The Phoenix Prophecy

Chapter 17: Epilogue - Part 12

Monday — July 21^st

Professor Albus Dumbledore:

Being confined to the cottage, unable to help Harry, Hermione and Alec, had vexed me something fierce. In all my many long years, I had not felt as frustrated and powerless as I did when I realized that I might be too late in coming to the aid of two of my most promising students and their friend.

Age does not always grant us wisdom, but it usually leads us to the realization that life is as fragile as a delicate crystal carving. This fact is lost on the young, and rightly so or they would never venture forth into the world to make their mark upon it. The inability to truly contemplate your own death is what allows the young to face incredible danger without destroying them emotionally. By the time one is old enough to have children that are approaching adulthood, the realization of our mortality has taken its toll on our ability to face danger purely because it is the right thing to do. Fortunately, we are gifted with the ability to face any challenge where the safety and wellbeing of our children is concerned. It is only when we near the end of our life’s journey that we are able to come face to face with our own death without fear. Once again we can face any danger without the debilitating fear of what we are going to leave behind. Even though our power and knowledge have been greatly enhanced by life’s journey, we do sorely miss our youthful energy and stamina.

Having seen to the safe release of everyone from the cottage, I was ready to immediately begin the search for our missing youngsters. Their survival was essential to preventing the darkness from spreading across the land, if Professor Trelawney’s latest prophecy was to be believed. Having been in her presence when she delivered this prophecy, I was inclined to take it very seriously. I was the only living soul that knew that Harry and Hermione’s son alone would have the power to defeat Tom Riddle’s successor, if he lived to reach adulthood. Prophesizing that Tom Riddle would have a successor raised many questions in and of itself. Add to that fact that Harry and Hermione’s son would be the only person capable of defeating him, made it imperative that Harry and Hermione live long enough to have a son. Any sacrifice that would ensure their survival would have to be accepted if those that worshiped and practiced the Dark Arts were to be prevented from casting their shadow across all of wizardkind.

Obtaining the Impervious Charm was the only way that Harry and Hermione would survive long enough to have a child. If they failed to obtain the charm, I feared that all would be lost, for them as well as the rest of wizardkind. From the moment I had decided to have them pursue the Impervious Charm, I had been wrestling with my conscious over exactly how much to tell them about what lay ahead. Too much knowledge could create a self-fulfilling future. Too little would not prepare them for the terrible dangers that lie ahead of them. Ever since Harry’s parents were murdered, my decisions concerning him were the most difficult ones I had made over the course of my life.

For several minutes I stood perfectly still, attempting to absorb as much energy as I could from the world around me. Thankfully, this world was an abundant source of energy and I quickly felt invigorated and ready to begin my search. Just as I was about to inform the others to remain alert for any form of treachery during my absence, a dark shadow passed overhead and a dragon landed directly in front of me. Even before the dragon spoke, I recognized that it was none other than Cetus, whom we had freed from Marcus’ island several hours earlier.

Up until the moment of Cetus’ arrival, I had been extremely concerned about how we were going to return to our world once I managed to find and return with Harry, Hermione and Alec. I knew in my bones that as long as we remained on this world we would be in constant danger from whatever games Kai and Nyssa were playing. Now it seemed very likely that we would be able to return home. That possibility turned into a certainty when Lemke and several of his brothers showed up shortly after Cetus’ arrival. Ron needed medical attention for the wound in his leg. Now he would get the attention that he needed. I was able to breathe much easier knowing that the others would be taken care of.

Lemke’s assurances that his brothers would see to the safe return of the others made it easier for me to concentrate on the task of finding and possibly rescuing Harry, Hermione and Alec. As I knew that Walt would not leave without his son, I asked him to join me in the search. I knew that Sirius was equally concerned for is godson, but I felt Madelyn and Martha could use his help. Thankfully, he accepted my request without out putting up an argument.

Cetus and I discussed how to approach the shield he had spotted a short distance from where we were standing. In the end, Lemke and Walt agreed with us that it would be best to approach the shield by stealth rather than directly. The additional time it would take to approach the shield was offset by the increased options we would have once we determined what in fact was going on. We used Lemke’s ability to apparate a group to transport the four of us to a spot some fifty feet away from the shield. As soon as we arrived, it was apparent that something was taking place as the ground began to shake.

The place Lemke had transported us to was just big enough for Cetus. The surrounding trees were too thick for Cetus to pass through without alerting anyone in the area to our presence.

“You must go on without me,” Cetus said before I had a chance to state that the only way for us to approach the shield without being detected was for him to do just that.

“Cetus, can you penetrate the shield, or destroy it all together?” I asked, trying to plan ahead for every possible contingency.

“I can not be absolutely certain about what I may be able to do with the shield, but feel reasonably confident that I will be able to do as you ask.”

“That is all I can ask,” I replied. “As soon as we have the shield in view I will tell you what I see. If I shout for your help, come at once and try to penetrate or destroy the shield.”

“I will be only too happy to do as you request. My brother and sister, and I are forever in your debt. Hopefully this will repay some small part of that debt.”

“Rescuing us from this world is more than enough of a repayment. I’m sure the others feel that way as well. Sit tight and I will let you know just as soon as we have the shield in sight,” I replied and followed Lemke and Walt as they headed for the shield.

It took us less than a minute to reach the edge of the shield. Peering out cautiously from behind a cluster of young spruce trees, I quickly spotted Luther and Eliza. They were some twenty feet off to my right, their attention focused inside the shield. Following their gaze, I recognized the familiar faces of our missing youngsters. In the same instant, I realized with an absolute certainty that they were going to die if we did not do something very quickly.

“Some terrible evil lurks within the two that are looking into the shield,” Lemke whispered into my ear after he tugged on the sleeve of my robes to get my attention. “I do not know what they are, but they are unlike anything I have ever encountered. We must proceed with the utmost caution.”

“Exactly what these two creatures are, I do not know. However, you are correct in your assessment that they are both extremely evil and very dangerous,” I whispered back.

“Cetus, are you reading our thoughts?” I added.

“Yes, I am,” Cetus’ voice replied inside my head. “The creatures you speak of are none other than Luther and Eliza. How they have found their way here, I do not know. Be extremely careful.”

“I will. Stand ready. We have very little time before we must act.”

“Understood, and may the Old Ones smile upon us,” Cetus added solemnly.

“Lemke, can you get inside the shield and transport Harry, Hermione and Alec back to your home?” I asked, hoping for a simple solution.

“No Master, I am most sorry that I can not penetrate this shield.”

“No need to be sorry. It was just a thought,” I replied. Even if Lemke had been able to whisk them away, we would still be faced with the prospect of being abducted any time Kai and Nyssa felt like doing so. It was apparent that I was going to have to destroy them or we would be forever at their mercy. Whether I had the strength to accomplish this feat I did not know for certain. What I did know for certain, was that Harry and Hermione must survive no matter what the cost.

A flash of understanding suddenly burst upon me. In that instant, I realized that my life’s path had prepared me for this one defining moment. The vision that flashed before me showed that I could destroy both of these evil souls, if I could summon the courage to do so. My moment of truth had arrived. Once I started on this path, there would be no turning back.

“Walt, no matter happens to me, it is imperative that you see to it that Harry, Hermione and Alec are returned safely to our world. Lemke you must assist him in this matter.”

“Albus, what is the—

“Please, no questions, just promise me that you will do as I ask, no matter what the consequences are for me personally.”

“As you wish,” Walt replied reluctantly. I could tell that he still wanted to argue, but he let the matter drop.

“Tell Harry and Hermione that I have never been prouder of any two students in all my years at Hogwarts and that I will always be with them. Their love and courage will be an inspiration for all those that desire to defeat the dark forces that seek to enslave us. Tell them that the only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men and women to do nothing. I am confident that they will understand this message. In time, they will come to understand the price that was paid for their freedom was in fact a small price to pay for the future of humanity.”

“Cetus, attack now!” I said mentally and positioned myself for attack as soon as Luther and Eliza’s attention was diverted to Cetus’ presence.

I prepared myself mentally for the task that lay before me and waited for Cetus to attack. The first step would be the easy one. The last step would require a true ‘leap of faith.’

Cetus’ dark and forbidding shadow quickly descended on the shield, and as I had hoped, it drew Luther and Eliza’s undivided attention. The moment their backs were turned towards me, I sprang from behind the trees and headed quickly and quietly in their direction. I managed to cover most of the distance between us before they realized that anything was approaching.

Restraints had held Luther and Eliza back on Marcus’ island, but that was only after they had been severely dazed from the force of the explosion used to break into their imaginary Nexus. In order to destroy them before they had a chance to escape, I needed to physically touch each of them with the tip of my wand. That was the only way to guarantee that the killing spell would not be blocked.

As Luther and Eliza turned their attention in my direction, I summoned all the energy I could and hurled myself straight at them.

When the tip of my wand came in contact with Luther’s chest, I cast the ‘Avada Kedavra’ spell with all the fury and anger I could summon for this foul creature. Killing spells only worked if they were cast with a real hatred for the person you were trying to kill. I was surprised by how easily my hatred for Luther and Eliza manifested itself in my conscious mind, as I had spent the greater part of my life suppressing this and other dark feelings.

The instant the spell was cast, an expression of utter surprise froze on Luther’s face, as he stood motionless with out uttering a sound. My arm was almost paralyzed from the tremendous amount of energy that had just passed through my hand. Luckily, Eliza was in a state of shock over what I just done to Luther. Colliding head on with Luther, I was able to force my wand to make contact with Eliza’s chest and cast the killing spell on her before she could recover enough to either escape or attack.

At that point, we all tumbled to the ground and I tried desperately to get back on my feet quickly. My right arm was completely useless and I had no sense of balance. I had not cast a killing spell in a good many years. The debilitating effects were more pronounced than I remembered from the last time I was forced to use the ‘Avada Kedavra’ spell. An instant later, I felt a pair of strong hands grab hold of me from behind and pull me to a standing position.

“Albus, are you all right?” Walt demanded as he continued to hold me up.

“Bind…them, we…we do not have a single moment to spare,” I managed to say after a number of precious seconds had slipped past.

Walt quickly bound Luther and Eliza’s motionless bodies with a silver netting that sparkled in the dim light. It was fortunate that I had brought him along, as I was completely drained of all my energy and therefore quite vulnerable. I was barely able to stand on my own two feet. Fighting a battle would have been impossible after casting two death spells in such a short period of time. Even casting another spell was out of the question until I could recover.

As soon as Luther and Eliza’s bodies were restrained—I was not about to take any chances that they might yet still have some life in them—I turned my attention to penetrating the shield. Killing them had been too easy, but I had suspected that would be the case.

After Walt finished securing Luther and Eliza, he tried boring a hole through the shield with a spell, but it bounced harmlessly off the surface of the shield. When Lemke placed his hand near the shield’s surface, he received a jolt of energy that knocked him to the ground.

“Albus, this shield is as solid as a rock,” Walt said as he helped Lemke up from the ground.

“We have to find some way of penetrating it,” I replied as I reviewed all the spells that might work on a shield such as this.

“This shield is impenetrable,” Cetus said as he inspected the shield closely. “There is only one way to rescue your youngsters that are trapped within it. Be ready to retrieve them quickly, as I do not know how long I will be able remain in contact with the shield.”

Before I could ask Cetus what he was going to do, he took to the air and landed on top of shield in a shower of crackling sparks. Beating his powerful wings, Cetus began to lift the shield from the ground. Hot steam billowed out from around the bottom edge of the shield as Cetus lifted the shield higher, inch by inch.

With the bottom edge of the shield barely a foot off the ground, Walt wiggled under the shield on his stomach and disappeared into the steam that was escaping from all around the bottom of the shield. When I glanced up to see how Cetus was holding out, I could tell that he was in great pain from both the sheer effort of raising this incredibly heavy shield and the energy it was sending through his body. Walt had better be quick, as we were not going to get a second chance with this tactic.

When the bottom edge of the shield reached a height of two feet, it stopped rising and started descending. I estimated that Walt had less than ten seconds to emerge with the kids or he would be trapped inside and die alongside them.

Several, heart-stopping seconds latter Hermione was shoved out from beneath the edge of the shield. She was barely conscious, but she was alive. Lemke grabbed her by the arms and pulled her several feet further away from the shield.

Harry’s body rolled out two seconds after Hermione. I tried to reach down and grab Harry by the arms, but I became quite dizzy and almost fell on top of him. Lemke steadied me with one hand, grabbed Harry by the back of his shirt, and started to pull him towards the spot where Hermione was lying. I could not tell whether Harry was alive or dead. Both of their faces and hands were beet red. I could see several large blisters on the backs of Harry’s hands.

“I am all right, Lemke. Just worry about Harry,” I said, even though I was not all that sure of my balance.

The bottom edge shield was only a foot above the ground and was fluctuating noticeably, both up and down, and from side to side “Hang on, Cetus. Just a few more seconds,” I shouted, forgetting that he could hear my thoughts as easily as my voice.

“Harry Potter and Hermione are both breathing,” Lemke said after he returned and got down on his hands and knees to peer underneath the edge of the shield.

Cetus was beginning to lose control and the shield abruptly shifted sideways, catching Lemke off guard, and struck him in the head. The force of the energy jolt Lemke received sent him flying backwards, knocking me to the ground when he crashed into my legs.

As I fell to the ground, I saw Alec start to emerge from beneath the shield, but suddenly draw back when the shield swung away from us and almost touched the ground. The bottom edge of the shield could not have missed Alec by more that a few inches.

I did not even try to get back on my feet. I just held my breath and prayed that Cetus would be able to hold out for a bit longer.

“Lemke, find a log and shove it under the shield,” I shouted. I knew full well that the next time the shield hit the ground it was not going to rise up again. I cursed myself for not thinking of this plan in the first place. “Be as quick as you can. We only have at most a few seconds,” I added.

Two seconds after telling Lemke what to do, I heard a loud crack, followed by a loud crash that shook the ground. Just after that, a tree trunk whisked past the end of my nose and passed just beneath the bottom edge of the shield. An instant later, the shield dropped onto the trunk and it bust into flames.

“Walt, it is now or never!” I shouted as loudly as I could to make myself heard over the hissing and crackling sounds caused by the shield resting on the tree trunk.

Alec scrambled out from under the shield about six feet from the burning tree and managed to get to his hands and knees before Lemke could get to him. His face and hands were burned, but not to the same extent as Harry and Hermione’s.

“Dad, come on. The tree trunk is starting to disintegrate,” Alec screamed. “Hurry up!”

Walt’s head emerged from beneath the shield and he started inching his way out. There was barely enough room for his shoulders to fit beneath the bottom edge of the shield and the ground. Several loud cracks told me that the log was about to give way completely. Walt’s shoulders were clear of the shield and he was fighting to crawl as fast as he could without coming in contact with the shield.

Walt screamed out in agony when the shield settled another couple of inches and touched the tops of his legs. The shock must have paralyzed him as he stopped moving. Instantly, Alec grabbed his dad by the hands and began pulling him the rest of the way out.

The tree trunk crumbled in a shower of burning embers, some of which landed on me. The edge of the shield dropped on top of Walt’s feet. Walt let out another agonizing scream, as did Alec, evidently unable, or unwilling, to let go of his father.

Lemke reached out and touched Alec. The three of them vanished as Cetus crashed to ground, several feet from the edge of the shield. He attempted to get to his feet, but collapsed from sheer exhaustion.

I managed to get to my feet and slowly made my way over to where Cetus lay, breathing heavily. It looked as if he was going to recover, but I could not tell for certain. I then checked to see that Luther and Eliza’s condition had not changed in any way. They both appeared to be quite dead, which did not surprise me. After satisfying myself that I had nothing to worry about from Luther and Eliza, I made my way over to where Harry and Hermione were lying on the ground to see if they could sit up. Both of them had their eyes open and seemed to recognize me. I felt a wave of relief wash over me.

“What took you so long?” Harry asked, his voice barely audible.

“We were imprisoned inside the cottage. I suspect that Kai and Nyssa were responsible. I am truly sorry that we could not get here any sooner.”

“That’s okay, Professor,” Hermione replied weakly as she touched her face very gently. “I think our goose was nearly cooked.”

“Nearly? There is no ‘nearly’ about it. I know I’m cooked,” Harry added.

“Do you think you can sit up?” I asked.

“With a little help, I think we could manage that,” Harry replied and held out his hand.

Enough of my strength had returned to help each of them to a sitting position without losing my own balance. I had enough energy left over to cast a cooling spell on their hands and faces, but that was all. Exhausted, I dropped to a sitting position, facing them with my back to Cetus. All we could do now was wait.

Author’s Note

One more part to go and the Epilogue, Chapter and first book will be finished.

I greatly appreciate all of the reviews that you have posted. It is nice to know that you are enjoying the story.

Thanks for reading,

The Hogwarts Oracle