Anything that's dead, should stay dead.
This was the only rule Sirius went by.
As an auror, Sirius had witnessed more than his share of undead wizards walking around. He had seen the same story played out time and again - A wizard, generally sickly, panicked at the thought of dying, got the crazy idea to live forever; there was usually dark magic involved, a couple of human sacrifices here and there, and presto - In came Sirius and James, to put the walking dead down. James and he, held the department's record for putting down the maximum number of Inferi to date. Although James modestly credited the entire record to him.
Sirius and Regulus Black were the two sons of the only female Black matriarch in history - Walbruga Black. Walbruga had married a McNair, but had reverted to her maiden name on the boys father's untimely and very suspicious death. Sirius's and Narcissa's grandfather had given Grimmauld place to Walbruga to support her. That Walbruga had two sons , while her brother Orion had only three girls, was a source of great anguish to Orion. Not to mention Orion's wife Waiola, really despised her sister in law Walbruga, as it was one of Walbruga's boys - Sirius - that was going to be the future Lord Black after Orion. All in all, the Black's might be the most ancient, but they were not the happiest of all families. Good riddance thought Sirius! The day his crazy mother had blasted him off the family tapestry, he had literally felt the weight lift from his shoulders. Sirius was free at last to pursue his dream of becoming an auror - the antithesis of what his mother wanted him to become - a Death Eater!
Sirius, being a Black, had access to centuries of literature around dark magic. Having been forced by his mother to study dark magic from the age of five, he knew a lot about the kind of power dark magic could beget. This probably was the reason why he was the best Auror in the department for fieldwork. Sirius's brother, Regulus, on the other hand, Walbruga's so called the ideal son, loved reading up on the dark arts. Sirius asked his brother many a times what he found so interesting in that kind of literature, for his brother, despite his fascination with the dark arts, was a tenderhearted soul. Regulus had always claimed that what Sirius called the dark arts, was actually magic at it's pinnacle. A load of crap in Sirius's opinion. Sirius hated the fact that his brother always had his nose buried old books in the black library. He also hated the fact that Regulus' morbid fascination with the dark arts had led him to become a death eater! Catching death eaters and putting down Inferi that the self-proclaimed dark lord seemed to love creating, was not just a job for Sirius, as it was for the other aurors- it was personal- A vendetta against the people who had torn his brother from him.
"But that's Lucius's patronus!" Sirius was jolted to the present by Narcissa's vexed cry.
Sirius's brain immediately kicked into Auror mode. Anything that could get his cousin this worked up, was not good.
"Cissa - " began Sirius.
"Sirius listen to me. Lucius's mother and bother were killed at the Black manor today. We brought their bodies back to Malfoy Manor and placed them in the chapel to be cremated after the ceremony."
"Cremated ... " Sirius trailed off, his mind racing at the speed of light - Wizards were always buried. If a dead wizard's body was burnt, the soul of the wizard was unable to cross over, as his or her magic was unable to return to nature, and a ghost was created. Only when wizarding bodies were marked with dark magic, did they need to be burnt to free their souls. Being marked with dark magic usually meant that the dead body was reanimated by a dark wizard - an Inferius. It didn't take a genius to figure out which dark wizard had marked Azalea and Accrucius's bodies -Voldemort.
Sirius's throat dried. If what Lucius's patronus was saying was correct, Frank was locked in the Malfoy chapel with not one but two inferi. Blood rushed to Sirius's many families was the nutter that called himself Voldemort going to tear apart?
Sirius and Narcissa began sprinting to the chapel.
-x-
The day had started off as being a pretty boring one. Frank had been helping his father prep the oysters and prawns, a mind-numbingly dumb task if you asked him. How had it gone from that brain cell murdering job to hiding from two Inferi was something Frank was unable to fathom.
He looked down, his leg was mauled very bad! And was dripping blood onto the carpet of the chapel. The carpet being blood red was not showing any signs of staining.
Alice must be rubbing off on him more than he realised thought Frank. Even in this dire situation, he was thinking of stains and cleanliness. Even if they couldn't see the stain, or hear the constant drip, Frank was sure the bloody inferi could still smell the blood.
Frank racked his brains to think of something - anything that would help him survive! For, he was in a very sticky situation indeed, and if he didn't come up with something soon, he was sure it wasn't going to end well. Considering the other four were linked to him, Frank would say he had managed to bring quite a situation on board!
He went over what had happened in his mind, trying to think of something he might have overlooked that could now be used to his advantage. As soon as Frank had opened the dratted book it became clear to Frank that there were protective spells inside the Chapel as well. Some magic was trying to shut the book, just as Frank wanted it open. It took Frank a couple of seconds to remember that he could also use a counter curse, instead of physically battling the magic. In those few moments in which Frank swished his wand, the book gave a giant heave and tried to shut itself for good, the brass corner caught Frank on the arm, Frank ignored the stinging, and muttered "Finite Incantatum"
The book steadied, and Frank could barely read the words on the page 'mala potentissimum'. Frank caught his breath, if he could remember any of the latin his mother had forced him to learn, the text on the page loosely translated to 'Evil most potent'. These three words sent alarm bells ringing in Frank's brain, he remembered reading the exact same text in his auror training. Frank's eyes scanned the book looking for something and desperately hoping that he was wrong. Frank scanned the ancient page, his eyes searching for some clue in the ancient Latin and runes. A very familiar symbol caught Frank's eye, and his heart sank. Familiar only because Sirius and James had often shown information of their cases to Frank, so Frank had seen this particular rune a thousand times before. There it was, drawn on the bottom of the page - the PrioriSurecit- a circle made of bones - the symbol for an Inferius.
This was bad, he should have got either James or Sirius with him. Frank was more of a strategist and a detective. He literally hated field work. The only reason he was in Malfoy Manor was that Moody had been sure Azalea Malfoy would be too distracted to notice Auror's snooping undercover in her home today - none of them had anticipated any action. Still, the department's policy required two field Aurors to shadow Lily and frank - the department's best strategists.
Frank's eyes scanned the room, there stowed beneath the altar were two shrouded figures. Frank almost knew what he would find even before he raised his wand to divulge what was beneath them. Looked like Azalea Malfoy stored her victim's bodies in the chapel before disposing of their corpses. This was definite proof that Azalea Malfoy was into the dark arts. The presence of these two corpses ensured a one-way ticket to Azkaban, if Frank could somehow prove that these poor souls were indeed Azalea's victims. As the white cloth removed itself from the bodies, Frank's brain started going over the list of all missing people that was taped to the department walls, eliminating those quickly that didn't match what he could see of the corpses!
Despite being prepared to see mauled bodies underneath, Frank couldn't stop himself from gasping. Azalea and Accursius Malfoy were lying there, still in death, their lips blue and skin white - a white that only death could achieve. Frank stared nonplussed. Saying that they were the last two people he would have guessed to be under the sheet was an understatement. Today was turning into a very strange day. Frank, in his career as an Auror , had seen many bodies. It was an unfortunate part of doing what he did, however, this he had encountered the first time - engraved on the foreheads of both the bodies was the PrioriSurecit. Frank knew what this meant, from hearing many accounts of James and Sirius - these bodies were in transition.
That is they were just one step short of becoming an Inferi.
Shite! He should have bought Sirius and James with him!
Frank hadn't known the Malfoy's in life, however looking at them now, Frank felt a profound sense of loss. Here was another pureblood family, Voldemort had tricked into becoming Inferius's for him on the pretext of giving them immortality. Frank looked on at Azalea Malfoy sadly, magnificent even in death, she would now be subjected to the indignity of not even having a burial. Her headstone, even though she had spent her entire life working on uplifting the Malfoy name, would never be found in the Malfoy graveyard. It would be as if she never existed.
Frank stared off into space trying to recall everything moody had drilled into his mind about the inferi. He could almost picture moody pacing in their classroom. Moody's voice rang in Frank's head -
"Never bury bodies that are in transition, for their magic will never be able to return to the ground."
"Never expose bodies that are in transition to blood, for they will rise as Inferi."
Frank looked around the chapel, and suddenly his sleeve caught his eye, it seemed the book's corner was a little too sharp. His sleeve was soaked with blood. Frank immediately backed away, it would be just his luck if he woke up not one but two Inferi on his first encounter with them. In his haste, he knocked over the altar along with a chalice that was sitting over it, that he had unfortunately ignored before this. The chalice tumbled down, the loud clank of its falling reverberating in the chapel over the uproar of the chapel's crashing. Frank's eyes followed the growing puddle of water, slowly making its way to the bodies as Moody's last instruction echoed in his mind-
"And never for god's sake, try to drown a body in transition, the water expedites the transformation and enhances the thus created Inferius's capabilities. If any of you fools attempt this - Longbottom that's for you boy - I assure you it's the last thing you will ever do."
As soon as the trickle of water touched the bodies, the change happened. It started with a twitch of toes and fingers and then the arms set in motion. Soon after, Frank could see their heads moving. The Inferi stood up, unsteady at their feet at first, but moving all the same. The Inferi started to jerk, moving in a frenzy. Their limbs uncoordinated, bending at angles impossible for the living. Frank stared in morbid fascination, this was surely the last thing he would ever see. Suddenly Azalea Malfoy's corpse stopped moving and turned around. Frank felt the crab cakes he had eaten come back up the wrong way- Her corpse opened its sunken eyes, expressionless, with a veil of death over them, raised its arm and started walking towards him. Frank tried to walk backwards, in his haste he had forgotten his wand and it now lay that the inferius's feet. The Inferi stepped over his wand and advanced slowly.
And stopped.
Frank raised his confused eyes to the two tall figures that were standing as sentinels on either side of the fallen altar.
Understanding came to him with the speed of a thousand trampling trolls - Frank knew that the Inferi were guarding the infernal book. It seemed Voldemort needed the tome desperately.
That made the book darn near precious to Frank.
His wand was something he could leave behind if it meant saving his life. However, passing up the chance of mucking Voldemort's plans was something Frank was not about to do.
Frank, inspired by that rare Gryffindor courage that he had always suspected would be the death of him, sprinted towards the Inferi. Accursius Malfoy's inferius ran towards him, and at the last minute, Frank severed, dodged and grabbed the book, with his other wand he grabbed his wand and send a help signal to all of the other Auror's.
What he had not counted on was Azalea's Inferius being more intelligent than her mindless son even in death. Azalea gouged Frank's leg with her teeth and claws and was keeping him in enough pain and preventing him from doing any magic. Accursius Malfoy limped over to Frank and grabbed hold of his neck. Frank was slowly having the daylights choked out of him. As Frank lost consciousness, he could feel that his pocket watch was providing him with a paltry source of energy and was the only thing that connected him to the land of the living. Frank realised with dismay, he was slowly killing his friends along with him.
Suddenly, Frank felt within himself a flare of energy, a blinding light was coming out of his pocket watch that threw back both the Inferi. Frank fell to the floor gasping, heaving, taking giant gulps of air. He took out his watch and bathed the Inferi with light.
He heard the Moody in his head again-
"The Inferi, being creatures borne of dark magic, have a natural affinity to the Night, they shrink from light and fire"
If he survived this, Frank would never bad mouth the old codger again.
Seemed like Frank was finally doing something right. He sprinted to the door and tried to force it open. It stayed put, as Frank had known it would. Someone had taken precautions to prevent the Inferi from escaping, the downside was that Frank was now locked in too.
Frank levitated himself on the balcony overlooking the pews, the book tucked under his arm, his wand in one hand and the pocket watch in another, throwing light on the Inferi, thus desisting them from venturing too close to him. For some reason, and Frank had a nagging suspicion that he knew why, he was unable to summon any kind of flames to burn the Inferi down.
His only hope was that his friends would find him before the power of the watch ran out. Without fire at hand, Frank was a sitting duck.
-x-
"You WHATT?" Shouted James and Lily together.
Lucius winced at the shrill sound. Bloody hell! That muggle-born witch of Potter's really had a pair of lungs on herself. Lucius had just finished explaining the events of the morning to Lily and James Potter. He thought he saw understanding and pity in Lily Potter's eyes while he was telling the Potters that both Narcissa and he were trying to find a way to reverse the PrioriSurecit tattoo that had appeared on the bodies of his mother and brother. Pity - that had quickly changed to outrage when he told them that they had put an imperturbable charm on the door that was impossible to open from the inside. When he got to the part where Narcissa had disabled the use of fire inside the chapel, James Potter had to physically restrain his wife from attacking Lucius.
Sheesh. It wasn't his fault these pesky Aurors came snooping into his home.
Lucius and Narcissa were just trying to make sure Azalea Malfoy had a dignified burial. Of all the misfortunes the house of Malfoy had suffered today, none would be greater than the Malfoy matriarch not being buried in the Malfoy graveyard. Azalea Malfoy had always wanted to be put to rest at the place picked out - right beside her husband; In fact, her final resting place was one thing she always mentioned when she was trying to blackmail her sons into doing something that they didn't want to. Lucius was going to try his damnedest to ensure his mother's last rites were at-least proper.
Azalea Malfoy was many things but stupid was not one of them. Lucius Malfoy was certain that his mother and brother were tricked into turning into inferi after death. Cissa had just found a stack of letters that his mother had been exchanging with Voldemort. Apparently, Voldemort had persuaded his mother and Accursius to undergo a ritual, that would make them immortal. Lucius ground his teeth together, this was what the half blood scum that called himself the dark lord had sunk to. Ticking innocent- relatively innocent - (Lucius mentally amended) people into becoming his blind followers after death.
Lucius heard a platter of feet behind him and turned, there was his new bride running towards him. Narcissa ran to him and buried her face in his chest. Despite the circumstances, Lucius's heart soared. Cissa was his! He still couldn't believe his luck. Good things simply did not happen to Lucius. Narcissa looked up and Lucius captured her lips with his.
Several minutes passed, or rather a few glorious seasons. This was the real world, the feel of her lips against his and her soft gasping breaths -
"OUI"
Lucius and Narcissa broke apart quickly; Embarrassed at having shown such emotions in public. Such displays of emotions were alien in pureblood families.
"That's the last thing I need to see after nearly dying - my baby sister being snogged! " - A distinctly uncomfortable Sirius shouted gnashing his teeth together - "I don't care if you are her husband - Just hold it in Romeo!"
Lucius raised his he could reply Lily Potter spoke up from behind him - "Oh grow up snuffles! What is this like the fifteenth century? Your behaviour would be out of place even then.."
"Gentlemen... Ladies... Let's concentrate on the task at hand... We have a situation here! "-James Potter began - "I am sure your bickering..." Potter glanced at his wife and lost his nerve. He seemed to realise he had gone too far.
"Did you just say I was bickering?" - snarled Lily - James Potter quailed under his wife's gaze.
Lucius rolled his eyes, he truly felt for poor henpecked Potter.
"Now can we stop this silliness for a moment and concentrate on the matter at hand?" Spoke Cissa in her most cultured voice. Oh dear! Thought Lucius with a smile- he knew that voice, these Aurors were in for it.
"However, if you would like to continue fighting amongst yourselves and let your fellow Auror face my inferi mother and brother in law by himself, then be my guests. Although I don't suppose he would last long!"
"The minister of magic though -who happens to be our guest this morning - would be very interested in knowing that the Auror department was snooping illegally in our home without a warrant."
James Potter spoke up - "I am sorry Lady Malfoy. Today has not been a good day for you. We are truly sorry for your loss, and regret the part we have played in worsening this day for you! We would leave this instant but one of our comrades is in there and we cannot abandon you please open the door to the chapel so that we may retrieve him. House Potter will accept any compensation demanded by House Malfoy"
And then pureblood etiquette demanded Lucius saying equally formally "I, Lucius Malfoy, accept your apology, Lord Potter. And forgo any demands for compensation this time. Trusting in your good word that such a thing will not happen again"
"On my honour, Lord Malfoy" Began James Potter in his most formal voice - only to be cut short by his wife.
"Oh for god's sake! Look Lucius and Narcissa we are sorry! We thought the Malfoys were hiding something. Whether they were or weren't, has died with Azalea and Accursius" Lily Potter spoke harshly ."What matters now is are you willing to burn the Inferi? Our comrade and friend is in there and we are not going to abandon him"
"Burn? Never!"- Spat Lucius - "I can still help them. I can still figure this out"
Lucius felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked around to see Sirius looking at him with pity. "Lucius, there is no spell that can reverse the creation of an Inferius"
"No!" breathed Lucius "I can't let go! I have to try!"
"I can't give up!" Shouted Lucius.
"The ritual that was performed on your mother, imprinted her soul with dark magic. In death, her soul has left her body but is not able to cross over. He body is filled with dark magic, and unless we burn it, she will never be able to find peace!"
"Peace? Don't talk to me as if you care about what happens to my mother's soul! What do you know about family? " -Lucius spat, he looked quite demented with ghosts of the day's events swimming in his eyes - he had lost too much too soon.
Sirius stepped back as if he was burned. Even though he knew Lucius was not in a sane state of mind right now, the family taunt still hurt.
He looked at his sister with haunted eyes.
Narcissa gave him a look that was both apologetic and sympathetic at the same time.
She turned to Lucius and said "Lucius" . ..
"It's time".
Lucius looked at his wife. There was a myriad of emotions reflected in her eyes. Pain, loss, understanding, pity. But above all love!
"It's time" Narcissa repeated - "You have to let go"
Lucius gave her a small nod and strode away! He didn't think he could bear to watch it.
Narcissa Malfoy opened the chapel's gate with a flick of her wand and muttered some strange spell, and a strange gust of wind blew from inside of the chapel.
Lily Potter was watching Narcissa Malfoy with fascination! Narcissa was using spells that Lily had never seen! Looked like Lily wasn't the only one who liked pushing magic forward. Narcissa felt Lily's gaze on her, and gave her a small smile!
Sirius strode into the chapel and a moment later emerged levitating a very pale and shivering Auror - Frank was in a bad way.
James Potter raised his wand, and before he could utter the burning spell, Lily Potter touched his arm and stopped him. Narcissa knew in that moment that Lily Potter realised how traumatic this was to the Malfoy's even though she herself was not a pureblood.
"Lucius ..." whispered Narcissa.
"Come..."
Lucius Malfoy returned to face the chapel.
He raised his wand, so did his wife.
Together they burned down the old and ushered in the new!
