Pyat Pree was annoyed. Annoyed and furious. The assassins he send had only partially succeeded. Though, four out of five were better than he expected them to do.
What made him furious were the so called apprentices of him. Not even strong enough to take on a red priestess each. Besides him teaching the more promising one the technique to duplicate oneself with the help of diamonds and fractioning light. At least like this he had some insight as to the enemies fighting capabilities, having seen it through the eyes of the two now dead apprentices.
It was worrying that the two red priestesses, who should only be capable of conjuring flame, now had a much bigger variety of spells and were stronger too. Not on his own level, but both at the same time would give him some trouble. What was more worrying was that he had no idea of what the real enemy had at his disposal.
'No matter, even if they should attack Qarth the protections will keep them out.' the warlock thought assured.
Another inconvenience was that the Undying ones noticed the return of magic. In hindsight it was a foolish hope for them to remain ignorant of it. That was what hope generally is. Foolish. Not that it seemed to do them much good for now. The old husks still did not leave their chambers for anything. Pyat doubted they could move at all at this point.
Something that would make it easier to overthrow them. 'All in due time.' he had to remind himself. At the moment no one wanted to help in this undertaking. For obvious reasons.
The Undying ones and the warlocks share a hive-mind personality. All were connected with each other. Only his tremendous mental skills he honed to near perfection helped him to cloud these memories and thoughts from them.
Otherwise, he would be dead by now. Not to mention that he couldn't kill them either without severely wounding himself in the process. Mentally at least. So he had to find a way to imprison them and install himself as leader. The best chance would be if he could get his hands on the heart of the undying ones. With it in his grasp they would've to obey him.
Suddenly a message was sent across the hive-mind. Infiltrators were in the city and the silent alarm went off. All available warlocks were send to investigate and protect the ward stones. Pyat Pree did not know what the fuss was about. The intruder alert could be triggered by all kinds of thieves or bandits trying to get into the greatest city that was or will be.
Only as he stretched out his senses Pyat saw what had them in such a panic. Five figures of immense power had entered the city, unchecked no less.
To keep up pretences he obeyed the order. For now.
After Melisandre's emotional episode was over Harry and the rest made plans for the conquest of Qarth. It was much more difficult and complex than the last ones.
The reason were the ancient magical protection over the city. One of the reasons the city was never conquered, besides the desert on its doorstep and the massive navy they could deploy at a moments notice. Hundred ships were absent, but that left more than two-thousand nine-hundred from which more than a few were not merchant vessels. So, it was good they were striking from the land.
"How do we get around these triple walls?" asked Andromeda as they sat around a table in a war council. All were present expect Mirri and Marwyn. Mirri wasn't really versed in warfare and much to busy educating healers.
Marwyn too hadn't a single chain of iron, meaning knowledge in warcraft. Besides ten horses couldn't get the man away from the books they gave him. Much too enthralled with them for the moment. So Harry, Bellatrix, Andromeda, Marcella, Narcissa, Fleur, Gabrielle, Melisandre and Kinvara sat around the table discussing battle plans.
Rubbing his chin in thought Harry said what he knew of the walls "I know that it will be difficult to get through them with siege equipment or spells, due to the wards over the city and walls." the defences of the city were older than the ones of Hogwarts and appropriately strong. After all one needed strong defences to dissuade a nation full of Dragonlords from attacking.
"What about an infiltration?" Marcella proposed "We could simply go in and find the ward-stones and destroy or deactivate them." a simply enough plan and easy to do with their abilities. "The army would attack as soon as the defences are down."
Thinking it over in his head Harry saw no problems with the plan, for now. "They certainly won't expect us." He allowed. The few surviving ships of the assault would still be on their way back downwards on the river. Word of the cities of Ghis falling couldn't have possibly reached Qarth. So the effect of surprise was still with them.
Melisandre interjected at that point "That is not true. The warlocks have a glass candle and have surely kept an eye on things. Just because our city has protection doesn't mean they can't spy on the rest." Meereen, Astrapor, Yunkai and New Ghis all could've been observed as they were conquered. Logic dictated that Qarth would be next.
Now Andromeda retorted probably sharper than intended "Maybe, but that also does not mean they told anyone about it." glaring a bit at the red priestess. She couldn't help but still be annoyed at the woman. "I know people like them, hoarding information and telling no one about it." Dumbledore came to mind together with what Harry told her of Voldemort and his methods.
Calmly Narcissa wondered "Why would they allow a huge threat to approach their city without bothering to tell everyone else, though?" it did not make sense to her to do a thing like this. Stupid did not even begin to cover the magnitude of stupidity of such an action.
"What brought the investigation with our own glass candle?" Harry inquired to avoid an unnecessary argument he saw coming.
Shaking her head Melisandre answered with an unhappy voice. "Nothing of importance. I could look into Qarth itself, but the House of the Undying was inaccessible to me." gathering her thoughts she tried to think how best to describe it. "It was as if I was looking into dense fog that obscured my vision, blocking me out." she deeply disliked it when she could not help Harry. Whatever he was to her now Melisandre did not exactly know. Azor Ahai/Messiah/Master/Lord, but all in one most likely. However she did not try to make up reasons for her failure, knowing he did not hold it against her.
Nodding in gratitude to the old red priestess, but frowned nonetheless. "It seems Infiltration is our best bet." looking around the table at all the faces he reached a conclusion. "Bella, Cissy, Marcella and Andy will come with me" now his gaze was upon the two Veela "while you will prepare to launch the offensive. Beginning with proper siege spells." it would take some time to prepare them, but not so much. "Melisandre and Kinvara will help you with the drawing of the proper circles and with the charging of it." that should be plenty of magical power to blast through the triple walls of Qarth. A so called wonder of the world.
With that resolved the group discussed other matters, such as where they should place the many refugees in their city. "We can't throw them out. So what are we going to do with them?" the voice of Narcissa cutting in. She had enough problems with the hospital already and did not need an overflowing city of sick and dirty people to make it even harder.
"Well the time for expanding had to come eventually, but so soon I had not expected." commented Marcella as she sipped at her water. It wasn't as if they would have problems with raising cities or buildings. It was made even easier with how many ruins were in Essos. Just repair them and transport them to the final destination. The problem of transport could be solved later. Of course, the group couldn't make every city fly to them. Much too magically costly business.
Gabrielle had her own proposition regarding that problem "Couldn't we just use the protean charm? And when all buildings had it one portus charm would be enough to transport them to the correct destination." quite proud of having thought of that.
The youngest Delaceur sister's pride was smashed quickly by her big sister, who said softly "It wouldn't work. All the buildings would have the same destination, fall on top of each other and arrive in a big pile of rubble." After all every piece would've been charmed to arrive at the same location, which would make all the previous repairing useless. Summoning her own bag of useful things Fleur pulled out a staff with a small glass orb sitting on the top.
Intrigued Harry asked "What is it?" peering into the small orb he saw a miniature version of a big manor three stories high.
Puffing up Fleur presented the staff with a flourish. "With this staff one can store large plots of land, like lakes, forests or."
Before the Veela could finish Gabrielle exclaimed unable to control herself anymore "Cities!" happy that they could help Harry. Beaming at him, causing Harry to smile at her in return. The youngest Veela's enthusiasm infectious to him. It certainly would make things easier for them with this.
Amused at her sisters antics Fleur smiled too, but also said. "Of course, you can't just store inhabited cities in it." Left unsaid was that such an action wouldn't be favourable to the people trapped inside.
With the problem solved they prepared to transport their army again. Twenty-four thousand warrior-maids. The paint was still on their bodies, for whatever reason. Harry just rolled with it by now.
Fleur, Gabrielle, Melisandre, Kinvara and the army would be attacking once the wards and protections of the city were deactivated. Curiously enough the now once more fertile red waste stopped a few miles away from Qarth as if touching it wasn't possible for whatever reason.
Harry and the sisters Black were invisible and in front of the triple walls, climbing them in the old fashioned way.
Climbing the walls with ease the three soon were before the last one. This one a fifty feet high, made out of black marble and decorated with scenes of lovemaking between man and woman.
The previous one was forty feet high and out of grey granite with scenes of war displayed on it. And the one before was only thirty feet high made of red sandstone, decorated with many different kinds of animals. Snakes, dragons, wolfs and many more.
Harry held up a fist to signal they should stop. "What is it?" whispered Andromeda while crouching at the foot of the wall. She wanted to get her revenge on these wannabe sorcerers, for trying to kill herself, her sisters and the murder attempt on her husband.
They may net be on the level of the Dark Lord in terms of vengeance, but they were Blacks nonetheless and these weren't known to simply take insults and murder attempts without retaliating. Mostly with dire consequences for the party who tried it.
"The wards begin here." Harry replied and went to work, trying to open a hole for them to slip through. It took longer than expected with it being magic and runes of a whole different world. A good hour he spend at erecting and enlarging the hole for them to pass through.
When Harry was finished the four women scaled the wall with him following closely behind and letting the hole vanish again.
Now inside Narcissa proposed mentally through their link to not be overheard 'We should separate to be quicker in our search for the ward-stones.' she only got four positive responses and so all five searched for the most likely buried stones with their super-sensory ability through the earth.
Bellatrix was walking invisible among the masses.
The people here were tall and had extremely white skin despite the harsh sun bearing down on them. Men wore beaded silk skirts while women wore dresses that left one breast exposed, for whatever reason the eldest Black wasn't sure. The markets and bazaars were brimming with people and goods from all over the world.
Having her super-sensory ability activated she evaded all collisions, waiting for a disruption inside the earth indicating a ward-stone. The splendour of Qarth was openly shown in the streets for all to see. Buildings painted in shades of rose, violet and umber, streets lined with bronze statues, its fountains designed in fantastic shapes of mythical beasts and the thoroughfares were lined with bronze arches inlaid with precious gems. Trees and flowers blooming on the terraces above the marketplaces.
Walking away from the masses and further inside the city Bellatrix soon came upon a temple from where a such disruption came. Walking inside not much could be seen.
The building was empty.
Shrugging she followed her magical sense to the point where the stone was located. A bit of digging with the Defodio and soon the stone came into view upon the ten foot mark. Strange runes inscribed she just disrupted the flow of it, leaving it whole but not functioning. After all powerful wards shouldn't be carelessly destroyed. It would only hold for a day until the stone activated once more, but that was enough time for them.
Burying the thing again and leaving no trace that it was brought up in the first place, the eldest Black made to leave.
Only for her super-sensory ability to pick up another person in the temple.
Looking around she saw no one, indicating an invisible opponent. Concentrating on the vibrations send out by the person she could picture his form in her minds eye. Debating on what action to do Bella decided to just use a quick Reducto. Silently waiting until the person had passed her position she reacted with lightning fast actions only rivalled by her husband.
The spell connected with the invisible target, who went down silently having his chest turned to fine pink dust. Looking at the now visible man she identified him as a warlock. The blue lips were a dead giveaway. Transfiguring the corpse into a pebble she flung it in a nearby pond.
'A warlock was at my location should I guard the ward-stone or search for more?' Bellatrix asked mentally. She could stay here and prevent them from activating the stone again, presuming they knew of the tampering or search for others.
After a short pause and debate Narcissa answered for Harry who was out of Bella's range of communication per Legilimency. 'Search for others, but be quick we don't want them to reactivate the wards.' the honey-blond woman passed on the message of Harry.
While Bellatrix did just that Narcissa had her own problems.
She was near the harbour. The thing was several miles long, full of ships and wares from around the world. Winesinks, warehouses, cheap brothels and gaming dens line the streets together with temples of peculiar gods. Criminals of every kind were at every corner. Cutthroats, cutpurses, money-changers and useless spellsellers among them.
The waterfront itself was one big marketplace with wizened old women bent like hunchbacks selling flavoured waters and goats milk. Half a hundred different languages were assaulting her ears, spoken by the many different seamen from all over the world wandering at the stalls, drinking spiced liquor and trading crude jokes. The air smelled of fish, the salt of the sea, hot tar and honey as well as an incense of oil and sperm.
Elsewhere rocks that looked like dragon eggs were sold to people fool enough to believe it.
All this was around Narcissa as she found the ward-stone in the earth. The problem was that she couldn't just start digging in the middle of it all. Invisible or not that would be noticed. Searching around she got an idea.
Narcissa opened a door that led to one of the many warehouses. In a quiet corner of it she set up a silencing spell around herself as a precaution and began digging down and then forwards, where she could feel the stone. It took her a little more than two minutes to disrupt the stone and bury it all again.
Having accomplished that Narcissa took a small glass orb out. It was expanded inside so that it was big enough to hold enough Ramora fishes to anchor all the ship in the harbour in place. Like that no one should be able to escape per ship once the invasion has started. Flinging the ball against a ship it shattered and freed all the magical fish into the waters.
Marcella, Harry and Andromeda were facing no problems with their respective areas, quickly taking stone after stone out of the whole cluster, weakening the ward-structure as a whole immensely.
Of course, to deactivate one alone would've been sufficient for them to break through the defence, but then it also could've been easily reactivated by one of their opponents. Evading warlocks seemed to work better than killing them. The latter caused them to face greater numbers than the simple and more safe method of not engaging in a fight.
Successfully shutting down seventy percent of the ward-stones the group assembled in front of the Hall of thousand Thrones from where the Pureborn ruled.
Just like the Purebloods at home they thought themselves the elites of this world and everyone else beneath them. They were wrong with the only thing being in their favour was in which family the Pureborn were born.
While the five of them entered the seat of governance the rest of the group arrived outside of Qarth together with the army, beginning the assault upon the gates with the help of their siege spells.
The army was quick and eager to conquer the lands for their leader and hero. The healers would be staying a little behind to treat the wounded.
Contrary to popular belief one did not die as soon as an arrow pierced the body. Sure, one to the head or heart killed without protection, but everywhere else and you could still live if not for blood loss. The same with being cut in half at the waist. You couldn't do much aside from lying there in shock unable to do anything. But once the two halves were quickly enough glued together by the sap of the Bifröst pine the wounded would live. The same with other lost extremities that were cut off.
Together with all the new healing spells they had salvaged from the library of Chroyane not many would die as long as they had the healers and as long as the injured could be brought quickly enough to them. Not many had the talent for the spells, but twenty healers under Mirri Maz Duur were a good start.
Not that the group expected any injury in this attack. The war paint should be a sufficient protection. Nonetheless it was better to be safe than sorry. They also could be used to heal injured or mutilated slaves.
In the time the army sacked the city, laying the rich and slavers in chains to await trial, the group of five made it into the huge Hall of thousand Thrones.
Like all the rest it was pompous with countless gems and precious metals used in its construction. Wasteful to the extreme. Big bronze arch fashioned in the likeliness of two snakes mating, intertwined like strands of hair in a braid. Ignoring all people and slaves in it all five strode towards the throne room with a purpose. Various guards trying to intercept them were stunned quickly, as to prevent them from alarming the Pureborn.
All went of without a hitch. Harry now stood before the equally pompous door leading to the so called Throne room of the rulers of Qarth. Knocking open the doors they were greeted by the sight of the Pureborn with a petitioner standing the middle of the room, most likely wanting something from them and having no chance at getting it.
The floor like many things in the city was made of marble, while the ceiling was high and domed, painted with scenes portraying the long lost glory of Qarth. The Pureborn were all sitting on great wooden chairs, which rose to the ceiling in curved tiers. Immense as they were this wasn't enough for the greedy Pureborn. The chairs too had to be fantastically carved, bright with gold work and studded with amber, onyx, lapis and jade.
As fast as the door was opened it again was closed and sealed shut. In the time all this happened the Pureborn had to overcome their surprise at the intrusion and then their fury at the audacity of it all.
However, before a single insult, something similar or order at the guards could be shouted all were silenced. The petitioner simply stunned.
"Just bind them and leave them here. It shouldn't take long for the rest to arrive and haul them into prison." stated Harry as he bound all of the weaklings.
Negotiations weren't done this time. From the rumours and the minds of the Pureborn Harry knew that they would try everything to fuck him over. Lacking the patience to deal with all of it he planned to simply remove all of the different powers at play in Qarth. The Thirteen, the Tourmaline Brotherhood, the ancient guild of Spicers and last but not least the Warlocks and the Undying.
His wives nodded and replied in unison. "Yes Harry." casting Incarcerous and Stupefy spells at the various Pureborn. It was over quickly and without interruption, expect the indignant and outraged expressions of the now shackled nobles. With that finished the quintet left the building again.
This time the destination was the Palace of Dust. Inside it were the only ones who could possibly pose a threat to them. Unknown magics always were dangerous.
On top of it Harry did not know how many enemies there were. Although, with the five of them it should be no problem. Fleur, Gabrielle, Kinvara and Melisandre would show up to it later as well. Providing at least a bit relief, should it be necessary.
Walking the streets was different than expected. No rivers of blood, screams across buildings or anything resembling normal procedure during an invasion.
'Well we just killed the ones responsible for the Civic guard and not too many slaves are intent to defend their masters.' Harry mused so that could be a reason no one had jumped to the defence up until now. 'Or my troops are simply too good.' that was a nice thought, but also arrogant so he tried bury it quickly.
During the walk many slavers or different people in possession of slaves were chained and led to the prisons by the Warrior maids. Later when everything was more ordered Harry intended to give all imprisoned masters a trial, judging the severity of their crimes and punishing them accordingly.
'The problems will come from their children. Most likely.' Harry mused as he made his way to the Palace of Dust with his four companions at his side. Naturally the children of the former masters had not committed crimes themselves, but they held the same world-view. To top it all off killing or imprisoning their parents or relatives wouldn't endear them much to Harry.
After a good few minutes of navigating through the streets the group encountered the first bit of opposition in form of twelve warlocks.
Weapons were drawn and in the span of a second the first two enemies were already dead and shrivelling with a hole in their chests, courtesy of Narcissa. The arrow itself flying through the flesh without any trouble and even further through a stone wall. The spells on the arrow-heads by now so strong it could pierce ten men in steel plate consecutively without any effort.
Not a sound escape the man nor the flying projectile. That combined with the two-hundred fifty pound draw recurved dragon bone bow and not much could withstand an arrow fired from it.
Followed by that Harry and Marcella took the right side and Bella together with Andromeda took the left. All firing various spells into the weak warlocks, probably only acolytes. Diffindo and Depulso were sufficient for these opponents. The rest was picked out by Narcissa and her arrows.
Having dealt with the annoyances the group further walked towards the House of the Undying, but as soon as they turned another corner again warlocks awaited them, lining along the whole street seemingly endless. Harry just nodded towards Narcissa who took off into the air a moment later, intent to pick them out without putting herself in danger. The rest drew their weapons and leapt into the fray of warlocks and soon to be dead bodies.
As soon as a few moments into the battle, if one could call it such, Harry noticed the disintegrating bodies and the ones his and his wives weapons just phased through.
Noticing that he conveyed through the mental link 'Activate your environmental sensing, it should at least filter the weightless illusions out.' getting only mental nods he did so himself, leaving only the strange constructs and the few real ones in-between to fight.
The slaughtering of these opponents did not even give them a sheen of sweat. They only were marginally well versed in magic and even less in physical combat.
In contrast Harry, Bellatrix, Marcella and Andromeda were experts in physical combat and masters of more than a few magical disciplines and especially in offensive and defensive magic. Carving themselves a bloody path through the streets. Hacking, slashing and tearing their way through with might and magic.
Only dismembered bodies, dried husks and ash was left behind them. Despite that the flood of blue-lipped bald men did not end. Deciding to speed that all a bit up Harry coordinated mentally with his wives.
All flew high into the air and shortly after unleashed a great inferno onto the street occupied by the countless warlocks. The flames clashed against the ground creating waves of fire that licked at the bronze and stone decorating the street. Melting a little of the former and letting it shine from its light. The waves of flame soon consumed the street, leaving it free of the pesky warlocks and glowing a little.
Satisfied with their work the five landed again and resumed walking towards their destination, with the Veela sisters and the two priestesses joining shortly.
It did not take much longer and the building came into few. The area around it was looking as if all plants were rotted away and nothing was done to restore the earth in any way. The only plant life they found was an ill and twisted looking black barked trees with inky blue leaves on them. Otherwise all else was in a similar condition as the earth itself. The mortar at the house and on the path was dry and crumbling. Black tiles covering both.
Curiously at the entrance another of the Warlocks waited for them in a non-threatening manner and posture. "Greetings. I am Pyat Pree and with whom do I have the pleasure of talking to?" the man asked with a false blue-lipped smile on his lips. The eyes accessing them and clearly identifying them as a threat he should be extremely wary about.
Raising an eye-brow at the man in curiosity Harry replied, while simultaneously tensing as did his wives and Melisandre and Kinvara. "Why would you inquire about our names now? The ones before tried to kill us." Harry stated as a matter of fact. Not that their attempts were successful or damaging in any way now that the groups focus was fully on the warlocks.
Calmly as could be the pale and skinny man replied with a smooth voice holding no waver in it. "That was merely an attempt to stop you." After admitting that the man carried on. "Surely you can't blame us for defending our home? No matter how futile it may seem."
That made sense, but these magic practitioners did not strike any of them as trustworthy. Not after they tried to spy on them as well as sending assassins after the Black sisters. The last wasn't confirmed with no evidence towards it being one of the warlocks that did it, but Harry's gut told him it was them.
However not trying to appear to know anything about that Harry just nodded his head with his arms crossed. "Understandable, but Qarth attacked us unprovoked and now they and you reap what was sown." looking expectantly at the warlock and waiting for any action or reaction on his part.
"Indeed." the man concurred motioning towards a nearby table with a glass and a carafe full of blue liquid. "My masters the Undying know that Qarth is as good as fallen, but would like to discuss with you their role in it's future." Left unsaid was that they wouldn't really do anything for Harry expect trying to kill him.
Harry had to mentally restrain his wives, especially Bella who was a second away from tearing into that guy and barely manage to persuade the eldest Black to stay her hand. Sending a gentle Legilimency probe at the warlock before him he got a headache from all the activity in there and soon retreated.
'That is no normal mind.' Harry thought, trying to figure out what that could mean. So many thoughts and presences in ones mind wasn't normal. As if one was in a bee hive full of buzzing little bees.
From the somewhat smug, but barely noticeable smile the warlock knew what Harry had tried.
Ignoring his instincts yelling at him to kill the man before him Harry thought about what to do. Inside the building were without a doubt many traps, illusions or misdirections in typical fashion set up by magicals. Other than that the so called Undying would be inside. Men and women of unknown strength, capability and intention.
On the other hand there would be most likely knowledge in form of tomes, grimoires and scrolls too. In the end the thirst for new knowledge won out, not to mention that they couldn't even get in without the warlocks instructions. At least Harry and the rest thought so, due to the tower having no entrance.
'Probably a similar mechanism as in Diagon Alley.' Bellatrix mused inside their connection as she stared at the run-down tower, analysing it.
"And how do we get inside your masters lair? I see no entrance." asked Narcissa butting in on the conversation even when she drew a disdainful look from the warlock. Most likely the usual prejudice against women at work there.
'Nothing new.' she thought unaffected by the general attitude towards women. She and the rest of her sister-wives had endured much the same at home after all. Or it simply was because she wasn't seen as the leader and with that as not so important or he was an exception, who knew?
The explanation that followed wasn't very enlightening. One had to drink from the blue concoction, which apparently let one see the entrance as well as opening the mind. The latter caused them to be wary of drinking the blue liquid. Though, these warlocks did it all the time so it couldn't be too bad and any poison would be useless against them anyway.
Just as all went to drink from the glass the warlock interrupted. "Only one is permitted to enter." pointing at Harry he said. "My masters have no time for lackeys, so he alone will enter." obviously assuming Harry was the leader, which was correct. Well at least they knew that the magicals weren't misogynistic.
Not liking the man's attitude or presumption towards his wives, Harry gave Bella permission to do as she liked.
While the scum was occupied as Bella had her fun with him the rest drank some of the brew. It tasted rotten at first, but many potions did, so that wasn't something to deter them.
The taste changed soon after to a weird mixture of everything they had ever tasted and nothing, feeling like the swallowed liquid left a trail of heat in their throat, spreading out like fiery tendrils grasping at their bowels.
Bellatrix did so too, shortly after she had dealt with the scum, who turned out to only be a copy like many before him.
An entrance revealed itself shortly after as if it was only obscured by a flicker of heat produced from the sun on a hot summer day.
The nine of them entered without problem and were greeted by a labyrinth of corridors and passageways. The rooms on the way were full of various scenarios. From the future, present or the past. Things that could've been, things that could be and many more. They were all ignored in favour of finding the Undying and the possible library. Deciding to do just that they followed the instructions of Pyat's clone.
During the walk a funny feeling overcame Harry and from the looks of things his companions, too. He wasn't sure what it was, but in his now hazy mind the blue liquid flashed up. Feeling as if floating on cloud nine he followed the directions they had gotten from the warlock. Not minding that it could be a trap. The thought did not even enter their minds at that point.
Completely unconcerned and with a giddiness only children normally possessed the nine of them skipped along the dark corridors in an upbeat mood, completely in contrast to their surroundings. Colours never seen before revealed themselves in a myriad of complex swirls and other forms floating away in front of them.
They were laughing and giggling as the whole entourage bounced along, with Andromeda singing "Right, up, up, up." the order in which they had to go. The rest humming along smiles on their faces.
All the while ignoring all the different visions inside the many rooms, not even seeming to see them. Just like the so called Undying now before them, looking as if in the prime of their lives and simply perfect, were ignored. Finally the group arrived before the door supposedly leading to the real Undying.
At least that is what his head told Harry. Not waiting for them to call his group in or his head to change his opinion Harry kicked the door in, barrelling inside and yelling at the top of his lungs. "What's up, bitches?" behind him the eight women yelling various insults at the shrivelled looking Undying.
Eyes wide the whole room was explored and the people inside it ignored. Harry asked in a tone of wonder and puzzlement as he looked around. "Why are we here again?" still a smile firmly etched on his face.
Shrugging her shoulders Marcella chirped "No Idea." looking around the room unmindful to the apparently talking corpses with unmoving lips. Not hearing a word they said. The dwarf servant too was ignored or at least not seen, due to his height.
Blinking Andromeda had a finger at her chin in thought "I believe it was something important." tapping her finger on her chin she frowned in thought. "What though?"
The thinking was interrupted by a gleeful shout of Bellatrix. "Look what I found." she exclaimed happily. Pointing to a long stone table with a swollen and corrupted blue human heart floating above it. Radiating a sickly indigo light with every heartbeat around the room, bathing the room in it. The sound of beating was one of deep throbbing, resonating across the walls.
"Oh, what is it?" asked Narcissa curiously looking at the vile heart examining it.
Fleur making herself known said "Looks like a human heart." now looking at the people around the long stone table she not bothered "Why are there dead people at the table." pointing at the corpses around the table. They looked shrivelled up prunes, which was further given credence due to them having a purple skin with nails and eyes completely blue.
Just as all were near enough the corpses twitched causing Kinvara to shriek and yell. "Ahhhh, purple vampire zombies." where she got the knowledge of vampires or zombies Harry had no idea, probably from the library.
The thought left him as fast as it came when the shouting woman flung fireball after fireball at a twitching corpse near her. Melisandre followed her example and fried the one besides that.
While all others jumped back the remaining seven purple bodies sat up as if guided by strings like a puppet. "You will regret that!" came the cacophony of voices out of the corpses, all speaking together without moving a single muscle. The next moment they attacked viciously and with strength that belied their bodies apparent condition. All thoughts of negotiation were fleeing from their collective minds at the sight of one of them being burned alive and the shock coming from it.
Having not expected that Bellatrix laughed a little unhinged and attacked the one nearest to her. Making short work of the purple-skinned man he soon lay with his belly gutted open and blue blood escaping the wound. The man gasping, not really comprehending his situation.
The rest too did not take long to dispose off in a similar fashion, not even using magic to kill them, but rather preferring to kill them with steel.
While that happened Melisandre and Kinvara examined the floating heart with interest. After they disproved that these old husks truly were undying the rest joined them, walking in the blood that by now was more than a puddle on the floor. Soon like before all lost interest in it and instead simply decided to draw shapes, runes and many other things on the walls and floor. Arranged in circles drawn with the blood of the Undying as well as the Flagrate charm, while admiring how pretty it looked.
Somewhere in-between all shed their clothing and armour, depositing it on the clean part of the floor. The mist that had settled over them was still there, putting them in a daze that still was having all of them in its clutches from wherever it came. Filling their minds with notions not their own.
Suddenly it seemed like a dandy idea to also draw similar shapes, appearing before their minds eye, onto their now naked bodies. Harry painted Fleur first simply because she was nearest to him.
The blue, nearly violet blood was shining in the ominous light of the few torches around the dark room. Giving the Veela a the look of an angel of vengeance with the blood coating her body in various swirls and other shapes of various sizes. Fleur reciprocated the gesture for Harry together with her sister, painting his body with the blood of their slain enemies.
That did not take them very long and soon all of them had similar markings on their bodies. Suddenly a new urge swept through the group and soon all were arranged around the large stone table with the heart still floating above and the dwarf absent, having long since fled at seeing his masters slaughtered. All nine stood in a circle of blood that was around the table with Harry at the head of it. Bellatrix, Narcissa, Melisandre, Fleur on one side and Gabrielle, Kinvara, Andromeda and Marcella on the other.
With the preparations complete the nine together activated the ritual by channelling magic into the circles drawn by blood. It all lit up in scarlet light together with the runes drawn with the Flagrate charm burning brighter and with more intensity.
Deeming it ready Harry stepped onto the table with the swollen heart above him followed closely by Andromeda. Where they shortly began to kiss while exploring each others body on the cold stone table. The other seven were still standing along the table and slowly feeding the ritual magic.
Nobody noticed that the heart above together with their own beat now in sync. Feeding it more and more sexual energy on top of it all as Harry and Andromeda did the worlds oldest dance.
Soon both reached their peak, but it was far from over. The moment Harry and Andromeda came undone they simultaneously bit each other lightly into the neck, switching blood. Afterwards still tightly entangled a literally soul-searing kiss was shared, nothing but euphoria felt by both.
As the kiss was broken there were still two threads of silver connected, deeply intertwined even. Each coming out of Andromeda's and Harry's mouth. After a few seconds the silvery strands let go off each other and receeded back into their respective mouths.
The process was repeated by Harry with the rest. First Bellatrix followed by Narcissa, Marcella, Melisandre, Kinvara. Each time more bodily fluids were accumulated on the stone table together with blood, mixing it together.
The mixture was flowing down the table along the paths of blood. Slowly dripping on the ground. Fleur and Gabrielle came last, due to them being virgins still. The blood that came from their hymens more magically meaningful and powerful than the others.
It took longer to satisfy two full-blooded Veela, but with Harry's nature as a Metamorphagus, Parsel-mouth and the other endurance enhancing potions and rituals he could do so just fine. Their maiden blood joined the others, letting the circles and flames glow brighter as first Fleur orgasmed and after her even more as it was Gabrielle's turn. Once everyone had a turn alone with Harry it evolved into an orgy with everyone pleasuring everyone.
What no one noticed was the swollen heart seeming to swell even more, nearly bursting.
Nobody currently in the room knew that the methods with which the Undying got their name were similar to how Morgana la Fey was rumoured to have achieved her long life. Taking the life-force out of plants animals and even humans and transferring it to oneself. The proof had been laying directly in front of Qarth in form of the Red Waste.
Other locations were the Great Sand Sea and the area around Ghis. An enormous Sea like the one near Kayakayanaya does not just suddenly vanish. The Dry times like it is called was just an intense summer in which the Undying sucked the life out of the area, quite literally.
Ghis too fell victim to them. Normally the sporadic rain and weather in general would've removed the salt and sulphur from the region in more than five-thousand years. Due to the Undying it did not and nobody would question it either. The heart was a collective Horcrux and a store-unit for the life-force the Undying acquired.
Right now it was fed even more magical energy than it already had to keep the Undying anchored in this plane of existence. The dark, but efficient fertility ritual performed by the group right now would only increase the amount. Normally that would lead to the undying being resurrected with how their Horcrux was sucking up all the energy, but not in this case.
The reason for this was simple. Out of pure instinct, like nearly all he did since he drank shade of the evening, Harry set the heart aflame with a small bout of Fiendfyre.
And like nearly all things before in the Palace of Dust the shrieks of the released souls belonging to the undying were not registered. Just like the show of their souls and essence being sucked into the bloody circle and sacrificed for more power.
The released magic and sacrificed souls were enough and together with all the accumulated energy from the ritual was let loose. It flowed in two different directions along the ley-lines lying under the building. One in the direction of Ghis, the cities of Slavers Bay and Lhazar and the other in the direction of the Great Sand Sea. Life energy with the single purpose of revitalising the desolate regions.
The bloody runes on their bodies shone brightly, twisting and turning as they got absorbed by the skin. As the ritual came to an end the whole group slumped to the ground unconscious on or around the stone table.
Harry groaned as he opened his eyes blearily. The last thing he could vividly remember was how the nine of them entered the House of the Undying and afterwards just weird colours and things that he couldn't recall properly.
He didn't even try to get up, feeling the usual weight on his chest. While waiting for the rest to come into the land of the living Harry tried to fill the blanks in his memory to no avail. The whole while only looking at the shadowy ceiling.
Feeling Gabrielle stir on his chest he looked down onto her form, still as perfect as yesterday. He began stroking the hair and playing with it a little, causing her to look up at him and smile.
Only now the raven-haired wizard noticed what had changed. Gabrielle's smile was showing fangs and her eyes were now slitted like his own, together with a ring of silver around the usual deep cerulean blue. Another curious difference was that her sclera was now black instead of white. The most curious thing though, was that he could hear her thoughts clear as day.
'What happened with his eyes, or the rest of him?' the mental question from the Veela threw him off a bit. Before he could inspect himself she voiced the same out loud.
Frowning Harry asked "What do you mean? I don't feel different." that at least was true. Prompting her to leave his embrace and pull him up. Just as she looked around her eyes widened just like his own. The others seemed to have changed as well. Some more than others.
Shortly after, the two of them woke up the rest.
Questions were repeated until all stood in front of newly conjured mirrors. The red priestesses were even more eye-catching now. Their hair not just the colour of burnished copper, but it seemed to vary from angle to angle and how the light stroke it.
Together with streaks of gold in it the hair looked like a living flame. Their ruby red eyes were now slitted, had black sclera and a ring of silver around the iris as well as fangs in their mouths. Their bodies now had the same quality of the ones from Fleur and Gabrielle. Something that Harry did not know if he should be happy or unhappy about.
Fleur had only the same changes as Gabrielle, well at least from what Harry could see.
Bellatrix, Narcissa, Andromeda and Marcella were a different matter.
All had now Black hair darker than midnight, seemingly sucking in the light around it. Well, all of them had dark hair before, with the exception of Narcissa who had had dyed it blonde.
On top if it the four of them seemed now to have stars in their hair. All over the flowing pitch black locks small glowing silver dots were littered. With Andromeda's curly hair it seemed like she had a whole shifting galaxy in it. Narcissa's looked more like the clear night sky, more stationary. Bellatrix's did not have many of these dots in it. Hers were concentrated in a single not too large spot in the hair that flowed down her back looking like one, which shone brightly. Marcella's in contrast were concentrated at the tips of her hair, letting it look as if one arrived at the end of the universe and only the abyss stood before you. The black sisters had now each different shades of ivory skin and Marcella kept her olive-skin.
'At least I can distinguish them by their hair.' Harry mused in his head, but the giggles from them told him they heard it.
Like Fleur, Gabrielle, Melisandre and Kinvara before them the four too had now black sclera instead of white. Together with violet eyes and the silver ring around the iris. The four also seemed to have got the Veela-like quality to them.
Kind of dreading to look into the mirror Harry imagined what he would look like. Would he look androgynous? All the others seemed to be affected by the ritual in such a way that they had gotten the attributes of Veela. Something that was impossible for males. So, his somewhat irrational fear was warranted. The picture of the purple haired man/woman from Yezzan's collection coming to mind, causing Harry to shiver internally. Sure, he probably could use his Metamorphagus abilities to change it, but that was besides the point.
Taking a deep breath he finally took a look. Like the rest of his group Harry's sclera was now black. His emerald eyes remained, thankfully, but had a golden ring around them instead of silver. His hair was still messy and untamed as before, with the only difference being a golden streak going though it.
His body hadn't undergone drastic changes. He was a little bit taller, it seemed. Going from 6,2 feet to 6,4. Harry's body still was the one of a Greek god, with maybe a little more pronounced muscles. The scars he normally concealed were present once more. One running down from his left shoulder to his right hip. Various smaller ones caused by daggers. A few on his chest and some on his legs and arms. Three scars were on his back caused by the claws of the dragon they used for the forging of their armament. The unbound beast had a temper, like all its ilk. Together with many scars from belt lashings his kind late uncle provided for him. Then came the one on his arm from the Basilisk. One couldn't forget the most famous, namely the lightning bolt shaped scar on his brow.
'Maybe I just should leave them as they are?' Harry pondered. He mainly had hidden them, because he did not want to show weakness. Which he now knew they weren't. In the end it did not matter, so he let them stay.
The difference all of them had was a tattoo on their bodies. On Harry it was directly over the heart and he couldn't help but frown at it. The reason for this was that it looked exactly like the Heart of R'hllor with the Peverell coat of arms in it.
The eight women hadn't the same. Theirs was a Phoenix under the navel, which encircled the same with its wings. The whole thing going from the crotch to the navel.
Deciding to be blunt about it he asked "Ok, has someone any idea what we did exactly or what happened?" All shaking their heads in the negative wasn't what he hoped for.
A sigh escaped his lips as he looked around the room, seeing all the violet blood on the floor, drawn into runes. "Lets have a look at the mess around us. Maybe we can piece it together."
Moments went by and there already were murmurings from Bella trying to read the bloody runes. "It looks like a dark fertility ritual." the eldest Black observed with narrowed eyes. "Combined with the Ritual of the Covenant." by now all others searched for clues.
Andromeda chimed in after that. "Yes, the first was designed to take the life-force of sacrificed people and use it for other purposes, like letting things grow. The second was made to share the abilities of the participants and anchor them in their blood. Usually by everyone participating ingesting a bit of each other's blood." her tone adapting a kind of wonder at that.
"Meaning?" queried Melisandre still demanding, but eager to get more information.
Letting loose a sigh of her own Marcella explained. "Meaning, that all the potions and rituals we have undergone are now yours too." pointing at Melisandre's eyes she continued. "That's why your eyes now are slitted and you have fangs. You also should have much more endurance, strength and balance. Your muscles won't atrophy as fast as before and you will heal faster. All of you also should be able to jump higher, climb better and a fall from a high position won't be as damaging as for normal people."
Now indicating to the two Veela the Italian women went on "We obviously have gotten the beauty of the Veela in a different form, with the exception of Harry." swinging her hair back, letting the room be illuminated more by the stars at her tips.
"And the part with anchored in our blood?" inquired Kinvara giddily. The room was without windows and no torch burned at the moment to illuminate it, besides the stars in the Black sister hair as well as her own now fiery hair. Despite that, she could see clearly.
That part Narcissa choose to answer, still inspecting and admiring herself in the mirror. Posing in front of it. Her name wasn't derived off narcissism for nothing, though she was more vain than narcissistic. "It means that our eventual children will also have these advantages from birth alone. They are now hereditary. It was usually done to women that married into families or Muggleborn men, making them carriers for these traits. Also giving their children a near guarantee of getting the desired traits themselves. Like Parseltongue for example." she may not really understand the ritual itself, but she had done her own kind of research on it once.
"Such a thing is possible?" Harry asked baffled. He of course knew that Voldemort had undergone some freaky rituals, under them many blood-magic related, but these kind he never did. Because he never intended to have kids. Which had been kind of impossible for Tom due to him having been an eunuch. Having cut off his cock and balls in a ritual to gain agelessness.
Something that pared with Horcruxe really made him immortal in a sense. Tom could have been killed still, but his living body wouldn't age further from that point on, removing the loophole of a Horcrux. Namely when the owner of it dies a natural death it has no longer any use.
"Of course." Narcissa answered admiring him with her hungry eyes aimed at his form, but mostly below waist-level "With how some bloodlines and abilites were coveted it made sense to make sure the offpsring would have it as well."
Scratching his head Harry shrugged his shoulders, out of his depth in this subject. "Huh, I didn't know that." he said surprised.
Shaking her head Andromeda illuminated him, amused. "Before Blood and Ritual-magic was forbidden centuries back powerful magic-users and families used it frequently to enhance their bloodline with new abilities and new blood without risk of losing their advantage."
"Is that one of the reasons why purebloods were so obsessed with Blood-purity?" he inquired with a curious but intense gaze.
Bellatrix nodded her head. "Yes, but due to the ban on blood-magic and rituals it couldn't be used anymore and centuries of that together with all the inbreeding to preserve it made purebloods a shadow of their former self." Of course one could still do such rituals, but on all was a modified taboo, so that the proper authorities could arrive quickly. "In the past Muggleborns weren't considered a burden because they could undergo the ritual. When that changed so did the opinion on Muggleborn." The eccentric woman had been surprised at finding that knowledge.
Though with the knowledge they had now Purity of Blood was still a bad idea. True enough, due to all the inbreeding every family could potentially give birth to a magical that is a Metamorphagus, Seer or more. It just wasn't as guaranteed as before. Even so called Muggleborn were no exception to that anymore, because they were offspring of banished squibs that only came into being due to inbreeding. Squibs possessed magic, but their magic was busy keeping their bodies from experiencing the worst effects of inbreeding, leaving nothing for active magic.
There was no such thing as a Muggleborn. When a magical had a child with a true muggle the child would have no access to magic. But even then it could happen further down the line when there was a constant number of magical spouses.
Harry just inclined his head as he took another look around "Anything else? Because I can't really read the runes properly." The blurred blood made that kind of difficult. All the while wishing Binns would've talked about this instead of endless Goblin rebellions. Though having a ghost as a History teacher made more sense now. It would reduce the number of people digging for things some the Ministry did not like existed.
Pursing her lips she thought about it as the eldest Black inspected the whole make up again. As she looked at their tattoos she knew what was missing. "Apparently we formed a coven." knowing what question came next Bellatrix elaborated. "It basically entails that we will be more empathetic towards each other, feeling distress, anger, joy, pleasure and emotions in general easier, when it concerns the members of the coven. Maybe, even share these emotions."
Voldemort's Dark Mark was a bastardarized version of it. More the mark of a slave, while theirs showed them as equals. Giving every one the same amount of power in the bond.
That too was from the Ministry's point of view a dark ritual. Being a ritual and one that had to do with souls. With the exception that one did not separate a soul in parts and placing them in inanimate objects. No, the participants would use their souls to caress each others souls so to speak, touching them. Much like the Dementors Kiss only without sucking the soul out. It forged a connection between them much like the one Harry had possessed with Voldemort. Only that theirs was more stable and could be expanded upon.
"So that means we are bonded to each other?" asked a giddy as ever Kinvara, once more practically vibrating on the spot. Her life couldn't get better than this she decided. Even Melisandre seemed to be joyful, something they now could feel rather than having to search for it in her serene expression.
Everybody was now inspecting their tattoos with Melisandre and Kinvara staring at his with a little to much reverence and zeal.
Harry just nodded. "Yes." dragging up his limited, but still expansive knowledge of soul-magic that dealt mostly with emotions and covens he went to explain. "During the ritual we basically touched each others souls, which must've forged an emotional bond between us all." Just another thing to get used to. Harry wasn't even surprised anymore. His luck simply was unpredictable.
It was no soul-bond, these were not real, having looked the subject up out of curiosity. A bond that caused you to instantly have affection for one another was just silly. Relationships take work and a totally perfect one right from the start certainly does not exist, not even after having spent a long time together.
He was glad that he could ignore the feelings coming from the bond, otherwise he would probably go crazy. Harry honestly didn't know how Empaths lived constantly feeling other peoples emotions as their own. It was a good thing that the whole deal was restricted to this group only. Not to mention that he still was a private person.
Also it was not the full deal. Being only active when one wanted it to be and could even be blocked by Occlumency, thankfully.
On the positive side was that it was making it also easier to deal with emotional issues in the relationship. Harry wouldn't want to give his privacy hundred percent away. Shutting down the connection for now Harry thought the prickling at the back of his mind that vanished shortly after was an after-effect.
Frowning Gabrielle asked. "Why are our eyes black and what do the rings around our irides mean?" possible answers flowing through her head. With the most obvious being that Harry had gold because he was their focal point or leader.
Marcella answered her, armed with the knowledge of colours. "Well, I suppose that our sclera became black due to the potion we drank outside. All of the Warlocks had blue lips, with some even having completely blue eyes and skin. Somehow it must've interfered and caused that effect." another explanation wasn't available to her right now. "As for the rings. That is simple. Gold simply stands for the male and silver for the female."
Magically speaking both were at the top of materials used to enchant. Gold was admitedly better for that, but silver had many other properties that gold did not have. Like hurting Werewolfs and all kinds of other dark creatures. Both had properties that the other didn't have, though in the end they had equal value magically speaking.
Just now Melisandre realised something. "Does that mean we can now speak to dragons too?" remembering what she heard about the ritual they had apparently performed.
Harry just shrugged answering. "I don't know. Though there is an easy way to find out." now standing near their previously discarded clothes he said. Do you understand me? Harry hissed at them, looking for anyone to show signs of understanding. When no one said anything he asked "I take it no one understood what I said."
"No." Kinvara's shoulders dropped slightly. It would've been marvellous to understand her dragon. Alas it was not to be.
Andromeda chuckled at that. "Not surprising since the ritual was made so that the participants would get all of the permanent passive boons, but not the active ones." that meant that they wouldn't get Parseltongue, Metamorphagus powers or even the Allure of a Veela, despite getting the beauty. But they all were carriers for these genes now.
"What is surprising is that it worked at all, considering how many people we are and how many passive traits we made hereditary and permanent." Fleur chimed in, having a rudimentary understanding of the magics involved. "Though I suppose the amount of life-energy we used and generated was nothing to scoff at." she followed up thoughtfully.
Further conversation was stopped as their stomachs growled, causing them to dress and prepare to leave.
After everyone was dressed once again the group made its way outside, but not before looting the small library of its contents. Among it the recipe to brew shade of the evening. The foul concoction they drank before entering. Not a single warlock encountered on the way out was spared, leaving none alive. There could be a few left outside, but not much thought was wasted on them.
The way out was difficult to find in the labyrinth like building, with none of the group remembering where the exit was. In the end they decided to torch the place and wait for it to crumble. It took a good fifteen minutes for the fire to consume the whole thing.
Once they were outside and walking unharmed out of the ruins something unexpected waited.
Before the ruin of the Palace of Dust were now standing many, many people. All looking pretty awed. So, it was a good thing most were from his army. Without further ado they walked towards the city proper once more, intent to remove any and all influence not their own.