Hey you guys! I'm really sorry that this took me so long to post. It is an extremely short chapter that was actually going to join with the one after it. But I thought I should post it because I hadn't posted in a while. I've been so totally swamped with all this year eleven school stuff and I find little time for writing. However, school finishes in a few weeks and then I'll finish for sure!!!! ENJOY!
And a disclaimer: I do not (unfortunately) own Harry Potter or any Harry Potter related material! Except for Ella and Edward! Bless their fiction souls!
HARRY
POTTER
AND THE STAFF OF VIGOR
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CHAPTER 16: CAUGHTHarry wiped his damp hands on the sides of his pants. If he didn't stop sweating he was sure that Voldemort would smell his presence and their plan would be ruined. It had taken them fifteen minutes to come up with the simple plot because they were all so ridiculously nervous. Ron and Ellanora were showing it outstandingly and Harry was pretty sure fear was his current expression. Unsurprisingly Malfoy's expression remained unfazed.
"Ready?" He asked them. Ron and Malfoy nodded.
"No." Ellanora muttered. Harry smiled at her.
"Don't worry we'll be fine," He turned to Ron and Malfoy, "Okay. Go where we said. Ella and I will go the other way and then we'll just take it from there."
He received a few grunts in reply before Ron and Malfoy turned away and crawled about fifteen meters away to another shelter of rock. Ellanora bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes.
"Harry..." She began.
"We'll be fine." He said again, more firmly this time. Her eyes opened and she sighed.
"I'm not really worried about me. I'm worried about Edward," She paused, "If something happens. I want you to give him this for me."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a tattered picture. Harry gingerly took it off her and gazed down at it. It was of her, Edward and her parents. She looked a few years younger and her entire family was smiling happily up at him.
"I'm going to be giving this back to you in a little while." He told her tucking it under his robes. She simply smiled at him before turning and crawling over to where she was supposed to be. Harry let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and began to focus on the plan they had devised.
He pulled his wand out and took a deep breath before signaling to the others to get ready. Harry peeked over the top of the rock. Voldemort and his Deatheaters' were still trying to get rid of the spells surrounding the Staff of Vigor. It wasn't really like Harry's dream. In his dream he had actually been able to just reach out and grab it but in reality the Staff was protected by numerous spells and a few Deatheater's had already been hurt trying to get it for their master.
Harry glanced over at Ron and called out to him.
"Ready! Go!"
Harry shifted around to the side and pointed his wand in the direction of the Deatheaters'.
"Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy!" He exclaimed, saying the spell as quickly and as strongly as he could. The others were doing the same and Harry grinned to himself as about ten Deatheater's collapsed to the ground.
He ducked back behind the rock and sighed before shifting to the other side of the rock and shooting out some more stunning spells. The Deatheater's began shooting them back so he had to duck back behind to rock after mere moments.
After about five minutes of combat Harry chanced a look at his companions. Ron still looked nervous but Malfoy was shooting out spells with an expression of pure glee upon his face. Harry turned to check on Ellanora and frowned when he found she wasn't there. Harry shook his head, assuming she must have moved further along.
"Get off!" A muffled voice demanded. Harry frowned and bent his head forward as he felt a sharp prick in the back of his neck; the tip of a wand.
"Turn around." A deep voice demanded. Harry did so and sighed as he found himself gazing up into the faces of three Deatheaters'.
His anger at being caught was short lived as he tried to see his friends out of the corner of his eye. He felt minimal relief as Ron and Malfoy appeared in sight, wands pointed at their backs menacingly. He couldn't see Ellanora.
"Get up and move."
Harry obeyed, a grim look on his face. He stood up and walked out from behind his rock and out to the centre of the clearing where Voldemort was standing with the rest of his Deatheaters. If possible, Voldemort looked more aged and snake-like than ever.
"Harry Potter," Voldemort's lip curled up, "What a wonderful surprise. I wasn't expecting you for a little while yet. And you have friends. Wonderful, I can kill them in front of you. Starting perhaps with the girl?"
He stepped back and revealed Ellanora who was scowling at the people surrounding her.
"Easy to get when they aren't used to fighting and defense," Voldemort sneered, "So I'll just use my wand and kill her shall I...."
He made to do so and all three boys protested loudly.
"Do and I'll kill you!" Harry seethed. Voldemort laughed deeply.
"You can't Potter, you should know that by now. How often have you tried and not succeeded," Voldemort gestured around him, "I have you surrounded by my servants with no means of escape. Tonight you will die. I will kill you, and I will draw it out and make it as painful as possible."
Ron shivered, not used to being this close to the evilest wizard of all time. Harry and Malfoy both glared fiercely. All three were unable to move, to do so would result in certain death from one of the threatening wands.
"My Lord..." Wormtail appeared at his masters side, "It's...it's...they have it. The spells are down."
Harry cast Wormtail a look of loathing. It was because of that pitiful coward that his parents were dead and Sirius had been sent to prison.
Voldemort smiled slyly at his servant's news. He turned to Harry once more and his small, dark eyes traveled from Ron to Harry and back again.
"This boy has been with you quite a bit. I understand he is a good friend. I'll start there then." Voldemort said curtly. Harry frowned, he didn't understand.
"What does that mean?" He demanded. Voldemort sneered and put his back to Harry as he walked to the stone at the centre of the clearing where the Staff of Vigor was. Delicately and almost lovingly Voldemort reached up and plucked it from its perch. His eyes glinted evilly as he turned and walked back to Harry who was feeling uneasy.
"No." Harry muttered, their journey had been for nothing. Voldemort pointed the Staff at Ron and Harry's uneasiness escalated.
"No don't!" Ellanora squealed. One of the Deatheaters holding her slapped her sharply across the face. She glared at them but remained quiet. Harry didn't blame her for being so afraid, he was and he'd been in a situation like this many times before.
"So Mister Potter," Voldemort drawled, "Let's see what this can do."
Before Harry could speak Voldemort had pointed the Staff forcibly at Ron and a dark string that looked like a claw had shot out from the end of it and dived into Ron's chest. Ron's eyes widened and he inhaled sharply, as if he had been kicked in the gut. Then it was over and Ron was normal again. On the outside that was. He stood up straightly and turned to gaze at Harry, then Malfoy and finally Ellanora. His eyes were cold and there was a sense of anger about his composure.
"I feel fine." Ron said coolly. Voldemort frowned a little before smirking.
"It works beautifully." He murmured.
"Ron..." Ellanora began gently.
"Are you alright?" Harry finished. Ron glared at him.
"Alright? Sure why wouldn't I be?" He paused before sneering, "You steal the girl I'm interested in and take the spotlight all the time. But really, other than that I'm fine."
"Obviously not Wealsey." Malfoy muttered, but only Harry heard him.
"Fight it Ron-" Harry started to say but Ron rolled his eyes.
"Fight what? I feel great. I feel...powerful. I suppose though that won't be enough to get her back," He nodded at Ellanora, "But maybe more power would help me to do something...help me to be known...noticed."
"Ron just fight it!" Harry urged. Voldemort laughed heartlessly.
"It can't be fought. Once the power of the Staff takes over it cannot be removed."
"Ron please..." Harry trailed off, unsure of what to say. Ron's eyes narrowed on him.
"Please what Potter? Please do something? Please go back to being quiet, stupid, weak Ronald Weasley who follows you around all the time worshipping the ground you walk on?" He snapped.
"That's not true!" Harry argued. Ron ignored him and continued.
"Ron Weasley who no one notices. Ron Weasley who will never be good at anything while he's friends with you! Holding me back and taking people away from me. You're a selfish, stupid git!" Ron lunged forward and punched Harry squarely in the jaw. Harry grimaced but didn't get angry. He couldn't, it was Ron.
"I'll show you Potter! I'll be powerful! I'll kill whoever gets in my way and I'll be powerful! More powerful than anyone! Just you wait and see!" Ron clenched his fists and yelled loudly to the occupants around them. Voldemort watched Ron impassively.
"Good. Good," He said quietly, "That's good. And just to make sure. Boy!"
Ron looked over at Voldemort appraisingly, "Yes?"
"I can give you that power. Only if you join me. If you do, that power is surely granted." Voldemort told him. Ron frowned thoughtfully and his face lit up a little.
"Ok." He said firmly.
"There," Voldemort exclaimed triumphantly turning to his servants, "It will help us. The Staff will allow us to recruit those who oppose and refuse me! They will crave the power I can give them and my battalion will grow. When it grows we will take control of both the Wizard and Muggle worlds and I shall reign!"
The Deatheater's cheered eagerly but stopped abruptly when Voldemort turned and pointed his wand at Ron.
"Unfortunately I do not require the need for you amongst my followers. I will rid of you now," His eyes darted to Harry, "Are you watching Potter? Are you going to watch me kill your Muggle-loving friend just as I killed your parents?"
Harry didn't think he could hate the Wizard any more than he did at that moment, "I'm telling you not to."
"Yes, well. I do not listen to the trivial warnings of a sixteen year old boy," Voldemort raised his wand, "Avada Ked-"
He was stopped suddenly as one of the cloaked Deatheater's jumped out of the crowd and threw himself on his master. Voldemort tumbled to the ground and the Deatheater's hood fell back.
Harry didn't have time to register Snape's presence as he took the distraction as an opportunity to get away. He drew out his wand from his sleeve and pointed it at nearby Deatheater's, stunning them. Thankfully Malfoy was doing the same but Harry had once more lost sight of Ellanora. He turned to look for her when he felt a sharp pain below his eye and his face began to throb from the pain.
"Poor Potter! Trying to find his girlfriend," Ron's voice teased, "Poor, poor Potter doesn't see her lying on the ground dead."
Harry's head jerked up and he pointed his wand at Ron, "Don't make me use it!"
"I am scared not," Ron growled, "You wont do it. You pity me too much. You think I'm helpless and that I always need care. Just because I'm not a selfish attention seeker like you!"
"Ron," Harry warned taking a step back as his friend advanced on him, "Ron I'm warning you!"
"I am scared not." Ron repeated.
"Stupefy!" Harry shouted. Ron fell to the ground immediately. Harry sighed regrettably and quickly levitated his friend behind a nearby rock out of sight so that they could make an easier escape. Malfoy was cornered by two Deatheater's but they collapsed to the ground as Snape attacked them from behind. Harry blinked twice; still not fully registering his Professor's presence, before his eyes quickly scanned the proximity of the clearing for two things; Voldemort and Ellanora. Voldemort was fighting someone in the corner of the cave, but Harry couldn't make out who it was. His gaze focused on the ground a few meters before him. Amongst the stunned bodies of Deatheater's was Ellanora, lying still and dead like Ron had said.
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A/N: Hey guys, only a few more chapters to go. Man it's been fun writing this!
I was actually thinking of writing a kind of 'future' story from all of this, you know, the same characters about five years later and what not. Think it's worthwhile? Because then you can see how they all turn out…
I'm contemplating it anyway…
To my reviewers:
Hplova4eva: Here is a short update, sorry I'll post a bigger one soon!
Gypsy t Potter: Of course Voldemort will torture Harry more. He wouldn't be Voldemort if he didn't!
Kagome19: Lol, who dies? Well…we shall see. I'm feeling very strange about finishing too, I want to but I don't. What do you think of the future story idea?
wowsergirl: Here is another cliffy, just for you! Mwahahaha!
Meggie: I live in good old Queensland. Sorry about Draco/Ginny but it's not really a romantic thing that they have…but I AM a shipper for the pairing…*grins*
jbfritz: Thanks for the nice reviews! Please keep reading!
David Ken: Of course I'll keep it going! I intend to have it done way before Christmas!
Iniysa: Thanks for the regular reviews! I really like them! :)
shortygurl521: I like the new characters to! Does this prove who you think is going to die? I like Malfoy too, he's turned out really unusual in this…but I love him!