Chapter 2 - Plans, Changes in plans, and a Question
The doors to the great hall opened. Hagrid peered in, and looked at dumbledore. Dumbledore beckoned him forth. He missed the merry and colourful hall as it now lacked the students. The holidays between terms was usually very quiet and it stayed that way, till last year, when Sirius had broken out of prison.
"Ah Pofessor! I was looking fer yeh yesterday and heard yeh got an appointmen' with that Malfoy." He looked at him, as if for conformation.
"Yes, Lucius wanted to ... know my opinion on the incident that happened at the lake."
"That ol' fool! What does he want now, huh? He's ben meddlin with you since his ferret of a son came in to the school. Better off without his lot pokin' their nose in, I say..."
"The nature of people is far more complex than to reason it out of a person's behaviour, Hagrid. I summoned you here because I need you to take up a task."
"What is it, sir? And why me?"
"I need someone who cannot be impersonated, and totally trustworthy. You fit better than a glove to me Hagrid, but this is a matter I would advice you to maintain absolute confidentiality, especially with students. This has been classified ministry matter, but it is correct that she should know about it."
Hagrid looked at him expectantly."You would have to run up with the official story, of course. But inform Olympe of what I show you."
Hagrid nodded, and stood.
"I'll need you back when the school year starts, Hagrid."
Harry Potter was tired, his head aching because of a lack of sleep. This was explained by the bird in his side, who squawked, appearing innocent. He scowled, as Hedwig was the reason he had to stay up all night amidst screams by Aunt petunia, for the mess his bird could do to the house in a mere few minutes(after days of imprisonment in a cage, he couldn't accuse the bird of a good flight)and the countless comparisons with his own worthlessness. The problem was that after the cage was opened, Hedwig flew straight into Dudley's room, with a 'meal' he caught himself in that room. The bed was full of... stains, which were subsequently cleaned by Harry in three hours of arduous removal (of the rat which tormented Dudley's sleep). The removal of the rat by Harry's owl had obviously gone unnoticed.
He opened up the bundle from the brown owl at the window, passed out an owl treat with a Knut to the bird, and sat down on the bed. He had been waiting for the quidditch World Cup, and Hermione had had him subscribed to the Daily Prophet. Nothing new was happening, and his birthday was due in a week's time. Sirius had sent a clock with a scream for an alarm and told him that he was being told to get back to an old house of his by the headmaster. He had adopted Snuffles as a name to make sure his letters were not intercepted, but he needn't have worried. The ministry of magic had tried searching the Asian subcontinent under a tip from "trusted sources" the Sirius black was getting trained in unknown martial arts. The Quibbler, a magazine that Sirius seemed to love, had reported that the singer had now impugned into a secret life of drama and poisoning chocolates. He had doubts on Sirius' sanity after that...
The World Cup grand finale was scheduled on a Sunday, and it had the Irish pitched up against the winner of the Czech v Bulgaria. A rare piece of news on the front page about hogwarts caught his eye...
"SENIOR WIZENGAMOT MEMBER ACCUSES HOGWARTS HEADMASTER
-Skeeter
With terror rising on the wake of Sirius Black's recent escapade from Hogwarts grounds, the inability of the current Headmaster to act coordinated with the government has once again come to the forefront. Mister Lucius Malfoy, member of the wizengamot, has asked for the supreme mugwump of the ICW, to reconsider his position of power. The recent suggestion of the possible location of the notorious Death eater Sirius black by the headmaster of hogwarts, has turned out to be a fake one, as Sirius black has been sighted by our senior undersecretary to the minister, madam Dolores Umbridge, who claimed that she would have had the chance to apprehend the criminal, weren't she in a state of violating the Statute of secrecy in muggle london. Provided Albus Dumbledore's recent inclusion of possessed professors and ravenous werewolves into the school, where the future generation develops, Mr. Malfoy has expressed concerns over Dumbledore's position in the ICW.
-Further discussion on the Statute of Secrecy and its implications over the vampires, read on to page 22, where Eldred Worple talks with our editor-in-chief
Harry ate up breakfast, and took the letters that he hid under the floorboard. One was Hermione, asking him if he would recommend her coming to the quidditch World Cup, or spending her time in the garage of her house that was in the process of renovation. She hadn't asked anyone else, because she thought Ron would get offended by her doubts. Harry scribbled an emphatic "Come to the World Cup, Hermione?, You seriously think that as an option? You need to study for the next year's exams, my friend... I'm disappointed in you.. OF COURSE COME TO THE WORLD CUP , YOU IDIOT"
The prison was large, with neverending walls unchartered. The number of muggles dead for the construction of this miraculous monument was higher than what even Tom Riddle could comprehend... the inmate took his next drink, of the serum that prolonged his life. "I have waited for you, Tom... A long time, yes, but the wait never tired me out"
But. He was no mere slave. He was more. He couldn't place himself. No. Not a servant. The venous channels, that flowed throughout the prison, supplying water, provided him a drink. He remembered why he waited. To serve Tom Riddle.
The Beauxbatons carriages were waiting in the orchards. Madam Maxime was prowling the avenue while she saw a man come towards her on a Thestral. Travelling with thestrals had never been a fashion in these parts... This man had a rugged look on his face. His beard had a piece of cheese hanging over its edges. He climbed out and commented "Abraxan horses eh? These look well bred and fed. Let me introduce meself. I am Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of the keys... oh um, yeah, professor, at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. You must be Madame Maxime"
"Ah, I expected Dumbledore to send me an envoy. Eez eet about the triwizard tournament? What has dumbledore in store to amuze us?"
"Ah yes, where was I? Yes, um, the triwizard tournament had to be, uh, postponed... there were a few concerns regarding the inhabitants of the great black lake of Hogwarts, and so we had to reschedule some of the tasks planned for the year.
"Oh, Ees eet... oh my... I had informed Dumbleedore that our school year starts and ends a month prior to his own, and he had me convinced that eet wouldn't be a problem..."
"Yes, Ma'am, and that was the reason of my visit. The Headmaster wanted to ensure that you were not changed from that idea."
"Mr. Rubeus, I have given him my word. My students would be here come the end of the month, and a few scheduling issues shouldn't be much of a problem."
"There is another issue ma'am, and Dumbledore wanted this to be private."
Igor karkaroff smiled. He had been expecting Dumbledore to have changed the plans for the Triwizard tournament because of the new recent news that he had heard from his sources. Severus had confirmed those suspicions. Igor hated the formalities of such a tournament but he had to improve the name of the school. The school had garnered a negative response from the public not because of it in ability to teach but because of the nature of the things that were taught there. You wouldn't call them good.
He Floo called the Krum Residence. Krum wasn't such a good student but he made up for things in Quidditch. He was Igor's model student, and his prodigy in quidditch had not gone to waste, unlike Charlie Weasley of Britain, who had gone looking for Dragons.
Igor had been able to pull some strings because of the gratitude he had garnered from Lucius Malfoy, for not getting his head behind bars of Azkaban during the post-Halloween trials of 1981. He had been forced to sacrifice Rookwood's name, but he knew that playing around with Lucius would not have done him good. He had some political power of his own, but getting Victor through the age restrictions was a monumentous task.
Victor's father was not a simple man. As a person abiding to the pure blood ideologies of old, he had surprisingly enough tolerance to accommodate Muggleborns into the society. For reasons unknown, Igor hadn't even bothered with knowing his name. He called for Victor.
"Victor, the Headmaster is here"
"Coming, mother"
"Ah, Sir, what is it?, How may I help you?"
Igor smiled, his ugly teeth showing, "I merely visited you in anticipation, my child. How are the preparations for the semifinal match going on, eh?"
Krum smiled. "We have been practicing, sir, and Levski has very good coordination. He has-"
"Victor. Your actions would have wider echoes. You should have to maintain stardom, my child. Levski is three years older than you, and you need to train much more than a mere chaser. You are a simple child, and you have already joined the national team. People are looking for you. Give yourself for them to cheer. You have to be the centre of attraction. I know you will be able to win the semifinals, and seeing as the Irish dont put much stake at their seekers, your moves would have to save the matches. Finishing games quickly is not a problem of yours. The chasers should have gotten enough to prevent the other team from winning by then."
"Yes, Sir, I understood it."
"And Victor, the other reason I came here is because I need you to be the one enrolling for an opportunity to bring our school glory."
"And that would be,how, sir?"
"The International council of wizards have lifted their ban on the Triwizard tournament because the limit of a 120 years had ended. The British have decided that this is their chance, to start announcing their triwizard tournament, before Ilvermony, or the Salems have their call. They want Europe to have the 'pride of the new century' as they put it."
"But the tournament is said to have caused all sorts of fatalities, Sir! There have been 48 deaths in the last 23 tournaments, and it was said to have been banned for eternity to prevent the death of the best of the students..."
"Wow, Victor, I had no idea you listened to History of Magic classes. Glory to the school is the utmost victory, and your way of repaying the school your debt of gratitude."
Krum grumbled."I'll do it... sir."
Igor nodded cheerfully. "How are the new brooms that you've been using, huh? I heard the government decided to present them Firebolts for the finals."
"No, sir. That was our petition, and they don't seem to have looked into it yet."
"I'll see what I can do, then."
Hermione granger opened the letter that she had retrieved from under Errol's whimpering mass of feathers. She took out the piece of paper that was from the twins, and the main content, the letter from Ron.
She took Ron's letter first.
Hey Hermione,
How are you? We are all fine here, and I just wanted to get this letter to you before the weekend to Harry's birthday. Please forgive Errol, I had to send Pigwidgeon(the gift from Snuffles) to Harry. I waited for him to reply but before I read it, Ginny took him out for chatting with some Lovegood(Honestly, the Lovegood residence is just a mile away. She could just have walked, in my opinion)
How's Crookshanks? And have you done your researching on primitive bone mending charms that Flitwick put us up to before the vacations? If yes, please bring it when coming for the World Cup. I don't have a clue as to how to proceed with it.
Did you hear about Malfoy wanting to push off Dumbledore from the ICW? Dad was furious. He claims Malfoy just wants to usurp Dumbledore off all positions of power because he kept pushing for a truth serum aided questioning for Malfoy after You-Know-Who died.
The World Cup is on 25th of august, Thursday, and I think Dad has pre booked tickets too. Curiously I haven't heard much from him about the topic. It's like he is hiding some secret.
We will pick you up from the leaky cauldron three days before the match, so come there. Dad says he wants to meet you at your house, but Mom disagrees. Please remove all batteries from yourself before you meet Dad anyway.
RSVP, Ron
She took Fred/George's letter.
Hey Hermione,
This letter would probably be a day late, coz we decided to check into Ickle Ronny's letter for hidden Love charms, and confundi(or is it confunduses), and it seems we were right in assuming that he was not into you. You are a good girl, we would like you to be alive, and falling for Ronnykins doesn't seem like survival. Even our ghoul won't like it.
The idiot didn't hear Dad at all, then. Dad convinced Ludo Bagman for a couple of tickets to the World Cup final at the top box with VIP seats. Dad was practically bragging about it at dinner too.
And could you buy some Erumpent Toenails for some experimenting of our own? We can't be seen wandering down the alley in front of Mom, and she would kill us if we were buying something of that sort...
And please let Ron suffer. Don't bring in the charms essay, or make it long enough to kill Ron
Gred and Forge
Charlie Weasley had an unexpected visitor. The Headmaster of Hogwarts.
"Ah, , I was looking forward to meet you after I heard about the promotion."
"That was two years ago, Professor."
"Yes, how could I forget. A Norwegian Ridgeback born in Hogwarts. Norbert, wasn't it? Pity, Hagrid would have loved to see it grow..."
"Ah, sir, it was a female."
"Mmm. My visit is to formally tell you that our order for the Dragons for the Tournament has been cancelled. The problems regarding the second task had me and Bartemius thinking of changing the series of tasks for the tournament."
"I understand it sir. Actually, I expected it. Even bringing in three dragons into Hogwarts would have been a problem, I'm glad that those plans got scraped off."
"There have been problems regarding the usage of non sentient beasts for the tournament, but it has been a practice for years that the tasks should involve arduous conditions."
"And the rumours of an age restriction?"
"They are true, as far as Barty is concerned. And even I don't want to see those twins of yours getting into the tournament. Now that is a fear the Dragons would share..." They both laughed. "There hasn't been an age restriction through the years, and usually the Goblet of Fire selected the most worthy competitors for the tasks ahead. They usually seemed to be of age. But when the last tournament was held, I personally saw a second year competitor strangled in the neck by the snake head of a chimera while the goat fried his face and the lion chewed his legs. That was a gruesome sight to behold, and truly, the ICW thought so. Pity it was also held in Hogwarts..."
She ran. I followed. Her eyes were blank, and when she saw me, she screamed her lungs out. I had to enter her body and clasp my hands over my mouth to stop her. She had dropped her wand on the way. We went to fetch it. She was talking with my mind. "I surely don't know what I am supposed to do. Don't kill me please." "No, Bertha, you are now my body. You will not come to harm, I can assure you to that." I cast an repairing charm on the glasses as I picked them up. I decided on not taking my core to the surface so as to see and hear whatever happened in the surroundings. I only managed to get a whiff of turban washed in garlic the last time I attempted that. I pushed myself in. She should be happy that she wasn't going to turn bald.
I see through her eyes. The forest looms in front of us, and my pain had faded so much, so much that I didn't even think about the rats and snakes i had been forced to possess.
I command her to reach her bag, and she does so. She had muggle currency, a whole stash of it. She had had her galleons converted to cash.
I probe her mind, but couldn't find a reason for coming here. She seems to just enjoy the bliss of my presence that I used to comfort the host of my parasitic activity. Hmm... I was more of a symbiote. The host will not have their body in pain or anything. But their survival would help me live. In return I gave them power. Power that a mere girl as her could not dream of.
I sense a memory charm holding her back. I couldn't break past it when I was inside her.
She whimpers. I ask her the cause. She sees a building in front of us , reading Hotel Forest House. She hates the thought of me entering there and killing Muggles. I laugh. I am not going to ruin my cover, my dear Bertha.
I feel a urge for blood. Unicorn blood had saved my life, but the need had been just another manifestation of its power. Killing an unicorn was an extremely dark thing to do, and even he, lord voldemort, had backed out of that deed. I had simply found an injured unicorn, which had stumbled into an acromantula horde. I had hid its body, and came for it every month with a preserving and a blood replenishing charm till it died. To have Harry Potter and the accursed centaur enter the scene was unexpected, and I had been forced to leave, lest his identity lost before the acquisition of the philosopher's stone.
I remember the touch of the boy, and all that had come out of it was pain and hadn't felt pain like that till the beginning of summer in the year of 1993, when he had felt pain as if his soul was sheared apart. Even making an horcrux wouldn't hurt so much, I think.
Ah, the horcrux. I direct Bertha into walking towards the rotten tree, that Rowena Ravenclaw herself couldn't place, even after her daughter had just died 3 feet apart, stabbed to death by the Baron. The tree had contained the long lost Diadem of Ravenclaw herself, and he had stupidly hidden it in the castle of Hogwarts, after which he reveled under the thought of doing it under Dumbledore's very crooked nose. Now he had to find another one of his horcruxes, to have a fuller soul, so that he would be able to endure this pain.
No more than a yard in the direction of the tree, Bertha cried out loud. He had accidentally shared his thoughts, and hence, his pain with her, and this sensation made her fall to her knees, and we blacked out, a burly man from the hotel running towards us being our last sight.
He screamed. The memory charm of the old man had left him the moment the lightning struck his prison. He remembered everything. The false memories left him. He was no servant, he was the lord. He was king over mortals, he ruled over them in... ahhh...
The guardians of this prison do not suck out souls. They didn't exist, even. He was kept alive in a bare minimum... he remembered his name, and the feeling of dread flew over him. How much time had passed? The next vial of the elixir would have to be preserved. He had no use for gold, nor life. His life was not ended when his wand left him. Nor when he killed his friend's most precious jewel. Nor when he lost his school, protected forever from his likes, with the chains that kept death at bay lost for eternity.
He rose, and exclaimed his claim. "The master of Death has arisen. Again. Plead, Albus, and you shall be punished."
The disappearance of the red bird with the golden plumage made him laugh, as he fell forward, the White light of the Obliviating curse hitting him from behind, coming from the stolen wand of Death. He fell forwards. The water splashed on his face, as he suddenly screamed "Tom Riddle!"
(At the same time)
The black lake was swirling. As Dumbledore shouted nonsense into the air, he got his replies. He then plunged his face into the water, his face morphing with gills appearing on his cheeks. He wasn't called the greatest transmogrifier of his era for mere needles to matchsticks shifts.
He spoke to the lady of the deep, who commanded her sons in full battle armour to stay put. He asked for her help with finding the greatest of the three, and she replied, with gratitude, the answer that would allow Dumbledore to access his goal.
She removed her veil, and called Dumbledore forth. He entered the water, and walked with her, through her gardens of anemones.
:your hospitality pleases me, if it wasn't for your timely warning, the danger could never have been averted:
:it pleases me that our lake has always been connected to hogwarts by means unfathomable by any of the anybody else had been the authority, it would still have been informed. It is duty, rather than a favour:
:has the item been secured?:
:yes, it has, but you need to imbibe the stasis charms which can protect even humans, and we need a wizard to do that,i'm afraid:
:i would do it, milady:
:we need to go to the grove, the squid wouldn't dare disturb us there:
A bright flash of light, and a screech later, the merpeople were found staring at a white Phoenix which said, in fluent mermish, :i have left in lieu of an urgent matter, i am sorry if it had offended you, and i shall return shortly:
Bertha was a good host. Once she realised that she wasn't in any kind of danger, she did not have any problem in me staying within her.
She comments, "Is the room above up to your expectations, Tom?"
"Do not use that name, it offends me"
She sipped her coffee. "You ain't My Lord, Tom"
"In any case, don't refer to me. You think anything, and I know about it. There isn't the need for you to mention my filthy muggle father's name."
Another sip. "Haha, I'm half blood. What are you gonna do about it, huh"
She laughed, pulling a strand of hair in front, and twisting it with her left hand.
"I don't care. I'm half blood too"
"Where do we go now, then"
"You know, Quirinus was practically begging me to leave his body, spending the rest of the time under the Cruciatus. You are different."
"You see, I know that you need me. You said yourself that rats and snakes hate followers are in jail. Dumbledore is watching. You want a silent friend, rather than a frightened slave. I am just exploiting my position."
"Changing the topic, we need to go to great hangleton. There is a plan that I would like to attempt tonight."
"Okay, Brace yourselves for another Apparation"
I decide that Jorkins might come useful, but she tries my patience.
Peter saw the form twist in the air. He smelled his master from a mile ahead, and he was looking at Bertha Jorkins sip her coffee while laughing to herself. He planned to approach her, but it was too late.
He started busying himself to the half empty cup of coffee. He shifted back to his human form.
He twirled the Yew and Phoenix feather wand, refilling the cup, and ordered for the cheapest food the restaurant had, and after a few multiplying charms, and chewing, his stomach was full. He now realised that he had to pay the bill.
"Show me your wand"
"Willow and unicorn hair, 12 inches. Good for defending, but poor in casting. That's what Ollivander said."
"Open the door. Say what I say."
After a few trails of parseltongue, the accent was right and the door creaked. She pushes it open and enters. Most tables are normal, but the one I had broken had remained so. The leg flies up and starts tapping the floorboards each floorboard creaking in different frequencies but in unison
Bertha is not amused. She asks me my plan. I stay silent, chanting the cure to the poison that the dust shaken up by the table leg created.
She chokes, but gets normal. She asks the reason. I reply. She goes forward, cutting across to the one floorboard not tapped. "You have good eyes my dear Bertha. How did you possibly notice that"
"A ministry employee always has eyes-"
"-for gossip and rumours" I say.
"Whatever" She rolls her eyes.
She levitates the ring out of the gold encrusted box, while I commence feeling bad for myself. Literally.
The only way you kill your own horcrux, is remorse. Remorse for having created it.
"Can I touch it." "No"
"Continue your brooding."
Just as the first tear drop I mustered for Morfin Gaunt, my uncle (The kill for this horcrux were my father and his parents, but I won't feel sorry for them. They didn't deserve anything out of me. Atleast Morfin had given up his life in Azkaban for my kill, so I decided that he was worth crying for.) falling down my imaginary face, I realise that something was missing.
The ring had started melting without any change in its shape, but its jewel was not on it. It had been there when I created it. I swelled in anger. If my remorse had hit it, then the jewel was not the horcrux. The ring had been it. I could feel my soul enter me, but I did not feel the jewel as my horcrux. So the ring had been it.
What happened to my jewel? Where could it have gone?
Reviews please, and would you like me to post regular short updates or long weekly ones? Pm me
And for clarification, the white Phoenix is the talking patronus thing that We are introduced to in the seventh book (by Kingsley), that conveys messages.
