The One Who You Fear

Chapter 15: Dark Lord vs. Dark Lord

Peter quickly opened the Great Hall doors, and dozens of wizards walked in single file. They wore black hooded robes and masks. Each one swiftly bowed before the stranger and then took their places in a large circle. To Jack, it looked like some grotesque religious ceremony. The room was full of silence.

"My dear Death Eaters," the stranger announced, "many times you have asked me what has inspired me to become what I am today. What has made me so terrifying? Why did I choose this route? And I have told you that I could go on for hours to explain all the reasons. Yet tonight, you are in luck, for many of my chief reasons can be found in the being before you. This is Aku."

The Death Eaters muttered amongst themselves. Jack couldn't hear exactly what they were saying, but he caught several whispering, "Who's that?"

"I believe I have heard of him through the Ministry," one of the Death Eaters spoke up. "Master, is he not a Muggle Asian dictator?"

"Look at him, MacNair!" the stranger replied. "Does he look like a Muggle to you?"

"No, Master, forgive me."

"But you are partially right. He is a dictator. He controls several powerful nations. Yet, he is the greatest Metamorphmagus, Animagus, and Objectomagus in the world. He needs no potions, no wands, no Latin incantations. He simply thinks what he wants to be, and he is. He has several other powers that make him feared by all in his domain. But greatest of all, he has within him a deep, dark secret that I still seek. Aku is immortal. He has seen many centuries, and he will see many more. He has only been challenged and defeated once, and even then he was only detained for a short season."

The stranger turned to Aku. "Aku, it is our greatest honor to be in your glorious presence." He bowed face down on the floor. The Death Eaters followed his lead.

Aku knelt to the stranger's level and whispered something. The stranger answered back in a low voice. Jack only heard the words, " . . . always knows." The stranger stood and turned to the Death Eaters. "But not all of us have that blessing. Lucius, my friend, did you not realize that royalty dwelt under your roof all summer?"

"My lord, no. Forgive me. I was skeptical."

"Not at all, Lucius. I taught you that skepticism, didn't I? And Aku's disguise was quite good. He even fooled my servant, Wormtail. He never trusted the High Inquisitor since Fudge appointed him. I tried to drop hints as to his true identity, but Wormtail never caught on. In fact, he did not want me to come tonight, did you Wormtail? He kept telling me that Undertaker would be sure to catch us. I knew better, of course. Yes, Aku's disguise is certainly applaud worthy." The stranger applauded, and once again the Death Eaters followed his lead. It was rather spooky, though, because their applause was exactly in sync with the stranger's.

"But this is not all that I know," the stranger continued. "I have some distressing news, Lucius. Your tutor did not teach your son what you hired him for."

"My lord, he has learned the Dark Arts. I have seen him practice spells. They are wonderful and terrifying."

"Oh, he has learned Dark Arts, but that's not the point. I believe you have hired a tutor to prepare your fine, young man for service to me. Instead, he and Aku have together planned for my destruction!"

"No! My lord, it cannot be so!"

"It is. If you do not believe me, ask your son. He is standing behind you."

The Death Eater broke out of the circle and threw off his hood and mask. He grasped Draco around the shoulders. "Is this true, Draco?"

Draco did not answer but looked at him with a glazed-over expression.

Lucius slapped him across the face. "Snap out of it, son!"

Draco blinked. "Sorry father," he answered in a distant tone. "The Dark Lord just isn't as great as he appears. Undertaker promised a new and better leader, and we got it. Aku is so much cooler."

"Oh," Aku mock whined. "The loss of a future servant. Is that really so lamentable?"

"That is not that worries me," the stranger replied. "You want to destroy me? Is this how you treat your apprentice, your protégé, your--"

"SILENCE TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE!"

All the Death Easters gasped. The stranger raised his wand as if he was about to cast a spell.

"I SAID SILENCE!" Aku caused a force of wind to knock the stranger's wand out of his hand. "I know your name causes terror among your race. You must feel proud whenever you hear wizards avoid your name, or when they speak it in a low whisper with a tremble in eir voices. I refuse to give you that pride! The only name that deserves fear and respect is the name of Aku! However, I know the name that makes you squirm, your former name. I will only address you this way so that you will cower before me."

The Death Eaters all spoke at once and rose their wands, but Aku once again screamed, "SILENCE, ALL OF YOU! Pay no more allegiance to this worm. Hear the words of your new master.

"You call yourself my protégé, Riddle? You have a strange way of showing it. When I first walked the earth, I swore to myself that I would rule it all. You know that much of the world is already within my almighty grasp. Do you not know why you wizards are not already mine? I have tried to conquer you long ago. I could not directly attack your kind, for your abilities almost match my own. You always seemed to be one step ahead of me. I had to do it in some underhanded way. So, I made an alliance with the lovely queen of the otherworld, Morgan le Fay. Together, we trapped Merlin. Together, we caused Camelot to crumble. But when I tried to lay hold of her kingdom, she put a curse upon me. She said I could neverontrol your kind until those who you now call Muggles learn on their own to control their own magic. We were both certain that this would never come to pass.

"Yet at the beginning of this century, I could feel the curse lifted. The Muggles learned how to fly and how to travel without horses. They could even touch the stars. They had mastered the magic of electricity and the atom. I had planned a new strategy to lead your kind to me. When I was ready, I found a promising witch to lead astray, only to find that she was already in your control! As I continued to gain wizards to my side, I saw it was no good. The most promising, most powerful of the litter, YOU MURDERED THEM ALL!"

The stranger did seem to grow rather frightened to hear this. He tried to speak up, but Aku continued.

"And that's not the half of it. I had learned more about you, of course. I was flattered to hear that you were studying my ways, but it disappointed me that you were not interested in entering my service. It first appeared that you only wanted to know my secrets of immortality. But I soon found out that there was more to it than that. You wanted to learn the way around it. You wanted to know how to destroy me so that YOU could become the next Aku! Some protégé you are, Riddle!"

The stranger tried to argue, "I was young and idealistic, great Aku. Besides, you must know that I was also learning your great ways of leadership!"

"There is no kissing up to me, Riddle! I should have struck once I heard you were defeated, but I waited. I tried to prepare a new, better plan. When dark forces had stirred affirming to me that you had returned, I knew there was no more time to waste. I made sure that this time I get my choice servant first. Potter is mine! You can not have him! And now, we will see you destroyed."

"Not so fast, Aku. I know you Japanese respect a vow. Even someone as you fears to break the oath of a man. I vowed to kill the boy standing before you. Therefore, you must let me--"

"Forget it, Riddle. Vows me nothing to me."

"You misunderstand me. I'm not ready to kill him yet. I only said I was going to kill Potter to throw you off a moment ago. I actually want him to do a little errand for me at the Department of Mysteries."

"And then what?"

"Then he is all yours."

"HA! You think I will fall for your tricks so easily? I know that once you learn the secret of how to kill the boy you would do so!"

"Then you leave me no choice." The stranger picked up his wand and thrust it toward the demon. "Aku, I challenge you to a wizard's duel! The survivor gets the boy's soul!"

The Death Eaters cheered and really applauded this time. They urged Aku to accept.

"Why not?" Aku finally answered. "It sounds entertaining."

The Death Eaters exploded into shouts of approval. "Excellent!" the stranger said. "Now, since I can't compete on your level, you need to sink to mine. I am not dueling a god-like giant."

Aku sighed and shrunk into a humanoid appearance. "Happy?"

"No. You also need a wand."

"I do NOT need a wand!"

"Too bad. I thought this would be a great duel."

"RAVENCLAW! Hand me your wand!" Cho came through the Death Eaters' circle, whimpering and cowering as she presented Aku her wand. Aku smiled. "Yes, this will do nicely."

"Do you know how we duel, Aku? It is polite for the opponents first to bow to each other."

"You've done it already."

"But you have yet to bow to me."

"I BOW TO NO ONE!"

The Death Eaters mumbled amongst each other. Finally, the stranger shrugged. "Fine. I would normally be offended, but since you are Aku--"

"ENOUGH TALKING! LET'S DUEL!"

They held their wands out like swords. Neither of them moved at first. Then, slowly, they started circling each other, like two vultures. They had deadly looks in their eyes.

"What's wrong your majesty?" the stranger sneered. "Are you too much of a coward to attack me?"

"Nonsense. I want to see for myself what everybody is so afraid of."

"You'll be sorry you asked. Crucio!"

Aku howled with pain. His whole body crawled, looking as though it was boiling. Then he raised Cho's wand and shouted, "GEKITSUU!"

The stranger was hit with a similar pain. "That's Japanese! No fair, then I won't see what's coming!"

"Who says I am fair?"

"Wait, how can that even be possible?"

"That is why I chose her wand. I know her lineage. Do not stall, Riddle. Give me another shot."

"Sure. Two can play at this game." He spoke in a high-pitched hissing voice. Whatever it was, Aku dodged it.

"That's where you're wrong, Riddle. I can understand everything, even Parseltongue. It is a perk of being a world leader. HIZEME!" Fire surrounded the stranger. That managed to break up the Death Eaters' circle. "JOUKI!" The stranger became disoriented and almost walked into the flames several times.

One of those near misses must have brought the stranger back to his senses. He made his way through the flames and shouted, "Imperio!" Aku transformed into a crup. "Ha! It worked. Imperio!" Aku transformed again. The stranger uttered the curse over and over, elated that he actually had power over Aku.

Meanwhile, Jack was still trying to get free. Finally, it looked like part of the bundle was beginning to give. He was able to get his wrist free. Yet it did not help his struggle. He noticed a group of Death Eaters moving away from the crowd and toward him. One raised a wand. Suddenly, a jet of hot water hit him. The sticky string started to dissolve. Only then did Jack realize that it was a long way down. Perhaps he could grab one strand and make his way down like a real spi--The bundle gave way, and he was falling. He was about to get himself in a stance that would ease his tumble when things changed. He was turned around in the air, and he fell more slowly. He felt like someone was carrying him, but he could not see anyone.

"My goodness, you're heavy," a voice whispered in his ear.

Jack recognized that voice. "Myrtle?"

"Shh! I'm not supposed to be here."

"Oh. I didn't think you would do this."

"Well, I really shouldn't after how mean you were last time, but I can't resist that face. So, maybe you'll forgive me?"

"It is a hard thing to forgive, Myrtle. You do not realize how important that was to me, but it's not the end of the world. I forgive--"

Myrtle screamed and dropped him, but he only had a few feet to fall. Jack couldn't see what scared her so. He didn't have time. As soon as the stranger saw him, he yelled, "NOW, DEATH EATERS! THE MUGGLE IS FREE!"

All of the Death Eaters ran toward Jack. They surrounded him and began shouting spells. Sparks flew everywhere. Jack managed to deflect the magic just like last time. Most of the spells hit the Death Eaters. Since they were wearing masks, Jack couldn't quite see what happened, but none of the Death Eaters reacted as though the spells were really serious. Certainly nobody uttered the Words of Death. Why were they trying to get him with harmless spells? After a few minutes, Jack got a bit of a clue. His sword stopped deflecting the magic. Instead, the magic was starting to build around the blade, and the sword started to hum and shake. Jack started to feel power like he had never felt before. But then, he remembered Professor Adams' words, "When a magic weapon encounters wand magic, it starts behaving like a wand. Often, it can drive a Muggle insane."

That's what they were trying to do! They want to make Jack mad, so they could kill him while he wasn't in a right frame of mind. How could Jack avoid that? He somehow felt a spell work a few minutes ago. Maybe he could do it again. What was that spell he kept hearing that knocked him off of his feet? That would be useful. Yet when Jack tried to say the spell, the magic of the sword exploded on its own. The Death Eaters were knocked back in a bright blast, and it seemed that they were all knocked out. Jack still had his mind, but the feat took a lot of strength out of him. He started making his way stealthily toward Aku and the stranger. Then he noticed that not all of the Death Eaters were out. That same group that brought him down from the web was moving toward him again. Jack raised his sword threateningly at then and prepared to charge.

"Calm down, mate," one of them said. It sounded like Ron.

"Mate?" Jack said quietly.

"It's us, Jack!" one of them whispered in Hermione's voice. "Put down the sword, it's ok."

Jack wasn't sure. It could be a trick. He wasn't convinced until he noticed one shaking as though it were laughing hard.

"What, Hannah?" one said in Ernie's annoyed voice.

"Nothing. It's just that he . . ." She giggled again.

That sounded genuine enough. Jack looked at them. "What are you doing here?"

"We heard you screaming," Neville said. "You were saying that you needed to get free."

"I barely spoke over a whisper."

"This room is amazing, isn't it?" Hermione observed. "You said you needed freedom, but somehow it knew that you really needed your most devoted friends."

"Be that as it may, you must go!"

"Why?" Luna asked.

"This is too dangerous. I will not risk harm to the innocent."

Luna held out her wand. "We've sharpened our tusks. We're ready for danger."

Meanwhile, the stranger had practically turned Aku to pudding by his duel. "Wingardium leviosa," the stranger commanded. Aku floated over his head, looking decidedly uncomfortable. The stranger laughed with evil glee. "'And Hercules lifted the titan Antaeus over his head and strangled the life out of him! AVADA KEVADRA!" his cold voice screamed.

Jack's friends all gasped in unison. "Is that--?" several of them inquired in shaky voices. Many of them began to tremble.

Aku howled as he transformed into his original state. The bright green light sizzled around him, and he hit the floor. His flaming eyebrows were put out. Cho's wand rolled on the floor. Luna cried out. Jack looked on in shock. Was Aku dead?

"Not so immortal now, eh Aku?" the stranger chuckled. "It's a shame I had to put someone as great as you into the jaws of death, but what's done is done. And now, back to what I was going to do."

The stranger turned to Harry and raised his wand. Some of Jack's friends began running toward Harry, but Jack held out his arm to stop them.

"NINJOUZATA!"

The stranger turned around to find Aku leaping upon him. The demon pressed the stranger against the wall and choked him. Aku pressed him in so hard, the stranger couldn't move. "You were saying, Riddle?" The stranger answered in a choked gasp. "That's what I thought!"

"Go," Jack whispered to the students. He began stalking around Aku. He had to find just the right spot.

"I know you worked so hard to find immortality. It will be a shame to destroy all that hard work." Aku threw his head back and laughed. "FOOL! Do you not know that you must be born into immortality? Speaking of which, do you really think that two fancy words would kill the all-powerful Aku? I knew you would! Nothing can destroy Aku!"

But Jack leapt into the air and struck Aku in the back.

Aku screamed. "The sword!"

The stranger was let free. "You were saying, Aku?" He reached for his wand to point defensively back at the demon, but it was not there. It was on the wall, held by Jack's sword. The wand was broken in half. "My wand. YOU BROKE MY WAND!"

"Aku is not yours to kill," Jack answered as he removed the sword. "I made the oath to destroy him."

"What do I care about your oaths, Muggle?"

"For once, I thank you, Samurai," Aku said. "You have left my enemy completely defenseless."

"Completely? I think not, Aku."

"You have no wand. You have no friends to support you. You have nothing. Face it, you are mine."

"Oh no, I still have some tricks up my sleeve."

"Can they stand what I have planned for you?" Aku pressed the stranger against the wall again, but the stranger didn't struggle. In fact, he had a grin on his face that suggested that this was exactly what he hoped Aku would do. "You see, Riddle, I staged this because I know the prophecy concerning you."

"Oh, do you?" The stranger's red eyes grew wider.

Aku chuckled. "Aha, I see what you're doing. Well, you just try it. I dare you to find your way out." But then he gasped and shook. He screamed. Harry began screaming too. "No! Stop! Harry. Come here, now!"

Harry stepped forward, and his scar began to glow. Just like in Jack's vision, a brilliant, purple lightning bolt issued from the scar. Jack immediately jumped before the lightening and divided it with his sword. The magic force was strong. Jack held on as hard as he could.

"Out of the way, Muggle!" the stranger ordered. "I'd rather die than be saved by you!"

Jack turned around and glared at the stranger. The stranger's eyes glowed red, and for one second Jack thought he saw Harry there screaming and writhing in pain. Jack knew he was starting to lose it.

Aku ordered in desperation, "Hufflepuff! Ravenclaw! Slytherin! STOP HIM!"

Colored beams of light came from all around. Jack saw green, blue, and yellow, and they all came toward him, but they all centered on the sword. Harry's lightning bolt seemed to be orbiting around the blade. The sword shook again and began to feel hot in Jack's hands. He knew he couldn't keep his sanity without help.

"I NEED HELP!" he screamed.

"What do you want us to do?" Hermione said.

"I NEED HELP!" he said again.

He wasn't sure, but he thought that he saw the ceiling open. Just then, he felt someone touch his elbow, and some strength returned to him. He turned and saw Luna with her mask off, smiling and looking up at him with her dreamy eyes. "Help is coming," she said confidently.

"What are you talking about?" Ron said.

She turned around. "Can you hear them?"

"Yeah," Neville replied.

Jack heard it too: shouts, screeches, and the beating of strong wings. The whole herd of thestrals flew into the open ceiling. He thought he saw Dumbledore, the Weasleys, and all those people from the last dream riding the thestrals, and upon Grane's back was Sirius. He even saw people he did not know who looked as ghosts to him. All of them flew toward Aku, shouting curses while the thestrals kicked and bit at him and almost tore him apart. Harry backed away. It looked like his connection with Aku was starting to break. Things were good, but Jack need even more help.

"Great ancestors," Jack mumbled, "hear my plea. Let me keep my mind." He took a deep breath. This was so hard. "Save these children. They have been in Aku's bonds for too long, and I do not know how to free them. Show Zacharias that this is not the way. Reveal to Draco that Aku's promises are empty. Help Cho fight the demon within her. But be especially with Harry. Drive the demon far away from him. I care about him! We have both been hurt by evil. Help Harry to never become part of evil's plan!"

The sword continued to shake and hum. Jack began seeing things constantly shift from the real world to scenes from his dream world. Jack gasped and prayed more earnestly. "Ancestors, I honor you. Give me strength. Let me be your arm of justice, if I find favor in your eyes. May the Scarred Ones never come to pass!"

Jack fell to his knees. He felt he could do this no longer. He thought he could feel a thousand hands on his back, upon his head, and on his hands holding the blade. They gave him comfort and a bit more strength, but not enough. In the distance he could hear his friends encouraging him. A black, misty smoke enveloped the room. Jack could hear someone crying and someone coughing. He felt he was almost done for when Harry's urgent, strained voice came through the mist. It hit him like a bolt of lightning.

"JACK!"

Harry had never called Jack by his name before.

A large, oozy pool of Aku's essence slithered before Jack. In great anger, Jack brought his sword down and struck the mess. It sank into the floor. Jack fell to the ground, and his consciousness began to wane.

"YOW!" Aku cried. He looked around the room for help. "Well, don't just stand there Draco, get him!" Nothing. Aku reached his hand out to Draco, but the demon was shocked. The same happened as he reached for other wizards.

"So, Aku," a sinister female voice said out of nowhere. "Thought you could get around my curse, didn't you?"

Aku whispered fearfully. "Morgan? Where are you?"

"Thought you could outsmart me? Thought you could take my domain? You're finished! You can never come near them again!"

"What is this, Morgan? The curse cannot be renewed!" Jack could just barely see someone stand before Aku. "That's it. Good. Defend your old friend. Help me." Jack heard an unintelligible whisper, and Aku's hands became as grains of sand. "No! Curse you! Curse you forever! May you die at his hand! Curse . . . Dolores! YOU?!?"

"And you wondered why we never got along," the sinister woman voice replied.

The last thing Jack saw was Aku being blown away by an imperceptible wind. The last thing he heard was the stranger's voice. "Don't you dare count this as a victory, Potter. I'll be back. I have ways of repairing a wand, and you will die. And as for you, Muggle, I will get you one day. I don't know how, where, or when, but I will destroy you. I don't care if you are Aku's only means of destruction. No one escapes Lord Voldemort!"