Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Arawn entered his throne room and glared at his mother.
“Mind telling me what in Danu’s name you were thinking?”
Morrigan was in her elderly form and her white eyes showed no emotion. “I was thinking that you and Niamh have been too soft on the boy. Oh, you have trained him, but it’s not enough. He needed to see what the future held if Ginny Weasley died.”
“You left him in that hell world for six months.”
“Niamh managed to open the portal one hour after I sent him there. I don’t see what you’re complaining about. You didn’t lose any time with him. You even get to spend yule with him.”
“It’s been two days and he still isn’t talking about what happened.”
“What do you expect? The boy has seen everything he ever cared for in ruins.”
“His name is Harry.”
Morrigan scoffed. “Common name. Your heir deserves a far more noble name than Harry.”
“What his name is doesn’t matter. What matters is that you tortured your own Grandson.”
Morrigan’s form shifted into her younger form. Her amber eyes gleamed with compassion as she placed a hand on Arawn’s shoulder.
“I am sorry it became necessary for me to take such an action, but Harry needed to learn all he could about wizardry. Look at him now, within six months, he’s progressed to seventh year spells in transfiguration and defense. He is adequate in charms. A few more months and he’ll be able to leave Hogwarts.”
“He is still a teenager. He needs time with friends.”
Morrigan snorted. “You were already leading armies at his age.”
“Those were different times. I want more for my son than I had.”
Morrigan shifted into her elderly form again. “In other words, you want him weak.”
“I want him to be well rounded,” Arawn growled. “You didn’t raise me steeped in blood and slaughter. I was leading armies because I had to, not because I wanted to. I do not want my son to have to follow the same path.”
“Even if you manage to save Ginny Weasley, there is still no guarantee that the future we have seen will not come to pass.”
“So, what do you want me to do.”
“We need to prepare for the worst.”
“And how would you suggest we do that?”
“We have prepared for war with the mortals if it came to that, but we never foresaw how fast their technology would advance. Many mistakes were made in the past, mistakes that we need to try and correct if we are to stop the earth from being destroyed.”
“Mistakes like what?”
“The plague for one thing. We should’ve never slew that many humans. We squandered a golden opportunity to gain closer ties to the magical world.”
“You’re talking about time travel.”
“Only if it becomes necessary.”
“If we do that, Harry may not exist anymore.”
Morrigan waved a hand. “There are ways to make sure he exists. My point is there is no sure fire way we can protect ourselves as things are.”
“We could perform a cloaking spell to hide all evidence of magic.”
“Cloaking spells break down eventually.”
“And changing the past is too risky. One change could have catastrophic consequences which is exactly why the high king of the fae has forbidden it.”
Morrigan sighed. “Your father said the same thing. Can’t you see I want our people to survive?”
“There is still hope. I have to believe that.”
Morrigan’s form shifted into the young maiden again. “Fine,” she said. “I can’t do this on my own anyway. Sending Harry to the future took all I had. It’ll be months before I’m at full strength. How is Niamh anyway?”
“She’s fine,” Arawn said. “Her father and I helped her open the portal. We just had to hold it open for a few seconds, so the drain wasn’t that bad.”
Morrigan nodded. “I’m not apologizing because I wouldn’t mean it. I will speak to you again after this mess is over.”
Before Arawn could say anything, Morrigan vanished in a flutter of wings.
**ROE**
Harry sat up, his hand reaching for his sword.
“Shh,” Niamh said. “It’s alright.”
Harry lay back down, staring at his mother. “Sorry,” he said panting. “It was just another dream.”
Niamh leaned forward. “Care to talk about it?”
Harry shook his head. “I wish there was a way to show you.”
Ariana entered the room carrying the pensive. “There is,” she said quietly.
Harry looked over at her. “I thought that was Dumbledore’s.”
“It is,” Ariana said. “He let me borrow it. Do you know how to use it?”
Harry shook his head.
“Just think of the memory you want, place a finger to your head, and pull it away slowly.”
Harry did as instructed and watched as a thin strip of silvery mist flowed from his temple. He slowly lowered the mist into the pensive.
“Ready?” Ariana asked.
Niamh nodded.
“Is that Harry’s memory?” Arawn asked entering the room.
The women nodded. “Good, I’d like to see it.”
The trio touched the mist with a finger and were sucked into the pensive.
Harry glared at the bowl. “And Dumbledore has been making me stick my head in there this whole time.”
**ROE**
Half an hour later, the trio exited the memory. Niamh walked over and sat down on the bed next to Harry.
“That was horrible.”
“All over the death of one girl,” Arawn said. “Strange the events that can start a war.”
“So, what do we do?” Ariana asked.
“First, we get the diary from Ginny Weasley. Once that is done, we can try and find out who gave her the diary in the first place.”
“But we don’t know how Ginny died,” Niamh said. “What if by interfering with the diary we cause the future we are trying to stop?”
“Voldemort hasn’t appeared in a physical form,” Harry pointed out. “Whatever shadow Voldemort created, it must still need to possess Ginny to interact with the world.”
“Harry’s right,” Ariana said. “This is our best bet. Ginny should be at breakfast tomorrow morning. We can get the diary then.”
“How can I help?” Harry asked.
“You are going to stay here,” Niamh said firmly.
“Mum!” Harry groaned. “I can help.”
“I nearly lost you once. I’m not gonna lose you again.”
“Wait,” Arawn said. “I’ve got an idea.”
**ROE**
“I seriously doubt she’s gonna talk to us now,” Daphne said as they entered the bathroom.
“You may be right,” Harry said hoisting the bag higher on his shoulder. “Anyway, we’ve tried compassion, so I think it’s time to be more direct.”
“Dumbledore did say to be nice to her,” Luna said quietly.
“Ordinarily I would, but we don’t have time for that.”
Daphne raised an eyebrow. “Mind telling us why we don’t have time?”
“I’ll explain after this is done.”
Harry turned away from his friends and raised his voice. “Myrtle, I need a word.”
There was a splash and Myrtle came zooming through the door. “Are you here to touch me?”
Harry could feel himself blushing. “Um, no. I’m here to ask how you died.”
Myrtle’s eyes widened. “Really?” she whispered. “No one has ever asked me that before. I think most people are disgusted that I live in a toilet. Anyway, it was dreadful.”
“How so?”
“Well, I was in here crying because Olive Hornby had made fun of my glasses and I heard the bathroom door open. I thought it was Olive because the headmaster sometimes sent her to look for me when I was in here crying.”
“Myrtle,” Harry said as gently as possible. “You’re rambling.”
“Oh, Myrtle said blushing a silvery color. “Sorry, I’m a bit nervous.”
“You’re doing fine,” Daphne said, “So, what happened next?”
“Like I said, the door opened, and I heard a boy’s voice. I came out to tell him he was in the wrong bathroom and to go away, and…” Myrtle broke off and stared off into space.
“And?” Luna prompted.
“I saw these big yellow eyes,” Myrtle whispered. “My body kind of seized up and I was floating away.”
Harry bowed to her. “Thank you for telling us this. Do you remember where you saw the eyes?”
Myrtle pointed at a sink behind them. “Right there,” she said.
Harry turned to examine the sink. He looked at the pipes underneath but found nothing.
“Look at this,” Luna said. Harry looked where she was pointing and saw a tap with a snake roughly carved into it.
“That tap’s never worked,” Myrtle said as Harry tried to turn it.
“So, it looks like we’ve found the entrance,” Daphne said, “but how do we get in?”
Harry allowed his eyes to slide out of focus. He stared at the sink and watched as various runes and magical protections came into view.
“If what I’m seeing is right, you need to be a parceltongue to get in.”
“But Voldemort was the last parceltongue on record.”
“Hold on,” Harry said thoughtfully. “We know the founders didn’t have modern plumbing, so this sink was added later.”
“Your point?” Daphne asked.
Harry drew his sword and with one swing, cut through the sink. The sink crashed to the floor, shattering into a thousand pieces. The pipes that had once been under the sink began to spray water. Harry gestured and the water froze solid.
“I’m not taking the blame for that,” Daphne said.
“I’m not expecting you to,” Harry said. “Look,” he pointed to what looked like part of the stonework.
“What?” Daphne asked. “What do you see?”
Luna leaned forward. “It’s a snake,” she said quietly. “It looks like it’s biting it’s own tail.”
Harry nodded. “It does. I think we’ve found the entrance.”
“But how do we get in?”
Harry began twirling his fingers. As they watched, strands of light flickered between his fingers. After several minutes of work, there was a grinding sound and a large pipe, big enough for a man to slide down grew out of the wall.
“Okay,” Daphne said. “I’m impressed. Now what?”
“Now we go in.”
“Are you insane,” Luna said fiercely. “We don’t know what is down there.”
“We also don’t know how long that thing is gonna stay open,” Harry said.
“I know I’m gonna regret this,” Daphne said.
“I’ll go first,” Harry said.
Climbing into the pipe, Harry pushed off and slid down into the darkness.
After several twists and turns, he landed at the bottom with a wet splat.
“IT’S FINE,” he called back up. “IT’S JUST REALLY GROSS.”
A few seconds later, Daphne and Luna landed in front of him.
“Ewww,” Daphne groaned as she wiped slime off her hands. “What is this stuff?”
“Probably something the monster left behind,” Luna said matter-of-factly.
Harry and Daphne stared at her. “Thanks for that Luna,” Harry said. “I really needed that mental image.”
“What mental image?” Luna asked. “We don’t even know how big this snake is? Dobby didn’t give you any information on it.”
“It’s a basilisk,” Harry said exasperatedly. It’s not gonna be tiny.”
“Look, you two can talk about this later. Since we’re down here let’s get going before, I lose my nerve.”
Harry nodded. Drawing his sword, he held it high over his head.
“Ignis,” he chanted.
Immediately, the blade was covered in blue flames.
“Neat trick,” Daphne said. “Where did you learn that?”
“In the future,” Harry said. “Now come on.” Harry took the lead, holding the sword up to light their way, he led the way deeper into the chamber.
**ROE**
They walked for several minutes. Spotting something, Harry stopped so abruptly that Luna ran into him.
“What is it?” Daphne asked, stepping up beside him.
“Look,” Harry pointed the sword at the object lying on the floor.
“Is that a snakeskin!” Daphne squeaked.
“Looks like it?” Harry said.
“It’s fifty feet at least.”
“Yep.”
Luna turned to stare at Harry. “You knew this was here.”
“I suspected. Anyway, told you it wasn’t tiny.”
“Let’s see,” Luna said, her eyes narrowing. “It’s a fifty foot basilisk. That’s not something to be proud of being right about.”
“Doesn’t a basilisk’s gaze kill?” Daphne asked.
“Only if you see it directly. If you see the gaze of a basilisk through a reflective surface, you are petrified, not killed.”
Harry stared at Luna. “How do you know all of this?”
Luna blinked at him. “It’s obvious to me.”
“Yes well, as fascinating as this is, this is where the adventure ends.”
The trio spun around to see a grinning Gilderoy Lockhart.
“I thought you’d be in Azkaban by now,” Harry said calmly.
“Well,” Lockhart said smiling widely. “The aurors that took me in forgot why they arrested me.”
Daphne gave him a hard look. “You’re looking a bit shabby.”
Lockhart’s blond hair was lank and greasy. His once gleaming white teeth were yellowed, and his robes were rumpled and torn.
“Being on the run doesn’t suit me, but you’re going to help me fix all that.”
“We are?” Harry asked casually.
Lockhart’s wand was suddenly in his hand. “Yes, I’ll erase your memories, take a bit of this skin, and tell everyone you lost your minds at the sight of the monster.”
“While you killed the monster and saved the school,” Harry said in a bored tone.
“You see, you are learning. Now hold still, this won’t hurt a bit.”
Lockhart raised his wand. “Obliviate,” he said loudly.
As he spoke the word, Harry drew his sword and hurled it at Lockhart’s wand. There was a blast of light and chunks of stone fell from the ceiling.
“Get out of the way,” Harry shouted. Harry, Daphne, and Luna dove in different directions. When the rocks stopped falling, Harry looked around.
The crushed rock nearly reached the ceiling and from wall to wall. “Daphne, Luna,” Harry called. “Are you alright?”
“We’re fine,” Luna called, “but I don’t see your sword.”
Harry looked down at the short-sword in his hand. “I’ve got it.”
“What do we do now?” Luna asked.
“Try and shift some of this rock so I can get back through. I’ll go take care of the monster.”
“You can’t do it alone,” Daphne said.
“I’m already here. We know what the monster is, and I can deal with it.”
“Did you do this on purpose?” Luna asked, “Did you collapse the ceiling to keep us from going with you?”
“Seems a bit extreme don’t you think? Besides, how could I have known that Lockhart would be here?”
“That’s not an answer,” Daphne said her voice rising.
“I’ll see you in a bit,” Harry called before he turned and strode deeper into the chamber.
**ROE**
Up in the great hall, Arawn and Niamh stopped just inside the doors.
“Are you sure you should be here?” Arawn asked. “The wizards are still looking for you.”
“A child is in danger. The fae may be tricksters, and some of us are monsters, but most fae won’t sit back and let a child be hurt.”
“Alright,” Arawn said. He led the way into the Great Hall, weaving a glamour as he walked. By the time he reached the Gryffindor table, he was a middle-aged man in black robes and a pointed wizards hat.
“Ms. Weasley,” he said in a crisp upper class accent. “Will you come with us please?”
“Why?” one of her brothers said standing up.
“We need to talk to her about a… sensitive subject,” Niamh said stepping forward. She had taken on the glamour of Ariana Dumbledore. She smiled seeing the oldest brother’s expression.
“You’re Professor Dumbledore’s sister. What are you doing here?”
Arawn showed the oldest brother his empty palm. “I am an auror Mr. Weasley and You are interfering with an official investigation.”
“My apologies sir,” the redhead said.
A pair of twins stood up. “What do you want with our sister?” the one on the left asked. “She has done nothing wrong.”
Niamh’s voice had turned frosty. “We need to talk to her about what she knows about these attacks.”
At those words, Ginny paled.
“You’re scaring her,” the twin on the right said angrily.
“Leave her alone,” the twin on the left said. “What would Ginny know about these attacks?”
“That’s what we’re trying to find out. We don’t think she is responsible, but perhaps she knows something that can help us catch the real culprit.”
Ginny stood. “I’ll come with you,” she said shakily. “I don’t know what I can tell you, but I’ll do what I can.”
“Thank you,” Niamh said putting an arm around Ginny’s shoulders. The two fae led the girl out of the hall.
“You got her,” Dumbledore said stepping into the entrance hall.
“A little help would’ve been nice. We nearly scared the poor girl to death.”
Ginny looked from Dumbledore back to Niamh/Ariana and then over to Arawn. “What’s going on?”
“We can talk in my office,” Dumbledore said kindly.
As they led Ginny up the staircase, Niamh talked to the girl about her classes. As Ginny answered her questions, she seemed to relax a little.
As they entered Dumbledore’s office, Ginny blinked and looked from the Ariana leaning against the wall behind Dumbledore’s chair to the Ariana standing beside her.
“What?” she began.
Niamh dropped the glamour. The world seemed to shudder as the glamour fell away.
“Professor?” Ginny asked seeing the tall supernaturally slender woman beside her. “Aren’t the ministry looking for you?”
“They are, but helping you is more important.”
“Helping me?” Ginny asked, her brown eyes wide. “I don’t understand.”
Niamh gently guided her to a chair before taking a seat beside her. Arawn closed the door and took up a position beside it while Dumbledore sat down behind his desk.
“We need to talk about the diary you have,” Dumbledore said gently.
Ginny stiffened. “What about the diary?” Her voice was clipped and lacked all the uncertainty she’d shown before.
“We think the diary is responsible for the attacks.”
Ginny’s right hand went to the pocket of her robes. “That’s ridiculous. Tom could never hurt anyone.”
“Tom?” Dumbledore asked. “Who is Tom Ms. Weasley?”
Ginny clamped her mouth shut.
“We just need to see the diary,” Arawn said quietly. “If nothing is wrong with it, you can of course have it back.”
Ginny shook her head vigorously. “It’s mine,” she said leaping to her feet.
Niamh stepped in behind her and laid a palm on her forehead. “Sleep,” she commanded, her voice echoed unnaturally in the room. Ginny slumped forward and Niamh caught her before she hit the ground. She deftly slipped the diary out of Ginny’s pocket and laid it on the desk.
“What do we do now?” Niamh asked cradling Ginny in her lap.
Dumbledore reached for the diary and froze. A silvery mist was flowing out of the book. As they watched, it took the form of a teenage boy with dark hair and cold blue eyes.
“Dumbledore,” the boy said his voice seeming to come from a great distance. “So, you found out about me. Took you long enough.”
“Hello Tom,” Dumbledore said. “What can I say, I’m not as young as I used to be. So, you are the one attacking students, are you?”
“I’m continuing Salazar Slytherin’s noble work,” Tom said.
“There’s nothing noble in harming children,” Dumbledore said.
The shade of Tom scoffed. “They’re a blight on our world. Sometimes a few have to suffer for survival of the many.”
“And yet you are not doing any suffering,” Niamh said.
Tom turned to face her. “I suffer. Do you think I like harming these children? It has to be done if we are to survive as a society.”
“Harming children is never beneficial to a society.”
“Enough!” Tom snapped. “I may not be strong enough to leave the diary, but you can’t stop me. I was made too well.”
“So, you know you aren’t the real Voldemort?”
“Of course,” Tom said. “I was made after the fashion of the wizarding portraits. I was programmed with an objective to complete.”
“Your creator is a ghost trapped on this plane,” Arawn said.
Tom laughed. “If everything had gone to plan, I would’ve drained Ginny Weasley of her life and taken it back to Voldemort along with everything I’d learned. Voldemort would’ve risen again greater and more terrible than ever before.”
“I’m tired of hearing you talk,” Arawn said stepping forward.
“Careful,” Tom said holding up a spectral hand. “You harm me, and the girl dies even quicker.”
“What do you mean?” Niamh asked, her eyes narrowing.
“What do you think is keeping me going. I’m draining that little girl of her life and magic. You think you’ve stopped me, but you haven’t. All you’ve done is speed up the process.”
“Perhaps not,” Ariana said. “Fawkes.”
The red and gold phoenix appeared in a flash of flame.
Tom chuckled. “Oh look, a little song bird. What’s it going to do? Oh, I know, it’ll sing me a lullaby.”
Ariana ignored him. “Fawkes, get Daphne, Harry, and Luna.”
Fawkes vanished before reappearing with Daphne, Luna, and Lockhart.
“That’s not Harry,” Arawn said.
“Lockhart,” Niamh hissed. “What’s he doing here?”
“No time for that,” Daphne snapped. “We got separated from Harry and he’s gone to fight a basilisk alone.”
Everyone stared at her.
“Bugger,” Arawn growled.
**ROE**
Voldemort shivered as he felt the magic flow into him. It was happening sooner than he’d expected, but his resurrection was at hand.
The diary he’d hidden with Lucius would ensure that he was ready to infiltrate the wizarding world. Even if they destroyed the shade, it wouldn’t help. He would be closer to returning than he was before.
“Soon, I will be able to save the wizarding world,” he whispered his voice echoing through the forest.
**ROE**
Harry slowly approached the stone doors. Two serpents had been carved into the stone. Their ruby eyes stared at him as if they were judging him for entry.
Harry snorted. “Someone really had a snake fetish.” Drawing his sword, he slashed at the doors.
There was a screeching sound as the blade sliced through the stone. The heads of the two serpents fell to the floor of the chamber as the doors slid open.
Harry slowly entered the chamber and looked around.
The chamber was empty except for a large statue of an old man with a long beard that fell to the end of his robes. His cold eyes stared at Harry as if he could really see him.
Harry swallowed. “Is that thing alive?”
There was a rumbling sound as the statue moved. A low hissing voice filled the chamber.
“Intruder, you are not my heir.”
The mouth of the statue dropped open and something moved in the depths of the statue.
“Oh boy,” Harry muttered.
An enormous snake slithered out of the statue and fell to the floor with a thud. Harry got a glimpse of long horns on the serpent’s head before he closed his eyes. He attempted to conjure a pair of sunglasses, but nothing happened. It was as if he’d struck the bottom of an empty well.
Looking around frantically, Harry saw glowing runes covering the walls and floor of the cavern. Were those runes blocking the use of magic?
Drawing his wand from the pocket of his robes, Harry tucked it down the neck of his robes making sure it was touching his skin.
Instantly, a small thread of magic flowed into him. It wasn’t enough to allow him to use conjuration, but at least he would be able to defend himself.
Throwing up his hand, Harry formed a shield of air around him, just in time to block the strike of the snake.
Drawing his sword, Harry wrapped himself in glamour, to hide from the snake’s senses and waited. He could hear the snake moving around, hissing angrily. Heart pounding, Harry gripped his sword tightly.
With only his ears, it was hard to tell where the snake was in the cavern. He needed to make every strike count. There was a hiss, a whoosh of air, and Harry found himself smashing into the wall of the cavern. There was a snapping sound and the thread of magic vanished. Harry felt his shield of air fade and swore.
Reaching down the back of his shirt, Harry pulled out his wand. The thin stick of wood had been cracked right down the middle. The handle was barely held on by a thin strip of wood. Throwing the broken wand aside, Harry stood, drawing on his reserves of magic. “I don’t have a choice.” With a thought, Harry reformed his shield of air, feeling the drain on his reserves as he did so. He was just in time to block the strike of the snake.
Extending his senses, Harry felt the snake lunging at him from the right. Harry blocked the snapping fangs with his sword. Lunging forward, Harry drove the sword through the roof of the snake’s mouth. As warm blood drenched his hands, Harry felt a searing pain in his wrist.
Looking down, Harry saw one of the basilisk’s fangs imbedded in his wrist just below his hand. The fang splintered as the snake fell sideways and landed on the floor with a thud that shook the chamber.
Harry was suddenly exhausted. He fell to his knees as a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. As his vision blurred, he saw Niamh kneeling in front of him. He tried to speak, but he was so tired. He felt so hot. It was as if his skin were melting. As the darkness claimed him, Harry felt Niamh’s arms wrap around him and hold him close.
“Sleep,” she whispered. “Everything is okay.”
With those words, Harry knew no more.