Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
Chapter Eight
The Battle of Diagon Alley
As another week passed, Harry, Ron and Hermione started to prepare for their search for the Horcruxes. Hermione had assembled a list, detailing all the Horcruxes. This was:
Tom Riddle's Diary-Destroyed
Marvolo Gaunt's Ring-Destroyed
Helga Hufflepuff's Cup-Active
Salazar Slytherin's Locket-Unknown
An Unknown Item of Ravenclaw's or Gryffindor's-Active
Nagini-Active
Voldemort-Active, and making a fine mess of things as they spoke
Harry had asked around Diagon Alley, asking for any information about a wizard by the name of R.A.B, but to no avail. They were still grief stricken, but they knew they needed to get on and destroy the Horcruxes to destroy Voldemort and end this madness. So, it was on a cold, dull Tuesday morning that they sat in the pantry of the Leaky Cauldron, eating breakfast, when Tom the barkeep hobbled up to them, bearing a large box.
"Package for you Mr Potter." He wheezed.
"Thanks Tom."
Harry looked at the item curiously.
"What is it?" Ron asked.
"That's what I'm trying to figure out."
Shrugging, he opened the box, and vomited when he saw what was inside.
"Harry?" Hermione asked, peering in, then dissolving to a scream.
Ron grabbed her before she fainted. He looked terribly sick himself.
Inside the box, was a severed head. Not just any head. It was the head of Mr Ollivander, the wand merchant who had went missing last year. A letter was clamped between the strange old man's teeth.
"That's sick. That's really sick." Ron shuddered, as Hermione trembled in his grasp.
Harry pointed his wand at the box, and used Accio to get the letter, then closed the box with magic. The few people in the bar had gone quiet. He opened the writing, addressed to him in a neat, loopy style, and read.
Dear Harry,
I hope you are well and my murder of those dear to you didn't affect you too much. Enclosed in this box are the remains of good old Mr Ollivander. Bella took him from his shop last year for me, so no one would be able to get wands, and also so he could make me a new one. It would not do well for Priori Incantatem to stop us when I kill you, Harry. I hope you and your friends are all right. By the way, I just thought you should know, I saved your precious Ginny for last. The last thing she said was 'Where are you Harry?', before I murdered her. I think she was quite fond of you. No matter now. She's gone, and you're nearly all alone. Keep safe Harry. I look forward to the day when I kill you and your little friends, and then, I will be unstoppable. Have fun, Harry.
Yours sincerely,
Lord Voldemort.
P.S Isn't it so nice, Dumbledore dead at last, killed by his faithful pet Death Eater, Severus Snape? Really quite delicious. You can have a free rein at last, Harry. No more Dumbledore to help you. How sad.
"That's completely horrible." Harry stammered.
"It's disgusting. How can he do that?" Hermione whimpered.
"Because he's an evil wizard Hermione. According to mum and dad, Grindewald would send the entire body back to the family of his victims, all sliced apart. He was just as evil as Voldemort is." Ron said.
Harry blinked furious tears out of his eyes.
"Tom, alert the Ministry that Ollivander is dead."
Tom nodded, and, with a sick expression, removed the box.
Then, there was a scream from outside. Harry looked out of the window, to see Dementors, Inferi, goblins, Werewolves and five Death Eaters surge into Diagon Alley from Knockturn Alley.
"It's begun." Harry said.
He turned to Ron.
"Ron, go to the fire and summon the Ministry. Tell them we need reinforcements, enough to hold them all off until we get everyone in the Alley out."
Ron nodded, and went to the fire place.
"Hermione, use your Patronus. We need the Order here too."
Hermione nodded, while Harry turned to the two elderly old women in the bar.
"Get out of here."
They nodded gravely, and Disapparated. Tom came up to Harry.
"The Goblins in Gringotts will be coming. We need to get them and the ordinary people out. The shop owners will do a fighting retreat. Once they're in here, we shouldn't have a problem." He wheezed.
"Then stay here, and keep the place ready for an escape. We'll help the others."
Ron and Hermione returned, to see twelve Aurors, led by Order member Kingsley Shacklebolt come from the Ministry, and five more Order members Apparate. Tonks, Lupin, Madame Maxime, Dedalus Diggle and Moody had come to fight.
"Right, we need to protect everyone while they get here and get out. Potter, Weasley, Granger, don't stop for anything. If one of us is killed, just keep going. And watch out for Demagoth. He's very powerful." Moody said.
Harry could see Demagoth up ahead. He was like an ordinary Dementor, but two massive horns protruded from his skull, as he directed forces into Diagon Alley. Kingsley was saying much the same as Moody.
"What about the Appeasement Bill?" one asked.
"Umbridge isn't here. Sod the Appeasement Bill." Kingsley said.
They all left the pub, and opened the portal into the alley at large. There were hundreds of Inferi and their allies, but Demagoth was the one leading it all. He was deep in conversation with a Death Eater as the enemy forces smashed windows and broke down doors, looking for people to slaughter.
"Professor! We need to make a hole for the Goblins to get through!" Harry yelled, as they all ran up the street.
Moody nodded.
"Patronuses!" he shouted.
"Expecto Patronum!"
Harry's stag Patronus burst forth, followed by Ron's Jack Russell one, and Hermione's otter, along with others from the Order and Auror force. Twelve more people in robes appeared, apparently from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad. At their head was Percy Weasley.
The patronuses slammed into a squad of Dementors, blasting a large hole in the enemy formation. Then, Gringott's doors opened, and about one hundred Goblins rushed down the marble steps. Demagoth roared, and signalled to the Death Eaters.
"Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled.
One Death Eater spun as his wand flew out of his hand. It was Drows, the brutal faced Death Eater from the Battle of Hogwarts.
"Boy!" he hissed.
Then Drows was blown off his feet. Harry turned to see Percy, his eyes narrowed.
"Harry, Ron, Hermione, I'm really sorry." He said, and Harry believed him.
"Come on!"
Inferi charged them, being held off by Tonks' Incendio. Hermione screwed her face up in concentration, and joined in. A wreath of flame erupted from her wand, cremating twenty odd Inferi. She grinned happily, then had to duck as a spell ricocheted of the wall.
The magical squad Harry had assembled held the enemy off as the Goblins charged down the street. Harry's force was now backed up by the shop owners, including Madam Malkin and Eeylop. The shop owners formed ranks with Harry's group, and added their brand of magic to the affair. Spells fired back and forth, up and down the street, bouncing off shield charms harmlessly. Demagoth floated into the air, then swooped down at Harry. All of a sudden, he saw horrible things in his head. His parents dying, Sirius dying, Cedric dying, Dumbledore dying, Ginny's dead body. Demagoth grasped Harry's throat, and pulled him up towards his mouth. Harry knew what was going to happen. He was going to have his soul sucked out.
"Expecto Patronum!" a woman shrieked.
A werewolf Patronus slammed into Demagoth, and Harry nodded in thanks to Tonks as the leader of all Dementors staggered backwards.
"Foolish girl! I cannot be killed by anyone!" Demagoth growled.
"No, correction. The prophecy about your creation says no living man or woman can kill you. But, we can all hurt you."
Harry then fired his own Patronus, running Demagoth down.
"Dementors, charge!"
The remaining Dementors swooped at the defenders, as more and more people from the flats above shops fled down the street. Another wall of patronuses slammed into the ghouls. Werewolves ran at them, cackling and roaring. Percy blasted one with a well placed Stunner, as Hermione sliced at one with Diffindo.
Kingsley was in trouble, as he duelled Jugson, recently escaped from Azkaban. Jugson fired another Killer at Kingsley, and this one came too close. Shrapnel blew up, peppering Kingsley's face, and Ron blasted the Death Eater with Sectumsempra. Voldemort's goblins were joined with the Inferi as they all attacked the Ministry workers. Moody was giving as good as they all got, blasting Incendio with great vigour, defeating more and more Inferi. Lupin was going one on one with Silvermane, who seemed to be in charge of the werewolves. Tonks was duelling the diminutive Ulic, the goblin Death Eater, who was firing spells from a very thick wand with great enthusiasm. Then, one got through, and she was down.
"Tonks!" Lupin yelled in panic.
Madame Maxime blasted another Dementor, and surveyed Tonks. Ulic had only used a Stunner.
"She is fine!" she yelled, as another spell rebounded off her, due to her giant blood.
Williamson and Dawlish were using protective charms as the Death Eater spells got to close. They made a large shield, when a spell slammed into it, knocking them both of their feet. The shield collapsed.
Harry ducked as another spell whizzed over his head. He blasted the Death Eater, Avery, with a curse, and blew Nott into the air with a hex. This wasn't going well. People were still coming, and the enemy was getting stronger, as more and more forces emerged from Knockturn Alley. Then, it hit him. Of course!
"Reducto!"
The spell hit the archway over the entrance to Knockturn Alley, knocking bricks and stones to the floor, cutting off the enemy reinforcements.
"Regroup!" Demagoth yelled.
So they did, and Harry saw what they were facing. One hundred Dementors, two hundred Inferi, twenty werewolves, sixty goblins, five Death Eaters and Demagoth. The defenders were supremely outnumbered.
"Fighting retreat!" Moody yelled, his eye dancing.
Three Law Enforcements were dead, killed by werewolves, and the owner of Flourish and Blotts was dead too. There were no more people coming though, so that was something.
"Aurors, retreat!" Kingsley yelled, as the defenders started to fall back to the Leaky Cauldron.
"Law Enforcement, retreat!"
"My lot, fall back!" Harry yelled, as the enemy charged.
His Incendio combined with Ron and Hermione's, cremating two lines of Inferi. The shop owners were firing spells at the Death Eaters, as the Dementors swooped about, trying to suck the soul from their enemies. Silvermane rushed at Harry, but was blown into a wall by a spell from Lupin. Harry nodded, as Diggle blasted Ulic into the rubbish heap. Madame Maxime had Tonks over her shoulder, as she blasted more and more Inferi with her wand. Moody pulled Ron out of the way of a falling pipe. Ron then blasted a werewolf that was sneaking up on the old Auror. Law Enforcement lost another two, as debris fell on top of them. They weren't cut out for this. The Aurors were much better trained for this sort of thing. Then, Harry saw something that made his blood go cold. Demagoth was speeding at them, floating with a great deal of speed.
Harry never raised his wand, and he was slammed into a wall. He shook his head, and could see Demagoth's feet. The evil creature was playing over all the evil things that had ever happened to him. He was feeling sick, drowsy, ill. Typical Dementor effect. Then, someone jumped in front of Harry, and then fell as Demagoth plunged his hand through her stomach.
"Hermione!" Ron shouted from ahead.
Hermione clattered down beside him.
"Expecto Patronum!"
Another three patronuses slammed into Demagoth, knocking the fiend backwards.
"We need to get her out of here!" Kingsley yelled, blasting a curse at a werewolf.
"We all need to get out of here!" Moody shouted back, as he lifted Harry up and levitated Hermione.
Harry blanched at what he saw. She was steadily turning black, her skin going the colour of death, her hair fading into old and grey, wrinkles appearing on her face. What was happening?
"What's wrong with her?" Harry demanded, blasting another Inferius.
"She's been hit with the Hand of Darkness. We need to act quickly if we want to save her." Lupin said, as he and Percy used another Shield Charm.
Demagoth suddenly reappeared. Grabbing Diggle, the creature sucked the soul out of the man before he could react. Diggle dropped to the floor, dead. He laughed, until the groups patronuses slammed him backwards.
"To the Leaky Cauldron!" Madam Malkin yelled.
More Inferi charged, but Harry joined spells with Moody and Kingsley, baking them all. Ron fired spells in quick succession, slamming into Jugson, Silvermane, Ulic, Avery and Nott. The Death Eaters shouted as they fell.
Madame Maxime blew down the wall, and opened the door to the Leaky Cauldron.
"You the last?" Tom asked.
"Yes!" Kingsley yelled, as Inferi and werewolves surged in, pursued by goblins and Dementors.
Harry and Ron defended the others as they got Tonks and Hermione out, blasting curses and charms at their enemies. Demagoth entered, and went straight for them.
"Expecto Patronum!" Ron yelled, and his dog caught the creature in the chest.
"We're done!" Lupin yelled.
He then grabbed onto Harry, and Disapparated before Demagoth recovered again.
Diagon Alley has fallen, and Voldemort is stronger than ever before. Demagoth is a new bad guy, who I quite liked writing about. He sort of looks like Marka Ragnos from the Jedi Academy games.
Ulic too is new, and is named after Ulic Qel Droma, who was a Jedi who fell to the dark side and killed his brother.
What will happen to Hermione? Will she survive? What will happen now that the war has finally started in plain view? What is Voldemort's next move?
Keep reading, and please review!
