The Next Generation

[DucksRMagical]

Galena walked quickly back up the stairs and into the Entrance Hall. The older Hufflepuffs were already gathered there as she went past them. She pulled open the door leading to the dungeons and ran down the stairs.

"Headmistress!" A voice called out. Galena stopped in her tracks and turned around. A portrait of a large man dressed in a tuxedo that looked too small for him was being shoved aside by Armando Dippet, who was the one shouting.

"Yes?" Galena asked.

"You need to go to your study, now. The students will be fine for now."

Galena nodded and turned around. Her study. What was going on up there? She ran back up the stairs and into the Entrance Hall. The older Hufflepuffs immediately surrounded her asking what was going on.

"Apparently there's something going on in my study," Galena told them, "If you care to fight, follow me."

All the Hufflepuffs followed Galena as she ran as fast as she could up to her study. What could possibly be going on up there? When she left it, it was empty. How did anyone even get in? Damn! she thought. She had never changed the password! Anyone who knew Prescott's password would be able to get in.

Galena ran faster and stopped in front of the gargoyle. It was smashed. She held her wand in front of her and ascended the stairs into her office.

Geneve was there, along with Nikolaus. The portraits on the walls were ominously empty. Her entire study had been trashed.

"Well, what in the name of Merlin do you think you're doing in my study?" Galena shouted as she entered, followed by her Hufflepuff entorage. She held her wand up and pointed it at Geneve. "Expelliarmus!"

Geneve blocked the curse and pointed her own wand at Galena. Galena was about to shout another spell, when the door burst open once again and Valencia stormed in.

[FawkesthePhoenix]

Valencia dashed out of the dungeons. Something was going on, though she didn't know what. Something was pulling her towards the Head study, but hadn't Geneve gone to the Gryffindor common room? Seeing that the gargoyle had be smashed, Valencia feared the worst as she dashed up the stairs. A peculiar yet horrifying scene met here there.
Without a thought Valencia pulled her wand and dashed into the room. She slammed into Geneve, grabbing the girl's wand, then in a spinning movement arrived behind the desk, facing Geneve. The girl was now unarmed, and weakened by the attack. Though superior in magic, Geneve was no match physically.

[choki]

Dumbledore's haunting memories, Geneve's ringing words, the real truth, everything just conflicted. Nikolaus was distraught with anger and Geneve made full use of that. Skilled in legilimency, she had already fed him with the images of his 'promising' future, just before Galena and Valencia interfered.

Geneve simply smiled even though she was disarmed, for help was only a few feet away.

[Ms. Elsewhere]

Geneve was taken aback by Valencia's sudden appearance. She stared at Valencia with a surprised but impressed look on her face. Then she turned her head and looked at Nicholas. She smiled at him, knowingly. "What will it be? Does it end here, or are we just beginning?" She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, the air thick with pure darkness. A low groan escaped her lips, and she felt the power built up in her blood like electricity. She dropped her hands to her sides and behind her closed eyes she sensed the light in the room flickering. The room started to shake and items on shelves and the desk started to dance and smash. Then, there was complete darkness. She called out from one mind to the other, but was surprised to hear what returned.

[*Riley*]

Liam paced around the room with satisfaction, the whole common room was blasted to bits, the students had done well earning unforgivables, now it was tme to use that talent.
"Now, for the headmasters office!" he ordered while heding towards the portrait hole.
He made the whole of Gryffindor march towards the office, and when they finally stopped in front of the smashed gargoyles. He couldn't resist. He pulled out his wand and set fire to a tapestry and i caught on the gargoyles wooden post and licked up the gargoyle.
"May I go in?" he asked sarcasticaly.

[Ms. Elsewhere]

Geneve was descending the stairs of the Headmasters office in complete darkness. Behind her she noticed Valencia's wand had begun to glow, as well as Nicolaus's. She knew who waited for her at the bottom of the stairs. She had not anticipated the potency such an dark union would have on Liam. She was pleased with his actions, but concerned for his sanity. She still needed him to be able minded when she performed the binding spell that would connect them forever. It was a pity, how much he made her vulnerable. She had to make sure she had control.
Liam saw her and started up the stairs, She grabbed him roughly by the shoulders and slammed him against the wall. "You brought the army HERE? When the battle is outside? I have everything under control." Geneve spoke quiety to him.
"I knew you were in danger. Are we not a partnership in this, Geneve? I cannot guess what you want, I only know I have to protect you." Liam said.
Geneve let him go, and he stood his ground. "And I you, Liam." She pulled a dagger and a vial from her coat and pulled then pulled Liam's hand up, slicing a deep cut into it. Liam yelled, she did the same to her own, and then pulled the stopper out of vial and poured some black powder onto her wound. She pressed Liams hand against hers, and put her other arm around Liam, holding him in a tight embrace. She felt him go terribly cold, so she held him tighter. Survive this, both of you, the darkness in Geneve called as the true Geneve surfaced for a moment, connecting with the true LIam, and the binding spell entwined their souls, unbreakable for eternity. Then, their true forms fell back and the darkess returned. Liam and Geneve collapsed on the steps, weakened. Geneve looked up to see Valencia and Nicolaus staring at them both. Their wands were on them.

[FawkesthePhoenix]

"What's this?" Valencia asked softly, flicking out her hand to grab Liam's wand.

[choki]

Before Valencia could do anything further, she heard a strange incantation roared from her side.

"Nortis Bestia!"
A huge dark shadow erupted from Nikolaus's wand and sped towards Geneve and Liam. Shocked by the sudden intrusion from Nikolaus, Valencia attempted to stop him, especially a spell or curse she had never heard before in her teaching as the Defense Against the Dark Arts. She was not about to let him to kill them off.

"Expecto Patronum!" she yelled.
A silver phoenix charged towards the black grim like beast. The collision of the two conjured creature caused a blinding light and sent ripples of destructive magic towards all directions. The surrounding structures collapsed, leaving a gaping opening where everyone could now see the arena, unobstructed. But it was too late. The beast, still tangled with the silver phoenix, went right through Geneve, passing through her body as though she was invisible. Everyone held their breath. And as unfathomable as it could be, the shadow dissipated alongside with the silver patronus. All attention fell on Geneve who remained rooted to the spot, eyes transfixed at both Valencia and Nikolaus, the same way she looked at them as before.

"What have you done!" hissed Valencia as she immediately raised her wand at Nikolaus. All shifted their attention to the pair. He turned his gaze back and then it suddenly dawned upon him, the extent of his deeds. He had just done something so wrong. How could he had believe that! How could he had been blinded! How could he had been tricked to think that the person in front was Valencia and not Geneve!

"No... I-" Nikolaus paused abruptly as he sensed a dread feeling. He knew what was coming as he shielded Valencia from the hurling curse. A curse he knew too well for that was his creation. "Abyssus Incendia"

The dark red curse hit him squarely on his chest which then burst into a dark flame. He collapsed, clutching his heart that was 'burning' from the inside out.

Under the flights of stair, stood Geneve, holding a wand.
"I must thank you... for passing me... the knowledge of your dark arts..." Geneve said in a high-pitch, cold laugh.

[FawkesthePhoenix]

Valencia turned on Geneve. Using a spell of her creation, she sent a jet of electric blue towards Geneve. It hit the girl in the shoulder. Not the perfect shot, but for Geneve's small body, it would do. Geneve fell to the floor, in what seemed to be an enchanted sleep, but was like a cleaning spell for the soul. If Geneve stayed in this state long enough, her soul would be purged of all darkness, and everyone's magic would be returned, including her own. Liam was in this state as well, for their souls were close to one.
Valencia turned around to see NIkolaus writhing in silent pain. Seeing him lying there, Valencia began to feel pain, too. Not as badly as what Nikolaus was feeling, but certainly enough to make her cringe. She sent a spell into Nikolaus, knowing that it would not reverse the curse, but that at least it would help.

[DucksRMagical]

Galena stared in shock at Geneve, who appeared to be passed out on the floor. She sent a curious look at Valencia.

Valencia shook her head very slightly, which Galena took to be a silent plea not to say anything. Galena nodded and stayed completely still, although her wand was pointed straight at Geneve.

One of the Hufflepuffs tapped her on the shoulder and whispered, "What do we do?"

"Nothing," Galena whispered back, "Right now, we've just got to wait. Keep your wand ready, though."

[Ms. Elsewhere]

Harry and Ron arrived on the scene, filing past the students. Harry pushed through and saw Geneve and Liam lying on the floor, an eerie glow coming off them. He looked up at Valencia and Galena. "What happened?" he said.
"Dad?" a voice called out from the crowd of students. The group parted and Harry saw his sons, James and Albus, approaching with several other students from Griffindor.
"Boys! Oh it's so good to see you're ok!" he stepped forward.
"But we're not ok. I can speak to you Dad, but something is... someone is... you have to... get everyone out of here......" James was struggling, as he, Albus and the other Grifindor students brought their wands out and prepared to fight. They were even with the Hufflepuff students, who had not had time to bring their wands out...yet. James pointed his wand at the ceiling and yelled "Diffindo!" There was a sickening crack, and the everyone ran for cover as the ceiling spit and rocks and ruble came tumbling down. Hufflepuff students rolled and ran out of the way, pullling out their wands and defending themselves. All at once, curses flew and bodies fell. The battle had begun.

[*Riley*]

The whole of Hufflepuff began retreating up the steps into the headmasters office when suddenly Gelena stepped in.
"PROTEGO!" she shouted. All at once, the curses rebounded and flw back towards the Gryffindors but they knew what to expect so rolled out of the way.
Harry stood facing Gryffindor, and Gelena faced Hufflepuff. They peformed a variety of complex spells and when they had finished everyone began mumbling.

[Ms. Elsewhere]

Geneve woke up with her face flat on a cold floor. She opened her eyes and pushed herself up, looking around. The space was very bright, she couldn't make out where she was.
"Geneve?" called a voice. It was Liam.
"Liam!" Geneve yelled. She tried to stand up, her legs were like jelly. She saw Liam approaching her, and he helped her up.
"Where are we?" Liam looked around. He looked back at Geneve. "What's happening to us? It's like... it's like I can't remember how I got here, but... Geneve what's going on?"
Geneve looked down at her hand, which was still cut, and reached out to check Liam's. He had a slice across his hand too. A flood of memories came to her, and she was so overwhelmed she stumbled away and leaned over and threw up violently. She remembered.. she had killed someone. That was the worst. She turned to Liam.
'How do we get out of here?" she asked hoarsely.
"How am I supposed to know??" Liam said loudly.
"Because u are not as deeply imprisoned here, Liam! You were only turned hours ago! But Liam.... "Geneve whinced as she remembered how badly Liam was affected by the darkness. "Listen. Search your thoughts. How did I.. How did I send you here?"
Liam thought for a moment. Then he looked at Geneve, and away again. Geneve grabbed his arm. "What is it?" she asked. Liam looked her in the face.
"He.. he threatened me. He said... YOU said that if I wanted Geneve to survive, I had to join him. So I just, let go."
Geneve let go of Liam, and he stumbled back a bit. She stared at him. "You.. you let yourself go, for me?" she said softly. "Why?"
Liam looked down. "I.... I don't know. I guess I just wanted you to come back. I thought I could help you."
Geneve turned around, her eyes filing with tears. She spoke with her back to him. "That was, so... that was really wonderful of you. I'm not sure anyone would risk their lives like that to help me. Not after what I've become."
Liam approached her. "That's not you Geneve. Now, we need to stop beating ourselves up and start thinking of a way out of here."

[choki]

The pain was unbearable. It felt like a creature was tearing his heart apart with its bare claws from within as if it was desperately trying to escape. And then, something soothing washed over him. The pain remained, but it was definitely better than it was before. He squinted his eyes and looked up. There Valencia was, looking at him with a pained expression.

The battle raged on but he was too exhausted, both physically and mentally. Then, the sound of a sickening crack, the falling rubbles. Almost instantly, Valencia had casted a protego shield, protecting Geneve and Liam from the falling rubbles. At the same time, his dark patronus materialised out of thin air, into a huge corporeal form, towering over Nikolaus and Valencia, providing protection for themselves from the flying curses and falling rubbles.

He looked down at the pair who was lying at the bottom of the badly damaged stairs. Although it seemed Valencia's spell had worked, the feeling of something ominous still gloomed. He had, after all, passed on his knowledge of dark arts to Geneve whom or where the very last bit of Voldemort existed.

[*Riley*]

Liam stared around in awe, it was black, but shapes were forming and before he knew it, the surroundings were contorting into shapes and he stood in a vast paddock which was full of swaying trees.
"Ge-Geneve" Liam stammered, peering over to Geneve. She was laying on the grass and was staring at the cloudy blue sky.
"Yes Liam" she replied gracefuly.
"We NEED to get out of here" he said anxiously
"Why? This is such a lovely place, why look at those tittering birds, aren't they just gorgeous?"
"Geneve, get up! You must not fall asleep !" he said while trying to lift her.
When he lifted her, she just slumped back onto the soft grass and lay back down.
"Don't you get it?" he said angrily, "If you fall asleep, you will NEVER wake up again"
"Just a little nap" she said while yawning..
Liam tugged out his wand out immediatley shouted,
"Illustrius Fragmentos!"
The surroundings once again swirled and twisted but this time they settled on a dark and dense pit and Liam was prisoner to it. The pit was barely lit by a flickering candle. Fire was erupting at random from the ground and and Liam felt a flame shoot up and scorch his arm.