Wow, been a while huh? To be honest, I completely forgot about this fic. guilty look

Altar of the Dead

Chapter Three

With the fourth loud crack within a few hours six figures appeared on an empty, litter covered street. The second they emerged the three younger members of the group stood, all facing a house, number twelve, which was now in plain view. With Dumbledore dead, there was no secret keeper to keep the Doctor, Martha and Jack out, just Sirius's father's spells and enchantments. The older three were a little less graceful. Martha had immediately fallen over, and was now picking herself up with a slight wince, brushing off dust from her jeans. Jack had been a little worse off, having fallen backwards and into a bush with a small yelp. Pulling himself out he grumbled, picking leaves out of his hair and a few thorns from his right hand. Although he looked to be alright, the Doctor had ended up flat of his back, landing of all things, on a cat's tail, which immediately took defence and slashed at his chest with its claws. With a small wince at the stinging cut the Doctor pulled the 'retched animal' off of him, complaining about his dislike of cats. He put it on the floor and nudged it away with his foot. Giving one last hiss the cat darted off.

"Come on." Hermione indicated the house, choosing not to comment. She led them up the few cracked stone steps and threw the door. Shutting it behind them Hermione added a few of her own enchantments over the house to add to Sirius's fathers, doubling the defence.

Harry led the way down to the kitchen, were everyone took a seat around the table. The Doctor, Jack and Martha watched the two young wizards and witch as they composed themselves. Harry began, but not without shooting the Doctor a weary glance. "Well, as you seem to know, a little before I was born, a prophecy was made, telling that either Voldemort had to kill me, or I he. It also said that the Dark Lord would mark me as his equal. The problem for Voldemort was that he didn't hear the whole thing, and so he turned up at my parents home when I was just one year old. He killed my parents, and then turned his wand on me, but was unable to kill me due to the fact that my mother, Lily, had given her life for mine. And so, when Voldemort cast the killing curse at me, it rebounded, hitting him and ripping him from his body. At fourteen, in my fourth year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he returned, strong as ever. Now a war is going on, and we have to stop him." Harry paused, considering his next words, he was not ready to trust them in keeping the information about Horcruxes, after all, he'd only just met them, and already told them the content of the prophecy, that was enough. "There are some objects we are going after, that will help us end him for good this time."

"Two of the objects has already been dealt with." Hermione continued. "Thanks to Dumbledore breaking one, and Harry destroyed one a few years ago."

"There are four more we need to get before we can kill Voldemort." Ron concluded.

"Do you know where they are?" Jack asked.

Harry shook his head. "We don't even know what they are, well we know one is Nagini, Voldemort's snake, the others we don't know."

"However, we think that the items used to belong to the Hogwarts founders, Rowena Ravenclaw, Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin and Helga Hufflepuff. The one Dumbledore destroyed was Slytherin's." Hermione informed them. "And we're not completely sure that he could get his hands on something of Gyrffindor's."

The Doctor nodded to himself, thinking it all over. "So, what is currently happening in the war?"

"Well, both the Dark and Light sides are gathering supporters." Ron spoke up. "We have the most wizards and witches, but you-know-who has were-wolves and giants and Dementors and other magical creatures."

"We don't think it'll be long before Voldemort takes over the Ministry. In fact, he already has spies in there." Hermione added.

"Ministry?" Martha asked.

"The Ministry of Magic, the wizarding world's equivalent of the government."

"Ah." Martha nodded, she hadn't even though of the magical world being like their's, not really anyway. But she supposed it did make a lot of sense.

"Excellent!" The Doctor beamed, clapping his hands together. "All we have to do is find a few things, destroy them, be rid of Voldemort, and be off on our merry way! Easy! Back in time for dinner. Let's get going!" And he immediately began to march off.

"Wait!" Hermione shouted after him, jumping up from her seat and following him out. "We haven't the slightest idea of where to being our search, we can't just run out!"

The Doctor stopped and turned round to face her, seeing the anxious expression on her young face. "Well, that's part of the fun isn't it? Get's you thinking more on your feet. Should we go east? Should we go west? Should we guess? Should we ask a random person on the street corner? Should we-"

"Should we just leave him behind?" Martha piped up.

Sending her a hurt look, the Doctor turned to Jack for support. The ex-con grinned. "Don't worry Doc; we could never leave a hot dork like you behind."

Happy with the reply, and seemingly not aware what a dork is, the Doctor turned to Harry. "Are you coming then? Or would you rather sit around and wait for Voldemort to retire?"

With a cagy look, Harry nodded and stood, Ron copying. Together, the six made their way back out of Grimmauld Place, all thinking of their journey ahead (and how many bananas' he had left in the Doctor's case).

000

"My faithful servants." Lord Voldemort hissed, gazing round the robed, hooded people sat around a long table. "What is the progress on the Ministry?" He tone of voice made it clear to everyone present that it had better be good news.

"We are doing well my Lord." A Death Eater known as Hyde spoke up after only a moment's hesitation. "We've managed to bring the deputy of the Aura office to our side, using the Imperio."

Voldemort nodded his snake like head. "Be sure to keep Shacklebolt out of the way, the fool is clearly on the brat's side."

Hyde nodded quickly. "Of course, my Lord."

"Severus. How is your work coming along?"

Snape bowed his head in respect from Voldemort's right hand side before speaking. "Very well my Lord. It's running smoothly as planned. Soon Hogwarts will be pure, and the students shall be raised with dark magic in there blood."

"Excellent. And you Malfoy, what is your progress on Scrimgeour?"

"We are still working on him my Lord." Lucius spoke up. "He is however, failing to do a good job about keeping our spies out. He is arrogant and will not listen to others. It's only a matter of time until we have him."

"Time." Voldemort hissed a reply. "Time is something we don't have. Work harder on it Malfoy, or fear how cruel I can be." Time. Under the table Voldemort fiddled with a ring, resting in the palm of his hand. A Time Lord, the power of time and the stars, the knowledge on the universe was resting in his cold hands.

"Of course, my Lord. I apologise for my slacking." Lucius bowed his head.

Voldemort nodded, and slipped the ring into his robe pocket, without anyone's notice. "Your cousin, Lucius, has presented me with something which will greatly aid us in the up coming war. I want you, along with Lucy, Snape, and myself to do a very important job."

000

"Well, where to now?"

At Ron's question, the Doctor began to sniff the air. "When in doubt, follow your nose. The bigger it is the better!"

"Yeah, just like the old you. Those ears to! Ha." Jack laughed.

"I'll have you know that I was very fond of my nose and ears Captain."

"They did suite you I guess, went with that serious, yet still completely sexy look you always pulled off. Mind you, this new body, I wouldn't mind seeing this you in the shower."

Looking rather confused, Harry, Ron and Hermione just silently watched Jack flirt, wondering what on earth he was on about. New body? Huh?

Martha on the other hand sighed slightly, whishing she had as much confidence as Jack when it came to the Doctor.

"You still need to buy me that drink." The Doctor said, sending Jack a dazzling smile.

"Such hard work." Jack sighed, repeating them joke from a time long ago.

"But worth it." The Doctor echoed from the past with a wink.

"Oh, come on you two, the world is in peril encase you forgot." Martha cut in.

Hermione nodded. "I think we should get surplices, and head out of civilisation. We'll be harder to tract down that way."

"Can we eat first?" Ron questioned innocently.

Two days later found the group sat on a forest floor around a small fire, the light beginning to fade. Hermione had her head, as always, buried in a book, trying to figure out just were the Horcruxes may be, and what objects they could be. She had her wand lit; enabling her to continue to read as the darkness slowly took over. Ron was peering over her shoulder, also reading, a rare sight to behold indeed, but he wanted to help as much as he could. Harry was sat with his arms wrapped around his knees, gazing into the fire, thinking about the war. Martha and Jack were talking quietly with each other, and the Doctor sat fiddling with his Sonic Screwdriver, the glasses he didn't even need perched on his nose.

Off too the side where three small two people muggle tents, which they'd managed to get at a muggle town a few miles away. They'd had to pair up in them, Harry and Ron, Hermione and Martha, and, much the Doctor's horror and Jack's delight, they'd been paired up together.

"Oh, this is useless!" Hermione snapped, shutting the book with force. "We're never going to find those stupid things!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing rather abruptly and turned to look at her. "Don't worry 'Mione, you're the smartest witch of your age. We'll all work together on this, and we'll work it out." Harry reassured her, walking over and sitting down by her side. He placed a comforting arm around her and gave her a smile. Hermione returned the smile.

"I know we will Harry, but it's just so frustrating."

"If there's one thing I know about you Hermione, its that you don't give up." Harry replied.

In return Hermione sent him a small smile. "Thanks Harry. I just wish I could be more help."

"Don't we all." Ron sighed. "Come on, we might as well get some sleep and try and figure something out in the morning."

Harry nodded. "Ron's right, but perhaps we should have someone keep guard."

"I'll do it!" I voice piped up, and the trio turned to see the Doctor sat a few feet away with his hand in the air. He didn't fancy a night spent with a sex crazed human after all. He ignored Jack's sour look and sent the young magical three a broad dazzling smile.

"OK," Harry agreed, deciding not to speak up about him listening into their conversation. "It's twelve o'clock now, if you stay on until three thirty, then I'll take over and we'll leave at seven."

With that agreed, everyone headed for the tents except the Doctor, who shuffled closer to the fire and laid back on the ground, head resting on his arms behind him. He kept his eyes open, staring up at the stars.

000

"It is ready, my Lord." A robed figure informed Harry, bowing at his feet, facing the cold stone floor.

"Excellent." Harry hissed, not bothering to look at the keeling Death Eater. "You are sure the alien will be unable to detect him?"

"Yes, my Lord."

Harry nodded. "Stand, we shall do the ritual now, to much time has already been wasted."

The Death Eater scrambled to his feet. "Of course, my Lord."

Harry left the room, heading down a dark stone corridor lined with a deep red carpet, on either side the walls where decorated with many witches and wizards, all of them bowed to Harry as he walked by, some more reluctantly then others. Although the people in the portraits all looked different, the one similarity to them was the air of superiority, their shoulders carried high, noses in the air.

Harry continued threw more corridors, similarly decorated, and down a flight of stairs. Finally, he came to a stop outside a plain wooden door. Without a moments hesitation, he flung it open and strode in. Three people were in the centre on the room, and immediately fell into a bow, a chores of "My Lord"'s rang out.

"Yaxley tells me it is ready." Harry spoke, his voice soft with the ever present hiss. He looked over the three people who'd now stood back up straight. Two he recognised. Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange. The third was a women, slim with long blonde hair and painted blood red nails.

"Yes, my Lord." The women Harry didn't know answered. She handed him a small object. Harry looked down at it, a small ring engraved with an odd symbol against a green background.

"Well done, my Death Eater. I am pleased with your work, and Lord Voldemort always rewards his most faithful."

"Our loyalty to you is always enough, my Lord." Bellatrix called out, once again sweeping into a bow.

Harry turned the ring over in his hand, ignoring the women for the time being. "We shall begin."

"Harry!" With a gasp, Harry shot awake, hand flying to his scare as pain exploded in his head. "Harry, mate, you alright?"

As quick as it had come, the pain had gone, and Harry squinted to see five worried faces stirring at him, Ron by his side, the other looking on front outside the tent. The Doctor handed him his glasses and Harry put them on before answering Ron. "I'm fine, it was my scare. But never mind that, I had another vision, Voldemort, Malfoy, Lestrange and some other women were doing something."

"Doing what Harry?" Hermione asked softly, the worry shown on her face increasing.

"I-I'm not sure, some sort of ritual… there was a ring." Although he was gazing at Hermione, from behind her, Harry saw the Doctor, Jack and Martha exchange quick, worried glanced.

"What sort of ring?" The Doctor asked, an odd sound to his voice. "Can you describe it?"

"I…" Harry thought hard, the dream was already beginning to slip away from him, he tried to concentrate on the ring, but it was no use, he just couldn't remember.