Chapter 8: Bring Me the Diamond Blade!
Ginny woke up with a splitting, pounding hangover. Oh, man she groaned mentally Why can't I ever remember what these things feel like on the night before? She rolled over in bed and realized that she was not exactly where she expected to be.
Then she noticed she was not alone either.
She let out a cry of surprise when she saw Harry in the bed next to her, causing him to jerk awake, and promptly fall out of the bed. Then, they both winced in pain as her shout registered with their respective hangovers.
"Damn it Gin, what are trying to do, Crack my head open?" Harry grunted as he pulled himself to his feet, rubbing his head crossly.
"Well, I'm sorry, but in case you hadn't noticed, I'm not exactly where I expected to wake up!" She sniped. It was then that they each noticed the other's extreme lack of clothing, blushed identical shades of red, and turned to face opposite walls.
"Here!" Harry grabbed one of his bathrobes off the chair where he'd thrown it and tossed it over his shoulder to her, slipping another one over himself. Sufficiently covered up, they turned to face each other again.
"Okay, okay," Ginny muttered, pacing frantically. "What just happened?"
"Well, I think it's pretty obvious!" Harry responded sarcastically
"I know that!" Ginny shot back, a note of irritation in her voice. "What I meant was…" She waved her arms, obviously frustrated
"What?" Harry asked, an eyebrow arched.
"I don't know!" She burst out exasperatedly. "I don't know!" Suddenly she fell to her knees and laid her head back on the bed, her whole body was shaking and Harry was sure she was crying.
"Whoa! Ginny, it's okay, we're not kids anymore, we're two consenting adults who had a little too much to drink. It happens, it'll be okay." He knelt down beside her and place a hand on her shoulder. She raised her head and he realized that she'd actually been laughing.
"What's so funny?" Harry asked, a little indignantly.
"This whole situation." She grinned at him and Harry wondered vaguely if she'd snapped. "We got drunk last night, then we slept together."
"And that's… funny?" Harry asked uncertainly
"Bloody hilarious." Ginny confirmed. "Mum would kill us." She got up and took her wand out of the pocket of the jeans she'd been wearing the night before. She muttered some incantation and pointed it at her own stomach. It glowed red and she nodded.
"Well, you'll be happy to know I'm not pregnant."
Harry let out a relieved sigh. "Oh well, that's good."
Ginny glared at him. "Oh, I see, don't want to get stuck with me do you?"
Harry gaped at her, looking very much like a fish. "I… I, um… I"
"Relax, Harry. I'm kidding." Ginny sighed, rolling her eyes, amused.
Harry rolled his eyes back, but otherwise didn't reply. "So, near as I can figure out," He said scratching his chin contemplatively. "Last night we were so drunk we decided to help each other to our rooms, I guess we just got to mine and I must've forgot about it."
"Well, that wasn't very gentlemanly of you, now was it?" Ginny replied with a barely perceptible smirk.
Harry made a mock bow. "A thousand apologies."
Ginny looked vaguely amused. "I suppose I could think of worse ways to spend the night."
Harry was about to ask her to elaborate on that further when they both heard the gruff voice of Collins bellowing from the common area.
"Wake up all of you! We've got a situation in here!" They looked at each other, then without another word, and having no time for embarrassment, they each quickly pulled on the clothes that they had been wearing the day before. Pausing only to make sure that no one saw them coming out of the same room, the two of them made their way to the commons and took seats at the large table in the center. Around the room they could see that almost their entire squadron was severely hung over, with two exceptions, Fleur who had stayed sober, and John, who had not.
Collins was passing around mugs of a dark black potion meant to cure hangovers, which the team drank eagerly.
"Aren't you going to drink that John?" Jack asked, looking quizzical. John grinned at the Aussie.
"Nope." He said, sounding a little smug. "I don't get hangovers."
"Lucky you." Ramirez muttered, his head laid down on the table as he waited for the potion to take effect.
"Alright!" Collins barked, making the team wince and many to grab their heads in pain. One would think he'd done it on purpose, to look at his face. "Just got a call in from the American Department of Magical Affairs. It seems they've got a little hostage situation on their hands. A wizard elementary school was taken over this morning by former Death Eaters led by Azkaban escapee Antonin Dolohov."
Jack sighed exasperatedly. "Can't you get the bloody Tomahawks to cover this? It's their week!"
"Normally yes, but this is sort of personal you see-"
John gasped, his murky eyes wide. "They're after me, aren't they?"
***********
The halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were quiet, which wasn't really surprising when one took into consideration that it was summer and there were no students, and indeed few teachers, currently within the castle. That didn't stop Albus Dumbledore, current headmaster of the school, from appreciating a rare moment of quiet during one of his many wanderings around the ancient and mysterious castle.
But, alas, all too quickly the elderly wizard found himself at the gargoyle-blocked entrance to his office. "Pepper Imps." He stated, and the gargoyle leapt to the side, revealing the staircase that led to the entrance.
He nodded greetings to several of the portraits of former headmasters and headmistresses and was about to take his seat behind his desk when a polite cough caused him to pause, he turned to face the source of the noise, the School Sorting Hat.
"Sorry to bother you Professor," The hat said. "But there's something I think you need to hear, someone who would like a word with you."
Dumbedore looked surprised for a moment, but then nodded. He took a seat and placed the hat on his head. At once his vision went black for a moment, when that moment passed he began to see a vague shape appear. After a few moments the shape solidified into that of a very large, rugged looking man. The man was tall and broad shouldered, his face and head were covered by a thick auburn colored beard and a mane of the same color.
He wore robes of a deep crimson color which were covered by a forest green, fur lined cloak. His piercing green eyes gazed into Dumbledore's twinkling blue with a laser-like intensity. "Albus Dumbledore." The man spoke in a deep rumbling voice.
"Lord Gryffindor." Dumbledore responded, bowing his head respectively.
"You know why I have called you here, Headmaster Dumbledore?" Gryffindor asked, a brow arched.
"Indeed. Am I to assume you are aware of the current… situation?" Dumbledore
"I am. I called you here today, because I believe it is time that my legacy was passed on."
Dumbledore bowed once again. "I would agree the situation warrants it. I would daresay it requires a full activation of the Armory."
If Gryffindor was surprised by this, his face didn't show it. "You believe that is necessary?"
"Quite. This situation is far more dangerous than it appears."
Gryffindor paused for quite some time before speaking again, thinking on Dumbledore's words. "The First, Third and Fourth are missing, they will need to be found."
The headmaster shook his head. "The Third is right where it needs to be, the First and Fourth, will need to be recovered however, yes."
"And the Second?" Gryffindor asked, curiously.
"Safe." Dumbledore responded. "In my possession."
Gryffindor nodded, satisfied. "Then the path is clear, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts. May they be successful."
"For all our sakes." Dumbledore responded, before removing the Sorting Hat from his head.
"Interesting." He muttered, a far away look in his eyes, "Very interesting."
******************
The rest of the Redhawks turned confused looks at John. But he was looking straight at Collins.
The Redhawk C.O. raised an eyebrow. "How did you know that?"
"Never mind that. It's true isn't it?"
"Er, well, yes. You… and Kara, you're the ones that Dolohov and his cronies were trying to call out. I don't know why though."
"I do." John's face turned hard and serious. "Or I have a damn good idea. When do we leave?"
"Dolohov has given the DMA an hour to produce you. I suggest we take that hour to prepare." Collins lit up another cigar. "Mr. Weasley. If you would."
Ron nodded and brought out a mannequin dummy dressed in what looked like leather body armor… which is pretty much what it was.
"This is the regulation body armor all agents are required to wear during field missions." Ron began, slipping into his Quartermaster mode and gesturing at the armor with his wand. "It is made from one hundred percent cured Graphorn hide, so it'll bounce most curses. It's covered by a temperature-regulation charm to make sure you're not roasted alive, as well as a self-activated Disillusionment spell, when needed."
"Next, Dragon hide gloves and boots." Ron said, holding up a pair of each. "Each has a sticking charm cast over it, all you have to do is tap them with your wands. Like so;" He put one of the gloves on and tapped it with his wand. He placed his hand against the wall and it stuck until he gave a sharp tug. "Useful for climbing up a wall, or keeping your grip on a broom."
"Next up we've got your cloaks." He picked up a cloak and hood that looked like it was woven from oil. "We've developed an improved invisibility cloak." He threw the shimmering black material around his shoulders and fastened the silver clasp. "With these, all you have to do is clasp it, and throw up the hood." He did so and faded from sight. After a second he reappeared. "Also we've added a face mask into the collar of the armor that will filter out poisonous gases, toxic fumes and smoke. It will also allow you to breathe underwater for a limited amount of time" he took the cloak off and threw it back over the dummy.
"And, last but not least, specialized flight goggles. The lenses are made from shatter proof glass. They're water tight and have been enchanted for night vision, heat vision binocular long distance, and they can see through most walls. Virtually every type of vision you could ever possibly need."
"Right. Well, now that you've all been briefed, it's time to get suited up." The twelve Aurors pulled themselves away from the table, the last vestiges of their hangovers long gone and walked into the locker room that was at the end of the corridor which held the doors to their quarters.
John led the way in and they found twelve silver lockers each with a metal embossed nametag, only the tags weren't sporting the Aurors real names, rather "clever" nicknames.
"Looks like Collins was in a funny mood." John muttered, looking at his own, name, "White Knight."
"Could've been Ron." Harry responded, then looked at his own tag. "B.W.L? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Boy Who Lived, naturally," Tonks informed him with a grin, then turned to peer at her own tag. "Anybody know what a Naiad is?"
"It's a type of Nymph." Kara replied. "And now that we've solved Harry's Acronym, what's a D.I.D?"
"Damsel In Distress."
"Oh that's just hilarious. Tonks, I'll trade you!" Kara growled as she began to pull on her armor.
"Not a chance. Maybe Ramirez here will trade you, if you fancy Lock-pick anyway."
"I don't know about you all, but I like my name!" Jack called out enthusiastically. "Jackaroo, must be from that time I wrestled that Pegasus to the ground down in the pens."
"Yeah, it's got nothing to do with your name at all." Ami said, sarcastically.
"Well, what's yours then?"
Ami grinned. "Kamikaze." She said proudly. The entire locker room erupted in laughter.
Kara noticed Ryu, whose locker was right next to hers, smirking at his name plate. "What is it Ryu?" The non-talkative wizard stepped aside so she could see. "Silent Ry," She read. "Sometimes I wonder if you really are a Kevin Smith fan, after all."
Suddenly they heard a long stream of French cursing followed by a loud BANG! They all turned to see Fleur holding a smoking wand pointed at her locker, her name plate had been expertly melted into slag, and her face looked absolutely furious. She slammed open her locker and began roughly donning her armor, muttering the entire time. Occasionally they would hear phrases in English, "I have nevair been so insulted…" or "'Ow dare they?" and, "Of all ze stupeed…" Then she slammed the locker shut and stormed out of the room.
There was a moment of stunned and awkward silence.
"So…" Jack said, "I'm guessing hers wasn't very flattering… what did you get Asher?"
"Canada Dry."
"Canada Dry? What's that mean?"
"It's a muggle drink, beer or ginger ale. I can't remember." John cut in
"Hmm."
By now the team had finished putting on their armor and were following Fleur's trail of swears back into the common room. On the way out, John noted that Procyon's name was Lone Wolf and Krum's Tag was magically wiped blank, which made him think it had been something embarrassing, though obviously not as embarrassing as Fleur's had been.
"Your hour is near up," Collins turned to face them, his cigar smoke forming a ring around his head. "I think it's time you lot were catching the 'Port to the U.S."
They filed out of the Redhawk ready-room, grabbing their Tempest brooms off a rack by the door on their way out.
They made their way down to the transportation room. Ron tapped the runes around the door frame, keying in the appropriate sequence for their destination. There was a flash of light and the door filled with a green mist.
"Here we go!" Asher called as he led the way through the doorway.
Ron watched and when the last of them went through the portal he shut it down and went to await their return with his sister.
The room remained empty for only a moment before another figure crept through the door. He glanced at the portal and the runes that spelled out the destination of the others. Nodding to himself, he switched two of the runes around and re activated the portal. The portal went green again and he stepped through. A moment later it deactivated and the room fell quiet again.
When the world came back into focus, the Redhawks found themselves outside a large building that was obviously the wizard school. American MLE's were rushing around frantically obeying the orders of a tall lanky man with thinning blonde hair, who was standing in the center of the whirlwind of controlled chaos around him.
"Phillip!" John called out as he rushed to greet the man. Phillip turned and, when he saw John and the Redhawks heading towards them, a look of relief creased his features.
"John, Kara, thank Merlin you both are here." He said, shaking John's hand. "Dolohov wouldn't even begin hostage negotiation until you were here."
He turned towards one of the underlings. "Inform the terrorists that the Screibb's are here." The young man nodded and hurried away, casting a sonorus charm on himself as he went.
"Okay, now that we've bought ourselves a little time, how are you going to get those kids out of there?"
Asher and the rest surveyed the building before them. "Ami, why don't you take a look up top, see how many they've got stationed on the roof." With a quick salute Ami mounted her broom and threw the hood of her cloak up, fading from sight.
"Any idea how many kids are in that school?" Ramirez asked, eyeing the building.
Phillip sighed, looking ungodly tired. "At most, maybe two hundred. We think they've moved the majority of the students and teachers into the cafeteria." He flicked his wand and a schematic of the ground floor of the school appeared. He pointed to a large room that was almost dead center of the floor plan. "Right here, see? It has two entrances; here, and here, which are easily guarded. In order to even get to the cafeteria you have to pass what has no-doubt become a gauntlet of classrooms hiding death eaters"
There was a rush of air as Ami reappeared among them. "They've got eight death-eaters up there; two on each wall."
"Not only that." Kara muttered, looking through her goggles at the building. "I've spotted Dolohov, he's got six… wait, seven, in there with him and about four or five students."
"Ami. Did you happen to notice if there was a roof access or not?" Harry asked
"There was." She affirmed, nodding. "And I think you're thinking what I'm thinking."
"Hmm." Jack muttered, scratching his chin. "Go up there all ghost like while Kara and Johnny boy keep 'em distracted down here. Take out the sentries up there than slip in. Is that what you're planning?"
"Got it in one." Harry nodded. "Okay, other than John and Kara they don't know we're here. They'd be stupid to think they'd come alone, but we'll have to hope that they are stupid enough."
"The question." Ramirez muttered looking at the schematic, "Is which spot to strike at first, the cafeteria or Dolohov's little hold out."
"Both." Krum muttered scowling, "If ve strike at one, there is a possibility that they vill varn the others, that vould put the children in danger."
"Right. We'll split into two teams. Ramirez, Fleur, Krum and Jack will come with me. We'll take Dolohov. Harry, you take the rest and clean up the cafeteria." Asher pulled himself upright and dusted off his hands. They all, with the exception of Kara and John, mounted their brooms and donned their invisibility cloaks.
They swooped low over the building. "Ryu!" Asher spoke quietly into his mask, which also acted as a communication's link to the rest of the team. "Since you don't use incantations, do you think you can knock them out quietly and quickly?"
There was no response for a moment, but then a staggered line of eight bursts of red light shot out of thin air and struck each of the death eaters with practiced precision. They each crumpled to the floor, one after the other, like a line of dominoes.
The team landed and after securing the unconscious death eaters, turned towards the door, however they quickly discovered that it was locked.
"Alohomora!" Ami cried, flicking her wand. It remained locked tight.
"Here, let me try." Procyon drew his wand and cast a silencing charm on the area. He snapped his fingers and sparks flew from the tip of his index finger like a welding torch. He drew a rune in the air that left a purple afterimage on their retinas, then drew back his hand and struck the image. As soon as he hit the rune a bolt of lightning shot out of it and blew the door clean off it's hinges. "Lock THAT!" He muttered, smirking.
"You're a bit scary, you know that?" Tonks said, eyeing him warily.
"I know."
They kicked the door out of the way and quietly made their way into the school.
John and Kara approached the school building slowly. Something about this entire ordeal felt, wrong. It just seemed to John like there was a variable in the equation he wasn't seeing as they made their way towards the school.
"Sonorus" he muttered, pointing his wand at his own throat. "Dolohov!" His magically amplified voice rang through the courtyard of the school.
"Ah! The esteemed Jonathan Screibb." Dolohov's voice called back. "Or I assume it is, how do I know it's you?" John rolled his eyes and drew his sword. The Diamond Blade caught the light and refracted it in a shower of rainbows.
"Excellent! My Master and his associate are very interested in that artifact mister Screibb. Very interested indeed."
"So interested that you would stoop to attacking innocent children?" John shot back.
"There are no innocents, John." John shook his head, frustrated something still felt wrong. They'd have been stupid to think that he and Kara would come here alone. It was suicidal, unless of course they…
Suddenly that missing variable revealed itself. The Traitor. The traitor from Project Guardian, he must've have warned them they were coming, therefore…
"Harry! Asher!" He spoke quickly into the communications mask.
"You're walking into a trap!" Harry rolled his eyes and stared at the twenty or so Death Eaters that surrounded him and the rest of the team, each with their wands pointed at them and a smirk on their faces. Thanks for the early warning John. He thought sarcastically.
They had come down the steps and were making their way down into the cafeteria when a dozen dark wizards leaped out at them wands drawn. Before they could even think of a retaliatory action, the eight sentries they'd knocked out, plus another that was armed with an invisibility cloak came running down the stairs, effectively surrounding them.
Now they found themselves in something of a mexican standoff. "So…" Harry muttered out of the corner of his mouth. "Everybody got an up to date will?"
Ginny had decided early on that she hated when the others went out on a mission. She hated the fact that she was left behind, waiting for them to return, wondering if they'd all make it back, and even if they did, what kind of injuries she'd have to mop up. She already readied the medical wing for an emergency. Now all that was left, was to wait. And wait. And wait. She hated waiting.
Finally she got up from her chair with an exasperated sigh. Waiting, despite the lack of doing anything, was exhausting. Maybe if she took a nap, time would go by faster. Yeah, that seemed logical. It had to be better than sitting around waiting anyway.
She downed the sleeping potion and practically fell into her bed. Things went black in an instant.
"Ginny…" She thought she heard a voice whisper in her ear, but when she turned there was no one there. Then again, this is a dream, She reasoned. That doesn't really mean much. Still, the voice sounded familiar. She was sure she'd heard it before, in fact it almost sounded like Harry. Almost, but there was definitely something different about it.
"Ginny…" There it was again. She still couldn't place the familiarity of it though. "Oh, Ginny, you've forgotten me. I'm hurt." The voice had taken on a decidedly insidious tone. Like a snake's hiss. "Imagine, me, your very first friend. And you've forgotten all about me."
Um, wait, what? Ginny looked around the murky location confused. Suddenly her own voice rang out, mocking her. Like a friend I can carry around in my pocket.
Ginny stifled a gasp. Oh, god no.
That's right Ginny, I'm back. The voice laughed. Your Dear Tom
Dear Tom, No one's ever understood me like you. Ginny looked around but couldn't find the source of the sound. The only thing she could see was a flash of acid green out of the corner of her eye, but when she looked again it was gone.
Dear Tom, I wish Harry would notice me, but he never does. Next she heard the distinctive sound of a quill scratching on parchment, amplified a thousand fold. She fell to her knees and her ears began to bleed from the sound. Then it stopped. Just like that.
Dear Tom, There's been another attack, and I'm scared. The hiss of a snake echoed around her.
Dear Tom, I think I'm losing my mind. A flash of fangs, dripping poison.
Dear Tom, I think it's me, I think I'm the one attacking everyone. Cruel, evil yellow eyes.
"Leave me alone!" Ginny shouted. "Go away! You're dead! Harry killed you, you're dead!"
Poor Ginny, did you really think your precious Harry could keep me away? No, no, You're mine, Ginny, you've always been mine. And soon I'll come to claim you. Soon.
"Stay away from me!" Ginny shouted into the darkness. The only response was a high cruel laugh, a laugh that made Ginny cold inside.
"You heard her!" The new voice, which sounded oddly like Ginny herself, was heralded by the sound of a phoenix song multiplied tenfold. It drove away the darkness and Ginny saw the shadow of wings flit over her, and the cold feeling evaporated instantly. "Leave now!"
Ginny! Tom's voice shouted, enraged. This isn't over Ginny! Ginny!
"Ginny!" Her eyes snapped open to see a blur of red orange that gradually focused into the face of her brother.
"Ron! What's wrong?"
"They're back, Harry's injured." Before he'd even finished his sentence Ginny was out of the room and dashing towards the medical wing. Ramirez, John and Jack were carrying a bruised and bleeding Harry between them. Ryu, Asher, Fleur, Kara and Tonks were a little worse for wear, but Ginny figured they would live.
Harry, she wasn't so sure about.
"He got hit by a-" John began
"Save it for later." She snapped, all business. "Just get him in there. We'll deal with the how later."
"Yes ma'am." They laid him down on the bed and Ginny ripped open his shirt to find his chest covered in blood.
"I though his armor would block all this!" She cried as she began to mop up the blood that was leaking from multiple lacerations. She saw Ron turn a disturbing shade of green and leave quickly.
He entered the common room as Jack and John were in the middle of telling Collins what had happened.
"Right so there we were, completely surrounded." Jack was saying as he pulled up a chair at the table. "Harry had just finished making an absurd quip about final will and testaments…"
"Everybody got an up to date will?"
"Oh yeah." Jack muttered. "Standard procedure mate. I've had one for years now."
"Well, that's good to know." Ramirez muttered back. "However, mine hasn't been updated in a few years."
"Ah that's a damn shame." Tonks added. "Guess that means we'll have to figure a way out of this won't we?"
"Yep. Guess so."
"So any bright ideas?" Asher asked. "I don't think I can take them staring at us like we're nuts for much longer."
"I wouldn't worry about that." Black said, pointing his wand at the palm of his hand. With a whispered incantation a small amount of sand poured out of the end of it. "NOW!" He shouted throwing the sand in the air, a split second later he and everyone else except Ryu ducked.
Everything seemed to slow down as Procyon's whispered instructions echoed through his mind. Instructions that the inane chatter had prevented the death eaters from hearing.
You're the best duelist Ryu, so I'm going to slow down time for you, you'll have about ten seconds do as much damage as you can. Be ready!
Ryu had drawn both his wands and was firing stunning spells as fast as he was able. He managed to drop four of the death eaters before they could respond. He noticed a spark of green light heading in his direction, at about an eighth of it's normal speed. He sidestepped that easily and leaped at the death eater, kicking him in the jaw. He used his momentum to pull into a smooth back flip over a pair of stun spells sent his way.
He pushed off the ground with his hands again and landed next to Harry behind his barrier that was an overturned desk.
With a lurch time righted itself and the Redhawks and Death Eaters scrambled for cover behind upturned tables and benches.
"Tonks! Ami!" Asher shouted over the incantations being yelled. "Get those kids out of here! Get them to safety and stay with them!" The two women slowly crawled and pulled their way towards the knot of frightened children, intending to lead them to safety.
Fleur stepped from behind cover, "Stupe-" She began, before being struck in each shoulder by a pair of violently purple curses. Instantly a sick red burn appeared on either side of her neck. She screamed and fell to the ground. With a swish of robes, Procyon appeared next to her.
"Are you okay?" He asked gruffly.
"Why Procyon, one would almost think you were worried about me!" She rasped with a weak smile.
Procyon snorted derisively and rolled his eyes. "You wish."
"Peeg." She muttered before blacking out
Black managed a small smirk. "You should learn when to stay down, you stupid Veela." Anybody who happened to be looking closely at him would see his eyes turn a blood red, right before his hands became engulfed in fire. He stood up and saw two death eaters do the same. After a bit of concentration on Procyon's part they were both very shocked to see their wands burst into flame right before their very eyes. With strangled cries they dropped their wands and looked up in time to see a large fireball impact with each of their chests.
Procyon's eyes returned to their normal color and the fire surrounding his hands disappeared, just in time for him to have to duck a nasty looking electric blue curse.
"Stupefy!" Harry shouted sending a bolt of red light towards one of the other death eaters.
"Is that widdle Harry Potter I hear?" Harry near froze, until Ryu pulled him down. "Why I haven't seen you since you was jus' a widdle baby boy!"
No way! Harry screamed in his mind. It can't be! I thought she was dead!
"Aww not talking? How wude!" Bellatrix pouted. "I know how to get you to come out. He saw her reveal herself from behind a wall, saw her point her wand at one of the scared little kids scattered around. "Avada Kadavra!" Without thinking, Harry dove and tackled the little kid.
John had all but realized that his warning was fairly ineffectual. He could easily hear the sound of spell fire from inside the building. So much for the negotiations. He thought.
"John I'm surprised at you." Dolohov admonished from inside the building. "I thought we told you and your wife to come alone." John snorted. yeah, right. Still, the time for talking was over. He drew his sword, and with little more than a nod, he and Kara dissapparated.
Dolohov saw them disappear and for a moment thought they had fled. The thought that maybe they were coming there had scarcely entered his head before he heard two loud CRACKS! and all hell broke loose.
Kara saw the five students all huddled underneath a table, looking absolutely terrified. No sooner had she regained her balance than she drew her wand and pointed it at the table. "Portus!" The table glowed yellow for a moment before it, and all the children, vanished with a pop!
Two of the Death Eaters closed in on her, a third quickly disapparated. Not bothering to worry about the deserter, she kicked the wand out of the first one's hand, then landed a hard right-hook into the second one's jaw. The first one grabbed her around the middle and and threw her to the floor. She gasped in pain as his leather boot connected with her ribcage.
John meanwhile was busy tangling with the other four death eaters and Dolohov himself.
"Avada Kadavra!" John saw the bolt of green light out of the corner of his eye. Instead of dodging it, he brought the flat of his blade out to meet it and bounced it back, hitting the death eater square in the chest. The black robed figure crumpled to the ground.
"Dragon's scale." He told the corpse. He heard a sound behind him and with out thinking he whirled around and plunged the blade into the sternum of whoever was trying to sneak up on him, as well as the wall behind him.
"Well, hello Dolohov!" John said through gritted teeth. "You said you wanted a look at my sword. Is this close enough for you?" Dolohov managed a raspy gurgle and blood leaked out of his mouth before his eyes went dark.
"JOHN!" He heard Kara's scream. He whipped around to see two Death Eaters kicking at Kara's torso. Her wand lay a few feet away.
"Larcanum Inflamarae!" A jet of flame leaped out of his wand and lit both their robes on fire. Kara kicked at them and they both stumbled backwards and fell out the window, with the crash of breaking glass.
John tried to tug his sword free but it was stuck good into the wall.
"Avada Kadavra!" A flash of green and John had barely just enough time to duck and roll, leaving his sword behind. Turns out this was exactly what the death eater was hoping for, taking a flying leap over desks and other debris he grasped the hilt of the sword and Disapparated, taking the Diamond Blade with him.
The remaining dark wizard took a small white sphere out of his pocket and threw it to the ground before he Disapparated as well. As soon as the sphere struck the earth, a horrid unearthly shriek echoed through the school, like the sound of a banshee.
Harry saw the green light impact with his chest and felt an intense burning sensation where it impacted with his armor. There was a horrible tearing sound as the curse ripped the armor from his body, the residual energy causing large and deep cuts to open across his chest. Harry screamed in pain, but the sound was drowned out by a sound much louder.
"That's the signal!" Bellatrix shouted, barely able to get above the sound. "We're done here!" There was a series of loud cracks, then everything went quiet.
"John?" Asher rasped into him communicator, holding his chest where he'd taken a nasty curse. "You okay?"
"Kara's injured. I'm fine, we managed to take out four death eaters, Dolohov being one of them."
"That's good to hear, I suppose." Asher muttered. "Well, I suppose we ought to leave the MLE's to clean up our mess. Ami, how are those kids?"
"Scared out of their minds, but otherwise okay."
"Well, that's the best we could've hoped for. Alright everybody better portkey back so we can get ourselves mopped up."
"Christ!" Ramirez cried. "Jack you better get over here and help me with him, he doesn't look so good…"
"So then, we rode the Portkey's back here, and well, you know the rest." Jack finished up his story just as Ginny came walking out of the medical wing, her face was pale and there was a sheen of sweat on her forehead.
"How is everybody?" Collins asked her.
She sighed. "Everybody should be okay, even Harry. Ryu, just has a few bruises and a black eye, Asher, got hit by a laceraetus curse Fleur, looks like she tried to swallow nitric acid. Kara has three broken ribs and a bruised collarbone and Tonks only has a sprained ankle."
"She tripped over a desk." Ami supplied helpfully, looking amused.
"Yes well, Harry he's stable for the moment but he's weak and lost a lot of blood. I've got an IV of Blood Restoration Potion in him so that'll help, what I want to know is what the hell happened to him?"
"He got hit by a killing curse." Ramirez spoke up. "His armor took the brunt of the curse, hence why it was ripped to shreds, what you saw was the remains of the curse."
"Well that would explain the large burn mark in the center of his chest, but I don't understand how a Kedavra caused cuts." Ginny looked perplexed.
"Bellatrix Lestange." Procyon replied. "I saw her hit him with a couple of laceraetus before sounding the retreat."
Ginny shook her head. That explained the large cuts, all except one. The one that leaked blood down his face, the one down the center of his forehead.
The one shaped like a lightning bolt.
