"We don't have enough time. Not if you want him healed properly in any case." Hermione determined. She sighed and pulled her wand away from Lucius' partially healed ears. Eardrums ruptured no longer yet still he hears nothing, unconscious as he is. "He must have been right next to the blast."
"That's fine. Best stun him again and tie him up however."
"You wish to leave him here?" Hermione asked, puzzled.
Here, being a small cottage in an isolated part of wales. It was an older wizarding home, with several miles between it and the closest neighbour, the wards having weakened due to a lack of maintenance and care since Voldemorts fall.
We'll fix that soon.
"His wife will worry." She added. My lips quirked up.
I shut the blinds, turning to face her, leaving the moonlight and empty grass planes that stretch on for miles and miles.
"I doubt that. Narcissa is used to Lucius being gone at odd hours and for extended periods of time." I moved to join her further in solar, thumbing Malfoy's wand.
Elm, Dragon heartstring… submissive now and willing. One master or another, what did it matter?
The fire place, alight and glowing a warm orange crackled softly. "Given the news, we'll have a day in the least." I told her. She hummed in acceptance and stood.
"What exactly is the plan? You never said." She glanced at me, her brown eyes glimmering with curiosity.
"Tom will go for a body soon. Of that I have no doubt. And he's bound to reach out eventually. Lucius will another pair of eyes. He has so few of his inner circle left, he'll keep the remaining ones close." I don't mention Snape. Even if I could trust him to be truthful, he is Albus' man. "The cup is also at gringotts behind heavy protection. I'd rather risk his life," I nodded at him, "than anyone of importance."
She nodded in acceptance, staring down at Malfoy. I watch her as she thinks, turning all I've said over and over in her head, looking for the consequences she thinks perhaps I've missed.
"When will you go for it?"
"It won't be for a while yet. Lucius won't be leaving the bank alive and we don't want to give the game away until it's too late." I levitated the man and conjured a metal chain using Malfoy's own wand, facing no resistance, and have it wrap around him. I let him fall, then Hermione stuns him and sticks him to the chair.
As Hermione looked at the death eater, a frown taints her features. "The ministry will have captured those we left behind. Do you think they'll mention Malfoy?"
"They could, but I doubt anything will come of it." I gave her a slight smile. "This is the ministry we're talking about Hermione, they'll be let off and out in week. Gold or the imperius or some other excuse. The ministry can't hold such esteemed members of society for long." She scowled, annoyed at the corruption of it all.
"The cup…"She bites at her lips, her eyes narrow as she puts it all together. "You were going to use Fiendfyre? Let it run wild and consume Malfoy aswell?"
"The thought did cross my mind." I admitted.
"And what of the goblins? If you follow the thought to its end you'll see that they'll be no one to douse the flames. You'll burn gringotts down." I keep quiet. She frowned, closing the distance between us, searching for something in my eyes.
"They'll rebel."
"They tend to do that." When was their last one? I pondered. Hundred years or so ago. It seems about time for another.
"Harry." She swats at my arm. My amused look causes her to huff. She cups my face, giving me a look of long suffering. "This is serious Harry. And it won't just be the goblins in there. Think of all that will be lost if they can't contain the flames. And the people too. Bill works for them..."
"Fine." I sighed out. "They may still rebel anyway, for the slight of another break in and the destruction of the vault. They've done so for less… but you're right. I'll put out the flames."
They'll rebel eventually. I'll put them down when they do, and get everyone to stop trusting the ugly little gremlins who hate us with their gold.
"Would you even be able to get him to control and put them out whilst he's under the imperius? I thought you said the castor had to slam his will against the spell. How he will do that? Why not just use basilisk venom?" A good question in all honesty. I gave her a fond look.
"There are other ways to control a man Hermione." She raised an eyebrow, one of her thumbs ghosts over my cheek. "Do you remember when you came to my meetings with the headmaster? The duels?" She nodded. "When I wrapped my mind around yours, joined us together to help you cast… I need not have been so nice as to let you keep control of your body." Her mouth opened as she gasped out a silent 'o' in understanding.
"As for the Basilisk fang…" I thought on the Gernimo charm from my memories and that of the Lestrange's. "With the protections in the vault, the flames are better."
I smiled at her, not unkindly. "Come." I grabbed her hand. "We've delayed long enough as it is."
"How many death eaters knew of this one?" She asked whilst we walked, leaving the house and heading for the wards.
The night was calm and cool, a slight breeze forcing the grass to dance around us. "All of them? One? Four? It makes no difference. I don't even recall whose memory I got the location from."
"That's not good. You said the wards were weak?" I nodded. "We ought to change and fix them surely."
"We will. You needn't worry. The alarm ward will let me know if anyone comes near and I'll cast the Fidelius tomorrow." She smiled pleased. We arrived at the wards edge.
"And the secret keeper?" She asked, squeezing my hand.
I have to disappoint her it seems.
"Ron most likely." She stiffened. I continued, my voice soft. "If you think about it for a moment, you'll understand why." It doesn't take her long to grasp the reasoning.
"The secret keeper can't spend too much time next to or with the secret. And it'll be harder for Ron to get away than Neville or I when we aren't Hogwarts." She looked up at me, eyes half lidded. I brush my mind against hers slightly, she shudders and her cheeks gain a red tinge.
'Perhaps next time.' I tucked a brown lock behind her ear.
'Okay.'
I pulled myself back, ignoring her other thoughts and emotions that press up against me with experience, lest I do something I might regret. I blanket us in my magic, ever eager and twisted the world past us.
The world fell away. As if in deep sleep. There was nothing, but I knew that was not true. Somehow I knew. Emotions I had been carrying fell away, though not in the way I knew they should.
A peculiar sound came next, a voice I should have recognised, that a part of me knew well.
"What is your name?" The voice said, clear yet at the same time hollow.
I knew I should try to lie, or perhaps even say nothing, but I couldn't remember how and I didn't know why. My lips moved of their own volition, a voice, my voice, echoed into the void.
"Harry James Potter." To me, even through the haze, the answer sounded a tad uncertain.
"Did you cast the Imperius curse on Hermione Jean Granger, Ronald Billius Weasley, and Neville Francis Longbottom?"
"Yes." There was no uncertainty there. I saw no reason to lie. It served a purpose, to teach them to resist and another that in this state escapes me.
The familiar voice echoed again. "Did you kill Rabastian Lestrange?"
And I knew with certainty that I should not answer. Still my mouth opened anyway.
"Ye—" Unbidden an image of dark room and a large serpent swam in my minds eye and I slammed my mouth shut. A groan leaves my lips instead of words. The question came again.
"Did you kill Rabastian Lestrange?"
I thought to open my mouth and lie. Lie, lie, lie. Because that's what all this was for, but some clearer part of me knew that if I opened my mouth I would fail. So my mouth remained shut. The question came again and still I did not answer.
Then something forced my lips to part, I felt a drop of something cool hit my tongue and then the haze was gone.
I sighed, having realised where I was, and what just happened, I curbed my disappointment. I looked up at my friends and their worried gazes.
"Now you see why I had to do it." I announced. And they did, I could see, even if they were still annoyed.
"I don't like it. Why do you have to take the fall?" Hermione complained.
"Because everything we have done has been at my urging. Because it's believe able You all just tagged along." I said, the aftertaste of the Veritaserum antedote still lingering on my tongue. "If the imperius defence worked for them, it'll work for you lot."
"You said it was to teach us to resist it." Neville said. I smiled at him.
"That too."
"Mate, we chose to do this together. Because we agree with you. You're trying to protect us when you don't need to." Ron chimed in, his tone laced with frustration.
"But I do. Incase anything—" Neville cut in then, with a frown on his lips.
"Why does it sound like you think we're going to fail?"
"We aren't. We can't. I'm just making sure all the bases are covered." I met Hermione's gaze. Worry, frustration and affection swimming in her eyes. "What's done is done. I can't uncurse you and we've seen that Occlumency barely helps against the veritaserum. If one of you ever gets captured… It was necessary."
"That wasn't bad for a first attempt. You just need more practice." Ron encouraged, accepting that I had made up my mind.
"Silence may aswell be an admittance of guilt." I replied. Ron shrugged and Nev only frowned. "I'll figure it out."
"You must." Hermione urged. "You must. If they catch you, and you ever confess…" She leaves the rest unspoken. I have told them what Azkaban was like, shown them my memories as I walked through its halls.
I stand up with groan, twisting the creak in my neck. "As long as I'm not dead they won't be able to hold me. And I don't plan on meeting death for quite a while yet. There's too much we haven't yet done."
As I walked past her, the muggleborn witch's fingers clutch at mine. I stopped for a moment and then continue on, they follow me outside.
"You remember the words?" I asked, turning to face Ron.
"I'm insulted that you have to ask."
"Oh don't be. This is soul magic. I'd rather nothing bad happen to you today. You are my best friend after all."
"And what am I? Chopped liver?" Neville scowled in mock hurt, hand on his heart.
"Welll…" Hermione and the young Weasley drawled together.
"Oi!"
The birds were chirping and the mood had settled into a pleasant one, not so charged with tension as it was prior. Neville and Hermione had settled in front of us, bringing down the wards around the cottage in preparation for the fidelius.
Due to its nature it could be the only enchantment or protection cast on a building or place. Adding other protections defeated the point of the charm, which required total trust in the secret keeper.
Calling the Fidelius a charm did it a great disservice. It was more a ritual than any base spell. And as most powerful magicks seemed to do, it required blood. Not a lot, a mixture of the castor(me) and the secret keeper(Ron) as the connection to the soul.
It took close to an hour, with runes being drawn and pages of incantation to be said but in the end it was done, with me feeling light headed and Ron blinking strangely and feeling about his chest.
It was a queer feeling to know I had cast magic, cast the fidelius charm in truth but to not know on what and for what reason.
Hermione and Neville, it seemed, shared in my confusion, with theirs being even more pronounced.
"Why are we in the middle of nowhere Harry?" Hermione sighed, torn between resignation and bewilderment.
"Mate there's nothing out here for miles." Neville looked about, spinning his wand in hand as if wary of a threat he could not see.
"What makes you think this had anything do with me?"
"It's always you." Hermione said, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Ron." I called, growing a little annoyed. "Tell them. Tell them it wasn't me." He laughed, looking between us.
"I'd be lying then. 'Harry's Cottage is by the Brecon Beacons in wales.'
The missing piece slotted into place, the air in front seemed to blur, and between one blink and the next the cottage was there.
There was a quiet air of accomplishment between us, of casting magic well beyond our years and dreams shared with goals still yet to accomplish. It was broken as expected.
"You couldn't have thought of a better name?"
"Hey. When you're the secret keeper," Ron had begun, grinning and pointing at Neville, "you can choose the name."
The sandy haired youth brought his hands up in surrender. "Just saying it's a bit bland is all."
Hermione slid into my side as they argued.
"We should leave soon. They'll be wanting us back at the burrow."
"One last thing." It was time to do what I should have done long ago.
I closed my eyes and focused inwards, on that little connection at the back of my head that linked to Lucius. I pulled on it.
'Send the elf away.
He's weak and a disgrace, not fit to serve the noble house of Malfoy anymore.
Send the elf away.
Place a sock in a book and send him out. Send him to me Lucius.
Send the elf away.'
And Lucius did as bid. He summoned the elf with a sharp snap of "Dobby!", and the elf appeared. Bugeyed and fearful as he always was when the master called.
"M-m-master c-calls for Dobby!"
"Take this, elf." He spat, handing him the book. "Don't look inside, and take it to Harry Potter."
The elf's eyes bulged in shock, growing wider if you can believe that. "H-harry P-p-pott—" The elf tried to stammer. Malfoy rose partly from his seat and made to strike him and Dobby thought it prudent to obey.
Forget now. The elf is gone. A useless snivelling little creature. It bears no further thought.
If you have need of another you may purchase one, but it shall be treated with respect. For the Malfoy are of pure, noble blood with no need to behave like thugs. And like as not the appearance, and the treatment of those who serve this great house reflects on you.
I let the thought settle in Lucius and pull back to the sound of displaced air and the cracking apparition.
Vermillion eyes land on Dobby the house elf. He is not so different as he was three years ago on that day in Rome. Still dressed in rags with eyes still filled with worship as they land on me.
There is no need to read his mind. He is a house elf. And though their magic is different, more powerful in some cases, they are simple creatures at heart.
They like to serve. They love to serve good masters who treat them well. I have it in mind to do just that.
I get him to open the book and he finds the sock. He wails and cries out in joy as expected, it takes mine and Hermione's effort to get him to calm down whilst Neville and Ron look on with bemusement and amusement respectively.
I give him different options: stay and serve my house, taking care of it whilst I'm away. Head to Hogwarts where I'm sure the headmaster would gladly take him in. Or remain a free elf and do whatever he pleased.
Whatever choice he made was fine with me. The cottage didn't truly need that much maintenance, a few simple spells whenever I arrived.
The truth was I didn't need Dobby. But I had been in Lucius' mind and I saw Dobby. I watched him punish himself one too many times and remembered that he was supposed to go free.
All this while, as I spoke he had looked at me as if I was the sun and moon and all the stars in the night sky all wrapped together.
It was no wonder then that he chose to serve 'the great harry potter sir!'.
Hermione didn't look exactly pleased with the situation as Ron shared the secret with the giddy elf, but she didn't look upset either.
She trusted me I knew. She trusted me with changing the world and creating the one I had shown her. It would be silly then not to trust me to be a good master for Dobby.
The Hogwarts Express had been chugging along smoothly when the carriage door slid open. Ginny, I could tell, her magic fluctuating with a mix of sadness, and nervousness. We greeted her as she stuck her head through.
"Ginny, what's up? I thought you'd be with your friends." Ron said, splitting his attention between the game of chess he and Hermione had started and his little sister in the doorway.
"Hmm, oh yes I was." I felt her eyes on me, observed as she took in the scene before her. Neville blinking awake, Hermione struggling against Ron in their second match of the day, my head in her lap, with my focus seemingly on the book in my hands, the one Nicholas had lent me, Transmutation at its Highest. Her irritation seemed to spike and seep into her tone.
"Some tubby man, says he's the new potions professor. He was looking for you Harry. He's hosting some meeting in his carriage."
I closed the book and Hermione let me sit up. "Just me?"
"No." She frowned slightly, her eyes flitting to Hermione. "He said you could bring whoever you wished."
Slughorn was already at it which shouldn't have been surprising. He is a spider in that way. Always grasping, always reaching. It was respectable if a bit annoying.
"We may as well all go then." I decided.
"As long as there's food. Checkmate." Ron grinned up at Hermione as his bishop screamed at her king. Hermione looked none too pleased.
"Is food all you think about?" She huffed.
"There'll be food. Slughorn doesn't do half measures." I reassured him. "Nev?"
"You've woke me up now…" He muttered. "It's either come or enjoy Trevor's company." The toad croaked at its name in complaint and stared at Neville in confusion.
"It'll be interesting I think." Hermione mused. "Would you like to come as well Ginny?" She asked.
She did I could see, but the question had not come from me and she was feeling some kind of way about Hermione.
And Fleur is not even here yet… What a glorious mess this will turn out to be.
"No, it's fine. I need to get back to my friends anyway." Her lips twitched up in what was meant to be a smile and as she turned to leave the youngest Weasley said sadly, "Bye Harry."
I felt their gazes as the door slid shut. "Don't say it."
Ron only shrugged and gave a half smile as we left the room. "It's the books I say. Mum used to read them to her all the time. No doubt in her mind you're the perfect prince. And you get more famous every year!" He chuckled, shaking his head causing crimson Weasley locks to dance. "Ginny never stood a chance."
"Her and all the rest." Hermione murmured, clutching at my fingers. I let her as we made our way across the carriages with the train rumbling a constant song underneath our feet.
Two fifth years greeted us along the way. "Hi Harry!" They sang, clothed in Hufflepuff yellow and Ravenclaw blue. I smiled at them as they passed by, they giggled and hurried along faster. Hermione's grip tightened.
Neville yawned, still drowsy. "How far away are we?"
"Not too far now." He nodded.
"You were up all night again?" Ron asked.
"The plant was thirsty. She needed—"
"Oh Hannah and her friends always need something." Ron put in.
"Yes. They—" Neville scowled, having realised. "I am not, calling it Hannah."
"Why ever not? I'm sure she'd be flattered the way you've been going on about it all summer." Ron teased, sea blue eyes sparkling with laughter.
"It was a gift." From me. He had thanked me profusely afterwards. The benefits of being a legilimens. "Of course I'm taking care of it!"
"And I doubt Hannah, or Susan for that matter Ron, would appreciate being compared to venomous tentacles." Hermione said, quite amused.
"Oh Susan wouldn't mind." I laughed then, putting my arm round his shoulders.
"Shall we test that mate? Susan was probably invited…" Ron looked at me with betrayal. Before he could speak however—
"Harry!" A girlish scream rang out. But it was no girl. We turned back. I'd recognise the shrill scream, full of awe, and the starstruck eyes of my self proclaimed number one fan as he rushed over.
"Collin." I said once he was near. His eyes lit up even more. I heard Ron and Neville snickering and I watched from the corner of my eyes as Hermione hid a smile behind her free hand.
"Harry." He bounded over what little distance remained between us. Vibrating with barely suppressed energy, shaking something in his hand. "Look! Look Harry! Look what I got. Can you see? Can you?"
"I will once you stop shaking." He flushed, embarrassed and averted his eyes. But only for a for a single moment before he was back, thrusting it in my face. I sighed and took it from him.
My face stared back at me from the chocolate frog card, fresh and newly opened. "It's the new one." Collin explained. "They updated it already. See, see. Before it only had you defeating you know who, and capturing that dirty traitor Pettigrew and the sunlight potion." He bounced excitedly, pointing to the added writing on the card. "They added the thing with Waning Crescent and the werewolves."
I knew this already of course, they had wrote to me when they wanted to add the potion, and I told them to wait until I spoke with the ICW. Wouldn't want them to have to update it again so soon.
Though they'll likely have to update it at the end of the year.
"I see." I looked him over. "Want an autograph?" He nearly blinded me with his smile. After conjuring some ink and signing the card, that he swore he'd get laminated once he got home for Christmas, I made to leave.
"Oh before you go Harry, the new professor was looking for you."
"I know mate." We left him there as he muttered 'mate' to himself pleased as could be. I ignored the snickering and amused looks and we made it the rest of the way to slughorns without issue.
The carriage was expanded. I watched the magic, seeped into the air, the very space itself, stretching this way and that way. To my senses the very air was lit up. The expansion charm was cast perfectly, fitting the dimensions of the room like a glow. Failure would have been catastrophic, especially with the train running along as it was.
The man responsible drew my gaze as we stepped through the door.
He was a walrus of a man.
Not as big as uncle vernon but there was truly no one who could compare to my good uncle except for his wretch of a sister.
Sequestered at the head of the table was the man of the hour. Horace Slughorn, round bellied and jolly—and why should he not be? Life had been good to him, he was a renowned potions master with friends in high places, former students who wished to show their appreciation for him by lavishing with gifts, and was now able to teach the son of one his favourite pupils, who was supposed to be a magical savant, with the only price being to come back to do what he loved?
Yes he had every reason to be jolly. When he laid his eyes on me, his eyes gleamed.
"Harry my boy!" He exclaimed, his gathered guests turning at the shout. "I'm so glad you could make it. I was growing worried you had missed the train when no had found you." He chuckled, ever pleased with himself. "And you've brought friends too. How wonderful. Come, come. Have a seat."
He gestured to the seat to his right and I made my way over splitting from my friends, exchanging smiles with those gathered as I did so.
The head boy and girl, prefects from each of the four houses. I saw Susan and Draco, Blaise looking unimpressed as ever, Anthony and Padma, Cormac Mclagan, Cedric Diggory and others whose names I had no use remembering.
"My apologies Professor." I started, turning slightly to face the man. "The news found me late and the were some interruptions on the way."
"Oh it's no problem. No problem at all dear boy." Slughorn said, chuckling jovially.
"Yes, we're just glad you came Harry. To have the great Harry Potter grace us with his presence is truly an honour." Blaise's voice, smooth as silk drifted down. I felt a grin tug at my lips despite my self.
"Ei tu Blaise? If you wanted an autograph, you need only ask." Soft chuckles rang out around us.
"Oh eventually, eventually. You're sure to accomplish much more still, I shall have my autograph then and sell it on for a good price." He said, eyes laughing. I shook my head, turning away from him. The others on the making polite conversation with those nearest to themselves. The newly reinstated professor watched it all with a smile on his lips.
A wave of my hands forced various pastries to begin forming up on my plate. The goblet before me rose up in conjunction with the pumpkin juice further along. Conversation muted slightly as eyes tracked the goblet being filled and then returning to me along with my plate now filled with delicacy's.
Slughorn followed it all, eyes gleaming as they rested on me.
'Charm him Harry.' Albus ran his hands through Fawkes plumage. The bird nipped at his hair softly and flew over to me. He landed on my shoulder, walking from the right to the left, cawing all the while. 'As you have done with Fawkes. He shall try to collect you.'
'And I am to let him.' I rubbed the phoenix on his head with a finger, feeling his magic: Life and Death and Fire. The bird nipped at my hair and flew off.
'Oh without a doubt my boy.' Dumbledore tugged at his silvery white beard. 'I believe he knows for sure how many objects we are looking for. And he is more like to be forthcoming with you than me.'
I smiled. "I think you shall find Hogwarts slightly changed upon your arrival professor."
"Oh?" He grinned. "And why is that Mr Potter?"
"I hear Slytherin's domination started with you, when you were head of Slytherin house. That professor Snape brought it to newer heights still. Sadly for you, that is over now. At least whilst I attend Hogwarts, Slytherin will not be winning another quidditch or horse cup." There was some grumbling at that, and some; 'this year potter. You'll see.' mostly from the Slytherins. I took a sip of the sweet drink.
"Confident aren't we?" The portly potion's Professor laughed. His eyes were on mine, his face softening.
"Just like your father." He murmured. "But your eyes…"
"Just like Lily's." I finished for him. He nodded and then leaned slightly towards me, his voice low as if sharing a secret.
"Your confidence may not be unwarranted. I've heard tales of your quidditch capabilities and how you and miss granger seem to soak up points but… with Severus and I together, we'll whip Slytherin into back shape in short fashion."
"Ah but we can't have that now can we?" I grinned at him. "I had been meaning to get you something to welcome you back… say crystalled pineapples?"
He laughed immensely pleased. "He has taught you well." He shook his head, still chuckling. "Oh would that you were in Slytherin! You are wasted on Minerva." He bemoaned.
"Professor Snape might not see it that way."
"Perhaps not dear boy, perhaps not. James' son you may be but you are Lily's son too. Both were brilliant but Lily was always my favourite." He admitted, a soft, sad smile on his lips. I felt the emotion even through his well maintained Occlumency.
"Will you tell me of them professor? She wrote of you and your insights in her diary." I lied. He looked a bit stricken, eyes widening as the words registered.
"Oh it would be my pleasure Harry."
"Erm Mr Potter-I mean H-harry-I mean sir! For you sir!" I blinked and looked up from my breakfast to find a first year in Hufflepuff yellow stammering before me. I ignored Ron's sniggering and Neville's grin.
The boy was flushed bright red and looked about to pass out. In his shaking hands was a note. I scanned his mind with a glance, watched Dumbledore hand it to him with a smile and then plucked his name from the back of his mind.
"You don't need to call me sir, Cleos."
He gasped. "You know m-me?"
"I do. I watched you be sorted and I pay attention to people I think will do well." He looked stunned but that was to be expected. I stood, relieving him of the note he had been too scared to read. "From the headmaster I take it?"
"Y-yes."
"Good. Run along now Cleos." He looked about to stammer something more but then he caught Ron's gaze. Said Weasley tilted his head and the ickle firstie rushed off.
"He was cute." Hermione said, smiling.
"Aren't they all?" I said, moving my eyes over the headmasters summons.
"What's it say?" Neville asked.
"Just to meet in his office." The first meeting of the year, I'd expected it to come later on but now was fine too.
"Let us know how it goes then mate." Ron said around his breakfast. Hermione made to hit him and he scooted away.
"Don't kill each other whilst I'm gone."
When I stepped into his office the headmaster was waiting in bright crimson robes dotted about with roaring gold lions.
"My boy," He greeted from behind his desk. A swish of his wand and the portraits turned, forced to sleep. "You made excellent time."
"I always do." I reminded him. I spared the sword and basilisk fang on the desk no more than a glance as I settled in the offered seat.
He nodded, tugging at his beard and smiling gently. "How has the first week back been?"
"Good." He raised his eyebrow, questioning. I sighed. "Snape—"
"Professor Snape Harry." I rolled my eyes, he continued to smile.
"Snape, was not as bad as expected. He seemed…"
"Happy?" He questioned, lips quivering in amusement.
"Yes." I frowned. "And he wasn't a half bad teacher." I admitted, even though it left a sour taste in my mouth.
"And Professor Slughorn?" He asked, interest clear.
"He loves me."
"That was to be expected."
"I'll ask him later on in the year. Best not to rush I think." He was a good occlumens. He'd most likely realise I was there. But if I took the memory, there wouldn't be much he could do about it after the fact.
Still, it was better not to burn a bridge unnecessarily.
"I trust your judgement harry." Dumbledore said simply. His blue eyes watched me with interest as they always did. "And the other subjects?"
"I have no complaints." It took a few days to get used to the time turner once again but after that it was easy then to fall into the routine.
He hummed. "Have you thought of what you shall do after your OWLs?"
I blinked. "Prepare for my NEWTs. What brought this on?" He smiled, shaking his head.
"I look at you and I do not see that same boy who came to me, wishing for an escape from detention."
"I have grown Professor."
"You have." He said, looking a little saddened by that fact. "After your OWLs you need not return if you wish as you well know. You and I both know that you are far past the curriculum. You could likely sit a few OWLs and NEWTs now and pass with flying colours. The practicals certainly."
"I could…" I frowned.
"But?"
"I suppose I never really thought about it." He nodded, beard swaying. "What do you think?"
"You could leave." He admitted softly. "You have connections and will always be welcome at Hogwarts. But I don't think it would be wise. There are resources here, you may as well make use of them." I agreed with that, feeling the time turner as I nodded.
That was always the plan, make use of everything Hogwarts had to offer, the time turner most especially. And anyhow…
"My friends. I could not leave them behind or rob them of the full Hogwarts experience." Dumbledore smiled softly.
"Of course. I'm glad to see your bonds have not weakened. If you left, no doubt they would not be long behind. You have surrounded yourself with immensely capable friends so it seems Harry." Dumbledore said, pleased.
"Through no action of my own."
"Oh I doubt that." He reached for his bowl of sweets. "Nicholas?"
"He said he would write." The alchemist had kept in touch althroughout the summer answering my various questions, recommending books and all sorts. Albus popped the lemon sherbet in his mouth, nodding before he sighed looking between me, the fang and the goblin forged blade.
"To business then Harry." We stood, I grabbed the blade, swinging it, testing.
Warm, and light. Almost weightless…
I did not have experience with swords, let alone magic ones but I expected it to be heavier.
I looked up at the professor and he smiled genially. "You've found one then?"
"I do believe so." He pocketed the basilisk fang. "You are free the rest of today I imagine?"
"Most of it." We began to make our way from the castle. "You think this will take long?" It shouldn't realistically. I had a feeling I knew where we were headed.
"One can only hope not." Dumbledore said. We slipped past the gargoyles making our way down from his room on the winding steps.
He turned to face me slightly, saying. "You needn't be worried in any case Harry. All will be well."
"I'm not worried."
"Oh? And why is that?"
"I am with you, headmaster." He beamed.
We appeared with a soft pop of apparition on a warm muddy path. The autumn rains were coming down, lashing against the green woods and overgrown foliage in some places and drumming a steady beat against the ground in others.
A twitch of my wand had us dry as Dumbledore placed an umbrella charm over us.
"Thank you Harry. I had it covered though." Dumbledore said.
"I'm sure you did Professor, but you are slowing. You need not worry, Nicholas says it's normal as you approach 300."
Albus chuckled. "Hard as it might be to believe, I have not even reached 120." He touched my shoulder, pointing. "In any case, there is our prize. The Gaunt manor."
I gazed at it. My lips curled.
"Manor is quite charitable." I said. We walked side by side to the most pure blood shack. I observed the wards before us all the while.
"Perhaps." Dumbledore said in agreement. "Our goal is either here or at Riddle manor."
There is a prize at the Manor headmaster, though not what you'd expect.
Voldemort was there, him and Augustus and Bella. Or atleast they were in the summer. The smart thing to do would be mention that. The professor and I would no doubt be able to take the three of them if Tom was still in baby form. There was risks however.
I'm not sure we'd be able to contain Tom and if he escaped as a vapour he could just take some one's body such as with Quirrell. Also he'd question why we were here. It'd give the horcrux game away. That wouldn't be too bad, there was only the ring and the cup left with perhaps nigini also.
More importantly than all that however was that this was not the way Tom would be defeated. For my goals after his death, it was imperative for my magical capabilities to be without question. The fame Dumbledore received for defeating Grindelwald in single combat… I needed that.
"Here." I said. "I can feel it. Past the wards that should not be here if this place is as abandoned as it appears to be."
We had strolled up the path, stopping at the gate where the wards began. Dumbledore flourished the elder wand, it whispered as it rose and then the wards and runes flared and came alight along the boundary.
"You raise a valid point Harry."
I continued, reading the runes and interpreting the intent. "Furthermore he would not sully his precious soul by leaving it in his muggle father's home."
Dumbledore frowned at that before nodding in agreement. "No doubt you are right." He brought his left hand up, making to draw blood with his wand.
"I think it'd be best if I did it headmaster." I said, stopping him. "We're likely to need your strength."
"Oh no Harry." He cut himself anyway. "Your blood is much more precious than mine." He smeared the life fluid against the gate to buy himself entrance.
When I stepped through after him, death came from the ground. Cold and grim, hissing magic of death and decay, they came in tens. Dead hands sprouting from the ground, pulling up skeletal bodies and the stench of rot with them. After them came the serpents, bloated and already perished. Fit to burst with who knows what foul magic.
Inferi. Easy to destroy but…
Something else was suffusing them, tainting them a soft blue to my eyes. A potion most like. Flame freezing I settled on.
Hot enough flame should over power it.
"Seems our new friends don't quite like you Harry." The headmaster said lightly. His eyes were flickering and he grimaced, brandishing the wand of destiny.
The dead had eyes only for me. The headmaster had payed and was paying his price.
"It's fine professor. Stay close to me." I grabbed his arm to stop him from casting. I hissed out a harsh breath and from my wand came out raging beasts of fire.
Rats and phoenixes and thestrals. Griffins and serpents and wolves. Fish and squirrels and dragons. All of them flaming cherry red ran rampant from my wand to overrun the dead. I gestured, breathing in deep and where before the was inferi there was naught but ash.
I conducted, focusing on my orchestra of fire. Up and down they rose, burning and burning and burning. They set the very rain alight and destroyed all I wished.
The spell tried to fight, rearing its ugly head in hopes to turn its flames on me. A portion of the fiends split off from their directive, aiming instead for the shack itself, I smashed my mind against it and it faltered. The flames turned back to the awakened dead.
The Hippogryph that meant to burn Albus and I to a crisp flattened itself against the ground at our feet. I brought my wand up and slashed, cutting the flames down. They flared bright white and then died with a whimper.
The grasslands between the gate were died black and ruby red, steaming and charred with heat. The air tasted burnt and was almost too hot to breathe.
Dumbledore sighed, infinitely sad, infinitely weary and quite a bit angry.
"The hallucinations? Are you feeling too weak?" I asked. He frowned, staring at me without a shred of a twinkle in his eyes.
"Bearable for now." We began again towards the house. "When?"
"Second year." He sighed again. "After Christmas." I add. That didn't seem to please him much.
"The black library." He muttered with distaste. He shook his head as if to remove the thought. "Why?"
"I'm likely to need to know how to extinguish it. And it was bound to prove useful eventually." He stared at me. "Like now for instance." He sighed. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately.
Whatever anger was in him had been drained away. He pinched at his crooked nose. "You could have died Harry."
"I could have." There was no way to deny that. "But I didn't and I just saved us with it."
"You needn't have. I could have done away with them."
"I saw the wards and the price you paid as well before you forget. The inferi were not after you. If you acted then, you would be making what you're seeing worse." We came to the door of the shack. "I'm alive headmaster. You needn't worry."
He gave a weary chuckle. "I was young once. I remember what it was like to feel invincible. You put yourself in unnecessary risk. I could have taught you."
"I'm sorry professor." He waved it away.
"It's alright, my boy." I watch as he brings his wand up and begins to dismantle the charms on the shack.
"You were young once you said?" I smiled at him. He grinned despite himself.
"I ought to take points from Gryffindor." I laughed, looking up and down at his red and gold robes.
He chuckled, eye twinkling as they were want. "I am quite unbiased I'll have you know. 'Tis only to match the sword."
"Of course Professor. You cherish all houses equally." If my tone was desert dry, he made no mention of it.
The enchantment fell and the door opened with a flick of Elder. We made our way through the shack. I could see the horcrux and its magic but at every step between it and us there was treasure.
Old scrolls that whispered of forbidden or ancient magic. Golds and silvers and rubies. I saw the spells interwoven between them and the enchantments layered atop them. Dumbledore noticed them too.
We worked mostly in silence, disrupting and removing hexes, destroying curses and unveiling the true appearance of the treasure.
The payment seemed to have taken its toll on Albus when we got through it all. His breath seemed laboured and it was as if he was seeing through me. He shook his head.
"What was that Harry?"
"I said this looks to be it." The ring sat stuck in a small dent on the wooden table. With nothing to protect but a shield and of course the rotting curse on the ring itself. "Shall I—"
He cut me off, groaning. "No need to bother Harry."
"Sir, are you sure? I can do this."
"It is not so bad Harry. I have no worry, so neither should you dear boy. I know I should be fine should anything happen." He smiled the best he could. "I am with you after all."
I frowned, not truly convinced but let him go on anyhow. He broke the shield with a few flicks. I stepped forward, hand in my expanded pocket to pull out the sword.
"Alright. Step back professor, you lost the coin toss remember? This one is mine." He didn't seem to hear me. He had frozen as the shield fell and now his face was lit up in disbelief.
"It's here." I heard him murmur. And when he reached out with his hand as if to touch it, what came next was pure instinct.
Expelliarmus!
The spell struck him and he was launched away with the elder wand being wrenched from his hand as he crashed against the wall.
It landed in mine.
I felt… Cold. Freezing, spine numbing cold. And Power. Power to bring the world to its knees or lift it to unseen heights.
And the wand was whispering to me. Speaking only to me.
I held it, the cold drove pleasure up my left arm whilst Redwood drove warmth up the other.
It was a feeling that was not unpleasant. It was second to the feeling of not being complete. A yearning for something, something was—
Dumbledore groaned, picking himself up from the heap he laid in.
I had forgotten all about him…
He looked up at me, eyes glassy for but a moment before a rabid snarl rose to his aged lips. It took less than a thought and my left hand seemed to move on its own.
In the blink of an eye Albus Dumbledore was stunned, chained and stuck to a wall.
Kill him. The wand seemed to say. The pleasure came with it.
Why? And yet the wand rises up.
Why not? Its tip glows a sickly green.
Because he's my friend. Green. Green. Green. The intent continues to build.
So? Kill him. It whispered. With me you are without equal! You could do as you plea—
I frowned. I do not need you, to be without equal. The light fades.
I am—
A wand. A powerful wand, truly, but a wand nonetheless. The magic comes from me.
I lower the wand.
You and I are one. We will never lose again.
A lie. I realise. A sweet one but still a lie. We are bonded yes but it is fickle. And Dumbledore just lost.
If I ever lose, it'll abandon me all the same. Not just that, if I am ever disarmed, if someone even rips it from my arms—
Nothing like the wand that chose me. That wand and I never disagree. We are of one mind. This…
Something is missing. I know it with certainty. I know it like I know my own face. Something is missing. Something is missing.
I am two of three. Two of three. Two of—
—Something is missing.
My eyes slid past everything in the dilapidated shack. Past Dumbledore and fake treasures and the ring and the snake motifs, so many snakes—
My eyes slammed back to the wooden pedestal. The ring.
No
The Resurrection stone.
Death danced around it but of the wrong kind. The horcrux, I remembered. It was all coming back to me. The haze was clearing. How long it had lasted I did not know.
The joining with redwood had been similar but surely not for that long. And that's without the stone…
I placed my first wand away, breathing deep as the cold threatened to return before settling. I pulled the cloak out, I could not tell you why, setting it across my shoulders and from that same pocket I pulled out the sword of Gryffindor.
A swing, followed by the earth shattering screech and Voldemort was a little more dead. All that was left was the stone. Calling to me, screaming for me and I could hearing it now that Voldemorts pitiful soul was gone.
I grabbed the stone and everything clicked.
The wind whistled. The sun flashed green behind my eyelids. My heart stopped. Arms, soft, ghostly, skeletal, wrapped around me from behind. I felt peace enough to die.
And then I saw
Death.
I screamed.
He blinked awake, looking around blearily, taking in the surroundings. Familiar though they may be, he did not remember falling asleep here. He spotted me at last.
"Harry?" Dumbledore asked, leaning forward. He didn't groan or give indication of the back injury he had suffered. I would make no mention of it.
"Headmaster." He blinked at me, frowning slightly. Perhaps at my tone. He looked around again, spotting the clock and noting the time. Just before midnight. The Witching Hour.
All those hours he must be thinking. It wasn't even noon when we left…
His tongue darted out, wetting his aged lips. "My boy… what happened?"
"We had been there too long. The wards were weakening you, and whatever it was you saw left you confused." I paused, brought my hand over the table and turned it over.
By my will, the stone pulled itself from the indent in my palm. As it ripped itself from my skin and fell, my blood fell with it. As it clattered and spun upon Albus Dumbledore's desk, showing him the sign of the deathly hallows and drawing his attention, I continued to speak.
"You saw the stone. And made to reach for it, without care for the curse on the ring." I placed the wand on the desk slowly. "I stopped you."
His eyes flickered now between the wand and the stone. Before he had been twitching to grab the stone, no doubt wanting to see Arianna, his mother and father or the other countless people he had lost in his long life.
He didn't reach for either of them now. Instead he looked at me. Killing curse green eyes stared back at him and when he noticed the cloak on my shoulders, he flinched.
"All three." He breathed, looking an equal mixture frightened and joyful. Then he seemed to remember. "The horcrux…"
"Is gone." I nodded up to the sword behind. He let out a sigh of relief and seemed to sink into his chair. He watched me for a while, searching for something. Whatever it was, I did not know. The longer he looked, the sadder he became. He spoke again after sometime.
"How are you Harry?" He asked. I did not have an answer. What could I say? What would he understand? Truthfully I was—
"Tired." I need to sleep. The time turner felt especially cold against my chest now, but I suppose everything did after I touched the stone.
I made to get up, Dumbledore watched me with sad, old eyes. "Shall I get Madam Pomfrey?"
"No." I reached within myself for that new connection. I picked up the wand and handed it over to him hilt first. He blinked up at me in confusion.
"Harry?"
"You have handled it well for fifty years." I said simply.
He stared at me.
Perhaps never conceiving that someone could have the stick of destiny, could have become the Master of Death and whatever that entailed, then decide to give the wand away.
From his position it must look quite queer. He would have felt the wands urging, its power if not its whispers. And to give it all away like this… it must be quite unfathomable.
But the professor needn't be worried.
The wand will always be mine.
After what seemed like an eternity, he took it. I turned and made to leave. "Goodnight professor."
"Goodnight Harry." Dumbledore said softly.
I stopped at the door, feeling his gaze at my back. "The ring, Professor. You turn it three times. You may return it to me tomorrow. Give Arianna my love."