The Phoenix and the Serpent

The Phoenix and the Serpent

The entire Harry Potter universe belongs to J. K. Rowling. Any original characters belong to the author and may not be used without permission.

Chapter XIX: Sleight of Hand, Sleight of Mind

Endgame, thought Remus. This was the endgame play. Sirius knew it too--Remus could see it from the hungry glint in his eyes.

The night wind whistled through the cedar branches as the two of them gazed out from the bushes, marking every detail of the scene before them. The remaining Death Eaters had camped at the site of what may have once been a rock quarry: a tall cliff of tan-colored rock, the sheared side of a mountain, towered over the handful of figures huddled near the tiny fire. Huge boulders, each at least twenty feet high, flanked the sides of the camp and formed a natural cul-de-sac. A sentry stood on each boulder, hoods facing the line of trees where the forest began again. Between this line and the camp lay some thirty paces of open grassland.

"They're clever, you have to hand them that," Remus muttered as he eyed the terrain. "We'll have a difficult time attacking them even from our higher ground, what with those rocks surrounding them. They're wary and well-entrenched."

"But they're also tired, dispirited, and vastly outnumbered," Sirius added, his smile flashing in the gloom.

He was right. The previous attack on the Death Eaters had been a complete success: as Sirius had predicted, the louts hadn't known what hit them. While the enemy had been descending a steep hill, the Order charged into the rear guard from behind, neutralizing them before most could even turn around. Then the Order swarmed down the hill to assault the main group.

To the Death Eaters' credit, their captain was quick. He immediately put up an organized defense, fending off the Order for a good while. It was clear, however, that the high ground had given the attackers the upper hand. Skirmishing to the edge of the woods, the Death Eater captain conjured a wall of ice to hold off the Order and called for a full retreat. They managed to flee, but as a shadow of their former strength. Only 10 Death Eaters remained.

This time, Sirius was not going to let them get away.

"You're certain you want to go through with this?" Remus asked.

Sirius nodded. "Their captain might have information on Harry's whereabouts. And even if he doesn't, I don't want him around to ambush us while we're combing the forest."

Despite his misgivings, Remus had to agree with him on one thing. Whoever he was, that Death Eater captain had proven himself a capable man, and had to be removed as a threat.

"Very well. When you're ready, Captain."

Sirius drew his wand, grinning. "I was born ready." He gave a whippoorwill cry, and answering whistles sounded from nearby. The bushes behind them parted as the Golems Riders emerged.

The Golems, stone giants that had been so instrumental in their first victory against the Dark Army, had undergone some redesigns. On Lyle's instructions, Mundungus had added flat surfaces on their upper backs to allow wizards to sit comfortably on their shoulders. The wizard riding the Golem would protect his mount from magical attacks, and the Golem's physical size and strength would defend its rider from close combat with the deadly Weepers. As proven by yesterday's battle, this combination was near unstoppable.

A Golem stopped beside Sirius, who clambered onto its back. "Mount up, Moony. The view up here's better when smashing through Death Eaters."

Remus shook his head. "I'd much rather run, if you don't mind. I've always felt clumsy riding those things."

"Suit yourself." Sirius looked around at his men. "Front line, form up!"

Shoulder to shoulder, the nine Golem riders formed a single line. The rest of the platoon gathered behind them. All turned their gazes at the sallow little fire of the enemy camp.

Abruptly, Sirius turned to Remus and said, "You know what I hate most about being a wanted man, Moony?"

Surprised, Remus said, "Er...constantly worn-out shoes?"

He shook his head. "Not being able to get a woman. Fifteen years of involuntary chastity--I've really seen hell."

Remus laughed, the tension leaving him for the moment. "Glad to see Azkaban hasn't killed the wencher in you!"

"It'll be the last bit of my sanity to go. So you can see why I'm eager to finish this war. I'm finding myself a girlfriend before I turn into a dried-up old prune."

"You have to survive the war first, you know. I'd like you keep that in mind before we go charging into the fray again."

"Yes, sir," said Sirius, barking in laughter. "I'll keep a picture of a buxom beauty in my head as an incentive for staying alive."

He face grew serious again. "Now...let's finish this." He raised his hand, then made a chopping motion towards the enemy camp.

The Golems simultaneously broke into a jog, breaking through the underbrush and pushing past small trees. The earth trembled beneath their cadence. Remus let them charge ahead a few yards before giving his own command. With a wild battlecry, his group raised their wands and rushed down the hill.

The darkness and the vegetation blocked most of his view, and he could not see how the enemy was reacting. He could hear no cries of alarm or defiance, no blasts of spellfire. A sudden doubt filled him, and he pushed and clawed his way through the bushes until he finally broke through to the clearing.

The enemy had done nothing.

The silhouettes on the boulders stood motionless, watching the advancing force with an unsettling calm. Remus could not see their faces in their dark hoods. Were they readying their wands? Were they frozen with fear? Were they waiting for orders?

Even as he sprinted towards them, Remus stared hard at the shadowy figures, almost willing them to move. As they neared, the shadows seemed to shimmer and melt in the moon's wan light. He could not believe his eyes. The figures of the men were diminishing, leaving nothing in their wake but piles of rocks.

"HALT!" he cried, skidding to a stop. The men at his side slowed, the men at his back stumbling in an attempt not to run into him. But the Golem Riders charged on, Sirius's hair billowing like a black flag.

Remus filled his lungs and screamed, "TRAP! SIRIUS! IT'S A TRAP!"

Sirius turned his head to look at him. As if sensing his confusion, the Golem he was riding slowed down. Simultaneously, the campfire before them went out.

Something on the cliff wall above them caught Remus's eye. Bright crimson lines were appearing, burning their way along solid rock like traces of oil lit by fire. Remus recognized the rune even before it was halfway inscripted, and cried out again in warning.

But it was too late. The rune completed itself just as the Golem Riders reached the edge of the camp--and exploded.

A tremendous explosion engulfed the Riders' battlecries, and Remus watched in abject horror as the cliff collapsed. The shockwave struck him in the face and nearly knocked him down. He and his men threw themselves onto the ground as huge rocks tumbled into a cloud of dust, hurtling down onto the campsite with punishing force.

Some of the Golems reacted quickly. Grabbing their riders, they flung them over their heads and out of harm's way. Sirius's own Golem threw him off, right before the avalanche of rocks came down and shattered it to pieces.

The ground trembled for many moments. When Remus raised his head at last, there was nothing but dust and the rattle of falling pebbles.

Coughing, he picked himself up and ran to Sirius, who lay motionless some distance away.

"Sirius! Sirius, are you all right?"

His friend groaned in response, and Remus helped him sit up. The right side of his face bled from a cut cheek. His eyes had a dazed look, but his face was pale and blank with shock. "What...what the devil..."

They both turned to look at the shattered cliff. A huge pile of fallen rocks now lay where the campsite had been. Three survivors, flung from their mounts, lay like broken sticks at the edge of the debris. A severed stone hand rested some feet away. Beneath all that rubble lay six of their men and their entire Golem contingent.

Sirius uttered a curse. "Get Coven down here!" he shouted over his shoulder, then looked back at the debacle and cursed again. But Remus could find no words to capture the enormity of what he felt. How would they catch up with the enemy now, through this darkness? He stared at the fallen stones, hands tightening into fists, filled with outrage that they had at last been outwitted by a Death Eater.

---

"Something's coming."

Surprised, Harry looked up from his breakfast at Danny. The elder boy stood at the gap of the encircling trees, restless gray eyes wary and watching. Harry followed his gaze to the forest's edge.

A rosy glow still lingered in the east. The day was beginning to warm, thinning the autumn mist that shrouded the surrounding trees. A soft breeze carried the moist scent of grass and damp earth to his nose. Somewhere high above them, a hawk shrilled at the morning sky.

Moody, who was chomping down on a fig, turned one eye on his godson and his magical eye on the silent Dark Detectors. Lazy curls of smoke drifted up from the pipe dangling from his mouth. "I hope it's a deer," he mused, smirking. "I could use some deer meat right about now."

Danny did not reply, not even to give a retort. That made Harry nervous. "How do you know someone's there?" he asked.

Danny did not take his eyes off of the horizon. "You live in the woods long enough, it starts telling you things." He clambered up to his usual vantage point among the branches.

The breeze picked up again, and dry leaves fell like rain on the far banks of the stream. Pieces of brittle bark pattered on the ground. Above the treetops, gray clouds rolled ponderously against the lightening sky. Some distance away, a flock of cawing ravens suddenly took to flight.

Danny said, "I think we should turn off the Dark Detectors."

The Auror's brows came together. "What are you talking about? How do you expect us to--"

"Turn them off. I know someone's coming, and I don't want the noise giving us away when they get in range."

Harry grabbed the nearest Detector, simultaneously asking himself why he wasn't doubting any of this. It's his tone, he realized, fumbling with the switch. The one he used two nights ago, when he grabbed me and force me to stop freaking out. Like he's asking, 'do you want to live through this or not?'"

Perhaps for that same reason, Moody himself reached from his bedroll to turn off the other Detectors. It took only a moment to power them down, but just as his fingers reached for the last one, it blared out a sudden, shrill alarm.

Moody grabbed it by its thin neck, killing the noise. It sounded like nothing more than a startled little bird. Yet Harry felt his skin crawl, and all his blood seemed to drain down to somewhere near his feet.

Moody turned to face him. His real eye stared hard at him, but his magical eye whirled around like another alarm. "Get down on the ground," he whispered. "Get down and stay there."

Harry obeyed. Danny leaped down from his perch and flattened himself against a tree. Moody lay back down on his roll, but reached into a fold of his robe for his wand.

None of them spoke for a while. The forest had fallen eerily silent, save for the mad cawing of ravens.

"See anything?" Moody asked Danny.

Danny was peering from behind his cover. "Some shadows moving just at the edge of the clearing."

Moody scowled in concentration, his magical eye following his godson's gaze. "Ten of them."

Ten. Harry felt his blood quickening. Rising on his elbows, he cautiously peered over a rock. He saw no movement beyond the clearing. The forest looked as serene it had always been.

"I don't see them..."

"They're there all right." Danny edged to the side of the tree, eyeing the shadows. "Make no mistake. I hope you've got those fire wasps ready, Moody."

"It's not been a week yet," replied the Auror. "They've not fully regenerated."

"Guess we're doing this the hard way, then." Danny held his black wand with his right hand. The phantom wand slipped into his left with a simple, fluid motion.

"They're fanning out," Moody said, urgency sharpening his voice. "They're surrounding us, the bastards."

Harry's ears caught the distant sigh of rustling leaves. Any other time I'd have thought it just the wind, he mused, and he caught himself shuddering. He readied his wand, trying to look everywhere at once. Still he saw nothing, and wished he had his own version of Moody's Wadjet.

Danny's brows knitted together. "One of them's staying where he is, right across the brook."

"You can see him?" asked Harry.

"Barely. If I try anything, he'll just vanish into the leaves again." He paused, then added. "He's looking right at me."

"Damn it." Moody's eye was whirling like a tornado. "Right, we've still got cover and the higher ground. We'll spread out and defend all sides of our camp. If they so much as stick their noses out they'll lose them."

"Why haven't they attacked yet?" wondered Harry. It wasn't like the Death Eaters to delay. "They know we're here...what are they waiting for?"

"They're waiting for this guy to give the order, that's what," Danny replied, still staring at bushes. "Must be their leader."

"Then we wait, too," Moody concluded, dragging himself closer to the edge of the hollow. His hard gaze rested on Harry. "Use what you learned, boy," he said. "They'll give you no mercy and no quarter, so don't do them any favors. Fight, and if you get the chance, run for it. You hear me?"

Harry returned his look and nodded once. But inside he swore he was not going to run and abandon these men. Not after all they had gone through.

Moody seemed to read this in his eyes. "Don't be stupid. We're doing our job so you can do yours."

"I'm not about to leave you here to die."

"You guys," Danny chuckled, "nobody talk about dying, okay? We aren't even done with breakfast yet."

The minutes dragged on. Harry listened, but it seemed his eardrums had ceased to do anything useful, other than inform him how loud his heartbeat and how tense the thrumming of the muscles in his arms were. Three against ten...

Stop it. He shook his head angrily. He'd come close to death more times these past few days than all his four years in Hogwarts--he couldn't have been led so far only to meet his end here. Ron and Hermione and Ginny flashed through his mind, and he swore he would see their faces again.

The soft rustle of leaves made him jump. Moody's face clenched in warning. Danny raised his wands.

"Looks like someone wants to parlay," he said.

Harry raised his head just enough to gaze over the hollow's edge. A man was indeed walking out into the clearing. He drew his wand as he approached the stream and silently pointed it at the water. It froze into a bridge of ice, and his pace neither quickened nor slowed as he crossed it.

Harry sucked in a breath as the intruder, who wore neither mask nor hood, neared them. The resemblance was so strong, he thought Lucius Malfoy himself had come to get him. But this man was a full head taller than Malfoy, his young features stronger and more angular. His black robe and cloak could not completely conceal the power of his muscular body. The sun flashed on bleach-white hair; some strands jutted down his forehead like fangs. His thin lips were a staid line, his eyes as sleek as swords.

It was these ruthless eyes that arrested Harry. Whereas Malfoy reeked of deceit and scathing arrogance, this man possessed a fearsome, murderous air. He could not imagine weakness or mercy in that gaze; the Death Eater merely glanced at him and he felt like a hare in a hawk's shadow.

The man stopped a few paces away from the stream, holstered his wand, and simply stood there, a dark tower rising amidst the green of the wood and the golden sunbeams. His voice carried well in the crisp morning air: "Well met."

None of them returned the greeting.

"I've been searching for you for some small time now," the Death Eater went on. "You've done well in hiding yourselves, but this time your fortune fails you."

"You been lookin' for us?" Danny called back in a loutish voice. "We're just a couple of campers out for a bit of sun before the winter rolls in. You wanna beer or something?"

"Do not waste time on pretense. The Dark Lord has commanded me to bring you to Onyx Isle. He has expressed his desire to bring you in alive, at least for now."

Moody whispered to Danny. "Lure him closer, then pick him off."

"He won't fall for it," Danny whispered back. "He stopped walking just one step short of my spell range. This guy knows what he's doing." Focusing back to the man, he shouted, "Who the hell are you, anyway?"

The Death Eater bowed, not too deeply. "Magnus Aragorn, Captain of the Onyx Command."

"Well, Captain, you seem to have the drop on us. I thought you'd get right down to business, not stand around wasting words."

"Indeed. I have reasons for wanting words with you. I seek the one responsible for my comrades' defeat near the Deceiver's Fall."

Danny's eyes flicked to Harry once, then said, "You'd have to speak to all of us, then. We all pitched in one way or another."

"I need speak to only one man," he replied. "I want to propose a deal."

The three of them stared at each other in confusion. "What the hell..." muttered Danny, then shouted, "What are you talking about?"

"I have nine men with me. Formerly they numbered nineteen, but some time ago we ran afoul of your friends from the Order of the Phoenix. We have since disposed of them, but currently my force has been left at somewhat of a disadvantage."

"You have my sympathies."

"We know there are three of you. One of you is the famed Auror, Alastor Moody. The other is a Duelist of no mean skill. Even outnumbering you three to one, I foresee a difficult battle."

"Pardon me, friend, is that a note of fear in your voice?"

The Death Eater ignored his remark. "I have orders to bring you in for questioning. My plan was to surround you with greater numbers, forcing you to surrender, and thus ensuring your safety. But as there are only ten of us, you will no doubt have impetus to fight. If we do fight, I stand to lose more men--something I can ill afford to do at this time. Worse, there is no assurance that any of you will survive the encounter, which in turn jeopardizes my mission."

"There's a cheery thought. So what do you propose?"

"A duel."

Surprised, Harry lifted his gaze to Danny. Moody's face was filled with suspicion.

But Danny merely said, "What are your terms?"

"They are simple enough," Magnus replied. "I seek a duel with the one who defeated my men. We shall abide by formal rules. If I should win, then your side must give up your wands and surrender peacefully. If you should win,"--the meanest hint of a smile on his face--"then I promise that my Death Eaters will leave you unmolested for a period of three days. What do you say to that?'

Danny gave a derisive snort before replying, "Sounds like you have more to gain out of this deal of yours than we do!"

"It doesn't bloody matter if he gets more out of it," Moody hissed. "It's a damn trap. Just lure them into range and we'll take them out."

"They outnumber us, Moody," Danny muttered back, "and you're in no shape to fight. You really have to try and remember that, now."

Magnus spoke again. "Perhaps I had misjudged you. I thought your kind would jump at the chance to avoid much of the unpleasantness of battle and bloodshed. A duel between equals would ensure that only one need die today. And should you prove victorious, three days is a long time for a group of resourceful men to find help or sanctuary. In any case, I have stated my terms and I shall abide by them alone. What is your answer?"

"And how do I know you'll even keep your bargain?" Danny shouted back. "What's the worth of a Death Eater's word these days?"

Magnus folded his arms, and Harry knew they had come to the end of the discussion.

"I do not speak merely as a Death Eater," Magnus replied. "I speak as a Duelist. If that does not satisfy you, nothing will. Let us put an end to this pointless discussion if you do not feel equal to the challenge. My men are more than willing to take you by force. Is that your wish?"

Harry's eyes switched from Magnus to Danny. There was a hardened look on Danny's face that Harry found awfully familiar, and he felt compelled to tell him, "Don't take it. He's trying to bait you."

But Danny's words were for Magnus. "Fine, then. I agree to your terms."

Moody made an unidentifiable sound, but his outrage was palpable. The Death Eater captain drew himself to his full height and called out, "I, Magnus Thybalt Aragon, challenge you to a duel!"

"I, Danny Jahred Oaks, accept your challenge!"

"As a matter of honor, I hereby command all who serve under me not to interfere with our battle. Prepare yourself, Mr. Oaks." Magnus turned and retreated a little towards the stream.

Danny sighed and turned around. Apparently he knew what to expect. Moody was glaring at him with both eyes, his mouth a grim, twisting line.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? What were you thinking? Were you thinking, you nincompoop?"

Danny replied, "I was thinking of preventing a massacre. Preventing massacres is something you Aurors do, right?"

"You're going to get massacred, ever thought of that? If you think you can take him, you're dreaming. Look at him! He's built like an ox!"

Danny's brow twitched with impatience. "This is a magic duel, grampa, not a brawl. I can handle myself."

"You think we're in some kind of arena? Last I looked, we were out of the Dark Ages!"

"Tell that to the Death Eaters. Besides, what do you think our chances are if we don't take this deal?"

Not good, Harry conceded. That indeed was why Danny said yes, but Harry now realized there was more to that. He saw that slight change in Danny's face when Magnus had said he was a Duelist, like some sort of coded message was telegraphed between them. It came to him a second later. He'd seen that look cross Oliver Wood's face whenever he shook hands with the opposing Quidditch team before a match. It was the hungry look of a fanatic, a competitor.

Harry said, "Danny, don't do this. You're going to get yourself killed."

"Listen to the lad!" Moody growled. "He's got more sense in his head than you."

Danny flashed a smile. "Have a little faith in me, kid. He may be bigger, but I'm faster. He can't possibly outmaneuver me. I'll be fine, you'll see." His smile broadened. "Keep your eyes open during the duel. Maybe you'll learn something. And keep this for me." He produced his black wand and handed it to Harry. "I'll be using my other one."

Harry vigorously shook his head. "Think about it a moment. Even if you win, you can't seriously believe the Death Eaters are going to keep their end of the bargain. They're not going to leave us alone. Voldemort won't let them."

Danny paused. "Captain Aragon gave his word as a Duelist," he replied. "That's not something given lightly."

Moody fixed him a look. "And you believe him?"

"Let me put it this way. If he called you out, what would you say?"

They stared silently at each other for a minute. Then Danny knelt to tighten the laces of his boots. Moody, still gazing at him, said, "You're insane. You're flaming mad, you know that?"

Danny laughed. "You never fail to remind me."

"Your best bet is to outflank him. Tough guys like that like to defend their front, but tend to leave their sides open."

"Okay. Got it."

"Don't get too close. He'll crack open your head like a quail egg."

"That's...not allowed in a formal duel."

"Forget rules. Rules are paper wands on the battlefield. If you're having trouble, try and lure him into the stream."

"Rising From Water? I'll keep that in mind."

Moody took a deep breath, grasped his godson's shoulder, and said, "Quando omni flunkus moritatus."

Danny laughed again. "Tu stupidus es." Then he stood up and with a leap, skidded down the slope of the hill to meet his challenger.

Harry turned to Moody, who had a grim little smile on his face, and quietly asked, "What did you tell him?"

The old man gave a rueful shake of his head. "I said, 'If all else fails, play dead.' You can tell what he made of that."

---

Danny rode the slope to the bottom of the hill, where he stopped in a crouch. While he was on his way down, the Death Eater had closed the distance between them. Instinctively, Danny raised his phantom wand, but Magnus did not seem interested in conflict just yet.

"You've never killed," he said.

Danny blinked. "What?"

"You've never killed before. I can tell."

His words unsettled Danny, as did the cold look floating in the Death Eater's glacier blue eyes. "How do you figure that?" he asked, rising from his crouch.

"It's not in your eyes," said Magnus. "It's not in your gait, nor in the way you hold yourself. Veterans of the battlefield carry an air of deathlust about them. You have none. One might thing you were entering a game rather than a duel."

"Maybe you're right," Danny said coldly. "Maybe this is just a game to me. So if I were you, I'd stop worrying about my opponent and start worrying about myself." His lips curved into a sharp smile. "Killer or not, I'm here to win"

. An answering trace of a smile appeared on the Death Eater's thin lips. "Indeed." Magnus turned and walked towards the center of the clearing. Danny followed him.

"You have been a Duelist long, Mr. Oaks?" asked Magnus.

"Is there a prize if I answer your questions right?"

"A warrior does not hide his background. He treasures his name and achievements, which is why he introduces himself before a battle."

Danny decided he was right. "I've apprenticed for four years under a master. I've been dueling eight years before that."

Magnus nodded in acknowledgement. "For myself, I have apprenticed three years. Prior to that, ten years of self-study."

"You've had some formal wand schooling, then?"

"I am of the Crissaegrim School. And yourself?"

Crissaegrim. Danny was duly impressed. The Crissaegrim School was an elite style, rarely practiced and even more rarely mastered. Based heavily on ice magic, its complicated blend of defensive techniques and sudden, devastating attacks would make for an interesting challenge.

Masking his anticipation, Danny replied, "I started with Seagull, but it was too soft for me. After some time I switched to Moonshadow, and then on to Hurricane."

Magnus nodded in acknowledgment. "Hurricane. An excellent choice, though I myself find its techniques too...risky for my taste. You are, I take it, a mercenary?"

"Yeah. Been one for three years. And you've, ah, been a Death Eater long?"

"Formally, for a year and a half. But I have been in the Dark Lord's service for far longer."

"You have a lousy taste in bosses."

"The work is not without rewards. Or a share of true power. Perhaps you will understand that, once our duel is done."

They came to a halt at the center of the clearing, standing twelve paces apart. A wind set the grasses stirring, and some dry leaves spun about on little eddies of air. Danny ignored these, focused on nothing but the man standing opposite him. In his hand, the phantom wand gleamed like a shaft of moonlight.

"Ready," said Magnus.

"Ready," answered Danny. After a moment, he said, "You know, I'm a little impressed to find a Death Eater who gives a damn about the etiquette of dueling."

"We are not all of us barbarians," replied Magnus. "Dueling is a hallowed art, and must be accorded the respect it deserves. That is the noble way."

"The noble art of killing, you mean."

"If it pleases you. It is a warrior's pride to face an opponent on equal ground, to kill or be killed by him. We are a different breed, you and I. We find ourselves in the purity of battle, something no one now understands. Perhaps we were born in the wrong century."

Danny smiled at this. "I reckon you're right." Then he raised his wand to chest height, leveled before him. Magnus raised his overhead. The duel began.

Danny slid his foot forward, maximizing his distance without entering his opponent's range. He would not do that just yet, not until he could spot an opportunity to penetrate Magnus's defense. Perhaps he could be tricked, he thought. Yes, start off with something basic and make him think he's fighting an amateur, then take him when he least expects it.

Danny waited for his chance. Then, as his opponent blinked in the early morning light, he made his move.

In a blur of movement he sprinted left, keeping his wand leveled at Magnus. Just as he hoped, Magnus broke into a parallel run to protect his flank. Veering a little to his right, Danny entered into spell range and readied himself.

He made his first attack as the Death Eater matched his speed: spinning the phantom wand in his hand, he mindcasted a Full-Body Bind Spell. Magnus conjured up a Wandshield to block it. Danny hurled a Blinding Hex next, and it too shattered against that impregnable magical screen. Danny followed up his attack with a Stunning Spell. But just before the Stunner reached the Death Eater's Wandshield, Danny lunged to his right with a sudden twist of his feet.

It was a simple technique, really, Striking the Corners. The opponent, too busy with blocking the curse, would charge on, unmindful that he was leaving an open shot at his rear. Danny fired a Disarming Curse aimed for the back of Magnus's shoulder. One shot, he thought, and it'll all be over.

He did not expect Magnus to spin. Skidding hard, the Death Eater dropped to one knee and swung his Wandshield all around to his back. Danny recognized it: Crissaegrim School technique, Dragon's Tail. The Wandshield flashed gold as he countered the Disarming Curse and knocked it back at an angle--right into Danny's path.

On instinct, Danny curled his body as he landed, rolling into as small a target as he could. Blazing heat seared into the side of his arm--it was not quite painful, but it made him cry out in surprise.

Rolling to his feet, he summoned his own Wandshield--just in time to catch a swarm of curses which nearly knocked him back down. He fell back, fighting for his balance. Through his Wandshield Danny could see Magnus regaining his feet, steadying his wand arm with the other as he fired in a relentless chain.

Have to regain control. Danny concentrated, struggling to find the rhythm of the attack. He jigged left and right, ruining Magnus's aim. Just before the next shot reached him, Danny dissolved his Wandshield, lunged beneath the curse, and fired at Magnus's feet. The Death Eater instantly threw himself to the side and rolled away. Landing heavily on his front, Danny pushed himself onto his feet and took aim.

But he was too late. Magnus stood out of spell range, wand held aloft. From this distance, all they could exchange were stares.

Gingerly, Danny touched his fingers his right arm. It burned where is own curse grazed him. A flesh wound, but a wound nonetheless.

"Barely credible, Oaks," Magnus said from across the meadow. "Do you think we're practicing? I expected better than these little feints."

Danny casually replied, "Do you smell something burning?"

Magnus stiffened, then looked down at his feet. A plume of smoke was rising from the edge of his cloak, where a little fire had begun. Dissipating his Wandshield, he put out the flames with a blast of freezing air.

"Touché, Oaks," he said. "Shall we begin again?"

"Whenever you're ready."

---

Harry heard Moody groan beside him. "Not a minute into it and already he's injured!"

"He's fine," Harry retorted, wiping the sweat from his brow. "It's just a scratch. It won't matter, you'll see." Except that it did matter, as Harry well knew. Even a small injury could prove to be a moment's distraction in the high-speed game of Quidditch. What more in a duel, where that moment could be fatal?

Danny and Magnus had entered into stances again. Danny held his wand over his head. Harry recognized the Guard of the Hawk, one of the Six Defences Danny had taught him the day before. Magnus countered by keeping his wand stretched out horizontally before him, in Iron Gate. But for many minutes following this, neither man moved.

Harry found the silence unnerving. "What's going on?" he whispered to Moody. "Why aren't they attacking?"

Moody lay against the curve of the hollow, watching the duel through his magical eye. "They've the measure of each other now," he replied. "No more foolish risks. Combat curses have an effective range of ten yards, and they're standing one step away from each other's spell range. Once you step into that circle, it's life and death."

Now Harry saw it. "They're waiting it out, trying to bait each other ..."

Moody nodded. "First person to give in, loses."

They'll be doing nothing but watching each other, thought Harry, for however long it takes. He could not imagine himself undergoing such torturous waiting. All in the nerves, he thought, wiping his brow again. A game of nerves. He hoped Danny had them in spades.

---

At the moment, Danny was doing all he could to study his enemy.

The Crissaegrim School Magnus used was surely no cakewalk, and despite his size the Death Eater moved with the fluent grace of a master. But Danny had three Schools under his employ: the powerful strikes of Hurricane, the Moonshadow defenses, the surprise attacks of Seagull. Timing was the vital thing. Because their spellwork was silent, Danny had to wait for that telltale movement of the wand that would betray Magnus's next move. Only then could he decide: dodge, block, or countercurse.

But Magnus was not making it easy. For a long time, it became a game of reading stances. Each time Magnus set one, Danny would attempt to predict all the moves he could possibly make from that stance. But by the time he could respond by, say, switching to the Arrowhead guard, Magnus would react by keeping his wand to his left in True Cross. And if Danny should respond by reversing his grip into Lower Snake? Magnus would hold his wand straight forward into Diamond Lance, quick as you please. Then they would repeat the cycle over again, like sailors signaling to each other from across the water.

The sun rose higher in the east, and a gust of wind sent leaves swirling down towards their battleground. Danny's field of vision shrank down to the dark figure of his enemy. Beads of sweat collected on his forehead, yet he dare not break his concentration by wiping them away. How long had it been? Half an hour? More?

Across from him, Magnus had entered Grand Torch, the wand held aloft to his side and pointed up. Danny crouched into Bastard Cross, his wand held his left as if he were drawing a sword. He would wait, wait until his arms ached and his legs collapsed from the strain. He would not lose to Magnus in a game of patience.

Magnus broke it first.

A twirl of his wand--the tip flashed a bright blue--and he lunged forward. Danny's response was instantaneous: he drew his wand in a wide arc, flinging a curse, then allowed the swing of his arm to carry him into a spin. Magnus's curse missed him him by inches; he felt the heat of his curse scorch his back. When it passed him completely, Danny turned full circle and launched a second curse. But to his chagrin, Magnus was ready for him, soaking up the attack with his Wandshield.

"Moonshadow School, Twin Circles," said the Death Eater. "Your timing was brilliant, but you were a little slow with the follow-up."

Gritting his teeth, Danny fired another curse and sprinted forward, dodging from one side to the other to mess up Magnus's aim. Long-distance combat was useless against this guy; he would try things up close.

The Death Eater calmly pointed his wand on the dewy grass before him, and a jagged wall of ice shot up from the ground. Danny swore as Magnus ducked behind it and fired at him from around its edge.

Out in the open, Danny had no room to hide. He dodged left and right, leaping and rolling, doing anything to avoid the curses flung at him. Finding a pause in the Death Eater's attack, he turned and fired at the wall. The ice splintered but did not give. Magnus merely smiled and returned fire, and it turned once more into a dodging game.

Finally, Danny had enough. Sprinting hard to his right, he raised his wand straight up overhead, his other hand steadying his wrist. Energy crackled as a ball of lightning appeared on the tip of his wand; the heat came off in waves, searing the top of his head. With a cry, he flung it at Magnus, who ducked behind his shield of ice.

The lightning sphere struck the barrier and detonated like a bomb. The ice wall disintegrated into tiny, spinning fragments. Through the steam, Danny saw Magnus hurled backwards by the force of the explosion. But the Death Eater lashed out with his wand, and several shards of glittering ice reversed direction and flew straight at Danny. Danny leaped back, simultaneously bringing down his wand. A sheet of lightning came down in a cataract, scattering the daggers of ice in its wake.

Breathing hard, the two combatants watched each other again. Even from his distance, Danny could see the blood dripping down from the cut on Magnus's cheek. The Death Eater glared back, his lip curled into a sneer. "Hurricane School, Lightning Orb. So this is how a mercenary fights: chaotic and undisciplined, mixing Schools like a man mixes liquor. You shame your teachers with such heresy."

Danny shrugged. "Meh. Sticks and stones, pal. I use whatever works. And if your purist style is so great, how come I'm still alive, eh?"

"Yes," seethed Magnus. "Indeed, you live. I intend to remedy that...NOW."

There was a thunderous CRACK! as Magnus suddenly vanished. Danny's eyes bulged--he had not expected that, not within the Black Barrier!

There was no time to think or turn or defend himself. As the second CRACK! sounded behind him, he brought up his phantom wand and stabbed it deep into his chest.

---

Harry cried out as Magnus reappeared a few feet behind Danny. Danny did not even have a chance to turn around--Magnus raised his wand and shot him in the back. A staccato blast rang through the air, and Danny staggered forward, gasping in pain.

But he did not fall. A second later, Harry saw why.

A brilliant silver Wandshield protected Danny's back, radiating from a wandtip protruding from between his shoulder blades. Magnus retreated a few steps as Danny turned and extracted the wand from his chest.

Moody cursed. "Danny!" he shouted. "That Death Eater must have a Ministry Apparation Pass! The Black Barrier won't stop him!"

Danny nodded to show he'd heard.

"Interesting, this phantom wand of yours," Harry heard Magnus say. "I have not seen one used for a long time. Not exactly adhering to dueling regulations, is it?"

"Who are you to talk?" replied Danny. "You're the one with the Apparation Pass."

"True. But it is a little late to reset terms and conditions. To each his own, then?"

"I've no problem with that." Danny held his wand high again. "I'll win no matter what little tricks you use."

"It's not fair!" shouted Harry, as the two combatants leaped into the fray once more. "We can't let him get away with that, Apparating in a duel! We have to stop the fight!"

"No good," Moody replied. "They won't let you. They're too far into it to stop." He paused, his magical eye spinning in a slow circle. "Besides, we've got problems of our own."

"What do you mean?"

The Auror turned his real eye on him. "The other Death Eaters. They're creeping up on us. All directions."

It took a moment for the realization to sink in, and for the fear to well up in Harry's chest. He looked around wildly, but of course saw nothing through the surrounding barrier of trees.

"They had this planned all along!" he said angrily. "The entire duel was just a set-up to separate us!"

Moody was already treating this as a foregone conclusion. Pulling his trunk close, he said, "Five!" and the lid popped open. Moody reached inside and pulled out what looked like a metal ball the size of a fist, which he handed to Harry.

"Careful with that," said the old man. "It's a Snooze Grenade. Got enough pixie dust in there to knock you out for a day. When they close in, we'll lob a couple. We won't get them all, but between us we can take out anyone still standing."

Harry gripped the grenade uncertainly in his hands. If they were lucky, he thought, they might take out half of the oncoming Death Eaters. But that would mean four or five left to deal with--still far too risky. They might not succeed.

"How many of these grenades do you have?" Harry suddenly asked.

Moody took one for himself and replied, "Twelve, including ones we're holding.

"Are the Death Eaters close?"

"They'll be here in twenty paces." Moody met his gaze. "You got a brainstorm or something?"

Harry leaned close. "As a matter of fact..."

---

"What's it like living as a mercenary, Oaks?"

The two of them were circling each other rapidly, Wandshields up, trading one direction for another as they sought to pierce the other's flank.

"What's it like living without purpose?" Magnus went on. "Do you enjoy being so rootless? Do you value your life so little that you would court death for money?"

Trying to distract me, thought Danny. Well, two can play that game. "I don't mind sticking my neck out for money. I happen to have a knack for cheating death. Just ask your comrades near the cliff, if they're in any shape to answer."

Round and round, they went, faster, then slower, clockwise, counter-clockwise, struggling to find a chink in the other's defense. When neither gave ground, they came to a halt, then broke into a parallel run.

"You left them alive," Magnus said, hurling a jet of flame from his wand. "Every one, save for Irian, and that was obviously not your handiwork. Even now, you hesitate to use most lethal curses. Why?"

Danny vaulted forward to avoid the bolt and retaliated with a Leg-Locker curse. "I don't need any of that to deal with the likes of you."

"You're a fool." Magnus's Wandshield flashed gold as he countered. "You think I'll give you quarter?"

Danny ducked beneath the reflected curse. "I don't expect you to, and that's fine with me."

Magnus laughed at this. "You put your life on the line for money. You are willing to die but hesitate to take life. And you call yourself a Duelist, Oaks?"

"I'm no murderer, Aragon."

Magnus's grin was wide with malice. "To be a Duelist is to be a murderer. You think Wand Schools are for play? Crissaegrim, Hurricane, Nilsaber, Infernia--all Schools have the same objective: to kill as many enemies as one can in as little time possible."

"I win by my terms, not yours. Killing's the mark of the amateur."

The grin vanished from the Death Eater's face. "I will NOT tolerate this cowardice. You are an affront to me if you hold back your skill."

Danny smirked back at him. "I care, Aragon. I really do."

They had reached the banks of the stream and had no choice but to skid to a halt.

"Very well, then," said Magnus. "I'll MAKE you use a lethal curse."

He grew quite still for a long moment, the look in his eyes turning inwards as if he were retreating into some inner world. Then his wand rose, began a series of complex, spiraling movements. This is new, thought Danny. Suddenly cautious, he dropped to a crouch.

The twisting pattern of Magnus's wand increased in speed, becoming more erratic. Danny could not figure it out--perhaps this was some kind of Crissaegrim trick? Then a splash from the stream drew his attention. For a moment he thought it was just a fish jumping, but he was wrong. It was water. A huge gout of water, leaping out from the stream as if attracted by Magnus's hands. Then, as the Death Eater passed his wand over it, it froze into a sharp, double-edged blade of ice.

Aw, hell. Danny raised his wand as more jets of water leaped from the stream, to be shaped into giant, floating blades. In a few moments, eight blades of solid ice, each as long as a man and nearly as thick, radiated from where the Death Eater stood.

Magnus's face was strained, as if he were bodily bearing the weight of his arsenal. He began a slow spin of his wand over his head, as if whirling a mace. The dense blades followed his movement, orbiting around him in two layers. As he spun his wand faster, the blades chopped through the air, leaving a fine, chilly mist.

Danny saw Magnus's smile through the screen of whirling blades. "Crissaegrim Grand Art, Octavian's Ring," said the Death Eater. "What do you say now, Oaks? Within the space of this ring, I am untouchable."

A low whine filled the air as the blades spun faster still. Danny squinted and pushed back at the cold gust of wind. Spinning his wand with his wrist, he fired a Blasting spell, hoping to breach that barrier of ice. The curse bounced off the ring of blades without even leaving a scratch.

Danny's instinct screamed just then. He threw himself onto the ground as two blades from the upper ring darted out of their orbits. The force of their passage pressed against his back--if he had not ducked, he would have been chopped in half.

The blades instantly retracted to their original paths, but Danny was no fool to wait--he pushed himself to his feet and leaped back, just as two other blades from the lower ring darted out, missing his knees by scant inches.

Danny backed away, but Magnus pursued. The Death Eater wove his wand into faster, more intricate patterns. The circling blades rearranged themselves, merging into undulating, impossible orbits. Their speed increased, until the blade barrier turned into a freezing tornado and Magnus was just a dark silhouette within its misty blur.

Danny knew if he stopped moving, if he let the Death Eater catch up, another pair of blades would lash out of their paths--and at the speed they were going, he would not even have time to blink before they tore him to pieces.

Steadying himself against the freezing wind, Danny bounded several feet backwards and crouched low, his wand pointing at the ground. He mustered the will to conjure a Force spell, but did not mindcast the incantation just yet. No--he let the magic continue to build, it would take only a few moments. In those moments his mind caught up to what his hands planned to do.

One: That fancy Octavian's Ring technique must require a tremendous amount of concentration to maintain. Consequently, its caster would need several seconds to detach himself from it, should he wish to do so.

Two: The barrier was shaped as a ring. Every ring had a weakness, a single point of entry.

Three: This plan was an insane, and he wished for once that his mind could think faster than his hands.

With a mental cry of Verdimillious!, Danny simultaneously released the spell and kicked off as hard as he could. The force shot him off the ground in an arc, just as another pair of blades shot outward, narrowly missing his feet. He prayed Magnus would not stop moving forward. He had very little margin for error on this.

The force-assisted jump sent him sailing over the barrier, and the rising wind from the ring slowed his descent. He caught a glimpse of Magnus below, still weaving his wand in those intricate patterns. The Death Eater's eyes widened as he looked up, and Danny felt a smug satisfaction at the surprise in that gaze. It would take him a full second to stop his spellcasting. He did not have the luxury of that second now.

"GOT YOU!" roared Danny. He aimed and fired.

Everything seemed so slow at that moment, so distinct. In one smooth motion, Magnus ripped off his cloak and flung it upwards. The heavy cloth obscured Danny's view. In a rage, he fired into it, hoping to catch his target somehow. His curses burned holes into the black cloth before his feet caught it. He rolled forward as he hit the ground, the burnt and tattered cloak fluttering around him. The sound of trees being torn at their roots swamped his ears as the ice blades came crashing down to earth.

He looked up to see Magnus a few feet away, clutching his wand arm. A thin ribbon of smoke was rising from the burn near his wrist. The Death Eater's eyes showed no pain, only cold fury.

"Very good," he said, falling back into stance. "Now we're getting somewhere."

All of Danny's breath came out in a warcry as he rushed forward. The tip of Magnus's wand flared red, bright as Mars.

---

Harry kept his eyes locked on the duel before him, and resisted all temptation to turn and look for the oncoming Death Eaters. He had to pretend to be utterly unaware of them, if his plan was to work at all.

Beside him, Moody was doing the same, keeping his face turned toward the ongoing battle. And between them lay the Auror's upside-down trunk.

Harry could sense Moody's eye whirling about, ever watchful. How far away were the Death Eaters? He strained his ears to listen for their approach, but heard nothing. They must have used Silencing Charms on their feet.

"They're just beyond the trees," Moody whispered, as if he heard Harry's thoughts.

Again, Harry had to concentrate to keep his eyes on the two combatants. He forced himself to breathe normally, although his heart beat double time and every muscle cried out for more air. No, he had to follow Danny's example. Lie here defenseless, feign ignorance. Bait, tempt, let the enemy make his move first.

The trees rustled to his left. Harry's grip instantly tightened on the handle of the trunk.

"DIFFINDO!"

The united cry went up amongst the Death Eaters, and the surrounding trees splintered and tore in two. Though he had been expecting it, the suddenness of their assault paralyzed Harry. Moody, however, knew precisely what to do.

As the Death Eaters leaped through the gaps of the hollow, Moody shouted, "UP!"

The trunk vaulted straight up into the air, dragging with it Harry and Moody, who had been holding on to the handles on either side. The unlatched lid of the upside down trunk instantly opened, spilling its contents: one dozen primed Snooze Grenades.

Glancing down, Harry caught the surprised gazes of the Death Eaters before they were consumed by a cloud of glittering gold dust. The trunk rose higher, keeping Harry and Moody out of the cloud's range.

"Fire into it!" cried Moody. "Take out anyone still standing!"

Harry didn't need to be told twice. With a shared cry of "Stupefy!" both he and Moody let loose a hail of curses on the helpless Death Eaters below.

---

Danny did not turn his head at the sound of the explosion, but shouted at Magnus, "You lying bastard! You said you'd keep your lackeys out of this!"

They circled each other again, but this time they were through with waiting and baiting--they unleashed attacks in a relentless chain in an attempt to end the duel through speed...or brute force.

"I merely told them not to interfere with our battle," Magnus grunted, blocking a curse aimed for his neck. "And I wanted to make certain your friends wouldn't try to run before we've concluded our business."

"And you call me a coward? I should never have trusted the word of a filthy Death Eater!"

"You'd do better to concentrate on what you have to do to survive, Oaks." Magnus said, lashing out with a conjured spear. "You won't care one bit about what happens to them if you're dead."

Danny broke the spear with a blast from his wand, then they leaped apart, pausing to catch their breath. There was a distinct ionized smell in the air, a by-product of their destructive energy. The surrounding grass had long been burnt black by the passage of curses; some patches were dry enough to catch fire.

"You won't...be the man...to beat me, Aragon," panted Danny.

"Somehow...I doubt you have any grasp...on Divination," replied Magnus, "much less reality."

On a gamble, Danny lunged and thrust his wand forward, a close range attack meant to leave no room for dodging. To his shock, Magnus lunged to meet him. The Death Eater's arm passed over Danny's wand before he could finish his curse, then clamped down, trapping Danny's arm against his side. Grabbing Danny's elbow to finish the lock, Magnus raised his own wand high, reversing his grip to point it down like a dagger. His eyes blazed with triumph.

"AVADA--"

Danny's hand shot up and grabbed the Death Eater's wrist, angling the wand tip away, praying he had twisted it just enough to--

"KEDAVRA!"

A green flash, like light glancing off an emerald. Danny felt the Killing Curse pulse scant inches from his back, discharging somewhere behind him. It felt cold--not the way ice or metal felt. He felt the chill from inside his skin, in the very marrow of his bones: the chill of an early grave.

Panic lent him some strength. He tightened his grip on Magnus's wrist and concentrated on keeping the wand pointed away. Try as he might, he could not extract his trapped arm. The Death Eater was using his great strength to force his wand tip at Danny's face. But Danny knew how to turn his opponent's own balance against him. When Magnus pushed, he pulled, and vice versa.

"You won't beat me," Danny snarled. "There's nothing about you that's any different from others I've taken down. You're just a killer. A monster."

Magnus glared down at him. "A monster, yes. As monstrous as a Duelist's heart. We find joy in combat, we revel in battle. But whereas you resist death, I embrace it.

"Death is power, Oaks. It cannot be stopped, it cannot be cheated. The Dark Lord knows this, and from him do we draw our might."

They shoved, pulled, twisted and grappled across the meadow, leaving crushed grass and troughs in the earth. Their wands filled the meadow with a harsh, pulsing glare.

"That is why we serve him with our lives. Is it not only wise that I align myself with the only power that knows no bounds?"

The wand tip neared the side of Danny's head, and he swerved to the right to avoid it.

"Death drives my wand, and for one such as you, who knows nothing of service, who believes in nothing, who sells his skills for money--you have no hope of stopping it. For who is stronger than Death?"

Danny pulled Magnus's arm further away to his left, ruining the Death Eater's balance. "If you say you're so powerful, then just try and kill me!"

Magnus smiled. "Try?"

He suddenly reversed his movement, pulling Danny back with him. His wand flared a bright crimson, and Danny cried out as a curse burned into his hip. His vision swam with agony; it felt like acid eating into his flesh, and he knew that if he looked at the wound his courage would break.

Magnus loomed over him, pushing harder, forcing him to bend backwards. Without thinking, Danny dropped into a backroll, dragging his enemy down with him. With a kick he sent the Death Eater tumbling overhead. Arms free at last, he rolled forward onto his feet. Magnus was already pushing himself up--far too slowly! Through the haze of pain, Danny forced his wand arm to obey. He raised it--

BANG!

The Death Eater froze, caught on one knee. His eyes drifted down, down to the huge smoldering burn on his chest.

Danny's arm lowered on its own accord, watching as Magnus teetered forward, like a tree about to be felled. He felt tired beyond all endurance. He could not have held out much longer, but finally--

Magnus raised his wand and shot him in the knee. The remaining air in Danny's lungs came out in a scream. Then a second curse slammed into his other knee; the pain caused a moment's darkness to pass over his eyes. Danny pitched forward, but an invisible hand caught him by the neck and held him up.

Magnus kept his wand trained on him. Gritting his teeth in pain, he reached his other hand into the burnt part of his robe. "If you'd used a lethal curse," he said, "you'd have been victorious!" There came the sound of a snapping chain, and he flung a blackened disc at Danny's feet.

Apparation Pass, Danny realized, forgot all about it.

The hand of force tightened around his neck, lifting him higher. For a moment he was held there, his tongue thickening, his lungs crying out for air. Then with a flick of his wand Magnus sent Danny sailing overhead.

As he flew through the air, Danny turned just enough to catch a glimpse of the sky above. He did not feel fear, not really. Just a lingering, bitter regret. Moody's right after all, he thought. Rules are paper wands. Rules don't matter a thing when you see death rising in your enemy's eyes, when the slightest movement of his wand meant your destruction.

Rules were no good here. Nothing was.

The sky vanished altogether as he plunged into the churning waters of the stream. He gasped at the shocking cold, swallowing a mouthful, then pushed hard from the bottom with his hands. He broke through the surface, a miserable, coughing mess. His wounds sang out in raptures.

The stream thankfully had not been deep; the water only reached up to his waist. Blinking rapidly, he caught the dark blur of the Death Eater advancing towards the banks. Struggling to keep his balance, Danny wobbled forward to meet the attack. Got to keep fighting, got to keep...

Danny bent his knees and entered a crouch, left hand wiping his eyes, wand hand submerged in the water. He had to wait for the moment Magnus closed in for the kill. If he timed this wrong, he was not going to get a second chance.

Gripping the phantom wand tightly, he raised his eyes to meet his enemy...

...and found he could not raise his wand.

The surface of the water around him had frozen solid. His hips were blocked in ice. He could no longer draw out his right arm, which he had stuck up to his elbow into the stream. He could not even stand up.

Magnus's voice carried clearly across the ice.

"Seagull Grand Art, Rising From Water, wasn't it? Submerge your wand, conceal its movements, then strike up from the water to surprise your enemy."

He walked maddeningly within range, arms folded, watching. Danny tried to yank his arm back up, and his joints shrieked in protest.

"Do not struggle, Danny Oaks," Magnus intoned. "It is unseemly for a Duelist to struggle in his last moments. You fought well, now accept defeat."

He uncrossed his arms. His wand began to glow green. The little hairs on Danny's neck rose with that familiar chill. Killing Curse. No blocking, no countercurse, no dodging...

And to his surprise, he longed for it. Part of him did, it was true. He wanted a finale, wanted to lay down the pointless trek of his years, no matter how ignoble the end. He didn't have to struggle, didn't have to do anything but stay here like a bent old prisoner, waiting for his execution.

Except...except that he could still see her eyes, marking him. Could still feel her gaze, filled with tenderness and the sweet, soul-filling warmth he had known most of his young life.

You will be a great man someday, Danny, if you let yourself.

Gray eyes, so much like his own. If he lived, he would see them again. That was as good a reason as any.

No, that was the best reason of all.

He wanted to see her. He wanted to live.

And his hands obeyed.

Before Magnus could point his wand, before he could utter the words of the Killing Curse, the phantom wand slipped out of Danny's right hand, passed through his body, and emerged on his left. Danny fired without thinking.

The move surprised Magnus, but it was not surprise enough. A Wandshield reappeared before him to turn it away. But Danny had not been aiming for him.

The Heat spell struck the unfrozen water at Magnus's feet. It discharged with a loud HISSS! and a great cloud of steam rose from the banks. With a hoarse cry, the Death Eater tried to cover his eyes, wipe his face, and back away at the same time. His Wandshield wavered, and Danny took the opening.

He let loose what was perhaps the fastest chain of curses he had ever done. One after another the spells thundered from his whirling wand, and finally they burst through Magnus's Wandshield. Still Danny did not relent. He hurled even more curses--Stunners, Blinders, Full-Body Binds--until at last he saw through the smoky air that his enemy had finally sunk to his knees. Only then did he cease fire.

Magnus, somehow, was still conscious. But he was no threat. The wand rolled from his limp hand into the boiling water before him. A simple Accio spell brought it to Danny's hand.

It was only then that the young Duomancer knew he had won. He had kept his First Commandment, and his opponent would live to know it.

I've kept my word to myself, Ellie, he thought, smiling wearily. If you could only see me now...

---

After he had melted his way out of the ice, Danny waded through the stream until he reached dry land. He gave Magnus a wide berth as he did so, and made sure to keep a wand trained at him. The man was beaten, but was incredibly still conscious. It's a miracle he is, Danny reflected, what with all the curses I used on him.

Magnus tilted forward, but remained seated seemingly through will alone. He raised his eyes to look at Danny's face. His face was pale and empty of expression--only the tightness of his jaws showed he felt any pain at all.

The Death Eater did not speak. Perhaps he couldn't. I must've added a Muting Hex in there somewhere, thought Danny. Those glacier blue eyes, however, communicated what he could not say. Fury, for one--not at Danny, but at his own failure. Pride as well, a refusal to bow or show weakness.

And finally, to Danny's surprise, there was a certain resignation. His enemies often showed incredulity at their own loss, but not Magnus. He sat there calmly, accepting defeat and waiting for something... inevitable.

Danny soon figured out what it was.

"You want me to kill you?"

Magnus's response was a slight inclination of his head. It is my right, as a Duelist and a Death Eater, his eyes seemed to say. It is my way. His eyes widened, filled with an imperious light. Kill me.

Danny said nothing. He had never had an opponent like this, and in a way, he admired Magnus. If I should die like this, Danny thought, on my knees, at someone else's mercy, would I meet it with such courage?

After a long moment, he raised both wands.

Then with all his might, he hurled the Death Eater's wand into the air. The polished dark wood glinted as twirled towards the sun. Danny raised his phantom wand, took careful aim, and fired. In a heartbeat, Magnus's wand vanished in a puff of black smoke and a muted explosion.

Danny turned to Magnus, a loutish smile on his face. "Well, well. A fine duel this has been, eh? But it's getting late and my friends and I really must to be going. Guess we can call this a draw, then."

He left the speechless Death Eater at the banks and hobbled his way back to the hollow.

"Oaks."

Danny stopped dead in his tracks. He looked over his shoulder back at Magnus.

Somehow, the Death Eater had mustered the strength to turn his head. Once again, his eyes held that singular, murderous look. "If you...leave me...alive...one day...I will find you. I will kill you. You will never be...safe from me...Can you live...knowing that?"

Danny smiled again. "I'll live, no matter what. Catch you later." And he turned and walked on.

Harry and Moody were waiting for him at the bottom of the hill, and Harry seized an arm before Danny could pitch forward onto the grass.

"I did it," Danny proudly told his godfather.

"I can see that," Moody growled as he struggled to his feet. "And with the shape you're in, you won't be doing much for a while."

"Aw, this is nothing. Anyway," Danny turned to Harry, beaming. "Did you see how I handled that guy back there? Was that finest wandwork you've ever seen in your life or what? That display must be worth a month's training for you, so I hope you were paying attention."

Harry and Moody exchanged glances, then Harry shook his head. "Sorry, we were a little distracted at the time. We had our own problems to take care of." He jerked his thumb in the direction of the hollow, where nine Death Eaters lay unconscious.

Danny goggled at him. "You've got to be kidding me! That was the fight of my life back there, and you're saying neither of you were watching it?"

"Yeah," said Harry, smiling slightly.

"Didn't see a thing," agreed Moody.

Stunned, Danny could only gape at them, his face burning with outrage and disbelief.

"Well, we couldn't watch you take on just one guy, you know," said Harry, "considering we had nine Death Eaters to handle."

"And if you'd worked a little faster, we wouldn't have had to deal with them either!" admonished Moody.

"I don't believe you!" cried Danny. "You're taking the mickey out of me, that's what! You saw my duel! C'mon, on you guys, admit it! C'mon!"

They chuckled as they led him away from the clearing, back into the safety of the forest.

To be continued

Chapter XX: "Doom Hound"