Harry Potter and the Hall of Justice

Chapter 36 The Cult of Dionysos


About the middle of October, Molly Weasley went to the Hall of Justice to seek out Hermione. She was frantic over Ginny. Two nights before, she had left the Burrow for parts unknown. Arthur immediately set out to find her but did not have a clue where to even begin.

“She just hasn’t been herself, Hermione. Arthur and I haven’t been able to cheer her up. She began snapping out at us, saying terrible things. Then she would sit for hours and hours in her bedroom, looking out the window with a far off look in her eyes. Where has she gone, Hermione? Where can she be?” Molly blubbered out in between sobs and sniveling.

Hermione was also distraught over Ginny’s sudden disappearance and her obviously disturbed emotional state. When she had left for the Burrow, Hermione thought she would finally get the comfort she so badly had been seeking. She had hoped, in no time, her young redheaded friend would return to her old self.

“Mrs. Weasley, as soon as court is over today, I’ll ask the Chief Justice to find her, if he can. He can use the Orb of the Oracle and should soon find her. Why don’t you go back home for now? As soon as I find out something, I’ll come straight to you,” she told the elder Weasley, anxious over the woman’s state.

The woman dabbed at her nose with a saturated handkerchief. “Thank you, Hermione. Can I take a peek at little David before I go?”

“Yes, of course. Come with me. He’s up in my room. Deborah and I have been very fortunate to have a darling little house-elf help us with our babysitting. She is magnificent,” Hermione said, as they moved to the stairway.

Molly Weasley was overjoyed to see the two healthy little half-siblings. “They are such beautiful babies, Hermione. Harry must be so proud. I was so hoping he would bless Ginny with a little one. I know it was all she thought about for so long,” the woman said, bringing her two hands to her face, as she began sobbing again.

“Nothing would make me happier than to see Ginny with a child. I believe that would be the answer to our prayers. You, more than any of us, know the great joy they bring to your life,” Hermione said, reaching out and hugging the elder Weasley woman to her, comforting her the best she could.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


The very minute court adjourned for the day, Hermione was waiting in Webster’s chamber to tell him about Ginny.

“What?” he exclaimed. “She ran away from home, Hermione? What is wrong with the girl? I know she was having some serious problems, but once she came to live here things seemed to improve. What in the world happened to her?”

“I expect it might have been the birth of mine and Deborah’s babies. I believe she took it very hard. She had always thought of having Harry’s child, of being the only one in his life. And right when she had just suffered so many personal traumas, what happens, but Harry sires two children. It was too much for her,” Hermione said, shaking her head.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Can you use the Orb to find her? I need to go see her. I must talk with her,” Hermione begged.

Webster jumped to his feet. “Yes, let’s go!” He threw his judicial robe on top of his desk and quickly walked toward the office in the library where he kept the odd device.

The Chief Justice soon found the girl in London, using the Orb. Hermione immediately recognized one of the girls she was with. The girl had been a year ahead of Hermione’s class at Hogwarts. Her name was Kathryn, and she had been a Ravenclaw. Kathryn had always been a very odd character and had an encyclopedic knowledge of old covens and cults.

Webster and Hermione soon realized Kathryn was trying to talk Ginny into joining her cult, but there was something sinister about Kathryn, something different. Webster noticed it, too. After he fixed the address for Hermione, she hugged her boss and hurried off to the Burrow.

Molly and Hermione soon located the residence in London and had to force their way into the home. One of the girls refused to let them in, so Hermione, with a flick of her wand, crashed the door inward with such force she sent the girl tumbling. They quickly went from room to room until they found the young redheaded witch.

“Ginny!” Molly Weasley squealed with joy. “There you are, my dear! Why did you take off on us, love? Your father and I have been so worried.”

“Mum! What are you doing here? Why did you bring her?” Ginny said, pointing a finger and glowering at Hermione.

“What is wrong, Ginny? Have I done or said something to hurt you?” Hermione asked, shaken at Ginny’s angry outburst.

“You stole my Harry! You and Stran!” Ginny screamed, falling back into the bed and weeping.

“Ginny! My dear girl!” Molly cried out, quickly collapsing onto the bed and pulling her young daughter to her. “Now, now! Don’t cry, my darling. Don’t cry. It’s okay. They didn’t take Harry from you. Don’t be foolish. Just listen to you. Harry loves you very much. Hermione was just telling me how much he talks of you and wants you back in his life.”

“Lies! He doesn’t care for me anymore! I want to be by myself. I’m going to stay here in London with Kathryn. I don’t want to see Harry ever again!” Ginny screamed out, turning her head to the bed and bellowing.

Molly turned around and waved Hermione out of the room. She turned and walked out the door, closing it behind her and waited outside. She could hear the elder Weasley begging her daughter to return home. All that followed was more weeping and murmurings, which Hermione didn’t understand. After some thirty minutes, Molly Weasley opened the door and motioned Hermione towards the front door. The women’s eyes were puffy from crying, and she constantly wiped at her nose with a cloth.

“I don’t know what to do,” she said, mournfully. “What can I do, Hermione. She refuses to come back to the Burrow. I don’t know what to do.”

Hermione wanted to tell the woman to drag her daughter back home by whatever force was necessary, but she held her tongue. She was quite shaken herself from the hate she saw in Ginny’s eyes. Hermione just shook her head, as tears ran down her cheeks. She supported Molly as they walked to the door. The woman’s legs went suddenly weak.

The two witches returned to the Burrow. Hermione refused to leave her side until Arthur returned from the Ministry. Relating the story to him, Molly again began weeping hysterically. Arthur held his wife to him. He began crying as hard as his wife. Hermione tried her best to comfort them both before she returned to the Hall of Justice. The sadness she felt was crushing her emotionally. Once back at the Hall of Justice, she went straight to her bedroom, fell across the bed and cried herself to sleep.

Later in the evening, Harry returned from Falcon’s Lair and found Deborah Stran comforting Hermione on the bed. He could tell she had been crying.

“What’s wrong, Hermione?” Harry asked out, anxious over her state.

“It’s Ginny, Harry. Molly and I found her in London, and she refused to return to the Burrow. I think she is about to join a cult. Do you remember Kathryn from Ravenclaw? She was a year ahead of us - - - tall, dark headed, not really attractive, always talking about covens and cults.”

“Yeah, Wicked Katy! You mean Ginny is with her?” Harry asked, not believing it. “The two girls are like oil and water.” He couldn’t imagine Ginny being with that girl, of all people. They were nothing alike and couldn’t have anything in common, as far as he knew.

“Yeah, that’s her. I don’t know, Harry. Ginny was real hateful towards her mom and me. It destroyed Molly. She had never seen Ginny act like that.”

Harry sat on the bed and hung his head. How could things have gotten so screwed up? “Damn!” he thought. “It’s all my fault!”


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Severus Snape was totally enamored with his new position. And his young wizards were as enthusiastic about their work as he was with them. Severus couldn’t wait to get started each day. He and his men had been taking their breakfast out on the patio each morning, but the cold October mornings would soon turn too frosty to continue that.

Vlad had become Snape’s second in command. The lad’s intelligence and enthusiasm impressed the dark wizard greatly. Vlad was also cautious and pragmatic. For that reason, Snape trusted him with mission planning and assignments.

Severus had taken up with Stephanie, the twenty-two year old, dark headed witch they first encountered at the villa. Because of her, the eight other young girls stayed on to work at Eagle’s Nest. They considered it a great blessing the man was not brutal and sadistic like Dracul had been. By the end of the first week, Snape began hearing laughter, which was never heard when the property was first seized.

Stephanie filled a void in his life, a large one, left by Ginny Weasley’s absence. At first, Severus thought about the young girl constantly, but Stephanie’s gentle touch had slowly removed the redheaded girl from his memory. Information would soon come to Eagle’s Nest that would change all that.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Petros Catsakis, Headmaster of the Kozani School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Greece, visited Stefan Tuca at Brasov in late October. He had come to ask his old friend for an introduction; in fact, he was quite desperate for it.

All over Eastern Europe good witches and wizards had become aware and relieved the Ministry of Magic and Hall of Justice were finally fighting the evil around them. This optimism was the catalyst for the old headmaster to take action himself - - - to finally do something he had sorely wanted to do for some years.

He implored Stefan Tuca to introduce him to Severus Snape. He had information he desperately wanted to share with the man, vile and wicked knowledge he must pass on.

Headmaster Tuca took his friend to the portkey in his conference room, which was linked to Eagle’s Nest. In a flash of emerald green light, they instantly appeared in the library at the villa.

Severus and Vlad were going over information they had just received from the Ministry, concerning an evil wizard in Bulgaria alleged to have committed numerous acts of butchery. Severus immediately rose from his chair to welcome the old headmaster and his guest.

After introductions were made, the old headmaster from Greece explained the reason for his visit. For some years, in northern Greece a Dionysian Cult had been allowed to practice their hedonistic and grisly rituals within reasonably tolerant limits. However, within the last few years, they had begun substituting human for animal flesh in their celebrations.

Maenads, the female members of the cult, had been known to attack fully grown calves and rip them apart with their bare hands. They wore animal skins, wrapped themselves in wreaths of ivy and ran wildly through the mountains, killing and eating raw flesh. Male members of the cult would then begin an orgy where, it is said, “nothing immoral was ever left unattempted”. Most disturbing, however, was the fact anyone refusing to join them was immediately slaughtered. The practice of omophagia, the dismemberment of the sacrificial victim and the eating of its raw flesh, was their principal sacrament. But the raw flesh had become almost exclusively human.

It was the later that had been happening with increased frequency and caused the old headmaster to seek out Snape. Young muggle girls and witches were being lured to their rituals from all over Europe and the Americas. Lonely girls, outcasts or runaways were preferred. Headmaster Catsakis was certain a whole network of maenads were being used to entice the victims to their very deaths.

Catsakis showed Snape the area the cult was known to hold their rituals on a map of northern Greece. He informed him of one particular site an old friend had described to him, an underground cavern used once a month when the moon was full. The largest number of cult members attended it.

The moon had just entered its first quarter. Snape and his band of wizards had seven days in which to conduct a surveillance of the area and locate the cavern. The old Greek headmaster didn’t know the number of members the cult had, but he was sure it was at least thirty or forty.

After the men left, Snape had Vlad draw up an operational plan and begin scouting missions immediately. The Bulgarian would have to wait.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * *


At the Hall of Justice, Chief Justice Webster had the court’s docket cleared for a week to give everyone a rest. As much as he loved the work, he knew his young witches needed a break from the mundane. He allowed them to come and go from Falcon’s Lair whenever they wished. It did them a great deal of good to take in the crisp, cool autumn air of Scotland.

Webster’s thoughts had turned again to both Hermione and Deborah Stran. He greatly missed his sexual adventures with the two girls, but for a reason he couldn’t quite put a finger on, his lustful thoughts did not include having them spread their legs for him.

After breakfast one morning, he asked Hermione to go back to his bedroom with him. From the look in his eyes, she knew he didn’t mean to discuss court business. She dutifully followed the large man into his bedroom, where he closed the door and drove the sliding bolt home on the door.

Hermione was soon on her knees, as Webster lay back in his bed. He smiled shamelessly as the young witch sucked hungrily as his flesh. “Motherhood has done nothing to lessen your desires, my dear,” he thought to himself.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster Tuca and Snape were present during the judicial proceedings against Sorin. He had been charged with and found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, along with other criminal acts against the good witches and wizards of the magical world. As with all those so convicted, the penalty was death.

Professor Dumbledore was the first to stand and address the court in the Romanian man’s behalf. “Due to his selfless assistance, Your Lordship, at great risk to the very lives of his own family, he quite possibly saved the lives of many of your own young witches and wizards. I beseech this honorable court to commute the man’s sentence and return him to his family.”

Severus Snape and Headmaster Tuca also rose to give mitigating testimony.

Chief Justice Webster sentenced the man to a lifetime of probation. He was free to return home to his family, but Webster warned, if he ever violated the terms and conditions of his probation, meaning if he ever again broke magic law, his probation would be revoked and his sentence would be immediately carried out.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Kathryn mesmerized Ginny with tales of the cult she had joined two years earlier. The witch had noticed early on that Ginny had changed significantly from the young, happy redhead she remembered running about Hogwarts. However troubled she was emotionally, Ginny had matured into a very beautiful young woman and was physically nearly perfect, if there ever was such a thing. But Kathryn lusted for the girl in other than sexual ways.

In late-October, Kathryn took Ginny to Greece. She introduced her to a number of older cult members. Toward a middle-aged man, though, Ginny noticed Kathryn displayed particular reverence. His name was Melampus, a hairy, beast of a man who held a large phallus in his right hand. When Kathryn first noticed him, she bowed and moved slowly to him, kissing the head of the phallus in a ritualistic way. She motioned Ginny to her side, told her to bow to the man and kiss the phallus. Ginny nervously did as she was told.

Kathryn spoke to the man in a language Ginny didn’t understand. It was obvious she was being discussed, however. Before the large man left them, he put the head to the phallus on Ginny’s chest, between her breasts, and lowered it to her crotch, chanting lowly in a strange tongue.

“What was that all about, Kathryn?” Ginny nervously asked, after the wild man left them.

“He instructed me to bring you to him tonight. After he is with you, he will decide what is to be done with you,” Kathryn said.

“What is he going to do? What deciding are you talking about?”

“You told me you were interested in the cult, Ginny, didn’t you? This will be your introduction, your initiation.”

“I don’t think I’m interested anymore, Kathryn. I think I’ll go back to London,” Ginny nervously replied.

“No, Ginny. You must stay until after the formal introduction, tonight. Melampus would be greatly angered if you leave,” Kathryn told her, squinting her eyes at the young redhead.

Ginny didn’t like the look in Kathryn’s eyes. At that very moment she should have turned and fled, but Kathryn was her only way back to London. Ginny did not know how to Apparate, and she didn’t know how to use the portkey by which they had arrived.

Kathryn took her to the small home of an English-speaking witch named Griselda. The woman was a frightful sight with disheveled hair along with the old animal skins she wore. Further disturbing to Ginny was the smell of fresh blood about the woman.

After Kathryn introduced Ginny to the witch, the older woman walked up and lifted a hand to Ginny’s left arm. She lightly squeezed her flesh before leaning forward to smell of her.

“Yes! My! You are a fresh and tasty morsel, you are! This is not virgin flesh I smell. You have done well, Kathryn. Melampus will be very pleased with you, Deary!” the witch exclaimed, her eyes wide, displaying her pleasure.

“Melampus will be with her soon. He was delighted to see her,” Kathryn said.

“Is she to be shaved? Should we not prepare her?” Griselda said, eyeing Ginny up and down.

“Yes, Melampus would wish it,” Kathry replied, agreeing with the witch while reaching out and gently placing her hand on Ginny’s shoulder.

“What are you saying? Shaved? Prepared?” Ginny exclaimed, ready to flee.

The older witch reached up into a cupboard and removed a straight razor and a large mug. She walked to her wood stove and poured hot water into the mug. Taking a long brush, she began whipping the soap inside the mug into a rich, heavy lather.

“Come over here, Ginny. I had this done before my formal introduction to Melampus, too. It’s okay. Griselda is very good and quick. You won’t feel any discomfort,” Kathryn assured her.

“What are you wanting me to do? I don’t like this, Kathryn!” Ginny nervously shouted out.

“Trust me, Ginny. It’s something you must do. Now, sit on the table and lay back,” Kathryn ordered.

“No! I don’t want to! I want to leave!” Ginny said.

“Do as you are told, girly!” Griselda commanded, snarling at Ginny.

The look on the witch’s face rattled Ginny. Her situation was hopeless. She had nowhere to run. She didn’t even know were she was at. How could she have been so foolish?

Kathryn pushed her towards the table and the two witches pulled her up on it. Ginny was then pushed back, her knees bent and her feet placed flat on the table. Griselda reached up, unhooked and unzipped Ginny’s skirt, and pulled it off of her. She then clawed her fingers inside the waistband of her panties and pulled them off, exposing Ginny’s naked flesh.

“My!” Griselda exclaimed. “What a pretty red bush!”

Kathryn reached up and lightly ran her fingers through it. Then pulled at one of Ginny’s knees to spread her wider. Griselda did the same to the other knee and Ginny’s crotch was widely exposed to them.

The older witch then began mopping Ginny’s pubic hairs with the heavy, warm lather from the brush. She grabbed a leather strap and stropped a razor up and down it in quick slapping motions.

The old witch then again moved to Ginny and lowered the sharp knife to her lathered crotch. The witch expertly began shaving away Ginny’s pubic hairs. Soon, she was as smooth as a baby. The old witch then brought a warm, wet washcloth and washed the remaining soap from her.

“She has such a delightful snatch, don’t you agree Kathryn?” Griselda asked out, leering at the Ginny’s hairless crotch.

Kathryn and Girselda took their time with the beautiful, redheaded girl. Ginny moaned and climaxed multiple times from the two witches skillful manipulations.

Later that evening, Kathryn took Ginny to Melampus. The large man was naked when they entered his torch-lit bedroom. Kathryn pulled Ginny to the man and immediately began disrobing her. Melampus ran the head of the large phallus across Ginny’s face, neck and breasts before pushing it between her thighs. Ginny opened her legs slightly from the pressure.

He roughly pushed Ginny toward his bed. Reaching down, he grasped a handful of her red hair and pulled her to a sitting position on the bed.

The large, beast of a man lifted his unwashed, musky cock to her lips. He twisted her hair in his hands, which made Ginny gasp out in pain. Melampus pushed his filthy organ into the girl’s mouth. She gagged at the rancid taste and smell. He laughed out at her reaction. He then rapidly said something unintelligible to Kathryn.

“He wants you to suck and lick him clean, Ginny. It’s your first duty.”

Ginny did as she was told. Soon the man was pushing his cock deeply into her mouth, choking her and causing her to involuntarily gag.

The large man then pushed her back into the bed and reached over for the large phallus. He smiled devilishly, as he moved the large representation of a penis to her cunt. The man began chanting and pushing the large object’s head into her slit.

“Kathryn, no! Tell him not to!” Ginny cried out.

“Shut up, Ginny! You must take the phallus! You cannot refuse! It is the symbol of our cult and an honor to receive it!”

Ginny shrieked out loudly and began crying from the vicious assault, the painful thrusting.

Melampus soon withdrew the phallus and sneered at the girl. He spoke rapidly and angrily at Kathryn in a language Ginny couldn’t understand. Ginny rolled over on her side, crying. Kathryn reached down and roughly pulled her from the bed. She bowed to Melampus and escorted Ginny out of his bedroom.

“You have shamed me, Ginny!” Kathryn screamed out. “You have insulted Melampus and have been refused admission to the cult!”

Kathryn pulled Ginny along, taking her to a huge cavern. She pulled her down the steps to the floor of a large subterranean room. A young wizard, who was feeding three girls locked in a large cage, turned around and sneered at the two approaching girls. Kathryn shouted at him, and he quickly reached for a ring of keys on a rock ledge near the cage. After he opened it, Ginny was pushed inside. It was then locked once again.

“You have no idea, Ginny, how grave your mistake was! Melampus has ordered you sacrificed! You have condemned yourself!” Kathryn screamed out.

Ginny collapsed in the cage and wept.

At the back of the large cave, three young wizards stood watching. Dressed in garments made from invisibility cloth, they were concealed from the evil all about them. For two days, members of their special team had scoured the mountains and hills of northern Greece. Clearly, they had finally found what they had been seeking.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Severus Snape had returned to Falcon’s Lair with Vlad. Two days before, Snape had a conference with Professor Dumbledore. They discussed the information Eagle’s Nest had received from the Greek headmaster. The potions master also told Dumbledore of the efforts his Coeus team was making in the mountains of northern Greece. He was confident the location of the cavern the Cult of Dionysos used would quickly be found.

Dumbledore sensed his urgency and asked him if any specific intelligence had been provided. Snape admitted they only had a vague idea of the size of the cult. Most troubling, however, was the fact they were sacrificing young girls and eating their flesh.

Upon their arrival at Falcon’s Lair, Snape introduced Vlad to Professor Minerva McGonagall of Hogwarts. Dumbledore had requested she be present when the Athena and Coeus teams were given their initial briefing.

All members of the Chief Justice’s Department of Special Investigations were present in the large dining hall within the castle. Also attending the briefing was Minister Grime, Hermione and Captain Stran.

Professor Dumbledore stood at the head of the table, his hands resting upon the top of a large chair. “Please!” he loudly exclaimed. “Please take your seats. We have much to discuss.”

Young witches and wizards hurriedly took their seats and faced the old professor. This was the first full meeting Professor McGonagall had ever attended, and the large number present astonished her. She knew more young wizards and witches had joined the Chief Justice’s department, but she really wasn’t prepared to see so many.

“Professor Snape has requested the assistance of Falcon’s Lair with the raid on a rather large and hideous cult in northern Greece. It is one of many Cults’ of Dionysos existing in our world. The members of this cult, however, have allegedly violated the Chief Justice’s first decree. Some of you have studied the cult in your History of Magic classes. However, I have brought an expert on the cult to give us all a refresher lesson. It’s extremely important we know as much about our adversaries as possible. Professor McGonagall of Hogwarts is our resident expert, and I’ve asked her to join us today to refresh our memories.”

The old professor took his chair, as Professor McGonagall came to her feet. The old witch gathered her emerald green robes about her and walked to a large map of Europe, which had been affixed to the easel.

“Over the centuries,” Professor McGonagall began, “Cults’ of Dionysos have taken many forms. Three have always been closely monitored: They are Melanaigis, Aigobolos and Antrhoporraistos. Loosely translated, they mean Black Goat-Skin, Goat-Slayer and Man-Slayer. The cults are as old as Greek Mythology itself.”

The old witch paused and walked back to the table. “Central to their rituals has been animal sacrifice and the eating of raw flesh. The Pelasgians, who were ancient inhabitants of Greece before the arrival of Hellenic peoples in the Bronze Age, called upon unnamed gods during their sacrifices, requesting favors. Soon the phallus was adopted and worshiped as their symbol. This, of course, was nothing new. The phallus has been central to a wide range of art, myths and cultural customs dating as far back as the early Neolithic era, at the end of the last Ice Age or about ten thousand years ago. The phallus has been considered a symbol of the means by which the creator procreated the universe. Leaders of some Dionysion Cults have, over time, used the phallus as a means of absolute control over the female and weaker male members of the cults. It has often been used in their initiation ceremonies when new members are presented to join the group. If a female refuses the phallus or doesn’t exhibit pleasure during the ceremony, they are most often offered in sacrifice on the night of the first full moon.”

Again McGonagall paused and reached down for a glass of iced tea on the table. After taking a few sips, she continued. “Their rituals begin with a ceremonial march, led by the bearer of the phallus. The sacrifice of living flesh soon follows. The female members of the cult, using only their hands, attack the animal or human to be sacrificed, tear away its flesh and dismember the body. They then run wildly about drinking the blood, eating the raw flesh and presenting both to the male cult members, who themselves feast upon the raw flesh and blood. After the sacrifices have been made, large quantities of wine are consumed and an orgy follows. The rituals sometimes last for days.”

Professor McGonagall took her seat. Professor Dumbledore again stood and patted the old witch on her shoulder, thanking her for the quick lesson.

“Grisly! Very grisly it is, to think of those young girls waiting the moment of their sacrifice - - - helpless and unable to escape. A very horrible thing,” Dumbledore said, shaking his head. “Professor Snape has just told me his Coeus team is busily about their work in northern Greece as I speak. They are very confident the ritual site will soon be found. Therefore, consider this your first briefing. Make yourselves ready over the next days and prepare for yet another raid. Intelligence information puts the cult’s number at between thirty and forty members. Their monthly ritual may be attended by various other related cults. For this reason we must prepare to meet twice that number. Many will be witches, very violent witches, known as maenads. They will exhibit very wild and uncontrollable emotions and will be extremely dangerous. And, as I stated previously, the Lord Chief Justice has mandated they are all subject to the first decree.”

After the meeting, Professor Dumbledore, Snape, Vlad, Sirius and Harry traveled to Eagle’s Nest. The old professor wanted to speak with the new Romanian Coeus members, after they returned from their scouting mission.

While they waited, Snape showed the men some of the other work his team had recently finished. Dracul had built a large basement under the residence at the villa, which they had been turned into their operational center. Two of the walls contained large maps of Europe. Vlad, who was very adept at muggle technology, had networked several computers to help them with their research. Both satellite television and computer service had been routed to the room. Three large plasma screen monitors were attached to the other two walls. It was all very impressive.

The men had just sat down at one of the tables to enjoy some tea when the Romanian Coeus team returned. From the look on the young wizards faces, Dumbledore immediately knew they had been successful.

“We found it!” one of the young men exclaimed.

“Outstanding!” Snape replied and rushed over to a map of Greece on one of the walls.

The young man eagerly pointed out the location and removed a GPS unit to show the exact coordinates of the cavern. Vlad approached the map with a fine muggle marker and accurately plotted the exact position.

“What did you see?” Snape asked.

“We saw only a few witches and wizards about. They were dressed in animal skins and had a very wild look about them. After we entered their cavern, it was clearly their ritual site. Dried blood covered a large rock slab at the back of the dungeon. They had four girls locked in a cage. One of them was brought in after we got there. She spoke English. From what we understood, she refused to join the cult and they are going to sacrifice her, along with the others,” the young wizard told them, looking around excitedly and proudly.

“Outstanding job, Sandu. All of you, outstanding job,” Snape repeated. “Get something to eat. We have two more days before the moon is full. You must continue your surveillance to find out as much as you can. We especially need to know something about the number who will attend their ceremony.”

Dumbledore, Sirius and Harry soon returned to Falcon’s Lair. Before he left, the professor asked Snape and his men to come to Falcon’s Lair the next evening to apprise them of the latest intelligence.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


A large fire was started within the dungeon each night but did little to raise the constant chill within the dark cavern. Ginny and the three young girls huddled up close under animal skins against the frightful cold. Not one of them spoke English, so Ginny was unable to communicate effectively with them. But they did have one thing in common - - - they were all terrified.

Melampus showed up well after dark with three of his large and smelly underlings. They opened the cage and each dragged a young female to the large sacrificial slab. Melampus reached down, wrapped a hand through Ginny’s hair and dragged her out to the slab. He savagely ripped her clothes off and raped her repeatedly. The wild wizards’ brutal orgy went on well into the night. They drank heavily from large wineskins and moved randomly amongst the girls. Melampus then sodomized each with the large phallus. Their evil acts were grossly immoral and beyond any wicked perversion imaginable. Two of the girls were soon bleeding. The men sucked and licked at the blood and screamed wildly into the night.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


When the Romanian Coeus team returned to the dungeon early the next morning, they noticed the four girls in the cage appeared to have been brutalized. Vlad had accompanied the young wizards on their early morning mission and approached the cage. Two of the girls were whimpering. Two appeared to be unconscious. All showed marks and bruises about them suggesting they had been beaten. He shook his head in disgust.

Several young witches soon entered the dungeon with pails of water and food. They opened the door to the large cage and went about cleaning the girls up.

He overheard one of the witches, a dark headed girl, speaking in English to a redheaded girl. “Ginny, you should be happy your misery will soon be over. Melampus would take great pleasure in brutalizing you more for refusing him. But tomorrow night is the full moon. You will be sacrificed and your pain will be over.”

Vlad couldn’t believe the girl spoke so calmly about such terrible evil. “They must all be insane,” he thought. He wanted to strike out then and there against the three cult members but silently held his position.

“Kathryn,” he overheard the young redhead say. “You must help me, Kathryn. Help me to escape. Please.”

“It is too late, Ginny. You will be the main attraction. Melampus knows who you are. He knows you are the daughter of the Minister of Magic, Ginny. He will gain great strength from your sacrifice. The gods will bless him with much favor.”

Vlad was shocked. The daughter of the Minister of Magic was one of the captives. Her name was Ginny. He must remember to give Snape the information. He might know of the girl.

The young wizards began their long surveillance. Only a couple stayed near the dungeon itself, the rest were assigned to listen in on conversations and locate all dwellings in the immediate area. They each knew the importance of their scouting mission. The raid was scheduled for the next night. It didn’t give them much time to expand their knowledge base.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


As the sun was setting over the distant mountains in Romania, Severus Snape decided to travel on to Falcon’s Lair. He left a note with Stephanie to give to Vlad and his team upon their return. He wanted them to freshen up and come straight to Falcon’s Lair where they would give them the intelligence update. Snape needed to arrive early to ascertain what final orders Chief Justice Webster had given his old headmaster.

When Snape appeared in the library, Professor Dumbledore and Drucila Priest were talking at the large desk.

“Severus! Early I see!” Dumbledore exclaimed.

“Yes, Professor. I was anxious to see what Chief Justice Webster told you.”

Dumbledore nodded his head and motioned him over to the desk. “I was just telling Drucila, here. He has again given us his full authority under the first decree. The horrible nature of their crimes left little doubt they would be guilty of lesser crimes. We are to exterminate the lot.”

“Outstanding!” Snape exclaimed. “I would hate to think we would have to pick and choose from amongst forty or more wild creatures running about. This makes our job much easier and safer.”

“Yes, I agree. We would suffer many injuries if we tried to physically seize the wild men and women of the cult. It would be even more dangerous later, if their ritual was allowed to get underway and once they began drinking their wine. No doubt it will not just be wine alone they will drinking.”

“Are there other considerations?” Snape asked.

“Remus Lupin, of course, will not be assisting us. He has sequestered himself in far off lands. He will be sorely missed during the mission.”

“Yes, certainly,” Snape replied but fully knowing the man’s reason. The last thing they needed was a werewolf to deal with on top of blood-thirsty maenads.

A couple of hours later, Professor Dumbledore and WIC Drucila Priest called the young Athena and Coeus members to the large dining hall. Dumbledore decided to wait until the Romanian team appeared before they started their next briefing. Afterwards, they would all sit down for their last meal together before beginning the mission.

Vlad and the Romanian team soon appeared in the library and made their way to the large dining hall. As the members began taking their seats, Snape stood and motioned Vlad over to him.

“Are you ready to give us our update?” Snape asked the tall Romanian.

“Yes, of course. We have some important things to report,” Vlad informed the dark wizard.

Snape turned and nodded to Professor Dumbledore. The old wizard called out and motioned all to take their seats.

“Vlad has new information for us to consider! Please take your seats! If you wish to make a drawing, Vlad, we have a fresh parchment up and here is a marking device,” Dumbledore said, handing the young wizard a large black marker.

“Sandu!” Vlad called out, holding the marker in the air. “Would you please draw the cavern there on the parchment?”

Sandu hurried forward and took the marker Vlad held out for him. Vlad waited a couple of minutes while Sandu quickly drew the outer part of the dungeon, the large slab they used for their rituals and the location of the cage where the four girls were being held.

“The dungeon is quite large! There are two entrances! It isn’t very far underground, either. Here,” he said, pointing to the drawing of the large rock slab, “is where we believe they bring their human sacrifices. It is covered with layers of heavy, dried blood. What Sandu drew here is a cage. They have four young girls inside the cage. One of them is a witch. I overheard a maenad speaking with her in English. The girl had refused to join the cult, and she had been beaten and raped. The four girls are all near death. The maenad said they are to be sacrificed tomorrow night. She told them their misery would be over. It was very sad and troubling to hear.”

“Did you get a number, Vlad? How many cult members might we expect to face?” Snape asked.

“The cult has almost forty members, from what we’ve been able to determine. They do expect guests tomorrow night but it didn’t sound like many. No specific numbers were mentioned,” Vlad said.

“Oh, yes. Back to the girls in the cage - - - I overheard the leader’s name to be Melampus. And the young redheaded witch’s name is Ginny. She is the daughter of - - -.”

The room exploded in shouts and cries. Dumbledore, Harry, Sirius, Snape, Fred, George, Ron, Hermione, Captain Stran and others jumped to their feet in a rage of anger.

“What the hell did you say?” Snape screamed out at the top of his lungs, toppling over his chair and moving quickly to Vlad. He reached out and grabbed the young wizard by the robe.

Dumbledore and the rest also crowded around the young man. He was frightened out of his mind. What had he said?

“What did you say?” Snape screamed out again.

“The girl’s name is Ginny! She is the daughter of the Minister of Magic!” Vlad yelled back, his eyes showing his fright. He still couldn’t understand what everyone was so wild-eyed about.

“She’s my sister, Vlad!” screamed Ron.

Vlad saw the tears streaming down the redheaded wizard’s face. He looked around him and saw a number of others crying out, too.

“I didn’t realize anyone knew her. Honest, I never heard of her before. I didn’t even know the Minister of Magic had a daughter,” Vlad replied.

Snape released Vlad’s robe, and he told the young wizard to sit.

“Professor! We must go for her! She is injured!” Hermione cried out.

“Yes! Damn it all! We must save those girls at all costs, and we must do it now!” Dumbledore shouted.

“Snape, Sirius! Prepare a small force to rescue the girls - - - also, another to provide security. Go and get those girls now! Make it look as if they escaped. Do not leave any dead bodies around. We still want to carry out our mission tomorrow night. We must put an end to those bastards,” Dumbledore ordered.