What a Witch Needs

Hi everyone and thanks again for all your fantastic reviews. I wanted to get another chapter to you before the busy weekend starts. So I hope you enjoy!

This chapter was beta’d by Narcissa Black. Thank you so much!

Disclaimer: I can claim no ownership of the characters used in this fiction.


Let It Begin


Severus held his wand like a torch as he cleared a path for himself through the thick carpet of snakes. The snakes slithered away from the heat while the unlucky ones sizzled and cooked.

“Pitiful, simply pitiful,” Snape grumbled, making his way to the far door with his wand shooting flames. Surely Marlston could do better than this. Snakes? Bah!

He reached the door, again surprised that it was unlocked. Using the light of the flames, he peeked in, another stone room and thankfully no snakes. He stepped in and shut the door behind him, hearing a distinct click from the door. Trying the knob again, he found it locked. “Alohomora” he tried. Nothing happened.

He supposed his goal was to go forwards and not backwards, so he turned about and took a look around the room. There were three openings in the walls ahead. He walked up to the middle one and looked inside, wand lit. It seemed to be some sort of narrow corridor. He walked to the end of it, noticing that when he turned a corner, more than one choice of direction was offered.

“A maze,” he sighed in frustration. Before he got in too deep, he retraced his steps to the beginning, deciding that he’d need to be very methodical about proceeding or he could end up lost in there forever.

He thought a moment and then lit his wand with a green light that gave off an eerie shimmer. This light would linger a long while behind him wherever he went, giving him a path to follow back if necessary. He would also be able to tell where he had been, if he ended up walking in circles.

Snape began his journey into the maze, proud of how clever he was. He randomly turned down one corridor and the next, marking his way as he went.

“SCREEEEEE”

Snape stopped and listened. A loud metallic scraping noise startled him. Something was moving. He thought that perhaps he had triggered some device or another. Proceeding cautiously he continued on, looking for any sign of traps.

“PUM, PUM, PUM, PUM…”

Snape stopped again. Metal was hitting stone somewhere. It was almost like… footsteps. The noise continued and Snape’s heart pounded and his palms sweated when he realized that the noise was growing louder, getting nearer. He looked behind him and then took off at a faster pace, trying to escape whatever was coming for him.

OOOOOOOOOOO

“Mistress, we are almost there,” Bugger said, as the four of them made their way through the trees. They had skirted their way around the village, careful not to make noise or become too visible. So far, all was calm. Hermione, however, felt more anxious by the minute. How long would it take Snape to find Merlin, she wondered? She hadn’t even known herself where the ancient wizard lay.

Draco squeezed her hand as they followed Bugger and Hermione had the suspicion that Draco was even more nervous than he let on, in fact, he almost seemed ill.

Bugger halted and said, “Mistress, we must cover the eyes of the Light Wizard. He cannot see the secret way.”

Hermione glanced at Dumbledore. “I trust him, Bugger. That won’t be necessary,” she replied.

But Bugger wouldn’t budge. “Bugger will go no further until White Wizard’s eyes are covered.” He crossed his little arms and waited.

Draco was surprised to see a servant refuse his Mistress. House elves never refused. But Bugger was not just a house elf; he also had his goblin side. Draco began to see why Sebastian and Morgana Marlston had put him in charge of the household. Bugger was not only loyal to his Masters, but also to the house itself.

“Bugger…” Hermione protested. “We have no time for this!”

“It’s quite all right, Miss Granger,” Dumbledore said. “If you will lead me, I’ll be happy to cooperate.”

“Are you certain, sir?” Hermione asked.

“Yes, yes,” Dumbledore said. “Let’s not debate any further.”

Bugger snapped his fingers and a blindfold appeared on Dumbledore.

“Bugger, this is going to slow us down,” Hermione worried, taking Dumbledore’s arm and following after the stubborn servant. “Does he have to wear this the whole time?”

“No, Mistress,” Bugger replied. “Only until we are inside. We are almost there.”

Bugger came to a large boulder and tapped it in a variety of different places. The boulder rolled aside, revealing a hole in the ground. “We must go in, Mistress,” Bugger said.

“Where does that hole lead to?” Hermione asked, cautiously.

“To the underground river, Mistress,” Bugger said. “This is the way I got out. The boat is there, waiting.”

“How far is the drop?” Draco asked, craning his head over the hole.

“Not far, Master,” Bugger said. “Bugger will go first and then float you down. You’ll see.” Bugger leapt down the hole. Hermione and Draco looked for him, but it was too dark down there.

“Bugger?” Hermione called down.

She gasped as her feet left the ground and she began to hover above the hole. She could hear Bugger down below. “Bugger has you, Mistress, do not worry.”

Bugger levitated them all down into the waiting rowboat and the boat began to row itself down the underground river. They no longer needed their wands lit, as torches on the sides of the caves lit themselves to guide their journey. Dumbledore was able to take off his blindfold and they all rested while the boat traveled, their minds filled with their own thoughts.

The air down here was heavy and damp and smelled of the earth. Draco sat with his elbows on his knees and his head down in his hands, rubbing his forehead. Hermione watched him and asked, “Are you all right?”

He glanced at her, his face pale and eyes wild. “Fine, love,” he said. But Hermione thought he sounded anything but fine. She put her hand on his back and began to rub it with soothing circles.

“It’s all right to be nervous, Draco,” Dumbledore said, calmingly. “We all are a bit on edge.”

Hermione laughed nervously. “A bit?” she said. “I’d say a lot.” She looked at Draco’s face. He still looked as if he was going to throw up any minute. “Are you ill?”

Draco just shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe.” They sat in silence for awhile until he said. “I’m just worried I suppose. I hope we can get there on time. And I hope Harry…”

Hermione held up her hand. “Don’t say it!” She shook her head. “I don’t want to think about the battle outside. I just… can’t. We have to stay focused on Professor Snape.”

Draco looked at her a few moments and then nodded. Then he looked over the edge of the boat, staring at the moving paddles as he thought about what was really bothering him.

Kill… Harry asked him to kill! And not just kill anyone, but kill his very own Godfather, the man who had served as his mentor, advisor and substitute father while he was at school. Draco wanted to puke. His stomach churned with fear, worry, dread, and just about everything else. How could Harry ask this of him?

Draco had never killed anyone before. Oh yes, he was the son of the infamous Lucius Malfoy, but Draco had never killed. He never had to… until now. He suspected that Snape had gone mad. What else could explain his behavior? It still wasn’t going to make it any easier to execute him.

Harry thought that Hermione would never kill him. But Draco wasn’t so sure. When it came to protecting Marlston, she seemed capable of anything. And Dumbledore? Draco was sure that Dumbledore would show pity and try to rehabilitate Snape in some way.

No, it was up to him. Draco knew this and it was making him sick. He couldn’t let Harry down. What kind of right hand man would he be? He had to do this!

The sound of women crying pulled him from his thoughts. They looked about and noticed mermaids were sitting on the rocks along the side of the river. They weren’t anything like the mermaids in the Hogwarts lake. These mermaids seemed more like the storybook ones, beautiful and human-like, except for the lower halves of their bodies.

“Bugger? Who are they?” Hermione asked in awe.

“Mistress, they are “Those-Who-Dwell-Below,” Bugger said, worriedly. “Bugger does not like that they are here weeping.”

“Excuse me,” Hermione called out. “Why do you cry?”

The mermaids looked at her in distress, their mouths opening and closing as if speaking, but no sounds came out.

“Why can’t they speak to me?” Hermione asked.

“They are speaking, Mistress,” Bugger answered. “You cannot hear because you do not understand the language of the ground dwellers. Humans are surface dwellers. Goblins are ground dwellers; that is why I can hear them.”

“What are they saying, Bugger?” Draco asked.

“They cry because they say they have failed you, Mistress,” Bugger replied. “They say the man deceived them.”

“Tell them that he deceived us all,” Hermione replied.

“They can understand you, Mistress,” Bugger explained. “He told them that you wanted him to guard Merlin. They showed him the way.”

Hermione gasped. “Snape is there? With Merlin? Oh,Gods! Can they go and stop him now?”

Bugger shook his head. “They cannot cross the Hall of Portraits, Mistress.”

“Can you hurry this boat along?” Dumbledore urged.

“I’ll try,” Bugger said, waving his hands at the paddles. Just then they heard splashes all around as the mermaids leapt into the river. The occupants of the boat watched as the mermaids placed their hands on the back and sides of the boat, pushing it faster and faster.

Hermione leaned over the edge, watching. “Thank you,” she called out.

“Don’t worry, Mistress,” Bugger consoled. “The bad man will not get to Merlin so easy. He must first get past the Black Knight.”

“The Black Knight?” Hermione asked. “Who is that?”

“He is another who cannot die, like Merlin, Mistress,” Bugger answered, “but he guards Merlin. No one gets past the Black Knight.”

OOOOOOOOOO

Ron had seen Draco, Hermione and Dumbledore leave with that creature and he wondered where they would be going at a time like this. As Harry walked past him, Ron reached out his arm and tugged on his robe. “Harry?” Ron said.

Harry turned to look at Ron. “Yeah?” Harry replied.

“Where are they going? Aren’t you supposed to have your triad with you?” Ron asked, concerned.

“They’ve got to take care of something important,” Harry answered.

“What’s more important than this? Don’t you need them so that you have an advantage over Voldemort? Isn’t that what the triad is supposed to do, give you more power?”

“It’s all right, Ron,” Harry said. “Don’t worry about it.”

“I can go with you,” Ron offered.

Harry shook his head. “No, it doesn’t work that way. Don’t worry, all right? All it means is that Voldemort and I are on even footing now. It doesn’t mean he’s more powerful than me.”

“That doesn’t sound good to me,” Ron frowned.

“I’ve got to go,” Harry said. They looked at each other for a moment. Then Harry closed the distance, giving Ron a hug. “You’re a good friend, Ron, the very best. Be careful out there.” Harry turned and walked off.

Harry strode up to the gathering of Order members. “All right, I’m ready,” Harry said. “Is Neville’s troop in place?”

Bill nodded, “They left about ten minutes ago.”

“All right,” Harry said, pulling up his hood. “Give them the signal once I’ve got all the attention on me. Whatever you do Bill, stay out of sight. You have my invisibility cloak?”

“Yeah, got it right here, Harry,” Bill said, patting his pack.

“I’ll distract them for as long as I can while you get in place,” Harry said, turning to head for the village.

“Good luck, Potter,” Moody called after him.

OOOOOOOOO

Meri nursed her bruised face, glancing at her demon son who was now sitting in her rocking chair as if it were his throne. Things were calmer now, now that his followers were resting after their bloody rampage into the village. Her ‘son’ had forced her to watch, held her head at the window, so she had to see the violence and hear the screams of her friends she had come to love dearly. And he laughed, oh how he laughed as she wept.

Now he sat staring at her, rocking in her beloved chair, while she stood leaning against the wall. The villagers who had not been tortured and killed were gathered together in the stables, guarded by torch wielding Death Eaters. She knew what those torches were for. They were going to light those stables, but not yet, not until Lord Potter arrived. And she could feel him, he was approaching.

“Your savior is approaching, Mother,” Voldemort hissed in Parseltongue.

OOOOOOOOO

Harry walked slowly down the dirt road that led to Marlston village, his senses awakening to every sound and every smell. He knew the Death Eaters were hiding on all sides of him, watching his progress. This was good; this was exactly what he wanted. He wanted them to watch, to see only him, so his troops wouldn’t be spotted slipping stealthily into position.

“I know you’re there,” Harry smirked under his hood. “Who wants to die first?”

The smell of blood was growing stronger and Harry could feel his dark senses growing ever more acute. What have they done?

It didn’t take long for Harry to discover the source of the blood. At the entrance of the village stood twenty pikes, each with the head of a villager stuck on top of it, blood running down the wood and onto the ground. Worst of all, Voldemort had enchanted the heads to speak, eyes rolling and mouths dripping blood.

“My Lord!” “You’re too late.” “Why didn’t you help us?” All the heads spoke to Harry, accusing, pleading, and cursing. Harry knew this was all Black Magic. Disembodied heads could never be alive, speaking their minds. Harry walked past the macabre sight.

A group of five Death Eaters stepped out into the middle of the road. “Where’s your army, Potter?” one of them growled.

“I decided that I didn’t need them after all,” Harry replied, smugly. How stupid were they? Didn’t they know that only a Dark Lord could kill another Dark Lord? What possessed them to confront him openly? Was it Voldemort’s plan to distract him somehow?

One of them raised their wands, “Avada Kedavra!”

Harry lifted his hand, palm out, and repelled the killing curse back on its sender. The Death Eater fell to the ground, dead. The other four looked at their comrade and then back to Harry.

“Anyone else want to have a go at me?” Harry challenged.

The Death Eaters retreated quickly behind buildings as Harry’s laughter filled the street. When Harry stopped laughing, he said, “I’ll give all of you one chance to drop your wands, remove your masks and come forward. Kneel before me, your rightful Lord. I’ll be lenient with you and allow you a chance of a normal life under my laws.”

Familiar laughter filled the air and Harry turned his head in the direction of the disturbance. There he was. Harry knew he’d be able to draw him out of his hidey hole. Unfortunately, he held Meri’s arm, pulling her out of her cottage. “Don’t even try swaying their loyalties, Potter,” Voldemort called out. “They stand with me, the true Dark Lord.”

Harry walked closer to where Voldemort stood with Meri, stopping a safe distance away. He tried not to look at Meri’s concerned face as he kept his prey in sight. He wondered where the other villagers were, the ones whose heads were not on pikes.

Voldemort could feel Harry’s concern for Meri and he laughed with amusement, shoving the old woman on the ground roughly.


“Is that your idea of battle? Roughing up old women?” Harry said, feeling his anger rising by the minute. He had to stall for time, however, so he fought the urge to attack prematurely.

“This particular woman, yes,” Voldemort answered, smoothly, “seeing that she’s spent most of her life trying to end mine.”

“You’re evil, demon spawn,” Meri snapped from her place on the ground.

“That must mean you’re a demon then, mother, as you are the one who spawned me,” Voldemort replied.

Mother? Harry’s head spun with memories from Dumbledore’s pensieve. “Merope?” Harry asked, surprised.

“Oh, so you know about her?” Voldemort answered, surprised as well. “Well, well, well, Harry, you have done your homework.”

“I thought you were dead,” Harry said, with a quick glance. He didn’t want to take his eyes off Voldemort for too long.

“She’s a sly old witch, Potter,” Voldemort answered. “She faked her death, faked it so she could hide from me. You see, my dear, loving mother wanted me dead. But as you know, a Dark Lord cannot be killed. Even before my birth, she tried to rid her body of me, but she couldn’t.”

“I saw it!” Meri yelled. “I have the sight. I saw what you’d be.” She turned her face towards Harry. “He’s the heir of Salazar Slytherin. I’m ashamed to say that I was part of that wretched, hateful family. When I foresaw that the child in my belly was to become the next Dark Lord, I knew I couldn’t allow it. Giving the heir of Slytherin all of that power! I couldn’t let it happen! I knew he would create a world of hate.”

“So she put me in the orphanage and let everyone believe she had died,” Voldemort stated. “And all these years she has been trying to find ways to kill me. How precious is a mother’s love?”

“It’s too bad she didn’t succeed,” Harry said. “But I think I can rectify that.”

Voldemort laughed. “Yes, she’s hoping you will. She’s been waiting for you to kill me for a very long time. When she finally figured out that she couldn’t succeed herself, she placed all her hopes on you and your precious triad.” Voldemort looked about, mockingly. “By the way, Potter, where are they? Don’t tell me they abandoned you in your neediest hour?”

“No, they didn’t abandon me,” Harry said calmly. “And I would never abandon them.”

“How touching,” Voldemort replied. “But you were a fool to show up here without them.”

“You were even a bigger fool for killing your triad off,” Harry replied.

This gave Voldemort pause. He looked at Harry oddly. “Is that what you think, Potter? Tell me, why would I ever dispose of that much power? Wouldn’t that be like cutting my own throat?”

“Are you saying you didn’t murder Morgana and Sebastian Marlston?” Harry asked, surprised at this turn of events.

Harry could sense a slight change in Voldemort at the mention of his old lovers.

“No, I did not!” Voldemort replied, all amusement gone from his face.

He was telling the truth. Harry could see that. But Harry pushed this new information aside for now. There was a battle to fight. Harry focused inward, letting the Dark Power rise higher inside his body. “Time for talk is over,” Harry announced, pulling down his hood and revealing his black eyes and red glow.

Voldemort instinctively sliced his hand through the air and a sharp wind passed by Harry’s cheek, slicing a long cut on it. Harry turned his face back to Voldemort with a wicked smile. “That’s more like it,” Harry said, making a quick arm motion and propelling Voldemort back against Meri’s cottage. Meri scrambled out of the way.

Voldemort stood back up, his eyes now as black as Harry’s. “Let it begin,” he hissed.

OOOOOOOO

“Beautiful,” Bill muttered as he hovered on his broomstick near the village, Harry’s invisibility cloak covering him from view.

Everyone had moved into place and Neville’s troop had brilliantly set decoys of themselves to the east. The majority of the troops now waited west of the village, knowing that when the Death Eaters went after the decoys, they would come in from behind. Hopefully, the decoys would work long enough to get the Death Eaters away from the village.

Bill could see the torch bearers standing outside of the stables. He took a guess that many of the villagers were inside of it. As soon as the battle started he planned to swoop down and get rid of those guards before they could light the stables with those torches. Then he could try to get the villagers to safety somewhere.

Bill also kept a close eye on Harry. Though he couldn’t hear what was being said, it gave him chills to see the two powerful Dark Lords conversing with each other. He wondered what they were saying to one another. Probably nothing very nice. But Harry had managed to stall for time.

Bill could also see the Death Eaters hiding around the buildings, watching the two Dark Lords. Perfect.

Bill took out his wand and caressed it lightly, whispering words of magic, until the tip glowed blue. He send the little blue light across the night sky to the east where Charlie was waiting with some airborne troops, waiting to start the commotion that would get the Death Eaters on the move.

It was time.

OOOOOOOOOOO

A/N Ah, one questioned answered and yet another one asked. I know, I fiddled with J.K.’s Merope storyline. It seemed plausible that she faked her death to me. Plus it allows for the continuation of an interesting character.

But now you also know that Voldemort didn’t kill Sebastian and Morgana. So who did? Maybe that one is more obvious – or maybe not.

So next time, we’ll get plenty of battle action, plus Snape’s exciting encounter with the Black Knight.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know your thoughts – I love hearing from you. Thanks!