An entire week had passed in which Jake Alexander had been unmercifully poked and prodded by various healers as he lay recovering in the school hospital wing after the attack by Malachai Constant – the very student who was stealing his girlfriend from him as well as deceiving the teachers and other students. A lot of time to think things over.
From the various reactions of the students who’d come to visit him he’d ascertained that he still looked like hell, but it was only when he was finally released from the hospital wing that he’d been able to see what it was that caused the shocked expressions. He’d gone straight to the prefects’ bathroom to examine himself. The mirror over the basin was a horrid shock.
A pinkish spot which, upon closer inspection, Jake recognized as a snitch-sized scar coloured his left cheek. The colouring only an indication that the scar was new, the colour would fade, but Jake knew the scar would always linger. The same was present on his neck, though smaller, it would also linger.
The more Jake looked the angrier he became. His hatred toward Malachai that had been borne on the night he’d received the injuries reaching a new height that seemed to block out all rationality. He would have his revenge. The limp as he walked and the ache in his back would afford nothing else. Beside his own injuries a new and overwhelming sense of protection washed over him.
Malachai was a monster capable of the worst crimes and yet, Edolie seemed to insist that Malachai was a good person, a good friend. Jake saw past it, the facade that Malachai put up. How could such a being as Malachai, something that could cause so much destruction of the human body possibly be good?
He would have to remove Malachai from the school; it would be one place at least, where Edolie would be safe from the monster. As Jake seemed to be the only person who saw Malachai’s true colours it would be him alone that dealt with Malachai. All he needed was to keep his focus, not lose touch as he had done in the forest. He would be ready this time and this time he would do all that was necessary to get rid of Malachai.
In secret he plotted it all out, using the prefects’ bathroom as a haven as no one seemed to use it any longer. Besides that he’d gotten that very useful little map from Jayne Constantine, so he knew now who was where at all times. He watched Malachai as he moved through the castle. A small flag indicating the fiends’ every move.
Jake came to realise there was a routine to Malachai’s movements; every night he left the castle. What he did when he left Jake didn’t know and didn’t care to know. Every time he saw Edolie’s flag meeting that of Malachai it only fuelled his cause. Who knew when Malachai would strike again…
How Elaris could ever have made Malachai head boy was beyond Jake, it was, perhaps, the biggest mistake she could’ve made, but that came back to the fact that people in the school didn’t see Malachai as he did. Jake considered for brief moments that his obsession with Malachai could be seen as fanatical but Jake knew once he’d rid the school of his presence it would be better.
A week passed in this way, he avoided the other students and locked himself in the prefects’ bathroom once everyone retired to their common rooms. He studied various spells and their effects, gaining an understanding of the Unforgivables that he might not have acquired if he hadn’t taken on the task of eradication. He studied, as well, different creatures, figuring – eventually – that Malachai was undoubtedly a vampire.
A fact that was easier to realise after Jake had furiously interrogated Edolie for any information. Though Jake was sure she knew what Malachai was she not once let anything slip.
With the barrage of information and knowledge Jake figured a plan to get to Malachai and also a plan to actually affect Malachai as all attempts Jake had made in the forest against him had failed miserably.
The castle seemed particularly dark, menacing even, when Jake had realised his time had come. What light might’ve been offered by the moon was blocked by the thick, heavy clouds that had rolled in during the course of the day. As soon as night had fallen Jake had, once again, locked himself in the bathroom, he’d removed the map he’d kept so close lately and watched Malachai make his rounds, eventually meeting up with Edolie, where the two flags lingered for several minutes before splitting up again. Edolie slowly and windingly made her way to the Ravenclaw common room and Malachai, yet again, exited the castle.
Before the doors closed completely behind Malachai Jake was in the entrance hall, hidden from view behind one of the many suits of armour that stood scattered about the castle. Jake waited for a few moments before following Malachai’s path, making his way to the castle doors and edging them open slightly to watch Malachai walking into the forest. Once Malachai was out of sight Jake exited the building and made for the forest. As uncomfortable as it was to run Jake pushed himself to do so, reaching the darkness and cover of the trees in seconds. He cast a Disillusionment charm on himself as he ran, it would hide him from view but he would have to stay vigilant as it didn’t drown out any sound he would make.
He managed to spot Malachai just before the beast disappeared between two large bushes and he set out after him, careful where he stepped and keeping his breathing regulated. It felt like they had been walking for hours when Jake finally launched his attack.
With his wand gripped tightly in his right hand Jake called up all will in him and cast his first spell. Stupefy, it seemed, was the best way to go, but for all the concentration a sudden spasm shooting through his legs caused the spell to fly past Malachai and hit a tree just ahead of him. Malachai turned, moving so swiftly that Jake had almost no warning before Malachai’s wand was drawn and he was ready to strike. Having fallen to his knees in his pain Jake instinctively cast a shield charm, though Malachai hadn’t cast.
His voice rose out of him and echoed like a roar in the silence when Jake cast again. The word left him but rebounded ten-fold and Jake knew they were miles from the castle. ’Crucio!’ The spell hit, Malachai fell writhing to the floor, screams breaking out of him as his body twisted and contorted under the spell. Jake realised he was on his feet and had somehow closed the gap between himself and his target, all the while keeping Malachai down with the Cruciatus curse.
Scream after scream filled the night, but with no one else near they were in vain. Jake let up, towering over Malachai, making sure the creature looked into his eyes and saw his death. In that moment Jake saw the resignation in Malachai’s eyes, there would be no fight, but the end would come nonetheless.
With no doubt in his mind Jake called forth the most ruthless spell he knew of, the only spell that would impact a vampire – long term…
‘Avada Kedavra.’
It seemed the green light issued from his wand tip before he’d finished the incantation but it didn’t matter. The light hit Malachai square in the chest with an instant effect. The little progress Malachai’s hands had made in his last defensive movement ceased, his fingers curling slightly as his hands hit the forest floor, his expression blank, eyes staring forward at the treetop ceiling of leaves that hung over their heads.
Jake had done his homework though, he knew that any death Avada Kedavra could give to a vampire was not in any way permanent and soon after the spell had hit he saw Malachai twitch. Before there could be any more movement than that Jake struck again, using a severing charm to remove Malachai’s head first... He continued on until each appendage lay separated from Malachai’s body and then moved each part away. He stared down into the boy’s glassy eyes and started throwing the body parts onto a pile – all parts except the head, the head he left separate.
From his pocket Jake drew out a lighter and shielding it from the light ruffle of wind that passed through he touched the flame to Malachai’s skin – the body parts he’d thrown into a pile went up in flames immediately, the golden glow brightening the trees around them as the flames rose higher and burned hotter. Jake waited until the flames died down, leaving behind a smouldering pile of dark ash.
Malachai Constant was gone, and there would be no return. His head lay to one side; Jake had left that for last.
Staring down at the lifeless face before him, Jake felt the overwhelming sense of achievement; he’d enforced the vow he’d made to rid the school of the evil that plagued it…
Time had stopped in that moment of triumph but the silence that followed was to be short-lived, a small voice reached Jake as he stood, still staring, and called him to his senses. His breathing picked up, there was no getting rid of the head, all he could do was run and he did so only in time.
Looking back as he ran Jake saw the silhouette of another sinking to the floor where he knew Malachai’s head laid, the movement followed by a deafening scream ringing out in the darkness. Jake never stopped or paused until he reached the castle. He heard the commotion inside as he neared the doors, people wondering where the scream had come from. He re-routed and headed toward the side of the castle where a hidden door opened to let him into the castle unseen as he slipped in and out of shadowy passageways making his way to the Ravenclaw common room which was the only section of the castle that seemed untouched by the rushing and bustling down below…
After the murder of Malachai constant Jake continued with his life, enjoying the moments with Edolie – but not all was rosy and happy. When Edolie had found out Malachai was killed she fell into a deep depression that drove Jake to bouts of deep grief and remorse for what he’d done. He’d known it would have an effect on Edolie, but nothing of this magnitude...
Life continued this way, with Edolie thinking back to Malachai at random moments and Jake having to watch the light fade in her eyes every time.
The world around them shifted though and things in the magical world exploded. Dark witches and wizards fought amongst each other for the power to rule over the entire magical world, causing a stir even in the muggle world. Thousands of witches and wizards were hunted down and killed, until most disappeared, either in hiding or having been slain by the dark ones who tried to take over. There was soon nothing to rule over.
The fighting reached out to schools as well – most being destroyed early on but soon it was Hogwarts that was the target. Those able stood with the school, fighting to keep it in tact and to protect their second home. The school was destroyed and so too a lot of the students and teachers...
Jake remembers nothing of his original life. His earliest memories are of a witch in a very dark forest, force feeding him a vile tasting liquid. Though he tried to escape the witch she always had something up her sleeve that forced him to stay. In the end she created a prison using magic and kept Jake that way. All he could really do was talk to her, the silence around him drove him crazy and made him too nervous and jumpy, and so he started asking questions to keep himself on some level of sanity. The witch was candid with her words – Jake had risen up at the end of a very dark ritual that the witch had intended to use to resurrect her recently deceased lover who had drowned in a lake hidden in the forest. She had retrieved his body and commenced the ritual but got Jake instead. She explained in some detail that he was not meant to be there. The body he inhabited was not his. Jake became confused, violent and self-destructive.
He refused to eat or drink anything the witch offered, driving her mad in the process. She had no spells that could force Jake to take better care of the body he used. His fasting lasted only a week, there was this feeling inside him that he wasn’t where he was meant to be. A month passed in which nothing really changed except that Jake developed clarity of mind. Of two things he was unequivocally sure: he had been resurrected to the wrong body, but resurrected nonetheless and the witch intended to do another ritual that would extricate him from this body. The tightness in his chest increased and Jake knew he had to get away, that someone was waiting for him, that he wasn’t meant to be gone from this world. The tightness caused Jake’s whole body to stiffen at the mere mention of the witch’s former lover.
Time flew... the witch gathered the ingredients she needed one by one. Acquiring an assortment of horrors that she would need to use during the ritual. All the while Jake plotted and grew stronger. On a particularly bright night the witch came to him with promises of release. Jake knew this was the night. He obeyed her only until she had opened the prison door. The body was young and agile – it took no effort to knock the witch unconscious. Jake had no fear of the others that lived in the forest, it was late and everyone had retired.
He ran. He followed his heart. After several hours of running Jake saw lights up ahead and slowed. The monumental building in front of him immediately made Jake feel at home. He hesitated for only a moment before approaching the castle; with each step he took he knew this was the place he was meant to be.
There was no sign of movement though – only the lights spelled occupation. Jake reached the doors and pounded loudly for what seemed like an age until someone angrily pulled open the door and dragged him inside. Jake was interrogated and taken to a woman who was, without a doubt, the authority figure. She studied him for hours, asking random questions here and there... and then welcomed him to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
[Please note - if anything in this story does not mix with the overall site plot it will be changed.]
Subject: Events Leading to the demise of Jake Alexander & the Rise of Jake Stryder 
10th August 2010, 04:18
