Chapter Twenty-Two: Kilmorie
Harry ran, fighting through the crowd that had descended on the pitch from
all the houses but Slytherin, dodging past a group of second years, Harry
found himself in the entranceway to the stadium. Clambering up from the
ground, Draco watched in satisfaction as he saw Harry turning in the
entrance, his eyes wide and panicked, then with a smile he walked off to
join his team.
They're in the forest.Parvati's voice echoed in Harry's head as he tried to
fight through the crowd as they descended on the pitch. Without warning his
scar burst into pain and Harry stumbled aside, leaning against the wall.
There was a flash of light and another figure appeared, crumpled on the
floor. Stumbling over mud and grass he turned them over to reveal Ginny's
face, pale and lifeless. Why hadn't he seen it before? Of course they would
go after Ginny. It would hurt everyone.
'Potter!!' a voice called from his knee and Harry's eyes snapped open to
see Jenks running towards him through the crowd, his tail whipping around
in agitation. Arriving at Harry's feet, he opened his mouth but could only
let out a hiss when Harry picked him up, slamming him into a wall. 'Don't
be so eager,' Jenks spat, clawing at Harry's hands. 'I know Julian's gone,
but I can track him -- and I know he took Ginny as well.' I don't know why
though, he added in the privacy of his own head.
Nodding carefully, Harry loosened his grip and lowered Jenks to the floor,
but kept his face non-repentant as he did so. 'Come on,' he said, taking
off through the thinning crowd as everyone ran to the pitch. Looking back
to where Ron and Hermione were with the team, Harry couldn't see them
amongst the crowd of faces. 'Come on!' Jenks yelled back again at Harry,
and with a last glance backwards he took off after him. Outside, Harry
found himself drenched by rain again in an instant, the Quidditch robes he
wore weighing him down as he chased Jenks, who remained starkly white
against the gloom of the day.
Running past Hagrid's hut, Jenks skipped over a dozing Fang who was
apparently impervious to the rain, but awoke when Jenks's tail rubbed over
his nose. He was immediately distracted by Harry who tore past him, then
even more so when Jenks turned to shout. 'Fang! Get Hagrid! Now!' Slightly
confused by Harry and Jenk's presence, Fang waited a second, then let out a
loud bark and ran towards the stadium.
Running into the forest, Harry felt branches tear at his face and wet
leaves mixed with mud sticking to his shoes as he stumbled and slid after
Jenks. Lightning flashed, and Harry recognised the path that he was taking,
a hidden trail that he and Draco had followed in their first year. Sliding
over a hillock, Harry found himself almost treading on Jenks where the mud-
covered cat had frozen in the middle of the path, ignoring the rain that
fell everywhere.
Harry's stomach tightened as he realised where they had stopped and then he
stumbled past Jenks into a clearing, it was the same glade he and Draco had
stopped in.the same glade where he had first met Voldemort. There was a
rupture of thunder, and afterwards a small sobbing sound reached Harry's
ears, it was more of a sudden cry then a continuous sound. Drawing his
wand, Harry focused and ignited the end, throwing the glade into light,
revealing the source of the cry.
Soaked to their skin, Kilmorie and Ginny stood against a tree on the far
side of the glade, the elderly professor holding a silver blade to her
throat 'Not one move, Potter,' he whispered harshly, almost as if he sensed
Harry tensing, 'or I'll cut her pretty throat -- and you know I will.'
Drawing his own wand, Kilmorie pointed it at the crossing branches
overhead, 'Impervius' he muttered. The water that fell down on them
suddenly diverted to the sides of the glade. Wiping beads of rain off his
glasses Harry saw that Ginny's hands were bound in front of her, preventing
her from pulling at the arm holding the knife to her throat.
'What the hell are you playing at, Julian?' Jenks snarled, baring his teeth
at his friend as he emerged into the clearing to stand beside Harry.
'Julian's dead,' the man replied, 'he died a long time ago.' Shifting his
hold on the dagger, Harry saw gold shimmer in the light against Ginny's
neck. Looking closely he saw it was the chain that held his Liefgema, and
Kilmorie was pulling the gem back to hold Ginny still. Glancing into her
eyes, Harry made out the fear he had felt through her gem, the ice cold
feeling that still crept through his chest. 'So, now I finally get to
finish my business here,' Kilmorie continued, 'but how to do it?'
'Don't touch the children,' Jenks snarled, and Harry admired the courage
that he was showing, despite the fact they both knew there was little they
could do. 'I'm warning you, Kilmorie.'
The man spat in reply, bringing the blade closer to Ginny's neck and
pulling the links of the chain into her throat. 'You know how I work,' he
continued, staring into Harry's eyes, 'don't you, Potter?' Harry nodded,
his own eyes wide, not daring to argue with the man. 'And what kind of
impression would I make if I were to change how I work simply because you
asked me?'
'NO!' Harry yelled, the word tearing through his throat as Kilmorie's hold
on the dagger tensed, and deep within Harry he felt a rage build at the man
before him. With a surprised cry, Kilmorie dropped the chain that he held
Ginny with, his fingers burning with pain where Harry's Liefgema had been
touching them. There was a blur of motion and Harry saw Kilmorie bring the
dagger across Ginny's neck in a shimmer of light as she fell to the floor,
collapsing in the mud.
At the same instant Jenks had leapt forward, and there was an intense burst
of light that blinded Harry, causing him to drop his wand in the mud.
Stumbling forward, Harry felt a spray of warm liquid over his face, then
knelt beside Ginny, pulling her upright as the spell failed above them, and
rain fell onto his muddied face. Turning her towards him, Harry saw blood
and mud running down her face as the lightning crashed overhead and
blackness threatened to overcome him.
After an eternity Ginny's eyes flickered open, and Harry felt relief flood
through him.until he remembered the spray of blood that had covered his
face. Looking up, he saw Kilmorie standing over him, the blade stained red.
Clutched in Kilmorie's other hand, Harry saw the limp body of Jenks, his muddied white fur stained with blood, blood that continued to flow from his body. Standing up on numb legs, Harry pulled Ginny up with him, pushing her behind him as a cruel grin crept onto Kilmorie's face. Almost carelessly he wiped the blade on Jenks, and then dropped the body into the mud beside him, where it mixed with the falling water into a red and brown coloured pool. Stumbling backwards, Harry noticed the other burn marks on Kilmorie's face and hands, drawing the man's gaze to them as he slowly began to advance on the couple. 'A brave fool, that one,' he muttered. 'No simple spell can defeat me.' As he retreated, shielding Ginny, Harry looked around for his wand, but could not see it among the twigs and churned up mud on the ground. Kilmorie noticed this and a humourless laugh escaped his lips. 'What makes you think that a young wizard could outcast an adult -- even in such a corrupted form?' Completing this last criticism, the man lunged forward suddenly, driving his dagger towards Harry's face as he stumbled over Ginny. There was a keen hiss in the air, and Kilmorie spun, crying in agony as his arm was deflected away, a short blade sticking clean through it. Spinning round, Harry saw a man charge from the trees, orange fire burning in his eyes. 'MURDERER!' he yelled, drawing a sword and chopping down on Kilmorie.
But Kilmorie was no longer there. Instead, the black cloaked Cambirer rose, parrying the strike with his own sword. Lightning flashed, and Harry saw the real Kilmorie lock his blade with the Cambirer then send the demon flying backwards with a kick to the midriff. 'Get out of here Harry!' he said urgently, not even turning, 'GO! NOW!' Drawing a dagger from another concealed sheath, he charged towards the demon, meeting it in a clash of steel. Taking Ginny's hands, Harry led her out in a blind panic, instinctively running back towards the path as sounds of the fight escalated behind him. As they ran, Harry pulled at the rope that bound Ginny's hands together, eventually freeing them as they stumbled back onto the path. There Harry stopped, and a few seconds later Ginny turned around to see him, staring back to where the glade was hidden among the trees. 'Harry, you heard him, please, let's go!' he turned back, and saw the tears on her face, mixing in with the mud that stained it. 'Ginny.I.I can't leave him - you saw what the thing did to Jenks!' Harry's breath was ragged, but not from the running, instead Ginny could see the painful decision in his eyes. Running back she hugged him quickly, letting him do the same as their Liefgemas warmed in their robes. 'Hagrid's coming,' Harry whispered. 'Go. Find him and get the other professors.' Pulling away, he turned to go back but found her hand holding his still, tears were flowing freely down her face now as she spoke. 'Promise me.you'll come back.promise.' 'I promise, Gin,' he replied, squeezing her hand with what felt like false reassurance, before gently pulling away from her grip. As he turned to run back to the glade, Harry was aware of Ginny doing the same, stumbling though the mud and trees to safety. Pushing aside the sodden boughs, Harry found himself back at the glade quickly, and felt his breath catch at the scene. Kilmorie and the Cambirer were engaged in a dance of blades, lunging, feinting and parrying together, driving the other back only to concede and retreat themselves a second later. And there, lying half-disguised in the mud, he saw his wand, blending almost perfectly with its surroundings on the forest floor. Sliding down the path into the glade, Harry landed in time to hear the duellists' reactions to his arrival. The Cambirer let out only a small chuckle, it's tone mocking, but Kilmorie did not even look at Harry as he shouted. 'I told you to leave!' he yelled, his orange eyes blazing, but concentrating on the demon. Harry didn't even bother replying, but instead picked up his wand from the floor, levelling it in the direction of the two fighters. Seeing a distraction in the Cambirer's pose, Kilmorie kicked out once more, sending the demon stumbling backwards. 'Stun it!' he shouted, but Harry found himself unprepared for the sudden order, and the incantation froze on his tongue. Instead, the thought found a way through his wand, and a weak spell shot out that was easily dodged by the Cambirer. Completing the dodge around the spell's path, the demon drew another long blade and threw it with casual grace at Harry, who could not match the demon's speed. His left arm erupted in pain, and Harry was thrown backward by the force of the blow until he slammed into a tree. Attempting to stand, he found his shoulder pinned to the tree behind him, the rest of the blade and handle of the throwing knife protruding from his body. The shock of the blow caused Harry to drop his wand again, losing it as he had been thrown backwards by the strength of the throw. 'Damn you!' Kilmorie yelled, and as he charged the demon he already saw his mistake, the rash slice of his sword was easily pushed aside by the new dagger the Cambirer pulled from its cloak. Despite the hood that covered its face, Kilmorie could sense the grin that passed over the demon's face as it whipped the dagger back across, opening a bloody tear on the man's face. But instead of drawing back, Kilmorie continued his charge, bringing his sword around in an arc that would cut the demon in two. Instead the blade hit only air as the Cambirer shrunk into the shadows on the floor sending up a wave of leaves as it did so. From his position Harry saw Kilmorie whirl around, then saw the Cambirer reform behind him in a tide of darkness as the wizard's vision was blocked by the cloud of leaves. Before Harry could shout a warning the Cambirer thrust forward, ramming its sword into Kilmorie's back until it emerged from the midst of the wizard's chest. A burst of lightning lit the glade and in the glare Harry saw the sword blade extending from a stain of red in Kilmorie's shirt. Releasing its hold on the hilt, the Cambirer pushed Kilmorie forwards firmly, letting the wizard stumble toward Harry with the sword through him until he eventually slumped against a tree beside him. Slowly and deliberately, the Cambirer tilted its face to look at Harry, and then shifted its hold on the dagger and started to advance towards him. Suddenly it stopped and turned, still slow and deliberate, to face Ginny who had emerged back at the edge of the glade, her wand shaking unsteadily in her hand. Chuckling softly it began walking toward her instead, spinning the blade in its hand it drew back an arm, ready to throw the dagger at Ginny as she stood there frozen. 'Potter!' Kilmorie hissed, seizing the distraction he drew his wand and threw it to Harry's right hand. 'Stun it, use anything!' he rasped, then with a shudder he rolled off the tree and collapsed on the floor. Levelling the wand at its back, Harry saw the Cambirer halt its stride toward Ginny, the confident swagger ceasing as the hood turned to focus on the wand. 'Stupefy!' Harry yelled, not giving the demon a chance to attempt to disarm him. Nothing happened. The wand remained silent in Harry's hand, no spell issuing forth from the stricken length of wood. Looking up from the end of the wand, Harry saw the Cambirer's hood focus on him, a low and mirthless chuckle issuing from within. Raising the blade again the demon turned fluidly and began to level the knife at Ginny once more.and then the world exploded in a rush of light.
Clutched in Kilmorie's other hand, Harry saw the limp body of Jenks, his muddied white fur stained with blood, blood that continued to flow from his body. Standing up on numb legs, Harry pulled Ginny up with him, pushing her behind him as a cruel grin crept onto Kilmorie's face. Almost carelessly he wiped the blade on Jenks, and then dropped the body into the mud beside him, where it mixed with the falling water into a red and brown coloured pool. Stumbling backwards, Harry noticed the other burn marks on Kilmorie's face and hands, drawing the man's gaze to them as he slowly began to advance on the couple. 'A brave fool, that one,' he muttered. 'No simple spell can defeat me.' As he retreated, shielding Ginny, Harry looked around for his wand, but could not see it among the twigs and churned up mud on the ground. Kilmorie noticed this and a humourless laugh escaped his lips. 'What makes you think that a young wizard could outcast an adult -- even in such a corrupted form?' Completing this last criticism, the man lunged forward suddenly, driving his dagger towards Harry's face as he stumbled over Ginny. There was a keen hiss in the air, and Kilmorie spun, crying in agony as his arm was deflected away, a short blade sticking clean through it. Spinning round, Harry saw a man charge from the trees, orange fire burning in his eyes. 'MURDERER!' he yelled, drawing a sword and chopping down on Kilmorie.
But Kilmorie was no longer there. Instead, the black cloaked Cambirer rose, parrying the strike with his own sword. Lightning flashed, and Harry saw the real Kilmorie lock his blade with the Cambirer then send the demon flying backwards with a kick to the midriff. 'Get out of here Harry!' he said urgently, not even turning, 'GO! NOW!' Drawing a dagger from another concealed sheath, he charged towards the demon, meeting it in a clash of steel. Taking Ginny's hands, Harry led her out in a blind panic, instinctively running back towards the path as sounds of the fight escalated behind him. As they ran, Harry pulled at the rope that bound Ginny's hands together, eventually freeing them as they stumbled back onto the path. There Harry stopped, and a few seconds later Ginny turned around to see him, staring back to where the glade was hidden among the trees. 'Harry, you heard him, please, let's go!' he turned back, and saw the tears on her face, mixing in with the mud that stained it. 'Ginny.I.I can't leave him - you saw what the thing did to Jenks!' Harry's breath was ragged, but not from the running, instead Ginny could see the painful decision in his eyes. Running back she hugged him quickly, letting him do the same as their Liefgemas warmed in their robes. 'Hagrid's coming,' Harry whispered. 'Go. Find him and get the other professors.' Pulling away, he turned to go back but found her hand holding his still, tears were flowing freely down her face now as she spoke. 'Promise me.you'll come back.promise.' 'I promise, Gin,' he replied, squeezing her hand with what felt like false reassurance, before gently pulling away from her grip. As he turned to run back to the glade, Harry was aware of Ginny doing the same, stumbling though the mud and trees to safety. Pushing aside the sodden boughs, Harry found himself back at the glade quickly, and felt his breath catch at the scene. Kilmorie and the Cambirer were engaged in a dance of blades, lunging, feinting and parrying together, driving the other back only to concede and retreat themselves a second later. And there, lying half-disguised in the mud, he saw his wand, blending almost perfectly with its surroundings on the forest floor. Sliding down the path into the glade, Harry landed in time to hear the duellists' reactions to his arrival. The Cambirer let out only a small chuckle, it's tone mocking, but Kilmorie did not even look at Harry as he shouted. 'I told you to leave!' he yelled, his orange eyes blazing, but concentrating on the demon. Harry didn't even bother replying, but instead picked up his wand from the floor, levelling it in the direction of the two fighters. Seeing a distraction in the Cambirer's pose, Kilmorie kicked out once more, sending the demon stumbling backwards. 'Stun it!' he shouted, but Harry found himself unprepared for the sudden order, and the incantation froze on his tongue. Instead, the thought found a way through his wand, and a weak spell shot out that was easily dodged by the Cambirer. Completing the dodge around the spell's path, the demon drew another long blade and threw it with casual grace at Harry, who could not match the demon's speed. His left arm erupted in pain, and Harry was thrown backward by the force of the blow until he slammed into a tree. Attempting to stand, he found his shoulder pinned to the tree behind him, the rest of the blade and handle of the throwing knife protruding from his body. The shock of the blow caused Harry to drop his wand again, losing it as he had been thrown backwards by the strength of the throw. 'Damn you!' Kilmorie yelled, and as he charged the demon he already saw his mistake, the rash slice of his sword was easily pushed aside by the new dagger the Cambirer pulled from its cloak. Despite the hood that covered its face, Kilmorie could sense the grin that passed over the demon's face as it whipped the dagger back across, opening a bloody tear on the man's face. But instead of drawing back, Kilmorie continued his charge, bringing his sword around in an arc that would cut the demon in two. Instead the blade hit only air as the Cambirer shrunk into the shadows on the floor sending up a wave of leaves as it did so. From his position Harry saw Kilmorie whirl around, then saw the Cambirer reform behind him in a tide of darkness as the wizard's vision was blocked by the cloud of leaves. Before Harry could shout a warning the Cambirer thrust forward, ramming its sword into Kilmorie's back until it emerged from the midst of the wizard's chest. A burst of lightning lit the glade and in the glare Harry saw the sword blade extending from a stain of red in Kilmorie's shirt. Releasing its hold on the hilt, the Cambirer pushed Kilmorie forwards firmly, letting the wizard stumble toward Harry with the sword through him until he eventually slumped against a tree beside him. Slowly and deliberately, the Cambirer tilted its face to look at Harry, and then shifted its hold on the dagger and started to advance towards him. Suddenly it stopped and turned, still slow and deliberate, to face Ginny who had emerged back at the edge of the glade, her wand shaking unsteadily in her hand. Chuckling softly it began walking toward her instead, spinning the blade in its hand it drew back an arm, ready to throw the dagger at Ginny as she stood there frozen. 'Potter!' Kilmorie hissed, seizing the distraction he drew his wand and threw it to Harry's right hand. 'Stun it, use anything!' he rasped, then with a shudder he rolled off the tree and collapsed on the floor. Levelling the wand at its back, Harry saw the Cambirer halt its stride toward Ginny, the confident swagger ceasing as the hood turned to focus on the wand. 'Stupefy!' Harry yelled, not giving the demon a chance to attempt to disarm him. Nothing happened. The wand remained silent in Harry's hand, no spell issuing forth from the stricken length of wood. Looking up from the end of the wand, Harry saw the Cambirer's hood focus on him, a low and mirthless chuckle issuing from within. Raising the blade again the demon turned fluidly and began to level the knife at Ginny once more.and then the world exploded in a rush of light.
