Harry Potter and the Lost Cities

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Harry stared in shock for several moments before a curse sent his way knocked him back into the present.

"Protego!" He muttered, sending curses back in return.

He couldn't believe it. Standing behind Lady Gisela was Robert Caylin, the Layders, the Robinsons, Alexis Green, Edward Thompson, and the Harrises.

All of the missing wizards.

Apparently, they hadn't been kidnapped, killed, or held hostages as he'd thought. They'd joined the Neverseen.

"Oi, Harry, focus up a bit, would you?" Ron yelled over the shaking and trembling that had commenced.

Harry shook his head clear, realizing he'd been standing relatively stationary for the past several seconds. It didn't matter who was over there. They'd done wrong, and it was his job to bring them to justice.

He sent several curses flying at Caylin, and moments later found himself in an intense duel. Caylin was a talented wizard; Harry had seen his work in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He wasn't the type you'd want to cross.

And yet here he was.

"Flipendo!" Harry heard Caylin yell, but Harry blocked it with barely a thought.

"Impedimenta!" Harry returned, but the spell was equally ineffective.

Harry dove out of the way of a misfired spell, tripping over the literally rolling hills. He was about to send another curse at Caylin when a familiar face caught his eye.

"Albus?" Harry yelled, and his mini look-alike tensed, turning slowly towards his dad.

"Albus, what are you― Protego!" Harry blocked a spell from hitting Albus before he ran towards him, pulling the young boy behind him.

"Albus, you need to get home now!" Harry yelled, struggling to keep track of his son and the duel at once.

"How am I supposed to do that?" Albus yelped.

"How'd you even get here?"

Albus's reply was cut short, though, as the earth gave an ear-splitting roar, accompanied by a giant tremble, which split the ground right where Harry was standing. He managed to grab hold of Albus's shirt and pull him out of the way just in time.

Someone else, though, wasn't so lucky. And a moment later, Harry realized who it was.

"JAMES!" He yelled, staring as his eldest son crashed to the bottom of the chasm, then lay motionless.

He needed to get down there― but how?

Luckily, the elves were ahead of him. A girl with blonde hair woven tightly into braids glided smoothly to the bottom of the chasm (apparently elves could levitate too?) and quickly bent over James.

"I'll get him to Elwin!" She cried, reaching for one of the elf-crystal things. A moment later, she and James glittered out of view.

Harry didn't have time to think about who the heck Elwin was. His only hope was that he was some sort of healer as he turned angrily towards Lady Gisela.

"YOU―" And before Harry knew what he was doing, he was charging at the woman, sending every hex he knew her way.

"Woah― not so fast, Mr. Potter." Harry was surprised to hear her say his name, but it didn't stop him. "You wouldn't want something to happen to your dear niece, would you?"

"What've you done to Rose?" Ron screamed, turning from his previous opponent and shooting curse after curse in her direction, each blocked by a force-field from the elf beside her.

Lady Gisela's lips curled, unfazed by the battle around her. "Nothing... yet."

Ron growled and Harry was fairly certain the squeal of horror he heard came from Hermione. But he didn't get the chance to confirm this as he got hit from behind by a hex that knocked him off his feet.

He jumped up and whirled around, firing back at his attacker, Ana Robinson. She cursed, ducking the shot and trying again. This time, Harry was prepared with a Shield Charm.

But the battle around him was intensifying. They weren't losing, thankfully, but they weren't exactly winning, either. And it was only a matter of time before someone else got seriously hurt. Or worse.

But at that moment, something peculiar happened. The shaking ground suddenly stilled. It happened so abruptly that Harry almost lost his footing, his body having grown so accustomed to the moving earth. He turned towards Lady Gisela and the cloaked figure that seemed to be the one causing the shaking in the first place. Lady Gisela was looking at her assistant with bewilderment and frustration, but the earth-controller seemed just as confused.

And at that moment, Harry sent one last curse.

The stupefy hit Force-Field-Guy, who was clearly distracted by the same thing that was holding Lady Gisela's attention, right in the chest, and he toppled to the ground. Lady Gisela whirled around towards her other comrade, her gaze hardening as she saw what had happened.

"Well, I suppose we'll be off now," she said, grabbing the unconscious elf's arm and reaching for a crystal.

"No!" Harry shouted. Time seemed to slow as Neverseen wizards disappeared with a pop. Elves and Aurors around him were trying to get their last attacks in before the opportunity was lost. But the one thing Harry cared about was getting to Lady Gisela. He couldn't let this woman go before he got his revenge.

He raised his wand, crying, "Stupefy!"

Too late.

Just as she glittered away, though, Lady Gisela flashed a cruel smile. "Don't worry, Mr. Potter. I'll be back."