THE BINDING OF FATES
CHAPTER 37
PURIFICATION BY FIRE
The full moon was a massive globe in the night sky.
Four robed wizards were on the Cafe's rooftop on Diagon Alley. The leader of the French Hit Wizard Clan Les Miserables was shining a light on a map. His three Clan mates were crouched, going over the plan one final time. He pointed at a particular spot.
"[Here. You two are here. Lock it down on my signal. I want it tight, not a foot outside the building, agreed?]
The three robed men nodded. The leader, code named Valjean, pointed at a corner of the house. "[She is in that room.]"
[South western corner, right?] One of his clan mates asked.
"[Correct. Stick to the script.] Their intel was good. Eleanor Potage had been spotted in Hogsmeade and was eventually tracked here. [I am the first one in. If anything happens to me, use the sleep potion, not spells. We do not want to leave a magical trace.]"
"[Valjean, we're leaving through the outer wall here?]" Javert asked, pointing at the map right outside the double doors to Jon's apartment.
"[Yes... No. Not through. We're jumping over. Then west on foot for six hundred metres through the muggle park. At this tiny lake, we'll take her underwater then portkey to the rendezvous. The law won't pick up any trace underwater. We will be finished before dawn. Simple.]" Valjean rolled up the map.
Thernardier clapped his hand on his squad partner's shoulder. "[Marius, you're with me. We're taking street side watch. Be ready to pair your anchor with mine for the anti apparition ward.]"
"[Got it. On your four count, right Boss?]" Marius repeated.
"[On three count, asshole. Right. I'm going through the windows. The less magic, the better. You two lock it down, Javert and I are going to be inside no longer than thirty seconds. If a minute passes... well..]
"[We'll come in and get you out, yes, we know,]" Marius said.
"[Right. Then over the wall with the package and six hundred metres to the lake. Everyone got that?]"
"[What about if she resists?]"
"[Javert, fuck man. You had to spoil it, didn't you? You just watch my back. We force her to drink the potion and she's out. Sleeping beauty. This would be our easiest bounty. Remember, on three lock it down. Don't be careless, I want it precise. Wands are cold until I say different. Clean, quiet, in and out. Go!]" Valjean pointed two fingers to the building lower down Diagon Alley.
The four wizards scampered down from the roof. Two went down the narrow alley, while two remained on the perimeter of Jon's building. Valjean, the team lead, began scaling the wall with charmed gloves. When he was at the window he indicated to Javert below. One finger went up, then two, then three.
The hand signal was sent down to Thernardier , who mimicked the same to his anti apparition ward teammate. On the third finger Thernardier tapped his wand on the anchoring stone. Marius saw the three count but was waiting for the fourth finger. By the time he realized that he missed the count, he immediately tapped the anchoring stone with his wand.
"Merde."
Sirius Black was a light sleeper. Something had changed. There was a familiar magical ripple settling around the apartment, the feeling of an Anti-Apparition ward locking in. It was sloppy. Instead of it being tight and undetectable like how Dawlish captured him, this ward was weak at the corners. He sat up as he felt the heavy anti-apparition ward solidify. The window in the next room made its tell-tale squeak when it was opened.
"Shit," he whispered. He immediately transformed, running out from Jon's room. Eleanor's bedroom door swung open and a dark, heavy shadow of two people carrying a third wrapped in a sheet emerged. Sirius slunk down in his dog form against the walls, disappearing into the shadows.
Oh no you don't
With a soft ticking of his claws on the ground, Sirius pounced. His jaws grabbed the rear guard at the back of the neck, eliciting a loud yelp of pain. Eleanor Potage fell to the ground in a heap. Sirius transformed as Javert was brought down, bringing down all of his weight on him. Valjean swore and jumped out the hallway and planted his back against the wall. There was the sound of a struggle then Javert's screams.
"[AAHH FUCK NO]-"
"Diffindo!" came a hoarse growl of a spell. There was a ripping sound and a gurgle of a dying man. It was quiet after that. Blood began to seep out the walkway, pooling at Valjean's feet. Valjean had his wand drawn, back against the wall separating the bedroom corridor from the outside main area. He heard a male grunt and the sound of a body being dragged on the ground.
The door to Eleanor's bedroom shut with a soft click.
Valjean held his breath. This job went to fucking shit. Javert was a good one.
Would he try to apparate out? That would hopefully knock him out.
A few seconds passed. There was no popping noise of apparation.
Shit.
This was someone who knew what an anti apparition ward felt like. He didn't want to give away that he had two men outside. He would wait it out until Marius and Thernardier came in to back him up. They should have heard Javert's death scream and were deciding the best way to infiltrate.
More seconds passed by. Javert's spilled blood pooled on the floor and touched his boots. Valjean stepped away, taking in the layout of the main area. The balcony sliding doors were letting in the light of the moon, bathing him in light. Valjean thought that whoever this man-dog was had the advantage. He could be easily seen out here, however, the bedroom hall was dark. Valjean peeped around the wall.
The hallway was empty. Who the fuck is that?
More seconds passed in agonizing silence.
"I'm armed!" Sirius' voice came out the door.
"So am I, mon ami," Valjean replied. He heard furniture being dragged across the floor. It sounded like something grinding against the wooden floor.
"Fuck you, Frenchie. You come in here, you're fucking done. You hear me?" Sirius growled, with more sounds of dragging furniture.
"Sure," Valjean replied in accented English. "I'll wait out here." Fuck. Those two assholes were taking long.
Sirius managed to jam the narrow wardrobe against the open window and the bed against the door. He immediately went down to Eleanor's prone body, gently tapping her face. She was heavily sedated, most likely drugged.
He couldn't stay here. He had to get her to safety.
"Moony, old chap. Hope you still remember me," he whispered. Sirius began using a cutting spell on the wooden floor. This wand was pretty good at slicing and dicing.
Outside, while their comrade was getting his throat opened, Marius and Thernardier were silently cursing each other.
"[Asshole, it was on three!]" Thernardier mouthed, holding up three fingers.
"[Sorry! It's still locked in. Don't fucking cry. It's fine.]"
Then they heard the scream. Both Wizards stood up, looking up at the first floor. A few seconds later furniture barricaded against it.
"[Inside,]" Marius commanded, dropping the anchoring stone. He ran towards his comrade and took up a position two feet behind him. With a tap on his shoulder, he pointed forward. Both trained Hit Wizards silently walked around the building to the main entry doors, wands held at the ready.
Sirius poked his head down the newly created hole in the floor.
"Woof, woof," he barked. The response was a rabid snapping of jaws.
"Come on, mate. You forgot me already? Jeez, it has only been wot... a d-decade?"
More snapping.
"Look, I even used the rope you liked, nylon. Come on."
A low long growl was his response.
"Okay, okay. Here." Sirius cut his hand and let the blood drip into the hole. There was a loud sniffing sound and then a plaintive whine. "Right. That's me. This is Ellie. Be a good lad." Sirius cut Eleanor's left palm and repeated the process. "See? That's Ellie! That's a good lad, yeah?"
There was only silence.
No response. Well... that's somewhat better.
Sirius hung down the hole. Something began sniffing his legs, teeth pulling at his pants.
"Right. I forgot what you liked," Sirius apologized. He pushed off his socks using his toes while hanging from the sharp edge of the floor above. There was an instantaneous snap of jaws and ripping of cotton. "Easy, Moonwalker..." Sirius said calmly. He let go and fell down.
He landed in a heap against a warm, furry frame. A long tongue licked his face.
"Fuck," Sirius swore, rubbing his sleeve against the slime. He scratched Remus' neck quickly. "Ellie is our friend," he said slowly, grabbing both sides of Remus' snout, almost eye to eye with the werewolf. The werewolf was eating his socks, the teeth clicking and grinding, saliva splashing against Sirius's face. Sirius gently reached around Remus' neck and felt for the nylon rope tethering him. With a firm hand, he pulled Remus away from the hole above him. Using his wand, he levitated Eleanor's comatose body down.
Remus immediately yanked at the rope, wanting to inspect this new and interesting playmate.
"No!" Sirius commanded. Remus began to tug harder. "NO," Sirius commanded again, wrapping both arms around the werewolf's neck. Sirius's bare feet slid along the ground, barely holding the powerful beast back. Remus snatched the comforter, licking the spilled blood from the intruder.
Sirius allowed Remus to decimate the bloody sheet. Light from a metal cutting spell was making a circle around the iron door handle on the heavy doors. Whoever these wizards were, they were trying to be quiet.
"Fuck," Sirius breathed. He couldn't wake her and he couldn't escape. He took cover against the wall of the doorway and crouched down. He peered around Remus' temporary pen, looking for inspiration.
An Ex-Convict, a Frenchie and a Werewolf walked into a bar...
The door upstairs blew apart with a shout of "Reducto!" Debris fell through the hole.
Oh fuck
Sirius knew he was now surrounded.
An Ex-Convict, a Frenchie and a Werewolf...
Sirius smiled in the darkness. This was going to be fun.
At the same time higher up Diagon Alley, in an alley behind Gringotts, a lone robed figure was pulling an oxcart by a chain. The wheels creaked and clacked along the rough cobblestones. The massive cart moved steadily, crunching pebbles underneath and rattling with every turn of the wheel. Blood dripped steadily from the cargo leaving a trail into Diagon Alley. The hands that gripped the chain had skin of stone. As if it were a mere wheelbarrow filled with only one measly shovel of sand, Gilderoy Stonehart emptied the oxcart full of dozens of corpses on the steps.
"Get up," he commanded. Bits of dust and rock fell from his face as he spoke. The bodies began to push themselves up from the ground. He walked up to the grand entrance and placed his palm flat on it. A petrifying spell spread from his fingers. Within seconds the massive doors were completely turned into a sandy stone. Stonehart grabbed the chain and swung the massive oxcart at the petrified door. The cart bounced off. A large deep crack ran through the portal. Again Lockhart heaved the oxcart like a ball and chain, destroying the entrance with an earsplitting crash.
The first Hit wizard that came through Jon's main doors didn't have a chance. Thernardier was pounced upon. Screams and growls were next. Body parts ripping and copious amounts of blood came after.
Magical spell-fire flashed into the armoury, hitting Remus' silver fur and making him snarl at the dumbfounded wizard standing outside. Remus' yellow eyes were reflected by the scant moonlight entering through the halfway opened door.
"[Oh fuck... Therny!]"
Marius stood frozen for a second, then he gritted his teeth and aimed. Deadly green spell fire erupted from his wand. Remus scampered away from the eviscerated corpse, running into the shadows.
Sirius was crouched in front of Eleanor Potage, his wand trained on the hole above him. He heard the werewolf attack, and resulting Killing curse incantations. He could hear the werewolf's deep breathing, punctuated by low growls.
The intruder upstairs was taking his sweet time. His mate at the front was not coming in after seeing what happened to his friend. Seeing and hearing a man being literally ripped apart was not his cup of tea.
There was a poignant silence. Remus was lurking quietly, waiting to pounce. After a tense few seconds Marius spoke.
"[Boss! You good?]" came a shout from the doorway.
"[Up here]," came the shout from the hole in the floor. "[Javert is dead. What the fuck was that down there?]
"[A werewolf. It got Therny. He's...] Marius voice broke into a sob. [...Everywhere.]"
"[Fuck this. Abort. Get the fuck out of there.]"
Then there was silence. Sirius stayed crouched for a full five minutes, his wand locked on the hole above him. He peeped towards the main doors. Remus had returned to the remains and was happily eating.
Sirius felt like throwing up. He was thankful Eleanor didn't have to witness this. After a half an hour passed, he tiptoed around a napping werewolf and repaired the door. A few minutes after that he finally felt the apparition block lift. Sirius tied the rope around the sleeping werewolf's neck once again, took Eleanor in his arms, and apparated to St. Mungo's.
Harry was traveling almost twice the speed of sound. His quality dueling mask split the air in front of him like a bullet, his arms clamped to his sides. When he cleared the continent and flew over the ocean he slowed down dramatically. At this height he could see the landmass of England below him like a gigantic black shadow with glowing spots. He decelerated to a hover, checking his watch. He was flying for a little over half an hour. He shot off again northwest and within minutes he found the distinctive lights of the London Eye.
Without further ado he swerved towards Diagon Alley. What he found there was unbelievable. There were Aurors in a pitched battle against dozens of rabid corpses, highly resistant to magic.
Inferi.
He ignored the skirmish and hovered near to Jon's house. Eleanor's bedroom window was blocked by a wardrobe. Two clam-shaped stones were placed at the corners of the building.
"Homenum Revelio!"
One red shape was highlighted on the ground floor while another grey outline reflected on the first floor. Someone was dead. Harry didn't have keys to the main entrance, so he entered through Jon's bedroom window. He quietly opened the door and saw the corpse in the hallway. Harry remained very still for a minute, listening.
Was that... snoring he was hearing?
Harry walked carefully towards the body. When he inspected the face and ear to ear bloody opening of the neck, he breathed out in relief. It wasn't Sirius. He hated seeing the glassy eyes of the dead so he used the man's sleeve to shut them. Eleanor's doorway was blasted apart, and the bed behind it. There was a large hole in the floor. He laid flat on his stomach and leaned in. A horrible smell was coming from down there.
He poked his head lower and cast Lumos throughout the ground floor. Remains of a mutilated body lay by the door. Scattered everywhere over the floor was a nightmare of bones, blood, and ripped redness. A werewolf was curled up in the corner of the room, laying in a patch of moonlight.
What the hell? Why is Remus here? At least that explained all the blood.
Harry pushed himself up from the hole and stood in Eleanor's room. He cleared his mind, and closed his eyes.
Penelope.
Penelope.
Yes Harry. Someone was there. All the traps have been deactivated. The sinks were tampered with, and resealed. I used a resonance charm to figure out what happened. It's a re-construction transfiguration, very well done too. Someone was snooping.
Harry swore a million times in the space of a second.
Penelope. You are to find Ginny Weasley. Talk to Flitwick and tell her you had a horrible nightmare about her. You just wanted to find out if she was okay.
What! It is four o'clock. Ginny?
Yes. She was cursed the last time I was here. I just want to make sure.
Ok. I will let you know.
Harry pulled at his hair in frustration. He stood there a few seconds, peering out the large sliding door at the moon. Did they capture Sirius and Eleanor? He had no idea where they were. The Potage women swore fealty to Jon. Maybe he would know. Did these badges work over a long distance?
"Only way to find out," Harry sighed. "CV. Come in Jon," Harry called.
"I'm here," came a soft reply.
"Jon. Sirius and Eleanor aren't here."
"Fuck," Jon said.
"Reach out to Eleanor. Tell me what her condition is."
"How. What do I do?" Jon asked.
"Close your eyes, and feel for her."
"She's sleeping, that's all I can tell," came Jon's response a minute later.
"Shit. This place is a blood bath. Remus and Sirius put up a hell of a fight," Harry said.
"Remus? In my place? That's not good."
"I know. Two people are dead. Aurors are fighting a horde of the undead outside Gringotts."
"By the Gods," Jon responded.
"Don't come in through the front. Remus is still transformed sleeping off his meal."
"Meal? He ate someone?! Fuck. That is my home!" Jon spat. He took a deep breath. "Harry, go and find Lockhart, I will find Eleanor and Sirius. You must retrieve the curse objects before he does."
"All right. What's going on with your end?" Harry asked quickly.
"Sanguini is with us. We left around a half an hour ago."
"Good work, Jon. What's he like?"
"Well, let me say this: Ghost needed to be put to sleep. He was going crazy. Miracle is hiding in my bag."
"He sounds fucking legit," Harry whistled.
"A very strange man, yes. Alexandria has now said she believes the danger has passed concerning her mother. She could have felt her panic. Now it has passed."
"Well that's something. Hopefully I can sort this out soon. Check St. Mungo's, or the clan base for them," Harry instructed. "Godspeed."
"St. Mungo's or the base. Roger that. Strike clean, Harry."
"Stay safe, Crows!" Harry ordered. "CV out." He cut off the communication.
Harry exited through Jon's window and stayed out of sight as he soared over Diagon. Apparently, the Aurors were victorious against the undead and were now entering the destroyed entrance doors of Gringotts. Lockhart must already be inside. Harry landed silently behind the Auror on guard at the entrance. His partner was currently casting barricades around the bloody remains. Blood and decimated bodies littered the steps and the general vicinity around the bank.
Harry slipped inside the dark entrance behind them.
The air inside felt heavy with recent spellfire and smelled of scorched tiles and wood. Lockhart's target, Hufflepuff's cup was secured in their Clan vault one level down. Harry raced towards the winding stone steps leading from the main service floor towards the labyrinth of tunnels below ground. When he saw the shadows cast from the flashes of spell fire, he flew up and took cover behind a rocky stalactite hanging from the ground floor foundation.
The tram rails spiraled deep into the earth around an abyss, a pit whose emptiness was broken by periodic torch fires highlighting levels far, far below. From what he could see of the battle happening on a narrow ledge, the enemy wasn't phased by the spells ripping into him. Lockhart kept plodding forward, legs and arms stiff, like a golem made of stone.
Lockhart was determined in his advance. He was holding Hufflepuff's Cup outstretched in his hand: akin to an exorcist holding a crucifix against one possessed.
"Back!" he shouted as he advanced. Spells chipped at his stone skin, burned off rotting clothes, without any real effect. Harry could see tendrils of red, dark magic seeping out of the horcrux into the stone visage of Gilderoy Lockhart. "Back! In the name of Lord Voldemort, I command you!" he bellowed, his legs awkwardly trudging forward. The Aurors were pouring everything into their spells, inching backwards along the narrow ledge as he approached. Dawlish was in front, co-ordinating attack patterns. They tried everything, chain binding, limb locking, stunning, even the Unforgivables.
Nothing worked.
Lockhart plodded on, letting the spells hit him, undeterred.
Harry noticed that every time the stone man stepped forward, fresh stone was left upturned in his tracks. Almost as if his connection to the stone below him was empowering him.
"The ground! Blast the ground!" Harry flew across closer to the retreating Aurors. A few were startled to see a flying masked man hovering over the chasm. The rear guard pointed their wands at him. Harry immediately cast a shield. "Don't! I'm friendly! He's getting strength from the stone beneath his feet!"
Auror Dawlish didn't need telling twice.
"Nothing else seems to work, might as well," Dawlish grumbled between casts. The boy's voice did sound familiar. "On three- one, two, three! Reducto!"
The five combatants targeted the ledge right below Lockhart's feet in a simultaneous strike. There was an explosion of stone and a grunt of agony.
The Stone golem toppled over comically, a giant statue tipping over face first. There was a ear splitting boom of an immense weight echoing through the abyss when he hit the ground. "Keep him down!" Dawlish cried. A fury of eye-searing Reducto casts lit up the dark abyss like laser fire, gradually chipping away at the head.
Harry couldn't believe anything remotely human could absorb that amount of spells without being decimated. This Golem version of Lockhart could.
Lockhart contorted in slow motion, like a rocky caterpillar, back arching, face grinding into the stone with every push forward on broken knees. The surface of the ledge was crushed in his wake, a trail of broken, scarred stone.
Lockhart bared blackened teeth and tongue.
"Now."
With a dramatic raised fist, Lockhart crushed the Horcrux Cup in his grasp. The stone golem's eyes immediately turned red.
Oh fuck no. This wasn't supposed to happen!
"Get back! Get back!" Harry screamed. It was too late. The auror team didn't know what hit them. A pure beam of soul magic shot out of the crushed cup, ripping through them like the tail swipe of an angry horntail. Two men were cut in half. Blood splatted unto the three behind. On the narrow ledge, the closely grouped Aurors had no chance. Another beam of black magic ripped into them, a powerful, crushing force wielded like a battering ram, running through their bodies.
While dying men screamed their last, the stone form of Lockhart lay its face down on the ledge, laughing softly. The neck turned over one hundred degrees to look up at him hovering above.
"Is that you, Harry?" Voldemort's voice came from the broken, petrified body. Harry's heart stopped beating. "Young. Fresh. You'll do nicely."
Harry had never felt fear like this before. Even though he had the high ground, mobility, and was still alive, hearing Voldemort's high voice threatening to take his body was paralyzing.
Harry hovered, too petrified to move.
Fire, Jon had said. The Red witch said to use fire.
Lockhart shuffled on the ground, a stone amputee with legs missing from the knee down. Lockhart's grey fingers grabbed Dawlish's arm. The stone form stiffened immediately, reverting once again into a motionless statue. Auror Dawlish stopped screaming.
Instead, his eyes opened with a maniacal red gleam. Dawlish's severed upper body took the cup from the statue's crumbling fingers, calmly dragged his bloody intestines back inside the rib cavity, then crawled over to his lower half. Harry could do nothing but watch on in horror as the body's arms pulled the dismembered hips closer, reattaching it to the spine as easily as putting on pajama pants while laying down in bed.
"You would do much better, Harry. But for now..." Dawlish cricked his head left, then right.
The reanimated corpse stood up and drew his cloak over his head. He snapped his fingers and the sound of a blade sang through the chamber, echoing throughout the abyss. The dying screams were silenced into bloody gurgles. Their throats were opened.
Harry could feel a weak mental attempt trying to inflict pain through his scar. It failed, his scar was dormant.
"Nuh-uh. Nothing's there anymore." Harry's eyes began to glow through his mask. "Not this time. And never again."
Fire, Harry. The Red Witch said Purification by Fire.
Inspired by these words, Harry drew his Diablo core and cast the paper-cut spell on both of his palms. He curled his fists in front of him, tensing biceps, feeling his fingers dig into the wounds. Blood ran freely down his bracer and right forearm. It was painful, but it was necessary.
Willing sacrifice was necessary for this level of magic.
"Blood and fire," he announced loudly, blood dripping from his elbows, running down his robes, dripping into the abyss below his feet. He researched this. Wrote a paper on it. This must work.
Voldemort stood with head slightly tilted, listening. His wand tapped against Dawlish' leg, a curious habit Harry saw Snape do when the potions master was agitated.
"Yes, Harry. Elements of the dark. Do you wish to bow before me, so that you may serve?" The red gleam of Voldemort's eyes glittered; two oval rubies reflecting the torchlight from the shadows of the cowl.
"Serve?" Harry laughed. He shut his eyes, drawing upon the Phoenix tears, drawing upon the magic of the Light. "I do not fucking serve."
"You dare curse in front of me?" Voldemort said, aiming at him. "Show some respect, young Harry. For I am Immortal. I have cheated death."
"So have I, Tom. So have I." Harry crossed his fists in front of his solar plexus. His eyes glowed white as the sun.
"Ignis Purgationem!"
A narrow, precise ray of Phoenix fire expanded out of Harry's bracer. The blinding hot magic intensified, growing brighter and more focused as it shot forth.
Voldemort conjured a shield that warped reality. Dark, swirling energy rippled across the open space between them.
The ray of light penetrated the darkness.
It pierced Voldemort like a laser. Dawlish' corpse instantaneously erupted into flames. The cadavre crumpled to the ground, dropping the Cup. A dark shadow fled out of Dawlish's burning body like a snake shedding skin. The immolated body abandoned, Voldemort possessed and animated the nearest bisected corpse, scampering from the white hot flames, using arms like rapid oars to swim through the dead men.
Harry angled the beam of light in a sweeping motion, a deadly, prismatic laser raking across the ledge. The white hot flame ignited the slaughter as if the blood was fuel. Limbs jumped, skin popped and skulls burst into flame. Hufflepuff's crushed cup squealed like shredded metal, then slowly melted into blood.
Harry was instantaneously warped into the train station. He fell in a heap on the foggy white platform.
A sparkling light spoke above him.
"One piece has been destroyed through Magic. The others, you must succeed using other means. You have done well, Chosen One," Magic's voice echoed through the nether. If he could assign a form or gender to it, he would have thought it to be female.
Harry was reeled back into the real world, plummeting in free fall down the massive chasm. He regained his bearings right before he was skewered on a massive stalagmite protruding from the floor deep into the earth.
"Oh. For the love of-!" Even in victory they almost tried to kill him. He halted in midair upside down, a few galleons falling out his pockets.
He re-oriented himself and kicked off against the sharp point. He shot back up dozens of levels until he arrived at the burning ledge. Harry landed at the destroyed entrance to the vault. He shone his troll on holly inside. Ceiling high chests of gold were neatly stacked on both sides of the narrow space. The only thing disturbed was one of the many small lockers embedded into the rock. The hinge of the door was forcibly ripped off the locker that housed Hufflepuffs cup. Harry opened locker number five and retrieved his Onyx box with Riddle's Diary still inside.
When he exited the vault he did not see any sign of the crushed cup. On the spot was a pool of blood that did not burn, it stayed rich and red, a smooth liquid unaffected by the flames.
Harry had a sinking feeling that particular blood was dangerous. The back of his neck itched like crazy. It reeked of Dark Magic.
"Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck..." Harry didn't need to figure this out. He had experience on how Voldemort operated.
There was nothing to it. It had to be drunk.
But not by fucking me.
"Expecto Patronum!" he shouted. The Winged lion shot out of his wand. "I need your help," Harry pointed. The lion regarded the blood.
"... If I must," came a low grumble.
The glowing Lion landed among the flames, unscathed. It lapped up the blood. With each flick of the tongue, pieces of his beautiful glowing wings and mane flaked off, rising like dandelions taken by the wind.
Harry felt something stabbing him in the stomach. Whatever it was churned and twisted, wanting to exit his colon and regurgitate from his mouth at the same time. He bent over in half gripping his midsection. Sobs of agony escaped, but he endured it. The Lion diligently cleaned it all.
"... A worthy sacrifice, young one. Another will take my place," the lion announced. The corporal patronus dissipated into many pieces, defeated.
He put his back against the ledge's wall to avoid the burning flames of the corpses. He kicked down Dawlish's burning remains, just to be sure. He watched the body slide off the edge, bouncing a couple times against a few mine cart rails.
"Aren't you fed up of dying?" Harry spat. "I'm getting really fed up of killing you."
The burning carcass eventually fell unimpeded like an abandoned torch into the abyss. The sound of it landing was so faint, he deduced that it must have been impaled.
Pain was coursing through him with every step as he limped all the way up the stairs. He had to vomit a few times over the edge of the banister. When he arrived at the banking hall, he got down low and crawled towards the front doors. Harry got down quietly and laid prone, peeping out the doorway. The two Aurors on guard were trying to prevent the growing mob of onlookers from approaching the mangled Inferi littered on the steps.
"Excanduscent!" he whispered, aiming out a high window.
The firework spell exploded high in the night sky. Everyone turned around and looked up into the sky at the red display. Harry used the distraction to scamper out the building, bend the corner out of sight, then ran towards the exit of Diagon Alley.
"He said to try St Mungos. Valerian, head over there," Jon spoke into his CV badge.
"Who? What? Repeat that Mr. B, over." Valerian's voice came back over the intercom.
"St. Mungos!" Jon repeated, louder this time.
"Negative on that request, Black. I have no idea what you're talking about. Do you copy?"
"Shit," Jon cursed. "Master Ollivander, can you help?"
"Follow the glowing object, dear," Ollivander ordered. He cast a ball of light to hover in front the cockpit. "I will guide you. Land in Clapham Commons, then we shall proceed from there."
"You search for your mother, correct?" Sanguini asked Alexandria. Alexandria looked at his feet, but she nodded. After a minute passed, Sanguini spoke again. "I may be able to help you," his voice came smoothly. Sanguini was tall, six foot four, with sallow skin and dark stringy hair. He was slim, his facial features were angular and he had bright light blue eyes.
"Uh-," Alexandria instinctively hated him. He exuded... thirstiness.
"Just a spot dear, willingly donated," Sanguini's pupils darkened noticeably. His fingernail extended like a claw, long and sinister sharp. Alexandria cringed.
"Easy," Ollivander interrupted, drawing his wand and using it as a physical line not to be crossed between the two. "No need to frighten her. Let us all be professionals, shall we?" Ollivander said in a low tone.
"Master smith," Sanguini bowed fractionally with a tilt of the head. "It was in jest."
"Right," Ollivander also had his other hand on Jon's wand arm. "Let us check the hospital."
By the time the Crows disembarked at the greens at Clapham, the first rays of dawn were on the horizon. Sanguini gave them a feather from his pocket. "Use this to contact me when you are ready to begin work on your onyx hide. You know the quality of my designs. I pray that you will have adequate... payment."
Miracle was peeping fearfully out of Jon's backpack. Jon held a sleeping Ghost like a sack of flour under his left arm. Sanguini's eyes gleamed with glee at the tiny Onyx Dragon. "A curious, delightful find," he remarked at Jon. Jon could not decipher if the vampire was speaking about him finding Miracle, or Sanguini finding Jon. The vampire was a strange creature, that was for certain.
"We shall," Jon said. The Vampire bowed gallantly and transfigured into a crow. It took off flying away from the sun. Ollivander cast a critical eye on the Helicopter. With a few quick spells, he added a yellowish orange glamour to the Russian Attack Helicopter.
"What?" Valerian scowled, annoyed. "Why?"
"British search and rescue colours. It will hide in plain sight. Valerian, with me. We will return for Jon and Alexandria." He offered her his arm. Both disappeared.
"Have you heard from Harry since?" Alexandria asked, worried.
"No," Jon said calmly. Inside he was deathly afraid. Harry said those Horcruxes were so dangerous, Death itself sent him back. This Voldemort was someone of great import. Lockhart nearly killed Harry last time, and Harry said he wasn't even fully possessed yet. "Let me talk to him. CV. Come in Roderick Hallow."
"Jon," Harry's voice came through weakly.
"You all right?"
"No. I suspect.. um my... magic.. has been damaged," Harry said truthfully. "I'm on way to St Mungos, but I feel... weaker." And walking on foot, of all things.
"But not..." Jon hung for a second. "Tainted, right?"
"No, I destroyed it, and was commended by one of the voices."
"Truthfully? That is a great success. Piece of cake, is that the saying?" Jon congratulated him.
There was a long pause.
"Um, you alone?" came a whisper. Jon stepped away from Alexandria. She frowned.
"Snow," Harry hesitated. "It was ten times harder than walking into the forest, mate. It was the most frightening thing I had to do. He is... was, fucking strong, I knew that. But before, I didn't know what death was, and I didn't fucking care. I was fed up of people dying around me. If I had to go, I had to go, once I took him down too. I rolled the dice then, and I've come back and ended up here. Now, actually knowing how devastating the future was- how I failed Ginny and the others, I froze. Like a little fucking kid."
Jon was silent for a few seconds. He rubbed his hand in his hair, troubled. "This evil wizard really is a force to be reckoned with, to have you speaking thus."
"He kept jumping into corpses, bringing them back to life. Like a ...parasitic monster. I thought he was just going wave the cup and do the same to me, as in, 'Fuck you kid, I'll take it from here. Your body is mine now'. And who knows what would have become of me? A ghost? A dementor? It was a feeling I would not wish on anyone."
"You never mentioned this ability before."
"I didn't know he could do that! This was all brand new. Mate, he was so confident. I.. locked up. He decimated five well trained Aurors with two spells from a Cup, Jon. A fucking cup."
"A cup. At least you were successful," Jon consoled him. "Be comforted in your victory. You're talking to me right now."
"Lucky. I was lucky. He underestimated me. Talked a lot of trash. He'll be more wary now that I handed it to him. And hear this Jon, Magic told me that the same way won't work twice. I have to use a different method to destroy the book...a different way for each one..." Harry didn't feel victorious. He felt like crying.
"Another Riddle to defeat this Riddle?" Jon said.
"Man, fuck.. I used the strongest magic I knew. Performed the ritual and conjured it on the spot. I gave it my all, Jon. I've lost a lot of blood. Now Magic is telling me its a one trick pony! I have the diary with me right now. It's locked in the onyx box. We have to destroy it, without using magic."
"That makes no sense. You are a wizard, fighting Dark magic. How are you to ..?"
"That's exactly it- I don't know what to do! I'll have to think on it. At least the voice seemed pleased and gave me the clue."
"So what happens now?" Jon asked.
"Now? Now my magic is all fucked up." Again. "I had to sacrifice my patronus spell to do it."
"Even to my untrained ear that sounds impossible."
"It's magic Jon, it finds a way around 'impossible'."
"I do not comprehend the idea of a magical user trying to Defeat the dark arts, by not using magic."
Harry felt an epiphany come over him. Fate was still interfering, things that happened before, happened again. It was now obvious what he had to do. The Horcrux needed to be activated into a person, then the basilisk would have to kill that person. Hopefully before Voldemort completely took over.
That should make Fate happy. No magic needed to be cast there. That plan did sound remarkably dark, though. He'd cross that bridge when it comes. He just needed to figure out how.
"Oh shit.. that's brilliant. No wonder they sent you here. Sayings like that is why I need you," Harry paused. He was sitting at a bus stop outside of St Mungos. "I see Ollivander and Valerian coming."
"What sayings?" Jon was lost.
"Remember what you and Master Ollivander spoke about with the fire thing?" Harry said. "We are men first, human, before we are magicians. I figured out a plan. But we'll have to talk about that face to face. Thanks."
"Oh. You're welcome," Jon said dumbly. Hearing Harry quote him about the intricacies of magic was alarming. He was a novice when it came to magic.
"They're here. We have to talk more later. Roderick Hallow out."
Within minutes the entire group of Crows was reunited right outside the hospital. They surrounded Harry who was summarizing what he saw at Jon's place in Diagon.
"You're injured," Valerian said as soon as he was finished speaking. How was he not feeling the phoenix tears bubbling in his veins?
"Cuts on my hands, it's nothing." Harry said, forcing out a casual indifference.
"The radiance in your blood is weaker," Valerian lied confidently. Your blood looks like its on fire... But I cannot let you know that.
"Going through a magical recovery process," Harry lied confidently. My patronus, and my flight ability kicked it... But I cannot let you know that.
"And the bank?" Ollivander asked.
"Yeah. Diagon Alley was a war zone. I stopped Lockhart. He was one tough son of a bitch," Harry opened his hands. Large gashes stung painfully along them. Crusty blood was trying to scab over. "An entire Auror team were wiped out in two moves," Harry sighed. "The ministry is going to either cover this up, or Rita Skeeter is going to go ape shit on the Daily Prophet. First, let's find Sirius and your mom. Soon he will be back to normal so we can pick up Remus," Harry struggled to stand up. He felt like an old man with bad knees. Alexandria immediately slipped under him, wrapped his arm around her shoulders and helped him stand. She cast a diagnostic charm on him. It glared red, then dark red, then dark orange.
"Harry, you're badly injured," she said unnecessarily. "You want Pepper up?"
Harry shrugged. He didn't feel any connection to Voldemort, which was good. But his magic...
"I've lost a lot of blood," Harry admitted. "Let me check in at the hospital. And find your mum."
The Crows anxiously stood in line to speak with the receptionist. After a short conversation she informed Alexandria that her mother was indeed here. The receptionist then instructed Harry to head into the triage station for initial testing. The triage nurse took notes, frowned, then said a healer will find him shortly to begin treatment. Once he remained in the hospital, the Healer would come to him.
The Crows took the elevator to the Poison and Harmful Ingestion Ward on the third floor. Sirius was sitting next to Eleanor Potage's bed. She was awake, but with heavy bags under her eyes. "Lexie?" she called softly. She was pleasantly surprised. Her daughter grabbed her in a huge hug.
"Thank god," she whispered. "I was so so scared, maman. We were careless," she admonished. "No disguise, nothing."
"Sirius saved me," Eleanor said with tears in his eyes. "He told me everything."
"Just doing what any other bloke would," Sirius said. Harry's ears perked up. Did he just admit to a 'saving people thing', just like him?
After a few minutes of soft conversation Sirius, Eleanor and the Crows were told that breakfast was being served. They all agreed to go to the fifth floor to eat. Conversation about what to do about Jon's place was the main topic. Sell? Secure? Or just abandon it for now? Sirius basically said it was too dangerous to go back there.
"You're speech has been fixed," Harry noted.
"Yeah, getting there," Sirius fibbed with a bright smile. Killing that bloke had restored his memories, and with it, his thoughts didn't escape him nor was he at a loss for words. His sanity had returned.
It was his first kill. His speech was also fine. He felt rejuvenated; strong, powerful, back to his twenty-two year old self.
He frowned. Did that make him a Dark Wizard? How could killing someone heal him from the ordeal of Azkaban?
A senior healer and an accompanying nurse approached. The grey haired witch was dressed in light blue robes with an emblem of a wand crossed bone over her heart. She was frowning over a clipboard.
"Mr. Potter?" She asked. Harry nodded, wary. "This way, please." The nurse conjured a simple wheelchair when she noticed Harry's difficulty in getting up. It rolled behind him, gently bouncing his legs. "Please," the healer said in a tone that offered no resistance. "Have a seat." When Harry obeyed, the healer nodded and set off. "Margaret, bring him," she said briskly as she read the patient file and triage notes. The nurse gently pushed him in the wheelchair.
"Ritualistic self mutilation, lack of sleep, loss of blood, and you've been running an extremely high internal temperature, young man," the healer said.
"So.. easy fix, right?" Harry smiled.
"Everything except the Ritual practice injuries could be healed, yes. The cuts, as they were self- inflicted, would not heal in the same manner as externally inflicted injuries."
"Oh." He watched the fresh bandages on his hands. "Regular healing for this, then."
"Healer Warthington has been summoned. He has worked with you before, according to these records. You are a peculiar case. Oh," She paused. She turned fully to him. "And it was a fantastic paper you wrote concerning Mr. Wood's treatment. His successful surgery really boosted the morale throughout the staff. We are aiming to work together with a newly formed Charity organization called Walk In the Light to offer medical apprentice scholarships. They were the ones who were the main advocates for young Oliver. Would you like to apply?" The elderly witch smiled at him. It shaved decades off her stern, regal features.
"Um, I will have to think about it. Thank you, Healer...?" Harry queried.
"Llewellyn," she said. "Margaret Llewellyn."
"Pleased to meet you," Harry offered his bandaged hand. The healer shook his fingers gently with a smile. "Llewellyn... isn't there a section here named that?" Harry made small talk.
"Dai Llewellyn, Yes. My ancestor. My mother was a healer, and her parents before that, and so on. The Llewellyn daughters kept their heritage name, even after getting married," she said with a haughty tilt to her chin. "And also passed on to the children. We take pride in our familial ability as healers."
"Cool," Harry said, reverting to his twelve year old persona. Harry knew not to take everything at face value. For all he knew, she was a pureblood fanatic as well. Enemies came in all shape and sizes. The short elevator trip to the floor below culminated with the nurse helping him change and lay down in a bed. He was on the fourth floor, long term magical maladies.
The Longbottoms were in this room, six beds down.
"Um. How long would I have to be here?" Harry asked, now understanding how serious the Healers were taking his condition. He couldn't stay here for an extended length of time. Penelope's warning about the Chamber of Secrets had him extremely concerned.
"Healer Warthington said he would be here in an hour or so. Your body temperature is almost off the charts, yet.. you don't show the typical symptoms of a dangerous fever. He said he knows what to do. He will be the one to answer your questions."
"Okay," Harry nodded. From the look of things, Harry suspected that he was going to be here for a while. At least the entire day. "May I speak with my trainer, Master Ollivander?"
"Margaret, please call Mr. Ollivander, please."
"Yes Healer Llewellyn," the nurse left the room.
A half an hour later Master Ollivander was issuing instructions to Valerian, Jon and Alexandria in the fifth floor storage cupboard.
"I spoke with Harry. So, the plan: Jon, you and Sirius will see about Remus and the clean up. Come back here, pick up Eleanor and all four of you floo to the clan base with Alexandria's mother. Lock Remus up in the clan detention suite. Valerian and Alexandria, you are rotate shifts on guard duty for Harry. I will floo to Hogwarts, talk with Penelope and try to quietly investigate who may have been in the bathroom. I am friendly with a few of the paintings. Hopefully I could have a discreet word with Drinkwater was well. He would be on the alert now that Aurors have been killed on duty. Harry will undergo surveillance until tomorrow morning, according to his healers. Until he is discharged, we are on the highest alert. Consider this situation level Red."
Jon and the two girls nodded.
"Jon, you are to go back to Hogwarts as soon as Sirius, Remus and Mrs Potage are secure. Alexandria if you have instant sleep ... give it to Jon. Jon you are to be on guard for the entire duration until Harry returns. Use Ghost and Miracle as your eyes and ears. The Basilisk can kill everyone in that school. Until Harry is able to talk with his snake, we must assume that the Basilisk has been awakened and is simply awaiting a chance to escape."
Ollivander's grandfatherly twinkle was gone. His face was stern, and full of determination. "Walk in the light, Crows."
At midnight Valerian went into Harry's ward. Alexandria was sitting in an uncomfortable chair at his bedside, trying to catch some sleep. Val woke her up.
"We must go. Look at the this!" She dropped the late night special edition of the Daily prophet on Alexandria's lap.
GOBLINS DECLARE WAR AFTER WIZARDS BREAK INTO GRINGOTTS!
ANY WIZARD ENTERING GOBLIN PROPERTY WILL BE 'MET WITH SWORDS'!
Alexandria read the second page. "They shut down access to people's gold! Can they do that?"
"That's what the paper says," Valerian shrugged. "Harry, wake up." Valerian tenderly touched his scar and ran her hand down his temple. Harry stirred and opened his eyes. Valerian and Alexandria were leaning over him. Both of them wore nondescript cloaks over their clan gear. He noticed Valerian had her sword and sheath hanging over her shoulder. Alexandria gave him his WWG robes. "We have to leave. Diagon Alley, and probably even this hospital is going to get very hot."
"What happened?" Harry asked as he took off his hospital gown. Valerian noticed that Harry wasn't as frail as his slim frame made him to be. In fact, he wasn't bad at all, for his age.
"The goblins have shut down the bank. They want to know who are the ones responsible for the break in."
"He's dead. They're all dead," Harry donned his robes and pants. "Let's go."
"How are you feeling?" Alexandria asked, concerned.
"Fine," Harry responded as he put on his boots. He wasn't fine. But that was not important now. "The others got out of London safely? Back at Hogsmeade?"
"Yes."
"On me," Valerian said, peeping out. "Apparition is blocked- except on ground floor alone. Let's use the stairs." The three of them raced down the steps and burst out the door on the ground floor. When they reached the waiting area there was a standoff at the main entrance between hospital security wizards and what appeared to be a finely dressed goblin with six heavily armored goblins behind him.
"Oh shit," Harry whispered.
"You have no authority to search here!" The biggest, meanest looking security wizard said. Unfortunately, he was overweight, old, and had on really faded robes. His two subordinates were young, and looked more like Healers in training than actual combat ready wizards. They cowered behind their leader, saying or shouting things like "You can't!" and "Wizards Only!"
Harry recognized the finely dressed goblin as the Bank's head of security. He was the one who led the task force who tried to capture them after they stole the Cup.
"We have sixty percent financial backing of this hospital. In fact, Wizard Armstrong, you have a loan with us, don't you? You recently bought a property in, Spain, was it? Does your wife know of the young Veela you have housed there? The trinkets you shower upon her through borrowed gold? Have you put aside monies for young Miss Armstrong to attend Hogwarts for the next seven years?"
"Fuck you, Steelsinger!" Armstrong reddened, taking his wand out of his waist sheath. The two others behind him shrunk, frightfully drawing their wands. "Don't cross that threshold! Any hostility here would be considered an act of war!" He blustered.
"It's already too late for that. There was a magical battle on our agreed upon land that your ancestors signed! Do not let my warriors have reason to draw their weapons."
"We're not letting you in here," Armstrong said. "And that's that!" Harry thought that despite his pudgy appearance, Armstrong had to be exceptionally brave or exceptionally skilled to hold his ground.
"To Swords!" Steelsinger snarled, pointing up at the fat wizard towering over him.
The six goblins behind him drew swords almost twice their height. As one, they lanced it across the back of their armored plated shoulders, aiming it like spears at Armstrong's midsection. With another synchronized movement, the goblin warriors raised their left arms in front of them. Their goblin vambraces activated, numerous metal plates snapping one into the other in a circular motion. It made a whirring, metallic sound, each piece locking in perfectly with the one before, creating a metallic shield.
As one, the six goblins stepped forward across the threshold and closed ranks in front Steelsinger, forming an impressive (if short) wall of blades and circular shields. With a smooth, well trained motion, the six swords were notched on the small notch at the eleven o'clock position of the shield.
Pandemonium in the waiting room broke out. The sounds of screaming, apparation and injured people running away in fear ensued. Armstrong and his two helpers backed off, looking around for guidance. Nobody had ever attacked St Mungo's before. Especially goblins.
"You can't do this!" he shouted. His two lackeys were looking for ways to escape.
"We're taking control of this building. We will have your records, one way or the other. Cut them down," Steelsinger ordered.
"Not on my watch," Harry grumbled. "Crows! To arms!" he shouted, dashing into the fray. Valerian drew her sword that she kept hidden under her bulky black robes. Alexandria drew her weapon and dashed in after them.
Valerian arrived first, skidding into place in front of Armstrong, her sword held in a defensive stance. The armored goblins stopped advancing as one.
"Who are you?" Steelsinger demanded.
Valerian remained silent.
"You do not want a battle here," Harry shouted, drawing his Diablo wand. "You are in violation of your own Goblin law. You dare draw weapons in a place of healing?"
Harry hoped Steelsinger called his bluff. He had no clue about goblin laws.
"Who are you, then?" Steelsinger demanded.
"Does it matter? Just get the fuck out of here!" Harry was getting mad.
"The insolence..." Steelsinger spat. "Attack!"
Valerian was faster with a sword than with a knife, if that notion was even possible. With one massive step forward, she swung the sword as hard as she could like a baseball bat.
Shields shattered and five goblins were sent flying against the wall. They clattered like rag dolls on the ground.
The last Goblin warrior barely managed to avoid the swing, and retaliated with a deadly lunging stab. Valerian pirouetted gracefully away from the blade. The tip of the goblin's sword caught on her cloak and cleanly cut through it. With a smooth motion Valerian slammed the Horntail claw hilt into the back of the helmet with a fluent behind-the-back strike. The goblin wavered, then blood began leaking from under the faceplate unto the floor. The goblin clanged on the floor like a rack of fallen cauldrons.
Valerian swung the massive dragon sword and stopped it precisely under Steelsinger's chin, steady as a statue.
"Yield."
Steelsinger raised his chin fractionally, then drew two small daggers slowly from either sleeve with the tips of his fingers, dropping it to the floor. He linked his hands behind his head.
"A Swordmage. And a female too!" Steelsinger acknowledged.
"Shut up. On your knees!"
Harry was immediately, and absolutely, astonished. The situation was deja vu of what Jon did in France at the pub.
Well. Fuck me. Literally a female version of him.
Steelsinger obeyed slowly. He glared at Valerian's eyes. Goblins showed no fear to humans, but this girl had the look of a killer. "I cry mercy under honorable surrender. It is my right."
"I don't give a shit about your 'rights'," Valerian declared. In a smooth movement she swung again and decapitated the goblin.
"Holy shit," security trainee number two breathed. Valerian stepped to the closest armored enemy, flipped her sword over her head and sunk it down in a two handed strike, piercing the armor with a metallic thunk. This was repeated five more times with clinical efficiency.
Harry flinched each time she executed each and every one of them. Goblin blood pooled on St Mungo's tiles. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, blood splattered across her chin and armor. When she reopened them she sighed.
Valerian emptied a flower-painted clothes bag deserted by a visitor. Wrapped clothes and a few personal items fell out. She opened the empty satchel.
"Harry, magically expand this space, if you can." He did. "Lord Black wanted weapons that may work against the Basilisk." She gathered the swords, daggers and removed the weapon belts. "We now have six goblin forged blades, eight if you consider the daggers. You! Guardsman! Do not take these bodies out of here. Burn them, grind them, bury them, whatever you need to do to dispose them, within these four walls. They were hostile intruders and were dealt with as such."
"Who... are you?" Armstrong asked, bewitched by this tall, blond, Dragonhide-wearing warrior.
"We are the Crow's Vambrace. I am called Valkryie," she cleaned her blade with the towel thrown out of the bag. She picked up the bag of weapons, retrieved her sheath from where she discarded it, and offered Harry her wrist. "I will have to make two trips. By your leave?"
"Let's go." Harry nodded. He had seen more than enough bloodshed this weekend.
Valerian used side along apparition to take him to the helicopter landing site at Clapham Commons. "Stay alert. London is under attack from the Goblin nation. I will be back." She disappeared again. When the two girls returned, Alexandria was pale, watching Valerian's blood-covered horntail armour in awe. Valerian climbed aboard without further ado and opened the cabin doors. Within minutes, the three of them took off.
"This is CV Valkryie speaking from inside Black Angel One. Come in, Crows!" she said into her pilot's headset. Her strong voice also came through the intercom into the crew cab.
"Here," Jon said.
"Here," Ollivander added.
"The Goblins have declared war against the Ministry. They tried to take over St. Mungo's. We have fought our way out and are heading north to the LZ at clan base."
"Merlin's mother," Ollivander swore. "That means the Wizengamot would be holding a war council come morning."
"Appears so," Harry said wearily.
"About the bathroom," Ollivander's tone changed, now highly curious. "The paintings said it was the Auror who defeated the traps. He went down for a few minutes, then returned. He has also been seen speaking with Professor Bagshot. The coincidence of the find and her recent appointment is very interesting Harry, don't you think?"
"Very." The fucking DADA curse. "And Ginny Weasley?"
"Penelope says Ginny was sleeping soundly and is fine," Ollivander said.
"Well that is good. What's your situation, Jon?" Harry asked.
"I am on guard at the corridor. I am under your cloak, and I have the Onyx wing hide with me, just in case I need to protect myself. Miracle and Ghost will warn me if they sense any movement far below. Apart from the removal of the curses, Hogwarts has been quiet."
"It's always quiet before it goes bad," Harry breathed. "Stay alert. If you see a curious exodus of spiders, know that the Basilisk is awake. Inform me immediately if that happens," Harry grumbled.
"Understood, Roderick Hallow."
"Will do," Ollivander agreed. "We'll be vigilant overnight. You ok, lad? You sound tired."
"I've seen enough carnage for two lifetimes this weekend," Harry admitted. "As soon as we can, I want to eliminate this nightmare of a snake. Write the coroners. Ship the eyelids and hide asap. I don't want to waste this opportunity with Sanguini. He seems to be one easily bored," Harry was remembering meeting him at Slughorn's party. He was interested in young girls, especially virgins. At that party he also appeared sedated, or poisoned somehow. "The Dark Arts are rampant this full moon. Voldemort has started a war."
Harry grabbed his hair, looking down at his blood spattered boots. Fate was such an ugly beast.
AN: Thanks for reading.
Till we meet again
-TDLN