Parts (61-63)
II
Chapter 16
The Call of the Dark
Part 1: The Calling
"Come to me. NOW."
Michael didn't know how everyone could fall asleep so quickly with the exams tomorrow but they did, he was scared out of his mind of failing and getting kicked out of Hogwarts. And on top of everything else, he had another headache and the pain had taken that moment to flare up. He started recounting facts for the exams to try to distract himself and because he needed to know it.
He only stopped when he heard sounds, at first he thought it was Scorpius sleepwalking again but it sounded like he was getting dressed. Michael scowled, where would he be going? It was after curfew for second years even if it wasn't even ten yet. Confused he pulled back the drapes and saw Scorpius was just finishing tying his laces, his eyes were closed as he stood and picked up his wand.
"Scorpius, what are you doing?" Michael asked anxiously, he didn't want Scorpius to get in trouble for being out so late. Scorpius didn't reply and Michael wondered if actually he'd been right the first time, was it possible to sleep-get-dressed? Or was he just ignoring him because he didn't want to tell him anything as usual? "Scorpius?"
"Its calling," Scorpius whispered monotonously, his eyes opened a crack but they didn't look focused.
"Its after curfew, just go back to bed and worry about... whatever that is tomorrow."
"Its calling," Scorpius repeated and started to walk towards the door.
Michael was extremely torn, on one hand he didn't want to get in trouble and Scorpius might have a good reason for what he was doing but just didn't bother telling him, maybe he was sneaking out to meet Varanian? But on the other hand, Michael had a feeling that that definitely wasn't normal and he didn't want Scorpius to get in trouble, he couldn't just let him walk out like that.
He sighed heavily and got out of bed quickly, pulling on sneakers and a sweater over his pajama top for warmth, grabbing his wand finally before rushing after Scorpius. He almost ran into Maurice as he left the dormitory, he opened his mouth to apologize but Maurice hadn't put his hand on his translator necklace or even appeared to acknowledge him as he carried on walking. In fact he was walking just like Scorpius had been, fully dressed with his wand in his hand and his eyes half-open but unfocused like he wasn't really seeing. Something definitely seemed weird.
Michael said he had to jog to keep up with the younger boy, he grabbed his shoulder carefully and shook him gently to try snap him out of it. It seemed to work as Maurice stopped trying to walk, his eyes snapped fully open and looked alert before confusion broke his usually neutral expression. He frowned and put a hand on his translator necklace.
"What's happening?" Maurice asked, "why am I out here?"
"I don't know, you were just walking and so is Scorpius..." Michael started to explain before recalling Scorpius and hurrying after him, Maurice followed and they got downstairs just in time to see Scorpius stepping out the portrait hole, "Scorpius, wait!"
There were a few students in the Common Room, probably trying to get in as much studying as possible, who gave them some odd looks but none of them spoke or went to see why they were leaving after curfew. Scorpius was still walking though as they followed him out, he didn't stop or seem to care that Michael had called after him. Michael and Maurice still had to jog to catch up with him.
"Where are you going?" Maurice questioned, keeping a hand on his translator necklace although walking and talking was awkward for him.
"Its calling," Scorpius said for the third time without stopping.
"So ignore it, you have to snap out of it or you'll get in trouble for being out," Michael protested.
"Its calling."
"Yeah, I got that," Michael muttered and went to grab Scorpius' shoulder to snap him out of it like he had with Maurice but Scorpius' eyes didn't snap open, he simply jerked his shoulder free and continued walking.
"Its calling."
"We should follow him," Maurice announced as Scorpius started headed down the Grand Staircase, he stopped Michael to speak to him, "see where this calling is making him go and tried to make me go, its probably not a good thing so we should find out what it is and stop it so it can't call us again."
"I don't know, I think its better we just try get him to snap out of it," Michael pointed out before spotting a figure coming up the Grand Staircase, too small to be an adult but the white of his hair gave him away even from a distance, "or maybe we should see why Orous is also here."
Maurice nodded in agreement and they had to run to catch back up to Scorpius, they and Orous reached the third floor at the same time. Like Scorpius, he was fully dressed and walking with his wand in his hand although his eyes were open and seemed more focused, maybe he was fighting the calling more than Scorpius? Orous and Scorpius turned in perfect unison down the third floor corridor, Maurice and Michael just followed their friends as they walked to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and continued on up the stairs to where Ashain's private office and sleeping quarters were.
"I said I don't know, Atty!" a woman's voice yelled, she sounded upset, "they didn't say anything else, they just vanished when Cassia started running."
It dawned on Michael that he was the only one of the four who could actually hear the woman, he'd thought if it was Ashain then maybe he could help or know what was going on but he certainly didn't want to disturb the professor if he had company. She'd spoken too late though and even as Michael jogged the few steps to catch up to Orous and Scorpius to try get them back, they reached the open door.
"Well fine, we just need to get him to the hospital wing and see what Marigold says," Ashain replied as the pair stopped before the door, Michael nearly ran into them while Maurice was safely slightly behind. There was a woman in the room with the professor, holding a little boy and a little girl sitting at Ashain's desk. Ashain saw them and opened his mouth to speak, probably to ask why they were there and Michael opened his mouth to apologize profusely but Orous spoke first.
Scorpius woke up to find himself not comfortable in bed in pajamas on the morning of exam week but standing up in the doorway of Professor Ashain's office, fully dressed with wand in hand and feeling completely bewildered as to how he got that way. Professor Ashain's wife and children were there too, as was Michael, Maurice and Orous, Scorpius both hoped and thought he was dreaming for a minute at the strangeness of it all.
"Its too late for the hospital wing," Orous announced grimly, speaking at a louder - more normal - volume than usual and Scorpius noticed Professor Ashain's son wasn't looking so good, "the only way he won't die is if his soul is repaired, his magic put back. Healers can do nothing."
"How-How do you know that, Orous?"
"That's what they did to me," Orous said quietly again, "it takes half an hour at most before they die, how long has it been for him?"
"A couple of minutes... Are you Orous Knox?" Skye spoke up as she hugged the near lifeless boy closer, Orous nodded, "they mentioned you, said you know where they take magic."
"Yes, I know."
"Why are you four even here?" Professor Ashain wondered trying to sound calm but Scorpius could see the panic in his eyes.
"They sleepwalked or something, we were seeing where they went," Maurice answered, Scorpius could swear he was trying not to look excited, "I think there's more pressing concerns though considering the time constraints. Where do they take the magic, Orous?"
"It doesn't matter," Orous whispered sadly, "he's better off dead."
"No he's not!" Skye shrieked desperately, "he's just a little boy, he has his whole life ahead of him."
"Well it still doesn't matter. Even if I told you then you'd never be able to get his magic, the enchantments on the place is designed to keep away people who've never been there before. You'd have next to no chance of finding it then even less chance of getting out and even if you miraculously managed that then it then it definitely wouldn't be in time to save him."
"You know the way though?" Professor Ashain prompted and Orous nodded again, "if I brought you there then you could lead me to this place and out in time to save him?"
"Yes. But I don't want to go back there."
"Why?!" Skye demanded angrily, "you have to! He'll die otherwise!"
"I'm scared."
"I'll keep you safe," Professor Ashain promised but Orous only bit his lip fearfully.
"You have to be brave, Orous," Scorpius offered gently putting his hand on the albino's shoulder, Orous flicked his crimson eyes to Scorpius, he thought he could relate after going to face Linden to save Lysander but still, he didn't want anything to happen to the son of someone he cared about, "I know its hard to face things like this but its to save Professor Ashain's son's life, he'll die if you don't do this."
"Would you come with me then, Scorpius?" Orous asked in a whisper.
"Sure," Scorpius agreed hesitantly, feeling more anxious about heading into some Shadow area that could be dangerous but what choice did he have? If he refused then Orous would refuse and Professor Ashain's son would die, he couldn't let his favorite professor down especially not after he'd almost died to save his life before and they really didn't have time to dawdle.
"Excellent," Maurice announced cheerfully and seemed unusually animated, "let's steal us back some magic."
"No you can't go, this isn't a picnic we're going to," Professor Ashain complained, "its a potentially dangerous situation the less people go the better."
"What is going on, Ticcy?" Calderon wondered curiously and Scorpius jumped, he'd been so focused on the conversation unfolding he hadn't noticed the former assistant coming up behind them with his dog, it licked Orous' hand and he petted the large hound gently.
"Did you sleepwalk here too?"
"No, I notice if Portkeys are used within the school remember? So... what's up?"
"Short version is Professor Ashain's son had the magic ripped out of his soul and he's going to die in half an hour - or more like twenty-ish minutes - unless we get it back to save him, Orous knows where they'd have taken it because it happened to him and he's going to lead the way so we're going to go get the magic back and save the boy," Maurice explained for Calderon.
"I wanna come," the little girl - Cassia, if Scorpius remembered correctly - spoke up, "I wanna help."
"No one is going but Scorpius, Orous and me," Professor Ashain pointed out.
"You're not taking two random students to a random place to chase random people who steal magic," Calderon stated shaking his head, "that's too dangerous."
"There's no time to waste waiting for Aurors, Calderon! If I don't go now then my son will die!"
"Okay," Calderon said quietly as the seriousness of the situation was pressed upon them, "but I'm coming too, I'll lower the anti-apparation wards. Why does Scor have to go though?"
"Moral support for Orous."
"Do you have a map of England?" Orous asked and Calderon gestured, one appeared and floated onto the professor's desk, Orous strode over it along with the two men as he pointed out the location to them, "Pandoran Hills."
"Am I the only one who has a bad feeling about this?" Michael muttered while Scorpius was filled another burst of dread, wasn't that the place where Varanian had thought the Shadow base was and had nearly died there? It clicked in his mind that Varanian said something similar to Orous about enchantments making it difficult as well. They still didn't have a choice though, he cared about Professor Ashain and wasn't going to let his son die if he could help it, besides they'd be a lot with safer with Calderon.
"Am I the only one that thinks its stupid we don't get to go?" Maurice grumbled.
"You're not staying for no reason," Calderon pointed out as they stepped back from the map, "if we're not back in half an hour then you two need to contact the Ministry and tell them what happened and we went. Password to my office is 'dragons'. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Maurice and Michael said in unison.
"Alright, let's go then."
"Come on, Scorpius," Orous whispered offering out his hand, Scorpius crossed the distance and took it before he felt Calderon's hand on his shoulder.
Scorpius felt himself being apparated a moment later, the not exactly pleasant sensation of being forced through a tube overcame him and then they were somewhere else. It was twilight, the sky was painted navy and only a few stars dared peek their heads out. They were looking at an old manor house, not nearly as grand or large as his family's home but it had a similar look of faded elegance, there was lights from some of the windows but he didn't see anyone.
"You people really suck at hiding," a familiar voice complained, Professor Ashain fired a nonverbal spell at the speaker while they were still turning their heads, Varanian ducked it effortlessly and held up his hands - although he had a wand in one of them - as a sign of peace, "I'm on your side."
"What are you doing here, Varanian?" Professor Ashain questioned as he reluctantly lowered his wand, Scorpius was glad that Varanian seemed in much better health at least.
"What am I doing here? What are you four doing here?" Varanian countered irritably.
"We don't have time for this, I have to save my son."
"Specters ripped the magic out of his soul," Scorpius offered in explanation for Varanian, "need to get back or he dies."
"Well you're in luck," Varanian told them and gestured to the manor, "the guards I've spend weeks spying on and mapping out movements randomly decided to take off about fifteen minutes ago. The grounds are completely clear, I was just about to go in and check it out."
"Either come with us and help or stay the hell out of our way," Professor Ashain growled and started walking towards the building, they all followed.
"What is this place?" Calderon asked of Varanian as they walked.
"Its some kind of base of operations for the Shadows or was, their numbers of security seem to have been steadily decreasing the last month, I suspect they're moving to a new location. They're holding Lorcan Scamander here but there's some enchantments that make you disorientated when you get in and I haven't found a way to get past them yet to save him."
"That's why Orous is here," Scorpius pointed out as they reached a side entrance.
Orous strode to the front and opened it without waiting for any sign or for someone to check it out, apparently the Shadows didn't lock their doors. He went in with Professor Ashain whose wand was firmly in his hand and his eyes darting around, Scorpius followed behind them with Calderon and Varanian bringing up the rear. He felt Orous take his hand but that was all he was sure of.
He understood immediately why Varanian had had such a hard time in the place before, why Orous had claimed it was hopeless for Professor Ashain to do it alone and what the enchantments meant. Everything was moving, the wood-paneled walls were waving and twirling, spiraling into peculiar patterns and Scorpius wasn't sure where the walls ended and the ceiling began. Then there was the floor, the ground seemed to be rippling and moving beneath him, he felt as if he was walking around the back of a dragon as it was moving and trying to throw him off. If Orous hadn't taken his hand he was sure he'd actually have been knocked down, he clung to him like a life line and was led blindly into more swirling morphing hallways. He was so dizzy.
He heard a noise behind him that sounded like someone crying out but when he looked back he was met by the same impossibly swirling hallway behind him, he wasn't sure if that meant they were no longer following or simply he couldn't see them anymore with the bizarre disorientation. Although he could still see Orous who miraculously seemed to be walking without nearly falling or staggering like he and Professor Ashain were, Orous didn't seem to have noticed the sound but the professor must have because he too looked back.
"I'm not sure that Calderon and Varanian are behind us anymore," Scorpius pointed out.
"I don't know, everything's so weird," Professor Ashain offered, "Calderon?"
"We're nearly there," Orous whispered continuing to lead them forwards or upwards or downwards, Scorpius couldn't make heads or tails of the direction, in fact a part he could've just been standing in the same place stumbling the entire time and it wouldn't surprise him.
Scorpius wasn't sure how long they walked for, each step felt like a mammoth task but in reality it was probably only a couple of minutes before Orous brought them to a halt and let go of his hand. He didn't see any magic balls of light, just more shifting... everything. Then he noticed a figure stepping out from seemingly nowhere, he was a bulky, broad-shouldered, muscular man with a nightmare of a face. His eyes were too far apart and one was actually higher than the other, his bulbous nose was very crooked as was his overly wide mouth that curled part up the right side of his face. On top of that his ears were also too big and stuck out, even his fingers all seemed the wrong lengths and at different angles... all six of his fingers.
"I think I'm seeing things," Professor Ashain commented staring at the man with a sad expression while Scorpius raised his wand, the six-fingered man had his in his hand but made no move to attack.
"No, I see him too," Scorpius offered.
"I'm really here, Atty," the man confirmed in his gruff voice, his mouth distorted into what Scorpius thought might've been an attempt at some kind of a smile.
"Brutus, you're alive?" Professor Ashain wondered quietly and the deformed six-fingered man nodded.
He thought the professor would raised his wand at that point, prepared to defend himself from the Shadow man as people weren't effected by the distortion but he didn't. He did the last thing that Scorpius would have thought he'd do in that situation, a smile split his face and seemed to forget that they were in a dangerous situation with his son's life on the line as he embraced Brutus, whose eyes bulged in the surprise that Scorpius felt. The same shade as the professor and his father, he realized abruptly, and actually the man's hair was also the same extremely dark shade of auburn as the professor and Aurelius as well, it was even combed back in a similar fashion to Professor Ashain... Hadn't the brother the professor had killed been called Brutus? Brutus returned the embrace for just a moment before pushing the professor away.
"I'm sorry for nearly killing you," Professor Ashain apologized immediately, still somehow oblivious to the fact his brother was a Shadow now, "I didn't mean-"
"I know," Brutus interrupted him, "I forgave you a long time ago and... I'm sorry too."
"How did you survive? Wait, it can wait, I have a son and these people took his magic and he's going to die unless..."
"Unless you get the magic back," Brutus finished the sentence for him and the professor finally seemed to realize who his brother was, "I know that too."
"You're one of them," Professor Ashain realized aloud.
"Yes," Brutus admitted readily and raised his wand, "since you asked how I survived, the Shadow Master saved my life and I've been with them ever since. Believe me when I say that I'm sorry for this."
"Expelliarmus!" Scorpius cried immediately but his aim was completely off.
"Yeah, good luck with that," Brutus muttered and raised his free hand, Scorpius and Professor Ashain's wands both were yanked from their hands by an invisible force and hovered over to his waiting hand, "what? Did you really think after spending so much time with the Shadow Master that I'd know nothing of wandless magic? You were right, Atty, I can be smart when I put my mind to something."
"Please don't do this," Professor Ashain pleaded.
"Too late," a newcomer's voice laughed.
Scorpius spun to look at the speaker only to find he fell completely onto the ground, he did notice a white wall being drawn around them, Professor Ashain tried to move and managed to stagger slightly closer to him before also losing his balance while the man completed the rectangular around them. Scorpius recognized it as the magic that possessed-Varanian had used to trap Calderon, magic couldn't get past the walls. The newcomer was also a hideous sight, half of his face was a mangled burned mess that must've continued down his body because an equally mangled burned arm hung uselessly at his side.
"Seraph?" Professor Ashain questioned cautiously.
"Surprised you recognize me," Seraph sneered, "considering how I didn't look like this last time we met, since you did this to me."
"Well next time don't booby trap your base with things that explode," Professor Ashain offered which caused Seraph to glare between him and Brutus for some reason.
"Typical arrogant asshole Auror."
The professor tried to stand but once again toppled because of the moving floor, it wasn't so bad staying still but trying to walk or move was extremely difficult without Orous. Orous. It was at that moment that Scorpius realized Orous wasn't trapped like they were, he felt a bubble of relief for a moment as he thought that Orous had managed to get away, maybe to find Calderon and Varanian but it burst when he noticed Orous on the outside of the wall standing beside Brutus, crying silently.
"I'll be back," Brutus growled to Seraph before vanishing into the Shadows and leaving them trapped.
Part 2: Pandoran Hills
Varanian had a bad feeling about the Shadows suddenly picking up and leaving and the feeling only got worse after coming across the four, he could get why Ashain, Marius and... Knox were there but would have felt a lot better if Scorpius was back in the relative safety of Hogwarts. He still went along with them though, if they wouldn't go back then he'd rather be there, something could be said of safety in numbers. They used a different backdoor than the one he'd used before although Knox went in without caution, Ashain didn't seem to have a problem with this but then he certainly wouldn't be thinking straight.
It was the same as last time he'd been in there, everything was moving and shifting dizzily, it was difficult to keep balanced but as he'd realized last time if you went slowly and carefully it was easier. Easier but still not good, he was more able to go cautiously in the absence of people trying to kill him, it seemed as oddly deserted inside as out. That didn't stop him from keeping the wand in his hand though and scanning every inch of the morphing building for signs of Shadows. He and Marius were a bit behind the other three and he was a bit behind Marius, he started to ask Marius to slow down when the floor gave way.
In fact it just seemed to vanish and Varanian found himself falling, he tried to grab onto the floor but his hands grabbed only empty air as he felt himself plummeting into pitch black darkness. He wasn't entirely unconvinced it wasn't an illusion but he hurriedly cast a spell to slow his momentum anyway, just in time before he hit hard solid ground. He grounded in pain at the collision but his spell had spared him the damage of falling from the original height, he still wasn't completely healed from his last excursion there but he was basically alright. He sat up and glanced around but the darkness was all engulfing, there wasn't so much as a pinprick of light above him to indicate where he'd fallen from.
"Lumos," Varanian muttered and his wand lit up the darkness somewhat, from what he gathered he was in some kind of dungeon place with dark stone walls and floors.
"Who's there?" a child's voice asked and Varanian jerked his wand in the direction of the speaker.
Varanian had to get up and move a few steps closer before he could make out the boy. He had the same dirty blond hair as his brother although his seemed slightly longer and was matted with grime, he also seemed thinner, his amber glinted sharply in the darkness despite bearing rings of tiredness. His face was was brushed was dirt as were his clothes, he was sitting in the corner with his chains binding his wrists and ankles. He'd found Lysander's identical twin, Lorcan Scamander.
Calderon didn't like it. He didn't like what had happened to Ticcy's son. He didn't like that his sister, Shadows - he refused to call them Specters, they were Shadows of Dementors - or her people were responsible. He didn't like how little time they had. He didn't like how he'd stupidly left Hogwarts unprotected. He didn't like how people he was supposed to protect were now at risk. He didn't like how he didn't well. And he really didn't like how everything was shifting, he already felt rather unwell and it was making him feel worse. He thought he might be able to break the enchantment but he just as equally thought things might just explode instead, he could risk injuring people who weren't him and damaging Ticcy's son's magic. Especially feeling ill, it made it harder to focus. It wasn't the greatest way to turn thirty-seven.
He heard Pippy say his name and turned back to him in time to see the ground swallowing him up, he ran to help without hesitation. Or at least tries, the rug decided to do a somersault and he managed to trip backwards. He yelped in surprise as the entire floor seemed to slope suddenly, he was sliding then tumbling and tumbling until he felt himself collide with a wall and then the ground no longer seemed at an impossibly steep incline although it continued to wave like the ocean. And he could no longer see the others in front of him or in any direction from him actually, Pippy he could understand as the ground had ate him but Ticcy and the kids were also gone, hadn't they been effected by the sloping floor too? Calderon really didn't like it. Being separated was very bad. He tried to stand, the moving wall seemed determined to repel him.
He heard someone snap their fingers and the room immediately stopped shifting, the wood-paneled walls were solid and still as was the ceiling and the floorboards. He turned to look at the one who'd caused it and saw Rabastan was standing there, time had been good to him even though his hair was now iron gray, he looked healthier than Calderon had ever seen him as a child. Rabastan had always been good to them but 'them' was the operative word, he was good to Sal too and he was on her side at that point in time. Then again he had just spared him the shifting, although he was also holding a shiny blade, either a short sword or a long dagger.
"Better, Tommy?" Rabastan offered with a kind smile.
"Yes, thank you," Calderon said gratefully but cautiously, "don't suppose you've seen magic belonging to a little boy hanging around and would willingly give it to me and help me and the others get out of here quickly?"
"Things aren't that simple, my boy."
"I figured. What's with the knife?"
"This? Its a blood sword, it absorb the blood of the person it stabs in the handle," Rabastan explained and gestured to the glass-looking grip, "we can do this the easy way or the hard way."
"You actually expect me to just stand here and let you kill me?" Calderon wondered in surprise, he wasn't completely insane, "I don't want to kill you but I will stop you if you attack me."
"I don't want to kill you, Tommy, just stab you to get some blood. Scorpius was the one who activated the Blood Runes that last time but it was mostly your blood in the Obelisk, we need your blood as well as him to help Sal. You want to help your sister, don't you? Your one and only sister, your twin sister, your only family."
"I don't want to help Sal with her destruction-domination-death-whatever plans as I've said. Several times."
"Its your destiny."
"I don't believe in destiny," Calderon snapped firmly and Rabastan simply inclined his head.
"Very well, the hard way it is. For now," Rabastan pointed out before coming at him stupidly with the sword, Calderon simply raised his hand and effortless magically pushed him back a few feet.
"I got a lot better at controlling my magic now."
"Oh I know, we got a lot better at controlling Sal's Specters too."
Calderon opened his mouth to ask what he meant before Rabastan lunged at him again, he threw him back more forcefully this time. Rabastan smashed into a side table and Calderon cringed, Rabastan moaned in pain and Calderon guiltily went over to help him up. Rabastan took his hand and smiled kindly once more, he no longer had the sword. He no longer had the sword.
He gasped at the sharp pain that shot through his gut as he felt the blade run through him, although it felt more like it was made of molten rock, it felt like it was burning. He fell weakly back against whoever had just stabbed him, glancing down at the now-crimson blade in time to see it twist sending a fresh wave of searing pain through him. It hurt to breathe against the pain, magical lights flashed uselessly around him but he was afraid to push his attacker away because he'd fall.
"Don't worry, we'll heal you up in a minute," Brutus Ashain's voice said into his ear, "its not my intention to kill you, Tommy, just to save her and you won't feel ill anymore either then."
Calderon would've replied if he could, asked what in the world he was talking about, the only thing Sal needed saving from was herself as far as he knew. His mouth too busy trying to breathe too deeply to lessen the hurt to comprehend forming words though. He felt a hand go to his head and a slight sting as a few hairs were ripped out, he didn't have time to wonder why before the bloody blade was abruptly jerked out and he cried out in pain while he fell to the ground.
"Any ideas how to get out of this?" Scorpius whispered to Professor Ashain after trying the Portkey ring but it had no effect.
"No talking until Brutus gets back!" Seraph snapped.
"Is that really what you do all day?" Professor Ashain wondered with a mocking smirk, Scorpius wondered if there was a reason for messing with the angry guy or the professor was just losing it from stress, "you went from trying to band together former Death Eaters to start a revolt to babysitting while you wait on instructions?"
"I shut up!" Seraph yelled glaring at the professor with a look of loathing.
"I'm sorry I don't take orders from lackeys."
"I'm not a lackey!"
"Could've fooled me, ugly."
"Just wait till I'm done with you, Ashain," Seraph spat angrily, "you'll look worse than your bastard brother, you won't even look human. By the time I'm done with you, you'll beg for death and maybe I'll be merciful enough to-"
"Ah generic empty threats," Professor Ashain commented and laughed, "and more waiting for instructions. Did I fry half your brain too? That why you're now a mindless lackey?"
"I do a lot."
"Of course, babysitting and waiting is difficult work."
"I said shut the fuck up!"
"Make me," Professor Ashain shot back, "oh wait, you can't because you need permission."
"Crucio!" Seraph screamed as he waved his wand, a jet of light shot out towards the professor but he leaped to one side and the spell struck the back misty white wall that crackled.
"I'm twelve and I have a better aim than you," Scorpius mocked, assuming that was Professor Ashain's plan.
"I have first years that could aim better than him," Professor Ashain agreed and Seraph fired another jet of light at the professor who again leaped out of the way, "no wonder they only let you babysit and wait, you can't hit prisoners trapped in a box."
"Fuck you, Ashain!" Seraph raged and went to aim his wand again.
"I think he's trying to make you mad," Orous pointed out quietly as he tried to wipe his tear-stained face while seemed to calm Seraph a bit as he rationally reasoned it was true, this time it was Seraph's turn to smirk with morphed the mangled side of his face hideously, "just leave them alone."
"Fair point, I can take satisfaction that you're sitting here taunting me while your filthy half-blood son dies an agonizingly painful drawn-out death," Seraph said with his one eye glinting cruelly, Professor Ashain said nothing, "what no comeback? You know the brat volunteered, pretty much in line with Ashain intelligence. Was going to do the girl before then, she's pretty feisty and now she gets to watch her brother die then you can watch her die so its more than fair."
"Leave my kids alone!" Professor Ashain snapped darkly.
"Or what? You'll stupidly run into a trap... again?"
"You're Lorcan Scamander, aren't you?" Varanian questioned even though he already knew the answer.
"Yes. You're Varanian, aren't you?" Lorcan wondered in reply and Varanian paused in going to magically remove the chains in surprise.
"Yes. How'd you know that?"
"I saw you at the memorial when everyone was attacked although you had different hair."
"Yeah, I'm metamorphmagi. Can change my appearance."
Varanian flicked his wand at the chains binding the boy's ankles and wrists, they broke obediently and clunked to the ground, revealing an identical wrist scar to Scorpius. Lorcan rubbed his wrists were he'd been bound and Varanian offered him a hand to help him up, Lorcan flinched away fearfully so he retracted his hand and Lorcan got to his feet unaided.
"I don't like to be touched," Lorcan offered quietly as an explanation.
"Neither do I," Varanian shrugged it off but the boy's eyes shot back to him immediately, "so I'm going to look for a way to get back up there."
"I didn't realize there was one."
"Then how did you get down here?"
"Specter transporting, I thought they were just leaving me down here to die. How did you get down here?"
"I... fell. The floor just gave way and apparently sealed itself."
"That's a strange way of rescuing someone."
"It wasn't exactly my plan," Varanian protested defensively.
"Then what was your plan?" Lorcan wondered.
"People showed up and ruined my plan," Varanian grumbled and sighed rubbing his stinging side, "anyway the mark of a great tactician is not the ability to make plans but to be able to deal and make no ones when things go wrong, my new plan is to look around down here for a passageway or a staircase or something to get out."
"Can I help?" Lorcan asked cautiously when Varanian went to move away, "I don't want to be useless and helpless forever."
"Alright," Varanian agreed, liking the boy's attitude and took out one of the spare wands he'd taken to carrying and handed it to him, "the incantation to light up the wand is Lumos, the movement is like this -" he briefly paused to show it carefully to Lorcan who watched intently, "- did you get that?"
"I've never done a spell before, I don't have a wand and I've never been to Hogwarts."
"Have to start somewhere," Varanian shrugged, "if you can get it then go around the opposite direction to me, hug the wall and look for doorways or archways, windows, openings, I'm not picky. Holler if you find anything."
Varanian walked off to leave him to it and because time was off the essence, he started at a random section of the wall and moved left, tapping it and using a nonverbal spell to check for whether the wall was hollow as well as he went. He could hear Lorcan trying the spell a few times before hearing an excited gasp.
"I did it, Varanian! I cast a real spell!" Lorcan exclaimed delightedly.
"Well done," Varanian praised him without stopping or even glancing back, he did notice a new light on the peripheral of his vision though and heard Lorcan's footsteps going around. He reached the end of the wall and found it came to another wall, this one though was hollow, "Lorcan! Think I found a way out."
He heard Lorcan coming over and wasted no time in cast a spell to blast the wall outwards, just as Lorcan appeared beside him with the wand aglow. They peered into the hole that Varanian had just created, it was some kind of passageway but it was better than being stuck in a dungeon. He headed into it and gestured for the boy to follow, he hoped the others were having as much luck as he was.
"I'll kill you," Professor Ashain promised.
Seraph didn't look threatened by this, he didn't even lose his smile but the conversation ended when Brutus reappeared in a swirl of shadows once more although Seraph kept his wand pointed at them. Scorpius was sure there was a red stain on the front of his robes that hadn't been there before, in fact there was blood - very literally - on Brutus' misshapen six-fingered hands. He glanced briefly at them before turning to Seraph, neither Shadow seemed concerned for Orous just standing there. But then Orous made no move to do anything despite having a wand.
"Did you get Tommy's blood?" Seraph asked of Brutus.
"Yes, Tommy or Calderon or whatever he prefers to call himself didn't stand a chance," Brutus confirmed and Scorpius felt a stab of panic.
"What did you do to him!?" Scorpius demanded furiously.
"All we wanted was to lure him away to take his blood, we don't need the rest of you anymore."
"I still get my revenge though, right?" Seraph wondered losing his smile finally.
Brutus looked at Seraph although Scorpius really couldn't understand any expression on his deformed face, Brutus said nothing though before glancing back at his brother. Without warning Brutus raised his wand and shot a nonverbal spell at Seraph, he tried too late to move his wand to defend himself and Brutus' spell struck him, flinging him... Scorpius wasn't sure the distance with the morphing walls but he'd guess across the room.
Brutus turned back to them and snapped his fingers, immediately the room stopped shifting and solidified into a rather elegant, large, wood-paneled room. He reached into a leather pouch at his waist and pulled out a glass box with a beautiful glowing ball of light inside before waving his wand, the magical walls boxing them in vanished in an instant.
"There's not much time, Atty," Brutus said coming over to them as they got to their feet, he offered the glass box to the professor who looked at it as if it may be poisoned for a moment before taking it ever so carefully. Brutus waved his wand again before handing his brother back his wand, "I just lowered the anti-apparation wards, get that back to your son. Just open the lid of the box and levitate the magic back into him, it'll just pass through him and his soul will try to repair itself automatically."
"Brutus, I-"
"There's no time," Brutus interrupted in a growl and Professor Ashain just looked him, Scorpius wasn't entirely sure he trusted the Shadow who had Calderon's blood on his hands although he was helping and he had saved Scorpius. Maybe Scorpius had been looking at it wrong, maybe Brutus had saved him when he wasn't supposed to? "we can sit and chat or you can save your son, take your pick."
"What about Calderon?" Professor Ashain asked before Scorpius could.
"What about him?"
"He's-He's my friend and its my fault he's here, I can't just leave him," Professor Ashain pointed out and Brutus looked at him with an expression that might've been surprise.
"I'll see what I can do," Brutus said finally, "but you have to go now."
"I'll be back straight after," Professor Ashain promised as he pocketed the glass box with the magic, "thank you."
"You're still my brother, Atty."
Professor Ashain took Scorpius and Orous' hands to apparate them, Scorpius opened his mouth to protest that he didn't have his wand and he wasn't leaving without Calderon and Varanian. Just as the professor went to apparate though, Brutus grabbed Scorpius and yanked him back and Orous must have pulled away by himself because Professor Ashain alone vanished with a slight pop, Brutus hurriedly waved his wand again.
"I didn't think he'd leave without you two," Brutus told Scorpius and started to walk away, "if you want Calderon to live then come with me."
Calderon lay on his side on the ground gasping in agony, he felt so weak and shaky as Rabastan knelt down beside him. Rabastan rolled him onto his back, Calderon cried out at the pain moving caused again and nearly tried to magically throw him away again but if Rabastan was trying to help him then he'd need to see the wound and if he wasn't then Calderon would probably die anyway because he couldn't heal himself. He moaned in pain, lying on his side hurt almost bearably less then lying on the wound.
Rabastan took out his wand and waved it over Calderon, he heard a tearing sound and felt rather than saw his sweater splitting in half down the center of his chest. He supposed Rabastan was getting a better look at the wound, Rabastan waved his wand again but nothing happened, he tried a few more times and muttered a few different spells that he recognized as healing spells but none had any effect.
"Alright, we'll have to try something else," Rabastan said quietly, Calderon was finding it harder to care, he was feeling increasingly tired and having a hard time keeping his eyes open to see the former Death Eater take out a small vial, "this contains Phoenix tears, they have healing powers although sadly did nothing for Sal. Its extremely rare but it should work, I don't know whether to warn you it stings or not because I have no idea."
On that note he pulled the stopped and poured the contents of the vial over Calderon's wound, he felt it sting for a moment before feeling the strangest sensation of being filled. The burning and searing pain receded gradually, he felt a comforting warmth spreading where the wound in place of the pain. His breathing evened out and he saw Rabastan smile before stepping up and back, Calderon sat up and pressed his fingers to where the wound had been. The blood was still wet but the actual injury itself was gone, if not for the blood - and he memory of it happening, of course - then he'd never have known he was hurt in the first place. He opened his mouth to thank Rabastan as he looked back up, just in time to see Rabastan finish the imprisoning wall spell to seal him in. Calderon mentally kicked himself, he had to stop trusting people.
Scorpius followed eagerly and so did Orous, apparently also intent on helping although Scorpius thought maybe it would have been better if he had left because he still looked upset. It was a lot easier walking with Brutus without the enchantment although the place seemed very maze-like, the wood-paneled corridors all looked the same but familiar from his dream with Orous before. It was amazing Orous could find his way, actually Scorpius wondered where he'd been going considering Brutus had had the magic on him not had it wherever it was usually kept. It was odd but he didn't have time to dwell on it as Brutus led them up a flight of stairs.
Finally they turned into one of the rooms, it was a bedroom and Scorpius recognized the occupant of the bed immediately and ran to him. Calderon wasn't looking so good, his breathing seemed unusually shallow and his skin was cold to the touch, he didn't react when Scorpius said his name or shook him gently. Brutus took his shoulders and moved him away to a small bubbling cauldron on a table opposite the bed, he picked up a knife beside it and handed the blade to Scorpius.
"If you want him to live then you need to cut yourself across your scarred hand and let the blood drip into the cauldron to mix with the potion," Brutus explained seriously.
"Why?" Scorpius wondered.
"Because to make blood-replenishing potion you need blood."
"Why not use your blood?"
"Do you want to save your damn cousin or not?"
"My cousin?"
"Calderon! Do you want to save Calderon or not?!" Brutus snapped, " he's running out of time and so am I, I'm risking my life for this and the more time you waste the more chance my betrayal will be discovered."
"How do I know I can trust you? How do I know this isn't some Shadow trick?" Scorpius demanded suspiciously and Brutus rolled his eyes.
"Fine then let him die, I'll take you back to wait for Atty," Brutus growled and handed Scorpius his wand before starting to head towards the door, "there you go and come on."
"Wait!"
If Brutus was trying to trick him then he probably wouldn't have returned his wand and was either a good actor or really wanted to go. Brutus came back over while Scorpius cast one last desperate look at Calderon, he had to help him, Calderon would do the same for him. He took a deep breath and dragged the blade across his hand, wincing at the painful sting of the edge biting into his flesh. Blood dribbled from his hand and into the cauldron, it hissed and the scar on his hand started to glow gray as did the potion for a moment before it became it calmed to a still silver with no glow. He hoped that was normal as Brutus picked up the cauldron.
Part 3: The Shadow Master
Scorpius pulled his bleeding hand back as Brutus started walking back over to Calderon, looking at the Tiwaz rune now with a diagonal line striking through the arrow stem. It stung painfully, not just the new cut but the rune itself. That was odd. Something felt wrong though. He looked back over to see how Calderon was doing, Brutus had put the small cauldron down on the bedside table and was now filling a vial with it. Calderon still was non-responsive and... something was wrong, it clicked in his mind what it was. Calderon wasn't wearing the dragon necklace that Scorpius had gotten him, he hadn't seen Calderon without it since and he'd been wearing it when they left Hogwarts and got there.
"Where's Calderon's necklace?" Scorpius asked with an increasing feeling of dread.
"How am I supposed to know?" Brutus growled in reply without stopping what he was doing and Scorpius raised his wand at him.
"That's not really Calderon, is it?"
"Considering how he got that name was misreading a hospital sign, no one is actually Calderon."
"You know what I mean!" Scorpius snapped as Brutus finished filling the vial with the silvery substance, he didn't move to administer it though with Scorpius' wand trained on him.
"And it doesn't matter, you willingly gave your blood to the potion so it'll work to revive the person in that bed."
"The Shadow Master."
"Yes, so if you could just lower your wand and make all our lives easier then that'd be great."
"I'm not letting you revive him! He murdered my grandfather!" Scorpius yelled angrily keeping his arm trained on Brutus but his eyes drifted to the Shadow Master, he could kill the man then and have his revenge.
"Lucius killed himself," Brutus told him seriously, "the Specters are trained to kill immediately if the host does certain things without the master's consent, Lucius knew what would happen and he still defied the master. The master wanted him to live long enough to see the new world, the master had no control over his death."
"I still hold him responsible! And he's evil anyway and I'm going to kill him."
"Evil?" Brutus repeated and shook his head, "the Shadow Master's only a gray soul, like you, like me, like your grandfather, like my brother, like Tommy/Calderon. If the master was evil then the master would be a black soul, you know that. You seem to have several misconceptions about our organization and the Shadow Master, we're the good ones here."
"The Shadows have done nothing but kill and destroy! How the hell do you see yourselves as the good ones?!"
"This time last year you were willing to kill six people to stop the Specters, completely willing to murder six innocent people, five of them children and four of them your own friends. Personally, I don't think I could do that, I wouldn't sacrifice the lives of the people I care about for anything. But you would, isn't that more evil? You'd rather have killed good people you liked to save a castle of people who hate you for things beyond your control, people I doubt you even like."
"It was the right thing, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of few," Scorpius mumbled quietly feeling a resurgence of guilt, "if a buildings on fire and you can save one sibling or five strangers then the right thing to do is to save the strangers."
"There is no right thing, its just your opinion. I'd save my brother over twenty random people any day but its not my point. Either way with that analogy, people will die and you have to make a choice to sacrifice them for whichever is the greater good in your opinion. You understand sacrifice, this is like that, sacrifices must be made to make the world better because it sucks right now. Its change and people don't like change," Brutus offered in explanation and Scorpius met his eyes, so much like Professor Ashain's, "I don't even like war but its the only way and eventually everyone will know that too. Join us, Scorpius, we'll make the world a better place I promise you where they'll finally be peace, you won't have to fight anymore, you won't be looked down anymore, you'll be safe again as will the people you care about. Lower your wand and let's save a life."
"Obey him, Scorpius."
A part of him knew he should be screaming his denial at Brutus with all his heart, he could understand what Brutus was saying and coming from but something deep down inside of himself knew it was wrong to try change the world like that, short of taking away freewill there'd always be bad people and good people and without free will then it was worse than good and bad. But he couldn't look away from Brutus' eyes, he felt his arm lowering his wand regardless, he felt compelled to obey for reasons beyond his understanding.
"Fight it!" a distant voice yelled, "fight the call, don't listen!"
The voice was so far away and talking nonsense, it didn't matter. Brutus turned back to the unconscious person and went to pour the contents of the vial into his mouth, something about it didn't feel right but he couldn't think what. Abruptly he heard the distant voice cry a spell and a second later, the knife he was still holding in his other hand shot from his grip and drove through Brutus' wrist and hand..
Brutus cried out in pain and fell to his knees but determinedly still reached out his shaking, deformed, bleeding hand just forwards a little more and started to tip the vial. Scorpius' mind screamed at him to stop it but he didn't understand why. A single drop started to fall before the vial was abruptly torn from the man's grasp, being jerked into the wall and shattering. But it was too late. The Shadow Master was revived.
The instant the drop touched the tongue, the Shadow Master gasped as their body arched before falling back down and the dark eyes snapped open. Even though the deformity, Scorpius noticed the relief blood Brutus' face before it contorted into a smile. The Shadow Master sat up, blinking and taking in the sight around them. Scorpius felt like he'd been snapped from a dream, why had he just stood around doing nothing while his grandfather's killed was revived?!
"I'm back, Brutus. Its good to be back," the Shadow Master using Calderon's body said with a smile before losing it when he seemed to notice that Brutus was injured, "you dare attack him?!"
"I'm not afraid of you," the distant voice that belonged to Orous said bravely. He wasn't distant, he was standing only a few feet from him.
Anger flashed across the Shadow Master's face as he jerked his hand, Brutus cried out once more as the knife magically shot out and flew towards the forgotten person in the room. Scorpius' eyes followed its path as he remembered the Shadow Master's crimes and his hatred for the man, too late Scorpius raised his wand to protect Orous as the knife stabbed itself into his friend's chest and must have gone straight through because it appeared again speeding out through his back and clattering to the ground. Orous screamed in pain and collapsed, clutching the wound.
"Let that be a lesson to you!"
"Sorry Tommy," Rabastan apologized, "but it is necessary, wouldn't want you to run off yet."
"You already took my blood, what more do you want?" Calderon grumbled reaching out to touch the magical wall that zapped his finger. It hurt. Stupid thing.
"Well you see, Sal was put into a coma by the Blood Runes and we've spent the past year trying to revive her. Since it was mostly your blood in the Obelisk, a bit of Scorpius' and his will activating it, we needed your blood then a bit of his given willing. Which was the purpose of drawing you here, we didn't want you to intervene and Sal will probably wish to speak to you."
"I'm not joining Sal's crazy group. Stop asking!" Calderon snapped, hoping the others - even Sal and Brutus - were alright and not killing each other or injuring each other or dead.
"Ah but I think secretly you want to, you just need some incentive," Rabastan commented with a not-so-kindly smile as he raised his wand, "good luck burning this one off."
Calderon was torn between asking how he expected to give him the Shadow symbol when his arms and back were still covered even though his chest was exposed, or how he expected to do the detail on something as narrow as his arm from that distance but he didn't have a chance before a jet of crimson light was cast out from Rabastan's wand. He screamed as it touched his chest, he felt like it was burning intensely and specifically where the light touched and Rabastan started moving his wand and the pain moved with it, like a knife on fire was being dragged through his flesh. He could smell his skin burning and-
Abruptly he heard Rabastan cry out in surprise and glanced back up to see Rabastan being thrown through the air by a spell fired by Ticcy, his wand flew in the opposite direction but Rabastan vanished in a swirl of Shadows. He hated Shadows. Ticcy looked confused but waved his wand to dispel the magical wall anyway, offering him a hand to help him up that Calderon gratefully took, trying not to feel dizzy as he stood from the still searing pain in his chest.
"What's happened?" Calderon wondered, fearful for the others and he wasn't sure how much time they had left anyway.
"Err... I'm not entirely sure, short version is I have no idea where Varanian went. My brother is alive and working with the enemy, he gave me the magic soul ball thing and lowered the apparation wards so I could return, I apparated back and did what he said so Tony's at least not dying but Scor and Orous for some reason must've let go or been pulled back so they weren't apparated. The wards were back up so I had to come from outside again but the enchantments not effecting me anymore - thankfully - to get back to search for them and you, I only just got back inside when I heard your randomly high-pitched screaming and ran to help," Ticcy explained hurriedly, "what's happened with you?"
"The floor ate Varanian so I tried to help and wound up in here then your brother stabbed me to get my blood and ripped out some of my hair and then I was bleeding to death and then Rabastan finally healed me and then trapped me and then... I don't know whatever he just did to me and then you were here and we really need to find the others."
"You talk really fast sometimes, has anyone ever told you that?" Ticcy complained and as Calderon went to nod he caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror on the wall, he felt lights flare around him in horror as he recognized the Shadow symbol now engraved into his pale chest. And then another wave of pain shot through him as the skeletal snake moved, he yanked his ripped sweater closed fearfully, "I-"
Ticcy stopped speaking as a child's scream interrupted, it sounded like it was coming from upstairs. Guilt shattered Ticcy's expression for a moment before he composed himself, anxiety replaced it as he exchanged a worried look with Calderon pushed past the pain to take after Ticcy after the scream.
Scorpius turned his wand on the Shadow Master but the man only smirked and gestured with his hand, Scorpius' wand was torn from his grip and flung to the opposite side of the room. The Shadow Master started to get off the bed and Scorpius ran protectively to Orous, the Shadow Master didn't seem interested in either of them though as he simply held his hand over Brutus' injured one. Light shot out of the Shadow Master's palm, just like Calderon only the light was blue and Scorpius watched in amazement and horror as Brutus' injury started to heal. Had managing to use Calderon's body somehow given him Calderon's unusual way of using magic or was the Shadow Master like that always?
"R-Run, Sc-Scor... While y-you h-have...ch-chance," Orous stammered weakly and Scorpius looked back to his friend.
"I'm not abandoning you again," Scorpius promised kneeling beside him, hating the crimson staining the white sweater that Orous had been wearing.
"I-I'm d-d-dying, s-save y-yours..."
"You're not dying," Scorpius whispered finding a lump in his throat, "its going to be okay."
"Its ok-okay," Orous told him weakly and his face split into a smile that light up his colorless face, "I t-told y-you, l-like I s-said... s-said I'm pr-pretty m-much already dead, n-no m-more... b-be b-bet-better."
"Save your strength, don't try to speak," Scorpius urged him taking Orous' hand and squeezing it tightly, "please, Orous, don't give up, you're not the kind of person who gives up, you have to keep fighting. Do you understand?"
"The only question you should be wondering is what shall I do with you?" Calderon's - but not Calderon - voice asked, Scorpius spun back round to see the Shadow Master watching him with a healed-Brutus beside him.
Scorpius spied the bloody knife nearby, it was no wand but it was better than nothing and tried to discretely reach for it but the Shadow Master must've noticed because he flicked his hand and the blade sped across the room to land with his wand, the Shadow Master laughed. A very normal laugh, Calderon had a strange high-pitched laugh but the Shadow Master apparently didn't even with Calderon's body. Scorpius got to his feet regardless and positioned himself protectively between Orous and the Shadow Master.
"Children shouldn't play with knives. Also do you actually think a knife would do anything to me?" the Shadow Master commented, "I really don't know whether to be impressed by you or loathe you."
"Well I loathe you," Scorpius pointed out and the Shadow Master simply smirked and jerked his hand, Scorpius immediately felt himself flung across the room by an invisible and thrown near his wand and the knife. Before he could scramble for them though, Calderon and Professor Ashain came into the room and the Shadow Master held his hand out at Scorpius.
"Try anything and I kill him, Tommy," the Shadow Master told him and Calderon stopped in his tracks, Professor Ashain looked confused before Calderon hissed at the Shadow Master and the Shadow Master hissed back. Scorpius joined the professor in feeling confused before the Shadow Master flung out his free arm, Professor Ashain was tossed over beside Orous before both vanished into shadows, "wouldn't want to unnecessarily kill one of the five I went through the effort of binding now, would I?"
"Then let Scor go and we'll just leave you to it, you got what you wanted clearly," Calderon said seriously, Scorpius noticed his sweater was ripped at the front and he looked injured.
There was no way the Shadow Master was going to just let them walk out of there, you couldn't trust crazy evil people and their manipulative minions. Scorpius grabbed his wand and aimed it at the Shadow Master, Brutus noticed this and whipped out his wand to aim at Scorpius. The Shadow Master seemed to decide it was safer to disarm him or attack him because a burst of blue magical light shot from his hand, Scorpius wished he was old enough to know the shield charm but instead just tried to jump out of the way before a golden shield appeared around him that the blue magic bounced off of.
Surprise flickered on the Shadow Master's face as he turned back to Calderon who had his arm outstretched, responsible for the protective burst. The Shadow Master smirked and hissed again before throwing his hand in Calderon's direction, blue flames shot out and Scorpius cried out a warning but Calderon already gestured and the flames shot up through the ceiling, showering them in splinters. Calderon flicked his wrist and bed abruptly jumped at the Shadow Master who swished their wrist to make it slam through the wall on the right, causing a huge hole and smashing the bed to smithereens.
Calderon and the Shadow Master didn't give a second's thought to that however as both threw out their hands again, a burst of blue shot from the Shadow Master and a burst of yellow from Calderon that collided and exploded with a bang that flung the pair backwards in opposite directions. Calderon was thrown into the wall while the Shadow Master managed to somehow land on his feet, Brutus ran to him while Scorpius scrambled to try get to Calderon who was already on his feet and lashing out again magically.
A bolt of golden lightning erupted from Calderon's palm while the Shadow Master dodged it and shot back with a blue lightning bolt of his own just as Calderon shot another out, they smashed into each other but didn't break away as both pushed harder with the magic. Sparks flew out and more blasts of crackling lightning, punching holes in the walls, ceiling and floorboards that he and Brutus were forced to try to avoid as well as the splintering shards of wood cast into the air. Scorpius felt like he was trapped in a plasma globe.
"Scor, get behind me!" Calderon yelled over the clashing magic and Scorpius obliged as Calderon held his free hand back to put up a shield around Scorpius to protect him from the offshoots of magic.
The Shadow Master did a similar thing to protect Brutus as both put more force into the magic, Scorpius could swear the bolts were getting wider, louder and sparking more the longer it went on. And then Calderon laughed, if he ever needed reminded that it was his Calderon and not the Shadow Master imposter than he got it, Calderon's incredibly high pitched laugh pierced over the thrum of magical energies as he pushed harder again as did the Shadow Master. It forged a pulsing, pure white ball that grew bigger and bigger, Scorpius was seriously considering telling Calderon to stop but then he was equally afraid of what would happen if he did.
"Stop this!" Brutus cried finally over the laughter and roar of magic, echoing Scorpius' sentiments but it came too late to stop the fulmination.
The blast was devastating and deafening. Calderon threw himself away from the magic at Scorpius just in time, he hugged him too him and everything was chaos. Scorpius squeezed shut his eyes but the torrent of the roaring blast battered away at his ears, only stopped by the thrum from the magic Calderon had to be using to protect them. And then he felt himself thudding to the earthy ground in the dark beside Calderon.
It took Scorpius a moment of reeling from the explosion to realize the only light was now coming from a silver semi-circle in the sky along with stars, it was also colder. He sat up and looked around in confusion to see that they were no longer in the upstairs room they'd been in but on the ground outside, or rather where the manor had been before. There was no manor now. The surrounding area looked the same in placement of the trees but the manor was gone, replaced by a scattering of debris on scorched earth.
"Calderon?" Scorpius questioned, shaking Calderon's arm which made him groan groggily.
He caught sight of the Shadow Master and Brutus across the clearing, seeming rather unscathed as Brutus helped his master to his feet and looked around. Scorpius scrambled to his feet out of desperate fear that they'd get away, he couldn't let the Shadow Master get away, not after everything he'd done, not after he'd been revived by Scorpius' hand. The guilt gnawed at his heart and drove him on as he trained his wand on the Shadow Master, the Shadow Master chucked with amusement at this as he started walking towards him with Brutus in his shadow. Scorpius swallowed nervously but he kept his wand steady.
"That's enough! No further," Scorpius yelled and the Shadow Master halted a few feet away, smiling with Calderon's mouth, "you're not going anywhere."
"Tommy and I just obliterated a building without wands, do you actually think that silly stick is any defense or threat against me?" the Shadow Master wondered, "what's your plan here anyway? Turn me in? Do you think Aurors would stand anymore chance against me? Do you think even if they could that I couldn't escape from any pathetically pale comparison to Azkaban that they'd put me in? I destroyed Azkaban after all and liberated an entire army."
"I'm going to kill you. You killed my grandfather."
"Actually I'm pretty sure I didn't, I was too busy being repelled from controlling him to be able to kill him or call off the Specter but if you want to kill me then go ahead," the Shadow Master offered and laughed, a normal non-Calderon laugh, holding out his arms while Brutus' eyes bulged in horror, "kill me then, I'd still be as good as dead right now if not for you anyway and I hear you were tricked into it. Its completely your choice now, no tricks, no calling, nothing but your own choice."
"S-"
"The boy should have his chance, Brutus," the Shadow Master interrupted holding out his arms in a gesture of openness, "although brilliant plan by the way. So go on, Scorpius, I'd rather it be on this special day that I die if it must be so."
Scorpius raised his wand a little higher directly at the center of the Shadow Master's chest, he knew the spell to kill, Avada Kedavra. He'd killed before. The Shadow Master was right in front of him, not even trying to fight or run, just watching him with Calderon's dark eyes with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. That man was responsible for his grandfather's death, no matter on the specifics, responsible for a lot of deaths, a lot of pain, his own worst nightmares and if Scorpius let him go then he'd just be responsible for me. It was the logical thing to do to kill him, to avenge those gone and to spare the future victims.
"Avad... Ava... Av..." Scorpius tried to mumble out the words.
But he couldn't.
Maybe it was the fact the Shadow Master wasn't fighting or was so willing, maybe it was because the Shadow Master was disguised as someone he cared so much for, maybe Scorpius was just a coward. He knew he should kill him, the words got jumbled in his mouth and jammed up his tongue. Rationally he should do it, emotionally he despised the man but his head nor heart could force the words out. Deep down he just didn't want to kill. The Shadow Master smirked triumphantly at him as he lowered his arms.
"Just what I thought. You can't kill me because deep down you are dark and you do want to join us, on the surface you're just not ready to accept that yet. I'll see you, Scorpius, but for now I bid you farewell and leave you with my gratitude for saving me from that coma, thank you," the Shadow Master offered with a flourishing bow before turning to Brutus, "Scorpius is free to go, however Tommy is coming with us, I can't resist capturing him while he's weakened from the branding. Send Dementors for him after you take me to the new location."
With that Brutus offered out his hand that the Shadow Master smiled and took as they vanished into the darkness. Scorpius' arm jerkily lowered his wand as he fell to his knees, the weight of the events threatening to crush him to the ground. He heard Calderon stir weakly and glanced at him, noticing for the first time the cause of his injury was the Shadow's twisted skeletal snake symbol with its forked tongue sticking. The livid raw brand actually looked like it was moving shifting on Calderon's pale skin, it looked like it hurt.
He shivered. At first thinking it was the thought of Calderon's injury or because of the chill in the night air, before he heard a rattly breath and stopped feeling like he'd ever be happy again. The Shadow Master's last words echoed again in his mind as the realization dawned on him: the Dementors were here.