Summery:
The Shadow of Evil covers everything as the Dark Lord presses the attack. Only just escaping with their lives Harry and Hermione find themselves on the mysterious island of Avalon. But it isn't the end, it's only the beginning! RnR. M+ for Violence, sexuality and language in latter chapters.
Disclaimer:
J.K. Rowling is the owner of Harry Potter. Stories she has written and characters that she created are not mine. I don't take credit for any of her work. I do thank her for providing such a wonderful universe to dream about and write in.
Harry Potter and the Shadow of Evil
By: Starwin
Chapter 1 – Angels Wings
It was a warm night in Little Whinging. A boy of 15 with dark, wild black hair and shockingly green eyes was laying on his back watching stars out his window in the smallest bedroom at number 4 Privet Drive. Wondering what it was like to be just another, normal boy. After all he went to school, did homework, had friends and of course fought evil wizards intent on killing him and destroying the world.
Harry shifted in his bed looking away from the sky. His thoughts falling to his friends, Ron and Hermione. Right now he would give anything to see ether of them. And at the same time he felt that if they were here, he wouldn't want to see them at all.
Hermione had invited both Ron and himself to come stay with her this summer, a change from usually staying at Ron's. Harry hadn't replied yet. In fact Harry hadn't done much of anything since summer started.
He felt his face sadden as the events that had transpired only a few months ago in the Ministry of Magic flickered through his head. He thought of Sirius, his mind drew a blank and he could feel his heart sink. It was all he could do to keep from crying but he didn't feel sadness, he felt anger, he felt rage, he felt powerful blinding hate.
'Dumbledore, this was his fault,' Harry thought. 'Everything was Dumbledore's fault. If it hadn't been for him…' Harry let his eye lids draw closed. As the blackness of sleep crept inwards threatening to take him under its nightmarish seduction. The same dream filled his head night after night. The hallway, not the one from the Ministry of Magic, this was a hallway from the school that Harry attended, Hogwarts.
He had largely tried to ignore these dreams but the last hallway he had been led down came at the price of Sirius' life. He tried every night to clear his mind, to use the Occlumancy he had practiced with Snape. But even with a clear mind it didn't seem to matter how much he fought it, the moment he fell asleep the nightmares came. Sometimes he would find happy memories but more often he stumbled upon tormented nightmares. A few days ago Harry had awoken in a cold sweat after recalling the life and death battle with the Basalisk.
More often the dreams were trivial things, but much to his horror, most involved Malfoy or Snape. However when Harry awoke most of the dreams faded as quickly as they had come. But one dream always stood out in Harry's mind and tonight he would fall into that dream.
---
Hermione, Ron and Harry were at Hogwarts, in the out of bounds third-floor corridor on the right-hand side. They were under the invisibility cloak, but Harry knew it didn't matter. Snape knew they were there, he knew they were trying to get through the locked door at the end of the hall. Every time they got close to the door Snape caught them and gave them detention and took 50 points each from Gryffindor. Perhaps this time they could just push him aside and throw open the door.
But like all the other dreams, Snape caught them again and as Harry tried to force his way past Snape his friends held him back.
"It's not worth it, Harry!" Ron shouted while Hermione helped dragged him backwards as Snape yelled at them to stop coming back.
---
A thud outside the house awoke Harry. The dream faded as it always did and becoming just one more thing that nagged at him. He looked out the window to see a man standing on the walkway below, he was looking up through Harry's window right into Harry's eyes. Harry's hand flashed to his wand. The man was obviously a wizard, dressed in a white cloak. Harry was sure he had never seen him before.
After glaring at Harry's window for a longtime the man approached the house and Harry heard a loud knock on the door from downstairs. Harry glanced at his the bright glowing, red letters of his clock read that 11PM. The Dursley's were most likely asleep by now. They would probably yell at him for this, even though he had nothing to do with it but he no longer cared. The knocking came again, louder this time. Harry could hear his Uncle Vernon roar from his room down the hall.
"Just a minute, just a minute." Footsteps rushed past Harry's door and down the stairs. Harry crept to his door and pressed his ear against it, desperate to hear what was going on below. Harry wanted so badly to leave his room to see what was happening for himself. But the Dursley locked him in every night with several locks and short of magicing them open, Harry had no way to leave his room.
Then Harry heard a strange sound, a sort of clicking and to his surprise, his door opened a crack. There was no one outside. Harry began to panic, had he just used magic and not known about it? He could feel his heartbeat quicken. Pushing the door open, Harry walked quietly out into the hall and towards the stairs.
Mr. Dursley reached the door just as Harry reached the top of the stairs.
"What's the idea knocking so late at…" Mr. Dursley started to say as he pulled the door open.
Dursley froze for a second.
"What in the hell do you want!" Dursley asked weakly.
"I am here to see Mr. Harry Potter," a voice said, the voice sounded horse, like it hadn't used it in a long time. "May I come in?"
"Most certainly not!" Mr. Dursley fumed. "I have told that boy to keep his freak friends away from this house!" With that he moved to throw the door shut. A hand shot out and caught the door before it could move an inch. A shimmering blue-silver glow clad the man's arm and Harry thought that it was some kind of metal, armor maybe. It glowed in the dim porch light as though it was reflecting of sunlight.
"I am afraid I must insist." The man said stepping past Mr. Dursley and into the house. Harry readied his wand. The stranger stopped when he saw Harry had his wand pointed at him.
"Now see here!" Mr. Dursley sputtered. The man turned his head slowly towards Mr. Dursley and for a moment Harry could have sworn that the stranger's eyes pulsed with a fierce white light. The door suddenly slammed shut behind him.
The stranger turned back to Harry who standing in his pajamas with wand still pointed down the stairs.
"And you must be Mr. Harry Potter," the stranger in the white cloak said. "I am here at the request of Dumbledore. I have been sent to protect you." Harry stood still for a moment then, wand at the ready, he descended slowly, one step at a time.
"Are you in the Order?" Harry asked.
"No," the man said. His tone was unreadable. The stranger's eyes were fixed on Harry's wand.
"How do I know I can trust you?" Harry asked. The stranger slowly reached under his cloak, which Harry noticed, now that he was closer, was made completely from what looked like bird feathers. The stranger produced a scroll of parchment and tossed it to Harry. On the front of the rolled parchment was a strange seal.
Clasping the scroll awkwardly Harry tired to pull the parchment open, but he could not.
"How do I open this?" Harry asked.
"It is protected by a WizzieSeal." The stranger said. "It can only be opened by the person it is intended to go to." Harry turned the parchment around in his hands. He found Dumbledore's name on it, but he did not see his own.
"But this only has Dumbledore's name on it and nothing else." Harry said looking up from the scroll of paper in his hands. The stranger suddenly slammed an open palm against the wall. Mr. Dursley had been quietly edging along the wall trying to get away.
"Stay please." The stranger said not turning to look at Mr. Dursley.
"Mr. Harry Potter ask the letter who it is for." Harry looked puzzled for a moment.
"Who is this letter for?" Harry asked. Dumbledore's name on the front suddenly began to scramble about and became new a name: "Harry Potter." Then the seal burned away and the parchment unfurled in Harry's hands. The message was short:
Dear Harry,
You life is in danger. You can trust Solaris, he will protect you.
Albus Dumbledore
Harry looked up from the letter and felt his temper rise. Harry waited for the stranger to explain himself but the stranger just stood there. Harry wasn't sure he trusted him or Dumbledore. After all Dumbledore had lied to him.
"I don't need your protection," Harry yelled, balling up the letter and throwing it back at the stranger. The wad of paper hit him in the chest and bounced off onto the floor. The stranger looked at Mr. Dursley again and said.
"I will remain here." Mr. Dursley's jaw dropped open.
"Remain? Here? Absolutely not!" The stranger's eyes seemed to narrow as Mr. Dursley's face became more distraught. A year ago an encounter like this might have brought a smile to Harry's face, but now all Harry could feel was anger. He was angry at the stranger for assuming that he, Harry, needed protection. He was angry at his Uncle for being the worthless muggle that he was and most of all he was angry at Dumbledore because all of this was Dumbledore's fault!
"Fine!" Harry shouted, his anger flooding through. "Stay, go, I don't care, just leave me alone!" Harry stormed off to his room leaving his Uncle and the stranger in the downstairs' hallway.
---
That night Shadows closed around Harry's dreams again. The Dark Lord, Voldemort, loomed over Harry. They were in the graveyard where he had watched Cedric die.
"Not just Cedric!" Voldemort shouted, "but Black too! And also…" Ron appeared, it looked as though his leg had been broken. He was trying to crawl away. "Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort shouted, and Ron's body went limp.
"No!" Harry roared. He couldn't move. Something was holding him back. It was man in a white cloak with the face of a bird.
"Yesss Mr. Potter," Voldemort hissed. He began to change and shifting into Professor Snape, "and of course we can not forget Miss Weasley.." Ginny appeared at Harry's feet naked, blood smeared all over her body. Her eyes filled with tears, she looked up at him "help me Harry! Help me!"
Snape lifted his wand and shouted "Avada Kedavra!" A green bolt of light raced towards Ginny, without thinking Harry leapt forward into the green light. The hand of the stranger reached and grabbed him but he struggled free. As he felt the light surge through his body, Harry heard his mother scream.
---
Harry awoke in cold sweat, he sat up. The dream was fading quickly and his scar − his scar − was on fire. Harry suddenly became aware of someone else in his room. Leaning against the wall next to the door was the stranger in the white cloak.
"What the fuck are you doing in here!" Harry asked angry.
"Bad dreams…?" Solaris asked. Harry was still angry and didn't answer.
"You are not the only one who sees visions," Solaris said as he turned to leave. "Let us both hope we are wrong and our dreams reflect our fears, not things to come." Solaris opened the door and left.
Harry rubbed his scar. Finally the pain was subsiding.
Had it all been a dream? Or had it been an attempt by Voldemort to trick him again, or maybe it really was vision. Harry didn't know and right now he didn't care.
Shouting came from downstairs. Harry could hear a few loud shrieks from his Aunt Petunia. "I won't have that thing in my house." There was more but Harry tuned it out. He looked at Hedwig's empty cage. Last night he had written a letter before he had gone to bed telling Hermione that he would be there as soon as he could.
He threw on some clothes, shoved his wand into his pocket and headed downstairs He wanted nothing more then to get the fuck away from these people.
Stepping outside was the most wonderful feeling, the feeling of freedom. He pulled the door closed and looked around.
Harry walked down the street. Gradually he became aware of footsteps next to him. Harry turned to see who it was and next to him was a ghost. Harry stumbled backwards into the street, causing a passing motorist to honk her horn and swerve around him. It took Harry a moment to realize it was Solaris, because Solaris half translucent.
Solaris had white shimmering hair, almost silver in nature. He had cutting blue eyes, like the sky. His nose was strong and his face, powerful. Under the cloak the man must have been built with a lot of muscle. His shoulders were broad and he was only just taller than Harry.
Solaris was looking at Harry in mild surprise. "Can you see me?" he asked in almost a whisper.
"Yes. What are you?" Harry began.
"You are indeed a great wizard to have noticed me." Solaris became fully solid.
"Why we're you following me?" Harry asked angrily. "I told you to keep away from me."
"You will not notice me next time."
"There won't be a next time," Harry hissed. "I want you to leave me alone, I don't need your protection!" A passerby on the other side of the street looked at Harry as though Harry was crazy. "What?" Harry yelled. The passerby walked faster and didn't say anything. When Harry looked back Solaris had gone. "Good riddance." Harry said and he continued walking, with no destination in mind and the uneasy feeling that he was still being followed.
---
It was starting to get dark and Harry knew he should head home, but the whispering in his head told him to otherwise. The whispering had become louder and more insistent since the end of term. 'Stay out,' it whispered to him 'have fun, it doesn't matter what they think. You are you're own Wizard. You have proven you can take care of yourself.'
Harry's scar was starting to burn again, he rubbed it with his palm. Voldemort must be doing something, something that brought him great happiness.
Harry suddenly felt cold, like the joy had been sucked out of him. He knew this feeling all too well… 'dementors.' Harry pulled his wand out and suddenly there was a woosh of air against his back. Harry spun around and his eyes went wide. Standing behind him was Solaris with his cloak spread open into four shimmering white wings that arched around the two of them. A warming light radiated out from his armor like it was made from parts of the sun.
The dementors continued to move closer.
"Aspecto Patreeum!" Solaris shouted from behind Harry and for an instant the cold draining effect of the dementors seemed to be taken away. The light that shined from Solaris' armor glowed even brighter and the dementors advance slowed.
Then as quickly as the burst of light had come, it faded and the coldness returned. The light bubble from the armor remained and the dementors stayed at its edge afraid to come into the light. It was all Harry needed though, that extra moment!
"Expecto Patronum!" Harry shouted and a white stag erupted from the tip of his wand. The dementors began to flee as it chased them away, but Harry noticed that three of them did not retreat. In fact quite the opposite happened. The dementors walked towards Harry and Solaris. Harry knew why they hadn't fled, they weren't dementors, they were Death Eaters.
---
"A Seraphim," one of the Death Eaters hissed. "Most unexpected of Dumbledore, but he is a fool none the less." The Death Eater raised its wand to attack. "Avada Kedavra!" it shouted as a green light erupted from its wand. Harry was ready to jump out of the way when a arm wrapped around his waist and a great white wing shielded him from the blast. Nothing happened. The wing moved away revealing a surprised group of Death Eaters.
"You know that I am a Seraphim." Solaris said calmly, "yet you are surprised that your magic has no effect against me. Wizards are such fools, indeed." Solaris held out his free hand closing it into a fist. A blinding white light flashed and the long steel blade of a sword appeared in his hand. The metal glowed like the sun.
"Wizards, you face now your deaths!" In a quick movement Solaris darted across the bubble of light, his blade moving faster than anything Harry had ever seen. The Death Eaters scrambled to get clear but one did not move fast enough. A spray of blood arched into the air and his screams pierced the night.
Another Death Eater launched a spell at Harry.
"Protego!" Harry countered, summoning a shield to deflect the spell.
"Exspelliarmus!" Harry yelled pointing his wand at the Death Eater that had attacked him. The Death Eater's wand flew from its hand into the night sky. Pressing his attack Harry shouted "Reco Moro!" An orangeish bolt shot from the end of Harry's wand. The spell hit the Death Eater in its chest and sent it flying across the street where it collided with the dustbins.
Harry was just about to start on another Death Eater when Solaris' arm wrapped around his waist once more and before Harry could protest they were airborne. They landed on a rooftop a few blocks away. Solaris released Harry.
A drop of something red hit Harry's glasses. He pulled his glasses off and the world became a blur. He ran his hand along his forehead, feeling blood, but there was no cut. He wiped his glasses and put them back on and turned to see a great wound in Solaris shoulder. Solaris let out a great exhale of air.
Harry saw Solaris in full for the first time. His wings were slumped down and open. Against his body was a bluish armor lined with silver. A deep wound cut into his shoulder and his left hand was stained with blood. The sword he had used was stuck firmly into the roof of the house.
Solaris was about to say something but his words were lost in the sound of wizards apparating only a few feet from them.
"And still you refuse to die," said a cold voice. "Avada Kedavra!" Solaris moved quickly and his wing blocked. As he did Harry noticed that the wound glowed green for a moment and more blood bubbled out. Solaris let out a cough, spitting blood.
"I think it is time we finish this," said another voice Harry did not recognize. He heard foot steps coming closer beyond the shielding wing. Solaris eyes were closed and the glow that his armor once possessed seemed to have faded away. The foot steps stopped. Suddenly Solaris roared awake seizing the nearest Death Eater and hurling him into the rest. The startled Death Eaters toppled backwards.
"What how can he still be alive?"
The air was suddenly filled with more popping sounds and voice shouted "Stupefy!" Wings wrapped down around Harry again. More popping sounds of wizards dissapparating. When the sounds had all but stopped Solaris pulled his wings back to reveal a group of wizards standing on the roof top. Arthur Weasley was up front.
"Harry!" He cried moving towards him at a run and then slowing to a stop as Solaris rose behind Harry. Wands of all the wizards suddenly came to bare. "Oh my." Mr. Weasly said.
"What are you doing here Seraphim?" A high pitched voice asked from one of the wizards. A some what lean built witch walked forward wand pointed at Solaris "Speak up I am Director Mersal, second to the Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, you are in violation of the law against Seraphim being in a Muggle populated area, interacting with an underage wizard and carrying," the woman's eyes swiveled to the sword stuck in the roof. "A weapon that has been classified illegal within any realm but your own."
"Harry, come here." Mr. Weasley said. But Harry didn't move. He suddenly felt that by standing in front of Solaris he was protecting him, keeping the wizards from firing curses at him, from killing him. Something wasn't right here. Harry wasn't sure what it was but...
"No." Harry said firmly. "Solaris save me, if it wasn't for him I would be dead." None of the wizards lowered their wands. Harry felt Solaris' hand come to rest on his shoulder.
"Harry, he is a Seraphim, a destroyer of magic." Mr. Weasley said. "They are dangerous." Still Harry did not move.
"I ask again." Mersal's voice said over the tension. "Why are you here Seraphim?"
"I don't answer to any Wizard." Solaris spat the words. "Your kind thinks that you are almighty and because you can use ancient magic you can dictate how the world works. A world that is much older then you, with beings that are much older then you. You are no different from Muggles who try to control the world with science. I will not yield to you. I am here to protect Mr. Harry Potter." The tension was still thick. No one moved.
'Tell them,' the voice in Harry's head whispered. His scar began to burn, 'tell them who sent him and they will understand.' Harry's lips began to form the words to shout but another voice chimed in.
'No!' The second voice said, 'if he wanted them to know that Dumbledore had sent him he would have told them!' Harry's scar burned even worse. His thoughts were becoming jumbled. It was like seeing the world without his glasses.
"Albus Dumbledore sent him!" Harry said as he swayed feeling dizzy, he didn't know what was going on. As the words finished he felt Solaris's grip on his shoulder lessen some, but not release. His scar stopped burning. And as though Harry had conjured him up Albus Dumbledore apparated just behind the crowd of wizards, all standing on the roof top.
---
"That I did." Dumbledore said in a slow, kind voice. "This was a much needed step to ensure Harry's safety." Dumbledore's eyes meet with Harry's and his scar erupted in pain. The look in Dumbledore's eyes frightened Harry. A fear he had never felt before.
"Are the others safe Arthur?" Dumbledore asked addressing Arthur Weasley. For a moment Mr. Weasley seemed confused then answered as though only just remembering.
"Oh, oh yes, Ron has been moved some place safe, we were going to head to Miss Grangers next."
"Very well then, let us move out of the cold." Dumbledore said breaking eye contact with Harry. Dumbledore snapped his fingers, the world shifted. The rooftops vanished and the group of wizards, Harry, Solaris and Dumbledore all stood outside of Harry's Aunt and Uncle's house. Harry's scar began to burn again. It was as if a knife was being pushed into his head. He could barely stumble to the front door and open it.
In his pain Harry couldn't understand what he was doing, why he was opening the door, walking inside. Every fiber of his body struggled against it. Harry collapsed to his knees in the hall.
"What's wrong?" Solaris asked as he shook Harry, concern in his voice. Dumbledore had stopped at the doorway.
"Aren't you going to invite us in, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.
"Won't you come…" Harry began.
"No!" Solaris shouted and for a moment the same warm light that had filled the street, filled the room. The burning in the scar dimmed and Harry could hear the voice whispering to him in a shout now.
'INVITE ME IN HARRY, INVITE ME INTO YOUR HOME!' The voice roared.
"NO!" Harry shouted aloud and to the voice in his head. "No you can't come in!" Harry shouted. Dumbledore's eyes narrowed and his voice changed.
"Invite me in Harry, invite me into your home!" Dumbledore hissed.
"What's all this now!" Uncle Vernon roared coming down the stairs.
"No!" Harry and Solaris shouted at the same time.
"Avada Kedavra!" Dumbledore roared. The green light flew across the room and hit Mr. Dursley in the chest. His body fell limp and he rolled down the last few stairs. Solaris moved Harry quickly around the corner and out of range as spells began to fill the hallway.
'Invite me in Harry, invite me into your home!' The voice continued to chant.
"Harry you have to use a spell to get us out." Solaris said. "My magic won't work here." Harry leaned limply against the wall, he felt drained of energy.
"I," he stammered. "I have to invite Dumbledore in or I'll be expelled."
"NO!" Solaris shouted. "Do not invite him in! He is not Dumbledore!"
"I have to…" Harry gasped.
---
'Why do you have to?' A calm voice asked him, it was Hermione. The chaos seemed to dissolve around him and the sounds faded. "It doesn't seem reasonable to me." Harry blinked. He was sitting in potions class. Snape was pointing at him telling him to drink the vial of poison that he, Harry, had just brewed. It was half way to his lips. Hermione and Ron's hands were on his arm. Holding him back.
"Drink it Mr. Potter, drink it or you will be expelled from Hogwarts!" Snape hissed.
"No," Ron said in the same calming voice. "He can't expel you, only McGonagall can! And she wouldn't kick you out even if you Kissed her, well maybe if you kissed her." Ron Laughed.
"Ron's right you know." Hermione said brightly. "Snape is just a slug after all." Harry looked back at Snape who had begun to grow feelers and turn green. "Come on Harry, you are stronger than this." Hermione said, but it wasn't just her, it was Ron too and Hagrid and Neville and Luna and Ginny.
"I, I," Harry stammered. "I am!" Harry shouted the dream like world blurring away back to the living room of the house in Little Whinging.
"I'm glad you are, now get us out of here!" Solaris shouted shaking Harry. Harry turned and pointed his wand at the wall.
"Melsolus!" he shouted and the wall broke apart plaster flying everywhere. Solaris' arm flew around Harry's waist and in two quick steps they were out side and high up in the clouds. As Harry looked down he could see the green glowing skull of the dark mark rise above his house.
---
The air was cold as the two soared above the clouds. Harry felt a shiver run down his spine but he wasn't sure if it was from the cold. He had just watched his uncle Vernon murdered by Lord Voldemort and though he didn't like the Dursley he would never had wished something like this on them.
'Or would you?' The voice in his head whispered. A resounding NO echoed and the first voice became silent.
"Ron," Harry murmured. "Hermione!" He said looking up at Solaris. "We have to go see if they're okay!" Solaris let out a sigh. "What?" Harry asked feeling himself becoming angry again.
"It may be another trap." Solaris replied darkly.
"I don't care!" Harry shouted. "My friends need my help!" Solaris took in another deep breath as though trying to decide but finally…
"Fenindo!" Solaris said. An orb of white light appeared out in front of them. "Speak clearly the name of the person you wish to find." Solaris said as he came to a hover in front of the orb.
"Ron Weasley." Harry said to the orb. The light flickered for a moment, moved and inch or so to the left then blinked out. The darkness of the night sky became more apparent to Harry as the light vanished and the stars suddenly emerged. "What happened?" Harry asked after a moment.
"The seeking orb could not locate that person." Solaris said in a dulled voice.
"What exactly does that mean?" Harry shouted back at Solaris in frustration.
"It could mean many things, the person is out of the range of the spell or their magical presence is being masked or…" Solaris didn't finish but Harry didn't need him to.
"Or they're dead." Harry said a lump gathering in his throat.
"Yes, the seeking orb cannot find those who are dead." Solaris said. "But it is just one of many possibilities." Solaris added quickly trying to give Harry encouragement. "We must still try and find your other friend. Fenindo!" Solaris said again and once more the orb illuminated the night sky dimming out the stars.
"Hermione Granger." Harry said in a shaking voice. Again the orb waned and seemed to fade but then it glowed bright and began to move very quickly away from them. With incredible agility and speed Solaris changed direction and followed. Harry couldn't even feel the beat of his wings only the cold air that brushed against his exposed skin.
"It wasn't Dumbledore you know," Solaris said suddenly as they soared along just above the clouds, they had begun to descend.
"I know, "Harry said, but he still felt betrayed and angry.
"The other wizards were most likely under being manipulated too." Solaris continued. But Harry didn't answer this time and Solaris said nothing further.
They had passed under the clouds and the orb of light had suddenly turned strait down and dropped the thousand feet to ground level in an instant. Solaris did almost the same but stopped just above the ground coming to a soft landing that Harry could not even feel. The orb floated into a second story window of the house directly in front of them and then went out.
The house they stood at was two stories tall and had a little white fence around it. Small bushes lined up neatly under the windows. Green grass lay between the fence and the front of the house. Harry moved up to the gate and pressed the latch to open it, as he did a light, in the window where the orb had gone, flickered on and the face of his friend, Hermione appeared in it. Her eyes went wide and she dashed away from the window. Harry walked slowly down the cement path towards the door, but long before he got there it flew open and Hermione, still in her nightgown ran out to throw her arms around Harry.
"Oh Harry!" She cried. "I was so worried about you! You didn't sound at all like yourself in your letter!" Hermione pulled back. "Harry what's wrong?" She asked. It was than Harry realized that he had tears rolling down his face. He lifted a sleeve and wiped them away.
"I think Ron's in trouble." Harry said completely skipping over all the events of the night so far.
"Oh no! Oh Harry what happened? Why…" Hermione suddenly stopped her eyes becoming focused over Harry's shoulder. "Harry look out!" She cried. "It's a Seraphim!" Harry looked back to see Solaris standing a fair distance behind him still out side the gate and semi-transparent.
"It's alright Hermione, he's a friend." Harry said. Hermione's eyes went if possible wider. "Look I don't have time to explain, we have to go, now!" Harry said suddenly becoming angry again.
"Okay, okay." Hermione said running a hand through her hair absently. "One second" she said. And she raced off back into the house. A moment later she appeared again. She had quickly pulled on some pants and thrown a jacket over her nightgown. She tossed an extra jacket to Harry. "I expect we are flying and that it will be cold." She said. Harry grinned, she never ceased to amaze him.
"Let's go Solaris." Harry said, Solaris nodded and wrapped his two powerful arms around Harry and Hermione's waists. Hermione let out a shriek as with a quick rush of air, Solaris leapt skyward and they were above the clouds in almost an instant, much faster than any broom Harry had ever flown on.
"How will we find your friend though?" Solaris asked. Hermione smiled.
"That's the easy part she said, Fenindo!" A bright orb of light lit up the sky for the third time tonight, but this orb seemed much brighter then the last time it had been cast. "Ronald Weasley." Hermione said to it, the orb dimmed a bit.
"We already tired…" Harry began but suddenly the orb rushed off strait away from them. "Hermione you're bloody brilliant has anyone ever told you that?" Hermione smiled.
Wind rushed past and Harry could feel all four of Solaris's wings beat hard, they were moving much faster this time. Harry could now feel every beat of the Seraphim's wings, it was uncomfortable. Solaris seemed to be squeezing harder too and the flight didn't feel as smooth but before Harry could mention it they were descending to the Burrow.
---
There was no light coming from the house. Not surprising at this time of night but Harry already felt that something was wrong. He rushed inside, Hermione following close behind and Solaris close behind her.
Harry stopped suddenly as he saw the inside of the house. Tables had been over turned. The clock that told where the Weasley's were had been smashed and it lay broken the floor. Dishes had been tossed about. The house had been torn apart. And then Harry's heart stopped, lying there on the floor near the bottom of the stairs was Ginny, face down in a pool of blood. Harry ran over to her and put his hand on the back of her neck, it was ice cold. The dream he had had this morning came rushing back.
A scream erupted from up stairs.
"Come on!" Harry shouted to Hermione and they dashed up the stairs.
"Wait!" Solaris shouted after them.
"Stay there and make sure nothing nasty follows us!" Harry shouted back as his feet pounded the steps and the scar on his head seared with pain.
The scream came again, from Ron's room. In one great movement Harry's foot collided with the door and it swung violently inwards crashing into the wall.
There on the edge of his bed sat Ron, his leg broken and clothing splattered in blood. And standing in front of him was Lord Voldemort eyes black and lidless like a snake's.
"Ah Harry, Harry, Harry." He smiled for a moment then it vanished to be replaced by a look of pure hate. Popping noises erupted and Death Eaters filled the room. One grabbed Harry's wrist, another yanked a chunk of his hair. Hermione let out a scream, Harry managed to turn his head just enough to see arms of Death Eaters warping around her like snakes. "Well we seem to be at the end Harry." Voldemort said in his hissing like voice. "Tonight is not only the night you die, but that everyone you care about dies." He pointed his wand at Ron.
"NO" Harry shouted, struggling to get free.
"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort shouted, a green light erupting from his wand striking Ron in the chest. Ron's body slumped back against his wall not even having time to cry out, his eyes rolling back in their sockets and Ron was dead. "And now Harry, you, will beg me to kill you." The voice in his head began to echo again.
'Beg him to kill me, beg him!' The voice said.
"No!" Harry shouted again. "I won't beg."
"Yessss" Voldemort hissed, "you will beg or I will let you watch your other friend suffer a fate much worse than death." He pointed his wand at Hermione. "Crusio" Voldemort hissed. The arms of the Death Eaters held her body tight as she began to convulse in their arms.
"Stop it!" Harry shouted and to Harry's surprise Voldemort lifted his wand and Hermione stopped twitching, tears rolled down her face as she sobbed silently.
"Are you ready to beg for your death than Harry?" Voldemort hissed moving uncomfortably close to Harry's face and lifting a pale white boney finger to run it along Harry's scar. "Your scar can't protect you." Voldemort pulled Harry's wand from his hand, "your wand can't protect you." He pointed Harry's wand at Hermione, "Your friends can't protect you! Avada Ke…" Voldemort began but was cut off by the head of one of the Death Eaters rolling into the room. The other Death Eaters panicked and popping noises signaled their dissaparations. "Where are you going you fools!" Voldemort shouted as his Death Eaters fled. "You will still die!" He said pointing his wand again at Hermione. "Avada Kedavra!" He shouted. The green light flew across the room. Harry watched as though in slow motion as the light passed by his head. He could hear a cry escaping his throat telling Hermione to move. But she just stood there as the light raced towards her.
Hermione looked down as the green bolt moved to impact with her chest but the instant before it did a white shield of feathers raced to block. As the green impacted the feathers it turned them gray, a few peeled away. A thud echoed behind Hermione as Solaris collapsed to the floor. Harry's elbow swung back hard in a rage, striking the Death Eater holding him in the ribs. The man collapsed to the ground and Harry now free rushed Voldemort, one hand wrapping around Voldemort's throat the other around his wand. With all his strength Harry forced his wand down to point at Voldemort's head.
"Avada.." Harry hissed. Voldemort's eyes suddenly went wide with fear. "Ked.." Harry struggled but before he could speak the last of the spell Voldemort vanished with a pop. Harry fell to the floor. He felt hands on his back and someone speaking words into his ear.
"Harry! Harry! Are you alright?" Hermione was yelling. Harry propped himself up and before he could say anything Hermione embraced him in a crushing hug.
"Ron" Harry gasped.
"Harry, Ron, he's… he's" Hermione stammered.
"An illusion." Grunted Solaris from the doorway. He had pulled himself up the frame of the door and was resting hard against it. Harry could see a red stream running down the door. "So is the girl down stairs. This was just a trap to lure you here." Solaris said heavily it sounded like he was having trouble breathing. Hermione let go of Harry as he stood and walked over to a very real looking dead Ron. He extended a hand and touched the ice cold body.
"He doesn't feel like and illusion." Harry said angrily as his hand dipped into the pool of blood. But when Harry pulled his hand away from Ron the blood seemingly vanished. When he moved his hand back towards Ron the blood seemed to reappear.
"We have to get out of here." Solaris said. Hermione was already up her wand out.
"Feletus Mobulos." She said and Solaris seemed to float as though resting against an invisible crutch. "Come on Harry we need to get out of here!" Hermione cried looking back at Harry. Harry began to walk towards the door but stopped as he noticed suddenly an arm waving at him from behind the door. Harry moved the door and there against the wall was a life sized picture of Ron waving franticly at him. Ron's face suddenly became very urgent and he pointed to the right of him. Harry looked to where Ron was pointing to see a shinny blue mirror that had been hung on the wall in haste. Harry grabbed it, he knew instantly what it was, Sirius had given him one to use, but Harry had never used it. "We have to go!" Hermione cried Harry nodded pulling the mirror off the wall and hurrying along behind Solaris and Hermione as they descended quickly down the stairs. As the reached the ground floor a voice called out to them.
"Harry help me please." It was Ginny.
"No" Solaris coughed, "Its not real keep moving!" It took all of Harry's strength not to run back to her. They hadn't gone more then ten steps from the house when a hot white light burned Harry's back. Again he felt a powerful arm grab around his waist and then the feeling of becoming air born. Harry looked down to see the Burrow collapsing down on itself.
"A powerful dispelling charm." Hermione said. "Without magic the house couldn't stand on its own." She turned her attention to Solaris. Harry too looked at the battered Seraphim and much to his horror saw that the cut had become worse. Great boils had formed around the wound and one of his wings was flapping limply, its glowing white aura having turned a dull gray. "Are you okay?" Hermione asked.
"When dawn comes, my wounds will be healed by the light." Solaris said his voice sounded strained. "If I live till dawn." Hermione's eyes went wide. She turned and pointed her wand at his wound. "No…" Solaris coughed.
"Shining light of ancient magic," Hermione whispered not surprisingly it was a spell Harry did not know, and that he was willing to bet not many other wizards knew ether. "sow the soul and bind the blood." Hermione tapped the wound with the tip of her wand. The air seemed to suddenly become warm with a blue glow. Solaris winced as the wound closed and the boils shrunk and vanished, but the wing still remained gray.
"You are most talented." Solaris managed his voice sounding much stronger. "I know of few wizards with the knowledge to cast that spell and even fewer who would know to use it."
"Well you did save our lives," Hermione tried to smile but her face couldn't seem to manage it. For a long moment there was silence, then Harry remembered the mirror. He pulled it out of his robes and looked deep into it. Suddenly Ron's face appeared.
"Harry?" Ron yawned. "Harry! Mom, Ginny come quick it's Harry!" Ron shouted. More faces appeared in the mirror.
"Oh Harry!" Miss Weasley cried. Ginny was also crying but she didn't say anything. "Oh we were so worried about you! Are you alright?"
"Fine." Harry lied with a smile. "Are you all okay?" Harry asked.
"Yeah," Ron said. "Were at.." Ron stopped "We are some place safe Harry, I can't say where though. Do you know if Hermione is okay?" Ron asked suddenly concerned.
"Yeah she's fine, she's here, with me," Harry paused. "Cant say where though." He said with a smile. "You want to talk to her?"
"Can't" Ron said, "we have to keep it brief incase someone is listening. Look Harry I'll talk to you tomorrow okay?" Ron said quickly but before Harry could reply Ron's face faded. Harry stared at the mirror for a long while.
"Ron." Harry said at last he shook the mirror but Ron's face did not appear. Frustrated Harry pushed the mirror back into his robes. Harry felt an anger rising at Ron. Harry hated Ron, he decided. He hated everything about him. Harry's eyes turned sideways to focus on Hermione, he hated her too.
'That's not true,' a voice in his head said.
'Yes it is,' a hissing echoed. 'She is a filthy mudblood.'
'She is your friend!' the first voice offered.
'She is your enemy!' the second voice retorted.
"Shut up!" Harry roared. Both Solaris and Hermione looked at Harry.
"What's.. what's wrong Harry?" Hermione asked through tear filled eyes. She moved a sleeve up to wipe her face.
"It isn't anything." Harry said angrily. His eyes swiveled down to look below. He could see clouds and.. ocean? "Where are you taking us Seraphim?" Harry suddenly demanded his scar starting to burn again, his voice an almost hiss. Harry felt a sudden wave of panic and anger.
"Harry." Hermione said in a distressed voice.
"What?" Harry shouted viciously. He could feel his blood boiling in his face and chest, he felt like he was about to explode with rage. "What do you want mudblood!" Harry said with a sneer. Hermione's face went white.
'You didn't mean that, did you Harry?' the calm voice asked, though it sounded hurt.
'Oh yes he did.' The sneer replied. 'She is a filthy, dirty, little know-it-all, mudblood.' Harry's hands flew against his head.
"Shut up, shut up." He chanted trying to drown out the fighting. For a moment a snake like face flashed before Harry's eyes and his scar erupted in pain. Harry let out a howl and began to kick about violently. He heard Solaris cry out as he felt one of his knees impact with a rib. Harry felt Solaris's grip loosen and then, he felt the rush of the wind as he fell from the sky.
'Yesss..' The voice hissed. 'Freedom..' Harry saw the sea rushing up at him at a terrible speed. He waited for the moment at which Solaris would swoop down and grab him. But the moment never came and Harry plunged into the icy blackness of the sea.
Notes from the Author:
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter there are lots more to come!
This is my first HP fanfic so go easy on… 'ouch, hey no throwing things at the author, honestly who brings tomatoes to a website?' .
I have been working on the story for quite some time and just now started putting it down on paper err… well, computer anyhow.
I have the next couple of chapters already written, I don't want to say there done because to me they are never really done. But they still need a bit more tweaking. Expect to see them up soon.
Please leave a review so I can know what you think.
One last note, because one of the people who read this before I put it up asked. 'Why are you calling them Seraphen, its spelled Seraphim' I went though a long discussion with him about how too many people would think I was trying to turn Harry religious. After a long time of reading and rereading I finally decided the correct spelling sounded better and just made more sense so I changed them all to Seraphim, 'I figured hey magical creatures with wings could have been mistaken for angles.'
Oddly enough the very next person who read the story after the change commented that I was helping Harry find god.
So, well it comes to this. They have wings, I think the name sounds neat and that's as far as it goes, you don't need to read any deeper into it than that D
Questions, feedback, comments? HEY I want to hear them!
Added Notes: This chapter has been modify from the original post. It has been better formatted to be more readable.