Parts (68-70)

VI

Chapter 18

Life and Death

Part 1: The Summoning

"It's time," Jack's voice commented and Antonius' eyes snapped open as he felt himself shaken awake gently, he jerked his shoulder away in annoyance.

He hadn't realized he'd fallen asleep when he took a break from practicing, he hadn't even realized he could sleep considering everything. Looking around, he was also shocked to see they were no longer in the same place but a rather fancy looking hotel room, he was propped next to an unconscious Calderon on a window seat.

He barely had time to digest this before Jack/One grabbed his and Calderon's shoulders, phasing them and an instant later they were outside in the cool night air. They were now sitting on grass on the edge of a tree line, he could make out the dark outline of a city though beyond that and he saw a road not far away to his right. He scowled, it was a main road, a motorway with multiple car lanes. He'd expect it to be packed, even at night he thought main roads like that still had traffic even if it wasn't as much as during the day, he heard no engines and saw no lights though. The road was deserted.

"What happened to the road?" Antonius asked in confusion as he stood, scratching his head.

"Ministry must've heard about the attack, the city's been evacuated," Jack provided for him and Antonius noticed an odd azure light, he turned thinking Jack/One had used a spell to make light but instead saw it was more distant. It looked kind of like a star floating in the sky, an azure star except it was still much too close and large for that, "That's her. The Shadow Master, she's heading this way."

"Wait- What?!" Antonius shrieked in shock, he decided that was the last time he was ever resting his eyes.

"Yep," One said with a nod and patted him on the shoulder, "Well good luck, I advise you hold off on reviving Tommy for as long as possible to ensure he doesn't try to escape."

"You're leaving!?" Antonius burst out at them as it turned to leave, it looked back to him with a bemused expression, "What about the plan?! What about everything?! You're just going to go?!"

"You actually thought I'd stick around? When the only two most powerful people in the world I fear who could destroy us are going to fight after you take that Scepter?" One wondered before laughing, "No. I don't have a death wish. We may phase in and out a bit to see how it goes, try get the Scepter away once you get it but I'm not going to stick around for when she arrives, she could very well kill me on sight. You may be willing to throw your life away for this but I'm not, I've worked too hard to live. So bye."

On that note, Jack/One phased away in a shadow of darkness. Antonius was left alone with an unconscious Calderon at his feet and the most powerful Dark Witch the world had ever seen, or at least that Antonius had ever seen.

He felt treacherous fear bubbling up from his pounding heart as the azure star drew closer and he approached it like a moth to a flame, he shakily drew his wand with sweaty hands but stood with it ready all the same. He hated that he was scared, if he died now he'd die alone as a coward, he might die for nothing if Jack/One wouldn't be here to destroy the Scepter. He wished he wasn't alone, he didn't want to die alone.

He felt tears prick his eyes but the wind whipped them away as the Shadow Master drew closer, the star clearly taking on a humanoid shape at a closer proximity – albeit glowing in azure light still – holding a distinctly Scepter shape with an orb of the strongest shade of the blue light. The Shadow Master didn't seem to notice him from so high up in the dark, the head looked focused on the city. He could practically feel the power emanating from it, he could certainly hear the thrum of the magic. His own wand felt… different somehow in his hand, stronger.

Oddly he thought he heard a distant voice call his name but it was lost in the sound of the wind and power, he almost looked around to see the source before his eyes snapped back to the Shadow Master. He couldn't be distracted now, it was the moment of truth and he was probably imaging things in his fear. He had to do this. He felt he was forgetting something though… Calderon!

"Renneverate!" Antonius cast quickly.

He jabbed his wand back at the dark lump that was Calderon, he'd almost forgotten and Calderon was crucial. Now more than ever, maybe he could destroy the Scepter once Antonius got it instead. If he got- no he would, he had to. He was vaguely aware of the flash of light and it connected, he didn't turn to see Calderon stirring though. If he waited any longer the Shadow Master would be over his head. It was now or never.

"Accio Scepter!" Antonius cried into the night and aimed his wand into the heart of the star.

Antonius wasn't sure what he'd been expecting to happen, usually the object just flew to his hand but not in this case. He saw the Scepter shape shudder and crimson sparks fell off it, he focused and concentrated on willing the Scepter to him…

The Scepter jerked out of the Shadow Master's hand in a burst of red light with flecks of navy, it started floating towards him. The Shadow Master held out her hand to the Scepter but it didn't stop, she waved her hand again and an azure tendril shot out and grabbed hold of it. Antonius' will didn't waver though and it cut through the tendril, continuing to hover to him. This seemed to piss the Shadow Master off, he saw the blue figure wave its arms wildly to whip up a tempest. A literal tempest.

The wind lashed around brutally, he heard Calderon cry out as he was thrown back. Antonius refused to be moved, he felt a pain his heart but pushed through it crimson sparked around him and his feet became rooted into the ground. He stood, fighting the force of the wind he kept his wand and focus on the willing the Scepter to his hand, he thought he could see a red light but he could barely keep his eyes open from the force of the wind battering him, he couldn't hear for it deafening him either.

He felt a final tug and the Scepter of Night shot into his free hand, he didn't know whether it was because she was weakened without the Scepter or just in shock of losing it but the wind stopped. Antonius felt unsteady on his feet and took a second to take in the Scepter, it looked exactly as it had two years ago. The thick wooden handle with all the symbols carved into it and the emerald orb resting on two silver snakes that were coiled around it, Antonius could sense the power it possessed. Now… how to destroy it? And how to not die right now? Where was Calderon? Was there any chance was going to reappear?

"How is-" a woman's voice started to say and he realized it was the Shadow Master, her voice sounded so… normal. He still couldn't see what she looked like through the azure light but she did lower to the ground before him, he saw the humanoid light shape shake its head, "It doesn't matter, you can't take my Scepter if you're dead. Do you want to give it back to me or do you want to die?"

"Never!" Antonius cried defiantly, raising both the Scepter and his wand while internally he started to panic. He had no idea what to do now, Jack/One was supposed to be here, Calderon was supposed to agree.

"I'll take that as a no then," the Shadow Master mused with a hint of regret before raising a hand, a pulse of azure light shot out.

"NO!" Calderon screamed and jumped protectively in front of him, holding up his arms as he did so and a golden wall of light slammed up. The azure pulse struck it explosively, it seemed to block it but the force still pushed Calderon back and threw Antonius off his feet.

"Tommy? What are you doing here?" the Shadow Master questioned in a tone of surprise.

"I don't know, protecting Antonius from you apparently," Calderon commented, sounding rather uncertain before throwing his hand out at her and an arch of light flung out from his hand at her, "Leave!"

"No!" the Shadow Master yelled and waved her hand, sending his arc of azure light to collide with his and they both burst into a shower of light like a firework, "Stop fighting me, Tommy, dammit!"

"I have to," Calderon muttered unhappily sounding tearful as he held up his hands once more, firing a beam of light back at her which she was forced to slam up a protective blue shield that deflected the beam into a tree which burst into flames.

"Antonius?" a gruff, vaguely familiar voice said.

Antonius turned, having to blink awkwardly as staring at the intense lights for so long had made outside of that just blackness. The figure stopped by him and offered a six-fingered hand to help him up, giving away his identity as Brutus Ashain, his uncle. He reluctantly took the hand to get up, shifting the wand and Scepter into the same hand while an explosion of lights continued between Calderon and the Shadow Master.

"Come on, I'm going to get you out of here," Brutus told him, sounding serious, "I'm going to get you home to your dad."

"Really?" Antonius wondered in surprise and Brutus nodded, Antonius felt a flurry of cautious hope as he still wasn't sure he could trust this man. He also sadly realized he couldn't go, not yet and he was reluctant to leave Calderon too, "I can't, I have to find a way to destroy this first."

"You can't destroy the master's Scepter," Brutus stated as if it were obvious, his deformed face screwed up in what might've been a scowl, "In fact, just give that to me."

"No, I have to destroy it!" Antonius snapped and pulled away from his uncle, "Either help me or leave me alone!"

"Leave him alone!" an extremely familiar voice cried and Brutus narrowly managed to jump back away from the proceeding stunning spell, Antonius turned in surprise and saw Scorpius Malfoy standing there.

The first thing Scorpius noticed when they drew closer to London was the azure blue light, clashing with the pale yellow light just like last year when Calderon had fought the Shadow Master. He noticed an odd absence of light from the city though, it was pitch black. There was no lights coming from the buildings, no lights from the street and the roads seemed utterly deserted, devoid of any sign of muggle vehicles or life. Had they known this was coming and ordered an evacuation?

He supposed it was good for them but he was very much focused on other things, namely his panic at the thought of being too late. Calderon had to already be fighting his sister - which he hadn't wanted to do – and what of Antonius? He was barely breathing as he flew closer to the action, finally feeling a pang of relief as he laid eyes on Antonius on the ground clutching the Scepter in one hand. Scorpius landed in time to see Brutus attacking him, as soon as Martha leaped off he transformed back – painfully, his chest still hurt from the burn and transformation aggravated it - and sent a stunner at Brutus.

"Leave him alone!" Scorpius yelled protectively while Brutus managed to dodge his spell, Antonius stepped back and Martha pulled him aside protectively.

"I'm not trying to hurt him," Brutus insisted, holding up his hands as if innocent, "I want to get you back home to your dad."

"He wants to take the Scepter!" Antonius provided and Brutus rolled his unevenly placed eyes, "I have to destroy it."

"Give it here," Martha said.

Scorpius didn't turn to look at them to see what she'd do but he heard mutter spells and spell fire behind him, he instead sent another stunner at Brutus who avoided it again so he instead swiped his wand through the air with Acuta. Brutus' eyes bulged but with impressive reflexes, he managed to whip his wand out and counter it before it could strike him.

"Look, I don't want to fight you okay?!" Brutus protested testily.

"I'm sure you don't," Scorpius scoffed, "But I'm not giving you Antonius or the Scepter!"

"I-"

"Any idea how to destroy this thing?" Martha wondered from behind him as he sent another stunner at Brutus which the older man masterfully deflected.

"I don't know!" Scorpius complained as he tried to focus on dueling Brutus, slashing at him twice in rapid succession with Acuta but Brutus blocked them both, "Varanian was just going to chuck it in the Veil in the Ministry."

"The Ministry…"

Scorpius thought he heard running but he didn't stop to look, instead aiming a spell at the ground that caused the ground to quake to throw Brutus off. The man seemed to plan for this though as he jumped, jabbing his wand back down with a white pulse that stabilized it. Scorpius slashed an Acuta at his legs as he landed though but Brutus still managed to swipe his wand in the way to avoid it, Scorpius had half-expected that though so was already sending a stunner spiraling towards his chest while his arm was still swiping away the Acuta.

Brutus threw himself out of the way, somehow managing to keep his balance. Scorpius slashed his wand at him with Acuta again, and again, and again, with practiced precision except this time with his rage to put more power in it. Rage at himself for being so late, so much of a failure. Brutus had annoyingly good reflexes though, catching each clash with ease as if he'd been doing it all his life.

"Would you just stop?!" Brutus snapped at him in annoyance, as he abruptly ducked one of Scorpius' Acutus instead of blocking it and jabbed his wand at Scorpius' ankles to send him spiraling to the ground, "Seriously! Have you not noticed they are fighting?! And you're wasting time with me?! This is the time for a truce not a fight! Don't you remember what happened last time they fought?!"

"They almost destroyed each other," Scorpius recalled as he sat up, Antonius rushed to his side with an anxious expression.

Scorpius was glad he'd fallen on his back not his burned chest, he was rather ashamed to find himself feeling out of breath and worn out from the duel however while Brutus seemed unfazed. Brutus was making no move to attack him, he had his wand in hand but it was held loosely and not aimed at him. Scorpius risked a look to the tumultuous clash of power happening nearby them, he couldn't even see Calderon or the Shadow Master through the overwhelming mass of blue and gold. He saw the damage though, much of the trees were burning and the earth was scotched or patchy with holes or grooves where magic had struck them away. If he wanted to save Calderon, a truce was probably the best way to go.

"Okay," Scorpius agreed reluctantly as he got to his feet, "Let's call a truce."

Martha tried Fiendfyre, she tried some destructive blasting curses, she even tried the most unforgivable of curses but the Scepter endured it all just smoking it off. Antonius watched her fail worriedly. She figured destroying it was a priority rather than helping Scorpius and the Shadow Master battle was far beyond her capabilities, from the way Brutus was dueling she could see he was clearly holding back and not trying to hurt him.

"Any idea how to destroy this thing?" Martha wondered of Antonius, thinking maybe he was aware of some special way her uncle had figured out or something. The boy looked taken aback at being asked however and to her surprise, it was Scorpius who answered.

"I don't know!" Scorpius snapped without looking away or breaking concentration from his duel, he must've thought her question was aimed at him, "Varanian was just going to chuck it in the Veil in the Ministry."

"The Ministry…" Martha mused thoughtfully.

Her sleep-deprived still aching mind did still click things into place, the Ministry was in London, they were in London – least the outskirts – and the city seemed to have been evacuated which probably included the Ministry. If Muggles had left - which they seemed to have – then they had to have heard it from wizards who'd probably left too, it shouldn't be hard to get in and she could chuck it in this Veil. She scooped up the Scepter and started to run, her battered body groaning in protest..

"Where are you going?" Antonius called after her as he followed.

"To destroy it," Martha assured him and it must've satisfied him as he stopped following her.

She bolted, pushing herself to run as fast as she could despite the discomfort because she hadn't been very successful at healing herself plus she'd had no rest and little food since she'd left Hogsmeade a few days ago. She lit up her wand for light and had to wave it over the muggle signs, trying to navigate her way through a city she'd only been to a handful of times and had only been to the Ministry once. She had a good memory though, of course she did because it was a good trait for soldiers to have so they made sure they did.

"Where do you think you're going with the Scepter?" a newly familiar voice questioned.

Martha glanced up to notice the man – sort of - Jack/One standing in the darkness like a shadow in the night, leaning against a muggle… metal pole thing that normally lit up at night. He raised his hand but she wasn't going to let him get her this time, she brandished the ancient scepter at him as she would her wand and dove into his mind.

"So how do we do this?" Scorpius wondered of Brutus with a scowl, "If we try stop Calderon then he may just get obliterated by the Shadow Master with all this energy flying around."

"Or vice versa," Brutus commented.

"Well yeah but we don't care about…" Scorpius started to say but trailed off as he recalled Brutus was the Shadow Master's lover.

"Look out both of you!" Antonius snapped.

They turned as the boy jumped between them and the waring siblings as a wave of yellow light swept in their direction, he held up his wand and there was an explosive burst of crimson light flecked with navy. It seemed to shield them from being hit by the burst of raw magic but they were still thrown back from the resulting shockwave, even the muscular Brutus was flung backwards as if he was no more than a children's toy. Scorpius groaned in pain as he bounced off the grass and landed on his front, clutching at the stinging burn as he got to his knees and saw a shadow of pain on Antonius' face.

"Are you alright?" Scorpius asked worriedly, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder and Antonius looked at him in surprise before his expression faded to one of guilt.

"I'm really sor-"

"Now is not the time," Scorpius cut him off, jerking his head in the direction of the battle before noticing Martha's absence, "Where did-"

"She went to go destroy the Scepter," Antonius told him quickly and Scorpius nodded, he thought he could trust her with that, "And Jack/One ditched me here."

"I think we should divide and conquer," Brutus commented as he came over to them, crouching low and waving as his wand which caused the ground beside them to flow up like a wave then freeze in place as a solid lump to shield them from attacks, "I take the Shadow Master, you take Tommy and we try convince them to calm down. If they both calm down then people are less likely get obliterated, failing that we can try physically subduing them ourselves since I don't think spells will hit."

"Can't you just apparate one of them away like you did before?" Scorpius wondered but he shook his head.

"No, someone's put up anti-apparation wards. I can break them but it'll take too long."

"Specter… teleporting then?" Antonius suggested.

"No, they'll be obliterated if they try transporting someone using raw power like that."

"Okay then, I take Calderon, you take the Shadow Master," Scorpius agreed with Brutus' plan and ducked frantically as the top of their earth shield wall was blown to smithereens, showering them in dirt, "We have to move fast."

"What about me?" Antonius asked.

"You go hide in those trees for protection," Brutus commanded and Scorpius was actually surprised to find himself in agreement.

"But I-"

"You did your part, you got the Scepter," Scorpius interrupted, jabbing his finger at the trees, "It's done, the focus now is getting everyone to survive this and that includes you so get in the trees and be safe. It doesn't take two of us to talk to Calderon. Okay?"

"Okay," Antonius reluctantly agreed and scurried quickly over to the tree line.

"Ready?" Brutus asked of him once Antonius was safely out of sight.

"As I'll ever be," Scorpius said as he took a deep breath, "I'll give you a minute to get closer to the Shadow Master, then we try get close enough to be within speaking range. If it doesn't work in five minutes we try to stun them, if that doesn't work them we tackle them."

"Good luck," Brutus offered with a nod of acknowledgement before tearing away in the opposite direction.

Scorpius waited as promised, finding it both easier and harder to see with Brutus' failing earth wall blocking out some of the clashing magical energies. He waited until he saw Brutus a similar distance from the Shadow Master as he was from Calderon before making his move, he saw Brutus figure nod at him as if an acknowledgement it was time to go. Scorpius returned the nod before bolting towards the blur of blinding yellow light that was Calderon.

Scorpius tried to call for his cousin as he ran over the thrum of power, feeling as he was into a wind so violent he could barely feel his feet touching the ground. As he got closer he could see it wasn't just a blur of light, Calderon and his sister were shooting lightning bolts and bursts of flames at each other that were being blocked explosively by more.

Calderon wasn't looking healthy, fissures crept around his skin with crimson oozing through the cracks. And that was the parts of him not glowing, pale yellow light bled from other parts of him and the skin around it looked burned. The half of his face that wasn't unhealthy luminous was streaming tears, gulping down sobs.

"Calderon!" Scorpius screamed desperately at his cousin, being acknowledged by the shift of his eyeball but he didn't break away from his battle with the Shadow Master, "You need to stop this! You need to calm down! You're going to destroy yourself!"

"I know," Calderon choked out tearfully, somehow his words managing to be heard over the roar of power and Scorpius was taken aback, "My life is over, Scor, I know that. Everyone keeps saying I have to stop my sister, that I'm the only one. So this is it, she can't stop attacking me or she'll die then it's over either way. We were born on this day and we'll die on this day."

"No! Calderon, no!" Scorpius cried, horrified at the thought of his cousin dying like this, "You're wrong! It doesn't have to be this way! Just walk away, we can all walk away alive today."

"You walk away, you get out of here. I'm trying to make it so we don't die in a explosive destructive destroying everything way like my ancestor but I still wouldn't want to be around me right now."

"I'm not leaving you! I'm not letting you die!" Scorpius protested determinedly, his tears – or maybe the magic-wind – stung his eyes as he whipped out his wand, "Stupefy!"

His spell streaked out towards the target of Calderon, it was aimed perfectly and struck just where he'd intended. Except it didn't. When it got close enough, it just sizzled in the blinding yellow and died. Brutus was right, spells were a bad idea.

"See? You can't stop this so just go, please just go."

"I'm not leaving you!" Scorpius insisted, there was no way he was going to just let his cousin die, "Calderon please, this is insane."

"I said go!" Calderon shouted, "I don't want to hurt you, Scor."

"I'm not leaving without you!"

Scorpius made to run closer to Calderon, if he could tackle him then he could Portkey them away. Brutus hadn't said that wouldn't work, he could Portkey back immediately by himself and grab Antonius then they'd both be back safely with Gray, with Varanian. He could worry about Martha after, for now just walking away alive with his suddenly stupidly sacrificial and suicidal friends would suffice.

To his surprise, Calderon tearfully flicked his hand at him causing a bolt of yellow light to fire at him. Scorpius tried to throw himself aside but the wind slowed his movement, it still caught his shoulder and he screamed a he fell to his knees with his shoulder now searing from a fresh burn. He gritted his teeth against the pain.

"I'm so sorry!" Calderon shrieked, his body jerking oddly as the light engulfed his whole face, "But please, go! Get to safety, just go!"

"Not without you!" Scorpius insisted determinedly.

He wasn't going to fail, he couldn't fail. He'd come too far, come too close. If he couldn't stop the Shadow Master, he could at least save the people he cared about. He pulled himself to his feet, trying to trudge further on to reach Calderon through the forceful wind still battering him and upsetting his burns. He wasn't leaving, he wasn't leaving him, he wasn't losing him or Antonius so they could both forget about dying.

"Forgive me," Calderon whispered, his words almost entirely lost in the wind.

He was almost at Calderon, he was so close he could almost touch him and reached out the hand from his non-injured shoulder. He heard Calderon scream a high-pitched screech that was joined by another as Scorpius' world exploded into pale yellow light, he threw himself forwards at Calderon desperately. He refused to let him die, he wasn't going to lose him, he wasn't going to lose anyone.

"NO!"

Part 2: Defying Death

"Sal! Sal, you have to stop this!" Brutus cried through the blinding azure light emanating and swirling from his lover while yellow bolts were crashing through from Tommy, horrified to see her skin cracking with blood oozing out while other areas were glowing with blue light. The strain and pain on her face was still obvious though, "SAL!"

"Brutus?! What are you doing?!" Sal complained at him – having to yell over the thrum of the power - and idly threw one hand back while the other remained outstretched, he immediately felt himself being battered less by the… everything, "Get back! You'll get hurt!"

"You're going to hurt! You and Tommy are going to destroy each other, you have to calm down!"

"I am calm! Tell him to calm down!" Sal yelled, "If I stop, I'll be destroyed. I have to match his power or I'll be blown away, I think he's finally lost the rest of his mind!"

"Scorpius is talking to him, you both have to stop-"

"I TOLD YOU CAN'T! Just go! Get to safety" Sal cut him off as the light seemed to engulf her completely, so bright he had to look away, "Brutus go! I can barely protect myself, get to safet-"

Sal's sentence became a scream of pain that he heard mix with her twin's before his world exploded in a chaotic burst of azure light, he was thrown someway into the air. In the blink of an eye the light was gone and the thrum melded into the wind, he hit the ground and rolled as his suddenly dark world spun.

"NO! I WON'T LET YOU DIE, I WON'T FAIL YOU, I WON'T LOSE YOU!" Scorpius screamed, crying as he continued running forwards through the yellow light where Calderon had stood, "I WON'T!"

He reached out to his cousin, trying to grab him and then pain. Scorpius felt an unbearable burst of raw agony tear through his soul, he presumed from the magical energy around him. It'd hurt more to lose his cousin though, his friend. He cried from the pain but he wouldn't let go, he wouldn't stop. He had to grab Calderon, then he could hold him tight and pull him away from this battle.

He felt like he was succeeding, he felt he had a hold on Calderon despite his fingers not feeling anything tangible. His cousin tried to squirm from his grasp but Scorpius wasn't going to let him die, he wouldn't. He screamed at the rush of pain crashing through him but it was lost in the deafening rushing of power around him, he couldn't see through light in his vision but he didn't let go. He wouldn't let go.

And then he fell. Scorpius felt his body hit the ground, thudding onto the grass with his hand grasped tightly around a wrist. The light vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving behind a void of darkness while the thrum of magic dissipated into the blowing breeze. The pain receded but he still felt an ache in his heart, his chest which he was unfortunately laying on, shoulder and hand – the one gripping Calderon – were stinging as well.

Martha immediately saw that Jack/One's mind was very much not like other minds, she could tell that just from the surface thoughts alone. It wasn't uncommon for people to have several surface thoughts at once, even about different things or conflicting opinions but it was for them to be different. Each mind was unique and as such everyone had slightly different thoughts, it was like everyone had their own font and color which every single one of their thoughts were in. Except in this case.

He had two separate thought patterns, two distinct styles but it still wasn't the end to the oddity. One was clearly Jack's, it was clearly human. But the other wasn't, its thoughts seemed shadowy and blurred in comparison, rougher somehow more like a child but not. It was harder to understand, kind of like having to squint to bring into focus. Her mind didn't like having to do this, her head still hurt from the mental stress of all the Legilimency she'd been using over the past few days and dealing with One's mind was more draining then regular minds since it wasn't human. It was odd though, the thoughts weren't a jumbled mess like an insane person either but still with distinctly different layers of the mind.

She'd actually expected two minds but delving further in brought her to the same places, just with the two separate patterns of thought in each. Two separate minds trapped in the same skull, merging together gradually it seemed as some were harder to distinguish with One's thoughts becoming clearer and Jack's more shadowy, some more so then others. She waded through their mind, finding more signs of their separate identities in their memories but the thoughts and desires were being more corrupted by each other. One was stronger, it had a very strong sense of self which served it well but it was still losing itself just as Jack was. It was quite ironic really, she could see its desire and what it wanted more than anything was to be its own person not just the shadow of one.

It wasn't normal but it was still a mind, she hoped she could still control them because she could use some help getting to this veil. She searched his memories and was surprised but pleased to see One had been to the Ministry before, albeit as a Specter and even more importantly knew where the Veil was. She saw it through its eyes, the stone archway. She quickly and eagerly shoved his mutilated consciousness aside, gaining control over the body to teleport – or phasing as they were apparently calling it – her and the Scepter to the Ministry.

She had him take her arm and phase into the chamber by it, she felt a pang of relief that quickly turned to horror as One kicked her out of their mind. In her haste, she'd utterly forgotten about putting his consciousness in his subconscious so they wouldn't be able to interfere.

Brutus pulled himself into a sitting positon as soon as it stopped, dizzily turning and blinking through the sudden void of darkness lit only by the hint of color starting to seep into the sky. He spotted Tommy first, his glazed eyes sightlessly aimed in Brutus' direction while smoke drifted up from his still body. Scorpius lay beside him but his head was away from him and it was too dark and distant to tell if he was breathing, Antonius was scrambling out of the trees to go to them. He was glad his nephew but felt a horrible pang of sorrow for Tommy, his heart also started to beat faster.

"Sal?" Brutus questioned and his head swiveled to his lover, noticing her lying also with smoke floating over her scorched body. He scrambled over to her and saw her glazed eyes staring sightlessly up at the sky, he felt as if his heart stopped in shock and he fumbled to press his fingers to her neck in desperation to find a pulse. Nothing, "Sal…"

Brutus choked on a sob and pulled her body to him, cradling her gently in his arms. He couldn't believe it, he literally couldn't. She was so powerful, so strong, she and Tommy were the most powerful magical people on the entire planet. And now they were dead, just like that. A minute ago she'd been alive. Just a minute ago. Why hadn't he done something? What kind of stupid plan had he come up with to talk them down? He knew them better than that, he should've known that wouldn't work. He was such a fucking idiot.

And now they were dead. The two people he'd been explicitly told to protect, he hadn't protected them though. He rocked gently back and forth as the tears dripped from his eyes, he didn't even have a scratch on him. Sal had protected him instead, if she hadn't would she still be alive? She'd been the biggest part of his life for so long, how could she just be gone? Just like that, the blink of an eye. That's how death works, his mind reminded him. Now their sons had no mother, the Soul Eaters had no leader. Well, he was relieved about that at least.

He scowled angrily at himself but he shouldn't shake the sliver of relief, he was glad her death meant the war could end. And he hated himself for thinking that. He cried harder, holding her closer. If she was alive she'd remind him the world would be better when it was over, she'd smile at him the way no one else did and wipe the tears from his eyes then probably squeeze his hand because she always fucking wanted to hold his hand. He couldn't believe she wouldn't hold his hand anymore, he stared up at the sky as the grief tore at his heart and the tears wouldn't stop streaming from his eyes. They may have been born in a prison cell exactly forty-one years ago to the day, to almost the hour but they'd died free, under the sky. He thought they'd like that, they were free now. And he was alone.

Martha was thrown violently back into her own mind, she felt as if she had a bell bouncing painfully off the insides of her skull and making her whole head ring. Jack/One tightened the grip on her arm and threw her, slamming her – she groaned as it aggravated the bruises she'd gotten from their prior fight – into the solid stone archway where she slumped to the ground.

"Brat, I'll make sure you never get in my head again," One growled and raised his hand, her mind flashed in panic briefly as she couldn't cast a Patronus to stop him.

"It's not really your mind is it?" Martha shot out and raised the Scepter – it was faster than drawing her own wand since the Scepter was already in her hand – to try pierce his mind this time. Spells couldn't block his soul destroying but maybe jumping into his mind could, if she could get control again maybe she could stop it.

"What is that supposed to mean?" One demanded as she dived into his mind, they were on guard this time though and ready so it didn't work.

"You think you're in control and that Jack's the only one losing himself but he's not!" Martha yelled and trailed off as her sentence became a scream of pain.

She didn't know if it was intensified or diminished because she was still in Jack/One's mind but it hurt, she felt as if her soul was being destroyed. She tried to think because she couldn't die, not until the Scepter was gone. She had to do something but she couldn't cast a Patronus, what else would repel them? It wasn't like she could attack his soul- Or could she? He may be preventing her from controlling his mind but the rest of his mind was open, she threw herself into their emotions and shared her pain with them.

Jack/One screamed as they felt her pain, they weren't in danger themselves but they let her go anyway to stop their own pain. She was aware of her body slumping weakly and breathing heavily, he may've let her soul go but her head felt ready to split in two. She didn't leave Jack/One's mind though, if she did she'd be dead. Not that she expected this to stop them for long, she couldn't fight him in his current state though. All she had was his mixed up head that was Frankensteined together of Jack and One… She wondered what would happen if she divided them again, was that even possible? Only one way to find out. She was determined to do this, if she failed she was dead.

She gathered up her strength before digging deep, taking a mental step back and somehow taking hold of both Jack and One's individual minds recognized by their unique thought patterns. She then started to pull the apart, she saw a distant orange glow from the Scepter as the orb lit up. She was using it as her wand, she suppose in that moment she also had access to its power. It was probably the only reason she'd managed all this, it also gave her a confidence boost. If it was possible for her to pull their minds- their very souls apart, now was the time.

Scorpius didn't know whether he passed out or just zoned out for awhile but he realized he could hear crying, it sounded like a child. He also noticed he didn't feel good, maybe that food Martha had given him hadn't been so good after all. He opened his eyes, able to see as the sky now had a hint of navy in it now as dawn must be approaching. He gasped in horror at the glazed eyes staring back at him. Calderon.

He recognized his cousin, even if his face was cracked. The skin riddled with the same cuts that had been creeping through his body before, blood still clinging to some of them. Patches of that were blistered, burned to various degrees, his clothes all torn. It looked painful, Calderon had died in pain. Scorpius choked on a sob as he pulled himself to his knees shakily, prying his fingers off of Calderon's wrist and was vaguely aware of Antonius sitting on Calderon's other side crying. Scorpius had failed, Calderon was dead.

"I'm sorry," Scorpius said, the words thick and muffled as he buried his face in his hands as tears fell from his eyes. He was never going to get to speak to him again, never going to be able to get Calderon to safety, never hear his damned demented laugh again or see those flurry of random lights. All because Scorpius hadn't been good enough, he hadn't been better. And now Calderon was just gone. And after everything Calderon had done for him, for the world and all the support he'd given him. He didn't realize how hard he was crying until he tried to speak again and the words came out as a pathetic croak, "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," Antonius assured him sounding tearful himself and Scorpius felt a small hand on his shoulder, "You tried."

"It wasn't good enough!" Scorpius snapped at the boy, turning to him and was barely able to make the boy through the film of tears, "I failed, I failed him. Calderon deserved better! After everything he did, after everything he'd been through… He shouldn't have died here, he should've died old, in Hogwarts where he belonged, where he loved… I think- I think he would've liked that. He deserved better. Not to die now, not like this. He shouldn't have died in pain after a year of being locked up like a prisoner for something he didn't even do, he deserved better and I failed him…"

"I know," Antonius croaked crying, "But if it's anyone's fault its mine, Florian gave me the chance to back out but I didn't. I never- I never thought- I thought he'd win against-"

"The Shadow Master," Scorpius finished his sentence in panic and spun to look for the source of all evil, he was shocked by what he saw however.

A few feet away Brutus was kneeling, facing in their direction and cradling a woman. She was slender with night black wavy hair, maybe a bit longer then shoulder-length and was dressed all in black as well that was all ripped similarly to Calderon's. Like Calderon she was injured too, her skin cracked and burned as well. Also like Calderon, she was unhealthily still and her glazed over eyes were staring sightlessly right at him. She was dead.

Scorpius was so shocked that it startled him from his grief for a minute, somehow it hadn't occurred to him that Calderon would actually have succeeded in taking his twin with him. He stood slowly, struggling a bit to move as his shaking legs threatened to buckle. He was still vaguely aware of unwell but that was unimportant as he shuffled over to the pair, up closer he noticed Brutus' eyes were puffy and red as if he'd been crying. The muscular man wiped them as he approached and gently- ever so gently, laid the woman down on the ground. He pushed her eyelids closed tenderly as he noticed it, she still was dead now and drew no breath.

"Is that the Shadow-"

"She's the Shadow Master," Brutus confirmed quietly, looking sorrowfully down at the woman, "She's dead, they're both dead."

"I can't- I can't believe it," Scorpius stammered out, finding it hard to believe just like that it was over, "Does this mean-"

Abruptly the Shadow Master jolted upright, Antonius screamed – making Scorpius realize the boy had followed him – and joined him and Brutus both in jumping a panicked foot back in the air. She gasped for breath, shakily and unevenly where she hadn't been before. Scorpius took Antonius arm and backed him away, trying to smother his surprise. Of course she'd probably planned to… come back from the dead… somehow with… Specter powers or something, that sounded like the Shadow Master he knew. Brutus' deformity made his expression hard to read but Scorpius got the look of utter shock, he hadn't expected this either.

"Sal- Sal, ar- are you-" Brutus stammered out as he crouched beside her, the Shadow Master glanced at him and his eyes only seemed to bug further out of his skull.

"I'm alive," the woman confirmed, her voice a weak rasp and Scorpius noticed she looked unexpectedly as surprised as the rest of them.

"You- You were-"

"I was dead, I know. And now I'm not."

"How…?"

"I have no idea," the Shadow Master stated firmly, sounding rather certain about her uncertainty, "Did you do anything?"

"What would I do?! You were dead!" Brutus spluttered out and the Shadow Master cocked her head to one side thoughtfully.

"True. Hmm…" the Shadow Master mused, her expression shifting to one of worry before Brutus hugged her tightly as if just relieved she was alright, "Well I'm glad to not be dead all the same."

Martha pulled harder causing her own skull to flare in agony at the mental effort required but it started to work, she felt their conjoined mind starting to tear apart. Jack/One screamed, they fell to their knees clutching at their head. She kept pulling, feeling them ripping further apart but had to scream herself as she felt her own mind tearing too. She was now confident she could to it but not that her own mind wouldn't be destroyed in the process, if this would destroy as dark a creature as Jack/One made as a soul destroying monster then it was worth it. She just had to destroy the Scepter first, make sure the Shadow Master couldn't find it with their corpses. She dropped the magic as she felt her mind starting to crumble.

Jack/One fell to the ground shuddering and she left his mind, practically collapsing back into her own weak body with the searing pain in her head threatening to overwhelm her for a minute. She may hate the Shadows and their cruel methods but they had trained her well about dealing with pain, she shoved through it. She'd rest when she was dead or the mission was complete, whichever came first.

Martha picked her body up, dragging the Scepter with her and the ancient artifact scraped the stone ground loudly in the silent chamber. Her legs threatened to buckled beneath her and she gripped onto the archway to stop herself falling in, she knelt there breathing heavily and her body swaying in time with the tattered black curtain. She just had to throw it but the Scepter so heavy, she tried to raise her arm but it was too heavy to lift, so was her head- heck her eyelids were too heavy to lift. She tried to keep her grip on the archway, couldn't fall in.

"You can do it…" a familiar voice with an odd eerie chill whispered, Martha raised her head.

"Carver?" Martha wondered tearfully, shivering suddenly and not sure if she'd imagined it. No reply.

It gave her strength regardless though, she had to do this. So Carver wouldn't die in vain, so the world had a chance, so her family had a chance. She pulled herself back to her feet, this time her legs trembled but didn't buckle. She swung her arm back to throw the Scepter in, only for a hand to grab her wrist before she could.

"You were right, brat, I am losing myself," One hissed into her and twisted, she gritted her teeth against the pain as her wrist snapped but nonetheless she kept her fingers wrapped around the handle, "I'd have never sought to destroy such a thing otherwise, why destroy what I can keep for myself?"

Martha summoned the last of her strength and twisted around, grabbing Jack/One with her free hand and pulling them both into the Veil. She heard Jack/One yelp before shadowy darkness engulfed her, Jack/One phased them away before they could fall into it. She then hit the ground painfully but it did seek to serve as separating her from Jack/One, she rolled away from him and sat abruptly and was relieved to see they were still in the chamber with the Veil.

She pulled her body up into a run towards the Veil, too quickly and weakly so she started to fall. She flung the Scepter towards the Veil, somewhat awkwardly with her broken wrist before she fell. She hit ground and heard the Scepter hit the ground with a ping, she raised her head and saw it bounce off the stone and slip into the Veil. The Scepter of Night was gone.

Martha might've smiled to herself if she had the strength but instead, her head hit the ground with a painful thud. She knew she should get up, she should try deal with Jack/One while she had the chance – the Veil might kill them – as he was unlikely to just do nothing or get back to Scorpius outside but she was wiped.

Scorpius was quite sure she hadn't noticed him or Antonius, he was also starting to wonder if he wasn't dreaming. The Shadow Master was hugging someone, she was supposed to be a monster. She was a monster. Calderon was dead because of her, just like his grandfather, his sister, Varanian's dead wife, Molly's parents, Vern's parents, a bunch of other Weasleys, a bunch of other people in general. Not to mention all the pain she was responsible for even if she didn't do it directly, destroying people's homes, destroying people's lives, the magic ripping out of people's souls, the muggles' abuse, the harsh methods and screwed up way the Shadow soldier kids were treated, the horrific torture Leebin had been put through, the people who'd been turned into werewolves… Calderon had died to stop her and she had the nerve to return from the dead, acting like a perfectly sane human being.

"Wait, what about Tommy?" the Shadow Master asked Brutus, snapping Scorpius away from the rage starting to bubble up from deep inside him, "Is he okay?"

"He's not okay, you murdered him!" Scorpius barked angrily and withdrew his wand, she noticed him then, "I hoped you like hell because I'm sending you back there-"

"Yeah… I don't think so," the Shadow Master muttered and lazily flicked her hand, his wand went flying. She opened her palm to him and Scorpius was sent flying, landing on his butt and bouncing painfully to land by Calderon.

"Scor!" Antonius cried and ran over to him as he started to sit, looking anxious, "Are you okay?"

"Fine," Scorpius growled irritably at how easily he'd been taken down, he held out his hand, "Give me your wand."

"Y'know if I came back then Tommy has to as well," the Shadow Master was commenting to Brutus as he helped her to her feet.

She seemed slightly unbalanced – reminding Scorpius that she was injured aside from the wounds to her face and hands - and almost fell before Brutus steadied her, now was the best time to fight her and finish what Calderon had started. Antonius placed his wand into Scorpius' hand and Scorpius jumped back up to his feet, slashing a vicious Acutus at her.

The Shadow Master laughed, holding up her hand firmly. His spell sparked as if showing signs of connecting but didn't do any damage to her hand, instead he was thrown back in pain as he felt as if a blade tore through his already injured shoulder. He grunted in pain and felt Antonius' wand go flying from his hand once more.

"Is the best you can do, cousin?" the Shadow Master taunted, "I'm not even trying. Not so strong now you severed the connection to me, are you?"

"Well we took your Scepter!" Antonius snapped defensively and stepped protectively in front of Scorpius, Scorpius quickly got to his feet as he didn't like that, "It's probably destroyed by now."

"And?" the Shadow Master scoffed, closing her eyes briefly, "I can't sense it anymore so maybe you're right but if then so what?"

"So what?" Antonius repeated in confusion as Scorpius stood by his side.

"So did you really think taking my Scepter would stop me? Did you actually think it would leave me powerless? I was powerful a long time before I found the Scepter and now I have an army of millions from all the countries I've claimed, apparently I'm immortal I'm so powerful," the Shadow Master pointed out and Scorpius watched Antonius' face slowly fall, "Did you really think I wouldn't have studied it enough to be able to recreate it? Except this new one won't have whatever connection to you that allowed you to manipulate it away from me, in fact thank you. I didn't realize there was a flaw like that, I'll make sure to fix that for the next one."

"Well we're not going to give up! Accio wand," Antonius protested, his voice cracking as if he was trying not to cry. To Scorpius' surprise, Antonius' wand actually flew to his hand. Scorpius tried to non-verbally do the same.

"Accio wand!" Scorpius tried aloud, holding out his good hand but it still didn't work. He scowled, had he really lost his talent with spells from severing the connection? Or was it just had Florian just taught Antonius to do this? Or that Antonius' wand was special?

"You still suck," the Shadow Master quipped and held out her hand again.

"Protego!" Antonius cried and a silver shield slammed up, it did nothing to stop him and Scorpius from being thrown back.

"So weak. You're a disgrace to the powerful blood that runs through your veins."

"We should leave," Brutus urged her pleadingly, "If Tommy hasn't woken up by now then I don't think he's going to."

"He will!" the Shadow Master shrieked determinedly a bolt of azure lightning shot down out of the sky, crashing into the road with enough force to cause the ground shake while clumps of concentrate were blasted up from the road. Thankfully, they weren't close enough to be in the road to be hit by the blast radius. Only Brutus acted like this was a normal event yet Scorpius didn't think it was intentional on her part. She may have more control then Calderon, but stronger emotions must still cause outbursts of powerful magic, "If I'm powerful enough to defy death then so is he!"

"I don't think so, Sal," Brutus whispered gently and as much as Scorpius wanted him to be right, he thought he was right. It was much more likely that whatever reason she had for returning from the dead was to do with her dark shadowy powers, Calderon hadn't been in to that stuff. Calderon was good. He was… Scorpius shamefully blinked away tears as he stood and saw the Shadow Master do the same, he was alone in feeling sweat on his brow though despite the cold wind.

"This is your fault," the Shadow Master decided, turning on him and Antonius angrily and raising her hand, "You forced him into this, I'll kill you both-"

"No," Brutus protested and grabbed her wrist, her eyes shifted to him in annoyance, "Scorpius wasn't even here when it started and Antonius is a child, someone put him up to this. This wasn't their fault. Killing them isn't going to make him wake up or bring him back, it'll just leave two more dead family members to bury. Let's just go home."

Scorpius thought Brutus was quite mad and stepped protectively in front of Antonius, speaking to the Shadow Master like that was just going to get him killed. A part of him thought he should do something more but either grief or fatigue was making it hard to think straight, he didn't have to though. After a long glare at Brutus, the Shadow Master yanked away her arm and lowered it. He still wasn't convinced he wasn't dreaming, he was feeling lightheaded.

"Okay," the Shadow Master agreed quietly before throwing a dark look back to them, "Never let it be said your new ruler is incapable of mercy."

"Of course," Brutus said, his tone one of evident relief while the Shadow Master strode slowly over to Calderon with Brutus following, crouching beside him before snapping her fingers and taking hold of his wrist.

"Let go of him!" Scorpius snarled, coming out of his odd stupor to rush at them but she sighed and waved her hand, flinging him back again.

"He's my brother, I'm taking him," the Shadow Master snapped, "Brutus apparate us, I broke One's wards."

"Can't you apparate?" Antonius questioned in a tone of surprise.

"I could learn to if I want to, I just choose not to," the Shadow Master said testily as Brutus placed a hand on her shoulder.

"No!" Scorpius called weakly – he felt as if he was going to throw up – as he reached out but Brutus disapparated with the children of Voldemort anyway, he hit the ground in frustration. She was right, he was weak and now Calderon was truly gone.

Part 3: The Struggle of Souls

Scorpius sat there numbly, staring out into the sky as the dawn light slowly started to bleed into it. He couldn't believe it was over, just like that they were gone. He buried his face in his hands, wondering what in the world had ever possessed him to do this of all things. Now Calderon was dead and the Shadow Master was stronger than ever seeing as she was apparently immortal, how were they ever supposed to beat someone who could return from the dead?

"I'm sorry," a small voice muttered and Scorpius glanced up to see Antonius sitting beside him, blinking back tears, "I swear I didn't know this was going to happen, I really thought- I really let myself believe we could do it. I got sucked into Florian's lunacy, I never meant for Calderon to die. He- He always just seemed so invincible, you know? And I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

On that note, Antonius broke down crying. Scorpius looked at his young friend for a moment, a fresh wave of grief crashing against his heart as he recalled that Antonius had still doomed himself to an early grave. Not if he could help it though, well he failed at everything but he thought Rojer had a chance. If anyone knew it was Rojer considering what he knew about soul, if he didn't then... Well, Scorpius didn't want to think about that. He pulled the boy into his arms to comfort him, even though his tests Scorpius recognized the surprise in his eyes.

"It's okay," Scorpius assured him gently, patting the kid's shoulder gently to try be comforting.

"D-Don't you h-hate me?" Antonius stammered out, much to Scorpius' surprise.

"Of course I don't hate you. Don't get me wrong, you made a mistake. A very bad, serious mistake that you absolutely shouldn't make again," Scorpius added quickly, not wanting to give the wrong impression, "But we all make mistakes, you're my friend and I forgive you. What matters is that you learn from them, we just need to keep you alive to do that. That's what we need to focus on right now, C-C- that's what he would've wanted."

"He did fight to protect me," Antonius murmured, fresh tears welling in his eyes and Scorpius hugged him rightly back, wishing he could do more then be useless right now, "But I'm still sorry about everything, I should never have believed Jack/One for a second and- Are you okay, Scor? Your skin feels really hot."

"I'm fine," Scorpius brushed it off, not wanting to admit he felt ill. It was just his grief really, the strain of the past few days probably hitting him quite physically right now.

"Hey," a gruff voice said and they both leaped to their feet in an instant, spinning and going to draw wands they didn't have to aim at the speaker. Brutus. Scorpius went to glare but to his surprise, Brutus must've collected their wands as he tossed them over to the correct owners, "Looking for those?"

"What are you-"

"I'm not here to fight you," Brutus cut Scorpius off firmly, he nodded in Antonius' direction as the boy quickly wiped his eyes, "I'm going to get my nephew home safely and that's that, I don't have a lot of time so get a move on. She broke the wards so I can apparate you back to Hogwarts, or at least outside it."

"Bring back Calderon!" Scorpius demanded immediately, aiming his wand at Brutus with a treacherously shaky arm though. He wasn't afraid, he just felt cold on the outside while inside he felt as if he was on fire and his flame-churned stomach wanted to hurl.

"I can't do that, I'm a Lieutenant not a deity," Brutus stated as he lazily batted aside Scorpius' wand, "Come on, do you want to go home or not?"

"Why is she even alive?"

"I have no idea, I swear," Brutus insisted before looking around as if nervous, "Now come on, I don't have a lot of time and you look like crap."

"So do you," Scorpius snapped back irritably and wiped the film of sweat forming on his brow.

"Trust me, okay!? I'm trying to help! I could've stunned you in the back and took you anywhere just now but I didn't."

"Okay," Antonius agreed rather surprising although he still eyed his uncle with caution as he approached, "Take us back, there's nothing left for us here."

"We should at least talk about this," Scorpius complained, raising his wand shakily again while Brutus offered Antonius a hand. The other boy took it and Scorpius put a firm hand on his shoulder, fearing if Brutus did apparate- Brutus chose that moment to apparate on, "Dammit!"

"What?" Brutus complained as they reappeared after an unusually long moment of apparation, Scorpius yanked Antonius away protectively, "We're here."

"That's the point," Scorpius snapped as he looked around, seeing indeed they were in Hogsmeade rather near the Hogwarts entrance, "The point is we're enemies, stop being so damn confusing and pick a freaking side!"

"We have the same goal right now," Brutus insisted before gesturing in the destination of Hogwarts, "Now get you get Antonius back home safe, okay? I can't go any further without arrest but you can so damn well make sure you get him to safety, do not let him leave your sight until he's with my brother, make bloody sure he's okay or you'll find out what I'm like when we're not on the same side. Do you understand?"

"I understand, I want him to be safe even more then you do," Scorpius snapped and wondered if Brutus knew about how Antonius was dying right now.

"I'm right here," Antonius pointed out irritably.

"Your job is to stay away from crazed psychos and don't get in the Shadow Master's way, I won't always be able to save you."

"I-" Antonius started to say but Brutus disapparated, "My uncle is a hard guy to understand."

"Tell me about," Scorpius muttered, his body shivering while sweat dripped down his brow. Antonius scowled at him worriedly.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine! Now come on."

"What are we going to do anyway?" Antonius wondered, "Just walk up to the Aurors and ask to be let back to Hogwarts just like that?"

"No," Scorpius shook his head, "Besides, I want see Rojer first."

"Why? I want to see my dad," Antonius admitted.

"I know but if we caught up with the official Aurors and all that crap, it could be ages before we get to speak to Rojer. He knows about soul, if anyone knows how to save you then its him and I'm sure your dad wouldn't mind waiting a bit longer to see you if it could save your life."

"I guess but how do we get past the Aurors?"

"With a Thestral of course," Scorpius said and tried to muster the will to smile. He failed. He cast a quick Disillusionment Charm on Antonius who just looked confused, "When I transform, climb onto me and I'll fly us to Rojer's tower. Since Thestrals are known to live here, they shouldn't think much of one flying over."

"I don-" Antonius started to say before gasping as Scorpius transformed back into a Thestral, as Antonius climbed on he was sharply reminded of Martha. Where had she gotten to? Had she destroyed the Scepter successfully? Would she be alright to get back by herself? He could only hope so and felt kind of bad for forgetting her. Then again, Brutus hadn't exactly given him much choice anyway, "Okay? I'm on."

Scorpius tried to tell him to hold on tight but his voice came out only as inhuman Thestral noises, he didn't think Antonius would understand that. Instead he simply spread his wings and took off into the lightening sky, glad it was a short flight as he felt… weaker. He reached the window of the Alchemy Tower quickly, finding it closed but unlocked so it was easy to kick open with his hooves.

He sailed in and landed carefully, trying his best not to knock anything over. It seemed to work, it was easier when the tables were clear as they were now since obviously there was no class at the crack of dawn. He waited for Antonius to get off him, having to jerk his back to try make him get the hint when Antonius didn't seem to realize this. Antonius hastily clambered off and Scorpius reverted back, panting heavily and feeling rather queasy.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Antonius asked him worriedly.

"Yes!" Scorpius snapped testily and removed the enchantment from Antonius before staggering over to the door he knew led to Rojer's quarters, he took a deep breath and once more wiped the sweat from his brow before knocking. No answer. He knocked louder. No answer. He knocked louder, wondering if the Alchemist was even there and got a garbled reply in a foreign language, "Rojer! Rojer, are you there?! We need your help."

"Go back when the light is," Rojer grumbled sleepily – and sounding rather displeased - from the other side of the door, Scorpius stopped knocking and instead leaned against it for support as his legs were shaking so badly, "I is sleeping."

"Rojer please, it's an emergency. It can't wait," Scorpius pleaded and heard the man groan irritably, there were sounds of movement before the door opened to reveal the alchemist. He seemed to have just gotten up, he was dressed but his hair was rather disheveled and his scowl was more irritated than usual, "I'm sorry for waking you but… please help if you can, I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate."

One couldn't believe it, it really couldn't. This whole time it had thought it was going well, that it finally had the body and life had long since craved, that it was free at last from having to live – to exist in the shadows of life as a parasite. But no, it wasn't. This whole time it had been deceived, it had been losing itself as surely as Jack was. And it hadn't even realized it, the whole thing was a nightmare.

"What does this mean?" Jack wondered weakly but slightly hopefully, whatever the girl had done to them had left them drained with their heads in agony, "For us? If this defeats the whole reason you wanted to merge with me, does that mean you'll leave me alone?"

"Of course not, you fool," One sneered irritably as it paced them idly, "I still have no idea how to separate us and I don't know enough about this whole thing to know what to do."

"We should ask the girl."

"We should," One agreed and they unanimously stalked over to her fallen body.

"Don't hurt-" Jack started to say but One ignored him as it gave her a violent kick to wake her, she groaned slightly but didn't wake. It kicked her again. And again in annoyance, her lack of consciousness also provided little pain to feed off of, "Clearly that's not working! Stop it!"

"Fine," One grumbled and grabbed her instead, hauling her up and shaking her roughly, "Girl! Wake up, girl!"

"That's not what I meant!"

"Wha…?" the girl mumbled sleepily and One threw her back to the ground, she bounced painfully off the ground and groaned again as she attempted to stir. It kicked her again.

"One! She's a child!"

"She was powerful enough to do something to your mind, that's connected to your soul. She's a powerful Legilimens, she's not a child but a soldier. One of the Elites the Training Tower pushes out except this one is clearly rogue. I'm not attacking her soul," One explained although left out that it feared her attack again if it did, plus it needed answers and it didn't want to accidentally destroy her soul because they'd get no answers then.

"Still," Jack insisted sulkily and One cursed the stupid morals of the man, missing when he was less objecting and vocal.

"Wake up!" One snapped at the girl and kicked her again, she clutched weakly at her side where it had kicked her, "You can't just drop a bombshell like that then go to sleep after destroying such a powerful artifact, do you even know what we could've done with that kind of power?!"

The girl muttered something unintelligible and it yanked her up into a sitting position, her head lolled and it punched her as hard as she could in the face. She cringed and turned her head back to face him, trying to open her eyes and failing. It felt Jack resisting and objecting to the treatment but he kicked the mortal's mind away, he wasn't as strong as One was.

"What?" the girl wondered tiredly, spitting out blood as she spoke, "I can't…"

"What did you do to us?" One demanded.

"I don't know."

"How do I keep my mind while merged?"

"I don't know," she repeated, her head lolling once more and it struck her violently once more.

"Pay attention to me!" One yelled and she managed to open her eyes a crack, her body lolled again and it shook her in frustration, "And stay awake! I have questions!"

"She's too weak," Jack insisted and managed to make it let go of the girl, she fell back already looking asleep again, "Whatever she did to us took it out of her clearly, if she even knows the answers then she's in no state to tell us."

"Fine, then she can die," One snapped angrily and raised their arm, feeling Jack resisting but he lowered it anyway – and not because of the mortal or his morals leaking in – because it didn't want to kill her. She'd done what no one else had and made it realize something it hadn't before, she could be useful. Killing her in frustration might end up coming back to bite it, "Alright, we can spare her. We better dump her back where we found her, I need to do more research on this. We can come back for her if we have need of her."

"How kind of you," Jack quipped but regardless crouched by her and they phased to the street they'd picked her up on, One was glad to see the city was still standing in the dawn light. It liked all the pretty colors even though it disliked light in general.

More importantly though, it meant the plan seemed to have been successful to at least some degree to stop Sal. The only two people who could destroy it – at least with certainty, it wasn't sure what the girl could do to them – may be dead, oddly it felt a slight… pang of sadness at this. After all, they had given it life along with the world's crappiest name. A name nonetheless though, an identity which was more than the other shadows had. His brethren remained rather mindless.

Of course the twins had turned on it eventually and for what? For protecting them? It wasn't its fault it had to feed off pain to survive, it hadn't chosen this life. It didn't even want this life, it wanted one of their lives. Humans, who didn't have to be enslaved to another being in order to not cease to exist. One had to find a way, neither enslavement or death appealed to it, it didn't even get an afterlife the way they did. It didn't know how long it had before it started losing itself to Jack either, it still didn't even know if it was possible to separate them but now it may be necessary.

There had to be some way it could get control, maybe there was some way to rip out of Jack's consciousness and replace it completely or destroy it beyond repair. Or maybe it would need to find another host, maybe someone with less of a mind then Jack like someone who was brain dead or had been kissed by a Dementor or maybe even just a very small child or baby. It didn't know but it was sure that it would find a way to live, dammit. It would.

"Let's go," One said to Jack and they phased away from the unconscious girl, "We should go rest, we will have much to research."

"Fine," Rojer growled, glaring between the pair accusingly as he limped over to his table at the front of the class and sat. He propped his head up on his head and gestured for him to on with the other, "So what is this? Tell me fast so that I can go back to the sleep. And you owe me this one, I do not like to have been awoken."

"Maybe we should leave him," Antonius pointed out, looking slightly fearful of the still glaring Alchemist.

"Do you want to die?" Scorpius hissed at him and approached Rojer shakily as he wiped the sweat off his brow again, wondering if he was aware of their disappearance as he gestured to Antonius, "Its Antonius, I don't know if you know that he was missing."

"Well there he is," Rojer stated irritably and pointed to Antonius, "He is there, not missing. Problem is solved. Why did you wake me?"

"He was taken as part of a plot to get the Scepter of Night off the Shadow Master, to make him more powerful they ripped the magic out of someone else's soul to add to his."

"Do you know this will kill him?" Rojer pointed out and Scorpius pulled up a seat, feeling as if his legs were about to buckle.

"I know. That's why I came to you," Scorpius said quietly, feeling his heart start to race as Antonius' life may very well rest with Rojer's next answer, "You know more about soul then anyone, do… do you know a way to save him?"

"No," Rojer stated bluntly and Scorpius gripped the table for support as he felt as if he'd fall off the chair otherwise, the weight of the news hitting him with the force of a thousand bricks. He desperately did not want to cry in front of Rojer but found himself incapable of choking on a sob, he'd just lost Calderon and now Antonius… "But I may be able to make one up."

"R-Really?" Scorpius wondered, lifting his head hopefully and blinking through the tears as the ever-grim face of the Alchemist.

"Why not? Alchemy is all about the experimentation, this has not been done before but I know theory and more than the most," Rojer shrugged before glancing at Antonius, "But know that this will hurt, to hurt the soul is the worst of the pain there ever was. Whether I have success or not, you will suffer and it may have all been for nothing. Do you agree to this?"

"Do- Do I agree?" Antonius repeated in confusion, Rojer rolled his eyes.

"I will not knowingly inflict pain onto you if you do not feel agreement with this, you are the one suffering not Scorpius so you must have to agree on your own."

"Oh right," Antonius muttered and took a deep breath before nodding, looking fearful though, "I'll do it. Not like my soul hasn't been hurt before."

"I'll be right here with you," Scorpius promised and squeezed the boy's hand comfortingly while Rojer wandered of back into his quarters, Antonius scowled.

"Your hand feels like it's on fire and it's all sweaty, your sweat is freezing."

"I am fine," Scorpius repeated not for the first time as Rojer returning, downing a potion before jabbing his wand around. The doors and windows slammed shut and locked, he also recognized the casting of a Silencing Charm, "What are you doing?"

"We will not get very far if he is screaming and people come," Rojer said as if it were obvious without looking at him, he gestured to the table and shoved a vial into Antonius' hands, "Drink and lie down on this."

"Okay," Antonius muttered, swallowing the liquid – making a face as he did so, indicating it didn't taste particularly good - nervously as he climbed onto the table – ironically the station Scorpius usually sat at in class – and lay down on his back, "Like this?"

"Like that," Rojer confirmed and took a breath while his expression remained grim and focused as usual, he started flicking his wand over Antonius in a serious of rapid complex motions with his wand while the empty hand hovered over also making movements, "Did they not add the whole of the magic?"

"No, just part. Jack/One insisted on taking it from an innocent man so I said to only take part, I hoped it would mean he would leave."

"This was either the cruelest or the kindest, he will not be in a good way but if this can work he will have be better off than if he did just die with this magic missing from this soul."

"Does- Does anyone feel like- like they're floating?" Antonius wondered, his tone becoming almost dreamy while Rojer continued his wand movements unperturbed as he had done for the rest of the conversation.

"Is just you, the potion was to strengthen the soul," Rojer said, still focused. He was so focused he was barely blinking, Scorpius thought he was seeing things that only he could though.

"You took that Eye of the Thestral potion, didn't you?" Scorpius asked curiously, Rojer nodded still without looking at him.

"Yes, seeing of the soul might be useful here," Rojer told him before pausing, taking a deep breath, "Alright, this is where we go."

Rojer held his hand roughly over Antonius heart and started waving his wand over it in a circular pattern, the ten year shuddered. He raised his hand higher and Antonius screamed, his face twisting in agony. Rojer slowly raised his hand, making short slashing movements with his wand that started to spark slivers of light. Antonius just kept screaming, screaming and screaming as he writhed on the table and tears exploded from his eyes. Scorpius hated seeing him in so much pain but Rojer had warned, the Alchemist wasn't missing a beat.

"STOP IT! STOP!" Antonius shrieked at the top of his lungs, Scorpius thought the silencing charms were well advised, "STOP! STOP! YOU'RE KILLING ME! STOP! IT HURTS, STOP IT! STOP!"

"Hang in there, Antonius," Scorpius offered and made to stand to go over to hold his hand or something, the wave of dark dizziness was so overwhelming though that he staggered back into his seat and had to grip the table to stop himself passing out. He felt as if he was on fire, "Hang in there, Rojer will save you."

"You did agree," Rojer muttered, remaining impressively focused without flinching from his task, if he was bothered by the child screaming in agony he didn't let it show.

Antonius just kept screaming, howling in agony and shrieking for them to stop. Scorpius lifted his head as soon as he thought the motion wouldn't send him spiraling onto the floor, he saw a ring of crimson light now rested around Antonius' heart below Rojer's still rising hand. He was continuing to make slashing movements with his wand, Scorpius noticed the higher he raised his hand a different light was rising from the circle over Antonius' heart.

There was a final burst of crimson light and a twisted screech of pain from Antonius that barely sounded human, his body arched in a way that looked painful and an orb of light erupted from the ring of red light. Rojer fell back and the ring of red light vanished, he slumped to the ground against his front table gasping for breath while Antonius' body went limp. His chest was rising and falling weakly but his eyes were closed, above him hovered an orb of light not unlike the ones he'd seen the Shadow Master collect. Except this looked… misshapen.

"You- You did it," Scorpius breathed as Rojer got back up to his feet, rubbing at his crippled leg before starting to make movements over Antonius' body again.

The Alchemist didn't answer though, seeming focused once more. Scorpius wondered if he'd even heard. He daren't speak, deciding to just let Rojer work in case it was important. He close his eyes, holding his hand over him again and making random movements with that as well, Scorpius almost wished he felt up to transforming into a Thestral again to see what was going on. He felt more likely to throw up then to transform though, or just collapse.

"It is done," Rojer confirmed as he lowered his wand but still didn't spare Scorpius a glance, "The boy will survive. When he awakens, he can tell me who is this magic of and I can find this man and restore the other soul as well. Their souls will always have the damage but they will live, I am to diminish it as much as I can like I did for the descendant of my father."

"I'm sure he'd be proud," Scorpius assured him but Rojer gave a derisive snort.

"I am sure he would not."

"I'm sure he would," Scorpius reiterated, knowing Ashylos he was quite sure of that. He averted his eyes, his head feeling like it was gaining a pound a second as darkness crept in the edges of his vision, "And thank you, Rojer, I really can't thank you enough."

"It- Scorpius, what is?!" Rojer's tone shifted abruptly, Scorpius tried to look at him but his head swam too much. He did get a glimpse and saw the Alchemist was looking in his direction, "What have you done?!"

"I don't-" Scorpius started to say before darkness engulfed him and he dropped into blissful unconscious…

Scorpius came to slowly, blinking open his sleepy eyes and finding he was slumped against a table on the floor in the Alchemy classroom which was becoming increasingly brighter as dawn light was peeking in. Antonius still seemed to be asleep, he was still lying unmoving on the table from before. The magic was gone though, a glowing container was on Rojer's front table though which he would case became the new location for it. Rojer himself was crouched down by him, looking as grim as death.

"Tell me what happened. Now," Rojer told him, speaking quietly but in a deathly serious tone that left no room for arguing. So Scorpius filled him in on the recent events, struggling as he got to Calderon's death and choking on his words. To his surprise, Rojer slapped him, "Fool."

"Wh- What?" Scorpius stuttered out in shock as the Alchemist stood, turning his back on him. Scorpius leaped to his feet, anger replacing his grief and the edge of his mind noticed he was feeling better, "What did you do that for?! Why am I a fool?! Because my cousin died-"

"You do not even have know what you've done, do you?!" Rojer demanded, rounding on him and Scorpius just felt confused.

"What are you talking about? What do you mean what I've done?"

"You were so desperate for this Calderon to live that you stopped his soul from moving on," Rojer told him darkly as he glanced back to him and Scorpius blinked in confusion.

"But- But Calderon is dead."

"Yes, his body is dead."

"But you said I stopped-"

"Yes, you stopped his soul from going on."

"So what… I don't understand, is he a ghost?" Scorpius guessed in complete confusion.

"He is inside of you," Rojer said but Scorpius continued staring at him blankly, "You latched his soul onto your own, that is why you were feeling ill. You attached his soul to your own to spare him from death."

"So he- he's not dead?" Scorpius wondered hopefully, Rojer looked incredulous.

"He is not dead but he is not alive, you trapped his soul in your own body. Do you not understand how wrong this is for you? How bad this is? This could destroy the both of you- It almost had done already because you did of not even attach it correctly! It was going to have destroy you," Rojer told him seriously and Scorpius started to feel worried now.

"But I feel fine now," Scorpius pointed out, apart from his injuries anyway which he realized he hadn't noticed while feeling ill.

"Because I saved you, I have sealed your mind and this soul of his separately. It will not last but for now it will keep you sane separate will keep you alive."

"So this is good, right?" Scorpius prompted hopefully, Rojer looked like he wanted to slap him again.

"This is bad! Very, extremely the most bad- This is Dark Magic you have done! Dark Magic Alchemy, highly of the illegal kind! If I had not intervened with this it would have destroyed your mind, even now if we do nothing my seal will fade and the both of your souls will be destroyed as they burn each other out until there is nothing, souls are raw energy and should not have mixed," Rojer yelled at him angrily, "We have to remove the soul of his or that is what will happen, the both of you will be destroyed for all of the time."

"Wh- What about Calderon?" Scorpius stammered out, shock hitting him so hard that he had to take a seat. Rojer's anger waned, "What happens to his soul if we remove it?"

"I do not know, it does not end well. It cannot exist as a ghost from what you have done and it is not easy to make them go onto the void beyond."

"I didn't mean for this to happen," Scorpius admitted, tears springing to his eyes as the horror of what he apparently had done sunk in, "I don't even know how-"

"When it is unintentional most often it happens when there is so much desire for the other to live, so much power that you latch the soul onto that of your own. I should never have told you of the Alchemy of the soul, power and will can do bad things for the good reasons like what Pancratius did to my father," Rojer provided as he folded his arms, "Then you doom the both of them. I think I can remove the soul but you have to let it go first, you hold onto it and I cannot pull it away while fighting you."

"No, you can't do that!"

"If you do not then you will die!"

"And if I do then Calderon's soul is doomed-" Scorpius choked on a sob "-I can't- I can't do that."

"Only maybe doomed," Rojer pointed out but Scorpius didn't feel any better until something occurred to him.

"What- What if we get his body? Can we put the soul back in it so he can be alive again?"

"No, I do not think this is possible."

"It has to be possible!" Scorpius screamed, leaping desperately back to his feet, "I saw it! I saw it with my own eyes, his sister was dead. Physically, she was dead but she came back. If she can come back then so can he!"

"No, Scorpius, you just have to let him go!"

"No!" Scorpius yelled determinedly, refusing to abandon Calderon's chance of survival, "I can save him, I know I can if I just find his body-"

"Do you even have this body?"

"No, the Shadow Master took it," Scorpius admitted, "But that doesn't mean all hope is lost, it doesn't. I can get it back… How long will I have with his soul?"

"A couple of years, the whole soul is more stable than the part and the sealing helps."

"Well that's plenty of time," Scorpius insisted, feeling more hopeful for his chance of saving Calderon.

"No it is not! And you may have a couple of years but you will not be sane for all of them, as the seal weakens your mind will start to merge with his own then the souls will start to deteriorate as they burn each of the other out, you will be driven insane and then your souls will both have be destroyed as they break down."

"I'll just have to make sure I save him before then, won't I?" Scorpius decided in a mutter.

"I don't think you have understanding of what you have done," Rojer insisted, looking somewhere between irritated and bewildered.

"I-"

"Sc- Scor?" Antonius stammered out weakly and Scorpius went over to his side, feeling Rojer's piercing eyes staring him like knives as he moved.

"How are you feeling?" Scorpius asked him gently, the boy blinked open his eyes and glanced at him.

"Been better," Antonius muttered tiredly, "Did- Did it work?"

"It did, you will live now," Rojer confirmed quietly, apparently silently agreeing with Scorpius that their conversation could wait on Antonius, "And I can restore the other if you give me his name."

"Alaric Layton, the Minister for Magic," Antonius told him readily as he sat up shakily, he managed a smile for the Alchemist, "Thank you. And… And can you tell him that I'm sorry?"

"Fine," Rojer agreed testily, Antonius seeming slightly hurt by the reaction.

"I should get you back to your family now," Scorpius said.

"And the use of the Hospital Wing, for the injuries of the physical kind that you have."

"I will after I get him to his dad," Scorpius said and Rojer gestured to the door, it sprang open.

"Then go. We can talk at a time different to this," Rojer told him, picking the glowing carton of his table and leaving.

"He is kind of odd, isn't he?" Antonius muttered while Scorpius helped him off the table.

"Yes," Scorpius nodded mindlessly as he didn't feel like talking about it right now since he was pretty much the reason for Rojer's foul mood.

He led Antonius away, back through the very familiar halls he hadn't walked for several days and wondered what in the world he was going to tell people. Antonius looked nervous and Scorpius tried to smile, his friend would live after al. And so would Calderon when he found his body. It had worked for his sister, it had to work for him too. He knew it, he'd find a way. Of course he would, he had to.

As they reached the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, he noticed footsteps and poked his head in the ajar door. Professor Ashain was pacing anxiously, looking unsteady on his feet as he angrily muttered a string of curses against Aurors for not letting him leave. Antonius swallowed nervously.

"You have nothing to be nervous about," Scorpius assured him before knocking on the door, as it was ajar it merely swung open so father and son saw each other at the same time.

"An-Antonius…?" Professor Ashain wondered, looking as if he was afraid to believe what he was seeing was true.

"Dad…" Antonius breathed before rushing to his father who also ran to him, he threw himself crying into his father's arms and Professor Ashain clung to him tightly, tears trickling from his own eyes.

"Oh Antonius, you're okay. I'm so glad you're okay," Professor Ashain rambled, holding his son close and Scorpius was tearfully reminded of his own reunion with his family after his abduction, "And I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I had no idea. I'll protect you better now, I promise. I love you, I love you so much."

"I love you too, Dad," Antonius whispered before being distracted by a bark, Scorpius saw Calderon's dog, Hope, bounding over to them and showering Antonius in excited slobber as she started licking at his face while he continued to hug his dad, "Oh Hope."

"Get out of here, you stupid dog," Professor Ashain grumbled.

"Antonius!" Cassia's voice cried and the little girl tore over to her family, her vulture soaring over her shoulder as she threw herself at them in a hug as well, "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too," Antonius smiled tearfully at his sister, pulling her into the hug and Scorpius slipped away to leave the family to their reunion.