A/N: I wasn't going to upload this until later but, since I've already put up another story (City of Dreams if you want to check it out), I decided to just add it anyway. So, those few followers of Power of the Moon, enjoy!

Power of the Moon: Incubus

Chapter 1: Visahari's Secret

After Baron's speech in the library, the air in the castle was no longer tense with friction between each other but was now positively quivering with fright. True to his word (and to Harry's great surprise), Baron had taken lodgings in the Forbidden Forest in a white pavilion-like tent deep in the forest; the location known only to those who knew him. The fact that Baron was not always constantly around him anymore made Harry feel a little vulnerable, though he never confessed this.

Harry compensated by visiting Baron as often as he could at night under the Invisibility Cloak. Getting out of the castle would have been a problem if Baron had not pointed out that Harry could fly out of the window of the Gryffindor Common Room down to the grounds rather than risk the corridors and locked front door. Security had tightened around the school and prefects were asked to do patrols. Harry often heard complaints that it was, "...like the ruddy Chamber of Secrets all over again."

Baron, however, thought it quite unnecessary, “They give him no discontent, they will get none.” His confidence was not shared by the students, who often went round in tightly-packed groups and all drew their wands at sudden noises. Indeed, Harry felt that, if Baron had not been there, the school would be in a state of panic. He appeared in the Great Hall to take meals but he sat among the students and at a different house table every time. The Gryffindors were most surprised when, on his first day at Hogwarts, he took a seat at the Slytherin table. The Slytherins too looked astonished but said nothing.

The foreign students observed Baron with great respect. The Beauxbatons observed him with great interest and Madame Maxime often pulled him aside for a word. She was heard telling McGonagall that Baron was, “…as gentlemanly as ‘oo could wish but ‘e is so full of riddles!” The Durmstrang students revered him, looking upon him with a silent awe which did not extend to their headmaster. Karkaroff avoided Baron as much as he could and passed on messages to him via his students. Baron, displaying an amazing amount of nerve, once said as Karkaroff told a burly boy to pass a message onto him,

“Speak the speech meant for my person to me, sir. I will not fly away.” Karkaroff’s mouth twitched a little and he hurried from the Great Hall.

The girls who had followed Krum and Diggory around attempted to follow Baron but strange things kept happening to them. One minute, they would be following him; the next, they would be in another corridor and have no idea how they got there. Another time, all their bags had split and, at others, their wands would emit violent jets of light and sparks at an alarming rate of their own accord. All this happened and Baron didn’t even look around.

Visahari kept to Harry’s arm more than ever. She ate from scraps that Harry passed her under the table and had once, very daringly, taken a mouse from one of their Transfiguration classes. Harry was comforted by this. At least, if Incubus struck, he would stand a chance. Visahari did not like this but she said stubbornly, “I am a weaknesss to him. I will protect you with my life.”

Edward was scouting the area frantically for any sign of Incubus. He would be found every morning on the Gryffindor Common Room sofa as a spirit, completely exhausted. Only on the end of the third day did he burst into Baron’s tent, red-faced but triumphant, “I’ve found ‘im!” He declared to Baron and Harry, “I know where he is!”

“Where?” Baron stood up, helping his father into a chair, “Where, by heaven?”

Once Edward had enough breath, he panted, “I-I found ‘em not too far from here. In some abandoned house. But…they-they caught me!” Baron took a sharp intake of breath but Edward waved a hand feebly and said, “S’okay, Gabe. Don’t get yourself in a state. Takes more than that to crack your old dad!” He grinned weakly and went on, “He-he let me go but he told me to tell you that-that he’s coming!”

“He’s coming?” Harry repeated, astonished, “Here?”

“Yeah.” Edward nodded, “Tomorrow night. Midnight.”

“Alack,” Baron sighed, “happy daylight doth not come with‘t. Hath he no fear of withering yet why in hours of darkness doth he come?”

“Well,” Edward panted, “it’s that…Cedric. He’s just been turned into a vampire.”

Harry felt as though ice had cascaded into his stomach, “What about Cho?” he demanded, “Did you see her? And the others?”

“Yeah…I saw Cho…” Edward nodded, “She ain’t a vampire, I don’t think. That’s something. And, they’re gonna bring the others with ‘em too. They were okay as far as I could see…bit shaken but okay.”

Baron looked troubled, “All is not well.”

“Can’t you change him back?” Harry asked, but he feared the answer, “Can you change a vampire back to a human, I mean?”

“’Twill not be allowed by Incubus. ‘Tis painful but such an act may be perform’d.” Baron still looked troubled, “Such a risk, ‘tis, also.”

“How?”

Edward sighed and his face darkened so he looked more like Lucius than ever, “There is a spell you can use to turn vampires back into humans. The more recently they were turned, the easier it is. But, we think that Incubus might have done something to prevent that. Something to make the spell go wrong. He’s done it before. And, if the spells go wrong…” He trailed off, grimacing,

“What?” Harry asked, frowning,

“If malfunction comes,” Baron continued, “the vampire blood within the poor one shall become poison most malicious and ‘tis most fatal.”

“Y’mean,” The horrible truth was forming in Harry’s mind, “if we try to turn Cedric back…we could kill him?”

“Yea.” Baron nodded, “Save his soul, yea, but not his life.”

Harry sank into a chair, trying not to think of Cedric slowly succumbing to the poison inside him. They could either let Cedric be their enemy or kill him. There seemed no way around it, “Isn’t there another way?” Harry asked, trying to see some light at the end of the tunnel,

“Nay.” Baron shook his head, looking solemn,

“There are others.” Edward explained, “But they can only be used if the vampire wants to be human again. So, we can’t really use them with Cedric.”

This grim knowledge sat with Harry all through breakfast the next day. Baron was seen striding to the staff table and speaking with Dumbledore. After grim words with Madame Maxime and Karkaroff, Dumbledore nodded to Baron, who turned to the students. Seeing Baron standing before them made them fall silent quicker than Dumbledore had ever done. They were expected a speech and there was no need for a call to order,

“Friends, fellows, guests, lend me your ears. In the hours of yesternight, my father brought me dread word of the vampire fiend.”

There was a collective gasp around the room. People could tell that the news Baron was about to give was not going to be good, “He intends to strike us at twelth strike of darkness.” There were more cries of shock and fear. Marietta then summoned all her courage and called from the Ravenclaw table,

“Will Cedric be there? Is he bringing Cedric?”

“Aye, nymph.” Baron nodded, “And those captives. He shall return all but the poor lady that is Cedric’s unhappy wife. Be of heart, fiend he is but he shall keep word. Thy masters and mistresses wish thee to not attend class this darkened day but to remain within thy commons, carriage and ship for this day. I shall protect this ill-fated place. Away to thy havens!”

“Prefects!” Dumbledore stood up at last, “Lead your houses to their Common Rooms, immediately. Everyone, please, do not panic. Aurors shall be sent for.”

“Headmaster,” Baron turned to Dumbledore abruptly, “do not call others. I will not see lives lost so needlessly.”

“I assure you, Baron, that Aurors of the highest skill have been appointed to deal with anything to do with Incubus.”

Baron kept on arguing with Dumbledore as Harry left the Great Hall. Harry had never seen someone stand so firm against the Headmaster and wished he could have watched as he was led away from the Great Hall by the Prefects. Ron and Hermione pushed their way towards him,

“Why d’you think Baron doesn’t want Aurors here?” Ron wondered, nervously, “I mean, Aurors’ll be a great help.”

“Probably thinks that it’s too risky.” Harry reasoned, without really meaning to, “I mean,” He added, unconsciously employing Occlumency even though there was no need, “he’s fought Incubus before. He probably thinks that Aurors won’t stop him.”

“Just who is he, Harry? How does he know so much?” Hermione asked,

“He’s just had a lot of experience.” Harry shrugged, “I don’t know the details.” He was telling part of the truth at that point. He knew hardly anything about the War of the Exiled. Just as they ascended to the fifth floor, Harry felt his Moon Mark warm and looked down to see it glowing,

“Potter!”

Pretending to straighten his tie, Harry placed his palm to his chest, “What‘s going on?”

“Very little.” Snape’s voice continued in his head, “Dumbledore’s called the Aurors here but Baron is still arguing with him.”

“We need to get together somehow.” Draco’s voice spoke, “Is there any chance of us getting together without anyone noticing us gone?”

“The Heads of Houses are ordered to check their students on the hour every hour to detect any disappearances as soon as possible. There is little opportunity for any meeting.”

“What d’you suppose we do, then?” Ginny’s voice added to the telepathic conversation, “We can’t just sit around in the Common Room all day!”

“Just lie low for a while.” Snape added, “I’ll try and make an excuse for Professor McGonagall not to come up to the Gryffindor Common Room. Not that I’m promising anything.”

Harry found Ginny in the Common Room and they sat together in near silence, waiting for when Snape called them again. The Gryffindor Common Room was even more frightened than the day of Rita Skeeter’s murder. There was little conversation and there was always someone looking anxiously out of the window like a sentry. It was as if they were expecting to be attacked at any moment, despite the message being that Incubus would only attack at midnight,

“I wish Dumbledore had made us go to class, now.” Ginny sighed, after about fifteen minutes, “Better than just making us more scared.”

“I bet he thinks that Incubus sent that message as false information or something.” Harry reasoned in thought, thinking they ought to talk in telepathy for the time being, “Y’know, so he can attack us at a different time and we’re not ready.”

Ginny frowned, “Y’know, I really wouldn’t be surprised if he did that.”

Harry was surprised by his own reasoning. The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Incubus would want to attack when no one would expect him to. He never usually gave any warning of when he would attack so why should he now?

“No, Ginny.” Zirconia shook her head, “He does this sometimes and he always keeps to his word.”

“Why?” Ginny asked, puzzled, “Seems a bit stupid to give away when you’re going to attack.”

“It is not stupidity, Ginny.” Zirconia wagged a finger, “It is being arrogant. He is so assured of his victory that he gives away vital details of his plans. Such an insolent man!” She shook her head, annoyed,

“But,” Harry frowned, “how can we tell if he’s doing that or giving away false details?”

“Pues, that is a thought.” She seemed troubled now and she fiddled with the top of her boots nervously. But, then, she shook her head, “No es importante. Gabriel will always be vigilant and Incubus will never get past him.”

Professor McGonagall came in at that moment and started ticking off names. Some of the braver students badgered her about new developments. In the end, she snapped in a more irritable voice than usual, “You will be informed as and when new events take place! Now, will you please stop pestering me!”

“I wonder if all the other houses are like that.” Ginny whispered, as McGonagall strode past them after ticking off their names,

“I bet Flitwick, Sprout and Snape’ve got to deal with worse.” Harry said, “I mean, their houses already have people who’ve been taken. There’s two Hufflepuffs, two Ravenclaws, a Slytherin, a Beauxbatons and a Durmstrang gone. No Gryffindors.”

“Yeah,” Ginny nodded, “I do find that a bit odd. Mind you,” she added in an undertone, “I think he did that to make us panic just a bit more. Y’know that lot over there?” She pointed to a knot of girls so tightly packed together that they were almost on top of one another, “They’re convinced that a Gryffindor’s going to go next. Y’know, ‘cos it’s the only house that hasn’t had someone kidnapped. They‘ve always got a load of garlic on them to try and ward Incubus off.”

“I just bet that’s what Incubus wants.” Harry nodded, “Everyone to start panicking. Mind you, I don’t think garlic’s going to do much good.”
“Nope.” Ginny shook her head, “Not if he can go out in daylight without shriveling. I suppose it’s because he’s a Sorcerer. I bet he made himself immune to it or something.” She shifted uncomfortably on the spot, “Oh, I wish Snape would hurry up. I might just grab my broom and look for Incubus myself if something doesn’t happen soon!”

“Hey, Ginny!” A reckless idea popped into Harry’s head, “That’s it! Why don’t we meet with Baron and attack him now?”

Zirconia’s eyes widened, looking scandalised, “Oh, pero Harry! That is so dangerous and we could put the hostages at risk!”

“Well, if he’s okay with letting them go, I don’t think we’ll be putting them at much risk. I mean,” She added, with a glance over at Fred and George, who were unnaturally silent, “he’s been really exact with his victims lately. He’s never killed without a good reason. So long as the hostages don’t do anything, they should be fine.”

Zirconia’s dark eyes examined her, “You must have been examining Incubus’ case closely if you’ve worked that out, Ginny.”
“I’ve been having a good look on the Moon Mirror lately.” Ginny said, a little too quickly, “I mean, we’re fighting him now, aren’t we? No Nekros in the way anymore.”
“Pero, uno momento” Zirconia persisted, “we do not even know where Incubus is! We cannot stride into the forest and start shouting, ‘Incubus! Incubus! Come out wherever you are!’ That would be just stupid!”

“Well, we’ve got the Moon Medallion here.” Harry pointed out, on a sudden inspiration, “We can find him from there.”
Twisting one of her curled locks around her finger in an awkward sort of way, Zirconia sighed, “Very well. But we will have to go in secret and I will have to tell Gabriel of our plan before we do anything.” With that, she hurried through the Fat Lady and out of the Common Room. Harry then received a poke in the back from Ginny and a whispered,

"Come on! Your dormitory, now!"

As quietly as they could, they slipped up the stairs to Harry dormitory. Both of them wished they'd done it sooner. Calm hung in the room, undisturbed calm, while the Common Room below was thick with tension. Both of them felt more relaxed here and could think more clearly, “Right,.” Harry pulled the Moon Medallion over his head and placed it between them. It was only then when he realised that he’d never used it. Baron had always been the one to use it, not him. He didn’t know how to make the Medallion flat and large like Baron had, “Erm…” He could feel Ginny’s gaze on him, “…show me Cassius Incubus.”

It worked. The Medallion enlarged itself and a picture formed on its now-blank surface. Ginny leaned over so she had to hold back her hair to stop it falling in her face. A group of people were sitting in a woodland area where the trees grew so close together that there was very little light. But the figures were nonetheless visible. Incubus could be seen standing under a shady tree but he seemed to be leaning a little too heavily on his cane and still had a bandage around his hand,

“My poissson hasss prevailed.” Harry had felt Visahari upon his shoulder but Ginny jumped at the hissing so much that she nearly fell off the bed.

Onyx was sitting with her arms folded and looking extremely grumpy. Every now and again, she would kick one of the terrified hostages. Harry spotted Cho, dressed in white bridal garments and staring at Cedric. Fleur was dressed like an exotic dancer and she looked extremely irritable. Krum was looking more surly than Harry had ever seen him, wearing thick furs and a dark scowl. Three others which Harry suspected were the hostages in Ginny’s year were wearing thin clothes which looked like they belonged to Greek servants, complete with metal manacles.

Cedric himself looked just like he had done at the Quidditch World Cup. He was dressed in fine robes and his hair was smoothed back. One striking difference was the presence of a dark tattoo on the left side of his face that looked like black flames sprouting out of nowhere from his jaw. He was standing next to Incubus, looking down upon them all with a nasty, unbefitting leer on his face.

“Looks like somewhere in the forest.” Ginny stated, quite unnecessarily, “Can you tell where exactly?”

“I dunno.” Harry shook his head. Baron had never actually stated locations; he’d simply made his way to the place by landmarks. Tentatively, he leaned over and asked the Medallion, “Where is Incubus exactly?” Nothing happened. There was no message or indication of an exact location,

“Maybe it can’t do that.” Harry suggested, not wanting to look like an idiot,

“Oh, that’s a shame.” Ginny sighed, “What do we do now? Just wait for Zirconia and Baron?”

So, the waiting began again. Ginny kept staring out of the window as though she expected Incubus’ group to turn up in the grounds any second. Harry wondered whether he should go back down to the Common Room but he remembered the tense air and he found that he didn’t want to. Instead, he sat on the stone steps where he could watch the Common Room without entering.

After a bit of waiting, Zirconia came back through the portrait hole with Baron at her heels. Harry went back up to the dormitory and they followed. Ginny leapt off the windowsill when she saw them, “What’s the plan?” She asked, eagerly. Baron paused and then,

“We shall to the fiend. Prepare thyselves.” Harry pushed open his trunk and pulled out his broom, “Conceal thyselves. The windows are watched.”

“But the Cloak won’t stay on both of us.” Harry stated,

“Let thy winds be slow and cautious.” Baron answered, calmly, “The villain looks not for us.”

Slowly and carefully, Harry flew out of the window and hovered just below it so Ginny could climb on. It was a very tricky job and there were a couple of times when it looked like Ginny would most certainly fall but she always caught the windowsill or Zirconia’s hand just in time. In the end, she managed it and grabbed hold of Harry’s waist to keep herself steady. This action made something leap in Harry’s stomach quite unexpectedly without any visible reason.

Baron leaned over and covered them both with the Invisibility Cloak, “Speed be with you and, for this moment, farewell.”

Slowly and very carefully, they descended. Harry was very aware of the cloak flapped around their ankles and felt that he’d rather gone through the castle than on broom. Ginny too seemed uncomfortable and clutched onto Harry’s waist very tightly. All the while, they were scanning the place for any sign that they had been caught by friend or foe.

Harry’s mind wandered unconsciously to Ron and Hermione. They had always been with him when he was trying to stop something serious, they’d even accompanied Baron just once, and now they were sitting in the Common Room, waiting for news. A cold feeling now rose in his stomach. He felt as though he’d cheated them; it was a poor way to repay their loyalty to him by flying into danger without them.

But he didn’t have time to brood over this. Much too suddenly and great brutality, the broom handle swerved up and bucked the two of them off. Harry managed to grab hold of the cloak and his now falling broom just as they plummeted into space. Ginny screamed and stretched out her hands as if trying to clasp onto invisible supports.

Something streaked past Harry and he looked round just in time to see something long, black and feathered sink into Ginny’s shoulder,

“GINNY!” Harry yelled, thrusting out a hand to try and take hold of hers. He managed to grasp her hand just as her eyes closed and, before he could think of what happened, they plunged into icy cold blackness. Bubbles brushed past him but he barely noticed. There was a patch of light above. One thought had fixed in his confused brain, Get up.

Ginny’s hand was slipping away from his and Harry redoubled his grip. She was not going to drown. If he could just get her up to the surface, then she would not die. She couldn’t die…His lungs were bursting. His robes were weighing him down and their weight, combined with Ginny’s, made it seem like he was swimming through glue, like Nekros’s darkness…

With a great gasp of air, he broke through the surface of the lake, pulling the unconscious Ginny up with him. The water around her was turning red. Dreading to think what that meant, he hauled her to the edge of the lake where he could dimly see a group of people watching him. His glasses had been knocked off one ear so he could only see clearly with one eye. He had no attention to spare for them. He needed to get Ginny ashore. She needed help quickly.

Someone waded out to them and, when he got closer, he could see it was Krum. He’d discarded his fur coat and, from what Harry could see, he looked worried, “I vill take her.” He said. Without Harry having to say anything, he took Ginny in his arms and Harry saw that she was deathly pale and had a long black arrow sticking out of her chest. Harry hurried as quickly as he could after him,

“How d’you get here? Did you get away from Incubus?”

“No.” Krum gestured to the group of people at the water’s edge. Straightening his glasses, Harry found himself within a hundred metres of Incubus. His hair was flowing in the wind and his face was alight with triumph. Harry’s hands tightened around his broom and cloak in anger. He’d spotted Cedric and he was carrying a crossbow in his arms. Krum scowled,

“It vas Diggory. He shot her. He has been this vampire’s underling all along!”

“I know.” Harry nodded, “Baron told me.” He added, when Krum glared at him,

“I have heard of zis Baron. Incubus talks about him with no mirth so he is his enemy?”

“Yeah.” Harry nodded, again, pulling out his wand with his eyes still on Cedric.

The doors behind them burst open. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Madame Maxime, Karkaroff, Baron and Zirconia ran out. Zirconia screamed when she saw Ginny, “Mi cariña!” She wailed and she hurtled forward to her, seemingly beside herself with panic, “Ayuda!”

McGonagall too went white with shock, “Miss Weasley! And…Potter!” She’d just spotted him and clapped her hands to her mouth, “What on earth happened?”

Baron glared at Incubus, “Is this your villainy, cursed creature? Thou vile bloody, remorseless fiend!”

“Ooh!” Cedric said, coolly and maliciously, “Looks like I’ve touched a nerve.”

“CEDRIC!” Harry turned in surprise as Zirconia and Krum bearing Ginny hurried into the castle. Amos Diggory came hurtling out of the castle, face red and staring. Cedric’s face darkened; he looked at his father as though he was the most repulsive thing he’d ever seen, “Cedric! Ced, what do you think you’re doing?”

“Do not speak to me such.” Cedric snarled, the crossbow raising. Harry saw two short fangs protruding from his mouth, “My father,” He turned to Incubus, “what is to be done with this man?”

“Ah, now, he doth give thee no offence.” Incubus patted him on the shoulder, "Leave him awhile and turn to the foe I hath given thee instruction of. I will give o‘er the prisoners.”

“I shall obey you.” Cedric nodded courteously and then, turned the crossbow upon Harry. The hostages ran to the castle without a backward glance, except for Cho who was held back by Onyx. Fleur was in hysterics and she talked so frantically that her words were almost incoherent, “Madame Maxime…Madame Maxime…eet was a trap!…Zey ‘ave entered Potter…into ze Tournament to discredit ’im and keel him!...Now, Cedric too ees a vampire…!”

“What?” Amos Diggory exclaimed.

Paying no attention to any of this, Cedric lunged at Harry. The crossbow flung aside, he came forward in a burst of speed from which Harry only just managed to dodge. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Baron charge at Incubus with something silver in his hand. Harry wasn’t so lucky the second time, though. He felt Cedric’s chilled hand grab hold of Harry just as there was sound of metal striking metal and, in the blink of an eye, they were in a dense wooded area. He had no idea of how they’d got there but he didn’t have time to worry. Cedric’s wand was out and they were locked in combat again.

Harry thought that Cedric must have used Legilimency to help him in their last battle since, now that he used Occlumency (Baron had trained Harry in using it during battle), he was slightly more successful in fending off the other’s attacks. But, only slightly.

A few minutes after going into the forest, the trees were badly dented and Harry was worried that one of them could fall any minute. He wanted to get away from the forest and out of danger but, when he tried to run, Cedric always caught up with him. Harry used every defensive spell he knew but it still wasn’t enough. He couldn’t use anything dangerous; he could hurt Cedric and, as long as Cedric was alive, there was some hope that he could be turned back.

A Stunning spell was sent whizzing at Harry and, as he dodged, he saw the spell hit an already scarred tree. His panic was replaced with dread as a great creak resounded from it. Cedric too stopped at the noise. A tall beech tree was trembling precariously, its trunk splintering at a large hole at the base of the trunk. Then, with a great creaking moan, it began to topple towards them. Harry looked from the tree to Cedric and it hit him like a thunderclap that Cedric was right beneath it,

"LOOK OUT!" Harry bellowed. He tried to pull Cedric away but, to his bewilderment, he resisted. Harry managed to get Cedric away from directly beneath it but he couldn't get him clear in time. The tree crashed down to the ground and Harry and Cedric was pushed to the ground.

Pain coursed through his leg and, stars winking before him, Harry looked around and saw his leg trapped under a thick branch. He tried to pull it free but the branch was too heavy. He spotted Cedric, who seemed to be unconscious under another heavier-looking branch. He tried again to pull out his leg but it would not budge. It only caused his eyes to water from more pain in his ankle. He felt as though his foot would come off any minute.

Then, quite suddenly, he felt something move on his arm. A sigh of relief escaped him, "Visssahari!" The snake looked up at him and her eyes widened slightly,

"What have you be up to, Harry? I felt sssuch panic in you and you were underwater at one point."

"No time." Harry shook his head, "Can you help me?"

Visahari had grown very fast in a short time and was now about seven feet long. Her body was thick and strong; Harry thought she must be able to move the branch that trapped him at least. After examining the situation, she turned and started to slither towards Cedric instead, "Visssahari!" She kept her course, making Harry's heart sink lower and lower.

She bent over Cedric's neck, seeming to be examining him. Then, quite suddenly, before Harry could shout to stop her, her fangs were bared and they sank into Cedric's neck. With a gasping cry, Cedric's eyes flew open as wide as they could. It was a second before they lighted on the retreating Visahari. His hand grabbed her around the neck and she hissed angrily, "Let go!"

For a moment, he tried to reach his wand but it was too far away. He and Harry's wands had flown away about ten yards out of either's reach when the tree had fallen. Harry watched in horror as Visahari writhed and thrashed in Cedric's grip. Knowing that his wand was too far away, Cedric turned his other hand to Visahari. Harry was sure that he would strangle her but he was weakening. The hand that was aiming for her head slumped a little and instead took hold of her fang. With a sickening snap of bone, it splintered and broke away.

A/N: Ooh, a cliffie on the first chapter! Aren't I awful?