I don't own Harry Potter. So do not come for me unless you plan to help me clean my room and do my laundry.
In Wizarding England, there are many tales of great witches and wizards. They belong in the magic history books of magic school students. They are immortalized in magical paintings. But there was one figure that was not, because she refused to be.
Her name was Amber, and she was the sole conductor of the Magic Underground, the very first and very last.
The names of the two powers that her reign conceded with are in every magical history book from Hell and back. Those names were Tom Marvolo Riddle and Harry James Potter. They were better known as the Dark Lord Voldemort and the Boy-Who-Lived.
And they were prophesized to fight one another till one killed the other.
Now Amber was Harry's age. She was in his class at Hogwarts School and Witchcraft and Wizardry. And when he and a group of his peers and professors were captured by Voldemort's followers, Death Eaters, she was one of those peers.
However, while the others were trying very hard to not be terrified of what they thought to be their fate—torture and death at the hands of the most evil wizard to ever live—Amber was not in the least bit worried. Amber had more secrets then any one person, especially a teenager, should hold.
The tunnels under their prison were one of them.
They were prisoners of Voldemort less then half an hour, and by the time the Death Eaters had come to fetch some of them for their first bout of torture, Amber had already sent them down into the tunnels, replaced the stone that hid the entrance and was in the process of retrieving their wands.
Voldemort always had a temper, and Amber had discovered one way to help the Light side win. When the Dark Lord found out that his prisoners had escaped, wands in hand, and carrying his own personal rat—literally as the wizard in question, Peter Pettigrew, was capable of turning into a rat at will—he had a fit that left his force lacking a few dozen Death Eaters.
It took two days for Amber to lead the group to the surface and back into freedom. They had tried to question her on how she knew of these tunnels, and later to coming back with them, but Amber was very good at keeping secrets. All they learned was that Amber knew of these tunnels because she built them herself. When they tried to get her to come back with them, she refused.
"No one cares, so what would be the point? I tried to be free, and I found nothing more then what I left. I'll stay here and help others who find themselves captured by the Dark Lord. Goodbye."
Then she levitated a rock into Harry's hand and made it a portkey. Before anyone could so much as protest, not only had their portkey activated, but Amber had replaced the boulder that hid the exit and disappeared.
Hogwarts was happy to see them, safe and unharmed, if a bit upset. When they learned of Amber and her decision to stay behind and act as savior to all prisoners to come across that dreadful prison they were upset themselves. The fact that she had built the underground tunnels that acted as escape route didn't help matters any.
But none could convince Amber to return. Many were captured during the war between Voldemort and the Boy-Who-Lived. None ever stayed more then half an hour before Amber turned up, holding their wands and ready to lead them to freedom. They all knew of her, and what she did. They all tried to convince her to return with them. They were all refused.
Throughout the war, the Light side, under the name of the Order of the Phoenix, fought many battles. All the battles they won. The forces they went up against were the puniest any had ever seen, in any war. At first they were at a loss to explain this, but Amber came through again. Underground through she may have been, she was the ultimate spy, and always found ways of getting communication to the Order. She explained that with each prisoner she freed, Tom's temper got the better of him and he was killing off his own army. The light took care of what little remained.
The war against Voldemort and the Boy-Who-Lived would go down as the shortest war in the history of wars. Thanks to the combined efforts of Amber and the Order, it lasted all of 9 years before a 22 year old Harry finally took Voldemort down.
It was rather interesting, really, that a month after his 22nd birthday, Voldemort had made another kidnapping, this time of several people Harry held near and dear. Hermione Granger, for one and his father figures in life, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. 3 people who had been part of the original group that had started Amber's Underground.
Enraged, Harry had decided enough was enough. Voldemort had stolen from him his parents and his childhood. Voldemort had taken from him what should have been 7 peaceful years of learning at Hogwarts. Voldemort had cost Remus his friends, Sirius his freedom, and more.
He had cost Amber her life.
It was his doing that Amber had built those tunnels. It was their fault that she refuse to leave them after traveling them a second time. But it was thanks to him that those tunnels existed. And thanks to him that Amber had reason to stay there. This burned Harry even more. And he finally burst into the Dark Lord's "Throne Room" and destroyed him once and for all.
The world celebrated. Muggles and Wizards alike started bonfires and shot up fireworks. The Order rounded up what puny few Death Eaters remained, while Harry went to the spot where he knew the escape tunnel opened up onto the surface. Sirius, Remus and Hermione had been freed a day beforehand. He knew this. But he wanted to find Amber and finally bring her back, like he should have done long ago. Like they all should've done.
Harry, Ron and Ginny Weasley, Remus, Sirius, Hermione, Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall went into the tunnels intent to find her. Part of the original group, although not all of them. They scoured the underground highways and caves, calling her name. But it was too late. It had been too late when Amber had found her way to Hogwarts. It had been too late when they were captured, and it had been too late when Amber had left them on the surface and vanished.
Some details were lost over time, till it was pure speculation. Some say it was Harry who found the stone the hid her from view first. Some say it was Snape, lit wand held in front of him, who came across her form first. Some say it McGonagall who shed the first tears for Amber.
Regardless who did what first, Amber was found dead in one of her side tunnels. The remains of a fire, not even 3 days old, stood in the center of the cave. Amber's skeletal form, pale and filthy, lay not 5 ft from it. Her eyes were closed, her right hand over her wand, her left reaching for something only she had seen. Her parents' hands, maybe? The robes of the Grim Reaper himself? In the dirt of the cave, Amber had written one last thing. Her own epitaph was written in large letters in the side wall of the cave.
PEACE IS NEVER FOUND UNTIL FREEDOM HAS BEEN GAINED
Wars have since come and gone, both muggle and magical alike. The descendants of those who fought and witnessed Amber's Underground have triumphed and died in these wars. At the end of each, it is always the same. Those who did not die head straight for the memorial located on Hogwarts' grounds. It is made of pink sapphire and is topped with a winged unicorn made of emerald and topaz. Under this beautiful winged unicorn lies the resting place of Amber. On a lower level of the unicorn, a wolf of amber sits almost sadly. Its paw holds a banner to the memorial, on which a phrase can be read.
PEACE IS NEVER FOUND UNTIL FREEDOM HAS BEEN GAINED
And it is here, under the glory of a winged unicorn, and the majesty of an amber wolf that survivors come, to find their peace once again. Those who gave their lives are mourned and life begins anew. And always they remember the one who knew best, the one to whom the memorial was given. Her name is written from all to see at the base of the memorial, the one who gave her life for those who wanted peace.
"This memorial was built for Amber of Slytherin, August 2002. May the one who gave others freedom and peace finally have found her own."
Amber knew what value freedom and peace had. And she made sure others found it and had it, but she never found her own in life. Hers came in death. But she knew more then anybody else, before or after her Underground,
PEACE IS NEVER FOUND TILL FREEDOM HAS BEEN GAINED
Sad little one-shot, although I must admit that the plot bunny that made me do this attacked me from no where. Much like my Runaway plot...
Don't ask where the words of wisdom came from. No idea about that either.