Chapter 27

Mithrael had seen in the minds of the Death Eaters where they were taking Narcissa, but it was in London, far from any forests. It would not be possible for them to take a portal, and walking was not an option. He would have to use the Wizard method of traveling by floo.

He signaled to the three guards who were with him to follow him to the portal. They came out at the woods behind Remus's house. His son's godfathers had disapparated earlier, so they were already in bed. Mithrael pounded on the door until the two sleep-deprived men opened it.

"Death Eaters attacked near the Forbidden Forest after the ball," he said. "They have taken Lucius's wife, Narcissa. I know where they have taken her, but we need to travel through your fireplace to London."

"We'll go with you," Sirius said. "Give me a few minutes to get dressed." He and Remus hurried up the stairs. They were back shortly wearing muggle trousers and shirts.

"Where do we need to go?" Remus asked, taking the pot of floo powder off the mantle.

"To the house of the Death Eater called Nott. It is in an old part of London near the Wizards' shops."

"Diagon Ally," Remus said. "We'll floo to the Leaky Cauldron then, and walk from there."

The Nott house was a large old house in a line of buildings, most of which had been turned into flats. It was in a Muggle neighborhood, but was surrounded by a tall stone wall. Muggle repellant charms were in place so that any magic that was performed in the area would not be noticed. There were few wards, and the ones in place were simple enough to disarm with little trouble. The problem was disarming them without setting off an alarm.

"Do not bother with the wards," Mithrael said.

Remus frowned. "Are you sure?"

He nodded and pointed to the branches of a tree that hung over the wall. "The guards and I will climb over the wall in the branches and drop into the garden. They will hear the alarm, but they will find nothing for we will be invisible to them. While they search, the guards will attack the Death Eaters, and I will bring out Lolindir's methara. She is in the front room of the house to the right of the opening. When I return, we must pass through the gates. Hide behind the shrubs across the path. When you see my arrow fly over the wall, use your wands to open the gates. I will bring her to you, and you can disapparate with her. Leave no trace of where you go in case any escape. We will meet you at your house in the morning."

"Make sure you leave no trace," Sirius said. "Leave nothing behind that will alert the ministry that the house was attacked by Elves."

"We will be cover our tracks," Mithrael said. He motioned to the guards to follow him, and one by one, they climbed up and disappeared into the branches of the tree. Sirius and Remus walked across the street and stood behind a hedgerow, watching the gate.

Inside the wall, Mithrael took out his knife and the guards notched arrows in their bows. Mithrael stood against the wall beside the door, waiting for someone to come out while the guards found cover.

The door opened, and a tall, thin man with a black moustache appeared, wand drawn. He gazed out toward the gate, then around the garden. He stepped out on the porch and started down the steps. Suddenly, an arrow flew from behind one of the trees and pierced him in the heart. Mithrael stepped inside the house while one of the guards went to the fallen Death Eater and hid the body.

The room where Narcissa was kept was filled with Death Eaters. Mithrael softly crept into the room staying close to the wall, making no sound. Once behind Narcissa, he leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Do not be afraid. I am an Elf and have come to rescue you."

Narcissa sat very still, with the exception of a small nod to let him know that she understood. Mithrael took her upper arm and gently pulled her to a standing position. Quietly, he led her behind the chair until she was against the wall. Little by little, they made their way to the door.

"They cannot see you," Mithrael whispered, seeing her confusion. "They think you are still sitting in the chair."

Narcissa nodded and followed him out of the room and the opened front door. Mithrael notched an arrow in his bow and sent it over the gate. When the gate opened, he lifted Narcissa in his arms and sprinted out of the garden and across the street where Sirius and Remus were waiting.

"We are not finished here," he told them. "Take her to your home, and I will meet you there tomorrow."

Sirius and Remus disapparated with Narcissa in tow, and Mithrael went back inside the gate. Some of the Death Eaters were outside now, looking for intruders. Remaining invisible, the Elves began firing their arrows, moving from tree to tree, dodging spells. Mithrael went back into the house where Nott and two other Death Eaters waited.

Mithrael walked behind one of the Death Eaters and slit his throat with his knife, then quickly killed the second one, leaving Nott alone.

"He's under an invisibility spell!" shouted a high-pitched voice behind Nott. "Kill him!"

"I can't see him!" cried Nott, turning in all directions, shouting "Avada Kedavra!" every few feet.

That is when Mithrael saw the face of Voldemort on the back of Nott's head. Crouching behind the desk, he raised his bow and aimed for Nott's heart.

"Noooooo!" Mithrael could hear Voldemort screaming in his mind as his soul left the dead Death Eater and moved toward the desk, looking for the one who had killed him. Mithrael lay flat on the ground, sliding beneath the front of the desk, then against the wall and behind a chair.

"I know you are here; I can sense your magic," Voldemort said, then laughed. "I will find you, and you will be my next host."

Mithrael thought of the spells his son had taught him. He needed a diversion so he could leave the room. Raising his hand, he sent a vase flying from the mantle to crash into the opposite wall.

The Dark Wizard laughed. "There you are," he said, moving toward the Elf. "If you had wanted to stay hidden, you should not have used magic."

Mithrael jumped up and ran out of the room, followed closely by Voldemort. He dashed out the front door and leapt off the porch, not bothering to take the steps, then sped toward the gate. Before he got there, however, he felt an icy presence trying to invade his mind.

Mithrael shut his mind tightly, not allowing the presence to enter. The soul of the Dark Wizard entered his body, and Mithrael dropped to the ground, screaming. He had never felt such pain—had never felt such darkness. "Elohanmi!" he screamed "Elohanmi!"

Suddenly, the spirit burst out of his body, shouting in pain and anger. "You have his blood!" it accused furiously. "Who are you? Damn you, what are you?"

Mithrael lay panting on the ground, looking up at the evil presence of Voldemort. "I am the Defender of Light," he said. "I am your enemy, and I will see you dead, for there is no Light in you."

Voldemort laughed. "I cannot die, Elf!"

"Oh, you will die, Dark One. Even your soul will die for it cannot cross over into the Summerland. You have destroyed your only chance to live forever."

Voldemort's spirit gazed at the Elf for a moment, then disappeared. The guards came out of hiding and helped him to stand.

"Are you all right?" one asked.

Mithrael nodded, looking around at the destruction on the lawn. "We must cover our trail," he said. He raised his hand, and all the arrows the Elves had shot flew into this hand. He grinned. "I learned that from my son."

The other Elves laughed, and one raised his hand showing the others the head of one of the Death Eaters. "It is the one who killed the young Centaur," he said. "We will take it to them so they will know that he was punished."

Mithrael nodded, "It is good that the Centaurs are avenged. We must move the Death Eaters inside and destroy the house so the ministry will not be able to detect that this was done by Elves."

The others agreed, knowing that Wizards had laws to protect the evil ones from those whom they had wronged. Wizards had strange ideas of justice. However, the rest of the magical world ignored this and carried out their own methods of justice, making sure they left no evidence for the Wizards to find.

Together, they piled the bodies into the room where Mithrael had found Narcissa, then set the room on fire. As the loud sirens from the Muggle carriages came nearer, the Elves left the Nott property and began their long walk to the nearest forest.

It was almost noon when Mithrael, the guards, Sirius, Remus and Narcissa entered the Elven Realm. When Harry saw his father, he ran to him, wrapped his arms tightly around him, and rested his head against his chest.

Mithrael felt his son's trembling and held him close. "I am well, Seth," he said gently.

"It is good you are home, Daka," Harry said. "Metha was worried."

Mithrael smiled. "It is good that my brave son was here to keep her calm," he said, laying his cheek on top of his son's head, giving Harry time to regain his composure.

After a few moments, Harry took a deep breath and pulled away. "What happened, Daka? Where were you? Why did you not come home last night?"

"I will tell you everything later, but first I must talk with Queen Thespa. Please take our cousin Narcissa to her son."

Reluctantly, Harry left his father to take Narcissa to where Draco and Lucius were being cared for, and Mithrael went to find the Queen.

"You have returned," she said when he approached her.

"Yes, and I have come to ask for the Ritual of Purification."

The Queen frowned. "What has happened?"

"The Dark Wizard entered my body, trying to possess me, but was unable to stay because I carry the blood of Sethrael, but I have been defiled by his darkness."

"Then of course you must go through the ritual. My nephew and his friend the Potions Master carry his mark. Perhaps they will participate in the ritual with you."

Mithrael nodded. "I will make the offer, but first I must talk with my family so they will know what has happened to me."

He found his family sitting with the Malfoys, the Potions Master, and Seth's godfathers. He leaned down and kissed his wife, then took his daughter in his arms and sat down beside his son. Draco was now conscious. He was lying on the ground with his head in his mother's lap.

"I must speak with you about something," Mithrael said. "The Death Eaters who attacked you have been punished. The Centaurs have been avenged. We have given them proof, and they are satisfied." He took a medallion from around his neck and handed it to his son.

"It is a gift from the Centaur Chief. To wear it is a sign of honor. He wanted me to give this to our young King who rebuked him for his poor judgment. He has taken the medallion from his own neck to give to the one who reminded him that he must lead with honor and justice."

Harry held the medal in his hands for a moment, and then placed it around his neck. "I will thank the Centaur Chief when I see him again."

Mithrael shook his head. "It would be best not to mention it again. The Chief has lost his honor and must regain it. It would shame him to have it mentioned again."

Harry nodded and tucked the medallion under his shirt. "I will not mention it, Daka."

And then Mithrael told them of all that had happened since he left them in the Forbidden Forest after the ball. "Because I have been defiled by the Dark Wizard, I am to go through the Ritual of Purification." He let his gaze fall on the two former Death Eaters. "You may participate, also, if you wish. It will cleanse you of the darkness from the mark and your past actions. It is not an easy ritual, but when you have completed it, you will no longer bear the Dark Wizard's mark."

"I would like to participate," Snape said without hesitation.

Lucius turned to his wife and son. "Would you have me go through the ritual? The Death Eaters know that I'm a half-blood and no longer in agreement with their cause."

"Yes, Father. Please go through the ritual," Draco said. "To be rid of the Dark Mark would help restore our family's reputation."

Narcissa nodded. "The Dark Lord knows, Lucius. The Mark won't save you from him. Go through the ritual."

"Then I would also like to participate," Lucius said to Mithrael.

"May I speak with you alone for a moment?" Remus asked.

Mithrael stood and walked with Remus away from the small group. "Would the ritual rid me of my darkness?" he asked.

Mithrael nodded. "It would. However, it is more dangerous for you, for you must battle the dark side of your nature, and you must do it alone, for it is also dangerous for anyone who goes with you. If you choose to do it, you must wait until the new moon when the wolf is weaker and you are stronger. Remus, you must be in good health before you do it, for the ritual could kill you."

Remus nodded thoughtfully. "I will think about it, then, but I know that I will want to do it before long. The longer I wait, the more strength the wolf pulls from me. If I wait much longer, I won't ever be strong enough."

"The new moon is in three weeks. During that time, eat well and regain your strength. When the time comes, I will stand in the shadows in the Realm of El so you will not be alone."

Remus smiled. "You are a good friend, Mithrael."