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Recap: Vowing to himself that he would end this war with Voldemort so he could live his life in peace with the two loves of his life. With that he let slumber take him.
Chapter 18
Voldemort sat in front of one hundred of his Death Eaters, more were waiting in France, and various countries. His head swivelled back and forth as he observed his small Honor Guard. They had come along nicely under the former U.S. Marine Reconnaissance soldier. He had been impressed with his new soldiers as the former Marine stated. They were more confident more reliable. The Marine wanted to have them us muggle weapons but Voldemort shot that idea down violently with his favorite curse. Ever since that day the old soldier never brought it up again. So he stood before his newest recruits.
"My newest knights I should welcome you to the dark brotherhood, and give you the mark. But I'm not." The students looked up at him in frightened thinking the worst, and he relished in it. "Fear not my loyal students, I want you to go back to school and recruit as many followers as you can without getting caught. Also I want you to listen to the students they can lead us to a great victory over the old fool. Don't get caught. From what our new member has told me you will not be held in this country, and im not strong enough to take on what was it he called it. Ah yes a superpower. In time maybe, but not to day."
"We will not fail you my lord." One said.
"See that you don't. Malfoy. And another thing you're to leave Potter to me!" He snarled at the group, who flinched. A clap surprised several of the Death Eaters turned to see a lone man standing near the doorway, in the shadows. Who was still clapping slowly?
"Bravo, bravo. That's the way to keep the masses on their toes. Majestic." He said.
"You have three seconds to explain yourself to our master!" The Ex-Marine cried out. The cloaked moved quickly, too quickly, and stood in front of the Marine. With a practiced flick of his wrist thrusted a poisoned tipped dagger in the Marines chest.
"El xuil nau bel'la." He muttered, slowly he turned as the dead Marine started to convulse uncontrollably. The Dark Lord stood there watching the dead man. Anger was present on his face. He just lost his only trainer.
"I fear you not. Lich. I'm not afraid to die for what the Spider Queen commands of me. With her help I will destroy you if you try it. But I highly doubt it. I'm not one of her priestesses. So do you want to hear what I have to say, if not I leave." He said.
"You killed the only man who could have trained my followers." Voldemort shouted in anger. The cloaked figure laughed. Voldemort was stunned when the figure started to laugh, it was a laugh that sent chills down everyone spines.
"Usstan xuat treemma dos. Elgg ussa lueth elendar lil jusron del lil orbb valsharess. Lloth." The cloaked man said with a touch of insanity. Everyone was confused at what he just said.
"What my stupid male friend has said. I do not fear you. Kill me and continue the wrath of the Spider Queen. Lloth." A female said standing by the dark lord. "And no we don't fear you Lich. Not like your men."
"Get away from him!" Narcissa screamed.
"My dear sister. Continue and I will personally send you to the afterlife. You no not who you are picking a fight with. Take my stupid male here a fighter. Fluent in his motions. Trained at the MELEE-MAGTHERE. Surpassed the traitorous Drizzt Do'Urden. Don't tempt him human he will take great pleasure in killing you." She said.
"My dear who are you?" Voldemort asked with a false smile, sensing danger from the woman.
"Qu'el'saruk." The male replied.
"Kl'ae lil xanalress del lil rivven." She screamed at him pulling out a whip with six snake heads on it.
"Yes, Priestess." He stammered out.
"We have come to you with an offer from the houses of the underdark. Unlike the last time we come to you." She said pulling off the hood of her cloak. Voldemort took in the woman standing in front of him. The dark hue of her skin sent a message to Voldemort's brain screaming at him to proceed with caution. He didn't want another fiasco like the last time, with her race. So he Conjured a chair of the finest materials he could, and motioned for her to sit.
"My dear. Please have a seat we have much to discuss." He said with genuine intrigue. She just smiled at him. To his men and the lone Drow fighter they just witnessed the start of history.
By now Harry was in the meeting room talking with the special forces members about his role. Everyone in the room was shocked at what they were listing to.
"So why was, I made a Colonel?" He asked.
"Well to be honest with you sir it two fold it's because of what you have here, and what the previous Minister wanted to do. Legally you're considered a terrorist along with Voldemort. What Major Zero has done is got the Queen to accept you as an Officer in the first Magical Army which gives you the right to kill your enemies in battle without fear of punishment from the Ministry. Anyway the forces you have gathered here are at least as strong as a light infantry division." Harry was now confused with a sigh, the Royal Marine continued. "It's like this sir. The soldiers you have gathered here are now the queens' soldiers. No matter who they are, are where they stand on the ladder of rank. Including Yu and Ami here at the moment they're your officers." By now the occupants of the room were staring at the two.
"Okay I see. To avoid sending the army after us, he was made an officer to avoid that." Tonks said.
"Right, and wrong. There is another reason to your rank sir. You're the only one to actively kill these bastard's. So the queen made the decision to make an army in the wizarding world with you at the tip of the spear head sir." He said.
"Great someone else who wants to use me." Harry said.
"Listen to me you little puke." The Marine said grabbing Harry by the front of the shirt. "If the Queen wants to use you to rally the people of the magical world to fight back and to join the army then she will. It's her duty to protect the people of her country. Even if it means using you as a martyr, someone for the country to rally around. Every country has one. The Americans have several in there past. Even this one some were factional some not. So get your head out of your arse."
Kali was stunned, and he remembered doing some just like that earlier in the summer, he started to chuckle at the irony. Yu watched him and he even chuckled at the Harry's situation. Hermione on the other hand was fuming at the lashing the Royal Marine gave Harry. So she decided to say something.
"What gives you the right to speak to him like that?" She said through gritted teeth.
"Easy, he need it. Were all used even if we didn't want to be. That is why were called soldiers. Were trained to do a job to protect the Queen and country. And now it's his job too." He replied. "I see you all at the training grounds sir."
The Marine walked down to the training ring and sat on a bench. Breathing slowly he gathered his wits. The others noticed him and approached.
"I can see why you surrendered so fast to him. That boy has an inner power about him it's not magical. It's from his experiences from life. My god his eyes they were hard as I laid into him." The Marine replied.
"And that is why I surrendered when I did he. His punch and elbow to the knee were held back he could have destroyed my knee and smashed my face in. But to do that he needed magic for the face but not for the knee. Just from the way he held it. I'm anxious to see what he does in battle." The seal leader said. "So how did he take to what your queen has been doing?"
"Upset, angry and confused. But his friends are a different story. That's were most of his power is coming from. The way they act, they give him an air of superiority and it's intoxicating, and freighting, and I what more of it." The Marine said.
"I'm glad we don't have any Marine Reconnaissance soldiers here they would be going nuts trying to gleam his secrets." One seal said.
"By the way were, are they?"
"Home securing several wizarding alleys in D.C. St. Louis, San Francisco, New York, large cities mostly. They wanted to do it and Travin gave it to them. Don't know why, we could really use their help, and when school opens several units will be sent to secure the town and the school. Well here they come lets see where they stand." The teams watched as several Templars and elves walked into the arena. As the day wore on the soldiers watched as the group trained and they were good and didn't need any physical training. The only thing they needed was fire arms training. When Harry entered the arena he was talking to three men two were in white robes, one had a red cross on his chest, while the other had a black cross. The other one was wearing black robes with a white cross. As they sixteen men watched Harry walk across the field they watched as the robed figures shared a look and slowly brought their hands to their weapons. Harry continued unawares of what was happening, suddenly he dove forward into a roll. Those watching sucked in a giant breath. When Harry finished his roll he popped up a sword drawn and at the ready.
"Five bucks he loses." A Seal said.
"You're on." Came a reply.
Harry stood on the ball of his feet ready to strike at his opponents. Suddenly he moved left as a ring could be heard, as the swords crossed paths. The one in black kicked out and scored a hit on Harry's side only to have to parry as an Harry took a swipe at him. A smile appeared on the mans face as they fought. The other two pressed the attack and Harry could do nothing but block. The feints were fast and deceptive but Harry saw through them and parried the true attack. Harry was thinking quickly and he came up with something. He gripped his calf and grimaced in pain. The one in Black got a worried look on his face and dropped his guard only to find a blade at his chest. Harry just smirked as the man backed away with a bow. But that didn't stop the other two. By now Harry was moving into an arch way, and the other two tried to stop him by spinning around him to block his escape. But the one with the black cross slipped on some loss gravel and Harry took the advantage. Now it was one on one and Harry was tired the fight had been going on for at least an hour. The Templar waited for the other two to fall before he pressed the attack. By now the area was full of on lookers who stared at the fight. Necros watched with pride as Harry battled the other human. Finally the Templar had an advantage and took it. He blocked Harry's blade and sent it high only to slide his blade down the length of Harry's blade only to stop inches from his neck. The Templar backed his blade away and looked in Harry's eyes. He was surprised by what he saw. Anger, hurt and yet understanding.
"Tired, opponents are easy ones. Everyone here saw that we attacked Harry he asked us to. Last week I lost to him in a single fight because I slipped on some mud that had been there. Use your surroundings and tricking your opponents to lower their guard if facing multiple opponents, and you might live. Don't stop to think but act use your sword as an extension of your body." LeCanins said, to the younger Templars.
"Five bucks pay up, Brit." Harry heard, so he looked over his shoulder to see the several of the specialist soldiers passing some money around.
"All right hears the plan for Saturday." Harry called out loudly. By now he had everyone's attention. "Okay Neville you'll be on the roofs here in Knockturn Alley with a contingent of archers. I want you to fire two volleys and then pick your targets. Tonks I want you and Hermione here across the street with one hundred Praetorian Guards, Hermione I want your Hoplite spearmen in front of Tonks and her group, after Neville's first volley Tonks I want your group to throw their Pilum, after words both groups charge. I will be on the opposite of you two waiting, after you have engaged the enemy well charge in."
"Smart confuse them with the archers first from the roofs then from the side. Followed off by a rush from same side then you attack from behind." Yu said.
"Oh that's not all I have a felling that due to what Voldemort is he's going to have inferi that will use the alley." Harry said.
"Excuse me sir but what is an Inferi?"
"Well Marine muggles might call them zombies." Harry replied.
"Okay and what will we be doing?" He asked.
"You're ordered to go to Diagon Alley and help secure it. He's going to more than likely use half of his force in this attack, and he's doing it to cause fear. But it won't work because were prepared for them."
"If the enemy doesn't show?"
"Well I'm sure the muggle-born and their parents will accept the heightened security due to possible terrorist activity, wouldn't you agree?" Harry asked them.
"Yes sir!" The sixteen barked out.
"Excellent, now that's out of the way hears what the others are going to due." Harry said, and explained where he wanted the others.
When Saturday rolled around the sky was overcast and threaten to rain. But the forces in the alley's weren't worried. Zero waited in his office sitting patiently for the fireworks to start. The clock he had placed his office chimed that it was nine o'clock and the alley should be bugling with activity. So he waited for news. When the first muggleborn arrived in the alley, he was surprised to see six guards by the entrance way. He knew from the patch that the soldiers were wearing that these were Americans. One of the men looked at him and nodded. Confused the young man and his family went about their shopping as did several other families. Though out his day he could hear from the various conversations is that they weren't going anywhere for awhile. Suddenly a scream could be heard followed by gun fire. So he grabbed his family and hid in the nearest store.
The six soldiers standing in front of the entrance way went flying as it exploded outwards, violently. The six were dead before they hit the ground and that's when a pureblood woman screamed. The patrolling group of soldiers started to open fire on the entrance way at the approaching them. Several killing curses flew out from the front runners, and struck one of the soldiers in the face.
"Oh my god the killed Kenny!" One of the soldiers said.
"You bastards." Came the reply, and with that they started to unload round after round into the moving dark mass.
Harry was watching the zombies move up the alley way and he could see the Dark Lord was with them, fear gripped his heart and he looked up to Neville who nodded and decided to get the party started early. So Neville waved Luna and gave her the sign to charge. She was confused and Neville could see that so he signaled that the Dark Lord was in the alley and Harry was going to rush him. She nodded and raised her spear once signaling the others to get ready. Neville lowered his arm and she spurred her horse on wards. She rounded the been and charged, leveling her spear a wall of flames erupted from end to end of the alley the front group of Inferi were destroyed before Neville got his first shot off. Harry watched Luna and her group rush passed, as they final one was by he ran from his hiding spot and ran right at Voldemort. Tonks and Hermione watched as the plan went south as Harry and Luna charged the enemy. Shrugging her shoulders Hermione was leaving the alley where she stood only to be stabbed in the side by an unknown assailant. Tonks saw what happened and threw her Pilum she watched it strike an invisible body as a screech of pain could be heard and the spear could be seen slumping to the ground. Suddenly a cry from behind alerted Tonks to something else. She could see that Harry and Luna had the Dark Lord and his undead army nearly beaten. Looking at Hermione she could see the young woman's breathing was shallow and her skin was starting to pale. Tonks activated Hermione's stone after writhing a brief message and sending the dagger with her. By now the Drow had a problem they weren't expecting two hundred more humans to come into the alley. So one raised his hand crossbow and took aim at Tonks only to drop it as an arrow took him in the head. The two hundred Drow that attacked Tonks and Hermione were dead, after both the Templars and Teutonic Knights rushed in to aid the surface elves fight off the Drow. The battle was that was raging in Knockturn Alley was bad. The Dark Lord was firing the killing curse with abandonment and smiled as he watched the body of the armored person fell with a thud. five of the chain-mailed knights were surrounding him but stopped when he saw Harry standing in front of him.
"Riddle." Harry said.
"Don't call me that boy." He hissed.
"Your army is destroyed." Harry replied.
"That may be but I'll kill you hear and know." He said only to be struck in the abdomen by six arrows.
"That may be but how can you do that with half a dozen arrows sticking from your stomach?" Harry asked as he watched Tom disappeared and heard the cheers from his men.
"Look to the wounded and see that the dead get a proper burial."
With that said Harry walked towards Tonks to see her crying worried he approached her. When he got closer he noticed that Hermione wasn't around. Tonks looked up to see Harry approach her, she jumped up and ran to him. When she neared, she wrapped her arms around him and started to cry harder.
"Tonks were's Hermione?" He asked. So she told him what happened. Harry looked at Yu who nodded and Harry grabbed the stone he used and vanished from the alley with Tonks still in his arms. When he arrived, he could see one Ami healer leaving their room. She looked up at the two and smiled.
"She is fine, but I fear she must stay in bed for at least a week. The dagger was poisoned seeing as how you brought it with her we were able to counter the poison before it killed her. And as for the child it is fine."
"Uh what child?" Tonks asked stunned
"Er. Sorry that's Liu she too was injured in battle. Hermione isn't with child." The healers said.
"But Liu is." The Healer nodded. "Tonks can you stay with Hermione I need to talk to Zero." Tonks nodded and Harry went back to the alley. He met up with Zero. On both sides of the alley there was a line of bodies. Harry gave him a questioning look.
"Four wounded no MIA. Fifty-three dead. Twenty-six Americans' twenty-seven of the Queens finest. But at least they took ninety-four of the bastards with them." Zero replied. "Before you ask we estimated the enemy force at six to seven hundred strong. This wasn't a scare tactic he wanted the ministry and was going to destroy the alley to get it."
"What of the civilians, how many were killed? And were, is Chambers?" Harry asked.
"Sadly Lieutenant Chambers was one of the Americans killed in action, cutting curse to the face. As for the civilians five dead sixteen-injured. Could have been worse, but thankfully we were prepared for them some what, but I fear the next time we might not be prepare for them. So what of your dead and wounded?" Zero asked. By then Neville came up with the tally sheets.
"Seventy dead, forty wounded with seven not expected to live the night. A third of my strike force dead." Harry said. "I have about three thousand battle ready soldiers."
"What of the enemy?" Ghost asked limping up to the group.
"Three hundred fifty six soldiers, and six to seven hundred Inferi destroyed. I have to agree with you Zero he wanted the Ministry and was going to take it with force." Harry replied. "And one extremely injured Dark Lord. And were in the hell are the Aurors?" Ghost only nodded at the comment about the Dark Lord before he walked away.
"I fear I may have lost a fine officer." Zero said.
"What?"
"He was fighting with Bravo squad, while Chambers was with Alpha squad when he was hit. Ghost tried to save his life but he had lost so much blood and it was too late. He's taking it hard." Harry nodded as his thoughts floated to Hermione.
"Any enemy captured?" Zero nodded. "Get what information you can out of them and lets see how he likes being attacked." Harry snarled.
"He wants to play a bogeyman then we play what the bogeyman is afraid of. We'll get those bastards and make them realize that this is the time to make a choice." Zero said walking away. Harry disappeared only to be grabbed and swung around by an ecstatic High Elf who went by the name Kali.
A/N: OKAY SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING SOONER BUT MY COMPUTER WENT ON THE FRITZ. ENJOY.