Lumos Spada
Stephen R. W. Warner
Standard Disclaimer: I did not create these characters, I did not create this universe. These are the sole creation and property of JK Rowling. I would have created these characters before her, but I was stupid and left the idea written down on a napkin in New York, the napkin was then stolen by an irate airline attendant who dropped it in England where it was found. If you believe this, email me, I have a bridge for sale too. (Thanks Bobmin and Alyx)
Early June -
The Hogwarts grounds never looked more inviting then when Harry had to stay indoors . For the next few days he spent all of his free time either in the library with Hermione and Ron , looking up hexes , or else in empty classrooms , which they sneaked into to practice . Harry was concentrating on the stunning spell , which he had never used before . The trouble was that practicing it involved certain sacrifices on Ron's and Hermione's part .
"Can't we kidnap Mrs. Norris?" Ron suggested on Monday lunchtime as he lay flat on his back in the middle of their Charms classroom , having just been stunned and reawoken by Harry for the fifth time in a row . "Let's stun her for a bit . Or you could use Dobby , Harry , I bet he'd do anything to help you . I'm not complaining or anything " -he got gingerly to his feet , rubbing his backside - "but I'm aching all over..."
"Well , you keep missing the cushions , don't you !" said Hermione impatiently , rearranging the pile of cushions they had used for the banishing spell , which Flitwick had left in a cabinet . "just try and fall backward!"
"Once you're stunned , you can't aim too well , Hermione!" said Ron angrily . "Why don't you take a turn ?"
"Well i think Harry's got it now , anyway ," said Hermione hastily . " And we don't have to worry about disarming , because he's been able to do that for ages ... I think we ought to start on some other hexes ," she took a deep breath "I found a new defense spell that i would like you to try Harry, the incantation is lumos spada and the wand movement is a bit tricky." She swiveled her wand around like she was massaging her wrist ," you sort of make it spin like that and it comes out ."
Harry a bit perplexed spun his wand ,"lumos spada " and a bright bar of light like an unshot spell stuck to the end of his wand and extended about 4 feet out of it .
"Bloody amazing," said Ron "but what does it do ?" his voice fading in puzzlement .
" This is the part where you will have to trust me Harry ," Hermione looked at him with a plea in her eye , "This spell can deflect any spell shot, if handled precisely enough" she took a deep breath , "it can actually send it back to the caster !"Hermione finished biting her lip .
Harry examined the stick of light determinedly "Why do you say i will need to trust you ?"he asked with a serious tone .
Herminone looked at him reassured by his tone "to train with , we will have to shoot spells at you and,"she looked down at her shoes blushing "I designed it , so you will have to trust my arithmancy ."
"Then go ahead ," Harry looked at her with confidence , "let's try it !" as soon as he said that he idly pointed his wand towards Hermione and the shaft of light winked out .
"You need to keep a firm grip on your wand Harry, or it will do that ," she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly ,"not to mention that you will have to counteract the force of the spell , so keep a tight grip"
Harry looked at her expression and putting a determined look on his face swiveled his wand " lumos spada" and the beam sprang forth .
Hermione had Ron back away to the other side of the room and looked at Harry ,"Ready ?"
"Whenever you are ."
"Stupefy!"
Harry saw the spell coming and tried to bring the stick of light in its path only to miss and have it pass right over his shoulder .
"That was a good try Harry but you almost lost your grip so hold down with both hands on your wand and let's try again ."
for another hour Ron ,Hermione and Harry took turns Shooting spells at each other until Harry with a triumphant whoop of glee and then a hasty enervate Harry parried and shot the stupefy back that Ron had aimed at him .
"This is amazing Hermione !" both Ron and Harry exclaimed as he stood up , "i will need to train with it" said Harry rubbing his wrist , sore after stopping all those spells , "but it is a truly amazing spell ."
"on three , right ?" said Harry . "One—Two—Three---"
He and Cedric both grasped a handle .
Instantly , Harry felt a jerk somewhere behind his navel . His feet had left the ground . He could not unclench the hand the hand holding the Triwizard Cup ; it was pulling him onward in a howl of wind and swirling color , Cedric at his side .
Harry felt his feet slam into the ground; his injured leg gave way, and he fell forward ; his hand let go of the Triwizard Cup at last . He raised his head .
" Where are we?" he said ?
Cedric shook his head . He got up , pulled Harry to his feet , and they looked around .
They had left the Hogwarts ground completely ; they had obviously traveled miles ---perhaps hundred of miles--- for even the mountains surrounding the castle were gone . They were standing instead in a dark and overgrown graveyard ; the black outline of a small church was visible beyond a large yew tree to their right . A hill rose above them to their left . Harry could just make out the outline of a fine old house on the hillside .
Cedric looked down at the Triwizard Cup and then at Harry .
"Did anyone tell you the cup was a portkey ?" he asked .
"nope," said Harry . He was looking around the graveyard . It was completely silent and slightly eerie . " is this supposed to be part of the task ?"
"I dunno ," said Cedric . He sounded slightly nervous . "Wands out , d'you reckon ?"
"Yeah," said Harry, glad that Cedric had made the suggestion rather then him .
They pulled out their wands . Harry kept looking around him . He had , yet again , the strange feeling that they were being watched
"someone's coming," he said suddenly .
As he squinted tensely through the darkness , Harry whispered , "lumos spada ,".
They watched the figure drawing nearer , walking steadily toward them between the graves . Harry couldn't make out a face, but from the way it was walking and holding its arms , he could tell that is was carrying something .
Whoever it was, he was short, and wearing a hooded cloak pulled up over his head to obscure his face.
And ---several paces nearer, the gap between them closing all the time --- Harry saw that the thing in the person's arm looked like a baby ... or was it merely a bundle of robes ?
Harry lowered his wand slightly and glanced sideways at Cedric .
Cedric shot him a quizzical look . They both turned back to watch the approaching figure .
It stopped beside a towering marble headstone, only six feet from them . For a second, Harry and Cedric and the short figure simply looked at one another .
And then, without warning , Harry's scar exploded with pain. It was agony such as he had never felt in all his life; he almost lost his grip on his wand as he put a hand to his face; his knees shook and it was all he could do to stay upright; his head was about to split open .
From far away, in front of him, he heard a high cold voice say, "Kill the spare ."
A swishing noise and a second voice, which screeched the words to the night "Avada kedavra!"
as a blast of green light blazed through Harry's line of sight he sprang and intercepted the jet of green light and ricocheted it back to its rightful owner and he saw it fall to the ground as the bundle emitted a cry of pain .
Cedric looked at him "You have to teach me that spell !"
"Ask Hermione ."Harry reponded as he moved towards the bundle still squirming on the ground .
He started prodding it with the tip of his spell and as an acrid smoke billowed out of the bundle, the pain in his forehead started receding . With determination Harry started hacking with sweeping movements at the bundle until the pain had totally receded and the bundle stopped moving at all.
Cedric turned to Harry kneeling by the spread-eagled body that he had just unveiled ,"Anyone you know?"
Harry looked at the body and his brain went click as he turned to the bundle once more .
"Peter Pettigrew, and if I am not mistaken, what is left of Tom Riddle aka moldieshorts although in this case moldy diapers would be more appropriate, hearing a hissing behind them Harry turned with a sweeping movement of his wand cutting neatly off the head of the snake that had reared ready to lunge at its unsuspecting victim .
"Grab him, and hold tight ." Harry said this as he grasped the bundle and the snakehead, then turning to the cup before pointing his wand "Accio cup ."