CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
The empousa stretched lazily, and looked about her curiously, assessing her surroundings with a cold and calculated look that made all the familiars gulp in unison. The Undead turned her attention onto the creatures quickly, cocking her head to one side as she did so, smirking ever so slightly as she prowled towards them. She uttered a few words in one of their Witches' ancient tongues; Athenaïs had no idea what the empousa said but all the Gargouille could say for certain was that the Undead wasn't speaking Latin.
Perhaps it was Ancient Greek? Some of the noises she made were similar to the noises Altair made whenever he spoke the language. Athenaïs kicked herself internally. She couldn't understand a word of that language! She would get Altair to change that as soon as the current problem was dealt with. Despite her not knowing, though, she suspected the creature wasn't saying anything too good.
This was confirmed when the empousa scowled and then hissed some angry words at the creatures, and unfurled her claws at them, eyes shining. Sigyn gulped. "She really doesn't sound very happy, does she?"
"Oh you think?!" Atty snapped sarcastically. "Never mind sound happy, she doesn't look happy!"
"What is she saying?" Seraphina dared to meow in panic.
*Not a clue but I don't think she is asking where the lavatory is,* Frey stated simply.
"This isn't funny, Frey!" Seraphina hissed, her hair standing on end.
*I am being perfectly serious! I would be surprised if she wouldn't need the lavatory after being cooped up in that magical prison for so long!* Frey huffed. *Tom and his friends need the lavatory at least ten times a day!*
"Why are we discussing whether a magical Undead needs to pee or poop?!" Athenaïs huffed in exasperation.
"Because Frey is utterly unable to keep her maw shut," Sigyn commented sassily.
The ball python took umbrage to that. *You take that back!*
"Self-awareness is not your strongest trait, is it?" the Russian blue shot back.
*It isn't yours either! You're better at taking baths than being self-aware!*
All the while, the empousa watched the quarrel while feeling a potent mixture of annoyance and amusement. Athenaïs watched the Undead most carefully and saw her blink several times in shock, scowl and gape before smirking. However, while Sigyn and Frey continued to hurl insults at each other, it seemed that perhaps the Silencing Charms the girls had put on their dormitory had faltered ever so slightly because before anyone knew what had happened, the door to the dormitory opened. Bletchley and two of her dorm mates had come in, looking concerned.
"Seraphina, Sigyn, Atty, Frey, everything all right-" Bletchley began but she was soon cut off by her complete surprise at seeing an empousa in the middle of the dorm room, watching the familiars and staring unblinkingly back at her and her friends.
Time seemed to slow down. Atty felt her heart skip several beats. She watched the colour drain from the three girls' faces in seconds; she opened up her mouth to tell Bletchley and her friends to just run – run and get help – but before the Gargouille could say or do anything, the empousa turned, suddenly looking much happier.
No, that was not the right word. The creature was not happier. Hungrier.
Like a happy Gargouille who had just caught an unfortunate bird.
Athenaïs and her friends watched as the empousa raised her right hand towards the three young witches, her eyes glowing and an eerie aria coming out of her mouth. They watched as their neighbours sunk to the ground like three sacks of potatoes, utterly at the mercy of the Undead creature. The empousa giggled in delight, looking very pleased with herself; she prowled towards the three vulnerable witches, and perhaps it was this that spurred the familiars into action.
*Oh no you don't!* Frey hissed in fury. *They are not foods for you!*
In perfect unison, Seraphina, Sigyn and Frey pounced the empousa. Frey sunk her fangs into her left leg, which admittedly did not do much. Seraphina landed on her right leg and dug her claws into her skin as deeply as she could, but to no avail. Due to the bronze nature of the leg, the cat claws did not do anything to the Undead. Sigyn, though, was having a little bit more luck. The Russian blue was doing a number on the creature's back. The three familiars did enough to get the Undead to halt in her tracks, all the while screaming like a banshee in pain, writhing in an attempt to shake the familiars off her.
Again, all three were forced to cling on for dear life.
"Here we go again!" Sigyn meowed loudly in protest.
"Sigyn, be quiet!" Seraphina screeched at the top of her lungs.
*What are you waiting for, Atty?* Frey called to their friend. *Heeeeeeelp!*
"I am waiting for the right moment, Frey – which is now!"
Seraphina, Sigyn and Frey clung on long enough for Atty to prepare her own attack. On the Gargouille's command, the two felines and the snake released their angered foe, only for the Undead to be telekinetically blasted into the nearby wall with considerable force.
The empousa wailed as she was sent flying into the air, causing a sizeable imprint of herself in the stone before collapsing onto the ground. The daughter of Hekate and Mormo quickly jumped back onto her feet, fangs bared and her eyes glowing, a pair of giant bat wings suddenly spreading out from her back. Her gaze was fixed unblinkingly on Athenaïs and no doubt the empousa was about to arrack.
"Get ready," Sigyn hissed, her own body arching and claws preparing for a counter offensive.
Just as the empousa coiled like a viper to strike, voices drifted into the room and the familiars saw the expression of the Undead change into something that was akin to irritation but also … fear.
"-I still think you befriending the Hagrid boy is a foolish endeavour, Harry!"
"Duly noted, thank you, Wally."
"I am not attempting to dissuade you; you are a Slytherin! It's unofficial-official Queen in fact and I very much doubt Hagrid has forgiven Tom and the part he played in his expulsion!"
"You know what else is a foolish endeavour? Greengrass believing himself capable of defeating Altair in a game of Dragon Land!"
"Druella's right on that one!"
"Of course I am! I am nearly always right."
As soon as the voices of Harry, Walburga, Druella and Ophelia – who no doubt had Ygraine with them as well – got closer, the empousa glared at the familiars in a manner that could only be translated as "this is not over" and suddenly, disappeared into a gaseous mass and disappeared. Right as the girls were about to enter the dormitory and practically stumbled upon the comatose forms of the three witches.
"What in the – Bletchley! What happened?!" Walburga fussed as Harry, Ophelia and Ygraine immediately sprung into action and took the girls' pulses and gently examined them for any kind of injuries, especially to the head.
"Oh for the love of everything good and magical!" Druella cried out. She then quickly pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh no … no, no, no, no, no, no! Please tell me this is not yet another magical disaster that we have to somehow clean up. Can't we have a quiet evening somewhere this year please?! Just one?!"
Her friends had a similar look on their faces as they finished examining their neighbours.
"Well, the good news is there are no external head injuries," Ophelia announced dryly. "Wait … no these are just bumps to the head…"
"They're asleep," Harry announced as she sat back from Bletchley after running a few Mistress of Death tests on the girl, looking only slightly relieved. "Deeply asleep. Too deeply asleep almost … like they had been enchanted…"
She soon looked about the room, tensing up as her senses made the hairs on the back of Harry's neck stood up. Her verdant eyes were soon on the not-so-subtle dent in the wall and then to the familiars. All of whom looked more than a little guilty. Atty knew that her friend had sensed the presence of the empousa. The Mistress of Death turned her full attention to the familiars. "Who did this? What happened?"
Seraphina, Sigyn and Frey immediately launched into a rushed explanation – if one could even call it that – causing Atty to do a face claw and the witches to look at each other with pointed looks before Ophelia put her fingers in her mouth and whistled three times rather loudly.
"Hey! Enough of that! We cannot understand a single thing you're saying," she scolded them lightly but firmly. Once the familiars piped down, Ophelia sighed. "Now … from the top and only one of you speak, please."
The familiars opened their mouths in sync. Athenaïs jumped in before any of her friends could utter a single syllable. "Sigyn and Frey were arguing – we didn't mean for the seal to break but I couldn't catch it in time and when it hit the floor, it broke and suddenly this strange woman with strange legs and vampire fangs emerged. Bletchley and her friends heard us arguing, came in to check, saw her and well – she put all three of them under some kind of Sleeping Spell."
"And the dent in the wall?" Harry demanded, turning pale quite quickly.
"I did that; I used my telekinesis on her but it didn't seem to affect her all that much," Athenaïs explained.
Harry translated what her familiar had said. Walburga nearly fainted, Druella was gorgonised for a good twenty seconds, Ophelia looked resigned while Ygraine already looked like she wanted to go to bed.
"A bloody gods-be-damned empousa," was all Druella could say once she had recovered from her shock. "Harry, you said this was a cursed artefact – why in the name of everything good and magical did the damn thing have an EMPOUSA IN IT?!"
"Which is now loose in the castle," Ophelia added, shaking her head despondently.
Druella looked close to summoning her pillow and screaming into it. Frankly, Harry shared the sentiment, as did Walburga, Ophelia and Ygraine.
"No quiet evening for us then," Ygraine contributed faintly. "We have an Undead creature to hunt."
"But first, we put these three in their beds and we pretend nothing untoward has occurred," Walburga stated in a tone full of authority, gesturing to their slumbering neighbours. "If it becomes known there is an empousa loose in the castle, there will be mass panic and we don't need that with a volatile Undead walking the halls!" Walburga looked at Harry with exasperation. "Of all the damn things in that seal it just had to be an empousa!"
Harry held her hands up in mock surrender. "Don't look at me, Wally! I didn't know. I genuinely didn't know," she protested truthfully. "I had no idea what was inside that seal!"
"And you tried to break it anyway? Without knowing what precisely it contained?" Walburga huffed, shaking her head at her friend like a mother scolding her child. "Of all the hairbrained things I have known you to do, that is officially the most hairbrained!"
"No, actually. I was trying to establish what kind of prison it was and would then write to my employers asking for further instruction once I did. I am not a bloody amateur, Wally!" Harry responded, looking a little affronted. "All I did was forget to put shields up around the thing that was Anti Familiar Bickering!"
"Arguing about this is not going to change what has happened," Ophelia cut in the moment she saw Walburga set to retort. "What's done is done. Let's focus on finding and capturing the damn thing before it can do some serious harm."
That had put an end to the discussion. Harry, Ophelia and Ygraine picked up their fellow Slytherins and carted them to their dormitories as best as possible while Druella and Walburga kept an eye out for anyone coming down the corridor. The last thing they needed was to explain to War or anyone else why three Slytherin girls were being dragged like drugged kidnap victims back into their dormitories. Once Bletchley and her friends were tucked in bed, the girls put up their Silencing Charms again and firmly closed the door as they started to plan about capturing the escaped Ancient Undead.
"OK, first thing is first – where could the thing have gotten to?" Ygraine wanted to know.
"Well, I don't think empousae are picky about picking on females or males, so she could literally be anywhere," Druella grumbled while shining her daggers. "And I don't think age matters to her either!"
"Maybe she does have a type?" Walburga suggested weakly.
"Well, if I remember what Dru said correctly a while ago – reading that Dark creature book – one of the favourite types of victims for an empousa is a victim who is asleep," Ophelia reminded them. "Currently, everyone is preparing to go to bed-"
"-which means she has an entire castle-sized buffet to feast on, in theory; from the kids to the teachers," Harry finished with a deep sigh, her hands on her face. "As if this situation can't get any worse!"
"True but here is another thing … how long as the empousa been trapped?" Ygraine suddenly had a lightbulb moment. She grinned a little. "I don't know about you, but if I were a vampiric Undead and I would be trapped longer than a day, I would kill to just have some … fun? What if the empousa goes for a … target that is awake first …?"
All eyes in the room widened at the implication; Ygraine was redder than a Gryffindor tie and had a great inclination for the ground to swallow her whole.
"Great," Druella sighed with mirthless laughter and an overt snarky tone to her voice. "We are not going to be able to find the thing because it could literally go after everyone! We need back up and we need it now."
"You mean the boys," Harry caught on within seconds.
"Considering the fact that they are very likely to become targets of a fun-starved seductress, yes!" Druella agreed easily. "I don't know about you ladies, but I do not like the idea of that Undead getting into bed with any of them for a single second!"
"If she lays a hand on any of them, we will turn her into empousa pie!" Ophelia stated through gritted teeth, eyes flaring at the idea of the Undead laying her hands on Malum.
There was a moment of tense silence in the room, apart from the stifled giggles from the familiars, which were silenced quickly by Seraphina's glares. Harry pinched the bridge of her nose for a moment, and then her head suddenly shot up, a distinct look in her eyes. Athenaïs grinned; she could see the gears whirring in her Mistress's head. Harry had an idea.
"You girls enlist the boys," she stated with a small smile, a calculated glint in those verdant orbs. "I need to talk to someone who can help us keep everyone from going to sleep for a little while."
The girls exchanged a look; they knew what that meant. Let Harry do her Harry thing and don't ask too many questions.
"Who might that be?" Ophelia asked curiously. She just couldn't help herself.
"The God of Sleep," was the answer they should probably have predicted by now.
"Of course," Ygraine chuckled. "Mistress of Death. Acquainted with gods; we should probably have guessed this."
"Well, I do not know about you, ladies, but before all of this nonsense, I want to take my shower," Walburga grumbled as she headed towards the bathroom, summoning shampoo and conditioner as she went. "I know I am a selfish creature but I will not allow some Ancient vampiric Undead withhold my evening shower!"
Her friends did not even attempt to dissuade her; instead, they simply watched her leave with an amused look.
"I am glad to see that Wally still has her priorities," Ygraine chuckled.
"I am pretty certain there is little that will ever stop Walburga from taking an evening shower," Harry pointed out with a grin.
"Including a dangerous Undead loose in the castle," Druella sighed with a tone of affection.
"Which many would consider the top priority but not the future Lady Black," Ophelia laughed shortly.
To her credit, Walburga did not take very long and had used several Drying Charms on her hair already when she came out of the bathroom and got dressed in some more comfortable but still appropriate clothing. She, Ygraine, Druella and Ophelia then left to round up all of their friends, followed by the familiars.
Harry remained behind in the dormitory to contact Hypnos in private. She sat on her bed and closed her eyes, opening the Link between her and her adopted godly uncle.
Hypnos, I hope I'm not disturbing anything between you and Rollo but I have a bit of a serious situation on my hands here …
The Mistress of Death only had to wait for a moment before she got an answer.
Harry? I'm not with Rollo right now – I am here with Tosti and Melinoë. What is the matter?
Tell us, girl,
the Goddess of Ghosts was quick to add.
You know one of the assignments Gringotts sent? Well, it was Grindelwald's latest test. Long story very short: I freed a sigil; the familiars accidentally broke the sigil and … there is now an empousa lose in the castle.
There was a stunned silence for a moment from the gods' end. Harry sighed deeply. Oh boy, that was never a good sign.
Life is never boring with you, is it? Thanatos commented wryly with a tone of amusement.
Unfortunately, not, Harry grumbled. Even when I don't look for trouble it somehow manages to find me!
I take it that because empousae have the habit of putting victims to sleep in order to avoid being accidentally insulted by them, you want Hypnos to not allow the entire castle to go to sleep? Melinoë wagered.
Indeed, Harry confirmed nervously.
Consider it done, but how will we keep the creature from escaping out into Kelpie's Hollow or Hogsmeade or Upper Hogsfield or any of the other hamlets? Hypnos wanted to know.
Leave that to me, brother, Thanatos reassured in a tone that told Harry that her divine friend was smirking on his end.
OK, do you have a method of capturing the empousa, Harry? Melinoë inquired.
Thanks to my assignment from Gringotts, yes, Harry answered with a little smirk. Issue is, we have to find her and trap her before she can cause any proper mischief.
I hate to say this, Harry, Hypnos then piped up, but you may need to get some of your teachers involved.Harry's heart stood still for a moment and the colour drained from her skin. Are you mad?!
No, what I am is concerned that you might be biting off more than you can chew. If this thing was sent to you by Grindelwald, then this creature is more dangerous and most likely older than your average empousa, Hypnos replied simply. Besides, your teachers seem more than willing to help you. I know it is hard for you, my darling, but maybe this time … your teachers can be relied upon to help.
Except one, Harry could not help but point out in a sneer. Her jaws clenched.
Yes well, maybe not go to Professor Dumbledore if you can help it, Melinoë tried to make as much light of it as she could. Perhaps your Defence teacher? Or the Headmaster?
Maybe. I will see.
The truth of the matter was, Harry was still reluctant to ask any adult at the school for help. Very reluctant indeed.
Just … let me know when the trap is up.
It already is, my dear, Thanatos answered with a tone of amusement.
And no one in Hogwarts can enter my Realm. The empousa will not be able to use her hypnosis on anyone, Hypnos added. Happy hunting!
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Tom was once more reminded that evening about why he sometimes hated the duties of being Head Boy. Caroline was ill that evening and couldn't do her rounds so now Tom had to do her route as well in addition to his own. The only good part about being forced to go to bed at a much later hour than normal, was that he was given some more time to think and mull things over.
With the return of Hagrid, a few nasty memories and thoughts had resurfaced. Tom had done his best to ignore his darker side but the return of someone who he had actually had a little bit of respect for despite their differences – of someone who had been another casualty in his quest for immortality – it had brought some things back. Hagrid had been a victim of circumstance. His expulsion had been nothing personal. Hogwarts was going to be shut down, and that meant Tom would be sent back to the orphanage.
A sentence that was worse than death.
Tom had seen Aragog's presence in the castle in Hagrid's head one time while Tom had been practising his Legilimency. Until then, Tom had kept Hagrid's Acromantula a secret – but when his only home was threatened, he had done the first thing that came into his head. Sacrifice Aragog and Hagrid; getting the glory had not even been on his mind. It had just been a nice bonus.
Tom convinced himself he had no choice. He never had remorse about doing it before … but like with a great many things, thanks to Harry, that had changed. Tom had heard Hagrid had taken quite well to Atty, Harry and Loreley. Part of him was happy about that; after all, he knew the half giant must have heard about Harry being one half of his relationship. The other, was hopeful. Strangely enough. Hopeful that perhaps Hagrid might one day be able to forgive him.
Why do you care? his dark side sneered. We don't need the forgiveness of that oaf.
Shut up. I did not ask you for your opinion.
The Heir of Slytherin came to a halt and leant against a nearby wall, looking out across the grounds. True, he didn't need Hagrid's forgiveness, but he would like it, nonetheless.
The cold wind wafted in through the windows and it made Tom shiver. And then, out of the blue, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. The last Gaunt immediately tensed up and his hand instinctively went for his wand. That only occurred with Tom when there was something very badly wrong. That there was a threat nearby … and looking directly at him.
Tom whirled around, and frowned when he saw … Harry standing there. For a moment he relaxed but quickly the Dark wizard sensed that something wasn't right. Harry was here? How was that possible? He could have sworn that Harry was with her girl friends for the evening, and she definitely was not wearing an Ancient Greek gown when he had last saw her. Plus, the air around her felt … heavy and there was something not right in those eyes.
Dangerous. Dark. Not only that, they were the wrong shade of green.
Suddenly, the air was heavier and cold and it had nothing to do with the wind blowing in.
Tom swallowed, his hand subtly already going to his wand holster. "Harry? What are you doing here?" he decided to try and act utterly oblivious but he was fairly certain, this was not the girl he loved.
'Harry' had this smirk on her countenance as she prowled towards him, one that was cold and calculating. He could have sworn that the eyes of whatever this shapeshifter was suddenly turned a little bit serpentine or draconic. Tom felt the air hum with magic – the creature was casting a spell, he was fairly certain of that, which made him fully draw his wand.
"Who the hell are you?!" he hissed, dispelling all manner of civility. "And why are you wearing a face that isn't yours?"
Please don't let this be a damn skin shifter!
Please tell me Harry isn't hurt …
'Harry' did not seem phased for a single moment by Tom as she approached, chanting in a language that Tom didn't know. He braced himself for an attack but soon came to realise, nothing was happening. Whatever this creature was, whatever it was trying to do – it wasn't working. She paused for a moment and continued, but still nothing seemed to happen. Very soon, the fake Harry seemed to realise as well. The look of amusement and the smugness was soon replaced by one of outright fury.
Whatever had happened or didn't happen, it gave Tom the opportune moment to strike back. Using an Old Magick Stunning Spell, he flung the counterfeit Harry back across the corridor, summoning a Lightning Spell through his wand, his eyes flashing ruby. As the lightning struck her, the creature howled.
"If you have harmed a single hair on Harry's head, I will make you rue the day you WERE BORN!" he promised the creature with such malice that for a moment it was almost as though he allowed his darkness to take over.
The creature picked itself off the floor, cackling at his threat. Its visage changed from Harry's to something else very quickly. A young woman with strawberry blonde hair, falling down in waves to her waist. Her eyes were an impossible shade of tangerine and seemed to dance with fire. Or perhaps it was just the light of the torches nearby but Tom didn't care what it was. Whatever this was, it circled its hand in front of it, conjuring an orange-yellow fire ball and sending it in Tom's direction.
Tom cut through the fireball rather elegantly with another bolt of silver lightning. The stream of quintessence arched through the air and hit the creature squarely in the gut, causing it to scream in pure pain and agony but it didn't seem to do much as it quickly recovered, lips curling into a sneer.
She then did something Tom didn't expect. The humanoid creature revealed one of her legs – it was entirely made of bronze. It was in that moment that Tom's eyes widened and he suddenly realised what he was facing. It was an empousa! A child of Hekate and a vampire goddess!
How in the name of everything good and holy did this creature get into Hogwarts?
How had the wards not picked up on it?
Tom's grip on his wand tightened and his stance tensed further, waiting for the empousa to strike. However, the creature didn't conjure a beam of ice or lightning or made any other kind of elemental attack. She stomped her bronze leg into the ground, sending a shockwave through the stone floor, causing the ground beneath Tom's feet to tremble.
It seemed like that an earthquake had struck the castle; such was the force. Tom attempted valiantly to stay on his feet, but the last Gaunt soon found himself on the ground, his wand flying out of his hand backwards and rolling away from him. While he tried to concentrate enough on his wand to Summon it back, the empousa began stalking towards him with a look of triumph in her eyes.
The creature hissed something Ancient Greek that Tom couldn't understand but could guess the sentiment of quite easily as she came ever closer. The Dark wizard's jaw clenched quite tightly as he focused ever harder on his Old Magic Summoning Spell, especially when he felt the cold talons of the empousa wrap around his throat.
He was not going to end up in the pages of Hogwarts history or history in general as empousa food! Tom was far too stubborn to countenance such an ignominious death.
"Onbregdan!" he hissed, looking at his wand.
The wand picked itself up and zoomed straight for Tom's open hand, all the while he felt the almost acidic breath of the Undead on his skin as her bared fangs headed for his bared neck. Just as Tom's fingers closed around his wand, there was a flash of light and the empousa screeched in pain.
"AWAY WITH YOU, UGLY HAG!"
At the insult, the empousa screamed even louder, as though the words had caused her immense pain, her talons shielding her eyes from the light. It gave Tom a moment to not only catch his breath but to quickly regain his bearings and look around him. His eyes widened to see Professor Merrythought besides him, wand drawn and staring down the empousa.
"Up you get, Tom!" she ordered in her usual authoritative tone. "You are not so easily beaten and I suggest you do not start now!"
Tom did not need to be told twice. He was up on his feet in seconds.
"Professor … I don't understand. How did you know-"
"I didn't until a few minutes ago," Merrythought answered crisply, sending a Bluebell Flames at the empousa in warning when the creature coiled, set to pounce like an irate lioness. "However, I and several members of staff got some very panicked Patronuses from Harry Evans and your friends, saying that one of Miss Evans' latest items housed an empousa – I mean really! What are those goblins going to put her through next?"
Quietly, Tom agreed, but there was also a part of him that suspected this had nothing to do with Gringotts, but everything to do with Gellert bloody Grindelwald. And Harry, had kept that to herself. Annoyed, Tom's grip tightened a little on his wand and he sent a bolt of yellow at the empousa, causing her to retreat into mist for the time being.
Apparently, she really didn't like the odds of two on one.
Merrythought scoffed. "Cowardly things. Empousae act all high and mighty, but their greatest strength is putting their victims to sleep. They usually do not go for the frontal assault unless they have to. As you probably know, they have too many weaknesses for that."
It clicked quite quickly in Tom's head. The empousa had tried to put him to sleep, and she had failed to do so. This made him frown. Why …? How? Being daughters of the goddess of magic herself, he knew that the Undead had some potent powers at their disposal. So why did her spell not work?
Wait a minute …
"Professor?" Tom turned to Merrythought, suddenly all the gears turning in his head all at once.
"Yes, Tom?"
"With all due respect, why are you not asleep? If I remember correctly, you keep to a very tight sleep schedule." This was true. Tom knew about Professor Merrythought's sleeping problems – thanks to his Legilimency – and the Professor always went to bed at nine o'clock sharp. No sooner, no later.
The last Tempus Tom had cast had been at eleven-thirty.
Merrythought suddenly scowled very deeply. "I did try to sleep," she confessed. "However, it seems that no one – and yes, I do mean no one – can get to sleep at present. Including the portraits."
Tom's eyes widened. "You mean to say-"
"The entire castle is still awake and for some reason no one can sleep," Merrythought confirmed. "No matter how hard they try. I am told Horace has tried several different teas already."
Tom's eyes widened. How was this possible? Unless of course this wasn't any mortal magic …
A small smile started forming on his countenance. Tom was not usually one for gambling but in this case, he knew he had the winning hand. He would bet anything that Harry had gotten Hypnos to seal his Realm to everyone in the castle.
Professor Merrythought saw his expression but did not think anything of it. She knew it was best not to ask questions, especially when it was Tom Riddle. She cleared her throat. "Come along, Mr. Riddle. Let us see if we can be of assistance to the others. The last I saw of your friends and suitors Mr. Nott and Mr. Black were explaining their plan to entrap the empousa to Albus and the Headmaster."
Tom paled at hearing that. "Professor Dumbledore … and the Headmaster … are helping?" he stated in disbelief.
Professor Merrythought nodded in affirmation as they headed off. "Indeed! Miss Evans sent a Patronus to Professor McCullagh, and Professor Dumbledore had happened to be in the vicinity and insisted on helping too. I must confess I was surprised that she sent one to the Headmaster. In fact, I am surprised Harry Evans asked for help in this case at all."
"You and me both, professor," Tom admitted.
After all, Harry did not have a good track record when it came to asking for help. He should be happy that in this case, Harry chose to make an exception, even if it was most likely done reluctantly.
On the way, Professor Merrythought and Tom kept a sharp eye out for anything and everyone – since the empousa was still at large and had the ability to apparently turn into anyone she pleased, they both had to stay on their toes. It also didn't help that Peeves the Poltergeist was feeling extra irritating that evening, going through the entire castle with a one-man band and making the most gods awful music imaginable while singing shrilly at the top of his voice.
Fortunately, Tom picked up a trick or two from Harry and with one well-aimed Langlock had silenced Peeves even for a little while, much to the relief of the Defence teacher. It was very soon that Tom wished he could use Langlock on humans without getting into too much trouble because Professor Merrythought had led the way to the Headmaster's office where all of Tom's friends were gathered, along with Dumbledore, McCullagh, Griffith, Slughorn and the Headmaster. The office was in a raucous, with the portraits of previous Headmasters and Headmistresses glaring down at them, furious that they couldn't get any sleep.
Dumbledore and Orion Black were both chatting way too animatedly for this time in the night while Altair was trying to patiently explain to the Headmaster the plan to entrap the empousa in a historical entrapment spell that they had been studying as part of Harry's Gringotts assignment, and that most of it was essentially going to be tossing a coin up in the air and hoping the Fates favoured them because of the fact they hadn't gotten as much information on how the empousa of more than three thousand years ago was trapped.
Tom's Knights, though, were getting more and more agitated. One in particular.
"-we have a blood sucking vampiric thing on the loose and you want to just hope for the best?!"
"Caius, with all due respect, shut up!"
"Heron, you can't sit here and tell me you're OK with this!"
"Oh have you got a better plan then?"
"No one asked you, Malum!"
"No one asked you either-"
"Boys! Boys, settle down!" Professor Griffith scolded lightly, giving them all a pointed look. "I know this is the last thing that any of us wanted to do in an evening, but as you are probably aware – we cannot allow this Undead to remain loose in our walls and be a danger to the rest of the students."
Caius Dolohov couldn't find anything to argue in that, and simply looked at his feet, feeling just to ever so slightly sheepish.
Griffith continued. "Now. We will continue to brainstorm and I will make us all some coffee and caffeinated tea to keep our spirits up," he stated brightly, heading towards the back of the Headmaster's office.
"Good idea, Aneurin – ah! Galatea! You have brought young Master Riddle!" Dippet stated happily, beaming at them. "He was not too difficult to track down, was he?"
"No indeed, sir, but he did already encounter our Undead-"
Tom really wished Professor Merrythought had not said anything, because as soon as the words were out of her mouth, Harry and Altair had rushed over to check him over.
"Are you OK?!" they both questioned urgently.
"Did she bite you?"
"Were you put to sleep?"
"If she harmed you-"
Tom pulled the pair of them into a tight embrace before they could continue fussing, burying his face into the crooks of their necks, breathing in their scents. He was soothing them, but also reassuring himself that they were all right. He ignored the swoony gazes from Harry's girls, the smirks from his own friends and even the confused and resigned looks from Dumbledore.
"Ssssh, I'm all right," Tom told them gently. "She did put up a fight, though. I admit she almost had me before Professor Merrythought showed up."
"Empousae are divine Undead. You did marvellously," his Defence teacher reassured. "Besides, Madam Abernathy would have been able to treat your wound had it been necessary. Undead bites are one of her specialties."
"Since we are all complete," the Headmaster drew the attention back to the task at hand, "shall we continue?"
Tom, Harry and Altair flushed a little but rejoined the group quite quickly.
Orion was the first to back on track. "We need to set up the sigil somewhere where we have the best view and access to the Moon-"
"That would be the Astronomy Tower," Professor Griffith put in quite quickly.
"Indeed. And I have all the herbs we need," Slughorn added.
"That is all well and good but how are we going to lure a creature who can disappear into mist and can take the visage of literally anyone?" Professor Merrythought inquired in her usual commanding tone.
"Visage of anyone?" Professor McCullagh repeated, her eyes widening. "Galatea, what-"
"The empousa tried to … do what she was going to do to me by making herself look like Harry," Tom spoke up, his voice tense and his hands curling in his lap in anger.
"What?" Malum's eyes widened.
Harry suddenly began to study Tom's neck for any sign at all for a bite mark, and soon sat back in relief when she didn't see any. She ran her hands through her hair and Tom hugged her close.
"Mr. Riddle fought the Undead off with great skill," Professor Merrythought informed them all primly. "I only needed to step in when it was needed. However it showed that the creature is capable of looking like anyone."
"But how did it even know to look like Harry?" Caius frowned.
"Empousae have the natural ability to see into people's hearts, look like someone you love," Druella was the one to reply, looking dark.
"Oh that's just bloody marvellous!" Arc grumbled into his hands. "So anyone could be seeing loved ones at any place – this is already headache inducing…"
"There, there, Mr. Rosier," Dumbledore stated calmly and serenely. "There is no need to panic. Now, since we are all together and the plan is coming into fruition, I do wish to have one question answered. How did an empousa come into our school in the first place?"
A few eyes at this point shifted nervously in Harry's direction; the teachers caught on immediately and turned to look at the guilty looking transfer student. Tom took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Altair took the other.
"Miss Evans?" the Headmaster asked expectantly.
"As I mentioned before, I didn't know the seal contained an empousa," Harry began. "Gringotts sent me another artefact. They wanted me to get to the bottom of it … and eventually I got to a seal. I was going to study it further but I once again hit a brick wall." Harry swallowed. "I put the seal under charms and sigils to protect against magic attacks but … I seemed to forget to put shields up against physical ones because our familiars were messing around and hit the seal-"
"Thus breaking it," Professor Merrythought finished, already gauging the outcome.
"Exactly," Harry sighed. "There are times, professor, where I feel like I have the IQ of a peanut and I'm afraid this is one of those times."
Smiles and chuckles ran about the room.
"Well," Dumbledore smiled at her warmly. "We cannot think of all the hypotheticals at all times, Miss Evans. You lost sight of one. I am sure it won't happen again after learning such a firm lesson."
"Indeed," Harry agreed readily.
"I hate to be the one to ask this, but does anyone know how to lure an empousa?" Heron asked quietly.
"It has to be someone who speaks Ancient Greek," Tom stated, his jaw clenching. He knew he should have taken lessons in the language when it was given during his third year … "She doesn't speak a word of English, though she does seem to be able to understand it."
This time all eyes travelled to Altair, who already seemed resigned to his fate.
"Very well," Altair agreed. "I'll lure the thing to the Astronomy Tower."
"Mr. Nott, I do think perhaps this should be left to one of us," Professor McCullagh protested, shaking her head. "Albus, Armando and Horace all know Ancient Greek. Galatea knows some too. All of you have been put into enough danger."
"I have to agree with Kara. You are all doing more than any student should already," Slughorn told his Slytherins, though there was a look of pride in his eyes and voice. "Indeed I think school awards should be in order for your efforts!"
"Now, now, Horace, we haven't caught the empousa yet," Professor Griffith reminded him lightly.
"With all due respect, professors, our familiars were the cause of this," Ophelia pointed out. "Plus, none of us leave a single assignment unfinished. We are not about to start now!"
"And you are not," the Headmaster reassured. "However, I-"
It was at this particular moment that a couple of very familiar Patronuses entered the room.
"HARRY!" the erratic and panicked tones of Artemis rang around the room. "YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE WHAT WE CAUGHT JUST NOW!"
The Weasley twins soon joined the party.
"Malfoy was-"
"-being creepy again-"
"-and then we were attacked-"
"-by Cederella!"
"SEPTIMUS SAW CEDERELLA BUT I SWEAR I SAW HERON THERE! AND THEN HERON TURNED INTO THIS CREEPY WOMAN!"
"Harry, we have the empousa but we cannot hold her for much longer!" Loreley was the one to add, more urgently than normal. "Whatever you are all planning you need to do it now!"
The Patronuses faded away, leaving a few people a little bit more than shellshocked.
"How in the name of Merlin's unwashed robes did they-" Caius wailed.
"Shush! Let's ask that when we have gotten rid of the thing!" Abraxas snapped as everyone scrambled to their feet.
"Agreed!" came the rather shocked chorus.
"All right everyone, most of you follow me to Astronomy Tower – Albus and Mr. Nott, go and track down where Miss Potter, Miss Malfoy and Messers Weasley are. And lure the empousa into our trap!" the Headmaster stated, sounding concerningly like he was having the time of his life.
###########################################################################
Hypnos was desperately trying to ignore all the protests and the shouting from his children at the fact that no one in the Hogwarts area was under the influence of the Realm at that moment. The God of Sleep never once had a headache in his immortal life from his children shouting about a lack of people to give dreams to so this was definitely a first.
You know I cannot put anyone there to sleep right now! It is too dangerous! he snapped at them for the umpteenth time.
FATHER! THAT IS NOT OUR PROBLEM!
Oh go and torment some of your least favourite humans!
That's not fun, though!
Morpheus and Phobetur take all the good ones anyway!
No we don't!
Yes you do!
The cacophony of voices made Hypnos close his eyes and grip his head further. The God of Sleep hung his head against the window, near growling in pain.
"Henry?"
Hypnos stopped for a moment, and whirled around to look at Rollo, who had apparently woken up too. Another one who escaped the Realm … Hypnos thought he had placed his lover under his best sleeping spell but apparently the spell he was casting on Hogwarts right now was making the one on his lover slip.
"Rollo," Hypnos whispered. "You should be in bed…"
"So should you," Rollo pointed out as he headed to the kitchen.
The god watched him for a moment. "You can't sleep?" he tried to ask as casually as possible.
"I was asleep. Didn't have too bad of a dream. But I suddenly found myself awake and unable to sleep. I then noticed you gone," Rollo responded simply as he began boiling water to make a cup of tea.
Hypnos rubbed his head for a moment longer before he replied. "Sorry," he apologised softly. "I just have a lot on my mind right now."
"Knut for your thoughts?"
The god found himself smirking. "I would hope my thoughts are a little bit more worth to you than a simple Knut."
Rollo chuckled. "I thought it was obvious that your thoughts are priceless to me but – yes I suppose the saying is a little underwhelming compared to the truth," he agreed. The Head Cursebreaker then turned serious. "Out with it. I know it must be important or you would not look like you're about to faint."
Hypnos snorted. The idea that a god would faint was funny to him but soon composed himself. "Family is an eternal headache," he stated truthfully.
"Now is that not the understatement of the century," Rollo agreed dryly. "Who is the cause of this particular migraine?"
Hypnos considered for a moment before answering. The god closed his eyes and hung his head. He couldn't tell Rollo the full truth – he couldn't. So like with everything, Hypnos tweaked the truth to make it sound plausible.
"Harry is in trouble. I cast a spell to help her and … you could say it's taking a toll on me," Hypnos answered.
Rollo frowned in concern. "What? What's happening? What kind of trouble?" he asked urgently.
Hypnos shrugged lightly. "It seems that one of her latest assignments involved a seal that had kept an empousa locked up, and unfortunately … that empousa is now free…"
Rollo paled. Quite considerably. Indeed corpses looked healthier than him at present. The kettle whistled to let him know the water was ready and that was the only thing to knock Rollo back to his senses.
"No … Henry … Did Harry tell you what the Undead looked like…?"
"Not exactly. Why?" Hypnos frowned. The god was concerned. "Rollo, what is it?"
"The empousa is a Grindelwald test," Rollo divulged easily, swallowing. "And if my hunch is correct, this is no normal empousa. If my hunch is correct this one devastated an entire Temple of Hekate once."
Hypnos's eyes widened. He remembered that incident all too well – it was one of the reasons he had been more than ready to help Harry with her problem. Because he had allowed the victims into his Realm and thus had made the Undead's job easier.
It was a regret the god held for centuries.
"The automaton grimoires might have the answer about how to deal with her," Hypnos pointed out carefully.
"Not that we have seen. We have started studying the automaton grimoires but so far, we have yet to decipher which of the many rituals is an empousa trapping spell," Rollo's jaw clenched as he poured the tea. "I am tempted to suggest maybe contacting the ghosts of some of the original priests to ask how they composed the spell but I am not a great advocator for necromancy."
Hypnos froze; why did he not think of it himself? Rollo's idea wasn't entirely a bad one.
Melinoë?
I heard, cousin, the Goddess of Ghosts reassured. I am trying to find them. Leave this with me. You just drink your tea and pretend to go back to bed.
Hypnos rolled his eyes at her comments. Rollo sighed as he put a few sugars into their tear. "We are not going to get a rest until this damn war is over, will we?"
"No. Maybe not even then," Hypnos pointed out.
"No," Rollo agreed. "But at least we will be able to get a good night's sleep."
"Fair point."
###########################################################################
Melinoë decided very quickly that she was going to have to pay Hypnos or Thanatos – or anyone else for that matter – some kind of fee for getting her immortal behind into their messes so often. The Goddess of Ghosts was more than happy to help, that wasn't the issue. She also knew where to find the ghosts of Hali and Otis and to summon them to have a little chat.
The two spirit priests answered her call quite easily, and took an interest in the small apartment where she lived. Unfortunately, the two of them accidentally had brought someone else with them.
Persephone; Queen of the Underworld, Lady of the Dead, the Iron Queen and … Mother, as the Goddess of Ghosts knew her as. It was rather impossible to discern the goddess as anything else. Especially with her dark hair with red highlights, eerie green eyes that seemed to reflect the fires of the River Phlegethon itself. Her red, purple and black dress billowed in a non-existent wind and seemed to be a contrast to the goddess's apparent light and whimsical countenance. The visit was utterly unexpected, and utterly unwelcome, especially when Melinoë found herself embraced into a rather uncomfortable hug.
"Meli!" Persephone cried happily. "How are you, my dear?"
"Mother!" Melinoë protested as she tried to free herself from the vice-like grip. "What in the name of everything that is divine in our family are you doing here?!"
"Well I came to see you, of course! You did not come to visit at all this winter. I mean, I understand it a little, considering the Traveller is such a small child, but that is no excuse to not see your family for a day," Persephone pouted a little when Melinoë finally managed to escape the hug. "I just wanted to see you, dear."
Melinoë was not buying it for a moment because she was not born yesterday. "Mother, for possibly the millionth time in my undying life, I will not have children. You will not convince me to have children and you will not use Harry to convince me to have children!"
"I would not dream of it, darling! How suspicious you are of your own Mama!"
"I am suspicious for good reason, because every time you visit or I visit, you give me reason to be!"
Persephone attempted to look innocent but it wasn't really working. The Goddess of Ghosts then continued. "Furthermore, I didn't ask Hali and Otis to come forth from the depths of the Underworld for fun! Frankly, I don't even have time to explain myself to you. An entire school full of Hekate's blessed are in danger because a Dark wizard sent an Ancient empousa to Harry as a bloody test!"
Hali and Otis had been watching the exchange rather awkwardly, not wishing to get involved in this drama between the divine mother and daughter, but when Melinoë mentioned that there was an Ancient empousa endangering an entire school full of Gifted ones, they immediately put all decorum aside and put a halt to the family quibble happening in front of them.
"Herio has escaped?" Hali stated in careful English; she could hardly believe her ears. "A young witch managed to break the seal we put on her? How?!"
"Our Harry is a stubborn donkey with a rather ingenious mind," the Goddess of Ghosts answered with an exhausted sigh. "And equally mad and ingenious friends. To be fair on her, Harry had no idea that Herio was in there or she would not have contemplated unsealing her, no matter who threatened her."
"Whoever sent Herio is a greater fool than the girl for unsealing her," Otis stated simply, shaking his head. "I admit I am impressed that someone has actually managed to suss out what we did – we went to some lengths to imprison Herio."
"And now we have to clean up her mess," Hali grumbled. "I think it is time we send Herio into the depths of Tartarus! Containment clearly is not enough."
"Normally I would agree, but as before, if we destroy this corporeal form, eventually Herio will get another," Otis reminded his partner with a sigh. "It might take another a thousand years but she would be back to wreak havoc eventually."
Hali knew he was correct but she did not like it one bit. As she took a moment to sulk, suddenly an idea struck her. "If a seal does not work … we will just have to contain Herio a different way …" Hali giggled as the idea ran through her head. "If this Harry is as creative and mad as you say, Lady Melinoë, I think we may be able to contain Herio near indefinitely…"
"Are you going to let me into your plan, my love?" Otis's eyes danced with amusement.
"No," came the predictable, curt answer.
Both Melinoë and Persephone chuckled. Over the thousands of years the ghost priests had been in their realm, they had not changed in the dynamic of their relationship and the goddesses loved it.
Otis huffed and bowed to the Queen of the Underworld and her daughter. "If you will forgive us, my Ladies, we have work to do."
Both ghosts were gone before either goddess could say or do anything, which made the Goddess of Ghosts roll her eyes. Typical. She then braced herself for her mother's usual incessant prattle, but Persephone was preoccupying herself with looking around the apartment.
"I rather like your human home – it's very quaint. Of course Thanatos and Hypnos have an extensive library … Old habits do die hard of course," Persephone giggled at her own little joke. "Ah! Philotes's portrait of Nyx! I had quite forgotten how well she had captured dear Nyx's good side."
"Is this another hint that Makaria and I should do one for you?" Melinoë asked with a slight smirk on her face.
"Oh, no, no, dear," Persephone reassured hurriedly, waving her hand dismissively. Mischief did dance in her eyes. "But you can tell me a little bit more about Hera Peverell."
"Mother…"
"I am genuinely interested! A new Mistress of Death is exciting news. So, how much of the gossip Aphrodite and Apollo have been spreading is true?"
The Goddess of Ghosts sighed to herself. "Oh by the seven Rivers …"
This was going to be a long night!
###########################################################################
"Your hair is so frazzled that you look like you were struck multiple times by lightning bolts, trying to fix your hair!"
"You need a new skin care routine; ewwwww is that a wrinkle?!"
"It's not surprising you need people to sleep to drink from them. Your actual face is nightmare inducing!"
"You need to brush your teeth more – your breath stinks and your fangs are yellow!"
"Taking someone else's face is rude!"
The scene that greeted Dumbledore and Altair when they hurried to Gryffindor Tower, where Loreley, Artemis and the Weasley twins had the empousa cornered, was one that neither had expected. Both Septimus and Octavius had the Undead under several Weakening Hexes and Body Binds and Artemis had robbed the creature of its ability to speak while the rest of Gryffindor House were shouting insults at the empousa while Loreley waved cheerily at the Head of the Lion House and Heir Nott.
"Altair! Professor! You are just in time!" she stated whimsically. "Our second line is already on the way as well – how fortuitous…"
Altair looked at her in utter disbelief. "Loreley-"
"We do not-"
"-mean to be-"
"-annoying but what-"
"-are we supposed to do-"
"-with this shape-shifting-"
"-trollop?!" the Weasleys asked as they strengthened the spells on the Undead as she continued to struggle against her bounds.
"Messrs Weasley, there is no need for that," Dumbledore scolded lightly.
"The point still stands, sir!" Artemis stated firmly. "This thing is vicious and we can't hold her much longer. She's bloody strong!"
The empousa – seething and hissing – was physically fighting back against her bonds while attempting to ignore the insults being thrown in her face. Alas, in vain, which was why she strained in near physical pain. Glaring at her captors, the Undead tried instead to spew bile, but then forgot she was under several Silencing Charms.
Altair smirked at her. "Something the matter?" he sneered at her in Ancient Greek. "Are you so surprised we are not so easy prey?"
For a moment, she gaped in undisguised shock before she sneered at him. Loreley lifted the Silencing Charms enough for the empousa to reply. "You are only fortunate that I have not hunted in a few thousand years. Otherwise I would have drained you all by now!"
Dumbledore continued to look serenely at the empousa, with a hardened look. "You have no shame. Feeding on innocent children …"
"Shame is for the weak, old man!" the empousa hissed darkly. "And emotions are emotions. It matters not how old the dinner is."
Altair scoffed. "And yet it is your dinner who has you trapped!"
"Do you?" the empousa taunted with an icy smirk. "Do you believe you can contain me, Gifted One? I am Herio, first born daughter of the Mother of Witches and the Mother of Vampires themselves! I have escaped from every prison made to contain my kind and even when we are slain, we are reborn!"
The Undead's eyes started to glow ominously. "You, little wizard, are no match for me!"
"Fine words from the one pinned to the floor," Altair smirked back. "Perhaps your divine mothers no longer favour you. Not that I would blame them for it. All that power and yet, you're beaten by children."
Something changed in Herio's face. That something made Artemis uneasy. "Altair Nott, I have no idea what you just said but I do not like her face right now!"
Septimus and Octavius too started to strain a little as they kept their spells going. "She's attempting-"
"-to escape!"
"Your feet stink worse than kneazle farts!"
"You look like my Great Aunt Nessie!"
"You make a Dementor sound like an opera singer!"
The insults from some of the younger Lions immediately resumed. This time Herio attempted to fight through the mental pain that the children were causing her, grunting and straining. Through gritted the empousa growled and grumbled incoherently, eyes bathed in fury and determination.
Dumbledore noted the gravity of the situation and frowned. "First and second years, to your dormitories. Third and fourth years as well; fifth, sixth and seventh years, prepare yourselves!"
The Lions obeyed without question. The younger years continued shouting insults at the Undead over their shoulders as they went while the older years stayed behind and drew their wands, ready to defend themselves against Herio in the event she did finally manage to break free.
"You cannot keep me trapped here forever, you puny Gifted ones! Your magic may be powerful but I am a child of the Dark Mother herself; with or without favour, I am still from her divine blood! I – YOU!"
Herio had noticed someone no one else had sensed coming into the room, for very good reason. Altair, Dumbledore, Artemis and several students swung round to look at where the Undead was staring. All the while Loreley was smirking triumphantly. There floating with them was a ghost that no one else had ever seen before around the castle; of a young man dressed in Ancient Greek clothing and a look of pure disgust directed at the empousa.
"Hello, Herio," the ghost greeted in heavily accented English. "I see it took a few millennia for you to escape your prison."
Herio snapped and snarled akin to a wild animal, nigh on frothing at the mouth in fury. "I will make you pay for what you did, priest! I will eat your spiritual essence and take your powers for my own!"
"Sorry, who in the name of everything good and magical are you?" Artemis asked the spectral stranger, looking and sounding dumbfounded.
The ghost smiled brightly. "I am Otis, priest of Lady Hekate, at your service."
Realisation spread onto Altair's face in an instant. This was one of the inventors of the automaton grimoires!
"How is it you speak English so well?"
"Artemis!" chorused several people.
The ghost chuckled, not in the least bit offended.
"We learned over the millennia. One William Shakespeare was a favourite at one point. A Lord Byron too but he was extremely melodramatic," Otis pulled a face. "However, we can discuss this later because it seems Herio is about to break free – follow me!"
The ghost was entirely correct. Fuelled by her anger, the empousa pushed through the last of the magical restraints, despite the Weasleys putting in their greatest effort, and roared in Otis's direction. Otis – followed by Altair, Artemis, Loreley and Dumbledore – raced from Gryffindor Tower with Herio hot on their heels. The seventh- and sixth-year Lions sent Stunners to slow the Undead down further; enough made their mark to do so.
The rest served to infuriate her further.
"Not that I am not glad that we have some extra help, but what are you doing here?" Altair asked as they followed the ghosts to the staircases and then onto the ones that led to the upper floors of the castle.
"We were summoned!" Otis answered. "Hali and I came as soon as we could – my beloved has come up with a way to contain Herio again; she has prepared the trap with you friends and mentors. Our task is to get Herio there-"
Suddenly there was a shrill shriek of fury. Everyone turned to see that Herio, was stuck on a staircase. Indeed the staircases had decided to do their merry little dance and the empousa was stuck on a staircase that was heading for the third floor. Altair and Artemis could not help but chuckle a little at this.
However, Herio was a lot more resourceful. She spread her wings, threatening to take flight. Loreley creepily once more had anticipated the Undead's decision and had fired a Petrification Curse on the giant bat wings.
"Nice one, Lorri!" Artemis cheered.
Herio hissed in irritation but did not give up her pursuit. The empousa started to make uncanny leap after uncanny leap, from staircase to staircase. Artemis grumbled, her good mood killed within seconds. "Of course the thing knows how to jump higher than a bloody grasshopper!"
"Stupid question, where are we even heading to?" Altair wanted to know as they once again raced after Otis once the ghost decided it was time to get off. "Because this heads towards-"
"The Astronomy Tower! As planned!" Loreley reminded him.
"How do you know the way, Otis?" Dumbledore asked curiously.
"I do not!" Otis replied. "I am heading for Hali's signature – ooo good gods!"
The group dodged a well-aimed fireball in their direction. It seemed that Herio had gotten some of her magical energy back. Dumbledore fortunately protected their group and dispelled the flames before it could do any serious damage.
Quietly, both Altair and Artemis were impressed that the Head of Gryffindor was able to keep up so easily with their young people pace.
"I will end you all and feast on your magic!" Herio threatened through venomous hisses.
Loreley promptly blasted back rays of ice at the floor to make it even more difficult for the Undead to follow.
When the group finally arrived at the Astronomy Tower, they found the Knights of Walpurgis and Harry's girls hidden by shadows and ready to provide back up. On the main platform of the Tower, Harry, Tom, Hali, Professor Merrythought, the Headmaster and Professor McCullagh were keeping the entrapment sigil enchanted and their wands drawn.
Altair, Loreley and Artemis joined their friends and teachers and drew their wands. Dumbledore huffed and puffed a little but composed himself easily, which made Dippet chuckle. "Got some exercise, Albus?"
"More than I bargained for!"
No one else had a time to make a sassy comment because Herio came clomping up the stairs. Eyes bathed in fire and hair crackling with magic. The eldest daughter of Hekate and Mormo glared daggers at her old adversaries first and then at the wizards gathered. "You are all fools," she taunted. "This pathetic excuse for a sigil will not have enough power to keep me contained! Shame, Hali – I expected better of you."
Altair translated all the while; Hali smirked. "I have had enough time to come up with a different idea to keep you contained, Herio. You are right. This whole escapade has shown me that simply keeping you sealed … does not work."
Herio sneered. "So you are capable of learning-"
"Indeed," Professor Merrythought interrupted. "Now, Miss Herio, if you had taken a moment to observe the sigil before you, you would know we are not attempting to contain an Undead or a monster."
The empousa's eyes widened.
"It is designed to contain an animal," Harry informed her brightly. "We spent a bit of time debating whether you should be a goat, a sheep or a fish. Caius made us draw straws and fish won."
"You do not have the power to do such a thing!"
"Are you so sure?" Tom smirked darkly. "Care to test the theory?"
Herio sneered in fury. Her hands were bathed in orange-yellow fire, ready to strike. The staff were prepared for her. The Headmaster hit the empousa with a powerful Stunner while Dumbledore encased her arms and legs with a Freezing Hex. Harry and Tom incanted together, "Transvermus ad piscem!"
Herio began screaming as the spell started to take hold. Her body started to twist and turn in gnarly and inhuman directions. Almost as though she were being possessed; alas this was the effect of her attempting to fight the spell off. All the while Hali, Professors McCullagh and Merrythought engaged the sigil.
"You think you have won, Hali? Enlisting the powers of Thanatos to help you? Sooner or later I will regain my form and I will make you all pay!"
Harry and Tom increased the intensity of the spell, especially when they saw Dumbledore frown. The Undead was soon too small for any of her incoherent screeching to be deciphered and in a few more moments, everyone was faced with a rather large red, black and bronze looking fish that was flopping around, looking utterly enraged.
Dippet sighed and conjured a fish bowl around the creature, complete with sealing sigils. "Well! That was horridly unpleasant, but – well done everyone!"
"Well done? We hid like people-shy unicorns!" Caius fumed as he and everyone else from downstairs joined their friends and teachers.
"Now, now, Mr. Dolohov, if anything went pear-shaped you would have needed to jump in," Dippet reminded him. "There was no need to put everyone on the front line."
"Indeed," Professor Merrythought agreed crisply. She then turned her attention onto the giant empousa fish. "So what do we do with her?"
"Leave that with us, ma'am," Otis answered with a grin. "We know precisely who to give her to. Someone who will ensure she cannot escape that form for the next coming thousand years."
No one questioned the two ghosts as they levitated the fish bowl, curtsied and bowed and then disappeared. As soon as they were gone, Professor McCullagh sighed. "Right. Everyone to bed, and Miss Evans, for the sake of my heart, if you find a seal again – don't leave it where familiars can knock it over!"
Harry grimaced. "Yes, professor. I am sorry for this."
"Five points from Slytherin for your recklessness," Merrythought stated coolly, which made the Snakes deflate. "Six points returned for cleaning up your mess."
That made the Snakes light up again and Artemis grumble.
"Five points to Gryffindor for Miss Potter's contribution and five to Miss Malfoy for her warning," Dumbledore added. "Five also to Messrs Weasley, who managed to subdue the empousa."
Harry and Tom looked to Altair, who gave them a slight nod. For once, Dumbledore was not showing undue favouritism to his own House. The Snakes together with Artemis and Loreley set off towards their dorms – Loreley all the while got rid of her ice rink.
"Do you think we will make it through Valentine's Day without a bloody theatre show?" Arcturus commented darkly.
"I hope so. I don't think I can handle another assignment any time soon," Harry confessed, sighing in exhaustion.
"At this point I am waiting for Grindelwald to attend the Quidditch finals," Orion added.
"Black, can you not tempt fate?" Abraxas huffed.
"Fair point. My apologies."
Ophelia attempted to settle them all down a little. "OK, that's enough negativity for this evening. Who wants to do one game of Dragon Land before we go to bed?"
"Rowle, that breeds more negativity!" Caius exclaimed.
Altair smirked. "Scared to lose, Dolohov?"
"Oh you're on!"
"Altair, really?" Harry sighed, shaking her head fondly.
"One game!" Altair pouted. "That's all I need to kick Dolohov's behind."
"I will make you eat your words!"
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Hello everyone! Yes, I am still alive and no I am not going anywhere! I have just had a very rough time of it lately – finding work, losing work, general instability, having my heart broken, trying to balance writing project with writing project… These have been a hectic few months and I am sorry for leaving it so long.
I have decided that until further notice I will be focusing only on this story and Delivery for the Death Eaters. I can only handle so much at a time and if I try to juggle every single one of my stories at the same time, the quality of all of them is going to decrease and that is not something I can countenance.
So for those of you who think this story is abandoned, or any of my work are abandoned, they are not. I NEVER leave a story unfinished; that is like turning a knife in me. I know, I know. I am dramatic. But I cannot and will not allow it to happen. I have a plan for this work and I am determined to see it to the end. In my opinion, I have something good planned and I just hope you think so too.
Thank you to all those who have been so patient with me.
Kingmaker'sUmbreon