Chapter VI
As Ron explained his idea to the others, a wave of insight struck them all. It was a descent plan, and quite simply, as Ron would put it, brilliant!
"So, there is it," Ron finished. "So simple, even Malfoy could do it." Draco sneered. "But he's going to have to confront it, to face his fear, since he's the one who brought it here."
Harry nodded. "Malfoy, you're a strong person," he said with an honest smile. "But you're going to have to face your fears. You're going to have to admit, you're not the best at everything."
Draco clenched a fist and his jaw locked, but he knew Potter was right—for once! "Fine, Potter," spitting his name out with vehemence. "But the Specter is much stronger than when I was a kid. And as you've just admitted, I'm a strong wizard," he smiled, adding his own touch, "I'm not sure I can defeat it," he deep breath and let it out, "without help."
"Your malice conjured it, Malfoy," Snape said matter-of-flatly. "Therefore, your acceptance of reality, your imperfect humanity will be its undoing. It may wish to complete an ancient rite, but must be stopped it from achieving its goal. The book is out of its reach right now, buried, but it will come for it again, and you!"
"In revenge," Harry reminded him. "So, you must put it in its place."
"How?" Draco cupped his hips. "It has darker magic. I can't hope to defeat without," —he sighed— "with you at my side." He hated to admit he needed Harry Potter.
Ron's brow rose. "An admission of susceptibility already?" He smiled sarcastically.
"Shut-up, Weasley!" Draco retorted.
"Mr. Weasley, be quiet," Snape concurred. "I would hope that an ability to understand one's own limitations is a sigh of growth and strength, not weakness."
"And there is strength in numbers," Harry said with a nod.
Draco brushed back his angel blond hair, pushing it back all the way off his forehead, as several strains had fallen over his eyes, after the late encounter with the specter. Professor Snape had explained its origin to a vague degree. Still, It was his—Draco's—doing. He beckoned it forth. And he needed to face it head on, if he was going to stop its plans, and go forward.
He had outgrown it, and now, like a child who wanted to branch out on their own from under the thumb of their parents, he wanted to spread his own wings and fly, without it.
Draco whisked around, and called out, "Specter! Come face me! I order you!"
The others stood back, and just then, an owl came out of nowhere, and landed on the branch of a tree. It looked down at the group, and Draco looked up at it. It spread its wings, and then transformed into a human being, and into a duplicate of Draco Malfoy.
It smiled at him with a malevolence, and a pair of glowing, red eyes. "Well, you've finally grown a backbone," he said. It tilted its head to gaze behind Draco. "Your allies have shown their worth. And Harry Potter is with you now, foes with friends, in one's time of need, I see."
Draco felt tense and scared, but he pushed his fear deep down. He knew if he failed in his attempt to tame this entity, Potter—the very thought enraged him—would finish the job. "Face me, now! I summoned you to help me train to be better than everyone else, but now your presence here is no longer required, nor will your hidden agenda succeed."
The specter turned back. "I used you as a conduit, Malfoy, because your emotions were vital to me, and they still are, but I will not have you, nor your friends, stop His second coming!"
Draco suddenly attacked. His wand was up with lightning speed and he hit his doppleganger in the chest. The other had not expected it, and was suddenly thrown back. Draco smiled, he had distracted the specter with his own emotions, fuelling his mind with distraction, so it would not predict what was coming. He had finally come to realize, the specter's weakness. Now it was time to manipulate It, instead of It using him.
The fake Malfoy had landed on his back. It blinked, it looked up, and shook his head in surprise. "I honestly didn't see that coming." It returned to his feet without injury, jumping up like a gymnast. "You've learned a new trick, Malfoy, and so quickly, too. I'm impressed."
Draco quickly cast another spell, but the specter was ready. It jumped inhumanly high, and landed, then crouched like an animal on a sturdy branch of the same tree of that the owl. "You can't fool me again," it said. "And you power is no match for mine!"
The specter then stood straight up and elevated its arms, in godly fashion, and spoke in an unknown language, bringing forth an unknown ability, and electrifying its finger tips. It extended his arms forward, and shot lightning bolts outward, and struck Malfoy directly, throwing him back with violent force. Malfoy rolled, bounced, and his clothes seem to sizzle on him.
"Draco!"
Snape turned and retaliated, his wand out, but the entity was prepared, and launched another barrage at Snape, sending him back with equal force.
Draco moaned, but it was still conscious.
Harry and Ron came to his side. "Malfoy, are you okay?" It was Ron.
Ron tried to help him up, but Draco pushed his hand away, and summoned an inner strength to get to his knees, then to his feet. He wobbled, but stood on his own. "Don't touch me!"
Ron and Harry stepped back.
Draco was angry. This was normally when he would run away. He was said to be coward when he was faced with confrontation. But he knew he needed to fight back. And he did. He still had his wand, and he cast a spell of such quick and suddenness, that the specter was, truly, not expecting it, his emotions so heated, so white hot.
Draco managed to also, dig, quickly, with his magic, another sink hole, and the specter landed within. It was dig, and narrow, like a water well.
Draco then walked forward and looked down it.
The specter looked up with a mocking smile. It said, "Impressive, but useless…" It extended his arms and it started to ascend, and soared to level ground. It had such unusual magical ability, with an intelligence to match. "He will ascend, and you cannot stop Him. And He will bring forth the utter destruction of your schools!"
Just then, Harry and Ron joined it, and the specter was hit with a barrage of magic, knocking it back down, with surprise—landing with a heavy thump. Draco quickly buried the entity under mounds of earth and dirt, using his magic in quick succession.
Snape returned to his feet, feeling his head. "Good work, but it won't be hindered for long," the teacher said. "It can't be destroyed. And now that it knows it can no longer control you, Draco, you much seal it away, back to whence it came from. Your magic is powerful, boy."
Draco beamed a bashful smile. "Thank you, sir. But how can I push it back to its dimension?"
Snape thought for a moment. "By calling out its true name," he said. "Once you have spoken it, like any other malevolent spirit, only then will it lose its hold on you. Your fear if lessening. Disappointing your father even your jealousy towards others who appear stronger and more attune with their gifts is what it feeds upon. You're not perfect. Remember that. You may never be able to rid yourself of these feelings, but you can learn to control them."
Harry smiled. "You're good, Malfoy," he said sincerely. "And I'm saying this from the heart. We may be rivals, but I'd be happy to work with you any time, on any project." He gestured to Ron. "Together, there's nothing we can't achieve. And that means defeating this thing!"
Harry extended a hand to Malfoy. Draco hesitated, but then clasped it, with an understanding smile. "Let's do this, Potter. I will not be the instigator to the end of the world!"
To be continued...
