The duel, from Tom's POV
Tom's POV
For the rest of the day, Tom, Dolohov, and Black were all asked multiple times what had happened to Abraxas. Each and every time they gave the same exact answer; he was hit by a stray spell from an unofficial duel and would be fine by dinner.
Although the excuse wasn't the best one, it was much better than saying, "Oh, Abraxas passed out because he was lifted high into the air and dropped by the new fourth year Peverell." Sure, either explanation would be embarrassing for Abraxas, but Tom figured it would give the blond some incentive to get even with Peverell.
As soon as dinner finished, Tom called a meeting for the Knights of Walpurgis in their usual abandoned classroom.
Everyone arrived, including Abraxas, though he looked somewhat out of sorts, not that anyone could truly blame him.
"Black, over the summer, you should have been able to gather some books for us, yes?" Tom asked from his place at the head of the table, staring over at Orion who nodded and began to pull several books from his bag.
"Yes, tons of books on old rituals, darker magics, and traditions that are no longer allowed because they're been deemed dark." Orion stated proudly as he gathered about seven books and floated them over in front of Tom.
Tom gazed at several titles the books had.
Vetus Traditional Ritualia (Old Traditional Rituals) (translated by Sirius Black II), a book on old traditional rituals of the magical community before Christianity became popular. It was originally written in Latin, but Sirius Black II had managed to translate it to English.
Theories on Dark, Gray, and Light Magic, a book about what made a wizard light, gray, or dark.
A Collection of Excerpts About Dark Magic, a book that included small bits of other books on dark magic and spells as well as its sources.
Pagan Traditional Holidays, a book about old traditions within the magic community and how to celebrate them and how old muggle communities also celebrated them.
Traditions of Samhain, a book about Samhain and its history.
Rituals of a Darker Nature, a book about darker rituals and how to do them.
Runes and their Uses in Old Rituals, a book with a self explanatory title.
Tom's brows arched upwards, showing how impressed he was with the books. With a quick geminio, he copied each of the books, keeping the original- as per his agreement with Black- and handing the copies to Orion.
"Make sure you all read these, we'll be starting with Vetus Traditional Ritualia and discuss it next Monday." Tom said as he placed the books into his own bag. He was especially excited to read the collection of Dark Magic and would read it on his own time. For now he wanted to familiarize himself with the old rituals his followers always talked about. He was familiar with Pagan Holidays, but he wasn't too sure how they worked in the magical community. All he knew was some brief words about each Pagan holiday in relation to how the muggle druids used to celebrate said holidays.
"I have a question." Abraxas suddenly spoke up, causing Tom to look up from his place at the table.
"Ask."
"What should be done about Peverell?" Abraxas practically hissed out Peverell's last name to the point Tom almost thought the blond was about to begin speaking in Parseltongue.
"I already tried what I wanted to try, do as you please." Tom shrugged in response.
"Then I'm going to challenge him to a duel on Friday, at least if anything happens to him he can get to classes by Monday. That's the only relief I'm allowing him at this point. He deserves to pay." Abraxas grunted and Tom merely nodded in response before going back to listening to a few of his other followers.
The chatter lasted a while until it was about time for curfew, and all of them left the abandoned classroom they used as their meeting place and headed back to the Slytherin common room.
For the next few days, Tom could practically see how tense Peverell was. Abraxas made no move to jinx or hex Peverell, but other Slytherins who caught onto the tenseness between Tom's group and Peverell made sure to jinx or hex the green eyed boy at any chance they got.
Finally Friday arrived, and the day felt especially slow for Tom.
Once dinner was done, everyone headed into the common room where Abraxas challenged Peverell and Peverell accepted the duel.
Like usual, when it came to any of his people challenging a duel, Tom stepped up to oversee the duel.
"Seeing as I am unsure if Peverell has ever taken part in a formal duel, I will explain the rules. You will both bow, then take ten paces away from each other in your accepted battle position, from there, I will count to three, and on three, you both may begin your duel. Will either of you accept a second?" Tom explained the rules loud enough for the entire room to hear, so no one- namely Peverell- could say that they didn't hear the rules.
"None, and you, Peverell?" Abraxas bit out with a scowl.
"I won't pick anyone." Peverell stated lazily.
"And any limits to be added?" Tom asked as he stood in front of Abraxas and Peverell who stood in front of him, getting ready for the beginning of the duel.
"No killing, no obvious marks left on either person." Peverell added with a frown. Tom wanted to roll his eyes, but he had more decorum than that and refrained. Adding something like that was useless in Hogwarts as any "to the death" duels could not be held on Hogwarts grounds.
"As if that needed to be said, Peverell. I will not add any other limits."
"Then you two may begin." Tom stepped back behind the wards and watched carefully, his gaze expectant as he stared at Peverell. He wanted to see just how amazing Peverell might be, and if he wasn't, then at least Peverell had the power to be taught to be an amazing dueler. Somehow, though, Tom felt that he wouldn't be disappointed.
Tom noted that Abraxas didn't bow deeply, showing that the blond really didn't respect Peverell, and Peverell, in turn, merely bowed his head, showing just how much he didn't respect Malfoy. No doubt Tom would be hearing Abraxas complain about Peverell's disrespect later.
Tom noted how Harry seemed a little too leisurely for someone who was about to duel. He looked more like he was participating in Charms class than getting ready to duel someone. Abraxas' accepted battle position was as flashy as the boy was himself, which wasn't at all a surprise.
"Begin on three." Tom started.
"One."
"Two."
"Three." As soon as Tom finished speaking, Abraxas was quick to begin spouting out spells.
Peverell seemed to only have up a shield, but with Tom's precise eye he could see that the "shield" he had up was layered with many other shields, something Tom had only seen Professor Merrythought do during Defense Against the Dark Arts, and just like Merrythought, it seemed Peverell did this shield layering unconsciously.
Two somewhat dull minutes passed that mostly consisted of Abraxas shouting a spell and it being bounced off by Peverell's shield(s).
"So, is this what you did while you watched your parents get tortured? Just set up a shield while you watched them di-"
Abraxas didn't get to finish his words, because before he could finish he let out a pained hiss. It was then that Tom noticed Harry had dropped his shield(s) and had his wand pointed at Abraxas, the green eyed boy's face was pulled into an irritated expression and his cheeks were flushed.
This was the first time Tom had seen Peverell show an expression other than boredom, slight irritation, or amusement. Though his expression wasn't obvious, Tom figured the shorter boy was probably actually angry.
"Aculeo*!" Abraxas shouted the incantation for the stinging jinx and Peverell seemed to let it hit him, or at least Tom assumed he did, but rather than showing any reaction, Peverell's face remained the same. It seemed that the green eyed boy didn't feel it at all.
This apparently pissed Abraxas off, because before much time passed, Abraxas cried out, "Crucio!"
Tom, for a brief moment, was angry at Abraxas' audacity. While no one in Slytherin would tell any teachers about Abraxas casting such a spell, it didn't mean that Peverell wouldn't and if Peverell reported Abraxas to a teacher, then the punishment would be something neither Abraxas nor Tom himself could afford.
For the first time, other than the anger from moments ago, Peverell's face actually did change. It wasn't a cry or a scream of pain, but instead he winced.
Peverell winced after being hit by a crucio.
He only winced .
Tom's mind whirred for a few moments. How much pain had Peverell gone through to be able to only wince when hit with the cruciatus curse? Why had he been in such pain? Better yet, would Tom ever get close enough to figure out what kind of pain Peverell had been in?
Tom broke from his questions when he noticed that Peverell was hit by the imperius curse and something changed about Peverell.
First, Peverell's face seemed to drain of all blood, then his face flushed brightly and instead of looking mildly irritated, the green eyed boy looked livid.
After Peverell rolled out of the way of Abraxas' next spell, the room suddenly became cold.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Tom felt his breath hitch in his throat as he heard the echoing of bombs and felt the room shake around him. He could feel the cold sweat dripping down his chest, neck, and face as he looked at Peverell- Hieronymus- in awe.
Such cold, dark magic and it felt like death. In fact, Tom was certain he could see an apparition that looked like one would assume the Grim Reaper to look like hanging over Hieronymus.
Tom actually felt fear, but at the same time he couldn't put away the awe he felt.
His gaze briefly landed on Abraxas and could see he was fairing far worse than anyone else in the room. The blond's breath was coming out in visible puffs, and his breathing was short and ragged. In fact, Tom was certain he could see ice crystals forming on Abraxas' eyelashes and eyebrows.
Tom looked back towards Hieronymus and was pleased to see the gleeful leer the green eyed boy was shooting Abraxas.
Then Tom looked back towards Abraxas who had fallen into a lump on the floor.
"Hieronymus Silas Peverell has won this duel." Tom called out, with some difficulty, as the wards dropped and that Death-like magic finally disappeared.
Tom stared after Hieronymus with a pleased stare, watching as the shorter boy stormed out of the common room and left to Merlin knows where.
"I assume everyone knows that what happened here does not need to be told to anyone outside of this room, right?" Tom asked amongst the scared and amazed audience for Hieronymus' and Abraxas' duel.
There was a chorus of agreement from everyone while Tom and his followers floated Abraxas up to his bed in Tom's dorm.
"What was that?" Orion asked with some trepidation. None of Tom's followers, including Tom himself, had ever felt or seen magic like that before.
"Is Abraxas okay?" Lestrange was the next one to speak up, worry evident on his face.
"He has just passed out. Rennervate." Tom pointed his wand at Abraxas and watched as the blond groggily woke up.
"Abraxas, you lost the duel, but I have a question. What did Hier-Peverell's magic feel like?" Tom asked as he watched Abraxas slowly sit up and groan.
"Cold, so cold. Felt… Felt like I was drowning on air." Abraxas rasped out and lifted a hand to his throat and let out a soft hiss.
"Be careful, you scratched your throat up pretty bad. Here." Adrian Avery was quick to get Abraxas a bottle of water and fished around in his bag for something. Finally he pulled out a small vial of Dittany.
"Put this on your throat as well, it'll feel better." Adrian added as he stuffed the vial into Abraxas' free hand.
"Here, let me help you." Orion sighed as he opened the vial and began to rub it on Abraxas' throat where there were many red lines caused by the blond's fingernails.
Tom had gone quiet as he thought about what Abraxas had said.
He knew plenty about his followers, he also knew that Abraxas had a fear of drowning after an incident when he was younger.
When he felt Hieronymus' magic, he heard the bombs from the muggle war. When Abraxas was hit directly with Hieronymus' magic, he said it was cold and it felt like he was drowning.
"Who else was close to the duel, what did you feel, smell, or hear when Peverell released his magic?" Tom looked towards his other followers.
"I smelled metal." Adrian Avery responded quietly.
"I… Uhm… I heard a lot of bugs buzzing..?" Renatus Lestrange added, somewhat unsure with his tone.
"I heard my father yelling at me." Leon Mulciber stated so quietly it was almost a whisper.
"I smelled smoke." Dominic Rosier mumbled out just loud enough for Tom to hear him.
"I heard a wolf howling." Antonin Dolohov sighed out, and Tom figured he caught onto what Tom had realized himself.
"I heard my mum and dad calling me a failure…" Orion Black sighed as he stated this, avoiding everyone's eye contact.
Tom realized, quite quickly, that those closest enough to feel Hieronymus' magic were also faced with a hint towards their fears.
Tom knew he feared dying, the bombs were his hint.
Adrian Avery feared blood- something Tom was slowly working on with the boy.
Renatus Lestrange feared bugs, yet another fear Tom was working on with him.
Leon Mulciber feared his father's anger.
Dominic Rosier feared fire, and from the story Tom had been told, it had happened when he was on vacation and witnessed one of Grindelwald's followers release a fiendfyre.
Antonin Dolohov had a fear of werewolves ever since he witnessed one transforming when he was younger and he only managed to escape because his father had been there to stun the wolf for them to escape.
Orion Black feared being a failure.
For some reason, Hieronymus' magic both felt like death and made those closest relive their fear in one way or another.
As for why or how this happened, Tom was going to find out as soon as possible.
A/N; *So I realized the stinging hex never had any incantation so I legit just looked up latin for sting and that's what popped up, so... Aculeo is now the incantation for the stinging hex. ¯\_( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_/¯
Sorry again about the shortness, anyway, here's Tom's POV.
Any of you notice the name change from Peverell to Hieronymus? 👀