Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Niamh straightened from where she’d been examining the unmoving Jake Fin.
“Well, it’s definitely caused by something unnatural.”
“How can you tell that?” Dumbledore asked.
Niamh motioned for Harry to come over.
As Harry approached his mother, his stomach dropped, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. “What’s happening?”
“How do you feel?” Niamh asked.
“Nauseous, clammy, like I’m gonna pass out.”
Niamh nodded. “What you’re feeling is death magic.”
“Death magic?” Dumbledore asked. “I’ve never heard of that branch of magic.”
“That’s because not many wizards or fae study it. You know magic is tied to the natural world. That’s why we can’t create from nothing. Everyone who wields magic, whether wizard or fae, can only change and add to what already exists.”
“That’s right,” Dumbledore said. “So, you are saying death magic is different?”
“Death magic is a broad study of a certain type of magic. It is also called necromancy. Those who study it tend to attempt to defy the natural order by bringing back the dead.”
“Like vampires?” Harry asked.
“Vampires fall into that category, but they aren’t truly necromantic creatures. No, I was thinking more of ghouls, zombies, and Liches.”
Daphne shuddered. “That’s dark magic. It’s akin to creating basilisks.”
Niamh nodded. “I see you’ve been doing your reading.
Daphne flushed. “You had some interesting books in Elphame.”
“This isn’t really necromancy though,” Harry said. “These people that were petrified are still alive. Even with vampires, the body must die first before it can be changed and that’s ignoring the other forms of undead.”
Dumbledore winced. “Are you saying these students can’t be awakened? I was under the impression that a potion brewed with mandrakes would be able to revive them.”
“The potion you mentioned can wake the students,” Niamh said. “What I’m saying is that no student could have done this. The only spells I know of that could do this would extract the soul as well as petrifying the victim.”
Dumbledore paled. “Are you saying their souls are gone?”
Niamh waved a hand dismissively. “Their souls are still there. We’d know if they weren’t.”
“I think Mum is trying to say that the magic used wasn’t meant to petrify,” Harry said quietly. “Whatever did this was supposed to kill the victim.”
Niamh nodded. “That is correct. I don’t know how the magic was weakened, but it is a miracle that no one has died yet.”
Dumbledore sank into a chair. “Should I close the school? I can’t risk any more students. If one of them dies…” he stared off into the distance. “I really don’t want to go through that again.”
Niamh opened her mouth to say something, but the door to the classroom burst open and a plump man wearing a bowler hat strode in.
“Cornelius,” Dumbledore said standing up. “What brings you here?”
“I don’t have time for pleasantries Dumbledore,” the plump man said importantly. “I heard there was another attack, and I came to investigate.”
Harry’s eyes widened as a man stepped into the room to stand beside Fudge. He brushed his blond hair out of his face as he fingered the handle of his cane. His cold grey eyes swept over the occupants before stopping on Niamh.
“Ah,” Lucius Malfoy said. “We meet again.”
Niamh’s green eyes glowed faintly. “Lucius,” she said pleasantly. “May I ask what brings you here?”
“Why, I am merely accompanying the Minister of magic here. Don’t forget Niamh, I have a son that goes to this school. Not to mention, I am deeply troubled by these attacks on such young and promising witches and wizards. When dear Cornelius Fudge said there’d been another attack, I insisted on coming along.”
“I was thinking of closing the school,” Dumbledore said. “Niamh has brought it to my attention that these attacks were caused by some sort of creature, and they were supposed to kill, not petrify. I cannot in good conscience, cause more danger to the students by leaving the school open.”
“Now see here Dumbledore,” Fudge began. “We can’t just close the school because of a few minor incidents. Why, if we did that, people would panic. Think of the uproar in the papers. It would show weakness if we evacuated the students. The public would lose faith in us.”
“Cornelius,” Dumbledore said his tone turning frosty. “I am not concerned with public opinion right now. My concern is the safety of my students. What kind of Headmaster would I be if I kept the school open after this. There have been four attacks if you include the cat. I fear that the next time whoever is attacked won’t merely be petrified.”
“So, what you are saying is that you can’t handle the problem,” Lucius said silkily.
“What I’m saying is that I don’t know enough to handle the problem,” Dumbledore said his blue eyes no longer twinkling.
“And yet you’ve had since Halloween to discover who or what is causing these attacks and you have failed.”
“See here Lucius,” Fudge began. “We can’t blame Dumbledore for that. Running the school and looking for whatever is attacking the students with no leads would be difficult for anyone.”
“Perhaps,” Lucius said, “Or perhaps it’s just too much to expect from an old man.”
Dumbledore didn’t move. He merely smiled pleasantly at Lucius. “I may be old, but I assure you I am fully capable of handling these attacks.”
“I don’t think you will have to worry about that,” Lucius said. “I believe I have found the culprit.” He stared at Niamh as he spoke.
Niamh didn’t so much as blink. “I haven’t even been here.”
“True, but you are fae, one of two fae that have entered the wizarding world to our knowledge. Your people have been known to steal children before. How do we know this isn’t such a plan of yours.”
“If I were stealing children, why would I petrify them?”
“How should I know,” Lucius said. “Fae don’t think like humans, do they?”
Fudge drew a pair of iron manacles from his robes. “We mean no disrespect Milady,” he said bowing slightly, “but we must be seen doing something. It is either you or Hagrid that is causing these attacks. It can’t be anyone else.”
“You mean no disrespect, but you accuse me of harming children,” Niamh said calmly. “It has to be me or Rubeus because we are the only two on the grounds with creature blood; therefore, we must be guilty, is that right?”
“Now see here,” Fudge began.
Niamh ignored him. She turned to Dumbledore. “I’m trusting you Albus. Look after Harry. If you don’t screw this up, all is forgiven.”
Dumbledore nodded. “I will look after him as if he were my own.”
“Now listen,” Fudge began. “You can’t just…”
Niamh flicked a hand. A gust of wind lifted Fudge and Malfoy off the ground and slammed them into the stone wall. The two men slid down to the floor, unconscious. Ignoring the fallen wizards, Niamh turned to Harry.
“Stay safe alright? Don’t go trying to play the hero?”
“I’m coming with you,” Harry said fiercely.
“No,” Niamh said firmly. “As much as it pains me to admit it, you’ll be safer here than with me. If they decide to chase me, which they probably will, I’m gonna be running for my life. You’d be in constant danger. I’m not putting you through that. For now, I want you to stay here and stay out of trouble.”
Harry rolled his eyes. “You have been accused of petrifying students. You can’t honestly think I’m gonna sit back and not try to clear your name.”
Niamh sighed. “At least be careful.” She turned to Daphne. “Can you and Luna keep him out of trouble?”
“We’ll do our best,” Daphne said.
“Will you be returning to Elphame,” Dumbledore Asked.
Niamh shook her head. “I’ll go stay with Sirius. It’s been a while since we caught up.”
As Fudge and Malfoy began to stir, Niamh kissed Harry’s forehead. “If you’re gonna play investigator, try and find out what happened the last time the chamber was opened.”
Harry nodded and watched as his mother vanished in a swirl of mist.
“Where is she,” Fudge said sitting up and rubbing his head.
Dumbledore’s beard twitched. “She’s gone Cornelius,” he said pleasantly.
Lucius scowled. “You could’ve stopped her.”
“Why Lucius,” Dumbledore said his blue eyes twinkling. “I’m just an old man far passed my prime. I would stand no chance against a powerful fae like Niamh.”
Lucius glared. “She can’t have gotten far,” he said wincing as he climbed to his feet. “Besides, she wouldn’t have left her precious son here. If he’s here, we have leverage.”
Dumbledore stepped between Lucius and Harry. “Mr. Potter is under my protection,” he said his voice steely. “You will not harm him. As old as I am, I believe I can still take you.”
A sense of power filled the room. Harry could feel the hairs on his arms standing on end. He could smell ozone and a flickering blue glow surrounded Dumbledore.
Lucius glared into Dumbledore’s blue eyes. “This isn’t over.”
“No,” Dumbledore said. “I imagine not.”
The three of them watched as Lucius swept from the room followed by Fudge. As the door slammed behind them, Daphne turned to Harry.
“Which one is the minister?”
Harry burst out laughing.
Dumbledore chuckled before gesturing for Harry to follow him. “I was here the last time the chamber was opened. I think I can give you some information. Come with me to my office so we can talk.”
“I’m gonna go catch Luna up,” Daphne said. “I’ll see you later.” Turning, she rushed out of the room.
**ROE**
Harry entered Dumbledore’s office and stared at the huge swan-sized bird sitting on the perch beside the door.
“This is Fawkes,” Dumbledore said pointing at the bird. “He is a phoenix.”
“Phoenix huh,” Harry said. “I haven’t seen him here before.”
“That’s because he belongs to Ariana, but she is out of the country right now and didn’t want to leave him alone. Apparently, she believes he gets lonely.”
The phoenix made a rude sound and glared at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore chuckled. “I wish I could’ve bonded with such a noble creature.”
Fawkes shifted and let several droppings fall into the ashes below his perch. There was a burst of flame and the droppings vanished.
“Noble, right,” Harry said deadpan. “Anyway, you said you had some information about the chamber of secrets?”
“I do,” Dumbledore said. “The chamber was opened fifty years ago this year. Several students were petrified before one was killed. Rubeus Hagrid was accused of the death and expelled after they found an acromantula he’d been keeping in the castle.”
“I see,” Harry said, “but acromantula’s can’t petrify anyone.”
“No,” Dumbledore said darkly. “I believe Hagrid was used as a scapegoat. It doesn’t help that the attacks stopped after he was expelled.”
“No, it doesn’t,” Harry said. “Do you know who actually committed the attacks?”
“It is my belief that it was a student named Tom Marvolo Riddle.”
“Never heard of him.”
“You wouldn’t have under that name. He changed it after Hogwarts.”
“To?”
“Lord Voldemort.”
“No, that’s not pretentious at all.”
Dumbledore chuckled. “If Tom was anything, it was arrogant. Of course, he was also extremely talented and charming as well. A bad combination to be found in one such as him.”
“One such as him?” Harry asked.
Dumbledore studied Harry for a few moments before coming to a decision. Drawing his wand, he strode over to a cabinet and pulled a stone bowl from it. Several runes were carved around the edges of the bowl and swirling mist filled the bowl to the rim.
Dumbledore placed the tip of his wand to his temple.
“Um sir,” Harry said. “You do know you have family that cares about you. You still have a lot to live for.”
Dumbledore blinked at him before laughing heartily. “Don’t worry my boy, I’m not going to kill myself. I’m merely extracting a memory for us to view.”
He drew the wand away from his temple. A thin strand of what looked like a cloud came with the wand. Gently, the old man placed the substance into the bowl.
“Right,” Dumbledore said. “Are you ready?”
“Um ready?” Harry asked.
“Yes,” Dumbledore said. Seeing Harry’s confused expression, he smiled. “I guess even being in Elphame, you haven’t seen everything.”
“No,” Harry said slowly. “I don’t know what that bowl is.”
“This is pensive,” Dumbledore explained. “It allows a witch or wizard to view memories in greater detail than one can usually recall. What I have done is place my memory of the first time I met Tom in the pensive. I want you to view it with me.”
“Why?”
“Because somehow Tom has opened the chamber again. I don’t know how that would be possible since all my sources say he is in Albania, but I have no doubt he is responsible. If you’re gonna be investigating the chamber you will need to know what Tom was like as a child and teenager.”
“Okay,” Harry said. “How do we do this?”
“We simply place our faces into the pensive. Would you like to go first?”
Slowly, Harry lowered his face into the mist filling the bowl. The ground dropped out from under his feet, and he found himself falling.
**ROE**
Harry found himself standing on a cobblestone path in front of a low stone building. He froze as he noticed a tall auburn-haired man in a crisp three-piece suit standing in front of him.
“He can’t hear or see you,” Dumbledore said appearing beside him. “This is a memory, not truly the past, unfortunately.” He stared at his past self. “I looked good.”
Harry rolled his eyes. “Really? Are you lusting after your past self?”
“Of course not,” Dumbledore said indignantly. “I’m just admiring myself.”
Before Harry could say anything else, a young woman with straw colored hair opened the door.
“Sister Lauren?” Dumbledore said smiling slightly.
“You are Professor Dumbledore,” the woman said smiling nervously. “Your letter said you were here to see Tom.”
“That’s right,” Dumbledore said following the woman inside. “He has a place at our school if he wants it.”
Harry saw the woman’s throat move as she swallowed. “May I speak with you before you see him?”
“Of course.”
As Dumbledore followed her down the hall, Harry looked around. The walls were plain roughly cut stone. Several portraits of the virgin Mary and Jesus hung at various points along the corridor.
“This place was run by the church?” Harry murmured to Dumbledore.
Dumbledore nodded. “Yes, it was. The church took it over right after Tom came here.”
The younger Dumbledore and Sister Lauren entered a small sitting room. The room was decorated with battered, but comfortable-looking chairs and sofas. The walls of the room were covered with polished wooden panels. Harry could just make out swarms of angels carved into the wood.
Sister Lauren gestured for Dumbledore to sit down on a thread bare sofa. She sat down in an armchair facing him. “I’d offer you some tea, but I… um… didn’t think of it before now.”
“That is quite alright my dear,” Dumbledore said. Harry saw him surreptitiously draw his wand. With a flick, the woman relaxed and smiled.
“You must think I’m silly,” Sister Lauren said with a laugh.
“Not at all,” Dumbledore said kindly. “We are all disturbed by different things. I assume Tom is… unusual?”
Sister Lauren laughed bitterly. “That is an understatement.”
“What’s wrong with him?” Dumbledore asked.
“On the surface nothing,” Sister Lauren said letting out a slow breath. “There’s just something… off about him.”
“How so?”
Sister Lauren paused. “Nothing I say will stop him from getting a place at your school, right?”
“NO,” Dumbledore said firmly. “He has a place at our school unless he refuses it.”
Sister Lauren relaxed. “At first glance, you feel kind of sorry for Tom. I mean he has no friends, and all the other orphans are afraid of him.”
“Go on,” Dumbledore said patiently.
“There was another boy, he’s been adopted now, but he had an argument with Tom. The boy had a puppy. The morning after their argument, the puppy went missing. We found it hanging from the rafters in the kitchen. Tom said he didn’t do it, and I don’t see any way he could’ve, but…” She trailed off staring into space.
“I see,” Dumbledore said gravely. “Was there any reason Tom should be suspected?”
“When he was younger, he was very fascinated with the physiology of living creatures. We found him reading books on how organs worked. That in itself wasn’t so strange but when the puppy died…”
“Is there anything else?”
“There was a little boy and girl. Tom said they went to play, and they just disappeared. We called the police of course, but there was no evidence to link the disappearance to Tom. Tom said they left him alone and wandered off together. They were missing for three days and when they were found they weren’t right anymore. Before they went missing, they were happy cheerful children, but when they came back… They didn’t speak for weeks. They stopped talking to the other children. It was like all the life had been sucked out of them.”
“Alright,” Dumbledore said. “Did he have any interactions with the boy and girl before this?”
Sister Lauren waved a hand. “Some of the other children said he asked her to be his girlfriend. I don’t know if it’s true, but according to what we were told after their disappearance, she turned him down.”
“I see,” Dumbledore said. “I assume that the boy was someone this girl was fond of?”
“Oh, they were inseparable,” Sister Lauren said, “At least before they disappeared. When they were found…” she shrugged. “It was like they were terrified of each other.”
Dumbledore was silent for several moments. Finally, he stood. “Can you take me to see Tom please?”
Sister Lauren nodded and led the way down a shabby but clean hallway. Several religious photographs hung on the walls. Harry shivered as they passed one depicting Jesus’s temptation by the devil. If what sister Lauren had said was true, Tom may be the devil incarnate.
They stopped in front of a door. The name Tom had been carved roughly into the wood. Sister Lauren fingered the carving. “Haven’t been able to get that out no matter how hard we try.” She glanced back at Dumbledore.
“You are sure about this?”
Dumbledore nodded. “I will be fine my dear.”
Sister Lauren knocked on the door.
“Enter,” a soft voice said.
Sister Lauren poked her head into the room. “Tom, there is a man here to see you. He wants to offer you a place at a school.”
“Alright Sister,” the soft voice said. “Send him in.”
Harry glanced at the older Dumbledore standing beside him. “He sounds like a businessman addressing their secretary.”
Dumbledore nodded as Sister Lauren gestured for his younger self to enter the room. She closed the door quietly behind him.
“Hello Tom,” Dumbledore said kindly. “I’m Albus Dumbledore. I am the professor of transfiguration at Hogwarts.”
“Hogwarts?” Tom’s voice was as pleasant and calm as ever. “May I ask what Hogwarts is?”
“Hogwarts is a school for witches and wizards to learn how to control their magic.”
“Witches and wizards?” Tom’s voice had lost its pleasant tone. “Are you playing games with me sir? Because I don’t like those who try and make a fool out of me.”
Dumbledore drew his wand and with a flick, turned Tom’s bed into a pig and back again.
Tom’s eyes were wide. “I knew I was special,” he whispered. “I knew I was unique.”
The wardrobe behind Tom began to rattle. Tom turned, and without hesitation, pulled the door open. A lead soldier and a pink hairbow were shaking violently.
“I do not think those were yours,” Dumbledore said.
Tom picked up the soldier and the hairbow but said nothing. With a wave of his hand, the wardrobe door slammed shut.
“See,” he said. “I can do magic to.”
“I see that,” Dumbledore said carefully. “Can you do anything else?”
“I can make people hurt if I want to. I can make animals do what I want. If I’m angry enough, I can start fires.” He stared at Dumbledore. “And I can talk to snakes.”
“That is a rare, but not unheard-of ability. May I assume you would like to attend Hogwarts?”
“Yes of course,” Tom said. “I wish to learn more magic.”
Dumbledore nodded. “Very well, but I must warn you that the way you have been using magic is not tolerated at Hogwarts. If you treat people there as you have here, you will be expelled and will no longer be able to use your magic. Is that understood?”
Tom looked horrified. “I understand,” he said quickly.
“Good,” Dumbledore said. “Before you go to Hogwarts, you will return those items to their owners with your sincere apologies.”
“As you wish sir,” Tom said the pleasant tone returning.
“I will see you in a few days to get your school supplies.”
“Can’t I do it myself?” Tom asked.
“I’d prefer to come with you for your first trip. Next year, you may go to the alley on your own if you wish.”
Tom Nodded but didn’t look happy. As Dumbledore turned to leave, Tom spoke.
“Sir, do you know who my parents were?”
Dumbledore shook his head. “I’m afraid not, but if either was magical, you may be able to find a record of them at Hogwarts.”
“I see,” Tom said. “Thank you, sir.”
“I think we’d better get back to my office,” the older Dumbledore said. He placed a hand on Harry’s elbow and Harry felt himself rising into the air.
**ROE**
Dumbledore gestured Harry to a seat as he sank into the chair behind his desk. “So,” he said popping a lemon drop into his mouth. “What did you think?”
“Little Voldemort was very disturbing,” Harry said slowly. “He could’ve definitely used a mental exam.”
“Indeed,” Dumbledore said. “I’d studied muggle psychology in my youth and Tom had all the markers of a Sociopath.”
“And you still brought him to Hogwarts?”
“I said I studied psychology,” Dumbledore said. “I did not, and still do not, have the training to diagnose someone with a mental illness. I decided to give him a chance even though I was deeply concerned with his… tendencies.”
“Okay,” Harry said. “I can understand that to a point. He was still a child, a possible disturbed child, but a child, nonetheless. Still, there were signs that he could be a danger to others.”
“You show maturity and wisdom beyond your years,” Dumbledore said. “Looking back, I wish I’d modified his memory and left him in the orphanage, but we all have regrets that we can’t take back. I had the idea that if he was at Hogwarts, I could keep an eye on him.”
“What happened when you took him to Diagon Alley?”
“The trip went fine. There was nothing for me to be concerned about. It was what I found when I returned to take Tom to get his school supplies that frightened me.”
“What happened.”
“Sister Lauren had been found dead in her bed that morning. According to what I learned later; she’d apparently committed suicide with poison.”
Harry gaped at Dumbledore. After a moment of stunned silence, he spoke in a whisper. “You think he killed her?”
“I have no proof, but from what I managed to find out there were no marks on her body and no signs of poison. The only thing out of the ordinary was a horrified expression on her face.”
“Wasn’t there an investigation?”
“Unfortunately, no,” Dumbledore said. “You have to understand that the orphanage never had a lot of funding to begin with, and the murder of a nun…” he paused frowning. “The other nuns feared that the orphanage would be closed. Better to tell everyone the poor girl had been troubled and taken her own life. From what I learned; they believed that a young woman’s reputation was a small price to pay to reach souls.”
Harry stared off into space. “So, Voldemort killed a young woman at the age of eleven.”
“We have no proof of that, merely speculation. I would not like to believe that Tom became a murderer at such a young age.”
Before Harry could say anything else, the door swung open, and Ariana stepped into the office. At sight of her, Fawkes let out a trill and flew over to land on her shoulder.
“Hey Fawkes,” she said stroking his feathers. “Did you have fun with Albus?”
The phoenix let out a rude noise and glared at Dumbledore.
Ariana chuckled. “I’m glad to see you to.” She turned to Harry. “Hello Harry, I’m glad you’re here. Arawn told me to find you.”
Harry raised an eyebrow. “Why?”
“You are in fourth year spells in wizardry, right?”
Harry nodded.
“Good, Arawn wants me to take over training you. He wants me to teach you everything I know about wizardry.”
“Why?”
“Because the more magic you learn, the better you will be prepared for any danger you may face.”
“I didn’t think fae could learn wizardry,” Dumbledore said.
“Niamh proves otherwise,” Ariana said. “The only arts they seem to have trouble learning are occlumency and legilimency, but I’m going to see how well Harry can learn those. If his magic isn’t compatible with occlumency and legilimency, there are other mental defenses I can teach him.”
“When do we begin?” Harry asked.
“Tomorrow,” Ariana said. “Seven A.M. sharp.”
Harry groaned. He still had to work out and practice fae magic. That meant he was going to have to get up at least two hours before his training with Ariana started. Tomorrow was gonna be a long day.