Tales of a Spiritual Warrior

Chapter 16: Death March

When it grew dark, Voldemort and his followers broke camp and began their journey in earnest once more. They pressed on, swinging wide of muggle towns. With each passing hour, Voldemort grew angrier and even Draco, who spoke to his lord only when spoken to, began to feel the bite of his tongue. Only the goblins were safe from his wrath, because, while not swift, they were sturdy and did not tire.

Luna had no idea of where they were going, but she felt certain the Dark Lord had a specific destination in mind. She could only hope that Harry would be able to find her, and defeat her captor. She kept Harry's face in her mind. She longed to see that face, but was afraid of revealing the power of her pendant, so she kept it hidden. When the sun rose once again, and they were all choking from the dust in the road, they stopped in the shade of some thick trees. They had left the lowlands of the rivers behind and were now somewhere in the midlands. Luna downed the meager meal that they thrust at her, and collapsed on the ground in utter fatigue, hoping she could hold out. She had so much at stake.

Harry and his friends were just beginning their journey once more. No words were spoken unless they were absolutely necessary, and they never slowed down. They had a sense of purpose that could not be denied. Harry was determined to destroy Voldemort and get back his life. Neville wanted to avenge himself on Bellatrix Lestrange. Ginny, Ron and Hermione were running on their faith in Harry, their hopes for the wizarding world, and their determination to remain together.

They were very close to the fleeing raiders when Voldemort broke camp, but the Dark Lord was very close to where he wanted to be. "I will end it where it began," Voldemort kept repeating, and no one dared question him as to his meaning.

They entered a small valley just outside a village, and saw an old house standing on the hill ahead. Voldemort stopped, transfixed, but his reverie was soon broken. He glimpsed a group of figures at the edge of the fields behind them, and knew by instinct that Harry Potter was among them. He ordered his remaining Death Eaters to hold the pursuers back, and took Draco, Luna and the goblins ahead.

Harry saw them down in the valley, and paused when he saw four in the group drop back, while three larger members of the group, and several small ones hurried toward the house on the hill. One of the large figures was dragging along another, and Harry knew in his heart he had come to the end of his quest. He stopped in some trees at the edge of the field.

"I know this place," Harry murmured. "I know that house. I saw it once in a vision."

"Not another vision," Ron moaned.

"That is the Riddle house," Harry breathed. "This is where Riddle's father and grandparents lived. It's where he killed them, to get even with his father for deserting his mother."

"It is enchanted?" Hermione asked.

"No," said Harry, "unless he has put spells on it recently. His father was a muggle, and as late as my fourth year at Hogwarts, other muggles could enter it with no problem." He thought of Frank Bryce and shivered. "He's gone to the house with Luna, Draco and the goblins. I'm sure of it. He left Bellatrix and the other Death Eaters in the valley to slow us down."

"I see them!" Neville said excitedly. "They are all down there in that tall grass. This is lucky. We can shoot spells down at them, and they have no shelter. From where we are they will have a hard time hitting us."

Before Harry could stop him, he sent a stunning spell flying into the field.

Bellatrix Lestrange was soon heard, calling across the field. "You missed. That must be Longbottom again. Will you never learn, boy?"

"Will you never learn?" Harry called back. "You're going to lose, and in full view of you master's muggle family home. How fitting!"

"Liar!" Bellatrix screamed. "How dare you! How dare you!" She stood to throw a Cruciatus Curse. Neville collapsed screaming with pain, but an infuriated Ginny took advantage of Bellatrix's movement to hit her full force with the killing curse. Between the resentment she felt for Tom Riddle, and the love she was beginning to feel for Neville, Ginny had no problem meaning it, and Bellatrix went stiff, silent and fell down in the field.

"Ginny!" Ron looked at her with horror.

"I don't care, Ron," she hissed, going to Neville's side. "I'm sick of being the weak little baby. Say one more word to me, and you're next!"

"I agree with Ginny. It's time to end this now. I've had enough," Herimione said fiercely, and called on her specialty...fire. She cast a spell that encircled the three Death eaters with fire, which began to burn in on them. Tongues of enchanted fire became a cage, which held them and kept them from escaping

Harry looked at Ginny, unable to look at the burning circle. "Stay with Neville until he feels better. We need to get to the house."

"We'll have to crawl through the grass," Hermione said practically. "If they can see us, they will be able to attack us the way we attacked the others. We can't apparate. If we make even the smallest mistake, we'll be seen and attacked."

At the Riddle house, Voldemort told Draco to take Luna inside, and ordered the goblins to guard the outside before entering himself. The goblins stood watching, until they saw the Death Eaters Voldemort had left behind trapped in the magical fire.

"He abandoned them" one large goblin said grimly. "He will do the same to us."

"He is only using us," a second agreed. "He has power, yes, but not absolute power. He fears whoever is out there. I say leave him to them."

"But what can we do?" argued a third. "Where can we go?"

"Anywhere but here. Remember the forest. Our brothers died there. Do you want to die here?" the largest goblin retorted. "I say we live to fight another day. There is a smaller house over there," the goblin said, pointing to the caretaker's now deserted cottage. "Let us go there and watch. When we see who is winning, we will make our choice."

The goblins crept around the side of the dilapidated manor and headed for the smaller house.

No one saw Harry, Hermione and Ron creeping up to the manor, and they were surprised to find it unguarded.

"The goblins must have moved over to the other building," Harry said. "Hermione, Ron, do you think you can handle them? Don't kill them unless you have to"

"We'll certainly try," Hermione said grimly.

"Then try," Harry answered. "I'm going after Luna."

Harry slipped around to the back of the manor, and used his wand to unlock the door. He found himself in a large kitchen that was dark and smelled of decay. He checked the other doors in the room and found one that led to a hallway, which was a little bit lighter, due to the large windows on either side of the front entrance. The thick dust on the stairs leading to the second floor had been disturbed. Clutching his wand tightly, Harry crept upward.

Voldemort had taken Draco, who was still dragging Luna, to the sitting room that he and Wormtail had used previously. He lit a fire in the grate of the large fireplace, then turned, suddenly alert. "Potter is coming. I sense his presence. He is very near."

Draco gave Voldemort a fearful look, his pale face showing even more pallor than usual. "What shall I do?"

"Do nothing unless I command you. This is between Harry Potter and myself. It always has been."

"I wish my father were here," Draco muttered.

"Oh," Voldemort said conversationally. "He is dead. I felt him fall. He was dead before we left Hogwarts, if I am not mistaken."

Draco stared up in horror. "I don't believe you!"

"You don't believe me? Stupid child! How dare you? I always know. They are all dead or captured. Even your sulky little girlfriend is dead. Some I mourn the loss of, but they were only a means to an end after all...the end of Harry Potter. Once he is gone, I can start anew, with followers less foolish. Once he is gone, I will have full power of my own once more. Tomorrow belongs to me and to me alone. Now get out of my sight. I have no further use for you."

"Why are you saying these things? Why do you seek to torture me?" Draco gasped.

"You don't know what torture means, boy. Do you wish to learn?"

Draco stared at the Dark Lord, then dropping Luna's rope, threw himself down beside the fireplace, and buried his head in his hands.

Luna sat down in the large chair before the fire, wondering what would happen next.