Behold, another wonderful installment of PotDS!
So, many of you may have heard the unfortunate news that Disney has chosen to destroy the continuity of the EU (Expanded Universe, all books, games, comics etc.) of Star Wars, which is causing a big stir... one might logically fear that this is even the end of all novelization of the Star Wars Galaxy forever... Without getting into heated and unnecessary argument, I see this as an unnecessary move on the part of Disney... the prequels were more or less integrated into the fandom with no lasting issues... unfortunately that means that what they plan to do might be earthshaking to said continuity if it was to remain intact... like killing Luke or something equally devastating... Needless to say I personally am choosing to ignore that wipe all of continuity and basically tell Disney to suck it, as they may have the rights to LucasFilm, but they do not have the right to dictate what is or is not part of Star Wars in my mind. This being said, I still plan to watch the new movies, but with a jaded sense of caution...
Anyway, Review please, and if you want to continue this discussion, by all means do so...
Chapter Thirteen
The Nature of Darkness
"You summoned me, Headmaster?" Severus said as Albus beckoned him entrance into his study. Albus had indeed called for him, and politely informed Severus of that fact, before customarily offering him both a seat and a lemon drop. The Potions Master refused both, naturally, but remained where he was, silently demanding reasoning for his presence.
"Severus," Albus began, mulling over his thoughts and carefully ordering his words. "Harry has been back in this castle for a week, I trust you've had some time to observe his movements and actions."
The young Professor thought for a moment, as if weighting options, then seemed to give in to speaking his mind, "I have, Headmaster, and I had hoped to come with proof for my insights, but as you request them now, I have grievous suspicions from what I have felt in Potter's magic. In speaking to him to ascertain the location of his guardian I discovered that Potter's magical signature is drastically similar to the Dark Lords…"
Albus stared at Severus, contemplating the possibilities, each one more devastating then the last, "are you sure of this Severus?" was all he could manage.
Severus frowned, seeming to know that this was going to be Albus' response. "I am sure of my feelings," he said, but added, "I am not able to prove it however, and I am sure you will want that kind of proof before directly confronting the boy about it."
"Yes, that is the only correct course of action," Albus said, turning away to gaze at some of his silvery instruments, still locked deep in despairing speculation. "We must be extra vigilant then… if you would Severus, leave me a copy of the memory, and you may go…"
Severus obeyed, and Albus was left alone with his thoughts. Summoning his personal pensive, Albus immediately poured in the memory and began to review it. The less than ideal discussion between Severus and Harry played out. Albus could find nothing concrete in Harry's behavior or language to give rise to anything amiss, just a student in Slytherin engaging in a game of words.
Turning away from the desk completely, Albus paced the room, trying to organize his thoughts of what may be happening in his school as the memory continued to play, looping over and over in the basin. Albus was strongly suspecting that Harry's scar had a role to play in this somewhere, but he couldn't place it. Understanding that mark on the boy's head was the key. Suddenly, Albus' attention was drawn back to the pensive, as he heard the voice of Harry speak, "My… guardian… is often away while I am at school…"
Albus forced the memory to replay, listening carefully, his curiosity peaked by the tiny pause that Harry had given to referring to his guardian. Over and over, through the select few that Albus had of the boy, the clue was there in plain sight. Not once did Harry ever refer to Lord Blackmoore in any affectionate way, only coldness and according to some, even outright hatred.
A clue it indeed was, but unfortunately, it only added questions and not answers. But, Albus had a road to travel. Pulling a quill from his desk, he quickly started a letter, addressed to Lord Blackmoore. It may turn out to be a long shot, Albus mused, but it couldn't hurt to try and make contact with the mysterious aristocrat and see the environment that Harry was raised in.
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"I have been looking forward to this," Veneficus said absently to Anguis as they entered their private training room on the seventh floor. The room seemed to be exactly the way they had left it the previous term. The large torch lit room was lined with shelves of books ranging all topics found within the castle, save for the one door on at the far side, where Veneficus would go to be alone with Darth Zeemar's Holocron. In the middle was a large sunken dueling ring, the pit level lined with the stone fighting statues that Veneficus had grown rather fond of testing his martial prowess against.
When the door shut completely, Veneficus cast aside his satchel and outermost cloak, leaping into the pit with the aid of the Force and a look of primeval sadistic glee spreading across his face. The snap hiss of his new weapons was music in his ears, and the grinding and crunching of the golems coming to life to attack him sent the adrenaline rushing behind his ears.
Battle is what the Sith lived for. The constant strengthening and challenge caused by conflict. The Sith Lord danced between several golems, hacking slashing both limbs and weapons, and sending sparks flying as his blade gouged deep cuts into the rune covered stone. Normal foes or even droids would have been torn asunder from the force of the blows, but these living statues were, apparently, designed to resist such forms of attack, making them perfect for Veneficus to hone his skill with the duel weapons.
Veneficus lost track of time as he fought, consumed in the fervor of combat. He spun, struck, kicked, parried and attacked with both the Force and his sabers. Finally, the last of the golems crumbled into rubble, leaving Veneficus sweating and covered in soot and grim, yet energized and ready for more. Returning one of his sabers to his wrist mounts concealed in his robes, Veneficus turned to Anguis, who had been watching with inane curiosity as the golems fell one by one to his master.
Calling the blond boy down to him, Veneficus indicated for him to activate his own lightsaber, before settling into the ready stance of Shii-cho. Anguis copied him, unease in his eyes at what they were about to begin as he settled his crimson blade across his Lord's. The young Force adept had clearly not had time to go over his lightsaber sequences and knew it.
A pity for him, as Veneficus was not going to ease up on their Velocities just because he could not practice. They began, Anguis launching into the slow beginning sequence that traditionalized the first form. Strike to head, each leg in turn, each arm and back to head. Veneficus blocked, before responding just as slowly at the same locations. Anguis was concerned, but managed to remember and block each strike as it came.
They exchanged a few rounds of blows this way, before it came time for them to increase the speed of their attacks and blocks. Again and again they exchanged strikes, it becoming almost a rhythm of clashes and whirrs of the two energy blades. But then Veneficus changed the game.
Altering his attack, he swung for Anguis lower torso instead of the boys head, and grinned when Anguis altered his block out of instinct. Relishing the look of fright on the boy's face, Veneficus attacked. Randomizing his strikes, but keeping to the set of moves customary with Shii-cho, Veneficus edged around Anguis and pressed the boy's defenses.
"C'mon, attack! Fight back coward!" Veneficus taunted, driving Anguis toward the side of the pit. Enraged, Anguis complied, lashing out with the Force, throwing Veneficus back several steps. Charging, and aided in speed by his rage, Anguis rained blows upon Veneficus defense, but they were sloppy and unsynced, easily fended off.
Sidestepping a vicious downward slash, the Sith Lord kicked his student, knocking the boy to the ground. "Careless…" he sneered, "How disappointing…"
But Anguis had only just begun, it seemed. The boy whirled around, throwing his saber at Veneficus' neck. The whirling blade came in at an angle that Veneficus had to roll to the side to dodge, just for the weapon to be pulled back to the blonde boy's hand.
'Perhaps not so disappointing,' Veneficus thought, smirking. But the game was growing tiresome, and the Sith Lord had other things to be getting on with. Activating his second saber, Veneficus connected them together with a dull snapping sound. Anguis grimaced at the formidable weapon.
Launching himself forward with the Force, Veneficus closed distance rapidly. Slashes and stabs came at remarkable speed, slowly overwhelming Anguis' constant parries. Finally, it was over, catching the boy's blade Veneficus spun, flipping their weapons over their heads, and wrenching the saber from his student to send it flying across the room. Anguis made to pull it back again, but a blast of Sith Lightning crumpled him. A second and third blast was all that were needed to take what fight remained out of him.
Anguis lay there, panting in agonized rage, unable to control his muscle spasms rendering him helpless for the moment. Sabers stowed away, Veneficus knelt next to his servant, in a stance mocking all that was caring and merciful.
"You have fought well today, Lord Anguis." He cooed menacingly, slowly wiping the blonde's hair from his eyes. The boy glared at him, still unable to move. Standing, Veneficus retrieved his satchel, and removed the scrolls on Niman he had been given on Dromund Kaas, dropping it beside Anguis, "when you recover, study these. From what I observed, it will benefit you greatly to learn this lightsaber style."
Anguis said nothing, and Veneficus left him there. The boy would recover, and if he had any sense he would do as his master told him to. The Force was the best tool that Anguis had, his saber only to back it up. Niman would allow him to easily work attacks through the Force into his sequences, making him an unpredictable duelist. Not a match for Veneficus, but strong enough for the Sith Lord's uses.
The door to Veneficus separate chamber hissed shut, sealing him from his servant. Hands trembling with eagerness, he carried Darth Zeemar's Holocron to the waiting pedestal and activated the ancient device. The Pureblood Sith Lord glanced harshly at Veneficus as he lowered his hood. "It had been some time, apprentice, since you last came to me…"
"But come I have now." Veneficus replied, giving no excuse or show of weakness. "What must I accomplish now to grow in the Dark Side?"
The ancient Sith regarded him for a moment before replying, "You have grown ready of an ancient Sith ritual, one which will expand you capabilities in all aspects. Increases mentally, physically and in the Force…" Zeemar went on to explain what was needed for the ritual, and Veneficus frowned at the complexity and varied implements and tools he would need. Firstly, and probably hardest in this castle was to find a place that had the taint of evil to begin with. Unless he created one, and that would cause no small stir in the staff, he would have to spend much time locating such a place.
The special basin and ritual knife his master had, but the last requirement was a sacrifice. The sacrifice of a sentient being, a Jedi was traditional naturally, but the ritual wasn't specific for that. Then there was the incantation itself, spoken in the ancient Sith language, which had to be recited perfectly or it was useless, or worse, fatal.
"I will take time to gather these components my Lord," Veneficus admitted to the gatekeeper, know nodded his understanding, "Do what must be done Lord Veneficus."
For the meantime, the Ancient Lord of the Sphere of Knowledge shared information and philosophy on several Dark Side abilities, and the creation of amulets and other trinkets that could amplify ones connection to the Dark Side. He mentioned that the majority of these were well documented in the records he saved from Kaan's unworthy brotherhood.
"Am I worthy to locate these lost secrets Lord?" Veneficus asked pointedly, eager to add to the large library of the Sith Masters.
Zeemar considered him with blood red eyes, "Soon, but not as of yet. You must grow more powerful with the Dark Side before you can bypass the guardians I set on the vaults…"
Veneficus nodded eager to continue, but the hour was late, very late as a check of the time indicated. Summoning the Holocron and shutting it down, Veneficus left the room heavy in thought. Anguis was long gone, the scroll on Niman as well, so the boy had presumable taken it for personal study. 'Good,' Veneficus thought as he descended the stairs on his way to the dungeons.
He was must passing the third floor landing, when he heard something out of place, a chilling voice echoing out of the walls.
"Come… Come to me… Let me rip you… Let me tear you… Let me kill you…"
Veneficus paused, straining to hear the voice again. He reached out with the Force, but sensed nothing in his immediate surroundings. Whatever the voice had been, it had gone. It wouldn't do to go chasing after it in this night however, when he was deprived of all energy and wanted nothing more than to rest. Cautiously, not wanting to be caught unawares, Veneficus continued his decent to the dungeon common room.
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Master Coven had few options left to her. Unable to persuade the Jedi High Council that there was a growing power in the Dark Side, she had one ally left to turn to. Alone in her private chamber, the Jennet Grand Master activated her temple transceiver to the offshoot sect of the Jedi operating under their Lord on Corellia.
Soon, the blue shimmering form of the tall human appeared. "You called for me, Master Coven?" he asked.
"Lord Berethon," Coven replied, bowing slightly, "I wish my message for you came under lighter circumstances, but I must ask if you or any of your Corellian Jedi have sensed an underlying darkness permeating the Force?"
The aged Jedi Lord stroked his beard in thought, "I couldn't say that I myself have, but I cannot speak for those under my command. What would we be looking for, and why does it concern those outside the Coruscant Temple?" the question was pointed; borderline accusatory, but the Jennet Grand Master ignored it.
"I fear that there's something building, out in the wide galaxy, something that threatens us all, a possible remnant of the ancient Sith order, or something of comparable strength in the Dark Side…" Fae started, but Lord Berethon's booming laugh cut her off.
"I thought Lord Farfalla gave his life to end that menace once and for all." He said scathingly.
Master Coven's whiskers drooped in disappointment. The Jedi Lord had no interest in anything to do with the mainstream Jedi or their doings. His allegiance was first and foremost for the peoples of Corellia. Her disappointment extended not only to the green jedi, but also the jedi who served the Galaxy under her guidance.
The Jedi Order had not responded kindly to the remnants of the Jedi Lordships after the end of the Ruusan Campaign, demanding their complete disbandment. Needless to say the well established forces of the Jedi Lords, including the Green Jedi of Corellia, did not take it kindly.
"I see, Lord Berethon…" Fae said finally, "If any of your members have felt anything, feel free to contact me. This darkness I have felt may be nothing, but also may run deeper than we imagine…"
"We shall see…" the Jedi Lord responded, before cutting the communication.
Master Coven sighed, having had hoped that communicating with the Jedi Lord would have been better, but the tension simply ran too deep. Exiting her chambers, Fae Coven made her way to the Room of a Thousand Fountains, hoping some meditation would help her focus on the tasks at hand.
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Anguis was frustrated. It had been nearly a month since Lord Veneficus had given him the texts for the new style of combat, and other than occasional pointers called at him as the Sith passed into his private room he had had little to no instruction or guidance. If anything Anguis should have been thankful, less attention meant less punishment, but if he failed from lack of direction he would be punished all the more.
The black haired Darksider had filled his time with taking extra lessons with both Professor Flitwick and McGonagall, learning spells and other coursework for up towards fourth and fifth year and O.W.L. requirements. It was ridiculous that the professors even agreed, but they simply caved to the Sith Lord when he asked for private lessons when they had free time. Anguis deeply suspected that Veneficus must have used the Force to make them assist him.
And whenever he wasn't pushing his studies magically, Veneficus had barricaded himself in his private room beyond the training room they had found on the seventh floor, doing who knew what. Anguis wasn't fool enough to try and find out.
Right now however, the young Sith Lord was pulled away by the Slytherin team to practice, which allowed Anguis time to escape the madness of training and studies. Lounging in the common room, the blonde Force user did one of the few things he still enjoyed after having his eyes opened to the wider scheme of things, observe those around him passively, and absorb the information that was in plain sight.
Around him, the morning after breakfast bustle of the common room held full sway. Anguis sank into the Force, allowing it to magnify his senses and simply allowed the ebb and flow of activity around the room to waft over him. Myriads of conversation swirled around the room. The Carrow twins by the fireplace, working on pranking some Hufflepuffs, Crabbe and Goyle eating in the dorm, again… Terence Higgs, former Slytherin seeker talking glumly with Urquhart about Quidditch, both wallowing in their unrequited desire to play.
Tracey Davis, Millicent Bulstrode and Daphne Greengrass were gossiping in the corner, ripping apart all the other non Slytherin girls in their year. That left Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott, close to the entrance and talking in hushed whispers. Anguis heard a snatch of his old name, and suddenly focused intently on their conversation, blocking out everything else.
"…raco and Potter?" Zabini was just finishing asking Nott when Anguis zeroed in on their conversation alone.
Nott voice was quaking violently as he stuttered "I…I can't tell you Blaise… you know I…"
But what Blaise knew, Anguis didn't find out, as another body plopped down beside him while he was distracted, and broke his concentration. "Oh Draco, you've been gone so long, I missed you…" gushed Pansy Parkinson, throwing her arms around the Force Adept and giggling in sickening delight.
Anguis sighed, normally he would have simply indulged the childish wants from Pansy, but that was when he was Draco Malfoy, simply minded spoiled child from the wizarding aristocracy. But the biggest side effect of his transformation into Lord Anguis, much that had been Draco Malfoy had lost the charm that it had before, and he now wanted nothing more than to be away from the nosy gossip and learn exactly what dear Theo was discussing with Blaise.
"I'm not in the mood today Pansy, I just want to relax right not…" Pansy pouted, jutting out her already prominent lips. The Sith Adept mentally shook his head at why his father would have ever considered this family as a worthy alliance by marriage for them.
"But Draky…" Pansy protested, but the stating of Anguis childhood nickname pushed one button too many.
"Things aren't the same as they used to be," he snarled angrily, standing quickly. "I am not who I was, I have my own life now, not as your plaything!" Anguis didn't understand half of what he was saying, but thoughts and words seemed to flow out of him, giving shape to the anger and rage that had built up over the month at his master.
Pansy looked like she would cry. Somehow, deep inside of Anguis, it hurt him to see you like that, but everywhere else within he roared for joy, someone else to feel his pain. "Wh-what are you saying?" she said, tears forming in her eyes.
"You heard me," Anguis said, turning to depart, but Pansy caught him by the wrist, positively fuming as he shrieked for the whole room to hear, "It's him, isn't it Draco! You don't love me anymore! How could you betray your family like that?"
Seizing the offending hand, Anguis pried it off of him, "You have no idea what you're saying. Be silent, your making a scene." And indeed they were, as now the entire room was staring in perfect silence at Pansy and him.
But she wouldn't stop, practically bawling as she ran for her dormitory, leaving Anguis in the middle of the scrutinizing gaze of Slytherin House. Anguis left swiftly before his anger overflowed to something he would have a hard time explaining, not only to his godfather but to his Master as well.
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Darth Millennial stood in the shadows of the Ministry of Magic's Atrium, awaiting the arrival of Lucius Malfoy, so they could discuss last minute details before his evaluation for the Board of Hogwarts Governors. With the title of Lord Ravenclaw, the Sith Lord had a right to a seat, however with the adaptation of the wizarding government in the ages since the school's founding, a majority vote was still required for appointment. It boiled down to the fact that Millennial did not have to go through the lengthy nomination process.
A nearby Floo flared, spitting out the blonde wizard, who turned with a stoic mask to the corner where Millennial lay shrouded from others by the Dark Side, and approached.
"Ah, Lord Blackmoore…" he drawled, offering his hand to the Sith, "the governors are all assembled. Your appointment should be one of the first items up for discussion when the meeting begins." Lucius smiled, then gestured toward the back of the atrium and lead the way. They bypassed a deck where other witches and wizards were checking their wands in for identification, but the pureblood blonde simply ignored the stand, and the Sith saw no reason to bring up the lack of a wand in his possession by complying either.
"What of the other positions, on the Wizengamot and International Confederation of Wizards…" Millennial said in a hushed tone as they weaved through the crowd thronging the atrium.
"In due time my friend," Malfoy said dismissively as they neared the elevators, "the nominations for those are still in process, we could only rush this one because I am already on the board, and therefore could move the agenda along quite nicely."
The elevator clinked downward as a pitifully slow pace, passing several floors and swapping passengers along the way. In passing the level housing the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, a goblin looked as though to enter the elevator, but stopped mid step, staring directly at the Sith Lord. But before anything could be said or done, the doors closed and the lift continued on its way until the voice chimed that the level was the Department of Magical Education.
The Hogwart's Board of Governors met in a spacious room with row after row of extra seating, presumable for families and other people eager to listen to the goings on of the prestigious school, but for now only eleven of the main twelve seats were filled. Millennial took a seat closest to the front, while Lucius joined his fellow board members.
The board consisted of twelve different mildly prominent members of Wizarding society, six wizards and six witches. Purebloods dominated the Board, but there were a handful that was half blood or less, according to Lucius Malfoy.
Their intended target, Elphias Doge, an elderly wizard who Lucius had informed Millennial was an avid ally to Dumbledore, was growing quite old, and the vote in question was to decide whether the man was too old to continue serving. Lucius had promised the Sith Lord that he had rigged the vote by bribing several key members to remove the man and put Millennial in his place, thus replacing a known enemy with an ally. 'Shrewd tactics,' Millennial thought.
The meeting began, rather boringly, and Millennial felt no need to pay close attention until the vote began. Slipping into the Force while keeping up a mask of attentive interest, the Lord of the Sith gazed into the beyond.
Voices from the members of the board seemed to waft past, sinking into the background, and the entire scene would have as well, had something very interesting not occurred. An elderly woman complained about a draft in the building, requesting someone to close the door, and with a wave of his wand, Lucius complied. That's when Millennial sensed it. Tiny, well hidden in the middle of the seeming impossibility, there was an immeasurable disturbance of the Force.
Intrigued, Millennial probed deeper, testing and nudging the ambient magic of the building around them with the Force. His findings were most fascinating. It was there, the Force. The wizards were using the Force, but in a way so foreign to Millennial that he doubted that he would be capable of neither learning it himself, nor they the manner that the Sith and Jedi used the Force. It seemed, as impossible as it sounded, as if their magic was another, separate branch of the Force.
Brought out of his revelation by the mention of his assumed title, Millennial refocus back on the proceedings before him, suddenly very much wanting to be away from here to study out the notion he had come across.
"We will now come to the vote of the release of Elphias Doge, and the appointment of Lord Alexandre Blackmoore-Ravenclaw to our Board…" Lucius said, muttering rippling from the other eleven members, signals firing from groups of alliances that Millennial picked up on immediately. After several debates, a few delaying tactic and a full blown argument that lasted over an hour, Lucius finally gained control to put the matter to a vote.
It was a narrow one to one split down the middle, those who were friends of Doge voting to keep him, while those in Lucius' pocket voting to instate Millennial. But in the end, the power of gold in someone's pocket did its work.
"Congratulations Lord Blackmoore," Doge said, standing from his former position, glaring sideways at Lucius, "I hope you make a better impression on the youth of the wizarding world than I was allowed to…"
Millennial nodded, before rising to take the elderly wizard's seat. The remainder of the meeting was more mundane business, and Lucius soon called for a dismissal of the Board until their next meeting. Malfoy and the Sith Lord left the Ministry deeply pleased with the outcome of their respective plans.
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Halloween, also know in the ancient history of the magical world as Samhain. Veneficus had learned about this important night to the wizarding community from his private studies with Professor Flitwick, the small half-goblin wizard speaking quite in depth of the strange occurrences and powerful fluctuations of magic that happened during four pivotal times of the sun's rotation. He had come across the knowledge when the diminutive wizard had casually mentioned it after a Charms class, which had led to Veneficus requesting for special lessons after school hours, aided by the persuasive power of the Force.
He had learned things about Magic that he had never considered before. The tiny Professor had been a dueling champion for several decades, and urged on by a clever use of persuasion and charm, had taught Veneficus many of his old secrets, on condition that it would be their little secret just in case Flitwick ever chose to come out of retirement. The young Sith had done so well that the Charms Master had gone out of his way to speak with McGonagall, the transfiguration Mistress, and had won a similar situation for Veneficus, private lessons at their mutual convenience.
The combination of as many lessons he could get the two professors to commit to over the course of a month had vastly increased his proficiency with both subjects, as well as giving Veneficus tiny lead-ins to both the Study of Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, which both Professors had highly recommended for Veneficus to study in his future years at Hogwarts. If what they had shown him, combined with his personal study of the two arts were conclusive, he was inclined to agree that they were to be his top two choices, if he wasn't already going to choose any and every scrap of learning that the school was willing to give him. Anything less would not be worthy of a Sith Lord.
The total combined knowledge had led him to the idea he was planning now. Having forsaken the Halloween Feast very early on, he had bolted up to the seventh floor, by passing Anguis when the boy had looked at him questioningly. Turning down the corridor to the secret room, Veneficus calculated in his mind the exact things he would need to prepare for sunset.
Opening the door, Veneficus smirked at the room's refusal to disappoint. Within was not the usual training pit that the Sith had for Anguis' sake, but instead a long open chamber, with a single window low in the far wall. Through it Veneficus could see the sun, slowly falling toward the horizon. The time was approaching quickly. A dais in the center of the room, directly in line with the window contained four small braziers and a single alter. Lying upon the alter was a basin of shimmering clear water, as well as a knife and other tools around it.
Combining the superstition of the Wizards and their reverence of the motions of the sun, with the power of Sith Sorcery that he was learning from Darth Zeemar's Holocron, Veneficus felt confident that he would be able to bolster his power in not only the Force, but with his magical nature as well. The only drawback would be the required sacrifice to enact the raw power of the Dark Side for the ritual. But Darth Veneficus was willing to pay any price that would make him stronger.
Especially when such prices could be… mitigated… by other powers at work… Veneficus grinned widely as he took several of the tools from the alter, a chisel among them, and bent over the dais to begin chipping in the preliminary runes for the Samhain Ritual, but instead of the traditional Celtic, using the ancient symbols of the Pureblood Sith language used the Sorcerers of the Dark Side.
Even with the aid of the Force, the demanded precision of the rune work took far longer than Veneficus would have liked. By the time he was finished the sun was nearly in position, leaving mere minutes before the ritual had to begin or be frustrated. Drawing his secret wand and waving it in complicated Arithmancy patterns Veneficus activated the runes surrounding him, and they glowed with a crimson energy. After vanishing the used and now unneeded tools and lighting the braziers with deep blue fire, the Sith Lord was ready.
Holding the knife up to his wrist over the basin, Veneficus watched the setting sun. When it touched the horizon, he began, knowing that he only had a limited time to complete the ritual. A quick swipe of the blade up and down again sent blood splattering into the basin. Quickly setting the knife aside and moving his arms in slow circles over the alter and chanted the words he had prepared in the ancient language of the Sith Lords.
"Diena anas gimto kia naktis, tikurzi jena'tes valia pradzia. Zo ari iv tave jen' th'visita j'us kia jis, kia tarnas is zo karza priaet irus!"
Shadows grew off all the surfaces of the room as the light of the braziers started to overpower the fading light of the sun, the darkness deepening as the last light stronger than the night left for another year.
"Tave jidai ir tave th'xarnait iv irus, tariam zinot j'us ardytijas."
Veneficus could hear the crackle of the Dark Side as it answered his summons, angered at the thought of the servants of the Light. The bowl of blood started to boil, steam hissing off the surface as the Sith continued his spell.
"fetiz atgal, fetiz kietas, tapti' kia nun ir vi wo tau valia gimti kia sis jenga!"
The crackle and hiss died, replaced with the soothing purr and lure of promised power, and the animate shadow started to manifest into something substantial, a portal to the beyond. Veneficus answered it by stopping his arm movements and blasting the bowl of steaming blood with lightning, injecting his power into the mixture.
"Diena iv nwitsuna irus klazje kia nuyak siuly! Jena'tes valia buti virsuz visa is tave qorit!"
The portal was clear now, dark blues and purples merging into blackness of the world beyond life, the realm of cosmic Force where all things went when they died.
"Ir mes sekleti zinot nw…" Veneficus finished the incantation, satisfied. It the stories were true, he could now use the portal, until the sun fully set, to summon forth one spirit from the dead to answer questions for the living. And he knew exactly who he wished to speak with.
"I call upon the power of the night and the Dark Side of the Force," Veneficus declared, throwing his arms wide. "I summon the Spirit of the Sith Lady Valik Kidank! Come forth!"
Out of the darkness materialized a spirit in response, female in appearance, seeming to be emerging from the portal. Veneficus kept his guard up, just in case. With ancient Force spirits you could never take chances that they wouldn't attack you or attempt to retake physical form through possession.
"Who has summoned me from my imprisonment?" Valik demanded imperiously, glaring down her hooked nose at Veneficus.
"I, Darth Veneficus of the Sith, summon you." Veneficus responded, and being short on time continued quickly, "I follow in the footsteps on the ancient Sith Lord Zeemar, who sought the location of your ancient temple that you secreted vast amounts of artifacts and power away from the empire. The Dark Side has waned, but is now returning, and your lost power is needed to defeat the Jedi once and for all."
The Sith Lady considered Veneficus with cold, calculating eyes for a long moment before speaking, "You seek my knowledge, young Sith? Do you desire to become my apprentice? I can sense the Dark Side already within you… or do you simply want to take my power for yourself?"
Veneficus knew exactly where the Sith Lord was taking the conversation, and chose to play the unwitting youth for her. "I would be honored to learn your knowledge, Master… but the portal will close and you will be lost to me…"
Valik frowned, even then the sun was about to disappear, and she was slowly being pulled back into the portal. "Then you must come to me, in my temple in the Tascollan Nebula, apprentice. Once there you will learn the full meaning of the power of the Dark Side…"
"Of course, master…" Veneficus replied as the Sith woman vanished and the portal closed.
The ritual a success and Darth Zeemar's quest, one that he had mentioned to Veneficus mid lecture, had been given a vital step forward, the Sith Lord cleaned his arm of blood, healed his wound with a quick spell, and departed the room.
But just as he was descending the stairs from the seventh floor to return to the feast, he heard it.
"…rip…tear…kill…"
It was the same voice he had heard earlier that month, echoing out of the walls. Locating the source quickly, Veneficus hurtled along after it, further down the grand staircase.
"…soo hungry…for so long…" it sounded as he passed the fourth floor. Utilizing the Force, and making sure there was no one to see, he leapt from the landing, sailing midair down to the second floor.
"…kill…time to kill…" the voice continued, reverberating from farther away yet. Sprinting with his might, Veneficus struggled to keep up, determined to figure out what he was hearing. It was definitely Parseltongue, but what could be making that loud a sound for him to hear from the top of the castle.
"…I smell blood… I SMELL BLOOD!"
Veneficus paused, the creature was determined to kill, and he was foolishly running toward it like some kind of Jedi. Far more cautiously, the Sith kept his forward momentum, sticking to the shadows and wrapping himself with the Force, finally ending his search in a lone deserted passageway.
Something was shining on the wall of the corridor. Approaching silently, Veneficus read the foot high words, clearly written in blood.
'The Chamber of Secrets had been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware…'
But what was more was the object hanging from the torch like an ominous banner. It was the caretaker's cat, stiff as a board. Veneficus immediately realized that being found here by the cantankerous old man would not end pleasantly for anyone, but the distant rumble of many feet leaving the Great Hall told him it was far too late. Not even the Force would have allowed him to escape the scene as the children of the castle came thundering from all directions on their way back to their common rooms.
Diena anas gimto kia naktis, tikurzi jena'tes valia pradzia : day that fell to night, where darkness will rise.
Zo ari iv tave jen' visita j'us kia jis, kia tarnas is zo karza priaet irus : a lord of the dark calls you to him, to help in a war against light!
Tave jidai ir tave th'xarnait iv irus, tariam zinot j'us ardytijas : the jedi and the servants of light, would have you annihilated.
fetiz atgal, fetiz kietas, tapti' kia nun ir vi wo tau valia gimti kia sis jenga : strike back, strike hard, come to me and as one they will fall to this might!
Diena iv nwitsuna irus klazje kia nuyak siuly! Jena'tes valia buti virsuz visa is tave qorit : day of smallest light listen to my cry! darkness will be above all in the end!
Ir mes sekleti zinot nw… : and we shall have peace…