Chapter seven: Terror in London.
The day started normal for the book keeper of Flourish and Blotts. He had sold many books and had laughed merrily as a small child knocked a stack of books down, which cursed at the child as they fell. But as dusk set on the small book store, all of that changed. A man, or at least it looked like the shape of a man, shrouded in black entered the book store. The book keeper had heard the ringing of the bell and turned to see the dark figure moving steadily toward him. The book keeper smiled.
"Welcome to Flourish and Blotts. How may I be of serv-" the man stopped speaking as a spell hit him so quickly that he had no time to react. He fell silently to the floor and remained motionless.
The figure then waived it's wand and set the book store on fire, then turned and walked calmly out of the store as the books shrieked in pain from the blaze that was quickly engulfing the building. The figure walked toward the leaky cauldron, still calm when a voice called to it sternly.
"Stop right there!" Ron growled.
The dark figure turned around to face Ron. "You have no idea what you're doing." The figure said coolly. "Do you have any idea who I am?"
"Not really, but then I personally don't care who or what you are." Ron brought his wand up so that it pointed right at the figure's chest. "I do care however that you destroyed Flourish and Blotts, and I will bring you in for it."
"No you won't" the figure shook what had to be it's head.
"Oh I won't eh? And how do you figure that?" Ron asked skeptically.
The figure chuckled. "You act brave, but Ronald you're no match for me."
Ron stared at the figure numbly. "How do you know my name?"
"Why, I know everything about you Ronald. I know everything about everyone." The figure stated. "I am the beginning and the end. The future and the past. I am unending for I cannot cease. I am HAVOK."
"How can you be Havok? Havok's a myth, it's not real!" Ron asked but never got his answer. For at that moment the dark figure aparated leaving Ron to stare in disbelief.
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"Look, I know what I saw and I know what I heard!" Ron shouted angrily.
"Ron calm down. I'm not disputing what you saw. Merlin knows there were hundreds of people going through Diagon alley today that saw the same thing. But Ron, not one of them heard the figure speak. Though you said it did." Hermione looked at him confused. "How can that be?"
"I don't know Mione, but I heard it!" Ron started to pace the room again. "That thing, what ever it was said it was Havok!"
"But how? Havok is not supposed to be real!" Hermione protested. "It's a myth used to scare children, that sometimes still scares adults mind you. But it's not real!"
"Look, all I know is that it destroyed Flourish and Blotts, then walked out of the burning building. It wasn't even smoking!" Ron sighed in exasperation. "How could it do that and still be human? It should have been burned by the heat at least!"
"I can't answer that Ron." Hermione looked thoughtful. "But I do remember the story about Havok."
"I do as well." Ron nodded.
"I read about it in the book, Mystical Myths and Creatures while I was still in Hogwarts. As I recall it said: Havok, A ghost like creature that normally takes the form or shape of a human. Even though no one knows it's true form, many have compared it to a poltergeist, though more harmful. This creature often creates mayhem and destruction wherever it goes but because of it's stealth like nature it has been able to elude capture thus far. Most people don't realize it has been there until after it has gone and a trail of destruction follows in it's wake."
"Yes, that's what I remember about Havok as well." Ron agreed.
"So if it's real, then what do we do?" Hermione asked. "How can we stop something that by all rights should not exist?"
"That's what I want to know!" Ron sighed. "What ever it was, it knew my name Hermione. Merlin knows how but it knew my name."
"Does Wood know any of this?" Hermione asked.
"He knows everything that happened today, well everything except about it knowing my name that is." Ron told her, "But how can I honestly explain that? "Oh yeah Wood, you know that dark and spooky figure? Well it knew my name, don't have a clue how it knew though." Yeah that'd go well."
"He may have an idea as to how it knew Ron." She protested, "You could at least try!"
"Yeah i could, and he might just throw me into St. Mungos, then you and the kids could come and visit me and my room mate Lucius." Ron retorted with a sigh. "No thanks Mione."
"I don't think Wood would do that Ron."
"No? What would you do if some one claimed they heard a mythical creature speak into their head and it just happened to be one of your lead Aurors?" Ron looked at her inquiringly. "And on top of it, that someone claimed that the creature knew his name as well?"
Hermione sighed and nodded, "I'd definitely question that person's sanity." she admitted.
"Right, so now you see why I can't tell Wood everything." Ron sat down on the bed.
"Yeah,I do. I may not like it Ron, but I do see why wood can't know."
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If Ron held onto even a glimmer of hope that his dealings with the mysterious Havok was over, he was sorely mistaken. As Ron traveled through London, as he had chosen to drive this morning rather than floo, on his way to work, he spotted a dark figure that looked incredibly familiar. The figure ducked in to the subway entrance and Ron slammed on on his breaks, causing the people behind him to honk madly at him as he parked the car. The people drove by him yelling profanities as they passed. Ron bolted out of his car and got out his wand as he ran down the subway steps. He only slowed as he caught sight of the being again. Ron's eyes widened as he watched what happened next in horror. The figure raised it's wand and the next thing Ron saw was a blinding flash of light, then he saw nothing but darkness.
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The next thing Ron heard was his wife's voice. "Is he going to live?"
Ron groaned in pain as he tried to open his eyes. He had managed to get them open for a moment, but shut them as quickly as they had opened because the light he saw seared through them like daggers.
"He'll be fine Mrs. Weasley. He has a few broken ribs that we are working on mending and some bruises. But other than that he's in excellent condition." He heard a man say. "How he managed to survive that gas explosion though, I'll never know."
"Thank you doctor." Hermione said, then entered the room her husband was in. "Ron?" she spoke softly, "Ron, are you awake?"
"Yes, I'm awake." Ron croaked, "What happened? Where am I?"
"You're in a muggle hospital because you were in an explosion." Hermione explained as she carefully took his hand. "Do you remember any of it at all?"
Ron started to shake his head no but stopped as the image of Havok raced before his eyes. "Mione! It was him!"
"Who?" Hermione looked confused.
"Havok! He blew up the subway!" Ron was barely able to manage keeping his voice to a level that only he and Hermione could hear.
"You're sure?" she asked eyeing him.
"Of course I'm sure! I spotted him going in to the subway and pursued him. Why else would I have been down there?" He told her, "As soon as I entered the subway he blew it up!"
"Well, that certainly explains why you weren't killed by that explosion." Hermione nodded in understanding. "But what do we do now? I mean it's not as if he's just attacking wizards anymore."
"All I know is he has to be stopped Hermione." Wood had entered the room and heard their conversation. "And we need to be the ones to stop him before he becomes another Voldemort, or worse."
"Hello Oliver, didn't see you there." Ron said weakly.
"Hello Ron, alright there?" Wood asked.
"I'll manage." Ron smiled briefly, then groaned. "I never thought a smile could hurt!"
"And you were the one who was worried about being blown up by Lucius?" Wood chuckled, "Well, at least you got the blown up part right. But Oi, did you ever get the person wrong!"
"Ha,ha! Laugh it up chuckles!" Ron grumbled sardonically.
Wood and Hermione looked at each other somberly for a moment, then broke into a hysterical laughter.