Snakeheart: A Harry Potter Fanfic
Disclaimer: AS BEFORE
Author's Note: Some readers may see a similarity between this story and my earlier fanfic: Snake Eyes! THIS IS INTENTIONAL! Enjoy!
I would like to thank Kage Mirai for the inspiration behind this story: I strongly recommend reading her fanfic, Shades of Black, to anyone who enjoys this story.
Normal Speech
(Thought)
/Parseltongue/
Once he was sure that the coast was clear, Harry smiled with a sly expression and looked to Draco, who looked from the door to his brother before asking, "We're going after the Stone aren't we?"
"Yes," Harry replied, "But not yet: give it time Draco and then, soon, we will retrieve the Stone: I don't know why, but I feel as if it holds another piece of the puzzle that revolves around who I really am."
"Whatever you say Harry," Draco grinned, "But I'd hate to see what happens when Severus finds out."
Chapter 9: Into the Shadows
When the day came for Harry, Draco and Gabrielle to return to Hogwarts, the one who was affected the most was Narcissa: she seemed to fuss over Harry's appearance and whether he was comfortable or whether he looked healthy. She even made sure that he had enough sleep, before, when Harry had woken up the next morning, ensuring he had a proper breakfast.
"Cissa," Harry laughed when he'd finally had enough, "I'll be back in the summer and besides, you don't need to worry over me."
"I know Harry," Narcissa admitted, "But I can't help but worry about you: I mean, now you've found your power and true self and yet you have to hide it because of that senile old man. Harry, just promise me one thing," she kneeled down and took the young Slytherin's hands as she asked, "Will you promise me that you will continue to keep to the Riddle you and not let anyone stop you? Can you promise me that?"
"I promise Narcissa," smiled Harry, wrapping his arms around her and giving her a hug before he added, "I won't let anyone stop me from being the Heir of Riddle that lies dormant inside my heart: no matter what, when you next see me in July, it won't be as Harry Potter, weak, naïve Slytherin, but as Harry Potter-Riddle, strong, powerful and pure-bred Slytherin."
Narcissa couldn't help but cry as she watched Harry board the train with his brother and best friend: when he waved back at her, Narcissa raised a hand before she seemed to watch the Hogwarts Express move away from King's Cross.
(Dumbledore,) she thought, her eyes suddenly filled with determination, (You will not stop Harry: he deserves to know about his family and soon, that will happen.)
()()()()()
On the train, however, Harry, Draco and Gabrielle were all laughing at the unusual behaviour of the Malfoy matriarch as Harry asked, "What's wrong with your Mother Draco, I'll never know: I mean, why would she be so…protective of me?"
"Duh Harry," Draco laughed, his eyes watching his adoptive brother, "Because she loves you: I know that you've never had that feeling before, but Mother knows that you are destined for greatness and is simply trying to keep you in two states of emotion: happy and comfortable, so if she needs to comfort you, then let her."
"Yeah," Harry sighed, before pulling out the black journal he'd been given by Severus; opening it, Harry asked, "Did either of you find anything else interesting about the Stone?"
"No such luck," Gabrielle explained, "All we know is what you and Draco heard from Se—I mean from Knight, but, if he's right about this trouble coming for the Stone, I still don't understand why you're so adamant about going after it."
"Like I told you," Harry said, the other two noticing a tendril of darkness snaking around him as the darkness seemed to try and protect him, "I have had this feeling that there's something missing: a large piece of this puzzle surrounding my life and my past and, though I can't explain it, I feel that the Philosopher's Stone has something to do with it."
"Maybe," Gabrielle agreed, but her voice sounded unconvinced as she added, "And it wouldn't have anything to do with what Knight told you about the forces of darkness wanting the stone?"
"No," Harry answered, a slow smile on his face as he looked to his friends, "Besides, as we also now know, Weasley probably wants to get his blood-treacherous hands on the Stone for the old man anyway. And any chance at stopping Weasley, even humiliating him is…"
He was cut off by the door to their compartment opening and a familiar red-headed boy making his presence known; Harry smiling as he exclaimed, "Ah, speak of the devil and he shall appear."
"Shut up Potter," snarled Ron before he looked to Draco and Gabrielle, his voice filled with hatred as he said, "I know you three are planning something big, but I want you to know that I can forgive you two," he indicated Gabrielle and Harry as he continued, "For siding with the snake: all you have to do is drop him."
"How about," Harry began, standing and putting his book down, "We drop you Weasley, though I wish you were like a radio, so I could push the mute button. Now," he added, using his rage to provide a dark effect in the corridor, "Why don't you be a good little Gryffindork and leave my sight before you do something we'll all regret: make an ass of yourself!"
Ron gave a startled fish impression as he looked to Harry, who was examining his nails as he looked to the Weasley boy and added, "Besides, why would I want to join you? You're a Gryffindor and I'm a Slytherin; you're a blood traitor and I'm Heir of my family; you're weak and I'm strong: I can go all day with this," he added with a cold smile before closing the door and turning back to Draco and Gabrielle.
"I think he got the message," Harry smiled as he re-joined his friends, the silhouette of Ron Weasley remaining outside for only a few seconds more before he left the Slytherin Trio.
()()()()()
Back in the familiar surroundings of the Slytherin Common Room – which had a new password: Fatum pro vox which means Destined for power – Harry, Draco and Gabrielle spent their first night running through a collective study of what they would need to know for the New Year's lessons before Harry looked down, his mother's pendant hanging with the serpent pendant he'd received from Narcissa.
Noticing the change in his adoptive brother, Draco asked, "Harry, what's on your mind?"
"Nothing," Harry replied, although he knew it to be a lie, "Just thinking about everything that's happened over the holidays: I mean, it's one thing to finally know the truth about my Mother as well as the fact that she was a Riddle being set in stone, but I still can't help, but feel that there's that one big piece of the puzzle missing. Something I've overlooked or not noticed and," he looked to the darkness as he added, "I think I just need some time to myself, so, I'm off out."
"Do you want some company?" asked Gabrielle, but Draco rolled his eyes as he noticed where the Riddle Heir was looking.
"Gabby, he's going to Veil for a while and he hasn't learned how to take us with him; go on Harry," he added, "We'll cover for you if anyone asks."
Harry just smiled as he stood up and, stepping into the darkness of the Common Room, felt the familiar surroundings of the Shadow Realm envelop him, his smile warm despite the cold he was feeling.
This time, Harry remained in the Shadow Realm as he travelled through Hogwarts, the usual comfort of being in darkness filling his body as he travelled along each individual corridor and up and down the Grand Staircase, his five senses giving him warnings and images of the world around him. After what seemed like hours, Harry was about to return to the Common Room, the shadows not even helping him answer his dilemma, when he found his sense of sight drawing him to an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper basket - but propped against the wall facing him was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way.
Stepping out of the Shadow Realm, Harry began to wonder why he would be drawn to an empty classroom, a classroom, which he noticed was locked tight and appeared like it hadn't been used for years, when, as he adjusted his eyes to the darkness, he saw it:
It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top:
Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.
His curiosity turned to awe as Harry moved nearer to the mirror, wanting to look at himself but see no reflection again. He stepped in front of it. He had to clap his hands to his mouth to stop himself from screaming. He whirled around. His heart was pounding far more furiously than when the book had screamed - for he had seen not only himself in the mirror, but a whole crowd of people standing right behind him.
But the room was empty. Breathing very fast, he turned slowly back to the mirror.
There he was, reflected in it, white and scared-looking, and there, reflected behind him, were at least ten others. Harry looked over his shoulder - but still, no one was there. Or were they all invisible, too. Was he in fact in a room full of invisible people and this mirror's trick was that it reflected them, invisible or not. He looked in the mirror again. A woman standing right behind his reflection was smiling at him and waving. He reached out a hand and felt the air behind him. If she was really there, he'd touch her, their reflections were so close together, but he felt only air - she and the others existed only in the mirror.
She was a very pretty woman. She had dark red hair and her eyes…
(Her eyes are just like mine,) Harry thought, edging a little closer to the glass.
Bright green - exactly the same shape, but then he noticed that she was crying; smiling, but crying at the same time. The tall, thin, black-haired man standing next to her put his arm around her. He wore glasses, and his hair was very untidy. It stuck up at the back, just as Harry's used to before he learned how to change his appearance.
Even though he had seen the woman only once before, Harry's breath still caught in his throat as he asked, "Mom? Dad?"
They just looked at him, smiling. And slowly, Harry looked into the faces of the other people in the mirror, and saw other pairs of green eyes like his, other noses like his, even a little old man who looked as though he had Harry's knobbly knees - Harry was looking at his family, for the first time in his life.
Yet, as Harry looked to the mirror, and the reflections of his family, the sense that something was wrong crept up on him: it was only after examining the faces of his family that Harry realised what was wrong: this mirror, whatever it was, was only showing Harry the Potter side of his family.
Looking again to the inscription on top of the mirror, Harry craned his head before he gave a sigh and nodded, "I show not your face but your heart's desire: so this is showing me what I want to see: well," he looked back to the reflection of his mother as he whispered, "I want to see my other family: I want to see my Mother and my Uncle!"
The mirror seemed to shimmer before Harry noticed a familiar creepy-eyed man take his place next to his mother, but beyond that were figures of shadows that seemed to try and reach out for the boy before them.
"Uncle Thomas," Harry whispered, before looking again to the shadows: why couldn't he see anything beyond the mirror? Was this mirror designed to show him people who were dead?
(No,) thought Harry, (If it did then it wouldn't show me my desire. But,) he looked to his mother before placing a soft hand on the glass, almost trying to reach out to her.
"She's dead," Harry whispered to no-one in particular, "And seeing her in a mirror won't bring her back: she's gone and I have to accept that."
As Harry turned away, his mind made up, he could have sworn that he heard a familiar sibilant voice whispering to him:
/You have to know what to see…/
()()()()()
For weeks on end after Harry had seen the reflections, his mind had been troubled by nightmares and familiar visions of green light and high-pitched laughter, followed by pain in his head where the now non-existent scar used to be.
After he had seen the reflections, Harry had spoken to Severus about what he had seen, but all he had gained from that was a warning of detention if he dared to do it again.
Speaking with Draco and Gabrielle helped, however, when the young Lestrange suggested that Harry keep using his Shadow abilities to explore for any more information about the Philosopher's Stone, which, in turn, made the year pass by even quicker than before, as well as cancel out any thoughts Harry had about what he had seen.
As February came around, Harry, Draco and Gabrielle were all in the library, trying to read up anything they could, when they overheard a familiar voice speaking. Looking to his friends, Harry stepped into the Shadow Realm where he overheard Ron complaining to the Longbottom boy as well as one of the twins, "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby."
(Dragon?) thought Harry, (That oaf has a dragon and Weasley's helping to raise it? Oh dear, he is in trouble.)
"It'll all be over at midnight on Saturday," Longbottom told Ron, neither aware of the veil of shadows moving behind them.
Returning to his table, Harry emerged from the shadows and looked to Draco, but the young Malfoy was busy looking at a book, before he noticed Harry standing there.
"I think we've got something," he said with a smile, passing the book to Harry, who read what was inside the book:
The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Sorcerer's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal. There have been many reports of the Sorcerer's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight).
"See?" asked Gabrielle, when Harry had finished. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Sorcerer's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"
"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" nodded Harry. "No wonder Knight said dark forces were after it! Anyone would want it."
Draco then noticed the flushed look on Harry's face as he asked, "What did you hear?"
With a Slytherin-like smile, Harry replied, "You're never going to believe this!"
()()()()()
The plan was simple, although Severus argued time and time again that he didn't like it: Harry and Draco, under Harry's Invisibility Cloak, would sneak up behind Ron and the others, before Harry would send his cloak back through the shadows – one of the skills he'd learned since the New Year – and trap them in place before Severus would show up with McGonagall and deal with both Weasley and his dragon.
Unfortunately, in all his excitement, Harry had forgotten one key element: Professor McGonagall hated him!
"As noble as their intentions were Severus," she explained, dragging Harry, Ron, Draco and Neville back from the Astronomy Tower, "Potter broke the rules and dared to question the security of this school: he will share Mr Weasley's detention and I think Rubeus would appreciate some extra help, so the four of you will go with him."
"What?" asked Draco, Harry silently echoing his disbelief, "That man only goes one place."
"Exactly Mr Malfoy," Professor McGonagall replied, "You will all be going into the Dark Forest to help Hagrid take care of some business for the Headmaster: cause trouble and I may just ask him to leave you there."
Harry had to grit his teeth through most of the weekend as he and Draco kept to their dorm and agreed on one thing: Gryffindor, especially the cat-faced witch who headed them, were all a bunch of troll-brained morons.
"I've managed to avoid that idiot all year," snarled Harry on Tuesday after they'd been caught, ice frosting over his fingernails as his anger triggered his elemental abilities, "And now I find out that we have to share the forest with this! Can't Lucius do anything about this?"
"He tried," Draco explained, watching as ice seemed to fill every step his brother took: Harry had learned to control his icy power, but it was still unpredictable as to what Harry would do in a bad mood.
Shaking his head, Harry sat down and held his head in his hands, before snapping his fingers, melting and absorbing the magic he had used in his rage: it wouldn't do to get so wound up now: it would only give Weasley something to gloat about.
"When's the detention?" asked Draco.
"Tonight," Harry replied, his voice still cold, "Bu I'm not looking forward to it."
()()()()()
At eleven o'clock that night, they said good-bye to Gabrielle in the common room and went down to the entrance hall. Filch was already there - and so were Weasley and Longbottom: Harry had also forgotten that the forgetful-faced idiot had gotten a detention, too.
"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.
I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh." he said, leering at them. "Oh yes... hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me... It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed... Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do." They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. Harry wondered what their punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted; then again, it was the Dark Forest, so there was every chance that it was bad anyway.
The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, Harry could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then they heard a distant shout. "Is that you, Filch. Hurry up, I want ter get started."
Harry's heart sank; if they were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad: no, it was going to be murder.
His discomfort must have showed in his face, because Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf. Well, think again, boy - it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece." At this, Neville let out a little moan, and Weasley stopped dead in his tracks.
"The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "We can't go in there at night - there's all sorts of things in there - werewolves, I heard." Neville clutched the sleeve of Harry's robe, making the Slytherin give a low growl of hatred, and made a choking noise.
"That's your problem, isn't it." said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you." Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, a large black boarhound at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.
"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Ron, Neville."
Harry didn't bother replying as he saw Ron and Neville look at him in shock: they'd obviously forgotten that he knew Hagrid.
"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, they're here to be punished, after all."
"That's why yer late, is it." said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh. 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."
"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.
Harry now turned to Hagrid. "I'm not going in that forest," he said, and Ron was pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice.
"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely, despite the fact that he still held some respect for Harry. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yehve got ter pay fer it."
"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this…"
"He'd tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone. Yeh'll do summat useful or Yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on!"
"And there I was thinking you respected my Dad Hagrid? Obviously I was mistaken," growled Harry, ice once again forming at his feet as his rage spiked: he really hated anyone using his Father's name like that. He only cheered up when he noticed Hagrid looking shocked at Harry's venomous tone, his face telling Harry that he knew he'd made the mistake.
"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment." He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.
"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground.
Silvery stuff. That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."
"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" asked Draco, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.
"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."
"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.
"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. "Righ' then, Harry, you go with Fang and Draco. I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done."
"Why would Draco do that to me?" asked Harry, before he set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy and Fang. They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. Harry thought the blood seemed to be getting thicker. There were splashes on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. Harry could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.
"Look -" he murmured, holding out his arm to stop Malfoy.
Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer.
It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Harry had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves.
Harry had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered...
Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.
"Draco," whispered Harry calmly, "Don't scream, don't move, just very slowly take my hand and close your eyes."
Feeling his brother's hand against his, Harry closed his eyes and summoned his Shadow abilities: Severus had warned him against using this power, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
As the shadows began to wrap around them, Harry heard more rustling before the creature looked up, Harry seeing two crimson orbs under the hood, unicorn blood dribbling down its chin.
"AAAAAAAAAARGH!" Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted - so did Fang. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Harry - unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward Harry - he couldn't move for fear.
Then a pain like he'd never felt before pierced his head; it was as though his scar were on fire, and yet, as the creature drew closer, Harry felt the shadows beginning to welcome him, but the creature was faster. With the pain intensifying in his mind, Harry couldn't concentrate; instead, he fell forwards, his face coming into contact with the ground as his scar – or lack thereof – burned with pain that was so bad he fell to his knees.
(Help me,) he thought, (Darkness, Ice, something help me!)
There was a sudden rustling and, through the waves of pain, Harry found the energy to look up, his eyes widened at what he saw:
A man with what could only be described as wings was standing before Harry, an orb of silver magic glowing in his hand as he battled the dark creature, the hooded figure hissing before the man threw the energy forwards, Harry noticing a trail of ice being left from the ball of magic.
The creature gave a hiss before it disappeared into the night, Harry still weak as he looked to his rescuer:
He was as tall as Lucius and held a tanned, athletic appearance in his skin; when he looked to Harry, the young Slytherin saw two orbs glowing in his eyes, a clear mercury-coloured silver glowing before, as the man looked to Harry, the silver faded to a dull grey colour.
His hair ran down to below his waist, each strand like gold and tied in a braid so that it hung there, like a rat-tail; the rest of his hair was styled and spiked on top of his head, two gold bangs crossing each eye.
He was dressed in a black robe of some kind and, when Harry finally looked again, he realised that he hadn't been seeing things: the man did have two wings protruding from his back: each wing was lined with black feathers, a collection of silvery feathers collecting at the wing tips.
Seeing Harry there, the man offered his hand and asked, "Are you all right young sir?"
"Fine," groaned Harry, looking to the man before he asked, "Who are you?"
"My name is Dante Merceus: I am one of a race of beings known as the Wind Walkers, or Galea (pronounced Gal – ay – a) to give us a real name: who are you, young sir?"
"Harry Potter," he replied, "Son of Lily Riddle."
"R-Riddle?" asked Dante before folding his wings and, to Harry's great surprise, bowing to him, "Young Master, at last I have found you."
"Master?" asked Harry, watching as Dante rose again.
"I was charged by your mother to protect you, Master Riddle: I have searched for years for you, believing you dead: now I meet you I must ask, what is it you wish of me?"
"Erm…" Harry looked around before his eyes settled on the unicorn as he asked, "What was that thing you saved me from?"
"Master Riddle, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?" asked Dante, his eyes filled with sadness.
"No," said Harry, startled by the odd question. "We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions; and please, call me Harry; I don't want anyone to know about me just yet."
"As you wish," Dante nodded, before he continued with his explanation, "That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn; only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenceless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."
"But who'd be that desperate?" Harry wondered aloud. "If you're going to be cursed forever, deaths better, isn't it?"
"It is," Dante agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else - something that will bring you back to full strength and power - something that will mean you can never die. Master Harry, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment."
"The Sorcerer's Stone! Of course - the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who -"
"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"
(Yes,) thought Harry, his eyes dim as a light tingling ran across his forehead, his hands shaking as he knew exactly who Dante was talking about.
"You mean Voldemort don't you?"
"Sadly, yes," Dante replied, his eyes looking back to Harry as he added, "Come with me Master Harry, I will see you safely back to the Castle!"
Harry took Dante's hand and watched as the silver wings seemed to envelop them before, when the feathery feat faded away, Harry found himself standing before the Slytherin Common Room.
"What was that?" asked Harry, staggering slightly as he found his stomach churning with discomfort.
"That was called Gusting," explained Dante, "Our wings are made of solid wind magic that can transport us anywhere we wish: now, Master Harry, will you be safe?"
"Yes," Harry replied, "Severus will watch over me: thank you Dante."
"I promise you," Dante replied, his feathers gusting around him again as he added:
"This is not goodbye: good luck, Harry Potter-Riddle!"
With a weary smile, Harry turned and entered the Slytherin Common Room, his eyes still trying to hold back tears of disbelief as he thought:
(Voldemort? He's coming back? And he's after the Stone? I have no choice…)
He looked around before using his Veiling power to take him to the dorm, his body weary from the pain he'd felt that night:
(I'm going after the Stone…)
Chapter 9 and it seems that Harry's life has another mystery and strange revelation: Dante and the Galea, but what does the winged man mean by "this is not goodbye?" Also, what will Harry do when he descends into the darkness and goes after the Stone?
Keep Reading to Find Out...
Next Chapter: Harry makes the decision to descend into the corridor (which will be written as the book but with Harry, Draco and Gabrielle) and Harry finds the proverbial "Fire Within"
Following Chapter: Harry meets the man behind the trouble and is given the chance for power, but why is the man so insistent and why does Harry feel like he knows him?
Chapter 12: Tired of all the mysteries and secrets, Harry uses his mother's memory and discovers the truth about his life, but will he like what he sees?
Chapter 13: Harry meets Luna as well as Ginny and gets everything out in the open with Severus and Lucius; plus, a gold-haired pillock makes his debut and Dante returns…
Please Read and Review...
And finally, thanks to everyone for voting on the BIG revelation: the winner was "Summer of First Year" which, personally, I find to be PERFECT as I have a good idea on how to write it.
