Chapter Seventeen
The final battle, as many were calling it, wasn't held on the Friday, like many had been lead to believe, the Stars included. No. It all started on the Thursday morning before. It all began on that sleepy, frosty day in March. It didn't begin with the Stars raid on idle manor either. No, it began with a simple cry...
--
"Arcaaaas!" Arcas looked up at hearing that call from Deneb, confused as to why his friend was sounding so upset. And why he wasn't with Nebi seeing as Arcas had to teach and Charlie had gone back to discuss what to do with the Dragons, taking Thuban and Tertius with him to communicate with them.
"Deneb? Why are you here? Where's Nebi?"
"He's gone! I turned away for a second and he was gone! I've searched everywhere! He's gone!"
"What do you mean he's gone? I trusted you to look after him whilst I was teaching!"
"And I did, I have no idea how he disappeared! It's like someone knew I was going to be turning away and they waited."
"Well, doesn't that mean they might still be in the castle?"
"Tried that. Apparently, Sirius and Remus made a map once that showed them everyone in the castle. Nebi is no longer in the castle."
"You went to Sirius and Remus first? When did he disappear?"
"No! They bumped into me in the halls. They've gone to tell Dumbledore."
"Where's my mother?"
"Last I heard she was trying to contact Alethea out in the forest."
"I need her now. Right class dismissed. Read the next chapter or something. I don't really care right now. You. Take me to my mother." Arcas said looking at Deneb.
"Of course."
--
Once everyone had been told, there was an emergency meeting, held in the Great Hall once all the student had been sent to their common rooms, between the Stars and the Order, a meeting which was less jumbled than most would have assumed, much to Dumbledore's confusion.
Arcas sat at one end of the table, nibbling on his lips, hoping that Deneb came back with Charlie soon or he would completely lose it. Callista gently placed her hand on Arcas' shoulder and squeezed before standing up and getting the attention of the eerily quiet room.
"Right, so at approximately half past eleven this morning my grandson, Nebi was kidnapped from his rooms in this castle. We think that the kidnapper used a portkey as they disappeared almost straight away. We know that it is Voldemort who is behind this." Callista said, making the Order members in the room flinch and some to look confused.
"How can you say it is You Know Who for certain?" Dedalus Diggle asked, being one of the ones who was openly confused.
"I had a spy, one who has unfortunately disappeared since, who told me of Voldemort's plans to kidnap Nebi."
"So what are we going to do."
"Simple. We finish the war." Callista stated, much to many in the Order's shock.
--
"So we have the Vampires ready?" Callista asked Praecipua and Dede. Once everyone had gotten over the shock that the upcoming battle was indeed going to be the end Callista had turned to the Stars to discuss their allies.
"Yep. All ready and waiting to have some snacks." Dede coughed back a snigger at the horrified looks on many Order member's faces. "Joke. They are ready though. You just have to say the word and they will go in."
"The Dryads have spoken with the trees and they tell me that things are ready and just waiting, like the Vampires." Danae, mate of Betelgeuse, told everyone, blushing at the attention it brought.
"So does anyone know where we stand with the Were's?"
"The wolves have been on our side for a while now, though I'm unsure of what they are doing right now." Lupin told them, getting a nod from one of the Stars.
"The same goes for the rats. They are behind us and will be ready whenever we are." Vega told everyone
"Good, good. What about those within Voldemort's ranks?" Callista asked, turning to face a pale faced being with yellow eyes and white hair, which only made them look paler, sitting next to Altair.
"The vampires within Voldemort's ranks have been made aware of the situation and I myself have seen where they are keeping the child. Apparently he hasn't stopped making a fuss and it is beginning to give Voldemort a headache." The man, or Vampire, Nero, told them.
"Is my baby okay?" A small voice near Callista asked, making everyone in the room turn to face Arcas, most having forgotten he was even there.
"He's fine Arcy. Voldemort, for some reason, has a slight fear over harming Nebi. He is currently making the Death Eaters want to rip their hair out. I think he misses his daddies." Nero said soothingly, smiling softly at the seemingly very young Star.
"Where is Charlie?" Molly asked, wanting to take her son-in-law up and hug him. Never mind the dangers that would bring to herself.
"Deneb has gone to fetch him, hopefully bringing the Dragon's with him. We don't know when they will arrive though. Hopefully soon." Callista answered when it appeared that Arcas had no intention of answering, being too distressed to even know where he was.
"Well once he gets here, he'll be able to help Arcas." Vega said, glancing at her friend in worry.
"At least he's not trying to kill everyone in sight anymore."
"True."
"Right, back to the planning. We need a plan of action. We can't just run in there, guns blazing."
"Why not?" Castor asked, Pollux nodding in agreement next to him.
"Pardon?"
"Why can't we go in guns blazing?"
"Because it'll go wrong. It always does." Callista said, ignoring the sulks coming from the two twins.
"If he's hurt then we burn that manor down to the ground." Arcas muttered darkly, looking down at his hands and shocking people who had, once again, forgotten that he was there.
"Of course we will, and we'll do it even if he hasn't hurt Nebi. He will pay for messing with a Star. Or future star as the case happens to be." Callista told him reassuringly.
"So how are we going to start this?"
"Simple. We arrive at Riddle Manor."
--
"Bombs away!" The twin Stars called out as a large fire ball was the way in which they called attention to the beginning of the battle. The fireball hit the wards and exploded in a mass of liquid fire and sparks, falling to the ground slowly, as though sliding down an invisible wall. "Huh. Strong wards."
"Tell me about it." Bill grumbled, working furiously to finally take down the last ward, which was signalled by a purple light flashing where the wards fell.
"It's like a sci-fi movie." Alrisha muttered, gathering fire together as they noticed the Death Eaters running out of the manor like scattered ants.
"More like fantasy." Sirius the Star muttered just as the Vampires and Weres intercepted the first wave of Death Eaters in a vicious clash. Many limbs were ripped off and they all stood on the small hill over looking the battle watching, ready for any Death Eaters that managed to get past the vampires and weres.
"Chriminy it's a vicious battle down there." Alrisha said, throwing the ball of fire at a Death Eater that had managed to get through the vampires.
"You know, when the vampires turned on them, they really had no chance of winning this, did they?" Sirius asked, looking over the massacre as a vampire ripped the throat out of Avery.
"Nope. Where are the wizards? And Arcas?"
"Arcas and Charlie are with the dragons, just waiting. We need to get to Nebi." Callista told them, not taking her eyes away from the battle, taking place before them.
"So what do we do? Wait for Arcas?"
"Perhaps. I'm not sure what would be the best plan."
"Wait and let Arcas deal with the bastard." Alrisha said with a bloodthirsty smile on her face.
"Where are the elves?"
"Waiting for orders. Do you want to send them down?"
"No, we'll give the vampires a little more time to get it out of their systems. When they look like they are tiring we'll send in the elves."
"Where are the wizards?" Alrisha asked once more, looking around her, then sending another ball of fire into the group, getting angry shouts from a vampire the fire just missed.
"Please try not to fry our allies Alrisha. And the wizards are also waiting for word from us. We decided to not let them join this battle. Um... for some reason, our allies didn't trust them."
"So we're on our own with this?"
"Yup."
"So we can fight dirty?"
"Yep."
"Cool."
--
Arcas looked at Charlie with wide eyes, watching him interact with a large Ukrainian Vipertooth in awe.
"Charlie?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you think Nebi is okay?"
"I don't think Voldemort would dare harm him. Who knows what that would make you do."
"Kill him slowly."
"Right. You coming with me?"
"Yes."
"Come on then, I need to introduce you to Ethel."
"Ethel?"
"What?"
"You named her, didn't you?"
"Might have done."
"Thought so."
--
"So Charlie and Aracs are on their way over? How are they gonna explain that to the muggles?"
"Don't ask me. I just direct people." Callista said as they watched the vampires kill the last of the first wave of Death Eaters. Many other Death Eaters had managed to escape and run back into the manor. All in all they had lost almost half their number and the vampires had lost none. One wererat had been killed in the fight, which only made the other weres fight harder. Over all they had won this first battle, and if the anger of the Stars was anything to go by, then they would win the next and final battle as well.
"So what do we do now?"
"We wait. The vampires and weres can either wait here to see if they are needed, or they can leave. We still have the Elves and the Dragons. I think we will be alright without them."
"They might want to stay just to watch what happens. The wererats may want to even join in. They did lose one of their numbers."
"And they have every right wish for that right. They will get it as well, if that is what they want. They may be too tired though."
"I'll go and send Vega and Gemma to go and talk to them. At least the wards are down now."
"Yes, thank you little wizard."
"Hey, I'm not that little. I did it for Arcas and Charlie anyway." Bill told them, looking at the skies for his younger brother.
"Well that is lovely. At least we have found one decent wizard." Sirius said dryly
"Hush Sirius. Go and fetch Regulus, we can ask him what Aefen and Sebastian want to do with the elves."
"Ey ey captain." Sirius said, saluting Callista and walking off.
"I get the feeling he doesn't like me. What did he mean by one decent wizard. Does he not like Charlie either?"
"Oh he is completely indifferent towards Charlie, will be as long as he treats Arcas right, but Charlie isn't classed as a wizard anymore."
"What is he then?"
"Well if he chooses so, then he will become a star? Will he have to leave us behind?" Bill asked, eyes not leaving the sky as he watched for his brother.
"No. He can choose when he wishes to leave whenever he wishes. Most wait for loved ones to pass on before they leave." Callista told him softly.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
"So what do we do now?"
"We wait until Charlie and Arcas get here, then they can go inside to try and reach Nebi, whilst we start on the offensive once more. Now that you have taken down the wards, they will take hours to re-erect more wards. We will start to attack the main building."
"What about Nebi?"
"That is a risk we will have to take."
"Arcas won't like that."
"No. He won't."
--
Arcas and Charlie climbed off the back of the dragon and walked over to the waiting stars. Arcas smiled weakly when he saw his mother and Bill.
"Hey. What's the plan?"
"We distract while you and Charlie go inside."
"Right, good plan."
"So when do we go?"
"Whenever you are ready. If we send a ball of fire towards the manor beforehand, then you can go in when the DE's come out. It should clear the way a bit and I doubt Voldemort will come out so that'll mean you will have to deal with him."
"That doesn't matter. I want to be the one who deals with him." Arcas told them firmly.
"Alright then, we're ready when you are."
"Come on then, let's go get Nebi."
--
The second and largest wave of Death Eaters ran out of the manor only to be met by the elves and the Stars.
"Fire!" Sebastian yelled, watching as the archers shot their arrows down into the numbers, lowering them dramatically. "Ready!" The elves lowered their bows and the enxt line readied their weapons, moving forward before the archers, waiting for the Death Eaters to reach them.
It was a massacre. Sebastian dodged a curse sent his way and then thrust forward with his bowie knife, towards a Death Eater. The Death eater fell forward with a choked gurgle as Sebastian pulled his knife back out of the Death Eaters throat. He didn't have time to stop however, as another Death Eater came forward and he ducked the curse sent his way.
--
Charlie stopped Arcas before they entered the building and cast a charm on him to make him blend into the background, before casting the same spell on himself. Arcas reached out and grabbed Charlie's hand and then entered the building, making sure not to bump into any of the leaving Death Eaters.
Not letting go of his mate's hand, Arcas led the way through the dark hallways, trying to determine where Voldemort and Nebi would be. He stopped when Charlie tugged on his hand and pulled him out of the hallway and into the large bay window.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, but we are going round in circles. Wait a minute and I'll find out where Nebi is."
"Okay, hurry up though. I want to find him."
"Will do. Point me Nebi." Charlie hissed, both watching when his wand span and then stopped, pointing them in the right direction. "Follow me."
"Okay." Arcas grabbed hold of Charlie's free hand and then followed behind him as Charlie ran through the halls, following the lead of his wand.
Arcas bumped into Charlie's back, when Charlie stopped suddenly. Looking up Arcas looked around him to see what had made them stop and then gasped when he saw the pair of large double doors, Charlie's wand pointing towards it.
--
Callista built up some fire between her palms and waited for a group of Death Eaters to separate away from the elves and the fighting going on.
"Think they have found Nebi yet?"
"I think we would know when Nebi has been found. Ah." Callista aimed at a group of Death Eaters looking to make their escape and threw the ball of fire of them, setting the group of five alight and watching in satisfaction as they ran around before falling to the ground, burnt to cinders.
"Are these all the Death Eaters left?"
"I don't think so. I think there are some of the inner circle inside, with their master."
"How do you know?"
"Have you seen Lucius Malfoy? A bit hard to miss that hair."
"Ah, you have a point." Sirius agreed, throwing another ball of flame in the way of another Death Eater trying to escape.
"Has the Weasley put up those anti-apparation wards?"
"Yes, they went up about five minutes ago. I can't wait for someone to try them."
"Why?"
"It'll splinch them."
--
"You think Nebi is in there?"
"That's where my wand is pointing."
"So what do we do? Just barge in?"
"Don't know. I suppose that would be the quickest way, but I think there will be quite a few wands in there, probably waiting for us to enter."
"Than what do we do?"
"I don't know."
"I'll cover you if you open the doors with a bang and then we go in."
"What can you do?"
"Not a lot, admittedly, but I can cover you with fire. It won't stop the unforgivables, but it will cover you for most others."
"I'm thinking that Avada Kedavra might be the favourite of curses being sent our way."
"They could be waiting for us."
"Shall I take the charms off of us?"
"Might as well. They're gonna know we're here very soon."
"Okay then. After three?" Charlie asked as he took the charm off of them both and making them visible to others.
"Okay."
"One."
"Two."
"Three."
--
"Do you think they've found Nebi yet?"
"Please stop asking me that Sirius. How am I supposed to know?"
"You seem to know everything."
"Yes, well unless I was with my constellation, I don't know. And No. Me and Alethea cannot read each others minds. That is a myth."
"Fine. Fine. So this is boring, for a war I mean. The elves are pretty much handling everything." Sirius said as he sent another ball of fire to the outsides of the fighting, managing to hit on Death Eater that was on the outskirts of the fighting.
"I hope Nebi is alright."
"Arcas will be horrible to be with if he's not. But Voldemort may be killed all the more quickly."
"Actually I think Arcas would make him suffer slowly, especially if Nebi is dead."
"Let's not talk about that, we can only hope now."
--
"Mr Potter. I have been expecting you." Arcas stopped in the doorway and glanced at Voldemort, who had Nebi lying asleep in front of him, chains around his wrists keeping him in place.
"What have you done to him?" Arcas asked, not taking his eyes off of Nebi as he made his way into the room, Charlie staying close behind him.
"Nothing. Yet. I just needed to make him be quiet. It is just a simple spell to get his to sleep."
"Nothing? He was scared! That's why he was crying!"
"Scared, well yes, I suppose so."
"You're a monster."
"Really?"
"Yes! I can't believe you!" Arcas cried out, glaring at Voldemort, who nudged Nebi out of the way and stepped away from him throne and into the centre of the room.
"Now now, I have some thing I want to ask you."
"Oh?"
"How about you join me? We can be great together. I'll even let your little family live."
"Not a chance."
"Then I have no other choice." Voldemort said, mockingly sad as he turned around and pointed his wand at Nebi.
Arcas watched Voldemort move, almost in slow motion as he raised him wand to Nebi. Arcas blanched at the movement and then ran forward, knocking Voldemort away from Nebi and knocking him to the ground, landing on top of him.
"Arcas!" Charlie moved forward to help Arcas, but was stopped when Malfoy shot a curse at him, making him dodge the hex and then return fire back to him and the other three Death Eaters in the room.
Arcas, whilst Charlie was fighting the other Death Eaters, was still on top of a stunned Voldmeort, making a snap decision, he leant forward and placed his hands on Voldemort face, taking pleasure in the pained yells coming from Voldemort as his skin was burnt away.
Building up his control of fire, which was still very little compared his mother or Alrisha, he brought it into his hands and watched as Voldemort, thrashing slightly, was burnt slowly in font of his eyes.
When all that was left was ashes, Arcas stepped away and looked back to Charlie, checking to see if he was okay. The Death Eaters he had been fighting, were writhing on the floor, clutching at their arms where the Dark Mark had been.
"He's dead?"
"Yes."
"Nebi?"
"He's asleep." Arcas said, leaning down and picking up the small werepanther, burning away the chains holding the little boy down.
"Come on then, let's get back to the others, we can have the Aurors pick up these four." Charlie said, indicating to the now tied up Death Eaters.
"Okay. Come on."
--
"He dead?"
"He's dead. There are many Death Eaters waiting to be picked up by your esteemed Aurors." Callista told a stunned Rufus Scrimgoer.
"How?"
"How what? How did he die? I don't know that I'm afraid, just that he is dead. The Death Eaters will be able to tell you that that is true."
"Right. Is there anything else you need me to do?"
"Sort of Albus Dumbledore."
"Dumbledore? What has he done?"
"You know exactly what he has done. He conspired against us and tried to keep a star away from his mate. Be careful how you deal with this, I know you're not exactly innocent when it comes down to it."
"Of course. I'll see to it right away."
--
"This is the hearing of Alubs Dumbledore, on crimes against the public, conspiring against an magical creature and their mate and conspiracy against the ministry."
"Dumbledore, how do you plead?"
"Not guilty."
"Is it true that you willingly tried to keep one Arcas Weasley nee Orsini, also known as Harry James Potter, away from one Charles Weasley, Mr Orsini's mate."
"I did it for the greater good."
"What good could have been made by keeping a star away from his mate?"
"It would have helped the war."
"Is it not true, however, that your actions, could have hindered the war effort had the Stars decided against fighting?"
"Well... yes. I suppose that could have happened."
"So why do it?"
"But it didn't happen, did it?"
"You planned, with full knowledge on what you were doing, to keep a star, and a very important race in this war, away from it's mate in the hopes that he would come to you, correct?"
"Yes. I needed Harry to be on my side."
"And keeping him away from his mate would have done this?"
"Yes."
"That is all your honour."
--
"Albus Wufric Brian Percival Dumbledore, facing the evidence against you, I have no choice but to sentence you to life within the walls of Saint Mungoes for the mentally unstable. If you should ever show signs of not being mentally impaired, you will follow out the rest of your sentence within Azkaban." Madam Bones said, banging her hammer down on the sentence. Ignoring the outcry her sentence brought about.
Arcas watched from the stalls, smirking when Dumbledore, who looked far too smug before the sentence, realised exactly what was happening to him. Dumbledore finally looked his age and sagged in his seat.
"Well not the sentencing I was hoping for, but it\s something I suppose." Callista said from beside Arcas. Charlie grunted in agreement from Arcas' other side.
"He should have been sent straight to Azkaban." Charlie said, glaring at Dumbledore.
"Had he been younger, then he would have been, but well... he is getting on a bit." Callista told them.
"Hmm. Well it's over now."
"Indeed it is."
"So what are we gonna do now?"
"Simple, we move on with our lifes."
--
Five Years Later
Arcas walked down the path of the cottage he shared with Charlie in Romania. Being a Star, he still had to return for a small time every month, leaving Charlie and Nebi alone for about a week each time.
He had been late to return this time, having to sort out a problem with trying to find more light for his tail star. It had taken him almost a week longer than it normally took.
He hated leaving Charlie and Nebi behind but it had to happen. Once in a while he took Nebi with him, trying to get the shy little werepanther used to being alone up there.
They had sorted out how they would deal with the situation. With help from Callista, they had the cottage and Charlie got to live with his dragons.
Dumbledore had died inside of Saint Mungo's the year before, taking a weight from off of his shoulders. He and Charlie had gotten to know each other better and the eight year old Nebi had grown into a lively, if shy, little boy who enjoyed playing with his daddies.
The rest of the Weasley's visited often, Molly Weasley doting on Nebi as her first grandchild, not that she hadn't been given more from Bill and Fleur and Ron and Hermione, who had got married after their first year, their first child nearly a year old now.
McGonagall had become the new headmistress of Hogwarts, as many had expected, rising to the challenge and becoming one of the schools most fair and most liked headmistresses the school had ever had.
Snape had been found to be one of the four Death Eaters left in the room with Voldemort's remains, and was now serving a life sentence in Azkaban.
Arcas loved his life, loved having a mate that he could finally share his life with. He loved that he was no longer lonely, the cursed life of the star something he had managed to put behind him. He only hoped that Nebi found his mate before he became a star and didn't have to live the same cursed life that every other Star did. His one regret was cursing his son with the same life as himself.
A/N – Well here it is. The end. I was actually going to kill Nebi off. That's how I wrote it the first time, I just didn't like what it did to Arcas though, so Nebi lived. Yay! So tell me what you think and in the mean time, um... shameless plug here, but the next fic in my Reaper series is out now! Yay! And can I hear a yay for the fact that I have the internet again! Yay! No money! Woo! Lol!
Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this, the response I have received is amazing, and very unexpected. Thank you and thank you for the support I have received for this also. Seriously, thank you!