Prisoner of Azkaban
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Confrontations, pt2
Reseembool
Amestris
Elric House
He just needed to slip inside, look over the children and find Harry. It shouldn't be too hard, all afternoon he had heard yelling and laughter inside. While it was quieter than he had heard it so far there was whoever played the music well so it was entirely possible the kids would all be listening now.
Edward called the Mansion to speak briefly with Severus Snape. He and Remus Lupin as well as Alphonse all spoke to him about his plan, Al voiced his concerns and insisted the other two wizards join Edward. "It would be a terrible idea to include Severus at this juncture, we still want to persuade him to aide us in the pursuit of whatever it is you are doing to stop You Know Who." Remus argued, before sighing heavily. "I agree to a point though, I should come. Perhaps he will listen to be after all."
"He's already decided you were against him, Remus. By all means though, go help Elric. He needs a magic user with him when this happens. I will remain here to help guard Yuery, once Black realizes the child isn't there, he is likely to come here if you can't capture him." Severus argued, Al groaning in the background. "I believe your brother may want a word in private."
"Brother, I know your argument already, but I'm coming with Remus. Mei is here along with Dad and the other alchemists and Severus. I'm more of a use there." Al rushed out as soon as he took the phone.
"Without alchemy or magic he could also use you against me." Ed frowned as he thought, his brother was still a skilled fighter, more so than some of the guards he would assume, "Fine you get to explain it to your wife though, I'm not gonna."
There was a near silent sound from the front of the house as someone opened the door before the conversation could continue. Ed listened for a moment, over the music and banging from the playroom next to the office before he whispered into the phone "I believe our uninvited guest has taken the bait." He then hung up before his brother could respond and listened at the door as he heard the floorboard in the hall squeak. Everyone knew to step over the spot, it had been placed specifically to catch out any break ins.
Sirius had found breaking in surprisingly easy, he could hear a great deal of noise coming from the back of the house where music was playing. He slipped silently across the great room before entering a short hallway, where he stepped on what sounded like a bad floorboard. Cursing quietly to himself he froze to listen. On the right music sounded louder than ever this close; on the left a man was speaking softly, no one seemed to have heard the sound.
He walked swiftly, though carefully down the short hall, wand in hand as he searched for further loose boards. Finding none, he assumed the board was nothing to concern himself with as he listened for the man's voice. He no longer heard a voice, but there was the sound of shuffling paper, so he was likely to remain busy for a while.
Sirius considered confronting him first, but without knowing exactly who and how many were on the other side of the door it was wiser to just try to snatch Harry and confront these people once he had Harry safely away from them. Sirius readjusted his grip on his wand as he reached for the door when he heard a loud 'pop' just outside. He knew the sound; a wizard or witch had just arrived. He needed to hurry then.
Sirius crept into the room where the music was playing as he heard the back door open softly. On the other side of the door, he entered was a large room filled with toys, books, and musical instruments including a piano. On a table near the door stood a record player where the music originated. No one was in the room at all. Sirius cursed, it had been a trick, a trap obviously.
"Just, come quietly." Came a voice from behind him as he turned around to see a young man with long blond hair and a deep scowl. "I've been informed, more than once, that you are not a bad person and are simply misguided at the moment. I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt on this, but you got to work with me on this."
"Who are you?" Sirius growled as he looked around to determine an escape route. Any minute now the one who arrived would come in as well and he would be outnumbered.
"Lt. Fuhrer Edward Elric. You are Sirius Black, there we're introduced. Now do come quietly."
"Now why would I do that? I need to find someone important to me and I cannot do that from a prison cell." Sirius said as he reached for his wand. As soon as his hand twitched toward his pocket Elric clapped his own hands together which made an echo far louder than was natural before slamming his hands instantly to the ground.
Sirius was immediately cocooned into a wooden web separating his hands and preventing him from reaching his pocket. Edward remained tense, his guard still raised with Sirius seemingly trapped because he knew he himself could find a way out so he decided to assume Sirius could as well. "Give me back my godson." Sirius snarled.
"Sirius, this has gone far enough now, please be reasonable." Remus said from the doorway with a tired sigh. Behind him stood another blond man nearly identical to Elric though his hair was a shade darker and slightly taller than Elric. "Xerxes Headmaster has come to personally vouch for the child's wellbeing."
"I assume they are related." Sirius growled as he tried to subtly find a weak point in his bindings.
"We are brothers." The taller one answered with a nod. "However, that does not change the reality of the situation, nor is it in anyway relevant to this conversation."
"You are helping them keep me from my godson, yet you wish to assure me that he is safe." Sirius frowned, almost to his wand, he needed to keep them distracted just long enough then he would be able to break free, transform and escape. Clearly, he had been right, Remus was no longer an ally.
"You asked me once to tell you nothing about him. You felt it would be best." Remus began as he tried to reason with his old friend. "He is fine, Sirius. He is loved by the ones who raised him. They are fiercely protective of him and would do anything to keep him safe from both Voldemort and Dumbledore."
"Look Black, Harry James Potter died the night his parents did." Edward said, done with the conversation and tired of Black trying to escape his bonds. "Yuery is no longer part of that world, and he never will be."
"Who are you to make such a claim?!" Sirius demanded, distracted by the comment.
"I am his Dad, and I'm telling you right now, stay away from my son if you want to remain in one piece. I am sick of you wizards coming after him he is just a child." Edward growled himself even as he clapped once more before reenforcing the bonds around the man.
Sirius was tired of the conversation and really the only possible threat in the room was Remus once he transformed. Sirius had always considered himself the stronger of the two of them, so he wasn't worried about that. He had gotten what he needed, the child wasn't here, so he must be in Central.
Alphonse and Remus had fully entered the room while they were talking, and Edward was watching Sirius carefully. None of them believed he was unable to escape though all of them had hoped they would be able to reason with him. Edward still needed into his family house to check for the last piece after all and Remus truly believed his friend was still savable.
Sirius transformed quickly, shifting his shape before they could respond and slipped out of his bonds, before returning to his natural state and pulling his wand at the same moment. Remus immediately pushed Alphonse behind him at the sight of the wand. Edward reached for his own, Alphonse braced himself for an attack and Sirius rushed toward the door in an attempt to escape.
Sirius shot a stun spell at Remus and Alphonse, not entirely certain why he spared his former friend, then rushed to the door even as the spell was deflected by Remus who instantly ran after him. Both Elrics were directly behind Remus, the main room was now filled with the soldiers who had been patrolling outside.
Sirius was being caged in; he couldn't allow them to capture him when they still had Harry! Sirius shot off a couple more stun spells at the soldiers in front of him, before wildly aiming the same spell behind him at Remus and the Elrics.
One man in front fell over, hit by the spell as the others ducked before several gums were pointed at him and a loud clap echoed through the room sealing the doors instantly. Remus was yelling for him to stop before Sirius made a split-second decision and cast an Unforgivable Curse. "Crucio" was aimed first at the uniformed men, then behind him at Lupin and the Elrics. Several men fell screaming to the ground ahead of him while he heard Remus scream behind him.
Only the taller man, clearly in charge of the guards, who Sirius had seen speaking to Elric earlier and a smaller dark-haired woman remained standing in his way. Both Elrics had somehow evaded his attack as well and were quickly gaining ground. A split-second choice voiced the worst of the curses "Avada Kedavra" regretfully. Sirius refused to look back even as the woman fell to the ground. He rushed passed the shocked man and disappeared through the back door, instantly apparating.
Edward helped a still shaking Remus to his feet as Alphonse checked on Havoc who still remained frozen to his spot in shock at what had just occurred. "How did you avoid the Curcio curse? You were close enough it should have hit you as well." Remus asked weakly as he limped over to the soldiers who were slowly sitting up.
"I didn't. I'm used to pain, have a crazy high pain tolerance." Edward frowned grimly. "He used the killing curse; we can no longer assume he can be reasoned with. When we find him again, the orders will be shoot to kill. I'm sorry Remus, I won't risk a repeat of this."
"I think he panicked. I cannot imagine he would use it when thinking clearly. However, I agree he will not be reasoned with in this state. Clearly, he believes himself betrayed." Remus said sadly. He hated to lose another old friend, but he knew that Sirius had gone too far. "We have less than six hours before the border is sealed completely, then he wouldn't be able to escape."
"I will not endanger my men or my son on a chance of reason Lupin!" Edward said angrily, before turning his back on the wizard as he kneeled down next to Havoc. "I'm sorry Jean. Had I known the risk I would not have had any of you enter."
"Are you going after him?" Jean demanded tonelessly as he picked up Rebecca's hand to check her pulse. He knew it was hopeless, but he needed to confirm it for himself.
"You aren't coming. You are needed here." Alphonse said before Edward could reply though Ed shot him a sharp glare.
"I am." Edward confirmed with a nod. "We are leaving now before he can get into the mansion."
"It's likely too late for that." Remus sighed, "If he knows where to look that is, which he may not. Shall we sort out the injured and dead here first or return after we have dealt with Sirius Black?"
"You stay, help sort the victims. I will return when Black is neutralized." Edward frowned. "Havoc send you men back to the barracks, they are all suffering from their ordeal. Alphonse you're with me."
Before Remus could argue further Edward and Alphonse were gone through the front door. Jean Havoc was glaring at him, and the others were all doing their best to pull themselves together. Remus tried to think of something to say but he couldn't think clearly. He was shocked, he had never expected Sirius would do this, not since they had proven he hadn't betrayed James and Lily at least.
Fuhrer's Mansion
Central
Roy paced unhappily as he awaited news. He hated that his sons were facing this enemy without him. This could go bad very quickly if Severus was to be believed, and unfortunately Roy had no reason not to believe him. Severus was standing at the window, apparently watching the grounds around the mansion, or at least appearing to though the slightly vacant look in his eyes suggested he was not.
"He is near." Severus said softly without turning away from the window. "I have suffered enough of his spells in my youth I recognize the magic behind it now."
"Armstrong, you and Breda take Yuery to the Vault. Severus you go with them. Russell, Fletcher, I need you down on the main floor to stop him should he make it passed all the guards down there." Roy responded calmly before gently pushing Breda toward his grandson while also setting off an alarm that could be heard to inform others of situations where they were needed. Even now soldiers would be gathering on the parade grounds for a briefing of the situation at hand, while Roy tried to locate the reason for the alarm.
Yuery followed Armstrong down the stairs without protest. The alarm bells would only be going if something had gone very wrong. There was a time and place to try to argue his ability to fight, during this was not that time. Somehow, Black had escaped his father. Yuery was terrified that he had hurt his Dad.
A part of him wanted to confront the man himself, but he had seen the anger in Yeye's eyes. The chances were god this was going to be a bad fight, one no one would allow him to witness let alone join. As Armstrong sealed the door to the Vault behind them, Yuery turned to Breda. "Is my Dad alive?"
"…I don't know." Breda answered honestly. "We haven't heard anything since he called to summon the wizard."
"Yeye thinks he's dead, doesn't he?"
"He would not assume such a thing." Armstrong said quietly. "neither should we. All we know is Black somehow evaded capture and is now here in the city."
"I won't let him take me." Yuery said seriously, the lights flickering with his rage, "I don't care who he thinks he is to me, he is no one but another monster trying to hurt my family."
Roy watched as the man approached the walls of the compound, men falling to his whims in screams, as Roy gave the order to pull back. He needed a clear shot at the man. Severus stood beside him now, an impassive expression on his face masking his own anger and wand in hand as he attempted to shield the soldiers below.
"Have we heard anything yet?" Severus asked calmly, as he shot a disarming spell toward Black who glared around trying to see where the spell had come from even as his wand flew out of his hand. "Unforgivable Curses, there should be no mercy for him after this."
"There won't be." Roy responded as he snapped, a pilar of fire cutting off Black's path but missing him by millimeters. "He's shielded himself, that should have engulfed him."
"Keep going, wandless his shield will fail quickly." Severus responded as a phone rang behind them, answered by Fuery.
"Sir, Edward and Alphonse have arrived." Fuery said as he covered the mouthpiece and pointed to the corner of the room needlessly.
"Alphonse, I sent Yuery to the Vault with Armstrong and Breda, kindly join them. Edward, damage report." Roy didn't turn away from the window as he spoke, instead sending another pilar of fire in the man's direction.
He confirmed then that the man was shielded himself with the way the fire licked at his robes but didn't catch. "Rebecca Havoc is dead, five left in excruciating pain, Jean Havoc will need a replacement." Edward reported as he moved to stand next to his father and watch the nightmare unfolding below them as Sirius continued closer.
The solders were now firing at Black, who ignored them as the bullets bounced off his shields before finally one made it passed his barriers and into his shoulder. Black yelled with pain but continued on though less boldly. He was now ducking, hiding, evading the bullets and the spells being thrown his way.
Edward and Roy silently continued the assault until just before he reached the door, now with a small group of their own men he seemed to be controlling. Sirius disappeared from their sight moments later as he opened the doo of the mansion and Edward abandoned his Dad to meet this new threat head on.
Sirius frowned in angry confusion at the sight, how had the man managed to arrive before him? The obvious answer was magic but as far as he knew the Elric's did not know anything about magic at all. Sirius immediately sent another Crucio Curse at Edward who frowned with a pinched expression as he took another step forward.
Edward clapped his hands as he had earlier with the loud echo bouncing off the walls, he slammed them down once more trapping Sirius in a cocoon of marble as they decided how they were going to handle this. "How? I know I hit you." Sirius demanded.
"Try living with Automail in bad weather. You get used to pain." Edward shrugged. "My turn. You are, as of now, charged with at least one count of murder and seven of torture. Those numbers will go up as we manage to help those men out on the Parade Ground. I strongly suggest you tread softly in the future."
