Here is another chapter. Hope you enjoy it. will get the next chapter up as soon as I can.
Thanks to my Beta : Shadowgal ANBU.
Chapter ten: Hogwarts confessions.
Leaving the train, the group began looking for a carriage. Luna called them over when she found one. Making his way to join his friends, he noticed a winged black horse-like creature. This was a thestral he knew. He had be able to see them ever since Cedric. He noted now, as he looked a little closer, that each animal was slightly different. This one seemed to be looking at him like it knew him. It turned its head to him, and nodded. He nodded back, before climbing in with his friends. They chatted quietly all the way up to the school. Harry allowed the feeling of home to wash over him. He closed his eyes just for a moment, the world seemed to still.
"Father, welcome home" echoed in his mind.
Harry's eyes snapped open. He looked at the huge door leading to the castle and felt the love pouring from the castle. She truly was alive. And she was in pain. That much he knew. He made a silent promise to heal her pain. Salazar agreed with Harry's assessment of the castle.
The welcoming feast was as it should be, perfect. The house elves out did themselves again. Harry was more than grateful to these wonderful little beings. Before long Harry was in his dorm with his friends, catching up with them about their summers, discussing the new teacher. Severus had been given the post of DADA teacher, while Slughorn was taking over as potions. Finally Harry had enough and retired to his bed pulling the heavy curtains round him.
Harry felt wave of heat pass over him. His eyes closed automatically. When he opened them he found himself laying in a bed that was exactly the same as the one in his dorm, but it was clear that he wasn't in his dorm. Harry, got out of bed, and looked round the room. He found three other people with him.
"Neville, Mione, Luna" He said, eyeing them with a question in his eye.
"Hello Harry." Luna said dreamily. Harry was beginning to wonder if she has another expression.
Neville and Hermione just looked at Harry.
"What did you do this time?" asked Neville laughing slightly. It made sense that Harry had caused this, after all 9 times out of 10, Harry was to blame for strange things happening. It was like a house rule, 'If in doubt, it must have something to do with Harry'.
"It wasn't me Nev. I have no idea." Harry replied. Not even caring that he was being blamed. He knew Nev would never mean it in a mean way, like some others would have.
"It wasn't Harry, it was Hogwarts" Luna stated drawing everyone's gaze to her.
"Luna?" Hermione questioned. She was trying to take everything in her stride. But she was a little out of her depth. She trusted Harry to do the right thing and was waiting for him to take charge.
"She is right, I pulled you all here." said and hauntingly beautiful voice.
"Who are you?" asked Harry looking round the room, for the source of the voice. It sounded familiar to him. A shimmer of magic caught his sight. The haze was forming into a woman. She had snow white skin, ruby red lips, her hair was shimmering blond, and she had massive almond eyes. She stood about 6 feet in height and she wore a simple plain white dress with four small crests surrounding a large H. She looked no more than 16 years old. Her eyes showed she was much older.
"I am Hogwarts, young lord. You house my father." replied the girl. She spoke, though her lips never moved. Harry spared a look to the others. Two faces were completely confused. While Hermione, smiled. It was clear to Harry that she had figured out what was going on. Pity she didn't share with the rest of the class.
"Lady Hogwarts, why did you call us here?" asked Hermione. He brain worker ever faster than everyone else could. Asked the question they had all been thinking.
"You are all, with the exception of the young heir Longbottom, blood of my parents' blood. That is to say. You are my children" The girl said. Harry's mind was about to explode. Sal was being no help what so ever. It would seem he had just gone to sleep.
"Please explain, the others seem confused." said Luna, seating herself next the fire.
The castle laughed. She indicated to the rest of the group to sit.
"My daughter Luna is correct, I own you an explanation. The young Lord and Lady, Luna carries the blood of my mothers and fathers. Heir Longbottom, you are a true friend. I have called you here to make my confession. I have lived a long time without talking to a living soul. While the ghosts are good company, I long to talk with my family.
Hermione, you carry the blood of Mama Helga and Papa Godric. Harry you carry the blood and soul of Papa Salazar. You also share the blood of Mama Rowena with Luna. Between the three of you, you can take control over the school and the wards. Heir Longbottom, in the time of my parents, I was given the choice to select a champion, someone who would defend me and the students. I have chosen you, because of your relationship with my children.
My tale is a long one, filled with many tragedies and losses. It boasts of love and destiny. It started 1000 years ago, my parent had a dream. That dream was to teach the minds of generations to come. They worked together and built me, at first I was stone, but I became more. I possess a soul. It is made up of the will and the magic of the founders as you know them. I have housed, provided, and cared for hundreds of thousands of witches and wizards of the passage of time, some went on to affect the world in the right way, to do good, while others became dark and twisted. I am connected to those souls that I house. I can feel their energy even now. I cannot tell you how it shames me that I couldn't act to help those lost souls. One such soul, known as Tom Riddle turned out to be the second worse soul, I have ever housed. The first is Albus Dumbledore. He is the reason I have called you all here.
My children and champion, I need your help." The school went on to explain about the actions the headmaster carried out, in the name of the greater good, and the deeds he had planned.
Albus Dumbledore had a lot to answer for. He first started with his experiments in the 1940's. He had read all sorts of dark magic texts. He started off with the right intention, of learning to save. He wanted to know the dark arts and the effects of individuals, in the hops of reversing the effects. It was noble work. However, he needed to know what the effects were on a person who actively used the dark arts. He used a spell on a young tom Riddle to push him to use the dark arts. He soon found out how addictive they were. They seduced the young Riddle into believing he could rule the world, and wield more power than any before them. It took his mistrust of people, especially muggles, and twisted it to hate. Hate being the key of controlling the dark arts. He soon turned his hate of Dumbledore against him. Albus could, no longer control his pet project. Riddle began his own experiments. He created his first soul container, while at school, with the death of Myrtle, a muggle-born student, and once friend of Tom. He learned of Salazar Slytherin and his connection to him. He was a potions prodigy, no potion was too difficult. So he brewed the heritage potion and discovered that Salazar was his ancestor. He found a tome in the library that told the life story of Salazar. It was written by his wife and son. Carina had been so wrapped up in being a pure-blood she had poisoned her son's mind with the tall tales about his father, after Salazar had disappeared.
This book was like a manual, a 'how to' guide. Young Tom, took each lesson to heart and thanks to Dumbledore's meddling, a new dark lord had risen.
Dumbledore, not content ruining one young man's life, he tried with another. He was more cautions this time. He made the man swear a loyalty oath. It was worded in such a way that the young man never knew he had just tied his life to Dumbledore. The control Dumbledore lacked the first time round was fixed this time. While the young man was allowed to use the dark arts, it was never in excess and always monitored.
Lady Hogwarts was so ashamed of herself, not protecting those children. She could have stopped Dumbledore while he was beginning with Tom. As soon as he became headmaster, he did something to his office and blood that prevented her from acting. She felt her bond to the school reduced the size of the eye of a needle, instead of complete access that she was used to. The only way for her to gain the control back, was to have the heirs reinstate the wards to full strength.
"So my children, you know the story of my downfall. I know how he managed to change the wards to restrict my control. Since the ward stone was created for the heirs to present them self to me, only heirs can activate the wards completely. Dumbledore found the wards stone, used his blood on it and wrapped a shield around it. Since he couldn't control the castle completely, he weakened it. You must fix this children. You must break his shield and reactivate the wards and traps." Lady Hogwarts explained.
Harry, Hermione, Neville, and Luna sat in deep thought about the story they had just heard. They couldn't believe that lengths Dumbledore would go through to have complete control. The school was in danger and it was all because the old fool couldn't leave well enough alone. Harry's rage at the man continued to build. How could one man be so bloody stupid?
Something was bugging Neville. He knew of Dumbledore. He had grown up listening to the stories of the great man; the deeds told anyone who cared to listen, that he was a true 'leader of the light'. He stopped Grindelwald. He had a number of important posts. He only ever worked for the good of the people and the light. He had phoenix for crying out loud. How could he be just as evil as Voldemort?
"My Lady Hogwarts, how can Dumbledore be so evil? He has a Phoenix. They are creatures of pure light, and won't be with a companion, of dark intentions?" asked Neville, blush reaching his cheeks. He had just questioned a school that had been around for a 1000 years.
"Well, my champion, Fawkes isn't Dumbledore's. He is bonded to the school. He serves the current headmaster, or the heirs. When my parents' where alive he was bonded to all of them. It is unheard of a Phoenix to be the familiar to two witches and two wizards. The phoenix was so impressed with my parents that he bonded with them and me. His mate comes here often to see him. She is a magnificent bird." the school was patient when answering Neville's question.
After another hour of answering questions and securing the help of the school, saw the group of four back in their dorms and sleeping deeply. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.
