Disclaimer: We all know how these work, I acknowledge that J., Warner Bros. and Scholastic own Harry Potter and all other characters and settings from cannon, and I get to write whatever I please and even add in characters of my own as long as I don't get any money. The no money sucks but there you go, at least I don't get lawyers knocking on my door. Addendum: If you recognize a name of a character from elsewhere it isn't mine.
A/N: This year has been one of huge changes for me as an author. So this long chapter is dedicated to the 1085 of you who have author alerted me. I feel honored. I have written and re-written this chapter several times and I still am not completely happy with it. But here it is. Warning the chapter contains death and some torture.
Sirius' Savior
Chapter 67 Adventure in India
The Stuart-Cavanaugh travel group's trip to India wasn't as well attended as previous trips there were only sixty-three students and twenty five adults. They checked into their hotel in New Delhi, the four boys and Cassidy were thrilled to be back on the ground after the nearly twenty hours of travel all they wanted was sleep. Harry couldn't help but think port-keys made international travel much less exhausting, dizzying and confusing yes, but faster. The next day they toured New and Old Delhi. The day after that they left for Agra and spent the afternoon touring the Taj Mahal, the following day two thirds the group went to visit a wildlife park while the other third went to visit Bhangarh before continuing to Jaipur. Harry, his friends, and caretakers were part of the later group, and later they came to regret it.
Verun and Kamala met them that morning and joined them for the excursion. Harry enjoyed introducing old friends to new friends. As they drove from Agra to Bhangarh. Verun shared the legend of the mysterious city.
" Long ago there was a princess blessed with beauty and charm by God many men wanted her for their bride. There was an evil sorcerer who was determined to marry the princess and he tried to trick her into becoming his bride. She outsmarted him and turned the potion he tried to seduce her with back on him causing his death. As he lay dying he cursed the town, that no one would be left alive and the souls of the dead will never attain salvation.
"In the following year there was a battle and everyone died including the princess. Since that time no one lives in Bhangarh, it is illegal for people to stay there after dark. That is the legend, of course there are those that say the sorcerer was the virtuous one and it was the princess that was evil, but only they know."
Harry gave Rachel and Alexis a smile that legend was exactly the reason that they had chosen this excursion over the wildlife park.
They arrived at the ruins and started their tour. Twenty minutes later when they were at the far end of the ruins they heard a small burst of automatic gunfire. Verun and Kamala's bodyguard, the three teachers, the two parents and the three bodyguards that were part of the group immediately bunched the kids together and started looking for a defensible position, while the guide attempted to find out what was happening. He didn't get far. A man shot him. It wasn't long before the bandits or terrorists whatever they were had herded all the various tourist groups into one of the public squares that existed in the ruins. They were surrounded by twenty gunmen armed with AK-47's and what appeared to be a half dozen magic users then they were introduced to a rather nasty surprise.
"Greetings you dogs. You're fortunate you will no longer be alive to see the fury my mistress will wreak on the earth for her long imprisionment."
Harry edged closer to Rachel and Alexis "Do you two see what I'm seeing?"he said softly.
"Imperious" came Rachel's almost whisper.
"This is really not good." whispered Alexis. "Tonight's new moon there are some very dark rituals possible in conjunction with the new moon."
"So we're armed as are the other bodyguards but we're significantly out numbered. And I'm willing to bet based on that guy's words he's not planning on keeping us around. So what do we do?"
Harry noticed that Cassidy and Steve had edged over.
"It sounds like that nut job plans on killing us." Cassidy whispered. "I don't plan on letting him do it that easily."
"Yeah, Dad's taught me defense. Cassidy and I are saying if we go for action count us in."
"That's seven." Harry whispered. He eyed the square then he eyed the seven magic users five of them had a light sheen of sweat and a look of concentration on their faces. "Those five: three, five, seven, eight, and ten o clock they're the ones holding the imperious."
"I concur. Leaving twelve and one free to act." Rachel said softly.
Harry eyed the courtyard "Cassidy things are going to get very strange. Can you get the parents and teachers ready to move towards the archway that is at seven?"
"But Harry.. there's three guys with guns there."
"Rachel leader's yours, Alexis his second, I take MU at seven that should free the gunmen."
"What? Harry?"
"Steve, Cassidy," Harry noticed his other friends had edged close enough to hear along with Verun and Kamala's guard and the other body guards. "Magic is real guys. Seven of these guys are magic users. Five of them are controlling the gun men. When stuff starts, move top speed for the archway at seven o'clock it's closest and it has the most shelter once you're through. Pass on the second part I'll explain the first when we're in the clear. Got it?"
Alexis said "After I get one down I'll go for three. You do know we're going to get in trouble for this."
Rachel looked steadily at her target. "My second will be ten, followed by eight. And I doubt there'll be as much trouble as you expect, if Indian aurors were going to show they would have already."
"Sirius is going to go ape, we're outnumbered and facing not just magic but also guns." Alexis still tended to be a bit scared of his boss.
Harry fought back a smirk. "On three?"
Cassidy said, "How about you give it a twenty count so we can get the group ready."
"Right should have thought of that. I guess I'm nervous cause people are pointing guns."
"Well, for a nervous plan it's not bad, but Harry if we do this we aren't going for a take down with these odds we're going for a take out. If there's flak for that decision I'll take it. I want us moving out of here ASAP the less time we give them for their ritual the better." Rachel said. "But even so we will still be facing casualties not all of us will make it."
"Potentially lethal spells, got it."
"So if I understand what you are saying if we shoot the ones not holding guns, I protect my charges." Verun and Kamala's bodyguard said.
Harry nodded. "Try and shoot the magical at eight o'clock. The gunmen are not doing what they're doing willingly. We free them they may even help us. You're likely to only get one shot so make it count."
Rachel said "one."
Harry and the others who had gathered and made their plan moved from the center to the edges.
Harry slipped his hand under the edge of the jean jacket he always wore away from school. It concealed his wand, his sais, and a shrunken sword. All of which were spelled to be unnoticeable as he went through muggle security checkpoints. He had permits for them but in general didn't pull them out unless it was required. He breathed in and out focusing inwardly so he could have his magic ready for anything. When he hit twenty he whipped out his wand and snapped off a bludgeoning hex at the head of his target as Verun's bodyguard snapped off a shot with his revolver dropping the magical at eight. Two down thought Harry. Gunfire was going at this point and Harry watched as his guess about which people were controlling who proved somewhat accurate.
His classmates escaped but one of the teachers got shot in the leg and crumpled before he got to the doorway.
Since Verun's bodyguard had killed the magical at eight. Harry turned to the magical at five only to find himself locked into a duel. This guy was strong he dropped his hold over half of the gunmen he was controlling to better use his magical energy against Harry, but after finding the boy unexpectedly strong he had one of the gunmen fire at Harry. Harry felt the bullet graze his shoulder and heard it ricochet off a wall behind him and felt a burning in his calf. He cast a ferula spell at his leg without getting a good look at it; he was too busy trying to shield.
MU number three decided to help five; he cast a stunner that hit Harry and dropped him in his tracks.
Alexis knew from the second exchange of spells he was in trouble. He and Rachel had assumed that they would be matches power wise to the two leaders of this bunch. Rachel looked okay, but he was in trouble. The spells his opponent was throwing were nasty. Entrails expelling, life breath, crap a soul stealer, run of the mill AK. He levitated a stone into that one's path. Alexis found himself getting pushed backward. He never saw the two controlled gunmen that killed him.
Rachel fought fiercely with the leader of these terrorists. Out of the corner of her eye she was surprised to see Alexis go down. Then she realized that it wasn't magic, it was bullets. She backed slowly towards Harry and checked for apparition wards. They were up. Dammit all to fucking hell, how was she supposed to protect Harry in this situation. Out numbered as they were, Rachel was surprised as many people got away as did. It looked like two thirds the people had got away. The number of controlled gun men shrank noticeably as well. Unfortunately her and Harry's hope of the gunmen fighting those that had enslaved them didn't occur, the freed gunmen fled. At least in the chaos all of the students except Harry, and some of the other people from other tour groups got away. Hopefully that meant whatever dark ritual was planned was FUBAR. Harry fell to a stunner. It distracted Rachel just enough that she didn't see the stunner that hit her.
A short time later judging by the time of day, she came around. She was tightly bound. And what woke her was Harry's scream.
"The witch wakes, my Lord."
"You ruined my plans bitch, and I think you and the boy will play the price in pain."
"You sonovabitch, leave him alone."
The second in command snarled, "He killed my brother and I will see him pay for it."
The leader moved towards her feet then with a thick reed and started to beat the soles of her feet. Interspersing comments of, Muggles are so interesting they use this to flay the skin it works almost as well as a good old fashioned "Esfolar"a section of skin separated from her leg. The Portuguese brought that one to India in the 1500's delightful isn't it?"
Rachel successfully stifled the urge to scream only until she tasted blood from where she had bitten through her own tongue. Harry had been reduced to mere whimpers of pain by this point. The next blow landed and Rachel couldn't help herself as she felt the skin on her foot split she screamed.
Harry heard her scream and something in him moved. He had felt this way once before during the attack in Chicago that time its intensity had scared him. This time he knew if he embraced it, it might save him and Rachel he reached out with both hands mentally pulling the swirling vortex to him and making it his own. He felt the air around them charge the particles growing more agitated every second. Finally the MU hitting him noticed, but it was already too late.
Elsewhere in the ruins Steve and Cassidy hid and planned. Both of them regarded Harry as a very cool, very tough, little brother and despite their confusion over the days events both of them shared their fathers' mentality of leave no man behind. They both knew hand to hand and how to handle a gun. The AK-47's they found weren't pretty but they were fairly straightforward and easy to shoot. The tango's as Steve called them were down to five and only a half dozen gunmen. This sucked. Cassidy said, "What if we do like snipers do? Line up for a shot or two then drop the targets, then move. We alternate I take two shots then you. We have to do something, they're hurting, if not slowly killing Harry and Rachel." she referred to the screams both of them were hearing.
"It's not much of a plan but it's better than nothing. You find your spot I'll find mine count of sixty you shoot I'll count for seventy five. Then I'll shoot. Remember what Harry said,"
"Magicals first." They said in unison. Then they moved out neither voicing the fears running through their minds.
Cassidy found her way to a roof overlooking the square where Harry was being tortured. "Hang on little brother. As much as she wanted to shoot the guy hurting Harry she aimed for one of the guys that Harry said was controlling gunmen earlier instead. When she reached sixty she gently squeezed the trigger. She swiftly aimed at a second target only to miss as he moved. Thankfully her shots turned their attention in her direction so they never saw as Steve's shot took out the last MU holding gunmen under the imperius.
Suddenly everyone noticed as the air around them seemed to charge. Steve and Cassidy both were left with a feeling of "What the-" Lightning came out of the cloudless twilight sky and crisped the remaining MUs, leaving behind the scent of ozone and burnt flesh. As now all the tangos were down.
Cassidy and Steve wasted no time in checking the victims Harry was unconscious and showing signs of shock. Rachel was in a ton of pain but able to respond. Their teacher was semi conscious but also able to respond. The tour group guide had bled out. Steve knew Harry carried a cell phone not that he was confident of getting a signal but it was worth a shot. Steve checked it. "Damn Cassidy I'm going to move out of the ruins see if I can get a signal."
She nodded and gave what first aid she could.
Steve jogged swiftly out of the ruins towards higher ground. It was close to a quarter mile away before he suddenly had signal. He tapped in the international call then Speed dial number one, which meant Sirius. He knew Sirius was in England but as a worldwide businessman Sirius would have a contact somewhere in India that could help them he was sure. The phone on the other end rang.
"Black."
"Sirius thank god, you've got to help us. Harry's hurt, so's Rachel. Alexis is dead, so's a bunch of other people. There are a bunch hurt and-"
"Steve what are you doing with Harry's phone? Where are you?"
"Bhangarh."
"Alright, I'll send for help and I'll get there as soon as I can."
Meanwhile still further away Verun and Kamala's bodyguard was calling in for reinforcements. India's magical ministry had monitoring spells in all government offices responsible for any sort of policing action so if magic or seeming magic was mentioned they could send a team. The moment the bodyguard mentioned magic and Bhangarh in the same sentence four auror teams of six scrambled to the site expecting to have to deal with one of the darkest sorceresses in Indian history one that had modeled herself after Kali in her darkest aspect. The new moon was the time when the spells holding her were weakest but sufficient blood spilled and there would be those that would believe the Goddess had been reborn. One day they really needed to figure a way to destroy her permanently but for now all they could do was maintain the laws that no one was allowed in the ruins at night. Two additional teams were dispatched to see to the muggles that had escaped the slaughter.
In England, Sirius sent a patronus to Grimjaw, ordering a immediate portkey to India. He told Beth what Steve had said and said "Beth I have to go." She nodded and helped him by packing a bag. Sirius phoned Amelia, and asked her to notify whoever she knew in India. Fifteen minutes from the time he got the call, he left Grimmauld Place apparating to the Gringott's preferred customer apparition point.
Grimjaw met him, "Here, I was only able to get my hands on a bank portkey, it will take you to Gringott's in Mumbai, But I've sent word ahead, one of the bank workers there will get you a local one to Jaipur which is the closest Magical hospital and Auror office."
"Thanks Grim."
"I hope Harry is alright."
"I hope so too, Grim. I hope so too, Portus."
In India the auror team apparated in expecting trouble but other than a young girl giving a startled yelp and that the location looked like a battle had been fought there there was no sign of trouble. The aurors were startled when they went from surveying the area back to looking at the girl because she picked up a rifle and looked prepared to use it.
"Whoa there, we mean you no harm. We're aurors."
Cassidy was unsure. But Rachel who she had untied and was next to, moved her arm and smashed hand to the weapon Cassidy held and said, "They're here to help."
"There are several people wounded and Harry's in shock." Cassidy said.
"What about the magicals that started all this? Where are they?"
"They're dead, the gunmen they controlled fled. My friends really need help."
Although a few remained on guard the aurors started triaging the people on the ground. An immediate decision to portkey the witch who had parts of her body flayed and the young wizard who was in even worse shape away to Dhanwantri Magical Hospital in Jaipur was made. Despite misgivings the young girl and another boy who appeared shortly after the aurors arrived, were sent along as well since both refused to be separated from either the boy or the witch. Muggle medical services arrived and the remaining living victims were taken away. Since Auror services were investigating muggle investigators were kept away.
A young witch approached Inspector Gusain. "Inspector?"
"Yes?"
"We've ID'ed most the bodies it was Saxena and all nine of his bunch of lund chuse harami. We have twenty dead mundanes, and one dead foreign wizard ID on him reads Alexis Cruz resident of Baltimore, USA."
"So causes of death?"
"Wizards or Mundane?"
Her boss waved his hand.
"Eight of the wizards including the foreign one are gunshot. One took a reducto to the head. The other two well they are little more than smoldering heaps. I'm not sure what spell was used but the effects mimic being struck by a bolt of lighting."
"So we have a mystery?"
"I think so sir."
Another wizard came up to them. " Yes Joshi?" the inspector asked.
"Whatever was planned here sir, it failed. The holding spells are secure."
"Excellent."He felt his communication mirror with his headquarters vibrate. Pulling it out he saw the newest recruit in his office. "What?"
"Sir, one seriously scary, pissed off, and worried wizard just walked in the door and is demanding answers about Bhangarh and his ward."
"Put him on." The Inspector saw even through the mirror the aura this wizard was pouring off. "Yes?"
"Twentey five minutes ago I got one very panicked phone call from one of my godson's friends saying Harry and one of his bodyguards was hurt and another of his guards was dead. I want to know what is going on, where my godson is, and who is behind it and I want to have those answers now."
"Was Alexis Cruz your employee?"
"Yes."
"And is your godson a wizard?"
"Yes."
"Then your godson has been taken to Dhanwantri Magical Hospital there in Jaipur. My staff there will give you directions. As for answers, I'm still finding those. I will come and find you when I am finished with my investigation."
As soon as the portkey arrived at the hospital Steve and Cassidy were herded to a set of chairs in a waiting room while Harry and Rachel were whisked away for treatment. The two preteen sat clinging to each other scared not just by what had happened but also by all the strangeness surrounding them. "Did you get hold of anyone?" Cassidy asked.
"Yeah, I got hold of Sirius. He said stay with Harry and he'd come as soon as he could."
"How long do you think?"
"Dunno, probably a day."
"Do you still have Harry's phone?"
"Yeah."
"We should call the hotel here in Jaipur let the group know."
"Do you know the number?"
"No."
"Maybe we should find a phonebook..."
"Cassidy hate to break it to you but I haven't seen even a hint of a phone in this place."
"Oh." She was quiet for a moment. "Do you think Michael and Dominic are okay?"
"I don't know."
Michael and Dominic meanwhile were watching as a group of people went through and interviewed everyone who had been in the village. Small hurts were being tended to and many people were given mild sedatives to reduce their stress.
"Dominic was Harry being honest when he said that shit about magic?"
"What do you think?"
"Yeah, it explains a lot about those little quirks of his and I don't think I took a hallucinogenic at lunch, today."
Dominic bit his lip for a second. "Non magicals aren't supposed to know. When those aurors are done with the interviews they're modifying what people are remembering."
"How'd you know that?"
"It's standard, unless you have someone magical in your family."
"What you knew, about that, weird stuff?"
"My Nana is a witch, my dad is what they call a squib. My older sister is a witch, only the females on that side of the family have power though I got told cause of Natalia, and when I grow up, if I have a daughter she might be one."
"So they won't try to change your memory?"
"No."
"So how do we keep them from doing it to me?"
"How good are you at lying?" Dominic asked already knowing the answer.
"Can you help me practice?"
Sirius moved swiftly with his cane through the doors of the Dhanwantri Magical Hospital and figured out that spell damage was on the third floor he went to the lifts, and went he came out he saw Cassidy and Steve. "Are you two alright?"
"Mr. Black!" "Sirius!" called out the two as they ran towards him. Their frightened faces and distressed seeking of hugs told Sirius that they needed reassurance. he was thankful they knew him well enough to trust him. After a couple of minutes of cosseting they both calmed enough he felt comfortable saying "I'm going to see if I can find anything out about Harry. Alright?"
They nodded.
Sirius went to the desk. "Hello I'm Sirius Black I'm guardian to the ten year old wizard and boss of a thirty four year old witch they were brought in a while ago from Bhangarh."
"Yes Mr. Black, I will let the Healers in charge of both cases know."
Sirius rejoined Cassidy and Steve and asked for the story of what happened. His years as an auror giving him insight to reconstructing a magical crime scene he was pleased that both kids had innate observation skills. He was proud as he heard how Harry had stepped up and acted instead of allowing the terrorists to control everything. He notice a healer approaching them. "Mr Black?"
"Yes."
"I'm Healer Tiwari , I have been working on your employee, Ms. Luttrell."
"How is she?"
"Resting comfortably. She took a stunner, three cruciatus curses, five flaying curses, and if that was not enough she was actually physically tortured. A bastinado was used on her feet and her hands were smashed resulting multiple breaks and dislocations. We've had to banish several bone fragments and have given her Skele-grow, after a two week course of nerve potions and a little rest she will make a full recovery. She has asked to see you."
"Alright. Now?"
"Yes. The sooner she talks to you the sooner she rest."
"Hey Rachel, how you doing?"
"Sirius how's Harry? I should have...got him out of there"
"Relax Rachel, Harry is getting help."
"He did it again Sirius."
"What?"
"He called lighting out of a cloudless sky."
"Okay. So it wasn't a one time fluke, but right now you need to rest. I'm here and I'll look after Harry." Sirius watched as his words reassured Rachel enough that she stopped fighting the potions she'd been given and fell asleep. He stepped back out. Cassidy and Steve were anxiously watching for him.
"Relax Rachel will be out in a couple days."
The two kids gave him a disbelieving look.
"I mean it. I know with a muggle hospital it would probably be a month or more given her injuries but magic can heal a ton of stuff that muggles can't. Now I need to talk with you two. You found out about magic, normally when people like yourself come into contact with something like this some people come and do some magic to make you forget."
Cassidy and Steve both loudly protested,"But I don't want to forget!"
"Alright then I'm going to trust you two and I'll have to pull some strings. I think I can get you two clearance to know, but you both know about the official secrets act from the US government right?
"Yeah both our dads have security clearances."
"Well this will be a lot like that you can't tell anyone who doesn't already know." He pulled out his phone the last thing he wanted was for Harry's friends to face the mental consequences of an obliviate. He also called his own security team that he ditched in England they were probably going out of their trees with him just disappearing that way. Fifteen minutes later another healer approached. "Mr.-"
"Black. How's Harry?"
"He's not in good shape. He was cursed pretty extensively frankly I'm amazed he's alive somehow he drained his magical core down to almost nothing and we're getting a ton of anomalous readings. If the magical side of things weren't enough I had to summon a bullet from his lower leg and he had a graze on one shoulder. Most magical children would be dead I don't know how he's not."
"Harry's to stubborn to die, and he's a mage even at this age before his full inheritance. He'll pull through."
The healer had a very skeptical look on her face.
Sirius resolved to try and get Winry there as soon as possible because he did not like this woman. "Can I see him?"
"I guess so."
"Thank you." Moments later he was in the room, Sirius took hold of Harry's least bandaged hand and brushed his hair back from his forehead. "I'm here kiddo. You rest and get better and I'll look after things okay?" The healer hadn't been kidding Harry looked awful. "I'm going to go see to your friends so all you have to worry about is you getting better."