Erin walked into the library to see Alec with an assortment of books around him. Erin rolled her eyes and walked in further towards him. He was sitting cross legged on the floor reading an old book on the history of the area.
"Do you ever sleep?" She asked.
"When it's useful." Alec replied, his eyes scanning the page.
"I didn't know you spoke Old Transylvanian."
"It's a little rusty but I get the general idea." Alec didn't look up from the page.
"No one has found his fortress before." Erin said moving some books and sitting on a table beside him. "There's nothing to go on. Not even clues."
"Every animal leaves tracks in cannot hide." Alec said looking up at her. "Newt Scamander taught me that. You have to find three things, a place to feed, a place to drink, and a place to hide. Depending on the animal they shouldn't be to far away from one another." He looked back at the books.
"How did Dracula come back?" Erin asked. Alec looked up at her. Erin shrugged. "He was missing for years and then he came back. You know something. I know you do." Alec looked down at the page.
"I'm not sure of the details myself." He said. "Before you were born Dracula was the most powerful being in existence. He would regularly be able to wipe out cities, your ancestors did there best but they needed help." Alec got to his feet.
"That's where my mentor came in. Teddy Stone. He was tasked with a Deep Blacks Op Mission." He saw Erin's blank look. "A mission that's deeply classified, no one knows about it but a few individuals."
"You included."
"Now, yes." Alec replied. "The mission was clear. Kill Dracula. We thought he succeeded, he sent Dracula's skull back to me and we thought it would be the end of it."
"But."
"But the powers that be sent it back to your people to keep as a gift." Alec explained. "I told them to keep it in cold storage. Your people lost the skull in a civil war where it was lost."
"You seem bitter, it's our heritage." Erin said.
"They thought that hiding it in plain site would be best, but they were wrong. A few years later I then tracked it down to a weapons dealer in World War One who kept it as a good luck token. He was about to hand it over to someone much worse who knew what it could unleash."
"Who was it?"
"That's not relevant now. I got the skull and brought it back, placing it in cold storage."
"So how is it he's been freed?"
"Someone broke into the storage and got him." Alec said. "Not many people could do that."
"So, it's your governments fault." Erin said nodding.
"Yes, and being the good cleaner I am I'm here to stop him." Erin looked down. "I'm sorry Erin."
"And it's only taken them till now to take this seriously."
"Politicians aren't known for their sense of urgency." Alec said. Erin though was wiping away angry tears. She got up from her seat and walked towards Alec. As he turned she slapped him across the face.
"I have lost things, you could never understand!" She panted angrily while Alec put his hand to his face. "Friends, family, loved ones." She said. "People have lost everything because you thought that we weren't important enough!" Alec looked down.
"And I am the one who lives with those choices." Alec said.
"You don't understand the choices. You may think you do, but what do you have to live with?" Erin said walking past him and out of the library. Alec looked down and ran a hand through his hair. He looked up at the library and caught his reflection in the mirror across the room. His blue eyes looked every one of their years.
"Demons." Alec whispered to himself. "Lots and lots of demons." He sat down again and picked up the book he was reading before Erin came into the room. A lot more of what he had done over the years now weighing heavily on his mind.
"One last time." He told himself. He looked down at the book and tore a page from the book. He walked to the exit, wordlessly summoning his coat which her effortlessly but on.
He should have seen it earlier really. There was always something said for hiding in plain sight. Alec was standing at the mouth of the Hoia Baciu forest. The grey day coming through the light of the trees. Alec stood looking down the pathway which led around. The wind made the bottom of his coat flutter in a gentle breeze.
Hoia Baciu, a forest that over the course of a millennia had earned a reputation of one of the most 'Haunted' places in the world. People turning mad through one journey in the woods while others simply never returned. The locals now left it abandoned, stories past down generation to generation about it's evil.
Why something like this was here in the heart of vampire country was beyond Alec. But the universe was rarely lazy. Something about this forest had been calling to him. It was in theory the perfect place to hide, or mount an attack. This was why they could never find where the vampires came from.
Alec walked into the forest, as soon as he fully walked in a sharp up gust of wind came over him. Alec smirked to himself. He walked further down the round he noticed that fog now appeared at his feet while the trees beside him where unseeable from the fog.
Alec heard a twig snap which made him turn around in a circle and pull his wand out. But the fog had now swirled round him so much he could barley in front of him.
"Don't panic." Alec told himself. "Don't panic. Remember your training." He closed his eyes. The fog was trying to disorientate him. The wind picked up, what was a small flutter was building up to gale force winds around Alec, the ends of his coat now flapping in the wind. The wind though was whispering in his ear. All the failures and disappointments in his life trying to probe his mind.
"It's not real." Alec told himself. "It's not real, none of it. Magic doesn't work like this." Alec gritted his teeth. He put his arms up against the wind that was trying to force him back. The wind still whispering in his ear.
"Traitor!"
"Idiot!"
"Disappointment."
"Stupid."
"Chaotic."
"Brash."
"Arrogant."
"You're not real!" Alec said. "None of you are!" The wind picked up. "I am Alec Potter. You are not real!"
"Hello Son." His father. The wind died down. He hadn't heard his dads voice in so long. The wind had died down to barely a breath. Alec opened his eyes slowly. He was in a clearing in the wood with the fog round the outside.
"Dad."
"Son." Alec turned around on his heel with his wand trained on what looked like his dad. It certainly looked like him. The same black hair, but unlike his own it was trimmed to a neat cut with the same moustache and dress robes he wore.
"Son, put the wand down."
"You're not real." Alec said. "You're dead. I saw the body."
"Even now you're still the disappointment." His father said. "Still not living up to your potential." Alec smirked.
"That sounds more like something mum would say." Alec said.
"I still do." Alec turned again and saw his mother. A strict woman with white hair with small streaks of red in it. Her pointed features still looking down at him, with his own blue eyes.
"The Auror's. Dirty profession." She said. "Even with all your training you still couldn't save your own child."
"Cry me a river." Alec gritted out. "The fog, it's a demon, prying into my mind and making me talk to people I can't stand. My mother, clever."
"Or ones that get under your skin." Now Alec felt the hairs on his skin stand on end.
He turned slowly to see a thin man with a manic grin. He stepped towards Alec who lowered his wand.
"Hello Alec." He said fondly. "Now you know I'm not dead."
"Should be." He laughed and clapped his hands.
"You know." He strode forward and pointed his finger at Alec. "That's what I love about you Alec. You think your actions make you have some sort of…moral compass." He clapped his hands again, still laughing.
"It's hilarious, really." He said. "You thinking you're so, above it all." He laughed again. "You know, worlds greatest detective Alec Potter, never makes an error, always saves day." He suddenly turned serious.
"But, me and you." He pointed to the two of them. "We know the truth."
"That I am the Worlds Greatest detective."
"Oh, you would love to think that wouldn't you." He said. "No, I can see it, inside you. That darkness." He pointed at Alec's heart.
"We can't always deny what's in there now can we." He said with a raised eyebrow. "I maybe a monster but you are right, there is something to hiding in plain sight." He turned around to face Alec.
"One day, they will see you for the monster you truly are." He was now face to face with Alec.
"You're just jealous." Alec said nodding.
"Jealous?" He said with a quirked eyebrow. "How can I be jealous." Alec pulled a knife and thrust it into the man in front of him. He looked down at the blade, but no blood was coming out. He looked up at Alec.
"Devious, even for you."
"You know what they say." Alec thrust the knife deeper. "There's no honour in a street fight."
"What is it you want?"
"I want to know where I can find Dracula." Alec said. "I know he phases through to this world via this forest."
The man smiled and faded into dust. Alec looked at the knife and saw it turn to dust to.
"Dreams are just a different brand of consciousness. Some enemies in the past have tried to use this against me." Alec explained. "But I've always prepared for something like this. Control over dreams." Alec looked down at the floor. "I've just given you enough to form a connection." He closed his eyes and in front of him Harriet formed. Alec opened them to see her with a cheeky smile. The way he remembered her.
"Enough to let me find what I'm looking for."
He kneeled to her level.
"I need to find the place the vampires come from." Alec said. "Can you show me?" Harriet nodded and walked away. Alec got to his feet and followed her through the dense branches. They made it to another clearing which didn't look any different. Alec looked around.
"What does this mean?" Harriet stopped in the middle and pointed forward. Alec walked on a little and saw that that tree she was pointing at. The trunk was curved towards the clearing while all the others were straight. Harriet then pointed to another tree which was the same, then another, and another. Alec nodded. The trees must help with something.
"Ok." He said. "How do I get in?"
"You're the detective." A demonic voice rang out around the wood. "You figure it out."
The scene faded, the trees, the clearing, Harriet, everything. The scene then flipped. What he was left with was another part of the forest, more specifically he was on the path that led into and probably out of the forest. The path though wasn't the bluish grey he saw when he walked in but a soft orange glow.
Alec at least knew what he was looking for now. The clearing with the four curved trees. Alec rubbed his temple. Mind Attacks where always difficult to get over. He turned and walked back out of the forest.
Erin was sitting on her bed with the sun pouring in. She was looking at photos of her and her family. Old photos from a bygone area. Vampire hunting had been in her family for generations. Only though to hide her families shame.
But to think that it got worse because people in another country didn't care about their suffering. Because it wasn't them being hunted, and killed for sport. But now that Alec Potter was here. Maybe it would be different. She shouldn't of snapped at him like she did. At the end of the day he was only here to help.
Erin's fingers lightly traced a photo of her and her mother who was kissing her hair while Erin smiled for the camera. Erin thought of the sacrifices her mother had made for her, so she could have a normal childhood. Erin got up from the bed and walked into the library where all of Alec's research was laid out while one of the maids was cleaning.
"Where did Mr Potter go?" Erin asked.
"He went out." The maid replied. She looked up at the clock. "He's been gone for most of the day."
"Has he." Erin walked to the book that he had been reading this morning while the maid walked out. A book on Ancient Demonology with a page open on The Fog. An old demon that had to power to distort reality. Erin leaned in closer.
The fog has the ability to distort reality around a certain area. Old demon generals used to confuse enemies on the battle field. It was known to cause hallucinations which would make men fear it.
Erin frowned at the book.
He had a mind like no other. Her family had spent years pouring over these books and never found a link. But he had gone to the forest on a hunch. Maybe The Fog was the reason they could never find the location of his fortress.
Erin shook her head and looked at the other things Alec had been looking at. Her fingers touched a scroll outlining her family tree. Then underneath it.
"You never told me you were related to Dracula." Erin turned to see Alec walking into the library. From underneath Erin pulled out a piece of parchment which had an Arch Decree from Royalty. Decreeing the change of name.
"It's something we don't shout about." Erin said in a low voice.
"Well, I know where Dracula is hiding."
"What?"
Alec walked to a book, opened it and handed it to Erin who took it. The book was on the Hoia Baciu.
"You have to be joking." Erin said. "How did you get out?"
"Not my first time with mindbenders." Alec said. "I need to get ready."
"Ready? Ready for what?"
The Marauders Proudly Present Alec Potter in The Marauders: Year Two
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Dracula Vs Alec Potter
Written by Chambers10
"You're Crazy."
"So, I've been told." Alec said picking up his garlic pellets.
"You can't just go to his fortress, you are outnumbered and out gunned and on his turf. You are going to lose." Alec laughed and turned to Erin.
"I've been in situations like this before." He said. "There is no such thing as home advantage."
"You've never fought Dracula."
"Actually, I have." Alec said turning around. "At the castle." He applied his chest armour along with his arm guards.
"You barely escaped with your life." Erin pointed out. "What can I do to talk you out of this?"
"Nothing." Alec said. "This needs to end now." He walked over to his shotgun and loaded it up. He then picked up a belt of bullets and tied them over his shoulder and across his chest.
"Besides, wasn't it you who wanted me to kill Dracula?"
"Not at the expense of your own life." Erin replied. Alec turned his face to see her.
"That's how this works." He said getting
"You're going to war with him?" Erin asked.
"He's the one who brought the war to us." Alec said. "Count how many people he and his vampires have killed, thousands. What's next, the continent, millions? After that, the world, billions."
"But what if you die?"
"It doesn't matter if I die." Alec said. "Dracula has the power to wipe out the entire human race. And there is a good chance that he will do just that. We have to take this as a credible threat because him and his vampires killing every last person on earth is an absolute certainty." Alec turned to Erin.
"And this no time to be compromising." Alec said shaking his head. "I have to destroy him. And there is no time to waste with what he's planning."
"But no one knows how to kill him though."
"I'm good at thinking on my feet." Alec reached into his pocket and pulled out the map and handed it to her. "Take this, send it to Hogwarts to Albus Dumbledore. Got it?" Erin nodded. Alec turned and picked up his black coat and shook it down. He then turned it round and put it on. He breathed out and looked down at his hands in their fingerless gloves. Alec clenched his fist.
"Good luck." Alec stopped. He looked over at Erin who looked at him up and down. "You're going to need it." She walked away. Alec looked down at the floor and then at the door. He was already committed to this. Alec walked out of the house.
The dark trees swayed more as the driving rain came down in full force, the sound of laughter in his ears, he had to ignore it though. The forest was a magical battleground.
Alec walked into the forest, with the wind picking up and the same whispers in his ear from earlier.
"It's the forest." He told himself. "It's just the forest." Alec continued walking till the path itself disappeared into the trees. Alec started to navigate through the trees till he came to the bare patch of land. In the dark of the night and battering rain it was nervily still. He remembered it from the vision.
He looked to the top end and saw a curved tree that was out of place. He looked through the thick rain and saw the same tree around the edge.
Alec walked into the bare patch of trees. As soon as he got to the centre of the clearing a very stiff gust of wind whipped across making the bottom of Alec's coat fly up.
Alec reached into his pocket and pulled out the ground powder for the phasing spell. Even though most magic could now be achieved by wands a lot of old magic was only achievable by doing practical spells. Alec set out the satanic star with the green powder. He threw the vial away and then got out the teleportation powder and set out the satanic cross with it.
He could feel Gilgamesh reacting to the energy around him. With the stage set Alec kneeled down on the clearing on one knee. If his hunch was correct then this was the doorway to Dracula's Dimension, the demon realm.
"Ego vis ad introitum in terram hanc daemonis." The satanic star lit up blood red. "Obligatur ex Dei. Et in nomine hoc recludit!" Alec's vision went purple and the world seemed to flip upside down. The scenery flashed before his eyes, the dark forest where he was before was replaced by somewhere different
The wind was howling, and thick snow was coming down from the dark sky. Alec looked around. This place, wherever it was. The sky was dark with thick snowdrops falling down, the land was baron Alec was on top of what looked like a rock structure carved out from a mountain face, a circular platform raised up from the ground with a jiggered rock field below him. There was only one path that lead ahead.
Alec walked forward, his boots crunching on the fresh snow. He looked back and saw that the phasing spell was still active, the blood red signs a beacon in this wasteland.
There was rumble in the distance. Alec looked up and saw a streak of lightning flash across the sky, in the distance Alec could see what looked like a carving of a demon that was trapped in a glacier. He could feel Gilgamesh pulsating. Maybe…maybe he was in the demon realm. Another flash of lightning showed of what he had come to see.
Dracula's fortress. A dark impending structure that looked stood out on the white surface of the snow. Alec looked over to his left and saw the rock field, their jaggered edges would be perfect to cause damage as well as being a perfect place to hide.
Dracula was a very difficult foe, the normal method of stopping Vampires wouldn't slow him down. Alec had to survive long enough to find a weakness. Maybe just try and survive.
He would need every advantage he could find. Alec walked into rock field, clambering over the rocks. Alec stopped by a huge clearing in the rock field that was covered in snow. All Alec had to do now was get Dracula's attention. Alec thought about sending up a flare, but he had a better Idea.
Alec got his wand out and with a wave of it chunks of rock broke off and hovered in the sky. Alec shook it and then pointed it up at the sky.
"Maxima!"
Some of the rocks flew across the sky and smashed into fortress, some of them sending more chunks of rock into the valley below the castle. Alec watched the rock bombard the fortress, his coat fluttering in the wind like a cape his mouth curling into a smile.
Dracula was sitting in his throne room looking into the mirror. He liked seeing the town's people gripped by fear, but he needed more power for his machine to bring his next batch of children to life, to survive for longer than a few hours.
He was looking at the Valarious house where Alec Potter was recovering after blowing up Castle Frankenstein. That had been three days ago, and nothing.
Dracula would like to think that age was the reason for this prolonged recovery period. But a weary body usually meant a strong mind.
BOOOM!
Dracula stood up and looked to the window. It sounded like an explosion.
BOOOM!
Dracula walked slowly to the window, with a wave of his wrist the snow cleared. Hundreds of rocks smashing against his house.
Dracula squinted to where the rocks were coming from. He looked across the rock fields that surround his fortress. The Jaggered rocks betrayed nothing, but then he saw something standing on one of the rocks. A black coat was billowing in the wind violently and the snow battering Alec Potter.
"Very bold." Dracula said to himself. He laughed and rose up into the air. Darkness surrounding him and clothing him in his suit. He landed on the floor and placed his hand on the door which vanished.
Dracula floated out into the storm. The beam of light was still circling the sky, it then passed over Dracula and it stopped.
Alec stopped the hail of rocks when he noticed Dracula floating figure in the sky. He started to come closer, Alec could see the tails of his suit flutter in the wind along with the tied back hair. This was it, the fight of his life against a seemingly immortal enemy. Gilgamesh formed a mouth guard round Alec's mouth.
"Well." He had his arms outstretched. "Here I am." Dracula looked down at Alec and smirked.
"I can't decide whether you're the bravest man I ever faced, or a complete fool." Dracula shouted above the storm. "Not many people have come here and lived to tell the tale."
"You've gone too far." Alec said taking a step forward. "This is the end for you." Dracula laughed.
"So, this is it…Alec's Potter last stand." Dracula said. Sarcasm ripping from his voice. "I hope you're ready."
Dracula dropped to the floor, sending snow flying up in the air, the shockwaves making the bottom of Alec's coat rattle in the sharp wind. "Because you clearly have no idea what you're about to get yourself into. I'm immortal."
"Two letters to long." Alec pulled out his wand. Powerful soundwaves shot out of the end of Alec's wand and crashed into Dracula who stood firm like it didn't faze him. Dracula outstretched his arms and then clapped hard. The force sent out counter shock waves that send Alec flying back and smash into the rock face behind him.
Alec dropped to floor on one knee and looked up at Dracula. Alec reached behind and felt his shotgun. Dracula was striding towards him.
Alec pulled out the shotgun elongated it and fired it at Dracula, hitting him in the shoulder and sending him flying back. Before Alec had a chance to fire again Dracula was on his feet and grabbed the gun. He crushed the barrels and squeezed it into ball and dropped it. The sound of metal on rock echoing around them. Alec looked up at Dracula.
"You're nothing without your toys." Alec popped a capsule out of his belt and split it open, unleashing a huge orange cloud. Dracula hissed and then flew back from Alec. That gave him some time at least to regroup. Alec pulled out his grenade launcher.
"Gilgamesh, visual." The demon armour formed over his face which gave him a clear view of Dracula in the smoke. Alec fired the grenade at him. Dracula though turned around and caught it.
"You think toys can hurt me!" Dracula crushed it in his hand to reveal more garlic smoke. Hopefully that would slow him down.
"You hide behind your inventions and illusions like a coward!" Dracula hollowed.
"Like your brave?"
Dracula looked up and saw Alec striding through the smoke, his coat fanning the smoke slightly. Dracula smirked and went for the punch. Alec placed his hand up to counter. The sound of them colliding was so powerful it made the snowflakes stop momentarily. Dracula looked at the two arms in dismay, how was he being blocked by a mortal.
"Hiding in this castle while sending your minions to kill innocents!" Alec laughed. "Yeah, real brave!" Alec punched Dracula hard in the face, uppercut to the stomach and then a sharp side chop to Dracula's throat that made him splutter.
Alec then swivel kicked Dracula into the rock field. Dracula hit a large rock with a spike on it. Alec laughed and wiped his mouth. He was actually winning.
Dracula roared and went for him, his jump splintering the ground. Alec caught him and threw him into the ground and stepped back. Dracula slowly got to his feet and looked up at Alec. He went for the punch but was blocked again, Dracula went to swipe him, but Alec grabbed his claw and snapped it. Dracula cried out in pain, Alec picked him up by the neck and threw him across the boulder littered floor. Dracula bounced on the floor till he smashed into another rock field.
"Roparo!" The lasso came shooting out of the smoke and snared Dracula round his ankle. Alec pulled on it, sending Dracula sprawling to the floor. Alec then jumped through the cloud of garlic, hoping to land on him.
He did.
The force smashed Dracula and Alec into a cavern underneath the rock field. Alec grabbed Dracula, he spun him round and threw him down into ground. Dracula smashed into the ground in a crumpled heap while Alec landed gracefully on the ground. Alec turned around and kicked Dracula away. The snow started to fall heavily through the hole in the roof onto Alec's back. Alec walked over and picked up Dracula again and punched him hard in the face. He continued with the barrage of blows, close quartered combat that Dracula probably wasn't used to.
Alec squeezed his hand round Dracula's throat and smashed him into a wall. He head butted Dracula smashed him into the wall again and then punched him to the ground.
Dracula looked up from the crater Alec had punched him into. Alec went to kick Dracula. Dracula caught his kick. With a murderous glare he threw Alec across the cavern and into the jaggered rocks. Alec cried out as he bounced into the rocks, bouncing a couple of times before slamming into the back of the cavern and then onto his front.
Alec looked up at the debris of the cavern. A thin layer of smoke obscuring his vision of Dracula. Through the smoke he could see Dracula get to his feet. Dracula flew towards him and Alec charged back. Alec grabbed Dracula's shoulders and threw him into another wall of the cavern. Alec then laid down punches on Dracula, he kept on going, but the gas was wearing off.
The blows that were raining down on Dracula soon had no effect. Alec punched Dracula again, but even with Gilgamesh on it felt like punching a steel door. The gas… Dracula cocked his head slightly. Alec took a couple of steps back while Dracula floated up so he was taller than Alec. Alec tried to prepare himself, but Dracula grabbed Alec threw him back through the roof of the cavern at back through to the cavern. Alec smashed into the floor and bounced onto a wall. He needed to get the upper hands before he was over run. Before he could finish Dracula picked Alec up and threw him across the cavern through the stalactites. Alec cried out again as he hit the floor and rolled slowly onto his back. He looked over and saw Dracula slowly getting up so he was on one knee. Even with Gilgamesh he could feel the beating he had just received.
Alec reached underneath his coat and pulled out the grenade launcher. He pulled back the chamber and the shell of the previous grenade came out. Alec grabbed another grenade and loaded. Dracula then flew over to try and stop him. Alec though was able to fire. Dracula though was able to land a blow on Alec and send him flying back before the orange garlic ground.
Alec smashed through the wall of the cavern and smashed onto the floor and landed in a huge crater. Alec groaned and tried to get to his feet but fell down. He was too old for this, even in his prime he would have trouble with this, but even with Gilgamesh he was having his arse handed to him.
SKREEEE
Dracula came hurtling towards him. Ready to deliver the killing blow. Alec reached behind his coat and grasped the handle of rebellion. He waited till Dracula was close enough. He then pulled the sword handle out and the blade shot out.
He swung the sword and connected with Dracula, sending him flying back across the cavern and smashed into the rocks. Alec was breathing deeply he looked down at Rebellion he laughed slightly and turned it in his hand. Alec readied his stance, his eyes scanning the cloud of dust. Dracula stepped out of the dust with a face of thunder.
"That's."
"Rebellion." Alec replied. "The sword of the demon." Dracula smirked and wiped his mouth.
"Well, you really are full of surprises." Alec swivelled the sword in his fingers and readied himself.
Alec looked up and saw Dracula coming toward him with a jaggered piece of rock.
"You can't use the same trick twice." He brought the rock down hard on Alec's head. Alec slumped to the floor. Dracula grabbed Alec by his hair and dragged him slowly across the floor of the cavern.
"You're very resourceful I'll give you that." Dracula said. "I actually felt…mortal for a few minutes. But somehow, you thought you had the upper hand but didn't hit the advantage home."
Alec was only vaguely listening. He was drifting in and out of consciousness as he was dragged across the ground.
"I was told to fear you, and you killed one of my brides, I didn't head that warning. But…I was told, to kill you." Dracula grabbed Alec by the throat and held him so he was dangling above a valley in the cavern.
"But I think that you can prove more useful to me. Then no one can stand in my way." Dracula slowly started to morph into his human/bat hybrid form and bared his fangs. Alec didn't have the strength to fight back. Dracula extended on of his claw like fingers and touched Alec on the chest. Gilgamesh folded back up into its little ball. Dracula grabbed hold of it and threw over the top of the cavern into the snow. He turned back to Alec and bared his fangs before sinking them into Alec.
