"Harry!" screamed Daphne, earning only the screams of her boyfriend as a reply. Much like Dobby, Scylla, and even Zael and Kael, she was trying to free herself, but with no success. She widened her eyes when she saw the seven unknown people appear out of thin air, especially when the one with a strange leather book at his waist and carrying a dark staff took a dagger from his robes and walked towards Harry. Daphne tried harder to break the bone chain spell, wanting to do something to help and protect Harry, but nothing seemed to work.
The hierophant approached them at a steady pace with the dagger in his hand, mumbling the words of the ritual. In his mind there was only the ritual to bring his master's greatness into the world of the living once again, as a real god of death and undeath. That, and his master's victory laugh.
"HARRY!" called Daphne over his screams, just before the spell fire started all around them. Several new people appeared in the graveyard and started to curse the cultists, some of them running with weapons in hand amidst the colourful spells crossing the air.
"MEHARJHAI!" many of the newly arrived warriors shouted, and most of the cultists broke their chanting, turning their magic on their age-old enemies with a snarl.
"Protect the ritual circle!" snarled Varrard'Thoth as he recognized their enemies' war cry. Raising his staff, a wall of purple flames appeared and separated the cultists and their prisoners from the Meharjhai. "Complete the chanting!" he shouted again, raising the dagger and turning to Harry with a distressed look.
Daphne widened her eyes as she heard the war cry of the new arrivals. If those were the Meharjhai, then it was quite obvious who the people attacking them were. When their leader turned once again to Harry wielding the dagger, she tried even harder to free herself, but was unable to escape.
She ignored everything else around them: the purple flames separating the Meharjhai from them, the spells flying through the air, the screams and cries, some of the Meharjhai warriors wielding their weapons, jumping over the purple flames with the help of some of their wizard companions' magic, while the others cast their own curses to counter their enemies' and tried to bring down the flame wall...
She didn't notice the glowing red traces in the ground or that some of the tombs exploded, revealing previously prepared inferi rising from the earth to fight their master's enemies. All she focused on was Harry, who had stopped screaming in pain but seemed to be spasming on the ground, and the cultist standing over Harry with the dagger.
"HARRY!" she screamed again to no avail, her own scream heard over Dobby's and Scylla's hiss. The latter was trying to gaze at the monkey threatening her pet but was unsuccessful, for the simple reason the man's eyes never crossed Scylla's.
"I know not why you are so important to my master... but Rhassel'Thoth will rise once again!" the man mumbled in his native tongue, raising the dagger over Harry's spasming chest, "Your life for..."
"NO!" Dobby screamed, a surge of magic coming from him and successfully blowing up the bone chains around himself. He raised his hands against the man and a blue flash threw the hierophant away from Harry, giving him enough time to free the others from the chains.
Now free from their chains, Zael and Kael darted towards the hierophant, who was already on his feet and directing a glare towards the elf and the group. Dobby stood in front of his master, who was still on the ground, and Daphne knelt beside Harry while Scylla took her place at Dobby's side, intending to protect her pet.
"Harry!" Daphne called, casting a few minor medical charms she had learnt from Madam Pomfrey in the previous months, but to no avail.
"Mistress, we need to take the master away from here," Dobby said, casting a red spell which splashed against the hierophant's red shield. With but a wave of his staff, the hierophant cast a purple spell that blew Zael into pieces, and a yellow one into Kael. The yellow spell was intended to subjugate the massive snake to his will and have it on his side. Unfortunately for him, Kael was not a living creature, but a golem. The yellow spell splashed against the powerful jaws of the fast-approaching snake, and Varrard'Thoth was barely able to save himself by casting a blue curse that destroyed the golem's head.
"You will not stop me!" the man shouted in anger, the red shield shimmering around him.
Daphne turned to the hierophant, seeing the two snakes' bodies near him and recognized the red shield around him from Harry's memories of his encounter with Titania.
"Dobby, that shield stops all kinds of magic," Daphne told him, "Use indirect or physical attacks." At once, Dobby threw a tombstone against the hierophant, who was forced to cast a spell to blow it into pieces. Then a powerful blue spell splashed against the hierophant's shield, and everyone's attention was drawn to the newly arrived older man, who stood before Dobby and Varrard'Thoth.
"Elf, take your master and your mistress and leave this place," the older man ordered in barely a whisper, defending himself from a purple curse from the hierophant, "That scum is mine."
"Wards were raised," Dobby replied, not recognising the older man from their previous life.
"Then stand back," the man replied, and focused on the battle with the hierophant. Dobby looked back and noticed a hissing Scylla next to him. Daphne was still at Harry's side, looking very protective and concerned.
~BREAK~
Harry saw himself in the centre of a cave. Not just any cave, but the Chamber of Secrets in his own mind.
Normally, that wouldn't be any surprise. The surprise was the fact that he seemed to be ethereal, and that all around him a maelstrom of magic was raging, a maelstrom that seemed to be centred around himself. Then he looked up and saw a black and green shadow entering his mind through a rip in the ceiling, which was being fought back by the maelstrom of magic and, surprisingly, a flying Bael, supported by his magic.
The shadow seemed to be winning against Bael and the maelstrom, which seemed to be receding.
"What the hell?!" he said to himself, unable to find an expression strong enough to describe his feelings on what was happening in his mind.
"Do something!" Harry heard his own voice shout, "I know you can't listen to me but do something! Stop him! Fight him!"
"Who is there?" Harry asked in surprise, looking around and seeing no one else.
"You can hear me?" the voice asked in surprise.
"Yes..." Harry replied, recognizing the surprise in the voice.
"Then do something! They can't do it alone and I can't help!" the voice replied, and Harry felt the anger in the voice directed at him, "Fight the shadow. Help them as they helped you!" Harry didn't move, stunned by what was happening. "Please... help them..." the voice whispered one last time.
Harry just tried to focus his magic against the incoming shadow of the invader, not understanding what was happening, knowing only that having dark shadows invade his mind was a bad thing.
~BREAK~
"There is something in him..." Dobby said, feeling something blocking the link with his master, "Something dark, evil and powerful," he shivered.
"Is... is it..." Daphne mumbled in shock, unable to believe. They had levitated Harry's body and were running from the battle, having no interest in being a part of it. "The Thoth?" Dobby nodded, very concerned.
"How?" Daphne asked and Dobby shrugged, noticing the glowing red lines on the ground among the tombstones.
"A ward?" Dobby thought, following a line with his eyes to a tombstone, near which a savage looking warrior of the Meharjhai just ripped the head off an inferi with his own hands. "It's not just a ward line... it's an artificial ley line... a ritual line, and all rituals can fail with the slightest tampering."
Formulating a plan, Dobby turned to Daphne with a face of pure resolve.
"Mistress, if I don't return, tell Harry that it was an honour for me to serve him. I wish him all the best, and make sure he lives a happy life. He deserves it."
"What?" Daphne asked, as Dobby drew a knife and started to run along one of the red lines. Scylla hissed in surprise, seeing Dobby running away from Harry, and Daphne was shocked, not able to do anything but watch Dobby leave.
Dobby cast a spell that blew a leg from an inferius attacking a Meharjhai and cast a fireball curse against an enemy wizard, who was overpowering an ally wizard. Dobby reached the tombstone he had identified, and with a quick check he saw several hieroglyphs carved into the base. Dobby groaned. He couldn't read the hieroglyphs, so he had no way of knowing what purpose they served. That left only one option.
The desperate one.
Dobby cast a curse at the tombstone, reducing it to rubble in a flash. The red lines vanished, and everyone felt the magic surge in the graveyard, causing a select few to smirk in satisfaction. A huge explosion threw Dobby against another tombstone and the elf hit his head, feeling drained before becoming unconscious. His last conscious thoughts were that the tombstone was no mere node of the ritual...it was also a trap.
~BREAK~
Daphne saw Dobby being thrown back against the tombstone and gasped as she saw one of the cult's witches notice her. The woman used a yellow curse on one of the Meharjhai warriors, and Daphne saw and heard the man scream as his skin rotted and melted at the same time. With a crazed growl, the witch turned to Daphne and raised her wand against the younger witch, who wasted no time and cast a curse of her own. The elder witch slapped Daphne's curse aside with a shield and tried to subdue her with an Incarcerous-like curse. Daphne dodged the spell and cast three high level curses, a Bone Breaker, a Lightning Spear, and a Confringo, all of which the elder witch defended.
"Is that it?" the eldest witch mocked in heavily accented English, "Is that the best the famous Daphne Greengrass can do?"
"You know my name, but I don't know you," Daphne replied with a scowl, not knowing what to do.
"I am Jarissa Anivari, and I will deliver you to the great one in chains as he requested of his servants. I don't know what he wants with you, but the ritual is nearly finished. Today, through the vessel of your boyfriend, Rhassel'Thoth will return."
"No..." Daphne gaped in shock. She suspected something from the necromancer, but she definitely didn't suspect that. "I will not let you touch Harry."
"It's not like you have a choice, little girl," the woman spat, amused. "Lower your wand and surrender, and I will show you mercy."
"No!" Daphne spat in anger, casting a few spells, which were all defended by the other witch. Daphne quickly felt her anger turn to fear and desperation as her opponent blasted a tombstone next to her.
"I will say it again, surrender and IAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Jarissa cried out in pain, feeling sharp fangs pierce her thigh. Jarissa looked down in pain, and the last thing she saw was the yellow eyes of Scylla, her fangs pumping venom into her flesh. By the time Daphne's desperate Cutting Curse hit her neck, the older witch was already dead.
"Impressive," a new voice said from behind Daphne, and she turned back to see a blonde woman kneeling before Harry.
"Who are you!" Daphne almost shouted in surprise, her wand shakingly turned against the newly arrival.
"My name is unimportant. All you need to know is that I am an enemy of your enemy, and that I can be your friend. I can also help your boyfriend."
"You're a Meharjhai!?" Daphne stated, although the question mark was heard by the woman, who raised an eyebrow.
"I am... How do you know that name?"
"Does it matter?" Daphne replied, her wand having stopped shaking.
"I guess not," the woman replied with a soft smile to Daphne, turning to Harry. "I can help your boyfriend on my own, but with your help it will be easier."
"How?" Daphne asked, kneeling in front of the woman, next to Harry. Scylla slithered next to her, still suspicious of the new woman, but if her pet's mate trusted her, Scylla would too.
"He's under a heavy possession," the woman replied, "The very easy way to deal with it is to kill the vessel..." Daphne growled at that, and the woman smirked. "I don't like it, as I am a healer and a priestess. I prefer to exorcise the vessel, no matter how hard it can be. I don't like to waste innocent lives, unlike some of my companions."
"What... What do you need me for?" Daphne asked, and the Meharjhai took her left hand, telling her to put her right one on Harry's chest.
"Don't worry," the woman said as her hands started to glow golden, making Daphne feel warm. "Focus on your boyfriend and call to him. I will take care of the rest."
~BREAK~
Harry felt the pressure of the foreign shadow on his body, his magic, and his soul. He somehow knew that if the shadow won, whatever it was, he would be doomed.
The pressure increased, and droplets of sweat fell from his ethereal brow. He knew he was losing the battle and didn't know what to do to prevent it.
"We're going to die, aren't we?" the voice asked in resignation.
"No!" Harry growled and tried to push his magic against the shadow.
"They were able to protect us that other time but he's too strong for them now," the voice told him, and Harry raised an eyebrow. "Not even with their help you can fight him."
"Who are they, and who is this he?" Harry asked, "And who are you?"
"You don't know..." the voice mumbled.
"What?" Harry asked.
"I think he is your enemy from your other life," the voice said, and Harry almost gaped in anger.
"Oberon and Titania?" Harry growled.
"NO!" the voice shouted. "The necromancer. The Thoth something."
"Rhassel'Thoth?" Harry widened his eyes, looking to the shadow above him.
"Yeah..."
"HOW?!" Harry shouted, and fear could be heard in his voice, especially when the shadow pushed harder.
"I don't know," the voice replied.
"Who are you?" Harry asked more demanding, "Why are you in my head?"
"Your head?" the voice replied in anger, "Last time I checked, this was my head. You were the one that forced your way in and trapped me in my own body."
Harry's eyes widened at that.
"You... you're..." Harry mumbled in shock, "That's..."
"I am you. I am the Harry Potter who existed before you came back and trapped me in my own body," the now identified voice claimed in anger. "One day I was brooding over my friend's betrayals, and suddenly I am trapped in my own mind, unable to do anything. I can't move, I can't talk, and yet I can see and experience what my body is doing with another controlling it. Then I was able to see your memories as if they were mine, and I discovered who you were and what happened..." the younger Harry's voice replied in anger, much to Harry's bafflement. He was brought from his surprise by another strike from the shadow above. "I hate you, you bastard," the voice said, before adding in a whisper, "... but I understand why you did all you did..." Harry didn't say anything for several moments.
"We...we merged...we should have..." Harry replied.
"Not all of us did," the voice replied, as a sudden crack was heard. Harry looked up and saw Bael falling to the ground, its skull broken.
"Shit..." swore Harry at the sight.
"He's too strong..." younger Harry's voice replied in desperation, "What can we do?"
"I don't know..." Harry replied, as the pressure increased on his magic and himself, as the shadow came down to devour everything in its path. "I really don't know."
Harry looked to the shadow above, and for the slightest moment he believed he could see two glowing figures in the roaring maelstrom of his magic, fighting the shadow that apparently was Rhassel'Thoth.
"Harry!" a distant voice was heard, and Harry recognized it as being Daphne's. "Harry, listen to me," the voice called again, "I love you, and you need to come back. You need to fight Rhassel'Thoth's possession. You need to come back."
"Daphne..." Harry mumbled to himself, somehow starting to feel warmer, the entire cave starting to warm up and glow, the sound of chanting starting to fill the cave. Harry felt a surge of benign magic and felt restored to his best.
"What is happening?" younger Harry's voice asked in awe, experiencing the same feelings.
"I don't know, but I won't waste this chance," Harry replied, redoubling his efforts. This time, assisted by the strange magic which seemed to hurt the shadow, Harry was able to push the shadow back.
In the maelstrom above, two empowered ethereal figures felt the pressure of the necromancer's advance relent, starting even to be forced to retreat.
~BREAK~
With a black curse, Varrard'Thoth killed his older opponent, who died with a scream of pain. The tired hierophant looked around and saw that four of his brethren were dead, although ten of the damned Meharjhai were also dead, either by spell or by inferius bite and claw. Of the inferi they had previously created only three remained, which were assisting his two remaining brethren, who were in a bit of a stalemate against wizards. Of the Potter boy, his master's intended vessel, there was no sign.
Varrard'Thoth had stopped feeling his master several minutes before and assumed all was well. When he felt pain and anger lashing out at himself, he feared things had gone wrong.
"KILL THEM! KILL ALL THE MEHARJHAI!" his master's voice shouted in his mind, forcing him to flinch under its power. "THEY DARED TO INTERFERE AND SABOTAGE MY PLANS! KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALL!"
"My Lord, most of your servants were killed," Varrard'Thoth informed, feeling his master's rage, "The rebirth ritual is crippled."
"THEN YOU HAVE FAILED ME!"
"My… my lord, I beg you for another chance. Your rebirth can still happen," Varrard'Thoth begged. "It is within your power..."
Rhassel'Thoth remained silent for a time, planning his next move. Thanks to his minion's failure, he had lost the chance to take Potter's body as his vessel. He could take another vessel, but the flesh was weak and would destroy itself in few days, unable to house his great power.
His greatest failure, perhaps... In all his power, in all his plans, he never accounted for the idea that his godlike self's soul and power would be unable to be housed in a mere construct, like Voldemort had done...and he had tried, for centuries even. He had lost several of his artefacts in the process, in exchange for a few days among the living. But now, with Potter, he had a chance to walk the earth once more, to use the boy's body in a carefully crafted ritual to rise once again.
He had no other chance, though.
"FULFIL YOUR OATH TO ME!" he ordered, and felt Varrard'Thoth's uneasiness for a small moment.
"You mean..."
"DO IT, MY SERVANT! PROVE YOUR LOYALTY TO ME!"
Varrard'Thoth's hands trembled as he fell to his knees. However, it was not out of fear, but of excitement.
"I have learned the words from my father, as his father before him," Varrard'Thoth mumbled to himself, happiness filling him at the thought of being chosen by his master. "I always believed in them...and I will live by them." Varrard'Thoth opened his robes, revealing the dark skin under it, and an ornate dagger. His hands clasped the hilt and lifted the dagger.
"My life for the Great One's return."
Varrard'Thoth stabbed himself in the chest, and at once felt magic from the dagger invading his body. Blood should have quickly poured from such a wound, but none flowed. It started with cold gripping his chest, making him gasp, and a shock took his body, making him open his arms wide and stiffen, looking to the sky, all the while feeling an immeasurable pain as his own soul and magic were consumed by his master. "My life... for… your... return."
Those were the last words spoken by Varrard'Thoth, Hierophant of the Followers of Rhassel'Thoth necromantic cult.
~BREAK~
"Harry!" Daphne called the moment Harry opened his eyes, which were now glowing an ominous yellowish green.
"Daph?" Harry asked in a rasp, feeling the girl's hug.
"My pet, you're awake," Scylla hissed, but her words weren't heard by Harry, who had heard another familiar voice that immediately grabbed his attention.
"Curious... That was...easy," the blonde woman spoke, her eyebrows raised in surprise. Harry turned to her and recognized her.
"Mother Danica..." Harry whispered, and the woman widened her eyes while Daphne looked surprised, looking from Harry to the blonde woman.
"How do you know my name, child?" Danica asked, curious but not overly concerned.
"The Thoth... is he...?" Harry asked, trying to get up before being immediately forced back down by Daphne. Harry noticed Danica shiver.
"I see you know things you shouldn't know," the woman spoke, "How in Moranna's name do you..."
"My life to stop his return," Harry spoke in an obscure language that Daphne didn't understand. She did, however, see the eyes of Danica widen.
"How?" she asked, and Harry shook his head.
"He tried something with me... he tried to possess me..." Harry spoke, and Daphne felt the fear and apprehension in Harry's words. "Why and how?"
"I know not, little brother," Danica replied, looking to Daphne. "You didn't tell me you were one of us."
"I'm not," Daphne replied, looking at Harry, still laying on the ground and looking up at her.
"Daphne needs to leave," Harry spoke, and Daphne looked at him, an angry retort forming on her lips.
"I have to leave?" she asked, "What about you?"
"I..." Harry started, only to be interrupted by Danica.
"You both need to leave," she spoke. "You have done enough today, and this battle doesn't need to be yours. Besides, we need to discover why the great enemy is interested in you, Harry Potter. Now, stay put and I will heal some of your wounds..." Danica spoke, starting to chant. Daphne was curious about the healing magic and didn't see Harry's thoughtful look.
"Harry, are you there?" Harry thought to himself. "Harry, do you hear me?" he asked, getting no response from his younger self in his mind.
"There, that should be enough to..." as Danica spoke, they all felt a surge of magic, a new power starting to form back among the tombstones where they had been. Danica looked shocked, Harry got up slowly from the ground, still sore and hurt, and Daphne shivered, feeling a power greater than Voldemort, Dumbledore, or even Harry.
"What is that?" Daphne asked in almost a whisper. Danica paled dramatically. Harry was unsure.
"You need to leave... NOW!" Danica shouted, only for them to see shots of purple light hit two Meharjhai and send them back, instantly dead. They looked to the source of the spell and saw none other than the hierophant with his back to them. A Meharjhai warrior wielding an axe shouted a war cry and charged against the wizard, only to be trapped in place mere seven steps from his target. One blackish green spell later and the man's body started to dry as if it were a piece of leather, losing muscle and mass. Within a few horrible moments for those who saw it, and pure agony for the victim, nothing but dust remained.
The "Followers" fell to their knees, all thoughts of battle forgotten. The few Meharjhai remaining, who had been winning the fight, stepped back. None saw their leaders around, and the last thing they saw were the purple flames appearing out of thin air, engulfing them.
They all died screaming.
"You have to leave!" Danica nearly shouted in fear, "Leave, now!" The hierophant turned back to the sound of the voice, having heard it in the distance. Daphne noticed the man had a dagger stuck in his chest and blinked, surprised.
Suddenly, the hierophant was only a few feet from them. Danica tried to cast a spell but with a wave of the hierophant's hand, her throat was slit. Harry drew his secondary wand, having no idea where his main one was, and cast a blue spell, only to have it splash against the familiar red shield.
Harry glared at the man standing between him and Daphne, his expression turning to one of shock when he saw the hierophant's eyes, which were now pure black.
"Harry Potter..." the man spoke in a low voice, and yet it seemed that the sound had not come from his mouth but from somewhere else, distant, and deeper. It was a dark voice, a sibilant one, and one that carried a lot of power.
Harry knew at once who or what was before them.
He had felt the same magic once before in his past life and once again in his own mind, as he was defending himself from the attack.
"You..." Harry whispered, and Daphne, who was terrified, saw something she never thought possible. Harry was nervous, and scared of the thing before him. Daphne gasped when the thing waved his hand and the both of them dropped their wands before being lifted in the air, their arms and legs spread, forming an X with their bodies.
"Harry!" Daphne called, trying to free herself, much like Harry.
Scylla attempted to attack the new enemy but was captured with a spell, her entire body immobile, as if she were under a Stunner.
"You are Rhassel'Thoth..." Harry spoke with a scowl. "How are you here? Why are you here?" Harry asked in anger. "What do you want with me? With us?" he asked, looking at Daphne out of the corner of his eye.
"From your woman, I want nothing," the Thoth spoke, walking towards Harry and grabbing his neck, making the teen look into his black eyes. "From you, I want your soul and your body. You will pay for destroying my artefact, and I will use your life and your flesh to create myself a new vessel. Soon, the world will bow before me once again."
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked with a scowl, "I destroyed nothing."
"Don't be an idiot, Harry Potter," Rhassel'Thoth replied with a mix of amusement and an irritated scowl. "Don't tell me you haven't figure it out already?"
"W-What?" Daphne asked, widening her eyes, attracting the attention of the necromancer as Harry widened his own eyes in shock.
"Daphne Potter, your wife..." Rhassel'Thoth spoke, "Younger than I remember from your memories, but unmistakable." He turned to Harry once again and noticed that his remaining servants had approached them.
"Great one?" One of them dared to ask in awe, only to receive an angered look from their lord and master.
"You failed me!" Rhassel'Thoth spoke, casting several spells. Each one found its mark and all of his servants died, much to the shock of Harry and Daphne. Then, the two of them saw the world shift, and suddenly all of them were near the cauldron where the "Followers" had been hidden.
"HOW!?" Harry shouted in anger and confusion, gaining the attention of the necromancer and of Daphne, "How are you here?"
"It was all thanks to you, Dark Lord Potter," Rhassel'Thoth mocked Harry, starting to bleed all the bodies into the cauldron.
"H-How?" Daphne asked in pure disbelief, as Harry gaped.
"I am the greatest wizard that has ever lived. I am a god of life and death, and I am immortal," Rhassel'Thoth proclaimed. "I crawled back from the pits where you sent me and recovered my power. I was weak for a long time, but soon I was able to establish a small link with my last tool and escape my torment. When you designed the ritual to come back, I followed, no matter how weak. I came back and merged my memories of my future self with those of my present self, and I planned my revenge and my return.
"Who was it?" Harry asked seething, "Who discovered it and betrayed me?"
"Who else?" Rhassel'Thoth asked in a condescending tone, "Yourself."
"W-What?" Harry asked shocked, as did Daphne.
"Did you really think you had won?" Rhassel'Thoth demanded in anger, "Did you really think you, an insignificant ant, could defeat me?" A yellow spell was cast against Harry and he screamed in pain. Daphne knew at once that it was way worse than the Cruciatus.
"Harry! Fight back!"
"He can't, Daphne Potter," Rhassel'Thoth spoke after some moments, lifting the spell and looking at Harry. "Not anymore. I admit, it was frustrating at times, especially at that Christmas holiday of yours, where you would attempt to kill yourself. Luckily my power grew and I was able to influence you enough to stop your whining, although not enough to do my bidding. Then a suggestion here, a small push there, and you started to look for a way to come back, just as I wanted. Well done, my loyal servant."
Rhassel'Thoth laughed as Harry paled and looked shocked. Daphne looked at Harry and saw the disbelief in her boyfriend's eyes.
"Harry, don't believe him!" Daphne demanded.
"And now, thanks to you, Harry Potter, I will walk this world again," Rhassel'Thoth proclaimed, noticing that all bodies had been fully bled to the cauldron, Danica's included. "I planned carefully for this day, and I even sent my servants to propose an alliance to your kin Voldemort. He was nothing more than a step in my plan, necessary to have you here."
"Those weeks ago, was it you?" Daphne asked, "Was it you when Harry had that weird attack?" Rhassel'Thoth scowled at Daphne's question.
"I was expanding my power and managed to establish a link... I was not expecting your strong defences," he said, glaring at Harry. "I decided to lay low after that, I needed to weaken you before I claimed you. All I needed was blood violently shed, on sacred ground and in my name..." he looked around. "Much was spilled here tonight, and even more... I needed a sacrifice of a soul with ties to the new vessel to power the transformation, hence the grooming of Voldemort for you to kill him, and finally, you, my new vessel, weakened and compliant. For a moment, I thought the Meharjhai would ruin everything and force me to speed things."
"What are you talking about?" Harry demanded, "How can I be your new vessel?"
"Because, Harry Potter, I claimed your soul that day in Longbottom Manor," Rhassel'Thoth spoke again with a laugh.
"You're lying," Harry spoke in defiance and anger, and Daphne looked shocked at Harry, not hiding a small tinge of pride on her boyfriend's behalf, while Rhassel'Thoth looked to Harry in anger. "I studied you. You lie, you corrupt, you always make yourself look greater than you are. You're not the god you claim to be, you're an overpowered maggot that should have turned to dust a long time ago."
"Careful now," Rhassel'Thoth threatened, "Words bring consequences."
"If you could do anything, you would have done it already," Harry replied defiantly. "As it turns out, you need me for something and I will NOT help you."
"You have no choice," Rhassel'Thoth replied with anger. He looked to Daphne and had an idea. "You are correct, though. I need you. I need only you, and even then, I only need your body. But what should I do with...her?" he asked, and Harry paled when he realized he was speaking of Daphne.
"Leave her out of this!" Harry shouted.
"You are not in the position of making demands, Harry Potter," Rhassel'Thoth replied, amused by the girl's fear and the boy's anger. "But never fear, I had a simple idea. Why should I risk possessing your body with only one soul to power the ritual, when I have your wife's soul right here?" he asked, and Harry paled.
"NO!" Harry shouted, as Rhassel'Thoth laughed.
"Now, should I have you kill her?" he asked, "Curse her as you did Voldemort? Or..." he laughed when he saw Scylla's body still under the spell. "Or, we can use your pet basilisk." He stretched his hand and the body of Scylla flew into it.
"No! Leave her alone!" Harry shouted in panic, trying to free himself from Rhassel'Thoth's magic. Daphne paled and closed her eyes, terrified. Rhassel'Thoth walked to Daphne, making sure Harry would see it and raised Scylla in the air, placing its head in front of Daphne, who still had her eyes closed.
"Wake up, basilisk," Rhassel'Thoth whispered, and the spell was lifted. Scylla twitched.
"Scylla, whatever you do, don't look at Daphne!" Harry shouted.
"My pet?!" Scylla asked, unable to move.
"Amusing," Rhassel'Thoth hissed back and Harry looked in shock at the body that contained the soul of the necromancer. "Use your glare with the girl and kill her."
"NO!" Scylla replied defiantly, realizing what was happening.
"You think you can defy me, little snake?" Rhassel'Thoth asked, casting a spell on Scylla that made the young basilisk hiss in pain. "Look at her and kill her, and the pain will stop."
"I will not kill my pet's mate," Scylla replied defiantly once again, and the necromancer chuckled, amused.
"Then I will force you..."
For her part, Daphne tried to ignore the hissing, keeping her eyes closed, thinking on what to do.
"Harry..." she whispered over the hissing of Scylla. Harry turned to her, worried, and saw a tear falling from a closed eye. "We're not going to survive, are we?"
"Of course we are, we..." Harry replied nervously, but Daphne ignored him.
"Whatever happens... I want you to know that I love you, and that I am very proud of all you did in both your lives."
"Stop talking like that, Daph," Harry ordered, fearing the worst. A Gryffindorish attitude from Daphne was not what he wanted.
"Even if we die today, thank you for this chance... For us..." she replied again, lowering her head.
"Daph..." Harry whispered, his eyes tearing. He tried his best to release himself, not wanting to accept that he would lose her again.
"Love..." Rhassel'Thoth rebuked in a mocking tone, "So pathetic... Now, open your eyes, Daphne Potter."
"DON'T OPEN YOUR EYES, DAPH! SCYLLA! CLOSE YOUR LIDS!"
Then, a blue spell splashed against Scylla, tossing the basilisk away from Daphne, surprising the three. Harry looked at the source of the spell, as did the necromancer. Daphne opened one eye at the commotion and the silence that followed it.
Leaning against one tombstone, tired and bleeding, was Dobby, holding two wands in his hands. His master's wands.
"Dobby!" called Harry, noticing the injuries on his best friend.
"You're still alive, elf?" Rhassel'Thoth asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
"I am a Potter elf, you expired mummy," Dobby retorted with some wheezing. "Leave my master and my mistress alone."
Rhassel'Thoth's response was a raised hand against the elf.
"I always rewarded loyalty," he spoke in a low tone, "I shall grant you a quick demise as a reward for your loyalty, even in the face of death."
"Before you kill me, you should know..." Dobby wheezed with a smirk, caught by Harry, "My master has one last servant to fight you."
Daphne raised an eyebrow at that and could swear that Harry gasped after listening Dobby's words...
"Shit..." Harry spat, having forgotten the secret weapon. Dobby smirked.
"Oh? And who would this be?" Rhassel'Thoth mocked in amusement, "You? Who are dying where you stand?"
"VAEL!" shouted Harry, as loud as he could, making the attention of everyone fall on him once again "COME FORWARD AND DESTROY YOUR MASTER'S ENEMIES!"
Two things happened then.
A magical surge happened near them, and a green pillar of magic surged against the sky. The light widened, and had what appeared to be lightning crackling within it. In the silence of the graveyard, they could hear the crackle of the magic and an ominous sound, as the light started to get darker and somehow began forming a shape of something huge. Something gigantic.
Daphne looked from the pillar of light to Harry, remembering a memory Harry had showed her during Christmas, a memory she hadn't really thought about in many months:
"You are Vael, the biggest and most powerful one, the strongest ever that can protect us and everyone else and fight the bad people," replied Daphy with a shy smile. "You're the Daddy."
Vael took the shape of a giant black snake. Daphne was amazed at its sheer size, Vael was much bigger than Bael and the basilisk of the Chamber of Secrets. She was able to see the emerald green eyes of the snake flaring as it took solid shape, as well as the sword-like fangs when it opened its jaws to roar, not hiss. Vael also differed from Bael, Zael, and Kael by having a large hood, which opened a moment before Vael threw itself against Rhassel'Thoth.
Daphne cried out seeing the giant snake throwing itself towards them, but to her relief she felt herself being summoned towards Dobby, who summoned Harry as well.
Rhassel'Thoth didn't realize they had been summoned away, as he was shocked with what he saw. He protected himself with a shield of pure magic, creating a sphere around him the moment before Vael fell on him, his mighty jaws closing around the necromancer. Vael rose its head and body in the air again, the necromancer in its mouth and shook itself, trying unsuccessfully to break the barrier.
On the ground, Daphne widened her eyes in shock at what she was seeing, already freed from the spell by Harry after Dobby returned him his wands.
"Daph, we have to leave," Harry spoke, after making sure Dobby was not too injured.
"That's Vael... You made Vael?" Daphne whispered in awe.
"Daph, we need to go. NOW!" Harry insisted, and Daphne shook herself, looking at Harry.
"You're right. Let's go," she replied, taking her wand from Dobby, who had retrieved it.
Vael roared again and an explosion occurred in its mouth. They saw something fall from it as Vael fell backwards on the graveyard.
"Shit, he's still alive?" Daphne spat with a tinge of fear.
"Daph, as much as I loathe the idea of putting you in danger, did you master Fiendfyre?" Harry asked in a serious tone, much to Daphne's shock.
"N-No, I didn't..." she replied, knowing what he intended.
"Too bad," he replied, pulling her to himself and kissing her in the lips with passion. "I love you too," Harry whispered to Daphne's ears. "I loved you for so long, I missed you all that time, and now that I have you, I will fight even harder."
"You...you can't." Daphne replied, holding his arm, fear in her face.
"I have a plan, Daph," Harry replied with confidence, and Daphne knew they had no other chance either way. They had to fight the necromancer. "Dobby, take care of Daphne."
"Of...course," wheezed Dobby, and Daphne frowned.
"I'm going with you."
Harry frowned at that, but Daphne's glare was enough to make him change his mind. "Just because I didn't master the spell, that doesn't mean I don't know how to cast it."
"If you can't control it..." Another glare. "Fine, stay safe until I start the fight. Then, you hit him as well." Daphne accepted the plan with a nod, and before they could share another kiss, a shout of anger was heard at the same time Vael started to twitch again.
With one last shared look, Harry started to run through the tombstones, curses on the tip of his wand, ready to be unleashed. He found the necromancer with his clothes torn, the dagger somehow still attached to the body's flesh, a broken leg that was in the process of being fixed by magic, and with severe wounds bleeding the already cold and viscous coagulating blood of Varrard'Thoth's body.
"POTTER!" the necromancer's soul in the body of his hierophant shouted in fury, before unleashing a lightning spell that Harry dodged. "I have had enough of your resistance!"
"Too bad," Harry fought back with several curses, "I couldn't help but notice your surprise when I summoned Vael. For one who claims to have manipulated my life, you sure didn't see that coming."
"Insolent little ant, I will claim your body and I will rise again!" Rhassel'Thoth angrily shouted once again, unleashing another barrage of spells.
"I don't know how you came back with me but as I caused this, I WILL fix this! MY LIFE TO STOP YOUR RETURN!" Harry shouted the Meharjhai motto, and Rhassel'Thoth growled.
"I should have known, Meharjhai scum!" the necromancer spat, as the fight continued. Harry tried to resist, but soon felt overpowered by the necromancer's spells.
A shadow jumped from the middle of the tombstones and attacked the vessel of the necromancer, grabbing the dagger's hilt in its jaws. If Scylla could have spat, she would've, since her actual target was the throat of her pet's enemy.
With one pull, Scylla dislodged the dagger from the body's chest, and as the dagger hit the ground, Rhassel'Thoth cried in anger and pain, feeling his own power fading, his hold over the body weakening.
Harry felt the change and charged ahead with his spells, making sure he didn't hit Scylla.
"Scylla, get away, now!" he shouted, and Scylla did as she was told, slithering away. Even with his power diminished, Rhassel'Thoth was a fearsome opponent.
"VAEL!" Harry shouted, and Vael rose its head once again, showing its jaw had been partially destroyed, but was not any less fearsome as a result of the damage. "BURN HIM!"
Harry didn't see it, but Daphne, who was waiting for the opportune time to strike, saw it perfectly. Vael's hood glowed golden with many runes carved in it, and the giant construct lowered what remained of its lower jaw. A torrent of fire, not normal fire but Fiendfyre, was expelled from Vael's mouth, engulfing Rhassel'Thoth.
The necromancer had raised the red shield and tried his best to endure the flames but was unsuccessful. The dagger was his anchor, used to maintain his hold over the body, and with it now dislodged from his chest his power was greatly diminished. He had to focus all of his magic on maintaining the shield to hold back the flames, and had no chance to attempt to recover the dagger or draw power from the tome at his waist.
"Curse you, Potter!"
"FIENDFYRE!" Harry shouted, and a second torrent of flames hit the necromancer before a third one came from the tombstones, cast by none other than Daphne.
"Go back to whatever pit you escaped," Harry shouted over the roaring sounds of the Fiendfyre, "Go back to whatever hell awaits you and leave the living alone!"
Feeling the shield cracking, Rhassel'Thoth saw himself possessed by anger and desperation.
If his two artefacts were destroyed, he would lose everything. He would lose all but the link with Harry, and he couldn't do anything with it, unlike what he had claimed. And once again, he was defeated by an ant. By a mere mortal who dared to challenge a god.
In anger and desperation, Rhassel'Thoth put all his power behind a black spell and cast it against Harry, who failed to see it through the flames. The screams of Rhassel'Thoth were joined by the screams of Harry Potter when the spell hit him.
"HARRY!" Daphne screamed in panic when she saw the black lightning hit, causing a dark flash around him.
"MY PET!" Scylla hissed when she saw what happened.
"MASTER!" Dobby shouted when he saw it, feeling his master's life fading over the bond they shared. Harry fell on the ground at the same time the flames consumed the body and the artefacts of Rhassel'Thoth.
"YOU MAY HAVE DESTROYED MY ARTEFACTS BUT YOUR LIFE IS MINE! MAKE NO MISTAKE, I WILL FIND A WAY TO RETURN TO THIS WORLD AND I WILL TAKE MY REVENGE!" the necromancer shouted, before being engulfed in flames, screaming as he was reduced to nothing but ash.
Not that it mattered to anyone.
Vael stopped breathing the Fiendfyre the moment its master's enemy was destroyed. Being a construct, it just remained in place, waiting for new orders.
Scylla slithered to Harry and nudged her head against her pet, trying to make him wake up. She didn't feel anything from him.
Dobby dragged himself to his master's side and fell on his knees, not feeling his master through the bond. His eyes teared, not believing what had happened.
Daphne cried and held Harry in her arms, trying to wake him.
"Wake up, wake up, Harry, wake up!" she cried, feeling his skin getting cold, not feeling his heart beating nor feeling him breathing. "Wake up, Harry. Wake up..." Daphne hugged Harry's body tight and cried. Scylla coiled herself on Harry's chest and hid her head in sorrow, shedding tears as Daphne rocked the body.
"Harry, please...I love you. You promised me, you promised me, you need to wake up..." Daphne begged in tears.
Dobby was the first to feel it. A small spark of magic in the bond. He gaped at his master's body but quickly realized something was off. Scylla felt the beating of Harry's heart and raised her head in surprise, which quickly turned to joy. Daphne only realized it when Harry gasped, startling her.
For small moments, Dobby, Scylla, and Daphne all stared in disbelief at Harry as he coughed and tried to breath.
"My pet!"
"Harry!" Daphne cried out in happy tears before grabbing his face and kissing him passionately, only to stop the kiss after feeling his hesitance and shock. She looked at him, surprised at his reluctance and saw a small blush taking hold of him.
"Harry? What's wrong?" she asked, but the answer didn't come from her boyfriend.
"Who are you?" asked Dobby in a mix of anger and shock, drawing one of his daggers and leaning it to Harry's neck, making him gulp.
"Dobby, what are you doing?" Daphne demanded in shock, over Scylla's hissing.
"That is not my master," Dobby replied in anger, tears falling from his eyes and scowling at Harry, who was shocked. "You are not Harry Potter, I can feel it. You are not my master, my friend. WHO ARE YOU TO DARE TO USE HIS FACE?!" Dobby shouted, and Daphne gasped, looking at Harry. Scylla looked confused and hissed at the elf, not that he would understand it.
"My pet, what is going on?"
"Dobby..." not Harry, as Dobby called him in his mind, spoke. The voice was the same, and yet Dobby and Daphne noticed the same thing. Something was missing in Harry's voice. The voice coming from him seemed to be somewhat sad, insecure, scared, and confused, all at the same time. "I'm sorry, Dobby... you too, Greengrass... Daphne."
Daphne flinched at those words, as did Dobby.
"Who-Who are you?"
"I am Harry Potter," Harry spoke, looking sadly at Dobby, trying to not look at Daphne's confused and teary blue eyes, her clearly not understanding what was happening.
"I am the Harry Potter that existed before you and your master came back to the past in November," Harry revealed, and both Daphne and Dobby gaped at that. Dobby even lowered the dagger in shock. "I have been trapped in my own body ever since..."
"H-How?" Dobby asked in shock, and Harry lowered his eyes.
"I have a message for you. He asked me to tell you that...he's thankful for all you did for him. For all your help throughout the years..." Harry spoke, shedding tears but still not looking at Dobby or Daphne.
"Harry?" Daphne asked, and Harry looked at her, clearly crying.
"I also have a message for you, Green-Daphne..." Harry said, gaining his courage while looking into the blonde girl's blue eyes. "He asked you to be happy and to become the wonderful woman he knows you can become..."
"Harry, what happened?" Daphne sobbed, not understanding or not wanting to accept what was happening.
"He's dead," Harry told her, shedding his own tears. "The man you loved, the guy who came to the past to save you...he's dead."