The Alexander Chronicles Year 4: The Return of Darkness.
Chapter 35: The first.
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"Alex, what do we do?" Harry whispered as Wormtail removed their ropes.
"We will wait Harry Potter, and watch how your little friend handles the duel with my loyal servant."
"You are insane," Alex said. "If you think I be your entertainment."
"We could kill you both now, or you can fight. You might even get your revenge." Adrian said.
"Fine." Alex growled ripping his wand from Wormtail´s hand.
"Alex we should get out of here." Harry said as he grabbed Alex´s arm.
"There are too many right now, and I have to avenge my grandpa." Alex said shrugging off Harry´s arm while eyeing Adrian, who eyed him back.
"Nobody will intertwine with this. The boy is my kill." Adrian ordered as he and Alex circling each other while putting some distance from the rest of the death eaters. Out of the corner of his eyes, Alex could see that the duel between Harry and Voldemort hadn´t started yet. However, Alex didn´t care. He wanted justice for his grandfather, but if he had, the time then he would help Harry against Voldemort. "This will be your final duel boy. There will be nothing to save you this time nephew. I will enjoy killing you."
"Just like you killed grandpa!" Alex sneered. "He was your own father."
Adrian smiled, "he was a fool. He should had join my master and the cause."
"So you killed him because of your master wanted it? You are nothing but a lapdog."
"I will do what my master commands, because it is in my interest." Adrian waved his wand and Alex was hit in the stomach and flew to the ground. "Like killing you. It is an order, but I would do it anyway- Avada Kedavra."
Alex´s eyes whined as the deadly green spell came towards him, and it was only in the last second that he manged to roll away. "Come on; just take it like dad did. Face it like a man."
"Ignis Iactum." Alex yelled, and flame flew out his wand towards his uncle.
"Aguamenti!" Adrian countered just as Alex had expected. The fire and the water blast collided against each other and steam appeared everywhere. Alex used that to get to his feet.
"Impressive nephew" Adrian said as he vanished the steam, "but you have to do much better than that."
"Fine Ossis Effergo!" Adrian again blocked the dark blue jet of light.
"My turn." Alex screamed as bone-breaking curse hit his left shoulder and broke the bones. "It will be worse." Adrian cast another curse at Alex that hit him in the chest and sent him flying. He groaned as he hit the ground now a few feet away from his uncle. "You really are so weak."
Alex coughed up some blood, but still glared at his uncle as he tried getting on his feet. Adrian just sneered and used a curse that conjured a light green flash, that short Alex down as he felt a painful burning feeling spread in his body. "Now scream nephew," and Alex did as he was hit with the Cruciatus curse.
"Yes I can imagine it was quite painful. However since we are family I will stop if you beg."
"Just go to hell." Alex panted as he could hear laughter from the other death eaters.
"You first." Alex screamed as put under the Cruciatus curse once again. It was unbearable, Alex could do nothing as scream as Adrian held the curse pleased to torture his nephew. "Good good Alexander, you will die soon." Adrian said he ended the curse.
Alex tried getting his breathing under control, but he was scared for his life and it hurt just to breath. He was pretty sure that one of the curses Adrian had used had broken his rips.
However this was it. Adrian eventually get bored and end his life. Well at least I can give him a fight Alex thought as he got to his feet. "Expelliarmus" he panted, but Adrian just blocked it and magically threw Alex away. This time Alex hit the ground near a tombstone, making a quick decision Alex crawled behind it.
"It isn´t time for hide and seek Alexander!" Adrian said in a stern voice, "Come out and fight me. Or shall I assume that you are sick of a duel and want to die?" Alex could hear that Adrian came closer. "You know you can´t hide from me! Just be a man and die fighting. I promise that your death won´t hurt. Well I would, but I don´t really know if it hurts to die."
Alex held his breath having no intentions in finding out if dying hurt; beside he had a plan now. It had worked when he fought the Hungarian Horntail. Alex pointed his wand at a tombstone nearby and whispered the incarnation. The illusion of Alex then rose from its hiding place and begun sprinting away.
"Avada Kedavra." Alex watched the green curse go through the illusion. "It is not the time for your tricks Alexander." Adrian said as more illusions of Alex began appearing from different tombstones. "It will only delay your death."
As his uncle began destroying the illusions, Alex used the time to gather his thoughts. If he should stand a chance, Alex knew that he needed to restore some of his magical energy. There was a spell for that, but then he had to be quick otherwise he would be completely drained and most likely pass out. There was also the fact that Alex hadn´t tried the spell before and that he had many inquires beside magical exhaustion that might affect the spell. Yet it was the best and only option he had. Alex took a deep breath and pointed his wand at himself, "Damihi Fortitudo!" And in an instant, Alex´s energy was replenished, and he felt like he could do whatever he needed to do.
"Then try your worst your coward." Alex said standing up, out if the corner of his eyes he could see that Harry had begun duelling Voldemort. Apparently the Dark Lord had gotten bored.
"Brave, but foolish boy." Adrian said as he pointed his wand at Alex and scrammed, "Avada Kedavra!" The green spell hurled towards Alex, but this time he was prepared, as he conquered a stonewall, that blocked the spell.
"Are you losing your torch uncle?" Alex truanted as the stonewall exploded, before using the bone breaking curse to break his uncle left arm.
"Grr watch your cheek boy, killing you will truly be a pleasure just like I killed my mother."
"What? What do you mean?"
Adrian smiled. "I killed her Alexander."
"She died from dragon pox. Stop trying to manipulate me."
"It is not a trick," Adrian said as he magically healed his arm. "It is true that she had dragon pox, but I don´t think it would have been fatal."
"You are lying," Alex, said trying to ignore his increasing heartbeat, as he felt the doubt sneak into his mind.
"No, I am not. Do you want to know how I killed her?" Adrian smiled, as he saw the expression on Alex´s face. "It was easy really. You see my mother was dying to see her granddaughter - and Selene was dying to see her grandma. They had some contact after my father kicked me out of the family, but I managed to stop it. It is sad to think they couldn't see each other just because of you. Anyway your grandmother wanted to see her and I as the good father said yes."
Alex could feel his anger boil, "what did you do?"
"Simply, I had a bit of poison that I slipped in water as she talked with my daughter. It funny if she hadn´t been sick it would have been harmless."
"You basted. It was your mother! You used your own daughter to do it!"
"She took your side - a pathetic wizard, one she thought was a filthy half-blood over my son." Adrian smirked. "It had another advantage. You see Selene was beginning to be a bit rebellious to me - her grandmother's death changed that well that and some disciplining got her to hate you."
Alex screamed in anger as he casted the Fulgur curse at his uncle.
"Yes, that is it," Adrian said as the two begun to duelling, "that is the power my son told me about."
Alex ignored him, he felt so angry. The man had admitted killing his grandmother, abusing his daughter (the only one of that part of the family that liked him.) The two wizards continued their duel and sending cures at each other, most of them were blocked or avoided, but a few hit. However, Alex´s rage made him ignore the pain and fight harder.
Slowly Alex begun gaining the upper hand; the Reductor curse broke Adrian´s shield. Alex reacted quickly by casting the boil curse and then the acid curse. Adrian screamed as the last curse burned his face. However he recovered quickly and blocked Alex´s disarming spell.
"Y-you are getting tired." Adrian panted, "and whatever little trick you used to get more energy- well I am sure that you can´t keep it up."
"Long enough to defeat you."
"I think not." Adrian said, "You die by my hand tonight. My master thought you could join our ranks, but I always knew you wouldn't. No you destiny is to die."
Both wizards reedy their wands, when they heard two voices scream, "Avada Kedavra - Expelliarmus!"
Both Alex and Adrian watched as Voldemort´s green curse and Harry´s red spell met in mid-air - and a narrow beam of light connected both wands, neither red nor green, but bright, deep gold.
Alex, following the beam with their astonished gazes, saw that Voldemort's long white fingers were gripping a wand that was shaking and vibrating.
Nothing could have prepared either Alex for what happened next – but as Alex looked on Harry was lifted from the ground. Both he and Voldemort were being raised into the air, their wands still connected by that thread of shimmering golden light. They glided away from the tombstone of Voldemort's father and then came to rest on a patch of ground that was clear and free of graves…The Death Eaters were shouting; they were asking Voldemort for instructions; they were closing in, reforming the circle around Harry and Voldemort, the snake slithering at their heels, some of them drawing their wands –
"Do nothing!" Alex heard Voldemort shriek to the Death Eaters. "Do nothing unless I command you!" He shouted to the Death Eaters.
It was then Alex and Adrian realized that they wasn´t focusing on their opponent, both of them turned, but by luck Alex was slightly faster and used the expelliarmus spell to disarm and send his uncle to the ground. "Give me a reason not to kill you!" Alex growled as he pointed his wand at his uncle, who just laughed.
"You want me to beg boy." He laughed again, "I won´t beg, so just kill me. Kill me if you have to stomach for it. Do it, because I won´t beg."
Alex began breathing heavily; he knew he shouldn't do this. Adrian was unarmed. "I think I just stun and drag you to prison."
"You could, but I would be freed soon, and you won´t get your revenge. You won´t get revenge for your grandfather. Not get revenge for your grandmother."
Alex growled again tightened the grip on his wand. Adrian was right; a prison cell wouldn't hold him for long. He had to stop him for good. However before Alex could do anything, he heard an unearthly and beautiful sound that filled the air. It was coming from every thread of the light-spun web vibrating around Harry and Voldemort. It was a sound that Alex always recognize. Even though he had heard one time in his life: phoenix song.
It was the sound of hope to him…the most beautiful and welcome thing he had ever heard in his life. He felt as though the song were inside him instead of just around them, and all the rage he felt despaired.
"Don´t do it Alexander," a voice whispered in his ear, it sounded like his grandfather. "You are not a killer. You are not a killer Alexander."
"You don´t know what he did." Alex thought still holding his uncle at wand point.
"It doesn´t matter cost of killing him like that would be too high. That was how Adrian started. You have to be better than him." The voice sounded, "You need to help Harry."
Alex nodded. "incarcerous!" he whispered and Adrian was bound by robes. Alex didn't even looked at the man as he turned away from his uncle. "We are done here. I am done with you. A fourteen-year-old wizard beat you. Live with that, and you better leave Selene alone."
Alex saw that Harry and Voldemort were still connected, but Voldemort's wand began to emit echoing screams of pain. Voldemort's red eyes widened with shock as a dense, smoky hand flew out of the tip of it and vanished…the ghost of the hand he had made Wormtail…more shouts of pain… and then something much larger began to blossom from Voldemort's wand tip. A great, greyish something, that looked as though it were made of the solidest, densest smoke…It was a head…now a chest and arms…the torso of man.
Alex nearly stumbled in shock. The ghost of his recently dead grandfather appeared out of Voldemort's wand.
"Keep it up Potter," Fredric spoke, but then another figure appeared from Voldemort's wand, as though it were squeezing itself out of a very narrow tunnel…It was Cedric Diggory, and was as transparent as Alex´s grandfather; and this shade of Cedric stood up, and looked up and down the golden thread of light, and spoke.
"Hold on, Harry," he said.
"You think this is over," Adrian growled as he slowly got to his feet. "You should never turn your back on your enemies. Even you should know that boy." Alex mentally cursed himself, how could he had been some stupid not to bind his uncle properly.
"I still defeated you, and by the looks of it your master is in trouble as well."
Adrian grinned, "I don´t really care. Potter´s luck will run out soon and so will yours." It was then Alex noticed the extra wand in Adrian´s hand. "Yeah you should really make sure that you enemy is unarmed if you are too soft to kill them."
"Don´t do this." Alex pleaded as he ready himself for a defence. "We can both just walk away."
"Weak just like dad was. Now die - Ignis Iactum." Adrian screamed.
"Drac Igis" Alex countered as the flames came against them and used his magic to redirect the curse.
Adrian followed up with the reducto curse forcing Alex to scream, "Protego!" So he could conjure a shield. "Don´t do this Adrian - "
"No you die-"
Both wizard waved their wands and screamed the same curse "Excussus Fluctus."
The two large arc-like waves of green magic clashed in each other. The shock of the impact almost knocked Alex over, and he had to put all his strength and magic in the curse, but it was hard. Alex could see that Adrian was having trouble holding the curse as well. Alex knew that the one who lost would be hit with full force of the curse. Alex could see that Harry and Voldemort´s wands still were looked together and now new spirits had arrived, one of and old man and a middle-aged witch. It was very weird, but he had to focus on Adrian and surviving.
"Grr g-give u-up." Adrian gasped as sweet appeared on his forehead.
Alex didn´t answer as he needed to focus on the curse and then something happened. Adrian somehow lost his focus or maybe he just got tired and Alex´s curse began getting closer to Adrian. Alex could see that his uncle´s eyes whined in panic and maybe it was that secured Alex´s victory. The shock wave curse hit Adrian with full force, but Alex hadn´t anticipated what would happen. It was the combined power of the two curses, which sent Adrian flying through the air. Alex watched as his uncle flew towards a gravestone and he heard the noise as the man hit the stone. It was a terrible sound. It wasn´t just the sound of the stone smashing. No, what was terrible was the sound of Adrian´s neck breaking - the sound of his uncle dying. Alex just stood there Ha he just killed a man? With some quick steps, Alex was over at his uncle´s body. His neck was bend oddly, his head were bleeding and his eyes were staring in to nothingness. It was clear that he was dead.
Alex starred in horror he had killed a man, not just hurt him. No he had ended his life. This was horrible, he felt that he should vomit, but he couldn't. Voldemort scream brought Alex back to reality. How long had he been staring at his uncle? Four more sprites had now come from the Dark lord´s wand and two Alex didn´t knew, but the two other looked like Harry´s parents. All the sprites of Voldemort former victims were circling the Dark Lord. Somehow, Alex knew that he needed to be close to his friend, it was as the phoenix song were calling him to help.
Alex took one more sad glance at his uncle, wishing that he hadn´t done it, that he had used another curse. Alex took a deep breath and did his best to block the shame and regret as he ran towards Harry.
As he got closer, Alex heard Cedric whisper. "Harry… take my body back, will you? Take my body back to my parents…Please…and tell Alex…tell him that I am sorry I didn´t helped him more."
"I will," said Harry, his voiced sounded like he was using all his power to hold the connection with Voldemort. Alex could see Harry´s father whisper something him. Harry nodded and screamed "NOW!" Alex watched at Harry let go of the connection, by pulling his wand upward with an almighty wrench, and the golden thread broke; the cage of light vanished, the phoenix song died - but the shadowy figures of Voldemort's victims did not disappear - they were closing in upon Voldemort, shielding Harry from his gaze.
"Harry!" Alex yelled as he run towards his friend. The two friends met in the middle, Alex turned on his heel and the two friends ran.
"Come on Alex." Harry shouted, and pulled on Alex´s arms: they zigzagged behind headstones, feeling curses following them from the blinded death eaters, hearing them hit the headstones - they were dodging curses and graves, pelting toward Cedric's body. Alex could feel that he was getting really tried, meaning that the spell he had used to replenish his energy was wearing off.
"Stun them!" they heard Voldemort scream. "Don't let them get away!"
Ten feet from Cedric, Harry and Alex dived behind a marble angel to avoid the blinding jets of red light and saw the tip of its wing shatter as the spells hit it.
"Alex is that your uncle," Harry panted. Alex followed Harry´s sight and saw Adrian´s body. "Did you k-kill him?"
"Y-yes, but I I mean to - it was a aci- look w-we need to get away. I tell you the rest later."
"Okay," Harry said looking at Alex. "I guess we make a run for it. We need to get to Cedric´s body and take it with us. Then we need to get to the cup. We just have to do it without getting hit by their spells." Harry added the last part a stunning spell went over his heard.
"I have an idea." Alex whispered. "you should look away! Or better yet close your eyes." As Harry nodded, Alex drew his wand and pointed it at the death eaters. "Hey you lot look at this - Ligus!" He shouted, creating a large blinding light, blinding all the death eaters. "Now RUN!" Alex said.
Gripping their wands more tightly, they dashed out from behind the angel – and quickly as they could, they made their way towards Cedric's body.
"Stand aside! I will kill him! Harry is mine!" shrieked Voldemort. Alex could feel that the last of his energy was leaving him. He was begin to stumble, but luckily, Harry pulled him that last steps. Alex´s hand closed on Cedric's wrist, Harry grabbing other wrist; one tombstone stood between them and Voldemort, still blinded, but Cedric was too heavy to carry, and the cup was out of their reach.
"I can´t," Alex whispered, "I can´t, just go save yourself."
Not being blinded by Alex´s spell Voldemort's red eyes flamed in the darkness. Harry and Alex saw his mouth curl into a smile, saw him raise his wand. Alex looked at Harry, who looked back and shacked his heard. "Just go or we both will die."
"Just hold on to Cedric." Harry said before yelling "Accio!" while pointing his wand at the Triwizard Cup. It flew into the air and soared toward them. Harry caught it by the handle.
Alex saw the deadly green curse sore towards him and he could hear Voldemort's scream of fury in the same moment that he felt the jerk behind his navel that meant the Portkey had worked - it was speeding them away in a whirl of wind and colour, and Cedric along with them…They were going back. They would be safe.
Chapter end.
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