The Necromancer

Chapter 22

Voldemort stopped walking at once, staring at the floating, shimmering figure with eyes so wide they almost bulged out of his head. Harry made sure to pour enough power into Rigel that he was visible for everyone. The last thing Harry wanted was for Voldemort to know that Harry could also summon his family members in a way that kept them invisible for all others. Let Voldemort come to all the wrong conclusions on his own without Harry jeopardizing his ability to spy on others.

“Hi, Harry,” Rigel said with a happy little wave. Then he looked around in confusion. “Where is everyone else?”

Harry kept walking, ignoring Voldemort’s obvious shock. “I just needed to talk to you for a second, Rigel. How would you like to be a dragon?”

Rigel’s mouth sank open. “Be a dragon? Like how you put Rindyll’s soul in the barok? What kind of dragon?”

“A Hungarian Horntail,” Harry said with a smirk, thoroughly enjoying his cousin’s enthusiasm.

“Yeah, I would love to be a Hungarian Horntail!” Rigel tilted his head as he floated beside Harry. “Where on earth did you get a dragon like that, though?”

“Took it home with me from the first task.”

“Wait, the first task has already happened?” Rigel frowned in obvious confusion. “Why didn’t you call me to see it? Or didn’t you call any of the family?”

Harry glanced at Voldemort, who had just caught up with them again and who was staring at Rigel as if he was seeing something utterly impossible. “I’ve been busy,” Harry said evasively.

“Sure, but you can call us in a second. We would have liked to see the first task, Harry.” Rigel seemed rather hurt Harry hadn’t let him witness the start of the tournament and Harry felt an uneasy churn of guilt in his stomach. “Can you at least call my parents now? I’d like for them to see me become a dragon.”

They reached the dead dragon and Harry almost ran both of his hands down his face in frustration but then he remembered at the last moment that his entire face was still covered in green goo so he just groaned instead. Voldemort stood beside him, practically bursting with curiosity if the manic glint in his narrowed eyes was any indication.

Dammit, Harry was not a coward. He’d been a sheltered little swot once upon a time, but he’d never been a coward. And yet he was absolutely terrified to summon his family and tell them he’d thrown his lot in with Lord Voldemort of all people. Behind them, Sirius, Remus and Regulus arrived to watch the show. During the last week Sirius had pointedly asked Harry a few times where James was but Harry had changed the subject each time or simply left the room instead of offering Sirius an answer. Remus had just given Harry knowing looks, as if he was well aware of Harry’s inner-struggles, but he’d never commented on them.

“Fuck it,” Harry finally said, utterly tired of himself for not simply getting this confrontation over and done with. He brushed his thumb across the amulet and summoned his entire family. The sight of another eleven shimmering floating bodies appearing out of nowhere drew a shocked gasp out of Regulus while Voldemort was cursing quietly in disbelief. “Okay, everyone,” Harry said while waving both hands. “Eyes on me, please. We’re turning Rigel into a dragon today.”

“A dragon?” Dorea demanded as she floated over to her son. “Wouldn’t that be dangerous? Someone might try to hurt him.”