Hello hello!
Any of you miss me? I must tell you, February was hell for me, workload wise. March is promising to be the same, but hopefully I will be able to pick up the updates from now on, and actually finish this little (ahem) story within March itself!
So, without any more ado, Onwards! Chapter 38.
***
The Aurors crept stealthily and under invisibility spells towards Stonehenge with confidence and efficiency.
The battle plan had not been changed except to take size, shape and accessibility into account, just like in every other site where their dynamic, amazing minister had sent them to clear out Death Eater dens. This, she had announced through their team captains, would be the jewel in the crown of their achievements- completion of this raid would mean capturing the leaders of the straggling dark wizard camp and the lowlives who had dared try to revive You-Know-Who's legacy. It would also mean the Order of Merlin. The fighting wizards were sure of it, and they were all for striking for their own little piece of fame.
They fanned out a good distance before they reached the actual Stonehenge area, wands out and ready to curse dead anything moving in the howling wind of the very early, black as night, morning. At the appropriate marks from their team leaders, they fell on their bellies and crept closer, to gain as much proximity as possible before they were detected.
All for naught.
Unlike every other time they had been dispatched, all the teams were met radially by a solid force field that suddenly hissed neon green and sliced off any appendage that was unlucky enough to touch it while it was still unseen. The mutilated aurors screamed in anguish as they rolled away or recoiled haphazardly as blood spurted in strong geysers were arteries were sliced clean open, or trying to grab for their disjointed hand, elbow, nose, fingers, or even entire forearms- and those were the lucky ones, because the ones who had lost their heads, could do none of those things.
As if the hacked off flesh and the spilling blood was the cue, silent dark figures against the yet-dark sky leapt forward through the neon-green force field, completely unharmed by it, and fell upon the injured aurors and the startled ones who were bringing up the rear. No shouts, not yells, nothing.
Just silent death.
Most aurors died before they even realized what it was they were being attacked with- the dark wizards were working in pairs, one working the wand, the other working the blade. They were sinister blades, those, looking like oblong golden sickles that gleamed with the diseased greenish tint from the magic that forbade anyone to advance towards Stonehenge, where the leaders of the villains were.
It was nothing like the Death Eaters.
The aurors that tried to ran away died faster than those who tried to hold their ground. It was over so soon that Lyall Hodge, laying flat upon the ground and holding his very breath, direly hoped he was dreaming. His invisibility spell had not been shattered, and his lack of movement seemed to keep him safe from becoming fodder for those- devils, that's what they are!
The yells and agony and harrowing throes of death of all his friends and colleagues around him ceased, and still Lyall gripped his wand so hard it shook with tremor, and lay on upon the ground, barely daring to peek around and watch, at a loss for what to do.
The dark figures towered over the hacked bodies of the ministry's finest, swords gleaming shrilly now under the light of the wands that cast light upon the mayhem that reminded Lyall more of a butcher's trash than anything else. Words were uttered in a tongue he couldn't understand and the dreaded greenish force field that had heralded their death disappeared.
Lyall could recognize some faces now that even more light was cast- these people did not hide their faces. Most did not even cover their torsos, and only archaic style jewelry and body paint adorned the warrior bodies. Long dark hair were raised upwards in high ponytails or they were completely bald, their hair shaved off. They were definitely not British- nothing in their stance and behavior indicated it. But those Lyall could recognize, were- they were the surviving Death Eater lieutenants, Voldemort's deadliest and finest that often were spoken of with more respect by auror duelists than the Dark Lord himself.
And yet, they were, apparently, lower in rank than the exotic looking wizards. Lyall could tell, from the way two tall robust wizards ordered them around, telling them what to do and where to stand.
An order was barked into the wild air, so piercing it was heard as if there was no howl all around them, and Lyall flinched. Everyone knelt with religious respect and reverence, touching their heads to the ground and raising their bloodied hands, wands and blades upwards.
It was then that Lyall saw the Leaders for the first time- a man and a woman so beautiful he nearly forgot to be afraid, nearly forgot they were the enemy and almost showed himself.
Isis approached slowly, Osiris just a pace behind her. Under the light invoked by magic and the barely hinting glow of very early dawn, the golden headdress she was wearing seemed made of fire. The air made her filmy, silk-light garments swarm around her like stylized vortexes and she knew she was the all powerful queen to her followers.
"Well done, my children," she purred. "Your deeds bestow Mother Isis' blessing upon you, and your strength shall be multiplied- the Followers of Goddess Isis are not mere mortals, mere wizards, but demi-gods, for they are her children!"
Osiris frowned, raising his chin as if he literally breathed in the air that brought whiffs of blood and bile- he was not the God of Death of nothing, he was not Ausar for naught. He could sense the stench of terror in the air, and that could only mean one thing.
The cultists of Isis hailed and hailed as she reveled in her victory and the message she would send to that sorry excuse of an auguror and that harlot of a minister- until Osiris' hand took her own in respectful challenge.
"My Usat," he purred. "I do believe our children have allowed one intruder to pry upon this holiest of moments."
Isis dark, dark eyes snapped open and her gold-fingered hand flinched in a stylized movement.
Lesions formed upon all the bodies and body parts strewn around the worshippers, until they raked deep welts upon Lyall's back, making his blood burst upwards along with his yell.
"Well well," purred Isis. "A stray child."
***
The session ended with the Golden Trio walking out in heated argument. Nikos smiled, patting himself on the back for work well done- for the cold distancing that had been painfully evident even to an outsider like himself had clearly gone into the past, and heated arguments like those were a certain way of healing back to warm friendship.
All the students walked out numbly- it was the norm with his classes, even back in Greece- but he could see that not one student was walking away without having learnt more than they would know now, but was certain to save their lives when they needed to. He was about to call Rasmus to him, when another Slytherin walked up to him. It was Adeline Gaunt, one of the students that seemed to have fun targeting his godson.
"What is it, Adeline?" he asked evenly, noticing that Rasmus was contemplating lingering and leaving. He didn't want him to go before he spoke with him.
Adeline sighed.
"Sir, I must say that I have not had such a session before."
It showed, Nikos thought a little harshly, but he just smiled thinly, waiting the girl out. She was not being very quick, and kept shooting glances at Rasmus as if he was intruding.
"I…think I'll go to my next class," Rasmus said.
"No, Rasmus, we need to talk," Nikos said quickly over Adeline's shoulder.
"At lunch," Rasmus said and jogged out as if he wasn't bruised at all. Nikos breathed out and controlled himself.
He turned his eyes back to Adeline.
"I am listening, Adeline. What do you want to tell me?"
Adeline swallowed.
"Sir, uh… you know I am a Gaunt."
Nikos nodded, but his face remained so impassive Adeline rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Surely in Greece you know the Gaunts are responsible for spawning the Dark Lord!"
"Yes, but I am not sure where this is going, Adeline. Do you feel I have been singling you out negatively?" If I have, it is more because you picked on my boy than your sodding bloodline, girl.
"No. I am here because you don't look at me like I'm a murderer."
"That would be because you aren't," Nikos said kindly, but impatiently. "But Adeline, unless there is a problem your House Head can't handle, I really need to see to some urgent b-"
Adeline was frustrated, but in the end she blurted it out.
"I speak Parseltongue."
"Gaunts are known to have that trait. But Adeline, speaking any language doesn't mean—"
"No- you really don't get it," Adeline's eyes flashed in desperate anger. "I can't dare talk to anyone here and admit I have any sort of link to the Gaunt blood line save the fact that Morfin raped my mother, who had me before she killed herself. As soon as I'm old enough, I will sue the ministry for giving me my father's surname."
Nikos' heart tightened at the harsh way Adeline was speaking, with emotion he knew she would deny having to anyone else.
"Then why tell me?" he asked quietly.
"Because you harbor a Snape… because you are a foreigner… and because you need me to find the Key of Wind."
For one of the rarest times in his life, Nikos found himself staring at the student, mouth hanging open.
***
Yikes! Looks like Isis and Osiris didn't even have to fight, eh?
Bwa ha ha ha! Who thought I'd picked the name 'Gaunt' at random? Tomorrow we see more Rasmus and the Trio. And maybe some Finn while we're at it. ;)
Sindie: how about that for a baddie reappearance? ;) And yes, fighting is serious business!
Duj: well compared to some of the things the kids are exposed to, Nikos' classes are tame- keep in mind that his duel with Rasmus was a duel with a student experienced in his sort of teaching.
Zoe Bright: Well, the Trio isn't back to normal yet, but yes, they are sorting things out I think everyone must sort out before they become a real fighting team. And I also think that sex between villains is often a domination/ violence interaction rather than anything else. Hope you liked this one!
Until next time!