Harry Potter and Artemis Fowl: Weapons of Magic Chapter Six
Woot woot, chapter six. I feel like I'm on a roll with this story. Ideas our just flooding out. If anybody would like to contribute, feel free to tell me in the review box, and I'll see if it can be incorporated in!
Also, I really don't have much idea of what the weather would be like in Switzerland (the characters are going there later in this chapter) in September, so I figured cool but not snowing.
This is going to be a longer chapter, so get comfy!
Fowl Manor
Harry and Butler were practicing their fighting in the gym. Harry had blades and wings, but Butler said he needed to learn some basic fighting moves, and it would be better overall. Juliet and tried teaching Ron and Hermione, but hadn't made much headway with Ron, who was used to having a wand when he fought.
Butler was now teaching Harry how to use his hearing, since it was a bit keener than most humans. He tied a blindfold around Harry's eyes and had him listen. Butler would move catlike around, surprisingly quiet for a man of his size. He would attack without warning from whatever side he picked, and Harry had to fend him off.
Harry stood, listening. Butler was as quiet as a panther hunting its prey. Harry was tempted to let his blades out as soon as Butler tried something, just to scare him, but thought better of it, just in case there was an accident. Nobody else could self repair, except Holly.
Harry heard Butler come from the right and spun and landed a kick on Butler's lower back.
"Okay, better," Butler said. "Again."
Harry got distracted when he heard the door to the dojo open up and Butler grabbed him, flipped him, and slammed him down on the floor in about a second flat.
"Oof," said Harry, his face smushed into the mats.
"Got to pay attention," said Butler. "A mistake can cost you your life!"
He helped Harry up.
Artemis came up to them. Harry pulled the blindfold off.
"We should get going," said Artemis. "Juliet and I loaded up the plane."
Harry took a quick shower and smeared the special lotion stuff all over himself. Hermione swore hers was fading already, because she rubbed it on about five times a day. Ron told her if she put anymore on, they could put her on the floor and rub her around, and she polish up the floorboards nicely.
Harry had only put it on twice now and didn't see any difference yet.
He packed a small duffel bag with some clothes and headed outside.
Once everyone was loaded into the Lear jet, they took off, Artemis flying.
The jet was stocked with food and water for the trip. Harry sat eating an organic granola bar and sipping spring water.
"Good thing Mulch isn't here," said Butler. "He'd have the fridge cleared out by now."
"Mulch?" asked Ron.
"He's a dwarf," said Juliet. "He eats clay and shoots it out his bum. He farted on Butler once. Butler found himself smashed into a wall and unconscious."
Ron laughed. "You got beat by a fart!"
Butler scowled. "Not one of my better memories."
They landed at an airport in New York City and found a luxury hotel near the spot the Pimante would be falling. Foaly had the coordinates down exactly thanks to his computer. It would be falling into a dumpster behind a Chucky Cheese restaurant.
"Yuck," said Ron. "It'll be covered in old pizza and grease."
"As long as Aeron doesn't get it," said Harry. "Think he'll send his bitch, Amadae to get it again?"
Artemis shrugged. "Don't know. She didn't do so well last time, he might give the job to someone else. We can only wait and see."
Chucky Cheese and Orlov's House of Pirozhki's.
Frankie hung out in the mouth of the alleyway between Chucky Cheese and Orlov's. It was almost dark. A little girl with blonde ringlets and blue bows in her hair bounced by with her mother, heading to Chucky Cheese, squealing about how much fun this was going to be, and how she was going to get so many tickets and get a big prize.
The girl and her mother disappeared inside. Frankie cast his eyes nervously about. They'd told him to show up here, and if he didn't, they'd come find him and do bad things. Frankie knew what bad things were.
Frankie was skinny, with bad skin, disgusting teeth, and nervous hands. He smoked crack and it showed. Right now he had a crack pipe in his pocket and enough crack to last him a couple of days. He needed to get some money, and fast. He had a debt to pay, and would need more crack.
He fidgeted nervously, tucking his shirt in, untucking it, tucking it in again, biting his nails, fiddling with his messy hair.
The two guys showed up just after dark. Two of Duggy's henchman. They walked up to Frank.
"Hey, farther into the alley," said the first, named Roach. He was completely bald with tattoos all over his head, and several piercings in his face. The other, simply called Max, looked more normal, except his eyes had a rather menacing look.
Frankie backed up and the two men got in his face.
"You ain't got the money yet?" asked Roach, blowing onion breath in Frankie's face.
"N-no, man," said Frankie, trying not to breathe. "I said by Friday."
"Well we've been sent to make sure you remember by Friday," said Roach, smacking a fist into his open palm. "Duggy don't give crack out and not get payment! Duggy ain't runnin no charity case! You said you'd have it by last Saturday, and Duggy, the kind and generous man he is, gave you an advance on your crack, but you didn't have payment, and Duggy gettin' impatient."
"I hear ya!" said Frankie nervously. "Course he ain't. Duggy runnin a business, ya know! Friday, promise."
"Better keep that promise, or we'll kill you," said Max.
Roach and Max punched Frankie in the face and body until he fell down, curled up in a ball, and half passed out. Then they picked him up and hurled him in the dumpster. Frankie landed amongst the greasy, empty pizza boxes and empty ticket boxes, and passed out cold.
Roach and Max left the alley way.
Frankie woke up sometime later and sat up. He spotted a half eaten slice of pizza, flicked a roach off, and munched it up. He sat on the edge of the lid, made sure no one was around, took a hit off his crack pipe and looked around gloomily.
He needed some way to get the money by Friday, and have enough left over to buy more crack, straight up, that way he didn't need to get into this mess again with Roach and Max. They'd kill him easy. He couldn't run and hide forever.
He lay back on the closed half of the lid and ruminated. He could rob a convenience store, and hope the cops didn't catch him. That would bring him enough money to pay the debt, but he needed more money than that to buy more crack. He'd been getting dough from a guy that sold marijuana and ecstasy, doing deals for him with anybody that wanted it and trying to get new people into buying it. But that guy got caught by the cops in a prostitution sting, and was now behind bars. Ol' Jimmy sure liked his whores.
He looked at the sky and wished an answer would just drop into his lap.
He closed his eyes.
At that moment, something did fall in his lap.
Frankie made an "oof!" sound as something heavy landed in his lap. After his balls recovered from the pain, he opened his eyes and looked down. He rubbed his eyes and looked again.
Frankie's answer had just dropped into his lap.
Hotel room
They left the hotel room after dark and went near the Chucky Cheese restaurant, watching it across the street from some park benches.
A girl with blonde ringlets was led out by her mother. The girl was screaming and having a total fit, because she wanted to play more games and get more tickets.
"I need to get the big bear, moooommmmy!" she wailed. "You said I could play more and get more tickets!"
"I said, if we had time. We don't and now were going home," the mother said, pulling her hand. You got a dancing streamer, a popper, and some candy. The bear costs 10,000 tickets, you'd have to spend hours playing to get that many."
"NOOOOO! I WANT THE BEAR! I WANT THE BEAR!" The little brat proceeded to stomp her feet, unable to contain her rage. "BEAR! BEAR!"
"MARY ANN!" scolded the mother. Little Mary broke free of her mother's grasp and proceeded to have a failing, sobbing tantrum, right in the middle of the sidewalk. She kicked her boot clad feet, punched her little fists on the ground, and wailed to the point that great glob of snot hung from nose and her eyes got all red.
The mother hauled her daughter up and tugged her along, Mary trying to dig her boots in, screaming. People passing by were staring, the mothers face going pink from embarrassment. A couple of teenagers snickered loudly.
"Mary Ann, if you don't behave this instant, I swear, we are never going to Chucky Cheese again!"
The mother finally had enough and just picked her daughter up, who failed and screamed, the snot wad swinging to and fro. The glob finally let loose and fell on the mother's silk shirt sleeve. The mother walked off down the street, embarrassed at her daughters display, not even noticing the wad of mucus clinging to her sleeve.
"Good gracious," said Artemis. "Even Beckett knows better."
"My butt would've been tanned right there in the street," said Juliet.
The group split up. Artemis and Butler remained on the park bench, pretending to be absorbed in the paper.
Hermione and Ron went around the back way of the buildings. Artemis had gotten them all cell phones to communicate.
Harry had a sheet of cam foil and went into an alley and came out, invisible, making sure his feet were hidden. It would look weird to see a pair of trainers walking around by themselves. Harry moved into Orlov's House of Pirozhki's. There was an apartment building right above it and that was his goal.
He went inside the restaurant. And angry customer was banging the counter, demanding they make his order right his time.
"Third time! Third time!" he was shouting. "You're all a bunch of half brains and twits! Fucking idiots! I don't know why I come here! I said more cheese, less meat!"
The cooks, who were Russian, were talking to each other. If the customer had known what they were saying in Russian, he probably would have gone flying over the counter in a fit of rage.
"Make the shit faces pirozhki's," saidthe man, running the cash register. "Let me come back there and hock up a good wad of extra flavor. He wants extra cheese, he'll get it."
The woman smirked and apologized to the man for the misunderstanding.
Harry went quietly up the stairs. A person came thundering up behind him, a bag with a liquor bottle in hand. Harry pressed himself up against the walls. It wouldn't do for people to be banging into him while he was invisible.
The man opened the door and entered into the hallway. Harry slipped in behind him. The man unlocked his apartment door and went in, slamming the door.
The hall smelled a bit of old food. Harry didn't think he'd like living over a restaurant, where the food smells waft up and then stagnate in the halls.
He went to a window at the end of the hall, overlooking the alleyway. It was covered by black curtains. Harry carefully opened it and sat on the sill, making sure the cam foil covered him, so there wouldn't be a bodiless leg poking out or something. He closed the black curtains so no one coming into the hall would notice the open window and think to shut it.
He sat waiting. A man crawled out of the dumpster, where the Pimante was supposed to fall. He looked to be eating something. Harry didn't want to know what. The man sat on the closed half of the lid, looked around furtively, and then took something out of his pocket. He took out a lighter and lit the bowl of it and smoked a bit.
"Crackhead," muttered Harry. He hoped the druggy left soon. He looked homeless, probably lived in the dumpster.
Finished getting his hit, the man lay back on the lid for a bit. Harry wanted him to leave, so he could get the Pimante. But the guy didn't seem to be going anywhere. Maybe if he was lucky, the Pimante would clonk the guy on the head and knock him out cold.
At the time Artemis said it would come down, it did. It landed right where the druggy's nuts would be. The man went "oof!" and curled his legs up a bit. Harry winced. Ouch, right in the balls…
The man raised his head and looked. He rubbed his eyes and looked again.
Harry let his wings out, careless that the back of him was probably exposed. He dropped down silently to the ground and pulled the wings back in.
The man was holding the Pimante. He looked at it in the light, poked it, sank his front teeth into it, and looked at it again.
"Gold!" he whispered loudly, excitement in his voice.
"Oh, shit," muttered Harry.
Frankie was too ecstatic to notice the air muttering beside him. "I can pay my debt!" Frankie whispered. "I can buy enough crack to last me months!"
The man hopped off the dumpster and did a little dance. He was definitely no Frank Sinatra, but it was clear Frankie was happy.
He went off the down the alleyway, about to stuff it in his shirt. Harry got up next to him and made a grab for it. Frankie's foot caught a corner of the cam foil and yanked it off. The foil fizzed and went out, broken.
Frankie gasped when he seen Harry. "Where'd you come from?"
"Uh, hey," said Harry, realizing he'd have to improvise. He seen Artemis and Butler heading to the mouth of the alley way. "That's my rock, it fell off the windowsill. I'll have it back please."
"This ain't yers," said the man. "It's mine!"
"I collect rocks, it's mine!' said Harry.
Artemis and Butler were there. Butler growled a bit. "I'd give the man back his rock."
"No!" said Frankie, nervously backing up. "I can pay off my debt with this and get enough crack to last me ages!"
He stuffed down his shirt and took off for the other end of the alley. There was a fence, and he climbed up nimbly.
Harry had heard you can't catch a crack head. He was about to find out.
Artemis was on his phone, calling Ron and Hermione.
Frankie was over the fence in a fence in a flash and he took off running down the long alley. Harry ran and climbed up the fence and jumped down. He took off after Frankie.
Frankie was almost to the end when Ron and Hermione appeared around the corner heading toward Frankie, full tilt. Frankie stumbled and stopped, wondering where to go.
"Oh, shit man, come on," he said.
Butler had gotten over the fence too and Artemis was struggling up it, not good at climbing. Butler went up to Frankie, wary in case he had a knife.
"Come on," pleaded Frankie. "It's mine. Honestly! They'll kill me if I don't pay the debt!"
Butler lashed out and pinched a nerve cluster at the base of Frankie neck. Frankie collapsed in a heap. He would wake up in a few hours.
Butler reached in the crack head's grimy shirt and took out the Pimante. Artemis took some money and wrote a note and left it in Frankie's pocket.
"Come on, let's apparate back to the hotel room," said Harry.
"Don't leave bits of me behind by accident or anything," said Artemis, as they all linked hands.
They appeared back in the hotel room.
Before they could even blink, a silver dart stabbed Harry in the neck. The silver made him feel sick, and he realized there was something in the dart because he felt very sleepy.
Another one hit Butler, but there wasn't stuff in it to make him pass out. Butler was too big.
The person, a thin man of about thirty was standing in the corner. He shot a dart at Artemis who just barely managed to dodge it.
Harry collapsed on the floor, passed out.
Hermione shot a spell at the man who reflected it back. Hermione dodged and the window behind her shattered.
Snape bent over Harry and pulled the silver dart out. Whatever drug was in it had sunk in already
"Harry, we need you up now!" growled Snape going for his bag. He had a few adrenaline patches in there and he opened one and smacked it onto Harry's neck.
Harry moaned and his eyelids fluttered open as the adrenaline counteracted the drug from the dart.
"UP!" roared Snape, dragging Harry to his feet.
Harry stumbled and seen the man. He shot his claws out as the man yelled "ACCIO PIMANTE!"
Butler, a little tired from the drug hung onto the Pimante as it made to zoom across the room to the man's hand. Butler crashed into the wizard, who yelped and made to grab the item he wanted. Butler's big fist connected to the man's face, smashing him further into the wall.
Butler jumped back and flung the Pimante to Hermione, who caught it.
"Give it to me or suffer!" said the man, the right side of his face swelling up.
Butler punched him again.
"Now creatures!"
Snakes slithered out from under the beds, wrapping around the people. Two wrapped around Butler and he flailed and fell. One wrapped around Hermione and she dropped the Pimante.
The man darted for it. But Harry fell on top it, a snake trying to strangle him. Harry had a free arm and ejected his claws.
The man went to grab Harry and the snake bit him by accident. He yelped and Harry slashed at him and got him across the chest.
Bleeding badly, the man got on a broom leaning on the wall and shot out the window.
He might die of the poison Harry thought, slashing the snakes head off.
Its grip loosened. Butler grabbed the head on his and crushed it and the rammed into elbow in the head of the other, killing it. Harry slashed the head off of Snape's and then Hermione's.
"Aagh! It bit me!" screamed Ron. Harry had slashed the head off it about two seconds too late. It had bit Ron's arm.
"Shit," muttered Ron. "It's probably poison."
"Shit, we don't have anything to counteract it," said Harry.
"We don't have an antidote," said Artemis.
Ron was already looking pale.
"What happened?"
Harry whirled around and seen Holly on the window ledge.
"Ron was bit by one of the snakes!" said Hermione, sobbing. "Please help him!"
Holly rushed to Ron's side and placed her hand on the wound.
"Heal."
Sparks rushed into the wound, healing it and purging the poison from Ron's body.
"He'll be fine now," said Holly.
"Oh thank you," said Hermione, hugging Holly. Then she hugged and kissed her husband.
Snape repaired the damage to the hotel room with his wand and they left out, glad Ron was okay and they had the Pimante.
Hours later in the alley
Frankie awoke on the ground in the alley. He remembered the previous events and felt in his shirt for the rock of gold. It was gone of course.
"Fuckin' thieves," he mumbled, almost wanting to cry. Now what would he do?"
He reached into his pocket for his crack pipe and found something different.
Pulling out his crack pipe, he also found a wad of money and a note.
Dear Crack head,
Please accept this money since you were gibbering about the debt you have to pay. Pay your debt and get yourself to rehab. The rock you took belonged to my friend who his mentally handicapped and keeps rocks as pets. He was very upset that you tried to make off with his beloved pet. You should be ashamed of yourself to be so desperate for crack that you would steal from a retard. Get into rehab before you end up stealing from a crippled little girl or some equally dreadful thing.
Signed,
A Fowl Wake Up Call.
Frankie felt a bit guilty. Would he really steal from a crippled girl to get a hit. When he realized the answer was yes, he felt pretty bad.
He read through the note again. Obviously the person couldn't spell. He spelled fowl wrong it was supposed to be f-o-u-l. Even though Frankie only made it to tenth grade, he knew a few things.
He paid off his debt and went to rehab, where he got clean and stayed clean.
In the Lear Jet
"What did you write in that note?" Harry asked Artemis quietly. Ron was asleep in a chair with Hermione on his lap.
Artemis chuckled low. "I wrote that you were a retard and very upset that he tried to steal your pet rock."
Harry stared at him. "What?"
Artemis shrugged. "And I gave him money to pay his debt and told him to go to rehab. Of course, he may not and might just go buy more crack tonight, but the choice is his. Maybe he'll do the right thing."
"I can't believe you told him I was a retard."
Aeron's lab
The man who tried to get the Pimante flew in on his broom, bleeding across the chest. He had had a vial of antidote for the poison, just in case something like this had happened, and he had taken it, so he wouldn't die. But his chest was bleeding bad and he was no good at medical spells, in fact he wasn't too good at a lot of spells.
Aeron turned around from a table where he was creating some creatures, dead animal bits spread around. "Where is the Pimante, Gerald?"
Gerald cast his eyes down ashamed. "I'm sorry, sir, I-I didn't get it."
Aeron glared at him, his blue-green eyes glinting dangerously in the light of the lamp. "And why is that?"
"Sir, the group is-tough," said Gerald. "That Harry Potter-he-"
"Yes, I created quite the monster didn't I?" said Aeron, twirling his wand around. "Pity, I couldn't control his mind. He would have been invaluable to me. Not like you."
"Sir, I sorry, one of the snakes bit me and-"
"Because you can't even properly create snakes!" said Aeron. "I gave you a chance, because Amadae failed last time, but now you have failed me."
And I bet she won't get punished at all because she's fucking you, Gerald thought.
Aeron looked at him. "I'm sure you're wondering why I didn't punish Amadae. She's good in bed. You, on the other hand, obviously can't do that for me. So you will be punished."
"Please, give me another chance!" begged Gerald. "Please! I-I beg-"
"Crucio!"
Gerald's screams echoed throughout the lab.
Fowl Mansion
Artemis sent Holly to take the Pimante away safely. She would meet up with them in Switzerland later, in two days.
They would leave tomorrow night for Switzerland and hike over night to where they needed to go. The Pimante was due to fall in a valley around noon or so.
Harry went to the room he was staying in. He took his shirt off and spread some lotion on his chest and arms, hoping to fade the scars. It was about three in the morning and he was tired. He lay down to sleep and fell into a nightmare as usual.
Harry lay on the ground, bleeding from cuts. Gary had beaten him with the crowbar again. He had a gash on his forehead near the hairline, a cut on his cheek, and cuts and bruises all over his body.
He had been imprisoned for almost two and a half months. He couldn't take the torture anymore. He'd rather be dead. Aeron had spoken about transforming him into a weapon of magic. Harry didn't want to be that and he didn't want to be in this prison suffering anymore.
Aeron laughed while Harry struggled to his feet, rage burning in his eyes.
"Why don't you just kill me?" asked Harry.
"Kill you?" asked Aeron amused, taking a step closer.
Harry shook with rage. "JUST KILL ME NOW! KILL ME!" He took a step and shoved Aeron, pushing him backwards. Gary took a step forward with the crowbar. Aeron held his hand up, signaling Gary to stop.
"Why would I kill you? I need you," said Aeron.
"JUST KILL ME!" said Harry, blood running down his face. He took another step and punched Aeron in the face, hoping to provoke him. "DO IT NOW!"
Aeron frowned, a bit of blood smeared on his face from Harry's hand, when he raised it, trying to ward off a blow from the crowbar and raised his wand. Harry thought Aeron was going to do it.
"You really shouldn't do that," said Aeron.
"Then kill me!" snarled Harry.
Aeron raised the wand.
"I'm not going to kill you, just make you suffer more. CRUCIO!"
Harry fell on the ground, screaming in agony.
Harry awoke screaming in a cold sweat on the bed. He rolled over and closed his eyes. He was tired of the nightmares. They were so real; he could feel the pain and everything.
He lay there a moment, breathing deeply, trying to calm his heart rate.
"Are you all right?" asked a voice.
Harry jumped and opened his eyes. Ginny was standing by the bed, looking at him, concerned.
"Aagh! You spooked me!" said Harry.
"I heard a yell from your room," said Ginny. "I was in the hall."
"How'd you get in?" asked Harry. "Artemis has this place locked up tight."
"I got to the door and rang the bell until someone finally answered. Butler answered it with a gun in my face, looking like he just woke up." Ginny rolled her eyes. "I never got officially introduced to him, I seen him once as he was leaving the headquarters. I had to show him my tattoo. I was coming from the room Butler said I could use to go downstairs and get food and I heard you yelling."
"It was nothing," mumbled Harry, rubbing his eyes.
"Harry, what are all those scars!" said Ginny, pointing at his chest.
Harry pulled the sheet up. "Nothing, Ginny. Why don't you go downstairs and I'll be down in a moment. I'll make pancakes, okay?"
Ginny looked at him. "Okay."
Ginny left the room, thinking how Harry seemed to have more muscles than before, under all those scars. She knew he'd been imprisoned for three months, and she knew he must have been treated very badly. Ron had sent her an owl and she knew about Harry's powers.
She waited downstairs until Harry came down and he made pancakes for the two of them.
Ginny sat across from him. "These are good."
Harry grinned. "Thanks."
Ginny looked at him seriously. "Ron told me about your wings and the claws, and how you heal like a fairy."
"Oh."
"Could I-may I see them?" asked Ginny, looking at his hands. "I'm curious."
Harry released the blades and stuck his hand out to her. "Careful, they are very sharp."
Ginny took his hand gently with one of hers and ran a finger along the flat of the blade. Harry managed not to flinch. "Do they ever hurt coming out?"
"Every time," replied Harry, thinking about how soft her hands were.
"But I thought they were apart of you!"
"They have to cut the skin to come out!" said Harry.
"So I guess the wings must hurt, too."
"Yeah, worse actually," said Harry. "I'm not actually sure how they go back in there, without me having like a hump back or something. I guess they kind of shrink down."
"Sorry I asked to look at them," said Ginny. "I didn't know the blades hurt."
"It's not your fault," said Harry. "I didn't mind." He retracted them and little sparks healed the split skin.
"It must feel weird," said Ginny, "to have blades now. I'm surprised they can go back in."
Harry made one come out, then another, each separately. "I can move each one independently." He made them go back in and sparks popped up to heal the slits once more.
"Do you run out of magic, like fairies?"
"No, I've healed some big injuries, and it doesn't seem to run out," said Harry.
Nobody else got up until almost noon. Harry spent the afternoon training with Butler. He was pretty good at fighting. Juliet taught him some wrestling moves that she used when fighting in the ring.
"Of course," said Juliet, putting Harry in a headlock. "Most of its fake. We have grudge matches and stuff like that, it's mostly show."
Harry was pretty strong since his transformation. He got out of the headlock and managed to flip Juliet. Juliet got back up and twirled around. The jade ring at the end of her pony tail smacked Harry in the face.
"Ow!"
"Pretty lethal for jewelry, huh?" asked Juliet.
Artemis told everyone to get a good sleep, because they'd be up during the next night, hiking.
Harry of course, could only sleep about four hours at a time. It was all he needed to feel rested. He stayed up late watching TV in his room, fell asleep, had a nightmare as usual, got up and showered and went downstairs to read a book on the couch.
Harry made breakfast for everyone and they spent the day getting ready.
Everyone went to take a nap in the late afternoon. Artemis gave them tea with a very small amount of sleeping medication in it, so they would fall asleep easily. They would be up most of the night, hiking.
The medicine even work on Harry, who didn't need nowhere near as much sleep compared to anybody else. He slept for a whole hour, and didn't have a nightmare this time. He only had a vague dream of Ginny, touching his hand when she was looking at the claws.
Artemis was in study, writing something in his notes. Butler knocked and came in.
"Artemis, it's rather bugging me about all this dangerous stuff," he began. "I'd rather you not come to Switzerland. You should stay here, where it's safe."
"You know I can't do that," said Artemis.
"Artemis, I am charged with keeping you safe," Butler began. "I'm getting older now; it's harder with you putting yourself in these positions."
Artemis sighed. "Butler, I don't mean to be rude, but I obviously made it to adulthood, so you've done a good job of keeping me safe so far. You're my friend and protector. But I joined the Order, and I can't just sit around while everyone else puts themselves in danger."
"But if something happened-"began Butler.
"Then I died for a good cause," said Artemis. "Many have died in the Order fighting Voldemort, when he was in power, did they not? But they still struggled and fought and eventually overcame, thanks to Harry. It's not fair to the rest of the Order if I just stay safe at home, tucked in my study, like a coward. If Aeron gets stronger, he'll kill many people and either he or one of his minions will come after me. I am a Muggle after all. So it's better that I fight."
Butler could understand where he was coming from. But he still had that protective feeling. After all, Artemis had been in his care since he was born. If Artemis got killed-Butler didn't like to think about it. Not only would Madam Ko have his blue diamond tattoo lasered off (which was the least of his worries) he'd lose a good friend. His best friend.
"Don't fret old friend," said Artemis.
"All right," said Butler. "But promise me you won't do anything stupid to put yourself in danger."
"Don't worry, I won't," said Artemis. "I'm in no hurry to die. Promise you'll do the same?"
"I promise," said Butler.
Artemis and Butler went to their rooms to take naps.
Harry woke up after an hour. Everyone else was still sleeping. He showered and made sure he had what he needed and watched TV. Everyone got up about an hour and a half later.
They flew to Switzerland and drove two rented car to a camping spot near the mountains. It was mostly abandoned now.
The area they were going too wasn't too bad. It wasn't snowing yet. The air was chilly and they were dressed warmly. They went up a not so steep incline, using an old path. There was a valley and if you went to the other side of it, that's where it got really steep and rocky in some areas.
It took about two hours to get to the valley. They wrapped everything and themselves in cam foil during the trip and set up the cam tent.
Everyone inside, they took off the cam foils and Artemis put on his fairy night vision goggles. Hermione cast a silencing spell around the tent so if anybody was around outside, they wouldn't hear anything inside the tent.
Artemis check outside, looking at around at the valley to make sure nobody was lurking around. The Pimante chunk was due to fall at noon that day.
Ginny had come on this trip, the Order having sent her to help out their group.
Holly was due to meet them in the morning. That night was a full moon and she would be doing the Ritual to top off her magic supplies.
Morning came and everyone ate granola bars and drank some coffee Snape had in his magic thermos.
Holly came in the morning, brimming with magic. She flew invisible to the tent and entered, saying in a low voice it was just her.
"Full moon last night," she told Harry, shimmering into view. "Any magical transformation?"
"No," said Harry.
Noon came and they wrapped themselves up in cam foil and crept into the valley.
They weren't the only ones to come early. The man that had attacked them in the hotel room flew on a broom into the valley. Amadae was with him, on another broom.
Harry wondered if there were any Creatures lurking around, waiting to attack. Aeron's minion seemed to like to bring them along for help.
Amadae and the man were talking.
"Gerald, they're probably hiding somewhere," said Amadae, in a low voice.
"It's open," said Gerald.
"They can have invisibility cloaks or something like that," said Amadae tossing her wand from hand to hand. "Don't underestimate them. I don't think Aeron will give you another chance."
"Oh, but for you he will," spat Gerald. "Only because you're fucking him."
Amadae smiled. "You're just jealous."
Gerald made a face at her. "Hardly. I'm not gay."
"Just shut up and lets grab the Pimante when it falls."
"Hopefully it'll fall on your head and shut you up."
"Would you stop being so childish!?"
Harry thought they were both acting childish, like a pair of bratty siblings.
"Get the Creatures here, in case Harry and the others pop up."
Amadae waved her wand and a light came out, shining up into the air.
Harry didn't expect to see what came into the valley.
They were balverines, but they had wings. Great, black wings. They flew in and landed near Amadae, eight of them.
"Good boys," said Amadae, patting one on the head. "If your good and kill all the bad people, I'll let you chew their legs off and eat them."
Harry looked at the claws and seen that some of them were silver. Darn it. He wished he had his wand, but that had been taken from him when he was kidnapped. It had either been destroyed when the lab exploded, or Aeron still had it. He didn't know which.
The balverines were sniffing the air and growling.
Artemis carefully stepped toward Harry and whispered in his ear. "They smell us."
The balverines were looking around, growling.
"Shh. How come the four you made don't have silver claws?" asked Amadae.
"Uh, I-it," stammered Gerald.
Amadae rolled her eyes. "You just suck at making these creatures. It's lucky yours even obeys us."
"Well after I made the weapon, we were out of-"
"Oh stuff it," said Amadae.
One of the regular clawed ones was sitting on its haunches, scratching behind its ear with a hind leg. It was going cross eyed. It stopped and remained crouched, sniffing the air. Suddenly it leaped.
It hit Butler and its claws snagged on the cam foil, ripping it and rendering it useless. Butler drew back, his Sig Sauer already out and ready to fire.
"SHIT!" screamed Gerald. "They've been here the whole time!"
Snape crouched and lifted the edge of her cam foil just a little and shot a spell at Gerald.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Gerald fell over, stiff as a board, unable to move.
Amadae shot a spell randomly into the air. Harry's cam foil fizzed and became useless. He let his claws out and wings and the rest of the balverines began to attack.
One crashed into Ron and ripped his cam foil off. Ron shot at a spell at it, stunning. Harry went for it while it was dazed. Being careful to stay away from its silver claws, he sliced its neck. Blood spurted out and fell, dead.
One with regular claws attacked Harry, slicing his chest open. Harry grunted in pain and lashed out. The balverine flew up quickly, and then swooped down. It tackled Harry and they rolled on the ground in a flurry of wings, claws slashing, and blood flying.
Harry finally ended it by jabbing his claws up into its eyes and the brain. He pulled them out with a nasty shlurp sound and attacked one that was going for Ron.
Ron's left arm had a nasty cut on it. The silver clawed balverine almost got Harry but he jumped back in time, and flew upwards, attracting it away from Ron.
Butler was shooting and dodging as fast as he could. He found that if he managed to get a few into the balverines head, it would go down. One lay dead now, its head riddled with bullets.
Juliet had hit one right in the nose with her jade ring and it howled in pain.
Harry ducked, dodged and swooped the silver clawed one attacking him. Amadae was shooting spells at him as well, trying to bring him down.
Harry, too busy fighting the balverine, didn't notice Amadae pull something from her pocket. She waved her wand over it and it grew bigger. Harry managed to latch onto the back of the flying balverine and used it as a shield from a spell Amadae shot his way. The balverine was stunned and started to fall. Harry sliced his blades through its neck, severing it completely.
They landed with a jarring thump on the ground. Harry got off the dead balverine-
Thunk!
Harry grunted in pain and shock and fell down hard. He felt sick. Oh no…he thought.
A silver spear had hit him in the side. The tip had gone right through him and into the ground.
Amadae rushed up to him. Harry's claws and wings all went back in. It hurt more, his position on the ground making it hard for the wings to get back in. He grunted. Amadae crouched over him.
"Sorry, deary," she said, grabbing Harry's head in her heads. She kissed him full in the mouth and Harry raised a hand, trying to weakly push her off. Amadae got up and pulled the spear out roughly. Harry yelled and quick as a flash, before he could get up, Amadae drove it into his chest, the tip going through him and into the ground, pinning him completely.
Harry screamed in agony, feeling the spear as it broke through his rib cage and punctured a lung and went out though his back.
Harry lay twitching slightly on the ground, feeling sick from the silver. He grasped at weakly, trying in vain to pull it out. Amadae bent over him and kissed him again on the mouth
"Sorry, darling," she said, looking into his tortured eyes.
"Get-the fuck-away from –me," Harry gasped, blood soaking the front of his shirt.
"Have fun dying," she whispered and got up.
Harry faded out slightly, only vaguely hearing the sounds of fighting around him. He couldn't tell who was winning.
Finally be came to a bit, and realized he wasn't dead yet. Artemis was lying near him, completely unconscious. Snape and Juliet were heaped over each other, cut and bleeding.
Butler, bleeding everywhere, was fighting with a balverine. He snapped its neck and then collapsed. Amadae was lying on the ground. Harry couldn't tell if she was dead or not. Holly was lying on the ground, a gouge right across her neck. Sparks were healing it.
Holly had blasted a creature right in the face, jamming the gun into ones its eyes, just as she felt the claws slice her neck, right through her suit. Her helmet told her cheerfully that she had just suffered a very serious wound, and her body would shut down temporarily while it healed. Holly struggled to keep going, since Butler was fighting the last one left, but she passed out on the ground while the magic did its work.
Harry tried, futilely, to take the spear out, but it wouldn't budge. He lay in pain, trying to make sure no one was dead. Gerald was still stiff as a board on the ground. Ginny lay on the ground, pale. Her fingers twitched slightly and he could see her chest still rising. Her arm had been bitten, but it wasn't bleeding much.
Artemis moaned slightly and moved his arm.
"Artemis," said Harry, rasping heavily, since one his lungs was punctured. "Artemis."
Artemis moved slightly and opened his eyes. He'd been bitten in the leg, and the arm, and had a slash across his chest, but he would live. He seen Harry lying there, pinned to the ground by the spear.
"Har-ry," said Artemis, struggling to get up. His leg hurt.
"Get this-out-of me," rasped Harry. "Please."
Artemis struggled to his feet and limped over. "Hang on." He gripped the spear tightly and pulled up with all his might. The pain was intense as the spear moved up. Harry gritted his teeth to keep from screaming. The spear came up quite a bit and then stuck again. Artemis lost his grip and fell on is bottom.
There was about six inches left, buried in Harry. He wasn't pinned anymore and rolled to his side. He felt a warm feeling again in his body. The sick feeling was gone.
"Artemis," gasped Harry. "I don't think it's all made of silver."
Artemis stared as sparks came to Harry's body, healing the wounds.
Artemis didn't notice as a Balverine, one of the ones Butler had been shooting, rose up suddenly, not completely dead. It was brain damaged, but extremely lucky to be alive and moving. There was one bullet lodged in his brain, that if had gone a quarter of a centimeter to the left, it would have killed him. It weaved slightly, and noticed the two moving figures in front of him.
Artemis watched in fascination as Harry's hair changed to silver, his wings came out silver, and Harry grew fangs again. His eyes turned silver as well.
"What the-" said Artemis. Another transformation, but how? What was in the tip of the spear?
Harry grabbed the spear, jerking it. A piece broke off it and remained lodged in Harry's chest, behind his ribs. He noticed it vaguely, because the sharp bits hurt. He felt like me was more alert and he heard something behind Artemis. But as he looked up, he had seen something that alarmed him.
Artemis watching the transformation didn't notice anything behind him. All he seen was Harry seemed to look right at him, and then lunged.
Artemis yelled, thinking Harry had gone crazy and decided to kill him. He ducked on the ground, expecting to feel claws tearing into him any second.
Instead Harry roared and jumped right over him, his wings glinting in the sunlight. Artemis raised his head and looked up. Harry was attacking a normal clawed Balverine. He drove his blades into its chest and yanked up, pulling them through its chest and neck. He pulled them back and the balverine fell dead (for real this time) on the ground.
Amadae had gotten up and rushed past Artemis to grab the spear. Artemis reached out and grabbed her ankle. She fell and still managed to grip the spear, bringing it around to whack Artemis on the head. He lost his grip and she brought it down on his head again.
"What the fuck are you?" she asked Harry. "What the hell happened to you?"
Gerald, the spell on him finally wearing off, got up. "The titanium in the spear must have done it."
"IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ALL SILVER!" shrieked Amadae her face going red. "HOW COULD YOU SCREW THIS UP?"
The Pimante had fallen on the ground near him. He made a grab for it and then his broom. Harry lunged for him, but Gerald swooped up. Harry took flight after him.
Ginny came too and was looking at Amadae with murder in her eyes.
"Screw this," said Amadae, running for her broom. She got on it and dodged the spell Ginny sent hurtling he away. She took off after Harry and Gerald.
Harry lunged onto Gerald, who screamed as felt claws against his neck. Harry grabbed for the Pimante. Amadae threw the spear, aiming for Harry. She missed and hit Gerald in the side, who screamed and dropped the Pimante. The broom spun wildly for a moment as Gerald lost control and Harry slipped off Gerald, dragging his claws against the man's back. Amadae swooped under him and caught the Pimante. Gerald regained control and zipped off for the mountains, following Amadae. Harry followed.
The sparks were healing his injuries as he went. He ignored the pain of them and followed Amadae, not wanting her to get the Pimante. Amadae turned and a shot a spell at Harry. It hit his wing and he started to fall, unable to fly with only one wing. The other wing was paralyzed and Harry realized she'd tried to hit him with a Petrificus Totalus spell.
He fell three hundred feet through the air, landing on the rocks below; shattering the bones in his left leg, and rolled, painfully down. Harry bones were a bit stronger since he'd been transformed, and even stronger since the titanium changed him, but a fall like that would still do major damage. Any normal human would have died instantly from a fall like that.
Skidding and rolling, Harry grunted and tried to grab onto something with claws, but he couldn't get a purchase. He felt his right arm snap and his collarbone broke as he rolled over the rocks. His shoulder broke next. He came to the edge of a drop. Below there was grass and more rocks. Sharp ones. Time seemed to freeze for a moment as Harry slid right out into the air and he felt nothing beneath him. Then he started falling, a hundred feet down, vainly trying to move his petrified wing. Harry landed on his back, right on jagged rocks, and he was pretty sure he had broken half his ribs, snapped his spine, and fractured his skull.
He laid there a moment, completely dazed. His body went into shock; his heart rate soaring as the pain completely overtook his brain. Everything went blank.
Aeron's lab
Amadae and Gerald made it, Gerald bleeding badly, but not dead yet. Amadae didn't even look at him as they marched toward Aeron, sitting at table, putting more creatures together.
"You got it this time," said Gerald, looking at the lump in Amadae's hand.
Amadae gave it to him and flung the broken spear on the floor. "You can ask Gerald why the spear didn't work and why it's not all silver like he claimed."
Aeron cast his eyes to Gerald. "Explain what has happened Amadae."
She told him about everything.
"The titanium must have an effect on him," said Aeron. "Silver is the weakness, and titanium makes him transform. Since he was created by an infusion of magic and a metal magic ore, other metals must have effects on him. I shall have to experiment with the retarded weapon."
Amadae had tried to make another weapon like Harry, but the man had gone retarded. He had all of Harry's abilities, but was completely and dumb now and walked around his cell, special clamps on his hands, to keep from bringing his blades out and going ballistic. He spent most of his time muttering to himself or chewing on his arm.
"Gerald, why was the end of the spear titanium?" asked Aeron menacingly.
Gerald looked scared. "We ran out of silver, and I figured it didn't matter if the last few inches were of something else. I didn't know it would do that. Amadae was going to drive it so far into him anyway."
"I did, but that Fowl brat pulled it up enough to where the stuff could start to react with his body!" said Amadae.
"Well done, Amadae, for getting and keeping the Pimante," said Aeron. "As for you, Gerald, I think you've done enough damage and your services are no longer required."
"But-but I-please! One more chance!"
Aeron tortured Gerald with the Crucio curse for several minutes, watching him scream and thrash on the ground, leaving bloody smears from his injuries. When he was satisfied, he pointed his wand once more at Gerald's heaving, terrified form.
"Avada Kedavra."
And Gerald was no more
In Switzerland
Ginny had passed back out, from blood loss, due to the bite in her arm. Everybody else lay in the field in various stages of injury, luckily none fatal.
Holly came to and her helmet informed her she was good to go, although repairing the wound had used half her magic. She sat up and looked around.
She rushed around, checking everyone's pulse. Artemis got up, having been knocked out by Amadae, who had smashed his head with the spear. He had a splitting headache but that was the least of his worries. He limped over to Holly who was healing Butler.
"Go to the tent and get my bag," said Holly. She healed Butler to the point where still had bleeding scratches but would be okay. She couldn't use all her magic at once. She went around healing everybody a little, enough so that they would be okay.
Artemis limped to the tent as quickly as he could and got her bag and made it back.
Holly dug in her back until she found a bottle.
"Foaly figured out a marvelous use for that Pimante stuff," she explained. She held up the clear bottle. He mixed acorns and some of the Pimante together to create a drink that actually restores magic a little bit." The brownish gold liquid swirled in the bottle.
Artemis was amazed.
Holly opened it. "Of course, it's nothing like doing the Ritual. Drink too much, and you get massive diarrhea, as the test subjects found out the hard way. But in a pinch, it's okay."
She drank a bit and finished healing up everybody. Her magic was almost gone.
"Where's Harry?" asked Artemis. "I know he must have gone after them."
Holly used the wings in her suit to fly up and look around.
"THERE!"
She flew across the grass. Everybody went running toward where she had pointed.
Harry lay on the sharp rocks. He finally came too, the skull fracture being healed. His spine still felt broken, and the magic had healed up the smaller cuts he'd gotten from falling down the mountain side. They were now working on his leg and other broken things. He yelled in pain, wishing he had just stayed passed out.
He could feel the titanium bit poking his flesh underneath his rib cage. It hurt, but nowhere near as much as the rest of his injuries. He couldn't move, so much of him was broken. Why hadn't he just stayed passed out?
He closed his eyes, wishing he could sleep until everything was healed. He heard something coming, clearly getting closer, until it was next to him and opened his eyes to see Holly's anxious face.
"Fuck," she swore. His collarbone was actually poking through his skin. His silver eyes were weird to look at. She took a swig from a bottle.
"No more," she said. "Or I'll be crapping in my suit."
She sent the last of her magic into Harry's collarbone.
"Ungh." Harry felt it move back into place, although it was still snapped.
The others came up.
Snape stared at him. "How'd he do that?"
"Fell on the mountain-and down it," Harry managed to get out.
Holly had an idea and figured it couldn't hurt Harry, since he was magic.
She went around him. "Help me lift him up a bit."
Juliet was closer so she helped lift Harry up a little bit so he could lean against Holly. Harry yelled in pain.
"Here drink a bit of this," said Holly, tipping the bottle to his face. "Maybe it'll make your magic work faster."
Harry drank a mouthful. It tasted awful. He spit half it up, accidentally spraying Juliet.
"What is that?" he asked. "Sorry, Juliet."
"Um, it's okay," replied Juliet, wiping her face off.
"I need to get that stuff out of me," said Harry. Holly noticed the sparks seemed to work a little bit faster, but not much. "It's stuck in me. I have to cut it out."
"What?" asked Snape.
"It's in my chest," said Harry. "I can't do it myself, my one arms broken and I can't move the other because of the shoulders broken. One of you has to do it."
"Can't you just wait until the rest of you heals, instead of adding new injury," said Holly, in horror.
"NO!" snarled Harry. "I should still be passed out while my body heals, but I can't. I think the titanium makes me more alert. I can hear the slightest shuffle any of you makes and know whose making it. Hermione stop biting your nails."
Hermione, behind Holly, jerked. She had been very quietly nibbling on the edge of one of her nails, worried about Harry.
"I have a knife," said Butler, knowing this was going to be awful.
Harry told him where it was and Holly suggested they move him off the rocks onto the grass, so he would be getting jabbed. Butler lifted Harry up as carefully possible, who moaned and gritted his teeth in pain. He laid him down in the grass gently and took his knife and cut where Harry send to.
Ginny sat next to Harry, caressing his head. It actually calmed him a bit, despite the pain where Butler was cutting.
This is disgusting, thought Butler, who never thought he'd be cutting open a comrade. Harry was gritting his teeth, trying not to yell.
"How am I supposed to get through the bones?" asked Butler. "I can't sit here sawing through them."
"Punch them in or something," gasped Harry, also annoyed because he could hear Hermione nibbling her nails again.
Butler winced at the idea but he did so, causing Harry to scream. The bones cracked and Butler could see the titanium piece. He picked it out and sparks zipped around the new wound.
Harry changed back to his normal looking self. He stopped hearing sounds so clearly and was finally able to pass, blissfully, into unconsciousness.
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