Harry Potter and the Blessed Blood
Loss
***Despite my plans to eventually own things, Harry Potter will never be one of them. ***
§ParselTongue§
***HPBB***
As he walked away laughing with his friends Hermione fought the creeping fear rolling down her spine, comforted only by the fact that her two friends stood by her side.
***HPBB***
It was a rare thing, to see the children of Hogwarts acting as they did. There was no laughter in the hallways, no pranking or happiness to be found. After a long holiday break, most of the teacher's would have been recharged and ready to face the endless hordes of sugar enhanced magic rebounding off of every surface as the students tried out new trinkets or magical toys, maybe even a spell or two that they had been taught by excited parents.
But it was not the case. Instead the hallways were deathly quiet, students moved in large groups between classes, staying as silent as possible to avoid any attacks. Even the Slytherins, who would normally be mocking their loud and obnoxious rivals, were oddly sedated.
The professors themselves were not much better. When they were not in class the adults could be found guiding the largest of groups through the endless corridors, giving the students an extra feeling of security in the dark times.
If one were to be completely honest though, few truly felt safe.
Another attack occurred less than a month after the return, another student petrified.
By now the Muggleborn students no longer left their dorms for anything besides mandatory classes. Prefects and teachers alike were torn between their sense of duty to shield these students, and staying as far from them as possible to protect themselves. Where was the sense of adding to the casualty list?
Eventually the Ministry was forced to step in and take matters into their own hands.
***HPBB***
"What do you mean Hagrid has been arrested!?"
McGonagall sighed as the students of Gryffindor house gathered around her in protest. It was quite obvious to anyone with half a brain that the large giant was not guilty in the slightest, and yet here she was trying to defend the actions of those who lacked any sort of intellect at all, mainly those in charge of the government.
"What I mean is that Hagrid has been arrested by the Ministry for his involvement in the attacks."
"You can't be bloody serious!"
"Quite, and watch your language Mr. Weasley." The redhead promptly frowned and muttered something back, earning him a detention.
"Why do they think that Hagrid was involved Professor?"
'Finally, someone asks a question that makes sense.'
The Deputy Headmistress loved her lions, she really did. They were brave, self-sacrificing, and honorable. Unfortunately, they also tended to be a bit dimwitted and shortsighted, preferring to run into danger head first rather than actually thinking something through.
Was it any wonder why the heroes of the magical world, who tended to be from her house, never lived very long?
"A very good question Ms. Granger. The first time that the chamber was opened a student died as many of you probably know by now. Hagrid was suspected in the attacks and the investigation has been reopened."
"You mean that they"
"They being our illustrious Ministry"
"Have decided in their wisdom"
"Nigh infinite wisdom dear brother"
"That rather than trying to investigate the attacks"
"It would be far easier to simply"
"Blame someone convenient" the Weasley twins finished at the same time. McGonagall had always assumed they had some sort of charm cast on themselves to allow for such conversations to be so perfectly timed but could never quite figure it out.
***HPBB***
Despite the arrest made and the giant man's incarceration another attack would follow only a few weeks later, another petrified student. The only saving grace thus far, and the only thing helping to keep the students from vacating the castle completely, was the promise that a cure would be ready by the end of the school year. Mandrake roots were being prepared and they would be able to cure those who had fallen under the terrible curse.
At least that was the plan. Despite all of the bravery and reassurances there was a sliver of doubt. After all who could be completely sure that the potion would work if they didn't even know the cause? What if there were more victims after the potion had been exhausted? What if the next attack didn't end in petrification... but something more permanent?
A student had died decades earlier in a similar incident, when would this horror be repeated?
***HPBB***
"There has to be something" Hermione almost whined out. She would not call it whining though, because Hermione Granger did not whine.
At least according to her.
Across the table a blonde boy rolled his eyes, he wasn't quite sure how else to respond to such enthusiasm.
"Hermione maybe you should..."
"Maybe you should help rather than just sitting there Neville" the girl snapped back, earning a whimper of fear from the boy.
Harry just continued going through the books that the trio had assembled. He had long since come to the realization that the 'arguing' was part of their friendship. So long as it did not become cruel he would stay out of it. The other two of them had realized this as well, and had made sure to remind their green-eyed hero that they weren't really mad at each other, it was just a way to let out stress.
"Hey, it's not my fault that there aren't very many famous Muggleborn witches or wizards. I warned you that this plan of yours was going to be hard to accomplish."
"But it shouldn't be! They should mention more than just the Pureblood and occasional Halfblood in our books! Where are all the Muggleborn pioneers of magic? Where are the witches that created new spells and the wizards that saved lives?"
Neville shrugged, not wanting to give the obvious answer that the achievements she had been searching for were probably stolen by Purebloods.
***HPBB***
Dumbledore gave a sigh as he slumped down into his chair. Things were not going well and he knew it. The Chamber of Secrets could not be located and as long as the 'heir' was able to move unseen then there would continue to be attacks.
He had tried keeping an eye on Harry Potter, secretly suspecting that he might have either turned to darkness due to his upbringing or the magic inside of his scar doing it for him. Yet the boy was easily found and kept track of. He was in near constant contact with his two friends, and the times that he wasn't were spent in class.
He simply didn't have time to be orchestrating the attacks.
This simple fact limited down the number of suspects… to zero. As far as Dumbledore knew there weren't any other Parsel speakers in Hogwarts, which meant that either someone was hiding this magical 'talent' or that something more nefarious was going on. Considering the circumstances either was equally probable at this point.
Letting out another deep sigh the Headmaster glanced down at the letter that had arrived a few days after the last attack. It was from the Board of Directors of Hogwarts, and in it he was ordered to resolve the problem, or step down from his position.
That simply would not do though, he could not continue to monitor Harry and guide him towards his ultimate destiny without close proximity as an authority figure. He would simply need to heighten his efforts to locate the offender.
***HPBB***
Ginny Weasley was concerned.
No scrap that idea, Ginny was freaking terrified. She was losing chunks of her memory, walking into her room and blinking only to find she was then in the Main Hall hours later.
Then there was the blood… more than once she had woken up with her hands absolutely covered in the red liquid. She had spent the day trying to scrub it off her hands after emptying the content of her stomach.
But it wasn't just that. Her best friend had been sorted into a different house, and thus she barely saw Luna anymore. Her brother Ron was… well a prat, and the twins were too busy with everything else to spend time with a first year.
She truly felt alone, all save for 'Tom'. He was her saving grace, the only thing keeping her sane despite the horrors going on in the school and her own potential involvement in them.
She had wanted to come forward, to explain that she was probably the one who had written the message but her 'friend' had convinced her otherwise.
'They won't understand you.' The message appeared in silky smooth writing across the blank pages. 'Your family will think you are going crazy and disown you. The Headmaster will believe you are becoming evil and send you to Azkaban…'
That thought was even more horrifying. She knew all about the prison and its guards…
If she was sent there she would not survive.
Would her parents let that happen? Could they stop it even if they wanted to?
No, the only option she had was to persevere and make it through the year. Things would be different when she got back home, she was sure of it.
Thus, the young redhead ignored the doubt in the back of her mind, the feeling that something wasn't quite right, that her one link to sanity might be the reason for her very undoing.
She continued writing in the cursed diary, and continued in her loneliness.
***HPBB***
As the trio sat in the unusually quiet lunch room they went over the notes from charms class.
"No, all I'm saying Hermione is that I don't understand why we have to memorize the exact coefficient of diffusion for spells that travel through water."
"Because it is important Neville."
"Is that your way of saying 'I have no idea but the teacher told me to'?"
The girl stuck her tongue out with a pout, and was met with the same reaction from the blonde while Harry watched on with a smile.
Suddenly the girl blinked once or twice before standing up.
"That's it!"
"What is it?" Harry inquired.
"The answer! Oh it must be, it is so very perfect, everything fits."
"What fits Hermione?" Neville pressed on, also curious to know what she was talking about.
"I have to confirm a few facts at the library but if it checks out I will tell you tonight. I will see you two later." The bushy haired girl promptly gathered up her books and prepared to take off, before she was halted by a hand on her arm. Glancing back, she was met with a concerned look from her best friend.
"Hermione… you shouldn't go anywhere alone remember?"
"Oh, Harry don't worry it will be fine. Besides none of the attacks have taken place during this time of the day. I promise I will be perfectly fine okay?"
Still the look of apprehension did not fade from his eyes.
"Harry… I promise."
"Okay…"
The brilliant smile that was returned gave him an odd warmth in his chest before the brunette took off toward her private sanctuary.
"She will be fine Harry…"
"I hope so…"
***HPBB***
Two hours after their shared meal the two boys were sitting in history class, valiantly trying to stay awake, when the lecture was interrupted by their Head of House.
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Longbottom, come with me please."
The two glanced at each other, before packing up and walking out with the professor.
"Yes Professor?"
"There… has been another attack…"
'Why would she…' Harry's mind froze as a wave of fear shot down his spine.
"Where is Hermione?"
The older woman's face sagged, turning into one of regret and sadness. "She is currently in the hospital ward… she has been petrified."
***HPBB***
"Harry this isn't your fault"
"She was attacked on her way to the library… I should have…"
"What? Been attacked with her? That wouldn't have solved anything Harry."
The raven-haired boy sighed, before nodding slightly to his blonde friend.
"We should head back before it gets dark…"
"You go on ahead, I'm going to stay here a bit longer."
Neville bit his lip, trying to suppress the bad feeling that coursed through his body. "Harry… don't do anything reckless okay? She wouldn't want that."
Again, he nodded slightly, as the Longbottom heir headed out with McGonagall.
Despite the boy's attempts at comforting him, Harry knew the truth. It was his fault. If he had gone with her she might have been able to escape. She could have figured everything out by now, instead she had been attacked and now he was left trying to figure out a mystery he had no hopes of solving.
***HPBB***
"Mr. Potter…"
The boy looked up, from where he had sat down next to his friend for the past several nights.
"If you need anything… let me know."
The boy nodded in thanks towards the mediwitch before pulling out a book from his backpack. He had noticed that one of the other victims' family members had spent over an hour talking to the petrified student, perhaps that helped?
"Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, 'and what is the use of a book,' thought Alice 'without pictures or conversation?'." Harry began reading softly, just loud enough for his friend to hear him.
***HPBB***
"You just couldn't help yourself could you Potter? Just had to attack another Gryffindor eh, you dirty Parselmouth!"
The scarred boy turned around, to see that Ron, with a few other students, was standing behind him looking rather confrontational.
"I don't get it, I mean you aren't even a Pureblood so why target your own kind? What, they not good enough to breathe the same air as you or something? I thought Granger was at least your friend, guess I was wrong there too huh?"
Harry's eyes narrowed.
"Hey Ron, maybe this wasn't the best idea mate… I mean she is one of his best friends and all…"
But the red head ignored his friend's protests, and pushed on in true Gryffindor style.
"That just means he should have been a Slytherin after all. How bout it Potter? You just deceiving all of us? I bet you planned everything out from first year, the troll, all those rumors just to make yourself seem like one of us and drop our guards. I bet you even got Hermione to do you some 'favors' eh Pott…"
Whatever awful thing the young Weasley was about to say next was interrupted, as he found himself slammed against a wall, held up by his throat, and a pair of green eyes glaring back into him, glowing with anger.
Seconds later two wands were pointed at the boy's back.
"Let"
"Our"
"Brother"
"Go"
Harry did so, dropping the boy to the ground who immediately began coughing from the incident. As he turned around both Weasley twins took a step back in fear at the rage in their fellow Gryffindor's eyes.
"Keep him away from me"
They nodded slightly, and allowed the raven-haired boy to leave the scene unhindered.
***HPBB***
"Hello 'The Great Harry Potter' sir."
Harry jumped a bit in surprise, his wand already out as he pointed it at the odd-looking creature that had just materialized at the end of his bed. "Who are you?"
"Dobby is Dobby sir. Dobby must apologize and punish himself later for Dobby is breaking the rules but… Dobby is sorry for Harry Potter's friend."
"Hermione? Did you have something to do with that?" there was a slight tinge of anger in the boy's voice, as the lights flickered briefly.
Dobby shuttered as a brief feeling of fear and power passed over him, truly Harry Potter was a powerful wizard no matter what his masters said.
"Dobby did not hurt her sir, but Harry Potter needs to leave. Dobby has been trying to show the Great Harry Potter this all year, to injure Harry Potter so that you would be home and safe…"
"It was you. You sent the Bludger after me!"
The elf nodded remorsefully, "Yes Dobby did, and Dobby will punish himself by putting his hands in the fire later tonight but…"
"Don't do that, you will hurt yourself!"
The large eyes blinked in confusion, why would the Great Harry Potter be concerned about the welfare of a mere house elf? Especially after he had learned that Dobby had harmed him.
"Dobby, do you know what hurt Hermione?"
"Dobby does not sir, Dobby is sorry. There are terrible things that stalk Hogwarts now. Monsters from ancient times that prey upon the weak. Dobby does not want the Great Harry Potter to be hurt… please leave Hogwarts before it is too late."
Before he could ask anything more the small creature snapped its fingers, and vanished.
***HPBB***
"Oh Collin, my sweet little boy. I am so sorry…"
Harry watched on as a distraught grandmother held the petrified hand of one of the victims, crying as she gently squeezed it in an attempt to convey the love for a mother that could not be present.
"I am sorry Ma'am but it is getting late. You may return tomorrow during visiting hours and I will be sure to contact you should anything change."
The woman gave a tearful nod towards Madam Pomfrey, before she allowed herself to be gently led from the room.
Harry looked down at his paralyzed friend. It had been a week and a half and nothing had changed. Neville still visited every few days but the raven-haired boy had taken to spending every free moment sitting next to her. He would talk about class, the school, even just about the weather to try and fill the silence.
But it still felt as if something were missing, a promise left unfulfilled, a kindness not yet returned. It was then that he realized exactly what it was. Hermione's parents couldn't be here, they could not talk to their injured child, could not whisper that it would be okay. Did they even know of her condition?
The young boy resolved to owl them as soon as he returned to the tower. They should be made aware that something had happened.
Reaching forward he gently took the bushy haired girl's hand in his own, and gently squeezed it, trying to reassure her that everything would be okay.
When Madam Pomfrey locked up for the evening she decided to leave the boy with his friend, their hands clasped together in a loving bond.
***HPBB***
"You cannot be serious!"
"We are very serious Deputy Headmistress. The Board of Directors has just issued a vote of 'no confidence' in Albus Dumbledore's role as Headmaster. He will be immediately removed from this position and a substitute will be chosen until a more formal process can take place.
The aged man frowned, before nodding and packing up a few of his personal items.
"B-b-but what about the attacks!?"
"Dumbledore has failed to prevent these has he not?" Lucious Malfoy spoke up from next to the leader of the Board. "Since this is the case I fail to see why removing him would change anything. Unless of course he has some plan ready to catch the offender?"
"Unfortunately, I do not, I can only hope that my replacement has better luck than I."
The Malfoy head nodded briskly, "If that is the case then I expect a list of recommendations for your replacement by the end of the week."
Albus nodded once again, before letting out a sigh and departing with his Phoenix familiar.
***HPBB***
"Hermione" Harry whispered as he leaned towards his friend, his hands wrapped around hers in the same way they had been for the last several nights. "Whatever it is that attacked you… it will continue to hurt people until it is stopped. I promise you this though… I am going to find and kill who or what it is. I will not let anything hurt you again…"
It had been a rather emotional day for the boy-who-lived. He had received a letter back from Hermione's parents, begging for any sort of information on their only daughter, since they were being denied access to the castle on account of their lack of magic and the escalating fears and concerns for Muggles and Muggleborn students.
His reply had included everything he knew at that point, which wasn't much unfortunately. He had then been forced to sit through Draco Malfoy gloating through potions class, with Snape being as helpful as he normally was in such situations, about how a new school would be opening with only Purebloods in attendance.
Naturally he had assumed that his father would be in charge… for some odd reason.
After that he had caught up with Neville for charms, with neither boy participating much. In fact both had been far more downtrodden than normally since their friend had been attacked. It didn't help any that Harry hadn't been sleeping much, since his nights were often spent in the medical ward.
"Mr. Potter"
The boy's head snapped up, bringing his attention to Madam Pomfrey.
"I'm afraid that all students and staff are to report to the main hall for an emergency meeting. There has been a kidnapping."
***HPBB***
A new fear rushed through the halls of Hogwarts, a new message had been discovered.
'Her Skeleton will lie in the chamber forever'
No one knew who the message spoke of… until a tally was taken of all the students, and one was found missing.
Ginny Weasley
Her brothers immediately began to search for her, the twins and Ron working together as if they had done so their entire lives, and maybe they had without realizing it. Blood is thicker than water after all.
But it was no use, even Dumbledore had never managed to discover the location of the Chamber of Secrets, so three schoolchildren had no chance of doing so.
***HPBB***
"Attention, attention please. I regret to inform you all that Hogwarts will be closing down tomorrow evening. Please pack your bags and prepare to leave the castle by then." McGonagall called out during the hastily assembled meeting of the students and faculty.
Murmurs and whispers immediately broke out amongst the students until…
"What about my sister!?"
"I am sorry Mr. Weasley but we have made no progress in that regards, the Aurors will be coming in to sweep the castle in a little under a week but until then we cannot…"
"A WEEK!?"
"Our sister"
"Is being held captive"
"And the best"
"You can do"
"IS A WEEK!?" the twins' voices echoed together as one as their shout of fury filled the great hall.
The staff merely bowed their heads, realizing the full extent of their failures and the consequences of them.
"What about you Lockhart?" Snape suddenly spoke up, turning his head towards the silent defense teacher. "you once claimed to be able to find any hidden room no matter how well protected did you not?"
"W-well I did but…"
"Professor we are in need of your services now more than ever, please make all haste and focus your efforts on solving this mystery before an innocent life can be claimed."
The man nodded towards the Deputy Headmistress, before departing for his own quarters.
***HPBB***
"Excuse me ma'am?"
McGonagall turned to the delivery man, who bore a large package in his arms. "I have here a package for a Mr. Potter."
"I'm sorry but the school is being closed down. You will have to deliver it to his home instead."
The man nodded, before giving his condolences and departing.
***HPBB***
"Poor Ginny, I do so hope that she is found in time…" a voice whispered from next to Harry and Neville.
"Me too, I only recall seeing her a few times in the Gryffindor tower but she was always… nice…" the raven-haired boy agreed, his mind trying desperately to come up with a solution, some way of finding the truth to this puzzle.
"Hopefully Myrtle will honor her word and allow Ginny to share her toilet. That way they won't be lonely. I do believe the Wrackspurts claimed she was the first victim after all."
Harry spun so fast that his glasses nearly flew off his face. A young blonde girl with pale blue eyes stood next to him, her face a mixture of dreamy wonder and concern.
"What did you say?"
"Oh, just repeating what the Wrackspurts told me. They said she died almost fifty years ago which…" the girl replied, her voice fading off before Neville finished her statement.
"Would put her death at the correct time for when the Chamber was last opened!"
"Where is Myrtle now?"
"Where she always is, the first-floor bathroom." The girl answered once more.
Nodding both boys began to make their way for an exit, before Harry glanced back.
"Thank you…"
"Luna Lovegood."
He nodded, adding her name to a list of those he was indebted to.
***HPBB***
"I don't see any sort of door Harry"
"Nor do I but it has to be somewhere, we can't waste any more time"
Lockhart crept closer to the two boys from just outside the bathroom. He had seen them racing down the halls and had decided to follow the infamous 'boy-who-lived' on the off chance he had discovered something and could live up to the rumors.
That and he had just finished 'borrowing' a certain magical artifact that would fetch quite a decent chunk of gold, allowing for an early retirement, or at least an extended vacation.
"Harry look, there are snakes carved into the sink"
"Odd, this isn't just a bathroom for Slytherin is it?"
"No… wait a second, if Salazar Slytherin made the chamber, and could speak to snakes like you can…"
"Then maybe the key to opening it is the language itself?"
At this point the 'professor' decided to intervene. If he waited any longer the two children might actually discover the chamber, at which point he would either have to risk his life to help them fight some horrible monster or be revealed as a fraud.
Neither of these options was appealing to the man, who quickly stepped into the room just as the raven-haired boy made a few hissing sounds. The sink lowered into the ground, revealing the entrance.
"Well done boys, unfortunately for you I cannot allow you to go any further. You see if I did that then I would be caught up in your little adventure and well… that just can't happen."
"Because you are a fraud?" Neville snapped in anger, the man was preventing them from saving an innocent life!
"I wouldn't necessarily say 'fraud'. Rather I am an inquisitive young mind who just so happened to find some rather interesting stories to tell. That and I am very skilled with mind erasing charms."
"So, you stole your fame?"
The older man nodded with a devious smirk towards the emerald eyed boy. "Indeed Mr. Potter. How terrible it will be though, when you two go missing as well. I would imagine that such a thing would even draw attention from my own disappearance for quite some time."
"But why you unless… you are the heir!"
The man roared out in laughter at Longbottom's accusation. "Of course not you twit. I simply have discovered an artifact left behind by your headmaster and I decided, why not sell it to the highest bidder? After all school teaching really isn't for me, not after all of the terrible incidents that have occurred this year."
Neville's mind raced through several facts, and came to a conclusion he was sure that he would not enjoy. Even if they somehow managed to defeat the man Ginny might be dead by then, there was no way for them to escape their pursuer in their current condition, and he couldn't allow the creep to make off with whatever priceless heirloom he had claimed.
All of this came together to only one conclusion.
"Harry… I need you to promise me that you will save Ginny Weasley"
The boy nodded slowly to the whispered statement from his friend, "I will but what do you…"
"Sorry"
With that Neville turned, and pushed Harry into the tunnel, before it closed behind him. Seconds later his limited survival instincts kicked in, and he managed to dodge out of the path of a spell launched by his former teacher.
***HPBB***