Magic, Curses and Gods Amongst Men || HP x JJK

Tonks walked through the empty hallways of Hogwarts, the once excited and full-of-life halls now felt dull and lifeless since the events of Halloween. Classes had been cancelled, as had the end-of-year exams. Hardly any of the lower years left their house common rooms, and those that did have their wands out and ran to places. Dumbledore had accommodated them by allowing them to be served food in the common room. Tonks wasn't afraid, despite what happened... she just felt numb. So many of her friends had been slaughtered trying to defend the first years from the Special Grade. Hannah had died, and Harry was missing. She had been so angry at Dumbledore, and at the professors, but eventually, she realised it wasn't their fault and she was just trying to make herself feel better.

As she walked through the corridors, she emerged into the main hall which was painfully empty. She couldn't help but think the castle was quickly turning into a ruin. She walked over to her table and saw Cedric, who uniformly ate some porridge. Though from the look on his face, he was feeling pretty absent.

When she sat down in front of him, he seemed to snap out of it and gave her a small smile. "You doing okay?" he asked.

Tonks just gave him a tired expression before moving food onto her plate.

"Apparently Professor Black is going to replace Professor Sprout," Cedric said, trying to make conversation.

"Pretty funny making an Ex-Slytherin the Head of Hufflepuff," Cedric said, letting out a small chuckle.

"You seen Susan recently? I hear she's still being kept home by her aunt. Can't blame her," Cedric said.

"I hear classes are going to start soon—" Cedric continued.

"What is wrong with you?" Tonks shouted at him, making Cedric jump slightly.

"What do you mean?" Cedric asked weakly.

"So many of our friends are dead. Hannah is dead. Harry is gone. Susan won't leave her house. Hermione barricades herself in the library. This bloody castle is a ghost town and you're acting like everything is okay!" she shouted.

She then stood up. "I've lost my appetite," she said before leaving. On her way out of the main hall, she barged past James, who asked if she was okay, only to be ignored.

Tonks stormed through the empty corridors, her footsteps echoing in the silence. The weight of the losses pressed down on her, each step heavier than the last. She turned a corner and came to an open window. The cool breeze washed over her, momentarily soothing her troubled mind. Without a second thought, she moved back a bit before running and jumping out, plummeting towards the ground. Just before hitting the earth, she transformed into her owl form, spreading her wings and soaring up into the sky. The freedom of flight, the rush of wind through her feathers, gave her a fleeting sense of liberation.

She flew over the Forbidden Forest, the vast expanse of trees below her offering a stark contrast to the suffocating atmosphere within Hogwarts. She flew aimlessly for a while, letting her thoughts drift as she glided on the air currents. The memories of Halloween haunted her—flashes of panic, the screams of students, the sight of her friends falling, one by one. She couldn't shake the image of Hannah's lifeless body, or the uncertainty surrounding Harry's fate. The weight of it all pressed down on her, even in the freedom of the sky.

Eventually, she landed on a high branch of an ancient tree deep within the Forbidden Forest. Perched there, she transformed back into her human form, sitting on the sturdy branch and hugging her knees to her chest. She allowed herself to cry, the tears flowing freely as she let out the pent-up grief and anger. She felt so lost, so helpless. The numbness that had taken over her since Halloween was beginning to crack, and the pain was overwhelming. She didn't know how to move forward.

...

James gave Tonks a sympathetic look as she rushed out of the hall. He knew recent events had been tough on her; he would've gone after her, but he had to report back to Dumbledore.

Rubbing his eyes, the lack of sleep finally catching up with him, James walked down the centre aisle of the tables up to the front where the teachers sat. Dumbledore was there with the members of staff, enjoying their lunch.

"James, I'm glad to see you've returned," Dumbledore said with a wide smile.

James rolled his eyes. "Don't pretend you didn't sense me the moment I walked through the gates," he said.

Dumbledore just chuckled but didn't confirm. "Did you manage to do what I tasked you with?" he asked.

James nodded. "I've located all the Special Grades that escaped. Nearly Headless Nick is in London, nesting in the abandoned tube tunnels. The Bloody Baron is concerning—he's still moving. The last I saw, he was headed towards Azkaban."

"Oh my goodness," Professor McGonagall gasped out. Dumbledore frowned at this too.

"But the worst is Lady Ravenclaw. She has nested deep in the Forbidden Forest. I couldn't get too close; it seemed she could sense me somehow when I got close."

Dumbledore stroked his beard as he considered the information. "Thank you, James. Eat some food and get some rest—you've earned it."

James nodded and headed off out of the grand hall, grabbing a bowl of grapes as he left, and eating them as he walked.

"What will you do, Albus?" McGonagall asked.

"I'm afraid there is not much I can do. The School Board and the Ministry, in their infinite wisdom, have ordered me to be confined to the castle for the rest of the year," he replied.

McGonagall gasped, as did Professor Vector and Professor Babbling.

"Can they do that?" McGonagall asked.

"I'm afraid so. During a time when Hogwarts is seen to be in danger, the Headmaster must always be present on the grounds. This was one of the laws written by the founders," Dumbledore explained.

"But surely hunting down the Special Grades is of greater import," Vector commented.

Dumbledore shook his head. "The pureblood families fear for their heirs. Quite a few families lost their children this Halloween, and so they are not thinking clearly," he stated.

"I'm afraid we will have to leave these Special Grades to the Ministry," Dumbledore said with a deep sigh.

McGonagall's eyes widened with concern. "The Ministry is ill-prepared to deal with such threats, Albus. You know that better than anyone."

"I am aware, Minerva," Dumbledore replied, his voice tinged with frustration. "But my hands are tied. The Board's decision is final."

Professor Babbling, who had been silently listening, spoke up. "Perhaps there is something we can do within the castle to prepare the students better. If we focus on advanced defensive spells and combat training, we can at least ensure they are not completely defenceless." Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. "A good suggestion, Bathsheba. We shall begin implementing a more rigorous defence curriculum. It's the least we can do under the circumstances."

"But what about the staff?" McGonagall interjected. "Many of us are capable fighters. Shouldn't we be out there, helping to contain these threats?"

"That is true," Dumbledore agreed. "However, if we all leave, it will only increase the students' fears. They need stability right now, as much as they need protection."

McGonagall pursed her lips, clearly unhappy with the situation but resigned to the necessity of it. "Very well, Albus. We will do what we must."

————————————————————-

Yuki dragged Harry through the crowd that was starting to scatter, the guards hadn't let up on shooting the crowd but eventually, the man in charge —the one who had told them to grab him— told them to hold their fire and then proceeded to berate them as they let him get away.

Harry looked at the man as they ran back to the safety of their tunnel, he was a strange man his body was slender but his completely bald head was rather large, almost too large for his head. However, looking at him so intently almost made him trip so he focused on getting out of there. Once they made it through the tunnel Yuki grabbed him and slammed him into the wall.

"What the fuck was that?" she asked angrily, her palm pressed against his chest.

"What was what?" Harry replied, shoving her hand off him.

Yuki pushed him back. "How can you use RCT? You shouldn't even be able to use your cursed energy, let alone something that advanced!"

"I have no clue what RCT is, and how I healed myself, I don't know either. I don't care. All I care about is getting my hands on the meds," Harry said as he began to walk out of the cave. That was until Yuki grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Are you an idiot? You think you can just go collect your winnings now?" she asked.

"Let go of my arm..." Harry said quietly, his crystal blue eyes flashing with a dangerous glint.

"No... we are going back to Yaga. Maybe he can figure out what's going on." She stated.

Harry yanked his arm free, glaring at her. Yuki went to grab him again only for Harry to slap her hand away. A tense moment overcame them before Yuki aimed a fist right at Harry's jaw, one he managed to parry before aiming a jab at her cheek. She grabbed his wrist, dragging him forward and kneeing him in the stomach, she then pushed him back and turned into a backwards kick that Harry blocked with both his forearms. The force of the kick made him stumble back.

Harry responded with a swift low kick, aiming for Yuki's shin. She hopped back, avoiding the strike, and countered with a spinning back fist that Harry barely ducked under. He surged forward with a series of quick jabs and crosses, forcing Yuki to retreat. She sidestepped a punch and retaliated with a sharp elbow to his ribs, making him grunt in pain.

Ignoring the pain, Harry stepped in close, attempting to throw her with a shoulder toss. Yuki twisted her body, landing gracefully on her feet, and swept his legs out from under him. Harry hit the ground hard but rolled away, springing back to his feet. He launched a high kick aimed at her head, which she blocked with a raised arm, the impact reverberating through both their bodies.

Yuki spun around, delivering a roundhouse kick to his midsection. Harry absorbed the blow and grabbed her leg, pulling her off balance. She twisted in mid-air, landing a kick with her free leg on his shoulder, forcing him to release her. Both fighters panted heavily, eyes locked in a fierce gaze.

Before they could engage again, Miguel burst into the cave. "Less fighting, more running!" he shouted, grabbing both their arms and pulling them down the cave. "We need to get out of here, now!"

Reluctantly, Harry and Yuki ceased their battle, allowing Miguel to drag them away from the cave and towards safety. Running up the steep cave, weaving through twists and turns, they finally made it back to Yaga, who sat on the edge overlooking the arena.

"I assume things did not go to plan," Yaga commented, his gaze steady on the chaotic scene below.

"Oh yeah, what gave you that idea?" Miguel said, panting as he walked past Yaga and collapsed on the floor.

"What happened?" Yaga said, ignoring Miguel and addressing Yuki.

"This asshole went and riled up the guards," Yuki said, shoving Harry. Harry shoved her back with an annoyed look.

"I had my arm ripped off by Fenrir. I tried to tap into my magic as a last Hail Mary, and somehow I healed myself and managed to cave his skull in," Harry said with a shrug.

"How can you say that like it's an everyday occurrence?" Miguel asked, looking up from the ground.

"It sounds like you used RCT," Yaga said, stroking his small goatee.

"Impossible," Yuki said, waving him off. "RCT is amplifying cursed energy against itself. He can barely control his cursed energy now."

Yaga sighed and rubbed his temples. "Yes, I am aware of how RCT works," he replied to Yuki.

"What the fuck is RCT?" Harry shouted.

"It is Reversed Cursed Technique," Yaga replied. "Its main use is to heal injuries," he explained.

"Oh, so Light Magic," Harry commented.

Yuki snickered. "That's a dumb name."

Harry shoved her again. "I doubt I was able to use it. I've tried before and I couldn't figure it out."

Yaga hummed. "Then the only other explanation I can think of is a separate power source... your magic is sluggish, correct?" Harry nodded. "Then it would still be capable of forming a connection with a power source and channelling it through your body. Though I doubt that's the reason. Such a power source likely doesn't exist down here," Yaga commented.

Harry was about to agree but stopped for a moment. The stone... it was given to him by Dumbledore and he could never get rid of it; it would always appear in his pocket. But he didn't have any pockets... 'it can't be,' Harry thought to himself.

He pulled up his ragged shirt and looked at his belly. 'He wouldn't do that,' Harry thought. He focused on his body. The collar around his neck put a sort of null zone around his body, making it hard to see through even with his eyes. But as he focused, he started to break through, and he saw it in his belly, shining like a lighthouse beacon.

The damn stone was inside of him. What the hell kind of spell did the old goat use? Harry thought to himself angrily.

"I take it you have an answer to this riddle?" Yaga asked as he looked at Harry.

Harry nodded grimly. "There's a stone inside me. It must've been responsible for healing me."

"Why the hell is there a stone in you?" Yuki asked, her features scrunched up in confusion.

"Long story short, my Headmaster is a prick," Harry said as he traced his stomach.

Yaga looked thoughtful as he considered things, but before he could speak, the ringing sound of a speaker echoed through the cavern.

"Attention prisoners," the voice crackled, reverberating off the cavern walls.

Harry, Yuki, Miguel, and Yaga looked down to the centre of the cavern. Walking through with a microphone and a large number of guards was the man Harry had seen earlier. 'This isn't going to be good,' Harry thought to himself.

"It has been a while since I've stepped amongst you savages, and let me tell you, I'm not any more excited now than I was then," the man said, his voice echoing through the cavern.

"You are all lucky to have me," he continued. "At the other camps, they have regular culling games where the Knights and Paladins all come inside the prison and hunt you savages."A ripple of unease passed through the prisoners. The mention of the culling games sent shivers down their spines.

"But now you've overstepped your boundaries," the man said, his tone darkening. "There will be no more food given. The central sector is now closed." A collective gasp rose from the crowd, followed by murmurs of disbelief and anger.

"That is, of course, unless you bring me that boy, you know who I'm talking about, young maybe thirteen white hair and very blue eyes," the man added, his eyes scanning the crowd. "Alive, of course. He's very important to my future research." Harry's stomach dropped. He knew exactly who the man was referring to.

"And who knows," the man said, his smile stretching wider, "maybe the person that brings him to me, I'll let them go free." The crowd erupted into whispers, the tension palpable. Harry could feel the eyes of the prisoners shifting.

"Tick-tock... time's running out," the man said before handing the microphone to a large guard and leaving.

"Fuck..." Harry muttered under his breath, the weight of the situation settling heavily on his shoulders.

Harry cursed as he stood up and began to walk away. Yuki grabbed him by the arm, her grip firm. "Where the hell do you think you're going?" she demanded.

"I need to get Ciri and Yennefer. I can't leave them where they are," he replied, ripping his arm from her grasp.

"Don't be stupid. Everyone's going to be looking for you right now," she said, her voice sharp with concern.

"I don't care. I can't leave them on their own," Harry said, his determination unwavering.

"Then let me go and get them," Miguel said, piping up from the ground as he stood.

Harry shook his head. "The way there is too complicated. I need to go."

"No," Yuki said sternly, stepping in front of him.

"What're you gonna do, knock me out?" Harry asked with a humourless chuckle.

"If I have to," Yuki replied, her eyes hard.

"And when I wake up, you gonna do it again?" Harry said, stepping closer to her, making her slightly uncomfortable under his intense gaze.

"Enough," Yaga said sternly, his voice cutting through the tension. "Let him go, Yuki. It is clear this is something he needs to do."

Yuki sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat, before letting go of his arm. "Fine. But be careful, idiot."

Harry nodded, his gratitude unspoken but understood. "Miguel, come back me up," he asked, getting a nod from the older boy as he stood up. Together, they started running down the tunnels, Harry's mind racing. He knew the risks, but he couldn't leave Ciri and Yennefer behind. They were counting on him.

(AN: We are coming to the end of Harry's imprisonment, I wonder if you guys thought I forgot about the Philosophers stone, I didn't I was just waiting until this moment. Its very important in how Harry escapes. Also the philosophers stone is a bit different in this, it has the same abilities as in canon but it is also similar to FMA it'll allow a wizard to bypass the need for wands or words basically allowing them to do wandless magic. Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter.)

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