Disclaimer: This work of fiction is based on characters and locations created by JK Rowling. They remain her property and the property of her publishers etc. I use them solely for the purpose of writing fan fiction and do not intend to make any money or other gain from this material.
Chapter 1: The Valley Of Aquastilla
A grim twilight hung heavy about the valley nestled between its gloomy mountain peaks. The first stars of late evening had appeared, veiled as if behind fine silk. No movement could be seen amongst the dark pines held in by a brooding silence. Far above, the tips of the mountains slowly turned a crimson and bloody red as they were caught by the suns dying rays. Another long summer day was coming to a close.
The valley itself was not particularly long. Its head was narrow and from it the mountains, like watchful figures, circled round with less than five miles from tip to its farthest reaches. An eagle catching the thermals high above saw a teardrop carved out of the land. At its peak, between two great outthrust limbs of rock came a track, a grey ribbon that wound down to the valley floor. From time to time it became lost in thick undergrowth, but as it reached the level ground it became strong and defined, before plunging into the forest. From the air it was lost to sight, nothing more could be seen to break the dense green foliage, now turned deepest black by the failing light.
This was a place sheltered deep in the Pindus Mountains of Albania. Known as the Valley of Aquastilla, it was a sacred place that pilgrims had been visiting since the middle ages. It had been chosen eighteen years earlier for the hiding place of a terrible secret. Now the enemy had chosen it to be the setting for its last tragic act.
***
From the eaves of the woods nestled deep in the valley, bats unfolded their web-like wings and took off into the gathering twilight. For a second they were free in the cool night air but then their senses felt a tugging that drew them away from the call of insects and back into the trees. Flitting from branch to branch they followed the calling that seemed, like an invisible thread to be pulling them far back into the valley. In the southwest corner again a track could be seen pushing through the undergrowth, finding its way to the bottom of a steep escarpment of rock. The forest, rolling forward like a sea broke several feet from the rock and an unnatural looking space where no tree, plant or grass grew surrounded this jagged outcrop.
Into it the bats steadily streamed, but instead of dashing their bodies on the rock they skirted it and dived deep into a narrow fissure. Almost invisible from the outside it plunged steeply downwards into the living rock of the mountains. Following it down the bats came into a chamber hollowed out of the rock. Lit by the guttural flames of torches hung on the walls the cavern was not large. It rose from the outer walls climbing gently up to a platform of shining black granite that stood in the centre topped with a stone table. The bats screamed; their collective voices amplified in the dome of rock until it sounded like an orchestra of hell. As their numbers increased they surrounded the platform in a dense spiralling fury. A black mass of energy that threatened to engulf the cavern and drive away the light
From everywhere at once a voice rent a hole in this scene of chaos
"Enough!"
As one, the mass of bats gave up their futile shrieking and fell to the floor, their bodies limp and lifeless under the sudden domination of a higher power. Upon the stone table a point of light appeared, growing outwards into an arc as it gained in both definition and thickness. Any creature that looked upon it felt a searing pain in their eyes and found a spiralling shape traced on their retina. With the same suddenness as it had appeared, the light of the arc vanished to leave a dark coiled creature.
"Watchers of the night", the omniscient voice continued "your undiminishing desire to serve the master has not gone unnoticed. Now at the very end of it he has come to you. Look now upon the last physical manifestation of the dark Lord Voldemort!"
The snake uncoiled slowly and raised its head to survey the gathering. Its eyes glowed red like dying embers and a forked tongue flickered out briefly. Its skin was a sickly hue of green with slight ridges rising and falling along the length of its curving body.
"And so, this moment has finally come." The snake, its eyes dancing with flames, started to speak. It seemed to be addressing itself as much as the audience it held under its gaze. "Even in the depths of my darkest despair, during my last stay in this cave, I never imagined how low I would finally sink."
The snakes gaze briefly travelled around the cavern before settling on one of squirming bodies closest to the pedestal. With hardly a discernible change in its blazing eyes the snake forced its will upon the creature. The bat, sent into convulsions by that hateful stare crawled slowly forward and onto the platform. Sprawling on the hard granite it faced the snake. A hush seemed to fall upon the cavern, as every eye still capable of sight turned to the pathetic creature cowering before the serpent.
With striking athleticism the snake sprang forward, its jaws gaping wide to reveal large curling fangs which it sank deep into the bat's soft underside. Raised upon high, the bats struggling body could be seen by all in the cavern and only seconds passed before it gave up the struggle for life. Now the snake, opening its jaws wider, swallowed the creature whole.
"Here at the end, even I, the great Lord Voldemort am touched by your…" Here the snake paused, as if sensing a change in the atmosphere. A commotion amongst the assembled creatures had started at the entrance to the cave. The snake, sensing something wrong, drew its head up, trying to look round with small jerking movements. Then in the corner near the fissured opening a shadow started to grow. To the snake the shadow seemed to rise out of the rocks until it took the form of a tall cloaked man. The snake, moments ago standing tall and proud, now cowered down on the pedestal. Its eyes started to dim as it saw the figure raise a pointed object above its head.
"You!" the snake hissed, as the cloaked figure shouted,
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"