Cassiopeia looked upon Pettigrew with utter disgust and contempt,
though the groggy man was aware of little around him.
He had been dosed three times with Veritaserum until the
Wizengamot had been made privy to every despicable deed he had
committed on behalf of the Dark Lord.
"I would not deign to speak on behalf of everyone in attendance
here, but you are a disgrace to Wizardkind," the woman spat.
The Lords and Ladies dotted around the chambers nodded
unanimously, most looking upon Wormtail with loathing.
Harry was amongst them, his glare boring into the back of Peter's
head.
Had he known all that had been revealed and the part he'd played in
resurrecting Voldemort, the man would not have made it to trial at all.
Lucinda squeezed his hand comfortingly.
As someone who had a vested interest in the case, he was not
allowed to be involved in the verdict.
Still, he would take no small amount of satisfaction in whatever fate
the rat would face, and he hoped beyond hope that Cassiopeia
would ensure he suffered for what remained of his pathetic life.
"I cannot legally pass judgement for you treacherous selling out of
James and Lily Potter, but I can damned well judge you for
everything else, if you are to be found guilty, of course," Cassiopeia
added with a malicious grin.
The verdict was all but a given.
Lucius and his ilk had not even arrived for the trial, having evidently
decided to cut their losses.
It was the most intelligent thing the Malfoy Lord could have done,
given the circumstances.
Under the influence of the Veritaserum, Pettigrew had sung like a
canary, and had provided a list of names as long as Harry's arm,
Lucius's among them.
Finally, Voldemort had absolutely no political sway within Britain as
very few of the more traditionally leaning Lords had not been named
by the rat.
"All those that find Mr Pettigrew guilty of his crimes?" Cassiopeia
questioned the room at large.
Every single wand was raised, and the somewhat lucid Wormtail
began to sob and cower like the vermin he was.
"Then it is decided," Cassiopeia declared. "It is my belief that death
is much too good for you, Mr Pettigrew, and with the current state of
the country, I would not have you placed in Azkaban where you
could perhaps be liberated."
The Lords and Ladies began murmuring amongst themselves and
Cassiopeia raised her hand to silence them.
"I sentence you to life in prison, Mr Pettigrew, but special
arrangements have been made. You will be taken to a secure
location that shall not be revealed publicly where you will carry out
your sentence until you no longer live."
"NO!" Peter wailed pathetically, "IT WAS SIRIUS BLACK!"
None in the room believed him, and some even cheered as
Pettigrew was subdued and forced back into his rat form before
being placed back in the glass tank he had been calling home.
"Aurors, you know what to do."
Kingsley and Tonks nodded and headed towards the door where
they were surrounded by another dozen of their colleagues.
Harry looked towards Cassiopeia questioningly, but before she could
even meet his gaze, one of the journalists asked a rather pertinent
question.
"Minister, does this mean that Sirius Black will be pardoned for these
crimes?"
Harry smirked at Rita for pressing the issue.
He wasn't particularly fond of the woman, but she had proven herself
to be a most effective ally when it mattered.
Cassiopeia cleared her throat before responding.
"As he is a relative, I do not believe it would be acceptable for me to
make that decision. In this case, I will refer the matter to Madam
Bones as the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
The journalists shifted their attention to Amelia who merely
shrugged.
"It has been irrefutably proven that Sirius Black was not responsible
for the crimes he was accused of," she said thoughtfully. "As a
matter of formality, I would ask that, if he is in Britain, he surrenders
himself to either myself or the aurors who will bring him to me
unharmed and unmolested, so that I may clear the matter up. As of
now, I can assure Mr Black that he is no longer a wanted man, and I
would like that to be stated publicly."
"Along with the names Mr Pettigrew provided during his testimony,"
Cassiopeia added. "These men and women are highly dangerous
and it is in the interest of the public to be made aware of who they
are."
"You wish for us to reveal them, Minister?" one of the journalists
questioned.
"Every last one of them," Cassiopeia said firmly. "They are wanted in
connection to crimes perpetrated by the Death Eaters, and the
evidence that Mr Pettigrew alone provided gives us more than
enough grounds to question them in the same manner. If there is
nothing else, I have other matters to attend to."
The journalists were already drafting their articles, and seeing that
there was indeed no more questions, Dumbledore tapped the top of
his podium with his gavel, dismissing the room.
"How do you feel?" Lucinda asked Harry as the Lords and Ladies
took their leave.
"Like he is getting away with it," Harry sighed.
"Lord Potter, what do you think of the sentencing of Peter
Pettigrew?" a journalist asked as he approached.
He was quickly joined by the others who took a sudden interest in
him.
Releasing a deep breath, Harry smiled sadly.
"I am pleased that the truth is finally known," he answered
diplomatically, "and I hope that my parents can rest easy knowing
that the correct justice has been served."
"What about Sirius Black, do you have a message for him?"
"Just that I hope his freedom brings all the happiness he deserves,"
Harry replied. "He is and always has been an innocent man, and I
would urge the public to remember that. If you see him on your
travels, greet him as you would any other. He suffered enough for
the years he was imprisoned. Now, if you will excuse me, it has been
a long morning, and I have plans. Have a good day," he finished,
offering them a polite bow.
"Plans?" Lucinda asked as she followed him from the room.
Harry released a deep sigh as he nodded.
Flashback
"I want to go to Hogsmeade. It's a weekend where the students will
be visiting and I would like to see Daphne."
Harry frowned as he shook his head.
"You know what your father's stipulations were about you visiting,"
he reminded Pansy.
"I'm a grown woman, Harry," she returned evenly. "I wasn't asking for
your permission."
"Bloody hell, do you have to be such a pain in the arse now?" Harry
groaned.
Pansy looked at him defiantly.
"I'm going anyway," she said simply. "I just thought I should give you
fair warning so you can do something ridiculously overprotective to
make sure I'm safe."
A slight grin tugged at Harry's lips.
Pansy had always been stubborn, and when her mind was set on
something, there was nothing that would change it.
She wouldn't be swayed, and he already knew any resistance he
offered to the idea would be ignored.
"Fine," he sighed, "but you will be in disguise, and you will have me
and the others watching over you. That is not negotiable. Do not
think that I won't take whatever steps I deem to be necessary to
bring you back here if you stray from my instructions."
Pansy squealed with glee as she wrapped her arms around him and
kissed him on the cheek.
"I knew you wouldn't stop me," she said with a beaming smile.
Harry hummed irritably.
"You've always had a way of getting me to do exactly what you
want," he muttered. "I don't know how you've managed it all these
years."
"It's because you love me and just want to see me happy."
"Or it could be that I know you won't get off my case until you get it,"
Harry sighed. "You take advantage of the soft spot I have for you."
Pansy nodded unashamedly.
"You'd best write Daphne a note to warn her," he suggested. "I will
hand it to Dumbledore and he will deliver it to her. I don't like this
idea. Hogsmeade has already been attacked."
"The Death Eaters won't do it again, not when their children will be
there."
There was logic in her thought process, but that didn't mean Harry
liked the idea any more.
"If your father finds out, I will not be taking responsibility for this."
"I don't expect you to," Pany replied with a shrug, "but I should at
least be able to speak to Daphne. She's my friend, Harry. Wouldn't
you want to do the same?"
She had him there.
Harry would do all he could to see his group again if he were to find
himself in a similar situation, and though what Pansy was doing was
reckless, he could not find it within himself to deny her.
"Write your note and I will take it to Dumbledore," he assured her.
End Flashback
"I'm coming with you," Lucinda insisted. "Cassie has given me the
rest of the day off. She says I won't be needed."
That could only mean that she would be visiting Gellert, and Harry
finally had an idea what Pettigrew's fate would entail.
Nurmengard was a miserable place, and Peter would fit right in.
"Fine," Harry agreed. "I can always use an extra pair of eyes."
"And if we get time, we can always have a look around the village
ourselves, well, what's been repaired at least."
Harry nodded.
The work to restore Hogsmeade had begun immediately, and
already, many of the businesses had managed to reopen their doors
to the public, thanks to the efforts of volunteers and craftsmen alike.
"We will see," Harry mused aloud.
It was unlikely they would get the opportunity to do so. Not whilst
Pansy insisted on being in the village, at least.
He would be watching her like a hawk, and with the rest of the group
with him, he was confident nothing should go amiss.
Well, he hoped not.
He did not know how he would explain it to Julius if anything were to
happen to his daughter, and the mere thought of such a thing coming
to pass filled him with unease.
Harry did not like this excursion, but regardless of what he said or
did, Pansy would be there.
That meant he had to follow, if only to ensure that she remained
safe.
"This is him?" Gellert questioned as he peered into the tank at the
rat.
"It is," Cassiopeia confirmed with distaste.
Gellert's eyes narrowed at the frantic creature.
"You're lucky I am not allowed a wand," he muttered. "I would peel
your flesh from your bones before breaking every last one of them."
Pettigrew squeaked, and Gellert chuckled darkly.
"Albus is readying his cell?"
Cassiopeia nodded.
"He will be on the other side pf the prison to you, with all the
protections activated."
Gellert grinned.
Having designed and built the prison himself, he knew exactly what
Pettigrew would be subjected to.
He gave the man less than a year before he lost his mind.
Gellert had witnessed it for himself during his own campaign.
Those that were unfortunate enough to find themselves locked in
Nurmengard rarely made it out in one piece, their minds broken
beyond complete repair.
"I wish I could say I feel sorry for him."
"No you don't," Cassiopeia snorted.
"No, I don't," Gellert grumbled. "I hope he suffers endlessly for what
he has done. What's on your mind, my dear?"
Cassiopeia released a deep breath.
"The goblins summoned me to collect the contents of what was in
the Lestrange vault," she informed him. "All of the gold and anything
that can be sold has been stored elsewhere to do so, and the
questionable and outright illegal items have been separated.
Amongst them, was this," she explained as she removed a simple,
gold cup from within her robes.
"It seems inane enough."
"It belonged to Helga Hufflepuff," Cassiopeia revealed.
"So, it is priceless?"
"And evidence from a murder case some five decades ago. The last
known owner of this was Hepzibah Smith, a direct descendant of
Hufflepuff herself. This cup and a locket belonging to Slytherin was
taken from her house. See for yourself," she urged, handing the cup
to him.
Gellert frowned as he held it, his nostrils flaring.
"He murdered Smith and took these."
Cassiopeia nodded her agreement.
"Is it…?"
"It is," Gellert confirmed with a whisper as he felt the familiar, vile
magic wash over him.
"Merlin, how many of these did he make?"
"Seven, I believe," the grave voice of Albus broke in.
"Seven?" Cassiopeia choked.
Albus nodded as he approached, his gaze shifting towards the cup.
"I had suspected the cup had been perverted along with the locket,"
he sighed. "I have been searching for it."
"It was in the Lestrange vault."
"Entrusted to Bellatrix as another was entrusted to Lucius," Albus
mused aloud. "It was quite a risk to place it in Gringotts, however,
but one that could have paid dividends had you not had cause to
seize the assets."
"Are you certain he has created seven of them?" Gellert pressed.
"Almost," Albus sighed. "Tom, if nothing else, possesses a brilliant
mind and was perhaps one of the most gifted Arithmancy students
Hogwarts has seen in many years. I would be more surprised if he
did not consider magically powerful numbers when embarking on his
journey than him managing to create so many of these abhorrent
things."
Gellert was inclined to agree, but it was Cassiopeia's worried
expression that caught his attention.
"Harry, the diary, the cup, and the locket is only four," she pointed
out. "That means there are three others."
"Two," Albus answered sadly. "Only two remain, and one I am sure I
am close to locating."
"You found another?"
Albus nodded grimly.
"At quite the price," he sighed as he removed his white glove.
Cassiopeia recoiled and Gellert felt a sense of dread fill his stomach.
"You blasted fool!" he chided. "You damned, stupid man!"
"I can assure you my impending demise is a small price to pay for
what I found," Albus returned with a smile. "I found it, Gellert. The
final piece of the puzzle."
Gellert immediately knew what his oldest friend was referring to.
"The stone? Where is it?"
"Where it belongs," Albus replied, his smile widening. "Harry now
possesses all three of the Hallows."
Gellert's eyes widened.
"What happened? Was it as marvellous as we predicted?"
Albus nodded.
"It was one of the most incredible things I have witnessed. I expect
nothing less than incredible things from young Harry."
Gellert swallowed deeply as he positively trembled with excitement.
It had been his dream to unite the Hallows but knowing Harry had
done so was the next best thing.
"Harry has what?" Cassiopeia interjected, her expression one of
utter confusion.
"The Hallows, my dear, the Deathly Hallows!"
Cassiopeia scoffed.
"The Hallows are a children's tale, aren't they?"
Her eyes all but bulged from their sockets when neither Gellert nor
Albus said anything to the contrary.
"My Harry has the Deathly Hallows?"
Gellert nodded and Cassiopeia could only shake her head in
disbelief.
"They are back where they belong," Gellert said comfortingly. "His
name may be Potter, but he is a Peverell by blood. The Hallows are
his and have accepted him?" he added to Albus.
"Quite sensationally," Albus assured them both. "I do not believe they
were ever intended to be wielded by any other than the family who
obtained them. It is a folly we should have recognised in our youth."
Gellert nodded his agreement, his expression softening as he looked
towards his friend.
"Did you…?"
Albus nodded.
"That alone would have made the outcome of finding it worth it," he
said sincerely, though Gellert could not shake the despair he felt.
Despite everything they had gone through together and apart, Albus
had always been his greatest friend, and he was devastated that he
would lose him.
"How long?" he demanded.
"Perhaps half a year."
Gellert deflated at the news and a silence fell over the trio for some
time.
"You said that you believe you are close to locating another one of
them," Cassiopeia spoke.
Her and Albus rarely saw eye to eye on anything, but even she
seemed to be caught up in the maudlin revelation of his inevitable
death.
Albus nodded.
"Some years ago now, Tom visited Hogwarts seeking employment,"
he explained. "I don't believe I need to give you any hints at what
position he coveted."
"The Defence job?" Cassiopeia scoffed.
"Indeed. Needless to say, I chose not to employ him. Already his
journey into the unforgiveable had begun, and I could not in good
conscience allow him to be in a position of power."
"Damned right," Gellert muttered.
"Anyway, Hogwarts means a lot to Tom. It was the first place he truly
felt that he belonged, and being of the Slytherin line, I believe he
somehow feels entitled to it."
"What does that have to do with a Horcrux?" Cassiopeia asked
irritably.
"He sees Hogwarts as a safe-haven," Albus replied calmly. "The
cave in which Regulus discovered the locket was somewhere he'd
visited as child and indulged in his proclivity towards torture. His two
muggle victims even now fear that Tom Riddle will one day return to
harm them once more. I sought them out, and both are traumatised
by the event. So much so, they changed their names."
"Bastard," Gellert cursed. "Subjugating them is one thing, but torture
for the sake of enjoyment? He was deranged, even as a child."
"He was," Albus sighed. "I had hoped to steer him from the path I
saw him heading down, but alas, it was not to be. Tom Riddle always
was rotten to the core."
"You're rambling again, Dumbledore."
"My apologies," Albus offered with a bow. "The ring that I found was
at the ancestral home of the Gaunts where Tom's mother grew up,
hidden and quite well protected, as you'd expect. You have seen for
yourself what awaited any who happened upon it," he added, holding
his hand aloft. "The diary and the cup he gave to his most trusted
followers, likely never having told either what they possessed. Lucius
certainly would not have been so careless with his, and Bellatrix…"
"Would have probably shoved it up her backside to keep it safe, if
necessary."
"Quite," Dumbledore agreed with a grimace at the very thought.
"But you believe he hid one in Hogwarts?" Cassiopeia pressed. "Are
there not protections against that kind of magic?"
"To an extent," Dumbledore mused aloud, "but there are places
within the school that have remained unfound for decades, perhaps
centuries. Tom explored the castle more than any student I know, so
it is likely he discovered somewhere to keep such a thing. The night
he visited, there are around twenty minutes unaccounted for that he
was within the castle. I thought perhaps he had stopped to speak
with Horace, but he assured me he did not see Tom that night."
"Twenty minutes is a long time," Cassiopeia pointed out.
"Yes, but I have it on good authority that he made his way to the
upper levels of the castle. Nicholas remembers specifically seeing
him pass near the entrance to the Gryffindor common room."
"From what I remember, there is nothing in that part of the castle,"
Cassiopeia said with a frown.
"Officially, no," Albus agreed, "but Hogwarts hides many secrets. I
suspect that there is a hidden room or two up there. I believe I
happened upon one once when I made a wrong turn in the night. I
was looking for a bathroom and lo and behold, a room appeared full
of chamber pots," he explained amusedly.
"Can you please stay on topic?" Cassiopeia sighed.
"Of course, you have my apologies once more," Albus returned with
another bow. "My thought is that Tom may have discovered a place
in which to hide one of his Horcruxes in the castle where it would not
be detected. It would need to be in a room where no one could
simply stumble on it, especially since I believe I know what the item
in question is."
"You do?" Gellert probed.
Albus nodded.
"The cup and the locket led me to believe that he had sought out
other items belonging to the founders. I began searching for any
reference to any that are known to exist, and I came up with two
other examples; A sword belonging to Gryffindor, and a diadem that
was created by Ravenclaw."
"That doesn't get us any closer to finding them," Cassie replied
tiredly.
"Perhaps not," Albus conceded. "However, I am certain that it is not
the sword we are looking for."
"What makes you so sure?" Gellert asked curiously.
"Because Godric's hat told me that the sword is safe, and in a place
that Tom Riddle could not hope to retrieve it."
"A hat?" Cassiopeia snorted.
"The Sorting Hat to be exact," Albus clarified.
Cassiopeia could only shake her head.
"So, it is the diadem?" Gellert questioned.
"I am convinced it is," Albus said confidently. "The one problem we
do face is that it has not been seen in almost a thousand years."
"Well, that's just great!" Cassiopeia grumbled.
"It is," Albus concurred, "because I have one avenue to explore that I
am certain will yield results. I have attempted to locate her, but she
appears to be avoiding me."
"Who?"
"Rowena's daughter," Albus replied, his eyes twinkling merrily. "She
remained in the castle after her passing and usually roams the
corridors of the Astronomy Tower."
"Her daughter?"
"Helena," Albus confirmed. "From what little I could glean, she and
her mother did not have the best of relationships, but it is the best
lead we have. If Tom became aware of who she was…"
"He would have found a way to extract information from her," Gellert
finished. "Is it possible to do that with a ghost?"
"With magic, unlikely," Albus said thoughtfully, "but Tom always was
charismatic. He could use flattery and compliments better than any
to manipulate those he could gain something from."
"That may be so, but even if it is the diadem, we are still one Horcrux
short," she pointed out.
Albus hummed, his expression falling.
"I will need to ponder the matter further," he sighed. "Perhaps I
should finally discuss it with Harry. He does seem to have quite the
insight into Tom, after all. It is possible he knows something we
don't."
Gellert nodded his agreement.
It had been a rather tumultuous visit in all, one that had brought both
good and bad news, and in truth, it would take some time to absorb
everything he had learned.
Harry finally having united the Hallows was an incredible
development for the young man but learning of the impending death
of Albus had soured the elation considerably.
Gellert had believed for decades that he would perish first, but with
that not seemingly being the case anymore, the prospect of
imprisonment without his friend to visit from time to time was awfully
bleak.
Still, he had Cassiopeia, and Harry wouldn't abandon him.
He could hope, at least.
" They mock us in our own home!" Draco snapped irritably. "We are
Malfoys! We do not allow any to use our name in jest."
" Draco, your father will fix this," Narcissa assured her son. "We are
in a very delicate situation and we must weather the storm. Now is
not the time for dramatics or foolish behaviour."
" You think me a fool?" Draco returned through narrowed eyes.
"Have you even looked at Father? He drinks until he sleeps, and I
can barely get a word from him."
" He is struggling, as we all are," Narcissa replied calmly.
" We are in this position because of Potter!"
Before Narcissa could respond, Draco had left the room.
The exchange had been the previous evening, and Draco had not
arrived in the dining room for dinner, nor for breakfast. Lunch would
be here soon, and Narcissa had seen neither hide nor hair of her
son.
Releasing a deep breath, she pushed open the door of Lucius's
study and wrinkled her nose at the strong smell of alcohol
permeating throughout.
"Have you seen Draco?" she asked her husband.
Lucius's bloodshot gaze shifted to her before he took a sip of the
whiskey he clutched in one of his hands.
"Lucius!" Narcissa pressed when she received no reply.
"No," the man grunted. "Now, if you don't mind, I would prefer to be
left alone."
Narcissa had never seen him in such a state.
He had not shaved for several days, his hair was unkempt, and is
robes were soiled and dishevelled.
Lucius seemed to have finally given up in his efforts to support the
Dark Lord, something that would perhaps bring her some relief if she
was not so concerned about Draco.
Leaving her husband to wallow in his drunken stupor, she left the
study and made her way towards the room she had provided
Bellatrix with only a short distance away.
"Bella?" she called as she tapped gently on the door. "Have you
seen Draco?"
The door opened and Narcissa fought the urge to wince at the sight
of her pale sister.
Bella had once been a striking beauty, but the years in Azkaban had
robbed her of much of it.
"Not since last night," the woman said with an uncaring shrug. "Has
the brat gone missing?"
"I don't know," Narcissa huffed.
"Did you ask the elf?"
"Dobby?" Narcissa called immediately.
The elf appeared in his dirtied pillowcase and offered a bow.
"Mistress called for Dobby?"
"Have you seen Draco?"
"Dobby has not, but Dobby can find Master Draco if Mistress
wishes."
Narcissa nodded and Dobby vanished with a gentle pop.
Returning a moment later, he offered another bow.
"Master Draco is in Hogsmeade, Mistress."
"Hogsmeade?" Narcissa whispered worriedly, looking towards
Bellatrix. "Draco is wanted. He knows he should not be leaving the
grounds."
"Master Draco could be in trouble," Dobby cut in.
"What kind of trouble?" Bellatrix demanded.
"Master Draco wishes to hurt someone," Dobby answered. "Master
Draco will be in trouble."
The elf did not seem to be concerned at all. If anything, Narcissa
detected a hint of excitement from him.
"The village is crawling with aurors," Narcissa pointed out.
"Oh, not the aurors," Dobby said with a smile. "He will be in bigger
trouble than that."
With a click of his fingers and wearing an unmissable grin, the elf
vanished once more, ignoring Narcissa's demands that he return.
"We must find him!" she said worriedly. "Bella, I need you to help me
find my son!"
Bellatrix rolled her eyes and Narcissa heard her follow as she
headed back towards Lucius's study.
Bursting into the room, she pulled the grumbling Lucius up from his
chair.
"Draco has left the grounds! He has gone to Hogsmeade."
Lucius seemed to sober immediately as Narcissa dragged him from
the room.
He may have given up serving his master, but she would not allow
him to give up on their son.
He watched as she exited the carriage with her sister and the halfblood
before bidding them farewell as they parted ways, heading in
different directions.
Draco frowned at this.
He had thought much of the difficulty he would face would be
separating the group, but they had done it for him.
He grinned to himself as he stalked the blonde, using the buildings
for cover whilst remaining under his disillusionment charm.
This was almost too easy.
Still, he was not going to ignore such a gift when it was presented to
him.
Perhaps now, the ridicule would stop and the Dark Lord would
remember why he coveted the support of the Malfoys instead of
spurning them, just like the others did so freely.
His father had fallen from his master's grace, but Draco would bring
them redemption.
He may not be able to get to Potter personally, but he could still hurt
him.
Smirking, he watched as Greengrass skirted around the side of
Honeydukes and began making her way towards the Post Office.
It was perfect.
She would be out of sight from the others whilst she traversed the
road between the main village, and the more secluded upper
section.
Quickly, but carefully, he raced ahead and positioned himself where
he would have the best vantage point.
Readying his wand for when she appeared, his jaw clenched.
He could not pretend that this was simply nothing more than a dig at
Potter for all he had done to discredit the Malfoy name. No, this was
personal.
Greengrass had spurned him many times when he had made his
intentions clear.
He would have married the girl had she not been so difficult about
the prospect of it happening.
He was the heir to the Malfoy fortune and prestige. Why would she
not wish to be a part of that?
Draco shook his head of those thoughts.
There was no use dwelling on a lost cause, and he would not lament
over a girl who had sullied herself with the likes of Potter.
His eyes narrowed as he heard her steady footfalls approach, and
the moment she came into view, he struck without hesitation.
" Sectumsempra!"
Snape had taught him that particular spell, and the promise of it
being as vicious as any other cutting curse he would learn, rang true.
Blood spurted from several gashes in Greengrasses' chest and
arms, but instead of instantly dying, she unleashed a bloodcurdling
scream of agony and panic.
Draco's eyes widened as she continued screaming, and with nothing
else for it, he ran towards the station where he would be able to
apparate.
"Damned Ministry," he wheezed as he did so.
They had left the anti-apparation and anti-portkey protections in
place after the Death Eater's attacked here, and the only way in and
out of the village of one did not wish to travel several miles was the
arrival point at the station.
Still, Greengrass was all but dead already and Draco only needed to
make it as far as the other side of the village.
"What the hell was that?" Cain whispered as he drew his wand.
A loud scream had rent the air from ahead of them, and another
followed quickly after.
"Daphne!" Pansy gasped before breaking off into a sprint.
Harry and the rest of the group followed, and they reached the
downed girl only a moment later.
Daphne continued to scream as blood poured from her wounds.
"Harry!" Pansy pleaded helplessly.
Harry leant down over the girl, a frown marring his features.
"I know this curse," he whispered. "Give me some space."
He needed to act quickly.
Although he had not used the Sectumsempra spell on a human, he
had seen the effects.
"Shit, she's going into shock!"
Harry began murmuring the counter-curse under his breath as
Daphne's breathing became more erratic.
"If she came from the same direction as us, the spell would have
come from there," Ana exclaimed, pointing towards a copse of trees
a short distance away.
She, along with Cain and Jonas approached the area.
"There's a fresh scent here," the werewolf declared, sniffing the air
keenly. "Whoever it was, went in that direction. Come on, they can't
have gotten far."
"Bloody hell," Harry cursed as Cain shot off into the trees. "Go with
him!" he instructed.
Ana and Jonas followed and Harry returned to his efforts.
Daphne had lost a lot of blood, and she was only moments away
from losing her life.
"What is going on here?" a gruff voice demanded.
A trio of aurors had arrived in the interim, each with their wands
pointed at Harry.
"Unless you have a potions kit, fuck off!"
"How da…"
The auror was cut off by Lucinda as she seized him by the throat.
"You know who I am," she hissed. "If this girl does not get the
potions she needs, she will die. Do have any or not?"
"I do," one of the aurors replied, making his way to Harry as he
removed a box from within his robes and resized it.
"What does she need?"
"Blood-replenisher and a Calming Draught," Harry requested.
The auror rifled through his box and handed the required brews.
Administering them, Harry could only look on and hope the girl
showed any sign they were working.
"Lucinda, let him go," he sighed.
The vampire did so, and the auror simply panted on the ground,
evidently regretting the way he had comported himself.
"Thank bloody Merlin," Harry whispered as Daphne's breathing
began to calm and a little colour returned to her skin. "Send for a
healer. She's not out of the woods yet," he added as he stood.
Pansy was rooted to the spot.
She had never witnessed anything like this, and certainly not when it
was one of her best friends in peril.
"I've done all I can," Harry assured her comfortingly. "The healers will
be here soon. Can you send for Lord Greengrass?"
Pansy nodded stiffly.
"It's alright, I'll go with her," Eleanor offered.
"You too, Lucinda," Harry urged. "I need to catch up with the others,
and we don't know where whoever did this is."
Reluctantly, Lucinda did so, and Harry made his way towards the
area Ana indicated the spell had come from.
Sniffing the air as Cain did, Harry's nostrils flared as he recognised
the scent.
"Malfoy!" he growled before he too followed the trail the blond had
left behind.
Even with the considerable head-start the attacker had gotten, Cain
was closing in on him quickly, focusing on the crop of blond hair he
could see just ahead of him.
Despite running for all he was worth, he would not make it to the
station where he could apparate away, and the nearer Cain drew, the
louder the laboured breathing became.
Pulling his wand from his sleeve, the werewolf cast a spell at the
fleeing man as he withdrew what Cain believed to be a portkey from
within his robes.
He screamed as the bludgeoning curse collided with his hand,
sending him sprawling before he could cross the threshold into the
station, and whatever he was holding fell onto the train tracks with a
loud clang.
Before he could gather his bearings, Cain was on him, prying the
wand he had desperately clung onto from his grip.
"NO, STOP!" the blond pleaded.
In response, Cain rammed his fist into the young man's face several
times, only to find himself sent spinning through the air before hitting
the ground with a dull thud.
His vision swam as he attempted to gain his bearings.
Whatever spell he had been hit with was a rather nasty one, and
were it not for him being a werewolf, he would likely be out of it
instead of only disorientated.
With a growl, he jumped to his feet to see that Jonas and Ana had
finally caught up to him and were engaged in a rather heated duel
with a trio who were evidently responsible for his own predicament.
Although he was able to stand, his vision continued to be blurry, but
not so much so that he did not see Jonas being felled with an eerily
yellow spell.
The son of the hag made no sound as he collapsed to the ground
and Ana fought on at an even worse disadvantage.
Cain did not know where she had pulled a golden sword from, but
that was neither here nor there right now.
Refusing to sit idly by Cain threw himself into the fray, stunning the
attacker of the Greengrass girl as he attempted to get to his feet
before he fought his way so that he was standing side by side with
the elf.
Much to his relief, his vision was beginning to clear, and he
immediately recognised one of the women who had arrived.
He had seen her face in the newspaper several time since he had
arrived and was something of a cousin to Harry through marriage.
Bellatrix Lestrange.
Harry had warned the group about her and how dangerous she was,
as proven by the unmoving form of Jonas who was certainly no
slouch with his wand.
The woman had bested him with apparent ease, and it appeared that
Cain and Ana would follow suit if help did not come.
Bellatrix was fast and her spell work was as accurate and fluid as
any other that Cain had ever met.
The man too was certainly an able duellist and though the blonde
woman accompanying them was not quite so, she fought with
enough strong emotion to close the gap considerably.
' She must be his mother,' Cain thought to himself as he chanced a
glance at the one he had pummelled to near unconsciousness.
"I WANT MY SON!"
"YOUR SON JUST TRIED TO MURDER SOMEONE!" Ana returned
as she deflected a pink spell launched towards her by Bellatrix.
Hesitation.
It only crossed her features for the briefest of seconds, but Cain saw
it.
Not that it mattered, nor did he have time to dwell on it as Bellatrix
vanished in a puff smoke and appeared next to Jonas.
Before either he or Ana could react, she was gone again, appearing
between the other man and woman.
"Your friend for my nephew," she offered with a grin.
"Fuck no!" Jonas protested.
Whatever curse he had been struck by had left him in a poor state.
Blood ran freely from his eyes and nose and he certainly wouldn't be
standing were it not for Bellatrix holding him up with a dagger to his
throat.
"I will not ask again," Bellatrix spoke once more. "If I was not so
pressed for time, I would simply kill you all. This is an offer you will
never receive again, you filthy half-breeds."
Cain and Ana shared a look of uncertainty.
"Don't do it," Jonas croaked.
"ANSWER ME!"
"Or I could kill the three of you and take Draco anyway," Harry's
voice broke in.
Cain breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of his friend who had pulled
Draco to his feet by his hair.
"Wake up, you don't want to miss this," he urged as he tapped the
babbling man with the tip of his wand.
Draco's eyes shot opened, and filled immediately with fear as he
realised the predicament he was in.
"Now, if you remember, Malfoy, I did tell you to be a good boy once
before. Do you remember, or do you need me to jog your memory,"
Harry threatened.
Draco shook his head and the others could only look on in a mixture
of emotions.
"Well, now that you have proven to be a cruel, evil little bastard
beyond refute, I'm going to give you a choice, and I would make it
quickly. Who am I going to kill first, Draco, your mother, or your
father?"
Draco's eyes widened as he looked towards his parents.
"The clock is ticking Draco," Harry whispered, and Cain was
reminded of the ruthless side to his friend.
He had no doubt that Harry would do it. All Draco had to do was give
his word.
"It will either be one of your parents, or you," Harry sighed. "I'm
letting you choose."
"LET HIM GO, POTTER!" Bellatrix screeched.
"Why don't you make me?" Harry returned. "There's no Tom here to
protect you, Bellatrix. I'd say you have less than two minutes before
the aurors arrive, so Draco here really needs to make his decision in
around ten seconds, or I will make it for you. Just know that I will kill
them both, and then you."
Cain's grip tightened around his wand as Harry counted down, his
gaze never leaving the trio of Bellatrix Lestrange and Draco's
parents.
"Three…two…"
"Me!" Narcissa declared as she stepped forward. "Let him go and
take me instead."
Cain was not so surprised by the woman volunteering herself.
She was a mother, and perhaps a good one at that. She was willing
to give her life for her son's at least.
"Is that your decision, Draco?" Harry asked. "Will you allow your
mother to die for you and your father?"
After only a moment of hesitation, Draco nodded, and even Bellatrix
looked at him with disgust.
Harry sighed deeply.
"Very well," he murmured as he raised his wand.
An ethereal dagger shot from the tip, grazing by Draco's mother who
closed her eyes in anticipation, only to open them as a gasp
escaped her husband.
Lucius collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath before a black, inky
fluid began pouring from his mouth.
"Did you think I would give you what you wanted?" Harry whispered
to the horrified Draco. "You did this, and now you have to live with it.
I hope your mother can never look you in the eyes again for being so
willing to sacrifice her. Let him go, and I will return Draco to you."
Bellatrix too seemed to be in a state of shock at the turn of events
and she mechanically allowed Jonas fall to the ground as Harry
released Draco after tapping him discreetly with his wand.
He ran towards where his catatonic mother's gaze was transfixed on
her dead husband and he all but dragged her over the threshold of
the station before they both vanished without preamble, lucky to
have escaped with their lives.
"The Dark Lord was right about you, Potter," Bellatrix commented as
she backed away with her wand levelled at Harry. "You are willing to
do what is necessary."
"Then you should leave, Bellatrix," Harry urged. "Before I change my
mind about allowing you to do so."
Bellatrix offered him what Cain could only describe as a maniacal
grin and wave.
"I'll be seeing you again."
Harry merely nodded before the woman activated her portkey, just
as the aurors began arriving.
Without hesitation, Harry sprinted to Jonas, and Cain followed, his
stomach sinking at the sight of him.
He was deathly pale, and the front of his robes caked in more blood
than any should lose in such a short amount of time.
"Is this what dying feels like?" Jonas wheezed.
"No," Harry said comfortingly.
His tone may have convinced others, but Cain had been around
Harry long enough to know when he was lying.
"Well, if it is, it's not so bad," Jonas snorted, choking on his own
blood.
"Bloody hell," Harry muttered. "What colour was the curse he was hit
with?"
"Yellow," Cain answered.
"Bellatrix or Narcissa?"
Cain nodded and Harry released a deep breath.
"It's a family spell," he explained. "I'm not sure…"
"So, that's it then?" Jonas spoke once more.
He was shaking now, and his lips had turned a shade of purple.
"No, I can…"
Jonas waved him off.
"There isn't time," he wheezed. "I like blue, Harry. Let me have some
blue at my funeral."
With that, he fell still, and Harry's expression shifted to one of
devastation as he attempted to rouse Jonas.
He did not respond and Cain felt the tears burning his eyes as he
reached for his friend.
"He's gone," he whispered.
Harry said nothing as he stood, the tip of his wand crackling with
lightning.
He was angry, but more than anything else, he was heartbroken for
the friend they had lost.
Cain could not imagine how things could get any worse, but as he
saw Lucinda, Pansy and, Eleanor approach he quickly realised it
was about to.
With only a shake of her head, Pansy fell into Harry's arms and
began to sob uncontrollably.
They had been too late to save either Daphne or Jonas, and Cain,
along with the others, felt the full weight of war fall upon them in only
a few passing moments.