Harry Potter and the Wizards of Narhassa

Chapter 25: The Powers Within

"Any bright ideas, Potter?" exclaimed Malfoy as the sixteen Narhassa wizards fell in behind Redetyor and formed a semi-circle around the two fifteen-year-old boys.

Harry glanced quickly in Draco's direction. "You're the sly, cunning Slytherin... think of something!"

"Sorry Potter," said Draco arching a brow to the tip of his silvery bangs. "My mind just isn't on the game."

Seth folded his arms across his chest with the confidence of a victor. Harry could see that his right arm still possessed much deformity from his torment of Voldemort, though the bleeding was stopped; it was clear that magic was involved in the healing process.

"What more do I have to do, Potter?" asked Seth dourly, as he skulked forward from the group, pacing a few feet before Harry and Draco. His Narhassa students raised their hands, pointing their powerful magical talents at the two boys. "I didn't put your miserable hide in Azkaban... I saved you from Lord Voldemort... and I did not kill you when I had the chance."

Draco snorted before Harry could reply. "You know, Redetyor... I'm here too. I'm getting right sick of everyone giving accolade to just Potter. I would really like some bloody credit too! I've been just as big a pain in your arse!"

Seth lifted his upper lip and a low, throaty chuckle. "You are a toilet bug, Malfoy."

The pallid boy looked slightly miffed. "Well, that was uncalled for."

Ignoring Malfoy, Seth strode past Harry and Draco, approaching the little girl, trapped within the cone of force.

"Behold Narhassa, in all her infinite glory," began Seth placing his hands to the force field around her. The little girl watched Seth with a nervous expression.

Draco rolled his eyes and looked to Harry. "This is the part where he tries to give us a hard on by over glorifying the success of his objective."

Harry blinked twice and cast a weary glance toward Malfoy.

"So innocent looking..." trailed off Seth as he ran his fingers upon the forcefield, drawing the eyes of the young looking child. "Yet, so deadly... had Slytherin not barred her for the past eight-hundred years, I tend to wonder how things would have changed."

Seth spun around, glaring at Draco and Harry.

"Salazar would still be alive, had he not taken a mortal wound to that sword in your hand, Malfoy," continued Seth with a nod to the silvery weapon. "Well over a thousand years old and Voldemort... heh... he would be his manservant; a mere slave to the will of Narhassa."

Harry looked at Seth dangerously. "And you think you and your pitiful group of boys and girls can dominate such a power?"

Seth cackled and cracked his knuckles. "Ironically, Potter, I was just thinking that. Odds are... yes, we could... but, since you managed to interrupt my dear Carle..." Seth cast a sideways glance to Jessica, who appeared to be rather singed and was still only with one arm. "... Narhassa is not as weak as we'd like her to be."

"Oh, what a big man you are," drawled Draco arrogantly. "I'll save you the job of building up the suspense. You are going to lock us in here and release Narhassa... and make us fight her and weaken her."

Voldemort's simulacrum laughed out loud, and raised a scolding finger to Draco. "Oh no, Malfoy... I'm not going to release Narhassa." Seth turned to Harry, with a smirk upon his face. "Potter is."

Harry lurched, feeling his knees suddenly grow weak as the force of Seth's words took him aback. "Like hell I will!"

Seth fiddled around with the inside pocket of his robes and withdrew a small, round object: the Sorolith. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it over to Harry... the small ball hitting the ground by Harry's feet.

Harry lowered Ron's wand, sticking it into his robe pocket, and picked up the arcane device. This was his first time expecting it closely. The Sorolith itself was no bigger than a tennis ball, with a metallic silver paint. The cover was unremarkable all around, save at one point, where a slight indentation housed a single button, which pulsed red every few seconds.

"You delude yourself, Redetyor," said Harry with a laugh, as he calmly walked toward the nearest lava channel. "This is where your Sorolith is going."

Seth simply laughed. "No it isn't... you need the Sorolith."

Harry stood over the roaring lava down below, feeling the heat scorching his arm as he held the silvery ball over the canal.

"Like I need a lobotomy..." muttered Harry.

Harry felt his fingers slipping around the object as he prepared to end this nightmare once and for all. Without the Sorolith, the second lock over Narhassa would never be opened, and the tremendous power would never be tapped, not by the likes of Voldemort and Redetyor. His victory was all but at hand; he may die, but both Redetyor and Voldemort will have lost the day.

"You feel him inside you... don't you?" asked Seth out of the blue. "Talking to you still..."

Harry's grip suddenly tightened upon the ancient relic.

"Yeah," said Seth, taking Harry's hesitation for a 'yes'. "I do too. Your best friend is a part of us now... trapped within your mind, Harry. Voldemort feels him, I feel him... and you feel him too, Potter."

"What are you talking about?" snapped Malfoy, moving again to Harry's flank. "Toss that damn thing over, and lets see how many of these bastards we can take out before they get us!" Malfoy snorted. "It's either that, or Azkaban for me... or the Cruciatus Curse."

"I can only assume he died after I left," said Seth with a shrug as he took his eyes off Harry to examine his fingernails, a common enough of a gesture for him when he tried to remain completely aloof. "But, sure enough, I could hear his voice within my head, casting those spells, calming you the past few minutes when you felt lost... it is your friend, Potter. Somehow, you stole his life essence as it was fleeing his body... and his soul is trapped within your mind."

Harry blinked for a minute, trying his best to make some sense of Redetyor's words.

"Wait, wait," said Draco, an amused grin breaking out on his lips. "You mean Weasley is... right now... in Harry's brain?"

Seth smirked.

"Uh-huh..." Draco nodded and smiled brightly at Seth, with the same expression he might have given a three year old who had asked him if he was the Candy Man. "That is the most absurd thing I've ever heard. Harry, toss the damn thing over."

Harry nodded slowly. It was clear that Seth knew his weaknesses... and it was also clear that he would go to any length to make Harry a pawn for his cause. Giving him false hope would have worked, had Draco not been there to pull him back to reality.

Harry... he's right... said the voice of Ron Weasley within his left ear.

"Bollocks!" shouted Harry. "You are dead, Ron... you are not here." Harry's eyes watered up. "I'm going insane... that's it."

Ron's voice did not speak again.

"Harry, he's right..." said Seth, closing his eyes. "Yes, Potter... I heard it too. He's confused... he is scared; he is weak. Right now, your best friend is trapped within a black, misty room, Potter. When your mind is adamant, he does not have the strength to enter your thoughts. Only when you are indecisive can his willpower interject his own voice into your thought patterns." Seth cackled mirthlessly. "And then, once you strengthen your resolve again, he is dropped back into mute."

Harry's grip tightened again on the Sorolith.

"So, here are your choices, Potter," said Seth slyly, turning back to walk toward the ranks of Narhassa students. Even those who had been weakened by their attack upon the girl within the cone had risen to their feet and moved to join their leader.

"You can either disbelieve me, throw the Sorolith over... get yourself killed, Malfoy killed and Ron killed for good... and then, I'll hunt down your friends Granger and Camaradi because I'll have nothing better to do... and eh, why not, I'll kill Weasley's family too. Heck, without the Sorolith, seems the only way to gain power is through death and fear."

"You wouldn't!" shouted Harry.

Seth smirked devilishly. "I always find something constructive to do with my time. If I don't have Narhassa... I'll have to keep myself entertained in other ways."

Harry looked down at the Sorolith once again.

"Or," said Seth. "You can do this task for me... beat upon our little fallen angel, possibly subdue her, make me into the most powerful being the world has ever known, and walk out of here in my good graces... with instructions on how to save Weasley from yourself, using our soul-snatching Sorolith. Heck, once you are done, I'll have no need for it. You can have it... as a reward for services rendered."

Draco snorted. "You aren't very good at persuasion, are you, clone? The way you put it, option one almost sounds preferable."

"Just know that Lord Redetyor rewards those who serve him," said Seth, with a malicious leer.

Harry was completely torn with indecision as half of him told him to stop chasing foolish dreams and throw the Sorolith over. Yet, the other half of him guessed that if there was a remote chance to save Ron... it must be taken.

Harry... Ron's voice said, sounding into his ears. I... can see your thoughts... don't let Seth get the powers of Narhassa.

Without another thought, Harry walked away from the channel, the Sorolith still within his hands. Despite w

"Alright, Redetyor," said Harry shortly, his mind working fast. "If we do this, I am going to need two things from you."

"Potter, have you bloody lost your mind?" snapped Draco.

Redetyor arched his brows. "Go on."

Harry stammered slightly, as if not believing he was about to agree and release Narhassa.

"First," said Harry. "I want your word that... no matter what happens to me and Malfoy... Hermione and Sean won't be harmed."

Seth shrugged uncaringly. "Done."

"And secondly," said Harry with a sneer of contempt. "I am going to need the Swords of Slytherin."

The mention of such weapons put Seth into slight confusion. "The Swords of Slytherin?"

"The swords used by Salazar Slytherin..." clarified Harry, "...the day he imprisoned Narhassa. If our research is correct, they are still down here, somewhere."

"Seth," called out one of the boy's looking to be about a forth year. "I kicked two old looking swords off the bridge when Carle lead us down here."

Seth looked at the boy stupidly. "Well, that makes it tough to get them, now doesn't it? That has to be about two miles down!"

Harry shook his head and looked to the fourth year that spoke. He possessed dirty blonde hair and deep brown eyes, and a Welsh accent.

"Show me where exactly," said Harry.

The Narhassa boy nodded and escorted Harry out of the huge, lava dug chamber.

Four other Narhassa students fell into step behind Harry, to make certain Harry wasn't considering offing another of their kin. They made their way back through the winding corridor and back out to the elevated area with two bridges, overlooking a black abyss.

"Here," said the boy, stopping about a fourth the way across the bridge, standing still. "I'm sure of it... I slid them both to the left side and pushed them off."

The six Narhassa students, four boys and two girls of all ages watched as Harry Potter lifted his wand into the air, focusing deeply. He cleared his mind, only thinking of his objective.

"Accio Sword," he murmured under his breath as he swished the wand in the air.

And then, they waited.

It was a tense three minutes, but eventually, a glint of metal appeared within the dark abyss, rising swiftly. It was a very cold thing to look at; a cast-iron black blade forged with silver hilt and a green handle. While the sword of Gryffindor had seemed to glow with its own light with its blade sharpened off to a small, noble point, Salazar's broadsword seemed to resemble more of a rapier, with a thinner blade and a savagely sharp looking edge that seemed ready to impale the one Harry desired through the heart.

It settled in Harry's hand and at once, the Boy Who Lived could feel a dark presence harboring within him. It entered his system like a rush of anxiety, as if on a roller coaster that just went over the first, tremendous drop. And then, Harry felt confident... he felt armed and dangerous.

He felt as though, with this sword in his hand, he could move mountains.

"Accio Sword," repeated Harry, and this time, it only took a single minute as the second sword, a perfect match for the first, rocketed forth from the abyss, as if eager to be wielded once again. Harry placed his wand back into the folds of his robe and snagged the second sword with his right hand, feeling a complete rush of energy and invigoration.

Harry spun the hilts of the swords within his hands. Though he had only once held a sword within his hands, he felt as though these blades were natural extensions of his body. It was such a deep feeling; Harry could only think of one word to call it...

Trust.

He trusted that these swords would win the day for him.

With a bounce to his step, Harry turned and strolled back to the green splashed hall, where Malfoy awaited him, surrounded by Narhassa students.

"Did Weasley's death make you completely loose it?" snorted Malfoy, before even Seth could speak.

Harry crossed the two blades of Slytherin gracefully and twirled them forward again, feeling an unexplainable excitement.

Seth calmly beckoned his followers to the side of the chamber. "Whenever you two are ready," said Seth, with a devious smile upon his lips. "Keep a watch for Potter's girl and that Camaradi... in case they decide to crash this party."

Upon seeing the look on Harry's face, Seth's lost his smile. "Just wound them if they come down."

Malfoy continued staring at Harry, as if expecting an answer from him to his previous question.

"They are nearly thirty and afraid of Narhassa. We are two, Harry!" exclaimed Draco. "How can we possibly harm this thing?"

"We are a hell of a lot more than two," said Harry, his eyes alight, flickering with some alien power.

Malfoy stared at Harry. "I don't like that look in your eyes..."

Harry chuckled deeply, a sort of maddened look crossing his face. "And you think I care?"

* * * * * * * * * * *

Ron watched helplessly as he stared at Malfoy, though it was not him staring at Malfoy. Harry was staring at Malfoy, though Ron could see clearly what Harry saw. He wanted to speak to Harry, tell him something, but he couldn't. Harry wasn't listening, or couldn't hear him.

Harry's thoughts were too conclusive, and they raced across Ron's eyes like words upon a diary page. He could not will his own thoughts in, there was just no break in Harry's logic.

It had taken Ron a few minutes upon first arriving in this cold, black nether, to realize that he was in fact within Harry's mind. As far as he could tell, he had no real form, but despite lacking a physical body, Ron knew everything that made him who he was was still perfectly intact.

All he could remember was a warm feeling washing over his body; he had known he was dying. He had closed his eyes, and a few moments later, he had reopened them... and found himself here... in the middle of a black, swirling mess of nothing, with only Harry's vision in front of him, like a movie theatre.

"Once I subdue Narhassa... and take her power into the Sorolith... I will rise... The Boy Who Destroyed... The Boy Who Conquered..."

"What?!" exclaimed Ron, trying to scream. "Harry, that isn't you!"

"You are right," said a sly voice from behind him... a cold, yet undeniably human one. At first, Ron thought the voice belong to Draco Malfoy, however, Ron turned around (though he really didn't turn around... seeing as how he had no body TO turn around... instead, he just had to alter his perception to view behind instead of in front.) to see a strange, severe looking man in a green and silver robe. "Those would be my thoughts..."

"Who are you?" asked Ron, watching the man slowly come into view.

At first glance, it appeared to be Harry... but, a much older Harry, perhaps what he would look like at age thirty-five. While Harry's features were acute and staunch, this man's face was sagged with age and rounded with temperance. His raven black hair was also well tamed and slicked back... something that distinctly set him apart from Harry. And while this man had shining, emerald green eyes, he wore not black-rimmed glasses, or any sort of eyewear.

"I should ask you the same question," said the man as he strolled up next to Ron, looking out the "windows" in front of them, seeing what Harry saw as they would watch a movie. "It has been awhile since I've gotten a chance to speak with another human."

Ron kept his vision focused upon the man. "I'm Ron Weasley... why are you sending such thoughts to Harry?"

The man sighed, his thin lips parting a bit as he blew a puff of air up his face and into his hair.

"When you've been cooped up for so long, without any real hope of release... and mysteriously, it happens... you find yourself itching for some payback against the forces that put you there."

Ron shrugged. "I still don't know how it happened... one minute I was out there, next, I am in here."

"Nor I," replied the man. "But, I am not questioning my luck. I have been given a chance to, once again, affect the world of man... I shall not turn it down."

Before Ron could speak, the man extended his hand. "What is your name, boy?"

It was strange, for the moment Ron desired to shake the man's hand, it seemed his old body returned, and his own skin touched the man's hand. "Ron Weasley. Do you have a name?" asked Ron.

The man nodded slowly. "Yes. My name is Slytherin, Salazar Slytherin..."

* * * * * * * * * * *

Once I subdue Narhassa... and take her power into the Sorolith... I will rise... The Boy Who Destroyed... The Boy Who Conquered...

Harry smirked evilly as he held the swords of Slytherin before him. With a simple nod of his head, the Sorolith obediently levitated out of his robe fold and hovered before him.

"Harry..." trailed off Draco as he followed. Harry could feel Malfoy eying him, but he did not care.

"Come on Malfoy," said Harry electrically as he made his way across to the hall, where the little girl stood with wide-eyed apprehension, trapped within her cone. The Sorolith slowly orbited Harry, its silvery colors being stained green by the lighting in the room.

Don't let anyone get in your way...

Harry could feel the Sorolith reaching out to him, in order to drop the second lock, he knew all he needed to do with focus on the Sorolith. The lock would not last long.

* * * * * * * * * * *

"You aren't really Salazar Slytherin... I mean, THE Salazar Slytherin... the founder of Hogwarts, right?" asked Ron, running his words together like Dobby the House Elf.

The man shrugged slowly. "I am his impression... the part of him he left within his swords. The boy who wields the swords must be my descendent; in spirit if not in blood. My essence flows through him and his lineage is pure. Thus, my sway over him is great."

Before Ron could reply, the impression of Slytherin began to speak again.

"Don't let anyone get in your way," hissed Slytherin as the words leapt out of his mouth visibly, and jammed themselves into Harry's logical process, as it flew by Ron's eyes.

Ron looked at him with horror. "What are you doing to him?"

Slytherin looked back to Ron, a look of pure ennui upon his face. "I'm giving him the weapons that he will need to defeat Narhassa... anger, hatred and recklessness."

Ron's spirit stared at him dubiously. "Why do you want him to take the powers of Narhassa for himself... after what they did to you?"

Slytherin stared ahead, licking his thin lips and blinking his emerald green eyes at Harry's vision ahead of him. Harry was staring at the young girl, and still willing the Sorolith to break the second lock.

"Ron Weasley..." said Slytherin, speaking calmly, without passion or prejudice. "I had a dream, long ago. I dreamed once that wizards would rule the world, out in the open, enjoying the same pleasures that the Muggles do... with no burden to shoulder; I dreamed wizards would be able to sit on a beach and use a Sunblocking Charm without having to Memory Charm any stupid muggle that might have seen it."

Still hardly believing that he was talking to THE Salazar Slytherin, Ron could barely formulate a response. However, Slytherin must have been able to see Ron just as clearly as Ron saw Slytherin, for he read the look of disgust that would have been on his face.

"I expect such sentiments from a student of Godric," said Slytherin lazily, eying the spot on Ron's body that would have had his Gryffindor patch, right over his heart. "If this... Harry Potter we appear to be within takes the power of Narhassa for his own, there will be no one to stop him. Godric was there to stop me, but no one will oppose this one. I will be alone within this boy's mind, and my dream will finally come true."

Ron gawked with disbelief. "You would use Harry to kill all the Muggles and Muggle-born in the world?"

Slytherin ran a thin, pale hand through his sleek, black hair. "You make it sound as though that is a bad thing. Do you know how many wizards and witches have died by the hands of Muggles? My own mother and father were both stoned to death by a mob. Do you know that, before the turn of the millennia, during the Dark Ages, there were Muggles devoted to the supernatural. They found a wizard's weakness was their wand... and could exploit it. As such, they taught the uneducated masses, and led a genocide of which my whole family was a part of."

Ron reminded himself that he had to hate Salazar Slytherin, but he could not help but be lulled into listening his words.

"After knowing Muggles are capable of such acts, how can you not wish them purged from the face of this realm?" asked Slytherin.

Ron exhaled vehemently, as if he had been holding his breath for minutes. "Not every Muggle is bad!"

"Looking at Muggles individually," continued Slytherin. "You are right. A person is smart and can win a place in ones heart." Slythern's face became a shell of disgust. "When looked at on the whole, they are stupid, panicky and ruthless against those they fear... and thus, would need to be wiped out on the whole."

Ron glared at Slytherin. "I'm not going to let you possess my best friend!"

The figment laughed out loud; an arrogant, blood-thirsty cry that echoed in the swirling darkness of Harry's mind.

"And what are you going to do, Ron Weasley... it isn't like you can stop me..."

* * * * * * * * * * *

And then, it happened.

With a sizzle and hiss of power, the Sorolith emitted a red blast energy that shot forth from the red button on the side, smashing explosively into the cone surrounding Narhassa. The sheer force of the impact rocked Harry and Draco back on their heels as the entire hall shook with a resounding boom.

When the light cleared, a split second later... the little girl that stood before them was no more; she was gone.

"Err," began Draco, scratching his head. "I think you hit it a bit too hard."

Harry could feel the hairs on the back of his neck ridding up as the tension in the air mounted. The humming and the chanting that seemed to always be present had stopped... and all was very quiet.

Redetyor and the rest of the group that watched from the other side of the hall looked around in confusion.

Yet, Harry tightened his grip on the sword. "No, Malfoy... she is just stretching out before attempting to rip us to shreds."

And then, a resounding slam echoed from all the way across the room. Harry and Draco whirled around to see what was making the noise when they heard Carle scream.

"The room just sealed itself! We are trapped!"

And then, Harry heard it... it was the sound of a young girl, echoing across the entire hallway, loudly and resoundingly, striking discord within his entire being.

"Thank you for releasing me," cooed the sweet, innocent sounding voice. "Now, you are all going to die... your souls will feed my return!"

* * * * * * * * * * *

"Sean!" screamed Hermione as they flew away from Ben Nevis, side by side. Sean had honored Harry's request to take Hermione and go, and despite her proclivities about leaving Harry, she had finally caved in. "Look!"

The moon in the night sky fizzled and warped before their very eyes, turning the color of blood.

At then, the entire sky lit up with streaks of white light, shooting across the night sky.

"A meteor shower," said Hermione slowly.

Sean swallowed nervously from his own broom. "The moon is bleeding... and the stars are falling."

Hermione turned from the sky back to Sean.

"Narhassa is free... the Dark Times have begun."

Hermione's eyes widened with confusion and terror. "Oh no, please... does that mean Harry's de..."

Sean bit his own lips in an effort to keep a level head. "It just means Narhassa is freed. He probably didn't get down there soon enough to stop it... he'll be fine!"

Yet, Sean was not sure who he was trying to convince, Hermione or himself.

* * * * * * * * * * *

And suddenly, the hall shook violently once again.

"What the..." began Malfoy, however, he was suddenly cut off as the sound culminated into the roar of fire.

Harry's eyes widened with disbelief as lava shot up from each of the canals, in a huge explosion, sending down sparse droplets of fire all around the room. Doing the only thing Harry could think of, he crossed the swords of Salazar Slytherin over his head as a thin, dispersed rain descended down upon him.

Draco copied Harry's movement, using the sword of Gryffindor to shield himself from the lava as best as it could.

While Draco and Harry, with a bit of luck on their side, escaped all but unscathed by the dispersed fiery rain, many of the Narhassa students went down screaming, sporting severe burns all over their bodies. Seth and Carle both looked terrified as they continued working on the door, trying to flee.

Harry turned to face Malfoy as the ground around them boiled and scalded from the droplets of magma. Malfoy seemed positively spooked... and soon, Harry figured out why.

"DUCK!" shouted Draco, as he suddenly backed away from Harry.

The hair on the back of Harry's neck rose, and his head went down just in time to avoid the colossal swing of a energetic, crimson blade that would have cleanly severed it.

Harry spun around, leaping backwards to put his assailant in front of him. When he beheld the figure before him, there was no doubt that it was Narhassa.

The little girl they had seen within the cone of green force was definitely a mere illusion... for her real form was far more intimidating. She was a woman with long, raven black hair that flowed gracefully down her back, swirling about her midsection in the fearsome wind that ripped across the hall. Her eyes illuminated a fierce shade of amber and were slit like a cat's. She was clad from head to toe in a tight, revealing leather suit with a long, black cape. The uniform possessed one spiked shoulder pad, which seemed to be well suited for slamming someone, and impaling them dead. Had the woman not been holding a fiercely glowing red sword within her hand, and starting at Harry with it... he would have been quite turned on.

Remaining as silent as the night, she took a rip at Harry's midsection, forcing the young Seeker to leap backward out of reach.

Draco came in at her from the flank, swinging the sword of Gryffindor above his neck level. Harry was amazed with the practiced grace that Draco had about him... for he seemed no stranger to sword fighting. Narhassa threw up her own sword with one hand, deflecting Draco's slice over her left shoulder, causing a shower of sparks. She drove her free hand into Draco's face and spun around on one foot, delivering a fierce roundhouse to his chest, dropping him to his knees.

Yet, before she could make good on her attack, Harry was back at her, swinging his two blades in a circular routine, with the left blade cutting across her collarbone, and the right blade hooking underneath in a gut slice. Narhassa spun around, deflecting Harry's low shot with a well placed parry, and avoiding Harry's shoulder slice by tangling his sword within her black cape.

Harry could feel his anger and hate taking the driver's seat. It was Narhassa who had caused all of this. Had Narhassa never existed to destroy... he would have never met Jessica... he would have not been in a swordfight, fighting for his life, and finally, Ron would still be alive.

Good... said a voice from within... Release your anger...

And Harry did just that. With a roar of defiance, he pressed on his attack... the blades within his hands becoming much lighter and much faster as knowledge on attack routines, parries, offense and defense came unbidden into his brain. Harry's fighting stance became crouched and very fluent, each of his muscles working in harmony with the rest of his body.

He slithered like a serpent.

Harry spun one of the blades in his hands, delivering a low-high cut aimed to slice from gut to neck with one sword as he stepped in with his other blade, delivering another headshot.

Narhassa danced with him, following his lead like a practiced routine. She backed off, moving her own single, huge sword with the grace of one who had practiced for eons. Steel rang against steel as Harry's indigo blades clashed with her glowing red sword; a waltz of flashing metal to all those watching.

Draco, having recovered from his quick combo, worked around Narhassa's flank, delivering a combination of three jabs, aimed at her shoulder, while Harry split stepped and leapt to Narhassa's side, leading with two impressive cuts.

In an unexpected move, Narhassa leapt into the air, flipping forward in a head-over heels twist, and cutting her sword across like a pengellium, slicing at each of the boys as they hit only air with their respective attacks.

Draco deflected her shot, both hands on Gryffindor's sword... however, Harry, parrying with his left arm, was found lacking in strength as one of his swords skittered out of his hands, and spun across the floor.

"Accio Sw..." began Harry, but he could not get the words out as Narhassa pressed on him, lashing out furiously with her Great Sword in a devastating overhead chomp.

Harry desperately grabbed his remaining blade with both hands, meeting Narhassa's chop at shoulder level. A shower of sparks flew away from the battle, picked up by the savage wind. Harry and Narhassa locked their blades, with Narhassa having a distinct advantage due to her blade's size.

Draco came on from the side, but a quick kick from the fallen angel deterred him long enough.

Harry yelped in pain as Narhassa's quick feet dug themselves into his thigh. His grip on his sword faltered as he was propelled backwards by the force, tumbling across the ground, but quickly recovering to his feet in a move no doubt given to him by the unlocked anger and hatred.

Not having time to go for his swords, Harry thought quickly as Narhassa pressed on the now weaponless Harry.

"Accio Wands!" he demanded as he tumbled forward, underneath Narhassa's swing. Both of his wands flew out of his robe, locking themselves into Harry's grip.

Harry came up with a kick, aimed both of his wands at Narhassa, and let off a stream of words from his mouth. Ron's voice joined Harry's as well, sounding completely strained and weary, though Harry didn't pay it much heed.

Narhassa steadied her sword in front of the color bombardment and began rapidly deflecting Harry's spells as they shot forth upon her. She moved with super human speed and Harry was forced to dive out of the way of his own Stunning Charm, as she reflected it right back at him.

Alright, that isn't going to work!

But Narhassa was not allowed to follow up on this as Draco moved back at her flank with natural grace, slicing at her hip... and landing a brutal looking cut.

Narhassa let out a strangled cry as the Sword of Gryffindor dug into her side, shooting blackened blood out of the wound. Yet, the wound was not enough to stop the superhuman being as she rounded on Draco, delivering a quick series of slashes with her longer blade, forcing Draco to begin backing off rapidly.

"Accio Swords!" demanded Harry as he shoved both of his wands back into his robe. Both of his swords rose from the ground and leapt into his hands. He twirled them both confidently as they returned.

Narhassa swung at Draco with a cross body slash, aiming to split him diagonally. Yet, the pallid boy was too quick for her as he leapt back...

... and right off the edge of a lava canal with a scream.

Harry, while racing over to aid him, saw Draco drop the sword of Gryffindor, which spiraled down into boiling magma below. Draco barely was able to save himself as he grabbed a hold upon the side of the chasm, teetering with certain doom.

Narhassa smirked down at Draco evilly and raised her sword to cleave off his fingers, which would surely send him plummeting down into the lava below. Harry, while fast and extremely determined... was just not going to make it in time to save Draco's life.

Release your hate... and see the solution.

Harry needed no further coaxing as he screamed with all his frustration. Draco was not going to die here... while Harry admitted he held no love or even like for the body, he was his ally, just as Cedric was. It was not going to come to his death... not this time.

Suddenly seeing the solution clearly, but needing the power, Harry drew deep from all his reservoirs of frustration, angst, hatred and anger. His early childhood and his life with the Dursley's was enough to bury what was left of his goodness and selflessness as he drew both blades back behind him and held them perpendicular to his body. With a defying scream, he shot his arms forward, releasing the blades of Slytherin.

Both blades whipped out of Harry's hand, spinning like helicopter propellers, right for Narhassa's back. The fallen angel was quick to turn, hearing the sudden whooshing behind her...

... and was in perfect time to catch both blades through her chest, followed shortly by a charging Harry. Narhassa's sword clattered to the ground by her feet and missing Draco's fingers as he clasped onto the ledge... like his life depended upon it.

Narhassa dropped her jaw as her amber eyes widened with what could only be disbelief.

Following through, with all of his hate in the driver's seat, Harry drew both blades from Narhassa's chest, and before he realized what he was doing, crossed them both at head level with a savage grunt, separating the woman's head from her shoulders with an awful gout of brackish liquid.

"Go back to hell!" sneered Harry. "And give my regards to Barty Crouch!"

He shoved the failing body over the side of the lava chasm, where it careened down and landed with a splash, quickly burning away with a vile, red smoke.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Draco's mind was a total blur, but one thought continued to repeat within his brain.

Hold on... hold on...

Harry's hands suddenly appeared over the lip of the canal, grasping onto Draco's. With an effortless pull by the raven-haired boy, Draco was yanked up over the lip of the lava channel and helped to his feet by Harry.

Oh thank god...

Yet Draco, a Malfoy to the end, was not about to thank Harry for saving his life, or even seem that positively elated about the prospect. Instead, he just looked up and stared at his rescuer.

Harry's eyes were closed, as if in quiet reflection of the dead they had done.

"Good show, Harry!" exclaimed Draco breathlessly, holding out his hand. "I cannot BELIEVE we won. It IS better to be lucky than good."

And then, Harry opened his eyes causing Draco to start, and nearly fall back into the lava. In place of his usual kind, emerald green pupils... there was nothing but a solid, green glow.

"Draco..." hissed Harry, in a voice that sounded magnified with a grating, hollow hiss. The tone was loud enough and dense enough to reverberate through the hall. "We are not done."

Both black blades suddenly burst into black flames as he turned about, and moved toward the Narhassa kids. Only about half were still standing, for the droplets of magma burned many, though everyone seemed alive. Redetyor and Carle both watched Harry with confused disdain as he approached.

"Justice will be paid in full..." roared Harry, his tone sending chills down even Draco's spine. "... and the price is exactly twenty-eight more deaths."

* * * * * * * * * * *

"Justice will be paid in full... and the price is exactly twenty-eight more deaths," said Salazar Slytherin, sneering with contempt.

"Stop it!" cried Ron, loudly, protesting vehemently. "Don't make Harry do that... he's not like that!"

Salazar turned his head to Ron, his own eyes glowing solid green. "These kids tried to get him killed!" snapped Salazar. "They forced him to fight a fight he would have never won had it not been for me..."

A slight grin broke out onto his face.

"... and on top of that, they are pathetic Muggles!"

Ron, no longer feeling afraid willed himself to walk over to Slytherin, passing through the swirling, black mists of Harry's mind.

"You have no right to do this, Slytherin!" shouted Ron. "Let him go!"

Slytherin glared mirthlessly out of Harry's eyes. "Not a chance. He is mine now."

* * * * * * * * * * *

"Um, Potter... not to get too personal," began Malfoy as he calmly walked after Harry, "but I believe you've officially gone insane and damn, how DO you get your eyes to do that?"

Harry turned around briefly, examining Draco like he was an insect with his solid, glowing green eyes.

"Magic," said Harry, his voice reverberating with a gravelly, evil reverberation.

Malfoy sighed and held up his hands, taking a few steps back. "It's better to serve evil than to stand in its path."

Without another word, Harry continued walking toward the Narhassa students, his swords crossed and steaming with black fire. The students that were capable of moving yelled with terror and scattered around the room while the ones on the ground, crying from burn injuries, made a show of crawling away from Harry, their eyes widened with fear.

"Oh god!" cried Carle as she pressed herself against the door, still holding her left arm in her right hand.

Yet, Seth was not going to be taken down so easily.

"That's close enough, Potter!" he shouted, holding out his hand. "You may have gotten lucky against Narhassa... but... but... you won't survive me?"

Seth must of realized what he said was counterproductive seeing as how he stuttered for the first time Harry had ever heard. This only caused Harry to quicken his step toward him, his swords seeming all too eager to impale his hide.

"Fine... I'll stop you!" said Seth, extending his hand. "Take this!"

... nothing happened.

Seth blinked and wiggled his fingers, now beginning to panic.

Harry closed the distance between them and drove the hilt of his left sword into Redetyor's face, falling him to the ground.

"Narhassa's dead... you have no power..." drawled Harry evilly, his voice oscillating with cruelty. "Any last words before I cut you open?"

Seth looked up at Harry, his eyes wide with terror.

"Please, I'll give you anything you want... let me live!"

Harry smirked cruelly at him, as if he didn't even hear him. "Nope, I didn't think so."

The Boy Who Lived raised his left sword and prepared to drive it through Redetyor's gut. Yet, something within him stayed his hand for just a moment. It was not that he did not wish to do it; he wanted his sword to stick through Seth; he wanted to see his blood spill to the ground; he wanted to avenge his best friend.

But, it was wrong. Something about this was wrong and once again, Harry lapsed into indecision.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Ron gasped as he saw Harry's lapse in his thought process. Realizing that this was perhaps the last chance to save his friend, his own resolve strengthened to the point of a sledgehammer.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Harry! Don't listen! Don't kill someone like this... Salazar Slytherin... he has possessed you! Fight the urge to kill him! Don't hate; don't be angry!

Ron's voice was so amazingly clear in his ears that he turned around, half-expecting to see him, standing at his flank or behind him. Harry's glowing green eyes flickered for a moment with recognition.

Seth stared up at Harry, terror so clearly written in his eyes.

That is the voice of Narhassa, said the second voice in Harry's head. She is still alive and means to deceive you into thinking there is still hope. Kill off those who killed your best friend... see justice done!

Harry nodded slowly and made a show of raising the blade again, though something about how familiar and how alive Ron's voice was within his head made him quite unsure.

Harry... you ARE NOT a dark wizard... and NEVER will be. Ron's voice cried out again, ringing like gong within Harry's head.

Harry again blinked his glowing eyes and lowered the sword.

"What is going on..." he murmured quietly to himself.

Kill him, cried the second voice.

Harry, I'm still alive... continued Ron, his voice sounding desperate. You are my best friend and always will be. If my friendship means anything to you, don't slay these kids in cold blood.

Harry could feel his eyes tearing up, even if the solid color would not show it.

"But, Ron," whispered Harry, drawing a look from Redetyor as confused as it was nervous now, "I saw you die... you died in my arms..."

Harry, Ron is dead, don't waste your time talking to Narhassa... kill these boys and bury your emotions deep down, dictated the second, more mature voice.

Don't ask me how I am still alive, Harry, continued Ron, The last thing I remember was you putting your head to mine... and then I went unconscious... then, the next thing I realize, I am inside this place... looking out of your eyes.

Harry ran his finger along his forehead, where he had touched Ron. This, invariably led to him running his finger across his scar, bringing him back to Ron's last seconds of life.

He had not even realized it at the time, but his scar had hurt the second he made connection with Ron's forehead. Was there even a chance that, whatever caused that pain... also might have caused Ron to leave his own body and enter his mind?

"Prove to me..." said Harry softly, the terror in Redetyor's face being replaced by outright bewilderment. "Prove to me it is really you..."

The sound of Ron's laughter filled his ears, now drowning out the bellowing rage of the second figure.

Did you like my Dislocating Charm on your ex-girlfriend?

A tear fell down Harry's glowing green eyes as he laughed out loud, his hatred and his anger fleeing his soul and replaced by one emotion... hope.

Harry glanced down to his hands, seeing the cursed blades of Slytherin... flaming with black fire within his grip.

Harry... don't listen... kill them, it is the only way... cried the second voice, sounding so weak and distant within his head.

The blades seemed so heavy and awkward within his hands. Harry turned around and began walking away from Seth, drawing a simple nod from Draco. He slowly meandered over to the side of a lava canal, taking his time and driving the indecision out of his mind.

"This is for you, Ron," said Harry, a smile breaking out onto his face.

Ron was quiet, and Harry knew why... he had never once been surer of anything in his life than the action he was about to undertake.

With a slow, but purposeful motion, Harry extended his arms over the magma... and released the swords of Slytherin, watching them drop down into the lava below. Harry felt weakened as the blades splashed down and vanished beneath the surface of the red hot liquid, but he could not deny the feeling of righteousness creeping back into his chest.

The door leading out of the chamber of Narhassa slowly slid open with a grinding squeal. Little did Harry know, but after the death of Narhassa, apparently he was the only force keeping it intact.

Harry blinked his emerald green eyes, for they had now returned to their normal color.

I am not a dark wizard, and never will be.