Ice Prince Alchemist
9foxgrl
Battle of Hogsmeade
Fred and George were busy cleaning up their store as final customer left. With the Hogwarts students now on their Christmas holidays there was a plethora of customers wanting to get their hands on their newest products. The Skiving Snack boxes, Ton-Tongue Toffees, and Canary Creams were big sellers, but not as big as the Fish-smacked Judge and the Fireball Gumdrops.
Fred had just moved downstairs to finish straightening up when the door opened again.
"Sorry but I'm afraid we're closed." Fred called out as he set down the boxes of Punching Telescopes. He frowned when he saw the raggedy looking man shuffling near the Skiving Snack boxes.
"Dung?"
The drunk jumped in the air as if he had been struck, knocking over a display, he also caused several objects to fall out of his robes.
"Ah; Georgie how gud to see ya." Dung stammered drunkenly as he tried to shove a handful of objects back into his pockets. "Lovely shop ya got here."
"Hey! Careful that's our stuff you're nicking!" Fred snapped as he smacked the man's hands away from a pile of Puking Pastilles. He paused when he saw a familiar silver goblet. "Hey...isn't this Sirius' stuff?"
"Ah! Yes, Cyrus let me have a few of his things. Told me so this morning."
Fred's lips twitched into a frown. He knew for a fact that Sirius had secretly gone to visit Remus in Amestris with Tonks two days ago. Taking his eyes off the drunk for a minute, his eyes were drawn to a heavy gold chain partially buried under the display of Nosebleed Nougat.
"What's this?" Fred asked as he carefully poked the parcels to the side. Among the clutter was a gold locket with the letter 'S' studded on the front in tiny gems, some which were missing. Dung jumped when he saw the piece of jewelry. He turned green then started to tremble.
"Keep it!" Dung yelled as he ran out the door, leaving a flabbergasted Fred behind him.
Going on past experience with Dung, Fred was hesitant to touch the locket. Especially after that incident when Dung tried to sell them doxy venom and tried to pass it off as essence of murtlap tentacles.
"Who was that Forge?" George asked.
"Just Mundungus." Fred replied as he pushed aside the boxes to get a better look at the locket. "I think he's trying to hide from Sirius."
-Doesn't it fluster you?-
"Huh?"
"What is it?" George asked from the storeroom above.
"Did you say something?"
"No."
-Every day the same thing. Someone confuses you with him. Not even your own Mum knows your name.-
"George stop fooling!"
"I'm not!"
-You're nothing more than a reflection in the mirror to them-
Fred looked around as he tried to pin point where the voice was coming from in the shop. He paled as he realized the voice was coming from within the locket itself that his right hand had touched unintentionally. With clammy hands he took out a pair of Magi Specs from his robes.
In the back room George dropped a box when he heard Fred's scream of horror. He practically fell over when he saw Fred cringing in fear...from a necklace laying on the floor.
"Merlin's pants! Fred don't do that! I thought the Death Eaters had broken in!" George gasped before heading over to pick the necklace off the floor.
"Don't touch it!" Fred screamed when he saw the thing attached to the locket grin viciously.
-Go ahead, get rid of him. You finally be able to be yourself.-
"Shut up! Leave George alone!"
George did a double take and look up at his twin in confusion as Fred jumped down on him just as the apparition in the necklace lunged. The apparition screamed as a flourish of magic rushed out from Fred's core to shield George. There was a loud explosion as the locket broke into two, the force from it was strong enough to send them flying across the room into the back store room. Neither of them saw cloud of dark smog shaped like a face seeped out and silently scream
"What...the Hell...was that?" George panted as they looked at the small hole that was once a display table.
"I don't know..."
The door flew open as Ethan busted in with his friends and two Aurors a step behind them.
"What the Hell happened?"
George blinked. "That's what I'm trying to find out...Fred?"
Fred was very pale and was too busy staring at the crater.
"Stupid Dung." He finally stammered out. "Monster in locket..."
"Monster in locket?"
"What?"
While they fussed over the Twins' no one notice Zephyrus' eyes suddenly turn empty and a grin cross his face.
"Twin chaos magic truly is a strange thing isn't it? Only one left Tom."
*Ice Prince Alchemist*
"Welcome back Zephyrus." Eren called out as the teen entered the lift with him. Zephyrus raised a brow at the numerous boxes of medical supplies that he was struggling to carry by himself
"What's with all these supplies?" Zephyrus asked as he took some of the boxes from him while mentally cataloging them. 'Blood replenishing potions, penicillin, bandages, suture silk, surgical gloves, Calming draughts, anesthesia...just what the hell is going on?'
"There's been a sudden surge in scuffles along points the border." Eren replied seriously. "That and rumors that a member of the Tsar's cabinet has been becoming more vocal against his proposed heir."
Zephyrus looked at him curiously. "So...you think that there is a possible chance of a civil war?"
"It seems like it, so medical is trying to stock up on what we can. Both your parents have been working with Central Command in order to make sure everything is ready when it comes time for the new commanding officer to take over."
"New commanding officer?" Zephyrus asked in shock.
"You didn't hear?" Eren asked in confusion.
"Obviously not." Zephyrus replied back.
"Last month Roy Mustang was named as Grumman's successor." Eren stated. "And in turn he named your mother and father as the new Ministers of Defense and Domestic Affairs. So naturally...there is going to be a new C.O. coming soon."
"I see..." Zephyrus replied flatly as they arrived at medical. 'I wonder why they didn't tell me...Could this be why they haven't written to me as of late?'
He tried to mutely ponder this while helping the medical staff to catalogue the supplies.
"By the way...Eddie asked us to pass on a message to you." Eren stated as they placed the last of the supplies in the storage room.
"Eddie?" Zephyrus repeated in confusion. He hadn't spoken to the man since he retired. "What is the message?"
"If you have time, he wants to know if you could please meet him in Frost Cove." Eren replied as he signed the inventory sheet. He paused as he looked over his shoulder at him. "I can take you down."
"I am fully capable of going by myself Eren." Zephyrus replied.
"I know that Chief, but there have been rumors of British sympathizers in the South trying to recruit from the magical community." Eren replied.
The small township of Frost Cove was cleverly hidden in the middle of a frozen lake only a few kilometers southwest of Fort Briggs. A past geologist had once suggested the land it sat on was once a small island when the mountains were once below sea level. The only way to reach Frost Cove was cross through a carefully hidden bridge on the ice. Because of this natural defense and a natural snow break created by the surrounding forest and mountain walls it was an ideal place for Ft. Briggs' military families to live.
'This place looks the same as when I last came here.' Zephyrus mused as they rode through the town square. Built around the town hall was an inn, some shops like the General Store, a bookstore, the bakery. Even the school looked the same.
Gilbert met them at the stables while carrying a duffel bag.
"Gilbert...just what do you have in that bag?" Zephyrus asked suspiciously once they safely unhitched the horses in the stables.
"You know the usual office supplies." Gilbert said nonchalantly.
Zephyrus and Eren stopped and looked at the man in disbelief and horror. Gilbert's office supplies could usually range from some simple paperclips to nitroglycerin.
"Just what the Hell are you doing walking around with that?" Eren gaped.
"Oh...just keeping in case Alfred and Ivan try to gut me...since I proposed to Maddie earlier today..."
Eren blinked. "That...would explain why Alfred's squad was trying chain him to his bed this morning..."
"Zephyrus!" shouted a man as he came out of the general store. "Th-thank you so much for coming to help."
"Sure, what is it?" Zephyrus asked.
"I was h-hoping I could get your help...it's Emily."
"Emily?"
Eren's eyes widened at the mention of his goddaughter. "What's wrong with Emily?"
"Umm...well...she...you need to come see."
Eddie led them to a small two story house near his workshop. Two children were sitting on the porch playing with a small dog while a woman paced nervously by the door. Her eyes lit up when she saw Zephyrus.
"Hello Penny...I br-brought Zephyrus." Eddie gestured to the teen.
"What's wrong with Emily?" Zephyrus asked.
"Some strange things started happening lately." Penny replied. "Especially around Emily."
"Strange things?" Eren repeated in confusion. "Like what?"
"Lights flickering."
"She turned Lavi pink!" the girl piped up as she held up the yipping dog. Her brother nodded silently.
"You think Emily has magic?" Zephyrus asked. Penny nodded.
"But...that's not what's worrisome...She's been having strange dreams lately. Just last night she had a dream about a city in the sky burning and an angel falling out of the sky."
'No way...could Emily be a Seer?'
"Penny; could I speak to Emily?" Zephyrus asked.
"She's locked herself in her room." Penny replied as she led him into the house. "I just hope you can help."
On the second floor there was a door cheerful decorated with drawing of small animals and EMILY'S ROOM written in disproportional letters.
Zephyrus knocked on the door. "Emily? Emily can I speak to you?"
"Please go away." a child's voice sobbed.
Zephyrus sighed as he took out his wand and tapped the doorknob. "Alohamora."
A little girl was sitting in the corner of the room crying. All around her there was several objects floating or changing colors.
"Hello; are you Emily?"
The child looked up at him and squeaked in fear. "How did you get in?"
"It's alright." Zephyrus said as he crouched beside her. "You don't have to be scared. Your Mom and Eddie asked me to help you."
"Please go away...I might hurt you." Emily sobbed.
"Did you make all these things fly and change color?" Zephyrus asked. Emily nodded.
"I can't get them to go back to normal." She muttered.
"Would like me to show you how?" Zephyrus asked. Emily looked up as he waved his wand in the air. "Finite Incanteum."
Emily's eyes widened as the objects turned back to normal. With another waved of his wand Zephyrus made all the items return to the shelves.
"Are you a freak like me?" Emily asked.
Zephyrus's eyes softened. "No Emily, that was magic. And your power is magic too."
"I'm a witch? Like the bad ladies from my bedtime stories?" Emily squeaked.
"No, no. There are some bad witches, but there are good ones too." Zephyrus replied. "You're still little, but when you turn eleven you can start going to the magic school in the West."
"Can you use Magic to make the bad dreams to stop?" Emily asked.
"Do you really want them to stop?"
Emily nodded. "They're really scary...like the falling angel...its wings were ripping apart. I couldn't see his face...but I think he was crying."
Zephyrus bit on his lip as he carefully drew on his Mage powers then placed his hand on Emily's forehead. "Here me oh Magik! By my crest seal away this child's Sight, until she is ready to handle the responsibility. May only the Visions she see until then be those of true emergency"
Emily's brown eyes temporarily turned blue as Zephyrus's magic placed the temporary lock around her magic core. She slumped over and started sleeping, her mind worn from the strain it had been under.
"Is she okay?" Penny asked as Zephyrus placed the child onto her bed.
Zephyrus nodded. "She's fine. I blocked those dreams for a while, but they'll comeback when she gets older."
"So...what can I do?"
"Magic is highly based on emotions. Treat her no differently than Luther or Hana." Zephyrus replied. "She needs to be reminded that just because she has magic she's normal."
Penny sniffed. "That sounds like something Dave would say..."
"If there is anything else, let me know." Zephyrus called out as he left the house. Eren looked up as he finished helping Luther fix his sled.
"Well?"
"She'll be fine." Zephyrus replied, his eyes were drawn to some handmade toys in Eddie's shop. "Hey Eddie?"
"Yeah?"
"You got any of those rocking horses?"
Later that night Zephyrus was sitting in his room playing with Melody while his parents worked on some classified document concerning the new commanding officer. The only thing he managed to get out of them was that their command would effectively end in late June when Roy took up the mantle as Fuhrer.
Melody cheerfully squealed as Valkyrie popped in. The phoenix whistled cheerfully as she dropped a letter in his hands before turning her attention to the baby. Zephyrus grinned when he saw the academic stationary from Maryland.
Dear Zephyrus,
In regards to your inquiry about my research, I must confess that I am surprised that someone as young as you would take an interest. The symbols you included did indeed match up to those found on the ruins south of Crete and in what many of my colleagues believe could be the ruins of Babylon.
I've included a copy of the alphabet for you to look at and I wish you the best of luck in your academic future.
Sincerely,
Milo Thatch
"Finally a step in the right direction."
"Papa."
Zephyrus turned his head at his sister in shock. "What did you say?"
"Papa." Melody cooed again.
"You spoke...MELODY SPOKE!" Zephyrus yelled as he carried Melody towards the office. Valkyrie flying right behind him.
*Ice Prince Alchemist*
"There's been a lot of Order members hanging around lately." Zephyrus commented as he walked with Lisa and Ethan out of Flitwick's class. With the end of the term quickly approaching the students could feel a sense of uneasiness in the air.
"It's not only that...I been noticing some Slytherins following me around." Lisa said anxiously.
"Are you sure they aren't just doing it as a favor to Draco?" Ethan asked. The three of them had barely seen a single hair of the teen since the term restarted.
Lisa shook her head. "That's just it. I haven't been able to speak to him. And he returns all my letters unopened."
Zephyrus frowned. 'It's almost like the calm before a big storm.'
"Well, I better go to the library now."
"Now?" Ethan asked in shock.
"I have too, I need to get a reference book for my Potions essay."
"Can't it wait?"
"No, it's due in the morning." Lisa yelled as she ran off into the crowd.
"Dammit..."
"So what now?"
"Zephyrus!"
"Shit." Zephyrus groaned as Anne fought her way through the crowd.
"Did you finish your speech?" she demanded.
"What speech? Since when do I have to write a speech?" Zephyrus feigned, he hastily motioned for Ethan to leave. This was going to take a while.
Anne pursed her lips angrily. "What speech? What speech? The one you're supposed to give in your final address to the graduating class! You know, the one that gives charge to them to move forward or give them hope?"
Zephyrus twitched. "I don't see why it's so necessary for me to write. Any drafts I showed Flitwick and McGonagall got thrown out."
"Maybe that's because you used a lot of swearing in it?" Anne asked as she tapped her foot impatiently. "Graduation is in less than a week Zephyrus and I won't have it devastated by your failure to address the student body properly."
"I don't care about that, you could give the address." Zephyrus swore as he walked off.
"It's traditional!" Anne shouted.
*Ice Prince Alchemist*
Lisa sighed as she finished her assignment. Across from her Ethan was reading a medical book.
"Finished?"
"Yeah." Lisa replied as she leaned back in her chair tiredly.
Just as they exited into the corridor, the torches went out.
"This isn't good-OW!"
"What?"
"I walked into the wall." Ethan swore as he channeled magic into his feet so he could get a semblance of a picture around him. "Geez this place is darker than an underground cavern."
'Ah Hell this isn't good.' Lisa cursed as she tried an Illumination Charm only to have be extinguished right away.
Ethan's eyes widen as the outline of a human echo, several of them, surround them.
"Found you."
Upstairs in Ravenclaw Tower Zephyrus was staring at his speech. Several scrapped versions laid scattered across the floor.
'Give them motivation to do good...that's all they asked of me. How can they make something that complicated be addressed in a simple form?' Zephyrus wondered. He paused a moment before turning to his trunk. Carefully he pushed aside some shirts to grab a small ditty bag, inside was only one thing. A set of worn dog tags on a rusty chain.
'What would you say to them?'
Suddenly the tower shook as an explosion rocked the exterior. Zephyrus raced out of his room to find many of the students in the common room below standing at the windows screaming.
"What is it?"
"The school is under attack!" Terry shouted as he saw the lights of a duel in the courtyard bellow.
"It's the Death Eaters!" someone screamed as the Dark Mark was casted over a nearby tower.
"The Professors are fighting as well." Shouted a first year boy as he pointed to a tartan clad woman fighting a Death Eater below.
"Attention! All Houses, remain in the dormitories, do not leave for any reason! Your safety cannot be guaranteed in the corridors. Prefects, do not allow anyone to leave until the battle is over." Zephyrus commanded before shouting "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
Several of the Ravens gasped as three spectral wolves flew from his wand and out into the castle.
"Terry you and Padma take the younger years upstairs. If the Dorm is breached use the brooms to get the Hell out." Zephyrus ordered as the Common Room locked itself.
"Shouldn't you go and help?" another asked. "You're the Chosen One."
"This is their war..." Zephyrus snapped.
"But-"
Zephyrus gasped as a Legilimens message hit him. He quickly got the images of a Death Eater carrying a bound Lisa out of the castle and towards the Forbidden Forest. Ethan in pursuit as he tried to dodge around spells flying at him.
"Hurry! The Dark Lord order us to take her to him post haste!"
"We can't reach the gates!"
"They go into the forest so we can lose the boy!"
'Zephyrus! Ethan! Help me!' Lisa mentally shouted.
"Zephyrus?"
"Lisa's in trouble." Zephyrus replied before hastily running to grab his broom. "Terry you're in charge, do not let anyone else out of the Tower. Luna, back him up!"
"I thought you said you wouldn't fight Voldemort?"
"I'm not, I'm going to rescue my friend." Zephyrus declared before jumping out the common room window with his broom.
*Ice Prince Alchemist*
Down below Ethan was chasing the Death Eaters who had captured Lisa. He tried to transmute the ground the slow them down, but the Death Eaters didn't give him more than a second before throwing another lethal curse at him.
'Merciful Ishvala, what else could go wrong?'
"Kid watch out above you!" Midas yelled from inside his hood.
Ethan jumped back as he just barely avoided being crushed by a large foot. Terrifyingly he looked up to see four large giants who heads just barely reached the forest canopy looking down at him hungrily.
"Me and my big mouth." Ethan panted.
"KILL HIM AND YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE MUGGLE FLESH YOU WANT TONIGHT!" shouted the lead wizard.
"LISA! Hang on!" Ethan yelled as he dodged another foot. "I'll get to you...AH!"
"Ethan!" Lisa screamed as the Death Eaters carrying her got further away. From inside her pockets Ithamar growled and turned into a large python, quickly biting down on one of their shoulders.
"Not so fast!" the witch to Lisa' right giggled as she casted a sickly orange spell at Ithamar. The Changeling screamed as his body was turned to black glass and shattered.
"ITHAMAR!" Lisa cried as she tried to flare up her magic.
Further back in the forest Ethan was still trying to dodge around the giants while trying to figure out how to kill them. Giants had skin thinner than a trolls, but theirs was magically resistant. Only truly powerful spells form a legion of wizards could kill them.
There was a sharp whistle as something shot down from above and struck the giant, effectively blowing off its head.
"What in Ishvala's name was that?" Ethan gasped.
"A broom combined with an extremely overpowered Piercing Curse." Zephyrus called out as he landed beside him. "I figured it would be worth the sacrifice."
"That's great, but how are you going to catch up with Lisa?" Ethan asked.
"What? I can't leave you to fight these three alone."
"You have to, I managed to hear one of those cloaked freaks say that if Lisa refused to join their master he was just going to steal her magic for himself." Ethan stated angrily.
"I have a spell that will increase my speed." Zephyrus replied uneasily.
"Then use it and catch up to them." Ethan replied, he smirked at Zephyrus. "I'll be alright."
"You better not die Ethan, or I'll break the taboo just so I can bring you back and kick your ass myself." Zephyrus replied before turning in the direction the Death Eaters had disappeared to. 'Accelate!'
There was a flash of light as Zephyrus disappeared behind the giants.
"Hopefully there will be no need." Ethan murmured as he turned to the three giants looking at him like he was a snack"Alright you large oafs! There is no way I'm dying today! Midas you ready to pull out all the stops?"
The former Homunculus grinned. "Never thought you would ask!"
"Vincula!" Ethan snapped as he created a magical chain from his wand. Midas grabbed with his teeth then hardened his shell. Ethan spun the chain as hard as could before letting it fly into the nearest giant, sending it reeling backwards. He did this again for the next short one then tried to hit the last only to have Midas bounce right off.
'Dammit, his skin is too thick!'
The largest giant roared in fury as it backhanded Ethan across the clearing.
Ethan screamed as his body was slammed into a tree. He spat out bloody bile as he heard and felt several bones break from the impact. Before he realized what happned the giant caught him in midair and moved him to his mouth, intent on having his meal.
"I can't die...not yet..." Ethan coughed as he tried to move. He could hear the explosions from the castle echoing around them.
"Get off him!" Midas growled as he bit on the giant's hand with reinforced teeth. The giant yelled in pain as it dropped Ethan onto the forest floor.
"Ethan, do you know why the Earth is in the center of the Celestial field?"
Ethan shook his head as Finny smirked at him.
"It is because Earth is the Celestial of Balance. Without balance there will be chaos, just your friends need you to remind them that everything will be alright"
Ethan spat out a mouthful of blood. "That's right...Lisa...Zephyrus...they have all this danger coming towards them...all because they were born. And no matter what kind of brave face they put on...I know that deep down they really are scared."
Ethan staggered to his feet and started to channel his mage magic, but instead of activating the Mage armor he pushed it into his wounds, healing them up.
"I am the one chosen to be the Celestial of Balance...and I will PROTECT MY FRIENDS!"
He darted forward then slammed his hands into the ground. "Doru Petras!"
Spears of rocks burst free of the ground and found their way into the smaller giants' bodies. They screamed in agony as they fell. The larger one howled in anguish before trying to stomp on Ethan.
"Carcer Gaia!" Ethan yelled as he flooded the forest around him with his magic until the ground began to twist and reform into sphere shaped prison around the giant.
"Denique Tartari" Ethan shouted. The sphere trembled, then imploded, effectively killing the giant trapped within.
'Lisa...Zephyrus, I'm sorry...But I've reached my limit.' Ethan whispered as he collapsed. The last thing he saw was a herd of centaurs approaching in the distance.
*Ice Prince Alchemist*
Lisa's eyes widened in shock as Ethan's near invisible Patronus shot by. "Ethan..."
"Looks like the giants killed off one of the blood traitors." The hooded wizard stated with glee.
'No...No I can't lose anyone else.'
"Done screaming girlie?" giggled the hooded witch.
"Yeah...I'm done screaming." Lisa whispered. Her eyes suddenly glowed as she pulled on the magic deep inside her. The wizard screamed as her entire body ignited its self on fire.
"You...should have never tried to kidnap me." Lisa stated as her eyes turned snakelike as her magic began to flood the clearing. Ithamar laughed as his body reconstructed itself into the form of a Chinese Fireball.
"Apes Igniferae!" Lisa yelled, a swarm of red bullets shot out of her hand towards the Death Eaters, in midflight they exploded.
"Flagerro!"
A white and blue blur shot by her and pinned the witch into a tree with a knife to the throat.
"Confrigo!" Lisa shouted as she threw the spell at the duo only to have the blur dodge it.
"Hey! I'm a friendly!" The blur shouted as he dodged her flames.
"Zephyrus?"
"No it's Jack Frost." He deadpanned as he appeared beside her. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah." Lisa replied as she slowly weaned her magic back. Ithamar growled protectively as he curled around her. "Where's Ethan?"
"Being carried back by the centaurs is my guess." Zephyrus replied as he hastily blocked a nasty hex. "They do like his philosophical inquires."
"You left him?"
"Hey! He ask me to come and help you!" Zephyrus snapped.
"And you listened?" Lisa yelled back as she blew up the boulder a Death Eater was hiding behind.
"Lisa, I have a question to ask you."
"What?"
"Did you finish that Chain Destruction Spell yet?"
Lisa's eyes widen in shock. "How did you know about that? I never told anyone!"
"You mutter in your sleep." He deadpanned. "Listen, just get back to the castle and I hold these two off!"
"But-"
"Lisa your Chain Destruction Spell maybe the only thing to stop all the Death Eaters here with minimum loss of life. God only knows how many Death Eaters are still fighting at the castle!"
Lisa gritted her teeth but nodded then jumped onto Ithamar.
"Hurry Ithamar, we need to get back to Gryffindor Tower." Lisa shouted as the Changeling took off into the air.
Zephyrus blasted the ground with an Alchemic pulse to create a cloud of dust in order to prevent the Death Eaters from getting a clear shot at her.
"You brat! I'll give the Dark Lord your head for this insolence!" shouted the sole Death Eater. "Sectumsepra!"
Zephyrus transmuted a western style dragon out of the ground to lift him into the air then shoot back down at the attacker.
"I won't fall for the same trick twice." He shouted. "Enis Exsequens"
Thousands of ice swords formed around him and struck into the ground. The Death Eater countered with Fiendfyre. Before Zephyrus could fall any further he grabbed a branch and called out another spell.
"Caelestis Ordinationem!"
Numerous orbs of compressed air shot downwards like cannonballs. The Death Eater's shield of curse fire was suffocated and he was forced into the open.
"You cannot defeat the Dark Lord's will child!" the hooded Death Eater shouted as he threw a bowel boiling curse at Zephyrus, making the teen jump into another tree as the one he was just in exploded.
"The only one who is going to be defeated is you!" Zephyrus shouted back as he used Accelate again to dart through the treetops. He grunted in pain as a stabbing sensation rushed through his legs. A suddenly numbing sensation hit him hard, causing him to fall into the dirt.
'Damn...the Acceleration Spell wasn't meant to be used on the human body. I must have caused some damage to the muscles in my legs from the strain.'
"Expelliarmus!" the Death Eater yelled triumphantly as he managed to blast Zephyrus's wand out of his hands. "Giving up now?"
"Never!" Zephyrus viciously replied as he took his sword off the charmed chain. He stood up trying to ignore the pain in his legs. "I'm a soldier, I can still fight."
He lunged at the Death Eater and hissed as he just barely managed to nick him. Despite having no active magical properties the sword was able to block spells flying his way.
"Ooh, the Chosen One plays dirty eh?"
"I'm no one's Chosen One!" Zephyrus yelled as he lunged again only to have a spell send him sprawling into a tree, knocking the air out of him.
"Tut, tut. Of course not. You're just a sacrificial lamb whose very existent is a stain in my master rise to greatness. However, this little trinket would be an excellent gift for the Dark Lord."
Zephyrus gaped as the Death Eater was about to pick up his sword which had been knocked out of his hand by the spell.
'An enchantment was placed on the blade so only those who were willingly given the blade could use it. Those who stole it died shortly after by the blade itself-'
"YOU IDIOT!" Zephyrus screamed as he tried to run towards him to grab the weapon.
Suddenly the decorative etchings on the blade light up; the Death Eater screamed in agony as the sword's glowing intensified. Zephyrus could only watching in morbid fascination as the man's literally began to melt right off the bones. In a matter of moments there was nothing but a gruesome puddle of what was once a human being.
Zephyrus carefully took the sword in hand again. An near invisible thrum of power seemingly echoed through the blade. "Damn...I knew Wendy said the blades were cursed but...Damn."
Back at the castle numerous students screamed in fright when Lisa blew open the Seventh Year window. Ignoring their shouting she unlocked her truck and pulled out a rolled up parchment with a numerous runes draw across it in a delicate red ink, she then placed the drawing of a Dark Mark in the middle.
Carefully she interlocked her hands over the drawing and drew on her Mage powers again.
"Please Magik, heed my call. Banish those bearing this symbol and prevent them from harming those within my domain of power. I beseech thee!"
There was a bright flare of light as the circle activated. The numerous runes interconnected until they formed a golden sun on the parchment. Across the school grounds the fighting Death Eaters shouted in pain as they marks turned gold.
The Order members could only watch in amazement as one by one they were all forcibly banished off the castle grounds. Dumbledore who had been cornered watched the Death Eater he had been fighting disappear out of sight just as the stone landing from the tower crumbled beneath him.
"What the Bloody Hell just happened?" Sirius asked.
"I don't know..." Bill replied as he tried to staunch the bleeding from a cut on his forehead. "But thank Merlin for whoever did."
*Ice Prince Alchemist*
Zephyrus looked up as a figure fell off one of the towers before disappearing below. Before he could even react he felt his conscious be yanked away, falling into a dark oblivion.
At the foot of the tower Dumbledore weakly crawled towards the Elder Wand. His body wracked in pain, not only from the fall that shattered many of his old bones, but there was a painful burning his chest from a Death Eater's curse.
"N-no...I must die here...the Horcruxes...must be destroyed...I must...protect the students...the Boy...he needs my guidance...He must return...to the Light"
Suddenly a foot stopped him from advancing further. He weakly looked up to see Zephyrus looking down. Dirty and bloodstained, but alive none the less.
"Zephyrus my boy...you've come to help us."
"Zephyrus isn't here." Replied a foreboding voice from Zephyrus's lips. His eyes were temporarily revealed by a cold wind. His blue eyes appeared lifeless and empty. Dumbledore's weakly gasped.
"Tom? It can't be...you...I thought you were after the girl's power."
"That feeble creature isn't here either." The voice replied. "I am something that the two of you fear most of all."
"You...are Death...why are you possessing the boy? To punish him?"
"Punish? Why would I punish him?" 'Death' replied. "I am have merely taken control temporarily in order to make sure I retrieve something of mine from this world."
"The Elder Wand...One of the Deathly Hallows"
"A wand? Don't be so outlandish. This is far from a simple wand." 'Death' chuckled as he picked up the wand. There was a flash as the wand broke apart then reconstructed its self with 'Death's power and reformed into a scythe. "No wizard is capable of cheating their limits nor using the power of something that was never theirs."
"But...the Wand...the Cloak...the Resurrection Stone..."
"All small parts of items a pair of three foolish human stole. Didn't you ever wonder why no human could never use them successfully?" 'Death' replied as he walked towards Dumbledore, the scythe's sharp ominous blade gleaming in the moonlight.
"No, please...it mustn't end like this..."
"How odd of you to beg not to die. Wasn't it you who said 'Death was the next big adventure?'" 'Death' asked curiously.
"Please."
"Begging won't help. This day has been coming for a long time." 'Death' expressed as he lifted the scythe. "And as punishment for attempting to claim mastery over Death and the soul of my Champion; the punishment is the permanent destruction of your soul."
Pain seared through Dumbledore's being. Although the scythe had not cut him physically, the sheer pain from his soul being disintegrated was indescribable.
"Oh and Albus? The spell that killed Ariana all those years ago...it wasn't Grindelwald's spell that ended her life..." 'Death' stated, smirking in satisfaction as the last look of utmost horror in Dumbledore's eyes. "It was yours."
*Ice Prince Alchemist*
The graduation was a large but solemn affair. Many of the special guests who had come for Dumbledore's funeral had stayed behind to attend the graduation as well. It seemed that the Headmaster's death had been the only fatality of that dreaded night. Ethan had been brought back to the castle by a centaur guard, and Lisa spent a day sleeping off her magical exhaustion. No one could find Zephyrus until later that night when he appeared wearing a peculiar green gem on the same chain he wore his shrunken sword. Any questions about it were immediately deterred.
Journalists, politicians, writers, even some celebrities flood the area. The lawn was covered in chairs and all of them were filled. Notably missing were the families of the Amestrian students, however no one thought twice about an entire row missing and cleverly hidden by a Notice Me Not charm.
"And now Head Boy; Zephyrus Armstrong will deliver the farewell address to the graduating class." McGonagall stated as she passed the speaking over to Zephyrus. There was some scattered applause and the clicking of the photographers took multiple snapshots.
"Seven years ago all of you received a letter to attend Hogwarts...whether it was expected or not. To some this was a step into a new world of wonder, and to others it may have been just a reassurance of your heritage. For me...it was an unwelcomed surprise. Even to this day I wonder how quiet my life could have been if I ignored the letter and stayed home and tried to be a normal teenager."
Several in the crowd murmured in shock at this comment before Zephyrus continued. His parents however rolled their eyes.
"Many of you probably expected me to give you a motivating speech about going out in Magical Society and doing some good. Well to be honest; it's kind of useless to say that if you only go out and let the mistakes of the past generations continue to hinder you. For those of you afraid of that bastard whose name you fear remember this; for every two dozen of you who cower in the corner there is one person actually trying to fight. For all of you believe you are the superior race; remember that for every one of you there is over five hundred thousand non-magical."
"...There are millions of living souls in this world of ours. Some who live on the fringes of society causing pain onto others for the sheer thrill, and those who just go about trying to live their lives without a care." Zephyrus gently clasped at the old faded dog tags in his pocket. The same ones given to him by a soldier who died protecting him as a child. "And lastly...the rarest of all are those who try to bring some good into this work through their tireless efforts. The ones willing to sacrifice their lives...Which ever path you choose remember...take away your wand...your cauldron and your magic...and all that is left is a human being."
Britain may have been left behind, but they won't release their chains. As they attempt to go their separate ways; the darkness approaches.
Next time...Parting of Ways
The sun, will always find a way to pierce the darkness.
*trumpet fanfare*
Marauder's Theater
Present
When the Flower Blooms
Mommy had been crying ever since they buried Daddy. I could hear her at night through my door when she thought I was sleeping.
Daddy had given her a special flower when they married; a Forget-Me-Not that supposed to mean they would love each other forever. Every year Daddy would plant a new flower on the window box to show her his love; sunflowers, lilies, daffodils and a lots others.
And right before they buried Daddy...he gave her a special flower; a red rose plant; he said it means true love and promised Mommy that the first rose it grew would be the symbol of his love for her. But a rose is a delicate flower. And after Daddy left us the rose had finally began to bud but Mommy was too sad to even look at it.
Every day I did my best to keep it alive. I would water it, sing to it...but it still refused to even bloom. And one day, the bud fell off and the plant started to die.
I cried and wished for the rose to live, crying and wishing for the rose to live and remind Mommy how much Daddy really loved her, he loved us.
And then...my hands felt warm...green and pink sparks came out of my fingers and into the pot. Then slowly the plant grew...and a lot of big red roses came out.
Every year after the roses would bloom, bigger and redder than the other roses I ever saw.
Then one day...when the roses came back...Daddy came back too.
Cooking Lessons
Zephyrus twitched as Lisa walked Ethan, the Twins, Luna and Ginny through the process of making a Varutharacha Chicken Curry. Molly had been thrilled to hear that three of her children had taken an interest in cooking and was encourage their participation in learning to make anything.
And somehow he and Neville were wrangled as the taste testers. Although, a least they had a jug of milk in case their mouths were set on fire.
"Alright, time is up!" Lisa clapped. "Serve up the dishes and give them to the testers."
"If we die from this, I swear I will haunt every last one of you." Neville swore as he looked at the neon red curry in the bowl the Twins set before him. He cautiously took a bite and cried out in pain as smoke seemed to spout out.
"I think you broke the Scoville scale." Zephyrus deadpanned as Neville nearly drowned himself in milk.
"Gred."
"Yes Forge?"
"You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Fireball Gumdrops." The Twins grinned.
Zephyrus took a bite and blinked. He quickly grabbed a glass of milk and chugged it before gasping. "Ginny...I think you over did it with the chili powder and habanero."
"Zephyrus do you have a stomach of steel or something?"
"I've had worse." Zephyrus muttered as he traumatically remembered his mother's attempt to create the same dish. He blacked out for an hour.
Summer Romance
"ABBY! ETHAN'S GOT A GIRLFRIEND!" Fabian yelled as he entered the family's modest home dragging his blushing, sputtering son with him.
There were some feminine squeals from the women, clapping from Amity, Ethan's grandmother gave her grandson a proud look.
"Ah, so someone has finally gotten the attention of our little lamb." Zahara said with a smile. "I was wondering if I would live long enough to hold my first great-grandchild."
"Grandmother!" Ethan practically shouted. "I'm fifteen!"
"Should we start planning the wedding now?"
"WHAT?"
"Oh, perhaps it's just a boyhood crush."
"I don't know Abby, my first crush was you."
"Argh! There is no point reasoning with you people!" Ethan yelled as he jumped over a giggling Amity and ran upstairs. He promptly looked his bedroom door when his mother began to give him advice one what colors to wear.
Ethan carefully took out a pair of acceptable looking clothes. He then paced his room. "I need advice..."
Midas looked up at him. "Well for starters how far do you want to get? Second or third base?"
"Not from you. This requires a gentlemen, and I know just the one!" Ethan said with a grin as he snatched up a communication mirror. "Connect; Ice Prince."
"Whoever the fuck this is, it better be the damned apocalypse!"
"Zephyrus! I need your advice about what to do on a date!" Ethan said quickly before Zephyrus could go on a tirade.
"...What? You're calling at fucking two in the morning for dating advice?"
"It's eight o'clock at night..."
"What are you serious?" Zephyrus tiredly replied, there was a shuffle on his end as he presumably checked a clock. "Well damn, you're right."
"...you okay?"
"I just got back from a three day mission and I have had very little sleep on top of writing the damned report. Now why the Hell are you asking me for dating advice?"
"My only other option is Midas and you know what his ideas are." Ethan added, ignoring the indignant shout that came from the familiar.
"...Uh...thanks for the confidence, but shouldn't you ask I dunno Lisa or someone in an actual relationship about this...Like your dad?"
"Are you kidding? Lisa would attack me for not asking the girl out sooner! You're the sanest person that I know who could help me! You get all the girls swooning for you without even trying, even the guys still in the closet!"
"Dafuq?"
"You know it's true. I saw a few of the guys from Durmstrang were checking you out our last year until Alexi told them you were a guy and he was almost one hundred percent sure you were straight."
Midas fell over laughing.
"WHAT?"
"So...ignoring your complex and non-existent love life...What am I supposed to do?"
"Just follow the basics; conversation, flowers, dinner. Now fucking piss off and let me sleep asshat!"
Ethan blinked as the connection went dead. "He was using British slang? He must have had a rough day."
Living in an Ishvalan Family
1. Your mother is the most terrifying woman alive
Ethan couldn't count the number of times he flinched on sight just from a simple cooking ladle. Especially if SHE was the one holding it...especially if she was smiling.
2. There is no such this as full when your Grandmother is cooking.
He told her that he had eaten at the café with his friends, but Grandmother insisted that he sit down and eat dinner. Despite being full...he ate two full plates.
3. Ishvalan food is an acquired taste
Ethan raised a brow as he watched his cousins freak out over the rich spice filled food after just one bite; Fred was chugging water while George waving his hands in front of his mouth. It truly was strange seeing how the food wasn't all that spicy, compared to most of his mother's dishes this one was rather mild. Munching on a mouth full of goulash he passed them some of the yogurt.
4. You can endure spicy foods
As a bet to shut up an arrogant bastard at Central HQ Ethan chugged an entire bottle of Uncle Abdul's Hot Sauce. When the guy tried to do the same the men's bathroom had to be put under quarantine.
5. Religion is Key
For as long as he could remember Ethan found solace in his culture's religion. Even if he felt like the world had abandoned him...he knew that having faith gave him something to believe in.
6. Be proud of your eyes
While he attended school in Central and in New Optain; Ethan always had to wear a glamour that made his red eyes appear brown. For the longest time he hated his eyes because if it were not for them he could pass as a normal citizen of Amestris. He wished he had blue eyes like Caroline or Irene. But then one day his mother mentioned in passing that he inherited the same gentleness in his eyes that his Grandfather had.
Reasons my Grandmother is a BAMF
Marie Armstrong nee Goode is a strong capable woman, so don't let her fragile demeanor fool you.
1-She is not one to be messed with
With her father's status as a 'Prison Rat' of the military, Marie was outcast by many in her age group. However, unlike her sister who shunned her father for this status, Marie fought back against the social propaganda and eventually became head nurse at an army hospital. Her marriage to the scion of the Armstrong family was quite a scandal.
2- Her death glare
When Marie was an Army nurse she was considered to be one of the most terrifying women you could ever have the misfortune of pissing off. Just one look would make the most stubborn, and perverted men aka patients and stubborn doctors quiver in fear. Especially after she told a younger hospitalized King Bradley; "The only thing you have to fear in this world besides Death...is Me." while holding a scalpel.
Besides Olivier had to learn if from somewhere.
3-Mess with her garden and you face the possibility of execution
One time. Just once Olivier made the mistake of teaching Zephyrus swordsmanship near Marie's favorite rose bush. In the scuffle they accidently took several inches off of it just as Marie came out to cut a few fresh flowers. Marie sent the six year old off with Catherine to have tea in the gazebo before looking at her eldest with a death glare that made the Ice Queen shudder.
"Oh yes, beg but you will not be pardoned easily."
Zephyrus was worried when Olivier entered the gazebo looking very pale and hands shaking so badly her cup rattled.
4-She has a sibling rivalry too
If there was one person Marie hated with all her heart, it was her younger sister Francine. Something her children, son-in-law and grandson learned;
When she pushed her sister into their father's grave at the funeral service for being overdramatic during the eulogy. When she started a brawl with her at her own wedding reception when Francine called her a gold digger. When she spent an entire week teaching her cat to attack her on site.
5-Her demon cat
Olivier paled when she saw a hauntingly familiar cat sitting at the front entrance to the manor. Immediately she gripped her son tightly and took a wide arc around the sleeping feline until Alex opened a ground floor window for her to jump in.
"I thought you said it was hit by a car?" she whispered in a fearful voice, trying not to wake the sleeping toddler in her arms.
"It did..." Alex replied.
"That makes the twentieth time this year alone." Catherine added.
"...Are we sure that cat is not the pet of the Devil?"
Spin 'n Spokes
Zephyrus was twitching as he saw Sirius had (un)fortunately met Gilbert. The men were laughing over something and it wasn't the terrible coffee. And from the way Sirius was wildly motioning and grinning like a loon, it was not going to be good.
"Do want to bet it going to be something ridiculous?" Eren asked as he took a seat.
"That's a suckers bet."
"Chief! I'm getting a motorcycle!"
"And just where in this God forsaken wasteland are you going to ride it? The snow and ice alone could kill you on that thing."
"Crack your skull I'm not operating on you." Eren mumbled into his tea.
"That's if Madeline won't first." Alfred growled.
Sirius looked up doggedly. "We could charm the wheels so the ice won't stick-"
"No." everyone minus Gilbert deadpanned.
"Aw, Chief."
"No."
Gilbert pouted and a somewhat peaceful silence resumed until...
"Chief! I'm getting a snowmobile."
"NO!"
Ice Palace
"Sir, can we ask you something about Zephyrus?"
"I'm not telling you how his pranks work, it's a lost cause." Miles replied as he looked up from the proposal for a joint training seminar with the Western forces at a Northern base.
"…"
"Okay…We just wanted to ask if Zephyrus ever built an ice palace with his Alchemy or magic."
Miles blinked at the question and pondered about it.
"Well…there was that one time he lost control of his powers while playing with his friends…and he ran off into the woods…we found him in an ice fort shaped like a tower…It took a squad to break in and drag him out."
Ethan and Lisa seemed to exchange a victorious look and agree nonverbally. They thanked the man and ran off, determined to find the ice fort.
'…I probably should have told them that it was destroyed in the siege...or that we had pictures...Nah, they'll figure it out.'
Zephyrus' Fear
"So...if the Gate of Truth wasn't your true fear...what would it be?"
Zephyrus looked up from his sketchbook. "Err..."
'Hey Chief! I'm going to be your chauffer for today! And don't worry, I've only had two colas!'
'DEAREST NEPHEW!'
'Nephew; can you model this dress for me?'
'Do you want to bet on that? Loser wears a frilly dress to the New Year's ball at the Fuhrer's estate.'
'Oh sorry; I thought you were a girl!'
'I made dinner!'
'Uh...guys? I accidentally dropped a bottle of nitroglycerin down the pipes...we got about two minutes before it hits the furnace...kesesese...'
"My life...most certainly. Definitely my life."
Woes of a Father pt. II
It was a peaceful night in the Hughes household. The parents stood in the doorway of the girl's shared room with a smile on their face. Felicity was contently sleeping in her crib while her older sister was in her bed with her loyal cat Briar curled up in a basket.
"They look so calm and peaceful." Gracia cooed as she pulled the blanket over Elysia's shoulders.
"Yeah…" Maes replied. He then gasped dramatically. "GRACIA! I just realized; we have two beautiful daughters!"
"Yes we do."
"And it won't be long before they start taking interest in boys…Evil boys…" Maes growled before he hysterically sobbed. "Then Daddy won't be their number one favorite guy anymore!"
"Maes…" Gracia sighed. "You need to pull it together."
In Trouble
"ZEPHYRUS REX ARMSTRONG! JUST WAIT UNTIL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!"
Olivier stormed out of her office hell bent on looking for her five year old son. Behind her was a reconstructed floor tile, a knocked over file cabinet and a mess of files. Miles walked in after she left and raised a brow when Zephyrus crawled out from the utility cabinet and started to pick up the files. "What did you do?"
"I tried to fix that crackled tile under the file cabinet…but instead I knocked it over and made a mess."
"Where is that hellion?" Olivier shouted down the hall.
Zephyrus flinched and tried to hide back in the cabinet, only to be grabbed by the collar. Miles smiled.
"It will be okay."
"But-"
"General I believe this is yours." Miles said with a smile as the woman came back in.
"Traitor." Whimpered Zephyrus.
Extras:
Prince's Guard Bios and Background
To be a member of the Prince's Guard one is hand selected personally for their skills. While their past is also taken into consideration, their morals and actions can blind sight it. Some volunteer while others were recruited and in turn, their painful lives became better.
-Alfred Jones- Zephyrus' childhood friend from Frost Cove, son of Captain Allen Jones- Briggs Engineer, Ret. and foster brother of Ivan. Enlisted directly to the Northern division and selected to be transferred to Fort Briggs. Served in the Briggs Bears under Buccaneer's command. Infantry Specialist.
-Ivan Braginski- Zephyrus's childhood friend from Frost Cove, son of deceased merchants Kristoff Braginski and Anna Braginski nee Williams and foster brother of Alfred. Enlisted directly to the Northern division and selected to be transferred to Fort Briggs. Served in the Briggs Bears under Buccaneer's command, specializes in hand to hand combat, trap making. Infantry Specialist.
-Isabel Marshal – Meek but snarky, Isabel grew up in the streets of Aquaroyal until she was taken in by the Marshal family who ran a small electronics repair store where she found her calling. She is seemingly immune to high voltage. Communications Officer.
-Gilbert Beilschmidt- From a broken home, Gilbert sacrificed everything to protect his younger brother Ludwig from their abusive father and neglectful mother. He was blamed for the gas main explosion that killed their parents. Was enlisted in the military as an alternative sentence to prison at 17. Explosive Ordinance Disposal Officer.
-Eren Yeager- An amnesiac orphan found near the western border of Creta and forced to partake in the Eastern Genocide. Ex-member of General Clemin's regiment. He sentenced to two years of dangerous border missions as a corpsman in the South before being transformed to Briggs. Combat field medic and former Infantry Specialist.
Citizens of Frost Cove
-Allen Jones- Captain, ret. Allen originally one of the Chief Engineers for Development, but he was reassigned to the East during the uprising. He lost his left arm in an explosion caused by Kimblee. After refusing the offer of automail surgery, he retired from the military and followed his dream to open a school in Frost Cove for the local children. Widower father of Alfred and Madeline.
-Madeline Jones- Twin sister of Alfred Jones and the local veterinarian. Has a mean left hook and is terrifying when you insult her love for hockey. Cares for domestic pets, military service animals, and local wildlife. Engaged to E.O.D. team member Gilbert Beilschmidt.
-Ludwig Beilschmidt- An engineer who assists in the day to day operations around Frost Cove with fellow engineer Kiku Honda and puts up with the antics of his old friend Feliciano. Younger brother of Gilbert. Because of a head trauma in his childhood, his memories growing up are foggy.
-Feliciano Vargas- Owner and chef of the local restaurant, friends with Ludwig and Kiku. His older brother Romano, a former gang member, owns a popular restaurant in Aerugo.
-Elsa Aeolis nee Decor -co-owner of the local general store with her husband Jack, and a local seamstress.
-Jackson 'Jack' Aeolis- 2nd L.T. ret, Elsa's husband and the co-owner of the local general store. A former member of Briggs Mountain Guard-Garrison 4, he is now the unofficial leader of the Frost Cove militia.
-Robert 'Bobby' Singer- a local teacher, retired bounty hunter and expert on firearms. He has a vast collection of literature on folklore.
-Dean Winchester- Bobby's protégé and current most notorious bounty hunter of the North-West provinces. His younger brother Samuel is currently attending the University in Central. Just don't get between him and pie.
-Vash Zwigli- Owner of the local Candor Inn and pub. In charge of keeping up with the bounty lists, both military and domestic. Was paralyzed from the waist down at age 16 when he stumbled across some drug runners. Now runs the Inn with the help of his sister Lilli.
-Eddie Foster- As an orphan he was drafted into the military and transferred to the Southern Front at 17 despite his slight mental retardation. With some help from his former squad members Eren Yeager, Dave Fawning and Hank Flemming; he was able to move to Frost Cove after his enlistment was up. He is a wood craftsman and helps Dave's Widow Penny raise her children.
-Emily Fawning- Age 8, future witch. Youngest sister to Hana (9) and Luther (13). Eren's goddaughter.
-Silas 'Si' Fealty – An avid hunter. He is a bit weird and many believe it was due to standing too close to the cannons while in the army. Likes to spend Friday afternoons playing dominos. His shed is considered by many to be the Amestrian equivalent of Area 51.
9foxgrl Q&A
Where is Amestris technology wise? In 1991 when this story begins Fabian mentions in passing that Amestris is behind Western Europe because of their lack of stable trade with neighboring countries and their micro nation status. Roughly they are in the same state as the 1940s America, minus the automail of course. 1994 they grow industrially again and have some air traffic capabilities. So if I were to estimate by now it would be circa 1970s.
Instead of a Marauder's Theater segment the next chapter will feature a 'Q&A' answered by the Ice Prince himself, so fill free to ask via review or PM.
Deadline is OCTOBER 31ST 2014
I'M SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG TO UPDATE!
Life is hectic!