Harry Potter and the Greek Gods

{28} Atop a Mountain

HARRY'S POV

I was beginning to hate sleep.

The moment I slipped into unconsciousness, I appeared somewhere else. I was moving, but I had no control over my body. 

It took me a moment to recover from the sheer panic that gripped me and get a good look at my surroundings. I was on top of a mountain. The sky overhead was dark and stormy, and whenever there was a flash of lightning I swear I could see a bulky figure in the distance, and when the rain quieted, I could hear faint yells. 

I shivered involuntarily. This place was creepier than the graveyard Voldemort had come back in, and that was saying something. 

By now I had stopped moving. I sat - or rather, stood - in silence. I don't know how long I waited there, but I started to get impatient. I had to remind myself that if this was another dream like the one about Ron's dad, it was probably best that nothing was happening. 

But, of course, that couldn't last. The sound of a slight scuffle punctured the relative quiet of the mountaintop. Moments later, two cloaked figures emerged, dragging a boy about my age between them. He wasn't making it easy.

I wanted desperately to help, but I couldn't move. I could only watch as he was dragged to an ominous-looking altar. A third figure appeared from the shadows. They too were in all black, but they lacked the belts and - oddly enough - swords of the other two. 

The boy lunged towards them, seeming to try to go on the attack. The figure didn't so much as flinch.

"Nilo Florez, son of Tyr. You are brave, I'll give you that, but stupid." 

Their voice boomed out, so I could hear even from where I was several metres away. 

The boy - Nilo - spat at the figure's feet, wriggling in his captors' grasp. The figure only laughed. It was a cold laugh, one that sent chills up my spine. 

As the figure turned his back, reaching for something, Nilo made his move. He lurched to the side, throwing off his cloaked captors, and then pulled a sword from one of their sheaths. He swung it wildly, but with precision, slicing one across the chest and sending them sprawling backwards. He turned to the other one. 

Unfortunately for him, they were prepared, and drew their own blade. They clashed with a loud clang, the sound of metal hitting metal. 

I was no swordsman, but I could see that they were both well trained. Every move was countered, and neither seemed to be getting the upper hand. But, as both Nilo and I seemed to have forgotten, they were not the only people on this mountaintop. 

My face mirrored the shocked expression on Nilo as the glinting tip of a blade appeared in his chest. He looked down, letting out a shuddering breath as blood trickled from his mouth. Then his legs buckled, and he fell to the floor, the sword still stuck in his now lifeless body. 

The figure hovered behind him. I couldn't see their face, but I had a horrible suspicion that they were smiling. 

"Well, that could've been neater. No matter, it has the same effect. Tell your Dark Lord that this sacrifice was a success. And then set about bringing me another." 

The last words were an order to the remaining cloaked captor. They dipped their head to the figure and then disappeared in a flash - apparition. 

As the figure turned their back, the scene began to fade back into darkness, and I awoke with a start to find Ron and Percy hovering over me. 

They both looked concerned, but I shook off their worries as I sat up.

"Harry, mate, what happened?" Ron asked worriedly. 

"Was it another dream?" Percy asked, an edge in his voice.

I nodded shakily.

"I don't... I don't..." I stuttered.

How did I begin to put into words what I had just witnessed? 

"What happened?" Ron pushed.

Any other time, I probably would have snapped at him, but they needed to know. I couldn't keep this to myself, certainly not when I couldn't make anything of it. 

So, I braced myself, opened my mouth, and began to recount to a silent room what I had seen.