Ch. 12-As If We Never Said Goodbye
As Artemis approached the church in Bristol, he couldn't help but feel a sense of dejavú . Being that twenty years ago he had come to kill Broderick in his home, and now after all these years he would do the same. Only this time Broderick would not best him, back then Artemis was foolish, and naive. Twenty years of exile has a tendency to fix such behavior. The church was clearly quite old and very tall, with a large steeple and bell tower. A large stone staircase led up to the grand entranceway with a large wooden double door. Artemis climbed the light colored stone and made his way up to the grand archway, and rather then entering with a bang, he decided to enter politely. He opened the large door, and made his way into the large sanctuary. Wooden pews lined the floor of the massive sanctuary, with a large arch near the front which led to the alter and the priest's pulpit. The ceiling had a grand dome with old etchings in the stone, reflecting the style of the colorful stain glass windows. Artemis walked down the center aisle looking around. When he turned around he gazed up at the balcony, and against the wall was a large circular window depicting Jesus on a crucifix. Artemis looked wildly out of place in his black cloak, but saw that the church was empty.
All except for one man, sitting alone in an empty pew. He looked old and tired, he was bowing his head, apparently meditating or perhaps praying. But there were features about him that were unmistakably familiar. He had a glove on his right hand, and was dressed just as he had all those years ago, but now he looked old and weak. Artemis approached the old man, and before he spoke, the old man greeted him.
"Hello Artemis, has it been twenty years already? It seems longer than that"
"You know why I'm here then."
"Yes."
"And still you choose to sit there and die?"
"I have faith, Artemis."
"Faith in what? That your God can protect you from me? I never thought you would find religion."
"No not religion, spirituality."
"I suppose you've stopped practicing magic as well."
"An auror is sometimes forced to do unspeakable things to dark wizards, things I'm not proud of, but have had to live with. When I took your powers I stopped doing magic. Taking your powers did more than weaken you, I took in your power, I also took in your hate, your anger, your evil. And it is that evil which has weighed down on me all these years. Even when you regained your powers I felt it leaving me, but it had already done its damage. So here I am, a poor sinner looking for salvation, waiting to die."
"I won't kill you like this, you have to defend yourself."
"No."
"I'm afraid you don't have a choice." Artemis pulled out his wand and casted on Broderick. "Imperio", Broderick fought against the strong will of the imperious curse, but Artemis could feel it conquering him. "Stand up", and as if on demand as a slave is to his master, Broderick stood. "Get out your wand", hands trembling Broderick reached for his wand. Artemis smiled. "You reject magic and yet you still carry your wand." Broderick's hand gripped his wand and pulled it slowly from his jacket. Then Broderick smiled, and stopped trembling.
"You're powerful Artemis, but not that powerful." then Broderick dropped his wand and turned around and started walking away. He had tricked him, Artemis was angry but still he refused to attack him, not like this. He refused to kill him while his back was turned.
"Come back you coward! Fight me!" yelled Artemis, his yells echoing through the sanctuary. But despite his yelling Broderick did not turn round he just made his way to the front of the large room and toward one of the doors. "Perhaps I should go to the forbidden forest and visit your dear Filene." With these words Broderick stopped dead in his tracks, closing the door he had just opened. He looked back at Artemis with half fear, half anger.
"You wouldn't dare." said Broderick in a fearful tone.
"Do you think there is anything I wouldn't do to procure my revenge? Now fight me or she dies!"
"You don't know what you're talking about!" Broderick said for the first time raising his voice.
"I found your journal when I searched your home. You were in love with a centaur weren't you?" These words seem to sting Broderick, and Artemis saw the look on his face. "Oh I see, you still are."
"Shut up."
"You were in love with a half-breed, a filthy half-breed."
"I said Shut up!"
"But she didn't love you back did she, how could she, she's not even human."
"SHUT UP!"
"Can you imagine what your children would've looked..." Broderick reached out his hand and his wand flew to his hand.
"Inflatus!", Artemis was cut off by a large blue charm striking him right in the chest sending him across the room and into a wall, and landing on his feet.
"That's more like it", Artemis said with an evil smile. He pulled out his wand and casted back. "Lamnia!" Three knives erupted from Artemis' wand and hurled toward Broderick, who deflected two of them and was sliced on the top of the arm by the second, making a bloody tear in his sleeve.
And the battle began. There was a sense of nostalgia in the air as the two battled, a sense of reunion and of things past. Just as before the two men demonstrated their power, but this time it was Artemis who could outmatch Broderick. Like a cat playing with a mouse, only keeping him alive to surge the battle forward. Although Broderick sometimes surprised Artemis and he would mock him with comments such as "Not bad for an old man." This was all fun for Artemis but a battle of survival for Broderick. The two men were thrown back and forth, dueling to the death just as they had twenty years ago.
"Lumos Maxima", cried Broderick as he flung his wand throwing a glowing ball of light toward Artemis. It was like looking right at the sun, so he pulled up his cloak to protect himself. When he regained his eye sight he looked up but Broderick was gone, all he saw was a figure just making its way through one of the back doors leading behind the alter. Artemis chased after him but once he went through the door he found himself in darkness in a hall filled with doors and other passageways. Artemis' steps were careful, he was hiding down here, and then the sudden memory of the past came to him. It was just like this when his powers were taken. He kept his wand unlit and instead of being the hunted, he was the hunter. Artemis spoke into the darkness.
"I suppose you're feeling a bit like I was feeling all those years ago. Outmatched, weak, knowing what's coming, hoping you can get out of here alive. You have no idea how happy it makes me to know that you're feeling what I did." Artemis disappeared into the darkness.
Broderick was hiding in the shadows of the numerous hallways and corridors. He knew them well, well enough to hide. But he could feel the end coming, and he heard Artemis speaking, his words echoing through the walls. Survival was never his aspect but now that he was in this battle he was in it till the end. He thought if he could best Artemis here, would he kill him? Artemis wouldn't think twice about killing Broderick would he? He couldn't bear the thought of committing yet another sin using magic in the name of stopping another dark wizard. No amount of tricks or other spells could change Artemis, he was gone now, a different person, his mind could not be swayed or changed. He heard a voice say something he couldn't understand, he couldn't even be sure it was Artemis. But he peered out of the room he was in and saw a figure moving through the darkness, he nearly attacked but he couldn't be certain it was him. He saw the figure pass the room, and then the figure turned its head and their face was revealed by a small gleam of light from a window letting in a single ray of sunlight. It was Artemis! He aimed his wand and with much hesitation casted. "
"Avada Kedavra", the green charm arched and struck him right in the back. Broderick felt a sting of pain to what he'd just done, but convinced himself it was for the best. He approached him and saw the face of Artemis Gridlock dead on the floor. Broderick looked down at the face of the boy he had taught and now killed. He turned his head away and heard a sledging morphing sound and looked back at the dead man on the floor. He was no longer Artemis Gridlock, but someone else lying dead on the floor. Broderick saw that it was someone he knew, a priest, father Macready, he had seen him many times around here. But how, he had killed him, he had killed a priest, but...
"Peek a boo", said a cold voice right behind Broderick. He turned and was met with the real Artemis Gridlock. "Bombarda!" Broderick was thrown through the wall above the alter splintering the wood and landing with a great bang against the balcony and landing on the ground. He slowly got to his knees, struggling to live on as Artemis came floating into the sanctuary through the large hole made in the wall. As he landed he spoke a menacing speech. "Can you feel it Broderick, closing in on you." He chuckled as he walked nearer down the middle aisle. "Have you ever had something go exactly to plan, its quite exhilarating you know. I had planned this for years, just what I would do to you, just how I would kill you. And now I can see it, see the painting that I drew all those years finally coming alive. Everything is going just as planned. Well the priest was never part of the plan, but there you have it." These words were all that Broderick needed he lifted his head and his eyes were filled with fury. He stood up with a mighty roar and threw charms, Artemis tried to block them all but finally a large one hit him and sent him crashing into a wall. As soon as he stood himself up, Broderick hit him with another one, again and again, Artemis feeling as though he were being punched over and over. He tasted blood in his mouth. He stood with a smile.
"You know what makes you weak Broderick. You're feelings get in your way. Feelings for yourself, for your little centaur slut, even toward me, and especially for you're new found religion." Artemis turned round and pointed his wand straight for the alter holding a large bible and above it hanging a large crucifix. "Incendio", with that large flames erupted from Artemis' wand and ignited the large alter and it was instantly engulfed in crimson flames. Artemis turned back and saw Broderick, shocked and panicked. He pushed Artemis aside and began trying to extinguish the flames. As he put out the fire, he turned around felt as though something had a hold of him. Artemis lifted his wand and was controlling Broderick in mid-air, he flung his wand and Broderick slammed into a wall, taking large chunks of the stone with him. Again and again across the room, finally Artemis slammed him right in front of him on the floor. He was trembling, weak, and bleeding. Lying on his front he reached out for his wand and the foot of Artemis crushed his hand and took the wand. He took his own wand and touched the tip of it to the tip of Broderick's wand, and pulled from it a large golden thread. The wispy thread was absorbed into Artemis wand, and it shined gold for a moment before returning to its black color. Artemis put the now useless wand of Broderick Muldoon in his cloak.
"New trick I learned, wand Fusion. I'll keep this as a souvenir." Artemis flicked his wand and turned his body over, and propped him up on his knees. "Allow me to do the same pleasure you did to me. Corripo Factultas", and Broderick arched his arms as his powers were ripped from him. Although he had just gone through one of the most painful curses known to wizards there was a look of relief and tranquility on Broderick's face now. He closed his eyes and looked up only to say.
"Thank...you...", nearly gasping for air Broderick closed his eyes again. Furious that Broderick should be feeling anything but pain right now he tortured him with the Crutiatus curse, than as before lifted him high into the air above the seats. And with a great roar Artemis finished him.
"Avada Kedavra!", the green charm hit Broderick with such force that he flew to the wall and landing like a ragdoll, and Artemis felt a wave of something, he wasn't sure what, but it felt good. He slowly approached Broderick's dead body. "You really love this church eh Broderick? Well now you can burn with it." And with that Artemis walked out of the destroyed sanctuary and down the front steps. Amicus flew to him and landed on his shoulder. Artemis stopped and turned to look at the massive church once again, and for the first time in twenty years used his musica. He began conducting and the glorious choir of the Hallelujah chorus rang through the air as the windows of the church were all blown out with large flames. The church was exploding sending large chunks of stone through the air and crumbling to the ground. The large steeple came crashing down and the grand church fell as it blew apart. Artemis walked away as the song continued to play and the church burned and collapsed. One down three to go. Artemis then disapparated and made his way to Malfoy Manor.
Night had begun to fall and Amicus flew off, toward the mansion. Artemis walked up the familiar path to the glorious mansion, and entered through the gates with a wave of his wand. As he approached the grand front doors to the mansion he felt the greatest feeling of nostalgia, as yet another piece of his grand puzzle fell into place. The mansion had not changed at all, not one bit; it was still dark and gloomy as ever. He looked into the living room, just to the right of the foyer, where a single light was shining; the fireplace. A high back chair held the figure of a man; however it didn't seem like the Abraxas he knew. The Abraxas he knew was a large man with a large puffed out chest and a grand chin. This man was old, weak, and diseased. But nevertheless he was indeed Abraxas Malfoy, his face was unmistakable as well as his pocket square containing his initials. Artemis approached the man lit only by the glow of the fire. Abraxas now had a greenish tinge to his skin, and several boils, he had a medical mask over his face to cover his frequent coughing and his breathing was a rough wheezing. Artemis recognized these symptoms as the fatal marks of dragon pox. Suddenly the prospect that Abraxas had been suffering from this disease for how many ever years now brought a smile to his face. Abraxas lifted his head weakly and looked into the face of Artemis Gridlock, and he saw his eyes widen with fear.
"Ah, so you recognize me." Abraxas looked as though he would like to cry for help or get up and run away, but so weak he couldn't even lift his arms, or scream in terror. "Hard to believe the great Abraxas Malfoy is now sitting here in his palace, wheezing like a dying animal." Artemis took a moment to take in this which made him very happy. His only regret was that he hadn't caused this pain. Artemis chuckled.
"Look at you Abraxas, you're pathetic. You must have known this day was coming." Artemis noticed the sack containing the head of Abraxas brother Dimitri sitting in next to the fireplace. "Ah I see you got my package, how many did you send after me? Did you send him? You sent your brother to me like a lamb to slaughter." Artemis laughed menacingly.
"At least you sending people to kill me meant that you were still alive, and you would be mine to finish." Artemis walked about the grand room; it looked just as he remembered it. He paced the room and talked to Abraxas, who was too weak to speak. "I must say this isn't how I imagined our reunion; I was thinking a glorious battle to the death. Well there you have it. Life's full of little disappointments isn't it." Artemis wandered over to the drink cart and poured himself a drink.
"So how are the wife and kids eh?" They're not here are they; I don't sense anyone else in this house. So the question is where are they?" Artemis looked down at Abraxas who sat weakly in his chair. Artemis saw he couldn't speak and threw his glass into the flames making a large ball of flame shoot from the fireplace. "WHERE ARE THEY?" Abraxas was now trembling in his chair, frightened and alone. Artemis smiled. "No matter, I will find them."
"I wonder Abraxas who is it who's taking care of you. Ah I see, they've left you here to die. Just waiting until you go." Artemis flicked his wand and Abraxas' chair spun round and with another flick the chair flew back and stopped just before the large tall mirror. Than the chair spun so Abraxas was facing the mirror and Artemis walked up behind him and stooped down and looked at him over his shoulder. Once again Abraxas shook with fear.
"You were like a father to me Abraxas, and I was like your son. Now I've returned home and I've come to repay you for what you took from me, and for what you did to her." There was a pause as Artemis gazed into the mirror at Abraxas and saw the fear in his eyes. Artemis bent down and spoke right into his ear, "What do you think if that, DADDY!" Artemis spun his chair back again and sent it zooming across the floor and crashing into the wall, then proceeded to spin him again and send him crashing into the mirror shattering large pieces of reflecting glass. Abraxas was shaking furiously in fright. Artemis turned his back to Abraxas cradling his wand. "I've picked out a very special curse for you Abraxas. Consider it a gift from me to you. Scelero!" A crimson charm hit Abraxas where he sat, and it covered him then disappeared. Slowly Artemis saw the curse take effect. Blood began to ooze out of Abraxas' nose than his ears, and then from the corners of his eyes. Soon Abraxas was spitting up blood through his mouth and the blood seeped down him and onto his chair and made a large puddle on the floor. He gurgled as his choked on his own blood, and finally after a while he stopped shaking and died. Artemis saw the gruesome scene and smiled; Abraxas in his chair, in a puddle of broken mirror and blood.
Artemis turned and looked at the large Malfoy crest on the wall. He saw the large shield with the crossing swords, and the family's motto sanctimonia vincet semper. Artemis waved his wand and the crest flew off its place on the wall above the mantle. Artemis burned these words in into the wall where the family crest was:
I'm Back ~AG
When they see this, they will all know of his return. Amicus flew into the open window and perched himself on the mantle admiring Artemis new burnt etching. Where Amicus had perched Artemis noticed something odd; a family portrait with the members of the family moving, and blinking as did most pictures in the wizarding world, but the family was not as he had remembered it. The Malfoy family portrait he remembered was of Abraxas, the head of the house, his wife and Artemis' secret love Adora, and their son Lucius, only six years old at the time Artemis had been betrayed, but there was another. Adora looked just as beautiful as always, and Abraxas had looked much older and weaker but this must've been before he became ill because it was the strong willed and broad shouldered Abraxas he knew not the miserable pathetic pile he had just murdered. He recognized the face and mess of blonde hair of Lucius, only he was much older. Twenty six he should be now, however there was another boy he did not recognize. He looked about twenty, and had very short shaved hair. Could this be another Malfoy child, Lucius' brother perhaps? He looked on the back of the portrait and saw the name of the artist who had made the magical painting. The signature of a man called Phineas Greene. Although it was a long shot, this man may know where Adora and Lucius are, as well as know who this new boy was. The next step was finding this artist, and learning just who this new Malfoy was.