Battle For Freedom (Multi XO, UC, Adult) [WIP]

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Ansleyrocks
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Re: Battle For Freedom (Multi XO, UC, Adult) Pt.18 pg.16 4-19-09

Post by Ansleyrocks »

Hey guys thanks for the replies! Thanks...

AvalonRose
garcia88
pandas2001
Maiqu
behrstars
Twilighteyes

Please let me know what you think of this new part!


Part 19: Dark Whispers V

Reid was practically bouncing in his seat by the time Louise and her father sat down in their section. Headmaster Krane had reserved a large section for Salem students, staff and alumni that wanted to attend. “So did it start yet?” She asked sitting down next to him handing him a bag of candy covered pretzels.

“No it should start soon though they already had the introductions, how did you know I wanted these?” Reid asked pulling out a red goo covered pretzel moaning as the sweet and salty concoction met his tongue.

“You had mentioned something earlier today about wanting some,” She sighed.

“Who is up first?” Evelyn Danvers asked practically salivating at the thought of a good fight.

“Liz and Diggory.” Her son replied handing her the program covered in moving pictures.

“Such a strong fight so quickly,” Ryan sighed shaking his blonde head. “They do realize that this is one of the two fights that people have been panting to see?”

“I think that is the point,” Caleb laughed. “Give us a taste at first and then end with Serena and Krum. The two fights everyone has been waiting for.”

“They will win,” Krane whispered his eyes glittering madly in the dark. “My students will win,” he said as he looked at the others, “we always do.”

Krane looked to the empty seat next to Evelyn and his lip visibly curled. “Stupid man,” he muttered.

“He is worried about his wife.” Ryan weakly defended he too didn’t like that Jeff Parker was not there to see his daughter perform to see his daughter fight in her first semi professional duel.

“She has friends,” Evelyn whispered but the group knew that there was more she wanted to say.

“He is always choosing the muggle over his daughter.” Krane growled shocking the parents and their children. He turned and saw them gaping at him and he chuckled slightly. “I know more that goes on with my students than you think. I know that a fight with her father was what caused her magic to attack her.”

“How?” Alex asked looking frightened.

“You all did speak with my staff members remember?” He asked watching as they visibly sagged with relief. “They knew that I needed to know what happened in order to keep an eye on all of you. I wouldn’t be a good headmaster if I didn’t know what endangered my students.”

Caleb nodded biting his bottom lip like Liz did when she was nervous. “Her and her dad doesn’t have a close relationship he is too stuck in the past.”

“Too prejudiced is more like it.” Reid grumbled.

The lights of the stadium flashed as the fairies left their spots and moved to the center of the stadium forming hanging balls of light. “Oh pretty,” Jasmine breathed. Two doors on each side of the stadium opened and two figures emerged; Liz and Diggory.

“Black, Diggory take your positions.” The minister’s voice boomed throughout the stadium as he held his wand to his neck.

A soft feminine gasp startled Caleb as he turned to his left and saw a blonde woman a box over leaning forward in her seat her eyes trained on Liz. Caleb could see her petite frame shaking as she stared at Liz. “Mother is something wrong?” A small blonde boy next to her asked tugging on her arm forcing her to look away from the platforms.

“No, nothing Draco I just thought I saw someone I knew.” She whispered patting the boy on the back. Caleb watched as the woman looked to the intimidating blonde man on the boy’s other side a resigned look on his face.

“What’s up man?” Reid asked nudging Caleb in the ribs.

Reid looked over at the people Caleb had been staring at and he let out a groan. “Damn,” he grumbled.

“You know them?” Caleb asked.

“Caleb that’s Lucius Malfoy and his family,” Reid grumbled.

Understanding flashed in Caleb’s dark eyes as his gaze turned stony as he glanced back at the blondes. It was Liz’s aunt and uncle, Reid’s aunt and uncle, Alex’s family. This was not good on so many levels. If Narcissa Malfoy recognized Liz they were in trouble.

Pogue flicked Caleb’s ear and then pointed to the platforms as Liz raised from her bow a dangerous cold look on her face that had Diggory shaking in his robes. The minister released the gold ball of light and the two were off diving away from their platforms that disappeared.

Diggory used the “Avis” spell on Liz sending a small flock of birds darting her way. Liz flicked her wand and wordlessly the birds burst into flame and disappeared. Caleb snickered when he saw Diggory mouth “bloodly hell” as Liz started wordlessly flinging spells at him. He had no idea what was coming at him as he helplessly threw a shield up running trying to dodge spells that went through.

Caleb growled as Diggory yelled “Confringo!” sending a powerful blasting spell at Liz forcing her to dart out of the way knowing that her shield wouldn’t stop it.

The spell gave Diggory the opening he needed as he fired rapid spells at Liz forcing her on the defensive instead of offensive spells. Caleb gripped his seat in worry he hated to see her scrambling around. Pogue laughed behind him startling Caleb. “Relax man she is just playing with him, Liz and Serena thought this out. Relax.” Pogue whispered and Caleb felt his grip loosening.

His mother smiled gently at him reaching over to grab his arm holding onto him trying to provide some form of comfort. Caleb watched as Liz suddenly raised her wand and made a slashing motion as a purple streak of light flashed from her wand. “Oh Merlin,” Ryan Garwin breathed.

“That is some advanced spell work,” Evelyn agreed her eyes wide in fascination.

“I have never seen a spell like that what is it?” Louise asked.

“A cutting spell, Black is on the offense now.” Pogue chuckled.

Headmaster Krane chuckled in his seat as his eyes focused on something across the stadium. “Old fool is angry he doesn’t like Miss. Black using what he deems dark spells against his student. If it was any other student going against Miss. Black he surely wouldn’t have a problem.”

“He knows that his student is unprepared.” Professor Plank growled looking victorious as Liz released a black jet of light at Diggory who ran screaming, her face remained impassive as always. “Good one Black,” the professor praised softly.

Reid and Pogue shared a look both shocked that Plank complimented a student let alone a young student. Liz encroached on Diggory looking calm and collected as she slashed her wand deflected any spell he threw at her. It was apparent to the audience that Diggory was unhinged by her nonverbal spell casting.

Caleb laughed when he realized that the spells Diggory was throwing at Liz were simple curses like jelly finger curse, conjunctivitis curse, leg locker curse all curses that Liz could easily deflect especially since she knew they were coming. After fifteen minutes Liz had Diggory pinned, bleeding, and unconscious on the floor and the match was called the points going to Liz. The Salem section erupted in cheers as did several other sections. Caleb noticed that the Malfoy’s were also applauding Liz vicious smirks on their faces as the fairies flew back into the corners and the stadium came to life once more.

Lucius Malfoy turned in his seat and saw Krane smirking proudly at a bowing Liz. “Your student is well trained Krane.” Lucius purred.

“Of course she is Mister Malfoy all of Salem’s students are. We pride ourselves on a wide curriculum that nurtures the special needs of each student.” Krane said.

The Covenant was shocked to see curiosity and respect flicker across the blonde’s eyes. Alex suddenly stood up and stretched. “I am going to go see Liz,” he said as Jasmine stood with him.

Narcissa Malfoy let out a squeak when she saw him nearly falling back in her seat. Alex whipped around looking alarmed. “Are you alright?” he asked as Lucius helped his wife right herself.

Krane looked between the Malfoy’s and Alex and understanding flashed in his eyes. “Lord Malfoy might I introduce you to Mister Alexander Black, his cousin Elizabeth Black was the one competing just now.” Krane said watching as Narcissa shook in her seat.

Alex nodded at the couple and their son clearly having no idea who they were to him. “Nice to meet you all but I am going to go find Liz, since her dad isn’t here and all.” Alex grumbled before he grabbed Jasmine’s hand and dragged her off with him. Ryan Garwin nodded at the Malfoy’s who looked at him wide-eyed before he went after the two kids.

It was an unusual sight to see the Malfoy’s so ruffled and Evelyn Danvers seared the image into her mind’s eye. Lucius was the first to recover as Draco looked around confused. “Was that boy, was he…” Lucius shook his head letting out a deep breath. “He is Sirius’s son.”

Draco looked wide-eyed from his father to the blonde headmaster practically bouncing in his seat. Krane nodded slightly. “I ask that you not let word get out Lord Malfoy,” Krane said as his eyes not so subtly flickered across the stadium where a glowering Dumbledore sat.

Lucius sneered but nodded. “Of course headmaster. So I take it then that the girl is Bellatrix’s daughter the one who disappeared from our home in the middle of the night.” He snapped.

Evelyn Danvers was the one to answer this time. “She is but she doesn’t know of that Lucius. She believes her father has always been in her life, she doesn’t know that you and Narcissa raised her once her mother was locked up.”

Caleb stiffened in his seat his eyes darkening furiously. Pogue looked at his father who looked just as confused as he was. “What?” Paul asked.

“Liz used to live with the Malfoy’s until she was three I believe.” Evelyn said and Narcissa nodded sadly.

“So I wasn’t crazy,” Draco chuckled in his high pitched twelve year old voice. “I thought I remembered there being a girl in the house.”

“Her father took her to the States and we were helpless to stop him.” Narcissa said squeezing her son’s hand.

“Liz has no idea,” Caleb sighed.

“Her father tells her nothing.” Reid grumbled as he got up from his seat the other teens moving to do the same leaving the parents behind.

They made their way through the halls towards the receiving area where Liz and Diggory would be congratulated for their fight. The two stood on platforms as people swarmed around them many trying to get Liz’s attention as flash bulbs went off left and right. Reid pushed his way forward and grinned up at Liz. “Well done Lizzie!” he yelled as she looked down smiling at him.

“Thank you Reid!”

A soft chuckle next to him drew Caleb’s attention as he saw a tall red head with a tooth dangling from his ear standing next to him. “She a friend of yours?” He asked his English accent thick and warm.

“Girlfriend,” Caleb laughed softly as the man’s face broke into a wide grin.

“Bill Weasley,” he said sticking out his large hand. Caleb thought he looked nice enough so he shook it.

“Caleb Danvers.”

“Ah you must be James Danvers son dad told me a lot about him. He was a great man.”

That shocked Caleb it was not the usual reaction people had to his father. People usually curled their lips and grumbled about evil wizards, this Weasley was different. “Your dad knew mine?”

Bill nodded, “A few times he wouldn’t tell my how or why just that they met. He said he didn’t see what the big fuss was about he always thought James was a nice man.”

Caleb chuckled darkly realizing the problem, “Many thought my dad was nice when he wasn’t trying to steal their powers.”

Bill nodded letting out a sad sigh, “Sometimes power goes to people’s heads but that doesn’t make them terrible people necessarily.” Bill said before he walked off with a wave heading over to a family of red heads.

“Weird man,” Caleb muttered before he went back over to his friends.

Liz was soon dragged off by Heidi Prince but not before Caleb snuck a kiss congratulating her. He quickly pulled her to his chest and bent his head to her ear brushing his lips against the soft skin. “Liz mom and I need to talk to you later tonight alright?” he asked softly.

She nodded confusion shinning in her eyes before she allowed Heidi to drag her off. Reid slid up next to Caleb watching Liz retreat. “You going to tell her?”

“Yes she deserves to know.”

“It will cause more trouble between her and her dad.” Reid said but he clearly had little concern over that.

“At this point he is doing it to himself.”

Reid watched as Caleb walked away and merged with the crowd a dark feeling settling in the pit of his stomach. He felt as though someone were watching him watching him intently as if waiting to strike. His blue eyes flickered around but he saw no one unusual hanging about. Reid adjusted his black jacket and made his way back inside. His right shoulder hit someone and he paused. “Sorry professor,” he muttered before he continued back inside. It was only once he was back in his seat that he realized what had happened.

Leaning forward he cleared his throat to get professor Plank’s attention. “Professor, is professor Dillings supposed to be here?” Reid asked.

Plank cocked his head to the side and shook his head, “No he had to go back to London for a family gathering, why?”

“I just bumped into him on the way in,” Reid whispered.

The Headmaster, Plank and Tinka froze in their seats. The Headmaster bolted up from his seat and the other two did as well and left before anyone could question their actions. “Guess they need to talk to him,” Alex muttered.

“Yes, right.” Evelyn muttered a dark look on her face. Caleb was annoyed they were hiding something he could tell and he was going to find out what.
Last edited by Ansleyrocks on Tue Apr 28, 2009 5:02 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Battle For Freedom (Multi XO, UC, Adult) Pt.19 pg.17 4-26-09

Post by Ansleyrocks »

Hey guys thanks for the replies to the last part! Thanks...

garcia88
Twilighteyes
AvalonRose
Maiqu

Please let me know what you think of this new part!



Part 20: Dark Whispers VI

Liz could tell that something had happened while she was competing against Cedric Diggory. Her friends seemed moody and irritated and kept muttering under their breath all classic signs that they were displeased about something. Serena was set to compete soon and Liz couldn’t wait to see how it would all play out. Krum was apparently a very experienced duelist.

Serena stood shaking next to Liz unable to hid her emotions as well as her friend. “You can do this Serena just pretend you are fighting in the room with Prince and I.”

“Right itz juzt youz and Prince.” Serena mumbled rolling her shoulders.

“Don’t let him see you are afraid Serena you know you can win this fight; you know non verbal spells and a wide range of hexes and curses. You are going to do this and do it well.” Liz whispered watching as Serena’s resolve strengthened.

“Come on Serena go and show Krum that no one messes with a member of our Covenant and gets away with it.” Liz whispered so no one else but her best friend could hear.

Serena looked at Liz a wicked grin on her face suddenly. “Youz right Lizzie Krum won’t know what hit em.”

The two friends hugged and then Serena was off heading towards the arena. “Your friend as good as you?” A silky voice purred in Liz’s ear. Liz whipped around to see a small blonde boy standing behind her a smirk on his pointed face.

“The best,” Liz sneered amusing the boy.

“Good, father placed money on her.”

“And who might your father be?” Liz asked.

“Lord Lucius Malfoy and I am Draco, Draco Malfoy.” The boy said sticking out his hand and Liz shook it feeling a strange spark when her golden hand met his pale flesh. He felt oddly familiar.

“You a Hogwarts student?” Liz asked and the boy nodded.

“Father wanted me to go to Drumstrang but mother whined and cried until he gave in and told her that Hogwarts was fine.”

“Wow two magic schools your family must be important.” Liz chuckled remembering that she had been invited to two as well.

“A little,” the boy said his pale cheeks tinged pink as he looked away. She had the distinct impression that he was not used to being embarrassed. “So what is Salem like I know nothing about that school it seems to be a mystery.” The boy said motioning for Liz to sit down.

“Well it is interesting to say the least. The staff believes in pushing us to our limits and working to our strengths and improving our weaknesses. We value a broad range of knowledge.”

Draco smirked at the older girl, “In other words Dark Arts are practiced. Nothing wrong with that in fact father and mother dislike Hogwarts take on the matter. Also, Hogwarts emphasizes passive behavior which will get us nowhere in life.”

“You must be in Slytherin,” Liz laughed.

“That obvious?” He chuckled after all Malfoy’s don’t laugh in public. “You aren’t running away from me thought that is new.”

Liz rolled her eyes gently shoving the boy. “Just because you belong to a house it’s not the end of the world. My friends and their parents have taught me that sometimes the world isn’t all black and white so don’t put people into those categories.”

“Smart,” Draco sighed. “I wish others had that outlook I get sort of tired of the frowns and mothers pulling their children away from my family as if just being near us will infect us.”

Liz remembered what her friends had told her about the Malfoy’s and their dark alliance and understanding flashed in her brown doe eyes. “They think that because of past actions you are going to make the same choices as your parents,” Liz whispered.

Draco looked at her stunned as his grey eyes darted around looking to see if they were being listened to. “Exactly,” he whispered.

“I know the feeling people think I am going to be just like my mom,” Liz said shaking her head sadly.

“Who is your mom?”

Liz obviously didn’t want to say as she looked down. Draco rolled his eyes grabbing her arm hoping she would look at him. “Liz my parents are known death eaters do you really think it can get worse than that?”

Liz sighed knowing he was right. “My mom is Bellatrix Lestrange.”

“No way that is my aunt,” Draco laughed.

Liz’s eyes widened as she stared at the boy, “Really?”

“Yes she is my mother’s eldest sister; we don’t really speak of the middle child. My mother is Narcissa Malfoy née Black.”

“So you’re what my cousin?” Liz asked feeling as if the wind had been knocked out of her.

Draco smirked loving how all of this was falling into place just as his mother predicted. “That’s right. I figured there was a chance we were related when they introduced you since Black is an uncommon name. I didn’t know we were cousins though.”

“Alex is going to flip,” Liz laughed.

“Who is Alex?” Draco asked remembering vaguely a tall lanky boy.

“My cousin Alex Black,” Liz said.

“Please tell me his mother’s name is not Andromeda,” Draco begged looking ill.

“No he gets the name from his father Sirius,”

Draco’s grey eyes bugged out of his head, “As in the Sirius Black? He is my mother’s cousin.” Draco admitted softly.

“I know. Have you ever visited my mother?” Liz asked somehow sensing that he had.

“Yes, she is a bit scary but not nearly as scary as Sirius, that man looks dead.” Draco said shuddering slightly.

A loud cheer sounded in the distance and Liz bolted up. “Serena is going to be dueling soon come on we have to go and see how she does.” Liz said unconsciously grabbing the blonde’s hand as she dragged him off with her towards the champion viewing area.

The two arrived just in time to see Krum and Serena stand from their bows and then in a brilliant flash of spells the fight began. Liz as stunned to see that neither was using verbal commands as they assaulted each other in brilliant blasts of color and energy. The sounds of explosions and blasts shocked Liz; she had never seen a fight such as this. It frightened her to see the shield Krum was using was twice as powerful as Serena’s.

“I can’t believe she is holding her own against Krum he usually has the other duelist beat by now,” Draco whispered as Serena sent a hex back at Krum that went through his shield making him dodge out of the way. Liz recognized it as a bleeding hex.

“Wow this is getting dirty fast,” she whispered and Draco nodded in awe.

Liz could feel the spells getting darker as the duel went on and it frightened her. She knew those spells but she never had to cast them against another person. Serena was holding her own though throwing back spells that were equally as painful and meant for destruction, the intent had now become pain. “Bloody hell,” a familiar voice whispered from beside Liz. It was one of the Hogwarts professors, Snape she thought his name was. “This is turning into a bloody death eater match,” the man whispered not realizing Liz had heard him.

It struck her as odd that the professor said death eater she wondered why that was the first thought to come to mind when he watched them fight. Liz cringed when she realized Serena had a gash in her arm and that Krum was unheard. “Come on Serena rip his skin off,” Liz growled not realizing she had vocalized her thoughts.

“That would be unwise Miss Black,” Professor Snape drawled.

Liz didn’t think as she replied, “I think it is perfect.” Liz snapped.

Snape raised an eyebrow at the girl trying to keep his face impassive as he took her in. So much like her mother and yet there were hints of her father there as well. Draco didn’t like how his professor was eyeing his cousin even if the man was his godfather. It didn’t seem right it felt as if he were missing something important.

Liz gasped as Serena flew back with a scream landing crumpled on the ground. “Serena,” she gasped.

“She is faking,” Snape sneered.

Liz thought about it and felt through their connection that he was right. “I know,” she whispered glancing and the man out of the corner of her eye. “That doesn’t mean that it is any less scary,” she grumbled as Serena suddenly jerked up and started firing spells at Krum. Liz winced when she saw a particularly nasty hex connect with Krum as his eyes went from a frightening brown to grey white.

“Bloody hell she blinded him,” Draco breathed.

“I doubt that is going to slow him down,” Liz mumbled. Sure enough Krum continued fighting apparently not needing his eyes to target his opponent.

In a flash of black and purple light Serena let out a scream and she crumpled to the floor. Pain seized Liz’s left arm and then she knew. Krum had won the duel. “That was brilliant,” Draco whispered. “I have never seen a duel like that between people other than dueling masters.”

The duel was declared Krum’s victory as medi witches raced into the arena to tend to the two duelists that were both in bad shape. “Rena,” Liz sighed as she rushed to the area she knew they would be taken. Moments later Serena was floated into the room as Mrs. Cornwall raced inside looking frantic.

“Is my baby alright?” she asked as the healers looked Serena and Krum over.

“Nothing a few potions won’t cure,” the healer said his voice gruff as he ran his wand over Serena. “Though the scar to her shoulder will be permanent unfortunately,” he sighed.

“If it makes you feel better Mr. Krum will have several as well.” Snape said glancing at the now unconscious boy. “I would like to know where they learned such spells,” he muttered softly not wanting the frantic mother to hear him.

“My friend taught us that spell,” Liz whispered catching the professor’s attention. “He told us it would make the person bleed a lot it is a special cutting spell.” Liz said remembering what Tyler had told them the day before holiday break.

“I know,” Snpae whispered looking frustrated. “What I don’t understand is how Krum and your friend found out about the spell, it is a spell that only a select few know.”

“Never mind,” Snape growled when he saw Igor walk in and check on his student. “I know where Mr. Krum learned the spell.”

Liz could feel her friends rushing into the room much to the healer’s anger but he was helpless to stop them as they crowded around Serena fussing over her, especially Pogue. Liz looked around the room and spotted Draco standing off to the side looking amused. “Like mother hens,” he chuckled looking at Pogue and Louise who were fussing over Serena more than her own mother was in the back laughing at the sight. She knew how close her daughter was to her friends and she was glad to see them looking after each other.

Reid looked at the healers and took over, “have you given her a pain reliever potion yet? She will also need a blood replenishing potion, a scar potion, a healing spell for her arm, a little skelo grow might also be needed because the break looks bad. She also needs a sleeping draught so that she gets rest tonight.” Reid said.

Caleb shook his head at his friend, “It is obvious what your mother does for a living,” Caleb muttered.

The healers quickly pulled out the potions looking afraid to work on the girl with Reid standing right there. “Well get on with it we don’t have all day.” Reid snapped and the healers jumped to work forcing Serena’s unconscious body to take the potions.

The healers suddenly found their backbones and forced everyone but the Cornwall’s and Krum’s headmaster out of the room. “Worthless healers don’t even know what they are doing,” Reid grumbled as they headed back to the area they were supposed to meet the others in order to head to their camp sites.

Caleb looped his arm around Liz and led her to where his mother was standing talking to a moody Plank. “Couldn’t find him but he was definitely here,” they heard Plank mutter but he stopped talking when the kids finally arrived.

Liz noticed Draco walk up to a tall regal looking man and stunning blonde woman. The man looked familiar she could almost picture herself running towards him as he towered over her with her arms outstretched. “Liz?” Caleb noticed her staring intently at the Malfoy’s.

“That man looks familiar,” she whispered.

“He should,” Evelyn chuckled. “You used to live with him Liz that man is Lord Lucius Malfoy your uncle.”

“Draco’s parents,” she whispered.

“Yes,” Evelyn said not at all surprised that the little boy went to find Liz she had suspected as much when he did not return to his seat to see Serena’s match.

Liz floundered before the older woman looking to Caleb. “I don’t understand.”

Caleb sighed glaring at his mother for her lack of delicacy with the issue. “Liz when you were little apparently your mother had you stay with the Malfoy’s when she was thrown into Azkaban. Your dad took you away when you around three.”

It felt as if the air had been sucked out of the room as the noise of the crowd rushed past her ears. Her father had done it again he had lied to her. He had told her that he had always had custody of Liz and now she finds out he was lying. “Liz why don’t you talk to the Malfoy’s they might be able to explain it better.” Evelyn whispered realizing her mistake too late.

Caleb pulled her tight against him and he went over to the oblivious trio who were whispering quietly to one another. “Lord Malfoy,” Caleb sighed, “Lady Malfoy.”

Liz stood shyly beside him taking in the man and woman before her. Now that she saw them up close there was no denying that Liz was related to Mrs. Malfoy they had the same shape of face and the same lips and height. Narcissa for her part let her eyes flicker over the girl taking her in. “My Liz you look exactly like Bella at thirteen except Bella had a scar across her right eyebrow.”

“That you put there if I remember correctly,” Lucius sneered at his wife who looked down a faint pink staining her cheeks. Lucius allowed a small smile to appear on his face a rare sight that had several Hogwarts parents stopping to stare.

“I didn’t mean to the hex just sort of slipped out,” Narcissa huffed.

“You hexed my mother?” Liz asked unable to hide her amusement.

“She probably had it coming,” Lucius sighed. “Bella had a habit of getting in too deep.”

Liz nodded biting her lower lip as she steeled herself to ask the question that was burning a hole in her stomach. “I lived with you?” she finally asked in a chocked whisper.

Narcissa looked around and saw that no one was really listening to them. “Yes,” Narcissa whispered.

“You were given to us when you were two, Draco had just turned one when you came to live with us.” Lucius explained.

“My dad told me he always had custody of me that my mother was too unstable to care for me.” Liz whispered looking down feeling ashamed that she believed that about her mother but when it was her father telling her such things it was hard to not believe him.

Narcissa’s ice blue eyes burned with fury. “More like he was too selfish to take you the courts wouldn’t hear of giving you to him. He had a muggle for a lover there was no way the wizenagmot would give you to him. No Bellatrix raised you with her husband they both adored you as did Rod’s younger brother. You used to love them you would call Rod dada and Rabastan Rabbie. I was Aunt Cissy and Lucius was Uncle Lucy.”

Lucius’s lip curled at that, “You were the only one I would let get away with calling me that,” he grumbled.

“And little Draco was Aco, you were still learning to pronounce your D’s.” Naricssa smiled softly.

“Oh wow this is all this is all just wow,” Liz whispered leaning heavily on Caleb feeling as if her feet her were about to be swiped out from under her.

“Dear we realize this is a lot to take in all at once, maybe you should go back to your tent and rest and we can talk more in the morning.” Narcissa suggested.

Liz nodded unable to find her voice suddenly. Lucius reached into his robes and pulled out a small mirror. “My family uses this to speak to one another. Just tap your wand twice on the surface and say the name of the person you wish to speak to and they will appear in the mirror. It is secure so no one will overhear you.” Lucius said.

Narcissa saw the girl staring at the mirror in awe. “We got the idea from my cousin actually.” Narcissa chuckled. “Sirius and his friends used the mirrors to talk and plan their latest pranks over the summer. He taught Bella and I the spell and in turn we taught our families.”

“Thanks,” Liz said clutching the mirror to her chest. “I will talk to you in the morning,” she whispered as the blonde family nodded and walked gracefully away.

Liz sighed one they were gone; “I am never going to forgive my dad.”
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Re: Battle For Freedom (Multi XO, UC, Adult) Pt.20 pg.17 5-3-09

Post by Ansleyrocks »

Hey guys thanks for the replies to the last part! Thanks...

garcia88
pandas2001: glad that you put the Azkaban scene with the last part!
AvalonRose
Twilighteyes
Maiqu

Please let me know what you think of this new part!


Part 21: Dark Whispers VII

She didn’t know if it was just her but she could swear the gaze of a Malfoy could chill a person to the bone. Liz used all of her energy to not shift in her seat as Lucius and Narcissa stared at her. “Where was my dad when I was a baby?” Liz asked softly. It was the question that had been plaguing her mind since yesterday when her world crashed around her once more.

Narcissa gave the girl a soft smile knowing that she had just destroyed her world. “When you were a baby Jeff was absent, he was not ready to be a father. He wanted to be free and he wanted to pursue other…”

Liz knew what Narcissa was trying to say, her father wanted to play the field and having a baby would prevent that. “Bella was close with Rod growing up and when he saw Jeff leave her he married Bella.” Lucius sighed looking his age in that moment.

“He loved you Liz as if you were his own,” Narcissa sighed allowing a small smile to grace her pretty pale face. “When he saw you Liz it was as if his world had been completed he was so happy.”

“But I wasn’t his,” Liz whispered.

“You were all he was ever going to have,” Lucius grumbled his grey eyes showed a moment of pain before his cold mask was firmly in place once more. “The Lestrange brothers were in an accident as children and were rendered sterile; you were going to be named the Lestrange heir.”

Liz closed her eyes trying not to cry. No one had told her any of this her father never wanted her; she had a different father as a baby one that wanted her. “He really wanted me? My mother wanted me?” Liz asked.

Narcissa laughed at that trying to cover it but failing miserably. “You were a surprise and unplanned but that didn’t mean Bellatrix didn’t want you Elizabeth. She never saw herself as a mother her life was too erratic. When she found out though she was thrilled if not a bit shock.”

“How did I end up with my dad?” Liz asked watching as Lucius’s lip curled over his teeth.

“That was partly my fault I am afraid Elizabeth,” Lucius growled. Liz got the impression that the man was not used to taking the fall for past deeds gone wrong this must have been something that truly bothered him.

“How so?”

Lucius sighed clenching and unclenching his pale fist. “As I am sure you have probably heard by now there are certain past discretions of mine that have landed me in a bit of trouble,” Lucius said.

“You mean your alleged involvement with the Dark Lord?” Liz asked smirking at the older man.

“Yes, very nice use of alleged by the way. I was in Azkaban at the time with the other suspected Death Eaters when Jeff Parker came to the Malfoy manor.”

“I might have been decent at dueling but Jeff Parker was better. I had two children to protect and he had me down in minutes, bastard even threw an unforgivable towards Draco just to throw me off.”

“A baby?” Liz gasped feeling ill. “My dad cursed a baby?”

“Fortunately my reflexes are better and I took the pain curse but it gave him enough time to snatch you.” Narcissa sighed Liz could see the misery clear in her blue eyes.

“How could he do something like that?” Liz asked. “All my life he has preached at me about the dangers of Dark magic and how he was above it all. He was always on me about my friends and how they were too dark and they were going to lead me down a dangerous path. Here my dad is worse than their parents. At least James Danvers never tried to curse a baby.” Liz snapped.

“After he took you Liz we tried looking for you, but we forgot what Jeff was good at in school.” Narcissa sighed.

“What?” Liz asked afraid it was the Dark Arts.

“Charms,” Lucius sighed. “The man was brilliant at charms. He was able to hide your location until you were eleven and even then because you were at Salem we wouldn’t have been able to find you. It is a gift that you were here Liz.”

Neither of the Malfoy’s or Liz saw the tent flap flutter closed as the woman slinked away from their end of the campsite. She went into another tent at the far side of the camp and was greeted by a room full of cloaked witches and wizards. “It worked,” she whispered.

Plank grinned at he lowered his hood as Prince moved to do the same. “It was only a matter of time before all that scheming Jeff Parker did would catch up with him. We merely pushed the players together now all we have to do is watch the game.”

Tinka sighed off to the side staring down at a picture. “There is just one more player left in this game and he will come along very shortly,” she whispered. The crazed manic eyes of Sirius Black glared up at her as he struggled against the dementors of Azkaban prison. “Just one player left.”

Caleb sighed as he waited outside his tent for Liz. He didn’t like all of the changes that were happening in her life he knew it was making her upset and anything that made her upset made him upset. It seemed as though there were more skeletons in Liz’s family closet then his and that worried him because it seemed as though they just kept coming. If Liz had a meltdown when she found out her stepmom was pregnant he didn’t want to think about what she was going to do with this new hit.

Pogue ducked out of his tent and slid up next to Caleb both taking peace in the quiet morning knowing that the day was just starting. “What are we going to do Caleb?” Reid’s voice shocked the duo as he slid up next to them his blue eyes full of fire.

“Wish I knew,” he grumbled.

“My dad was talking about a whole lot of legal issues last night,” Pogue whispered.

“What why?” Reid asked.

“Legally Liz belongs to the Malfoy’s,” Pogue sighed. “If they push hard enough she will become their ward again and if they wanted they could take her out of Salem and put her in Hogwarts.”

“They wouldn’t do that,” Caleb said running a hand through his messy brown locks. “They like Salem better than Hogwarts because of its Dark Arts and dueling. She is doing well there they won’t pull her.”

“Well at least we have that positive in this shit pile,” Reid grumbled.

“This really is messed up,” Pogue agreed.

“On top of that we have Tyler and Jasmine to deal with,” Caleb sighed.

Reid looked between the older two looking lost. “What is wrong with them?”

Caleb looked darkly at his friend. “Come on man you can’t stand there and tell me you haven’t noticed how dead they look.”

“They are so far gone it is not even funny,” Pogue scoffed.

“Gone where?”

“The Dark Arts man,” Pogue sighed. “I didn’t know what it was at first until my dad started talking about it with your dad and Caleb’s mom. Apparently the two of them have had their nose buried in a Dark Arts book all year.”

Reid looked stunned as his mouth opened and closed soundlessly. “How could we have not noticed?”

“We did but we didn’t know how bad or what they were messing with.” Caleb said sliding down onto the dirt ground looking miserable. “We were going to confront them when we got to Louise but we forgot.”

“What kind of Dark Arts exactly?” Reid asked looking nervous. None of their families had great track records with dark spells they were sucked in by the power and more than one of their ancestors were killed by the magical drain that came from constant use of powerful spells. If Tyler was getting in so soon they feared he would be gone before they could stop him and Jasmine was going to join him on that dark slippery path.

“No idea but dad was saying that if they got a hold of the book they would know and then move from there.” Pogue said.

“I think we should just confront the two of them and see what they have to say. Our parents are more likely to attack them first and then help them I would like to skip that part.” Caleb grumbled.

“Do you really think we can handle something like this Caleb I mean they might be in deep here.” Reid whispered looking scared.

“I don’t know man but this is our best option for now, if we can take care of it ourselves than we should. I don’t want our parents to force them into…”

“Suspension,” Pogue and Reid whispered and Caleb nodded.

Suspension something few halfbloods and muggle borns knew about. A process so painful the mere mention of it made a pureblood flinch. It was a process used to help stabilize a overworked core that had been over used. The person was suspended in air wrapped in the purification fires for days in screaming agony. The darker your core the longer you needed to be suspended. Several times witches and wizards died when their cores were bonded too strongly in darkness and the fire killed them.

“You really think it would come to that?” Reid asked looking more like a lost puppy than a sixteen year old boy. None of them wanted to admit it but they were scared. Their parents were the ones to deal with this issue when James Danvers went bad they never had to face the bad directly. Now not only were their friends in trouble but they were connected to those friends. What their parents didn’t know was that with each passing day that Tyler and Jasmine fell into the darkness their friends bound in a covenant were dragged right along with them.
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Re: Battle For Freedom (Multi XO, UC, Adult) Pt.21 pg.18 5-10-09

Post by Ansleyrocks »

Hey guys glad to see you all liked the last part! Thanks...

pandas2001- All great questions that will slowly be answered. Some of the Sirius questions will be answered in Alex's 4th year.

behrstars
garcia88
Twilighteyes
Maiqu

Please let me know what you think of this new part!


Part 22: Dark Whispers VIII

Her anger fueled her it made her stronger it made her more willing to fight. She was set to face some French girl named Fleur and knew she needed to keep her head in the duel if she was going to win. Her school was depending on her, her friends were depending on her to win. Liz knew from watching off to the side that Fleur was good. She was quick but Liz knew more offensive spells.

Liz sneered as she watched the small blonde French girl glide into place before her, Vela. A sly smirk came over Liz when she realized what blood flowed through the girl’s veins and all the spells Prince had taught her to combat such an opponent. Prince must have known that they would be facing a girl who was part Vela and prepared them well.

“Champions bow,” the Minister’s voice boomed and Liz and the other girl performed their sickeningly perfect bows.

The ball of light flew into the arena and they were off. Liz erected a shield first noting the girl was carefully mirroring her actions. With one last devious smirk Liz began. “Reducto!” she yelled blasting the spell at the girl whose shield held firmly.

In a duel one always wanted to test their opponents shield with a simple powerful spell before firing more. There was nothing worse than not testing a shield and having a spell bounce back and hit the caster. “Aprios!” Fleur sang a minor spell easily deflected.

Liz grinned steeling herself, now came the offensive spells that were meant to break or pass through shields and she had the perfect one in mind to get past the pretty little blonde. “Vela flomer!” Liz hissed watching Fleur’s blue eyes widen when she recognized the spell.

Fleur dodged out of the way gasping as the blood fire spell narrowly missed her. Fear shimmered in her blue eyes as she stared at the young girl before her. “So you know,” she whispered cringing when Liz just glared at her. “Vell fine den I will play,” Fleur huffed.

Liz grinned in satisfaction when she noticed the fear shimmering around the other girl. She was all talk and no show which was perfect for Liz. Liz started hurling wordless spells at Fleur giggling at the now terrified look on the other girl’s face. Fleur had been expecting wordless spells but not ones directed at her Vela blood.

Fleur tried fruitlessly to keep up with Liz but more spells were getting past her shield then Liz’s and stinging pain started clouding her mind. The French student tried helplessly to dodge and dart away from the spells but it was no use. Liz proved to be stronger and faster when it came to casting offensive spells and Fleur’s defenses were not holding. The girl let out a terrified scream as a purple spell engulfed her before she lost consciousness and Liz stood proudly over her.

“I might be young,” Liz whispered as Fleur tried to fight the black clouding her vision. “But I always win,” Liz whispered as Fleur finally gave up.

Narcissa Malfoy stared down at the arena her mouth hanging open. She was not shocked by the spells Liz cast nor the way she cast them. Narcissa Malfoy was shocked and frightened to see the cruel smirk on Liz’s face as she stared down at the unconscious blonde at her feet. “She really does look like Bella,” Lucius sighed. His wife nodded her head slowly regaining control of herself.

“Lucius she looks exactly like Bella when she was fighting Andy,” Narcissa whispered.

“There is something about Miss Delacour that Elizabeth does not like. I wonder what that might be?” Lucius questioned softly.

Narcissa looked to her right and saw Pogue Parry glaring down at the blonde and her family that were in the arena, his father wearing the same expression. “No Lucius that is more than not liking someone that is hate,” she whispered watching as the Parry’s quickly schooled their expressions as Liz did so as well. It was almost as if they were feeding off each other’s hate.

Lucius looked to where his wife was staring and smirked. “Oh now that is very interesting,” he chuckled.

“What is it?” she asked knowing her husband had the inside scoop on something important.

“Mrs. Parry my dear Cissa is part Rosier and the Rosier family…”

“Is French,” Narcissa said rolling her eyes. She knew that since her mother was a Rosier.

“Well yes but the Rosier side that the Parry’s are related to have a black sheep if you will.”

Narcissa’s eyes widened at the mention of a possible scandal. “Who?” she asked softly glancing around to make sure no one saw or was listening to the two purebloods gossiping.

“Paul’s great uncle’s daughter married a Delacour and her son married a Vela.”

Narcissa’s eyes widened comically at that, “No,” she gasped glancing down at the arena where the healers were trying to revive Fleur before they moved her. “That girl is part Vela.”

“Yes and her father is the black sheepf the one who turned his back on the family.”

“Just like Andromeda,” Narcissa whispered glancing nervously at her husband. He hated her sister more than Bellatrix sometimes hating her for all the pain she caused Narcissa growing up, hating her for making a fool of the Black family and their friends.

“Blood traitors,” he scoffed rolling his grey eyes. “It wouldn’t have mattered if they went off and married who they wanted. What makes them traitors is they turned their backs on their families.”

Narcissa nodded clenching her small fists. “That and they are pawns of Dumbledore. Just look at Dumbledore down there with that giant of a woman,” she sneered.

Fleur’s headmistress was in the arena with Dumbledore as they both glared at Liz who was now flanked by Krane and Plank. Lucius shook his head at the sight, “No wonder Paul and his son hate the Delacour’s.”

“Yes darling that explains Paul and his son but what about Liz?” Narcissa asked.

Lucius smirked as his eyes flickered to the small group of Salem students at their right. “From what I can sense my dear Cissa, there is more to Elizabeth and her group of friends than meets the eye.”

“What exactly do you sense my darling?”

“A binding spell Cissa and a very strong one. I believe the children have bound themselves together in a Covenant as strong as the Ipswich Covenant of Silence if not stronger. I can see the magical aura surrounding them and it looks strikingly the same for all of them.”

Narcissa gasped feeling ill at the thought, “A binding spell of Lucius that is terrible.”

“Oh yes it is quite terrible my dear but also great. Terrible but great.”

Professor Plank sneered at Albus Dumbledore daring the old man to try and mess with his student. He could sense the Hogwarts Headmaster trying to break into Liz’s mind and he was not about to let that happen. Plank concentrated on his own mental shield’s and imagined them stretching out like a bubble expanding. He imagined his shield surrounding Liz as Dumbledore tried to get into her mind. The frustrated glared from Dumbledore told Plank that his defenses were holding around the Black girl.

“Come Miss Black we are leaving,” Krane sneered pulling himself to his impressive height. “We do not need to take this verbal abuse being thrown at us from such petty people.”

“Of course Headmaster,” Liz chimed sounding like an innocent angel to the rest of the world.

Plank smirked knowing the true genius of his student. She was a wicked little witch with the appearance of an innocent fairy. No one would suspect what he knew to be true; Liz had been leeching off the Parry energy. At first he had been unsure of what was happening when he saw the purple chord form between Pogue and Paul Parry, but when the chord shot out and connected with Liz’s wrist it all became clear. Pogue and Paul were not only connected as father and son but as members of the same Covenant and with such strong bonds they could share magical core strength. Then with Pogue’s connection to Liz the three ended up sharing power and directing it all at Liz’s opponent, Fleur. Plank knew that no one else but Prince, Tinka and him could see the sharing chords but this latest development was something very important and they all knew it.

“That was very impressive Miss Black,” Plank praised smirking when he saw her blush.

“It was weird,” she sighed.

“How so?” Plank asked softly as they trailed after Headmaster Krane.

“I just felt so alive as if my magic had just engulfed me. I swear for a moment it was as if I had connected to the Earth or something.”

“That is odd. You must have been channeling deep within your core.” Plank said not wanting to share his latest find with the girl just yet.

“It was just weird professor I mean I really felt as though I wanted and could destroy her,” Liz whispered. “I scared me.”

“Not to worry Liz I am sure you were just picking up on Professor Prince’s desire for you to win at all costs,” Plank said.

He could tell from the weary look on her young face that she did not believe him. Plank sighed adjusting his robes to distract himself. It seemed that Liz was much more perceptive than he thought and he knew it was only a matter of time before she shared her feelings with her friends and they figured out what was going on.

Infuriated voices caught the trio’s attention as a crowd of people followed them down the hall. At the front were Ryan Garwin and Caleb Danvers rolling their eyes at the flurry of people behind them. Plank subtly moved Liz between the Headmaster and himself as the crowd drew closer.

“Dat girl should be locked up in Azkaban!” Madam Maxine yelled jabbing her large finger in Liz’s direction.

“Oh please nothing she did was illegal,” Caleb snarled as Mr. Garwin dragged him along. “You are just sour that your little champion lost to a third year.”

Liz snickered behind Plank eyeing Caleb appreciatively in his enraged state. “Typical girl,” Plank muttered trying to cover his amusement.

“She almost killed Fleur!” the giant of a woman yelled.

“Did not!” Liz huffed her small hands going to her hips.

Ryan Garwin did not like all of these people attacking the girl he considered a daughter and he had had enough. “Silence,” he snarled glaring at several loud mouth Hogwarts staff that stood with Dumbledore beside the French Headmistress.

“You all know nothing,” he hissed pushing a furious Caleb behind himself. “Every spell she cast was within regulation; none of the judges put a stop to the duel.”

“Probably because they were too afraid of the demon child.” McGonagall hissed.

Ryan clenched his fists at his sides feeling explosive energy building from within. “She is thirteen do you really believe the international dueling judges were afraid of her?” Ryan asked his voice furiously calm.

A small little goblin like man pushed his way forward glaring at the crowd. “Miss Black did nothing wrong,” the man squeaked. “All spells she cast were within regulation.”

Madam Maxine was not happy. “Vell vhat about de spells de little brat used dat targeted my little Fleur’s blood?” she asked glaring proudly down at the little man feeling she had won.

“There is nothing against such spells in the rules. It was your fault for putting up such a champion when her blood was clearly a weakness.” The man squeaked.

Caleb smirked at the giant woman and Fleur’s father beside her. “None of the spells Liz used were dangerous it was all Fleur and her inability to block that lost her the duel.”

Amedee Delacour glared at the boy in front of him knowing exactly who he was. The man pounced towards Caleb looking to tackle the boy the good old muggle way but Ryan Garwin was not about to let that happen. The blonde man raised his hand and blasted blood traitor into the small crowd of people. Ryan gasped and looked down at his hand shocked.

“Talk about wicked use of accidental magic,” Caleb snickered as the color drained slightly from Ryan’s face.

“Whoa dad nice,” Reid called from down the hall where Evelyn Danvers was nervously fretting beside him.

Igor Karkaroff who had been standing off to the side with his champion grinned at the chaos around him. The little Black girl was powerful much more powerful than he had thought when he first laid eyes on her. Victor next to him smirked as he took in the girl as well. Karkaroff’s young pupil had made it known that he was interested in the young girl claiming that he felt a strange power from her. Karkaroff was unsure about that infatuation at first until he saw the young Danvers boy and his protective stance when it came to the girl; if such a powerful young boy was sticking close to the girl there had to be power there.

“Make friends with her Victor,” Karkaroff whispered to his student. “She could be valuable to us later on.”

“She seems to have a knack for enraging Hogwarts.” Krum ground out in his usual gruff voice.

“Yes which could work in our favor in the coming years.”

Dumbledore for his part did not like this turn of events. The Black girl was far too much like her family for his taste it was apparent to him that Jeff Parker did not do as he was told. “What do we do Albus?” McGonagall whispered as the crowd argued around them.

“Well Minerva it seems our plans for Jeff have failed his daughter turned out just like her mother after all.” Dumbledore sighed.

“Even after all that effort you went through to go and find that man and get him past the Malfoy wards,” she whispered bitterly glaring at the girl who was now in the arms of the Danvers boy another thorn in her side.

“What are you planning old man?” Reid asked from beside Dumbledore startling the wizard for the first time in years.

McGonagall narrowed her eyes at the blonde, “Mr. Garwin that is no way to talk to a great wizard such as…”

“Can it lady,” Reid hissed knowing no one was watching them as his blue eyes glared fiercely at the duo before him. “I am onto your games Dumbledore and mark my words you will regret the day you ever tried to move against the Covenant.”

Dumbledore pulled himself together and glared at the boy. “I wouldn’t talk about things you don’t understand it leads to dangerous situations.”

Reid couldn’t explain the deep seated hate he felt within as he stared at the old wizard before him. “No old man I wouldn’t mess with a group that you know nothing about.” Reid whispered.

Dumbledore flinched when he saw the veins in the boy’s face spider away from his eyes turning from a light blue to an evil black. Darkness radiated off the boy and his face showed the true evil within as veins appeared all over his skin as his blue eyes darkened dangerously.

“Reid come on man!” Alex yelled from down the hall where the group was assembled. Dumbledore has shocked to see the blonde’s face revert back to normal as a grin came over his boyish face.

“Coming Al!” he bellowed turning to leave the Hogwarts Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress. Reid turned and gave the Headmaster and his lady one last grin before he strolled over to his friends.

Dumbledore gapped when he saw the darkness radiating from around not only the teens but the fathers as well. Only Evelyn Danvers remained clean as she stood laughing next to the group whose auras were now a frightening black. “Albus what was that?” McGonagall asked softly staring after the teen.

“A confirmation Minerva a confirmation.”

“About what?” she asked softly.

“That darkness truly has infested Salem and it will spread quickly if we do nothing.”

Minerva McGonagall stared frightened at her mentor and friend. “Do we really have time Albus what with all the problems happening at our school. There are three students already petrified.”

“Once the heir has been stopped at Hogwarts we will turn our attentions to Salem after all they clearly need our help.”
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Re: Battle For Freedom (Multi XO, UC, Adult) Pt.22 pg.18 5-17-09

Post by Ansleyrocks »

Hey guys thanks for the replies to the last part! Thanks...

garcia88
pandas2001
Twilighteyes
Maiqu
AvalonRose

Please let me know what you think of this new part!



Part 23: Dark Whispers IX

They were starting to change he could see it, feel it. The kids had slowly begun a descent into darkness that was all too familiar to the elder members of the Ipswich Covenant. “Paul what are we going to do?” Ryan asked worriedly as he watched his son laugh with his friends.

“We need to get that damn book away from Tyler and Jasmine. It is the book that started this all.”

Ryan still looked worried, “It is leeching into the others I can feel it, see it, in my son.”

“I know Ryan I can see it too. Their eyes are beginning to shift without their knowledge.”

“Just like James,” Ryan whispered and his friend nodded.

“We need to tell old Simms about this,” Paul sighed running a hand through his hair.

“He already knows his son has the book,” Ryan said.

“He doesn’t know how bad it has gotten though I imagine he is starting to feel it if you are feeling Reid.” Paul said.

Ryan nodded biting his bottom lip a strange habit he picked up from Reid and Liz. “Reid is feeling it from Tyler those two always were close.”

“Then Liz is picking it up from Reid and feeding it to Caleb, Pogue, and Alex who are feeding it to the others. This really is a big mess Ry.”

The blonde nodded looking miserable as his son and his friends had a merry time celebrating Liz’s win. “This is such a mess how the hell didn’t we see this coming?” Ryan asked.

“We thought that the boys would have remembered what happened to James and learned from his and our mistakes and not make them. I guess we underestimated the pull of power.” Paul sighed shaking his head.

“They are all slipping fast and they don’t even know what is happening to them,” Ryan whispered. “They don’t know that they are killing themselves.”

Reid rolled his shoulders as he laughed with his friends trying to relieve some of the tension he felt in his body. His blood felt unusually hot and his skin itched painfully as he stood there. It was as if his body was trying to tell him that something was wrong but he just brushed it off as adrenaline running through him after his confrontation with Dumbledore.

“So Reid care to share who dumped the ants in your pants?” Louise asked snickering at him as he danced in place.

“Don’t know what the hell is up but I feel like I could go for hours,” Reid giggled.

“Dude you high?” Serena asked.

“No! I don’t know it is just this weird heady feeling.”

Caleb stumbled forward when he saw black seep into Reid’s eyes. “What the Fuck,” he muttered.

Reid looked around to see what had Caleb so amped up and saw nothing. “What?” he asked shrugging at his friend.

Caleb grabbed his face and looked fearfully into his eyes. “Reid man something weird is happening to your eyes,” Caleb breathed.

Fear shot through the blonde as he looked worriedly at his friend. “Like what?”

“They turned black there for a second.”

Pogue leaned forward a dark look about him. “Black as in poisoned black?” he asked and Caleb nodded.

“Shit,” Reid breathed his eyes flickering to a gapping Tyler.

Tyler glanced nervously between his friends sensing the sudden shift of emotion. Caleb’s dark eyes glared at him as if willing him to do something. “What?” he asked growing more nervous at Reid’s disgusted huff.

“Give it up man we know,” Reid whispered not looking at Tyler as if he were too disgusted to stand the sight of him.

Tyler shook his head looking to Caleb their unofficial leader for answers. “We know that you and Jasmine are into the Dark Arts and not just for educational purposes.” Caleb whispered a silence going through the group so deep it felt painful.

Alex Black stared horrified at his friends. “Um not all of us knew that,” he whispered.

Caleb turned his dark eyes onto Alex a look of utter disbelief on his face. “Come on Alex surely you have felt it?”

Liz gasped when she realized what Caleb was talking about. “The fire, it feels like I am on fire sometimes as if my blood is boiling and I am so deliriously happy one moment and then scared the next.”

Caleb nodded noting the shocked and knowing glazed looks the others had. “I wondered what that was,” Alex whispered.

Reid laughed bitterly as he finally turned his icy blue gaze on Tyler. “Anyone else feel the unexplained hatred and the desire to destroy something?” Reid asked watching as Tyler’s face crumpled in horror.

“I don’t understand,” Tyler whispered.

“Hez tryin ta say youz bleeden inta us Simms. Wez are all feelin da burn because you and Jaz are getting in deep.” Serena stated and Reid nodded at her silently thanking her for putting it so eloquently.

Jasmine for her part remained silent staring at her friends in unseeing misery. “Is is true Jasmine?” Louise asked softly, “Are you using?”

Jasmine’s empty gaze flickered to her friend as light suddenly rushed her eyes. It was as if the blonde was truly seeing for the first time as she met Louise’s pained gaze. “Yes.”

Pogue sighed running a hand through his ever lengthening brown locks. “Tyler you know how dangerous this stuff is and yet you still messed with it, why?”

“We were just trying to help,” Jasmine moaned painfully. “All we wanted to do was help.”

Tyler shot the young girl a grateful look but he knew the others needed more of an explanation than that. The Covenant of Ipswich knew all too well the dangers and desire of the Dark Arts and Tyler knew that his not so trivial dalliances were a betrayal to his brothers and all they stood for.

“It all started with a book,” he whispered.

“See Black I knew all dat reading waz bad,” Serena hissed at Liz.

Tyler shot her an annoyed look but continued. “Jasmine and I found it in the school library. Normally a Dark Arts book would have been nothing and we would have moved on but there was something different about this book it just felt different.”

“Almost as if it was calling to us,” Jasmine whispered.

“That should have been your first clue that you should have put it back,” Alex sighed rubbing his forehead.

“We were going to,” Tyler huffed.

“Until we opened it,” Jasmine explained looking sheepish.

Tyler sighed closing his eyes a strange look about him. “The book was all about blood covenants and magical bonds like ours and the magic that the special bonds allow us to tap into.”

Caleb and Pogue shared a look not liking the direction their friends were leading them. “You two thought that we could use our connection as a weapon,” Caleb sighed suddenly feeling tired.

“Not at first,” Tyler said, “But eventually yes.”

“We started out testing simple spells and then more complex spells and then a few rituals.” Jasmine said afraid to look up at her friends and see their disappointed looks.

“Damn guys,” Alex whispered. “That is really messed up.”

Jasmine let out a chocked sob as her small frame shook with shame. “You all don’t know the half of it.”

“What does that mean?” Reid asked darkly.

“Some of the rituals we did are permanent,” Tyler whispered.

“What?” Caleb roared furiously pushing away from Liz’s side and into Tyler’s face. “What the hell did you two do?” Caleb growled shrugging off Liz as she tried to pull him back and away from Tyler.

Tyler looped his arm around a sobbing Jasmine trying to comfort her and face Caleb’s wrath at the same time. “A blood ritual for Jasmine and I to gain more power.” Tyler whispered trying to put on a brave face.

Serena felt the air rush out of her lungs as she stared at her friends. Part of her didn’t understand, didn’t want to understand what that meant but another part of her knew exactly what her stupid friends had done. She stood there off to the side shaking her head feeling scared and betrayed; two sides of her fighting for control.

“No,” she whispered her eyes filling with desperate tears. “No please tell me you two didn’t?” She begged trying to chock down the sob that wanted to escape.

Tyler nodded sadly at her and Serena’s safe and innocent world crumbled around her. All of her problems all of the group’s problems suddenly felt small and foreign. She wished desperately that she could will herself out of her living nightmare but she knew she was stuck.

“What was the ritual?” Louise asked softly.

“It’s called the ritual of Amos, we ah tied our souls together forming one,” Tyler said.

Reid and Liz slowly sank to the floor both hugging their knees to their chests protectively. “How does that make you powerful?” Liz asked fearfully.

Jasmine rubbed at her teary eyes trying to look at her best friend. “I am now able to access the Simms power and Tyler can access that of my blood line.”

Reid snorted bitterly from the ground looking as if he was going to be ill. “She has access to two Covenants’ now and not just one.”

“Right,” Tyler said.

Reid slammed his hands furiously on the ground glaring coldly at Tyler. “Do you have any idea what that means Simms?” Reid asked. “You bound Jasmine and us to an obligation she nor us are ready for.”

Tyler cocked his head to the side clearly not understanding his friend. “What obligation?”

Pogue and Caleb gasped when they suddenly figured it out. “Oh no,” Caleb whispered glancing sadly at Jasmine and the to his friends.

“Damn Tyler you really don’t think things through,” Pogue muttered.

Jasmine did not like the tones they were using and she really did not like that she was missing something so obviously important. “What is wrong?” she asked fearfully.

Caleb sighed hating the scared look in her eyes, hating Tyler more for not telling her something so important. “Jasmine the Ipswich Covenant was one created for survival.”

“Okay…”

Caleb groaned clenching his jaw slightly. “Our lines needed to ensure that they were going to survive and in order for that to happen they needed heirs.”

Pogue sighed and took over for Caleb. “A ritual was done and the Covenant ensured that there were always going to be heirs for the lines.”

“What does that have to do with this situation?” Liz asked softly.

“The ritual they did in a sense made Jasmine the new Mrs. Simms.” Caleb said looking grim. “As a result Tyler evoked the ritual and set off a chain reaction.”

Tyler gasped when he realized what he had done. “Oh Merlin no,” he breathed.

Reid laughed bitterly from his spot on the ground wishing he could cry. “That’s right Simms you damned us all. Jasmine needs to conceive an heir within three months of the day you performed the ritual or your line dies off. The same goes for the rest of us.”

Liz stood quickly grabbing Caleb’s arm turning him to face her. “What does that mean Caleb why do you have to have an heir so soon?”

Caleb gave her a sad tight smile as he pulled her against him. “If you haven’t noticed all four of us are the same age, our fathers are the same age, our grandfathers the same age and so on. Once the chain reaction is started it is unstoppable. Jasmine needs to produce an heir in order to live.”

Jasmine whimpered not liking the sound of that as she turned her fearful gaze to Tyler. He grabbed her face and looked her dead in the eye hating that she was so scared. “Again this was about survival so if a female was unable to conceive within three months she would die in order for the male to take on a new wife in hopes of continuing the line.”

“So basically you need to conceive to live,” Reid grumbled. “Then that starts off the reaction for the rest of us and we need to find girls and produce heirs.”

Pogue turned to Tyler a furious look on his face. “I really hate you right now,” he hissed.

“Trust me I hate myself right now,” Tyler whispered.

Liz rubbed Caleb’s back trying to get him to calm down as he shook in her arms. The situation her friends and she were in just kept moving from bad to worse. It felt as if the world was rushing by them and they were unable to get on the ride. “We will figure this out,” she whispered softly into his ear as he hugged her close.

“Liz,” he whispered looking down at her his dark eyes lost and scared. “Jasmine is going to set off the ritual and I am going to need an heir. As the oldest it will hit me first.”

She didn’t know what it was in his gaze that conveyed what he was trying to say but she got the message loud and clear. It was going to be her she was going to have to produce an heir for him. Liz quickly pushed down her sickened fear knowing that Caleb needed her right then he needed her to be strong. Grabbing his face she pulled him down closer to her so that their faces were almost touching. “Caleb we will figure this out I am not going to abandon you,” she whispered.

“Liz…” he whispered looking ill. “If this happens you will be forced to produce an heir for me.”

Alex did not like the sound of that. “Why would she be forced Danvers? She didn’t bind herself to you like Jasmine and Tyler so why would Liz have to be the one to pop out your kid?”

“She is bonded to him,” Pogue sighed. “In a way I guess. We are all bound together and the spell placed on us is not very discriminate. All the spell picks up on is that Liz is bound to Caleb and being his girlfriend only strengthens the bond.”

“So Liz could die?” Alex asked wanting to cry.

Ryan and Paul could sense something was wrong as they stood a ways down from their children. If the sight of them didn’t convince them that there was a problem the feeling of deep fear and hurt flowing through them made the fathers weary. “Wonder what happened?” Paul asked watching his son drag his hands through his hair again.

“Don’t know but it can’t be good.” Ryan grumbled moving towards the kids Paul hot on his heels.

“What is going on?” Paul barked watching the kids jump to attention as Reid scrambled up from his place on the floor.

Caleb looked at Tyler and sighed knowing that the situation was now beyond him. “We have a problem; we are in way above our heads here.”

“What did you do?” Ryan asked his son who stood there with his hands raised in an innocent gesture.

“Don’t look at me dad this all started with Tyler and Jasmine.”

Paul groaned knowing that the stupid book the two had been toting around had something to do with the mess their children were in. “Let me guess the Dark Arts book?” Paul asked and Pogue nodded.

“Tyler and Jasmine have been using and performed a ritual that has triggered the heir aspect of the Covenant.” Pogue said turning to glare at his friend.

Paul felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach. He could see that the two were repentant and never meant for this to happen but it was obvious that Pogue was telling the truth and that Paul now had to worry about becoming a grandfather. “Apparently Ryan we are too late with our intervention.” Paul sighed as the blonde stood next to him opening and closing his mouth soundlessly.

“I’ll say,” Ryan finally sighed. He looked to Liz and Reid and felt gray hairs sprouting from his head. “Oh boy teen pregnancy how fun.”

“Dad is there a way around this?” Reid crocked looking more like a lost little boy than a teen only a few years off from maturity.

Ryan sighed running his hands over his face. “Alright boys and girls here is what we are going to do. No more messing around this situation has gotten out of hand as it is.” Ryan said turning his blue fatherly eyes onto Liz.

“Liz you are going to go with Professor Prince and prepare for tomorrow’s match against Krum. We will deal with you and Caleb after that so worry about winning first I know it is hard but you need to.” Liz nodded folding her arms across her chest trying to comfort herself as Caleb hugged her to him.

“Reid you and Alex are going to go back to the Garwin manner I will fire your mother and tell her what has happened she will begin researching before you two get there.”

Paul cleared his throat and looked at Serena and Louise. “Girls I am going to send the two of you home as well. My wife will fire your parents and tell them what has happened. We will all sit down in a few days and talk this out and try to find a solution.”

Ryan sighed turning to the sticky part of the situation. “Tyler you and Jasmine will travel right to the Simms manor and you will tell your father everything. You will show your parents the exact ritual you used and tell them how long ago. I will then have my wife sent over to check the two of you over for any damage you may have done to yourselves.”

“Do I really have to tell my dad?” Tyler asked fearfully.

“Yes!” Ryan roared making the boy cringe back. “This is a very serious matter that the two of you have gotten yourselves and your friends into and it has very serious consequences. Caleb you will stay here with Liz and then the two of you will go back to Garwin manor after the competition. Are we all clear on what we are supposed to do?”

No one answered as Ryan’s face turned an impossible shade of red. “Are we clear!” he bellowed.

“Yes!” the group chorused.

“Good now come on,” he barked as he led the kids away. Liz and Caleb sighed before he squeezed her shoulders and motioned for her to head on down the hall.

“Come on we need to go and check in with Prince.” Liz’s long day just got a whole lot longer.
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Re: Battle For Freedom (Multi XO, UC, Adult) Pt.23 pg.19 5-25-09

Post by Ansleyrocks »

Hey guys thank you all so much for the replies. Sorry about the wait on this part RL has gotten out of hand and to make a very long story short i am going out of the country in two weeks for about a month or at least that is the plan as of now. This is all very sudden and I am trying to figure out what is going on so please stay with me while I try and figure out what the heck is going on :oops: Thanks...

garcia88
behrstars
Maiqu
AvalonRose
LizMichael 4 Ever
pandas2001
Twilighteyes

Please let me know what you think of this new part!


Part 24: Dark Whispers X

Her mind was everywhere as she prepared for her fight that morning, the last fight of the championship. She could feel her hands shaking and her stomach turning as she made her way towards the arena. Serena held her hand the entire time as Prince walked ahead of them somehow sensing that their minds were elsewhere.

“Youz can do dis Lizzie,” Serena whispered squeezing her hand tightly. “Youz just have ta focus.”

“That is a bit hard at the moment I feel like I am going to be sick Rena,” Liz whispered her lips trembling slightly.

Serena stopped them and placed her hands on Liz’s shoulders looking her dead in the eye. “We are da best here Lizzie and we are gonna win dis.” Serena said.

“Right I have this I can do this. It’s just Krum,” she said rolling her shoulders trying to relieve some of the tension she felt spreading through her muscles.

“You do dis girl and I will buy youz a broom.” Serena whispered.

Liz stopped and smiled before she nodded eagerly heading back down towards Prince who had stopped a ways ahead. “I can do this,” Liz whispered.

The light of the arena met Liz’s dark eyes as the sound of the roaring crowd rushed her ears. Her dark eyes blinked as her legs moved mechanically towards the first position getting ready for the dueling bow. The ball of light rushed past her eyes and the rest was darkness.

****

Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood ran down the destroyed Hogwarts halls frantically as the fight raged on in the Great Hall. They could hear his thundering footsteps behind them as he came ever nearer. “Luna the Charms corridor is up ahead if we can just get there we can use the tapestry passage way to get to Gryffindor tower.”

“Do you really think it is still there?” Luna panted as they raced along. Both girls wanted to scream as they heard his enraged snarl behind them but they kept quiet knowing that their breathing was enough to give them away they did not need to give him more.

“It has to be, Sirius’s clue says so.”

“Ginny that was over thirty years ago who knows what has happened since then.” Luna whimpered.

“Harry told me it was there I have to believe that he is right.” The redhead growled as she pushed harder to move faster.

“I still don’t understand any of this,” Luna sighed but she went along with Ginny as always.

“Soon it will all make sense Luna soon.”

“Can you at least give me a hint?” her airy voice asked as they rounded the corner and spied the tapestry ahead.

“Everything you have ever been told about the war and why we are fighting is wrong. Everyone has been lied to on both sides.”

“Since when!” Luna squealed looking alarmed as they ducked into the tapestry making sure it was secure with a sticking charm before they raced down the hidden corridor.

“It started when our parents were in school but it has gotten a lot more complicated since then. After all Dumbledore only had to lie to two groups of people before and now he has four.” Ginny whispered.

A dark chuckle sounded behind the girls forcing them to turn around wands raised. “Well isn’t that an interesting take to all this,” the dark voice whispered.

“Who are you?” Ginny asked as her wand tip illuminated his face.

“My little Weasley surely you recognize me,” the man whispered a sly grin spreading over his face revealing a mouth of rotting teeth.

“Krum.”

****

Her head felt as though it was full of liquid cement as she tried to open her thousand ton eyes. She could hear muffled voices around her but it sounded as though they were talking through water. Liz could feel jabs on her skin each one hurting worse than the next.

“Lizzie wake up otherwise my mother will have a meltdown,” a familiar voice hissed in her ear.

Liz pried her eyes opened and groaned as the light stung her delicate eyes. “Ow,” she grumbled.

A collective sigh of relief went through the room as she opened her eyes again and saw numerous faces peering down at her. “You gave us quite the scare Black,” Professor Prince muttered unable to hide the tremor in her voice.

“What happened?” she slurred looking around and saw Reid crouched down next to her looking panicked.

“Krum hit you with a modified stunner.” Reid explained.

“Modified how? I can block stunners.”

Liz could hear harsh words in a foreign language that she had come to know as Bulgarian and was shocked to see the Bulgarian minister standing over her as well. “Dat apparently was a spell his headmaster created,” the man growled.

“And apparently not illegal,” Reid growled.

“I didn’t know it would do vat!” The deep voice of Krum vibrated throughout the room.

“I don’t remember what happened,” Liz groaned rubbing her forehead.

“Sorry about that,” Ryan Garwin sighed rubbing his forehead as he glared at his son who was not supposed to be there. “My wife taught me the bare bones of healing and I apparently wiped part of your memory while trying to revive you, how I don’t know.”

“I believe that was part of the spell,” Plank whispered softly. His voice was so sure and so deadly that all still heard him. “I believe the spell was created to stun and clean memories from the mind. Rather genius of Igor. Krum is telling the truth though he did not mean for the spell to do that to Liz he just thought it was a stronger version of a stunner not something that could potentially knock her into a coma.”

“I was in a coma!” Liz yelled and Reid cringed.

“Yeah for a few hours; Caleb is going out of his mind.” Reid whispered grinning at her.

Ryan glared at his son as he tapped him on the back, “Then maybe someone should go have a healer wake him from his calming draught Reid.”

Reid blushed and scurried away not meeting his father’s angry gaze. “How are you feeling now Liz?” Ryan asked softly as a healer huffed beside him.

“Like I was hit by a monster truck.”

The blonde and several other wizards in the room just blinked at her. “I hurt,” she said and a look of understand came over the room.

“I didn’t mean to hurt her,” Krum said.

“We know that,” a healer grumbled. “Doesn’t change the fact that you did.”

“There is no way a stupid stunner could have done this,” Liz groaned.

“She is right,” Ryan sighed.

Lucius Malfoy cleared his throat at the back of the crowd gaining their attention. “There is a simple way to tell what spell was used on Liz and which spell Mr. Krum used.” The aristocrat sneered.

“Why didn’t I think of that?” A judge asked.

“Probably too busy panicking,” Prince grumbled as she muttered a spell under her breath as words appeared above Liz. A gasp tore through the room all eyes darting to Krum who looked horrified.

“I don’t even know how to cast that spell!” he cried thrusting his wand at Prince as she muttered the priori spell. The Salem professor sighed and shook her head as the spell was revealed. Krum had been telling the truth it was a modified stunner not the spell used on Liz.

“What is going on?” Liz asked not liking how tense the room grew.

Ryan Garwin cleared his throat looking down at her fearfully. “It seems the spell that hit you Liz is not the spell that Mr. Krum cast. Someone cast that spell and a dangerous one at that.”

“What spell?”

Lucius Malfoy’s huff drew her attention the sneer making the man look hateful. “A gormagon spell it is illegal to use on someone who is not of age. It is also illegal to use in a duel it is practically an unforgivable.”

“What does it do?” she asked softly.

“It is meant to knock you into oblivion, too strong and the gormagon spell will kill.” Lucius said.

Krane who had been off to the side shook with anger. “I want the person who did this found!” he thundered. “Someone tried to kill my student!”

The Bulgarian Minister looked ill as he tried to come to grips with the fact that he now had an international incident on his hands. Someone attacked a student in a competition in his country. Even worse for him it looked as though the Malfoy family was not going to just sit on the sidelines either. The Minister of magic stood tall and looked at his aurors off to the side. “I vant this place locked down now! All vands searched young and old, go now!” he roared and the aurors popped away.

The wizards in the room all held out their wands for Prince and Plank to check even the Minster held his out. Plank sighed when all wands were checked, all spells were mundane and of the cleaning nature. “They are all clean.”

Krane sighed rubbing his forehead. “Elizabeth we are going to get you home, I will visit you and let you know what we find. You need to rest.” The headmaster said.

Liz wanted to cry, she didn’t want to go home she wanted to go home with Mr. Garwin. She looked to Ryan who nodded at her letting her know he understood. A scuffle could be heard outside the room making the wizards inside tense clutching their wands tightly. “We are trying to get to my girlfriend!” Caleb’s gruff voice growled along with Reid’s indignant screech.

The Minister looked to the Salem group who motioned for the boys to be let in. Caleb barreled into the room and over to Liz flinging himself at her. “Thank Merlin you are alright,” he sighed kissing her forehead.

“It will take more than some Gorman curse to get rid of me,” Liz teased kissing his cheek feeling weird doing more than that in a room full of people watching them.

“Gormagon,” Ryan whispered a slight smile on his face.

“Right that’s what I said,” Liz sighed rolling her eyes.

“Come on you three we need to go,” Ryan Garwin said motioning for Caleb to get Liz up. Liz stuck out her hand expecting him to help pull her up. He grabbed her hand but quickly looped it around his neck and then hoisted her into his arms making her squeal.

“I can walk!”

“Not likely,” Reid snickered.

Narcissa Malfoy quickly stopped the trio looking at Liz sadly. “Please be alright Elizabeth and we will be in contact with you. Now that we know where you are Lucius and I are not about to lose contact with you,” the woman promised.

Liz nodded slowly trying not to cry at the motion as her head hammered with pain. “Don’t worry I will keep in contact with you.” Liz promised as Narcissa reluctantly let them past and out of her sight.

“I hope she will be alright,” she whispered to her husband and son.

Lucius subtly looped his arm around her waist as he bent his head to her ear. “She will be and I will make sure that the fool who hurt her will pay dearly for this.”

Ryan led the three children to the portkey he had lined up while Liz was unconscious. He hated that he was unable to take Liz right to his house to get the whole mess sorted out but her father had owled his wife and told them that Liz was needed home. It was unusual for the man to use such a magical means of communication knowing that their homes had phones; it led Ryan to believe that something was wrong and he knew he needed to send Liz home. As their centers were pulled out and the four appeared in front of Garwin manner Ryan knew he had to tell the kids the bad news.

“Liz I need to take you home,” he whispered softly.

Reid looked at his dad an angry retort on the tip of his tongue. Ryan held up his hand to stop the reply, “Reid I don’t want her to go either but her father has sent an owl for her and I legally have to send her to him.”

“Well apparently he doesn’t even legally have custody of me,” Liz grumbled holding to Caleb tighter.

Ryan sighed knowing it was going to be a fight to get her to her home. “Please Liz you know as well as I do that in order for your father to send an owl something must have happened.”

“He could have called,” Reid grumbled.

Ryan glared at his son telling him with a look that any further replies would lead to trouble. “I know but Liz you should at least go and see what he wants. If you want to come back Liz, then contact one of the kids and I will come and get you.”

Liz sighed motioning for Caleb to set her down. “Fine,” she sighed. Ryan hated the defeated look shining in her brown eyes, he felt like the bad guy.

“What are we going to do about the Tyler and Jasmine thing? We need Liz here for that.” Caleb grumbled hugging Liz to him clearly not okay with letting her out of his sight. The poor boy was still a wreck from her accident earlier.

Ryan sighed feeling another headache coming on. “We will work out what we can without her but she will need to be kept in the loop. I cannot decide anything about her future or what will happen between the two of you Caleb, she will come back and we will get this all sorted out I promise you. Liz does need to go home though before her father makes it so that she can’t ever come back here and then we really will be in trouble.”

Liz nodded wrinkling her nose slightly, “he is right my dad would probably ban me from ever coming over here ever again. As it is he is going to ban me from dueling.”

“Why?” Reid asked as the other three gave him mystified looks.

“Reid did you not notice that I was in a coma?” Liz asked softly.

His cheeks reddened as he ducked his head, “Right I knew that.”

“He is overprotective as it is now add the fact that someone other than a competitor used a spell on me will send him into a tail spin.”

Caleb reluctantly agreed that his girlfriend had to go. Ryan called for Liz’s bag while Caleb said his goodbyes. When the two blondes were out of sight Caleb crushed her to him allowing her to see him true fear for the first time. Liz wrapped her arms around him as she felt him shake as he towered over her hugging her tight burying his face into her neck. “Don’t ever do that to me again,” he whispered.

“Don’t plan to,” she sighed rubbing his back.

“I hate that you are going especially now. We don’t know if you are in danger or not I mean we have no idea who did this to you and we have no idea what is going to happen now that Tyler started the heir process. Merlin Liz I hate to let you out of my sight as it is,” he sighed.

Liz leaned back slightly as she grabbed his face placing a chaste kiss on his lips. “I know sweetie I don’t want to go either but it will make things easier for us in the long run.”

Caleb sighed and nodded pulling her back up for another kiss as Ryan made his way out of him home. “I will see you as soon as possible.” Liz whispered kissing him one last time before she made her way over to Ryan. Caleb watched her walk away feeling ill. Something deep inside told him that the next time he saw Liz it was not going to be a happy reunion.

Liz clung to Reid’s father tightly as they apparated into her back alley behind her family’s café. She hugged him goodbye and made her way around front. Liz was shocked to see that the normally busy and always open café was closed and dark. She reached into her bag fishing around for her spare key using it to get inside the café. She slowly made her way through the break room door feeling as though a dark weight had settled in her chest. Liz could sense something was wrong.

Liz opened her apartment door and was met by the sound of painful silence. “Hello!” Liz called out.

Jeff Parker lifted his head from his hands as he sat at the kitchen table his eyes rimmed red. “Liz in here,” he called softly watching her drop her bag by the door.

“Daddy what’s wrong?” Liz asked as she sat down at the table across from her dad.

Jeff cleared his throat, “Ah Liz your mom had an accident a few days ago.”

“What does that mean is she alright?” Liz asked.

“No, she ah lost the baby yesterday as a result. She is still at the hospital sweetie.”

Pain flared through her as she thought of her mom and her miracle baby. Nancy had been so looking forward to having a baby and at over seven months she was so close. “But daddy she was seven months…”

Jeff closed his eyes and nodded. “Sweetie she had to give birth to the baby still. They induced her early this morning and she gave birth around one this afternoon.”

Liz didn’t know what to do it was all too much too hard for her to grasp. Air left her and Liz did the only thing she could think of, she fainted.
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Re: Battle For Freedom (Multi XO, UC, Adult) Pt.24 pg.20 6-8-09

Post by Ansleyrocks »

Hey guys thanks for the replies to the last part! Okay so my plans are final and I will be in Rome for the next two weeks for family reasons and I will be unable to post until around July 3. Please stay with me guys I will be working on my stories while away but my family does not have a computer sorry guys. Thanks...

LizMichael 4 Ever
Maiqu
pandas2001
AvalonRose
Twilighteyes

Please let me know what you think of this new part!


Part 25: Dark Whispers XI

Evelyn Danvers reveled in the burning of her throat as she downed the three fingers of scotch in one gulp. She grabbed the crystal decanter and poured herself more as the voices babbled on around her. The next glass went down smoothly as she knocked it back. Drinking was her only comfort now as her husband’s friends decided the fate of their children.

Serena Cornwall’s mother paced nervously as she chewed on the sides of her fingers having already bitten off her nails. This was a mess a royal mess. “What about a reverse binding?” she asked but her husband quickly shot the idea down reminding her of the blood bond.

“Is there any way to separate the lines?” Alex’s mother asked. She was not happy to be there but when her son called her sobbing Maddie knew she had to come and help his friends. She had learned in the two years her son had been bound to his friends that what affected one affected them all and their pain was Alex’s pain.

“Not without killing them all,” Ryan sighed rubbing his forehead. “We went to our keeper Gorman and he basically said that the heir trigger is unbreakable. It makes this all look very bleak.”

Glass shattering against the fireplace hearth startled the room as Evelyn stood there her chest heaving, she had, had enough. “You are telling me that my son is going to be a teenage father and there is nothing I can do about it?” she asked in a furious hiss.

Paul Parry cringed but nodded. “Eve we know that this is the worst situation for the kids none of us are happy with this.”

Jasmine’s father sighed off to the side rubbing his whitening temples. “How long does my daughter have left before the curse would take her life?”

Mrs. Garwin cleared her throat looking ill. “Not long I am afraid we caught wind of this far too late. Jasmine and Tyler have a little over three weeks to conceive a child. I have run numerous tests on your daughter Jack and she looks to be entering her ovulation period within the next two days. If she stands a chance now would be the best time.”

Eric Simms shook his head not believing what he was hearing spewing from her mouth. “So that is it we are giving up?” he asked gruffly. “We are just going to sit back and accept that our children are going to be parents!”

Maddie winced knowing that her son was not going to be a father; Mrs. Garwin had told her as much. “I know someone who might be able to help us,” she whispered gaining their attention.

“Who?” Ryan asked.

Maddie looked around nervously, “You have to promise that Jeff Parker will never hear of this he will kill me if he finds out I was the one who suggested this.”

“Alright now that you amped us up you have to tell us,” Serena’s mother sighed her lack of accent amusing to the others.

“It is a friend of mine from back in my school days, Severus Snape.”

Furious protests exploded around the room. “Absolutely not!” Paul roared.

“I am not having one of Dumbledore’s little pets near my son,” Evelyn hissed.

Maddie sighed rubbing her forehead, “That’s just it he really isn’t one of Dumbledore’s happy little followers he never was,” she whispered.

There was something hidden in her voice that gave the others pause. “What makes you so sure?” Paul Parry asked darkly.

Maddie’s dark eyes looked up at the room as if she were telling them her darkest secret. “Because my ex husband made Snape take an unbreakable vow.”

Evelyn Danvers really did not like the sound of that, “Your ex husband as in Sirius Black?”

Maddie nodded looking deathly pale. “He and Severus never got along growing up and I hated Sirius for how cruel he was to my friend. I am not sure of the details but I remember one night hearing the boys arguing in our kitchen. I came downstairs and saw James Potter, Sirius, Severus and Lucius Malfoy of all people in my kitchen. Two known death eaters right in my own home.” Maddie chuckled darkly.

“Lucius had said something about a meeting I didn’t hear what he was saying very well but I do remember when he pulled his wand on Severus.”

Evelyn stilled at that, “Well that is different those two have always been thick as thieves. Even in school they were working together.”

Maddie nodded biting her lip. “I know which is why I was scared. Lucius wouldn’t do something like that lightly but then I saw Severus and Sirius clasp hands and a red cord wrapped around their hands. Sirius and Lucius made Snape promise something.”

“What?” Ryan asked as impatient as his son.

“I didn’t know my own husband’s disloyalty until I heard it,” Maddie whispered. “He made Severus vow to never swear loyalty to Dumbledore above their…contract he called it.”

“That still doesn’t mean that he will help us.” Paul sighed wishing he could strangle the woman. All she gave them was more questions.

“I know he will.” Mrs. Whitman growled.

The elder sons of Ipswich looked to Paul and he sighed rubbing his forehead. “Alright, get Snape here.”

Across the U.S. Liz Black Parker was lost in her world of misery. Nothing seemed to be going right for her as she sat on her balcony lawn chair curled up in a quilt. She could hear her father’s sniffles even outside leaving coldness in her chest. She felt wrong and lost and she knew that all the way in Roswell there was no one to find her.

Liz slowly shrugged off her quilt and crawled back through her window. Her black bag was on her bed holding her potions the healers had told her to take. The effects of the spell still troubling her; muscles stiff and aching on top of a banging headache. Liz rubbed the base of her neck trying to rub away some of the stiffness as she uncorked a small glass vile containing a dosage of her potion. She slowly drank down the purple and mother of pearl liquid surprised at the sweet taste as she re-corked her vile watching as it refilled itself before she pulled out her blue potion of painkillers.

Jeff Parker walked into his daughter’s room fully intending to ask her to join him at the hospital when he saw her swallow a blue pain relief potion. “Liz?” he asked softly startling her, the sudden movement making her cringe.

“Dad,” Liz gasped clutching the empty vile.

Jeff stared at her his mouth opening and closing trying to figure out what was going on. “Are you hurt?” he asked dreading the answer.

Liz nodded meekly as Jeff swore furiously. “What the hell happened?”

“The officials at the competition figured out that someone other than a competitor cursed me. It was a bad spell meant to cause me serious damage.”

Jeff paled as he stared at her and before Liz knew it her father was crushing her to him. “I am going to kill whoever did this.”

“Yeah you and about a thousand other people, I thought Malfoy was going to massacre the room.” Liz chuckled softly feeling her dad stiffen as he held her. It took her a moment to realize what was wrong, she had led slip that she knew the Malfoy’s.

“Malfoy?” Jeff asked shakily.

Liz pushed back slightly keeping her face blank. “Yeah you know my legal guardians.”

“Oh Liz,” he sighed looking heartbroken.

“Now yesterday I was fully willing to scream and yell at you about not telling me about them but right now I am just too tired. Please daddy, just tell me the truth tell me what is going on?” Liz begged as she slumped down onto her bed her dad taking her desk chair.

Jeff looked relieved that he was not going to have her screaming and crying as he held her hands within his own. “Liz I kept the Malfoy’s from you for so many reasons but mostly because I am selfish sweetie. I didn’t want you to know how idiotic I had been as a youth and that I almost lost the most important person in my life, you.” The sadness and defeat in his voice surprised her; she could feel in his voice and his very posture how pained he was.

“Dad, Lucius said that you didn’t want me and that was why I was with them.” Liz whispered her lower lip trembling slightly.

Jeff sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. “You know sometimes Lucius can be a real ass but unfortunately he is usually telling the truth or at least a half truth. I was young and stupid Liz and I didn’t realize what I was giving up until it was too late. I thought only of myself and my social life Liz I didn’t feel I was ready to be a father. Bella was ready to be a mother and when I left her she and Rod were ready to be parents.”

Liz sighed shakily taking it all in. “So the Lestrange guy really was like my father when I was little?” Liz asked sadly.

“Yes sweetie he was and he was a very good father too.” Jeff whispered clearing his throat as his eyes grew watery.

“Why did you take me away dad?” Liz asked trying not to let out the sob that wanted desperately to escape.

Jeff chuckled darkly running a hand through his hair. “I took advice from a man I hated, Dumbledore. He was always so damned manipulative but when he was telling me about how Lucius would destroy you and that you needed to be taken away from the magical world and grow up in the muggle world away from the stigma of who your mother was something in what he said just made sense. I knew that Malfoy was not going to just hand you over to me he hated me too much and loved you more than anything to him you were more than a niece but a little girl he and his wife would never be able to have.”

Liz frowned at that, “What?” she asked softly.

“Liz, Narcissa cannot have any more children. Having Draco destroyed Narcissa’s reproductive system so to them you were a gift from Merlin. Again I was selfish and took you away. I am glad I did Liz because you are a great little girl.”

Liz sighed shakily giving him a wavering smile. “Thanks dad I really needed to hear all of this.”

“I know and I am so sorry that I kept it from you. I honestly thought I was doing right by you.”

Liz nodded again wiping her face. “So you want to go and visit mom in the hospital?” Liz asked softly watching as the deep sadness settled over her father again.

“Yes, she has been asking for you. Seeing your face will make her feel a lot better.”

Liz shook her head feeling her stomach clench, “I can’t believe this happened.”

“I know sweetie I know. I keep telling myself that there had to be a reason for this but my heart is telling me no, that this is all wrong.”

Liz hugged herself trying to keep out the cold that wanted to settle over her. Too much was happening too fast and it was all starting to catch up with her. Jeff noticed her sudden shift in emotion and his father senses were tingling as he looked at his shell shocked daughter. “Liz I know there is something else wrong,” he whispered.

Liz nodded, “There is but right now we don’t have to worry about it. The others are trying to fix it. Right now I just need to focus on this family not my extended family.”

“Do I need to worry?”Jeff asked softly.

Liz didn’t know how to answer that. In truth she knew her father needed to know he needed to prepare but the knowledge that his teenage daughter might be forced to have a baby soon when he just lost his was too much. She shook her head giving him a weak smile. “Not right now, I will let you know if you do.” She said trying to ease his worry.

Jeff sighed trying to brush off the feeling that he was missing something important as he stood and helped his daughter up. “Come on let’s go and see your mother.”

Liz had always hated hospitals there was just something cold and unfeeling about the human death factories. Magical facilities were much better in her opinion they were warmer and she felt safe there. Standing in the white halls Liz wanted nothing more than to go back to Garwin manner and be with Caleb. Jeff led her along the bleach white halls towards Nancy’s room as the clean smell burnt her nose.

“You alright Liz?” her dad asked softly.

Liz shook her head hugging herself, “No but don’t worry me I will be fine.” She whispered, “Eventually.”
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Ansleyrocks
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Re: Battle For Freedom (Multi XO, UC, Adult) Pt.25 pg.21 6-16-09

Post by Ansleyrocks »

Hey guys thank you for sticking with me I am happy to be back in the States again! Thank you all for your replies to the last part! Thanks...

pandas2001
AvalonRose
garcia88
Maiqu
Twilighteyes

Please let me know what you think of this new part!


Part 26: Dark Whispers XII

She felt stupid sitting there watching her friends pour over a book trying to look for a solution to a problem she created. Jasmine rubbed her forehead as Alex groaned in disgust reading the book. They were all worried about her and Tyler but she knew that they were more worried about themselves. Reid was furious, not that he would say anything to her, because he was being thrust into a dangerous situation where a girlfriend was needed and he did not have one.

“This is messed up,” Alex groaned pulling a face as he pushed the book towards Serena.

Serena looked down at the page her eyes widening. “Whoa, graphic.”

Pogue leaned over her shoulder and looked down at the page his nose wrinkling in disgust. “Dude Ty you are a freak.”

Jasmine looked to Tyler wondering what the hell their friends were talking about. Tyler turned to her his cheeks flaming red. “Page 219,” he mumbled.

A look of horror crossed Jasmine’s face as she vehemently shook her head. “No we skipped that page. It freaked us out, a lot.” Jasmine said twisting her hands in her lap. She would give anything to be able to look at the book again but every time she and Tyler would get close their friends would throw a fit and make them sit on the other side of the room.

“Why can’t we help look through the book again?” Tyler asked crossing his arms over his chest as he glared at their friends.

Caleb sighed running his hands through his hair as he stared at Tyler and Jasmine. “You guys are addicted to dark magic you two look like muggle junkies right now. We wouldn’t be your friends if we let you have a look at this book. It is nothing but trouble and right now we have enough of that. If you two want to help go look through some of the other books and see if they mention the spell you two used.”

Tyler rolled his eyes getting up from the high back chair in a huff as he made his way over to the stacks in the back of the Garwin library where the Dark Arts books were located. Jasmine watched him walk away feeling miserable. She felt like an outsider among her own friends knowing that they hated her because of the mess she got them into.

“Do you think there is any hope?” Jasmine asked softly.

Alex looked up from the book a sad smile on his face. “Jasmine there is always hope, why don’t you go help Tyler in the back?”

Jasmine nodded uncurling herself from the chair her joints cracking and her muscles stiff from their lack of movement. Alex stood up when she did and motioned her over to him. Alex wrapped his arms around her hugging her tight.

“We love you Jasmine we know that you and Tyler didn’t mean for any of this to happen. Try not to think of this as the end just yet.”

She gave Alex a small sad smile before she made the trek to the back of the library following Tyler’s path. Jasmine looked into the room that held the Dark Arts books and cringed. The power radiating off of the books called to her and she itched to pull out her wand and explore but she had to pause and remind herself that using Dark magic was what got her into the mess she was in.

“Hard right?” Tyler asked from the couch in the center of the room. He sat there just staring at the book he had set on the coffee table. “I mean I want to use magic but the pull isn’t as strong as it is with the other book.”

Jasmine nodded blowing out a deep breath. “Will we ever be able to use Dark Magic again?” she asked softly. She had always been a firm believer that there was no such thing as Dark Magic just dark intentions; her experiences recently proved otherwise.

“I don’t know if I even want to,” Tyler sighed. A sad smile tugged at his lips as he motioned her over to the couch. “You know I grew up knowing the dangers of the Dart Arts hell I saw how crazy my dad and Caleb’s dad were. It was scary when I was little seeing my dad’s black eyes when he would bark at me, he was always so angry. After James went away my dad slowly started to change and he became my dad. I had always promised myself that I would never get to the point my dad did but look at me. I am getting excited at the sight of a Dark Arts book.”

“I will take that as a no,” Jasmine sighed pouting.

Tyler shot her a look making her cringe. “I never said that Jasmine. Maybe someday when we have more control we can use a little but we just have to keep ourselves and our friends safe.”

She nodded her blond locks falling into her face. “You’re right I just can’t help but feel as though I am giving up a part of myself.”

“I know,” he sighed scooting closer to her on the couch grabbing one of her hands out of her lap and winding their fingers together. “We will get past this Jasmine we have to. I am not going to let this ruin our lives.”

He sounded so determined so positive that they were going to win over their own demons. Jasmine loved that he was not going to leave her behind that he was going to help her though the hard times. She was going to be there for him and he was going to be there for her and together they were going to get past their troubles with Dark Magic. She was afraid and she knew it was going to be painful but if she was going to survive she knew that she needed to stay clear of what had started to taint her core.

Tyler tugged on the hand he was holding and pulled her into his lap holding her close needing her close. Her head dipped down and she laid her head on his shoulder letting out a soft sigh as his arms wound around her. He made her feel safe and he made her feel strong.

Reid headed back towards the Dark Arts section seeing a book referenced in the index that caught his attention. He knew his father had the book now all he had to do was find the damn book. Reid stumbled to a stop when he saw Tyler and Jasmine cuddled up on the couch sharing chaste kisses.

“Eww not on my couch!” he shrieked his nose wrinkling in disgust. “Man now I need to clean the damn thing.”

“We weren’t doing anything,” Tyler laughed as Jasmine turned red in his lap.

“Still man no sucking face on my couch!”

Jasmine crawled off Tyler and picked up the book he had been looking at. “What brings you back to our section of the library Master Garwin?”

“I saw a book in the index that might be useful. It sounds like something my dad had mentioned when I was little it was a book about binding spells and the effects they can have.”

“What is it called?”

“Spallem’s laws. “ Reid said heading over to the S section of the room running his finger over the books.

“Spallem as in the wizard who created the draught of living death?” Jasmine asked.

“No this is his father.” Reid mumbled not taking his eyes off of the books.

“So what makes you think this book might help besides the fact that it is about binding spells?” Tyler asked picking up a second book he had picked out.

“The fact that it is the book where our ancestors got the spell for the heir clause of the Covenant,” Reid huffed his blue eyes lighting up when he saw the book he was looking for. “Sweet!”

“Well my lovelies I must be going, just remember no sex on my couch or my mother will kill you!” Reid shouted leaving the two alone in the room.

“Boy he sure thinks highly of us.” Jasmine sighed flipping to the back of the book looking for a helpful page.

“It is his way of dealing,” Tyler explained giving her a sad smile. “When Reid is afraid he makes jokes and tries to make light of the situation and then he gets angry. He really does not handle being afraid well.”

“I wish Lizzie was here,” Jasmine huffed.

“I know me too, but from what my mom told me she is needed at home more.” Tyler said. Jasmine knew something was wrong and that all the boys seemed to know what it was; she hated being left out of something especially when it concerned her friend’s well being. Jasmine shook her head trying to clear her head of negative thoughts, she had work to do.

Caleb pushed the book in front of him away rubbing his eyes. He could feel Liz’s pain through the bond it was so strong. If he didn’t know it was emotional grief he would have had his mother take him to Roswell right away. It was as if there was a dull ache in his chest radiating to the rest of him filling him with dread and pain. All of his friends were feeling deep and intense emotions all of which they were sharing with each other through the bond.

The library door opened and Ryan Garwin stuck his head inside. “Caleb can I see you and Pogue in the sitting room?” he asked before he left.

Pogue looked to Caleb arching an eyebrow. “That sounded a lot more like a demand than a request. What did we do?”

“No idea,” Caleb huffed.

Louise stiffened in her seat a strange look on her face. “He has a hook nose,” she whispered.

Caleb and Pogue turned back to the table when they saw Louise’s large blue eyes wide with panic. “The guy from Hogwarts with the weird nose is here,” she hissed.

The group stopped what they were doing and looked at her in astonishment. “What makes you say that Louise?” Reid asked.

The blond shook her head her mouth opening and closing soundlessly. “I-I don’t’ know. It was weird I was just day dreaming when all of the sudden these images just started popping up in my dreams. I don’t understand any of them except the one of that hooked nose guy coming out of the Garwin fireplace.”

“And that makes you think he is here now?” Alex asked and Louise nodded.

“It is just a feeling but yes.”

Caleb sighed rubbing a hand over his face. “Great, well Pogue and I were summoned so we will go and find out. Keep looking for anything that might help us.”

Reid nodded his eyes darting to the back of the library. “I really hope those two are researching.”

Caleb and Pogue made their way to the parlor or sitting room as Reid called it. Caleb knocked on the door before entering. He noted that the room was oddly silent and everyone was not looking at the door where he and Pogue had just come in but rather at the fireplace where Mrs. Whitman stood talking to a tall unpleasant looking man. He had long stringy black hair, pasty white skin, and a nose that had an odd hook to it like Dumbledore’s except it looked to be a natural defect and not a break.

“Ah there you boys are,” Ryan sighed finally looking away from the man.

“You needed to see us?” Pogue asked his eyes darting between his father and the strange man.

“Yes, Professor Snape these are the two oldest members of the Covenant, Caleb Danvers and my son Pogue Parry. Boys this is Professor Snape the potions master at Hogwarts.” Paul introduced.

Caleb and Pogue frowned at the man. “We have met,” Caleb grunted as Pogue glowered beside him.

“You have?” Evelyn asked.

Her son nodded, “When he and his colleges were supposed to be setting up the wards at Salem. We all know how well that worked out.”

Snape curled his lip at the boy, “Such cheek for someone so young.”

Pogue snorted at the man’s intimidating expression. “If you are trying to scare us you are doing a lousy job. Professor Plank is much scarier and so is my mother.”

Pogue’s mother smiled at her son before she continued scowling at Snape. “You said you might be able to help our children.” She said her voice cold and clipped.

Snape’s dark gaze flickered to her and he nodded. “I need to know what spell they used first.”

Caleb opened the door back up pulling out his wand silently casting the spell to call the book to him. He knew that it would upset his friends but if the potion master of Hogwarts was there to help them and needed the book he was going to give the man the book. Snape raised an eyebrow at the silent casting. “Apparently that wasn’t a fluke when Miss Black and Miss Cornwall cast silent spells during their duels.”

“At Salem the students are taught at a young age that it is more beneficial in a duel if the other person does not hear what you are sending their way.”

Snape nodded unable to hide his pleased look. “If I were to teach Dueling and Defense Against the Dark Arts I would do the same.”

The book whizzed into the room and into Caleb’s hands. Snape extended a stiff hand for the book and Caleb gently laid the book that called so strongly to him into the man’s hands. His dark eyes flickered down to the book instantly and his face turned an interesting shade of white.

“Where did you find this book?” Snape asked in a strange whisper his eyes held an interesting array of questions.

“We didn’t our friends did and they found it at school.” Caleb said.

“In the restricted section no doubt,” Snape sneered.

“What restricted section?” Pogue asked grinning at the man knowing that comment was going to set him off.

“You mean to tell me that all books are open to the students?” Snape asked.

“Of course,” Caleb said. “Most of us are not stupid enough to try spells without knowing fully what they are. Jasmine and Tyler were deeply stupid and a rarity. Most of the student’s interest in advanced books is purely out of curiosity most would never try any of the spells.”

Snpae rolled his eyes muttering something about ‘naive headmasters and idiotic students’. Snape flipped the book open clicking his tongue. “This is a very powerful book, only someone with a great deal of power would be able to do these spells. I find it hard to believe that two students could do any of these.”

Ryan coughed looking distressed. “Well they have more than a bit of power Snape. These kids are all tied together their connection to each other connects them to us as well and when that is combined…”

Snape’s dark eyes narrowed and his lips thinned as he took in what Ryan was telling him. “Merlin that is a lot of power,” Snape sighed. “No wonder they could pull a spell off from this book.”

“A very bad spell,” Caleb grumbled.

“Oh so you don’t approve?” Snape taunted his lips curling in amusement.

“Of course not,” Caleb scoffed crossing his arms over his chest. “I am not a fan of the Dark Arts as it is so when my friends decided to get messy and fooled around with something they didn’t fully understand than yeah I really don’t approve.”

Snape seemed amused by his outburst as he flipped to the page the spell was on. His dark eyes scanning the page his face revealing nothing about what he was thinking leaving the room feeling uncomfortable as they watched him. Snape flipped the page a frown marring his stony face. “Oh dear,” he muttered.

“What is it Severus?” Mrs. Whitman asked nervously as she wrung her hands together turning her knuckles white.

“You never mentioned that it was a sexual rite spell.” Snape muttered darkly as he looked up from the book.

“A what?” Caleb asked as the adults in the room groaned Serena’s mom looking decidedly ill.

“A sexual rite spell it is a bit different than any of the other spells that involve sexual acts,” Paul muttered rubbing his eyes.

Pogue shifted awkwardly not liking how old his father looked in that moment. “How is it different?” Pogue asked.

His father looked up at him looking grim. “It is a spell that can only be performed by those who are not virgins; virgin blood would ruin the spell.”

Snape nodded, “Badly ruin the spell, at least they got that part right.”

Eric Simms looked as though he didn’t know if he should be proud of his son or disturbed, Jasmine’s mother chose disturbed. “They are so young though,” she whispered.

“Not too young to be thinking of sex apparently,” Evelyn whispered eyeing her son who wouldn’t meet her gaze.

Snape meanwhile went back to looking through the spell when Reid burst into the room a spell book in his hands a frantic look on his pale face. “Daddy!” he yelled thrusting the book at his dad.

“Reid what is it?” Ryan asked as he grabbed the book from his shaking son.

“It can’t be stopped!” Reid yelled.

“What?” Evelyn asked as she and the others stood up.

“The heir clause it can’t be stopped now that it has been started. I found the original spell that was used and there is no way to reverse it. There is also a nice little hitch to it all; we have to produce a male on the first shot!”

Caleb felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him as Reid stood shaking before him looking ready to cry. It took a lot for Reid to visibly show fear which meant terrible news for Caleb. Pogue gripped his arm tightly his breath coming out unevenly. As Caleb thought about it he had to admit he had never heard of a female being born first in the Covenant.

Snape snatched the book from Ryan’s fingers and looked down at the page. “Well there is a bright spot here; the spell is designed to make the first child male.”

“So it will happen no matter what then?” Pogue asked and Snape nodded.

“The boy is right though just from glancing at the spell I can tell you that there is no stopping this process once it has been started.”

Ryan groaned rubbing his nose. “Paul please go to Roswell and get Liz and her father we need to bring them in now we can’t put this off any longer. Reid go and get the others from the library.”

Reid stood frozen in place much to his father’s annoyance. “Now!” he barked and his son scrambled away.

Paul quickly left the house heading down the long drive towards the end of the anti-apparation zone before he left with a soft pop. He knew that he was walking into a tense and terrible situation but Liz needed to be there. She was the one Caleb had chosen and she was going to be forced to produce a child; Jeff Parker was not going to like this at all.
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Re: Battle For Freedom (Multi XO, UC, Adult) Pt.26 pg.21 7-12-09

Post by Ansleyrocks »

Hey guys sorry about the wait I had to re-work this a few times in order to get to where it needed to be because the next part will have a lot of things happening. Thanks...

behrstars
garcia88
pandas2001
Maiqu
AvalonRose
Nubantu
Twilighteyes

Please let me know what you think of this new part!



Part 27: Dark Whispers XIII

Jeff winced as the scotch burned his throat; the first sip always burned the worst. The pain of the liquor was a welcome relief for the older man as he sat at his kitchen table nursing the glass. He could hear Liz’s pained breathing in her room burning his belly with fear for his daughter. Jeff Parker was not a stupid man he knew that his daughter was not telling him something important, telling him how she was hurt.

Jeff paused with the glass half way to his lips as Liz gasped for breath. He had run in there for the first part of the night only to see his daughter take her potion and then try and sleep some more. She looked so sad and frightened and he did not know how to comfort her when he was just as upset and scared.

A knock on the front door of the Parker apartment jarred Jeff out of his liquor induced musings. Jeff blundered out of his seat and over to the door not bothering to look through the peephole to see who was there he knew that whoever they were they were magical. Jeff swung the door open and groaned when he saw Paul Parry.

“What can I do for you Parry?” Jeff asked motioning the man inside.

Paul wrinkled his nose when he smelled the pungent odor of scotch on the man’s breath. Jeff’s blood shot eyes and wrinkled clothes gave testament to the man’s state of mind. Paul paused when he heard Liz cough in her room a sad look coming over him.

“Has she been coughing long?” he asked softly.

“On and off all night; she just takes the potion and then tries to sleep.”

Paul shook his head sadly itching to go into Liz’s room and check on her himself. “I imagine the cough is only part of what she is suffering through after that curse. Ryan’s wife tells me Liz will suffer from bad chest pains and a nasty headache for a few days.”

Jeff narrowed his eyes at the man before him. “What curse?”

Paul mentally groaned when he realized Liz had not told her father what had happened, but given the circumstances she came home to it was understandable. “During the final duel Liz was cursed by someone who was not in the competition. It was a brutal curse that was meant to do Liz a great deal of harm. She was lucky Ryan was there.”

Jeff’s hand shook around his scotch glass as Paul sat across from him at the kitchen table. “How bad Paul?”

“It was meant to either put Liz in a comma or worse, kill her.” Paul whispered.

Jeff looked broken before the head of the Parry line. “So that is why she is so upset,” Jeff sighed.

Paul shook his head, “That is only part of the reason Jeff.”

“What else is there?”

“It seems that Tyler and Jasmine have been dabbling in the dark arts. They apparently did not listen to our warnings and learn from other’s mistakes. They are involved deep Jeff and I am afraid they unknowingly have started something that we are unable to get them out of.”

Jeff sighed sensing that it was about to get a whole lot worse for him. “What does this have to do with Liz other than that she is tied to them?”

“See that is the problem Jeff she is tied to them. There are several problems we are dealing with only one of which is the leaching of dark magic into the others. I believe Liz has already felt the heavy feeling of dark magic from her bond with them. Ryan and I noticed some very distinct signs.”

Jeff groaned rubbing the heels of his hands in his eyes to keep him focused. “What else?”

“We had hoped we would find a way to stop what Tyler and Jasmine have started but unfortunately time is running out and we have nothing but bleak news.”

“Paul this is making me nervous.”

“With good reason I am afraid. See when our children bound themselves together they bound themselves to the same problems. My friends and I are part of an ancient covenant a very powerful covenant one that includes all heirs we produce but it especially affects our first born.

The covenant is one of silence and in some ways blood purity. Once one male sets off the chain of events like say with a marriage or a pregnancy the rest of us are forced into the same situation. It is why all of our children are the same age why we are all the same age and why our fathers were the same age. The covenant has an heir clause Jeff where the male heir of each line must produce a male heir within a certain amount of time and it seems Tyler and Jasmine has set off that clause.”

Jeff was confused and disgusted as he stared at Paul. “What does that have to do with Liz?”

“It has to do with Liz because she is involved with Caleb. He is the eldest male Jeff and since Tyler has started the chain Caleb must produce an heir right after Tyler. Liz is magically considered Caleb’s chosen she will die if she does not produce the Danvers heir.”

“Merlin Paul what are you trying to say? That my baby girl is going to be forced to produce Caleb’s kid otherwise she will die?

“Exactly,” Paul whispered looking weary. “As Jasmine will have to produce Tyler’s heir, Serena has to produce Pogue’s and it seems poor Louise as the only other girl left bound to the boys will be forced to produce Reid’s.”

“So they couldn’t find a way out?” Liz strained voice asked from the doorway. Her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail and she had on an oversized T-shirt and mini sleep shorts. Her brown eyes were swollen and bruised as she leaned against the wall for support.

“No sweetie we couldn’t find a way out of this yet. We need to get Tyler and Jasmine jumping before they run out of time.”

“How long do they have?” Liz asked sadly.

“Not long. A friend of Mrs. Whitman even looked through the heir spell and he said there was nothing to be done it is a permanent spell. All he can offer us now is a conception boost potion.”

Jeff moaned in despair rubbing his face trying to erase the horrors of the past few days. It was too much too soon. He and his daughter had just had their first civil conversation in years. His wife just lost their baby and it looked like now his daughter was going to be having one. It was all just so backwards so depraved so, typical.

Jeff let out a miserable laugh as he held his head in his hands. “You know I should be shocked by all of this but I am not. I grew up with these silly clauses and arranged marriages.”

“We all did,” Paul agreed sadly motioning a frightened Liz over to the kitchen chair next to him.

“So what do I have to do what do I need to do?” Liz asked softly as Paul tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“I was hoping you and your dad could come back to Ipswich with me. I know with Nancy your father might not be able to but we need you there Liz. Ryan, Eric, and I would go over what you and Caleb would have to do and we would start thinking about arrangements for the future.”

Jeff sighed as silent tears welled in his eyes. He knew what those plans were he had seen it before. They had to make plans for the baby, for school, for life. Liz was too young to deal with this they all were.

“Merlin we need to make arrangements,” Jeff sighed.

“Evelyn said she would take care of the baby for Liz and Caleb. Her job allows her to have more freedoms than yours and the children.”

Jeff nodded knowing deep down that might be the best option. He didn’t know if Nancy could take having her step daughter’s son living with them when she had just lost her own. It was a cruel twist of fate but at this point he was too tired and too lost to be bitter.

Liz sat tiredly slumped over in her chair. In the back of her mind she already knew that she was going to be forced to have a baby at her age. She knew she was not really processing what was going to be happening to her to her life but she thought she was handling the situation well.

“Are Caleb and I still going to be able to go to school?” Liz asked.

“Yes,” Paul whispered. “Next year is your fourth year you are going to be attending muggle school as well remember. If you would like Evelyn is offering you a spot at her home for you and the baby, it would be a lot easier for you Liz.”

Jeff could see that his daughter was not processing much of what she was hearing as she fought off her sleep that she desperately needed. Jeff’s chair scrapped against the kitchen floor as he got up and hugged his daughter’s sluggish form to him. “Sweetie you should go with Paul to Ipswich. I will go and get your bag.”

Liz looked tiredly at Paul wishing she could sleep. “Is Caleb there?” she asked softly.

“Yes he and the others are there. He is anxious to see you.”

“I can’t wait to see him,” she sighed.

“He makes you happy?” Paul asked trying to hide his happy smile.

“Very, and he makes me feel safe and loved. Plus he is fun to fight with.”

That was not what Paul was expecting and he couldn’t help but let out a strangled laugh at her statement. “What?” he asked.

“Caleb is fun to fight with. The two of us are so anal about everything that it is easy to rile each other up. Mess with his parchment and he will fry your ass.”

Paul let out a deep throaty laugh throwing his head back. He could see the young Danvers boy doing just that. It was his mother’s temper and his father’s obsessive tendencies in the boy.

“Serena says the same about Pogue though. She likes to pick fights with him just to see him explode. It is some weird foreplay with them.”

Paul knew he shouldn’t laugh at that but he couldn’t help it. The large man doubled over in his seat as happy tears leaked out the corners of his eyes. It took a lot to make his son angry and he knew that if anyone was going to figure out what made Pogue tick it was going to be the fiery Serena Cornwall.

Jeff stood in the living room watching the two as Liz sleepily told Paul stories about the others. He knew that the children were close but he never dreamed of how emotionally close they all seemed to be. As he listened to Liz tiredly describe how she could talk to Caleb for hours about nothing and everything a sudden thought struck Jeff. They might just make it through all of this and be alright in the end.

Across the country in Salem Heidi Prince sat worried behind her desk chewing her lips as she mentally rolled through her problems. “It is just not possible,” she whispered as she looked at the flickering flames in her office hearth.

Heidi looked back down at the parchment on her desk and saw the blue dot floating around the corner of the page the name of the person neatly scrawled above it. She saw Plank outside her door and flicked her wand as the wood door swung open revealing the imposing professor.

Plank swept inside raising an eyebrow at the odd paper on her desk. “I see you have created a map of your own. I told you it was a good idea.”

“Yes once again you were right.”

“What has a stick up your ass?” the Professor grouched as he sat primly in the chair in front of her desk.

“Look in the upper left hand corner,” she whispered pointing her wand at the map.

Plank grabbed the map and frowned. “This cannot be right,” he whispered his eyes narrowing.

“This map never lies my friend. It is a Keepers map all the old schools are supposed to have them. It seems that like Hogwarts, Salem lost its Keepers map long ago. Our masters gave this one to me.”

Plank shook his head not wanting to believe what he was seeing. “Heidi this is not possible what is he doing here?”

“You are missing something important Plank. Look whose office he is in.”

Plank looked down and sighed his closing in defeat. “So we were right it was him.”

Heidi nodded watching the dot suspiciously almost afraid it was going to jump off the page at her. “So the Dark Lord is really alive,” she sighed.

“So the Dark Lord is somehow involved with Professor Dillings.”

“Or the Professor is the Dark Lord,” Heidi sighed rubbing her forehead. “We need to inform Tinka and the others. If this gets any closer to us the Order will have to become involved.”

“It is already close to us Heidi the man is working in the school with us he has an influence over our students.”

Heidi stood casting a dark look about her office. “We also have to tell the headmaster. We have to tread carefully here Plank we cannot let the Dark Lord know that we are onto him.”

Plank sighed when he realized she had come to the same conclusion as him. “Dillings was the one who cursed Miss Black.”

“He would know the Gormagon spell intimately and would be the one with something to gain from all this.”

Plank shook his head his long hair flying about. “I doubt he would want to kill Miss Black if anything he would want to keep her around after all she is Bellatrix Lestrange’s daughter; she was his most loyal follower to the bitter end.”

Heidi nodded a frown marring her pretty face. “I don’t believe the spell was meant for Liz.”

“Who the hell was it meant for then Heidi?”

Her eyes flickered over to him with startling intensity. “I have been reconstructing the dome from memory recall and I noticed who was in line with Liz.”

“Who?” Plank asked.

“Krane and Dumbledore, it could have been either one of them but I am more inclined to believe it was Krane he was after.”

Plank growled knowing where she was going, “If Krane is out of the way there is no strong magical leader in the U.S and the States would be Voldemort’s for the taking or so he thinks. He would still have the Covenant and several other orders to deal with.”

“That is true but Krane is the one that has brought us all together here Plank. He is a lot like Dumbledore except he does not have his head up his ass.”

“How are we going to get rid of him?” Heidi asked.

Plank stood adjusting his cuffs. “We are going to take care of this how we take care of everything Heidi, cleanly and quietly. The usual cleanup.”

Heidi nodded biting her lip letting out a shaky breath. “Tell the other two what you know I will inform our masters. The usual cleanup it is.”

Heidi pointed her wand and muttered the charm to make the images disappear. She rolled up the parchment and lowered it into her desk. Heidi pulled out the silver bowl and dug around her desk looking for her stock of blood. She cursed when she realized it was not there. Heidi eyed Plank and then sighed holding out her hand over the bowl using her wand to slice her hand open letting her blood pour into the bowl.

Plank pulled a face at the gruesome sight. Contacting the masters or elders of the Order was always a grizzly task and one he preferred to keep to a minimum. He listened as Heidi muttered the summons in their strange tongue as the blood boiled about.

“We have discovered who was behind the cursing of Miss Black. It is urgent that you come.” She said.

Plank closed his eyes as he heard the tell tale hiss of the others. So few could hear them in their natural form and he was one of the few that was blessed with the rare ability. The Cleaners spoke to Heidi hissing orders at her. She was charged with going after Dillings and was to get rid of him at all costs.

“Yes I will do it you have my word,” the woman vowed a sinister smile on her face. “Dillings will no longer be able to control the students of Salem. The Dark Lord will not touch them.”

Heidi pulled her and out of her blood a disgusted look on her face. “We are to expel the Dark Lord at all costs as you heard and we are to question Dillings about his actions while he was playing host to the Dark Lord.”

Plank stood straighter at that, “So he is possessed?”

“Can you think of any other reason why he seems to be Professor Dillings?”

“A potion or a glamour could do that.”

Heidi shook her head a thoughtful look on her face. “No we would have been able to see through the glamour spells and I know when someone is using potions to disguise themselves I am a Prince after all. No it is Dillings but the Dark Lord is also there.”

“Find a way to expel him Prince,” Plank warned as he swiftly left the woman’s office.

“Oh don’t worry I will,” she whispered.
Last edited by Ansleyrocks on Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Battle For Freedom (Multi XO, UC, Adult) Pt.27 pg.23 7-26-09

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Hey guys thanks for the replies! Thanks...

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Please let me know what you think of this new part!



Part 28: Dark Whispers XIV

Caleb knew the moment she arrived on the Garwin property. It was like a spark ignited in his chest and warmth that had been missing since she left suddenly appeared. He rushed out of bed with his boxers on not bothering to find a shirt as he raced out of the guest room.

Alex left his room down the hall and ran behind Caleb eager to see Liz. They could all feel her sadness and Alex was willing to do anything to erase the pain, fear and misery his friends were all feeling.

“…your room. Reid will probably come and check on you.” Ryan Garwin’s gruff voice whispered in the dark front hall as Paul carried a half asleep Liz.

“Liz,” Alex hissed pushing past Caleb to see his cousin.

Liz fell into his gangly arms hugging him tightly. Caleb smiled sleepily at Liz’s ruffed look as Alex peppered her with questions.

“I am fine Alex I am just tired.”

Caleb sighed happily as Alex released her and pushed her towards him. Liz cuddled close ignoring Paul Parry’s sarcastic, “Aren’t they cute,” as Alex grabbed her bag and led the way upstairs.

“Did Paul fill you in?” Caleb asked softly as Alex set her bag down and left quickly.

Liz nodded closing her door shooing Caleb towards her bed. “Yes, I would like your take on it though; I don’t think I am really processing what is happening very well.”

“You are tired Liz, go to sleep, I can tell you all about it in the morning.”

Liz nodded her eyes drooping as the two settled in.

In no time at all Reid Garwin was bursting through their adjoining bathroom and into Liz’s room. He glared at Caleb’s sleeping form pulling out his wand. Reid cast a low power stinging spell and aimed it at Caleb’s rear.

Caleb jerked awake with a grunt as he felt the shock rouse him from his peaceful sleep. He looked around wildly for the source and saw an annoyed Reid hovering next to the bed.

“Get out of her bed Danvers.”

“Go away Reid it is too early for this crap,” he grumbled.

Reid’s blue eyes narrowed dangerously as Caleb lay back down next to Liz. The blond unleashed a stronger stinging spell hitting his friend in the same spot as last time. Caleb let out a painful yelp waking Liz up as he jumped out of bed.

“What the hell Reid!” he yelled as he grabbed his wand.

Liz sat up looking back and forth between the two confused. “What is going on?” she asked rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

“Reid zapped me.”

“I found Caleb in your bed.”

Liz sighed shaking her head; it was too early to deal with this petty drama. “I know Reid after all I am the one that forced him to stay.”

Reid did not look happy about that, “Why?”

Liz gave him a withering glare as she crawled out of her warm bed to stand next to Caleb. “I don’t feel good Reid; I was tired, upset, scared and very out of it. I wanted my boyfriend to stay so he stayed.”

Reid looked ashamed as he shoved his wand back into his jean pocket a sullen look on his face. “I just don’t like the idea of you and Caleb doing anything. The thought alone makes me want to spell clean my brain.”

Caleb crossed his arms over his chest looking annoyed and offended. “Hey all we were doing was sleeping.”

Reid nodded his cheeks reddening. “I know it is just hard not to react. I see a boy in Lizzie’s bed and my gut reaction is to blast first ask embarrassing questions later.”

“Reid he is my boyfriend,” Liz sighed. “It is not like this is the first time you have caught us like this.”

“Well that was different,” Reid huffed. “That was at school and I did not have to worry then that Caleb was going to be overly friendly.”

Liz rubbed her temples feeling her massive headache returning. Reid and Caleb stopped their glaring match as they tuned their worried eyes on her.

“Do you need your potion?” Reid asked.

“Yeah,” she grumbled sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Caleb went over to her bag and rummaged around looking for the glass vile. He let out a relieved sigh when he found it handing it over to Liz who took it gratefully.

“I love that this thing is measured out in the perfect dose for me, it is one less hassle to worry about.”

Reid chuckled at that sitting down next to her. “My mom does that for all of her patients and that is where my dad learned that handy trick. Each small potion vile is connected to a much larger one containing the potion you need. When the small vile empties it refills from the larger one.”

“Your mom’s patented design?” Caleb asked sitting down on Liz’s other side.

“Yeah and all the healers love her for it, it makes the potions safer for the patients to take home.”

Reid felt guilty for reaming Liz and Caleb earlier as guilt pains shot through his stomach. He knew that the two of them had only been sleeping but his protective nature got the best of him.

“Guys I am sorry for hassling you about sleeping together. I can’t help the kneejerk reaction I have when it comes to the thought of you two getting frisky.”

Liz chuckled softly at his apology. “You know Caleb and I are going to have to ‘get frisky’ as you put it.”

Reid blew out a troubled breath. “I know but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

“At this point I think none of us are okay with this,” Caleb chuckled darkly grabbing Liz’s hand in his larger one.

A soft knock on the door startled the three as their heads whipped towards the door as Mrs. Garwin’s voice muffled voice greeted them. “Liz, sweetie, are you up?”

Reid quickly got up and opened the door for his mother who appeared unfazed that he was in Liz’s room so early in the morning. The blonde petite woman bustled into the room shooing her son and Caleb out of the way as she whipped her wand out; lights and streams of information streaming from the tip of her wand. Reid’s mother clicked her tongue as she looked down at Liz.

“That spell sure did a number on you my little darling. You have rotten luck.”

Reid rolled his eyes behind his mother’s back as she fussed over Liz. “Is she going to be alright mom?”

“With a few changes in potions and a few goodnights rest she should be good as a mandrake in mud.”

“Is there anything she can’t do?” Caleb asked.

The blonde woman straightened up and turned to the dark brooding teen. “No more duels until Ryan kills…I mean finds, the person who hurt Liz.” The sickeningly innocent look on his mother’s face told Reid that his mother was more than okay with her husband ‘finding’ whoever hurt Liz.

“Don’t worry I don’t plan on it,” Liz chuckled.

“Well good. You three should wash up and head down for breakfast and then Caleb and Liz need to speak with Paul,” and with that Reid’s mother bustled out of the room.

“What does Pogue’s dad have to talk with us about?” Liz asked.

“About when you and Caleb have to pop out a little one and your plans after that.” Reid deadpanned as he left the room through their adjoining bathroom.

“That sounds pleasant,” Liz sighed.

Caleb bent down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “It won’t be but we will get through this together.” He squeezed her shoulders softly left her to get ready.

Liz quickly washed up and headed down to the grand kitchen in the Garwin home. She could hear the squabbling of her friends, a smile tugging at her lips. Jasmine and Louise were tossing bacon bits into each other’s mouth while Alex played commentator of the breakfast sport.

Jasmine saw Liz first a broad grin coming over her face lighting up her eyes. “Morning Black,” she laughed as Louise hit her in the nose with a chunk of bacon.

“You look better,” Liz said sitting down next to Alex who handed her a full plate of delicious smelling food.

Jasmine gave her a sheepish smile as she shrugged her petite shoulders. “Mr. Simms gave Tyler and I a full cleansing last night.”

Liz noticed the small shudder that ripped through Louise shaking her entire form. “What is a cleansing?” Liz asked as Pogue slid into the kitchen quietly.

His deep husky voice startled her as his head appeared over her shoulder. “It is a nasty painful ritual that clears your soul of most of the darkness that has been weighing the person down. The darkness never really goes away supposedly but it helps make life more bearable.”

Liz’s dark eyes flickered to Jasmine who sighed rolling her eyes at Pogue. “Of course it was painful, terribly so. You all would have felt it too but Mr. Simms put a weird clamp on our bond during the cleansing.”

“We aren’t as badly tainted so we didn’t have to suffer,” Pogue shot a nasty look at the small honey blonde who looked thoroughly ashamed.

“I know I messed up Pogue, trust me I know. I just didn’t know how badly until after the cleansing.”

Alex cocked his head to the side his brows drawing together as he shoveled a forkful of scrambled egg into his mouth. It was hard for all of them to believe that Jasmine did not realize how bad their situation was until last night. All of them had been harping on her and Tyler for days about how badly they had messed up and it apparently only sank in last night.

Jasmine groaned when she realized how foolish she sounded. “I don’t think you realize how deep in the darkness Tyler and I were.

Even when all of you were telling us how bad our situation was and the two of us realized we were in deep, it did not register that there was a problem. Yesterday while I was looking for anything to help us get out of this mess I had this heavy feeling in my chest and this voice in my head telling me I should not be researching a cure but looking deeper into the darkness.”

Pogue sighed shaking his head his long brown locks falling into his eyes. “You two were so deep,” Pogue clearly could not believe it. He almost looked sick at the thought.

Jasmine nodded blowing out a deep calming breath. “I didn’t think I had a problem,” she whispered.

“And now?” Louise asked.

“I realize how much of an idiot I have been. I mean Merlin I grew up knowing the dangers of misusing magic and I still went deep into the dark arts. I never even thought about what my using would do to all of you. You would think that after what we went through after Cory was killed that I would have thought about our connection.”

Pogue smirked at Jasmine as she picked at her breakfast. “Does this mean we are going to get the old Jasmine back?”

She gave him a weak smile as she pushed her food around her plate. “Mostly, yes. I am hoping that I will think more before I act but time will only tell.”

“I am just glad that she and Tyler will no longer look like the walking dead. That was frightening and also a fashion no, no. I mean World of Witch said that the zombie look is so three years ago, fairy is so in.”

Jasmine and Liz laughed at their friend and roommate. It was so typical of Louise to try and lighten the depressing conversation. They all went back to eating and horsing around as Pogue and Alex stole food off the girl’s plates rather than grab seconds.

Liz sighed dreamily when she felt her heart rate pick up and the gentle hum of Caleb grow stronger within her. She didn’t know when this awareness of one another developed. Liz turned and saw Caleb standing by the counter staring intently at her with his dark chocolate eyes. A slow smile tugged at his lips as he pulled a chair up next to her and Pogue.

“I thought girls were supposed to take longer than guys to get ready.” Alex joked laughing when Caleb turned to glare at him.

“Aw, baby it’s not your fault,” Liz cooed kissing him. “You just don’t know when to put the hairdryer and jell away.”

Pogue snorted next to Caleb as his shoulders shook with the effort it took for him to hold in his laughter. “Oh laugh it up Parry,” Alex hollered. “I know for a fact that you will not leave your room in the morning until you brush your lovely locks one hundred times.”

All eyes swung to Pogue whose fork paused halfway to his mouth. Pogue’s eyes narrowed as Caleb laughed openly at his friend.

“Thanks for sharing that with everyone Danvers.”

“My pleasure,” Caleb laughed ducking Pogue’s fist.

“So you two have the talk with my dad yet?” Pogue asked.

“No, after breakfast.” Liz whispered as she set her fork down no longer hungry as her stomach twisted painfully. The mood at the table was somber once more.

Now no one wanted to eat. Jasmine pushed her plate away as her eyes welled with tears. “Are we strong enough to get through this?” she asked shakily as her hands trembled on the table.

Louise reached over and grabbed her pale hand linking their fingers together. “If we stick together I know we can.”

Alex felt helpless knowing he could never understand the terror his friends were all suffering. He was the bystander this time and he felt guilty for the overwhelming relief he was feeling in that he would not have to bear this burden like his friends. He might not be having a child but he was not about to leave his friends alone in the thick of their troubles. As the lanky teen sat there watching his friends he vowed to be there with them every step of the way.

“With good old Alex there to help.”

Liz and the others cracked a smile at that. Caleb squeezed her small hand running his thumb over the backs of her knuckles. It was a small gesture but it comforted her none the less. She knew that as long as her friends were there she would get through this, she had to.

####

Molly Weasley watched in awe as the inner circle of death eaters suddenly turned on their fellow death eaters. She looked around stunned as her husband and sons moved with them. Mrs. Weasley gapped at Harry Potter who was twirling Dumbledore’s want between his fingers.

“You see Tom there is a lot about this world and magic that you just don’t understand,” Harry Potter said. The seventeen-year-old boy’s eyes glanced at Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius Malfoy, Arthur Wealsey, and Rodolphus Lestrange who stood weakly on their feet.

“Magic isn’t just about power and how much you can get. Sometimes magic is about connections,” Harry said looking to Caleb who was shaking next to his resurrected friends.

“Magic is who we are,” Harry said.

“And we will not allow you to abuse magic anymore,” a familiar voice snarled.

A scarred and mangled Professor Plank stepped into the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Voldemort reeled back looking around the hall wildly looking more and more like a caged hissing snake in a muggle zoo. The faces of his former followers glared back at him. His favorite Bellatrix Lestrange openly glared hatefully at him.

“You would betray me Bellatrix?”

The pale ghostly woman cackled shrilly at him as she leaned against Kingsly Shakbolt for support. “You put my daughter at risk. You put my way of life and tradition at risk. Better to be the snake’s friend and kill it slowly than openly attack him and lose it all.”

Molly Weasley could not believe it. Bellatrix Lestrange was going against the Dark Lord the man she had vowed to die for so long ago.

“All I wanted was a family,” Rodolphus Lestrange’s deep croaking voice startled the matronly redhead.

“My loyalty to you took me away from my family. For years before Harry Potter brought you down for the first time we worked to get away from you, to stop you. Now I die knowing you will no longer haunt the magical world.”

“It seems Tom that there has been a movement against you happening under your nose.”

Voldemort sneered at Harry Potter his snake like red eyes glaring hatefully at the boy. “It looks as though Dumbledore has more of you fooled than I thought.”

Harry laughed bitterly with others around the Great Hall. Lucius Malfoy was the brave soul who spoke up next his perfect sneer on place as he faced the Dark Lord.

“As if that old fool could ensnare us; we have seen through his tricks since we were school children. No this movement was against all three of you.”

“Three?” A witch asked shrinking back as a few eyes glanced at her.

Serena Cornwall watched the action with unsuppressed glee. “Of course,” Serena snickered, a sinister smile pulling at her white scarred lips. “There were three factionz at play when theyz all gotz together. Voldemort, Dumbledore and your ministry.”

Several parents in the Great Hall had to admit the scarred girl was right. For years Voldemort and Dumbledore had been the centers of the conflict while the ministry of magic sat there off to the side waiting to be used as a pawn.

“You see it was all a rather elaborate setup,” Professor McGonagall whispered but everyone in the hall heard her.

“All we had to do was play our parts and play the three of you off one another and you took each other out for us,” she chuckled.

Harry nodded with his professor, “You really did all the dirty work for them. They just had to keep you all going long enough.”

Molly Weasley was horrified. Her friends, her family and her enemy were all working together. They had obviously given up on their dream of a light society in her mind.

There were so many strange and new witches and wizards in the Great Hall with her and she could not help but wonder what part they all played in what was turning out to be a large Wizard’s Chess game. The American wizards looked haggard and war bitten, they looked like Harry, Hermione and her son. Molly Weasley could not help but wonder what happened to those children, as she stood in the heart of the final battle, what had happened in their short lives to test them so.

####

Runes covered the room floor to ceiling, wall to wall. It looked like a room right out of a muggle horror movie to Heidi Prince as she finished drawing the final runes on the floor. It would have been far quicker to spell the ancient symbols on the floor, but experience taught Heidi that hand drawing the symbols gave the runes more of a punch.

She had agonized for hours about how to take care of DIllings when the idea struck her. Heidi needed to get the Dark Lord out of Dillings and figure out why the little flubber worm would house such an evil soul.

“Are you sure you can do this?” Headmaster Krane asked from the entrance of the chamber.

Heidi’s hand stilled as she looked up from her kneeling position on the stone floor. “I have done this before.”

“Yes, but never on someone as strong as he is.”

“Are you implying that I am not strong enough to do this?”

The headmaster chuckled but shook his head, “No Heidi I know better than that. I know that this spell takes a toll though and the means with which you are going to interrogate the man are draining. Would it be better for me to do this?”

Heidi stared baffled at the man. “If it is going to be draining why would it be better if you do this?”

“Heidi I am an old man and far less important than you. If something were to go wrong you would still be here to help the children.”

Heidi sprang up from the floor angrily glaring at the headmaster. “Are you daft man!” she yelled.

“These children need you this country needs you. Without you they are all a bunch of bleeding sitting ducks! I will be doing this spell and not you. You are far more important than me Krane remember that.

I was sent here to teach these children and make sure that you are kept alive!”

Krane nodded giving her a small tired smile. “Heidi I have been looking after myself for over ninety years I think I can keep myself out of trouble.”

“Well not according to my bosses,” she whispered looking down feeling foolish for her outburst.

“The Cleaners think I am in trouble?” Krane asked moving farther into the chamber.

She looked up sharply at him her eyes blazing, “They know you are in danger. They won’t bloody tell me from what but I know that I need to keep you alive.”

Krane nodded, “Very well Heidi I will not do the spell. We will talk more on this later.”

“I suppose,” she sighed.

“Just promise me Krane that you won’t do something stupid.”

The older regal looking man smirked at the young woman but nodded. “My little darling as if I would trust my school to be run by anyone else but me my dear.”

Heidi blew out a deep breath feeling depressed and happy at the same time. She got back down on the floor and finished up her drawings. One way or another she was going to get to the bottom of the Dillings situation by the end of the day.

Not too far from Salem in Ipswich the young bonded were converging on the Garwin parlor after the elder members of the Covenant had spoken to them all. Serena snuggled close to Liz who kept wiping at her doe eyes that leaked a stray tear every moment or so.

“It all seems so clinical,” Liz whispered.

“It haz ta be,” Serena said.

Alex hugged the two girls close as they processed what had been told to them that morning. “It has to be clinical,” he said.

Liz nodded wiping her face with her sleeve. “I know I really do but having a baby should be special not something you dread.”

“I am scared,” Louise sighed hugging her knees to her chest as she sat on the loveseat with Caleb who was gently rubbing her back.

“It is alright to be scared Louise we all are.” Caleb said.

Reid sniffed next to Pogue laying his head on the other teen’s shoulder. Pogue froze a look of disgust coming over him. “Reid,” Pogue growled.

“Yeah?”

“Get your head off of my shoulder,” Pogue ground out.

“But I want someone to comfort me.”

“Then go find your mom or sister or something dude we aren’t that close.”

Reid sighed lifting his head up scowling at Pogue. “Some people are just so touchy.” Reid grumbled ducking as Pogue moved to slug him in the shoulder.

Tyler sighed rolling his eyes at his friends. He had, had enough horsing around it was time to get serious. The teen got up off the chair and stuck his hand out in front of Jasmine who was sitting beside Reid on the couch. She silently grabbed his hand and the two left the parlor heading away from their friends.

Alex looked at the closed door and snickered. “So what do you think they are going to do?” he asked.

“Alex!”
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