Sorry for the long delay; but work has been busy and my family and I are back under one roof after relocating and magic is the only explanation I have for how much trouble a 5 and a 3 year old can get into in 15 minutes. So, this is the next to last chapter and is the climax for this story, it's war in all of it's graphic glory and agony. Enjoy and feedback is always welcome.
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"It's, it's Harry Potter and Hermione Granger!" A masked Death Eater screams over the din of battle from a balcony several stories above the entrance to the cherished castle.
"Where?" Alecto Carrow cries out in surprise. She spins around to meet the new threat with her burned and pot-marked black robes, a testament to the vigor of the defenders' efforts to protect their school, billowing around her. She is stopped abruptly by a wand pointed at her chest by the same Death Eater who shouted the alarm. Startled by this unexpected development and the young man's eyes, which are shifting back and forth between blue and red under the mask, she is barely able to project a shield charm in time to block his blasting hex. Unfortunately, her other companion, Rabastan Lestrange, is not. He collapses with a started grunt after taking two red stunners to the chest. She screams back. "Durgan, what the fuck are you doing?"
The young man gleefully shouts. "I got Harry Potter!"
"Damn it, Durgan has been Imperioused." The woman hisses as she throws herself into a duel with her bewitched ally. Once engaged, she barks over her shoulder at a trio of menacing figures stalking their prey edge of the balcony. "Greyback, we made you that Wolf's Rage, now go finish off those brats!"
"Gladly," The werewolf growls in delight as he turns to the trio of children his pack is facing. After a weak curse harmlessly singes his blood covered fur, he violently strikes out. His razor sharp claws carve through the flesh of the student challenging him.
The young man, who had protectively placed his body in front of a fallen classmate, he screams out in pain after losing a sizable chunk of his deltoid muscle. As his wand helplessly falls to the ground, the he grabs his ruined shoulder and slides down onto his knees. Resigned, the teenager closes his eyes and whispers in a heavy Irish accent. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me" (Psalm 23.4).
"Fool! There is no God!" Greyback mocks before stepping forward, lusting for the fatal blow. Lifting his arm for the strike, a scent drafts across his hyper sensitive olfactory glands and he stops in alarm. Warily, he looks over his right shoulder at an alcove masked in shadows.
"But the Lord is my defense; and my God is the rock of my refuge. And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the Lord our God shall cut them off" (Psalm 94.22, 23). A harsh voice, full of retribution, slithers forth from the darkness as a robed man steps forward.
Absently, the werewolf pushes the maimed boy out of way and steps over the semi-conscious young woman lying on the floor, her arms covered in her own blood and entrails. His two companions, a pair of young female werewolves judging by their narrower heads, longer legs and the patch of lighter fur across their chests, take a step back in response to their pack leader's cautious action. Sniffing the air, the monster howls in rage. "Traitor!'
The man smiles and wordlessly fires off a series of bright red stunners at the trio with his durable, dark colored Juglans Nigra wand held confidently his left hand.
The barrage of curses scatter the young pair of werewolves; but, only leave a pair of ugly red blotches on their pack leader's tough hide. "It's going to take more than that to take me down, Ambassador. And, yes, I know who you are. I can smell your stinking cowardice."
"Tom clearly appreciates your intelligence, Fenrir." The tall man sarcastically replies as he slides the hood of his robe down, revealing a hard square jaw, ice-blue eyes and knotted black pony-tail. Circling to left, the American slips his wand into a covered wrist holster on his left arm. With his right hand, he pulls out a small, black and red ball from one of the utility porches adorning his belt. "But, there are a lot of ways to skin a hijo de puta!"
"Kill him!" Greyback screams just before the round object hits the stone floor at his feet. The explosion cracks straight through the stone rampart, sending the buttress and the werewolf tumbling down to the courtyard. The two female werewolves leap clear of the destruction and circle the man warily.
Studying his opponents, Ambassador Sanchez slips both hands behind his back and withdraws a pair of vicious looking curved daggers. Without breaking eye contact with the two angry creatures, he orders over his shoulder. "Finnigan, Patel, get Brown out of here, now!"
Overwhelmed from the horror of battle, the loss of so many friends, and the blood lose from his mangled shoulder, the young man can only stand there in shock. Pavarti pushes him forward while using her wand to temporality bind Lavender's torn insides together. "Com'on! Let's not wait Instructor Sanchez to change his mind."
As soon as the students limp down the hall, Eduardo focuses on the job at hand. The first werewolf feigns an attack just before the second jumps on top of him. Although he is of above-average height and in superb athletic condition, the American is still shorter, slower and not quite as strong as the young female werewolf. What he does have is experience and extensive training in combat arts - both magical and physical. Deflecting her talons, he lets her weight push him backwards onto the ground. Once on the ground, he springs his balled legs into her midsection. Her own momentum multiplied by the directional force created by his legs, sends her flying into the rock wall a few meters away. Scrambling back onto his feet, he turns around just in time as the second werewolf strikes.
With the daggers in a reverse grip, Eduardo slashes away a strike to his left and drives his armored right knee into the second werewolf's midsection. Flipping the blade in his left hand, he drives the weapon into the beast's left shoulder, severing tendons and rendering her limb useless. She howls in pain. With his off-hand, he slices open her stomach with a single backwards swipe. Of course, the wound does not immediately kill her as a werewolf can only be killed instantly by a blow to the heart or brain.
In turn, he follows the first slash with a powerful upward thrust as she howls out in pain, desperately trying to pierce the armor protecting the Ambassador's shoulder. His right arm burrows its way inside of her chest cavity carving through skin, muscle, and organ until the blade tip is blocked by the second ribcage shielding her heart. Convulsing, the werewolf now tries to rip into the American's throat with her teeth; but, is restrained when Eduardo grabs her by the neck with his gloved left hand.
Covered in the creature's guts and desperately holding her teeth away from his vulnerable neck; the man rakes the knife across the animal's bones until his finds a gap. He feels the beast's heartbeat pulse against the steel tip of his blade and pauses for a moment to utter a simple prayer before violently ramming the weapon inside the chamber, splitting her heart in half. "Que Dios lo perdone."
With a surprised whimper, the werewolf collapses to the ground as her pack mate bays in fury from the opposite side of the damaged balcony. Calmly, the American withdraws the second dagger from the dead creature's shoulder with this left hand. As soon as the second werewolf leaps at him, he hurls the weapon unerringly at her. The dagger splits her skull right between the eyes. She is dead before her body hits the floor.
Stepping aside of the two corpses, Eduardo is caught by surprise from a cutting hex slicing across his left forearm just as he was withdrawing his wand. The gauntlet on his forearm protects him from a severe injury; but, the damage is enough to cause his wand to go flying through the air.
"You're dead!" Rabastan Lestrange bellows as he fires off a second cutting hex.
Alceto, sensing an easy victory over a wandless enemy, screeches. "I'm going to skin you alive and feed the rest of you to Nagini!"
Calmly, Eduardo ignores the blood dripping from his left arm and withdraws a small gray orb from one of his pouches with his right hand as several curses flash by. He drops the object at his feet which cracks open emitting a dense, black cloud. Before he is entombed, he taunts the two Death Eaters. "First, you have to find me."
The foolhardy pair, fueled by an unquenchable thirst for revenge, plows their way blindly into the fog, firing off curses left and right in hopes of hitting their target. Frustrated, Alceto finally pauses after an eternity in the dense cover. Surrounded by darkness, the Death Eater hears a rapid series of curses before it is silent once again. A moment later, there is a muted crunch, followed shortly by a faint crack and a deep moan. Then, nothing. A surge of fear clears her mind and she quickly disperses the black cloud away from the balcony with a flick of her wand.
Before she can even regain her bearings, a dark blur crosses her line of sight and painfully shatters her wrist in one blow. As her wands rolls off the broken ledge, she swallows her pain and pulls out a long knife with her one functioning hand.
Turning, she stares open-mouthed at her former colleague, whose steel blue eyes and wicked grin promise untold violence. At his feet lies Rabastan, his head twisted at an unnatural angle, his eyes staring lifelessly into the heavens. "I believe Professor, as the Muggles would say, 'welcome to the big league.'"
Frustration and fear roll off her as she charges the taller man with a blood curling scream. She attempts an elementary lateral swipe with her blade, which he dodges easily. In response, he feigns a twist in one direction before spinning back at her with a powerful roundhouse kick. She blocks the powerful strike; but, at a terrible cost as both bones in her forearm splinter from the impact. To add insult to injury, he finishes off the spin by re-planting his opposite foot in the side of her right leg. Her knee immediately buckles with a wet pop.
Helpless, the woman drops into a kneeling position in shock. Looking up at the warrior in front of her, Alecto bites out. "I'm still going to k…"
Taking an annoyed breath, Eduardo leans over and stabs her in the throat with the blade of his hand, cracking her larynx. He then easily pulls her up to his height, mere inches from his own face. "Remember when you had the Three Broomsticks burned to the ground with Rosemerta inside for trying to help Justin escape? Just before hanging him on that tree, you asked him 'can you fly now?' Let's see how you do!"
Unable to even scream, Alceto gasps as her ruined body is hurled over the broken rampart, plummeting fifty meters to her death below.
Without a second thought, Eduardo marches back across the balcony, his wand flying back into his hand with a snap of his fingers. After sealing the wound on his arm, he slips back into the shadows as a symphony of noise alerts him to a commotion coming up the stairs.
Two identical young men of average height with bright red hair explode onto the floor from the stairwell. In between the pair, they are dragging a student wearing the black and red robes of the house of Gryffindor, who is screaming his head off. "Let me go! I want to fight!"
In unison, the twins shout back. "Colin, shut up!"
"Move!" A different masculine voice shouts from the stairs as a quintet of fighters reach the landing. The man, taller and leaner that the twins, wearing worn, abused tan robes, stops and spins as soon as he hits the landing to fire off an array of spells back down the stairs. Right beside him is a shorter woman with bright purple hair wearing the pre-Voldemort red robes of a Ministry Auror. She lets loose with her own barrage of curses to cover the final three companies to cross the threshold.
Eduardo does not know the redheads individually, although he suspects they are part of the limitless Weasley clan. The woman is also a mystery. From the numerous 'Most Wanted' posters hung all over England, the does recognize the man as the suspected leader of the outlawed Order of the Phoenix. The other three, he knows from Hogwarts. Neville Longbottom, looking worse for wear; but, his face set in determination confidently blocks and counters the curses aimed at the two women he is escorting. Professor Sprout ducks under his tall frame carrying a large canvas bag with one arm while pulling a very frightened Professor Trelawney along with the other. Curious as to what would drive a strong collection of Mage into a panic, the American pauses for a moment and waits for an answer. His curiosity is sated a moment later when a Mountain Troll and an entire phalanx of Acromantulas rumble up the stairs.
"Mierda santa," Eduardo groans as he steps out into the center of the hallway.
The twins, with Colin between them, shout a warning before turning down the hallway away from the stairs and balcony. "Watch out, it's Sanchez!"
Neville and the two professors bolt in the opposite direction as the American swiftly slides by them and joins the remaining pair at the landing. Before the couple can even respond, Eduardo flicks his wand elegantly and iterates. "Gaia Doru Multus."
The woman spares a glance over her shoulder and is shocked to be face-to-face with the business end of over three dozen spears floating just in front of the Ambassador. She screams out a warning to her partner as the man desperately tries to hold back the approaching horde. "Remus, watch out!"
"No." Remus moans once he spots the trouble out of the corner of his eye. He knows that the two of them cannot handle both threats at the same time.
"Move!" The American shouts back. The husband and wife share a single glance and reach an immediate decision. They vault out of the way as Eduardo, with a single flick of the wrist, sends the spears hurtling down the stairwell.
The roughly forty, meter long, stone lances tear into the mass of bodies emerging on top of the stairs. The Mountain troll, with his shield, leather armor, and thick skin, is only cut and bruised. But, the Acromantulas are far less fortunate as the sharp daggers impale one, two, and sometimes three of the spiders on each javelin. None survive the carnage.
Eduardo has no time to enjoy his victory as he desperately tumbles out of the way of the Troll's two meter long, half a metric ton war club. As with the werewolves before, most spells have a very limited impact on Troll. Even in light of everything he has been through in the last nine months, the American cannot muster the level of hatred needed for an Unforgivable to be effective. To buy some time, he fires over his shoulder right into the beast's eyes. "Periculum!"
As the Troll stumbles around trying to ward off the red flashes blinding him, the American shuns logic and the commonly accepted tactic - fall out of range of the Troll's club and attack from a distance until the creature is susceptible to a kill shot. Instead, he charges the monster and executes a feet first slide between its legs. On his way through, he drops a pair of lime green balls next to the troll's right foot. The green epoxy releases from the two capsules, binding the creature's foot to the floor in a thick, semi-solid blob.
Coming up from his slide, Eduardo is not surprised to see a Death Eater, Theodore Nott Senior, ascending the stairs behind the action. The man is wearing a strange metal and wood helmet, known as a 'Beast of Burden.' This magical totem permits a trained user to gain control over near-sentient, magical beings, such as Acromantulas and even a Troll if the user has the talent. Without hesitation, the American fires off a trio of blasting hexes.
The Death Eater, who has to focus his magical strength and mental consciousness on controlling the beasts, is ill prepared for the personal assault. The first hex misses; but, the next two do not. One hex reduces the man's left arm to a burnt stump below the elbow. Before he can even scream in pain, the second hex shatters the helmet, cracking his skull and sending him into oblivion.
The Troll is now both partially immobilized from the epoxy and confused due to the loss of metal contact with his former master. Anticipating the chaos, Eduardo moves quickly to take advantage of the situation. Avoiding a series of random swings with the lethal object, Alex waits for the right moment before violently slashing his wand as the telephone pole speeds by his face. "Diffindo!"
While a Troll is very difficult to kill outright with a spell, a focused magical strike still can cause serious damage. The curse slices open the creature's skin and severs the flexor tendon in its right thumb. As the club falls helplessly to the ground, shaking the stone walls of the corridor, Eduardo has to layer a protective charm around his ears to avoid a ruptured eardrum or two from the monster's furious roar. Unconcerned with the injury, the four meter tall biped reaches down to retrieve its weapon; but, it cannot pick it up with its right hand without a thumb. Confused, it simply stares back and forth between the club and his hand before the club itself levitates off the ground.
Sweating profusely, as the weapon has been afforded a degree of magical protection; the young man slowly lifts it off the ground. Just before the bewildered troll can swing his shield around, which is bound tightly to its left arm, the American jabs the small tree into its midsection, breaking a few ribs. The Troll staggers sideways and inadvertently breaks free of the binding holding its right foot in place. Before it can recover, Eduardo grimly pulls the weapon back before calling on all of his magical and physical strength to powerfully swing it forward with a grunt. "Swing, batter, batter, swing!"
The impact of the massive war club against the Troll's head is devastating. Hair, blood, flesh, bone, and gray matter are sprayed across the far wall. Like a building with its foundation cut out, the headless monster tumbles down several steps before it becomes wedged between the wall and the ceiling. Exhausted, Eduardo takes a deep breath as he releases the club from his control.
After a moment, he assumes his full posture and slowly walks over the three living individuals on the landing. Professor Sprout, using her wand to hurl Tentaculas at the massed Death Eaters below, warily watches the American approach. Neville, who was using his wand to shield the two Professors, turns and nods at the man. The tense silence is broken by the last person in the group. Professor Trelawney looks through her thick glasses, her robes even more out of place than normal, haughty pronounces. "Yes, the All Seeing Eye showed me that the tall, handsome American would shun the Dark Lord in the Final Battle. The Eye knows!"
For the first time in what seems like ages, Neville cracks a smile. "Well, she did just nail Greyback in the head with one of her Crystal Balls."
"Good for her," Eduardo chuckles and shakes his head at the absurdity of it all. "Can't think of a better use for them myself, Mr. Longbottom."
"You've made quite a mess yourself, Ambassador." Neville gulps. "I take it you're the one who pulled Seamus, Susan, and me out of the Chamber a few months back."
Eduardo does not say a word. Instead he looks over the young man appraisingly and nods. "Neville, you're a brave, loyal, honest, and good in a fight. You're parents, Harry and Ginny are all proud of the man you have become."
"Thanks," Neville chokes back and shakes the older man's hands.
The American leads them to the broken edge of the rampart and looks at the carnage below. "Now, let's see what damage we can do from up here."
"Actually, Ambassador," Neville begins before sharing glance with professor Sprout, who shakes her head negatively. "We'll be OK here. You need to go to the Room of Requirement."
After throwing a chain of stunners at the crowd below, Eduardo looks at Neville out of the corner of his eye. "Why?"
"It's the reason we came up here." He explains while quieting his mentor with a determined scowl. "Voldemort ordered a dozen Death Eaters to get into the Room of Requirement. He knows that Harry, Ron, and Hermione are in there looking for something. We were trying to cut them off; but got pulled into this scrum."
"Horocrux," Eduardo whispers to himself. "Are you sure you are going to OK here?"
"Yes," Longbottom immediately replies, his decision made.
The American nods and as he turns to leave, he grimly gives the young man an edict. "Neville, if you happen to cross Voldemort's pet snake today, kill the damn thing."
Puzzled, Neville agrees nevertheless. "Uh, sure, uh, good luck, Ambassador Sanchez."
"You, too, Neville, and call me Eddie," the American answers with a salute before jogging down the hallway.
Several minutes later, Eduardo slows down his pace as he emerges onto the seventh floor near his target. He can hear and smell the battle taking place just out of sight. Carefully, he approaches the commotion before stopping cold as he spots a small shadow lurking along the far wall. Flicking his wand at the figure tucked behind a ruined statue, he barks. "Show yourself!"
"You killed Ginny!" A small, underage boy steps out into the light, wand raised wrapped proudly in the robes traditional red and gold robes of the Gryffindor house. "I hate you! Crucio!"
Somewhat surprised, the American is still able to redirect the unforgiveable curse up into the ceiling with a deflection charm. Anger at the war and what is has done to everyone fills the young man. He steps forward brusquely and with a wave of his right hand, disarms the boy. "Colin, what the hell are you still doing here? You should have left with the others!"
"You can't tell me what to do, murder!" Colin uncontrollably sobs. "You let Ginny die!"
No bothering to answer the young student, Sanchez drags him by the arm down the hallway mumbling to himself. "Damn, I hope the route to Hogsmeade is still open."
A few moments later, the American receives a horrific answer to his question. In front to the Room of Requirement, a trio of desperate battles is taking place. Padma Patil, one leg severely broken and bleeding, is pulling herself along the ground backwards while dragging an unconscious and burned dark skinned boy with her other arm. Luna Lovegood, who he did not know had escaped from the Malfoys' dungeon, is engaged with her former captor's matriarch. The redheaded twins he saw earlier are frantically trying to contain a laughing Bellatrix Lestrange and a masked companion. On the ground behind Bellatrix is the still body of the young woman he saw earlier with the Malfoy patriarch leaning over her in an attempt to wrestle the woman's wand away. Lastly, Antonin Dolohov is happily kicking the side of the still form of the tall man in the ragged tan robes he saw earlier.
"Carajo!" The American hisses while shoving the young student behind a fallen section of the wall and silently casts a Notice-Me-Not charm over him. "Stay there, Colin!"
After absorbing the scene in front of him, Colin can only nod weakly before sliding down into a sitting position, his arms wrapped around his knees, crying.
Left with no choice, Eduardo leaves Colin to his own fate and charges into the battle. Before anyone is even is aware of his presence, he whips his wand out at Lucius Malfoy, "Man-ka'ih!"
The silver haired man looks up in surprise as an ominous gray funnel descends on him before he can retrieve the Auror's wand. His robes flaying around him, he tries to wandlessly deflect it; but, cannot. He screams as the whirlwind lifts him off the floor and sucks him out of a whole in the nearby wall. "No!"
"Husband!" Narcissa shouts as she disengages from her one-on-one duel with Luna and, before anyone else can act, jumps through the same hole, her wand flashing, in pursuit of her husband's safety.
Eduardo pauses a moment to confirm that the young Auror is beyond saving with a gentle hand cuffing her neck. He whispers a quiet prayer while unleashing a trio of stunners. "Que en paz descanse."
The masked Death Eater easily blocks two of the red bolts while the third sails wide. Satisfied with his previous work, Antonin, a veteran assassin, mercenary, and Death Eater, shoots the American a predatory smile. "I knew you couldn't be trusted, Sanchez. Too bad you're too late to save Professor Lupin, here. At least the old werewolf died almost painlessly after I stopped his heart. You, on the other hand, are going to die screaming in agony."
Watching Luna slip over to join the duel against Bellatrix, the Ambassador bites out as the two Death Eaters circle him. "I should have tagged and bagged in you in al-Khubar, Old Man."
Shaking his head, Antonin mocks the younger man. "Not a chance, boy. I've been killing before you were a thought in your old man's pecker. Plus, why would you want to waste all of that money your government paid me in the Eighties to do their dirty work in Afghanistan, Lebanon and Panama?"
"Does that half-blood boss of yours know that your only loyalty is to the person who can pay you the most gold?" Eduardo snaps back.
Before the dark haired man can retort, the pair are interrupted by a maniacal scream immediately followed by an ugly green bolt. "You dare!"
While Eduardo vaults out of the way of the lethal blow, Luna and the redheaded twins utilize the witch's momentary distraction. They quickly overwhelm her partner with a barrage of hexes. As soon as the masked man falls, the psychotic witch instantly turns her anger on the trio, forcing them into a hasty retreat.
Antonin's compatriot makes the same mistake as he turns a wary eye towards Bellatrix; but, for him the error is instantly fatal. Without hesitation, Eduardo strikes. "Shazam!"
Instinctively, the Death Eater raises a shield in front of him, which fails to provide any protection from the energy collecting directly above. With a loud boom, a flash of energy discharges into his head, driving the Death Eater into the ground with his robes aflame and fire pouring out of his mask.
While leaping out of the way from the flames, the mercenary returns fire with his own wand. "Pluminfico Sagittas!"
"Argh!" The American screams as a purple dagger penetrates his hastily constructed shield and spears into his right shoulder. Spinning behind a granite column, Eduardo grimaces as he drives his own wand into the hole in his body. Trying to block the pain out of his mind, Eduardo takes a deep breath before rasping, "Exuro!"
Antonin laughs as he circles the stone buttress looking for the kill. "Did that hurt boy? You need a little more practice with your shield work; but, then again, patience has never been one of your strong suits. Just like when you were up to your neck in shit back in Eighty-Nine as a student in this very school. Severus told me all about that little incident. Yes, he did. Got a little too close some Dark Magic with Rosier's kids and you got sweet, poor Gwen killed in the crossfire."
Eduardo closes his eyes, fighting the bile rising in his throat as the scent of his own burning flesh fills his nostrils. His wand, its tip nearly white from the heat, labors to burn out the poison dart and cauterize the wound. For a moment, his mind drifts back to nearly a decade ago.
In a sanctuary recently marked with sinister Runes deep inside the Forbidden Forest, he can smell his own burnt flesh after a burning hex caught his off-arm. Another young man, who is shares the same green and silver robes as the other two, is lying unarmed and unconscious a few meters away. In his arms, is a petite blonde haired, blue eyed girl; but, her robes are marred by a swath of crimson dripping from the center of her chest. "Please hold on, Love, help is on the way."
Sadly, the young woman looks him in the eyes. "I'm sorry Eddie. I wasn't fast enough. I thought I could help my brother; but, but, he could never escape our father's shadow."
"No, it wasn't your fault, Gwen. I should've seen where this was leading us to. I should have stopped it a long time ago. I should have asked for help instead of trying to solve this on my own. Please don't die."
Gently, she lifts her blood soaked hand and caresses his smooth, unscarred face. "It's my time, Eduardo, no one can beat Death. We'll be together again for the next great adventure."
"Gwen," he cries.
"You can't come with me now Eddie as I have seen your destiny and you have important work left to do." She looks at him, her face mixed with pride and sadness. "But, when you are ready, I'll be there waiting for you."
Her eyes close for the last time as Eduardo Sanchez buries his head in her body, consumed by grief.
"Time to die, Ambassador!" The assassin barks as he rounds the stone pillar unleashing a barrage of cutting hexes at the younger man. At the same time, Bellatrix, who has managed to partially incapacitate one of the twins, rips off a powerful blasting hex in his direction.
"Not by your hand, pendejo." The American growls as he charges out of the ensuring dust cloud. Paying no heed to the deep gash on his left cheek caused by the destruction of the stone column, he wordlessly blocks Antonin's spells while tossing a handful of familiar gray marbles at the pair of Death Easters.
"Weasley, Lovegood, get the earless one, Patil, and the other kid out of here!" The American shouts as a familiar black cloud swallows the two remaining pair of Death Eaters. Out of the corner of his eye, he spots Colin trying to sneak his way back into the fight. "And have Colin help you!"
Caught in the open, the youngest person still alive turns red in anger. "But, I want to help!"
Shaking his head, he school's dueling instructor ignores the plea. "I can handle Bellatix and Antonin; but, not if I have to worry about all of you kids getting killed."
One twin, after pulling up his brother, uses his wand to conjure a crutch for the girl while shouting back. "Why in Merlin's saggy left nut would we trust you after what happened to Charlie told me about and after what happened to Ginny?"
"I'm no saint, kid, and I don't expect you to." Eduardo snaps back while whipping his wand around at the black cloud containing the crazed witch. "Serpensortia Virensacidus! Serpensortia Funis! Multus!"
Holding the dark skinned boy between himself and Padma, the redhead fires back. "We're not leaving our friends!"
"Listen," the older man sighs as his body tenses for the next round of the duel with the Death Eaters. "I know what's at stake and I know Potter and his gang are inside the Room of Requirement. I'll make sure he gets through."
"Why are you doing this Professor?" Colin quietly adds as he helps with the other twin, who is now just able to stand on his own two feet.
"So, it's true. Voldemort's back." A young man dressed in a dark sports jacket, a white turtle-neck shirt over dark slacks states while looking over the silver filled vile he was just handed. Above him, the stars above Lake Michigan twinkle merrily.
Pausing, the elderly man walking alongside of him wearing an old beige overcoat from a few decades past over a simple navy suit pulls his thoughts away from the glistening Chicago skyline and nods. "Yes."
"How?" The American whispers back, absently brushing his hand through his vogue 'grunge' style haircut as they continue to make their way past Buckingham Fountain.
For several minutes the old man does not answer as a pair of late night lovers stroll past them, obliviously to the serious nature of their conversation. "A bit of Dark magic and a Horocrux or two."
"Horocrux…" The man copies, lost in thought. "That explains the 'why' and the 'where' he went after disappearing from the FBI in Sixty-Nine and before he returned to England in the mid Seventies to raise Cain. Bet he travelled though Latin America. A couple of the old magical tribes in Mexico and Peru still practice that type of Magic."
"He is obsessed with defeating Death." The old man confirms. "So, the DSS is convinced that Tom Salazar was indeed Tom Riddle.?"
The American laughs. "No, just me and a few others. The name, some physical evidence, the raw magical power, and the similar philosophies all fit. Both the Death Eaters and Helter Skelter share an interest in Magic domination and blood purity. I couldn't interview Tex Watson, since he's dead; but old Charlie, even as mental as he is now, believes that Tom Salazar was indeed Tom Riddle."
"And Tom was the one you believe who inflicted so much pain on your Mother." The elder man interjects.
"Yes," he whispers before recovering his strength and sarcasm. "So, Professor, what do you want from me? You know the American government won't get involved with Voldemort as the political view is that he's an 'internal' matter."
"Sounds like we share a common view of politicians, Mr. Sanchez." Professor Dumbledore chuckles before growing very serious. "I want you to come back to England, Eduardo. I still have enough pull in the Ministry and your Department of Special Services to make it happen."
Turning his back to refreshingly cool, fall air coming off of the lake, Eduardo looks at the man squarely in the eyes. "Why? What good can one man do if, as you suspect, Voldemort makes a grab for the Ministry."
"You are a very strong Wizard, Eddie. You have already proven that you are one of the few Wizards who can match the inner circle of Death Eaters and win and, just maybe, take on Voldemort himself if the situation calls for it." The headmaster explains.
Shaking his head, Eduardo grimaces. "I knew I should have finished off that damn assassin when I had the chance in KSA last year. Caught him red handed helping Hezbollah. I took him down and had the chance to finish him permanently, before those fools jumped in."
"You need to learn that you cannot do everything yourself, Eddie." Albus gently reminds him.
Laughing, Eddie fires back. "Like you're one to talk!"
"Yes, Eddie, we share a lot in common, impatience being one." Pausing in thought, the aged Wizard then quietly adds. "Like me, you have also been touched by evil in your youth. That experience scarred both us, costing each of us someone whom we loved. Because of that, I know that you cannot be tempted by evil, no matter how deep you go into the dark."
Stopping, the American leans up against the cold metal rail, his mind across the Great Lake thinking of home and across the ocean thinking of what was lost. "But, you know I am not the one destined the take down Riddle. It's that Potter kid you mentioned. Why can't you or Professor Snape handle this?"
"Severus has one job, to ensure that Harry fulfills his destiny." With his back to the same rail, the old man pulls back the sleeve on his coat. "As for me, my journey is about to come to an end."
Staring at the old man's blackened hand; he swallows back the pit growing of his stomach. "Damn it, Headmaster!"
"We all have our weakness, Eddie." The older man smiles back.
Shaking his head in frustration, Eduardo bites back. "Then send Potter here. The Black Eagles can hide him and train him. At least he then might have a chance instead of being your sacrificial lamb."
"Harry's like a son to me, Eddie." Albus whispers. "I would give anything to protect him; but, like everyone, he has a destiny."
"To hell with destiny!" Eduardo fires back. "We choose our own actions; not a trio of virgins playing with some silk strands."
Rolling his sleeve back down over his mutilated hand, the great wizard nods. "Very true, Eddie. Your own mother made a similar decision a long time ago."
Instantly deflating, the young American swallows hard before responding. "I owe you, Headmaster, juts tell me what you need me to do."
The Headmaster sighs. "It will not be easy Eddie. You maybe alone, with no support, be put in a position where you have to sacrifice one life for those of many others, and even commit evil acts to hold back the greater evil."
Overlooking the blackness of Lake Michigan at night, the young man nods. "I know."
"You may not survive." The Headmaster adds upon turning to share the same view.
Eduardo Sanchez responds, meeting the concerned eyes of one of the greatest Wizards to ever walk the Earth with his own fierce determination. "You have my word, Professor."
Blocking a group of opportunistic spells firing out from the fog, the American locks eyes with the twin and answers, "Because, I made a promise."
"I'm going hold you to that, Ambassador." The twin nods and after a glance at his wounded charges, hustles them down the corridor as fast as he can.
The moment they disappear around a corner, the two Death Eaters finally free themselves from the dark void. Bellatrix cackles, surrounded by the dead bodies of a dozen black and green snakes at her feet, while Antonin eyes him cautiously. "Do you really think that some fog and a bunch of snakes can stop us?"
"No," Eduardo answers with a smile fully aware of the danger he is in. The two Death Eaters are equally powerful and ruthless; but are nearly opposites. Antonin is a deeply experienced mercenary with the discipline born of extensive military training. At the other end of the spectrum, Bellatrix's chaotic nature makes her impossible to predict, which, when combined with her prolific skills and magical strength, make her deadly. Combined, the two are more than a match for just about any individual witch or wizard, including him. "But, then again, I have no intention on dueling you both."
Sensing the attack, the assassin pulls out a straight, double-edged dagger from his belts and aims it for the American's heart.
"Mutatio Veritas!" Eduardo casts at Bellatrix through gritted teeth as his body slams against the hard floor, sending a painful jolt radiating outward from his pierced right shoulder. Setting aside the pain, he snags the knife sailing by with his right hand.
Bellatirx ignores the spell as it strikes the dead snakes at her feet. Just as she prepares to unleash another volley at the traitor, the black snakes suddenly transform into long, black ropes and launch themselves at her. He reflexes enable her to vaporize two of the ropes; but, the other four bind her legs and arms together leaving her wand pointed impotently at the ground. Before she can cut through the bindings, the six green snakes awaken and collect together to form a ring around her feet. Once the circle is complete, they liquefy instantaneously with a nauseating hiss. The acid released from their form melts right through the stone floor. A look of surprise flashes across her face just before she drops though the newly formed hole and disappears. "Damn you!"
As the woman falls, Eduardo spins on his left shoulder back into a kneeling position and sends the blade back to its owner, with a twist. "Multus!"
For the first time during this duel, fear contorts Antonin's weathered face as a dozen identical daggers speed towards him. Desperately, he tries to dodge and magically block as many of the knives as possible; but, he fails. A single knife penetrates his defenses and buries itself deeply in his right thigh. "Fuck!"
Eduardo is quick to push the issue. He races forward to engage his injured opponent at point blank range firing off a variety of curses at the assassin.
The Death eater tries to retreat using one hand to parry and counter the attack while his other clamps down desperately over his punctured thigh, the blood pulsing out between his fingers clearly indicating damage to his femoral artery. Out of options, he bites out. "Avade…"
A cutting hex to his right side slices open his flesh over his ribs just below his shoulder and chest armor; but Eduardo does not stop. He uses the physical impact from the curse to provide the resistance needed to execute a back flip with his left heel catching the older man squarely in the face, cracking his jaw and crushing multiple teeth.
"Pirelectus!" The American shouts as soon as he lands. Tongues of white light wrap the Death Eater in their electric embrace causing his skin to smoke and his muscles to involuntarily convulse. A second later, he takes a step back and finishes the duel. "Sectumsempra!"
Blood pouring out from his leg and arm and his skin smoldering, Antonin collapses onto his knees defeated. In shock, he stares at his wand, now lying several meters away, with his right hand still tightly wrapped around it. After a moment, he looks up at the young man, anger radiating off of him. "Go ahead, Ambassador, do it, kill me."
"I didn't kill Magnus when Voldemort offered me the chance and I am not going to kill you now." Eduardo spits back while taking a moment to stitch his right side closed his wand. "You and your ilk are going spend the rest of your lives putrefacción en infierno."
The Death Eater laughs and spits out blood and a few teeth at the American's feet. "You first, Senior Sanchez!"
Shaking his head in resignation, Eduardo lifts his wand, intent to bind the Death Eater for now so that he can pursue Bellatrix; but before the spell is released from his lips, a tremendous explosion roars forth from the nearby wall engulfing him in darkness.
A boy, not quiet yet a teen, wades his way through the tall grass alongside the Huron River not too far away from his family's home in the small village of Dexter, Michigan, outside of Detroit. He is tall and skinny for his age with rich brown hair falling casually over his ears and glasses. The grass and tree branches brush against his faded jean shorts and red and black Van Halen t-shirt. His worn white and blue Nike sneakers stomp through the mud as he ducks under a low hanging tree and emerges in a secluded clearing right next to the river. In the middle of the grove, a young man with very short black hair wearing a simple white t-shirt and green basketball shorts is lying in the grass with his eyes closed hidden under a dark blue baseball cap with a stylized white letter 'D' in the middle.
Carefully, the younger boy sits down and notes how the pale pink skin on the other boy's right forearm contrasts with the deep, olive skin they both share. "Cómo estás?"
"Mom sent you?' The older boy asks without opening his eyes.
The younger boys' focus drifts over the lazy river in front of them. "No, I was just bored. How's the arm?"
Tipping his hat back, the young man props himself up on his elbows and sighs. "It's fine."
"Are you fine?" His companion shoots back and after a long period of silence. "Mom won't tell me what happened to you over in England. I'm just worried. Need to keep an eye on my brother."
The older boy laughs for the first time in ages. "Isn't that what big brothers are supposed to do, Alex?"
"Si, el hermano," the other boy chuckles. "But, I want to help you. I can handle it."
The older boy rolls over on his sides and playfully runs his younger's brother's messy hair. "So, you know everything there is to know, at age eleven."
"No, Eddie," Alex blushes.
Standing up, Eddie walks over to the river, finds a rock, and skips it across the water before responding. "I screwed-up, bro."
"Bad?" The young boy tepidly pokes knowing full well the looks from their Mother and the tension at home over the last few weeks.
His head down, the older boy answers. "Si, bad. I got caught-up in something. Just wanted to prove myself. Didn't see what was going on around me. When I finally saw what was happening, I went loco and tried to fix it myself."
"I'm sorry." Alex whispers as he joins his brother at the riverbank.
Lost in the memories, both good and bad, Eddie continues to skim rocks across the river, before answering coarsely. "I got a girl killed, Alex."
Alex has been blessed with a sheltered life in small town America with a Norm farther who works in a factory for Ford and a Mage mother who teaches English at nearby Eastern Michigan University. While the concept of death is an abstract notion to him, his brother's pain is not. "I'm sorry, Eddie. Are you in trouble?"
"No, the Brits said it was in self-defense and she got caught in the crossfire." The older boy holds back tears. "I can still go back to Horizon with you and complete my Senior year."
Skipping his own rock, the boy prods. "Who was she?"
"Her name was Gwen, and…" Eddie swallows deeply. "She was someone I cared for."
After a few minutes, the young boys looks up at his brother, friend, and idol. "I know it must suck, Eddie; but, I'm sure you tried to do the right thing."
"How do you know?" The taller boy croaks.
Eddie wraps his arms around his brother waist in a fierce hug. "Because, you're my big brother, you always do the right thing."
Slowly, Eduardo escapes the blackness and takes account of himself and his environment. Rolling gingerly away from the wall he smashed into, he is startled to find another person close by. As soon as his mind registers the black robes and blonde hair, he curses as he whips is wand around. "Lucius, Mierda!"
The blonde man moans and rolls away in the opposite direction, unconscious and unaware of the imminent threat. After a moment, the American's eyes take into account that the unconscious figure is taller, leaner and has shorter hair that the elder Malfoy. Unsure how he ended-up sharing a wall with Draco, nor the Malfoy's heir current role in the war, he whispers. "Compello Dormino"
Gingerly, the young man rises up onto his haunches careful not to draw attention to himself while surveying the scene. To his right, opposite the fire that is still spewing forth from the ruined entrance to the Room of Requirement, are two, tall masculine figures sprawled at the top of the adjacent stairs. Opposite him is another unmoving form of an average height propped up against the far wall. As he eyes adjust to the bright fire in the room, he spots a final body, likely a young woman, lying just beyond the reach of the flames in the middle of the room. There is no sign of Antonin.
"That's Hermoine!" A young voice surprises the slowly recovering American from behind.
Instinctively reacting to the voice and sudden hand on the shoulder, the Ambassador spins instantly and in a flash has his wand menacingly pressed up against the boy's neck. As soon as his mind catches-up with his body, the Instructor scowls. "Colin, I told you to get out of here!"
Shaking, with the older man's wand pushed harshly into his neck, it takes the student a moment to compose himself. "I want to help, Professor."
"I know." The American mumbles as he looks around the hallway again, his eyes drawn to an odd piece of debris lying close to the young woman's body, its curved surface reflecting the fire's hues off of crystal surfaces. "A crown?"
Exasperated, the young boy pulls free of the man's distracted grasps and rasps back. "Who cares! We have to save Hermione!"
"Wait!" The older man grumbles pulling the boy back into the partially protected corner. Slowly, the pieces to a vital puzzle snap together in the Ambassador's mind. "I have a bad feeling about this."
"If you're too afraid to help, then let me!" The boy spits out in anger just before an ominous black cloud slithers through a new hole in the ceiling. It descends upon the living and the dead in the room and its mere presence silences Colin in fear.
A moment later, the black cloud takes the shape of a man and out from it, Lord Voldemort strides forward, his skeletal form shrouded in deep, black robes. Ignoring everyone and everything in the room, he flicks his wand and the jeweled crown floats up into his bone white hands. After a moment, he smiles and breathes. "Victory!"
"That must be the missing Horocrux that Potter and his friends are looking for. That means there are two more of the cursed things left." The Ambassador mumbles while cautiously watching Voldemort. He then pulls Colin closer into the corner. "Colin, get out of here! Run down to the Great Hall. That should be safe for now."
With unadulterated hate pouring off of him, the young student continues to resist. "No! I want to fight Voldemort with you!"
"It's not your time." Eduardo quietly notes as he pulls out a folded piece of parchment from inside his robe with 'Neville' written on it. With a tap of his wand, it glows blue just as he stuffs it into Colin's unsuspecting hand. Comforted in the truth of his own words, the American sadly smiles as the boy disappears with a pop. "But, it is mine."
Across from him, Voldemort holds up Ravenclaw's ancient tiara and takes in the scene before him. Finally, he notices Hermione as she begins to stir; but, cannot escape due to a broken leg. The look of fear and defeat on her face fuels the Dark Lord. "Your plan failed!" He hisses and points his wand at her. "You all failed!"
Still unseen, Eduardo watches from the shadows as time slows to a crawl.
Riddle's distracted. That should give me an opening for one clean shot to take him out. But, there are three Holocrox still active. He'll survive and likely take Hermione with him. If I can take out the Horocrox, Neville or someone else bags the snake, and Potter does what he has to do, there is a chance.
I'm sorry Mom and Dad; but I have to do this. Alex, take care my brother. You're right; I do know how to do the right thing. Gwen, I'm ready. See you soon.
Padre nuestro, que estás en el cielo. Santificado sea tu nombre. Venga tu reino. Hágase tu voluntad en la tierra como en el cielo. Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día. Perdona nuestras ofensas, como también nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden. No nos dejes caer en tentación y líbranos del mal. Amén.
Body tense, wand held firmly in his left hand, Eduardo aparates away from the shadows and into the light
Perpendicular to the American, one of the two men lumped against the far wall stirs. Rolling over, dark soot cascades around his face exposing a mane of deep red hair. He looks-up horrified at the as the love of his life lies helplessly at the feet of a madman. "No!"
"Avada…" Voldemort joyfully begins just before a dark robed man suddenly appears in between his wand and Hermione.
"No, you loose, Tom, Expelliarmus!" Eduardo breathes out and with a sweeping motion of his wand, sends the injured woman in one direction and the ancient relic in the opposite direction.
"…Kedavra!" Voldemort finishes before he can comprehend what just transpired.
The tiara jumps out of the Dark Lord's grip and sails straight into the flaming entrance of the Room of Requirement. The Fiendfyre grips the Horcrux in its searing embrace. A moment later, it explodes. The sudden release of the potent dark magic held within acts like a vortex sucking the life out of the cursed fire and slamming the stone doors shut.
His face mixed with rage and fear, Voldemort deflects a barrage of curses streaming at him from across the hall as the red haired man desperately holds onto Hermione. Ignoring the lifeless body of the wizard at his feet and everyone one else in the passage way, the Dark Lord pauses briefly before making a decision. He whispers one urgent word, "Nagini," before his disappears from sight.