Author's Note:
Reviews and Comments: To Matt9917: Long time no see! Thanks and welcome back! To darkhk: Yup, but it is Bellatrix. To elin2002: Thank you and yes, she is insane. But at the same time, I think it was something she felt was necessary. To tim2604: I feel like Harry would one hundred percent just suck Ginny's nipple if it he woke up to find it under his mouth. It wasn't on Remus' couch though, they were up in the tower room. The scene with Bellatrix made you suffer from somewhere when you read it? Haha! I will take that as a compliment. To ahlem stelena: Don't have a pit in your stomach! Sirius is gone, yes, but I think there will be still be a few surprises for you! To alix33: I definitely think we should all loathe the Death Eaters and their actions. To Dianne: Thanks for saying the Hinny scene was incendiary. Who would win in a battle of madness, Bella or Crouch? Hmm… I think Crouch. To scrappy8: Thank you! To shivani: Thank you! I love that people are both worried and excited. And thank you for realizing that May 3rd was the THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of me posting A Second Chance. It's unbelievable to me! Thank you! To Shouldna: Bellatrix was biding her time. The wives are protected to some extent, but unfortunately that is a "wifely duty" that no one considers they need protection from. To Mutt N Feathers: Bella is nuts and well Dumbledore, sometimes you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
To Wolf's scream: Anything involving Voldemort is definitely not simple indeed. Haha, loved the two second sympathy feeling for Rodolphus. To Guest: I cannot kill off Remus, Tonks, or Zee? Well… we'll see. Will they? Won't they? Stay tuned to find out haha! To Queen Raja: I love that you said Bellatrix is your favourite character and this scene takes the cake. She is crazy and unpredictable and I think it plays very much into her character. To GatorLHA2: Thank you, I think? To Nuno Neves: Thank you! I think Hermione and Ginny's friendship is really underrated. Those girls were close and you can't tell me different. To pottermum: So happy to see you review again! To alexproblematicopuentes: Thank you! To : I am currently working on chapter 286, so yes, I do write ahead and I can say I think I was gentle LOL. It all seems so long ago now! Thank you so much for your kind words! They mean more than I can say. To pix25: Yes, she is a psycho, and well, she definitely thought he deserved it. To Nightwing2013: Thank you. You think there will be an attack on Hogwarts as well? We shall see. And oh definitely, 276 will be the end of sixth year. I am currently writing chapter 286-287.
To xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: Tonks, Remus, or Zee… but no one is worried about others, interesting… To Seriously Sam: Hermione definitely needs to be perfect and of course Ron would have no objections to lots of practice. Yes, you do know the name Pucey. To WinkingSkeever: Thank you. To Chintan: Brutal and entirely too graphic, but good job — thanks LOL. Love that! To Mikhail: Thank you! And you have to have an account to PM me here or you can message me on tumblr — breaniebree (just don't be anonymous). To wren: Thank you for showing such a strong character love. I cannot promise safety. To speedyconzalis: Yes, 273 chapters in 28 days is insane. I mean, thank you, but wow! I applaud you! This story will not end with the final battle, but will go a little further than that. I just don't know how much.
To Gryffindorjedi41: No, Voldemort has not said his plan yet. It's a surprise! To Arctoid32: I'm glad to hear the suspense is killing you, it means I did it right! To Guest: We shall see, but no promises on nothing bad coming. To Bumlewis: Thanks for remembering to review! And of course Harry goes down on Ginny again, he does love it. I'm glad you found Hermione needing to tell Ginny adorably funny. What potion, well, we shall see. To nothatchhavi: Thank you! To GreekGeek: Thank you! It's nice to know my writing can induce such suspense! To Rusty-malia Hayek: Don't kill of Dumbledore? I can make no promises. To Saz J: You loved the smut and I know it lol. Thank you! And you should have a bad feeling…
To Guest: Thank you! I hope seventh year will bring some surprises, and hopefully the end of sixth year as well. To Steelcode: Thank you! To Jbrowne26: Welcome back. I hope you continue to enjoy the story. To AQuickRead91: Yes, of course you can have the next chapter — just 7 days later LOL. To QuietReader: Thank you. I do love writing rollercoasters. To LovelyLupine: I think we often forget Bellatrix is human and she needed to show that jealous rage in a way she felt showed her pain and rejection. Thank you for picking up on that. To marauders_mowopapr: Thank you! It was fair to worry the revenge was for Harry, but alas it was for her husband.
My posting schedule: Weekly.
Thanks to Dusk for her amazing editing skills.
As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!
Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!
CHAPTER TWO-HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FOUR:
Remus looked over at his wife as they headed down the causeway the next evening, stepping over the rough rocks. Her hair was longer and she wore it in her original curly brown so that she didn't stand out. She'd pulled the hair back in a low plait at her neck and he thought that she looked more like her mother until she turned to smirk at him, her eyes twinkling in a mischief only she could muster.
He knew that there were other Aurors around, more members of the Order pretending to be Muggle tourists as they trampled around County Antrim, but he still didn't like a single part of this plan. Remus knew the benefits of it. He knew that if Dumbledore was able to personally talk to the Gurg today it would make a huge headway in turning more of the giants over to their side. Agent Mitchell Hoffman had been working tirelessly for months with the eight giants who had come forward since three giants had found him in Diagon Alley, but Dumbledore was the one who the Gurg wanted to speak to.
Dumbledore could of course speak a little Jötunn, that was part of it, but having Horace Slughorn with him was something Remus still didn't understand. He had voiced as much to Tonks when he first heard the plan. The two of them had talked about it in length after the meeting, trying to make sense of everything. Slughorn was a brilliant Potioneer, but he was not exactly someone that he would want by his side during this kind of operation. What could Slughorn even offer the giants? Dumbledore was dangling the man like bait and it didn't sit well with him.
Remus grabbed his wife's elbow when she stumbled over the rough terrain and tugged her up against his side. "Careful."
"Maybe if you weren't too busy overthinking things, I could concentrate on walking."
Remus' eyebrow rose. "Really?"
Tonks' eyes twinkled. "No. This isn't exactly conducive ground for me to be walking on safely."
Remus had to agree with that statement. "Built and destroyed by the giants themselves, they do tend to have a bigger footprint than you or me."
Tonks nodded as his arm rested around her waist as they walked. "But it really is beautiful. It's like it sprung from the earth in these incredible geometric patterns and yet it's magical. Even the Muggles see it."
"The legend transcends," Remus agreed. "We just know that it's actual history and not legend."
"Will you tell me why you're so worried?"
Remus sighed, pressing his lips to the top of his wife's head. "I don't know exactly. A combination of things, I suppose. Coming to the Giant's Causeway to meet the Gurg is one thing, but the Gurg isn't coming alone. If something goes wrong… that's a lot of giants to deal with."
"It's a peaceful talk," Tonks assured him. "The Ministry assured them of this and the Gurg agreed. We have people stationed all around in case something does goes wrong. Prince Tiernan, Prince Donal, and Princess Aoibheann are here with Aurors and the DRCMC agents. We're all spaced out to be nearby. There are other members of the Terra Troops on standby as well."
"Nearby, but not present," Remus corrected. "That's what worries me. Down there, by the sea, it's just Dumbledore, Slughorn, and Agent Hoffman. I don't see what Slughorn brings to the table."
Tonks squeezed his hand in hers. "If they can make peace with the Gurg today, Remus, Voldemort's lost another ally. He's lost another huge footing and it brings us one step closer to ending his army. After that, it doesn't matter what Slughorn brings to the table."
Remus knew that she was right, he knew that it was the right step, but something was still eating at him. He recognized Adrian and Maia walking hand in hand nearby. The fae were spaced out, walking alongside the Aurors. His eyes fell on the tall, thin figure of Albus Dumbledore as he stood on the shore with Slughorn and Agent Hoffman. The three figures were staring out at the sea, waiting for the Gurg.
Muggles were trampling around, talking and taking photos, enjoying their holiday. He watched one couple move past him before Tonks gave the signal. Auror Atwell, Auror Higgins, Auror Savage, and Auror Proudfoot all lifted their wands at the same time. An eerie fog drifted up from the sea, floating over the Giant's Causeway and effectively hiding all of them from Muggle view. The fog ebbed slowly, Muggle repelling charms pushing the Muggles further away as the thick cloudy air seemed to push in on them.
The fog pushed past them, surrounding the area just as ten giants began to emerge from the sea. Tonks' grip on his hand tightened as they crouched down in their spot on the cliffs to watch them cross the sea below through the fog towards Dumbledore. The water parted like a mystical arch revealing a tunnel of dry land that the giants walked through, untouched by the sea. The moment their feet hit the shore, the water crashed over the tunnel, waves slamming against the rocks as if it had never been.
The biggest giant at the front stood over nine metres tall with a wide mouth and a squashed nose, making him look like he'd run face first into a wall more than once. He wore a crown on his head that was made of bone and teeth and he sat on the shore, his fellow giants surrounding him.
Agent Hoffman spoke first and the Gurg responded in what sounded like gruff grunts. Remus listened closely to the area around them, eyes on the people hidden in crevices overlooking the meeting. He could smell the salt of the sea, a woman's perfume, and the musky scent of the wolves around them. He knew enough to distinguish each scent to each wolf, mentally ticking off names in his head of who was present as he looked down below at where the meet was taking place.
Slughorn kept looking around, eyes moving over each giant, wide and fearful as Dumbledore and Hoffman spoke to them. Zee and Misha were near the shore, Lady Godiva walking between them. He recognized the fae warriors wandering the edge of the shoreline and he knew that there were trained Aurors around.
But giants were not creatures to be trifled with.
Hagrid had attempted to talk to them before and had returned empty-handed. It was part of the reason why Dumbledore had insisted that Hagrid stay behind at Hogwarts, he didn't want them to see Hagrid and think of why they refused the first time. Apparently the giants hadn't taken kindly to someone who was half-giant and thought of him as an imposter of sorts. Hagrid hadn't said much about the meet, but Remus knew it hadn't gone as he'd planned. Now, two summers later, they were trying again and this time, the stakes were even higher.
Remus stared at the faces of the ten giants that stood on the shore. They were all massive, the size of buildings, with hands the size of small huts. Nine of them were male and one female, just as big and terrifying as the males that flanked her. They merely stood there, eyes roaming the shore as if they were looking for something. Waiting for something.
"Does it look good?" Tonks whispered. "It sounds positive, doesn't it?"
The Gurg had accepted the chest of potions and then the gift that the Ministry had brought them, a branch of Gubraithian Fire that Dumbledore himself had bewitched. The eternal flame was something that the giants were all intrigued by, but Remus wasn't sure if the love of the gifts still meant a good sign or not.
"I don't know," he whispered back.
It was ten minutes into the conversation when the hairs on back of his neck stood up as he caught the scent a second later. He turned sharply, eyes peeled. The moment they met the hungry dark gaze of Fenrir Greyback across the rocks, his stomach dropped.
"Nymphadora, this is a trap."
"What?" she asked, turning to look at him.
"Use your coin, warn the others."
Remus had barely finished saying the words before Greyback made a beeline for him and Remus realized that he was far from alone. Five wolves descended, Apparating next to Greyback, and surrounding them from all sides. Remus' arm snaked around his wife's waist, their wands drawn.
"Now now Lupin, going to use magic instead of your natural instincts," Greyback hissed. "Too afraid to fight me like a wolf?"
Tonks' wand moved first, stunning the first wolf that dove in her direction and then all hell broke loose. Remus lost track of what his wand was doing, moving at lightning speed to fend off the wolves who were attempting to maul him and his wife. They'd incapacitated two of them when Adrian and Maia joined in and then the fight took a different turn.
Adrian morphed into his wolf form and tore out the throat of one of the wolves as Maia fought with her fists as well as her wand, but it was Greyback whom Remus wanted. He kept his eyes on the man before him, rage filling him. This man had attacked him when he'd been four years old. This man had tried to hurt his wife, had been taunting her with gifts and threats.
Greyback licked his lips. "I can't wait to taste your bitch, Lupin. Her blood will be the sweetest that I've ever tasted."
"You won't touch her," Remus declared, dodging the spell that Greyback sent at him.
Greyback snickered. "But I will and I'll make you watch."
Remus rolled, dodging another curse before he managed to hit the wolf. He howled in pain before he climbed back to his feet, but Remus' wand was still on him. His shield knocked Greyback back again and again and when the wolf used a slicing charm, Remus wasn't as lucky. He ignored the blood dripping down his leg and kept fighting.
The fact that Greyback was more than his match was enough to infuriate him. The wolf met spell after spell, knocking them back with a shield or a hex of his own and Remus found himself dodging and leaping to avoid them. Greyback's sharp nails were filed to points and twice he used them to deflect a spell, making Remus swear under his breath.
"You never did appreciate the wolf," Greyback sneered. "Never learned how to hone your instincts; adapt to your surroundings. A wolf has power all the time; not just under the light of the moon."
His lips curved, showing wide teeth with sharpened edges made to break through flesh and he dove towards Remus.
Remus flicked his wand but Greyback avoided the spell, grabbing Remus' arms as they fell to the rocky terrain. His sharp nails ripped through the sleeves of Remus' shirt as they rolled and Remus' wand slipped from his fingers. Remus grunted as he attempted to push the wolf off, but Greyback was surprisingly strong. His teeth flashed and the smell of his rancid breath made Remus gag.
"Here you fight me like a man instead of the animal I made you," he hissed, strong hands pinning Remus to the rocks. "I gave you a gift and every day you piss on it as if it means nothing."
Remus shoved, pinning Greyback beneath him. "You gave me a curse! I don't want it! I never have!"
Greyback snarled, his fist hitting Remus' cheek hard enough to snap his head back. Remus bunched his own fist and inwardly rejoiced at the satisfying sound of flesh hitting flesh. The crack of the wolf's nose breaking, made his lips curve. He punched him a second time before Greyback shoved him and Remus was flipped over back onto the rocks. He rolled, fumbling for his wand stuck between two stones and sent Greyback flying back across the rocks.
Greyback grinned as he licked the blood dripping from his nose onto his lips, his own wand in his hand. "First point to you, Lupin."
Red light shot from his wand, slicing through the already bleeding cut on Remus' leg. His leg gave out from under him and he caught himself on his hands, fumbling to his feet as he sent his own slicing curse towards the wolf. He struck true as Greyback howled. Remus jumped to his feet, his wand slashing through the air now as he shielded himself and sent a second curse towards the man. Greyback dodged the first one, but not the second as it sliced his arm.
"Someone's being naughty," Greyback taunted.
His wand flashed again as Greyback jumped backwards and when Remus cursed the wand out of his hand, he stumbled. The wolf tripped over the rocks, back over the edge of the causeway and Remus' eyes gleamed in triumph as Greyback fell over the edges of the rocks. His sharpened nails slid along the stone before his hands managed to grab hold as he dangled over the edge of the cliff.
Greyback's breath came out in a whoosh as he barely held onto the rocks. "Going to kill me, Lupin?"
"Yes," Remus said without hesitation.
Greyback gripped the rock more quickly as the waves crashed up against the cliff beneath him. "Shame. If you do that, your bitch won't make it."
Remus turned automatically and the sight of Tonks on the ground, a wolf bent over her, made him see red. He left Greyback hanging off the rocks and sent the wolf flying. Tonks grasped her wand, kicking the nearby opponent between the legs before she impressively backflipped to her feet and sent a stinging hex at his face and balls. The wolf howled in pain as he collapsed on the rocks and her back rested against Remus'.
"I could have handled that," she said.
"A thank you would be sufficient, Dora."
Tonks smirked over her shoulder. "When we get home, I'll thank you properly."
The wolves scattered as vampires moved forward. When Remus looked over by the cliff, Greyback was gone. He moved towards the first vampire just as a scream rose up from the shore. When he looked down, his eyes widened in alarm.
The entire shoreline had become a horror show as the dead rose up from water. Skeletal and corpse like figures swarmed the shore as the giants began to attack. His eyes moved to find Dumbledore, but he didn't see the wizard anywhere in sight. Slughorn was also missing and Hoffman was bleeding from the head, but Dumbledore was nowhere to be found.
"Fall back!" Kingsley shouted. "Fall back!"
The Inferi began to climb up the rocks, eyes cloudy and white, the smell of decay strong.
Remus sent fire from his wand, creating a wall to knock back the first twelve Inferi who rose up. The Aurors began to do the same, attempting to stop the swarm of dead bodies from moving forward. Prince Tiernan, Prince Donal, and Princess Aoibheann were each fighting the giants, swords and bows moving like the speed of light. Members of the Terra Troops had joined in at this point as they attempted to take control of the situation.
"Where's Dumbledore?" Kingsley shouted across the rocks.
But Remus didn't know the answer and if he was honest, he was afraid to.
~ ASC ~
Zee decided the evening before that she should be on the causeway. Part of it was entirely intellectual curiosity and she knew it, but the larger part was that she felt like she could do some good. She wanted to be there to help if needed and she wanted to get a better understanding of what was going on. Despite Dumbledore's good intentions, she had woken that morning still feeling like this meeting with the giants wasn't quite as simple as they all hoped it would be.
After speaking to her parents, Sorcha promised to stay with the twins and Misha insisted that she stay with him. The look on her father's face when she told him she was going had made her pause for only a moment.
"I should be there, Papa."
Misha scowled, but he relented.
Harry's worry about her the night before had made her feel warm and loved. The last thing she wanted to do was disappoint him, but not attending this meeting was something that she would regret. This meeting with the giants was the start of something and there was no way in hell that she was going to miss it.
She kissed Mina and Leo and told them she loved them, ordering Padfoot to stay with them, before she whistled and Lady Godiva followed her out of the cottage. Zee and Misha arrived on the Causeway only a few minutes before Remus and Tonks did. Misha immediately took her elbow, barked out an order to be ready to erect a shield, before he marched off to talk to some of the British Aurors. Zee tried not to scowl at his overprotectiveness. But having a father who was an Auror pretty much guaranteed nothing less.
Zee's eyes roamed the area, taking in the uneven rocks. The terrain was full of sharp angles and rocks, perfectly shaped and placed all around in a path leading to the sea. Despite the ominous feeling the area gave her, she had to admit that it was beautiful. She saw Remus and Tonks arrive at the other end of the area, Adrian and Maia were near them along with a sprinkle of other wolves. Kingsley had people stationed near him, all dressed in Muggle clothes and looking like tourists, but if one looked close enough they could see the wariness in their expressions as they took in their surroundings.
Zee placed a hand on Lady Godiva's head as the panther prowled near her, moving across the large rocks in ease. It was only a moment longer before Dumbledore arrived with Agent Hoffman and Slughorn. Slughorn looked nervous, looking over his shoulder as if he could feel eyes on him. He wasn't wrong to be feeling it either, as there were two men standing by the water, taking him in. No, not men, she realized; male vampires. Vampires that were not part of their group.
Snape hadn't been lying. Voldemort had sent his own spies along as well.
Dumbledore, Slughorn, and Hoffman all approached the edge of the causeway. Dumbledore was holding the branch of Gubraithian fire and Slughorn was carrying a large wooden trunk that she knew was full of various potions and remedies. Basic potions to help with healing, things the giants weren't capable of making themselves. They didn't possess the right kind of magic for potion brewing and the remedies they did make were often not as effective.
The fog crept over and she crouched low to keep her eye on the trio only a moment before the water parted and the giants emerged. The Gurg stood out, being the biggest and ugliest of them all. Each giant was massive, as large as a building and scowling. She listened with half an ear as Hoffman began introductions to the Gurg.
The two male vampires had moved closer when Slughorn presented the trunk. The female giant accepted the gift, lifting Slughorn right off the ground along with the trunk before she hastily returned him to the earth with a rather rough pat on the head that made him lose his footing. Hoffman helped him to his feet as he spoke.
Zee kept her eyes on the vampires, watching them. Misha stood next to her, doing the same. When it happened, it was faster than any of them had anticipated. A female vampire had appeared from the sea just behind Slughorn. Her fangs were buried in his neck in seconds. Slughorn's eyes widened in fear before the vampire was thrown back across the rocks with only a flick of Dumbledore's wand.
And then there was a howl.
Wolves were fighting wolves on the cliffs above them. Misha's wand was in his hand as he headed towards the vampires and the dead started to rise from the sea.
Zee's wand moved faster than she could think. The vampire before her was tall and handsome. Broad shoulders, dark hair, and eyes an impossible blue. But when he smiled, those sharp incisors flashed. She knocked him back, only to find his friend before her. Vampires were unnaturally fast and much stronger than the average witch or wizard. A simple spell often didn't hold them for long. She stunned the blond male as the dark one rose towards her again.
"So lovely," he said in a voice made of sex. "The things I could do to you. The things you would beg me to do to you."
His tongue darted out as his eyes moved over her luscious curves and she flung him back, crashing over the rocks. The blond male was on her in seconds. She felt the brush of those fangs on her shoulder only a moment before Lady Godiva's teeth grabbed the male by the throat. A loud crunch was all it took before the panther ripped the head clean off. Her yellow eyes stayed on Zee as she threw the vampire's head to the side.
"Good girl," Zee said, wand moving to the dark vampire again.
The woman was with him now, her beautiful face contorted in rage. Zee dodged and ducked and when the female made a beeline for her, her foot came up, surprising them both with a swift kick in the stomach that sent the female flying. Zee sent chains from her wand, wrapping tightly around the female and then around the male. They both struggled and she knew that it wouldn't be long before they were able to break the hold. After she murmured a quick protection charm she had once learned in Budapest, the chains flashed a bright purple, sealing them with a special protection that made it impossible for vampires to break free.
The female hissed at her.
The male only raised an eyebrow. "I should have known you wanted to play dirty. Going to bring me somewhere and rip my clothes off?"
Zee tried not to roll her eyes. Vampires. It was always sex and violence with them. She turned her back on them, eyes roaming to see where she could help next. Lady Godiva was already running and Zee followed as the panther tackled the Death Eater, his jaw slamming into his arm hard enough to make the man scream. Misha, who had been duelling two Death Eaters at once, hadn't seen the other sneaking up behind him. He gave his daughter a respectful nod as he knocked out one of his opponents.
Zee grabbed her father's arm as Inferi moved across the rocks at a speed she hadn't believed possible. Together they crashed into the rocks and she cried out at the pain of falling on the uneven ground. Her father's hands grabbed her hips as he hoisted her to her feet and they ran.
The Death Eaters laughed as Inferi overtook the shore and when Zee glanced over to where the meeting with the Gurg was supposed to be taking place, she gasped. Hoffman was dead on the shore and Dumbledore and Slughorn were nowhere in sight.
A loud war cry erupted from her left and she watched in amazement as Prince Tiernan and Prince Donal each jumped impossibly high into the air, swords drawn as they thrashed at the giant who roared. Donal was hit by the house-sized hand and knocked to the earth, but it only stopped him for a moment. The two fae warriors were magnificent as their swords moved like part of them and they contained not one, but three giants. Princess Aoibheann was fighting just as well.
The princess was in the midst of six werewolves. She had a sword in one hand, a small dagger in the other. One of the werewolves had bitten her arm hard enough to draw blood and the sight of it made Zee blanch. It wasn't the full moon. The princess' sword rose up and she cut two of them clean in half with a mighty cry.
Misha tugged her along the rocks, whistling for the panther who followed them close behind, trying to get to safety. Zee cried out when she saw Bill hit the rocks as Greyback's nails raked across the handsome face, slicing through his left cheek and down his throat. Bill's wand shot him away from him and the wizard scrambled to his feet, wand drawn.
Greyback merely held his nails to his lips and licked the blood maliciously. Someone shouted from behind him and Greyback's smile made Zee's blood run cold before the werewolf Disapparated. Zee grabbed Bill a moment before he fell, her hands wrapping around his throat to stop the bleeding. She used her wand to make a patch as he tried to speak, blood spurting from his lips.
"No," Zee said, sharply. "Don't talk."
Misha grabbed Bill's other side as the enemy began to Disapparate around them. "You must get him to a hospital. The volf hit an artery and he vill bleed out quickly."
The cold hand that grabbed her made her scream, taking Bill down with her. Her hand smashed into the skeletal face above her, teeth crunching as skin and and bone fell from the face. She cried out in horror as a piece of the dead thing's skin stuck to her hand. Dead nails scraped her arm before the dead man went flying backwards and her father hauled her to her feet.
"Only fire vill burn them," he said. Misha helped pull Bill to his feet. "Get him to St Mungo's. I vill stay here and help deal vith the dead."
Zee ordered Lady Godiva to stay with Misha before she held Bill tightly and Disapparated with him. Her hand was still on his throat, trying to stop him from bleeding out. His blood had already coated her arm and his face was deathly pale when they arrived. The A&E was full, but Zee dragged him to the front and told the receptionist that he'd been mauled by a werewolf.
The man only raised an eyebrow as they put Bill on a gurney. "It's not a full moon."
"I'm aware of that," Zee told him. "But it was still a werewolf attack."
Two healers took Bill back and Zee stood there, covered in his blood, wondering what else could have possibly gone wrong on that causeway. She wiped her bloody hands on her trousers before she told the receptionist she would inform Bill's family he was here; then she headed back to the causeway.
It was far from over yet.
~ ASC ~
Harry hated waiting for news. It was already half past seven and he had no idea how long a peace talk with the giants was going to last, but he hated not knowing what was going on. He had promised Zee and Remus that he would stay at Hogwarts and wait for news, but he was still annoyed that they hadn't let him come along. He was going to be seventeen next month and they still treated him like he was a kid that they needed to keep home and safe.
Dumbledore and Slughorn were both supposed to be there which meant McGonagall was in charge of the castle. Exams had finished up that afternoon and Ginny had breathed a sigh of relief to finally be done with her OWLs. Harry spent his afternoon flying around the pitch while he waited for her and left Ron and Hermione to their own devices. After dinner, Hermione claimed that she needed to start packing up her dorm and Ginny made plans with Theo, so Harry and Ron decided to go for a short fly.
The fly had turned into a race and a bit of a work-out as Harry worked to burn off his worried energy. He raced his friend up and down the stands as they did chin-ups and sit-ups before hopping back on their brooms. Harry felt it helped a little, but he still found himself anxiously looking at his watch for the time.
Ron had to meet Hermione at quarter to eight to patrol so Harry followed his friend back into the castle, wondering if he could steal his girlfriend away from Theo to help distract him from his thoughts of the meeting on the causeway. He had taken the Marauder's Map with him as he wanted to know the second Remus or Dumbledore returned to the castle.
He tried not to groan in disappointment when he didn't see either name on the map, but as they stepped into the entrance way, he grabbed Ron's arm. There were names on the map that shouldn't be and not the ones that he was looking for.
"What?" Ron asked. "Is Remus back?"
"No," Harry said, slowly. "But Death Eaters are."
"What?" Ron exclaimed, moving to look down at the Marauder's Map open in Harry's hands. "How the bloody hell did they get into the castle?"
Harry pointed to the map where the dots were accumulating on the fourth floor of the castle. A shiver ran up his spine as he read the familiar names: Bellatrix Lestrange, Bartemius Crouch, Rabastan Lestrange, Woodrow Selwyn, and others he didn't.
"We have to warn everyone," Harry said, pulling out his wand.
Ron stared down at the map. "Harry, that's the passage that Fred and George said was caved in."
Harry cleared the map and shoved it into his back pocket. "Well, someone took the time to clear it. Come on."
Ron nodded, wand in his hand, and the two of them made a beeline up the staircase, leaving their broomsticks behind. Harry used his wand to shove them inside the cupboard by the door before he continued to run.
He knew that he didn't run fast enough when he was greeted to the dark-haired witch at the top of the staircase.
"Well, well, well! Potter himself. This is a treat," Bellatrix said, her eyes gleaming. "I owe you for the last time."
Harry's shield swung into place quickly as did Ron's.
Bellatrix cackled. "Oooh, Rab, the babies have been practicing."
Rabastan's eyes met Harry's. "Bella, they're not babies."
"No," Harry declared. "We're not. Impedimenta!"
Both Bellatrix and Rabastan went flying backwards, smashing into the portraits on the walls. The portraits screamed in terror, running out of the frames, as one woman in a tall hat cried out, "How rude!"
Bellatrix was still laughing as she climbed to her feet. She sent a flash of red light at them, but Harry's shield caught it and she narrowed her eyes.
"Ooh, it's like that, isn't it?"
Harry dove out of the way as purple flames shot out of her wand. He managed to sneak a look back at Ron, but saw that he was holding his own against Rabastan. Harry jumped back to his feet and sent ropes flying towards Bellatrix. She unravelled them with a wave of her wand. When he sent the statue on her left to hold her in place, she made it crumble.
But now she was smiling.
"Well, well, well, baby Potter's learned some new tricks," she taunted, licking her bottom lip.
Purple flames shot from her wand again, this time hitting the portrait of an old warlock smoking a pipe behind him. The portrait screamed as it melted out of the frame. Harry reinforced his shield just as he heard someone call his name. He didn't turn, but he saw Ginny and Theo running towards him from the corner of his eye, wands drawn.
"Lacarnum Inflamarae!" Bellatrix shouted.
Ginny and Theo both hit the ground as blue flames ricocheted off the walls around them.
"Run!" Harry called out to them.
Theo's eyes narrowed. "No."
The sword was in Theo's hand so fast that Harry didn't even see him pull it from his scabbard. He held the sword so tightly that when the next spell came his way, he knocked it back, swinging the sword like a bat. Bellatrix screamed as the spell came back at her full force. Harry made to move towards Ginny, but vines wrapped around his wrists and he was suddenly pulled back. The same vines slid over his torso and around his neck, tightening their grip as he choked for air and a voice in his ear made him shudder.
"Don't worry, dearie. I'll take good care of your girlfriend for you."
The vines snapped and Harry looked up in time to see Ginny toss a stunner at Crouch. Crouch avoided it, his eyes gleaming. He pointed his wand behind Harry and said, "Reducto!"
The stone crumbled, crashing down around them. Harry threw himself over Ginny, cradling her head into his shoulder as the stones hit them. He coughed at the dust, hands gripping his girlfriend's cheeks to make sure that she was okay. Ginny coughed as well, blinking the dust out of her eyes as Harry grabbed her and rolled her out of the way. More Death Eaters began to come out of the wall. Figures in dark robes and arabesque masks jumping over the debris and cackling.
Harry saw a figure fall through the dust and he pointed his wand forward. "Expecto Patronum Familia!"
The three animals emerged from his wand, immediately skipping out to help protect those around him. He helped Ginny from the rubble, his arm around her waist.
"You need to find McGonagall. Go!"
Ginny glared at him. "I'm not leaving you!"
"Ginny, will you just go find them?" Harry exclaimed.
Ginny ignored him and instead made a horse Patronus burst from her wand. "Find McGonagall."
The horse took off down the hall and her fingers gripped the belt at Harry's back.
"We need to figure out where they're going. Did you see how many of them came out?"
Harry shook his head, trying not to be annoyed that she was refusing to leave his side. "At least ten, maybe more."
They found Theo duelling an unknown Death Eater, his sword knocking spells away like a shield before he finally managed to stun the masked figure. Harry used ropes to bind him into place before he gagged him and shoved him into the broom cupboard.
"We'll leave him there for the Aurors to deal with."
Theo wiped sweat off of his brow. "They were looking for Snape. I heard one of them say it was time."
Harry frowned. "Time for what?"
Theo shook his head. "I don't know."
"Where's Ron?" Harry asked, looking around for the familiar head of red hair.
"I don't know," Theo repeated. "We got separated when the wall blew up. He was on the other side with Rabastan Lestrange and Selwyn. I think there was another Death Eater, too."
Harry nodded, his eyes on Theo's sword. "We won't be able to get through the rubble. The only way to him is to go around. Keep that out and follow me."
The three of them hurried forward, wands drawn.
Theo pointed out the window. "There's movement up on the Astronomy Tower."
Harry frowned as he looked out at where flashes of magic could be seen in the distance. "Come on."
~ ASC ~
Neville barely moved out of the way in time before the half tiger half zouwu came racing down the hall with McGonagall. He pulled his wand out, eyes on his head of house before he moved forward after her. Sounds of people fighting echoed in the corridors and he had no idea what was going on.
He had been in the greenhouses and had reached the first floor of the castle when an explosion had sounded above him. He hadn't gotten far before a horse Patronus raced past him and then McGonagall's giant cat.
He barely turned a corner before he was almost run over by masked figures in dark robes. He raised his wand to fight back, but they ran past him without looking at him, making him frown. Death Eaters in the castle and they hadn't stopped to fight him? They were looking for something.
The thought made gooseflesh pimple on his skin. If they were looking for something or someone it wasn't a good sign.
Neville ran after them, doing his best to keep himself hidden. He saw Snape grab two Death Eaters and slam them against the wall hard enough that Neville thought their brains must be rattled.
"You had orders to come directly to me," he hissed.
"Crouch told us to come up here," one of them said. "He told me if I didn't do as he said, he would torture Shanae."
Snape's dark eyes were livid. "To my office. Both of you! Now!"
The two Death Eaters scrambled away from him, heading towards the dungeons and Neville frowned. Why would they need to go to his office? He watched Snape march off into the opposite direction and he frowned. Why send Death Eaters to his office if he wasn't going there? Neville started to head down to the dungeons, wondering what Snape had in his office, but four more Death Eaters came running from the right. He ducked behind the statue, his wand in his hand.
"Snape, Bellatrix is duelling Potter," a man said.
Snape nodded. "You know what you need to do. Dumbledore should be arriving in his office about now. I'll go and inform him that the castle is under attack."
The man's smile was slow. "And the girl?"
Snape's eyes were perfectly blank. "Get her to the Astronomy Tower, Selwyn. Slughorn is already there and prepped. We'll meet you there."
Neville frowned. He didn't know what girl they were talking about, but if Dumbledore was back, that meant everything was going to be all right. Didn't it?
Neville watched Snape strut towards Dumbledore's office, but he followed the Death Eaters instead, his wand steady.
He had a really bad feeling about this.
~ ASC ~
Harry forced Ginny to run ahead of him as more Death Eaters emerged from the passageway. He shot spell after spell at them as he urged Ginny to keep going. They made it to the stairs, the staircases moving and keeping them from the Death Eaters.
Or so Harry thought.
Crouch merely made a running leap and jumped off the staircase onto the one they were on, his tongue licking his lips. "She's quite pretty, for a blood traitor," he taunted.
Harry's gaze hardened. "Stay away from her!"
Crouch's smile was cruel. "I'd much rather shove my cock down her throat while you watch."
The force of the spell knocked Crouch back and he tumbled over the staircase, hand gripping the railing as he dangled four floors above the ground. Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and they bolted up the stairs.
But it didn't mean much.
The other staircase had landed and Bellatrix was on their heels. Six other masked figures were running in every direction and Harry had no idea who they were, apart from how dangerous they were.
Theo was still running alongside them, sword in hand. When they arrived in the hall where Harry had once encountered a room with a three-headed dog, he realized they were trapped. Theo raised his sword as Harry and Ginny both held their wands high.
The eight Death Eaters surrounded them, wands out.
"Running isn't going to stop us, dearie," Crouch taunted. "We've been waiting to get our hands on you again since that night in the graveyard."
Harry's eyes narrowed. The last thing he wanted to remember was that night in the graveyard. Bellatrix seemed to know where his thoughts were because vines shot out of her wand again. They bounced off Harry's shield and she smiled, flicking her wand towards him.
But Harry was faster.
The lightning bolt shot from the ceiling with such a flash that all of them jumped back. A second lightning bolt hit the stone before Harry petrified it in place. Then Ginny's wand sent the frozen bolt barrelling towards Crouch. He took two Death Eaters down with him as he dived out of the way. Theo used his sword on the second frozen bolt and two more Death Eaters hit the ground to avoid being impaled by the electrical surge.
"Run!" Harry yelled.
The three of them jumped over the fallen and made a beeline down the hall. The hex hit Harry's leg and he stumbled as Theo and Ginny reached for him and Bellatrix's cackle echoed down the corridor.
"Look at them run, Bart. The little babies are too afraid to fight us. The Chosen One, the Blood Traitor, and the Nott Deviant."
Theo's shoulders tensed and he sent a nonverbal spell straight at Bellatrix that she narrowly avoided. Harry erected another shield that covered the three of them as Death Eaters began to surround them again, cursing himself for allowing Bellatrix to once more surround them.
"Run, run, run as fast as you can," Crouch taunted.
Harry's spell knocked Crouch back into the stone and Ginny's reducto hit the wall to his left. Stone collapsed, crushing one of the Death Eater's legs, and Crouch giggled.
"The little girl has power, Bella. I want to see what she can handle."
His spell bounced off Harry's shield and Ginny shot another hex at him. He laughed as he jumped over the spell, his tongue trailing across his bottom lip. Crouch's taunts were annoying, but he also knew how to get their attention. Just the thought of Crouch even thinking about touching Ginny made Harry want to kill him. Then there was Bellatrix. The bitch had killed Sirius and Harry wanted her dead. Ginny sent another hex towards Crouch that hit its mark because he howled in pain.
Harry was focused on Bellatrix, trying to think of a way to get out of here. The last thing he wanted was for anyone else to get hurt, but letting Bellatrix Lestrange wander the castle wasn't safe either.
He turned his wand, trying to remember the motion as water began to form on the end of his wand, twisting and turning into an eye. When the hurricane spiralled out, the Death Eater on the right snuffed the water out with a flash of fire so hot that Harry felt it melt his shield. He'd barely erected another before Bellatrix's spell hit it.
The flash of red she sent towards him was such a powerful force that it hit his shield like a cannonball, causing his shield to shatter like broken glass. The vines gripped him a second later and he found himself thrown back against the wall, thorns stabbing him as the vines tightened around his torso, arms, and legs.
Ginny cried out his name only a moment before she was thrown against the wall opposite him.
Bellatrix stood in front him, blocking his view of Ginny. "Did you think that I would forget what you did to me in Hogsmeade?"
Harry spat in her face.
Bellatrix's tongue slipped out and she licked the spit off of her chin. The vines tightened hard enough that his wand slipped from his fingers and clattered to the ground. Her wand dug into his neck hard enough that he gasped for breath and then her other hand danced over his torso and lower, cupping him between his legs.
"Do you know what I did last night, Potter? I cut off my husband's cock and bollocks, tossed them into the fire where he could watch them burn, because he had the audacity to take a second wife without asking me." Her hand stroked over him and he watched her eyes widen in surprise as she cupped him and he fought the urge to vomit. "My, my, Rab is right. You are definitely a man with a cock like this."
Harry struggled against the vines and she laughed, making them tighten around him.
"When I bring you to the Dark Lord, I'm going to throw you at his feet, naked. Maybe I'll ride this big cock of yours while everyone watches and then we'll bend you over the altar and let everyone else take a turn. Would you like that? The Dark Lord rather likes to watch, you know," she whispered near his ear.
Harry struggled against her grasp again and her smile only widened.
"No, not interested in that? Shame," she said before her tongue licked his cheek like a dog. Then her wand sliced into his shoulder. "Guess we'll stick to the torture then, but I should warn you, it makes me rather randy."
She licked his cheek again and the vines split open as Harry broke free, his wand shooting up from the ground and back into his hand. The stone gargoyle on the left flew off the wall, smashing straight into Bellatrix. She screamed as the stone jaws opened to pin her to the ground. Harry pointed his wand at her and the gargoyle exploded a second before Harry was caught in the blast. He crashed to the ground, coughing as clips of stone hit him in the arms. He felt a piece of the blast nick him above the eye and he blinked back the blood, some of it smearing across his glasses.
He grabbed his wand, scrambling to his feet before a wand pressed into his shoulder. It cut him, slicing him open from his shoulder down to his navel and he gasped in pain. Bellatrix's cackle made his blood run cold as more vines grew up from the ground, tightening around his thighs. Thorns pierced his skin, digging into him as he tried to stand. He shoved his hand into the wound on his side to try to stop the bleeding just as a force sent Bellatrix flying out of sight. Harry only had time to look up before Theo's sword severed the vines and Harry collapsed to his knees again. Theo's arm came around him, pulling him to his feet.
"Ginny," Harry gasped.
Theo shook his head. "They took her. Come on."
"What do you mean 'they took her?'" Harry demanded.
Theo's hands were covered in blood as he tried to staunch the bleeding on Harry's side. "I mean, Selwyn and Crouch stunned her as Rabastan duelled her; then Rabastan picked her up and carried her from the hall."
"And where the hell were you?" Harry spat, his eyes glinting in rage.
Theo cupped Harry's face in his hands. "Saving your sorry arse! Now stop bloody moving so I can stop this bleeding. You'll be no good to anyone if you bleed out all over the goddamn castle floor!"
"I need to find Ginny!" Harry exclaimed, forcing himself to his feet and shoving Theo off of him.
His hand automatically clutched his side as the movement caused pain to tear through him. It was so sharp and intense that it made black spots appear in front of his eyes. He would have collapsed if Theo hadn't held him up.
"You won't be finding anyone if you don't let me look at your bloody side!"
Harry closed his eyes, wincing in pain and when he finally moved his hand away to let Theo have a look, the increase in blood loss made him weak. "Be quick about it, yeah?"
Theo rolled his eyes. "Not a healer, Harry."
Harry swore when Theo's wand prodded him and when he felt the Slytherin's fingers, he bit his lip. "Just heal it and be done!"
"It's not like I have dittany in my back pocket, Harry. Stay still!"
Harry slid down the wall, not of his own volition, and Theo shook his head as he made a bandage appear, wrapping it tightly around Harry's side. The tightness of it helped and when Theo helped him stand, he nodded his thanks.
"You need a healer," Theo told him.
Harry gritted his teeth. "Which way did they go?"
"Up," Theo said. "That bandage won't hold for long, Harry. A healer needs to have a look at that gash."
"Up where?" Harry demanded.
Theo sighed. "I heard Rabastan say something about the Astronomy Tower."
Harry put a hand over his side before he nodded. "Let's go."
~ ASC ~
Dumbledore landed in his office in surprise as the portkey brought him there. The portkey wasn't what he had been expecting. When the Gurg had passed him the roll of parchment full of demands, he had hesitated. A witch had helped them, writing them out so that the great Albus Dumbledore could help them make peace.
"What witch?" Dumbledore asked, curiosity overcoming him as much as the hesitation. If a witch had been there to help them craft the demands, why wasn't she present now for the talk?
"Carthaginian," Hoffman said. "International Magical Relations does involve all creatures, does it not? The Gurg says that she's been speaking with them."
"Take it," the Gurg said. "We want peace."
He recognized Snape in his disguise and disillusionment charm only because he was watching for it; for the flash of light that he knew would Imperius Slughorn.
But he wasn't expecting what came next.
A second later, the vampire's fangs hit Slughorn's throat. He used his wand to send her away, eyes on where Snape had vanished with Slughorn just as the Gurg pressed the scroll into his hand.
The moment his hand touched the scroll, he knew that he had made a mistake. His eyes fell upon the petite blonde woman sitting in his chair as he fell on his office floor a moment later.
"Ah, the Headmaster returns," Carthaginian said, her heels resting on his desk. "Ciao preside! Was my scroll helpful?"
Dumbledore rose to his feet gracefully, his eyes on her. "Why, Delta? You value the importance of international magical relations more than anyone, why would you choose to follow the one wizard who does not?"
Carthaginian examined her fingernails critically. "I have my reasons."
Dumbledore's blue eyes met hers. "I'd like to know them."
She laughed. "Would you now?"
"Yes."
Carthaginian stood up, straightening her skirt as she did, her wand out. "My best friend growing up was my half-sister… we were a duo. Beautiful and deadly, barely two years apart. We had power to make men fall at our feet. And we did. When her husband urged her to follow in his master's footsteps, she brought me along for the ride and let me tell you, Albus… the high one gets off international relations… you don't know the half of it. And when the offer came to take down the infamous Albus Dumbledore. It was too good to pass up. Una possibilità di una vita."
"And why would you wish to take me down, Delta? Have I wronged you in some way?"
Carthaginian kept her wand pointed at his heart. "Because Signore Oscuro ordered it. I don't need another reason, though we both know you deserve it for what you've done."
Dumbledore attempted to make a shield charm and the flash of it knocked him back.
"Oh? Didn't you recognize the symbol that you so conveniently landed on?" she asked, her voice light and her eyes glinting.
His eyes moved down to the markings engraved on the floor of his office. The circular runes were sharp and precise, drawn in blood and carved into the stone, older than anything he'd ever seen before.
"I learned it from Professor Dragomir. Did you know that I spent time at Durmstrang? I did and I learned a few secrets, qui e li. That, Professor, is an ancient mark, created thousands of years ago. Runes really can be used for anything if drawn the right way in the right combination. This one, oh it's a really special one. Each circle connects to the one beside it, unifying the mark. It completely saps your magic and the more magic you try to use, the faster it takes that magic from you, flowing from circle to circle to circle… see how it lights up in power. Did I mention that I put a ward around it like a prison?" Carthaginian taunted. "No? Well, that's also in place in case you thought about trying to escape."
The phoenix song rose up, but Carthaginian's wand was faster as Fawkes came in through the open window only to collapse to the ground, a helpless baby bird.
"And your bird won't be helping you, either."
Dumbledore stared at her. "Tom's too much of a coward to take me out himself so he sent you?"
"Oh no, I volunteered. And I won't be killing you, Albus. Oh, no. I try to avoid that kind of unpleasantness whenever possible," she assured him. "No, I'm only a small part of the puzzle… at least for now."
He lifted his wand again only to be shoved back to the ground and she laughed.
"It's a powerful ward, Albus. The more you fight it, the weaker you become. Weren't you listening?"
Dumbledore tried to weaken the ward, but with every spurt of magic, it felt like his own magic was repelling against him, surrounding him and drowning him at the same time. He gasped for breath as she laughed.
"I heard that it feels a bit like being hollowed out while your lungs attempt to breathe. Signore Oscuro says that the more one struggles, the more pain they find themselves in."
He cracked the ward this time, just a tiny crack, but it was enough. The ward vanished around him, but before he could make a move, the markings in blood pulled at him. He felt like his throat was closing up, his heart beating faster in his chest, and like all of the oxygen had left the room. He saw black spots in front of his eyes and his wand fell from his grasp.
Carthaginian cackled as his fingers reached out to touch the wand on the ground desperately. "Told you. Accio Dumbledore's wand!"
Dumbledore's wand flew up and into her outstretched hand.
"My oh my, how the mighty have fallen," she taunted before she pointed Dumbledore's wand at him. "Incarcerous!"
Thick chains shot up from the symbol on the ground locking his hands, ankles, and neck in shackles. Dumbledore attempted to free himself and the flash of magic against the warding forced him to collapse again.
"Weaker by the moment," she warned. "But points for trying while I hold your wand."
The door banged open, slamming into the wall and she smiled.
"Come in, Severus."
Snape stepped into the room, his wand drawn and his eyes on Carthaginian. "Donna."
"Sorpresa!" she teased, sitting back on Dumbledore's desk and crossing her legs. "He's here to tell you that the castle is under attack."
Snape's eyes were on her. He gave nothing away in his expression as he stared at her.
"Why bring you here only to tell you this?" she asked, looking thoughtful. "Well, Signore Oscuro wanted you to know that not only did he trick the mighty Albus Dumbledore, but that the castle you tried so hard to protect is now full of Death Eaters. Potter isn't as safe as he thinks."
Dumbledore's blue eyes stared at her. "How?"
"I've been here many years as a professor and I've taken the time to explore. Not to mention, I had my own little spy in the castle. You see, that sister I told you about, she has a son, my nephew. And he told her many things about the secrets of Hogwarts including an old abandoned passageway that needed to be cleared of debris which seemed like the perfect way in," Carthaginian explained as she hopped off the desk. "He was quite the useful little spy without even knowing it. Now, onto the next phase."
Carthaginian tapped Dumbledore's wand against her thigh before she flicked her own wand in gesture. The chains holding him pulled towards her like a magnetic pulley and she smiled. "Oh, this is going to be fun."
She flicked her wand again and the chains moved from the symbol.
"Don't you have something for me, Severus?"
Snape passed her the statue of the snake. "Everything else should be in order. Slughorn is at the top of the tower with the potion."
Carthaginian nodded. "Which means that you have somewhere else to be, doesn't it? Something else that you promised to do?"
Snape nodded and with a final look at Dumbledore, he turned away.
"Ciao!" Carthaginian called out cheerfully.
Dumbledore watched Snape leave as Baby Fawkes cried from the ground. Carthaginian held the statue of the snake tightly in her hand before she gripped his chains with her wand.
"Why did he call you Donna, Delta?"
Her smile was slow. "Carthaginian was the name of my husband, who was best friends with my sister's husband, Antonio. As for Delta, it seemed like a good change, sí?" She chuckled to herself as if laughing at her own private joke. "It was he who introduced me to Signore Oscuro so many years ago. My real name, Albus, is Belladonna Brambilla."
Before he could respond, the tug from the second portkey sent them flying from his office and he realized that for the first time in his life, he had truly been duped.
And he didn't know what was going to happen next.
Author's Notes:
(Italian) una possibilità di una vita = a chance of a lifetime.
(Italian) ciao preside = hello, principal
(Italian) qui e li = here and there
(Italian) sorpresa = surprise
(Italian) Signore Oscuro = Dark Lord
Hope the Carthaginian bit was a surprise!
Thank you for reading and please review!