The Four Figures

Chapter 20

They all stumbled forwards, wands ready to Stun him. Aldis was trembling a bit, his hair was ragged and he smiled crookedly as if he was  going insane. "How did you-" Helga tried but trailed off, stepping away a bit.
"How did I abscond from that filthy dungeon of yours? Have you ever tried using it as a classroom?" He snarled, inching closer with his hand clenched in a fist as if he was holding something small tightly. Everyone was beginning to step back a few paces, for they knew how dangerous Aldis was.
"How did you break out of those enchantments?" Ignotus spoke up coolly. "You're my ancestor shouldn't you know by now?" Aldis snapped. There was a very long moment of tension in the Hall. Aldis was inching closer while everyone now had their wands pointed low at him. It was so quiet you could hear the shaking breath of Helga. A chilling laugh escaped Aldis' mouth which grew louder by the second. He rose his clenched hand and out stretched his arm towards only Ignotus who seemed ready to duel.
"The Ministry is going to descry you!" Salazar finally said in the midst of the horrifying silence. "Ministry?!" Aldis yelled, lowering his hand. His eyes had widened in insanity and his eyes locked onto Salazars. "That Ministry is complete foolishness! An extiguous group of wizards is nothing! Capturing witches and wizards because they don't like how they use magic?!" Aldis screamed, now infuriated by the so called Ministry of Magic. "They are nothing but foul, loathsome beasts who punish whomever they please!" Aldis was now shrieking in ager. Salazar was smirking because he wanted Aldis angry so he can duel him and finish him. But it did not go that way. "They'll ruin magic!" He finally screamed, his hair frizzed and eyes bloodshot. His mad gaze returned to Ignotus but he was unpreapred. In a second, he let out a shriek of hysteria and stretched his fist out and opened it. A blast of green emerged from his mere hand. It glided rapidly across the Hall and Ignotus' eyes widened and he ducked, the green light colliding with the professors table with a crash. Going mad, Godric could have sworn he saw Aldis' eyes flicker with red. The noise of Aldis' yelling and great big crash of a spell had stirred the students as they shuffled quietly to see the commotion but did not dare to open the Great Hall doors. "Ignotus no" Helga said, staring at Ignotus who filled with rage. He stared back at the mental Aldis who seemed as if he was waiting for Ignotus to strike back. "Come on then, lets duel like family" He said, laughing a bit. Helga was going to get Ignotus' wand but had stopped, for they both reached their arms out at each other. Abruptly, a golden jet of light streamed from Ignotus' hand and a black burst of energy had come from Aldis'. The two lights had clashed in the middle of the Hall, as the two struggled with anger painted across their faces. The four could only stand back and watch in pain as Ignotus was failing to keep up. He collapsed on the floor and the jolt of energy backfired, shooting every way in the Hall. The four ducked as the windows shattered and stones from the walls and ceiling fell. Aldis was about to go for another attack but the Great Hall door creaked open slowly. Everyones attentions whipped towards the door as a student stuck their head in to see what was happening. Although, something else was going on outside the Great Hall. "A student!" Aldis cried, turning towards the frightened student. Rowena ran to the students who gathered outside the Hall and begged them to leave and she attempted to warn everyone to stay locked inside their common room but they had news for her. "Professor please-" A Hufflepuff student cut her off. "Theres an intruder roaming the castle" He said. Her eyes widened in alarm and Aldis was still standing, staring at the students. Helga did not think twice and ran to her side and the students. Rowena leaned and whispered in her ear. "Guide the students back to their common room and lock them in. Theres another intruder like Aldis somewhere in the castle. Take Salazar with you" She finished and the students looked up at them for further instructions. Helga turned swiftly on her heels and stared at Salazar who was ready to fight. He had gotten the message just by her quite intimidating stare and they ran off together, herding the students back to their common rooms. Rowena closed the door and turned back around to Aldis, Godric and Ignotus. Breathing heavily, she stared with her wand still at the ready. "Lets finish this" She breathed and marched forward towards Aldis. "Rowena No!" Godric yelled. She lifted her wand at Aldis but he was quicker than her and swiped his hand across the air and she was jolted backwards into a table, crashing. unconcious. "What were you thinking foolish girl?!" He yelled and was annoyed that he was distracted by her, giving Ignotus the chance to strike him, now with his wand in his hand. Aldis stumbled backwards and gave a hollow laugh. Ignotus whipped his wand again and again, cracking spells at Aldis but he blocked them with his hand. Filled with rage, Ignotus threw spells harder but he casted the last jolt of energy and Aldis caught it. Holding a Stupefying spell in his bare hands, he looked down upon it, as its silver lights reflected off his now beating red eyes. Aldis glanced back up, his red swirling eyes meeting Ignotus'. He gripped the spell harder and yelled, throwing it back at Ignotus who was thrown backwards and was slammed into the rigid stone floor. Rowena and Ignotus were both knocked unconscious, leaving Godric to fight Aldis. They circled each other, glaring. 'Why have you done this?" Godric said, standing and glaring menacingly. Aldis laughed. "Youve heard the story, I assume" He asked, while his red eyes scorched into Godrics own but then cooly turned back to brown somehow. "I have" He snarled. "But you can't kill Ignotus for his curiosity" Godric added. "Curiosity?" Aldis barked with laughter. "He was selfish!". Godric tilted his head in confusion. If Ignotus really had wanted to watch his brothers descendents grow to be evil, then why6 did he become so foolish to reveal himself to Aldis. Surely, he wanted to stay a secret and not interfere with the future. He had also had wondered how Ignotus obtained that crystal ball. "You're putting our school and students in danger" Godric said, coming back to reality. Aldis' facial expression changed from resentful to mischevious as if he realized something. And he did. "You're friend Ignotus. You were born in that simple village, were you not?" Aldis asked slyly. "I was" Godric affirmed. "Ignotus is a liar" Aldis said, finally calming. "A liar? Id suppose you were the liar" Said Godirc. Aldis was now seeming content and he had turned and sat down at the wooden table with a long split in it from the previous duel, unaware of the unconious people in the Hall. "Sit" Aldis said. Godric thought to himself. He was warned that Aldis was a great manipulator and he had to be careful. Godric slowly made his way to the table and sat down as the moon began to fall, making way for the golden sunlight. He sat and faced Aldis who seemed ready to share a story. There was a pause before Aldis blurted out something outrageous. "Ignotus is not alive yet". He said, resting his hands on the table. 'What foolishness is this?" Godric snarled, holding his wand under the table. Aldis raised his hands in surrender. "Hear me out dear Godric". His attitude had changed so rapidly Godric wasn't sure what to believe but he was keen on hearing the truth. "Ignotus Peverell is not alive yet. That man-' He pointed to the slumped over Ignotus on the floor. "- Is not Ignotus." He continued. "Godric, do you know what Polyjuice Potion is?" Aldis' gaze returned to Godric. "I do". "Well then you must know what it does.

"Polyjuice is dangerous, Godric. But false Ignotus over here almost died trying. Let me tell you the real truth." But Godric stopped him. "Why should I trust you? You almost killed my friends!" He yelled. A look of desperation swept across Aldis's face and a pang of pity hit Godric in the chest. Was Aldis really a good wizard? Godric leaned forward and Aldis assumed to continue his story. "Ignotus Peverell has not been born yet. That is an imposter. Now before you ask who, let me finish. Yes, the ball and Cloak are real and they have been stolen. That imposter stole them. Ignotus was told to infiltrate Hogwarts. Because him and his organization wants to take down Hogwarts. So yes, everything he has done and you have done with him was fabricated. Well, yes I am a Gaunt and my descendants will be linked to one of the most Evil wizards of time but Ignotus had told you we are his brothers descendants no? Wrong. We do descend from the Peverells but not his brother. His family line does then become affiliated with us but not quite yet. You're wondering how or why I know this I assume and its because of that ball. Later, when Ignotus gained your trust, I found him in the forest and he had met that my surname was Gaunt and was outraged. This imposter wants to stop the Gaunt family line, Godric. He wants to stop it before it reaches to the time where the Darkest Wizard is born. We fought in the forest. Battles, actually. I-" He stopped his story and broke his gaze from Godric and looked down. He pursed his lips. "I Was put under the Imperius curse. I was told to act like a mad man. To hunt. To kill. But he lost control himself and Stupefied himself, causing the Curse to break. Everything I spoke, it was not me. It came from Ignotus. Now him and his group of unknown witches and wizards are hunting Wizarding schools to destory. He gained the identity of the future Ignotus and put on a show. Don't worry, everything you saw in that ball was real. You have to be careful, Godric". Aldis finished in a serious tone. It was burdensome for Godric to take in all this information. Was it true that the Ignotus who was unconscious on the floor was an Imposter? Aldis' tone got deep and serious. "You have to be careful. This imposter has watchers. They already have someone watching and following". Aldis said, now glaring in his eyes. "Watchers?" Godric asked, now pulled into the truth. "Watchers" Aldis repeated. "What do you mean?" Godric asked but it triggered something in Aldis who got scared in a sudden motion. "The dragon of course!" He whisper-yelled. "It was a distraction! I was Imperiused and locked in those dungeons of yours but the curse wore off down there. I called and screamed but those dungeons are-" He stopped abruptly because Rowena began to stir. They heard a groan of pain but her eyes were still shut. 'Hurry" Godric said, back to Aldis. "The dragon distracted you four so someone could gather information and release me from the dungeons. Once I was somehow freed by a hooded figure, I was Imperiused again... Leading to what just happened.." He ended his story at the time Rowena opened her eyes and groaned in pain. Although the fake Ignotus was still unconscious. "Rowena?" Godric asked worried, getting up and running to her side. She was rubbing her head and more than confused of her surroundings, but then her eyes widened in alarm. Rowena started blabbering off about things and Aldis and Ignotus. But something hit Godric like a club. Helga and Salazar. "Gone!" Rowena cried, still struggling to sit right. "Gone?" Godric asked now frantic. Aldis stood and his eyes met Rowenas and she screamed, stumbling to get up and throw a curse at him. "Rowena no!" Godric said, struggling to keep her down. She started to cry, hot tears trickling down her cheeks. So much had happened and they needed to rest. As Rowena was calmed down, Ignotus had woken. "Godric..." Aldis said, pulling out his wand from his robes. Godrics neck craned to see Ignotus standing and walking to him and Rowena. "Sit and stay" Godric ordered. He stood and faced Ignotus. "Get away from me" He snarled, pointing his wand. Ignotus looked from Aldis to Godric and the realization punched him. "So you've found out, have you not?" Ignotus smiled crookedly. Godric said nothing and was about to kill him in the matter of seconds. But Ignotus snapped his fingers and the Great Hall doors swung open with two beefy men, gripping a bruised and bloodied Helga and Salazar. Ignotus laughed and congratulated the two men on capturing them. Rowena was breathing heavily, Godric stood and unable to move or say anything, Helga was whimpering and wincing at pain as the man held her and Salazar was staring murderously at Ignotus who strided cockily to them. "So!" He yelled, clapping his hands together. He spun around and stared at the rest of the group. "How are we going to do this?" He muttered happily.