Chapter 4
They walked in and stared in awe.
Before them stood a regal looking entrance with a large gilded staircase. It was something from a fantasy. Needless to say, it was extravagant.
“This is so bloody strange.” Ron turned to Harry, “Where is the school?”
Harry shrugged, “How should I know?”
Ron looked around again before turning back to him, “The sign said Hogwarts, right?”
Harry nodded.
Ron stared at him, “What the hell is going on?”
The loud clunking of metal interrupted their conversation.
“HALT!” Large guards covered head to toe in metal armor.
Harry and Ron both backed up, only to be stopped by more guards.
“What’s-What’s going on?”
Harry stood frozen as a guard slammed a shield in the red-headed boy’s head, knocking him out.
Harry didn’t even have a chance before a shield was aimed at her face and then-
Darkness.
.
.
.
.
“..ey…Hey…Wake up!”
Harry jerked awake. He opened his eyes to see blue eyes staring at him, concerned. He sat up and looked around at the medieval-looking jail cell.
“Are you okay?”
Harry shook his head to clear his thoughts, “Where are we?”
Ron let out a frustrated sigh, “No clue! I just woke up a couple minutes before you!” He groaned, “I don’t get it! Is this some sort of movie set?”
A scream startled them out of their calm discussion.
They rushed to the cell door and could hear so many more horrifying screams.
“What the-What the hell is going on?!”
The clanking of metal alerted them to the approaching guards and they quickly backed away as they came into vision.
One guard stood in front of the others, “You have been charged with trespassing. As such, you have been sentenced to death.”
“What?!” Ron bellowed and Harry agreed with the sentiment.
“You should be grateful,” A strangely familiar but distorted voice spoke as a vaguely familiar man with burning yellow eyes came from behind the guards, “There are many things worse than death.”
Ron recoiled, “Crouch?!”
The man in question looked at the boy with contempt, “To think the intruder would be you, Weasley. I guess you haven’t learned your lesson yet.”
Ron’s face turned red with anger.
‘Crouch’ turned to Harry, “And you’ve brought a friend? How pathetic of you.”
“You’ve gone mad!” Ron shouted.
The man narrowed his burning eyes at Ron, “How dare you!” He turned to the guards, “Open the door.”
“Wait,” Ron backed up in fear as the cage door was opened, allowing the so-called ‘king’ and his guards in. The guards surrounded Ron.
Ron looked at Harry, pleadingly, “Don’t worry about me! Go!” But, Harry couldn’t. He was frozen in fear as he watched one punch the boy’s gut.
“Go!” Ron choked out.
The man smirked at Harry, “Too scared to run away? Then stand and watch.”
Some of his guards held Ron up as he began to hit him while the rest held Harry against the wall.
After a few hits, Ron was thrown to the ground and kicked in the gut.
“You’re not worth the energy!” The man sneered, “I think I’ll end you right here.”
Harry couldn’t help but shout, “Stop it!”
The man turned to Harry, “What? Don’t you know who I am?” The man slammed his fist into Harry’s face, the guards held him still against the wall.
‘Crouch’ turned back to Ron, approaching him slowly with a smirk as the boy squeaked in fear.
“I don’t want to die!” the red-headed boy pleaded to the yellow-eyed man, trying to crawl backwards.
Harry stared in horror at the sight, freezing in the guards clutches. He couldn’t look away. Not until he saw it.
A glowing blue butterfly.
A voice of a young girl echoed through his mind,
“This is truly unjust, is it not? Your chance of winning is basically non-existent. However, if you can hear my voice, there may yet be hope for you, after all.”
As that voice faded away, another took its place,
“What are you waiting for?” This voice was far different from the last. Its deep voice startled him.
”Are you just going to watch as another dies in your stead? Will you truly do nothing? If so, do you regret your previous choice?”
The image of that woman getting harassed flashed in his head.
“No…I don’t!”
The voice seemed to think for a moment,
“I see…Very well! You have shown me your resolve.”
A shooting pain shot through his head and he began to struggles as the guards held his tightly to the wall,
“Too long have you lived believing yourself to be weak and worthless. That is what the other you within Screams.”
Harry’s own screams felt muted compared to the voice.
“Now that you have pulled your strength from the chains that once held it, it is time to seal our contract and call me forth.”
His struggles seemed to slow.
“Show them your strength and make them pay for all those they have hurt and used! Even if you shall be chained to hell! I am thou, thou art I!”
Before the guards could hurt the boy, Harry shouted, “That’s enough!”
The man turned to him, yellow eyes glowing in contempt, “I see, you want to be killed so much, then?” He nodded to the guards and at once they struck him, his glasses falling to the floor.
Before they could strike him with their swords, Harry’s eyes widened as a strong wind seemed to blow them away. As Harry looked up once again, his hands raised to the new found weight on his face.
His fingers traced a cold surface,
A mask
As he gained a hold on the edge, he knew what he had to do. He had to get it off.
When he starts to pull, however, Harry felt as if he was pulling his own skin off. He didn’t stop, though, until it was ripped clean off. He screamed as blood poured down his face.
After a moment, though, a rush of power surged through him and he smirked as blue flames surrounded him.
As the flames dispersed a figure in red and black appeared behind him, but he felt no fear.
The man that was ordering his death just a moment ago now cowered in fear.
Now, Harry could get a better look at the figure. It had sharp claws and large black wings. It’s face, if you could call it that, was black with flame like carvings illuminating it.
“I am Arsene! Pillager of Twilight!” It said with flourish, “My power is yours. Use it how you wish.”
The guards seemed to melt into creepy floating pumpkin creatures.
Still, he felt no fear. In fact, for the first time ever, he felt strong, “I will show you how strong I really am. Let’s destroy them, Arsene!”
He didn’t know how he knew what to do. It was like an instinct when he spoke,
“Eiha!”
As if his words had power, red light swirled around one of them and seemed to make them melt.
The remaining creature sent fire at him. It burned. It only took a moment to attack back.
“Eiha!”
Again, it melted.
Ron finally managed to stand, “W-What just happened?!”
“I don’t-”
‘Crouch’ interrupted as he stood,
“I’ll have you both executed!”
Ron, in a moment of courage, runs and slams into the man, effectively knocking him down.
“Holy shit!” Ron exclaimed, seemingly impressed with himself. That’s when Harry saw the keys on the floor.
“Lock the cell!” Ron turned to look at the keys as well.
“These, right?” He quickly scooped them up and the two boys rushed out of the cell, locking the man inside.
“W-What was that?! And what are you wearing?!”
Harry looked down at himself. Red gloves, black ankle-length coat, black boots, and deep gray shirt and pants. Within a moment, the flames appeared once more, taking the outfit away leaving his school uniform.
“What the-” ‘Crouch’ interrupted Ron’s panic as he stood,
“You thieves!”
The two quickly rush off. Now matter where they went, it was like a maze with motes and cells.
Cells with crying people in them.
They finally reached a tower with stairs.
“This has to be the exit, right?” Ron huffed as they rushed up the spiral staircase. As they opened the door, though, they were met with more of the same as below.
“How big is this place?!”
They traversed the weird terrain along the cells until they reached a dead end.
“Shit! Another dead end!”
“Hey! Loud Mouth and Wild Hair!”
The two boys turn to see-
“AHH, MONSTER CAT!”