Something Wicked This Way Comes

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Canoc Taggart

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Former Professor of Care of Magical Creatures Canoc Taggart stumbled over a fallen log. It spanned the dead length of forest in the aptly named Forbidden Forrest that he wondered about in with a purpose. It was common knowledge that he was returning one last time before his retirement was fully underway. He'd been interviewed by several reporters wanting to know the happenings at the school. Unfortunately with what had happened with poor Headmistress Alicia Barker, he was a prime target to have wireless radio reporters hounding him on his return to the castle.

He's managed to dodge them and apparate unfollowed to the Forbidden Forrest on the Hogwarts New Zealand grounds. He sniffed the air around him in a long appreciative air. It was good to be back. Canoc was saddened many times to be retired from these grounds. It was a good home for several years and without his wife about him, he had no one at home to take care of. Nor anyone to take care of him.

His long crooked branch of a staff stamped the dead leaves on the ground leftover from last year, the handle held firmly in his grizzled hand. Although he had been away from the ground for an entire semester, he had lost much sleep trying to keep his brain active and to get his house back home livable once more.

It had cobwebbed and dusted over. His wife Alyse would have shot him with a muggle gun had she seen it now. He was ashamed of the condition of it and had spent the entire summer and months after it restoring it to its former glory all by his own gnarled hands.

He plondered on through the woods, his thoughts light and unassuming.
 
Mark strode in to the Forbidden Forest, keeping a tight hold of his wand. He knew he was going to need it. From what he'd been told, this Taggart person was formidible, despite his age. Mark knew he was definately going to keep his wits about him. His first real task as a Death Eater. He was determined not to mess it up. He knew he would never live it down if he did. I must not fail, he told himself. I must not bring dishonour to the Death Eaters, nor to my family. He gripped his wand tighter as he carefully stepped closer and closer to the school.
So this is Hogwarts New Zealand, he thought, unimpressed. He thought about how easily it could be taken by the Death Eaters. Already, there was chaos created by the kidnapping of their headmistress - an easy task, apparently. They will soon be at our complete mercy. The Ministry, too. Starting today.

He checked his mask - a plain, white mask - to make sure it was still on securely. The last thing he needed was somebody to spot him. His career with the Ministry would be in jeopardy. He couldn't give up the thing he loved the most - behind working for the Death Eaters, that was - for the sake of this one man.

Siting the man, Mark quickly stopped. This was it, his big chance to prove himself. He wondered if he would have backup, but shook his head. He didn't need it. This Taggart fellow was nothing but a helpless old man.

Concealing himself behind a tree, Mark peered out at the old man, who looked to be so far away from things. "You will pay for your folly, old man," Mark whispered in his accented English, his voice deadly. "The Death Eaters are coming."
 
Canoc slowed his steps and made a great show of tying his shoes. His movements were exaggerated, giving him a good view of the young'n following him. Hippogryffs made less noise. He straightened up, leaning heavily on his walking staff. He walked on and began to whistle a short, snappy tune. He plodded through the underbrush of the forest, walking through trails that hadn't been tread on in years and further from the castle.
 
Mark wondered at the intelligence of the old man. Walking deeper and deeper in to the forest, so blithely? He was leading himself in to a trap. There was no escape for him, the further he went in. He couldn't run towards the castle or anything - and even if he could, he was just an old man, not even a Professor any more. He is a fool, Mark thought, as he practiced moving stealthily behind him. He cursed the leaves undefoot, giving his position away. The old man is probably deaf, though, so he can't hear me anyway, Mark thought, a sly smile curling on to his lips.
 
Canoc wondered why he didn't simply turn around and blast the young man for trying to get the drop on him. He blamed his old age for turning him into a sour old coot, happy to give false hopes to young'ns then take pleasure in smacking them down the old fashioned way. His steps were a bit lighter as he reminisced about past events. He led them a merry way until he suddenly stopped and tired of the game. He could be in front a roaring fire with a nice cuppa. He said clearly so it carried to the young'n tailing him, "Ye might as well come out now."
 
Mark raised his eyebrows, incredulous. So maybe he's not such a deaf old coot after all. But he's not going to get the better of me. "Are you quite sure that is wise, sir?" Mark responded clearly, imitating an English accent to his best ability. "I am not sure you understand. You see, this is the end for you, sir." Mark was tempted to step out and curse the man, but he was needed alive. Nevertheless, he held his wand, ready to disarm or stun the man. The torture, he was saving until later.
 
Canoc discounted what moving so fast would do to his bones the next day and spun around, pointed his staff at the trees the voice came from and bellowed, "CONFRINGO!" A line of trees exploded and debris scattered the forest floor. He waited to see if the young'n would make himself known now. If he hadn't been blown back with those trees, he smirked.
 
With a silent 'swoosh' the portkey reached its intended destination and Parker was standing in the black forest of Hogwarts New Zealand. Grasping at the mask on his face to make sure it was secured, he looked around, letting his eyes adjust to the dark night. Once he had his bearings about him, Parker moved swiftly and lightly further into the abysmal woods. Off somewhere he heard rustling of foliage and as he followed the sound he could have sworn her heard voices, silently murmuring. Seemed he had found the right place. Wand grasped tightly in his hand he moved forward, but was momentarily halted as there was an explosion of trees a few yards away.
 
Mark swore as he was blasted backwards by the exploding trees. He shouldn't have been so sure of himself, he knew. "Now, that really wasn't wise. You don't want me to have to curse you in return, do you?" Mark asked, ironically. Pointing his wand towards the man, rage boiling inside him, he whispered "sectumsempra." He couldn't let his anger get the better of him, but he really wanted this old man to suffer. He had to be alive for the Death Eaters, of course, but he was going to break this old man down no matter what.
 
Jacqueline was running slightly late. She had had a time getting away from the shop that was her cover. Jac landed lightly on the ground. She turned to where she saw the forest burning. Jacqueline took off at a sprint. As she went, she double checked her clothing and mask to make sure it was right. Jac arrived in a clearing where she saw her fellow death eater and the Professor. "Ah Professor." she murmured wickedly.
 
Asparuh walked silently into the Forbidden Forest, his head held high. He noticed a fellow female sprint by him. His mask fully disguised him, however, not like he needed it. He was dead to most eyes. He quickly found the former Professor, along with the younger Death Eaters. He smirked, seeing that the old man looked older than himself. Asparuh held his staff in his hand, an honorable weapon indeed. He hissed to the others, "Come now, we don't want him harmed, yet." His eyes stared at the young ones. The fun is just beginning after all.
 
Canoc felt the magic rush toward him and did his level best to duck out of the way. He felt the spell cut into his shoulder and snarled, flecks of blood coating his cloak. He touched his fingertips to the wound before discounting it. It was shallow and the shallow cuts bled the worst.

"Better men th'n ye have tried to take me down." He centered himself and that's when he heard them. Fools. The young'n brought back up, did 'e know?
 
Mark swore, again. The spell hit the old man, but barely - it only caused a slight gash on his shoulder. He looked around, using his peripheral vision so as not to lose sight of the old man. More Death Eaters had come to join him. Good, he thought. Now we definately won't fail. "And if I was a better man, I would've taken you down right then," he spat, keeping his wand pointed at the old fool. He did not curse again, as the elder Death Eater stated that they did not want the old man harmed yet. However, it was quite an effort for Mark to keep control. He often had difficulty with his anger. Seven years at Durmstrang had helped him to control himself - but only just.
 
Jacqueline rolled her eyes as the older man came to join them. She thought that he was interfering. Old men just get in the way she grumbled to herself. Jacqueline kept her wand pointed at the old Professor. She inched closer to Markus. It was vital that they keep to the mission. She didnt want any of the others to mess up the plan. Jac glared at the man. "Are we about ready to get out of here?" she asked her her cool voice. Though it was icy, it still had a musical quality to it. She was ready to get on with the rest of the plan. "Old man, I wouldnt test us." she threatened.
 
Parker headed off, tailing the others that had arrived. "Definitely not the brightest of ideas on you part old man. Don't make this harder on yourself than it has to be." he said with a sharp, harsh tone. He looked to the masked figure who had a womans voice and retorted to her impatience with, "Patience is a virtue. We have to make this a clean a job as possible."
 
Asparuh stopped walking and stood ten feet from everyone else. He heard the female grumble, which only made him smirk. He folded his arms across his chest, his staff still in hand. Asparuh heard the female's question, and decided not to answer it. He stared at the event going on in front of him, feeling quite proud that it was going along this smoothly. He noticed the newest remain under control, even with Asparuh's statement. He heard Parker say the infamous 'Patience is a virtue'. Asparuh said darkly, "The fun is just beginning after all." His mind was curious to what exactly would they do with the elder Professor.
 
Aphrodite was wearing a cloak over her clothes, and she had put a simple disillusionment charm on herself as she made her way to the forbidden forest. She knew there would be many DE's there, but Taggart probably knew the forest like the back of his hand, and she had planned on going there to help out anyway. She had her wand out in her hand, as she rushed to the forest, feeling slightly uncomfortable in her own skin.

She arrived to the other Death Eaters, and lowered her cloak, and surprised herself, just a little, when she saw her usual dark brown hair get replaced by bright orange hair. Her sister may have gotten their grandfather's ability to change her appearance at will, but Aphrodite had the ability to create a polyjuice potion. She had taken a few of the hairs of one of her students each week as she came into the potions classroom. Aphrodite had temporarily transformed into the body of Zoe-Hope Weasley, which she hoped would help to confuse the Ex- Professor even more.

Aphrodite had a potion vial in her, Zoe's, hand. Before taking the polyjuice potion, she had brewed a vial of exploding fluid, which would be a good distraction, if need be. She decided not to say anything, for once, and see how things were going so far before making any moves. She also wanted to see the expression on the man's face, when he thinks he sees a 'student' as a DE.
 
Although his shoulder pained him with a steady throb, Canoc gave no show. His face and voice took on a cheerful tone. He planted his staff's end in the dirt and leaned upon it. "Well now, tis a party I've bin invited ta, is it?" Inside his mind was a seething mass of rage. He wasn' about to be taken out by a pack of punk Death Eater wannabe's. What did they want?

He opened his mouth to continue bantering when his old eyes clapped on a student standing amidst the pack of scum. His brows snapped together and his face became darker than a thunder cloud. "What," he intoned in a menacing tone, "is the bairn doin' here?" His eyes bored into the newcomer.
 
Aphrodite grinned, glad that seeing the image of a past student has got him angry and probably confused. "What's wrong professor?" She said mockingly, taking out her wand. It wasn't planned for her to be the one to take him down, and their instructions were specific to bring him to the keeping place alive. "We need to speed this up, I don't know if anyone saw me come here." She said, a little pissed at herself for not being more careful with who she ran into on the way down. She had left the school as herself, not to cause any sort of trouble leaving the school, and she doubted the real Zoe would come onto the grounds.

(Are we still going to pretend it's end of Y5?)
 
Canoc's eyes narrowed even further as Miss Weasley, oh yes he remembered her quite clearly, spoke. The look on her young face was ugly as was the tone of her words. He nearly guffawed in relief as he realized she wasn' a student at all. Polyjuice? How would they have gotten a hair from the young miss?

He mentally shook himself. Now wasna the time for thought. Now was the time for--action!

He swept his staff out in a swift arc, crouching low to the ground with one knee raised in front of him and the other supporting his weight on the ground.

Nonverbal spells he let fly, exploding what he could in his path, and though it cost his heart dearly, a few dark spells he wove as his staff arc'd back across his body.

(Yes, it would still be end of Y5. Spells used were Confringo, Expulso, and Sectumsempra)
 
Jacqueline's eyes narrowed with rage. How did he still have his staff. She pointed her wand at him, wordlessly she summoned his staff with her wand. The old man could not continue to be allowed his staff. This process needed to speed up. They had to get out of here without being noticed.
 
Thorine had held back in the deepest part of the forest allowing all to transpire as it should. The old man she felt had the right to fight to the end, he would die of course. He had to, it was inevitable she was here after all. But he would die with some degree of dignity, he had in her mind earned that much right. She had attempted to delve into his mind with her powers but an odd placed respect for the man prevented her. He was a complex character, a worthwhile adversary one it was a shame to have to destroy but orders were orders. Slowly she made her way to the clearing, in time to ward off the spells he lashed at her brethren. She watched realising that Taggart was using wordless incantations and knew only one spell that could combat them effectively, providing she knew the spells he used. With lightening ferocity she whipped out both wands she carried and slashing them through the air she called out loud and clear for all to hear and for attention to be brought to her.
"fi-NEE-tay in-can-TAH-tem" she knew and had many times performed almost every spell imaginable, she repeated the spell once more incase he had cast more than one spell. Had she deflected them all? She wasn't sure but time would tell.

Once this was done she moved closer, her dark navy robes swishing behind her.
"It's nearly time Taggart, at least your are going down with a fight" the smile she gave him would have chilled any man but she wasn't up against just any man. This one she reluctantly admired.

There was only one spell she needed here and it was her grandfathers, now her own to use. The Dolohov curse.
She raised one wand and slashed through the air with the other, first saying it wordlessly. It would not be half so strong but the damage it would inflict on him was lethal. Hopefully soon this would be over and they could finally get the old man back to Julian. The damage done to him just enough to render anymore torture unnecessary.,of course she also knew that the other death eaters would relish the torturing of this man whether he needed it or not. /color]


[the curse is the one used by Antonin Dolohov - 27s_Curse]dolohov curse
 
Mark was more than impressed by the work of his fellow Death Eaters. Especially the one disguised as a student, and the young lady who had to be a Dolohov. Mark had read of the curse she had used - the Dolohov curse. It had to be. He smirked to himself, behind his mask. He wasn't going to show any emotion at all, but he was proud of the group he had joined. He knew his sister wanted to become a Death Eater, as well, and he wasn't going to lie - although he was worried for her safety, he was pleased that she wanted to join such an admirable group.

"Give up now, old man," Mark spat, wanting this to be resolved soon. Surely other Hogwarts Professors would notice the commotion. Even if they were far away from the school, Mark wasn't sure that they wouldn't be discovered. And the other Death Eaters would be waiting for them, impatiently.
 
Asparuh could smell the victory in the air. He did not pay much attention to his surrounding brethren, but rather the event as a whole. Asparuh did not feel his son's presence during the event, which angered him slightly. Asparuh turned on his heel, expecting the others to know what they are doing. He also expected them to know that he was leaving to tell the leader, Julian, that they were on their way. It wouldn't be long now.

Asparuh moved much at a much quicker pace than a man half his age would regularly walk. He did not seem like an old man, but appeared younger than his oldest son. Asparuh apparated to the location of the leader, wishing that they could hurry and kill the man. The elder professor did not deserve to leave. He was filth, and deserved to be treated as such.
 
Canoc growled and tried clamping his fingers down on his staff. As if the fates were against him, at that same moment his injured shoulder gave a throb and his hand spasmed, loosening his grip. He didn't have time to let it sink in that they felt he was defenseless-he was old, very old and knew enough wandless magic to get by- when a searing pain lit up all the receptors in his body. He felt mindless with it, vaguely recalling the burst of purple flame that had come his way and struck him in the side.

He gave a stagger, locking his knees, before they crumpled under him. His teeth jarred as he fell to his knees. "Filthy--cowards," were his final words before he fell into unconsciousness on the cold forest floor.
 
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