The Family Name—Year Five
By Elbereth in April
Chapter 10
Draco was exhausted by dealing with his mother and the Aurors and the house elves. But rather than fall onto his bed and sleep for years, he joined Artemis and Butler at the top of the Astronomy Tower. They expected a visit from the Lower Elements Police, probably Holly Short, and wanted privacy. There had been a Seventh Year couple making use of the place, but one look from Butler and they had fled.
The Astronomy Tower gave a lovely view of the sky and the teardrop-shaped, blue rocket heading straight towards them. "Artemis!"
"Bio-bomb," Artemis identified automatically, casting a shield around them that he knew wouldn't hold. "Change," he ordered, and transformed into his owl form. They couldn't let the bomb detonate in the castle.
Draco gaped for a moment, then turned into a thestral. Butler, who could see thestrals just fine, climbed onto his back. The three took to the air. "We can't outrun it," Butler said, as it changed course to follow.
Then Holly was there, flying towards the bomb at top speed. She ripped off her helmet and covered the bomb with it. Her helmet was designed to deflect solinium flares—would it be enough to shield them?
The bomb detonated in an explosion of blue light, spinning the helmet around and throwing Holly away. Where the light touched, insects fell dead, their hearts frozen. Holly rose higher in the air and the light followed. She flew at top speed, G-force pressing against her, and managed to outdistance the light, which reached its limit of distance and dissipated. It had touched her legs and left them feeling weak, but her magic was healing her.
The participants in this ordeal all landed at the edge of the Forbidden Forest and faced each other. "What was that?" Draco demanded.
"Someone trying to kill you," Holly answered. "That was a fairy-built bio-bomb."
"This is becoming annoying," Artemis said.
"Holly!" Captain Short jumped as Foaly suddenly yelled into her ear-piece. "Commander Root—he—he's dead, Holly."
Holly's knees collapsed under her for reasons completely unrelated to the bio-bomb. "What?"
"Scalene wanted to talk to Julius alone, once he and Trouble got there. When he went in, he was trapped. The whole thing was a trap. Scalene was wearing a device that he detonated and killed them both. Something big is going on, Holly. But we don't know who the leader of it is. We know Scalene couldn't have planned this on his own."
"Do you have any suspects?" Artemis cut in.
"Someone who hates Root. Do you know how long that list is?"
"Someone who hates me, as well—unless the bio-bomb was meant for Draco."
"Maybe it was meant for us both. If a fairy who hates you is working with my dad, who hates me…"
"Or a fairy who hates us both. Is Opal Koboi still secure?"
"She was my first thought, but I checked," Foaly said. "She's still in a coma in the lab."
"What lab?"
"The Argon Clinic. It's a medical/psychological facility run by a Dr. Argon. Koboi is imprisoned there."
"Are you sure she's unconscious? Perhaps she's passing messages to someone."
"She never has visitors."
"Can Argon be trusted? He could declare her as in a coma when she's really not, and pass messages for her. He could be planning her escape, too."
"I'll send someone to check it out. Meanwhile, things here are in an uproar, as you'd expect. Without… without the Command…" he broke off.
"Meanwhile, another attempt could be made on Artemis or Draco or both," Holly managed to say, even though tears were running down her face as she blinked and wiped at her eyes.
"Or Butler," Draco added, looking at the bodyguard.
"I'd better stay here for a little while," Holly said, even though her heart was calling her back.
"I'll let you know what happens. I imagine the Council will appoint someone to take over, and they'll decide whether to recall you or not," Foaly told her.
"Are we a danger to the other students?" Draco asked worriedly. "As much as it goes against the grain, maybe we should tell Dumbledore that my dad has targeted me and there could be other attacks."
"Does Dumbledore know of your existence?" Artemis inquired.
"I think he suspects, but he knows nothing for certain. He's still only human," Holly replied.
"Let's stay quiet for now, then," Artemis decided.
"How long have you been able to turn into animals?" Holly asked. "That's handy."
"Since last year. Holly, I'm sorry about your commander. My brother's been kidnapped, you know." Draco and Holly exchanged sad, sympathetic glances.
"Commander Root was a fine man," Butler said.
"We'll find your brother," Artemis vowed, face resolute.
Draco looked down at the ground. His stomach had been clenching and his head hurting since he discovered that Ecleus was gone. His brain was flitting between thoughts, not wanting to settle down and really think.
Holly put a hand on his arm. "We will."
He smiled wanly. "Sure." He knew the situation wasn't his fault, he did, but he still couldn't help but feel he'd failed as a brother.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
The four of them spent the night in Butler's quarters, in case of attack. But nothing happened. Foaly had reported that Dr. Argon checked out clean, although Opal had donated money to his clinic. She was still in her cell, in a coma, however. Argon had even done a DNA test to prove it was her.
Butler wanted to shadow Artemis in all his classes the next day, but instead it was agreed that Holly would do it, as she could become invisible. Besides, Butler was supposed to be teaching.
"We'll alert you via the brooch if anything happens," Artemis assured him.
Therefore, when neither boy showed up for lunch, Butler went ballistic. He attempted to contact them, but calling by brooch got no response. He called Artemis's cell, only to have someone else answer. "Hello, Butler. Yes, I have them. But if it's any consolation, it won't be for long."
"You'll let them go?"
The female laughed. "No! They'll be dead shortly."
"Who is this?" the bodyguard demanded in a growl.
"Oh, you know me. Let's just say, Artemis had the right idea, just the wrong suspect. Argon wasn't my minion, the janitors were."
"Koboi."
"Good job! You know, I'm considering sparing you. I can't think of a much better revenge than letting you live with the knowledge you utterly failed your employer."
Butler pushed down despair. "What have you done with him? Is this about revenge?"
"Oh, yes. Very much so. You all wrecked my plan and you deserve to pay. And you will."
"Captain Short—"
Koboi snorted. "Your Captain is currently with your Artemis and Draco. I knew she was there, after all. I've been watching. It was easy enough to take her out."
"And once you have your revenge, what then?"
"World domination, of course. The LEP imprisoned me—studied me like an animal in a cage—so we shall see how they like it. I allow the humans contact with the People—there will be war. Wizards will be involved, allowing the Muggles to discover the wizards. There will be war on two fronts. And I will have the weapons needed to subjugate the People and the magic-users—and in the end, I will be the most powerful one left."
"You think the humans won't kill you, too?"
"Oh, they'll think I'm human." She laughed again. "I've taken all the necessary steps. Rounded ears. Pituitary gland, so I'll grow. Mesmerized human who believes I'm his beloved daughter. No one will ever believe I'm a fairy. The wizards I've met certainly have no idea."
"You're despicable."
"I'll take that as a compliment. You can't stop me, you know. Not even with what I've told you." The smug tone was grating.
"I can try."
"I expect you to. It will make things more interesting." Then she hung up, and Butler was left listening to the dial tone.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Meanwhile, Artemis, Draco, and Holly were waking up from their enforced slumber on a fairy shuttle. Draco's thoughts were muddled, but then he remembered—turning a corner in the corridors at Hogwarts, hearing a foot scuff on the stone floor, turning around just in time to see two boys with wands pointed at him and Fowl, getting stunned, blackness. What had happened to Holly? How much did the boys know—had his father simply paid them off to apprehend him and Fowl, or did they know about fairies, too? "I can't believe it—Nott and Stormbrew!"
Artemis was rubbing at his forehead. "Yes. Stunned from behind—the ignominy."
"Death Eater's son and my father's lackey. Voldemort must be in on this."
"It is looking increasingly likely." Artemis looked at Holly. "How did they get you?"
"They didn't," Holly replied, looking angry. "There was another fairy, shielded like me. All I saw was a couple kids walking down the hall behind you, then I heard a slight whine—it was probably too soft for you to even hear, but I recognized it from my police work. It's an illegal weapon called a Sleeper—essentially a powerful stun gun. I was hit from behind, too."
Draco looked around them, at the large craft with fur-covered seats, entertainment hologram center, and a food buffet. Everything was very luxurious. Up in front, they could just see the backs of two male pixies piloting the craft. "Where do you suppose we are now?"
"My shuttle," said a voice. A cube lowered from the ceiling, with the face of a very self-satisfied Opal Koboi staring at them onscreen.
"Koboi," Holly spat. "You killed Commander Root!"
Opal preened. "Yes. I did. He was just the first step in my revenge. The next step would be you three."
Holly felt the pressure of the craft and the angle of descent. "We're landing."
"Yes, you woke up just in time. You have arrived at an old fairy theme park. The Eleven Wonders of the Human World."
Artemis cocked his head. "There are only seven on the official list."
"I know that. But fairies decided to include a few more. Now then. As it happens, trolls have taken over the exhibits."
At this point, the pixies in Opal's employ, Merv and Scant Brill, came to stand beside them, guns out and pointed at them. "Cuff them and spray them," Opal ordered the brothers.
Scant handcuffed the three, then took an atomizer from his pocket and doused them liberally with a yellow, nasty smelling liquid.
"Ugh, what is that?" Draco demanded, flinching away and wrinkling his nose.
"Troll pheromones," Scant explained. "Trolls will take one whiff of you and go absolutely crazy. To them, you smell like females in heat…"
"Excuse me?"
"…when they find out you're not, they'll tear you into a thousand little bits, then chew on the pieces. We've enclosed the exhibit so there's no escape. Even if you jump in the water, the scent won't wash off. I removed the wings from your suit and shorted out your cam-foil. I did leave you the heating coils. I also took your wands, portkeys, and Fowl's cell phone."
'That figures,' Draco grumbled to himself. 'They can detect portkeys.'
"Which one of you shot me in the back?" Holly demanded.
"That would be me," Merv declared proudly.
The Captain's eyes narrowed as she stared him down.
"Take them out," Opal interrupted.
The pixies prodded at them with their guns. They exited the shuttle and walked towards the theme park. The cube with Opal still onscreen floated along behind them.
The park consisted of eleven exhibits, each the size of a football stadium. They were enclosed by huge hexagonal panels in a circular shape. They passed through the park's entrance, past the first exhibit, a 2/3 scale model of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Several of the panels—each the size of a house—had been torn out so they could see the pyramid and the dozens of shaggy trolls scrambling around it. They were heading for the exhibit where all the panels had been repaired. As Scant had said, they would be shut in. No escape.
Draco stared at the trolls as they went past—looking back over his shoulder until he nearly tripped over his own feet. They were at least eight feet tall, covered in matted fur. Their arms hung below their knees, they had two curved serrated tusks in their lower jaws, and their eyes glowed red.
They stopped at the hemisphere for the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. Artemis bet Koboi thought she was being quite clever.
"Why do you suppose someone would name a male child after a female goddess?" Opal asked with a smirk.
Artemis sighed. "It's my father's name. It can be used for girls or boys and means the hunter. Rather apt, don't you think?"
Opal sneered. "Send them in."
Merv opened the entrance by remote. Distant howls sounded from inside. Artemis could see several trolls brawling on the steps of the replica. The brothers shoved them inside and closed the door.
"Best of luck!" Opal called. "Remember, we'll be watching you on the cameras!"
The door clanged shut and one of the pixies shorted out the electronic lock from the other side.
A/N: 1) Sorry this is such a short chapter but this was the best place to end it. I'll try to get the next one up quicker. 2) I thought Opal would still follow through with her plans from Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception, but Draco will mix things up.