Chapter 12 – The Horcrux
Hermione looked at Harry. At first nothing happened. Had they been mistaken about the crown being a Horcrux? No, Anubis wouldn't come personally to Egypt unless it was important. Next thing that happened Harry fell to the floor. Sam was there with an Asgard scanner, thankfully their technology worked along with magic.
"He seems to be in some kind of deep sleep, probably dreaming." Sam told a worried Hermione.
"Is there anything we can do?" Hermione asked.
"Wait... for now."
Harry found himself in a meadow, a wonderful green meadow full of flowers under a clear blue sky and a light breeze. Harry took a deep breath. The scent of the flowers on this meadow, wildflowers and strawberries, reminded him of Ginny. He did feel a bit confused though.
"Weren't there something I was about to do?" Harry asked himself trying to remember where he had been before coming to this meadow.
He couldn't remember. Strange. Harry looked around by a tree not far away was a blanket and a picnic with all his favourite food. Harry heard a sound from behind and turned around.
"Ginny!" Harry said and she smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Harry, this is so nice." she purred and kissed him full on the mouth.
Harry was taken by surprise, but a pleasant one it was. Soon they were engaged in an intense snog.
***
Sam continued to scan Harry and looked a little bit worried.
"What is it?" Hermione asked, seeing Sam's expression.
"I don't like this. Harry seems quite comfortable. The hormones in his body indicates he's feeling quite good, even a bit aroused. From what you told me about a Horcrux it doesn't sound good."
Hermione looked at Harry and then at Sam again.
"No, they are extremely dark objects, if Harry feels fine or aroused it is probably because there's some kind of deception going on."
"I could inject him with some adrenaline." Sam said "It might help him see through the deception."
"Do it. I don't like this at all."
***
Ron looked at Gawain. They were both focused on their task. Get Anubis. Jack, Daniel and Teal'c were ready too, to assist them once they would board Anubis' mothership.
"This is what I find the worst part of it all... waiting..." Ron said.
"Indeed" Teal'c replied. "But many battled have been lost because of impatience."
Ron nodded. He knew from wizard's chess the importance of waiting for the right moment. The Horcrux had to be destroyed before they could defeat Anubis.
***
Harry was breathtaken. He knew Ginny was a passionate person, but never before had she snogged him like this. Straddling him she seductively took off her top before snogging him again. Harry couldn't resist her. She knew that. Suddenly a jolt shook him and the weather changed within seconds into a magnificent rain
"What happened?" Harry asked Ginny.
Ginny didn't answer but looked angry.
"You are now mine!" Ginny told him monstrously, with a voice definitely not being Ginny's sweet one.
Harry felt scared stiff for a moment from the shock of her voice, but he pushed her off and got up, feeling more and more tense. The heavy raining felt refreshing somehow after the intoxicating flowery scent and Ginny's seduction. Or was she Ginny? Harry felt uncertain. Harry hesitated and next thing he knew Ginny attacked him and gripped his throat. Harry choked and fell to the ground. This was not Ginny. But he was still confused as Ginny's grip grew tighter.
***
Harry's body jerked and Hermione felt helpless. Sam looked at her scanner.
"He's suffocating."
"I can't think of any magic that would help" Hermione said.
Sam drew her zat out of pure desperation. She didn't know if it would work or not, but she had to do something. Harry was dying. Sam fired and Harry's body relaxed after the hit. Sam looked at her scanner again.
"He's breathing again. I don't know what is happening but Harry must be fighting that thing.
***
Harry saw a bolt of thunder hit Ginny and she flew away. Was she dead? Who was she, was she Imperiused? Harry got up and moved in the direction Ginny had disappeared and saw her coming against him with her wand drawn.
"Ginny, what's happening?" Hary asked.
"Stupefy" Ginny said and Harry threw himself to the ground to avoid getting hit.
Desperately Harry drew his wand and was soon engaged in a duel with Ginny. This can't be Ginny. Harry felt again there was something he was supposed to do. But what was it? Curses and counter-curses was exchanged and dodged. Harry cast three stunners rapidly and Ginny's shield flickered, strained by the power in Harry's spells.
"Avada kedavra" Ginny said and Harry dodged the jet of green.
This is definitely not Ginny. Whoever this is she's trying to kill me.
Harry cast a series of spells, a Reducto at Ginny's feet followed by a stunner, a Levicorpus and Expelliarmus. The speed of Harry's spells overwhelmed Ginny and Harry caught her wand in his hand. He looked at it. It wasn't Ginny's wand. Harry cast a body binding curse and pointed his wand at whoever it was appearing as Ginny.
"Who are you?" Harry asked.
"Release me or I'll kill Ginny."
Harry hesitated for a moment, while he convinced himself again that it wasn't the real Ginny.
"Legilimens" Harry said entering the mind of his opponent.
He entered without effort and drew images of battles, Ha'tak motherships, Jaffa, slaves building an Egyptian temple. Harry looked at his opponent.
"You are the Horcrux." Harry said. "You must be destroyed."
Harry hesitated for a moment feeling a surge of love and affection for Ginny.
"You are not Ginny. You are a part of Anubis soul and you're trying to deceive me." Harry said and raised his wand "Avada Kedavra"
The green jet hit Ginny straight in her chest and she went blank in her eyes immediately. The stormy meadow disappeared, for a moment all went dark before Harry has a feeling of reaching the surface of the water after holding his breath. He opened his eyes and looked up. He was on the floor. Hermione and Sam were there. It all came back to him and he took the crown off his head and looked at it. There was a glow around it and after a few more moments smoke. The crown seemed to be consumed by an invisible fire and soon all that remained was a black twisted piece of metal. Harry looked at his friends. He was clearly terrified.
"It's over Harry" Hermione said calming him.
She could tell his experience must have been a bad one. Harry started to cry.
"I... had to kill her..." Harry sobbed.
"Don't worry Harry, it wasn't real... whatever that Horcrux made you see or do it wasn't real, and you beat it."
"Hermione" Harry said, looking desperate "It took the shape of Ginny and in the end it made me kill her with the Killing curse.
Hermione embraced her friend. Sam tried to grasp what she'd heard, as she understood how real it must've seemed.
"Come, our part in this is over. Let's tell the others to attack and I'll take you to the Burrow."
"To Ginny?" Harry sobbed
"Yes Harry, to Ginny." Hermione comforted him.
She could only imagine the horror it had been for Harry. It must have felt real, like he really did kill Ginny. Sam had listened to them in silence. Seeing Harry heartbroken she understood that the Horcrux had been pure evil. She had got to know Harry enough to understand that it would take a lot to get him this shook up. She signalled the team on Baals ship.
***
"We are clear to attack. Finally" Jack said turning to Baal "Move your fleet into position and get us onto that mothership."
Within minutes Baal's entire fleet launched an attack at Anubis forces. Baal turned to Jack and the others.
"We're in position."
"Yeah. Make sure you get us out of here too." Jack said.
The ring transport activated and the five of them, Jack, Daniel, Teal'c Ron and Gawain found themselves at Anubis mothership. An alarm was ringing and it seemed chaotic.
"Where is Anubis' chamber?" Ron asked.
"This way." Teal'c said.
The resistance was light but inside the chamber stood three Kull warriors and the First Prime of Anubis, except for Anubis himself.
"Great... Kull warriors." Jack sighed "Can you take care of them?"
Jack looked at Ron and Gawain. They nodded.
"I'll take the First Prime." Teal'c said.
"And we'll keep Anubis busy." Jack said patting Daniel's shoulder. "On three."
At the count of three they launched their attack. Ron and Gawain cast a Killing curse each on one of the Kull warriors and it fell to the floor. Teal'c walked towards the First Prime who turned to face him.
"Teal'c, the shol'va. It will be my pleasure to break you." He said swinging his staff.
Teal'c drew his zat and threw it away and the first prime did the same. Jack saw this and grimaced.
"No, Teal'c is doing some jaffaish honour-thing..." He moaned but turned his attention towards Anubis "Hi there A."
"What have you done?" Anubis asked.
"Oh... destroyed your Horcrux?" Daniel suggested.
"No!" Anubis yelled.
Jack fired his P90, but Anubis goa'uld shield protected him. Jack of course knew that, but wanted to win some time while the wizards finished the Kull warriors.
"I will break you" Anubis said pulling his wand.
"Oh crap... hey there wiz kids... a little help here..." Jack said as Anubis pointed his wand at him.
"Crucio"
"This will hurt." Jack sighed and the curse hit him.
Teal'c was in a staff fight with the First Prime. All his training with Master Bra'tac came in handy because his opponent was masterful. The two jaffa cared very little about the rest of the fight. The duel between the two of them was all that existed. Ron and Gawain had to cast rapid shielding charms to protect their friends from the Kull warriors firepower. They tried to manoeuvre themselves between the others and the Kull to be able to strike back. They hears Jack's agonizing cry as the torture began and wanted to finish this fast. Daniel was hit by a wandless stunner and Anubis focused all his attention on Jack.
"Ron. I'll handle the Kull, help Jack." Gawain said casting a Killing curse and hitting one of the Kull.
Ron turned to Jack and Anubis and cast a stunner. That ended the Cruciatus, but it didn't knock out Anubis.
"Wizards" Anubis hissed preparing another attack.
Ron reacted more out of reflex than anything else casting an Expelliarmus at Anubis. Instead of hitting his wand it hit his mask.
"No!" Anubis roared "What have you done?"
The mask was shattered and the forcefield keeping Anubis in physical form failed. With his Horcrux destroyed he had no ties to the physical world. The result was immediate. A glowing light appeared and attacked Anubis. It was over in a moment and all that was left was Anubis empty robes. Teal'c used the distraction and knocked his opponent to the ground and Gawain hit the last Kull with a Killing curse.
"What happened?" Ron asked.
"I believe the others got to him." Daniel said, slowly getting up on his feet again.
***
With Anubis defeated the battle was over and Anubi's forces surrendered to Baal, who of course took Anubis mothership as his new flagship. He entered the chamber where Ron, Gawain, Jack and Teal'c were.
"I will leave you on the nearest planet with a chapa'ai." Baal told them.
Jack raised an eyebrow.
"You will stay true to your word?"
"Jack, do you mistrust me?" Baal asked.
"Of course I do."
Baal sighed.
"As a small token of my sincerity I won't enslave your pitiful little planet." Baal offered.
"Come on..." Jack answered "You've seen SG-M in action, you know they would beat the crap out of you."
Ron grinned.
"Let's call it a deal then. We won't Imperius you to take control of your fleet and armies."
Baal looked a bit pale and ordered his First Prime to take them to the nearest Chapa'ai.
"By the way." Jack asked Ron and Daniel "Is Anubis gone for good?"
"I don't know." Daniel said "The others will probably punish him, but in what way, I don't know."
"If he returns we'll whoop his arse again." Ron promised.
***
Molly heard the floo and looked at the fireplace. Hermione came with Harry on her shoulder, followed by that Muggle colleague, Sam.
"Harry!" Molly shrieked. "What happened?"
"He..." Hermione started "...will be fine. He had a rough day. Is Ginny here?"
Ginny had heard her mum and was already on her way. Harry looked at her when she entered the kitchen. She headed over to Harry and kissed him.
"Are you all right?"
"I will be now..." Harry smiled looking into her eyes.
