Disclaimer: All of this is based upon the lovely J.K. Rowling's work. I own nothing except Salazar's wife, son, and various other original characters. This story is an AU of sixth year, but it will contain a few spoilers from Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows. However, it will still seriously diverge from canon.
"blah": dialogue
'blah': thoughts
"blah" : Parseltongue
"blah": Legilimency/Telepathy
Italics: excerpt from a book /newspaper or any other written form
Bold: a word or phrase that is emphasized
Italics, Underlined, and Bold: location/date of a scene in the story
The chapter is dedicated to Nightmarish, who wrote a really cool Harry/Draco one-shot.
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Here, There be Monsters, Part One
Department of Mysteries, Various Locations: October 31st, 1996 (Evening)
Thaddeus Nott wiped away a bead of sweat, exhaling quietly. With a flick of his wand, he quickly ensured that the Chameleon charm on him was still functioning properly. His eyes darted around, searching for all the others hidden along the corridor he was currently standing in. Intently, he noted the fifteen additional Death Eaters, who were positioned at variable increments throughout the hallway, stationed in the few cubby holes and darkened spots. Nott allowed a small but dark smile to grace his face, even as he wiped at his forehead again, shivering with anticipation. He gave a silent prayer of thanks to Salazar that the pendants Rookwood and he had spelled worked properly, allowing him to actually see the other assembled Death Eaters, in spite of their own Invisibility spells.
When he had first learned of his mission, it had seemed to be easy enough. All he had to do was ensure that the only entrance to the Department of Mysteries remained protected and to keep out any reinforcements that appeared. With all the Concealment spells layered onto both he and his underlings, it would be nearly impossible for their presence to be detected until to far too late. If anyone even noticed they were there at all. They would just keep by the sole entrance, cursing all who went by, while cloaked by the very shadows of the dimly lit corridor.
It would be like taking advantage of a Hufflepuff first-year, so incredibly simple. Not even Bellatrix could have planned this better.
However, what Nott didn't know, what he couldn't possibly know was about the new wards Director Avis and Alastor Moody had added to the department. And they were such wonderful wards, too. Such as the one that allowed the Unspeakables to know the exact number of people currently within their area. Or the one that prevented those without a special pass from Apparating. Or the one that disabled all Portkeys save those with the director's unique magical seal on them.
Yet, those weren't even the best of the defenses. Truthfully, Artemis Avis favored one of her new protections more than the others. She just loved the ward that when activated negated all Invisibility spells, Concealment charms, and anything else of a similar nature. In fact, this particular ward was so powerful that even Dumbledore and the Dark Lord himself would have problems overriding it.
And this very ward would be the downfall of the Death Eaters' plans. It seemed that it wasn't always so easy to exploit Hufflepuffs, especially one like Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody. They were loyal and hardworking, but like their Founder, that didn't mean they were stupid.
Nott shifted from foot to foot, his eyes drifting half-closed with a hint of boredom. He casually leaned against the wall, attempting to find a comfortable position and missing the sound of fabric sweeping across the floor. His job may be easy, but that didn't mean it wasn't just as tedious as a lecture from Binns.
Unbeknownst to him, however, the monotony would be rather short lived.
Just as he was becoming comfortable, Nott felt a rush of magic sweep over him. There was a yelp followed by a muffled thump down the corridor. He jolted, suddenly wide-awake, and half-turned just in time to see one of his recruits take a Stunner to the chest. Belatedly, he realized that the hallway around him was unexpectedly a great deal more crowded than it should be. And scattered throughout the corridor, there was a group of no less than ten Aurors and Unspeakables. It was led by none other than the infamous Mad-Eye Moody himself.
Nott snarled and moved to tap his pendant in order to alert his lord to the ambush. But an unexpected jinx hit him, and he felt the bones in his left hand shatter. His fingers went limp, the pendant dropping to the floor. The man whirled to face his attacker, snarling when he noticed exactly who it was.
"Ah, my favorite Death Eater," Moody said with a twisted grin, shooting a spell with every other word and causing the younger man to repeatedly sidestep. The Order member swiftly used the distraction to destroy the pendant.
"Give it up, old man," Nott spat back, casting his own curse in return. "You were no match for me then. And you're sure as Circe not one for me now."
Moody smirked, obviously knowing something the other man didn't. "You cost me my eye, Nott. And this time, you won't be getting away or saying that it was all due to Imperius." He flicked his wand and shot a Blasting hex at the Death Eater, who barely ducked out of the way.
However, a stray spell came at the ex-Auror, and he was forced to dodge, losing his original target in the fray. The grizzled, old man sent a hex back and was soon engaged in an all out duel with not one but two other Death Eaters. And it was for that very reason that Moody failed to notice a third step around to flank him
Nott moved into position, flicking his wand to hex Mad-Eye from behind. However, a burst of yellow light rushed at him from the left, and he was forced to duck. The Death Eater briefly glanced to the side, trying to determine where the curse had come from. And it was an action that he would regret for the rest of his life. All five seconds of it.
Unfortunately for him, it was at that very moment that Alastor Moody whirled to the side, a brilliant flash passing within inches of his head. The curse continued on its merry way, despite the fact it had just gone by its intended target. It whizzed through the air, missing an Unspeakable by a narrow margin.
Scowling to himself, Thaddeus Nott turned back around, only to catch the spell full in the face. The last thing he ever saw was a bright, green light and a sweeping rush of death.
Elsewhere, Augustus Rookwood smirked to himself, coming up to a bare stretch of wall. He tapped his wand across it in an intricate pattern, and a doorway suddenly appeared where there had been none before. Without even glancing behind him, the pockmarked Death Eater entered, the rest of his team following in his wake. He lightly stepped through the surprisingly well-lit corridor, his dragonhide boots not even clicking on the stone.
Rookwood came to a crossroads and took a left without pausing to think it over. He uneasily fingered his cedar wand, a hint of foreboding crawling up his spine. Nonetheless, he ignored it and led his team further into the passageway, exceptionally thankful that they would at least be able to avoid that bedamned spinning room. How he loathed the blasted thing and his former boss all the more for creating it. But then, he had gotten his revenge on Revan in the end. Even now, the Unspeakables were still finding bits and pieces of him scattered throughout the department.
A sick sneer tugged at his lips, but there was hint of remorse to it. "Sic Semper Proditoris: Thus Always to Traitors," Augustus murmured to himself as he unerringly passed another crossroads, eliciting a questioning glance from Edgecombe.
Rookwood shot the curly-headed woman a glare. She immediately looked away, but the damage had already been done. She had seen him in his moment of weakness, and he certainly didn't like it.
Growling, the lead Death Eater finally came to the end of the passageway, and with a wave of his wand, he discreetly checked what was on the other side of the wall. Seemingly pleased, Rookwood forced the exit into existence and walked out, his faithful lackeys following him. Some of them, the newest of the new, even smiled when they noted their surroundings.
Rookwood, however, was not pleased by their reactions. "Fan out!" he commanded and gave the oldest MacMillan heir a very pointed look. "Check everything before you touch it. There's no telling what kind of protections are layered on."
Thankfully, everyone obeyed his orders, separately moving throughout the large room. A few of them went to the central displays, carefully looking through the enspelled glass to the objects within. Others wandered over to the walls or the shelves, scanning through the assorted objects, artifacts, and books. Even more went to the exits, securing them before turning to help their fellows.
Rookwood looked after them for a moment before going to his own task. He confidently strolled over to a particular section of the wall, and he tapped a complicated code on the bare patch between two moving tapestries. There was a shimmer of magic, and a man-sized hole instantly appeared. The former Unspeakable grunted to himself in satisfaction, pleased that even after all these years he still remembered the combination to the vault. Or perhaps he was simply laughing over the fact that they hadn't changed it.
Regardless, the man stepped into the windowless room, his gaze tracing along the walls and looking for traps. He didn't find any, so he simply continued inside and to the very back of the room, ignoring the swords and shields that lined the walls and the ancient grimoires and scrolls on the short bookshelves. He stepped up to the display next to the far side, searching through the case present. His eyes drifted over enchanted daggers and a few filled potion vials, among several other things.
Minutes soon passed, and Rookwood was starting to become antsy. It wasn't there; he couldn't find it anywhere, and it was supposed to be here. This was the most secure area within the entire room, within the entire department most likely. Salazar Slytherin's ancient staff was impossible to miss, even in its shrunken state. It just had to be here. It couldn't be anywhere else.
Fighting down his sudden urge to panic, the Death Eater carefully passed his wand over the case in a parody of a gentle gesture. He cast several Scanning spells, attempting to determine if it was merely disguised. Even more time flew by, and the results of his search only served to incense him more.
The pockmarked man chewed on his lip, working it between his teeth. He heard a thump in the background but didn't bother to turn around. It was probably just one of the new recruits anyway. They were all fools, so it wouldn't surprise him in the slightest if they had knocked one of the precious and priceless ancient relics from the shelves. Even better, perhaps they had hit one of themselves in the process.
There was another strange sound in the background, and the former Unspeakable rolled his eyes at the idiocy of the people he was working with. Why did he have to be the one to babysit the newest recruits? Why couldn't it be Bellatrix? She was certainly good with keeping their lord entertained, so why not the little wankers, too?
Around the time there was a third bizarre noise, Rookwood sighed and lifted his head, debating with himself over the fact that he was in charge versus his desire to fulfill his master's orders. Eventually, he merely rolled his eyes and went back to his task, his gaze again roving about.
"You won't find it there," a voice to the side stated evenly.
Rookwood whirled around, a curse on his lips. But it died a quick death as he faltered. Augustus couldn't help it; he gaped.
Apollo Avis, brother of the director and her top lieutenant, was standing directly in front of him.
Mindful of the situation, Rookwood quickly snapped his jaw shut, steeling his face. Yet, the brunet merely winked at him from behind his glasses, an odd smile on his youngish looking face. He absentmindedly fingered his wand, even as he took a determined step forward.
"Hello, old friend," Apollo said, his calm voice belying the rage that was clearly present in his eyes. "Fancy seeing you here. Last I heard, you were a convicted Death Eater on the run from the law."
Out of the corner of his eye, the former Unspeakable noticed a hint of red, and he angled his body to keep both his former friend and the newcomer in sight. Rookwood blanched slightly when he noticed who it was, and a flash of some nameless emotion crossed his face. However, it was gone in an instant. And once more, he donned his icy mask.
"Oh, you remember Arthur. Don't you, Augustus?" Apollo went on in a pleasant tone, nodding to the new arrival. "You should, especially considering he was our roommate for seven years and friend for even longer. You were even an usher at his wedding," he added in an afterthought, seemingly unconcerned by the Death Eater in front of him.
Rookwood remained silently, unsure of what to say. His attention darted between the two men, and his hand squeezed his wand hard enough to cause the wood to groan and his knuckles to turn white. He quivered, but he wasn't sure if it was from surprise or something else entirely.
"I can't say it is a pleasure to see you again, especially given the circumstances," Arthur cut in, and the redhead gave a cold look. "I still can't believe it, even looking at you now. After all these years." He shook his head mournfully. "You betrayed us; you betrayed your friends."
The pockmarked man sneered, apparently finally having had enough. "You wouldn't understand, blood traitor." He spat at them. "Both of you betrayed your heritage, and for what? A pat on the back from the great Dumbledore himself? To win over a girl who would barely even look at you in the first place? To stop being overshadowed by your twin sister?"
Arthur bit out with frustration, "We didn't betray anyone!"
Apollo sniffed in agreement. "No, that's your bit, Augustus." He snorted derisively. "You want to know why we sided with Albus, do you? We did it because it's the right thing to do. We did it because we wanted to be more than just Muggle-torturers, who groveled before a monster and received nothing but Cruciatus for their efforts!"
The former Unspeakable looked like he had been slapped. Rookwood's nostrils flared, and he trembled with suppressed anger. He took a step forward, forgetting himself for a moment.
"You wouldn't understand our reasons, Rookwood, because you're a nothing more than a Death Eater," the Weasley patriarch all but snarled a second later, but he instantly sobered. "As such, it is my duty to turn you in. Regardless of whatever past acquaintance we might have had," Arthur said calmly.
The words had barely left his mouth when twin flashes of red light leapt out of both his and Apollo's wands. The spells raced at Rookwood, who hastily put up a shield. The Death Eater immediately returned fire, sending a Concussion hex at his former friends, strangely aiming to wound and not to kill.
And with that, the battle was on.
Just a few corridors away, Tom Riddle smiled. His serpentine eyes gazed down at the archway in the center of the room, and he idly watched as the attached veil fluttered in a non-existent breeze. He quietly stepped closer, his head cocked to the side, as though he were listening to something that no one else could hear. Without hesitation, he took another step and another and then even more until he was standing five feet from the raised dais. Yet, during the entire silent descent, he didn't utter a single word, not even a sound. The Dark Lord merely listened, his eyes drifting half-closed.
Behind him, his followers exchanged nervous glances. Some even gestured to each other and then their master, completely unsure of his behavior or what they were supposed to do. Tentatively, one brave Death Eater, or perhaps an exceedingly foolish one, inched forward.
"My Lord," McNair called softly. "Master," he tried again, turning back to look at his companions.
They simply shrugged, and one made an emphatic motion with his wand.
"Sire," the lead Death Eater murmured, "we're going to begin with our scans now."
Voldemort didn't reply. Instead, he simply made a dismissive gesture with his hand, not even bothering to punish McNair for his presumption. Slowly, the Dark Lord took another step. But this one was to the side, and he began to circle around the Veil, studying it carefully.
McNair breathed a sigh of relief, thanking Siobhan for his good fortune. With a nod, he moved forward, flicking his wand.
After a moment of hesitation, the others followed.
A few minutes passed in relative ease, the Death Eaters swept their spells over the archway, making notes as they went. Meanwhile, their lord continued to circle it, absentmindedly twirling his wand through his fingers, his attention fixed on the still fluttering Veil.
However, Voldemort soon felt a tingle of magic run down his spine, eyes shifting from the arch to the room around him and suddenly hardening. In that instant, he knew the tranquility was merely the calm before the storm. A fact that became readily apparent when three Death Eaters simultaneously fell beneath red-purple blazes of light. Another far darker burst sped at the Dark Lord in the very same moment. But unexpectedly, he twirled his wand, wordlessly forming a silvery shield just behind him.
Voldemort's gaze casually drifted over his shoulder, and he cocked a hairless eyebrow. He emotionlessly watched as his followers engaged in battle with several Ministry officials, his inner rage completely hidden. He noted Director Avis herself at the far end of the room, successfully dueling against two lower level Death Eaters at the same time. Nearby, he noted McNair fall under the silver-blue light of Kingsley Shacklebolt's hex, nonchalantly watching as the bald Auror darted to another opponent.
The Dark Lord contemplated stepping in at that moment, finding the Order member a worthy opponent. Yet, his attention was drawn elsewhere, and he again weaved his wand, blocking an Implosion curse with relative ease. His attention was unerringly drawn to the castor.
Madam Bones frowned at him before sending a Reductor, and Voldemort merely titled his head, the spell flying right over his shoulder and through the space he had just been. She followed it up by casting a Banishment hex, and he again titled his head, the magic soaring over his other side. Growling fiercely now, Amelia hurriedly sent a Blood-Boiling jinx, and the Dark Lord was actually forced to lean to the side to avoid it.
Laughing to himself, Tom Riddle's eyes blazed with ominous mirth as he successfully sidestepped another curse. He moved forward then, and Voldemort raised his wand-free hand and drew power into his very palm. It flared, blazing an eerie green.
Another smile tugged at his lips. And it promised pain and suffering. And most certainly death.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, The Headmaster's Office: The Same Day
"Maker," Harry whispered, "there are so many."
His eyes roved over the enchanted image he was currently looking at, which featured a meadow not too far outside of Hogsmeade. The dying rays of the sun highlighted the silhouette of countless creatures, all of them slowly moving away from the village and down the path to the castle. A sickened sort of dread coiled in the reborn Salazar's belly, even as his insides seemed to freeze.
"So very many," he breathed.
And Harry wasn't referring to the Death Eaters either, though there were quite a number of them as well.
Albus squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "I know, my dear boy." He, too, stared at the image. "I know."
His eyes flickered over the picture, and it was readily apparent that he was counting all those present within it. Regardless, when he passed a hundred, the old man stopped bothering. Dumbledore figured that in the end it didn't really matter how many of the lifeless abominations they had to face. All that mattered was that they protected both the school and her students.
He squeezed the teenager's shoulder again, attempting to give him some comfort. Yet, despite the old professor's reassurance, Harry simply trembled underneath his fingertips. The young man took a deep breath and attempted to calm himself. It didn't appear to be all that effective, even after he repeated the action two more times. There was an odd cast to his face, one which Dumbledore almost thought was fearful.
But that was absurd. Why would Harry be afraid?
Yes, they were going into battle, but they knew exactly what they were up against. They had plans laid in place, so why would the boy be afraid?
"What are we going to do, Headmaster?" Tonks asked very softly, interrupting Albus' thoughts. The metamorph shifted from foot to foot, hovering next to Dominic. She cast a worried glance to the vampire, one which he seemed to return.
The old man sighed. "We will do as we had planned." His eyes turned to those present: the four Heads of House, the Auror, the Defense teacher, and his most beloved pupil. "Filius, Pomona, see to the students. Take everyone fifth year and younger to the dungeons, let only the DA members remain. Poppy, Argus, and Hagrid will meet you down there. I also believe that Remus and his lovely map will be present." He paused, waiting as the two professors hurried out.
"Harry, my boy," Dumbledore went on, looking every one of his hundred and fifty-three years. "You already know what I desire of you. I only ask that you take Auror Tonks and Professor Boyd with you now, instead of waiting for them."
The sixth-year turned to look at his mentor, eyes very wide. "I… I'll go to it then." Hesitantly, Harry nodded, resolve hardening under the headmaster's notice as it hadn't been able to earlier.
Dumbledore inclined his head and gave Harry's shoulder another squeeze. "Be safe, my boy," he whispered, leaning down to look in his pupil's eyes. "Be safe, Harry." He had the sudden urge to hold on and never let go.
Unexpectedly, Harry turned completely around, embracing his professor. "I will. I just ask the same of you. Whatever it is you decide," he breathed and held on tightly, "but I really think that you're needed elsewhere." Harry let go and stepped away, belatedly noticing that the others were not-so-subtly watching him.
His gaze drifted to Tonks and Dom. "Ready then?" he questioned softly, not quite meeting their eyes.
The metamorph gave him a half-smile, her hair changing from neon pink to a nondescript brown. "As I'll ever be."
She waltzed out the door without a backwards glance, and the weakly grinning vampire followed in her wake. Harry gave the remaining people one final look before sweeping out himself.
Albus watched them go, exhaling heavily. The two other professors simply and quietly stood behind him, their hands brushing and fingers intertwining.
Dumbledore finally spoke after several heartbeats. "Severus?"
The spy stiffened momentarily. "Yes?"
"You know what to do?" It was more of a question than a statement.
Severus replied with an edged to his voice, "Yes, I'm to protect my Slytherins, maintain my position at all costs. Just as the Dark Lord desires." A sneer tugged at his face, but it disappeared an instant later as he looked at the headmaster. "And what of you, Albus?" the Potions master inquired. "Will you stay?"
The old man bowed his head, the twinkle in his eyes completely gone. "Yes. Yes, I will. I am needed here."
"That may be, but you're also needed at the Ministry, Albus," Minerva put in fiercely. "You know that he will there. No one but you can stand up to him." She gestured with her free hand.
He half-turned around. "I am staying," Dumbledore responded emphatically, a spark of power crossing his face.
"And what will happen if he goes unopposed there, Albus?" the deputy headmistress shot back fervently and not even a hard squeeze to her hand could make her take a calmer tone. "They won't be strong enough to stand against him. He'll simply waltz through the entire department, killing all in his path."
The Slytherin Head of House inserted, "We are more than strong enough here. The Aurors are just awaiting orders to appear, and all the upper-years are assisting us. You have to go," the dark man urged.
"You have seen how many we are up against," Dumbledore returned, eyes flashing again. "No, I am needed here."
Minerva all but growled, "No, you're needed there more." There was a sudden shrewd expression on her face. "If this is about Harry… well, he understands. You heard what he said. He all but begged you to go."
The headmaster stiffened completely. "This is not just about Harry--"
"No," the Potions master cut in heatedly, "I think it is, but it's not just him we are fighting for."
Albus was poised to respond, but Severus kept going.
"And no, this is not about my dislike of the boy either. It's about doing all that we can right now, and for you, that is going to the Ministry. It will do us no good to overprotect the school, while the Dark Lord gains the Gate or some other powerful artifact."
Dumbledore stared at him, entire face hard. From his perch, the previously silent Fawkes gave a chirp of complete agreement, startling the headmaster out of any retort.
Albus finally replied, "Fine, I'll go." He slumped slightly. However, he was recovered within a minute; all signs of weakness now gone. "Just keep everything in one piece until I return."
He held his arm up, and the phoenix flew to him. The pair disappeared in a burst of flame.
"Don't we always," Minerva whispered to the Potions master just after the headmaster had left.
Severus didn't reply.
Hogwarts, The Grounds:The Same Day
A short time later, Harry was walking across the grounds. Like the other upper-years, DA members, and teachers, he was moving into position, waiting for the Death Eaters to attack. Luna was next to him with Hermione and Ginny a few steps further to the right. Neville was a good distance away, walking proudly with Draco, despite the odd looks the other Slytherins were giving them. Dominic, Severus, Minerva, and the other teachers were spread out at intervals throughout the assembled group. Tonks was toward the far side, on opposite ends with Bill and Molly Weasley, who had just arrived.
The reborn Salazar inhaled slowly, trying to stem the ever rising tide of dread within him. He absentmindedly noticed the recently full moon, the only reason Remus was down in the dungeons, guarding the younger students and observing the battle via the Marauder's Map. Unconsciously, Harry clenched and then unclenched one hand, while twirling his wand with his other. But a hand on his elbow soon halted the action.
"Calm down, love," his girlfriend ordered, tugging him to a full stop. "Worrying like this does us no good. I know that you're… nervous," she said, carefully deciding her word choice, "but you still need to be calm."
The Ravenclaw flicked her wand, layering a Disillusionment charm together with a Chameleon one and a final spell before crouching low to the ground. The blonde approvingly noticed that Ginny and Hermione, as well as all those nearby, had done the same. Just as they were supposed to.
"I know that, but why did it have to be those… things?" Harry whispered back heatedly. "Why did Tom have to pick that? You know how I loath the blasted things. I'd take anything over them. Probably even Dementors." He gave an involuntary tremble before spelling himself unnoticeable, adding his second spell, and lowering to the ground as well.
Luna blinked, not entirely certain what to say. "I'm not sure," she finally murmured, "but do try to be calm. I know that you've bad memories of them, but we have to do this." She nodded with determination, lips set in a line. "We can do this. And if anything goes wrong, we can use the Gate to contact the others, summon reinforcements," the blonde whispered very softly.
This was certainly true. The Gate and its derivatives could be used to communicate with each other, though they hadn't really used them before like that. They hadn't needed to.
"I know," he responded, nerves beginning to ebb. "I just… you know how I feel about them, about the--"
Whatever Harry was about to say was lost as he received a spike of warning both from Hogwarts and the amulet around his neck. His eyes instantly flickered around, seeing nothing more than the faint outline of several dozen Disillusioned people, before flicking in front of him to the gates of the school. What he saw caused a shudder of disgust to go through him, his inside freezing entirely, in spite of Luna's warm hand on his arm. He trembled violently, squeezing his eyes shut and wishing for all he was worth that this was just a nightmare, that it wasn't really happening.
It was a sentiment shared by all those around him.
A formless shadow moved toward the castle, the twilight not enough to give it a definite shape. Nevertheless, everyone gathered already knew what it was, and the thought alone terrified most of them.
No less than a hundred putrid, foul, disgusting Inferi with their Death Eater escort were approaching the gates of the castle. And they would be there within less than a minute.
There was a surge of magic as Hogwarts' wards desperately fought to keep the Inferi out, but there were so very many of them. Additionally, Dolohov, or at least that is who Harry assumed it was, removed something from his robes and flung it at the wards. The reborn Slytherin heard Hogwarts growl and then moan as the object connected. Whatever it was, the object was certainly powerful, and it caused the wards to suddenly become visible. Dolohov nodded to himself before removing a vial and rubbing an unknown substance on first himself and then spelling it onto each of the Inferi and his companions.
Harry understood in an instant.
Blood! The Death Eaters were sprinkling blood on themselves. More specifically, Tom's blood! He was a Founder's heir, a child of the Hogwarts. She had to let him in, and by proxy, all those who carried part of him with them. It was a temporary fix without him physically present; the magic of it would last for only minutes at best, but it was more than enough time.
His task done, Dolohov simply stepped up to the wards and rested his hand on it. He seemed to grunt with pleasure as his limb passed inside with little effort, and he stepped through, wading across the protections like one would a stream. The Inferi followed him in mass. And the castle was forced to let them in, lest her entire system of outside protections go down.
The line of them crossed the invisible boundary of the wards and kept coming. They staggered over the dying grasses of Hogwarts' grounds, paying no mind and focusing only on their assigned task. Several moments of heart-wrenching agony for Harry later, and the things were moving into the desired position.
The teenager felt a wave of emotion through Gate, and it was show time.
Without pause, Dominic rose from his spot in the very front, just a faint outline of a Disillusioned person. Hogwarts gathered her magic, gifting it to the vampire, and he lifted his wand above his head. Harry didn't need to hear the incantation to know what it was, not that there was even a whisper of it anyway.
'LuciferaAeternus.'
And the ever darkening twilight suddenly became day.
The vampire's allies blinked at the sudden brilliance but were otherwise unaffected due to the counters they had earlier cast on themselves. On the other hand, the Inferi shrieked painfully but only faltered a little, unlike the Founders had hoped. Apparently, Tom had come up with some way of protecting his little creatures from what should be a major weakness, and it was a loss his opponents were already feeling. A single Death Eater soon realized the spell that had been cast, and he scrambled to perform the counter, first spelling himself and then on his fellows.
Unfortunately, despite enabling the students and professors to see clearly, Dom's magical pulse did have a rather adverse side effect. It cancelled all the Concealment charms on not only him but all those around. Suddenly, where there had been an unobstructed path to the castle, there was now a variable gauntlet of people.
The Death Eaters were not pleased by this little fact either, and they made their displeasure know by send several Killing curses at the vampire in the hopes that his death would end the enchantment. Luckily, the Defense professor dodged out of the way, moving back to his allies and becoming lost in the sea of them.
Meanwhile, the Inferi kept moving forward, despite their creators' distraction. They inched closer to the students, receiving a wave of curses, hexes, and jinxes for their efforts. Harry briefly wondered if Tom had completely removed all their weakness, debating if they would still succumb to fire as they were supposed to. If worst came to worst, there were only two other real ways to disable an Inferi. The first was to use some form of energy or blessed magic, like Phoenix Tears. The second was to separate the creature's head from its body, most likely destroying the foul beast entirely and leaving it little more than stray parts.
Giving a whispered prayer, he cast a Flame hex, which connected beautifully, lighting an abomination up like a torch. But an unexpected thing happened in that moment. As one, over half of the Inferi turned and made a beeline for him, completely ignoring the other spells that were thinning their numbers.
The reborn Salazar had a sinking feeling, which only seemed to grow as he darted to the side and the things continued to follow him, still paying no mind to anything else. He wasn't sure how it was done, but somehow, the Inferi were keyed to his magical signature. The moment he had cast his first spell, they had locked on, and they would now follow him to the ends of the earth.
It had to be Tom's doing, but there was nothing Harry could do about it at the moment. And it wasn't like he could stop casting either. Even if he did, they would still follow him since they were focused on him entirely now to the exclusion of all else. Yet, he quickly cast a modified runic shield around himself, hoping the magic would successfully muddle his signature at least a little.
Afterwards, Harry growled to himself, sending out a quick Blasting curse followed by two Reductors and several fire curses. All of his spells scored direct hits, and he silently praised the now missing Luna for forcing him to work on his accuracy. He steeled himself as he noticed an Inferi far smaller than the others he had previously seen, and the teenager gritted his teeth as he sent a Conflagration jinx at it. The reborn Salazar couldn't help but tremble as the thing shrieked like the child it had once been before completely burning up.
Harry barely had a moment to catch his breath before he was set upon by four more of the things. Two of them were particularly fat, vaguely reminding him of Vernon and Dudley. This time, however, they were far more vocal than the ones he had fought previously. They insisted upon muttering to him about whatever random things crossed their broken minds, their dead gazes seeking his own, even as he obliterated them.
Five minutes later, and Harry was almost entirely surrounded. By this point, he was absolutely certain that his early assumption was correct; the atrocities were seeking him out personally. It was as if Tom had to know exactly how Harry felt about them, and the Dark Lord had made them zero in on the teenager's location just to spite him. Everywhere he turned, they were there, groaning, inching ever closer to him. There were no other students or teachers within sight. There was no tell-tale streak of vivid Weasley red or Malfoy platinum-blond, not even the glossy black of the Potions master. It was like they had simply vanished, their forms blotted out by the undead.
The reborn Slytherin couldn't help but shiver violently, even as he cursed two more into oblivion. They were everywhere. All around him, and Harry was suffocating. He couldn't breath. All he could taste was their foulness. All he could see was them, crushing down on him, and he fought the urge to shout at the glimpse of a particularly familiar seeming one.
Put simply, Harry Potter was afraid. He was surrounded by a seething mass of monsters with no help in sight. He shivered despite himself but somehow managed to keep his wand steady.
Dementors might have been Harry's greatest fear, but Inferi were Salazar's. Their putrid, frozen faces terrified him in a way that nothing else had even been able to, not even Voldemort. And he was beginning to feel the effects of his horror. He was so caught up in his own terror that he couldn't even concentrate enough to magic himself away, something well within the realm of reality for one of Hogwarts' beloved Founders.
And Harry couldn't helpful but be stricken with the irony of it all. He was the same age he had been when he'd faced Inferi the first time as Salazar, when he had been completely overrun by them and Godric had been forced to save him, almost losing his own life in the process. Harry could still remember it, could feel their rotting hands on him in his sleep at times, and the teenager knew in that moment that he would spend the next few months reliving the entire bloody experience in his nightmares.
If he survived, that is.
But things were different now. He was all alone; no one alive in sight. There was no Godric Gryffindor to save him now, to come charging through in a blaze of glory. There was no brother to rush to his rescue or to comfort him afterwards, put him back together again. He was all alone now, lost in a sea of the undead.
His growing horror only fueling his desire to be free, Harry cursed several more, almost jumping out of his skin as one snuck up behind him. The hulking monster actually managed to touch him, grasp his arm before he destroyed it. The Inferi moved closer, encircling him even more completely, despite his best efforts. For every one he blasted, another immediately took its place. The Founder was hit with a wave of despair, even as he used the Gate to mentally call for assistance.
But he knew that help would come far too late.
Not knowing what else to do, Harry tapped into the Phoenix Gate's other abilities. It was a dangerous thing given the situation and the probability of discovery, but he had little other choice. Nonetheless, even with the extra time on his hands, the Founder still found himself in an ever increasing swarm of Inferi.
'Incendio.'
He nailed one in its chest. The thing screamed as it was incinerated by the fire, its cries ringing in his ears.
'Luciferum Sagitto.'
He shot a spell out of his wand, the light arrow hitting an old woman Inferi and destroying her and three others nearby in a wave of energy. The last thing he saw of them was their accusing eyes as they faded from existence.
'Prometheum.'
A wave of molten flame sped out from him, clearing out a wide area in front, but it was quickly filled as more of the abominations filled in. Harry was truly starting to become desperate as he cast the spell again, yielding the same results. He panted from exertion and the drain of his magic but continued casting as the Inferi kept coming. The teenager sent another mental call for help through the Gate, but no one seemed to be listening. Even Hogwarts was ignoring him, her attention focused elsewhere.
He was almost swaying on his feet now, receiving a burst of energy from the Gate to steady him. Harry straightened and went on with his fighting, but he briefly wondered if he was only delaying the inevitable. He would give just about anything to have Godric here with him now.
It truly was ironic, fateful almost. Ironic that he had survived so much. Dark Lords, insane professors, enraged Basilisks, the Killing Curse itself. Harry had survived so very much, only to die now. He was going to die after he had finally found what he had spent his entire lifetime searching for. Again with the irony, the paradox of who had saved him previously being the same person who would destroy him now.
Fate truly hated him.
A large Inferi grabbed him from behind, and he let out an involuntary scream as it wrapped its rotting arms around him. He snapped his mouth shut a second later, destroying the thing easily enough with a Fire rune drawn with its own still seeping blood. Inside, however, his mind was still reeling, still shrieking for all he was worth as two more bore down on him. He felt the Gate warm up underneath his robe as he stumbled and was nearly trampled before he fought his way back up. The amulet all but burned beneath his robe, seeking help for him when there was none. And filled with frustration, it started to scream with him.
Not too far away, Draco blasted a single Inferi with a Flame hex, utterly destroying it with the force of his spell. He quickly took down three more in the same manner before pausing to look around. He had heard Harry's call through his phoenix pinion but had no idea where his green-eyed friend was. The blond had lost track of most of his companions sometime earlier, including Neville. He wasn't entirely sure how that had happened, though he blamed it on all the blasted Invisibility and Notice-Me-Not charms.
Who had come up with crazy the idea to spell themselves unnoticeable to confuse the Death Eaters? And which idiot had said it would be better to battle them here instead of in the castle?
Oh, right. It was him.
His eyes darted around, seeing Millicent stun a lone Death Eater who had been separated from his Inferi guard. Meanwhile, Blaise and Theo took down the man's companions, who had hurried over to help. Draco rushed through the frenzy and searched again, this time finding Dom moving to assist Seamus and Dean from a particular nasty batch of the abominations. The Prefect noted Hermione and Ginny dueling a pair of Death Eaters nearby with Luna quickly going to intercept. Even further on, Tonks and Bill Weasley took on two more wizards, while the redhead's mother and Trelawney quickly healed a shaken but mostly alive Anthony Goldstein.
Something odd tugged at Draco thoughts in that moment, and a suspicion formed in his mind. The Slytherin came to a sudden and startling epiphany as he whirled all around. There were almost no Inferi in his line of sight, an odd thing considering there were at least a hundred of the Maker-forsaken things. Regardless, he mostly saw Death Eaters and very few, if any, Inferi. He only counted five… Well, zero after Dom was finished. Still, it was not nearly as many as there should be.
Draco belatedly recognized the reason why.
It seem as though all the things were clustered to the far right, moving in a streaming horde and all but climbing over each other in their excitement. There were no visible students over there and the castle was in the opposite direction, so the blond couldn't fathom why the Inferi were behaving that way. It was almost like something had attracted them to that particular area.
Oddly, Draco noted his Head of House run full out directly to the center of the swarm. Severus blasted several Inferi out of his path as he went, but their fellows didn't seem to notice. They were too involved with their confusing task for his presence to even register. Further, there was another cloaked figure darting towards them from the opposite side, but he or she was too far away for Draco to make out who it was.
A sinking sense of dread in his belly, the Slytherin Prefect was about to follow after his Head of House when a strangled cry to his left caught his attention, and his head whipped around. Ginny's friend Athena was locked in a duel with a particularly vicious Death Eater. The masked person shot a stream of acid at the girl, who luckily managed to roll out of the way, making the most of her DA training. Still, before the Gryffindor could recover, the Death Eater was already upon her again. The person shot out a Bone-Shattering curse, which nicked the Gryffindor in the shoulder. She screamed and dropped to her knees, only to earn Cruciatus for her efforts.
The fifth-year was losing. Losing rather badly, the blond noted as he dashed to her, seeing her take a Percussion jinx full in the face.
Then, there was a halo of green light around the Death Eater's wand.
Without thinking, Draco wordlessly summoned the Gryffindor to him, and the Killing curse thankfully missed her. He stepped between the Death Eater and Athena, blatantly sneering. He loathed those who harmed innocents, especially ones who were too weak to do so without first covering their face with a mask. Draco arrogantly stared into the Death Eater's face, the eyes the only visible part of them. However, Draco couldn't help but freeze as he recognized them.
After all, they belonged to his mother.
Sic Semper Proditoris: Thus Always to Traitors. Actually, my Latin is more than a bit shaky, so I am not sure if this is correct.
LuciferaAeternus: Eternal Day. Non-verbal. A light spell over a large area that blinds all save the caster. It has specific counters that can be cast ahead of time to make someone immune or after the fact to remove the effects on a target person or area.
Luciferum Sagitto: Arrow of Light. Non-verbal. Shoots an arrow of pure energy at the target. An exceptionally powerful spell, which can break through almost any shield, both physical and magical.
Prometheum: Advanced Flame hex. Non-verbal. Capable of setting fire to anything, water and ice included. It grows as it advances through the air, reaching a maximum length of between 20 to 40 meters.
AN: We're slowly but surely working to the climax. I hope that everyone enjoys the ride.
Things to think about: Now that Nott is dead, what will happen with his group? What will happen to poor Harry? Will Severus, or anyone else for that matter, make it to him in enough time? Will Dumbledore fight Tom again? Who will win the duel between Draco and Narcissa?
To everyone who reviewed: Thanks.
Special thanks to Our Catholic Faith (online) for the Latin translation.
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Here, There be Monsters, Part Two
Ever Hopeful,
Azar
Updated and Edited:
06/26/08
