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Harry Potter: The Mage's Path Chapter 21
🕑 Added 2023-02-15 05:18:24 +0000 UTCHi all,
Here's the next chapter. I made a minor change to chapter 18 with the encounter with Umbridge. I changed it so she has a lower level and her parameters can be seen since it makes more sense than how I originally did it.
Angelica's POV.
Angelica looked around at the squadron of soldiers flying in the air beside her. They numbered thirty-six. Considering the task ahead of them, it was a small amount, but she was lucky even to get these numbers. It was only because of the leader’s desire to be rid of the foul Dementors that she gathered this much on such short notice.
Angelica wasn't kidding herself, though. They wouldn't be following her orders. The position was taken by Luke, a direct disciple like her, but from a different faction under Ramiel. It grated on her sensibilities, as originally, their faction was much higher in ranking under the leadership of Uriel, who was one of the four Great Seraphs. However, their faction has suffered greatly since his disappearance.
That would change today. There was no doubt in Angelica's mind that the boy knew something, judging by his reaction to her master's name in their last encounter. In addition, the boy's ability to escape their Dimension Field also warranted further investigation. Angelica had paid a hefty price to obtain a Spatial Barrier that prevented any form of magical travel within a certain area. She needed the boy alive. According to her informant, the boy should be on the ground floor, so he should be safe from the initial breach.
Azkaban was not going to be easy to invade. The prison was inlaid with numerous protections that made it into a magical fortress. They could break down the defences with enough effort, but it would take some time. The longer the operation dragged on, the more likely it was that something could go wrong.
Fortunately, they had someone on the inside that had pointed out a weakness in the wards on the lower levels of the prison. Since the man was a lowly prison guard, he did not have access to the Wardroom where all the protections were controlled. Hence, they had to exploit the weakness in the wards and make their entry there.
Most of the Dementors were located down there, so it would take some time to make it to the higher levels. She expected the boy to flee to the highest floor, but she wasn't too concerned. It was impossible for him to escape.
"We are about to breach the lower level," Ezekiel said beside her. "We have discovered the weakness in the Wards as we expected."
"Very well," Angelica said. Ezekiel was the only other one here that was from her faction and loyal to their cause. He was the only one she could trust to help capture the boy.
One of the soldiers attached the magical bomb to the side of the rock and flew backwards as the countdown began. Ten seconds later, there was a huge explosion as a huge hole was torn out of the rock, exposing the interior of the prison.
"Release the Cherubs."
The strange flying creatures flew down and into the rock created by the explosion, which led to a prison cell that was now half destroyed. The unfortunate occupant of the cell had half their body destroyed in the explosion. The Cherubs were being used for scouting purposes. They belonged to her faction and would climb floors looking for the boy, and kill anyone who was with him. They were well suited to this situation as they were immune to the effects of the Dementors.
Shortly after, Angelica and Ekekiel followed Luke and the soldiers down into the hole. There was a lone soldier left outside to stand guard and alert them to any trouble. The soldier was disappointed that he couldn't join in the fun. With the Dimension Field in effect, there was no way that anyone would be able to get to the prison. He was soon to be proven wrong.
A heavy impact sounded, like breaking glass, and the man turned around in alarm. In the sky, where the perimeter of the Dimension Field was located, a huge crack appeared. The soldier tensed, as it suffered another heavy blow and cracks began to rapidly spread outwards. Fumbling in his pocket, the man pulled out his communication stone.
"Sir, someone is breaking through the Dimension Field. It is collapsing."
"Stay there and report the enemy's numbers," Luke ordered.
The soldier swallowed. He wanted more action, but now it may cost him his life.
One final blow collapsed the Dimension Field, and dozens of figures appeared, mounted on strange skeletal flying creatures that looked like dragons, only smaller. The soldier hastily reported the numbers to his superior before lifting his spear in preparation for a fight, even knowing that he was completely outmatched.
One of the people flew forward and stopped about ten metres away from the soldier. He was a giant of a man, at least six feet eight, and with a massive physique. "So you are the ones responsible for obstructing us. I never expected to find your kind here. What an unexpected bonus. You will be worth a lot of money in the Abyss."
The soldier was captured without much effort and stripped of all of his equipment. The leader grabbed the communication stone and thought about using it, but then had a better idea.
<====({owo})====>
A few minutes before.
Harry ran over to the window and peered outside. When he saw what was happening, his jaw dropped. There were people with white armour and with wings that were flying outside. They suddenly began to descend rapidly, aiming for a specific point below. It was too far away for Harry to observe them, nor did he expect to be able to get anything at his current level. They looked to be strong, not something he could contend with at the moment. The wings attached to their backs confirmed his suspicions about who was attacking the prison.
"Who are they?" Amelia asked grimly.
"They are here for me," Harry said flatly. "
"Do you know who they are?" Moody asked gruffly, his magical eye following their progress down below. "They have breached the lower floors where the most dangerous prisoners are kept. That shouldn't be possible."
"Hey, that's where I live," Sirius said with a huge grin. The man certainly had a few screws loose.
"I encountered one of their kind in France," Harry said. "Angelica. She was able to conjure up a spear made of light."
"Divinity magic? Dumbledore told me about them," Amelia said as she ran her fingers through her hair. "Fighting against one of them is not going to be easy; let alone the huge number of them that we can see. We need to get out of here."
"I am the one who put you in danger," Harry said guiltily.
"Not necessarily," Moody said. "If they were just looking to capture you, why would they attack such a fortified position? No, they must have another purpose for being here."
"In any case, we need to leave," Amelia said. "The wards won't allow us to apparate out, so we have to escape the ward boundaries first."
"We cannot apparate out," Harry sighed. "Angelica created some sort of dimensional space similar to a dungeon, that blocked that method of traversal. Last time I was able to escape with my ability, but they have obstructed it somehow."
"Shit," Amelia cursed, pacing up and down the room. "For now, we need to get to the higher floors. They are attacking from below, so it should take some time to get up here. They have to contend with the Dementors after all. Most of them are concentrated down there."
Amelia and Moody made for the door, but Harry didn't move an inch. "Are you forgetting someone?" Harry asked, pointing at Sirius.
"Yes, don't forget about me," Sirius cried. "I'm innocent."
"Dammit," Amelia strode back to Sirius and unlocked the chains that secured him to the table.
"You don't happen to have a spare wand do you?" Sirius asked hopefully, rubbing his wrists.
"Even if you are innocent," Amelia snorted. "I am not giving you a wand."
Moody opened the door and looked both ways, with Amelia behind him. Harry made sure that they were not looking before he retrieved his Phoenix Wand from his inventory and threw it over to Sirius. Thankfully, there was still some durability left on it, so it should work fine. The only question was if the wand was compatible enough for him to use it, but beggars couldn't be choosers.
Sirius nodded his head in thanks and tucked the wand into his pants and concealed it under his shirt. Moody looked back at them as if he knew what they had done, but didn't say anything.
"I can't see anyone," Moody said. "I wonder where all the security has disappeared to? What about the Warden?"
"The Warden would have retreated to the Wardroom to monitor the protections around Azkaban. He will be safer where he is," Amelia replied. "Since they are probably after us specifically."
"Why don't we retreat to the Wardroom as well?" Harry asked.
"Because it seems that we will be sitting ducks in there," Amelia pointed out. "Since they can breach the lower floors, they must be very capable. Let's go."
"Hang on." Celeste flew forward. "I will be the scout."
"Celeste," Harry argued. "Your invisibility is not full-proof."
"Yes, but she is small," Moody pointed out. "The likelihood of her being seen is less likely."
Harry bit his lip but did not say anything further. Celeste had a mind of her own, and she was determined to do what she wanted regardless of his wishes.
'I will be fine.' Celeste reassured him over the bond.
Celeste flew out and down the corridor. After a moment, she told Harry that it was all clear, and he reported it to the others.
"Let's go," Amelia ordered. "I will lead. Moody, you cover our backs. Harry is in the middle with Sirius."
They stepped out into the hallway and made their way to the stairs leading to the next floor. There were eight floors above ground, which held the barracks for the Aurors, and the cells for the low-security prisoners. The lower floors were built directly into the rock, which housed the high-security prisoners. They had to be careful as there may still be some Dementors above them, and they didn't know how they would respond in such a situation.
Moody cursed as his leg caused him problems on the stairs, and Harry slowed down to accommodate the man. He looked back to see if there was anyone pursuing them. It was a fortunate thing he did, as something appeared at the bottom of the stairs. It looked like a twisted version of a toddler with wings, dressed in some sort of white cloth. In its hands was a bow with an arrow cocked in its string.
Immediately, Harry examined the creature.
=====
Cherub ~ Type: Normal ~ Level: 20
HP: 190/190 | Mana: 580/580
STR: 20 | END: 21 | AGI: 28 | INT: 19 | MAG: 28 | PER: 24
Defence: - Physical: 33 (10) | Magical: 45 (21)
Resistances: - Divinity: 85% | Light: 60% | Charmed: 100% | Fear: 100% |
Weaknesses - Piercing: 50% | Blunt: 50% | Slashing: 50% |
Shadow: 50% | Dark: 80% | Silence: 40% | Blind: 60% |
Loot: 500 pounds (100%); Cherub Ear (45%); Divinity Essence (25%)
Harvesting: Cherub Ear (85%); Cherub Wing (40%); Divinity Essence (25%)
Description: A twisted version of an angel-like creature, the Cherub resembles a small human child. It is primarily used as a scout but they are also dangerous in a fight. In addition to being capable marksmen, they possess arrows that have the ability to charm and control their foes if they penetrate their skin. Additionally, they have the ability to heal themselves, which means that they must be taken down as quickly as possible.
=====
The Cherub raised his bow and drew back the string.
"Behind you," Harry warned Moody. The man looked back and cursed as the Cherub fired the first arrow. The man ducked the first shot, and the arrow struck the stone steps with a clang.
Harry looked at his mini-map and saw at least a dozen more creatures approaching the stairwell. He quickly fired off a Blasting Curse at the Cherub. The creature stopped its next attack and disappeared from sight to avoid the curse that impacted the side of the doorway. It tore a chunk of stone out of the wall.
"We need to block the stairwell," Harry shouted. "There are more of them coming."
"I can see that," Moody growled. "Get up the stairs. It's time for me to do a bit of structural redesign."
Harry sprinted up the stairs, as Sirius was coming down to see what was going on. Harry pushed the man upwards, ignoring the man's questions. As they reached the next floor, Harry heard a huge crashing noise, and the floor shuddered from the impact.
Amelia looked down to see that half of the stairs had disappeared. "What's going on?"
Moody ascended the stairs, his breathing ragged. "Had to collapse the stairwell. A lot of flying monstrosities on our backs."
"Right," Amelia nodded briskly. "If they are following us, then they probably already know that we are moving upwards."
Celeste came flying back down the next flight of stairs, now visible again. "There is a Dementor heading this way."
Harry hadn't even noticed the creeping effects of the Dementor, as he was pumped full of adrenaline from the current situation. He raised his mediocre occlumency shield in defence and managed to offset the effects somewhat. Sirius was different. He crouched on the floor and covered his head with his arms as if that would somehow protect him from the effects.
"I will drive the Dementor off," Amelia said, stepping onto the next flight of stairs. The Dementor appeared above them and Amelia cast her Patronus. The badger flew at the Dementor, and it retreated back upstairs.
"Something just occurred to me," Amelia paused as she was about to climb the next flight of stairs. "Can the Patronus get out to relay a message to someone on the outside?"
"There's only one way to find out," Moody grunted. He cast his Patronus, which happened to be a rooster. It strutted forward a few steps before disappearing.
Sirius collapsed on the floor laughing. "I had forgotten about your Patronus form. At the very least, it will be loud enough to convey the message."
"Quiet you," Moody barked in irritation.
Unfortunately, the Patronus returned, not able to bypass the dimensional space that they were imprisoned in. They continued climbing upwards.
The dimensional space has collapsed.
Just as they reached the fifth floor, Harry paused as he received the notification. What happened?
"What's the holdup?" Moody growled.
"Something is happening," Harry said. How did he tell them that the dimension had disappeared? They waited a couple of minutes in tense silence before they were hit with another tremor, causing the building to shake again.
"What the hell was that?" Sirius screamed.
"How are we supposed to know?" Amelia said angrily.
Suddenly, they heard a voice speak, as clearly as if they were standing next to the person. The man must have used magic to amplify his voice. "Hello, everyone. My name is Rhodri, a mercenary and citizen of the Abyss. I and my men have the prison surrounded, so I suggest that you turn yourself in right now. Of particular interest to me are Harry Potter and the people dressed in white, pretending to be angels. If those individuals surrender, then I promise that the rest will be left unharmed. You have five minutes before I start making some more explosions."
"Bloody hell," Amelia cursed. "It keeps getting worse."
"Not exactly," Harry said. "How did they get here? They would have had to breach the dimensional space. That means there is a means to escape."
"Does that mean we can apparate out now?" Amelia asked.
"I doubt it," Moody growled. "I will send a Patronus to Dumbledore. We need our asses saved. I suggest you send one to Scrimgeour so he can assemble the Aurors."
"Right," Amelia nodded. "I can manage another Patronus but my reserves are getting low. So they better arrive quickly."
For the moment, the only thing they could do was climb the floors and make it to the roof.
<====({owo})====>
Angelica's POV.
The soldiers had paused in their extermination of the Dementors as they heard the voice speak from outside.
"By the gods," Luke swore. "This mission is cursed."
"Did you get a count of how many there are out there?" Angelica asked.
"He estimated that there were at least a hundred," Luke said. His tone had changed, and he was no longer hostile to Angelica. At the end of the day, they were still on the same side facing an enemy. "We cannot take them on our own."
"We can take them out," a soldier shouted from the front of the group. "They are no match for our might."
"If only that were true," Angelica glared at the impudent soldier. "Our magic is not infinite. We have already spent quite a bit to get rid of the Dementors, and there are still at least a third of their numbers left."
"We let the rest of the Dementors go," Luke said decisively. "Furthermore, we release the prisoners and give them some wands and their ridiculous brooms so they can provide a distraction for us."
"Where are we going to get them from?" Angelica asked incredulously.
Lucas took a small pouch out of his pocket, expanded it and started handing out items. "I always had them. You must prepare for every eventuality."
Angelica narrowed her eyes in suspicion. It sounded as if the answer was a bit too convenient. Was this part of Luke's original plan all along? For what reason did he want to release the prisoners?
The Dementors had gathered at the end of the stairwell. The foul creatures didn't want to get any closer, but they also didn't want to leave such a wonderful meal behind. An especially stubborn Dementor flew toward the group, and Angelica cast a spell at it with her foci. It was made from Star Iron and was crafted to fit like an open glove over the hand. They were what everyone used in the Empyrean Realm, and from a distance, it appeared as if they were using wandless magic.
A bolt of light struck the Dementor, and it burst into flames. It wailed loudly as it was consumed, leaving nothing but an ash pile on the ground.
"We will step aside and let you go, but if any of you attack us, then we will destroy every last one of you. Do we have an understanding?" Luke said to the Dementors.
Eventually, one of the Dementors nodded. They could understand human speech, or else the British Ministry of Magic would not be able to utilise them as guards for the prison. The soldiers gathered in empty cells and watched as the Dementors passed them, heading for the exit where they came from.
"Free the prisoners," Luke ordered. "And give them a wand and a broom each. In their current condition, they will not be able to put up much of a fight, but they will serve their purpose. Once they have caused enough chaos, we will attack the mongrels in full force."
The soldiers walked around unlocking the cells of some of the most dangerous witches and wizards in Britain. This included some of the Death Eaters who were imprisoned for their heinous crimes in the last war.
Angelica shivered as a woman passed her, with long dark stringy hair and a crazy look in her eyes. She kept shouting about finding the Dark Lord and ignored the soldiers shepherding her to the outside.
"Do you realise what we just released?" Angelica whispered to Ezekiel. "If they survive the confrontation with the Abyss mercenaries, then we have committed a heinous act."
At that moment, Angelica suddenly realised the ramifications now that the Dimension Field was no longer in effect. It meant that her prey may be able to escape if he finds a way out of the prison. Even worse, with the chaos that was about to unfold, there was a chance he might be caught in the crossfire and die. The Spatial Barrier was still in effect, so he would still have to travel on foot to get out of the prison.
Angelica cursed and sprinted forward, relying on her wings to increase her speed. Luke ordered her to stop, but she ignored him. Ezekiel followed closely behind her.
<====({owo})====>
Harry and the three adults ascended the final stairwell that led to the roof. Just a minute ago, they had heard the sounds of a battle breaking out outside the prison.
They arrived on the roof and were greeted by chaos. In the sky, there were a number of people that were mounted on strange skeletal dragon-like creatures, who were fighting both a number of Dementors and ragged-looking witches and wizards on brooms. There were spells flying all over the place, making the sky look like it was lit up with fireworks, with frequent explosions of noise and light. As Harry watched, one of the wizards was sent flying off his broom and impacted the prison roof with a thud. Harry winced and turned away from the sight.
"Dammit to hell," Amelia cursed. "They released the prisoners."
"Oh dear gods," Sirius groaned. "Please don't tell me my crazy cousin has escaped."
"Who?" Harry asked, his eyes returning to the fight.
"Bellatrix Lestrange," Sirius shuddered. "You never want to meet her."
They huddled together against the stone parapet at the edge of the roof to stay out of sight. The Abyss mercenaries were winning the fight, their superior numbers outmatching the combined efforts of the Dementors and the prisoners. Although they did not remain unaffected, they lost a number of people as well. In order to keep the Dementors at bay, the mercenaries were using fire, something that Harry took an interest in. He may need to use it soon if they are attacked.
Some of the prisoners fled on their brooms, and the remaining Dementors followed their example and escaped. The mercenaries didn't bother to chase them because their attention was caught by a number of winged figures flying up from below. One of the mercenaries, a giant of a man, whooped when he saw them.
"Come and get us, your feathered monkeys," he shouted. "Once we capture you, we will sell you for a premium price."
The winged people dressed in white joined up into a tight-knit formation, their light spears pointed forward as they prepared to attack the mercenaries. The mercenaries roared before flying down to meet the oncoming charge, and the two forces crashed together. The scene was so chaotic that it was nearly impossible to distinguish individuals as they began fighting mid-air.
'Harry, we have trouble.' Celeste shouted over the bond.
"There you are, Harry Potter." a voice spoke from behind them.
Harry stiffened and turned to see two people emerge on the roof. Angelica was one of them, and another was a man. The adults tensed, raising their wands in preparation. Both Amelia and Moody had used up a lot of reserves in their escape, and only Sirius had not used any of his magic. However, it was questionable whether he was in any condition to cast a spell.
"Hi, Angelica," Harry said with a smile, although he was watching her warily. "Was all this invasion for little old me?"
"Hardly," Angelica snorted. "It was only because our leaders wanted to get rid of the Dementors that I was even able to come here. It is not cheap to descend into your world."
"Well, at least there is something we can agree on. The Dementors are foul." Harry nodded. Each word she said, he took note of it, since the information may come in handy at a later date. As they were speaking, the adults had spread out on the roof, but Sirius had stuck to his side, standing in front of him.
"You will surrender yourself to me," Angelica ordered. "I will let the others go if you do so."
"Over my dead body," Sirius said. "Hey, angel. How about we make love, not war?"
"You dare," the man beside Angelica shouted, raising his hand. It was then that Harry noticed the strange metal glove on his hand. Was that how they cast magic?
Angelica stopped him with a gesture. She looked up at the sky, appearing anxious. As the fight wore on, it became apparent that her comrades were going to lose, although they were putting up a fierce fight. Time was against her, and she didn't have time to try and convince the boy to come with her. So it would have to be by force.
She summoned a spear of light into her hand and pointed it at them. "Since it has to be that way, I will kill all of your companions. You only have yourself to blame for their deaths. You take care of the other two adults, Ezekiel."
"With pleasure," Ezekiel stepped sideways, giving himself room. He seemed unconcerned about facing off against two former experienced Aurors.
From there, the fight was divided into two separate battles. Ezekiel versus Amelia and Moody, and Angelica versus Sirius and Harry.
"Stay behind me, Harry," Sirius ordered, sounding a lot more coherent all of a sudden. "I don't know how strong she is, but I won't be that effective in a fight in my current condition. We have to buy some time."
"I understand," Harry said.
The fight commenced against the backdrop of a much larger battle in the sky.
On the left side, Ezekiel began fighting the two Aurors. It became immediately apparent that he was magically stronger than the two, as he began releasing potent spells from his hand. However, the two former Aurors were very experienced and were able to avoid his attacks by dodging or interrupting the spell's path with conjured objects. They were not trying to win the battle but to buy some time until the cavalry arrived. They had to be careful with their spell usage, as their reserves were low. As the fight continued, Ezekiel marched forward, causing them to retreat with caution.
Meanwhile, on the right side, Angelica began casting stunning spells at the retreating duo. Unlike her companion, she had to be careful not to injure the boy. Sirius kept raising shields as they retreated, and they were constantly shattered under the power of the spells. Harry was distracted by Celeste, who wanted to join the fight. He ordered her to stay away. It wouldn't take much for her to be killed in the current situation.
'Behind you!' Celeste cried out in warning.
Harry looked back to see a Dementor slowly gliding towards them. How did he not notice its foul presence? Sirius cried and dropped to his knees as the Dementor began to affect him. He still held his shield up, but it wouldn't last long.
Harry didn't dare hide his abilities in his current predicament. He raised his hands and conjured a pair of fireballs and threw them at the Dementor, who screeched as they ignited its cloak. It writhed around for a few seconds before the flames petered out. It wasn't very effective
Harry cursed, and began launching a series of fireballs at the Dementor, who slowly retreated backwards under the onslaught. They didn't appear to do much damage, but they seemed afraid of fire. Behind him, Sirius recovered a bit and raised another shield. However, it became apparent that he had almost reached his limit. His time in Azkaban had done a number on him.
Harry was desperately trying to hold back the Dementor. However, it seemed that it was getting over its fear as it realised that it was not being affected that much. Ignoring the fireballs coming straight at it, the Dementor flew forward, its mouth open in preparation to devour his soul. Harry shook as his occlumency shields were shattered, and he crouched on the ground, screaming as he began reliving some of his most traumatic memories. Those involving abuse at the hands of the Dursleys.
Distantly, he could hear voices reaching out to him, but it was drowned out by the overwhelming memories. Suddenly, they disappeared, and he almost passed out from relief. Harry looked up and saw that the Dementor was no longer there. Instead, in its place was a huge man with a giant axe slung across his shoulders and a wand in his other hand.
"Well, hello there, brat," the man said. "My name is Rhodri. Capturing you has been a lot more challenging than I expected. Considering your bounty, however, it was well worth the effort."
The fight temporarily stopped in the face of their new arrival. Sirius struggled to his feet and turned towards the man. "You leave my godson alone, you bastard."
"What are you intending to do about it?" Rhodri asked dismissively. He raised his wand. "You can die now. I do not see any value in your life."
"Stop," Harry shouted, getting to his feet.
Rhodri slapped the boy hard across the face, sending him flying. "Shut up, and watch-
Suddenly, he looked up as a cry sounded above him. His eyes widened when he saw a phoenix approaching in the sky, with an old wizard holding on to its tail feathers. The old man raised his wand, and the stone surface around him rapidly transformed into a giant fist. Rhodri cursed and leapt backwards as it came crashing down, almost shattering the roof under the impact.
Behind him, there were numerous wizards flying on brooms. There must be of been at least fifty of them. He looked back at the boy, who was sitting up with the man crouched beside him. Gritting his teeth, he raised his voice. "Retreat! Everyone retreat now! This mission is a bust."
He ran to the edge of the roof and leapt off, only to land on one of the flying creatures. As the Aurors arrived, everyone in the sky dispersed. The remaining light soldiers flew off in one direction, and the mercenaries in another. The Aurors began to chase after them.
Harry groaned, feeling like he had been hit by a truck. He was certain that he had lost half of his Energy to that one slap alone, but couldn't be bothered to find out. Harry looked around to find Angelica, but she had disappeared with the man. Dumbledore landed next to him and Harry slumped to the ground.
"I leave you alone for five minutes," Dumbledore said, looking at him with mock disapproval.
Harry groaned. "I don't want to hear it, old man."
Celeste appeared and landed on Harry's shoulder. "That was a cool entrance. Dumbledore. Maybe you aren't such an old fart."
"Thanks," Dumbledore said dryly.
Harry wanted the day to be over already. Why did his life have to be this exciting?
So, what do you think? Harry gets owned at the end of the chapter, but it will only spur him on to improve.
Thanks for reading.
Comments
GamerFiction
Cheers.
Laharl365
Wow it would seem that this just got a lot more complicated! Very fun. Great stuff.
