The Crystal of Tempest

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter series belongs to J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros. Inc., Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Raincoast, and any other affiliated party.

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Chapter 12: Public Execution

All too soon, the time for the public execution of Harry Potter came. Harry was bound up in chains and led out of the dungeons by two Dementor Warriors.

'So ends the King of Gryffindor,' Harry thought wryly. 'Well, one thing's for sure, I'm not going to go out without a fight!' During his time in the dungeons, Harry had secretly been building up his magical powers, so he would still be able to last for some time against Voldemort's creatures before being finished off.

Also, Harry had silently been hoping that Hermione would be able to find him. Harry trusted Hermione with his life and he knew that she wouldn't give up on him no matter what. Furthermore, the connection between Harry's Ring of the Lion and the various rings Hermione had indicated that she at least knew the area where Harry was confined. However, Harry knew that was a vain hope.

For Harry knew where he was, at the top of the great Volcano, Parselrock the Unclimbable, located in the heart of the Kingdom of Slytherin. It was here where Tom Marvolo Riddle had first found the Crystal of Tempest and become Lord Voldemort. And it was also here whee the Children of Tempest had created their headquarters, where it was impossible to be found. Even if the Mage Knights knew where Harry was, it would be impossible for them to climb the mountain and storm the headquarters of the cultists. Still, Harry continued to hope.

With a jolt, Harry suddenly realized that he had been led to a wide metal grate. With a creak, the grate opened and Harry was led into the sunlight of a vast empty space. 'Correct that,' thought Harry as he was led out. 'This isn't a vast empty space after all.'

It was a coliseum, built in full Roman style. Harry was standing on a wide, gravel covered, circular space that had a diameter of about 80 meters. The auditorium that surrounded the space was about vast and wide, seating hundreds, perhaps even thousands of cultists. Every single one of them were jeering for Harry's blood but Harry couldn't make out any distinct words since they were all lost in the cacophony of cries. And seated in a balcony, exalted above all the seats were Voldemort, Draco Malfoy, Cassandra Frost, and few other high ranking cultists.

As soon as Harry was alone in the bottom of the arena, Voldemort stood up and beckoned for silence. The cries of the cultists died down in a second.

"Welcome, Harry Potter!" said Voldemort in an amplified voice that boomed throughout the coliseum. "I hope you've enjoyed your stay here."

"I've had better!" shouted Harry. A roar of noise filled the coliseum as the cultists started laughing at Harry. Voldemort signaled for silence and the arena quieted down immediately once again.

"It is rather unfortunate that I'm going to have to terminate you, Potter," said Voldemort.

"Yeah, very unfortunate," muttered Harry sarcastically.

"But, I do wish you a fond farewell. It was nice knowing you," said Voldemort with a smirk.

"Oh really?" said Harry. "Come down here, coward! Come down here and finish me off your self instead of letting your pets do your handiwork!"

"You shall bot speak to my master that way!" shouted Cassandra. She sprang up in wrath, kicking her chair out of the way. "Release the beasts!" she commanded. Voldemort however raised his hand and had the order stopped.

"Patience. Patience, my dear Cassandra." He then turned his attention back to Harry and said, "I just may spare your life, Potter, if you grovel on your knees and beg for your life." The coliseum burst out in laughter once again, only to be silenced by Voldemort.

"I'd rather kiss Malfoy," hissed Harry.

"I resent that!" said Draco.

Voldemort simply shrugged and said, "So be it, Harry." He turned to the nearest Dementor Warrior and said, "You may release the beasts now."

With a clang, three more grates opened, and three horrific beats burst out, snarling and snapping in such menacing ways. The first one, was a great red beast with a body of a powerfully built lion but with a man's face. It had three rows of razor sharp teeth in its mouth. But the most frightening aspect of the creature was the large scorpion's tale and its deadly stinger, a Manticore. The second creature had the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a serpent. Puffs of smoke and flame were issuing from the chimaera's mouth. The last creature was the largest one of the three. It was a monster size venomous spider that made a clicking noise with its pincers, an acromantula.

Harry swallowed as the creatures closed in on him. His arms were bound tight by the chains wrapped around his body but his legs were free, meaning he could move freely. The ability to move around, combined with some quick thinking was adequate enough to keep Harry alive for the time being.

The manticore was the first to reach Harry. It swung its lethal tail down at the Mage Knight, but Harry managed to leap out of the way just in time. The manticore growled and swung its tail toward Harry again. Harry skillfully dodged each blow.

In the mean time, the chimaera leapt toward Harry, brandishing its teeth. Harry rolled out of the way and put a distance between himself and the chimaera. With a roar of anger, the chimaera spewed out a burst of flame. Harry polled out of the way of the flame only to barely dodge the manticore's tail.

'This isn't working,' thought Harry. 'I'd better change my tactics.' Slowly, Harry started moving sideways, drawing the manticore and the chimaera closer to him.

"What's he doing?" Draco wondered out loud. Voldemort simply continued looking at the scene with mild interest.

What Harry was doing soon became apparent. When the chimaera burst out another round of flame, Harry rolled out of the way and the flames hit the chimaera in the face. With a roar of anger and pain, the mantiocre leaped at the chimaera nd stabbed the stinger of its tail into the chimaera's back. Hollering in pain, the chimaera slashed at the manticore with its teeth and burst even more fire into the manticore's face. Soon, the manticore and the chimaeara were locked in mortal combat.

Harry didn't have a time to take a breath of relief however since the acromantula was on him now. Harry leaped back, barely avoiding the spider's menacing pincers. The acromantula made a gurgling sound and snapped at Harry once again. Harry simple took a leap back and avoided the pincers. He started to edge away from the giant spider.

Roaring in frustration, the giant spider shot some webbing at Harry. Harry ducked as the webbing sailed over his head. He then tried to make a run for the other side of the acromantula. However, another shot of webbing got him square in the legs and Harry toppled over , his legs trapped in webbing.

"Dammit!" Harry cursed out loud. The giant spider was now closing in on him. However, a sudden scream indicated that the chimaera and the manticore had killed each other. Harry looked toward their bodies and saw that the chimaera had ripped the manticore's stinger off its tail.

Utilizing all of the magic he could channel with out a magical core, Harry yelled, "Accio stinger!" The stinger came sailing right next to him. Harry then utilized a quick banishing charm and impaled the acromantula in the chest.

As the giant spider roared in pain, Harry said, "Incendio!" and burned the webbing off his legs. He sprang up to his feet, ready to dodge anything more the spider could do to him only to realize that the manticore's poison had already killed the acromantula.

Satisfied with his handiwork, Harry turned toward the high balcony. "Is that all you got!" he shouted.

Voldemort simply shrugged coolly, but Cassandra jumped to her feet and yelled, "Curse you, Potter! You will pay for that! Dementor Warriors, kill him!"

With that, about fifty Dementor Warriors glided into the arena, brandishing their swords. However, with the entire coliseum focused on Harry and the Dementor Warriors, nobody had noticed that someone had snuck into the high balcony and was now standing unnoticed behind the fuming Cassandra. No one that is, except Harry, and he couldn't help but grin.

Cassandra was dismayed to see Harry grinning. "What is so funny?!" she demanded.

"Why don't you ask the person holding the sword at your neck?" said Harry.

"What?" shouted Cassandra. However, before she could say anything, a sword was indeed placed at her neck. The people in the balcony all turned around to see whom it was that threatened them. It was Hermione.

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A/N Did you people notice something? Here's a little hint, "Attack of the Clones". Yousee, the entire climax of this story is taken directly from the climax of Star Wars Episode II. I know its not exactly original but I just couldn't resist using that plot line. So please, R/R and tell me what you think. And don't forget to join my Yahoo group. Next: The final battle starts! Mage Knights against the cultists and their dementor warriors!