Chapter 4
In the Dragons Den
Jon entered the door to his home. Arq was waiting outside keeping watch, they had apparated into the front yard moments ago under instructions from Horbey to retrieve a clock that hung in his house that would be able to give the location of his father and thus giving the location to where the death eaters were hiding.
As soon as Jon entered his house he was hit by the smell. It did not smell bad; it was simply the scent of his house. Painfully happy memories swarmed through his mind. He was instantly in tears upon recalling what had happened only a few nights before. He stood in the doorway tears in his wondering why his house was totally clean. There seemed no trace that any kind of fight had happened a couple days before.
Shrugging it off and wiping his eyes Jon walked through into the short entrance room. In front of him were the stairs that would lead upstairs to his and his parent's room. To his left was the kitchen and the room to his left was the living room. The clock he needed was in the living room. He went up the stairs to his room. He brushed his hand along the railing feeling the smooth wood beneath his fingers and shuddering at the traumatic he had gone through.
At the top of the stairs everything was once again clean. The sight of his duel with the death eaters was completely cleaned up, no sign anything had happened. It seemed very strange the railing had been broken and his bedroom door the same; yet off was clean. The Aurors must have cleaned up the house. He wondered what had become of his mothers body. He had been forced to leave it in order to stay safe. Hopefully she was buried and everything was good with the rest of his family. He only had an uncle and his grandma. His uncle was on his father's side and Jon wasn't sure whether whose side his uncle was on. Jon had chosen not to take any chances and not contact the rest of his family.
Jon's bedroom wasn't as he had left it. There had been cloths on the floor his broom stick had been leaning up against his closet door, and the sheets on his bed had been scattered across his bed. Now his floor was tidy, his broom was no where to be seen and his bed was made. Why had the Aurors cleaned up his room? Jon pondered the answer as he walked out his room. When he walked back down the stairs Arq was standing in the doorway.
"Hurry up! The sooner we get this clock the sooner we can get back to Horbey! It's already after noon." Arq complained.
"Sorry Arq just give me a second I'll go get the clock quick." Jon said as he walked into his living room. The furniture was just as he had left it. No dust was on the coffee table that was in front of the white leather couch. On the wall opposite the entrance to the living room he spotted the clock. Its hands had the pictures and names of him, his father, and his mother. There were different sections that the hands could point to. His mothers hand was on death. His father's was not on any one of the options it was stuck between mortal danger and out of the house. Jon's stuck right in the middle of mortal danger.
Jon crossed the living room in three quick steps and without hesitation grabbed the clock off the wall. It vanished into smoke in Jon's arm and he heard laughter from behind him. Jon turned around with his wand out. Two figures cloaked in black stood in front of him. One had Arq with a wand pressed to his neck.
"James was correct. You came for the clock just like he thought you would. My brother has always been rather talented at guessing a person he knows well's next move." The figure closest to Jon spoke. The one holding Arq giggled slightly under its hood.
Once thought was racing through Jon's mind. SHIT! He took a breath trying to force him to relax and deal with the situation.
"I was wondering whose side you were on uncle Crais." Jon spoke calmly. His uncle chuckled and removed his hood. Crais looked very much like James. His nose had the same straight perk at the end. And his smile looked just like Jon's father.
"I was surprised that you did not contact me after you learned of your father's betrayal. Though once I realized Horbey had gotten to you I knew you would not come to me, or your grandmother. By the way she has no clue of our allegiance to Drakan. If she were to find out we sadly we would have to kill her, and I am not inclined to killing my mother." Crais spoke seriously.
"My father knew I would come back for the clock? He must have guessed that Horbey would realize that he could use it to learn the whereabouts of my father." Jon spoke trying to stall for time while he thought of a plan. If he could free Arq they might have a chance at subduing his uncle and the other death eater.
"Correct. You father removed the clock as soon as he could and then set the fake to alert us when you came to collect it. Dyn kill the extra, I will take care of my nephew." Crais said. Dyn began to flick his wand.
"NO!" yelled Jon as he sent a disarming jinx at Dyn. Dyn's wand flew from his hand. Jon was caught off guard by his uncle who had sent an impediment jinx at him. He fell to the ground dropping his wand. Arq quickly through Dyn off of him and picked up the wand the death eater had dropped. Quickly he whispered a single word and flicked the wand. Quickly three wizards had appeared in the room.
Jon wasn't able to see what was going on. He was stuck looking up at the ceiling unable to move. The scuffle lasted only a few moments. Arq came into Jon's view smiling. Swishing his wand Arq released the spell form Jon. He quickly sat up and looked around. His uncle was tied up and so was Dyn. They both appeared knocked out. Liza, Waros, and Horbey were now present.
"What? How did, what happened?" Jon asked extremely confused. Horbey smiled. Liza walked away along with Waros.
"Sadly my dear boy this was all a trap to lure your uncle out of hiding. We were using you as bait. I knew that your father had removed the clock and place a fake one. Arq here was supposed call us as soon as the death eaters showed up, but he was taken from behind. Jon you are an amazing wizard. Had you not disarmed Dyn you both would have died." Horbey said all the while smiling. "You acted better than I could have hoped, and I am proud of you. Your uncle should know where your father is and will be able to tell us once we introduce him with some veritiserum. But we must do it quick. If we leave the house the death eaters that are watching from outside will realize what has happened. We must be quick." Horbey said. Liza and Waros walked into the living room holding a vial of clear liquid. Horbey walked over and grabbed it. He shook Crais awake and forced him to drink the liquid.
"Thanks Jon. You saved my life, had you not acted as you did I wouldn't be here right now." Arq was saying with a happy grin on his pudgy face. Jon nodded and looked back to his uncle.
"Where is your brother?" Horbey asked quickly. Crais seemed to be struggling with himself. He kept opening his mouth to talk but never able to say anything. Liza looked away upset.
"Silencing charm. They knew we would try this." Waros said angrily. Horbey's fury was felt before he turned to face Jon. The aura that was coming off of him was scary at the least.
"Try it on Dyn. If that fails than our plan has failed. Kill them both and then meet me at headquarters. Jon, Arq come with me." Horbey walked out of the living room into the kitchen. The two followed him quickly. Once into the kitchen Horbey turned to face them.
"Jon, Arq I want you to put on the death eaters robes. You must impersonate them and follow them to there hideout! Once you know where it is you apparate out of there and you get back to headquarters. Do you understand me?" Horbey was deathly serious. Both of them nodded. Waros walked into the room.
"Dyn had the same thing I have taken care of them, what now?" Waros asked. But it seemed he already knew. "Horbey, you can't send them like this. They are most likely gonna end up dead!" Waros argued.
"We don't have a choice. Most likely by the end of tonight Drakan will have the ministry under his control. If we don't find where the death eaters are hiding before then we may never find out!" Horbey argued.
"But this isn't right. How are they gonna even find where the death eaters are? And even if they do they are not the same size as those two. And on the off chance no one notices you know the other death eaters are gonna apparate to there hideout. How are these two supposed to get there? This plan will not work, it cannot work. You know this, you would be sending the Arq and the boy to there deaths!" Waros argued. Horbey swayed back and forth thinking for a few second before coming to a decision.
"You are right old friend. Sorry but I was trying to hard. Jon, Arq I want you to go back to headquarters quickly apparate there." Horbey said.
"What about you guys? What are you gonna do?" Jon asked quickly. Horbey smiled for a second.
"Don't worry about us; we can take care of ourselves. Now go, you have done your part." Horbey said as he and Waros rushed out of the kitchen. Jon stood there; he did not want to leave. He wanted to stay and help Horbey. He wanted to prove himself to the old wizard.
"Come on Jon! There's no use staying here!" Arq said loudly. Jon looked over at the pudgy wizard that was so quick to get himself out of danger.
"Go on ahead without me! I will follow in a second; just want to talk to Horbey for a second." Jon said. Arq listened and Dissaparated out of the house. Jon quickly ran to the living room where Horbey, Liza and Waros were all deep in a hasty discussion.
"Horbey, I don't want to leave. I need to stay here and help, my father's out there! I can feel it. He was too afraid to be the one to come in and face me. I want to go and face him. I know what you're planning on doing, I can help!" Jon pleaded. Horbey was horror struck.
"Jon!" the aura of anger Jon had felt moments ago came back worse then before. "I told you not to seek revenge! We are going to do what we have to do!" Horbey yelled. Jon couldn't stand to look at the angry eyes that were so intent upon staring him down. Jon looked out the window and could see four cloaked figures moving quickly to the front door.
"Horbey they're coming!" Yelled Liza. Horbey turned and looked out the window as the four figures reached the door.
"JON LEAVE!" yelled Horbey. Jon had a mere second to make his decision, and he chose not to obey. The front door opened and the four figures rushed into the house with there wands out. They ran immediately into the living room where stood the four wizards. Two of them had there wands out and were ready to fight. But the other two seemed to have been arguing. No exchange of words followed. Waros shot a large ball of yellow light at the group of wizards but it was stopped by four shield spells. It bounced off and exploded against the wall. It blew a large hole and the outside could be seen through it.
Horbey had his wand out and quickly wove three spells so fast that Jon was amazed. The spells were all knocked away. Jon took no time in joining the fray, while Liza separated herself from the group to duel one of the four death eaters Jon did the same turning the room into a coliseum of dueling. Each wizard was facing another one on one. Jon threw a stunning spell that was easily knocked away with a laugh by the death eater. Jon muttered and took no time in throwing killing curses. The death eater stopped laughing as he dove out of the way to dodge the jet of green light that had been sent his way.
Waros was sending and blocking oncoming spells completely immersed in the fight at hand. Light went back and forth till an explosion sent Waros flying. The wizard that Liza was dueling had sent a killing curse that had missed and hit the TV. Horbey was not affected by the explosion, and he didn't break his concentration from his duel to help his friend. He was bewitching any object he could to stop the killing curses from reaching him.
Jon was now taking control in his duel. The death eater he was facing never had the time to send a spell back. He was too busy dodging killing curse after killing curse. As the death eater dove behind the couch Jon transfigured a picture that was on a desk into an eagle. The eagle quickly dived for the death eater behind the couch. The death eater killed the eagle without hesitation and Jon was out of ideas.
Liza had picked up the slack of Waros being knocked away. She was taking on the two death eaters and wasn't faring well. She was hardly able to get out of the way of killing curses or block the lesser spells being sent her way. Waros had gotten back up and was looking around for his wand. The two death eaters had finally managed to hit Liza with a spell. She fell to the ground. The two death eaters screamed in triumph only for one of them to be hit with a spell that knocked him out of the living room and into the kitchen where he collided with the stove and fell to the ground not moving. The other death eater was consumed with fury and turned to fight Waros who had his wand and was walking forward.
Horbey was now out of objects to use to block the killing curses that were being sent at him in a steady stream. He ducked under one falling to a knee where he managed to send a spell that hit the death eater in the chest knocking him unconscious. Horbey turned to see Jon having trouble with his death eater.
The death eater was out form behind the couch and now answering ever one of Jon's spells with two of his own. The struggle would end any moment with Jon's death. Waros seemed totally even with his death eater. They were answering each others spells evenly neither able to gain an inch. Horbey had taken care of Jon's death eater and now turned to assist Waros.
"NO HORBEY! I DO THIS ON MY OWN!" Waros yelled when he saw Horbey head to him. Horbey nodded and ran quickly over to Liza who was motionless on the floor. Horbey picked up Liza's head in his hands and checked the pulse in her neck. Jon was standing over Horbey crying.
Waros continued the duel with the last death eater. The spells soared back and forth. Sweat was pouring down Waros's head as he struggled to stay concentrated. Acting quickly he knocked away a jinx and jumped to his right out of the way while he sent two more spells at the death eater, they were knocked away. Waros landed rolled and got up on a knee and sent three more spells. Two got to the death eater and were knocked away. Waros stood up fully and flicked his wand. The Jaguar that had appeared behind the death eater lunged taking him to the ground scratching and clawing. Waros transfigured the jaguar into a heavy block pinning the death eater to the ground. Waros nodded in satisfaction and disarmed him.
Horbey was up holding Liza's body. Her arms were hanging limp and her head had lolled back. Jon couldn't stop the tears, this had been his fault. Waros turned and looked at Horbey. He as quickly consumed in tears.
"Jon take Liza's body back to headquarters; don't even think of disobeying me with this!" Horbey said quietly. Jon quickly did as he told and was in the living room of the old house he just left earlier that day. He put Liza's body on the couch and turned to see Arq deep in discussion with Jude who was telling him what had happened. Jude looked over at Jon then at Liza on the couch. Jude gave a slight whimper and ran quickly over to the couch kneeling down next to her and holding her.
"What happened?" Arq demanded. Jon lowered his head. He did want the answer. He was inclined to simply tell him nothing and go upstairs.
"After you left we were attacked by four death eaters. We managed to subdue them but not before they got Liza." Jon Said sadly as he was once again consumed in tears. Jude was sobbing at Liza's side completely consumed in his tears. Arq had sat down and was trying to cope with the information he had just been given. Jon was sobbing into his hands and did not notice that Waros and Horbey had appeared in the living room. Both of them looked determined not to add to the sorrow with their own tears. Waros went Jude while Horbey looked at Jon.
"Jon, come with me." Horbey spoke as he turned and walked to his room. Jon reluctantly followed and entered Horbey's room ready for any kind of punishment Horbey would give him. He would take it for he knew it had been his fault and that he deserved it. Once inside his room Horbey flicked his wand and closed the door. He took a seat behind his desk and offered one to Jon. Jon refused the seat and said that he would prefer to stand.
"Jon, you acted very bravely before. I know that you are blaming yourself right now; I think we all are doing that. But if it was anybody's fault it wasn't yours. Had you left you would have left us down another person and I don't know if any of us would have survived. You disobeyed my order because you wanted revenge on your father. You stayed for both the wrong reasons and the right. You wanted to help, and had you not I don't know if I would be alive right now. We will all miss Liza; she was one of my best friends, and Jude's mother." Horbey said lowering his head. Jon was completely shocked. He had expected to be showered with anger. Not to be congratulated on his bravery.
"Horbey what happened with the death eaters?" Jon asked because he simply needed to know. Horbey took a minute thinking before he answered.
"We killed them. Not before interrogating them. Sadly all of them had silencing charms on them and could not tell us anything useful. But even though we couldn't get a location, we still walked out rather victorious. Drakan lost six of his most trusted death eaters. And you were correct, your father was there." Horbey added the last bit quickly.
"You killed him?" Jon said outraged.
"No, he wasn't one of the four who we had dueled. He was outside he lowered his hood when he saw Waros looking out the window. He spoke a few words we didn't hear. Then he Dissaparated." Horbey said. Jon nodded and turned to leave.
"Oh, and Jon, sadly Liza's death has caused an opening in my inner circle of members. There are only five witches and wizards in the circle. And I think you have proven yourself worthy of being in it after tonight." Horbey spoke. Jon nodded and walked away flushed with a mixture of emotions. He believed that Liza's death was not his fault. And even more believed that Horbey now completely trusted him. Jon was completely exhausted and went to lie down. Hours later that night Justarius appeared at the headquarters giving the information of the loss of the ministry.
