Hay guys, I know I'mnthe crappiest person in the world right now so I'm not gunna try and excuse it. I'm so so sorry this took so long but I've had some serious which RRALLY sucks when you know exactly what you need too write but you can't form th3 sentences.
Ths chapter really sucks an I know it does an I'll probably come back too it but it's better than nothing so I hope it's bearable.
Thank you too everyone who read, followed, favorited and especially reviewed! Seriously you guys have kept me sane for these past few weeks ^^
Please keep up the reviews, no limit this time but if you leave some today an don't hate my guts I'll upload the next chappy today or tomorrow since it's only short. =)
"Voldermort has gathered his force's, can you stay here while I go to the tower of Ravenclaw and protect the castle?" Harry asked, a silent plea in his voice that made Rin flush.
"Y-yeah, I can try and help." He offered looking away. He glanced at Shura who smiled encouragingly. "I still can't use my flames or sword but I can still fight."
"Alright. Go and ask the professors where to go, they'll probably have some form of strategy, we'll be back soon, be careful." Harry, Ron and Hermione turned to go their own ways and Rin shouted good luck to them as they left, trotting after Shura to McGonagall for their instructions.
...
Rin watched in a mix of fascination and horror as the army of men, trolls and various other beasts stood only meters away from him with only an invistable magical barrier between them. Of all the things that unerved him, the huge black swarm of coal tars that hung above the army made his throat dry out. As he studied the seemingly endless formation he could pick up on movement here an there. Ghouls of various hosts, niberius, salamanders and an array of other demons dotted the croud. Some of the surrounding death eaters glanced at them nervously while others remained oblivious. Rin's heart picked up speed.
"S-shura...?" He stuttered, eyes wide as he counted hundreds upon hundreds of demons who jittered where they stood, relishing in the pre battle atmosphere.
"I know." Shura's voice came smoothly from his side. "I think you should give as many people as you can a temtate, a scratch should be enough, while the barrier is up. We can't handle all those while protecting everyone else." She said quietly. Rin looked at her questioningly before understanding seeped through his mind and formed a brick in his stomach. He didn't like it but it made sense, atleast if he is a demon he might as well make use of it. Shuna knelt on one leg and began chanting and Rin looked around for a familiar emerald pointed hat and spotted her amongst a group of other teachers and parents, all had their wands pointed at the sky and muttering foreign words. He wwtched for a moment as the occasional spell shot from their wands and formed a rippling barrier that covered the entire castle. Snapping out of his momentary ower, He sought out and tugged nervously on professor McGonagall's sleeve and she turned her half moon specs his way and he lead her away from the bulk of the crowd. When they where away from the majority of the crowd.
"What is it Mr Okumura?" She asked, mirroring the mounting concern that must have been on the half demons face.
"They have demons, lots of them." He said a little breathlessly. "Me an Shura can fight them but they may get in everyone elses way,." She frowned and glanced over her shoulder towards the aproaching army. "You can only see them if you have a temtate." He offered awkwardly, cursing Shura for not explaining this herself. Professor McGonagall turned back to him with a severe expression.
"A temtate?"
"An injury from a demon. Uum, I can... because I'm...Hold out your hand." He said, evading her eyes. She stood still for a moment before extending a wrinkled hand. He willed his index finger nail to grow an, much to his delight, it grew without any discomfort. He made a small, shallow cut accross her palm an she retracted her hand in surprise. "Look." He instructed, head tilted down shamefully. The gasp that escaped her lips was confirmation that it had worked.
"Merlins beard! Are those...?" Rin nodded. "Thank you for...doing that. Can you do that for the others?" Rin nodded again but stayed silent. "No need to look so ashamed, we'd have quite the problem on our plates if we didn't have you here." Rin looked up in surprise. Even more so when he saw McGonagall giving him a kind smile. "Can you do this for others?"
"Y-yeah. We can fight them but if everyone can see them they can evade them." He said helpfully, smiling slightly. The teacher turned and called to the crowd and cleared her throat.
"Everyone! There has been something of a developement." Hundreds of faces turned to her in alarm, once all eyes where on her she continued. "As you are aware, a new species of magical creature has emerged in our midst, however, to see them you must recieve an injury from one of them." She glanced in Rin's direction and winked. "Fortunately, Mr Okumura here is a half demon and can allow us to see this unknown enemy. I would like all of you to que up so you can recieve what is known as a temptate. From what we know they have a high resistance to magic so try to avoid them and allow Professor Smit- Professor Kirigakure and Mr Okumura to deal with them." The crowd eyed Rin curiously and quickly formed a line in front of him eagerly. He averted everyones gave as he moved down the line as quickly as posible, asking each person to hold out their hand and giving them a small nick and tensing a little each time they gasped as they saw the demons for the first time. When he had given everyone a temtate he rejoined Shura who was in the process of summoning her snake demons rom a large circle she had drawn on he floor.
"Sending them to keep tabs on the deatheaters, if they make any moves I need too know about it. Luckily only Snape knows what I look like so I can move freely. The barrier won't hold for very long so be ready." She said between summons. Rin only nodded and looked around in slight our. McGonagall was in the process of animating the statues that lined the grand entrance hall looking a little too pleased with herself. Other teachers where instructing students and some where going over incantations between themselves. Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement from beyone the barrier. Without warning the army of deatheaters and demons started rushing forward, one in particular with a twisted looking smile charging a few paces ahead of the rest. Rin readied homself and alerted Shura but as the approaching man reached the barrier and passed it he dissapeared into vapor like a sand sculpture. The rest of the army halted, staring at the spot where their comrade had vanished. Rin growled slightly and his grip on his bokken tightened as one of the snatchers he saw at the manor stepped forward with a twisted grin and eyed the barrier curiously. After inspecting it for a few moments he stepped back and raised his wand skyward. Light shot from it and hit the barrier with an ear splitting crack and other deatheaters raised their wands and did the same. Fro somewhere in the distance a much larger ball of light rose and flew throguh the sky getting larger and larger as it approached. It hit the barrier with tremendous force and Rin thought his head might split in two. Rin flinched as the noise pounded against his eardrum mercilessly and gritted his teeth. Would the barrier last much longer?
Unfortunately his question was answered very shortly after. He watched in horror as a small tear split the barrier and grew larger from where the bigger ball of light had hit, it sent small flickers of electricity through the barrier and seemed to break into pieces. The colour drained from his face as he watched the barrier melt away much quicker than he would have liked. He wasn't ready to fight, his head was buzzing with everything that had happened that day. It was almost impossible to believe it had only been a few short hours ago that they had broken into Gringotts and escaped on the back of a dragon. He tested his flames again and tried to ignite his hand but he only got the same shooting pain that threaterned to split his skull open as he did earlier. Shura cast him a concerned glance.
"Are you gunna be alright? You look like roadkill ran over twice." She commented, having finished directing her snake familiars and was now standing ready to fight, Kirigakure sword in hand. Rin made a dismissive noise and watched as the last of the barrier fizzled into nothingness and his entire body tensed in anticipation. Ready or not, he watched as the first few soldiers toed over where the barrier stood and, once satisfied it was safe to cross, raised their wands and let out a defending war cry and charged forward.
"GO! Focus the demons. Try an stay nearby." Shura said under her breath as she charged to meet the onslaught of dark witches, wizards and demons. Without time to say anything, Rin took one last calming breath to clear his head and focused on the battle at hand. He charged forward, evading as many of the spells that flow towards him as possible and swung his bokken at the first demon to come within range. He swung with precision, surprising even himself considering he hadn't seen a sword in months and the goblin dissapeared. He spotted a particularly vicious looking thorn covered demon slashing its claws at a student who was caught in a duel with a much older witch. He forced his way through the dueling wizards and swung the bokken with all his might. The demon turned to him and opened its jowls an roared at him, more irritated than injured and it swiped its claws at his face. He ducked out of the way and parried by hitting the demon in the side of its head. It cried out in fury and opened a shallow cut on his arm. Cursing, Rin jabbed his bokken farward into the demons open mouth and forced it out through the back of its throat. It screamed and disintergrated into dust. Rin doubled over to catch his breath, cursing again when some stray spells hit him in the side. He forced his limbs to move and darted towards the next demon. This process repeated for sometime before Rin found himself against a demon he couldn't identify. It looked like an overgrown crab only it had five sets of deadly pincers and was easily three times as tall as the half demon. He disregarded his bokken for a minute, knowing it wouldn't do any good against the demons tough armor and tried to swing at it's eyes with his claws. The huge demon moved with a surprising amount of agility and easily avoided his swipe. It caught his wrist with one of it's pincers and tugged him forward and the bluenette felt nine claws clamp down around his legs, arms and torso. He cried out as they dug into his flesh painfully and he desperately tries to wriggle free. Just when he feels like he might pop the demon releases him and he crumples to the ground. Trying to coordinate his shaking limbs he forces himself to his hands and knees.
"What's wrong little brother? You smell funny." Rin froze at the voice, completely shocked. He slowly raised his head and scrambled back as he came face to face with a disturbingly familliar face.
"A-a-a-a-amaimon!?" He shouted, snatching up his fallen bokken and turning it on the king of earth. Amaimon stood there holding what looked like a heart and next too him lay the dissaparating body of the crab demon, it's shell shattered in one place with black blood oozing from it. Rin felt his temper heat up and he spat, "what are you doing here?" Amaimon stood with his usual emotionless expression and looked around in mild interest.
"Big brother sent me to help you." He said, examining the organ in his hand with a slight frown. Rin stared at the demon in shock, unable to find words. "Big brother was going to send two people but but he said I would suffice. He said I was one of your best teachers for showing you why you should hide your tail." He said absently, fishing a lollypop out of his pocked and popping it in his mouth and looking around in interest. "These people are interesting. Watch out brother." He commented while looking around. Rin glared at him, still utterly bewildered by the newcomer when something hard connected with his side and sent him flying across the battleground and into an enemy wizard. He scrambled to find his footing, punching the scruffy looking man in the face and knocking him out as he did. He whirled around to look at his attacker and cursed. More water demons, great! The octopus-like demon charged straight towards him, awkwardly walking on its barbed tentacles through the crowd. Rin charged towards it, bokken raised, and took a wild swipe at it's head. The bokken met its soft fleshy body and bounced off like nothing had happened. Rin cursed and jumped back as some if its sharp edged tentacles missed his neck my millimetres.
"AMAIMON! If you're working with us then can you do something?!" He shouted, knowing the demon would hear even if he was on the other side of the castle. As he called too the earth king, the squid demon in front of him raised one of its tentacles and shot a jet of water at him. The sheer force of it almost knocked him off his feet but it was the sudden fire that ignited his skin that made him gasp. He quickly shed his sweater and tee and glanced at the blistering skin on his chest an stomach. "Fucking water demons!" He spat as the demon aimed its tentacle at him again for another attack. He momentarily wondered if Voldermort had deliberately recruited water demons becausd of his weakness to water but was distracted from the thought, Before it could do anything a clawed hand came out of nowhere and cleaved the demon in half, as it immediately began to disintegrate. Amaimon stepped out from behind the defeated demon and smirked.
"You're being boring, little brother. Why don't you release your heart?" The demon king taunted, tilting his head too obe side. Rin gritted his teeth and kicked a goblin that tried to bite a chunk out of his leg.
"I can't, there's something wrong with Kurikara, forget it. Just help us fight!" Rin shouted and headed off in another direction. He didn't wait for the demon to answer and ran towards Shura who was fighting a number of human gouls. The stench they emitted turned the half demons stomach but he lept too her side just as she defeated them and dodged a stray spell from a nearby enemy.
"Amaimon is here, Mephisto sent him to help." He said between wheezes and dived in front of Shura as another green spell shot at the redhead and hit Rin in the stomach with the force of a boxers left hook. He groaned an doubled over, seeing the offensive deatheater who looked at him in shock. Shura grabbed his shoulder and pulled him up straight.
"Stop using yerself as a shield! You ain't invincible! I noticed, I thought he was with Voldy but he's been attacking their men. Whatever, 'slong as he ain't fightin us." She said, giving him a stern glare. He tried to reply but couldn't catch his breath enough. "Catch yer breath, you're going back to the castle, yer in no shape to fight." She scolded and created a barrier to block oncoming spells. Rin forced himself upright and held his bokken at the ready.
"I c-can still...fight." he panted, furious with himself for expanding his energy so quickly. If only he could draw his flames, what on earth was wrong with him?
"No yer can't! If you don't go back to the castle I'm activatin the binding and carrying you there!" She yelled, slicing through a salamander that tried to creep under the barrier. Rin was about to protest when a giant troll or something charged towards them holding a gnarled tree trunk as a club. Before he could react the troll swung its club and knocked a number of people, enemies and allies, into the air. Rin flattened himself against the floor to avoid being hit. He willed himself too his feet, his entire body sluggish and not wanting to cooperate, just in time to dive out of the way as the troll swung the trunk overhead and right down on where he had been laying half a second ago with devestating force. For such a big creature this thing could move fast! Rin glanced at his bokken hopelessly and cast it aside. His nails grew in responce too his thoughts and when the troll attacked again, he jumped onto it's huge arm and climbed up to its shoulder. Jumping to give himself more leverage he twisted himself midair and drive his elbow into the trolls head, the troll roared and dropped his club, reaching to grab its head. Rin tried to jump off but a huge leathery hand clamped around his leg and before his mind could process what was going on he was flying through the air at a terrifying speed and his body hit the stone floor with deadly fource. Everything went black.
Shura was immediately engaged by the three wizards who had been firing spells at them from a distance. She immediately erected a barrier with one hand and charged towards them.
"Not so fast big tits." One said with a smirk as he pulled a gun from out of his dirty robes and pointed it at her. Shura raised her sword to deflect the bullets that he shot and deflected them with ease. She came to a stop and ran sideways around the wizards who spread themselves out, the other two drawing out their own guns and taking pot shots at her. They hadn't had much training as their shots where poorly timed and aimed but she still had to deflect some. She came to a stop and bit her thumb, swiped the blood accross her demon sword and uttered the incantation for its snakefang form. She sliced through the air and the ghostly forms of snakes shot from where she had sliced and shot towards the wizards. They scattered and evaded the oncoming attack but other deatheaters and snatchers behind them wheren't so lucky and where launched 30 feet into the air and hit the ground unconcious. Shura took the moment to glance at Rin and her stomach turned as she saw the troll grab his leg and smash him into the ground with a sickening cracking sound and lay still. Shura cursed and sprinted to where he lay, sending a concentrated line of air at the troll with her sword and slicing off its raised arm. The troll screamed and fell backwards clutching its bloodied stump and Shura sent another attack at it, slicing its head off and putting it out of its misery. She turned her attention to Rin's limp form and, without examining him, pucked him up and flung him over her shoulder making sure she didn't knock Kurikara off his shoulder. Satisfied he wouldn't fall off even if she was engaged she turned on her heel and sprinted towards the castle.
She crossed most of the distance before she was faced with a group of cloaked and masked wizards she could only asume too be deatheaters from Voldy's inner circle. They did not engage any of the surrounding witches and wizards and only raised their wands to deflect oncoming spells.
"Hand him over." One of them yelled over the sounds of the ongoing battle. Shura gave a cocky smirk and charged towards them, barrier raised again.
"Like to see you try!" She called almost gleefully. She sent the wall of snakes at them and their spells disintergrated into nothing as they passed through the ghostly figures. Shura kicked a wand out of the nearest deatheaters hand and opened a non fetal cut on the persons chest. She turned to the next one and connected the hilt of her sword with his or her head. Two down three to go. She turned to the next masked figure and immediately raised her sword to deflect bullets that where shot at her and jumped back. Since when did wizards, especially deatheaters, resort to muggle weapons? Slightly annoyed by their double standards she looked down at the bullets and frowned, not bullets, tranquiliser darts. So they where planning on taking some hostages? "An here I thought you guys had a little more class than this. Bit cheap ter be using tranq darts, don't you have spells for that?" She taunted, deflecting more bullets and sending a slash at the remaining deatheaters who narrowly dodged. About to attack again Shura felt Rins limp form shuffle where she held him.
"You Ok kid?" She asked and recieved a painful grunt in reply. "Do you think you can stand?" Rin didn't reply but she slid him off her shoulder and put a supportive hand under his arm until he steadied himself an moved away. He looked terrible. His exposed chest and arms where littered with small cuts and scratches, a number of ugly bruises where blossoming all across his ribcage and there where a number or deep, bloody gorges in his flesh that looked like something large had grabbed him with some kind of claws. One side of his ribs looked misshapen which probably meant he had a number of broken ribs from the trolls attack. The skin across his abdomen was red and blistered like someone had thrown a water balloon full of holy water at him and he was holding his arm on an angle like it had been hurt, maybe something had happened before the battle broke out. He looked in worse shape than his first encounter with Amaimon at Mephyland, a million times worse. He tried to straighten himself from his hunched position but gasped and clutched his side.
"Don't move, stay on guard, they have tranq darts." She said as she turned back to the deatheaters who had regrouped and where holding their wands and guns purposefully. She erected another barrier but this time between the wizards and Rin and flitted too the side, distracting them. She sent another slash at them but ran after it and knocked another one out with the hilt of her sword and turned to to the next deatheater. As she was about to move onto the next witch or wizard someone screamed 'stop' from behind her. She ceased her attack and turned to the owner of the voice and bared her teeth in fury. One of the deatheaters she had knocked out before had regained conciousness and was standing with his gun pointing at Rin who was on his hands and knees infront of him.
"Stand down and drop your sword!" He snarled victoriously, putting a booted foot on Rins back and forcing him into the floor. Shura snarled but put her sword on the floor and put her arms up. She sent a mental call to her snake familiars and hoped they could move quickly enough. The seconds snailed by and her eyes darted from one deatheater to the next, anticipating an attack. Much too her luck, a red spell flashed past her and hit the deatheater bejind Rin squarely in the chest and he slumped to the floor unconcious. She looked at her saviours and chuckled as the tiny charms teacher scooted between dueling wizards and disarmed another as he ran. Shura snatched up her sword and ran him through with Kirigakure and ran towards the half demon.
Rin was in agony, every fiber of his being screamed in protest with even the slightest movement. He tried to push himself up but his arms gave out underneith him and he collapsed face first into the dirt. He sensed a small figure approaching and did the only thing he could, thrashed his tail threterningly as he didn't have the energy to turn and face his attacker.
"Easy child, I'm a teacher." A nasal voice said soothingly and he dropped his tail to his side. The teacher pushed him on his side and he groaned as he leaned on his broken ribs, curling in on himself involuntarily. "Can you stand?" Rin knew he probably couldn't but accepted the tiny mans help. Instead of him offering a hand he stepped back and uttered a spell and Rin felt himself float off the ground and land softly on his feet. His balance swayed but he managed to stay upright and thanked the small teacher who turned to shoot a spell at an aproaching witch. Rin turned to see where Shura was and saw her fighting a niberius that had made its way to them. Two deatheaters where firing shots at her from handguns, the scene puzzled him momentarily but he was snapped out of his thoughts when one of the fired tranq darts hit home and buried itself on Shura's arm. Rin's mouth fell open as shock entered the arc knights face and she collapsed in a heap. With a rush of adrenaline the bluenette darted forward and placed himself between the advancing niberius and deatheaters. He reached for the red bag that luckily hadn't slipped off his shoulder and held it readily, hands shaking. He glanced around for the short teacher who had helped him up and found him engaged in a duel with three witches and a wizard. Rin looked around helplessly and it didn't take long for him to realise nobody would come to help this time. Another large niberius demon had trudged up behind its friend and was pacing towards him, rotting arms outerstretched. The deatheaters held their guns out unmoving p, not feeling the need to advance with their projectiles. Rin wondered why they didn't shoot but didn't have time to ponder. The niberius demons closed most of the distance between them and Rin gripped Kurikara to stop his hands from shaking, unable too shake the dread he felt after all the warnings he had been given. One more step and the niberius would be able to attack him. Taking a deep breath he pulled on Kurikara's sheath and his flames engulfed him.
Amaimon felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, a feeling he only felt around 2 people; father and little brother. He turned his attention from the wizard he was using as a football against the defected demons around him and turned to the source of power that made every one of his demonic senses tingle with excitement. He spotted little brother surrounded by demons and wizards and saw his blue flames finally out to play.
Something was wrong. The azure flames flickered viciously and distorted, little brother stood still for a second and then shivered, writhing where he stood. He collapsed to the ground and his royal flames burst around him and turned black. Amaimon felt something dark stir from little brother, he had smelled off before but he couldn't put his finger on it. He lept from where he stood and bounded towards little brother who had fallen to his hands and knees and was scraping at the floor, crying out like something was eatting him on the inside. The surrounding people had stopped fighting and backed away, standing side by side with their enemies as the half demon thrashed around and writhed, sword in hand. Amaimon closed the distance beteen them and stood in front of the black flame clad exwire and watched him cautiously. The bluenette seized his thrashing a few moments later and got too his feet, head bowed low and breath shallow.
"Little brother?" He called emotionlessly. He frowned when he didn't reply but noted how a growl escaped the younger with each exhale. The dark energy that radiated from the form before him was unsettling even for the hell king. He waited patiently with the crowd who seemed to be holding their breaths until little brother finally found himself. He lifted his head and met his eyes. Amaimon raised a brow at the swirling blackness that met his eyes, little brothers eyes where black, his face a snarling pit of rage and his eyes where completely black, even where they should be white. Without warning he raised his sword which was also covered in the black flames and launched himself at the earth king. Amaimon narrowly dodged the attack and cried out in shock when he followed it up by stabbing him in the shoulder from behind. Amaimon staggered forward and jumped well out of range, halfway caught between excitement at little brothers willingness to fight and slightly worried at how easily he had got the jump on him. He waited for the bluenette to attack again but when he landed he began struggling with himself again, hands clutching either side of his head and screaming, face contorted with pain.
"Brother?" Amaimon was worried now, if anything happened to the half demon, big brother would certainly punish him. He made to approach him but the blienette regained himself and his eyes returned to normal for a split second.
"W-what's...goin...can't... contro...self..." he spoke through his teeth like he was trying to focus on something really hard and his eyes turned black again. He roared like a feral beast and barrelled towards the castle, shoving humans and demons out of his way with ease as he ran. Amaimon sighed and gave chase.
Harry ran towards the room of requirement, as much as he didn't want too he had to push the memory of Ginnys lips against his own to the back of his mind and focus on finding the diedum. He came to the corridor where the enterance to the room of requirement appeared and walked down it quickly thinking 'I need a hiding place where nobody can find' over an over in his head. When he walked past the stretch of wall opposite the tapestry of a wizard teaching trolls ballet for the third time, there the door was. A slight thrill crept up his spine as he checked that nobody was watching and slipped through the door and closed it behind him. The mountains of stuff that had built up as students and possibly teachers came here looking for a safe hiding place since the schools founding days. He walked between the piles of items trying to remember exactly where he had put the potions book belonging to the Snape when he was in school and looked out for the wardrobe he remember seeing when he was looking to hide it. He couldn't believe it, couldn't believe he had held the diedum in his hands not even a year ago, he vividly remember placing an ugly tiara atop of a maniquins head somewhere in this very room. He went further into the jungle of forgotten treasures. After what felt like hours he finally found the cabinet he recalled from his last trip here and he broke out into a light jog, just a little further.
There it was, the maniquin was exactly as he had left it. The scarf still around its neck and the feathered hat on it's head with the ugly tiara with large stones worked into metal sat on top of it. As he closed in on it he felt a dark energy as he walked over to it. He was about to reach up and take it when he heard heard footsteps behind him.
"Well well, what brings you here Potter?" A sneering, all to familiar voice came from behind him. Harry turned around, wand in hand, and hatred bubbled in his stomach upon seeing the blond boys face, not unexpectedly flanked by his cronies Crabbe and Goyle.
"I could ask you the same."
"You have something that's mine. I'd like it back." He said and Harrys grip on the hawthorn wand at his side tightened.
"What's wrong with the wand you have?" He said, if he could keep the small talk up he could buy himself some time to think of a way to distract them.
"It's my mother's. It's powerful, but it's...not the same. Doesn't quite understand me. You know what I mean?" The blonde said, flicking the wand he held pointing at Harrys face.
"Why didn't you tell her? Bellatrix? You knew it was me. You didn't say anything." Harry said tauntingly although he would like a genuine answer. Draco looked troubled, his grip on his mothers wand faltered and he looked like he wanted to say something. Goyle leaned in and whispered something an the doubt dissapeared from his face. As he spoke there was a shuffle of movement from the left and Ron and Hermione came around the corner, wands raised at the young deatheaters who stepped back as they entered the circle. Harry joined their side and raised his wand when Ron shot a disarming charm at them.
"Expelliarmus!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
"Stupefy" they scrambled to avoid each others spells and ducked under the books and bits of furniture that where knocked from their places with the spells. The killing curse cast by Malfoy missed Hermione's face by inches and Ron's face contorted with anger.
"This is my girlfriend, you bloody gits!" He cried as he charged at them and, shocked by the red heads outburst, ran in the opposite direction. With the threat gone, Harry and Hermione started frantically searching for the diedum which had been knocked by one of the spells and thrown into the pile of old items. They start climbing one of the mountains of things desperately searching for the harcrux, luckily it wasn't long before Hermione squeeled in triumph and showed Harry the silver tiara with it's deep blue jewels.
"Got it!" They both scuttled down the mountain of objects and when they saw Ron running with a look of abstract horror on his face towards them., moced a little quicker.
"They've set the bloody place on fire!" He cried as he ran post them and huge raging flames in the shape of a dragons hear sped through the air towards them. Harry and Hermione didn't need telling and ran at full speed towards the enterance after Ron. They kept up their pace until they turned a corner and slowed down. At the end of the row stood a black silhouette. As they got closer and where about to run down Hermione passed the turn off and ran towards the figure and Harry recognised the small boy behind a veil of black flames.
"RIN! We need to get out of here!" She said running towards him. Harry wasn't the only one who saw something was wrong as Ron grasped her hands and stopped her from getting any closer.
"Wait! Something's wrong!" He yelled. Rin stood there, he had his sword unsheathed and his face was caught between pain and rage. From what he could see, the bluenettes irises where jagged around the edges and emitted an unsettling red glow, his mouth was slightly agape showing off his elongated canines and his ears where long and pointed. The tuft of his tail was alight with those black flames, there where two more sprites on his head that gave the image of horns. Apart from his more demonic features, Harry found the multiple injuries that strewed the youngers muscular chest more alarming. As he, Ron and Hermione stood there he seemed to be struggling with himself. He lifted his head and caught sight of them as they approached and his face became fearful. His sword hand tightened to the point where it shook and blood dripped from his other hand as if his clawed fingers had cut into his palms.
"G-get away! S..stay away from me!" He said, voice strained and he backed off clumsily and fell into a pile of books, knocking them in all direcitons. "C-can't...mysel...Run!" He cried out and swung with his sword like something was attacking him. Ron, still holding Hermione's hand, pulled her away from the half demon and started towards their escape route. Harry looked behind him and called to the half demon but he had started after them. Harry wanted to know what was wrong with their new friend but didn't have time as the Feindfyre gained ground on them. Harry glanced over his shoulder as they ran and saw Rin had stopped and turned to face the oncoming fire. He grinded to a halt.
"RIN, YOU CAN'T FACE THAT THING! It'll destroy you!" He shouted. But as he watched, the black flames around Rin stirred and shot out in all directions. He watched in horror as the Fiendfyre met the black flames and to his bewilderment, the bright orange fire roared against the black ines and disintergrated as they entered its field. Rin's black flames grew bigger until they had consumed the firy manifestation of a dragon and reduced it to nothing. The black flames fluckered menacingly and Rin cried out a feral roar and whatever control he had over his flames faltered. Anything and everything that was within his the flames range caught fire and began to smolder and catch alight. Rin struggled with himself clutching his head and writhing where he stood. In the distance Harry saw Draco and his cronies looking at the half demon in a mix of horror and awe, wands held loosely at their sides. Rin suddenly froze and stood straight, the flames around him seemed to thicken and he turned towards Harry and the others. Hermione gasped as he turned and they where met with completely black eyes and an inhuman snarl thay made fear flood Harrys veins. Rin stood still, unmoving and Harry felt like he was routed to the spot. From behind them, Goyle chuckled wickedly and stepped away from Draco who looked at him questioningly, he spoke to Rin as if commanding him and Harry just made out his words before Rin charged towards them.
"The Dark Lord sent us a pet. Get them." He said. Harry was completely mindsweeped by the scene but saw Rin charging towards them with murderous intent on his face and his sword held skillfully, ready to kill.
"RUN!" Harry shouted, copying Rin's warning from earlier and the three sprinted at top speed towards the exit.
"What's wrong with him?" Hermione shouted as they ran, her voice full of horror and concern.
"We'll figure it out later, he'll kill us if we don't get out of here!" Relief washed over them as the entrance came into view, they slammed against the door and flooded out. They turned back to see Rin still charging towards them, leaving a trail of black fire that reduced everything in its path to dust and Harry saw Ron grab the diedum out of Hermione's hands. He bent down and stabbed it with a baselisks fang he pulled from his pocket and threw it into the room, black mist pooling out of it as the harcrux it contained was destroyed. It clattered too the floor and just before the heavy iron doors shut, Harry thouht he saw Rin's eyes shift from black to blue and his face contorted painfully. When the doors shut, Hermione and Ron scooted back but Harry's scar burned with an intensity. In his mind he could see Voldermort, feel his fury as he himself felt another piece of his soul be destroyed. He feels himself collapse against a cool stone wall and slide down as he sees Voldermort looking at his subordinates who look at him with concern and fear.
"Avade Kedavra!" He shouts and a flash of green strikes down one of the nearest deatheaters. As he walks across the the damp forest floor, Harry feels another presence next to him. "Come Nagini, I need to keep you safe." He says in serpentongue. The scene he could see dissapears and Harrys senses return too him. When his vision swims back into focus he sees Ron and Hermione looking down at him, worry clear in their eyes. Harry tried to squint against the after burn of his scar and tried to steady his breath.
"It's the snake. She's the last one. It's the last Horcrux." He said breathily, not ready to try and stand on his jelly-like legs. The two exchanged glances and Ron gave him a serious look.
"Look inside him, Harry. Find out where he is, if you find him, we can find the snake and we can end this!" He said. Harry had to take a second to process if he was serious or not after all these months of them drilling it into him not to use this connection he had the Voldermort but closed his eyes and opened it, reaching out to his thoughts. He got flashes of a very familiar old building that looks like it's a light breeze away from collapsing in on itself. He saw Lucius standing infront of him having a conversation he couldn't make out. The elder Malfoy bowed and turned away and left the shack. He withdrew himself from Voldermorts mind and gasped as he returned to the school hallway.
"I know where he is." He said simply, allowing himself a moments rest and time for the splitting sensation across his forehead to die down. Without warning, the wall to Harrys left crumbled to the floor as if a wrecking ball had been swung at it from the other side and Harry scooted away to avoid the falling rocks. Black flames burst out from the new hole in the wall and out stepped Rin. His eyes flitted over the three who moved away and Harry saw what looked like a deep sadness and an almost apologetic hint in his eyes before he turned away and raced down the hall and out of sight. Harry watched him dissapear around a corner with his head buzzing with questions. He turned to Hermione who looked like she was in half a mind to follow him and met her eyes.
"Would Voldermort be able to control him if he had his demon heart in his wand?" Harry asked. Hermione crossed her arms thoughtfuly.
"Rin's heart is sealed in his sword, it's the source of his power. I don't think he'd be using his flames if he had." She frowned as she tried to think but gave up."we need to be careful, whatever he's done, he can manipulate Rin and he could be even more dangerous than Voldermort." She shook his head helplessly. "We need to go to the Shrieking Shack. Lets go." Ron offered a hand to Harry who took it gratefully and pulled himself too his feet and the three made their way out of the castle to the Whomping Willow.
Rin ran through a dark tunnel. He had been running for a a while now and had moved away from the castle and down into what looked like a deserted village. How he was running he didn't know, his body was on fire such a bad state even if something was driving his body along, and even though he didn't have any control, he could still see through his eyes, still feel every movement. His conciousness was trapped in an unresponsive body and whoever had control had almost made him kill his friends with his own hands. He fought with himself internally, trying desperately to regain possession of his body but it just kept moving on its own, running as if summoned by an unknown force.
He reached a fense and cleared it with a swift leap and ran towards the beyond derelict shack that seemed to stand central within the fenced area. Hwhen he reached the building he entered and walked through to what was probably a livingroom and where non other than Voldermort himself stood.
"Have some respect for your superior, bow. Is it not custom to bow in your homeland?" He asked, looking out a frosted glass window with his back to the half demon. Rin mentally bared his teeth and fought with every fiber of his being against his own body but against his will, he slipped down to one knee and his eyes fell to the floor as his head tilted down. "Good pet, very good. But you still fight me. Rise." Rin straightened and found Voldermort standing a few paces away from him. He fought with himself, feeling his body tremor as he battled against the darkness that infested his being. "Now now, wouldn't want to hurt yoursself anymore. Such a beautiful creature you are, even under my spell you fight." The serpentine featurd man raised a hand and stroked the side of Rin's face. The touch infuriated him, repulsed him and he flinched away. "My my! Even now you still manage to take back some control. What a magnificent creature you are! An I thought your bretherin to be fascinating, those weaker demons that so eagerly accepted my offer to join me on the promise of power." Rin managed to force himself to step back a few paces and open his mouth, the control voldermort had on him held at bay enough for him to speak.
"Y-you...tried t-to... make...me kill...m-my friends.." he panted, his control over himself hanging on by a thread. Voldermort gave a snort of laughter and smiled, displaying jagged teeth.
"And what did your so called friends do? Run! Run like the cowards they truely are! But I shall not abandon you, I shall not let anything harm you." Rin bared his teeth.
"W-what did you...do to m-me?" He hissed, trying to communicate all of his anger and hatred for this man through his glare. The dark wizards slitted eyes lit up with a twisted mockery of delight.
"Aaah, I merely bestowed upon you the highest of honours! You will serve me in body and in heart and in return you will be remembered as the Dark Lords power and vessel! You will be legendary! Every witch, wizard and child will know your name." He raised his arms out like he where delivering a monologue to an enthusiastic audience, smiling gleefully as he spoke. Rin chilled at his words, while the mad man was distracted he put all of his willpower into regaining control. He felt whatever was holding him loosen slightly and he raised the hand holding Kurikara, the black flames that surrounding it completely alien to him. For a brief second, the darkness all but completely lifted and Rin, ignoring all the pain of his battered and bruised body, lunged forwards and swung Kurikara over his head and down towards Voldermort, aiming to split him in half. To his horror, the evil wizard saw it coming, he glided to one side and Rin fell forward, landing painfully on his front. A foot stomped down on his wrist and he cursed. Kurikara was pryed from his fingers and a foot connected with his already broken ribs. He rolled over a few times, screaming out in agony and blood shot up his throat. The control he had over himseld retracted and he lay still, not even enough control to try and slow his wretched breathing which was sending cold shots of agony through his chest.
"Magnificent! You still have the energy, no, the will too fight! Fascinating!" Rin fought to stay conscious, he was mentally and physically exhausted but could do little about the latter. If he allowed his mind too rest he felt he wouldn't be able to regain himself. "We have company. Stand." He commanded. Rin was mentally screaming, even out of his control his body was reaching its limits. It took him a good few minutes to get up and when he stood he could see the approaching figure of Snape, the teacher who Shura had said was working as a double agent. The raven man eyed him up and down wearily, possibly disturbed by his physical appearance. Voldermort was facing away from them again, possibly for dramatic impact and spoke to Snape, acting like Rin wasn't even present.
"I'm, at least to say, a little...dissapointed in the wands power." He announced after a lengthy silance. Snape remained silent while contemplating his answer before;
"You have performed extra-ordinary magic with this wand, My Lord, in the last few hours alone." He said, his tone steady and firm. Voldermort turned towards him, rolling the elder wand Rin remembered Mr. Olivanders mentioning between his fingers, Kurikara in his other hand.
"No! No! I am extra-ordinary. But the wand resists me ." He replied smoothely, fixing Snape with a purposeful stare and pacing accross the room leasurely. Rin wanted to make a grab for Kurikara and take a chance at running but he couldn't find the will or strength in that moment so he waited, hoping he may get soem info he could try and send back to the others if he encountered them again.
"There is no wand more powerful, Ollivander himself has said it. Tonight, when the boy comes. It will not fail you, I am sure ...It answers to you, and you only."
"Does it?" Voldermort asked, his voice silky and lethal.
"My Lord?" Snape asked as the dark wizard paced back to the window at a leasurely pace.
"The wand, does it truly answer to me?" Even Rin could feel the intent behind his words and the tension and uncertainty in the room was so thick you could cut it. "You're a clever man, Severus. Surely you must know...Where does its true loyalty lie? With you..."
"Of course, My Lord."
"The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, because I am not its true master. The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Dumbledore, Severus. While you live, the Elder Wand cannot truly be mine." Rin felt cold terror grip him as realisation dawned on him and even trapped in his mind, felt his eyes widen. "You've been a good and faithful servant, Severus. But only I can live forever." He watched, his mind empty as he watched the dark wizard cross the room in a few short strides and he stood in front of Snape as if sizing him up. The raven man's eyes flashed something unreadable and his next words where pleading.
"My Lord..." Rin watched, petrified in place but calling out in his mind as Voldermort raised Kurikara discreetly at his side and plunged it forward, running the now ex headmaster through the chest, piercing his heart. Snapes eyes widened and he looked down in shock. Blood dripped from the corners of his mouth when Voldermort retracted the sword and plunged it through him once more. When he retracted it again, the black robed teacher dropped to the floor, hopelessly clutching at the stab wounds in his chest, powerless to do more than watch as his lifeblood drained out of him. Voldermort turned away, his face emotionless as he examined Kurikara and watched in mild interest as Snapes blood dripped off it.
"Now the wand is mine. Truely, unquestionably. The most powerful wand in the world, the onlything it is missing is a more," he turned a maniacal grin at Rin as if he had forgotten he was there, "-deserving core." If Rin had been horrified, there wasn't a word too discribe how he felt now. He watched, powerless to do anything as Voldermort wiped his sword clean on his robes and lay the wand on an old, warn dresser like an alter. He uttered a few indistinguishable words and Rin felt something as hard as iron clench inside his chest. He looked down and saw his flames collect in a ball over where his heart was, the organ beating rapidly. Voldermort continued chaniting and whatever was grasping his heart tightened. A small whimper escaped his lips as he curled in on himself. He felt like something was pulli g on his very core, ripping his soul from his body and the feeling only intensified as seconds creeped by. His sight turned white and he could only jist make out Voldermort as a blurry blob and saw flashes as the light reflected off Kurikara's blade from his hands. The sensations came to a climax and Rin felt like he might explode. He tried to reach out to Voldermort, managed to make himself take a step forward and extend an arm towards thw dark wizard. This was what Olivanders had foretold, he was taking his heart to use it as a core for his wand, if he couldn't take back his heart now there would be no recovering from this.
He forceed his barely responsive feet towards Voldermort with a hand reaching out to grab the sword out of his hands. As he inched closer the wizard turned with a malicious sparkle of victory in his eyes and a twisted grin splitting his face. He raised the sword, one hand grasping the handle and one grasping the blade and brought it down towards his slightly raised knee.
Time slowed down for Rin as he realised the wizards intent he lunged forward with his remaining strength. He swung his arms wildly in an attempt to kknock thw word from his grasp but the wizard stepped back, pulling the sword out of his reach and allowed him to slam to the floor. He heared Kurikara break in two and felt like his soul was torn from his body. His world exploded into an endless abyss of pain and his own screaming and he was no longer aware of his surroundings or body.
Harry heared the distinctive sound of metal breaking and had to cover his ears as a strident scream assaulted his ears. He knew what was going on but couldn't do anything too help. He glanced at Hermione next to him who was covering her mouth, her cheeks wet with tears and her hands free hand gripping Ron's, the redheads expression solemn. After minutes the screams died down too nothing and Harry heard Voldermort address his snake.
"Come Nagini. He will come too me when he awakens, if he awakens." He said in serpentongue and the sound of a car backfiring gave them the Ok that they where safe. The prickling in Harrys scar died too a dull throb and he got too his feet. They ran out of their hiding place and Harry looked at the two fallen bodies on the floor. He was about too check on Rin when he heard a gasp from Snapes drumpled and broken form. He met his dark eyes and saw a pleading in his eyes that defused some of his hatred towards thw deatheater and now ex headmaster. He walked towards him cautiously him and noticed a slim, slivery streak slide down his pail skin like a tear. He looks at it for a moment and the penny drops.
"Someone give me a vial, a jar, anything!" He asked sharply to the other two. Hermione passes him one and he pressed ait against the headmasters cheek, collecting the memory in it and pixing the cap in place. He was about to turn away when a hand grabbed his jacket and held him still.
"L-look at me," he whispered, his eyes staring deep into harries, almost like he was seeing someone else. Harry stayed still, bewildered by the request but not wanting to deprave the man of his dying request, he wasn't a monster. The man gave a shuddering breath and his eyes fluttered closed and he remained perfectly and perminantly still. Harry backed off, head buzzing with questions that would most likely never be answered and turned too their fallen comrade. Rin lay disturbingly still, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. Hermione knealt by him with tears streaming from her eyes.
"What do we do?" She asked quietly. Harry felt troubled. If Voldermort truely had seazed control or the half demon, there wouldn't be much they could do against him in a fight.
"W...what if we restrain him? Slow him down a bit?" He said, averting the brunettes eyes. He felt her glare and Rons surprised look. There was silance for a few moments.
"I-it's not a bad idea." Ron seconded and Harry saw Hermione shoot him a venomous glare. "Hay, it's not gunna harm him." He said with a half hearted defensiveness about him. Hermione looked down but raised her wand and conjured thick chains that snaked themselves around the half demons wrists and ankles, she uttered a second spell which made the chaines glow as she reinforced them and retrieved a cushion from one of the faded sofas. She dusted it off as best as she could and, carefully avoiding the half demons tail, slid it under his head. Ron gave her a questioning look and Hermione snapped at him.
"If it wheren't for us asking him to stay after he found the damn sword this wouldn't have haplened!" She snapped half heartedly, her eyes falling too the floor. Harry felt guilt pool in his stomach and he cast a shameful glance at the katana which lay on the floor in two pieces.
"Well we can't do anything now. There's still one Horcrux left, we destroy that and then defeat Voldermort and then we can figure out a way too fix this."
They reached the entrance too the tunnel leading back into the school grounds when a shadowy figure lept out from within, Harry felt a cool hand circle around his throat and he was thrown back and onto the floor. A grunt of surprise from Ron and Hermione tconfirmed all three of them where down. Panicked, Harry fumbled for his wand and aimed it at the attacker who stood above them with such a furious expression Harry faltered.
"What where you doing here?" The man asked, venom dripping from his words.
Soooo...yeah... I'm sosorry this chapter suched so much! I've been too an from Iit for ages but it just REFUSED to come together the way I wanted it too =(
AGAIN THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR REVIEWS! I'M SO SO SORRY FOR MAKING YOU ALL WAIT AND THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT!
No time for reviews but will reply too all the reviews in the next chapter.
C ya later/tomorrow =D