The water's surface was calm. Covered in dry blankets, Fleur, Viktor and Cedric exchanged gazes. Like the student crowd, the champions stayed silent. Fleur ruffled Gabrielle's hair. On the platform, the different contestants with their reanimated hostages all stared at the Hogwarts' headmaster. Frowning, the old wizard put back his clock. The loudspeaker resonated. The Second Task time limit was up.
" Now, the one hour limit is terminated. Congratulations to Miss Delacour, Misters Krum and Diggory. ", the headmaster presented a respectful nod to the three champions. The crowd clapped strongly among the French and Bulgarian ranks. With a sign of his hand, Dumbledore indicated to the champions to stay in place. He wasn't finished. Lifting the loudspeaker, the task judge increased the output.
" Yet, the Second Task has to continue, not all champions finished their objectives. ", the headmaster watched the lake's surface. Some movements perturbed the water. The three towers of spectators followed the old wizard line of view in silence. No bubbles indicated the arrival of the remaining champions. " Penalties will be taken into account, but the last contestants have fifteen more minutes to complete the task. If the delay is not enough, we will be forced to intervene and score them with zero points. ", the headmaster lowered the loudspeaker. Casting a spell on his clock, the old wizard conjured a support for all to see the remaining time.
The headmistress, Olympe Maxime grimaced. Of course, Albus would arrange the rules to support his school. Not only he had tricked the goblet to have two more champions, he also gave a second chance to the Potter and Ava boys. The tall woman smiled at Fleur. The young witch was the first to come back with her hostage. Ten and thirteen minutes separated the first to the second and third champions. The headmistress chuckled. It was a clear display of her school superiority.
Fleur kissed her sister one more time. Not avoiding the affective gesture, Gabrielle giggled. The older sister embraced the youngest one. Keeping Gabrielle in her arms, the female champion lift her head. At the tower top level, a lone banner displaying her name danced with the wind among the green robes. Despite the distance, the foreign champion recognized the upward lips on a specific spectator.
A shout attracted the wizards and witches' attention toward the Black Lake. Two dots of red and brown approached the surface. Ron and Lavender came up. As soon as their heads were above the water, their torsos convulsed for a second. Water exited their mouths as they coughed. Opening his eyes first, Ron blinked and watched right to left. Seeing the three towers, he started swimming toward the central platform.
Both hostages were shivering when they climbed the platform's ladder. The headmaster gave them blankets to dry up. He was going to ask them where were Harry and Jacob when a shape broke above the lake surface. Half a meter above the water, Harry fell back into the lake. Many scars decorated his exposed skin. A metallic sound of hammer resonated. The clock's arrow reached the zero mark.
Dumbledore canceled the spell on the noisy clock. Helping the last champion to climb on the platform, he nodded at the school nurse, Poppy Pomfrey. The matron of the Hospital Wing waved her wand to diagnose the champion. She conjured bandages to cover the bite marks and scars on Harry's arms and legs. " Tell us what happen Harry. ", the headmaster gave blankets to the savior.
" I couldn't leave her alone, not there. ", Harry rubbed the red and gold-colored blanket on his leg. He stayed still for Poppy to apply the last bandage on his left wrist. " I've waited for Jacob, but he did come... ", the champion glanced at the platform. Behind Cedric were a shivering Ron and Lavender drinking hot tea. Few meters to the left, Fleur cuddled her sister. " The Merpeople, they didn't understand... ", Harry glanced to the right. Jacob was not on the platform.
" Enough with this nonsense Albus. We have to score the champions. The task is finished. ", Madame Maxime and Karkaroff stood together in front of the old wizard. The headmaster stared at them for a moment. His magic pressured them to stay still. Nowhere was his kind and joyful aura. " I know. ", the old wizard caressed his beard. The pressure disappeared as if it wasn't there in the first place. Patting Harry to join his fellow champion, the headmaster turned his head toward the lake.
The three heads of schools erected a barrier around them to block sound. Dumbledore was calm while Madame Maxime bore a bright expression and Karkaroff waved his arm. The high master seemed to shout when his fingers pointed Igor and Harry. He hit the platform with his staff. A burned mark decorated the wooden floor. It only made the headmistress laughed. Exchanging stared, the conversation continued for ten minutes.
Dispelling the barrier, Dumbledore cast a Quietening Charm covered the three towers. Walking to the platform's border, he set the loudspeaker to its maximal output. A screeching, harsh and raspy sound forced all the wizards and witches to put their hands on their ears. For almost a minute, Dumbledore screamed high and short vibrations until a grayish head with yellow eyes and broken teeth emerged.
Lowering the loudspeaker, the headmaster exchanged words with the aquatic creature. Recovering from the sound shock, the spectators watched as the creature nodded to the headmaster. The latter rose his hand, the merpeople entered back into the water. With a sigh, the old wizard faced the spectator. The spell over the three structures was canceled. " Attention ! Attention ! The winner is... Miss Delacour ! ", the headmaster shook the witch's hand.
" According to their performances, mister Diggory is second, congratulations ! ", Dumbledore designated the wizard with his arm. The crowd cheered louder. Waiting for the encouragement to calm down, the old wizard glanced at the water. Jacob wasn't showing any sign of coming back. " Now, for showing unique ingenuity, the way I see it. Mr Potter would have finished second had it not been for his determination to rescue not only Mr Weasly but the others as well. We've agreed to award him second place ! For outstanding moral fiber. ", the headmaster lowered his loudspeaker. He nodded at Potter as the students' crowd screamed either its supports or insults to the young champion.
" Fourth place goes to mister Krum. ", Dumbledore continued with no pause to his next statement. Hermione was whispering in Krum's ears, but the champion stayed cold to her effort. " Last, and yet to come, is mister Ava. The Second Task is officially finished. Please, return to your quarter and let our champions get the rest they deserve. ", the old wizard glanced at the lake. There was nothing. Lowering the loudspeaker, the headmaster congratulated once more Cedric and Harry for their performances. Patting Harry's back, the leader of light peeked at the towers' top levels.
Located on the seventh floor in the left corridor of Hogwarts castle, a couple of students walked back and forth in front of a tapestry depicting the attempt of Barnabas the Barmy to teach trolls ballet. The witch in blue robe couldn't see with a blindfold covering her eyes. Entwined between the wizard's arms, she advanced with hesitating steps. She had no idea where she was going.
The sound of moving metal and stone reverberated. The green robe pecked the champion's cheek. She pursed her lips. Her hand traveled from the moist zone to the wizard's nose. Her fingers shivered. He nibbled her fingernail. Mikhael lifted the witch into his arms. She squealed. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she breathed on his collar. A bicep under her legs and the other supporting her back transported her into a room filled with candle scent.
Crackling echoes from a fireplace accompanied the couple approaching a king-size bed. Lowering himself to let the girl touched the red tissue, the orphan forced himself to not ravage the girl directly as her veela allure invited him to do. He bit his lips. She laid on the bed. He removed her and his shoes before mounting on furniture. His hand brushed the blue silk from the girl's uniform. He couldn't speed up the process. It would lose its effect. Her knee quivered. Her waist was encased between his legs.
Tracing a line upward, his touch met the ribbon decorating the light blue cape. He unfolded the tissue. Her hand pressed on his abdomen. It sought to remove his belt. He didn't let her do. Grabbing her hands, he put her two indexes in his mouth. His tongue played with her fingers while his own hand attached the ribbon on her wrist. She moaned. Leaning forward, he released her index to lick her unprotected collar.
Focusing magic on his fingertip, the wizard sliced her knee-length dress in half. Unable to protest, the girl shivered as a hot breeze caressed her shoulders, armpit, ribs and waist. She wanted to speak, but Mikhael covered her mouth with his index. He wasn't done. Rolling next to her, he grabbed her figure to put her on the top. All the dress was pushed out by a wind blow.
Hiding her red bra with tied wrists, the blindfold witch radiated with desire. 'Mine, mine, mine' she whispered under her breath as palms massaged her waistline. Her body fell on the wizard's face. Red colored her cheek. Her arms were blocked above her head. She was in no position to defend herself. She gasped. A weak fire burned warmly her skin. Cold hands caressed her back. Fingers undo the hook and eye closure of her bra.
Mikhael contemplated the exposed breast. He liked what he saw. The pink nipples hypnotized his eyes. No matter how many times he witnessed that spectacle, he would always be turned on by that sight. Fleur inhaled. Her parched throat just barely managed to utter a low pain-filled moan when fingers pinched her nipples. Burying his head on her bosom, he nibbled on the pinkish dots. Her body convulsed. She wrapped her bound arms around the orphan's head.
Descending to kiss her belly, Mikhael burned away the remaining of his clothes. With one kiss on the hot navel, he avoided the drenched pantie to caress the left leg with his lips. Fleur jolted back. His fingers caught her undergarment. With a swing of his arm, the wet tissue and the socks were thrown away. His breath tickled the wet vagina. As the clitoris rose up, hands pushed the head forward the pussy.
The head didn't move as the strength difference was too high. Instead, the tip of his tong teased the pleasure zone. The girl's tights wrapped around his skull, but the distance didn't change. He alternated hot, warm and cold breath to arouse the convulsing pussy. " Please Mikhael, please, I can't hold back. ", fluids watered his face. His member was hard.
Not listening directly to the witch demand, he placed one finger at the entrance. Penetrating inside, he slowly caressed the interior wall. Fleur tightened her ass. She clawed the wizard's head as a second finger played with her inside. New flames started to appear in the room. She shook her left leg. It hit the wizard's penis. Fighting against her agitating body, the witch tried to fasten the process with her leg beating the hot dick.
Gasping for air, the witch wrapped her top body around the orphan head. " Come on, stop teasing. ", she bit the wizard's ear. Mikhael was also to his limit. The bed creaked. Placing a cushion under the witch lower-back, Mikhael faced the nude body with his throbbing member. Hands clinging to the bound wrist, he penetrated the girl's pussy. Fleur exhaled as the tip entered before her body convulsed in response to the pleasure.
Different from the first time they did, Mikhael met no resistance from the pussy interior. Instead, the internal wall wrapped around his member. He pushed all his dick inside. His tip touched the cervix entrance. He shivered. He appreciated the moment. Letting his partner moan, he slowly pulled back. Leaning forward, his teeth nibbled on her nipple. Fleur shook.
Placing her arms around his neck, he lifted her body and started to penetrate her wet sex in successive motions. Her body clung to his. He wouldn't let her go. Following his movement his tongue wrapped around her. Each time his dick hit her cervix, she gasped. Accelerating, he thrust with more strength. All her body was shaking. Like an animal, he ravaged her pussy to satisfy his basic desire. He wanted her. She was his.
Fleur's fingers drew red lines over the orphan back. She didn't hear her own voice screaming the wizard name. All she understood was the waves of pleasure coming from her sex to the rest of her body. Fluids filled her pussy, but the action didn't end up. She was thrown face against the mattress. Biting her lips, she moaned as the different angle activated her erogenous zone.
Mikhael couldn't focus on anything else but the witch reacting to his every movement. He wanted more. Her body was twitched. He spanked the round ass cheek one time. The pussy tightened. Fleur squealed. He smashed the witch bottom one more time. She responded thrusting her ass in his penis. Seeing the red marks, he continued smashing the red skin but applied greenish healing at the same time. He was reaching his climax. Her body convulsed and transparent liquids covered his dick which produced its own semen.
Changing position, the orphan slowly motioned his penis to soak into the girl vagina while his hand glowing green and blue made the witch shivered from the mild cold. He wasn't in a hurry. He enjoyed the slow sex. Fleur trembled each time the cold hands caressed her face, collar, armpit, nipples, ribs, belly, waist, ass, navel, legs and feet. He grabbed both her breasts into his palms. She flinched and released love nectar.
Gasping for air, the witch felt her pussy gushing out the foreign liquid. " Please, no more. ", Fleur removed the blindfold. Showing her wrists, she leaned forward. Burying her head on the wizard chest, she let him unfold the ribbon. The room was empty of anything but scattered clothes, a huge bed, floating candles and a burning fireplace. She was going to ask something when Mikhael carry her bridal style out of the bed.
Walking a few steps toward a corner, the Room of Requirement complied with the wizard demand. The stone floor revealed a fuming bath tube. Conjuring a wooden stool and a sponge, Mikhael sat the witch. Soaking the sponge with the steaming water, he adjusted the temperature before rubbing it on the girl's feet. Fleur giggled. She appreciated the attention. At first, she didn't expect that action, but now this was an anticipated ritual they had after sex.
The orphan cleaned the witch legs and continued with her private place, ass, waist, belly, ribs, breast, armpit, shoulders, arms, collar and face. Seeing how tired the girl was, Mikhael put her in his embrace to enter the bath. Fleur smiled weakly. The water steamed with white smoke. Clapping his hands, Mikhael called for his house-elf Winky. The creature stumbled when apparating in the room, but the two cups of hot chocolate were intact.
Mikhael knitted his brows. Levitating the cups into his hands, he covered his servant into green light. Black bags under the creature's eyes diminished. Winky stood firmer, but started crying as she felt energizing. " You are not a bed elf Winky. Go rest and work when you recover your maximal ability. ", the wizard sipped his drink. The creature popped out of the room.
Harboring a smile, Fleur bite the orphan's earlobe.
The large and circular room, full of curious silver instruments on spindle-legged tables, crackled with a dying light from the fireplace. Whirring little puffs of smoke hid some frames of snoozing portraits decorating the walls behind an enormous, claw-footed desk. Massaging between his eyebrows, the room proprietary tried to focus on the current task. His wrinkles showed deeper marks.
" I have a terrible new to share with you Mikhael. ", the headmaster grimaced. " It pains me to say, but Jacob is probably dead. ", he avoided the student's gaze, fixing a silver trinket. The fireplace dimmed. " The investigation... nothing was found. ", his finger tapped on the wooden desk. " After he entered the lake, some merpeople saw him for bit, but after that... ", he lowered his head. He closed his eyes. The fire died.
" I'm sorry. ", Dumbledore lift his shin. There was no reaction on the student's face. No joy nor sorrow were visible. Only a blank expression masked the orphan visage. The headmaster shook his head. Getting up, the old wizard walked toward the green robe. His hand rose. No distress nor guilt were shown. Putting the hand on the student's shoulder, the older wizard gazed in silence to the black orbs.
Seconds passed. The leader of light walked away. Opening a vitrine, he retrieved two glasses and a bottle of unknown liquid. The fire was fed with a new log. Sitting on the sofa facing the fireplace, he deposed the two glasses on a spindle-legged table. He waited for the green robe to sit next to him before pouring the two containers with the liquid. He offered one of the drinks. " Ariana. ", he whispered with his arm high in the air.
" Thank Albus... for telling me. ", Mikhael gulped the drink in one go. His silver chain was cold.
Off the Entrance Hall was the Viaduct Courtyard. The square structure of stone protected students from rain and the central place with a large fountain allow enough space to either study when it was a bright day, to discuss and practice outdoor within a reasonable distance from the Hospital Wing or enjoy their free time. A fourth-year green robe and a year younger witch examined the fountain.
The blond third-year drew sketches of the structure in a notebook. She completed the fountain's base and a quick shape of the roof when one of the tournament champions approached the duo. Luna waved at Harry who nodded at her before facing the green robe. The champion had redness around his eyes. " You have my condolence, for your loss Mikhael. Jacob... ", the savior couldn't finish as the interlocutor turned his back to him.
" I know you weren't close to each other, but he was your last family. ", Harry sidestepped to confront the wizard. He needed to honor the dead. He couldn't just forget about this friend. He had so few of them, each count a lot in his heart. Seeing the green robe waving his hand to say there was nothing left to speak about, Harry screamed. " Listen bastard, he was my friend ! I don't care at all about you but respect him, he is dead ! ", Harry was pushed away.
" His name is Jacob Ava. ", Mikhael erased a line on Luna notebook and corrected the form.
" I can't believe it. How can you act as if nothing happened ? ", Harry drew his wand. He wanted to use it. He wanted to hurt. That emotionless face was unbearable. His wand was trembling. Jacob was the only one understanding his situation as a forced champion and all the terrible times they endured together. " He was your brother for god sake ! ", the moment the wand glowed with color, Harry felt his arm's bones broke.
" I believed you would understand better than most the blood relation, but I was wrong. ", Mikhael looked at Luna who pouted. Pinching her nose, he mended the savior's injury, but threw the phoenix core wand toward the viaduct. The girl grimaced. Her nose itched. The wizard conjured white tissues. Lifting the desired object above the witch head, he extended his arm to escape the girl's hands.
Luna smiled and buried her head on the orphan robe.
She sneezed as strong as she could.
Hot white metal was floating above the stone floor. The heat didn't bother the wizard controlling a batch of five metallic balls. Magic concentrated into invisible hammers. Shaping the steel into ingots free of any impurity, the wizard cut his finger and controlled the red liquid. Goblin runes of resistance were engraved with blood on every inch of the ingot for one hundred and forty-four times each.
The expense of magic and concentration made the ritual adept paled a bit. Following stolen memories in the goblin nation, the wizard conjured an anvil and a silver nail. With the nail in hand, he craved runes of purification on the flat top of the heavy block of iron. After the nail drew a pentagram in the anvil center, it disappeared. The first ingot floated above the anvil.
Conjuring a golden hammer, Mikhael infused the object with his magic and will. The tool shot above the wizard's head before descending with speed and strength. The reinforced stones of the room creaked under the shock. A small crack decorated the ground before the room regenerated. The wizard conjured a knife and traced a circle around the anvil with runes on the cardinal directions to reinforce the durability.
Swinging once more his arm, the ritual adept percussed the ingot. Sparkles of magic escaped the impact. The will to shape the metal into the desired form fight against the ingot nature to resist. The anvil runes of purification helped the process to not destroy the metal, but to slowly integrate inside the new property, the wizard will. Impacts after impacts, Mikhael infused more of his magic into the flattening ingot.
Thinning at eye-sight speed, the metal was quenched into a barrel of oil when the color started to gain red taint. Summoning flame to keep the metal at the right temperature, the wizard built the metal into a round shield. The runes of resistances glowed through the many layers they were under. No deformation nor loss in power were detected. Plunging one last time the shield into the oil, the wizard summoned one of his gray skeletons.
The headless servant grabbed the shield and lift it up, covering all his thorax, shoulder and arms. Mikhael waved his wand. An Expelliarmus hit the metal. Glowing signs appeared on the shield as the spell was dissipating. From the mental link, the master knew the impact was negligible to his servant. A corner of his lips lifted. Trying again with a Flipendo, the result was the same. The servant was unscratched.
Concentrating his magic, the wizard empowered a Confringo before casting it against the shield. The force behind the spell made the skeleton fell back three meters. Fractured stones displayed the strength in the curse, but the shield resisted the impact. A small crack in its center was visible. Desiring to know the limit of his product, Mikhael tried to transfigure the shield into water.
The object rejected the force transformation. Focusing more magic into his transfiguration, the wizard stopped when the corner of the metal became liquid. The single normal wizard wouldn't be able to alter the shield. Putting his wand away, the green robe summoned a green flame. The death curse flew straight. It didn't pierce the metal. It deformed the shape and created many web cracks.
A laugher filled the room.
The deaths of the young champion Jacob Ava and the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Bartemius Crouch forced the Minister for Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour to increase the security during the Triwizard Tournament. He couldn't stop the tournament. All the champions were bound by a magical contract. Their lives were at risk the moment they entered their names. A new batch of fifty aurors came to patrol the school and protect its inhabitants.
That news was relayed to the second plan in the morning Daily Prophet as the first and most important articles concerned a different topic. Skeeter wrote a scathing article on 'the devious Miss Granger', claiming that she was toying with both Harry and Krum's affections and that she had developed a taste for famous wizards. Skeeter even went so far to claim that Hermione was possibly brewing love potions.
Mikhael was going to the school kitchen when he saw a running Hermione. She hid her face between her face. Going to the Hospital Wing, the witch stumbled on the Defense Against the Darks Arts professor. Moody screamed at her to be vigilant of her surroundings before letting her go. No one other than the green robe and the teacher was present in the corridor. Moody made signs to the student to come closer.
" I saw you at the stadium during the second task. ", the professor hit the floor with his fake leg and staff. He grimaced. " You were there, up into the tower, but you were different. ", the artificial eye fixed the student, moving up and down. Taking a sip of his gourde, the professor stomped his wooden member on the stone. " Care to explain Mikhael ? ", unable to continue his question, the professor's eyes turned dimmer.
" Like many, I enjoyed the show professor. ", Mikhael froze the professor in a second and confused his mind. 'Moody' would only remember a simple discussion with no importance. Instead, the green robe smile. He found something interesting inside the faker memory. A plan involving the death of the savior was a nice surprise. The rise of the dark lord meant only one thing. He had to accelerate his plan. Summoning his house-elf, the student wrote a letter the creature had to deliver.
Navigating through the many layers of memories, the green robe couldn't find the portkey destination. The place where it should have been was blank. The fake Moody had altered his own mind and erased that part after crafting his fake cup. The student had to find another way.
The shack was small. Dilapidated, thick with filth, the habitation was a shabby poverty stricken place. The visitor stopped a few meters away. Seeing one of the founder descendant property, Mikhael couldn't help but superpose in his mind the shape of another building. Both reeked poverty, but this one was abandoned. Lowering himself, the wizard examined the trees and stones around the shack.
Still in place, the ward anchors protecting the house from thief were removed. The student summoned his five servants to enter the place while a third eye supervised the process from another angle. A dead snake was nailed to the front door. The ritual adept knew the location of the Horcrux and the skeletons lifted heavy maces before breaking the floor-boards in a united swing.
A cursed golden box revealed itself. Anyone not coming here would have to search everywhere to find it as powerful spells protected its location from detecting and summoning magic. The dark lord wasn't expecting that someone would come to retrieve his belonging with thanks to his own memories. Not willing to activate the compulsion charm and the withering curse from the ring, the wizard conjured a transparent container to put the golden box inside.
Placing the container inside his suitcase, the ritual adept retrieved a copy of the box. Focusing his magic, he cursed the box with similar protection, but added some explosive curses for when it would open. Giving the box to his servants to put it in the original place, he waved his arm and repaired the damaged floor-boards. His job here was done. One more, he thought.
The 20th of March was one day of the year when the daytime and nighttime shared the same duration. The equinox was a strong day for ritual, it symbolized the balance between opposite forces. Any magical practices during this period would gain a stabilization from the Magic itself. Having waited for this date, the ritual adept isolated himself deep into the Chamber of Secret.
Hidden in the water depth rested five skeletons of reptilian creatures. Summoning his gray servants, the wizard retrieved five barrels from his suitcase. The servant disposed the tall containers at an equal distance between each other before entering the barrels. The green robe traced a pentagram linking all the wooden cylinders. Summoning a dozen of silver knifes, he engraved runes of absorption and purification on the barrels.
Injecting his magic in the magical structure, the wizard witnessed the line and symbols glowing with power. Summoning his suitcase, Mikhael retrieved liters of red liquid. Following the wizard's will, all the blood filled the barrel and bathed the skeletons red. The student gritted his teeth. The large expense of magic was worth the price. Focusing his magic on the barrel top, he crystallized the blood.
For twenty-four hours, he had to inject the many containers with the offering blood and magic. Small pearls of sweat formed on the green robe's forehead. Eating a pill to replenish his magical reserve, he made sure to conserve the same amount of magic flowing in the ritual drawn. Two hours passed before the first crack resonated. The barrel containing the headless servant shook.
Levitating blood from the suitcase, the wizard filled the barrel to full capacity and add this time a magical core in the mix. The wooden container calm for a few minutes before the barrel to its right started showing signs of maturing for the second step. When the last barrel showed sign of the next step, the ritual adept threw a mouth of his own blood. The instant his concentration was off, the last barrel exploded.
A shield prevented any debris to hurt the wizard. Gritting his teeth, the wizard focused his magic to conglomerated the blood, the skeleton and repair the barrel at the same time as he separated a portion of the ritual pentagram to not interfere with the rest. Feeling not at his top condition, the ritual adept waved his hand. He stopped midway. Maybe he could finish it without having to sacrifice a rare ingredient.
Shaking his head, Mikhael summoned a small packet from his suitcase. Being overconfident in his own ability would do no good. With telekinesis he unfolded the brown wrapper. Crooked and dehydrated a red organ revealed itself. Feeling the magical property still strong, the ritual adept grabbed the unicorn heart. His teeth severed a portion before he masticated slowly to absorb the maximal quantity of magic.
Unlike the pill, the magical heart strengthened the wizard's passive regenerative ability to fill his magical reserve. With the gain, the student consumed a pill per hour instead of three he had done before. He couldn't upgrade his body too significantly with this method or his magic would reject it like it would make him either explode or undergo a deformation if he used another perpetual ritual on himself.
Establishing the mental link again with the large skeleton sleeping in the chamber deep water, the ritual adept commanded the undead dragons to his binding. His control over their movements and actions was as fluid as he had with his older servants. All around him, statues were destroyed. Toxic and corrosive breathes bathes the debris. Deploying their wings, the huge skeletons elevated their bodies in the air.
Inside Hogwarts castle, many classrooms were empty. The First Wizarding War had wound the magical population of Great Britain. The conflict lasted for years, officially it began in 1970 and ended in 1981, but the consequences were still visible with the low number of new students starting their magical education. Cuddling next to a window, two students watched the guards near the under-construction Quidditch Pitch.
" Fleur, can you promise me something ? ", Mikhael closed his eyes. He wasn't sure of the response he would get, but he would not forgive himself if he didn't try this approach. Hands forced his eyes open.
" It depends, says what you need my rude man. ", Fleur's hand caressed the wizard's cheek.
" Please, don't touch the Triwizard Cup. ", the wizard prepared himself mentally. If it went well it would be the best scenario, if not, he would have some preparation to make.
" What are... ", the witch froze. Looking at the green robe for a few seconds, she retracted her hand. " That's the third task ? ", she blinked. Her brows rose up forming a curved line. She clenched her fists. " Do you really believe I can't win ? ", the champion bared her teeth. The temperature went one degree hotter. " I can't believe it. ", she muttered before exiting the room.
The orphan followed the witch with his gaze. " As long as you stay alive. ", he turned his head toward one room's corner. He recognized the scent. He knew what was there. " That's all that truly matters for me. ", he focused his magic. The door closed up. In silence, the shadow offered a sad smile. A pop disturbed the peace. Red hair touching the ground faded away. Winky faltered with a letter in hand.
Tucked away in northwestern London, a twenty-minute walk from King's Cross Station, stood two figures at the number twelve, Gimmauld Place. That Unplottable location was the ancestral home of the Black family, located in the Borough of Islington. Under disillusionment, the two newcomers entered by the front door. As soon as the entrance was opened, the family house-elf, Kreacher showed its head.
Mikhael focused his will to freeze the creature. Unable to move, the house-elf couldn't resist the unforgivable. Kreacher popped out and came back with a bounded Sirius. The creature popped out once more. The ex-prisoner in sleeping clothes froze when the disillusionment dissolved to reveal the newcomers' identities. " You ! You can't be here... ", Sirius jerked his head toward his cousin.
" Sirius, Sirius, good Sirius, you didn't change. Still as dumb as a dog are you ? ", Bellatrix probed her cousin's shoulder with her wand.
" Sirius, control yourself. ", Mikhael tempered the unprepared wizard's memories before releasing him from his binding. " Bella, your appearance. ", the green robe waved his arm. Bellatrix's black robe was free of any cut and bloodstains. Facing the Black heir, the student conjured flame to burn away the unclean beard. " Both of you, keep low-profiles and prepare yourself. ", Mikhael caught the locket of heavy gold with a serpentine S thrown by the house-elf.
" Yes my lord. I do as you please. ", Bellatrix bowed low. When she rose, she reset the elf memories.
Smiling, the ritual adept closed the door and conjured a silver blade. Both older wizard and witch present their back to the green robe. The cold metal carved the flesh. Not many runes were engraved, but all of one on the back of Erised Mirror were represented. He had the knowledge to make the dark mark, but to truly activate it, the subject had to be willing to take it and kill someone. Imperiused and memories altered individuals couldn't receive the mark.
The Room of Requirement presented a hundred of fighting dummies. Each of the dummies had a target painted on their bodies, either it was on their head, shoulder, belly, back, leg or arms. Firing cursed, the dummies damaged the reinforced stone as armored skeletons avoided the spell or deflected them with their shield. Swinging heavy maces, the servants percussed the different targets. In half an hour, all the dummies were destroyed. The room generated another hundred of fighting dummies with ten more. This time, the mechanical motions from the dummy were smoother, faster and more accurate.
Among the noise of breaking stone, shattering wood and explosions, the ritual adept finished raising four flesh golems. Conjuring binding chair, the wizard repeated his security procedure, severing the tongues, vocal cords, legs and arms to all his clone except for two who were supposed to wear the Gaunt's Ring. Bounded to the chairs by magic and ropes, the clones were unable to resist.
Opening the golden box first, Mikhael steeled his will to not put the cursed ring on his finger. The Horcrux floated into the first clone with only one finger to his lone arm. As soon as the metal touched the skin, dark spots appeared on the clone's hand. The black taint didn't stop and overflown the arm. Unable to twitch, the clone forced all his strength against the binding.
The skin withered under the black color. Trashing as best as it could, the flesh golem cease to move when the curse flew on his chest. The wizard reduced the dead into ashes. The last protection on this ring was avoided. With his telekinesis, he set up the other clone with only one arm before putting the ring on its lone finger. At the same time, the two other clones were bound to their chairs.
One wore the Slytherin's Locket on his neck, the second bit the Hufflepuff's Cup with his mouth and the last one trashed with the ring on his finger. Using the mental link and the mind arts, the wizard entered through the clones' head to reach the Horcrux mental spaces. Similar to the diadem own defense, the cup, ring and locket used the Hogwarts castle as a memory structures.
Each cursed object held the global memories from the dark lord, but each also contained a specific knowledge. The diadem was the creation of the dark mark. For the cup, all the memories when the dark lord was working in the Knockturn Alley and traveling countries were detailed day to day in contrast to the general idea kept in the other Horcrux. The locket contained a strange piece of information. After killing the savior, the dark lord intended to make a living Horcrux to further his knowledge. If he was successful, he would have tried in the end to make the earth itself the container to his soul.
Hours of burning mental creatures and ransacking mind castle, the green robe conjured flames to burn away the three clones and the chairs. Watching over his shoulder, he counted around five to six hundred broken dummies laying on the cold floor. With a waved of his arm, all his servants flew into his hand as five silver rings. Patterns and armors drawing decorated the previous clear rings.
Exiting the place, Mikhael directed himself toward the Viaduct Courtyard. Despite the moon claiming the sky, a blond head sketched in her notebook. This time the girl was facing an arch instead of the fountain. Making no sound, the wizard waited for the witch to finish her activity. " Hie Micky, want to swim in the lake ? ", the witch's beamed at the nonvocal agreement. The orphan grabbed the younger girl's hand.
The day before the Third Task, Mikhael followed the female champion as she was walking from the Great Hall toward her school's carriage. She was alone in the corridor. Not willing to stun her, the green robe dissipated his disillusionment. Seeing him, Fleur clenched her fists and turned away. Expecting that reaction, the orphan sprinted and lifted her on his shoulder.
" What are you doing ! Release me ! ", waving her wand, the foreign witch casted spells but none work on the aggressor. Kicking the door of an empty classroom, the green robe put the girl on her feet. He closed the door. Still fuming, the champion rose her had and slammed it on the wizard face. This time no shield was erected. Her palm hit true. She screamed.
With a red face, she bit her lips. She shot her fist on the green robe torso, but stopped after three attempts. Her fingers and wrists ached. " Rude man, rude man, rude. ", Fleur leaning forward. Her head rested on Mikhael's chest, the magic she detected coming from the wizard was still intoxicating as ever. It was now even more potent than the last time. Her ears weighed a bit more.
Conjuring a mirror, Mikhael showed the girl the two silver earrings. Taking the shape of dragons with sapphire eyes, the gift was half a finger-size. Showing the reflect from a left, right, top and bottom angle, the wizard let the champion enjoyed the details. He was happy. She would be safe. Dispelling the mirror, the orphan put the witch in his embrace. She didn't resist. In her back, he punctured a small hole and retrieved two blood drops which floated and melted into the earrings.
They stayed in the same position until Fleur's stomach growled. Shades of red colored her face. " Now, bad girl needs a punishment. ", the wizard blew some air on the girl's ear. The earing glowed with a red aura.
Before the task began Moody went into the maze to place the Tri-Wizard Cup. Unknown to anyone, a shadow confused the fake professor. In the evening of the 24th of June, music played before a large crowd taking seats in the stadium facing the maze. The champions were waiting in their tent with their family members and close friends. Fleur reassured her father and mother Apolline Delacour would stand firm as their eldest daughter was one of the best contestants. Smiling, she remembered the private moment she had with Mikhael a few minutes earlier.
Dumbledore called for the champions to come before his eyes. A hint of sadness decorated his face as only four candidates were present. " Earlier today Professor Moody placed the tri-wizards cup deep within the maze. Only he knows its exact position. ", the headmaster waved his hand. The maze entrance divided itself into four paths. The order to enter the Third Task was according to the champions scores and the difference in score equal ten seconds per point before the champion could participate.
The crowd cheered for each champion. " The first person to touch the cup will be the winner. I've instructed the staff to patrol the perimeter, if at any point should a contestant wish to withdraw from the task he or she need only send up red sparks with their wands. Contestants, gather round. ", the headmaster descended from his seat and waved at the public.
" In the maze you'll find not dragons or creatures of the deep. Instead you'll face something more challenging. You see, people change in the maze. Oh find the cup if you can, but be very weary you could just lose yourselves along the way. ", Dumbledore patted Cedric and Harry shoulders.
" On the count of three... One... ", facing the crowd the headmaster count to three and Fleur entered the maze first. Few seconds later Cedric, Viktor and Harry followed. The music calmed down. Some bets were made. Mikhael fixed the maze with a third eye floating above the sky. Nothing could go wrong, he thought. He made all the necessary preparation.
An hour and half of sitting on wooden benches discouraged many students. Some just went back to the castle to get food, others took out a book and the rest stayed to discuss next to the stadium. Red sparkles colored the sky. A team of ministry security agents went inside the maze. The crowd gathered back to the stadium. The first contestant to come back was an unconscious Krum.
Two ranks away from a cursing Karkaroff, Mikhael scanned the doubtful mind of his Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. The faker didn't curse his failed plan, instead, Moody' was preparing a second plan. He would congratulate Harry or cheer him up in his office before activating the portkey. A flash of light illuminated the maze entrance. Holding the tri-wizards cup in her hand, Fleur jumped in the air. " I did it ! I did it ! ", she hugged her little sister who sprinted the moment she saw her.
" Congratulation Miss Delacour. You are the winner of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. You can be proud of yourself. ", the headmaster made signs with his hands. The three heads of schools and the Minister for Magic of Great Britain each shook hands with Fleur. At the same time, two teams of ministry security agents entered the maze to retrieve the other two contestants.
Mikhael canceled his third eye and mind probing. She was safe. Bracing the crowd of supporters, the green robe reached the female champion. Meeting again, the witch relaxed her forced smile. She kissed the orphan cheek. " Wait for me in the tent. I'm pregnant. ", Fleur shook his hands like the many students before, but threw a weak kick on his ass. Taking his time, Mikhael conjured a fluffy chair in the champions' tent and started conjuring invisible weapons. Runes were engraved on the many blades. He could become a father. His water disturbed his sight.
Harry, Cedric and the group of patrolling wizards exited the maze. Hogwarts students cheered without conviction the return of their champions. Rita Skeeter quickly grabbed Harry arms. Forced to move to the stadium for a photo, the young champion was followed by Cedric and Moody. The professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts grumbled. As all the champions took the pose for the photo, Dumbledore, Maxime, Karkaroff and Moody stood behind them.
The first photo wasn't at the reporter's taste. She found it a bit lacking. She ordered the champions to put their arms on the shoulder of their neighbor. It displayed a comradely feeling. Still not satisfied with the pose, Skeeter demand for the cup to be lifted higher. Moody cursed at the woman and moved to the first rank to get the cup and showed it in the second rank as the reporter instructed.
The moment Moody grabbed the cup, he whispered a spell. The cup was replaced with the desired replica while the faker's hand captured the savior collar. Space twisted and all four champions and Moody disappeared.
Many graves covered by ivy and moss displayed unreadable names that faded with time. Several gravestones were tilted or sunken into the ground when space was distorted. Falling on the hard earth among a number of stone steps, the four champions and Moody caught their breaths. Not wasting a second, the faker infused his staff with magic. Disoriented, Cedric and Viktor didn't see the spell that came toward their chests.
By luck, Fleur was propelled meters away with the apparition. She saw her fellow champion fell on the mud. They wouldn't rise again. Jumping to her right, she avoided a flash of green. Not fully understanding the situation, she conjured a magical shield and summoned debris around her to intercept the spell flying toward her position. Moody fell on the ground. He convulsed.
Not risking to get closer, Fleur was going to cast a stunner when she heard the killing curse coming from her back. The dragon earrings fell from her head. In less than a second two winged skeletons stood in the curse's path. A bright red aura covered the creatures. The green curse impact one of the dragons. The left wing exploded. The red aura dimmed down. Roaring unnatural sound, the two skulls fixed the killing curse user.
Casting a second one, the ugly wizard turned his back and flew away, not watching if he hit true or not. Sound of weighs falling on the ground reverberated. The wizard forced his legs to move even if his lungs were on fire. He had to run away. He didn't want to die. He couldn't let any harm falling on the wrapped clothes in his arm. His back was soaked with cold sweat.
A corrosive breath melted all the gravestone behind the fleeting wizard. Flapping its wing, the intact dragon rose in the sky and shot a poisonous ball of green and black substance. The ball impacted a ground mausoleum near the wizard. Splashing on the monument, the liquid dissolved the stone. Few drops flew in the air. The running wizard squealed in pain as his back showed holes reaching his bones through his clothes and skin. The red aura around the dragon was faint now.
Fleur exhaled. Her chest rose and fell. Seeing the giant bones creatures, she wasn't sure how to feel. Happy to be alive, angry to have been tricked and sad. Hearing a groan, she turned her head to her left. Next to a death statue, the youngest champion was going back to his senses. The witch wasn't sure how to explain the undead dragons. As she hurried helping Harry to get up, the two bones creatures dissipated into smoke. Where they stood, two silver earring remained.
" Love you, my rude man. ", harboring a smile, the female champion collected her last gift. She barely touched the second silver object when her body convulsed. She fell on the ground. Eyes opened in surprise. Harry screamed, but he soon lost consciousness.
A deep cut forced the young savior to regain his consciousness. A man he did only see in his dream and at the Quidditch World Cup final was collecting drops of the champion's blood with a knife. Smiling all ears, the pale, slightly freckled skin abductor let the blood fell over a cauldron. " The dark lord shall rise again. ", the wizard stepped back. Next to him, Wormtail squealed as his back hurt and one of his hands was missing.
The cauldron burst into flames and a reformed Voldemort emerges. The inhuman body was covered by a robe made of tangible darkness. Appreciating the feeling of having a real body again, the dark lord caressed his noseless head before facing his two minions. " Wormtail, your arm. ", the dark lord reprimanded the cowardly servant and seized the marked arm before applying his wand on the Dark Mark.
Four shadows popped into existence. " Welcome my friends. Thirty years it's been, and yet you stand before me as though it were only yesterday. I confess myself disappointed, not one of you tried to find me. ", the dark lord began slashing angrily at the hooded figure. He stopped at one in particular. " Not even you, Lucius. ", the mask was dissipated and revealed the proud pure-blood.
" My lord. Had I detected any sign or even a whisper of your whereabouts... ", the death eater couldn't finish his sentence. His master threw a curse. A tombstone exploded. " There were signs my friend, and more than whispers. ", the dark lord found the corpse of a champion. His foot showed him the face of Cedric. His lips lifted up. He stomped on the face.
" I can understand for our spy, but for the other, explain Lucius. Where are they, do they not seek my return, our noble cause ? ", the dark lord waved his wand. Crabble, Goyle and Avery trashed on the ground. The last death eater that responded to the call stayed still, Lucius didn't dare to anger his master. The dark lord let out a giggle. He loved how his magic felt through his new body, how his useless servants contorted between stones debris. Maybe they weren't useful at all.
" My lord, I tried to the best of my ability but Macnair vanished two years ago. Nott, Travers, Thorfinn, Gibbon and Yaxley disappeared before September. I'm not even sure if they are alive. ", Malfoy tried to keep a firm front but his eyes expressed fear. Witnessing that fear, the dark lord caressed his snake. He produced hissing sounds. Nagini shook her head.
" Lucius, bring Nagini to your manor. She needed to rest, understood ? Barty, prepare the home for my glorious return. ", Voldemort commanded his snake to wrapped around the blond wizard leg. Trembling, Malfoy grabbed Barty's arm and apparated away with the snake. Waving his wand, the dark lord molted a silver hand and fused it with his coward servant. A pained sound caught his attention.
" Harry ! I'd almost forgotten you were here. Standing on the bones of my father. I'd introduce you but word has it you're almost as famous as me these days. The boy who lived. How lies have fed your legend Harry. Shall I reveal what really happened that night thirteen years ago ? Shall I divulge how I truly lost my powers ? It was love. You see when dear sweet Lily Potter gave her life for her only son she provided the ultimate protection. I could not touch you. It was old magic, something I should have foreseen. But no matter, no matter. Things have changed, I can touch you now ! ", Voldemort puts his hand on Harry's head and he screamed.
The dark lord stepped back. Glee harbored his face. He waved his wand. The statue holding the living champion released him. " Pick up your wand Potter. I said pick it up, get up. Get up ! You've been taught how to duel I presume, yes ? First we bow to each other. Come on now Harry the niceties must be observed, Dumbledore would not want you to forget your manners now would he ? I said bow ! ", Voldemort forced Harry to bow with magic.
Not giving the savior any time to recover, the dark lord casted an unforgivable at Harry. The champion wriggled in pain. " I don't understand Harry. You are nowhere my equal. Only one student picked my interest for his magical prowess, and it wasn't you. Don't you turn your back on me Harry Potter, I want you to look at me when I kill you, I want to see the lights leave your eyes. ", the dark lord ordered his four death eater to let the boy who lived face him.
Before both could streamed their wand with magic, space distorted. The newcomer influenced the ambient magic, but didn't attack anyone. Mikhael summoned dozen of shields around him as well as a third eye scanning the graveyard at the same time as he deployed his wings and coated himself under a layer of disillusionment. The ritual adept rushed toward a broken tombstone. He was too late. Among the debris, the warm body laid immobile. For a second, he wished she was just asleep. She wasn't. his invisibility was fading. One spell came his way. Hitting the barrier, the spell dissipated. Fire immolated flesh. A scream echoed. Kneeling, his fingers closed her eyes. One tear had left a humid trace on her cheek. His chest was heavy. The ground trembled.
" Damn you Mikhael, Potter is gone. ", the dark lord waved his wand. Green light flew toward the student. Block of earth intercepted the deadly curse. Voldemort screamed. Transfiguring the tombstone into a giant snake, he watched as the animal was incinerated. The dark lord stopped. Many white hands grabbed two of his servants into the abyss. This spell was one he studied in his youth. Waving his wand, the earth closed up.
" That was some nasty curses. ", advancing toward the student, the dark wizard tilted his head. The anger was still present in his mind, but the prospect of a new and powerful follower started to grow. That seed showed great ability as Crabble, Goyle and Avery died in the exchange. The dark lord remembered that discrete student when he was hosting inside Quirrell's body. The dark aura now, was leagues thicker.
" You can fool other, but not me. ", the reborn wizard conjured water to extinguish the fire covering Wormtail. The flames burned the water. Melted bones and muscles fell on the earth. The dark lord revealed his long teeth. Green light stuck the remaining death eater present. Seeing his last servant in this place dying, Voldemort clapped his hands. No light wizard would use the death curse.
The dark lord apparated a few meter aways. Hundred of blades pierced the place where he stood a second earlier. " Whatever you do or try, it won't work. ", one foot away from the orphan, Voldemort rose his arm. He was immortal. He couldn't die. " Do you fear death Mikhael ? ", the yew, phoenix feather core wand glowed green.
Embracing the colder body, the orphan didn't lift his head. " I do. ", his sight was blurred. White puddles formed around the corpse. He tightened his arms around her back. That was a sick joke, he prayed. She couldn't. He couldn't. Not like that, something blocked his throat.
" Join me. ", the greenish light dimmed. " She is only one girl. ", the dark lord's magic forced the orphan to meet his stare.
Tears pearled from his eyes. It was finished. " I... her. ", the round iris concentrated in the center. The form shifted into a vertical slice. Screaming in pain, the reborn wizard peeled away. The yew wand fell. His clothes and flesh dissipated in particles. Ashes touched the ground. Dark clouds rose. Condensing from the black smokes, red eyes fixed the student. The wraith-like wizard screeched.
Advancing toward the orphan, the ethereal dark lord was blocked by thousands of white dots. The many maggots buzzed their wings and tromps. Diminishing by second, the wraith flew away. The incorporeal body traverse through the silver cage. Its speed was faster than the white bugs. One hundred and twenty-one conjured chains of carved irons slashed the ghostly wizard without entrapping his escape. The engraved runes of purification only made the ghostly creature squealed in suffering.
Black flame licked the wraith back. Howling in pain, the creature left behind more than half of its smoke to enter the ground. Fixing the earth, Mikhael commanded his magic to rampage. The air dried. All the tombstones, graves, statues and threes around him dissipated in ashes. A crater of three hundred meters circle and half in depth was empty of anything. Floating above the ground, his third eye zoomed all around the zone. There was no wraith-like creature in the air, the ground, north, east, south and west.
Deploying his wings toward the last place where the dark lord's shadow was, the wizard detected traced of spatial distortions. Sound of loud cracks reverberated. Clouding the zone with dust smokes, Mikhael disillusioned himself and forced himself to let go of Fleur's body. He deposed her corpse on a clean spot before appariting away. The headmaster in the company of the minister and ministry security agents coughed as they winded the place to reveal the devastation.