Chapter 11 - Doom's Departure
After he'd locked the gate Boulder paused outside Harry's cage. He seemed reluctant to join Cragheart who was busy inflicting terrible suffering on Dolomic.
Harry realized that this was his opportunity to talk to Boulder.
'So, you are Block's big brother,' said Harry through the bars.
Boulder towered above him and appeared to take no notice.
'Block has told me a lot about you - he says you're a great crackit player but he reckons he's going to be better when he gets bigger.'
Boulder turned and bent down to peer through the bars at Harry. He had a quizzical expression on his face.
'How do you know Block?' he asked simply.
'Well.I met him about a week ago. Harbaxen sent him to where I live instead of bringing him here with the rest of you. I think it was part of Harbaxen's plan to get me here as he guessed that somehow I would follow your trail to this place. He was right and that's how come I'm here. I was trying to help Block you see. He really misses his mother and father and.. I think he misses you to.'
Boulder blinked and pondered this.
'All of my clan are weak and stupid. Only Cragheart has any real idea about where trolls belong in the order of things. He believes that trolls should be out living among humans in their towns. We trolls are strong and we could be dominant - we should use our power rather than hide in the mountains living in rough caves'.
Harry replied 'I've been to your clan's village in the mountains and I think it's a brilliant place. Most people living in towns would love to live and work in such surroundings only they can't because for them life is very complicated. I think you trolls have got it just right you know.'
Boulder stood in silence - he had only heard Cragheart's opinions until now and he had done such terrible things to his own people in betraying them to Harbaxen. He had made his decision. Now, although things were not as he had imagined, his path was set and there could surely be no turning back. Still, the noises of Dolomic screaming made him wince. Deep down he was feeling very alone. Visions of him and Cragheart leading the clan to better things with the help of Harbaxen had now faded. He could not see how Harbaxen was doing any of this with the trolls best interests in mind. The promises that Harbaxen had made him and Cragheart now seemed empty but what could he do?
'Where is Block?' Boulder asked Harry.
'I've no idea,' answered Harry truthfully, 'I left him at your village and there weren't any other trolls there. I expect he'll be lonely.'
Again Harry was trying to get through to Boulder's sense of duty towards his family and he could see that Boulder was confused and struggling with his conscience to choose the way forward. 'What do you think Harbaxen will do with you all when he's finished?' asked Harry.
Boulder shook his head as if to try to clear his doubts. 'Harbaxen has promised to end troll's life of misery living in the mountains.' A crack of a whip followed by Dolomic screaming echoed down the passage. Harry didn't need to say anything more as he could sense that Boulder had realized that Harbaxen had been false.
'Goodbye Harry Potter,' said Boulder grimly.
'I have been wrong. Cragheart must stop - tell Block that I was wrong and that I am sorry. I don't think that I will see him again.'
Boulder looked grim and determined as he set off towards the cavern with his whip in hand.
Harry cried out 'Boulder, wait!' He hadn't planned for Boulder to take on Cragheart and all of Harbaxen's dragons. Harry knew that Boulder would not stand a chance out there. 'Wait!' he shouted again but Boulder had already left.
Out in the cavern the trolls were working furiously hard to dig out the three remaining barrels. As Boulder entered there was a shout 'the last barrel has been brought up. Now stop it Cragheart!' One of the trolls carried a barrel from a pit and placed it beside another two. By this time Dolomic was hanging by the ties on his wrists rather than standing and blood poured down his great back. Even Cragheart was sweating from his exertion.
The trolls, with their work complete, sat about exhausted.
Boulder was now unsure what to do. He stood opposite Cragheart and stared across at the great troll who he had once admired. The urgency to confront Cragheart was gone now that the suffering of Dolomic had ended. However the urge to get it over with was strong such was his fear of the consequences.
Boulder realized that the most urgent problem was poor Dolomic so instead of confronting Cragheart he went over to Dolomic and untied his bindings. He caught Dolomic in his arms and carried him over to the water trough. Once there the other trolls set about tending his wounds and Boulder was pushed to one side.
Cragheart shouted to Boulder, 'you stay here and see to it that they all behave. I'll get the barrels loaded,' and Cragheart ordered five of the trolls to follow him into the passage bringing the last three barrels with them down the tunnel to where the barrels were stacked.
Boulder watched them leave. He realized that even greater than his fear of facing Cragheart was his fear of facing his mother and the rest of the clan and admitting the wrongs that he had done and admitting to himself that he had been wrong. Boulder stood for a moment; deep down he knew that the hardest way was also the right one. Boulder then did the bravest thing he had ever done. He went over to where his mother was slumped and knelt in front of her. As Cragheart left he didn't notice Boulder deep in conversation with his mother.
Harry was roused in his cell by the sudden commotion. The five trolls first pulled open the heavy doors at the far and of the passage and then started to carry the barrels one by one through the door. Cragheart was overseeing their work. Harry could not make out what was happening to the barrels but he was concerned that Harbaxen's weapons against the Ministry of Magic were on the move. Murdo stood with him in the cell as he also sensed that the situation was changing.
'It looks like they're packing for a trip' said Murdo.
Harry explained his fears regarding the barrels to Murdo who appeared to listen and understand. Next, however Murdo started running about the cell with his arms out straight as if he was an airplane making 'nnnrrggggh' noises.
Meanwhile out in the cavern things were quiet. Boulder had finished his talk with his mother and was now doing the rounds talking to other trolls who were slumped about the place. As he passed they looked up, listened for a few moments then got up to carry out some further tasks.
Once Boulder had spoken with several of the trolls he went down to check on Cragheart's progress in the tunnel. He plodded along as far as Harry's cage and stopped for a moment to watch the last of the barrels being carried out through the doors.
Cragheart soon spotted him and snarled 'fool! I told you to keep an eye on the others. Boulder, get back into the cavern and see what they're up to. Send in the dragons to warm one or two of them up if they start any trouble but don't let them get carried away. Harbaxen wants the clan in one piece for now.'
Harry watched Boulder leave and was puzzled by his actions. Then his heart skipped a beat. Lying on the ground just inside the gate was the key to his cage. Boulder must have come down to give Harry the key!
'Murdo quickly! It's time to go,' said Harry as he rushed forwards to pick up the key.
The barrels had only been moved a short distance away but already he felt his strength returning. Harry reached through the bars and unlocked the gate. He slowly pulled it open and peered left and right to see if there was any sign of Cragheart. To his right the large wooden doors stood open and the trolls there were busy loading the barrels onto a platform on wheels.
Harry's curiosity overcame his caution and he crept along the wall towards the opening. Once there he was able to look through the doorway. The platform was in fact a long open topped railway truck. The barrels were all on board stacked two high and were being roped into position. Cragheart stood only a few yards away with his back to Harry supervising the work. Harry moved closer so that he could see up the track. To the left was a long tunnel with an arch of light in the distance. That was evidently the way out of the tunnel. Harry looked into the gloom on the other side of the truck and his eyes widened in amazement. On the track connected to the truck was a huge steam engine. It was similar in many respects to the Hogwarts Express except that it was old and dirty and much larger. The heavy metal plating forming the engine was held together with hundreds of poorly finished rivets. The engine looked dark and menacing rather than graceful like the Scarlet Hogwarts Express. On the side of the engine, someone had painted a single word in large red letters "DOOM".
Harry observed that there was already steam rising from the funnel. The train was ready to depart.
So that was how the barrels were to be taken away. But how were they going to be delivered in such a way as to cover the ministry of magic in the ash?
A distant memory came into Harry's head. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment. It was Dumbledore's letter to him "the ministry will be visiting Hogwarts during the summer holiday for their annual conference (you didn't think the staff at Hogwarts spent the whole summer sunbathing did you?) and my presence will be required here to make arrangements and to play host to my distinguished guests. In fact I will be travelling down to London and back on the Hogwarts Express to collect them - a trip that I am rather looking forward to!" Harry stared at the page in horror. He counted back the days and realized that the Ministry would be setting off from London today - of course! All Harbaxen needed to do was to send this train in the opposite direction to meet the Hogwarts Express and BOOM!
Harry felt so tired. Being this close to the barrels was a great strain. Nevertheless, he concentrated hard desperately trying to come up with a plan. He couldn't use magic and being so close to the barrels made him feel terribly weak but he had to do something. If he could get to the footplate unnoticed maybe he could get the train moving before Cragheart could stop him..
Suddenly there was a long whistle from behind him and a voice shouted 'what a beauty!'
It was Murdo.
He had followed Harry down the passage and was now standing in the middle of the doorway. The five trolls working on the barrels stared in surprise but Cragheart roared in fury and raised his whip.
'Quick - run!' shouted Harry to Murdo. Harry was already running up the tunnel towards the cavern as fast as his leaden legs could carry him. The whip cracked and behind him Murdo who was already following was caught by the tip of the whip across his buttocks. He howled and his little legs became a blur as he accelerated past Harry as they ran up the tunnel.
Cragheart couldn't run fast but he started striding up the tunnel after them shouting 'Boulder! Boulder!'
Harry knew that there would be dragons in the cavern but his only choice was to head straight out into the huge opening at full speed. Once out on the open floor of the cavern he kept running. The trolls all around looked on curiously at the sight of a boy and a dwarf. Then, seeing Cragheart emerge they all stood to face him. Cragheart stopped and glared at them. 'Out of my way you fools or I'll call down the dragons.' The dragons were already watching intently from above with their evil eyes reflecting the light of the fires around about.
For a moment everyone was still then Boulder stepped forward from among the trolls who were by now massed together. He, like Cragheart, was carrying his whip.
'Enough!' cried Boulder, 'this must stop Cragheart - help us. We can escape through the railway tunnel if we act together and go quickly.'
'Fool!' spat Cragheart bitterly. 'Harbaxen would kill me.'
'Boulder replied, 'don't you see? He's going to kill us all anyway now that we've finished our work. Do you think he's going to let us go? He knows the clan would not forgive all the suffering he's caused.'
'Very well Boulder, side with the clan and suffer the same fate as the rest of them.'
As the other trolls looked on Boulder and Cragheart started to circle each other sizing up each other's weaknesses and waiting for a chance to strike.
Cragheart was first to attack, he twirled his whip and the leather slashed across Boulders chest and arms. Boulder returned the same and caught Cragheart on the legs. Again and again the troll trolls lashed at one another. The dragons were getting increasingly excited by the violence and blood. Occasionally one would swoop low across the cavern and Cragheart would order it back to its perch.
Eventually Boulder's whip wrapped around one of Cragheart's arms and this gave Cragheart the chance he had been waiting for. He yanked hard on the whip and Boulder toppled forwards onto the ground. Cragheart was onto him straight away. He threw down his whip and immediately began to rain down punches on Boulder's head and shoulders with his enormous arms. Boulder was trapped and couldn't move - he wouldn't last long. Cragheart paused and glared about him at the other trolls. 'He's no better than the rest of you. No spine when it gets rough. Well he's going to pay the price now,' and with that Cragheart lifted a massive angular chunk of rock weighing several tonnes and held it high above his head. He carried it back to where Boulder lay and for a second stood there glaring down at Boulder. 'Goodbye weakling,' he said and was about to smash the rock down on Boulder's head when crack, one of the whips that had been thrown down was wielded on him. It coiled around one of his arms and he looked to his left and stared in disbelief as Dolomic stood defiantly holding the other end of the whip. Then crack the second whip wound itself about his other arm. Boulder's mother, Hardfist, wielded this one.
Hardfist and Dolomic nodded once to each other and pulled on the whips. Their combined strength was enough to force Cragheart's arms apart. The tonnes of rock above him fell straight downwards and, with a sickening crunch, struck him on top of his head. As his eyes rolled and as he fell forwards he vaguely remembered the last time that this had happened to him in that strange place full of wizards.
There was a cheer among the trolls joined by both Harry and Murdo. Hardfist went to her son, knelt down and cradled his head in her arms. Both he and Cragheart were unconscious.
'Look out! Here come the dragons!' cried Harry for the dragons now frenzied with excitement and blood lust took the fall of Cragheart as their cue to attack. All around the trolls the dragons circled in wild fury and prepared to incinerate the whole clan.
But the trolls had been busy. They produced hastily prepared crackit slings that they had fashioned out of ropes and sheets and their own leather tunics.
As the dragon began blasting fire down at the trolls so the trolls answered with a volley of hundreds of fast flying rocks. Several rocks hit each of the ten dragons and they all screamed in fury, pain and confusion. One of the dragons fell straight away but at the same time, others managed to blast fire down on trolls and some of their number also perished.
The battle then began in earnest.
The dragons fell back and changed tactics. Instead of hovering above the trolls and so presenting stationary targets, they started flying at speed blasting fire anywhere that they saw the trolls hiding. The trolls spread out across the cavern and continued firing rocks at the mighty beasts.
One by one the dragons fell but the cost was high. Many of the trolls were burned to death. Harry could do nothing other than hide with Murdo and watch. He looked across at Boulder and his mother who were still out on the rocky outcrop.
Where was Cragheart? thought Harry. He looked around the cave and caught a glimpse of Cragheart disappearing down the tunnel towards the train loaded with the barrels.
'Come on Murdo. We've got to stop him,' and the two of them set off after him.
They had to go carefully as rocks and fire rained down all around them. Twice they had to hide as one of the dragons spotted them and gave chase.
By the time they reached the top end of the tunnel they saw the huge black steam engine already pulling away with Cragheart sat in the drivers platform. They both set off down the tunnel as fast as they could go to try to catch the train but they had no chance. The train was out of sight before they reached half way. They saw that there was a great chain connected to the coal tender at the rear of the train the other end of which was tied to a stone column holding up the roof where the great doors met. As the train pulled away the column was pulled down and the whole roof started to follow. The collapsing portion of roof grew progressively larger. The whole tunnel that Harry and Murdo were standing in was going to collapse.
'Move! Back up the tunnel!' shouted Harry and he and Murdo were again sprinting up the tunnel as the roof began falling behind them. They dived from the tunnel as the top end collapsed and they lay there gasping among the rubble and dust.
They had escaped.
But so had Cragheart and the train. The Ministry of Magic was doomed unless they could stop that train.
Back in the cavern, they saw that the battle was reaching a conclusion. Only one dragon was left flying at the far end of the cavern and while many of the trolls had fallen there were still many more firing stones at the Inferno. This however was the largest of the great beasts and it seemed to be suffering less damage. It soared up through the cavern towards Harry. It hovered for a moment and then swooped towards where Boulder and his mother were sat. Boulder was just regaining consciousness as the dragon hovered high above.
Harry and Murdo charged forwards to help Hardfist who was trying to move Boulder but it was no good - he wasn't able to stand.
Boulder looked up at his mother and said, 'leave me - I deserve this - go!'
His mother just shook her head and looked up at the dragon sorrowfully. She was staying with her son.
So the four of them were trapped under the dragon as it drew breath for one final dive to send out a blast of destruction that would engulf them all. Harry looked up and swallowed. Murdo howled a death-defying yell. They expected a fireball to hit them at any moment.
Suddenly the dragon lurched violently as if hit by something huge. How could this be? It had been too high for the hurlers to do any great damage with their slings.
Then they realized with a gasp what had happened. Boulder's father, Bonecracker, who had been stuck on top of his pinnacle of rock high above the hovering dragon had leapt headlong into the abyss and had by no small miracle landed directly on the dragon's back.
The dragon screamed an ear piercing cry and immediately started flying up and down the length of the cavern turning and bucking to try to dislodge its unwelcome passenger. Bonecracker had so surprised the dragon that he had been able to take a firm grip with his huge muscular arms and legs about the dragon's neck. The dragon could not dislodge him.
Bonecracker took a firm hold and began to squeeze with all his might. He was actually starting to strangle the gargantuan creature. The dragon gave up trying to shake him off. Instead it carried him up through the hole in the ceiling and disappeared.
For a moment all was silent in the cavern then one by one, the surviving trolls roared a victory roar ten times louder than the finale of any crackit game. After that, they set about tending the wounded of which there were many.
Harry allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. The trolls around him rejoiced at their freedom. Harry could tell that the barrels were already for away. His strength and more importantly his magical powers were returning. He took out his wand, focused his mind and a great jet of golden sparks shot out into the heights of the chamber. The trolls looked up for a moment and cheered.
Harry's elation collapsed however as he realized that Harbaxen was still about to win unless he could stop the train. The only way out of the cavern was via the staircase up through the roof and Harry set off.
'Wait for me,' called Murdo.
The two of them sprinted across the floor of the cavern to the base of the old wooden staircase. They had no plan but they set off in the hope that some chance would present itself yet to save the Ministry of Magic.
After he'd locked the gate Boulder paused outside Harry's cage. He seemed reluctant to join Cragheart who was busy inflicting terrible suffering on Dolomic.
Harry realized that this was his opportunity to talk to Boulder.
'So, you are Block's big brother,' said Harry through the bars.
Boulder towered above him and appeared to take no notice.
'Block has told me a lot about you - he says you're a great crackit player but he reckons he's going to be better when he gets bigger.'
Boulder turned and bent down to peer through the bars at Harry. He had a quizzical expression on his face.
'How do you know Block?' he asked simply.
'Well.I met him about a week ago. Harbaxen sent him to where I live instead of bringing him here with the rest of you. I think it was part of Harbaxen's plan to get me here as he guessed that somehow I would follow your trail to this place. He was right and that's how come I'm here. I was trying to help Block you see. He really misses his mother and father and.. I think he misses you to.'
Boulder blinked and pondered this.
'All of my clan are weak and stupid. Only Cragheart has any real idea about where trolls belong in the order of things. He believes that trolls should be out living among humans in their towns. We trolls are strong and we could be dominant - we should use our power rather than hide in the mountains living in rough caves'.
Harry replied 'I've been to your clan's village in the mountains and I think it's a brilliant place. Most people living in towns would love to live and work in such surroundings only they can't because for them life is very complicated. I think you trolls have got it just right you know.'
Boulder stood in silence - he had only heard Cragheart's opinions until now and he had done such terrible things to his own people in betraying them to Harbaxen. He had made his decision. Now, although things were not as he had imagined, his path was set and there could surely be no turning back. Still, the noises of Dolomic screaming made him wince. Deep down he was feeling very alone. Visions of him and Cragheart leading the clan to better things with the help of Harbaxen had now faded. He could not see how Harbaxen was doing any of this with the trolls best interests in mind. The promises that Harbaxen had made him and Cragheart now seemed empty but what could he do?
'Where is Block?' Boulder asked Harry.
'I've no idea,' answered Harry truthfully, 'I left him at your village and there weren't any other trolls there. I expect he'll be lonely.'
Again Harry was trying to get through to Boulder's sense of duty towards his family and he could see that Boulder was confused and struggling with his conscience to choose the way forward. 'What do you think Harbaxen will do with you all when he's finished?' asked Harry.
Boulder shook his head as if to try to clear his doubts. 'Harbaxen has promised to end troll's life of misery living in the mountains.' A crack of a whip followed by Dolomic screaming echoed down the passage. Harry didn't need to say anything more as he could sense that Boulder had realized that Harbaxen had been false.
'Goodbye Harry Potter,' said Boulder grimly.
'I have been wrong. Cragheart must stop - tell Block that I was wrong and that I am sorry. I don't think that I will see him again.'
Boulder looked grim and determined as he set off towards the cavern with his whip in hand.
Harry cried out 'Boulder, wait!' He hadn't planned for Boulder to take on Cragheart and all of Harbaxen's dragons. Harry knew that Boulder would not stand a chance out there. 'Wait!' he shouted again but Boulder had already left.
Out in the cavern the trolls were working furiously hard to dig out the three remaining barrels. As Boulder entered there was a shout 'the last barrel has been brought up. Now stop it Cragheart!' One of the trolls carried a barrel from a pit and placed it beside another two. By this time Dolomic was hanging by the ties on his wrists rather than standing and blood poured down his great back. Even Cragheart was sweating from his exertion.
The trolls, with their work complete, sat about exhausted.
Boulder was now unsure what to do. He stood opposite Cragheart and stared across at the great troll who he had once admired. The urgency to confront Cragheart was gone now that the suffering of Dolomic had ended. However the urge to get it over with was strong such was his fear of the consequences.
Boulder realized that the most urgent problem was poor Dolomic so instead of confronting Cragheart he went over to Dolomic and untied his bindings. He caught Dolomic in his arms and carried him over to the water trough. Once there the other trolls set about tending his wounds and Boulder was pushed to one side.
Cragheart shouted to Boulder, 'you stay here and see to it that they all behave. I'll get the barrels loaded,' and Cragheart ordered five of the trolls to follow him into the passage bringing the last three barrels with them down the tunnel to where the barrels were stacked.
Boulder watched them leave. He realized that even greater than his fear of facing Cragheart was his fear of facing his mother and the rest of the clan and admitting the wrongs that he had done and admitting to himself that he had been wrong. Boulder stood for a moment; deep down he knew that the hardest way was also the right one. Boulder then did the bravest thing he had ever done. He went over to where his mother was slumped and knelt in front of her. As Cragheart left he didn't notice Boulder deep in conversation with his mother.
Harry was roused in his cell by the sudden commotion. The five trolls first pulled open the heavy doors at the far and of the passage and then started to carry the barrels one by one through the door. Cragheart was overseeing their work. Harry could not make out what was happening to the barrels but he was concerned that Harbaxen's weapons against the Ministry of Magic were on the move. Murdo stood with him in the cell as he also sensed that the situation was changing.
'It looks like they're packing for a trip' said Murdo.
Harry explained his fears regarding the barrels to Murdo who appeared to listen and understand. Next, however Murdo started running about the cell with his arms out straight as if he was an airplane making 'nnnrrggggh' noises.
Meanwhile out in the cavern things were quiet. Boulder had finished his talk with his mother and was now doing the rounds talking to other trolls who were slumped about the place. As he passed they looked up, listened for a few moments then got up to carry out some further tasks.
Once Boulder had spoken with several of the trolls he went down to check on Cragheart's progress in the tunnel. He plodded along as far as Harry's cage and stopped for a moment to watch the last of the barrels being carried out through the doors.
Cragheart soon spotted him and snarled 'fool! I told you to keep an eye on the others. Boulder, get back into the cavern and see what they're up to. Send in the dragons to warm one or two of them up if they start any trouble but don't let them get carried away. Harbaxen wants the clan in one piece for now.'
Harry watched Boulder leave and was puzzled by his actions. Then his heart skipped a beat. Lying on the ground just inside the gate was the key to his cage. Boulder must have come down to give Harry the key!
'Murdo quickly! It's time to go,' said Harry as he rushed forwards to pick up the key.
The barrels had only been moved a short distance away but already he felt his strength returning. Harry reached through the bars and unlocked the gate. He slowly pulled it open and peered left and right to see if there was any sign of Cragheart. To his right the large wooden doors stood open and the trolls there were busy loading the barrels onto a platform on wheels.
Harry's curiosity overcame his caution and he crept along the wall towards the opening. Once there he was able to look through the doorway. The platform was in fact a long open topped railway truck. The barrels were all on board stacked two high and were being roped into position. Cragheart stood only a few yards away with his back to Harry supervising the work. Harry moved closer so that he could see up the track. To the left was a long tunnel with an arch of light in the distance. That was evidently the way out of the tunnel. Harry looked into the gloom on the other side of the truck and his eyes widened in amazement. On the track connected to the truck was a huge steam engine. It was similar in many respects to the Hogwarts Express except that it was old and dirty and much larger. The heavy metal plating forming the engine was held together with hundreds of poorly finished rivets. The engine looked dark and menacing rather than graceful like the Scarlet Hogwarts Express. On the side of the engine, someone had painted a single word in large red letters "DOOM".
Harry observed that there was already steam rising from the funnel. The train was ready to depart.
So that was how the barrels were to be taken away. But how were they going to be delivered in such a way as to cover the ministry of magic in the ash?
A distant memory came into Harry's head. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment. It was Dumbledore's letter to him "the ministry will be visiting Hogwarts during the summer holiday for their annual conference (you didn't think the staff at Hogwarts spent the whole summer sunbathing did you?) and my presence will be required here to make arrangements and to play host to my distinguished guests. In fact I will be travelling down to London and back on the Hogwarts Express to collect them - a trip that I am rather looking forward to!" Harry stared at the page in horror. He counted back the days and realized that the Ministry would be setting off from London today - of course! All Harbaxen needed to do was to send this train in the opposite direction to meet the Hogwarts Express and BOOM!
Harry felt so tired. Being this close to the barrels was a great strain. Nevertheless, he concentrated hard desperately trying to come up with a plan. He couldn't use magic and being so close to the barrels made him feel terribly weak but he had to do something. If he could get to the footplate unnoticed maybe he could get the train moving before Cragheart could stop him..
Suddenly there was a long whistle from behind him and a voice shouted 'what a beauty!'
It was Murdo.
He had followed Harry down the passage and was now standing in the middle of the doorway. The five trolls working on the barrels stared in surprise but Cragheart roared in fury and raised his whip.
'Quick - run!' shouted Harry to Murdo. Harry was already running up the tunnel towards the cavern as fast as his leaden legs could carry him. The whip cracked and behind him Murdo who was already following was caught by the tip of the whip across his buttocks. He howled and his little legs became a blur as he accelerated past Harry as they ran up the tunnel.
Cragheart couldn't run fast but he started striding up the tunnel after them shouting 'Boulder! Boulder!'
Harry knew that there would be dragons in the cavern but his only choice was to head straight out into the huge opening at full speed. Once out on the open floor of the cavern he kept running. The trolls all around looked on curiously at the sight of a boy and a dwarf. Then, seeing Cragheart emerge they all stood to face him. Cragheart stopped and glared at them. 'Out of my way you fools or I'll call down the dragons.' The dragons were already watching intently from above with their evil eyes reflecting the light of the fires around about.
For a moment everyone was still then Boulder stepped forward from among the trolls who were by now massed together. He, like Cragheart, was carrying his whip.
'Enough!' cried Boulder, 'this must stop Cragheart - help us. We can escape through the railway tunnel if we act together and go quickly.'
'Fool!' spat Cragheart bitterly. 'Harbaxen would kill me.'
'Boulder replied, 'don't you see? He's going to kill us all anyway now that we've finished our work. Do you think he's going to let us go? He knows the clan would not forgive all the suffering he's caused.'
'Very well Boulder, side with the clan and suffer the same fate as the rest of them.'
As the other trolls looked on Boulder and Cragheart started to circle each other sizing up each other's weaknesses and waiting for a chance to strike.
Cragheart was first to attack, he twirled his whip and the leather slashed across Boulders chest and arms. Boulder returned the same and caught Cragheart on the legs. Again and again the troll trolls lashed at one another. The dragons were getting increasingly excited by the violence and blood. Occasionally one would swoop low across the cavern and Cragheart would order it back to its perch.
Eventually Boulder's whip wrapped around one of Cragheart's arms and this gave Cragheart the chance he had been waiting for. He yanked hard on the whip and Boulder toppled forwards onto the ground. Cragheart was onto him straight away. He threw down his whip and immediately began to rain down punches on Boulder's head and shoulders with his enormous arms. Boulder was trapped and couldn't move - he wouldn't last long. Cragheart paused and glared about him at the other trolls. 'He's no better than the rest of you. No spine when it gets rough. Well he's going to pay the price now,' and with that Cragheart lifted a massive angular chunk of rock weighing several tonnes and held it high above his head. He carried it back to where Boulder lay and for a second stood there glaring down at Boulder. 'Goodbye weakling,' he said and was about to smash the rock down on Boulder's head when crack, one of the whips that had been thrown down was wielded on him. It coiled around one of his arms and he looked to his left and stared in disbelief as Dolomic stood defiantly holding the other end of the whip. Then crack the second whip wound itself about his other arm. Boulder's mother, Hardfist, wielded this one.
Hardfist and Dolomic nodded once to each other and pulled on the whips. Their combined strength was enough to force Cragheart's arms apart. The tonnes of rock above him fell straight downwards and, with a sickening crunch, struck him on top of his head. As his eyes rolled and as he fell forwards he vaguely remembered the last time that this had happened to him in that strange place full of wizards.
There was a cheer among the trolls joined by both Harry and Murdo. Hardfist went to her son, knelt down and cradled his head in her arms. Both he and Cragheart were unconscious.
'Look out! Here come the dragons!' cried Harry for the dragons now frenzied with excitement and blood lust took the fall of Cragheart as their cue to attack. All around the trolls the dragons circled in wild fury and prepared to incinerate the whole clan.
But the trolls had been busy. They produced hastily prepared crackit slings that they had fashioned out of ropes and sheets and their own leather tunics.
As the dragon began blasting fire down at the trolls so the trolls answered with a volley of hundreds of fast flying rocks. Several rocks hit each of the ten dragons and they all screamed in fury, pain and confusion. One of the dragons fell straight away but at the same time, others managed to blast fire down on trolls and some of their number also perished.
The battle then began in earnest.
The dragons fell back and changed tactics. Instead of hovering above the trolls and so presenting stationary targets, they started flying at speed blasting fire anywhere that they saw the trolls hiding. The trolls spread out across the cavern and continued firing rocks at the mighty beasts.
One by one the dragons fell but the cost was high. Many of the trolls were burned to death. Harry could do nothing other than hide with Murdo and watch. He looked across at Boulder and his mother who were still out on the rocky outcrop.
Where was Cragheart? thought Harry. He looked around the cave and caught a glimpse of Cragheart disappearing down the tunnel towards the train loaded with the barrels.
'Come on Murdo. We've got to stop him,' and the two of them set off after him.
They had to go carefully as rocks and fire rained down all around them. Twice they had to hide as one of the dragons spotted them and gave chase.
By the time they reached the top end of the tunnel they saw the huge black steam engine already pulling away with Cragheart sat in the drivers platform. They both set off down the tunnel as fast as they could go to try to catch the train but they had no chance. The train was out of sight before they reached half way. They saw that there was a great chain connected to the coal tender at the rear of the train the other end of which was tied to a stone column holding up the roof where the great doors met. As the train pulled away the column was pulled down and the whole roof started to follow. The collapsing portion of roof grew progressively larger. The whole tunnel that Harry and Murdo were standing in was going to collapse.
'Move! Back up the tunnel!' shouted Harry and he and Murdo were again sprinting up the tunnel as the roof began falling behind them. They dived from the tunnel as the top end collapsed and they lay there gasping among the rubble and dust.
They had escaped.
But so had Cragheart and the train. The Ministry of Magic was doomed unless they could stop that train.
Back in the cavern, they saw that the battle was reaching a conclusion. Only one dragon was left flying at the far end of the cavern and while many of the trolls had fallen there were still many more firing stones at the Inferno. This however was the largest of the great beasts and it seemed to be suffering less damage. It soared up through the cavern towards Harry. It hovered for a moment and then swooped towards where Boulder and his mother were sat. Boulder was just regaining consciousness as the dragon hovered high above.
Harry and Murdo charged forwards to help Hardfist who was trying to move Boulder but it was no good - he wasn't able to stand.
Boulder looked up at his mother and said, 'leave me - I deserve this - go!'
His mother just shook her head and looked up at the dragon sorrowfully. She was staying with her son.
So the four of them were trapped under the dragon as it drew breath for one final dive to send out a blast of destruction that would engulf them all. Harry looked up and swallowed. Murdo howled a death-defying yell. They expected a fireball to hit them at any moment.
Suddenly the dragon lurched violently as if hit by something huge. How could this be? It had been too high for the hurlers to do any great damage with their slings.
Then they realized with a gasp what had happened. Boulder's father, Bonecracker, who had been stuck on top of his pinnacle of rock high above the hovering dragon had leapt headlong into the abyss and had by no small miracle landed directly on the dragon's back.
The dragon screamed an ear piercing cry and immediately started flying up and down the length of the cavern turning and bucking to try to dislodge its unwelcome passenger. Bonecracker had so surprised the dragon that he had been able to take a firm grip with his huge muscular arms and legs about the dragon's neck. The dragon could not dislodge him.
Bonecracker took a firm hold and began to squeeze with all his might. He was actually starting to strangle the gargantuan creature. The dragon gave up trying to shake him off. Instead it carried him up through the hole in the ceiling and disappeared.
For a moment all was silent in the cavern then one by one, the surviving trolls roared a victory roar ten times louder than the finale of any crackit game. After that, they set about tending the wounded of which there were many.
Harry allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. The trolls around him rejoiced at their freedom. Harry could tell that the barrels were already for away. His strength and more importantly his magical powers were returning. He took out his wand, focused his mind and a great jet of golden sparks shot out into the heights of the chamber. The trolls looked up for a moment and cheered.
Harry's elation collapsed however as he realized that Harbaxen was still about to win unless he could stop the train. The only way out of the cavern was via the staircase up through the roof and Harry set off.
'Wait for me,' called Murdo.
The two of them sprinted across the floor of the cavern to the base of the old wooden staircase. They had no plan but they set off in the hope that some chance would present itself yet to save the Ministry of Magic.