Inspired by the challenge set down by Acolyte of the Blood Moon. What if Harry was the reincarnation of a certain green-eyed SOLDIER? Hopefully fast updates, if people like it.
PS: Mwahahahahahaa... Bwahahahaha!
Never a Memory...
Selwyn sighed into the cold air, his hands tucked under his armpits as he tried to hold back the bite of early December. He hated guard duty, but Azkaban was especially horrid due to the remaining Dementors. They were few in number compared to before they had cracked the prison, but even one was enough to make the place miserable.
At least it was quiet tonight. The Mudbloods and other Undesirables were usually wailing and crying, especially the younger ones, but for some reason they had quieted quickly tonight, only the occasional sob from one of the younger prisoners drifting through the air.
The water was lapping against the dock, and Selwyn sighed, only to perk up after a second. There was a second echo out across the water, the hollow sound of the waves striking against the side of something hollow, like the boat that would come deliver prisoners and food. But the boat wasn't supposed to show up for at least a few more days. Selwyn stood up straight, eyes trying to pierce the fog coming off the ocean currents. Maybe it was just an emergency, maybe the Dark Lord needed someone and if couldn't wait-
But the figure on the tiny boat looked nothing like the normal Death Eaters, a young man in a long red coat, hazel eyes almost glowing in the dim light, multiple spheres shining from a raised hand. Before he could call out, the entire gauntlet lit up.
A glowing rock falling from the sky was the last thing Selwyn saw.
Up in the air, Harry and Ron watched in quiet horror as Comet after Comet pelted the outside walls of the prison, hovering on their brooms and clad in Disguise. Hermoine's work months back in Grimmauld Place had paid off, and what had once been know as the Hell Knight combo had been changed and renamed to the Apocalypse combo. "Quad-Magic and Comet, MP Turbo with Comet, MP Absorb with Fire, HP Absorb and Fire, Added Cut with Fire, a pair of W-Magic with Comets, and Magic Counter with Comet!" Harry murmured, swerving away from a stray flaming rock streaking from the cold sky. "That girl is just scary."
"What is that, sixteen Comets?"
Harry winced as one of the ground floor guards tried to fight back, managing to let loose one spell before succumbing to a fresh wave of Comets. "Magic Counter, remember? That eteud just upped the count to thirty two."
Ron laughed dryly, and it was all Reno in his stance as the pair of them landed on the open platform that had been part of the wall once. Voldemort had blown it open when he had released his people before, and the Ministry had never had the time to rebuild it. "I think it was a fire spell too, yo. He just made her stronger."
"Would wand magic count?"
"We'll ask her later," Ron offered, throwing a handful of lightning down a corridor, frying a Dementor that was gliding oily towards them, paralyzing it long enough for Harry to snap out his Patronus, the silvery stag edged in a hint of Mako green. The demon almost shrieked as it was impaled on ethereal antlers, ragged form thrown to the side over the edge and into the water. They may have transitioned to using mostly Materia, but wizarding magic still had its use.
"Any idea where the keys might be?" Only to huff as the young Turk shook his head, snapping his wand out to add his terrier to Harry's stag. They blinked for a second at the Patronus, it was larger than normal and starting to change shape like Tonks had, but they came back to attention just as fast. "Well, then we need to go with plan B," he offered, Masamune levering up in his hand. "I'll send them to the landing, you watch out for the Death Eaters, and get G on solid ground? She's going to be exhausted when she stops."
Ron laughed even as they flinched together at one last tremendous crash echoed behind them, fire and light flashing through the stone corridors of the prison. All of the visible Death Eaters were down for the count, half a dozen tattered robes and silver masks strew about the landing where they had come to try and repulse Genesis. Brown eyes flicked to the side, and another handful of lightning snapped out, frying a Death Eater right as he tried to curse them. "On your left," he murmured, baton swinging from its strap around his wrist. "I'll meet up with G," he confirmed, eyes going hard in a familiar look of Reno on the job. "Go find the Goblins, I've got this yo."
~~~...~~~...~~~
Genesis was panting on the tiny boat, resting heavily on her heels, letting ancient memories coach her into resting all of her weight in a way that would help her recover while being able to spring into action if attacked. She knew her reserves were good enough for sixteen Comets, or even twenty five, but thirty two was pushing it, even with the MP Absorb combined with the Fire. And the one idiot had tried to hit her with Fiendfyre, which was the only reason she wasn't completely tapped, but if someone was left, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to stand casting that sort of attack again.
Fingers brushed against the armlet with the Mp Absorb/Fire combo. The Fiendfyre had stressed the pair badly, but they had done their jobs, and she felt thin shards of one of the orbs flaking away. The MP Absorb wouldn't be able to take another attack of that strength, but with any luck she wouldn't need to take another attack like that.
The boat stopped with a gentle tap against the dock, and she took a slow breath as she stepped onto the rotting wood, heels of her boots clicking against the ground as she stalked her way into the prison. Craters were still smoking all around her, and she refused to allow herself to flinch at the remains of her enemies. Even after so many fights where she and the others would lure in Snatchers, she still had to remind herself that they would be more than willing to kill her if they caught her. And she hoped that she would never lose that. Becoming numb to killing hadn't been the cause of Genesis doing insane, but it hadn't helped, and the less she could become like him, the better.
The Rapier was in one hand, and her wand in the other, and she summoned her Patronus, the silvery otter swimming down the corridors to chase down a harried looking Dementor, and she couldn't help the smirk as it drove the creature straight into the teeth of Ron's evolving hound. The Rapier came up as she came to the first locked door, and came back down with a swift cut, destroying the door along the hinges. A kick brought the rest of the door down, and she offered a smile to the young girl within. "Time to go," she offered, cocking her head to the side towards the dock. The girl burst into tears, but raced out of her cell as fast as she could, which wasn't that fast until Hermione noticed the chains around her ankles, bare feet shuffling across the stone. A quick flick of the red blade severed the chain, but she left the cuffs alone, not trusting her aim. "I need you to be strong, alright? I'm going to send the others to the docks, so please, tell them, to wait for me and the other to come back, alright?" she asked, placing her wand hand on emaciated shoulders. A shaky nod earned another smile, and she send her on her way.
The next level up had Harry, who was cutting down doors as fast as he could move, taking only a split second to see if it was a kid, an adult, or a Goblin, and directing them down to the docks. Everyone took the chance that was being given to them, shuffling down the stairs as fast as they could, older prisoners helping to carry the younger and weaker kids, chains in hand as they aimed their feet towards freedom. Silver hair was flying behind him as he danced through the halls, Disguise perfectly in place as he destroyed metal bars and wooden doors, a whirling wind of metal and death.
Only to stop up short, scowling as he pulled the last two feet of metal out of the wall where it had gotten stuck. Six feet of sword plus a foot of hilt in a corridor that was only ten feet wide at best was not the most conductive to his sword style. Chunks of stone went flying as the Masamune finally came free, and he let out a silent breath to see no damage to the blade. Not that he'd see any, but it was still a relief.
The next cell door came down with a thunderous clatter, and the young man inside raced for the stairwell as fast as his emaciated form could take him, as did the older woman in the next cell, chains dragging behind them like noisy snakes. It wasn't until he reached the end of the hall that he finally found Goblins, all three of them chained together and in worse shape than the muggleborn.
One looked up at him, standing in the doorway like a dark angel, silver hair and silver sword shining in the faint light, and an already pale face drained of all color. "The Calamity..."
Harry flinched in surprise, but gestured towards the cell with the Masamune, ignoring the renewed flinches from all three Goblins. "It's either me or the Dementors, gentlebeings," he offered, moving away from the door. "If you come with me, I have questions, but you will be treated with respect."
They looked at one another for a second before the youngest (and this was relative, they were all craggy and old looking) grumbled out, "Better a quick death than a slow one here." With that, they limped up, joining him at the door.
~~~...~~~...~~~
"Everyone! Group together, we're gonna send you on in just a moment!" Ron yelled, eyes flicking back and forth, watching for more prisoners and Dementors. The youngest kids looked to be no older than twelve, and they were sobbing quietly together, the group of them leaning against Genesis, the young woman in Disguise being far more patient with them than the original Genesis ever would have been. The oldest kids weren't looking much better, but the were still holding it together, bolstered by the promise of rescue, while the adults were almost as weepy as Genesis' cubs. Everyone was shivering almost violently, the December air turning fingers and toes bright red, which was another reason Reno was encouraging them to huddle together.
Ron pressed his lips together as he tried to create a portkey, a transfigured hula hoop used as the base, but the wards against transportation magic were still active. The plastic toy hissed and crackled before melting into a pool of disappointment on the wooden dock.
Apparition was out of the question. Wards for that were still active as well and Harry wasn't good enough yet to do it with more than two passengers. Hermione was, her will a laser of concentration, but judging by the way she was rocking back and forth on her heels, she was about done in, and even her amazing focus couldn't compensate for so many people. It wasn't just a matter of transporting the weight of a person, but the magic. The youngest wouldn't mean too, but their magic would instinctively fight against the Apparition even when calm, and they were the farthest point from calm at the moment.
Luckily, they had thought of this. Wizardry based wards didn't block or register Materia based magic, as Harry had learned on that summer two years ago. Hermione had given an Exit to Rufus and Fudge, with the stronger of the pair in their control. It could be used on others, not just the caster, but this was again Hermione's specialty, a holdover from Genesis' experience as The Red Mage. Reno had been decent at it, but Ron didn't have enough practice.
It was Harry who was going to have to do it. He was a better caster than Ron, but with all the Patroni he'd had to call to get to the top floor of the prison, he was going to be running a little low too. Not as bad as Hermione, but noticeable.
As if summoned by the thought, the last of the prisoners trickled out, including a trio of Goblins that were skirting away from the Disguised Harry, and then Hermione as well the second they saw her. Strange, but Ron filed it away as something to ask Harry about later, once they were safely away. "Good timing, yo!" he called, encouraging the newcomers into the different groups. "We need to get going now, before the next shift arrives!"
Harry nodded, knee length silver hair rustling softly as he switched a Fire out for their Exit, pairing it with a fully mastered All. He breathed out slowly, gesturing for the youngest to come forward, Hermione gently pushing the more reluctant ones into the group. He concentrated, focusing on the song of the Exit they had given to the Ministers, tendrils of magic wrapping around his arm for a second before shooting out, embracing the kids and sending them on their way in a rush of triumphant green song.
It went faster with each group, Ron and Hermione making sure a few adults were with the kids in each group, until the Goblins were the only prisoners left. Harry looked them in the eye for a second before turning to his friends. "Go with them I'll be right behind you."
"General, no! The next shift is coming, you can't stay here!" Hermione exclaimed. And it was true, they could see shadowy silhouettes out in the fog, a pair of boats coming up to the dock.
But Harry just smirked, a long finger tapping on a red orb in his armlet. "I've got a little surprise for them. Go with them." Ron grabbed their friend when it looked like she was going to continue to argue, pulling them closer to the flinching Goblins as Harry cast the Exit at them, green swirling around them and taking them away.
Alone at last, the General paced to the end of the dock, green eyes all but glowing as he stared down the Death Eaters out in the middle of the sea. Casting Exit the way he had cost more as far as magic went, but he still had enough left for this.
The summon seemed almost reluctant, as if it knew this would be the only time it could be cast again. But it also seemed somehow stronger, as if drawing power from the dismal state of the prison around them. He was a silver god wreathed in green as he called upon the old magic, arm lifting into the air before shooting out over the heads of his enemies.
The Death Eaters were about to meet with Death itself.
The clouds broiled overhead, turning dark and angry with hints of lightning crawling around the edges. Hades had changed from Sephiroth's time like Phoenix had, but the angry god was still a force to be feared as it leaned down from the storm, skull face leering at the boats, skinless hands reaching down to snatch up lives. Every person the Summon connected with died instantly, a wispy form rising out of the corpse and into the skull's mouth. Hades was eating the souls of the Death Eaters, and a more fitting death could not be found.
The orb shattered in Harry's armlet, red shards of glass raining down onto the dock, and the young General took that as his queue to leave. As Hades finished off the last of the Death Eaters, he activated the Exit Materia, disappearing with a wisp of green, leaving the island of death in the hands of Death itself.
Long may he reign over that God-forsaken scrap of land.