OLD MAGIC

Chapter 37: The Gangs All Here

Using a little known exit near the dungeon, Snape slipped outside the castle. He shivered a bit in the coolness and quickly cast a heat spell. He had exited on a side of the castle most wouldn't know about, feeling extra caution was warranted. This part of the castle grounds faced the lake with few windows looking out so he felt reasonably confident he wouldn't be spotted. Hurrying across the lawn, he skirted the edge of the lake then disappeared into the Forbidden Forest.

Once he was within the thick darkness provided by the numerous trees, where even the moonlight failed to penetrate, Snape made a small light with his wand. It didn't cast much illumination but this was where his "special difference" provided an additional assistance. With eyes nearly as sharp as Wine's, Snape was able to navigate through the stygian darkness of the forest with fair ease. With this ability and the surefootedness of a hunting cat, the potion's instructor headed for the rendezvous point at a quick pace.

In very little time, he arrived at the edge of the clearing where Voldemort had set his trap. He might have startled the others with his near silent approach if not for Wine's more keener senses detecting him. The kneazle yowled a soft warning to those waiting around him. Only moments later, the professor appeared, like a shadow, at the edge of the clearing, only his face visible from his wand's light. Pale like a disembodied lantern.

"I trust yeu had an untroubled journey here, Professer?" Hagrid's voice rumbled softly from somewhere across the clearing.

Snape flashed a small but grim half-smile in the half giant's direction. "Yes. For once the students were too tired to make a nuisance of themselves."

"That be a good thing, tonight of all nights," Hagrid agreed, relief in his tone. "Come around to us, avoid the center."

After casting the dead "unicorn" leaning against the hoary old oak tree a disgusted look, Snape tracked Hagrid's voice to the far left side of the clearing. His abilities allowed him to see through the unicorn's disguise and though he'd only seen a Bicorne once during his training in potions (horrible creatures he never wanted to encounter again), it angered him to see what Voldemort had done to it. Nothing should suffer like that.

Joining Hagrid, Snape looked around and noted they were surrounded by the entire herd of centaurs that lived in this forest. Their strong musk filled the area and for such large creatures, they made no sound as they stood like statues waiting for orders. Despite their scent, they melded well with their surroundings which was why they were hard to find or see by ordinary people or even wizards.

Standing nearby and on other sides of the centaurs and half-giants were many other forest dwellers.

Quite the turn out, Snape thought. Hope we won't need them all.

The centaurs opened their ranks and one of the oldest half-giants he'd ever seen approached him. Snape couldn't help but be struck by the sheer presence of the creature.

"This be Elder Jason, head of the Elder Council," Hagrid formally introduced.

Snape eyed the half-giant with respect and caution. Jason stood at least two heads taller than Hagrid. His face was deeply lined with eyes that seemed to glow from even deeper sockets. He wondered fleetingly what color they might be. The generous mouth possessed full lips and, surprisingly, smile lines creasing either side of the mouth and eyes. Jason's ears were large and hairy, sticking out either side of his head that was crowned with a mane of silver and white, thick hair, neatly trimmed and banded at the forehead by a silver and feathered headpiece. No beard graced the huge chin. Which was a surprise as he seemed to recall the mixed breed of giants prided themselves on their huge, long beards. But this one seemed to like a cleaner face. And a fierce face it was. Though Snape sensed a much gentler soul resided in that huge body. Not that the half-giant wasn't able or willing to do terrible things when pressed to it. Snape could clearly see the evidence of a formidable warrior by how well Jason kept his body trim and well muscled. And by the feel of the rough palms and fingertips that showed sword callous' when they shook hands. It wouldn't surprise Snape if the half-giant had lived and fought during the Goblin Wars, albeit most likely towards the end of them.

Nodding his head respectfully, Snape said, "I've heard much about you, sir. It is an honor to finally meet you."

"And I you, Professor Snape," Elder Jason said, his warm tenor a far cry from the harsh voices normal giants had. "I'm aware of what your part has been in this benighted war and what you've sacrificed to gather the intelligence needed to end it. You have more to gain if this night's work is successful, yes?"

Snape was surprised at the perceptiveness of this Elder. He had not thought anyone on the council had kept track of him that closely. It was obvious Jason was fully aware of what Snape had to do to get into Voldemort's camp. "Everyone gains, sir but, yes, it will be a relief to have that gone as well."

Jason smiled a little and gently patted Snape on the shoulder. "And I hope we succeed for that to happen."

Snape found himself returning the smile. Jason was an easy person to be around and that was rare for the potion's master to admit.

The smile disappeared from Jason's face as he turned his attention to the group at large waiting silently around him. Besides the centaurs, there was the entire Elder Council, which was made up of other half-giants, dwarfs, Fae and other lesser known creatures of the forest. The first time the council had ever come together in many centuries and for such a momentous and dire purpose.

"As all know, we're here to end the evil that has plagued our world for years now. For the spell to work, we must all focus clearly on what we want it to accomplish ..." For the next twenty minutes, Jason made sure all were conversant with the spell they were attempting and answered any questions before turning the briefing over to Hagrid for that worthy to cover other areas of this mission.

Snape had been impressed with the workmanship that went into this deadly little spell. He fervently hoped it was never needed again for it was a fearsome thing. Just saying it sent the tiny hairs on his body to rise and made his skin tingle unpleasantly. If this doesn't kill that thing, I don't know what else will, he mused, worriedly.

Hagrid quickly briefed everyone on the defenses he'd put into place around this clearing to ensure Voldemort didn't try to escape it alive.

"First, I've had Acromantula babies guard the outer circle to delay Voldemort should he somehow manage to escape his fate while, outside their circle, be all the others with sword and magic as an extra circle of precaution. Of course, we're all hoping those precautions aren't necessary if the spell works as it's supposed to.

Everyone nodded and shook their fists in the air in agreement, none dared to utter a sound as the enemy was due very soon.

Snape spoke up quickly before all moved into their positions. "I too have prepared some special spells and potions if they are needed. Where would you like me to be so I might be effective if it comes to that?"

"Thank you, professor for your foresight. I think up that tree yonder would be best. We don't want old Voldie to get a whiff of you, do we?" Hagrid said, a cold smile briefly lighting his lips.

Raising his eyebrows at the thought of being up a tree, Snape wasn't as sanguine to the idea at all. "I may look like a crow at times but I assure you Hagrid, a tree climber, I am not."

Hagrid shrugged. "You wanted the best position, soir … a tree is it."

Snaped sighed and rolled his eyes. "Very well. Which tree?"

With a gasp of surprise, he suddenly found himself in the undignified position of being astride a massive branch that hung over the clearing, affording him an amazing view of the trap zone. "A little warning would have been appreciated," he muttered, caustically from his precarious perch. A flash of a wicked smile from Hagrid was his only answer.

Making himself as comfortable and as invisible to those on the ground as he could, Snape prepared himself. He pulled from various hidden pockets of his robe, bottles which he carefully cached in the branches near at hand. With wand in hand, he was ready for whatever came this night.

"To our positions now," Jason commanded the others, giving Snape a quick salute before vanishing from view himself.

The rest spread out, vanishing just as effectively until there was no sign or sound of their presence. Silence fell and the waiting began around the cooling corpse of the poor Bicorne.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Snape would have been upset to learn their enemy had used the very same exit he had to leave the castle. It was fate and luck alone that the potion's master had managed to depart before Quirrell had decided to do the same or things would have gotten nasty.

Once outside, the possessed professor hurried across the lawn and under the trees but remained close. Raising arms upward, nimble fingers swiftly removed the turban hiding the ghostly face of evil. Turning his back to the castle, Quirrell allowed his master to watch for their target. Feral eyes stared with hot anticipation as he waited staring at the main doors of Hogwarts. Very soon a small, cloaked figure slipped through to the outside and headed for the forest. Smirking with glee, the evil creature ordered his minion to move. Anguished and unhappy, Voldemort's slave ghosted quickly after then past it's quarry without the boy seeing him as he needed to be at the trap site ahead of Harry Potter.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Minutes earlier ...

Nervous and worried, Harry managed to reach the main doors to the outside without being spotted (or so he thought). It had been a nerve-wracking trip trying to avoid the handful of still awake classmates, wandering ghosts, and Filch with his cat (that had been close since the man had chosen just then to pass by the Gryffindor dorms) and Professor McGonagall (why was she out this late?). At least, he hadn't managed to run into Professor Quirrell. Hopefully, that evil thing had already left ahead of him. Wouldn't be much of a trap if he was still inside. Harry snorted. Not likely. He wanted Harry too badly to make such a mistake.

It was chilly outside but Harry didn't want to bother with a heat charm and quickly ran toward to the forest. He wanted this over as soon as possible.

We have to succeed! I don't want to think what could happen if we fail.

Reaching the forest's edge, Harry paused to look back at the castle longingly before turning back to the darkness ahead of him. Unfortunately, he didn't have Snape or Wine's eyesight so he was forced to whisper a spell to his wand that caused it to illuminate his path. Taking a deep breath and letting it out, he plunged into the darkness.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Draco was afraid and extremely unhappy. When he returned to the dorms after speaking with his Godfather, he was met with an uproar of voices all competing to talk at the same time. Because of the excitement no one saw him enter from outside. He slipped further into the common room then sidled next to one of his classmates, Ted Nott.

"Oy Nott, what's the to do about?"

Nott turned to frown at him. "Where have you been?"

Draco shrugged. "The loo."

"Oh, well Zambini ran in with a bit of gossip he heard in the library. An injured unicorn has been seen not far into the forest. Some of these blokes want to go see it and maybe collect some of its blood and horn. You know unicorns have a lot of uses ..." Nott said enthusiastically.

Draco allowed a frown to crease his face as he interrupted the boy, "Well yes they do but who would be mad enough to want to go out into the forest at night?"

Nott snorted, giving Draco a disgusted look. "Can't go any other time that a teacher wouldn't stop us. What, you a coward?"

"No," Draco snapped, anger making his pale face glow red. "But I'm also not stupid enough to risk being killed by those damnable Acromantulas and other dangerous things roaming the woods at night."

The other boy blinked at that retort and thought about it a moment before shrugging the concern off. "Yea there's that but don't think they'll come around when there's many of us. I've been told by my da that most of the creatures in the woods don't like us much and prefer to stay away."

"That's barmy! Those Spiders aren't afraid of us. They attacked Professor Snape and aurors when he was kidnapped. They love how we taste. That's just stupid talk," Draco said it sarcastically. He happened to know Nott senior wasn't the smartest tool in the shed and he wouldn't want to take any advice from the fool.

Nott's face reddened with anger and he brought a fist up to shake in Draco's face. "My da says it's safe enough and he's just as smart or smarter than your da."

Before Draco could find a way to get out of a fight with the angry boy, others interrupted with a shove and yank of Nott's sleeve as a small group of equally not so bright boys headed toward the door.

"Come on, Teddy. We're going to find us a unicorn!" Crabbe said, excitedly, pushing the other boy out the door ahead of him.

Surprisingly, the painting didn't raise the alarm. Draco had to believe someone had somehow managed to silence it. This was soo not good!

"Hey, lay off, Crabbe. I can get there on my own, thank you very much," Nott snarled affronted, pulling away from the bigger boy. He halted, lowered his voice and looked around. "And keep it down you idiots. Don't want the prefects to hear us." The others heeded his warning and shut up. They moved single file, keeping close to the wall, as they hurried down the corridor.

Aw Brillant! I've got to find a way to stop or delay them somehow, Draco thought frantically. They could ruin whatever Severus and Harry have going on out there. With fear for his friend and Godfather dogging his heels, Draco raced after the fools.

The small group halted short of the main corridor. Shushing each other, they listened hard for either Filch or prefect roaming the halls for ones just like themselves illegally out after curfew. Seeing and hearing no one, the group raced the short distance to the main doors, slipping out as quick as they could. Soon the gaggle of students were making for the forest in a rush of flying feet, a frightened and worried loner running in their wake