Chapter Fifty One
The Two Hands of Darkness
Harry was not happy. He had a splitting headache as a relic of Lumiya's attack, and he still felt sickened at all the damage that she and her lords had done. However, there were many more people on his side, and that put him in a mildly good mood. He hoped. He, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Daraala and Sirius were recovered from their wounds and were currently sitting in a smelly pub in the south of London, close to where Voldemort's orphanage was. Harry suspected that they would find a Horcrux there.
"This is boring." Ron grumbled.
"Oh? What would you rather be doing?" Hermione asked scathingly.
"One or two ideas suggest themselves. You'd probably think they were unhygienic." Ron snickered.
Hermione went scarlet, and Daraala snorted into her drink. Harry shook his head and looked out of the window, which was caked with dirt. Outside, two people were heading at a quick pace up the path. Their hoods were up and covering their face. This wouldn't be very odd except it was a blazingly sunny day, if a bit cold. Typical February weather in that aspect.
"Guys." Harry said, indicating the grimy window.
"One's a woman. You can tell by her walk." Daraala commented.
"Anyone betting on who it's going to be?" Ginny asked.
"No point Ginny. It's obvious that it's Lumiya and Voldemort." Hermione growled.
"Do we still go for them Harry? We can't defeat the pair of them." Sirius warned.
Hermione snorted.
"We can't defeat one of them Sirius, never mind two of them."
"Your call sweetie. Hermione could summon reinforcements." Ginny suggested.
"No. We need to move now. Come on."
With that the six left the pub, receiving a dirty look from the wild looking barman as they did so. Voldemort and Lumiya were up ahead. Suddenly, Voldemort, the taller, veered off to the right. Harry was certain he heard Lumiya swear about men before following. The six crept up behind them and peered into the small apartment they had entered. Three people were inside.
"You would do well to get a move on. Potter is amassing too much support." Voldemort hissed.
"He's just a boy. Dumbledore can no longer help him." A girly voice said.
"He has help that is just as good as Dumbledore. And as to him being a boy, so was David when he killed Goliath." Lumiya sneered.
"Do you disapprove of everything I do on sheer principle or just for spite Lumiya?" Voldemort challenged.
"Pick one." Lumiya snarled.
The third figure was watching the interchange with some amusement.
"You really are very childish Lumiya. If you do not approve of me, why are you still here?"
"Because, as you know full well, there is no chance for you to defeat Potter without my help. And I can't defeat him without yours."
Voldemort yawned with boredom.
"And, if you want the government removed, you should do it yourself." Lumiya hissed.
"I'm rather limited in my forces at the moment." Voldemort snapped.
"Which will be fully rebuilt by the end of the week, so that excuse is wearing thin. Get on with it! Or maybe you actually fear Potter. Maybe you actually think he can defeat you. Is that it?" Lumiya challenged.
"You are raving." Voldemort said disdainfully.
Lumiya shook her head, and turned to the other.
"If you haven't done it by the end of next month, I will let Lady Maladi loose on you. It's been so long since she tortured anyone for information."
"Very well. All I've been waiting for is my support base to strengthen again. And of course, I wanted to see if you would succeed in destroying the boy."
She looked to Lumiya, but was distracted by the look on the Dark Lady's face.
"Care to join us?" Lumiya shouted.
Harry and the others leapt into the room.
"Go." Lumiya ordered, and the third figure Disapparated.
"Potter. You are really starting to get on my nerves." Voldemort sneered.
"Sorry. What do you want, a box of chocolates and a written apology?" Harry sneered.
Lumiya laughed.
"You definitely have spirit boy, but not enough to ensure your victory here. As you will now learn."
And for the first time since their allegiance began, the two dark art users, the Dark Lord and Lady, worked together and attacked as one. Lumiya's whip cracked through the air and nearly took Harry's head.
"We can't fight in here Harry!" Daraala shouted as she fired a spell at Voldemort.
"Go!" Ron yelled, as he sent a table hurtling at the two. Harry, Daraala and Hermione sped in one direction while Sirius, Ginny and Ron went the other. Lumiya followed after Ron's group, as Voldemort pursued Harry's.
Ginny slammed a door shut and bolted it.
"I'm getting too old for this." Sirius complained.
"Being chased about by bad guys has that affect on you." Ginny complained.
Then, the door blew in. Lumiya's whip barely missed them.
"Lumiya, sod off and die." Ron yelled, firing several spells at her.
Lumiya just laughed.
"You truly think you can get the best of me?"
She leapt through the air, her foot aiming for Sirius's throat. Then, Ginny blasted a table into Lumiya.
"Not as good as you thought are you Lumiya?" Ginny asked.
Then, a high pitched scream let them know that the others were in serious trouble.
Harry, Hermione and Daraala were cornered.
"Its time for this pointless exercise to end Potter. I have won." Voldemort purred.
"Not yet." Hermione snarled.
Voldemort laughed. Then, without any hesitation, he fired a deadly spell at Harry. This was new. It was silver, and had a very bad feel about it. Harry wouldn't get away from it in time. Then, Daraala leapt in front of the spell, and it crashed into her.
"Daraala!" Harry yelled.
Voldemort laughed. Then, he noticed something rather strange. A cloud was forming over his head. Abruptly, a wind got up. Looking around in confusion, he was Hermione.
"Of course!"
"Do you know what happens to a madman when he gets hit by lightning? The same thing that happens to everything else."
Then a jagged bolt of lightning crashed into Voldemort, blowing him from the room. Harry was too busy trying to stop all the blood pouring from Daraala to take much notice. Sirius barged in.
"Daraala!"
He crashed down beside her, and started trying healing spells.
"We need to get her out of here Harry." Ginny whispered.
Nodding, he allowed Ginny to disapparate them back to Hogwarts.
