Shadows and Orbs

Chapter 19

The candlelight flickered over the room, casting shadows in the already daunting room. Shelves rose from the stone floor upwards to the dark ceiling; books were neatly placed in all the spaces and looking around, one could tell that no space was empty in the large room. Desks were placed around with the occasional comfy chair for those using the library. There was a musty smell in the room which was from the dust which lined the tables, chairs and books.

Malfoy Manor had two libraries. One in the main area which was filled with books of all kinds, though they were what was considered 'light magic'. In the depths of the dungeons, through many wards and secret doors, was the second library. This one filled with books about the most vile and horrifying dark arts.

It was in this library that Lucius Malfoy, Lord of the Manor, was sat. His blond hair neatly pulled back away from his handsome yet cold face and his black robes of velvet were draped elegantly from his form as he sat on a cleaned chair, his pale finger skimming the lines of a book.

The pages of the book were worn and old, the writing spidery and faded after many years. Lucius handled it with care as his eyes skimmed over the secrets this book held. After a while his eyes lit up and a smirk graced his lips.

"Found it," he murmured and began to read over the passage which lie on the yellowing pages.

The passage read:

The bond between Creature and Mate is a very difficult magic that is nearly unbreakable. However, the bond itself is based on an emotional connection between the two. If this connection is broken the bond will begin to be reversed leaving the Creature unstable but living.

The only way to break the bond is to kill the Mate or to have the Creature believe their Mate is dead and have them accept a bond with another instead before they notice the bond is still there. However, still irreparable damage can occur in another bonding- feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy because the bond with another is not the same as a Mate/Creature bond. Few last more than a month with a different bond, many take their own lives to join their Mate. If a Creature dies then so does the Mate.

Yet in a few cases the Creature has survived and forged a new bond close to that of the Mate/Creature bond which occurs if the Creature blood is less than a half. Problems still arise within these bonds as the Creature often can become violent and withdraw from their new Bonded.

Lucius's eyes lifted from the page and a mad glint seemed to linger in the depths as Lucius considered the options available to him. Draco would not be bonded with the Weasley twins for much longer but would be able to survive. Lucius had no doubt of that, Malfoy's were strong. Draco would be able to pull through this madness.

Lucius carefully bookmarked the page and carried the book from the old room. It was a room which had charms placed on it, so that if it was ever found the dust and look of disuse could imply that the Lord of the Manor at the time didn't know of the room. However, it was doubtful that any wizard would get past the wards. Even the Heir of the Malfoy Line couldn't until they took over as Head of the family.

Lucius drifted through the corridors silently, the only sound was the occasional rustle of his expensive robes or a slight sound of his boots along the stone floor. As he walked, the torches flared to life, showing the way over the uneven stone and as he turned new corridors the torches in his wake burned out, leaving the place in darkness.

Lucius moved through the labyrinth of tunnels and stopped outside three closed doors. Inside they held his son and the Weasley twins. Moving towards the door that held his son, he waved his hand and the wards threw open the door allowing Lucius to stalk through, his robes flaring dramatically behind him.

He sneered down at his son, who was huddled on the floor, sniffles coming from his prone form. Blue eyes opened wearily, pain written across the pale face. The blue eyes so much like his Mother's landed on Lucius and nothing passed through them. It was the look of someone who was dead inside. Someone who had given up.

"Draco, my child, what is wrong?" Lucius asked, his voice mocking.

"You killed them," Draco whispered, his tone monotone and weak.

"I only did what I had to in order to protect you," Lucius began, his voice taking on a soothing quality that made Draco squeeze his eyes shut and wish his arms had the strength to move his hands to cover his ears.

"Protect me? How is killing my Mates protecting me?" Draco asked while desperately wishing this monster would leave him alone so that he could die in peace.

"They were not your Mates, Draco," Lucius spat, "I don't know what they did to you, but even your Veela half wouldn't have picked them for Mates."

"It did pick them," Draco whispered, a sob breaking through.

"It did not, Draco, your Veela half was confused. But I know who your Mate is," Lucius said with false kindness, "your real Mate has been slowly dieing without you, he needs you, Draco."

"Mate?" Draco whispered, wondering what his Father was on about.

"Yes, Draco, he's here waiting for you," Lucius whispered as he knelt down with an internal grimace.

"For me?" Draco whispered, his mind and heart pained and confused.

Lucius simply stood and walked to the door pushing it open to admit the waiting person. The person walked into the dim light of the cell and looked down at Draco. He had black hair and refined features but there was a cruel glint in his hazel eyes.

"Theo?" Draco gasped. His old school friend Theodore Nott was standing there smiling down at him. The expression seemed foreign on his face.

"Hello, Love," Theo purred at the blond.

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Wyatt orbed to the back of the Manor, Harry to the front. As one they brought their power to the surface, their swords flashing into their hands as the earth shook and the sky broke into chaos. The wind blew in gales and the sky was a mass of black with lightning striking from the clouds to the earth every few seconds. The sound of thunder was deafening and many of the animals in the area fled as the rage of the two Kings flooded the Earth.

Harry's eyes were black and as his power grew throughout his body, his lips, nails and the skin around his eyes bled to black. His hands became covered with frost and the area around him grew cold, ice creeping over the plants, grass and trees. Rubilacxe gleamed brightly in his hand, sparks of lightning shooting from the blade into the ground and air.

On the other side of the Manor Wyatt was stood, his eyes pure white, his lips, skin and nails affected as Harry's were. Flames grew from Wyatt's hand and danced down Excalibur, jumping from the blade into the surrounding area. His magic poured from his skin and spread over the area. The plants, grass and trees seemed to thrive before the heat became too much and they withered and died.

Both young Kings threw their powers at the wards. The wards began to crack and ripple; the image of the Manor became distorted as two powerful beings began to rip at the wards. The wards were old and had been bound to the Earth itself. The two Kings saw this and aimed their power at the Earth ripping the wards from it. Dirt and chunks of Earth were pulled and thrown to the side as they did this. The shaking, which had been small yet unnatural before, was tremendous and trees were wrenched from the ground with the force.

It was with a shattering cry the wards fell, the young Kings reigned in their powers, the area becoming silent though the sky was still an ominous black and the Kings still had black and light on their features and their respective swords were still held in their hands sparking with power.

With identical smirks both Kings stalked onto the property and towards the Manor.

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Theo and Lucius looked up at the first sign of danger; quickly the noise seemed to escalate to an unbearable level earth-shattering through any silencing wards they had placed. It was terrifying for both wizards when they realised that the wards were under attack and the wards would not withhold the power being thrown against them.

For a moment they wondered whether Dumbledore and his Order had come but there was something unbelievable about the power, something dark yet good. The Order did not have this power. Dumbledore didn't and the Dark Lord didn't either.

There was a new enemy after them.

"Nott, talk to Draco, get him to accept the bond," Lucius snarled and stalked from the room, nearly crashing into a wall as the shakes that ran beneath his feet grew to an astounding level.

Lucius struggled to the stairs which led up to the main house and grasped the stones and pulled himself up the stairs. Lucius cowered and covered his ears as the wards broke. It seemed to have a dominoe effect; the sound seemed to rush into the Manor. Lucius could hear shattering and crashes from the upper levels and the occasional booms which Lucius was sure were statues, paintings and heirlooms falling from their places, and the booms were walls caving under the power.

Lucius waited silently, wondering when the attack would come. However, silence reigned over the area and Lucius walked up the remaining steps and stepped into the upper level with a cautious step.

Lucius started back as his gaze landed on two figures standing in the entrance of the corridor, one slightly smaller, but both carried swords in their grasp and their strange features were enough to send the powerful Wizard staggering back.

"Hello, Lucius," the smaller man said coldly and pointed the sword at the blond. The sword shot from the small pale hand and Lucius could only watch as the sword pierced his heart, pinning him to the wall behind him.

The smaller man with dark features moved forward and grasped the blond's face and, with a dark smile, pressed his black lips to the blond's. Lucius struggled as he felt a coldness similar to that of Dementors spread through him. With his final breath a light seemed to pass into the small man and Lucius's grey eyes closed for the last time and he slumped forward and Harry pulled back while tracing his lips.

Harry's pale hand grasped the hilt of his sword and with a quick motion pulled it free from the man and the wall behind. The dead man fell to the floor with a thud as Wyatt strode ahead and down into the dungeons. Harry simply followed him, not sparing the dead man a glance.

Wyatt strode towards the dungeons and through an open door while Harry walked over to the other one and with a burst of power from his fingers the doors caved and allowed him entrance.

Wyatt simply shot a bolt of lightning at the man kneeling over the blond and watched as the blond fell into unconsciousness. The dead body of the dark haired man lay on the wet floor with wide empty eyes and a burn mark on his chest from Wyatt.

Wyatt looked around the cell and with anger released his power and smirked with satisfaction as the Manor upstairs was nearly obliterated by the blast.

Harry strode into the cell and was met with panicked blue eyes, he simply motioned for the twin to follow him and went into the next cell, once both twins were near him he sent his own burst of cold magic through the area, adding his own destruction to his Mate's.

Harry grabbed the twins while Wyatt lifted Draco's prone form carefully and the two Kings orbed from the wreckage of Malfoy Manor to Azkaban.

Once they were gone, life slowly returned to the area, the sky cleared to a light blue and the sound which had seemed to have vanished now could be heard.

However, the Elders and other Magic Leaders would understand something happened at this area, something that signified a change and could strike fear into their hearts at the devastation left behind.

And the corrupt world will cower

They will feel their power wane;

As together the forsaken Kings

Arrive on winds of change.

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