Metamorphosis
Chapter 8: The Ultimate Task
Godric's Hollow was a small muggle village, tucked away on the outskirts of England. Harry wasn't sure of the exact location of the cottage his parents had been hiding in when Voldemort found them, but he knew that the place where it had been (before it was destroyed) was in the area. As Harry flew down toward his birth place, he grew wary. However, he had nothing to be wary of because neither Doholov nor anyone was there. Snape had either deceived him or this was the last place Doholov went and perhaps no one knew his whereabouts.
Harry was forced to go back to the Death Eater hideout and struggled to keep up his appearance as Mulciber. He avoided speaking with Death Eaters when necessary and wished he could run to Hogwarts, but with its protections he wouldn't be able to find it now—not with it being disguised and hidden.
As if things couldn't get worse, the Death Eaters nearby cried out in pain and lifted their sleeves to show the Dark Mark burning. Harry's mark didn't burn because he wasn't really Mulciber, but it was clear Voldemort was summoning them. He hoped he'd be able to continue to fool Voldemort. They were summoned into the same room as last time. And there were many more Death Eaters now. Harry was nervous, but he kept his head bowed down low. Voldemort appeared some minutes later in his long cloak and Harry could feel his apprehension.
"It's time for the second part of my plan! It has come time to attack Hogwarts!" Voldemort exclaimed and Harry felt his throat constrict, but he fought to leave his mind blank. "I won't be joining you, but I expect success. I have another task ahead of me before I seek out Dumbledore and kill him."
"My lord," a death eater spoke up. "Do you mean to say that Dumbledore won't be there?"
"No," Voldemort sneered. "He's out searching or even heading to the heart of the wizard world. I know where it is now and it'll be heavily protected by magic, but once I find what I seek I'll be able to break the sanctuary down with ease. No, Dumbledore thinks his Hogwarts is safe as of now. He thinks that he's got one step ahead of me, but little does he know…," Voldemort cold, eerie laughter rang out. "So while you all keep the Hogwarts staff protected and try to break in, I'll be after Dumbledore myself. And I expect once you have broken in, which will happen once the barricades become weak enough, that you'll kill all the teachers there. Any Slytherins you may keep alive for possible alliance if necessary, but most are children aren't useful to me. Now go! All except Bella, Avery, Lucius, Narcissa, Mulciber, Nox, Macnair, Alecto and Amycus Carrow, and Selwyn."
All other Death Eaters, at least a hundred left, and Harry was certain Dementors would join in. He wished he could go and help out, but he couldn't; it would give himself away.
"Now, you all have been chosen to hear out my plan in detail. You are my closest and most loyal servants."
Bella grinned eerily but Voldemort just paced slowly in front of them.
"I am in search of this item I have mentioned. It's a ring with a topaz gem and inside this gem is a shrunken heart of an ancient beast—the Silverback Tyrant. A beast with several colors, silver being the main one, and many unexplainable powers. It could release flames of various colors, depending on the attack they were using. They were the most powerful creature and still to this day no one understands their powers. A very powerful sorcerer, whose name still remains a mystery, was the only man who found the power to destroy these feared beasts. People were worried that these tyrants would multiply to hundreds and soon destroy all humans. And this man happened to be the prodigy of Merlin, about a hundred years after Merlin's death. But he had ancient scrolls…he knew everything Merlin did, plus his own studies with shaman and hag magic. With the combination of all these he was able to slay this threat.
"And then he was forced to kill them all," Voldemort continued as he stared at each one. Harry listened and kept his head low. "Those in power told him if he didn't they'd kill his family so he did. But the last one alive that he killed, when he was injured greatly, he cut out of the heart. He ended up discovering that the heart still lived even when the tyrant was dead and that the heart was the source of the beast's powers. So he made it into a very powerful ring that the fool never used for he died shortly thereafter and hid the ring safely. The only person to have discovered this information was Salazar Slytherin, back then, for he killed a shaman for power and ended up discovering the underground room that belonged to this man. And he found the journal which contained all this information, except the whereabouts of the ring.
"And my family is a descendent of Salazar Slytherin, but none of them had enough power or brilliance to figure out how to open this journal that was passed down, which Salazar had charmed closed, until I obtained it. And now I have this knowledge and will be the first to track down this ring. The Silverback Tyrant's powers are unlike anything in the wizard world; so different from any other magic, and so uncontrollable; just sheer power. This Merlin's prodigy cleverly trapped these powers, the heart, inside a topaz gem. As you all know, topaz is the one gem that can hold magic the strongest. From reading this journal and Salazar's notes, I've come to the conclusion that Salazar was right—this ring can be used for great things. It can amplify ones power. This man wrote in the journal that he was afraid of its power…that it could be used to cause disaster and that is exactly what I will do when I find it!"
The Death Eaters cheered and Voldemort silenced them by raising his hand.
"As to who is protecting this ring or where its location is…I believe that the Black Hag might have something in her possession that can help me. It's unlikely Merlin's prodigy ever found her to give her the ring directly, but I'm certain the Black Hag has a Shaman's Talisman, one that can predict things, like that of a Seer. And with it the ring can be traced! However, the Black Hag is infamous. She collects all sorts of magic and has never been found. Even other hags don't know where their queen hides."
"Is she an enemy, my lord?" Bella asked.
Voldemort inhaled and his red eyes gleamed in the dim light. "Not exactly. She's neutral when it comes to wars, but she doesn't like wizards much either. Her only goal in life is to harbor magic for herself. Hag's can live much longer than any other creature. Hag's can absorb powers and they love collecting them, but they have limits as to what powers they can use. They are not the sort that confront wizards. Some of them hunt out children to eat, some do it out of sport, but they are not all powerful. However, it's their cleverness to fear…they can steal things, magical items, right under your nose. Many books and treasures have been lost over the years, said to have been stolen by Hags. They will collect these things to think themselves better than wizards, because in reality a confrontation with several wizards could result in their death easily, but feel superior to wizards they steal magic and hide it away from them. This Black Hag I'm sure has more magical items than any other Hag, otherwise she wouldn't be called their queen.
"But her whereabouts are impossible to discover, unless…there's a ritual of Salazar's that he wrote in this journal and it can only be spoken in Parseltongue. And with it, if I found a Seer or someone with foresight of any kind, the Black Hag's hiding place should be revealed. The ritual is a powerful one…one that seeks power and Hags have many powers harbored. Yes, if I concentrate hard enough I should find her, but I need a Seer or someone with foresight first. And then when I find her I'll kill her and steal that Talisman and find that ring! That is why I asked you, Carrow, to seek out one," Voldemort said, bending down to the male.
"Yes my lord, and I've got one. An old woman with foresight. She's not a Seer, my lord…they're very difficult to find these days, but she has foresight. I made sure. And she's in the dungeon right now."
"Bring her up!" Voldemort exclaimed in excitement.
Harry kept his face hidden and waited breathlessly as they brought an old woman to him. The old woman was pale and filled with terror and Voldemort made Carrow force the woman to kneel in front of Voldemort. Voldemort then began to speak in Parseltongue and Harry mouthed the words unnoticed to try to remember them. If he were to find that ring first, it would ruin Voldemort's plan and hopefully save Dumbledore and Hogwarts. The old woman's eyes began to roll back in her head and her body trembled violently. Suddenly, she fell over pale and still.
"She's dead!" Carrow said fearfully.
Voldemort pointed his wand at Carrow and hissed "crucio!" The man wreathed on the floor in agony for a minute before Voldemort released him.
"She was too old and too weak! I need someone younger, you fool! Find me one now!"
Carrow shakily got up, bowed and apparated out. Voldemort ignored the dead body and paced and Harry could feel his rage.
"My plan can't work without that Seer! Bella, Lucius, I want you both to look for one as well!"
"Yes my lord," they both said, apparating out.
"The rest of you go until I call you again!"
They all bowed including Harry and then they apparated out. Harry did so as well, but when he came to an empty part of the fortress he realized that he was beginning to change back into himself. He didn't have enough strength to put up the disguise so he slipped out of the fortress and apparated away from it to Hogsmeade where he hid on the outskirts behind a tree. He kept repeating Salazar's ritual so he wouldn't forget and turned a rock into parchment and a stick into a quill so he could scribble it down.
He sat there resting for some time and thinking of how he would get the ring or perhaps find the Black Hag before Voldemort. Anything was better than sitting around just waiting for a time to run to Dumbledore. So far, there didn't seem to be a chance.
But I had that premonition of Aberforth…and I've had premonitions before…I know it's probably because of my scar, but still…it's a kind of foresight, isn't it? Perhaps if I close my eyes and concentrate and repeat that ritual, maybe I could find it.
Harry sat down on the ground and took a few deep breaths. He tried it several times but nothing happened. He wondered if it was because he was tired and hungry. So he slipped into a Hogsmeade store and stole some food. Most places were closed so it didn't matter anyway. The bread was harder than it was supposed to, but it didn't have mold on it so Harry was satisfied. He didn't feel as though he had much of an appetite anyway, being since he was always tense, anxious and afraid. His main concern was that he'd never be able to help out Dumbledore in time, which would result in Voldemort's success and ultimate domination and the deaths of many people he cared about. His second concern was that Voldemort would discover that he wasn't Mulciber and that his archenemy was still alive and torture and kill him slowly.
And then of course he was also frightened at the idea that he'd have to try to live out as Mulciber for a year or so before anything could be done and that the war could go on for years and that he'd never be able to see Hogwarts again…sooner or later, as a Death Eater, he'd be assigned a mission, most likely one to kill. And without reporting back, Voldemort would get suspicious and if he didn't complete the mission Voldemort would torture him and possibly kill him anyway. Of course he could hide out and Voldemort and the other Death Eaters might just think Mulciber was captured or killed by Dumbledore or Aurors, but then that still didn't help his predicament.
Sighing heavily, Harry leaned back against the tree feeling stressed and defeated. It was the first time that he had done such a risky and potentially fatal scheme all on his own and yet he felt completely helpless at the same time. He hadn't realized he had closed his eyes until the sound of the howling wind woke him. He had fallen asleep, probably because he had exhausted his mind and body using so much magic and not having eaten properly in a while. That was one good thing about the Dursleys however: he was used to being starved so he could go a lot longer without eating properly. He could survive for a while on very little food and that was going to come in handy.
Harry found a storage cellar a little while later in one of the closed shops and decided that was a good place to hide. At least he'd be out of the weather in case it rained and he also wouldn't be in plain sight. Rummaging through his pockets, which were full of the shrunken things he had grabbed from the Dursleys before the Death Eaters had burnt the house down, Harry found that he had forgotten all about his invisibility cloak. That would also come in handy. He had some crackers and a bottle of water that was warm, but it soothed his throat none-the-less. He had a couple of potions, one of them was a strengthening potion (which Hermione would use when staying up really late to study) and the other was a levitating potion (he wasn't sure if that would come in handy), but it was all he was able to grab in time.
Harry tried to do the spell again, closing his eyes and concentrating but still nothing happened. He wondered if his foresight wasn't strong enough because it was limited by his connection to only Voldemort, as far as he knew. Some time passed and Harry fell asleep again, thinking about his friends and Dumbledore. He woke with a start sometime the next day after having a terrible nightmare about Hogwarts being burned down with all his friends inside.
Once again, he tried doing the ritual and this time he put a hand over his scar to try to tap into its ability. He kicked the wall in frustration when nothing happened. He was going to try again when he heard voices outside. Panicking, Harry sat up quickly and listened. He couldn't make out words so whoever it was must've been a distance away. Worming his way toward the exit, he flung his cloak over him and slowly opened the door to the shop. He looked around and then spotted a figure just before it went down another street. Harry quickly closed the door quietly and followed where the figure had gone.
There were two figures and Harry didn't recognize them, but they were in black cloaks which made Harry believe they were Death Eaters. The strange thing was they weren't invisible nor did they have masks on, but the hoods of the cloaks covered most of their faces.
"Which store would have it?"
"How the hell should I know?"
Harry listened as the man and woman spoke to one another.
"Why our lord wants this potion so badly is beyond me," the woman spoke quietly and Harry tensed; they were Death Eaters. "It doesn't have anything to do with finding a Seer or person with insight nor does it have to do with the Black Hag."
"We're not to ask questions. I think this used to be a charm shop here. Let's see if it's here. If not we may have to break into that old professor's house. I'm sure he has what we're looking for."
"Right, but we'll only do that if necessary. Dumbledore and his annoying aurors are alert for any signs and if we get caught or clue Dumbledore in at all our liege will kill us!" the woman hissed. "Or at least torture us for a good deal. Hurry up!"
The two of them used powerful spells to burn a hole through one of the shops. Five minutes later they came out holding some bottles and then vanished. Harry breathed a sigh of relief. It didn't seem to him that there was any meeting going on. The Death Eaters all seemed to be just going about their orders and thankfully Voldemort hadn't given anything specific to Mulciber. Harry hurried back to his hiding place and then decided to drink half of the strengthening potion. He was becoming desperate. Then he meditated for a few minutes and tried to rub his scar. Then he concentrated hard on the Black Hag and repeated Salazar's ritual several times.
By the third time, Harry felt his scar tingle. At first he felt Voldemort's satisfaction—one of his Death Eaters must've brought him good news. But then suddenly, he felt something strange…it was like something pulling on him from the inside. It didn't hurt exactly, but it felt uncomfortable. A chill ran up his spine and something flashed before his eyes, even though he had them shut tightly. It was a frozen land…and then a mountain…then a very dark place, seemingly underground. He felt another shiver and then his eyes opened. He thought…he hoped it had been a vision, but it was all in pieces. He wasn't sure he understood what he saw.
Wait…I think I recognize that lake. I saw it in a picture…that's right! When Ron showed me that picture of his brother Charlie in…where was it, Ireland, no…Iceland, I think. It had a strange name to it…
Harry thought back to when Ron was bragging about his brother searching for a skeleton of some ice dragon, a legendary being (Hermione claimed it was only a myth)…and the name had strangely reminded him of Sirius, of his nick-name they had given him in his Animagus form as a disguise, Snuffles…
Snaefell! That's it! So perhaps that's where I need to go. Okay, that means I need to find a shop to steal some warmer clothes and then somehow get there. I think I have enough Wizard money for a couple of train rides. I'll have to be careful though. I can go as Mulciber, but have my cloak on so it makes me look less threatening. After all, I can't go as myself and Mulciber shouldn't be that recognizable as a Death Eater, as long as I don't meet other Death Eaters along the way. And he's the only one I can metamorphmagize or…whatever, morph into. Of course once I get there, I won't know where to start looking…maybe I could get another vision, but if not…I might just starve to death or even freeze before I find the Hag, if I even can find her.
There were so many uncertainties but Harry was desperate. If Voldemort found a way to get to the Hag first there'd probably be no stopping him. Then trying to reach Dumbledore and the others would be pointless. He had to stop Voldemort's plan, even if that meant sacrificing his life. As long as he could prevent Voldemort from at least obtaining the Talisman, it might be enough to foil his scheme.
Harry flew immediately to the train station and morphed into Mulciber, which proved more difficult than before since the strengthening potion was wearing off. He bought a ticket to Iceland and had to wait a while before the train got there. No body recognized him as he got on and he found a relatively empty compartment. While he was there, since it was a ways away, he decided to ask this older woman near him. He explained to her the area he was looking for.
"Hmm," she said thoughtfully. "If you're looking for a mountain nearby, I'd say it'd have to be the one named after the area, Mt. Snaefell. It's the second highest peak in Iceland, you know," she said as an afterthought. "But many people don't go around that area; it gets so cold and it's rather isolated, especially if you're planning a hike up the mountain. I don't even know if it's climbable, but I do know that it's so windy and snowy and just…well, miserable."
"Do you know of any, like…caves in the mountain or anything?" Harry asked.
The woman appeared confused. "No, can't say I do. I doubt there would be caves. It's not just a mountain, you know. It's actually a volcano, well a stratovolcano. There are three volcanoes with the name Snaefell, including the well-known mountain Snaefellsjokull. You might be referring to the Snaefellsjokull because it's located in the area you described. But then again…they're all very similar. So I'm not sure."
"Which one's the most isolated?" Harry asked her.
"Oh…that would be the rather unknown, well not unknown, but the mountain that most tourists don't bother with. And it hasn't really been climbed much…not much of an attraction, if you ask me. It's the one south-east of the Vatnojokull, which is near the glacier lake Jokulsarlon. The lake isn't hard to miss, because it's actually well-known and quite beautiful, but the mountain is just a distance away from it. You see, I know Iceland well because I've lived there all my life, you know. I've just been visiting family here," she said with a wave of her hand.
Then she started telling him about her family and Harry just nodded and kept quiet for most of the ride. When she got off, Harry made sure to ask one of the people with carts about the area the older woman was referring to and got subtle directions toward the glacier lake, which was the only thing he could remember. It was cold and windy and rather miserable, but Harry was grateful when he found the lake. It had many icebergs floating along and while it was cold, it was a beautiful sight. The lake stretched across the expansion of land toward the horizon and many smaller mountains surrounded it. He had to fly low on his broom because the winds were too strong so he had to watch for muggles.
After some time of walking, which caused his feet and hands to become rather numb despite being covered, Harry saw a large mountain of snow, situated very high and reaching toward the sky. Some parts of it revealed rock and Harry believed he had found the right mountain. The entire area was isolated…no people, no tracks, no shacks or signs of life in that direction. Just the tall mountain covered in snow with several smaller mountains somewhat attached to it.
Shivering violently, Harry approached it wondering how to figure out if the Black Hag was somewhere inside the dormant volcano. He stood there for several minutes, trying to think of a way to figure out. He was much too cold to be able to concentrate on Salazar's ritual again, but perhaps if he touched the mountain he might get a sense. The mountain was cold even through his gloves and he forced his eyes shut. He couldn't sense any magic or at least he didn't think he could unless she wasn't just inside the mountain. Perhaps she was beneath it, closer to the heart of the frozen volcano or rather now a mountain of snow. He at least had to try to get inside, if possible. It'd be warmer than standing outside.
Harry attempted to apparate but something pushed him backward. He tried again, but the same feeling occurred. Something magical was blocking him from apparating. Harry pointed his wand shakily at the mountain and whispered "incendio!" A scorch mark appeared and then suddenly began to vanish. Harry said it again and this time kept using the spell and the scorch mark would get deeper, but didn't do much else. Harry unfortunately saw no alternative other than trying to tap into more power. The only way he could think of how to do that was to drink the rest of the strengthening potion and try again. He did so, but still the same effect occurred. Harry was becoming frustrated.
He then placed his hands on the mountain and tried Salazar's ritual. A wave of sensation came over him and Harry backed away. Just like back in the Chamber, where he had reflexively stabbed the diary with the Basilisk fang, Harry got the same instinctive urge. He hissed Salazar's ritual once again at the same time that he pointed his wand at the structure and thought of the spell.
He repeated Salazar's ritual again and suddenly the outside of the rock, including the snow, melted and left a hole big enough for Harry to squeeze through. The second he entered however it closed back up as if it had never been broken. There was a narrow path that just barely fit one person that led downward and Harry followed it until he came to a wall. It was obviously magically sealed. Harry came to the conclusion that Salzar's ritual was meant to harness and increase power—that was why Voldemort used it on a Seer or someone with foresight. It would force the person's powers to their peak and then give Voldemort whatever he was seeking, in theory. And that's why Salazar's ritual had worked for him. Harry wanted desperately to get inside and the ritual amplified his spell "incendio."
Once again, Harry repeated the ritual and pointed his wand at the wall. The spell didn't seem to be working. After a few tries, Harry decided to test out "alohomora" with Salazar's ritual and was shocked when the wall began to disintegrate. He wasted no time and threw himself through it before it closed back up. Harry found himself in a warm cave-like area with hundreds of piles of trinkets and books and random items scattered across the place. There was a fire blazing in the center of the small, wide space. But he hardly had any time to examine the room before he felt something tight squeeze around his chest and legs.
Harry struggled even as the enchanted rope began suffocating him by squeezing the breath out of him. He finally stopped struggling and the rope didn't squeeze any harder. It acted just like Devil's Snare in that the more one struggled the harder it squeezed so Harry remained still in hopes that he could find another way to escape it.
"Clever boy," an eerie, high-pitched voice cackled.
From his left came a chubby figure that was about as tall as him. The face was rather hideous and covered with several moles. The eyes were large and black and the hair was long, thick and uncombed. What Harry assumed was a Hag was wearing a black amulet around her neck and black robes that tied and twisted in a confusing manner around her thick body. They were shiny like silk, but Harry wondered if that was just because they had been charmed.
"Are you the Black Hag?" Harry asked anxiously.
The figure cackled again and snapped her fingers and the rope began slinking up toward his throat.
"I don't answer questions."
"Please," Harry choked out as the rope wrapped around his neck. "I've come to w-warn you…a-about…," Harry could scarcely breathe now, "…Voldemort…"
The Hag seemed intrigued and snapped her fingers again. The rope left Harry's throat and he coughed loudly as he tried to regain his breathing. She didn't untie him completely and instead approached him while fingering the amulet around her neck.
"I'll give you one minute to explain your warning and who you are before I kill you."
"I'm Harry Potter," he answered instantly, hoping his name would be a good thing.
The Hag stopped and tilted her head. Her wide black eyes studied him carefully and she seemed a bit surprised.
"Harry Potter? Well, so the rumors are true then. You're a powerful boy, my dear. No one's ever been able to track me down, well…I suppose that's not true. Only one other tracked me down many, many years ago and that was Salazar Slytherin. However, I managed to fool him into thinking I was just a servant of the Black Hag's and gave him precious information that distracted him long enough for me to flee. If I hadn't stolen a certain sorcerer's amulet he would've been able to kill me. But what brings you here, Harry Potter?"
"I come to warn you about Voldemort. I know you've heard of him. He's Salazar Slytherin's heir and he's looking for you."
"Hmm," the witch's eyes narrowed. "Why? What sort of power could an old Hag like me have that he's interested in?"
"Please. If you'd just release me I'll tell you."
Harry knew that the second he let all the information loose she'd probably kill him and he wouldn't get a chance to explain that he needed her help. She stared at him and finally grinned at him toothily.
"I want your wand first, boy. Don't take me for a fool."
"I don't want to harm you I just need your help. Both your life and my life are in danger," Harry pleaded.
The witch backed away and Harry thought perhaps she wasn't going to give him a chance, but then she approached him with what looked like a necklace with a large scaley-looking thing hanging from it. She came closer, staring him right in the face and Harry could clearly see her thick, slightly wrinkled skin and fiery gaze, and she put the necklace around him.
"This will make sure you can't use magic. If I see you try to take it off I'll kill you."
Then she snapped her fingers and the ropes came undone. Harry was surprised, but managed to keep his balance.
"Thank you," Harry said.
"Now, why is Voldemort looking for me?" she asked harshly, staring him in the eyes.
"Well, you have a certain Talisman. A shaman Talisman that he needs," Harry explained.
"Hmm…I have several, yes. Which one is he looking for?"
"One that will lead him to great power," Harry said. "You might not know it. Voldemort claims that you have no idea of its power, because you wouldn't be able to tap into it the same way wizards can."
The Hag watched him closely and put one arm around her waist and the other rested on top of it.
"Very well…I'm sure you're not lying. And I see that scar on your forehead so you are Harry Potter, the famous boy whom the Dark Lord Voldemort could not defeat. Yes, I've heard of you both. Why don't you sit a while and tell me everything you know."
"Er…," Harry hesitated. "You're not going to eat me are you?"
The witch stared at him and suddenly burst into hysterical cackles. Although it wasn't half as creepy as Voldemort's laugh it was shrill and loud.
"How rich! You're hardly plump enough even if I were the type of Hag to feed off of children. But I scarcely eat food. I survive on magic, by stealing magic and keeping it here with me. The more magic I collect, the stronger I feel and the longer I live. I can live for thousands of years," she grinned widely. "Now sit!"
Harry approached her cautiously as she gestured to an old velvet chair near the fire. It was dusty but Harry just sat down, not wanting to be rude. She herself sat in a very strange chair—one made from skin of some sort with relics and creature's teeth hanging all over it. The Hag caught Harry examining the chair and she cackled again.
"Yes, I am what you wizards call the Black Hag. I am the Queen of all Hags. I'm the eldest and the strongest, because I have collected the most magic. And this," she gestured to the chair, "is my throne, made of Hungarian Horntail skin with various pieces of powerful creatures and even humans."
Harry swallowed thickly and nodded.
"Now tell me about this Talisman. What does it do that I can't harness?" she asked, sounding harsh and a bit angry.
"Er, well, I know that Voldemort knows how to use its power to find a very sacred ring."
"A ring? That's it?" she asked. "What's so special about a ring?"
"Well, it has a Silverback Tyrant's heart inside of it."
This time the Hag sat up straight, staring at him with wide eyes. "A Silverback Tyrant? It can't be…We used to worship them until they were all slaughtered by your kind."
"Well, this ring is the last connection to those beasts," Harry said. "Apparently they were the most powerful creature known and had powers like wizards and powers like a creature's. And with its sheer power, trapped inside of a topaz gem in this ring, Voldemort can probably use it to amplify his powers a lot. I think Salazar tried looking for it too."
"And you want the Talisman then?" she asked, eyeing him.
"Yes, to find this ring before Voldemort does, but I'm willing to make a deal with you. I'm willing to let you keep this ring after I stop Voldemort."
"Willing?"
"Yes. Being since I'm a wizard I could try accessing the Talisman's power that will lead to that ring, which you couldn't do on your own. And if we work together we could both survive."
She stood up. "And how is it you propose to keep me from being killed by him if he should find me?"
"By tricking him," Harry said. "I have a plan. I'm sure it'll work to protect you and if it doesn't, well…trust me, we'll both go down. But if you were to kill me, or even just let me go, Voldemort would find you eventually. Just please let me tell you my plan."
The witch's eyes gleamed in the dim light, but she nodded. "Go on."
Harry explained in detail his plan and she stood silently for several minutes. "I suppose it could work…but how do I know you'll really come back to me to give me the ring?"
"I could make a wizard's oath," Harry suggested.
"No. Wizard's oaths mean nothing to me. But how about you give me something valuable of yours that you would want back."
It wasn't a question or a request, but rather a demand. And Harry sat thinking about what he could offer for her to hole on to.
"How about your wand," she said, coming closer with an eerie smile on her face.
"I can't, sorry. I'll need it to fight Voldemort," Harry said. "But…How about my Invisibility Cloak?"
The witch seemed intrigued and Harry pulled it out and enlarged it to show her. "It's very special to me," Harry said, holding it. "It was my father's and it was passed down to me. It's very, very expensive and hard to make in the wizard world so not many people have it, especially since the creatures who are used for making it are becoming harder to find. I could give this to you, but I'd want some sort of oath between us because I don't trust that if I come back to give you the ring that you'd give this back."
Cackling, the witch eyed him again. "Yes…trust is hard to come by…I certainly don't trust you. But I've heard you're an honest boy. Show me how it works."
Harry threw the cloak over himself and vanished from sight. He heard the witch make a noise of satisfaction and Harry took it off.
"Very well. We'll make a blood oath so that I will get the ring and you will get your precious cloak back. Besides, I could use this powerful ring more than that cloak. The power in that ring could make me immortal," she smiled widely. "So I'll make this oath with you, Harry Potter. And keep in mind I've never made an oath to anyone before."
Harry nodded and she then summoned a dagger. Harry tensed as she approached and watched her closely. Slowly, the Hag cut herself on the palm of her hand with the dagger and then held it out to him.
"You cut your hand too and we'll shake on it. That's how the blood oath works."
Harry swallowed and stared at the dagger, which was dripping with her dark maroon blood. Reluctantly, he reached out for the dagger but the witch stopped him. She gestured for him to put his palm up and Harry nervously did so. She sliced a cut in his palm and Harry winced, fighting the urge to shut his eyes from the sharp sting. She then clamped her hand in his and they shook as their blood trickled between their palms and drops fell to the floor.
"Now, hand me your cloak and I'll find that Talisman. You may have to try all of them since I don't know which one will lead to the ring."
"Alright," Harry answered and then handed the cloak over to her.
She felt its soft material and smiled and then walked away. She came back with three Talismans and instead of handing them all to him, she gave him only one.
"Try one at a time," she said.
Harry nodded. He figured that perhaps Salazar's ritual would work on the Talisman to show where Merlin's prodigy hid the ring. However…Harry realized he'd have to focus on finding the ring as he spoke the ritual, which meant using his scar's ability. Anytime he used it, it risked Voldemort being able to see into his mind. And if Voldemort discovered he was alive and found out what he was doing…it would all be over.
But he had to take the risk. Harry took off the necklace the Hag had put around him and then held the Talisman tightly in his hand. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the ring and then began to repeat the ritual in Parseltongue. He did so several times, but nothing happened except a strange tingly sensation.
Harry opened his eyes and saw the witch staring at him with an unreadable expression.
"I don't think this one's the one," Harry said uneasily.
"You speak the language of the serpents," she said quietly, staring at him with an intense gaze. "That's dark magic."
Harry didn't know what to say so he didn't say anything. Very slowly the witch snapped her fingers and the Talisman in his hand floated back to her and she let another one float toward him. Harry tried to ignore her stares and concentrated only on the Talisman. As he repeated the ritual he felt something tugging at him, much like what happened before. He concentrated even more, trying to get a sense of what he was feeling. And then it came. Images appeared before him and suddenly he lost it.
Harry's eyes opened and he realized he felt lightheaded. "I think…I think it's it. But the images just vanished."
"You're not strong enough?" the witch asked sounding as though she was warning him.
Harry shook his head. "No, it's not that, it's…I'm going to have to try harder to use more power. And…well, it might alert Voldemort."
The witch's eyes narrowed. "How?"
"My scar bonds us though I'm not sure why. I can use it to tap into power, you know, foresight, but it risks getting Voldemort's attention. Still, I think it's the only way I can see where the ring is."
"Very well. Before you do that I will prepare the plan you suggested. Don't continue until I return and am ready just in case you alert him."
Harry nodded and sat down, trying to rest his mind. "Okay, then let me put the spell on that Talisman, the first one I tried."
The Hag came closer and handed it to him cautiously. Harry murmured a charm. "That should do it. You should be able to do the rest."
"I will get a hold of a sister…but if this plan of yours fails trust me, boy. I'll find a way to plead to the Dark Lord for mercy and then hunt you down."
Harry felt his throat constrict but he nodded in understanding. The Hag vanished, but came back a little while later.
"It's all set," she said.
Harry then stood up and held the Talisman tightly in his hand. It was all riding on this and if he didn't figure out where that ring was the Hag would kill him. And even if he escaped her, he wouldn't be able to escape Voldemort. Concentrating on his scar, Harry repeated the ritual slowly, thinking of the ring and its location. He repeated it several more times, trying to calm his racing heart, and then an image flashed before his eyes. He squeezed his eyes shut even tighter and repeated the ritual again. Now he was seeing more clearly…he was seeing more images…
He was seeing a huge, intimidating beast—one with thick black skin and various colors on its back, sharp teeth, a huge body with four legs with talons on each foot, taller than most giants and with a tail as long as a Basilisk. On the end of the tail were more talons. And its eyes…its eyes were what must've given the creature its name, not its skin as it was described over the years…its eyes were a bright fiery silver. Its roar was nothing Harry had ever heard in his life and it was terrifying…more terrifying than a Dementor. It could kill sixty people at once. It could rip apart a Hungarian Horntail in minutes. And its flames were powerful, destructive…and the scales on its back and tail protected it, as did its blue flame that could shield it when attacked. Harry gasped and his eyes shot open.
The Hag was staring at him in wonder. "Well?"
"I saw it…I saw the Silverback Tyrant," Harry said breathlessly. "It was…it was…"
"Unbelievable, isn't it?" the Hag's lips curled slightly. "Yes, that's why we worshipped it. So powerful, so intimidating, so destructive…But did you see where the ring is?"
"Yeah, I think so. I saw images of a house and a secret passage…"
"Good…If you bring me that ring I will forget about you Harry Potter and the fact that you know of my hideout. Of course, I'll have to search for a new hiding place, but I will spare you. And since your plan includes helping spare my life from your enemy, I will help you get there using my magic," she smiled widely. "Just concentrate on the image of that place and I can use some of my magic to get you there, but you'll have to find your own way back to me once it's time."
Harry nodded unsure of what to say. The Black Hag grabbed a purple pouch and pulled out a handful of black dust. She then blew it out of her hands and the dust came at him, surrounding him in a thick windy stream.
"Concentrate on it! Wish for it!" she cackled.
Harry closed his eyes, surprised by this sort of magic that became like a cloud swirling around him. He pictured the place in his mind and felt his stomach lurch. Then suddenly he was falling, falling from a very tall height and he hit something hard, landing down on his side. Groaning, Harry shook his head, surprised when some bits of the black dust came falling out and vanished, and then stood up. He wasn't with the Black Hag anymore. He was inside a small cabin, the cabin that he had seen in the images—a cabin up on top of a high cliff out in the countryside somewhere…Scotland, New Zealand maybe…he wasn't sure. All he knew was that he was there and he had to find that secret passage. There was no telling how close Voldemort was to getting to the Black Hag's hideout.
The cabin was abandoned, decaying and filled with cobwebs. He was certain he saw a pixie fly by. He just hoped there weren't any other surprises, like the ones that happened to be at Sirius' house. Harry tried not to think about his Godfather and just looked around. Nothing looked familiar except…except when he went into the other room. There was the bureau he had seen in the vision. The secret passage should be behind it, but there was no sign on the walls, no portrait, no mark or crack. It was completely masked. And Harry had no idea how to open it.
Although his body was exhausted, he was so close that he just couldn't stop for a rest now. He went to the bureau and pushed it out of the way, which was hard considering how large it was. He ended up having to use magic. And then he touched the wall, searching for some hint as to how to open it. Suddenly, his scar flooded with sensations and Harry could feel Voldemort's pleasure. Had he found the Hag already? Was his plan working? He had to get to the ring!
The only way was probably to use the ritual again, but by using it so many times Harry feared that Voldemort would sense him for sure. Then again, what other choice did he have? If he didn't get the ring he'd die and the world might succumb to Voldemort's rule. Focusing all his energy on his scar, his foresight, he repeated the ritual loudly, placing both hands on the wall. He repeated it over and over again and he felt a surge of power and it wasn't sure if that was him or if he was feeling that from Voldemort through his scar. It was power, then there was a sense of victory…and he kept repeating the ritual. And suddenly there was pain. Harry cried out in agony as his head felt as if it were splitting. His hands remained on the wall, but he couldn't focus…
And then he was falling. He opened his eyes and saw himself fall straight through the wall, as if it was suddenly transparent. Harry breathed out shakily. He had opened the secret passage, but Voldemort had sensed him that time. And he was furious, so furious…he'd probably call Mulciber only to find out that he couldn't sense him. Then soon Voldemort would figure it all out. Harry ran down the short, dark passage. There was nothing at the end but more walls of stone.
"No, no, it has to be here," Harry murmured in a panic.
Sharp pain shot through his scar and he cried out, clutching at it. He fell to the floor on his knees as he heard and felt Voldemort's rage. And he knew that Dementors had been sent out to search for him and if he stayed there much longer they'd be able to sense him. Harry opened his eyes and searched all around on the floor, wondering if there was something he missed. He pointed his wand everywhere, shooting spells and charms desperate for anything to happen. And then the floor moved and Harry stumbled backward. Something rose up from the stone floor and Harry saw it was a hole—a hole in a familiar shape. His eyes widened and he hurriedly searched his robe for the Talisman.
Taking it out, Harry quickly put the Talisman in the sphere-shaped hole, turning it this way and that. Before long it snapped and glowed and then the floor was sinking once more. Harry watched as his heart pounded and his fear increased. How long would it take the Dementors to find him? Did Voldemort know he was alive and in the wizard world, or did he just think he was still alive and trapped in the muggle world? Harry didn't want to wait to find out. The hole in the floor that was now filled by the Talisman slid underneath the top stones. The Talisman split in half and up from the depths from the underground came a box. Harry blasted it open with a spell, impatient and fearful. There in the box lay a glimmering ring, one with a topaz gem.
Harry grabbed the ring, slipped it in his robe and hurried out of the passage without even bothering to check if it was the right ring, or perhaps just a fake. He didn't have time and frankly if that wasn't it then the real ring either wasn't there or had been destroyed. But Harry flew out of the house, thankful that wherever he was didn't have horrible weather. Now his task was to get back to London. He had to find Aberforth, because he was his only ticket into Hogwarts.
And he wanted to check out the Hog's Head once more. It may have looked abandoned, but perhaps Aberforth was still there; after all, from what he had heard about him the man didn't live in one place. Now without his invisibility cloak it'd be harder to travel and not be spotted. However, he didn't have any other choice. He made his way to the train station, hoping that Aberforth was somewhere in Hogsmeade and that he could find him, because without him there was hope of getting to Hogwarts.
TO BE CONTINUED…
