~ Chapter Ten ~
It couldn't be real. It just couldn't.
Colours flashed off stone walls. Screams were echoing inside his mind both male and female, cackles of laughter so sinister that it brought chills to him. Blood seemed to layer the ground beneath his feet as he stood amongst the carnage. It was almost like the climax scenes in a horror film.
None of this could be real!
Chris was shaking with fear. Never had he witnessed something quite like this. Sure he'd faced off against Voldemort numerous times, but now he severely doubted his abilities. If the Death Eaters fought with such ferocity, then the Dark Lord would be worse in battle. At this point, Chris believed the Dark Lord had only been toying with him.
They moved so swiftly and cast spells with such accuracy. It made his usual attempts to be childlike. He couldn't match something like that. Yet that wasn't even the worst of it all. The scene that he was watching was made a million times worse by having a family member right in the middle of it all.
His mother was fighting for her life alone.
Hexes were thrown everywhere and some were even bouncing off the walls and returning into the fray. Spells collided with whoever walked into their path, uncaring of the sender. People fell over each other in an attempt to get a hit on the fabled Order member. The Death Eaters who were farther back simply shouted curses that protected against portkey and apparition, giving them the upper hand.
It was pure chaos and Lily Potter was stuck in the middle of it with no one able to reach her.
Unfortunately, Chris knew that this was a dream. The last thing he remembered was climbing into the gold and red four-poster bed next to Ron. Of course he had expected to dream, just not of this.
He'd expected to fall into a lovely yet slightly bizarre dream with Ariel like he had been doing for the past few nights. They had become quite close in their time spent together and Chris believed they were close to moving further into a relationship. Ariel wasn't quite sold on the idea of sex yet even if they had played with each other on numerous occasions. But this night he had been positive that was the way they were going.
So this particular dream came as a complete surprise.
Chris was honestly shocked. He didn't know what to do. What did someone do when faced with a dream such as this?
Did one simply wake and forget that it had ever occurred? After all, if it was anything, it was simply a nightmare. When someone woke from those, they were comforted by their friends and family because realistically it could never occur.
He could act upon it but if it was wrong, he would look like a complete lunatic. Not just because of whom it was, but also because of where his dream was taking place. The Department of Mysteries wasn't exactly a place someone just walked into.
It was his decision either way.
As Chris watched his mother slowly begin to fall to the Death Eaters, he began to worry. His gut was telling him that his mother was safe and sound at home with his father. Conflicting this was his mind. It was telling him that his mother was in danger and he had to go and rescue her. He needed to prevent her death. But which was right?
He remembered the subtle warnings that Ariel had given him whilst Nagini was attacking Arthur Weasley. He hadn't acted then and Mr Weasley had been killed because of it. His mind and gut had been in the same conflict then as well. Could he really wake up and not do anything now that his own mother was in peril?
Then again if it wasn't real and he did act upon it who else would be placed in harm's way?
"Chris, can you really sit here while your mother suffers?"
The voice was distinctly Ariel. Or perhaps it was his consciousness using Ariel's voice? Either way it was good to hear him during such a time.
"Little Lion, your mother is battling against odds here. She is not likely to make it should aid not come to her."
Chris began to feel really guilty. Was he sitting by and watching this happen? Could he watch the death of his mother and not do anything about it?
"Her death won't be swift, little lion. You know this. Death Eaters pride themselves on breaking their victims before killing them. She could spend years being tortured by them. Will you allow that to happen?"
Chris felt tears streaming down his face. He really needed to feel Ariel right now. What he wanted was comfort, not this. Why wasn't Ariel trying to comfort him while his mother suffered?
"Chris, wake up. She isn't dead yet. You and only you can go and save her. The Order won't get to her in time to save her. But you must act now."
"Why won't the Order reach her in time?" Chris asked as he flinched from his mother's scream.
He could almost see Ariel's smile before his reply.
"Little Lion, they will not believe you. They have their own agenda and that includes keeping you in the dark and protecting your childhood. When have the adults ever given you any information to aid you? They will only attempt to comfort you. By the time they act, your mother will already be gone from the area."
"What about you? They believed me when I mentioned you."
"Lion, they were only humouring you. After all, it is better to be dreaming of your lover rather than what the Dark Lord might be planning."
Chris could instantly see the truth to Ariel's words. They had kept him in the dark. He was the one the Dark Lord wanted yet they were all protecting him, sheltering him. The Order continuously risked their lives for him when what he truly needed was for them to train him. What he needed was for someone to realize that he wasn't a child anymore. He was the Chosen One.
"Ariel, what do I do? How do I save my mother?"
"You need to wake up, Little Lion. The rest is up to you…"
Chris woke up gasping for breath, Ariel's voice slowly fading from his thoughts. He needed to get his mother. He had to reach her in time. His mother was one person he couldn't lose, not like this.
Rolling out of bed, he grabbed the first shirt he could and a pair of pants while simultaneously stowing his wand in his pocket. He would need to move fast and he would need the help of those he could rely on. Ron was one of those people.
"Ron, Ron wake up!" he said urgently, attempting to raise his best friend.
"What's it?" Ron grumbled. "Mate, what time is it?"
"We need to get to the Department of Mysteries."
x-x-x-x-x
Voldemort was watching Ariel. He looked so peaceful which was the complete opposite of what he was currently feeling.
They were within Ariel's mindscape, surrounded by flowers that waved in the breeze. They weren't speaking. The only sound was the constant rustle of flowers. The silence between them was something that, Voldemort decided, should never happen if they argued. It was unbearable.
Still that wasn't why the Dark Lord was anything but calm.
Ariel was inside that Potter brat's dreams once again and it wasn't something Voldemort enjoyed seeing. He would only admit this to himself, but he was jealous of that damn brat.
The numerous times Ariel saw Chris was astounding and they didn't simply talk either. No they went a step further than Ariel and Tom. They played with each other, they kissed and they touched. All of this had happened in the mere week that the Weasley patriarch had died. It drove him into a rage.
No one was allowed to touch Ariel, even if he wasn't truly corporal in this form. Ariel's only saving grace was that he hadn't yet slept with the brat. That was probably the only reason that Voldemort had allowed this to go on for so long. Ariel would still have his innocence when the Dark Lord finally claimed the teen for himself.
Voldemort leered at the silent teen. He could hardly wait for that moment. However first he needed to know that his plans were being executed flawlessly.
The first part of his plan rested solely on Ariel. He needed the teen to get into the head of Christopher Potter and convince the brat to go to the Department of Mysteries. While the brat and his Death Eaters were causing havoc in the Department, he and Severus would be moving towards Pandora's Box. They would be setting Ariel free this very day.
"Everything is set." Ariel spoke, coming around. "Chris is waking as we speak and plans to head directly towards the Department of Mysteries."
Voldemort nodded his acceptance. This was it. Everything that he had been working towards would finally be his. He would finally be releasing Ariel from his prison and keeping him safe for the remainder of their lives.
"You're only going to have one chance at this, so don't make any mistakes."
Ariel had been constantly repeating that since he had entered the mindscape. Honestly, didn't the child trust him enough to get the job done right the first time?
"Mistakes could be costly and you more than likely won't be able to get another chance like this one. They'll tighten security around the Ministry, making your job much harder than this. You'll also not have a distraction should you fail this time. Just make sure that you are prepared for everything when you leave."
The Dark Lord frowned at Ariel. The teen didn't normally ramble like this. Sure the entire thing was all information about what would happen should he fail but he didn't believe it to be necessary at this time. Lord Voldemort, after all, didn't make mistakes of this calibre so early in the game.
So, what was it that caused Ariel to react like this?
Ariel was always so smart. He knew everything that the Dark Lord enquired of. This genius, although merely a teen, often acted more like an adult than the child he was. Obviously, this was because he had spent so much time around adults and none around those his own age. Even through this, Voldemort had never seen Ariel act as he was doing now…
It was then that the Dark Lord realized something. Ariel was fidgeting and pulling at his clothing. He was shuffling around and attempting to tidy things even though there wasn't anything in his mindscape to tidy. It was such obvious behaviour that Voldemort didn't even know why it had taken him this long to figure it all out. After all his lower level Death Eaters often acted like this when he was around.
Ariel was nervous. He was nervous about what was soon to occur.
In all honesty, the Dark Lord could understand why this was such a huge deal for the teen. He'd never been outside before in his life. Ariel was like a bird in a gilded cage. He was always on show, always well cared for but never free. This however was his chance. He was so close to gaining freedom that it was causing him to become nervous and scared to what he may discover.
Voldemort smirked and took Ariel in his arms. The teen was shivering.
"I will be there in no time at all and then you shall be free." He said with conviction. "Severus and I will wake you and you will once again join the real world. There is nothing to fear Ariel."
The raven-haired teen gave a shaky laugh. Voldemort merely wrapped his arms tighter.
This was not the Ariel he enjoyed seeing and he would do everything in his power to keep Ariel from returning to this state. After all, the consort to the Dark Lord wasn't afraid of anything in his path.
"I will see you soon." Ariel spoke more strongly, as he stepped away from Tom's arms.
"You will see me soon, I swear by Merlin, you will see me soon."
"I'm holding you to that." Ariel whispered as the Dark Lord disappeared from his mindscape and was once again left alone, surrounded only by his flowers.
x-x-x-x-x
Voldemort felt himself stirring. Upon waking, he knew instantly he was in the throne room surrounded by his Death Eaters. All of whom were waiting patiently for the green light to begin whatever was tasked for them.
He immediately stood, not needing to stretch. Ariel was waiting for him and that was all that mattered at the current point in time.
"My faithful, we have been given an all clear. You all know what you must do. If for any reason you see Aurors, keep them busy, you know the drill. Don't let them see you and don't let them live."
The Death Eaters all roared except for the Inner Circle. Most of them were at least sophisticated enough to realize roaring was beneath them. They were also the group that would be keeping the little brat busy while Voldemort and Severus went to obtain Ariel.
"Now let's go and pave our way into the future of the Wizarding World."
This would be their first official strike. It wasn't a take-over. It was merely a warning of what was to come. As the Ministry didn't believe they were back, they needed to do something major to make them see reason. Sure it would have been easier if they did a simple take-over of the Ministry while they were all in disbelief. However it would get them nowhere.
Albus Dumbledore was sure to make an appearance with his Order and drive them back within minutes. No, first they needed to destroy the Ministry and decimate their ranks before any major take-over or battle could occur.
The sound of apparition echoed around the hall, leaving only Severus and Nagini by the Dark Lord's side. Severus had a bag hanging from his shoulder obviously filled with the potions that Ariel would have to ingest. The only other person who knew what those potions were was Ariel. Not even Voldemort knew what those potions would do.
"Are you sufficiently prepared, Severus?" the Dark Lord asked stiffly.
Voldemort really hadn't desired anyone else with him when he went to rescue Ariel. It would ruin the entire mood but there was little that could be done if Ariel had requested the man's assistance. If Ariel truly needed one of his minions then he would allow it provided it wasn't for certain things that he could provide.
"Yes master, I have even taken precaution and bought along a few potions that aren't necessary but might be needed should something go erroneous."
The Dark Lord nodded but Severus knew that he was anything but pleased. Ariel had warned him of this and he had known the consequences before agreeing to this mission. Voldemort was possessive and dangerous especially when it came to people or objects. So with Voldemort's attraction to Ariel also came with possessiveness and a danger of being cursed should you step incorrectly. Truly though, there was nothing to do about it. Severus wasn't about to abandon Ariel to the Ministry so he had to be cautious with his master instead.
"Very well, when you are ready follow me."
Severus groaned as the Dark Lord apparated with Nagini. When he said "when you are ready" he truly meant "as soon as I leave".
x-x-x-x-x
The place Nagini had led him to be was the hallway leading to the Department of Mysteries. This, she had said, had been the first place that she had met Ariel when he showed her the way. So, generally speaking, it would be easier for Nagini to follow the path from there rather than inside the Department.
The Dark Lord tried not to get murderous at the location. This had been where the brat had pinned Ariel against a wall and ravished him. It wasn't a pleasant place for him to be.
Not long after they arrived, Severus apparrated in behind them. He had taken longer than Voldemort had liked, but he allowed the man some leniency since he was also carrying a bag full of potions he also had to apparrate with.
"Which way are we to head Nagini?" he hissed.
Nagini turned towards the only door along the corridor and nudge the Dark Lord in that direction. Severus followed behind them, remaining as close as possible. It would be easy to lose your way if you got side-tracked.
The first place they entered was the trickiest to get through. It was a circular room with thirteen doors all taking you to differing locations throughout the department. A few of the doors were simply pointless but one was their way out and one lead to certain death, neither of which they planned to enter as the room began to spin.
As the room slowly ceased spinning, the Dark Lord turned to make sure his potions master was alright before questioning his familiar.
"Nagini, which door do we take?"
Nagini, hissing in agitation, slowly turned her head to look at the doors. She wanted to take her master through here as swiftly as possible. This room was an abomination to her.
"There is a carving on that door of a skill and crossbones in the top right hand corner. That is that door you desire to take, master."
The Dark Lord nodded in acceptance before motioning Severus towards the door. He knew that if he opened it, he would need to be the last one out otherwise the doors would start to revolve again.
Once through, Voldemort placed his beloved familiar on the ground. She needed to lead them from here as silent as possible. After all there were still Unspeakables at work and if they were discovered everything would fall apart.
"Go my pet, show us the way."
Nagini hissed and slowly began to move through the winding corridors. It was frustrating that Ariel's room wasn't connected to the doorways. In fact it was the only major room that wasn't for whatever purpose that had served. For an unknown reason the room had been taken away off the network connecting the other rooms. At least that was what Augustus informed him.
The room, before the Dark Lord's downfall, had been connected to the circular room. It had been as easily assessable as the other rooms and many Unspeakables often spent their time there. Everything connecting that room had been removed with a month of his downfall. Unspeakables still journeyed there but it was more difficult to reach for those not assigned to whatever project they were working on.
Then on the eve of his downfall, ten years later, the entire room sealed itself off. Everyone within never made it out. Many of the Unspeakables had attempted to free their comrades but to no avail. The room had sealed, killing every last person within.
To this day, Augustus informed him, no one knew the specific reason the room had sealed. Many of their number speculated but that was all they could do. No one knew what their comrades had been working in within the walls of that room. None ever leaked even a little bit of information, so for Augustus to have knowledge that a person was within gave him the upper edge in his department.
Voldemort shook himself from his thoughts. Nagini was doing a brilliant job of remembering the correct turns to take regarding the pathways. Not once did she lose her way. Yet it couldn't quite quench the excitement the Dark Lord held.
Eventually, they reached the door with a simple label of Pandora's Box written across the top. The door didn't look remarkable at all which initially shocked both Voldemort and Severus. Nagini, having already viewed the door, knew what to expect and wasn't overly concerned. This was the correct door and as far as she was aware, her job was done.
"Master, may I be sent back to the nest?"
The Dark Lord merely placed the portkey between his familiar's teeth and activated it. He was still in shock. This was not what he had expected.
When he had first seen this in a dream it had been amazing. The door had been inlaid with gold while the wood chosen for the actual door was holly. It had been something no one could walk by without noticing. This thing was just bland and boring casting doubts on what he was actually doing.
"My Lord, I hate to interrupt your thoughts but the brat won't be alone with the Death Eaters forever. The Order will eventually come to their aid. We need to have woken Ariel by then."
Voldemort gave a tight nod and opened the door. Deep down, he knew not to expect the rolling hills filled with flowers but not seeing it was just… appalling.
The room itself was bleak. It didn't have any windows or candles to allow for light. There weren't any fields of flowers or a gazebo with Ariel waving from it. From what the Dark Lord could see, it was simply four cold, stone walls. There was nothing interesting about this place. It was sterile dark and in no way inviting.
Glancing around the dark space, Voldemort couldn't help but wonder if Ariel even looked similar to his dream. If this room was meant to be Pandora's Box, the very room Ariel was being kept in, then where were the flowers? They seemed to hold such significance for Ariel. Yet nothing even remotely similar was nearby. It was simply heart-wrenching.
Not that the Dark Lord revealed most of this. However from his movements Severus knew that this wasn't what the Dark Lord had been expecting.
What he had been expecting to find, Severus didn't know. Ariel had invaded his mind for them to speak. He'd never had the chance to enter Ariel's mind though that desire did exist. It would be a most curious thing to see how Ariel constructed his mind since he'd never been outside. All he had was the inside of his mind and these four stone walls. There was nothing else present here at all as far as he could see.
However that begged the question, where was Ariel?
Turning towards the stricken Dark Lord, he eventually decided to speak up.
"Forgive me, master, but where is Ariel meant to be?" he finally enquired.
The Dark Lord froze. If he had been thinking that numerous things were missing then that was the biggest of all. Where was Ariel in this room? He wasn't entirely positive of how far this room extended. The lighting was terrible and anything a mere metre in front of him disappeared into blackness.
Holding his wand up high, the Dark Lord cast the first thing that came to mind.
"Lumos."
Hahaha, this is such a huge tease to you all as is the knowledge that I've completed the next chapter and it is in the list to be updated in January. So you'll have to be patient to see Ariel. Thank you to all who reviewed.
~MidnightEmber