WTF Annabeth

Chapter 26

Annabeth

The plan was simple enough and would work if our basic assumptions were correct. First that Quirrell for whatever reason needed Lemur's blood to survive. He had been without for some time and must be getting desperate. Dumbledore as it turned out had invited Silena to bring Lemur to the grand dining hall so that he could gauge Quirrell's reaction when Lemur was nearby. He reported that Quirrell was quite antsy the first time, and yesterday even more so.

Second, we knew from our contact with Hendrix via the mist that no more attacks on the unicorns in the forest had occurred. There was a war going on between the giant ass spiders and everything else there so he could not have survived going there at this time anyway.

Finally, Quirrell would know that Lemur would be walked before we went to sleep, and that only Silena, who he knew was a non magic using American friend, and Harry, a mere first year, would be Lemur's only defense during that walk. Since Silena would be leaving Sunday, he would have only Saturday night to attack. He didn't dare attack the previous day as the only opportunity was in the morning with Dumbledore accompanying. After that we waited until the morning before the match to walk Lemur again and that was pretty safe as Dumbledore would be there and it was broad daylight. Yes, having not gone out Friday night meant that Lemur pooped like a race horse that morning.

It's the high fiber diet I think.

There was one thing I truly hated about this plan. We never had a chance alone to tell Rue about it. He had hated me at one time for leaving him out, but we were somewhat innocent this time. We were simply never alone to do so. Hopefully he wouldn't figure it out, but he would. I knew he would, Harry Potter was sensitive that way. Hopefully he would understand though. Plus, Percy was supposed to tell him last night, but Rue went to bed early so he would be rested for the match. So it was Percy's fault, and Rue's, and unintentional. Surely he would not get too upset.

The plan itself was simple. I wore my cap. McGonagall turned herself into a cat. Dumbledore gave Percy a cape that made him invisible, although with the warning that this one was simply a spell Dumbledore had cast and any damage would ruin it. Dumbledore just cast a spell on himself. Then we went to the court yard and waited.

Silena, Rue and Lemur came out a minute or two after us, and as Rue walked with Lemur ten yards or so ahead of Silena. She had stopped for a moment saying how she wanted to breath in the evening air. Apparently she had been around enough unicorn poop, or was actually following Dumbledore's instructions to not get involved in a magical fight. Percy and I were told that even though we were Harry's protectors, to let Dumbledore and McGonagall handle apprehending Quirrell should it be necessary. If Quirrell did show it had been decided to hold off on attacking until absolutely necessary in hopes he would reveal whether he was working with or for Voldemort. In truth neither of us expected to stay out of the fight though. It just wasn't our style.

Barely a minute passed after they came through the door that Quirrell did. He seemed to drift across the ground and alit right behind Silena, we figured he would go straight for Lemur and had positioned ourselves accordingly. Our first mistake.

He arrived, and stopped at Silena so suddenly and quietly she and Rue were unaware he was there until it was too late. He had his hand on her shoulder and a wand to her throat. His first mistake.

"Harry Potter. The boy who lived. How wonderful that as I continue my life, you will be the instrument of it. Now, bring me the unicorn or your darling friend dies."

"Wha... Why do you want Lemur?"

"I sense your fear Potter. You should fear me. This body you see belonged to your dear Professor Quirrell, but now, it is mine." He said as he removed the turban, releasing Silena's shoulder to use his non wand filled hand. His second mistake.

"Look upon me! I will be your death! Feel the fear within and join me instead! I can grant you great power, or painful death. You have no wand to protect yourself or the girl. You have no choice. Bring me the unicorn and join me! Then you will gather the stone for me and I will rise again!"

When the turban fell off Percy and I could, from our positions, see that there was a face speaking on the back of Quirrell's head. It was weird. And really gross. But a magician trying to scare a guy that had fought Ares? Not likely.

"Yeah, see, the thing is, I am afraid of a lot of things. Its just that you're not one of them and you made a couple of big mistakes."

"Hardly but I will humor you. What am I mistaken about?"

"First, I'n not unarmed." Rue said as he reached into his bag and pulled out apparently the first weapon he came to, a beautiful epee or rapier that seemed to glow with beauty and sharpness.

"I see. An antiquated muggle weapon. How pathetic." He sneered.

"And second. Dude. You took the wrong hostage. Whenever you're ready dear."

"I thought you'd never ask." Silena grinned as she grabbed Quirrell's wrist with startling speed , turned across him and bent his and the wand away from her. We heard a crack like a rifle firing and knew that wrist or forearm was broken by the angle of the stress she subjected it to. Then raked her heeled left foot down the inside of his calve along the shin bone. I'm not sure if he screamed from that or when she twisted his arm around and slammed her other palm into the back of his elbow, breaking it with another disgusting crunch. At some point he said "abracadabra" or some such bullshit and a green light shot from his wand into space, but she was already behind him, kicking the back of his knee and dropping him to the ground when Rue attacked with his sword.

"Also, he's not alone. Another mistake." Percy said as we all became visible and attacked as well. Of course by the time we got there one arm was broken and Rue had cut the other one off halfway above his elbow, then drew the edge of his blade across Quirrell's throat ensuring he had but moments to live before he bled out. Dark, black blood drained from the wound as he slowly died.

Rue's blade glowed with each stroke and seemed to be causing even more damage than it should. It cut through both flesh and bone with no resistance. Dumbledore and McGonagall hit Quirrell with some kind of stun from hell as they told us to back away. Honestly, Percy and I did nothing useful at all. Rue and Silena had it under control without us.

As Quirrell was on his knees in agony and bleeding out, the face on the back of his head began to talk again.

"I will survive Harry Potter and when I return, you will not."

By now Rue was behind him looking at the face.

"Voldemort. You're Voldemort. A parasite on a body, so low you have to occupy the dead to continue your pathetic existence."

"I will return." It said.

"Good, when you do, remember this" Rue said as he kicked the face's left eye.

"Thats for killing my dad." He kicked again, this time in the other eye.

"And that's for killing my mom!" He yelled, his voice filled with righteous rage, then kicked it in the mouth.

"And that's for taking my girlfriend hostage." He yelled, even louder, then punched him square in the nose.

"And that's for pissing Lemur off!"

As soon as the punch landed, when Rue's skin touched him, Quirrell's body and the face erupted into, well, not flames really but began smoldering and turning to ash.

"Get back Harry! Get back Miss Beauregard!" Dumbledore shouted as he aimed his wand. The body became a swirling mound of ash as it dissolved into the ground and air, and all at once a ghostly visage of the face came roaring out and flew off, with McGonagall and Dumbledore firing off spells as it fled but they seemed to pass straight through. Soon enough it was gone and we could not tell if the spells had any effect.

There was a long silence.

"Remind me not to piss you off Rue." I said.

"Nice sword dude." Percy added.

"Did you guy's plan this?" Rue asked quietly.

"I did. I felt Quirrell might attack Lemur again, so it was decided that Lemur, as well as Miss Silena and your self would be under protection at all times. We did not know that he would attack, but it seemed likely." Dumbledore said.

"Huh. Did Annabeth and Percy tell you how I like to be let in on plans that effect me, or more importantly someone I love?" He asked.

"Wait Rue, don't blame the Professor entirely. It was our job to tell you and we've been trying to tell you for a couple of days, but we were never alone. We didn't want SPEW involved. They aren't ready. I was to tell you last night but you crashed early, so I figured, no big deal, I would tell you this morning, but I never had a chance. I was going to tell you upstairs a few minutes ago but the Weasleys interrupted. I am sorry, this one is my fault, not theirs." Percy said.

"Okay. Just next time, send an Iris or something." He grinned. "Is everyone okay?"

"Not a scratch on me." Silena grinned. "And I knew, but I didn't want you told until yesterday so you couldn't talk me out of it. Don't blame them, I know it was wrong, but we haven't been alone much either, and I had more important stuff to tell you."

"Like how much you wuv him?" I asked, being silly.

"No, like how he is a knight in the court of my mother. And how much I wuv him." She smiled.

"Oh. Well that's cool. What does that mean?"

"They try to do everything together, hold hands, hang out, miss each other when they are not around, hug a lot. You know stuff li" McGonagall said until she was interrupted.

"Kiss a lot." Rue said.

"Yes! Especially kiss a lot." Silena grinned.

"Smart asses. I meant the knight thing."

"I'm not sure, but he gets a bad ass sword with it!" Silena giggled. "Thanks for saving me Rue."

"I'm not sure I did. Let's take a vote. Does anyone think Silena couldn't kick his ass without our assistance?" He laughed.

"Nope." Dumbledore replied for all of us. "Perhaps you should return to the celebration now. Professor McGonagall and I must start the search for a new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor. And Mr Jackson, the cloak please. I fear you might find too many opportunities to use it. If not, I'm certain the Weasley twins will assist you in finding them."

"Professor, what was that thing?" Rue asked.

"A memory of evil Harry. When your parents died we know Voldemort cast a killing curse which rebounded off you and struck him. You lived, but since it was deflected, he lived too, although his body was destroyed. I believe what we saw was that part of Voldemort that survived, not a ghost as not yet dead. It wandered the earth until last summer when Professor Quirrell, who was basically a good man trying to prove himself, went south to hunt a vampire as he told all. While there, I think that piece of Voldemort latched onto him and drained his life from him to preserve itself. What has been teaching here was his body, controlled by Voldemort. Perhaps a part of Quirrell was alive, but that part was controlled and seduced by the power of darkness."

"Like Darth Vader" Percy suggested.

"Who?" McGonagall asked.

Lemur whinnied, and Percy replied.

"What did he say?" I asked.

"He was wondering how someone in this day and age doesn't know who Darth Vader is."

"But Professor, why did he, it, burn up when I touched it?"

"Because you are very, very good. And it was very, very evil."