The shards of glass tore holes in the cloak, and even gave him a cut across the cheek. Wrapping the cloak as careful around himself as he could, he tried to do some quick mending but to no real avail. The best he could do to help was a disillusion charm before levitating himself up to the broken window. The room had already cleared out as they saw to the defense of the school.
The best place to wait for Harry Potter had to be at the Room of Requirement. He couldn't just turn him over though. Potter had a battle to win here before he stood trial for his crimes. Wait. Toby shook the thought from his head. He knew the importance of the Horecrux far outweighed the cost to Gringott's prestige.
Setting off through the castle proved to be quiet a chore. Hundred of students and all the teachers seemed to be moving about while he was trying not to get ran over while invisible. The rest of the school seemed to be heading for the Great hall while he moved upstairs.
He quietly drew dozens of doors across the floor, ceiling, and walls. His plan was simple. When Harry walked across one he would open it. Follow the Potter boy through and then let him out without him being any the wiser.
Dozen of people where coming out of the door that even if Potter was amongst them he probably would never notice. He had only seen him a few times in person; what if Potter walked by and he didn't recognize him? What if Potter was using a disguise to hide from the Death Eaters that were surely looking for him as well and it wasn't magical in nature?
Toby started to pace the hallway trying to see through the crowd for Potter, but a bright orange light caught his attention instead.
Following the light he found it emanated from one side of the castle. As he looked out the window he saw dozens of very slender looking centaurs, each wreathed in flames, and singed and burned away all that was in there way.
"Heliopaths." Toby whispered. They where a warhost unto themselves from a Goblin King. Did someone side with Voldemort after all? They would burn the castle to ash and everything inside, friend or foe. They had to be stopped.
Toby pulled what was left of his chalk and drew a door. The door was open before he finished knocking and went through.
Urdrog was waiting for him.
"Wheres the Potter boy?" he asked searching around as if he was hidden inside his cloak.
"Not yet. GOBLIN KING, GOBLIN KING." He bellowed out as if starting the nursery rhyme Sarah had used so long ago. Jareth should hear it.
Coming down the steps before the second king was spoken was Jareth.
"Toby we don't have the forces yet. Rashad bought them before she went to Gringotts." Jareth said looking very worried.
"Send what ever we have! The wizards can't extinguish the flames of any one of them. That Herd outside the castle wont be stopped by anything short of a real armory."
"They are the flame that burns in our hearth Toby, they can destroy our weapons and armor as easily as the stones of the castle." Jareth said trying to remind him of the difficulty of the situations.
"I would lead our own host if I could, and will as soon as I can. Right now I have to get the thief!" Toby said before turning back to the door and stepped down. Toby watched the charred path the Heliopath cut down the mountain. Why weren't the wizards even trying to stop them yet? Toby looked around and saw none of the other student stop to look at the atrocity coming there way.
Looking around one last time he stopped and took a deep breath. Reaching up he pulled one of his contacts out and look around without its penetrating gaze. The army of Heliopath vanished, as with the trail of destruction that followed them. Voldemorte, or possibly Gringotts himself was hiding there approach.
Pushing the contact back into place, he vaguely heard from behind him what he thought might have been Ron's voice, "…concentrating when they mentioned how to stop it, really. If he hadn't tried to kill us all, I'd be quite sorry he was dead."
A girls voice was whispering something she sound excited about. Could it be Hermione? Toby pulled the cloak about himself as best he could and moved back to the door. If he could just get Harry here…
He rounded the corner just in time to see two other red head come down the hall whipping spells at a pair of Death Eater.
Harry was on the ground holding what looked like a ruined crown. Toby's Daidem! He reached out for the remains as a blast to the side of the castle shook the world. A large part of the ceiling came falling down. Toby dived for Harry and reached up and touched the door he had drawn there just minutes before. It open as he and Harry Potter fell through to the other side.
_...-~-…_
For a moment Toby just stood there with Harry limp hanging from his arm. As Toby looked him over he saw that Harry had taken a solid blow from the doorframe as he came through. Toby pulled a vial from inside his jacket and poured some of it down his throat and on the wound. Would be no good for him to die here after all the work that has been done to keep him alive.
"I've brought the thief! The task complete! The challenge is resolved, and we take our Spoils as was promised!" Toby called out to the sky. No doubt the scrying window would see what happened. Toby reduced the ruble on the other side of the still open door and pushed Harry through before following.
Barely landing on the ruble without falling over was a bit of a miracle. Toby looked around at the mess and saw Draco and his henchmen passed out on the floor, as the others still struggled to get to there feet Toby poured what was left of the potion into Draco's mouth and levitate them both out of harms way. Taking off down the undamaged corridor, Toby left them as Draco finally started to come around. Taking off out the window he went for where Snape had planned there meeting.
They still had a battle to win.
_...-~-…_
Remus had taken his band out to defend his side of the castle. Once everyone was prepared and in place he said he was going to go to check back in and see if they need the extra wand elsewhere.
The battle had started, and Death Eaters had broken in elsewhere as he searched the castle for Harry Potter. His best bet was to see if he was still near the Room of Requirement.
The Death Eater didn't make that easy. He was fending off two hidden behind there masks as he made he way up the stairs. Several plants seemed to be spread about that were very dangerous and Remus made use of them as he pulled them into his attackers path while trying to escape.
Just a corridor away from the room he saw Tonks running. Ginny didn't keep her in the room as he hoped.
Did he go after her, or find Harry? He needed to keep her safe… as he decided the world froze around him. Tonk was still in midstride as she was moving against a Death Eater that was facing off against a student. The ruble held suspended in midair and he turned in circles wonder how to face off against this level of magic.
"Dog!" A familiar crooked voice bellowed from near where Tonk was suspended. Remus turned to the voice immediately. Gringotts was walking towards him in this frozen world.
"You had him in arms reach! You are one of his greatest mentors! You could have pulled him aside and brought Harry Potter through." He spat the boys name as if it disgusted him to speak it.
"There is a larger battle going right now, I'm searching for him as we speak." Remus said slowing moving toward his Wife. The Goblin King stood next to her. He waved a hand towards her and she crumpled as if her string were cut.
Gringotts pulled a black sphere out of nothing and sent it orbiting around him, each time it made a circuit it got closer to where Tonks had fallen against the wall.
"You failed me Lupin. Toby just got Harry through a moment ago. I don't abide failures well." The black orb started to glow an emerald green and sped up as it followed its path. Each circuit came closer to her.
"Gringotts, she is not apart of this. I'm the one that failed, she has nothing to do with your competition!" Lupin inched forward. The orb seemed to speed up as he got closer, he took a small step back but the orb kept its pace.
"Never should have trusted a wand bearing dog!" Gringotts didn't give an ultimatum, or a chance. The green orb blasted into Tonks, she was momentarly lifted off the ground as it impacted before she landed without the lights in her eyes.
"NO!" Remus cried out as he started leveling spell after spell at the Goblin. Another black orb had appeared in his hand and he tossed it to the air. Each of his spells where blocked in turn by the orb, and Remus could almost see each of his spells flowing around inside the darkened orb.
"Your child will go to a good home Mr Lupin. I'll take good care of it now that it has lost both its parents." Faster then Remus could follow the black orb shattered against him, he felt each of the spell for a split second before he was lifted off his feet and blown against the wall. Like Tonks, he was dead before he felt the impact.
Gringotts let the world return to movement as he turned and transformed into a black cat, running down the hallway.
_...-~-…_
"Severus!" Toby shouted to him before landing. Snape was standing off from a multitude of Slitherin students. Several Death Eater also stood watch. Toby noticed that more the half the students weren't here. Neither was Slughorn. One of the Death Eater pulled a wand and started towards where Toby landed but Snape waved him off.
"The task was complete. They will be here as soon as they finish mobilizing." Toby said solemly as if giving a field report.
"I'll give the report, you…" Toby reached into his mind, Snape put up no resistance as he saw that Luscious and the Dark Lord were held up in the Shrieking Shack. "will return to the forces and make sure there in the correct position for the next assault." His words were punctuated by an eerie creaking howl. The area immediately dropped several degrees as the assembly saw hundred of Dementors flying over head towards the front gates of the castle.
Toby quickly unleashed his own Patronus, a large King Kobra, as many other pushed forth animals, and just a great shield to make sure the 'ally' didn't get the wrong targets.
"Go boy, I have it covered here." Toby pulled his serpent to him and took off again on his carpet. An owl flew up to intercept him on his way down to the Shrieking Shack.
"Jareth! We need to keep him busy, and give Harry the time to find and destroy the last few Horcrux. Potter will come for him then."
"One Dark Lord against a Goblin King and Prince? I believe this maybe overkill." His voice echoed around them as was normal while he was in bird form. There landing and entrance was not masked. They were here to keep the Dark Lord busy and distracted. Jareth held onto his Owl form as Toby walk through the shack. The Dark Lord seemed to be waiting for him as he entered the room. Luscious already waiting with a wand in hand.
"Potter…" the Dark Lords voice whispered out, almost hiss like.
"That's not the wand I remember you with when we met at King's Cross Mr Malfoy." Toby spoke up. The Dark Lord opened his eyes startled to see a boy in Slitherin colors before him. His armor was fitted to look like school robes with a hood. The silver and emerald threading clearly visible.
"You are lacking in manners boy. You should wait to be address. I told Severus I didn't want to be disturbed." He motioned to Lucius.
"I am the commander of the Heliopath now, they are no longer with you and soon will be brought against your encampment." Toby spoke up, his wand and dagger sliding down to his hands. Malfoy watched them as he slowly approached.
"So my friend Gringotts has fallen has he? Then despite your colors you are my enemy Jareth?" Voldemort said in a conversational tone. He didn't seem surprised at the set back. His hand gripping his wand was the only thing to betray the anger going through him. "Lucius. Make yourself useful and dispatch this boy!"
Toby had planned for such a confrontation, but he plan was against the Dark Lord. He didn't want to show his tricks off right in front of his target. Lucius leveled the wand and a bolt of green energy erupted from it. A vial from inside his pocket was pulled forth and into its path. When it stuck the vial exploded sending a horrid green smog throughout the room. The wand had not acted as fast as it should have, it didn't respond to Lucius like it was his ally. Toby realized it had to be a borrowed wand. Coming in low he almost didn't have enough time before Malfoy had drawn a wind to clear the room.
Lucius didn't look down in time as Toby came up driving his dagger into his hand. He dropped the wand, and Toby caught it before looking back as he saw the black ink like substance start racing down his veins. Lucius was already going into shock as he gripped his wrist. Toby looked at the wound horrified. Reaching inside to another vial he started sprinkling a clear liquid on the wound.
"Jareth! This is Draco's Father! I didn't mean to kill him!" The black line that had raced up his veins stopped and receded. After a few moments the hole closed in reverse of how the wound was made as if time had reversed itself around just the wound.
Lucius looked down at it, then to Toby and pushed himself away as fast as he could from where he had fallen.
"Your son looks up to you, remember that he choose to spare Dumbledor." Toby said as the Dark Lord rose from his seat. He flicked the wand and you could watch Lucius started to seize up in pain.
"Once again you prove worthless Lucius, and your son will follow in your foot steps soon enough." Toby looked around the room and found the owl laid over in the corner looking exhausted. Turning back to the Dark Lord he brought his wand up in a ready stance.
"I've dreamt about this moment; when I get to take down the Dark Lord." Toby said as he readied his defenses. Voldemort always seemed to go for Killing Curses, and Toby wasn't all that sure his armor could deflect it. It was higher quality then the normal piece that Wizards had worn to battle before, but he didn't want to chance it.
"And I don't even know your name. Would be such a shame to waste so much potential. You aren't Jareth, but already you are strong enough to take down someone like Lucius without the use of a single spell. Follow me, follow the path of Slytherin and it will bring you to Greatness."
"You wish for immortality, I am already on that path. I will rise to the heights you have only dreamt of, and need none of your tutelage."
Voldemort gave two quick flicks and a pair of serpents appeared out of smoke before him. The struck forward at there prey. Toby had brought his times at the foundry to mind and summoned out his patronus. It struck like lighting against his attackers, each rolled up into balls as if the happiness had infected them like real poison.
"Hesssss sisssthss Hrussthssss" Voldemort hissed to the serpent patronus, trying to control it like a true snake.
"I don't know what you're trying to sell it, but serpents thrive off of weakness. To him you're just a broken worm." Toby mouthed off to him.
"I will not be called weak!" Voldemort let loose a torrent of spells, the first flash of green was absorbed by his patronus. The second blew another potion filling the room with noxious smog again. The last few missed as Toby used the smog's cover to duck away. Voldemort burnt away the smog and leveled another killing curse to the ground in front of him prepared for what the boy had done to Lucius.
Toby wasn't there, but falling from overhead. His armor protected him from the short firewall. A powerful shield charm caught him as he was coming down. His dagger pierced the shield without problem, but his own arm and body didn't follow and were tossed back. He was barely able to roll back to his feet, although crouched before another blast of green was coming for him.
Toby pulled a broken chair into the way and watched as it shattered from the spell.
"You will run out of your little tricks soon enough. You still don't have the strength to kill me boy. I was going to make this quick, but now I think Nagini deserves a meal of such a cunning Slitherin." Voldemort waved his wand and the entire room lit up in a flash of light. Toby felt his clothes and jacket burn white hot before he tore them and the pouch full of potions off, sending them out of reach. His armor still covered him as it remained unaffected.
"No more vials, and…" Toby started sliding towards Voldemort as if he was on ice and the Dark Lord was downhill. He quickly bewitched his boots to hold against the orientation, but didn't have enough time for anything else before a large flaming serpent had filled the room.
Leaping from his spot, but the gravity had been reoriented causing him to fall up towards the serpents mouth. The serpent caught him out of the air in his flaming jaws that were trying to find purchase against his armor. A quick spell turn the serpent to ice and motionless.
Going to break the sculpture with his handle, it cracked under the ice as a true giant serpent broke free from its imprisonment. The dagger still found its mark as it burned through the scales and delivered basilisk venom near the creature eye. The counter jinx for the gravity let him fall back towards the ground. An arm caught him around the throat suspending him before he was able to land.
The dagger flashed out trying to land a blow, but he felt his body shake as what he knew was Sectum septra pierced through his armor near the wrist, forcing him to drop the dagger. Not meaning to, his wand fell as he grabbed his own wrist to put pressure on the bleeding. He pulled his thought towards a shield charm despite the pain, but Voldemort still had his wand and seemed to be ready for such a basic trick and unraveled it as he tried to cast.
"Maybe its destiny that a new Dark Lord should rise from time to time. Grindelwald, then I, and maybe if I hadn't broken the chain and kept myself alive and in power, you would have been the next talent. But the sun will never set on my reign boy." Toby could barely breathe, he couldn't concentrate, and his tools were scattered around the room out of reach.
"Enough!" a great force exploded between Voldemort and Toby breaking them apart. Jareth stood in the center of the room.
"I am the Goblin King Jareth, greatest Wizard of my time, and Master of the Labyrinth Foundry. Maybe you will recall Nicholas Flamel? I granted him my formula for the philosopher stone." Voldemort looked up to Jareth with naked rage across his features.
"Then Jareth, I'll rip your so called title from your shoulders after I have torn your mind apart for what you know!"
Jareth produced his orb spinning from hand to hand as Tom Riddle raised his wand.