Three Hours Prior to Battle
Lucius sneered as he rounded his grand table. The black wood shined as the dusty chandelier played light tricks across his pale features. He sneered coldly as he read a small note, memorizing its contents before surrendering it to flames.
"It seems Donal's rounded up a small gang to attack with. I bet the bitch won't see that one coming."
He crossed over to his wife and harshly took her face in his hands.
"Did you heal your face?"
Narcissa shook her head. "Glamours."
Lucius leaned forward, sniffed, and then licked her face.
"Tastes like lies."
She closed her eyes and his hand darted out, reaching for the candlestick on the table. Without a second thought, he swung hard, hitting her squarely on the cheek.
The force of the hit made the woman fall from her seat, and she curled into fetal to protect herself from the beating she knew was to come.
But it hadn't.
Her son, her only son, grabbed his father's arm and stopped the swing.
For a second, Lucuis took his eyes off his wife.
Needing no more prompting, she apparating, using the last of her remaining energy. She landed in the Forbidden Forest in front of an old Centaur cavern.
A dark female emerged from the cave and recognized the witch bleeding before her.
"Healer-" Narcissa choked out.
The centaur sneered. "We do not help your kind."
"Minerva- the castle-" Her head was throbbing, she couldn't stand, couldn't think. "-trouble…" She felt herself passing out. "-Trouble in the castle."
She collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
A male named Zekel heard the exchange from a distance and dashed forward.
"Move," he ordered, and the female's nostrils flared but she nonetheless backed away.
With an arch of his hand, he peered into her memories to see if what she said was true. If it was, and if the castle really was in danger, he had sworn a duty to Albus to do just that.
"Bring me a healing potion."
Seconds later, Narcissa awoke to a centaur shaking her to consciousness.
"You have enough energy to apparate to the castle. Tell the Headmistress it's time."
She nodded, felt the surge of adrenaline from the healer's potion, and apparated away.
Xxxxxxx
The first giant to fall to the Devil's Snare screamed for what seemed like hours as the vines twisted his limbs and crushed his frame. The snaps of the falling trees were reminiscent of the grinding of the bones as the snare enjoyed its meal.
Minerva stayed up in the trees, waiting to see the man, but the smoke was driving her lower and lower, which also put her in an increasingly vulnerable position.
The sounding of hooves made her ears twitch and she attempted to dart away, when from the same corner of the woods came the word, "Albus…"
That did the trick. She turned and morphed into her human form, wand at the ready. "Zekel…." She hissed "Is that you?"
The clipping came closer, and she wheeled around, disoriented form the smoke and the trees. She could easily remove the smoke with a flick of her wand, but she'd rather keep what little camouflage and advantage she might had. And if Donal approached her and cleared the air, he'd still be in mid spell by the time she had thrown a curse in his direction.
From beside her ear, "The order is given and it is so."
And then nothing.
She morphed back into her cat form and sprinted backwards. So Albus' deal with the centaurs were still good. They would form a first defense front line. Good. Then she could stand back and be ready.
She wanted him to herself.
Xxxxxxxxx
Zekel galloped forward and withdrew his bow and arrow. Laced with a deadly poison and razor sharp, the weapons were proving most effective in taking down the ex-convicts running madly through the forests.
Within seconds, ten out of thirty men were lying dead, and the rest were scattering quite quickly back through the trees.
The giants were proving more difficult to take down, but after the Devil's Snare killed one, the rest were questioning of this was all such a wise idea.
One man ran managed to escape the barrage and headed straight towards Percival's hiding spot. He, not knowing that he was running way beyond enemy lines, was in a clear line of sight.
Percival stepped out and flung a curse, killing the man on the spot.
Gray eyes turned and glared into the eldest Dumbledore child, and for a moment time stopped.
Murderer, the eyes whispered.
And with that, his life was gone.
Percival dropped his wand and stepped forward, peering down at the man he'd just killed.
As a wave of guilt rushed over his body, he kneeled down and covered his face.
He didn't hear the sound of Donal approaching.
The convict had died squarely in the middle of a small clearing, and Percival, in his moment of humanity, had exposed himself entirely to enemy lines.
Without hesitation, Donal fired out a green line towards the eldest son of Minerva McGonagall.
His body stiffened, then fell, forming a perfect cross with the corpse beneath him.
Xxxxxxxxxxx