Chapter 15
Hermione’s words nurtured their own seeds of defiance until they too held their heads high against the fear nestled within them. There in Merlin’s Library with his friends by his side, Harry could forget the weight burdening his shoulders, his nightmares non-existent.
“Right.” Harry stood, “Where do we start?” He looked between his friends, fully confident they’d have the answers.
As expected, Ron passed him a scroll, “Well, we know where the ‘Den of the Beasts’ are but we don’t know what’s waiting for us there.”
Harry reached in to his pocket taking out the marauder’s map to compare with the scroll, which besides marking the spots, held no other information. However, the map in his hands remained blank despite the many times he called out the words. With pursed lips he rolled his eyes when a door appeared right behind him, stepping out in the corridor he had seen Merlin and Snape walk into the forest from.
The sudden and loud slamming of a door brought their attention to Professor Aurelianus who cleared his throat awkwardly behind them.
“Good morning, children.” He said.
They replied back slowly, sharing a glance between them.
“How are you all thi-”
Professor Aurelianus started, only to be interrupted by Hermione who groaned, her eyes sharply glaring at the map in Harry’s hands, “Mer- Martin!” She hissed, “He’s coming back.”
The three boys looked at her in confusion.
“Portrait-Merlin gave us a quest to awaken Lady Hogwarts but he told us we have to do it before Martin comes back.” She recapped for the Professor’s sake, looking at Harry and Ron with raised eyebrows who groaned with realisation.
“Awaken Lady Hogwarts?” The Professor repeated slowly, his blindfold moving as if he had furrowed his eyebrows. “Tell me more.”
So they did, nervously giving the man all the details. He stayed quiet after they had finished before quirking his lips and nodding, looking out the window where they could now see Merlin and Snape walking up to the castle.
“What do we do now?” Ron asked and in response heard a bone shattering roar echo from above.
“Ahh, just in time.” The Professor smiled.
In sync, they turned their heads to look far above the forest where a giant shimmering figure could be seen getting bigger and bigger as if coming closer. The figure could soon be seen to be a white dragon, bigger than any they had seen but smaller than the statue of Dragon’s Lair. The dragon sharpened it’s body, angling itself straight at Merlin and Snape, who were blinking up at the dragon. From where they were standing they could just about make out the Grey Lady clinging tightly to the dragon’s back, screeching as the dragon dove.
Merlin let out a loud laugh as Snape jogged away from him, just in time to avoid the dragon landing in his spot, immediately butting it’s giant head into Merlin’s the way Crookshanks often does to Hermione.
Besides them, Professor Aurelianus smirked, “You see, I, too need Emrys out of the castle for now. I say we split up; I’ll handle the Dragon’s Lair, I suggest you get Severus to handle the Raven’s Eyrie and then decide between yourselves which ones you want to do. Once you’ve finished meet me in the Dragon’s Lair, yes?”
He waited until they gave him a baffled nod, before reaching out to the corner and grabbing the wrist of the startled Professor Flitwick, jumping out the window the next second, laughing all the while.
“Severus, we need your help!” They could hear him say before the window shut closed by itself behind him and the screaming charms Professor.
The trio shared confused grins and consulted the marauder’s map again, looking between it and the scroll.
“It makes sense.” Hermione admitted, looking intently at them, “the Professor is probably more knowledgeable about the Dragon’s Lair than we are and since your dad never knew it even existed, the map is no help. Professor Snape was revealed to be an air elemental and will probably be more successful in the Raven’s Eyrie than us.”
“And we already know that Harry is the only one who can get to the Serpents’ Sanctum since he’s the only one who can speak Parseltongue.” Ron finished.
Harry hummed in agreement, “I wonder is Martin can?” He said offhandedly. “I think Ron should handle the Lion’s Citadel, and ‘Mione the Badger’s Hollow.”
They nodded with finality, making sure to memorise the paths they should be taking until a shadow fell over them. They turned to see Professor Snape floating in the air, outside the window that opened for him the next second.
They watched in awe as Professor Snape landed, the unassisted flying showcasing his magical prowess and further solidifying their agreement.
“I hear the three of you need my help?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at they gaping faces as if genuinely unsure why they looked at him like that.
Snapping their mouths shut with an audible click they started their story from the top, again. From the corner of their eyes, they could see Martin and Professor Flitwick flying away on the dragon, The Grey Lady and Professor Aurelianus talking quietly with each other, faces serious.
“I see…” Professor Snape said, looking at each of them with dark eyes. He stopped at Harry, “You intend to enter the Chamber of Secrets - the Serpents’ Sanctum - alone again.”
Harry raised himself to his full height, although it didn’t do much against Snapes tall frame, his head held high. “Yes, sir. Just as you all will be entering unknown grounds yourself.”
Snape smirked, satisfied, “Very well.” He bent to check where he needed to be and nodded once, flying out the window the next second.
Crookshanks took the scroll from the library back and walked through the cat flap that Hogwarts opened for her and with that the trio split to follow the trails they had memorised, Hermione with the Marauder’s map as she was the only one going to unfamiliar grounds.
~~~~~~~
Out of the three of them, Ron knew he would have it easiest to find Gryffindor’s chambers, for it was in a place they were familiar with; The Gryffindor common room. Sunday mornings often saw an empty common room, students more likely to be out, whether that be in their rooms or elsewhere in the castle. This meant Ron was startled to see his sister sat alone in front of the fire place that supposedly hid Gryffindor’s chambers.
“Hello, Ginny.” She looked up from the book she had been bent over, startled.
“Ron.” Her eyes subtly wandered behind him, searching for something that was not there.
Or, perhaps, someone. “Don’t you have somewhere better to be?”
“And what’s your excuse?” Her book snapped shut.
Ron raised his eyebrow, staring right back at her with an unimpressed look. His sister, he knew, was desperate for something she hadn’t earned. All though summer, while he had been burdened with startling realisation of what the future might hold for them, Ginny had remained the same. Her little crush blinding her of Harry’s hurt and only seeing his victory.
Part of Ron wished she would never be forced to see otherwise, wishing he could protect her from harsh realities, but Ron also knew it was only a matter of time before she would get involved in their fight.
That didn’t need to start now, however.
“Come on, Gin.” He goaded, “I thought you told me you wanted to join the Quidditch team. Trust me, you’ll need all the practice you can get.”
Ginny's jaw tightened, a flash of irritation flickering in her eyes. "I'm allowed to have a moment of peace, Ron. Not everything is about Quidditch."
"Right," Ron replied, his tone tinged with scepticism. "But I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be brave and bold, not hiding away in the common room."
"And I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be compassionate and understanding, not judgmental."
Ron's shoulders stiffened at the jab, but he couldn't help but smirk in response. "Touché, Ginny."
She chuckled, shaking her head. "Look, Ron, I'm just... taking a breather, okay? It's been a hectic week."
"Yeah, I get it," Ron conceded, his demeanour softening. "But you know what they say about Gryffindors, right? It's not just about bravery in the face of danger. It's about finding strength even when things aren't easy."
Ginny met his gaze, a glint of understanding passing between them. "Strength in adversity," she murmured.
In was miniscule, so much so that no one would ever notice it. But Ron, who had been observing the fireplace, caught the exact moment the flame soared abnormally for a split second before returning to it’s natural sway.
“Exactly,” Ron affirmed. “Now get out of here.”
“Yes, yes, yes.” She rolled her eyes, “I’ll leave you to whatever secret quests the great golden trio get up to.” She said as she climbed the steps to her room.
He watched her go, remaining still for a moment even after she left his field of vision, until, finally, he walked up to the fireplace. He reached his arm closer and closer to the flames and whispered the words ‘Strength in adversity’. The flame soared once again and he was quick to yank at the tangible flame using it to pull himself in through the fire, travelling without the use of floo powder, leaving the now empty common room.
~~~~~~~
In the serene tranquillity of the Hogwarts garden, Neville Longbottom found himself lost in thought, the soft breeze carrying whispers of uncertainty and apprehension. As he walked among the vibrant blooms, his mind was preoccupied with the looming shadow of Voldemort's return and the challenges that lay ahead.
Lost in his contemplation, Neville was startled by the sound of footsteps approaching. Turning, he saw Hermione Granger, her expression mirroring his own troubled thoughts.
"Hermione," Neville greeted her, his voice tinged with a mixture of concern and curiosity.
"Mind if I join you?”
"Of course, Hermione," Neville replied, offering her a small smile as they walked together along the winding paths of the garden.
"What's on your mind?” Hermione asked after observing Neville for a while, walking in the direction of the whomping willow.
The whomping willow had once been moved by Albus Dumbledore to use as a disguise and defence for Remus Lupin. Before that, Hermione knew now, it was used to hide Hufflepuff’s chambers.
Neville hesitated for a moment before speaking, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. "I can't help but wonder about the future, Hermione. With You-Know-Who back, everything feels so uncertain. What if we can't stop him this time?"
Hermione's heart clenched at Neville's words, knowing all too well the gravity of the situation they faced and so extremely thankful Harry had another at his side and believing him. "I understand your fears, Neville. But we mustn't lose hope. We've faced adversity before, and we've always found a way to overcome it."
Neville nodded, though his expression remained troubled. "But what if this time is different? What if we're not strong enough?"
Hermione paused, standing close to the whomping willow, her mind racing with thoughts of courage and resilience in the face of darkness. Then, as if struck by inspiration, she reached out and placed a reassuring hand on Neville's shoulder.
"Endure and persevere," she said softly, her voice carrying the weight of unwavering determination. "No matter what challenges lie ahead, we must hold fast to our courage and our convictions. We must endure and persevere, for the sake of our future and for all those we hold dear."
Neville looked at Hermione, a spark of hope igniting in his eyes. "You're right, Hermione. We can't give up. Not now, not ever."
Neville continued his walk, smiling softly when Hermione hung back, watching him go.
She turned to the tree then, feeling it’s branches watching her intently, strangely peaceful and still.
“Endure and Preserve.” She whispered, her hand travelling through the body of the tree, the rest of her body following until there was nothing for Neville to see if he were to ever look back.
~~~~~~~
The Chamber of Secrets lay in eerie silence as Harry ventured deeper into its ancient depths, his heart pounding with anticipation and trepidation. Unbeknownst to him, he was not alone. Hovering just out of sight, the ghostly form of Moaning Myrtle drifted silently.
As Harry cautiously navigated the labyrinthine passages, he suddenly heard a soft, melancholic voice echoing off the stone walls.
"Hello, Harry," Myrtle's voice drifted toward him, filled with an otherworldly melancholy.
Startled, Harry whirled around, his wand at the ready. "Myrtle? What are you doing here?"
Myrtle materialised before him, her translucent form shimmering in the dim light of the chamber. "Oh, just following you, as usual. I couldn't resist the allure of adventure."
Harry sighed, though he couldn't help but feel a twinge of amusement.
"Well, I wish you'd mentioned it before," Harry said, trying to keep his voice steady despite the lingering unease in the chamber. "It's dangerous down here."
Myrtle floated closer, her ethereal gaze fixed on Harry. "Oh, don't worry about me, Harry. With the great Emrys roaming the corridors once again, I feel safer than ever."
“You know Emrys?” Harry asked, confused as Merlin had apparently avoided exposure for many years.
“With my death a great many secrets were revealed to me, it is without question then, Harry, that I pledge my loyalty to Emrys and to Hogwarts. With Emrys here, I’m no longer afraid of leaving my toilet, I think I’ll see the astronomy tower next. It was my favourite while I was alive.”
With a spectral smile, Myrtle nodded before fading back into the shadows of the chamber, her presence a comforting reminder that even in the darkest of times, Hogwarts would always have defenders willing to fight for its safety.
Harry turned to the statue he had once scorned, confidently stating, “I pledge my Loyalty.” Unsurprised when the water rose to form a door he easily walked through.
~~~~~~~
Severus walked up to the entrance to the headmasters office, waiting patiently in front of it for the shadow he had gained since landing to reveal himself. Behind him, Albus cleared his throat.
“Albus.” He said.
"Ah, Severus, my dear boy," Dumbledore greeted him with a jovial smile. "I couldn't help but notice you were in the company of a dragon earlier; Aithusa, yes?. Quite a sight, I must say. A pity it left before I could introduce myself.”
“Yes,” Severus agreed. “Martin and Filius left immediately for Gringotts, I imagine they’ll be quite surprised with their guests soon.”
Albus chuckled, before his expression turned more serious, “And how was the breakfast meeting, Severus.”
Severus smiled as he thought back on the meeting and what came after, all the things that was revealed to him and the things Martin had taught him along the way. Including the unassisted flight he had used before, now utilising his Elemental Magic instead of his Wand Magic.
Wordlessly performing the muffliato charm, he turned to meet Albus’ eyes, detailing the events of the meeting and the ambush that came after, leaving the rest to remain between Martin and himself. Rolling his eyes when Albus’ eyes twinkled at Severus words praising Martin.
“Our lives have certainly taken a peculiar turn since Emrys appeared. Wouldn't you agree?”
"Indeed, Headmaster. The arrival of Emrys has brought about many changes, some of which are...unexpected.”
Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully, his gaze drifting. "Yes, but change can be a catalyst for growth, don't you think? It challenges us to re-evaluate our priorities, to strive for honour and truth in all that we do."
Severus nodded in agreement, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "For honour and truth, indeed, Headmaster. Though I must admit, navigating these changes has been quite the adventure."
Dumbledore chuckled softly, "Ah, Severus, if life at Hogwarts were ever dull, I fear we would all lose our minds. But fear not, for as long as we have each other, we shall weather any storm that comes our way."
Dumbledore patted his back, walking up to the gargoyle and giving the password, turning to look at him with a knowing look before allowing the gargoyle to shut behind him.
“It seems I owe you my gratitude, Lady Hogwarts.” He said, filled with amusement as he repeated in a whisper, “For honour and truth.”
And this time when he felt the slight breeze from the mouth of the gargoyle, he felt deep within himself for the Elemental Magic and just as Merlin had taught him, let his body become one with the wind, allowing the breeze to take him up and away.