I'm so happy to announce that I've perfected my system to make sure that both my mainline stories have adequate attention for new chapters and updates! With that wonderfulness to push me along, please relax, read and review (always review) the next segment! Enjoy...
Chapter Twenty Two
Motivation
Anguis had never seen as many wondrous things as were in the Dark Force temple of Dromund Kaas, from the many tomes and artifacts of the Dark Side, down to the smallest thing as datapad that held troves of knowledge within a tiny space. He understood immediately that he was making a strange scene to those who knew these things intimately, but he did not care. These things were new to him, and he intended to explore them until they were just as natural for him to see and use as his wand and broomstick were.
Veneficus was off on his own projects, something to do with gathering robots, or droids as they were called he had learned, and other items to take back to Hogwarts after the end of the summer, as well as something else that he hadn't shared the details about. Anguis wasn't worried about it however, as he felt strongly that as with the Chamber of Secrets months prior, he would be told everything he needed to know when the time was right.
Therefore Anguis contented himself to pouring over every tome and scroll that he could get his hands on, and was written in a form that he could read, absorbing information faster and with more clarity than anything he had ever studied in Hogwarts. He mused that it had something to do with the value he placed on the material. Potions and charms simply weren't as big a priority as Lightsaber techniques or Force philosophy. Perhaps it had something to do with the latter being more life and death than the former, or that it was a bigger and more expansive part of his life now.
The library door slid open, and Anguis glanced up to see Septin Aranis, the other young man that had joined himself, Veneficus, and the older Zhar Quelmok from earth. Anguis had an odd feeling about the other boy, despite their similar ages. The boy was too open, too… kind, to be one of the Darksiders. Yet everyone tolerated his presence as if he was no different.
Maybe Anguis was just growing paranoid, he wasn't certain. Septin crossed over to him with a small grin. "Enjoying the wonders of the wider Galaxy?" he asked genuinely.
Anguis eyed him for a moment, before smoothing his features and returning the grin, "Very much so, yes."
Pulling a chair from across the room, Septin joined Anguis at the small table, pulling several of the pages of notes that the blond was writing, a combination of magical concepts that matched several things in the Force that he had read about. "Your world seems so simple at first," Septin said casually, still reading the notes, "Yet when one looks into it closer, it's more like our Galaxy as a whole than any other world I've ever set foot on."
"Even when it comes to magic and the Force?" Anguis countered, pointedly looking at Septin, who paused at the immediately and direct comment.
"Yes," he responded after a moment of silence.
"What do you want," Anguis said, setting the scroll he was holding gingerly on the table and turning his full attention to Septin, who was starting to squirm a bit in partially concealed nerves. After a moment of gathering his courage, the boy opened his mouth to answer.
"Ah, there you two are."
And immediately snapped it shut as Veneficus entered the library, walking straight up to them both, with a dark grin on his face. Quickly he glanced over the assembled tomes and scrolls, before turning to Anguis, "Time for you to have a practical training session. We can't have you spending all you time in this dusty and forgotten place…" Veneficus said with a small smile at his own humor. Anguis rose and started to follow, when his master paused at the doorway, "Septin, your presence is also requested. My acolyte needs a sparring partner."
The other boy flinched, not expecting the invitation, and rose shakily to follow them out back to the busier portions of the temple complex. The massive, spacious training floor was occupied by dozens of different people, or beings as Veneficus referred to assorted aliens and humans, all divided among the different training activities spread out across the wide floor.
Along the walls were massive stone blocks, where different Force user were telekinetically lifting and pushing the carved boulders around, while others were practicing the basic forms and techniques on stationary droids, Anguis was pleased that he remembered that term for the metallic servants. Finally, in the center of the room, a large circle of students were gathered to watch live sparring matches between their fellows.
It was to this circle that Veneficus brought them both, the current combatants stepping aside as the black haired Sith entered their midst. He exchanged quick words with the alien that was overseeing the duels, a large thing with three eyes and meaty hands, before turning back to Anguis and Septin and indicating them to prepare themselves.
Having learned his lesson about wizard robes back on earth, Anguis had dressed simply, opting for the least movement restricting clothing he owned. It had clearly been the right move, as everyone else in the circle was similarly dressed. Activating his weapon after setting it to the lowest setting, Anguis faced off against the taller boy. Strangely, Septin's saber wasn't the same crimson he had seen every other Force user in the temple wielding, but a pale blue. Anguis filed the oddity away to ask Veneficus about in private later.
Settling into his familiar opening stance of Niman, Anguis circled to the left, holding his saber back and pointing down, feigning the openness of a lowered defense, but keeping his free hand extended toward Septin, the Force gathered around him like a whip, ready to strike out if and when the other boy made a move to attack.
Septin, for his part, mirrored Anguis' circling, and keeping his own weapon tight against his body in a purely defensive position. An odd choice for a practitioner of the Dark Side, Anguis mused, but he supposed that even here there were people of all types, so why not a wielder of Soresu. Quickly running what he knew of the form through his mind, Anguis realized that his opponent would not be the aggressor of this fight, meaning if he was to win he had to take on that role himself, and creatively, as brute Force would only play into the defensive form's strategy.
Luckily for the young blond darksider, creativity in battle was one of his strengths.
Abruptly lunging forward, Anguis tested the boy's defenses, withdrawing immediately as Septin's blue blade slashed in a violent parry followed by a counterattack. So he was devious himself. This would be interesting. Anguis smirked, causing Septin to wince slightly. Veneficus was circling them both, speaking in a low voice to the surrounding students, but Anguis was tuning his master out, focused only on the blade in his hands and his opponent.
He lunged again, swinging his saber high, while at the same time crouching on the balls of his feet, then rising swiftly into an upward slash. Septin was forced to drop back to avoid the attacks. Quickly swapping technique, Anguis fell into the rhythmic cycles of Ataru, laying a quick succession of attacks that grew in speed with the more momentum he gained. Septin back away again and again, and Anguis pressed his advance, wary of any attempt the boy made to stop him. but escape seemed to be Septin's desire, and he finally, upon reaching the edge of the ring, sprang high into the air, attempting to flip over Anguis head.
And fell right into the blond's trap. Immediately seizing Septin in midair while his Force shield was lower to allow his jump, Anguis viciously dragged the boy back to the stone floor, slamming him effectively with a powerful crunch that echoed through the chamber. Septin groaned in sudden pain, and as Anguis advanced on him, he sensed the dynamic of the entire room shift, all eyes turning to the center figures.
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Septin rolled onto his side, pain from his sudden impact flaring all over his body. The last thing he had expected was for the blond boy to be a powerful telekinetic. Luckily nothing was broken, but there would be a lot of bruising over the next few days to take care of. Quickly rising to his feet, Septin started backing away from the advancing Anguis, reassessing his strategy. Soresu, despite being his most proficient form, wasn't going to work here, with the blond Anguis working hard to circumnavigate the defensive form's strengths.
Unfortunately, the only other Form that Septin was familiar with was Djem-So, which Zhar had been slowly teaching him during their time on Tiss'sharl. But with the crazed look in Anguis' eye as he prepared another attack, Septin knew that if he didn't break the boy's defenses, he would not win this. Using his fear and desperation to drive him, he plunged into the Force, taking the two handed offensive stance and swinging powerfully at Anguis' torso, powering through the hastily prepared defenses and driving the blond back a half step.
Reinforcing his Force shield to prevent a repeat of the last telekinetic attack, Septin advanced, sweeping his saber in powerful strikes, quickly switching back to the defensive when Anguis spun to the side of avoid his line of strength, dodging to the side when the blond threw a blast of lightning at him.
The continued to battle back and forth, and Septin realized that they were both evenly matched in skill, and briefly he wondered who had taught Anguis his lightsaber forms, guessing it was probably Veneficus himself, as there were limited choices on the distant world who could have taught the boy.
His limbs screaming in agony, Septin forced himself to keep up the attack, not wanting a repeat of the first clash, but his energy was quickly depleting, while Anguis seemed to still have reserves untapped. He switched again, despite not wanting to give up the advantage of being the aggressor, but Soresu's energy conservation was what Septin needed more than ever now.
Centering himself within the Force, Septin sought to drive out the wild emotions that had consumed him during his attack, but immediately Anguis was on top of him, slashing and stabbing, kicking and spinning, trying to do everything in his power to overwhelm Septin's quickly wearying defenses.
But, the consequence of the blond's return to aggressive tactics was finally his undoing. After a complex series of strikes, all redirected and rendered ineffective by the subtle parries of Septin's Soresu, Anguis overreached, attempting to smash down in a combination Djem-So and Juyo hacking slash, leaving his footwork unsettled and open. Septin lightly parried, dropping low and sweeping the unprotected legs out from under Anguis, dropping him hard to the stone floor.
Looming over the falling Darksider, Septin was forced to snap up a hasty defense as the boy launched more bolts of lightning at him, struggling to his feet as he pushed Septin away with the Force. Septin reacted more than anything, slamming a blast of the Force into the boy from the side, knocking him sidelong into a group of surrounding students, who roughly shoved him back toward the center.
A warning sang through the Force, and Septin ducked only just in time to dodge the blond's saber, as it flew through the air at his head, spinning violently. He rolled out of the blades arcing path, only to find the boy pointing one the small wooden wizard wands between his eyes, his free hand catching the saber upon its return.
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Anguis knew he had won. Try as Septin might, he would not be capable of dodging if he cast a spell now, and they both knew this. The surrounding students murmured in confusion, not realizing the weapon that Anguis held, and he sighed, deciding to give a small demonstration.
"Expelliarmus," he said lazily, pushing a large amount of magic through the wand, and blasting Septin off his feet, his lightsaber sailing far past the circle of gathered Darksiders. The boy landed hard for the second time, finally defeated.
The students were stunned into silence, only breaking into excited whispers as Veneficus called an end to the duel, nodding in approval at Anguis, as others roughly lifted Septin to his feet.
Shutting his saber off and stowing his wand, Anguis moved toward the exit, Veneficus engaged with random students and everyone giving him a wide berth of respect. Once out of the room, Anguis started to make his way back to the library to gather his notes, but partway there he felt Septin following. "Shouldn't you be resting, you might have a concussion," he said uncaringly, but the boy continued to determinedly follow him.
"I never got to finish my request," he said hastily, just as they reached the library door. "I was wondering if you'd be willing to help me improve my connection to the Dark Side…" he said sheepishly, and Anguis felt more than he saw the embarrassment in the boy. It explained a lot, Anguis himself having massive difficulty connecting with the Dark Side in the beginning, but from one who was raised with the Force it still felt odd that he had such a mental block with it.
""I suppose we can see what I can advise you with," he said after a moment, piling scrolls and pages into a bag to return to the ship, "But not right now, perhaps a little later on," he added, figuring it best to seek Veneficus' council on this sort of matter. The boy was odd, and he didn't want to get involved with matters that were better left to people like his master, or Zhar Quelmok even, the boy's master.
"Alright," Septin said, smiling again before leaving the room. Anguis smirked as he noticed the slight limp the boy sported from their duel. It was good to know that he wasn't far behind the average duelist in the temple, if he could beat one of their own.
Quickly gathering the last of his things, Anguis set for the ship, hoping to get a few hours of meditation in to focus on what he could have improved in that duel, and then perhaps work on his Force abilities. Apparently there were places to practice with lightning somewhere in the temple, and he was eager to grow stronger in that area of the Force.
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Albus slimed pleasantly as Remus Lupin entered his office. "Ah, Remus, as prompt as ever I see," he said jovially as the brown-haired man approached his desk and took a seat. Albus frowned slightly at Remus' worn appearance. The man had apparently not been able to find suitable employment most recently, if the shabbiness of his clothing was anything to say about it, aside from any, other, recurring issues the man had.
"Good evening Albus, how's Harry been?" the man said almost immediately, which came as no surprise to Albus. Remus had been keenly interested in what was happening in Harry's life since that fateful Halloween, and pestered Albus to no end for scraps of information about the boy, which until recently Albus had never had anything to impart.
"He is doing quite well, on holiday with young Mr. Malfoy right now I believe," Albus said placidly. He had eyewitnesses that had overheard the boy's guardian speaking with Lucius Malfoy about the summer activity, and as Albus didn't take it upon himself to track the boy over the summer, not that the Ministry didn't want tabs kept on Harry year round, he could only presume that they had followed through on their plans.
"So he's happy then?" Remus asked, and Albus nodded, albeit inwardly uncertain of the boy's emotional state. Since roughly the middle of the previous year, Albus had distanced himself from Harry as much as possible, as he felt it was for the best that the boy had as few reasons to be irrationally provoked as possible, especially after the entire scandal about him being blames for opening the Chamber of Secrets by the majority of the school. Heavens knew how much strain that had placed on the young boy, if his few outbursts in Albus' presence were any indication.
Remus relaxed visible, pleased with the information about his best friend's son and last living positive link to his old life before the war with Voldemort. "So you might have wondered why I asked you to come and teach at Hogwarts so abruptly," Albus continued, knowing that he trod on potentially thin ice with how he had just spoke about Harry's wellbeing, but he needed Remus to trust his better judgment in things like this. "But, aside from our constant need of new Defense Against the Dark Art's teachers, and your obvious qualification for the subject, it does have to do somewhat with Harry."
Remus was suddenly all ears, leaning forward in his seat, "Tell me," he said simple, and Albus inwardly smiled. The wolf had become interested, as well as the man. "Harry himself has had a most, unusual childhood. While initially sent away to live in the muggle world, for his safety, something happened where he ended up adopted into a wizarding noble's household."
Albus watched Remus carefully as he spoke about the interesting, and somewhat frightening oddities that occurred since Harry's reintroduction to the wizarding world at large, looking not only at the man's reaction but for any sign that Moony was stirring. The full moon was several weeks away, but the wolf was ever present.
"Now I don't want to alarm you Remus," Albus said gingerly, "because nothing outright dark has happened, nor has Lord Blackmoore shown anything but a respectable front, but from what small things I've noticed, as well as reports from Severus and a few others, I have reasons to suspect that something is happening around or to Harry."
Remus was visible shaking by this point, struggling within himself to contain the wolf's natural instincts, and Albus knew it would be only a small thing to send him into a rage, which was what he wanted to avoid. He needed Moony angry enough to cooperate, but not so angry that he went into blood frenzy. "I need a fresh perspective Remus, someone who was intimately familiar with the Potters and their behavior, to watch over Harry and intervene if anything unsavory is happening without my knowledge."
Remus stood abruptly, ice cold determination in his eyes as he accepted the post. Albus smiled again, "Thank you my dear friend. I know that Lily and James would be more than grateful to know that you are watching over their son in their absence. There are a few details to work out for the beginning of the school year, but we can arrange that by owl, and I'm sure you have preparations for classes to attend to."
Remus nodded, still too angry inside to speak, and made his way to the office door, just as Albus called him back again, "Don't forget to stop by Severus' office in the dungeons on your way out," Albus said, causing the weathered man to look at him in confusion. "I've requested that Severus brew Wolfsbane for you throughout your stay at Hogwarts, and I'm sure that some over the remainder of the summer would be more than helpful for you."
"I…" Remus started to protest, but backed down, wiping moisture from his eyes, "Thank you Albus…" he said quietly, and departed. Albus smiled fully as the door closed, knowing he had just recruited a powerful ally in figuring out the mystery of Harry's odd, somewhat dark behavior.
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In the cold darkness of Azkaban prison, Sirius Orion Black huddled in the corner of his dank cell, trapped mostly within the confines of his own mind for safety from the vile Dementors. The cruel wraiths liked to pass by his block often, drawing shrieks and babblings of insanity from the other prisoners, but never from him. The dark creatures sought to break him, but he would never give in to them. He knew, he still remembered what the truth was, not that any other living soul in magical Britain cared about his innocence or his inner grief.
Noble James and precious Lily, lying dead in their cottage, little baby Harry, screaming in the remains of his nursery with a bloody cut across his head. Over and over again Sirius lived the same events that sent him to live in the hell on earth that was the wizarding prison. But Harry was safe, that was all that mattered. Hagrid has assured him that he would personally take his godson to Dumbledore and from there to a place where Voldemort and his ilk would never touch him. The knowledge that Harry was safe was far more powerful for his sanity than any Patronus, working to shield his mind from the draining despair of the shades of death that floated on the island fortress. It wasn't necessarily a happy thought, but Sirius could be resigned to his future doom by the knowledge that his godson was happy and healthy.
Struggling to think, Sirius calculated that Harry would be attending Hogwarts now, safely inside the school that held many memories, directly under Dumbledore's influence. The old man would protect the boy, and with the monster known as Voldemort gone, all would work out.
Sirius was startled out of his thoughts when the room started to warm, the unnatural chill of the Dementors retreating as human voices approached. 'Ah,' he remembered sarcastically, 'must be time for the Minister's inspection of the facilities.'
Sure enough, pudgy Cornelius Fudge soon came around the corner, flanked by four or five Aurors with their Patronuses forming a barrier from the Dementors. Many of the prisoners fell asleep instantly as the haze from the soul sucking creatures faded, finally able to escape the depravities of their own minds and relax. Sirius felt drawn to do the same, but he desperately wanted to know what was going on outside, so he scooted slowly toward the bars, reaching them just as the Minister's party reached him.
"Please…" he said weakly, his voice cracking from disuse. He pointed at the paper under the Minister's arm, and the man glanced back at him with a tired sort of sadness in his eyes, pity perhaps, given what horrors the man must have witnessed in the last several minutes alone.
Absently the Ministry took the used newspaper from under his arm and stepped toward the bars, just as one of the Aurors grabbed his arm, "Minister, perhaps you shouldn't…"
"Nonsense," Fudge said, waving him away and handing Sirius the paper, "there's little the man could do after all these years in here, and I see no harm in a touch of mercy."
The group left soon after, but Sirius had immediately spread the paper open and was reading every article he could, not caring how mundane it may be. Turning the paper over to read the underside, he paused, shivering uncontrollably as the Dementors influence returned, but suddenly their presence was forced into the back of his mind as he stared at a picture surrounded by newsprint.
It was a happy family, all smiling and waving with a background of Egypt. But what drew his attention was the small rat perched on the youngest boy's shoulder. The missing toe stood out as a shining red flag, and Sirius felt rage bubble up inside him. The little traitor had survived. Quickly he read the article, hoping for clues on the rat's whereabouts.
'MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE: Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw. A delighted Mr. Weasley told the Daily Prophet, "We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank." The Weasley family will be spending a month in Egypt, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley Children currently attend.'
Sirius' heart froze in dread. Scanning the picture, he counted all the school aged children, and the young boy with Peter on his arm was among the five. "He's at Hogwarts…" he said haggardly, mind reeling in fear that was quickly turning into rage. He was lockup up here, and the little betrayer was safe and cozy in Hogwarts, within striking distance of his godson, and no one else was the wiser.
Suddenly feeling a surge of energy, neither warm nor comforting and therefore unhindered by the Dementors, Sirius leapt to his feet, anger boiling under his skin. It was all be could do to contain himself from screaming in pain, his joints flaring from lack of use, and his mind still burning at the injustice of what was happening. "He's at Hogwarts…" he muttered, keeping himself sane with all thoughts bent upon the fact that his godson had need of him.
That anger inspired thought gave him strength to think of a plan. The wizarding world did not know that Peter could become a rat, as they didn't know what he could transform into as well, as that ability might be his only way out of this dungeon and back to Britain. Steeling himself, Sirius kept moving, trying to build up his muscles to the point where they stopped burning with the smallest of effort, and keeping himself sane with thoughts of revenge and justice. He would save Harry, even if he had to commit the murder he was incarcerated for to do it.
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Veneficus frowned as his Acolyte relayed the information he had sensed regarding Young Septin Aranis. Mainly he was annoyed that he himself had so easily overlooked the boy's unsettling qualms about the Dark Side. Not that young Septin could be too much of a threat to their plans for the Galaxy, but it would make them seem weak as a whole to allow him to continue as he had been.
"How should I respond to him, my Lord?" Anguis asked, genuinely seeking for an answer, and Veneficus pondered the matter. Technically the training of the boy was Zhar Quelmok's responsibility, but obviously the man was not capable of focusing on the boy's clear hesitancy to utilize the Dark Side. But to simply remove them both would draw unwanted attention to the fact, and also lower their still fledgling numbers. Zhar also was one of their best field agents, and one of the few that could openly move in the wider Galaxy, despite the Jedi hunting him.
Veneficus nodded, finalizing his plan of action. "We'll take him with us to the nebula, you will share some aspect of the Dark Side with him, and we will work to break him of his petty clinging to Jedi traditions."
Anguis smiled, bowing slightly to go and tell Septin that he would agree to teach him. Meanwhile Veneficus returned to gathering supplies for their return to earth. He had special plans for the newly discovered Chamber of Secrets, but he was going to need more assistance to make it into a functional base of operations. Thankfully he had practiced the charms that worked to protect electronic devises from spell interference extensively, and combining that with a lightweight trunk that had an expansive interior, he was storing a handful of droids, along with other parts and devises, for their return to the magical castle.
He smirked as he dwelled on the hypothetical face the Headmaster would make if he knew what Veneficus had planned, but if everything went as planned the old man would never learn the truth about the Chamber, or the new renovations that would shortly take place in the hidden place.
Having seen to the droid's and their automated packing on his trunk, Veneficus turned to his last project that would require their presence on Dromund Kaas. Using a medical scanner, he retrieved a sample of his own blood for study. The temple had vast amounts of subjects for Midi-chlorian samples, but Veneficus had specifically requested the Supreme Prophet to donate several small drops for comparison. A final sample he had taken from Colin Creevey shortly before they left earth, the boy being more than willing to do anything that Veneficus asked of him.
Holding the holographic images of the three samples side by side, Veneficus saw little difference on the cellular scale, each looking the same identical oval shaped form, but when he magnified the image, drawing closer to see the inside of each of the organelles, differences started to manifest themselves.
Considering Dass'in's as the baseline, Colin's Midi-chlorians, while not nearly as plentiful, close to seventy-five hundred Midi-chlorians per cell, had heavily mutated interiors, which accounted for the vastly altered abilities and connection to the third aspect of the Force, which he had learned that Millennial had also discovered, and had named the Wild Force. Veneficus agreed with the sentiments that the name implied, and appreciated the completeness that its inclusion created in the scope of the Force.
Finally he turned to exam his own sample, not only did he count well over twelve thousand Midi-chlorians per cell, but each were a mutation all their own, so much like a hybrid of 'normal' and 'wizard' Midi-chlorians, yet something completely new as well. It seemed that he had inherited them both, from somewhere is his biological family's past, and that the different Midi-chlorians had merged to form some new organelle, combining the strengths of both originals.
Setting the datapad aside, Veneficus pondered the ramifications of this new information. He would have to test others, such as Anguis, to see if it was the differences were consistent with all the other wizard's that could also touch the Cosmic Force, but for now it was a clear step forward in understanding what he was.
In any case, he had done all that required the technology that the Sith base on Dromund Kaas could provide, and with his and Anguis' time dwindling before they were forced to returned to their backwater home planet, time was of the essence that they locate the hidden temple in the Tascollan Nebula.
Signaling Anguis of their imminent departure via their new comlinks, Veneficus walked methodically to the hangar that was partway up the massive stone structure that housed the Sith's disciples. He planned on taking one of the other freighter or nondescript ships that were stashed away in the temple, as the Sith Infiltrator still on the roof would be too easily identified as missing, and the last thing Veneficus wanted was Zhar or Dass'in coming after the three younger Force users to interrupt their quest.
The comlink pinged, signaling that Anguis and Septin were on their way, just as he entered the spacious room. Several beings were ambling around, inspecting the different crafts for routine maintenance, but they all either ignored or avoided the Sith Lord as he walked past ship after ship, trying to find one big enough to house three passengers and cargo, but small enough to go unnoticed.
Tucked in the back corner of the hanger bay, concealed behind a much larger freighter, was a lone Jemlaat-class yacht ship. It was a simple design. Elegant and shaped like a plump piece of reddish-orange fruit, but running on an archaic solar sail propulsion system. But for the purposes that Veneficus had in store, it was perfect.
The door back to the temple slid open, and Veneficus turned to beckon the other two young Force users over to him. Anguis had brought a satchel of items, while Septin helped him carry a large container of food and other basic provisions for the journey.
"Were you followed?" Veneficus asked flatly.
"No my Lord," Anguis replied quickly, and Veneficus gestured for them to stow the cargo quickly. He sealed the hatch behind them and started the ship's start up procedures. None of the beings out in the hanger even looked over as the sleek, ancient craft smoothly lifted from its hidden spot and taxied to the main ramp out of the hanger bay. Dipping into the Force to guide him with the somewhat unfamiliar controls, Veneficus urged the ship forward and out of the Temple, angling them upward and cutting directly into the atmosphere of Dromund Kaas.
If he had timed their departure correctly, they should have slipped out right in the middle of a shift change of the long range sensor monitors, meaning that no one would catch their ship until they switched from the backup sublight engines to the solar sail, which would effectively shroud their ship from detection.
The little craft exited the gravitational pull of Dromund Kaas, and Veneficus immediately switched their propulsion, watched as the broad, metallic sails spread out in front of the ship, pulling their ship along by riding the ultraviolet light that radiated from the nearby star until they reached the speed required to enter hyperspace. Septin, in the co-pilot seat, punched in the nebula's coordinates, and Veneficus pulled the small lever that launched then into the bluish-white tunnel of hyperspace.
It took only a little over an hour to reach the nebula, it lying very close to the cluster of the core Sith worlds. The ship pulled back into normal space just outside the nebula, and Veneficus navigated the ship by pure intuition from the Force, as all their sensors became jammed immediately upon entering the purple cloud of particles.
For close to twenty minutes the solar sailor swept the nebula, until finally, close to the center, Anguis spoke up from behind Veneficus, "There, is that what we're looking for."
Following the boy's finger out the side of the viewport, Veneficus saw the murky outline of a large asteroid through the haze of particles that reeked with the Dark Side of the Force. Instead of replying, Veneficus turned the ship directly toward it, but finally his unfamiliarity with the ancient design of the ship caught up with him. He jerked out of the way as the Force signaled danger, but the ship was far too slow in its turn to avoid a rather large chunk of asteroid floating in the nebula that plowed straight into the solar sail, punching a massive hole into the thin flexible metal. The sail was ruined, and wouldn't be capable of getting them up to speed to reenter hyperspace for the return journey unless they could repair it.
The backup sublights kicked in just as Veneficus withdrew the damaged sail, and they limped ever so slowly toward the asteroid. Soon enough they all could make out gaping holes in the asteroid's surface, and Veneficus intuitively directed the craft into the largest of these, revealing it to lead directly into a massive stone complex, with fully functional magnetic pressure field to keep the vacuum of space out. Entering the artificial atmosphere of the temple, all three force users could instantly feel the shift in the air around them, taking on more of a dark miasma than pure oxygen.
To prove it to himself, Veneficus quickly landed the ship and vented the stale recycled air, allowing the Dark Side heavy air of the temple in and breathed deeply, feeling his body adjust instantly and his mind and body suddenly snap to full attention, ready for any challenge that awaited them. He smirked, instantly knowing that he and Anguis would find it more refreshing than normal air, but he wasn't certain about the effects it would have on Septin. Either it would be the perfect environment to turn him fully to the Dark Side, or it could just as easily kill the boy. Not that he was planning on telling either of his companions, but simply allow the Temple of Pain to work its power on the young ex-jedi.
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Millennial sighed as he flooed into the wide entry hall of the Ministry, clad in the flowing robes of a Hogwart's Governor. He had been summoned to an emergency meeting of the Board, and he figured it had something important to do with the recent escape of one Sirius Black from the wizard prison of Azkaban. Apparently the man posed a threat to the students, or one in particular if the human mutant cared to take a wild guess. It was downright disgusting the way that the entire secret community seemed to flock around their image of a heroic baby boy that defeated one of their darkest threats. Not even the Galactic Republic exalted the Jedi to such a station. Sure, they revered the Jedi and the supposedly noble work, giving them free reign to take children into their order and license to go about their business unhindered by politics or laws, but the wizarding world took the same concept to a whole new level.
The idea that an entire community would turn on a dime over the event that surrounded one small boy was laughable, as anyone who would even bother to look into the story as Millennial had immediately after learning of the magical world would realize that it was the actions of Lily Potter, not her son, that had led to the false dark lord Voldemort's defeat. Adding to that the high suspicion that quite a few possessed, Veneficus and Millennial on one hand and he suspected Dumbledore and Severus Snape on another, that the dark wizard was not gone forever, but struggling to return to power.
Pushing the thoughts aside as he entered the large gathering hall, Millennial was mildly surprised to see that not only were the management of the school present, including the four house heads and Dumbledore, but the Minister of Magic and many other departments heads as well. Shaking his head again, Millennial took his seat in the very center of the Board of Governors and bang the small gavel to announce the meetings start.
"The meeting of the Board of Hogwart's Governors will now begin," he said flatly, shuffling the small pile of papers in front of him and glancing at the first sheet, which confirmed his thoughts about Sirius Black, "We will first address the Minitry's concerns about the escape of one Sirius Orion Black from Azkaban prison, and his potential threat to the school."
Several other members tittered and murmured about the story and rumors surrounding it, and Millennial banged the gavel to silence them, "We will first hear from Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, and his reasons why there needs to be an increase of security at Hogwarts school."
The pudgy man stood to a small smattering of applause, "Esteemed members of the Board of Governors," he started, methodically and slow as any other politician, and Millennial refused the urge to tune him out, needing to sift through the jargon and wordplay to discover the real motive for this move over the power of the Headmaster. As much as Millennial knew that Albus Dumbledore was his enemy, there was as advantage to making himself seem an ally at times, anything to keep the old man from discovering Millennial's true nature as long as possible.
Soon enough Fudge finished and sat, having only relayed some drivel about Sirius Black being a threat to society and a mad and dangerous wizard. Millennial couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing information that made this important, but nodded for Dumbledore to rise and make his rebuttal. He hoped the old man was more forthcoming.