DISCLAIMER: SEE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. . .

DOUBLE TROUBLE

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

"Elizabeth. . ." Charlie tried to pull back on his beloved's arm.

The irate girl's nostril's flared as she caught the scent of fear that was almost palpable. Pulling her lips over her teeth in a silent snarl she threw herself forward, arms outstretched, green magic flaring about her body wildly.

Bellatrix leveled her wand at the advancing wild-woman, two words rolling off her tongue. "Avada Kedavra."
"Elizabeth. . ." The whispered word died in the cavern as Raya hit her knees, her back arching, a sheen of sweat covering her body. Tiny little flames flickered about her body, licking up her skin and dancing in her hair. Her eyes were wide, unseeing, as she gazed at the ground, her jaw slack.

Skylar stepped forward, dropping to embrace her sister, a stiff breeze springing up in the cavern, fanning Raya's flames, their magics entwining and dancing in a shimmering haze.

"Er. . ." Bill stepped forward, trying to catch their attention. "Girls?"

Danielle stepped away from the wall, her arms held up in supplication as her body swayed and gyrated to some unheard rhythm. Beads of moisture covered the cavern, gathering and sliding down the walls to puddle on the ground.

Pressure dropped in the cavern, and the tiny hairs on the back of Draco's neck stood at attention. He could feel the building of raw power, his own innate magic trying to react as his wand bucked in his hand, begging to be used.

Danielle continued her dance, leaping lithely about her sisters', her eyes closed, her breath coming in ragged gasps as her limbs moved of their own accord. A pained expression of intense concentration colored her face as water soaked her body, her clothing hanging limp on her frame.

The floor of the cavern shook, a rumbling coming from deep in the earth seemed to be answering the three Quads. Draco grabbed Pansy, dragging the girl out of the cavern, yelling at Bill to grab Ron and the rest of them to follow him.

George took a step forward, his eyes locked on the three girls with an intensity unbeknownst to him. He could FEEL her, pulsating beneath his skin, his heart racing as he felt her stupor, her need for blood.

His head snapped up, his hazel eyes searching the now dark cavern as he felt her step onto the floor. Reaching out a hand blindly, he felt for her, for the beautiful specter that haunted him. He could feel her pain as she was drawn, like moth to flame, to the magics.
Hermione wailed, her hands clutching desperately at her head, stumbling down the path, her cinnamon eyes shut as the one though reverberated in her head. "Must. . ."

Something snapped in her awareness as she felt another, a familiar force that lingered but a moment, a sweet memory swallowed her as hazel eyes stared into her soul with intensity.

The rising power drew her, called to her. She could feel the breaking loose of something, something so primal it wailed and clawed at her body, begging entrance. Falling to her knees, she curled into a ball, the need to be with the Other and to find Harry Potter warring within her.

Her back arched, her arms flung out from her body in a haphazard way, a white-hot flame bursting forth from a dam that she didn't realize had been there. A memory of laughter bubbled through her veins, the emerald eyes of her best friend as he stared into the blue eyes of his love.

A ginger-haired boy gazing at her in jealousy from across the Great Hall as she whirled about in a dance in the arms of the Bulgarian Seeker. Her numerous arguments with them both as they refused to do their homework.

The sweet chasteness of a kiss pressed to her temple as she lay curled in strong arms stirred her memory as a name slipped from between her lips, her world crumbling about her as her complete awareness returned with the breaking of the damper.
Bellatrix stumbled forward, her breath coming in a strangled gasp as she clawed at her throat, her dark eyes hollow with fear. Her wand was snapped in half, the tip of it buried within the soft flesh of her throat, the other half imbedded in the wall.

Blood welled up around the wound as she drew another gargled breath before falling to the floor, twitching once, and then became still.

Charlie rushed forward, his blue eyes never leaving the form of his beloved as she hovered two scant feet above the floor, blazing in emerald intensity. With a sudden twitch, her magic imploded on her body, sucking back into every orifice, leaving a dull note of darkness.

She slumped to the floor, her head lolling to the side, blood staining her pale face as it flowed free from her nose. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her chest heaving with the need to draw air into her body.

Charlie scooped her up in his arms, cradling her body against his, her skin icy cold but sweat rolled off her as if she had been soaked in water. Fear colored his eyes dark as he shook her gently. "Liz. . .hey. . .please wake up." He brushed a soft kiss across her forehead, pressing his face into her hair. "Please, say something."

Elizabeth's eyes fluttered open, her pupils dilated so that only a sliver of their hazel shone through the blackness. Her breathing calmed into deep even breaths as she stared up at Charlie. "I will allow the girl and her child to live."

He did a double take, staring at Elizabeth in amazement. "Wha—"As he gazed into her eyes, he caught something strange. In her pupils something pulsed. He looked closer, his jaw dropping as he leaned closer. A tiny universe pulsed and teemed with life.

"I will spare this girl and your child. She has bartered her life for the sake of yours, and that deems her worthy of savior in my eye." Even as Elizabeth's mouth worked, the voice that came from her throat was foreign, deep and ancient.

"But. . .how?"

"In her fear for you, she invoked me, my Child invoked her Goddess. By doing so, she bound her life to the fate of the Magi girl, in her deal with me, she was giving her life to let you live. She knew that. . ." Elizabeth gestured at the cooling body of Bellatrix. "She would try to kill her, and then you."

"Why? Why did she barter her life for mine?!" He was aghast, holding her close, afraid to let her go.

"She is dedicated to you, the purest of love shines in her heart, which exactly why I spared her life this. Even now, the abomination that dares fashion himself a Lord believes this child growing in her belly is his. That is the only thing that protects her. He needs an Heir, and he wishes to use my Children, my lovely Quadruplets, my Daughters, to spawn his army of wretched nastiness!" Elizabeth stiffened in Charlie's embrace. The anger was palpable as it rolled off Elizabeth's body in celestial waves of conscious ire. "He would use her as a breeding pit, and when she was used up he would force her to do his bidding. Terrible things would happen, don't you understand that?! Even now my other Daughters dance the ritual in invoking me forth, calling me to protect my lovely Child. The Magi girl is hurt, so much so that it might be hard to bring her back from the brink of madness that she walked for such a short time. Bloodlust battles in her veins alongside the love she has for her friends."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Charlie was confused even as he felt the rush of power that meant a near grounding.

"Because you, my Son, are among my beloved Children. In you, I see the strength you have to protect my Own." Elizabeth reached a hand up, brushing a finger along Charlie's brow. "I can feel the love you have for her, and that is the power that will change the course of Time. In the dark days ahead, do not lose that burning beacon, for you shall shine in the darkness even as the Void seeks to extinguish you. Charles, my Son, do not lose sight of your goal. . .I need you to protect her." She caught his hand, placing it gently on her bump. "See, you have created life. Is that not worth protecting?"

Charlie nodded as the child fluttered against his hand. Tears gathered in the corner of his eyes as he thought about how close he came to losing her. He felt her go limp and sweat beaded up on her forehead, her skin clammy and cold. Her eyelashes fluttered against the pale of her face as a rush of warmth surged through Charlie.

He leaned down, drawing her tighter to his body until it was hard to tell where she began and he ended. In an instant, his lips were upon hers, his tongue darting out to rim her lips before the white power ensconced in her body flooded through her into him.

Several emotions warred for his attention as the white-hot flames jerked his awareness roughly from his body, discarding the flesh and sucking him into the vortex that inescapably led to the primal force that begged for him. Seductive words pulled and tugged at him, begged him to turn from the path, to follow and play a while.

Gritting his teeth, he pulled his awareness back into his body, focusing his attention on kissing her, forcing her lips open with his tongue, jerking back on her hair as he suddenly left her mouth, scraping his teeth down to her jaw, nibbling and biting on her soft flesh. He drug his lips over her throat, inhaling the heady scent of her skin, the white-hot magic burning in him, pulling at him in an erotic display of power.

She opened her eyes, staring intensely into his, her mouth open, her breath coming in pants as she tugged roughly on his hair, pulling him closer, forcing him nearer to her.

"Please. . ." Her voice came out a slight whisper against his temple and he felt himself react to her.
Fire burst forth from Raya's body, intense and hot, burning and scorching the ground around the three. She threw her head back, moaning loudly, climbing to her feet, her body swaying in time with the rhythm that pounded in her veins, that screamed at her. She grabbed Skylar, dragging the limp girl to her feet even as white power blossomed about her.

Skylar let out a tiny scream as the intensity of Raya's magic pounded through her, causing her to reach out for Danielle to hold herself steady under the onslaught of the Primal Magic that danced and arched about them. Her body was on fire, her eyes widening as she felt herself getting carried away. She was being used as a Grounder as they began expelling the pent up frustration and magic that pulsed in their veins.

Danielle arched her back, leaning into Skylar's touch, her teeth clamping down on her lower lip, drawing blood. Sweat ran down her body as she turned, embracing Raya, holding her sister close, whispering into the other girl's hair.

The white Primal Magic pounded about them, the cavern shaking and shivering.

Another body joined their dance, flitting in and out of the collective conscious. Her brown hair crackled with authority and power, her cinnamon eyes haunting Danielle as she stared into their depth, searching for some sign of humanity.

Hermione drew her lip back over her teeth, letting out a feral hiss, her magic mingling with that of her cousins as she joined them, spinning about, her arms wrapping about herself as a wave of intense pleasure passed through her body.
George watched the three Quads as their dance became more and more exultant, white power filling the cavern brightly. Then he saw her, dancing in and about the three, her movements wild and untamed. Hermione.
Remus felt his body grow hot as he watched Raya, itching to run and envelop her in his arms, take her right there in the cavern. The wolf in him begged and begged for him to take her.

He felt Sirius stiffen next to him, his breath catching in his chest. He took a step forward, reaching his hand out to touch the burgeoning power, feeling his conscious get sucked into the rhythm. A primal force pulled him in, forced his body to move closer. He couldn't control his movements as his eyes rolled back in his head, his body moving of it's own accord.

Bill dropped to his knees, burying his head in his hands as something whispered seductively at the back of his mind. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the odd feeling even as a tendril of white magic snared him, dragging him bodily into the cavern.
Melody cuddled deeper into the arms that held her tight, smiling serenely.

The man brushed a kiss over her forehead, holding her close. "Melody, I am taking you back to Hogwarts, where you are safe. I cannot allow them to keep you." A shudder rocked the old house and he stared about them in a worried fashion.

Melody nodded, her cobalt eyes locking on his haunted dark ones. "Uncle Woddy." She giggled slightly before allowing them to die away.

The man smiled at her, his crooked grin sad. "Auntie Bella won't be coming with us. . ." He allowed his smile to become sadder as thoughts of his wife danced through his head. Thoughts of her before she joined the Deatheaters, before their stint in Azkaban, before the madness of glory set upon her.

Rodolphus LeStrange exited the room, Melody tucked tight in his arms.

"And where do you think you are going?" The cold voice stopped him in his tracks.

"If I thought that was any of your business, Rat, I would have made you aware, would I have not?"

Peter hissed, "Wait til I tell our Lord. Surely he does not approve of this midnight stroll. I have been waiting ages to find your fault!"

Rodolphus turned, his dark eyes glinting with anger. Carefully, he drew his wand, hiding it in the blanket that was wrapped about Melody.

"He will have your head, and then you will be no more, and Bella will be mine. . ." His hissed words grated on Rodolphus.

"Petrificus Totalus!" The words rolled off his tongue and Peter fell to the floor, stiff as a board.

"Yay!" Melody clapped her hands, giggling sweetly.
A/N: I'm so sorry that this took so long. . .but as I said, Real Life has interrupted. But hopefully my updates will be much more frequent now that I have a computer in my room! Anyway, please RR!