Harry Potter and the Orb of Power

Chapter 12: The Sentinel

    The train ride on the Hogwarts Express was one of the longest Harry had ever taken. Ron and Hermione were still not talking each other, which annoyed Harry to no end, considering they were not speaking over something so unimportant. Harry, however, kept silent on the issue, and counted on Hermione's and Ron's history and hoped that things would work themselves out. Harry was reading his spellbook for fifth year, and he was surprised to learn that they were going to learn some powerful spells.

    "The Lightning Spell? Circle of Fire? You'd think that we were all going to start attacking each other," Harry said, looking at the complicated spells. "The Macabre Hand...sounds spooky."

    "I'm sure they'll all prove useful. Although, the spells sound a lot like Dark Magic," Hermione responded, looking at the same spellbook.

    "They must be used for good purposes, otherwise Dumbledore wouldn't let us use them. They're probably for Defense Against the Dark Arts," Harry said, looking at the spellbook. "All I can say is that they'll take a lot of practice, they look extremely complicated."

    "Are you two still going on about the homework? Can't we talk about Quidditch or something?" Ron asked, annoyed with the both of them.

    "I guess, but we need to focus more on school. If not for the O.W.L.'s, then at least some of these spells will help in case we get into trouble," Harry said.

    "Turning into a bookworm, eh Harry?" Ron said, laughing. Hermione gave him a "You-Should-Study-Too" look, but she refused to say anything to Ron.

    "We can still have fun, mind, but I think we should make sure we do better this year, that's all." Ron gave Harry an exasperated look, but decided to drop it.

    "I bet we get good marks in Defense against the Dark Arts, but Potions and Divination are other matters. I bet you anything Trelawney and Snape haven't improved over the summer," Ron said, looking over the Potions textbook. "Honestly, who needs a Hygaeth's Bane potion." Hermione just rolled her eyes, while Harry decided to change the subject.

    "Now that Wood's gone, we're going to need a new Quidditch captain and Keeper," Harry told Ron.

    "I bet they make you captain, Harry. You've been on the team for four years and you'll be able to be captain for three years," Hermione said appraisingly.

    "I wouldn't be too sure of it. Fred or George might be made captains, they know Wood's strategies. Or even Angelina, she's been on the team with Wood since their first year," Harry responded.

    "Maybe it'll be someone off of the team, maybe a new try-out," Ron mumbled under his breath.

    "Could be," Harry agreed. Noting that they would be arriving at the school soon, Harry, Ron, and Hermione changed into their school robes. The train came to a halt, and Harry, Hermione, and Ron disembarked from the train. All of the other students got off the train, chatting excitingly. Harry felt reassured when he saw the castle rising in the distance, but also felt that, for some reason or another, it wouldn't be the same as before. Harry saw Hagrid hurriedly leading the first years to the boats.

    "First years this way! All righ' there Harry?" Hagrid called, waving to the three of them.

    "Hey Hagrid!" Harry yelled back, before he felt someone shoving him from behind. He turned, and saw Professor McGonagall behind him.

    "Professor McGonagall!" Harry said surprised.

    "Yes, Potter, I'm sure that you're surprised to see me here. However, as surprised as you may be, we can't stand here all day. You three are to come with me."

    "Yes, Professor," Harry said, following Professor McGonagall into a separate horseless carriage. The four of them entered into the carriage, and then were off to the castle, ahead of the rest of the students.

    "Professor, if you don't mind me asking, why are we being separated?" Hermione asked.

    "Miss Granger, it's for your own safety, I assure you. Professor Dumbledore wishes to speak to you, and to the student body, before you go to your common room," McGonagall responded. Harry believed what McGonagall said, but he felt that she wasn't telling the whole truth.

    "When will we be able to see everyone?" Ron asked.

    "You'll be with your houses tonight, and tomorrow you'll go to classes as usual. Now, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, I'll be speaking to you too tonight about your new posts. I will meet you in the Gryffindor common room at eight o'clock, and then I will take you to the meeting."

    "What meeting?" Ron asked, suddenly irritated that he couldn't go to.

    "The prefect meeting, Mr. Weasley," McGonagall responded quickly. "Mr. Potter and Miss Granger, as they have probably already told you, have been named Gryffindor prefects." Ron looked at Harry with an angry look, and Harry at once forgot that he hadn't told Ron he was a prefect. By Hermione's expression, she had already told Ron that she was made prefect, and she was surprised Harry didn't do the same. The carriage came to a stop, and Harry, Hermione, and Ron got out quickly. Harry started walking towards the castle gates.

    "Hold it right there, Mr. Potter. Do not take another step," Professor McGonagall said quickly and hurriedly. Harry stopped in his tracks, and heard a rushing sound, like the sudden gust of wind. Suddenly in front of him, a grey haze appeared before him, and Harry felt himself thrown back with a great force. He hit the ground hard, and felt the wind was knocked out of him. Harry looked up and saw that the grey haze had formed into a tall figure cloaked in misty grey, tattered robes. The face was haunting; it's eye sockets were completely empty and filled with a swirling grey cloud that looked as if it was brimming with energy. Its hands were covered in silver gauntlets, the fingers ending in razor sharp claws. The figure threw its robes back and revealed a muted silver suit of armor, and a sheath. The figure withdrew a long sword that was made up of a blazing grey fire. The figure glided forward, its eyes fixed on Harry. It opened its mouth, and revealed another ball of swirling, grey energy. Harry took out his wand and pointed it at the figure.

    "Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted, a jet of red light issuing from his wand. The spell hurled towards the figure, and was about to make contact, but in a rushing sound like a gust of wind, the figure turned into mist, and then vanished. Harry's spell went harmlessly through where the figure had last been, and disappeared. Harry looked around wildly, and saw that Hermione, Ron, and Professor McGonagall were running towards him. Harry started moving forward, but in another rushing sound, the mist had returned, only it was all around him. He felt a great pressure on his neck, and realized that the figure had materialized behind him and was gripping him by the neck. Harry started to choke, he couldn't breath. His chest began to tighten, and spots were swimming around his eyes.

    "Professor, do something!" Hermione screamed.

    "Hold still, Potter!" McGonagall shouted, aiming her wand at the figure. Harry realized that McGonagall was trying not to hit him with her spell, but he couldn't care either way, he wanted this thing off of him. His head started to pound, he needed air badly. McGonagall pointed the wand at the figure.

    "Suspendi Sentiem!" Harry saw a black orb slowly growing at the tip of McGonagall's wand. The area around them seemed to get darker, as if McGonagall's spell was sucking up all the light around them. She waved her wand, and the ball left her wand and was suspended in mid-air. The ball then, in the blink of an eye, flashed forward towards Harry and the figure. The ball went right through Harry, and then struck the figure. The figure's grasp loosened immediately from Harry, and he fell to the ground. He looked up, and saw the ball resting in the center of the grey figure. Suddenly, blood-red streaks issued from the black ball, wrapping themselves around the figure and turning the figure blood-red. Bound by the blood streaks, the figure closed its eyes, and then faded away. Harry was about to thank McGonagall when he felt something warm in his mouth. He put his hand to his mouth, and felt a trickle of blood issue from his lips. Harry felt sick to his stomach as he felt more blood trickle from his mouth. Harry coughed, and the blood spurted from his mouth and into the air. Harry thought this was the end of the bleeding, but, much to his horror, the blood started forming streaks and wrapping around him. Harry tried to move, but he couldn't move at all. The streaks started to cover his face, smother him. Two strands remained suspended for a moment, and then shot through his glasses and straight into his eyes. Harry saw red for a moment, and then felt himself being pulled away from the ground. He saw McGonagall looking shocked, Hermione crying, and Ron yelling, but they were all in a shade of red. Suddenly they were gone, and he was surrounded in darkness.

    Harry felt himself floating in the air, weightless, surrounded by emptiness. He tried to find some sort of ground, but couldn't make any contact with anything solid. Suddenly, he felt like he was falling. Air rushed around him, he felt sick at the stomach as he plummeted from wherever he was. In a gust of wind, Harry suddenly was righted and was on solid ground. The blackness became a muted grey, and then turned into a bright light. Harry shielded his eyes, and then saw a green expanse of grass. The flat stretched before him in what seemed like an infinitely large ocean of grass. There was a loud explosion, and Harry realized that he was in danger. He saw men mounted on horses, rushing towards each other, pikes out in front of them. Harry ran out of the way as the knights crashed into each other in a horrible clang of metal and flesh. The horses whinnied in fright as many of the knights came crashing to the earth. Harry saw the knights dismount and crash their swords together, dueling to the death. The smell of death was heavy in the air; Harry put his hand to his mouth to prevent himself from getting sick. Harry heard the blaring of a horn, and saw another wave of knights riding into battle. Harry saw two figures lingering behind one of the lines of knights. The first mounted a pure white horse, issuing orders to the rest of the knights. An orange light fluttered around him, an inexplicable force that Harry couldn't quite comprehend. Next to him, as Harry got closer, was a man cloaked in grey. Harry realized with dread that it was the figure that attacked him here at Hogwarts. Harry noticed in the background that a castle, very much like Hogwarts, rose in the distance. The grey figure pulled out his sword, which was blazing bright orange flame. He yelled something that Harry couldn't hear, and he ran into battle. The grey soldier swung his fire sword, burning the enemy knights with a viciousness that shocked Harry. His gauntlets, razor sharp, were cutting through enemy armor easily, tearing through the enemy knights. Suddenly, the knights of the man with the orange light (a wizard, Harry decided) were the only ones alive on the battlefield. They erupted in cheers, and the grey figure walked over to the wizard on the pure white horse. They seemed to be talking, until the area went silent. Harry heard a deep, growling voice echo in the air.

    "Attack!" Suddenly, thousands of soldiers popped into the battlefield out of nowhere. Seemingly Apparating onto the school grounds (Hermione would never have believed this), the soldiers were almost ten feet tall. They were covered in black, spiky armor with green cloaks around them. They were yelling and yelping and screaming into the air, ready to do battle. The deep, growling voice suddenly yelled into the air. "Attack!" The giant soldiers charged forward, the ground trembling underneath their feet. The white knights formed themselves, ready to confront the next assault. The white wizard took out his wand and then pointed it towards his knights.

    "Moena Lucis!" the white knight cried. There was a bright flash of light, Harry covered his eyes it was so intense. When Harry looked, he saw that each of the knights was surrounded by an orb of light. "Attack! Let none of them live!" the white wizard shouted, pulling out his own sword. The dark wizard on the other side cackled as the giant soldiers approached the white knights. Harry took out his wand, in case this wasn't like his trips to the Pensieve or Riddle's Diary, and the people in the flashback were able to hurt him. He made his way closer to the white wizard, and managed to hear him and the grey figure speaking.

    "My Lord, I don't know if the shields will hold. We can't keep this going for much longer," the grey figure spoke in a hushed yet commanding voice.

    "Do not worry, we will triumph."

    "I am not too sure, My Lord. He commands giants. The Wall of Light spell won't keep them from killing our knights for long." Harry saw the orange light now rested on the white wizard's shoulder, but Harry couldn't understand what the light was, or what its purpose was. As he crept closer, he heard a loud explosion, and saw that the dark wizard was shouting curses at the white knights.

    "We can't stay out of this battle any longer. We need to fight for the protection of the school!" the white wizard shouted, pulling out his sword. "This time we fight, my old friend, and we'll finally kill him." The white knight charged, his horse whinnying as they plunged headlong into the fray, like an arrow discharged from a bow. The grey knight took out the flaming sword, and charged too. The white horse, at the edge of battle, opened up a pair of wings and then soared above the battle. Harry watched in amazement as the horse, the sunlight glinting off its pure white hide, flapped its wings in slow motions, and seemingly ran on the air. Harry heard a scream somewhere behind him, and when he turned, he saw a woman standing on top of a hill, overlooking the battleground. The hill seemed to lead to Hogwarts, and the woman, most likely a witch, was looking down on the battle with horror. She collapsed to her knees, and sobbed into her hands. Harry was about to run up the hill when he heard a horrible yell. He turned, and saw that the white wizard was dueling with the dark wizard. They used their swords, not their wands, as they would have done back...in the future. Harry, more intent on watching the outcome than finding a way back, approached the duel. He made his way cautiously through dark giants and white knights, and when he got to the back of the battle, he saw the two generals fighting.

    "You won't survive this time. You're going to pay for your crimes," the white wizard shouted, bringing his sword down on the dark wizard. The dark wizard countered the blow, and forced the white wizard away.

    "We'll just have to see. Tell me where it is, and I'll spare your life," the dark wizard sneered back, cackling as he swung his black sword at the white wizard.

    "You'll never have it, so long as I live. You will never touch it, you will never see it," the white wizard replied.

    "Oh, I think eventually I will. Eventually I'll get it. Maybe you won't be around to save it then, but I'll make sure I'll get it. And when I do, everyone will know my name, fear me, and bow to my power!" The dark wizard swung, and though the white wizard parried the blow, the white wizard was knocked back. The black wizard took the opportunity and took out his wand. Harry heard an angry growl, and saw the grey warrior charging at the dark wizard.

    "Spiritus Viri, Mortis Vincere!" the dark wizard shouted. Beads of green light issued from his wand, and, much to Harry's horror, struck the grey figure with the blazing sword. The grey figure's eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he collapsed, the sword in his hand. The dark wizard cackled, even though the last of his army was being defeated by the white knights. The white wizard, furious over the loss of his friend, swung the sword, and hewed off the spellcaster's arm. The dark wizard howled in pain, and fell to the ground. Blood stained the grass as the dark wizard breathed slowly.

    "I told you that you wouldn't leave this place alive. You've done enough harm, and now you'll pay with your life!" The white wizard lifted up his sword.

    "NO!" a voice screamed. The white wizard looked to his side, and saw a woman standing before them. Harry recognized her as the woman on the hill, but couldn't quite make out her face. Things were starting to get hazy, blurry, undefined. The white wizard too was losing definition. Everything was going bright. He still heard the voices, through the haze, though they sounded like they were echoing through water. "Don't kill him! You'd only be as worse as him!"

    "He has to pay for his crimes. You know what he did! I'll not delay and let him slip away again! This must be done." The white wizard turned to the dark wizard, who was, in the face of danger, cackling maniacally. "You're fate has been decided," the white wizard said grimly, and he swung his sword, and severed the dark wizard's head. The woman collapsed to the ground wordlessly. Blood spurted onto the white wizard's robes, tainting them with a red stain. "It is done," the white wizard proclaimed, just as the world went bright with light, and then collapsed back into darkness. Harry felt himself being sucked away from the ground, floating into the air, and he closed his eyes, waiting for the nausea to subside, and his nightmarish journey to end.