Author's Note: I have a rather short chapter for you all today. I may have another post tonight, if all goes well. Don't forget to participate in my poll on my profile. Right now, the stories are tied and, as I am almost finished writing Her Last Mystery, I need help deciding which idea to go with next.
A special shout out goes to GeeAnnaB for being the sixtieth review-er! Congrats!
Chapter Twenty-Four:
Not so long later, Hermione sat on the sofa, still reading The Book of Shadows. She was now reading a particular entry about a demon who, quite frankly, frightened her. He was a demon that she hoped she'd never have to encounter, as he seemed to be quite worse than Lord Voldemort himself!
"Belthazor," Hermione recited, "Beware of this Demonic Soldier of Fortune. Both powerful and dangerous, he has destroyed countless witches, innocents, and demons. As sinister as he is intelligent, he is not be trusted. Belthazor's known abilities include throwing energy balls and shimmering from place to place, but his powers are probably not limited to these capabilities. Because there is no known way to defeat him, Belthazor should be avoided at all costs."
"Belthazor," she repeated, "Both sinister and intelligent…Merlin's beard."
She shuddered a bit from fear of him, and then she heard the footsteps. Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin. Finally gaining her composure, she looked up in just enough time to see Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Wyatt and Melinda come through the attic door.
"What exactly did the demon look like?" Piper asked frantically, as she had been opening the door.
Wyatt, it seemed, had been about to say something when they all noticed Hermione sitting on the sofa with the big, leather book in her hands. They all stared at her in shock and horror, except Melinda, who was staring at her family as if trying to figure out how they would react to the sight before them. Hermione couldn't understand; had Melinda not lead her up here and given her permission to read the book? What was so wrong about her reading a book? Finally, Piper spoke…or rather, shouted.
"What the Hell are you doing?"
Phoebe then turned to Melinda, who was now creeping silently out of the room, and then pointed to Hermione and yelled, "Explain! Now!"
Shaking slightly, and looking towards Melinda as if she were seeking a form of support, Hermione replied, "I wanted to know how your magic worked and she - Melinda - lead me here and told me to read this book. I'm sorry for any trouble I've caused…I'll show myself to the door."
Piper shouted, "Phoebe!"
For a brief moment, they shared a look that lead Hermione to believe they could use telepathy to communicate in their minds. Phoebe briefly looked to Hermione with an inquisitive look on her face, then she smiled.
"She's good," she apparently determined.
Paige looked at her curiously, "So, what were you reading about?"
Hermione glanced back at the book, still open to the page on Belthazor, "I was reading about this demon, named Belthazor. I'd really hate to run into him, he seems very dangerous."
"You don't have to worry about him…he's dead," Phoebe said, solemnly looking at the floor.
Wyatt appeared very angry and impatient, "I don't mean to interrupt this study session…but we've got a brother to save!"
Hermione spun her head to face him so quick she wondered why she didn't get whiplash, "What?"
"Chris and I were fighting a demon that neither of us had ever seen before," he explained, "to save an innocent, but he got hurt real bad and then the demon took him."
"And now we need the Book back so that Piper, Phoebe, Wyatt and I can find him," Paige added.
With that Piper grabbed the book and placed it back on the pedestal. The family crowded around the book and began flipping feverously through the pages, pausing a few times on various pages only for Wyatt to shake his head and they have to start over. For what seemed like hours, though Hermione was convinced it actually wasn't, they searched. All the while, Hermione paced the attic, the floor rushing beneath her feet so fast, she scarcely had time to notice the occasional loose floorboard. Numerous times, Piper told her to stop because it was making it was making her more nervous than she already was and numerous times she would stop for a few moments and then would start back up again. Finally, Wyatt told his mother and aunts to stop.
"Stop! That's him!"
They all read the entry in the book and then Piper clapped her hands together, "Well…it's no worse than anything we've ever fought before."
Hermione looked to them all and nearly pushed her way to the Book so that she could read it as well. What she saw, unnerved her greatly. The page was titled "Deces," and held a picture of a creature robed in black and portraying death and decay. The mere sight of the creature chilled Hermione to the bone.
Deces
Perhaps the most dangerous of all demons, Deces feeds off of the despair of witches and mortals alike. From their pain and fear, reciprocates his strength. He often targets people who are emotionally optimistic or in love, as their euphoria weakens him and he wishes for such feelings to be nonexistent.
Deces is sometimes called the Demon of Despair. It is unknown where or how he originated, though it is understood that he possibly crossed the Atlantic to the New World from Great Britain during the time of the American Revolution.
Because many witches before have fought him and failed, it is recommended that he is avoided. None yet have discovered a way to defeat him.
Hermione gasped, her fingers gripping the edge of the book so hard her knuckles were turning white. No, it can't be!