Chapter Ten
The Unspeakables of the world fought a losing battle and they knew it! Arthur Weasely was angry this thing took one of his boys, it had taken Harry he had seen the footage nothing could survive a hit like that. Ron was angry too his best friend was killed by this thing. He could not fathom why a request to release at lower power for testing toward a defense mastery was even allowed. It is meant to be an intelligence test an intelligent person would not attack a titan.
"Dad I want to know who requested this be added to Harry's Gauntlet." He seethed as he rotated groups off the front line, he had managed to help slow the titan's movement. His dad never got to answer that question or any other question ever again as the titan slipped back beneath wave s and for a moment a cheer went up only for it to be crushed when the island they were defending exploded under their feet the last thing Ron saw was the lad coming up to meet him.
Leaders of the world watched as their magical forces fought a rear-guard action until finally, they were overwhelmed and discussion of the final solution began
Harry woke floating above the island that looked like a war zone he spotted two shocks of red hair one he recognized as his best friend in an Unspeakables robe the other broke his heart the man who he long considered to be a father; body lay broken a vacant look in his eyes.
At first, Harry felt anger, rage really, then he felt sad. Turning toward the titan who was turning to move on its path of destruction Harry raised a hand negligently and chanted "Vestri Vindictam Hic Desinit, Non Magis Erit Tibi Tolle. Sub Fluctibus Somno Aut Mori Pro Contemptione." The regalia of death appeared once again "your answer?" Knowing already that the titan would never be bound again willingly Harry was not disappointed when the monster brought all six arms to bear Harry did not speak just raised his hand and the titan beat against the shield until its appendages started to bleed Between strike of the monsters arms Harry cried out "Sectis et Adolebit!" He did this six times the titan fell from blood loss .its head-based laying on the broken shore Harry looked in its eyes and was suddenly in its mind and it felt like it was free, free from the pain and the rage that ruled it taking a closer look at the arms he saw bracelets curse with runes that stoked the rage. Harry felt pity perhaps if he had looked for the reason this could have been avoided "I cannot give you back your arms. I am sorry."
'End me! it is a long time since I could see the sky, feel the wind. Finally, I can rest. Beware the Ori, little one' the titan closed its eyes
Harry put everything he had into the spell "Aveda Kedavra."
Leaders around the world looked on in shock as their forces were decimated only to be saved by the boy who was to their knowledge dead. the silence was shocking as people breathed in relief until they lost the camera feed
"Minister Shacklebolt?" Penelope Weasely knocked on the door to his office
"What is it, Penelope?" Shacklebolt asked
"Arthur Weasely, The Ghost has fallen in the line of duty." She said her eyes tearing up "His apprentice and Harry Potter live. Harry Potter put the titan down for good." One more nail in his coffin he knew harry would investigate this he would have to move quickly…
Arthur Weasely found himself floating in front of two women "Dear merlin Lily am I dead?"
"Unfortunately, Arthur the titan killed you and many others. However, as Albus used to say. Death is only the beginning. My friend Oma and I are here to offer you a choice. To go into death or shed your mortal form and ascend." Lily looked kindly at the man who took her son in when he had no one else. "Arthur if you decide to ascend Arthur there are rules that we ascended follow. We observe but never directly interfere with the mortal races."
"Merlin Lily that sounds like it would be pure torture." Arthur murmured, "Maybe I do not understand the pitfalls of helping others that they might become dependent or misuse what they are given." Arthur looked like he was trying to find the words "I just think a policy of noninteraction. Is a poor choice. Where I do not feel like it is might makes right. I believe that because I had Magic in life it was my responsibility to use it for the betterment of my people."
"That is all well and good Arthur but the power you will have is many orders of magnitude greater than anything you encountered in life." Lilly smiled at the man who was wise for a mortal "You could sneeze and destroy a planet."
"Then I will give it a pass. I am a simple man" Arthur said his voice cracking "I will pass into death."
"No, you will not" a hollow voice rang through ascended space causing the ancients to pause and look around using their gifts "Stop trying to sense me Children of Altera. Like the Ori, you are beyond my dominion. However, for too long have you capriciously acted; ordering whole galaxies as you see fit Gone is a great alliance. The Asgard are dying, the barest bit of compassion and help could correct this. The Nox live in hiding, in Isolation. The Furling have chosen to remove themselves from this plane entirely that not even you with all your power cannot reach them. In their place, the Goa'uld rose feasting on the bones of your society bent on enslaving the galaxy. Beyond that, you have used my master as your hand. Today a relic left from the schism of your society came a close to wiping out all life in this world. That is unacceptable as none of those that died today are scheduled to die for many years to come. You will help me fix this or I will see to it that the greater powers strip you of yours."
"There are no greater powers than us" an angry voice from the cloud declared "We demand you show yourself"
"No, we most certainly do not!" Oma Desala countered "I know this being it is because of this beings' instruction that we found the path to ascension. There are many beings in the universe that are greater than us in terms of both power and understanding. On several occasions, they stepped in when one of us has done truly stupid or morally bad things. Things that we should be doing whether or not the Ori come."
"Oma Desala for too long you and others have labored under punishments for trying to do the right thing." A tall robed figure with a cowl of solid black that showed no face. The figure snapped its finger and the Half Ascended Goa'uld Anubis was amongst his former brethren "The others cannot interfere do what you feel you must to end the threat that you helped create."
The fight that ensued was the shortest and ugliest fight in the milky way galaxy would ever see. Anubis thought with Oma attacking him he would have full use of his ascended abilities sadly he was still only half ascended there was nothing left that proved Anubis had ever existed.
Chaya Sar was on Proculus watching her people she was both happy and sad she felt the others had gathered on earth and she had felt the destruction of the half ascended she was confused Oma had been allowed to act. She felt a hand on her shoulder she turned and smile "Orlin, what are you doing here? The others will punish you!"
Orlin Smiled Little Chaya had been very young when she made a mistake driven by grief "One of the Eternals has summoned you." Chaya nodded but still held onto Orlin she had missed him so.
Chaya Sar appeared in the gathering next to Oma whom she also hugged "I am glad you are finally free of it. "She then faced the Eternal in the room "I understand I have been summoned."
"Chaya Sar in many ways your punishment was far worse than Oma Desala's. Your peers felt they had the right to lock you onto one planet for the temerity of saving your people from the wraith." Today, your punishment ends but I ask that you keep a watch. I have it on good authority that someone will come to Proculus and he will be worth a lifetime descended that he is a descendent of your species means he too may ascend."
"No, she will stay on Proculus because that is an appropriate punishment" an older looking ascended cried but when he tried to use his power to force Chaya back, he simply vanished.
"While I cannot reap you, I can and will forcibly descend you." The being said "Now this silly rule about non-interference so you can hide this galaxy from the Ori. Knock it off Anurans are present in this galaxy and you left humanity to the tender mercy of the Wraith. Clean up your mess and even if you won't help the 'lesser' races Point them to Heliopolis sooner rather than later. If any Race could use the guidance of the great alliance, it is Humanity." Turning to Oma almost embarrassingly could you summon Lily's son, please?"
"Since you asked nicely?" Oma did as the eternal asked and Harry Potter appeared before them dreaming or having a nightmare that encompassed the entire experience of his life causing many to look away.
Lily did not even bother with propriety she laid her son's head in her lap stroking his hair using her abilities she slowly guided his dreams away from horror to his friends and finally to Samantha before waking him.
"It was not a dream? you are real?" Harry asked sadness tinging his voice "Arthur Weasely is dead, isn't he? I did not dream that up?" Arthur was going to say something when death spoke.
"No Master you did not! I had them bring you here. I need your help." Causing Harry to wince "The grand design has been endangered by this event and I need your help. I need you to reforge my staff then I need you to wield it. With the assistance of my mate Life and these others, we are going to correct this gross dereliction of duty."
"Throughout Harry's life, others have used him. Some for his fame, others for his power." Arthur finally spoke up taking harry into a fatherly hug "To my shame I was never allowed to protect and guide him as I should. Do you need him to do this thing? Can these others not step up and help where needed?"
Chaya had been mortified by the nightmares that plagued him "I will help!"
She was met by cries of derision until Ganos Lal vanished and came back with Moros in tow freshly awakened and confused. "Stop this. The eternal is not asking us to intercede on behalf of the mortal races he is asking us to clean up our mess as we should have eons ago." Ganos Lal yelled piercing everyone with a look that promised punishment "Moros, your punishment is at an end. Make ready the Sangraal in case the Ori should come. The rest of you Can either descend or help there is no other choice an eternal has asked for our aid to help one of our descendants clean up a mess we helped make."
"Finally, a question and a statement I can work with." The eternal said lowering his hood and instead of a skeletal figure they saw an ancient man "No, I do not need him, nor will I be using him. The choice is his but, he is bearing the Deathly Hallows which in their current forms are a burden to the young man."
The eternal paused and looked at Harry again "Master is the wrong word for you Harry. Friend although that might be optimistic right now" he then looked at the ascended "While you spent your time contemplating your navels or whatever you thought of at the time three human magic users ended a particularly bloody war in what is now Europe. They were on their way home and for once I was miffed as I enjoy a good war as much as anyone. This would have been around 642 A.D. you know the world was rampant with disease war and, Humanity. So, these three brothers were on their way back Briton and they managed to thwart every attempt to shuffle them off the mortal coil. So, I tricked them although I am not sure who paid more for them or me. I Took my staff and removed the head. I transmuted the head into the ring with an onyx stone, the staff I shrunk into the most potent wand ever. And I gave the youngest brother my robe which became a cloak to hide him until he was ready to face me on his terms. The Ring and the wand cut a bloody swath through history leaving a trail of blood or broken minds in their wake as the elder brothers lost control of their hallows. The youngest met me after a Century giving his cloak to his son and so on until the cloak came to Harry. Sadly, I need to remake my staff and Harry here needs to wield it for what needs to be done. Harry summon the ring and the wand so I can retrieve them from you."
Harry looked at the being he knew to be death and for once in his life he was honestly unafraid he thought of the items and they appeared death held out his hand summoning them to him and was concerned at first when the items just did not come to him. 'that's strange will have to delve into this later' he thought as he reversed the transmutation of the head and reformed the staff. Handling it carefully for the first time in well over a thousand years he could still feel her in it and it made him smile. "It reminds me of my wife she made it for me. She reminded me that death was a part of life and she did this to ease my conscience when I have to take a young person before their perceived time"
He held the staff out to Harry "Take this" he said to harry throwing the staff into his hands "Ladies if you would start pouring power into Harry. Harry if you would I want you to think of the people you love, and the people who were hurt this day for no other reason than they decided to wake up or try to hold the line. Then I want you to unleash your power through the staff and reverse what has passed."
Lily, Ganos Lal, And Chaya Sar took up position behind Harry and began pouring energy into him at first Harry felt nothing but soon he felt warm and began to pant his eyes glowing eerily "Stop if you give me anymore, I will shatter the planet accidentally" He focused on his love, for family, friends and genuine desire to help those who needed it. An army of patroni burst from the staff and began crisscrossing the planet in preparation. He then made the patroni explode cascading the atmosphere with his will and magic causing auroras at both poles. He then remembered watching this the night before last with Sam and her explaining why this sort of thing happened. He felt and saw the damage that was done around the Triangle was repaired. While time did not reverse itself. The magic of the world responded to the master of death's will.
Arthur found himself waking his neck a little sore but without grumbling, he walked over to Ron and Harry. As many Unspeakables woke to find themselves. Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan all woke not far from one another they too made their way over to Harry.
"Agent Weasely" Athos snapped "Report?"
Authors Notes: I have had a few reviewers giddy it would seem that Harry has power or perhaps more power than he should given what we see in canon. I would like to posit something for discussion. Harry has gone through life before now just wanting to be Harry. Not the boy who lived, the boy who killed a thousand-year-old Basilisk when he was 12, the boy who drove away a huge chunk of dementors when he was 13. Not the Triwizard Champion at 14. Most certainly not the chosen one, or the man who conquered. I think that his quest to be just Harry is his way of keeping himself from attaining too much power and becoming trapped as his mentor did. Harry is easily the most powerful wizard alive. However, He limits himself, lies to himself to not become 'that guy the one who seeks power for power's sake he honestly wants to use his gift for the benefit of all.
Vestri Vindictam Hic Desinit, Non Magis Erit Tibi Tolle. Sub Fluctibus Somno Aut Mori Pro Contemptione.
your vengeance ends here, no more shall you take. Beneath the waves sleep or die for your defiance.
Sectis et Adolebit!
Cut and Burn!
Authors Notes the second: This is why you should not write or edit when you are tired Plums caught a mistake that I made. Many thanks Plums.