Here is the twenty-eighth chapter in Book 3. This is the last chapter I can guarantee in my recent spree of chapters I am releasing to try and catch up with the schedule. I will continue to edit the other chapters but I can't promise they will be up on time or when I will be back on schedule. Fortunately I am only 2 chapters away from catching up to the schedule as Tuesday is supposed to be, if I was on schedule, chapter 30 and there is a chance that I at least get Chapter 29 out by then so hopefully I will be on track soon. No questions have been raised that need to answer here so sit back and enjoy the 28th full chapter in the third installment of Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 3: Unity.
Disclaimer: As always I own nothing related to these two great works of fiction.
Chapter 28
Harry stood on the dusty, dry, plain that was to the east of the Foggy Swamp. He was just within the borders of the Imperial State of Gaoling. Unlike the Swamp, which was filled with the lush vegetation that spread from the Banyan Grove Tree, the area due east was practically a desert. Dusty, hot and dry, it was not a place many visited and few lived here in the back-end of the Earth Kingdom.
However, in the far distance was one of the few settlements in the area, a small forgotten town. It was in that town where the orphanage that Tom Riddle had grown up in had been located before it was closed down over 50 years ago. It still looked rundown and forgotten but it wouldn't be today as it had been 24 hours since his talk with Delphini and now it was time to surrender himself. No doubt the location was deliberate.
Harry had traveled here alone as he had promised though not until after they had perfected their plan for what was to happen when he was captured and his son and Scorpius were freed. Now he stood on the plain wearing only a plain gray shirt, green pants and his headband. His boots, metal spool, water skin and two short swords had been left with the others. All he had on him was a small portable radio slung over his shoulder. The radio was connected to one that Ron had on him so that they could communicate during the exchange.
"You in place?" Harry called into the radio as he looked out towards the Swamp, waiting for Delphini to emerge from it. "I am where I am supposed to be, I think."
"Draco and I can see the cave." Ron's voice called back over the sound of them wading through the Swamp. "It's right where the coordinates said it would be so that is a good start."
"Any sign of Cresswell or Johannes?" Harry asked. Though it was still a theory he was certain now that Johannes was the Water Enlightened and that he would be proved right today. "They are supposed to be there waiting for you."
"I think so." Ron called back. "There's a man in a hooded green vest and pants with a vicious looking axe at his hip standing outside the cave. Likely Cresswell given the outfit and the fact that we know that his weapon of choice is an axe. If it is him then that could very well be the axe that killed Iroh and started Hermione's brief dictatorship."
"Alright as soon as Delphini appears we can get the swap over with." Harry said as he continued to survey the Swamp in the distance for any sign of his enemy. "Where is the bitch?"
"Right here." Came a cruel feminine voice from behind him. "Let's get this started cunt, I have been waiting far too long for this."
Harry turned slowly to see a lithe woman in her early 20s with messy silver hair dyed blue at the tips. Her hair was done up in a few crude braids that didn't fit any of the known Tribal styles and was likely just something Delphini did. She was wearing a form fitting light blue outfit that Harry recognized as that of the exiled and outlawed Northern Water Tribe Mercenary Company, the NWTM or Northern Mercenaries as they were known as.
She carried two water skins, a short knife likely laced with Shirshu venom and a small radio. She had bag at her feet that Harry was certain contained the restraints she was going to use on him. Delphini had crept up on Harry while he had been distracted and he cursed himself for his lapse of judgment.
"You must be Delphini." Harry said calmly. "You fit the image Pyrites provided after his death. I can't say that it is a pleasure to finally meet you."
"I'm flattered that he was so well prepared but I expected no less from a man of his abilities." Delphini said with a sinister smile. "But we have no time for pleasantries Avatar. Contact President-elect Ron and the traitor Draco and tell them to approach the cave, I know they are near it and waiting your signal. Once they can see that ya boys are safe, ya will surrender to me. If not, they die."
"Very well." Harry said knowing that he had no other options as he picked up the radio receiver. "Ron, approach the cave and confirm that Albus and Scorpius are there and alive."
"Will do." Came Ron's voice over the radio.
Ron placed the receiver down and nodded to Draco. Both waterbenders wore traditional warrior garb of their respective tribes though neither had gone for the face paint. Ron kept the wolf head helmet on, it had a special red stripe on it to show his title, but otherwise neither wore any armor. They walked out of the trees, out of the river and up to the hooded man who stood outside the cave.
"Clever staying in the water." Came a rough male voice from within the hood. He spoke with the educated accent of a man who had spent decades in the Middle Ring of Ba Sing Se so it could only be Cresswell. "Hard to see anything with seismic sense while y'all are standing in the water. The mud here isn't great for it, only a true master can see through it clearly."
"Don't want to give you all the advantages Cresswell." Ron said as they approached the man. "You may be evil but your talents are impressive. Best to stay where my own abilities are strongest. You may be a great earthbender but I just as good with water."
"You don't know the half of it." Cresswell said as he raised his hands to lower the hood and confirm his identity, though he was a lot scruffier than Ron had seen in the photos of the man. "I would ask you to divest of your weapons here but I assume the Avatar told you not too."
"Easier to just let us through." Draco said without out emotions. "Saves any problems and even without them we are all benders here and near our elements so you don't gain any advantage regardless. You have your prize, let us get my son and his best friend and get out of here."
"Fair enough." Cresswell said as he turned to the cave. "Follow me purebloods."
The two waterbenders walked slowly behind Cresswell as he led them down the slight decline of the torch lit cave. At the bottom in a large circular room was two gagged figures who were chained at the wrists and attached to a metal peg in the cave floor. It was clearly Albus and Scorpius, both looked a little battered and they clearly hadn't changed in days but they were also alive.
"They're here but chained up." Ron called into the radio as soon as they confirmed that the boys were there. "And gagged. They are alive but not free."
"Tell Cresswell to release them and I will surrender." Harry snarled at Delphini. "I will only subject myself to chains when they are free of them."
"I think not." Delphini said with a sweet, sinister smile of a predator who knew that she had her prey. "Surrender first, then we will free them."
"That wasn't the deal." Harry almost shouted back.
"Well I'm changing it, I do hold all the cards after all." Delphini said before she picked up her radio and spoke into it. "Wipe them out, the Avatar isn't playing ball."
"No alright you win." Harry said with a hint of desperation in his voice.
He had no doubt that the Enlightened in that cave would kill the boys even if it cost them their lives at the hands of Ron and Draco. Harry wasn't going to take that chance. Delphini did hold all the cards, he had to play by her game if he wanted his son and Scorpius to get out alive.
"Drop the radio and approach slowly." Delphini said, her predatory smile never wavering.
Harry had only met Voldemort once, during their duel back when her father was at the height of his power, but he had heard tale of his creepy smile and somehow it was even creepier on his daughter. Harry hoped that they succeeded because if Delphini won, he shuddered to think of the horrors she would unleash upon the world.
Harry placed the radio on the floor and slowly walked forward his hands up in a sign of surrender. He may not trust this bitch or her co-conspirators but he had to play the game in order to save his son. After that, they could both back out of the deal and try to kill each other.
As soon as he was in front of the mad woman she and reached into her bag to pull out a set of handcuffs and leg irons all connected by a thick chain so that he would have to hunch a bit when she put them on him. They were clearly not officially made but they would certainly do the job of restraining Harry.
"Their platinum so even your skill at metalbending can't bend them." Delphini said with triumph as she attached the cuffs tightly to Harry's wrists and ankles. "You're mine now."
Harry had cuffed many criminals in his time, both normally and in the full restraints that the high profile criminals like Hermione had to wear, but he had never been cuffed himself. It wasn't a pleasant experience but he was not going to give her the satisfaction of a response so he quietly let her cuff him.
"Now release them." Harry said forcefully to his captor. "I have upheld my end, it's your turn."
"Of course." Delphini said picking up her radio. "It's done, the Avatar is in our custody."
Ron heard a radio in the cave blare out that Harry was captured, or as the insane Delphini said "in custody" as if Harry was a criminal, which to these people he was but to the wider world he wasn't. Cresswell nodded at them and Ron and Draco hurried over to the bound and gagged boys. There was a wild look in Albus's eyes as he tried to shake his head at Ron.
"It's ok Albus we will have you out in no time." Ron said at the startled boy as he and Draco pulled out metal pins and inserted them into the cuffs to release them.
It took a few seconds but soon they had picked the locks enough to free the boys. The entire time Albus was trying to say something but Ron just chalked it up to the ordeal and the impending freedom. He was wrong.
"Behind you!" Albus yelled as soon as he removed his gag with his free hands. "It's a trap!"
Ron turned in time to see a horizontal slash of water catch him and Draco in the chest and throw them back to slam hard into far wall of the cave. It had been a blunt force attack designed to throw them off guard and give the attacker the upper hand. He could have ended them but clearly the waterbender wanted a challenge. Ron would make him pay for his arrogance.
Ron recovered quickly and pulled up a ring of water from his water skin to face the Water Enlightened with Draco doing the same next to him a few seconds later. Standing at the entrance to the large cavern they were in, likely having been hidden by Cresswell's earthbending, was Johannes. Ron smirked, he had been right about this man and now he would have the chance to take him down for good. Johannes had finally revealed himself, there was no going back for him.
Ron's fellow Southern Water Tribesman was wearing traditional warrior garb minus the helmet and face paint. Johannes had the full octopus form of waterbending behind him, an impressive display of bending as it was not an easy form to master but the Water Enlightened was completely comfortable with it. A sadistic smile was on his face as he glared at Ron and Draco.
Johannes stood tall and proud as if he had been waiting for this moment for a long time, which Ron knew he had been. Behind him stood Cresswell his axe in one hand and a boulder hovering over his left shoulder poised to strike. It was clear that they had been set up as they had expected and they had fallen into the trap despite expecting some form of treachery. Well they had prepared for this.
"I've been looking forward to this for a long time, my prince." Johannes said with scorn and hatred towards Ron. "Since I can remember really, I have always despised royalty and what you represent. I am going to enjoy executing you, President Ron, and then I will systematically end your families disgusting pureblood, intolerant and elitist line. Only then can the South be saved from your kind and the Southern Utopia be born from the ashes."
"Why am I not surprised that my theories that you are the Water Enlightened are true." Ron said with a smile at the challenge that Johannes was proposing. "I should have arrested you that night in my study but alas you were too smart to leave me with probable cause and I couldn't kill you without it. Now, though, your mine and you will not walk away this time."
"I look forward to it." Johannes said with pleasure in his voice. "Cresswell you can take down the last scions of the former Chief of the Northern Water Tribe. Pureblood, Purist bastards deserve no mercy for their crimes, they are all guilty and should be executed for holding their vile views. Even Delphini, mad bitch that she is, won't oppose you executing them as painfully as possible."
"With pleasure my brother." Cresswell said twirling his axe in his hand in an expert maneuver that Ron had to admire, it was clear that he was a master with the weapon. "Tyrant Slayer hasn't tasted royal pureblood since Hermione used it to behead that elitist tyrant Iroh and boy is it thirsty for more. Though Draco and Scorpius here are no longer royalty it will do, I will slake its thirst when the other nations fall to our enlightened might."
"Well before we get this set up underway I have one thing to say." Ron said as he detached his meteorite hammer and flipped a switch on the somehow still intact radio. "Harry, it's a fucking trap! The last 2 Enlightened mean to kill us and the boys just as we expected. Don't surrender yourself to that mad cunt."
"We had a deal cunt." Harry yelled as soon as he heard of the treachery that they had expected. It was time to act.
"And I held up my end, what those two treacherous mudbloods do is their own business." Delphini said trying and failing to deflect blame. "But they are executing traitors who have been sentenced to death so they are still acting in accordance with justice."
Harry didn't bother to reply he just leapt into the air using his feet to pull up a boulder that he sent right at Delphini's head while he flipped backwards. The lither waterbender managed to dive out of the way in time but only just. She was as agile as she looked which meant that this fight was going to be a tough one.
Harry didn't relent his attack though. As soon as he landed he was jumping again and this time he sent a powerful blast of fire from his feet at the still dodging Delphini. Again she evade the attack but the heat did scorch the earth black around where she had just been. The momentum of the blast had forced Harry to do another backflip in order to maintain his momentum and finish off the attack.
She couldn't dodge forever. All Harry had to do was keep pressing his attack and he would score a hit and that was all he needed. Alas, Delphini had other plans.
As Harry was upside down in midair he felt his body stiffen and stop dead. Pain racked his body and Harry cursed as he knew exactly what was going on. He had only truly been held in a blood hold once before as the first few time in his battle with Voldemort above the Academy had been sudden grabs by Voldemort to throw Harry away while they fell through the air. This was like the time at the end of that battle when Voldemort almost killed him. It had been years since he had felt it but the memories flooded back with the unique pain of bloodbending.
Harry tried to fight Delphini's blood hold but between his position and the chains he knew he had no hope in breaking it with his willpower alone. There was only one way to break the hold and possibility the chains that bound him, the Avatar State. Harry seldom used his most powerful weapon but now was as good a time as ever to use it. If he didn't he would lose, there was no doubt in that.
"No you don't you evil fucking bastard." Delphini yelled as Harry was about to enter the Avatar State. "Not this time. I will not make the same mistake my father made with you."
The young waterbender's shout broke his concentration and the next thing Harry knew the ground was rushing up to meet his face faster than he thought possible. He couldn't brace himself or anything and just had to accept the fact that Delphini had gotten the best of him, there was no escape.
Harry's face slammed into the unyielding earth and he was knocked out his body going limp as Delphini released her blood hold. For the first time in his life, the Avatar had been captured.
Delphini gasped as she looked at the unconscious Avatar lying limp on the dusty ground. Even changed up he had managed to give her a more of a fight that she had wanted. Fucking Johannes hadn't taken out the radio when he had surprised Ron and Draco but that was immaterial now as it had actually worked out better.
The Avatar was out cold and probably concussed so she could transport him to the Banyan Grove Tree easier and faster than before and set him up while he was still out. Extending her hand to grab Harry in a blood hold, Delphini lifted his unconscious body into the air and began to walk as fast as she could back into the Swamp.
It was time to get the Avatar set up so that he could be executed and the world rid of the Avatar once and for all. Cresswell and Johannes would finish off the waterbender traitors in the cave and join her and then their revenge and justice could be completed. The first stage in the restoration of the Purist Movement was about to be completed.
"Fuck I didn't get the radio in my attack." Johannes sword as he froze the tips of the octopus tentacles into spikes in preparation for his attack. "Oh well, Delphini will have him beat if he's already cuffed. That is the advantage of having a bloodbender at hand."
"Yeah well you have to defeat us first." Ron said with a smile as he hurled his hammer at Johannes. "And we won't go down easily."
Johannes didn't have time to reply or react very quickly to the attack. He managed to get a tentacle up and froze it to try and block the hammer. It didn't work.
Ron's meteorite hammer smashed through the ice tentacle and slammed into Johannes's shoulder spinning the Water Enlightened around and causing his concentration to break. Without focus on his bending, the water octopus to splash down to the earth.
Ron followed up his attack by throwing two knives at the wounded waterbender. Johannes still had enough sense to pull up the mud that his water had created and freeze it in time to stop the knives. Ron didn't lay up on his assault as he sped up the water ring around him and began to punch out sharp shards of ice at Johannes.
While Ron was engaging Johannes, Draco had leapt forward to fight Cresswell. Draco had never bothered to learn how to fight with a nonbender weapon, bladed or blunted, as he had been raised under the Purist philosophy that bending was always superior to nonbending. After his arrest and incarceration, Draco still didn't learn despite rejecting Voldemort's doctrine of only using bending in a fight and continued to focus solely on his bending as he never expected to have to fight again.
That was why he had to pull the water around him into two tentacles over his arms and freeze the left into a makeshift shield so that he could block Cresswell's overhanded strike with his axe. Despite the block the blade still punched deep enough to cut Draco's forearm pretty deeply and lodge in the ice.
As Cresswell ripped his blade out of Draco's ice shield, cutting the former Crown Prince even deeper in the progress, and stumbling back a few paces. Ignoring the pain in his arm, Draco used the water on his right arm and blasted it into Cresswell's chest sending the man back to land hard in the corridor that led to the center of cave. Draco cursed himself for using a blunted water attack rather than an ice spike which could have killed the Earth Enlightened if he had done it correctly.
Cresswell responded by sending the somehow still hovering rock right at Draco's head. Draco ducked the rock and it slammed harmlessly into the far wall where it shattered into several pieces. Draco cursed as he began to send ice shards at Cresswell from his remaining water. Cresswell in response pulled up an earth wall so the ice shattered harmlessly on it.
"Cresswell, just end them now." Johannes yelled from behind his retreating muddy ice shield as Ron continued to approach him, sending ice shards at the Water Enlightened as he went. "Create it and then let's bury these pureblood bastards. Enough toying with them, we need to end this."
"I'd rather kill them outright." Cresswell called back from behind his wall. "Shows that we are better than them."
"No time." Johannes said. "We know we are better than them. They likely have backup because of their inferiority and that will come soon and we need to meet Delphini at the rendezvous point. All we need is already there in preparation for his execution."
"Fuck, alright." Cresswell growled. "You're right. Hey pureblood bastards, try this on for size."
With that Cresswell extended his arms to the side and the earth cavern shook with the power of his bending. Ron took a step back to steady himself as a crack appeared between the corridor and the entrance to the circular central cavern. Cresswell was clearly using it to put some distance between them so that they could escape.
That was when everything changed. Suddenly the crack turned to a line of lava that began to spread out towards them the way that lava did. Ron instantly back tracked as he saw Cresswell help Johannes up the corridor, creating pools of lava as he fled.
"What the fuck!" Ron exclaimed as he called back his hammer before the lava reached it. "Since when has Cresswell been a lavabender? There are only three known lavabenders and he ain't one of them."
"We got more pressing concerns on our hands Ron." Draco said as he helped his son up and they backed up to the far wall as far away from the spreading lava pool. "We can ask those questions if we get out of this."
As if to support Draco's statement there was another shuddering and Ron saw that the entrance had been caved in trapping the four waterbenders underground with a lot of rapidly spreading lava. Ron cursed again and sent his remaining water, what little there was left, at the lava. It steamed and cooled some of the lava back to rock but it wasn't enough to stop the hot liquid.
"Well that didn't work." Ron said. "Not that I was expecting it to."
"Fucker hid his talents, likely for years." Draco said as he did the same. "Managed to trick us because of it. Lava is not exactly how I imagined I would die. I always thought I would die of old age or something like that."
"Well at least you won't go down as the only President to die before he was sworn into office." Ron said as the lava continued to approach them. "Because I don't think our backup will get here in time."
Ron helped a slightly wounded Albus, likely from his treatment as a prisoner to these monsters, to the far wall and prepared for the inevitable. If Ron was going to die today, he would look it in the face as it came for him.
He could see why Delphini had insisted on him and Draco being the two to come here. Neither of them were earthbenders and therefore by extension lavabenders so they were fucked. Clever plan but then Delphini had her father's cunning it seemed and she wasn't going to let them live.
Suddenly there was a shaking and chunks of earth began to fall into the corridor. Ron swore again, it would seem that Cresswell was hell bent on ending them and was now causing the cave to implode on top of them. Suddenly a large chunk of rock fell down into the nearing lava pool and splashed lava at them. They all reflexively flinched back at this and awaited the searing pain and death that the lava would bring.
After a minute Ron realized that he wasn't in any pain and was still alive. He looked up to see the lava frozen in the air mere inches from him. As he realized this, he watched as the lava returned to the pool that rapidly cooled to blackened earth. Ron blinked in confusion and waited for the rubble to clear.
As soon as the rubble and dust subsided Ron could see Harry's 13 year old daughter Lily standing in the now destroyed entrance to cavern her arms raised towards them. She wore a set of plain green shorts and a gray shirt, her hunting knives at her waist, and her long red hair pulled back into a simple ponytail. There didn't seem to be much exertion on her face. After another minute she opened her eyes and blinked at her uncle, brother, Draco and Scorpius.
"Hi uncle." Lily said in a sweet an innocent voice as if she was greeting him at home and not after saving his life. "You looked like you could use a hand so here I am."
"Lily I do believe you just saved all our lives." Ron said shaking his head.
He had forgotten in the face of his near death experience that Harry had insisted on his daughter coming as support just in case they needed her talents as a lavabender. It turned out his paranoia had been justified she was here and had just saved them.
"Well it wasn't just me." Lily admitted. "But do remember this when my next birthday comes up, you too Albus."
"You won't let me forget it." Albus said though he was clearly relieved that his sister was there. "Is mom with you? We could use her talents. Draco is injured and me and Scorpius are a little banged up and we have no water of our own."
"Course she is." Lily said. "James is just clearing a way then she and Rose can come and heal y'all. Rose insisted on coming by the way, don't be mad at her uncle. As soon as we saw that the two Enlightened had fled we immediately moved to intercept them until James noticed the glow of the lava just as Cresswell caved in the cave. We had to let them go while, they weren't as important as saving you. James created a hole large enough for me to get in and try and stop the lava as I am the only one who can stop it. Cresswell may be good, but I'm better with lava."
"Well you arrived just in time." Ron said with a relieved smile at his niece. As he spoke the entrance opened a little more and the rest of the team flooded into the cave. "A few seconds later and we would be at the bottom of that lava pool."
Ron couldn't get another word in before he was almost tackled by his wife and his eldest set of twins, it would appear that Lorcan had come with them as well, and he couldn't blame them for showing up. Ginny meanwhile was hugging Albus as if her life depended on it while James smirked behind him.
"Albus I'm so happy you're ok." Ginny said still holding her middle child close to her.
"I'm fine mom." Albus said slightly muffled by his mother's embrace. "You may want to look at Draco's arm, Cresswell's axe cut him pretty deep and you have a full water skin."
"Of course, of course." Ginny said as she let go of her second son. "Though when we rescue your father and take down those three monsters we will be having a serious talk about all of this. That can wait though."
"I know and I am sorry for how I acted." Albus said as he hung his head in shame. "The Swamp showed me how foolish I was. But mom, Scorpius and I are coming with you to rescue dad. We got him into this mess, it our duty to get him out of it."
"Naturally." Ginny said with a nod. "You know that monster Delphini better than anyone else and you are old enough to help. However, you two are to be extremely careful and not take any unnecessary risks."
"Er Princess Ginny, if you don't mind I'm still bleeding." Draco interrupted holding up his bloody left arm. "I'm very out of practice with bloodbending, nor can I heal if I had water. Plus, as it's daytime and we are underground I can't do much other than slightly slow it down."
"Of course, sorry Draco." Ginny said as she quickly pulled some water out of a water skin at her hip and infused it with healing energy before approaching Draco and wrapping it around his arm. Moments later the cut was closed leaving a faint scar in its place.
"Can't do anything about that scar." Ginny said apologetically. "The wound was too deep to avoid it. Healing will mend wounds but scaring is unavoidable at times."
"Don't worry it's not as bad as the one your husband gave me 29 years ago." Draco said with a faint smile as he touch the long scar that ran along his jawline. "This can just be added to my collection."
"Yes we all have scars that remind us of our battles and brushes with death." Ginny said causing Draco to quirk an eyebrow at Ginny. "And no you are not seeing mine. They're in places only my husband, the Avatar, is allowed to look at unless I am in a bathing suit. I got them during the liberation of the Fire Nation while only wearing my underwear so yeah, I am not showing them."
"Er ok." Draco said flushing a little. "I wasn't going to ask anyway."
"Neville do you have Harry's gear?" Ron said seriously as Luna and his eldest kids broke their embrace and Ron looked at the last member of Team Avatar who was standing silently by the ruined entrance to the cavern with a bag slung over his shoulder. "We need to rescue our friend."
"Of course." Neville said as he entered the cavern and held up the bag to emphasize his point. "But we need to know where he is."
"Give me a moment." Luna said as she sat down cross-legged on the floor and began to prepare for an astral projection. "Lorcan dear, will you please join me. Between the two of us we should be able to cover more of the Swamp with our astral projections in less time. The spiritual energy here will boost our range to anywhere within the Swamp. I doubt the bitch will have taken Harry anywhere else. They don't have the time to take him far."
"Of course mom." Lorcan said as he sat down next to his mother.
The two master airbenders closed their eyes and in moments they were perfectly still indicating that their spirits had left their bodies. Ron knew that their spirits had left their bodies so they couldn't be disturbed until they returned.
"Mom, Uncle Ron, Draco, Neville, there is something that y'all should know." Albus said looking at them. "Delphini can almost replicate her father's most gruesome attack."
"What!" Draco said in horror, fear evident in his eyes. "You mean she can pull someone's blood right out of their body in one motion."
"Almost." Scorpius said speaking for the first time as he stood next to his father. "She killed a student called Bowker, a prefect in the Water House and a member of the Foggy Swamp Tribe, when he came looking for us and stumbled upon us right after we had been captured. He didn't die in the ways Karkaroff or Severus died but it was close and it wasn't pretty."
"Add another murder charge to her record." Ron said darkly. "Where did this occur?"
"At the edge of the clearing around the Banyan Grove Tree." Albus said. "That was where she had lured us to."
"That's neutral and spiritual territory." Ginny said. "Murder on that land is enough for a death sentence for all three."
"Only if we catch all three alive." Draco said. "And they strike me as fanatics who will die before being taken alive. Trust me, I know, I had that mindset once. All of the Death Eaters caught during the final battle were wounded before capture. That is the only way to reliably capture a fanatic."
"Correct so Uncle Ron you will need all of us." James said stepping forward for the first time. "We cannot leave anything to chance. They will fight to the death, only serious injury will ensure that we take them in alive."
Suddenly Luna's eyes shot open shortly followed by her son's. Immediately they all turned to the airbenders.
"They are at the Banyan Grove Tree." Luna said. "And it does not look good."
"Right well let's get a move on." Ron said as he began to lead them all to the entrance of the cavern. "We don't have any time to waste now that we know where Harry is. James is right, it will likely take all of us, though Lily, Rose and Lorcan are to hold back and only help if absolutely needed."
"Fine." Lily pouted while Ron's older twins just pouted. "But this is only because I know I am younger than y'all were when Voldemort attacked the Academy. Otherwise I would be right at the front with y'all."
"Good then let's roll." Ron said as they exited the cave and congregated outside. "Albus, Scorpius you know the way to the Banyan Grove Tree, right?"
"Just about." Albus said with as much certainty as he could muster.
"Then lead the way." Ron said as Albus took point with Scorpius next to him. "But be careful. We will plan on the way. Now let's move people, we have an Avatar to save."
Harry has been captured and Johannes has finally revealed himself, the final confrontation is coming soon. Sorry for the rapid points of view changes, this chapter is naturally based of the scene in the penultimate episode of season 3 when Korra surrenders to Zaheer and the Northern Air Temple is destroyed, just not as epic as it was in the show. As such, I had to have the rapid switches to try and replicate it, hopefully it is not too confusing. There are only 4 more full chapters and the usual epilogue left so Book 3 is drawing to a climatic close. That is all for this post chapter note, as always please like, favorite, follow, review, this story and any questions asked in reviews or PMs will be answered at the start of the next chapter. Until next time.
Stringdog