HP: MAGICAL LIFE CHAPTER 51 (Patreon)

Chapter 51

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

Albus Dumbledore felt the Hogwarts wards shift as he felt someone apparate from the castle Hall. In all circumstances, he should have joined Edward, yet something greater was at stake here.

“You cannot wait any longer,” came the retort from his oldest friend. And Albus looked at Gellert who sat opposite to him, looking at Albus with narrowed eyes.

Albus paced around his office, his mind racing as he thought about those words. Knowing deep in his heart that Gellert was right.

“But we do not have sufficient evidence yet. I…” yet his argument was cut off.

“And there never will be,” came the quick retort from Gellert as he stood up himself.

“The ritual I gave you is ancient, older than even your alchemist friend,” and of course, Gellert knew of his relationship with Nicholas. Yet he was right. He had scoured through the man’s library and had found no additional information about the ritual.

“The only record that remains of something similar remains in the form of that children’s tale. The Tale of the Three Brothers and even that tale has been heavily changed. You cannot wait any longer,” Gellert spoke up.

And Albus sighed, thinking about those words. He reached for the piece of parchment on his desk, something which had been occupying his time for quite some time. The details of the ritual were quite clear. Dumbledore skimmed through them once more, trying to think of any other alternative. Yet none came to his mind.

The ritual Gellert had given him was ancient magic. Magic that had been phased out, deliberately because of the sheer amount of danger it posed to the very world. The Ritual was supposedly similar to one used by the Peverells, and it was a plea to summon death itself.

From what he had gathered from various sources, The Three Brothers had used the ritual to summon death for aid in their fight against the very first Dark Lord, Herpo the Foul. Albus found it quite ironic that Herpo and Tom shared quite many similarities. Both were famous Parselmouth with a high affinity for the Dark arts. Both had tried to cheat death by making Horcruxes.

“Ok, make the preparations,” Albus finally said after a sigh. Tom had made his choices, and it was time for this whole farce to end. This war had already cost them hundreds of innocent lives. It was time it all ended.

“It is good that you have made the descion. I will make the preparations but do you have the Three Gifts,” questioned Gellert and Albus stiffened at that. The Three Gifts, Death’s gifts, the Deathly Hallows, they had been a childhood dream for them at some point. And as Albus looked into his old friend’s eyes he was reminded of times when he had shared that dream with the man.

Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald, Masters of Death, controller of the hallows. Gellert had known that he was in possession of the three items, given that they were the quintescential part of the Ritual, yet had never questioned him about them previously. Dumbleodre’s gaze lingered on his friend before he slowly nodded.

He saw Gellert’s eyes lit up, before he added in a somewhat childish fasciantion.

“Can I have a look?”

Albus stilled at those words, and he had every reason to deny the man this request. Yet in the end, he couldn’t. So, he reached into hi drawer and took out the two items he had placed there.

The Resurrection Stone, sat there in a box with massive crack running through it. Despite having the Stone Albus had never had the courage to use it. The Cloak, he had borrowed from Harry was next and he saw Gellert eyes widen as he placed them on his table.

And finally, Albus took out his wand and placed it on the table completing the trifecta.

“Gods! They are magnificent!” said Gellert and Albus could see that it was only the years of discipling that kept the man opposite to him from leaping at the three items.

“Looking at them like this, I believe the ritual will work,” said Gellert and Albus nodded knowing that he was right. The three objects placed on his table were thrumming with ominous magic, magic that felt as cold as the touch of death itself.

“Ahmm!” Dumbledore coughed, breaking Gellert out of his reverie.

“I believe you need to go and make preparations,” Albus said, and Gelert nodded and left the room after giving the three Hallows a final glance.

Albus himself had his own preparations to make. He walked back and took out a coin from his pocket. It was the Order’s way of communication.

“Severus, it is time!”

0000

ELIZABETH WHITE

“AVADA KEDAVRA!”

“EXPELLIARMUS!”

BOOOOM!

And Elizabeth felt the very air rattle as an explosion rocked the whole compartment. Dust flew up everywhere, and she was forced to cover her eyes. As the air cleared up, she felt relief run through her as she saw a translucent dome covering their side of the compartment. And right there in front stood a figure with his all too familiar back to them, wand in hand, as he protected them all.

“Edward!” she found herself shouting and saw him glance back, and she stilled as she saw his eyes. They were lit up, and the very air was thick with magic.

“I have taken care of the other Death Eaters. Leave him to me and get the students out of here,” said Edward in his voice, and she wanted to protest. Yet the look in his eyes made him stop. She gritted her teeth as she saw the scared faces of the students behind him and nodded.

“Ok,” she said as she got back to her feet.

“Ho, what do we have here,” began Voldemort as he landed on the ground. The compartment roof had been blown up, and the Sunlight directly hit his face, making his snake-like features more prominent. She saw his red orbs narrow onto Edward before they widened slightly, and he snarled.

“I remember you! You! You are Dumbledore’s little pet, aren’t you!” began Voldemort as he began crackling loudly. His nasally laughs sent shivers down her spine.

“You think you can stop me by yourself! Stop Lord Voldemort!” he shouted. Suddenly, the air rippled with his voice. Though, it didn’t phase Edward at all, who simply stood there, wand in hand, staring stoically at the Dark Lord, before he slowly began.

“Your men are dead! Whatever your plan was is dead as well, and by the time I am done with you, you shall be dead too!” Edward spoke powerfully, and she saw Voldemort's face contort in fury at those words.

“You think you can kill me! I am Lord Voldemort! I am the one who has conquered death itself! You are nothing in front of me. NOTHING!” he shouted, his magic rippling through the air.

Edward looked towards her, their eyes met, and she immediately felt a probe in her Occlumency shields. She dropped the shields immediately and heard his familiar voice in her head.

“I am going to engage him, get to the kids, and get them out of here. And no matter what happens, don’t interfere,” and she gave him a small nod. She didn’t miss how; Tonks beside her nodded as well.

“They hail you as a savior as well. They think you are my equal! Perhaps it is time that you learn your place, you mutt!” Voldemort snarled as he fired a quick spell at Edward.

Edward simply slashed his wand, cutting the purple orb Voldemort had sent at him into two.

“Don’t worry, Tom. I already know where my place is in this world,” and she frowned as she heard that name. Tom. Yet the air stilled at Edward’s words, and she saw Voldemort’s face flush with fury and rage. Magic rippled through the air as his red orbs began to glow ominously.

“You dare! You dare call me by that name! I am VOLDEMORT! THE ONE WHO CONQUERED DEATH!” he snarled, and Elizabeth saw his wand blur as the area behind him lit up. Hundreds of purple orbs appeared behind the man before they began to head straight at Edward.

Much to her horror, Edward didn’t move, and she saw his lips move as he waved his wand. She didn’t hear the chant, yet there was no mistake that the spell had been cast for immediately, a blue shield appeared in front of them all, shaped in the form of a six-petal flower.

Voldemort’s orbs didn’t even make the shield budge. She saw Voldemort's face twist in anger. She watched in awe as Edward stood there nonchalantly, facing the Dark Lord, when suddenly he tilted his face slightly and spoke up mockingly.

“That all you go?”

0000

GELLERT GRINDELWALD

Gellert watched in sheer fascination as the ritual circle took shape in front of him. It wasn’t an ordinary ritual, for it was far more dangerous.

This ritual was, in a sense, his family’s legacy. This was the Peverell legacy, and this was how it had all begun. The ritual he had given Albus had been modeled on the ritual used by the Peverell brothers. A ritual that would summon death, he watched in fascination and awe as Albus placed the three Hallows at the corners of the circle.

Death was a deity, a powerful and all-encompassing deity whose manifestation was woven into the very fabric of magic itself. Voldemort had dabbled into magics he hadn’t truly understood when he had made those Horcruxes.

The Horcruxes disturbed the very magic of the world. They were a scourge, an insult to the phenomenon of death itself.

“Will this be enough?” questioned Dumbledore as he joined him, now everything ready.

“I believe so,” Gellert answered.

“Then I believe it is time we begin…..” yet even before they could begin the chant, he felt the magic in the room shift. Gellert watched in awe as the ritual circle lit and the temperature in the room dropped.

He wanted to take out his wand, yet his instincts stopped him, screaming at him that if he was to do so, he would be killed. He saw Albus pale at his side as the torches in the room went out.

The whole room shook as darkness descended upon the room. A black cloudy substance began to encompass the three Hallows before expanding out into the whole room.

As the dark, murky substance touched his body, he felt shivers run down his spine. Fear gripped his heart, and suddenly Gellert found his throat begin to constrict.

“GELLERT!” Albus shouted as he gripped his throat. He couldn't breathe!

He fell on his knees as he tried to breathe, yet all his efforts were futile as he felt a shadowy figure appear in the room.

“You dare summon me in the presence of a defiler!”

And Gellert’s vision began to blur as he heard those words.

Albus stiffened beside him as he spoke up.

“Defiler?” he questioned.

“Yes indeed. A defiler, and from what I can sense, he isn’t the only one in this world. I can sense the presence of another one!”

And then it all clicked into place. Defiler. For there was only one other person who shared the same circumstances as Gellert.

Edward.

0000

Is Gellert’s plan going to backfire? Heehee, we will have to see.

This is a bit short, but the next chap is going to be massive!