Chapter 33
So Harry and Jones sat at the table in the Library just basking in the temporary silence. Daphne, Hermione, and Susan sat on either side of Harry just looking between the two adoptive siblings.
"So, is this how you feel whenever this kind of stuff happens to me?" Harry asked looking towards Hermione who sighed and nodded.
"More or less," Hermione said.
"Wow... this is weird," Harry said.
"Yup, you're not the only one who can have weird shite happen to them," Jones said with a grin and Harry raised his hands in surrender.
"Hey, I am more than willing to spread the luck. But it's still a lot to take in, I mean you met Death. The actual Grim Reaper and he gave you a job." Harry said shaking his head at the situation it truly was a unique experience to have this sort of strange happening to someone else.
"Yup."
"And you ate pizza? In Chicago?" Harry continued and Jones just nodded again. Harry couldn't help but laugh at that.
"He gave me a way to summon him but I will need some things. You destroyed the Gaunt ring already right?" Jones asked and Harry nodded.
"Did it leave something behind?" She asked and again Harry nodded.
"Dobby!" Harry called and the elf popped next to him.
"Master Harrys be needing Dobby?"
"Yes, the Gemstone I gave you to store the one from the ring can you bring it to me please," Harry asked and Dobby quickly popped away and reappeared with a small cloth pouch. Harry took it and thanked Dobby before she popped away again.
"Here it is," Harry said sliding the pouch across the table Jones grabbed it pulling at the strings opened it, and dumped the stone on her hand. As soon as the small black stone touched her palm she could feel it. A sort of whispy chill just like with the Wand when she took it from Dumbledore.
"It's amazing two pieces of The Deathly Hallows and Dumbledore had one for who knows how many years," Daphne said as Jones took out the Elder wand and placed the two Hallows next to each other.
"And now the cloak," Jones said and Hermione handed it over, She grabbed it when Jones had asked for it.
"All three Hallows together make one the master of Death," Susan said these three objects might be some of the most legendary relics in all of Europe right up there with Excalibur.
"Yeah, I think I will just summon him one little time and never try again," Jones said.
"So now we need to draw Vahlkiel out and find a way to hold him so Jones can summon Death," Hermione said and Daphne spoke up.
"Why not just summon Death now? Have him here and ready to go?" The blonde witch asked but Jones quickly shook her head.
"No, I have to summon Death when we have the Vahlkiel that's what he said. I'd rather not screw this up as I don't think even Harry will have enough firepower to deal with Vahlkiel if I mess up." Jones said as she stared at the legendary artifacts on the table.
"I have a few summoning spells and spells that can hold him Umbra Serpentis for instance," Harry suggested.
"But he can just shift his form, right? He could slip out of your hold, we need something like a cage a temporary seal." Jones said as she began to go through all the spells she knew to see if something could work.
"Ah!" Susan suddenly shouted and jumped up surprising everyone. Before they could ask what was wrong she shot out of the room slightly off-center as she was still getting used to her leg. It was a minute before she came back and her Necronomicon in her hands as she flipped through the pages. She placed the open tome on the table and pushed it so everyone could see.
"What about this?" She asked as the group looked over and read the title of the entry.
"Ouroboros Constriction?" Hermione read and Susan nodded.
"Yeah, it's a sealing spell of sorts that uses the skeleton of a snake. It's not meant to be permanent and the bigger the snake the bigger the seal will be." Susan said as Daphne traced her fingers over some lines reading it.
"It says you'll have to prepare the skeleton first how long will this take?" Daphne asked and Susan quickly counted in her head.
"With your help Daphne we can get it done in a day or two maybe longer depending on how big of a serpent we can get our hands on."
"How about a Basilisk-sized one?" Harry suggested and Susan's eyes widened then she grinned.
"It'd probably take some time but with a skeleton that powerful we'd be able to hold Vahlkiel for at least a few minutes."
"Will that be enough time?" Hermione wondered and Jones nodded.
"It has to be, unfortunately Death was a bit reclusive with how I would summon him. He said that I should gather the artifacts and call upon him when the time is right."
"That's it? No incantation, no ritual?" Daphne asked.
"Not that he told me he was very mysterious," Jones said and they sat in silence for a moment. The girls looked between Jones and Harry and could tell that they needed a moment. So with quiet excuses they left and only Harry and Megan were left in the room. Harry tapped his fingers and Jones sighed.
"I'm sorry." They both said at the same time, they stumbled a bit before Jones began.
"You were right Harry I was taking stupid risks and trying to keep it a secret didn't help," Jones said and Harry nodded.
"I do understand what you were doing Megan I was just worried."
"Yeah, it's nice to have someone worry about me again. I promise that I'll be more careful but I can't just stop that would be a boon for Riddle, not us." Jones said and Harry sighed.
"Demona," Harry called and his hound appeared in a swirl of dark smoke and hellish sparks. She huffed and nudged Harry who patted her large snout.
"While the Demon is hunting you I think it would be better if Demona sticks with you for now. I have one more thing I need to complete for my Grimoire after that the first thing I am teaching all of you is how to summon a Hellhound of your own." Harry said and Jones smirked as Demona padded over to her.
"Mine's going to be bigger than yours." She joked and Demona huffed again blowing hot air into the Jones's face as she laughed.
"So you deal with the Demon and I keep working on Riddle," Harry said.
"Yup, two fronts if Riddle wins it's bad if Vahlkiel wins it's worse. Once Susan and Daphne finish up getting your Basilisk skeleton ready we take care of the Primordial Demon then take out his master." Jones said and Harry chuckled.
"Sounds so simple."
"In war, a lot of things that turn the tide are rather simple, just difficult to execute." The two sat in silence for a moment before Harry stood up.
"Well, then I have no time to waste make sure that no one goes to the training yard. I want to do this on my own." Harry said and Jones nodded as she got up as well but not before gathering the Deathly Hallows. Harry went to his room and retrieved his Grimoire.
"Alright Grindelwald let's see what the last step is," Harry said and made his way down to the training yard. This was the final thing he had to do to master this book and be able to teach not just Jones but everyone he loves some of his magic. Once he reached the training yard he flipped through his Grimoire passing every spell he's learned up until that point. Every obscure piece of Arcane knowledge.
Until he reached the final pages passing through those he arrived at the final ritual.
The final step of a journey can be one of two experiences. Pure relief and accomplishment, or the single hardest final step you take. Magic is no different for years scores of Witches and Wizards have fought for control either over the society they live in or the magic that courses through their veins. I have taught you how to control and guide magic and use it in ways that no one else could know. Now you will have to relinquish all control.
Okay, that was new, even his most recently learned spell the true form of Fiendfyre needed some direction. This would be the first time that anything from Grindelwald required him to let go in such a way.
It seems odd I know but to wield magic and truly understand it you must understand that you can never truly control it. You can train you can master every spell ever conceived on this world since the dawn of Man. But in the end, there is no true master of magic, and for this final ritual that is what you must embrace. Beyond the instruction on how to enact this ritual I can tell you no more about it. It is an experiance that you must take alone and something that is to only be shared within your family and no other. Even if I wanted to explain what is about to occur there is no human terminology that could come close. The only advice I can give is this, let go.
This is both simple yet difficult but once this is complete the Grimoire will recognize you as a true Grindelwald and you may teach those who you see fit. This is the last of my legacy for you to take, good luck.
Harry read that and was a bit confused. There was no description of what the ritual would do. There were instructions but no details of its effect it was quite literally a surrender of all control and a leap of faith. But Harry didn't get this far just to stop this was the last thing he needed to do. So taking a look at the ritual he brandished his wand and started to use magic to draw the required magic circle on the ground. He followed the directions it was a circle with several geometrical designs mixed with flowing lines all bordered with runes that he didn't recognize.
The whole circle was then surrounded by a six-pointed star and on each tip of the star, an additional smaller circle was placed. In those circles, singular runes were drawn and after a few careful minutes, Harry was confident that he had drawn the circle to perfection. He had made it a point to draw it around himself as he began to read the next step.
It required a mixture of Purgatory fire, Hellfire, and Fiendfyre. He began with Hell fire marking the lines with the crimson flame that he guided with his hands. Next with his wand, he summoned a whirl of Azure flame as it spun around and condensed into six spheres looking almost like stars and floated above the six outer circles. After that, he could feel the magic around him stirred strangely. It was like that moment when the wind picked up just before a storm hit.
An invisible vortex that only he could perceive began to slowly churn around him. With a little hesitance, he whipped his wand and the roaring head of his Fiendfyre Hydra came to life. He did as his Grimoire said and relinquished control and to his surprise each head roared before coiling around the circle and the runes within the main circle glowed that maddening yellow.
His heart hammered in his chest as the whirlwind that began now became a tornado the sand of the training yard spinning around him but nothing touched him or disturbed the circle he had drawn.
His senses were overtaken and an invisible force lifted him off the ground his immediate instinct was to resist but with great effort he didn't fight it. He floated in the air feeling more helpless than he had ever felt in a while. His wand was still in his hand but he didn't feel the same control that he had become accustomed to with magic.
The pure energy that he could call upon now raged around him. It made him feel like nothing more than a boat in the middle of an ocean during a hurricane. Flashes of light whirled around him as the thrum of magic became more and more apparent to him. Like a deep voice rumbling through a mountain pass.
It flicked around him over taking him then suddenly washing away and doing it over and over like crashing waves. He registered a new kaleidoscope of colors from beneath him and a sudden spiral of red, blue, and yellow enveloped him with a roar. They were soon joined by other colors greens, purples, white even hints of black like a sudden bolt of negative light shot through his vision.
He was falling or at least he thought he was or was he going further up? Harry was overtaken as this cyclone of pigments spun around him but he didn't blink he didn't do anything but allow the spectacle to pass with no interruption. Then it became quiet and black, not dark he could see himself but the world around him was just empty. The vivid colors and chaotic roar of magic were gone.
He blinked and when he opened his eyes he was not alone. He saw... well he saw himself. Hundreds of thousands perhaps even more some were older others were younger. Some looked strikingly different and others looked just like he did. He noticed something flashes of other people around them like mirages and again he recognized some of them. He recognized the mirages of Daphne, Susan, and Hermione. Glimpses of Megan Jones and all of his friends. But the different version seemed to orbit one of his other selves.
And the way his other selves looked often matched what the mirages looked like. Like one version of himself looked older and rugged like he had not seen proper civilization for years and around him mirages of Daphne and... Pansy? And Narcissa too all orbited him with flashes of Hermione as well.
Another looked like him if slightly taller and more muscular than he was now. With the Mirage of a girl he didn't recognize and what looked like a black wolf but not Demona and another mirage of a white Dragon around him.
But no matter which version of himself he saw they were all staring ahead at something and that was when something new appeared. A large being that Harry couldn't even begin to comprehend.
It was colossal no even bigger than that. It looked like it could hold the entire solar system in its hand like marbles. Its body was like it had made several galaxies and turned them into a robe that flowed off it. It was humanoid in a way but definitely not human. It had an angular but featureless face that had several whispy protrusions like glowing feathers made of stars.
It was sitting and in its lap a large sphere of light that shot flares of vibrant color that shot into the darkness. Some of its light spilled over the being legs and Harry saw how it flowed like a web of rivers into each of his versions and he followed one strand that led to him. His body felt heavy and he realized he wasn't breathing but he was suffocating either.
He felt hot tears run down his face as he looked back up. The being was so uncaring did it even register its existence? What was he what was anyone compared to this? He could have a million guesses as to what this being was but he also knew deep in some deep part of his soul that he'd be wrong. He could guess that this was magic personified or perhaps the creator of the universe but that was wrong.
How could anyone truly know what this being was? But Harry didn't need to know as the weight of his body began to lessen as he accepted he would never know. He could spend a thousand lifetimes guessing and theorizing and it would be for naught. He was small and insignificant to this being. But that's okay he didn't need to capture this being's attention he understood his place at the moment.
Once he realized that a sudden flash of light filled one side of his vision while the other went dark and just as suddenly he was back in the training yard.
He was lying down looking up at the sky as white clouds floated above. There was no magic chaotically spinning around him no rush of power. Just him in an empty circle he had drawn in the sand the magic he fused it with had ended there was no light of colors. Just Harry lying down and watching the clouds roll by.
"Darling?" He heard the voice of Daphne call him as Hermione and Susan approached him. He turned and saw them but he also saw something else like an aura around them. Hermione's was this gentle blue color like crystal clear and it flowed from her in gentle streams. Susan had this warm gold-orange color to her like a sunset. And Daphnes was this pink color with varying hues.
Harry began to notice more of these colorful streams around him. He realized that if he focused he could see the golden domes of his ancient wards and the modern wards that Saurfang had installed as well.
"Harry what happened to your eye!?" Hermione suddenly exclaimed and kneeled down to him, staring at his left eye intently. Her aura became agitated as he lifted his hand and noticed his aura that was green with hints of red and blue.
"Are you alright? Jones told us you were doing your last ritual but it all happened so quickly." Susan said and gently lifted him to sit.
"It was just a flash of light after you finished then you just were laying here," Daphne said concern on her face just like the others. He looked at them and smiled. He had seen so many different versions of himself but he wouldn't want to change a thing. He might've been small but not here in this world. In this world, he was loved and he wouldn't change a thing.
"I am fine. What's wrong with my eye?" Harry asked despite all these new things he was seeing he couldn't see himself obviously.
"Well, it's silver now," Daphne said and Herimone expertly conjured a mirror for him to look at. Harry noticed that when she did her aura flowed through her wand and began almost gold as it formed the mirror she made. Hermione then held up the Mirror and Harry looked at his eyes his right eye was still his regular emerald color but his left eye had become silver as silver he recognized. It was the same silver the Grindelwald had and Harry began to understand the man a bit more.
His deep love of freedom and not living in a hidden society. How he viewed magic as neither good nor bad. At first, Harry simply thought he was being a bit optimistic with his thinking. But after seeing what Harry had seen. How could you try to put magic into categories of good or evil? It didn't care just like how a tsunami doesn't care.
It also explained why Grindelwald was willing to go to war with the world not because he was a mad power-hungry maniac. But what was the reason for living your life in the shadows? Harry looked over picked up the Grimoire and flicked through it until he got to a rather simple spell. The Umbra spells to be specific and read some instructions.
The girl's eyes all widened as he did and Harry smiled.
"I take it you could hear me that time?" Harry asked and they nodded. He grinned then stood seeing all these flowing energies around him was a bit nauseating. He opened his grimoire again and the last blank page now had a bit of mirage-like letters written on it. It was more instruction just letting him know that his new sight would take a while to get used to but a trick to help would be blocking it until he got used to it.
"I can see things," Harry said, and Hermione the ever curious asked what he meant. "I think it's magic all around us like auras and when you made this mirror your aura shifted a bit," Harry said handing the mirror back to Hermione who vanished it.
"But anything else that is different?" Daphne asked using her hands looking for any abnormalities on his body.
"No, at least not that I can tell," Harry said and took a deep breath the sights from his new eye were becoming a bit overwhelming.
"Hermione, can you make me an eye patch please?" Harry asked and Hermione did so. Placing it over his he sighed in relief he could still see hints of color but not nearly as vivid or bright as before.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Daphne asked and Harry smiled and kissed her.
"Yes, I am but how about I teach you something yeah?" Harry said excited over the prospect of being able to teach his loves his magic.
"Is that alright you don't think you should take a break?" Susan asked though she just like the other two was excited at the prospect. Harry shook his head.
"No this has been put on hold long enough," Harry said and flipped his Grimoire to the first spells he began to learn. "We'll start at the beginning." He said and began to read the first instructions from his Grimoire to the girls. Inside both Jones and Sirius were looking at the group with small smiles.
"Feeling better?" Sirius asked and Jones scoffed.
"I was already fine old man... but thanks all the same." She responded and Sirius smirked at her.
"There has been more activity around Diagon Alley lately suspected Death Eaters but none of them were marked," Sirius said turning serious for a moment.
"Any ideas why?"
"Best guess is that they are scouting for another attack even though they did enough damage with their last one. Most shops have closed up for the time being Ollivander has moved to Hogsmeade and moved his merchandise there as well. Hogsemede is also getting some Auror details and Amelia is making sure we can do the same with Hogwarts."
"So with Dumbledore out of the picture, it will actually be the safest place in all of Britain?" Jones joked mildly and Sirius nodded.
"Yup, McGonagall is even talking about having families hosted there for the time being since they have more than enough room. At least for the student's families."
"Daphne's folks and Hermione's parents are going to get here in a few days. Amelia is going to stay here too, good idea so now Riddle can't find them even with his Demon help." Jones said.
"And his other friends?" Sirius asked.
"Neville's grandmother is being stubborn and Tracey's parents have accepted as well so they'll be here too. Blaise's mother is a bit of a concern since she's been a true traditionalist and has a dubious string of coincidences under her belt. Luna's dad has declined for now and Pansy... well after her father was killed her mother took her and fled to France I believe." Jones answered as she watched Harry take on the role of teacher for his girlfriends.
"Until Riddle is taken out that might've been the smartest move she could've made. But there might be an uproar from other families if Amelia does house the student's families at Hogwarts. There is just nowhere to have everyone be safe."
"We make do with what we can, we just need to figure out where Riddle is hiding. Strike him directly after we deal with this demon."
"Where are you on that front?" Sirius asked.
"We have a plan I'll make a little trip to Gringotts and Harry can join me later, coming with?" Jones asked and Sirius nodded.
"Yeah right behind you," Sirius said as the pair got one last look at the group before turning for the main hall.
"Where are you off to?" Blaise asked as he passed them in the hall.
"Gringotts let Harry know to meet us there when he's ready," Jones said and Blaise nodded before catching up to Luna. It was a quick trip to Gringotts through Diagon Alley with Jones and Sirius being able to see firsthand the destruction wrought by the Deatheaters. Most of the shops had been fixed already but some needed to get replacement materials as the spell damage was too severe for simple mending charms.
"I still don't get the attack on Diagon Alley. They steal some stuff and attack some shops but nothing else?" Sirius wondered as they made their way to Gringotts.
"I am still under the impression that it was a power move. The Death Eaters flaunting the fact that they are powerful and nasty." Jones said but she understood where Sirius was coming from. Even her theory didn't make much sense since it resulted in nothing but bolstering Amelia's campaign to crack down on all Dark Mark holders and pushing for executions.
So why waste time with a pointless display of destruction? Jones scanned the crowd and saw mainly Aurors and civilians but no one stood out. That's when they passed by Olivanders and Jones couldn't help the flood of memories of her first time stepping through those doors. How she received her first wand and it brought a smile to her face.
Upon reaching Gringotts the two noticed an increase in security. Goblins dressed in full armor along with a section of Aurors stood guard at nearly every point. A few Witches and Wizards were standing in the lobby either speaking with accountants or waiting their turn to do so. Each accountant was flanked on either side by a security detail. Walking up to the receptionist he nodded at the two.
"Lord Black, Madam Jones how may I be of assistance?" The Goblin asked and Jones noticed the beastly visages of Crumpled Horn Snorkacks on either side of the receptionist desk.
"I was hoping to discuss some matters with my Godsons account manager Saurfang is he available?" Sirius asked and the receptionist narrowed his eyes as he suddenly pressed something and Jones and Sirius were flanked on either side by Goblins.
"What's going on?" Jones asked not expecting this kind of response.
"Forgive me but we must verify your Identities you are asking after one of our VIPs after all. Please present your blood for a test if you will." The Goblin said and Sirius shared a look with Jones before carefully drawing his wand and pricking his finger with a quick spell followed by Jones.
The Goblin held out a parchment and they both pressed against it. He took it back and examined it before nodding and waving the guards away.
"I am sorry about that, but we've had instances of people under Polyjuice trying to embezzle funds from open accounts. They have all been questioned before being turned over to the Aurors I assure you. I will notify Saurfang of your arrival will Lord Harry Potter be joining us?"
"Yes he should be along shortly we just thought it was best to get our business started as soon as possible," Jones said and the receptionist nodded.
"Very good please have a seat and Saurfang will be with you momentarily." Sirius and Jones nodded and thanked the Goblin before sitting on one of the benches.
"Well glad to see they are being very careful," Sirius said and Jones nodded.
"Yeah, though it's kind of desperate isn't it? I mean Polyjuice of all things do they really think that that would work?" Jones said running through it in her mind.
"There a group of Pureblood radicals that view everyone else as lesser and stupid," Sirius said shrugging it off but Jones didn't. Even if what Sirius said is true Riddle was not so short-sighted or dumb. So either these incidents were done by desperate lords and ladies hoping to get some of their fortune back or they served some other purpose. Jones didn't get a chance to think on it long as Saurfang met them and quickly took them back into a meeting room.
"Lord Black, Madam Jones while I know that you are Family to Lord Potter I am afraid I cannot talk business with you without him present," Saurfang said as they took their seats.
"We know Saurfang and we hate to bother you but we are not interested in his accounts it is the Basilisk Skeleton. Have you rendered it down fully yet?" Jones asked and Saurfang nodded.
"Yes well the Skeleton is in the process of cleaning at the moment and most of the materials are being processed. Lord Potter as you know has gifted the meat to me but the skin and other organs are all his and are being stored safely." Saurfang informed.
"Wow, you work fast," Sirius said with a chuckle and Saurfang offered a toothless grin.
"Has the Bank been seeing much trouble, we've heard about the attempted thefts," Jones asked and Saurfang's grin turned to a sneer.
"Yes, not as much as you would expect but enough to warrant this increase in security."
"Have you increased Security throughout the Bank?" Jones asked.
"The interior of the Bank is largely the same we've only increased the security in the upper levels and the Lobby as that is the only way in or out."
"Are you sure?" Jones asked and Saurfang nodded firmly.
"Absolutely there is no other way into-" Saurfang's statement was cut off as a resounding boom thundered through the room and shook everything like an earthquake.
"What the bloody hell!?" Sirius said jumping to his feet along with the others. They quickly stormed out of the room and into the hall and were almost trampled by a squad of guards making their way to the Lobby. Saurfang grabbed one as he passed.
"What's going on!?" Saurfang demanded and the Guard growled in displeasure and anger.
"We're being attacked Death Eaters set off explosions in the Lobby we are under siege!" The Guard informed before running to rejoin his group. Saurfang growled as he re-entered his office.
"Saurfang do you have a Floo?" Sirius asked but the Goblin shook his head as he opened a secret door in the back of his office.
"No, we were supposed to get one installed within the week, there is an emergency Portkey until then one of my people will have informed the Ministry already," Saurfang said pulling the secret door open and revealing a set of Goblin Armor and a pair of goblin silver Battle Axes. Turning his back to it he held his arms out and the armor began to latch onto his body fastening themselves in place.
Once it was done he grabbed a helmet and placed it on and his two Axes. The helmet was styled in the visage of a beast but neither Jones nor Sirus could place it. Saurfang then rubbed the edges of his blades together and yellow sparks of electricity danced across the metal.
"Don't suppose you have a spare?" Sirius asked.
"Not in your size. Come, no one attacks my bank and lives." Saurfang said and marched past them. Sirius quickly followed after him and Jones did as well but not before looking back to the halls that lead deeper into the mine.
"Something doesn't feel right." She mumbled to herself and after a moment to clear her mind she conjured her Patronus in the form of a Golden Eagle. She hesitated but steeled herself as she spoke.
"Harry Gringotts is under attack... we'll need help I think it's a distraction." The Patronus flapped its wings before speeding away with her message. She looked down the Hall again and suddenly in a swirl of shadows Demona stood beside her.
"You sense something too huh?" Jones asked and got a huff in response as Demona looked to her and then bent down. Jones was a bit surprised but quickly grinned as she climbed onto the Hellhounds back.
"Let's go!"
"I can help!" Susan exclaimed as Harry gathered what he needed along with Daphne and Hermione. Harry simply shook his head at her exclamation as he threw over a dragon hide cloak and began fastening a pair of boots.
"No Susan you just got your leg and you're not at a hundred percent yet. We'll be careful and we're not going in alone Amelia is on route right now and Sirius and Jones are already there. Not to mention the Goblins."
"Hurry up you brats! No time to waste!" Moody yelled as he hobbled past the group. Besides Harry and the girls Blaise and Neville had also elected to go along. Tracey and Luna decided to stay back with Susan.
"Susan Harry's right, until you get more comfortable with your new leg we need to make sure you're safe," Daphne said as she gently squeezed Susan's hand despite knowing that they were right it still didn't sit well with her.
"Dobby!" Susan called out and the elf appeared with a bow. "There is a bag in the second drawer of the desk I have been using fetch it for me please."
"Of course Missus," Dobby said, and within seconds he returned with a velvety black bag fastened with string.
"Take these at least, I've been working on them and they can follow basic commands," Susan said handing the bag over. Harry undid the top and pulled out what looked like a golf ball-sized smokey green marble with a black canine skull frozen within.
"They're Barghests just smash it on the ground and they will appear, I've already keyed them to you they'll follow your commands," Susan said and Harry smiled at her gratefully.
"We'll be back before you know it I promise," Harry said giving her a firm kiss before he, Hermione, and Daphne turned to walk towards the Floo.
"We'll be coming into the emergency Portkey room at the Ministry. Once there you'll be handed a Portkey that will take you to the main bulk of our response team. Zabini, Longbottom you're with me Potter, Greengrass, Granger you're going to support Auror Shaklebolt when we get there." Moody said getting affirmative nods from everyone.
"Good!" He said stepping through the Floo followed closely by the others with Harry looking one last time at Susan before following suit. The dispatch they arrived at was a flurry of motion and Harry mildly registered a coin being shoved in his hands as he stuck close to his group. Then again in a swirl, he appeared in the recognizable cobbled streets of Diagon Alley.
"Moody!" A deep voice sounded out and Harry noticed the tall frame of Kingsly Shaklebolt approach.
"What's the situation?" Moody asked.
"Deatheaters have launched a full assault on the bank. They've demolished the streets making it harder to advance. Word from the inside is that the Goblins and a few Wizards and Witches are holding them at the Lobby."
"How many are there?" Harry asked loudly to be heard over the commotion.
"At least three dozen right now no one that I recognize. I think this is just the first wave until their main force gets here." Kinglsy said as they rounded a corner but Kingsly swung back as a stray spell singed the brick wall in front of him. He conjured a shield as another was sent flying his way as some crazed death eater pair slung spells in their direction.
With Kinglsy in defense, Moody moved with a swish of his wand he sent three chunks of broken stone towards the pair who brought up shields. Then he tapped the ground with his staff and from it a sudden surge of wet mud snaked forward and the two Deatheaters sunk into it just a bit but it was enough to throw them off balance.
Now Kinglsy switched swedning two bright blue spells at the Deatheaters one which ripped them out of the ground then another that slammed them back down effectively knocking them out.
"Secure these two for questioning. Moody, I need you to secure the Alley and keep people off the streets. Harry Amelia's told me a lot of things can I rely on you to punch a hole into Gringotts?" Kinglsy said and Harry nodded.
"Consider it already done, just a moment though," Harry said as he approached the downed Deatheaters. He brought out the bag with the Barghest Marbles in them and proceeded to smash them just as Susan instructed.
In a swirl of green smoke and flickering emerald energy six wolf-sized barghest stood at attention their bones black and shiny like obsidion with green runes etched over some parts. They stood waiting for a command and Harry held up one of the Death Eaters finding the dark mark.
"We are being attacked, defend the people, and fight anyone that bears this mark," Harry said and their eyes flickered to life suddenly they became very animated as they rushed forward and began sniffing the ghostly visages of wolves around the skeletons bristled at the scent as they charged off in a pack of snarls and howls.
"That should help even the odds a bit we're with you Shaklebolt," Harry said as the two teams separated. While Moody, Blaise, and Neville joined a few other Aurors in the back streets directing the people and dealing with surprise Death Eaters that apparated in Harry went to the bank.
The front-line Aurors had erected barriers made of the cobble streets and Harry could see a group of Death Eaters at the front of the Bank slinging spells of all kinds out to keep the Aurors at bay. And then there were the Dementors that seemed to be Patrolling the streets in front of the Bank adding another Layer to their defense.
"I'm not powerful enough to defend my men from the Dementors and they can't defend themselves from them and the Death Eaters attacks. We can't risk using large-scale spells to take them out due to the civilians that are still inside."
"They've taken hostages?" Daphne asked and Kinglsy shook his head.
"No, they just are getting caught in the crossfire. From what I've gathered the Goblins are doing their best but the Death Eaters are making it very difficult." Kinglsy said as the group ducked behind one of the Barriers.
"Master Shaklebolt sir! We have more dementors coming in about ten we can't progress anymore we may have to fall back!" An Auror said ducking behind the barrier with them just barely dodging a severing charm.
"I can take care of the Death Eaters at the front. Daphne, Hermione can you two help with the Dementors?" Harry asked turning to his girlfriends both of whom nodded confidently. Without wasting a moment the two young women brandished their wands.
"Expecto Patronum!" They cast at the same time and from their wand an Owl and Snow Leopard lept out respectively.
"I'll cover the grounds and help defend the Aurors," Daphne said directing her Leapord up as it pounced on a Dementor causing it to shriek and fly up. It was further pushed back by Hermiones Eagle Owl as it flapped its wings sending a wave of bluish-white energy forward.
"I'll give you your opening!" Harry said charging out of cover and quickly swirled his wand.
"Protego Diabolica!" He cast and from his wand swirling Azure flames roared to life and the Skeletal Dragon from in front of him gave it's signature scathing roar. He directed it forward and the beast was all too eager as it flapped its wings bathing the streets in azure flames as it charged.
He saw a few spells being slung at his beast but none were powerful enough to deter it as it snapped its jaws around a Death Eater who was reduced to ash within seconds. The others tried to run but weren't fast enough as either the flames or the Purgatory Beast got to them. Once Harry was sure he got them all he directed the flames forward blasting through the front of the bank before he vanished his flames.
"Auror's forward!" Kinglsy shouted as his Patronus joined the girls in repelling the Dementors allowing his Aurors to leap out from Behind their Barriers and rush the Bank. Harry was running alongside them as some yelped in surprise as the Bargests Susan had made sped past them and entered the Bank first.
Once Harry had reached the front he quickly scanned the situation and saw that the Barghest got right to work three of them attacking a group of Death Eaters stunned by his initial attack and the other three spread out snarling and biting as they went.
"Come meet your end by Virack and Killack! My Bladvack has never tasted such pathetic blood! Vishki!" Harry heard the grave voice of his trusted Account manager as he turned to see the Goblin practically cleave a Death Eater in two golden sparks of electricity dancing from the blade to the body as he kicked the Death Eater off.
"You broke our door," Saurfang said as he approached Harry and Harry met him in the middle as both ducked behind a counter as a spell whizzed by and the other Aurors flooded in to provide support.
"If I help you beat these arseholes will I at least get a discount on the damage bills?" Harry grinned as Saurfang scoffed.
"Harry!" Sirius called him as he blocked a spell and dove to meet his Godson.
"Sirius, are you okay?"
"Fine,"
"Where's Jones?" Harry asked noticing his adoptive sister nowhere in sight.
"We got separated I haven't seen her at all," Sirius said before standing up and lashing a Death Eater with ropes before sending him spinning back into his comrades just in time for two Barghest and a few Goblins to get to them.
"Daphne and Hermione are keeping the Dementors at bay along with Shaklebolt. Moody and the others are watching out for reinforcements and securing the rest of the Alley." Harry said as he launched a purple energy lance at a Death Eater hitting him straight in the chest through his shield and ducked just in time to avoid a Killing curse.
"What's the Situation here?" Harry asked.
"We've kept them contained in the Lobby. They caught us by Surprise but that meant nothing against our defenses." Saurfang assured and Harry peaked back out to take another look. And despite how it looked this was a largely ineffective attack. A lot of destruction sure but they gained nothing from this except more dead Death Eaters.
"Somethings wrong Riddle wouldn't make a mindless attack like this," Harry said and Sirius took a peak around.
"Maybe he's desperate," Sirius said blasting a Death Eater back before ducking away from a killing curse.
"Saurfang is there anyone in the vaults?"
"Reserves but our main force is here they never breached our defenses anyway," Saurfang assured and he lept out from the counter to rejoin the fray with a proud battle cry.
Again Harry took a look and at a glance, it seemed to be just as Sirius described a desperate attack as Amelia and the Goblin King shut down all his supporter's assets. But again this wasn't Riddles style sure he could attack and cause grand destruction if he wanted to but even that served a purpose. This all just felt way too sloppy for him.
"Sirius cover me for a second," Harry said Sirius didn't question it and nodded as he stood over his Godson and Harry closed his eyes. He reached out to his bond with Demona his mind swimming before he felt a tingle a warm tug and suddenly his senses were not his own they had swapped places he was now much taller and in the deeper part of the vaults.
What's more, is that he had a Death Eater pinned under a giant paw before he was swatted away and a few spells came at him but Jones suddenly appeared in front of him and blocked them before she returned fire. Harry pulled back and in a rush, he returned to his body with a gasp.
"There are Death Eaters in Gringotts! In the lower levels." Harry said as Sirius fired off a few bludgeoning curses before ducking back down.
"How they never made it past the Lobby," Sirius said and Harry just shook his head.
"I don't know but Demona and Jones are fighting them alone. Come on." Harry said as he lept over the counter to find Saurfang and just in time Daphne and Hermione came rushing in and quickly spotted Harry.
"Kingsly got some reinforcements keeping the Dementors away. A new wave of Deatheaters are attacking the Alley but Moody and the others are keeping them at bay. What's the situation here?" Hermione asked as Harry directed them over to Saurfang who just beheaded a Deatheater after kicking in his knees.
"Saurfang come with us there are invaders in the lower levels."
"Impossible!" Saurfang said with a snarl.
"I know but there are, so come with me now."
"The lower levels are expansive how will we find them?" Sirius asked as Saurfang scoffed.
"I know these passages like the back of my hand I can lead us!" He yelled blocking a spell with his axe.
"That will take too long they seem to be deep," Harry said as he looked around and found a pile of Debris that cast a perfectly dark shadow he could use. Reaching out he grabbed Daphne's and Hermione's hands.
"Hold onto me!" He said as he rushed forward with Sirius grabbing his shoulder and Saurfang gripping the ends of his coat. Once he stepped into the shadow he brought all of them into the shadow realm. As whisps of black smoke and crimson cinders flew in their vision Harry connected with Demona and was pulled towards her.
It was just a few seconds and luckily the group managed to stay on their feet but stumbled a bit as Demona kept them steady as they stepped out of her shadow.
"Jones need a hand?" Harry called out sending a blast of dark energy that split into three lances at the Death Eaters in front of Jones. One of them was impaled the other two managed to dodge.
"Demona roast them!" Harry ordered and his Hell Hound bounded forward and with a whoosh unleashed a flurry of Crimson Hell flame. He heard the pained cries of a few Death Eaters and the rushing feet of a few more.
"I had that you know," Jones said as she flipped up her mask and gave Harry a light glare.
"I know, how did they get down here in the first place?" Harry asked and Jones pointed down the hall towards a large hole.
"No, our protections and enchantments would've stopped this and that is solid stone it would've taken them months just to tunnel their way down here," Saurfang growled gripping his axes tightly.
"The Demon?" Daphne suggested.
"That was my first guess but I haven't seen it. But still, keep an eye open anyway. Before they ran off I saw who was leading this group the Lestranges." Jones said and Sirius scowled.
"Bellatrix and Rodulphus." Sirius seethed and Jones nodded.
"Yup along with old Rabastan good old family reunion," Jones said dryly.
"Where do these passages lead?" Harry asked as Saurfang took a quick look around.
"If I am right these lead to the carts that will take us to the deeper part of the bank. Where many of the older pureblood family vaults are." Saurfang said and began leading the group down the passages not sparing the dead Death Eaters another thought as he stepped over their bodies.
"They must be trying to get into their vaults. But Riddle can't be that desperate for funds to launch an attack like this." Hermione said and Daphne agreed.
"But then again if Jones wasn't down here they might've gotten away with it. Using the commotion up top as a distraction."
"Enough talk hurry this way!" Saurfang said as he began running down the halls the rest following in pace. As they approached the carts they heard the distinct sound of two carts taking off and the voices of some Men and Women ahead of them.
"Demona scatter them!" Harry ordered and in a rush of shadow, his Hell Hound bounded forward and rushed into the room with a roar causing panicky cries to ring out through the stone passageways as the sound of spells flying through the air quickly joined them.
Upon entering the room it was a large almost station-like location with a track going right down the middle and a group of about eight Death Eaters all trying to hit Demona who had a Death Eater in her maw crunching down on him with her searing teeth as she melted into shadows to dodge the spells.
Hermione and Daphne broke to the left to deal with three Death Eaters. Hermione and Daphne may not have had very long to let Harry's rather short lesson sink in but they got the gist of it. So they felt around themselves and could feel the raw magic seeping from the walls.
Just like Harry showed them they allowed the magic to run freely through their bodies acting like conduits and aimed with their wands.
"Glacius!" "Ventus!" Hermione and Daphne cast respectively a jet of ice blue energy rushed from Hermione's wand leaving a trail of frost behind it and flakes of ice flew from it as it impacted on Death Eater. It was a sudden burst of cold as it almost looked like an explosion of ice where the Death Eater she hit was suddenly encased in ice with sharp spears jutting out behind him. And the Death Eater behind him had barely a second to erect a rushed shield before he was thrown back by the cold blast.
From Daphne's wand, a sudden twister of condensed air erupted from her wand that she had difficulty controlling. It spun and spasmed like a writhing snake before she wrangled it to the third Death Eater. The female Death Eater erected a shield but it was mostly useless as the pressure from Daphne's magical wind lifted the Death Eater into the air slamming her to the roof and pushing her off the platform where she spiraled down into the depths of the cavern.
The Death Eater who managed to survive Hermione's attack snarled as he ducked behind his frozen comrade using him as a shield before he whipped his wand back.
"Avada Kedavera!" He screamed and Daphne pulled Hermione back as the bolt of venomous green lightning flashed past her blasting the rock face behind them.
"Bombarda!" Hermione yelled as the angry grey spell flew from her wand blasting the ice statue and sending the Death Eather flying but also impaling him with several sharp chunks of ice causing Hermione to cover her mouth in shock.
"Oh! I didn't mean to do that!" Hermione said sounding more surprised than guilty.
"Depulso!" Daphne casts a wave of energy sending the icy chunks and the Death Eater into the Cavern with the female one.
On the other side, Sirius was trading blows with one of the Death Eaters who favored bludgeoning curses. But Sirius was fast bobbing and weaving past the spells sent his way before firing back with his own.
"Incarcerous!" Sirius cast catching his Death Eater around the arms and binding them to his side then he quickly used the severing Charm to make the man's pants fall around his ankles causing him to trip. But before he could hit the ground Sirius cast a Flipendo making the spin in the air hitting his head on the roof with a not-good-for-living thud and blasting him over the edge.
Saurfang was quick on his feet as the Death eater he was facing cast the Killing curse which Saurfang slid under and he then proceeded to roll out of the way of the second one. At this point, he was right next to his opponent as he used the pommel of his axe to cave in the Death Eater's knee causing him to scream out in pain. Then with the back spikes of his axes, he latched on to the Death Eater bringing him down to his level as he headbutted the screaming man breaking his nose in the process.
The Death Eater stumbled back clutching his nose and not putting any weight on his broken knees. Saurfang placed his two axes side by side as they charged with electricity before ramming them into the gut of the Death Eater like an American baseball player and with a thunderous boom cleaved the man in two with arcs of gold lightning dancing across his blades.
Which left Harry with the last two as he raised a spike of earth from the ground to block a killing curse. He then stabbed the stone with his wand turning them into black almost glass-like shards which he sent forward but the two Death Eaters blocked it with shields.
"Fulminis!" Harry shouted and an arc of blue lightning shot from his wand at one of the Death Eaters who tried to block it but wasn't strong enough as the bolt shattered her shield resulting in her getting electrocuted and a fist-sized hole in her chest.
The other Death Eater attempted to cast the Killing curse again but Harry just dodged it again his training with Moody paying off as he lashed the last Death Eater with Shadow snakes and yanked him forward. As the Death Eater yelled Harry placed his hand on his face and summoned Hellfire.
The crimson flames engulfed the Death Eater's head in a sudden rush. He couldn't even scream as he fell back his head black and charred. The group couldn't admire their efforts as they rushed to the track ready to pursue the others.
"Saurfang how do we get a cart?" Harry asked as Saurfang rushed to a pillar and felt near the base for a hidden button. When he pressed it a crane descended from above the platform and deposited a cart onto the track.
"Every station stop has an emergency cart, get on!" Saurfang said Placing his axes on his back as he got into the driver's seat. Everyone else got on as Saurfang directed it forward. As they were going Jones felt that familiar feeling of being watched as she quickly put her mask on and looked back.
"It's here!" She shouted firing a Confringo blast at the Darkness of the cavern and it blasted against the Carapace shell of a giant Centapide creature. Then two crimson insectoid eyes gleamed in the darkness as with a chittering shriek a huge, at least fifty-foot-long demonic Centipede charged them.
It was black as night with a spiked carapace and lance sharp legs. Its maw was split down deep as it showed a grotesque orifice filled with needle teeth and a barbed tongue along with two segmented pincers. It shrieked as its dozens of legs stabbed at the walls in its pursuit of the cart.
"Oh Gods why a Centipede!" Hermione cried out backing away as far as she could on the cart. That told them that it was drawing on one of Hermione's fears.
"Demona together!" Harry called as he gathered Hellfire in his hands and Demona appeared as a shadowy head next to him gathering the crimson flames in her maw. As one Harry and Demona unleashed a torrent of Hellfire against the Demon. The Crimson flames spewed forth and the Demon reared back shrieking but only for a moment as it suddenly spewed a black sludge from its maw.
It impacted their flames and splattered the substance along the cavern walls. Sirius and Jones joined in firing a volley of Confringo spells blasting the Demon. It then smashed down on the track causing them to shake violently and Sirius nearly tumbled off before Jones caught him. Daphne saw that the damaged track was becoming unstable as she took her wand.
"Hermione the track!" Daphne called and used her magic to stabilize the rails and Hermione tore her gaze away from the Demon to help as best she could. Demona quickly resumed spewing her Hellfire as Harry steadied himself and began to gather energy for his next spell.
"Flamma Impius!" Harry yelled and with a flurish of his wand five swirls of angry yellow fire roared to life in the voice of a Hydra his wand humming in his hand as the five collums became five hydra heads. He simply guided them toward the Demon with only one thought.
Kill.
One head went straight for the Demon's face but it suddenly erected two elongated and grotesque human arms tipped with fingers and stained black with nasty tar to grip the maw of the Hydra. The Demon shrieked as the flames of the wicked seared its demonic flesh but it quickly rectified that by reinforcing its new limbs with a hardened carapace. It formed multiple more limbs to deal with the other heads. But it missed the last one that dove down under its body.
The flaming Hydra head then curved upwards and with a bellowing roar slammed into the Demon clencing around its body causing the Demon to screech as black mist-like vapor expelled from where the jaw was clamped.
The Demon roared as its body began to shift the extra arms becoming serpentine and the hands morphed into tar before becoming heads covered in plated scales and barbs. The rest of the demon's body followed suit and before he knew it Harry was staring at a heavy-plated Hyrdra that challenged his own Fiendfyre Hydra.
Its scales were black as night with red bioluminescent spots that looked like eyes and plated like a crocodile rather than a snake. Its body was long and serpentine and covered with the same gleaming black-plated scales and red spots. It sported five heads just like the Fiendfyre spell each one surprisingly pale with rugged horns and gleaming red eyes and a single black strip running down each head from the top before merging with the rest of the body.
Harry poured more power into his fiend fire but he noticed something. Flipping off the eye patch he watched as a ball of venomous green magic built in the demon's chest and traveled up each of its head.
"Sirius shield!" Harry called out as he and his Godfather raised their wands and conjured the most powerful shield they could. And just in time the Demonic Hydra opened each maw and blasted venomous green liquid at Harry's Fiendfyre.
Harry's spells bellowed as it continued its assault but it was overtaken by the Demons acidic attack as globs of the acid flung around melting the walls and part of the track that they traveled over. Luckily Hermione and Daphne were quick on the repairs and kept them from toppling over. Sirius and Harry both pour magic into their shields as a glob of poison splashes over them and even then their shields only hold up for a few seconds before the acid melts through. Luckily they were moving fast enough that it fell away without hurting anyone.
"What is that thing!?" Sirius shouted and Saurfang glanced back and cursed in Gobbledygook.
"It's Cuthalion, the Goblin's most feared monster. I am afraid he's taken my greatest fear." The Goblin explained as they made a sudden sharp turn and just in time the Demon expelled another Geyser of Acid at them but missed.
"There up ahead!" Daphne shouted and the group saw that a cart was parked ahead. Vahlkiel roared as he sped around the corner his enormous Hydra form slamming into the wall as it locked onto them. It hissed as it began to barrel towards them.
"We gotta jump!" Sirius said looking towards the Platform if they slowed down Vahlkiel would get them.
"Cushioning charms! Get ready!" Hermione said standing up as they all crouched with wands ready. Sirius grabbed onto Saurfang ready to pull him off as soon as they were ready. Jones looked and began counting.
"All right, three! Two! One!" She screamed and leaped from the cart followed by everyone who quickly cast cushioning charms on the ground as they landed. It saved them from the initial impact but not from the roll onto the un-enchanted ground. It was good they did that as Vahlkiel was moving too fast to suddenly stop as he blasted right past their platform taking a chunk of it with him. He slammed into the carts just as they crashed together and went flying.
Harry quickly got to his feet and ran to the edge to see that the Demon was quickly righting itself as it twisted to return. Thinking quickly Harry summoned as much magic around him as he could and channeled it into his wand. A golden brown hue erupted from it as with a flick he fired.
"Terrafracta!" He cast and the bolt of golden brown energy shot forward and with a resounding boom erupted with large metal-like spikes on the cave ceiling. The roof then began to crack and crumble just in time as several boulders came crashing down onto Vahlkiel's head.
In a few seconds, the rock slide had buried the Demon but Harry didn't doubt that he would escape soon. Turning he rushed to rejoin the group as they quickly made their way from the platform to an open room. Saurfang quickly went over to a box by the wall pulled out a strange device and began to shake it.
The sound was like someone rapidly hitting a set of cowbells and Harry wondered why he was using it. Then he got his answer when suddenly he heard a low wheezy whine. Looking around some of the pillars Harry saw a large rather sickly-looking Dragon. It seemed afraid of the noise and scooted away from it.
That was when Harry felt a tingle and looked up in time to see a Death Eater on the upper floor gathering his magic for a killing curse.
"Get back!" Harry shouted as they all rushed behind the pillars just in time to avoid a green bolt. The Dragon gave out a low rumbling roar as it suddenly spewed smokey flames.
"What is that thing?" Hermione asked indicating to the device.
"Nothing special but the Dragon is conditioned to expect pain when it hears the noise," Saurfang explained much to the shock of the group.
"That's horrible!" Hermione said horrified.
"I agree but it is not my department," Saurfang said as he rattled the device again and led the group up the stairs. A Death Eater man came to intercept them but Sirius was quick with the disarming curse and then banished the man over the edge of the railing where he landed on the bottom floor with a hard thud. They ducked behind the walls leading to the Hall and dodged a barrage of spell fire sent their way.
"The Vault, it's Bellatrixes!" Saurfang said ducking back behind the wall before a spell nearly caught his head.
"Demona get behind them!" Harry ordered and his hound slunk into the shadows. After a few moments, he heard the sudden cries of the Death Eaters as a sudden crimson glow flashed from the hall. The group came around blocking spells and picking off the Death Eaters as they tried to fight both assaults.
"Bombarda!" Harry heard a shrill female voice cry as suddenly Demona was sent careening into a wall from the explosive force with a sharp whimper. Just then a woman came out followed by two men and he could feel Sirius stiffen beside him.
"Well... hello Siri! Love to chate but I've got to run!" The woman cackled her eyes gaunt but glinting with madness and her wild hair making her look even more deranged.
Demona quickly shook off her stun snarled and went for another attack but one of the men was quick as he raised his wand.
"Crucio!" He cast and a bloody red spell flew from his wand and Demona skidded to a halt as she suddenly caught between growling and whimpering. Through their bond, he could feel her natural magical resistance fight off the spell but some stabs of pain still bled through.
"Confrigo!" Jones quickly cast and the other man blocked it as the spell exploded against the wall in a flare of fire.
"Tenelancea!" Harry cast shooting a lance of darkness at the trio of Death Eaters but the woman shoved the man out of the way who grabbed the other. Harry might've missed them but he broke the man's focus freeing Demona from the curse. He quickly called her back to his shadow this hall was too cramped for her to fight effectively.
"Bellatrix!" Sirius screamed as he began to fire off several bludgeoning curses. Bellatrix cackled and blocked or dodged them then in a surprising move all three coordinated their wands and a sudden blast of air hit Harry and his group. It wasn't hurting them but it did cause them to tumble out of the hall and over the rail. Hermione was quick enough to cast a cushioning charm before they hit the ground.
"Ha Ha! Mind the fire cousin!" Bellatrix cackled as the Dragon reared back and Harry quickly got to his feet.
"Teneterrae!" Harry cast and swung his wand upwards as several black stone spikes rushed up just in time to block the torrent of dragon fire coming their way.
Hermione, Daphne, Jones, and Sirius all began to trade spells with the three Death Eaters. But the Lestranges were proving to be much more formidable than the usual run-of-the-mill Death Eaters that Voldemort threw around.
Hermione blocked a spell as she quickly transfigured some pieces of the stone wall into drills. With a quick flourish, she banished the stone drills at the younger man who must've been Rabastan. The drills spun as they flew threw the air and gripping the railing he ducked under them.
"Huh the Mudblood has some fight in her it seems." He jeered blocking a spell from Daphne. "She'll be fun to break!" He said and stabbed his wand down as a jet of blue magic. Hermione blocked it with a shield but failed to notice his second bludgeoning curse that caught her in the chest and sent her flying back.
"Hermione!" Daphne cried and quickly gathered her power to cast a powerful Incendio causing the three Lestranges to duck back into the Hall. Harry scowled as he whipped his wand to the side extending his dark earth barrier to give them more cover.
"We got them cornered but we're cornered too!" Jones hissed as she knelt down. Daphne quickly helped Hermione up who was struggling to breathe. Daphne began to wave her wand and helped relieve the girl of her pain and repair any damage that was there.
Harry growled as he looked around and knew Jones was right. The Dragon was really hindering their abilities. If they focused on it the Lestranges would take advantage and barrage them. If they focused on the Lestranges the Dragon would try and roast them.
Suddenly the area became cold, cold enough to where their breath became vapor in the air. The group turned and saw the tunnel that led them here became black as night and a chittering was heard from within.
"Yes! Yes! Kill them! Kill them for our Master!" the shrill voice of Bellatrix screamed out as she sounded like a toddler in a candy store. From the darkness emerged Vahlkiel with a new form. Still serpentine but with the upper half of a girl. But not just any girl it was Astoria and Daphne gasped. This form was thin and pale and very sickly with a thin almost fragile frame.
"Why is it me!? Why am I the sick one? I hate you! I hate you! It should've been you, not me!" The twisted form of Astoria cried out staring down at Daphne.
Astoria began to sob as suddenly a split formed up her torso splitting her up to her neck. Then in a spray of blood, her torso split, and what emerged was a mouth filled with teeth and barbed tendrils.
"It hurts! It hurts Daphne!" Astoria cried and Daphne couldn't help but shut her eyes and cover her ears. Every fiber of her being felt frozen and she couldn't stop shaking as the voice of her sister battered her mind screaming at her.
"Daphne!" Harry called trying to snap his girlfriend out of it but to no avail. He gritted his teeth and was surprised when a sudden gout of smokey flames erupted over his wall and at the Demon.
Vahliel cried out in Astoria's voice as it slithered around to avoid the flames. Harry would be sure to add Dragon fire to the list of things that could hurt it. It would seem that the Dragon recognized that this Demon was the bigger threat.
Harry chanced a look around the barrier and saw the Lestranges taking the chance as they rushed down the stairs. Harry then noticed how a black almost negative light came from something Bellatrix was holding. He extended his senses and right away he could feel the cold sickly feeling stab his brain.
"They've got a Horcrux, that's why Voldemort was so desperate he hid one here," Harry said as Saurfang scowled displeased such an object was in the vault.
"Stop them!" Sirius shouted as he and Jones leaped out from behind cover and fired spells. The Lestranges cursed as they blocked the spells and returned fire. Crazy or not Bellatrix with the support of her husband and Brother-in-law was too much even for the pair.
They were quickly overwhelmed as they had to duck under cover but the Lestranges had to back up as well. The Dragon with Vahlkiel coiled around its body thrashed wildly. Vahlkiel had extended its arms again and began to tear into the Dragon's sickly hide.
If it were healthy and better kept the Dragon might've proved more challenging for the Demon. But as it stood the Dragon was not and thus Vahlkiel shot one tendril out of its Astroria mouth and into the dragon's chest causing it to shriek in pain and puffs of smokey flame bathed the walls as the Dragon fought in vain to free itself.
Suddenly several black spikes jutted out of the Dragons body causing it to whimper before it fell back dead. Vahlkiel uncoiled itself from the beast retracting its tendril.
Vahlkiel then returned his attention back to the group and with a banshee scream in Astoria's voice it charged forward.
"Impetum!" A voice suddenly cried from behind them as six Barghest suddenly raced past them. They snarled as they leaped from the ground and began to bite against the Demon. Then a large undead skeletal Sabre Cat sped past them and rammed into the Demon. It sank its bony claws and fangs into Vahlkiel as he screeched.
The group turned to see Susan her wand held eye green energy swirling around her. Beside her were Kingsly, Moody, Neville, Blaise, Tracey, and Luna. Then Remus along with Tonks came to stand beside them and Amelia along with two dozen Aurors and Goblins.
"Sorry just didn't feel right sitting at home," Susan said with a smirk and Harry and the girls smiled right back.
"Damn you!" Bellatrix screamed as she cast the Killing curse into the reinforcements.
Moody quickly blocked it with a stone before banishing it at the Lestranges.
"Moody lead the Aurors and contain that thing! The rest of you I want Bellatrix alive, kill the other two!" Amelia ordered as Moody quickly gathered his magic and Harry saw how it became bright and fiery as he held his wand up high.
"Flamma Damnatorum!" He called the lesser form of Fiendfyre came out red and angry in the form of a great Bull and charged Vahlkiel. The Aurors followed suit firing all the flame spells they knew. Bellatrix screamed as she and the Lestrange brothers were forced to retreat back up the stairs. A contingent of Goblin warriors charged forward with a few Aurors to help block any unforgivable sent their way.
"I fucking love you, Woman!" Sirius said not even hesitating when he placed a kiss on the Minister.
"Sirius, please! What's the situation?" Amelia asked as Susan came to her loves sides.
"Bellatrix has a Horcrux, we need to destroy it!" Harry said as he saw the Lestranges even vastly outnumbered were still holding their own blasting wildly.
"And the Demon?" Amelia asked turning to see the creature battle Moody's Fiendfyre Bull.
"Jones?" Harry asked and the girl cursed.
"I only have the wand with me!" She wasn't prepared to do the ritual.
"We can drive it away I'm sure, just get that Horcrux!" Harry said as he charged and with a surge of his magic summoned his Purgatory beast to join the battle against Vahlkiel.
The azure Skeleton Dragon roared to life and sped towards the Demon clamping it in its jaws. Vahlkiel screeched as it was then battered against the wall by Moody's Bull the flaming horns searing its pale flesh. Demona then lept out of Harry's shadow and with a howl let out a spiral of Hellfire to join the efforts.
Susan then looked to the Lestranges and called her constructs who disengaged the Demon and returned to her side. Her Barghest snarled snapping their ghostly maws waiting for a command as the Sabre-cat continued its assault on the Demon through the magical flames.
"Get the woman here, alive!" Susan ordered and the Barghest charged forward their steps sending sparks of green energy off as they ran. In true otherworldly fashion, they claw up the walls snarling and snapping as they did. Rudolphus noticed them first and blasted on with a Bombarda breaking it to pieces.
"Back! Back!" He called as Rabastan and Bellatrix backed up with him into the Hall. The Goblins and their Auror support had no more issues ascending the stairs with a thunder of war cries. The Barghest were the first into the Hall choke point as they snarled. The trio fought hard but the Barghest had no regard for their safety being they cared only for following orders. So while they took down four leaving only two left that was all that was needed. The Lestrange men were knocked down and Bellatrix cast a killing curse that just sped through the Barghest before it clamped down on her hand and the other gripped her leg.
She cried out and tried to beat against the undead hounds to no effect as they dragged her kicking and screaming. Before Bellatrix knew it she was sailing through the air as the Barghest lept through the air and she smacked hard into the stone floor. Her breath was knocked out of her she was dragged to the group.
"Damn you you filthy blood traitor! I'll kill you!" Bellatrix screamed brandishing her wand but the Barghest was quicker biting down on her wrist and forcing her wand to the floor as the mad woman screamed.
Amelia looked back up and saw the Goblins charge the Hall and judging by the sounds the Lestrange brothers were dealt with quickly. Looking down despite her wounds and the position she was in Bellatrix looked just as mad and dangerous as ever.
"Bellatrix you are under arrest and will be held for questioning," Amelia said and Bellatrix spat at her.
"My master will come for me!" She hissed and Harry came forward and reached into her robes.
"Get away from me you Filthy Half-Blood!" She screeched as Harry pulled out a cup that he felt the magic from. Even without focusing, he could feel the darkness practically ooze from the item as he rolled it in his palms.
"Wait... that's the Cup of Helga Hufflepuff!" Hermione said amazed and disturbed that such an artifact was tainted.
"So it is, but we have bigger things to worry about. Mainly what are we going to-" Amelia began but was suddenly cut off as an otherworldy wail mixed with a roar blasted through the room. Everyone was thrown off their feet hitting the ground as Moody's Fiendfyre, Harry's Purgatory beast were both vanished in an instant. Susan's undead constructs were shattered and Demona was sent sailing back.
Every man, woman, and Goblin in the room was unable to move. An overbearing presence filled their minds. Their greatest fear flooded their thoughts overwhelming them as many of them began to scream and grip their heads.
Harry could hear the dying scream of his parents as flashes of his loved ones' dead bodies nearly blinded him. But he pushed through and strained himself to just peer up and his eyes widened at what he saw.
Vahlkiel's newest form was something he had never seen before. It was humanoid and his body seemed to be a mix of muscular and emaciated. Its skin was pale grey and its texture was like that of an amphibian glinting in the low light of the room. Its long spindly arms raised slightly its palms facing up with long black talons on each finger.
He had a long black spine-like tail that flowed behind him with a wicked sickle at the end. Its shoulders blackened standing out from the pale grey of the rest with bony spines protruding from him. And from what Harry could see he also had black spines sticking out of its back in two rows.
His face was the most unsettling, a permanent lipless grin that showed several rows of needle teeth. The upper part of its face was featureless with a hard carapace cover with several beady black eyes like spiders blinking out of sync with each other. Behind its head, several black tar-like tendrils waved almost lazily behind him.
"Nejal ninra quashili urai? You think you can defeat me?" The demon spoke its voice like a million crying children and Harry noticed that everyone had some black dark energy pouring from them and being absorbed into the Demon. It was eating their fear.
"I have lived longer than you can comprehend. I devour souls, I am the darkness of every world I am the thing that you fear in the night! I am the blackness of your heart, I am the terror of your dreams. I am your every fear incarnate I will eat your sun and plunge your world into Horror." The Demon spoke as he raised a clawed hand and Jones with was raised from the floor like a puppet on a string as she grunted and tried to resist.
"I am through with these games, I will be bound no longer I will be free." He growled and Harry realized how big he was as he easily was three times bigger than Jones. Vahlkiel then placed a clawed finger under her mask and ripped it off sending it sailing through the air. Jones cried out a splash of blood accompanied the mask. The Demon was not gentle as it had clawed her face and took her eye in the process.
Jones gasped as she struggled to maintain her mental defenses against the demons onslaught.
"Feel it! The horror in your heart calls to me." It hissed its jaw splitting as a barbed tendril was poised ready to strike as Vahlkiel's mental assault increased and Jones screamed in pain. She couldn't do it as the mental defenses came crashing down and the Demon pierced her mind.
"Megan Jones... I know you and now I will kill you." The Demon spoke in her mind its tendril lashing forward.
'My wand, use it!' A familiar yet distant voice pierced through the Demons attack and suddenly Jones felt a weight in her hand. She didn't have time to think so she poured as much magic as she could muster into the wand now in her hand. She could feel the slightest prick on her throat before a sudden burst of negative energy surged from her wand sending Vahlkiel back with a screech.
Jones fell from Vahlkiel's power and barely landed in a crouch as she looked at the elder wand in her hand. The tip flaring with negative colored electrical energy.
"Cheat! You Cheat! Teloch! Teloch!" The Demon screamed its form growing as its tendrils behind its head grew thrones and shot at Jones but she brandished the elder wand and urged the magic forward. A sudden flare of bright negative light erupted from its tip as the Demon screamed and its body became black like tar as it shifted through different forms. It finally couldn't take anymore as it howled and dove for the shadows the oppressive force of fear and terror lifting as it did.
The room was silent for a moment as Jones turned to face Harry revealing the gash going down the left side of her face and eye. She stumbled for a moment before her good eye fluttered and Harry gathering as much strength as he could rushed forward just in time to catch her.
The battle of Gringotts was over and the Demon was repelled for now.
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Whelp Here it is! The next chapter full of action that I hope you all enjoyed! The endgame is here and the final few chapters are on their way! Be sure to let me know what your think I am ecstatic with this story and all the support