4. Horcrux
The meeting from a few months back, had left Harry in a state of unrest, the last of the Horcruxs was within his reach but it was being guarded quite well. Holding his son he paced the nursery, Lupin had agreed with Cassandra on Voldemort sending Werewolves to Belfast. The baby cooed gaining Harry's attention, adjusting his hold so that his son's cheek rested on his shoulder. Gregory at nine months has grown fatter, which made him unbareable cute. Pacing around again Harry cradled his son's body closer to himself. Ginny was right, even if he tried, he's never going to be able to hold Gregory right. Slowly his thoughts lingered back to the Horcrux, he had already told Lupin who agreed with Cassandra about him going. There is a possibility that there are werewolves there, those that can morph with their free will. It took him and Cassandra over two weeks to find the exact location of the Horcrux within Belfast. An old, abandon, rotted castle that stood in a middle of a moat. From there Moody, Lupin and himself devised a plan to get the Horcrux without detection.
Shifting his arms once more, Potter went back to his thoughts. Plan was to fly at night on thertrals, two could ride one. There was only going to be four people going. Harry, Lupin, Moody and Collins. The thertrals had yet to play a part in the war, which makes them less of a target to the dark side. There is a bit of forest two miles from the moat, then they must enter, get within the castle without a fuss and find that horcrux. Gergory let out a small gurgle sound as he brushed his face against Harry's sweater. Petting his son's back, he knew that it was going to be risky. Tonight. They leave at midnight and should be back by dusk. Moving to the crib he laid his son on the blankets and watched as Gregory streched and went on sleeping. "I'll see you tomorrow son..." Moving away he closed the door and whispered the charms that protected the room.
The clock struck ten minutes till 12, exiting his private rooms and Ginny beside him looking over at his wife he couldn't help but feel sorry. How many times as she seen him off into dangerous missions, missions that gave chance he might not come back. Her years living with thoughts of his death, had taken it's toll. No longer was her hair a bright firey red and wavy, it was straight and even lighter. Her face was drawn and imposing, as it is to be Harry Potter's wife. Like her husband she gave off an air of importance and unafraid to speak out. As they walked on to the clearing where the thertrals were kept, he felt her small cold hand snake into his own. Looking down at his wife, she gave him a shaky simile and tighten her grip. Upon entering the clearing he coudn't help but get shivers the thertrals weren't exactly a pretty sight, they looked to be Death's horses riding them off into the darkness. "Harry." Ron spoke up, at once the group of ten men on the sides of the thertrals quieted down.
"Harry..." Remus whispered, he was amoung the men beside him stood Moody giving Harry an apprising look. Moving forward with Ginny still beside him, he looked at the men.
"You all know the drill if we do not return?" His words were accompanying by a swirl of smoke. It was cold, one could either blame the winter or the dark side's invisible hands snaking it's way to them with the cover of night. Their reply was a short nod, giving Moody the floor Harry and Ginny made their way towards the Thertrals, just stopping alittles way. "Ginny-" But he was cut short with a kiss, a sweet kiss filled with love and devotion.
"Come back home Harry... Just come back..." Was all she said, giving him her bravest face but he could still see fear in her eyes. Crushing her into his embrace. "I'll be waiting."
"Harry it's time." Kissing her one last time, Harry departed from his wife and made his way to Remus and Moody both men already sitting on the thertrals. "Sit with me Harry," Remus offered a hand, which Harry took swinging himself on the thertrals. Glancing beside him Moody was ready, the auror nodded at Harry.
"Let's go."With that both thertrals rose into the air disappearing into the clouds. Ginny watched on till they were no longer in view, her husband.
"Ma'am..." Turning around Ginny gave the man a soft smile and followed him back into Hogwarts.
The ride was fast but unbareable to the nether regions, glancing down he just say clouds, they were unbelievebly high. Moody had gone ahead, already they were just a small dark dot. "Do you think the plan will work? Will she keep to her word?" Remus asked loudly over the howling wind that pounded on their eardrums. Harry didn't answer, he was asking the same questions to himself. She had promise them a safe passage into the castle toward the horcrux, through a death eater under the Imperio curse. Once or twice she had broken her word in aiding Harry during his missions for the Horcruxs, she would never show making his trip twice as hard and dangerous. Soon the thertrals started to slowly drop, clearing the clouds and at once the sight of a large moor with individual fires and tents greeted them. The Castle wasn't as big nor did it look stable enough to house any living thing, without the fear of it falling on top of you. The Thertral dipped lower aiming to land within the shelter of the forest that stood behind the castle, away from the tents. Harry peeked again at the side watching dark objects moved around the grounds, some holding torches while others clustered around in a group. "Slowly now." Remus whispered to the thertral as she circled around the forest, and dipped down after finding it's mate in a clearing. Once they had properly landed, Harry and Remus jumped off and made their way towards the auror who was squatting behind some bushes.
"Moody has gone ahead to survey our surroundings." He whispered handing Remus a pair of tough dragon skined gloves which he placed on, then slowly the auror took out sliver balls from within his robes handing a handful to Harry first then Remus.
"What are these for?" Harry asked as he placed it in his robes. Remus gave them a grim look and also did the same.
"During our fights with werewolves we had use their weakness into our advantage. These are sliver balls deadly to a werewolf whether if he's in his human or his lycan state. If we are attacked by them use your wand and the spell waddiwasi to shoot the rounds at them. Aim for their heart or head. Clear?" Harry nodded and glanced into the forest, they weren't far from the moat that surrounded the castle. Just then a bird let out a cry, then another it was far from them close to the enterence of the Forest. "Moody says it's clear come. Stay low. Go straight to where you heard that sound. We'll go at a minute intervals. Remus you first." Remus picked himself up a bit and started to half crouch as he ran to where the sound was made. After a few moments, the auror nodded and Harry set off at once, going the same path that Remus went through. The Forest was dead silent, there was no birds nor insects, nor anything else to greet them.
"Potter." Moody hissed, glancing to his right Harry dropped on his stomach and wiggled towards them patting Remus who too was on his stomach next to Moody. "Where's Collins?"
"Here sir. I also have the invisible cloaks with me." The same man whispered beside Harry, Moody nodded and went on staring at the castle's back enterence. "What now sirs?"
"We wait." Was all Harry said, hoping that Cassandra did her part. It was close to two in the morning at exactly half past two, a death eater under the Imperio curse was going to lower the bridge for them to cross the moat, at the same moment there was a change of guards within the castle. She mustn't let them down, this was going to be their one shot at finally weakening Voldemort. Glancing up at the castle's walkway, there was some movement going on and slowly ever so slowly the bridge started to come down. "There! Look the bridge is coming down, Collins the cloaks."
"Harry we need to be careful-" But Remus words were in vain as Harry hurled himself out of the forest clearing to the bridge, his cloak hidding him sufficiently well. Giving off a clicking sound between his teeth Remus followed suit, clutching his cloak close to his body closely behind him were the sounds of Collins and Moody. Upon entering the castle Remus nearly collided with Harry who was invisible and standing in the middle of the passage way. "Harry-" But stop short as a pair of death eaters emerged from the stairs their wands raised. Gropping the air he caught hold of Harry's arm and pulled him to the stone wall their backs collided with the cold stones. There they waited as the two death eaters moved closer, talking amoung themselves.
"I told you Ratbone, that little git lowered the bridge what he is trying to do." One of them spoke up as he stood where Potter had stood not moments ago. "I'm going to have to talk to Nott about this, this is the third time this week." He spat as he started to wave his wand in a circular movement. Slowly the bridge started to rise once secured, the other wizard waved his wand toward the locks.
"Let's get out of here, damn castle is a freezer." Turning both wizards exited the passage way to their right, at once Harry took off his cloak as did Remus. Glancing around he noted Collins and Moody on the other side of the enterence their wands raised and ready.
"Remus and I will go." Harry nodded toward the stairs that the death eaters came down in, pointing at the exit that they left through he aimed his talk toward Collins. "Guard the passageway, remember send a warning. Moody stun those guards upstairs and ready our escape route. We have exactly ten minutes till they switch guards." At once they all covered themselves in the invisible cloaks and seperated. Walking through the castle Harry remembered what Cassandra had said to him "The castle is simple go up the spiral staircase from the back. You must pass three open corridors till you get the the corridor that contains the room..."Following her orders he found himself before the room, and entered in quietly. There were no windows and only one way in and out. Noting two guards, pulling back into the darken corridor he made an opening in his cloak around his face, as did Remus who stood behind him. Putting up two fingers and pointing into the room,they both took out their wands. Remus went in first approaching the further one, as Harry did the same to the other guard. And at once both hexed the men, who fell limply to the floor without a word.
"Harry the horcrux." Both men took off their invisible cloaks and approached it. A small wooden box. "Be careful," Slowly Harry picked up the box and opened it to find a small porcelain skull. Yet just as he opened the box, it lumminated a strong wail that sounded like it woke all of the wizarding world. "SHUT IT!" Remus yelled over the howls, as Harry took hold of the skull and slammed the box shut. Too late.
"UP IN THE ROOM!"
"SREACH THE CORRIDORS!"
"THE BRIDGE! SEAL ALL ENTRACES AND EXITS!" There was a loud crash, somewhere down below and then a loud howl echoed through the castle.
"Damnit! Harry we need to go now!" Remus snapped as Harry scrambled to get his invisible cloak but Remus grabbed him roughly around the shoulder and practically threw him out of the room. "They won't work, there are werewolves in here." Holding their wands out both of them ran for their lives toward the top of the castle. Climbing a stairwell, Remus looked below to find Collins without his cloak running the spiral stairwell. Just a few floors down were men dressed in black cloaks running after him, their wands out. Stopping he aimed his wand down at the space between Collins and the death eaters. "REDUCTO!" At once the stairwell rumbled and the stone stairs started to crumble trapping those under it, Collins kept running. Assured at Collins survival he acsended the stairs and pasted a few fallen death eaters, that either Moody or Harry did away with. Entering the walkwall he was greeted with the sight of four full grown werewolves as Moody and Harry fended them off with their wands. There was a fallen one to the side with multiple sliver rounds in it's chest and head. Aimming his wand at one of them he waved it into a sideway eight and a small flicked, at once the werewolf started to assume it's natural self. Taking that moment of confusion, both Moody and Harry managed to take down the full grown werewolves down with the sliver rounds, while Remus body binded the other reccently shaped one.
"THE THERTRALS!" Harry yelled towards Moody who at once took out a small wistle and blew on it, a wrong idea. Remus buckled to his knees still at the doorway of the walkway, it was ear piercing. Harry turned wildly to the camp, as he listened to the restless cries of werewolves howling. "MOODY STOP! YOU'RE CALLING THE WEREWOLVES!" But it was enough for the thertrals come flying out of the forest, by which time Collins had stumbled up the stairs with a few scratches and helped Remus to his feet. Since the Thertrals couldn't land onto the single manned walkwalk they hover off, Taking hold of one Harry hoisted himself up and grabbed hold of Remus robes as he pulled him in. Suddenly hexs were being thrown at them.
"GO HARRY!" Moody yelled as he and Collins battled the death eaters that had managed to jump the big gap that Remus had made. "GO HARRY GO!" Again he yelled as he stunned a death eater, Collin had managed to jump on the other Thertral using it to force the death eaters back with it's mighty hooves. Pushing his heels into the ribcage of the thertral Harry and Remus rode off.
(I rushed this chapter beccause honestly I didn't want to write it. I wanted to limit the characters as much as possible, but that isn't going to likely happen now. I know it isn't the best.)