Title: The Children of Darkness
Summary: The challenges of the previous years were only for setting the stage. Raigan Aeron has now made his first move. Fitting, that it should coincide with the TriWizard Tournament…After all, it is a game, a deadly one, but a game nonetheless...
Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, but here it is, the first chapter of the sequel to The Children of Fate! I hope you enjoy it!
Pairings: Harry/Hermione, Sofia/Draco
Rating: T
Chapter One: The First Move
There was a castle built of dark stone in a desolate wasteland. A man sat on a black throne, overlooking an expanse of land that had been withered by death and darkness through a wall of glass. Twisted, burned and gnawed bones made up the dais that his throne stood on while the throne itself seemed to have been made of darkness and shadow incarnate. It was a throne fit for a God of Death. Indeed, he who sat upon it could not be a measly mortal man, mere flesh and blood; he was so much more…
Straight, raven hair slipped out of the leather thong that held it back in a smooth tail while silver eyes poured over a tome as ancient as the earth itself. A pair of ravens watched as a sensuous mouth set itself into a smirk. A chilling beauty was his, so handsome that it almost hurt to look at him. He was like the Sun in all its gleaming, glorious beauty, but with all the cruelty and harshness of a winter night.
Letting the tome fall to the floor, he stood up, and in an enviously fluid motion that few could ever hope to perfect without the assistance of magic, crossed the hall and glided to a wall from which there hung a painting of a green eyed black haired girl. A low laugh left him as he reached out towards her face though his fingers met only canvas and paint.
"I'll find you, my sweet Evening Star, you are almost in my grasp. Just wait a little longer for me…and then we'll be together forever and ever."
"The Champion for Hogwarts will be…Cedric Diggory!"
Alex leaned on the table and clapped for the Hufflepuff while the Weasley Twins groaned at the thought that a Hufflepuff would be the Hogwarts Champion for the Triwizard Tournament. He smirked at his friends. He didn't really care as long as Sofia and he had a peaceful year. A Slytherin could bloody well be the Champion for all he cared. Speaking of Slytherins, he glanced at his sister who was laughing over something with Hermione. She was getting much too close to Malfoy for comfort, even though it was because of their awkward friendship that she was almost back to normal. Still…he wondered why she couldn't have been paired up with a Ravenclaw or a Hufflepuff for the 'Improving House Relations' program that the idiot Headmaster had implemented. Honestly? Pairing half of the Snakes with half of the Lions? What kind of a rash, bullheaded plan was that?
Really ,he thought as drank some pumpkin juice, in what world would that work? It has about the same chance as succeeding as my and Sofia's name has of coming out of that Cup-
"Alexander and Sofia Black!"
Alex sprayed Ron with pumpkin juice. Of course, of course he had to go and jinx the year. Why couldn't he have compared it to something else, such as Ron wearing a pink tutu and performing in Swan Lake? Why? As it was, Ron was giving him the gimlet eye for drenching him in the juice and could distinctly hear him saying "Just because you were surprised mate, doesn't mean you have to give me a bloody bath. I was bloody well surprised and I didn't bloody spit any pumpkin juice all over you!"
He whimpered and clutched his head as the Great Hall was silenced, as if by a mass Silencio and Alex was quite certain as to why. After he allowed himself a moment to wallow in misery, quite sure that this was another plot by Raigan Aeron, or rather his first move, he dragged himself and his fuming sister to where the Champions were waiting.
God damn it all.
As they passed the godforsaken Goblet that Alex was currently considering how to destroy (For if he destroyed it, wouldn't they not have to compete as the object holding them in a bound oath would no longer be in existence?), blue flames rose up once more. Yet instead of spewing forth another paper holding another name, the flames whispered and cried with a thousand voices. The flames rose up high, licking the ceiling of the Great Hall and caressing the walls wantonly. Hands of blue flame reached out to Alex and his sister. Instinctively, he shielded Sofia with his body, not wanting her to be touched by the wraith-like flames and moved out of their reach, only for the immaterial hands to follow them.
"What do you want?" Barely above a whisper his voice came out as his face was illuminated by the flames.
The flames, for lack of a better word, giggled in response before launching themselves at the Black Heirs once again, this time, catching hold of them. The heatless flames licked at their flesh and clothes as the hands fluttered about them. A single voice then rose out of the distorted aria, chilling in its childlikeness. Silvery flames rose up to form the words spoken by the unsettling voice.
The innocent shall be slaughtered
By those of earth and iron
The spilled blood will continue to flow
Twin of heart and soul, flesh and blood
Shall avenge and tread the path of rage and bloodlust
Sealed by Kingly brothers three
The Prince bides his time
Freed unwittingly, death follows
He searches for the Star of Morning and the Star of Evening
Protected by the Daughter of Outcasts and the Son of Winter
His return is announced by his failure
To capture the Stars protected by the Son and Daughter
As the words faded, so did the flames, releasing their hold on Alex and Sofia.
Mouth set in a firm, grim line; Alex tightened his grasp on Sofia's hand and led her to the Trophy Room, ignoring the gawking and questioning stares aimed at them. The unnamed entity had warned them.
It was Raigan Aeron. This was his first move.