What happened in the Ritual Caves:

Antonius didn't feel like eating the soup that Silas had given him. He had no appetite. Even though he kept trying to convince himself that Catherine was wrong about the ritual, there was a gnawing doubt in the back of his mind that increased as time advanced... but there was no way out, nothing he could do.

He'd just eaten some of the bread on its own, when he felt Catherine leaning her head on his shoulder. She was fast asleep, her bowl slipped from her hands...

Antonius put his bowl down and tried to wake her, but she was sound asleep. He realised Silas must have put a sleeping potion in her soup. Why would he do that? Catherine must have been telling the truth about the ritual.

Antonius poured his soup away and vanished it. He realised he had to come up with a plan. He made sure Catherine was comfortable, and went to explore the caves. There were only four of them, and they all lead into each other, in a circle. The one furthest away from the entrance cave was the sacrificial chamber.

Unfortunately there was nowhere to hide.

He returned to Catherine and tried to wake her again; but no matter how hard he tried, she would not wake up.

Time passed slowly for him, he had no idea what he could do really, but he made his mind up on one thing. As soon as Silas returned, he was going to pretend to be asleep.

Eventually the sun began to set. Antonius lay down on the ground beside Catherine and closed his eyes. He heard Silas enter the caves, and lift Catherine up off the ground. He opened his eyes briefly when Silas was walking away from him. Silas was carrying Catherine in the direction of the sacrificial chamber.

There was no time to lose, he had to think of something quick. The Basilisk was still outside, so there was imminent danger outside and inside. He needed to distract Silas and lure him out of the caves somehow. Maybe if he could keep Silas distracted long enough for the sun to set, he could prevent him from being able to perform the ritual at all.

Then he had an idea. Silas had used the Imperius Curse on him more than once, but would he be able to use it on Silas?

Antonius decided it was the only thing he could think of, so he would at least have to attempt it. If he failed, he could try to fight Silas - he knew he wouldn't be able to beat him, but he could at least stall for time. He crept through the caves to the sacrificial chamber.

Silas had shackled Catherine to the table. He was pouring a horrible-looking liquid over a dagger.

Antonius whispered,"Imperio!"then,"go outside and tell the Basilisk to go away from here. Tell it to stop guarding the caves."

To his surprise, and delight, it worked! Silas put down the knife and left the caves. Now was his chance! He quickly went into the sacrificial chamber.

"Catherine!"he said, putting his hand on her shoulder and shaking her,"Catherine!"

Catherine opened her eyes slowly. The sleeping potion was beginning to wear off. She had to be awake for the ritual, and Silas had made sure he'd given her just the right amount.

"Alohomora!"Antonius released her from the shackles.

Catherine sat up and looked at him, confused.

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"Catherine! Go!"he whispered,"run!"

"What's happening?"she whispered.

"I managed to distract him, but we don't have time!"Antonius whispered, half-dragging her out of the sacrificial chamber.

They reached the opening of the cave.

"Run!"Antonius said,"run with your eyes closed!"

"Are you coming with me?"she asked.

"Catherine! Go!"Antonius ordered, he shoved her out beyond the entrance of the cave.

She ran off. Her arms outstretched in front of her, her eyes closed.

There was no sign of the Basilisk, and no sign of Silas either. Antonius decided to run out after Catherine. Then suddenly he stopped. Suddenly everything seemed to be alright. Why was he running? What need was there to run? He turned around and walked back into the caves. Silas was standing in the entrance, but that did not bother him. He walked all the way into the sacrificial chamber, climbed onto the table and lay himself down while Silas shackled his wrists and ankles.

"I can't believe you had the AUDACITY to use the Imperius Curse on me!"Silas hissed,"well, now see how you like it! I'm going outside now, to call my Basilisk back and send it after Catherine. Don't think you've saved her, Antonius, my Basilisk will get her, and you've only succeeded in killing yourself."

The spell had worn off by now, and Antonius was realising, full of horror, what had happened. He looked up at the deep orange light cast by the setting sun growing closer and closer to the marker carved into the stone edge of the skylight.

Silas returned.

"Silas! Please!"Antonius pleaded.

"You brought this on yourself,"Silas said,"when you let her go. I didn't want to have to use you, you're the last of your line to carry the Parkinson name. I have no intention of ending another Pureblood line. That's why I chose her - there are plenty of Carrows to spare! This is all your own fault!"

"You don't have to do this,"Antonius said,"it's not necessary. You're already powerful enough."

"You have no idea what you're talking about,"Silas said,"you couldn't possibly understand what I need. You don't know how much it is going to take to succeed!"

No amount of persuading from Antonius could change Silas' mind. As the orange light grew closer to the line and Silas approached him with the dagger, he imagined Silas would stab him through the heart as the sun set. As Silas got closer to him, he closed his eyes tightly, and waited, terrified, for death.

Instead, he felt a sharp pain in the palm of his right hand. When he opened his eyes, he realised he hadn't been killed, but blood was seeping from a wound in his hand.

"Is that all?"Antonius asked, a strange relief coming over him,"you just needed my blood?"

"Don't think it's over,"Silas responded,"not for another five hours or so. You probably won't feel much pain right now, but it will keep increasing. Before you die, you'll be in agony, you'll beg for death, but it won't come to you swiftly."

"Why are you telling me this?"Antonius asked, miserably.

"Because this is what you deserve,"Silas said,"a fitting execution for a blood traitor."

Antonius tried to blink back tears. He felt betrayed. All those years he had worked hard for Silas, the things he had done for him, endured for him. Now Silas was revealing his true colours in the most vibrant tones. For a long time, Antonius had considered himself to be Silas' only true friend; but, Silas himself, was not a true friend to anyone.

"And all of this suffering will be for nothing,"Silas went on,"Catherine is probably already dead by now."

"At least she doesn't have to suffer,"Antonius said, choking back tears,"I've saved her from this! You can't say I haven't saved her!"

"Idiot!"Silas said,"what difference does it make? She would have died anyway, the only difference is now you are suffering, and you are going to die, when I had no plans to kill you!"

Then Antonius heard Silas whispering in Parceltongue, before leaving the cave. What he didn't know was that Silas' snakes had informed him of the death of his Basilisk and that was why he left.

It was quiet then, and Antonius was left alone, with nothing to keep him company, but pain and the fading twilight. He closed his eyes, he started to feel sick now, and feverish, the pain continued to spread as it grew darker and darker.

Then suddenly, he felt someone touch him. He screamed and opened his eyes. Who was that? Was it Silas? Dark hair, dark eyes, but kind and reassuring - it wasn't Silas. Antonius wondered if he was hallucinating, he felt he was able to pull his arms free of the shackles.

He heard a familiar voice,"get up, we need to get out of here!"

He saw a boy; similar in height to Silas, same red and yellow striped school tie, same red Gryffindor crest on his shirt, not no - it was not Silas - it was...

"Max Castellanos? Is that you?"Antonius said,"I'm not dreaming this?"

"You're not dreaming,"said Max,"come on."