—Dance of Death 37—
In the last chapter, Harry set up Umbridge and had her cursed by her own Inquisitors. He was disturbed at how far they had taken things… While hanging around in his dorm, Billy Corbin approached him for his autograph. Reluctantly, he agreed, only to find the pen he was handed was a portkey.
I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters – they belong to JKRowling.
FASA owns the Earthdawn setting which has influenced many of the ideas in my stories. Many of the spells in this chapter are from the Earthdawn setting, I just put a Latin name on them.
'Bombarda!' = Silently cast
"Bombarda!" = Verbally cast
"§Example of Parseltongue.§"
—DoD—
Special thanks to my Beta Reader, 'Just William' for the excellent feedback and diligent work in making the story better.
—Dance of Death 37—
Chapter 37: Hair of the Dog
Ministry of Magic
Department of Magical Law Enforcement
Director Amelia Bones Office
June 21, 1996
Friday 3AM
Amelia Bones was exhausted. The investigation at Hogwarts had been harrowing. She had to investigate the horrific torture and mutilation of Dolores Umbridge. Without a doubt, Harry Potter was somehow involved, but there was no hard evidence… and her own magic was forcing her to avoid pressing charges. Amelia was not about to risk becoming a squib for the likes of Dolores Umbridge.
Speaking of Dolores, she was in possession of multiple Blood Quills and which appeared to have been used as a form of punishment. She had Pius Thicknesse and John Dawlish collecting the evidence now. The woman was far worse than anyone thought. Now that she was gone, the students were beginning to share stories of abuse at her hands, and the hands of her Inquisitors. How had things gotten so bad? A knock at her door forced her out of her deliberations.
"Enter."
The door opened to see Rufus Scrimgeour, the head of the Aurors. With him were Robards and Williamson, two of his senior Aurors. These were the two Aurors that had managed the interrogations of the suspects in the Umbridge case. The one where she was the victim.
Amelia noted a look of irritation on Rufus' face. "Gentlemen, what can I do for you? Make it quick, I'm exhausted."
Rufus pursed his lips. Amelia knew this wasn't good. "Madam Bones, the initial interrogations are complete. All the students caught in the act have been interrogated and each perpetrator independently confessed to the crime. But there is one commonality that is present in every interrogation… They all consistently maintain that Potter tricked them. Every. Single. Interrogation."
Rufus then handed eight files to Madam Bones. One for each interview. The ones where a Solicitor was present were significantly thinner, but they were all complete.
Amelia glanced at the files, then looked up. "Rufus, I'm as tired as you are. Please, get to the point."
Amelia knew Rufus well enough to know he didn't like what he was about to say. "Madam Bones, we think there is enough evidence to bring Harry Potter in for a formal interrogation." Amelia glanced at Robards and Williamson, they looked determined.
Amelia settled back in her chair. "No." She could feel her own magic exerting pressure on her. The moment she said the word 'No', it settled down.
Rufus crinkled his brow, "Amelia, be reasonable. What harm would it do to bring him in for an interrogation?"
Amelia was tired… She really wanted to get some sleep. "Rufus, I have multiple witnesses that say he was not at the scene. Multiple student statements to this effect. He had no wand and the perpetrators were caught in the act. They had no signs of either the Imperius curse or influence of any potions. I personally interviewed him. Are you implying that I'm not competent?"
Rufus looked suspiciously at her, "An interview and an interrogation are quite different. We've detained and interrogated others on less than this. Interrogations that evidence resulting in convictions."
Amelia had been waiting for that. "Yes. Like Sirius Black. How proud you must feel." She knew Rufus had been on the scene when Sirius was apprehended all those years ago. It was a cheap shot, but she was tired.
Rufus looked like he had been struck. "That's a low blow Amelia. This is nothing like that and you know it." Now her Head Auror was irritated. Amelia and Rufus had a moment where they were just glaring at each other.
Williamson took the silent moment to speak his mind. "Madam Bones, with all due respect, there is a commonality here that cannot be discarded. We know how to bring out details in an interrogation and I'm one hundred percent certain Potter was somehow involved. Let us investigate this fully. The use of Polyjuice alone could explain…"
Amelia slammed her hand down on her desk. "No. If you want to investigate something, go back and investigate who set the Dementor trap in Godric's Hollow. Go and investigate the murder of Potter's Familiar. Go and investigate how Rita Skeeter got dirt on so many people. Tell me why no one is investigating any of this?"
Rufus no longer looked irritated. He looked uncomfortable. "Amelia… you know we can't look further into those events. The Minister has…"
Amelia snapped. "I don't care what that son of a bitch says! He's just looking for an excuse to prosecute Potter and I'm not giving it to him. If he wants to go after an innocent boy, he'll have to go through me. And let me assure all of you boys, the Bones family is far more powerful than he thinks."
Amelia noted the Aurors were all looking nervous and off balance. Williamson took a step backwards.
She was done. "Now get the hell out of my office. We can discuss the case in the morning, but I'm done for the day." When no one moved, she yelled "OUT!" The three men reluctantly turned to leave her office. Rufus followed his Aurors, but instead of leaving, he closed the door and walked back to Amelia and took a seat.
Amelia recognised this was now a conversation between old friends. "Say what you have to say, Rufus."
"Amelia, I don't like this any more than you do. I for one believe You-Know-Who is back, and the minister has his head in the sand. But we can't ignore the facts in this case. If Potter was somehow behind this… That would mean he manipulated eight other students into removing someone that was standing in his way. You know as well as I do that all Dark Wizards start out this way. A small action here… A minor manipulation there…" Seeing Amelia was about to interrupt, Rufus held up his hand. "Please Amelia, hear me out."
Amelia and Rufus were friends. She'd give him his moment. "Continue Rufus. But please, be concise."
"If Potter is guilty of somehow manipulating the events to remove Dolores Umbridge, he's on a dangerous and dark path. The interrogators all admitted that Umbridge wanted him out of the way. The ones without solicitors admitted to thinking they were torturing Potter… This isn't that complicated. Imperious and Polyjuice. Perhaps a memory charm or two… That's all it would take."
Amelia knew Rufus was right. She also knew he knew he was right. This was a textbook case of identifying an emerging Dark Wizard before he gained power. But she had seen Potter's reaction when he read the injuries Umbridge had received. There was no way to fake that. And she had the pressure from the tier one alliance penalties weighing heavily on her… Her own magic…
"Rufus, I saw Potter's reaction to Dolores' injuries. He was horrified. That boy cannot lie or fake a reaction to save his life… He was genuinely shocked!" Rufus looked somewhat relieved at hearing that. "Additionally, I checked every wand and there were no signs of Imperius… Nor any other Unforgivables."
Rufus looked somewhat sceptical. Amelia knew he was wondering if there was a hidden wand somewhere. That's what she would be wondering as well.
She continued, "Casting an Unforgivable at Hogwarts would alert the Wards… I don't see the level of manipulation you're implying without the Imperius. We both know what Fudge would do the minute he had a finger hold. Potter would be in Azkaban within thirty minutes. He'd manipulate the press and all hell would break loose." She didn't mention the possible use of Imperius in Hogsmeade.
Rufus sat quietly. "I don't like this Amelia. Robards and Williamson are convinced Potter is just as guilty as the students we apprehended. More guilty, in fact. Having a Runespoor for a Familiar isn't helping the boy's image."
Amelia grimaced. She knew his Familiar would come up. "Robards and Williamson have no hard evidence to support their theory. Consider that Potter still has supporters. Powerful supporters. Most already believe, rightly so I'll add, that the Minister is slandering him for political reasons. They would fight for him. Are you ready to go against Albus Dumbledore? Not the eccentric Headmaster, but the Battle Wizard that even You-Know-Who feared?" she let that sink in for a moment. "Then there's all the families of the children that Umbridge abused. Yes, Rufus, it's all coming out now. And it is not good. Would you like to lay odds on who set up the Dementor trap and killed Potters Familiar?"
Seeing her old friend hesitate, Amelia sat back and waited.
Rufus was looking conflicted, but said, "I still don't like it. Three drops of Veritaserum…"
Amelia shook her head. "Rufus, you know you can't force Veritaserum. Potter's attorney would destroy you. It would be the end of your career. You would end up in Azkaban." She emphasised the last part. She'd personally see to it… she was done fucking around. A war was about to start, and people needed to decide where their loyalties were.
Rufus grimaced. He knew there wasn't enough evidence to force a trial. He also knew he couldn't use Veritaserum on a minor without a Ministry approved order. Given Potter was now the Heir to an Ancient and Most Noble family… even that wouldn't work. But he and his men thought they could break or trip him up in an interrogation. But they would need Amelia's support, and they weren't getting it. Could Fudge override her? Did he really want him to? A political battle between Fudge and Amelia would be brutal.
Amelia recognised the need to reassure her friend. "Rufus, again, I saw the boy's face when he read what had been done. I'm telling you; he was unprepared. When 'You-Know-Who' surfaces, do you want to be the one who helped put Potter away?" Before Rufus could answer, she added, "The Minister is corrupt and most his crimes will come out. He will be held accountable and he'll take dozens down with him. You and I both know he'll throw you, and anyone else he can, to the wolves if it keeps him in power."
Rufus sighed, "I hope you're right about Potter, Amelia. My team wants answers. The minister will fight you. Don't underestimate Cornelius Fudge." After a slight pause, "I won't challenge you on this… But if you're proven wrong, you'll be on your own."
Rufus then stood up and quietly left her office.
After he left, Amelia sat quietly for a good ten minutes. It was time to prepare. Fudge and half the Aurors were going to come at her in the morning. All looking for blood. Potter's blood. But she would refuse to bend. She would cut down her enemies and protect her allies.
She was a Bones.
—Dance of Death 37—
Somewhere Else
Friday, June 21, 1996
5 AM
When Harry landed, he knew immediately what had happened. A portkey. Nonononono! He clicked the retractable pen again… nothing. And again… Still nothing. He heard his familiar talking… He pulled the bag she was in across his shoulder and chest and investigated it.
"§…What was that…? …What…? …How did…? Where are we…? …Harry…? §"
Three small heads came out of the bag. Use of a portkey was not a good way to be woken up. Artemis looked ready to strike.
Harry whispered back, "§ Shhhhhhh. We've been kidnapped. Stay quiet and I'll get us out of here…§"
Shite! He'd been distracted and exhausted… What was he thinking? He knew better! Looking around, he adjusted his vision to that of an owl. He was in a large building… Magic was thick… Everywhere… All around him were towering shelves full of small, fist sized glass globes.
Harry suddenly felt an immense amount of anger toward Billy for setting him up. The little shite! No good deed… And then there's Dumbledore for not giving him a wand! And himself… for not checking the pen before touching it.
So much for taking his last OWL. Muggle studies seemed far less important now.
He suddenly heard footsteps approaching from different directions. Harry adopted a combat stance and prepared himself. Just like last year… only with no wand…
"Well, well, well… Mr. Potter." Harry looked up and saw none other than Lucius Malfoy. And others. Beside him was Bellatrix Lestrange… Holding a wand to the throat of a certain Metamorphmagus… Tonks looked like she'd been roughed up.
Lucius on the other hand was just as vile and slimey as always. The eye patch made him look especially sinister. He was supposed to be in a holding cell. Somewhere inside the… Ministry…
"Welcome, Mr. Potter, to the Department of Mysteries… Do behave now, we wouldn't want Bella to get… anxious."
The crazy bitch started to laugh. Tonks seemed to recoil from the ghastly witch. Given the grey and black teeth, her breath was almost certainly foul.
This was the first time he had seen Bellatrix in person. She looked nothing like the image on the tapestry. Azkaban had not been kind… She was like a nightmare version of Andromeda. Ghoulish and crazy. Utterly repulsive. Harry looked around and recognised quite a few of the people around him. Narcissa's Deatheater review helped. The Lestrange brothers, Crabbe, Mulciber, Dolohov, Jugson, Macnair, Avery, Rookwood, Nott, Travers…
Lucius smiled in his condescending way. "Here's what's going to happen. First, you retrieve something for us. Then, we take you to visit the Dark Lord."
Harry wanted to laugh in his face, but he just couldn't fake it. "Why would I do anything for you?"
Bellatrix laughed, "Because you care about this little half-blood." She scrunched up her face like she was talking to a child. "Ickle Harry."
Harry regretted not filling his Matrices up with combat spells… but there was at least a dozen of them. And they all had wands pointed at him. From all directions. His matrices held the 'Form Switching' charm, the 'Trick with Doors', the 'Shield' charm, his 'Elemental Spears', the 'Anonymous' charm, a 'Disillusionment' charm, and an 'Episkey' for simple healing. It wouldn't be enough… he needed a wand. With a wand, he had an arsenal.
"Let her go, and I'll get whatever you want." Harry stood there staring at Tonks. "Just let her go."
Bellatrix laughed hard. They all did. While they were laughing, Harry made eye contact with Tonks, focusing, he silently cast the 'Form Exchange' Charm he had previously used on Umbridge… 'Forma Communtationem!' Harry tore through Tonk's mental defences and switched places. Bellatrix let out a startled scream. She was essentially hugging a massive pincushion. Tonks collapsed on the floor… Time for the dirty tricks Lou had taught him months ago. He dropped any illusions that would make him look like Tonks…
Harry immediately gripped Bellatrix's wrist and pulled the wand down and away just as a brutal curse flew out of it. He got lucky and the curse struck Jugson. The Deatheater choked out a gargled scream. Harry recognised the Blood Boiling curse. Still holding her wrist, he twisted under her arm and hyperextended her arm. He then forcefully struck his elbow against her hyperextended elbow, bending her arm backwards. As tendons and ligaments popped, he pulled her wand from her suddenly limp hand. He also registered that his thorns had torn her up.
Harry held her wand up and shouted "Percutiens Tonitrua!" A massive thunderous boom sounded out, stunning and deafening everyone. He then stomped on the top of Bella's foot. He heard a satisfying 'crunch'. In one fluid motion, Harry dropped down and touched the floor with Bellatrix's wand. "Quassum Terrae!"
The ground started churning and shaking as though it was the ocean… only solid. No one could remain standing, let alone aim a curse. Between the Thunder Strike and the Earthquake spells, he had time to get Tonks away. Harry was unaffected by the moving floor and he ran forward and grabbed Tonk's hand. He knew a few thorns pierced her skin, but they had to get out of there.
He tried to Apparate to the Leaky Cauldron… That was in range from the ministry. Nothing happened. Shite, they had to move!
Bellatrix was screaming and the earth was shaking brutally. Globes were falling off shelves and ghostly voices began emanating from them. Harry heard someone say 'Finite!' and the ground began settling down.
A couple of curses came their way and Harry was forced to deflect them with Bellatrix's wand. It felt good to use a wand in combat… He and Tonks were already moving.
Tonks had a nosebleed and was looking rough. Draco had a similar reaction the one time he resisted the switching spell during their practice session. Tonks was stronger than Draco, but Harry caught her unprepared. She'd be pissed if they survive this. Sensing numerous attacks, Harry turned and covered them with a shield as they continued to make their escape.
A continuous stream of curses was striking his shield. He couldn't drop it to retaliate, not without risking Tonks. These were strong curses, too. Fortunately, none were Unforgivables. He directed Tonks to run around a corner. They had a good lead due to the stunning aspect of the Thunder Strike. Additionally, the Earthquake spell resulted in all the Deatheaters losing their footing… But Tonks was not moving fast, and his own thorns slowed him down a bit.
They kept moving, zigzagging about to keep the death eaters from having a direct line of fire. When he thought he had a moment, Harry turned and said, "Ignis Pila!" A ball of intense heat, about the size of a snitch, formed on the tip of his wand.
He began attaching spell threads to it. He held it steady and pumped more power into it… more… more… Within five seconds, he had a massive Quaffle sized fireball. Then he let it fly down a long corridor where he expected pursuit. Just as a few Deatheaters rounded the corner some thirty yards away, it exploded within ten feet of the new arrivals. The explosion was Immense. A bristling wave of heat struck him thirty feet away and he was sure there would be fewer Deatheaters in the morning. Harry didn't stick around to see the damage.
As he ran, he looked at Bellatrix's wand, he realised it was reasonably powerful. It had a slight curve to it but felt easy in the hand. This was a duellist's wand. He instinctively knew how to point it even with the curved shape. It had accepted him.
Tonks grabbed his sleeve, "This way!" Harry followed her. They ran into a side corridor. Harry shifted his hearing and realised there were plenty of pursuers heading their way. He also heard distant sounds of people in pain… As they rounded a corner, Harry stopped.
"Hold up, Tonks." He waved his wand over an area just around the corner of the turn. "Aspera Caliditas!"
"Harry, we've got to move!" Tonks said through clenched teeth.
Harry smiled and turned toward Tonks. "That'll give then something to think about."
They quickly moved down the corridor. Harry noticed Tonks was slowing down. Whatever adrenaline had been coursing through her was wearing off. He pulled her into a side room and set her down. He then Cast "Aspera Caliditas!" on the area just inside the entrance to the room.
"There. Now we have some breathing room."
"Harry, what was that spell?"
"It's an elemental spell. It creates a zone of extreme heat of cold. I have created a heat zone on the corridor we went through, so this one is cold. Anyone walks through that area; they'll be standing in a zone of unbelievable cold. It's so cold it burns as your own body heat is drawn out. It's hard to hold a wand with frost bite. It lasts about half an hour."
Harry stopped and listened closely and was certain no one was near the door to the room they were in. Looking at Tonks he said, "Wait here".
He disillusioned himself casting a silencing charm on his shoes. He then edged around the 'cold zone' to exit the room. He set up more cold zones directly inside two other empty rooms. One on either side of the room Tonks was in. Just in case.
Returning to the centre room, he ended the disillusionment charm and checked on Tonks. He saw his Familiar looking up at him from her bag. Six luminous green eyes. Watching him. He could sense their admiration. He was thankful for their silence; he really didn't need to referee their bickering.
"§Stay quiet and safe. You're protected inside the bag. §"
Tonks smiled and looked at him in wonder. "Where did you learn… and the Earthquake spell… The ground was actually undulating… like water…"
Harry smiled. "Family magic. Now let's see about you." The simple 'Episkey' was the only healing spell he knew. Bellatrix's wand didn't seem particularly good at it, either. First, he healed her hands where his thorns had cut her. Her ribs were pretty bruised up. She had been running around on a twisted ankle… After about a minute, he had done all he could.
Harry looked at her, his concern evident. "I think I got it all. But I didn't really 'get it all'… if you know what I mean."
Tonks smiled kindly. "I know, Harry. A simple charm like 'Episkey' wasn't designed for serious injuries. I think I might have a concussion and the ribs were broken. They seem a little better now, though. I can breathe easier… but the ankle is still a mess." She cheerfully added, "At least my bumps and bruises are better."
He heard whispering. "§ She's injured §." "§ Maybe Harry can carry her§." "§He should hide her; she'll slow him down in a fight§." "§Do you think there'll be a fight§?" "§ Absolutely…§" "§ Well it's about time! §" "§ Amen to that. §."
Harry stopped listening to his Familiar and focused on Tonks.
They suddenly heard a man screaming far down the hall. Someone stumbled into his 'Heat Zone'. Good.
"Harry, normally I'd pull rank and take the wand… but it seems to like you." Sadly, she added, "I'm also not in any shape to fight. Honestly, I had to use my Metamorphmagus ability to get this far… but it doesn't heal, it just suppresses."
Harry knew his Familiar was right. Staying here would get them both killed. "Stay here. I'll draw them away." Whatever energy she had when they made their break… it was gone now. If she did have a concussion…
Tonks focused on him. "Look Harry, these aren't school yard bullies. If they get you, you'll die. Horribly…"
Harry gave a short nod. He saw that with Umbridge.
"Harry, you are powerful. You are skilled. I don't want you out there, but they will eventually find us. You have to get away." When she saw that sink in, she added, "Do. Not. Hold. Back." Seeing that sink in, Tonks went on. "We're in the Department of Mysteries. Send a Patronus to Dumbledore and tell him. But you must keep moving. Don't let them surround you. Also, everyone will see your Patronus the moment you cast it. Move quickly from there."
The Department of Mysteries… of course he couldn't Apparate. And Malfoy had even told him where he was… Wait, how were they able to portkey in? That should be impossible… Rookwood? Narcissa said he had been an Unspeakable… maybe…
"Harry, you're distracted. Use a 'Rennervate' if you need a boost. Stay focused and keep moving. You're life depends on it" With a smirk, she added, "And so does mine."
Harry realised he had let his mind wander. "Right. Keep them off guard. Hit and run. Let's get you set up."
Harry and Tonks both knew the Deatheaters would eventually find them. He wasn't strong enough to carry her and the thorns made that impossible even if he was… He needed to draw the attention away from this room. Away from his friend. If anything happened to her…
Harry set her in the corner and placed a disillusionment charm over her. He then transfigured the wall to physically cover her, slightly changing the shape of the room. It would last a few hours or so. Her left a small gap at the top for air to get in… A simple 'notice not' charm was then used to hopefully prevent anyone from looking too hard.
The room had a small storage closet. He focused and cast 'Coniunctum Fores Unus!' Setting up the closet door to be linked to another. Satisfied that he could leave, he set up an alarm to alert him if the area in the corner was approached. It paid to be a curse-breaker. Hopefully, they would be looking for him, not her. He'd make sure they had a target… him.
Well, the Deatheaters started this fight, but he was going to finish it. They would have closed the distance now… It had been too long. The fireball likely slowed them down, but they'd be here in another minute or two if he didn't draw them away.
—DoD—
Ten Minutes ago
Bellatrix was furious. Harry Potter had gotten the better of her. They outnumbered him and had a hostage… Then he pulled that trick with a switching spell. Rodolphus had healed her and she had a good back up wand… but the indignity. Jugson was dead now… by her own curse! By the time the earth stopped moving, it was too late to cast the counter-curse. His brain had been boiled in his own skull. It was cute the way his eyes burst…
pop-pop-squish!
Lucius had split them all up and they were searching the entire Department of Mysteries. She hated freeing that traitor, but her Lord had commanded it. Crabbe and Rabastan were in direct pursuit while the others were re-grouping. But they were too eager and had walked into a huge fiery explosion. Crabbe was blown to smithereens.
Bellatrix spun on her recently repaired foot like a ballerina.
"All the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Crabbey together again…"
She was so brilliant. So musical…
Rabastan had gotten a shield up when he saw the fireball, but the blast shattered it. He was now seriously burned and unable to fight. Rodolphus activated his brother's portkey and sent him away. How was Potter able to cast something so… powerful? It didn't matter, he wouldn't get away.
Bella was on the hunt now… She and her husband would find him. They would make him pay… and her sister's spawn as well. Another pathetic Half-Blood. The boy was armed, so it paid to be careful. They all had a vague idea where he was, but he seemed to be moving. She and her husband took the more direct path while the others circled around to cut off any escape. Crabbe's death had turned them into frightened kittens. They were all cowards. They would wait until she found them, then they'd charge in. But that suited her. She liked her meat fresh.
Rodolphus was using his wand to try and track the boy… it wasn't working well. Entering a hallway, he walked right into a trap. He was suddenly on fire and screaming. Bellatrix pulled him backward with a summoning charm and cast an 'Aguamenti' charm to put out the flames. Rodolphus would live, but he was in no condition to fight.
Bella looked down at her charred and blistered husband. She giggled thinking about the Lestrange brothers. They always did try and do things together. Even if that meant getting third degree burns. But Rudy looked so sad…
She sang for her injured husband.
"Crispy-crispy-crisps.
I love you
Just the way
You are…"
Beyond singing for him, there wasn't much she could do. Bella was no healer. That had always been… Andi.
Andi had turned her back on the family… Once Bella exterminated her Mudblood husband and Half-Blood spawn, Andi would come around. She would return and it would be like before… Bella would have both of her sisters back. She began laughing mirthfully at the idea.
"Three Black sisters…
Sitting in a tree…
K-I-L-L-I-N-G."
Bella was quietly singing and swaying to her brilliant melody.
Her husband let out a painful moan, bringing her attention back to him.
She pursed her lips. "Poor Rudy… Let's look you over." She dispelled the area of burning heat with a quick 'Finite Incantatem!' and levitated her husband and proceeded down the hall. Opening a door, it looked empty. She levitated her husband into the room, only to see him start twisting about and making feeble sounds. She quickly pulled him out. He wasn't on fire, but she watered him down anyway. This time, the water began to ice up on him.
She mirthfully chuckled. Potter was full of tricks. Poor Rudy. Potter really needs to decide if he wants it to be hot… or cold.
Bellatrix waved her wand and found another zone, this one cold. She dispelled the cold zone and carefully brought her unconscious husband into the room. He'd live, but he wouldn't be pretty. His nose looked almost black… She was growing tired of this game. 'Ickle Harry' had successfully slowed her down. She rooted through her husband's pockets until she found his emergency portkey. She gave him a kiss on the forehead, his blackened skin felt funny on her lips. With a little wave, she activated his portkey, and sent him away…
"Roasty-Toasty, Krispy-Crackly… Ro-o-o-o-o-o-dy."
In a moment of clarity, Bellatrix wondered, 'Why was this room protected?' With a wave of her wand, she located and dispelled an immensely powerful Disillusionment charm. Standing in the corner was a large and ornate Mirror. It looked both beautiful and quite old. Over the top it read:
'erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi'.*
That inscription made no sense… Then again, maybe it made perfect sense…
Bella investigated the mirror. Her eyes beheld the most amazing image. She was young and beautiful again. All the 'improvements' her master had placed on her were gone. Her teeth were white, and her face was full. She was young again. Full of life and hope and… human wants. She was so beautiful… Her forearm was… clear…
I.
Standing beside her were Andi and Cissy. They were sisters again and they all loved each other. They loved her the most. They embraced one another and looked back at her from the mirror, smiling… Bella's heart was breaking at the beauty of the image, then she noticed others were forming in the reflection. Sirius and Regulus were there. Whole and healthy… they were teenagers… joking about and getting into mischief. They were in their Hogwarts uniforms and quite dashing. Both were sorted into Slytherin. Their parents and Grandparents were behind them, approving and proud of their generation.
S.
H.
O.
W.
She slowly became aware of another teenager. He had messy black hair and the most unusual eyes… They were almond shaped and brilliant green… Just like his mothers, standing behind him. And behind her, was the boys Grandparent's. His grandfather and grandmother were well known to her. She had admired Lycoris Black her entire life… and her husband… Gellert Grindelwald. With the same eyes his daughter and grandson had. Lily Potter was no Mudblood… she was a Black! And a Grindelwald! That meant…
Harry Potter… She looked at the boy. He was handsome and strong. He even had a three headed snake for a familiar! His eyes… Andi put her hand on his shoulder. She was his godmother… but the one he loved the most… He was holding Bella's hand. He was suddenly older now. They were the same age… and they had children. Sons who would be the Heirs of the House of Black and Grindelwald. Daughters to expand into other families. It was so beautiful… It was happening right before her eyes…
Bella stood and stared at the image… she lost all track of time.
Y.
O.
U.
R.
Then an explosion shook the room, breaking her gaze.
She scrunched up her wasted face and screamed. "NO! This is a Trick!" But the image didn't waver. It just grew stronger. Lily was her friend… There were no Potters at all. And Grindelwald approved of them. Of her. And the Runespoor was so beautiful. Their children… Her children…
H.
E.
A.
R.
T.
S.
She suddenly realised something was off. She screamed into the reflection. "I can't have children! I'm barren! This is a trick! I gave that up…" But she still saw her children… with emerald green eyes. She knew those eyes. She had worshiped Gellert Grindelwald in her youth and she knew his eyes… So beautiful. Just like Lily's. Just like Harry's. She had been furious when she heard Harry was the new Lord Black… but not anymore. It was fitting. And she was by his side. Her family…
Her sisters…
D.
E.
S.
I.
R.
E.
More time had slipped by while Bella was lost in the image. Another explosion in the distance shocked her attention away from the mirror. When she looked back, nothing had changed. Her heart's desire was there for her to see…
Once more, she screamed into the mirror – "Where were you?!" She was looking at an adult Harry Potter. No, not Potter… Harry Black. The man of her dreams… Why wasn't he there all those years ago…? She had chosen to follow a cold and empty man because he said all the right things… but he had ruined her. Voldemort had destroyed her family and her life… Something suddenly kicked in.
This couldn't be real. She couldn't have been this wrong. She suddenly looked at the image in the mirror in a rage…
"Bombarda!"
She fired a blasting curse and the mirror shattered and flew across the room to rest against the wall. Looking at one of the shards still attached, she saw the truth. The illusion was gone. She had aged, and not well. Her face was gaunt, and her teeth were grey and blackened. Her hair was lank and devoid of the lustre it had once held. She had dark circles under both eyes… Azkaban had been unkind, but so had her master. He gave her power… but it came at a price. Her once acclaimed beauty was no more.
She fell to the ground sobbing. "I'm a monster now…" Some of the mirror's shards had cut her when she destroyed it. She was bleeding from a half dozen small wounds. Wounds she didn't even feel. Small pain was not something her master wanted her to feel. Only big pain would even register now. Like having her arm broken and her foot shattered. Like being pierced all over by huge thorns. Potter!
Once more, she was shocked out of her grief filled ruminations as the sounds of a battle were heard. Snarling she leapt up and charged out of the room. Harry Potter was no Dark Lord. She would prove it by taking his head. Her Lord would forgive her for killing the boy…
—DoD—
Elsewhere in the Department of Mysteries
Harry was sprinting through the Department as fast as he could run, occasionally, he fired loud and attention getting curses… 'Bombarda!' 'Reducto!' 'Depulso!' He stuck to the loudest curses to cause noise and draw attention away from where he left Tonks. He knew she was vulnerable and likely unconscious. He also set a few Hot and Cold Zones with the "Aspera Caliditas!" Charm to serve as traps to slow down the Death Eaters. If they moved fast enough, they would catch him. Especially with the number of toppled shelves piling up and blocking the rows between them.
Disillusionment works great when you're standing still or moving slowly, but a noticeable distortion effect when running, so he just didn't bother. Coming around a corner, Harry stopped short as he was suddenly face to face with three Deatheaters.
Avery, Travers and Macnair were just as surprised as Harry was. But they recovered quickly, proving that they were practiced killers. Within a fraction of a second, curses began flying. Harry found himself parrying and dodging repeatedly. His enhanced perception and Danger sense kept him from getting hit, but the three Deatheaters coordinated their attacks well enough that he didn't have time to counter. He parried a stunner, a cutting curse, and dodged a bone breaker. They wanted him alive but seemed alright with inflicting grave injuries on him.
Shifting to the left, he shielded himself from two curses and silently managed to transfigure a toppled shelf into a large three-foot diameter spider. It had some of those odd spheres for eyes and shelve beams for legs. Taking a cue from his father, he silently created an illusionary version of it and sent the two spiders to attack from the rear. They were about fifteen feet away but would arrive in seconds. He needed the break… One misstep, and he was done.
Harry got his first opening when Macnair threw a 'Bombarda!' at the ground in front of him. It was done silently, but Harry knew the spell well enough to sense and identify it. This was a good strategy against a defending Wizard, frequently knocking the target off their feet. He knew how to counter an attack like this – improved defence. He stepped forward and shouted "Protego!" He angled the shielding charm, so the explosion was forced slightly upward and away from him.
Macnair and Avery were knocked off their feet, but Travers managed to throw a Bone Breaker curse and shield himself as the shockwave hit. Harry was able to volley the curse back towards Macnair but missed as the Deatheater rolled out of the way. Macnair and Avery were standing back up and Travers was suddenly blocked. Macnair had rolled directly in front of Travers to avoid the volleyed Bone Breaker.
For a split second, Harry had a break, and he made the most of it. With a slashing motion, he used a Battle Spell from the Alaric Grimoire, shouting "Ferrum Uitta!" A thin flat ribbon shot outward at the three Deatheaters. Harry followed through on the slashing motion and brought the wand behind him. He focused… 'Hastam Spinam!' An elemental wood spear formed as he brought the spear forward in a hurling motion. The wand served as an Atlatl, a spear thrower. In one continuous motion, the wand flew toward Avery.
The Macnair and Avery saw the first curse and each man raised a shield. Macnair and Avery had their shields destroyed by the powerful spell, they were shaken, but otherwise unharmed. Travers had been standing behind Macnair and didn't see it coming. As he stepped out from behind Macnair, he was sliced cleanly in half at the waist. Harry's elemental spear was launched a split second behind the cutting ribbon, and it went straight into Avery's chest and exploded into thorn covered vines, tangling both Deatheaters.
Avery coughed up blood, then slumped over. The remnants of the spear buried deep in his chest. Macnair was tangled in thorn covered vines and was suddenly attacked by the transfigured spider and the illusionary spider. Before Harry could finish the battle, two more Deatheaters showed up.
Dolohov and Nott raised around the nearby corridor and joined the battle. Dolohov seemed to be the best duellist of the bunch as he immediately started a spell chain of brutal curses to keep Harry on the defensive while Nott was busy helping Macnair. To Harry's satisfaction, he noted they were confused by the illusionary spider and Macnair had earned a nasty injury on his right arm from the transfigured one.
Harry didn't have time to gloat as Dolohov kept him dodging and shielding. He was starting to feel tired. Harry decided to thin out the opponents and briefly focused on Nott who was helping Macnair. He fired off a piercing curse quickly and silently. 'Sagitta!' It was one of his fastest spells to cast and was about as powerful as a bullet fired from a handgun. The curse struck Nott in the side of the head, ending his life in a splatter of bone and brain matter.
Dolohov never broke stride, but he was only one man. Harry began matching him, but eventually ducked down to avoid a Stunner and repeated an earlier trick. He touched the ground and said "Quassum Terrae!" The earth began to undulate again… Dolohov pointed at the ground "Finite Incantatem!" And the ground immediately stopped undulating.
Harry never stopped moving, after casting the Earthquake spell, he rose and flicked his wand again, 'Confringo!'Dolohov hastily threw up a shield, but the explosion shattered it and blew him backwards. He landed ten feet away from where he started, and he didn't get back up.
Harry heard footsteps approaching and dashed down another corridor. He quickly and silently cast 'Turbinis Vasti!' Sending a whirling funnel of air down a corridor of shelves in the opposite direction from where he was moving. He then dashed around another corridor. He quickly Disillusioned and Silenced himself. Harry was breathing like he had sprinted a mile. He was quite winded. There was a huge difference between Deatheaters and Hogwarts students. Dolohov was the best of the bunch… Harry just had more power than the Deatheaters shield could handle. But power only worked when you were on the offensive. Fighting three Deatheaters almost did him in.
He heard several Deatheaters rush down the corridor and had sent them a mini tornado. He was still catching his second wind. The whole exchange had lasted no more than a couple of minutes, but it had been intense. Taking a count, Harry realised Jugson was out early. Macnair was injured. Avery and Nott were dead. Travers was dead. Dolohov was injured. His fireball had likely taken at least one Deatheater out… Another Deatheater had stumbled into the 'Heat Zone' he had set up… All the zones will have faded by now... He'd have to lay down a few more. The odds were improving, but he had yet to encounter Bellatrix. She was, without a doubt, the most dangerous.
As Harry heard movement receding, he focused and cast a silent 'Hominum Revelio'. No one was near… but they were all around. They would probably do the same trick… Except they would be confused by each other's signature… Harry dropped the silencing charm. He had caught his breath and was ready…
He needed to get help. Holding Bellatrix's wand, he said, "Expecto Patronum!" It felt different through this wand. Somehow less… vibrant. But Prongs appeared. The Deatheaters would be here any moment, he needed to move quickly. Harry focused on the Patronus and said, "Take a message to Dumbledore" He then mentally linked his mind to his Patronus and said, "I've been transported to the Department of Mysteries. Deatheaters are everywhere… Send Help!"
He paused for only a moment as Prongs darted off at blistering speed. How long would it take? Thirty minutes? Less? There was no point in waiting to see how long the delay would be, he dashed away.
Hit and run.
—DoD—
Harry setup a few more heat and cold zone traps. He also began sensing other traps… Someone was setting traps for him! He decided to stay disillusioned and he began using illusions to draw the Deatheaters out. He also created a few tricks with illusional doors and covered up the doorway to the corridor he had stashed Tonks.
Coming around a corner, he was suddenly alerted to an attack. He dropped to the ground as a pair of red bolts flew over his head. He could feel them 'sizzle' as they rushed past. One came from the front and the other from the side. Damn, they set up an ambush. A flanking attack…
"Crucio!"
Harry barely managed to roll out of the way and raised a Protego just in time to deflect an Expulso blast. He parried a Bone-Breaker back to where he thought the caster was and began retreating. This forced the attacker to the side to step out into the same corridor as the first attacker. He made out their movements. Two disillusioned attackers…
Harry managed to dodge and parry a piercing curse as well as a blinding curse of some kind. Back to chapter 46. "Fulgar Uitta!" The spell was too new to him to try silently and under pressure, but neither one of these bums were likely to know it. He fired off a wide ribbon of lightning. It filled the corridor with a massive burst of twisting electric tendrils, globes exploded on every shelf, sending glass flying…
He caught sight of one body spasming and another raised a shield. This was not a spell that ended, Harry kept pumping power into it until the second shield fell.
Dropping the spell, he focused on the huge towering shelf to the side... 'Accio!' He pulled it over onto the fallen Deatheaters and stepped away as it came down. They'd almost got him. He had to overpower their defences to emerge in one piece. My god that was exhausting. The Alaric family spells were powerful, but they took a lot out of you.
Then he heard clapping.
Harry spun around and launched a 'Confringo!'
He saw a dark figure step out of the way of the spell just before it struck. "Yes! That's the way to do it 'Ickle Harry'!" The figure moved like nightmare image… too fast to be human. It could only be Bellatrix.
Harry shot a piercing curse at her, but she effortlessly batted it away.
She grinned with a mouth that was cracked and foul. "I want to play with you 'Ickle Harry'…"
Suddenly, she was casting. Impossibly fast. Harry's enhanced reflexes and perception could barely keep up with her movements… His ability to sense magic and danger was keeping him from getting hit, but only just barely…
Harry was struggling. She was casting two attacks for ever one of his. She was so fast nothing touched her… The only time she slowed was when she cast the Cruciatus curse, a curse that required a verbal component. She was… a better duellist. Not as powerful as he was, but more skilled. Significantly faster, too.
She launched two curses and Harry's left arm was sliced open. He was slowing down, and she was playing with him. Another strike caught his right leg. Not deep, but it would bleed. This is what his father warned him about. Don't play her game.
He managed to cast a spell he had practiced in his Dreamscape. "Vide Bellator!" Suddenly there were four Harry Potters. All moving independently. Harry began transfiguring wreckage throughout the room into wolves… He liked wolves… and the room was now full of wreckage. He was careful not to cast any traceable spell and he dodged rather than parried or shielded… as did his images. The bitch sped up and started singing.
"One-Two…
Lick My Shoe,
Three-Four…
I'll cut off your head…
Seven-eight…
You'll be dead…"
Harry almost lost his concentration… What the hell? Not only did it not rhyme very well, but she skipped five and six… Crazy bitch. Harry's Transfigured wolves were attacking her. The first savagely took a chunk out of her thigh… That would slow her down a bit. Harry kept creating wolves and she was suddenly distracted. She was firing 'Reducto!' curses at the wolves, but she kept singing that god-awful song… She was destroying wolves as fast as Harry could create them and managing to fire off an occasional curse in his direction. But he was gaining the upper hand.
Harry noticed the curses were starting to lose some of their impact. She was tiring out. She was no longer a blur when she moved… One of his 'phantom images' just took a chuck of shrapnel from one of the exploding wolves and winked out of existence. It was time to make his move. He reinforced an illusion he had created on the wall. One right in front of a Heat Zone… One of the few still up and running…
The moment her head turned slightly to track one of the last wolves, Harry decided to go for broke and disillusioned himself while ending one of the two remaining 'phantom images'. In her periphery vision, it would look like the illusionary images ended. He then sent 'Phantom Harry' darting through a heat zone and through an illusionary doorway, then turning and disappearing.
Bellatrix destroyed the last remaining wolf and was right behind the retreating illusion screaming "Come back and Play!" She was moving at a blistering speed even with the damage to her leg. She charged through the heat zone so fast she would only have first degree burns… except her feet. They'd be charred.
Charging the doorway, she yelled, "We're not done yet Ick…SPLAT!" What stopped her was the illusionary entrance way that 'Illusion Harry' escaped through. She must have struck it at over thirty miles per hour.
It was a two-foot-thick stone wall. Her head was bent at an odd angle…
Apparently, running face first into a stone wall was hazardous to your health. Especially when moving at double a human's speed. Harry was glad the crazy psycho bitch was done.
Harry took a moment to catch his breath… how many more opponents were there? He disillusioned himself and went back to the original Hallway, noting the room he left Tonks in was still intact. He continued and went through a door that led to a round chamber. There were many doorways. Deciding to just chance it, he said "Um... How do I get…"
He sensed the attack a split second before it would have struck. He barely managed to parry a cutting curse... Then a Bone-Breaker… Then a piercing curse… then one he didn't recognise… Harry saw the moving distortion. Another trap… but only one Deatheater. When he entered and spoke, his disillusionment charm lost its imperceptibility. He was now one of two 'distorted images' duelling one another.
He held his wand out between parries and silently cast 'Percutiens Tonitrua!' The resulting thunderous boom would draw attention, but Harry acted on instinct. It was the Spell his mum preferred against disillusioned opponents.
Harry followed the stunning curse with a 'Petrificus Totalus!' There on the ground, frozen stiff, was Lucius Malfoy. His eyes darting about in fear. Harry pointed his wand… time to do the world a favour… for the greater good…
But Lucius was helpless. And he was… Draco's dad. He deserved it! After all the shite he's pulled… Year after year… But… Harry just… couldn't do it. Not like this. Not to Draco's dad. Deciding on a satisfying alternative, he pulled his foot back and savagely kicked the side of the Deatheaters head. Lucius was knocked out cold. Maybe he'd even have a concussion… but… Harry would let the authorities have him. Tonight, he had killed… but only in self-defence. He picked up Lucius' wand and broke it. It wasn't the snake handled one he'd had before, but it still felt good.
Harry walked back to the centre of the room and looked up at the door on the end. "Umm... Exit, please…?"
A door to the left suddenly flew open. As if the Department of Mysteries was ready to be rid of him. Considering the damage, he'd done… It probably was. Harry stepped out into the doorway and came to a lift. Entering it, he scanned his options and pressed the button marked as 'The Atrium'. The lift rose and stopped at a corridor leading to large entrance way. He found an office and quickly enchanted the doorway. 'Coniunctum Fores Duo!'
He then stepped through the doorway and out of the supply closet in the room he left Tonks. 'Hominum Revelio!' No one was near except an unconscious Tonks. He removed the transfigured wall and levitated Tonks through the door to the storage closet. Closing and opening it, he was back in the ministry. He disillusioned the both and slowly moved toward a large statue in the centre of the huge area. He heard voices. Quickly and quietly, he cast 'Rennervate!' on Tonks. She slowly woke up but seemed groggy. He had her proceed behind him. She did not look or walk well. He had forgotten about her ankle.
Moving toward the voices, He began to hear combat. Dumbledore was fighting Voldemort. It was brilliant and intense. Harry looked over and saw Tonks was struggling… He carefully levitated her out of sight and placed another Disillusionment charm on her. She was his main concern. Once secure, he went back to watching Dumbledore battling Voldemort.
Tracking both combatants was easier than tracking Bellatrix. She had moved so fast that even with his heightened perceptions he struggled to keep up with her. Dumbledore and Voldemort were different. Both were fast, but not inhumanly so. In fact, without the thorns, Harry knew he was faster than either man. It was the intuitive nature of their movements. They both possessed 'Mage Level' power and had the skill to back it up. They were both masters of combat. The way they moved and cast, it was so certain and controlled, it almost looked choreographed.
After the first minute, it appeared that Voldemort possibly had a slight edge in power, while Dumbledore possessed a higher level of skill. Voldemort favoured Curses while Dumbledore favoured transfiguration. As Harry thought about it, he realised Voldemort's power was not greater… Curses were flamboyant and direct… transfiguration took a lot of power but was less flashy.
Harry considered jumping in, but he didn't want to throw Dumbledore off… not with Voldemort hurling the killing curse over and over. He was glad he put Tonks safely aside, the damage to the ministry was impressive. The huge fountain in the middle of the atrium was had been blasted to ruins. Harry started looking for a shot... Something he could do to help take Voldemort down without distracting Dumbledore. He was still a way away, so he slowly began to creep forward to a better position. Move too fast and he'd show distortion over his disillusionment.
After watching the two older mages battle for three or four minutes, Harry noticed Dumbledore began to gain an advantage. It would not have been obvious to someone without knowledge of battle tactics, but Dumbledore was slowing taking control of the fight. Voldemort was attacking less and defending more. Harry stood quietly watching… the war could end right here… He had his wand in his hand… ready…
Then he heard a familiar voice. "Avada Kedavra!" Instinctively, Harry levitated a large piece of the fountain and intercepted the curse just before it impacted Dumbledore. It was a close call. Unfortunately, the distraction caused Dumbledore to break his focus for a half a second, resulting in the Headmaster being struck with blast effect that hurled him across the room… He fell and did not get back up.
Lucius Malfoy approached Voldemort and knelt. "My Lord. I live to serve."
Voldemort stared calmly down at the Deatheater. "Lucius… why did you interrupt my duel?"
"My Lord, you seemed to be… that is…" Lucius knew he'd screwed up. He almost said, 'you seemed to be losing'.
With a wave of his wand, Voldemort separated Lucius' head from his body. A fountain of blood surged forth. Voldemort then turned to Dumbledore… wand raised…
Harry fired a 'Confringo!', but it was easily batted away.
Voldemort stared straight at him and smiled. "Ah, Harry Potter… Is it Christmas already? Has my Birthday come again? I get to kill two of my enemies on the same night."
Harry ended his disillusionment. There was simply no point in maintaining it when Voldemort could apparently see right through it. Now he needed to stall and pull Voldemort away from Dumbledore. Harry walked to a point where he and Voldemort were about twenty feet apart in front of the fountain. Voldemort seemed amused. The snake faced Bastard was… underestimating him.
Harry decided to just go for broke. He shouted "Ultimum Exitium!"This was the final spell in Chapter 46 of the Alaric Grimoire. It required the incantation to be said whilst mentally focusing on the word 'Omnia'. You essentially gave it everything you'd got. A massive bolt of pure power surged forth towards Voldemort.
The Dark Lord threw up a glowing shield-like barrier, stopping the beam in its path. Harry could see a flicker of uncertainty on Voldemort's face when the beam stuck. It was powerful… and it was continuous. Slowly the glow from the shield brightened. It became a contest of wills, just like in the graveyard. But this wasn't just a contest of wills, it was also a contest of raw power. Time seemed to build and weigh on both… Harry could see movement in his periphery vision… Deatheaters?
Harry decided they would have a front row seat to either his demise or Voldemort's. Harry kept pushing without respite. Voldemort was pushing just as hard back. Neither was giving an inch. There was no room for fancy spells or sneak attacks. Any lapse in concentration would be a decisive end. The wand Harry was using was heating up to the point that Harr knew he'd have burns. The first one to give less than one hundred percent attention, died. The first one to falter, died. Today was the day… It may kill him… but... today… was… the… day… With a massive effort he pushed even more power into the beam. He was ending this once and for all!
The barrier Voldemort was pushing his power against suddenly exploded, sending Harry staggering backward and Voldemort flying backward and impacting the wall. Remarkably like how Dumbledore was sent flying. Like Dumbledore, Voldemort wasn't moving. Harry felt like he had run a marathon… His ears were ringing… Movement all around him… Focus! It's time to end this! He pointed his wand at Voldemort "Confringo!" His wand exploded in his hand.
Hastily looking about, Harry saw another wand lying on the ground. He extended his left hand and focused… 'Accio wand!'This was true wandless magic, not magic through a spell matrix. Nothing happened. Without pausing more than a half a second, Harry tried again, but this time out loud, "Accio wand!" It twitched for a moment, then flew into his hand. He turned just in time to see Voldemort portkey away. The look on the Dark Lord's face was pure hatred… but also with a tinge of fear. He was bloody and his arm had an unnatural bend to it.
"He's back!" Harry could barely make out the words over the ringing in his ears.
Harry looked over and saw minister Fudge. The man looked terrified… as did all the wizards and witches standing about. There were perhaps two dozen ministry employees gawking at him… More were coming in… Harry looked down at the wand he was holding…
It was Dumbledore's. It felt like so nice in his hand. Terribly like his Holly wand. But where his Holly wand was warm, this was icy cool… crisp… He looked at his right hand. It was still holding the shattered and splintered handle of Bellatrix's wand. His fingers were charred and blistered. He couldn't open his hand without tearing skin…
Harry saw Dumbledore begin to stir. Turning the other way, he saw Remus, Bill, Moody, Kingsley, and Arthur… a couple other people he recognised from the Order of the Phoenix… His focus on the battle was relaxing. His heightened perceptions were returning to normal.
Moody let out a chuckle, "Well, you know how to throw a party, Potter!"
Harry gave a small nod, then turned to Remus. "Remus!" He sounded like he was underwater… Harry pointed toward the area he had set Tonks. The Disillusionment had ended when he started his battle. "Tonks is over there… She needs assistance." Was he yelling?
Bill was instantly at his side. His friend and mentor conjured a pair of thick gloves and helped Harry over to a mostly intact bench. Harry felt exhaustion beyond almost anything he'd ever felt. It was right up there with how he felt after the Graveyard. Now the adrenaline was wearing off and he was beginning to get the shakes. Looking up he saw Dumbledore standing to the side. He had blood running down his face and into his beard.
Bill looked deeply concerned. "Stay still, Harry. Catch your breath…"
Harry flipped his wand around and handed it back to the Headmaster. He noted Dumbledore looked extremely… relieved.
Dumbledore reached out, "Thank you Harry." He gently took the wand and began scanning Harry. Remus was doing the same with Tonks.
After a few minutes, Dumbledore began healing some of Harry's injuries. The Episkey Harry had used on the injuries he received during his duel with Bellatrix didn't hold up completely. Harry's arm and leg had started bleeding again. Dumbledore began sealing up his cuts and scrapes after addressing the deeper wounds. He managed to get Harry's right hand open… Bellatrix's wand handle was little more than long splinters. Bill flinched and muttered something about medical assistance.
Harry sat numbly… trying to focus and stay awake. He pulled his messenger bag around and checked on his girls.
§ "Can we talk now?" "That was pretty bumpy..." "You killed a lot of people!" "That was Amazing!" "I thought the ending was the best…" "You look tired, Harry." "Can we meet with Lavender and Parvati again?" "Everyone's staring at us…" "…Jealous…" "I'm hungry, Harry."§
Harry smiled at his girls. § "We'll be home soon sweetie..."§
§ "Which of us was he talking to?" "I hate it when he does that..." "Harry, we're three serpents, not one!" "He's tired. Bloody, too." "Next time, we get to bite someone…"§
Harry set the bag down beside him and considered how lucky he had been. If the Deatheaters had been firing Killing Curses… he might be dead. If Bellatrix had shown up earlier… and fought with the others… If Voldemort hadn't underestimated him… So many lucky breaks.
If he had only killed Lucius…
A few flash bulbs went off… Dumbledore scooped a bit of Harry's blood with the tip of his wand and made a tiny inverted 'u', saying "Saguis Mudat!"
Seeing Harry's curious look, Dumbledore said, "We can't let anyone get access to any of your blood, Harry." Harry just nodded. He was exhausted.
Bill spoke up, "Albus, we need to get him out of here…"
Dumbledore nodded. "Agreed."
—Dance of Death 37—
Ministry of Magic
The Atrium
Fifteen Minutes Earlier.
Bellatrix Lestrange stood disillusioned and watched that fool Lucius interfere in her Lord's duel and pay the price. She should have just left him on the floor. Beaten and wandless… No more Lo-o-o-o-cy! She cackled at that. Now her Lord would deal with the Potter brat… He'd prove the mirror to be a liar.
When the duel started, she had expected the boy to collapse immediately, but he didn't. He pressed on in a massive display of power and, to her shock, he emerged victorious. She forced her neck straight and off her shoulder with a blood curdling 'CRACK!' and watched her Lord flee. As she watched, she noticed three tiny heads poking out of the bag the boy had been carrying… Snake heads. The mirror hadn't lied…
Bellatrix began to weep. She didn't know why… Was she happy or sad? Maybe both… "Soon my Dark Prince… we'll be together. Together, again."
Bellatrix very softly sang a little song.
"Fa-La-la,
Together again,
You and me,
Together again."
She then activated her Portkey and left. For the first time in as long as she could remember… she was looking forward to the future.
—Dance of Death 37—
Department of Mysteries
Hall of Prophecies
One Hour later
Senior Unspeakable, Fritz Oppenheimer, entered the Hall of Prophecies to appraise the damage. He expected it to be extensive… He had underestimated. Everywhere he looked, there were broken spheres and tumbled shelves. It looked like someone had picked up the room, flipped it upside down, and shaken it.
Fritz looked at his life's work… He was the head of the Prophesies department, and now it was in ruins. He was silent for perhaps ten minutes before he finally spoke.
"…Fuck…"
—Capitulum Ultimum—
Next: Aftermath and the Fifth year wrap up
If you have questions about the title of the chapter, listen to the song with the same name, 'Hair of the Dog' by Nazareth. I thought it was a decent fit.
(Note that songs with a cowbell tend to be amazing)
*The Mirror of Erised: Spelled backward and shifting the spaces, 'erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi' = 'I show not your face but your heart's desire'.
I tried to show that a significant amount of time passed while Bella was gazing into the mirror. She was in an adjoining room that Harry set up as a 'distraction' with a 'cold zone'. Harry never checked for the mirror; he was in a hurry. By the time Bella snapped out of its influence, Harry was long gone, and Tonks was unconscious.
I see the Bellatrix character as crazy psychopath. The singing might have been over the top, but I still remember in the movie where she was running through the ministry singing I Killed Sirius Black. I loved it. So… she sings. Note: I had a reviewer in my Chimera Rising story tell me Lycoris was just a Bellatrix knock off… I beg to differ. Lycoris is a brilliant sociopath, not a crazy psychopath. Sheeez.
I had a few reviews that were unhappy with the last chapter and I thought I would address a few of the concerns for those who may have similar questions:
Harry got off too easy: Harry is not off the hook for the Umbridge cursing. Every inquisitor interrogated gave his name as the manipulator. The other Aurors believe he was somehow involved. At the very least, they feel he should be intensely interrogated. Hiding behind his wealth, fame, status, and his solicitor doesn't sit well with the Auror Department. The consensus was 'He's Hiding Something' or even 'He orchestrated the whole thing'.
Doesn't tie with Casting Shadows: Those of you who read Casting Shadows may think he covered his tracks too much given the suspicion in that story. But remember, the only people who were suspicious of him were people who know more than the rank and file. Aurors (Ron, Susan, Tracey) who saw the file and Daphne Greengrass who knew for a fact he was in the Theatre when Umbridge and her Inquisitors showed up. She was also warned by Draco to avoid a confrontation with Harry and run away if it looked like something was going down. However, 'stealacandy' pointed out a scene in Casting Shadows where Ron's boss, Williamson, said Harry was the only suspect. Not sure how I missed that… but it is fixed now. It's hard to write the prequel out of time with the main story and I missed it. Sorry. All fixed now.
What did he expect? Did he think the inquisitors would just cast leg locks and tickling charms? In this story, Harry thought no one would be bold enough to commit murder at Hogwarts. He naively had not considered how easy it was to dispose of a body with transfiguration. He felt certain Umbridge would try to have him killed, but not at school. What had he expected? He expected the Inquisitors to work her over with painful but non-lethal Hexes like bone breakers. He assumed it would be a very thorough beat-down. He also imagined she would be Obliviated. What happened to her was far more sadistic than he had imagined, and he was especially disturbed that it was planned for him.
Portkeys – Hogwarts: Only the headmaster could create a portkey at Hogwarts. Others would fail. Unless they were attached to a portkey Dumbledore had already created. Like with the Goblet of Fire. Or, like a medical portkey. Kudos to anyone who picked up on that a few chapters back.
Ministry: Rookwood built in a number of 'back doors' in the ward structure of the ministry. He was the Deatheater who probably did the most damage to the security of Magical Britain. He worked covertly for years and placed numerous intentional gaps and holes in the monitoring and Defence of Magical Britain. Rookwood's portkeys could get in and out, but others couldn't – as Harry found out when he tried to re-trigger the 'pen' portkey. That loophole will be addressed in the next chapter.
New Spells:
Percutiens Tonitrua = Thunder Strike. Stuns and Deafens.
Quassum Terrae = Earthquake. Causes the ground to shake and undulate. People have difficulty remaining balanced. Unable to attack or defend well.
Ignis Pila = Fireball. Shoots forward and explodes.
Aspera Caliditas = Zone of extreme temperature (Hot or Cold). About 10X10 patch that affects all who cross it.
Turbinis Vasti = Summons and directs a minor tornado.
Sagitta = Piercing Charm/Curse. Canon and not new, but I gave it an incantation.
Ferrum Uitta = Wide area cutting curse. Useful against multiple opponents and immensely powerful. Required a great deal of power to cast.
Hastam Spinam = Thorn Spear. Strikes and explodes after impact with thorn covered vines that pierce and entangle.
Coniunctum Fores – Linked Doors (Unus and Duo). Operates like a vanishing cabinet to within a one- or two-mile distance. Ignores wards. The first door enchanted is Unus, the second is Duo.
Forma Communtationem – Form Exchange. Caster switches places with the victim and they assume each other's appearance.
Fulgar Uitta – Lightning Ribbon. Area effect spray of electricity.
Vide Bellator – Phantom Warriors. Three or more duplicate images that act independently.
Saguis Mudat – Blood Cleanse. Makes blood inert and unable to be used against the person bleeding.
Ultimum Exitium – Powerful beam that is intended to obliterate your enemy. It requires a great deal of power and lasts as long as the caster can supply power to maintain. This is considered a last ditch attack.