Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter universe, but I do, however, own Aurenia, and everything else Elven (Entari or Ayra) that you don't recognize from published works.
Quickie Note: This chapter is quite short, but it is important for later on in the story. Guess, why don't you?
"Ember! Many Dark," the prince cleared his throat pointedly, his eyes going cold and his eyebrows raised expectantly, "my apologies, Evil Wizards are roaming about in the rooms to the west, and the worst of the Deyers are farther to the east," said Aure.
"'Tis too simple," Ember commented, acknowledging her remarks. Elsar nudged him and pointed to a door to the right that led to the east part of the fortress in which they entered. It was covered in Dark Traps. Ember and Elsar recognized them immediately because they were some of the novice Traps that had been taught during Battle Magic lessons they had been given. "They wished to lure us here. Very well. We'll play fire with fire. Aure, take out the Deyers in the west. Elsar and myself shall join you as soon as Severus is secure at the Order Headquarters." Aure nodded and left with a flash of her pure white robes. As soon as she disappeared, not a ray of light shone in the room, as though she took all the light with her. Which she probably did, Ember thought amusedly.
Elsar wielded a bow that was slung on his back and loaded it with a black-tipped arrow, sharpened by Entari Magic. Ember pulled out a long knife – a dagger – out from his belt and was careful to slip it through his cloak without ripping any of the cloth. They walked carefully onwards, kicking doors open as quietly as they could. Opening doors with the doorknobs would activate the Magical Traps laid for them and kicking the doors open was the only choice they had left. They could probably not Melt around, for it seemed far too confusing and neither knew the place well enough.
"Ember, sometimes, I must wonder how you know what goes on in everyday life," Elsar whispered to his godson conversationally.
"'Tis not something that I was born with," Ember whispered back. He and Elsar were still moving smoothly from room to room. At times when he indicated it, they went to a door on the left or right instead of ahead. "Ages of working in the shadows gives an Entari sharp eyesight. 'Tis merely something that I had acquired earlier than most. On knowing things before they come, every man – and elf – has instincts. I have learned to trust on my instinct, because it hasn't failed me yet."
"Indeed," Elsar agreed. He said no more as Ember held his silver dagger tighter. Elsar spotted the action and tightened his hands around his arrow, although not fully wielding the bow and arrow. Enemy was close, very close. He could feel it in his very bones. His instinct told him to wait, so wait he did.
"Pull… tighten… aim… wait…" Elsar muttered under his breath. It was the words his instructor had taught him when he was learning how to use a bow and arrow. Ember poised his dagger, ready to strike at the spot Elsar had indicated the enemy was going to be when they went through the door. Elsar gave the signal and Ember kicked the door open as quietly as he could. Right on target, the person's heart was where Elsar's bow's tip was, and where he was planning to attack. What surprised him most was whom the heart belonged to.
It was Wormtail – also known as Peter Pettigrew.
Seeing Elsar come close to releasing the arrow, Ember nudged Pettigrew aside. The arrow was released and it landed on the ground sharply, pointing upwards. It was embedded into the ground a few inches and it was shaking from impact.
"Temper, Elsar," Ember whispered. Elsar gave a small sigh of frustration, but heeded his prince's words anyways. "We shall bring justice soon enough. We're here on a different purpose; do not get distracted." Elsar nodded reluctantly and pointed his finger at Pettigrew. The balding man tried to change into his rat Animagus form, but invisible magic hit him on the chest before he could will himself to do so, stunning him. Elsar drew his finger up to his face. Smoke sputtered out of the tip of it and he blew it away.
"Since when have you begun to start watching non-magical movies, dear Elsar?" Ember asked; surprise and amusement was etched onto his face.
"One is never limited to his old ways, Ember," replied Elsar with his free hand grasping another arrow.
"And one must not be influenced by Aure's ways too easily just because he is her godfather through his godson," Ember shot back. Elsar rolled his eyes. Aure was one who had grown up in the Elven world, but was interested in the Muggle world immensely, almost making Arthur Weasley pale in comparison with her obsession.
"Send him to the Hogwarts Headmaster's Office with a note, Elsar," said Ember. Elsar snapped his fingers and a note appeared with Elsar's handwriting, stating what the issue was, but unsigned. Elsar snapped his fingers and the piece of parchment flew to Pettigrew's stunned form and stuck itself to him. Elsar snapped his fingers once again and Pettigrew disappeared with a puff of smoke.
"Why smoke, my fellow Entari?" asked Ember curiously.
"You never know when another is watching," replied Elsar with a sly grin. "We must provide proper entertainment and smoke is a very good special effect." The two Entaris chuckled. Ember's laughter stopped abruptly.
"Two rooms away, ahead, then left," he whispered. Elsar nodded. He wielded his bow again, and watched as his prince prepared to strike with another dagger in his other hand. They proceeded to the next room. Ember glared at the door and it turned a bright sort of green before shadows appeared on it.
"More Dark Traps," Elsar whispered. He moved up to the door along with Ember and muttered a few incoherent words. The shadows disappeared one by one and the green faded. He turned to Ember and saw a determined glint in the royal Entari's eyes.
"One must face his enemies, and keep a calm and logical mind confronting it," whispered Elsar encouragingly. Ember nodded towards him and counted down under his breath. Both of them held tight to their bowstrings. Ember kicked the door open.
The scene that met the two Entaris – although they had been expecting this – shocked them.
Severus Snape – Hogwarts Potions Master, and known as the 'greasy sniveling git' by many of his Hogwarts students – was lying on the ground in a small puddle of his own blood. Lord Voldemort – formerly known as Tom Marvolo Riddle – was staring at the body in front of him with a triumphant air. They noticed that his Inner Circle wasn't around him and that he was alone with Snape.
"Ah… gentlemen, you have arrived at the Dark Fortress… quite late for the occasion though," Voldemort said silkily.
"You must write the time correctly in order for your guests to arrive on time," Ember retoted dryly. Elsar pointed his finger at Snape and managed to levitate him off the ground a few inches before Voldemort saw the movement and cast him back down.
"So the Dark Elves has graced us with their presence! Wonderful…" Voldemort drawled on.
"What do you wish to discuss with us, Tom?" Elsar said, raising his eyebrows.
"Must we get to the point?" Voldemort said tauntingly. Both Entaris ignored him. Voldemort gave a dramatic sigh. "Ah, you ruin my fun. I am thinking you are Ember and you are one of his nobles?" Voldemort asked.
"That would be correct," Ember replied stiffly. How Voldemort knew that in the first place, he didn't know.
"Lower your hoods, gentlemen, there is no need for a disguise," said Voldemort.
"And what if we don't?" Elsar challenged. It was fun to infuriate a Dark Lord. He didn't get to do it everyday after all…
"I'll make you," Voldemort spat. "Imperio!" A light flashed and all went still. Then, a dark laugh started. Another one joined it. It came from the two Entaris.
"What have we said about warring against Elves… especially an Entari Prince and High Lord?" said Ember dangerously.
"Eh?" Voldemort said, smirking challengingly. Elsar raised his eyebrows at him delicately. Ember stared pointedly at Snape. Snape disappeared with a small pop.
"I must know why Royalty don't like to put up a show," Elsar muttered.
"Because Prince Ember does not wish to snap his fingers everywhere like Lord Elsar does," Ember replied, sending a wry smile towards him as Elsar slapped him in the back of the head.
"Respect your elders, Ember!" Elsar scolded with a definite amused twinkle in his eye. Ember looked at him innocently, his eyes clearly portraying the message 'You're an elder?'.
"Elsar, we have an audience," Ember hissed, though laughter rang in his voice. He and Elsar noticed a raging Voldemort watching the two of them, not amused at all.
"The idiot was a traitor, you fools!" Voldemort cried, wringing his hands exasperatedly. If it weren't such a serious situation, the two Entaris would've laughed. Pathetic.
"Eh? I did not notice," Elsar said sarcastically. "Will you please state your reason as to why you lured us here?"
"I give you the offer: Join us or you shall die a very painful death!" Voldemort said triumphantly. Ember blinked. Oh this was TOO funny… To Voldemort's puzzlement and anger, Elsar and Ember began to laugh. They lost their sense of elegance and gained a reckless yet dangerous sense to them.
"Oh, that's a classic," Ember said in between his laughs.
"'Join us or you shall die a very painful death!'" Elsar said, mocking Voldemort's exact expression and making it more humorous. He and Ember roared with laughter. The 'Dark Lord' didn't find this amusing at all.
"Avada Kedavra!" he shouted with fury. Ember and Elsar separated easily, dodging the green light. They were both still laughing.
"We're not exactly stupid, Monsieur Riddle," Ember remarked with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He turned to Elsar, who had the same twinkle. Oh this would be so much fun. They nodded simultaneously, as if reading each other's minds.
"Bye-bye Riddie, darling!" Elsar said in a high-pitched tone. They melted back into the shadows. Before they left, they saw a glimpse of Voldemort with pink snakes protruding out of his head and jelly-like arms. He was raging with fury. The last Voldemort heard of them that night was their highly irritating laughs.
"Ember! Elsar! You're here at last!" Aure cried out. She tackled Elsar and Ember to the ground as a flurry of curses and hexes were sent to them. She immediately jumped up and began dodging curses hurled at her, fighting tooth and nail and obviously being outnumbered.
"Greetings, Aure!" Ember yelled. He and Elsar helped Aure clear out the way of the wall, more Death Eaters enclosing the spaces, eager to get a piece of them.
"Aure, bind the stunned or dead Deyers and Melt them to the English Ministry of Magic," Ember shouted as he shot a Stunning Spell from the tip of his finger.
"There is not a single ray of light anywhere, Ember!" Aure yelled back frantically. She searched the whole place. It was a dark fortress and shut off any light. It would be very hard to create light in a Fortress that encouraged no light at all. Her abilities only allowed her to stretch out light, not make it.
"Elsar!" shouted Ember. Elsar nodded quickly and Melted with the shadows on the walls and floors, picking up dead or stunned Deyers along the way with him. It was always easier to carry unconscious and/or dead passengers, for they weren't conscious of their surroundings and they followed him without question. Elsar made several trips back and forth, seeing as there were quite a lot of Deyers either unconscious or gone from this world.
"Aure!" Ember and Aure stopped their attacks. Ember tackled Aure as a Killing Curse was sent her way. They both Melted into the shadows, leaving behind extremely angry and scared Death Eaters behind them. Angry because they got away, and mostly scared of the consequences of letting them escape from Voldemort…
"'Twas too easy, don't you think?" Aure asked Ember. Ember nodded in agreement. They reappeared in the Black House. It was not as it had been when they had left. Papers were strewn all across the floors. Black scorch marks were all over the walls. Blood was spilled on the floor in random places. Books toppled off shelves. The shelves themselves had toppled over. All of the furniture were moved and/or torn to pieces. The battle that had taken place there had obviously remained on the first floor, as the trail of mess stopped at the staircase.
"Deyers aren't very clean, are they?" Aure asked in amusement.
"I think not," Ember agreed. He picked up a Death Eater mask that had fallen to the floor. "Look at this horrid thing!" He put his nose close to it and sniffed. He pulled away immediately, wrinkling his nose, disgusted. "Someone does not know how to brush his teeth properly…" Aure laughed.
"Madame Weasleys? Monsieur Weasleys? Headmaster Dumbledore?" Aure called out. After a few moments, said people walked into the room, looking at the two elves in surprise. Severus Snape was seen in the room the Weasleys and Dumbldore had left in the care of Madame Pomphrey. Dumbledore was looking at Ember amusedly as the elf picked up Death Eater robes and masks and muttering things about their smell. Ember dropped the shredded robe he picked up gingerly and looked up, finally noticing Dumbledore and the Weasleys.
"Ah, Headmaster Dumbledore, you have finally enlightened us with your presence," Ember said with a smile.
"Things were hectic at Hogwarts, Mr…?" Dumbledore asked, trailing off. He clearly didn't recognize the two royal Elves that decidedly graced his presence. They were very different from the time they met from the present.
"Prince Ember of the Entari from Eirith, Headmaster," Ember replied calmly. "'Tis just Ember, sir. I'm sure you know about Entaris and Ayras? Please, Headmaster, you must remember me and Aure, here."
"You may call me Albus, Ember, and yes," Dumbledore said calmly, bowing his head to him. "Now what did you wish to speak to me of?"
"Ah, but we must tell you who we really are first, Headmaster," Aure answered. "Actually, we have to tell them." Aurenia's head tilted towards the skeptical Weasley clan. "You should know already, unless your age is finally catching up with you, of course," Aure teased lightly. Dumbledore chuckled.
"You remember, of course, that I am the older twin by five minutes, yes?" Ember inquired of the old man. Dumbledore briefly nodded, an amused twinkle in his eye brightening. They were just saying these things to provide the Weasleys the information, not to test the Headmaster's memory.
"Five minutes… didn't humans ever hear the phrase 'Ladies first'?" Aure said, annoyed. Ember laughed at her. "I think not."
"On the subject, I think it is time for us to reveal who we truly are, don't you think, Aure?" Ember said, looking at his sister, his hand ruffling her hair slightly. Aure slapped his hand away and smoothed down her hair.
"Watch the hair!" Aure snapped. Her expression immediately turned serene. "I agree, Ember," Aure said, nodding her head. She tilted her head to the side and crossed her arms, pretending to think. "Your human name was Harry James Potter was it not?"
Edited on: June 1, 2004 and June 5, 2004
Many Thanks to: athenakitty, FawkesRises, insanechildfanfic, Dysis, Oracle10, Wytil, Solaris Isis, lily4james, pingpong5, Silverhowl, sadisticfreak529, Siripiritus, and Mikito for reviewing.
Pronunciations, People, and Places:
Deyer – [DYE-er] – the Elven name for the Death Eaters of Voldemort, and Evil Wizards in general
Melt – Elven form of traveling; depends on user, Entaris Melt into shadows, Ayras Melt into the light. Both types of elves may take non-elven passengers, but the effort takes a lot more energy than transporting himself/herself. Most elves can only travel between realms four times a day unless the action is practices many times before.
The Dark Fortress – the castle that serves as Voldemort's headquarters where he holds most meetings. It is inaccessible to everyone not a Death Eater through Floo and inaccessible in general. Those who apparate to the Dark Fortress must know what it looks like, so therefore, only Death Eaters are given access to the Fortress and most importantly, Voldemort himself.
Dark Traps – traps that can do body or mental harm; they are forbidden by the Ministry of Magic.