It was a beautiful spring saturday at Hogwarts. The sun was out shining, birds were singing, the Giant squid layed near the surface of the lake, lazily grabbing at passing fish. In fact the only way this day could be perfect was if there were any students around on the grounds, laughing and having fun like most teenagers should.
Unfortunatly for the main characters of this story were trapped inside, stuck to study for their NEWTs that were coming up in only two weeks. It is truly amazing that even though the fate of the wizarding world rsted on these three people, they would still be worried about thier exams.
We shall now go forth into this wonderous school and creep silently into a special room inside the school called the Room of Requirement. Inside this room, shaped in the form of a cross between the Gryffindor common room and the library, sits three people each of the same age, class, and house.
The first of these people is Hermione Granger. Out of the three, she is by far the smartest. In fact she's the smartest in the school, holding the top student place for six consecutive years.
Over the past year she had quickly grown into her womanly right, ending up as one of the prettiest girls in the school. Her hair had finally calmed down enough to be worked with and she now wore it in a tight ponytail that fell just past her neck. Over the years she had filled out her robes, and many a man tried to get with her just for her body. Sick I know but when you had one of the stongest wizards on your side, and another who didn't mind hitting you with a beater's bat, then you wouldn't really mind the would be suitors.
Hermione was currently bent over a scroll of parchment paper, scribbling at a furious rate, with seven books opened up to different pages scattered around her. Looking up for a brief second she saw one of her best friends, Ron Weasley lounging about reading a Quidditch book. Clucking in annoyance she decided to ignore him in favor of finishing her paper.
Ron Wealsey, one of the tallest people in the school, and definatly the best keeper, on par with Oliver Wood. Ron was a tall teen averaging about 6'3". with bright red hair, and an equally bright disposition on life, he was well known for his wanting to go out a play. In fact the lower years loved him because he didn't care what year you were in, what house you were in (over the years Harry and Hermione made him realize that not all Slytherin's were evil), just as long as you wanted to let loose and have fun, then he would play with you.
The one thing that he was most famous for in the school however was being the top strategist in the school. Able to break down a battle to the tiniest details, and rebuild a working and effective attack, defense or counterstrike, he was already shoe in for the Auror force.
Currently however, Ron was kicked back on a couch, feet resting up on a coffee table that he asked for, reading a Chudley Cannon's Quidditch book. Hearing a sound come from Hermione, he looked up and at her. Seeing that she was deeply immersed in her essay, he looked aorund the room before locking his eyes on the final member of the trio.
Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Lived, Chosen One, and the only person the Voldemort is wary of save Dumbledore. Currently though Harry was layed out on a little cot, sleeping the hours away.
Neither friend dared to wake him up, simply for the fact that Harry needed his rest. They both knew of the nightly mind attacks that Voldemort performs, how Harry watches as countless people are killed. Not only that but all throughout this year and last year, Harry was given specialized teaching from several groups.
When it came to the training, Dumbledore and Mad-Eye Moody came into play. Each one of them called in several favors that groups of foriegn wizards owed them. Harry's training consisted of Battle Magic from the American's, and Norse Wizards. Runes from the Romans, and Greeks. Prayers from the African Tribes, and Muslims. Moody was training him in the American Hit Wizard course, one of the toughest and best in the world. Dumbledore himself was training him in obscure magic from the time of Merlin. Finally he was learning something that Moody decided that he might need should the need arise, Necromancy. This lost art was being taught only by the Egyptian elders and cost Moody, his finest wines, whiskey and all of his favors.
In order to pack so much training in only two years, Dumbledore and Moody had him use a time-turner in order to learn everything. So while it has been two years for Ron and Hermione, it's been somewhere around seven for Harry. Every night, Harry could barely even walk far enough for the common room couch, let alone his bed, and it quickly became a common occurance of Harry sleeping on the couches.
"Hey Hermione..." Ron started looking up from his book with a curious look on his face.
Hermione paused writing her paper long enough to make a slight humming sound before she continued writing.
"What do you think of the Cannon's chances for winning the next Quidditch cup?"
The scratching of a quill stopped, sending the room into sudden silence, save for Harry's soft snores. Ron looked up from his book, and saw Hermione bent over her paper, quill in hand, quivering with rage.
"You know what?" Ron began, inspiration suddenly striking him like a bolt of lightning. "I think I'll wait for Harry to wake up and ask him."
Ron quickly hid behind his book and finally released the breath he was holding when he heard Hermione begin writing once more. Shaking his head at how crazy she could be, he peered over the top of his book, wondering how Harry was faring.
Harry himself was currently tossing and turning on the couch that was requested by him. He began to slightly moan before violently flipping over, from the couch on to the floor.
Ron and Hermione dropped what they were doing and ran over to where Harry was only to see him writhing on the ground in pain, clutching his scar. With Hermione throwing her entire body on his legs, Ron was able to pry his hands away from his forehead. What met them was the sight of his scar burning a bright orangeish-red before it began to pulse lightly and cool down.
After five minutes of this, Harry finally began to calm down until he was lying still on the ground. Ron and Hermione both looked at Harry then at each other before jumping away when Harry shot straight up into a battle ready crouch. It would appear that the training that Harry was under going was well taught and well recieved.
Harry glanced around him for a few seconds, breathing heavily, and his hands slightly glowing red. After recognizing the room that he was in he relazed and slumped down on the couch. Ron and Hermione slowly crept up towards him, making sure that they were facing his front, while making some noise as to alert him that they were there.
"I saw him again..." Harry spoke after a few seconds.
Ron and Hermione glanced at each other before looking back at him. Deeming that it was safe enough, the took a seat on each side of him.
"What was it this time Harry?" Ron was brave enough to ask. He was looking a little pale at the thought that his best friend shared a mind link with the most powerful Dark Lord ever.
Harry gave a mirthless chuckle before opening his eyes and staring out into space. "It was an orphanage."
Hermione, who was almost as pale as one of Hogwarts ghosts, turned a sickly green before rushing into a newly conjoured bathroom. Ron grimaced as he heard the sound of retching, and slightly wondered why he wasn't joining her, before remembering that he and Harry had stayed up late most nights. On nights like that Harry would cry while relating everything he saw in the visions he recieved.
"Did anyone..." Ron began to ask before stopping himself. The question that he was about to ask was a rather stupid question. Of coarse there weren't any surviors.
Harry stood up rather abrubtly, snapping both Ron an dHermione out of their thoughts.
"I'm going for a walk." was all he said before he left the room before either of them could say anything.
Ron and Hermione both stared as Harry walked out the door, each one wanting to say something but both knowing that they couldn't do anything to help Harry.
As soon as the door closed, Ron turned to Hermione, grabbed her and held her close, trying to give some sense of comfort to her.
"He's going to be alright." He whispered, whether for her benifit or his he didn't know.
Harry walked through the halls, silently, not really thinking about where he was going. He was grateful that people finally learned to leave him alone whnever they saw him coming because he really didn't wan to stop and talk with anyone.
After abour ten minutes of walking through the school, Harry heard a etheral giggle. Looking up he was face to face with Myrtle. Without realizing it he had walked straight to the girls bathroom on the second floor.
"Hello Harry." Mrytle said while blushing slightly.
Not really wanting to talk, Harry ignored her and instead whispered "Open" and as soon as the sink moved out of the way he jumped into the entrance of the Chambers of Secrets.
It had been years since anyone had been down here. Due to nothing moving, nor living down in the chamber, the outer areas had accumulated a large, thick layer of dust and grime.
Making his way from the opening of the pipe, Harry carfully walked over the slick bone field, Stopped at the tiny opening in the rock fall where Ron had pulled him and Ginny through, before moving the whole thing back against the walls with a simple spell.
As he walked down the corridor to the main entrance to the chambers, Harry didn't reflect upon anything. It was a little surprising since he expected to be thinking of something but after thinking on it for a few moments, he found that he really didn't care. Stopping in front of the heavy circular door to the chamber, he sniffed the air and smelled a heavy pungent scent lingering in the air.
Pasuing for only a second, Harry didn't think anything of it and gave the final hiss in order to get into the true chamber. As soon as the door swung open Harry was hit by a huge gust of rotting flesh. Harry collapsed to his knees and lost what little food he had in his stomach. He had forgotten that the Basilisk corpse was still down here and had been rotting for the better part of five years.
Pulling out his wand, he cast the bubblehead charm on himself before he walked further into the room. The first thing that Harry noticed was the Basilisk that was left in the center of the chamber. deciding to get rid of the gigantic serpent.
After the Basilisk was gone, moved into one of the pipes then sealed off with a small portable ward, Harry waved his wand in an orchastrated manner before a wall of wind blew from one end of the chamber to the other, and out hidden air pipes, cleaning the air of any stagnant smells.
Satisfied for now, Harry walked around the chambers, taking the quiet and peacfulness of the surrounding area. After being down in the chamber for a while, Harry quickly grew bored of the main chamber and decided to start exploring the pipes that line the surrounding area.
In these various pipes nothing was found save slime and the random dulled scale from when the Basilisk was alive. Shaking his head a little at the monotonous of the chamber, Harry made his was back into the main chamber and was about to leave. As he reached the door he stopped, thinking of the basilisk that was still down here. Something in the back of his mind whispered that Hermione would be able to use the venom for some powerful potions that they would need for the upcoming war.
Turning around, Harry quickly walked towards the seal pipe, and upon reaching it he cast another bubblehead charm before removing the wards. Walking up to the corpse, Harry noticed that the only thing that wasn't with rotting flesh was the head, something that he was grateful for.
Pulling out his wand he transfigured some rocks on the ground into large jars and charms them to become unbreakable. After that he walked up to the open mouth and with a small pressure spell to the roof of the basilisk began collecting the poison from its sacks.
Ten minutes later a calmer Harry walked out of the girls bathroom and began to make his way back to the room of requirements. As he was walking through the halls he began to hear a strange sound, like that of a cannon firing.
Stopping in the middle of the hallway Harry gazed down the corridor wondering what made that sound. As he stood there he noticed something else. Everything that should have been making a sound, wasn't. Moving towards a window, Harry looked out a what he say made him wonder just what was going on.
Everything outside was silent. Everything outside was silent due to the fact that everything outside was frozen in place. Students rushing towards the castle in a panic before curfew, birds flying through the air, even the giant squid, with one tentacle out of the water about to launch a grindylow at near sub-sonic speeds.
Backing away from the window, Harry began to walk in the direction of the common room when he heard the cannon-like sound once more, only this time it sounded like it was closer and coming from behind him. Drawing his wand he slowly made his way to the end of the corridor where he could look around the corner of. As he did this, the sound came once more and sounded to be on top of him.
Turning around, Harry began to run in the direction that he was originally heading and he thought that he had lost whatever was making that strange noise when he reached the sixth floor corridor, the longest one in the castle.
He slowed down next to a window to catch his breath and he looked outside once more. This time the view showed him Hogsmeade and the people who were going about on their daily business. Or they would have been going on about their daily business if they weren't frozen in place. This had to be something that Voldemort was doing, but Harry couldn't recall a spell or curse that could stop time and effect a large area as Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.
Just as he regained his breath he heard to cannon sound once more, only this time it was coming from both ends of the corridor. Moving so that his back was towards the wall, he looked to both ends of the hallway and readied himself to fight should something be coming after him. Looking down both ends of the hallway he noticed something that was shimmering, almost as if light was reflecting off of water coming towards him slowly.
He was about to fire a spell towards the wall when the cannon sounded once more and the wall jumped forwards by about ten feet. Harry, unsure what to do began to run the other way, away from the wall when he was met by another one, both of them keeping him trapt in the hallway. Cautious, Harry fired of a string of low level stunners towards the closest wall and watched as they were all absorbed into the wall without so much as a ripple.
Harry was about to step up the power of his spells when the cannon sounds once more and the walls jumped to three feet in front and behind him. Staring into the walls, Harry thought he could see something moving and the longer he looked the clearer the picture became. It looked like a village surrounded by trees on almost all sides.
The people in the village where going about on their daily tasks, but something unusual caught his eyes. It was the people that were jumping from one rooftop to another, the children throwing weapons, and the general speed of all of them that made Harry curious. Without thinking about what he was doing, Harry had stepped close in order to see more of this world.
It wasn't until his nose was almost touching the wall in front of him that he finally snapped out of his daze, tearing his eyes from the four people that were calmly walking far down the road towards the village, Harry looked around and noticed that the walls were almost touching him. knowing that he couldn't do anything, he gripped his wand tightly before gathering his resolve and waited.
A few seconds later Harry heard the cannon sound once more before the world bled to darkness.
End of Chapter 2