Hey, I'm back! Thanks for the reviews!
I can't believe that it's been a year since I started this fic. Personally, I figured tha I would be further along at this point, but such is life.
Those of you who are following this fic need to reread the last chapter. When I went to post it the last half of it got deleted, so I had to retype it. It's not exactly the same as it was before, and I'm not very happy with it, but it can't be helped.
Anyway, as promised, we get to see what Nanoha's other abilities are, and we come to one of my favorite scenes in the fic, which, in my opinion, has been sadly lacking in the fandom, and is the reason I gave Nanoha Wizard versions of her spells and uped her base abilities.
That said...
Enjoy!
October passed, and soon, Halloween was upon them. Nanoha, Fate, and Harry, between school work, and Quidditch, rarely had time to be with their friends. Still, the two mages couldn't help but notice some changes.
After the run in with the Cerberus, Malfoy had taken to joining the group at the table. He wasn't very talkative, though he mostly just asked Hermione for help, which the girl was quite happy to oblige.
Hermione was another issue. She had become somewhat distant, and Nanoha had a feeling that she was worried about something. Every time she or Fate asked her though, Hermione would insist that nothing was wrong.
Speaking of Hermione, the mages were at the Halloween Feast with their friends at the Griffindore table, but Hermione hadn't shown up yet.
"Has anyone seen Hermione-chan?" Nanoha asked.
"Lavender said that she won't come out of the girl's bathroom," Neville replied, "She said she's been in there crying all afternoon."
Ron winced. Nanoha turned her violet eyed gaze on him. "What did you do," she asked, her voice flat.
"I may have called her 'an insufferable know-it-all." he whimpered.
Before Nanoha could say anything, Quierill barged into the Great Hall, his turban askew stopping about halfway down the Great Hall, where Nanoha, Fate, and their friends were seated. "TROLL! IN THE DUNGEON! TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!" Looking very scared he continued softly, "Though you ought to know." His eyes rolled into his sockets, and he fainted backwards.
"Did he just faint backwards," Fate sent to Nanoha as the school began o panic.
"Yes," she replied, eying the fallen professor, "and he's faking unconsciousness."
Fate mind-chuckled as Dumbledore stood, "I don't need SA to know that."
Dumbledore's voice filled the air. "SIIIIILLLLENNNNCE. EVERYONE PLEASE...NOT PANIC!" After everyone calmed down, he continued, "Prefects, will lead their house, back to the dormitories. Teachers, will follow me, to the dungeons." He spoke in a normal tone of voice, though Nanoha and Fate could hear the hardness, the cold calmness that only came from long experience in battle. It was then that the two mages understood that they had caught a glimpse of the real Dumbledore, the one behind the grandfatherly persona. They now saw the man that they had read that had defeated the Dark Wizard Grindlewald. It led credence to their thoughts that he was hiding things from Nanoha and Harry because they were children. Nanoha had had the same thing happen to her from her own family, until her, Arisa's, and Suzuka's kidnapping when they were a little over seven.
"Isn't the Slytherin Dorm in the dungeons," Harry asked.
Nanoha nodded. Luckily, Percy over heard. "You six had better come with us," he said to the five Slytherins and single Ravenclaw, who nodded.
Speaking of teachers, Nanoha thought. The mage sent a quick mental probe to Snape. "Snape-sensei, Quierill is faking. I think he and Voldemort are going to the third floor."
"I thought as much. I'm heading there now. Just be safe."
"Understood. Percy is taking Fate, Daphnae, Tracey, Malfoy and I to Griffindore Tower."
"Okay."
The group of eight, including Malfoy, hung on the end of the line of Griffindores as they navigated the staircases, which for once where working in their favor. As they were nearing the fourth floor, Ron suddenly said, "Hermione!"
For the first time that the Hogwarts students knew her, a look of horror crossed Nanoha's face. Her eyes glowing pink, Nanoha quickly extended the range of her Spacial Awareness as she slipped on her gloves she used when practicing Parkour without her abilities. The fingerless gloves were a light pink, made of a Kevlar weave to resist tearing, and had a white rubber coating on the palm and partial fingers to aid her grip. It took less than two seconds for Nanoha to find her bushy haired friend. "First floor," Nanoha said, speaking in Japanese in her haste. She took off down the steps, taking them two or three at a time at what would have been for anyone else a reckless speed, using the pillars of the stair railing to swing herself on the next flight without stopping.
Fate hurried after her, everyone except for Neville who went to tell Percy, following as quickly as they could.
"She's crazy," Malfoy swore as he and the rest of the group followed after Fate, Watching Nanoha having already cleared two and a half flights of stairs.
Fate shook her head, silently cursing that she couldn't use Sonic Move; Not only was she with other people, but she wasn't as well trained as Nanoha was moving indoors since she'd been more focused on protecting her rather than learning anything new. "No she is not. Nanoha was trained to move through an urban environment. Compared to running across rooftops, this is nothing to her. Even I can't keep up with her once she gets going."
"I hope she doesn't run into the troll before we get there," Harry stated.
Nanoha rushed through the halls at a full-out sprint, focusing her SA, sacrificing the sense through the walls at her sides to better focus on the details in front of her. It would have been a breakneck speed for anyone else, except perhaps for a handful of her friends from home, but Nanoha's Parkour skills were put to good use as she used a hand on the stone corners to swing herself into the next hall, the rubber of her gloves giving her enough friction to hold the wall.
Even as she was rushing to protect her friend, Nanoha couldn't help but feel exhilarated to be practicing Parkour again. Pushing herself to her fullest, adrenalin pumping in her veins, going with the flow of movement, it was a rush that few things could compare to, though being in the heat of battle came close.
Nanoha quickly reached her destination, bursting though the doors that clanged against the walls even as she lowered the range of her SA back down to her low setting. "HERMIONE-CHAN!"
"Nanoha-chan," came Hermione's questioning tone from the last green wooden stall on the wall opposite the door, the entrance facing the bathroom door, sounding like she had been crying.
"Hai," Nanoha said, going to the end of bathroom, placing the door and Hall outside of the range of the twenty meter range of her SA. "I came for you. We need to go; someone let a troll into the castle."
Hermione instantly came out the stall. Her eyes were red and puffy, wet streaks from her tears streaming down her cheeks.
Suddenly there was a load thumping, and the stench of rotting meat filled their nostrils.
They slowly turned, only to see the troll. It was tall, nearly scraping the ten foot ceiling, its vaguely humanoid arms as thick as Nanoha herself, skin a scaly gray. It was carrying a club that was as big as Nanoha and Hermione combined, and looked made of some kind of hard gnarled black wood.
Hermione screamed, having never seen such a grotesque monster before.
Roaring in irritation, the Troll raised his club to strike. It did not, however- nor would it even if it could think- count on Nanoha.
To Nanoha, having fought the likes of Natchwal, being scared of the grotesques form didn't even register. With a flick of her wrist, her Pink Ivory wand fell into her gloved right hand. Pointing it at the troll, she shouted her first spell, pumping as much magic as she dared into it. "FLIPPENDO TRIA!"
The pink tinged blue bolt burst from her wand, striking the troll dead center in its chest.
The force of the spell, their devices had figured out, was the equivalent of about a forth of a Divine Shooter sphere. Even so the force was only enough to knock the troll back a few feet.
Roaring in anger, the troll attacked again. Nanoha fired again as she pushed the whimpering Hermione back into the stall, causing the troll to be pushed back again.
Even as she fired again, Nanoha checked on Hermione, who cowered next to the toilet. She was as white as a sheet, her eyes wide in fear.
The troll tried to attack them and Nanoha fired again, breathing heavily. The effort of overclocking the wizard spells was taxing on her half healed Linker Core. Not being able to keep it up for long, Nanoha decided to try something else, hoping to buy her and Hermione enough time to escape past it.
She fired again, giving her the space she needed.
Pointing her wand, switching her normal spells to her family repertoire, Nanoha began to chant: "Oh Holy Light hear my call!" A magical runic array appeared beneath her. Rather than the standard Mid-Childan circle, it consisted of two concentric circles rotating in opposite directions, separated by runes, and encasing a rotating triangle that enclosed more runes in its center. Also, rather than the bright neon pink of her Mid-Childan magic, it was a rather subdued magenta. It was the circle for her family's wizard magic: Seinaru Hikari no Ryū: The Dragon of the Holy Light.
Nanoha ignored the different circle though and continued, the tip of her wand beginning to glow with the dark pink magic, "Restrict my enemies that I may see to their downfall! Heavenly Restriction!" Four bands of the dark pink light blasted from her wand, pinning the troll's hands and legs to its sides with the equivalent of her Restrict Lock spell, somehow holding onto its club.
Roaring in fury, the troll strained against its bonds. Immediately, the bands began to break.
Nanoha's combat oriented mind went through the situation: The troll was breaking its bonds far quicker than she thought, and she wouldn't be able to get herself and Hermione passed it in time; putting more magic than the standard in her spells was tiring her too quickly, and Hermione was too frightened to be of much use.
All in all... Not good. "Kuso." she cursed.
"Master!" Raging Heart's urgent cry cut into her thoughts. "Incoming transmission."
"Initialize. I'm a little busy right now," she said to the caller, her tone irritable.
"Nanoha!" Nanoha's eyes widened at Shamal's voice, "You're lucky that I was trying to call you through those ridiculous school shields! Why am I getting readings that you're using combat grade magic?!"
A crack resounded through the room as the troll's bonds cracked further. Even in the midst of eminent danger, Nanoha couldn't help be scared at the anger of the Knight of the Lake. Chastised, she replied somewhat hesitantly, "Someone let a troll loose in the school. I went to look for a friend of mine, kinda out running Fate, and ran into it."
Shamal mentally shook her head. "I should've guessed you'd do that. I was going to tell that I've been monitoring your vitals, and you should be able to re..."
Nanoha quickly went ahead of Shamal's train of thought, a broad grin plastering itself across her face. It wouldn't be much without her magic to back it up, barely enough to fight, but they had a chance now. "Shamal, I'm going to give you a big kiss next time I see you!"
At that moment, the troll broke free, its bonds dissolving into tiny motes of magenta colored light. Nanoha backed into the stall, her eyes on the troll as her fingers danced across the keys of her watch, selecting the appropriate menu with practiced ease.
Roaring in triumph, the troll lifted its club as Nanoha tapped out two words: "Limiter Release."
Fate, Harry, Ron, Tracey, Daphnae, and Malfoy arrived just in time to see the troll bring it club down onto the two girls. With a crash of splintering wood, the fragile gray wooden stall smashed to bits, and there was a sickening ringing as the porcelain was smashed into dust. The debris covered the two girls from view, and there was a equally sickening crack of stone, jagged cracks radiating from where the girls were.
"NANOHA! HERMIONE! GRANGER!" The group cried in fright.
Then the dust settled...and their eyes, including Fate's since she had had no idea that Nanoha had released her limiter, widened in shock. In front of the toilet, just below the water tank, Nanoha had caught the club.
The blow had forced her to one knee, her head was bowed, and her arms were locked in placed and shaking from adrenalin and the effort of holding the club at bay...
But she was alive.
Power coursed though Nanoha, her every limb tingling with adrenalin and as her healing factor, after nearly two years of dormancy to make her stronger, fully healed her weakened body. Screaming with effort, Nanoha pushed against the troll with all the strength that her limbs could provide. The troll was forced back a good five feet, slightly off balance. Its back-swing as it flailed its arms for balance knocked Nanoha to the side. Crashing through the three rows of stalls made Nanoha a bit disoriented for a bit, then recovering just in time she twisted. The soles of her feet met stone and she pushed off the wall striking the troll in the gut. Hit with a force that was every bit as strong as it was, the troll crashed into the stone wall. Nanoha landed, as the troll began to recover, thin scrapes and cuts from the splintering wood of the stalls healing over as her limited Healing Factor kicked in again.
"What on earth..." Harry began.
"No time," Fate reprimanded, whipping out her wand as the troll stood again, swinging its club at Nanoha, the others following suit. Five cries of "Flippendo!", and one of "Flippendo Thunder!", and the troll was struck by six blue beams, one laced with lightning, not doing more than distracting the troll enough that Nanoha got around it. the creature roared as Nanoha, flipping over and over, gave it rapid fire kicks, sending it passed the first line of stalls onto the other side of the room where it had knocked Nanoha before.
As the White Devil kept the monster occupied, Malfoy sprang into action, sprinting to Hermione's side as the others followed. The Malfoy Heir had no idea why he was doing it, but he had grown the like the bushy haired girl. "Come on Granger!" Malfoy exclaimed, forcibly pulling the brunette onto her feet, "Snap out of it!"
Shaken out of her stupor, the brunette blinked, only to scream again as she saw the troll. The poor girl hurried for the door, Malfoy and the others close behind.
Nanoha smiled to herself, glad that they were getting away. Now what to do with the troll. Her kicks and punches were slowing it down, but its rock hard hide made the effect negligible without an equally strong blade, as she wasn't strong enough to penetrate it on her own, and she wasn't able to augment her strength with magic. Her Knock-back jinxes also weren't dealing any damage, and even Fate's mix of magic with her Thunder First did minimal damage. If they'd been alone, Fate would've been able to call up Bardiche for a Photon Lancer that they could later attribute to accidental magic, but with their friends there their options were limited. That left only Nanoha's family magic, and the Divine Shooter version wouldn't be enough. That left only one option.
"Raging Heart, What are the odds of my surviving that without a relapse?"
"Fifty one percent."
Nanoha gave a sharp nod. That was enough.
Nanoha jumped, kicking the troll against the wall before back flipping multiple times to take advantage of the half a football field length space. Her wand in hand, she began to chant, "Oh Holy Light of the Gods who dwell beyond the fair skies!"
Everyone's eyes widened as the magenta circle appeared beneath her, a vertical runic ring as tall as she was and four inches wide burst from her wand even has shearing pain shot through her, her every nerve feeling as if on fire as her half healed Linker Core was pushed it its limit.
Fate however knew what she was doing. "Nanoha no!"
Nanoha ignored her and the shearing pain from channeling the magic, her healing factor coming in enough to numb the pain enough to concentrate on the troll, which was advancing at her, though it still felt as if she was far to close to a bonfire. She pushed past the pain, sweeping her left hand in front of her she brought her right hand and foot back as she continued to chant: "Descend upon those that punish the weak!" A ball of the dark pink magic appeared within the ring.
Realizing that stopping her was futile, Fate screamed, "Everyone Duck!" as Nanoha lunged, stabbing her wand into the center of the ball as she focused all her pain and agony into a scream of two words at the top of her lungs: "DIVINE BUSTER!"
The world turned pink.
Heh heh. I'm evil.
See ya next time!