Chapter 63 : Myrtle's Revenge
Lucius and Duffy had both jumped when Seamus' explosives brought down the wooden bridge. Then the fireworks on their side of the stone circle lit up the lawn, throwing an eerie glow over the advancing hordes of Inferi. There were at least one hundred of them, Lucius calculated mentally, which was more than enough to scare the willies out of any Witch or Wizard unlucky enough to come face to face with the shuffling corpses.
The Inferi had made their way out of the lake and were almost to the enchanted rope pen that had been strung across the lawn from the rock base under the castle to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
"Ready Duffy?" Lucius asked, glancing down at the House Elf standing next to him.
"Duffy is ready, Master Lucius and the others is waiting on the other side," he added, pointing across the lawn to the four other House Elves who were going to help get the net closed behind the Inferi.
"Right . . . well, let's move out and get in position. I believe the last ones have emerged from the lake and they'll all soon be in the corral."
Double-checking the now glass smooth surface of the Black Lake, Lucius walked away from the doorway where he and Duffy had been waiting and observing. The other House Elves emerged from their observation point and took their positions on either side of the tall, blond Wizard. As soon as the last Inferi had crossed the bottom edge of the netting, the House Elves raised the barrier and secured it into place. The corpses had run up against the far wall of netting and were searching sideways for a way to continue their journey up the hill.
Lucius turned on the ignition switch of the flamethrower and sticking the nozzle through the netting, aimed it at the Inferi. Pulling the trigger, he started spraying the fiery liquid over the dead bodies, working methodically back and forth, drenching the Inferi; they became a mass of writhing , burning flesh, their open mouths and flaying arms showing the agony they were enduring. Fortunately, they made no sound: no screams or cries for help came from the bodies, which were slowly falling, consumed by the flames.
Lucius had long since stopped using the flamethrower and stood watching, as did the House Elves, as the Inferi were reduced to smoldering piles of ash and bits of bone.
"That's that, then. Well done, Duffy. Now, you and I have to go to our next assignment." Lucius had found his voice, after clearing his throat. "And thank you also," he added, turning to the other House Elves and bending over, shook the hand of each little creature. "Well done!"
"Thank you, Master Malfoy." "Just doing our duty, sir." "Thank you, Sir." "We is glad to be of service, Master Malfoy."
"Let's get this flamethrower stored away, Duffy and then we'll pop over and see how Draco's fairing," Lucius remarked, as he and Duffy headed back into the basements of Hogwarts.
"Duffy has heard three shots, so far, Master Lucius," Duffy reported.
"Ah, then the invasion is on!"
X X X
Voldemort marched down the corridor, entered Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and walked over to the sinks. Running his hand over the tap, he stood looking around as if reminiscing about the last time he used this hidden entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.
"Hehsa Hasee Eth," Voldemort whispered, then took a step back as the sinks slid apart, with a bit of scrapping, to reveal the hole in the floor which led to the tunnels below. "Hesha Hasee Eth Kaee," he hissed. One by one, slabs of stone protruded from the side of the well-like opening, forming a spiral staircase leading down into the darkness.
As Voldemort descended the stairs, his wand shining with a 'Lumos' spell, Myrtle peeked over the edge of the first stall, watching the sinks slide back into place. A wicked grin appeared on her pale face as she emerged and started her work.
X X X
The remaining Snatchers were surging toward the gate by the Library Wing and the broom practice lawn. Watching their progress from top of the wall surrounding the lawn and the battlement over the gate were Seamus, Dean, Neville and Lee. Each stood ready, waiting for just the right moment . . . almost there . . . almost there . . . "NOW!" shouted Seamus, as the four young Wizards shot spells that touched off the rockets attached to the edge of the netting lying on the ground in front of the advancing Snatchers.
WOOOSH!
The rockets arched up, out and over the heads of the startled Snatchers, who skidded to a halt to look upward in surprise. Before they could think of what these rockets meant they became aware that something was coming down on top of them. Within seconds, they were covered and entangled in heavy netting, shouting and struggling to get free. Spells didn't seem to have any effect on the rope webbing, but then another problem presented itself. Hordes of House Elves were clambering over them, hitting and poking at the trapped Wizards, knocking their wands out of their hands. Kreacher was leading this group, directing the other House Elves and generally beating the Snatchers into submission. The four Gryffindors watching were falling over laughing.
That is, until they saw the first of the Death Eaters streaking overhead, 'Apparating' into the school. With a shout of encouragement to Kreacher, they took off running into the castle.
X X X
At Bella's screaming command, some of the Death Eaters 'Apparated' toward the school, intend on gaining entry into the upper hallways. Aiming for the rows of windows on the classroom floors, they hit the glass, shattering it, but a mille-second later, were seen falling into the ravine below. Bella shrieked her anger and took off, herself, heading for one of the courtyards.
Narcissa made note of her sister's location and then turned away to resume her job as lookout. Draco was taking aim at the fourth giant when he noticed the lenses of his scope was starting to fog up . . . no, it was frost.
"Mother!"
"I see them, Draco! They're coming from across the lake. I'll keep them off of us, but, just in case . . . DOBBY!"
'Pop'
"Yes, Missy Cissa!?"
"Tell Albus the Dementors are coming and I'm not sure I can do more than guard Draco," she told the House Elf. "There's an awful lot of them!"
"Dobby understands. Dobby will tell the Headmaster."
'Pop'
Draco applied a warming spell to his night vision scope and then refocused on his target. Narcissa was watching the approach of the grey, skeletal, shrouded figures of the Dementors, feeling the temperature plummet. Suddenly, two of them veered off from the main group and headed straight toward their position.
Planting her feet firmly, placing herself between the Dementors and her son, Narcissa concentrated hard and raised her wand.
"Expecto Patronum!" she shouted. Instantly , her white peacock Patronus erupted from the end of her wand and flew straight toward the oncoming Dementors, causing them to veer off course, then circle and try to get around the huge white bird. Narcissa would have none of it, chasing one and then the other of the Dementors away from the tower.
'Crack!'
Draco's shot took down another of the giants, even as it was pushing the dead one on the bridge out of the way, thereby blocking the stone structure even more. The last giant took one look and turned, heading away from the castle, quickly disappearing over the hill.
"Job's done here, Mother. Let's get down off of this tower and join the fun, shall we?" Draco asked, as he shouldered his rifle and picked up his equipment bag. Narcissa backed toward the door to the stairs, that Draco was holding open for her, keeping her eyes on the Dementors hanging over the towers.
"I think that's a bloody good idea, Draco, darling." She flipped her wand, setting her Patronus loose to fly at will, turned and started down the stairs, Draco closing and locking the door behind them.
X X X
Voldemort passed the old, shed skin of the Basilisk and the rock cave-in and approached the door to the Chamber of Secrets.
"Hehsa Hasee Eth," he hissed, then stood watching as the door unlocked and slowly swung open. Climbing down the ladder he turned and gazed down the length of the walkway toward the pool. Walking briskly along, he hardly saw his surroundings, so focused was he on the mummified corpse of his 'pet' lying on its back before him. He noted the fact that one of the top fangs was broken off and the other missing, but dismissed any thoughts of why this should be when, in his peripheral vision, he saw Albus' body on its makeshift bier.
Turning from the snake's remains, he slowly approached the figure lying on the stone slab. He bent over and gazed at the face of the Headmaster, but then his attention became riveted on the wand lying under Albus' hands. Reaching out, he grasped the handle and pulled it from its resting place. He lifted the Elder Wand, turned it slowing in his boney fingers and then a smile came to his lips, followed by a low chuckle which rapidly turned into a maniacal cackle.
"Thought you could take it with you, did you, old man? I think not, a better Wizard than you has need of it!"
Turning in a swirl of robes, he strode off back to the door and as it clanged shut, the sound echoed through the chamber, until all was dark and silent once more.
X X X
'Pop'
"Headmaster!" Dobby pulled on the trouser leg of the tall Wizard standing at the window overlooking the Cobblestone courtyard.
"Yes, Dobby," Albus/Aberforth turned to gaze down at the House Elf.
"Missy Narcissa is telling Dobby to tell you that Dementors is here! She is keeping them from Master Draco, but there be a lot more, her am saying," Dobby relayed, bouncing up and down.
"Indeed. Well, time to nip this in the bud, eh?" replied the headmaster, as he held out his hand. "To the Lighting Struck Tower, please, Dobby."
"Yes, Headmaster."
'Pop'
X X X
Bella and a group of the Death Eaters had landed in the Clock courtyard and could see that the wooden bridge was gone, just wisps of smoke and burned out bits of timbers littering the opening that led, now, into empty space.
Seething with anger, she turned and marched into the school, the Death Eaters following her.
X X X
Albus looked above the tops of the castle turrets and saw the Dementors circling. Even as he pulled his wand, he heard someone else arrive on the tower top landing. Turning he saw his brother emerge from the stairs.
"Out for a stroll, Albus?" Aberforth asked, even as he looked up and regarded the Dementors.
"Not much room up here to stroll, Abe, but the view is magnificent," replied the 'other Abe' , sweeping his arm over the castle and grounds.
"I see we have company," said Abe, even as he pulled his own wand, his breath showing as the temperature started plummeting; the Dementors were descending toward the school.
"Well, shall we?" inquired Albus, pulling out his original wand that he'd gotten at Olivander's almost a century and a half before. It still felt right to him, still was 'his' wand.
"Right," Aberforth answered. "On three . . . one. . . two . . . three! 'Expecto Patronum'!"
" 'Expecto Patronum'!"echoed Albus.
A massive flood of white light burst from the brothers wands and their Phoenix and giant horned goat Patronuses erupted into the early night sky, effectively blasting the Dementors backward to tumble through the air. Within moments, the Dementors had recovered and fled, the air around the castle warmed significantly and the two brothers stood, side by side, arms around each others shoulders.
"Well, that was fun." Abe turned and looked at Albus. "Oh, dear, time for another dose brother; all that effort seems to have worn the previous dose off of you totally."
"All in a good cause, vile as it is," nodded Albus, as he uncorked and downed another dose of his Polyjuice potion supply. " Ugh!"
Laughing, Aberforth led the way down the stairs, back to the lower stories and the battle to come.
X X X
The Fountain Courtyard also saw a big influx of Death Eaters, who quickly scattered, entering the various doors into the classroom corridors. They found their way blocked by the different swamps that had been strategically placed. Turning to climb various stairs and detouring down corridors, they soon found themselves outside in the Courtyard, again. This time, however, they were met by some of the defenders of Hogwarts and the dueling began.
X X X
Sybil, Cho and the Patil twins used their slingshots to shoot at the Death Eaters who had stayed behind to try and clear the stone bridge. Shouts and curses floated back to them, as they giggled and kept up their bombardment.
X X X
Ginny, Hannah, Susan and Luna had spotted a new threat emerging from the Forbidden Forest; giant spiders, hoards of them, heading toward the outer wall of the broomstick practice lawn and the green houses.
"Good thing those Snatchers Seamus netted are over on the other side, or they'd be dinner for these spiders," mused Luna.
"Well, if we scare them off, they might head that way . . . oh well," replied Susan. "Better them than us!"
"Get ready, girls . . . they're almost in range," called Ginny. "Ready, steady, now!"
The rockets fired by the girls from their position in one of the towers overlooking the lawn, streaked down, exploding in the midst of the scrabbling arachnids. Black, hairy bodies flew through the air, some righting themselves and continuing, some shuddering and then lying still. Rocket after rocket were fired into the mass of spiders, but they kept coming.
"We're not having much effect on them," Ginny observed. "Not enough to stop them from reaching the castle."
"Better call in our backup," replied Hannah, as she watched her latest shot take out three more spiders.
"DUFFY!" Luna called.
'Pop'
"Yes, Miss Luna. You is needing Duffy?" the House Elf asked, then squeaked in alarm when he looked out and saw the spiders advancing their way.
"Could you please find Master Lucius and ask him to bring his flamethrower here to help us?" Luna asked.
"Yes, Miss, right away!" Duffy replied.
'Pop!'
X X X
Narcissa and Draco emerged into an upper hallway to see Lucius striding toward them, a smile on his face.
"Ah, my favorite Slytherin sniper team. How did it go? I heard you'd taken out three of the giants." he asked Draco, even as he greeted his wife with a hug and kiss and then turned to his son.
"'Four, Father. The fifth one took off and is probably halfway home by now, as fast as he was moving," answered Draco. "How did it go with the Inferi?"
"Burnt to a pile of ash and I'm glad the wind was blowing the other way, what little I did smell was horrid beyond words!" Lucius told them.
"The Dementors showed up just as Draco was getting ready to take out the fourth giant, but I held off the two that came at us," Narcissa informed Lucius, smiling proudly.
"Splendid, old girl!" Lucius declared, swatting Cissa on the bum. "But what about the others?"
"I sent Dobby to warn Albus," she said. "He'll know how to handle them."
"No doubt. So, I believe we're to go . . "
'Pop'
"Master Lucius, sir, Miss Ginny is needing you and your dragon box to help against the spiders, sir?" Duffy was bobbing up and down. "They is coming and they is not stopping, sir."
"AH, well, in that case, Duffy, let us go retrieve my equipment and join Miss Ginny, shall we? I'll catch up with you later, dear." Lucius gave Narcissa a kiss on the cheek.
"Be careful, Lucius, and watch your back, some of the Death Eaters are inside, including Bella." Narcissa warned him.
"Yes, well, we do have to take the bad with the good, it seems, love. Take care of your mother, Draco." Lucius turned to his son.
"Will do . . . Dad," Draco shot back, cheekily, just as Lucius took Duffy's hand and 'Pop' , disappeared.
"Dad? Really, Draco, I believe our Muggle friends were a bad influence on you!" Narcissa sniffed.
"Whatever you say, Mum!" he laughed, ducking as she tried to cuff him, skipping off down the hallway, giggling.
"Don't you sass me, young man!" she started after him, laughing in spite of herself.
X X X
Voldemort arrived at the base of the stairwell leading up to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
"Hesha Hasee Eth Kaee," he muttered, as he absentmindedly twirled the Elder wand in his boney white fingers.
The stairs appeared, jutting out of the wall.
"Hehsa Hasee Eth,"
As the distant sinks moved out of the way, Voldemort heard a strange sound and looking up, was hit with a tsunami of water rushing down the tube-like opening and was tumbled, head over heels, several dozen yards back down the tunnel. He lay there in the dirt, rocks and sand, then, lifting his head he shook the water out of his eyes and sat up. A thunderous look came into his red eyes and he struggled to his feet, drenched robes clinging to him, water still streaming down the stairs and past his feet. He 'Apparated' up the shaft into the girls bathroom and stood looking around. All of the taps on the sinks were running full open and the toilets were overflowing. There was a 'high water' line on the wall, showing just how deep the flood had been before it found its release down the stairwell.
"Well, hello there," came a voice behind him. Spinning, he beheld the ghost of Myrtle, floating by the window. "You are the boy who caused my death fifty years ago, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am." Voldemort ground through his teeth.
"Well." Myrtle zoomed straight up to Voldemort and stopped an inch from his face. "Gotcha back!" Then she whizzed off, laughing and turning round and round.
The Dark Lord stood there, seething, then lifting the Elder Wand, waved it and dried himself off. He turned and stalked out of the bathroom, Myrtle's laughter ringing in his ears.
X X X
"Harry!" Moaning Myrtle came streaking into the classroom where Harry was watching the Marauders Map. "I did it! It worked! He was soaked totally and must have gotten knocked down, because his robes were a mess! HE! HE! HE! HE! HE!"
"That's great Myrtle! Congratulations! Wait until everyone hears! They will wish they'd been there to see it!" Harry laughed and clapped. "Brilliant, Myrtle, really!"
"Now, what else can I do to help? Anything?"
"Actually, yes . . . can you, very discreetly of course, follow old Tom and let me know when he gets near the Great Hall? That will be a big help, as everyone else, including me, might be a bit busy and might lose track of him." Harry added.
"Oh, that will be fun! And I'll let you know in plenty of time, too. I want to watch what you do to him . . . he's a very bad Wizard, Harry. And I saw other ones running up and down the halls on my way here, too," the ghost added.
"Yes, we'll be dealing with that lot, soon enough," replied Harry, as he folded up the Map and put it in his back pocket. "I'm glad you got him good with the water, Myrtle. That will be talked and laughed about for years!"
"Really? Oh, my, I hadn't thought of that! I can't wait to tell Peeves. Maybe he'll stop saying I'm useless," said Myrtle, heading toward the wall.
"You are anything but useless, Myrtle, and don't you forget it! You helped Ron, Hermione and me in our second year and then during the Tri-Wizard Tournament, it was you who told me how to work out the Golden Egg clue." Harry told her.
"Did I really help that much?" Myrtle questioned.
"You did indeed, and I'm proud to call you my friend!" added Harry.
Myrtle blushed, giggling. "Well, I'd better hurry along and watch Tom, then. See you in a bit, Harry." she called, as she melted through the paneling, her hand lingering for a moment to wave good-bye.
X X X
"Good evening, ladies." Lucius emerged onto the battlement, joining Ginny, Hannah, Susan and Luna, who were steadily pelting the spiders with their rockets.
"Ah, Mister Malfoy," said Susan, turning to give him a smile of greeting. "Just in time; they're getting a bit close," she added, pointing.
"Ah, I see what you mean," nodded Lucius, as he looked down to see the first spiders reach the bottom of the wall and start crawling up toward them. "Stand back, \please. Although, if you want to continue shooting, feel free!"
With that, he leaned over the edge and aiming straight down, started spraying the black shapes and watched with no little satisfaction as the others spiders hesitated when their web-mates fell dead in front of them. Lucius then started spreading the flaming liquid further out from the building, effectively pushing the arachnids back toward the distant wall.
Susan, Ginny and Luna aimed their next barrage over the spiders, effectively trapping them, as Lucius continued setting the closest ones on fire. As soon as the effects of the girls pyrotechnics wore off, the spiders made a break for the Forbidden Forest, streaming over the wall and disappearing in the dark.
"We did it!" Hannah jumped up and down.
"With your help, Lucius!" Ginny added, giving Lucius a hug.
"Why, thank you; much appreciated," Lucius laughed.
"I don't think they'll come back," observed Luna, gazing toward the Forest. "I think we should go help the others, now," she added, turning to smile at her friends and the tall blond Wizard standing there in the fast fading light.
"After you, ladies." Lucius gallantly bowed the girls toward the stairs, casting one last glance toward the distant trees. Yes, the Inferi were toast, the giants dead or gone and the spiders had fled, too, as had the Dementors, apparently. So, all Voldemort had left were his Death Eaters. Nothing to dismiss out of hand, but, so far, so good.