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Author: Faelaern Story: Flotsam and Jetsam Rating: Teens Setting: Pre-DH Status: WIP Reviews: 8 Words: 46,036
They put Liogat to rest in a magically-dug hole in the back garden. Sully conjured a wooden coffin, as Jackob was still too drained to do any complex spellcasting. Maxwell and Sully put her body in the box, and Jackob placed her head gently in place over the stump of her neck. They lowered her into the ground, and after a moment of silence, Jackob knelt before the hole and whispered a prayer; Harry couldn’t hear the words he spoke. Jackob stood up and Hermione used her wand to fill the hole with dirt. Maxwell conjured a simple marble tombstone, and they turned and went back into the house. Aiden was standing guard over the objects they had found in the hidden compartment beneath the floor. There was an envelope addressed to Jackob, a map, and a pouch full of poppy seeds. Jackob tore open the envelope and read the letter within. Harry looked over his shoulder just long enough to see that it wasn’t written in any language he understood, then waited for Jackob to finish. Jackob set the letter down, looking grave. “Well. It seems that Liogat did indeed find the valley where Grindelwald’s library is located. That’s the good news.” “And the bad news?” Ron asked. “The valley is inhabited by a Nelapsi. Liogat wrote here that she barely got out with her life.” It was clear from the reactions around Harry that this was very bad news indeed. Aiden and Maxwell exchanged worried looks, Hermione gasped, and Sully spat into the fire place. Ron looked just as lost as Harry did. “What is a Nelapsi?” Harry asked. “Mhic an uilc! They’re trouble, that’s what they are,” Maxwell said. “They’re vampires,” said Aiden. “Except they’ve got two hearts, and their gaze can petrify like a basilisk.” Ron cursed loudly, then said, “You’re joking, right? Please tell me you’re joking.” Hermione punched him in the arm. “Language, Ron. And no, he’s serious.” “Well, that’s that then. I guess we check out of Albania and follow up on R.A.B.,” said Ron. Harry shook his head. “How do you kill it?” “Him. Or her. Not it,” said Jackob. “And if you stake both hearts, that will paralyze them. A grenade would do the trick, but they’re very fast, so you’d have to get lucky. They find the scent of poppy seeds distasteful, and will avoid them if they can. This is not to be mistaken with an allergic reaction, or with an inability to enter an area sprinkled with poppy seeds. Unlike regular vampires, Nelapsi will turn to dust if caught in sunlight. They can be killed with fire, if – and only if – they are totally burnt to a crisp. They can heal third degree burns without a problem, so unless you’ve got a charred skeleton on the ground in front of you, assume he’s not dead. Beheading won’t do the trick, though it will prevent the Nelapsi from using his body, making him somewhat less dangerous. And lastly, they are not immune to the Killing Curse…however, I never cast that. Ever. Under any circumstances.” Sully laughed softly. “Don’t worry, kids. I do.” “You can’t honestly be thinking about–” Ron started. “Going after this thing? Yeah, I am,” Harry finished for him. “Are you mad? We don’t stand a chance!” Ron shouted. “Look, we do need to check up on the R.A.B. lead; why don’t you and Hermione Apparate back to England and do that?” Harry suggested. Ron glared at him. “If you think I’m going to let you get killed without me there, you’re stupider than I thought.” Harry glared back. “Really? How stupid did you think I was before I said that?” “Going up against a Nelawhatsit is pretty fucking stupid,” Ron said. “Shut UP, both of you!” Harry and Ron turned to stare at Hermione, jaws dropping. Hermione looked vaguely embarrassed but pressed forward. “This isn’t helping anything, and for the last time, Ron, you don’t need to curse.” “I…yeah, sorry,” said Ron. “When did you start channelling Ginny?” Harry asked. Hermione blushed. “I don’t know. That seems to work well for her so I thought I’d give it a try.” Harry thought that Hermione didn’t have a fraction of Ginny’s fire, but kept that to himself. “Anyway,” Hermione continued, “I think we’ve got two options. Either we give this up entirely, which in retrospect might be the prudent thing to do….” “No,” said Harry. “Let me finish…either we give this up or we go into the valley at the crack of dawn and Disapparate when the sun goes down.” “There are problems with that,” said Jackob. “We don’t know what kind of traps are in Grindelwald’s library, and I suspect it will be enchanted so as to prevent anyone from Apparating in or out. Suppose one of us gets caught in a trap that we can’t get out of before the sun goes down? We have to go outside the library to Disapparate, and boom, we get petrified because our friend the Nelapsi is waiting at the entrance – or worse yet, comes in looking for us.” “That’s assuming that he isn’t using the library as a lair,” said Sully, “In which case he could be on us the moment we’re in there. They don’t need to sleep during the day; they just can’t be hit with sunlight. “I say we enter the valley at sunrise, and hunt the thing down while it can’t hunt us,” Aiden suggested. “Aye, I’m for that,” said Maxwell. “It’s bad odds either way, but we’re here, so we might as well stay and get the job done…and if there’s going to be hunting involved, I’d rather be the predator than the prey.” “Makes sense to me,” said Harry. “Jackob?” “I don’t like any of the options,” said Jackob. “However, out of the lot, I think the hunt seems the best way to proceed. I just wish there were more of us. Seven against a Nelapsi is not what I’d call pretty odds.” “What about bringing in help from the Order?” Hermione suggested. “Absolutely not,” said Harry. “The less people who know we’re here, the better.” “Agreed,” said Jackob. “Still, there has to be someone else you trust to keep our destination a secret?” “What about Viktor Krum?” Hermione asked. Ron glared and shook his head. “The Quidditch player?” Jackob asked. “He’s a friend of mine,” said Hermione. “And he’s no friend of the Death Eaters. He’s also a very capable wizard.” “I don’t trust him,” Ron growled. “You have no good reason!” Hermione said. “He kissed you,” said Harry flatly, not in the mood for this. Hermione turned red and gaped like a fish, opening and closing her mouth several times before speaking. “So what if he did?” Jackob cleared his throat. Ron and Hermione seemed to come back to themselves. Jackob, Aiden, and Maxwell were looking at them with amusement evident on their faces. Sully was eyeing them with obvious contempt. “You can kiss and make up later,” said Jackob. “As for Mr Krum, he would be a welcome addition to our merry band of troubadours.” “Band of what?” Ron asked, still looking very disgruntled. “Performers. It’s called sarcasm, chief,” said Sully. “Look, I don’t think–” “He’s a good wizard, Ron,” said Harry. “We could use another good wizard.” “Right, because I don’t count,” Ron muttered. Harry grabbed Ron by the shoulders. “You do count, damn it, just as much as any of us do. What I’m saying is that one more capable wand could make the difference between life and death.” Ron sighed. “All right. You’ve got a point. Let’s pay old Vicky a call.” “Where is he now, Hermione?” Harry asked. “He’s in Bansko, training with the Bulgarian National Team,” said Hermione. “Well, then, I guess we go to Bansko,” said Ron, who was clearly making an effort to swallow his pride. “A trip to Bansko is in order,” said Jackob. “But I don’t think it prudent that we all go. I want Sullivan, Maxwell, and Aiden to stay here. Someone needs to clean this place up and put up some defences.” “All right, then, so the four of us,” said Harry. “I suggest we travel light…just the clothes we’re wearing now and our wands,” said Jackob. “You expect we’ll be able to see Vicky… I mean Viktor, that fast?” Ron asked. “Yes,” said Jackob. “Bansko is quiet in the summer, and while my Bulgarian is a bit rusty, I know where there is a mehani strictly for wizarding folk. We should be able to get directions to their practise pitch in there.” “What’s a mehani?” Harry asked. “A tavern,” said Hermione. “And are you sure they’ll tell us? They might think we’re spies for the English national team or something…” “Galleons loosen the tongue,” said Jackob. “And so does alcohol.” “Touche,” said Hermione. “Well, no time like the present, then,” said Ron. “Let’s get this over with.” “All right, then,” said Jackob. Ron stepped over and grabbed Hermione’s hand possessively. Harry suppressed a grimace and grabbed Jackob’s arm. Two Apparitions in one day was not his idea of a good time, not if he had time to think about the trip. Liogat’s cottage faded out of view as the gravitational forces took hold of Harry’s skull and attempted to crush it into mush. And then they were standing in a town square. The houses looked ‘normal’. Harry wasn’t sure what he had been expecting; something ornate and exotic perhaps, like Liogat’s cottage. Jackob lead them around the block to a building with a hand lettered sign proclaiming it to be ‘Samodivsko Kladenche,’ whatever that meant. “This is the mehani I mentioned,” said Jackob. “Just as a heads up, it’s owned and operated by Veela…which makes it quite the tourist attraction in the winter. Things are a bit slower in summer, which means that the attention of the staff will be on us. You lads keep your wits about you. Miss Granger, if you see any of us start acting stupid or saying something we shouldn’t, I want you to hit us with a stinging hex. Can you do that?” Hermione looked taken aback for a second, but she nodded firmly. Bracing themselves, they walked into the mehani. The interior seemed to be one enormous hall, sporting many tables of various sizes, and antiques of all sorts along the walls. There were several swords, a few statues, and many works of art and gadgets that Harry could not begin to identify. At the centre of the room was a bar, well stocked from the look of it…and behind the bar, looking invitingly at the newcomers to her establishment, stood a Veela. Her eyes lit up in recognition when she saw Jackob. “Welcome back, Jackob,” she said. “It has been a long time. And I see you have brought friends.” Her words were clearly spoken, though accented. Jackob removed his hat. “Good evening, Nadezhda. I have indeed brought friends. However, I fear my errand is not one of pleasure, this time around.” Nadezhda’s face turned to a pout. “Jackob, you don’t get enough pleasure out of life. If you only ever come here for business, I might begin to think you don’t care about me.” Jackob smiled. “I don’t care about you, Nadezhda, any more than you care for me. However, if it would please you, my friends and I will have a drink. Allow me to introduce them to you. I am sure you have heard of Harry Potter?” There was the customary glance upward to Harry’s lightning scar; then Nadezhda nodded in recognition. “But of course. The Chosen One, if the papers are to be believed.” Harry blushed. “I…they’re just papers.” Nadezhda’s laughter was bell-like. “You are too modest.” “You may also have heard of Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger?” Jackob asked, indicating each respectively. “I have heard of Hermione Granger, yes, but I do not recall mention of Mr Weasley,” said Nadezhda. “I am sure the fault is mine; I don’t read the papers like I should.” Ron turned red and mumbled something unintelligible. “Nadezhda, we’re looking for Viktor Krum,” Jackob cut in. “Hermione, here, is a friend of his, and told us he is training here in Bansko. Nadezhda shrugged. “Well, I don’t know. I don’t involve myself in other people’s business; how would I know where to find him?” Jackob reached into his suit jacket and came out with a pouch. He tossed it to Nadezhda and she opened it, taking out a Galleon and eying it in the torchlight. She seemed to consider a moment, then nodded and said, “There is an underground training pitch two blocks from here, beneath the new Quidditch supply shop. I daresay you would have found that for yourself if you did some looking.” “We’re rather in a hurry, Nadezhda. Thank you for your business,” said Jackob. Nadezhda flashed him a dazzling smile. “Any time, Jackob. Do come again soon.” It took some hard bargaining, name dropping, and another pouch of Galleons on Jackob’s part for the proprietor of the Quidditch supply shop to admit that there was an underground training pitch, and still more Galleons after that for him to let them in. He took them into the back room behind the store counter and moved a wooden box aside with a quick wave of his wand, revealing a trapdoor in the floor. They climbed the short rope ladder down into the torch lit passage below. The walked several meters, turned a corner, and there it was: a decent sized Quidditch pitch, complete with a small section of seats and a mini-gymnasium in the far right corner of the room. The pitch was a blur of movement; Harry knew he couldn’t hope to accurately follow the movements of an entire Quidditch team on Firebolts without a set of Omnioculars. However, he knew that the seven blurs of motion shooting about the pitch had to be Dimitrov, Ivanova, Levski, Volkov, Vulcahov, Zograf, and lastly, their reason for being here, Viktor Krum. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Jackob moved over to the stands and sat down. It was another half an hour before the seven blurs descended to the ground and were recognisable as people with broomsticks. Almost immediately upon touching down, one of the red-clad figures moved away from the main group and ran towards them. Harry instantly recognised him as Viktor Krum. “Herm-oh-ninny! It has been a long time!” Hermione ran forward and greeted Viktor with a hug, much to Ron’s discomfort. “Why did you not tell me you vould be coming? I could have arranged for the inn to put you up, free of charge.” Hermione’s smile vanished and she stepped back. “Um. Well, the truth is, we didn’t expect to be anywhere near Bulgaria. We came here because we sort of need your help.” “My help? Anything, Herm-oh-ninny, you know that.” Hermione looked guilty. “It will be dangerous.” Viktor frowned. “Zhat does not matter. Vhat do you need?” Jackob spoke up. “We are hunting a Nelapsi.” Viktor gave him an incredulous look. “You are serious? No, no-one is that stupid. Very funny joke, mister.” “Um,” said Hermione. “What if we were?” Viktor looked down at her. “A Nelapsi? But why? Herm-oh-ninny, you don’t hunt Nelapsi. The Nelapsi, zhey hunt you. You should be grateful if you have a chance to run. Escaping zhem is almost unheard of. And to hunt zhem? Zhat is madness…” “Something the Nelapsi is guarding could help us to bring down Voldemort,” Harry whispered, stepping forward. “What, you think you bring him down all by yourselves?” Viktor asked. “Yes,” said Harry. “After ze tournament, I thought you brave, Harry. Now, I think I made a mistook. I think perhaps you are foolhardy.” Harry glared at him. Viktor sighed. “And myself? I am twice the fool for following you. But if Herm-oh-ninny wants to get herself killed by a Nelapsi, I will not her die alone.” “She wouldn’t be alone. And she’s not going to die,” Ron growled. “Everyone dies,” said Viktor. “And I cannot guarantee she will not die alone if I am not there.” “To be fair, you can’t guarantee that even if you come with us,” Jackob said. “No, but if I let her go now, if I stay here… I would not forgive myself if something happened,” said Viktor. “You are with us then?” Harry asked. “Yes. Now is as good a time as any to become vampirdzhii.” “Let me guess, that means vampire food?” Ron asked. “A touch more optimistic, but not by much,” said Jackob. “Vampire-chasers.” “We will be like heroes out of ze stories of old,” said Viktor. “Perhaps we will die like zhem, too.” “Perhaps,” said Jackob. “But you’d do well to put those thoughts out of your mind whilst on the hunt.” “On the contrary,” said Viktor. “If I believe myself already dead, who can stop me? I will fight without fear.” “Touche,” said Jackob, extending a hand. “I’m Jackob Filch, by the by.” Viktor shook it. “Viktor Krum. How many others are coming on this little hunt of ours?” “Three others,” said Jackob. “There was to be a fourth, but she lost her head.” Viktor smiled thinly. “Of course. Just like the stories of old.”
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