()0()

The blood smeared all over his face, and the pentagram broke.

()0()

Terror rose like a tidal wave, and his silver pentagram began to glow. Oh god, the pentagram broke… Harry dived for the bottle of gnome blood as an unearthly shriek erupted from the veil and a pair of glowing red eyes materialised behind it. He uncorked it with trembling hands, nearly cried when he saw that the top layer of blood had clotted. He corked it hurriedly and shook it like a maraca.

The eyes grew a pitch-black head, which extended thin tentacles.

Harry shook harder.

The tentacles swirled and bound together to form a scaly body. The body sprouted wings and limbs as over fifty red eyes appeared around the madly fluttering veil.

Harry almost broke the bottle as he clutched it in horror. He popped the cork, and lunged for the broken pentagram as the fully formed demon stepped out and flexed its scabby wings. The gnome blood splattered across the floor as Harry landed on the bottle.

He spread it with his fingers, and closed the pentagram just as three demonic beings tried to step out.

A hellish shriek rattled Harry’s eardrums as the escaped demon roared and strode towards him.

He scrambled backwards like a crab, striking his head painfully on the wall. He shook his head free of random thought. This was not the time to be thinking about Parvati Patil, a pair of castanets and a Thighmaster 3000.

The evil demon opened its massive jaws. Harry could count every individual, two-foot long tooth. And he really didn’t want to get closer.

A rusted gate swinging gate type of noise emitted from the demon’s throat. It tried again.

Harry gasped in horror – it was trying to speak.

“So long I have waited to taste the saccharine flesh of mortals… Sweeter yet will be the tissue of the Gods – you know not what you have unleashed, child,” As it spoke, the air rippled from its mouth and twisted the image of everything in the room. The window’s wooden frame bent and splintered, the wardrobe twisted and ell over with a crunch. Harry glanced at Draco fearfully – Draco! He was gone.

The demon turned its red eyes on Harry, effectively driving any thought of anything else from his mind.

“Eeep…”

“Parvulus per animus fenestra of viridis,” said the demon harshly, staring at Harry.

“Erm…”

“Viridus, you set me free from the clutches of the Veil. As a token of my graditude I will tell you my animus nomunus before setting off to destroy the world,” declared the devil, perfectly serious.

“I bet its Anas Malus,” came a new voice unexpectedly. Harry’s head whipped around so fast he cricked his neck.

Draco was standing behind the demon, necklace held out in front of him like a shield.

“We have met before?” asked the demon, frowning. Draco snorted amusedly.

“Sorry, I think I’d remember with you being a big ass ugly demon from the pits of Hell and all,” answered Draco snarkily.

“None who know my true name may live,” intoned the demon angrily.

“Oh thanks,” said Harry. “You tell me your name as a token of gratitude and use it as an excuse to eat me,”

“I bet it’s really embarrassing at demon parties. Hi, I’m Anas Malus –“

Anas screeched furiously, and thundered rapidly towards Draco. Harry leapt to his feet instantly and chased after the demon uselessly. The demon has wings for Pete’s sake thought Harry.

He looked at Draco desperately, and nearly fell over when he looked unruffled and unconcerned at the fuming devil speeding towards him with a kebab stick – since when did the demon have a kebab stick?

Must be an evil demon trick, thought Harry, wishing he had some sort of evil demon slaying weapon.

His pentagram flared suddenly. Harry rolled his long sleeve up and looked at it curiously. The edges were bleeding silver light, and it hurt.

“Will it to be,” piped up a new yet familiar voice. Harry whipped around, and nearly broke his neck.

“What is it with you people and breaking my neck?” yelled Harry, annoyed.

Iris sat on her cloud, slightly miffed.

“Sorry,” said Harry, still running. “But there is an evil demon about to eat Draco so I’m a little frustrated. Is it just me or has this room gotten bigger?”

Iris smiled vaguely (reminding Harry of Luna) and repeated her previous statement.

“Look, if I was willing it to be then that demon would be still –“ Suddenly, the strength drained out of his body and he fell to the ground. Struggling to his feet, he leant on Iris’s proffered arm and stared with open mouth at the demon.

It was like someone had placed an invisible treadmill under its feet inches from Draco’s surprised face. Draco edged around the demon and ran towards Harry, just as the demon spat boiling lava into the wall where Draco had previously been.

“Dude…” breathed Harry in awe, following a trail of bright magma in its burning wake down the wall.

Draco raised an elegant eyebrow.

“Not dude,” he countered uneasily. “How far do you reckon that demon can spit?...”

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