Uggh, I'm so worried this is going to drag on too long. might want to take a break halfway though. Sigh. lament.
Chapter 69: Bell Jet Ranger III
Harry's POV:
Harry stepped onto the roof of Hogwarts observatory, flanked by Mr. Walsh and Mr. Primrose. Three brooms lined the wall side by side ready for their departure. Harry looked at the sky, a red glow filled the immediate area and Harry could make out the endings of burning embers that might have been fireworks. But these red dots seemed to fade very slowly, giving off an haunting effect. Harry glanced over to his right to see Filch and Danielle Forrester standing with malevolent smiles on their faces, and Harry wondered if there was something that they knew that he did not. "Why are they here, what business do they have in this place, at this time?", Harry wondered.
Mr. Walsh studied the glowing red sky for a moment and turned to Filch with a quizzical look and pointed to the sky.
"What's all that about Mr. Filch?" he asked. Filch pointed at Harry.
"I highly suspect that it's some student's celebrating getting rid of that murderer." he responded. Mr. Walsh asked. Mr. Walsh gave Filch an irritated look.
"Mr. Potter hasn't been convicted yet Mr. Filch." Filch stared back at him.
"We all heard what you saw in the storage room, and... what you found. We have all heard about the evidence that will convict him." Filch said in a serious tone. Mr. Walsh seemed to cringe at the memory. His eyes grew solum.
"Yes, well... all the trial will determine the official cause of the goings on in that room." Walsh looked over beside Filch at Danielle Forrester. "What's this girl doing here?" He asked curious. Filch glanced back at Danielle. Says she has some astrology homework to do from her Divination class. Thought it couldn't hurt her being up here now that he's going away." Filch finished. Mr. Walsh nodded his head.
"Yes, I suppose not." Walsh stated. He turned to Mr. Primfold. "Mr. Primfold, bring Mr. Potter forward. Mr. Primfold lead Harry still in chains to the center broom. There Harry noticed a metal ring fitted into the forward center of the broom handle. Mr. Primfold guided Harry to the broom and moved his chained hands to the ring, securing the midsection to it with a lock. Harry looked up one more time at the sky, the red glow had just now vanished, but he still had a bad feeling and wondered if the chill he felt was that of the cold wind blowing, or... something else. Harry straddled his broom, at the cue from Mr. Walsh, as he and Mr. Primfold did the same. Filch gave a last menacing sneer and walked down the steps of the observatory out of sight. Harry glanced back one more time. Danielle Forester, whom he knew vaguely to be a friend of Marietta Edgemcombe was giving him a sinister look that gave him a shiver. She wasn't doing any homework. Why was she out here? Harry turned to Mr. Walsh.
"Sir, I've got a bad feeling about tonight. Maybe we shouldn't go just now. I... I think someone's out there waiting for us. Can we wait until we have more people to escort me?" Harry said in all sincerity. Mr. Walsh scoffed.
"I should say not Mr. Potter, if you are worried about You-Know-Who, i can assure you that, if he is back, he's nowhere in the country, nor in the entire British Isles. As far as any death eaters, well no one outside the Castle knows you're leaving now, so no one is there to be expecting you. Now, let us leave, Your broom will keep constant pace with mine. You cannot deviate from my course. I bewitched your broom myself Potter. So no tricks to try and escape." Mr. Walsh finished. Harry nodded, and peered out toward the forest. You don't have to worry about any trouble from me. he thought to himself. Mr. Walsh and Mr. Primfolds brooms began a slow, but steadily increasing rise and advance toward the forbidden forest, which they would have to pass over on their way to London. Harry's broom followed suit. He tried to move his arms closer to the center of the broom to make it more comfortable, but the metal ring held his chains fast. He had never felt so helpless. When they were a just few yards away Harry heard a pop and a wheezing sound behind him. He glanced back to see a thick spark shoot out from the astronomy tower and high into the air, erupting in a massive firework explosion far overhead that seemed to pause in mid burst and gave off a glow that turned the sky green. Mr. Primfold looked over to Mr. Walsh with a nervous expression.
"Maybe he's right Walsh, perhaps something is amiss. Should we turn back?" he asked. Mr. Walsh looked at the sky in contemplation for a moment.
"Too late now, we're expected in London by morning." Mr. Walsh then took out his wand from his pocket, holding it tight in hand. "But be ready for anything, it's a long way to go until then." Mr. Primfold pulled out his wand as well and looked around. Harry stared uselessly at his chains, his broom traveling at about fifty miles an hour, guided by Mr. Walsh's enchantment. He then looked around searching for some unseen foe. Where are you?He thought to himself, even though he wasn't sure who the you was, he knew someone was out there... waiting for him.
Same Span of time
Marietta's POV:
Marietta climbed aboard the helicopter, pulling herself in on the right side and hooking her belt on the monkey strap. She put the earphones over her head and brought the mic closer to her mouth. The pilot pulled himself in the chopper as well, and started working with the metal stick on his left side, pushing a button on the front and turning his hand from left to right. The Pilot then began pushing buttons and switches on the top of the cabin. The gauges on the instrument panel lit up with a green glow that radiated throughout the cabin. Suddenly Marietta heard a high pitched whining sound, and the blades of the chopper began to slowly turn. Marietta was just about to complain about how inferior and overly complicated the cursed machine was when the spinning increased to rapid pace and the machine seemed to violently vibrate. Marietta found herself grabbing the sides of the seat. The blades were now in full motion, extremely loud and Marietta was feeling slightly dizzy.
"Test your mic." the pilot said. Marietta depressed the button on the cord leading from her head phones. Y... yes, can you hear me?" she asked nervously. The pilot responded in the affirmative. Marietta looked toward the castle and suddenly a bright green firework filled the sky. She smiled to herself. Not long now. "Go go go!" She shouted into her mike at the pilot. "Lets see what this pathetic muggle machine can do. Not much I think, but go on anyway." she said indignantly. The pilot gave shot her an angry look, but then started to smile.
"Heh, heh, heh, you asked for it!" he said. He pulled back on the collective and the helicopter began to slowly rise. Marietta was irritated at the time it was taking to get going. The pilot prepared to put the chopper into a powered take off by pushing the cylic pitch forward and giving gas to the collective. "Hurry up and move this piece of... Shhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiitttttt tt!" Marietta screamed as the Bell Jet Ranger III accelerated forward at ever increasing speed. The chopper soon was heading full throttle straight toward some trees marking the edge of the forbidden forest. She didn't know how fast they were going, but it felt faster than she had ever traveled in her life, and she had no control, as the trees came ever closer. Marietta was sure they would run right into them. "WE'RE GOING TO DIE!"she shouted terrified. The pilot merely gave a slight chuckle and pulled back hard in the stick in front of him, causing the helicopter to climb at almost a ninety degree angle and Marietta to be pushed back in her seat by the increased force of the climb. She wanted to be sick, but was too terrified, and her fingernails were digging into the sides of the seat. Soon, before she could even contemplate they were about a thousand feet up, and climbing. She had been high on her broom before, but not this high, and she had no control over any of this. Everything below was small, and she was feeling a slight sense of vertigo. She turned to the pilot. "Bring us down." she yelped. The pilot nodded, and jerked the cyclic to the right, kicking hard on one of the petals, and dropping the helicopter turning sideways for just a brief moment before putting it in an angled dive toward the trees. Mariette was terrified beyond movement. She looked down at the trees quickly rushing up toward her. This is it. She thought. All my plans finished. This is how it ends for me. I was so close.She lamented. Suddenly the pilot pulled back on the controls and the chopper quickly righted itself at the last few helicopter turned on a heading South of the Hogwarts school. It took a few moments for Marietta to recover, but when the pilot saw that she was no longer as scared as she had been.
"What was that about pathetic muggle machine?" he asked. Marietta looked at him, and gulped.
"S... sorry about that." she said, horrified that he would start flying so erratically again. The pilot nodded.
"Just watch your mouth. The Professor pays me well to fly the chopper, not to take lip from some smart mouthed school girl. Keep it up and you might find yourself walking home from two thousand feet." he threatened. Marietta looked down at the tops of the trees rushing fast bellow her, and nodded her understanding. They were on course toward London, somewhere along the way, the society wizards would kill Potter, and she would arrive later to confirm the kill, and report back to Professor Watson. Only to confirm the kill. She would not have the honour of doing it herself. Unfair,she thought bitterly, but there was nothing she could do, but sit back in this terrifying, yet impressive muggle machine she begrudgingly thought to herself, though would never admit to it. Terrifying and thrilling. But now on to business.
Harry's POV:
Harry and Mr. Primrose had both been moving their heads about as if on swivel, looking for any sign of danger. Fifteen minutes into their journey there had been no sign of anything odd since the green firework, but he reckoned they both knew that danger was imminent. Primrose still had his wand tightly in one hand but Mr. Walsh seeming to think danger had passed, had put his away when the castle was out of sight. Harry looked at his gloves, wanting to rub them together in the cold air, but seeing the studs remembered better of it. What does Snape intend? Was this a trick, or all he could do to help under the circumstances? Harry reflected on their utter hatred for each other over the past few years. Since day one. He hated my father, he hates me because I look like him. Snape was a death eater, than an order member, but is he still a death eater? Why is he helping me, or is he?The lament at not knowing gave Harry a slight headache. And what will become of me when I get to the Ministry of Magic? I dread going, but at least hopefully the cell will be warm, he thought shivering a bit despite his heavy coat. He glanced behind him at the large full moon. At least it's light enough out tonight he thought briefly admiring the huge glowing object, before noticing that there were four silhouettes of people on brooms in front of it heading towards He and his fellow travellers. They appeared to be in formation. Harry did not turn his eyes off of them until they got close enough for him to see that they each had one hand up as if it had a wand at the ready. Without looking back Harry screamed at the two Ministry officials to look back. The men looked to the sky at the four figures closing in on them fast. Mr. Walsh glanced over at Mr. Primfold a dead serious look in his eyes. Climb Mr. Primfold Climb. He shouted. All three brooms rose sharply as several green beams of light shot under them, just missing their targets. Death eaters? Harry wondered, he could barely make out their faces at this point, but was sure they were not wearing mask. The pursuers began to climb as well, shooting more burst from their wands, one of them barely missing Harry's head. He tried to maneuver his broom by pulling on it, but it was no use. He was under Mr. Walsh's control. Mr. Walsh and Mr. Primrose were by this time fireing spells back at the enemy, causing them to break up their formation. The two Ministry officials put their brooms into several sharp turns to escape the attackers, but the enemy kept after them matching them for every maneuver. Harry's broom was matching the turn of Mr. Walsh's broom turn for turn. Mr. Walsh was not a bad flyer, but Harry knew he could do better. He turned to the Ministry official.
"Please Mr. Walsh, let me control my own broom." Harry pleaded. Mr. Walsh shook his head in refusal.
"Not necessary Mr. Potter, I've got this under control." He quickly replied. Mr. Walsh, then put his broom into another sharp right turn avoiding several green blast that passed through the air space that the two had been milliseconds before. Walsh glanced back behind them and thrust his arm back shouting a curse and just missing one of the attackers. Several turns later and several blast exchanged by both sides found Harry gritting his teeth, and squeezing his broom with nervous anticipation. Just a wand or a free hand with his broom was all he needed. He looked around, also noticing that all the evasive maneuvering they were doing was not getting them any closer to London and help. But who had time to send a message when all your thought had to be on avoiding massive amounts of blast from several sinister forms on brooms. On and on they flew in large circles avoiding and returning blast towards their foes. It must have been only ten minutes since they had first seen the unknown enemy, but it felt like an eternity, and the stress was exhausting them. Mr. Primfold pulled up next to Harry and looked across to Mr. Walsh. "Walsh, we can't keep this up. We need help, he said exhausted." Mr. Walsh needed in agreement, and held up his wand starting to speak the request and send to the Ministry via his patronus. Harry wondered what his patronus would be... he would never find out.
A blast hit Mr. Walsh from behind, his head flew back and his eyes rolled back in his head. He then slumped over sideways off the broom, and fell several hundred feet out of sight into the thick forest floor below the tree tops. Harry and Mr. Primfold glanced at each other, terrified. But there was no time to be terrified for long.
Mr. Primfold, put his wand to the lock on
Harry's broom, and cast a spell to remove it. He looked as if he were about to unlock the chains too, but then a green blast shot between the two. They sped up and Mr. Primfold cut his broom hard left. Harry's did not follow. It's caster dead the spell keeping his broom to the course of Mr. Walsh's had been broken. Harry clutched his broom, and sped up banking low and right to avoid the blast of the attacker. Suddenly Harry saw a meadow below where the trees were sparse all around. He pushed his broom to the limit, followed by the pursuers. Harry was soon only a few feet off the ground, speeding through the forest and began weaving in, out and around the trees, glancing back inadvertently to see if he had shaken off his attackers. He hadn't. They were still closing in, but their wands were now put away as they had to concentrate on maneuvering through the trees that were getting thicker. Harry continued to make extremely sharp turns, left and right avoiding more trees. He glanced back on more time at the Wizards coming after him fast. It was almost a fatal mistake, as when he turned back around he was heading towards the side of a small bridge over a shallow creek, fast. Harry didn't have time to think, he pushed his broom down, and flew under the bridge, ducking, and turning his head only after he had cleared it. One of the pursuers had pulled away to avoid it, the other had followed him under, seeming to match his moves almost exactly. Harry slowed his broom, the forest was getting too thick in this direction to keep going, but there were three Wizards now circling above him. He exhaled, mustered his courage, and turned his broom around heading toward the wizard that had pursued him under the bridge, at full speed. The Wizard pushed forward pulling his wand and pointing it toward Harry, but too late, With bound hands Harry snatched the wand from the man as he passed as if grasping a snitch at a match, and continued past the wizard in the direction from which they had come. The wizard turned to pursue him, and retrieve it, without fear it seemed of chasing Harry unarmed, but still almost exactly matching his flight. Harry kept up speed and headed toward the bridge he set himself up to run into it. He intentionally slowed his broom to let the other wizard catch up a bit, letting him almost within grasping distance of his broom. Harry's head swiveled too and fourth from the bridge to the wizard, keeping up a speed just high enough to keep the peruser off of him. The bridge was milliseconds away, and Harry let the man catch up to him. The man pulled his broom to the side and grasped at his wand, when his attention was fully on Harry, and they were seconds away from the bridge Harry spun upside down in his broom, and calculatingly shot under the bridge, hearing a scream cut short by a loud thud from behind.
He then climbed up to the open sky about two hundred feet above the forest to orientate himself to his situation. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a figure aproaching him on a broom wand at the ready. Harry pointed his own captured wand toward the figure, ready to lay a curse for defence, but as the figure approached him the two recognised each other, and put their wands down to their side. Mr. Primfold, looking more the worse for wear, stopped his broom beside Harry.
"You ok, Mr. Potter?" He asked exhausted. Harry nodded.
"I got this wand from one of them, that i took care of. Where are the others?" Harry asked. Mr. Primfold looked around nervously.
"I blasted one with a blinding curse, he went down in the trees. Lost sight of the others." he said. Harry glanced all about him for a second, and then back to Mr. Primfold.
"Did you send for help?" Harry asked hurriedly. Mr. Primfold nodded.
"Just now. But it will take a little time for my patronus to get to London. I think... " Mr. Primfold started, but was cut off by harry knocking his head away from him, as a blast from a wand just missed him.
"We have to move Harry said already speeding to avoid more blast, as did Mr. Primfold. The two of them split up and each was pursued by one of the enemy. Harry spun his broom in wide circles avoiding the several blast of the Wizard firing behind him. He then began a series of wide left and right turns to try and lose the adversary. Harry was exhausted from the experience, but by now was even more agitated. He stopped the broom, and turned to face it toward the enemy, then moved toward him at top speed nearly a hundred miles per hour, lifting his wand with both chained hands, trying to control the direction of the broom by jerking his knees left and right. The Wizard sped up as well, and they sped toward each other on a collision course. The Wizard fired out, a curse that harry ducked at the last second. Harry then pointed his wand at the man's torso.
"Distructo!" The Wizard pulled up to avoid the blast, but his broom took the full force of the curse shattering into a thousand splinters sending the man falling out of sight into the thick forest. Harry could hear limbs of trees snapping, and grunts below. Harry brought his broom to a hover. He was by now profusely sweating, and gasping from exhaustion. He looked around for Mr. Primrose. After a few minutes, he saw him circling below glancing around. Harry descended towards him shouting at him not to shoot him, lest he think him an enemy. He brought his broom next to Mr. Primrose in a hover. He was also, sweating, and looked as if about to collapse from exhaustion."That's another one down for me. Harry said. What happened to your guy?" he asked.
"Knocked off his broom, down into the forest. I think that was the last of them." he said. "We should start back to London now, we would be likely to meet any help they sent halfway there." Harry Glanced in the direction of Hogwarts, and then back to the direction of the Castle. "It's too far, we could go back to Hogwarts, and wait for help there." he said. Mr. Primfold looked back towards the direction of the wizarding school, seeming undecided.
"Well I.. " he paused mid sentence. "... what... what's that?" he asked as his eyes widened. Harry, glanced back and saw a grey figure, was rapidly approaching them. Not again!Harry thought. He turned toward the oncoming figure, and both he and Mr. Primfold readied their wands for another wizard on a broom. But as the figure quickly grew closer they both realised it was a helicopter moving towards them. When it was a couple of hundred yards away a light under the nose flashed on, and focused it's beam on the two. They had to close their eyes with their hands in front of their face to avoid the glare. I was as if a midnight sun had suddenly appeared in the sky accompanied by a loud buzzing noise that grew in volume. Harry and Mr. Primfold started to speed up and put their brooms in a sharp left turn to avoid the machine, but it banked sharply as well to match them. They both sped up faster, as fast as the broom would go, feeling the freezing wind like ice against their faces. They must be traveling at at least a hundred miles an hour. Harry turned his body to fire a curse at the helicopter, but the searchlight was so bright that it pained him to even try to glance at it, and kept him from seeing exactly where he needed to fire. Mr. Primfold was flying next to him with seemingly the same problem. Soon, the helicopter was right behind them, and the sound of the spinning blades drowned out the rest of the audible world. But now it was close enough for him to fire a blast at. Harry began to turn, but was stopped by a massive stabbing pain in his back as the skid of the helicopter slammed into him from behind.
"Ahhhhhhhh!"Harry cried in pain, he and Mr. Prim fold dived down sharply, and the helicopter matched them again. A few maneuvers later Mr. Primfold was on Harries right, looking about to collapse from fatigue, and Harry felt that he himself was exhausted to his limits as well. A few attempts had been made to bring the vehicle down, but with the merciless light shining on them, their aim had been well off. He looked back again, each time they wanted to fire, they were blinded by the light. Their reflexes were slowing by now, they were cold, and tired, and run ragged from the ordeal, and again, all the turns and dives meant that they were no closer to help. Suddenly a booming feminine voice emitted from the direction of the helicopter. "Attention, stop this pointless attempt to escape. If you surrender, we will not harm you. Give up. If not you will be destroyed."The voice was very familiar, if filtered. Harry strained to see figures in the cockpit, but the blinding light kept him from a good look. Harry looked at Mr. Primfold as they continued to dodge in sharp turns, as the helicopter was much faster than they were, they could not outrun it. However even turning would not keep it off them. The turns of the helicopter were a bit wider than their brooms, but not by much, and the two couldn't keep this up for much longer. Sharp climbing and diving arks would not shake it off. Mr. Primfold and Harry split up after a time, but kept in support of each other. The person flying the chopper seemed to concentrate on harry, but would have to divert some attention to not being blasted by Mr. Primfold's wand. Still, that didn't seem to be much of a struggle considering how maneuverable it was. Nimble as a hummingbird, fierce as a dragon, Mr. Primfold reflected.
A moment later the two flyers were side by side again, pursued relentlessly by the helicopter. Both gasping for breath and dizzy from the extra g's of gravity that had been pushing on them from all the acrobatic flying. Mr. Primfold looked over at Harry, sweat pouring down his head dispite the freezing weather.
"Potter, I've got an idea!" He shouted. As it follows you, I'm going to fall back beside it, and give it a blast from a few feet away!"Mr. Primfold shouted. Harry nodded, just as a green blast shot past him. He glanced back, someone was now hanging out of the helicopter, blasting at him with a wand. Who are these people? Harry wondered, to use both muggle and wizard world technology against him, and why are they so anxious to kill me? The helicopter was almost on top of Harry again. He glanced back to see Mr. Primfold slowing down to get beside the helicopter. Mr. Primfold raised his wand, but in an instant the helicopter shot sideways slaming into the man with the fuelsalage causing him and his broom to gointo a spin towards the tree tops. Amazingly Mr. Pimfold was able to slightly recover himself. bringing his broom to a stop about twenty feet above the trees. He was hanging from his broom with both hands, blood flowing from a nasty gash from his head. He struggled, in an attempt to get back on. The helicopter moved away in a wide turn distancing itself from the man by about twenty yards, and Harry thought for a second that it had been damaged in the impact. However, when it was about a hundred feet away it turned on it's axis and started for Mr. Primfold in a shallow dive, slightly lower to the treetops then he was hanging. Harry pushed his broom to try and rescue the man, or distract the helicopter until Mr. Primfold could get back on his broom. He fired a few shots from his wand, just missing the machine.
"Look out!"Harry screamed. Mr. Primfold was still struggling badly to get back on the broom when the helicopter passed him at lightning speed. Harry watched in horror as his legs and lower torso feel separately from the rest of his body into the trees, severed by the spinning blades of the main rotor. Harry slowed his broom to a hover, taking in the horror of it. He was gone for energy. Nothing left, in him. He couldn't run, not anymore. He glanced down at the studs on his gloves, and then back up at the chopper, the light searching for him. Hogwarts was too far away for help now. The ministry was too far away, it was just him alone against this terrifying machine, that was now flying towards him. He turned towards hogwarts, flying and up at an angle. He was going over a hundred miles an hour, but the helicopter was still overtaking him. He would fire a few blast behind him every so often, and blast would be shot at him from the helicopter both missing. Harry could now feel the rushing of the rotor beneath him, he looked back. It was only a yard away. the light blinding him. But just for a second, he got a look at one of the occupants. Illuminated in a green glow, Marietta Edgecombe occupied the seat. Between he and her the spinning blades of death rose up at him, feet away. Harry Clasped his hands over his head and rubbed his gloves together.
Marietta's POV:
Marietta was exhausted. Harry Potter had been dogging her all night, with his turning and dodging of his broom. She had at first been elated that she would be the one to kill him, after finding that the ministry officials had brought down there wizards, but they had been flying for fifteen minutes and only killed one of his protectors. Why doesn't he just give up? Just die, you annoying pain. She had had quite enough of Potter, and enough of this muggle machine and aeral acrobatics that turned hir stomach, and enough of worrying that he might survive. Now was the time to finish him. He was just above them. He looked back at them throught the rotorblades.
"Cut him to pieces!" Marietta shouted at the pilot, she wanted to use her wand, but could not use that and the searchlight at the same time. Suddenly she saw Harry lift his hands over his head and began rubbing them. She leaned forward. "What's he doing now?"she said retoricly. Suddenly a bright flash filled the sky blinding her and the pilot. "Ahhhhhh!" she screamed. The pilot let go of the controls caustin the helicopter to rise at a diffrent angle. Suddenly Marietta heard a thump, and crack as something hit the window in front of her, and she was sure she saw potters face pressed against it for a split second, the fall away to the side of the helocopter. The chopper then went into a dive towards the forest, looking like it was about to crash, but the pilot regained control at the last critical molment, and put it into a hover. After a molment they rocovered fully their wits, and brought the helicopter to a higher altitude. Marietta moved the small control stick on the box that controlled the searchlight to look for Harry. She could not see him in the sky. She began fixing the beam on the trees below. THe helicopter scour the area looking for him for about twenty minutes. Marietta methodically looking for any signs of life from the air or forest, with the chopper now hovering from place to place at treetop level. Marietta, finally thought she spotted something on a treetop. It looked to be blood on the leaves. "We got him. Harry Potter is dead." she smiled to herself. She turned to the pilot.
"We got him, he couldn't have survived the fall. Lets go home." she said. The pilot glanced back at her.
"Professor Watson wanted proof, the body or something." he said.
"Than he should have brought more wizards, it's too thick to land this thing down there. I saw him crash against the windshield. See the crack?" she said pointing. "I saw him die, and so did you. Or would you like to stay out here until the sky is thick with ministry officials?" she asked. The pilot nodded his understanding.
"Ok, we both saw him die." he agreed. Marietta took one last look below. Calculating the physics of it all. The impact of hitting the chopper, the height from which he fell, the weather, and tempature conditions. He must have been killed on hitting the ground, but even if he had not, he couldn't survive long in this frigid cold. Either way Harry Potter was history. she smiled to herself, as the Bell Jet Ranger made it's way back to base.