The Intelligent Potter

*** Greengrass Manor

Iliad Greengrass felt a domineering force batter against his wards. If they had been almost any other wards, they would have collapsed immediately under the pressure being applied on them, but Greengrass Manor already had some of the best wards in England, and that was before Iliad had added the latest and best in warding technology a few years back.

Still, the force kept battering against his wards.

Even his wards would only last him another few minutes before they fell to the unassailing power that was assaulting them.

He ran up the stairs to his bedroom, "Ophelia! We need to get out of here."

Iliad's wife blinked at him, "What?"

"Our wards are being attacked." Iliad said shortly.

Ophelia goggled at her husband, "Surely we can't be in immediate danger, our wards are some of the strongest in Britain!"

"I imagine the Darkness has something to do with this." Iliad said urgently.

Ophelia paled, "How much time do we have?"

"Minutes by the looks of it. Apparition is blocked, try the portkeys." Iliad said.

Ophelia nodded and tried the innocuous key on her bedside with no luck.

"We have to get to the room." Iliad said urgently before he heard loud crashing and his wards gave up completely.

Lord Voldemort entered the home of the Greengrass family, covered in armor of darkness from head to toe, with tendrils of the stuff gathering around him.

Despite the aid of the Darkness, Voldemort was still sweating with exertion, having used a large amount of his energy to overpower the wards as fast as he possibly could, the Greengrasses were slimy and would escape quickly if given even just a single opportunity to.

"Iliad Greengrass." He rasped out, backed up by a dozen of his strongest followers.

When no reply came immediately, Voldemort apparated onto the top floor of the Manor, noticing Iliad fleeing, with his back turned.

Voldemort sent a sealing spell at the door but not in time to stop Iliad's wife from escaping the Manor.

Only slightly discontented, Voldemort turned to the remaining Greengrass, who had turned to look at him.

If the Lord Greengrass was even the slightest bit scared, he didn't show it on his face.

"Lord Voldemort." He said respectfully.

"Hello Iliad…" Voldemort rasped out, his fingers tapping a restless rhythm on his wand, "I have come here for a singular purpose…you have a chance to exit this manor alive."

Iliad seemed momentarily surprised before his blank cold expression took over again, "How may I help you today, my Lord?" he asked meekly, backing towards the door.

"Don't try to escape Iliad, it won't work." Voldemort said mockingly, "Come forward, accept me as your master and you will survive this night."

Iliad walked forward shakily and bent down on one knee, "My Lord?"

Voldemort smirked, "You think it would be that easy? I know you made a deal with Dumbledore…to earn my favor you must take my mark or die."

Iliad's expression tightened ever so slightly before his body language reflected a position of defeat.

Voldemort's smile widened at the defeated form of Iliad Greengrass, he would be a formidable ally indeed, with him onboard, Dumbledore and his entourage stood no chance of standing up to the forces of the Dark.

"Give me your arm Iliad." Voldemort hissed.

Iliad shakily raised one arm.

As Voldemort went to draw his wand once again to brand his mark onto his newest servant, Iliad slid his own wand out of his sleeve and into his hand in an instant, a deep red spell shooting out of it before Voldemort could even react.

It was at point blank range, there was no way Voldemort would be able to block it…

Voldemort's armor rose to protect his face, tendrils of Darkness fl.i.c.k.i.n.g around to push Iliad away, making him stumble into a wall.

"Fool! You think you could stand against me?!"Voldemort roared out, and tendrils of Darkness began to attack Iliad, "Death Eaters! Stay behind, Greengrass is mine!"

With great precision, Iliad sent several jabs of elemental magic flying at his opponent, moving out of the way of the tendrils of Darkness and sending spikes of fire to combat them.

"You will never escape!" Voldemort rasped, sending an unassailable wave of Darkness at Iliad who grunted as he was unable to stop the blow and was sent flying into another wall as a result.

Iliad spat out a gob of blood and began the fight of his life.

Voldemort was clearly playing and for the most part didn't even make use of the powers of the Darkness, sticking to his own magic but still dominating the fight with the Lord Greengrass, whose fighting skills were really being put to the test.

Voldemort sent a wall of fire at Iliad who twisted towards the door that Voldemort had sealed, standing right in front of it and protecting himself with the best shield he could muster.

The force of the wall of fire pushed him into the door and burned the sealed door straight off the wall, breaking a fair bit of the wall, which sent a decent part of the left wing of the Manor collapsing due to the loss of support.

With the minor distraction, Iliad cast a transfiguration spell behind himself turning the rubble into walls to get into Voldemort's way.

The Dark Lord roared with anger and began to tear his way through to Iliad.

Unfortunately for him, he was too late.

Iliad reached the warp room just before Voldemort reached him and closed the door on that.

As Voldemort began to brute-force the wards on the room which were separate to the rest of the manor, Iliad activated his emergency portkey.

Due to the separate warding scheme, general blocks and wards placed on the main Manor were of no effect here, and the small stone that served as his portkey pulled him away right before Voldemort destroyed the door of the Manor and entered.

*** Dumbledore's office, Hogwarts

Iliad arrived in a pop in the office of the Headmaster.

Ophelia was sitting in a cushy armchair transfigured by Dumbledore, sipping a hot chocolate, as if she were a traumatized student.

To be expected of a school teacher, he assumed.

Dumbledore himself was nowhere to be seen.

"Iliad!" Ophelia cried out in relief, getting up to hug her husband tightly.

"Where is Dumbledore?"

"Albus and Arcturus are planning a retrieval mission for you." Ophelia said, "Go stop them, now you're here, they're in the room of requirement."

Iliad rushed to the 7th floor with his wife to stop the rescue party.

He met Dumbledore and Arcturus just as they were leaving.

Arcturus raised an eyebrow, "You escaped Voldemort?"

"Just about." Iliad said, gesturing to his battered state.

"Still better than I had gotten away with in our last fight." Arcturus spoke with respect in his voice.

"He was clearly playing with me; his power has easily doubled with his call on the Darkness." Iliad said, despairingly, with the level of power he has…we don't stand a chance."

*** End of Chapter