Meanwhile, at Hogwarts… Pt.3
Harry was waiting for an answer; meanwhile, Terra flew toward him, complaining and waving her little hands with a reproachful expression. Harry frowned as he noticed she was slightly injured; the same went for Dee, who approached him and rubbed against his leg.
Harry looked angrily toward Frank and Jeff; he thought they had something to do with it. But before he could say anything, a green-colored spell shot out from the forest, heading straight toward Harry's chest.
Harry's eyes widened in surprise before he lifted his free hand and tore a chunk of earth from the ground, placing it between himself and the spell.
"Dee; hold it for a moment," Harry said as he tossed the rat he had been holding. The serpent caught it instantly, wrapping her body around it and strangling it with ease. At the same time, Harry gently pushed Terra aside, who had been floating in front of him.
Another spell flew toward them and, once again, Harry lifted another chunk of earth to shield them.
Then, a massive salamander made of fire burst out from the forest. Harry reacted immediately; he moved his hands and grabbed Jeff and Frank, who were standing directly in the path of the fiery attack that was undoubtedly Fiendfyre. He hurled them behind him before the creature could reach them.
"Whoa!" Frank yelled as he was sent flying again; although this time he didn't hit the ground as painfully as before. Jeff was nearly unconscious, barely managing to stay awake.
"Get him out of here!" Harry shouted, noticing their condition. "Terra, go with them; warn the others quickly." He then pulled out his wand. "Aguamenti," he said, and a massive surge of water crashed into the fiery salamander, creating a thick cloud of steam and the sound of fire being extinguished.
"No," Jeff muttered, regaining part of his awareness. "You go first, Frank; you can't carry me," he added, looking at his brother's arm. He knew he would only slow him down.
Frank was about to say he could do it, but Jeff's serious look made him close his mouth. "You're fast, right? You always say so; now run," Jeff ordered firmly. Frank looked back at Harry, who was shielding them from the spells still raining through the steam.
"I'll be back as fast as I can," Frank said before turning and running with all his strength. Terra clung to his hat as he ran for help, knowing he would be useless if he stayed; and without him, who knew if help would arrive on time.
"Hahaha; it really seems like destiny," a voice echoed through the steam. Harry stood in front of Jeff so he wouldn't get hit by the attacks. At his side, Peter in his rat form was completely trapped by Dee, wrapped like a cocoon as she stared at him intently, aware of how important he was to Harry.
Harry looked toward the steam with a serious expression. He recognized that voice instantly; after all, it was common to hear it during classes. Dominic emerged from the vapor, walking calmly with an almost mocking smile.
He brushed the dust off his shoulder as his gaze moved from Harry to Jeff.
"I truly don't know what connection you two have, but you're both equally special; and you're standing right here in front of me exactly when I need you most. If that isn't destiny; what else could it be?" Dominic said with an almost ecstatic smile, his usually friendly demeanor shifting into something dark and repulsive.
His face shifted every few seconds; sometimes young, then suddenly wrinkled, only to revert again. A dark mist began to swirl around him faintly.
Harry's eyes were fixed on the mist rising from Dominic's feet before meeting his gaze again.
"I always knew there was something strange about you," Harry said seriously.
"Did you?" Dominic replied with a mocking smile. "Good for you," he added sarcastically before lifting his wand toward the sky.
A mark formed instantly; it was a dark cross that appeared as if pinpointing something. And by how the air felt, that was exactly what it did.
"I'm done hiding. No more. I'm tired of this; killing to keep living, running so I won't be discovered… and it all started because of that damned woman and that filthy brat. He should have died there, beside his mother, pierced by those swords," Dominic said with hatred, remembering the past. "But it doesn't matter anymore; it all ends here. His magic is special, even if your mother is as powerful as they say. I have nothing to lose, but so much to gain," he added, looking at Jeff and Harry.
Harry also glanced at Jeff, who didn't understand what Dominic meant about his special magic. But Harry could feel it clearer than ever. That burst of magic he had sensed earlier… it was blue, but unmistakable. It wasn't like Hermione's pure, classical magic. No. It was the same type as his; the same as his mother's. Chaos Magic.
Even so, he would think about that later. Harry turned back to Dominic and widened his eyes in shock as he saw what was happening.
An immense darkness began to grow where Dominic stood. A nebulous, dense shape, and two enormous eyes seemed to stare out from within. A gigantic mouth formed as well.
"Oh, shi—" Harry didn't finish the curse before the darkness lunged at them.
Harry transformed into red smoke and wrapped around Jeff and Dee—who was holding Peter—pulling them away from the impact as the creature Dominic had turned into tore through everything in its path; trees, rocks, even the ground itself. It chased them for several meters, devastating part of the Forbidden Forest.
Only then did Harry descend to the ground, releasing Jeff and Dee with Peter while catching his breath. His face was slightly pale; he had discovered that ability only minutes ago, and it consumed a lot from him.
Meanwhile, Dominic returned to his normal form and began walking toward them with an arrogant smile.
"Really, that magic… the more I look at it, the more I love it," Dominic said with an excited grin.
"What are you?" Harry asked, fully serious. This man was far stronger than he had ever shown; and that form, that pure destruction… Harry had only ever heard—or read—about something like that long ago.
"I… mmm, I'd be considered something like an Obscurial, maybe," Dominic replied calmly. "But at the same time, not exactly; after all, this isn't mine. It took me a lot of effort to make a child obtain it; and I had to switch halfway through because the first one caused me far too many problems," he added with annoyance. "Well, in any case, he was the only one who survived, so… yes, he was lucky," he added coldly.
Harry frowned as he listened. What Dominic had just said implied many things. But in simple terms, it meant this man had killed children. Obviously.
"By the way; here's the one I'm talking about," Dominic said with a smile as he turned slightly.
Standing there, with a cold expression and gripping two swords so tightly that his knuckles were white, was Luciel. His eyes were fixed on Dominic.
"Hello, son," Dominic said with an amused smile. "Seems you finally remembered me. Well, my face changed a little," he added mockingly.
Luciel said nothing. He simply stared at him with determination, ready to kill the man before him. This time without fear; not like in the past, when that man mistreated him and his mother. But what he had just heard had struck him deeply; and carried a terrible meaning.
Everyone knew what an Obscurial was and how they were created. And according to that man's words… he had done it on purpose. He had literally raised a child just to extract what he wanted from him.
But Luciel would not ask him anything. He did not want to have a conversation or even a single word with him.
At that moment, Harry watched everything and remembered the information he had found about Luciel and his father: Armand Dorian Duvalier. Then he understood that Professor Dominic Grey… was that same man.
Harry lifted his gaze toward the sky. The dark mark Dominic had created was beginning to draw figures down from above; dark wizards descended on brooms or directly with their bodies transformed into black smoke. They landed around the castle, surrounding it. And as if already prepared, a huge barrier began to form, sealing all entrance and escape.
From the forest, more figures began to emerge.
Harry stared at them; they had clear lycanthropic features, cruel smiles, and one of them even had fresh blood on his mouth as if he had just eaten.
Seeing them made Harry remember something. During his year at Beauxbatons, the professor originally chosen for this position had been attacked by a werewolf. That professor was meant to replace the one who had nearly attacked Fleur. But Dominic had taken the position instead.
"This just keeps getting better," Harry muttered as he watched the dozen figures appearing from between the trees.
They must have been there the whole time… or at least since the dementors had left. Had the dementors stayed, these men wouldn't have been able to enter. A necessary nuisance… that didn't do its job.
…
Meanwhile, Frank was running with all his strength. He could finally see the castle's entrance. On the way, he had been lucky enough to run into Luciel, though the latter had rushed off to help Harry, telling Frank to continue and find a professor.
He was just about to reach the doors when suddenly a spell exploded right where he stepped, sending him flying.
Terra was launched from his hat as well.
"What an idiot," said a playful voice as a man stepped out of nowhere from the side. He was dressed like a homeless vagrant; filthy clothes, yellowed teeth, and eyes that looked both amused and completely insane. "Sorry, kid; but I was hired to buy time. And killing one or two of you is a fun way to do it," the man said with a crooked smile.
Frank barely managed to get up, gripping his wand with little strength. He knew that as first-year students, all they could probably cast were a few sparks.
Terra, who had fallen, floated in front of Frank, trying to protect him with her tiny body. This only made the man burst into laughter.
"Crucio!" he shouted, aiming at Terra, his smile so wide his tongue nearly hung out of his mouth.
Terra writhed in the air until she fell to the ground.
"Stop!" Frank yelled, running at the man. He didn't know how, but suddenly his body moved with such speed that he rammed into the man, sending him flying into the wall.
Frank collapsed to the ground as well.
The man, although surprised, wasn't hurt enough. He stood up quickly. "What the hell was that, kid?" he growled before firing another Cruciatus Curse at Frank in revenge.
"Ahhh!" Frank screamed in pain.
Terra, half recovered, flew immediately toward the man, crashing into his face and jamming her little hand directly into his eye.
"Argh, what an annoying little thing!" he shouted furiously. With a flick of his wand he tore a chunk of the ground and flung it at Terra, knocking her down. Then he swished his wand again and the ground transformed into two enormous stone palms that clapped together with Terra in the middle. Then the hands sank into the earth.
"Done… dead," the man said easily before turning toward Frank, licking his lips with amusement. "Now it's your turn. I wonder if those legs of yours are special or something. I'll know once I rip them off," he murmured.
Frank was in shock. He had just seen what they did to Terra. And now he was paralyzed with fear.
"Then you should be prepared to have your entire skin ripped off for daring to even touch one of this castle's students," said an icy voice. The air instantly turned frigid, as if winter itself had fallen upon them.
The man frowned and turned around. Frost was starting to form around him. His breath came out as vapor with every exhale.
Following the source of the voice, he saw a beautiful woman walking out from the castle doors, her platinum-blonde hair flowing elegantly, her outfit both refined and practical. Her gaze was lethally cold. In her right hand she held a pale blue wand. Every step she took froze the ground beneath her.
Selene Greengrass. In the past, known as the Ice Queen. A title her daughter would have inherited if Selene had died years ago at Flint's hands. Many had forgotten that title when she married Edward and became a happy housewife.
"Oh… what a beauty. I'm liking this job more and more," the man said, eyeing her up and down shamelessly.
While Selene only saw a dead man.