The Chronicles of Blood and Fire (HP Fanfic)

"They already know."

"No—!" Amelia shouted. "Get back!"

And then he exploded—not with fire or smoke, but with a pulse of cursed blood, a red mist that burst outward in a shockwave of pain and rot.

Amelia flung herself forward, arms around Caelum, shield magic flaring just in time. But the blast still sent them both flying against the far wall, blood-magic corrosive and wild in the air. The Aurors outside burst in immediately, wands drawn, shouting spells of containment.

Caelum coughed violently, smoke and blood filling his throat. Amelia wasn't moving. Her left side was burned, her breathing ragged.

"She's alive!" one Auror barked, rushing to Amelia's side. "We need to get them out—now!"

Standard procedure kicked in. They couldn't Apparate inside Azkaban's wards, so two Aurors moved quickly to lift Amelia's unconscious form, while another supported Caelum, who was coughing violently, blood smearing his lips. Together, they moved the pair out of the interrogation wing, down the spiralling inner tower, and out onto the outer landing platform.

Wind howled over the sea cliffs. Dementors circled above like vultures.

Once on the open stone landing, an Auror drew his wand. "Hold on, I'm taking us to St Mungo's—"

But nothing happened.

The Auror tried again. Still nothing.

"What—?"

Another Auror paled, eyes darting between Caelum and Amelia.

"It's them. The explosion marked them—some kind of curse interference. It's disrupting their magical signatures. Apparition's useless."

"Portkey?" someone asked sharply.

"Same problem," the lead Auror snapped. "It'll rebound or rupture. We can't move them magically."

A grim silence settled between them.

"Then we do it the hard way," one growled. He raised his wand high. "I'll summon the carriage!"

From the fog and mist, the thundering of hoofbeats echoed across the air as a Ministry-enchanted thestral carriage surged toward the landing, drawn by sleek, skeletal beasts.

The thestrals hissed as the Aurors secured Caelum and Amelia inside the carriage. One of them placed a silencing charm around the wounded pair to dampen the sounds of groaning and rattling breath.

The carriage surged into the night air, cutting through the misty winds over the open sea.

For a moment, all seemed still.

Then—

CRACK.

A sharp sound of Apparition—several, rapid and precise—shattered the calm. The sky above flashed with curses as hooded figures dropped down from the darkness, robes billowing like shadows unfurling in the wind.

"Ambush!" the driver shouted. "We've got company—hostiles in the air!"

A green curse streaked past the front of the carriage, grazing one of the thestrals. The creature shrieked and twisted, nearly toppling them into a spin before regaining control.

Caelum pushed himself up weakly as the silencing charm frayed under the pressure. "They're here…" he whispered, voice hoarse.

The door exploded outward as two masked wizards landed on the platform, wands raised. One of the Aurors lunged forward, shielding the entrance with a blast of defensive spells.

"Get them out of here!" he yelled, holding the attackers back with a fiery whip of magical light. The air sizzled with tension as dark spells collided midair.

A vampire dove down from the clouds—pale and lean, eyes glowing crimson. Its nails glinted like blades. It struck one Auror from the side, knocking him into the sea below.

The carriage veered sharply, slammed by a concussive hex. Another thestral screeched, and the carriage dropped in altitude.

Inside, Caelum could barely move. His limbs were numb, his veins still thrumming with aftershocks from the blood magic. He turned to Amelia—

But she was unconscious, her breathing shallow.

He reached for her, but then the carriage crashed into the treetops of a dark, coastal forest. The landing was brutal. Wood splintered. Spells flared.

Aurors scrambled to form a perimeter as more vampires and dark-robed figures closed in.

"Run!" one of them shouted at Caelum. "Take the underpath trail—go!"

But before he could react, a jet of red slammed into the Auror's chest, flinging him backward. Caelum tried to drag Amelia—but then another wizard appeared at the edge of the wreck, raising a wand.

Caelum prepared to cast—only for the ground beneath him to shift.

A tall figure dropped between them: another vampire, with a cruel hiss, she swept Amelia aside like a ragdoll.

"No—!" Caelum shouted, scrambling forward, but a sharp blow struck him from behind.

Darkness clawed at his vision.

The last thing he saw was a figure, cloaked in shadow and blood-red eyes, reaching for him—

And then, nothing.