Chapter 18

"To think," Lazarus twirled his wand in his hands, an airy smile on his lips. "You came out here instead of the other way around. That's what I like about curious kids; they always get the job done before you do."

Jude exhaled shakily, his back burning as his hand slowly going to his wand, "I still don't know why it's me you want. I never did anything to you."

Lazarus chuckled causing the boy to flinch when he waved his wand around, "Of course you didn't. You've never done any wrong in your life. You're a good boy, Jude. I'm not your enemy."

"Doesn't seem like that to me," Jude snarked, getting a firm grip on his wand finally. "If you're not my enemy then why are you doing this? Why are you trying to kill me?"

The blond sighed exasperatedly, shaking his head, "I don't have time to explain this. That's why I'd just like to take your blood and be done with this. Is that so hard?"

Jude clenched his jaw tensely, glaring at the older male in front of him, "Listen, you arse; I don't know why you're after my blood, but I swear to Merlin; I won't hold back if you try to hurt me or my friends."

"I think it's a little too late for that," Lazarus mused, shoving one hand in his pocket. He then produced a green, jagged stone. He smirked, "Yes, an element stronger than others, and my lovely Joseph got it for me."

The younger male swallowed dryly as he stared at the stone, "And what? You're gonna use that to kill me?"

"Oh no, no, no, no," Lazarus cooed mockingly before snorting, "Yes!"

A bolt of lightning shot from his hand, heading straight towards Jude. The blue eyed boy flinched, bringing his arms up to cover himself uselessly. Neither of them expected the fire wall that burst before Jude, almost absorbing the bolt.

The blond huffed indignantly, "I should've known. You are his descendant after all." He shot off more lightning bolts, growling as each one was blocked by the fire wall that had not died down.

Jude gazed at the fire in front of him before slowly outstretching his hand. The flames licked his palm but he felt nothing; no pain, no burns, nothing. It was actually protective instead of destructive towards him. His hand shook as he moved his hand over the flames in astonishment. If it was protecting him, why did it hurt him and his family long ago?

He blinked when the flames died out abruptly, revealing an irate Lazarus on the other side. The blond spoke behind his gritting teeth, "So Joseph didn't think this through, did he?" He gripped the jagged stone so tightly his palm began to bleed. "No matter."

He shot off another bolt of lightning which headed straight for Jude's chest. Jude squeezed his eyes shut, praying to Merlin that the fire would come out and help him. He didn't know how to control it, so how could he dodge this.

"I've got you."

His eyes snapped open as he gazed at the figure encased with fire in front of him. What was this? Where had it come from? Why did he keep hearing that voice?

He could hear Lazarus hiss at the flamed figure, "You! How are you here?!"

The figure put up another wall, protecting Jude from Lazarus. "Go, Jude." Jude glanced around frantically, hoping to pinpoint the voice's whereabouts. He bit his lip before running the way he had come from.

He ran as fast as his lead legs could take him. By the time he glanced back towards Lazarus and the flames, he was already too far to see it. He grunted in surprise when he slammed into another body.

He winced, getting up quickly in case it was his friend. When he gazed down at the victim, he was surprised to see Miles laying there with a bleeding head. He didn't know if he was unconscious from the collision or from his battle with Emma and James.

"Jude!"

The glasses wearing boy snapped his gaze up, feeling relief rush over him as he set his sights on his uninjured friends. He laughed in shock before gathering them in a hug, "I'm so glad you're alright."

Emma pulled away first, putting her hand on Jude's cheek, "Are you hurt? What happened between you and you-know-who?"

Jude shook his head dazedly, "I-I don't know." He swallowed dryly, "He tried to hit me with the lightning stone, but the fire popped up again. It saved me. Then…" He paused, thinking of the voice that had saved him.

"Then?" James prompted. "Did something else happen?"

"He shot at me again," Jude whispered as his mind took route to other thoughts. "There was this voice. It took form with fire and saved me from Lazarus. It even made him mad. It told me to go. It saved me."

Emma and James exchanged glances before James pushed them both forward, "Come on. Let's go. We'll let Lazarus deal with Miles right now. We should get back before something else happens. Lazarus isn't defeated, just stalled for now."

Both Jude and Emma nodded in agreement and walked quickly towards where they had come from. Jude was grateful the running was over for now. He didn't think his legs could take any more of that.

As they made their way through the forest, Jude moved his gaze back towards where he had been with Lazarus. What was that? Where had it come from? The voice; it was the voice he heard when he was injured during his first year. It was a man who knew his name and kept calling himself Daddy.

Jude tried to rack his brain of the memories he had when he was younger, but the earliest memory that came to him was when Piers smacked him for burning the bacon. He was only 5 years old at the time.

If that was his father, how did he come back to life? How was he still talking to him? He was dead; his father and his mother had died in the fire that burned his back and left him an orphan. So how was it possible for him to hear his voice even 10 years after his death?