Chapter 120: The Spriggan's The Thing
{A/N: Here's Another Update...}
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Eastern Quadrant,The Forbidden Forest, Wizarding World...
Crisp night air had been on the backs of the Hogwarts youth that stood amid the forest right along with Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger-Snape, Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy. Phaeron gripped his wand tightly as he looked at all the faces of those attempting to help him with his ambitious plan to save his father's life. Lily noted how nervous he must have seemed and offered him a sweet smile drawing the curious attention of her older brother Albus Severus.
"Alright everyone..." Phaeron began looking over at his apparently coherent father. "We need six taproots...so that means we take on six Spriggans."
"Easier said than done." replied Scorpius Malfoy though he stood boldly between his father and grandfather.
"I say we divide ourselves into teams." said Albus Severus. "It seems the best course of action given some of us have a distinct lack of combat experience."
"Fine." said Phaeron looking at the older Potter in the group. "Albus Severus you and Scorpius will be one team."
Scorpius narrowed his eyes at Phaeron.
Albus Severus smirked while gripping his wand.
The two of them had the least amount of experience with combat but at least Scorpius knew how to duel.
"I'll go my own way thank you very much." said Lucius fiddling about with his serpent cane.
"As will I." replied Draco with his expression one of concentration.
He had been determined to end this curse and save his Uncle's life this time around. Being Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor had given him the edge he didn't have as a student the first time around. His understanding of curses, ancient or otherwise much more profound.
"That leaves you with Father." said Phaeron turning toward Hermione.
The bushy haired witch nodded.
"I've got him." she assured her son. "You just worry about getting your accurate measure of taproot."
Snape smirked as he looked at his older son.
"Six taproots and all we have to do is get our hands on the tapor." said Phaeron giving his father a hopeful smile.
The Potions Master nodded briefly ruffling the younger Snape's raven hair.
"Fear not boy, I'll still be here when you return." he said with a smile of his own.
"I'll hold you to that old man." replied Phaeron turning his attention to Lily Potter.
"Good luck Professor Snape." she said pleasantly.
"And to you Miss Potter." said Snape. "Do look after the boy."
"It's a promise." said Lily as she and Phaeron split from the group.
One by one the groups splintered off and everyone went off in search of the spriggans that held the valued taproots.
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Screams filled the eastern quadrant of the forbidden forest. Both Albus Severus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy had been zipping through the large sets of trees in a bid to avoid the onset of a vicious bee swarm that had chased them deeper into the forest. Scorpius hopped over a rotted log and Albus Severus nearly tripped due to his sleeve being caught on a wayward branch. The blond haired wizard quickly helped the green eyed Slytherin and they found themselves tumbling into an open clearing. The air had begun to heat up and sweat had been pouring off the two wizards as they gripped their wands tightly.
"You see anything Potter?" asked Scorpius unable to focus with all the sudden rising fog.
"No." replied Albus Severus. "Can't make out a damn thing in this fog."
The young blond wizard fought back the urge to chuckle at the heroic Harry Potter's younger son's language. He clearly had not been a chip off the old block. If anything Scorpius dared to say that Albus Severus behaved more like a Snape than a Potter given his close association with Phaeron it seemed to be much closer to the truth.
"Well." said Albus Severus as he huddled next to Scorpius.
"Well what?" asked Scorpius irate at their situation and that Potter expected him to immediately have all the answers.
"Well what do we do next...your the combat expert here." spat Albus Severus.
"And your the Potter here." said Scorpius annoyed. "Can't you come up with something...I mean you do have the name of two Headmasters of Hogwarts."
"Shut up." muttered Albus Severus.
As the two younger wizard's began to bicker, only one noted the slight shadowy figure moving amid the fog.
"Shit." said Scorpius taking in what appeared to be the Spriggan that was chasing them.
"What is it this time?" asked Albus Severus.
"That thing is..on to us." replied Scorpius Malfoy.
"Shit." said Albus Severus.
"I believe I've already covered that Potter." spat the blond Slytherin wizard.
"Sod off Malfoy." countered Albus Severus.
"I don't suppose you've got in any bright ideas." replied Scorpius.
Albus Severus thought for a moment.
"Just one." he replied.
Both he and Scorpius lept to their feet from their hiding spot and aimed their wands at the offending creature.
"EXPELLIAMUS!" shouted Albus Severus.
"SECTUMSEMPRA!" shouted Scorpius Malfoy.
Both spells hit the offending Spriggan directly causing it to gurgle then let out a high pitched screech as it died on the forest floor. Both Scorpius and Albus Severus approached the creature with caution aiming their wands intent on doing more damage if need be.
Up close, the Spriggan looked like a humanoid tree with bark for flesh and limbs carved in a feminine appearance. This particular Spriggan had been from the swamps as it's "blood" continued to gurgle in a thick murky green substance. The eyes had been hollowed out holes that had once held the acidic green glow of it's venomous bees buzzing about.
"Well it's down." said Scorpius. "Go on Potter, get the taproot."
"Me?" asked Albus Severus. "What's the matter with you getting it?"
"I'm not sticking my hand in the muck so that it'll be come soiled." said Scorpius. "Aren't you a potioneer in the making get to harvesting ingredients."
Albus Severus turned his wand on Scorpius who had done the same to him.
"This whole taproot excursion was so that Phaeron could save his father's life." he said.
"You're right." replied Scorpius swallowing down his fears. "I'll get it."
"No." said Albus Severus. "It was my father's careless act that lead to this it's only right that I retrieve the taproot."
"No Potter, if anyone is going to save my great uncle it's me." spat Scorpius.
Albus Severus rolled his eyes.
"Alright Malfoy." he said. "How about we collect it at the same time."
"One hand each and move delicately, we don't want this thing jumping back up attacking us." said Scorpius.
"Let's keep our wand hands trained on it..." said Albus Severus. "To prevent...nasty surprises."
Finally in agreement the two teenage wizard's reached their hands into the severed chest cavity of this strange creature and they noted the eerie white glow of the taproot nestled beneath the wood carved rib-cages of this accursed creature as if it had been a heart. Slowly and carefully, Scorpius disconnected the root like structures that appeared to be veins from it's surface. Albus Severus kept the rib cage open via his wand hand and the other.
Scorpius finally pulled the taproot free of it's confines and examined it.
It had been a strange looking thing, like a small tree with a large whole frosted over with a glowing milky white substance magically held in place.
"Success." said Albus Severus with a smirk.
"Indeed." replied Scorpius. "Perhaps we don't make that bad of a team Potter."
"Well said Malfoy." replied Albus Severus.
Scorpius carefully put the taproot into the provided satchel and they headed back toward the meeting point in the forest.
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With a well timed swipe of his hand, Lucius Malfoy managed to cut down a rearing bear under the elusive Spriggan's thrall. He had left a trail of several creature's corpses in the wake of his efforts to capture and kill this Spriggan. He fired hex after hex in a bid to slow the creature dodging the venomous bees it sent in his direction as if they had merely been hail misdirected.
"Levicorpus!" shouted the handsome blond wizard aiming his wand at his prey. He smirked noting how useful these adolescent spells Severus Snape created as a brooding teenage wizard become to those who knew how to use them well.
He had to admit as he zipped through the trees alone, it had felt pretty damn good to be in action once more. His heart had been pumping and his blood had been filled with fresh oxygen giving him ample energy.
The Spriggan had been caught in the spell and lifted right off the ground hissing and slashing at the senior Malfoy as he approached. All out of options and creatures to do it's bidding, the Spriggan had been helpless to Lucius Malfoy's calculated assault.
"SECTUMSEMPRA!" shouted Lucius as he watched The Spriggan cease it's struggling as globs of black ooze poured out of the severed creature's wooden humanoid form.
Keeping clear of the globs of black goo, Lucius advanced on the creature his full attention on getting a hold of the taproot that lay buried inside's wooden chest cavity.
"LIBERACORPUS!" came the released of the creature with an upward flick of the senior Malfoy's wand.
It crashed onto the ground in a mangled heap amid the black goo. The handsome black wizard strolled over to the mass of twisted black goo stained wood and quickly split apart it's chest cavity. If the creature had indeed felt pain it had been nothing compared to the amount of pain it was capable of inflicting on one unsuspecting witch or wizard who knew not how to combat it's possible threat.
The sound of parted wood gave way to the intense milky white glow of the creature's taproot core. Lucius severed the root-like structures that surrounded it with ease and pulled it from the chest cavity.
He had collected his taproot and placed it into his satchel.
Wondering how the others were fairing, Lucius Malfoy headed back to the meeting point leaving the numerous corpses in his wake.