Parts (74-77)

I

Chapter 16

The Blood Runes

Part 1: The Beginning

Scorpius just fled, he wasn't looking where he was going and he didn't actually care where he was running. He just wanted to be as far away from the boggart that turned into Marvin and Varanian and all the people who knew. He knew he was a coward, he just wanted to run forever. Only a stitch in his side stopped him and he paused breathlessly and angrily slammed his fists against the wall, his wrist was still burning. And then everything was burning. A ring of fire was encircling his wrist and the corridor was ablaze all around, Scorpius could feel the heat on his skin as he turned back to the crimson flames on every side of him except the wall.

He tried to spell to put out the fire but it didn't work, not that he expected it to put out that much. The fire was still raging, the flames were as high as the ceiling. He tried to scream for help over the roar of it but he couldn't hear his own voice. Abruptly there was a blast of light and the flames were vanquished, Scorpius glanced down the corridor and saw Calderon standing there was his arm outstretched. Scorpius looked around at the damage he'd caused, the floors, walls and even the ceiling were scorched black from the inferno, portraits just blackened frames and tapestries charred into smithereens beyond recognition. Scorpius sunk to the ground and buried his head in his knees, feeling drained and willing the tears to fall. Now on top of everything he'd be expelled, his family were right.

"Are you okay, Scor?" Calderon asked him gently and Scorpius glanced back up to see the tired assistant crouching to be on his level looking concerned, "did you get burned?"

"No and no," Scorpius answered miserably, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to set the corridor on fire. It just... just happened."

"Don't worry about that, I can fix it," Calderon offered with a semi-comforting smile as he got back to his feet and throwing his arms outwards, light shot from his palms and swept through the corridor and engulfed Scorpius' entire vision. Scorpius heard the assistant's shrill laughter, despite everything he smiled slightly at hearing it. When Calderon lowered his arms the corridor was restored, portraits and all. Calderon looked drained for a moment but masked it with a smile and a wink, "our secret if you want it to be."

"Thank you," Scorpius told him gratefully as Calderon held out his scarred hand to help him up, Scorpius took it and was glad his wrist had stopped burning although his legs were still shaking as the assistant led him away. Calderon had to think he was pathetic and freakish enough without him knowing about that.

"Do you want to talk about whatever happened to upset you?"

He'd meant to say 'no' but somehow the word got lost on the journey from his brain to his mouth and instead he blurted out everything that had happened in the lesson and even about Marvin's death because he wasn't sure what Caldeorn knew exactly. They went to Calderon's room and Scorpius just couldn't stop talking. He was still talking when Calderon sat him down on the bed and took the spindly seat to sit in front of him, just listening and not even trying to interrupt although he looked surprised when Scorpius told him about Varanian's boggart being his own assistant.

"My family were right, I am ruined and broken and weak. Its been almost a year and I'm still scared of a dead man. I killed him. I killed him, why can't he just stay dead? Why can't I just over it? I try so hard not to think about it," Scorpius finished as he started to vocalize his thoughts.

"Scor... you were hurt, when bad things happen you get wounded either physically or mentally or both. All wounds heal in time, the mental and physical and they can leave scars but it does get better. It doesn't mean you're ruined or broken, you're just hurt and not healed yet. And you're not weak, you're strong. You've been through a lot already and everything that's happened this year can't have helped but you're still here," Calderon told him firmly and there was truth in his eyes, "fears are irrational anyway so don't try and figure it out about seeing Marvin, Azkaban was destroyed and it still scares me if I think about that hellhole. You were scared and you still fought it off, overcoming fear is what makes us brave, not having it all just makes us foolish."

"Is... Is it bad that I don't feel so guilty about killing him anymore? When I defended myself against the boggart I really mean it when I told Marvin to die and stay dead, I'm glad that he's dead. He was evil, he was going to kill me and he... he did things to me and I'm glad he's dead. Is that normal? Have you ever felt that way? Who did you kill?" Scorpius asked fearfully biting his lip before his mouth could blurt out more inappropriate questions, the assistant's eyes widened in surprise and he looked down. Scorpius looked away not sure what to say, feeling anxious that Calderon would think he was a monster after all and as the minutes dragged by he started to think Calderon wouldn't reply.

"Rodolphus Lestrange," Calderon said quietly.

"What?"

"The first person I killed was Rodolphus Lestrange," Calderon explained and rubbed his scarred arm as he looked up, "he was cruel and sadistic anyway but he especially hated me because of my parents, he used to make us call him 'Master' to make himself sound more powerful. After what happened with the Varanians, Father wanted a better watch kept on us or me at least... I never saw the others again but- "

"Wait," Scorpius couldn't help but interrupt at the mention of the headmaster, "what happened with Varanian?"

"They... They wanted us to see what Death Eaters could do with magic so we were brought along to see them kill a blood-traitor and a mudblood, I had Dementors guarding me to repress my magic in case I got freaked out and things started exploding. They could have escaped, Varanian and his wife, but they went upstairs to try save their children instead of saving themselves. It blew my mind, the people I'd been told to hate seemed much better than the Death Eaters, people caring about each other and not torturing them seemed much more right. Caring, kindness, love, the good things are so much worthwhile," Calderon told him and sighed melancholy, "not that it did them much good in the end, they were overpowered in minutes when they got back downstairs. I tried to stop it, I didn't think people who were capable of kindness deserved to die but I couldn't do anything with the Dementors but I was punished for it anyway.

"By the time that was over, it was just Varanian and his wife left, Rodolphus was using the Imperius curse to make them torture each other but Varanian regained control and fought back. The Death Eaters were caught by surprise when he used a spell to knock them off their feet, he used a Patronus too to chase off the Dementors, he freed me. His wife went to grab a wand and S-someone killed her, Varanian went to her anyway and was overpowered again. That's when they decided to leave but wanted him to die a painful death, they left him there to burn but the Dementors were still gone and I was angry at the one who killed his wife, we were arguing and magic happened, knocked them all out. I could still hear Varanian screaming so I ran back to save him, he was really badly burned but alive and I got him out of the fire. He was babbling about a hospital, I think he was in too much pain to make coherent sentences so I brought him to St Mungo's and they were seeing to him.

"The healers were nice to me and one asked me what happened so I was telling him about Death Eaters attacking Varanian when he noticed the Dark Mark that my mother had given me, they weren't nice then, then everyone was attacking me and screaming I was evil. I was upset and freaked out, my magic defended me without my control and knocked a few people out before I got away. I went back to Varanian's house and put my arm into the flames to burn off the symbol as I best I could, I vowed then that I'd never be who my parents wanted to me, I'd never be like them no matter what happened. Then I just sat there nursing my injured arm and waiting for the others to wake up, they weren't pleased of course but I didn't tell them I'd saved Varanian in case they went back and killed him in St Mungo's.

"And that's how I met Varanian. When he started working at Hogwarts he recognized me, he was always a little annoyed I wouldn't tell him the names of the Death Eaters responsible but he never told anyone about what he knew of my past or threatened to. He never really got along well with the other teachers - not that he ever tried to - and was practically always at war with Minerva over something, was always good to me though, one of those people whose okay if you get to know them. Until this year anyway, now he's just completely out of his mind and is apparently afraid of me and hates me, I don't know what I did to make him hate me or be afraid of me... But all that's besides the point although I hope your curiosity is satisfied."

Scorpius felt his cheeks go pink but Calderon's story had distracted him from his panic, Calderon gave him a small kind smile and suggested they carry out his detention then. Scorpius was grateful, he felt a bit better after going around with Calderon as Marvin sunk back out of his mind as did the strange fire he'd caused. Doing something normal made him feel more normal, he wanted so badly to be normal.

The week turned out to be horrible despite the beautiful sunny weather, no one could enjoy it with the stress of preparing for exams in the following week - they started on Calderon's birthday, which Scorpius hoped was a sign of good luck. Scorpius still remained unfazed by them but he still didn't have a good week, people thought he was even more of a psycho freak than usual after the boggart incident - although Scorpius was grateful they hadn't figured out why, just like Calderon had assured him they wouldn't - but James took every opportunity to tease him relentlessly for being afraid of muggles. Scorpius had no idea what to say to that.

Calderon wasn't having a good time of things either, since the boggart incident Varanian had seemed determined to work his assistant to death. Calderon claimed he could count on his fingers the number of hours of sleep he'd had that week, he looked tired to the bone and was using magic even more than usual just to keep himself awake. That and Professor Hagrid had started finding homes for the puppies. Still, Scorpius thought Varanian was being unnecessarily cruel, it wasn't Calderon's fault that Varanian was scared of him.

Michael wasn't having a good week either, Varanian had started giving him detentions every day after class for setting the boggart on him. Michael steadfastly refused to talk about what actually happened in the detentions but always looked shaken and upset after, Scorpius had stopped trying to figure it out when Michael had asked him to respect his privacy just like how he'd never asked Scorpius about the boggart or a load of other things, he said Scorpius was better of not knowing. It turned the tables, being kept in the dark was driving him crazy and he'd realized that must be how Michael and the others had felt about him keeping secrets. He was worried about his friend, at first he'd thought it was the wards again but he took Michael back to his office not outside. Michael was also frantic about the exams - his stepdad had apparently threatened at the start of the year to not let him return for a second year if he did badly in exams - so they spent every spare second squeezing studying time in.

Molly also wasn't having a good week, she was afraid of disappointing her dead mother by doing badly on her exams and missing so many weeks of school hadn't helped her stress any. Apparently she'd been gone so long as her father had wanted her to stay until after the funeral, the funeral having taken so long to arrange because the Ministry had been studying the dead to make sure they were safe. The funeral had been a disaster anyway by all accounts, the long-lost brother Roman had showed up for his sister's funeral and it hadn't gone down well, he and Percy had actually come to blows and the older man had been left with a broken nose and four teeth less while Roman had left with barely a black eye after bringing Rivers, Molly's grandmother - who was also named Molly - and little Lucy to tears.

Calderon had been trying to give him less to do so he'd have time to study and Varanian had ended Michael's detentions on Friday. Scorpius was feeling guilty though, he'd meant to get Calderon a gift for his birthday over the Easter holidays but it had slipped his mind with his friends losing their memories and now he'd nothing to give him. It was also his father's birthday the day before Calderon's and he'd forgotten to get him a gift too, Scorpius was extremely frustrated with himself. On his father's birthday, Calderon told him his detention was to help the house-elves with one meal of his choosing, the rest of the day was his own time and Scorpius had chosen dinner so he spend the day studying with Michael. Until Abby walked over to them.

"What is this?" Abby demanded and dumped a framed photograph of the five of them after the pillow fight, "are you really so desperate to have more friends that you fake a photograph and hide it amongst my things?"

"Err..." Scorpius and Michael said in unison and exchanged glances.

"Yep," Michael said immediately.

"Absolutely," Scorpius added.

"We're that desperate."

"Completely desperate."

"Yep."

"Is that really it? Its what Albus and Rose said when I showed them," Abby said and bit her lip nervously, "but... I know this sounds crazy but when I look at the picture I get this overpowering feeling of deja vu, like... its the edge of my memory but I just... can't."

"So what? You think we used to be friends and then you suddenly forgot? Random, much?"

"I... I don't know. I just... I don't know and my dad's been asking me a lot if everything's okay with me and my friends but me and Albus and Rose get along great, we always have."

"And you think Albus and Rose would ever have been friends with a Malfoy?" Scorpius told her with a forced laugh, "and then you three just forgot? Or what did some random person come along and erase your memories of us being friends? A little far-fetched don't you think? Why would anyone do that?"

"I... I don't know," Abby muttered as her cheeks went crimson, "sorry to bother you."

"Do you think we did the right thing?" Michael wondered quietly after she was gone, "I felt horrible."

"So did I but it would be worse if we'd told her the truth in case she didn't believe us, she might have told people and the word would get out and it might provoke Varanian to do something evil and insane again," Scorpius told him with a sigh, "especially if the teachers found out, her dad would know its true because he knows we used to be friends and then he confronts Varanian and Varanian kills him and we just cost her friend her dad."

"I guess you're right, it still sucks though."

They went back to their studies and just tried not to think about it although it was something else to worry about, Scorpius bade goodbye to Michael when it was time for his detention and went to go help the house-elves. They were in better spirits and he just set to work with helping them, they actually cheered him up a bit for awhile. Until Varanian joined them in the kitchens, Scorpius' eyes bulged in shock that was mirrored by Varanian.

"What are you doing here?!" Varanian snapped as the currently brunette headmaster recovered himself.

"My detention," Scorpius pointed out irritably, "what are you doing here?"

"Its none of your business, now get out of here! Your detention's finished for the day," Varananian told him angrily but Scorpius didn't move, confused as to why he was there, "I'm not feeling well, okay? I have a special request for food and I'd rather not everyone know. So beat it."

Scorpius wasn't sure he believed him, not that he could think of a logical reason why Varanian would really be in the kitchens anyway so he left. Although he supposed it was possible that Varanian was telling the truth, he did have his strange headaches and seizures and health problems - he had mental health problems too but Scorpius didn't see those as a reason to be in the kitchens - but he still thought it was odd as he went to meet up with Michael for dinner, his friend still practicing spells even at the dinner table. Varanian was gray-haired by the time he arrived for the meal, an exhausted looking Calderon being force to stand beside starving again by an unusually full staff table as even Professor Trelawny had joined the Great Hall that night.

"I have a bad feeling," Molly whispered to herself from nearby as she scowled, Scorpius agreed.

Pretend you're feeling ill and excuse yourself

Lucius nearly jumped out of his skin at Brutus' sudden voice in his mind, he'd been mid-sentence as he chatted to his son on Draco's thirty-eighth birthday. The family were seated around the dinner table with the best china being used for the day at Astoria's instance in trying to make it special for her husband. A second ago he'd been almost-happy and headache free but Lucius mood was soured in an instant, they were all looking at him with puzzled expressions.

"I'm sorry," Lucius apologized without having to put on an act for feeling remorseful, "I'm not feeling well, my head is really. I must go to lie down. I'm sorry, Draco, I was trying to not let it get to me on your birthday but I really can't."

"Why don't you please see a healer about it, Father?" Draco sighed looking anxious, "please, its my birthday wish you see someone about it. We hate seeing you in pain."

"No, there's nothing the healers could do," Lucius pointed out - not for the first time - and his family looked disheartened, "alright, I'll tell you what. If I still have it tomorrow then I'll see someone even though they won't be able to do anything, I promise."

"Thank you," Draco said gratefully and Narcissa looked relieved as he stood up to go, Narcissa took his hand and squeezed it gently and he planted a goodbye kiss on her forehead before leaving. He paused in the exit for a moment to look back to Draco.

"And Happy Birthday, son," Lucius offered before exiting the room and returning to his study where Brutus was waiting for him, "how's your brother?"

"Alive, he's through the worst of it so hopefully he'll be okay. Thank you," Brutus told him and Lucius was actually glad to hear this, the man had saved Scorpius' life after all, Brutus held out his hand and smiled, "come on, this is where the fun begins."

Lucius thought that was rather unsettling as he took the Soul Eater's hand and was taken to a small warm wood-paneled room, there were two people there. Seraph he recognized, the half of his face that wasn't ruined looking incredibly impatient as he drummed his fingers on the table and the other was a younger who was grinning madly, fidgeting where he stood. There was a table in the middle with a green ragged blanket on it, Lucius raised an eyebrow in askance.

"About bloody time Brutus," Seraph snapped immediately and glared at Lucius, "how long does it take to excuse yourself?"

"Oh lay off him, there's plenty of time," Brutus growled as he turned back to Lucius and jerked a thumb at the stranger, "that's Dumas or Duvas-"

"Duvall," Seraph corrected him irritably, "Andrew Duvall."

"Duvall then," Brutus repeated it in Seraph's high accent with a roll of his eyes that earned him a glare from Seraph, "is accompanying you to the school. The blanket's a portkey, it'll take you there and then the master will give you further instruction. Good luck, Lucius. And don't screw up, Duvall."

"The master's coming?" Lucius wondered in surprise and Duvall snickered.

"The master's possessin' you, you moron," Duvall informed him as if he were stupid.

"Just go on already!" Seraph barked, "after I count down from three, both of you grab it. One, two, three!"

Lucius hurriedly grabbed the tatty blanket as did Duvall, the uncomfortable sensation of a hook grabbing him from behind the navel and dragging him followed and then he was standing in the cold. Clutching the threadbare blanket, he and Duvall let go almost in unison and Lucius glanced around as he recognized they were at the base of the Astronomy Tower in Hogwarts. He'd known there was something going down and he'd be involved but he was still anxious, Scorpius was here after all.

"Follow and don't say a word," Lucius heard his voice say to Duvall whose eyes lit up like dull blue lightbulbs as he followed Lucius, his body walking frustratedly against his will.

He thought it was odd there was no one around before it dawned on him that it was around dinner time so the school inhabitants would be in the Great Hall, he feared for what would happen to anyone unfortunate to come across them. Not that he could ask what to do with his body out of his control. He absolutely hated it. The Master didn't tell them where they were going though just walked, into a girl's bathroom?! Lucius heard his voice hiss something and Lucius felt his insides turn to ice, he recognized Parseltongue when he heard it. Maybe there was something to the Master's claims of being related to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, or at least it could be the reason for the insane belief.

Lucius' attention had zoned out and he was only jerked from his thoughts as he realized he was sliding down a grimy pipe, the Master held out his hand and with nonverbal wandless magic made him come to a halt as the pipe ended and to regally stand up. Duvall came crashing out a few seconds later, landing in an awkward heap on the bone-covered ground, he scrambled to his feet quickly though as the Master snapped Lucius' fingers and light glowed around them. They carried on walking until they reached a door with intertwining snakes on it, Lucius heard himself speak the language of the snakes once more and the door opened. Lucius had realized fairly immediately they were going into the legendary Chamber of Secrets when he'd heard Parseltongue but it wasn't quite what he'd expected, decorative snakes yes and creepy oversized statue maybe but there was an obelisk carved with runes that looked extremely out of place. Some of the runes were blood-red but the ones near the top were just carved into the strange stone, he thought it was most odd as he was walked into the shadows off to one side. Lucius felt his lips curl into a smile.

"Now we wait," the Shadow Master said.

Much wasn't said at dinner, Michael was practicing spells again as he ate and managed to use Lumos very well but couldn't seem to turn it off which made him a target for the teasing of James and his cronies. Scorpius snapped at him to leave Michael alone but it was already too late, people around were also laughing at Michael's failure and Michael just buried his face in his arms in humiliation, muttering under his breath things that Scorpius couldn't make out.

Abruptly the laughter stopped. People were gaping in the direction of the teacher's table, Scorpius looked and saw that half the teachers had passed out and more were in the process of passing out, their heads all crashing down onto the table and their bodies going limp. Calderon seemed to think he was dreaming at first because he pinched himself before looking horrified as he started going around the teachers as if checking for a pulse, they were dropping faster than flies and in seconds Varanian was the only one at the table not unconscious. Scorpius nudged Michael to look. People were whispering in panic and Calderon was talking hurriedly to the headmaster looking anxious. Varanian's hair was jet-black as he smiled.

"It appears," Varanian said loudly - loud enough for the whole hall to hear - as he got to his feet and headed for the exit as he continued speaking, Calderon awkwardly jogging to keep up as lights flickered around him, "that there's been some mix-up in the kitchens or a prank of some kind, Marius and I are going to go talk to the kitchen staff. Everyone remain calm. Head Boy and Girl are in charge until we get back."

Scorpius had an incredibly bad feeling and recalling that Varanian had been in the kitchens earlier especially... had he done something to the teachers? Why would he do that? Scorpius had to warn Calderon and he ran towards the exit, only for the doors to slam closed as the two adults left. The Head Boy was telling him off but Scorpius didn't care as he tried to open the door but it was locked.

Part 2: Dark and Light

"Have you completely lost your mind?!" the first voice yelled, shattering the silence in the cold chamber, "you'll go to prison for this, you can't come back from poisoning the staff, you can't possibly get away with it but they might go easier on you if you give them the antidote."

"I don't care, Marius!" the second voice boomed as the two speakers entered the chamber, Lucius recognized them as the headmaster and his assistant, "I don't care if I go to jail, I don't care if I get locked up so long as the school is protected!"

"Protection gained from the blood of innocent children and murder isn't worth it!"

"They weren't completely innocent, Potter, Weasley and Longbottom's fathers wouldn't let me be an Auror and Nott's grandfather was a Death Eater! And its not murder, this won't take enough blood to kill you now its already mostly complete."

"What kind of justification is that?!" the assistant spluttered, red lights were ablaze around him as they stopped before the obelisk, Duvall pulled Lucius slightly further back to make them more out of sight, "you can't blame children for the things their parents have done."

"You realize every second you waste standing here arguing with me that its a second closer to the staff's deaths? Its a fairly fast acting poison, there's nothing you can say or do to convince me to give them the antidote, good luck finding out which poison it is or where the antidote is before they run out of life. Just activate the obelisk and I swear I'll save them, I don't want them to die anymore than you do."

"I don't think I trust you anymore."

"Do you think you have a choice?" Varanian sneered and Calderon grudgingly went around to the back of the obelisk and up the steps, the assistant paused at the pedestal and the lights swirled blue.

"Please, Pippy, this is wrong," Calderon pleaded and the currently white haired headmaster snorted dismissively, "you're better than this."

"Just do it or they all die."

The exhausted looking Calderon sighed as Varanian took an object out his robe pocket, Lucius recognized it as the orb he'd helped acquire from Corvinus Ashain. It kept changing color between white, black and gray much like it had for Lucius, except it had only shifted between gray and black for him. Varanian smiled and his assistant appeared devoid of hope as he slammed his right hand down on the pedestal, wincing as he whispered something that Lucius couldn't make out from that distance.

Whatever he'd said or did must have worked because crimson of light started pulsing through the assistant's body and out through his hand, pain crossed Calderon's face as he looked up at the obelisk. The runes started filling up as if blood-colored liquid was being poured into them, the orb floated to the point at the top of the obelisk and turned black as the shadows as it hovered in the air.

"After the second pulse, remember," Lucius heard his voice saying to Duvall, he realized the other man already had his wand out, "or it'll kill the students. And don't cause any permanent injury."

Duvall nodded although Lucius had no idea what it meant, he wasn't sure if he was still being controlled but he found himself of tearing his eyes away from the obelisk as the runes were complete. The thrum of power was deafening and Varanian's scream was lost in it as the headmaster fell to the ground, writhing and clutching his chest while the orb glowed with darkness as if it was sucking in what little light was in the room. Bolts of black energy shot up the length of the obelisk and upon touching the orb a pulse of darkness erupted from it and sped out of sight, Lucius realized his body was laughing against his will as a second pulse of darkness followed a few seconds later.

That seemed to be Duvall's cue as the Soul Eater stepped forwards and yelled a spell lots in the thrum, a burst of crimson light shot from his wand towards the assistant and Calderon was thrown violently back from the pedestal. The thrum died, the darkness vanished and the orb fell from its perch, Duvall aimed his wand at that and the orb slowed its descent and landed gently in his other hand, changing between the three colors once more. Varanian now had shorter, tawny hair as he scrambled to his feet and ran to his assistant.

"Marius! Are you alright?!" Varanian asked suddenly sounding worried as he fell to his knees beside Calderon and gently shook his shoulder, Calderon stirred and Varanian's hair turned as black as his assistant's and all traces of concern left his face, "come on, we need to get you back to my office and get you some blood-replenishing potion just to be on the safe side."

"Get the antidote, save them," Calderon said weakly but still managed to make it sound firm but was ignored as the headmaster helped him to his feet.

Calderon couldn't stand or even hold his head up and Varanian put the assistant's arm round his shoulder to support him. The pair were consumed by darkness and vanished, Duvall offered his hand to Lucius which Lucius took as he found his control had returned, they too were teleported into the headmaster's office. Varanian was drawing a magical wispy waist-high white wall that faded out the higher it was with his wand, he did the left, back and right before unceremoniously throwing Calderon into it and slashing his wand to draw the final line and complete the square with Calderon trapped inside.

Varanian went over to his desk and started grabbing a few things as Calderon fought to get up, best be managed was to sit with his back against the stone wall that was one with the back line. Even that seemed to drain whatever strength as he was breathing heavily from the effort, his head kept lolling as if he was struggling to stay conscious and his eyes fighting to stay open. Varanian stalked back over to them - without seeming the slightest bit surprised to see Lucius and Duvall there - with a vial and two different sized flasks. He tossed the smaller of the flasks into the square beside Calderon.

"There's the blood-replenishing potion, take a few sips every few minutes," Varanian stated dismissively to his assistant before turning back to Lucius and handing him the vial, "take out your memory of what you just saw with the obelisk and orb and put it in the vial for Corvinus, give it to Duvall when you're done and he'll hand it and the orb off to be returned as per your vow."

"What?! How do you know all that?! I don't take orders from you!" Lucius snapped in confusion.

"You're not Varanian, are you?" Calderon whispered from the ground, managing to look up at the trio.

"Not really," Varanian smirked and Lucius stepped back in horror as the headmaster's eyes became solidly black, Brutus' words returned to his mind '...only downside of that of course is the eyes being noticeably not normal, the puppet has to be a metamorphmagi to be able to hide it...' Varanian's eyes returned to normal, Calderon looked horrified but Duvall seemed to already be aware of this, "pretty neat trick, don't you think? The joys of controlling a metamorphmagus. I'm actually quite proud of myself, its a lot more difficult to possess someone without them actually realizing they're possessed or letting other people realize it. Having access to their thoughts really helps, everyone may think them mad but as long as you use their own personality flaws to justify it then no one jumps to possession, even Varanian thought he was simply insane until just now or that he'd developed a split personality. You're an idiot. Although congratulations on being a stubborn pain in the head to control. Chop-chop the rest of you, just wait here until we return from saving those teachers after you've done as you've been told."

Scorpius was chased back to his seat by the Head Boy but he still had a bad feeling, the mood in the hall wasn't much better as people were talking in panic. Abby looked distraught as she stared at her father's slumped unconscious body at the staff table, Rose and Albus were trying to comfort her. Even James had lost his self-satisfied smirk and looked anxious, everyone did. Scorpius had no idea what to do though, everyone thought they'd been locked in for their own safety, he just bit his lip and exchanged worried looks with Michael who he had told about Varanian in the kitchen. It wasn't a prank or a misunderstanding, he knew Varanian had done something. It was too much of a coincidence for the evil headmaster to appear and then for all the teachers except him to suddenly pass out but why would he want them incapacitated?

It had to be something to do with the Blood Runes, it- Scorpius was cut off mid-thought as Michael screamed and clutched at his chest, he fell back off his seat and writhed on the floor. Abby, Albus and Rose all cried out in pain and also hugged themselves protectively where the scars had been, he had a feeling that if he'd looked over at the Slytherin then Nott would be in the same condition. He didn't have time to look as a wave of blackness swept through the hall, extinguishing all light in the room but Michael's still lit wand and carrying out into the night. Scorpius' heartbeat was deafening him, the obelisk had been activated.

Worse than that, Varanian had to have a black soul and on the third pulse everyone but Scorpius - and possibly some of the teachers - would die for being white souls. And there was nothing he could to do stop it. The second wave followed. He was about to be in the center of a massacre. Varanian wasn't protecting the students, he was killing wanted to scream. He squeezed shut his eyes and dug his nails into his head, he couldn't bring himself to watch his friends die, he didn't even want to watch James die. And its all your fault! his mind snapped accusing, why didn't you do something?! WHY?!

The third pulse didn't come though. Michael just lay on the ground breathing heavily but alive, everyone was alive but terrified and confused. Scorpius helped Michael to get back into his seat while the Head Girl and Boy were desperately telling everyone to calm down. Scorpius didn't feel calm, Varanian had just destroyed the protection Hogwarts had and replaced it with protection against good. Although he was relieved the headmaster was at least saw sense enough to stop it after the second pulse, it still wasn't good.

"Everyone calm down!" Varanian's voice boomed from the darkness, abruptly the floating candles were once again lit and Scorpius turned along with everyone to see the raven-haired headmaster standing in front of the staff table. The teachers behind him were being swallowed by darkness and vanishing, "don't worry about your precious professors, they are being transported to the hospital wing where I will go momentarily to administer the antidote to the poison I gave them."

"Did... Did he just say he poisoned them?" Abby wondered anxiously, her eyes bulging in horror as were most people's, they were frozen in fear and gaping. Varanian had really lost the plot. Scorpius wondered where Calderon was, was he alright? Varanian had to have blackmailed again but had Calderon survived the obelisk? Had Varanian just left him in the chamber to die?

"Have no fears though, none of you were poisoned. In fact you should all be honored because today you become death, pawns in my war to take my rightful place as ruler of the world but even pawns are important pieces if used in the right way and you can graduate from pawns if you prove valuable enough. I AM THE SHADOW MASTER AND TODAY YOU BECOME SHADOWS!" Varanian yelled as the last professor vanished and threw his arms into the air, laughing a deep deranged laugh as shadows swarmed around him.

Scorpius had not expected that. Varanian disappeared but the shadows only seemed to multiply in number and shot into the Head Boy and Girl who were standing at front of the hall before the staff table, their eyes turned black and they smiled. People started screaming and rushing towards the still locked door as the Shadows started possessing them, older students were shooting spells at the door while younger ones were just hammering uselessly against it. Scorpius was slow to move, Michael and the others were still clutching their chests. Molly leaped onto the table and grabbed Scorpius' wrist, pulling him up onto it with him.

"I dreamed this!" Molly told him in panic, "I dreamed of us being trapped in the Great Hall and everyone trying to get out while the darkness is attacking, you were the only one who could break through the door."

"Me?" Scorpius repeated fearfully, afraid of being a target up on the table but his friends were also joining them and several other students - from other houses too - had started standing on the tables as well to escape the crush.

"You blasted gray light and fire at it, holding your wand in your left hand and the doors were practically blown apart. That's all I remember from it but... consider the Azkaban dream... I think maybe... please just try it. I think you can do it."

"Why me?!"

"I don't know! And I'm sorry to put pressure on an eleven year old but I seriously think that if you can't do it then we're all going to be trapped in here and get possessed," Molly offered looking at him pleading with her beautiful light sky blue eyes, "please, Scor. Do whatever you did to defend me on the train and... and at the memorial, whatever spell it is."

"We're all going to die," Rose wailed unhelpfully and burst into tears.

Scorpius turned towards the door and drew his wand, switching to his left hand and aiming it at the door. His heart was beating so erratically he thought it might shoot out of his chest at any moment, it was difficult to concentrate with the calamity going on around him. He couldn't do it. He was going to fail. He knew it. He mentally slapped himself, since when had being doomed been an excuse to give up?

He summoned all his energy and channeled it into that arm, his scarred wrist started burning but he didn't fight it, whenever it burned things had a habit of catching on fire. He put every ounce of strength into funneling the power into that arm, a ring of fire appeared round the scar on his wrist and he heard Molly squeak excitedly that it had happened in her dream. He blocked her out though, he blocked everything out and focused on the power inside him, letting it build it up. And then he unleashed the power.

A jet of gray light burst from the tip of his wand in an explosion of fire and shot at the doors, they were practically blown apart and splinters showered down on the nearest people. He turned excitedly back to the others, most people were gaping, Michael and Molly were grinning. They didn't even notice the shadows coming from behind, Scorpius opened his mouth to cry out a warning to Michael only for it to shrink back from the light still stuck on the tip of his wand.

"They don't like light!" Molly called out, having followed his gaze and also seen it, she used the wand-lighting charm on her wand before yelling, "EVERYONE USE LUMOS! SHADOWS DON'T LIKE LIGHT!"

Scorpius realized you could practically tell who was left un-possessed by whose wand suddenly lit up, the people on the tables were on the only ones left as virtually everyone on the ground now had pitch-black eyes which he supposed had been the obvious targets as the people on tables would have to get past them to get to the door. Guiltily he wondered if he'd focused for less time then would there still be people left? Or would the door not have opened then?

He was feeling drained suddenly, it made him hesitate before jumping into the crowd like some people did to try get to the exit. Instead of simply milling about the possessed students started grabbing the fleeing ones, Lumos may repel them briefly but he saw that if they didn't move then the shadowy forms risked discomfort to go past them and possess them anyway, they had to keep moving. The older students started using dueling spells against the possessed but they were very overwhelmed and not every spell had an effect. Scorpius had an idea, he focused his magic again.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Scorpius cried and swished his wand, only this time he was trying to raise as many people as he could - there wasn't actually a lot of people left unpossessed anyway, they were losing the war - and he jerked his arm, moving them over the crowd of black-eyed students to land them - reasonably - gently in the corridor outside, "RUN!"

Most of the students scrambled to their feet and bolted, Molly however aimed her wand at Scorpius himself. He blanched in surprise as he felt himself lifted into the air, he felt like panicking as he was carried over the possessed students who didn't leave the Great Hall. He noticed her eyes widen in shock though just as Scorpius felt something cold brush against him like ice pressing against his back, it vanished as quickly as it had appeared but she was still gaping as he was let go carefully on the ground in front of her.

"Molly, move!" Rose yelped and shoved her cousin out of the way just in time as a shadow from behind Scorpius jumped into Rose rather than Molly, Rose's eyes immediately became black and she stood idly in the corridor like the others who'd been possessed outside of the Great Hall were doing.

"We have to run, its what she'd want," Michael said, recovering first and giving his friend a pained look before bolting and Abby, Albus, Molly and Scorpius ran after him, waving their wands wildly to put off any of the shadows.

"There's a... passageway here," Scorpius told them between breaths and came to the lead, violently twisting the statue's hand that acted as a key and jumping into the passageway with the others as it slammed shut behind them.

"How did... you do that?" Albus asked of Scorpius as they looked fearfully around the passage, flailing their wands but no shadows seemed to have followed or were already there. Maybe they didn't know about the secret passageways?

"Calderon knows these pass-"

"No! How did you stop the shadow possessing you?" Abby interrupted, "when you were in the air one tried to get in you but it was repelled as soon as it touched you."

"I... what?" Scorpius blinked in surprise and scowled, he hadn't known that, "I have no idea."

"You'll be glad to know that your beloved teachers are now not-dying," the Shadow Master pointed out and Lucius jumped at the sudden reappearance of Varanian's body, Calderon looked up from the ground - he was a looking a little stronger from the potion but still not healthy, "gave them a sleeping drought as well, thought they could use the rest and stay out of our way while we round up the last students as there was an unforeseen issue. There's only Scorpius and four others unaccounted for now. I thought you and I could talk, Tommy, while we wait and its been so long since we've seen each other after all, since you abandoned me."

"Abandoned you!? How do you figure that, Sal?!" Calderon spluttered looking furious and Lucius blinked in surprise, had the master just addressed him as Tommy? And he'd addressed the master as Sal? "if anyone abandoned anyone, you abandoned me, you just left me with Master and took off with Rabastan."

"Well its not like I could take you with me, you were too unstable. I mean I couldn't risk you exploding things just because you were upset or angry and I didn't want to be around Dementors anymore than you do, although now I've come to realize they have their uses. Besides, you were on that whole 'I don't want to kill people or hurt anyone' kick, world domination didn't seem like something you'd be interested in until you got past that phase. Hmm... I think I'm going to talk to you with Lucius, Varanian's struggling is irritating."

"Much better," Lucius heard his voice say as Varanian walked back over to his desk and sit down, Lucius' eyes flicked back to Calderon and he felt himself smile as he stopped forward, "hello brother."

"Hello sister," Calderon replied.

Part 3: Plans

"What do we do?" Albus wailed hopelessly and Scorpius withdrew into his thoughts for an answer, "its only a matter of time before they get us like they got Rose."

"Do you think he killed my dad?" Abby wondered worriedly.

"We can't think like that, we have to stay positive," Michael pointed out firmly.

"Our headmaster's the Shadow Master, he poisoned all the teachers and possessed probably all of the school by now with those Shadows because they don't know the secret passageways but its only a matter of time until they find us too," Albus blurted out, "what in the world is there to be positive about?!"

"We're alive, we can fend them off to a certain extent with the wand-lighting charm and the one person who can banish the Shadows is here. We just need to find Calderon and he can save us."

"Calderon's either in league with Varanian or dead," Abby commented and Scorpius almost snapped at her that Calderon would never help the Shadow Master willingly and had almost certainly only helped in exchange for the other staff to live, that would mean having to explain about the blood runes and he didn't actually want to waste time on that because he didn't know how long they had.

"Merrill's right, we have to think positive, we have to fight this," Molly spoke up determinedly and Michael cringed at the wrong name, "we have to find Calderon or get help or both."

"It's Michael," Michael whispered and Molly's face went as red as her hair as she muttered an apology.

"How do we fight this? Only Malfoy is immune, we're doomed," Albus complained and Molly shot her cousin a dark look while Michael just decided to ignore it.

"Okay so getting help, what ways are there out of the castle?"

"Its not like we could just walk out the front door with those things around."

"What about in the air? Could one of you fly away to get help?"

"The brooms are all locked up in the grounds, we'd never get to them," Molly pointed out as she frowned thoughtfully.

"Mine isn't," Scorpius spoke up and everyone glanced at him for the first time in a while, he knew it wouldn't work though because the second pulse meant the barrier was still in place, "its in Professor Ashain's office, that's easier to get to."

"Yes, excellent," Michael nodded to him smiling brightly, "and then there's the floo thing in Varanian's office."

"He's probably changed his password though."

"I've had detentions with him in his office all week, remember? His password is 'blood runes'. That shouldn't be too hard to get to either. See we're down but not out, when you hit rock bottom the only way left to go is back up."

"Or you could die there," Albus said glumly but Abby seemed more hopeful.

"We should check the hospital wing first, see if he was telling the truth about the teachers," Abby pointed out, "if he did give them the antidote then my dad and the others will fight back too."

"Has everyone forgotten about the Shadows everywhere?"

"The invisibility cloak! We can use that," Michael exclaimed snapping his fingers triumphantly and Albus' face twisted into a cruel anger that made him look like James.

"I know you stole it, you thief!"

"He didn't steal it," Scorpius snapped defensively, "you gave it to me. We lied to you, Abby, we were friends and Varanian erased your memories. That time Varanian awarded you and Rose points each was really just a cover because he'd erased your memories and Albus, that time you were randomly in a room crying with him because he'd just erased your memories and you didn't want him to. We don't have time to go into details but you made me promise to keep the cloak until you got your memories back or we stopped Varanian from the evil stuff he was doing, evil stuff was why you were in pain in the hall but we don't have time to go into that either. Since the Shadows can't possess me, I'll get the cloak and bring it here with any luck it'll go better than last time."

"You just want us to sit and wait?" Abby wondered, everyone but Michael gaping at him in shock.

"I'll fill you in about the stuff he was talking about to pass the time?" Michael offered and the others reluctantly nodded.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Scorpius promised and darted away before anyone could protest.

"Why are you doing this, Sal?" Calderon - Tommy, Lucius mentally corrected himself - asked miserably of him, still reeling from the information that his grandson's hero was related to the Shadow Master and... and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? He was sure he'd heard the name 'Sal' mentioned before too. At least Duvall wasn't back yet, it meant Scorpius was still uncaught.

"Why?" Lucius heard his voice sneer, "its our destiny, we're Lord Voldemort's children, we're the last descendants of the Salazar Slytherin himself, not to mention the Noble House of Black. Greatness is in our blood, power is in our blood. Its our birthright to rule the world, Mother always said we were destined for greatness."

"We were destined to be Horcruxes and Father didn't even consider us good enough for that."

"One of Father's greatest mistakes was not realizing how important we were, so what we can't do magic like normal witches and wizards. We're better than them. Look at what you can do when I push you, the light tracks, banishing all those Specters, healing those people although that one was unintentional. Wands are constricting, isn't that what you used to say when they started exploding on you? And you were right, they just can't handle our power because only weak witches and wizards surround us."

"They can't handle our power because we can't regulate it safely."

"That's all stupid, before wizards and witches weakened themselves by creating wands and scepters and things to channel their magic, they used it like we do. That's how magic is supposed to be used, people were so much more powerful in the past like us they could just use magic by will without needing a channel, they had epic duels and created the most powerful things, ever notice how ancient magic is the most powerful? Wizardkind have been diluting their power with muggle blood and diminishing it with wands and the like for millennia, our upbringing may have been awful but it unwittingly made us into the most powerful beings in the world, the most powerful beings the world has ever seen."

"And I thought I was the insane one."

"You are, otherwise you would see how foolish you're being," the Shadow Master pointed out and Lucius felt his body stiffen with anger, "defending these people, those professors you were willing to risk your life to save. And for what? They don't give a damn about you, do you think any of them would stand beside you if they knew who you were? If they knew your name was Tom Riddle III then they would turn on you like rabid dogs, any good you've ever done wouldn't matter, everything you've ever done for them wouldn't matter. If they knew you were Voldemort's son then everyone would turn against you, that's all that would care about."

"I know," Tommy whispered tearfully.

"Then why defend them? You can change your name but you can't change who you are, they'll never accept you and you shouldn't have to pretend to be someone you're not."

"My parentage doesn't change who I am. We are who we choose to be and we write our own destinies, I choose to be Marius Calderon and I don't want power or greatness," Tommy said firmly and determinedly, "I just want to be a good person, helping people is a much better feeling than destroying them."

"I am helping people," the Shadow Master spat irritably, "the world's a terrible dark place, I'm going to make it better, everything will be better when we rule."

"How many people have you killed? How many lives have you destroyed? And that's only what you've done so far, how can you possibly think that is worth whatever delusional beliefs you have after making the world a better place?" Tommy demanded before softening his tone slightly, "this is wrong, Sal, you have to stop this."

It was eerily dark in Hogwarts, the pulse had knocked out not just the candles in the Great Hall but everywhere - the automatically lighting torches had also stopped working - and he kept his wand lit to see more so than to defend himself. He passed people occasionally, possessed students who were just standing there aimlessly, their heads would watch him walk by but they wouldn't speak - even if he spoke to them - or move or react beyond silently following him with their pitch-black eyes and blank faces. He passed the Shadows too, the were gliding around and he realized that they were what he had seen by Dumbledore's tomb at the start of term. Some would move towards him then stop as if recognizing they couldn't touch him, others would actually try to and he would feel a cold sensation but they would always back off or be repelled or whatever made him immune. He still wasn't sure why.

He retrieved the cloak from the dormitory easily and headed back, still trying to formulate a plan that didn't suck. Abby, Albus, Michael and Molly were all white souls so they wouldn't be able to leave by broomstick or by Floo powder anyway nor would the help retrieved be able to get inside unless they were black souls, which meant they wouldn't be helping them. They had to reactivate the obelisk, the first pulse was all they needed to vaporize the previous dark invisible shield so help could get to them and they could get to it. To do that they needed the orb and Calderon as none of them spoke Parseltongue, they were pretty much screwed to hell if Calderon was dead. He hoped Varanian would have left him in the hospital wing with the other staff, assuming he'd survived he would be drained and weak and with any luck Varanian would want him alive in case he ever needed to get to the obelisk or use the Chamber of Secrets again. Not that he was sure what Varanian wanted now he knew the headmaster was the Shadow Master. That had shocked him, he knew Varanian was at best insane and at worse psychotically evil but he hadn't realized Varanian was leading the Shadows.

He returned to find the others still there and immediately threw the cloak over the four of them - Molly had to crouch, just telling them to follow him as the Shadows were paying less attention to him by that point. They also agreed not to speak in case the Shadows could hear, Scorpius wasn't sure if they had senses but they didn't notice his friends and they were everywhere now, like a fungus creeping up the walls and floor in eerie silence. The ghosts were nowhere to be seen and the portraits were hiding, scared of the dark creatures. It was actually hard to tell what was a Shadow and what was just a shadow in places. Scorpius was worried they weren't actually there until they got to the hospital wing and Molly slipped out from under the cloak to stand beside him, every staff member - except Varanian and Calderon - were there, unconscious and tied to the beds or just tied up on the floor - Professor Hagrid was chained - with their wands stacked in a pile that was visible in the Nurse's Office as was a bubbling cauldron. He saw a hand peek out from nowhere to open the door, they didn't close it behind them if they left or entered.

"They're alive," Michael's voice spoke from somewhere after a few minutes of he and Molly checking the staff to make sure they were breathing, "healthy pulse, healthy appearance, no obvious signs of any poison symptoms that I can see. Except for the unconsciousness obviously."

"The potion in the office is a Sleeping Drought," Albus' voice also came from nowhere, "I think Varanian was telling the truth, its mostly gone so I think he used it on them."

"Plus why bother tying them up if they were dying?" Abby's voice came from nowhere too, both her and Albus sounding calmer and be more optimistic.

"We should stay here," Michael's voice pointed out, "keep an eye on them to make sure they're okay, if anything changes I might be able to figure out what the poison is - there's medical textbooks in Madam Pomfrey's office anyway - and Albus is good with potions, Abby good with herbs and ingredients so we might actually be able to deal with the poison ourselves if it comes to that."

"Or with any luck just wait for them to wake up, tell them what happened and have them force Varanian to call off the Shadows. The Shadows might try possess them too I guess but its the best we have and anything's better than nothing, right?"

"Glad to see you - or rather hear you - thinking more positive," Molly said brightly with a weak smile before becoming serious again, "if you stay here and do that, also untying them would be good, then we'll try get help. And stay under the cloak in case Shadows come."

"You're not immune, Molly," Scorpius pointed out firmly, "its too dangerous, they'll swamp you."

"What part of this situation isn't dangerous?" Molly asked him putting her hands on her hips and a stubborn expression on her face, "I'm not letting you go alone, we're in this together. We could waste time arguing or we could just go get the broom. Your choice."

"Erm..." Scorpius muttered and for some reason his mind thought that was the perfect time to remind him of his crush on her, he mentally slapped himself again, "get the broom."

"Sacrifice is necessary!" the Shadow Master snapped through Lucius' voice, "besides, if everyone wasn't so pathetic and weak then they'd fight back. Seriously, I have yet to lose, this is so easy."

"Probably a good thing because you're a sore loser," Tommy pointed out grumpily.

"I am not!"

"Are too."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"Are not, Tom."

"Are too, Salazia."

"Don't call me Salazia, you know I hate that," the Shadow Master complained and Lucius felt himself pouting.

"Then don't call me Tom, you know I hate that," Tommy retorted folding his arms childishly and Lucius felt his lips smile but he didn't feel like smiling.

"I missed this."

"Petty arguments?"

"You in general, even though your morality is tedious, little brother. Didn't you miss me?"

"You're only five minutes older," Tommy pointed out before looking thoughtful, "I do miss you but I don't miss what you've become. You've become everything we despised about the Death Eaters, about the Master, you're almost as evil as them."

"I'm not evil," the Shadow Master snapped and Lucius' face lost its smile, "you're the one who killed Rodolphus, not me and I'm the Master now because you're either the Master or you're the wretches beneath him or her. Do you enjoy being treated like dirt or something? But then you always were treated better than me, everyone cared about making you do magic and I was just an afterthought, I was always in your shadow just because my name wasn't Tom Riddle, I didn't get the Dark Mark, Father barely looked me in the eye. And you know I actually did better than you, those times you were dragged off for training and Brutus was left to guard me, Brutus was a far better teacher and I actually managed some spells. Not that anyone cared about my progress, of course. But I'll show them, I'll show everyone that they were wrong to ignore me, that I am great and powerful and I deserve to be respected. People should pay more attention to the shadows. I'm not evil, I'm fighting the evil in the world because the world is a terrible place and I'm going to make it better for everyone."

"Those who fight monsters should be careful not to let themselves become the monster," Tommy said quietly looking serious, "as when you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back into you."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Its a quote, it means that if you're not careful you can become the thing you're fighting although I think you've already lost that war but using the Shadows the way you are... its not healthy. The more you use them the more they use you, eventually you won't be the Master of the Shadows, the Shadows will be the Master of you and you won't even realize it until its too late."

"Nonsense, I know more about the Shadows than anyone including you and I control them completely. And I call them Specters now. And aren't you even the slightest bit impressed?"

He had a feeling Molly might not have been so determined if she'd known what it would be like outside, Scorpius had gotten use to the Shadows moving slowly and not threatening him but they swarmed at Molly. They didn't dare stop moving, failing their arms in a mad dash and Scorpius considered it may not have been the best plan. As long as they kept running they were alright.

"Do you want to say it?" Molly called as they pelted up the staircase.

"Say what?" Scorpius wondered breathlessly.

"I told you so!"

"No, I'm good! Don't suppose you had any dreams of us surviving this?"

"Unfortunately no but I'm too busy winging it to worry about that!"

"Just run up and down the classroom while I get the Dart!" Scorpius told her as they made it into the room, Molly simply nodded and started running while he rushed to get the broom, if anyone looked in they would have thought she'd lost her mind, "got it!"

"Good!" Molly panted as he tossed her the broom and they ran back out of the classroom, "just need to get to a window and we can fly get help!"

"There's something I have to tell you about that... the Blood Runes have been activated and there's a barrier in place so you can't get out."

"You're just telling me this now?!"

"I think you'll be able to dodge them better in the sky! Besides, I'm going to try find Calderon because if we can reverse it then you can fly out. Wait for a flash of light and then go straight to the Ministry and tell them everything you-"

Scorpius was cut off as a jet of red light shot towards them, it missed his head by a thread and instead sailed by and straight into Molly. She was thrown back and landed unmoving on the ground, he fell to his knees beside her in panic and saw she was breathing but not conscious. She looked like she was sleeping. He jumped back up and saw a stranger stepping out from the shadows, smirking with a serious overbite as he kept his wand trained on Scorpius.

"You would be Scorpius Malfoy, I'm presumin'?" the man said as he walked over to them.

"What did you do to her?!" Scorpius snapped angrily, fury raging through him over Molly being attacked.

"Pretty little thing, ain't she?" the man commented as he looked down at Molly and Scorpius felt his wrist start to burn, "just knocked her out, the master don't want harm to befall the newest additions to the army, the new pawns. C'mon, I have to take you to the master. We can do this the easy way or the hard way, either give me your wand and c'mon or I'll take it by force and punish you for wasting my time. You're s'posed to be smart, kid, which do you think is best?"

Scorpius hesitated for a moment, he didn't really want to go with the stranger to Varanian and he certainly didn't want to give up his wand. But since Calderon wasn't in the hospital wing, he was probably either still in the Chamber of Secrets or with Varanian. Varanian probably had the orb anyway. He needed both the orb and Calderon if they were to undo the dark barrier sealing them in and everyone else out, he just hoped Calderon was okay. Reluctantly Scorpius handed the man his wand.

"Atta boy," the man congratulated him as he snatched it, his wild eyes burning with delight as he gestured for Scorpius to walk and kept his wand on him, "just need to get back to the headmaster's office. And keep an eye out for any unpossessed."

"So who are you?" Scorpius wondered and was rewarded by a slap.

"No questions," the man snarled as he motioned for Scorpius to carry on walking, "and the name's Duvall."

"Impressed by what?" Tommy questioned scowling again.

"I destroyed Azkaban," the Shadow Master - Sal, Lucius decided it made her seem less powerful and he was feeling completely powerless with his body out of his control - continued through Lucius' voice, "we always fantasized about wiping off that hellhole off the map and I actually did it, when I'm the ruler of the world I'm going to build a monument in the place were it used to stand to honor our birth but I love that its gone."

"I'll admit I'm not sorry Azkaban's gone but I don't agree with what you did, what about the people you killed? Or recruited?"

"Killing two birds with one stone is a much better use of time," Sal pointed out and Lucius felt his mouth smirk, "you see I have a formidable army of Specters but I'm rather lacking in actual people on my side, trying to recruit in secret means there's not actually as many recruited as I would like, for a lot of it I just possess random people and have them do the killing then kill them and they just seem like one of the dead. Now though, I have an experienced army that I took from Azkaban, I'm going to use Fenrir Grayback to get myself an army of werewolves and as of tonight I have an army of children."

"What?" Tommy wondered suddenly looking horrified and Lucius heard himself laugh a deep depraved laugh.

"Why do you think I went after a school tonight? The blood runes destroyed the magic protecting the school from letting Specters move freely, while we've talking I've been possessing them. Perfect isn't it? People don't want to hurt children, especially their own. Specters can tap into the children's magic though and attack, regardless of the child's willingness. What do you think will happen if I launch an attack on the Ministry with children? Think Harry Potter would murder his own sons, nieces and nephews and other innocents or would he surrender and submit to my will? I'm going to test the reaction on those staff I so kindly saved, there's only three kids left, Longbottom has two daughters and a son in the school especially so his reaction will be the most interesting."

"You can't use them like that! They're just children!"

"So?" Sal sneered, "being 'just children' didn't protect us, what makes everyone else so special? Why shouldn't I use the resources at my disposal just because they're young? Its all worth it for the new world, those who survive to see it will thank me."

"I won't let you," Tommy growled threateningly as his eyes became flinty, Lucius felt a faint flicker of fear from the Shadow Master, "leave this castle, leave the students alone or I swear I will stop you."

"In case you hadn't noticed, its too late," Sal snapped before smirking arrogantly, "I've already won. You think you can banish over a thousand Specters at once? Especially not right now, you're weak and exhausted and not invincible. They'll just keep coming back. And thanks to the blood runes the students can't actually get past the wardstones unless they're possessed so they're trapped assuming you could banish them, the orb has already been returned so you couldn't attempt to reverse it even if you tried. Oh and since you're apparently not paying much attention, you're trapped by a magical wall! Dementors are already on their way to bring you here, I don't want to hurt you Tommy but I will if I have to because you'll join me one way or the other."

Part 4: Sacrifice

"Never!" Tommy cried angrily, "I'd rather die, I'd rather die doing something good than live doing something evil. You're my sister and I love you but I'm not going to help you hurt people."

"Doesn't it bother you that no one's ever told you they love you? You're unloved, unvalued, unwanted and no one gives a damn about you. That would change if you joined me, you can't say people caring about you is a bad thing, you'd be loved and respected and worshiped just like you deserve to be for your power, for your blood. Stop thinking about the causalities and focusing on the bad, think about what's best for you. You could help a lot more people as a ruler of the world then as an assistant."

"I said no, Sal," Tommy said looking both sad and determined before they were all distracted by a yelp of pain from Varanian, the headmaster was at his desk still, too far away to hear their conversation and clutching his head, "what are you doing to him?!"

"He's fighting for control, not my fault the idiot hasn't realized that causes him pain," Sal pointed out dismissively but Tommy took a few seconds longer before looking back.

"Does he know?"

"Know what?"

"That you're the one who murdered his wife and lit him on fire," Tommy snapped and the sound of the spiral staircase moving could be heard.

"No, of course not," Sal chuckled and glanced at the door, Lucius was horrified to see Scorpius was being led in with Duvall, "ah, I see you found young Scorpius."

"Grandfather?" Scorpius wondered looking at him with an expression of horror.

"That's not your grandfather anymore," Tommy pointed out and Scorpius' eyes betrayed relief to see the assistant, Lucius couldn't help but cringe inwardly, Scorpius didn't know who 'Calderon' was, "he's possessed by the Shadow Master."

"Kneel before your master," Duvall sneered and shoved Scorpius onto the ground to make him kneel, Lucius wished his arm would obey him and curse Duvall into the middle of next week for that.

"Be nice, Duvall," Sal cooed and Lucius felt his mouth smile as Scorpius, "Scorpius is going to join us after all."

"No I'm not," Scorpius snapped determinedly as he got to his feet and glared defiantly back at Lucius.

"Don't be like that, its in your best interests. You're a powerful wizard, Scorpius, smart too and have already proved yourself capable of taking a life if necessary. You'd do well to join me, I'll teach you to be useful, strong and powerful beyond you're wildest dreams. People would respect you and fear you, you'd never be looked down on again, you could be great."

"No," Scorpius said quietly, "I just want to be normal."

"Why be normal when you can be special?" Sal wondered but Scorpius didn't budge, "your grandfather thought it was a good idea, he joined us, he's been helping us. Don't you want to be like your family?"

"You're more than the blood you carry, you can't let yourself be defined by your family and their beliefs. You have to make up your mind and be who you choose to be not who you're born to be, I don't care that my grandfather joined you and that he helped you," Scorpius retorted finding his voice and sounding more confident with every word, "I'm not going to hurt innocent people and kill them, no matter what you offer me."

"Then you'll die because I can't possess a gray soul against their will, either submit or I kill you," Sal pointed out darkly and Lucius felt both terrified for Scorpius' life and proud at the same time, he met Tommy's eyes who was looking at him as if desperate for him to do something.

"I'd rather die doing something good then live doing something evil," Scorpius told the Shadow Master defiantly despite the flicker of fear in his eyes, "being possessed is basically being a prisoner again anyway and that's no kind of life."

With a sinking feeling, Lucius realized his grandson was right, he was basically a prisoner and that wasn't much of a life. He couldn't sleep at night, his headaches were slowly killing him and he was wracked with frustration and guilt every second of the day for being incapable of doing anything he wanted. Here he'd just help turn a thousand innocent children into an army, he regretted Draco getting caught up in the Second Wizarding War and he wouldn't wish that on any child, especially Scorpius.

"I really was hoping I wouldn't have to do this," the Shadow Master sighed lazily and drew Lucius' wand, "final chance."

"NO!" Tommy screamed and Scorpius' eyes widened fearfully but stood his ground.

"No," Scorpius said for a final time.

It was too late for Lucius but just maybe he could save his grandson and do something good, no matter what the cost. He thought back to what Brutus had said, you needed to fight the Specter not the master. Light blasted against the barrier trapping Tommy but the magic couldn't get beyond it, Lucius hoped he was making the right choice trusting the son of someone so evil to protect Scorpius but he didn't have much of a choice and he knew the Shadow Master feared her brother.

Lucius was more terrified than he'd ever been in his life as he sank into his mind and focused all his mental energy into reaching out to get his body back, he found the chilling sensation he'd had before of being dipped in icy water. Only that time he didn't fight it. It had to be the Specter. He let it overwhelm him, feeling it more like a cloak that happened to be so cold it send chills into his soul and then he flung it off violently with every shred ounce of strength he had.

He knew it had worked when he staggered forward, his vision was his own again and as he tore his eyes away from his fearful grandson and back to Tommy, Lucius was even more sure. He could feel the Specter already fighting back, he felt as though jagged claws had gripped his head and were digging in and dragging them through his mind. It hurt so much he wanted to scream and cry but he knew he hadn't time, he pushed through it to focus enough to blast a counter-curse at the barrier sealing Tommy in. Tommy immediately made a move to help him, raising his bloodied hand and light blasted through it.

But Lucius knew it was already too late, in the seconds it had taken for his spell to free him was all the Specter needed, the pain was on a level that Lucius couldn't describe and he tried to picture his family's faces one last time. His beliefs, his morals, his fears, his desires, his thoughts, his hopes, his dreams, his regrets, his victories, his mistakes, his memories, everything that made him who he was ripped away as his soul was torn to shreds until there was nothing left. The very last thing Lucius Malfoy ever felt, ever thought and ever knew, was that he loved his family.

Scorpius didn't understand what was happening, one second he'd been desperately trying to light something on fire to save his life after defying the Shadow Master as his own grandfather raised his wand to kill him, he still found it hard to believe his grandfather had been working with the Shadows the whole time. The next second his grandfather was staggering forward, his eyes back to the gray that Scorpius shared with him, tears streaming from them as he shot a nonverbal spell at Calderon.

The wall vanished and his grandfather seemed to be having a seizure, crumpling to the ground and jerking at impossible angles as Calderon raised his hand and light burst out, there was an inhuman howl of pain and a shadow left his grandfather. Then his grandfather was just lying on the ground staring sightless up at nothing, Scorpius thought he screamed 'no' but he was too stunned to really notice, had he just watched his grandfather die? What had just happened?

Calderon looked determined was getting to his feet and holding his arms out either side of him, light exploded from both hands with one heading towards Varanian and the other to Duvall. Duvall's wild eyes bulged with fear as he'd raised his wand on the newly freed Calderon, whatever red spell that sped towards the assistant was obliterated by the blast of light that continued on and knocked Duvall off his feet, his eyes closed as if unconscious or dead. Varanian was sitting at his desk apart from it all, clutching his head which Scorpius thought was strange since he'd supposedly been controlling his grandfather but was knocked off the chair from the light, Calderon headed over to him with light still blazing from his palm. Scorpius grabbed his wand quickly from Duvall's other hand, seeing the man was in fact still alive before going to his grandfather.

"Grandfather?" Scorpius questioned fearfully but a second later Calderon was pulling him to his feet.

"I'm sorry, Scor, we have to get moving," Calderon offered apologetically trying to urge him towards the door, Scorpius almost went before he realized Varanian was with him, his tawny hair looked scruffier than usual and his burns were visible, he glared at the tired-looking man, "long story short: he was possessed but not anymore, we need to move."

Scorpius was dying to open his mouth to demand a better explanation but the urgency in Calderon's voice drove him towards the spiral staircase he'd just came from, the Shadows were swarming again just like with Molly only this time seemed after Varanian. Calderon kept his hand out and a shield of intense light repelled them from the headmaster as they ran, the Shadows were everywhere.

"Where are we going?" Varanian asked while they ran.

"Not a clue," Calderon replied, "its easier to fight them off if we keep moving."

"We can't leave, we have to save the students."

"We can't leave anyway because of the blood runes, or at least only me and Calderon might be able to depending on what the Shadow Master wanted," Scorpius added as Calderon came to a halt in the middle of the corridor, raising both hands to increase the intensity of the light shield to protect Varanian from the onslaught of Shadows, "does that mean you're really not the Shadow Master then?"

"He's really not the Shadow Master," Calderon informed him firmly, he looked drained from the effort of keeping the shield up, "do you have the orb, Pippy? As long as I can keep the Shadows away from you then your soul should still be white and we can use the blood runes to actually destroy the Shadows, it'll leave the students unharmed but cripple the Shadow Master's army."

"No," Varanian admitted looking miserable, "that Duvas guy took it and Lucius' memory back to... wherever. We have no orb. Any chance you can banish them?"

"I don't know, maybe but I don't think I'd survive it and they'd just come back because the students are still trapped here."

"I... I have an orb," Scorpius spoke up uncertainly and the two adults looked down ta him in surprise, "I took the first one to stop you from trying to kill Calderon again... Professor Ashain found it though after it was influencing me, he bound it to himself to severe the bond and hid it in his office. Its still there, I know where it is."

"Well done," Varanian congratulated him looking cautiously hopeful.

"Come on then, we have to hurry," Calderon pointed out and started running again.

Scorpius was still trying to digest all the information as they ran, pushing himself to run harder than he'd ever ran before and felt a twinge of sadness a possessed Molly who shied away from Calderon's light just like the other possessed students they passed. He hoped the other three were still alright, the teachers were their last hope if this didn't work. They were panting as they reached the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and Scorpius took over the two adults as they slowed, bolting for the office door with his wand out.

"Alohomora," Scorpius cast the spell and felt a pang of guilt for breaking into his favorite professor's office but it was an emergency and he thought Professor Ashain would understand, the others came in after him, Calderon looked on the verge of collapsing.

He felt the urge to cry as he remembered where the professor had hidden it, he hoped Professor Ashain would be okay, he'd... he'd just lost his grandfather, he didn't want to lose anyone else. He fought off the wave of grief and cast the levitation spell to remove the brick, the gray orb still hidden safely inside.

"I'm sorry," Varanian said abruptly looking guilty as Scorpius took out the orb, "you know for everything, getting possessed by the Shadows so they could do all this and attacking you both, the attempted murder and everything. I'm really sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Calderon offered with a tired smile but Varanian didn't look any less guilty as Scorpius reluctantly handed him the orb, he still found it hard to trust him after everything regardless of him being possessed, "come here, Scor, so I can make sure we don't get knocked down by the power of binding it."

"Calderon, can I ask you something?" Scorpius wondered cautiously as he went to stand by the assistant as he continued holding up the golden shield against the battering Shadows to defend Varanian, the headmaster transfigured a quill into a knife and slashed his palm with it.

"Sure," Calderon agreed as Varanian held the orb with his bleeding hand like Professor Ashain had done, the orb turned red and started glowing with crimson light as the blood wrapped itself around the orb.

"What... what happened to my grandfather?"

"He... he fought for control, I don't know whether he was possessed against his will or whether he just wanted to protect you more than he wanted to be on the Shadow Master's side but either way..." Calderon told him but paused as Varanian muttered something, the red melded into white and there was a flash of light, Scorpius felt himself sway slightly but was alright as was Calderon, Varanian looked exhausted though, "either way he fought off the Shadow long enough to free me, the Shadows... they can eat souls, they feed off the suffering having your soul torn up causes... it took his soul. I'm sorry, Scor, I was too late to save him."

"Those things can do that?" Varanian wondered looking as horrified as Scorpius felt, his grandfather hadn't just died. He'd lost his soul.

"Yes... they're really not good."

"Is there any way to reverse it?" Scorpius asked quietly and the twist of sadness in Calderon's face answered for him. The Shadows had taken his grandfather's soul. And almost everyone in the school had one of those things inside them, "why aren't they attacking you and me?"

"They need permission to possess gray souls. Look we need... we need to get moving again, the longer wait the more that can go wrong," Calderon said swaying on his feet, Varanian nodded and they started running again.

Scorpius's mind was still reeling as he ran after the adults, the barrage of Shadows was so overwhelming that Scorpius couldn't actually see beyond Calderon's light and he was glad he wasn't in the lead. He only realized they were in the girl's bathroom when Calderon hissed to open the entrance, his heart was pounding as they practically jumped down the pipe without missing a step. Scorpius felt like they were being washed away with all-consuming light as they plummeted, faster and faster and he had a feeling Calderon was making them go faster as they came out the end, being flung into the gap.

He was offered a hand up and took it before he realized it was Varanian, the thank you died on his lips but Varanian didn't seem to notice or care as Calderon snapped at them to carry on running. Scorpius really had no idea how Calderon knew the way to go, there was nothing but blackness beyond the light shielding them. Scorpius had a feeling the Shadow Master realized they were in trouble and was throwing everything into stopping them before it was too late, all they needed was to possess Varanian or for Calderon's light to falter. Calderon's maniacal laughter wasn't very inspiring as he hissed and ran into the chamber, Scorpius and Varanian still following. They were all breathless as they reached the obelisk, Scorpius was glad it was cool down there.

"We made it," Varanian breathed, standing to the right of the obelisk as Calderon stood to the left, facing down the way they'd come with his arm outstretched and light blazing out. Scorpius stood behind them beside the obelisk itself.

"No we didn't," Calderon whispered hanging his head, "I can't... I can't keep this up and activate the obelisk, I don't... I don't have the strength to put a permanent barrier in place, even temporarily. The Shadow Master win... wins the students are now an army of Shadows. We can't... we can't stop it."

"You could try to-"

"I am trying but it can't... it can't last, I have no strength left, if... if I put my arm down I'll collapse. You'll be possessed, kill Scor and imprison me."

"Well what if... what if I act-"

"You're not a gray soul!"

But I am, Scorpius thought to himself. He knew what to so. He knew the words. The adults continued to argue hopelessly and he let it wash over him as he walked unchallenged up the steps to the pedestal, every one feeling like a momentous movement. The symbols were all still crimson from Calderon's blood, the Tiwaz rune itself actually was still wet from the blood. He studied it all carefully, hovering his left hand over the sacrificial symbol, his hand was so much smaller than all the ones etched into the stone. He slammed it down hard, cringing at the searing pain that erupted in his palm as the rune cut through his skin.

The words froze on his tongue as a horrific revelation dawned on him, on the third pulse the wardstone sacrifices would die. Abby, Albus, Rose, Michael, Nott and Varanian would all be killed, his friends would die, die by his hand. He gazed out at the adults, standing either side of the obelisk and still arguing, Calderon's knees were shaking as if they were about to give way and Varanian seemed to register the hopelessness of the situation, hanging his head and looking at the pure white orb in his hand. If he was going to do it then he had to do it now, there was no time to wait.

If he did it then the Shadows would be destroyed - not just banished - and then the school would be saved but his friends would die. If he didn't then the Shadows would win, use the children as an army and could destroy their souls like they'd done to his grandfather, his friends would inevitably be captured too. The guilt stabbed at him like thousands of knives of ice plunging into his heart but it was the right thing to do. It was like five strangers or one sibling. He couldn't be selfish.

"I, Ecifircas," Scorpius whispered and the two adults seemed to become aware of him again.

"Scor, no!" Calderon cried but it was lost over the thrum of the magic.

Scorpius felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest, the flash of crimson was pulled from him and pulsed into the pedestal. Varanian's scream was lost as he fell to the ground clutching his chest like Michael had at dinner, the pure white orb floated to the tip of the obelisk. White bolts of energy cracked up the length of the obelisk and into the orb, it surged with power and a blinding pulse of white light shot out.

One down. The dark barrier was broken.

Images flashed through his mind of his friends, like a roll of silent film. Calderon fell to his knees, still holding up the light against the onslaught, his eyelids were flickering as they fought to keep awake long enough to keep up the shield. If Calderon dropped the shield then the Shadows were finished, his grandfather's sacrifice would have been in vain and the students would get a fate worse than death. The second pulse broke through the darkness.

Two down. The protective wall was in place.

Scorpius could feel his energy being sucked out of him with every pulse, his body would feel like it was jolting from the force but he it wasn't like he could tear his hand away even if he tried, even if he wanted to. But the worst part was that Scorpius didn't want to, stopping the Shadows and saving the students was more important than saving his friends. His heart both knew it was the right thing and despised him for it. The final pulse left the orb.

Three down. Everything died.

As the final wave of pure white light cascaded through the blackness beyond Calderon's light, Scorpius knew it was working. Inhuman screeches of pain were more intense then the thrum of magic, the Shadows were obliterated the instant the light went through them. There was nothing they or the Shadow Master could do to stop it. The students were safe, Molly was not. Except his other friends and Nott. And Varanian.

Calderon finally lowered his arm as the pulse left their sight, his yellow light shield vanished and he fell forwards onto the ground, his eyes closed shut. Scorpius would have turned his head to Varanian but at that moment the pulse must have reached the wardstone line because the last of his strength left his body as the spell finished. Silence. The orb floated gently to the ground. Scorpius' left hand was repelled from the pedestal, his tiny handprint left pressed permanently into the stone above all others. He collapsed weakly onto the steps before it and his mind fell into blissful oblivion.