The Third Harvest Moon Ⅷ

However, before Marcellus could take another step the stone masked figure of Zeus appears directly in his path. "It would seem that we are at an impasse, as usual, Marcellus," The stone masked figure of Zeus mused out loud, before shouting, "Crucio."

With his left foot screaming in burning, white-hot pain, Marcellus steps away and ducks behind the nearest tree as a sickly flash of light struck the ground behind him. "What manner of dark spell is this, abomination?"

"Mm, well, why don't you come and find out, Marcellus?" The stone masked figure of Zeus coldly mocked. "Not a coward, are you Marcellus?"

"Not in the least," Marcellus growled and muttered under something from under his breath as a stretch of fire rope is conjured from the tip of his wand and used as a whip to separate the attackers from Leonidas. Suddenly, a slew of arrows falls from the sky in a surprise attack again successfully hitting their targets, while only a few hooded figures manage to defend in time.

The stone masked figure of Zeus chuckles malevolently, but before Marcellus can react, he is struck from behind as he hears the words, "Crucio!"

Marcellus drops to the ground experiencing pain beyond any imaginable belief. It felt as though his very bones were on fire; his head was being split wide open, and every fiber of his body was being most vilely tormented. It was impossible to describe the depths of pain except to say that at the moment, he wanted it to end…...to blackout…...to die. And it was at that moment that the flashes of his friends, who had come and gone before him.

Grinding his teeth together, Marcellus forced himself to his knees despite every fiber of his body screaming in agonizing pain. Using the tree truck to better brace himself, he managed to climb to his feet, and keep a grip on his wand despite the violent trembles still causing his body to roughly shake.

The screams of Leonidas can be heard as the great winged lion is brought to the ground as the hooded figures scramble forward like ants to kill their prey. The centaurs within the tree confines retreat even further as the stone masked figure of Zeus advances upon them. A final roar and melancholic cry can be heard as at long last Leonidas slumped forward onto the ground limp and his eyes grow dim, while the blood of his heart streams onto the battle littered forest floor.

A crackle of thunder is heard as the ground brightens as a trace of lightning streaks across the sky. A cry of triumph escapes from the hooded figures as they trample the still-warm corpse of the winged lion. Ignoring the pain and sorrow that he is feeling, Marcellus raises his wand to the sky and mutters the words for the Tempest Jinx.

With the lightning storm hanging right overhead, a loud thunder is heard as a streak of blue and white fire descends from the heavens and connects with Marcellus's wands. "Depart abomination and return from whence you came," Marcellus roared as he swung the lightning as a whip to those defiling the corpse of Leonidas, the guardian of Hogwarts, who gave his life to guard her.

A burst of lightning streaks through the air, scorching the air as it passes by. The hooded figures are tossed into the air and violently crackle under the might of the spell that channeled the very force of nature. The smell of burning flesh fills the air as the stone masked figure of Zeus howls in rage.

"Depart evil creature! Depart!" Marcellus bellowed as he leaned against the tree trunk for strength and to disguise his weakness.

"This is not the end, Marcellus, far from it," the stone masked figure of Zeus promised in rage. "It is merely the beginning."

The stone masked figure of Zeus knowing he is cornered departs with the rest and flees with surviving vessels into the night. The Forbidden Forest is lined with the corpses of the hooded figure and that of the great winged lion, Leonidas. Thankfully, none of the centaurs had perished, but there were those among them that were heavily wounded.

With a loud crackle, the lightning from the tip of Marcellus's wand is extinguished and he slumps weakly against the tree trunk. He barely manages to keep hold of his wand as his body is still wracked with violent tremors. Raising his exhausted and sorrow filled gaze, he sees the warrior-like centaurs emerge from the Forbidden Forest with their wounded hobbling on their own four legs despite their terrible wounds. The worst of the wounded lean against other centaurs for aid, but none accept help beyond that in front of a human even a magical one at that.

The centaur's part in two to permit an elderly centaur to tromp forward. The centaur has long silver hair and wears a dried flower crown upon her head. Her eyes are nearly gray and blind, but yet she steps nimbly forward. She wears a linen wrap around her chest, but that is all the clothes that she wears. Her horse half was once dark-colored but now is just as white as the hair upon her head. Though there are dark streaks and countless painful-looking lines upon her legs and hindquarters. The terrible, violent, and roughly healed scars reveal a heart-wrenching past of slavery which she had survived and escaped.

"Shaman," Marcellus gasped in courtesy.

"Wizard," the Shaman murmured in reply.

There is a lapse of silence as both centaur and wizard study their surroundings for a moment. The portion of the forest surrounding them lay in tatters. Tress broken in half, crushed and splintered, some charred and half-burnt from the flames with others baring marks and gouges across their tree trunks from cast curses and hexes. It would take some time for this portion of the forest to heal but heal it would until one day the destroyed clearing would cease to exist.

The centaur female Shaman at long last spoke first, "The winged lion is dead."

"Yes," Marcellus croaked in agreement.

"The Forest is unguarded," the Shaman matter-of-factly stated.

"Yes," Marcellus muttered again.

"Then shall we abide by the promise which was given by ye wizard?" The Shaman harshly inquired to the centaurs at her side, who gripped their bows and arrows that more tightly.

"A promise was given, and the promise shall be kept," Marcellus vehemently said. "These lands shall be yours to reside in until Hogwarts exists no more. No wizard shall ever abide therein, and in these lands, all centaurs shall be safe and remain free as neither slave nor beasts of burden. In exchange, I only ask that you protect the forest from the likes that would bring harm to us all."

"It shall be done, wizard," the Shaman said with a tilt of her head, before turning away to return to the herd.

"Wait," Marcellus called out causing the elderly centaur to pause mid-step.

"What more do you require of us, wizard? A bargain was struck, and we are no longer indebted to you," the Shaman pointedly said.

"Leonidas," Marcellus sadly whispered. "I will not allow his body to be desecrated. I ask that he be returned to nature, and in exchange, his claws and teeth may be taken."

The shaman's expression softens at the wizard's words. "Aye, wizard, it will be an honor to return such an honorable being to nature once more."

"Thank you," Marcellus said with sincere gratitude, and the scene is torn away like the page from a book, and everything turns black once more.