Chapter 13: Ancient History
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter and am in no way associated with J K Rowling or Warner Brothers.
A/N: Thanks again alix33 for the reviews and corrections they have been corrected. If anyone finds a grammar or spelling mistake please don't hesitate to let me know.
Silence. There was no sound but for a howling wind blowing.
That was the first thing they noticed when they arrived at their destination. Looming up out of the mountain was a rocky building that appeared to have been carved out of the mountain. The entrance looked to be big enough for even a dragon to fit through and had it's doors blown in. It was then that Amelia realized that Erfolg and Amber weren't looking at the building but behind them, neither speaking a word, but both had tears falling down their cheeks. Both had their heads bowed in sadness. Turning round she gasped at the heart wrenching sight before her, making the others turn and gasp as well. Skeletons from all manner of species littered the ground, draconic, human, centaur, demonic, and hundreds more littered the shattered landscape before her. Craters littered the landscape before them. Weapons lay bent and broken on the ground next to their fallen owners.
"What happened here?" Amelia asked.
"This was where the last battle against demons took place less than two thousand years ago. That building behind us was the fortress of Skyreach where the defenders of this world put up one last stand against the demonic legions and drove them off of this world." Erfolg said sadly, "This is the place where millions met there end at the hands of countless demons."
There wasn't a single dragon or human that didn't have tears in their eyes now.
"And now we have found out that they have already established a foothold going back at least half a millennia." Amber said each of them wrapping an arm around the other to give each other the support the two dragons needed. It was devastating to both at seeing the devastation reaped by the demons first hand they had only had described to them by Amber's parents who had visited the place year after year to pay respects to the fallen of the past.
"What do you mean?" Amelia asked.
"The dementors and goblins." Erfolg replied sitting down on a step with Amber.
"What do you mean?" Amelia asked.
"The centaurs have made a pretty good case against the goblins. There is the fact that they have been out for dragons, the guardians of this world, and the fact that they started appearing just a few days after the last demonic invasion, if the records are correct." Amber explained, "The dementors are demonic beings that have been seen aiding demonic forces for eons.
"There were rumors that the goblins were working with Voldemort and his death eaters." Sirius said, "But if what you are saying is true, is it possible Voldemort was working for the goblins?"
"That pretty much sums up our theory." Daphne said.
"Well, do you have any proof of this invasion?" Amelia asked, "As much as I hate this and think it's disrespectful, the fact of the matter is that the ministry wouldn't accept this."
"There is a device that recorded this inside the fortress." Amber said, "It's main purpose was for preparing the next generation for the next demonic invasion."
They began ascending the steps towards the massive entrance of the fortress. They followed Amber and Erfolg down the steps to the back where a box containing vials of memories was held next to a massive projector. Amber and Erfolg used their draconic magic to check that the memories had not fallen to decay over the years. Their sigh of relief signaled that everything was okay with the memories.
"Everything is in order." Erfolg said shrinking the box and projector down and hiding it under a panel in the floor, sealing it with his fire.
"Alright." Amelia and Sirius said as they headed back up to the entrance. Neither could quite hide the shiver that went down their backs when they saw the shattered landscape again.
With that Amber apparated them back to the forbidden forest just outside the centaur camp.
"We need to meet with the centaurs before we head into the castle." Erfolg said heading towards the centaur camp, "They have as much a right to see this as any of us, after we meet with them we need to bring them and the minister to Skyreach to view the memories. However, this needs to be his eyes only! This can not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands!"
"Agreed." Daphne said, "This is too important."
"Erfolg you're back, and who are these?" Ronan asked.
"Ronan, meet Amelia Bones, head of the DMLE, and Sirius Black, my draconic godfather." Erfolg said.
"We come with an offering to see memories of the Battle of Skyreach." Tracey said somberly.
Ronan nodded and motioned for them to continue.
"We plan on showing them to the minister of magic and to you." Erfolg said, "I would bring everyone from your camp but unfortunately to do this cleanly we have to take the minister without him knowing. If he is greeted with a load of centaurs his mood is likely to be very aggressive towards us all which is not what is needed."
Ronan nodded somberly. "While I don't like it, I have to agree with you. This is more important than petty pride."
Erfolg then apparated them all to Skyreach. While amber set up anti-transportation wards, Erfolg quickly apparated to the minister's office, grabbed the minister before he could react, and went straight back to Skyreach.
"Where in the name of Merlin am I!" the Minister blustered, brandishing his wand, only for Erfolg to confiscate it.
"Minister, we have memories that you need to see immediately." Erfolg said, "I apologize for grabbing you so suddenly, but the nature of these memories demands it. To answer your question you are at the fortress of Skyreach"
The minister started to yell at Erfolg when he was slapped on the cheek by Amber, who was in no mood to accept the minister's attitude.
"Minister, I will not allow this yelling here! It is highly disrespectful!" Amber said steely, "Look behind you!"
The minister did, gasped, and took a step back.
"You are disrespecting all those that fell here in defense of this planet!" Amber said.
"Defense of the planet?" the minister asked confused.
"Follow us and you will see first hand, along with the rest of us, the events that took place here a little more than two thousand years ago." Erfolg said.
With little choice in the matter the minister followed everyone into the fortress.
When they reached the place where Erfolg had hid the projector and memories he retrieved them and led the way to the left to a massive room in the shape of a hemisphere. Setting the projector down he filled the memories into the container on the side and pressed the button marked play.
They found themselves being lifted up and into the projector to view the memories.
They found themselves in the same massive room, but a little over two millennia ago. The walls were no longer showing the stone that they were made of but showing the events happening outside. Sirius, Amelia, Daphne, Tracey, Minerva started to realise that this had served not only as fortress but as a sanctuary to all those who stood against the demons, regardless of species or class, everyone was here to defend their world. There was not a single being not ready to answer the call to defend their world. Those who were too old or too young were huddled on the edge of the room, tears falling freely.
There were dragons casting their fire into a domed shield encompassing the entire fortress. There were demons attempting to get through the barrier but they were being disintegrated by the intense heat.
"How long can you hold them off for?" a centaur asked, sword in hand.
"A few minutes at the most." One of the dragons said.
It was then that a massive demon appeared out of a massive gateway. It had to be as tall as a watchtower. It immediately started towards the fortress. It seemed immune to the heat being thrown at it. It wielded a massive sword beset with thousands of runes, each glowing with green fire. It then began stabbing the shield attempting to get through. Massive molten rocks of green fire began raining down from the sky tearing holes and exploding against the now faltering shield.
As the shield fell the defenders swarmed out wielding fire, magic, and weapons that could cut through the toughest armor. Atop the fortress archers were raining arrows down upon the demons below. The bulk of the demons forces were coming through massive gateways erected from the ground. Most of the defending forces were attempting to attack the massive demon. Most didn't even get the chance. It swatted dragons out of the sky freezing them entirely and turning them into deadly projectiles against their own forces, killing the dragons and crushing those unfortunate enough to be trapped beneath. Many that weren't crushed on the ground were impaled by the deadly blade the demon wielded. Eventually it started succumbing to the constant bombardment of claw, sword, and arrow. Just as the demons kept pouring out of the gateways, so to did the defenders pour out of the fortress.
Eventually it was its great size that lead to its downfall. One brave dragon flew in at great speed smashing into the demon knocking it down where several swords punctured its head to the hilt. The demon wasn't done with its wrath however. In a final act it cast all of its demonic energies outward in a massive explosion, consuming demon and defender alike.
As the defenders pushed the demons back and killed any left standing, the dragons, Amelia, Sirius, and the minister looked round at the devastation left behind by the demons. Suddenly the imp like demons turned into what they knew as goblins. Their sickly green skin turning white. Black horns retracting Into their heads.
The memory then ended and they awoke to be standing around the projector.
"So minister, do you think this sort of information is the sort that if the location was leaked out to the wrong individuals that it wouldn't matter?" Amber asked.
The minister didn't trust his voice at the moment so just shook his head.
"Minister, we have to stop the goblins and their allies from destroying our world." Amber said solemnly, "If they succeed there won't be anything left except for rubble in space, as they have done to other planets."
"How?" the minister asked.
"We assault Gringotts in seven days, an hour before first light.." Erfolg's explained, "We combine forces with your aurors, and the centaurs. We will apparate just outside of Gringotts."
"What about people doing early morning shopping?" the minister asked.
"We can close the alley for the day to stop civilian casualties." Daphne said, "Anyone who raised a wand at us would have to be treated as an enemy combatant."
The minister nodded. He was only just now wrapping his head around how big of a threat the goblins were. There was just one thing that didn't make sense. "Why seven days?" The minister asked confused.
"Planning and training for our new dragons who will want to be there with the rest of us." Amber said.
"I'll head back to the office and start working on assault scenarios for next Saturday." Amelia said turning to leave.
"Amelia, could you hold on a moment please?" Erfolg asked, "We need to speak to you and Sirius in private. Minister if you start planning on a way to break the news that Diagon Alley will be closing next Saturday. One last thing, don't tell anyone who you even have an inkling of suspicion of them being, past or present, death eaters. We have reason to believe that they are working with the goblins."
Erfolg then waved his hand over the minister's head, a pale blue mist passing from his hand and into his head.
"That will seal the memories of anything that we discuss now, or in the future." Erfolg explained, "Not even mind reading or truth potion could find those memories."
The minister nodded curtly in thanks and apparated back to the ministry.
"I will ready the rest of the heard." Ronan said before apparating out.
"What if the minister has ulterior motives?" Amelia asked.
Erfolg laughed, "He would have collapsed unconscious if he did."
"Erfolg, what do you need to talk to me and Amelia about?" Sirius asked.
"We need to know just how close you two were and are." Amber said.
"We were going out together while the war was still raging." Sirius said looking at Amelia affectionately who returned the looks with a smile.
"So it's fair to say that you are pretty close to each other?" Amber asked.
"Yes and you aren't leaving me or Remus out of this attack!" Sirius said forcefully, "I was a dragon friend at your age."
"We weren't going to Sirius." Amber said gently, "Amelia, due to our dragon bond we could tell this already, we have an offer to make the three of you. Please bear in mind that you don't have to take us up on our, but it will make assaulting the bank much easier. It will also make it much easier to get away from everything if you ever need to. The ritual we are proposing turns you into dragons. The only side effect is that you lose your animagus animal."
"Would anything happen to Remus?" Sirius asked, "He is a werewolf."
"The only side effect is that he won't transfer anymore." Erfolg said.
"Well I know Remus would do it just for that, but we should still give him the chance." Sirius said elated.
"What about you two?" Minerva asked.
The two of them went and had a quiet talk together. When they returned there were smiles on their faces.
"We'll do it." they said together.
"Where does Remus live?" Erfolg asked.
"He would probably still be living in that cottage on that island." Sirius said, "He tries to cut himself away from society to prevent himself spreading the disease."
"Can you apparate us there?" Erfolg asked.
"As long as you are all connected to me." Sirius said.
With that they vanished.
They reappeared on a rocky coast. There was a storm up above whipping the waves up into a frenzy, crashing against the rocks. This was not what concerned everyone. The sole cottage up ahead had signs of forced entry. The door was smashed in, holes ripped out in several places.
"Stay low and approach carefully." Erfolg whispered.
Everyone understood that this was not a time for rushing.
They made it to the cottage unhindered. Spreading around the cottage they found several goblin corpses.
"It's all clear." Amelia announced.
"Look, over here!" Amber yelled pointing to a tape inside a recorder, "Whoever did this obviously wasn't familiar with technology."
She rewound the tape and pressed the play button.
The hushed voice of Remus Lupin sounded from the speaker.
"Goblins have come and are attacking with demonic fire and swords. Don't know how long I can hold out. If I am not here then I have likely been taken hostage."
A/N: Next chapter will see the results of this unfold. Hope you enjoyed it.