Prompt: The Grim Reaper

Chapter 7: Fear the reaper

The tension in the clearing was palpable. No one spoke. Voldemort paced in the center, studying his wand. As the minutes ticked by, it was starting to look like Harry Potter wasn't going to appear. The dark wizard turned to look at Severus. There was a question he wanted to ask, but it wasn't to be voiced with an audience. The elder wand had been in his possession for a month. He didn't think it had solved his problem. There was no way to know until the moment came to confront the boy. It didn't feel like his magic was any more powerful than it had been with his phoenix wand. This wasn't how he meant to really test it. Potter was supposed to turn himself into the ministry. Not launch an attack on the Death Eaters at Hogwarts. It was an insult that he couldn't allow to stand despite the obvious problem with confronting the boy in front of an audience. The school was his and he wouldn't permit a challenge to go unanswered. "How much longer," he asked Severus, knowing full well the deadline had nearly passed. He needed to cover for the question he nearly asked.

"It's past time," Severus admitted.

"I thought he'd come," Voldemort answered, shocked that the boy had managed to defy his expectations twice. An offensive attack in defiance to the ultimatum and a denial to sacrifice himself for the mudblood. Had he underestimated how unlike Albus Dumbledore the boy was? Dumbledore would have come.

"Something's moving," Bellatrix said, squinting into the darkness of the forest. The shadows appeared to swell toward them. A menacing hiss erupted from a form lunging at the witch. She shot a spell out at it, causing it to crumple to the ground. Bellatrix leaned over to get a better look. It appeared to be a scorched body. Had an explosion launched a victim this far into the forest? Its skin dark and leathery. Bones protruding as if starved before burnt. Then she stood straight. "Inferius!" she called out before a swarm filled the clearing.

Voldemort was speechless. They would never. As he contemplated the idea that the other side would dare to make inferi, one of the beings caught his attention. A rune was carved into its chest. It was his inferius. He had tried to imbue it with an enchantment with the rune before reanimating it. What was it doing in the Dark Forest? It should be in the crystal cave, protecting the locket. Fire burst from his wand, encircling the menacing creatures that were still in the trees. Some had made it into the clearing. They were swinging their arms wildly at the Death Eaters. A few had managed to jump onto the backs of people, clawing and biting. Cries of surprise and pain from the Death Eaters were mixed with the guttural noises the reanimated corpses could manage to vocalize. "Stop!" he commanded. A handful appeared to obey. The rest continued their terror. It wasn't possible.

A huge disruption broke through the fire. "Potter," Voldemort realized in time to catch a flash of his target before inferi poured through in front of him. It was Potter who was controlling his inferi. The most chilling revelation though came a second later. His horcrux was compromised. How had Potter found it and why had his creations betrayed him?

The blaze of the fire burned so hot, everyone appeared to be silhouettes against the backdrop. Harry stood out like the grim reaper leading an army of the dead. Anyone who turned their wand in his direction was cut down. Thrown hundreds of feet back into the darkness or pinned helplessly to the ground with bindings only to be attacked by the grotesque forms doing his bidding. Blue and red lights flew through the air as it became apparent quickly Potter hadn't arrived with only an army of inferi.

"My lord, we need to leave. We'll be overrun. Even if it's to another location on the grounds. We can't stay here," Bellatrix said as she rushed up behind him. A deep gash stood out on her cheek, a bite mark.

"No! No, this isn't possible. They're mine. They must listen to me," he yelled desperately. The last a plea to the inferi. Seething anger made him take a step toward Harry. He'd kill him right there. "Avada Kedavra!" he yelled, a bright green bolt of energy left his wand tip. And it was stopped short by an inferius. The body was already dead. There was no life to take and the being continued on unphased. Voldemort squinted. He swore the being had done shielded Harry on its own volition.

"Please, we have to leave. We'll get Potter another day," the witch said more urgently. Pulling on his hand, she led him back towards safety. The back of the clearing where they had reinforced their position in order to funnel an offensive in a predictable direction.

Even as he tried to work out the sight before him, there was a more immediate betrayal. The sound of witches and wizards within his camp were apparating away. Cowards. "Get the girl. She'll pay for his actions," he commanded, his mind already racing through the locations of his other horcruxes. He'd check them all. Ensure they were safe. It was impossible to accept that Harry Potter found his secret and managed to destroy it. This was why he made more than one, he told himself. Convincing himself that Harry wasn't the dark harbinger he imagined. Chance or luck had exposed the locket in the cave. Maybe even Dumbledore. That was it. He took the orphans to the cave. The headmaster heard about it, found the cave and told Harry.

Bellatrix ran up to the still form at the feet of the half giant. She lashed out at Hagrid before pulling a half unconscious Hermione up by her arm. Looking around wildly, she ensured there was nothing else to gather up. Voldemort was backing up, still struggling with his disbelief. And then he was gone with a pop. Bellatrix followed.