The world appeared before him, and then silence.
Linus found himself in a forest, it was humid, the clouds above were dark and there was a light rain.
He began walking slowly forward, listening and using his wolfs eye to see in the deep forest.
After walking for fifty meter he began seeing a light, seemed like a fire.
The dark forest with the black uniform gave a very good camouflage in this situation. Hiding behind a tree he could finally see the light source.
It was an old abandoned manor. It was in really bad condition, roof almost falling inwards. And one wall had already fell, leaving a big hole in the side of the house.
Focusing he saw people walking around inside the manor, there were four guards standing outside, two of them were standing by the fire and the other two walking around the manor.
'Who are these guys and why here? poachers?' Linus thought to himself
But they didn't seem like poachers. They had some good gear, dressed too fancy for some forest living poacher.
"This place is killing me, haven't slept for days…" complained one of the men around the campfire
Linus listened in to get some information about them. "The boss told us that we would be here for a couple days more. Apparently, he's waiting for some signal."
'So they are just staying here for now. The regular guys doesn't seem to know why they are here.' Linus stood up after sitting in a crouched position behind a tree.
He raised his wand aiming for the two by the campfire, the other two patrolling the manor were behind the manor now.
Linus raised his wand, and two ice sickles formed above the two men, before they could react. The sickles flew down into the heads of the men.
The men collapsed with a silent thud. Linus walked towards the manor.
'I should take care of the other two as well, maybe I should try with my knights'
Linus began forming two knights out of stone, the knights held great swords. He etched runes into the knight making them silent as they moved.
After thinking about the orders, the knights walked of behind the house.
While the knights took care of them. Looking at the manor, it seemed like everyone else was asleep. No light, no noise and no movements. He did see movements before.
'Maybe there is more to this manor, is should still hear the one that moved inside. But its deadly quiet.' Linus thought as he looked at the manor's windows.
The two knights appeared from around the house. Dragging two bodies behind them.
"Good, now hide the body's in the forest" Linus ordered the knights of stone.
Linus stepped into the manor quietly. Looking around revealed a very abandoned manor. Vegetation had already gone threw the floor and the staircase was partly gone. But still no sounds.
He looked around the manor but found, nothing. There was no one her anymore.
Going into the living room of the manor where he had seen someone while gathering information. The bookshelves were rotten, furniture molded and broken. And it smelled like wet dog.
'The fireplace looks in good condition, maybe too good' walking closer he touched the fireplace, it was warm.
"Warm but no fire?" he said as he touched the fireplace
Must be some kind of disillusion magic, or maybe a secret door. But how to open it.
Linus looked around the room, no books to hide a hidden lever, no statue.
'but this painting should be more destroyed than it is.' The painting looked new.
Taking down the painting revealed a button. Pressing the button release a creaking sound from the fireplace. And then pop.
A trap door opened up inside the fireplace.
Looking down into the hole, there was a ladder leading down to what seemed like tunnels. There were shimmering light down there from torches probably.
Linus climbed down the ladder slowly, listening as he descended.
Muffled voices could be heard.
Finally setting his feet on the ground. He moved forward through the tunnel like system. Torches flickered on the walls, there were closed crates with letters written on them. 'Ingredients, food, clothing' weird things to have down in a tunnel Linus thought as he moved past the crates.
Going down deeper into the tunnel revealed a wooden door. Behind the door came muffled voices and light.
"We cant wait here longer, the aurers probably already know of this location!" one of the voices creamed out.
After a short silence. "We need to wait for the signal."
"Why cant we just kidnap that shit now? Its just a kid!"
'Seems like patience is running out with them' Linus thought
He raised his wand towards the door "Bombarda maxima" he said calmly, the spell shot out and hit the door with an explosion. Dust flew up and filled the tunnel system.
Linus walked through the smoked into the room, it wasn't very big. Looking down he saw two males and one female laying on the floor clutching their ears.
Looking at the girl 'I didn't know there was a girl in here, only thought it was the two men.'
"Stupefy, supefy" he shot the two men with the spells, knocking them out.
He looked around the room, there was a picture of a boy he didn't know. Probably the guy they were planning on kidnapping.
The girl stumble to her feet, she looked disoriented still.
She raised her wand as she almost lost balance.
"don't be like that" Linus said as he raised his wand towards her and shot out a disarming spell.
The girl's wand flew out of her hand and she fell to her knees.
Linus walked up to her, his shadow covering her as he looked down on her.
"P-please, i-I didn't do a-anything!" she stammered, obviously scared and very disoriented.
"who is the boy that you were going to kidnap?" I asked coldly.
She hesitated for a moment. "His name is Harry." She stopped for a moment, breathing. "Harry potter you know? The boy who lived."
The guy I saw in the newspaper?
"Why?"
"I don't know, the guy sleeping over there was told to do it." she pointed at one of the knocked-out men on the ground. "I'm just part of the group" she blurted out.
"Does the boy live nearby?" she nodded.
Linus looked at the table in the middle of the room, on the table there were pictures of the boy, and his home. On one of the pictures were an address.
Linus flicked his wand towards the girl and muttered the spell "Fulmen" a small lightning bolt shot out and hit her. Killing her instantly.
He picked up the photos and everything else that was connected to it. before leaving the room he. "Sepulcrum Glaciei" from Linus, ice spread out in the room, entombing the knocked-out wizards and the witch.
The results was a room filled with thick ice.
While leaving the tunnel he looked once again at the picture of the boy.
'Is he really that special? He looks kind of boring if not even weak… I am really starting to sound like my seniors from school'
Outside the manor the two knights still stood as guards. Linus snapped his finger and both started to crumble to dust.
'Good thing I got to stop a kidnapping at least' Linus thought as he walked from the manor.
He then stopped in his tracks. There was one more.
Standing at the gate of the manor stood a man. He had this feeling around him like he knew a lot. 'He's strong' Linus thought to himself watching the man.
He wore a black robe, under the robe was a suit, elegant and looked expensive.
"Now then, care to explain why a boy like you, dressed and masked like that. Walks out from my manor?" the man asked. His voice sharp and carried an sense of authority.
"So it is your manor…" Linus asked as he took out his wand. "Than you would have a good explanation why kidnapper hid in there?" his voice calm, steady.
The man didn't look surprised. "Did you kill them?" he asked calmly
Linus just nodded.
"Well since you know what they were doing I see no reason to drag this out." The man took out his wand calmly.
The two stood and looked at each other for a moment.
The wind blew slightly, leaves on the trees rustled. The tension was high.
And with a sudden movement on the mans hand, both wands raised and shot of the first spells. "Expelliarmus!" Linus shouted out.
"Protego" the man said, the spell hit his shield and bounced off it.
Linus kept his wand on the man. "Fulmen" the spell shouted out. The lightning bolt missed the man as he sidestepped.
"Confringo!" the man shouted as he walked to the left at the same time.
The spell flew passed Linus, he didn't even need to dodge. "Depulso, confringo, Fulmen" the three spells flew out after each other. The first made the man fly backwards, as he landed on his feet he threw himself to dodge the second spell. The third spell hit his left arm, making him grunt in pain.
The man stopped and stood up, straightened himself and said. "You are good, even using spells ive never even heard of." He stood and held his left arm. "You must be what twelve? Thirteen? Could be fourteen judging from your height."
The man raised his wand again. "Lets see how you do against this."
"Bombarda, confringo, depulso, confringo." The man casted his wand glowing.
'Shit this isn't good' Linus thought
"Protego Glacis!" a wall of ice appeared before Linus.
The wall exploded by the bombarda spell. The confringo spell right after hit the ground beside him making him drop to the ground. The depulso spell hit him and made him drag against the ground.
Before the last spell could hit. Linus raised his wand and flicked it away. The spell ignited into sparks above the two.
"That's not some normal spell right there." The man said
Linus stood up turned against the man. "Is that all you have?" Linus said with a smile.
The mans brow twitched, he raised his wand and casted. He shot out simple wand arrows (The ones you don't need casting) the spells flew past Linus.
'Lets end this' Linus thought as he raised his wand. "Ira septentrionis!"
The air changed as the words were shouted. The wind increased, the clouds moved faster. And Linus wand began glowing and then.
The man saw the spectacle 'This isn't going to feel good' the man thought just before a storm flew out from Linus's wand.
From Linus wand came a pure stream of lightning, the lighting branched of and hit other things as it also hit the man. Clouds began forming around the wand as the lightning beam continued.
After 5 seconds of this it stopped. The man was kneeling. Smoked came from his body.
Linus lowered his wand and walked towards the man. The surrounding are had small fires, smoked came from trees and from the grass where lightning had struck.
The man sat on his two knees, breathing heavy.
"I-I would be… dead if it" he collapsed before he could finish his sentence.
'I should search him.' He began looking through the pockets of the man. Trying to find anything.
There was nothing, just some keys that looked like normal one. Nothing to identify him or anything.
"Stop right there" came a voice from behind him.
'Did I miss someone in the manor?' Linus thought to himself
He raised his hands while still crouching beside the man.
"Stand up and face towards us." The voice said
Linus stood up, and turned slowly towards the voice. What greeted him was four people dressed in robes and pretty normal clothing. One of them had a harness on his chest.
There was a silence, they don't seem too sure on what to do here.
"We came here after hearing sounds of fighting, and then there was this huge roar like the sky opened up. Was that you?" the mans who had ordered him before asked.
"Yes, that was me, and him" Linus said. "Who might you people be?"
The four looked at each other. "We are aurorers from the British ministry of magic."
'Makes sense.' Linus thought.
"Alright and what do you plan to do now? Are we just going to stand and look at each other?" I asked them since I had no plan to stick around here.
The four aurorers shifted slightly, they seemed rather thrown of by the remark.
The tension was high. All wands aimed towards Linus.
"You will need to come in for questioning." Said the man in harness, most likely the group leader. He seemed around thirty years old.
Cant have that. "No, I won't be able to agree with that." I said coldly.
The man seemed irritated now.
I picked the photos and letters out of my pocket that I had found down in the tunnel. I threw them on the ground.
"here is proof that the group was going to kidnap Harry potter from his home, the rest is down in the tunnel under the fireplace." As I finished my words I casted a spell I haven't used before. "Scutum fulminis" a short-range teleport.
The teleport got me further and further away each time I used it.
After teleporting a good distance away, Linus leaned against a tree. Breathing heavily. The duel and the teleport spell had been exhausting. Too much magic used in short time.
He reached into his system inventory and took out a potion that would restore his stamina. Drinking it tasted awful but the effects were instant. Linus had full energy again. and he began walking towards the town nearby, the town Harry Potter lived in apparently.
The town was quiet as it was now night, only some lights were turned on. Linus walked on the sidewalk, just looking around. Kinda cozy little town if I do say so. Very British style.
"Privet drive…" this is the rode at least.
Linus walked down the road slowly and quietly, he was in full veil outfit. And muggles aren't used to seeing people in robes and masks. So better be careful.
Standing in front of the house across the street. Looked pretty boring.
'they have bars on the second floor window but not first floor?' Linus thought as he looked at the house.
Well, I just wanted to see it, Linus looked up once more at the house. The light in the barred window was on. There was a boy there looking at me.
'Is that him?' Linus thought as he gave a small wave to the boy.
The boy hesitated for a moment but waved back.
Linus took out his portkey, and the world once again disappeared before him, replace with a spinning twirl of everything.
The portkey took him back where he had used it before, in the middle of his office.
Linus took of his mask and put it on his desk. He sat down in his chair and closed his eyes. The whole thing had only taken 2 hours and yet he was spent. The duel had drained him more than he thought.
But why did the portkey bring him to save this harry guy, I thought the key would bring me to the Veilborn traitors.
'lets get some sleep' Linus stood up and walked to his bedroom. The manor was quiet.
He stopped in the corridor, listening. No sound, no sound of servants walking around, sure its in the middle of the night. But there should be some activity.
Linus put on his mask again, he walked slowly towards the main staircase.
The staircase went down to where the main entrance was. The two main doors stood wide open.
He took out his wand.
walking down towards the main entrance, the wind howled through the wide-open doors. Linus kept walking down from the main entrance, the next room would be the living room of the manor.
When he got closer to the room, he noticed three silhouettes in the dark. Linus didn't hurry, he walked with steady and confident steps. They were turned towards him as he entered the big living room, two of the sat-on couches and one stood in front of the fireplace.
"There you are. Lord Gray, we were starting to think you wouldn't come." The man by the fireplace said. His voice calm. He sounded young, below 30.
Linus didn't speak right away. This was planned by Astrid, not that she is part of their group. But there are no servants here, no guards not even Hati is here. she wanted me to talk to them. maybe even get some new prisoners.
'She really is smart' Linus thought as he watched the three grow uneasy by the silence.
"You three must be really dumb to barge into the house of gray." I said casually.
This seemed to have triggered a nerve in the man who had spoken. "Says the boy surrounded at this moment." He man laughed.
Linus felt something familiar approaching.
The thuds came from the dark hallway. In the dark only one thing could be seen, two glowing blue eyes. A low growl came from the hallway, the three intruders got tense by the growl.
"Now then…" Linus began in a confident voice. "Why are you here?"
The man chuckled. "You think a wolf would be enough to scare us." The man said.
His eyes widened when more noise came from the hallway. Steps, thuds sound of boots hitting the wooden floor of the manor. The two side doors of the living room opened, and Gray guards stepped in from all entrances.
The room quickly filled with Gray guards and wolfs in leashes, the wolfs growled towards the intruders who now stood huddled together by the fireplace.
Astrid came from the hallway, she had led the guards here.
"Sorry for not informing you about this earlier, you were in such hurry to leave." She said as she walked up beside me looking at the intruders.
Linus chuckled, "I had a feeling this was your work. Good work" Linus said with a smile. "Now then, as you see, you are now the surrounded. Drop your wands and you may keep your life."
The three looked worried, the man who had spoken before looked pissed.
Every Gray guard raised their wands toward the three. Fifteen wands aimed straight at them seemed to have done wonders as two of them dropped their wands. The third seemed to be stubborn.
Linus raised his wand towards the man. A red bolt shot out without a incantation and the mans wand flew out of his hand.
At that moment the guards moved in and tackled them to the ground.
"Lock them up in separate cells, no food or water until they speak." Linus ordered with fury in his eyes.
The three intruders were dragged away harshly, wolfs barked as they passed.
Linus sat down on one of the couches as the room cleared out. "So, how did you find out about this?"
Astrid sat down as well. "They were seen looking around the manor a couple of days ago, so I just thought they would strike once you had returned from school."
"Good work Astrid, if they don't talk just forced truth serum down their throats." Linus stood up, the servants had returned and started cleaning the mess that had been left by the intruders.
Although surprised this did make him happy, not only did we get three more of these maybe Veilborn traitors. But it also showed that Linus could trust Astrid with this sort of planning.
'It's been a good night' Linus thought as he returned to his bed chamber.