Chapter Fifty
Chosen and Darkness
Harry and Ron were on a stake out. Harry, however, hated stake outs. Every time he did one the weather would turn against him. As it had done tonight. Yet again, it was raining, when he was on a stake out.
"What do you think?" Ron asked.
The small cave in the mountain above Hogsmeade had long been of interest to locals. However, in the past while there had been a few suspicious deaths there. So, it was up to them to have a look.
"We won't find out anything else about it out here. Let's go."
The two friends came out from behind their rock. The rain was driving into their skins, the wind was howling, and the clouds were covering a starry sky. Entering the cave, they got a respite from the fearsome weather. Scotland in winter wasn't pleasant. Mind you, it wasn't very pleasant in the summer either. The cave was a slope downwards, deeper into the mountain. According to Hermione, the caves in the mountain connected to Hogwarts through a series of winding passages. This was only known to the Head teacher and the Deputy of Hogwarts. Also, members of Hogsmeade knew this, and in the event of the town being overrun, they were to use the passages to get to Hogwarts. Seemingly, it had been designed by Rowena Ravenclaw as a first and last means of defence. It would be just like Voldemort to store something here. And, as they suspected the last remaining Horcrux was something of Ravenclaw's, it was worth a look. Entering into a roomy cave, the two started to look around. After a while, Ron called a stop.
"We need Hermione for this sort of thing. She's the brainy one." He complained.
"I can't feel any magic except the stuff that should be here. There's nothing here. Nothing of Voldemort's anyway." Harry grumbled.
Suddenly, they heard hurried footsteps. Looking at each other. They quickly decided stealth would serve them best, and darted behind a large boulder.
A shadowy figure came from the slope, dressed in black with a hood. Who was this?
"Do we go for him?" Ron whispered.
"Not yet. Let's find out who he is. If he is the traitor, we go for him." Harry muttered.
"How will we know?" Ron asked.
"A bad guy will come and meet him obviously." Harry retorted.
The cave was silent, the wind all that was blocking out the masked man from hearing the pair. They were sure it was a man. He was tall, and there were no very tall women in the Order except Daraala, and she was on a separate mission. The figure lit several lamps, dotted around the walls. Flames danced merrily. Harry and Ron edged deeper into the shadows, and watched quietly as the man used his wand to stop a drop of water from falling every few seconds. Then, there were more footsteps. An old man stumbled into the cave.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
The figure raised his wand.
"Avada Kedavra!"
The man was dead before he hit the floor. Ron clamped a hand over Harry's mouth to stop him gasping. Then, there was a sound like churning water. Turning the two saw a shadow begin to materialise. It stopped a few seconds later, and Lumiya stepped out of the shadows.
"There you are. Your last information was very helpful. All task forces were intercepted and taught a lesson." She purred.
The figure inclined his head. Lumiya smiled under her veil, and opened her mouth to speak again. She suddenly stopped, took out her whip, and span.
"Destructo!"
The boulder the two were hiding behind shattered into dust, as her tendrils flew into the air.
"Go! I'll take them!" Lumiya ordered.
"Oh no you don't. Stupefy!" Ron snarled.
The figure avoided it, and dashed up the slope again. Ron started after him, but the whip cracked in front of his feet and sent him backwards.
"You really are very nosy Harry. I don't believe we have met face to face. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Lumiya, the Dark Lady."
"I know who you are. You're the one who's working with Voldemort and attempting to bring me down. It won't work." Harry promised.
Lumiya laughed.
"You understand so little. If you think this is all about you, there is little chance you will stop me."
She disappeared suddenly, as a spell shot for her head. Ron had attacked her. She reappeared, and Harry could see she was furious.
"You will pay for that boy. Crucio!"
The two never got their wands angled in time, and the red tendrils were wrapping around them before anything could be done about it. They screamed in pain. Harry, despite his pain, saw that Lumiya looked sickened with herself. Why?
Abruptly, her whip fell off them.
"Take care of yourselves. Until next time."
She started to revolve slowly, and the shadows leapt up from her feet to consume her.
"Oh yes. One more thing. Stupefy!"
The red tendrils knocked the friends out, and Lumiya once again disappeared.
