Disclaimer: This story is based on characters created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
AN:
Hi, I'm finally updating! Sorry that I took so long but I've been very busy with my studies and loads of exams. And I have to warn you that I'll probably won't be updating as quickly as I did before. Anyway, I want to thank all of you who have reviewed and who're still following this story.
Ah, there're some points I would like to clarify. Orion cannot absorb just any wizard's magic. He certainly can't absorb Dumbledore's magic because it's purely Light. The reason why he could absorb Voldemort's and Gellert's magic, if he killed them, is because their magic is alike. As Grindelwald explained in some chapter, since a wizard's magic returns to its Source once the wizard dies, the same happens with their type of dark magic only that it would go to the nearest focus, and if Orion was there, then he would absorb it since he would be the nearest 'focus', if he wasn't, then the magic would go to the Dark Source. And Voldemort, like Gellert and Orion, has this type of dark magic, only that not in quantities enough to realize it or use it. But, this doesn't mean that Voldemort is much weaker or less powerful than Orion or Gellert; the wizard still has astounding amounts of the 'normal' type of dark magic, not to mention his experience and constant studies of the Dark Arts. Therefore, it shouldn't be surprising that Voldemort knows how to do things which Orion still hasn't had the time to learn or find out how to do, like, for instance, how to break magical contracts. Someone mentioned why Orion simply didn't break the Life Debt and Unbreakable Vow that bound him. He simply can't because he has never found out how to do it, if possible. On the other hand, Voldemort has been studying the Dark Arts for decades, therefore he discovered ways of doing the impossible like breaking magical contracts. You have to remember that my Harry Potter isn't the overnight super-powerful type, everything Orion knows took him lots of efforts and time to accomplish.
Oh, and someone pointed out mistakes in Sebastien's French, and they are right! I will try to edit and correct past chapters if I find the time, and also, she had a valid point when saying that I overdid with his accent, though I merely copied JKR's way of making Fleur Delacour speak. Nevertheless, in the future I won't make Sebastien speak with so many 'z', though I find it funny. *grins sheepishly*
Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter, though I have to confess that it was hard to write since I hadn't written anything in a long while and I felt that my limited skills have diminished. But I hope to improve in the next chappie!
Chapter 21
Scorching waves of blazing agony swept and ravaged through his body, his head throbbed as if it would split apart in any second, his throat felt painfully constricted, every haggard breath he took meant unbearable pain for him, every fiber in his body ached as if he was being stabbed by a thousand daggers… yet, suddenly, he felt a mantle of darkness washing over him, lulling the pain… It was magic coursing through him, gently, assuaging… it was dark magic… so familiar…
"Gellert?" Orion mumbled inaudibly, at the same time that his mouth was pried open, being forced to shallow a thick, slimy liquid.
The potion sluggishly slid down his throat, and he finally felt a modicum of relief. The pain didn't completely fade away, but at least he could think more clearly now, and he opened his eyes with great difficulty, groaning in pain. His foggy vision cleared and he saw Snape and Draco holding him up, while crashing sounds and yells thundered around him.
He realized they were still at the Astronomy Tower; only a few moments must have passed since he lost consciousness, amidst a blaze of agony. Draco was pale-faced, gazing at him with frantic worry, and Snape had a dark frown on his face, his obsidian eyes scrutinizing him, as the wizard forced him to drink another potion... But where was Gellert? Hadn't the old German wizard used his dark magic to help him? He didn't see the man anywhere-
"What's happening to you?" demanded Snape, inspecting him closely with his frown deepening, as he pressed the vial's brim to Orion's lips. "Tell me or I can't help you!"
Orion gazed at him, but he couldn't work his mouth to speak and he couldn't work the muscles in his throat to swallow the potion. More importantly, he wanted to see where his savior was. He glanced around wildly, looking once again for Grindelwald, but he only saw the other Death Eaters crouching while objects and pieces of stone flew and crashed over their heads. He didn't understand what was happening now; his body felt ignited, his magic unleashed, and he didn't see how Gellert could have been there. Potter Manor's blood wards would have made it impossible for Gellert to leave. And he didn't see anyone else there with them. So who had it been? Was Gellert truly there, invisible? Or perhaps some Aux Atrum had come to his aid-
Abruptly, he doubled over and coughed up spurts of blood. His eyes widened in alarm; his body was still being ravaged, and if he did nothing, his magic would continue attacking itself, destroying his inner magical core and leaving him as a squib – forever magicless. Frenziedly alarmed, he pushed his thoughts away from the mysterious person who had helped him minutes ago, and he quickly felt for his magical core; it was still complete, but it was disorderly and it would soon be torn apart and consumed. He had to act that very second, or he would lose all of it.
"Control it…" said a faint voice, the tone urgent and slightly fearful. "You're out of control…"
Orion's gaze rounded on Dumbledore, and then slowly around him once more, and he understood why the old wizard had said that. The Death Eaters still stood in the middle of the place, crouching and protecting themselves with casted shields, as pieces of stone wildly flew around. The ramparts were partly destroyed and blackened, and he saw tendrils of violent magic flaring from his body uncontrollably, lashing out, and destroying anything they touched… Dumbledore must fear that, in the process of being ravaged and rendered into a squib, his magic would explode outwards and kill everyone present; similar to what had happened to an unstable Ariana with her mother.
Quickly, feeling pressing urgency, while his heart weakly pounded in his chest, Orion swiftly encompassed himself in his Necromantic abilities. He felt a veil of detached numbness wrapping his mind, and he felt his magic outwardly calming down, yet it kept agonizingly ravaging his insides. But Grindelwald had made him feel unbearable pain so many times during their lessons -to make him get used to it, to allow his mind to dismiss pain in order to think clearly- that he could now force himself to string two thoughts together. And suddenly, he realized what the only solution was. He would ask it of Snape. Draco was possibly the best one for it, but he rather Snape did it. And he knew that he couldn't tell Snape what he intended to do. The wizard had to mean it.
Orion leaned all his weight on Draco, who instantly wrapped a supporting arm around his waist, and he side-glanced at Snape, and said hoarsely, "Kill the old man."
Snape's eyes slightly widened and his face paled, but Orion forestalled any retort, and he roared urgently, "KILL HIM NOW!"
The wizard's face darkened and Orion could see the hatred bubbling in the black eyes – hatred for him, he knew, since he was ordering Snape to kill Dumbledore, who had been a father-figure for the man. A father-figure for whom Snape still held some form of affection, even if Dumbledore had used him, manipulating his love for Lily Evans during so many years. Nevertheless, Orion knew Snape would do it; he had boxed in the wizard. The man couldn't refuse since Death Eaters were witnesses, since the wizard had to maintain his cover, and also since he wanted to help Draco in his mission. Furthermore, given the oaths they had given to one another so long ago, and given the terms of their allegiance, Snape had to obey him; Snape's loyalty was only towards him. The wizard was exclusively his. He would have liked to say 'Trust me', but he couldn't. Snape had to truly mean the Killing Curse, or his plan wouldn't work.
Just a few seconds had passed since he had recovered his consciousness, but everything seemed to happen in slow motion for Orion. Snape's features had now hardened with hatred, as he aimed his wand at Dumbledore.
"Severus, no… no…" murmured Dumbledore weakly, who was still slumped against the ramparts of the Tower.
Snape's face contorted with revulsion and fury, the scariest expression Orion had ever seen on the wizard, and he spat, "Avada Kedavra!"
A beam of bright green light instantly shot forth, careening towards Dumbledore's chest, and Orion flexed his muscles, groaning in pain, and jumped forwards, while he spread out a hand.
Immediately, his dark magic rushed outwards, forming a thick sheet of black ice right in front of the crumbled old wizard. It exploded when it was struck by the Killing Curse, shards of ice shooting in all directions, just at the same time that he saw comprehension dawning on Snape's face, while the unbearable agony he had been feeling rolled away from him, as if suddenly disappearing into nothingness.
Orion stumbled forward, loudly exhaling in relief, though he still felt the lingering effects of the pain which had ravaged him. Nevertheless, he had saved Dumbledore's life – he had repaid the Life Debt he had owed, and his magic was now lying peacefully inside him, no longer attacking itself. Moreover, he felt his magic washing over him, as if soothingly caressing his magical core, refueling it, and probably undoing any slight harm it could have endured during the seconds in which the Unbreakable Vow and Life Debt had been warring each other.
"I don't owe you anything anymore," he said hoarsely, advancing towards Dumbledore with a large smirk of eager anticipation on his face. "Now, I can truly-"
Suddenly, a commotion of yells erupted behind him.
"This proves it! TRAITOR!" shrieked a high-pitched, crazed voice.
"No – Bellatrix!" roared Snape's snarling voice, meshing with the sound of rushing feet. "Imbecilic witch, you don't understand-"
Startled, Orion turned around, in the same second that a beam of yellow light flashed in his vision. He gasped out when he felt scorching pain exploding in his left shoulder, blazing down his arm. And everything happened in the bat of an eyelash… the hit made him stagger backwards, crashing against a limp body behind him… he saw Snape jumping forth, the wizard's hand frantically shooting out to grasp him, but it missed… and he felt himself toppling over the battlements, along with something else… and he was plunged into darkness, his vision swimming, his aching limbs flailing in mid-air, his exhausted body free-falling, his robes flapping around him… while yells issued from above, becoming distant… Draco's scream, Snape's furious bellows, Bellatrix's deranged laughter… And he kept rushing towards the ground, which was speedily coming closer…
Finally, he realized that he was rushing to his death, and under the greenish light of the Dark Mark, still glowing high above him, he saw in the darkness of the night how Dumbledore was spinning and rotating a few feet away from him, like a rag doll… the wizard soon about to crash against the ground, before he did…. And without thinking about it twice, at last spurring into action, he concentrated as hard as he could, and with all the magic he could tiredly muster he swiftly transformed into Firebreath- his Wyvern animagus form; from scaled dragon-like wings and snout, to menacing eagle claws. Now, he was like a lion-sized dragon, emerald scales shinning under the green light of the Dark Mark; four sturdy, short and scaled legs in his strong body, a barbed and threatening-looking tail swaying from side to side; a long snout with smoke puffing from his round nostrils; grand, clawed wings; and golden basilisk-eyes sparkling with lethal power, on which he lowered his inner eyelids. He felt wild, savage, unbeatable and powerful, and he momentarily relished in it.
The hasty transformation had been successful but very painful as well, due to his injured arm, which cracked and snapped as it became a green-scaled wing. That left wing now hung limply, uselessly, still affected by the non-verbal curse Bellatrix had struck it with… but Orion simply folded it against his scaled body, and he frantically batted his right wing, the uninjured one. His free-fall suddenly halted, but flying with only one wing was tricky and difficult… Nevertheless, as he saw Dumbledore about to hit the ground below, he plunged into a sharp dive… and in instants, his claws clutched the old wizard, grasping an arm and leg… He wildly flapped his right wing, and he flew unsteadily until he carefully dropped Dumbledore on the grass-covered ground. Then, he landed himself, and swiftly transformed back.
Groaning in pain and exhaustion, Orion glanced around and upwards. They were a large distance away from Hogwarts' entrance, and the Astronomy Tower loomed before them. Moreover, he heard shouts and screams coming from inside the school, along with raised voices bellowing spells and curses. He could only hope that Snape was leading Draco safely through the school… the Death Eaters had probably taken the stairs to descend from the Astronomy Tower, and were now battling the Order of the Phoenix… That night had turned into a mess, and he really didn't see how Voldemort had planned for just four Death Eaters to take the school. It was clear the wizard had expected Draco to fail, as Snape and he had assumed all along. But Draco would have done it if he hadn't interfered, and now Draco's failure was his fault.
He shook his head and grumbled under his breath. Also, he now understood Trelawney's warning. Though he would have liked to know beforehand that she had meant it literally; the 'watch your back'. How could he have known that Bellatrix would curse him when he had his back turned to them, when he had been about to kill Dumbledore? One thing was certain, aunt or not, he would have to dispose of that witch soon.
Abruptly, a beam of blue light made his eyes snap to a figure a few feet away from him, and he saw Dumbledore unsteadily standing up as the Elder Wand came shooting into the old wizard's spread hand. Orion scowled as he observed the man, while he grasped his injured and limp left arm. Dumbledore still looked pale and weak, but somehow seemed reenergized, surely due to his pressing circumstances. Nevertheless, he knew that the Tormentis Memoratum potion that Dumbledore had drunk at the cave would soon kill the old wizard; he surmised that about fifteen minutes were left before the one hour period expired.
Hoping that his father was holding his own while battling the Death Eaters, Orion cradled his useless left arm and he approached the old wizard. Now, he only had the Unbreakable Vow to fulfill, even if he wasn't forced by it to utterly kill the old man, as Snape had once explained to him. However, he wanted the last Hallow and would thus duel and kill the old man for it. He was tired of having Dumbledore messing with his plans.
"I want it," said Orion sharply, without any preambles, piercing the old man with his eyes as he whipped out his Phoenix wand. "I'll duel you for it."
"Was that your intention all along?" said Dumbledore calmly, slowly drawing up to his full height. "To kill me for the Elder Wand?" A smile spread over his lips, and he gazed at him with twinkling eyes. "However, you saved me from plunging to my death. It seems it's me who now owes you a Life Debt-"
"Perhaps," interrupted Orion curtly, "or perhaps you would have saved yourself. We won't know until you try to kill me. If you fail and can't, then we'll know that you do indeed owe me a Life Debt."
"I would never kill you," said Dumbledore pleasantly, eyeing him over his half-moon spectacles.
Orion scoffed, and said snidely, "Then you're a fool." He pierced him with narrowed eyes, and snapped crisply, "You said you knew I already had two Hallows, and you implied that you knew about-"
"You want to know how I unveiled so much about your dealings," interjected Dumbledore placidly. "Once I discovered Gellert was still alive everything else made sense. Did he explain to you our shared past?"
"About Ariana, and what happened to your mother and father?" scoffed Orion, before he narrowed his eyes at him. "Yeah, I know everything about that. I also read your Treatise. Everything you discovered was exactly what Salazar Slytherin concluded from his research, yet you've kept the Light side ignorant all this time-"
"And as I imagined, you understand nothing," interrupted Dumbledore calmly, intently gazing at him over his half-moon spectacles. His expression crumbled into a saddened and remorseful one, and he said quietly, "Can you forgive me? I crave your pardon, my boy."
"Forgive you – for what?" spat Orion, glaring at him. "For not telling me how much you really knew? About the true meaning of the prophecy, and about your real plan of sacrificing me? You wanted me to confront Voldemort and die in the process, because you knew that I was a horcrux! And you thought I didn't know myself – I've known for ages!"
"Ah, yes," said Dumbledore quietly, piercingly staring at him. "Did you discover it after Voldemort disapparated with you from the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic? Was it then when he discovered it himself? That's why he never truly tried to kill you after that, right, my boy? Is this also the reason why you steadfastly remained by his side, and why you bonded with him?" He shook his head and added in a low, repentant murmur, "If I had only known your intention of becoming his spouse, I would have done much more to help you, my dear boy. However, I'm asking forgiveness for something much graver-"
"What are you talking about?" demanded Orion icily, aiming his wand at him. "I only hold you accountable for your lies and manipulations-"
"The Hallows," muttered Dumbledore. "I ask forgiveness because I didn't have the fortitude to destroy them when I should have. The Hallows – a desperate man's dreams! Real, and dangerous, and a lure for fools. And I was such a fool. But you know, don't you? I have no secrets from you anymore. You know."
"What do I know?" said Orion, eyeing him closely. "Better yet, tell me how much you know and how you found out!"
"Master of death, Orion, master of Death!" burst out Dumbledore, tears sparkling in the blue eyes. "You saw me then, didn't you? You were the glamoured wizard passing off as a muggle thief… You where the one who dueled me at the Gaunt's house, who took the Resurrection Stone… you were there in my weakest moment, when I coveted the Hallow, when I wanted to use it to see Ariana once more… when I couldn't destroy it. And because of my weakness, the Resurrection Stone passed to your hands and you became its master – the Master of Death. That's why I ask for forgiveness, because in that same way I didn't destroy the Invisibility Cloak, the one you stole from my office during your fourth year at Hogwarts."
Orion stared at him with wide eyes, and murmured, "How do you-"
"Who else could have done it, but you?" interrupted Dumbledore gravely, pinning him with his eyes. "And to think you've known about the Hallows since so long… Tell me, when did everything start?"
"I'm not the one who's going to answer questions, old man!" snapped Orion angrily. "When did you realize that I already had the two Hallows in my possession?"
"As I said," replied Dumbledore quietly, "once I felt Gellert was still alive, many things started to make sense. Moreover, I'm sure he told you that he confided in me about his quest for the Hallows. Ever since that tragic summer, I never stopped researching to know all about them… Oh, and the things I found out about… the true meaning of the Tale of the Three Brothers… the Peverells meeting Death on a lonely road…" He gazed at him over his half-moon spectacles. "Indeed, Mordred and Morgana are truly Death for many, especially for you, my boy."
"How…" Orion cleared his throat, and continued less hoarsely and more firmly, "How do you know about them? There isn't a single book or text which indicates that they were behind the creation of the Hallows."
"Throughout history there have been clues about an interfering influence in wizarding kind's lineages," said Dumbledore quietly, piercing him with his eyes. "Moreover, irrefutable proof was handed to me the day Horace Slughorn died." Orion gaped at him with wide eyes, and the old man continued, "Yes, my boy, I'm perfectly aware that Rodolphus Lestrange has been passing off as Horace all this year, possibly with the use of a modified and improved Polyjuice Potion. Was it Severus who created the potion, under Voldemort's orders? I suspect it was so. Though it pains me that he chose to conceal this from me. It seems I have failed Severus as well. Tell me, my boy, did you kill Horace yourself or did you lead Voldemort to the house where Horace was hiding, just hours after I took you there?"
Orion had paled but remained silent, and Dumbledore gazed at him knowingly as he murmured, "I think you handed Horace over to Voldemort. You must have thought that Voldemort had more right to reap his revenge after what Horace had done to Tom Riddle. Does it surprise you that I know what Horace did when he had been an Aux Atrum? There's one thing you didn't consider, my boy; Horace's repentance for his actions and his subsequent determination to redeem himself if he was ever killed. Hours after we left Horace's hiding place, I received a package from Gringotts containing a letter to be submitted to me the instant the Goblins detected that one of their clients had died. Horace bequeathed this task to them, in the event of his death. In his letter to me, Horace explained in detail his work as an Aux Atrum, the goals of this society and who controlled them. It was this last piece of evidence which irrefutably revealed to me that Morgana and Mordred still lingered on this Earth."
"I see," said Orion numbly, while his mind wildly swirled. Slughorn had done that… Incredible. Indeed, he had underestimated just how much Slughorn had turned against the Spirits… To go as far as to reveal the existence and purpose of the Aux Atrum and the Spirits… To go as far as to give such information to the one wizard who could possibly do anything to halt anyone who'd want to become the Vindico…
"No, you don't," interjected Dumbledore, before he suddenly sprung forth and tightly clutched Orion's arm, as he continued firmly, "You must understand what happened so long ago and why I chose to conceal what I had discovered whilst researching to write my Treatise. Yes, my conclusions were correct and I believe you when you say that Salazar Slytherin discovered the same that I did – it's evident to me that you found the Chamber of Secrets, and thus his journals as well. But there's an imperative reason to conceal these truths from the general public – a reason why wizarding superiority over muggles shouldn't be acclaimed and why wizards shouldn't stop mixing their bloodlines with muggles and muggleborns, despite the consequence of weakening the magic of the bloodlines. Don't you understand what would happen if-"
"I understand that you've been living a lie," interrupted Orion in a steely tone of voice, his green eyes glinting with fury, "while purposely keeping such vital information from everyone else. Wizarding kind has the right to know what happens if they cross their bloodlines with muggles and muggleborns! I can only conclude that after what happened to Ariana, you were scared-"
"Scared!" interjected Dumbledore loudly, as close as yelling as Orion had ever heard him, with a stricken and pained expression on his face. "Of course I was scared – of myself! It was my own inaction and belief in my own superiority which caused my sister's death. And it was this belief in wizarding superiority which, above all, drew Gellert and me together. Two clever, arrogant boys with a shared obsession - we had lofty ideals about reshaping the wizarding world, with wizards triumphing over muggles and leading them, as superiors supposedly should do. Gellert... You cannot imagine how his ideas caught me, Orion, inflamed me! Muggles forced into subservience. We wizards triumphant. Gellert and I, the glorious young leaders of the revolution. Oh, I had a few scruples. I assuaged my conscience with empty words. It would all be for the greater good, and any harm done would be repaid a hundredfold in benefits for wizards. Did I know, in my heart of hearts, what Gellert Grindelwald was? What he wanted to become – a Dark Lord? I think I did, but I closed my eyes. If the plans we were making came to fruition, all my dreams would come true. And at the heart of our schemes, the Deathly Hallows! How they fascinated him, how they fascinated both of us! The unbeatable wand, the weapon that would lead us to power! The Resurrection Stone – to him, though I pretended not to know it, it meant an army of Inferi! To me, I confess, it meant the return of my parents, and the lifting of all responsibility from my shoulders. And the Cloak… though I didn't know it at that time, was the other Hallow needed for him to become the Vindico Atrum! Back then, my interest in the Cloak was mainly that it completed the trio, for the legend said that the man who had united all three objects would then be truly Master of the Hallows, which I took to mean 'invincible.' I know now what it truly means – the Vindico Atrum, that which you seek to become, and what Gellert failed to do. At least, I could stop him… though I, nevertheless, lost him in the process…"
The old wizard paused and shook his head, and said vehemently, "And I failed in everything else. Back then, only our dreams mattered, and for them to be realized we wanted the Hallows. To become invincible masters of Death, Grindelwald and Dumbledore! A month of insanity, of cruel dreams, and neglect of the only two members of my family left to me. And then... you know what happened. Reality returned in the form of my rough, unlettered, and infinitely more admirable brother. I did not want to hear the truths he shouted at me. I did not want to hear that I could not set forth with Gellert and seek the Hallows with a traumatized sister in tow, too unstable to control her immeasurable power. The argument became a fight. Ariana lost control, and Gellert... That which I had always sensed in him, though I pretended not to, now sprang into a terrible being... He fiercely countered without any compunction and stupefied her, and I'm ashamed to admit that I casted just as powerfully at her… And Ariana... after all my mother's care and caution... lay dead upon the floor."
Dumbledore gave a little gasp and began to cry in earnest, and Orion ripped his arm away from the old man's grasp, feeling awkwardly uncomfortable but also impatient to know what the wizard's point was.
"Gellert vanished after Ariana's funeral," said Dumbledore quietly, regaining control over himself, "with his plans for seizing power, and his schemes for muggle domination, and his dreams of the Deathly Hallows, dreams in which I had encouraged him and helped him. He disappeared from my life, while I was left to mourn my sister, and learn to live with my guilt and my terrible grief, the price of my shame. Years passed. There were rumors about him. They said he had procured a wand of immense power – and I knew it was the Elder Wand, yet I couldn't bring myself to stop him at that time. I feared that I would be once again entranced by him and his dreams, and swallowed by his promises. But I also feared the truth. You see, I never knew which of us, in that last, horrific fight, had actually cast the last stunning spell that killed my sister... In the meanwhile, I was offered the post of Minister of Magic, not once, but several times. Naturally, I refused. I had learned that I was not to be trusted with power. Nevertheless, I kept track of Gellert and studied as much as I could about the Hallows, realizing that there was much more to them that he hadn't told me about. In the end, even knowing that power was my weakness and temptation, I was forced to stop Gellert when it seemed that he would win the war. Yet, I couldn't bring myself to kill him and I simply imprisoned him in Nurmengard, under powerful wards." He shook his head and muttered, "I did what he wanted me to do. I'm sure he never realized that I knew that he truly wanted to be imprisoned, that he wanted to wait for his successor – for you." He gazed up at Orion, pinning him with a penetrating stare. "I also ask forgiveness for that, because I couldn't bring myself to kill him and when the Elder Wand passed to my hands, I didn't destroy it either. You see, if I had destroyed this wand-" he brought up the wand in his hands "-and if I had destroyed the Cloak before you stole it, and if I had obliterated the Resurrection Stone when we were at the Gaunt house, then all of this madness wouldn't have happened and you would be free to live your own life, instead of taking the same path Gellert did – trying to become the Vindico Atrum."
"Why do you fear someone becoming the Vindico?" said Orion sharply, narrowing his eyes at him. "All you do is ask forgiveness for not having destroyed the Hallows. It's clear that you don't want anyone to posses all of them, that you don't want the Vindico to arise. Why? Surely you must know what the Vindico is-"
"The legendary prophet awaited by dark wizards," interjected Dumbledore, gazing at him over his half-moon spectacles. "Yes, my boy, I know about their legends – the Dark's avenger who will raise and cleanse the bloodlines, making them pure once more and who'll return power and glory back to dark wizarding kind. It isn't dark wizarding kind's predominance over the Light which causes unease in me, such things can be stopped. Hasn't Morgana and Mordred told you about the irreversible consequences of it? What the Vindico will cause with his quest?"
"What do you mean?" asked Orion coolly. "The one who becomes the Vindico has to protect the Dark –their customs, magical knowledge and beliefs- fight for them, and make sure that the bloodlines become purer and magically stronger. I see no fault in that. It's merely the Dark trying to survive and win over the Light, it doesn't mean that light wizards will be exterminated-"
"And what about the fate of muggles and muggleborns, my boy?" interrupted Dumbledore gravely.
"That's something to be considered," replied Orion nonchalantly. "I don't know enough to-"
"No, you don't. You know very little," said Dumbledore sternly. "Furthermore, the wars the Vindico will unleash are no laughing matter. You say you have no intention of exterminating light wizards, and I hope muggles and muggleborns neither. But how many will die during the wars, and how much will the Light be weakened if you succeed? How much will my kind lose?"
"I don't know," said Orion impassively. "My priority is making the Dark victorious. Certainly, many will die, even more from the losing side, which will be the Light side, since I'll do my best to attain that outcome. Therefore, yes, many will die, but many others will be saved as well, those whom I'll protect – I know that much."
"So it's all a matter of you protecting those you care about, and your own kind," said Dumbledore curtly, "without worrying about sparing those who you misguidedly consider your enemies – light wizards. I see. You have such a limited and bigoted scope of matters, my boy-"
"You accuse me of being a bigot?" scoffed Orion. "Please, don't make me laugh." He narrowed his eyes at him, and said crisply, "You did nothing to help Tom Riddle because he was a dark wizard, descendant from Salazar Slytherin himself. Don't accuse me of being something you're the epitome of."
Dumbledore intently gazed at him over his half-moon spectacles, and said in a low, quiet voice, "Tell me, my boy, how far along are you in your transformation? Do you hear a voice in your dreams?"
"A voice?" gasped out Orion, his eyes widening. He clamped his mouth shut, and demanded through gritted teeth, "What do you mean 'transformation'? And what do you know about my visions-"
"Visions, you call them?" interjected Dumbledore, his expression turning sad and grieved. "So you have them already? And what does the voice say, my boy?"
Orion frowned at him. "It says that-"
Abruptly, a wail-like sound reverberated over the grounds and he snapped his head around, his eyes wide when he saw the thick, stone was of Hogwarts trembling and shaking. Even over the shriek-like wail, he heard Dumbledore muttering, "Ah, it's out of my grasp…What will you do with it, I wonder..."
"What are you talking about?" snapped Orion bewildered. "What's happening at the school?"
In a flash, with unexpected swiftness and strength, Dumbledore tightly clutched Orion's arm and said urgently, "Tell me what the voice says and perhaps I can still save you, my boy."
"It says many incoherent things," bit out Orion, with a deep frown on his face. His eyes unwittingly widened, and he added fervently, "But it often repeats one phrase; that she wants to consume me-"
"No," breathed out Dumbledore, his face stricken, showing a hint of horror, while he tightening his grasp on Orion's arm with an urgent grip. "It will mean your end - you cannot let it happen!"
"You know who she is!" burst out Orion startled, his voice frantic and demanding. "You must tell me. I must know! I need to know who is calling, who wants me-"
"Come with me," interrupted Dumbledore pressingly. "Please, my child, come with me and I'll explain everything to you. I'll help you. We'll find a solution together."
Orion deeply frowned at him, and shook his arm to break free, though unsuccessfully. "No!"
"You must come with me!" repeated Dumbledore quickly, his voice grave but also holding a hint of alarm and pleading beseech. "Please, my boy, come with me. I failed before with Gellert, but I will not fail with you. I can help you-"
"I don't need help – and least of all yours!" yelled Orion angrily, finally ripping his arm from the old wizard's grasp and instantly aiming his wand at him. "Enough of this! I want the Elder Wand and nothing you've said has changed my mind."
"You haven't changed your mind because there are many things you're unaware of," said Dumbledore firmly. "I'll only have the time to tell you if you came with me. Leave Voldemort's side. Even if you're his spouse we'll find a solution-"
"He has nothing to do with this matter," snapped Orion impatiently. "Just duel with me or I will simply kill you and-"
"Of course Voldemort has everything to do with this matter," interrupted Dumbledore hastily, with a weak smile on his face. "You wish to spare him, but if you want to become the Vindico you'll be forced to kill him. Didn't I tell you, my boy, that Love would save you? And indeed, you love him, don't you? Then stop attempting to become the Vindico and we can work together in order to spare Voldemort and-"
Orion let out a sharp, mirthless bark of laughter. "Spare Voldemort? That's rich, coming from you! All this time you've wanted nothing else but cast us against each other, so that I die and the horcrux within me gets destroyed, only for you to later kill Voldemort yourself after all the other horcruxes are gone as well!"
"If Voldemort is required to be left alone and alive, in order for you to not become the Vindico," said Dumbledore gravely, "then you'll have it. I will no longer attempt to see him gone-"
"You aren't offering me a solution!" yelled Orion angrily. "I don't need your help because I have my own plans with which I won't have to kill Voldemort in order to succeed. Because I won't kill him – ever! But even if you offered something else I required or needed, I cannot stop it!" He rubbed his forehead, and added frenziedly, "Don't you understand it, old man? It happened to Gellert as well! I feel it inside me – the need, the urge, the pull… My own dark magic spurs me to go on! The voice, it never stops… so compelling, so enticing… " He shook his head, and said firmly, piercing the old wizard with his eyes, "I WANT to become the Vindico. I won't stop!"
"You're going to wage an endless war upon our world," said Dumbledore, pinning him with a fierce and stern gaze. "Don't allow us to sink into a devastating war which could decimate us. You're pitching towards your own destruction - just like Gellert was!"
"That won't happen. I will manage, I always have! Now duel with me!" snapped Orion, before he swiftly aimed his wand and roared, "Absentia respirae!"
In the bat of an eyelash, something flashed before his vision like a blur and he saw the choking dark curse he had casted being intercepted by a tree which had suddenly sprung from its roots to protect Dumbledore. The tree seemed alive, with its branches vigorously swaying and its roots wriggling like toes. And Orion knew that the old wizard had just used his transanimation abilities, like Grindelwald had predicted. Yet, the old man didn't do anything to counter-attack.
Seething with anger, knowing that the duel had to be short and to the point, Orion swiftly crouched, pain shooting along his injured and limp left arm, and he quickly pressed a palm on the ground. He instantly felt his dark magic crackling through his fingertips and he unleashed it just like Grindelwald had taught him to; his unique dark magic shifting into the power to shift and crack earth. Ripples of dark waves sunk into the ground and with a deafening, reverberating sound, the ground trembled and shook under him, a small indenture quickly running forth and widening as it produced a large wedge on the ground, as if a huge knife was tearing the earth open, rock and soil crumbling.
He saw the animated tree tumbling to a side, while Dumbledore, behind it, stumbled back, trying to regain his balance. Just when the old man was forced to launch himself to a side, as the crack on the ground tore into a pitch-like abyss under the wizard's feet, Orion aimed his wand at him, swiftly making his Necromantic abilities surge in him, and he bellowed, "Malsana maleficio!"
Just how it once had happened to Grindelwald, the curse struck Dumbledore as the wizard shifted to a side. It hit the old man's right elbow, quickly running to the hand. Orion watched with triumph as Dumbledore's flesh rotted and decomposed, leaving a blackened and deadened right forearm and hand. And when the man's grasp on the Elder Wand slackened, the wand falling to the cracked ground, he quickly yelled, "Accio Wa-"
A strepitous bang swallowed his words, and Orion snapped his head to a side, startled, and saw the oak, front doors of Hogwarts blasting open. Running people instantly poured from the school's entrance, casting curses over their shoulders. Under the green light of the Dark Mark still glowing above the school, he could distinguish the form of the Carrow siblings running at the forefront towards the school's gates, to pass the wards, with Bellatrix halting now and then to swirl around and battle the wizards who were chasing them. He distinguished about five people wearing red Auror robes, though he couldn't see their faces, and more people, certainly Order members, also casted spells towards the fleeing Death Eaters. He didn't see Greyback's large form anywhere, but what made his heart jump to his throat was Snape speedily running, dragging a disheveled Draco after him, with a bunch of wizards giving them chase.
"I cannot let you have it," said a calm voice, and Orion's worried gaze instantly snapped to glance at Dumbledore.
He gritted his teeth when he saw that the old wizard was holding up the Elder Wand in his left hand, seeming utterly unconcerned about his blackened right arm and hand, which the old man would never be able to use again.
"The Deathly Hallows must never be reunited, my boy," said Dumbledore quietly, gazing at him with a sad yet stern expression on his face. "I hope I'll still have a chance to make you realize the mistake you're committing by wanting to become the Vindico. There's much you don't know. Alas, I'll have to leave that conversation for some other time."
Orion stared at him disbelievingly. Where did the old coot believe he was going? Their duel hadn't ended and the old man was in no condition to flee. Furthermore, not even Dumbledore could apparate from there; the school's ancient wards wouldn't allow it, not even for the Headmaster. Moreover, the potion Dumbledore had drunk at the cave must be about to snuff out the old man's life in any second. Dumbledore didn't give any signs of it, but he knew that the old man must have been agonizing with pain during all that time.
Hearing the bellows of screams and curses resounding through the grounds, he realized that he had to help Snape and Draco who seemed overwhelmed by Auror and Order forces. And for that, he first needed to get rid of Dumbledore once and for all, even if done ignobly, since he didn't have the time for a fair and challenging duel, much to his disappointment.
Clenching his jaw, he pointed his wand at the old wizard in the bat of an eyelash, and he roared, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Still crouching on the ground, and panting with pained exhaustion, Orion observed as the bright green beam of light careened towards Dumbledore, with nothing being brought up to block its path. The green light illuminated the old wizard's face, the man blue eyes slightly widening, seemingly startled… Abruptly, Orion gasped when he had to shield his vision from a burst of a fiery explosion of red… And it happened so quickly that he didn't have time to react or really comprehend what was occurring… Dumbledore had slapped together, over his head, his left hand with his withered and blackened right hand, amidst a ball of fire which grew outwards into the shape of large, blazing bird… And fleetingly, through the fiery blaze, he saw the green beam of the Killing Curse inches away from the old man's chest… Suddenly, ripples of some force shot outwards and Orion was blasted through the air, painfully groaning when he crashed against a mould of cracked rock.
He blinked dazedly, with the yells from Death Eaters and from those giving them chase reverberating in his ears. And he finally stood up unsteadily, to gaze around with wide eyes. Dumbledore was gone. The old man had utterly disappeared.
Orion let out a scream of frustration while his mind frantically reviewed what had happened. It was clear that the man had called forth Fawkes, and that the Phoenix had taken them away in a blazing explosion of fire… something he hadn't known that such creatures could do, since at Durmstrang they rarely studied Light creatures' abilities. But that wasn't what concerned him the most. Had the Killing Curse struck Dumbledore? He couldn't make it out clearly from what he remembered. Fawkes had appeared just when the curse was about to strike the old man's chest. So, had it hit Dumbledore? Was the man dead? Even if he was, the wizard had the Elder Wand with him at that time, so the Hallow was out of his reach and presently wherever Fawkes had taken Dumbledore. But was Dumbledore alive? Had the Killing Curse struck him? And if not, at present, wherever the old man was, did he drink Fawkes' tears soon enough before the Tormentis Memoratum potion killed him, before the few seconds he had left expired?
He closed his eyes and fiercely rubbed his forehead, feeling intensely frustrated and agitated, as he tried to clear his thoughts. Whether the old man was alive or not, what mattered was that he had had the Elder Wand almost in his grasp. And now, he didn't have a clue of where it could be. He had been so close… and he had just lost the last Hallow he needed… He had learned much from talking with Dumbledore, but he had lost valuable time as well… He should have simply killed the man immediately, instead of looking for answers… Now, Merlin knew how he would find the Elder Wand again…
Orion heavily sighed and snapped his eyes open. Nevertheless, he had much to do. Moreover, he felt a strange sense of ease, as if a great pressure had just been lifted from his body. He fleetingly realized that it meant that he had fulfilled the Unbreakable Vow he had taken, by having shot the killing curse at Dumbledore and striking –almost or apparently. What was left to discover was if the old man had survived, with the help of Fawkes, or not.
When a bellow reverberated through the grounds, he swiftly pushed all thoughts to a side, quickly casted a standard healing spell on his limp left arm – since he couldn't really heal it until he discovered what non-verbal spell Bellatrix had used– and he instantly swirled around and speedily ran towards the group of wizards tumultuously battling each other.
He flew across the dark grounds, towards the three figures racing across the lawn, heading for the gates beyond which they could disapparate - by the looks of them, it was Snape and Draco, with Bellatrix aiding them as a group of Aurors and Order members chased after them. Surprisingly, it seemed that Bellatrix truly wanted to help Draco escape alive and undamaged. Alecto and Amycus Carrow had apparently already disapparated, and he supposed that Greyback had as well, since he didn't catch sight of him anywhere.
The cold night air ripped at Orion's lungs as he tore after them, while his left arm throbbed with pain; he saw a flash of light in the distance that momentarily silhouetted the Aurors - his quarry. He did not know what it was but continued to run, not yet near enough to get a good aim with a curse. Another flash, shouts, retaliatory jets of light, and Orion saw that the oaf, Hagrid, had emerged from his cabin, which was alight with fire, and was trying to stop the Death Eaters escaping.
"Run, Draco!" he heard Snape shouting, just as the wizard turned around to shoot a curse at Hagrid.
The half-giant stumbled backwards but seemed unharmed, and Orion slightly frowned, wondering why Snape wasn't truly trying to dispatch him. Nevertheless, he swiftly took aim and bellowed, "Crucio!"
His curse struck, and Hagrid keeled over with a scream. Abruptly, while maintaining the curse, his wrist was gripped in an iron-clad clutch, and he was confronted with Snape's hardened face.
"Did you kill Dumbledore?" demanded Snape sharply.
"I… I don't know," replied Orion, clenching his jaw. "I simply don't know."
Snape darkly frowned at him, before he snarled, "Then don't kill or seriously harm any light wizards."
"What?!" gasped out Orion. "Of course I will. There are Aurors-"
"Think, boy!" spat Snape angrily. "The Dark Lord will not be pleased by this outcome. You might find yourself in need of alternative allies. Leave the door open. After this, I cannot go back to the Order, yet, they might be useful to you-"
A loud scream interrupted the wizard, and they turned around as one, seeing Draco surrounded by two Aurors, his wand shooting into the air, while the young wizard crumbled to the ground. In a flash, Orion and Snape tore towards them. Orion saw Bellatrix fiercely battling with three Order members, close by, though she seemed to be holding very well by herself, while she cackled crazedly.
The moment they got a few paces away from the Aurors, Snape yelled a stunning spell, which took one of them by surprise. And Orion was about to viciously curse the other when he saw the Auror's young and handsome face, the wavy sandy hair, and the grey eyes widening when their gazes locked.
"Cedric!" blurted Orion, taken aback.
"What – you're helping them?!" choked out Cedric, staring at him. An expression of confusion and betrayal spread over his handsome features. "They are Death Eaters, Orion! What are you doing-"
"That's Draco's wand?" interrupted Orion with a stony face, pulling himself together, while he glanced at the wand that the young Auror was firmly grasping with his left hand.
"It's Malfoy's, yes," replied Cedric sharply, his eyes flickering from Orion to Snape, his posture tense and alert. "What's the meaning of this?! They are-"
"I know what they are," interjected Orion curtly, as he decided that Snape actually had a good point. He wouldn't mind killing the others, but the wizard before him was an exception. Furthermore, he could be useful in the future as well, given how his plans had just been messily muddled with after the disastrous events of that night. "I don't want to hurt you, Cedric. We are friends, right?" He pierced the young wizard with his eyes, and added sternly, "And you owe me, Ced. I saved you from Bellatrix during the Final Task of the Triwizard Tournament, remember?"
"I do," said Cedric, with a deep frown on his face, his voice low and reluctant. "It's a debt of honor. You want me to repay you, now? How?" His jaw clenched, and he hissed out, "But I don't understand what you're doing with them!"
"Let them go and give me Draco's wand," said Orion hastily, ignoring the young wizard's question. "And I'll consider the debt fulfilled." He side-glanced, seeing more Order members rushing towards them, and added urgently, "And you have to do it now!"
"I don't understand-"
"You don't need to understand anything at present!" snapped Orion impatiently. "Give me the wand and don't try to forestall or attack them, or I'll have no choice but to hurt you."
Cedric's shoulders stiffened and he tossed the wand towards Orion, his expression hard and stern. "I want to believe the best of you, but you're making it impossible, Orion. Nevertheless, a debt is a debt. And I'll expect an explanation soon of why you're helping Death Eaters! You're the Boy-Who-Lived!"
"That I am," said Orion dismissively, catching the wand in mid-air and swiftly aiming his at Cedric. "Stupefy! Incarcerous!"
The young Auror plopped to the ground, unconscious and bounded, looking as if he had been suddenly attacked, just as intended, and Orion swiftly turned around. Snape was clutching Draco by the scruff of the boy's robes, making him stand up, though Draco didn't look well at all. He had several deep gushes along his robed torso, his face was pale and bloodied with lacerations, his eyes were scrunched, seemingly in pain, and his breathing was haggard and slow.
"Take it," snapped Orion hastily, handing Draco's wand to Snape. "Run and dissaparate as soon as you cross the gate!"
"What are you going to do?" demanded Snape, narrowing his eyes at him. "You must come with us as well, the Aurors will show no mercy if they catch you. They've surely seen you helping us, by now."
"I can deal with them. I'll help Bella escape, stop the others from chasing you, and then I must go fetch my trunk," replied Orion quickly. "I hadn't expected to have so little time or that everything would end up like this. But I can't leave my trunk behind. Even though I doubt anyone will be able to bring down the wards I casted on it, I have everything in there." He stared at him, and added pointedly, alluding to the Invisibility Cloak Hallow, his parsel-books and Cadmus' journal, "Everything, Severus. And I might not have another chance to get inside Hogwarts. Not after what I've done tonight-"
"STOP THEM!" bellowed a voice, just as a set of spells flashed over their heads.
Orion instantly pushed Snape and Draco forward, and spat, "Run! I'll portkey to Riddle Manor as soon as I can!"
In the bat of an eyelash, Snape hurtled forward, quickly dragging an injured and weakened Draco with him, who seemed too dazed to know exactly what was going on, and Orion spun around and rushed towards Bellatrix. The witch had taken down one of the Aurors, but she was still dueling with the other two, just as viciously as before. He had half a mind to leave her there, but he knew that nothing good would come if she was apprehended. Moreover, to his surprise, he saw 'Horace Slughorn' rushing to her aid. Obviously, it was Rodolphus Lestrange under the Polyjuice Potion, as usual. But he wondered why the man had decided to reveal, by assisting her, that he wasn't Slughorn at all. Rodolphus had no way of knowing that Dumbledore had known about him all along.
Regardless, he recognized one of the Aurors left, and he gritted his teeth as hatred and fury swelled inside him. It was Kingsley Shacklebolt, the one who had attacked Lezander at the Death Chamber and who had made Lezander jump in to save him, thus causing him to plunge into the Veil. Nevertheless, despite his fierce desire to kill the man straight away, he was going to follow Snape's advice. Merlin knew what the consequences of that night would be, in regards to his 'alliance' with Voldemort.
Shacklebolt was fighting with Bellatrix, with his back turned towards him, so it was with ease that Orion aimed at the Auror's back and yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!"
The Auror slammed against the ground, petrified, and 'Slughorn' didn't even blink before he lunged forwards, shooting the Killing Curse at the other Auror left. Without another hitch of breath, Orion yanked Bellatrix by her arm, pulling her away and forcing her to run with him towards the gates, just as he saw Snape and Draco vanishing in an apparition.
"Rush to the gates," said Orion hastily, between heavy pants as he run with her, with Rodolphus at their side. "Ruddy, you have to leave as well, Dumbledore knows who you really are-"
"I know, my Lord Black," interjected Rodolphus, frowning at him, before he casted a curse over his shoulder at the incoming group of wizards who were chasing them at some distance.
Orion blinked at him, befuddled, wondering when and how the wizard had realized it, but didn't press the matter and he continued to clutch Bellatrix's arm, pulling her faster into their sprint. "Right. So get beyond the school wards and apparate while I cover your back-"
"We don't need your help!" shrieked Bellatrix furiously, violently breaking free from his grasp though she kept on running.
"Fine," spat Orion, "but you're the only ones left and without my assistance you'll be overwhelmed by the Aurors. They have all already left, the Carrows, Greyback, and-"
"Greyback never left!" said the witch, letting out a cackling chortle.
Orion halted in his tracks, his face paling. "What do you mean? He's still in the school? You left him there?!"
"Who cares about the half-breed!" yelled Bellatrix over her shoulder, her voice contemptuous and sneering, without halting her dash towards the gates as she crouched when a beam of light careened over her head. "He disappeared during the fray, shame it wasn't you, filthy half-blood!" She let out a vicious cackle. "But My Lord will certainly dispatch you soon!"
And with that, she kept running into the darkness created by the night's shadows casted along the grounds, and Orion saw her nearing the gates.
"Don't pay attention to her words," said Rodolphus hastily, who had remained by his side. "Are you sure you don't require help?"
"No, thanks," said Orion quickly. "Go with her!"
The wizard nodded, still looking like Slughorn and thus making his protruding belly jiggle, and he ran after Bellatrix. However, a large volley of spells and curses shot forwards, towards the pair, and Orion spun around and instantly swirled his wand in the air in a hasty pattern. A shield of glowing magic erupted forth and the spells crashed into it, the beams disappearing in puffs of blue light. A group of Aurors and Order members were dashing towards him, and he could even distinguish some of their faces in the distance. Quickly, Orion aimed his wand at himself and muttered the parsel-invisibility spell. At last, he crouched, and once again pressed his palm on the ground, making his unique dark magic transform and suffuse into the earth. In a few instants, the ground quaked and grumbled, and it erupted under the Aurors' and Order members' feet, shaking as spikes of earth and rock soared upwards. The wizards jumped, rolled and tumbled, some shouting, startled, while some of them managed to wildly shoot spells towards wherever they could.
Orion glanced over his shoulder, and when he saw that Bellatrix and Rodolphus were gone, he fisted his hand and made his dark magic return safely into him, halting the cracking and shifting of the grounds. The couple had surely managed to disapparate just beyond the school's boundaries, and now he had other tasks on his hands. Still under his parsel-invisibility spell, he swiftly casted a muting charm over his feet, and proceeded to slowly walk towards the group to wizards, whom he had to cross by in order to reach Hogwart's entrance. Some of them were helping those who had crashed against hard mounds of rock and soil, but what captured his attention the most was that Shacklebot and Cedric were with them, surely the others had cancelled the spells on them as they gave chase to Bellatrix. Furthermore, as he surreptitiously reached them, their conversation reached his ears and he distinguished Alastor Moody in their midst, with his roving eye wildly spinning in his socket.
"Where is he? He vanished – he disapparated?" demanded one of the Aurors, with wand aimed forward with a luminous charm. "Did the boy do this?"
"Impossible! Must have been You-Know-Who…"
"He wasn't here tonight! It must have been the Black boy…"
"Cracking the earth?! Of course not, it was You-Know-Who, I tell you-"
"It was the Black whelp, don't underestimate him," said a gruff voice, and Orion slightly halted to side-glance at who had spoken, seeing that it was Moody. "He has switches sides, if he ever was on our side, which I doubt."
"Obviously!" spat an Auror, the man's face incensed. "We all saw him helping the Death Eaters - despicable! The Minister will want to hear about this betrayal at once. The Boy-Who-Lived helping You-Know-Who's minions, when the boy's mother was killed by You-Know-Who himself! Appalling-"
"Do you see him, Alastor?" interrupted a deep voice, and Orion silently glanced up again, to see that it was Shacklebolt who was speaking. "Is he still at the grounds, disillusioned, perhaps?"
"I don't see him," replied Moody gruffly, his magical eye spinning around wildly. "He's not disillusioned, or I would see through the charm at once-"
"Then he disapparated, like the rest of them… But I cannot believe that he betrayed the Light. Sirius Black is on our side," interjected a lumpy wizard with a perplexed expression on his face, wearing informal robes, and thus evidently not an Auror. "Surely the boy wouldn't go against his own father-"
"Sirius Black! And you believe he's truly a loyal Order Member?!"
"Dumbledore himself accepted him-"
"Constant vigilance!" barked Moody. "That's what I always say. Sirius Black cannot be trusted. The man's resurrection alone is very suspicious, certainly only a very dark ritual or artifact could have made it possible, and the boy did it, as sure as my name is Alastor! The boy is an irredeemable dark wizard, no doubt about that. He's dangerous! And the boy's father cannot be trusted, Dumbledore was too indulgent. We should seize Black now that we can, he's still inside tending to-"
"We cannot charge Sirius Black with anything," interjected Shacklebolt. "He received the Kiss. He completed his sentence. On what grounds could we apprehend him? He cannot be sentenced again for the same crimes and now we have reason to believe that he was innocent all along, and the man didn't even have a trial. To convict him again with no valid reason or evidence would be unlawful. Furthermore, Dumbledore believes in him-"
"Dumbledore is too good-hearted, Kingsley," snapped Moody gruffly, his eye spinning madly in every direction. "I say we capture Black and interrogate him again. And the boy must be found and brought to justice! I saw him myself through Hogwarts' walls– he killed Dumbledore while I was fighting Greyback inside-"
Disbelieving or demanding shouts and cries erupted, just as Orion cautiously made his way through them, careful not to touch anyone or his presence would be revealed. Most of them were already recovered, and seemingly had nothing better to do than discuss matters before they returned to the school or went back to the Ministry, in the Aurors' case. Nevertheless, he paid attention to their discussion while he mutely and invisibly trudged around them.
"Dumbledore killed!" croaked out a lumpy wizard, his face looking tremulous and pale, his eyes watery. "I don't believe it-"
"Then where is he now, Elphias?" said Moody gruffly. "Surely Dumbledore wouldn't leave at a time like this, with the school in such a havoc and the students frightened! I saw the Black boy casting the Killing Curse, and then Dumbledore disappeared, pulled away by Fawkes. If he hasn't returned, then Dumbledore is surely dead and the Black boy killed him!"
"Dumbledore cannot be dead! No mere boy could kill a wizard like him-"
"But the Boy-Who-Lived isn't a mere boy, is he?" said a wizard, his voice slightly shaky and revulsed. "If the rumors are true, he used Necromancy to resurrect his father and we all know what ruthless and despicable creatures Necromancers are! I thank Merlin that they have been extinguished! I think the Black boy must be one of the few left with such horrible abilities-"
"Then it is certain, the Boy-Who-Lived has betrayed us? He works for You-Know-Who?" interrupted a witch, with a stern expression on her face, who was wearing the deep red Auror robes. "And he killed Dumbledore?"
"We don't know that," said Shacklebolt, his voice deep and curt. "Dumbledore could have his reasons for not coming back-"
"Nonsense, Kingsley," barked Moody. "Diggory! You were out here at that time, weren't you? Tell us what you saw, boy!"
"I was dueling Draco Malfoy," replied Cedric quietly. "I think I had my back turned to them. I certainly didn't know that Orion was fighting Dumbledore. I didn't see them when I came out chasing Malfoy and Snape-"
"Snape, another traitor! I cannot be more disgusted-"
The rest of their argument dimmed away as Orion finally made his way through them and reached Hogwarts' entrance. His mind was a messy havoc of wild thoughts, and he could only discern that his father was in no immediate or real danger. He had to reluctantly grant to Shacklebolt that the Auror and Order member was honest and fair. Not that the Auror wasn't still his enemy, of course. Nevertheless, indeed, Sirius couldn't be apprehended. And if they tried to do so, going against the law as Moody eagerly suggested, then he would simply break him free before they could tightened their clutches around his father. Since, despite Sirius' precarious situation, he needed a spy inside the Order now that Snape's true loyalties were known.
It was with a sense of relief, given that the group of arguing Aurors and Orders members hadn't discovered him, that Orion finally crossed through the oak front doors which had been blasted open. Once inside Hogwarts, still under his invisibility spell, he saw that there were smears of blood on the flagstones, and several terrified students, huddled against the walls and some cowering with their arms over their faces, were being rounded up and escorted by teachers. He saw Professor McGonagall directing the proceedings, grim faced, disheveled and stern as ever, though her face revealed some worry – surely the old witch wondered about Dumbledore's absence. Indeed, he wondered himself, though he was clever enough not to cry 'victory' too soon, not before having the old man's dead corpse as evidence of his death.
As he carefully passed the teachers bustling around, he saw Madam Pomfrey attending a wizard, indubitably an Order member, who seemed badly injured. But it was when he saw another pale-faced wizard, this one young, that he had to swallow a gasp. It was Bill Weasley, he remembered him well from the time that Fleur Delacour had introduced the curse-breaker to him as her fiancé. The wizard's face had three gaping wounds wedging along his right cheek, with copious blood spurting from them. Bill Weasley's face was still recognizable and handsome, but those wounds seemed to have been inflicted by claws and didn't appear to be healing easily or anytime soon, since the wizard was drowning down several vials – surely healing potions supplied by Madam Pomfrey. Nevertheless, to his relief, he saw his father attending the older Weasley boy, casting over and over again healing spells which didn't have any effect.
He observed them silently for a minute, ascertaining that his father looked frayed, tired, and disheveled, but without any serious injuries. Then, he proceeded forth, knowing that he couldn't dawdled for long. He had to take his trunk and portkey as soon as possible to Riddle Manor. Voldemort was surely holding a gathering after that day's 'mission' and punishment would certainly be dished out. He clearly remembered Trelawney's words regarding Draco's safety. Furthermore, he clearly remembered his visions. He had confidence that Snape would protect Draco from Voldemort's fury, before he arrived. But he didn't want to linger long, just in case.
He passed under the giant Gryffindor hourglass which had apparently been hit by a curse, since the rubies within were falling, with a loud rattle, onto the flagstones below. And once he was careful in not steeping on any of them, lest he made some noise, he rushed with all his might along the hallway. He took staircases three steps at a time, he dashed along corridors, and he finally hurtled around a corner to reach the portrait of the Fat Lady. Abruptly, as he turned around the corner, he clashed against something and a startled yell echoed.
Orion blinked when he found himself on top of a waif-like girl, whose large and misty eyes blinked up at him, before she started calmly swatting her hand in the air.
"Ouch – that was my eye, Luna!" grumbled Orion, as he rolled to a side, pressing a hand against his poked and aching eye.
"Orion, is that you?" she said happily, calmly standing up and dusting off her school robes, with her wand's tip peering from her pale, blond hair, secured, as usual, behind her right ear.
"You've just been crushed by an invisible person and you didn't even grasp your wand to defend yourself," muttered Orion under his breath, as he stood up as well. "Does this happen to you on a daily basis?"
"No," replied Luna musingly, gazing contemplatively into vacant space.
Orion swallowed a snort and swiftly aimed his wand at himself, to cancel his invisibility. "What are you doing here, in front of Gryffindor's entrance?"
"Waiting for you, of course," said Luna airily, blinking up at him. "We were told that we weren't allowed to leave our common room, but I heard that the Dark Mark had been casted and I realized you had to be somehow involved, so I left Ravenclaw's Tower in search for you." She gazed at him with her large and misty eyes, and added serenely, "I saw people who looked like Death Eaters fighting the professors and some Aurors downstairs, before I finally made it here-"
"You went prancing around the school at a time like this?" snapped Orion with concern, clutching her shoulder. "Just to look for me? Are you mad, Luna?! You could have been killed!"
"I can hold my own," she said in her dreamy voice.
Orion gazed at her skeptically. "Yeah, well, regardless, you shouldn't have done such a foolish thing-"
"What's happening?" interjected Luna calmly, peering up at him. "I saw Professor Snape helping the Death Eaters and Malfoy was with him. Has this been an attack?"
"Yes, but I don't have time to explain," said Orion hastily. "Look, you have to return to your common room and don't leave until the teachers tell you it's allowed. And don't tell anyone that you've seen me. I have to fetch my trunk and get out as soon as I can-"
"You're leaving the school," stated Luna, boring her misty eyes into his. "And you're not coming back."
"I'm not," said Orion quickly. "I was involved in today's attack and the Order and Aurors know it. They saw me. I cannot come back. I'm sure the Ministry will post some Aurors at Hogwarts, in the hope that I'll be foolish enough to return, and they'll surely cart me off to Azkaban if they manage to get a hold of me. Or they'll at least keep me imprisoned somewhere else to interrogate me-"
"If you're leaving so am I," interrupted Luna airily. "You're my only friend. And you promised you would take me to that place where I could learn how to-"
"I cannot take you to the Guild now!" whispered Orion sharply. "And you cannot come with me." He lowered his voice, and said softly, "I appreciate it, really, but you have to stay at Hogwarts and complete your education. That was the deal. Furthermore, I'll need a good friend at the school, someone who can tell me what's going on during my absence. And perhaps, someday I'll need your inside-help. Would you do that, for me?"
"You'll need my help?" said Luna, her eyes widening happily. "Alright. Then I'll stay, and I'll wait for you."
Orion warmly smiled at her, and quickly pecked her forehead. "Thanks, Luna. Now you have to get back to your common room-"
Suddenly, the portrait swung open, and through the hole a group of four Gryffindors stumbled out, with raised wands, looking tense and wary.
"We heard voices, what – YOU!" spluttered Ron, the boy's freckled face instantly turning red with anger.
Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas were on the boy's right side, and Hermione on the left, who stared at Orion with wide eyes, before a frown spread on her face, her gaze turning scrutinizing and gauging.
"We know there has been a Death Eater attack," said Hermione quietly, intently piercing him with her brown eyes. "We were involved in the fight before we returned to the common room. Where were you, Orion? Did you have anything-"
"Anything to do with what has happened?" interjected Orion coolly, surreptitiously taking a hold of his wand. He arched an eyebrow. "What if I have?"
"I knew it!" spat Ron heatedly, his face swelling with fury as he aimed his wand at him. "I knew all along that you had become a Death Eater. I told you, Mione-"
"Is it true?" interrupted Hermione, her gaze never leaving Orion's face, though her voice wavered slightly with a hint of grief and hurt betrayal. "Are you one of them?"
"Not quite… But you've known all along that I'm a dark wizard," said Orion nonchalantly. "However, that doesn't mean I want to hurt you. So just step aside and let me in-"
"You aren't going anywhere!" burst out Ron, his chest puffing in anger as he aimed his wand at him. "I'm going to fight you - yeah! And we're taking you to the Aurors!"
"We cannot let ye in if ye're one of them, mate," interjected Seamus firmly, while Dean, by his side, nodded while tensing in wary alert.
Orion briefly regarded them in silence, before he let out a sneering chuckle. "You're going to stop me? A bunch of pathetic, little Gryffindors? Please, do try. It will vastly amuse me-"
"We're four against one, we'll take you down," spat Ron, his face turning bright red with fury and insulted pride. "Stupef-"
"NO, RON!" yelled Hermione, instantly clutching the boy's arm and stepping in between them. "He's much more powerful than us, you know that!" She pierced Orion with her eyes, and said vehemently, "We don't want to fight. Nothing will be solved that way. But we cannot let you in and you should come with us and explain matters to the Aur-" Suddenly, she clamped her mouth shut, and something flashed in her eyes, before she slightly frowned and said quietly, turning to her companions, "You should go fetch the Aurors and I'll make him wait here."
Ron exploded into an argument with her, refusing to leave her alone, though Orion barely paid attention while Dean and Seamus swiftly ran down the stairs, seemingly going in search of any adult who would help them. Meanwhile, Orion was regarding Hermione with a deep frown on his face. He had caught sight of what had flashed in her eyes, though it seemed that he had been the only one. Something had glowed red in her black pupils, before it vanished in the next second: an ancient runic symbol, which written meant 'possession'. He was inwardly flabbergasted, someone had casted a very arcane, dark spell on her, and he certainly didn't know who had done it or what the consequences would be for her, and for him given his present circumstances. Nevertheless, his time was running short, and he was growing increasingly worried about what was happening at Voldemort's Manor.
He shot Ron a contemptuous glance, highly tempted to simply kill the boy. However, he swiftly aimed his wand at him and yelled, "SECTUMSEMPRA!"
Instantly, Hermione let out a cry as blood spurted from Ron's face and chest, as though he had been slashed with an invisible sword. The boy staggered backward and collapsed onto the floor, his wand falling from his limp right hand.
"What have you done? WHY?!" shrieked Hermione in between sobs, as plunged besides Ron, who was shaking uncontrollably in a pool of his own blood. "We're your friends!"
"He was never my friend," snapped Orion, before he swirled around and tightly clutched Luna's shoulders. "Do you know the Lothrien healing incantation?"
"Yes," said Luna breathily, her misty eyes wide as she gazed from him to Ron.
"Then use it on him," ordered Orion in a hasty and low voice.
She nodded and immediately knelt down besides Ron, muttering under her breath as she aimed her wand at the boy's chest. In the next second, Orion ripped Hermione from Ron's side and forced her to stand up.
"You must understand why I'm doing this," he said sharply. "Remember what I told you after Neville's death? About how Dumbledore-"
"Death Eaters killed Neville!" yelled Hermione, thick tears still rolling down her cheeks while her gaze frantically flickered towards Ron. "And now you're helping them – you're one of them!"
She struggled to break free from his clutch, to run to Ron or grasp her wand, but Orion tightened his grasp on her shoulders, and said angrily, "I'm not a Death Eater but I am on the Dark's side, and it's precisely because of what happened to Neville! When Dumbledore thought that Harry Potter had died in the streets, he started grooming Neville as the one of whom the prophecy spoke of, but when it was revealed that I had been Harry Potter, he started grooming me for the same purpose – to die, as he had once known that Neville would have died if the boy ever confronted Voldemort! Don't you see, Hermione, that I'm escaping from that? From Dumbledore's manipulations! I will not be a puppet-"
"But Dumbledore has been trying to help you!" bellowed Hermione, her face pale, her expression unforgiving, with a hint of grief. "We trusted you, Orion! I TRUSTED YOU!"
Orion shook his head, and gritted out, "You refuse to acknowledge the truth about your precious Headmaster and the consequences of his manipulations. Neville would have died anyway because Dumbledore had singled him out. It would have happened eventually! Well, I refuse to allow the same thing happen to me. I will not follow that old coot's plans for me!" He pinned her with his gaze, and added softly, "I only ask that you consider my position, Hermione. There's much you don't know." And in the bat of an eyelash, before she had a chance to reply, he swiftly aimed his wand at her, and snapped, "Stupefy!"
She went down with a loud 'thud', crashing on the stone floor, her face set with a bewildered expression. Then, he turned around, to see that Luna was still mumbling the song-like incantation, Ron's numerous wounds slowly closing, though the boy was now unconscious.
Orion clutched one of Luna's shoulders, making her gaze up at him, and he said quietly, "He'll be fine. Just cast the spell two more times. You understand why I've done this, don't you? You're not… scared of-"
"Scared? No," interrupted Luna serenely, blinking up at him. "Not of you or the circumstances. I understand your motives, I always have. And you're my friend. I'll always help you."
"Thanks," said Orion, shooting her a small smile. "Okay, listen. Tell everyone that you tried to stop me. I'll be in touch with you. And take care, please."
"You too," she said calmly, placidly smiling back at him, before she focused back on Ron and proceeded to mumble the healing spell under her breath, once again.
Orion briefly gazed at the stupefied Hermione, who was lying stiff on the floor, feeling a twinge of regret. He doubted that the girl would ever see things his way. He was almost certain that the next time they saw each other would be as enemies. Nevertheless, he swiftly shoved those concerns to a side and quickly approached the portrait of the Fat Lady. She wasn't there and it didn't take much to realize that she must have gone in search of help. Without another hitch of breath, he swirled his wand in the air and blasted open the portrait. He heard frightened yells coming from the other side of the portrait-hole, and he quickly casted the parsel-invisibility spell on himself, before he rushed through it.
It seemed that every Gryffindor had gathered in the common room. The older students were trying to assuage the concerns of the younger, many of whom were sobbing, terrified. The majority of the other students were arguing among themselves, uncertain as to what to do, their expressions grave and some looking determined as well as worried. As he carefully made his way through them, approaching the stairs which led to his dormitory, he heard snippets of their loud and disorderly discussion.
"I say we should go out and see what's happening-"
"We should wait for Ron and the others to come back-"
"But we heard yells coming from outside! Death Eaters could have gotten them. We must help-"
"Professor McGonagall told us to stay put! For once, we should obey the professors-"
"I'm going out! Who's with me?"
"I'll go. We're Gryffindors, for Merlin's sake! If we don't do anything, who will?"
"I'm going too…"
Orion glanced over his shoulder once, seeing a bunch of older students rushing into the portrait hole, and as he took the first steps of the staircase, he heard their muffled voices coming from the outside.
"Loony Lovegood? What's happened?!"
"Is that – Weasley! And Granger too! Where's Finnegan and Thomas?"
"Who did this?!"
Soon he stopped hearing them as he entered the deserted dormitory. He quickly rushed to his trunk and swished his wand at it, pulling down the numerous wards and spells that he always used to safely close it. Once done, he hastily grabbed a stuffed sock and plucked out a stoppered vial from it. Orion gulped down the potion, and abruptly, he felt his stomach twisting in a painful cramp. He gasped and the empty vial crashed on the floor, as his vision turned foggy and as he felt pearls of sweat forming on his forehead. He grunted under his breath, damning that he still had to imbibe the potion which concealed his aura of dark magic. Though he would stop taking it as soon as he killed Grindelwald, since withdrawing from the potion would leave him weakened and in pain for a whole week, and he couldn't afford to lose a week in such way, not before he held the gathering at Durmstrang and killed the old German wizard... He swiftly turned his thoughts away from that subject. As much as he knew that he had to kill Gellert, he wasn't looking forward to it, and he certainly didn't want to dwell on it at present.
With his jaw clenching, he vanished the shards of the broken vial with a flick of his wand and quickly checked that all his things were inside his trunk. Then, as he heard loud voices coming once again from the common room, he grasped his Firebolt, spelled it invisible, and swished his wand at his trunk. Instantly, it was reduced to the size of his hand, and he pocketed it. And without another hitch of breath, he hastily mounted his broom.
In a flash, he flew down the stairs and over the heads of the Gryffindors congregated in the common room. Just as he hurtled through the portrait hole, he heard someone yelling in surprise, "I felt something! Something touched my head – and the air moved! There's someone in here, flying, I think!"
And there was a rushing of feet just as he flew over the older students who had come out several minutes ago, and who were presently interrogating a serene Luna, holding up a pale-faced but healed Ron, and enervating a wide-eyed Hermione. Before he plunged down the staircase which led to the lower levels of the school, Orion glanced over his shoulder to see a large group of Gryffindors running after him, their gazes flickering to all sides, attempting to catch sight of him, while others bellowed spells that flashed over his crouched head. He focused back on his path and pushed his Firebolt to fly faster, and in the next second, he found himself flying over Seamus and Dean, who were running towards Gryffindor Tower, with Professors McGonagall and Flitwick at their heels.
"Orion - Orion Black?" puffed out McGonagall, her voice curt and her face stern and lined with weariness. "Are you certain, Mr. Finnegan?"
"Aye, Professor," said Seamus, without halting his mad dash. "Hermione sent us to get some help, and Orion was trying to get in our common room. He's… he must be helping the Death Eaters, professor!"
"We must tell Albus about this, Minerva," piped in Flitwick, his small stature seemingly being no impediment since he moved just as fast as all the others.
"Yes, we must," said McGonagall quietly, her expression worried and frazzled, while her aged eyes glistened with swelling but unshed tears, "as soon as we know where he is."
Flitwick side-glanced at her. "Surely you don't believe what Alastor-"
"I don't know what to believe! But I don't want the Aurors to hear about Black still being at the school. Albus made it clear that…"
The rest of their dialogue faded away as Orion finally flew down another staircase. His heart was thundering in his chest despite his exhaustion, and his mind was barely registering everything that was happening around him. He simply saw flashes of colors rushing through his vision as he made it towards Hogwarts' entrance. He distinguished a meshed mass of Aurors and Order members dallying there… he caught sight of his father still tending to Bill Weasley… and he heard something about Scriumgeour and more Aurors getting there in a few more minutes… but that was as much as he allowed himself to comprehend, before he finally started flying over the school's grounds.
The moment he crossed Hogwarts' gates, he swiftly dismounted his Firebolt, shrunk it, and pocketed it as well. Then, taking a deep, exhausted breath, he cancelled his invisibility and plucked out his necklace from underneath his shirt. He hastily clutched the Black Heir ring which dangled from the chain, and quickly tapped it with his wand's tip.
And in the next second, the portkey activated, and he felt himself being plunged into a tightening whirlpool of colors.
He landed in the middle of dimly lit and vast room, and everyone around him seemed to freeze, the tension and threatening danger palpable. With a blink of his eyes, Orion realized where he was – the Summoning Chamber in Riddle Manor, and he had never seen so many Death Eaters gathered in one place. They were everywhere, the Inner Circle Death Eaters wearing their silver masks, some without, and the lower ranked Death Eaters with black masks, standing farther behind. And where he stood, rooted in place, was Snape, convulsing on the floor, froth bubbling from his parted lips, the black eyes rolling upwards, and next to him, an unconscious wizard laid on the floor, his thin chest slowly rising and falling, the man's face gaunt and pale, lined with agony, and partly covered by lank and long strands of platinum-blond hair.
Orion's eyes widened and he gasped. It was Lucius Malfoy, and he had never seen the wizard looking so weak, vulnerable and distraught. And finally, he caught sight of the hand that the unconscious wizard must have outstretched, towards another wizard… this one, younger and with similar features… A handsome, aristocratic face framed by silky platinum-blond hair, the body writhing on the floor, a parted mouth issuing an agonizing scream, blood spurting from it, contorted with horror, and silvery eyes losing focus, rolling to the back of his head, the puplis dilating… It was Draco… just like in his visions… And standing before his throne, Voldemort with his wand still aimed at the young wizard, the crimson eyes now piercing Orion, and he had never seen such an intense and murdering fury in them.
Suddenly, it was as if the scene erupted into motion, and the noise of angered yells crashed into his ears as he sprung forth and flicked his wand at Voldemort, screaming, "NO! It wasn't Draco's fault!"
Voldemort wasn't blasted away by his hastily casted nonverbal spell, but the wizard was forced to stagger a step back, and Orion jumped in between the wizard's line of fire and his friend. Instantly, feeling as if his heart had lodged in his throat, he kneeled down and frantically searched for Draco's pulse, grabbing the boy's wrist.
A loud sob echoed in the room, along with a frenzied cry, and he side-glance to see Narcissa Malfoy being forcefully held back by Bellatrix and Rodolphus, who still looked like Horace Slughorn. Streaks of tears were running down her pale cheeks, her blue eyes were focused on Draco's unmoving body, and her expression was one of heart-wrenching grief. Something horribly painful tightened around his chest as he gazed back at the unresponsive Draco, and he bit his lower lip and blinked back tears as he felt once again for the young wizard's pulse. His mind was a messy havoc of fearful thoughts, for he expected the worse – that he had taken too long, that he was too late, that Draco had been tortured too far and for too long, that his friend was dead…
But, abruptly, under his fingertips, he felt a weak thump of a pulse, very faintly, and Orion let out a heavy sigh of relief, and mumbled, "He's alive…" He swirled his head to a side, glancing at Narcissa, and repeated loudly, "HE'S ALIVE!"
The witch let out a sob, her face recovering some color, before she limply sagged against Bellatrix, who was fixedly eying him with scorching hatred, wand aimed at him, her fingers jerkily twitching, as if she was restraining herself from killing him right there.
"Not for long," said a silky, low voice, and Orion snapped up his face to gaze up at Voldemort, who was staring down at him.
The wizard's darkly handsome face was utterly unemotional, and Orion only realized just how enraged Voldemort was because of the fury glinting in the crimson eyes and the pain which abruptly surged in the invisible scar on his forehead. It felt as if a dagger was being plunged in his temple, and Orion gritted his teeth and slowly stood up, shielding the unconscious and tortured Draco from Voldemort.
"You have no reason to kill him," he said shortly, narrowing his eyes at Voldemort and tightening the grasp on his wand, his posture tense and alert. "Draco didn't fail. He would have succeeded if it wasn't for me. It was my fault, not his."
"I know," said Voldemort in a deadly cold tone of voice, his crimson eyes raking over him. "My Death Eaters have already informed me of your actions, and I saw what happened when I legilimized Draco." His lips curved into a thin, vicious smile. "And I saw many other things inside the boy's mind."
Orion's heart thundered in his chest, and he slightly paled, before he pulled a nonchalant expression over his face. "Oh, like what?"
Voldemort took a menacing step towards him, and Orion felt as if he was being approached by a lethal predator weighing on how to best crush his pray. There was a thick aura of dark magic violently pulsing and wrapping around the wizard, and the narrowed crimson eyes were pinning him in place. Nevertheless, much to his chagrin, he felt a rush of thrilling excitement prickling down his spine, and he intently observed Voldemort in silence, his gaze taking in every detail. It felt as if ages had passed since he had last been in Voldemort's presence, and now that he knew that Draco was alive, however tortured and weak, he felt relieved enough to allow himself to relish and absorb every feature of Voldemort's persona.
"Like the way you've become close to the Malfoy boy," hissed Voldemort, now towering before him, piercing him with murdering crimson eyes. "Sharing kisses, tender caresses, and even promises of becoming lovers… my, my, you've been double-crossing me for a long time-"
"I'm not your spouse anymore," interjected Orion coolly, swiftly switching to parsel-tongue, since it was evident that the wizard wanted this conversation to be private. "Those things shouldn't matter to you anymore." He shot him a smirk. "Or do they?"
Voldemort's lips curled upwards, and his expression turned icily cold. "I couldn't care less about that. However, it does matter to me how you used my ancestors' ring, the one I gave you, the one you so vehemently wanted to keep, yet without telling me why-"
"I gave you the Black heirloom with the piece of soul that had been contained inside the Gaunt ring," interrupted Orion curtly, though inwardly he was becoming increasingly nervous and wary. "The Gaunt ring isn't important, it's not a horcrux anymore."
Voldemort thinly smiled at him, but there wasn't any amusement in it, rather, it was dangerous and threatening. "You lie so smoothly. It makes me wonder how many times you've lied to me, how duplicitous you've been with me." In a flash, he grabbed Orion's chin, painfully sinking in his nails, and he snarled furiously, "I saw what happened in the brat's mind, when you took him to Slytherin's private chambers. You told him you had been practicing a Necromantic spell and that you casted it wrong, but I'm not a fool like him. You were wearing the Gaunt ring and it affected you. You only came back to yourself when you ripped it from your finger, and you were fearful of it. I saw your expression, I saw what it made you do." He pierced him with narrowed eyes, and hissed in a low voice, "You acted like a Dementor, you fed on the boy's soul, and my ring was the cause. Evidently, there's much more to my ancestors' ring than I suspected, and you've known all along. That's why you never returned it to me. Tell me what it is!"
"You're mad," scoffed Orion. "The Gaunt ring is just a heirloom, with no special powers. I didn't lie to Draco, what happened was because I was trying to master a difficult Necromantic spell and I lost control of it-"
"More lies," spat Voldemort, his crimson eyes flashing as he aggressively yanked his fingers away from Orion's chin. "I shouldn't have expected any better from you. I want my ring back - now."
Orion clenched his jaw, before he shrugged his shoulders and said indifferently, "As you wish. But I don't have it with me. I left it in my dormitory at Durmstrang. I'll give it to you as soon as I can."
"Make sure you do," hissed Voldemort, narrowing his eyes at him. "I will not doubt to kill you if you don't return it to me."
A surge of anger welled up inside him, and Orion glared at the wizard. He would never give Voldemort the Resurrection Stone; the last thing he needed was for the wizard to realize what the Gaunt ring truly was. Moreover, the ring was rightfully his, even if Voldemort was unaware of it. He was Cadmus' descendant; he had been Sextus Peverell, Cadmus' own son, for Merlin's sake. There was no way he was parting from the Resurrection Stone and the Guild had it at present. And though he understood the wizard's desire to discover more about a ring which was supposedly a Gaunt heirloom, he didn't appreciate the death-threat. Yet, there wasn't much he could do but lie to Voldemort again, and then figure out how to solve the problem.
"Don't worry," he said impassively, "you'll have it."
"I don't worry, it's you who should," said Voldemort in a steely tone of voice. He malignantly smirked at him, before he added commandingly, "Now, step to a side and stop inferring with my business."
"What business?" snapped Orion, as he saw the wizard lifting his wand once again, aiming towards Draco, who was still lying unconscious behind him. "I told you that it wasn't his fault! He was going to kill Dumbledore-"
"And is the old man dead?" demanded Voldemort coldly.
"I don't know," replied Orion gruffly. "I shot the Killing Curse at him but I don't know if it struck. Dumbledore summoned Fawkes and they disappeared before I could see what-"
"Exactly," snarled Voldemort, narrowing his crimson eyes at him, his expression holding blazing fury. "Dumbledore could be alive and Draco failed to kill him. Oh, I know it was due to your interference, therefore, I'll punish you as well. But first, I'll kill the boy. I won't have failures in my ranks."
Abruptly, apparently being able to free herself from Bellatrix's and Rodolphus' grasps, Narcissa rushed to them and swiftly kneeled in front of Voldemort, her expression beseeching and teary, her voice frantic, "Please, my Lord, forgive my son-"
"I'll deal with you later, as well," said Voldemort in a deadly cold tone of voice, eyeing her with enraged contempt. "With you and your sister. I told both of you that Draco couldn't receive any help, and now I know that you went to Severus asking for an Unbreakable Vow, which Orion took. If it hadn't been for that-"
"You have yourself to blame for how the mission turned out," spat Orion, piercing him with an angered gaze. "The Unbreakable Vow I took wasn't the problem. I owed Dumbledore a Life Debt, and you caused it because you tried to kill me at the Ministry of Magic, because you didn't want to listen to my explanations when you heard the prophecy, when you found out that I was Harry Potter!"
"A Life Debt and the Unbreakable Vow," said Voldemort sharply, narrowing his eyes at him. "I see. However, when you stopped Draco in his attempt, you weren't being ruled by this supposed Life Debt, were you? You did that on your own accord, and Draco chose to obey you, disregarding my orders. I am his Lord and Master, and he disobeyed me - there'll be no forgiving!"
"My Lord," pleaded Narcissa, her beautiful face lined with frenzied beseech, as she bowed her head down to grasp the hem of Voldemort's robe, kissing it. "Please, spare my only son-"
"I'm willing to allow you and your husband to live," interrupted Voldemort coldly. "You should accept my magnanimity or you risk losing Lucius as well." He shot the unconscious Lucius a snide glance, and added, "If you interfere, as he did, I will not only torture you, as I did with him. I will kill you both, since it seems to me that the Malfoys give me more problems than benefits."
Orion stared at him, scrutinizing his face, and soon realized that the wizard actually meant it; he was going to kill Draco and couldn't care less if he lost the Malfoy's support due to it.
"You're being an idiot, Tom," he hissed incensed, swiftly stepping before him and pinning him with a furious gaze. "Why do you truly wish to kill Draco? Because he and I kissed? Because you saw that I wanted to sleep with him?! That's no reason to kill him-"
Voldemort's eyes snapped to him, and he sneered venomously, "I don't care who you spread your legs for-"
"I don't spread my legs for anyone!" spat Orion angrily. "I will not tolerate how you speak to me, you hear?! I had to put up with it when I was your spouse and you were angry at me, but not anymore! And this goes as well for all your talk about 'punishing' me for what happened today; I'm not one of your minions, I'm your ally. Therefore, you have no right to punish me in any way!"
"Indeed, you're my ally," snarled Voldemort, his crimson eyes darkening thunderously. "An ally who messed with a Death Eater mission, making it fail-"
"You never expected the mission to succeed!" interjected Orion heatedly. "How could a group of only five Death Eaters take hold of Hogwarts? You knew there were some Aurors patrolling the school's grounds, I told you about it a while ago. You expected Draco to be unable to kill Dumbledore, you hoped he would be apprehended and carted off to Azkaban, and if not, then you'd have a reason to kill Draco for failing. But his 'failure' isn't your true motive-"
"Enough!" roared Voldemort. "Bella!"
Instinctively and without a second thought, Orion leapt to protect Draco from any attack, swiftly throwing his body on top of his friend's, but he had misjudged, since he saw, too late, how a beam of light shot from Bellatrix's wand, striking Narcissa on the back. The witch, who had still been in her bowing posture, crashed on the floor with a muted 'thud'. Jerkily, Orion immediately stretched out a hand to touch her face, his heart frantically beating in his chest. However, his concern hadn't been necessary. Narcissa wasn't harmed, she merely looked asleep.
He glared up at Voldemort, still shielding Draco with his body, and sneered angrily, "A nonverbal sleeping charm will not catch me unawares. So how do you plan to kill Draco unopposed? You know I won't let you do it. Will you order all your Death Eaters to attack me? You know I can dispatch them quickly, and then you'll have a bunch of injured followers who'll be incapacitated for several weeks. Or, I could very well kill them all, and then who will you lead? Who'll take control of the Ministry and the rest of the governmental dependencies?" He narrowed his eyes at him, and added sharply, "Stop this foolishness now, and let me take Draco with me. You obviously tortured him, that's punishment enough."
Abruptly, he was aggressively yanked up to his feet by an invisible force, and Voldemort had his wand aimed at him, as the wizard hissed enraged, "To protect the Malfoy brat you go as far as to directly oppose me in front of my servants? You'd be willing to fight me, to duel me? You'd be willing to die for him?"
"To die?" bit out Orion, instantly aiming his wand at the wizard as well, his shoulders tensing. "You're assuming that in a duel you would win against me, Tom. But I am willing to duel you to save Draco, if humiliating you in front of your minions is what it takes."
Voldemort's nostrils flared, and a sharp pain started stabbing Orion's forehead once again, as the wizard snarled, "Very well. Then we'll duel. And I will show you no mercy-"
"My Lord," interrupted a hoarse, weak voice, and Orion's startled gaze instantly zeroed in on Snape, who was slowly standing up, looking pained, yet the wizard had finally recovered his consciousness. "I beg forgiveness-"
Suddenly, the wizard clamped his mouth shut, and his black eyes imperceptibly widened as he shot Orion a frown and quizzical gaze. Orion stared back at him, puzzled, since he simply didn't know what Snape's eyes were questioning him about.
The wizard quickly straightened, his expression turning hard and resolved, and said beseechingly, "My Lord, allow me to redeem myself. Today I made many mistakes and I wish to prove myself to you, Master."
Orion gaped at him, though he saw that Voldemort seemed to be slightly pleased by Snape's sycophantic behavior.
"Indeed, you have much to atone for, Severus," said Voldemort coldly. "I am listening to how you propose to do it."
"Please, My Lord," said Snape quietly, "allow me to be the one to kill Draco Malfoy."
"WHAT?!" burst out Orion, shaking with fury and gazing at the wizard as if he had never seen him before.
This betrayal was something he had never expected from Snape, and his mind went in a frenzied overdrive as he tried to discern if the oaths they had shared would allow the wizard to do it… Given the oaths, Snape couldn't directly betray him or kill him, and it worked the other way around as well, but he didn't know if killing Draco could be considered as a betrayal… Furthermore, he still couldn't believe that Snape would go to such lengths to gain Voldemort's favor. He knew that Snape was ruthless in matters of war and his spying activities, and that the wizard did what was needed to insure his own survival and position, even if it would haunt him afterwards. But killing his own godson was too much. He knew that Snape had to care about Draco, and this didn't make any sense. If he was trying to appease Voldemort or gain time by promising to do such, and then he recanted, it wouldn't work. On the other hand, could Snape be willing to kill Draco to garner Voldemort's trust, so he could still spy on Voldemort for him? Or had Snape decided to be truly loyal to Voldemort? He didn't quite know what was going through Snape's mind, and he felt this betrayal most acutely, for he would have never suspected it from Snape. He had thought that the two of them had become trusted allies; friends, even, since they had shared so much about themselves.
Nevertheless, it was best if he assumed the worst from Snape, and he was about to round on the wizard and swiftly cast a curse on him before he could do anything to Draco, when Snape shot him such a look that made him still in his actions. The wizard's covert glance said it all; Snape had a plan.
Orion intently eyed him as Snape focused back his attention on Voldemort, yet he still didn't know if he could trust the wizard. This was too unexpected, and if he blindly trusted Snape and was mistaken, then Draco could be killed. On the other hand, if he stopped Snape, then he could be worsening matters for all of them. This was, indeed, a leap of faith. But he made up his mind in a second; Severus had never failed him before. Yes, he trusted the man.
"You wish to kill the Malfoy brat?" said Voldemort musingly, before a satisfied smirk tugged his lips. "Very well. Do so, and you'll gain my pardon."
"Thank you, My Lord," said Snape, bowing to him, before he swiftly aimed his wand at Draco.
Orion stiffened, his gaze quickly flickering from the passed out young wizard to Snape, and back, yet he did nothing to stop what was going to happen. And before he knew it, Snape's face contorted with hatred, and the wizard spat, "Avada Kedavra!"
The beam of bright green light careened towards Draco, nothing stopping the curse or shielding the young wizard, and Orion, feeling a sharp twist of betrayal clenching his chest, instantly sprung forth, though he knew he would be too late... As he flicked his wand, and threw himself in the air, abruptly, before him, Draco suddenly disappeared from his sight, and Orion landed on the floor where Draco should have been, aghast, and wildly looking around with wand in hand.
"WHO HAS DONE THIS?!" roared Voldemort thunderously. "Where's the boy?!"
Orion stared up at Voldemort with wide eyes, completely flummoxed and speechless, and the wizard must have seen his befuddlement since he instantly rounded on Snape. Yet, Snape looked as surprised and puzzled as everyone else, while many of the other Death Eaters were shooting spells right, left, and center, running around and trying to discover what had happened to Draco Malfoy.
He saw Voldemort furiously demanding answers from Snape, but he hardly paid attention to what was being said since his mind was dazedly spinning as he tried to make sense of the situation. Too many strange things had happened that night; the fake locket which had disappeared from the stone basin in the cave, the dark magic which had helped him when he was being torn apart by the opposing forces of the Unbreakable Vow and the Life Debt, the mark of possession in Hermione's eyes, and now Draco's disappearance. One thing was clear; someone was helping him... Gellert? The old wizard was the best candidate, but he was certain that Gellert wasn't able to pass through Potter Manor's blood-wards. Therefore, it had to be someone else who was on his side and who had enough information to know what had been planned for that night. An Atrux Atrum, perhaps? Romulus Rosier would have certainly known about the mission to break into Hogwarts, since the man was a Death Eater as well…
He surreptitiously inspected the Death Eaters present, and he soon caught sight of the wizard. Calypso's father was observing everything with a slight frown on his face, concentrated and puzzled. That ruled him out, but it could have been any other Aux Atrum. Sebastien Valois or Roman Komorov, perhaps? Both wizards were now in the highest echelons of power within the Aux Atrum; Komorov being their leader and Sebastien his right hand. And Sebastien had always been willing to help him out, but he doubted if either of them had known enough to be able to do so many things. Maybe the Spirits had known… maybe Trelawney had Seen everything that would happen, and she had told the Spirits and they had ordered Sebastien or Komorov to intervene and help him… But, the Spirits had a non-interference policy when it came to him. They wanted Vindico candidates to succeed on their own, without any external help… And he knew Komorov wouldn't go against that, so that left Sebastien… Or maybe it was Vulcan Vagnarov.... The old wizard was the one Aux Atrum who had always helped him disregarding the Spirits' wishes, but Vulcan was too ill to have done all these things… And Sebastien, who also covertly went against the Spirits to help him, was unlikely to be the one as well, since he doubted that the young French wizard knew enough to be able to be of any assistance during that night… That left…
Suddenly, the realization struck him like a lightning bolt, and Orion's eyes widened and he let out a gasp. He knew exactly who it had been, and he knew exactly how, and he didn't have a second to lose. Yet, he couldn't just leave or Voldemort, given the wizard's paranoia, would believe he had something to do with Draco's disappearance.
He instantly jumped to his feet, with a plan in mind, and quite eager to do it. Surely, it was the best way to briefly confuse Voldemort, and he had to reluctantly admit to himself that he wanted to feel the wizard's taste in his mouth once again, after so long. But, above all other things, it would serve as a distraction, even if he knew that he was complicating their relationship as allies by muddling the borders between their work and personal spheres.
Nevertheless, he had to act swiftly, so he ran towards Voldemort, seeing that Snape had apparently survived the interrogation unscathed, having been judged as innocent in the matter of Draco's disappearance. Voldemort was now crucioing some Death Eater, certainly just to vent his fury. Inwardly smirking, Orion wasted no time and grabbed the wizard by an arm and spun him around. Quickly, he cupped Voldemort's face in his hands and jumped forth to lock their mouths together. There was no tenderness in the kiss, but heated aggressiveness and passion as he plunged his tongue inside Voldemort's warm mouth. Thankfully, the wizard appeared to be too startled, and he could easily deepen the kiss without encountering opposition.
After a few seconds, he broke it, and peered up at Voldemort as he said hastily, "I'm going to look for Draco. I have to find who took him away and what they plan to do with him. I'll write to you as soon as I know anything."
Of course, it was a load of rubbish, since he knew already what had happened and who had done it. Nevertheless, before Voldemort had time to string two words together, he grasped the chain hanging from his neck and tapped his wand's tip on the Black Heir ring. Swiftly, he felt his body being pressed in a swirl of space, and the last thing he saw was Snape staring at him, his lips slightly curving upwards, his expression carrying a hint of pride and satisfaction, and with a glint of dawning comprehension in his eyes. And Orion regretted having ever doubted Snape, for one thing was certain, the man was loyal to him and the wizard possessed one of the sharpest and quickest minds he had ever known.
