Tombstone

[Thorine Dolohov]

The air whipped about her as she walked masked and hooded through the dimly lit building. The man beside her a loyal servant, a half-giant Boris. Russian but living in New Zealand a good decade or so.
"*You will take care of everything, leave nothing to chance " she spoke in his own dialect as there were still portraits about the condemned building that had most likely matching paintings else where. You could never be careful, especially now. Boris looked down at his mistress and nodded his head. He was to make sure that her children got away safely, Nastasia would be their keeper of course but she had no magic whatsoever. Goia would help there but they would need brawn as well. Boris may not have been the smartest tool in the shed but he was by far the most loyal besides Goia and he wanted to help in anyway he could. Asking Yema to assist was just too dangerous, she was a firm fixture at the Leaky cooked the food that everyone loved. She would be needed to stay.

Word had seeped through that the ministry had discovered a few things pertaining to the murder of Scott Anderson. She had laughed about it of course, what in the world could that sorry bunch of imbeciles know but days later she had heard it for herself. They had a name and it was enough. Dolohov. Thorine knew after killing him with it that she should have used another curse but the family one but now it was too late and she had to disappear for a while. Her children would have to disappear for a while as well. Ivaylo would be save with his father, Asparuh would see to it of course and in time Nassie would bring Christian to Tristan and Vixen to Arnost but for now they needed to get far enough away from the New Zealand ministry and from her.

A noise from outside set her hackles rising, surely they couldn't have found her already. It had been two days now since she had gone on the offensive attempting to dig her heels in when she had everything taken care of and her children were gone. She pushed Boris towards the empty fireplace pushing a bag of floo powder towards him.
"Go now" she whispered, watching as he bent down to fit in the large hearth and saying the name of where he was to finish up scattered the floo powder.

Thorine watched the empty grate for a moment before removing two of three wands she carried. Scott Andersons being one of them. Inhaling deeply she apparated in a plume of vapour outside to face the enemy.

 

[Andros Carter]

Andros was waiting for her. He stood there, knowing that this could well be the last person he would ever see.
But it was his duty as an Auror and he had wished for a chance to avenge Scott's death.
He may never see his betrothed again after this night had passed but Andros knew that potentially stopping a killer such as Dolohov, would be worth the sacrifice.

A small breeze fluttered through his hair and Andros took a deep breath; his wand was ready in his hand. And he would need it. He knew he would. Because it was obvious that Dolohov would not come without a fight- a fight Andros feared he may not win.
But his thoughts of what could be were shattered and she appeared before him; the woman who had murdered Scott Anderson.

"I will give you one chance to come clean, unharmed." Andros's voice was clear and firm in the silence. Of course, he highly doubted any chance that such a wanted, cold blooded, murderer, such as Dolohov, would accept this offer. But then, Andros had been prepared for a fight, had already said goodbye to Kira and had already primed an owl in the company of his friend to explain the circumstances under which he had died, should it come to that. "Fight with me, Dolohov, and I promise you will not leave here alive tonight." His tone was powerful, his eyes fixed upon her.

 

[Thorine Dolohov]

As she apparated out side she frowned as only one man came into view, was this it? Was this all the ministry had sent up against her? A forboding laugh began deep within her as if she had lost all reason when he had the nerve to speak to her. What need she now of masks or anything else for that matter? She removed first her death eaters mask from her face, her beautiful yet haunted looking countenence staring at him. Her emerald green eyes penetrating the thick layer of his stupidity. How dare they send one man, one foolish auror up agains her. It was an insult she would not bare well.

"Oh silly stupid little boy, why did they send a boy to do a man's job? Could Nicolas King not venture forth himself or are all your brethren at the department running scared?" she laughed once more, apparating swiftly and reapparating fifty yards to his left. Swallowed by darkness from trees that lined the side of the estate.
"If I fight you boy, you will die" a bolt of green lightening was sent flying in his direction as she cast the cruciatus curse his way. She was not here to play games, one would leave here tonight and Thorine though foreseeing this moment almost was still too sure of herself to contemplate a loss.

 

[Andros Carter]

Andros turned his head to Dolohov's new location. He listened to her words; it would have been easy to bite, to attempt to argue with her words but he didn't have time to speak as she sent a spell flying at him. With lightning reflexes, Andros jumped aside, shooting up a shield charm. "I gave you a chance but you've blown it." Andros flicked his wand, a beam of red light- a stunning spell heading towards her.
He would rather take her in alive and have her rot in Azkaban than give her the easy way out but if it came to that..
Andros's eyes were fixed onto the piercing green ones of the Dolohov woman. She had killed Scott. She had killed one of the best Aurors in the history of the wizarding world. She could easily take Andros down, but nevertheless, he would fight to the bitter end.
His eyes were dark and his expression slowly twisting into that of disgusted anger. "You're sick." He spat, his head hurting as he could feel the rage burning.

 

[Thorine Dolohov]

She threw her head back and laughed again, as her incantation was blocked. A chance, the whipper snapper had given her a chance. The ministry had obviously sent the jester of the lot, Thorine Dolohov needed no chances and never had. She had done everything all her life with one goal in mind to be the best Death Eater she could be. There were possibly several that she knew who could match her or were fractionally in her own mind, better than her. With a sardonic smile she reapparated again closer to him this time and from the rear. Another spell shot out at him the imperius curse with one wand while with her other wand she cast a spell on some near by blades of grass. The sliced from the roots and were flung at him, each blade sharp and deadly. Laughing loudly she apparated back to her original spot.

"He screamed like a little girl" she said in a sing song voice as she cast evanesco on herself, her now invisible form began to circle him. So it wasn't true that Scott had cried out or screamed but the infernal mudtraitor before her would not know that.
"He begged for his life" she continued to whisper in that eerie singalong way.

 

[Andros Carter]

Andros raised his wand again, managing to block the Imperius curse and most of the deadly blades of grass. However, two managed to avoid his shield charm; one slicing a small gap in the sleeve of his robes, the other left a shallow gash in his face which soon became etched with blood. Though he noticed, Andros did not care.
His rage was building up inside, the blood from his racing heart filling his head. "No!" He shouted back at her, "Scott was a brave man.. You're lying!" Whether she was lying or not, Andros didn't know. He didn't care. He would defend Scott's memory even if his words were lies.

And then she disappeared. Andros could still hear her. She was near him. By the sound of it, she was circling him.
"You're a coward, Dolohov," Andros said, continuously turning on the spot, wand in hand, ready to fend off an attack. "Come out and fight me! Stand before me- I want to see your face contort with pain as I kill you." What was he saying? It was as if something had posessed Andros. He was so full of anger, hatred, vile poisonous hatred.
"You killed an innocent man!" Andros shouted, his chest falling and rising. "You killed him," he said, the poison hatred pulsing through him, burning him. "You who are not worthy even to lick the mud off his shoes." At this, he spat at the ground beside his feet.
And then, Andros used homenum revelio: His opponent was outlined to his right and Andros spun round, blasting the 'confringo' spell at her.

 

[Thorine Dolohov]

Another laugh as she saw a few blades pierce him, walking around steadily all the time watching him most carefully.
"Scott Anderson pushed quills you imbecile, what is brave about a desk job" a sneer sounded in her voice as she spat the words out at him, "if he were even half as good as he once was do you think I could have gotten so close to him? the man was weak as you are".

Hastily she moved, her feet crunching broken twigs on the ground. An innocent man, how the ministry always thought their own were innocent. How truly pathetic she mused, stopping not very far from him at all when he cast the charm to reveal her presence. With one wand she blocked the curse he sent her way while spinning around swiftly, her robes flying about her in an arc like manner she bellowed her counter spell.
"Oppugno Griffin " it seemed as if the very air shook as a herd of the giant creatures leapt from her wand and raced at thunderous break neck speed towards the auror.

 

[Andros Carter]

Andros knew he wouldn't have long to react as he saw the herd of creatures charging straight at him. His wand, which he had pointed at Dolohov, now pointed straight at the creatures. With only seconds to think, Andros focused all his energy hard on a reflecting charm.

A burst of light shot from his wand and an enormous shield formed before him. Both his hands gripped his wand tight as he held the shield: The creatures ran straight for him, hit the shield and bounced back.
This was the only chance he'd have. Andros flicked his wand, ending the shield charm and sending a bright green light at Dolohov. "He was a better person than you will ever be!" Andros bellowed his replied, hair whipping round at the sides of his face.

 

[Thorine Dolohov]

She watched him shield himself adequately before sending a spell her way but by then she was already apparating to the other side of him. An eerie laugh bubbled up once more, her green eyes looked almost mad now and not necessarily with rage.
"But you don't know me, some people think I am very very nice" another laugh at this blatant lie though her children of course loved her she seriously didn't think even they would put their mother in the 'nice' catagory.
Moving her wands with intricate detail and using some non verbal spells she conjured an anti-gravity mist to surround the man once he stepped anywhere inside of it he would be turned upside down facing nothing but sky but she did not stop there, into the mist she also sent the caterwauling charm, so that the moment he entered the mist not only would all gravity become reversed but the loudest most awful screeching would be heard by only him. She was practically dancing about now him now, though the mist kept him from seeing her.

"Do you have a family silly man?" she laughed again, "you should have said your farewells to them".

 

[Andros Carter]

He was going to die. That was all Andros could think. He was going to die and Dolohov would escape. It looked like this was truly it- He was trapped and there was no way to escape. He could no longer see Dolohov but he could hear her. Andros knew how important it was to catch Dolohov. He held his wand up to the sky and closed his eyes just for a moment, focusing hard:
A silver badger sprung from the tip of his wand- A final cry for help, the last chance for Dolohov's capture.
The patronus sped away, off to find its target, off to find the one man Andros knew could put an end to all this mayhem.
To Nicolas King.

 

[Nicolas King]

Nicolas was in his office, reviewing the pile of cases that had appeared on his desk over the past week which he had managed to shuffle off on to other departments in the Ministry, such as the Magical Law Enforcement Squad, until Scott's case was solved. It seemed those in charge of the case were aware of who had committed the crime and were now attempting to apprehend the woman. Nicolas would stay at the Ministry until he was positive all those involved in the case in the department were back and unharmed.

As Nicolas King turned the page and pulled out the piece of parchment to place it in a pile of cases his department should take on as soon as Scott's case was concluded, a patronus burst in to his office in a shimmer of silver. It relayed its message to Nicolas, who had rose with a start and drew his wand immediately. As the badger faded back in to nonexistence Nicolas waved his wand, drawing up a file of the Auror who had been sent to deal with the Dolohov woman. He had to verify that had, indeed, been his patronus - if it was not, he would be apparating in to a trap and the Death Eaters would be two for two with regard to Auror department heads.

Within moments Nicolas was assured that the badger was indeed the patronus of Andros Carter. Without any further thought, and his arm pointed out at the ready, Nicolas apparated from his office to the specified location in order to assist the Auror and, hopefully, return in time for supper with all this business behind him and a good seed to plant in the prophet with regard to the new order of things at the Ministry. Unfortunately, Nicolas realized that he had to play the prophet just as well, if not better, than the Death Eaters seemed to. He needed to ensure they printed every positive story they could so that the Wizarding community in New Zealand would feel safe, or safe enough, once more.

Nicolas landed outside of the door of the house that Andros had directed to him. This was it. Kill or be killed, once again. Nicolas smirked quickly in Andros' direction, giving him a reassuring nod as he backed away from the mist and the woman on the other side of it. "Finite Incantatem!" Nicolas flicked his wand toward the mist and a short bolt of light entered in to it, erupted within it, then brought the mist and any other magic used on it into nothingness. "Thorine Dolohov." Nicolas began, locking eyes with the woman and moving his hand to grip his wand with more ease and comfort. "I presume she chose the tough route, then?" Nicolas enquried of Andros, his gaze not wavering from the woman opposite him.

 

[Andros Carter]

Andros was pleased that Nicolas King had joined him at last but it would be a lie to say that calling for help felt pathetic.
"Something like that." He muttered in reply. His wand was still ready should Nicolas need help in taking down Dolohov; a scenario he very much doubted. After all, Nicolas King was, most probably, the best Auror alive.

Andros felt a cool breeze on the back of his neck. It shot straight down the back of his robes, stabbing at his back. He hadn't realised that the sudden intense atmosphere would cause a small amount of sweat to escape and rest on his back, freezing him.
Dolohov was in for it now. Anyone could see that.

 

[Thorine Dolohov]

Turning her head swiftly when the crack sounded, indicating someone had apparated. A smile spread across her face then, Nicolas King had arrived.The thorn in the side of Death Eaters, oh it would be such a pleasure taking this fool down she mused walking stealthily back and forth on the other side of the mist. She was not surprised when he cleared the spells, was highly amused that the young man had to summon his superior here because he would surely have perished.

"Needed your hand held eh?" she cackled loudly, the head of the auror office spoke her name and the two looked directly at one another.
"Nicolas King I presume" she no longer laughed now, though the smile on her face remained as sardonic as before. Her green eyes blazed malevolently at him as she raised both wands at shoulder height pointed directly at him.
"You are still in my sights young pup" she spoke to the auror who had come first, all the time her gaze never once leaving Nicolas King.

Waving the wand in her left hand she spoke once more, "do you recognize the wand old Nicolas? After tonight I shall have two more wands to add to my collection. Scott's was a prize to be sure but your wand Nicolas King is definitely one worth having". She prepared herself for the inevitable duel that would follow, at last fighting someone she considered an equal in skill.

 

[Nicolas King]

Nicolas moved his left arm behind his back, holding it in place and moving his right arm and wand out, pointed more directly at Thorine, and in a proper duelling form. He wanted to be completely ready for whatever tricks this woman thought she had up her sleeves. As she spoke to him of Scott's wand, and his own, Nicolas shook his head. In truth he didn't pay that much attention to the wands of other magic folk, no sane person did. But it seemed this crazy felt some need to have the wands of her victims. Little did she know that, though two wands would be taken today, they would be the ones she now wielded as she was carted off to Azkaban.

Choosing not to exchange words, not to distract himself or Andros from their task, Nicolas flourished his wand with a quick motion of his wrist and spoke, "Incarcerous!" Ropes sprung from his wand toward the woman opposite him. He wanted this to be a clean capture, nothing horrible to it. It would be much better to bring her to Azkaban and Ministry justice than for him to bring her to her death on the spot.

 

[Thorine Dolohov]

She watched him through malevolent eyes as he prepared for a duel, Thorine prepared herself and just as he moved his wand and uttered his incantation she apparated once more to the opposite side. Thorine was livid how dare he use that spell on her, she would not be taken in chains, ropes or any other binding. There was no way she would allow the ministry to lock her up as they had done her mother, uncle and grandfather. She would not rot in one of their disgusting cells. She hastily flourished her own wand at the man practically screaming the curse that was so comfortable on her lips.
"Crucio!"

If Nicolas King seriously thought he could show up, incarcerate her so easily and cart her off to Azkaban without any fight at all he surely was mistaken. She would put up a fight the likes of which he had never seen before.

 

[Nicolas King]

Nicolas spun around and waved his wand expertly once more, "Protego Totalum!" he incanted, a protective bubble enveloping him and his colleague. "Crucio? That's much too clean for you, Dolohov. That doesn't leave any signs of torment. You'd rather rip apart one's innards, wouldn't you?" Nicolas spoke these words, thinking momentarily of Scott before ending the spell he had cast to protect and moving his wand for the offence. "Confrigo!" came this incantation, his wand pointed to the ground just before Thorine's feet. He hoped this would knock her off her feet, or distract her long enough, for him or Andros to make another move at capturing her. That was the only way the day could end: in the capture of a Death Eater. Nothing else was acceptable to Nicolas.

Nicolas knew, of course, that it would both be understandable and likely taken lightly by the Ministry of Magic and the general public should he or Andros kill Thorine in defence of their own lives and the greater wizarding community. Were it to come down to them or Thorine - Nicolas knew the choice had already been made for him, Thorine would die. But he also felt this should end differently and that the justice Scott fought for, and the justice Scott would want with regard to his death, would be to capture Thorine. The taking of a life was seldom truly justifiable, and never something Nicolas took lightly. Murder was murder in his eyes, and though he had killed before it didn't get any easier as the years went by.

 

[Thorine Dolohov]

The spell deflected Nicolas King made an attempt to goad her before casting a blasting charm at the ground before her feet. She glowered at him as the ground shook and crumbled. Dust and granite flying every which way. Thorine had foolishly attempted to stand her ground but at the last minute thought better of it and as the fragments of dirt and tarmac flew through the air and a cloud of dust formed, she apparated once more to the other side of them. Wincing as she moved her robe aside, blood spurted from a wound in her side where some sharp rock imbedded itself. She did not scream as she pulled it out and tossed it aside but the blood flowed freer now. There was no time to heal it just yet as she laughed again.

"Confrigo Nicolas, really? such an amateur spell even for you" she taunted him at his own game, knowing that she could easily use the Dolohov curse on either of them but that was quite literally giving them firm evidence against her when she was still sure they had none.
"Sectumsempra" she blasted at the other auror this time, spinning swiftly about and sending another cruciatus curse at Nicolas King. She wanted to see him writhe in agony.

 

[Andros Carter]

Andros had watched the battle, been shielded from it but now a curse was flying towards him. His eyes widened and the world seemed to slow. His heart drummed so loud that he could hear it in his ears. Andros throat went very dry as he sent up a shield charm-
But too late. The curse had shot through in time to hit Andros squarely in the chest, yet his shield charm had shot up and was protecting him and Nicolas from the next attack.

Andros had stumbled backwards and now he lay on the ground, blood appearing through his clothes. He kept the shield up still.
He may have had a few things he would like to have said to Dolohov, but his mouth suddenly filled with blood.
Andros had to make a quick move: The shield dissapeared and Andros pointed his wand at himself, using non-verbal spells and healing his wounds. He hadn't managed to heal them fully but well enough and he stood up, wand pointed at Dolohov. He spat the blood from his mouth. "Impedimenta!" Andros said, sending the spell at Dolohov. Anything to make this capture easier, Andros thought to himself, wondering why he had chosen that spell.

 

[Nicolas King]

Nicolas spun around once more as Thorine apparated yet again behind him. A moving target was harder to hit, sure, but why did she not just apparate away if she was so able to apparate on a whim? Was this woman that arrogant, that she felt she could take down to aurors at once? Delusion was fairly common amongst Death Eaters, perhaps this was the case with her as well.

As Nicolas readied himself for another spell he noted her injury and realized that this was the time to act for the capture. Just as he prepared to cast, however, the woman opened her wound and spoke - evidently deciding to continue the duel. This was foolish on her part, but soon enough two more spells were sent their way. One hit Andros just as he muttered his shield charm, and that shield protected Nicolas.

Nicolas took a moment to thank his comrade who now seemed busy with the business of healing himself before refocusing on the woman they were to apprehend. It was evident that she would sooner kill them both than even risk being captured. Andros could have died moments earlier, could still die. At this rate, Nicolas knew he may have to take drastic measures to ensure their own safety. Running away was a non-option. Scott was avenged that evening, whether by the law or by cold and natural repayment for murder with murder. Murder was the last thing on Nicolas' heart and mind at that moment, but it was a reality he feared he might have to face. If capture was impossible, then murder was the alternative. It would be two murders, two absolute evils, or one - and even in the realm of even, one is less than two.

Flourishing his wand for the attack Nicolas shook his head. Thorine needed to be helped. "Curses seem to be the game." Nicolas muttered to himself as, without words, the Conjunctivitus Curse shot from his wand toward Thorine. Perhaps a blinded witch was easier to capture?

 

[Thorine Dolohov]

The gash in her side seemed to deepen after apparating and yet she was too intent on the battle before her, too greedy in wanting to take down the newest head of the auror department and one of his pawns to even attempt a minor heal. Did she really believe at that point that she was invincible? Perhaps, she had after all the Great Antonin Dolohov's blood coursing through her veins and the blood of the infamous Carrows as well. She heard the jinx being fired at her and blocked it easily enough but was not quick enough to then block the one sent by Nicolas King.

Her eyelids seemed tightly shut together, blinded from all before her she screamed aloud before apparating into the house. The move was fast but dangerous as blood did not cease to flow from her opened wound. Her gown and the inside of her robes were now coated in her blood. Undoing the curse on her eyes she used finite blinking angrily as her sight returned. The anger at having left one curse hit her tore through her like wild fire. This would not be tolerated. Glancing down at her offending side she cast 'episkey' on it, the minor healing charm would not work for very long as the wound was too deep but she believed it would work long enough for her to do what she had to do.

Throwing off her robe and tossing her death eaters mask on top of it she twirled both wands in her hand, seconds only passing since she had entered the house. With strength of mind she flung the doors of the house open and walked purposefully outside to face the two men. Wands at the ready as she blast the killing curse their way.

 

[Nicolas King]

As Thorine disappeared once more, Nicolas rolled his eyes. "Should have been a bloody antidisapparition jinx." He commented, largely to himself, releasing a heavy breath with these words as Thorine exited her house and it was made evident how wounded she had been, though she seemed to have stopped the bleeding for now, and her eyesight had also been restored, quite clearly. This was all Nicolas had time to notice as the killing curse was shot in their direction.

Nicolas leapt to his side, avoiding the killing curse and allowing it to hit a tree somewhere in the distance which burst in to flames as a result. Rolling on the ground and quickly back to his feet, Nicolas took aim at Thorine once more, throwing proper duelling form to the wind as he steadied himself and cast a wandering eye in Andros' direction. He still wasn't very well. He was patched up, sure, but he wasn't in the state of body or mind to duel. A single killing curse his way, maybe two, and he would be the next victim of Dolohov, another headline for the prophet, another installation of fear in to the hearts and minds of Wizarding Folk in New Zealand, and the first blackspot on his record as head of the auror department - and all in a fight he was part of? No. Those were not things he was willing to compromise about. Evil, it seemed, in this instance, had to be met with evil.

Moving himself closer to Andros, should he have to move him from Thorine's next curse, should she have one, and moving slightly closer to the woman herself, Nicolas cursed himself inwardly for this decision. This wasn't what how he'd wanted this to end, this was never how he wanted anything to end, and Nicolas was quite sure Scott had more faith in the justice of the Ministry than the justice of death. Whether or not that was true, Nicolas could not say. The Ministry was imperfect, and it often seemed that the natural order of things was to repay tit for tat, if you will. However, Nicolas was left with no other choice. He flourished his wand extravagantly, he allowed hatred to brew within him as no person should ever allow. This had to be. There was no other way. "Avada Kedavra!"

 

[Thorine Dolohov]

She wanted nothing more than to bellow with laughter, with victory at the death of another head of the auror department by her hand but she furiously watched Nicolas King move out of the way. Moving aside she glowered at the stupid fool that was wounded and tempted as she was to direct anything more at him, she wanted the bigger trophy. Desired it as if nothing else mattered more. She wanted Nicolas King's head on a plague over her fireplace where she could gloat forever more. Of course she would take his wand as well, it was a compulsion of hers that had begun many years ago and now a nice collection of wands had been built up over the years.

She looked once more to the man himself and fumed that he had moved to his fellow auror's side. Raising the two wands she decided to send them both the Dolohov curse with a smile on her face as she did so but the words she never thought she would hear from an auror's mouth were uttered and she watched the bolt coming for her. She had been taught of course by her grandmother that aurors were equally treacherous in the use of the unforgiveables as death eaters were but she had never witnessed it until now.

It seemed as if time were slowing down when in truth milliseconds passed, the faces of her children flooded her mind, the face of her beloved grandfather and parents and as the bolt struck her down and Thorine Antonia Carrow-Dolohov fell to her knees, her hands lowering slowly to her sides, it was not the look of disbelief or fear that was etched there but a smile of such beauty. Her very last thought had been of Arnost Zhefarovich her one and only true love and with his name in her heart she left the mortal world.

Her knees hit the ground first, her body lifeless from the impact of the curse swayed for a brief moment and then tilted forward. Lying face down in the dirt as perhaps all death eaters should die and yet even the very worst of them had managed to display love at some point. A love that she knew had made her infinitely stronger than she had ever been without it. Her arms limp by her sides, her fingers still grasped tightly to each wand. The prone dead figure of the infamous death eater looked sadly nothing short of pathetic.

 

[Andros Carter]

Andros had been preparing to fight though he was pale, his face becoming gaunt. He would be too weak to duel Dolohov. And as she sent the killing curse at them, Andros managed to leap aside, not so gymnastically as Nicolas King, however. He had the misfortune to hit his head on a small rock and now a thin trail of blood travelled down from his forehead. He could heal later, he would be cared for at St Mungo's. By people who were properly trained.
His wand was poised to attack as he stumbled back onto his feet but then he saw something, a sight he thought he'd never see; Nicolas had his wand aimed at Dolohov and spoke words Andros would never have spoken. He had shot the killing curse at her.

Andros, rather than feeling relieved at Scott's killer being dead, stared at Nicolas, shock pasted across his face. Yes, the job had been done, yes, one more Death Eater was removed from this world but at what cost? There was a silence and it hung low around Nicolas and Andros for a moment or two. Many thoughts raced through his head until finally he settled upon one.
"Scott's wand should be returned to it's rightful owner," he spoke in a solemn tone, "It should be buried with him." As was the tradition in the wizarding world. But it was not Andros's choice as to the fate of the wand or anything. It was Nicolas's.

 

[Nicolas King]

As the green bolt of light emitted from Nicolas' wand he saw its flashes of light reflect off of and illuminate Thorine's face, as if to ensure he got one good, last, final look at the woman he had just killed. As the spell hit her it grew quiet and Thorine fell over on to the ground. Absolutely lifeless. A woman who surely had family who cared for her had just been removed from this world at the greatest cost to Nicolas imaginable. He exhaled deeply, acknowledging what he had just done, before glancing at Andros and the poor state he was in, and the look of absolute shock which etched itself in to his features. Surely what Nicolas had just done was understandable? A necessary evil, but still necessary? He had reasoned to himself about it enough, ensured all other opportunities had been exhausted. Thorine had driven him to this - had she not?

With a very grave look on his face Nicolas took a step back, his eyes shut a moment as he regained his balance and composure. He placed his wand once more in his pocket, releasing it from his grip becoming a task all its own. Then he opened his eyes and heard Andros' words. What did this young auror think of him now, after that? What would the ministry say? Surely Aurors had been given permission to use the unforgivable curses in this instance, but would it be found necessary in their eyes? What of the public? What of Corinne? How would Nicolas, himself, deal with this? This event which put made another stain of blood on his hands, another rip to his soul, and another step toward that evil which he studied and knew but fought against as vehemently as he could?

"Don't..." Nicolas' voice faltered. "Don't worry yourself with that. First we'll bring you to Saint Mungo's, I'll have people come here and deal with this, and then I'll write this report." Nicolas resolved, moving toward the pale young man and drawing his wand once more. "Are you well enough to apparate on your own, or shall I bring you along?"

 

[Andros Carter]

A part of Andros understood that Nicolas had taken the only action left to take and that it was the woman's own fault for not co-operating.
But then, he also knew that there were grave consequences for such actions. He had just witnessed one being taking another's life. It just wasn't right. It wasn't natural. The least of his worries were for the wounds over his own body. Andros knew what happened if one person took another's life- the latter would have a rip to their soul. Damaged forever. Nicolas could go to Azkaban. The man who has subsequently saved Andros's life could be thrown in Azkaban. Well, he for one was not about to let that happen.

Finally, Andros found his voice once more. "You did what you had to." He said, eyes meeting Nicolas's. This was the most reassurance and comfort that Andros could spare. He was too shocked to say anymore, becoming more weak by the minute. "I'll.. I'll be fine.." Andros did not look at Nicolas as he walked a short was away but at the last moment, he turned and nodded. "You did the right thing."
And with those words still floating in the air, Andros disapparated, leaving Nicolas alone with his thoughts.