II- Death Keeper

Death Becomes Him

by T.K. Yuy

II- Death Chaser

//Idiots// he wrote, the deep green ink drying instantly on the page, //Just because I said I couldn’t cast it, they all assumed that I wouldn’t try. Well, at least now they know there’s more than one way to kill Death Eaters. Trial by fire. Muggles certainly did know what they were doing when they prosecuted us.//

He sipped his coffee, ignoring the looks he was getting from the bleach-blonde girl behind the counter, and closed everything up. Shouldering his bag, he left a decent enough tip on the table and left the warm café. He pulled his long black leather jacket tighter around himself and put on a pair of dark sunglasses to block the blinding light that bounced off the snow.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” a laughing voice said, and green eyes watched as a red-letter jacket clad boy about 18 or so stepped out of the small alcove between the buildings, “Looks like another freak’s come to town.”

“What happened, sugah, fall off the train?” another joked.

//What morons. Now I know why Malfoy hated Muggles.// “I’m sorry, but were you ladies talking to me?”

He smirked at their angry expressions and readjusted the bag on his shoulder. //Well, let’s see if Muggle jocks are as well trained as we Quidditch players.//

“What did you call us?!”

“Ladies, or are you a little hard of hearing?”

“Why you little!!”

He easily dodged the punches, landing a few of his own, and soon found himself looking down a switchblade. Again, he smirked, and drew his wand.

“Ooh, look Whit, he’s gonna hit us with a stick!”

“He can try.”

“Oh please. Have you Muggles no common sense at all?”

“Muggle? That some new insult, freak?”

“No, that’s just what we Wizards call non-magical people. Well, besides jackasses anyway. Accio knife.”

The blade found itself in Harry’s hand, and he merely looked at it before it disappeared. The jocks were stunned. //What a joke.//

“What the-“

“Imperio.” //Now, ladies, if you don’t mind, there are a few people I need to meet before they leave for ‘work’, so if you’d both be so kind as to walk away and forget you ever saw me…//

~!*!~

“Albus? How is he?”
”Doing better, but I’m afraid he has not woken yet.”

“Any idea as to what happened to him?”
”I’m not a hundred percent sure, but I do believe that Mr. Malfoy was put into this deep sleep using the Imperius Curse. It would rival even that ‘Drought of Sleeping Death’ you threaten First Years with.”

“How is that possible? Draco was able to throw the Imperius nearly as well as Potter, and to keep someone asleep like this, with no physical change, for nearly 6 months, it’s near impossible! Even Voldemort would’ve had trouble doing it, and he’d mastered all of the Unforgivables.”

“Such a feat is unheard of, quite correct Severus, but I have a feeling that it has never been attempted by anyone other than a Dark Lord. Surely, to have a Death Mage attempt it, and from such a distance…”

“Death Mage? Surely you don’t mean to imply that...”
”Death Mages are masters of all forms of magic, Professor Snape, with the Dark Arts being a born talent. Some are better at certain magics than others, most definitly, but all are very well aware of the Dark Arts. Considering that Seeker’s the first Death Mage in nearly 500 years, and the Heir of Gryffindor as well, I think he knows a little more than the rest of us. As for the distance thing, well, this is Malfoy we’re talking about, and he and Potter have always had this ‘link’, if you can call it that.”

Both Dumbledore and Snape turned to the door, only to see Blaise Zambini leaning smugly against the frame, a smirk on his face to rival even Lucius Malfoy. They took note of the cigarette he flicked out the door, and of the faint black on his wrist. He took that opportunity to roll back his sleeve and show them.

“It’s almost gone, that damn Dark Mark.” he said, stepping forward. “Soon my Keepers Mark will be solid black, and not this hideously blotchy thing it is now.”

Dumbledore was shocked to see that the Dark Mark they associated with Death Eaters on Blaise’s wrist, but even more shocked to see that it was a pale, pale grey color, and a new Mark –a Keepers Mark he’d called it- slowly filling in. Even as ‘blotchy’ as it looked now, the Headmaster and Potions Master could tell it was a skull with fanged teeth in the center of a circle. Dumbledre’s eyes darkened.

“Mr. Zambini, if you would please refrain from smoking inside the school.”
”Ah, well, you see, I’m not a student anymore, Dumbledore, and as luck should have it, I’m a Death Mage as well. Death Keeper actually. So I guess your rules and such don’t apply to me.”

“While you are here at Hogwarts, Mr. Zambini, Professor Dumbledore’s word is law.” Snape snarled.

“Very noble sentiments, Snape, but you don’t want to piss me off, not with Chaser still unconsious, and his second on her way. Seeker’s not too happy that he’s still asleep, but hey, he can’t control everything, now then can he.”

“Would you please enlighten me, Blaise, as to why you have named yourselves after Quidditch possitions?” Dumbledore asked, conjuring up a chair for the three of them, and a small table with a service of tea for them.

“Because we can. Or would you prefer another answer?”
”One with a little more detail, if you please.”

“Okay, whatever. Seeker likes Quidditch, and being that there’s seven of us, it fit. That and our ‘jobs’ are pretty much the same as a Quidditch player.”

<Nice, Keeper, just lay it all out on the line.> Harry’s voice chuckled in Blaise’s head.

<Yeah, well, I try.>

~!*!~

“N-no! Please, I’ll go to Azkaban, just please, don’t kill me!”

“Your time’s run out, Nott. I gave you time, and what did you give me in return? A load of bullshit, that’s what.”

“Please! Anything, anything at all! Name it!”

“I want the Lists.”
”The- the Lists?! How do you know about those!?”

“I don’t think you should be concerned about, or has Death become the only option now?” <I’m losing patience with Nott, First.>

“They’re at Malfoy Manor! Lucius kept them all. I don’t know where exactly. I’ve never even seen ‘em!”

“Is that so? Malfoy said you were the man to see about names.”
”He lied! I only know those I’ve seen, those I’ve worked with, and in the Inner Circle, that’s not many. I swear, I don’t know where he kept them!”

“Your promises and oaths aren’t worth jack shit to me, Nott, so do you know what I’m going to do to you?”

“No, Miss, Please! I’ll find them, I swear I will, I just need more time!”

“Time ran out the second you said you didn’t have them.”

<Thanks, but I have more pressing matters to attend to.>

~!*!~

Albus sipped his tea, quietly studying the papers before him. The Aurors had brought them to the Ministry a mere twenty minutes ago, unsure of what they were. Unfortunately, the Ministry didn’t know either, and entrusted the documents to him. The means in which they had to be deceifered, and they way they were left lying about, did not sit well with him.

“If only I could remember that spell!” he growled, dropping a peppermint in his tea.

“They’re Death Lists, and a Rite of Passage ritual. You won’t be able to read them, even if you did remember that ancient revealing spell.”

Blue eyes met blak, and narrowed. He didn’t remember giving anyone the new password to his office. Blaise walked in like it was something he did every day, picked up the papers, and held a piece of licorice out to Fawkes. The bird took it with a chirp.

“Mr. Zambini, I do hope you-“
”Keeper.”
”Excuse me?”

“They call me Keeper. it is what I am, after all.” <Just like you said, Seeker, he’s confused as all hell.>

Zambini rolled up his sleeve, only to show Dumbledore the completed Keepers Mark.

“The Death Keeper. Now I understand your facination with Necromancy, Mr. Zambini- Keeper. You’re what’s keeping him dead.”

“No, not really. I just keep his Power in check, until it’s at its peak and he’s ready to transfer it.”

“Transfer!? Surely you jest!”

“It’s just Power, Dumbledore, it obeys the one who posesses it. It’s the Wizard or Witch that makes the Power light or dark, not the other way around.”

“And who are the other Death Mages? You said something about Mr. Malfoy being a Chaser, and I already know about Mr. Potter.”

“They’re all about my ages, one younger, one older. You had us all here at Hogwarts at one time or another. Our second Chaser’s gonna be arriving shortly.”

“And who is this?”
”Can you think of no one that has recently been in contact with you?”

“Oh… dear.”

~!*!~

A bright flash of gold flew at him, and before he knew what he was doing, he caught the ball and bolted up in bed.

“Ah, good. You are fully functional, yes?”

He looked around, eyes adjusting to the light in the room before he could actually make out the different beds in the Hospital Wing.

<Obviously. Answer his questions as best you can, Chaser. I won’t be done here until I get ahold of the Sagliano brother, then I’m headed to the Hollow.>

<Oui. And who should I have watch him? I must return to France in 2 days.>

<I’ll talk to him. Just inform Malfoy as best you can. He’ll wonder about the Mark, I’m sure.>

<Oui. I shall see you soon, First.>

“Okay, you’re no help.”

Fleur Delacour shook her head clear and raised an eyebrow at the Veelan boy sitting across from her.

“Misour Malfoy, I am sure you have questions, but I sould very much advise getting something to eat.”

“Steak-rare-, with fried onions, candied carrots, mashed potatoes and gravy, a side of sauted brusssel sprouts with extra carlic and bacon, a glass of Pumkin Juice, and for desert… raspberry cheesecake, extra raspberries.”

<Quite. He’s just ordered what I did, only in English, rather than Spanish.>

Malfoy stared at himself in the mirror, an eyebrow raised in his reflection, and he snorted.

“I expect it all here –and perfect- by the time I’m done with my shower, Ms. Delacour.”

“Of course. I shall have it done. Anything else?”
”Yes, I want the papers the Headmaster has on his desk. The ones from my father’s office.”

Fleur paled, her eyes wide. The boy had been in a magical coma for nearly seven months, and he knew exactly what was going on. How was it possible?

//Did he Channel that from First?//

~!*!~

“Markus, over here.”

A tall man with short sandy blonde hair waved over another man, this one with dark brown hair, and they sat at a small secluded booth in the back of a Muggle bar. After ordering a round of beers, they got down to business, unaware of the deep green eyes that watched them from the pool talbe their owner shared with a brunette.

“So, what do you make of it?” the blonde askedc, sipping his drink, “Should we worry?”
”If we stick to the Muggle world *drains his beer* -ah- we should be alright, Chris.”

“Muggles may make good beer, but howe’re we gonna make it living among then, Mark? We can’t use magic, the Ministry’ll sense it.”

//I don’t think it’s the Ministry you boys should be worried about.//

“James?” asked the brunette, putting on his arm, “It’s your shot.”

“Wha? Oh, sorry Luv.” <Their next round, Beater?>

<That’s what I told him, First.>

By the time they’d finished their game, both Markus and Christopher Sagliano had slumped over in their seats. Dead. James paid the bar keep (who just so happened to be a Wizard and a good friend) and they headed out into the cold night.

“I’ll see you in two weeks, right?”
”Of course. Chaser should’ve given her first some answers, so if I’m lucky, I’ll be able to just walk in and walk out without a problem.”
”You hope so. She was so fucking confused when he asked for the Lists.”

“I don’t doubt it. We’ll talk later.”

“Right. G’night, First.”

She diapperated, and James Reynolds melted away, leaving Harry Potter behind, lighting a cigarette.

“Don’t worry, Malfoy, I’m a Chaser too.” //and if I have to chase you around the world and back, I will.//

~TBC~

Well, how was it? It’s not all Harry like ‘Death Seeker’ was, and I’m pretty sure the title change confused people, but I had to do it. In all honesty, I hadn’t been planning on posting this until I’d finished typing the remainder of the series up (that’s write, it’s almost complete, but I’m too lazy to type it all at once), but I thought I might as well. Hope you liked it. Does anyone have any clue who ‘Beater’ is? She’s not an OC, I can tell you that much. Anywho, I’ve gotta run. More typing to do, and more ideas to scribble down for ‘Everything Changes’. Until the next update!