Chapter Three: The Death Debate
A week later, as groups of students hurried down the corridors to various lessons, Ignotus found that he was trudging behind his fellow Gryffindors by several feet, and had been for several days.
They weren't ignoring him, and he wasn't exactly ignoring them. But it was as though a rift had formed between them that Ignotus would have to bridge at some point. The others were worried and concerned for him, but they would not to push him to resume his former, cheerful, boisterous personality. They gave him space to think and grieve. Or perhaps they simply didn't know what to say, so they said nothing.
In one way, Ignotus was grateful for the distance. On the other hand, he was irritated by it. The distraction of being included in a large group of friends would have been a relief from the dark, lonely thoughts that had been consuming him for the past week. But with painful reflection, he decided that he probably wouldn't be able to pull off his usual laughter even if he were in the center of his fellow Gryffindors' antics. He would only destroy his mates' cheerfulness with his grief, and that would be worse. They didn't deserve that from him; this was his family's period of mourning. He would carry the burden of sadness alone until he felt he could cross the rift and be a part of his friends' lives once more as the Ignotus they remembered.
A deep green cloak brushed past him as Ignotus turned up a flight of stairs. He glanced quickly behind him, but Antioch did not turn round or speak. Since their verbal disagreement with Cadmus, the eldest Peverell brother had been rather distant, too. Even the students of Slytherin had commented that Antioch was keeping to himself more than usual these past few days.
With a heavy sigh, Ignotus began to climb again. He would have liked to speak to his brother, but Antioch was not one to share his problems or seek support from anyone, and never had been.
Pushing Antioch to the back of his mind, Ignotus focused on the scarlet cloaks of Ross, Perseus, Gaderian, Ansen, and Rowe, which were now several paces ahead of him. His friends lighted upon the landing of the stairs and headed down a wide corridor towards this morning's classroom, not bothering to look behind them. They were eagerly discussing their latest Defense lecture, and Ignotus wished he could join in, he could think of nothing constructive to say.
The previous day, Godric had intrigued them with a discussion on honorable battle techniques that were quite powerful and effective. Godric was a master of many fields of magic, but Defense was one of his strongest, and his students were always enthralled with these types of lessons. Today, they would be practicing Defense on the fifth floor, before heading to the Great Hall for dinner that afternoon, which would be followed by the first quarterly round table discussion on a topic selected by the Founders. But no one was thinking of the upcoming round table discussion. Instead, Ignotus's classmates were solely thrilled to have a chance of practicing against their Master, because he was so good at dueling. It was challenging, though none of them ever believed they could defeat him. Godric was, after all, the best.
As they reached the classroom door, the girls of Gryffindor House joined them from the other end of the hall. Callisto, Cantrella, Hesperia, Edsel, and Elva wore long dresses and cloaks in their Founder's color, and were deep in conversation about the prior lecture as well.
Cantrella Dreux commanded attention as the boys drew nearer, as she always did, and Ignotus glanced up to listen to her just as the others had. Anything, he thought, to take his mind off everything else – even listening to Cantrella, who was a snobbish pureblood related to the wealthy, powerful House of Black through her mother. He'd often wondered how she had come to study beneath Godric, but he'd heard once that Godric and Salazar had debated heavily over Cantrella's placement when she had first arrived at Hogwarts. Apparently, she had qualities that suited her best for the Founder of bravery and courage than any of the others, but Ignotus could always see something dark lurking beneath Cantrella's heavily lidded, smoldering eyes, and it annoyed him.
"We were just discussing the finer points of Master Godric's reflections yesterday," she said more pleasantly than usual, though there was still a sharp expression in her haughty features. "Does not the Caecus Curse seem difficult? Master Godric suggested that it takes great presence of mind to cast it properly."
"I don't expect to find it difficult, though I can't imagine we would be practicing it today." Perseus Weasley frowned. "Master Godric has yet to teach us the counter-curse, after all."
"Perhaps he's expecting one of us to use the curse against him so he can teach us the counter-curse in practice," suggested Elva, who was one of the youngest of the lot.
And without any warning whatsoever, Ignotus's stomach began to writhe and twist, while his friends continued their light banter over which curses, hexes, and jinxes they would be applying themselves to this morning. He had a sudden desire to bolt back to the tower and not attend the practical at all. How odd! A week earlier, he had been only too eager to prove himself, and he always loved to spar against his master. Bile tickled the back of his throat unpleasantly and he slumped against the wall, desperate to calm his nerves.
The simple truth of the matter was, that he didn't want to fight today. That was all there was to it. And he'd never had the urge to avoid a duel with his incredible Founder.
His closest friend, Ross Faintree, suddenly touched his shoulder. When Ignotus glanced up, he discovered Ross looked more than just concerned – there was real worry and fear in his clear brown eyes.
He whispered, "Ignotus, indeed, you have not been yourself." Then, before Ignotus could interrupt, he went on in a quiet rush, possibly hoping no one would overhear. "I can understand why, truly I can, but we are all gravely worried for you. Are you well? You look terrible."
But despite Ross's attempts to keep his voice low, the cheerful chatter around them ceased almost instantly and Ignotus felt sweat clamming in the creases of his palms. He couldn't bear them to all stare at him and talk behind his back. Anger rose in him like fire; he suddenly despised his best friend for speaking at all in front of the others, even in hushed tones.
And then, a moment later, before he could lose his temper, he realized his classmates had fallen silent. Not because of his depression, but because Godric was approaching.
He immediately wondered if he was overly paranoid, and as quick as his anger had swept through him, so did the emotion of shame for his thoughts regarding Ross. Ross had been at his side ever since their entrance to Hogwarts the same autumn, and he would never have turned his back on Ignotus or spoken ill of him with the others. And yet, Ignotus had felt the poison of hatred just because Ross had been concerned for his wellbeing. Perhaps he was going mad, as Cadmus seemed to be. That thought was as bad as all the rest.
Godric did not notice this awkward exchange or Ignotus's pale expression, however. He merely smiled with enthusiasm as he approached his students and unlocked the classroom door with his wand. Ushering them inside, he said, "Today, as promised, we will be dueling. I will be taking turns to partner with each of you to determine where your skill level is at present; how much you've learned and applied the last few weeks. Keep in mind yesterday's lecture as you fight me! Always fight fairly and with honor, but remember that your enemy may not – and often will not – be fighting the same way. You must always have tricks up your sleeve to combat those who will show you no mercy. Now, line up against the east wall, please. I will call you forward one by one."
Ignotus slumped into his place between Ross and Perseus, and resumed his worrying. He would not have time to apologize to his best mate until after the practicum, and that seemed like an eternity away.
And in the meantime, he still didn't want to fight. His love for Godric's teaching and incredible skill wasn't enough to make him want to raise his wand. He knew it was a reaction to his father's death: a defense mechanism in which he was curling up within himself to avoid confrontation. His father, and likely his mother, would be ashamed of him for such a reaction to a natural part of life. Ignotus gritted his teeth tightly to stop some of the pain inside of him.
But the real distraction came when Godric called Elva to the front. Compared to their Founder, Elva was quite small, elfin, and ethereal in her appearance, but despite her age of just fourteen, she was incredibly talented. Within seconds of the duel's start, she had used four spells against Godric that no one had been expecting. Ansen even had to throw up a protection spell to prevent being hit by one of hers that ricocheted off a wall, and after thirty seconds Godric put an end to the first mock duel.
"Excellent!" he said proudly. "But you must remember, Miss Port, not to use such strong spells except in a last resort. Using them at the beginning is indeed one strategy; it catches your opponent off guard and enables you to possibly overpower him immediately. But if your opponent is a skilled fighter, he will likely retaliate – and then your tricks are used, giving you less of a chance to defeat him. Next! Miss Taillebois!"
Elva bowed politely, but there was marked frustration in her expression as she returned to the wall to wait, and Hesperia Taillebois passed her with a smirk, her long golden curls rippling down her back as she stood to her fullest height and tilted her chin back, ready to go against Godric.
And so it went. After Hesperia, Edsel stepped forward and used a little-known jinx that she had only discovered the week before during her private studies – Godric was incredibly impressed that she had learned it so quickly, and that she had even found it at all. Cantrella, on the other hand, surprised everyone by using several strong offensive spells against her Master's attacks, for which she was highly praised.
The final girl to fight Godric was Callisto, who fought longer than all of her dorm mates, and with skill surpassing theirs by far. Ignotus wondered where she had learned to fight so fiercely. It had always been thus. Nothing seemed to catch her off guard; she remained perfectly calm but intensely focused in all of their practices. But then, he had always wondered why Callisto's spell work was so advanced. No one really thought about it until they saw her abilities in a practical, but the truth was, she knew more magic than most of them combined. But she was always so quiet and sweet that she never failed to catch Ignotus off his guard when he least expected it. Perhaps she was simply exceptionally talented. Perhaps Godric had been teaching her privately, as he was teaching Ignotus privately once a week in Defense.
But whatever the secret behind Callisto's mysterious abilities, the fact remained that she had fought the best out of all of the girls. Godric, too, seemed most pleased with her skills, but surprisingly, he did not linger to give additional praise to Callisto as he had the other girls, which Ignotus thought was a bit unfair. She had fought better than anyone so far; she should have received the highest praise. And yet, Callisto herself did not seem perturbed by the fact that Godric had not praised her. She merely returned to her space against the wall with a placid expression.
Ignotus simply could not understand it.
But he did not have time to dwell on it, because the boys were next.
He swallowed as, one by one, his friends stepped forward to duel with Godric. This round was slightly more violent than the girls' session. Spells bounced off the ceiling and floor and one thrown by Perseus went through the narrow window in the corner of the west wall to explode in violent shades of red and orange outside against the gray sky. No less than eight times did someone have to throw up a protection spell to shield those standing against the east wall.
And finally, Godric called Ignotus forward. He was the last of the boys to step up, and he could feel everyone staring at him as he moved to the center of the room. He wondered if they were whispering about him, but there was an odd buzzing in his ears that prevented him from hearing anything else.
His mouth felt dry, as well. Perhaps Godric would realize he didn't want to fight and their duel would last only a few short seconds. He could even stand the constructive criticism at this point if he fought poorly – anything for his mock duel to be over and done. His palms were sweaty again and his wand slipped between his fingers; he tried to grip it more tightly as he fell into stance and raised it to begin.
Godric waited for what seemed an eternity; then, without warning, threw a spell nonverbally, almost catching Ignotus off guard.
And instantly, everything Ignotus had been feeling the past week exploded. The anger, the hurt, the pain, the frustration and humiliation, the sadness, and the grief – it all burst from him violently. He was hardly conscious of fighting; bright blinding spells went off around him and he was thinking so quickly that, later in the day, he could not recall which spells he himself had used against Godric or which spells Godric had sent at him. Nor could he remember how long he dueled his Founder. All he remembered was the sheer weight of every emotion within him finally channeling through his veins to his fingertips, and from there, through the end of the wand. All heading directly towards the man he admired so deeply, whom he would have done anything for.
And then, as instantaneously as the explosion within him had taken place, just as quickly did Godric end it.
Ignotus could only remember the feeling of shock that brought him back to his senses when he found his wand flying from his hand and clattering into the wall. He had lunged for it at the last second, horrified that he had lost it at all, but he was unable to snatch it back. Only when he stumbled and caught his balance did he realize that Godric had disarmed him on purpose to end their duel.
Taking several steadying breaths, stunned at how he had just acted, Ignotus stole a glance at the other students. To his horror, they were staring at him in shock. Humiliated, he diverted his eyes. The only students who were not staring as though he were mad were Callisto and Cantrella; the two of them seemed more interested rather than upset.
"Quite impressive," Godric murmured.
Ignotus realized his Founder had approached him and was handing his wand back. He slowly reached forward and took it, wishing his emotions hadn't gotten the better of him and that he hadn't fought like a madman. His classmates were clearly terrified and furious with him for being so forward as to fight with insanity against their noble teacher. He wondered how many times this day he would feel the sickening emotion of shame.
"Please forgive me," Ignotus whispered, putting his wand within his robe's pocket and bowing his head. "I did not fight with fairness as you requested, sir."
To his further surprise, Godric laughed. The sound startled Ignotus as much as his classmates' expressions had.
"But you fought excellently!" he said, his voice warm. Then, turning to the others, he added genially, "Class dismissed! And do not forget that we have our first round table discussion in the Great Hall after dinner today. I shall see you all then."
Ignotus stood silently as everyone filed past him and left the room. Godric did not move, either. When the door at last shut, leaving them alone, Ignotus burst into an incoherent stammering of apology, begging his Master yet again to forgive him for fighting the way he had.
Godric held up a hand. "Ignotus, cease. Apologies are unnecessary. Bottling emotion is the worst possible thing to do after a tragedy, and that is exactly what you had done. By fighting me you allowed the emotion to channel through an escape hatch! Sometimes in battle that is good – it catches the enemy off guard, like using your trump spells at the start would do. But on the other hand, it also has negative effects. It can cause you to become so blinded that you forget who you are. You forget to think properly. You become beast full of rage, hell-bent on destroying everything. I instruct you to remember that in the future. Always keep your wits about you. Emotions are important and define who we are, but when they are out of control they can become harmful instead of being an asset."
Ignotus nodded, still thoroughly embarrassed. "I understand. I will do better, Master Godric. I promise. I didn't mean to –"
Godric opened the door for him. "I know you didn't mean to, and I know you will continue to improve," he said. "And you are doing much better than Cadmus at handling your father's death, or so I hear."
A new worry filled Ignotus – one that had been festering beneath the surface like his pain and grief had. "I don't understand Cadmus," he admitted. "He isn't the brother I remember. I half-wondered if he is going mad. Yesterday, he seemed almost insane, sir."
"Death changes a person's perspective and alters everything. No one who has experienced it remains the same as they were before. But it is how we handle the pain that defines what we become next."
"He seems so lost, so upset..."
"I'm sure it will pass."
"Yes, sir." Ignotus sighed as they headed down a flight of stairs.
Perhaps Godric realized how upset his student was, because he said soberly, "I should warn you that Salazar selected a rather delicate subject for the round table discussion this evening. You and your brothers may be angry for it."
Ignotus felt his insides tighten, and he swallowed. "Oh."
"If you feel the need to leave the Great Hall, I will understand. And I will make sure no one speaks ill of you if that is the case."
Godric gave him a final smile and turned down a hidden passage behind a tapestry, leaving Ignotus bewildered and worried in the main corridor. But despite his bewilderment, he was determined that, whatever the subject Salazar had chosen, he would not, under any circumstance, leave the Great Hall and risk being ridiculed.
oOo
"It was as though you had gone mad," Ross hissed, grabbing a piece of bread from the bowl in front of Ignotus. "Throwing spells no one had even heard of! I don't even think you knew what you were doing! You nearly caught Master Godric off guard twice!"
"I know I saw him stumble once," Rowe added angrily.
Ignotus swallowed and kept his own eyes diverted. He deserved this censure, and he knew it. "I apologized to him, I assure you. Several times."
Gaderian sounded annoyed, too. "And you could definitely tell from his eyes that he wasn't expecting you to cast the Rumerio Curse. Of all things! I've only even read about it in theory!"
"Where did you learn such spells?" Rowe snapped. "You were using magic far beyond what we have studied thus far!"
Ignotus sighed and picked at his bread. He did not want to admit that he had been studying advanced Defense spells for the last year in great detail, under Godric's insistence and guidance. They were all angry with him for the way he had acted against Godric, but there was little to be done other than apologize repeatedly. He should have had better control over his emotions, just as Godric had said. His classmates had a high respect for their Founder and Ignotus did not blame them for their irritation at his actions. Had he witnessed someone fighting Godric the way he had been fighting, he would have been furious, too.
Callisto's voice suddenly broke the tide of anger. "Master Godric thought he did quite well." The boys instantly stopped complaining and gaped at her. She smiled. "He was impressed with the level of seriousness and effort Ignotus put into the lesson."
Ignotus gaped at her. He had assumed her kindness the week prior was real, but he had not expected her to stand up for him now. Especially when she had done so well in her own duel against Godric.
Perseus looked thunderstruck. "How do you know that?" he sputtered.
Callisto arched an eyebrow. "I heard him telling Master Salazar as I came into the Great Hall, just but moment ago."
"Maybe we should act like madmen next time," Ansen grumbled, reaching for a turkey leg. "I thought he was doing it because he was distraught about his father, and all along he was acting that way to get high marks."
Ignotus nearly had his wand out and was on his feet before Ross grabbed his shoulder and wrist, forcing his fingers away from the piece of wood beneath his tunic.
"Am I not distraught! I'm just upset, that's all! There's a difference!" he snarled, trying to break free of Ross's grip. "And I certainly didn't fight that way to get good marks!"
Ansen paled slightly at the outburst, but to his credit, he did not shrink away. Instead, he said coldly, "Then forgive me. We're simply worried about you; you aren't yourself. Do not take your anger out on your friends, Ignotus."
Callisto alone seemed to remain calm throughout this outburst. "Of course he isn't himself, and he's not taking it out on anyone deliberately." She sat down beside Ignotus and reached forward to help herself to some of the wild duck in a platter in the center of the table. "None of us would be the same after something so horrible. But it will pass."
The words rang oddly in Ignotus's ears. It was just what Godric had said only fifteen minutes prior.
It will pass.
But when?
The others fell silent and it was several moments before Rowe finally suggested, in a tentative voice, "I wonder what our round table discussion will be about today? Master Godric did not even give us a hint."
Ignotus looked hopelessly at the pieces of shredded bread on his plate. He was suddenly no longer hungry, or perhaps he had not been hungry to start with. "He told me that my brothers and I would likely not enjoy the discussion topic. But he did not tell me what it was."
Perseus's eyes glinted and he nodded importantly. "Battle, perhaps. Especially as we've been practicing new techniques with Master Godric."
The others agreed that such a topic would make sense; Ignotus, however, felt they were wrong. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to decide what else the topic could be. The Founders always selected broad topics for each of the four round table discussions that took place throughout the year, but he couldn't pinpoint what today's topic would be about, unless it was about grief or fear.
As people finished eating and the chatter began, the pewter plates and goblets disappeared from the tables and the Founders rose from the table at the front of the hall. Instinctively, as students noticed their masters and mistresses approaching, they stood up and stepped away from their own house tables and benches, which began to rearrange themselves into a semi-circle in the center of the huge room. As soon as everything was in order, the students went forward to sit at their respective tables again. They were now facing everyone else.
Godric began, beaming at all of the students. "I hope everyone has been well-fed, but not full of sleep yet! As you all know, our round-table discussions can last for some time, and we expect everyone to participate. Tonight's topic has been chosen by Master Salazar, so I shall politely step aside, and let him inform you as to what we shall be discussing."
With that, Godric stepped back, gesturing for Salazar Slytherin to step forward. The oldest Founder did so, his robes sweeping the floor as he strode into the center of the semi-circle of tables. With one preemptory glance at the students, he said, "As always, we will have four round-table discussions throughout the year. Tonight, the topic I have chosen for our first debate is one that is ever-present in our lives; an entity that we must all come to respect and expect. That entity is as certain as time, the seasons, the ebb and flow of the tides. Tonight, we shall discuss Death."
Ignotus felt as though he had swallowed something wriggly. He glanced nervously towards the table containing the students of Rowena Ravenclaw; Cadmus had clenched his fists tightly on the rough wood and his scowl had become incredibly pronounced. At the table full of Slytherin's students however, Antioch looked expressionless.
"So," Salazar continued, ignoring the silence. "How do you feel about Death? What is Death, exactly? Is it a being, capable of thought and design? Or is it simply one of the governing entities of the universe, like the seasons and time?"
The students shifted slightly, each glancing at their neighbors to see who would begin the discussion. Finally, a student of Helga Hufflepuff, named Fairfax Abbott, said, "I believe that Death is a natural part of life, Master Salazar. It is, essentially, the opposite of birth and life; the end of both – inevitable and, as you say, expected."
Salazar glanced coolly at Fairfax. "And how do you feel about death, Mr. Abbott?"
Fairfax took a deep breath, but his face was pale beneath Salazar's sharp, cold gaze. Trying to keep his voice steady, he said, "As Death is a natural part of life, I will simply accept it. I may not like it, or be expecting it when it does happen. But it will happen, and when it does, I will handle it accordingly. What else can I do?"
"What, indeed?" Salazar murmured.
A Ravenclaw named Pearce Merewether spoke up. "Death will happen, yes. A natural part of life, as Abbott has explained. But this is just the definition of Death as mere humans understand it. Is there not more to Death than the end of Life? What happens when you die? Is that the end of everything? Do you simply revert to nothing, to be forgotten forever?"
Udela Chartes, who was also sitting at the Ravenclaw table, said, "An interesting concept, Pearce. When you die, you suddenly are no more. Existence vanishes, you become inert matter returned to the earth, and you become a nameless, forgotten human just as thousands before you have become nameless and forgotten."
Ignotus felt utterly sick. Forgotten and nameless – would that be what would happen to his father? Would the name of Corvus Peverell vanish forever? Was that the Fate that awaited all of them? To be forgotten?
Rowena Ravenclaw moved forward gracefully to face her students. "Nameless and forgotten, Udela? A sad thought, is it not? Is that what you would wish to happen to you?" she asked placidly.
Udela shrugged one shoulder without care. "No, Mistress. But it returns to Fairfax's concept that Death is a natural, inevitable part of life that we must accept. So if, one day, my Death erases my name from history, there will be nothing I could do about it then." A sarcastic smile twisted the girl's lips. "Once dead, you no longer exist."
"Or did you ever exist to begin with?" Druella Black, from the table of Slytherin's students, sneered. "Do any of us exist? Or are we pawns of the Universe?"
"Of course we exist," snapped Udela, scowling at her cousin. "If we didn't exist, then this discussion, this castle, the world itself, would be a void. There would be nothing."
Salazar cleared his throat and scowled at Druella. "This is not a discussion on existence, Miss Black. This is a discussion on Death." Turning back to the students of Ravenclaw, he said, "So, Miss Chartes, you believe that once dead, you cease to exist completely – that you become a forgotten and nameless pile of bones. I believe there are those here who would object to your suggestion."
Rosalind Willoughby, a student beneath Mistress Helga, looked particularly horrified and distraught at the thought the Ravenclaw students had presented. With Salazar's hint for a different opinion, she timidly said, "I do not believe that we vanish completely upon the inevitable experience of Death. Perhaps we pass through a gateway, so to speak, into the Afterlife."
"And what is in the Afterlife?" Helga asked encouragingly, pacing calmly behind Salazar and Rowena.
"Heaven, of course." Rosalind swallowed. "I believe in Heaven."
Salazar dryly stated, "A Muggle concept."
Rosalind turned bright pink. She was indeed Muggle-born, and all those in Hogwarts who were from Muggle parentage, though they were few in number, knew that Master Salazar detested their presence. She diverted her eyes, and Ignotus was grateful that Godric quickly stepped in.
"No, Salazar. Heaven and Hell exist in the Wizarding world, too. The lines are gray of course; are humans ever to understand the intricate balance of good and evil? But I do believe as Rosalind does – that there is an Afterlife upon the experience of death. Something new, something uncharted."
Salazar inclined his head politely to Godric, but though he said no more, there was a dark look in his eyes. It was obvious he disliked Rosalind and her opinion.
"Perhaps Death is a person," suggested Torr de Mortfort, one of Salazar's students, with a snicker. "A being that travels the world seeking the next victims."
"And being Death," Ave Quincy, another of Salazar's students, said eagerly, "he can take on the appearance of a human to confuse humans when he comes. That is how he steals his victims!"
As the students continued to jest over the idea of Death as a personified being (some laughing and some more serious), Ignotus tried to block the discussion from his ears. He didn't want to talk about Death. Godric had been quite right – he wanted to leave the table and return to the Tower, but even that would be useless now, because he would have the thoughts already presented in the round-table discussion racing about his mind. He would never get to sleep. His best bet was to stay at the table and listen until the end, and hope the discussion would take a more cheerful turn. If that were possible, of course. He did not want to be called a coward by the other students if he left. Antioch and Cadmus had not moved, and they would surely be disappointed if he did.
Ten minutes later, Cadmus's voice broke through Ignotus's attempts to block the babble.
"Enough of discussing Death as a being, or the concepts of what comes after Death," he said coldly, glaring at the other students. "Death is a part of life, but does it have to be?"
Rowena's brow furrowed slightly. "Please explain yourself, Cadmus."
"Do we really have to die?" Cadmus argued. "Or, are there ways to defeat Death, to escape him? To become immortal, or even to steal back what he has already taken?"
Escape Death – that was exactly what Ignotus wanted to do, it seemed. He wasn't scared of dying himself, but he was terrified of losing anyone else now that his father was dead. He felt light-headed with sudden fear; was he really a coward? Only a coward would want to run from Death to escape it.
"Defeating or escaping Death," Salazar said to the students, inviting a change in the discussion. "Your opinions?"
The table of Salazar's students seemed particularly interested in the idea. Ignotus only barely heard parts of the discussion that began to follow Cadmus's suggestion, but it was Antioch's voice that broke through his thoughts next.
"If your wand is stronger than others, you could defeat Death in that respect," he said, always practical and logical.
Cadmus would have none of Antioch's logic, however. "That," he sneered, "will only keep you alive for so long, Antioch. At some point, you will die, whether you have an unstoppable wand or not."
Ignotus glanced up nervously to see Antioch's furious glare towards Cadmus. Before the eldest Peverell brother could retaliate, Maponus Avery said, "To truly defeat Death, you would have to become immortal, Cadmus."
"And to become immortal," Lycoris Malfoy's face twisted into a wicked smile, "you would need to create a Horcrux."
Instantly, the air seemed to crackle with tension. Helga froze in the act of her endless pacing behind Salazar. Rowena's expression became utterly blank, but her body stiffened. Godric's lip pulled back into a snarl as he bared his teeth unintentionally, and most of the students shifted uncomfortably.
Horcruxes were a topic not often discussed within the walls of Hogwarts.
Salazar alone seemed unaffected by the tautness of the air around him. "A Horcrux is indeed one way to conquer Death. But it is incredibly Dark magic, Mr. Malfoy."
"Death," Godric added dangerously, "would be preferable."
"That depends on the wizard, of course," Salazar replied. He did not turn to look at Godric.
"Only wizards who desire to sink to the extreme depths of darkness and evil create Horcruxes. They are truly horrendous objects, Salazar. Even you know this."
"But they would protect you from dying," Lycoris argued.
Godric's temper was apparently on edge, and this comment did nothing to help matters. He snarled, "Only if you protected the Horcrux with excruciating effort. A Horcrux is a liability, Mr. Malfoy, not an asset to gaining immortality. Upon splitting your soul via murder, and embedding part of your soul within the object of choice that thus becomes the Horcrux, the object is then vulnerable and, in turn, so is your soul."
Rowena's face remained blank, but she added, "Master Godric is right, Mr. Malfoy. The object is quite vulnerable, as it can be destroyed. And once a Horcrux is destroyed, so is that fragment of your soul. Thus, you become mortal once more. A Philosopher's Stone would be more appropriate, but even that is subject to theft and destruction."
Several students, who had clearly never read books pertaining to the darkest of magic, asked, "How? How do you destroy one?" It was as though they had not even heard Rowena's remark regarding a Philosopher's Stone.
Godric, Rowena, and Helga exchanged dark glances. Rowena had tried to change the subject without success, and there was nothing for it but to answer these new questions. She said slowly, and deliberately, "While it is extremely difficult to destroy a Horcrux, it can be done. Traditional methods will not work. To destroy a Horcrux, you must damage the object and the fragment of soul beyond the means of magical repair."
Students shifted and glanced at each other as they tried to determine what would be considered "beyond magical repair". Ignotus racked his brain, but he could think of no spells that would destroy something so utterly evil. Godric forbade the study of such magic amongst his own students, and supposedly there were few spell books that would even mention a Horcrux in the school's vast library. The Founder of bravery and courage had tried to have those books removed the previous year, but Salazar had insisted they were a necessary part of the library as they contained information on other types of magic, and that they were mostly books on theory anyway.
Noticing that most of the students looked confused and lost, Salazar finally stated in a dry, disappointed voice, "Basilisk venom is one way to destroy a Horcrux."
Sarcastically, Godric snapped, "Ah, yes. You can destroy extremely evil, Dark magic with the fang of an extremely dangerous, Dark creature. It works, of course, but the creation of the basilisk is in itself an incredibly deadly endeavor. After all, the ability to control such a creature is limited to those who speak Parseltongue, and there are few wizards and witches with that ability, as you well know, Salazar."
Salazar smiled, snakelike, at his friend. "True. Very true. But there are also other ways. A Horcrux can also be destroyed by the Killing Curse, Godric."
And as if as one, the students sucked in their breath. Like Horcruxes, Unforgivable Curses were also rarely discussed within Hogwarts.
Rowena scowled at Salazar and said, "Fiendfyre can also destroy a Horcrux. Though, that spell is as dangerous as the creation of a basilisk. It can so easily gain life of its own and the caster can quickly lose control if they do not have incredibly strong forbearance of mind."
Lycoris looked triumphant. "So," he said, "Though a Horcrux can be destroyed, it would be incredibly difficult."
Godric's face twisted furiously, and Salazar, perhaps sensing the rising anger, quickly told his student, "But it is, as Master Godric states, still a liability. It is capable of being destroyed and therefore not completely fail-proof in gaining mortality. Even Herpo found himself mortal after his Horcrux was destroyed by a Killing Curse, and he was then killed in a duel himself."
Cadmus looked highly annoyed; as though the discussion had taken a turn he had not wished. He spoke again, trying to bring the topic back to his ideas.
"Another way to conquer Death, Master Salazar, would be if you had the ability to raise the dead from their graves. To take back the victims Death claimed."
Salazar, irritated that Cadmus was so persistent, coolly said, "There is no spell to raise the dead, Mr. Peverell."
"That we know of. But powerful wizards can create new spells. If you used Reverse Spell Effects, sir –"
"Enough." Godric ended the discussion before Cadmus, who had had a manic glint in his eyes, could continue. "These then, as a group, we can agree on. Death is a natural part of life, as Mr. Abbott expressed at the beginning of the hour. Therefore, we should not desire to go against the grain of nature by trying to defeat or conquer a timeless entity. To go against the grain of the natural is to throw everything out of balance; a dangerous option which could go horribly wrong very quickly and with incredible ease."
Rowena and Helga nodded in agreement; Salazar said nothing.
Godric continued, bitterly, "Horcruxes are the Darkest of all magic, and should not be studied or spoken of by decent wizards and witches. However, each of you must decide for yourselves how you feel about such foul objects." He turned and glared at his comrade. "Salazar, do you have anything additional to add?" he demanded.
"I do not. I believe you have summed up our discussion admirably, Godric."
"In that case," Helga said promptly, "The next discussion will take place after you return from Yule."
Rowena added, "Mistress Helga will decide on the next topic. You are dismissed to your dormitories."
Benches scraped the floor as students rose to leave. Those who trained beneath Salazar Slytherin were still quite engrossed in discussing the idea of conquering Death by way of Horcrux, with Lycoris at the center of the throng. Antioch, however, was silent. He glared at the other members of Slytherin with anger, as though he disapproved of their ideas. Ignotus decided to avoid his brother and headed up the marble staircase quietly, following the other students of Gryffindor, who were furious at the fact that Lycoris Malfoy had deliberately tried to antagonize their teacher.
But Ignotus could think of nothing except hiding from Death, escaping it by becoming invisible to the entity and running away. And he felt like a coward for even thinking such things. Yet, he could not bear the thought of losing any one else he loved. He could face Death when it came for him, but he simply did not want to watch it steal other people away from him.