Harry, Kaydu, Sarvin, Hermione, Remus and Sirius were hot on the trail of Dispater, someone who really needs to learn just what it means to take one that is under Harry's protection.

Kaydu's POV

I run alongside Master Harry, my mind racing with what little information I know. Dispater, an illusionist, is rather manipulative from what I understand, and is going to be one tough SOB to beat. I do hope that Master Harry has a plan.

"Sarvin, are the illusions visual or sound based?"

"More visual than anything else, though he does have mastery over sound illusions, he prefers to use visual illusions and mask his voice to match his body."

"Then we need you to use your music to direct us. Can you do that?"

"With my ocarina, I believe so."

{Master, what is on your mind?}

{Can he get you to hurt us? Or even me if he is convincing enough?}

{MASTER! I shall not hurt you, as my Summoner my body knows more than I do when it comes to keeping you safe, and should he try to put me under his spell and get me to go against you, well, not even Asmodeus, his boss, will save him from my wrath.}

{Thank you.}

{For you, Master, anything.}

Neville's POV

Rushing through the forest, this feels like home, right by Harry. It is good to see he has not lost his 'people saving thing' at all. Dispater, I seriously pity you when Harry finds you. There will be no mercy that shall be given, as you have done the one thing Harry will not forgive, you hurt his family.

As we go deeper in the forest, there's also a bit of a pull to go a slightly different way. I need to keep with Harry though, he needs my help before anything, and then I can follow the pull on my magic. But I can't help but wonder, what is this?

We soon reach the clearing, and by far, it is one of the darkest clearings I have been in that is also in a forest. Trees woven together to block most of the light, and one of the most evil creatures I have ever seen, and that includes Voldemort.

Dispater stands at seven feet tall, four horns, a crown of fire, what appears to be a roman toga, and his staff has what appears to be an emerald eye with spikes radiating from it. The scars and piercings that are shown are worn with pride, but also a sense of malice. In all, he does look like a tyrant ruler.

"Well now, I would say I am surprised, but I figured you would bring back up for something like this." That voice sounds much more, and I do mean much more evil than Voldemort, but also, strangely enough, a lot more controlled.

"Where is Jacob?" Sarvin asks, his hand reaching down to a side pocket that he carries, and pulls out, is that a whip?

"He's right here," Dispater waves his hand and an area to his left shimmers, and there's Jacob, terrified but otherwise unharmed save for a bruise on his head that is forming, "As you can see, he only has one injury, but such is the way of life for kidnapping. Now, are you going to come quietly?"

"You are as lawful as you are evil, I know you will keep your word, and so will Asmodeus, but unfortunately I cannot just do that." Sarvin responds, much more confident that I could do.

"Shall we parley? Or shall we fight?"

"I refuse to let someone who has come to my aide requesting protection just let himself go without a fight." Harry says, and I can tell that he means it.

"So then a fight it is? If you can win just one battle against me, then I shall leave and not return for one Fetchling generation."

I can see Harry wince, like that was an insult, which means that Kayal is the chosen name for his race instead of Fetchling. "I am a Kayal, but it is nice to know we won't be seeing you for a very long time." Harry says, and immediately draws a white knife, come to think of it, where did he get it in the first place?

Harry's POV

Facing Dispater is easily one of the scariest things I've done. "One-on-one until you are defeated, if you win all, we cede Sarvin in exchange for Jacob, if you lose one, you cede Jacob and don't return for one Kayal generation, are those terms acceptable?"

"Those terms are most acceptable, who starts?"

Sirius steps forward, "I will, followed by Remus, after that, Hermione, followed by Sarvin, then Harry, after that Neville."

"What about the shadow creature?"

I speak again. "He is my eidolon, therefore we fight as one."

"Oh, a Shadow Caller? It has been far too long since one was seen in battle, both figuratively and literally."

"Ready when you are." Sirius says, as he takes up his position.

"Don't be upset if anything were to happen, you never know what you are truly hitting." With that statement, he vanishes.

Third POV.

When Dispater disappears, Sirius casts a shield in the form of a bubble, and just in time too, as what appears to be a heavy mace bouncing off of it. With careful applications of stunners, cutting curses, and blasting charms, Sirius was able to not only force Dispater on the defensive, but to also for him back from where he was hiding. It only took one moment of weakness though, and when Sirius had to drop his shield to recast it, Dispater took his chance and managed to hit Sirius from behind, causing Sirius to fall to the ground, unconscious.

Remus wasted no time, charging right in. This gives Dispater no time to recover, but instead is forced back on the defensive, hiding behind his illusions and creating copies of himself so that he can have a second to rest.

This would be a nice distraction, if only Dispater didn't realize that Remus was a werewolf, and had stronger senses than most, which meant Remus kept blasting the real Dispater while completely ignoring the other fake illusions. Though just like with Sirius, all it took was one moment of weakness, and things went downhill. The problem? Scent. Or to be most accurate, a near last ditch effort and using a muggle made sulfuric stink bomb. (One must feel sorry for Remus, he didn't have enough time to cast a Bubble Head Charm on himself before he was taken out.)

Hermione went next, with a complex array of spells that would even have Filius Flitwick green with envy on how fast and accurate she was casting them. However, she could not keep the assault up for long, and needs to take a second to refocus her magic, just the second Dispater needs to almost apparate behind Hermione and knock her out.

Sarvin quickly goes, knowing that there are only three chances left before he is lost forever. Two quick lashes followed by a harp whistle knock Dispater off his stride. Two slashing cracks, a precise strike, followed by a quick whistle, then whipping around Dispators staff. Two quick whistles, a flick of the wrist and then the staff goes flying. Sarvin seems to have a supernatural sense for when Dispater is attempting. Dodging two spells of unknown purpose, and using the range of his whip to his advantage, Sarvin presses the Demon Lord.

Dispator seems to try to find an advantage that can be used, but amongst the chaos, Sarvin apparently ran out of energy to use his whistling technique, which then allowed Dispater to gain the upper hand. It was slow going, but Dispater managed to whittle down Sarvin, and knock him out.

Harry and Kaydu's turn now, and they waste no time. Kaydu goes quick with many slashes and tail stings. While Dispater was concentrating on them, Harry got on the other side and managed to get a good hit on the blind spot. Unfortunately, the knee-jerk reaction caused a hidden knife to plunge into Harry's throat. Everyone stops as Harry just touches the knife stuck in his throat. When he pulls it out, there's not a drop of blood on Harry, while Kaydu just falls to the ground, backwards, bleeding profusely from his mouth, or at least, where his mouth would be.

"Win." Was all Kaydu says, before fading back into shadows, and then reconnecting with Harry's shadow.

Harry grew angry, and the kind of angry no one had seen before. Harry was so angry, he cried.

Upon unleashing the sobs he held back for a few seconds, his entire body shifted. His shadow grew, swirling all around him, traveling up his legs, covering his chest, moving like liquid down his arms, and slithering over his face like a mask. Two glowing green eyes were the only difference between Harry and the form that Kaydu normally takes. Harry doesn't waste any time, as the sound of yelling, clashing, and sobs filled the clearing.

It was twenty minutes later, by far the longest battle that Dispater had faced with this group yet, that Harry had to make a mistake. Despite whittling Dispater down to the point where he was almost surrendering, Harry's form came back to how he was before, giving Dispater the necessary time to knock Harry out.

Neville's POV

It's my turn, and the pulling on my magic has intensified. Can I really be calling something? If so, what?

I unleash a flurry of spells, hoping to keep Dispater on the defensive, and just hope for the best. I am the last, and I need to make everyone proud. I will not fail both Harry and Sarvin.

'Now, if only this feeling in my chest would either go away or just give me something to work with!'

You know, I really should have been careful with what I though, for who knew that an actual Fae would respond, and with it, extreme confusion.

"I call a hold, for outside interference has apparently interrupted out Parley." Dispater says, clearly annoyed.

"Ah, but if we can give proof that we were actually one before Parley began, would we continue?" Standing 6 foot, at a lithe 130 pounds, onyx black hair to the nape of his neck, brownish red skin, and clothing that seemed like he lived in the forest forever.

"And just what do you mean, Fae?"

"I attempted to bond properly to my Summoner, Unchained mind you, and by coming to my forest, he has agreed to be mine, and I am his in return. Therefore, there has been no interruption in Parley."

'?' I am very confused, what is happening?

"Very well then, ancient laws from Asmodeus of which I follow calls for a Pause of Parley, for proper bonding, five minutes."

Turning to me, I see gentle blue-green eyes, of which scare me, for I somehow know how cruel they can be. "Do not worry, Summoner Mine," two hidden wings burst forth, startling me, "I am sorry I had to do this, but such fights require everything needed, even drastic actions. As such, I Onyx Redoak do hereby give myself to you, should you accept."

'This must be what Zaitherin and Zoka were talking about, but I don't have time to contact them, I need to answer now.' "I, Neville Longbottom, do accept you, Onyx Redoak, as my friend and companion." That seemed to be the right thing to say, as I grasp his hand, and it felt like a friend was coming home.

It started with my fingers, where it travels through my body, before permeating my soul.

'As our souls are now one, we are bonded for life.' Onyx thinks to me, and I can feel all the underlying emotions. Trust, respect, hope, and a sense of peace.

'We are, and I am, content with that.' I cannot lie to him or myself, but he seems happy with that.

We break apart and rush Dispater, this time, he is afraid.

Everytime he thought he gained the upper hand, we would realize small changes that sould not be normal, a blade of grass not moving properly, or a flower not there before. Using this, Onyx and I were able to keep focus on the real Dispater, and knock him out.

However, at a cost. Onyx sacrificed himself to ensure Dispater would not get away.

"Unchained Fey Caller, hear me, though I cannot outright curse you for you have followed the Rules of Parley well, I can still attempt to lead you astray. You will find that illusions respond better to your whim now, and as such, you have been marked, much like Sarvin."

'What does that mean?'

"However, this mark means that only I will recieve your soul instead of Asmodeus, for you have interested me." Dispater closes his eyes, and with that, the ground underneath him splits open, swallowing him and his scepter.

We won, but at what cost?

A/N: Well, that definately went different from what I thought. Score one major victory for Neville, and he also got a... cursed gift? That part wasn't in my notes... Nonetheless, I think things went, ok for their knowledge/power level...

Also! Neville has a friend like Kaydu is to Harry, just different. Just wait until we see what else Onyx can do.

Ok, now... to actually bring Inquisitor and Lucius Malfoy to 'talk' about war time loyalties.

This will be fun.