The Third Harvest Moon Ⅶ

The moon is dim, and the night is dark with long, stirring shadows within the confines of the Forbidden Forest. A thick coverage of clouds hides the night stars leaving only darkness behind. A cool brisk breeze rustles the leaves bringing with it the scent of the storm to come. In the distance, a flash of lightning can be seen brightening the entire sky, before the surroundings are once more plunged into darkness. A loud burst of thunder can be heard rumbling overhead in the distance as the fierce storm steadily approaches.

The robes of an older more grayed, and worn Marcellus flicker about him, but there he stands firmly with his wand in hand. From the shadows slowly emerged a row of hooded figures that are led by a masked figure that is unhooded. Despite the dim moonlight, the visage of a white, stone can be seen. The pale stone mask is made in the image in the stern face that of Zeus. The eyeholes are dark and empty even as the masked figure peers out to see.

The stone masked figure of Zeus comes to a halt as the dozens of figures following come to a halt in exact unison. The older and weary figure of Marcellus's lips twitch into a sneer as he says, "Come to gloat, have you?"

"Naturally," the stone masked figure of Zeus gloated with great mockery, "Merlin has been defeated by Morgana, and the witch herself lays upon her deathbed. Merlin's precious Camelot destroys itself as we speak. Its muggle ruler, King Arthur, and his kingdom lay in shambles. He has been cruelly betrayed by his Queen Guinevere with the one he calls a friend and sworn brother, Lancelot. War wages as we speak, and he will fall for it has been foretold at the hands of his son, born out of a night's vile, and twisted deed with that of his half-sister, Morgana LaFey, and subsequently his own nephew out of wedlock by the name of Mordred."

"Merlin painted Arthur in such a great glorious and heroic light, but I am afraid, dear merlin was rather naïve. Mm, he forgot the natural greed of man, and Arthur was for from an exception." The stone masked figure of Zeus paused and with great relish adds, "And to my even greater delight, the last of the Founders have finally succumbed to their death. And Hogwarts will FALL."

Marcellus narrowed his eyes and raised his wand. "Hogwarts will never fall into your hands, abomination. To arms!" Marcellus roared as a slew of arrows rained from the forbidden forest as the centaurs hiding in wait attacked upon a signal from the Headmaster.

"What manner of deceit is this?" The stone masked figure of Zeus hissed as he defended himself with a glowing shield charm, but some of those that stood behind him are not quick enough to shield in time and fell to the deadly, poisoned arrows of the centaurs and were slain.

"You have allied yourself with half-breed beasts, Marcellus? My, my, how the lowly have fallen," the stone masked figure of Zeus mocked as he turned his wand to attack the centaurs, and the shield around him disappeared. "Vermillious Duo!" A jet of red sparks emerged from his wand and attacks the centaurs. Tree bits are blasted off, but the canopy of trees protect the centaurs from the wizard's attack.

The stone masked figure of Zeus growls in annoyance as Marcellus loudly says, "Your taint cannot touch them nor any who is descended of those who you call half-breed beasts. 'Arresto Momentum!" The spell successfully hit the stone masked figure of Zeus and slowed his movements down. However, the rest of the hooded figures attack the centaurs.

The centaur's wave of attacks begins to falter, and Marcellus can see that the stone masked figure of Zeus will soon break free of the spell. "Leonidas!" Marcellus cried out as the centaurs began to retreat further into the Forbidden Forest being pushed back by the wave of the hooded attackers as the hooded figures begin to cast fiery spells and set the trees ablaze as storm gusts only cause the fiery embers to fly high overhead and begin to set other trees ablaze.

"Aguamenti!" Marcellus shouted a blue flash emerges from his wand and the conjured water douses the burning trees preventing the flames from spreading and setting the entire forest ablaze.

A loud roar thundered through the forest as a large lion-like beast with wings burst in from the sky to attack. However, the mighty beast was constrained by the proximity of the trees and could not attack as it pleased. Undeterred the beast roared and with its powerful tail shattered trees left and right making room for it to land on the destroyed forest ground and attack the hooded figures with its fierce claws and teeth.

The stone masked figure of Zeus having broken free of the curse without hesitation attacks fiercely with the Severing Charm, "Diffindo!" A large slash appears across the forearm of Marcellus, but Marcellus counters back with a jinx. "Oppugno!" As falling shrapnel like branches on the ground rise from the ground and attack the stone masked figure of Zeus from all directions.

The stone masked figure of Zeus quickly shouts, "Protego," but far too late as the shield charm emerges and only defends him partially. Bits of wood like shrapnel shroud the ground and can be clearly seen embedded in the shoulder of the stone masked figure of Zeus behind the glowing magical shield.

Furious, but sensing that the tides were swaying against them, the stone masked figure of Zeus loudly roars, "The guardian must be slain!" The hooded figures cease to attack the centaurs and instantly move as one to slay the winged lion.

"Leonidas!" Marcellus shouted as he found himself fiercely under siege by curses that were flying left and right as an Eradication spell disintegrated an entire tree that was at his side.

"Lacarnum Inflamari," Marcellus desperately cried out as he set the hooded figure's cloaks ablaze causing them to cease their spell casting to frantically put out the flames on their person.

Marcellus lets out a loud hiss as a Stinging hex strikes him, but he ignores the pain. "Flee, Leonidas! Flee!" Marcellus frantically requested, but the foolish beast was as proud as Godric and would not depart even to save its own life. It was a warrior, and it would choose its own path even if it led unto its own death.

"Marcellus, I feel most slighted at the lack of attention, which I am receiving," the stone masked figure of Zeus rumbled as a spell sent Marcellus flying back and crashing into the tree line.

Having bitten his tongue, Marcellus spits out a wad of blood and painfully sways to his feet. Ignoring his bruised and aching body, he casts a spell over the guardian beast. "Protego!" To no avail as the shield flickered momentarily under a barrage of spells, before beginning to break apart.

Seeing his shield beginning to falter, Marcellus grips his wand tightly in his hand and pushes himself forward only to find that he is incredibly agony as his left foot stepped forward. During his crash against the tree line, he had fallen with his full weight on his ankle and had severely twisted it. A tendril of fear crept in around his heart as he raised his gaze to see Leonidas in the distance. Perchance, he would be unable to save the guardian in the end for Fate has a nasty habit of rearing its head at the most inopportune of times.