Chapter 14
"Harry and Daphne," Sirius said. "Well Pup, your first girlfriend, I'm so proud."
"Shut it," Harry grumbled.
"So, when is the wedding?" Lilith said with a grin. "You're my only son, I want plenty of time to plan it."
"Mum," harry groaned blushing. "Not you to."
"Son," Sirius said. "It's every parents job to give our child a hard time when they start dating."
Harry grumbled to himself, staring down at the floor. Lilith decided to take pity on him.
"Do you know what the second task is?"
Harry pulled the golden egg from his pocket and showed it to his Mother. "According to the clue, they're going to take something from me and hide it beneath the lake."
Lilith shook her head. "More like someone," she explained.
Harry stared at her. "What?"
"They're going to take someone to place beneath the lake. You'll have to retrieve them in an hour."
"And if I don't?"
"I don't think anything will happen," Lilith said.
"You don't think?"
"Correct," Lilith said. "I don't think. I could be wrong. I'd try to get whoever is taken back before the hour is up if I were you."
"Who will they take?" Sirius asked.
"Daphne probably," Lilith said.
Harry jerked. "Why didn't you say that first?"
"Lilith shrugged. "Don't worry, we'll make sure she's safe." She held up a hand. "Don't think about breaking up with her. It wouldn't do any good. She's the only friend you've made here, so it's only natural they'd pick her."
"Son," Sirius said. "Don't get side tract. "Can you breathe under water?"
Harry shook his head. "I'm good at glamour, but shape-shifting that extensive is beyond my reach."
Sirius glanced at Lilith. "I thought Old Ones were omnipotent?"
"No," Lilith said. "There are certain laws that we cannot overcome. Case in point, we cannot revive the dead, we can't alter our gender, and we can't travel through space.
"But other than that?" Sirius asked.
"Normally, we can't travel to other worlds. However, I was able to modify the vail in the ministry to allow that. That's how Bellatrix got that fae blood."
"So, why don't we just leave this world?" Harry asked. "We could go to a different world one where we are more accepted."
"Because this is our home," Lilith said. I will find another dimension for us to travel to if necessary, but I will not be driven from my world."
"Before we decide on that," Harry said. "How can I breathe under water?"
"Gillyweed is your best bet," Sirius said. "I'll order some."
"Thanks," Harry said.
"No problem," Sirius said.
Lilith stared off into space for several moments, her expression distant.
"Lil?" Sirius asked. "What is it?"
Lilith shook her head. "I have a feeling," she said.
"What sort of feeling?" Harry asked.
"The feeling that this will all be over soon."
"And you think it has something to do with the second task?" Harry asked.
"Oh yes," Lilith said. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a silver disk on a chain. "Give this to Daphne the day of the task."
Harry took the neckless. "What is it?"
"It's a Portkey," Lilith said. "Once Daphne is placed under the water, the spell will activate. It will teleport her to the dock if you haven't retrieved her in an hour."
"Why do I need this?" Harry asked.
"I don't know," Lilith said. "I just have a feeling that it is needed."
Harry frowned. "Based on your previous comment, it's almost like you think that I won't complete the task."
"I think Voldemort is going to do something in this task. I don't know what, but he's going to act."
"But Voldemort doesn't have a body," Sirius said. "He's powerless at the moment, even assuming he's still alive."
Lilith shook her head. "I've taken down several Death Eaters over the past few months. Usually, when a Wizard dies, their magic disperses into the environment around them. This didn't happen to those Death Eaters."
"What does that imply?" Sirius said.
"It implies that their magic is going somewhere else. Considering that Death Eaters have a bond to Voldemort through their Dark Mark, we can assume that he is absorbing their magic."
"So, by killing the Death Eaters we're making him stronger?" Harry asked.
"Essentially, yes," Lilith said.
"If he does kidnap Harry during the second task, we need to make sure we take him out then."
"Why?" Lilith asked.
"Because if we don't, he could set himself up as some kind of wizarding god to the remaining Purebloods."
"But almost all of his followers are gone," Harry said.
"In England," Sirius pointed out. "He could still gain followers from other parts of Europe. He might even be able to find followers in the Americas. Just because an Ocean separates us, that doesn't mean that he couldn't find aid there."
"But we don't know what to expect," Harry said.
"No, we don't," Sirius said. "It'd be best to try and plan for the worst. Hopefully, he doesn't have any followers left, but we need to check and make sure all of them are gone."
Lilith nodded to herself. "I didn't want to do this, but there's one way to insure all his followers are dealt with."
"And that is?"
"If I can get a hold of someone with a Dark Mark, I can absorb their life-force and through them, the life-force of every remaining Death Eater."
"But we don't have access to another Death Eater," Harry said.
"Yes, we do," Lilith said. "We still have one left alive."
Harry looked confused for a few moments before his eyes widened in understanding. "Dumbledore isn't going to like this."
"What?" Sirius asked.
"We don't have a choice," Lilith said. "Whether he's sorry or not, that doesn't matter. He's still a Death Eater and he's our best bet for taking out Voldemort."
"Who?" Sirius asked.
"Karkaroff," Harry said.
**HPS**
Dumbledore sat behind his desk, staring ahead dazedly. How could they? He'd trusted them.
Madam Pomfrey's scan had revealed the presence of a compulsion charm. The question was whose charm was it? Had he been foolish to trust Lilith? Had she compelled him to trust her?
If she had, she must have been very subtle when casting the spell. And yet… Why would an Old One need something as basic as a compulsion charm? Lilith had proven to have the power to make people believe what she wanted them to. Why would she use a spell that could so easily be broken?
He fingered the silver disk etched with runes he wore under his robes. He hated to rely on a protection so basic, but if his mental shields could be compromised, he needed to be sure he was protected.
He drew the Elder wand from his robes and ran his fingers along the wood. Would it be enough to stop Lilith? Could he afford to trust her if there was the slightest possibility that she'd been the one to cast the spell? She'd already taken the wand from him once. She could easily do so again. He tugged at his beard in frustration. Why couldn't things ever be easy. Holding up the wand, he gripped it in both hands. Every time he touched this stick, he could feel the darkness in the wand. He didn't know if it was alive, but after finding out he'd been compelled, he didn't know if he wanted anything else influencing his mind. Reaching down, he tapped a hidden drawer in the side of his desk. It slid open, revealing a short staff laying on a bed of silk inside.
The staff was barely a foot long carved from ironwood. Dumbledore placed the Elder wand in the drawer and picked up the staff. As his fingers touched the wood, warmth spread through him. Blue flames flickered in the emerald imbedded in the end of the staff. He sighed in relief as he closed the drawer.
It had been over fifty years since he'd held this tool. It felt good to hold it once again. It was keyed to his blood so no one could take it from him. He hefted the staff. It was heavier than his wand, but it was more reliable than the Deathstick.
"I hope this is enough," he murmured. He flicked the staff and watched as a light burst to life at the tip. It was slightly harder for fine control. He would need time to adjust to using it once again. Fortunately, he had time to accustom himself with staff's use again.
**HPS**
Lucius entered his study and closed the door firmly behind him. With a flick of his wand, he locked it before turning to the statue in the corner.
"Milord?" he called.
Color flushed through the stone as the statue opened its eyes. "What news do you have Lucius?" it whispered.
"Dumbledore has found the compulsion charm."
"Good," Voldemort hissed.
"Milord?" Lucius looked confused. "Why is this good?"
"Because," Voldemort said. "Dumbledore barely trusted Lilith. Now he will be unsure. They can't stop us if they don't work together."
"Everything else is in place. The Merfolk have agreed to work with us."
"Good," Voldemort said. "And you have the magic necessary? It will take a sufficient amount to restore me after the enchantment is broken."
"Do not worry," Lucius said. "Everything is in place.
Double check," Voldemort hissed. "We can leave nothing to chance."
"As you wish master," Lucius said.
**HPS**
"You're sure?" Harry asked his Mother.
"It's got to be her. It's the only thing that makes sense."
"That's just perfect," Harry grumbled.
"Don't worry," Lilith assured him. "We'll keep her safe."
"How," Harry said. "She's going to be beneath the bloody lake."
"I can place protections on her. They'll hold until she's brought back to Hogwarts."
"Not back to the surface," Sirius asked.
"No," Lilith said. "Too many things can go wrong if I leave them in place only if she's returned to the surface of the lake. I don't know much about the merfolk and I'll not endanger Daphne unnecessarily."
"I suppose I should tell her," Harry said.
"That would be the polite thing to do yes," Lilith said.
**HPS**
"So, let me get this straight," Daphne began. "You have to retrieve a person from beneath the lake within an hour or you're disqualified. Since you and I went to the Yule Ball together, I'm going to be your Hostage. Is that about right?"
"That's about right," Harry said.
"Our ministry is insane," Daphne said.
"Or Negligent," Harry said. "Take your pick."
"Perhaps they're both," Daphne groused. She leaned back against the wall.
"You don't have to do this," Harry said. "I'm sure if you contacted your parents…"
"Dumbledore would probably just do it anyway. Remember, he's pretty powerful and well connected. He is pretty much untouchable politically speaking.
"But your family are no slouches in the political arena."
"We're not connected enough to go up against Dumbledore," Daphne said solemnly. She kissed him gently. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Your Mum will keep me safe."
"How can you be so sure," Harry said.
"Because the Merfolk have no reason to harm me," Daphne said. "I'm not a vela."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"The Veela and the Merfolk have been in a sort of cold war for centuries. Don't ask why, I really don't know. The exact details of the conflict were kept in the vela and Merfolk clans."
"Does the Ministry know about that?"
"They should," Daphne said. "It's not like it's obscure knowledge."
"Should we warn Fleur? She looks like she's part Veela."
"If she's figured out the task, she should be well aware of the situation. Besides, you really haven't had anything to do with the other champions. They might think it suspicious if you start trying to be helpful now."
"Good point," Harry said.
"Come on," Daphne said grabbing his hand.
"Where are we going," Harry said.
Daphne winked at him. "There's a broom closet I want to show you."
**HPS**
Voldemort waited impatiently in this shell he'd constructed for himself. It was true he had his own little pocket dimension for himself, but it just wasn't the same as being alive. He couldn't wait to stride through the world again, but first, he needed to take care of the boy and his Mother.
He'd felt the deaths of his followers over the years. With each death, a little of his strength returned to him. He was glad he'd woven that particular rune into the dark mark. With his Death Eaters magic flowing through his soul, he had been able to exert some influence on the outside world. Still, he wished he had his followers back. The only followers left to him were Wormtail and Lucius Malfoy. Neither of these inspired a great amount of confidence.
Wormtail was a coward only serving him out of fear and a belief that Voldemort would protect him. At least he could trust wormtail.
Lucius was a different matter altogether. The man was ambitious and wanted all the power and influence for himself. Perhaps, after his return, it would be time to arrange an accident for the Malfoy Lord.
Settling down in a chair, Voldemort waited. Soon he would be restored and his reign would truly begin.
