Amor y Libertad
Author's Note: Hello all, and thanks to VesperLogan, Dancer and SJ Iolanthe for following. Here's Book 3 of the Guardian Diaries Series. Even though it's the third in the series, you can read it on its own. This was the very first one that I wrote, so you'll be able to understand most of what's going on without reading the prequels, but you still can if you want to.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Harry Potter Franchise, all credit goes to JK for that, I only own my OCs, mainly Gallardo Eagle, Marcena Sempatho and Lord Diablus.
Contains strong violence, some language, some adult references and angst.
Prologue
The young man let out a deep sigh; a sigh of defeat? A sigh of acceptance? Or a sigh of heavy heartedness and longing? He could not tell. A stranger watching him from a distance would see a truly beautiful, yet sorrowful, scene.
The man gazed into a room where a young lady lay on her back, her left arm curled over her blanket. The moonlight illuminated her pale and tender face, even as she slept she had that smile on her face. Even though there were still minor scars left on her, she seemed content and at ease.
He looked away; the feeling of longing made him feel empty and numb inside. He knew that when she woke up she would have a broken heart and it would kill her. How could he be such a fool? How did he think that this would end? He hated himself for it... he hated Lupin's words, which chimed so annoyingly but truthfully in his mind.
He wanted to to walk in, stroke her smooth hair and hold her one more time. But he couldn't. He couldn't cross the invisible glass wall. He knew that more than anyone. He just sighed and let one lone tear leave his eyes. Slowly he reached into his pocket. He knew what he had to...
Chapter 1- Honour
Approximately Five Months Ago
8th March 1999
When the peace and quiet of the tent sang silently into the clear and tranquil night, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Gallardo beamed with delight; something like this had not happened for seemingly many years.
"Good eh?" Ron asked.
"Brilliant." Harry laid back in his old and worn arm chair.
Gallardo rose from where he was sat and looked at the transparent night sky through the roof of the tent. "Hope, my friends, is something that never dies! Toast?" Everyone nodded.
"Well here's to Potterwatch," he raised a glass of milk. "I hope we always have the courage and strength to keep going." Someone was on their side, they were giving out the truth and inspiring so many to stay true. Something rare and beautiful had just been witnessed. Something amazing could be revived tonight.
"But did you hear what Fred said? He's abroad! He's still looking for the wand!" Harry leapt to his feet and was pacing like a young socialist, who'd found a simple solution to the world's problems.
"Harry-" Hermione began.
"Oh, come on, Hermione. Why are you so eager not to admit it? Voldemort's after the Elder Wand!"
"HARRY, NO!" Hermione yelled, but it was no use. The damage had been done.
Ron grabbed him by the shoulders. "I told you that name was taboo! We can't use it any more! Hermione quick, put the protective spells back on!"
"Too late," Gallardo muttered grimly. There was crack outside their tents. "Ron, lights out!" Quickly, but maybe not quickly enough, Ron stole all the lights with his Deluminator. Gallardo drew his wand and lent with his back towards the front of the tent. The Sneakscope squealed with fear as they all knew what was coming.
"Ron, help me please," he jerked his head towards the outside of the tent.
A gruff voice beckoned them from outside their small sanctuary. "Come out with your hands up where we can see them. We have a dozen wands pointing towards you, and we don't care who we curse."
"We need to fight them." Gallardo whispered.
"They can't know it's him," Hermione returned. With that she pointed her wand at Harry and shot a jinx at him which made him swell and keel in sharp pain, but this pain would be nothing compared to what was to come.
Gallardo turned to Ron, "On three, we fire a powerful and contagious jinx, yeah?"
Ron nodded eagerly and breathed a sigh of anxiety. "Let's show those Snatchers."
"One... two..."
BANG!
The front of the tent exploded in flames sending the two stumbling towards the middle, the smoke engulfed the room and blindfolded the companions from seeing. The chanting of the flames seized and it was the smoke that did it's victory dance. All they felt was someone grappling their arm. Gallardo tried to pull out and strike his attacker; however, his attempt was futile as a very tall and dark man elbowed him down. Pain shot up his side and cheek as he landed on something unbelievably hard. He was heaved up and dragged outside with the air greeting him coldly and freezing his insides. The dark and tall man towered over him like a bully who felt so pleased to make a child's life a misery. In one hand he held a wand that looked brown or black, in the other he held the green rowan wand he must have yanked out of Gallardo's pocket.
Some yards away, he could see Hermione being manhandled by another man who he recognised as Fenrir Greyback, notorious for his savagery and desire to maim and torture.
"Get off her!" Ron demanded fiercely. The Snatcher, closest to him dealt a swift punch into his abdomen making him wince and vomit some blood.
"No! Leave him alone!" Hermione cried. "Leave him alone!"
Greyback let out a disturbing and jeering laugh. "You're boyfriend will have a lot worse done to him if he's on my list! Delicious girl... another one...what a treat. I do like the softness of a woman's flesh!" He turned to the Snatcher that had punched Ron. "Scabior, search the tent!" He then turned to the man who was stood over Gallardo. " Melchalot, find out who he is!"
"Yes, sir!" Melchalot answered. He grabbed Gallardo by the collar and stood him up and looked menacingly in his eyes. Even though Gallardo's pain had mostly faded, it did not add to his comfort that Melchalot's foul breath and body odour had decided to help with the interrogation.
"Who are you, boy?" he snarled.
"Tom McGregor," Gallardo answered as calmly as he could.
"Don't you lie to me!" Melchalot struck him across the face, causing him to fall to the ground. The smell and feel of the wet grass cushioned his fall and was a lot more welcoming than Melchalot's hygiene. But he did not dare stay down for two long; he immediately pulled himself back up to face Melchalot, who was way bigger than him. Could he aim a kick into the groin and make escape?
"I know you! You're Gallardo Eagle!" Melchalot growled. "I know your father! Tell me what you've been doing here!"
Gallardo sighed deeply and looked at Melchalot's bloodshot brown eyes. "I was camping with my friends, just camping."
"You better not lie to me!" Melchalot thundered. "I swear, if I find out you've lied to me, I'll make you forget to cry and run to mama!" With that he grabbed his hostage and hauled him towards the others, who were already tied up with their backs to each other. When Melchalot left them to report to Greyback, Gallardo saw that Harry had been tied to a small goblin and an Afro-Caribbean he recognised as Dean Thomas. He nodded politely yet grimly smiled towards Ron and Hermione, who were tied to each other. Gallardo had been bonded with a fairly petite girl, who had medium to dark brown hair, which covered her face; she wore a blue short sleeve floral tunic and shuddered either because of the cold or fear.
"Hey, it's gonna be OK," he whispered. She turned and looked at him. Despite the bruises, cuts and grazes on her face, Gallardo recognised that same smile, that smile that she had given him seven years ago, or was it eight? That cute smile that was warm, tender, contagious, and had an element of shyness about it, with the dimples it created.
"Hello Marcena," he said weakly, his throat suddenly dry. "What're you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing. I don't know if you've heard of Potterwatch? But I'm a field reporter and I was tracking the disappearance of Dean Thomas."
"So let me get this straight," he asked slightly more serious. " Lee- I mean, River sent you to the front line on your own?"
"Yeah, but I wanted to go," Marcena replied quietly. "But they can't know that, they can't know what I do," she jerked her head towards the Snatchers who were looking finished with their discussions.
Gallardo reached for her hand beneath his bonds and held it. It felt cold, because of the weather, yet it gave him a short burst of warmth and energy. "I won't let that happen."
"You haven't changed one bit," Marcena reminded, blushing slightly.
Ron grunted and rolled his eyes. "Crisis, mate."
"Not a bad haul for one night," Greyback said. "Five truants, a Mudblood and a goblin!"
Gallardo looked towards Harry, who's warts and boils were clearly starting to fade. He turned towards Marcena. [Marcena, I'm using thought speak; do you trust me?]
She nodded, looking a little surprised.
[Good, they're going to ask questions and find out that Harry is with us, we need to stop that. I need you to focus, clear your mind completely, ignore everything else. I need you to conjure up your Patronus; all you have to do is to imagine it. Do that for me, please.]
Both of them racked their brains, doing their very best to focus and conjure the Patronuses. Time was short as Greyback was interrogating Harry as to who he was.
Gallardo took a deep breath, it did little to steady his sprinting heart, but he knew he had to focus and try and get his friends out of this. [I know it's hard; I've actually never done this before. But we need to try! We can do this!] he communicated to Marcena.
After a few minutes of trying, the horizon seemed to nurture their escape. Two silver figures started to form in the distance, they were slowly but gradually galloping towards where the companions were held. However, the silver aura seemed to vanish slowly.
Greyback was waving a copy of the Daily Prophet in Hermione's face. Gallardo grimaced and breathed heavily. [C'mon, don't worry about anything else; imagine your Patronus with mine, which is an ibex goat. We can do this!]
"I say that's Potter, plus his wand, that's two hundred thousand Galleons. Now if you all are too gutless to claim with me, then I guess the prize is mine!" Greyback said.
"Too late," Marcena whispered softly. They had been found out; Harry Potter sat bound, less swelled, with his glasses and looked defeated.
"What did you say?" Greyback demanded.
"Nothing," Marcena said quickly.
"Good, well the prize is mine I guess. If I'm lucky... I'll get both girls thrown in with me, to satisfy all my hungers!"
None of the companions felt comfortable by that remark. A knot wound itself so tight in Gallardo's stomach that he felt like he was about to throw up, especially since Greyback scraped his filthy fingernails just under Hermione's neck.
"You've already caught us, so why humiliate us like a cowardly bully?" Marcena yelled suddenly.
The whole area fell silent as Greyback turned to face her. There was a loud slap followed by a scream as he struck her cheek. "Speak only when spoken to, bitch!" he grabbed her cheek in his sweaty hand, before then clutching her hair. "You have a very tasty neck and tits, don't you?"
Marcena began to shake, just then Gallardo clenched his fists. "Fenrir Greyback, I challenge you to a duel!"
"No, Gallardo, leave it, it's okay!"
The Snatchers began a river of laughter and jeering. Melchalot moved in towards Gallardo, but Greyback held him back. "No, Melchalot, I actually want to hear this!" He knelt towards Gallardo, his mane covered in grease and blood, his hygiene was not much better than Melchalot's as his clothes stank of sweat and tobacco.
"So you'd challenge me, would yeh?" he asked menacingly.
"You just crossed a line that you do not cross!" Gallardo growled, before he could stop himself. "I challenge you!"
Greyback laughed, "Very well, Mr Eagle. Untie him Scabior!"
"Fenrir, what if he tries to escape?" Melchalot interjected.
Gallardo was about to affirm that he wouldn't when Greyback answered. "He won't," he looked from Gallardo, to Marcena. "He definitely won't."
"Aaaahhh!" Melchalot sneered. "Wouldn't want to disappoint your girlfriend now would you?"
"Can we just get on, please?" Gallardo asked impatiently, while a part of him ridiculed himself for being a fool. As Scabior untied him and handed back his green rowan and capra horn wand, the wood greeted him with a glow of delight.
You idiot what're you doing? You'll get yourself killed! Remember the last time you duelled? You were almost butchered! a voice snarled, in his head.
He was thrown against the erected stone monument. The eight stones barricaded him, but would offer him no protection from what was coming. He was bleeding, heavily, and struggling to stand, every attempt caused his body to convulse with burning pain. The towering wizard in black armour strutted towards him. Gallardo's pain pulled him down, unable to stand properly, unable fight him off. The dark wizard raised his wand to make the second kill of the day. The first one being Dumbledore, Gallardo would be the second. He had tried everything, he had used all his skills and now his time was up.
"You scum!" roared Madam Hooch, as she charged with her wand out and broom mounted. The tyrant wizard just aimed and bolts of lightning consumed her, toppling her from the broom, screaming.
His heart thudded as he closed his eyes and prepared to accept his fate, as he prepared to accept Lord Diablus's victory over him...
Gallardo looked towards Marcena, who looked like she'd just seen a ghost, like she was about to cry. Then towards Harry and Hermione, who both smiled at him. That's what he needed.
That duel was against one of the most powerful wizards alive, he thought to himself. I've grown stronger since then and now is not the time to doubt myself!
"Eagle!" Greybacked roared. Gallardo straightened up and looked at his opponent face to face, he began inhaling the fighting spirit and exhaling all his anxiety out of his system.
"What's at stake?" Greyback asked roughly.
"If I win you give us our freedom." Gallardo said grimly, pacing from side to side.
"Fair enough," Greyback nodded, as a mischievous sneer shot across his face. "But if I win then I get to do whatever I want with your sweetheart!" The Snatchers chanted insults in support.
"No," Gallardo said simply. He swallowed. The chanting stopped following some jeering.
"No?" Greyback looked astounded. "Is Mr Eagle withdrawing, already?"
"No." Gallardo commanded more firmly, as he continued pacing. "If you win, you do what you have to me! You're problem is with me! You don't even lay a finger on her!" He glanced briefly towards Marcena, who looked towards the ground, and Gallardo was grateful for that. He turned and looked Greyback in his eye again. "You hear me?" The Snatchers fell silent, as though their cruelty took a blow.
"Who do you bloody think you are?" Scabior roared. "May I remind you that we are-"
"May I remind you that I am about to duel Mr Greyback," Gallardo retorted.
Greyback signalled for his men to be quiet. "Quite the man, Mr Eagle. You'd fight for her honour, wouldn't you?"
"I would."
"OK, then," Greyback strode back towards his men. "Since I'm in a good mood, I'll accept your conditions. Seconds?"
Gallardo hadn't thought of that, he glanced briefly towards Harry and then towards Melchalot. "No seconds," he replied. "You need to tell your men to not intervene."
"All right then," Greyback sighed. "Snatchers, don't intervene!"
"He hasn't told his friends-" Scabior began.
"My friends are tied up, thank you very much."
"Eagle, I'm warning you," Greyback began viciously. "If I win, your woman will watch me tear you up with my bare hands, understood?"
Gallardo's spine began to freeze, as goosebumps infected every ounce of his body. Now was not the time to show any weakness. He was strong, he was able and brave, he had shown a lot of courage to get this far. "I will not hesitate to strike you down!" he said menacingly. He looked around the landscape, towards his left was a bending tree, which was evergreen; it united its leaves and the cracked ground beneath it, even though the cracks appeared to be numerous. Gallardo would have to look within him to compose himself like the tree. He smiled as he and Greyback took up positions. He frowned into Greyback's face and did a short bow; his opponent returned the favour.
"One..." Scabior began. "Two..."
"Stupefy!" Greyback yelled.
"Enduro!" Gallardo countered in his head, for he was expecting Greyback to cheat. The wand cores locked with each other, Gallardo's green clashed with Greyback's red, a kaleidoscope was emitting in the centre of the two adversaries as both tried to hold their ground. Both worked up sweat, as it taunted them on their situation.
Gallardo exhaled his energy as he gave a yell from his chest; a twist from the shoulder is what it took to deflect Greyback's jinx and send him stumbling.
Gallardo pressed his right arm briefly to revive it for more. He felt he could truly win this.
"Crucio!" Greyback had recovered from his push; despite Gallardo's attempted dodge, the spell caught his left shoulder. It was like a hot knife had bitten into his skin. The impact sent him stumbling behind the tree. He grimaced and poured a bit of Water Charm on his shoulder to ease the scorching.
"Eagle, my boy, have you given up so early?" Greyback taunted.
Gallardo hissed, "Tormenta a Greyback!" A slash of the wand initiated a large black cloud above. A bolt of lightning charged at Fenrir Greyback, followed by the roar of its cavalry of lions.
Greyback yelled "Protego!" to block the attack. Gallardo sprang up from behind the tree. "You talk too much, Greyback!" he shouted. "Impedimenta!" The jet shot towards his adversary, who was thrown down to the ground, expelling the puff of air from his stomach. However, he rolled to his feet and snarled, it was as if he was about to transform into a werewolf at his choosing.
Before Gallardo could aim another spell, Greyback turned on the spot and vanished with a crack.
"What the-?" Gallardo began abruptly. "Did he just flee?" he said looking curiously at the Snatchers, who were like an over agitated group of football fans.
Two rough hands seized Gallardo from behind and threw him down on his front. He held out his arms to cushion the fall, before rolling to his right. A huge thud landed where he would have been. Greyback grabbed his throat and pulled him. Gallardo felt his wand slip to the ground as he struggled, apparently helpless, against Greyback's tough and vice like grip across his throat.
"You blood traitor! You filthy half-blood!" Greyback roared. "Since you love, Muggles and Mudbloods so much, let's see if you can fight like one! It's hopeless Eagle! I will tear you up! I will tear up each and every one of your friends!"
Gallardo's lungs started to burn as all the oxygen slowly sapped out from him. He needed to act and fast; Marcena's, Harry's and all of his friends' protection rested on it. In a moment of desperation he hammered both his fists to Greyback's temple and let out an almighty Ki-hap. The werewolf howled in pain and surprise, and released Gallardo, who landed in a frog position. He immediately rose and delivered a jump front kick, gliding his right leg into Greyback's chin. His anger within him charged right through and Greyback's tough flesh could not hold.
He summoned up his own wand and bellowed: "Impedimenta!" sending Greyback falling. He fired a Knockback Jinx deep into Greyback's stomach, making him cough blood and gasp in pain, followed by a fit of coughing.
"Levicorpus," he thought, with that Greyback's would be carcass soared upside down into the air. The Death Eater let out a scream as Gallardo summoned his adversary's wand in his left hand.
"It's all over, Fenrir Greyback!" he said fuming with rage, the duel was his for the taking. With his wand he quickly put a shield between the Snatchers and his friends, with Greyback's wand he aimed for the final shot. The green light began to form and hallow for its next victim.
"Avada-!" Gallardo began.
"Gallardo, no!" Marcena implored.
Gallardo breathed heavily and blinked fiercely; he lowered Greyback's wand, he let it slip to the ground with a small tapping sound. The heavens began to open as drops of water rained down on him, against his heated skin.
"The Gallardo I know, would never kill someone in cold blood," Marcena continued. "He would never take a life like that! Please, don't let him turn you into something else!"
As Gallardo let his breath leave his body, so did most of his rage, but not his anger. He let Greyback down with a flick of his wand. He strode over to Greyback, who was almost whimpering on the ground, and pointed his wand at him.
"Fenrir Greyback, I'll spare your life if you honour our promise and give us our freedom," he said calmly but firmly.
"Y-yes," Greyback stammered, his eyes bloodshot. "Please ...don't kill me," he added quietly, to everyone's surprise.
"Swear it on the blood of your Master!" Gallardo commanded, with more force, refusing to be taken for a fool, knowing that Greyback would be lost either way.
The air was silent except for the pattering of the rain. The Snatchers were completely silent, not knowing what to expect next and the companions felt astonished; how could they have got this far?
Greyback opened his mouth before swallowing. "I... swear..."
Gallardo smiled and lowered his wand, before sinking to his knees, grinning like a twelve year old. He turned to Marcena, and nodded, she smiled back. He looked to Harry and did a courteous semi-bow.
"Thank you," he whispered, because it was Harry's training that had prepared him for the duel.
"You're welcome, now please untie us," Harry said.
"Of course," Gallardo replied before trying to embrace the cool water as it streamed onto him, like a true blessing.
Suddenly, he felt a heavy boot dig into his side; the impact sent him sprawling into the mud. A punch also shot into his belly, which made him keel over with blood being coughed up. Greyback then grabbed Gallardo's wand and aimed the green rowan and the werewolf's brown oak.
"Greyback, we had a deal!" Gallardo yelled in pain. "We had a deal; you swore-"
"Yes, you will get your freedom," Greyback answered. "When my Master is done with you, you'll definitely have your freedom! Haha!" The Snatchers let out a sigh of relief at this and jeered through the Shield Charm.
Greyback aimed another kick into Gallardo's ribs, which made him fall back with a cry and a groan. But he quickly sat up and wiped sweat and blood from himself.
"Greyback, you're a dishonest dick," Gallardo panted.
"Electrolux!" Greyback snarled. Blue lightning bolts emitted from his wand burning Gallardo's shirt and razing his skin.
"We had a deal and you know you've broken it!" he panted once he'd recovered. He aimed a punch into Greyback's groin.
"Crucio!" Greyback aimed with both wands. Gallardo felt as if two white hot knives stabbed into him at thirty miles per hour over and over again. He screamed in agony and frustration at his situation. The mind numbing pain clung on to him jealously. "Greyback, you're such a-"
"Please shut up!" Marcena yelled, visibly crying. "Please, stop hurting him!" Greyback hesitated before charging another kick into his victim's arm. The air froze.
"Now... we stop," Greyback began disappointed, after a long and tense moment. He grabbed Gallardo's wounded body and dragged him back to the others, where he was bound.
The Shield Charm had worn off, as the Snatchers made their way to the companions; each of them felt roughly grabbed by the hair.
"To Malfoy Manor!" Greyback said.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading the first chapter, I know part of it was the last bit of Book 2, but told from Gallardo's perspective. I hope you enjoyed it, please leave a comment. ;)
Also, would you have killed Greyback if you were in Gallardo's situation?
