Ch. 13: Capture
Harry was lying in a long, dusty hallway. No light seeped through the walls making it so dark that he couldn't even see the end of his nose. Instinctively Harry reached out to search for his wand. Wrapping his fingers around a wand-like shape to his right, he muttered quietly, "Lumos".
A pure white ball of white form from seemingly nothing into the air lighting the entire hallway. Pleased with the success but utterly confused on where he was, Harry slowly rose wiping the sleep from his eyes. Upon getting a better look of where he was, Harry let out a loud gasp seeing the walls covered in human skulls with snake skin filling in the seems. And to top it off, he was holding a human bone, not a wand.
Quickly dropping the carcass, Harry wiped off his hand on his shirt and looked towards his ball of light. "How was I able to do that without my wand?"
Harry sighed and squashed the tribal thought; he had much more serious things to worry about than the mysterious conjuring of the light. The most important being, where was he.
The hallway was deserted from any other life that he could see, and was indeed made up of human skeletons and snake skin. An odd sensation formed at the back of his head that seemed to tell him he ought to know where he was. Unfortunately the haziness that comes with dreaming clouded his mind enough to fight back the connection.
However, upon looking at his surroundings more, Harry discovered there was another light (albeit small) glowing at what must be the end of the hallway. Harry began to walk towards it with his light leading the way.
As he got closer to it, the small light began to grow bigger and bigger, and soon Harry could hear voices as well. Though these were not ordinary voices, they were only slightly above a whisper (even as Harry got closer to them) and had an accented hiss on the end of the words.
Entranced by the strange voices, Harry's pace towards the light became faster and faster before he was all out sprinting. At that speed he reached the light now the size of a doorway quite quickly, and without hesitation stepped into it.
Harry was first blinded by the instantaneous return of daylight, but adjusted soon enough to it, and barely contained a gasp at what he saw. A room much like the fashion of the hallway and the size of a ball room, stood below him. A grand candle lit chandelier stood above the room and provided the absent daylight into the windowless room. Right below that was a deep trench about the size of a muggle swimming pool filled to the brim with hissing snakes; their chatter invade Harry's head with dark thoughts and pleasures. Surrounding this pit was a large congregation of Desert Ravagers; The Shade.
Their skin and attire was the same as the ones Harry defeated mere months ago except for one. This one, most likely the leader, stood before the hundreds of impatient ravagers covered in luminescent yellow hide that made his eyes glow with even more malleus than the others. The leader was elevated on a pedestal above the others, and had his wand out, which pointed towards a levitating mangled body of a man.
The man looked to be badly beaten, starved, and appeared to be dead. But he wasn't dead, no. His wide eyes, full of fear and longing for the relief of death, are what told Harry he was still among the living.
The hero complex inside Harry tried to take control of the situation, but Harry knew he stood no chance against the hundreds of gathered wizards. Before Harry could debate the idea more with himself the leader began to speak.
"My brotherssss!" he hissed in a language Harry was sure wasn't English.
"Too long we have been dissssmissed by the world! Too long have we waited for our masssster to return! But sssoooon our yearsss of waiting will be rewarded... Now isss the time he will return to ussss!"
This was met by a round of applause and cheers from the Shade. The leader waited for this to quiet down before continuing.
"For our lord to return to usssss, we mussst correctly follow hisss intructionsss he left our ansestorsss long ago... Each step requiressss the taste of blood!"
More cheering erupted and Harry saw the man being held captive begin to silently weep. Also, the leader's blood thirsty look was replaced momentarily by one of annoyance but also fear.
"Though we have met some.. opossssition on the way. We have losssst our own brothersss to the cause, and our opposers have now made ussss their enemiessss! "
"Thisss, man, thissss muggle" he spat the last word out as if we was chewing shit and now spoke in English towards the prisoner. "Would be delighted to share with usss to save hiss own sssskin."
Harry now took a closer look at their prisoner. Behind the dry blood and beaten body, Harry suddenly recognized who it was. Emmitt Scramager; he didn't know him well, but remembered him being a part of the archeological dig site near Abe's tent, and was also one of the survivors of the Desert Ravagers.
"I already told you!" Emmitt screamed now openly crying. "I don't know who you're talking about, nor do I know who you are!"
Sudden guilt bit at Harry's chest. When Abe, Hermione, and himself obliviated the remaining witnesses, they removed all memories of the raid, Abe's tent, and Harry for everyone's safety. He couldn't imagine the torture the man went through in order for his memory to be unlocked.
"You lie!" the leader screamed and performed the Crucio curse on him. His screams filled the entire room and each one broke through Harry's defenses of neutrality, but appeared to have the opposite effect on the ravagers. In fact they seemed to cherish the pain filled screams.
After what seemed like hours but really was a only few seconds, Emmitt moaned two words. Two words and then his twitching body went rigidly still; with a heavy heart Harry knew he was dead.
The death and confession seemed to please the leader, and a thin smile crept onto his pale thin lips. Without a thought he released Emmitt's body from his hold and Harry was forced to watch it fall unceremoniously into the snake pit. It seemed to float on the surface for a few seconds until the snakes overtook his flesh and ate their meal.
Harry had to take a moment to choke down a sob and his dinner before he turned to look back towards the meeting.
Overtaking the noise of the hissing snakes and ripping of flesh, the leader spoke again to his followers. "My friendssss, it seeemmsss our enemy hasss faltered. He trusssted hiss real name to a filthy muggle! But in return for his foolisshneess, we now know who to capture, who to kill, and who to ssacrifice!"
The Shade began to chant in monotone voices (which despite the situation reminded Harry of how the twins sang the Hogwarts school song), "Who to kill, capture, sacrifice! Who to kill, capture, sacrifice!"
The deep moaning of the song brought out an inhumanly primate feeling to the men below, and some seemed to become processed while others fainted under the dark power of the song.
Even Harry couldn't deny the deep feeling of desire erupting inside him from the song. Somehow it had a dark, evil beauty to it he couldn't describe.
The leader was visibly shaking and had his eyes and mouth wide open in the shock. His eyes then rolled over to the back of his head as a dark green glowed in the place of the eye sockets.
"Hissss name." he said in a voice not his own and filled with such power it extinguished all light and sound in the entire room but his own menacing voice and glowing eyes. Ignoring the entranced slaves at his will and disregarding the pit of snakes still devouring the body of Emmitt Scramager, the unnatural force seemed to look directly at Harry.
"Is Harry Potter."
"HARRY POTTER!"
Harry awoke up from his dream with a jolt by the screaming voice of surprisingly Luna. Every occupant of the Burrow's sitting room looked at the reserved Ravenclaw in shock; they all knew Luna wasn't one to scream, much less lose her temper.
Luna took her again dreamy eyes away from Harry's own and shifted her gaze to the rest of the room's inhabitants. "What?" she said in a voice that was not far-away, but very close and concerned.
"Didn't you all see Harry's face? He was dreaming, and it didn't look pleasant." All of the Weasley's and guests at the previous nights party had already awaken and seemed to be either gathering up their things to leave, eating breakfast, or in Ron's case, trying to return to bed. How long had I been sleeping?
"That doesn't mean you have to scream bloody murder, Luna" a yawning Ron muttered (which caused Luna to blush and return to her dreamy stance).
Ginny, ignoring her brother's comment went and knelt by Harry's side. "Is she right, Harry?" She asked concerned. "Where you having a nightmare?"
"Um-no-maybe" Harry stuttered out. He tried to grasp his memories of the dream, but every time he did they seemed to fall from his reach. All he recalled was fear, and blood; so much blood.
"I don't remember, I might have." He finished, resolving to use his Occulmency skills to retrieve the dream later. Ginny nodded in understanding and stood up returning to Neville's embrace.
Harry also moved to get up and realized with a small pain in his chest that a warm presence was missing from his side.
Fleur seemed to notice this and the former Twiwizard competitor smirked saying, "What tiz wrong Harry? Do you mis your sleeing buddi?"
Harry simultaneously blushed and paled causing everyone to laugh (except Ron, who was roused by the gossip but oblivious to exactly what it was).
"Don't be too upset, Harry." Ginny said over her fit of giggles. "HERMIONE just had to leave early; she promised her parents she would spend Boxing Day with them, but told me to tell you that she LOVES her gift and to wish you a Merry Christmas." She finished the last part over dramatizing Hermione's message.
"Hermione-and Harry-sleeping buddies?" a confused Ron said moving his accusing finger from a sheepishly grinning Harry to the rest of the Burrow occupants.
"Not to worry though!" George cheerfully interjected ignoring Ron's quiet pleas. "We took LOTS of Pictures."
-"And I must say they are quite adorable, am I right George?" a familiar voice said behind him.
"Quite so Freddy."
Everyone in the room gasped and rushed to tackled George, who revealed to be holding a medium sized frame with a mischievously grinning Fred inside. Ginny reached him first and screamed his name so loud the tiny Fred yelp in fright and fled for a brief moment before returning.
The Weasley's and Harry's friends all swarmed to talk to the reunited (sort of) twins completely forgetting their previous teasing and concern for Harry's nightmare.
Well, except Ron. He was left on the couch jaw open working through the concept of , "Hermione-and Harry-sleeping buddies?"
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"Back so soon, Harry?"
Harry looked up from Of Might and Grace: The True Interpretation of Dragons to see a visibly tanner mentor grinning at him.
After spending the rest of December and New Year's with the newly returned Tonks' and Teddy, Harry surprisingly longed for the quiet, learning atmosphere of Abe's Layer of Knowledge and Sorcery. Andromeda seemed to sense the form of homesickness from Harry and told him he could return to Egypt if he wished.
At first Harry was reluctant to leave his godson knowing how very little he saw of him anyway, but after about the thousandth game of Teddy's version of Harry Hunt (who was much better at it then an eleven year-old Dudley) and the third feather yanked from a murderous Ariana, Harry agreed cutting his vacation time short would do the most good for everybody. And though he couldn't get her to admit it, Harry secretly thought Andromeda was glad to be rid of him; like his dad, his own presence somehow cause Teddy to break more rules than without it.
So Harry returned a week early from his scheduled time off to continue his studies. He specifically wanted to get a lead in his book from Hermione (he knew if he was ahead, her competiveness would kick in enough for her to get on a broomstick), and wanted a secluded space to recall his dream from Christmas Night.
He had only been in the L.K.S's library for a few hours before he was interrupted by Abe. Harry put down his book and replied, "Sorry if I startled you sir, but I-"
"Missed it here?" Abe finished for him. When he nodded Abe continued. "Yes I'm afraid I did too. It's funny, you hate this room while you're here but when you're away you miss it; that will always be the most mysterious type of magic."
He then looked down and noticed Harry's book. His eyes went wide and he exclaimed, "Merlin's beard where did you get this book!"
Harry summarized Hermione's tale of requiring the book leaving out their agreement. Abe laughed amused and said, "Leave it to Ms. Granger to find a way. She's a delight to teach; truly the Brightest Witch of her age."
He then gingerly picked up the old book examining every crevice. "It's been too many years since I have seen much less read from an original copy of this manuscript; I thought I would go to my grave before seeing one again! Ah well, are you enjoying it so far?"
Harry nodded and responded, "It's very interesting so far. I never knew how intelligent dragons actually were."
It was true; upon reading the book it spoke of the vast knowledge and ancient experience of the dragon race. To Harry they seemed just as if not more intelligent than humans. Explains how the Hungarian Horntail knew my flight patterns in fourth year.
He also learned that dragons were fiercely independent, and only did well in groups during mating season and hatching. But despite these things the first thing Harry learned was to never try and tame a wild dragon or ride on one.
He found both dryly amusing since Hagrid broke the first rule while he and his friends broke the second. Though the book went on to explain in some rare cases people successfully rode on an ignorant dragon, but all cases of where the dragon actually knew a wizard was on its back ended in incineration or worse, their dinner.
Despite the stupidly caused casualties the novel continually enforced the idea of Dragons being normally peaceful creatures. And even though Harry had some initial doubt, the more he learned about the creatures the more he truly did believe the book. Somehow he was brought back to Sirius' advice to him in fifth year; he was right. Everything had good and bad in it, it was just a matter of choosing which to follow.
"Yes-yes they are very bright creatures.." Abe said breaking Harry from his thoughts. "As a naïve little boy I tried to keep a baby dragon as a pet. It went well until he tried to eat my leg once as I was asleep." Harry chuckled at the image of a tiny dragon nibbling on a terrified child's foot.
"Well anyway, since it is still technically our break, I see no need to formally begin our lessons. So is there anything you specifically wanted to work on, Harry?"
Harry suddenly remembered his need to recall his dream. "Actually Abe there is." he started.
"You see I had this dream the night of Christmas. I can't remember exactly what happened, but it seemed important. Is there a way I could use Occlumencey to remember it?"
Abe seemed to ponder his question for a moment before responding, "It depends how much your subconscious has remembered the dream. You see unlike physical memories, dreams don't confine themselves to organization with Occulmencey. They are more like wisps in the wind I'm afraid. That's why we sometimes find ourselves forgetting some but remembering others. But if the dream is truly as important as you think, their may be some hope in that it stuck around."
This was better news than Harry expected, so he was eager to begin the meditative stance to begin. But before he could Abe gave him one final warning. "Don't get too upset if you remember the dream in pieces, that is actually a good sign that the dream is indeed inside your head."
Despite Abe's warning about the dream's parts, Harry still became immensely frustrated by the slow process of connecting back his dream. After two hours of intense meditation he finally remembered a small part of his vision: Harry remembered walking down a skeleton lined hallway and conjuring a ball of light, but nothing more.
Needing a break from his search, he asked his tutor how he was able to conjure the ball without a wand. "Well, we have been working on your wandless magic abilities for situations like this," Abe explained.
"You should also know that wands don't give us our magic, they just give us way to control how it is used. Magical Children perform accidental magic and that's precisely what it is; without a wand it is extremely difficult to tell you core what to do. That doesn't mean it can't be done as you know. I mean you have successfully conjured a small strand of light and summoned your wand this way. My only insight as to why you could create a large ball of light would be that in your dream, you are not held back by the forces of nature you are in the physical world."
After that Abe began to speak mostly about the theory of both magical and muggle properties of Earth that confused Harry more than it explained.
It took the rest of Harry's 'vacation' full of dull Abubakar lectures, migraines, and pestering friends before he finally got enough pieces to complete his puzzle.
Harry handed the jornal in which he kept track of all the things he remembered from the dream to Abe. He read over his pupil's notes carefully, leaving Harry waiting in anticipation.
After recalling enough of the dream, three things became clear to him. 1, The Shade spoke Parseltongue. At first he tried to deny it thinking they were only conversing in their native language of Egyptian, but the more he recalled their speech patterns, the snakes, and their appearance, the more sense it made that they spoke the language of the snakes.
2, Lazaras, their true leader was actually dead. But somehow he was going to return from the dead. Harry didn't doubt he would be unable to do this. After seeing Voldemort being resurrected and learning about horcruxes and deathly hallows, their certainly were was to trick death. No, he accepted that with no question. What really confused him was why now? Surely if their leader could return he would've by now; it had been a thousand years for Merlin's sake!
Lastly, The Ravagers knew he helped save the people, and they were after him. This didn't concern Harry more than it should of. Having evil wizards after him was sadly a daily occurrence for him. He felt more guilt for Emmitt and that he had to die in such a way all while being tortured about something he had no control over.
Before the guilt got the best of Harry, Abe finished reading his reports and said to him, "Are you sure it was Emmitt Scramager who was killed?" Harry solemnly nodded his head before replying, "Positive."
Abe placed his head down as a sign of respect before continuing, "Such a shame, he was a good man."
"Now as sad as that is their are other matters that need to be discussed. The first being that the ravagers were speaking of Lazaras returning from the dead, correct?"
"Yes they were." Harry interjected. "Which I still find a bit strange; I know their are ways you can return from the dead, but why would it take so long for him to do so?"
Abe rubbed his temples before answering, "I'm afraid you're wrong Harry, once you are dead it is impossible to come back. You must be thinking of Voldemort and his horcruxes. He never reached true death you see; at one point or another a part of his soul was always here, but they way The Shade speaks of Lazaras it as if he really is completely dead!
And in this case it cannot be a horcrux or else you would be right Harry, he would have returned much sooner than now. No, I fear an old, dark magic is in play here, and I don't like it one bit."
A silence followed his statement and the tension was at an all time high as each wizard was absorbed in their own thoughts. Harry was spooked by Abe's assumptions. He (next to Dumbledore) was one of the most intelligent and powerful wizards Harry ever knew, and if he was afraid and ignorant to something, it was enough for him to be one edge as well.
"What did you think of my notes about them speaking Parselmouth, professor? Is it possible?" Harry asked hoping to change the subject. "Oh-um- yes, yes it is" Abe replied after a moment, just as eager to leave the sore spot.
"Though it's extremely rare since I doubt all of them were born speakers, as the art is nearly extinct of those in native tongue. It's most likely they were taught, but that would definitely show their dedication. I mean, like other languages it can be learned but it is extremely difficult. If their dedication to the cause is that strong, they're likely to die for it."
This deflated Harry a bit more; like Dumbledore he believed everyone deserved a second chance and was capable of being turned back onto the right path. Suddenly, Harry was hit with a theory.
"Abe, could the ravagers learn to speak better Parseltongue from the snakes?" Abe's eyes light up at the question and he answered enthusiastically, "Of course! Brilliant Harry! But that means they would have needed a native speaker to begin the process, and once he died, a predecessor whose already mastered it could step in and continue helping those with constant help from the snakes! But that must mean-"
"Lazaras was a Parselmouth." Harry finished. Abe nodded his head in confirmation. "But what if the snakes didn't want to cooperate with The Shade? How would they get the information they needed?"
"Well, either they kill the serpents that don't cooperate, or if that number is to big, it is possible for them to enter the snake's mind in a form of Legilimency."
This really drove Harry over the edge. He stood up from his chair not even caring if it hit the ground and yelled, "So these bastards kill innocent people, learn Parseltongue, but kill or invade the minds of those who don't willingly help them!? Certainly theirs a way for the serpents to defend themselves."
Perfectly understanding Harry's outrage Abe calmly said, "Sadly, no. While all creatures contain some magical energy, serpents don't have enough to build up shields. And it's most likely the way the ravagers invade their conscience inexperienced it becomes so painful it drive the animal mad."
Taking deep breaths, Harry tried to control his anger. Yelling about it won't help anyone. "So, since they can- go into- the mind of a creatures, is it possible for anyone to do it?" Harry asked slowly.
"Not everyone" Abe said just as slow, not sure how to approach the topic. "Only someone with a large amount of experience invading or protecting their own mind can even consider doing it. Every mind is different, but the formation of every human mind is the same; the same can't be said for animals. Each species has a different make-up of energy, meaning it will feel foreign to the wizard no matter their experience. It's uncharted territory in magic that's highly dangerous to both the human and creature. But if done correctly, cases have shown a type of mental link forming between the animal and human, almost a familiar of some sorts."
"I want to learn it." Harry said persistent. "I need to understand all of The Shades magic before we have any hope of stopping them, and if I get hurt in the process, so be it. If you refuse to teach me, I'll find someone who will."
Abe sighed and placed his head into his palms. After a minute of silence Harry heard him mumble, "I was afraid you'd say that. And though I highly doubt you will find anyone willing to teach you this, I will guide you in the process. Not today though, you have to master you Legilimency AND Occulmency before we even talk about the theory, understand? Promise me, Harry, that you won't try this until I deem you ready, alright?"
Harry conceded that Abe did have a point; beside him he knew no other who had the same knowledge of ancient magic, and would not find a better teacher nor offer to learn this. It would have to do. "Deal"
"So!" Abe said, his normal cheery exterior back. "It seems that The Shade wants you captured and killed! Not to worry though, Harry! I have the best wizard repellors and wards on the entire continent! No psychotic, Desert Ravagers are going to take my student away so-" He was interrupted by a solid Thump as the walls and floor shook.
"What the -"
Thump
The sound and vibrations slowly go stronger and stronguer until Harry had to hold onto a collum to keep from falling down. He had never experienced a noise or movement like this before. Could it be an earthquake?
Thump Thump
No, definitely not an earthquake, Harry thought while rubbing the spot on his head where a book fell onto it. Then what could it be?
Suddenly, Harry was given an answer. A blood wrenching roar rang through the L.K.S. visibly shaking the entire structure now and causing both Abe and Harry to cover their ears.
Harry had heard this sound before, and it was not a good one. Out of no where the already cracked marble ceiling caved into the room, destroying the weapon and training hall instantaneously. But that wasn't what worried Harry. Right after the stone, a claw the size of the Dursley's SUV reached into the opening, and tore away at the rest of the ceiling.
Too shocked to move, Harry barley registered Abe screaming at him and putting a protective shield around him. Despite the powerful shield dust and small debris still covered Harry's vision, and once it cleared harry found himself looking directly into the eyes of a dragon.
It was by far the largest dragon he had ever seen, and its hide glowed a red that looked like shining rubies. Its claws and ten foot fangs were pearly white and the spikes along the dragon's head, back and tail were as sharp as a knife. But Harry didn't notice these things; all he saw was the pair of glowing blue eyes.
Suddenly he seemed to process the enormity of the situation, and Harry dived to the right in search for his wand. The beast took that as the first attack and began to pounce into the small library nook in which Harry was located. Meanwhile Abe began to fire all of the dragon warding spells he knew, but all of them ended in vein as long as they missed the eyes.
For a second, the creature became annoyed at the old wizard badgering at his side, and with a quick bash with its tail, he was thrown across the room, out cold.
"ABE!" Harry screamed in desperation. Not another life was going to be lost because of him. With his wand now back in his hand, Harry turned around at an inhuman speed and screamed, "REDUCTO!"
The spell hit its match and raced into the dragon's outstretched mouth. Harry waited in anticipation for the effect, but this distraction gave the beast an edge and with a thrust of its head, the dragon knocked Harry into the nearest column unconscious.
Once the creature was left alone in the room, it let out an anguish cry and seemed to fight against an invisible force, as it eyes repeatedly went from glowing to dull. For a moment it seemed the dragon would prevail, but alas, the puppet master regained control.
Under the command of its master, the dragon tentatively grabbed up the two humans with its front leg, and the limp forms obediently obliged. Mechanically, the dragon began to climb back out of the now gaping hole in the roof, but then turned around with one last thing to attend to. With a reluctant roar the dragon prepared to release fire unto the entire tent, (as was its orders) but nothing came out.
Confused, the dragon and puppet master tried again; still nothing. Suddenly the eyes of the beast returned to normal and with a cry full of pain and agony, the creature realized the truth. It could no longer breathe fire.
This did little to disturb the masters final plan, so after a second of the dragon regaining control of itself, the master conquered once more, and set the dragon, flying south.
They got what they needed.
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AHHHHHHHHHH OMG such a good chapter! At least I think so. Definitely the longest. Hehehe Harry can't keep himself out of trouble can he? As always, Comment, favorite, and follow!