10.a
A/N: Herein is the final episode of Decades, and I can now say a few things about this story. When I first imagined it, I had recently read Inkheart (thus the opening quote) and it fit my intentions at the time – the magic accomplished could not be explained, it just was. I had a general outline for Decades through the Wizengamot trial, where I had intended to end the story. Then, SIYE announced the Deathly Hallows Challenge in early 2009 and my challenge entry allowed me to extend the story (yes, it really was that long ago; it's still archived there) and I could explain things like Proxy Magic, even if I was essentially writing the ending first. So this little plot has been rattling around in my brain for nearly a decade as well, and I must say that it's very satisfying to finally set the full version down in print. It did take me longer than my anticipated 10 weeks, because I underestimated how much was left to do and I don't often have time to write. Unconfined by a deadline or 10,000 word limit, I wanted to do it right, and I hope you have enjoyed the result.
10. Odds and Ends
o o o
10.01
0820 WEDNESDAY OTTERY ST CATCHPOLE DEVON
The day had finally arrived. Two weeks of preparations had worn me out, and I was at a loss to think of any better protections, anything undone. Hopefully, my paranoia would not be tested near as much as my patience had been recently.
It was Xenophilius Lovegood that broke the story of the Deathly Hallows in that odd paper he called The Quibbler. The slant he took was a philosophical look at why the Hallows were special creations from ancient days and we should be quite fortunate that the Master of the Hallows walked among the mere mortals today. He even went as far as to say that I should be the keynote speaker at the next Questers convention. I had no idea such an event existed. Would there still be Questers after I made my presentation?
However, the Daily Prophet, scandal-mongering rag that it was, could not say enough about how the "Boy-Who-Lived" becoming the "Master of Death" was the harbinger of an age of such chaos and destruction to make any recent dark lord seem tame by comparison. Skeeter was pulling out all the stops, aware that I somehow ruined her potential blockbuster story about my trial. Even if I hadn't done that, she would still be dribbling something nasty from her poison pen, and the wizarding public apparently needed a new nightmare to keep them up at nights. As for myself, I thought the contrast of life and death in my titles was interestingly odd, but that was about it.
The Ministry of Magic was the most persistent nuisance. Scrimgeour continued to hound me with his claim that the Hallows were somehow in the public domain, and the need to know all about them was critical, using veiled threats almost daily to coerce me to give them up. I eventually negotiated a brief period of investigation under controlled conditions, and I would notify them of the time and place immediately prior to the event.
It was time.
I took a sheet of parchment and wrote the instructions for the first step. I rolled it and tied it to Hedwig's outstretched leg. "Okay, girl, take this straight to Mr. Weasley at the Ministry. He'll know what to do." I had hinted I might need him so he would be in his office. The beautiful owl nipped my finger and flew out the window into the cool morning air.
"Ready to head out, everyone?"
"Yes, we just need to know where to go," said Remus Lupin, senior member of the party departing the Burrow with me.
I held out another slip of parchment with their destination and showed it to them.
"We're apparating to the front of Gringott's? That's it?"
"You'll see when we get there."
I'm glad they trusted me, for they asked no more questions. The twins, Remus, Bill, Ron and Hermione went by themselves while I took Ginny side-along.
Let the games begin.
o o o
10.02
0820 WEDNESDAY GRINGOTTS LONDON
"Ugh," Ginny mumbled upon arrival in Diagon Alley. "I hope we don't have to do that a lot…"
"Sorry about that;" I replied. "It's not my favorite method of travel either. It's better when you do it yourself."
She cutely wrinkled her nose at me and we joined the others walking into the wizarding bank. The goblins gave us a careful screening at the door, then Griphook led us to a private conference room.
"Will you require more than one cart to reach the vaults, Mr. Potter?"
"Thank you, Griphook, but we aren't traveling to the vaults," I replied. "We're just waiting on our guests."
I got several curious looks from my friends at that. Only Ginny knew our final destination.
It was another ten minutes before the Minister of Magic led Unspeakable Terwilliger and the two researchers from the Royal Academy of Magic into the room, followed by Tonks, Kingsley and Mad-Eye Moody.
"Is this really necessary, Potter?" asked Scrimgeour. "These people are extremely trustworthy. I know Gringotts is renowned for its security, but you could have done this just as easily at the Ministry."
It was natural to assume that the inspection would be here, because it was no secret that I had acquired three high security vaults in separate parts of the wizarding bank's subterranean network. What absolutely no one knew was that of those three items in the three vaults, only the snitch was real, but the little ball contained nothing inside it.
"I apologize for the cloak and dagger, Minister, but I am taking no chances. 'Constant vigilance,' you know." I winked at Moody, who nodded his approval. "We aren't staying here; I just wanted goblin security to have a go at you. We will be travelling by secure portkey to another site for the review. Just so you know, all three artifacts have alarms and distinct tracking charms on them, and any attempt at theft will be treated with immediate and overwhelming response. No two items will be onsite at any time, and they cannot be accessed by anyone but me, either now or in future. You will have thirty minutes to study each artifact, ten minutes for each researcher within a magically shielded area, after which time it will be removed and secured before the next artifact is presented. Only one researcher will be allowed inside the shielded area at a time. You will be in the presence of other rare magical artifacts, but you are not there to study them. With one exception, those artifacts might be available for study at some later time, but that is out of my control. Are there any questions?"
There were none. The researchers had a nervous excitement that seemed appropriate, while the minister had donned a permanent frown.
"Right, then, everyone present your equipment for inspection, including wands."
I let Mad-Eye, Bill, Remus and Kingsley handle this part, and I was able to step back and observe the indignities of a magical pat-down inflicted upon our oh-so-noted guests. The minister had a recording device that was disallowed. Mad-Eye confiscated some instrument of one of the researchers, saying it could be used to overcome other enchantments, not that he would have used it that way, but "constant vigilance" prevailed.
When all was determined satisfactory, I thanked Griphook while pulling out the rope that was my open Portkey. I touched my wand to it, thought about where I needed to go, and whispered "Portus." It immediately glowed blue.
"Five seconds everyone. Please grab hold."
There was the familiar tug behind the navel, and we were hurtling uncontrollably through space. Moments later we landed in the middle of a large circular office that most of our group immediately recognized.
"Good morning, Mr. Potter, Minister, everyone, thank you for coming," said Headmistress Minerva McGonagall. "Welcome to Hogwarts."
In response to the glances, I merely said, "Only place safer than Gringotts." Those who had read Philosopher's Stone chuckled.
Introductions were made all around, then I led the entire troupe on a trek to the seventh floor tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy with his dancing trolls. I crossed the area three times slowly, making very particular demands, until a door appeared in the wall.
"I suppose the Room of Requirement constitutes one of those rare magical artifacts, Mr. Potter?"
I grinned. "You catch on very quickly, Mr. Terwilliger."
Inside, the room was completely white without any ornamentation and no real distinction where floor met wall or even the existence of a ceiling. A soft white glow came from nowhere and everywhere. A plain pedestal table with one simple chair sat in the middle of the space. Padded benches were about twenty feet away on both sides. My security team took places all around the perimeter as I directed the researchers to one bench, the Minister and Headmistress to the other.
I closed the door, sealed it and it disappeared into the whiteness.
"Here's how this works: the shield will be created around the table. I will stand on one side and allow each of you three, in turn, to come and sit to examine the artifact. After you are finished, you will join the Minister and Headmistress on their bench. Everything clear?"
When all was prepared, I called for my first assistant.
"Kreacher!"
The elf appeared with a resounding crack and bowed low. Only house elves employed at Hogwarts would be able to come and go until I released control of the magical room. I cast a privacy charm and whispered in his ear, for not even he knew where he was to go until that moment. He departed with a sour look, and I created the shield around the table. A few moments later, Kreacher returned bearing a flat box of cardboard. I opened it and withdrew the Cloak of Invisibility of my father and his father before.
"Take note; this is the one and only demonstration of any of the artifacts that I will perform. I will only be visible to Alastor Moody with his magical eye."
I donned the cloak as I had many times since first year and disappeared from view. I strolled across the room before removing it and entering the shielded area. I laid the cloak on the table and one by one, called the researchers to inspect it, letting them hold the thin shimmering fabric in their hands, cast their allowed diagnostic spells, and generally admire it for their allotted time. When the third researcher had moved to the opposite bench, I called Kreacher back to return it to its hiding place, as much as he would despise it and the people who lived there. Hopefully Aunt Petunia would not be too suspicious of the sounds in her attic.
I regarded the cloak as the least dangerous of the three Hallows, so keeping it temporarily hidden in the Muggle world posed no great concern. The wand and the stone, however, required more serious protections.
After placing the researchers back on their original bench, I called for Dobby and whispered a set of instructions to him, just as I had the other elf. He disapparated and was back a minute later, standing next to a large object under a dusty cloth. I pulled off the cloth to reveal a large ornate mirror.
"As I mentioned earlier, these other artifacts are not for study today. If you want to have a go at the Mirror of Erised, you will have to contact the headmistress later. Now, I just hope Dumbledore's charm still works…"
For just as he had hidden the Philosopher's Stone, the Elder Wand had been placed in the mirror, only able to be removed by someone who did not intend to use it. Of course, that assumed that anyone could find the room it occupied after I had vanished its only door – no silly trap doors or oversize magical chess sets required.
I stood in front of the mirror and waved at the image of mum and dad, who stepped aside and let another redhead appear beside me. She gave my mirror image a kiss and then picked up a red-haired baby boy from somewhere and kissed him as well. We made quite a nice picture, I thought. Unfortunately, I had people waiting.
The mirror me then reached into his robes and pulled out a wand. I repeated his actions and found the Elder Wand in my hand. I returned to the table, all eyes focused on the carved stick in my hand, the most notorious wand in history.
I gave them all their time with the wand, and they were more curious about its properties, no doubt wondering if its power could be duplicated somehow. However, they were not Ollivander, and I doubt even he could recreate it exactly.
When they had all finished and sat on the far bench, I held up the wand, briefly running it through my fingers one last time. And before I could change my mind or anyone could say anything against it, I took it forcefully in both hands and quickly snapped it completely in two.
I expected a lot of noisy protestations, shouts of indignation, but everyone was too stunned to say a word. After all, what was done could not be undone, and I think many of them had expected it.
"Eliminating the temptation keeps things simpler all around, wouldn't you say?"
No one responded.
"Bill, I need you to take these pieces back to the tomb and return it to Dumbledore, and then do your worst on it. We don't want anyone else disturbing him." I looked towards Ginny, and she gave a nod.
"I'll give him some company, if you don't mind, Harry."
No, I didn't mind – I had given her the choice if she wanted to leave us at this point or not. "That will be fine, Ginny, we'll see you on the grounds later."
I unsealed the room and let them leave.
After we were all collected in the hall, I continued, "Right, for the third artifact we will be travelling to a different location. You may find the journey a little awkward, but I hope you will find it worth the trouble."
I led them on a circuitous route down several stairs and other corridors, until we arrived at a girls' bathroom. Hermione and Ron had figured out our destination as soon as we reached the second floor.
From my robes I withdrew a flat stone basin – Dumbledore's old pensieve – and placed it on the floor of the bathroom in front of the lavatories. I touched the tip of my wand to my temple, concentrated for a moment, then pulled a silvery gossamer strand and let it drip like honey into the basin. I stirred the plasma-like substance before prodding it. A ghostly figure of a young boy – in this very bathroom – rose from the basin and emitted an odd hissing sound, which caused the sink to slide back and reveal a large hole in the floor. The puzzled expressions were universal this time.
"Most of you know that the Chamber of Secrets is only accessible by speaking Parseltogue, usually an inherited talent. I am probably unique in yet another sense, that the talent was given to me through the part of Tom Riddle left in my scar, which is now thankfully gone. The ability to speak the language of snakes disappeared as well, so the only way I can open the chamber now is to use my memory of doing so in my second year. Since I don't plan on ever coming back, and there are no other known living Parselmouths, you will be the last to see this dark legacy of Salazar Slytherin. Consider it a bonus treat."
Most of them had mixed emotions, eager to see the infamous space, but not without some nervous looks at that dark hole.
"Potter, are you sure this is safe?"
"You should be fine if you follow instructions and keep your wands to yourselves. Take special care not to disturb any of the stuff I've installed. Those of you with brooms will immediately follow me; the rest of you will be escorted by Professor Flitwick."
I produced a small version of my Firebolt and enlarged it to its normal size, then climbed on and lowered myself down the slimy pipe that was the only passage to the subterranean access tunnel. My friends and the former Order members had been given a heads up about needing brooms, so they slowly followed me down.
I could hear the high squeaky voice of Flitwick gathering a group onto his conjured levitating platform at the top of the pipe.
"Second floor, Ladies lounge. Step lightly and mind the gap. Suck it in Terwilliger! Keep your elbows in during descent. Going Down!"
We eventually made our way down the pipe and along the tunnel, gathering at the doors to the chamber itself, adorned with their lifelike carvings of intertwined snakes. I placed the pensieve on the floor.
"The clue of the snitch left by Dumbledore stated, 'I unwind and parte at a word, To where mourning ne'er is heard.' It was Ginny who figured out the meaning. The snakes at the Chamber's door unwind at the word 'open' and the wall slides apart. The other line refers to the fact that roosters crow in the morning, a sound that would never be heard here in the lair of the basilisk. We are here because the snitch could only be opened in the chamber."
"Dumbledore always was an odd duck, but that's just…"
"Brilliant, Mr. Terwilliger? It's frightening sometimes, how he just seemed to know."
I repeated the process to create the pale figure of the boy I once was, hissing at the door, and just as before, the snakes unwound and the wall divided, revealing the greenish gloom beyond. I waved my wand and the huge room was filled with a white light from several dozen bright globes floating in the space. Most of them were concentrated about one-quarter of the way along its length, where a table and chair flanked by benches matched the arrangement used in the Room of Requirement.
In my best tour-guide voice, I intoned, "Welcome to Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets, also known as Salazar's House of Horrors or the Temple of Terror. If penance is your fancy, you should slither the length of the hall and kiss the feet of the Most Arrogant One. However, in the interest of time, I suggest we gather over here."
I received a few pointed looks for my ever-present cheek – I am James Potter's son after all – but everyone arranged themselves accordingly and I conjured the shield around the table. Instead of calling for one of the elves, this time I strolled to one of the colossal stone pillars, climbed onto my broom, and floated up to the head of the snake carving. I waved my wand at it a few times and removed what appeared at first to be its left eye.
"Hiding in plain sight, as it were," I joked, returning to the table with the Resurrection Stone in hand. "This artifact has an additional charm placed on it. Rotate it two full turns and you will find yourself under the petrification spell. Don't want any accidental crossing-overs, do we? I thought not."
The researchers were again given their chance to look it over one by one. How much they were able to learn, I had no idea, but this one item troubled me most of all. When all was complete, I pointed my wand at the innocent-looking little rock at the center of the table and stripped it of all my spellwork. I uttered one last spell, and it was gone.
"Potter, what did you just do?" the almost resigned tone indicated that they suspected the worst, and they were right.
"Vanished it, of course," I said. "The mere existence of the stone is an affront to the natural order of life. The Questers of the Hallows will lament, but that is a small price to pay knowing that we have eliminated any future threat posed by the gifts of the first two brothers. We are finished with our immediate task, but as we are here for the last time, you may have half an hour to look around. Again, do not touch any of my 'decoration,' or it may be the last thing you do. Headmistress, you may call the governors down for a peek if they desire it."
McGonagall's patronus was sent up to where Flitwick held the members of Hogwarts Board of Governors, waiting for the opportunity to personally see the fabled chamber while they had the chance.
Unspeakable Terwilliger had wandered to my side. "Mr. Potter, this destruction of historic artifacts, it is simply unconscionable. I will file a formal protest."
"Do what you must," I returned, "as I do what I must. I prefer the term 'proactive.' I understand that's a difficult concept for most wizards to grasp. As for this," I said, waving my hand, "the Headmistress convinced the governors that, given its history, it was a prudent course of action."
Fred and George listened in with obvious glee. After the Unspeakable wandered away muttering to himself, they edged over for a quiet consultation of their own.
"What about the basilisk carcass, Harry? Shame to leave it behind; it's got to be worth a considerable pile of galleons, even in its present condition."
"Good point, guys. I do have a sizable investment here, and I wouldn't mind some reimbursement. Say we split 50-50? Whatever you guys can shrink within the time limit…"
If one really needed something difficult accomplished, one only had to get the Weasley twins interested, and they did get it done in time, if only just. I had to shoo everyone out before I could perform the final preparations. It had taken considerable effort and discrete inquiry to find an expert in setting up this kind of thing in a magical area, not to mention the three solid days we practically lived down here doing the work. It had better be a success.
In the passage outside the chamber, I had McGonagall transfigure some of the stone from the old ceiling collapse into a solid barrier across the bottom of the access pipe. Once we were back to the top, I told Flitwick to seal it with everything he had and then some. I nodded to the ghost known as Moaning Myrtle, hovering over her favorite stall.
"Myrtle, please give the merpeople their 15-minute warning. And thanks for helping out."
"Just as long as you come to see me more often, Harry."
"I'll try, Myrtle, I really will."
"Of course you'll be in the head boy's rooms, so…"
"Just go, Myrtle, we can talk later!" Hopefully much, much later…
o o o
10.03
1200 WEDNESDAY HOGWARTS CASTLE
On the grounds between the castle and the lake a small crowd had gathered, just as I had requested. All the Hogwarts staff, the governors, the researchers and the minister, the Order members that had helped me all along the way, the entire Weasley family, and a select few reporters that did not include Rita Skeeter, all stood expectantly as I set the final charms on the Scrying Crystal provided by Dobby, a larger one than I used when I targeted Malfoy Manor. I activated it and a three dimensional holographic image of the Chamber of Secrets and the access tunnel appeared in the air, large enough so that everyone could clearly see.
I fired a Muggle flare, which blazed with an intense light as it floated over the lake. I also sounded a loud horn. "One minute warning!" I called out with a sonorous charm.
I addressed the assembly. "Salazar Slytherin left behind a great legacy at Hogwarts, being one of its founders, but part of that legacy was a seed of poison - the bigotry that lingers on even today. Our actions today are not an antidote to that poison, but will at least be a reminder that attitudes need to change, and this may be a catalyst. Only time will tell. How fitting that end comes courtesy of a few thousand pounds of Muggle magic."
Minister Scrimgeour still had his doubts. "Are you sure this will even work, Potter?"
"The technology is a century and a half old," I said, "and has been improved and much refined over that time. Properly used, it's very effective."
I set a cube-shaped device on the ground in front of Ginny. "You deserve the honors, love, as much as anyone."
She gave me a grateful smile. "What do I need to do?"
"When I release this safety catch and raise the handle, you just give it a good push back down, then we watch what happens." I could have used a simple button, but this method was much more satisfying with the deliberate motion it required. Besides, the miners in those American Old West movies made it look so cool. I also taught them the words they needed to say to keep it authentic. They thought I was a bit round the twist, but what was new about that? I told them it would be fun, and they bought it, being almost giddy with anticipation.
It was just about showtime. I checked the Marauder's Map once more, just to be sure everyone was where they were supposed to be.
"Dobby, all clear?" Dobby was my designated final safety check.
"All clear, Harry Potter sir!"
"Three...Two...One, Fire in the Hole!" I called out, raising the plunger on the detonator box.
"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" came the resounding reply amid giddy laughter.
I nodded to Ginny and she emphatically shoved down the plunger with her full weight. All eyes focused on the glowing image hanging before us.
The detonator's magical transmission reached the sequencers installed far below, and they in turn began the carefully planned signals with precision timing. A series of small dynamite flashes and puffs of smoke ran the length of the approach tunnel, causing the ceiling to release its tenuous hold on the rock above. Tons of broken stone crashed to the floor, permanently separating the Chamber from the bottom of the sealed access pipe and protecting the castle from what was about to follow.
After a few seconds had passed, flashes of explosive detonations appeared in the lofty Chamber itself, beginning at Slytherin's statue, continuing in quick succession down the rows of giant pillars, severing each at its top. A sequence quickly followed along each base, shearing off huge wedges of stone, and a series at the pillar midpoints, blasting each pillar into halves that forcibly collapsed each one into the center of the hall. By this time, the great statue had fractured and fallen listlessly to the floor as well.
Up on the surface, we onlookers were being shaken by the thundering and trembling earth, but the sequencers continued with their targeted detonations. We watched as they set off an array of charges in each wall, starting at the bottom and forming a diagonal line blasting the wall inward as it rapidly swept the length of each side of the chamber, and all four sides slowly descended into the growing heap of shattered rock.
Finally, the great charges buried upward, far above the ceiling, were set off in a massive release of destructive force that ruptured any remaining resistance from the lake above, and without any support below, it all came down in a crushing avalanche of water, earth and broken stone that seemed to last for ages, obliterating any hint of the Chamber's former existence.
The shock wave hit moments later, nearly knocking us down, but not preventing us from seeing the boiling water in the lake as air escaped the new pit of rubble at its floor below.
The Chamber of Secrets had given up its dying gasp.
The timing required only half a minute, but the sheer magnitude of what we had witnessed made it seem to last far longer. Our chests felt pummeled and breathless, our hearing was in a soundless shock, and our hearts beat wildly while we were barely able to stand. It took several minutes for any of us to regain a voice, even after the echoes around the lake faded into silence.
"That was awesome!"
"Simply incredible…"
"I can't believe Muggles could do something like that!"
"We need to check the castle for damage – cracks, broken windows, anything knocked about, you know…"
It may have been a little overkill, but explosive demolition is not something to do half-way; you would be considerably worse off than when you started, and I didn't want anyone following behind needing to clean up my mess.
o o o
10.04
1600 WEDNESDAY OTTERY ST CATCHPOLE DEVON
Later that afternoon, Ginny and I sat by the pond at the Burrow, contemplating, talking, enjoying each other's company.
"Does it help, knowing it's gone, that he's gone?" I asked with concern.
She gazed thoughtfully, tossing a pebble into the water and watching the ripples expand across the quiet surface. "Yeah, I think it does. Though I'm not sure if it will ever be totally gone, up here, you know." She tapped her temple.
I had one arm across her shoulders and pulled her close. "That's to be expected, love. Some will even say that if we totally forget the horrors of our past, we'll be more likely to repeat them."
"Whoever says that probably didn't experience the horror firsthand, but yeah, I can see that. What about you? Any regrets?"
I snorted. "Only that these things weren't dealt with long ago."
"But you weren't tempted like those before…"
"Erm… Ginny…" I started, "I should probably tell you…"
She turned to me when I hesitated. "What? It's okay, love."
I looked at her soft face and sparkling brown eyes, reassuring me that everything would indeed be okay, as long as it was in her power to make it so.
"When I got to Hogwarts and I freed the stone," I began, "I had intended to hide it in the Mirror of Erised. It seemed poetic, since Dumbledore hid the Philosopher's Stone the same way. But when I stood there, holding it, my parents appeared as they always have, but it was different, like they were real. We talked about things, how proud they were, how thankful I was, but they also told me things I didn't know. I believe the stone and the mirror somehow combined the magic to make it real, Ginny, and I ached so much to be with them, to be able to actually touch them, but I could only feel the glass when I tried."
Ginny's eyes glistened and she gave my hand a comforting squeeze.
"I knew that if I didn't get rid of the stone permanently, I would always be tempted to go to it, to look for them again. Dumbledore warned me when I first saw the mirror; he knew a lot about temptation, how even the strongest of us can fall to it. I decided that if I was the master of Death, it was up to me to return those gifts that were sought in selfish greed and arrogance. If I didn't do it, no one else ever could."
"Not playing God?" she teased.
"Nope. At least I don't think so. I think God put me here so that I could do it, as his instrument."
"I like that explanation. Makes sense."
We kissed chastely and held each other for awhile.
"So two decades from now," she mused, "two boys off to Hogwarts, a girl with two years to go…"
"Trelawney said I would have twelve kids."
"But what did Dumbledore say about prophecies? They mean nothing unless we act – something like that?"
"Yeah, and we know that this timeline has already changed…"
"So our future is yet to be determined, Potter?"
"I reckon it will be what we make it."
"Then let's make it good."
And that sounded wonderful to me.
o
10.b
A/N: And that's all for this story. For the record, I prefer the method of dealing with the Chamber of Secrets put forth in my story Elementum Consensio, where Harry and Company follow up on Hermione's idea to remodel it as a student recreation center. There's some other cool stuff as well. Thanks for reading!
o