Parts (104-107)
IV
Chapter 20
The Blood of the Innocent
Part 1: Falling Into Black
Scorpius found them to be in sudden pitch darkness, everyone but Antonius and Wyatt - who remained as a lizard - cast the Wand-Lighting Charm. He saw they were standing on a ledge in a large space that reminded him of the vast caverns of Gringotts, the ledge sloped and spiraled downwards around the walls from what he could see as he couldn't see the wall opposite him. Even with the light from their wands, it was still dark though, the dense blackness clung thickly to the air around them. They couldn't see into the bottom of the room or any sign of the Scepter for that matter, then again they'd had to go a way in before they'd reached the Scepter in the Chamber of Secrets.
"Heal them while we walk, Michael, we should get moving," Varanian decided after surveying their surroundings and starting to walk down as they were at the very top.
Varanian took the lead with Scorpius and Antonius - after Michael healed his hand - close behind, Albus and Michael behind them with August bringing up the rear. No one spoke but it only made the other sounds seem louder, the water dripping from the ceiling and slithering down the walls, their own footsteps slapping off the stone and echoing around them. He could also hear an odd rumbling sound, almost like distant thunder except it sounded like it was coming from beneath them.
"Erm... Mr Varanian, can I ask a question?" August spoke up.
"No," Albus scoffed immediately, glowering at the younger boy.
"Knock yourself out," Varanian said at the same time with a vague gesture while frowning, the rumbling was getting louder.
"There are these handprints on the walls that I noticed, do you think they mean anything?" August asked and Varanian halted, turning to look at the wall as they all did which sure enough, had handprints laid out at identical intervals, "I mean, in the Chamber of Secrets handprints meant we needed to put our blood to them."
"They're probably checkpoints, we should go back and-" Varanian started to say but was cut off as the ground started to violently shake, out of the corner of his eye he saw it was crumbling away from the entrance, "Too late, run!"
They had no other choice really with the ground giving way, they could only charge down the slope with the rocks falling away beneath their feet. Varanian kept shooting a white spell that made him think of the flash of a camera at the ground which only seemed to stabilize it for a moment longer to give them time to run, Scorpius grabbed Antonius' hand to drag him along at his pace. Scorpius had taken the lead, Varanian dropping back to keep the ground stable but the distracting flashes of light confirming that he was still there. His feet kept trying to trip over themselves, the falling ground making the rocks even more uneven as well as shaking and trying to throw him. Abruptly, Scorpius felt a jab of searing pain as if someone had just set fire to his wrist and felt his strength sucked from him as if a rug had been pulled from beneath his feet.
He staggered forwards and fell, Albus yelped as he tripped over him while Michael tried to haul him to stand. It was too late though, he'd broken their running routine and all four of them tumbled down with the ledge. The part Antonius and Albus - where he'd fallen tripping over Scorpius - wasn't giving way though, he saw a small winged lizard soar from Varanian's shoulder to the ledge before it fell from sight. Scorpius almost wished he hadn't his wand light as it was falling before him, he saw the rocks smashing to pieces upon hitting the ground and see it hurtling closer and closer and - They stopped suddenly inches from being broken lumps amidst the rock, carefully being lowered to the ground. His wrist was still agony, he breathed through gritted teeth against the pain and hadn't the energy to lift his head up to see what was going on.
"Scorpius?! Scorpius, are you okay?!" Michael asked of him anxiously and he heard more than one person scrambling over to him.
"My wrist," Scorpius managed to mumble, digging his nails into the rock against the pain and Michael must've figured it was the scarred one as it was the one he went to look at. But it stopped. As suddenly as it had started, it stopped, "It's gone now."
"Someone must've tapped into the connection," Varanian pointed out as Michael helped him to sit up, Varanian scooped up his own wand that he also must've lost in the fall. Loud footsteps smacked from above, indicating Albus, Antonius and Wyatt were coming down, "Where are Roman's twins or the Scamander twins now?"
"Lorc was probably freaked out by something, that tends to happen a lot," August said, white faced in fear and covered in dust from the rocks. As were Michael and Varanian, probably Scorpius himself.
"Doesn't usually trigger the connection though," Michael offered and Scorpius nodded in agreement.
"Still wouldn't be the first time though, right?"
"Yeah. Why did the ledge stop falling?"
"I'd imagine the handprints are checkpoints to stabilize the ground if they brought anyone in here who wasn't Potter, Ashain or Longbottom. Scorpius, Michael and I - Wyatt's an animal right now so it's not picking him up - are the bad blood, once we were gone it probably stabilized for them. You were just unlucky enough to be caught with us and fall instead of them," Varanian explained before turning back to Scorpius, "Can you stand?"
"Yeah," Scorpius confirmed and picked up his wand as he stood, he was still feeling weak but he was alright.
At least he thought so. He felt even weaker when he saw where they were though and staggered back away, almost tripping over the graveyard of rock. They were edge of a lake. A large black lake that stretched out into the darkness, flawlessly smooth like the surface of a mirror. It was disturbed occasionally but a drop or two of water dripping down from the ceiling, now too far above them for him to see but it created small ripples. Scorpius took a deep breath and tried to quell the pounding of his heart.
"Why does it have to be water?" Scorpius breathed and put a hand over his face.
"Didn't you hear what it was like when Voldemort kept his Horcrux here? The lake was always here," August pointed out before taking a step back himself, "You don't... You don't think there's still Inferi in there, do you?"
"No," Varanian shook his head immediately, "They restored the bodies and did their best to return them to their families, and there was a notice about it in the Daily Prophet after the Second Wizarding War. A lot of them were people who'd gone missing during the First Wizarding War after all, anyone they couldn't identify they buried. There's a monument for them, it's in the same cemetery that my family are buried in so I've... I've seen it. I doubt Potter would use that kind of Dark Magic anyway."
"Do you think the Scepter is on the island in the center?"
"One way to find out," Varanian muttered and flicked his wand out at the lake, a pulse of light shot out like a flare except a bright white. It passed over a mass of black rocks, a pedestal jutted out with the carved section of Scepter on it that the light now hovered above, "Yep. Accio Scepter."
The Scepter didn't budge. Not even slightly
"Was worth a shot," Varanian sighed, "Figured there's an Anti-Summoning Char on it though."
"What now? Do we try to find a boat or something?" August wondered worriedly, "There has to be one, I assume."
"Or I could just do this," Varanian said and flicked his wand again at the lake, this time a haze of almost glitter-looking magic shot of it with a whoosh and froze any water it touched over into blue-tinged ice to create a path to the island, "If you two wait here and send the other two across when they make it, might need their blood to retrieve it. You, with me, be careful."
"Okay," Scorpius nodded with relief that he didn't have to go any closer to the water while Varanian started making his way over with August with ease.
"You alright?" Michael asked of him with concern.
"Fine. What makes you think that I'm not?"
"Because I know you're scared of water."
"I'm not scared," Scorpius lied defensively to which Michael just gave him a dubious look with an eyebrow raised, "I just... I just don't like it, is all."
"You don't have to lie to me, I'm your friend," Michael pointed out before giving him a smile, "And I'm old and wise now anyway."
"Old and wise now?" Scorpius wondered in amusement, "You're younger than I am."
"Ah-ha but you see I'm going gray so I'm wiser," Michael joked but to Scorpius' surprise, moved his hand to behind his ear to point out real gray hairs already there.
"I can't believe that, you're so young," Scorpius protested still in shock while Michael merely shrugged.
"Premature aging is a side effect of being a werewolf, apparently that means going gray before I've even hit puberty."
The rest of their conversation was cut off by a loud thrum of magic, he looked back to the lake island. Varanian and August were just reaching it but they weren't the cause for the noise, five people were gliding down from the sky was if moving down an invisible elevator. Calderon was in the center - or probably not Calderon, the Shadow Master probably had used Polyjuice Potion again - dressed in fine black robes with his hands out, in one clutched the orb of the Scepter and the other was slowing moving downwards as if controlling them. Abby, Lily and Cassia were there with entirely black eyes indicating possession, Brutus was the fifth and looked somewhat relieved when his feet touched the ground in front of the Scepter.
To his credit, Maurice reacted faster than any of them. He tore his arm from Latimer's grip and lashed out with his wand, sending a crescent of blue flame at the cloaked figures. Most of them didn't have time to defend themselves, some tried but were too slow and struck anyway while others didn't even start to draw their wands. There were cries of pain as the fire struck but the force of being hit knocked them back, dropping several like bowling pins and sending those closest to the edge plunging into the sea. Orous supposed he should be glad that Latimer had apparated them by the edge so none could appear behind them. Maurice threw himself in front of all four of them, deflecting a spell heading towards them right off the bat from one of the ones who had reacted fast enough and already sending his own spells into the Shadows.
"Why is there so many of them?!" Latimer demanded of no one in particular as he withdrew his own wand and started firing stunners into the fray.
"Because they're expecting Aurors to be guarding it," Molly answered, also drawing her wand and deflecting a stray spell that had been shooting in their direction, "Either they don't know the Aurors left or they're preparing for when they inevitably return."
"M-Maybe now would be a good time to disapparate back to safety?" Roman babbled out fearfully, gripping his wand so tightly his hand went white.
"Then get to safety, no one's stopping you!" Molly yelled over the clashing of spells.
Her and Latimer both dueling with cloaked figures, figures that had the skeletal snake symbol insignia on their robes. Maurice was in the heart of the battle, twirling around to face the attacks on all aside throwing spells fast easily enough to match the adults. He seemed to favor a spell that caused a loud crack, followed by a scream and the victim clutching their arm that was now twisted at the wrong angle. They had to switch hands or were stuck down by one of Molly or Latimer's stunners.
"Not-Not without my sons," Roman muttered to Orous' surprise as he was literally shaking in terror.
Orous opened his mouth to reply but closed it as he noticed five familiar figures stepping out of the Shadows by the rock face on the cliff opposite them, he recognized Abby, Lily and Cassia even from behind from their clothes and small size while the other two were facing the battle. Brutus was to be expected and he immediately set to taking the hostages hand to slash them with his wand, Calderon was unexpected though. Actually, Orous was pretty sure it wasn't Calderon, it wouldn't be the first time the Shadow Master had used the assistant as a disguise. He wasn't dressed like Orous had ever seen Calderon dressed but rather fine black robes, in his hand he was clutching the orb of the Scepter that Orous had given up. He surveyed the fight with interest while Brutus prepared the children, saying something to Brutus by the looks of it.
Unfortunately, Maurice also noticed and apparently decided to try destroy the Scepter. He planted his feet firmly into the ground and lashed out with his wand, an intense look of concentration on his face. Fire erupted from his wand, a continuous stream of angry red flames that roared and shot towards the Shadow Master. Surprise flickered on Calderon's face but he slammed up his free arm in time, creating some kind of invisible shield as the fire was slamming furiously into it but was being repelled. The Shadow Master gave an amused smile and stretched their bend arm out further, Maurice was breathing heavily and slipped backwards as if pushed but remained determined as put his second hand to grip his wand as well.
As soon as he did, a ring of flame appeared around his left wrist like a bracelet of fire. Orous felt his own wrist burning in agony and fell as if the strength had just been sucked from his legs, collapsing onto the damp rock. Orous gasped for breath through the searing pain but resisted the urge to squeeze his eyes shut to see what was happening, the Shadow Master staggered back into the wall but kept the shield up. He was no longer smiling though, instead looking tired but equally determined. With great effort, he slowly managed to uncurl his arm which seemed to increase the span of the invisible shield and forced Maurice to take a shaky step back. The Shadow Master abruptly jerked his arm and Maurice was knocked back, slamming painfully into the ground. Immediately both the pain in Orous' wrist and the ring of fire around his twin's vanished, however the fire didn't. It was severed from Maurice's wand but didn't cease.
Instead a stampede of burning shapes tore through the Shadows around Maurice and the Shadow Master. A blazing dragon that collapsed in on itself to become a hydra, into snakes, eagles, chimeras, things that Orous didn't recognize, endless recycling of flame monsters. Screams punctuated the night as the flames incinerated anyone they touched, figures becoming skeletons that exploded into ash to be carried away in the sea of fiery monsters. It was circling around Maurice and was now about to strike Orous, he couldn't get out of the way without rolling of the cliff and he knew no spell to save himself even if he could scrabble for his wand in time, he dropped it when he fell.
"Orous!" Roman cried and jumped in front of him braving, slashing up his wand and causing the enchanted flames to part around them. Orous could still feel the scorching heat from them though, vaporizing any moisture around them before it moved by.
Molly hastily did the same to protect herself and Latimer before the fire could destroy them, as did any other Shadows still standing with half a brain. Beyond that, he noticed the Shadow Master and Brutus slipping away through the now rippling rock face with his friends. Orous hung his head hopelessly, they had to be the worst at rescuing people in the history of both the magical and muggle worlds. More people were apparating in though, he watched in horror as three Aurors returned right in the path of flames and died without the chance to defend themselves. More Shadows were apparating in too, replacing the dozen or so that his brother... his brother had killed to duel Latimer and Molly. Orous wanted to vomit again. And then he saw one he recognized, his mother. She didn't look the slightest bit afraid by her son's fiendfyre - Orous thought it was that - though. Rathan too but he made no move to do anything.
Maurice was still on the ground but had retrieved his wand and jerked it as his flames approached him, sending them flying over him and straight at Alzay. Alzay aimed her wand straight up at them and Orous watched in a mixture of horror and awe as the flames froze, blue-tinged ice slipping over the giant flame wyvern lunging at her and solidifying. Maurice jumped to his feet and jabbed his wand at the frozen fire, exploding it with a deafening boom into hundreds of jagged shards. Shards that Maurice kept controlling as they followed the movements of his wand as he twirled and jabbed it as his mother, they twisted to show their sharpest shards to Alzay as they hurtled towards her like a hail of knives or teeth. Alzay flicked her own wand instead and the ice turned to water in an instant, causing a blanket of rain to fall down on the scorched earth.
"Are you okay, Orous?" Roman asked him with concern, drawing Orous away from the duel to his biological father looking at him with concern and offering a hand up.
"Yeah," Orous nodded as he allowed himself to be helped to his feet, he didn't think he was 'okay' and was feeling somewhat fatigued from having his strength sapped but he was unhurt at least. Roman retrieved his fallen wand and handed it to him, Orous managed a weak smile for him, "Thank you. For saving me, for saving my Dad. I know that can't have been easy, thank you so much."
"I... um.. err... You're welcome," Roman babbled nervously and stepped back, not seeming sure what to do with himself before he returned the smile tenuously, "Long as you're okay."
"Roman, didn't I tell you that if you ever talked to my son then I'd destroy you?" Alzay sneered, they both turned back to her as she gestured with a cold smirk.
For the briefest of moments, Orous thought she'd done nothing as she made the movement with the hand not holding her wand but he immediately realized his error as a shadow shot into Roman's chest. He gasped before starting to scream, his body convulsing violently as if he was having a seizure. Tears tore into Orous' eyes, he didn't want Roman to have his soul destroyed. Latimer and Molly were too busy dueling to be able to cast the Patronus to save him, Maurice couldn't do one either and had had even less luck with it then Orous. Orous jabbed his own wand at Roman instead, focusing on every fragment of good memories he's broken soul could salvage. If he couldn't do it now then it wouldn't matter.
"Expecto Patronum!" Orous cried through his tears and to his relieved surprise, it worked.
A dove. A silver dove shot from his wand, soaring through Roman and casting out the black Specter. He'd apparently been too slow though, an orb of light burst from Roman's chest as he fell back motionlessly to the hard ground. Orous fell to his knees beside his biological father and discarded his wand, his insides twisted up as he saw that Roman was still alive. His breaths jerking erratically and his face damp with tears, muddy eyes gazing up at the glowing ball ejected from his soul. Orous choked on a sob, digging his nails into his scalp instead at Roman having to suffer the same fate as himself and Antonius.
He'd been there, he knew what it was like and he knew he'd rather be dead. He was supposed to be dead, people weren't supposed to live with their souls broken like that. He knew Antonius felt the same and Antonius had only been six, it was that intrinsically wrong that even a younger child felt it and Roman would feel the same if Orous 'saved' him. But then would it be better if he just let Roman die? He was still dying with a gaping hole in his soul, which could be just as bad.
"Forgive me," Orous breathed as he tearfully and guiltily plucked the magic orb from the air, it felt like he was lifting air as he lowered it and pushed it back into Roman's chest to 'save' him.
"YOU KILLED MY FATHER! I'LL KILL YOU!" Maurice screamed over the clashing spells, snapping Orous' attention back as he realized that he had gone back to dueling Alzay after she sent the Specter and had apparently assumed the worst, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Time seemed to slow. A blinding flash of green shot from his wand, lighting up the night and despite everything, Orous felt his heart clench in horror for Alzay. She'd wasted the precious time she had throwing up a shield before realizing the spell he'd used, her oceanic eyes bulged in shock or fear as her shield was shattered into thousands of shards of light. He heard someone cry her name and realized it was Rathan, finally moving as he lunged for his daughter and barely shoved her out of the way in time. She hit the ground and his corpse fell beside her, Orous jumped as it landed near him. Seeing the light die in his grandfather's eyes.
"No," Alzay whispered, abandoning her wand to scramble to pull her father to her with a look of absolute horror on her face. Tears welled in her eyes as she cradled his body, her trembling hand caressed his lifeless face and she shook her head as the tears spilled from the oceans, "No. No. No. No. No! Father, no! NO!"
Part 2: Cats In The Cradle
Varanian was actually the fastest to react, throwing a stunner out at the Shadow Master immediately but Brutus slammed up a Shield Charm with lightning reflexes to match his brother before the Shadow Master had finished raising his hand to defend himself. Brutus lashed out with his own spell as he took a step towards Varanian, Varanian slammed up his own shield and their duel began. A flurry of clashing lights shattered the dense darkness of the cave, both moving faster than Scorpius could track of while August dove past them to rush towards the Shadow Master with the three hostages who were moving to circle the pedestal. Scorpius' instinct was to run over there across the walkway to help but the fear in his heart for the water anchored him there, he mentally kicked himself and focused on his desperation to help the others, his rage against the Shadow Master for killing his sister but his legs didn't move.
"Expecto Patronum!" Michael cried and jabbed his wand.
Not one or two but three silver lions raced out from Michael's wand, one for each of the hostages and Specters were evicted from all three. The Patronuses then continued to hound them, chasing shadowy shapes across the lake and into the air. The Shadow Master rolled his - or rather Calderon's - eyes, instead jerking out his free arm at August. The younger boy stopped mid-step, the Shadow Master moved his arm up and August rose into the air while Abby's wand - that he'd been using since his was back in Hogwarts along with Lily's - clattered to the ground. The Shadow Master carefully moved his arm to the left which took August to the left to be hovering over the lake before jamming it down ever so suddenly, August was plunged beneath the water and the Shadow Master kept their arm out to presumably hold him there.
"Bleeding hands on right slots on the pedestal now or he dies," the Shadow Master threatened casually, Abby immediately slammed her hand against the pedestal while Lily quickly followed.
"No," Cassia decided stubbornly, folding her arms.
"Wingardium Leviosa," Michael cast at the water but August didn't emerge from the bubbling spot where he'd been dropped into, presumably from the Shadow Master still holding him down, "Was worth a shot."
"What now?" Scorpius wondered as Michael pocketed his wand.
"Try the old fashioned way," Michael told him before throwing himself into the lake and starting to swim out to August.
A child's scream dragged his attention back to the Shadow Master, seeing he was holding his free hand over Cassia. She convulsing and screaming, her face contorted in pain. And the orb, Scorpius realized, was now hovering by the Shadow Master's shoulder as he was using both his hands on August and Cassia. He was too far away to be able to cast anything to help her but he could do something while he had the chance, Scorpius raised his own wand.
"Accio Scepter... Orb!" Scorpius called, hoping it would work and to his relief the orb shot towards him like it had been shot from a cannon, he caught it in his free hand.
"Great, now destroy it," Ashylos urged him and he jumped to see the spirit now beside him.
"I... I don't have anything to destroy it with," Scorpius admitted looking down at the now complete orb, the lines were visible from where it had been repaired but it was wholly intact. A small voice in the back of mind reminding him it was good as it gave them more of a chance to save Ashylos too.
"How could you not bring something to destroy it with, Skorpios?" Ashylos demanded of him and Scorpius spotted Albus running to him around the bank with Antonius, "You cannot run or hide with it, you have to destroy it."
"Basilisk fangs aren't something you can just get easily, haven't you been paying attention to what I'm doing?"
"Atticus is dying, doing anything at this point is killing him faster. He won't last the night for sure, he would have lasted less if I had been keeping an eye on you."
"What in the world did we miss!?" Albus burst out breathlessly as they reached them, Wyatt was perched on his shoulder.
"Um..." Scorpius muttered uncertainly as he glanced back to the others.
Brutus and Varanian were still locked in a duel, Michael was surfacing with August who was spluttering out water and Cassia had placed her hand on the pedestal. The air around the Scepter shimmered and the Shadow Master grabbed the handle, the symbols flashed emerald as did the Shadow Master's eyes momentarily. Ashylos' expression changed to concern at this and the Shadow Master turned in their direction.
"Don't let go of the orb, Skorpios, it recognizes you as the descendant of Herpo's mentor Kakopistis in a good way now my influence is no longer strong with it. It won't leave your possession easily if you don't want it," Ashylos told him, "It might not matter if I what I suspect is correct."
The Shadow Master held out their arm towards him and Scorpius immediately felt his arm grasping the orb yanked in that direction but it didn't leave his hand, instead pulling him closer to the water's edge. He shoved his wand in his pocket and grabbed it with both hands, it halted his progression towards the water but he could still feel the pull. This seemed to surprise the Shadow Master, he rolled his eyes again and gestured dismissively to the right which caused Varanian to be abruptly thrown violently to the right and into the lake.
The Shadow Master gestured to him again and Scorpius felt the pull strengthen, he tried to dig his heels into the rocky shore but it was useless. He hated the whimper of fear that elicited from him as he was pulled towards the water, however thankfully he was dragged across Varanian's ice bridge but his heart was still pounding. He was aware of Albus and Antonius tearing after him, Brutus also moved back to the island now Varanian was too busy being in the water along with Michael and August. Scorpius was drawn across the slick black rock on the island as if pulled by an incredibly powerful although somewhat slow magnet, only let go when he was standing before the Shadow Master and being suddenly dropped had him fall back onto the ground.
Now up close, he at least got a good look of things. Out of the three kidnapped, Lily was looking the least harmed as she was disheveled with a crack in her spectacles but otherwise unhurt. Both Cassia and Abby had faces blotchy from bruising, Cassia also sporting a split lip and seemed worse off although Abby was the one he almost didn't recognize as someone had cut off her long braid to leave with a short head of blond hair instead. He noticed her discretely slipping her wand into her hand while the Shadow Master was focusing on him. The Shadow Master who was disguised again as Calderon, except dressed in fine black robes with dark emerald sleeves decorated with silver serpents. He was oddly reminded of possessed-Varanian's boggart back in his first year but it was drowned out by anger, he was staring at his sister's killer after all.
"How nice of you to return this to me, Scorpius," the Shadow Master commented conversationally.
The Shadow Master held out their free hand to him as if offering to help him up, the orb surged towards and yanked his arms with such force that he felt as they were ripped from his sockets. It still didn't leave his hands though, he felt the tiwaz rune scar on his palm searing oddly but refused to let go. The Shadow Master reached forward more to touch the orb, it abandoned him immediately and he thudded back to the ground painfully. The Shadow Master gripped the orb in one hand, the carver shaft in the other.
"I thought you said, it wouldn't leave me easily?" Scorpius complained to no one in particular in between breaths, finding himself out of breaths oddly.
"It did not," Ashylos answered and Scorpius jolted in surprise again at the spirit beside him once more, "That is why you feel tired, you subconsciously fought it and it allowed it because it sensed your blood. Kakopistis is someone it respected but not its true master, there is someone else it prefers over you."
"Wait, are you trying to say that the Shadow Master is Herpo the Foul's descendant?" Scorpius wondered in shock.
The Shadow Master slotted the pieces back together, green light shot through the symbols carved into the shaft and the wood around it seemed restored to its polished former glory as the light passed through it. Upon reaching the orb, the rusted serpents holding it shone and the rust melded back into the shiny silver had once been while the red eyes flashed dangerously. The light continued past it into the orb itself, he heard almost a cracking sound as the lines from where it had been shattered merged into a solid sphere once more and glowed with a luminous green light. It pulsated outwards, feeling like a ripple of cold air sweeping through them before the light faded and the Shadow Master smiled. He was reminded oddly of Herpo.
"Yes, I am Herpo the Foul's descendant," The Shadow Master confirmed pacing and eying the Scepter with intrigue.
"Wouldn't that also make you..." Scorpius started to say but trailed off.
"The Heir of Salazar Slytherin," Ashylos finished for him while the Shadow Master stopped pacing to look at him with a proud smile curling on Calderon's lips.
"And the child of Lord Voldemort himself," The Shadow Master announced.
"No!" Albus blurted out immediately while Scorpius just felt the chill creeping down his spine, "That's impossible, Voldemort didn't have any children."
"Yes, he did," The Shadow Master stated as if it were obvious, "Just because you don't know something exists, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. And when something is deliberately kept in the shadows, it's not surprising you don't know it exists."
"No!"
"It's true," Brutus confirmed casually, "Ask Tommy if you don't believe it."
"It doesn't matter whether they believe it, Brutus, we don't need two Potters. Your Father killed mine so it's only fair that he should lose the people he loves too," The Shadow Master pointed out as he stepped back to stand by Brutus, gesturing and the pair along with Cassia, Abby and Lily all shot back up into the air despite Albus crying out for Abby and his sister uselessly but they rose too fast for anyone to react or try to stop them. They vanished into the dense darkness but the Shadow Master's next words echoed around them, "A challenge for you all since not everyone down there is a Potter, if you can survive then you get to live another day!"
The Shadow Master laughed, not Calderon's high-pitched demented laugh but a deeper, darker laugh that disturbed him much more. The lake seemed to erupt around them, dark towers of water shooting straight up into the sky. He thought he heard Albus yell 'run' followed by hasty slapping footsteps but Scorpius wasn't sure, he was frozen in place. He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, he thought his heart had stopped even as he stared up at the water around him. And then it came crashing down.
"NO!" Alzay's anguished scream of agony pierced the night, she was sobbing openly now as she cradled her father's corpse and caressed his face lovingly, "You're not dead. You're not dead, Daddy, wake up! No. NO! I said wake up! No!"
She seemed to have forgotten the world happening around her, Orous would never have expected that of her. Maurice had been forced back into fighting for his life against the Shadows with renewed tenacity, he looked murderous as he fought the encroaching Shadows. Rathan wasn't the last to see a jet of green death either, Maurice had no qualms with shooting down those already on the ground to make sure they wouldn't get back up. They were reviving their fallen comrades that Molly and Latimer managed to stun, all three of them were sporting injuries now from the battle. Orous stayed by Roman's side, he was defenseless right now.
"Are you okay?" Molly asked of him abruptly, tearing his eyes away from his mother and brother.
"We need to get Roman to safety," Orous whispered and gestured to Roman, he was gazing up without seeing, "He's had the magic ripped out of his soul then put back, he's out of it. He won't remember how to stand, let alone duel right now."
"I can do that," Molly assured him gently.
Orous hastily took the ankh from his pocket to shove it into Roman's hand and close the hand around it so he'd grip it weakly, he also bundled the almost forgotten Invisibility Cloak against him in case Molly would need it to hide him. She disapparated with him in the next instant, hopefully taking him somewhere safe. Orous picked his wand back up and realized Alzay was watching him, oceanic fixated on him like a predator watching prey. Orous got to his feet without taking his eyes from her, he had more sympathy for Rathan then he had for her. She'd almost taken both of his fathers from him after all, Rathan hadn't done anything to him. Or to Maurice. He wondered if Maurice would care to learn he'd tortured and murdered his own grandfather, Orous felt horrified and he hadn't been involved in the death. It made the torture seem worse, he'd stood by and allowed his grandfather to be tortured, a man who'd just sacrificed himself to save his only child.
"You're my firstborn, Orous," Alzay told him quietly as she stood, dragging her wand up as she did so while Rathan's body melded into the shadows, anger carefully contorting her features, "And you'll be the first to die. Avada Kedavra!"
Orous dived out of the way barely in time, it instead struck the rock and caused a blast of stone fragments to shower him. He was surprisingly not shocked that his own mother had tried to murder him but he was saddened nonetheless, his heart sank into his churning stomach. Maurice had fired a spell at her in between dueling two Shadows as she was speaking, a canary yellow spell struck her arm as the curse was leaving her wand. She screamed as her arm was burned by wiry yellow flames latching onto her, she put them out before turning back to her younger son with an equally murderous rage burning in the same cold oceanic eyes. She didn't seem to notice her maimed, smoldering arm. Mother and son raised their wand to each other but their duel was over before it began, Maurice was drawn back into fighting Shadows while Alzay was forced to defend herself from the Aurors arriving. She dueled with a ferocity to match Maurice, causing screams as she snapped bones and ending lives before they could get up mercilessly. Molly also apparated back and threw herself into the fray.
And then he spotted it, the rippling rock face. He raced towards it desperately as it would be the last chance to save his friends and for everything to not be in vain, Cassia, Lily and Abby were emerging with Brutus - who had a lizard in the hood of his robe for some reason - and the Shadow Master. And the Shadow Master was no longer holding the orb, the orb was attached to a carved handle that all looked so fresh and polished not rusted or cracked like when they'd gone in. The Shadow Master aimed the Scepter at Lily now, the girl stepped back to the edge of the cliff ledge in horror as it started to glow with an ominous green. Orous wouldn't reach them in time, ducking and dodging the battle around him but he raised his wand anyway.
"Expelliarmus!" Orous cried, jabbing his wand at the Shadow Master. It didn't disarm him but it did jerk his arm, preventing him from firing his spell at Lily. He reached her and jumped protectively in front of her, the Shadow Master look at him in slight surprise.
"You again? I thought I killed... Never mind," The Shadow Master shrugged and gestured, causing the ground the crumble beneath their feet while he and Brutus vanished into the shadows.
"Immobulus!" Abby's voice called out from above.
The spell brought them a halt before they could slam into the jagged rocks then gently lowering them onto the rocks. He grabbed Lily as a wave threatened to topple her and pulled her to the cliff-side with him, pocketing his wand to get a better grip on the rock. It was already slippery from the waves crashing against it, battering against them now too.
"Are you okay?" Orous questioned of her as calmly as he could muster, his heart beating frantically at the thought of them being swept away.
"Thanks to you," Lily breathed, gazing through cracked glasses with beautiful bright brown eyes, "I don't know how we're going to get back up though."
"We can climb, have you ever been rock climbing before?" Orous asked to which she shook her head, "My Dad used to take me, we can climb up. I know a charm to give you a better grip, just find the footholds and climb. I have my wand to stop you falling. It'll be okay."
"The Shadow Master's Voldemort's son, I don't think anyone's ever going to be okay," Lily told him quietly as another wave sloshed against them.
With that disturbing nugget of information rattling around inside his skull, Orous cast the charm and they made their way back up the cliff. Their progress was slow, it had to be in the conditions of slippery rocks and water battering them. They also didn't have climbing gear or a safety mat beneath them like Orous had had when doing it with his dad indoors, the charm worked to keep Lily glued to the rock rather being sucked out by the sea but it wasn't perfect and they still had to be careful. His clothes were torn and he was sporting dozens of small cuts, grazes and bruises from being violently slammed into the rock face by the waves. Lily was the same, her dress making the wounds more obvious on her legs and arms unlike Orous who had long sleeves due to being sensitive to the sun because of his albinism. Eventually though, they did clamber back to the battle.
"Did you really have to do that?" Brutus sighed unhappily as the Specters let them down outside the Ashain mansion, they slipped through the trick wall and started striding towards the ominous black marble building in the darkness.
"Which thing specifically did you have a problem with?" Sal questioned of him as she slipped out the flask of Polyjuice and took a swig to ensure her brother's visage would be kept up.
"Killing Orous and the Potter girl, drowning all the others."
"You know we're killing the Potters to punish my parents' killers."
"Orous isn't a Potter."
"He stabbed your hand!" Sal protested defensively, "He had it coming."
"We kidnapped him, destroyed his soul and made sure he suffered," Brutus pointed out and felt his heart twist guiltily as they made it into the kitchen entrance, except this time it was empty, "I think that's worse than stabbing my hand. He's a good kid, he didn't deserve that."
"Your hand is more valuable than his whole life," Sal scoffed as she allowed him to lead her through the house, eying the surroundings with interest, "We had such different childhoods."
"And drowning the others?"
"I could've killed them outright but I didn't, if they manage to live then we can just kill the Potter boy and Varanian at a later date," Sal pointed out and sighed as she ran her fingers over the marble wall, "I do still feel like crap, I can't really be bothered to deal with all this stuff today. I just getting the Scepter to be over with already, then I can rest up properly before making our move."
"Well if you had just listened to me, I-"
"We don't have time to wait to get the Scepter, Brutus," Sal interrupted him, "Tommy won't be powerless forever and I want to get it without his having to be involved."
"It's working apparently," Brutus admitted worriedly as they reached the secret room that he pushed open readily for her, "Tommy is incapable of doing magic."
"I'd rather die than be incapable of doing magi- You have a lizard in your hood," Sal said with a scowl and plucked a lizard from his robes, stroking its scaly head as she smiled, "Aw, isn't it cute?"
"It you like rat-reptiles," Brutus grumbled, Sal threw him a look as she walked over to a nearby table holding some expensive vases to set it down, "What? I just don't think scaly things are cute, it's like a mini-dinosaur or something. Fluffier things are cute though I'll agree on, like puppies but not lizards."
"Well I think you're cute little lizard," Sal assured the creature, he shook his head with a bemused smile at kindness in contrast to killing people not ten minutes ago, "And there you go."
"Come on," Brutus offered with a sigh, very much wishing he could be with his newborns right now while Sal got some rest but he knew they couldn't, "We do still need to get the final piece, I don't know how much time Atty has before Ashylos destroys him. I have to save my brother."
"Another reason this couldn't wait," Sal pointed out as she came back over to him and followed him into the room, the lizard scuttled off. Brutus drew his wand over his hand to draw blood to drop onto the floor, causing it become a translucent film and reveal the steps that they descended down to where he'd killed his grandfather, "So have you thought of names for our children?"
"Names?" Brutus repeated distractedly as Corvinus' screams echoed inside his mind.
"I was thinking of naming one of them after my Father and brother but if Tommy ever has a son then it would make more sense for him to have a Tom Riddle IV then for me to," Sal began randomly with a concerned scowl, "I want to give them nice names, they'll be the future rulers of the world so it has to sound powerful but something they can grow into."
"And you're bringing this up now? You don't think we should focus?"
"Why not bring it up now? I can focus on more than one thing and talking about my heritage made me think of it. And I want them to like their names when they grow up, I mean my Mother saddled me with Salazia - seriously, that was the best she could come up with from Salazar? - and Tommy hated Tom just as much," Sal continued as they reached the room and approached the maze, "So do you have any thoughts or am I just talking to myself here- Father!"
"What?!" Brutus wondered in shock while Sal bolted towards the labyrinth, the one with the fire that she was well aware of, "Sal! Sal! SAL!"
She either didn't notice his screaming her name or just opted to ignore him, he rushed forward and yanked her back barely in time to avoid the jets of fire that erupted from the ground. Her eyes bulged with shock while he moved them backwards away from the heat of the flames, he kept a tight grip on her for fear of her jumping into the inferno and suffering the same fate as his grandfather had earlier.
"Okay," Sal nodded carefully as she sobered, "We should focus now."
Part 3: Fire and Water
Scorpius was drowning, his body being knocked into every different direction by the acrid icy water stabbing him from every direction. He had no idea which direction was which in fact, he was just in a black vacuum of cold death. He knew he should try to kick, try to swim, draw his wand and do something but his body was frozen. The only part of his body working was his heart, the fragile organ trying to beat itself to death inside his chest. He hated himself for being afraid, he hated that he wanted to cry, he hated being paralyzed, he hated being so pathetic. And he was going to die. After everything he had been through, he was going to die here, drowning. He felt as if a giant tentacle was wrapping itself around his chest, squeezing forcefully and preventing his burning lungs from drawing breath.
And then he saw a light. It surprised him, was he dead already? Was dying really just going into the light like all those stories? No, it was wand light, he realized as Varanian became visible and struck him with a spell. He felt as if someone was blowing up a bubble around his head and shielding him from the cold water slamming into him, forcing itself into his nostrils. Instead creating a strange gentle space devoid of pressure around his head, a pocket with air. He noticed Varanian's head was engulfed in the same helmet-like bubble, there was a charm that could do that. The Bubble-Head Charm.
"Breathe," Varanian's muffled voice commanded him, "Breathe, Scorpius, you need to breathe."
Scorpius tried to breathe but he was still terrified, his heart was still beating him, water was still engulfing him. His breaths came out ragged and fast, too fast. Gasping too quickly to soak in oxygen, hyperventilating as he panicked. He pressed his now stinging eyes shut, thinking not seeing the water squeezing the life from help. It didn't. Abruptly he felt something grab his shoulders and jammed his eyes back open to see Varanian had took hold of him to stop him floating away, his silver eyes were piercing enough to get through two Bubble-Head Charms to meet Scorpius' dull gray ones and capture his attention.
"Breathe. Deep breaths now, come on. Forget the water, it's you and me. I've got you, you won't drown. All you have to do is breathe. Just breathe with me," Varanian told him and took a deep breath, Scorpius focused on Varanian and clung to him tightly as he tried to copy the breath. He didn't quite succeed but it was longer at least to give him some air, Varanian took another deep breath and Scorpius did copy that one albeit shakily. And again, over and over. Each breathe calming him more as focused on that and not his fear, not taking his eyes from Varanian's, "See, it's not so bad? We need to get to the surface now though. Just keep breathing and try kick your legs if you can."
Scorpius gripped Varanian tighter like his life depended on it and tried to focus on breathing as Varanian kicking, swimming and carrying them both through the inky blackness trying to swallow them. He felt himself irrationally starting to panic again that there'd just be ice, sealing him to his fate like at the sabotaged Quidditch game. They burst through the surface of the water, Varanian popped the Bubble-Head Charms to allow him to gulp down true fresh air. He kept a hold of Varanian as he gasped for breathe, trying not to think of things down in the water potentially yanking him back down like in the Black Lake. Varanian kept swimming though, bringing them over to a welcome sloping ledge of rock around the walls. Relief piqued when he saw it and his heart finally stopped beating him painfully, shame oozed into his mind instead. And guilt, he was probably hurting Varanian because of his sensitive burn scars from clinging to him so tightly.
"Am I hurting you?" Scorpius asked worriedly as they reached the side.
"Yes," Varanian confirmed expressionlessly as he helped Scorpius clamber onto the rock, Scorpius scrambled to get to the wall and leaned against it.
"I'm sorry," Scorpius apologized sincerely as Varanian hauled himself onto the ledge.
"It's alright, I underst-"
Varanian started to say but stopped abruptly as a scarlet light struck him, sending his still lit wand spiraling from his grip. They both looked in the direction it had come from in surprise to see a bedraggled Harry Potter standing there with his wand fixated on Varanian, Scorpius saw they were close to the initial entrance to the cave and Albus, Michael, Antonius and Cassia were all around him. All but Cassia were soaked through like himself and Varanian, he didn't know what had happened to August. Or Abby and Lily for that matter considering Cassia was with them. Or Ashylos even but he had a habit of vanishing so Scorpius was less concerned for him.
"Philip JK Varanian, I am arresting you under the jurisdiction of the British Ministry of Magic for suspicion of violating numerous laws," Harry Potter announced as he stepped forward with his still trained on Varanian, "As an Auror of the Ministry, I am obligated to remind you that I am within my rights to use lethal force. If you don't surrender willingly then I am going to kill you."
"No!" Scorpius cried and jumped up protectively in front of Varanian, whipping out his wand, "I won't let you! He's innocent!"
"Yeah, Dad, he is innocent," Albus agreed as he came to stand by his father with a pleading expression but Harry kept his spectacled emerald eyes firmly on Varanian, "The Shadow Master and Ashain's deformed brother are the ones who took the Scepter, Varanian was trying to stop them. He's innocent, Dad."
"Not being a Soul Eater doesn't mean he's innocent of committing any crimes, he's still under arrest and this time we're taking every item from your possession to ensure you don't escape like last time," Harry insisted seriously, "Step aside, Scorpius, or I will have to make you."
"The Shadows will kill him if you arrest him," Scorpius protested, holding his wand steadily aimed at the Head Auror.
"I don't care, stand aside."
"We're wasting time," Antonius spoke up fearfully, "My Dad is dying, we have to go after the last piece of the Scepter before it's too late. Shouldn't you be going after Voldemort's son instead?"
"What crap have you filled their heads with?" Harry sighed and scowled irritably.
"The Shadow Master's the one who said they were Voldemort's son," Albus pointed out and Harry spared his son a worried glance without moving his wand.
"That's impossible. Voldemort had no children."
"That we know of," Michael offered and Harry shook his head.
"It's irrelevant, it has nothing to with arresting Varanian. For the last time, Scorpius, move aside."
"No!" Scorpius refused stubbornly, if he could just duel Harry long enough for Varanian to grab his wand then they might have a chance as Varanian was a good duelist. Scorpius may not be on be on par with the experienced adults but it might throw the duel in their favor, they just had to leave the cave then the Portkeys or apparation should work for Varanian to get away.
"Scorpius, just do what he says," Varanian told him, "It's not your place to defend me."
"No!" Scorpius protested, wishing he had a chance to talk to Varanian about his plans.
"Alright," Harry decided firmly and flicked his wand.
"Dad, no!" Albus cried.
"No!" Antonius yelled desperately as he grabbed his head.
Both shouts were almost lost completely in the explosive blast that erupted at Harry's feet, Harry screamed as he was thrown violently off his feet with jagged shards of rock punching into him as he rose. He fell back to the ground with a sickening snap, his body went limp and silent. Both Michael and Albus ran to him and fell to the knees by him, Varanian swiped up his wand and joined Scorpius in rushing over to see. Harry's chest was rising and falling although his body was now riddled with bleeding wounds, blood was oozing from where he'd hit his head and the arm he seemed to have fallen on had snapped into the wrong direction. Antonius stepped back, wide-eyed in horror as he dug his nails into his scalp while Cassia walked over at a more leisurely place.
"I'm s-sorry, I didn't mean to," Antonius whispered guiltily, "Did I just kill Harry Potter?"
"No," Michael shook his head, already slipping his wand out, "Just injured him and knocked him out, I should be able to fix him."
"Oh, thank you," Albus breathed and threw his arms around Michael to squeeze him tightly, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"You won't be thanking me if you don't give me space to work on him!"
"Oh right, sorry," Albus muttered with a blush as he let go, Michael immediately started saying incantations Scorpius didn't recognize and waving his wand over Harry, "And I'm sorry my Dad tried to arrest you by the way."
"It's understandable," Varanian brushed it off before being distracted by someone entering, he and Scorpius both raised their wands in unison at the entrance rock face but it was just Wyatt. Although left arm was bloody, mangled and he was splattered with blood, he looked incredibly pale too, "Wyatt? What happened to you? How did you get into here?"
"Harry tooked off the enchantment that needed our blood acause the Shadow Master already tooked the Scepter, he just needed me and Neville's'es blood," Cassia explained while Michael left Harry to go see Wyatt, "Anyone can come into here now if they wanted."
"What happened to August, Abby and Lily?" Scorpius wondered curiously as Albus stood to see what was happening, he pocketed his wand as there was no more immediate threat.
"Neville took August out of here, Lily got falled off the cliff but Abby is save her and Orous is climbing back up with her and Abby is dueling the bad guys."
"Dueling the bad guys?" Scorpius repeated in confusion and tried to figure out why she'd mentioned Orous, was she mistaken? He should be back in Hogwarts.
"There's a war going on out there," Wyatt spoke up, "Quite literally. Shadows and Aurors are going at it, some teens thrown in like Molly but I didn't see Roman."
"He probably got scared and ran away like a coward," Albus complained immediately.
"I don't know," Wyatt tried to shrug but seemed to think better of it as agony crossed his face, "But I got hit by a stray spell flying through it as a lizard, lizards are awesome but so frail. And small. Frail and small. So I think spells do more damage."
"They do and it was from a corrupted wand, it's not responding to magic. I'm sorry," Michael apologized, "You need potions or muggle medical attention, I can't really do anything for you here."
"I can find that woman, she's supposed to be a Healer and she might be able to do help if she's willing," Varanian offered and Michael gave him a tired look as he went back over to Harry, "What?"
"Do you have to call her 'that woman'?"
"Does she have to call me 'Aaron'?" Varanian countered.
"Oh, you're Aaron. I get it now," Albus realized aloud and looked oddly impressed, "Way to go, man, you're so lucky. Well, apart from all the fugitive stuff. How does she even know about you though?"
"Scorpius brought her when PAW tried to ki-"
"Yeah, yeah, it can wait," Wyatt interrupted, "I have important information that can't though."
"Okay, what?"
"I flew onto Brutus' robes when we came down as you do to keep an eye on them, spying 101 and all really. They went straight to the Ashain mansion from here, they're going after the Scepter right now so we better hurry," Wyatt explained before grinning weakly through his pain, "And just randomly, the Shadow Master thinks I'm cute. Fearsome evil son of Voldemort thinks lizards are cute, Brutus prefers puppies. Brutus also wants his brother saved so... I'm not sure how that's going down."
"We should get going," Varanian sighed and rubbed his eyes, the black rings of fatigue shining through his mask momentarily, "You still up for this, Anton?"
"Damn straight," Antonius said seriously.
"I have to stay and help Mr Potter," Michael pointed out regretfully, "Some of the rocks cut pretty deep, I really need to deal with this internal damage."
"I'll stay too, I want to make sure my Dad and sister are okay," Albus said and looked guiltily, "I'm sorry."
"I'm going," Scorpius assured him.
"Ditto," Wyatt agreed, holding up his good arm before staggering weakly back and was only steadied by Varanian, "Thanks."
"You need medical attention," Michael insisted.
"Not before I take you to the secret entrance, you'll never find it otherwise because the wall is pretty big. The Ashains have a lot of land."
"Fine then let's get going," Varanian decided and ushered Wyatt towards the door... or rather rock, Scorpius and Antonius hastening after.
"And don't worry, our lips are sealed on your secret base!" Albus called after them.
"They'd be sealed anyway because of the Fidelius Charm!" Varanian called back before walking through the rock with Wyatt, Scorpius and Antonius followed.
It was much like walking through the barrier to get to the platform, however the other side was nothing like a train station. Wyatt had not been kidding. Chaos reigned. Night had fallen by now so the only light was the clashing of spells, making them even more striking against the backdrop of darkness. Aurors and Shadows were barely distinguishable from each other, the bodies littering the once barren rock could've been anyone. He scanned fearfully for his girlfriend but she didn't stand out through the throng, although it was hard to see so he supposed that didn't mean anything. He could see why Wyatt had been hit.
"Wow," Antonius muttered, for some reason reminding Scorpius of their task at hand and something occurred to him.
"We still don't have a way to destroy the Scepter even if we can get it off the Shadow Master," Scorpius pointed out.
"I know," Varanian sighed and rubbed his eyes again, "But we can't really do anything about that right now, what we can do right now is go after the Scepter though before it's too late. At least we know where it is, if the Shadow Master leaves with it then we're screwed."
"Waiter for me!" a small voice cried and he looked back to see Cassia had followed them, "I wanter to come."
"No, you have to stay. I'm only taking one Ashain."
"But I want to help Daddy. And stop the bad guys," Cassia said looking up at them with her tired, battered face, "I want to help."
"Cassia," Antonius began in a gentle tone as he turned to his sister, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, "You've been through enough, okay? He only needs one of us, the other one should go to Dad so he has someone to be there for him when he wakes up."
"But we is should stick together, that's what Daddy would-"
"Have I lost enough blood to hallucinate or is that an owl flying towards us?" Wyatt interjected curiously and Scorpius looked to see an owl was indeed flying towards them, it flew straight towards Scorpius and dropped something into his hands. Cassia cawed at it and it landed on her shoulder while Scorpius unfurled his gift, "The Sorting Hat? Someone sent you the Sorting Hat? Am I hallucinating?!"
"Not unless we all are," Varanian pointed out, sharing the incredulous expression Scorpius had while the bird squawked at Cassia.
"It is so you can summoner a sword and kill Horcruxes," Cassia explained as she stroked the bird, "That's what Odin here says, your friends send it to you so you can do that. He thought it sounded important and did his best to hurry, the least you could do is say thank you to him."
"Erm... Thank you?" Scorpius offered.
He was not sure how he was supposed to use it to get the sword but he pocketed it regardless. It appeared for a Gryffindor and the hat had made a mistake putting him there, he was clearly a coward and not a Gryffindor as the water had proved. Anyone else would have a better chance of drawing the sword them he did, they should've sent it to one of the others like Michael or even Varanian himself. Wait, how had they even known he needed to destroy Horcruxes in the first place? He wished it had come sooner, it might be too late now.
"Better. Some wizards are so ungraceful to owls who work so hard for you."
"Grateful, Cassia," Antonius corrected.
"Thank you, owl," Varanian pointed out before gesturing to the cave while Cassia studied the bird as if realizing something important, "Now why don't you both go back in there with the owl to keep it safe? When Potter wakes up, he'll make sure you get back to your Father and the owl can go back to its master."
"Okay," Cassia agreed surprisingly easily and smiled, "I know what to do. I'll stay, you go."
"I'll see you soon," Antonius promised and hugged his sister somewhat awkwardly with the owl, Cassia hugged him back with the arm that didn't have an owl on her shoulder, "I love you. Stay safe."
"I love you too, brother."
Varanian took Antonius' hand and touched Scorpius' arm while Wyatt touched him, they disapparated in the next instant. He'd rather of made sure Cassia got back into the relative safety of the cave but he supposed she wasn't stupid. Scorpius rode out the increasingly less uncomfortable situation and they reappeared outside a big white - although gray in the light - marble wall with occasional pillars to break it up, each with a marble vulture perched on top. And it was big, in both height and length as it stretched as far was Scorpius could see although with only Varanian's wand for light, that wasn't particularly far. Wyatt looked around as if making sure his bearings were correct before pushing his hand into the wall, it went through and he withdrew it with an expression of relief.
"Did Dom give you enough instruction to get to the room or do you want me to lead you?" Wyatt asked, his usual cheerful tone strained by the pain on his face as he clutched his injured arm.
"Yeah, we should be able to get through from here," Varanian confirmed, "Go and get Annie to help you, if she refuses then there are some healing potions and bandages back there."
"I got it. If you're not back when I've done something for this then I'll come back, good luck," Wyatt offered before disapparating with a bang that made Scorpius jump, the sound reminding him of Marvin's fun.
"Come on," Varanian said and gestured for them to follow him as he walked through the wall, Scorpius and Antonius followed to find themselves in rather expansive grounds from the looks of it. The Ashain mansion loomed before them and Scorpius was somewhat surprised that it was bigger than Malfoy Manor.
"This is the Ashain Mansion, right?" Antonius asked slowly as they walked, gaping at the building and seeing to try to process it.
"Yes."
"Where my Dad's Dad lives with his Dad, right?"
"Yes."
"So does that mean that my Dad grew up here with his brother Brutus?"
"Yes," Varanian repeated for the third time as they reached the back door, it was already open and led to a massive kitchen.
"Wow," Antonius wondered as Varanian led them out of the kitchen and into the main house, featuring marble walls, expensive items of decoration like paintings or vases every so often around the corridors which all had exquisite golden lined rugs running through them, "The house we lived in with Mum is so tiny and now we live in just quarters in Hogwarts which is even smaller, I never realized my Dad grew up so rich when he was a kid. Everything must be terrible after living here."
"There's more to life than money," Scorpius pointed out as Varanian seemed to be concentrating on remembering where he was going.
"I know but still, it's a step down."
"I suppose," Scorpius admitted as Varanian came to a halt.
"Okay, Anton," Varanian began and gestured to the wall, "Just press the wall here and it should open into a tiny room. Hopefully I remembered right because we're screwed otherwise."
"Got it," Antonius nodded and pressed his hand against the indicated wall, sure enough it opened as if he was pushing a door but the thickness still looked marble, "You know, this is really light for some reason."
"Good, now give me your hand. I'm sorry, this will sting," Varanian apologized as Antonius stood leaning in the open wall-doorway to keep it that way, Varanian dragged his wand across Antonius' already wounded hand but it had stopped bleeding and they needed blood. The wound reopened, oozing out fresh crimson liquid, "Just... drop some of the blood onto the floor."
Antonius crouched down and turned his hand over so the cut was facing the ground, gravity pulled the red droplets down and Antonius almost lost his balance as it worked. A translucent film appeared where there once was solid floor, revealing stone steps that Antonius was now perched at the top of with his feet beneath the film. Varanian moved past him and stepped down first, testing to make sure it was working before starting to go down. Scorpius and Antonius followed readily, finding they went down into a regular stone spiral staircase.
"Magic is cool," Antonius commented.
"Do we still need him?" Scorpius asked of Varanian, not really wanting Professor Ashain's children to be in danger which was why he'd wanted to make sure Cassia had returned into the cave first.
"I don't know, Aurelius sent a Patronus when Dom was getting to this bit to mention being attacked. She freaked out and wanted to go straight to St Mungo's to be with him," Varanian explained and Antonius hung his head oddly sadly, "I think probably yes though."
"Okay," Scorpius nodded and they continued their descent in silence. The staircase opened out to a long open room, there were no side corridors or doors leading off so they headed forward to an almost mirror-like corner wall opposite. And then he saw her, his sister, "Lyra!"
"Ethel! Ethel!" Varanian cried almost in unison, Scorpius didn't see her but he wasn't looking and didn't care as they both bolted towards their dead loved ones.
"What?! There's no one there! Stop! Stop! I think it's a trap! Stop!" a young insignificant voice was saying but neither slowed their pace as they hurtled towards them, "STOP!"
Lyra was walking away from him though, he didn't know why. Why was his sister walking away from him? He didn't want to lose her again. Just as he was gaining on her, a small hand grabbed him and violently yanked him back while Varanian made it past him unhindered. He opened his mouth to yell angrily at the person stopping him from being with his sister but closer it as flames erupted from the ground in front of him. Where Varanian was standing. Varanian screamed as the angry red inferno tore through him, Scorpius' heart pounded in horror as Varanian's agonized screams seared his ears. He had to help him, he had to do something now or Varanian would die.
Scorpius plunged his right hand into the fire, the pain was unbearable as the flames ripped through his skin like it was paper. He cried out in pain but forced his hand to grab Varanian and rent him from the fire, they body toppled back onto the ground away from the torturous flames. Scorpius bit down on his tongue so hard it bled to stop himself screaming as the burning pain remained, he tasted the coppery blood in his mouth while the most revolting smell dug itself in to the insides of his nostrils. The smell of burning flesh, except this time Varanian's and his own. He was lying on his stomach, fighting the urge to pass out for a moment but his consciousness won.
He looked down at his right hand and almost gagged, the hand and wrist were charred, blistering badly and blackened in places. He forced himself to ignore it, reminding himself that Varanian was going through infinitely worse. Varanian had stopped screaming but his breaths were coming out choppily and jagged, Scorpius pushed his body back into a sitting position and kept his injured arm curled protectively to his chest to look at Varanian. On the bright side, it was a good thing Varanian was so tall as otherwise his head would've been engulfed but there was no other bright side. He was severely burned from the neck down, his chin and cheeks had also suffered damage from the lapping flames but beneath that was just horrifically scorched. It was just like Scorpius had seen in Varanian's memory and he felt an extra twinge of sadness that Varanian had gone through such a horrible thing again, his face was twisted in an expression of agony and his eyes squeezed shut. Or maybe he'd just passed out, Scorpius wasn't sure. It might be kinder if he'd passed out.
"I'm sorry," Antonius apologized guiltily and Scorpius realized the boy was kneeling beside Varanian like he was, his eyes wide as he soaked in the severe injuries, "You two are a lot faster than me, I tried to reach you both in time but I was only close enough to grab you and then it was too late."
"It's not your fault," Scorpius assured him and tried to activate the Portkey ring out of desperation to get Varanian medical attention, it didn't work though as he'd been told it wouldn't within the Ashain grounds, "It's some enchantment to suck people in I guess, Ashains are probably immune. Which means the Shadow Master probably was saved by Brutus too."
"What are we going to do now?"
"I don't know," Scorpius sighed and ran his unhurt hand through his hair, trying to breathe through the pain, "We still need to go after the Shadow Master if we're to destroy the Scepter and save Professor Ashain who won't last the night. I just destroyed my wand arm, Varanian's in no condition to do anything and badly needs help. And we have no way to summon the sword to even destroy the Scepter because we need a Gryffindor but you don't have a house and I'm not in the right house so... I'd say we are just... screwed. We're screwed. We're worse than screwed, even. We're... We're fucked. We're just fucked."
Part 4: Ashes To Ashes
"Well, how about you get Varanian to safety because that woman Wyatt went to get for his arm should be able to him and your hand?" Antonius offered and turned to go, "And I'll go after them to save my Dad and destroy the Scepter."
"No!" Scorpius yelped in panic and jumped up to stop him, grabbing his arm and turning him back to him, "That's a terrible plan. You're eight, you don't have a wand. You actually think you can take on the son of the most notorious Dark Wizard of our time and his lieutenant?"
"I'm almost nine and what's your plan then?"
"I don't have a plan."
"Then how can you criticize mine?!" Antonius protested looking desperate but determined, "I already lost my Mum, I can't lose my Dad too. I have to at least try, Scorpius."
"Not having a plan doesn't mean giving up," Scorpius pointed out and tried to breathe through the searing pain in his hand, he wished Antonius had a wand and could do magic because then he could get Varanian out and get him back to the hideout with the Portkey ring, "I'm going after them, you just stay here with Varanian until I get back."
"You need me, what if you try to run towards imaginary people again? I'm an Ashain, I'm pretty sure that's why it didn't work for me."
"It seems fine now, just stay with Varanian," Scorpius told him without thinking, afraid he wouldn't be able to protect himself let alone Antonius... Although, they might need Ashain blood or something further up.
"No!" Antonius snapped with surprising force, "I know you think that I'm stupid and weak and broken just because of what happened to me and because I'm young but I'm not!"
"I don't think that at all! I'm just trying... to protect you..." Scorpius insisted before trailing off in shock, he let go of the younger boy as something dawned on him. That was exactly the kind of conversation he had with his parents, them not wanting him to do something to protect him which he assumed was because they thought lowly of him. But what if they were really trying to protect him after all? Everyone said so and he just refused to believe it.
"Yeah right," Antonius scoffed which only furthered his epiphany, "You all just think I'm screwed up in the head. I see the way people look at me, I hear the things people say about Ashain's kids being crazy. That's why you people don't want to be friends despite everything we've gone through together, why my Mum left..."
"Look, Antonius, those things aren't true," Scorpius began and put a hand on the younger boy's shoulder as he hung his head sadly, making him look back up so he met those dark chestnut eyes. He sighed as he knew what he had to do, even if he didn't like it, "I just don't want anything to happen to you because I care about you. But you have a point, you might be important later on or even just getting through the maze."
"Okay," Antonius nodded, looking somewhat relieved and his eyes drifted to Varanian, "What about him?"
"We don't have time to go back," Scorpius said guiltily as he pulled away to look down at Varanian who continued breathing raggedly, he thought he'd want them to go on. They didn't have time to waste, he'd just have to hope Varanian would still be alive if they got back. If they got back. He crouched back down beside Varanian, wanting to reach out to squeeze his hand to bring him some small comfort or something but there wasn't any part of him untouched by flames except his head, "Varanian-"
"Go on without me," Varanian mumbled so weakly it was barely audible to Scorpius' surprise, he didn't open his eyes and his face was still creased up in pain though, he almost looked like he was fighting tears, "Go."
"We'll be back for you, I promise," Scorpius assured him sympathetically, his own throbbing hand still paining him tremendously, "Just... Just hold on. And don't you know, die."
Varanian said nothing but his labored breathing continued so Scorpius got back up to go, taking a deep breath and wishing the pain would stop in his hand. Vaguely, he wondered if he should try make Varanian summon the sword from the hat first because Varanian was in no condition to so that. Plus, he only had one hand and carrying the sword would mean he could draw his wand, he wasn't sure if Antonius would be able to even lift it.
"You fell for the trap," Ashylos' voice commented and Scorpius jumped again to see the spirit beside him, although he was much less like a spirit now.
"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Scorpius complained, "And yes. Where did you go?"
"I told you, Skorpios, my presence cuts into Atticus' time. I could not do anything when everyone was underwear so I left to save more time," Ashylos explained, "I can lead you through the labyrinth though, Herpo's descendant and Brutus are moving cautiously and do not know the way so you should be able to catch up before they get to my wand, the final Scepter piece, maybe even beat them there. I can even tell you how to remove the enchantments to make your move through the maze easier."
"How?"
"Give the boy your wand, only someone of blood can undo it."
"But he can't do magic yet."
"It does not matter," Ashylos stated and Scorpius sighed as he drew his wand to hand it off to Antonius, it felt rather strange, "Tap the wand on the floor of the maze and say 'ceasefire'."
"What? No Greek?" Scorpius wondered as Antonius approached the maze and knelt down to tap it with Scorpius' wand while Ashylos shrugged.
"I liked that expression."
"Ceasefire," Antonius said and tapped the ground with the wand, the stone immediately seem to overturn itself and the mirror-like wall became a solid slab of white stone. Antonius staggered back and handed Scorpius back his wand, "Cool."
"Euge," Ashylos nodded as he stalked into the maze and they hastily scrambled after him, "Follow, it is this way."
Scorpius thought it was a good thing Ashylos was there, it would take the forever to get through the maze otherwise. The white stone walls went from the floor to the ceiling so they had no way to look over and see how vast the thing was or where they were even going, he tried to pay attention to where they were going but the distracting waves of agony rippling out from his hand made him lose his focus. There were so many twists and turns, a never-ending tunnel enclosing around him as every inch of it looked the same. He wasn't sure how they were going to get back without Ashylos... Maybe they didn't have to, they were going to the wand and the Shadow Master had the rest of the Scepter so maybe they could save his soul after all?
And then it finally widened out into an open spaced square, in the center of which was a pedestal upon which rested the shaft of the Scepter that Scorpius had seen in Ashylos' vision of the past Scepter that Herpo used except it was encased in a shimmering bubble. Brutus and the Shadow Master were standing beside it opposite them, the Shadow Master was still disguised as Calderon and still clutching the Scepter while Brutus was placing his bloody six-fingered hand against the bubble. It popped upon contact and he continued reaching for the wand.
"Accio Ashylos' scepter-wand... thing?" Scorpius cast awkwardly with his left hand and to his surprise, the thing shot over to him and whacked him square in the face as he had no second hand to hold it. The Shadow Master laughed the disturbingly normal laugh while the wand clattered to the ground, Antonius went to retrieve it.
"Smooth," The Shadow Master commented, much to Scorpius' humiliation as he felt himself reddening despite himself, "But well done on not dying, I see you stupidly burned your hand though. Let me show you how it's done though."
The Shadow Master raised his free wand to presumably summon the last piece of the Scepter but Antonius had already picked it up, he was standing holding it and it didn't budge. And Scorpius immediately realized why, the wand was instead gleaming with a golden light and gleaming tendrils shot out to encircle Antonius with a thrum and a swirl of wind. The Shadow Master looked confused.
"What's happening?!" Scorpius asked of Ashylos over the noise.
"The wand chooses the wizard," Ashylos said seriously, "It's been separated long enough to become its own entity again, the Scepter is made up of what you would consider two wands plus the orb after all. An unstable wand for an unstable soul and the Scepter will not fight it."
Antonius jabbed the wand at the two opposite and to his surprise, a jet of light exploded out at them. Brutus slammed up a Shield Charm readily and the Shadow Master flicked the Scepter to throw up an even larger shield, the light shattered both of them though and tossed the pair across against the wall like ragdolls while the Scepter was torn from his grasp and dropped by the pedestal. The light continued billowing out like smoke towards the two Shadows, obscuring the view or maybe keeping them at bay.
"I don't know what I'm doing or how or if it's going to last so now would be a good time to do something!" Antonius yelled at him over the thrum of power exploding around them.
"Accio Scepter!" Scorpius cried and summoned the Scepter to him, this time Ashylos caught it from him though and Scorpius felt a surge of hope, "We have all three pieces, Ashylos, we can save your soul!"
"It would take too long, Skorpios," Ashylos told him and looked regretful, he was also looking solid now, "Atticus has minutes more. Summon the sword now."
"There has to be a way to save you both," Scorpius protested desperately but Ashylos shook his head.
"Wasting this time will only ensure Atticus' death, I can feel his life extinguishing."
"Scorpius, save my Dad!" Antonius shrieked desperately.
"I don't even know how to summon the sword," Scorpius admitted unhappily, feeling tears threaten to flicker in his eyes as his heart raced inside his chest.
"Ask for it," Ashylos said and Scorpius took out the hat, jamming it onto his head after pocketing his wand once more and wishing he hadn't injured his wand arm.
You still have doubts that you're in the wrong house? The Sorting Hat complained inside his mind.
"Just help me, help me please," Scorpius begged, half hoping it wouldn't work.
He felt something slam against his skull so hard he was surprised it didn't knock him out, he staggered and grabbed onto a wall for support while the hat fell off his head. Within it though, there was the silver hilt of a sword sticking out bejeweled with rubies. Scorpius grasped it and slowly pulled the sword out of the battered old hat, gazing in awe at the blade for a moment.
"Only a true Gryffindor could pull the sword from the hat," Ashylos commented and gave him the weakest of smiles, "Godric would have liked you."
"Yeah right," Scorpius scoffed although he was feeling more uncertain about his house placement, why had the hat given the sword to a coward? Ashylos placed the Scepter onto the ground.
"Now, Skorpios," Ashylos urged him and Scorpius looked back to the very solid spirit, feeling himself tearing up. The man who had took on an army at barely of age - he still did look a teenager, not much older than Scorpius - and helped defeat one of the most infamous Dark Wizards of all time, who was now willing to destroy his own soul just to stop evil using the Scepter, "End me."
"No," Scorpius whimpered, shaking his hand as his sweaty, trembling hand loosened his grip on the sword, "You don't deserve this, Ashylos. Just tell me how to rejoin your soul, I can do it, I'm a fast learner."
"There is no time."
"Of course there's not if you're wasting it refusing it!" Scorpius shrieked childishly and tearfully.
"Herpo's descendant could get up at any second! Atticus could die at any second! Do you want him to live or not?!" Ashylos demanded of him forcefully.
"I don't see why I can't save you both!"
"If you try to chase two rabbits, you end up losing them both. You have to learn to let go, Skorpios."
"Dammit!" Antonius spat and Scorpius heard rather than saw the wand.
He only tore his eyes away from the younger boy when he felt the sword being pried from him his grip, the tip dragged along the ground as Antonius held it. Scorpius knew he should move, stop him to save to try save Ashylos or encouraged him to try save Professor Ashain. But he was frozen. He gripped it in both hands and with seemingly a great amount of effort, raised it over his head and Scorpius thought the momentum would make him fall backwards for a moment before he brought it down on the carved handle. Ashylos' ear-splitting screech of agony tore through the maze, the ground starting to shake uncontrollably. It was too late.
"I'm... I'm sorry, Ashylos," Antonius apologized guiltily as he dropped the sword but Ashylos was still standing, his body flickering like a television set on the blink.
"And again," Ashylos commanded weakly as he clung to the shuddering wall for support, "I am at peace with my fate, I should have been destroyed with Pan all those years ago anyway."
"Rennervate," Brutus' gruff voice commented absentmindedly, reminding Scorpius of them and he tore his gaze back to see Brutus had flicked his wand at the limp Shadow Master while he strode over to them across the shuddering ground. He gestured with his wand as he did so, summoning the Scepter back to his grasp. The handle was still connected, Antonius had split it vertically but both sections hung on, "What the bloody hell did you people do?!"
"My enchantments are dying with me, I do not think this place will stand when I fall."
"Well good thing that you're not... not falling while we're here," Brutus said as he turned away with the Scepter.
"Uncle Brutus!" Antonius yelped in panic as he tried to cross the distance, dragging the heavy sword along with him and looking at Brutus pleadingly desperate as the deformed Ashain turned back to face him in surprise, "If you don't destroy it then my Dad will die, he only has minutes. He's your brother and brothers are supposed to look out for each other, that's my Dad says, he says that's what you and he always used to do."
Brutus squeezed his eyes shut as an expression that could only be described as torn crossed his deformed difficult to decipher face before he abruptly moved, throwing down the Scepter and wrenching the sword from Antonius' small hands. In one sweeping motion as if he'd held a sword all his life, he swung it around and down to smash down on the silver serpents around the orb. Ashylos gave another deafening scream of pain and the convulsing only increased, the world around them shifting as if they were in a snow globe being violently shaken.
"The soul was only in the serpents not the orb," Brutus said to no one in particular and glanced at Ashylos still there, just the wand was left now. The Shadow Master had revived by then though and was standing with a look of rage, he gestured and the mangled Scepter soared towards him along with the sword.
"No!" Antonius screamed, barely audible from the roar of the thrashing room.
The younger boy grabbed the wand back up, it pulsed and a golden glow engulfed the sword. The sword spun abruptly just before the hit reached the Shadow Master's waiting hand, instead the blade skewered his arm. His scream was lost in the quake and Brutus' eyes immediately widened as he scrambled to get back to his master, he tore the sword back out with ease due to his physical strength and tossed aside to tend to the son of Voldemort. He was fumbling to get a vial from his robes to pour over the wound while the Shadow Master looked close to passing out, it hit Scorpius why even through his throbbing skull, it was imbued with Basilisk venom.
Both were too busy trying not to let the Shadow Master die using whatever special potion they had on them to cure Basilisk venom, too busy to care for the sword or what was happening to it. Ashylos was still flickering and clutching the wall for support as if the shuddering wasn't bothering him and Antonius was trying to walk on the ground trying to buck him off to get the sword, still desperately trying to save his dad. He'd never get to it in time, he didn't even know if Professor Ashain had time. It was down to Scorpius.
"Accio sword," Scorpius whispered and the bloody blade shot back towards him, he discarded his wand to catch the sword instead and Antonius threw down the wand readily for him.
"He's dying now!" Ashylos screeched and Scorpius raised the sword, it was surprisingly heavy with one hand and made him feel very much like an executioner.
"Forgive me," Scorpius said on a chocked sob, tears rolling down his cheeks as he lowered the blade.
"You're forgiven, Skorpios," Ashylos gave his final words as the sword severed the wand.
Ashylos exploded in a burst of brilliant light in time with his third and final scream, a pulse of light shot out from where he was standing and knocked Scorpius back to the ground while the thrashing ground raged around them. Guilt twisted through him like a jagged blade, he could only hope it had actually been in time or he'd have just destroyed a good soul for nothing. He couldn't stop his tears from falling but he did turn back to the Shadow Master and Brutus, recalling the threat. The Shadow Master was evidentially feeling better and looking angry, Calderon's dark eyes focused murderously on Antonius.
Scorpius scrabbled for his wand and tried to jump in front of the younger boy who evidentially had also been knocked down and was trying to stand, the Shadow Master flicked their wrist and Scorpius was tossed aside. He collided with the nearest wall painfully, howling in agony as his burned hand was smashed into it and aggravated the searing wound. He deserved to hurt though really. He looked up just in time to see the Shadow Master hold his palm out to Antonius, Scorpius grabbed his wand and tried to get up in time.
"Avada Kedavra," The Shadow Master cried, barely audibly but yet somehow recognizable.
Scorpius jumped up but he was too far away and too slow, the flash of green was blinding and seemed to fill every corner of the room. It struck Antonius square in the chest, Scorpius didn't even hear his own scream as the small body was thrown backwards to crash into the wall and fall back down flat on his face unmoving. The Shadow Master gestured and the ceiling above them abruptly collapsed down, he circled his wrist and the slabs formed into a spiraling staircase back up to the hole. He started to walk up it with Brutus who was gazing at his nephew's body, his expression possibly sadness or shock while Scorpius only felt rage.
"ACUTA!" Scorpius screamed loud enough to override the chaos going on around him, slashing his wand and throwing as much power as possible into the spell. He wanted to hurt him, Brutus however stepped protectively in front of his master and took the spell across his cheek which had him cry out in pain as he clutched the wound but it had him stagger out of the way. Which was what he wanted, "EXPULSO!"
The explosive spell shot out and the Shadow Master merely smiled as he raised his free hand, the other one clutching the orb in the ruins of the Scepter. An invisible shield seemed to deflect Scorpius' spell and it instead bounced into one of the white walls to obliterate it in a fiery mess. He raised his wand to try again but the Shadow Master simply gestured, throwing him painfully back against the wall from before. Scorpius roared in mental anguish as much as the physical agony ripping through him from his hand, he snatched his wand up but they had already climbed out of sight. He raced after them and leaped onto the steps but they crumbled underfoot, causing him to crash painfully back into the pile of rubble.
"I'LL KILL YOU!" Scorpius screamed in furious frustration, sure they were close enough to hear but he pushed his vocal louds to their highest volume regardless. Loud enough to hurt his throat but he wasn't sure if it was escaping the roar of the ground, "DO YOU HEAR ME, SHADOW MASTER?! I'LL KILL YOU! YOU KILLED MY SISTER, YOU KILLED MY FRIEND, YOU KILLED MY FRIEND, I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I DON'T CARE THAT YOU'RE THE SON OF VOLDEMORT, I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU! I SWEAR IT! I SWEAR I WILL KILL YOU!"
Scorpius broke down sobbing as he finished his threat, his anger giving way to grief. He'd brought Antonius there after all, he'd brought an eight year old to his death. It was his fault too, Antonius had just wanted to save his family and Scorpius hadn't protected him. If he hadn't hesitated then maybe the boy would still be alive, he turned his bleary gaze back to the child and crawled to him awkwardly as the world thrashed around him. He couldn't just leave his body there... What was Professor Ashain going to say when he carried his son's corpse to him?
He pocketed his wand and tried to pull Antonius close to him but to his shock, the boy stirred. He froze in horror, fearing the Shadow Master had managed to do something as horrific as making him an inferi but Antonius raised his tear stained face to meet his eyes. And he was breathing as he pulled himself into a kneeling position, a hand clutching the place the curse had touched him and pain etched onto his face.
"You're alive?" Scorpius wondered at the miraculous recovery, or maybe the sword had just hit his head harder than he'd thought?
"My soul hurts," Antonius whimpered and Scorpius pulled him into a one-armed hug, Antonius buried his head in his shoulder crying and clung to him tightly, "It hurts so much."
"Your soul?"
"It feels like when I had the magic ripped out of my soul except my brain isn't scrambled."
"Well, it'll be okay now. You survived, that's... that's what matters," Scorpius assured him as he hugged him tighter, wishing he could ease his pain.
He hoped he was right and that there wasn't some kind of delayed reaction. He pulled away, seeing the tears spilling from the boy's eyes reminding him of his youth but Antonius was still alive. He also saw why Antonius had been clutching his chest. Where the spell had struck him was a livid symbol scorched into his flesh, it was exactly the shape of a lightning bolt. The ground lurched and Scorpius was reminded that neither of them would live if they didn't get out of there, he stood and helped Antonius to his feet. Recalling unhelpfully that he didn't know the way back, even if it was possible to tell left from right with the world thrashing around them. They might die after all.
"We have to leave before this whole place collapses!" Scorpius told him and Antonius nodded mutely as he scooped up the broken pieces of wand, the Sorting Hat and went to take the sword, "Just leave it, it can return to the hat. We just need to get Varanian and get out of here... Somehow."