Under the Cursed Moon - CH - 76

The land was covered in snow, a white blanket stretching across Forks, swallowing the trees and coating the rooftops in thick frost. The sky was a heavy gray, the clouds hanging low, promising more snowfall to come. Forks was never a place known for its sunlight, but in winter, the sun seemed to disappear entirely.

For the Volturi, this was perfect.

Unlike most vampires, who avoided places where their nature might be exposed, the rulers of the vampire world had no such concerns. They moved freely, untouched by human eyes, their power absolute.

Their journey had started in Italy, where they had boarded one of their private planes, flying across continents with a quiet efficiency that only the Volturi could maintain.

They had landed in Seattle, stepping off the jet as if they were ghosts, unseen and unnoticed by the mortal world around them. But from there, they had chosen to travel by foot.

Not because they had to.

But because they wanted to.

The forest surrounding Seattle stretched for miles, untouched, vast, and silent. The Volturi seldom left Europe, but as they moved through the thick trees, their feet never touching the snow, there was a certain satisfaction in the experience.

The cold meant nothing to them. The wind did not bother them.

They were shadows, gliding effortlessly through the wilderness, their red eyes glowing beneath the heavy sky.

Aro walked at the front, his movements graceful, his expression unreadable. His long black cloak barely shifted as he moved, his hands hidden in the folds of the heavy fabric.

Beside him, Caius looked displeased, as he always did. Unlike Aro, who found fascination in almost everything, Caius despised leaving Volterra, despised traveling, despised the unknown. This entire situation irritated him.

The Cullens had been a problem for far too long.

And now, once again, the Volturi were forced to come and deal with them.

Marcus, ever silent, walked behind them, his expression empty. Unlike his two brothers, he cared little for the politics of this situation. He existed in a world of his own, his mind focused not on the destination but on the bonds that surrounded him, the invisible connections of power, fear, and loyalty that only he could see.

The Volturi Guard followed in a perfect line, their presence like a ripple in the air—silent, disciplined, lethal.

Jane moved effortlessly, her young face as cold as the snow beneath them, her mind already calculating the moment she would be ordered to act.

Alec walked beside his sister, his expression just as emotionless, his abilities ready at a moment’s notice.

Demetri, the tracker, was unbothered by their journey. No one could outrun him—if needed, he could find anyone, anywhere.

There were others, each as powerful as they were loyal, each a shadow of death wrapped in fine cloaks.

The Volturi had come in force.

They always did.

As they moved closer to Forks, something changed.

The air felt different.

It was not fear, because the Volturi did not fear.

But there was… something else.

Aro paused, his head tilting slightly as if listening to something no one else could hear.

“…Curious,” he murmured, his voice soft, yet carrying through the silent trees.

Caius frowned. “What?”

Aro’s smile was unreadable. “We are being watched.”

The others stopped, their forms motionless as the winter wind whispered through the branches.

For the first time, the Volturi felt something unfamiliar.

They were the rulers of their kind, the absolute power in the vampire world. No one watched them. No one dared.

And yet…

Somewhere, hidden in the trees, there were eyes upon them.

The Volturi moved through the forest like phantoms, their presence heavy, their red eyes glowing in the muted winter light. But beneath their imposing appearance, beneath the image of power, there was something that hadn’t existed before.

Weakness.

Most of the Volturi Guard—the legendary enforcers of vampire law—were new.

Recently appointed.
Still in training.

Because the Volturi were not what they once were.

Not long ago, the Volturi made a mistake.

They had interfered in a war that was not theirs—the Wizarding War in Britain.

They had believed themselves to be unstoppable, the absolute power of their kind.

They had been wrong.

The Rebellion had taken most of their strongest fighters.

The Wizarding World had been far more dangerous than they had anticipated, and the magic they had faced was unlike anything they had encountered before.

But worse than magic itself was the man who led the rebellion.

They had only survived because Harry Potter let them.

A decision that had nothing to do with kindness.

Had Harry chosen otherwise, the Volturi would have been erased from existence, their ancient rule shattered, their city of Volterra reduced to nothing but ruins and ash.

But Harry had chosen to spare them.

Not for their sake.

But for the sake of the world.

Because without the Volturi, there would be chaos.

The laws they upheld—laws that kept vampires hidden, that kept order—would be destroyed. Rogue vampires would rise in power, spreading death and anarchy. And the Wizarding World, already weakened from its own war, did not want to deal with it.

So, Harry had made a decision.

He let them live.

And for the first time in their history, the Volturi had been spared by mercy, not by strength.

To the outside world, nothing had changed.

They were still the unquestioned rulers of the vampire race.
They were still feared, still respected.
Their guards still stood tall, cloaked in shadow, carrying out the will of the Volturi.

But it was a lie.

A carefully constructed illusion.

Because in truth, the Volturi had been crippled.

No one outside their circle knew what had really happened in Britain.

They had buried it, erased all records, silenced any whispers.

To the rest of the vampire world, the absence of their strongest warriors was never questioned.

When asked, the Volturi never hesitated.

“Our older guards are carrying out orders across the world.”

“We are maintaining order in distant lands.”

“The Volturi remain as strong as ever.”

It was imperative that no one suspected the truth.

Because if the world discovered that there existed a power capable of wiping them out…

Their rule would crumble.

They could never let that happen.

With so few of their strongest guards remaining, the Volturi’s mission in Forks became even more dire.

They had come for the Cullens not only to enforce their authority but because the Cullens had something the Volturi needed.

Vampires with gifts.

Alice, with her ability to see the future.

Edward, a mind reader, an asset more valuable than gold.

Jasper, with his empathic powers.

Bella, who could create barriers.

The Volturi did not just want to punish the Cullens.

They wanted to absorb them.

Because they needed new guards.

Vampires with gifts, vampires with power, vampires who could replace the ones they lost in the war.

And if the Cullens refused?

Then they would be eliminated.

Because in the Volturi’s mind, if they could not have their power, no one could.


Ever since Alice’s vision, the Cullens had been trying desperately to reach Harry Black.

But he was nowhere to be found.

Alice’s warning had shaken them—the Volturi were going to cross through Harry’s land without permission. And anyone who knew anything about Harry Black understood what that meant.

It was dangerous.

It was reckless.

And worst of all… Harry wasn’t home.

Harry and Hermione had left Forks, traveling to the Wizarding World for a potion seminar that Hermione had been invited to.

No one—not even the Cullens—knew exactly where in the Wizarding World they had gone. England? France? Somewhere else entirely?

It didn’t matter.

Because the one thing they knew for certain was that Harry Black was unreachable.

Back at Black Mansion, only Leah, Luna, and Teddy remained.

Leah, always protective, had stayed behind to watch over Teddy, ensuring that no one disturbed the mansion while Harry was away.

Luna had planned to visit only briefly, but after seeing how much Teddy enjoyed her company, she had stayed longer than expected.

And Teddy—well, he was just happy to spend time with both of them.

But none of them knew that the Volturi were heading straight for their land.

The Cullens were running out of time.

Carlisle had gathered everyone, his usual calm demeanor strained.

“We need to reach Harry before this turns into something worse,” he said, looking at Alice. “Are you sure he isn’t somewhere we can reach?”

Alice shook her head. “No. He and Hermione are in a heavily magical area. Cell phones won’t work there.”

“What about an owl?” Emmett asked.

Carlisle sighed. “We don’t have an owl, and we don’t know where exactly they are.”

Edward’s jaw clenched. “Then the only way to reach them is by letter.”

The wizarding world didn’t have instant communication like humans did. There were no phones, no emails—only letters sent through enchanted means.

But the Cullens didn’t know how to send one.

They had no idea how to reach the Blacks.

And even if they figured it out…

Would it be too late?


Teddy was easily bored, and ever since his dad and mom had left for the potion seminar, he had been doing everything he could to keep himself entertained.

Harry and Hermione had invited him to the seminar, but Teddy had been to one before—and he knew exactly how boring it would be.

So, he stayed behind with Leah and Luna, enjoying his time at Black Mansion.

For the past few days, he had played with all the new toys and magical gifts his parents had bought him. But today, he wanted something more exciting.

Renesmee was busy at the Cullens’ house, so Teddy decided to spend time with Aunt Luna instead.

Luna, who would be leaving soon, was always fun to be around, and Teddy wanted to make the most of their time together.

Their family’s property was massive—Black Mansion and all the surrounding forests belonged to them. There was so much space to run, explore, and play.

Teddy turned to Luna, his eyes bright with excitement.

“Aunt Luna, wanna go outside?”

Luna smiled, tucking her wand behind her ear. “Oh, I’d love to, Teddy. The trees have been whispering that they miss us.”

Teddy grinned—he never knew if Luna was joking or serious, but he loved her either way.

The moment they stepped outside, Teddy transformed.

His small body shifted seamlessly, fur rippling into place as he became a direwolf cub.

Of course, a direwolf cub was still much larger than an ordinary wolf, but he had not yet reached his full size.

With a joyful bark, he took off running, his powerful legs carrying him through the snow-covered woods.

Luna, not wanting to be left behind, smiled and tapped her wand on her shoulder.

She shifted, too.

In an instant, she became an owl, her soft white feathers blending into the winter surroundings.

Together, they played—Teddy bounding through the snow, Luna gliding through the air above him, both of them laughing as only those truly free could.

As they ran deeper into the forest, something caught their attention.

Teddy slowed down, his ears twitching.

Luna, still in owl form, swooped down and landed lightly on a branch, her sharp eyes narrowing as she gazed ahead.

There were people moving through the woods.

Many of them.

Teddy crept forward carefully, his large paws silent on the snow. He could see them now—figures in dark cloaks, moving swiftly through the trees.

They wore black and red, their faces pale, their movements unnaturally smooth.

They were so many in number, their presence filling the quiet of the woods with a strange, cold energy.

Teddy had no idea who they were, but something about them felt wrong.

He turned his massive head toward Luna, who had resumed her human form and was now standing beside him.

Luna’s normally dreamy expression was gone.

She looked serious—more serious than Teddy had ever seen her before.

“…Aunt Luna?” Teddy whispered. “Who are they?”

Luna didn’t answer immediately.

She recognized them.

She knew what they were.

Her voice was calm, but firm.

“Teddy,” she said softly, “we need to go. Now.”

Teddy looked at her, confused. “But why? Who are they?”

Luna’s blue eyes darkened as she spoke the name.

“The Volturi.”