Ch 35 Following a Cold Trail
Four days after she had been kidnapped by Aardus and Elysa and imprisoned within the small room with her two guards, Hermione stood shakily for a moment, just to try and stretch out her cramped muscles. She knew she should be hungry, but it was the agony of her dry throat and mouth that bothered her the most. The deprivation of water and the lack of sleep was making it increasingly difficult for her to stay focused and concentrate. The headaches and nausea were getting worse, and she knew that if Harry did not arrive in another day or so, it wouldn't matter-she would die of dehydration or Corlyn would...but she refused to think of that. Neither of her guards had said a word since Elysa had told her Aardus' history and she had been listening with interest to Saldar recount various adventures he had experienced with previous wielders to keep her mind off of her discomfort.
"Saldar?"
"Yes mistress?"
"I was wondering about you. You've told me stories and stories about what you've done with other wizards, but I still don't know anything about you, except that you're a very good, solid man, er sword, no, no, I mean, I'm sorry, you know what I mean don't you?"
"Of course mistress…Do not worry about…"
"What about your family Saldar? Were they like you?"
"Ahh. My family. Well, that is quite a different story…"
"I'm sorry Saldar. I didn't mean to pry," she explained, sensing the pain and anger in his tone of voice.
"Give it no mind mistress. I do not mind telling thee the story, though it still causes me great pain to remember it.
I was nothing like my father. Unlike him I believed that purity of blood did not matter. We had many angry discussions concerning his ideas. His insistence upon maintaining what he called blood purity not only shattered our family, but also broke his friendship with those he had worked with to found the great school of Hogwarts."
It was a sign of Hermione's growing exhaustion that it took her several moments to realize who he was talking about.
"My father and those who thought like him were driven from Scotland for years, their ideas were unpopular and rejected-for a time. I had left my home village and moved south, away from his tainted legacy. I had settled down with a beautiful Muggle woman, the daughter of a wealthy cloth trader, and together we had a beautiful daughter. We were anxiously awaiting another child when my father found us.
He was enraged that his son would dilute the purity of his blood. Our hot words escalated into blows and then into spells. Two of his followers were killed before my family and I were captured. He then killed my wife, my daughter, and my unborn child before my eyes, thinking to break me and bend me to his will. He then performed the ceremony that transferred my soul from a mortal, living body to that of the weapon you now wield.
In his pride and arrogance, he forgot that I still had the power to choose to serve whom I would. My father was furious to discover I would not serve him as a weapon, just as I had rejected him as a son. When Godric Gryffindor and the other Founders heard what had befallen my family, they pursued him and his followers but they managed to escape. I hid myself from my father, to his great rage, and allowed myself to be found by Godric. I convinced him to allow me to serve him and his descendents and have done so faithfully ever since. How I longed to help bring about the fall of Voldemort, the last living descendent of Salazar Slytherin and banish his legacy forever. Now you understand why I could not be of greater assistance to Master Potter during his trial. Who would have believed the sword-son of Salazar Slytherin?"
Hermione had slumped back down to the floor during the course of the story and several tears were streaking down her face.
"Do not waste your water," taunted Elysa.
"Shut up Elysa," warned Aardus.
"You cannot save her Aardus. Look at her, she is dying before our eyes. And if she foolishly continues to try and resist, Vespus will break her and get the information he needs and then toss her aside like the human trash she is. And I will personally make sure that her death is a very long, painful one."
"Your fate is not hers to decide Elysa. In fact, I would be more worried about your own fate. She is young, and very beautiful and much more intelligent than you. Once he turns her, the Master will probably realize how worthless you are, how little you contribute, how unstable and unsatisfying you are, and toss you aside like the chalithu you are!" taunted Aardus.
"Never!" she screamed and leaped towards Hermione, her claws outstretched and her fangs bared. Aardus barreled into her, knocking them both into one of the stone walls. Hissing and spitting insults at each other, the two clawed and swung at each other with demonic fury. Aardus slipped behind her and tossed her to the far wall where she rattled the stones from the impact. She charged forward again while Aardus put himself between her and Hermione. As she lunged forward, he grabbed the sword of Godric Gryffindor from his belt and pulled it free of its sheath. Fear flashed in Elysa's eyes for a moment before she recognized the weapon he had drawn.
"The girl's plaything? Surely you jest, Aardus. Perhaps I'll kill her with it once I'm finished with you." She snarled as he stabbed the dagger at her. She easily caught his wrist and turned it aside. He grimaced in pain as they wrestled for control of the dagger. With a quick movement she twisted his wrist and the dagger went flying and then she threw an elbow into his face followed by a clawed hand trying to scratch out one of his eyes. Aardus fell backwards, overwhelmed momentarily by the viciousness of the attack. Screaming in triumph, she pounced on his chest as he fell, pinning one of his arms with her legs while she grabbed the other one and leaned down to rip out his throat with her fangs. As she leaned forward she froze as a slender silver spike exploded from her chest.
One of her clawed hands clutched desperately at the gleaming blade as she looked down in agony. She stared stupidly as the blood on the blade disappeared as soon as it appeared. Aardus looked up with a grim smile on his face at a very pale, shaking Hermione holding the gem encrusted hilt of the Sword of Godric Gryffindor. He leaned closer to the shuddering vampire as the rest of her blood was absorbed by the sword. He reached inside her tunic and pulled out a long, slender wand and looked up at Hermione.
"On three, withdraw your sword," he whispered urgently. "One, two, three."
Hermione pulled out her sword and fell to the ground as he plunged Elysa's own wand deep into the gaping hole left by Hermione's sword and snapped off six inches of the end. Elysa fell over on her back and lay still. Then he reached into his own shirt and pulled out another wand and waved it over the broken pieces of Elysa's wand. They took on the appearance of the sword still in Hermione's hand. The broken blade remained in the chest of the rapidly decomposing body of the vampire, and the hilt remained in his own, which he then tossed to the ground.
"Hide your blade again if you wish to keep it," he whispered. "The Master now knows she is dead and will be here in moments." As he spoke, he quickly conjured a glass of water and handed it to Hermione. "Drink it slowly, it will have to last you until Potter arrives. Master will be very upset that I killed her and may not leave me here with you any longer."
Hermione nodded gratefully, unable to form words, and sipped slowly at the cup, trying to swallow it and not throw it right back up. The cool water in her mouth and falling down her throat immediately made her feel a little better, a little more clear headed.
She heard nothing but suddenly the drink disappeared from her hands. When she looked up again, an enraged Corlyn stalked towards Aardus who kneeled before him. "Master, she…"
There was a sharp crack that echoed through the room as Corlyn slapped him hard enough to knock him flying sideways.
"You fools! Neither of you could put aside your petty animosities in order to serve me! Now I have lost one of my most faithful servants. Give me one reason why I should not stake you as well, Aardus."
"There is no good reason to keep me around any longer unless I can still be of service to you Master. Elysa succumbed to the blood lust and would have killed the girl and spoiled all of your carefully laid plans. I had no choice but to kill her, she would not stop and she nearly killed me."
"Tell me Aardus, how did this trinket manage to kill a vampire witch? They can only be destroyed by staking them with their own wand, or with a stake made of the same materials as their own wand. With all of your training as a Dark Hunter, tell me how you failed to detect this property in Miss Granger's dagger!"
"I do not know. It seems as if some of the weapons for hunting dark creatures have improved since my time," he replied.
Corlyn stepped forward threateningly.
"If I have failed you then perhaps it would be best to terminate my service," offered Aardus.
"You would like that too much, I think. I believe I can still make use of several of your skills-for the time being. But do not fail me again Aardus. There are several ways for a vampire to be vanquished, and I know all of the most painful ones."
"Of course Master," replied Aardus deferentially.
"Now," replied Corlyn, turning to the pale and still shaking Hermione still collapsed on the ground, "I believe I have been negligent as a host and I apologize. I have failed to inform you of the coming activities we are planning to celebrate your arrival here Miss Granger. At midnight tonight, you will be reborn into a new life. But before then, we will finish our discussion of Atlantis and you will tell me everything I wish to know."
He waited silently for several minutes in which Hermione just stared back at him angrily, but very tiredly.
He chuckled, a deep, cold sound utterly lacking in true joy or mirth. "I thought as much. I am afraid you are not looking very well Miss Granger. Perhaps a bit of exercise would do you some good."
He then turned towards Aardus. "When the sun sets in two hours time, you will bring Miss Granger outside for a leisurely jog around the grounds. I will accompany you both. Come Aardus, I have another task for you right now. We will talk later, Miss Granger."
As they left, Hermione's head sunk forward on her chest and her shoulders shook, but she cried no more tears. "Please hurry Harry. I can't last much longer."
*-*-*
Very early the next morning, the wind screaming past his ears and his robes fluttering behind him, Harry shot through the air like a missile. Once again, Harry silently thanked Sirius' foresight in providing a warming charm for his motorcycle. He grinned as he shifted the thundering bike, increasing its speed even more. "Leave it to Sirius to build a bike with ten gears," he grinned. Suddenly the tunnel was plunged back into near complete darkness, the only light was a series of evenly spaced white bulbs that appeared as a nearly solid white line alongside the metal tracks.
Flying invisible and faster than the speeding train that linked England and France together under the English Channel, Harry had been racing ahead of the early morning express headed to the Continent, using its light to fly down the tunnel. He didn't really need to, but he was feeling reckless and the sheer thrill of leading the train down the tunnel gave him something to focus on besides his growing fear for Hermione. "But where did the train go?"
As his eyes adjusted to the near darkness, he thought again about the maps he had examined earlier at the station. There were three tunnels that extended under the Channel, a maintenance tunnel and two train tunnels. There were a series of exchanges that allowed the trains to switch tracks if there was a problem or work being done on one of the tracks, or if another train needed to…
Harry's eyes widened slightly as he caught a glimpse of light in the distance that quickly grew brighter. He glanced in vain along the sides, hoping to find another crossover tunnel or a gap where he could tuck himself and his motorcycle while the train passed. But he was flying too fast to find one and hide and the train was nearly on top of him. He could always ditch the motorcycle, but he dismissed that thought as soon as it crossed his mind. Suddenly he was very glad that he and Ron had snuck out several times to test out his bike. He jerked the handlebars up and then leaned hard to the left. There was a metallic clang and then a loud roar as the train and Harry's bike passed each other at more than five hundred miles an hour. A few seconds later, Harry's bike was shuddering and his right leg felt like it was on fire before he dove back down towards the tunnel and straightened out. Somehow, he had managed to avoid getting ground into hamburger since there had barely been enough space between the top of the train and the tunnel ceiling. However, he had clipped something hanging from the ceiling and Harry was afraid to check out the damage to the side of his bike and his leg. Hoping that would be the last train headed to England for a while, he sped on through the tunnel.
*-*-*
"He's gone!" roared Ron angrily. He stomped down the stairs into the Common room and out through the portrait door. A few minutes later he was shouting at the statue in front of Dumbledore's office. After a few minutes he was joined by a grumpy looking Professor McGonagall.
"What is wrong Mr. Weasley?"
"He's gone Professor. Harry's already left."
Her mouth rounded in surprise and she quickly gave the password. "Follow me," she insisted and walked swiftly up the stairs.
When they stepped inside, they saw Dumbledore sitting at his desk. He raised his eyebrows and simply asked, "So he is gone then?"
McGonagall nodded and then asked, "You already knew?"
"Samuel and I feared he would leave on his own."
McGonagall pursed her lips and moved over to a large panel hanging on the wall. She tapped it with her wand and said, "Mapus revelo." A large, three dimensional map of Hogwarts, similar to the Marauder's Map, appeared, complete with names and images of students walking around while Ron watched in amazement.
"But I already said he's not here..."
"I was listening earlier, Mr. Weasley," snapped an irritable McGonagall. She tapped the map with her wand and said, "Mostrad Sirius motorcycle."
Dumbledore stepped nearer as the map changed to a flat map of the British isles with a blinking green motorcycle moving southwest towards France. "What did you do Minerva?" he asked.
"Harry's Firebolt has a special feature that allows it to be tracked if it is ever lost or stolen. I convinced the broommaker to teach me the wand movements to track Harry's Firebolt. I insisted on putting a similar spell on Harry's motorcycle before he received it on his birthday."
Dumbledore's eyes widened. "How very Slytherin of you Minerva…"
McGonagall wasn't listening to him. She was looking intently at the glowing green motorcycle and frowned. "He hasn't gone too far. Remus and the Aurors should be able to catch up with him easily in France with a portkey."
"I will inform them."
Ten minutes later, Remus, several Aurors, and Ron's older brothers and father were in Dumbledore's office.
Ron turned from the arguing adults to look again at the wonderful map. And then he noticed something odd. "Uhh, Professor McGonagall? What's wrong with this map?"
"What? There's nothing wrong with…" and then she stopped as she realized that the green motorcycle indicating Harry's position was heading back to England. "What? I don't understand why he would be…"
Dumbledore chuckled softly. "Harry's not headed back to England. The Chunnel train is. I'm willing to bet Harry discovered the tracking charm device and attached it to a returning train." He looked up at the confused group and explained about the Muggle train. "Harry's already in France if not farther. If you really want to find him and try to help him, we're going to need Samuel."
"Albus, he's still recovering in the hospital ward. There is no way he could possibly…" protested McGonagall.
"Good morning, ma'am," bowed Samuel with a grin as he entered the room. "I hate to disagree with you, but…"
McGonagall's eyes flashed dangerously. "Samuel, you should be…"
"I've got a student who's skipping his Auror classes and I intend to bring him back. There's also the matter of a missing witch and the vampire that took her that needs to be dealt with. And that's that," finished Samuel, staring steadily at the older witch.
At that moment Madame Pomfrey burst into the room. "Mr. Hunt! I…"
"Don't worry, I signed myself out-I didn't want to bother you…"
"Hmmff…" huffed Pomfrey. "Well, I insist that you allow me to accompany you…"
"I don't need someone mothering over me…" protested Samuel.
"Who said anything about taking care of you? You're old enough to know better than to go running off so quickly after such serious injuries. I am concerned about young Mr. Potter and Miss Granger-we are trying to rescue them, are we not? And I daresay competent medical assistance will doubtless be necessary, at least for Mr. Potter…"
"Fine then," grumbled Samuel. "Now unless there are any other objections, Pomfrey, Remus and I need to get to Bulgaria."
"I think we'll be able to manage on our own-you appear to still be recovering from…" protested one of the Aurors standing next to Remus.
"No offense, but I've trained him myself and you're not going to find him without my help." Glancing at Remus, he asked, "If you're ready to go Moony, leave the Three Musketeers behind and let's get on with it. And thanks for the offer Arthur-the boys play a mean game of Quidditch-but this is serious stuff. You and the boys would be better off staying here."
"We're not boys," insisted several of the Weasleys.
"I've been training dragons in Romania for over five years now…"
"I've been breaking curses for Gringott's in Egypt and England…"
"We've faced worse at the last battle with Voldemort!"
"They're my best friends!" roared Ron. "You're not leaving me behind! Besides, you're letting her go!" he added, pointing at Pomfrey.
"Three Musketeers?! Was he talking about us?" asked one of the Aurors in brown robes.
"I speak eighty-two different languages, including the major dialects of Eastern Europe," hissed Lupin's assistant, "and I can take care of myself."
Neither Lupin, Arthur, nor the black robed Auror spoke, but just watched quietly for a moment.
Samuel waved his hands in exasperation. "I don't have time for this. Potter's probably already in Sofiya by now…Once Remus, Pomfrey, and I portkey there, we won't have time to babysit the rest of you…"
More angry denials filled the air.
"Samuel, you just can't portkey into another country without going through the proper channels. We need to…"
"We don't have time for a bunch of bureaucratic red tape," grated Samuel angrily.
"Not all of us can bend and break the laws when we find them inconvenient," snapped Arthur. "There is nothing I want right now more than for Harry and Hermione to be brought home safely. And I assure you that I will do everything possible in order to do just that…"
"But…" started Samuel.
"Just be quiet and listen for a minute. I will speak personally with the Bulgarian minister and make sure there are no problems regarding an international portkey. But I will need about an hour to put everything in order Samuel. You will need to wait at least that long. And I will allow everyone here that wants to go help find Harry and Hermione to do so if they wish. I have a feeling they would go one way or another. You can either work with them or ignore them Samuel. But they will probably be going whether you like it or not."
Samuel glared at him, but Arthur quietly stood his ground without flinching. "Fine! But I'm not going to be responsible if anything happens to them. We're chasing some nasty vamps and there's a good chance there are more than just two of them-I can't guarantee everyone is coming home in one piece."
"We're not asking you to do that Samuel. Now I've got to make a few calls. For all of you who wish to go, I'll be back in an hour with the portkey."
*-*-*
There was chanting all around her, but she couldn't make any sense of it. When she opened her eyes, the pale faces and dark clothing seemed to swim in front of her eyes. She didn't know what was going on. "Where was she? Who was she? What was going on? Why was she sitting here on this…"
"Mistress, mistress. I am here for thee. Calm down, I can aid thee."
"Who?"
"I am thy servant Saldar, Mistress."
"Saldar. Harry. Aardus. Corlyn-Primus-Vespus. And I'm Hermione, caught in the middle of all this." Her memories of the nightmare from last night quickly came back. Only they were no dream, they were all too terribly real.
Vespus, true to his word, had met her and Aardus outside of the castle just after dusk the night before and had proceeded to run her into the ground. After forty-five minutes, her body had simply collapsed, completely exhausted from lack of sleep and nourishment for nearly four days straight. She could remember Saldar talking to her constantly, trying to help her, but her body was physically worn out. Her impressive willpower could simply force nothing more out of it. And mentally, she was nearly exhausted as well. She would have collapsed long before then if it hadn't been for Saldar's help.
Aardus had then carried her back into the castle following Vespus. Hermione was placed in a comfortable chair and Vespus sat himself comfortably across from her.
"Come my dear, there is no need to fight so hard to conceal the secrets of Atlantis. I simply must know what you have learned." Again his eyes bored into hers and she again felt powerless to turn away. In growing fear and shame, she realized that he was easily pushing aside her mental defenses as well. He was right, it was only a matter of time before he discovered everything he wanted to know.
With a final scream of frustration and anger, she managed to choke out through her dry, swollen throat. "Fine, I'll tell you what you want to know of Atlantis." She would tell him what he wanted, but she would do it on her own terms. She would not have all of her secrets stripped from her by force if she could help it. And maybe she could still conceal a few things.
Vespus leaned back and smiled. "Excellent. I knew you would come around eventually. Here, have a sip of this. It will ease the pain in your throat."
Hermione eagerly grabbed the goblet he placed before her with shaking hands and tried to drink the liquid slowly so as not to upset her stomach. The cool liquid splashed down her throat and she immediately felt better and more coherent.
"I'll answer your questions now," she replied, handing back the goblet.
"Tell me what you discovered within the Great Library about Atlantis."
Suddenly Hermione chuckled. "If you're looking for Atlantis or the orb, I'm afraid you're going to be pretty disappointed. None of the sources made any mention of where either is located. You could search hundreds of square miles under the ocean and still never find it. Besides, it's probably unplottable and untraceable. You'll never find it."
Vespus smiled coldly. "Perhaps I can be a better judge of that than you. Tell me what you found."
Hermione began reciting for him the Lament of Luthior. She had intended to leave out several of the stanzas that mentioned specific place names and the one that mentioned the portals, but under his compelling gaze found that she included them as well.
"And what else?"
Hermione watched him angrily for a moment before replying. "There was a piece of a prophecy, but you already know it. You and Quintus have discussed it."
Something flashed in his eyes, but Hermione was unable to determine what it was for sure.
"I would like to hear it anyways," he said softly.
"Fine," she snapped. "Part of it was missing, but here is what the surviving piece said:
A queen of death will arise to destroy the old world
The dark queen will bring to pass a new world
And shatter the old world
I have no idea what it means."
She thought he would be disappointed, instead, he seemed ecstatic. He clapped his hands and laughed in triumph.
"Those fools! Those idiots! For centuries we have misunderstood three simple lines!" He tipped his head back and roared with laughter.
"The prophecy is true, I knew it! But it requires a Dark Queen to fulfill it! Not a Muggle vampire or even a vampire witch but one with the potential to become a true Dark Queen. Well, that certainly changes a few things." Vespus turned away and sat thoughtfully for a moment.
"Aardus, I am sure you will be pleased to know that you will not be required to turn Miss Granger. I will have to do that myself now. You see, my dear, you have played a very pivotal role up until now. And with the sad loss of my dear Elysa, you will play an even larger role in the prophecy now."
Hermione's stomach turned to ice as her eyes widened in horror. She heard the mental scream of anguish of Aardus, though no trace of emotion crossed his face.
Summoning all of her courage, she tried to defy him again. "What? No! I'll never help you. You'll have to kill me…"
He laughed again. "Aardus, you may leave us." He waited until they were alone before continuing. "Let me tell you the full prophecy that the Eldor have waited for millennia to come to pass.
After the fall of the mighty dark one
Stripped of power, defeated by three alive and dead
A queen of death will arise to destroy the old world
The dark queen will bring to pass a new world
And shatter the old world
Though dead, she will die again
Brought down by the one who would be her king
Betrayed by the scarred one full of turmoil
A hero struggling for the light"
Hermione looked at him, horrified as she tried to understand who the various people in the prophecy might indicate.
"We have always had most of the prophecy, but we lost a crucial piece which you have now so kindly rediscovered for me in the Great Library-we never knew exactly who would be able to bring about the new world we desired. Legends told us that it was a prophecy foretelling the birth of a new world for vampires, and the Eldor have been guessing for centuries at the meaning within those lost verses without luck for centuries, but you have now provided me the key I need to fulfill the prophecy and remake the world. I can never thank you enough, Miss Granger.
Come, we have much to prepare for by tomorrow night. A Dark Queen is not made in a single night, I am afraid. There will be a series of preparatory ceremonies beginning tonight at midnight and finishing tomorrow by midnight. Unfortunately, you will have to remain human for one more day while we prepare you to fulfill your new role as my Dark Queen."
His smile widened once more as he stared at Hermione. "You truly are the one the prophecy speaks of. Once you have turned and your body has adjusted to its new condition, you will help me speak with the surviving Atlanteans and discover one of these portals to their lost homeland. You see, we have always known who they were, but for some strange reason, we have never been able to persuade them to reveal the location of their homeland. But now that I know of the portals, I not only know the correct questions to ask, but with your powers as an Athenian owl, I will be able to gain the final answers I need.
And now that you've confirmed the truth of the prophecy, I know the time is right to fulfill it. Thank you so much. Once we've rediscovered Atlantis and recovered the orb, then together we will destroy the world and make a new one in which the vampires rule-under my guidance of course. Unfortunately, it does not appear that you will actually see this new world, so I will thank you for your help in advance. Come, we have much to do."
Hermione stood up quickly and then collapsed back in the couch as all of her former weakness returned with a vengeance. It seemed the potion in the goblet had only been temporary. Her mind reeled with the implications as anger, fear, anxiety, bitterness, and a host of other feelings washed over her. "Though dead, she would die again-Vespus was going to make her a Dark Queen and then turn her into a vampire and then somebody-the one who would be her king-Harry would then kill her-but he would never betray her or hurt her-he loved her, but he was deeply scarred and full of turmoil. Noo. NOOO!" Her mind refused to accept the interpretations she was developing and combined with the effects of the potion, the sleep deprivation, and the lack of food and water for days, Hermione's mind finally simply shut down.
But now she was awake again, but she half-wished she wasn't.
"Saldar, what are they doing?"
"The vampire hath insisted on conducting an ancient ceremony to prepare you to become his Queen. Apparently he believes that thou wilt fulfill a prophecy speaking of a Dark Queen and he is trying to bring that to pass.
"But I am the Queen of the prophecy, it seems very clear…"
"I did not find it so clear, Mistress. I know thee and I refuse to believe that thou wouldst ever do anything that prophecy claims the Dark Queen shall do."
"But what if I am?"
"I assure thee Mistress, thou are not the Dark Queen."
"It's too big a risk, we can't take the chance."
"Mistress."
"Listen to me Saldar. If Harry doesn't arrive before they turn me into a…before they turn me tonight, promise me that when he does come you'll tell him something for me."
"Of course Mistress."
"Tell him that I love him and that I always will. And tell him that if he loves me, he will destroy me along with the other vampires."
"Mistress, I cannot."
"Just do it Saldar, please don't argue with me, I don't have the energy."
"Please don't give up Mistress. He will come for you."
"I know. I'm not giving up. But we have to be realistic. I would rather die than destroy the world. Now promise me you'll tell him."
"I promise. Now save your strength Mistress. You will need it for later."
"I know. Thank you Saldar."
*-*-*
Harry grimaced as he surveyed the bloody bandage he had made for his leg. When he emerged bloody and battered from the tunnel in France, he had quickly examined both his leg and bike for damage. There were several deep scratches and dents on the right side of his motorbike, and he was now missing a side mirror. His leg had some nasty scrapes but nothing too serious. It burned like hell though. He created another bandage for it and then made sure that the Concealment charm on the bike was set. Finished, he looked up and down the small alley to make sure he was still alone in the city of Sofiya.
Except for the one brief stop in France, he had flown nonstop to Sofiya, mostly over various snowcapped mountain ranges. A portkey would have been much faster, but he hadn't had time to do the necessary research to create a safe landing site for the portkey. Satisfied that he was not being observed, Harry raised his wand and whispered "Lumos."
There was a loud bang and then a dark haired witch leaned out of a dusty blue bus and said something unintelligible. Harry repeated one of the three words in Bulgarian he knew. "Prokhov alley. Prokhov," and handed her a fistful of coins. He walked past without another word and sat down in the second seat from the front, ignoring the stares and muttered whispers from several other curious passengers. Twenty minutes later, his stomach nearly sick with the constant starts and stops, the witch turned to him and spoke. Seeing his lack of reaction, she repeated herself and pointed towards the door. Harry stood and nodded, then stepped off the bus into a dark, grimy street.
He looked up and down the street, but the few faces that glanced his way did not look very friendly. He looked around for numbers or a street sign, but saw nothing. He stepped forward to speak to one of the people on the street when he heard a cry from behind him, down a small alley. Nobody on the street seemed to hear the cries, or if they did, they didn't seem to care. Impatient to find Samuel's contact, Harry took a step forward and then turned back to the noise. He cloaked himself with invisibility as soon as he turned the corner and moved silently towards the source of commotion.
Two large men appeared to have cornered a small, thin lady who was screaming, but not very loudly. One of the men had one of his huge hands wrapped around her throat and had the other raised, as if he was about to strike her. Without even thinking, Harry hit him in the back with a full body bind. The other man turned and cast a vicious crippling hex at him while he rolled easily to his left. Harry disarmed him and then stunned him as well. Harry turned to the fragile looking women and barely managed to teleport behind her away from the paralyzing curse she sent his way. He sent her wand flying and was about to stun her as well when she said quietly but very forcefully, "I have seen enough."
She turned to look at him as Harry kept his wand aimed carefully at her.
"Yes, power and speed will take you far, young padwi. But control and wisdom may allow you to live. Yes, yes, you will need all four if you are to survive this journey," she cackled. "Come, young padwi, follow me."
"You speak English? Who are you? And why did you attack me?"
The old crone looked up at him and replied. "I am the one you seek. Now come, there is little time." She turned away and summoned her wand to her hand. She then awoke the two men who had been attacking her and waved them away with a flick of her wrist. Turning back to an astonished Harry, she repeated, "Come," and beckoned with a bony forefinger.
His wand still out, Harry followed warily, his eyes darting everywhere as he followed the witch down the dingy, slush filled alley.
She stopped at a tiny black door with a weatherbeaten sign hanging over a set of stairs leading down. Harry glanced at it but could make nothing of the letters, but the crystal ball held in a human hand seemed to indicate what sort of shop it might be. Harry sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Look, I'm not sure who you are or who you think I'm looking for, but I need to find a witch named Svetlina Gorintov at a shop in Prokhov alley as quickly as possible. If you could just point me in the right direction, I'd be very…"
The witch cackled again. "So like the tall dark murdpa you are. No time for talk-just want to know and to do. He is coming too, but he and the red ones will be too late. They will not be able to help you on your quest, padwi."
"My quest? How do you know of my quest? Are you Svetlina?" asked Harry anxiously.
"I am known by that name to some," she replied mysteriously. "Now come."
Harry followed her down the stairs cautiously. She opened the door into a dark, crowded little room with a large, intricately carved table and a large crystal ball sitting in the center, held in place by a beautifully carved dragonclaw emerging from the table. Harry's eyes ran quickly over the markings etched into the table surface and realized he recognized only a few of them. He saw some hieroglyphics and what appeared to be northern runes as well as a few symbols he remembered from Hermione's Arithmancy homework. But the crystal orb in the center was the most compelling feature in the room. It seemed to give off a dim glow and though he stared at it intently, the constantly shifting images seemed to defy definition or identification. It was like trying to watch a movie out of the corner of his eye. He tore his eyes away from the globe and looked back at the witch who had been watching him intently.
She smiled, revealing several missing teeth, and said, "Such tremendous potential, yes, if you live long enough to learn to control it. I can see why the task is yours…"
"What task are you talking about? What do you know of me? How did you know I was coming?"
"Have you never heard of Divination, of the art of seeing the future?" she asked with an odd expression on her face. "Oh but of course you have. And like so many, you have seen it practiced poorly." She laughed again before continuing.
"Think of the future as a large, beautiful tree standing alone in a large meadow. This meadow, in turn, is surrounded by hills and mountains. From a great distance, you can see this magnificent tree, if you have the vision and you are standing upon one of the mountains. But as you travel to the tree, you frequently lose sight of it. This does not mean that the tree no longer exists or that it has changed. And the tree is not affected by the fact that your traveling companions cannot see it for themselves. And occasionally on the journey, you do catch sight of the beautiful tree again. But as you journey, you realize that there are many paths to reach the tree, some shorter, some longer, but the trail you take to the tree does not affect the tree itself."
"Unless you happen to be a logger searching for wood to cut. I've had plenty of experience with prophecies and quite frankly, I'm sick of them."
"Ah, there was a prophecy about you and Voldemort then. That is not very surprising."
Harry looked slightly shocked and then replied heatedly. "Yeah, there was. And don't try and tell me it didn't matter whether I fulfilled it or he did. Because it did. If he had gotten to the tree first, there would have been no tree left, no green field, and no hills or mountains either. There would have been no future, just death and destruction."
"But he did not reach it first. And there was still death and destruction, including the field, the forest, the lake, as well as many…"
Harry stood up angrily. "I don't really have time for these silly riddles. I am nothing like Voldemort! Now if you know something about vampires or the Iron Tower, just tell me. Otherwise, I'll have to…"
"You'll do what young padwi? You don't even speak Bulgarian. Do you know anybody else in this country who can help you find her?"
"So you do know! Why are we wasting time?! You know that every moment she is held by them the danger to her grows…"
"I must be certain that you are the one."
"What?! The one what?!"
"I must be sure that you have the potential to defeat them, or else you may make the situation worse."
"I don't understand-how could the situation get any worse?"
"Think of me as a guardian of the tree."
"So you get to decide who gets to travel towards the tree?"
"Exactly," finished the witch, smiling.
"And who gave you this right? Why do you get to decide who has a chance and who doesn't?"
"I was given a power to sometimes see the future. With that power comes a heavy responsibility to try and create the best future possible."
"I thought you said it didn't matter who got to the tree first?" snapped a frustrated Harry.
"I never said that. And you don't believe it either. I simply try to make sure that the best traveler reaches the tree."
"And who appointed you to judge the rest of…"
"Who gave you the power you have? Who gave you the authority to use it as you have? Who forced you to take the oath you share with your beloved, young padwi?"
Harry's jaw dropped in shock as the witch continued. "I see much in that beautiful crystal orb padwi. I see much I wish I could forget. But I cannot forget it nor can I ignore it. So I try to use what little power I have to make sure that those who reach the tree and will shape the future are good people and up to the task. I am not perfect nor infallible-I am a mere mortal like yourself and subject to mistakes. But I do the best that I can with what power I have. As do you young padwi."
Harry stood still for a moment, thinking about what she said and then replied. "I am deeply sorry if I have offended you. I apologize for my earlier rudeness. Is there anything you can tell me about the Iron Tower or the vampires there that will help me find Hermione?"
"There is little that is known for certain. The Iron Tower was the last stronghold of the Maclavs to fall to the Christian forces in the ninth century. Legends say that it lies southwest of Sofiya, in the heart of the Rhodope mountains. About fifty miles southwest of here is a cursed region, most magical creatures shun it. Every year there are hikers and campers, and sometimes farmers that go missing in the same area. I believe the Iron Tower lies somewhere within that region guarded and concealed by an ancient, unbreakable ward."
"I may have the password to slip through the defenses. One of the vampires that kidnapped Hermione said `Sarced.' Apparently it might be…"
The old witch nodded as she interrupted. "Their word for blood."
"Can you show me on a map where this cursed area lies?"
She smiled again. "I can do better than that. Sit and look into the globe."
He sat while she settled herself across from him and put her hands on either side of the crystal ball. She closed her eyes and whispered something softly. A light flared within the globe and he focused intently on the beautiful forests and steep mountains that suddenly appeared within his vision. Then the view shifted, almost as if he were flying over the terrain and then everything disappeared within a deep gray mist.
"What happened?"
She opened her eyes and looked steadily at him. "The mists conceal the accursed region. I cannot see more than that."
Harry nodded and moved to stand up and then paused, looking back at her. "Do you know anything of Atlantis?"
She tilted her head and then replied softly, "Probably less than you. But your real question is whether her kidnapping is somehow related to your quest for Atlantis. The answer is yes, but I do not know how or why. I am sorry I cannot tell you more."
Harry stared at her for a moment, thinking about what she had said. "Is there anything else you can tell me about the vampires I might find there?"
"I am sorry, that is not my specialty. I am sure you have been much better trained in that art than I," she explained as she shook her head.
"I wouldn't exactly call fighting Dark wizards and creatures an art…" muttered Harry.
"The only advice I can give you padwi is to not fear to do what is necessary when the time comes."
"You couldn't be any more specific than that, I suppose," sighed Harry in exasperation.
"Again, I am sorry. I catch glimpses of the future, and sometimes alternate futures, but that does not mean I always understand the future."
"Well, thanks for the help. I do appreciate your assistance." Harry stood up and began to move away from the table.
"Before you leave, why don't you let me help you with that leg. And you should have a proper meal before you go."
"Thank you again, but each moment I delay is one moment longer that Hermione is…"
"Of course, but you will be of no use to her if you're wounded and weak from hunger when you arrive. When was the last time you slept?"
"Four, maybe five days? I don't know. I've taken a few naps. Don't worry, I'm fine. Now I must be going…"
But the witch had already raised her wand and cast a soothing healing spell on his leg. She then stepped over to a cupboard and pulled out several sandwiches that were already made. When Harry raised his eyebrows, she simply replied, "I knew you were coming of course. And young men are always hungry padwi."
Harry thanked her again and tucked the sandwiches into his pouch before he disappeared from sight.
"Good luck young padwi. Septimus and the murdpa have trained you well. I pray that it is enough."
*-*-*
Harry reappeared on the peak of one of the mountains he had seen in the crystal ball and pulled his cloak closer around him in the chilly air. He saw no mists of darkness or shadow, only a clear view across a beautiful valley to another set of mountains. He said in a loud, firm voice, "Sarced!"
Nothing happened. Confused, he found a ledge of rock and sat down to eat one of the sandwiches why he tried to think about how to tackle this new problem.
"It has to be related to some sort of Concealment or anti-Plotting charm like the Black mansion or Azkaban, only probably older. But why didn't the password work? Either it's not the right password, or there is a certain area I have to be in for it to work." Harry sighed. "This might take a while to find and I don't have time for this." He sighed heavily, trying to maintain control of his extremely short temper. "At least it's a beautiful day for flying."
He finished his sandwich and pulled his Firebolt from his pouch, which was much more agile and maneuverable than the motorcycle. He then soared into the cold air and began flying along the perimeter of the valley, softly whispering the password and trying to sense any source of magic in the air, and ignoring the nearly freezing conditions.
*-*-*
A very grumpy Samuel let go of the hoola hoop Dumbledore had made into a portkey as he and the others looked around the large hall. A wizard dressed in dark grey robes with several gold and several medallions hanging from his neck approached them with his arms wide in greeting. Remus stepped forward to greet him with Megan by his side ready to translate.
"Welcome to Bulgaria. I wish it were under more pleasant circumstances. I am the Assistant Minister of Magic. Minister Brubakai and I have spoken with Minister Weasley and we are ready to assist you whatever way we are able. Please, come, would you like some refreshments?" he stated in a thick English accent.
"Thanks all the same, but we just need to visit an old friend who might have some information for us," said Samuel in Bulgarian, quickly hiding his anger and frustration behind a diplomatic mask.
"Of course, I will arrange transportation myself. Where do you need to go?"
Samuel hesitated for just a moment. "Ah, well thank you again, but my friend tends to move around quite a bit. I will probably have to stop by another old friend of ours in order to find him."
The minister listened carefully and then nodded. "I understand." Then his eyes narrowed in recognition as he studied Samuel more closely. "Welcome back to Bulgaria, Mr. Stewart. I hope this visit is as successful as your last. Mr. Lupin and company, I leave you in excellent hands. If there is anything else my government can do for you, please contact me immediately. Good day." He then turned and walked away.
Remus turned and whispered to Samuel, "What on earth was that about, Stewart?"
"I was here a few years ago and helped the Ministry track down a group of assassins trying to topple their government. Long story. I didn't know Murniv was the new Assistant Minister-I probably could have gotten the portkey in ten minutes. Come on, let's go."
The three Aurors followed Remus and Samuel, and were in turn followed by the five Weasley boys, Malfoy, Snape, Hagrid, and Madame Pomfrey. Samuel glanced back at the large group and again muttered several curses involving them and Dumbledore as he walked out the front doors of the Minister's home. In the street, he held his wand and muttered "Lumos."
When the blue bus arrived, he told everyone to get on but held back Megan by the arm.
"Ask her if she's taken anyone to Prokhov Alley today."
"But you can…"
"Just do it."
She asked the witch the question and Samuel smiled grimly when she nodded her head in fear. "How long ago?"
"She said about three hours ago. She said the boy didn't say much, and she tried to warn him about going there, but he wouldn't listen."
Samuel waved his hand dismissively. "Tell her it's fine. The boy will be fine."
"Why didn't you just translate? And why was she so frightened Mr. Hunt?"
Samuel turned and looked at Megan for a moment. "The fewer who know the full extent of your abilities, the better. And Prokhov Alley has a terrible reputation. It's ten times worse than Knockturn Alley." He grinned when she simply nodded and found a seat while Samuel remained standing, watching the progress of the bus. "Three hours. We're close, but not close enough."
Forty minutes later, they arrived a block away from Prokhov Alley which was as close as the bus driver would go. Samuel led the large group out and around the corner into the alley. At the top of the stairs, he snapped, "Stay here for a minute and look sharp. This is a bad neighborhood." He then went down the stairs and pounded loudly on the door. There was nothing. He pounded again. Again there was no response. He swore and banged the door so hard the hinges rattled. "Open up you old hag! I know you're in there!"
"Is that my sweet little murdpa come back for a visit?" came a voice laced with humor.
"Open this door or I'm going to kick it in!" roared Samuel.
The tiny old witch opened the door slowly and peered out. "Why come in, come in. It's been ages since I've had this much company. Most people seem to be afraid of the neighbors. Ha ha ha!" She looked from her small door up at Hagrid's large frame and shook her head doubtfully. "You may stay outside if you wish, gigbo. I doubt anybody will bother you here." Hagrid nodded in agreement.
Samuel entered muttering under his breath while the rest filed in as well into a very large, brightly lit room with a number of seats and a large table filled with food.
"Come, come. Have a bite to eat while we visit. It's a pleasure to meet so many of my little murdpa's friends."
"They're not my friends, crone. Where is he?"
"Who dearie? You'll have to speak up, I'm afraid I'm going a bit deaf in my left ear."
"You heard me. I don't know what silly little nickname you've give him, but we're after the boy wizard who came here earlier."
"Samuel, there really is no need to antagonize her like this," whispered Remus.
"You don't know her like I do," hissed Samuel.
"Oh, it is nice to get a polite visitor for a change. Here, madga, have a seat. Help yourself. I hope the last moon wasn't too painful."
She seemed oblivious to Lupin's startled expression.
"Ah, another madga," she exclaimed, looking at Ron. "But there's something different about you, isn't there? You're not really a madga any longer, are you? More like a cadmo, like your twin brothers here."
It was Ron, Fred, and George's turn to stare at her in astonishment.
"And two from the cave of snippis. But you're really not like snippis, are you? More like quosnippis," she chuckled.
"And of course, the three bidma-what's your word for them?"
"You know what they're called witch. Now if you're done with your little game," warned Samuel.
"And last but not least, my two young beautiful parrati. Here, have something sweet to drink, not that nasty polyjuice. Why do you hide your beautiful faces? Come, set aside that old crow mask and the Invisibility cloak. Come, reveal your true forms." Pointing at Madame Pomfrey, she added, "Reveal to us your courage my little red haired parrati." Turning to look just over Pomfrey's shoulder, she said "And show us your intellect my golden haired parrati." Pomfrey's form shimmered for a moment, and then a slightly nervous but defiant Ginny appeared as a surprised Luna pulled back the Invisibility Cloak to the stunned and angry faces around them.
Ron exploded first but as he opened his mouth, no words came out.
"Temper, temper my little red cadmo. What's done is done and there is no undoing it. Now come, my little murdpa, I do have something to tell you. You should come as well madga. You seem much nicer and so much smarter than my little murdpa. Come."
She led a fuming Samuel and a very curious Remus into a back room with several chairs and an intricately woven rug on the floor. The door snapped shut and she sat down easily in a thickly padded chair.
"Where is he Svetlina? He is very stubborn and very powerful, but he is all alone. We have to find him," explained Samuel in very controlled tones.
"You cannot help them now," she explained sadly.
"What do you mean? We're only three hours behind him, probably only two by the time you got done chatting with him."
"We can help them Ms. Gorintov, but we need your help. We have a vague idea of where they might be, but if you could point us in the right direction…"
"I'm sorry, I cannot."
"Can not? Or will not?" Samuel rose threateningly. "I'm warning you, do not play your games with us…"
"You believe I enjoy this gift? Do you?" hissed the witch. "Here, let me share it with you. Then decide for yourselves."
With a flourish of her hand, a crystal ball appeared in mid air. Their eyes were drawn to it as a series of images played themselves out within its depths. As the ball darkened once again she spoke in the tense silence. "In the first vision, you and your companions arrive in time to help fight but you end up distracting him. In his attempt to protect you he is distracted but for a single moment and falls before the vampire's strike. In the second he is alone, but he is angry and focused. He is able to avoid the killing blow and continue…"
"But does he survive?" asked a pale Remus. "There were so many of them…"
"I do not know. That is beyond my sight."
Samuel stopped pacing angrily and turned back towards the seated witch. "So we don't know if he survives in either scenario. If we go help him, he may not survive that stab from the vampire. If we don't he may still die from his other wounds or some later attack that we didn't see in your vision. What the hell kind of choice is that?"
"The question you need to answer is whether the young padwi is better off fighting on his own or fighting with the rest of you? You know him better than I. I have made my decision. Now make yours. I will show you what I showed him if you wish-the decision is yours."
After a quick glance at Remus, Samuel whispered, "Show us."
Without a word, she motioned towards the globe and a series of hills and mountains appeared.
"How far is it from here?" asked Remus.
"About fifty miles," she answered softly.
"Well, we better get started then if we're hiking," replied Samuel. "Or will that get us there too soon?"
She shook her head. "If you walk, you will arrive after the main battle. I believe that will be their best chance."
Samuel nodded briskly and turned and left without another word. Remus hesitated a moment as if to speak.
"I am truly sorry, I wish I could be of more help," she explained.
"We are grateful for your assistance. How was Harry doing?"
"The young padwi is very strong, but tiring. He is also very driven. I would enjoy meeting this young roweni he hopes to rescue and is willing to risk so much for. She must be a very special witch."
"They are both very special," replied Remus.
"He is her best hope. He is so full of power and potential. But he is also very angry right now. So much rage and power-he must control them or they will destroy him."
"He will do what must be done. He always has."
"I hope so. For both their sakes."
Remus turned and left. Samuel had already led everyone back out into the street when Svetlina appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Good luck," she called as they headed down the alley. "You'll need it," she whispered to herself.
*-*-*
Harry cursed again as he watched the sun drop lower over the western horizon, barely above the distant mountains. He had been flying all afternoon and still could not find his way past the mists he knew were concealing the tower where Hermione was hid. For the fiftieth time, a paralyzing doubt struck him that perhaps he had been wrong, perhaps he didn't have the password, that maybe he was already too late. Grinding his teeth in frustration, he banished those fears again. Ruthlessly. He would not give up. Ever.
"Sarcad. Sarcad. Sarcad!" he shouted with growing frustration. Suddenly, he saw a huge valley suddenly open up and spread out before him, seeming to push back the smaller valley he had been skirting all afternoon. In the very middle, upon a large, easily defended hill surrounded by thick forest and swirling mists he saw the remaining walls of what had been an enormous castle with a large, round tower rising high from within its impressive fortifications.
"The Iron Tower! At last! I'm coming Hermione! I'm coming!" But his calls went unanswered and he still could not sense her presence. Hovering outside the valley, he mentally checked everything he had brought, making sure he knew where his various items and pieces of equipment were hidden. He quickly disillusioned his Firebolt and transformed a piece of paper in his pocket into a long slender sword which he hung over his shoulder in a scabbard he created for it. He wanted to enter quickly and quietly, and would try to avoid using any spells in case there were detective wards. His only goal was to find Hermione and bring her out safely. Everything ready, he dived down into the darkening valley.
He was skimming speedily over the treetops when he sensed something large behind him. Instinctively he rolled to the right and just dodged the sharp, powerful talons of what appeared to be a small dragon. Then he dodged upward, over the top of another dragonlike form and ducked quickly as it whipped a bony, but very flexible tail at him with a nasty barb on the end.
"Wyverns!" his mind screamed as he quickly analyzed the situation. "Two full grown wyverns-very fast and agile, nasty claws, very powerful beak, and a poisonous tail. This is just what I needed."
Harry dove down into the trees, confident that he could give them the slip among the heavy branches and limbs of the forest. He weaved among the tall trees for several minutes and then heard a high pitched echoing that seemed to grow louder. Suddenly the air was filled with screeching bats everywhere. Bats with very sharp teeth as they tore through his cloak, his shoulders and upper arms as he tried to protect his face. There were too many to fight and he had no choice but to fly back up out of the forest, hoping they wouldn't follow him there. Unfortunately, they continued to follow him and he sensed the presence of the other two wyverns diving towards him as well.
He cursed under his breath. What were the odds that these kinds of predators would naturally focus on him so much attention? No doubt they were some of the guardians of the Tower. With dismay, he noticed that his broom was slowing down as it got pelted by the swarming bats and he realized there was no way he was going to be able to outmaneuver the diving wyverns. So he disappeared.
He reappeared on the back of the larger wyvern. He could sense its surprise as it arched its head and tried to snap at him with its beak. He didn't have long before the wyvern either bit him or stabbed him with the tail so he reached for his sword quickly and plunged it deep into the wyvern's neck, hoping to sever one of the main arteries. As the bats flocked towards him and the powerful smell of blood, he hoped the scent of the blood pouring from its neck would distract them as he teleported back towards his broom.
Unfortunately, he had gone and reappeared so quickly that the other wyvern had never noticed he was gone. As Harry changed course, he was suddenly hit by the full weight of the wyvern from above. He screamed as one of the talons raked his shoulder, but luckily his sword was still held above him and had stabbed the wyvern in the leg, preventing it from getting a solid hold on Harry. However, the wyvern had hit Harry hard enough to knock him from his broom. The broom sailed on as Harry crashed into the top branches of several trees before thudding into a solid limb a dozen feet below the canopy level. Harry fell through several more light limbs before managing to cling to one limb and recatch his breath after having had it knocked out of him when he hit the limb above. He slowly climbed down the large tree and looked around for his sword. Some of his luck held out, it had landed tip first in a skiff of snow a dozen feet away from the trunk of the tree. As Harry pulled it out from the ground, he saw the burning eyes of the surviving wyvern barely twenty feet away. He looked around for his broom, but it was nowhere to be seen, and considering the speed at which he had been flying, was probably a good mile or two away, wedged in a tree somewhere.
Harry raised his sword and backed up to place the trunk of the tree at his back. The wyvern slowly advanced, limping a bit on one of its legs. Its wide wings were now folded over its back, and it moved forward like a long serpent. It suddenly reared at Harry, its beak snapping to his left while the claws raked to his right. Harry instead dove forward, rolling to his shoulder, and rising to a knee with his sharp blade upraised. He threw himself forward and to the side, opening up the abdomen of the wyvern who was now shrieking in agony as he spun underneath its belly. Harry then rolled to the side and barely managed to avoid being crushed by the flailing wyvern, who was now screaming loudly as it slowly died. Harry would have given it a final death blow, to end its suffering and to shut it up, but the thrashing of the large body was too erratic and dangerous. Instead, he quickly tied several strips of cloth around his bleeding shoulder as he grimaced against the pain. He knew it would be too painful to fly right now, even if he could manage to find his broom without using a spell to find it and summon it and possibly set off some magical defensive wards, so he began jogging northwards across the thin crusts of snow, towards the Tower.
Several hours later, he mounted a small hill and caught another brief glimpse of the Tower. His breath puffed in the chilly air as he quickly surveyed the terrain in front of him. He estimated he had another mile or two of forest, and then it looked like there were a few hills that bordered the plain surrounding the final hill upon which sat the Tower and its protective castle. He glanced up at the waning moon and was glad it provided very little light. Not that his enemies needed much. He checked his watch-about eleven. He figured he should reach the hills just before midnight. He had teleported ahead when he could-he hadn't detected any alarm wards when he had used it fighting the wyverns earlier-but the forest was so thick and the mists had grown so heavy, that it was of very limited use. He suspected the mist, too, acted as a defense in the valley, inhibiting magical transportation by limiting the field of vision needed to teleport or Apparate safely. He could only hope that the fog was lighter in the hills, maybe then he could teleport to the perimeter of the castle and then maybe inside, but he doubted he would have any such luck.
Harry resumed his mile eating jog, trying to conserve some energy in case he needed it and teleporting ahead when he had the chance. Forty minutes later, he believed he was fairly close to the foothills when he heard the first howl, which was quickly joined by several others behind and on either side of him.
Checking his sword and wand, he muttered, "You gotta be kiddin me. The bats and wyverns and magical defensive wards and fog aren't enough? You've gotta have wolves, too?"
Harry picked up the pace and noticed that the howls were increasing in number and decreasing in distance. As he broke through the tree line, he caught movement along both edges of the forest, huge dark forms galloping easily in his direction before the mist thickened again. Harry increased his pace up the nearest hill, praying there would be some sort of rock formation or something to help him with some kind of defense. He didn't want to have to face a circling pack of wolves in either a forest or an open field. Halfway up the hill, he did find an outcropping of bare rock. It was not as high as he would have liked, only about fifteen feet or so, but it would have to do. He turned back towards the forest and looked down the hill to try and get a count of how many wolves he would face and quickly gave up. There were more pairs of gleaming red eyes than he wanted to know. He raised his sword and flexed his shoulder-it had grown stiff in the cold night air, but it would have to do. Maybe if he killed the alpha males who would attack first, the rest would slink off in search of weaker prey. He hoped.
The wolves formed a large half ring around him, moving silently despite the crunchy snow. There would be no escape. Harry continued to weigh the pros and cons of using magic versus the risk of being discovered. He decided to wait a few more minutes and hope that he could drive off the wolves, that they wouldn't be as driven as the wyverns and bats to attack intruders. He knew he was probably just indulging in wishful thinking though. He pulled a couple of small balls from his bag and then rolled them towards the wolves. They then exploded into small balls of flame and rolled around on the grass while several of the wolves danced back.
But in the light, Harry saw several enormous wolves, coal black. "Vampire mastiffs, along with timber wolves. This just gets better and better."
Then half a dozen of the largest grey wolves leaped forward at once. Harry whipped out his sword and slashed out, hoping to drive them back. Several did leap back, but two others ducked under to nip at his legs. Harry jumped backwards, then slashed to both sides to drive them back. The wolves attacked again, this time trying to come at him from either side, and Harry slashed furiously to keep them at bay. One of them was hit and went down in front of him rolling away from. The others jumped back and Harry took a step forward to put him out of his misery. As soon as he did so, he realized his mistake as a heavy body fell on him from above. He sensed it at the last moment, and was moving forward and managed to avoid the entire crushing weight as the Vampire mastiff, which was three times the size of a normal wolf, leaped at him and struck him a glancing blow, sending him tumbling down the hill a dozen feet. Harry slowly stood up as the wolves closed the ring around him tightly, completely surrounding him.
Throwing caution to the wind, he pulled out his wand. "I didn't come this far to be some damn dog's chewtoy!" thought Harry and muttered "Gladius," and then "Neco flamen." Then he cast a Firebrand charm on his other sword. Harry stood in the midst of the pack of wolves, one sword glowing white, the other blazing orange. But his green eyes flared even more brightly, as he slowly walked towards two of the largest mastiffs. "Here, doggy, doggy. I've got a little treat for you."
The hillside quickly turned into a chaotic tangle of burning fur, singed flesh, and yelping curs. At the very center of the snapping, howling, horrific tornado stood a young man weaving an incredibly intricate series of maneuvers with swords that never stopped slicing through air and flesh. Lines of white and orange were drawn against the dark sky in dazzling combinations faster than the eye could anticipate. The only break in the colored arcs of light occurred when Harry teleported away from an attack or to launch a new assault himself. Fifteen minutes later, a solitary form crested the hill as darkness descended on the bloodied and burnt hilltop again. He wiped the sweat from his brow and sheathed his wand and sword as he stumbled forward and resumed his journey northward, trailing large drops of blood as he marched through the light snow and thick mist.
*-*-*
Samuel and Remus led the others southwest through the deepening forest. After leaving Svetlina's they had taken a taxi to the edge of Sofiya and then hitched a ride with a farmer back to his farm several miles southwest of the city. They had been walking ever since through several inches of light snow, only stopping for five minute breaks every hour to grab a snack of granola and some water.
Samuel was still in a foul mood and Remus was deep in thought. Ron had been about to chastise Luna and Ginny when Draco leaned over and told him to drop it. Ron had almost said something to Draco, but snapped his mouth shut instead. There had been no other conversation, there had really been no need or energy for it after they commenced the quick march Samuel set for them.
Remus finally pulled Samuel aside and insisted on breaking for camp two hours after sunset. "It will do us no good if you drive these kids into the ground Samuel."
"Dumbledore was a fool for letting them come. I was a bigger fool for agreeing. I should have left all of you back in Sofiya."
"We've already been through all this with Svetlina. If you really think it's for the best, go on ahead. I'll bring them along behind you."
Samuel just glared at Remus.
"Otherwise, don't take out your frustrations on them. They're just as worried as you are, and only want to help. And I think they've earned that right."
"Fine, fine. Just keep them away from me. I'll be out scouting. Have them set a watch for tonight. The closer we get, the more dangerous it will get." Then he turned and left as Remus watched him leave. Then Remus turned back to the Weasley brothers, the Hogwarts students and faculty, and the other Aurors to help them set camp and start dinner.
*-*-*
"Awake my beauty, awake."
Shuddering, Hermione opened her eyes to the pale, cold face of Vespus leering over her. He pulled her to her feet and she looked down at the elaborate and beautiful black dress and robes she was wearing, only dimly remembering the female vampire who had helped dress her hours earlier before the accursed ceremony began. She had been sitting in some sort of throne for hours and her head throbbed from exhaustion and the chanting and the smoke from the incense. Aardus appeared on her other side and leaned down and easily picked her up as Vespus cheerfully led them from the chamber where she noticed a number of other vampires had been present observing the ceremony. A shiver ran through her body. "Where was Harry? Wasn't he coming?"
They led her to a small chamber off the side of the throne room and Aardus laid her down on a large bed. Her eyes widened in horror and she gazed with alarm at Aardus, but there was no emotion whatsoever in his eyes.
"Leave us Aardus and finish the preparations. We will be down shortly."
"Of course Master," and he turned and left immediately.
Hermione was having a hard time breathing as Vespus stood closer and laughed. "Do not worry, my young queen, even with Elysia gone, there are plenty of others who are more than willing to take her place. Besides, I am a gentleman. No, we have something far more important to finish tonight. After tonight, you will see this world much differently, I promise.
You should feel honoured by the gift I give you tonight. Few ever receive the bloodkiss of an Eldor. You will be more powerful than all of my other children after tonight. Enjoy the power and privilege I give you while you can."
He brought his left arm up to his face and sank his fangs into his wrist. Then he stepped closer to Hermione and grabbed her shoulder and chin with a viselike grip. He brought his mouth closer, his fangs still dripping blood, and then punctured the vein on the side of Hermione's neck.
She tried to scream but she felt completely paralyzed, except that she also felt like every nerve ending was on fire. She remembered briefly what the Cruciatus curse had felt like when she was seeing Ron's memories. Then she wished it was the Cruciatus curse instead of what it was, the first step in transforming her into a vampire, into the Dark Queen of the prophecy.
Vespus simply stood back, pulled a handkerchief from a pocket, and wiped his mouth. "I told you that it was useless to resist. No human can withstand the power of a vampire. Once my blood, the blood of an Eldor vampire, has spread throughout your system, your body will begin the change. Soon you will understand why I must find the orb, why we have sought it for centuries. You see, it has the power of life and death. And while we have tremendous powers, incredible strength, and long life, none of that makes up for the agony of the bloodlust. You saw how it drove Elysia mad. It threatens to do the same to all of us. As powerful as we are, we are still slaves to our cursed addiction to blood. It haunts us every moment of our existence. With the orb, I can restore life-I can break the addiction of blood and allow us once again to enjoy the comforts you mere mortals take for granted. What joy is there in food, drink, dance, love, sport, reading, the arts or anything else when all you can think about is blood? I will change all that. The orb will allow us to enjoy living again, with all the powers a vampire has at his disposal. What's the point in ruling the world if you can't enjoy it?
Ahh, I see the first stirrings of hunger within you. It hurts, doesn't it?"
In fact, Hermione realized, he was entirely correct. This new feeling was incredibly painful. It was a sort of thirst that threatened to drive her mad, and she was horrified to know what it was she wanted to drink…
"Mistress! Mistress! Listen to me! Stay with me Mistress! Ignore the thirst!"
"I can't! I can't!" whimpered Hermione. "It's too strong! I am sooo thirsty! I must…"
"Mistress, I understand! The weapon my father created is a vampiric sword. I only survive within the sword because I feed off the energy of the blood it spills. I can help thee, but ye must listen to me and trust me!"
"Help me Saldar! Please help me!"
"Come with me, Miss Granger. I have one final surprise for you." He leaned down and easily picked her up and carried her towards a window where she could see down into a courtyard. There were several dark figures around a beautiful white horse. But something was terribly wrong. The horse was lying on its side and there was silver splashed all over the side of its neck as it lay on the tiles.
Hermione felt sickened. And she felt even worse when she realized that she also felt very thirsty.
"Once you have drunk the blood of another creature after being bitten, the transformation will be complete. For most vampires, it is a human victim. But for a Dark Queen, it must be a powerful creature of magic. And for my new Dark Queen, I have a special gift for you Miss Granger. Come, your beautiful unicorn awaits you."
She turned away in disgust, closing her eyes and trying to block out her new reality. A few moments later, Vespus had carried her down to the courtyard where Aardus and a few other vampires stood huddled around the bleeding unicorn. All had blood dripping from their faces. Hermione squeezed her eyes tighter but nothing could block out the terrible, and now tantalizing smell of fresh blood.
Vespus set her in the snow next to the bloody unicorn and Hermione was too weak to move away. He crouched next to her and taunted her in a cold whisper, "Go ahead, drink. You know you want to more than anything else in the world right now. Don't fight it, give in. Nobody can save you now-not the Potter boy-he will be too late, not Dumbledore-he is too old, not Aardus-he lacks the will, despite his pathetic attempts. Not even you, though mentally you are the strongest mortal I have ever encountered. Even you lack the strength to save yourself. But don't fight it, accept it and embrace it. Immortality and power beyond anything you can imagine are within your grasp. Go on, drink up."
Hermione leaned closer, seemingly against her will. Her eyes snapped open to look into the pale blue eyes of the unicorn. She patted the bloody side of his neck where the other vampires had drank deeply of its lifeblood. Slowly, ever so slowly, she lifted her hand to her lips and opened them. A moment later her world went black with pain and energy and she fell back into the waiting arms of Aardus.
*-*-*
A moment later, Harry fell to his knees in the snow clutching his ear. It was ice cold, but not just from the frigid temperatures. He ripped the earring from his ear and clasped it in his hands, willing it to warmth. But it stayed frigid in his grip. He clenched his hands into fists by his side as he looked towards the heavens. A roar of primeval rage burst from his lips as the night air exploded with magical power.
"NOOOOOOO!"
*-*-*
Samuel was returning from his scouting trip as he noticed a bright flash to the southwest followed by a distant rumbling in the air. The earth then shook so hard that he was knocked to the ground. As soon as he regained his footing, he sprinted back to the camp through the snow.
Though it was just after midnight, he noticed when he arrived that everyone was awake and talking quietly about what they had felt.
"What was that?" asked Ron.
Samuel glanced at Remus quickly before replying. "I'm not sure, but I don't think it was natural."
"You think that was magical?" asked Bill.
"But for something that powerful you would need someone like…" started Charlie.
"someone like Harry," finished Ron. "And for him to do something like that, something that powerful, it must mean he's really upset about something."
Ginny clapped her hands to her face and Luna took a step closer to her and threw an arm around her.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," finished Samuel.
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