Chapter Eighteen

Both men started at the words, another grotesque demon was standing before them, demanding their obedience, "Go. She won't be lenient."

Reluctantly, they followed. Back to facing She-Demon, who now stood over a steaming cauldron, they waited. "Gentlemen, welcome to my world. I enforce my laws. I have no favourites. You are new and exempt for now."

"And Isis?"

Not moving from her cauldron, "Isis is a submissive creature but my heir. She has the power to rule once granted. As a submissive she'll need a dominant to truly unleash that power, and to keep control. As that dominant you will be a King, she'll be the queen to enforce the law. This is Hell after all." She ignored the real question about her child's condition, instead went into informing them of the possible future.

"I can't do that!"

"Remy hated his affliction! He won't like being a Hell King!"

Signalling an aide to care for her concoction, "It does not matter. Isis must have her mate at her side to control her power. Simply hand her control, allow her to fully enforce everything. Simply watch over her ruling in the background. She knows what must be done."

It was then they realized that She-Demon had separate faces. She was mainly, and foremost, a cruel sadistic ruler, enforcing punishments. But she also cared for those under her alliance, even the guests. "Uh, thanks, I think."

"I may be a terrifying ruler, bent on pain and torture. I may demand bloodshed and death but I am a just queen, who follows the laws I have been handed from the last ruler as well as my own. They have been set for centuries." Eyeing the two males, "Isis has an assignment shortly. You will remain here as bid. You will learn of my child's world."

Feeling dismissed they simply nodded. The same escort led them back to a still injured Isis. She gave a tiny smile, pain in her eyes. Remus' nose flinched at the smell of blood, tawny eyes narrowing at the sight of dried blood. "I'll be fine, Remus. I will get the rest I need very soon. But I must ready myself for departure."

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Winter break had started. And the Mages had suddenly disappeared. No one knew where or why. Several students also suddenly vanished. Most of the parents had owled the headmaster but surprisingly Albus Dumbledore had received nothing. He's surprised even more when those families flooed to his office.

"Where is my son, Dumbledore!" Molly Weasley was irate. Her youngest son never came home. In response she owled the headmaster but received no answer. Therefore, she gathered her family to floo to his side.

Upon arrival, the Weasley's had been shocked to find The Brown's family, The Bones', The Lovegood's, Mrs. Bulstrode, Pansy Parkinson's aunt from her mother's side, Head of Slytherin Severus Snape, and Slytherin student Blaise Zambini. But Albus Dumbledore did not seem pleased to hear their stories.

As the relatives demanded their children from a surprised yet solemn headmaster before a quiet Zambini could get a word in edge-wise, two young women hurried through the shadows of a place no wizard ever wanted to be placed, Azkaban. Just outside the crumbling walls, they stopped. There were no Dementors, at least none sent back since the war ended. Instead the Aurors took shifts in patrolling the fortress.

Quietly, the two females tossed small fabric made balls filled with a powdery substance, which exploded into smoke upon hitting a hard surface. That smoke turned white as the girls shoved their outer robes over nose and mouth, waiting for the Aurors to fall, sleeping away.

"That traitor had been good for something." Hurrying inside, "Split up. We must free every Death Eater before they wake up. Get them in groups and give them the port keys. I'm sure the Ministry will be blaming themselves in the morning for letting just anyone either learning the spell or easily stealing port keys."

With each freeing of the liberated Death Eaters, they rushed to explain that they were being free to avenge their Lord's death and that the port keys will take them to a safe house. Intrigued by the answers, the liberated prisoners were swift to follow orders.

Down in their cell, five prisoners could hear the low murmurs of voices and rushing feet. "What are they doing?"

Draco's eyes widened, he knew those voices, "Those are the Death Eaters! They've just been freed!"

"Impossible! Two teenagers couldn't pull that off!"

"Weasel's right for once, someone had to help."

"But who?"

That's when someone answered for them, "Of course they did. It's quite easy when no one thinks a grieving girlfriend would do anything to her friends, who would do anything to help her."

"CHO!" Three voices spoke as one.

The lovely ex-seeker of Ravenclaw, Cho Chang, smirked widely. "We're not alone. On no! There's one other who gave us the power and help. Not even your pathetic Mages know. But at the moment I must leave you." She swept from their view to the upstairs.

Upstairs, a large group of Death Eaters await a further explanation. "Welcome, new friends."

Lucius Malfoy, a very rich and powerful steel-eyed blonde, sneered at the sight of the ex-Hogwarts' Ravenclaw seeker, Cho Chang. "What, pray tell, are we doing here under such childish hands?"

Cho sneered back, "We are in need of your assistance. The fall of our Lord should not have happened. And we plan on bringing this world to its knees."

"Don't think all our Lord's greatest allies were marked, Mr. Malfoy."

"Ah, Ms. Parkinson, I believe."

Dark blonde, almost a brunette colour, Pansy Parkinson smiled beautifully to the elder Malfoy. "Mr. Malfoy, with two of my closest friends, we have everything to begin a new era of darkness. At midnight of the new year we shall start a new war and take over."

"And those Mages, or Dumbledore, don't know?"

"It'll be too late for them to do a thing. They suspect nothing of our plans." With so much confidence in her planning, Pansy never knew that someone else, Blasie Zambini to be precise, had overheard her at one time and was ready to blab all.

"Mr. Zambini?"

Fidgeting slightly, he hesitantly answered, "I know where they are. Or at least where they could be. And who might all be involved."

"Please explain."

"Actually, don't." Osiris slipped to Blaise's side from the shadows. "Come with me. Now."

Albus blinked at the command, "War Mage? What is going on?"

Grabbing the boy, Osiris shrugged, "Forgive me, Headmaster, but we Mages have a dire problem. And Blaise just might be the key." The second he finished, a bright light swarmed the two, leaving behind a very confused group. Reappearing somewhere else, "Come, Blaise. We must wait for the others."

Osiris knew the boy would be confused or scared, besides no one could leave the castle with magic unless granted She-Demon's permission, which he had as her right hand Death's Messenger. "Why?"

"Spirit Mage Maya learned of trouble. We've been searching what could have happened. I had arrived to speak to Professor Snape after my travel when his door guardian said he was in the Headmaster's office. I went there and happened to overhear you."

"Why am I here? Why not tell them?"

"I won't involve everyone for a small detail. We will solve the problem on our own unless we do need the help."

"Osiris. And guest." The twin Spirit Mages were the first to arrive after Osiris. And just behind them was Elemental Mage Thor.

"Welcome. Lucas and Isis have yet to show. Blaise here has something for us."