Chapter 48: The Spiller Of Blood

My Thanks To All My Readers And Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.

{A/N: Don't know why I need to issue a warning but there are some sensitive people out there so here it is...MAJOR CHARACTER DEATHS AHEAD...}

{"If you feel so empty...So used up, so let down...If you feel so angry...So ripped off, so stepped on...You're not the only one...Refusing to back down...You're not the only one...So get up...Let's start a riot, a riot...Let's start a riot...Let's start a riot, a riot...Let's start a riot...If you feel so filthy...So dirty, so fucked up...If you feel so walked on...So painful, so pissed off...You're not the only one...Refusing to go down...You're not the only one...So get up...Let's start a riot, a riot...Let's start a riot...Let's start a riot, a riot...Let's start a riot"} Riot, Three Days Grace

The Ministry Of Magical Offices, Wizarding World...

News of the massive attack on Hogsmeade Village spread like wildfire prompting the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt to return to his office to put out the embers of his political career. He had urged Harry Potter and his family to find a solution to this madness with Arcturus and The Serpent Brothers Of Destruction.

There was no similarities between this opposing dark wizard and the one before him other than the fact that they caused a good deal of damage to the wizarding world and had a personal vendetta against Harry James Potter.

Kingsley had done his best to keep the wizarding world from the verge of panic and foster the universal belief that Harry Potter would find a well to quell this latest nuisance and live could return to it's peaceful existence prior to the upstart groups decent upon wizarding kind.

Seeing this as a challenge, Arcturus appeared at the Ministry Of Magical Offices leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. The security staff and a handful of Aurors had put up a good fight but in the end the lethal wizard proved to be too much for them as he made his way to the main office.

The vast black floors reflected more broken glass and dead bodies as Arcturus entered the inner sanctum of wizarding government. His dark eyes had fallen upon the posturing Kingsley Shacklebolt whom had issued a world wide message to reassure his public of Harry Potter's capabilities in dealing with the newest threat.

"Hello Shacklebolt." said Arcturus making his way over toward the Prime Minster of Magic's desk.

"You are Arcturus of course." replied the rather large wizard keeping his own fear in check as he greeted his enemy.

"Indeed I am." replied the masked dark wizard as he went about examining the quint little room that had been the seat of wizarding power for centuries. "Am I to take it that you think your precious Potter so powerful that he could be in two places at once?"

Kingsley had been massive in terms of girth and possible strength yet he was no fool. He looked upon the dark wizard as a familiar aura of cold and death made itself known to him.

"You are so very much like him." he said.

Arcturus seemed impassive as he simply stared into the eyes of his enemy.

"His aura was often cold and death followed where ever he moved." continued Kingsley.

"Then what happens next should be of no surprise to you." replied Arcturus.

Unbeknownst to the dark wizard, there had been another present if only to give Harry Potter more time to arrive and put an end to this madness. The terror filled blue eyes of a red headed wizard had taken in the imposing sight of the dark wizard leaving so much death in his wake.

With a trembling hand he raised his wand in the hopes of catching the unsuspecting monster off guard and possibly buying Harry time to arrive.

"And what do you think you are doing?" asked Arcturus turning his attention to the now startled red head wizard.

Frozen in shock from having been so easily caught, the would be hero found himself flung rather effortlessly into a nearby wall.

The dark wizard snapped his fingers causing Kingsley to choke via what had been wand-less magic. The eyes of the larger than life Minister of Magic had begun to bulge from inside his head as Arcturus made his way over to the downed red head.

"Your interference will not go unpunished." hissed the dark wizard as he summoned a spell from the very depths of his being as he stood over the unconscious wizard on the floor below.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Diagon Alley, Wizarding World...

The letter S. had been etched into the bruised and broken flesh of a wounded wizard official as he gasped for breath in the wake of a very swift attack by The Serpent Brother's Of Destruction. His hair had been red, a vibrant sort of red with a soft orange glow about it. His face had been busted and pooled with blood despite the numerous bruises. The body had seen better days having been taken to task by a fierce magical lash and discarded like rubbish.

Panic swept the alley as many a witch and wizard ran about in an attempt to a voice the tragic findings to all whom would listen. The Minister of Magic had been killed and there had been one more casualty that would shake Harry Potter to his very core.

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The Forbidden Forest, Wizarding World...

Flying as fast as they could to avoid being eaten by a rather vile forest dweller, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger did their best to steer clear of the large winding tentacles that had come for them. According to the amber eyed witch's research, it was called a Lurker. A rather hideous beat with a massive tree-like body with the arms and legs of a man and the head of a surfaced fish.

It's gray-black tentacles continued to snap at the flying witch and wizard as they zipped passed many a tree in a bid to avoid it.

"Faster Harry it's gaining on us." said Hermione tightly gripping her oldest and dearest friend about the waist as he did his best to propel his broom forward in a bid to avoid the swatting beast.

"I'm trying Hermione." replied Harry tilting his broom handle upward to give the broom more of a kick. "It's too bloody fast."

Hermione grabbed her wand and aimed a careful series of hexes at the tree-like creature.

"celeri Concidito!" shouted the rather clever witch in desperation.

Almost immediately, the Lurker seemed to split in rapid pieces and fall apart mid-chase.

Harry sighed in relief.

"That was rather close wasn't it?" asked Hermione as they hovered silently above the tree tops for a moment catching their breath an surveying the damaged creature.

"I couldn't agree more." replied Harry pleased the chase had come to an end.

"Let's go before another comes out." said Hermione.

"Agreed." replied the green eyed wizard focusing his broom as they took off like lightening.

Neither of them had been aware of the shocking news that would hit them once they made it home.