Chapter 17: War
Harry hurried into Commander Ziles' office, rubbing his burning scar. The Commander was at his desk, going over some paper work.
"Ziles, something's wrong!" Harry began loudly, the door banging open.
He looked up, his eyes grim. "I know… we've lost contact with our Aurors. We've received several distress calls… this is the fight we've been waiting for."
"So, why aren't you out there?"
"My orders are to remain here and prepare for backup and the aftermath," He said shortly.
Harry thought quickly. "Where are the calls coming from?"
"That's the thing, Potter. We cannot identify it. It's coming from a hidden location as far as we can tell. All we can do is wait."
Harry thought desperately for a moment. Where would Voldemort strike that would mean something to hundreds of people? A location that would prevent immediate Ministry assistance… it hit him like a ton of bricks. The Elven City and the pendent would take him there.
"Kyra's city… Voldemort must be there!"
"We have considered that," Ziles snapped impatiently, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. "We are assuming that's where the calls are coming from, but we can't just gallivanting off when we're not sure. I assure you, Potter, that whenever we get an exact location-"
Harry clutched the pendent around his neck determinedly.
"I'm going out there… if it's Kyra's city, I have to go. She saved my life.
Commander Ziles looking up at him wildly. "You've withdrawn your application… we cannot insure you, Potter. More importantly, you're in no shape to fight! You'd be on a fool's errand!"
"I have to try! We're not getting anything done by just sitting here and besides, by the time you figure it out, it could be too late!"
"Potter, I suggest that you-"
"People are being murdered, Ziles! And if you don't do something now, it'll be your head when the Death Eaters move into Britain next!"
The Commander continued to glare at him, a vein throwing in his forehead. He took an angry puff on his cigarette and blew out a ragged breath of smoke.
"Do as you wish. I cannot argue with the man who might just help us. Get some Auror robes before you leave." He retorted grudgingly. "Oh, and Potter…"
Harry stopped in the doorway and glanced over his shoulder. "Be careful."
Harry nodded and bolted from the office. He hurriedly changed into his old Auror robes, which he had turned in. Checking that his wand was in his pocket, he clutched the pendent, wishing to be taken to the Elven city.
At first, nothing happened, but then, his body was swallowed into light blue flames and the Ministry of Magic's surroundings vanished before his eyes.
Harry's feet landed in a large room with a high ceiling and marble floors. He looked around, but his attention snapped to a large bang outside the building. Harry hurried to the side door and threw it open.
His stomach dropped. It was dark out and clusters of elves and people ran every which way. He could see Dementors gliding around and cloaked figures shooting spells in every direction.
"You!" Shouted a voice from the side of the building. "You have not been accepted into this city. How did you get in?"
Harry fumbled with the necklace and displayed it to the elf, whose eyes widened in fright as another ground-rumbling explosion deafened him momentarily.
"Where's Kyra?" Harry shouted, his voice abnormally loud in his ears.
"She is over there!" The elf yelled and then ran from sight, long robes billowing out behind him.
Harry looked around desperately and to his relief, spotted Kyra looking determined and healthy on horseback, shooting balls of fire at a Death Eater, who collapsed almost immediately.
He hurried over to and she glared at him with her dark eyes. She nodded to him wordlessly, and after a moment or two, pulled him onto the horse with her.
"Ya!" She yelled, digging her heels into the horse's sides. "You have much explaining to do later. For now, just do your best to keep yourself alive. You are not strong enough to be drained of more energy!"
Harry ignored her and Kyra galloped farther off into the ruins of the city, most of which had been blown up or set on fire. She jumped off the animal and he followed suit, stumbling when his feet hit the ground. She ignored his lack of grace and stability and looked around.
With another explosion, the horse bolted off, but Kyra wasn't paying attention. She pulled him down behind a pile of smouldering rubble, staring at a group of several Death Eaters, who appeared to be making a plan. Harry pulled out his wand and Kyra nodded at him.
"Now!" Kyra hissed. She held out her palms, firing a huge orb of red light at the Death Eaters, many of whom were knocked down.
"Stupefy!" Harry repeated the spell several times to knock the remaining Death Eaters out with a stunning spell.
There were cries of fury and anger, just as more Death Eaters raced towards them. Kyra swore under her breath and they ran for it, Kyra firing spells every so often over her shoulder. Rounding a corner, Harry jerked to a halt and Kyra whipped around in a whirl of dark hair.
"We're trapped," she muttered angrily to herself.
"Don't be stupid" Harry snapped. "Reducto!"
The alley wall blasted open and Kyra and Harry scrambled over the bricks, finding themselves on the other side of the city. Kyra turned around and closed her eyes again. Seconds later, the rubble turned into wood scraps.
She gasped for breath, looking exhausted.
"Light that on fire," She ordered breathlessly, her face flushed and her body trembling.
Harry thought for a moment and attempted the everlasting fire charm. He pointed his wand and muttered the spell. The wood scraps burst into flames, but some part of him knew that he hadn't done the spell correctly.
There was a lot of shouting behind them before they had gotten too far and they turned and Harry wasn't surprised to see that the wood was soaked in water and the flames were gone.
Thinking quickly, Harry pointed his wand at the ground. "Diffindo!" With a thunderous crack, the ground split open, swallowing at least twenty Death Eaters.
"Avada kedavra!" Someone yelled furiously.
The spell hit the side of the building Harry and Kyra were standing next to, missing Kyra by inches. Stunning spells shot in every direction and more and more cloaked figures were running towards them.
"Can you get us out of here?" Harry asked her nervously, shooting a few more stunning spells.
Nodding, Kyra said something in her language and almost immediately, a thunderous and deafening roar cracked through the skies. The Death Eaters froze in confusion and looked around anxiously.
Suddenly, a large creature hurtled from the top of a large building towards Kyra and Harry. Harry stared at it, almost forgetting the situation at hand.
"Stupefy!" Kyra collapsed at Harry's side with a soft thud.
"Enervate," he breathed, pulling her to her feet.
The creature approached them and landed with a loud thump on the ground, letting out an almighty roar, that made the Death Eaters back up in fright.
Harry had never seen one of these creatures. It was about as large as a full-grown horse, jet-black, with rough scales. It had a massive head and large, round sapphire blue eyes. Sharp, pointed teeth like daggers were exposed in its mouth. It had a long tail like a dragon's, which thrashed viciously behind the creature. It had large ears and long, black wings. It vaguely reminded him of a Thestral.
Kyra rushed to its side. It lowered itself slowly and let Kyra get on. Harry hurried after her and Kyra struggled slightly to help him on as well. The creature shot into the air just as Harry swung his leg over its back.
"What kind of-" Harry began.
"This is Koto. He's a Maechent. They're very rare, powerful creatures…The last of their species exist in this city. We raise and train them!" She explained loudly over the roar of the wind, as they swept over the city.
Harry's legs were sore from Koto's scales rubbing against his skin. Koto's large, powerful wings flapped powerfully on either side of him, gliding through the air with ease.
"Where are we going?"
"There," Kyra told him, pointing at a large plain, where Death Eaters were standing around a cloaked figure. He did not need Kyra to tell him who was standing in the center of the circle of Death Eaters.
His scar began to sear again, but he ignored it, as Koto soared towards the plain.
"I'm going to drop you off… I've got to go find Serenlily…" She told him shakily, landing a good distance away. "Take my sword, you might need it."
"Kyra, don't be stupid. I have my wand, you'll need your sword!" Harry snapped, getting off Koto.
Kyra ignored him and thrust the sharp blade into his hands.
"It has been an honour, Mister Potter…." She said softly, her eyes shining with sincerity. She bowed her head and then Koto shot up into the sky again.
Harry turned around, a strange feeling of radiating power had come over him. He was tired of the fighting, tired of living in fear for everyone around him. He wanted to have his family without worrying that they could die at any moment because of him.
With a horrible urgency to stab the sword through Voldemort's heart, Harry marched towards the man who had made his life a living hell.