Chapter 174 - 162: End of a House Pt.1

*NEW POV

"My Lord," a soul weary called out to the young man brooding on his throne back chair. Theodore Nott along with what remained of his Grim Battalion where back in his family's old ancestral home. This was the last basin of hope, where they would be making their last and final stand against the Griffin Legion which would soon be upon them.​​

Things weren't looking good at all as morale was at an all time low as everyone knew that the clever ax would be soon upon them all. They had no hope of escaping as they couldn't let this manor fall. If it did then it was over for House Nott, nothing would stand between them and their enemy from claiming all that is theirs.

"My Lord," the speaker repeated in a much louder voice, finally managing to break through the young man's brooding thoughts.

Looking up at his General who seemed to have aged several decades before his eyes. Theodore had nothing to say to the fighting man. He knew he failed him as much as he did his own house. No one, not even his father who wasted his family resources, men, and gold on the Dark Lord war brought his family as low as he did.

Their family Wizarding Tower was gone with all the research and experiments being cared out for years and years on end were gone along with it. The Grim Battalion which was the acting fist and brutal might of the family which carried out its will, was all but crippled and slowly wasting away. Now all that was left was for the final blow to be delivered and this family would be no more.

They would just be another family in the winds of time, a footnote in history about their proud and ancient history. All they would become is a study into the past on why you should offend your better.

Just the thought of it had Theodore grinding his teeth. He just couldn't accept it! He couldn't concede to the fact that he let his hated foe, the very one that stole what was supposed to his from right out of his nose. That he let that bastard who would boisterously bragged right before his face on how he conquered the woman he always loved.

The rage that boiled to the surface was unthinkable, but there was also a hint of powerlessness in there. She had turned her gaze away from him and to that bastard! To prove that point and twist in that dagger deeper, she had come to HIS assistance and aided in routing his family's army and helping him send them packing defeated.

"My Lord," the General called out for the third this time his voice losing all patience.

"Yes, what is it, General?" Theodore asked with a wave of his hand, "is it more bad news because I am getting sick and tired of only hearing MORE BAD NEWS," he shouted near the end as his eyes blazed over.

"You may cover your ears and eyes, my lord, but it wouldn't change the reality no matter how much you hate it," the General responded in a monotone voice.

Glaring at the man, Theodore finally waved him on, "On with then!"

"We just received word that the Grim Fortress has fallen! It has been overrun by the Potter family's forces. Our spies report in that they had left a mixed force behind made up of their vassals' men while the Griffin Legion is making its way here, to the manor."

"You always have the best news for me don't you, General," the young man chuckled. He snapped his finger and a bedraggled house elf in filthy clothing appeared, it had a tray in hand with a decanter of hard liquor, an ice bucket, and glass tumblers.

Theodore got up from his chair and poured himself some, and in one gulp swallowed it all down. He pulled his hair back which looked to be in a disheveled state just like the rest of him.

Resting a hand on the young man shoulder to try to ease him, the General uttered in a low tone. "We can still leave, and make out with whatever we can carry on your backs. I say bid your time and one day come back when you have a sufficient force and take back what is yours and your house."

Hearing what his general had to say, Theodore's face slowly began to warp and he gnashed out. "I will not be known as a coward who fleed as his own family ancestral home is taken."

Taken a deep breath to calm himself, the boy continued, "Anyways, you don't have to worry yourself, General," he said as he poured himself some more of the hard liquor. "I have the perfect solution for these pests. They shall be dealt with once and for all!"

"You don't mean..." the man said aghast as he could read the young lord thought clear as a book.

"Yes," Theodore smiled broadly once he saw that his General caught up to his thoughts.

"I sure it is wise, Theodore," the man said as for the first time ever he used his name instead of his title. "We were barely able to control that.... that thing even when we loosened its bounds just a bit. If we let it out..."

"everything will go to hell," the young man completed for him. There seemed to be a hint of madness in his eyes as he chuckled maniacally. "Let them come. Let them all come here! They shall see what will be waiting for them when they do. Now I need to go see to unleashing... that beast!"

The General could only watch helplessly as all of their dooms was going to be brought about before his very eyes.

***

"Hold!" the Commander shouted as the army right at his back came to a halt. All around him was a dark wasteland with bones and dead trees littered about. And before him stood the Nott family Manor, the ancestral home where generations of family heads ruled from on high over the mass they looked down upon, and kept all their most guarded family secrets and powers secured.

Today it would come all crashing down. Today was the end of this ill.u.s.trious and ancient house.

The Commander knew very well the history of House Nott; coming to the magical isles after the fall of the Holy Roman Empire. The Nott family was well known for its dark magic and the wendigo beasts that they hold sway over.

The Commander had no doubt that they could finish the job, but he also had no doubt that a family as old as that, had a couple secrets in hand to make sure that he and his men paid dearly for messing with them.

"Commander," Lieutenant Alex called out. Turning to face the young man in his eyes, he had high hopes for him as he planned for him to take Command of the Legion whenever he diced to finally retire or he kicked the bucket.

"Yes, Lieutenant," the gruff old man replied.

"Sir, there is no one on the walls at all. The place seems abandoned... somehow."

Snorting out loud, the old hand answered bluntly, "Them, abandon this place?! Ha! More likely or not they have some surprise waiting in store for us. Be on guard," he shouted to his Lieutenants who were right beside him.

Looking about the place, the Commander really didn't like the feel of the place. It was stifling and a bit hair raising as there was an eerie silence that surrounded them, but he knew that there was something right outside their view waiting to pounce at any moment.

Already the gates were wide open as few of his men were able to get it and get it unlocked. Yet still, nothing made a move or tried to stop them.

Grumbling under his breath, the Commander didn't like this one bit, but if the way to the Manor was wide open for them, then they would take it. "Come on," the old gruff man shouted. "Let's move in! But have some scouts clear the way for us."

Entering at the lead of the column while his old mount looked about wearily, the Commander could sense that something wasn't right when he and about half the men were able to enter.

"It's a trap," Lieutenant Riley was shouting the obvious.

"Men form up," the Commander bellowed out as he wheeled around in his mount.

Already the icky shadows were started to coalesce into dark vicious forms of the wendigo beasts of House Nott.

He had thought that had wiped out all of the Nott family beasts during the siege, but it would seem like he guessed wrong. There were countless forms of those beasts surrounding them from all sides as they gathered like a tidal wave ready to erupt.

That was when matters became much much worse.

From everywhere and nowhere there was the sound of an echoing harsh laughter. "It would seem like the little boy was telling the truth. A feast has arrived!"

Then that when the largest mass of shadows begin to gather into a humongous mass. The Commander and every soldier needed to look up and up and up until they stared at countless eyes which stared back at them in turn.

"I am so glad you could all make it!"

***

It wasn't long before they soon reached the peak where the alphas and strongest Griffin-kins of the mountain made their home, the Royal Gryphon.

Harry was glad to see that the overall population of the creatures were doing so well. It was maybe signs of good times to come ahead for his family. The Royal Gryphon and the Potters were closely tied if one wasn't doing well the other would show it.

Hary didn't stop for a single moment to take in the sights or even chat up with some of the creatures who were flocking about him, or play with the little pups. He pushed on Sunchaser as they made their way to the outmost very top of the mountain where Old Gryp liked to slumber.

Coming to the old Royal Gryphon rested place, Harry was already shouting before he even got off Sunchaser's back. "Old Gryp, hey, Old Gryp, come on wake up!"

There was a quaking sound that filled the peak as the giant legendary creature slowly woke up from its long sleep. It yawned its massive beak and turned its eyes down on him. "Ahhh, what brings you back here, young one? Weren't you here just yesterday, or was it the day before?"

Harry made no comment on Old Gryp's muddled sense of time; for a creature as old as it was, the passing of years and decades must have been just short naps for it.

"I need your help, Old Gryp," Harry had to shout for his voice to reach the old creature's ears. "We face the Legendary Beast of House Nott, Orcraks, and I doubt our chances against it."

"Wait," the old Royal Gryphon said as he turned deadly serious. "Did you say, Orcraks?!"

"Yes, the Nott family are on their last leg, and I fear what they might unleash," Harry grimly answered. When push comes to shove he knew that the Nott family would pull out all the stops to bring down his forces along with theirs.

"The Nott family? Why would they be on their last leg?" the giant Royal Gryphon craned his neck at him.

"I can explain on the way," Harry said, "but for now we will need to make all haste."

"Of course," Old Gryp nodded his head, "but you do know we will need to bring out all our forces to face Orcraks and his spawn, right?"

"Don't worry, old bird," Harry grinned up at the legendary creature, "we made short work of most of the Nott family beasts."

"Orcraks spawn? They are endless, and I doubt that he would let his direct descendants from off his leash."

"Ow, no," Harry simply said.

"Come now," Old Gryp said as he begin to spread his wings, "tell me everything that has happened along the way as you promised. I believe this would be a most intriguing tale."

***

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