Disclaimer: I do not own Cornelius Fudge or any of the other inhabitants of the Harry Potter universe
02 The Consequences Of Fudge's Fudge
"Where are we going?" Lucius asked when it became apparent that they were not heading for the Headmaster's office.
"To a place where we can talk in private," Harry replied, not stopping until he was standing before a certain blank wall. Pacing back and forth three times, Harry focused on his need of a comfortable place that was absolutely private, one that Dumbledore couldn't enter. Harry really wasn't in the mood to listen to the old man's waffling at the moment.
When the door appeared, Harry grasped hold of the handle and opened the door with a flourish, gesturing for the others to enter, smirking viciously when Dumbledore bounced back on an invisible force field.
"Harry?" Albus asked, confused as to why he couldn't enter.
"You have had plenty of opportunity to approach me, Headmaster, yet you never have. You only speak in riddles, doling out small pieces of knowledge but never truly divulging anything useful until the latest mess is over. I think I can do without that kind of help this time. Besides, this is a private matter between me, Snape, Malfoy, and Riddle. I can't really see how this situation is any of your business. I suggest you head back to the Great Hall and deal with Fudge and his sociopath, because my promise was not an empty threat. I will do everything within my power to ruin that toady, and my powerbase just became that more powerful, don't you agree?" Harry asked sweetly before entering the Room of Requirement, firmly closing the door in Dumbledore's face.
"So..." Harry said with a sigh while walking towards one of the comfortable looking leather armchairs the room had provided. "What happens now?"
"An excellent question, Mr Potter," Severus said silkily, eyeing the teen thoughtfully. How in Merlin's name could anyone claim that the brat was on par with his own vast intellect? Everyone knew that Potter would have failed all of his classes if it wasn't for Granger forcing him to study.
"You might as well call me Harry," Harry said with another sigh.
"As you wish, Harry," Lucius stated. "Unfortunately, there is very little the four of us can do. The spell Fudge used cannot be broken by anything but death, and even that is not a certainty."
"Oh?" Harry asked in curiosity, wondering just what that meant.
"In the past, several victims of the spell did not find the result pleasing and decided to end their own life to get out of the unfavourable bonding. They died, but they did not pass on but had to live out the rest of their bonded's life as a ghost."
"Ouch," Harry muttered, secretly vowing that if things got that bad he'd make sure to end the others' lives instead of his own. Living with ghosts had to be better than to become one, right?
"What troubles me is that Fudge got the bracelet he used from the Department of Mysteries," Lucius went on, unaware of his companion's thoughts.
"I take it that is bad?" Harry asked dryly, not sure what to feel at this point.
"If the bracelet had merely been bespelled with the soul and magic binding spell as Fudge claimed, then there would be no reason for the Unspeakables to study the bracelet."
"Wonderful, so you think that something was added to the spell? Or that it was twisted in some way or other?" Harry asked, glaring balefully at the innocent looking bracelet adorning his wrist. "Can I take it off now? Or will I have to wear it for the rest of my life?"
"Let me see," Severus ordered, pulling out his wand. Grabbing hold of the brat's hand, being careful not to actually touch the thing, Severus cast every diagnostic and detection charm he knew, making room for Lucius and Voldemort to cast a few of those he didn't know.
"It should be safe to remove," Lucius finally said, releasing Harry's hand as he spoke.
"Great!" Harry exclaimed cheerfully, struggling to undo the clasp, wanting to get rid of it now.
In the end Snape had to help him unlocked the bracelet, but Harry didn't care as he rubbed his freed wrist. "Can I burn it?" Harry asked, nodding towards the hated thing.
"We should study it first. It does not pay to act rashly like a Gryffindor. Although I suppose it is too much to hope for you to grasp such unfamiliar reasoning," Lucius said, deliberately sending a barb calculated to infuriate the boy, leaving him off balanced, enabling the others to keep the upper hand during the forthcoming negations.
Harry merely scoffed. "Please, do not bother resorting to childish insults. I would have expected that from Ron and Draco. Not from you."
Lucius arched an eyebrow but did not otherwise comment.
Voldemort did it for him. "Do you honestly believe that you are capable of outwitting the three of us?" the Dark Lord ask sardonically, the look somewhat spoiled by the fact that he didn't have any eyebrows to arch scornfully at Harry.
Harry merely snorted and returned the look, with the arched eyebrows. "I might not be able to completely outwit you, but I'd say I'm way ahead of both Malfoy and you if we bothered to score our various confrontations," Harry said, feeling rather justified using a somewhat smug tone of voice.
"Why you little brat!" Voldemort growled, reaching for his wand.
"Oh do put that away," Harry snapped, giving Tom a dark look. "Look, we'll get nowhere if we keep snapping and insulting each other. Fudge put us in this situation; for once all four of us are innocent of any wrongdoing. My suggestion is that we work together to bring that fool to his knees, teaching him, and everyone else, just what a bad idea it is to mess with us.
"Or do you want Dumbledore to take charge, using this mess to further his own agenda? I don't know about you, but I can honestly say that Dumbledore hasn't bothered overly much to care for me in the past. I somehow doubt he will start now when faced with this... disaster," Harry said, giving his companions a pointed look. Merlin, he hoped that the three Slytherins wouldn't be difficult about this. Seriously, they couldn't expect him to be the only one acting like an adult, could they? So far the three had reminded him of Ron when faced with a sneering Draco. Merlin help him, but he refused to put up with that. Hey, maybe he could hide out in the Chamber of Secrets or something? No one had said anything about them having to stay in close contact. Maybe he could hide out for a few years until things had settled down a bit?
"Honestly, Potter, use your head, for once in your life. You cannot hide out in Slytherin's chamber. The spell will force us to spend several hours each day together or risk the consequences," Severus snapped, sounding rather disgruntled.
"Hey, no one said anything about that!" Harry complained. Then he got a confused look on his face. "And just how did you know what I was thinking anyway?"
"I'm guessing the mind bond is forming," Lucius said with an amused snort.
"What? Do you mean that that snarky git will be able to hear my every thought?" Harry yelped, looking decidedly green. But then he got a crafty look on his face, sending the Potions master a sly look.
"Don't you even think of doing that, Potter!" Severus bit out through gritted teeth, giving the teen a murderous look.
"What is he planning to do?" Voldemort asked, torn between amusement and intrigue. This was a side of Harry Potter he had not expected.
"Oh, nothing much, just sharing a few fantasies, perhaps a few lewd jokes, not to mention my favourite songs," Harry said nonchalantly, sitting back in his chair with a studious air.
Severus snorted and sent the teen another dark look, having caught a gist of the things the boy intended to torture him with.
"Clearly the spell is faulty. I refuse to believe that Potter is sharing my level of intellect. The boy is a walking disaster when it comes to Potions-"
"No, the walking disaster is Neville. And if you had bothered to actually teach me instead of berating me for daring to breathe, I might have had a chance to excel in Potions, but you couldn't have that, could you? Too busy taking out your hatred for my father to bother to realise that I am my own person," Harry snarled, feeling his temper rising once more as he recalled all the incidents Snape had initiated just so that he could torment him some more.
"Enough! The child is correct, this will get us nowhere," Lucius stated commandingly before a fight could break out between Severus and Potter. No matter how galling the situation was, they actually needed Potter to cooperate with them, or their lives for the immediate future would be decidedly uncomfortable and probably miserable as well.
Harry glowered darkly but reluctantly backed down, knowing the truth of Malfoy's words, hadn't he just pointed that out to the others? But it didn't mean that he was willingly giving up the opportunity to make his feelings known to the other man. Merlin help him, but if Snape put one more toe out of line, then Harry was going to blast him but good, just as soon as he'd figured out how to do that deliberately.
"So... what happens now?" Harry asked when the silence in the room began to feel oppressive. "Apparently we can't break the spell, and on top of that, if what Snape said is true, we will have to spend time together as well. So what do we do? And what do we do with the war?"
"The war is already won so there is little point worrying about it," Voldemort said with a negligent wave of his hand.
"How do you figure that?" Harry asked with a frown, not sure he liked the smug air he was picking up from Riddle.
"Simple, you are my main opposition and since we have been bound together, I have won," Tom said with satisfaction.
"Huh, I wouldn't be so sure about that," Harry said darkly, not about to allow the Dark Lord to just walk all over him.
"That reminds me, just what is it you wish to accomplish anyway?" Harry asked, deciding now was the golden opportunity to find out why the war was fought, something that none of the adults had been able to explain to him the few times he'd asked them. Funny, but the members of the Order was always too busy to answer questions like that, sending him away with a pat on the head and an admonish not to worry about it since Dumbledore had everything well in hand.
"Oh, this is priceless," Voldemort cackled with glee. "You mean to tell me that Dumbledore never told his golden boy why he fights in the war? Oh, Salazar and his ancestors, you, the child of prophecy, don't have a clue why you are fighting me?" Voldemort was now laughing so hard that he couldn't go on speaking, which was probably a good thing as Harry's temper once again had ignited.
"What prophecy?" Harry asked through gritted teeth.
Voldemort was now howling with laughter and was thus unable to answer him, not that he planned on doing that since it was so much more fun taunting the teen.
"What prophecy?" Harry demanded, thoroughly pissed off.
"What bloody prophecy?" Harry shouted, jumping to his feet, shooting off a few hexes at the still laughing Dark Lord who abruptly stopped laughing.
"How dare you hex me? Have you any idea who I am?" Voldemort shouted, brandishing his wand at the infuriating brat who dared to defy him.
"I know who you are, Tom," Harry snapped. "Your younger self was very happy to share his life story. You were an arrogant git as a teenager, weren't you? But that doesn't answer my question of why you are fighting this war."
Tom glowered at the teen for his insolence, but did not protest when Lucius placed a calming hand on his arm, slowly lowering his glowing wand.
With eyes shooting daggers, Voldemort all but snarled, "I am fighting this war to cleanse away the taint the Mudbloods have put on the magical world. Salazar Slytherin realised the danger the Muggles and the Muggleborns posed to our world and set about to free us from their influence. Sadly, the other Founders stopped him, but once I realised what noble blood run through my veins, I knew, knew, what my duty was and I have done my best to carry on my forefathers wishes," Voldemort said with an almost fanatical gleam in his red eyes.
Harry could only stand there and stare at the Dark Lord, not sure what illogical statement he wanted to reply to first.
Interpreting Harry's silence as the boy struck dumb by his brilliance, Tom went on to extrapolate his visions. "Once I have rid us of all Mudbloods and Blood traitors, I will venture forth with my trusty followers and eradicate from this earth all the Muggles who dare to threaten our way of life. We are far superior to those insignificant creatures and we should not have to hide from them. We should walk among them like gods, not skulk in the dark, afraid of our own shadows," Tom declared hotly. "I will eradicate them all! I shall-"
"Set yourself up as king, I get the picture. And you actually believe that that is possible? Are you insane?" Harry demanded, giving the Dark Lord an incredulous look. "Hello! Do you even know how many people, how many Muggles live in Great Britain alone? More than fifty millions, and you actually think that you will be able to kill them all off? What dream world do you live in? And you actually support this idiot?" Harry asked Lucius, turning incredulous eyes onto the blond. "I honestly thought you were smarter than that," Harry added under his breath, shaking his head in despair, unable to comprehend why anyone would willingly fight for such a goal.
"How dare you call me an idiot, Potter? Have you any idea what a pitiful state the magical world has fallen into thanks to the Mudbloods, the blood traitors, and the influences they have insisted bringing into our world? Influences and ideas that do not belong here! We are wizards! We come from noble lines such as Slytherin, Merlin and Morgan, yet every year we grow fewer and fewer in number. Thanks to the Mudbloods and the half-bloods, the number of Purebloods grows less and less for every year, and you expect me to just sit back and watch as the magical world is destroyed? Just who is the fool here?" Voldemort demanded, once more brandishing his wand at Potter.
Harry could only stand there and shake his head, unable to utter a single sound as his mind raced with half-formed words of utter disbelief.
With a groan, Harry collapsed back into his seat, throwing an arm across his eyes as he moaned piteously, "Great, my magical match is a moron. Is there anyway you can ask the magic to redo the search?"
Voldemort growled and readied himself to cast a spell, taking delight in choosing something nasty.
"Stop that," Lucius ordered, taking his life in his hands by grabbing Riddle's wand and wrestling it from the Dark Lord's hand.
"You dare...?" Voldemort hissed, standing tall and proud as he glared at the unrepentant blond.
"I dare plenty when you are behaving irrationally," Lucius retorted coldly, giving Tom a push in an attempt to get the man to sit back down.
"Ever since you've come back you have been behaving irrationally and illogically. I'm starting to think that you made a mistake using Pettigrew for the ritual. Clearly, the snivelling fool managed to foul up the ritual somehow."
"He probably did," Harry piped up, adding his five Knuts to the discussion. "But if you ask me, I'm guessing drinking all that Unicorn blood is what messed him up. According to Firenze, anyone drinking Unicorn life is cursed, forced to live but a half life or something like that.
"And I ask again, is it possible to demand of the bracelet that it makes a new search? Because, as unlikely as me and Snape being equals is, I simply refuse to believe that that idiot and I are equals magically," Harry stated firmly, giving Riddle another glowering look.
"Unicorn blood? You drank Unicorn blood? Are you insane?" Lucius burst out in fury while Severus snapped, "The spell has run its course and there is nothing anyone of us can do about it. Live with it, Potter!"
"Okay, things are getting out of hand, again," Harry all but shouted, effectively ending the building shouting match brewing between Malfoy and Riddle.
"Right. We are stuck together, established fact number one. We do not agree upon the reasons as to why this war is fought, established fact number two," Harry said, pacing back and forth as he attempted to get his mind in order, feeling thankful that none of the others were trying to interrupt him, unaware that the room had decided to help him by silencing the Dark Lord so that he couldn't add anymore fuel to the fire.
"Voldemort has cursed himself by killing Unicorns and drinking their blood, established fact number three. And thanks to Fudge I'm stuck with you lot, leaving me to clean up the mess you have created. Established fact number four," Harry said making a sour face.
"It isn't just Fudge," Severus said in a quiet voice. "There is the matter of the prophecy."
"What prophecy? And why haven't I heard about it before now?" Harry asked, giving Snape a piercing look.
"Albus wanted to spare you and give you the chance to have a normal childhood before placing the weight of the wizarding world on your shoulders. I don't know what the entire prophecy says, but the first part goes like this." Clearing his throat, Severus recited the lines that had sealed Lily's fate.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies..."
Severus' voice trailed off and an uncomfortable silence filled the room as Harry stood there, stunned stupid for a second time this day.
"That's it?" Harry asked incredulous once he regained the use of his voice. "My parents were killed and I've been put through hell for that?
"And you are following this idiot why again...?" Harry asked, turning unbelieving eyes onto the only blond in the room, causing Malfoy to actually squirm slightly.
"He wasn't that bad at the start of the war," Lucius murmured, fighting down the urge to blush. Merlin, but he hadn't felt this stupid since the time when he was seven and thought it a good idea to 'borrow' his father's brand new racing broom.
Harry simply shook his head and resumed his pacing, doing his best to wrap his mind around this latest catastrophe masquerading as his life.
"Okay. Right! I can deal with this," Harry muttered to himself, making another circuit around the room. "Right! This entire mess began with Tom Riddle and his insane urge to fulfil his forefather's wishes. The trouble is that Salazar Slytherin is dead. He's been dead for a thousand years, so just how did Riddle discover what Slytherin's wishes were? Did he leave a diary behind? Or...?" Harry asked, turning his attention back to Tom, doing a double take as he realised that the feared Lord Voldemort was sulking, sitting in his chair, arms folded across his chest, and with an honest-to-Merlin pout on his lips.
Shaking his head, Harry suppressed his urge to scream. "Argh! If there only was some way we could ask him what his bloody wishes were," Harry groaned, burying his hands in his hair, giving it a good tug.
"Someone wants to speak to me?" a voice asked, causing the four humans to jump in fright and drawing their wands. Everyone but Riddle since Lucius was still in possession of his wand.
"Who are you?" Harry asked, peering up at the portrait that had suddenly materialised in the room. "Oh, of course, Room of Requirement... You're Salazar Slytherin, aren't you?" Harry asked weakly, feeling rather shaky all of a sudden.
A light appeared in Severus' eyes and he moved smoothly towards the painting, bowing deeply before it saying, "Lord Slytherin, Founder of Slytherin House, I greet you with gladness. I am Severus Snape, current Head of your noble House. If you could find it in your heart to accommodate me, I would love to discuss Potions with you."
"Potions, eh? And do you have any skill in this science? I do not bother to talk to amateurs. I have found them to be incompetent dunderheads who are completely unable to grasp the elegance that is Potions-"
By this point Harry was unable to contain his mirth and broke down in a peal of laughter.
"You find this amusing, child?" Salazar asked, arching an eyebrow at Harry.
"My apologies, Lord Slytherin, but to hear you talk about dunderheads like that, it brought me back to my very first Potions lesson. Snape kept going on about dunderheads as well, and our incompetence at grasping the subtle magic that is a simmering cauldron," Harry managed to gasp out between his giggles.
"I can assure you that Severus is most competent when it comes to Potions. He is the youngest person to achieve the rank of master in Britain, if not the entire world," Lucius said cut in an attempt to smooth ruffled feathers. "But it was not to discuss Potions that we wished to meet you," the blond added, giving the Potion maser a pointed look.
"You are quite correct," Severus said demurely, giving Lucius a nasty look for interrupting his chance at learning more about his first love.
"Youngest Potions master, eh? Yes, I think I will make the time for a discussion or two. If only to find out what progress has been made since my time," Salazar said thoughtfully, eyeing Snape with a discerning eye.
"Great. That's wonderful," Harry said, clasping his hands together with forced cheer. "But what we really needed to talk to you about is your view on Muggles and Muggleborns."
As one the three living Slytherins groaned in despair, Severus going so far as to pinch his nose and hiss, "Show some respect, you insufferable child! Fifty points from Gryffindor and a week of detentions. Let's see if Filch can put a civil tongue in that empty head of yours!"
"Hey! No need to be nasty," Harry said petulantly, feeling surprisingly hurt at Snape's attitude. "We need to learn Slytherin's thoughts so that we can slap some sense into Riddle. Or do you want to go out and slaughter millions of innocent lives?" Harry demanded, starting to get angry again.
"I think you should tell me why my opinion is so important," Salazar said, making himself comfortable, sensing that a lengthy tale was forthcoming.
Pulling himself up importantly, Tom all but puffed out his chest as he began to tell his story, Hogwarts relenting enough to lift the spell she had put on Riddle earlier.
oOo
"You honestly thought that by murdering students you would make me proud?" Salazar all but shouted, glaring daggers at a confused looking Dark Lord. "Are you utterly daft, man?"
"But... But, they were nothing but Mudbloods, unworthy of the gift of magic," Riddle stuttered, unable to grasp that his forefather was not proud of his actions.
"Listen to yourself! Are you so arrogant that you honestly believe that you can judge the actions of the Mistress?" Salazar bellowed before taking note of the men's confused looks.
"You do know about the Mistress, don't you? Of course you do, you are wizards, are you not?" Salazar muttered, pacing back and forth in his painting.
"Um, I don't," Harry said, tentatively raising his hand. "I grew up in the Muggle world, living with magic hating Muggles, so I never learned whatever it is that Purebloods learn growing up. And no one has mentioned a Mistress to me while I've been here at Hogwarts, so, um, no, I don't know of any Mistress," Harry said, blushing hotly at the time he reached the end of his ramblings.
"I can't believe it. I bloody well cannot believe what I am hearing," Salazar muttered, throwing his hands up in despair. "How is it possible that the wizarding world has fallen to such a sorry state? No wonder you've lost most of your magic, Magic would never give her support to a people who no longer believed in her. And you, you dare to speak for her? You actually dare to decide who should be granted the gift of magic and who shouldn't? How is that you yet haven't been struck down for your arrogance?" Slytherin demanded to know.
"You talk as if magic is sentient, but magic is just a gift, a... power," Lucius said with a puzzled frown.
"I'm not talking about the power flowing through our veins. I'm talking about the deity that grants us our powers. I'm talking about Magic, you ignorant buffoon!" Salazar said with an impatient huff, forcing Harry to bite back a snicker at the insulted look appearing on Malfoy's face. Who'd have thought that meeting Salazar Slytherin would be this entertaining? For the briefest of moments, Harry felt sad that Ron and Hermione were missing this fundamental moment.
Sadly, Ron would only make an explosive situation worse, what with his blatant hatred for anything Slytherin, and Hermione would probably be too focused on learning everything she could to help resolve the matters that threatened to bury Harry alive. Merlin, but why did everything have to happen to him? Why couldn't someone else deal with these bizarre situations once in a while?
"Okay, so Magic is alive. Is there anyway to learn more about her? Or is it possible to talk to her?" Harry asked speculatively, secretly wondering if there was a painting of her or something that the Room of Requirement could bring to them. If Hogwarts was capable of producing a painting of Salazar Slytherin, what else was she capable of? Suddenly, Harry was filled with an urge to learn as much as he could about the castle he secretly called home. Perhaps it was time to actually read Hogwarts: A History? Hermione certainly seemed to enjoy it, or why would she be constantly quoting from it?
Tuning back into the argument between Slytherin and the Slytherins, Harry bit back sigh, fighting the urge to hex the humans, did they have to bloody argue so much? Malfoy was displeased at begin called a buffoon, Snape was more interested in discussing Potions than resolving the matter with the war, and Riddle was furious that the efforts he'd done in his ancestor's name was unappreciated. Honestly, the lot was acting like children. And Salazar was not helping. On the contrary, the portrait seemed to gain an inordinate amount of amusement by egging the three wizards on, insulting them right, left, and centre. How was he supposed to get any answers now?
Call me.
Harry frowned and shook his head, uncertain if the words whispered in his mind was real or merely a figment of his poor, overworked brain.
Call me, I mean you no harm, my child.
"Okay, I'll bite, how do I call you?" Harry asked softly, wondering if he had finally dropped off into insanity. And would he even notice if he had?
Make an offering and I shall appear.
Harry frowned, confused. That was it? Make an offering? An offering of what? Well, Harry wasn't about to offer his soul, nor his unborn first child, so...
Silly, child, I do not wish for any such things. No, give me a taste of what already is mine.
"What already is mine?" Harry mused in a soft whisper, not wanting the others to overhear him, yet unable to work this latest riddle out silently.
Starting to pace, Harry considered everything Salazar had told them about Magic, which, admittedly, wasn't much. Then realisation hit him. "I'm not talking about the power flowing through our veins. I'm talking about the deity that grants us our powers." Harry whispered, recalling just exactly what Slytherin had told them. "Give me a taste of what is already mine, of course, that's it."
Not stopping to think, Harry used his wand to make a shallow cut in his arm, just above the wrist, taking care not to get too close to any of the large veins. "Here, I hope you will find this satisfactory," Harry said, holding out his bleeding arm.
"What are you doing?" Snape shouted, stalking towards Harry, his wand in hand, healing spells trembling on his lips. But before he could do anything to heal the cut, a bright light flared to life and when it had died down, a beautiful woman was standing before them.
"Mistress! Too long has it been since I set my eyes upon you. Greetings and salutations, and may the leylines run strong through the earth," Salazar said, bowing deeply before the woman, sounding a bit as if he was greeting a long-time friend, and greeting a dignitary of utmost importance at the same time. Harry couldn't help but admire the way the founder pulled it off.
"Salazar, my old friend, long has it been since last we talked. You are looking good. Then again, I always did like that painting," Magic said, sending Slytherin a fond smile. Turning back to Harry, Magic grasped his arm and inhaled deeply while dipping her finger in the blood still flowing from the small cut.
"Ah, yes, you are indeed worthy of the gifts I bestowed upon you at birth, Harry James Potter. Still, it saddens me to see how poorly the mortals have treated you. But what is this? Who dared to curse you?" Magic asked, sounding outraged.
"Um, cu-cursed?" Harry stuttered, his mind racing over the many times he had been hit with something nasty. Which time was Magic asking about?
"You! You dared to harm him?" Magic asked, turning towards Riddle with a snarl. The snarl swiftly grew to complete fury as she got a good look at Tom Riddle, the current Dark Lord. "Sweet Gaia, what have you done to yourself? How dare you befoul my gift to you by creating such vile things? And seven of them? What were you thinking? And then what do you do? You compound your sin to me by drinking Unicorn blood? I was prepared to help you since my sweet child has been cursed, but I refuse to help you," Magic stated, an ugly sneer distorting her features.
"There is nothing you can do to me. I am Lord Voldemort, and everyone is made to tremble before me!" Voldemort stated importantly. He would have gone on a lengthy rant, but before he could, Magic slashed her hand through the air and Voldemort dissolved into a black mist that hung in the air. Magic's sneer deepened as she called forth a wind and a moment later nothing was left of either Tom Riddle or Lord Voldemort.
"I'm sorry, Salz, I know he was of your blood, but-"
"Say no more. Learning of the things he has done in my name... Let us just say that I would have disowned him if I could have. But what about the lad? Won't he be harmed now that his magical mate is gone?"
"Hardly," Magic stated with a toss of her head. "I will not allow any harm to befall my child. I do take better care of my charges than that, you should know that, Salz," Magic said, giving the painting a reproachful look.
"My deepest apologies, Mistress, for daring to doubt you," Salazar said with a deep bow.
"Am I the only one confused?" Harry asked, wondering what had just happened, and what he was supposed to do now. Riddle was gone? For good?
"Now we will straighten out the mess the mortals of this realm has made of your life, and then we will sit down and get to know each other better," Magic said with an impish smile, settling down into a beautiful throne like chair that appeared from thin air.
"Um, okay," Harry said, allowing Magic to pull him down into the chair that suddenly appeared next to the throne.
"I see that you have taken good care of the powers I bestowed upon you, although I must admit it is a miracle you still have any magic, considering the atrocities you have lived through. And just what have you done to have Phoenix tears and Basilisk venom running through your veins?" Magic asked, returning her attention to the cut on Harry's arm.
"Well... you see... there was this monster, and," Harry stuttered, feeling completely out of his dept. How were you supposed to act when a deity took such intimate interest in you anyway?
"Hush, child, I am not angry with you, never with you," Magic said soothingly, bringing a bloody finger to her mouth, licking it clean.
Harry could only blink as Magic's eyes grew unfocused and the deity grew utterly still. Somehow he didn't think that this was a good thing.
oOo
Taking a deep breath, Magic returned to the present, tossing her hair back with a shake of her head. "Now that was unpleasant. Do not worry, child, I will make sure retribution is visited on those who has earned my wrath. But first we need to deal with the curse placed upon you by that creature Fudge."
"Curse?" Harry asked, perking up a little. Magic had gotten rid of Riddle, maybe she could free him from Snape and Malfoy as well?
"Yes, the bracelet Fudge used on you was cursed," Magic explained, summoning the artefact to her with a wave of her hand. Looking it over, Magic sneered and crushed it in her fist. "What a vile way to use my gift, the creator is lucky he is already dead; I would have taken such delight in teaching him not to waste my gifts.
"Anyway, as I was saying, the bracelet was cursed. Instead of searching for the best possible match between soul, mind, and magic, the bracelet twisted the spell so that it still sought for the best match of soul, mind, and magic possible, but making sure that it only looked among those feeling ill will towards the one wearing the bracelet. It really was most insidious, and I am glad that it no longer exists," Magic stated, losing herself in her thoughts for a moment. "Perhaps I should bring the creator back? I think I would feel better if I got the chance to teach that arrogant fool a lesson or two...
"No matter, I can ponder what to do later. First, I need to fix this mess," Magic said decisively, giving the three mortals an assessing look-over.
"Hah! I knew Potter wasn't a match for my mind," Severus stated smugly, settling back in his chair with a self-satisfied air.
"On the contrary, he is every bit as smart as you are, Severus Tobias Prince Snape, so do not think yourself more than he," Magic said reproachfully, ignoring the way the Potions master spluttered at her words.
"As much as I hate to say this, but Snape is right," Harry said, squirming uncomfortably in his seat. He didn't like to contradict a deity, or whatever it was that Magic was, but he honestly couldn't allow this charade to continue either, because he wasn't as smart as Snape was, no matter his earlier argument with the snarky git.
"Of course you are, child, just not with Potions," Magic said, patting Harry's hand. "That you do not realise this I blame on your disgusting relatives. But do not worry, my child, all will be put to right," Magic said soothingly and patted Harry's hand some more.
Harry opened his mouth, but realising a doomed argument he closed it again with a resigned sigh.
"Good. Let us get back to the matter of the curse, shall we?" Magic said, bestowing the three mortals with a brilliant smile.
"Can it be broken?" Lucius asked, not feeling particularly eager sharing the Dark Lord's fate.
"Alas, it cannot. It can, however, be modified, which I shall do as soon as we have finished our conversation."
"But what about the prophecy? Has it been fulfilled now, or will Riddle be back to haunt me later?" Harry asked, his emotions reeling. He had been cursed? Bonded to those who hated him? How was he supposed to live like this? And what about the prophecy? He couldn't believe that Dumbledore hadn't said anything about it earlier.
...Actually, Harry could.
"Posh, do not worry your little head about that piece of nonsense, it has fulfilled its use, although I will have a world with Albus about the way he has treated you," Magic said, a dark frown sweeping across her features.
"What did the prophecy say?" Lucius asked curiously. He had known a prophecy existed, of course, but he had never been told just what exactly it said.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord shall mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..." Magic recited, a pleased smile playing on her lips. "The Fates really did a good job on that one, one of their better attempts if you ask me."
"What is the power?" Harry asked, his mind numb.
"Me."
"...Huh?" Harry managed to utter, unable to more than staring at Magic with his mouth hanging open.
Magic lent forward and gently closed his jaw. "I am the power the Dark Lord knows not," she explained gently.
"But... I don't know that power either," Harry said, utterly bewildered.
Magic waved the protest aside with a flick of her wrist. "That is neither here nor there."
"But..." Harry spluttered, not sure whether to feel insulted or not.
"Where does it say that you know this power? All that matters to the prophecy is that Tom Riddle didn't know the power. It really doesn't matter whether anyone else knew of it or not," Magic stated loftily, causing Slytherin to double over with laughter.
"That's a good one," the Slytherin founder managed to splutter once he got his breath back, wiping away the tears spilling down his cheeks. "I always did enjoy your twisted sense of humour, Mistress."
"Yes, you always were a favourite child of mine, Salz," Magic said, bestowing upon the painting a fond look.
"So the prophecy has been fulfilled? Even if it was you who defeated him and not me?" Harry asked, wanting to make sure that part of the nightmare was over.
"The prophecy was already fulfilled," Magic said, giving Harry's hand another pat.
"It was?" three astonished wizards asked more or less in chorus.
"Of course. Harry vanquished the Dark Lord the night his parents died. Tom Riddle was meant to die that night. But because he had split his soul and anchored it to this plane, he did not die. He became an abomination to nature, and tonight I got rid of it, making sure that he never again can return to this plane of existence."
Harry felt an urge to ask where Voldemort was now, but he fought it down, not sure he wanted to know the answer. The knowing smile Magic sent him caused Harry to shudder and vow to never ask that question. And to never, ever do anything that would make Magic displeased with him.
"Enough of this boring stuff. Unless you have any questions, I better get this mess straightened out," Magic said briskly, leaping to her feet, an expectant look on her face.
Severus and Lucius shared a glance. They were both bursting with questions, but self-preservation kept their tongues behind their teeth. Potter obviously held Magic's favour, and neither man wished to do anything that would pull down her wrath. They had a feeling that if that happened, neither of them would survive. Bowing their heads, they did nothing to prevent their fates. They could only hope that they would live through whatever Magic had planned. If they were truly lucky, they might even prosper from it, but neither Slytherin held much hope for that.
"Good, let's go then, boys. Salz, I'll make sure to visit you later once my boy is secure and happy," Magic said, wrapping the three mortals up in her power, removing them from Hogwarts, and from the mortal realm altogether.
"I'm looking forward to seeing you again, Mistress, it truly has been too long," Salazar said softly as his portrait slowly left the Room of Requirement, leaving an empty room before it too melted away.