily part of life, as was death.

On the day of their return, the Muggle Underground was attacked and hundreds of Muggles died as the tunnels collapsed.

Watching her father rush out of the house, Destiny fought back sadness as the thought arose that she may one day help destroy everything her father loved and was working to save.

*****

As the day of the wedding arrived, chaos reigned. Moving through the crowd in her frilly dress, she paused at the sound of angry voices coming from outside. Moving towards them, she stood in the entrance of the front door and watched as Remus Lupin yelled angrily at a pair of Ministry workers.

"...This is my wedding day! How dare you come in here and try to ruin it!"

"You know that under the restriction of Magical Creatures, Part C, Section fifteen, clause two-thirty-three, it states that there shall be no large gatherings of Creatures of Darkness."

"But neither my bride nor I are human and therefore neither are our friends!"

"I'm aware of that," the bald ministry member replied, moping sweat off his shiny head, "but we can't risk you trying to overthrow the government."

"We're not trying to!" Remus shouted. "We just want to get married."

"Look," the other wizard snapped, "Break this up peacefully or we will do it by force."

"This isn't right!" James snapped. "You cannot treat people like this!"

"Well Mr. Potter, it's a good thing then that these aren't people."

Gritting her teeth, Destiny went to inform the guests that they had to leave.

*****

Not long after the disastrous wedding, the Ministry informed the public that all Dark Creatures were under suspicion on working with Voldemort and were to be treated with extreme caution. Immediately afterward, Remus lost his job and was soon forced out of his home.

Sitting in the Potters' kitchen, Remus slumped against the table while Dakota rubbed his back.

"How can they do this?" Julia mumbled horrified.

"They're human, that gives them the right to do anything," Remus replied bitterly.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Dakota smiled, patting her husband's leg reassuringly. "I mean, it can't get any worse, right?"

*****

When September 1^st arrived, Destiny couldn't have been more thrilled. Throwing herself into a seat across from Draco, she sighed.

"Rough summer?" Draco drawled, raising an eyebrow.

"You have no idea," she muttered, running a hand through her curly hair.

Rosaline had taken every chance she could to get Destiny in trouble and her parents always took the younger child's side in the fight.

"She gives me the creeps," Draco admitted. "There's just something about her that's just... wrong."

Feeling a wave of déjà vu sweep over her, she shuddered.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Rubbing her head and giving it a shake to dislodge the sudden pictures that filled her head, she smiled at Draco.

"Something is too the matter. Tell me."

Deciding to confide in the boy, she leaned forward and motioned for him to do the same.

"Sometimes I see things..." she began.

"Everyone sees things."

"No, what I see hasn't happened yet."

Sucking in a deep breath, he whispered, "Are you a Seer?"

Waving her hands about in frustration, she exclaimed, "I don't know!" Lowering her voice, she continued. "I mean, what I see makes no sense and Seers are supposed to understand what they see, right?"

Silence descended on the compartment before Draco asked, "Are these visions really that random or do you just not want to understand them?"

"Are you suggesting that I'm trying to be stupid?"

"Nobody was implying that you're stupid. What I mean is, do these visions come out of nowhere or are they maybe related to what's happening around you?"

Destiny shrugged helplessly.

"What was happening when you had the vision just now?"

"You were talking about Rosaline."

"I said she was creepy. So, what was the vision about?"

Opening her mouth to speak, she gasped.

"What? What was it you saw?" Draco demanded.

"That's just it; I saw nothing but darkness. That's why it made no sense. But then I remembered what I could feel around me."

"You can feel what's going to happen?"

"Only if it's my future."

"And you felt what exactly?"

"Fear, blood, pain..." Swallowing convulsively, Destiny murmured, "Rosaline's going to hurt me- badly."

*****

The rest of the ride to Hogwarts was a blur. Arriving in the Great Hall, Destiny ate mechanically, and hurried off to her dorm. Having left before anyone else, she sat on her bed with her head in her hands.

"Why do you fret, child?"

Shrieking, Destiny fell off her bed.

"Constance?" she gasped. "How did you get in here?"

"Through the door, just like you."

"Why are you here?"

"You needed a friend that will listen and understand and I'm not busy."

Nodding, Destiny sank back onto the bed.

"I'm not strong enough to do what must be done. My vision this afternoon proved that. I'm going to lose to a mere mortal."

"You will be fine." Reaching out, Constance smoothed down her ringlets. "You will see. You are as strong as you need to be."

"No," Destiny replied, "I'm not. I'm just a scared girl who wants to be safe."

"We don't all have the luxury of being able to be safe. Now swallow your fear and move on."

*****

You must prove yourself," Voldemort hissed. "Show me your powers."

"Sir, there must be a body and a reason to bring them back. If their time is truly over, I can do nothing to help them. I can show you nothing."

Smiling cruelly, Voldemort replied, "Very well then."

*****

Halloween soon arrived and with it the smiles of the students of Hogwarts. Sitting at the Gryffindor table, Harry smiled at the floating pumpkins and the ghosts.

"I love Halloween," Ginny smiled, leaning her head on Harry's shoulder.

Leaning over to kiss her, he was interrupted by the large doors to the Entrance Hall being thrown violently open. In ran an Auror bleeding profusely, screaming for help.

Rushing towards him, Dumbledore asked what had happened.

"Death Eaters-," he was interrupted as Dumbledore leapt to his feet and yelled, "They've breeched the apparition wards!"

As those words were spoken, Harry watched in horror as Death Eaters began to appear in the Entrance Hall.

Jumping to his feet, Harry moved to help the teachers fight off the army of Death Eaters.

As the teachers were forced back, the oldest students moved forward to join the battle. Ducking a hex, Harry quickly stunned a Death Eater and turned to the next one, finishing him in the same way. Continuing in this manner, Harry fought frantically. There was no end of the masked men in sight.

*****

As the Death Eaters appeared in the Entrance Hall, Destiny began to herd all Slytherins below their fifth year towards the teachers table. With the help on several others, they overturned the table and kneeled down behind it.

"Anyone fifth year and above who wishes to fight, may. Everyone else, protect each other and stay down!"

Turning away, she hurried out into the chaos to collect other students who were too young to protect themselves.

*****

Dodging frantically, Harry turned to meet his next opponent and froze. There in front of him was Lord Voldemort.

And he had backed himself into a corner.

"So, you are the one who is said to be able to defeat me?"

Confused, Harry merely gripped his wand tighter.

"Born to parents who have thrice defied me? Born as the seventh month dies? Does this not describe you little boy?"

"What?"

"No?" Voldemort asked mockingly. "I assure you it is indeed you the prophesy speaks of. It could have been another but little Neville Longbottom died without a fight."

Horrified, Harry screamed, "NO!" and raised his wand to curse the other wizard.

Bringing his wand up faster, Voldemort yelled, "Avada Kedavra!"

As the green light rushed toward him, the noise of the surrounding battle ceased to exist for him. In the last instant though, something rammed into his side and threw him to the ground. Hitting the floor with a thud, Harry turned to see what had saved him and froze.

"Ginny!"

Crawling to her side, he turned her over and stared into her lifeless eyes.

"No," he gasped. "NO!"

Jumping to his felt, he looked up in time to be hit by a second Killing Curse.

A/N: Sorry about the delay. Won't happen again; I swear. The next chapter is a third finished and will be out next week sometime.