"Here's some variance for you, Dumbledore. Hjerne Fryser."
Tom privately felt that the old coot's brain was mostly frozen anyway at his old age, but perhaps that would expedite the process for the remainder. He snarled as Dumbledore created a shield of fire to absorb the curse and quickly transfigured the approaching wreckage into a large pile of pink and blue socks. He was making no attempt to return fire at this point. He was merely stalling for something. And judging from the broadening smile on the insufferable old coot's face, that something had just arrived. Albus Dumbledore's merrily twinkling eyes were the last sight that Lord Voldemort glimpsed before his entire world was engulfed in a titanic pillar of pure chaotic energy, translucent black filling his senses and burning him seemingly straight to the depths of his corrupted soul.
Chapter Twenty-Four: Standing Between Life and Death – Five Rivers of Blood
Harry sneered victoriously as the chaotic energy dissipated around Voldemort. Due to his extended exertion in battle, his attack had depleted the last of his body's reserves. He stood with his left hand outstretched and still glowing dimly from the sheer amount of power that he had channeled through it. Harry's entire body was racked with pain as the sheer adrenaline that had sustained him during combat started to subside. The spell numbing his broken right arm wore off and he was only barely able to hold onto the sword. He dropped to a knee grasping for air, only rasping out a few words with a laugh.
"At last, it's all over. Victory is mine...all mine."
When the last of the smoke cleared, Harry inclined his head over to where his nemesis once stood in an effort to savor his victory. When he saw what stood there, he felt what easily amounted to his largest burst of emotion since his transformation. And it was sheer terror. The Dark Lord's skeleton stood alive, the bones aglow with the translucent black energy with which Harry had made to vaporize him. Chunks of rotten scaled flesh hung from his form in various places, the rest piled on the ground around him. The skeletal creature still dripped with fresh blood. Voldemort's black robes and yew wand were lost in the attack, but their owner had survived in this dreadful state. The sight chilled every living person still remaining in the ruined village of Hogsmeade. Dumbledore's exhausted features reflected pure horror, dawning comprehension on his elderly face. Harry was the first to regain the ability to speak, but still only in a whisper.
"This can't be. Nobody could ever have survived that attack. It's just not possible."
The newly undead Dark Lord turned to regard the young wizard, his skull contorted in a sneer of its own. Harry then noticed a large number of black feathers strewn about the messy remains of Voldemort's ruined organic body. And from the back of what remained standing protruded a pair of carrion wings bearing the same plumage in isolated spots. Dakaathi wings. Harry understood at once, despite being ridden with shock. The Dark Lord had assimilated Harry's blood during the ritual to regain his body in the Little Hangleton graveyard and had inherited the young warlord's demonic traits as a consequence. Riddle had obviously not required the catalyzing effect of the ring in order to undergo his transformation as Harry had, likely due to the Dark Lord's staggering innate magical power. The Dark Lord's hissing voice was gravelly, air passing through a nonexistent throat.
"Ever your best was no use, Potter. Now you understand the full magnitude of my powers and the true might of Lord Voldemort. This is the end for you. I will fulfill this silly Prophecy and send you to your doom. Avada Kedavra."
Voldemort raised his skeletal right arm as he intoned the killing curse, as if he still had his wand. Harry got the distinct impression that he had yet to become aware of the actual state of his body. Riddle might have raised an eyebrow in confusion had he possessed one when no Killing Curse spewed forth. He gazed down at his arm and stared calculatingly at the bony appendage, all thoughts of the battle forgotten. Voldemort rapidly glanced over at his reflection in a nearby puddle of water as Harry conjured up what little remained of his constitution in order to mount a last charge with the Demarr Devil Blade. Though even his chaotic power had failed him this time, but no sentient being could survive having its head lopped off. Riddle chuckled mirthlessly at the sight that greeted him, joining the headmaster in recognition of his newfound form. The sound was more than a little disturbing given his lack of proper vocal organs.
"Even in defiance you have served me magnificently. I owe you my gratitude. I have now truly mastered death, and you have helped me to cross this final threshold. Lord Voldemort always rewards his helpers. I shall therefore grant you the clemency of death now rather than forcing you to watch as your friends forge a path in front of you."
Harry forced himself back to his feet and gripped the blade with both hands. Only then did he notice the condition of his left arm. It was hardly better than that of the undead abomination that stood before him. Holding such an enormous quantity of chaotic energy for so long had rotted away much of the skin and muscle from his elbow down, exposing corrupted yellowed bone underneath his bracer. His predominantly human body was not designed to withstand that much chaotic energy. Harry had abused a dangerous force and paid the price for his folly. But there was no time to consider the ramifications now. He cound still control the rotten appendage to a small degree and raised the sword aloft for a powerful swing. He glimpsed Dumbledore raising his wand behind Voldemort's back.
"You talk too much. You are wandless and broken. I really have no clue what you have become, but I somehow doubt that I'll have any need to care. Now with your head."
Harry sprung at Voldemort with a piercing war cry as Albus snapped off a beam of molten white light. Riddle shook his carrion head imperceptibly and vanished in a cloud of noxious black gas. The Demarr Devil Blade passed right through where its target's head had just phased out of existence and collided with Dumbledore's spell. The magic was absorbed harmlessly into the cursed brand's pulsating dark matter blade.
"Until the next time, Potter. This night marks only the beginning."
Harry spat at the ground in disgust as Voldemort withdrew from the battlefield. He had landed gingerly from his leaping slash and his legs now hurt as much as the rest of his body. Riddle had escaped and Remus was dead. Several of Harry's soldiers had been killed and Hogsmeade was a flaming ruin. His tiger guardians were wounded and perhaps dead also, not to mention Bill's current state. The dakaathi hybrid was in a pitiable state in his own right. There were cuts and lacerations all over his body along with several broken bones and a left arm that would most likely not be able to be repaired. This battle had been a dismal failure.
"That's right. Go ahead and run away, coward. I'll have you in the end no matter how far you flee. That much has been predetermined by fate. You can't escape me."
Harry felt Dumbledore's hand on his shoulder and turned around. The headmaster was leaning heavily on his archmage's staff. He was hardly any better off than Harry despite the fact that he bore no actual wounds. The reassuring gesture did nothing to calm the younger wizard's boiling anger.
"Let us return to the castle, Harry. It has been a trying evening."
Harry stared up into the old man's saddened eyes, completely devoid of twinkle but still shining with barely restrained tears, and nodded jerkily. He started walking out of the destroyed town towards the castle. He was unable even to use his cursed weapon as a makeshift walking stick, as its blade was more or less pure energy and would only puncture through the ground as if it were mere air. Every step was met with torturous pain. He heard a choked sob behind him. Dumbledore was openly weeping as he surveyed the carnage. Harry was only partially able to keep the derision out of his voice.
"Perhaps I ought to conjure you a tissue, sir."
If the old man was stung by his remark, his expression did not reveal it. He shook his head and a fresh volley of tears leaked out upon looking into the remains of Madam Rosmerta's establishment. Several large piles of ashes were all that remained of the voluptuous barmaid and her reveling customers, buried underneath scorched wreckage.
"So much loss of life. That we as civilized human beings are capable of committing such atrocities as this stirs me to the core. To think that each of those slain this night and also every single person that took life have passed through the halls of my school. At moments such as this I cannot help but feel that I am a complete and utter failure both as a teacher and as a guardian to our world. I can only weep for all of these pupils that my lack of foresight has let down, on both sides of this war. For my nearly two centuries of knowledge and experience, I cannot still even fathom how these tragedies can occur."
Harry didn't even feel the least bit of sympathy for Albus Dumbledore's internal plight. The old man was essentially accurate in his self-loathing. The headmaster's lack of tenacity and discretion as a leader and stubborn insistence upon pretending that all people were inherently good at heart despite mountains of evidence to the contrary did indeed contribute quite a deal to bringing about the current situation.
"You're still blind to the state of things. These Death Eaters are far from proper citizens. They're no better than animals, rabid wolves accustomed to and craving blood. I don't believe for a second that you didn't know exactly what Tom Riddle was the very moment you first laid eyes upon him, and you should have killed him then and there. Your emotional connection to your students makes you unable to truly condemn them. Not even the most potent alchemy can turn feces into gold. Most people cannot be redeemed, no matter how great the effort. You would do best to save yourself the effort of trying."
Harry felt Dumbledore's gaze upon his back but didn't turn to acknowledge it.
"You are far too young to be so jaded, Harry. Perhaps in the future when you are rather older and somewhat more enlightened you will not prove to be so hasty in judging your fellows. But more importantly, that weapon that you hold..."
The young wizard rolled his eyes at the headmaster's condescending tone, but interrupted in an attempt to alter the subject before it got to deep into his lineage. He would handle the subject at a later point, hopefully when he was in better health and in a more suitable emotional state to deal with the wily old sage's games.
"...Is the instrument with which I plan to execute my...hasty...judgment, with no regard to your pointless remonstrations. I am well aware of the fact that you recognize this brand from your past and rest assured that you will receive a full explanation soon enough. And little more than a moment ago you impressed upon me that Riddle was beyond any hope of redemption. Surely a direct contradiction to your own sickeningly forgiving logic."
Dumbledore shook his head in acknowledgement of the fact. Harry momentarily considered commenting on the fact that the old man's persecution of Alphonse Evans had been equally contrary to the foolish maxims that he espoused, but decided that it would be more prudent not to return to that discussion at the present.
"Indeed, it pains me to admit that Voldemort has apparently fallen far too deep into the arcane to be saved. His current state proves that beyond any doubt. Only a wizard lacking even the faintest glimmer of light within his soul could have been restored from death as a Lich. I had always feared that these circumstances would come to pass when Tom first began dabbling in Necromancy. Inferi such as those you saw tonight were a common sight during his first rising. I have likewise always held out the slightest bit of hope that he would not allow the darkness to corrupt him completely, but it would appear that I have prayed in vain. In his lust for power he has bartered his soul."
"I've never heard of a Lich before. He only looked like a pathetic skeleton to me."
"I am afraid that he is much more than that, Harry. Liches are the most powerful dark warlocks in existence, bearing magical powers far surpassing those attainable for a living wizard, and only a few have existed in recorded history. Tom will now be able to command the most ancient and forbidden of arcane sorceries and resurrect full hordes of the walking dead to fight at his bidding. Liches are also borderline immortal. They do not age as normal beings do or perish due to natural causes, given that they are not truly alive. It would seem that through becoming death, Lord Voldemort has finally mastered it as he has dreamed for so long. We may well now be facing an invincible opponent."
Harry grinned ferociously, grimacing slightly in pain. No opponent was unbeatable. Whether he was Lich or a bitch or something else mattered not. Harry would separate Voldemort's skull from his spine with one fatal stroke just the same and that would be the end of everything. But perhaps it would be best not to underestimate him again. Harry wasn't so deluded as not to understand that this humiliating setback had occurred due to his own arrogance. They were now coming on the edge of Hogsmeade. Hitomi's flat had been one of the few buildings to weather the Death Eater onslaught. Then again, Kenzo had known about the attack in advance and had likely warded his home to resist spell damage. Several Aurors were presently Apparating onto the scene, most bearing at least minor injuries. Harry absentmindedly wondered what they had done to get hurt.
"Now that's an encouraging prognosis. Don't tell me you're giving up already."
Albus shook his head slowly and frowned, his dimmed eyes reflecting a grim resolve..
"Certainly not, Harry. We are both still standing and the Prophecy is still valid. Hope will always flourish so long as you remain alive. Nonetheless, I am most disappointed with your reckless actions. Look around you. This village is now in ruins and its inhabitants slaughtered because you failed to warn us of the coming attack. I am fully aware of the fact that Tom owled you a recruitment offer months ago mentioning this occasion. Certainly you endeavored to destroy him alone and fulfill the Prophecy on your own terms, fueled by the memory of your parents' demise on this same night fifteen years ago. Know that this war is not defined by your personal vendetta, dear boy. I realize that I can no longer dictate your actions, nor will I make the attempt. Regardless, consider this old man's advice and think long and hard on the suffering that your scheming has borne."
Harry nodded curtly, this time unable to deflect one word of the old man's chastisement. He was solely to blame for this entire mess. Voldemort likely would have attempted to lay waste the village regardless of his actions, but had he not tried to fight all on his own then the citizens could likely have been evacuated and a proper defense established. Harry was enraged at his predicament. Filled with self-revulsion for making such an enormous mistake. Indignant about Dumbledore having the audacity to rub it in his face. Boiling with hatred towards Voldemort for causing this destruction and making him look like a total weakling.
Harry resolved never to allow this to happen again. He would ignore his pride and consider his moves logically from that moment on. He would consider his advisors' words when they cautioned against his plans. He would turn all available resources in this war to his own advantage and seize control of everything at the proper moment. And above all else, he would make every effort to give the reanimated creature known as Lord Voldemort the bloodbath that he so craved. The Dark Lord was correct. Tonight's battle was only the beginning of a war that Harry fully aimed to finish. That promise caused the dakaathi prince to turn from his previous path that had led along some thin line between light and darkness in favor of one that brooked a full acceptance of the demon within. Riddle and all who supported him would be culled. No exceptions. No remorse. No pity.
"Do rest assured of that, sir. I intend to remember this fiasco for a long time. But for the moment, perhaps I should probably go and seek medical treatment. It would be a true shame to have survived a slaughter like this only to bleed dry in the aftermath."
Albus very nearly flinched at the newfound coldness in Harry's voice. He could visibly tell that something important had just now snapped within the younger wizard. The old man regained himself and smiled, a slight twinkle returning to his eye.
"A wise decision, Harry. I have no doubts that Poppy will be most delighted to see you. She has rather sarcastically mentioned that she intends to set a bed in her ward on permanent reserve for you. As for myself, one of Professor Snape's restorative potions ought to have me as good as new. Rest well. We will have much to discuss later."
Harry stalked away without so much as a word of thanks to his elderly headmaster for saving his life a third time. He reached for his emerald snitch necklace in order to activate his Portkey and save himself the strain of walking uphill to Hogwarts, only to find it missing. It must have fallen off during the battle. He simply lacked the wherewithal to perform a Summoning Charm to retrieve it. The weight of the Demarr Devil Blade was becoming too much for him to bear. As he realized it, the weapon dematerialized from his hand just as quickly as it had come when requested. As the path's incline became more and more steep, Harry's ravaged and exhausted body gave out on him at last. He fell into unconsciousness close to the edge of the school grounds.
Harry awoke several hours later in the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts stripped down to his boxers with his ruined left arm tightly wrapped in a cloth. All of the minor wounds that he had incurred in the fight had been completely healed and his broken right wrist had been properly mended. The medical ward was filled with the injured. Madam Pomfrey was not present at the moment, but would be around soon. Bill was also conscious at this point and being doted over by Fleur. His upper body was covered in bandages due to his extreme curse wounds. The eldest male Weasley stared straight ahead and had a tortured look on his features that Harry couldn't quite place. Cho was asleep on a chair next to Harry's bed and Neville Longbottom was standing vigil in front. Hitomi was present as well, but was assisting the matron with treating the patients.
"We were starting to think that you might never wake up."
Harry turned his head slowly and noticed Su Li sitting on his bed to his right, dressed in her battle equipment as if she had been in a fight. Two additional sets of silver breastplates and leggings rested against a far well. They most likely belonged to Neville and Cho. Somebody among his vassals had apparently surmised where he was headed and had mustered the cavalry to the rescue. He placed a hand on Su's shoulder and used her as a crutch to shift himself into a seated position on the bed as he laughed mirthlessly.
"There's no way I'd let myself die that easily. I still have too much left to accomplish."
Su smiled uncomfortably, visibly unsure whether she should be pleased that he had regained consciousness or worried about the foreign inflection permeating his voice. There was a nearly indiscernible hint of something present that even Harry himself could not really identify. She went over to nudge Cho awake as Fleur finished wrapping Bill's arm and spoke in a tired voice.
"And 'zat should do it. But I 'zink you should rest more, Bill. You were 'urt badly."
Bill shook his head angrily, in response to which Harry raised a confused eyebrow.
"You think wrong, then. What I need to do is to get the Hell out of here and go comfort my mum and siblings. Fleur, thanks for patching me up. I love you and I'll see you later. Harry, it's good to see that you 're awake. I'd steer clear of Ron for awhile. He's not exactly quite himself right now. I'll let the family know that you're okay as well."
The redhead left the common room without looking back. Neville turned around with a somber facial expression of his own and offered an explanation.
"Most of the Death Eaters attacked Azkaban while you and Voldemort were having it out down in the village. They brought along about a dozen or so giants and all the Dementors also. Dumbledore's people were sent to help the Aurors defend the prison while he and the teachers rushed out to Hogsmeade. Every spare wand in the DMLE moved to relieve Azkaban also. Even Madam Bones."
That explained the relatively small number of inner circle followers that Voldemort had brought as his escort to his confrontation with Harry. Riddle had employed the exact same strategy as the young warlord in using their battle as a decoy for another operation. Harry's attempt had never even taken off, not that he could really complain about the fact. Ha would surely be dead now had his fighters not returned to keep the Death Eaters occupied while he dueled the Dark Lord. He doubted that even combined Order and Ministry forces would have been able to hold back a horde the likes of which Neville had just described. And Bill had not mentioned his father when leaving. The conclusion was rather obvious. Arthur Weasley had been killed during the battle at Azkaban.
"I saw a whole bunch of injured Aurors funneling into Hogsmeade after the battle. Since none of them looked quite exactly flushed with victory, I'm going to assume that the prison fell and that Mr. Weasley was also killed during the battle. Voldemort has managed to knock the wizarding world down hard tonight. The fallout is bound to be most delightful. I can hardly wait."
Neville nodded with a sheepish smile at Harry's sarcastic tone. Harry noticed that the pudgy boy was sporting a pronounced bruise over his right eye. He somehow doubted that Neville had gotten into fisticuffs or anything similar against Death Eaters.
"Nice shiner there, Neville. Looks like you've been in a fight."
"We were, but I got this one afterwards. It was after we made it back to the tower and Professor McGonagall came and took all the Weasleys aside and broke the news about their dad. I think Ron was in shock for a few minutes, but then Ron snapped and started ripping the entire common room apart. He was screaming about how he was gonna kill all the Death Eaters and how the next Slytherin he came across would going to need a casket. Seamus and Dean first tried to restrain him and everything but both almost got their faces slugged in for their trouble. He threw a chair at Cormac McLaggen that hit me in the face instead. Hermione managed to distract him long enough for Katie to Stupefy him from behind. There wasn't anything else we could do. All seen us have seen Ron pissed before, but never like that. He was almost in some kind of trance, it looked like."
Harry closed his eyes for a long moment. It seemed that his oldest friend had finally taken that big plunge off the deep end. The Weasley family was a very close-knit group. Though Percy seemed to be something of a black sheep. Losing one of his parents or siblings was the perfect catalyst for making Ron's sanity break. He would now stop at nothing for the blood of their mutual enemies. The raven-haired wizard owed Arthur Weasley and now his widow an unspoken debt for so readily accepting him into their family during those painful years when he was essentially alone in the world. He would honor it by making absolutely certain that the man's children would all survive this conflict and also have their vengeance for their father's untimely demise. Harry would turn Ron's psychotic rage to his own benefit to that end.
"Well, that's Ron for you. At least nobody was badly injured. He'll get his revenge in one form or another, I can assure you of that. All of the Weasleys will. Just stay out of their way when the time comes. And you'll have yours as well. I'll serve up Bellatrix Lestrange to you on a silver platter. Only you may have to share her punishment with me. There still remains the matter of my godfather to consider, after all."
Neville seemed a bit frightened by the anticipation in his leader's voice. The timid Gryffindor glanced over to his left, obviously thankful for the emergence of a chance to change the subject.
"Brace yourself, Harry. Don't look now, but you're about to get tackled."
As promised, Harry immediately felt a crying raven-haired blur collide with his previously cracked and still extremely sore ribs. He grimaced at the impact but managed not to have the wind driven out of him. He hugged his distraught future wife gently and tucked her head under his chin. Harry's mind was put somewhat at peace by the contact but nowhere near to the degree that being around her might have before the night's battle. Cho could only hold still the darkness raging inside him now. The inner demon would never again be completely silenced.
"I seem to recall an identical greeting after the last big battle. Not that it's unwelcome."
She responded by pounding repeatedly on his shoulder with her fist. Fleur was eyeing the pair with amusement and a slight hint of jealousy from her seat on the hospital bed that Bill had just been occupying. He allowed her to use him as a punching bag until she calmed down enough to speak. He had after all almost made her a widow before the wedding had even taken place. Besides, he had allowed Hitomi to smack him a good one when he had wronged her. Granting Cho the same privilege was only fair.
"Don't ever do that to me again, Harry. I can't even fathom what was going through your mind tonight. I've already told you this once, but I guess you didn't pay any attention. There's no need for you to fight this war alone. You can be so self-absorbed sometimes. Take a moment and think about how your death would affect everybody around you."
Harry really was in no mood for some ridiculous guilt trip or to be lectured again, but made no attempt to retort. Hitomi came over and fluffed his pillow. She had been watching the exchange between her lover and her unknowing rival as she cleaned and mended an injured Order member's chest wound with a look that spoke of resigned understanding. She met Harry's apologetic expression with soft eyes and a wry smile before departing from his bedside once again, maintaining her cover as a staff member as usual. Cho glanced up at her as well. Never one to be wholly oblivious, the Chinese girl chewed on her lip suspiciously as she took in the kunoichi's expression and Harry's. He never caught the gesture, and his current convalescent state and the presence of others in the room stopped her from saying anything. Harry was the one to speak again.
"I had my reasons for going and I certainly thought that I knew what I was facing, though it turns out that I was sorely mistaken on both fronts. But if it will make you feel more secure, I'll promise to bring you along to the next tango with death. But do me a favor and make absolutely certain that you know all the steps beforehand, sweetheart. Against the likes of Voldemort, one single stumble will invariably be your last. Though it would seem that you got to have some fun tonight without me anyway."
"Not all that much, really. We all came out to help you but the Death Eaters were already running for higher ground when we arrived. I think they just lost the will the fight when we cut off their retreat. We took down six with our first barrage and the teachers got a couple more from the other side. The rest just Disapparated away from the fight. We didn't manage to catch anybody worth mentioning. None of us got hurt either, though."
"Well, it's good for experience if nothing else. I hope you killed some of them at least."
Cho jerked her thumb over at Su and responded in a low whisper.
"She got one with some odd blood poisoning curse, though most of us were just trying to incapacitate them. I really am going to have to make her teach me some of that Chinese black magic one of these days. Rather shameful how ignorant I am of my own culture's spells. The only one I really know is that spell I got Roger with on the train. I can still hardly believe that he became a Death Eater. A total disgrace to the entirety of Ravenclaw House."
Su looked away with a blush when Harry glanced approvingly at her. He had never heard that Cho's own former Quidditch Captain was among the Death Eaters that she had killed on the train. He had always assumed that Voldemort's supporters came out of Slytherin for the most part. Perhaps it would be worth the effort to investigate and root out the filth in the other three houses also. Any that he might find in his Gryffindor would suffer untold torment before being purged. The snakes were already living on borrowed time. Hogwarts would have to become one cohesive unit in order to face up to this transformed Dark Lord. Madam Pomfrey's arrival disrupted any further scheming.
"Once again, Mister Potter, your unparalleled ability to nearly off yourself amazes me. Miss Chang, I would very much appreciate it if you would cease smothering my patient."
Cho dent the school healer an annoyed glare and removed herself from Harry's bed.
"There's an emergency Prefect's meeting in about an hour anyway. I suppose I'll just go and arrive little early. I'll be back as soon as I can, Harry. It'll probably be a few hours though. The whole school's in a total uproar after the attacks last night."
"For good reason, if you ask me. Have fun, princess."
As soon as Cho was gone, Madam Pomfrey turned back to Harry with a tut.
"Now then, I've managed to heal most of your cuts and broken bones and keep you from running dry in the meantime courtesy of almost half of Professor Snape's stock of Blood Replenishing Potions. But for the life of me I can't figure out what sort of injury you've managed to inflict upon your left arm. I've just gotten back from consulting with some of the senior staff at Saint Mungo's. None of them were able to shed much light onto the subject either. It appears to be mostly decomposed, but any known curse with similar effects would have taken the bone right along with the flesh."
Harry gave an intentionally cryptic explanation. Somebody had obviously explained his wings to the other occupants of the room, as he was getting no surprise on that front.
"Call it my punishment for abusing one of my special gifts. You'll never see another case like it again. As the arm is still quite ruined, I'm going to assume that no accepted remedy has managed to repair the damage at all."
"I'm afraid so, and that's not all. I've placed a Preservation Charm on it and kept it wrapped since you were brought it here, but that's only staying the inevitable. We've removed all of the loose skin and muscle tissue as well, but the corruption will no doubt spread. The only option I can see is to amputate the limb. Otherwise the condition could come to impact your entire body."
Harry took the news with closed eyes. Upon first seeing the effects of overusing his chaotic power on the battlefield he guessed that his arm was beyond repair. Still, he couldn't afford to just lose it. Demonic magic was far too great of an advantage to squander. Even if the limb could be repaired, the flesh would just decompose again the next time a desperate situation required him to go all out with chaotic energy. The best scenario would be for him to amputate the arm and replace it with an enchanted living mineral substitute similar to Wormtail's silver hand, though he would employ something better suited to his needs. The procedure was classified as minor Dark Arts and frowned upon in traditional wizarding medicine, and also required an open wound with living tissue for the metal or gemstone to bond to, or so Harry had read in his ancestor's tomes.
"That's more or less what I had assumed from the start. However, you must understand that my position in this war requires me to have two functional arms. Outright losing my left would cripple me against Voldemort and get me killed in an instant. I want to replace it with a living mineral substitute."
The matron looked at Harry sympathetically and shook her head in the negative.
"Mister Potter, I am unsure whether or not you are aware, but I regret to inform you that method you speak of requires the use of dark magic. I will have to request the headmaster's approval before we can even consider it, and I find it unlikely that he will approve given his traditional stance on the issue of Dark Arts."
Su stared at Harry with a searching look from her position next to the chair in which Cho had been sleeping. She was standing directly in Madam Pomfrey's blind spot. The two frequent bedroom partners seemed to be on the same wavelength, as she silently drew her wand up Harry's nod. He smiled softly at the school nurse.
"That is indeed unfortunate. For you see, I just have no time for the old man's scruples."
"Obliviate."
The small Chinese witch's whispered Memory Charm caused Madam Pomfrey's eyes to go a bit lucid, her visage filling with abject confusion. Fleur used a spell to put the lone Order member in the room into a deep sleep while Hitomi incapacitated an Auror by pressing down on a point on his neck. The remainder of the patients in the ward were either asleep or too caught up in their own troubles to notice the commotion. It would take time for Harry to get dressed and find a way to escape the school and travel to Gringotts, and he didn't need that hassle that would result from the matron alerting the old man of his plans. He knew that some substance suited to his needs would most likely be stockpiled in the Evans vault.
"Madam Pomfrey, I would really appreciate it if you could get that painkiller from Professor Snape. This newly mended wrist is really killing me."
"Oh, yes of course. Do try not to incur any additional life-threatening injuries while I'm away, as difficult as that may be for you."
The older woman left the room with a titter as Fleur strode over and helped Harry to his feet. The alluring French girl stroked his bicep tenderly as she supported him. Her breathing was a bit ragged. The other hand trailed gently down his chest as both Hitomi and Su bore rapidly darkening expressions. So much for any ambiguity regarding her strange behavior around him. The quarter-veela was definitely attracted, which posed no small problem for Harry. He stared into her eyes and spoke in a voice tinged with humor.
"As much as I'm enjoying the massage, I'm spoken for. And I really do need to be dressed and out of here by the time Poppy dearest shows back up."
Fleur jumped back as if Harry's body were on fire.
"I am sorry, 'Arry. I do not know what came over me. Please do not tell Bill about 'zis."
That suited Harry perfectly well, and he put her behavior out of his mind. Hitomi produced the clothes that Neville had been thoughtful enough to bring over from the dormitory after Ron's rampage. Harry dressed in his red and black flame print yukata. He found that the destructive imagery suited his current mood extremely well. Still, the look was incomplete without his kodachi. The present from Hitomi that had saved his life.
"That went off smoothly. Now I need to find some way off the grounds. I can't just use the Floo at Hogsmeade anymore and my Portkey necklace is nowhere to be found."
Neville grinned and pointed at the table beside Harry's hospital bed. His emerald snitch necklace was sitting in a bowl. A few of the gemstones were scratched and the entire piece was smudged with soot, but it seemed functional still.
"Blaise found it in the wreckage just outside The Three Broomsticks, mate. She seemed really upset when she gave it to Hermione."
Harry had nearly forgotten. Madam Rosmerta had been Blaise's aunt. He briefly wondered how many of his other vassals had been lost loved ones this night. A small part of him acknowledged the need to drop in on the Weasleys later. Bill seemed to insinuate that his presence in their time of mourning wasn't necessary with his abrupt departure, but it was only proper for him to at least offer his condolences. His escape would be much easier now that he had his Portkey back.
"Good, this simplifies matter. Fleur and Hitomi, I'd appreciate it if you both came with me. I might hope that it won't be construed as overly racist for me to say that I don't entirely trust a goblin surgeon to carry this through without extreme pain on my part. Neville and Su, I need you two to make my excuses when Madam Pomfrey comes back and also if anybody else, especially Dumbledore, comes looking for me. Try not to make eye contact with the old man, or with Snape if that greasy git happens to make an appearance. They won't be able to do anything once I'm gone, but I don't want either finding out anything that they don't need to know through Legilimency or for them to be able convict either of you as accomplices in this little escapade."
All four nodded, and the two women came over and placed a hand on Harry's shoulders. He activated his Portkey and was gone with that familiar tug behind his navel, his destination the same as it had been so many times before.
The Evans compound was surprisingly active when Harry and his two female cohorts arrived. Gringotts goblins were unloading massive amounts of gold and jewels into the treasure vaults. There were also large quantities of dark artifacts and potions ingredients waiting to be distributed, along with several priceless Dark Arts tomes destined for the library. A truly enormous stockpile of wealth that must have come from Voldemort's strongholds, indicating that Harry's ordered raids had taken place after all. A large albino goblin with lumpy features was overseeing the work. Harry walked up behind him.
"Quite a haul, I must say. We must have had a busy evening."
The goblin drew his spiked battle mace instinctually and jumped forward in order to size up the situation. He put away his weapon at one upon turning around and seeing his lord.
"Good morning, Lord Evans. We weren't expecting you. Please, allow us to serve your needs."
Harry chuckled and looked around the bustling main hall.
"In a moment. Tell me about this stockpile. I had assumed that my raiding parties were diverted from their tasks last night. They did after all show up in Hogsmeade and fight."
"My apologies, Lord Evans, but I'm afraid that I don't know the particulars. You will need to inquire into the matter with the chieftain. I only just received orders from above to organize the distribution of these spoils."
"Very well then. I have need of him anyway. Send for him at once, and tell him to bring your most skilled surgeon down with him as well as the most powerful painkiller in his stores that won't sedate me. I have incurred some wounds during my recent duel with Voldemort that cannot be treated through the usual means."
The overseer nodded furiously and went over to one of the workers, yelling out Harry's orders in the goblin tongue. Harry turned to Hitomi and Fleur as the creature did so.
"Fleur, do me a favor and look through those books that just came in. If there's anything particularly unique, let me know about it. We've got a few minutes at least before Grilthauk arrives."
Fleur smiled, though her eyes betrayed a hint of irritation. She knew the nature of Harry's relationship with Hitomi and didn't appreciate being given a menial task so as to allow them some private time.
"I would be 'appy to, 'Arry."
The silvery-haired beauty walked off to the pile of magical tomes, leaving Harry and Hitomi alone. She looked wistfully around the compound.
"I remember when you brought me along here for my first trip out of the village. We had only met properly that morning. You mistook me for the Chang girl after waking up that day, and we had our first lesson later that night. It feels like that was all years ago now."
"Those were simpler times. Sometimes I miss them. I didn't get the chance to check on your grandfather after last night's battle. I hope he's okay. This mess wouldn't have happened had I just listened to his advice. He told me that going it alone was suicide."
Hitomi snaked an arm around Harry's waist and leaned into him.
"He's just fine. A couple of Death Eaters made their way up into the house but he sliced them both to ribbons with his two kodachi. Grandpa may be an old man but he's still quite a force to be reckoned with when properly provoked. He didn't earn the rank of village leader only through hosting the best sake parties."
"And speaking of Kenzo, I'm interested in hearing if you brought up our proposal."
She brightened visibly, leaving Harry convinced that everything was set. But before he could hear her actual answer, Grilthauk came through the main door of the compound escorted by another goblin. The old chieftain briskly strode to the couple's position.
"I've heard that you got involved in a bit of a fight this morning, Harry. I send my best goblin soldiers to carry out the raids while the previously assigned human parties moved to aid you in Hogsmeade. The locations were all completely deserted. Voldemort apparently ordered every last hand under his command into battle, leaving his strongholds open to attack. We made off with everything in his possession, and none of his adherents shall be able to withdraw more from our institution. I daresay that our efforts shall have brought his war machine grinding to a screeching halt."
Harry nodded his understanding. With that done, he had other matters to attend to. He would make the old goblin aware of Voldemort's newfound Lich status one he had squeezed more details on the subject out of Dumbledore somehow. Surely Grilthauk would have some input as to how to meet this new challenge, but Harry wanted to ascertain it fully first. It would be rather counterproductive to waste his followers' time pursuing sketchy information, after all.
"That's good, but I have more pressing reasons for being here. I overused my chaotic powers against snakeface and my left arm has been withered beyond use as a result. I need to procure a material more suited for handling demonic magic than my own organic flesh in order to fashion a replacement. My esteemed ancestor was the only man to ever travel to the realm where chaotic energy is used and thus I decided to look here first."
Grilthauk thought for a moment and turned to the overseer.
"Have that small stockpile of blood ruby located at the rear of the treasure vault brought here. Our lord has need of it."
Harry remembered the blood ruby from his first trip to the Evans compound. Grilthauk had said that it was a base material for the alchemical creation of arkanite ore, and that the dakaath used it as a form of intertribal currency back in the demon realm. An arm made of that particular gemstone would be a perfect conductor for chaotic energy. After a few moments the precious stones had been produced. They were indeed a perfect crimson and sparkled like sunlight on a clear lake.
"This will be perfect. Now then, I've asked for a painkiller because your surgeon is now going to amputate my left arm. This procedure requires living flesh to bond the material to, so he will have to cut just above where the ruined part ends. Fleur and Hitomi will make certain that the wound remains as sterile as possible."
Several other goblins were even then hauling in a small crude operating table from the small medical wing located inside the living barracks of the compounds. Harry took his place and the surgeon handed him a vial filled with a white potion. He swallowed the whole volume in one gulp and felt his entire body numbing. Hitomi unwrapped his destroyed arm and winced at the sight that greeted her. Despite the preservative charms worked into his bandages, the bone was turning a sickly brownish color and the skin just about the rot was beginning to decay. The nameless goblin surgeon spoke.
"Please brace yourself, Lord Evans. This will be very painful, even with the potion."
Harry did just that, alternating his gaze between Hitomi and Fleur and the small pile of gemstones on the ground. He screamed in pain with the surgeon performed an incantation in the goblin tongue and severed his left arm from his body mere millimeters below the elbow joint. Hitomi ran over and grasped his other hand.
"Harry, you have to shut out the pain. Do the spell now before you bleed out."
Harry took a deep breath as Fleur removed his masterpiece wand from the belt of his yukata and placed it in his right hand. He pointed shakily at the pile of gemstones. They levitated and melted, losing their physical forms and molding into one contiguous crimson blob. Harry focused his magic further, feeling himself beginning to dizzy from loss of blood. The blob formed itself into the rough shape of a human arm, smoothing as it starting moving towards the bleeding stump of Harry's left. He could feel the pain subsiding as the ruby attached itself to his flesh, the muscles of his lower arm tunneling into the gemstone and artificially reforming, creating a new living part of his own body. A hand formed at the far end followed by individual fingers that elongated and narrowed into razor sharp points. Instead of a standard human limb, Harry now bore a lethal claw arm composed entirely of demonic blood ruby. It felt as much a natural extension of him as his former arm ever had.
"By the ancestors, Harry. Such an terrible abomination."
Grilthauk was staring wide-eyed at what Harry's psyche had created for him, as were Hitomi and Fleur along with several other goblins. Harry looked down at the floor beside him impassively, picking up the bloodstained skeletal remains of his former lower left arm and removing the two rings, Khariana's and the Black family ring. He used one of the individual talons of his new artificial limb to gently remove the Potter ring from the place of priority on his right hand, replacing it with the Evans ring and reconstituting the positioning of honor using only a single hand instead of both. He could feel the chaos burning in his new body part. He no longer needed Khariana's ring as a catalyst to summon it forth. He choked out a nearly insane laugh as he spoke.
"And now to see what this baby can do."
He charged the claw with chaotic energy, effortlessly bringing far more power than he could muster without great difficulty before to bear. He lazily took aim at a pile of debris located near the library and fired. Instead of a small comet, the demonic magic took the form of a cyclonic torrent beam of translucent black, consuming and decomposing the waste and the ground underneath. The strain on his body was much less. He could feel it still, but had little trouble keeping the attack going. Harry dragged the beam across the stone floor and blasted several other targets around the room, including several tables and a particularly ugly idol that was among the artifacts taken from Voldemort's strongholds before finally ending the test. His grin broadened with every passing second. Such power he now commanded with total ease.
"...One final run. Let's see how it stands up to the strongest element in existence."
Harry filled the claw with chaotic energy again, but this time without intent of firing. He sprinted towards the arkanite door leading into the gateway to the demonic realm and leapt at it, tearing the blood ruby nails into the unbreakable metal. The resulting noise was loud enough to shatter glass. Grilthauk walked forward, followed by the rest. Harry was on his knees laughing like a lunatic. And for good reason. Five long and clean slashes showed in the supposedly invulnerable barrier, where his new "fingers" had made contact and raked downward. Hitomi lovingly touched Harry's shoulder and he rose to his feet, the frightening glee still present in his eyes.
"Harry, please. You're not acting like yourself. Get a grip."
"I've got it now. Between this wonderful new arm of mine and having the invincible Demarr Devil Blade in my possession I can finally destroy Voldemort once and for all. Have any new form you like, Riddle. I will rend you limb from limb all the same. And then I will shred the corruption that blights our world and skewer the great phoenix into yakitori. Hitomi and Fleur, let's get back to Hogwarts. I feel like going on a rampage."
With that, Harry whipped his head up to look at the damaged arkanite door again and began laughing maniacally once more. Even Hitomi, who loved him with all of her soul, feared just a little for what he had become. Indeed, the humiliating defeat that he had suffered at Voldemort's hands coupled with the death of Remus Lupin may well have broken that fragile dam in his soul separating his sanity from the evil festering beyond.
(End Chapter Twenty-Four)
Author's Note: Late, I know. You canthank Hurricane Katrina for that. We didn't catch the worst of it, but still got enough to keep me indisposed for a while between making preparations and getting power and Internet service back. Not a whole lot of action going on here, but I hope you all enjoy anyway. I've been wanting to give Harry the sick artificial arm for awhile now, so I enjoyed writing the end of the chapter. For a vision of what it looks like, think of Lady Deathstrkye's claws from the second X-Men movie, except in crimson ruby and a lot shorter. Similarly narrowed shape but only about six to eight inches long. Sorry for any confusion there. I seem to recall another story using the "Wormtail hand" for Harry before, but I don't remember the title. I think it had a Harry/Katie Bell pairing. If any of you can supply me with the author and title, I'll give due credit.
Now, as for the fallout of the last battle...yes, I know a lot of you wanted Voldemort gone. But that just wasn't going to work in my desired plotline for a variety of reasons. First, it would have entailed Harry winning out a Halloween in the end. I did not want that to happen. He needed to get his ass kicked in order to slap some sense into him. He is wiser and stronger for his defeat, even if the former is brought a bit into question by the end of the chapter. Second, I need Tom around to keep the dark side unified. Trust me, I have my story fully planned out already and the grand finale will be nearly akin to Armageddon. I also have plans for Harry to come into power, which will likely play out before the way ends. Prepare for this story to get a lot more frenzied. Harry's through with hiding out and waiting. People are going to start dying for being in his way, starting with one standing thorn in his side next chapter. He's headed back to Hogwarts looking for a fight and he's going to find one. I'm really psyched about Lich!Voldemort also. Credit for that idea goes to Midknight from the darklordpotter forums. Thanks goes out to that entire board for collectively giving me a hand when I was strapped for ideas as to where to go after last chapter.
Those of you who wanted the vassals to have their moment, don't worry. They'll be getting some action as things go on. I might have had more comments to add, but I'm ready to get this posted now. Hope you all enjoy and don't forget to review. Over a hundred with the last chapter, the first time I have broken that threshold. I'd love to see a repeat. I read and take into account every single comment I get, so make your feelings known.