Hello everyone!
I've just done my English Lit and first Textiles GCSEs today! Help! Okay, before anyone else asks, GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education, and we do them when we're sixteen (fifteen for those born July/August) in the UK. Year 11, to us. Okay?
Anyway, this chapter has got a lot of violence in, but I've tried to make it real. Sorry if isn't good enough!
By the way, 100 reviews! YAY! Even if it's mainly because one person reviewed the first 11 chapters! But still, technically, that gives me 102, so it's still 100 reviews! YAY for me. Might post up a new fic. Haven't decided yet.
Anyway, read on...
Chapter 29 – Attack on Diagon Alley
"Why didn't she wake up?" Sirius demanded as he, Lily, James, Alice and Frank sat in Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.
The five Aurors were giving the appearance of having the day off. They – and Moody – had warned the Ministry about the attack, and there were a couple of 'on-duty' Aurors checking out a shop in Knockturn Alley, another in Gringotts investigating a foolish attempted burglary and several who were supposedly off work. The Healers and nurses in St. Mungo's had been warned about casualties and were preparing for them. Peter's workplace had stocked them up on Healing potions of all kinds and various amulets and instruments with healing in them. It was strange that Peter turned out to be so good with the potions when he had nearly failed that class in school. However, he could still be beaten by his friends, though they didn't mention it.
"I don't know. Maybe the fact that she's still unconscious is a good thing. Maybe its a way of preventing what might happen." Lily tried to soothe him.
Sirius shrugged. "I don't know. I'm worried. I just want her here. With me." He sighed.
"We know, Sirius. I'm sure she'll be alright. She has to be." James confirmed.
"She will. You know how strong she is. If she can kick my ass, she can sure as death beat this." Frank then winced. "Maybe 'sure as death' wasn't such a good choice of words."
Sirius grinned. "Nah, it's okay. Well, since we're here, and it's early- evening and unusually warm for October, anyone want an ice cream as well?"
"Make mine a chocolate sundae." A voice commented from behind him.
"Kat!" Sirius smiled, jumping up and hugging her, causing a number of indulgent grins from others in the ice cream parlour. "When did you wake up?"
"About an hour ago. I had to go home and change." She kissed Sirius on the tip of the nose. "Did you miss me?"
"Of course I missed you!" Sirius told her, somewhat indignantly, and then swept her into a dramatic kiss, as though playing a scene from something like 'Romeo and Juliet'.
"Oh, Sirius, Sirius, wherefore art thou?" Kathryn smiled cheekily.
"Right here. So, you wanted chocolate sundae? What else, everyone?" Sirius grinned.
"We'd like a..." But Frank's voice was cut off as an explosion sounded.
"Shit." Lily stated. The others agreed.
The six Aurors jumped up and raced out. They separated into their partners – not their Auror partners, but the ones they used in the Order, which happened to be couples.
At the corner where Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley met, the shop was in flames.
"Frank, Alice, guard the entrance to Diagon Alley!" Sirius roared. "Keep it open, make sure any wounded get out. James, Lily, you're at the other entrance! Kat, with me, we'd best get there!"
"Alice, call the medi-Aurors!" Kathryn ordered as she and Sirius ran to the blazing shop.
The mood had suddenly changed from gentle and teasing to harsh and dangerous. People began to panic at the sight. Those who still kept some of their wits tried to Apparate, but a spell had been placed on the entire area – they couldn't Apparate out.
The shop that was on fire was a small thrift store. Kat gasped when she heard a scream.
"Sirius, there's people in there!" Kat shrieked.
"Kat, it's too dangerous..." Sirius began.
"I can control the flames! Come with me, there might be kids too weak to get out!" Kathryn ordered. She wasn't letting Sirius out of her sight.
To passers-by, it must have looked very strange, this witch and wizard entering a burning house without uttering so much as a Flame-freezing charm.
Kat forced the flames away from her. They fought against her, demanding to be set free, to burn, to char, to destroy...
'No,' she order them firmly in her mind. She didn't know whether her three fellow Elemental Guardians felt their elements as almost being alive, but she had felt fire like this ever since the end of her Seventh-year. The woman thrust the fire away from her, refusing to let it touch her or her beloved.
Sirius chanted a spell to create a barrier.
"Flames eating hungrily,
Destroying the house's strength,
Erect a barrier, obey me,
Stop danger falling at any length." It was meant to prevent falling beams or boards harming them. Sirius could only pray that a spell on the spur of the moment would work.
It was sinister as the flames danced about the pair, their orange, yellow and red twisting firelight throwing the shop and house into a spectral ghost. Somehow, they felt this was why Voldemort has chosen Hallowe'en. He wanted to make the tradition of the day ever so appropriate.
A shrill scream broke their calmness and clarity as they navigated their way through the house and shop. The two Guardians broke into a run.
"Who's there? Where are you?" Kat yelled.
"The children! They're trapped!" A female voice replied, shrill with fear.
"Sirius! Get the children out!" Kathryn told him. "The Flame-freezing charm!"
Sirius nodded, and swiftly incanted the charm. It was a charm Kathryn could do without thinking – fire was her element – but not so for him.
Kathryn proceeded in the direction of the voices of before.
She broke open a door... No one there. She ran up the next flight of stairs.
"Help! Cough, cough Help!" Someone yelled, his or her voice hoarse.
Kathryn broke open the next door. A man and woman in their late twenties (from appearance) were trapped by a wall of flame. The woman was attempting to freeze the flames, but her husband had succumbed to the smoke. He was choking dreadfully. He clutched a small box to his chest.
Kat ran through the wall of flame. She grabbed them. "Come on."
"We... we can't walk through that!" The woman cried.
"I can. I have control of the fire. It's my element. It won't harm you. We've more to worry about with falling beams and ceilings."
"The children!"
"My partner's gone to get them. I swear, they'll be safe. We have to get you out." Kathryn quickly explained. "Can you walk?" She asked the man.
"Yes... Just..." He began coughing again.
"He's got a serious reaction to the smoke. It's not normal. It's burning something else." The woman replied, tugging her husband up.
Kat took his other side. The two women each slung one of his arms over their shoulders and supported him as they walked through the building. The younger sniffed the air.
"You're right. They used something to start the fire. Not a spell, but a..."
"Plant. Dried korrehn." The man rasped out.
"They did what?" Kathryn demanded. "That plant is illegal in seventy countries! It's used in the potions for control, torture and death – the equivalent to the Unforgivables! About a quarter of the wizarding population are allergic to it, especially when it's burned..." Kathryn's voice trailed off. "I guess now is not the time to explore the illegality of such use. Voldemort couldn't careless if it was illegal or not."
"You Know Who did this?" The woman gasped.
"Yeah. Who else would?" Kathryn asked rhetorically. "Mind now, the stairs are tricky."
They navigated the stairs carefully. After nearly five minutes, Sirius came back. He had a baby slung over his chest, another child on his back and was guiding two others with his hands.
"Kat! The front! It's caved in. There's no way out!" Sirius gasped.
"Here, Sirius, give us the kids and you take him." Kathryn ordered.
The mother soon slung the baby over her chest, papoose style and the smaller child sat on her back. The other two grabbed hold of Kat's hands. Kathryn swiftly ordered the flames back far enough for them to breathe.
She sighed. "There's only one thing for it. We're going to have to cause more damage. We need an exit and we need it now. I can't keep control of this forever, and I'm already losing strength." She groaned.
Sirius' eyes lit. "This is stone, isn't it?" He checked.
The older woman nodded.
"Oh good." Sirius grinned.
Kathryn caught the man as Sirius moved forward to the closest wall. White light gathered about him and Sirius drew his fist back and punched the wall. His power of Earth included all her bounties, including sand, stone and crystal. The stone obeyed his call and shot outwards, creating a gaping hole in the side of the house. They were two floors up, but that hardly mattered now.
"Good work." Kathryn stated. The crimson aura of her magic became more evident as she moved away form the flames. She jumped from the window, and landed delicately as a phoenix. She transformed back to human. "The kids first!" She yelled.
Sirius took the eldest of the children. "Go on. Kat will guide you."
The kid looked askance. Sirius sighed and pushed him gently from the hole. Kathryn had her wand out and levitated him to the ground. They repeated this for the other child and then the father. The mother was too scared.
"Sirius! Transport them! Apparate them! Clobber them over the head and levitate them for all I care! Just get them the hell outta there!" Kathryn yelled. She heard the gleeful cry of the flames – they were getting to something which would quite happily blow the house to smithereens.
Sirius nodded and grasped the woman's hands. Seconds later, they reappeared by Kathryn and the others at the other side of the street.
The house then exploded.
It was strange, but the man was still holding that box.
"Get to St. Mungo's. He's allergic to korrehn, he needs to be treated. And you all need treatment for smoke inhalation and burns." Kathryn observed.
The woman nodded. She and the rest of them struggled towards the Leaky Cauldron, where there was a direct floo to St. Mungo's Hospital.
Kat and Sirius ran further into Diagon Alley and then gulped. Shops and stores were in flames. Multi-coloured lights of spells lit up the darkening sky.
And then they suddenly realised something else.
They were surrounded.
Lily and James had obeyed Sirius' orders, since he was technically the most senior of them (he was the eldest and had been working there longer than Lily and James). The far entrance to Diagon Alley seemed to be deserted. They swiftly began to tell anyone they came across to floo out – to anywhere safe, specifying Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. Dumbledore had already told them that Hogwarts could be used for escapees, and if St. Mungo's filled up, then Hogwarts was the next place to send the injured. It was an emergency hospital in such times.
It was quiet. Too quiet.
"Something's wrong." James murmured. "Completely wrong..."
"How well observed." A voice behind the two of them commented.
They whipped round, wands out.
"Ah, I see you ignored my warning." Voldemort remarked, twirling his wand idly.
"It wasn't a warning. It was a ruse to get us out of the way. And we didn't ignore it. We actually took the advice of that bitch. Of course, the trust spell may have had something to do with that. We're lucky that our friends brought us to our senses." James snarled.
"Enough with talking. Cruc–" Voldemort began.
Lily and James dodged. And then James yelled out, "Rictumsempra!"
Voldemort blocked it. "Delashio!"
"Tarantallegra!" Lily screeched.
Again Voldemort blocked it. "Lacerare!"
"Stupefy!"
"Petrificus totalus!"
"Iridus formeth!"
"Crisorac!"
The either blocked or dodged them. If one of the pair got struck, the other did the counter curse. In fact the barrage of spells seemed to be pointless as each seemed to be blocked or avoided. It took an hour of intense fighting, spells and duelling before there was any sort of break. Voldemort examined them appraisingly.
"You know, you two would be worthy of my army, even she is a Mudblood. You are strong and powerful, intelligent. Unlike most of the bumbling idiots I have following me." Voldemort observed.
"Yes, and do you know why they're idiots, Voldemort?" James asked.
"Why?"
"Because they follow you!" Lily finished.
"We'll never join you and your evil ways!" James shouted.
Voldemort screeched in anger.
At that moment, James sent a bullet of ice into the dark wizard's chest. It stopped him temporarily.
James and Lily legged it. Voldemort snarled and Apparated (apparently the wards let him and his Death Eaters through).
And then it suddenly struck the pair of them.
They had defied Voldemort for the first time.
Alice and Frank were desperately holding Death Eaters off as medi-Aurors entered the field. Many had automatic portkeys – they'd be able to get out of the Alley with the most critically wounded and back again.
"Aargh!" Alice screamed as the Lacerate Curse hit her. A long wound bloodied her left arm and sleeve.
"Ali!" Frank yelled.
"Keep to it! I'm fine!" His betrothed ordered.
Frank couldn't help grinning, even through his worry and danger; Alice wouldn't let a wound slow her down. It was odd though; she was very effective at blocking such curses.
"Stupefy!" Frank shouted and another Death Eater went down under a barrage of red light.
It was at least an hour after the attack had begun. The flashes of green light were the worst. They occurred every so often, and almost every time, someone will have fallen victim to the Killing Curse.
He had to ignore them. Concentrate on his present problems.
It wasn't long before Alice and Frank had to defy Voldemort for the first time as well.
Voldemort suddenly appeared, black robes swishing, his red, snake-like eyes glistening with evil intent.
"Ah, Longbottom and Phenners. I have come to offer you a proposition." Voldemort stated.
"And what would that be, Voldemort?" Frank spat, drawing closer to his beloved.
"A one time offer. Join me and your lives will be spared." Voldemort explained.
"Never!" They cried in unison.
"Then say goodbye." Voldemort raised his wand. "Avada Ke–"
Frank had already moved out of the way. He raised his wand and hissed, "Lacrimare!" (A/N: Now this is interesting...)
Voldemort burst into tears. (A/N: WHAT?!) He couldn't control them, but hissed angrily. "You'll pay for that, Longbottom. You and your little girlfriend will pay!"
He Apparated away.
Frank and Alice had no chance to ponder the meaning of this, as they came under a bombardment of more curses, hexes and attacks.
Hours later, the news went round. They had won. Voldemort and his Death Eaters had run.
Kathryn collapsed into Sirius' arms. "Oh, thank God." She whispered. Both of them were weak. They had not had to use so much power over their elements, or exercise such control, before.
It seemed all four Elemental Guardians had had to exercise their powers. James had had to stop a run of Death Eaters and used a wall of ice to do it. Lily had had to form a cyclone of her magic to run a number of Death Eaters down. At the very least, it was scary.
But no one could help smiling. Voldemort's worst attack, and he had run away. It was a small victory, but a definite one.
There had been so many casualties though. Too many. There were more than two hundred victims in St. Mungo's alone. And there were at least another hundred dead. Not to mention the dozens who had been flooed to Hogwarts instead. It seemed that there had been a number of the attacks using a korrehn bomb as they were known, all on shops/homes with someone who was allergic to it.
Kathryn and Sirius Apparated to the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Lily and James were there, as were Frank and Alice. All of them looked worse for wear. Alura and Damion were also there, along with Remus, but Radella was still working, as were a couple of the other members.
Dumbledore greeted them.
"Well done. You saved lives tonight." He smiled.
"I'm exhausted." Kathryn muttered and then yawned, as though to prove it.
"You will be. I hear the four of you had to exercise your elemental control."
"Yeah. And God does it make you tired." Lily yawned as well, snuggling into James as they sat on a couch.
Frank was finally bandaging Alice's wound. "I'll get Poppy to take a look at it when we've got chance." He told her.
"What's wrong?" James asked.
"I've got a long cut on my arm. Laceration Curse." Alice answered.
"C'mere." James ordered.
She obeyed and James laid a finger to the bandage, closed his eyes and blue light spilled from the touch. Then he stopped. "I've laid a healing spell on the bandage and cleaned out any infection. Just keep the bandage on, I can't heal it for you tonight, but the spell should have taken care of it by morning." James explained, and then he yawned.
Lily grinned. "Guess we should get home and sleep."
Kathryn nodded. "Lils, you okay? You're not supposed to be perky."
"I'm not. Speaking of which... Dumbledore, Voldemort made James and I an offer. He wanted us to join his army."
"He made us the same offer." Frank commented.
They looked at Kathryn and Sirius. "What, don't look at us here. He should know by now the only thing I'll join him for is a duel or a fight. And we're on opposing sides and then I kick his snake-bitten ass."
Sirius laughed. "Snake-bitten, is it?" He played with a strand of her hair.
"Well, I'm making an assumption there." Kathryn grinned. "I'm guessing you said no?"
"Of course we said no!" James looked affronted. "Well, first we insulted him. Then we said no."
Sirius laughed. "You would insult him."
"Naturally."
"We said no as well. Then he attacked us. We fought."
"Born to those who have thrice defied him..." Kathryn murmured.
"What?" Sirius asked.
But it was clear what had happened. Kathryn was asleep.
"I guess we'd best get home." Sirius grinned. "Kat, wake up."
"Wha – What? I'm awake!" Kathryn told him.
Sirius laughed. "Sure, c'mon. We need a healing potion and a bath."
"Together?"
"Well, I suppose we can put the healing potion in the bath..." Sirius mused.
Kathryn grinned slyly. "That wasn't what I meant. And you know it."
"Yes, I like your idea better." Sirius grinned. He then pulled her into a hug and he transported them home.
"I'm afraid we're going to have to take the conventional way home." James sighed, getting up, much to Lily's annoyance.
"Floo?" She groaned.
"Yes, floo."
"Stupid Sirius and his transporting power..." Lily grumbled. "Couldn't have offered us a lift, could he?"
"S'pose not. I need a bath too." James stretched. He took Lily's hand and he threw some floo powder into the fire. He yelled the address and then Lily and James entered it and soon appeared in the living room.
They heard a shrill laugh above them.
"Let's not go on their floor. It might be dangerous." James commented.
"I second that motion."
They headed upstairs, glad that at the end of the day, they were safe and happy.
Kathryn was just happy that her vision had not come true. And all because she slept too long.
Of course, she didn't dwell on those thoughts. Sirius wasn't going to let her...
A/N: End of Chapter 29! Oo-er, bit lovey-dovey, that ending, isn't it? Or maybe just suggestive. Ha ha!
I've tried to make it so they're not all powerful. They're drained after the fight and after having to use so much power.
Okay, reviewers:
polgarathesorceress2: Yeah, Years 8s are immature! Similar to J. K. Rowling's style? I'm flattered. But I think my writing's a little unsophisticated compared to hers. Thanks anyway though.
BrokenSkye: She will muck up. I'm still trying to work out exactly how, but she will! Thanks anyway. I'll keep that suggestion in mind. If not for this fic, then another.
Miss Black16: Thanks! I hope this answers why Kat was smiling. Because she knew that her being unconscious would change it.
nightblade-advanced: Thanks! I love reviews!
Lillianna-Rose: Wow! But you don't have to review every chapter! All the same, thanks! Yeah, she is headstrong and a bit rude. It's supposed to balance out the fact that she seems so skilled, but never mind. Do Mary- Sues swear? I don't think so. Ergo, she can't be a Mary-Sue.
Lenorathetrekkie: Oh, dry up! I update regularly, don't I? It's no worse than TV programmes doing a To Be Continued... and then not continuing for a week.
Hermione1989: Thanks. I really appreciate reviews!
Okay, that's it.
Here's a question for ya.
Which night was obviously very cold in 1986 (for my fic) or 1979 (for real timeline)? Answer me that. If you can't, I'll give a clue!
Lol, Tanydwr
I've just done my English Lit and first Textiles GCSEs today! Help! Okay, before anyone else asks, GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education, and we do them when we're sixteen (fifteen for those born July/August) in the UK. Year 11, to us. Okay?
Anyway, this chapter has got a lot of violence in, but I've tried to make it real. Sorry if isn't good enough!
By the way, 100 reviews! YAY! Even if it's mainly because one person reviewed the first 11 chapters! But still, technically, that gives me 102, so it's still 100 reviews! YAY for me. Might post up a new fic. Haven't decided yet.
Anyway, read on...
Chapter 29 – Attack on Diagon Alley
"Why didn't she wake up?" Sirius demanded as he, Lily, James, Alice and Frank sat in Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.
The five Aurors were giving the appearance of having the day off. They – and Moody – had warned the Ministry about the attack, and there were a couple of 'on-duty' Aurors checking out a shop in Knockturn Alley, another in Gringotts investigating a foolish attempted burglary and several who were supposedly off work. The Healers and nurses in St. Mungo's had been warned about casualties and were preparing for them. Peter's workplace had stocked them up on Healing potions of all kinds and various amulets and instruments with healing in them. It was strange that Peter turned out to be so good with the potions when he had nearly failed that class in school. However, he could still be beaten by his friends, though they didn't mention it.
"I don't know. Maybe the fact that she's still unconscious is a good thing. Maybe its a way of preventing what might happen." Lily tried to soothe him.
Sirius shrugged. "I don't know. I'm worried. I just want her here. With me." He sighed.
"We know, Sirius. I'm sure she'll be alright. She has to be." James confirmed.
"She will. You know how strong she is. If she can kick my ass, she can sure as death beat this." Frank then winced. "Maybe 'sure as death' wasn't such a good choice of words."
Sirius grinned. "Nah, it's okay. Well, since we're here, and it's early- evening and unusually warm for October, anyone want an ice cream as well?"
"Make mine a chocolate sundae." A voice commented from behind him.
"Kat!" Sirius smiled, jumping up and hugging her, causing a number of indulgent grins from others in the ice cream parlour. "When did you wake up?"
"About an hour ago. I had to go home and change." She kissed Sirius on the tip of the nose. "Did you miss me?"
"Of course I missed you!" Sirius told her, somewhat indignantly, and then swept her into a dramatic kiss, as though playing a scene from something like 'Romeo and Juliet'.
"Oh, Sirius, Sirius, wherefore art thou?" Kathryn smiled cheekily.
"Right here. So, you wanted chocolate sundae? What else, everyone?" Sirius grinned.
"We'd like a..." But Frank's voice was cut off as an explosion sounded.
"Shit." Lily stated. The others agreed.
The six Aurors jumped up and raced out. They separated into their partners – not their Auror partners, but the ones they used in the Order, which happened to be couples.
At the corner where Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley met, the shop was in flames.
"Frank, Alice, guard the entrance to Diagon Alley!" Sirius roared. "Keep it open, make sure any wounded get out. James, Lily, you're at the other entrance! Kat, with me, we'd best get there!"
"Alice, call the medi-Aurors!" Kathryn ordered as she and Sirius ran to the blazing shop.
The mood had suddenly changed from gentle and teasing to harsh and dangerous. People began to panic at the sight. Those who still kept some of their wits tried to Apparate, but a spell had been placed on the entire area – they couldn't Apparate out.
The shop that was on fire was a small thrift store. Kat gasped when she heard a scream.
"Sirius, there's people in there!" Kat shrieked.
"Kat, it's too dangerous..." Sirius began.
"I can control the flames! Come with me, there might be kids too weak to get out!" Kathryn ordered. She wasn't letting Sirius out of her sight.
To passers-by, it must have looked very strange, this witch and wizard entering a burning house without uttering so much as a Flame-freezing charm.
Kat forced the flames away from her. They fought against her, demanding to be set free, to burn, to char, to destroy...
'No,' she order them firmly in her mind. She didn't know whether her three fellow Elemental Guardians felt their elements as almost being alive, but she had felt fire like this ever since the end of her Seventh-year. The woman thrust the fire away from her, refusing to let it touch her or her beloved.
Sirius chanted a spell to create a barrier.
"Flames eating hungrily,
Destroying the house's strength,
Erect a barrier, obey me,
Stop danger falling at any length." It was meant to prevent falling beams or boards harming them. Sirius could only pray that a spell on the spur of the moment would work.
It was sinister as the flames danced about the pair, their orange, yellow and red twisting firelight throwing the shop and house into a spectral ghost. Somehow, they felt this was why Voldemort has chosen Hallowe'en. He wanted to make the tradition of the day ever so appropriate.
A shrill scream broke their calmness and clarity as they navigated their way through the house and shop. The two Guardians broke into a run.
"Who's there? Where are you?" Kat yelled.
"The children! They're trapped!" A female voice replied, shrill with fear.
"Sirius! Get the children out!" Kathryn told him. "The Flame-freezing charm!"
Sirius nodded, and swiftly incanted the charm. It was a charm Kathryn could do without thinking – fire was her element – but not so for him.
Kathryn proceeded in the direction of the voices of before.
She broke open a door... No one there. She ran up the next flight of stairs.
"Help! Cough, cough Help!" Someone yelled, his or her voice hoarse.
Kathryn broke open the next door. A man and woman in their late twenties (from appearance) were trapped by a wall of flame. The woman was attempting to freeze the flames, but her husband had succumbed to the smoke. He was choking dreadfully. He clutched a small box to his chest.
Kat ran through the wall of flame. She grabbed them. "Come on."
"We... we can't walk through that!" The woman cried.
"I can. I have control of the fire. It's my element. It won't harm you. We've more to worry about with falling beams and ceilings."
"The children!"
"My partner's gone to get them. I swear, they'll be safe. We have to get you out." Kathryn quickly explained. "Can you walk?" She asked the man.
"Yes... Just..." He began coughing again.
"He's got a serious reaction to the smoke. It's not normal. It's burning something else." The woman replied, tugging her husband up.
Kat took his other side. The two women each slung one of his arms over their shoulders and supported him as they walked through the building. The younger sniffed the air.
"You're right. They used something to start the fire. Not a spell, but a..."
"Plant. Dried korrehn." The man rasped out.
"They did what?" Kathryn demanded. "That plant is illegal in seventy countries! It's used in the potions for control, torture and death – the equivalent to the Unforgivables! About a quarter of the wizarding population are allergic to it, especially when it's burned..." Kathryn's voice trailed off. "I guess now is not the time to explore the illegality of such use. Voldemort couldn't careless if it was illegal or not."
"You Know Who did this?" The woman gasped.
"Yeah. Who else would?" Kathryn asked rhetorically. "Mind now, the stairs are tricky."
They navigated the stairs carefully. After nearly five minutes, Sirius came back. He had a baby slung over his chest, another child on his back and was guiding two others with his hands.
"Kat! The front! It's caved in. There's no way out!" Sirius gasped.
"Here, Sirius, give us the kids and you take him." Kathryn ordered.
The mother soon slung the baby over her chest, papoose style and the smaller child sat on her back. The other two grabbed hold of Kat's hands. Kathryn swiftly ordered the flames back far enough for them to breathe.
She sighed. "There's only one thing for it. We're going to have to cause more damage. We need an exit and we need it now. I can't keep control of this forever, and I'm already losing strength." She groaned.
Sirius' eyes lit. "This is stone, isn't it?" He checked.
The older woman nodded.
"Oh good." Sirius grinned.
Kathryn caught the man as Sirius moved forward to the closest wall. White light gathered about him and Sirius drew his fist back and punched the wall. His power of Earth included all her bounties, including sand, stone and crystal. The stone obeyed his call and shot outwards, creating a gaping hole in the side of the house. They were two floors up, but that hardly mattered now.
"Good work." Kathryn stated. The crimson aura of her magic became more evident as she moved away form the flames. She jumped from the window, and landed delicately as a phoenix. She transformed back to human. "The kids first!" She yelled.
Sirius took the eldest of the children. "Go on. Kat will guide you."
The kid looked askance. Sirius sighed and pushed him gently from the hole. Kathryn had her wand out and levitated him to the ground. They repeated this for the other child and then the father. The mother was too scared.
"Sirius! Transport them! Apparate them! Clobber them over the head and levitate them for all I care! Just get them the hell outta there!" Kathryn yelled. She heard the gleeful cry of the flames – they were getting to something which would quite happily blow the house to smithereens.
Sirius nodded and grasped the woman's hands. Seconds later, they reappeared by Kathryn and the others at the other side of the street.
The house then exploded.
It was strange, but the man was still holding that box.
"Get to St. Mungo's. He's allergic to korrehn, he needs to be treated. And you all need treatment for smoke inhalation and burns." Kathryn observed.
The woman nodded. She and the rest of them struggled towards the Leaky Cauldron, where there was a direct floo to St. Mungo's Hospital.
Kat and Sirius ran further into Diagon Alley and then gulped. Shops and stores were in flames. Multi-coloured lights of spells lit up the darkening sky.
And then they suddenly realised something else.
They were surrounded.
Lily and James had obeyed Sirius' orders, since he was technically the most senior of them (he was the eldest and had been working there longer than Lily and James). The far entrance to Diagon Alley seemed to be deserted. They swiftly began to tell anyone they came across to floo out – to anywhere safe, specifying Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. Dumbledore had already told them that Hogwarts could be used for escapees, and if St. Mungo's filled up, then Hogwarts was the next place to send the injured. It was an emergency hospital in such times.
It was quiet. Too quiet.
"Something's wrong." James murmured. "Completely wrong..."
"How well observed." A voice behind the two of them commented.
They whipped round, wands out.
"Ah, I see you ignored my warning." Voldemort remarked, twirling his wand idly.
"It wasn't a warning. It was a ruse to get us out of the way. And we didn't ignore it. We actually took the advice of that bitch. Of course, the trust spell may have had something to do with that. We're lucky that our friends brought us to our senses." James snarled.
"Enough with talking. Cruc–" Voldemort began.
Lily and James dodged. And then James yelled out, "Rictumsempra!"
Voldemort blocked it. "Delashio!"
"Tarantallegra!" Lily screeched.
Again Voldemort blocked it. "Lacerare!"
"Stupefy!"
"Petrificus totalus!"
"Iridus formeth!"
"Crisorac!"
The either blocked or dodged them. If one of the pair got struck, the other did the counter curse. In fact the barrage of spells seemed to be pointless as each seemed to be blocked or avoided. It took an hour of intense fighting, spells and duelling before there was any sort of break. Voldemort examined them appraisingly.
"You know, you two would be worthy of my army, even she is a Mudblood. You are strong and powerful, intelligent. Unlike most of the bumbling idiots I have following me." Voldemort observed.
"Yes, and do you know why they're idiots, Voldemort?" James asked.
"Why?"
"Because they follow you!" Lily finished.
"We'll never join you and your evil ways!" James shouted.
Voldemort screeched in anger.
At that moment, James sent a bullet of ice into the dark wizard's chest. It stopped him temporarily.
James and Lily legged it. Voldemort snarled and Apparated (apparently the wards let him and his Death Eaters through).
And then it suddenly struck the pair of them.
They had defied Voldemort for the first time.
Alice and Frank were desperately holding Death Eaters off as medi-Aurors entered the field. Many had automatic portkeys – they'd be able to get out of the Alley with the most critically wounded and back again.
"Aargh!" Alice screamed as the Lacerate Curse hit her. A long wound bloodied her left arm and sleeve.
"Ali!" Frank yelled.
"Keep to it! I'm fine!" His betrothed ordered.
Frank couldn't help grinning, even through his worry and danger; Alice wouldn't let a wound slow her down. It was odd though; she was very effective at blocking such curses.
"Stupefy!" Frank shouted and another Death Eater went down under a barrage of red light.
It was at least an hour after the attack had begun. The flashes of green light were the worst. They occurred every so often, and almost every time, someone will have fallen victim to the Killing Curse.
He had to ignore them. Concentrate on his present problems.
It wasn't long before Alice and Frank had to defy Voldemort for the first time as well.
Voldemort suddenly appeared, black robes swishing, his red, snake-like eyes glistening with evil intent.
"Ah, Longbottom and Phenners. I have come to offer you a proposition." Voldemort stated.
"And what would that be, Voldemort?" Frank spat, drawing closer to his beloved.
"A one time offer. Join me and your lives will be spared." Voldemort explained.
"Never!" They cried in unison.
"Then say goodbye." Voldemort raised his wand. "Avada Ke–"
Frank had already moved out of the way. He raised his wand and hissed, "Lacrimare!" (A/N: Now this is interesting...)
Voldemort burst into tears. (A/N: WHAT?!) He couldn't control them, but hissed angrily. "You'll pay for that, Longbottom. You and your little girlfriend will pay!"
He Apparated away.
Frank and Alice had no chance to ponder the meaning of this, as they came under a bombardment of more curses, hexes and attacks.
Hours later, the news went round. They had won. Voldemort and his Death Eaters had run.
Kathryn collapsed into Sirius' arms. "Oh, thank God." She whispered. Both of them were weak. They had not had to use so much power over their elements, or exercise such control, before.
It seemed all four Elemental Guardians had had to exercise their powers. James had had to stop a run of Death Eaters and used a wall of ice to do it. Lily had had to form a cyclone of her magic to run a number of Death Eaters down. At the very least, it was scary.
But no one could help smiling. Voldemort's worst attack, and he had run away. It was a small victory, but a definite one.
There had been so many casualties though. Too many. There were more than two hundred victims in St. Mungo's alone. And there were at least another hundred dead. Not to mention the dozens who had been flooed to Hogwarts instead. It seemed that there had been a number of the attacks using a korrehn bomb as they were known, all on shops/homes with someone who was allergic to it.
Kathryn and Sirius Apparated to the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Lily and James were there, as were Frank and Alice. All of them looked worse for wear. Alura and Damion were also there, along with Remus, but Radella was still working, as were a couple of the other members.
Dumbledore greeted them.
"Well done. You saved lives tonight." He smiled.
"I'm exhausted." Kathryn muttered and then yawned, as though to prove it.
"You will be. I hear the four of you had to exercise your elemental control."
"Yeah. And God does it make you tired." Lily yawned as well, snuggling into James as they sat on a couch.
Frank was finally bandaging Alice's wound. "I'll get Poppy to take a look at it when we've got chance." He told her.
"What's wrong?" James asked.
"I've got a long cut on my arm. Laceration Curse." Alice answered.
"C'mere." James ordered.
She obeyed and James laid a finger to the bandage, closed his eyes and blue light spilled from the touch. Then he stopped. "I've laid a healing spell on the bandage and cleaned out any infection. Just keep the bandage on, I can't heal it for you tonight, but the spell should have taken care of it by morning." James explained, and then he yawned.
Lily grinned. "Guess we should get home and sleep."
Kathryn nodded. "Lils, you okay? You're not supposed to be perky."
"I'm not. Speaking of which... Dumbledore, Voldemort made James and I an offer. He wanted us to join his army."
"He made us the same offer." Frank commented.
They looked at Kathryn and Sirius. "What, don't look at us here. He should know by now the only thing I'll join him for is a duel or a fight. And we're on opposing sides and then I kick his snake-bitten ass."
Sirius laughed. "Snake-bitten, is it?" He played with a strand of her hair.
"Well, I'm making an assumption there." Kathryn grinned. "I'm guessing you said no?"
"Of course we said no!" James looked affronted. "Well, first we insulted him. Then we said no."
Sirius laughed. "You would insult him."
"Naturally."
"We said no as well. Then he attacked us. We fought."
"Born to those who have thrice defied him..." Kathryn murmured.
"What?" Sirius asked.
But it was clear what had happened. Kathryn was asleep.
"I guess we'd best get home." Sirius grinned. "Kat, wake up."
"Wha – What? I'm awake!" Kathryn told him.
Sirius laughed. "Sure, c'mon. We need a healing potion and a bath."
"Together?"
"Well, I suppose we can put the healing potion in the bath..." Sirius mused.
Kathryn grinned slyly. "That wasn't what I meant. And you know it."
"Yes, I like your idea better." Sirius grinned. He then pulled her into a hug and he transported them home.
"I'm afraid we're going to have to take the conventional way home." James sighed, getting up, much to Lily's annoyance.
"Floo?" She groaned.
"Yes, floo."
"Stupid Sirius and his transporting power..." Lily grumbled. "Couldn't have offered us a lift, could he?"
"S'pose not. I need a bath too." James stretched. He took Lily's hand and he threw some floo powder into the fire. He yelled the address and then Lily and James entered it and soon appeared in the living room.
They heard a shrill laugh above them.
"Let's not go on their floor. It might be dangerous." James commented.
"I second that motion."
They headed upstairs, glad that at the end of the day, they were safe and happy.
Kathryn was just happy that her vision had not come true. And all because she slept too long.
Of course, she didn't dwell on those thoughts. Sirius wasn't going to let her...
A/N: End of Chapter 29! Oo-er, bit lovey-dovey, that ending, isn't it? Or maybe just suggestive. Ha ha!
I've tried to make it so they're not all powerful. They're drained after the fight and after having to use so much power.
Okay, reviewers:
polgarathesorceress2: Yeah, Years 8s are immature! Similar to J. K. Rowling's style? I'm flattered. But I think my writing's a little unsophisticated compared to hers. Thanks anyway though.
BrokenSkye: She will muck up. I'm still trying to work out exactly how, but she will! Thanks anyway. I'll keep that suggestion in mind. If not for this fic, then another.
Miss Black16: Thanks! I hope this answers why Kat was smiling. Because she knew that her being unconscious would change it.
nightblade-advanced: Thanks! I love reviews!
Lillianna-Rose: Wow! But you don't have to review every chapter! All the same, thanks! Yeah, she is headstrong and a bit rude. It's supposed to balance out the fact that she seems so skilled, but never mind. Do Mary- Sues swear? I don't think so. Ergo, she can't be a Mary-Sue.
Lenorathetrekkie: Oh, dry up! I update regularly, don't I? It's no worse than TV programmes doing a To Be Continued... and then not continuing for a week.
Hermione1989: Thanks. I really appreciate reviews!
Okay, that's it.
Here's a question for ya.
Which night was obviously very cold in 1986 (for my fic) or 1979 (for real timeline)? Answer me that. If you can't, I'll give a clue!
Lol, Tanydwr