Raylynx's POV

A couple days later when Mad-Eye visited Emmeline, Remus, and me during our Thursday shift assign us a new mission: Stop the Death Eaters from recruiting the sirens.

"That decoded message McKinnon picked up at the mansion verified. So we've got to do what we can to stop them from succeeding," Mad-Eye explained. "We've located their position already."

Apparently, William Darcy, Jay, and Peter had been sent as undercover spies to discover which population was currently targeted by the Death Eaters. They'd successfully pinpointed the population in the ice caves off the coast of Romania.

"Find the chieftain. Ask her for her favor while presenting this." Mad-Eye laid a glistening seashell in front of us.

"What is it?" I inquired, carefully picking it up.

"It's a seashell enchanted to hold the sound of ocean waves. The ice caves only ever get sharp, slapping waves. They don't have sandy beaches, the way we do. So that will sound like music and magic to them."

I suddenly remembered what Zayne had told me years ago, back in Hogsmeade.

"You know when you go to the ocean and you pick up a shell and it sounds like the ocean?" Zayne asked me. I nodded.

"That's a bewitched shell. It has the same charm on it. It preserves the sound of the ocean," Zayne told me.

"Will it be just the three of us?" Emmeline asked.

"No, Salinger recently reported sightings of Death Eaters, so we'll send more hands. Pettigrew volunteered to return, to show everybody else the way, so he'll be joining. I've asked Black and McKinnon this afternoon, since they share that shift."

I nodded slowly. "What if the chieftain says no?"

"Then you damn well better be ready to run. Sirens aren't kind to trespassers and if you're denied favor, that's exactly what you'll be deemed as. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Moody suddenly barked, and we all jumped. "That's what'll get you out of those caves if you fail. You're leaving in two days' time. Be ready. Also, you, Kingsley, expect to be assigned to scout out the acromantulas' area with Benjy Fenwick soon after."

I nodded.


James came over Saturday morning to take over our shift. Lily stayed at the Potters' alone, though Dorcas would join her after her day patrol with Hestia. James and Lily were also both acting as back-up for the three Prewitt brothers: Henry, Gideon, and Fabien, who were tailing two Death Eaters rumored to have information about who was under the Cruciatus Curse at the Ministry of Magic.

"Now, remember," Mad-Eye said as we were preparing to go. "Apparate some ways away from the ice caves and don't use magic until you've made a pact with the sirens unless you absolutely have to. Until the siren chieftain has explicitly approved of you, you are considered trespassers and all manner of defenses will be laid against you. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

Startled, I fumbled with my cloak hook. No matter how many times he said it, I couldn't get used to it.

"All right, everybody. On the count of three, grab the Portkey. One, two, three-"

Whoosh.


I blinked, and then quickly shut my eyes again.

Everything was ice, everything reflected the sunlight.

It was so astonishingly bright, a myriad of pure white light and kaleidoscopic rainbows.

"This way!" Peter called, and we began our trek to the entrance of the ice caves, some hundreds of yards away.

We stepped foot into a tiny passageway, but it became a huge cavern soon enough. The ceiling was crammed with massive stalactites and the solid ice floor below was lined with stalagmites.

"Be very careful," Peter whispered. "These stalga-stalag-icicle things are attack mechanisms that keep people from getting in or out. Best to go undetected."

We made our way carefully, though I very nearly lost footing and slipped at one point. I exhaled in shock as I caught my balance, and a foggy puff of breath took shape and floated upwards. Luckily, it disintegrated before it hit the ceilings. We had finally crossed over into a network of passageways.

"Sh! Over here!" Peter suddenly dashed into another passageway, beckoning us with him.

I heard Sirius curse under his breath. "Brilliant, now we've got another thing to worry about."

"What?" I asked. Being in the back, I hadn't been able to see anything.

"Death Eaters," Sirius grimaced.

"Come on. Last time, Will, Jay, and I found a few ways," Peter motioned to us.

But every single way ended in a main passageway guarded by a couple Death Eaters.

"They're all blocked," Marlene hissed. "What are we going to do? We need a plan of attack."

"We do have a plan," Sirius shrugged. "Attack."

We all stared at him.

"You wouldn't happen to have Dumbledore's gift, would you?" Emmeline asked.

"Oh yeah, I do."

"May I see it?"

Sirius pulled it out. "Why?"

Emmeline plucked it from his fingers before handing it to Remus. She muttered to herself, "Give it to someone with brains."

"Hey!" Sirius whisper-shouted, offended.

"Sh!" Emmeline glared at Sirius before speaking quickly. "All right, we're going with diversion, not attack. That means that somebody needs to lead some of these fellows on a little chase, preferably for a while. Any volunteers?"

Remus and I looked at each other. Hadn't I expressed my desire to lead Death Eaters on a chase just a couple days ago?

"We'll go," I said, indicating myself and Remus.

But Peter suddenly raised his hand and said carefully, "No, I'll… I'll do it."

We all paused.

"Pete, you sure? It's the most dangerous job, I reckon," Remus pointed out gently. "Besides, you're our guide."

"No, let me… let me do it," Peter said again.

"Peter-" Emmeline started in a kind voice, but Peter cut her off in a squeaky voice. "I said I'll do it!"

"All right, all right. Everybody, calm down, and let the worm do it," Sirius said, but he was smiling fondly at Peter. "Don't everybody be too surprised. He is a Marauder, after all." He reached out to tousle Peter's hair.

Remus smiled, too. "You know, Pete, you've gotten braver. But don't forget to call for help if you need it. What's the point of us if we're not allies, right?"

Peter nodded his head before he said, "Well, al-all right. Wish me luck!"

He skittered off.

"Hey! Hey, you!" Shouts rang out across the passageways. The two Death Eaters jumped up and began racing after Peter.

"Okay, come on." Emmeline beckoned us forward.

"So, how are we getting to the chieftain?" I asked. "There are endless passageways, but we've only got so much time."

"Let's split up," Remus suggested. "Even if the one holding the shell doesn't get to the chieftain first, at least that person could try to convince her that we're coming to negotiate, not fight."

"That's true. But we need a place to meet back up a-"

"There they are! Get them!"

I spun around to see a pair of Death Eaters running straight for us. We'd stayed in one spot for too long.

They'd both shot curses straight at us.

It was too late for Shield Charms. I ducked to the right, pressing myself against the wall. Remus followed me, and Sirius and Marlene split to the other side. But Emmeline, who had been in the very back of our group, didn't have any time to see the spell coming and nowhere to duck to. She managed to turn herself sideways, but the purple streak of flame still caught her across the arm.

She hissed in pain.

"Emmeline!" I shouted, rushing forward. Sirius, Marlene, and Remus immediately jumped forward to shield us.

"I'm fine," she said, but she spoke through gritted teeth.

"Here, glaciem santura," I said, tapping my wand against her arm.

Ice crystals formed all over the wound.

"It's only a numbing spell," I warned. "If there's poison, it won't help."

"Thanks," Emmeline said.

Then, Sirius' shouts rang out behind us.

"I said we've got this! Moony, GO!"

Before I could say or do anything, Emmeline said to me, "You cover Remus." Then, she rushed forward, to relieve Remus of his spot battling a Death Eater. Her Disarming Spell caught the Death Eater straight in the hand.

Remus sprinted towards me. He grabbed my arm and we both raced onwards, spurred on by the sounds of battle behind us.

"Wait, Remus!" I said, stopping abruptly. Jerked back by my abruptness, Remus stuttered to a stop.

"What?" he asked, his eyes shining with fear for friends.

"The further inside we get, the more likely we are to get to the central chambers, right? Or at least, siren guards rather than Death Eater guards."

"Yes?" he said, confused.

I started tugging at him to get us to move. Our mistake last time had been staying in one place for too long. We'd be spotted by Death Eaters again.

"Let's follow the blue ice," I said. "Blue ice is denser. It means we're getting farther towards the core of the cave."

Remus nodded and we picked up our speed.

"Look, an archway!" I said in awe.

It was an archway carven from the ice. The blunt shape of the passageways had stopped abruptly, taken over by the intricate artistry of the archway. It was absolutely amazing.

"Come on," I said, stepping through.

But as soon as I did- clang!

Two tridents crossed violently inches from my face.

I was so frightened I inhaled my scream.

"What'ssss your businesss here, sstranger?" A voice, so beautiful and yet so hauntingly cold, reached my ears. I slowly looked upon the two guards in front of me.

They were utterly ethereal and otherworldly. Whether they were more beautiful or terrifying, I couldn't say. Skin pale as ice glittered like diamond. Silvery scales wrapped around their bodies and their eyes shimmered except their cores of purple-blue irises. One wore white-gold plated armor and the other a shining blue. Both were intricately carved.

"I...I wish to see the chieftain. We, that is, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, has a gift for the chieftain," I managed to say. I swallowed hard.

"Albusss Dumbledore?" the siren repeated. After deliberating for a moment, the siren turned away. "You will wait here. Move, and you die."

I nodded slowly to show that I understood, but inside, I was praying furiously for them to hurry up. We needed to get back to the others as fast as possible.

Luckily, it was only a very short time later, that the siren returned.

"Only one ssshall go."

"Go," I said to Remus. "You have the shell."

Remus nodded and steeling himself, he moved past me and followed the guard beyond the chamber.

My mind was working furiously. At the very least, I wanted to know how far the Death Eaters might have already gotten with the sirens.

"I've never seen a siren before," I said anxiously. "Have… have you seen a witch before? Or a wizard?"

The guard stared at me with those enchanting eyes, completely emotionless. I tried not to blink, but lost. Feeling embarrassed and nervous, I finally looked away, staring down at my feet. To my surprise, the guard grunted a "yes".

Feeling motivated, I tried to think of a way to ask if Death Eaters had come round. My eyes landed on his beautiful armor, through which symbols of moon and pearls wove in and out of each other.

"Your armor is beautiful," I said. "Do these symbols mean something particular?"

He blinked his crystalline-patterned eyes before replying in his mystical voice, "Yesss. The moon iss in honor of the Chieftain. Sshe holds the power of the moon, you ssee. We also consider her our lumeare. The irreplaceable Queen."

"Oh." So it's not pearls. Lumeare? That sounded so… very familiar. Then I said, rather cautiously, "We wizards and witches have our defining costumes too. For example, some wizards wear black or silver skull-like masks to distinguish themselves. You wouldn't have happened to see them befo-?"

Suddenly, our dialogue was pierced through by a sharp, echoing howl.

I froze.

This… this sound. It choked off in a pitiful howl.

The siren and I looked at each other. His eyes glinted alarmingly and I braced myself, slowly reaching inside my robes.

A moment of silent stillness.

Then-

"Umpf!"

Something flew across the whole chamber faster than the eye could register and slammed into me. I was thrown back, landing hard on back. For a moment, all I could do was try to regain my breath and vision.

Then, I realized it was Remus in his human form, sprawled on top of me. He was panting and sweating heavily, like he'd been tortured.

"Remus? Remus!" I said breathlessly. "Remus, wake up, please!"

His eyes flew open. They searched around frantically for a moment, but then he seemed to regain his senses. He slowly got up off the ground. His eyes were listless and his face was coloured pale grey.

The second guard glided over to us, his eyes flashing menacingly.

"You dare come to us, werewolf!?" he shrieked at us. "You dare show your hideousss face to her Majesty, Queen of the Moon?"

The other siren, the one I had been speaking to only moments ago, suddenly gripped his trident in both hands and advanced towards us.

"You have ten minutess to leave the cavesss. The attacksss will begin then and you will die," the siren with the gold armor said, jabbing his trident in Remus' face. "Leave! Now!"

"Wait a sec-", I started, but Remus hurriedly grabbed my arm in his sweaty grasp and pulled me out of there.

"Wait, Remus, what about Dumbledore's message? What about the shell?" I asked.

"Let's just get out of here first," Remus said shakily. He was looking everywhere, as though he were so nervous he couldn't focus on one thing.

"We need to find the others," I reminded him.

"Where are they?" Remus asked me.

I looked at him worriedly. Did he not remember the mission? What had happened to him in there?

I knew we only had a very limited amount of time, but I had to make sure the sirens hadn't stolen something from him; like his memories. Because that was worth risking our lives to get back.

I gently grabbed Remus' face and held it between my hands. I looked at him and said, as calmly as I possibly could. "Remus, do you remember why we're here?"

"Yes, t-the mission," he said, not looking at me.

"Look at me!" I ordered.

He finally did, though reluctantly. We stared at each other.

"Come back, Remus," I whispered.

Suddenly, he started to shift uncomfortably. With that discomfort came a familiar light to his eyes, a warmth more the sun, not the coldness of the moon that had been with him before.

"Er… Raylynx? Could you let go of me, please?" he said, in his normal tone. And I knew he was back.

I dropped my hands and we began running again, out the archways, and back into the white ice passageways.

"Where do you reckon they are?" I said uneasily, my heart pounding from nervousness. What if they had been captured and taken away?

As if he could read my thoughts, Remus replied, "I'm sure they're fine. Probably hiding away in a niche to avoid more Death Eaters."

He paused and then added, "Actually, I'm a lot more worried about Peter."

"I'm sure the others caught up with him and helped him," I said comfortingly. "Come on, we haven't got much time."

We finally ran into them, huddled in a corridor, whispering vehemently amongst themselves.

"Let's split up," Sirius was saying. "I have to go after Pete now. He's my best mate, I'm not leaving him to the Death Eaters, and especially not when he's finally done something brave."

"No!" Marlene protested. "We've split up enough already." She reached out and took his hand. "We'll find Peter together. But what about Ray and Remus?"

"Marlene's right. We need to stick together. I say we look for Peter first," Emmeline was saying, "I know you're worried, but between the two of them, Remus and Raylynx are-"

"-Right here," Remus interjected as we ran up to them.

"Moony!"

"Rayly! You're all right," Marlene breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Good to know you guys are safe," Emmeline said.

"Still no Pete?" Remus asked, his eyebrows creased in worry.

"No, but now that you're here-"

"Wait," I said, interrupting Sirius and speaking quickly. "Sorry, but we've only got five minutes or so to leave before the sirens begin letting off attack mechanisms."

"Wait. Wait a minute. You failed?" Marlene said with wide eyes. "You failed to convince them?"

Hot shame flooded Remus' face. He suddenly looked feverish.

"Yeah," I answered instead.

"How-?" Marlene began, but I cut her off.

"No time, let's go! They won't show mercy if we're here much longer. We need to find Peter as soon as possible and get out of here."

We went off running again.

Although I tried to stay calm, my heart was thundering. What if we didn't get out in time? Would they really kill us? What exactly had Remus done, anyways?

"Peter!" Remus suddenly called out. "Peter, over here! Hurry!"

Sure enough, it was Peter at the end of the passageway. But as he got closer, we could see he was sprinting for all he was worth.

"We've got companyyyy!" he shouted as he sprinted towards us.

"Oh, bollocks," Sirius cursed just before four Death Eaters came into view.

At the same time, the caves suddenly shuddered.

Marlene grabbed Sirius' arm. I tripped back slightly and grabbed the wall to steady myself.

"What was that?!" Emmeline asked, but before anybody could think of an answer, Peter had raced through us and the Death Eaters were in range of trading hexes.

"Stupefy!"

"Impedimenta!"

"Levicorpus!"

Spells collided in midair and a couple of them shot past us.

But even as we readied ourselves for closer combat, the caves shook so badly, I felt like the ground give way from under me at any moment.

I fell sideways again so I could clutch the wall and reached out to grab Peter to stop him from falling.

Suddenly, the sharp icicles lining the ceilings of the passageways begin to fall.

"Ow!" Marlene cried out as one cut into her shoulder.

"Protego Maximus!" Sirius shouted and a shield expanded above us. But he couldn't hold it for long, it was too draining. Luckily, the caves weren't shaking so much even as the icicles began to fall around us.

"Run!" I shouted, pushing Peter ahead of me.

"Watch out!" Remus yelled and threw himself onto me, pushing me down.

A hex from the Death Eaters barely missed us and nearly hit Peter.

"Are you all right?" I said to Remus, as I quickly got onto my feet.

"'Course," he said grimly.

Suddenly, Peter who had run up ahead of us, screamed, "Get out of here! The ice is breaking!"

More hexes from the Death Eaters began to spark around our feet.

Emmeline and Remus both sent powerful Shield Charms their way to hinder them and we all rushed forward to join Peter.

"Oh Merlin," Marlene breathed out.

The huge ice floor that we had first passed, the one lined with stalagmites, was melting and cracking. From above, the ceiling, crammed with massive stalactites, was beginning to drip with water. It would not be long before the stalactites started to fall.

"This is the sirens' attacks," I realized.

Suddenly, with the sound of a whip, the passageway we had just come out of began to crumble down onto itself. The last Death Eater let out a pained shout as he was abruptly buried in ice shards.

"Can't we Apparate?" Marlene asked, but Peter shook his head. "They've blocked that sort-of Transportation Magic."

"No way to go but forward," Sirius commented.

"One at a time," Remus said. "The ice won't hold us together."

"Well then, come on, the Death Eaters are coming," Emmeline urged. With that, she stepped onto the ice floor first. Nothing gave way just yet, and she hurriedly began to run, slipping and sliding all over the place. Peter scampered after her next, then Remus.

By this time, the Death Eaters had gotten past the Shield blockade and were running towards us.

"Crucio!"

"Protego!" Sirius shouted, and Marlene pushed me forward. "Go!"

I took a step onto the ice floor. It was so hard to get a good enough grip to run. I managed to sprint a few steps forward when suddenly, I heard an awful splintering sound above me. I looked up just in time to see the stalactite give way.

I yelled and plummeted myself to the side.

The stalactite crashed into the floor with a sound of shattering glass.

There was a single moment in which only the sounds of dueling could be heard. But then- that slow sound of cracking ice began to spiderweb out from where the stalactite fell.

"Run, both of you!" I shouted frantically to Marlene and Sirius. "The ice is breaking!"

I stood my ground and aimed hexes at the Death Eaters, in order to cover Sirius and Marlene. A little ways ahead of me, Remus also stopped and began to help me. Emmeline and Peter had nearly reached the other end, where I was fairly sure they could Apparate. Marlene and Sirius hastened forward. Marlene nearly fell. Sirius reached out and grabbed her waist and together they gained ground quickly. Still, three Death Eaters aiming aggressively for a target only a few yards away was a lot easier than trying to defend a target from over fifty yards away. Sirius and Marlene had to separate and start dueling themselves.

Finally, my hex caught one Death Eater in the chest. He collapsed on the spot. Remus' jinx came rushing past me. The Death Eater managed to duck in time to avoid a shot to the face, but Remus' spell shattered his mask.

It was then that I saw him- Audrey Zena. I froze.

"What are you doing?! Help us out!" Sirius was shouting at me as he sent Stunner after Stunner against the Death Eaters. Both Death Eaters had stepped onto the ice and was pressing down on Sirius and Marlene fiercely.

I tried to speak out again, to cast a spell, a hex, a jinx, anything, but my mind felt blank as the winter snow. What if the other Death Eater who just collapsed was Regulus? What if I hit him in the heart, and he died?

"Raylynx, help us!"

No, I tried to tell myself, he's still at Hogwarts.

Then what if it's Snape?

"What're you doing!? Wake u- Stupefy!"

"Avada Kedavra!" The Death Eater's curse raced towards Marlene. My mind froze. Do something, do something- "Raylynx, help her!" Sirius shouted frantically.

"Ah!" Marlene let out a piercing scream as the spell just missed her, instead hitting the ice just in front of her feet. The ice beneath her cracked and fell in all at once. It was abruptly choked off as she disappeared into the freezing cold water.

"Marlene!" I screamed and raced forward, my heart beating frantically. Remus raced forward and he and Sirius were kept occupied by the two Death Eaters.

I ran over fast as I could to where the crack was. I ignored the sharp cracks the ice made under my weight and just got to the hole in the ice as fast as I could, but Marlene was nowhere to be seen.

"Marlene! Marlene, where are you!?" I dropped to my knees immediately and started to push away layers of snow to see below.

"Marlene!" I screamed desperately- and then I heard it- a pounding to my left. I immediately scraped aside the snow- and there she was- her face pressed against the thick glass- her eyes wide open in panic and fear- her mouth gaping over in horror-

"Fracturus!" I shouted, pointing my wand at the ice, but the ice did not move.

"Fracturus!" I yelled again, but the ice did not move. The magic of the sirens did not show mercy to trespassers.

"No! Marlene!" cried desperately, pounding the ice with my fists. Her pale fingers scrabbled at the ice. Her lips released the last bit of air she had.

Sobbing desperately, I gathered up all my strength and punched the ice as hard as I possibly could. A blistering pain that I could not imagine came from contact with ice erupted in my hand. My knuckles dripped blood.

And then, I swear it was not when my fist hit the ice, but when the blood from my fist dripped onto the surface of the ice, that the ice suddenly disappeared.

Without warning, I dropped into the utterly freezing cold water.


Everything was cloudy. The water was so dense. No sunlight filtered down.

There was just darkness, and the freezing cold. I was in pain and yet, I felt like I had no body because the cold was so numbing. My head hurt as it was pierced through with the cold.

My single thought now was… Marlene… Marlene…

And I saw her.

She was drifting away from me, her eyes… closed.

Suddenly, I came to my senses. I reached out and grabbed Marlene. I tried to push her up towards air, but as I did, I could feel myself falling further and further down.

I didn't have it. I didn't have the strength in me.

I pointed my wand at Marlene and hoping to all hell and heaven that it wasn't too late to save her- that my mistake in wanting to spare Audrey and Regulus and Snape was not going to cost her life, I used my remaining breath to murmur a spell that only worked on the already alive: Ennervate.

Please, let her live.

Suddenly, I saw a flicker of scales in the dim water. Panic rose up inside me. I knew without seeing that it was a siren. I knew they had come to kill me.

Suddenly, two scaly hands shot out from behind me and choked me. Like everything else, their strength was superhuman. I think it would have broken my neck had I not shoved my injured hand in-between their arm and my neck.

When his pure skin touched my bloody hand, though, he let out a haunting scream and darted away from me.

He tried to grasp me by my arms. I twisted and turned as much as I could in water. Then, a burst of light from somewhere in the water shot towards me and blasted away the siren. I felt warm hands grip my waist from behind and push me upwards.

Another warm hand grabbed my arm.

Then- a vortex-