Author's Note: The next three chapters deserve a special thanks to Kit of Yaoi, who hunted my down on AO3 and asked me to post the final chapters of this story. She's been patient and understanding and an amazing advocate for those of you have had waited over a decade for these chapters to be published. Thanks to everyone who has read this, new and old. So, after almost 11 years, please enjoy the conclusion of Year 5.
Luminescent
Part Twenty One
Department of Mysteries
Harry, Phyrrus, and the others paused in the entrance, taking cover behind the huge shelves that covered the room. The hundreds of dim candles floating around the stone vault made the millions of glass orbs on the almost-rickety wooden shelves glitter like diamonds in the almost-darkness. Cyrrus and Phyrrus traded looks, smirking to each other. The thick shadows would work in their favor, allowing them to sneak up on anyone in the room. If they weren't careful, though, the same trick could be used against them.
"This way," Harry murmured, slipping between the shelves. Years spent with the Dursleys had silenced his footsteps, making him almost impossible to follow. Phyrrus sighed softly, letting his mental shields down enough to feel the thrum of their bond calling him to the smaller teen. Cat-quite despite the stone floors, Phyrrus, Cyrrus, and Ginny slid after Harry. Hermione and Ron had to be more mindful of their movements, slowing the group in order to stay quite.
They were forced to slow further, trying to find their way though the confusing room. Hermione gestured down another aisle. "That one," She murmured, lips almost touching Harry's ear so he could hear her directions. They were all conscious of the time it was taking them to find the exact row Harry had seen in his vision, knowing that if Chara and Sirius really were in danger that it was taking too long for them to get there. "Turn left here," Hermione offered, her voice soft as a spring breeze.
"Ninety-seven," Cyrrus stopped them, pointing to the number. "If they're here, it's at the end of this shelf."
"I don't hear anyone," Ginny strained to listen. "But that might not mean much." She paused to glance upwards. The candles made the glass sparkle far above their heads, but the ceiling of the room was impossible to see. It could have ended just past the light, or gone for miles over their heads.
"It would echo in the stone." Phyrrus took a step down the row. "We need to find out."
"Wands out." Hermione ordered. "You and Harry take this row, Phyrrus. Cyrrus and Ginny, take the one on the left. Ron, you and I will go to the right. If there is someone there, let's try to corner them."
Nods went around the group, and Harry waited for everyone to get in position before stepping softly down the small walkway between the shelves. Phyrrus watched for a breath before following. Harry was so light on his feet it was almost as though he was dancing on air.
There was no one at the end of the row. "What is going on?" Harry murmured, frowning. "Why lure us here with false information if not to find something?"
"They wanted Sirius to take something in your dream, right?" Cyrrus' brows furrowed. "But there's nothing here but these orbs."
"Maybe it was an orb," Ron spoke so suddenly that it made the other five jump.
"You just offed ten years of my life, Ron," Ginny argued, crossly. "And what are you talking about?"
"This orb, here." Ron gestured to a shelf at his eye-level. "It has Harry's name on the label."
Harry had to stand on his tip-toes to see the yellowed label. Ron left his finger on it, tapping it thoughtfully, then showing it to Hermione. "S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D. Dark Lord and (?). . . Harry Potter?" Hermione's eyes narrowed as she thought. "Your name is newer than the rest of the paper. It was written later."
"How on earth can you tell?" Ron looked as bewildered as the rest of them felt.
"The ink dripped a bit. It was already in this position when they put it here. And it isn't as faded as the other." Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's obvious."
"Yes, quite so," Cyrrus broke in sarcastically. "But what does it have to do with anything?"
"It's a prophecy," Ron stopped Harry from grabbing it. "Kept here to be kept safe. Something about Harry and you-know-who."
"Harry and Moldy Ass?" Phyrrus snorted. "What could it be? Oh, wait, Harry's the boy-who-lived. It all makes sense."
"I want to know what it says." Harry shook off Ron's hand. "Especially if it's about me."
"Prophecies are total shit," Cyrrus told Harry dispassionately, making him stop mid-reach. "It might not even be true. Half the prophecies in this room are lies, because the people in the prophecies chose to follow a different path than what was predicted. Don't set so much faith in that little pickle jar."
"It's about me, Cyrrus. This is the reason people are expecting something of me. I want to know what it is to know what they expect." Harry grabbed the orb, blowing off the dust and frowning at it. It was heavy, for something so small.
"Very good, Potter. Now why don't you turn around slowly and give it here?" The voice was one Harry didn't recognize, but he did recognize the black shape, despite the disfigurement in the glass.
"Death Eater," Harry hissed, tucking the orb to his chest and spinning. "Where's Mum and Sirius?"
"You thought it was true, how sweet." A female Death Eater crooned.
Harry smirked. "Not really. I just wanted to get your attention for a minute."
"Oh? What for?"
"So Flame and Torrent could get behind you. You really aren't very good about watching your surroundings." Harry twiddled his fingers when Phyrrus and Cyrrus slammed their fists into the two mocking Harry, then took out the other two with ease thanks to the element of surprise.
"We have to get out of here." There was no point in being silent, since the Death Eaters had appeared.
"Run!" Ginny's order brought them to life again, and the six raced through the huge room, splitting up to confuse their attackers as they raced between the tall, wooden shelves. Shattering glass made Harry tuck the glass orb to his chest a little more tightly, and Phyrrus grabbed his wrist and swung him into the next aisle, tucking the smaller teen under his chin and drawing them both into the shadows. Harry flicked his want deftly, casting a charm Phyrrus didn't know, and the feeling of cold water trickled down their bodies.
"The chameleon charm?" Phyrrus whispered into his bonded's ear, staying close to the shelf.
"Yes, hush. It doesn't work on sound," Harry murmured back, the orb cradled between them.
Hermione's voice rose over the clatter of footsteps, screaming a spell, and then more glass was shattering. Thousands upon thousands of globes met their demise on the cold, stone floor. Thin, whispered voices were suddenly covering the sound of footsteps in the room as they joined in a cacophony of prophecies. "Now," Phyrrus whispered, pulling Harry along behind him as he sprinted down another row. "The door is this way!"
"Get them!" Voice rang behind them, and Harry crashed into Phyrrus on instinct as a spell veered past.
"NO!" Harry recognized the voice was Lucius Malfoy's. "You might destroy the prophecy, you imbeciles!"
"Phy, this way!" Cyrrus' voice rose over the chaos.
"Harry, here!" Phyrrus grabbed the orb from the other's hand, throwing it to his cousin. "Take it! Don't let them have it!"
"The door!" Ginny grabbed for them as they rounded another corner, throwing Harry to Hermione. Phyrrus tossed Ginny to Ron, then tackled his cousin into the next room.
Hermione slammed the door closed, pointing her wand at it. "Colloportus!" The odd squelching noise made them wince, and Hermione let out a soft breath. "We have to get out of here. Harry, do you have the prophecy?"
"Cyrrus does," Harry panted, hands on his knees.
"Fuck," Phyrrus and Cyrrus gasped, wiping the sweat from their faces and turning as the outer door banged open. Harry tensed, pulling out his wand.
"They're in here!" Rayne's voice made them sigh in relief as they saw the Calvary arriving. Chara raced to the children, a quick scan ensuring that they were unharmed. "Where are the Death Eaters?"
"How did you even know?" Ginny managed, around her pants.
River gave her a Look, pointing to her chest. Hermione bit back a soft snicker. The little twins had felt it. Meanwhile, the adults who had arrived had gathered around the others, and Percy had wrapped his arms around Ron, hugging him tightly. "You should have waited!" The older Weasley scolded. "Not come here alone!"
"We aren't! We have tons of people wrecking havoc around here," Cyrrus smirked, then grabbed his head as Anders smacked him, a frown on his face.
"The rest of the clan will be here soon. Until then, we need to hold them off." Anders barked. "Chara, you stay safe. We'll need you for the injured. Fred, George, you stay with her. She is to be kept safe, understood?"
"But we want to fight-"
"You have the most important job of all. If Chara cannot function, we're dead. Go." Anders snapped, and the twins nodded, flanking the small woman. "River, Rayne. Go get some surprises ready for the fuckers. Percy, you and I will take this door with Cyrrus. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, I want you three to get that prophecy back to Hogwarts. Guard it with your fucking lives, do you understand?"
"Got it!" Ron grabbed his sister's hand, ignoring her protests, as most of the DA appeared. Anders tensed, staring at them in shocked surprise, then ordered them to go with Ron and his group. Draco looked torn for a moment, knowing his father was in the building. Anders chewed his lip, then told Draco to stay. Neville, however, gave his boyfriend a sweet kiss, then disappeared down the hall. Despite his improvement, he simply wasn't good enough to stay, and he knew it.
Ten minutes later, the remaining bunch started when Leon appeared, fully decked out in his tight, black uniform and snarling fox mask. Severus joined Chara, knowing some healing magic, and the rest took up stations around the room. "I'll fight with you, son," Alvin murmured, hugging Cyrrus tightly.
"Dad!" Cyrrus cried, throwing his arms around his father and clinging to him for a moment. "You're here!"
"Dad?" Phyrrus turned, spotting his uncle. "You came."
"You didn't think I'd let you two fight this battle on your own, did you?" Alvin ruffled their hair, smirking as he drew his wand. "And we all know I have several tricks up my sleeves."
"Good." Clayton glanced around, then started assigning positions. "When they get here . . . make them regret screwing with the Lugovalos Family."
Dark looks were traded as the original brothers and sisters smiled, showing far too many teeth for Harry's liking. "We're allowed to pick on each other," Rosella, the second oldest offered, trading looks with her siblings.
"But no one else can," Skyler, a middle brother, finished for his sister. The others nodded in agreement.
"And the ones that do," Jordan, the third from the youngest, smirked.
"Feel the rest of our wrath," Lily finished, running her tongue over her teeth. Phyrrus' aunts and uncles, as well as all of his cousins and his own sisters, nodded in agreement.
And then the door burst open, allowing Death Eaters to pour inside.
Harry, Phyrrus, Cyrrus, and Alvin fought their way toward Remus and Sirius, who had been the last to arrive and stationed closest to Chara to keep her safe. At the moment, they were being overpowered by several Death Eaters, including one who seemed hell-bent to reach Sirius. "I will have my revenge, cousin!" A woman's voice cackled, and Harry stiffened.
"That bitch!" Phyrrus hissed, even as Harry murmured, "Bellatrix."
"Tell me something," Cyrrus grunted, dodging a spell and sending his own at an attacking Death Eater. "If she's an insane bitch and that dangerous, who the fuck keeps letting her escape?"
"If we knew that," Remus, who overheard the question, snarled, "we'd kill them to make sure they stopped!"
Bellatrix cackled again, moving closer to Sirius as Remus howled. Her husband had separated the two, and he couldn't help his mate. "Sirius!"
"I'll kill you," Bellatrix cackled, and Sirius twisted to avoid a spell, falling into a dueling stance.
"Not if I kill you first." He sneered, trying to pull her away from the main battle. The dais with the veil was behind him, so he back toward it, despite Remus' shout of warning. The werewolf desperately tried to reach his mate, Bellatrix's husband falling to the fierceness of his spells and his werewolf strength. Before he could move, though, another man took his place.
"Grayback," Remus' eyes lit gold as he stared at the werewolf.
"That's right," The man smirked. "Me."
"I owe you for turning me," Remus snarled, and Harry nearly flinched at the sound of Remus' voice. It wasn't the calm, mild-mannered Remus he knew, but something closer to the wolf hidden in his thin body. His voice was deep and feral, making the one he called Grayback flinch back for a moment, his eyes widening. Remus leapt forward, tackling the larger werewolf to the ground with a snarled roar, teeth going for the throat. Grayback barely dodged, and tried to throw Remus off him with little success as bloodlust took him over.
"Sirius!" Harry's scream made them turn back as Bellatrix struck Sirius with a curse they didn't know. And then he was falling, gracefully, toward the veil.
It seemed to take him an age to fall, his blue eyes widening for the briefest of moments, then relaxing, knowing his fate. Sirius, unable to do anything, gave himself to die. Remus could only howl in anguish, the gold in his eyes brightening as he continued to attack Grayback, unable to help his mate.
And then one of the Death Eaters was there, grabbing Sirius around the waist and tucking the taller man into the curve of his body, yanking him away from the veil as they both fell to the hard ground. The Death Eater hit first, his arm flung away from Sirius and through the veil, and then he was screaming in agony.
"Father!" Draco shoved through the fray, guarded by Cyrrus and Alvin as he fought to reach the other man. "Father!"
Chara was also headed toward him, surrounded by several more fighters as she rushed to his side. "I guess we see where your loyalties lie," Bellatrix snarled, pointing her wand at Lucius. Sirius shifted to protect him, but it was Harry that saved them both.
"EXPELLIARMUS!" Harry bellowed, snapping his wand in her direction. Magic blazed from his wand, lifting her and throwing her over the two men and through the ragged curtains of the veil. Horror crossed Harry's face, but he had no time to mourn as another Death Eater attempted to attack.
"They're after us!" Phyrrus cried, running to the door. "Harry, come on!"
"Right!" Harry followed his bonded out the door, joined by Cyrrus and Alvin, the only two able to follow. The Death Eaters swarmed them, shoving through the doorway and into the hall. They were almost to the beautiful fountain at the entrance of the Ministry of magic when they were forced to halt.
The man that stood before them wasn't one Phyrrus, Cyrrus, or Alvin recognized, but Harry knew too well. Tall and thin, his skin was milk white. He looked more snake than man, and Harry's eyes narrowed as he met the red eyes of the only person he could say he hated with all his heart. "Voldemort."
Alvin blinked, then looked at the three boys. "Run when you can," He whispered, and stepped forward.
"Dad?" Cyrrus and Phyrrus blinked as the man pulled bravado around him like a well-worn cloak and smirked.
"So, you're Moldy Ass." Alvin offered, his dark eyes narrowing. He looked the man over. "You look like a good wind would knock you over."
"I have little time to waste on fools," Voldemort sneered, shooting the killing curse at Alvin. The man dodged neatly, forcing Voldemort to turn his back on the boys.
"Funny. I have little time to waste on megalomaniacs," Alvin dodged another curse, and shot one of his own at Voldemort.
"Daddy," Cyrrus whispered, his indigo eyes growing wide.
"Cye, come on," Phyrrus was almost in tears, one of his hands wrapped around his cousin's wrist. "Dad said to go."
"But Dad—"
"Now," Phyrrus ordered pulling Cyrrus along as he sprinted after Harry. The two boys cast one, last look back at Alvin as they raced further down the hall.
Alvin grinned maliciously at Voldemort, using whatever he could for distraction and cover. No one ever attempted to accuse him of fighting fair. Alvin was the dirtiest fighter of his brothers, and it had only ever been for Connor that he behaved. He had adored his younger brother, and Connor had known it and used it to his advantage. Not that it had much mattered, because Connor had adored Alvin in return. So it would only have ever been for Cyrrus and Phyrrus that he would have gone up against the most evil wizard in the world. It was only for Cyrrus and Phyrrus that he would die.
But he was going to take that bastard down a few notches before he did, damn it!
"You light wizards," Voldemort sighed, tapping his lip absently, as though he was thinking deeply. "Such good people." He lingered over the word good, almost as though it was a curse.
"Who said I was good?" Alvin asked, sending another border-line-illegal curse at the Dark Lord. "After all, good people don't use things that might get them into trouble."
"So you think you're no better than me?" Voldemort asked, laughing softly. "Why don't you spare yourself and join me, then? I could make you great. I could give you everything you could ever dream of."
The smirk fell from Alvin's face as he looked at Voldemort coolly. "I already have everything I could ever dream of. But what would an orphan half-blood know about dreams, hm?"
"You!" Voldemort roared, moving to get him in his anger. "You are nothing but scum on my feet!"
"I hear that a lot," Alvin hissed. "But even scum can bite. Crucio."
He caught Voldemort by surprise with that curse. The Dark Lord hadn't expected a so-called light wizard to use an unforgivable. He barely deflected it, his robes whirling from his body as he shifted to avoid the curse.
"Worthless," Voldemort sneered. "Now you'll die."
"I saved everything I ever dreamed about, fuck face." Alvin laughed hollowly. "What do I care?"
Voldemort snarled something, but Alvin just smiled, knowing the end was about to come. "Connor, I saved our boys," He whispered, still trying to stay alive. "But I don't have much longer." He knew he wouldn't survive the fight. Someone like Voldemort would never allow one who had slighted him in such a way live to tell about it.
And when the spell finally hit, Alvin opened his arms . . .
. . . and welcomed the black.