Chapter 4- Bassai


Well guys, this is the chapter that you've all been waiting for! Where most of the action is. Enjoy!

For those who're wondering, Bassai is the name of a common pattern used in Japanese, Okinawan and Korean Martial Arts, it can be loosely translated as "to penetrate/extract from/fight your way through a fortress", which is exactly what's happening here.

Also, you might note that I've upgraded the story from a "T" to an "M" because I re-read the rating system and the strong violence and non-consensual sex reference means that I probably can't have this as a "T" any more. I'm more than happy to hear your views on this.


"First thing's first!" Gallardo exhaled. "Hermione, can you use those coins and call the DA to a briefing in the library, in ten minutes? Tell them that Hogwarts needs them."

"I can," Hermione replied, taking out the coins from her bag.

"Ron, where is the Map placing Malfoy, Snape and Bordeaux?"

"Umm... Snape is in his office, Bordeaux is in his Common Room," Ron looked through the Marauders' Map. "Malfoy... I can't seem to find him..."

"So, he's in the Room of Requirements," Hermione deduced.

"Great!" Gallardo said, confidently despite his stomach flipping rapidly. "Ron, the second any of that changes you let us know, OK?"

"Got it!"

Gallardo quickly summoned some dark blue balls the size of oranges and pocketed them. "OK, let's go!" he smiled.

They rose and left the Common Room, where Ginny, Luna and Marcena were waiting for them.

"What's going on, guys?" Ginny asked.

"I'll explain later," Gallardo said. "Ron, we need to take some Felix."

Ron pulled out the phial of Felix Felicies and took a sip, before passing it them all to drink a little. The phial was soon empty.

"Gallardo, why are we taking this?" Marcena quizzed.

"Dumbledore has left the Castle," Hermione informed.

"What?!" Ginny and Luna said in dismay.

"But there is extra protection, right?" Marcena asked. "Members of the Order?"

"Yes, but we need to be extra prepared," Ron replied.

Within a few minutes they had arrived by the library, which was deserted but for the tall bookshelves that greeted them like security of a Cabinet War Room. They sat around a square table, hearts racing and lungs hungry for air. The dying sunlight lingered ominously on to the tables, but it would be gone soon.

Neville Longbottom, Tom Daniels, Michael Goodman, Penelop Llewis and Masam Nobutada, the substitute Marteslon Seeker, emerged through with a dutiful look on their faces. The six at the table nodded. Ginny cast Muffliato over them. They proudly sat down, proud that they were working together again.

"Malfoy intends to bring the Carrows and other Death Eaters into Hogwarts tonight," Gallardo explained. "He is in the Room of Requirement right now.

"Roland Bordeaux is recruiting his little gang from the Slytherin Common Room, he wants to help Malfoy and the Death Eaters.

"We also have Snape."

"I thought Snape was on our side?" Goodman questioned.

"Maybe," Gallardo agreed. "But the way he's been acting sometimes has been... not right. It wouldn't hurt to be cautious with him.

"Firstly, we need someone to alert some teachers about what could be happening tonight."

"I can do that," Marcena volunteered. Her eyes met with Penelope. "I'm sure Penelope will help me."

Penelope nodded. "But you only want us to alert a select few?"

"As many as you can, but Professors Marks and McGonagall are a must. Tell them that Hogwarts is under imminent threat from the Death Eaters!"

The two nodded.

"Ron, any change?"

Ron shook his head.

"OK, Hermione and Luna," Gallardo addressed. "Can you keep an eye on Snape, he's in his office? Whatever you do, do not try and fight him, please! But if he acts suspiciously let me know, all right?"

"Will do, Gallardo!" Luna chirped.

"Ron, Tom, Ginny and Michael, can you watch the Room of Requirements- make sure that Malfoy doesn't get out undetected. And look after her, guys!" Gallardo said sharply.

"Of course," Tom chuckled. "Yes, sir!"

Gallardo smiled weakly. "Neville, Nobutada, you're with me."

"What are we doing?" Nobutada said, in his Japanese accent.

"We are going to take down Bordeaux's gang before they reach the Death Eaters!" Gallardo roared, with determination. He handed each group two blue balls. "Sonic-hydro balls!" he replied to the inquisitive faces. "Courtsey of Fred and George Weasely!

"Right, any questions?"

The team shook their heads after looking at one another.

"If you need backup just call," Gallardo said, rising and clapping his hands together. "Good luck!"


Gallardo, Neville and Nobutada strode to the Slytherin Dungeon, their strides refused to give away the angst and the anxiety they were feeling. They knew that this was an important job, but had no idea how many people would Bordeaux be able to recruit. Yet, Gallardo had a plan.

They hid behind three different pillars, as they heard some cocky voices coming from down the corridor, where the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room was. Gallardo pressed himself back against the wall and looked opposite to see Nobutada, and Neville, who was slightly more to his left.

He could hear Bordeaux making a bawdy joke and the others laughing; they were getting closer. Gallardo nodded to Nobutada, chambered his wand and raised one finger. Two fingers. The second he raised three, Nobutada threw a Sonic-hydro ball at the oncoming group of twenty Slytherins. The ball struck Gregory Goyle, toppling him, the ball burst open and emitted a high pitched noise and a massive splash of cold water. Several of the gang fell, but ten of them were standing and recovering from the shock.

"Impedimenta!" Gallardo thought, fiercely blasting Bordeaux and another gang member down.

"Stupefy!" Neville yelled, as another Slytherin fell. Nobutada shot a Wind Chill Jinx at the group, as they all screamed and began retreating.

"They knew!" shouted Kardeacon. "How did they know?"

"We had our source!" Neville snapped. "Petrficus Totalus!" Kardeacon was immediately immobilised.

"Crucio!" Custer attempted.

"Enduro!" Gallardo retorted, locking wands, his green quickly overpowered Custer's red, which had barely a chance to flicker, as its master was sent stumbling back into a suit of armour, which clattered in between the trio and Bordeaux's gang.

"Run!" ordered Bordeaux, as he legged it away from the skirmish. Custer and Picott managed to follow but Zand and Mittson were stunned.

"Incarcerous!" cried Neville and Nobutada binding the seventeen gang members with cords.

"Crucio!" shouted Bordeaux when he was further up the corridor. But Gallardo blocked the spell. Bordeaux ran into the turn in the corridor, fleeing from the successful ambush.

Gallardo looked at Neville and Nobutada. Grinning with confidence, he jerked his head.

"After them!" Nobutada exclaimed; the three gave chase down the dingy hallway, which was lit by dozens of torches.

Gallardo's notebook began vibrating, he pulled it out, urging Neville and Nobutada to go on ahead. Ginny's name flashed on the cover.

"Answer!" he called. "Hello, Ginny!" he huffed. "We've sabotaged the gang and we're chasing three of them! How're you doing?"

"We need your help!" Ginny cried, frantically. "They seem to be heading to the Astronomy Tower but we can't seem to get up! There are so many of them!"

"Ginny, hold on, I think these three are heading to where you are!" Gallardo reassured. "We'll be right down!"

The chase led them up through the viaduct, where the darkness of the night enveloped Hogwarts. The Dark Mark glistened hungrily over the Astronomy Tower, sending a lethargic knot into Gallardo's stomach, but he refused to back down. He refused to let the thought of someone dying stop him from doing what he had to.

"It's over!" he exclaimed. "Give it up!"

Nobutada was catching up with the gang, his agility was serving him well as Roland Bordeaux began slowing down. Gallardo knew why he was a Seeker. If only he could get close enough to fire a jinx. He was raising his wand and about to take aim.

"Crucio!" Bordeaux barked.

Masam Nobutada screamed in pain, as he was thrust at a gargoyle, he banged his head and would have toppled off the battlements to an almost certain death had Neville not grabbed him.

"Nobutada!" said Neville. "Are you OK?"

Gallardo swore as he halted and felt a stitch in his side. He looked at Nobutada, who shook his head. He winced and swayed holding his bleeding head, struggling to stand.

Neville looked at his wound and shook his head. "We need to get him to the hospital wing, he'll bleed out if he fights any more!"

"No, go after them!" Nobutada beseeched. "We're loosing them!"

Gallardo sighed as the three figures turned a corner and disappeared out of sight. "Too late. We did what we had to with them. Nobutada, we're taking you to Madam Pomfrey. Good work team!"

"No!" coughed Nobutada. "I can make my own way there!" He conjured a bandage and placed it against his wound before grimacing. "Ginny needs your help! Go!"

Gallardo and Neville nodded and rose from their kneeling positions, slowly.

The Dark Mark glared at them and they glared back.

"To the Astronomy Tower!" Gallardo declared.

"To the Tower!" Neville shouted.

Side by side they jogged towards their target, accepting its challenge.


The two Hogwartians ran to the large hall that led to the Astronomy Tower, where the battle awaited them. Wooden chairs and tables were scattered around, almost forming a parapet, as curses and spells ricochetted and darted around the room.

Suddenly, the wall in front of them was blasted, causing splinters of wood to be severed. Neville pulled Gallardo back from the deafening impact; Tom Daniels was thrust against this shattered wall.

"Protego!" shouted Gallardo, stepping in front of Tom. An invisible shield expanded n front of the two, as Neville helped Tom up.

Augustus Rookwood and Gretkoff Cerberus swore and attempted a curse to break the shield.

"You stupid blood trait-" Rookwood began.

"Stupefy!" Marks and Marcena cried, causing them to drop.

Gallardo smiled and beckoned his comrades to come through.

"Good to see you!" he laughed.

"And you, Gallardo!" Marks shouted, deflecting a curse from Bellatrix Lestrange, but he pushed Marcena out of the way to lock in a duel with Rookwood, who had just recovered from being stunned.

There was Lupin, Tonks, Kingsley, McGonagall, Ginny, Goodman and Ron, who were fending off an attack from several Death Eaters, including: Bellatrix, Rabastian, Rudolphus, Yaxley, Travers, MacNair, Dolohov and a few others that Gallardo did not find time to recognise.

The glass of an adjacent classroom window smashed open as a man screamed as he was thrown to the ground over the piercing glass. He had blood and gashes all over him. His attacker howled in pleasure before he sank his teeth into his victim again.

Gallardo shuddered as he realised that this man was Fenrir Greyback savaging Bill Weasely.

"Get off him!" Ginny screamed, pointing her wand at Greyback but he just dashed at her, punching her away. Ron stung him with a jinx, but he kept running up the stairs to the Astronomy Tower.

Neville slipped past the Phoenixians and Death Eater duellists and chased after Greyback, but as soon as he reached the stairs he was blasted back and sent crashing into a table.

The whole hall was breaking under the intense pressure of curses and jinxes. The portraits screamed in fear and apprehension, yet some rooted defiantly for their castle.

"Stand fast!" roared an admiral portrait. The Phoenixians responded with a defiant volley of jinxes at the Death Eaters, forcing their retreat to their safe haven up the tower.

Lupin tried to go through, but he too was thrown backwards. "It doesn't make sense!" he said, begrudgingly. "Snape managed to get through!"

"I'll keep trying to counter this!" McGonagall assured.

"Where is Nobutada?" Goodman asked.

"He's alive but unfit to continue," Neville breathed.

"Where are Hermione, Luna and Penelope?" Gallardo asked.

"Watching the Room of Requirements for us," Marcena replied. "There might be more Death Eaters coming from there!"

"We're here!" Penelope called, entering the hall with Luna and Hermione, the three drew their wands and knelt beside Gallardo. "Malfoy was using a Vanishing Cabinet to bring the Death Eaters in." She cracked a mischievous smile. "Which we've just managed to destroy!"

"Well done!" Tom commended, putting an arm on her shoulder.

"Hermione, will you help me take Bill to the hospital wing?" Marcena asked, seeing Ginny look horrified at Bill Weasely, who was unconscious and badly wounded. His sister was trembling with shock and fear, but looked at Marcena with a thankful expression.

"Right away!" Hermione agreed. Both helped lift Bill over their shoulders and led him away. But not before defecting two curses back through the door to the actual Tower.

"We still need to get up the Tower!" Kingsley pointed out.

"Everybody stand back!" Lupin commanded. "Let's try something new. Minerva, I hope Albus will forgive me for doing a little redecorating, shall we say.

"REDUCTO!" he exclaimed. The doorway to the Astronomy Tower quaked violently before smashing down to rubble, taking the start of the stairs with it. A puff of smoke slowly subsided, but Malfoy followed shortly by Snape charged out and ran across the hall. Evil laughter followed them, followed by Yaxley, Greyback and a witch and wizard, who Gallardo realised were Amycus and Alecto Carrow.

Neville dived in their path, but Yaxley levitated a table and threw it straight at his stomach, causing him to drop to the ground and cry out in agony.

Gallardo fired a jinx at Yaxley and blocked his attack, whilst the Order resumed their fight with the many Death Eaters, who were descending from the Tower with an ounce of more stamina.

"Cover me, Mary!" a familiar voice cried.

Gallardo turned and was shocked to find Mary and Glenn in the hall, wands drawn yet looking lost.

Yaxley cackled as he fired a spell, but Lupin anticipated and blocked it, before nodding to Gallardo to deal with his family. The latter nodded back in appreciation.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" Gallardo demanded.

"We're fighting the Death Eaters!" Glenn replied.

"No, you can't be here!" exclaimed Gallardo.

"Surely we have a right to fight alongside you?" Mary reasoned.

"Listen to me!" Gallardo snapped, pulling them aside and blocking a spell from Greyback, who was licking his lips at the sight of the younger Eagles."This isn't a game, you hear me?" His blood was pumping with anger as he yanked them somewhere safe.

"Mary, I want you to take Glenn back to the Common Room and stay there," he commanded, looking into her fifteen year old eyes.

"But-"

"Please, just do as I say!" he implored.

Mary nodded ruefully. She took Glenn by the arm and beckoned him away. Gallardo sighed, watching them leave the battle scene.

Suddenly, Harry rushed out from the hall, looking vengeful and furious, with cuts and bruises on his arms.

"Where did Snape go?" he demanded.

Gallardo paused before pointing to where he had seen him go a few minutes earlier. Harry took off like a bullet. A horde of Death Eaters emerged from the hall, running with the speed of a pack of snow dogs.

Marks, Lupin, Tonks, Ron and McGonagall followed their pursuit.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"They seem to be retreating!" Marks replied.

"Ron, have you got the Map?" Gallardo said quietly.

Ron discreetly showed him the Map, where a dot marking Harry Potter was following Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape. Mary Eagle and Glenn Eagle were edging towards the Clockwork Tower, but what drew Gallardo's alarm was the two dots that were following them. Robert Custer and George Picott.

Gallardo patted Ron on the back and hurried to the direction of these four dots. His body pumped with adrenaline and rage, as his sweaty hand gripped his wand. Bullies were cowards, even the more violent ones. But two of them would be very sorry tonight.


Gallardo jogged out into the night sky, catching a glimpse of Picott and Custer, who were chasing Mary and Glenn in the Paved Courtyard, just outside the Clockwork Tower, which struck midnight and chimed.

"Hahaha!" Custer sneered, as he cornered Mary and Glenn to a wall. "Looks like the clock is counting!"

"Get back!" Mary said, bravely but with a breaking voice. She and Glenn drew their wands.

"Don't take another step!" Glenn shouted, but Gallardo could see him shaking.

"Listen, you fool!" ordered Picott. "You and your stupid sister decided to get in our way, and we're going to make you pay!"

"Expelliarmus!" Gallardo bellowed, sending Picott down.

Custer turned and swore. "Look who it is! Gallardo the shitface!"

Gallardo pointed his wand at a nearby tree and thought: "Arbollus Animus!" The tree swung a long and powerful branch striking Custer hard in the stomach, making him spout some blood as he was blasted away from the Eagles.

Picott rolled over to get back up but Gallardo was prepared.

"Incarcerus!" he exclaimed, binding Picott with ropes.

Gallardo exhaled as he saw Custer running off through the Covered Bridge. But his eye caught something. A purple robed body lay on the concrete some yards from where they were.

"Stay here a minute," he said to his siblings. He paced to the body, refusing to believe the long silver hair and beard. But he saw the hand. The blackened and cursed hand that screamed of death. Dumbledore!

"No, no!" he muttured. "That's impossible!" A queasy feeling overcame his stomach. He looked up and breathed. He caught sight of the top of the Astronomy Tower, and then it hit him. Snape getting up there, Harry chasing him.

"You killed him!" he growled. "Either you killed him or you let him die!"

"Gallardo, what's going on?" Mary said, walking towards him. He quickly escorted her and Glenn away.

"Guys, I need you to get Professor Marks and go to the Common Room," he said. "And stay there, please!"

Suddenly, a jet of red light skimmed Mary's cheek, leaving a red mark.

Gallardo's blood filled with rage as he turned to see Macnair and Bordeaux smirking by the Covered Bridge.

"Guess who's won, Eagle!" Macnair taunted.

Gallard exhaled and fired a jinx, pushing them both on to the bridge. "Seismus!" he snapped, sending a quake into Macnair's arm and causing him to shout in pain.

"Terra firma!" Gallardo hissed, striking them into each other. He fired again and again, pushing them back, into the shade, yet they made good targets. Every jinx blasted them further across the bridge. Just as the bridge finished, Gallardo thought: "Yodo!" He felt his magic grab Bordeaux like an extra long hand, he furiously thrust the bully into the executioner as hard as he could sending them both down with a scream. The twilight illuminated their weakened figures panting with exhaustion and defeat.

Gallardo strode out and towards them preparing to incarcerate them. Suddenly, a sharp pain stung his side, sending him stumbling to the ground.

A large winged beast hissed in a raspy yet loud cry, as it violently beat its wings and circled just above the stone circle. It had a large and grey scaly body, legs and wings. It bared its sword like fangs and rasped very disturbingly. It was an air serpent! It landed with an ominous thud but remained where it landed as a cloacked and armoured figure dismounted.

Gallardo heard his own heart drum, as well as the hearts of Bordeaux and Macnair. The air serpent obediently stood by as his master strutted towards the stone circle. The rider towered at about six foot, his ornamental horned helmet gave him an imperial strength, which made his enemies, and even soldiers quake. When he opened his mouth, his voice sounded fit for a military warlord that trained Dracula.

"You may go," he said idly. "Macnair and Bordeaux."

"My Lord Diablus," Macnair bowed nervously, after escorting Bordeaux to his feet. Both turned and left towards the Forbidden Forest. Gallardo could see Hagrid's hut in the distance catching a light! But luckily, a large figure raged and cursed outside.

"Gallardo Eagle!" boomed Lord Diablus. "I knew we would meet again!"

Gallardo tried with all his remaining energy to disguise any apprehension he was feeling. He had done so brilliantly and valiantly, the first year Gallardo would never believe that he could pull off half of what he had tonight alone.

"Tell me," Diablus requested, polishing his black oak tree and oliphant tusk wand. "Who are you exactly?"

"You know who I am!" Gallardo said, flexing his own green rowan and capra horn wand.

"Who sent you?" Diablus asked with much less patience. "Who taught you that magic? Was it one of Norrington's descendants? Hmm?"

"What magic?" Gallardo demanded, although he knew what he was referring to; something that even Gallardo couldn't explain, something that may have terrified Diablus when he saw him with Harry in the Department of Mysteries. "I actually have no idea what you're talking about, Diablus!"

"Very well," Diablus responded, disappointed. "Perhaps this will help your memory. Crucio!"

Gallardo dodged and shouted: "Terra cotta!" conjuring up a cloud of golden sand dust and charged it at Diablus. His adversary just disappeared behind the cloud. A blue-grey jet of light darted and collided with Gallardo's stomach. A gush of wind was expelled from him, replaced with throbbing pain, as a vibrating tremor crippled his limbs. He fell to the ground with a thud.

"Enervate!" he thought to himself. His brain throbbed as his muscles started twitching with energy. He inhaled and rose to his feet, ready to resume the duel.

"Not bad, Gallardo Eagle!" Diablus said, once he had finished coughing. There was a touch of contempt in his voice. "Balgroth!" he roared. A red hot whip emerged from the tip of his wand and crackled with flames and sparks, which danced aggressively, almost taunting Gallardo to make a wrong move.

The whip swung for Gallardo, who narrowly dodged it by ducking. He felt the heat as the fire grazed his jacket. He regained his posture to deliver a counter, but a burning sting struck his left, sending him down, crying out in agony as his left jacket arm glowed as it was singed. He exhaled and rose to his feet, refusing to stay down. But before he could do anything else, Diablus had fired the Cruciatus Curse right into him, making him keel over as if a pack of white hot knives were impaling him ten times over.

He reached for his last Sonic-Hydro Ball and threw it at Diablus; the impact pelted him with water and the high pitched sound, no doubt, annoyed Diablus. But it was an effective decoy.

"Impedimenta!" hissed Gallardo, landing a successful blow, which made Diablus stumble back. Gallardo rose again to prepare a follow up.

Diablus shot a white jet at Gallardo, but the latter was prepared; he locked wands with Enduro. His green rammed against Diablus' blood red, which started to dazzle Gallardo's eyes. He was trembling as he realised that most of his energy had been wasted on Macnair, Bordeaux, Custer and Picott; now was the moment he needed it most! He had to plough on!

Diablus was also struggling and grunting as he thrust the wand lock straight at Gallardo's chest.

A spell of immense and powerful agony overcame him, as he was blasted down. He hit his head on the grass, causing him to roll on his side. His shirt had blackened with hot ash that grazed and singed his skin. He felt blood on his chest and realised that his head, arm and cheek were also bloodied and bruised.

"You disappoint me, Mr Eagle," Diablus jeered.

"I had no idea that I was trying to please you," Gallardo winced.

"Well, you disappoint me, mister!" a voice called.

Gallardo painfully turned his head and was shocked, yet felt a touch of pride, at Glenn Eagle. His brother was marching towards them, wand raised.

But the pride subsided for terror. There is no way that Glenn could stand a chance against Diablus! It would take a lot more than what they'd learned in the DA to even make Diablus sweat. But if Glenn could hold Diablus' attention for a few minutes, then maybe Gallardo could recover enough to freeze him.

"What is your name?" Diablus quizzed.

"Glenn Eagle! And that's my brother that you've been fighting!"

Diablus laughed. "How old are you, Glenn Eagle, brother of Gallardo?"

"Old enough!" Glenn replied.

"Old enough to have a proper duel?"

"Yes, I am!" Glenn said.

Diablus walked into the stone circle of eight. "Very well, then we will use this as a ring. I will warn you, Glenn Eagle, that you do not stand a chance against me. You can walk away now, I will let you go."

Glenn was breathing heavily. Gallardo could sense his pulse racing. But Glenn walked into the stone circle.

"I will not walk away," he said, quietly.

Even Diablus seemed taken back. Gallardo felt a flow of energy in his limbs; he slowly but painfully regained his footing.

"First we bow, Glenn Eagle," Diablus informed. They both bowed. "Then we count to three. One... two... three!"

"Expelli-!" Glenn began, but a swish of Diablus' wand blocked the spell, stinging Glenn.

"Try again, Glenn Eagle!" ordered Diablus.

"Stup-!" shouted Glenn, but Diablus blocked that one.

Glenn began to manifest his terror for a second, but raised his wand once more. "Imped-!"

Diablus shook his head and blocked that one. He shot a white curse at him. It struck him straight in the chest. Glenn screamed in pain, as he was hurtled backwards, he struck one of the stones and toppled over it.

"You really... didn't have... to do that," Gallardo breathed. He looked at Glenn lying unconscious yet covered in cuts and bruises. His face was young, yet his breathing was burdened with trauma. Gallardo's insides ached way more than his outside, as the weight of guilt burned inside him. "No more," he thought to himself. "No more."

"He's only fourteen!" Gallardo croaked, his eyes moistening.

"Mr Eagle, I do not care about how old he was!" Diablus laughed. "You also have a little sister, don't you?"

"Leave her out of it!" Gallardo snapped, blinking in pain.

"Maybe I should put my wand in her mouth," Diablus suggested. "Or put my 'not wand' in her 'not mouth'!" he said, smirking.

"You're nothing but a cowardly scumbag!" Gallardo bellowed. "Avada Kedavra!" The curse narrowly missed Diablus, but took off his right helmet horn. Diablus summoned up his fire whip and lashed Gallardo with immense hatred. He was sent flying back, past the stone. He winced in pain, as he lay next to Glenn, his wand out of his hand. His vision began to blur with redness.

"Aguamenti!" he croaked, as he bled some more. His palm filled with water which he sipped quickly and greedily. It gave him just about enough strength to stay conscious and not pass out.

"Bow down, Eagle!" snarled the tyrant. "Bow dow before Diablus!"

Gallardo groaned as each beat of his heart spread more agony to him. Soon he would be unable to move. His heart beats were numbered. Yet, he remembered the time where he had been condemned at this exact spot for standing up to Thoburn. He was leaving the Quidditch team, but he left on his own terms, which delivered a more stubborn and everlasting blow to Thoburn and Windows. He felt and inhaled the fresh air once he had left the marquee.

"NEVER!" Gallardo roared like a lion. He ignored the throbbing as he rose up. He summoned his wand back, even though part of his body craved the comfort of the bloodied grass. He entered the stone circle and adopted a fighting stance.

Diablus glared at him with vengeful wrath, but then grinned cruelly. "Sectumsempra!" he hissed.

"Enduro!" Gallardo responded, locking wands once again. He felt the weight on his arm, so he bellowed. He thrust with all his remaining energy. He closed his eyes struggling to concentrate. He felt a jerk on the other side of the lock. Suddenly, excruciating pain entered his left thigh. His quadriceps blazed with an invisible fire, as blood erupted like a volcano. The shock made him yell, almost nothing like he had today. His right hand immediately released his wand and gripped his wound, as his whole weight toppled to the ground.

Diablus levitated him and threw him against the nearest stone pillar. His body bounced off it like a Bludger off of a bat, he collapsed on to the grass again, as he realised that he could no longer feel his left arm, and that his left leg was being painfully robbed of blood. His vision danced before him, as he panted, completely immobilised. He couldn't move without throbbing himself to stay still. It was over! His wand was too many feet away.

Diablus moved in for the second kill of the day, wand at the ready.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" barked the voice of Madam Rolanda Hooch. She charged into view, riding her broomstick and swishing her wand like cavalry.

Diablus simply pointed his wand at her; purple bolts of lightning charged out and caught her. Madam Hooch screamed as the bolts engulfed her, toppling her from her broom at once.

Lord Diablus turned to Gallardo again, the latter was struggling to stay conscious, but he sighed a deep breath before resigning. It was time. He had fought gallantly and hopefully apprehended many enemies and saved many friends.

"Do you fear death, Gallardo Eagle?" Diablus asked.

"No," he answered after a pause and smiled grimly. When he was young, he remembered telling Glenn and some of his other friends that he would gladly die fighting. He never thought that that wish would become reality, as he could feel the life draining from him. Soon he would fall into the biggest slumber and all the throbbing pain would vanish.

"No, I don't fear death," he whispered.

"Expelliarmus!" a new voice bellowed. A jet of blue light threw Diablus' heavy body against the stone pillars, but he quickly regained his feet.

"Leono Marks!" he said. "What a surprise!"

"No, Diablus!" snapped Marks. "What's surprising is that you decided it would be OK to fight a fourteen year old! But I guess I shouldn't be, should I?"

Diablus' eyes flared with offence. "Well, perhaps you will like to finish the duel?"

"No, I want you to turn around and leave!" ordered Marks. "I could have killed you, but didn't!"

"How dare you!" Diablus snarled. He fired a spell but Marks, but the latter locked the wands. The stone circle was a kaleidoscope of red and green charging at each other. The sound and vibration gnawed at Gallardo's head and dazzled his eyes. But the curse was thrust at Diablus, who managed to duck out of the way.

"Golem!" he cried. A seven foot tall stone centurian was conjured up. The centurian marched towards Marks and prepared to swing his sword.

Marks waved his wand, levitating the golem in the air and throwing him at Diablus, who quickly stepped back and blasted his servant back to sediments.

"Impedimenta!" Marks and Gallardo exclaimed together. Two green lights ran into a distracted Diablus, who was sent flying back, out of the circle and down towards the path to Hagrid's hut.

Gallardo struggled to see because his vision was fading as he had only just managed to summon his wand, and his eyes were watering. But he heard Yaxley call: "My Lord Diablus! We must leave at once! It's done!" Next thing he heard was the flapping of wings as a large beast ascended into the air and rasped.

Gallardo lost control of his right fingers, as he dropped his wand and passed out, still feeling the ripples of agony draining his depleting stamina.


"A tyrant's greatest fear is that one person that will stand up to them, for even if they are killed, their legacy lives on. They have already lit the candle, lamp and torch to light the way for others to bring about this tyrant's inevitable demise!"