I had to break this chapter in half for two reasons. The main one being it was almost five thousand words. The second one being that I'm in the process of moving which meant another week before an update. So I broke it in half to start things off. There might be more mistakes than normal, but moving has scrambled the writing part of my brain and I'm exhausted.
We get a little insight into our Nacht Hexen and the games are not what they appear to be.
D19
Calli knew better. She instinctively knew better, and yet-
"Fuck!" she shouted, spitting out another lungful of water.
She pulled herself back on the platform and helped Draco out of the ocean. He collapsed on his stomach and caught his breath. Fred and Daphne were upright, barely, and Neville had already abandoned his shirt. Gathering her thoughts, Calli took in the situation. They were soaked. No matter how far, how hard, or how deep they swam, they got nowhere near the other platform. The storm, whether magical or otherwise, had picked up, and Calli was wary of the lightning. The group huddled close.
"Next plan?" someone panted.
They'd gone through three plans, all of which ended in disaster one way or another. Blaise had a burn mark on the side of his neck from something in the water. No one could catch a glimpse of it after pulling him out of the waves. Draco had claw marks covering half his back, and Fred had so much water in his left ear he'd gone deaf. They were coming up short on time and energy.
"Every time we get in the water, it pushes the platform back," Daphne said.
Calli shook her head. "There's a stasis spell on the water," she corrected.
"But how is that possible?" Fred shouted.
Neville turned Fred to the side to prevent any more screaming directly into his ear, and he said, "I have to ask the same. Even with their combined magic, I doubt that group can't spell an entire body of water."
"That's because we aren't on the ocean," Draco said.
"How? I see the ocean, I feel the ocean," Blaise paused and spit something over the side, "and I most definitely taste it."
"Death Eater Games," Draco repeated to Calli.
"I heard you the first time," she exasperated. "But-
"Core Training," he interrupted. "It took me a minute, but we're in Core Training."
Calli stiffened. She looked around, getting a better look at the environment, and sighed when the people on the beach shimmered like they were holograms. She laid down on the platform and covered her face with her arms.
"Uh, what's going on? What's Core Training?" Neville asked.
"We never left Calli's estate," Draco sighed. "We're in a magical simulation, for lack of a better description."
That got their attention.
"So, the ocean isn't real?" Blaise asked.
"And our family isn't captured?" Fred added.
"Blaise, in theory, yes the ocean is real. And no, Fred, I doubt our family is in true danger. It's a motivation to force us to move through this quickly. However, I must point out that the injuries we sustain in here are the injuries we sustain out there."
"So, we can die in here," Neville guessed.
"They would never let it get that far, but had it been anyone else, say the Dark Lord of Old, then yes, you can die in this simulation."
"When you say the Dark Lord of Old," Fred began.
"I mean Rayna, not Tom."
Calli felt eyes on her and she dropped her arm, propping herself on her elbows. She smiled tightly and said, "Most of my memories of my mother come from outside sources. Core Training came from Andy, and she refused to hold back on what she experienced. My mother wanted the strongest, fastest, and smartest at her side, so naturally, she created one final game that would weed out the ones who did not meet that criteria. She named it Core Training because it focuses on the three main qualities of being a Death Eater, the Core of their brotherhood, so to speak."
"Which are?"
"Unity, Sacrifice, and Courage," she said flatly.
"There are clues in each game," Draco added. "And if this platform is the only consistent thing about this game, then-
"-then the platform has to be our clue," Daphne finished.
Everyone stared at her and she rolled her eyes.
"Calli might be the brightest witch of her age but I'm damn sure the smartest witch in Slytherin. But we've been on this platform multiple times. So, if it isn't on top, then it has to be under."
"I'll go," Calli said, getting to her feet.
"I'm the better swimmer," Draco said, pulling off the remnants of his shirt.
"You're also-
Draco dived into the water.
"Injured," she huffed, preparing herself to jump in after if need be.
After a few minutes, Draco-reappeared and pulled himself out of the water.
"There's an inscription on the bottom. It said the Compass reveals Unity," he said.
"What kind of clue is that?" Fred shouted.
"I have no idea."
"Okay, now it's your turn to shine, Calli," Daphne joked.
Calli snorted and said, "It means for us to move forward, we have to swim in the Cardinal directions to succeed. Like a compass, but it will only work if we swim at the exact same time and in the right directions."
"How do you do that?"
"I work through a long list of options and come up with the best solution for the situation," she said off-handedly.
"Okay, but why put a compass with unity?" Blaise asked.
"In Unity, you must trust the others to guide you in the right direction," Draco said.
There were no more questions after that. Calli tied her hair into a French braid and put her hands on her hips. "Neville, Fred, you two swim East. Daphne, Blaise, you two swim West. Draco will go North, and I will swim South. Remember, we have to do this at the same time," she said.
"What if this doesn't work?" Daphne blurted.
"Then we start over and try again." Her friends seemed unhappy with that answer, so she exhaled and said, "Guys, this is only the first step. If we cannot get past this, then how can we go to War with the Headmaster and the Order? As incompetent as they can be, they are formidable in their own way. As for the Headmaster, that man is many things, but the one thing he is not is a poor duelist. He will not treat us like our predecessors. We have to prove we can go toe to toe with the great Leader of the Light. And his followers. So, if we fail again, we start over. We keep trying. We must show them we can do this."
Her Nacht Hexen gave her short nods and took up their positions on the platform. She made sure everyone was facing the direction they needed to be. They looked awful. Blaise had his shirt wrapped around his neck, Draco and Neville were shirtless, Fred was missing the bottom half of his pants, and Daphne had long given up on modesty with her very wet, very see-through white shirt. Calli smiled to herself and turned back around.
"On my count!" she shouted. "One, two, three!"
Even without seeing them, Calli felt them all hit the water at the same time. They swam as hard as they could, never stopping. Soon, their ears started to ring, and a bright light nearly blinded her under the water, but she kept going. Eventually, the ringing grew louder and the light was so blinding Calli had no chance before it swallowed her whole. Suddenly, she was yanked out of the water by Neville. She coughed up water and laid flat on the hard surface. Neville rubbed his ears and gave her a wry smile.
"You were right, though I wish you weren't," he said.
Calli grunted as she took a small break. Daphne, then Blaise, then Draco, and finally Fred made their appearance. The six said nothing, just took in the small victory they made it to the second round. Unfortunately, it would only get harder from there. As one, they rose to their feet and took in their surroundings. They were still on the ocean, but on a concrete platform with six pillars smack dab in the middle. There was a blade on each.
"Dare I ask what this one wants us to do?" Blaise sighed.
Neville chuckled and pointed to an inscription at the base of the pillars. "It says, the truth can always be found in sacrifice."
"What does that mean?"
More words appeared in front of them:
When the time comes, you must tell the truth. For the truth is your way out.
"I shouldn't have asked," Blaise muttered.
"Wait, is this place sentient?" Daphne asked.
"Probably," Calli muttered, staring at the pillars. "Come on, we need to get through this."
"You two have any advice or memories that offer any guidance?"
"No," she and Draco said in unison.
"Why does that scare me more than the thought of having to tell the truth?" Fred sighed.
Rookwood reclined against a tree with Travers beside him. Across the way, Bellatrix paced the patio like a caged animal. "They'll be fine," he said for the millionth time.
"That first test almost killed them," she growled.
"I would have never let it get that far," he argued.
She stopped and shot him a look. "I am allowed to worry about my wife and her friends," she hissed.
"Why don't you go into the kitchen with the others, Bella? Travers and I can handle this."
Bellatrix tugged at her hair and stormed inside.
Travers handed him a half-empty bottle of firewhiskey. "You do know if you screw this up even a little bit, she'll skin you alive?"
"That's why I told her to get lost. I need a thirty second head start," he muttered.
"What are the questions?"
Rookwood winced. "The spell is programmed to take their blood and find their weakest points. Or something like that," he said.
"You have no idea what that damned bowl is going to spout at them?"
"None."
Travers chuckled and pulled his cap off his head, covering his face. "I'll be sure to shower for your funeral," he joked.
Rookwood glared at him, but he turned back to the six teens lying flat on the grass. He swallowed roughly and hoped he did the spell right. The last thing he needed was the full force of the family, and the other Death Eaters, on his shoulders.
The six stood side by side, blades on their skin, and in unison, they sliced open their palms. The blood seeped into the pillar and their skin healed automatically. for a moment, nothing happened.
"Are you sure we-
Fred's question was lost as the six teens collapsed into unconsciousness.
Neville
"At the chance of having your parents healed and back into your life, could and would you betray Calliope Black?"
Fred
"If you could only save one member of your family beyond your twin, who would you save?"
Draco
"Are you afraid of your reflection?"
Daphne
"Have you forgiven Theodore Nott Jr. for the death of your daughter?"
Blaise
"Why did you kill your mother?"
Calli
"Will you do what it takes to win this War? Even if it means killing the one you love the most?"
The six groaned as they came to and grabbed at their heads. They blinked at the sudden sunlight and found themselves in an oasis.
"Fuck," Calli muttered.
One by one, they got to their feet and shook off the last round. They breathed in the air and basked in the sunlight. Blaise chewed on his bottom lip and stopped in front of Calli.
"I killed my mother," he blurted. "She kept bouncing from man to man, forcing me to do whatever they wanted of me to make sure they stayed around long enough for her to get their money. I snapped. I strangled her. And I don't regret it."
Calli hugged Blaise and whispered in his ear, "I was the one who killed Cedric. Not my father. I got back just before Harry returned."
They dropped their hugs and neither one commented on what she said. Fred was the next to step up to her. She had no idea when she became the one to confess to, but she wasn't going to turn them away.
"I ask that you spare my father," Fred said softly. "Just him."
Calli already knew that one but gave him a reassuring nod to show she understood. Fred stepped back and Daphne took his place. Calli shot a look at Draco, who refused to look in her direction. She frowned and barely managed to catch Daphne's confession.
"I was pregnant," Daphne murmured. "I lost the baby shortly after the first task of the tournament."
Calli blinked. She watched the normally stoic blonde rub her stomach and noticed Blaise had a weird look on his face.
"Why do I feel like there's more to this?" she asked carefully.
Daphne frowned and said, "Nott got into some firewhiskey his father hid in his trunk. I made the mistake of being up too late in the common room. He stumbled downstairs, saw me with my shirt raised, and he lost it. I tried to cover my stomach, but it was too late. Blaise found me and took me to the infirmary."
"That son of a bitch!" Blaise shouted. "I'm going to kill him!"
Daphne seemed thrown by Blaise's anger. Calli, on the other hand, was already planning a very slow death for Nott Jr. Draco's reaction was similar, but he kept quiet. Calli hugged Daphne again and the blonde went back to her spot by Fred. He draped his arm over her shoulder and brought her into his side protectively. Neville was next, and he seemed hesitant.
"I was asked to pick between you or my parents," he sighed. "And I picked you."
"Neville, you-
"It's okay. I've lived without them my entire life. I don't know them. Of course, I wish I had the opportunity to at least talk to them again, but I can't pick two strangers over my friend."
Calli was touched. She kissed Neville on the cheek and glanced at Draco. Her brother folded his arms and scuffed the sand with his bare feet.
"I hate who I see in the mirror," he said flatly. "I used to see my father. Then I would see my mother. But now, I only see me, and I'm afraid of what that means. I'm not ready to be on my own."
"You're not on your own," Blaise said. "You have us."
"The man we see you growing into is someone worth sticking around for," Daphne added.
"What they said, Malfoy. I thought you were a little ferret," Fred teased. "But it turns out you're worthy of the nickname Dragon."
Draco quickly wiped at his eyes and Calli instinctively knew to take the attention away from her brother.
"I was asked if I would pick winning the war over killing Bellatrix," she said.
"And?"
"I picked the war," she confessed softly.
No one said anything to that. Draco kissed her temple and the heaviness was forcefully moved away from them as Fred demanded they finish the game to get back home to dry clothes and cookies. The six took off into the trees and came up to a large cabinet in the middle of the water. There was a plaque on the tree that Daphne found.
"Embrace your fears. For they will save your life," she read aloud.
"Oh, fuck me," Blaise groaned. "This has to be a boggart."
"Except we have no wand to cast a spell at it," Draco grumbled.
"Which means we have to dismiss it without magic," Calli sighed.
"Pity. I was looking forward to seeing Snape in a pink dress again," Neville deadpanned.