Chapter 13: 9th circle
"Oh, Lucius", spat the Dark Lord and his voice had the silken quality of spider's thread. "And here I thought you learned your lesson last time. Crucio!"
Lucius fell to the ground like a rag doll, barely making any sound. He moaned and his head jerked from side to side.
Disappointed from the lack of screams, the Dark Lord soon cancelled the spell. Lucius coughed and spat blood. Slowly, he rolled on his belly and pushed himself up to his knees. His hair fell into his face in wild strands, stained with dirt and his own blood. He shook his head, swallowed and bowed.
"I am sorry, my Lord", he forced himself to articulate with his swollen mouth.
"My, if you are SORRY", drawled Voldemort, "then all shall be forgiven... Crucio!"
Lucius took a moment to realize that he had not been the aim of the spell and knew even before the voice rang out, that of course, the Dark Lord could find other ways to torture him. He managed to get onto his feet again and forced himself to watch his son twisting in agony, trying to fuel his resolve.
"Now that we have finally all gathered here", hissed Voldemort and returned his attention to Lucius. "Let us see what your research has brought us, Lucius."
Lucius swallowed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a splash of crimson among the black-clad Death Eaters. He took a deep breath and gestured for Draco to join him.
"Ready, Draco?", he asked. The boy nodded. You better be. Our lives depend on it, he thought.
"One, two, Divina Porta!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
The two spells collided and for one horrifying moment Lucius thought it had not worked. Then, black lines appeared in the air before them and the bony arms gripped the gate, slowly swinging it open.
The Death Eaters had assembled in front of the gate, a whisper went through the crowd. Lucius caught a glimpse of Voldemort's face, alive with burning greed. He dared not hope he would rush forward now.
Beyond the gate, darkness loomed. The Death eaters pushed forward, trying to see what would await them. Lucius stepped stealthily aside. He thought he saw Snape at the back of the mass of black robes, loitering just as far behind as possible. With horror, he saw that his son had somehow managed to be in front. He set his jaw and was just preparing to take his place when a strong hand held him back.
"I don't think your son's in danger", whispered Renji. "Just stand back and watch."
Suddenly something appeared in the blackness and with horrible, impossible speed, it came out.
Lucius' face was splattered with blood. It took him a moment to realize that a giant sword had struck from beyond the gate and had pierced five Death Eaters at once.
With relief he saw his son's pale face staring at him. But when he turned his head, he saw what he had feared: the tip of the sword had stopped just short of Voldemort's chest. Red eyes bored into his. Only now his ears discerned the five-fold scream as the sword was withdrawn with its prey into the darkness and the gate closed with thundering finality.
"LUCIUS!", screamed Voldemort, his face white with fury, pointing his wand first at Lucius, then, as a second thought, at Draco. The remaining Death Eaters closed in on them.
Well, thought Lucius. At least we go down with a bang. He saw the wand motions in painful clarity and tensed his muscles to at least push his son in one last brave attempt to save him, behind himself, but he found his vision blocked by a giant...Snake?
"Is this how you show your thanks for a task well performed as demanded?", growled a deep voice.
The Dark Lord replied with a tone of icy needles. "Whoever you may be who dares to stand in my way, that is how we deal with traitors!"
The snake moved in slow circles around Lucius and Draco, whom his father could feel shaking against his back. Abarai Renji was standing not far from them, clad in a rather martial fur cape and brandishing his sword directing the snake's movements. He snorted and threw the Dark Lord one of the cockiest grins Lucius had ever seen.
"He showed you the gate to the afterworld, did he not?", he said. "Only, scum like you is bound for hell!"
And with that he suddenly thrust forth his sword arm, causing the snake to rear and with a nerve wrecking screech speed towards Voldemort. Who spun and disapparated on the spot. The weapon crashed into the opposite wall and a cloud of dust enveloped the scenery. When it had eventually settled, they found that the other Death Eaters had used the opportunity to flee.
"Now that was rather...anticlimatic", muttered Renji and released his Bankai.
Lucius hurriedly turned to Draco, who stared at him blankly, obviously still in shock. "Listen, boy, take your mother and stay at Hogwarts until I say otherwise. We'll have to trust that old fool Dumbledore for the time being. I'll come for you as soon as possible. Go now!"
As soon as his son was gone, he turned towards Renji and threw him a long and angry look. "I guess I'll have to thank you for saving our lives", he finally said and a tired smile crept over his face. "Though I fear the trouble is only starting now. We should go back and report to your superiors, shouldn't we?"