Chapter 19 – Payback

Kingsley Shacklebolt stumbled back under the sudden onslaught of searing hatred in his head. He felt the incredible strength of will of the man in front of him overpower him, rip his memories from his head, sort through them and discard them, until Riddick found what he sought: the memory charm he, Kingsley, had performed upon him at Hagrid's hut.

The scene flashed before his eyes, the conversation degenerating into a fight, Moody binding Riddick with the Petrificus Totalus curse, and his own hypno-suggestion destined to get the man to come peacefully with them. Riddick's fury was painful in its intensity; Kingsley's mind was bursting with pictures of physical violence, torn limbs, ripped arteries and slashing knives unleashed by the creature in front of him. He knew that Sirius was struggling to shield him from the worst of it, or he would be dead by now.

His hand lost its grip on his wand; he could see it tumbling to the ground in slow motion and the big, tan hand shooting forward like a striking snake and catching it before it could touch the floor. Warm liquid was running from his nose and ears. The pain was like nothing he had ever experienced in his long years as an Auror, comparable only to the Cruciatus Curse. The ground was rushing up to him; he could dimly hear Alastor's horse voice shout a stunning curse, and saw it deflected to the ceiling by Riddick's magical shield in a blinding flash of red. He saw Riddick spin through the air in an impossible acrobatic move toward Alastor, and then his head collided with something hard, while his spirit slipped away into blessed darkness.

- + - +

Riddick looked down.

Kingsley Shacklebolt's contorted body was lying at his feet in a fetal position, blood was gushing from his nose and ears, but he was still breathing. Alastor Moody was half sitting, half lying propped up against the wall, his right arm bent at an impossible angle. His magical eye was spinning wildly in his head as he looked up at Riddick. Riddick ignored him and put Moody's and Shacklebolt's wands into a pocket of his wizard robe.

He could feel Sirius' fight for control of his body, heard his rant in his head, but the fuck if he was going to listen to that man again. He had promised not to kill Sirius' friends and he had kept his promise. He never promised not to maim them.

Riddick crouched down in front of the older man and whispered, "Thank your pal Sirius for your lives. If it had just been me, I'd have ghosted the two of you by now."

He straightened and glared at the other man at his feet, "I still might."

Another eerie howl rang through the house and they could hear the woman's worried voice downstairs, "Kingsley? Alastor? Are you two coming down? I was in the kitchen and Remus was making such a din in the cellar, did you call me? I think I heard something."

Moody's healthy eye swiveled up to Riddick. He rasped, "Don't hurt Molly, she's done nothing to you. If you hurt her, or if you leave this house, the Order will hunt you down like a rabid dog."

"Sure you will. I'm scared shitless now."

They could hear Mrs Weasley open the door downstairs and greet somebody. Moody sucked in his breath, obviously preparing to shout a warning to the people downstairs.

Riddick was faster, "Silencio!"

Moody's mouth opened in a soundless warning. Sirius had stopped yelling at Riddick as well and was probing at the walls that Riddick had erected around his thoughts. Riddick could feel his worry and anger as if they were his own. Fuck you, Black! They only got what they were diggin' for.

Tonks' voice floated up to them, "Hi Molly! I went to the Ministry and brought back some Veritaserum for the fiend. That face-licking monster will spill his guts in not time. Where are Mad Eye and Kingsley? Oh, and Arthur says he'll be late; he's been called for an emergency. Somebody put levitating charms on a whole truckload of tyres …"

Her voice trailed off, as the two women went back to the kitchen. The wolf in the basement howled again. Kingsley Shacklebolt let out a soft moan and shuddered, still in a state of shock.

Riddick cracked his head from side to side and smiled. Moody's eyes widened as realization dawned. He tried to struggle to his feet, while shouting out another pointless, silent warning, but only managed to kneel before he slumped down again pulling a painful face. Their eyes met.

Riddick gave him an amused look.

"Don't be worried about Mrs Weasley. See, I'm not interested in Molly."