Harry Potter and the Four Guardians - Part 21 by Elf
Standard disclaimers apply

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Snape sat uncomfortably in Dumbledore's office. He heard the story of the goblins and how Trunks Briefs defeated the trolls. He also listened to Dumbledore telling him about how Forest and Sirius Black interacted; it was obvious the wizard had been amused by the fact that they only argued. Personally, Snape couldn't blame Forest for despising Black. Forest didn't tolerate people taking her for granted or underestimating her talents like chauvinistic Black was known to do with a beautiful woman.

He was worried about Duo though. Dumbledore had made him recount the hours of horror with Malfoy and Voldemort. He had told him what Voldemort wanted him to do.

"Well, then, if Duo shows any change in power you must tell Voldemort then," Dumbledore said plainly as he strummed his fingers on his desk.

Snape gasped, "Headmaster, you can't be serious. I'm not letting Duo in the hands of that monster."

"You have no idea how much it pleases me to see you take an interest in one of your students like this," Dumbledore chortled in amusement.

Snape stiffened offensively. He asked, "What do you mean, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore chuckled as he shook his head in reproach. Snape would have given anything in that moment to be telepathic so he could read the old man's thoughts. Dumbledore was brilliant and his type of genius bordered on chaos and insanity, unlike Snape's strict path of logic. Still, Snape wondered if the old man was becoming senile in his old age and all the stress put upon him.

Then, as perhaps a thankful diversion, the door burst open and Sirius Black walked in followed by Forest who seemed to be carrying a badly burned figure. Snape stood up and recognized Sean's blond hair and sea colored eyes. He asked, "Black, what the bloody hell happened?"

Sean stumbled away from Forest and grasped Snape's robes with his burned fingers. He was still healing, but Snape had been around Voldemort's vampires long enough to recognize severe sun damage. Sean pleaded, "Kill me, please, Serverus. Kill me before they do something to Harry."

"What is he talking about?" Snape asked as he fearfully gazed up into the vampire's glazed eyes.

Forest answered, "That's why we brought him here."

"He tried to roast himself this morning and I found him tonight. We're quite sure that we're being watched by something," Sirius added as he watched the vampire.

Crimson tinted tears trickled down Sean's face as he begged, "Kill me, please!"

"Sean, why do you want us to kill you? Please, talk to us," Forest pleaded gently and Snape wondered how anyone could resist the sweet pressure of those soft indigo eyes.

Snape jerked when he heard the phoenix cry. Five pairs of eyes turned to the beautiful scarlet bird who sang softly. Dumbledore looked at it and said, "Yes, you're quite right, Fawkes." He turned his intense blue eyes to where Sean was trembling in abject terror.

Dumbledore asked, "Severus, aren't the Malfoys part of a long line of necromancers?"

Snape nodded and cursed, "Damn, of course. The Necromus Potion was just a ruse by the Dark Lord and Malfoy. I should have noticed it. He's probably watching through Sean's eyes and controlling him like a puppet." It was so bloody simple. Malfoys were necromancers, either by natural or ritual persuasion. It was part of the reason Narcissa wanted Draco to attend Hogwarts; at Durmstrang he would have learned the art of necromancy.

Forest cursed in at least four different languages that Snape could recognize. She sneered, "I could kill Malfoy."

"There you go again. Do you really think that your gun could stand up to a family of dark wizards?" Sirius snapped at her.

Forest growled, "I only need one good shot."

"If your gun was knocked away from your hands then what?" Sirius retorted icily.

Forest grinned and it wasn't pretty. She volleyed back, "I'd like to think that I'd find a way."

Sirius moved closer until their noses were almost touching. He whispered, "Could you fight off a simple Body Bind curse?"

"I'm a vampire. That doesn't work on me," she answered haughtingly, tossing her long blond hair behind her.

Snape looked at Dumbledore in askance. Dumbledore grinned, amused despite Sean's predicament. Snape walked between the two of them and drawled, "I can see why you would be so disgusted with Black, Forest, but you mustn't play into his hands. He enjoys it far too much."

Forest smiled and said, "Thank you, Severus, for warning me, but I already knew about that."

"He can be an infuriating git, but Sean is the matter at hand. As soon as we can help him and correct the damage that Malfoy has done then you can ignore Sirius Black to your heart's content," Snape told the vampire, hoping to pacify her. She was the most dangerous when she was angry, he knew. He knew what she was capable of and how quickly she could do it. He knew that she could rip out Sirius' throat before he could utter a spell and point his wand at her.

Forest nodded and sat down. Sirius leaned against the wall as Snape walked in front of Sean. Sean looked up at him with his ruined face, already healing the self-inflicted damage of the sun.

Snape asked, "Why do you think you're being controlled?"

"I'd thought that the shock of seeing Harry Potter snapped the effects of the Necromus Potion off of me, but then there were periods of time where I wasn't in control of myself. It was like I wasn't in the driver's seat, so to speak. My body was sending messages that I didn't understand until last night. I knew that someone was watching out of my eyes as I watched the attack, helpless to move," Sean answered stonily as he looked down at his charred hands.

Snape nodded to Dumbledore and Sirius. Sirius asked, "Anyway we could break the hold?"

"We don't know how Malfoy bound the vampire to him. If it was by blood then there's no way to break the hold," Snape answered quietly.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and asked, "What about binding him to another?"

"There's not another necromancer here at Hogwarts, is there?" Sirius asked, his dark eyes wide in his face.

Forest shook her head and answered, "Not by a necromancer, but by another vampire."

"Of course, placing him in your Thrall would break Malfoy's hold," Snape reasoned, pleased by her quick thinking, wondering why he hadn't realized that in the first place. Forest looked very sad that she might have to do this though.

Sirius said to her, "You don't have to if you don't want to," he turned to Dumbledore, "I don't like this."

"We don't have a choice Black. I know you don't believe in this Forest, but just this one time," Snape pleaded, hoping that she would see.

Dumbledore rose up and stated, "There is always a choice, Severus. You know that better than any of us."

Snape grew quiet as he remembered every corner he had backed himself up into in life. He sighed and replied, "You're right, Headmaster."

"I don't want to be controlled," Sean said quietly as he fled from the room.

Snape started to go after him when Forest gently stopped him. She shook her head sympathetically and he nodded. She explained, "He has to figure this out for himself. He's probably going to go as far away from here as he can."

"Good luck to the bloke," Sirius said gravely as he looked out the door.

Dumbledore stated, "Sirius, everyone has the right to choose their own path in life or undeath. We are not pawns, despite what we are lead sometimes to believe."

******

"You broke up with Cho Chang?" Angelina asked as Harry flipped through Flying With the Cannons for the fifteenth time. He figured that he already had the book memorized and was planning to let Duo read it.

Harry looked up at the dark-skinned girl and answered, "Well, she broke up with me was how it really went."

Angelina sighed, "And just days before we play Ravenclaw . . . Harry, you can't let your personal feelings get in the way of the game."

Harry chuckled as he watched as the Cannon's Seeker roared silently in triumph as he held up the snitch. Ron was chuckling as well where he was studying his Transfiguration with Hermione for the O.W.L.S. Harry had been studying as well, but he realized that he was doing quite well in changing mice into boxes and what not. From his last exam he had gotten a fairly good score and that had led him to take a small break and try to sort his thoughts out.

George walked over and cast an arm around her. He said, "This is Harry we're talking about here, Angel. He won't let us down."

"Unless he's in the hospital wing," chortled Fred from where he was playing chess with Lee Jordan.

Hermione looked up and said, "Speaking of the hospital wing, does anyone know how Duo's doing?"

Ron shrugged and answered, "Don't know. No one's gone down there to check on him or anything. Hotaru was hovering around so no one would bother him earlier today. You know that."

Harry put his book down and looked at his watch. He wondered idly if Forest wanted to meet him in the dungeon tonight, despite Duo's condition. He really wanted to get into the swordplay that she had promised him.

Harry stood up and suggested, "Well, why don't I go see?"

"Do you want company?" Ron asked as he looked up from his mouse that had recently been a matchbox.

Harry smiled and shook his head. He replied, "No, I'll be fine."

He stepped out of the Common Room and headed down to the dungeons. He was surprised to find Snape standing outside of his classroom with a worried frown. The Potions Master seemed lost in thought as he stroked his chin and paced restlessly down the hall.

Harry didn't want to interrupt him on the grounds of losing points or getting detention, but he wondered what the professor was so concerned about. Still, Snape noticed him and whirled upon him like a dervish. Harry looked at him expectantly and wondered why Duo was so fond of the man with his greasy hair and cold eyes.

"Potter, Forest isn't down here and I suggest that you don't go wandering around the grounds," Snape said in a form of greeting before he started pacing again.

Harry started to turn around when Snape called back, "How is Duo?" There was worry and apprehension in his voice and that forced Harry to turn back. He looked younger, more vulnerable and Harry found himself almost feeling sorry for him.

"He's in the Hospital Wing with Hotaru," Harry answered quietly before he started to turn again, only running smack into a black clad figure.

"Damn Harry, give a guy a warning or something," Duo drawled as he grinned at Harry.

Harry smiled and said, "Duo?"

"The one and only God of Death, seemingly unable to die," Duo answered with a mocking bow.

Snape actually smiled for a moment and Duo chuckled. Harry asked, "When did you wake up?"

Duo was grinning as he answered, "This afternoon, I think. We finally convinced Madam Pomfry that I was able to go back to my dorm. Even though she wanted to hold Firefly back."

"Firefly?" Snape asked, looking confused.

Duo actually blushed as he answered, "I mean Hotaru. That's what her name means anyway: Firefly."

Harry couldn't help the grin forming on his features. Finally, he thought and Duo gave him a perfectly happy smile. Snape nodded as well, looking as pleased as Harry had ever seen him, except for the time that Snape was planning to turn Sirius and Lupin to the dementors in third year.

Harry was about to congratulate (or tease, he hadn't figured out which yet) his friend when he saw a familiar dark head loom in the hallway. Sirius looked a little worse for wear and was holding his side a bit. He looked at Harry and gave him a quick smile, which Harry returned with a puzzled frown.

"I know what happened with Sean," Sirius stated breathlessly.

Harry's eyes widened as he asked, "What happened to Sean?"

"It's a long story, but an interesting one. Damn clever on Voldemort's part as well," Sirius growled as he looked at Duo.

Duo managed, "Hey, whatever it is I didn't do it. Hell, I hadn't even killed anybody in over a year."

Snape looked around and said, "Let us move to some place more discreet."

"The boys should come to, they need to hear this, Severus," Sirius replied as he followed Snape's sweeping black robes into his office. Duo looked at Harry, puzzlement very clear in his violet eyes, and Harry followed Snape and his godfather into Snape's office.

Harry realized that it was a very queer room, filled with various specimens, stacked to the rim with various tombs, and in every available place there were various bottles filled with different potions. It was very sulfureous smelling and dimly lit. Snape sat at the desk and Duo sat at one of the very uncomfrotable chairs. Harry took a seat beside him while Sirius looked at one of the potions.

Sirius said, "I think I have it all figured out from the dementors, to the Malfoys, from Duo's nightmares, and the attack tonight."

"Explain please, Black," Snape stated coldly as Sirius began to pace.

Sirius said, "Well, the charm was sort of a dream weaving device. It created dreams and nightmares based on the thoughts pushed into it. Its person was chosen during the Quidditch match, which we all know was Duo. But it just got a basic reading off of him to know that placing his friends in danger was Duo's greatest fear."

"Actually my greatest fear is Lady Une, but we won't get into that," Duo piped up.

Sirius ignored that and continued, "It still needed thoughts, pictures if you will. So, Sean, under Malfoy's control, read Duo's mind and kept pictures of his friends and family from his old life and fed it to the device without Sean not knowing it. It created the dreams, but that wasn't enough.

There needed to be a catalyst, something to really get Duo going. So, Sean, again under Malfoy's control, let the dementor in Duo's room. It helped place more real feelings into the dreams, as if Duo was watching them and they were really happening, to force him to try something like go back to that plane of existence.

We got rid of the dementor, as we all know, but still, none of Duo's powers were activating and there wasn't really away to get him away from Hogwarts. Enter Sean again. Forest had been giving both boys lessons out on the grounds, close enough to the Forbidden Forest that a goblin attack could be launched. After all, we all know that a troll can sneak into Hogwarts."

"And Malfoy, watching through Sean's eyes saw that last night was the perfect time to place this attack," Harry added excitedly.

Snape drawled, "And kill Potter, in essence killing two birds with one stone. Brilliant and Malfoy's not one known for his intelligence. Draco gets his intelligence from his mother, luckily."

Harry asked, "What about Sean? Can we break Malfoy's hold on him?" He looked at Sirius hopefully, waiting for an answer.

Sirius shook his head and answered, "No, not unless we put him in the Thrall of another vampire and Forest isn't willing to do that."

"Where's Sean now?" Duo asked, looking between Snape and Sirius.

Sirius looked at Harry and answered, "He ran off, not wanting to put you in any more danger."

Harry froze and was about to shout at his godfather when he realized it was fruitless. He opened himself up for attack because of me, Harry thought darkly as he looked at his uncle. Harry looked down at his hands, upset and angry. He had liked Sean. He considered him a friend and Sean had looked on him with a sort of reverence and Harry had failed him.

He had failed them all.

He clinched his fists tightly and Sirius said, "It isn't your fault, Harry."

"I should have known. I could have prevented this from happening. Blast!" he shouted as he slammed his fists down on Snape's desk, "I couldn't even protect Cho! I would have been dead if Ginny hadn't helped me when she did."

"Harry, you're not Superman," Duo said quietly as he reached out and touched his shoulder. Harry looked at the braided boy and pushed his glasses firmly upon his nose.

He snapped, "What do you know?"

"A lot. I have a friend that reminds me of you. He thought that everything was placed upon his shoulders and wouldn't let anybody help him. He almost died because of this. He still really never learned that he could ask for help, Harry. I still tried to do what I could to help him. I may not be the smartest or the most powerful, but I'll stand by you until the end if you need me to," Duo answered darkly.

Harry replied, "You're the one who needs protection."

"And you're the hero of this tale," Duo replied with a smirk, "But ever hero needs his sidekicks."

Harry scrunched up his nose and asked, "Ron and Hermione?"

"Exactly. You can't protect everybody and most people are pretty good at watching their own backs. You can't wait for the apocalypse to come and do nothing. Sometimes you just gotta stand up and fight," Duo replied as he tapped the table for emphasis.

Harry nodded grimly as he looked into Duo's knowing eyes. He said, "Sometimes you have to stand and fight."

Snape asked, "What in the world are you two getting at?"

"I'm afraid of the answer to that question," Sirius whispered to Snape.

Snape's eyes widened as he said, "You can't do anything about it now. It's too soon. You'll just get yourselves killed."

Harry faced both his godfather and the Potions Master. His green eyes were blazing in his spectacled face and he looked at them with an intensity that had been born with great decision and pressure. It was the look of a man who had been pushed to his limits and decided to fight back.

In that moment, Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, grew up.

Harry grinned and said, "You two can't protect us forever. Voldemort needs to be stopped. We can't just hide behind these walls forever."

Sirius looked at him wearily as Snape actually smiled a real smile. Snape whispered, "Well done, Potter."

******

The next two weeks went by in sort of a blur. They played Ravenclaw and Harry had captured the snitch in moments after the game started. The three had been studying to prepare for the O.W.L.S and every spare moment Harry had he was with Forest, Sirius, or, strangely enough, Snape learning all that he could.

He swore to himself that he wasn't going to be helpless ever again and was making sure he kept that promise. He didn't want to see another person hurt like Cedric. He wanted to know that he could do all he could have in case it came down to that.

One day he was leaving Sirius' room and heading down to where Forest was waiting for them. Duo and Ginny still went to her even though she had firmly stated that all lessons were to be indoors now. Ginny was trying to plead with her to take them to the Great Hall then so they could have some more room to spar. Amazingly enough, it was little Ginny that was the best in hand to hand combat.

Harry enjoyed watching her fight. He liked the way her golden brown eyes sparked in defiant challenge and how strands of her fiery hair fell into her face as she moved. He was unsure about his feelings for her though. He didn't want to fall for her out of guilt because of some silly crush, but he didn't want to lose her either.

"Hey Harry," Trunks said from beside him. Harry spun around to face the lavender haired boy and Trunks grinned good naturally.

Harry replied, "Hello Trunks."

"Err, heading toward Forest's?" Trunks asked awkwardly.

Harry nodded and asked, "Why are you asking?"

"She wanted me to come down there tonight," he answered as he sheepishly ran his fingers through his hair.

Harry thought Trunks had a crush on Setsuna, not Forest. Trunks went on, "She makes me nervous."

"Why?" he asked.

Trunks' eyes took a faraway look as he turned intense. He answered, "She reminds me of one of the androids who killed my father and made my life a living Hell. She looks like her a little bit, except she's much taller, Android 18 was shorter than Ginny, but they carry themselves the same way and act a like."

Harry nodded sympathetically and said, "Forest's a nice lady once you get to know her."

"Your friend Ron has a bad crush on her," Trunks chuckled.

Harry snorted, "Don't tell Hermione that. She'd go hunt Forest down and stake her herself."

"Hermione?" Trunks asked in disbelief.

Harry chuckled, "She even slapped Malfoy one time."

"I knew there was a reason why I liked her," Trunks replied wickedly, "I'm glad that Hotaru got away from him."

Harry said, "I was surprised that she went out with him anyway."

Trunks shrugged as he stepped into Forest's make shift training room. There were blue mats covering the floor and the walls. Forest was leaning on the farthest wall from the door, Ginny was waiting by the door and Duo was sitting on the floor. Harry met Ginny's eyes and gave her a brief smile. She grinned back and Forest pushed herself off the wall.

Trunks asked, "Why did you call me here?"

"I want your help in a lesson, Trunks. Ginny and Harry have been making a lot of progress in their martial arts skills and I want to give them a little test," Forest answered with a playful grin.

Duo asked, "What's that, Fore?"

"You have to land a blow on Trunks," Forest answered darkly.

Harry's mouth dropped open in shock, Duo jumped up to his feet and started to argue and Ginny, amazingly, cracked her knuckles. Harry asked, "How in the world are we suppose to do that?"

"Trunks, you can't attack them, but you have to defend. Guys, you have to land a good, solid blow to Trunks," Forest explained with that same grin.

Trunks took a stance with a grin. He stated confidently, "I've been wanting a good work out."

Harry swallowed and looked Trunks over. His stance was different from any of the ones that Forest had taught them. He had lowered his center of gravity and made it harder to move him, but it allowed more mobility on his part. It seemed to be some sort of strange combination between akido and one of the Chinese arts.

Harry looked over at Duo and Ginny and said, "We'd be better if we try to team up on him, make the odds in our favor."

Ginny nodded and Duo managed, "We're so going to get our asses kicked."

Trunks taunted, "Come on guys, I'm not getting any younger."

Harry said, "On the count of three. One, two . . . Three!"

He rushed at Trunks and tried to throw a punch. Trunks merely moved his face out of the way and held his palm up to Harry's chest. Harry screamed as he was gently blasted into one of the padded walls. He struggled to his feet, winching at the pain of the blow, as he watched Duo try to land a sweep kick to Trunks' knees.

Trunks kicked Duo in the stomach, sending him collapsing to the ground. Duo rolled over and clutched at his stomach. Harry rushed Trunks again, this time changing his momentum as if Trunks was a bludger and not a person. He treated Trunks as if his nose was the snitch but the rest of his body was a giant bludger.

He wove as he tried to hit Trunks' nose. Trunks bounded toward him but Harry managed to roll out of his way. Trunks grinned and said, "You're pretty fast."

"Thanks," Harry grunted as he narrowly missed Trunks' palm, "But I know you're not even trying."

Trunks shrugged and replied, "I don't want to hurt you all for training. None of you, no matter what spells you use, could really be a match for me. I'm a Sayan."

Then, amazingly, Trunks eyes widened in shock then pain. They watered for a moment as his knees shook. His hands dropped to his groin as a groan escaped his lips and he fell to the floor.

Ginny stood there with a huge grin on her face. Trunks managed in a high-pitched voice, "How did you do that?"

Ginny chuckled, "I have six older brothers, Trunks." Then she held out her wand and added, "And a Strength Charm helped."

"Oh, my guts are going to fall out of my mouth," Duo groaned as he got up to his feet.

Harry said, "Remind you never to make you mad, Gin."

"Yeah, don't piss off Red," Duo managed as he tried to shake off the kick.

Forest frowned worriedly at Duo and said, "I don't think that posion's all the way out of your system. You've been sluggish lately, Duo."

"Well, you know," Duo managed as he pushed his braid away from his face.

Trunks sighed, "Still, things have been pretty quiet lately. Too quiet."

"You're being paranoid, Trunks," Ginny chided as she brushed strands of her red hair out of her eyes in a totally endearing gesture to Harry.

Harry replied, "You're right."

"This is just the calm before the storm. Voldy's regrouping, trying to figure out how to break these walls and get me out," Duo sighed as he slank back down on the floor.

Harry pushed his glasses closer to his face and asked, "Any word from Setsuna?"

"No," Trunks answered, shaking his head, "I'm worried. Hotaru hasn't heard anything either and they're pretty close."

Duo sighed, "I wish I could just kill this fucker and get it over with. I'm tired of it."

"Imagine how I feel," Harry retorted wirily as he looked at his friend.

Ginny asked, "Why does he have to be this way? Why does He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named have to be so evil?"

"Voldemort's pretty tame to some of the evil I've faced," Forest answered darkly as she looked as if she was seeing something truly horrifying.

Harry asked, "Like what?"

"Like Cell and the Androids. They killed simply because they were the most powerful and it amused them. The Androids were little more than spoiled children, terrorizing others for their amusement," Trunks answered darkly as he brooded in the corner.

Forest explained, "Voldemort has a goal and rules he has to follow. He's almost honorable about it. There was this vampire a long time ago that was a wizard before they were turned. He glorified in pain and suffering, like Trunks' Cell and androids, but then some. He played mind games with his victims before killing them. He even turned one poor witch insane before he turned her into a vampire. He'd target a person and kill all those around them just because he liked to watch them suffer."

Ginny asked, "What happened?"

"The vampire came after me. I was a vampire at the time, older than he was, but he was a wizard and I was a Muggle for all intents and purposes. He wanted to break me and wanted me to be his. He was obsessed with me and I killed him," Forest answered as if she was seeing this monster again.

Harry looked at Trunks and asked, "What happened to Cell and the Androids?"

"Cell killed me just because I proved a threat to him and that it would upset my father. He was killed and I was brought back to life. I went back to my time and was now powerful enough to kill the Androids and my time's Cell. I did. There was no prelude or anything. I just killed them as quickly as I could," Trunks answered in a distant voice.

Duo stated, "Yeah, that's bad, but it's not as bad as brother against brother or city against city. I've fought in a war, practically waged it by myself. No one was right and no one was wrong. People died without reason. At least all those others killed with a reason, even if it was their own enjoyment. Innocents killing innocents. I'd rather die a thousand times than go through that again."

Forest nodded in agreement and said, "Wars are horrible things. At least you can kill someone that's evil. You can't destroy a country. Well, you can but it's not good."

Harry looked at all three of them. They were jaded in someway, as was he, except they had felt it more intensely. He felt as if everything had been put into perspective, like it could be worse and he should enjoy what he had now.

Harry said, "I was told that everything happens on its own, that you really can't rush things. But I think that we should be ready when it does."

"Amen," Duo cheered as he lifted his hand up.

Trunks nodded and said, "That's good advice. My father would have liked it."

Forest walked over to him and hugged him gently. Harry blushed as she kissed him gently on the cheek. He looked up at her shyly as she affectionately ruffled his hair. She said, "You're a smart guy, Harry. Don't let anyone tell you differently."

He looked over at Ginny who was grinning at him. Harry smiled back at her. What's going to happen is going to happen, you can't really stop it, but you can be prepared for it, he thought as he looked into Ginny's amber brown eyes and smiled. And you make your own choices and mistakes along the way.

******

Trunks was about to take off flying when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. He spun around, ready to fire off a Gallic Gun, and relaxed when he saw Setsuna standing there. He smiled as he rushed over to her and swept her up in his arms.

She laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her sherry colored eyes sparkling. Trunks sat her down and gave her a quick kiss. He wanted to do more, but he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to stop himself. The fire that ran through his blood every time she was around threatened to consume him. He had been able to place it at the back of his mind when she had been gone, but when he was alone he couldn't get her out of his mind.

He fingered strands of her long, dark green hair and marveled at the silky feel of it. He gave her a shy smile and said, "I'm glad you're back."

"I could tell," she replied with a chuckle as she smoothed his hair from his face playfully.

He laughed and wrapped an arm around her. She wrapped an arm around his waist as they walked along the grounds together. It had been warming up for the past couple of weeks and the snow had melted off of the grounds. The ground was soggy under Trunks' boots, but his mother wasn't the head of Capsule Corp. for nothing, so his feet were perfectly dry.

Setsuna, on the other hand, would have stumbled and fallen twice if it hadn't been for the fact that they were holding each other. She cursed, "Damn British soil, Japan's nothing like this." She stumbled again, catching on her high heels and she did fall.

Except that Trunks' lighting fast reflexes caught her. He gently picked her up and looked down at her pink heels. He tenderly reached out and took them off of her feet. "These shoes are very impractical, you know," he chided with a grin.

Setsuna cried, "But those are my shoes, how am I supposed to walk back to the castle barefoot?"

"I'll carry you," he answered simply with a smile. He liked holding her, feeling her curves against him as her long legs were balanced over his arms. He ticked the bottom of her left foot and gently ran his hand over her calf. She gasped as he gently rubbed her leg, surprised at the knots under the surprisingly firm muscle.

"Trunks," she gasped with a sigh.

He looked into her heavy-lidded sherry eyes and replied, "Yes, Setsuna?" He was grinning wickedly now. He knew that she liked what he was doing and she didn't want to admit it.

She managed, "You shouldn't do that."

He grinned and retorted, "What about if I did this instead?" He leaned over her and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed him back. It quickly became intense and he craved more. She was the only thing that mattered and he had to have her. He needed her more than anything. She was intoxicating, wondrous, and delightfully warm and sweet.

She pulled away, gasping, "Trunks, someone might see us."

He sighed and jetted back to the castle. He dropped her back in her room and flew back to the Gryffindor room. He sighed as he flopped down on his bed and looked up at Ron's Quidditch poster with the players flying around haphazardly.

******

Draco crumbled the parchment paper in his hand. His Eagle Owl watched him with thoughtful crimson eyes as Draco paced the confines of his prefect's room. How could he? How could he do this? Why would he do this?

It was going to happen soon and his father was giving him a part to play. A part, if he played it, that could be an end to Hotaru's existence. Maybe even to his family's existence. Voldemort would get a hold of the Scythe Barer and wield his powers.

Draco stared out of his window and brooded for a moment. There was a knock on his door and he barked, "What is it?"

Crabbe and Goyle entered, both with evil grins on their ugly faces. They had parchments from their fathers in their hands as well. Draco reasoned part of the reason why the Dark Lord failed was having idiots like these two as his acolytes. Still, they were students in the school and they could help manipulate Harry Potter and his friends as well as Duo Maxwell.

"We're going to do it, Draco," Goyle practically beamed, "We're going to get that Mudblood and the Muggle Lover!"

"Well, of course we are," Draco snapped, trying very much to sound like his old self. He found that he couldn't do it that he didn't want to do it. What was the point of all of this anyway? He didn't want to follow the delusions of a power mad wizard or his father. Even if he couldn't have Hotaru, maybe he could help keep her safe and happy. And the means to that end would be to protecting the American.

******

"Die, die!" Duo shouted as he threw his Transfiguration book on the table and pointed his wand at it. Hermione cried out at him, Ron and Ginny were laughing, and Harry gave him a bewildered look. Duo didn't care. He had enough of this crap. His wand started sprouting black sparks at the book and he chuckled evilly, hoping for the book to catch on fire or something.

Then he felt two slender arms wrap around his waist and smelled a faint hint of lavender in his nostrils. He blinked as he looked into Hotaru's pale face. Her foxglove eyes twinkled as she whispered, "Duo, don't destroy the book. You need it."

"I can't figure it out," he sighed as he looked at the book, "I like Arithromancy better."

Hermione looked up and said, "But you don't even have the class."

"I was looking at Hotaru's book and started working on some of the problems," he answered sheepishly as Hotaru sat beside him and looked at the book. Hotaru passed Hermione the parchment he had been working on a few weeks ago.

Hermione looked at it and gasped, "You figured out how to transform the X axis to the equivalent of pie?"

"Yeah, it wasn't that hard. It's sort of like a magical version of trig, calculus, and algebra. The thing that really stumped me was getting the diameter of the Line Split. Hell, I'm still working on that," Duo confided as she walked over beside him.

She asked, "Why don't you see if you can get your schedule changed next year?"

"Oh, I am, count on it, Herm. This stuff's pretty cool. Besides, I'm fairly decent in math. You have to be if you want to design things," Duo answered as he pointed at the said Bitch Problem.

Fred and George bursted in the Commons, looking upset and breathless. George ran over to Hermione and stated, "Hermione, you have to go down to the kitchens."

"What is it? It had better not be some stupid prank," she warned without looking up at them.

Fred answered, "Malfoy's down there and abusing the House Elves."

Hermione growled as she stood up. She dusted off her hands and said, "I'll hex that boy myself."

"I'm going with you," Ron stated as he jumped up and walked beside her.

Harry moved to go as well, but Hermione smiled at him. She said, "You need to work on your notes. The four of us can easily handle Malfoy."

Duo frowned as he watched Fred and George. Something didn't seem right about them. For a moment he swore he saw something flicker and that Crabbe and Goyle were standing there, and not the terrible twins.

******

In one of the closets in the Astronomy Tower Fred and George Weasley were drugged asleep, both of them sporting a large chunk of their red hair missing.

******

Hotaru, I found something most interesting here, Setsuna's voice rang through Hotaru's head. She sat up, startled. Duo was brooding about something. What, she had no idea, but she had seen the look in his eyes before.

Then she realized that he wasn't brooding, but putting two and two together and getting four. He had found something and was trying to put logic behind it. Probably something dangerous she reasoned at the intense look in his bright violet eyes.

She stood up and gently squeezed his shoulder. He looked up at her and asked, "Something wrong?"

"Setsuna's calling for me, don't worry about it. I think she just wants to talk," she answered as he took her hand and gently squeezed it.

He grinned, but it didn't reach his eyes. He said, "See ya later, Firefly."

She smiled at him and walked to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Setsuna and Trunks were there, looking at a strange silver coin lying on Setsuna's desk. Hotaru looked at the ancient coin and asked, "Is it a sickle?"

"I don't like it," Trunks stated as he frowned at it, "It just appeared here."

Setsuna nodded and said, "Yes, Trunks is right. I was wondering if you could see anything that you can tell us."

Hotaru shrugged, reached out and grabbed the coin. She gasped as she felt something jerk in her midsection as she was pulled forward. She saw a flash of dark green as Setsuna reached out and grabbed the coin as well. She was soon being spiraled in a wirl of wild colors and howls of wind and yet her hand was still stuck on the coin.

She landed sharply with Setsuna standing beside her. She stood up and brushed grass off of her jeans. They were standing in the middle of the Scottish Moores, at least a hundred miles away from Hogwarts. She grabbed her transformation wand and said, "Setsuna, I don't like this."

"The damn thing was a Portkey," Setsuna snapped, "Dammit! We've been set up."

"Exactly," a cockney accented voice replied from the shadows as they were suddenly surrounded by vampires and four wizards.

Hotaru screamed, "Saturn Star Power!"

"Pluto Star Power!" Setsuna cried beside her as they began to transform.

As the Silence Glave formed in her hand and the Saturn persona took over Hotaru's mind, Saturn thought, If the wizard wants to play it that way, fine, let's play.

******

Snape frowned as he looked at his ingredient stables. He was missing boomslang skin and bicorn horn, two of the key ingredients for the Polyjuice potion. He had a sneaking suspicion that Potter had stolen some of the same idems during his second year, but the new maturity that Snape sensed in the boy was leading him to belive that it wasn't him.

Now, Duo, however, confessed that he was a skilled theif before and stole Snape's watch off of his person to prove this. Still, Duo had the skills to brew the Polyjuice without a doubt, but why would Duo need to look exactly like someone else for an hour, unless he wanted to sneak into the girl's dorm room or something. But Duo could just borrow Potter's Invisiblity Cloak to accomplish that feat.

"You're impossible, Sirius," Forest's voice was loud and arguitive.

Sirius replied, "Well, I don't want you teaching Harry how to use a gun."

"We haven't even started on swordsmanship yet and you're worried about a gun. Not everything boils down to a wand you know," she retorted.

Snape poked his head out of his closet to see the two of them walking together. Sirius leaned over and taunted, "Maybe you just haven't had the right wand used properly before. I'll be happy to rectify that."

"Get real, Doggie," Forest sniped as she tossed her long hair.

Snape darted out in front of them and stated, "I have two of the main ingredients of the Polyjuice Potion missing."

They both froze as they looked at each other. Forest asked, "Do you know who took it?"

"Did you cast a Locating Spell on the thief yet?" Sirius asked as they walked into the closet.

Snape shook his head and answered, "No on both accounts. I just realized it was gone."

"Bloody hell," Forest sighed as she sniffed delicately around the shelves.

Sirius asked, "What is it?"

"They're two of the Slytherins. I've smelled them before, in Malfoy's room when Trunks was about to strangle the brat," Forest answered as she stepped away from the shelves.

Snape was about to chide her for calling Draco a brat but froze. It had to be Crabbe and Goyle. It had to be. And those two didn't have a brain to share between the two of them, so Draco had to be behind it. He sighed and thought, Someone else I failed.

"Professor Snape," Draco Malfoy's voice echoed behind them.

Forest had already been looking at the blond teen and Sirius spun along with Snape. Forest's voice echoed in Snape's mind, I can't read his thoughts. It's like reading a necromancer. There's a kindred power there, Severus. I can sense it.

Draco's eyes widened as he looked at Forest. He pointed and shouted, "She's a vampire!"

Sirius grabbed him and placed a hand on Draco's mouth. Draco's grey eyes looked at Forest with a combination of fear and awe. Sirius stated, "If you don't scream when I remove my hand I'll let you talk." Draco nodded his head and Sirius let him go.

Draco whispered, "Good Lord, you're a vampire." He reached out almost reverenty and touched Forest's long hair. She blinked as she backed away. He breathed, "She's lovely."

Sirius cleared his throat menacingly. Draco, to his credit, whirled on the older wizard and stated, "You do not frighten me, Black. I know it was Peter Pettigrew that killed all of those people and that you're Harry Potter's godfather. I knew that for a very long time, and also you were never a Death Eater."

"Well, then let me say something then," Trunks Briefs sneered as he appeared almost mysteriously behind Draco.

Snape knew that it was just Trunks' super powers that allowed him to move like that, but he already had his wand drawn when Trunks reached out and grabbed Draco by the throat. He lifted him up and growled, "Where was Setsuna taken to?"

Forest asked, "Trunks, what happened?"

"Setsuna, Hotaru, Portkey, her classroom, a silver coin, ring any bells, human?" Trunks growled as he lifted Draco up so that they were on eye level.

Draco's grey eyes widened as he gasped, "They've already begun!" He grabbed Trunks' wrists imploringly and pleaded, "You have to hide Maxwell, put him to sleep or something. The Dark Lord has set up a trap!"

Trunks dropped Draco and Snape moved over to his pupil. He asked, "What do you mean, Malfoy?"

Draco smoothed his white-blond hair from his face and answered, "Sir, it's the Dark Lord. My father sent me an owl today with what he wanted me to do as did he with Crabbe and Goyle. They drugged the Weasley twins with Sleeping Drought and used Polyjuice potions to turn into them to lure Granger and Ron Weasley away from the castle, so that the Dark Lord could use them to bait Potter and Maxwell. I don't know about the Portkey, Briefs, so if you would refrain from throttling me, I would greatly appreciate it."

Trunks growled and shot up through the roof, leaving a crater in the ceiling up to the very roof.

Forest said, "I could go after him."

"He can look after himself. The chances that he would find the Scouts and put himself in danger are in his favor. Trunks knew of the danger, and we have more pressing matters to deal with as of now," Snape replied as he turned to Sirius.

Sirius explained, "For Voldemort's plan to work he probably either set a trap using the Portkey to detain Setsuna and Hotaru, knowing that Trunks would go after his lady love."

"Lady love?" Snape asked in disbelief.

Sirius chuckled and replied, "Time holds no bounds for Setsuna. Besides, I saw them kissing the other night when she returned."

"Damn, the Keeper of Time's a cradle robber, who would have thunk?" Forest quipped weakly as she turned back to Snape. She asked, "Still, what would be able to hold that flying wrecking ball back?"

Sirius' eyes darkened as his expression became haunted. Snape suspected the answer as Sirius answered, "Dementors. Even the flying wrecking ball, as you called him, has fears that they can feed upon and play against."

"Yeah, more so than others. The kid's survived an apocalypse," Forest agreed.

Draco asked, "What can I do?"

"Go inform Dumbledore on what has taken place. If you can avoid it, do not talk to Potter or Duo at all costs," Snape answered.

Draco asked, "What do you three plan to do?"

Forest pulled out her gun and loaded the revolver chamber. She cocked the hammer back and answered, "Save the day and hopefully kill the bad guy, of course."

Draco blushed as he looked at her. He managed, "Good luck!" Then he ran off in a blur of black robes and white hair.

Snape watched with hope and Sirius said, "Maybe there's a chance for the boy after all."

"I had hoped for that on the day of Draco's birth," Snape replied softly as he turned back to the vampire and wizard.

He said, "This isn't going to be easy. I should be able to approach the Dark Lord, but you two would have some problem."

"This is me we're talking about," Forest said with no little amusement.

Sirius shrugged and replied, "It's not a problem. Remember, I can turn into a dog that looks like a Grim. Maybe shake the Death Eaters up a bit."

"Well, let us hope that the real God of Death doesn't make an appearance," Snape replied as they set out.

 

******

The sound of thunder woke him up. Trunks heard it rumble through the sky as he opened his eyes. He saw the lighting crash like a violent tantrum, lighting up the ruins below.

He stood up and looked around. He cried, "Gohan?" He hovered for an uncertain moment before flying down into the ruins. He looked around and shouted again, "Gohan?"

He searched for his teacher's life force and frowned. There was nothing. "Gohan!"

Then, lying in a pool of water, was Gohan. Trunks cried out as he rushed over to his friend and carefully rolled him over. Gohan's ebon eyes stared blankly up at him, lifeless.

"Gohan?" Trunks managed as he tried to check for a pulse.

There was none.

"Gohan . . ." he whispered as he held Gohan close to him. He gently laid Gohan's prone form on the ground. Lighting crashed again as thunder rolled in, just like the storm brewing inside the young boy.

He clinched his fist and felt his fingernails draw blood. The pain was irrelevant. It was nothing compared to the storm brewing in side of him. He ignored the blood running down his hands as he screamed in pain and rage.

It wasn't right, it wasn't fair . . . Gohan . . .

Trunks blinked at the raven cloaked figure standing before him. He realized he had landed during the black out. He hissed, "Get out of my way."

He clinched his fist and felt his fingernails draw blood. The pain was irrelevant. It was nothing compared to the storm brewing in side of him. He ignored the blood running down his hands as he screamed in pain and rage.

Trunks blinked as he looked down at his hands. They were clean and uninjured. Then he looked back up at the thing.

He felt cold, endlessly cold and was starting to feel helpless dread.

He cried, "What are you?"

The feelings intensified as he was surrounded by at least twenty of the things. His body started to shake in fear as he looked around. He shouted, "What the hell are you?"

Cell appeared, perfect and whole in his truest form. The yellowed smoke swirled around him as his pink eyes sparkled. Trunks gasped in shock and thought that it was impossible.

Cell was back and he was laughing.

It was the most horrible sound that Trunks could remember.

Then he pointed his finger in the Gallic Gun position and aimed.

******

Duo frowned to himself as he saw Fred and George, shifting in his mind's eye to reveal Crabbe and Goyle every so often, carry Hermione and Ron away. I knew it, just knew it, fuck, he thought as he shifted the shadows around him and willed himself back into the Gryffindor tower. He sensed Trunks fly away from the castle. He could almost feel the anger like a living force all it's own.

Hotaru and Setsuna were gone too. A quick check of the DADA classroom told him that. He fingered one of Hotaru's silver earings and clinched it in his fist. That was the only trace of them, that and their magic wands. He was going to have to act quickly.

A quick smile spread across his features as he found Harry.

Harry couldn't be a part of this. Harry had to survive this if Duo didn't. Besides, Harry wasn't ready to deal with this yet, even if he was the hero.

Sometimes, the hero has to sit back and watch and let the God of Death step in, Duo thought as he approached the raven haired boy. Harry's bright green eyes looked up at him and he grinned. He gestured at the chess pieces and said, "Want a match?"

Duo grinned and said, "Hey Harry, can we take a quick walk?"

"Why?" Harry asked as Ginny walked out of the girl's dorm, running her fingers through her fiery hair. Duo noticed the way his eyes lingered on her and grinned. He thought, About damn time. Sorry, Red, I'm about to hurt your soon-to-be-boyfriend.

Duo smirked and leaned over the chess pieces. He whispered, "I've spent a lot of time with Red. I know stuff . . ."

"What kind of stuff?" Harry asked eagerly looking up at Duo.

Duo made a calming notion with his hand and said, "Easy, don't appear too eager. Just come on."

They walked out of the room and Harry asked, "Well, what?"

"I'm sorry," Duo said as he reached out and punched Harry. Before Harry could react, Duo drew out his wand and said, "I don't want you to get hurt, Harry so Stupify."

Harry collapsed and Duo caught him. Harry was surprisingly heavy for a guy so skinny. Duo lifted him up and molded the shadows to the Slytherin dungeons. He opened up a closet and gently stood Harry against the wall. He knew that someone would find him soon enough and wake him up. Besides, he made sure that Harry still had his wand if it came down to that.

He shut the closet again and spun around to face a pair of silver eyes.

Malfoy said, "I'm not letting you go."

"I'm going," Duo replied as he began to walk past the blond.

Malfoy proudly lifted his chin and said, "It's a trap."

"I figured as much," Duo began as he walked into Forest's room. He picked up a .44 Super Mag and holster. He put it on and Malfoy watched.

Malfoy said, "I'm not letting you go. I don't want to see Hotaru hurt."

"I don't either, that's why I'm going to save her," Duo replied as he grabbed a hunting knife and slid it into his boots. He smirked when he looked under the bed and saw a belt full of grenades. He slid those across his shoulders and faced Malfoy.

Malfoy stated, "The Dark Lord's set up a trap. He figured that you and Potter would go look for Granger and Weasley. He has already gotten Briefs out of the way and Professor Snape, Black, and the vampire are already on their way to find him."

"Thank you," Duo replied, pausing because he didn't know his first name. He asked, "What's your first name anyway?"

Malfoy gave a small, arrogant smile and answered, "Draco."

Duo grinned and replied, "Awesome name. Thank you, Draco and I'm sorry."

"What?" Malfoy asked as Duo punched him hard enough to send him crumpling to the ground.

Duo looked at his unconscious body and replied, "For that."

******

"You really thought that you had fulled me, didn't you, Severus?" Lord Voldemort sneered where he had bound Snape to a tree.

Snape's body was a wash in cold sweat, but he said nothing. Voldemort threw back his head and he laughed. His blood red eyes sparkled in the darkness as he looked Snape over. "You are the bait, Serveus."

Snape looked at where Ron and Hermione were fast asleep and lying side by side. Crabbe and Goyle had long since transformed into their true forms and they leered at the Muggle born witch and her boyfriend. Snape felt releaved as he saw a flash of gold flicker in the tree line.

Snape counted the Death Eaters and was surprised to see that Peter Pettigrew was missing. He asked, "Where's Wormtail?"

"Sirius, Padfoot, please! I'm sorry, just don't . . ." Wormtail's voice screeched as Sirius Black entered the clearing, holding Wormtail in a choke hold.

Sirius sneered, "Let him go or I'll start killing Death Eaters."

The Death Eaters raised their wands as Voldemort laughed. He said, "You really think their lives matter to me, Mr. Black? They don't. I can always find more followers."

"And there will always be people willing to fight back," Sirius replied heroically and Snape rolled his eyes.

Snape sneered, "Damn you, fool! Now he has both of us!"

"I doubt that," Sirius replied easily as he tightened his grip on Wormtail.

Voldemort pointed his wand and stated, "Crucio."

Both Wormtail and Sirius screamed in pain. Wormtail curled up in a fetal position as Sirius managed to stand on his feet, but dropping Wormtail. Voldemort smiled and replied, "Crucio."

Sirius did fall on his knees. As he writhed in pain, the Death Eaters tied him beside Snape. Snape rolled his eyes and sneered, "It baffles the mind how you and Potter got away with everything you did with this show of sheer stupidity."

"I thought I was being brave," Sirius replied after he stoped gasping for air.

Voldemort said, "And one more thing. Acco Forest."

Forest went flying through the trees to land at Voldemort's feet. She aimed her gun at him but he disarmed her and threw it away. He stated, "Static Nocturns." Forest froze on her feet. She made no move as Voldemort smoothed her hair from his face.

He said, "You three were foolish to try to stop me. Your deaths will be meaningless. Still, she is beautiful, is she not?"

He gently ran his finger down her smooth cheek.

Sirius bellowed, "You get your bloody hands off of her you wanker!"

"Crucio," Voldemort said easily as he pointed his wand at Sirius.

Snape asked, "What do you plan to do?"

"Easily, take over the Scythe Barer's body and use him for my own. I will have the powers of Death," Voldemort answered smoothly, "And he won't resist me because I have you five in my clutches."

"Wanna a second opinion mother fucker?" a familiar voice shouted as an explosion engulfed two of the Death Eaters.

Duo Maxwell calmly stood in the clearing with a devilish grin on his gamine face, his violet eyes glowed with an unholy light. The Scythe Barer? Is he awakened? Snape thought wildly as Duo faced Voldemort down. Voldemort smiled at him and said, "You've arrived."

Duo chuckled darkly and growled, "No, the God of Death has returned from Hell, you stupid fuck." Then he threw something at him from the shoulder strap Duo was wearing.

 

*******

TBC

*******

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