Godslayer

Arlene Pov.

Enough chairs were conjured for them to all sit around the dining room table. Joan already told the others that the Staff of Merlin wasn’t working. Tom looked at Adrian and said, “you powered up for the fight with Dumbledore, how?”

They maintained tense eye contact. Adrian told him with a blank face, “I made a deal with something called a spirit demon.”

“A demon?” Tom raised an eyebrow.

“Close enough,” Adrian shrugged. “Not important what it’s called. It gives extra power, but it comes at a cost. The last time I used it I had to give up my animagus powers.” His eyes fell to the table. “This time…I agreed to give up my magic after the fight is over.” Adrian looked back to Tom. “I can ask mine if it knows where another is, but are you prepared to pay the price? It will ask for something personal and it will hurt.”

Tom didn’t hesitate. “This is all I have. Dumbledore ruined my life and used me to ruin thousands of other lives. I’ll do whatever it takes to bring him down.”

“I was afraid you’d say that.” Adrian stood up. “It’s weird talking to it with other people around. I’ll be back.” He walked away.

Now it was Joan’s turn to talk. “What’s our next move? We get Tom his power up, then what?”

Remus asked, “do we know where Dumbledore is heading? Or where he is now?” He looked at them all for any answer.

Tom responded, “I think he’d building forces for a small army. He knows he’s heavily out numbered now.” He gestured to all of them. “The news is getting out about his attack on the teachers of Hogwarts. He’s losing support by the minute.”

Joan added, “that means he’s gaining followers with Death Eaters and their like.”

They all nodded in agreement.

Boots hitting the floorboards signaled the return of Adrian. Rubbing behind his eyes, he walked in saying, “we need to go to the Amazon rainforest. That’s the nearest one.”

It took Arlene a second to remember why the rainforest was in her recent memories. Neville Longbottom left for the rainforest not too long ago. “I might know someone in the area.”

Remus said, “that might help, but the rainforest is huge.”

“I know the location more specifically, but it’s hard to explain without a map or being close.” Adrian raised an eyebrow. He shrugged and said, “I’ll get my atlas.”

Joan turned to her and asked, “can you get an owl to the person you know?” She nodded. “We’ll do that after this.”

“Better, we follow the owl to his location.” Adrian leaned against the table. “Owls always find their mark. It’ll make things far quicker if we follow the owl.”

Sirius asked, “how come no one else uses that method to find people then?”

Joan explained, “the owl must come from someone that the receiver loves. Otherwise, the owl can’t find the person.”

With a loud inhale, Harry said, “that’s how Hedwig always found Sirius when no one else could.”

Arlene grimaced before saying, “I like Neville as a friend, I don’t know if I can say I love him.” Everyone’s eyes fell before she went on, “I know who does love him though. We need Ginny Weasley.” Harry looked away awkwardly. “She might’ve gone back home, Luna told me that they’re sending all the students back home.”

Adrian looked up to the ceiling and explained, “so, we bring her here and have her send the owl from here, it’ll take less time than flying from England.” He looked at her before asking, “can you apparate to there? I don’t remember it well enough to do it.”

She took her time thinking on it. After reassuring herself that she could, she reassured him that she could, “I can do it.” For a while he stared at her until he relented by turning away.

“We’ll prepare for the trip while you get her. Please be safe.”

“I will be.” Arlene stood up and went outside. She focused on the Burrow as hard as she could. Pulling in every detail, every memory she could think of. Arlene spun three times. Cold rubber wrapped around her then vanished. She opened her eyes to see the Burrow before her. Relief warmed her, but she didn’t let that slow her down.

Arlene walked up to the front door and knocked. The front door opened to reveal Molly Weasley. She moved too fast for Arlene to see her expression. Firm hands grabbed her arms, and she was pulled in the house faster than she could think.

“What the-?”

“OH, THANK GOODNESS YOU’RE OKAY!” Molly Weasley held her close in an uncomfortably tight hug. Arlene patted at her, but before she could say anything Molly began blubbering, “we don’t deserve it, but I’m begging for your forgiveness. I really am the worst mother ever.” She must’ve been talking about the deal with Dumbledore. Arlene wasn’t going to make a call on that or not now. There was a mission to be done and they needed Ginny.

Pushing at Molly, she managed to gasp out, “Mrs. Weasley, now is not the time, we need Ginny for something really important.”

Molly released her and gasped, “oh, of course.” Running away, she told her, “I’ll go get her.”

Arlene fell against the doorframe and working on getting her breath back. The clock on the wall got her attention. All the hands now read home, except for the missing one. Ron’s hand would never grace the face of that clock again. By the time Ginny came down the stairs, she was standing again.

“Ginny, we have to go find Neville.” She took Ginny’s hand.

“What? Why?” Ginny’s initial happiness at seeing her disappeared.

She looked around. “I can’t explain here. I need to bring you to my house first.” She looked at her mother, who nodded with a tight face. Molly knew Arlene wouldn’t ask unless it was important. That didn’t make it easy for her to let her daughter go. “She’ll come right back. I’ll protect her with my life.”

“Hey,” Ginny pulled her attention back to her, “it’s my job to protect you.”

“No. I just need you to find Neville. After that you need to protect your family.” Arlene glared at Ginny to try and convince her to listen, but Ginny’s returning glare was stronger. Arlene turned away and said, “let’s just go.” Ginny nodded, not in a triumphant way, and Arlene teleported them away.

They reappeared on the sandy beach in front of the smaller house. Before they’d got their feet back under them, Adrian was already telling her, “Miss Weasley, we need you to send an owl to Mr. Longbottom so we may find him.” She spotted him walking down the steps to them with parchment and a muggle pen in hand. “His team can guide us to the thing we need to battle Dumbledore.”

Ginny looked between the two of them in confusion. “You’re going after Dumbledore?” An instant later she met Adrian, took the paper and pen from him, then said, “I want in.”

A jolt of fear shot through her as Adrian told her, “write a letter telling him that we need guidance through the jungle. I have a rough idea of where we need to go. We will fly there following the owl. The letter will just help him understand.” He pointed to the house. “Wait for everyone to get on a broom and we’ll follow the owl you send.”

“What are you looking for?”

Adrian turned to Arlene and told her, “we’ve got a bag and broom ready for you.”

“She’s not going with us.” Arlene glared at Adrian, but again it had no effect.

Sighing, he turned to Ginny. “You shouldn’t come with us, it’ll be too dangerous.”

Adrian turned to Arlene, but Ginny interrupted him, “no, I am going with you. You can’t stop me.”

His face twisted into a snarl. “Your mother will worry. What will I tell her if you don’t make it back?” Ginny froze at those words. She stayed like that, making no comeback. Adrian turned towards the house and began walking up the stairs.

Arlene reached out for Ginny, but she stormed off while scribbling at her letter. Her hand clenched at empty air, making a fist of frustration. Not being able to help your friends when they needed it was one of the most frustrating things ever. You knew they would apologize later, but the minutes or hours in between could be aggravating if you didn’t focus on something else.

To do just that, she went inside to find her things. No one was inside then. A lonely bag sat on the dining room table. She looked inside to find to find food and clothes in her size. She flung it over her back just as Adrian walked through the house carrying an owl. He didn’t even look at her as he passed.

Arlene scowled but didn’t say anything. She didn’t know what to say to him. He’d been rude to Ginny, but maybe to him it’d been necessary to try and convince her not to go with them. Arlene knew Ginny could handle herself and deserved to go see Neville. For whatever reason, he couldn’t see that.

Not wanting to look at him right now, she went to the back yard and found everyone else holding broomsticks. Before she had the chance to talk to anyone, everyone began mounting their brooms. Joan tossed one to Arlene and pointed towards the house. Arlene spun to see two figures rising above the house. A speck against the sky told her the owl was flying away.

“Keep up, be ready for a fight when we land.” Adrian warned them before speeding off.

Arlene rolled her eyes before joining the flight following the owl.

Eight hours later.

They couldn’t use the full speed of the brooms since the owl couldn’t fly fast for a long time. During the second half of the trip this gave her time to admire the endless sea of trees below. Tall trees, older than she could imagine towered over the floor meters below. Beautiful leafy, green foliage hid the ground from view. She’d never seen so much life in one spot. It filled her with warmth during their chilly flight. This high up, the warmth didn’t reach them.

Other than the ground below, the flight was boring. They followed the winding path of the owl that followed the air currents better than any human could. Over the endless green the owl vanished from the sky before them.

Arlene blinked in surprise, thinking it was just a trick of the light. The owl was still missing.

“Eyes on the owl!?” Adrian stopped and spun in midair. The others stopped while telling him they didn’t see the owl. “Weasley? See it?”

“No!” Ginny lost the owl too.

Arlene looked around, but nothing stood out from the sky. For a minute they circled the same spot, searching for any sign of the owl. Arlene spotted it first, a red light floating above the trees. Pointing to it, she yelled out, “what’s that?”

Everyone turned to her, then the light. “Flare!” Remus called out.

“Get to it!” Adrian sped towards the floating light.

Arlene urged her broom forward; they reached the area over the flare. Beneath the light lay an open patch of ground that revealed a group of tents below. Ginny rushed down before anyone else, flying beneath the trees. The rest of them followed slower.

As she got closer, she saw Neville standing in the center of the camp with their owl on his arm. The owl swooped away as Ginny pulled him into her arms. Arlene hit the ground as Adrian demanded, “I need to speak with the leader of this expedition.”

Arlene landed with Ginny and Neville. The two of them held each other tightly. Out of courtesy, she waited until they separated on their own to get their attention.

“Hey Neville, how’s the trip been?”

He looked around before answering, “it’s been good. We’ve been finding loads of plants I’ve never seen before.”

Before they could go any further another voice interrupted them. “Mr. Longbottom, they wish to visit the forbidden section of the forest.” They turned to see Adrian standing next to a blonde woman.

Neville’s eyes widened and he stared at Ginny. “No, no one goes there.”

“We will now.” Adrian stepped up to Neville, Tom followed him.

Tom told him, “There’s something there that we need to fight Dumbledore”

Neville cocked his head to the side. “Why would you want to do that?”

Ginny’s eyes fell. Turning to the others, she said, “give me a minute to explain things to him.” She turned back to Neville while the rest of them turned away to give them some space. Arlene looked around at all the plants around her. For a minute she could appreciate why Neville loved plants so much. The area around them was truly beautiful.

A minute later she heard Ginny announce, “Neville is going to lead us to our goal. Stay close to him.”

Turning around showed her Neville leaving his tent with a large pack on his back. With a friendly wave, he began leading them into the forest. Despite his wave, the expression on his face showed worry at what he was leading them towards. Arlene’s stomach clenched, but she followed Neville through the trees anyway.

Five hours of walking through wet, buggy, and danger ridden forest drove any idea that the forest was beautiful far from her mind. The hot, humid air made her skin constantly sticky. The mud sucked at her boots making just a normal walk painful and tiring.

The woods changed too, they went from lush and green to dark and gloomy. If the heat allowed it, there might’ve been a chill in the air. The buzz and chatter of wildlife faded. Sirius told them, “this place is wrong, we shouldn’t be here.”

Adrian, in the asshole manner he’d had all day, responded, “we keep moving.”

Neville informed the group, “this place is avoided by all, even the animals.”

“We are not animals.” Adrian didn’t even slow down. Joan moved over to him and began whispering to him, she couldn’t hear what was said. It didn’t seem to be something she liked based on how she stormed from him while waving him off in an irritated manner.

The trees cleared to reveal a clearing with no life in it. Only a pile of stones built like an altar to a forgotten god or a grave.

Adrian was the only one to get close to it. Neville stopped at the edge of the trees. “This is it, Tom, touch the stones.” Tom hesitated; he didn’t want to get close to the pile either. “RIDDLE! You want to defeat Dumbledore; this is the price.”

“I’ll do it when I’m fucking ready, Barnes!”

Tom was the first to snap back at Adrian all day. He didn’t have a response, he just crossed his arms and walked away. After a few seconds of mental preparation, Tom walked towards the stone pile. He stretched out a single hand and tapped the stones. Tom instantly vanished.

Joan yelled out, “what the fuck!?”

Tom reappeared panting and sweating heavily on all fours. Barty and Regulus ran forward to check on him, but he was already getting up. “I got it. I got the monster.” The haunted look on his face told her that it wasn’t easy. What did he have to give up getting his demon?

With Barty and Regulus’ help, Tom stood up. Adrian approached slowly and with the softest expression he wore all day. “How are you feeling?”

Tom still reeled back from him, like he saw something that the rest of them didn’t. After several tense moments, he nodded with, “yeah, just… yeah.” Arlene had to struggle to hear him. “Let’s go, we need to get this done fast.”

They returned Neville to the camp. After giving Ginny and Neville a few minutes together, they teleported back to the beach house.

Arlene’s feet hit the sand and a voice called out, “Miss Connery, please listen!”

She looked up to see a goblin with blood running down the side of his face sprinting at them. It took her a moment to recognize him as Griphook. Everyone else drew their wands, but she ran ahead of them to meet Griphook. “What’s wrong?”

“Please, it’s Dumbledore, he killed so many of us.”

Tom stood beside her and asked, “what’s he talking about.”

“Dumbledore,” Griphook went on, “he attacked the bank and forced it out of us. I’m so sorry Miss Connery.” Tears formed in his eyes. “He forced us to tell him where your castle is at. Please, forgive us.”

Arlene felt cold run down her spine. “Oh no, oh no.”

“He was so mad because he had the wrong location, like it was our fault.” Griphook went on, but Arlene stopped listening. There were far worse things coming.

She turned to everyone and ordered, “we need to get to my castle now, Dumbledore is going there and he’s going to do something horrible.”