AN- This idea came to me suddenly while re-watching the series, Its going to be a little convoluted at first but I hope not too bad. As for fans of my other story worry not, there is a new chapter on the way. This and my other story will be updated at LEAST once a week, just so I don't burn myself out on writing too much in too short of a time. I think that is all.. maybe, I don't know. Anyways! Read on, I hope everyone enjoys this little taste of the idea in my head.
Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter, that belongs to JKR. I wish i did though... wouldn't that be grand?
"I wish it would rain." Neville muttered to himself as he, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley were walking through the abandoned and torn down ruins of Hogwarts. It had been 10 years since the beast had been released on the world, all due to one oversight, one simple little mistake. It was a mistake the four of them had hoped they could find some way of correcting. Maybe if they could just send a message, just get a warning back in time. Maybe they could advert all of the horror. There were more than a few old bones still laying amongst the rubble of the school. Most of these bones belonged to the students who had happened to be here.. Harry shook his head, he didn't want to think about the past now. They were here for something specific.
"Guys I think it's this way." Neville said, motioning towards a large pile of debris. The four of them walked carefully amongst the rubble trying not to trip as they approached the pile of rubble, things looked vaguely familiar to them. It wasn't until they had stood atop the rubble did they recognize it as the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. After a few levitation spells and on particularly powerful bulldozing spell, most of the stuff was cleared for the quartet to jump into the hole. It wasn't a very long drop before they landed on the ground with a light thud thanks to Hermione using a cushioning charm. Harry brushed himself off before looking down the cavern before him, It had been so long he had nearly forgotten about the cave in after him, Ron and Gilderoy Lockheart had come down here during his second year. It took quite abit more magic to move the debris while Ginny and Neville worked on putting spells in place to ensure it didn't collapse in on them once again.
They continued to move through the corridor which Ginny could only remember slightly, as if just on the fog of her memory. There had been so much the four of them had been through since the downfall of Voldemort. It was supposed to be better, she thought to herself. She could remember the famous Battle of Hogwarts as if it had only happened yesterday. Harry had finally done it, he had defeated Voldemort in a duel which ended the threat once and for all. The joy, despite all of the death that occurred, was so palpable in the air it was difficult for anyone to mourn. Many of the students and faculty that had died during the battle were offered the chance to buried in the same plot that Dumbledore rested. Some families had agreed to it, others took their loved ones back to the family plots. Fred was buried at Hogwarts though. She remembered sitting at that funeral service, her hand entwined with Harrys and tears in her eyes. She shook her head, that felt like an entire lifetime ago.
The group arrived at the entrance, it was still fairly damp from when Ron and Hermione came down here to retrieve the Basilisk fang during the Battle. Harry led the way, the light illuminating from his wand as they pushed further and further into the chamber. They were here on a tip, albeit a very shady one. An old Death Eater, very close to Voldemort had disclosed the secret about the Chamber. It was something he had over-heard Voldemort discussing with Wormtail. Harry was weary about the tip, not knowing if he could trust this Rookwood. Even after the torture Harry had put him through, Rookwood stood by his statement. Harry finished him off with the killing curse after far too long. They continued past the old Basilisk bones and towards the center of the room. And looked around.
"Longbottom, Granger, you two head that way and don't stray too far." He said, pointing to the left of the chamber and what looked like an opening into a small corridor. "Meet back here in fifteen." Harry said in the commanding voice they had grown accustomed to hearing from him. He turned without a second glance and motioned for Ginny to follow him. She obliged and walked behind him in silence, taking care to look around the room and towards the passageway they had begun traveling towards.
Ginny glanced at the back of Harrys head and caught a glimpse of the scar, not the lightning bolt one, but the scar that ran all the way around his neck, quite a lot like a collar but it was no collar. It was a scar that had almost cost Harry his life and it was all because of her that it was there. He jumped in front of a curse that was meant for her, it was supposed to be a slow and painful choking curse but it was modified. A razor wire had wrapped around his throat, pulling slowly. She thought for sure that Harry was going to die before the Beast had released the curse. Why he did, neither Harry nor Ginny knew. He disappeared instantly after that. Had Neville not been there, Harry would have died. After that however, Harry never did look at her the same way again..
Harry was also lost in thought about what they might possibly find down here, if Rookwood hadn't been lying. Which was doubtful. If there was one thing Harry was good at, it was extracting information. In this life anyways. Hopefully if they found the book, things could be different. If not for him then maybe someone else. A small sound caught his attention and Harry held his wand arm up, pointing it at an upcoming bend, he motioned for Ginny to stop and both of them stood in silence waiting for the sound to pick up again. After what felt like an eternity in silence, they heard nothing else and continued on the way. The air caught in Ginnys throat and both of them stopped cold as they entered another very large cavern.
This was unlike anything they had seen down in the chamber of secrets, which was mostly old rock and water. The cavern that Harry and Ginny now stood was tall, at least 100 or so feet up. It was very well lit and all of the candles looked to still be lit and burning. There was two huge book shelves, an old wooden table and chair. Off in the back they could make out a bed and a nightstand. This looked like a living quarter, but the question on both of their minds was what was it possibly doing down here.
Neville and Hermione were walking through their side of the chamber in relative quiet as well. Hermione was leading them with her wand held up high illuminating the path. Neville thought to how much Hermione and everyone had changed since the incident all those years ago. He wasn't there at the time and from what he heard from the only people who were there, it wasn't something he was too keen on being witness too. He remembered how Hermione used to be nice, and very pretty. Whatever had happened there changed her drastically, her hair now cut very short, one very large and noticeable scar running from the left corner of her mouth and all the way to the hairline below her ear. In all of his years of traveling with them, He never wanted to ask how she had gotten it. Even if he had, it's not as if anyone wanted to talk about those times. So he kept his questions to himself, hoping only to help them put away the Beast once and for all. As the rounded a bend, little ways down a faint glow caught their attention.
Harry walked towards the desk where an old and musty book was sitting opened, apparently whoever had been here, hadn't returned in quite some time as everything had a very thick layer of dust covering it. He grabbed the book and looked at the front cover, brushing off the dust to reveal the title: 'Thestrals, And what you need to know.' He tossed the book back onto the table and once again a sound caught his attention. This time the sound was coming from the far end of the cavern. He looked back at Ginny who nodded in acknowledgement, then held her wand up, ready to cast whatever spell she could. The two of them approached where the sound was coming from, which appeared to be an exit from the cavern. Harry counted down from three with his fingers, and when he reached zero he jumped from around the corner and raised his wand only to find Hermione and Neville making their way.
"It makes a loop." Harry said, putting his wand into his holster and looking around the room. Ginny walked over next to Hermione and Neville. They were all waiting for Harry to give the orders. He turned about face and looked at the three of them. "Longbottom, I want you to the entrance of the Chamber and place down a warning ward. I want to know if anyone is following us." Neville nodded and turned around to go back the way he came. "Weasley, Granger. Go through the books here. We need to find one that is hand written. Apparently it was the personal notebook of Salazar Slytherin himself."
Ginny turned and walked towards the first bookshelf as Hermione moved towards the one that was a little bit further away. She wouldn't show it, but Ginny was deeply saddened about the way Harry had become. She could remember when he was just 12 or 13 years old. Despite everything Dumbledore was putting him through Harry still found a way to smile and be happy. She remembered his smile, no matter how she felt, whether she was sad or even happy, Harrys' smile used to warm her heart, make her smile even if that was the last thing on earth she could possibly want to do. Nowadays, she would give anything just to see that smile back on his face. A face that had been hardened by this war, more so the opening shots of the war, The death of her brother Ron. Even to this day, neither Hermione or Harry would mention that day. As Ginny was looking through books, Harry walked over to Hermione and leaned against the bookshelf. He looked at the scars on her face and more so her hands.
"Do you think it is possible?" Harry asked, looking over at Ginny briefly.
"With Magic, it is difficult to tell Harry. Rookwood could have been talking out of his ass." Hermione said, pulling a rather large book from the shelf and flipping it open. "All I know is that something like this will take more magic than I think any of us could possibly hope to conjure." She said, a hint of worry in her eye. Harry let the softest faint of a smile curl at the corner of his lips for only the briefest of seconds, Hermione was the only one who would have noticed anyways, before he replied.
"I know. But it is the only shot we have." Harry said, running his fingers across his chin. The beginnings of a beard was about to sprout from his chin. He hadn't had much time to worry about haircuts as of late. His eyes wandered back to Ginny and this time Hermione noticed.
"Listen Harry.." Hermione started, looking up at him with her eyes filled with sadness, but she was cut off by Harry who raised his hand.
"Just don't." He said.
"I know you don't want to hear it, but she really deserves to know what happened." Hermione said looking at Harry. "I wish that it wasn't true, but she deserves the truth more than the lie you told her."
"I don't want to hear it Granger." He said in a very serious tone. Without looking at her he walked away and towards the bed. Hermione let out a exhausted sigh and after looking over at Ginny, who was still sort through books herself, turned back to go through the large pile of old and dusty books herself. When Harry approached the bed he looked over at the stand, and almost invisible underneath a large pile of dust was what looked like a small notebook. He moved towards the stand and picked up the book, he pushed the dust off of it and noticed the writing on the book. This was the book they were looking for. Sitting down on the bed, Harry pulled the book open. This was the book of Salazar Slytherin, inside of it was only one single written paragraph and as Harry looked it over, a smile escaped his lips. Rookwood was right, this spell would accomplish exactly what he wanted to do. Unfortunately Hermione was correct, this spell would take more energy than any wizard still alive on this planet. Well.. Except one.
Neville was just walking back into the room as Harry got the attention of everyone. The four of them crowded around the table Harry conjured up so that they could look over the spell. Hermione looked satisfied with the results, but Ginny and Neville looked completely and utterly shocked. This was a very complicated spell, and powerful. It was doubtful that anyone could pull up that kind of power. They didn't have long to worry about the spell however, as the ward Neville had just put up, went off and all four of them tensed up. All four reached for their wands as they formed a circle leaving no area without eyes on it.
They waited. And waited. But nothing happened, and no one had shown up. Harry kept his eyes and ears open, hoping for a glimpse. A hint of whatever it was that was moving through the darkness but it was as still as ever. Neville straightened up and in that very moment a green flash flew from out of the darkness of one of the corridors, hitting him square in the chest. It was the killing curse.
"Neville!" Ginny shouted as Harry and Hermione reached over her shoulder and shot killing curses of their own at the location the original blast had come from. The wall exploded proving that they had hit nothing. Ginny didn't know what had happened around her, she was more focused on the body of Neville which was currently lifeless. She had seen quite a few friends go down over the years but it was starting to get too much. She watched Luna, Sheamus and most of her friends from her Hogwarts years cut down because of the Beast. Harry and Hermione began to move past Ginny and Neville, not even bothering to check if Neville truly was dead. They knew that answer already. Both of them scanned any dark crevice, shadow, anything that could hide a darkness. The beast was a master at hiding in the shadows, and it really didn't take much to conceal it. Nothing happened for a very long time, until the sound of a voice clicking in the back of the room caused the hair on all three of them to rise. Harry and Hermione knew what they were about to see, but when Ginny spun turned she could feel every drop of blood rushing from her face.
It was Ron.
"Ron!" Ginny said, getting up to run to him but Harry managed to grab her by the collar of her shirt and pulled her backwards where Hermione grabbed ahold of her. A very dark smile crossed the face of their old best friend as he looked from Ginny to Hermione, finally coming to a rest on Harry.
"Potter. I fear you haven't told my little sister the truth." Ron said a mocking pout crossing his face. "And that hurts.."
"Fuck You." Harry said, raising his wand and pointing it at Ron. Ron quickly moved his hand across his face, and for the briefest of moments, a dark and sinister face took its place before it looked again like Ron Weasley.
"That's not Ron.." Ginny said, her voice full of fear and understanding. "What have you done with my BROTHER!" She struggled to free herself from the hold Hermione had on her, but she couldn't.
"Ginny listen to me.. Im sorry we didn't tell you.." Hermione said, while never taking her eyes off of Ron. "The night the beast got free… it – it needed a host. It took Ron. Im sorry but we weren't lying when we said Ron had died but.."
Ron looked from Harry to Hermione and in that moment, Harry launched a killing curse at him. With only a flick of his wrist, and without breaking eye contact from Hermione, Ron blocked it as if it was nothing.
"Oh your little friend here didn't die. No as you can see he is standing right here." Ron said, running his hand along his plain white shirt. "No he is inside here, screaming so loud, trying to get free. You know what? He almost did at one point, just when he seen you actually.." Ron motioned towards Ginny, then looked over at Harry. "You know that Potter? He is still here.. He wants you to… I don't know. There was something, he was talking then went quiet. I don't know. Where was I?"
Ginny shook of Hermione at that moment and charged at Ron, her wand ready. She launched curse after curse at the beast, but it managed to block everything she could have possible thrown without even breaking a sweat. She got close enough however, that she pulled her right hand back and drove it straight into the nose of Ron, breaking it. He held his nose for a moment, out of shock before straightening up.
"Now now, this body suits me well. Let's not go destroying it.. " Ron said, and with only a thought he sent Ginny flying backwards and crashing into Hermione who was rushing forward to grab Ginny. A quick wave of his wand and the Beast who was masquerading as Ron looked as good as new. Harry raised his wand pointing once again at the chest of one of his oldest friends. A friend who no longer existed. Ron turned around and looked around the room they were in. His eyes scanned everything but finally coming to a stop on the old book they had been looking at before, Slytherins personal book. A sadistic smile crossed his face as he looked over the spell, he slowly turned to look at Harry, Hermione and Ginny.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me." He said, taking a step towards Harry. "You really think something like this could have possibly worked. With you three?" Harry threw another curse and Ron but it was deflected into the wall with only the wave of Rons hand. "Don't get me wrong.. if this spell works.. it could change everything. Hell, I could kill all of you before you were even born."
Instead of using magic, Harry quickly charged Ron and tackled him to the ground. Harry began punching him in the face as Hermione and Ginny ran to the book and began re-reading the spell. It didn't take very long however for Ron to gain the upper hand and used a telekinetic force to send Harry crashing hard into the table, taking Hermione and Ginny to the floor with him.
Ron got to his feet and brushed off the layer of dust he received from his little confrontation with Harry. He walked forward and picked Ginny up off the floor with on hand while looking into her eyes.
"I can feel it.. Ron that is.. He is screaming even harder in here, he is really fighting it. At least you know Ginerva. Your brother loves you." Without a hesitation and with only a slight twist of his hand and all of the bones in Ginnys neck broke instantaneously and she fell to the ground dead. "And as for you two." He said, watching the look of horror on Hermiones face, and the look of anger on Harrys. "I'm sick and tired of playing these games."
"Harry.. I'm sorry." Hermione said as Ron picked her up next, once again by the throat. The Beast smiled as he could feel the soul of Ron fight to gain control, but it wasn't going to happen. Ever. That momentary distraction however, changed history all together. Harry jumped to his feet and tried to hit Ron with his fist, but Ron caught Harrys hand with his free hand. Hermione took an opportunity to do something very rare, and very powerful. She reached with her hand and placed it on the face of Ron and with her free hand she placed it on the face of Harry and using whatever energy she had left, she drained something powerful from the beast and transferred it to Harry, while casting the spell that Salazar Slytherin and written about.
The shock-wave was enough to send all three of them flying backwards. The last thing Harry Potter could remember seeing was the roof falling down on them before losing consciousness.
This was the end. This was the beginning.
A/N2 - Thanks for reading, future chapters will be longer I hope.