Title: The Innocence Of Guilt
Author: ENSIGN
Chapter 11 – Got A Light I Could Borrow?
Pre-chapter Note:
Yeah I'm being generous, decided to up my writing speed and decided to update this chapter way ahead of schedule.
Location Unknown – Deserted Town – Spire: Obsidian Room
Harry strolled into the room and gave a whistle. He had definitely made it to a new part within the fortress. It was pretty obvious as the stone masonry had immediately been replaced by smooth obsidian rock. If it wasn't for the knowledge of magic, Harry would have assumed the entire room had been carved out of a massive obsidian block.
He looked around the room that was lit by four red flamed torches, each at a corner held up by massive life sized Troll statues. He had forgone his usual method of flaming the room before entering. If there had been anyone inside already, they would have assisted the Vampire during the battle beforehand.
Despite his disappointment at the resistance shown so far, he was slightly glad that the fortress itself was rather isolated. As such there probably wasn't a great need for guards. Had the place been defended like any other fortress, both he and Mary wouldn't have been able to have assaulted the place alone. Then again, Vampires always did believe too much in their supposed superior powers.
Harry frowned. Apart from the four Troll statues and the torches, the room was completely bare. If he hadn't known that there were other levels above the current one, he might have simply seen the room as a rather magnificent dead end.
"Open sesame?" Harry called out lamely. Silence followed and he was glad that no one had been around to laugh at his lame attempt at figuring out the entrance. He shrugged, it was worth a try.
His thoughts on attempting an intent based method were interrupted by a cacophony of sounds coming from beyond the door adjacent to his.
He raised an eyebrow. Mary really did know how to piss Vampires off if she had managed to get them to give up their normal silent stalking habits.
"Move it, the door, just get into the room!"
"Easy for you to say, I'm the one holding them back! Flamma!"
Harry's eyebrow rose at the unfamiliar female voice. One he definitely knew was Mary, the other had him rolling his eyes. What were the chances that she managed to pick up a stray companion at a remote Vampire lair. 'Part of the Mary Sue curse.' He thought.
A body impacted the door and someone could be heard fumbling with the lock. "Who the fuck locks the doors around here?! You're a witch, open this damn thing!" The unfamiliar voice screamed.
"I'm kind of trying to stop us from getting killed here!" Mary screamed over the cacophony of spell fire.
A wave of his wand and some intent based magic disabled the warding scheme and protections. The lock gave a click just as Mary's voice could be heard screaming.
"Holy Shit!" The other person cried as the door was thrown open and two bodies flew into the center of the room. Harry wisely side stepped in anticipation.
His attention was turned from the bodies by the sound of the door slamming into the wall. Apparently the force was strong enough that it allowed the door to swing close. A click of the lock was heard, followed by multiple voices and pounding on the other side.
Harry mentally snorted at the convenience of not having to spell the door shut as it seemed to have its own safe guards.
"Found someone?" Harry intoned blandly as he looked on in amusement at the tangle of limbs and lace as he silenced the noise coming from the door.
Immediately when he spoke, the figure in black flipped away from his partner and fell into a defensive stance, her back to the wall. Harry's fingers twitched slightly in anticipation as he analyzed the sword and hammer combination.
"Nice dress." He commented as he focused on the red gem and runes inscribed upon her silver crucifix attached to her choker. "The crucifix seems a bit out of place, this being a den of Vampires."
"All the more reason to have one." The girl hadn't lowered her guard. Harry kept her in his peripheral vision as he watched Mary shake her head.
"You do know that holy objects do jack all to the undead right?" He waved his wand at his partner. The new girl ignored his comment
"James? That you? Urgh… my head. Blasted Vampire threw me into the door." Mary groaned as she sat up.
"Who's your friend?" Harry gestured once he had the attention of the slightly dazed female.
"I'm right here you know." The newcomer snapped in annoyance as she lowered her weapons.
"Then please introduce yourself. I'm James Pathertrory, and my rather clumsy partner Miss Mary Sue." Harry introduced as he helped Mary to her feet.
"Shit, you mean she really is a Mary Sue?" The teenage female said in surprise. She had taken it earlier as a joke or an alias thought up on the spot.
"Surviving a Killing Curse pretty much proves it."
Harry snorted at Mary's bad joke. "Your name, Miss…"
"Murray, Lucy Murray." The gothic Lolita gave an attempted curtsy and frowned at the rip in her skirt.
"How interesting that someone like you would be found in a fortress full of blood sucking predators." Harry commented.
"Found her locked up in one of the rooms, she had been trying to escape again. Apparently, she's been here since her earliest memory." Mary supplied.
"I see." Harry shrugged and turned towards one of the statues. "Loath as I am to admit it, I'm stuck. Any ideas on how to move upwards, Miss Murray?"
"Blood." Harry stared at the shorter female who had her back to him. "You need to shed blood on to the floor." Lucy said as she studied the carving details of a statue.
"The statue told you that?" Harry snorted wondering why the girl was inspecting the stonework.
"The statue tells me that it's made from plaster and lousy quality if the grain is any indication. As for the blood, Lord Steward Melchior is required to shed some blood whenever he drags me back kicking from a failed escape." Lucy turned around and smirked.
"How Vampire like." Mary rolled her eyes.
"Indeed." Harry agreed. "Diffindo."
Mary yelped and winced as a small cut on her forearm opened up. "You jackass." She glared.
"Hey," Harry held up his hands in peace, "My blood is rather problematic so I decided on yours."
"There's this thing called permission you know." Mary pointed out sarcastically.
"If I did, you'll only be anticipating the pain and twitching more." Harry reasoned.
"You two married or something?" Lucy cut in.
"NO!", "No." Mary screamed while Harry gave a monotonous answer.
A drop of blood dripped and landed on the floor.
Harry snapped his eyes shut as the room suddenly flared in magic. He hurriedly turned off his glasses' Mage Sight as the blood seemed to have activated a rather complex ritual circle throughout the room. Multiple lines and runes could be seen appearing on the room's surfaces. Harry was slightly fascinated by the lavender glow and complexity of the design. He would have immediately panicked had he not vaguely recognized a few runes as safety and transportation based. He had been involved in a few too many rituals for them to be a good experience.
"Oh, oops."
Harry mentally groaned, that was the sound he least wanted to hear.
"Er… I think only the Steward's blood works, because this is not the normal reaction I'm used to." She had just finished the sentence when the ritual circle powered down, the inscriptions vanishing.
The group tensed as a low growling sound could be heard echoing in the room.
"Where the hell is that sound coming from?" Mary leaned back to back with the other two.
"More like how." Harry was staring in slight horror at the Troll statue before him.
"Oh shit." Lucy deadpanned as she too seemed fixated on the statue opposite her.
The-Boy-Who-Lived waved his wand unleashing a blast of magic throughout the room. His two companions jerked slightly as the fairly sized ritual room expanded drastically into a hall. "This just might get a little bit ugly. Explodra." His curse detonated the statue with a squelching sound as plaster and something else was dispersed.
"One down." Harry was already on the move before the two females knew what had happened. "Maybe not." Harry amended seeing something the others hadn't.
"Shit, they're alive!" Mary identified the unknown substance as rotting flesh as she too abandoned her spot for mobility. Back to back fighting was not suitable for things such as undead trolls.
The remaining three statues roared as they burst from their confines. Fully armored mountain Trolls emerged from the dust, their spiked maces dragging along the ground.
The one Harry had blasted was simply missing its arm. The curse had been hurriedly executed and lacked its usual power, the armor and size of the Troll had prevented further damage when the spell detonated the plaster.
"Magic resistant armor." Harry informed the girls as his spells dissipated as he held the attention of two of the undead.
"Fuck!" Mary cursed in frustration as she unleashed a blast of wind that merely caused the massive Troll to pause in its advance.
XXXXX
Location Unknown – Deserted Town – Spire: Obsidian Room
Harry winced as a piece of flying stone chip bit into his cheek. The spiked mace had narrowly missed as his second opponent flanked him.
He banished a chunk of rock at the monstrosity but it failed to affect the beast. Harry cursed, Undead Trolls were hell of a lot harder than Inferi or Ghouls wearing armor. The Trolls were a lot faster and weren't as easily damaged or blown over like the ghoul infested armors had been. That, and there was something that was impeding his Flash Steps. Before he had entered the room, the ability was still available, but now it seemed to have been warded against within the upper levels of the fortress.
He jumped aside nimbly as the steel weapon swept by. Harry grinned, magic may not work, but that didn't mean he was out of options. Trolls, he stereotyped, were idiots. That meant that he had a plan.
Dodging again he positioned himself in a classic 'what not to do when fighting two opponents' position. Both Troll were before and behind him.
"Come on you reanimated retards." He muttered as he jumped over the sweeping blow and ducked under another.
Both Trolls, despite being undead, roared in fury and lunged, their spiked weapons going for a pulverizing blow.
"Deprimo." Harry pointed his wand downwards, the blast of air rocketed him upwards, away from the two simultaneous blows.
If they could, both Trolls would have screamed in horror as their dedicated swings overextended and slammed into each other's ribs.
The nasty crunch of bone and metal crumpling could be heard clearly as both Trolls stumbled backwards at the crippling blow.
"Explodra." Harry exploited the gaping hole left from the friendly fire strike. The spell contacted unarmored flesh and detonated. The sound of a firecracker within a can of soup echoed in the room as the Troll was shredded from within the confines of its armor.
The steel plating had only confined the blast and made the injury all the more devastating. With a low growl the wounded Troll slouched over forwards. Its head smacking the floor, its body hunched over in death, the undead body damaged beyond the limits of what it could sustain.
'Bull's eye on the heart.' Harry thought as he dashed towards the second Troll that was recovering. "Explodra." To his surprise the Inferius had placed an armored hand over the exposed portion of the armor.
"You got to be joking." Harry slouched as he aborted his advance and started backpedaling. 'They're fucking Ghouls. What Fucked up Vampire drinks Trolls' blood?'
The Troll had repaired the damaged torso section by crushing the chest plate. The hole was still there, just smaller now. Recovered, the Undead gave a roar and with renewed vigor, charged.
The Unspeakable dived out at the last moment and narrowly avoided the follow up mace strike that smashed into the floor. He rolled forwards and sprung up running towards the already downed Troll.
"Voco Imperium Cadaver." He fired the spell through damaged armor and regretted using such a powered up spell. Destroying the heart or brain would easily kill a Ghoul. This particular Troll corpse was still useful.
His danger sense peaked and he ducked as the boulder he had ripped up and fired earlier was tossed at him. Rolling over the corpse, he unleashed a blast of wind to slow the beast's advance.
No such luck was granted as the full momentum of the charge was barely impeded and the monster barreled into its dead comrade knocking both Trolls and Harry over.
"Bugger." Harry spoke as he lay on his back staring at the looming figure of his assailant towering over him. He stared at the metal mace raised above its head ready for the death blow.
The Troll swung and Harry turned away, furiously attempting to flash despite the restrictions.
A breeze of wind and a metallic crunch made him turn back. His eyes widened as his would be killer was flying forwards over him, courtesy of a heavy metal mace slamming into its back.
The body impacted with a metallic thud, Harry's head unpleasantly between its spread legs. A softer hit would have resulted in him getting a face full of Undead Troll crotch.
Harry sat up and stared at his savior. He felt pride and disgust conflicting within him that he had successfully cast the Inferius Curse. Inferi were a lot hardier than Ghouls, that they were able to function with a destroyed heart. They simply needed their brain intact. Ghouls needed both.
The Inferius Troll had proceeded to further break its former comrade's spine and had decided on pulverizing its skull.
"Assist her." He commanded, pointing out the Gothic clad female as he headed for Mary who had settled for slamming her opponent with multiple boulders while staying out of melee range.
Harry interfered as his spell caught a boulder the Troll had chosen to return fire with. It had given up on getting close, and had settled with target practice. Harry waved his wand maneuvering a boulder to intercept a thrown projectile. Both rocks smashed veering off target.
"James." Mary nodded as she flung another projectile.
"I doubt these love taps are cutting it Su." Harry flung his own causing the Troll to stumble backwards, dropping its mace. The Armor protecting the beast had been dented and had definitely broken bones, however as long as the heart and brain remained intact the Ghoul was in no danger.
"This isn't working." Harry sighed as his attempt to bash the Troll in the head with a levitated rock was thwarted when it shattered the makeshift bludgeoning tool with its mace.
"Bake it?" Mary suggested.
"Not likely, magical fire resistant." Harry pulled Mary out of the way as a boulder flew past.
The Troll roared and charged having given up on range attacks.
"I'm right." With practiced ease, both dived out of the charge, surrounded the lumbering Troll and continued pelting it with projectiles.
"What I need is a…" Harry trailed off as a thrown mace perfectly slammed into the Troll's head, effectively ripping both helmet and head off. The creature wobbled as if still alive, its mace swung once as if attempting to hit an incoming boulder. "Never mind." Harry shrugged as the monster tipped backwards and impacted the floor. A piece of armor shrapnel narrowly missed as it flashed past his face.
"Argh!" Lucy gasped as the airborne metal had torn her dress leaving a minor cut on her upper arm. "As if wound me after its dead." She squeezed the small cut.
"It was dead to begin with." Mary pointed out.
"Well they're deader now." Harry eyed his recently acquired zombie monster as he cancelled the room's expansion charm.
"Thanks by the way. Was surprised when a Troll snuck up on me and instead of killing, decided on helping." Lucy ripped a torn up piece of lace off her sleeve. Her dress was badly ripped in places, evidence that she had chosen to engage her Troll in melee combat.
"You made an undead Troll." Mary was examining the hulking beast.
"Meh." He shrugged looking at the other girl as she used he strips of lace to bind her newly acquired wound.
"Fuck, I need a new dress." The teenager complained as she tossed the ragged piece of cloth she had been using to wipe the blood off her fingers.
Harry twitched in surprise when the room once again lit up, this time with orange runes instead of the lavender ones. "No what?" He sighed as he spied the blood soaked cloth Lucy had tossed onto the floor.
"Wow. My blood apparently works." Lucy commented as if surprised.
"How'd you get out in the first place then?" Mary asked.
"Nicked the bloodied handkerchief the Steward used after I smashed his nose in for taunting me."
Harry reevaluated the girl. She had managed to hit an Elder after all.
The ritual runes flared brightly and Harry's vision became a meld of colors flying too fast. His body felt like it was being pressed in on all sides. It was quite similar to Apparation he figured in distaste.
While he blinked the after effects of his color disturbed sight off, his fingers twitched in anticipation. His other senses were on high alert for any kind of attack. As for Lucy, being quite used to the affects was already helping Mary to her feet.
To his surprise and elation, nothing saw fit to attack their group while they were disorientated. He glanced at the dying glow coming off the ritual circle, before moving on to his surroundings.
The ritual transport circle had deposited them in the center of a cavernous throne room. The hall was enormous, easily as large as a Quidditch pitch and just about as high as one normally flew in a game. Thick obsidian pillars reach out towards the ceiling, giving the impression that the whole hall had been carved out of a mountain.
Harry supposed that it was made large enough to both serve as a function room for balls as well as holding court sessions, the place was definitely made to make one feel as insignificant as possible, what with everything scaled up in size.
The massive place had been dimly lit via orange gouts of flames billowing out from the mouth of gargoyles perched upon crevices among the support pillars and walls. The elevated lighting shrouded the place in intimidating shadows constantly moving and creeping.
He spied the various banners decorating the walls, paying special attention to the steel armor suits wielding maces, swords and various other types of medieval weaponry. Behind them towered a pair of massive cast iron double doors and at the other end of the hall was an elevated dais where a pair of thrones hid within the unlit portion of the hall.
Harry activated his mage vision and the hall flared as if the sun were directly above. He vaguely noted the lack of windows and thus could not tell if they were indeed still in the Spire or had been teleported somewhere new entirely.
"I congratulate the both of you on your ability to make it this far." A booming voice echoed off the walls making it hard to discern the location from which it originated. Despite this, Harry turned to the dais, or more specifically, the smaller less elaborate elevated throne seated to the right at the base of the dais. He had missed it earlier during his initial inspection as it had been nicely shrouded by the darkness.
The unlit gargoyles belched out flames lighting up the area around the thrones.
"Here's where you make mention that we're the first Humans to have made it this far into the lair." Harry taunted sarcastically at the burgundy suited Vampire leaning against the armrest of the Steward's chair.
The Steward sniffed in distaste at Harry's remake. "Hardly. You flatter yourself. Many others before you have breached those ancient doors." His rich accented voice had a certain appeal that put one at ease. "However, none have ever succeeded in assassinating our Lord and Master."
Harry easily shrugged off the subtle compulsion as he moved out of the circle and towards the thrones. Mary followed directly to his left and Lucy lagged behind slightly.
"Assassinate? We aren't here to assassinate anyone." Mary explained and glared at her partner who snorted at the accusation.
"Both your actions have spoken otherwise woman. Your partner and yourself have assaulted our fortress, killed a number of our kind and going so far as to breach the inner sanctum." The Vampire Elder pointed out as he stalked towards them.
Both Unspeakables raised their wands in preparation as the Vampire got closer and closer.
"I say good riddance to those low born blood suckers." The girl behind them could be heard muttering softly as she distanced herself from the two.
"You child," the Vampire paused in his advance as if suddenly noticing Lucy's presence, "The Master will deal with you personally for your actions today." He informed before dismissing her presence entirely.
"Bite me, Melchior." Lucy spat as she raised her sword in readiness yet still moving away from the two Unspeakables.
Harry smiled at the irony of the comeback statement.
Melchior turned his attention to both of them. "As for you two, I'll gladly enjoy draining your lifeblood and replacing the Inferi you disposed off with you rotting corpses." The Vampire drew a broadsword from the sheath at his side.
"Cocky bastard." Mary muttered seeing the Vampire completely ignore the potential threat Lucy posed. However, she warily moved behind her partner when the Vampire came to a stop twenty feet away. It was, after all, an Elder, and from what she saw of the last one, they had a reason for their cocky attitude when comparing themselves to mortals.
Harry sniffed and rolled his eyes at the implied threat. "Mary, let's double team this bitch."
"Flamma." Mary dash to her left as she immediately fired off a medium sized fireball.
To his credit, the Vampire calmly withdrew a dagger with his free hand. He made no move to avoid the incoming jet of flame, instead snapping his fingers while loosely holding the dagger.
A massive ritual circle flared on the rock beneath their feet and covered most of the hall. Harry who was summoning his second magical Fire Salamander flame paused. He warily eyed the red lines glowing ominously in the dim lighting.
Another snap instantly dissipated the incoming fireball as well as both magical fires that Harry had summoned.
"Now now, you shouldn't be playing with fire children. What if you hurt yourselves before I kill you?" Melchior spoke in a condescending tone.
'Malleolus.' Harry waved his wand. His mind gave a mental hiccup when nothing happened.
Mary stated backing away as she waved her wand around with similar results.
"James, this isn't good." The female Unspeakable pointed out worriedly eyeing the sword and dagger combination as the Vampire slowly strolled towards her.
"Magic suppression!" Harry yelled sheathing his magical focus and drawing a dagger with his now free hand. He wasn't surprised when his Flash Step failed as well.
Without warning the Elder dashed with unfathomable speed towards Harry's companions and delivered a devastating front kick to her midsection. Her eyes widened as the air was forcibly blasted out of her as she flew away.
Harry growled as his partner lay curled up in agony as she tried desperately to suck in short gasps of air.
The Vampire gave a dark chuckle at the woman's injury. "Weakling. I do hope you present much more of a challenge." He ignored Mary and turned his full attention to Harry himself.
"So one on one it is then." Harry readied himself. He wasn't very confident with taking on an Elder Vampire when both his magic and Flash Step was being restricted.
"One on one." The Vampire smirked and blurred.
Harry's eyes widened as he barely brought up his sword and parried the blow. Still the strike left him open and the sharp sting of the dagger followed as a gash opened up along his forearm.
"Too slow, you're much too slow." The Vampire taunted behind Harry.
The Unspeakable spun but gasped as a shallow wound ripped down his back as the Vampire dashed by.
"Fucking asshole!" Harry snarled as he charged.
Melchior lazily batted away his attempt to stab and once again the dagger sank into his already wounded arm.
Harry cried as he flinched away, dropping his sword. The dagger this time had passed right through his forearm and blood was flowing past his limp finger in excess.
He warily glared at the Vampire that had allowed him time to recuperate after each hit. The man was toying with him. Harry clenched his teeth as he ripped the blade out and fashioned a tourniquet using a ripped section of his robes.
"Done?"
Harry glared at the comment and defended with his only functioning arm.
The one sided battle continued for a few more minutes, the Elder, settling for hit and run tactics whilst Harry defended. By the end, Harry sported multiple cuts and stab wounds as well as a multitude of bruises, all non lethal, the Elder had even been generous enough to allow him each time to recuperate.
The Boy-Who-Lived mentally cursed to high heaven. The fucker was playing around, slowly bleeding him out, each wound made him slower and weaker. He was soundly getting beaten and he knew it.
He glared at the awaiting figure as he buffed his nails on his suit. The Vampire was too fast to engage without his magic. All he had was a thump card he had never been able to fully succeed in using.
"You're almost as pathetic as the female." Melchior taunted as he delivered another breath stealing kick to the girl's ribs as she looked to be recovering from the earlier attack. Mary screamed in agony as she rolled over, armed clutching her side in pain. Harry ignored the taunt and Mary's pained cries as he focused on his magic.
XXXXX
Location Unknown – Deserted Town – Spire: Throne Room
Off to the side, Lucy observed with a passive look on her face. She herself knew very well the limitations of a Human body. A skilled Human would be able to take on a mid-aged Vampire with some difficulty, however against an Elder, there was no way it was possible not without any sort of assistance or magical advantage. She closed her eyes, ignoring the pain filled cries of Mary. The two were the first Humans that she had ever seen making it as far as the Spire's inner sanctum.
She held her assistance, the two had their own agenda and the rule was iron clad. Intruders to the inner sanctum were to be tested should they wish an audience. Too bad failure always resulted in death.
She focused on Mary's partner, James she had called him. The man sported multiple flesh wounds and bruises, he was no doubt in a great deal of pain. Melchior, she knew, was toying with him, the Vampire Elder took a certain sadistic delight in bleeding his opponents to death before ripping their hearts out and devouring them.
When James' resilience gave out it would be Mary's turn under the blade. She really did pity the fragility of the Human body.
She turned towards the two thrones upon the raised dais and shuddered at the punishment she was to receive from the Lord of Vampires when he returned.
XXXXX
Location Unknown – Deserted Town – Spire: Throne Room
"What was that, Boy?" Melchior commanded as Harry mumbled weakly as he hunched over from the pain of the latest hit.
"I said," Harry looked up glaring at his opponent in defiance, "You hit like a girl." He snarled over the pain radiating all over his form.
"Do I now?"
Harry's vision blurred and he realized he was falling. He let out a gasp as he impacted the floor. He reached up to his face and felt the liquid wetness of his bleeding nose. 'Broken.' He noted as forced himself up, his hood falling back and exposing his bleeding face. "I take it back. Mary's punches are stronger than that." Harry spat some blood out.
The Vampire's eyes narrowed at the insolence. "Permit me to change your opinion of that then." He sheathed his sword and dashed forwards at speeds far too fast for the Human eye.
However unlike others, this time was different. There was a meaty thud of flesh impacting, but Harry instead stayed upright a grin forming upon his face. "You know something, Melchior? You're pretty predictable after a while." The Unspeakable's voice was scratchy as if he had spent hours screaming.
Melchior frowned as his fist had been effectively caught by the Human's palm. Harry's free hand reached up and gripped the Vampires forearm in a vice like grip. The Vampire's eyes widened as he realized his opponent's hands had grown blackened claws which penetrated skin as the grip suddenly intensified.
Melchior winced as his free arm rose and stopped as Harry crossed his arms and caught it. "Like I said, predictable." Yellow tinged eyes stared into the Vampire's blue.
The Vampire jerked back at the serpentine pupils glaring at him. His arms however remained trapped, Harry's newfound strength on par with his supernatural one. "What the hell are you?" He snarled in confusion.
Harry's answered was a roar of fury as his leg lashed out. The forwards kick connected with the Vampire crotch propelling Melchior off the ground horizontally. A jumping knee impacted directly on the Elder's face and the force flipped the Vampire around and catapulted him a few feet away.
Harry hunched over breathing loudly, his yellow eyes glaring at his opponent as he allowed the Vampire to regain his bearings. He flexed his newly acquired claws and gave a toothy grin revealing a pair of extended canines.
"What the fuck are you?" Melchior hissed as he nursed his shattered nasal cavity and forcing his rapid healing to repair the damages.
"The supreme predator, top of the food chain, a hunter and your worst nightmare. Take your pick. I'm all of them and you my dear Vampire…" Harry's throaty voice growled as he slowly stalked towards the suddenly wary Vampire. "Are prey." He crouched and lunged, powerful muscles contracted and propelled him airborne the entire way to the Vampire.
Harry gave an animalistic roar, distending his jaw and revealing his sharpened incisors and inch long canines. Melchior, too surprised with the sudden display of strength failed to react and was body slammed into the ground.
Harry pinned the struggling Vampire beneath him as his mouth went for the kill. Melchior's arm came up in time and the powerful jaws clamped down inciting a scream of pain. Further pressure yielded a higher pitched scream as bones was heard snapping.
A glint of light made Harry jerk back, releasing his victim as the blade of a dagger paid a glancing blow across his right cheek and over his eye. A further foot to his chest pushed the Unspeakable off and away.
Harry resumed his prowling slowly, his earlier injuries still hampering him despite his newfound strength. He blinked as thick blood flowed down from the eye wound. A forked tongue slithered out tasting the Vampire blood coating his lips. A predatory grin had Melchior back up slightly as he clutched the wounded arm to his chest.
"Who's the food now, Vampire?" Harry growled in amusement as he slowly stalked around his prey. Melchior glared back as he nursed his rapidly healing broken arm.
Mary who had recovered from her earlier kick to the ribs was watching the events unfold with a wide eyed look of horror and confusion. Lucy likewise had an eyebrow raised and was reevaluating James' chances.
"You are!" The Vampire lost his temper. In a fluid motion he drew his sword and charged.
Harry smirked and did something no one there had been expecting. He took a deep breath as if smelling something pleasant in the air and exhaled sharply.
A jet of white hot flames bellowed out as Harry engulfed the charging Vampire for a few milliseconds.
Despite the short duration the damage was intense. The Vampire collapsed mid charge, his clothes blackened and his body flash roasted by the intense heat. Even advance rapid Vampire healing failed as the blisters on Melchior's exposed skin leaked pus and fluid.
Lucy summarized the event perfectly. "Sweet Dracula, he's a portable flamethrower."
Melchior took in quick pained breaths as Harry reached down and hulled his shivering form up. Claws dug into the Vampire's throat. The message was simple.
'Try something and I rip your fucking throat out'.
"You," Harry spat, "Are pathetic." With a mighty heave he flung the Vampire turned projectile at its throne. The stone seat broke as the body impacted and collapsed amongst the heap of loose rubble.
Harry flashed a toothy grin at the twitching form. 'Who's your daddy bitch?'
He winced and closed his eyes for a moment in relaxation.
Snapping them open he turned to his partner who was using a pillar to drag herself upright.
"Something you would like to tell me James?" The obvious question was unsaid. 'What the fuck are you?'
"I am…" He paused in thought. "Unique." He smiled revealing a row of razor teeth and canines that would make a Vampire jealous. "Eight others share my ability and if the rumors are true, so do many other unrestricted magical beings." His voice had gone scratchy and deep.
"Damn right you're unique." Lucy's long strides took her immediately to Mary as she lent the woman a helping hand.
"Fat lot of help you were." Harry hissed as he nursed a particularly nasty cut.
The girl shrugged. "I'm bound by the law laid down by the Lord of Vampires."
"Coward." Harry jokingly prodded.
Lucy sniffed. "You would be too. The Master's way stronger than Melchior. The Elders are mere bugs beneath his powers. Besides, you won the battle with Melchior. You passed the test the Master set. He'll meet with you as soon as he returns." Lucy winced dreading the event.
"What have you done to yourself?" Mary reached for Harry's hands and turned them over inspecting the change.
"Shouldn't you be more concerned about my wounds?" The newly yellowed eyed teen voiced.
Mary spread his fingers as she prodded his jet black claw tips. "If you're even mentioning that, then you're just fine, though we should seek some medical aid as soon as possible. My ribs seem slightly out."
Mary peered closely at his face. "Your eyes." She blinked and leaned closer.
Harry jerked back. "What about them?"
"You blinked two separate pairs of eyelids." She pointed out.
Lucy chuckled. "Of course he would. Seeing as he's a reptilian creature at the moment."
"Reptilian?" Mary stared at her partner. "I don't remember you being a Half-breed of any kind."
Harry snorted. "I'm not. It's my Animagus transformation."
"Really? Then why didn't you use it earlier?" Mary pointed out.
Harry moaned rubbing his temple taking care of his pointed claws. "Does it look like I did it right? I can't transform fully yet. The process takes years to master. The reason I held off transforming is that I'm stuck until I can get my hands on Mandrake Restorative Draught." At this point a five inched forked tongue slithered out tasting the air.
"So what animal are you?" Mary questioned in curiosity.
Lucy rolled her eyes. "He has claws, forked tongue, scales on his hands and breaths fireballs. You figure it out."
"But he can't be a Dragon. They're magical creatures." Mary insisted.
"And where does it say Animagi can't be magical creatures, hmmm?" Harry questioned with an eyebrow quirked.
"Err… it doesn't, but no ones done it before."
Lucy snorted. "No one registered that is. I definitely know one other that's an Augurey. The amount of magic a person has is relative to the creature they can transform into. Therefore turning into a magical creature must mean you're pretty high up on the power department and seeing as you're a Dragon…" She trailed off with a whistle.
"I did not say I was a Dragon you know." Harry crossed his arms careful to avoid opening his clotting wounds. "I myself don't even know what I am, could be a Salamander for all you know."
"True, but he's missing the immolated body though, probably hasn't gotten that part yet." Lucy concluded.
"On that…" Harry was interrupted as a roar of power came from the direction Harry had thrown the Steward.
"I'M STILL ALIVE WORM!!!" Melchior's voice screamed in fury as he used his sword to prop himself upright.
The Steward snapped his fingers and the armors throughout the room started moaning as they advanced towards the group of intruders.
"Melchior." Lucy questioned her eyes bright with fury. "What's the meaning of this? None may activate the room's defenses but the Lord of Vampires."
"I'm still alive!" The Steward hissed hysterically as he commended the armors to advance on the group.
Lucy snarled as she eyed the armors. "He spared your miserable life. Any longer under those flames and you would have been cremated alive."
"I Melchiorcius Vladislath shall not be defeated by a mortal!" He screamed in fury.
"You will stand down Steward." Lucy ordered as she made sure Mary had been able to support herself with the column.
"Don't presume to order me you lowborn spawn of a Mudblood whore." The Vampire's insult caused Lucy to freeze up suddenly.
Harry's new sensitive hearing easily picked up heavy breathing coming from the teenager. She was slouched, her eyes staring at her leather boots. Her fists were clenched tightly and her whole body was shaking in what he could easily tell was anger. He hoped she wouldn't attempt anything stupid. The girl while well versed in martial combat, would not be a match against an Elder Vampire, wounded or not.
"What did you just say?" Lucy's soft voice carried throughout the throne room.
"I called you a…" Melchior froze his eyes widening as he realized his spoken words.
Harry looked from the still shaking girl to the Vampire in confusion. Mary simply decided to remain quiet. Her ribs were giving her enough trouble already. Harry was silently amused to note that what ever it was Melchior's insult was probably not something that should have been said. The Vampire, if possible, was paling further and further as Lucy's anger simmered.
Harry cautiously took a step back. Something big was going to happen. He didn't know what. He just knew he didn't want to be between the girl and the Vampire. His danger sense was going haywire and he had learned early on to trust his instincts.
"You called my mother a Mudblood whore didn't you?" Lucy stated as she lifted her head as she glared at the Vampire Elder.
"I… I…" The Steward stammered as he took a step back in fear.
"ANSWER ME!!!" Harry was taken aback at the sheer fury lacing her voice.
The Vampire flinched. "Y… Y… Ye… Yes."
Harry mentally winced. He had no idea what had the Vampire Steward so freaked out, but what ever it was any answer at this point was just about moot. Probably would have been better if he had simply turned and ran.
The gothic teenager's right palm clutched at her crucifix as she attempted to bore holes into the offending Vampire with her crimson-tinged pupils.
Harry's eyes widened as he zoomed in on Lucy's face, her corneas specifically. Lucy had blue eyes, 'had' being the operative word.
'Oh shit.' He thought as he immediately realized what was going on.
He had initially thought something was off when he had first been introduced to the girl. Her name had seemed somewhat familiar and now he knew why. 'Murray'. Her family name practically screamed her identity amongst those who were familiar with probably the most popular piece of Vampire literature.
Dracula.
Harry's eyebrow twitched. There had been two characters in the book that shared their names with the teenager before him.
Lucy Westenra. The woman had been the Count's first victim in the novel. She had been turned into a child preying Vampire and had been put to rest by her fiancé with the assistance of the Professor Abraham Van Helsing.
Wilhelmina Murray. Also known as Mina Harker, the wife of Jonathan Harker and the one who led the team of Abraham Van Helsing and Jonathan Harker to Dracula's coffin ambushing and killing the legendary Vampire.
Lucy was most definitely a descendent of the legendary bride of Dracula and if Melchior's insult rang true, the daughter of Wilhelmina Murray herself.
That meant deviating from the book, Mina did eventually become a Vampire, and than meant… Harry's thought process trailed off as he took a step away from the red eyed girl he was beginning to doubt was a normal human teenager.
"James?" Mary whispered as Harry moved beside her.
"Don't interrupt. If I'm correct, our Vampire friend is about to receive the biggest ass whooping of his undead life."
"You can threaten me, curse my name or order your low life blood suckers to lock me up, but don't you ever dare insult my MOTHER!!!" Lucy screamed the final bit as she ripped the crucifix off her chocker.
Harry was amazed as a pure nimbus of magical power blasted out from the girl, illuminating her in the darkened room. Subtle changes began appearing as Lucy's nails sharpened, her canines elongated and her complexion pale as it was from being kept indoors, got paler. The most noticeable change, however, was her hair. The raven locks once streaked with silver had gone completely blonde.
The newly announced Vampire hunched forwards and vanished in a burst of speed. Harry's eyebrow rose as he noticed cracks on the stone where she had lunged.
Melchior had barely recognized what had transpired when Lucy rammed him into the stone dais.
The female Vampire roared in animalistic fury as she tore into her opponent. Melchior tried his best to fend off the attacks but Lucy's superior strength pinned him to the floor as she began the brutal task of dismembering him.
Harry winced as in a show of brute strength Lucy managed to break, crush and rip Melchior's dominant arm off when he had used it to shield himself. Blood splattered as the Elder screamed in agony.
Lucy ignored his plight and instead flung him across the room into the armored Ghouls that had simply frozen up. Melchior bowled a sword wielding knight over as he frantically scrambled to procure the knight's weapon. Sword in hand, he shakily faced a mace wielding Lucy who advanced on him.
Her face emotionless she ducked the decapitating blow and slammed the spike club into the Vampire's ribs. A follow up blow connected with his chest and effectively crushed his sternum and knocking him to the floor.
"Squeal." Lucy growled her crimson eyes showing her malice. Batting his remaining arm aside, she plunged her fingers into the Vampire's ribcage. The sound of bone snapping made Mary turn away as Harry watched in fascinated horror. The girl had settled with breaking and brutally ripping the Vampire's rib out of his chest one by one. Throughout this Melchior screamed in agony his body pinned with Lucy's other hand.
"I've always heard about how you'd rip your victim's chest open and extract their heart." Lucy spoke softly as she pulled another rib out. "I used your technique as the inspiration for something new. Pity you were the one I'm trying it out on."
Minutes passed as Lucy finally finished in fully extracting every single on of the Vampire's ribs. The creature's chest had collapsed with the added bone support, but Harry seriously doubted it really mattered at this point.
Lucy got off the Vampire as she surveyed her bloody handy work. "Let this be a lesson to you, Worm. Insult my mother again and I'll remove every single bone in your body." She spat at the quivering lump of flesh before turning away.
"Nicely done dear."
Harry damned well nearly had a heart attack. So focused was he on the gruesome display, he hadn't notice someone appearing behind him and his partner.
Both of the Unspeakables spun around, daggers drawn in a defensive position and claws held out in Harry's case.
Harry's eyebrow twitched as he matched the woman before him with the description he remembered.
The Lady had an aura of elegance as she smiled and flipped her raven locks over her shoulder. Like Lucy she was dressed in the favored Victorian styled lace dress and corset combination. However, unlike Lucy's black, hers was red with green ribbons and a black leather corset. She too wore a choker but was missing the crucifix.
"Enough!" The Lady commanded waving the guardians of the hall back to their places. Both Humans noticed the gleaming white fangs she sported as she smiled at Lucy who was approaching her.
"Daughter." She smiled ignoring both the intruders.
"Mum." Lucy nodded. "You're awake."
Mina wrinkled her nose. "With the racket that was going on, how could I stay resting? The noise was good enough to wake the dead."
Lucy's eyes darted around the room as if searching for something. "Where's Dad?"
"The Master is coming. An Elder requested a meeting of the conclave." Mina glanced at the moaning form of the Steward in annoyance "They should be arriving soon."
No sooner had she said this when sigils began appearing throughout the great hall. Flashes of light flared as figures began appearing. Harry noted that the new arrivals kept to the sides of the hall. All were paying attention to them, the two females or the wounded body of Melchior.
Mina patted her daughter on the head and stalked towards the Steward. She paused, briefly acknowledging Harry and his partner with a small nod before continuing. Lucy chose to stop and remain beside Mary.
Lucy crouched as she picked up her discarded crucifix and replaced it. Immediately her magical aura dissipated she regained her Human appearance.
"You're a Vampire." Mary stated still slightly in shock.
"I am." The girl fingered her crucifix.
"Quite a powerful artifact you have there." Harry commented eying the cross.
Lucy nodded. "It was my mother's." She didn't elaborate further as she was much more interested on what her mother had planned for the Steward.
Mina nudged the quivering form with the toe of her high heeled boot. "Melchiorcius." She purred in fake delight. Her voice heard by all the onlookers. "I believe I arrived to catch the tail end of a particular conversation between my dear daughter and yourself."
"Mercy, Mistress. Please, have mercy." The wounded Vampire choked out as his eyes shone with terror.
Lucy's mother ignored the plea as she continued smiling as she nudged a discarded rib as if inspecting it. "I believe you referred to me as a 'Mudblood whore'." She leaned down to get a closer look at the man.
The crowd started whispering as she announced the Steward's foolish words.
"Mistress, I…" Her hand's firm grip closed around the man's throat as she prevented him from speaking.
"Ssshhhh…" She easily lifted him towards her and placed a manicured finger to his lips. "My daughter saw to your punishment and decided to show you mercy."
Melchior seemed to think he had been spared, when Mina's smile turned feral. "However, I did remember an announcement I made a while back. Surely you haven't forgotten it?" She cooed raising an eyebrow.
"Freaky bloodsuckers." Harry mumbled low enough that the Vampires surrounding him couldn't here it.
"N… N… No… P… Pl… Please. No." Melchior begged as he struggled against the vice like grip. However his lack of ribs impaired his abilities drastically. Thus Mina was easily able to hold on to the much Larger Vampire.
"Seeing as how your memories seem to have faded, I believe I shall refresh them. Hmmm…?" The Mistress of Vampires smiled, putting a finger to her lips in contemplation.
"No… Gurk…"
She tightened her grip. "You chose to volunteer after all Melchiorcius. Please do be a dear and be silent." She cooed sweetly as her free hand clamped over his face as she increased pressure on both his skull and neck.
A scream of agony tore out from the Steward's throat as Mina started exerting extreme pressure on her victim. Both Unspeakables winced as snapping and gurgling were clearly audible from the twitching Vampire Elder. With a jerk, Mina tore the head clean off as a spray of blood sprayed out messily.
The Vampire closed her eyes and tilted her head back in bliss as she enjoyed the shower of her victim's blood. She paid no mind to the red staining her clothes.
"I'll say this one more time." She released the body and glared at all those gathered. "Should anyone ever mention my Human ancestry as a negative," She snarled and dangled the severed head to all, "I collect your fucking head." With a show of brute strength she crushed her trophy with one hand.
Mina sniffed as a small bit of brain matter landed on her cheek.
"Now that that's taken care of," She announced as if ripping someone's head off was a daily occurrence to her, "I announce the arrival of his Royal Highness, Vlad Dracula Tepes the Third of Wallachia, Son of the Dragon, Member of the Holy Order of the Dragon and Lord of all European Vampires.
"Oh shit, he's the Lord of Vampires?" Mary hissed at her partner. "I thought he died?"
"I did." A heavily accented voice announced from behind the two Unspeakables.
The response was immediate.
Both Mary and Harry had been having a pretty shitty day so far. They had dealt with a small army of Inferi, invaded a Vampire fortress, battled against an Elder Vampire, were currently surrounded by various clan Elders, witness a legendary Vampire rip a man's head off and coupled with the lack of sleep, they were on high alert.
Therefore Harry hoped that the Vampire Mistress and her daughter would understand when both of them had responded to the Vampire Lord's introduction by slamming him with a dagger, each at various fatal locations.
"Oops…" Harry muttered as he spied the blood forming around the dagger's hilts. He supposed the situation couldn't get any worse. They had just stabbed Dracula in the neck and heart.
"Snafu." Harry supposed Mary summed up their situation pretty well.
XXXXX
Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry – Astronomy Tower
Dumbledore sighed wearily as he stared at the entourage of Death Eaters that had fanned out around him. The headmaster could hear the sounds of the Aurors attempting to break into the tower. The Death Eaters had been thorough in wanting their meeting with the famed Wizard uninterrupted and had barricaded the door.
"Draco." Dumbledore's eyed the young man with a hint of pity. The youth had his wand pointed at him. Dumbledore however doubted he had the heart to commit murder on such a personal scale.
"Do it boy," Bellatrix hissed, "The Dark Lord has granted you this honor."
"Voldemort will lose this coming war Bellatrix," Dumbledore turned his head to the sadistic Witch, "Already most of his inner circle is dead. You're the last I believe."
"Silence!" The only remaining member of Voldemort's inner circle screamed in fury. "My comrades will be avenged! The Dark Lord shall rule supreme!"
"Control yourself Bella." Snape warned as the Witch seemed to be going into one of her hysterical spiels.
The crazed Witch glared at the Potions Master for a moment before turning back to her nephew. "Do it boy, kill the old doddering fool."
Draco's wand trembled as he failed to produce the necessary words.
"The boy isn't going to do it. Too green I say." Fenrir growled. "Let me kill the old man and be done with this."
"No!" Bellatrix ordered. "There is another."
"Me." Snape moved from his side position to flank Draco's directly in front of the Headmaster. "I'll kill him." He spoke clearly amongst the now silent Death Eaters.
"You?!" Fenrir scoffed in distaste.
"Yes me. I made an Unbreakable Vow to kill Albus Dumbledore." Severus pierced the Werewolf with a serious stare as he raised his wand.
Dumbledore's eyes widened as per their act. "Severus? Why?"
The dark haired man's face remained neutral as he stared into the Headmaster's blue eyes. "Voldemort will win." He spoke with conviction as he readied the spell. "Avada Kedavra."
Draco flinched as the blast of green light slammed into the Headmaster of Hogwarts. The old man stumbled backwards tipping over the banister and dropping out of view.
"HA!" Bellatrix screamed in joy as she gave a demented grin and rushed to the edge of the tower. "Long live the Dark Lord!" She screamed into the night as she witnessed the prone form of Albus Dumbledore. "Morsmordre!" She trusted her wand towards the heavens, summoning the infamous Dark Mark.
The other Death Eaters moved beside her casting their own spells and filling the night sky with multiple floating skulls.
"We must leave." Snape informed the groups as he held a shaken Draco by his shoulders. The Aurors could still be heard trying to break into the tower.
"Let them come, then. They're nothing without Dumbledore now." Fenrir flexed his fingers and waved his wand in preparation.
"No!" Snape pressed. "We stick to the original plan. The Dark Lord will not be pleased should harm befall Draco."
Fenrir growled and gave a sniff of annoyance at the blond haired youth. "Fine." He snapped.
Withdrawing shrunken brooms from within their robes, the Death Eaters flew off into the night sky. Beneath them, the fallen form of Albus Dumbledore laid in the school's courtyard.
Authors Note:
Phew another chapter another three weeks. I remember mentioning on the last author's note that the previous chapter of 'Nunquam Lamiae Morde 'Me Ictus' was too long. At 16,000 words I decided to instead chop it in half to make two 10,000 word chapters rather than a massive 20,000 word one.
Well guess what? As you all can no doubt see, I sat down and wrote the rest of the 4,000 words and kept on going. It is now going to be three 10,000 word chapters. Lol. This mission seems to be the longest one so far.
For those of you that aren't first language English speakers or aren't aware of military lingo. SNAFU is an acronym for 'Situation Normal: All Fucked Up'. FUBAR is 'Fucked Up Beyond All Reason'. SNAFUBAR is 'Situation Normal: All Fucked Up Beyond Any Reasoning'.
Another note is that some may have noticed that Harry had gone all fire breathing despite me mentioning he wasn't able to go Animagus due to his slight Tonkymagus ability. Well in this case I made his Animagus ability a dud because face it, his Metamorphmagus ability is a dud as well. Poor bastard got a bit of both.
Exams are coming up real soon and I hope to god that I do well. Never done a Business course before so I'm getting all the horror stories told to me by my Law, Finance and Business friends.
Apparently Marketing is the easiest as the minute you write something down, it's right and you just have to argue your point to get the remaining points. Economics, what ever you write is immediately wrong and only if you argue your point is it then right. Lol. The ideology both cracked me up as well as scared the crap out of me.
On a different topic. I seriously love the new idea Japan has for ergonomic mouse pads. Lol. Only a Japanese would look at breasts, think 'silicon implants', look at an ergonomic mouse pad, think 'silicon implants', look at both mouse pad and breast and think 'we should combine them'. The result, one of the coolest and useful things the perverted industry of Japan has churned out.
For more information just type 'oppai mouse pad' in google image search. Lol.
Wanted to get one, but god damn it, all US stores are out of stock. E-bay rips you off, and believe it or not, all Japan Amazon stores are out as well. Contacted my cousin in Japan and he says that all existing character restocks are preordered out till February. Hence only new characters coming in will be available, provided they don't get preordered out as well.
I now know what I want for my birthday. September 11, hint, hint, wink, wink. Lol. (Yeah my birthday officially became a day of mourning since 2001. Worst part is, my bother 7 years younger shares the same birthday as me.) What a way to celebrate with five minutes of silence before the birthday song. Lol.
ENSIGN
Nunquam
Lamiae Morde "Me Ictus"