Blood-Soaked Succession Chapter 19 (Patreon)

Chapter 19:

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"You four, return to the room of requirement and inform the others that a fleet of ships just moored in the black lake and set off every single alarm." Harry ordered without wasting time or pondering the strangeness of what he'd just said. "Also, you are in charge of the entire DA until I return, especially when it comes to any fighting that may need doing. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Harry." They said as one.

"Good. Now hurry!" He commanded. "And kill any Aurors or Death Eaters you encounter on the way back. Save us some trouble later."

They sprinted off after the word "hurry" but his final command trailed after them and he was sure they heard him.

He turned back to the window.

"Bombarda!" He hollered.

The window, windowpane and much of the wall housing both ceased to exist, and he took a step forward. He paused at the last second as an idea occurred to him. He turned his head to and from to check if anybody could see or hear him. Finding the coast clear he removed his respirator and spoke aloud.

"Mosag. If you arewatching, read my lips carefully. Collect your daughters and our centaur friends, then make your way to the black lake. I suspect these newcomers are friends, and their being here means you can escape with us sooner than I expected." He said to the spider queen, confident his message would reach her.

He replaced his respirator and retrieved a chain from around his neck. On it was the galleon enchanted to send messages to other galleon holders. Beside it was a silver sickle similarly enchanted, but whose siblings were for a less general audience. He planned to find an even more niche use for copper knuts at a later date.

He pointed his wand at it to initiate the function to heat up the siblings and signal the others that their mission was a go.

He placed the chain back under his clothes and leapt from the third floor window overlooking the cliffs facing the black lake. He enjoyed the wind as he fell some hundred meters to the fast-approaching ground, only slashing his wand at the last moment to cast an arresto mometum, landing safely on the grass below.

God, he missed Quidditch.

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Fred felt the sudden heat in his palm and closed his eyes tightly as he groaned at the mental anguish it brought.

They had all hoped that their team would merely have to remain on standby. He had been so hoping to instead feel the cold chill of ice from the sickle to signal that the Hogwarts and Hogsmeade teams and finished and were on their way home. But no. Their mission was a go.

"Alright everybody! We're up!" He yelled to the crowd of witches and wizards.

They would have taken twice as many people, but the Muggle fighters would be too vulnerable and unable to fight back against dementors.

"Magic carpets?!" He asked.

"In working order!" Draco yelled back.

"Peruvian darkness powder and goggles?" Fred asked.

"On hand and on head." Lee said as he and everyone else lowered the goggles over hteir eyes.

"PAtronus casters?"

"Approaching the frontlines now, deary." His mother told him.

She, Warbeck, Mrs Cautermole, Johnathan Cresspool, Mafalda Hopkirk and Lee Jordan joined him at the lead. The plan required them to take point with their patronus charms. Seven ought to be enough to keep the dementors at bay.

"Right then. Each of you to a magic carpet apiece. Everyone else, join a team leader." Fred commanded.

Draco and Jessica were the only people to stay behind as each of the rugs commandeered from the Malfoy storage rooms labored under the weight of five people apiece. The thirty five man assault squad lifted off the ground and aimed for Azkaban Prison, just visible from the shore.

"Malfoy, miss Roberts." Fred said, turning around to look at Draco and Jessica. "Count to thirty and launch the payload. Then get out of here. We cannot risk losing Malfoy manor ."

"Yeah, yeah." Draco said exasperatedly.

He both envied and pitied Draco. To be locked in his own home like Sirius had been was unenviable, to be sure, but not being allowed to fight was worse. At the same time, not having to battle a hundred dementors and similar number of Auror and Death Eater guards in the hope of splitting Voldemort and the ministry's attention sounded nice right about now.

He further envied the man for the circus cannon loaded with several tons of Weasley Wizard Wheezes fireworks aimed right at Azkaban. All of the remaining stock.

It wasn't fair! He wanted to fire the circus cannon! He, Goerge and Lee had worked so hard on it only for it to be a decoration all this time, but now that it was finally being used none of them would get to pull the string? This was by far the worst injustice Voldemort had ever enacted upon anyone.

"Move out!" He yelled.

And thus seven magic carpets and an equal number of white, patorni animals flew at Azkaban prison.

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Harry arrived at the beach of the black lake to find dozens of people mooring their boats. And boy was it a lot of boats. They had Roman Vessels, ancient Chinese vessels, Viking vessels, Napoleonic and revolutionary war vessels. He was thoroughly impressed by the fleet and was thoroughly pleased to spot the man leading it. He had come out expecting a fight, but hoping against one. He was right to be optimistic.

He removed his respirator as he approached.

"Victor?!" Harry called out.

He definitely hadn't expected to see the man again. He made a point of removing the resurrection stone and pocketing it, lest the Bulgarian man see the deathly hollow symbol and fly off the handle.

"I received your message on the Galleon that Hermione gifted me!" Krum yelled Jovially, reaching his arms wide to come in for a hug.

Harry motioned for Viktor to stop and brought his respirator back up to his face. The look of concern his friend gave him at the sight of his pitiful state was heartwarming.

"I am not well, Viktor, and think a hug from you may very well kill me. But I am so glad to see you again." Harry said.

Surprised? Yes. But also pleased. The confusion around him having one of those Galleons was eating at him though. When had Hermione sent that? It was a wise choice, having another Triwizard Champion as standby, but why hadn't she told him? What other schemes had she hatched in the backbground and not told him about? Meh, he was probably being paranoid. The most likely reason she'd keep it from him was because she was worried he'd tell Ron she was still in regular contact with her ex. Which he absolutely would have because it was wierd.

"What has become of you?" Viktor asked.

"War, Viktor." Harry said. "I suffered an injury, a cursed one, that cannot be undone. It will kill me in time, but until that time comes, I will fight, and I will win. Save your pity and worry for those who need it. There is no saving me, but there is saving others."

Viktor's concerned expression turned to one of confidence and pride. He nodded a very manly nod to Harry. A lot of respect going around today.

"I have the last of the fighters from the east. We lost Durmstrang just as we got your message, and opted to come back you up and fight on this, your winning front, instead of making a last stand and dying with honor, like many wanted." Viktor explained. "When given the option, wisdom wins the day."

Harry looked out at the fleet of ships beaching on the lake's edge and counted nearly two dozen.

"How many soldiers did you bring me?" He asked.

"Almost two hundred." Viktor told him.

Harry felt his jaw drop.

That was a full doubling of his forces, counting the DA. And these ones were blooded, they had experience fighting in the actual warzone. It would take time to get those who stayed at Hogwarts up to speed with teh whole killing people thing. Though if half of them are as brilliant at it as Daphne, Susan, Lavender and Patil then it shouldn't take that long.

"What do you require of me?" Victor asked. "Of us?"

Harry had to think on it on it. The Durmstrang contingent has been fighting on the battlefield for months now and were more capable of fighting the forces of Voldemort's ministry that were surely on their way now. This could provide the DA members the time they needed unaccosted to sneak through Hogsmeade. If he were to shine a spotlight on the fleet of ships moored in the black lake and make it seem like they were the only threats, that should do it. It also provided a golden opportunity to get even more people out of Hogwarts and, more importantly, out of the forbidden forest.

"I need you and yours to act as if you are the only attacking force and to prepare for a fight. It is not a fight to the death, but one of distraction and rescue. Flee before things seem overwhelming and save who you can, especially yourselves. My people are fleeing through a secret passage, but there are others who cannot join them for they do not know that tonight is the night we all go awol. Is there space on your ships to accommodate any students or faculty that may wish to join the great escape?" Harry said.

"Plenty. Provisions, on the other hand? Not really." Viktor told him.

"That can be ameliorated later. Among the refugees I will need your help extracting are three centaurs and an acromantula queen with a handful of her daughters. If there are any among your flock who can tolerate giant spiders and centaurs, I ask that you assign them to their own ship and ready it for these unorthodox guests. The acromantula queen in particular is deserving of the utmost respect as she is liable to be a most valuable ally in the fight ahead." Harry told him.

Viktor took his explanation in stride, as if bizarre and unexpected turns was exactly what he expected from Harry. He had earned such a reputation, after all.

"I myself am quite comfortable with both spiders and centaurs, I shall prepare my ship for their coming and the remainder for any students and faculty. We came here expecting a fight, if not hoping for one. We will do all that you ask." Viktor explained.

Harry nodded gratefully and turned back to look at Hogwarts. It was time to paint a target on himself and Viktor. He removed his respirator and held his wand to his throat, casting a sonorus charm.

"Attention Hogwarts!" He shook the undoubtedly already awake castle into full wakefulness. "For those of you who don't recognize my voice, my name is Harry Potter. I'm sure you've heard of me. Sadly, rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. Fortunately, I am here to spirit away all who wish to join the fight. If anybody wishing to fight Voldemort and his forces would kindly make a mad, histrionic dash to the black lake, we have a fleet of ships with five-star accommodations for everyone."

He lowered his wand, then, thinking better of it, raised it back to his throat and cast the charm again.

"Oh, and you have my permission to kill or maim anybody who tries to stop you. This is war, you can fight, or you can keep your heads down and obey. Death is a possibility for the former, a certainty for the latter. This will be your last chance. Choose wisely." He finished his speech.

Viktor and the entourage of eastern Europeans that had walked up to join them all stared at him with expressions ranging from raised eyebrows to full slack awed surprise at his dark words.

"You have a way with words, Harry. I am starting to see why you have been so much more successful in this war than us." Viktor said.

"It is called telling the truth, no matter how ugly it is." Harry explained cheekily.

He should have put the respirator back on as soon as he finished the speech. he paid for it with another coughing fit and the swimming in his vision to match. Viktor and the others reached out to offer help but he waved them off.

"You weren't kidding, you are going fast. Do you know how long you have left?" Viktor asked.

Harry glared at Viktor.

"However long it takes." He nearly growled.

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Notes:

I have decided that this month of October will be mostly devoted to finishing the first arc of Blood-Soaked Succession. Even though it gets nowhere near as much attention as it deserves, I am proud of it and want to get to the time skip for the second arc by Halloween. It is my horror story, after all.

I expect four or five more chapters and I'm writing them fast. This chapter took two days. Could have knocked it out in less, honestly. So yeah, stay tuned. I'm gonna spoil you guys these next four weeks. And I can't wait to see if I can keep the pace up.