I do not own Bleach or Harry Potter the both belong respectively to Tite Kubo and J.K. Rowling
As Harry released his spiritual pressure, the Death Eaters were left terrified as they were forced to their knees under the weight of the boy's power. Only Voldemort stood unaffected.
"Yes Harry come and I will show you; I fear the Reaper no more."
"I'll fix that!" Harry roared, vanishing from sight.
The next thing anyone saw was Harry standing behind Voldemort, his zanpakutō in hand, dripping with the Dark Lord's blood as the wizard's right arm fell to ground.
The Death Eaters couldn't believe their eyes; the speed of which Harry had closed the distance between them and sliced off Voldemort's arm was frightening. There was no doubt that should their master fall, Harry would be coming for them next.
But while his followers were certainly afraid, Voldemort was strangely unresponsive, something that was certainly discomforting for Harry.
I don't get it; I lop off his arm and he's just standing there as if nothing's happened. Harry was pulled from his thoughts as Voldemort turned to face him.
"Yes truly an impressive display, Harry Potter" said the Dark Lord. "You have certainly inherited your mother's power."
"Yeah and I'll use all of it to tear you apart" Harry declared.
"I already told you, I have no reason to fear." Harry's eyes widened in shock as the flesh of Voldemort's severed arm started to bubble and stretch out to reconnect to his body.
High-speed regeneration Harry cursed. Fine nothing I can't handle. "Ain-Soph-Aur!"
With a swing of his zanpakutō, Harry unleashed the devastating energy wave. Voldemort surprised him by waving his wand, casting a shield charm Attempting to defend himself against the deadly attack. While thinking it strange that a Hollow would be able to use magic, Harry didn't let it worry him as his Ain-Soph-Aur, overwhelmed Voldemort's shield engulfing the Dark Lord.
"Master!" the Death Eaters cried, as their Dark Lord was surely reduced to ashes. Though many were simply fearful that they would be next.
Karkaroff couldn't deny the growing feeling of dread as he snuck away from the third task. The instant he saw Viktor Krum after he removed from the hedge maze, the former Death Eater recognized the signs. The Imperius Curse had been cast on his student; the familiar tint of Dark magic radiated from the boy. The fact that only the two Hogwarts champions
His greatest fear was realized and he needed to escape now, before he too met his end. He had made it half way to the end of the Hogwarts' grounds when suddenly he was knocked to the ground by a large, growling, black dog.
"Alright, Padfoot I got him" said Remus, aiming his wand at Karkaroff, as he walked up followed by Hermione, Ron, and Ginny.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Karkaroff bellowed, as Padfoot stepped off him, transforming back into Sirius.
"We just thought it odd, a school headmaster would leave their injured student behind" said Remus.
"That we did, Moony" said Sirius, adding his wand to Remus' efforts to pin the Durmstrang Headmaster.
"I don't have time for this" said Karkaroff, trying to push past the two marauders, as he clutched his now burning left forearm.
"Hold on there, Karkaroff" said Remus, barring his path, wand pointed right between the man's eyes. "What's got you so worked up?"
"There's no time for this! Let me through now!"
"Just answer the man" said Sirius. "And maybe we'll think about letting you go."
"There's no time!" Karkaroff bellowed, but Sirius and Remus stood their ground, wands held at the ready should he try to draw his own.
"It has something to do with your Dark Mark, doesn't it?" Hermione spoke up, not even flinching as Karkaroff gave her the most hateful glare.
"Keep your mouth shut" he spat, looking at Hermione as if she were no better than an insect.
"I'd watch your tone if I were you" Sirius growled, jabbing his wand into Karkaroff's chest. "Now cut the attitude and let's see that mark."
Karkaroff struggled against Sirius, as the ex-con pulled at the sleeve of his rob. His struggling ended up working against him as the sleeve tore, revealing Karkaroff's Dark Mark for them all to see.
"The Dark Lord has returned" Karkaroff admitted. "Now get out of my way. He'll have me killed."
"I don't think so" said Remus. "You're coming with us to see Dumbledore."
Karkaroff was livid. He was trying to run for his life; it was clear to him now that somehow Potter's entry into the tournament had been the work of his former master. And now that Voldemort had returned, he knew his betrayal would see him killed.
This didn't matter to Sirius or Remus, who kept their wands on him as they walked back to the castle. Dumbledore needed to be told about what was happening. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny on the other hand decided it was time to split off from the marauders; they needed to find Yoruichi, believing the powerful Soul Reaper would be able to help them.
That's weird Harry noted. Ignoring the frightened cries of the Death Eaters, he focused on the aftermath of his Ain-Soph-Aur. Despite feeling his attack connect, he couldn't sense any change in Voldemort's spiritual pressure. He would've thought that somehow he had dodged his attack but when the smoke cleared there was nothing left but the hand wearing the black stone ring.
Then it happened. Harry's eyes widened in shock as the black stone started to glow with power and started to give off traces of spirit energy. The ring rose into the air as the spirits who normally dwelled inside the graveyard came pouring out of the stone, writhing in agony.
Before Harry could move to help them the spirits gave out one last ear piercing scream before they were enveloped by a dark aura from the stone, before bursting out violently, knocking him back as the surge generated a small tornado. When the dust cleared, Voldemort was left standing perfectly healed, with the black stone now imbedded in the back of his wand hand.
"Now you see, Lord Voldemort is beyond even death" the Dark Lord proclaimed, as his followers cheered their master's survival.
Harry just found it sickening as he realized that somehow Voldemort's stone had used those innocent souls as fuel for his resurrection.
"You, you bastard!" Harry roared, war drums banging in his head, his eyes slowly showing signs of Hollowfication. He was right there and yet he was powerless to save any of them. He couldn't allow this to go unpunished.
He dashed forward, planning to slice straight through the stone. But Voldemort wasn't about to allow the source of his newly acquired healing powers come to harm; raising his wand, the Dark Lord silently cast a spell, sending black lighting at the approaching Soul Reaper.
Blocking with his zanpakutō, Harry was surprised by the force behind the spell as he found himself being pushed back.
No way did he have this much power before, Harry remarked, struggling against the Dark Lord's spell. It's got to be that rock.
Digging in his heels, Harry released a burst of spirit energy, knocking the spell to the side. Flashing stepping in front of Voldemort, Harry brought his sword down on the Dark wizard, who quickly responded with a shield charm, protecting his stone, while the force of Harry's attack knocked the Dark Lord into the air.
Following up his attack, Harry used flash step to appear above Voldemort, the blade of his zanpakutō crackling with energy. "Ain-Soph-Aur!"
Firing the energy wave, Harry watched as his attack engulfed Voldemort as the Dark Wizard was sent crashing into the ground. Not wanting to risk the black stone reviving him again, Harry followed up with a second Ain-Soph-Aur attack, scaring the graveyard further with a large crater, where he was sure he'd find the broken remains of the black stone, if it wasn't turned to ash.
But to his horror the stone and subsequently Voldemort had survived his attacks. Though from his empty hand, it was clear that Harry had at least managed to destroy the Dark Lord's wand.
"A pity" Voldemort commented, holding what little remained of his wand. Tossing it aside the wizard turned his attention to the stunned Death Eaters. "Which of you will be the first to offer their wand, to your Lord?"
Not waiting for a response Voldemort, lazily waved his hand summoning a wand from one of his followers, not caring whose it was. With a wave of his borrowed wand, the Dark Lord conjured a massive flame; it was no ordinary fire as it quickly formed a gigantic serpent.
"Let us see how you handle my Fiendfyre" said Voldemort, commanding his fire serpent to attack.
Once again Harry was surprised by the power that Voldemort was able to summon, struggling to block the Dark wizard's enchanted flame, with his zanpakutō. Finding he was unable to knock back the Fiendfyre, Harry escaped from the serpent's fiery grasp with flash step, reappearing off to the side.
Harry charged for Voldemort but the Dark Wizard seemed to have expected this, as with another flick of his wand he summoned for enchanted fire, blasting the Substitute Soul Reaper with his hellish flames, taking great pleasure as Harry screamed out as the dark fire burned. With another flick of his wand, he brought his fire serpent back around, catching Harry in the back and sending him crashing down to earth.
"Behold" Voldemort called to his Death Eaters. "Your Lord has brought down a Reaper. You see now that Lord Voldemort is beyond even death."
"Shut up!" Harry roared, emerging from the Fiendfyre. Half of his top had been burned off, revealing seared flesh, and remnants of the Fiendfyre still licked at what remained of his robes. But despite his injuries he refused to stay down, extinguishing the flames as he released a massive burst of spirit energy, shining out like a pillar of light in the dark night. "I'm not done."
While his followers, coward at the display of power, Voldemort ever calmly stood his ground, beckoning Harry forward.
He didn't disappoint as he charged forward. Voldemort prepared to launch a counter attack when to his surprise, Harry smirked and called out "Mick!"
Catching the Dark Lord by surprise, Harry's until now forgotten human body rose up and grabbed hold off him. Voldemort screamed out as Lily's protection burned him alive, only to be brought back by the power of his black stone; the process repeating in a torturous cycle.
The Death Eaters weren't sure what to think about the second Harry Potter attacking their Lord, and were all hesitant to get involved in the increasingly stranger growing battle.
On his part Harry was certain that his mother's protection would be enough to finish Voldemort, as he made his final approach to retrieve the black stone; without it he was sure that the Dark Lord would be reduced to ash and he could go about finding a way to free the captive souls inside.
"Ah I had wondered where you ran off, Prof. Karkaroff" said Dumbledore, as Sirius and Remus marched the Durmstrang Headmaster over, the man was taking careful care to keep his left forearm covered, and was looking very nervous.
"Dumbledore get these two away from me!" Karkaroff bellowed.
"Quiet Karkaroff" Sirius ordered, before turning his attention to Dumbledore. "He's got something he wants to show you."
With Sirius keeping his wand at Karkaroff's back, Remus forced the Durmstrang Headmaster's hand away from his forearm, showing off the man's Dark Mark.
"I was afraid of this" Dumbledore said grimly. "Severus has spoken to me about the mark growing clearer."
"Oh and Snivellus, didn't think to share that Harry would be in danger?" Sirius scoffed. "Awfully convenient, he isn't here."
"Now Sirius, I've told you that Severus has…"
"Yeah, Yeah, he's really sorry about being a Death Eater."
Dumbledore chose not to comment on Sirius' disbelief at Snape's redemption; the ex-con had been told plenty about how the man has treated his godson since he started Hogwarts.
"Sirius, now isn't the time" said Remus. "We need to focus on finding out, what's happened to Harry."
"Something's happened to Harry?" Dumbledore asked. "I thought, he and Mr. Diggory were still in the hedge maze?"
"Not according to his friends" said Sirius.
"Is this what this is about?!" Karkaroff snarled, reminding them of his presence. "Potter's friends get scared and you two decide to assault a visiting headmaster!"
"Prof. Karkaroff, I assure you I take my students' concerns very seriously" said Dumbledore. "I'll summon, Alastor and ask him to search for Mr. Potter and Mr. Diggory. In the meantime, why don't you, wait inside the castle, Professor? I'm sure your students are worried about Mr. Krum and could use your support."
"I'll walk him, up" said Remus, concerned that Karkaroff would use the opportunity to runoff again.
With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore conjured his phoenix shaped patronus, sending it with a message for Mad-Eye, who arrived soon after.
"Alastor, there have been some concerns about the safety of our two Hogwarts champions" said Dumbledore.
"And you, want me to look for them" said Mad-Eye, catching on quickly. The grizzled ex-Auror turned his gaze to the hedge maze, his electric blue enchanted eye, actually stopped spinning and instead focused entirely on the task. "Don't see anyone, Dumbledore."
"Are you certain, Alastor?"
Mad-Eye gave Dumbledore a look that said "Are you seriously going to ask me that?"
"Forgive me, Alastor" said the Hogwarts Headmaster.
"Where's Karkaroff?" Moody grunted, choosing to dismiss Dumbledore's apology. "Wouldn't put it past the Death Eater to know something about this. Of course there's Snape, too."
"At least I'm not the only one not buying into Snape's transformation" said Sirius.
"That's enough, Sirius" Dumbledore chastised. "Alastor, Remus is bringing Prof. Karkaroff to his students. You can find them waiting in the great hall."
Mad-Eye grunted and walked off, to interrogate Karkaroff.
Voldemort screamed in agony as Lily's protection continued to burn him alive. His Death Eaters stood uselessly on the sidelines, none of them daring to take action in his duel with Harry Potter. That the boy would dare to stand before him, so sure of victory filled the Dark Lord with an all-consuming rage.
As the Substitute Soul Reaper reached out to take the black stone something in Voldemort snapped as Lily's protection burned away at his addition to the black stone.
"Argh!" Voldemort screamed, as a massive surge of energy was released from his body blasting back Harry and Mick. Voldemort wasn't the only one in pain as each of his Death Eaters clutched their Dark Marks in agony as they reacted to their master's suffering.
"Boss!" Mick called, righting himself the mod-soul was shocked to see Harry clutching at his forehead in agony.
"M…Mick" Harry struggled, his head felt like it was being split open from the inside out. His entire body felt like it was going through a blender as the pain spread out from his scar. Harry's vision began to blur as he struggled to his feet, his hands barely able to hold his zanpakutō.
It came as a relief when his faithful mod-soul allowed offered to let him lean on him. Together they watched as Voldemort's spiritual pressure changed to further resemble that of a Hollow's.
"It seems your mother's protection has failed you, Potter" Voldemort said at last, dropping the now broken pieces of his combat pass on the ground.
Harry pushed Mick behind him, not wanting to risk the mod-soul or his body's safety. His arms were shaking under the strain as his body protested against fighting further. Stubbornly, the Substitute Soul Reaper stood his ground
I just have to get that stone and then he's mine.
But it wouldn't be that simple, for while Harry was exhausted the power of the black stone had restored Voldemort to full strength. To the Substitute Soul Reaper's surprise, the Dark Lord didn't cast another spell instead he simply raised his hand, pointing his index at the boy.
Harry's eyes widened in shock as a Cero started to form at the end of Voldemort's finger. Planning to counter with a blast of his own, Harry started to focus his spirit energy. But when it came time to swing Harry found that he couldn't move his arms or any part of his body.
Ice cold terror struck his heart as Harry found himself completely defenseless. No matter how he struggled his body refused to move. As if things weren't bad enough the situation worsened as suddenly black veins started to spread out over the sword, leaving cracks in the metal and giving it a rusted appearance.
"W…What?" Harry gasped, as Nakatsukasa's blade disintegrated leaving him holding nothing but the hilt.
"It seems even that power has left you" Voldemort hissed, his voice laced with sadistic pleasure. "Goodbye, Harry Potter."
With his body refusing to move, Harry was powerless as Voldemort fired his Cero. Mick rushed forward to try and pull him out to safety but it was clear that the mod-soul wouldn't be fast enough to save them both. Just as it appeared to be the end for them a man appeared out of nowhere, standing between them and the Cero blast.
"Scream Benihime!" the man commanded, holding out his sword in a defensive position, summoning a crimson colored hexagon-shaped barrier to form between him and the Cero, blocking the attack completely.
"Seems we made it in time" said Yoruichi, surprising Harry as she suddenly appeared behind him. "So what do you make of him, Kisuke?"
Another Soul Reaper Harry realized, identifying Kisuke's sword as a zanpakutō.
Benihime was a medium length sword with a straight slim blade, colored black with a silver edge, with the tip ending in a slanted razor-sharp edge. A U-shape guard covered three inches of blade, with a flower petal design at the base. The hilt's grip, covered in black-decorative wrapping, bended forward at the end, with a crimson tassel dangling off the pommel at its base.
As for the man himself Harry found himself finding Kisuke's choice of wooden clogs and green and white striped bucket hat rather peculiar. Though it was still easier to look at a lot of wizards' personal fashion choices.
Harry wasn't the only one taking in the new comers' appearances. Voldemort himself wasn't sure what to think; given his choice of weapon and the method of their arrival, the Dark Lord correctly assumed Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi were Soul Reapers. So now Voldemort had to ask himself was it wise to challenge the two of them. Of course he hadn't forgotten about his still present Death Eaters, who were silently waiting for their master's orders.
"That's an interesting stone" said Kisuke, drawing the Dark Lord from his thoughts. "I must admit I didn't expect to see something like that here."
"And who are you to speak to Lord Voldemort in such a manner?" the Dark Lord demanded.
"Oh, I'm no one important" Urahara said casually. "I'm just a small time candy shop owner."
"We best take care of this Kisuke" said Yoruichi.
"Right."
Angered by their easy dismissal of him, Voldemort raised his borrowed wand intending to cast FiendFyre, but before he could the Dark Lord found his arm caught in Yoruichi's grip. Stunned by the incredible speed, Voldemort was brought to heel as the former Stealth Force commander, twisted his arm flipped him over her shoulder and slammed the Dark Lord down painfully into the ground.
Seeing their Lord in danger the Death Eaters finally snapped out of their stupor, unleashing a barrage of spell fire aimed at Yoruichi. To their surprise, Urahara flashed stepped in front of his longtime friend and held his zanpakutō out as he called out
"Scream Benihime!" Just as before the crimson colored barrier formed in front of Kisuke, defending him but this time the eccentric candy shop owner had another trick up his sleeve. "Kirisaki, Benihime!" at his command a barrage of energy bullets fired out from his shield forcing the Death Eaters to scatter and conjured barriers as those too slow to react fell victim to Urahara's counter attack.
Harry watched wide eyed as Yoruichi and Kisuke easily fought off both Voldemort and his Death Eaters, a part of him loathing his own inability to finish the job, as he clutched the hilt of what was his zanpakutō.
Yoruichi having guessed from Kisuke's earlier comment that it was important reached to pry the black stone out of Voldemort's hand, when suddenly Nagini decided to remind them all of her presence as the great serpent struck at the were cat's hand. While the snake was fast Yoruichi was faster as she easily batted Nagini away. Still this proved an effective distraction for Voldemort who used the chance to transform himself into smoke; slipping out from underneath Yoruichi and reformed by his Death Eaters.
"What shall we do, my Lord?" asked one of the Death Eaters, not liking their chances against the two powerful newcomers.
As much as he was loathed to admit it Voldemort knew that taking on both Yoruichi and Urahara was a losing battle.
"Retreat for now, Potter is too well protected for now" he commanded.
As Voldemort and his Death Eaters began to apparate out of the graveyard, Urahara swung his zanpakutō releasing a crimson colored energy wave from Benihime, striking at the Dark Lord's hand just as he teleported away.
Kisuke examined where the Dark Lord once stood, finding a broken shard of the black stone, a result of his last attack. Pocketing the stone fragment for later study he turned to face the others.
"Well guess that's the end of that" he said casually. "We best get Harry back to Hogwarts."
As if in agreement, Harry finally allowed himself to pass out from the combination of exhaustion as the pain in his scar began to dull.
