A New Enemy
Act 2
Chapter 10 - Death
Joe Callidus stepped back from the lifeless body of Harry Potter. He hung limply, the chains the only thing supporting him. Several of his followers rushed into the room. Groves and Westaway were among them.
"My Lord," said Groves. "I didn't think the plan was to kill him yet." Callidus turned to face the men that had streamed into the dark room.
"I have seen no further use for Potter. Cut him down, and take him to the Ministry." There was a stunned silence around the room. The men exchanged quick, nervous glances. It was Westaway that broke the silence,
"Sir, just to be clear, we're going to take him, actually take him, to the Ministry?"
The men didn't understand what was happening. Their leader was telling them to walk into the Ministry with the dead body of Harry Potter.
"Yes Westaway. That is exactly what we are going to do." Callidus watched the shocked faces of his followers. They had picked up on his use of 'we', meaning Callidus himself, as well as them.
"B-But Sir, we'll be killed." Groves sounded alarmed at the news that they were being ordered to walk into the Ministry.
"No, we will not be killed. They will arrest us, question us, put us on trial, and only then will they decide whether to kill us."
No one said anything to Callidus, and there were signs that everyone was uncomfortable. None of them wanted to question their masters judgement.
Finally Westaway stepped forward and raised his wand. The chains around Harry's lifeless wrists relinquished him. He fell roughly to the floor, and Westaway levitated him. As he got to the door, he turned and said,
"Sir, what should we put him in?"
Callidus had been looking at the floor. Without lifting his head he said, "A glass coffin. We want people to see him. Dress him in some clothes, make him look battle scarred, and make sure he's wearing his glasses."
Westaway nodded and left the room. When it became clear that Callidus wasn't going to say anything else, the rest of his followers left him alone to his thoughts.
Joe Callidus couldn't keep his eyes off the floor. He was staring at a crimson stain on the floor. The blood of Harry Potter had left its mark.
'What have I done? Killed Potter, that's what you've done. But was it right? Of course, you wanted Hermione, and he took her from you. Did I even have a chance with her? Yes, no one else even looked at her as beautiful. I've deluded myself. I'm a monster. If I wanted to be close to Hermione, why didn't I just try and be her friend. She was all for house unity. But I killed her husband, the un-killable Harry Potter.'
Callidus let out a low laugh. His internal battle came to an end, when he decided what he was going to do. He wasn't going to force anyone to do it with him.
He left the room and closed the door behind him. He walked through the his Parisian HQ, and into the meeting room. Above the large table a transparent coffin floated in the air. Inside was the dead body of Harry Potter. Callidus' followers were all sat around the table, and waited in silence for him to sit.
Callidus sat down, and looked around.
"I am going to the Ministry, and turning myself in. Any of you are free to come with me, or flee. But I warn you, you won't be able to outrun the Ministry forever. You are only safe now because of my skill with magic. So if you wish to take the risk and leave, do so now."
Everyone got up, apart from Groves and Westaway.
"Fools." Callidus hissed in an undertone. He watched the last man leave the room, and waited to hear the front door slam.
"Sir, what are we going to do once we get there?" Westaway said.
"We will turn ourselves in. We drop our wands, lay Potter's coffin on the floor, and go calmly to the interrogation rooms."
Westaway nodded, but Callidus didn't pay him any attention. He was focused on Groves, who was grinning.
"Why are you smiling Groves?"
Groves shrugged, "Seems like a good plan."
Callidus nodded his head slowly, not knowing if Groves had fully understood the 'turn ourselves in' part of the plan. He stood from the table and beckoned Groves and Westaway to follow him. Westaway continued to levitate the coffin, and followed Groves and Callidus from the building.
The cool night air of the Parisian night hit their faces. Their breath fogged, and Groves and Westaway waited for Callidus to give the signal to apparate. There were only certain ways to apparate into the Ministry. One way was to be wanted. If a Dark Witch or Wizard was wanted and they intended to turn themselves in, they could apparate into the Ministry atrium. A siren would then sound, and Aurors would appear to arrest them.
Callidus knew this and prepared himself. He raised his hand, paused for a second, and dropped it.
Callidus apparated without a sound, whilst Groves and Westaway made a loud crack.
They landed in the Ministry atrium and, just as Callidus knew, the siren sounded. They immediately heard the lifts working, carrying the Aurors to them. Callidus nodded to Westaway, indicating that he should lower Harry's coffin to an upright position.
"Stay were you are! Drop your wands!"
Draco Malfoy came running at the head of five Aurors. Being night, there were only a handful of Ministry employees present. Callidus and Westaway held there arms high, and there was a clatter as their wands fell to the floor. Groves however, did not lower his wand.
The green flash of the Killing curse flew past Draco, and he heard a body fall to the floor. Without thinking he sent his own Killing curse straight at Groves. His eyes widened and he didn't have any time to dodge the curse. His body crumpled and lay motionless on the floor.
Killing him was easy for Draco. Groves had hurt Hermione. The Hermione he loved, but never made a move on, out of respect for Harry.
That was when his eyes fell on the object standing between Westaway and Callidus. Right in front of Draco, stood Harry Potter. No, he didn't stand. He was encased in, a coffin. A transparent coffin. Draco's hands moved to his head, and ran through his hair.
Harry Potter was dead.
"Is he, dead?" Draco directed this question to Callidus.
"Yes. I killed him." Draco had to use all his self control to force himself to not kill Callidus.
"Take them down to the interrogation rooms." Draco called to the remaining Aurors. They hurried forward and bound the two men. They were dragged away without a fight. Draco then pulled out some parchment and, using his leg as a support, scribbled a note to have the dead Auror taken away. He tapped it with his wand, and it turned into a paper plane and flew off.
Draco waited for the body to be collected, and when he was alone he approached the coffin. He looked at the figure within. Harry was much thinner than he remembered, and there were scars on his wrists and forearms. He was dressed in a bloody t-shirt and torn jeans. His shoes were falling apart, and his glasses were perched precariously on his nose. His hair was long and a beard had grown on his jaw.
Draco looked around quickly before he waved his wand. Harry's hair was cut short, like it was before he had been taken, and his beard disappeared. As Draco cut Harry's hair, the thought of Harry being taken almost overwhelmed him.
'It was my fault. He left because of me, and now he's dead. Hermione's going to kill me, right after she's killed those other two...'
At the thought of Hermione, Draco stopped. What would he say to Hermione. He quickly decided that he would interrogate Callidus and his accomplice and then try and get the Wizengamot to try them tomorrow. That way when the news of Harry's death broke in the Daily Prophet, like he knew it would, Hermione would rush to the Ministry to be at the trial.
Draco nodded to himself and levitated Harry's coffin. He brought it down to his office, the same office that had once been Harry's. Draco set him down upon the desk, and transfigured the coffin. It was no longer transparent, but made of wood, with the top open. The battle scarred Harry Potter was no longer visible form every angle, and Draco slowly left the office.
He made his way down to interrogation rooms, making sure that he was ready to torture any information out of the two bastards being held.
A/N: Remember to vote in the poll for the ending.