Chapter 25

"Where are we?" whispered Kevin as they landed in the dark forest.

"England, I think," said Epsilon, getting ready to climb out of the ship. "I just want to give the engines a once-over, something sounds a bit off."

Kevin nodded, and resigned himself to a couple of hours sitting around. He jumped to the earthy ground as Epsilon unpacked his tools, and aimed a kick at the autumn leaves. He laughed as they flew up into the air, and chased them as they were caught by the wind.

"Don't go too far!" called Epsilon, but he ignored his uncle, racing after the leaves into the darkness.

He hit something soft, and as he picked himself up he saw it move. Another dark figure grabbed his arms.

Kevin's scream echoed back to where Epsilon was just about to begin removing the engine casing. He threw his toolbox back into the ship, and ran towards the noise…

He found himself in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by people in black cloaks. One of them sent a tripping jinx his way, and he fell to the ground with a yelp. He looked up, and met a pair of red, snakelike eyes. A flash of recognition rushed through him, to be echoed in the red eyes of the pale man.

"You're supposed to be dead!" they screamed together. Epsilon pulled out his wand. Lord Voldemort was standing before him, and he had the most disgusting mind he had ever encountered.

The robed figures – Death Eaters, Epsilon realised – looked at each other, confused. The person to Voldemort's right hand side stepped forwards. Epsilon realised it was Professor Snape, back undercover.

"My Lord," he said. "This is Epsilon Brown, a Hufflepuff mudblood."

Voldemort turned to stare at Snape, a hint of incredulity seeping into his cold features.

"Severus, what are you talking about?"

"It's true, my Lord," said another man, Lucius Malfoy. "He is the brat that has led my son astray."

"Well well well, Potter," said Voldemort in a silky smooth voice. "You've obviously been playing a clever game, making everyone believe you dead. Have you been pretending to be a mudblood for long?"

"I never pretended anything," said Epsilon, and Voldemort did a double-take at his American accent. "My name is Epsilon Brown. 'Harry Potter' has no place in my life, and it never will. I think that it is a sentiment you can understand, Tom Marvolo Riddle."

Voldemort hissed. Around them, the Death Eaters were muttering. Epsilon searched mentally for Kevin. He was being held behind him, by Nott.

"What are you even doing here?" asked Epsilon. "I thought you lost your powers years ago."

Voldemort flung a curse in his direction, and Epsilon ducked out of the way.

"Touchy. Your temper hasn't improved much."

Voldemort snarled.

"So, um… how are you here? Come to that, how am I here? I have no idea how I survived."

Voldemort stared at him in stony silence, but Epsilon could hear his mind going at a hundred miles per hour. He was sickened at what he saw.

"You see it, don't you?" said Voldemort in his silky voice. "You see the thoughts of those around you, and all our defences are useless against you. I saw this in the mind of the Malfoy boy, though he did not realise the truth. You have great power, boy. You could join us."

"Are you mental?" snorted Epsilon. "Why would I want to join you? Besides, we're kind of running for our lives right now, so if you'll excuse us…"

He plucked Kevin out of Nott's grasp, but the Death Eaters closed ranks around them. They obviously weren't going to let them go so easily.

"As soon as you can," said Epsilon to Kevin. "Run!"

"What was that?" hissed Voldemort. "What did you say to him? Avada kedavra!"

Epsilon pulled Kevin out of the way with a yelp, and the Death Eaters dodged the jet of green light. Epsilon tugged Kevin through the gap, ducking to avoid more curses directed towards them. But Epsilon realised that they should have been struck down already. Severus Snape was helping them.

"Run!" he yelled as Epsilon glanced back. "Just run – argh!"

Snape fell as Epsilon jumped into the ship after Kevin, slamming his hand on the button to start the engines. They roared into life, and he took the ship straight up, dodging the curses that were still being thrown. One hit them, and the ship lurched forwards. Epsilon wrestled with the controls, and guided the ship north. It wobbled dangerously in the air; the spell had obviously done some damage. He could see lights behind them…

"Shit," he said.

"Shit," echoed Kevin, and he vaguely noted that he really must stop swearing in front of his nephew.

But the main part of his brain was more worried about the Lokeye that had caught up with them.

XXX

Epsilon groaned as he slid back into consciousness once more, noting with relief that he was more lucid than he had been in a while. He opened his eyes, and stared around at the familiar scenery of the Hogwarts hospital wing.

"Mr Brown?"

Madame Pomfrey came into view once more, fussing as usual. She helped Epsilon sit up, and he was relieved to find that his head had stopped spinning.

"Hello," he said weakly. "Please can I have some water?"

She nodded, and went to fetch some. Kevin scrambled up next to him, smiling.

"You've been sleeping for days," he said. "Auntie Poppy has been very worried."

Madame Pomfrey returned with a jug of water and some sandwiches. Slapping Kevin's wrist away, she said: "The Headmaster will be in to see you soon. He has a few questions for you."

"I don't doubt it," said Epsilon, frowning at the matron's thoughts. "So you know then, who I'm supposed to be."

"Yes," said Dumbledore from the doorway. "We do."

He strode into the hospital wing, and gestured for Madame Pomfrey to leave. She did so, a little reluctantly.

"So, Mr Brown," continued Dumbledore. "Or is it Mr Potter?"

"Mr Brown," said Epsilon defiantly, finishing his sandwich. "Harry Potter died fourteen years ago."

"And yet here you sit. Would you care to tell us why you decided to keep your real identity a secret?"

"I only found out my birth name a few months ago," said Epsilon coldly. "As far as I'm concerned, Epsilon Brown is my real identity, and that's the way I'd like it to stay."

"But…"

"No!" shouted Epsilon, as he watched Dumbledore's plans unravel. "I refuse to be your poster boy, or your sacrificial lamb! And what on earth is a horcrux?"

Dumbledore gaped at him. "How do you…"

"Riddle worked it out through the memories of another," sneered Epsilon. "If he's that much cleverer than you, no wonder he managed to cheat death itself. How did he come back, anyway?"

Epsilon could literally hear Dumbledore's mind whirring, and he gasped at the news that emerged.

"Cedric's dead? Oh my God… and you think I'm one of these… Horcrux things? Well I'm sorry, I know my mind so well that if there was a bit of someone else's soul in it, I'd know. Although dad did say that they had to drain something out of me when they found me… something powerful."

Dumbledore sighed, bringing a hand up to rub his temples.

"I think you'd better start at the beginning," he said. "Who exactly is that boy? I'm told he's your nephew, but he doesn't speak English, and none of the translation spells seem to work."

"Well, they wouldn't. Strictly speaking, it's not a human language."

"But how did you get here?"

The Lokeye were chasing them, but they were also being pursued by people on broomsticks. The ship was damaged, and Epsilon knew they had one chance of safety. He guided the ship further north…

Finally he saw it. They were flying over Hogwarts castle and he swooped lower, aiming for the sweeping lawn. Then they were hit once again from behind, and the ship lurched out of control. They hit the ground with an almighty crash, which jarred his bones. He kicked the roof open and jumped out. They people on broomsticks had vanished, but the Lokeye were still shooting, and people were starting to flood out of the main doors.

He drew his gun, and shot at the alien ship once, twice, ten times… he couldn't seem to hit it. Then he flung it to the ground, and pulled out his wand.

"CONFRINGO!"

The ship blew up, blasting him backwards. He felt the power drain out of his body, but stepped to shield Kevin as debris sped towards them…

He felt something hit his head, and everything went black.

"And now you know," said Epsilon tearfully, looking back up at Dumbledore. "Two groups of people that want to kill me, and I'm not even sixteen yet."