Harry stalked through Hogwarts' corridors, heading back to the Snake Pit as quickly as he could. If there was one thing he was short on, it was time. He needed to know how to get around better. That came before everything else. He needed to be able to quickly move around Hogwarts. He knew he could accomplish it with the Armor active, he just wasn't sure how to do it without severely weakening himself. He couldn't afford to be weak. Not now. Not anytime in the foreseeable future. He had felt a bizarre resistance when he had tried to shoot across the Great Hall. It felt like something that squeezed all the air out of his lungs. It hadn't been a pleasant feeling.
But the House Elves... they got around safely. They also went all over the school. That meant there was not only a way to navigate inside the school, but it was also simple. And while Harry wasn't about to look down on a House Elf's magical talents, surely it couldn't be too hard if they could do it as simply as he could breathe.
He was sure Dobby would help him. Ever since rescuing him, the little guy had helped Harry out quite often. And usually in big ways. This was simply another instance of that needing to occur. He was in a pinch. And if Dobby could help, if he could tell Harry how to get around inside the wards, Harry would be able to defend the school and its inhabitants much easier. Once he figured out how to get around easily, no one was going to cause trouble at the school again without him being able to catch them. They would be the prey and he would be the hunter. And all good hunters never gave up stalking their prey.
Giving the password to Levi as he passed through the invisible wall, the door was open when he reached the bottom. Passing through, he closed the door behind him and immediately turned to head for the training room. He hadn't been in the room all that often, nor had anyone else. But it still had its uses. And maybe future generations who found the place could utilize it more than he could. Taking off his cloak, he set it in an empty corner of the room before turning and sitting down in the center of the room.
"...I guess this is it. Still a bit worked up, though." Harry murmured to himself, his eyes closing. He took a few deep breaths and started to run through a series of quick exercises to help him relax and focus. When he felt like he would be able to concentrate on the task ahead, he called, "Dobby!"
As expected, a familiar CRACK filled the air as the excitable little House Elf appeared in front of him. "Yes, Harry Potter, sir? Is you needing something of Dobby?"
"Are you terribly busy at the moment?" Harry asked. "This... could take some time..."
Dobby blinked. "Dobby is not doing much at the moment, Harry Potter, sir. All that is being done is dishes getting scrubbed. There is always a few who don't get to sit in on the fun. So Dobby is free. What is Harry Potter wanting?"
"How do your kind do it, Dobby?" Harry asked. "Getting around the castle, I mean. I'm sure the House Elves have heard by now of what I did in the Great Hall, same as everyone else at school."
"Harry Potter was doing something very impressive, sir. Harry Potter was forcing his way through the currents, despite their best efforts! A lot of energy is needed to fight them, sir. A lot of energy." Dobby said, clasping his hands together and looking eerily awed.
"Wait, wait... back up a bit, Dobby. Currents? You'll need to explain a bit." Harry said, his brow creasing.
"Ah! Dobby is sorry, sir. We is rarely getting the chance to speak about the currents to anyone other than ourselves. Magical currents flow through all places where magic is being concentrated, sir. Manor houses and magical schools and wizarding communities. Any place where magic is being performed a lot! Magical currents begin forming in and around those places, sir. Like smoke in a closed room. Except the currents is not stopped by things like walls. They is extending to where the magic energy is least concentrated!" Dobby explained.
"Which is probably just about where the wards end here, right?" Harry asked.
But Dobby shook his head. "No, Harry Potter, sir. The currents is extending far into the forest and lake."
"Hm... that makes sense. But do magical beings like the centaurs and merfolk generate magic naturally? Or is it coming from somewhere else?" Harry asked, frowning.
"They is generating the currents simply by existing!" Dobby squeaked.
"I see. Okay, so... I apparently forced my way through these currents? I take it House Elves don't, then?" Harry asked.
Dobby nodded, his head looking like it might break free from his tiny neck at any moment. "Exactly! We is riding the currents to the points we is needing to be dropping off at, Harry Potter, sir. If we is needing to go somewhere, but the currents do not flow that way, we change from one to another."
"Riding the currents." Harry repeated, biting at his lower lip as he thought. "...But House Elf teleportation seems instantaneous. Why is there no delay if you're traveling on magical currents?"
"Well, for House Elves here at Hogwarts, we is having to memorize all currents before we is being hired on. It is one of the requirements. Therefore, we is being able to travel anywhere by taking the shortest possible route! And time is flowing different in the currents, sir." Dobby said. "...Is Harry Potter thinking about trying this?"
"Thinking about it, yeah." Harry said, smirking a little. "Not sure if I'll be able to do it, though. Sounds a bit... complicated."
Dobby cocked his head to one side before saying, "Dobby will help. Dobby will show you the currents. Then Harry Potter can be trying to get to them for himself!"
Harry blinked. "You'll show me the currents? What do you mean?"
Dobby stepped forward, holding out his hands. "Grab hold, Harry Potter, sir. You will be seeing soon!"
Feeling a little awkward about the whole thing, and still being somewhat confused, Harry reached his hands out.
Dobby took hold of Harry's arms by the wrists. "Can Harry Potter use his shiny light body now, sir? House Elves can reduce our state to the correct form needed to travel the currents, but most wizards is not even thinking about that. Most is simply trying to get from one place to another without taking the flow of the currents into account."
"Is that why apparition makes people feel like their eyes are gonna pop out?" Harry asked, closing his own eyes as he muttered, "Patronus Contego."
"Yes, sir. They is fighting the magical currents and pushing them out of their way. It is a dangerous method of travel, sir." Dobby said, his voice grave.
"Splinching." Harry said, the Armor having made his voice echo faintly.
"Correct. Now then. You is just needing to be watching. Dobby will take care of the rest and will make sure Harry Potter is safe!" Dobby exclaimed.
Before Harry could say anything, he felt something rush past him. It felt almost like a strong gust of cool air. And then, in another direction, another gust of air passed. More and more filled the air, traveling in all directions. It wasn't until Dobby asked Harry to really look around that he noticed they weren't in the training room anymore. Or... that's what it seemed, anyway.
They were in a strange, sky-like place where the magical currents were criss-crossing one another in a strange sort of lopsided, misshapen grid. There was no obvious ground or, indeed, anything indicating where the hell in the castle they were. The currents were of various colors and speeds, some changing from red to blue to black and then back again, some slowing to a crawl before shooting by at an amazing pace.
"This is the other side, Harry Potter, sir. This is what it is looking like when one is riding the currents." Dobby said, his voice strangely detached from the way his mouth was moving.
"How the devil are you able to see where you're going?!" Harry asked. "And how are we staying afloat?"
They weren't on any of the currents as of yet. But neither were they on solid ground. They seemed to simply be floating in midair, though the sensation didn't feel like it should have to Harry.
"We is still standing in that room!" Dobby said. "We has merely shifted to where we can access the currents!"
"We've shifted?" Harry asked. "Okay, so... how do you know where you're going?"
Dobby seemed to stifle a little giggle. "Harry Potter is not looking hard enough. Dobby is seeing both sides. But Dobby is used to them, sir. He is traveling them since he was very young! Harry Potter is still very new to shifting. It is taking even the best House Elves some time to learn to see both sides."
"Great. Time. Just what I don't have." Harry said. "So how do I make the training room visible again?"
"When Dobby's cousin Bippii was having trouble seeing both sides, Dobby is telling her that
she should relax her eyes. It is very hard to fight the currents, Harry Potter, sir. You need
to relax your body and give yourself over to them. The magical currents, they is very odd,
sir. They is almost possessing a mind of their own. They is either needing to accept you or
you is needing to hold dominance over them." Dobby explained.
"I dunno if acceptance is what I need to strive for." Harry said. "Especially since I might need to 'shift' in places other than Hogwarts in the future... I dunno if it'll even work or anything yet... but it would be a damn handy skill to have at Azkaban."
Dobby nodded slowly. "Then Harry Potter is simply needing to show the currents that he is strong enough to be worthy of being carried."
"And how do I do that?" Harry asked.
Dobby just smiled. "Release your power."
"What?! I can't do that! Dobby, you should know what kind of power I can generate! I don't want to do anything to damage the currents... or the training room. Or Hogwarts itself, for that matter!" Harry cried.
"Harry Potter cannot damage anything here! Harry Potter's power works differently here. Pull out your wand and try casting a simple spell, sir!" Dobby said.
"My wand? I... don't have them when I'm in this form unless I'm holding them when I invoke its power. Do I?" Harry wondered aloud.
He reached around behind him, where his wand was usually tucked away in his back pants pocket. After a bit of patting, he frowned. The wand seemed to materialize near his fingers. He pulled it up and stared at it. "Okay, now I'm really confused."
"Harry Potter's shiny light body is resonating on a different level. It's why you is able to travel inside the school, sir. Anything you is touching when you use the spell will convert as well. You is just having to locate it again if it was in your pockets!" Dobby said.
"Oh. That makes sense. I think." Harry said. "So... wait, do I even have to reach for it, or can I just will it into existance?"
"Harry Potter should be able to will it." Dobby said. "You is a great and powerful wizard,
after all!"
Harry raised his left hand, concentrating on Cedric's wand, which he normally kept tucked up his left sleeve. A second later, the wand appeared, spinning, a few inches from his fingers. He smiled and grabbed hold of it. "Okay... okay, so I can materialize my wands in this place. But what good's that going to do?"
"Like Dobby is saying, sir - you is needing to get accepted by the currents or gain dominance. There is spells used for both. But since Harry Potter may need to access the currents outside of Hogwarts... you is only needing the latter.
"What's the incantation?" Asked Harry.
Dobby shook his head. "It is not that kind of spell, sir. It is..." The House Elf tilted his head one way, then the other, looking frustrated. "...Dobby is sorry, sir. He isn't knowing how to explain clearly. House Elves very rarely have to speak about their travel methods to other races, sir."
"It's alright, Dobby. I can work on this part later. Can we ride the currents now, though? I'd like to know how it feels." Harry said, twirling his wands before making them fade back into his body.
"Of course! Maybe the currents will be more accepting if they is knowing you are a friend to House Elves!" Dobby said.
"Perhaps." Harry replied, smiling crookedly.
Dobby took hold of one of Harry's wrists and motioned for him to 'step' onto the nearest current, a wide, snow white path that almost seemed to look like an icy river. Hesitant only for a brief moment, he took a step forward and onto the current. If he was to either be accepted or gain dominance, he needed to show trust. Without trust, one could neither be accepted or take control of something. He yelped in surprise as he sunk down a little into the current, which somewhat annoyed him as Dobby was standing perfectly on top of it.
The feeling was quite strange. It did almost feel as though he had stepped into a shallow river. He could feel the current pushing forward around his lower legs and feet, though it didn't throw him off-balance. Dobby indicated a thinner, purple current up ahead that crossed over the snow white one's path. He said it would get them moving in a circle that would eventually lead them back to the Pit. He said that to transfer, all they needed to do was to will it to happen.
Harry did as he was told, and Dobby was pleased that his instructions were being so easily followed. It also made Harry feel a bit more at ease. His shoulders, which he hadn't even been paying attention to, certainly felt knotted up. Probably the stress from the morning's happenings combined with the anxiety of this shifting business. As they traveled, with Dobby talking about the current's flow and how one stepped off to shift back into the real world, Harry began to relax. And when he did, something seemed to click inside his mind.
All of a sudden, he wasn't traveling through a nearly featureless, sky-like world. The castle was all around him, though very see-through and fuzzy. Harry stopped Dobby mid-sentence to tell him this. Dobby said that it was because Harry was getting used to being in the realm of the currents that he was finally starting to see both sides. Harry was turning his head this way and that, looking everywhere he could to take in the sights. He could see clear through the very top of the school. There were tiny, transparent people walking way up there. Turning his head to one side, he could just spot the Great Hall in the distance. He thought he saw something down below him, but the current's speed had suddenly increased and it had made him jolt.
"This is amazing..." He breathed.
"It is a very beautiful place." Dobby agreed as he indicated the next current to move onto. "Once Harry Potter is learning how to shift on his own, he can be experiencing this all the time. Ah! Look! Here comes some House Elves!"
And sure enough, a handful of House Elves came soaring by on a number of different currents, each twisting to go off into different directions. Dobby waved to them as they nearly toppled out of the currents they were on at the sight of Harry. Unable to help himself, Harry laughed.
"Has anyone ever collided on these things?" Harry asked.
"Oh, yes, many times! Just last week, Gemmy and Trinket is crashing into one another right over the Hufflepuff common room! They fell out of this realm and landed on a very surprised first year boy!" Dobby said.
Harry laughed harder. "I'll have to make sure I'm paying attention when I'm here, then. Are there any Elf-free areas I can go? I wanna make sure that I don't crash into anyone and wind up in a wall or something."
"The area between Hogwarts and Hagrid's house is nice and clear. We is not going out there. He likes us, but his dog doesn't." Dobby said, shuddering.
"Fang's a big baby. He just acts scary." Harry said. "But that sounds good. I may have to go see Hagrid, whether I want to or not, so I can use his house as a launching and landing point. It wouldn't do if people saw me making an idiot of myself. More than usual, I mean."
"Dobby can be helping out whenever Harry Potter is wanting to try accessing the currents!" Said the House Elf. "Dobby will also be asking his friends about the name of the spell. Dobby is sorry he cannot remember, sir."
"Quite alright, Dobby. You've passed on more than enough information for the time being. Oh, hey! I see the Pit down there!" Harry said, leaning over the side of the current. "...Hah! Draco and Pansy just came in! Let's go pop in on 'em, shall we?"
Two quick current changes and they were shooting down towards the ground just inside the Pit's living room. Dobby instructed Harry to take a big step off to the right when they got a little ways above the floor. Doing so, Dobby told Harry to concentrate on reappearing, just as he did when he crossed the Great Hall. Harry smirked and focused his energy.
"...don't know what you're talking about. She is not my girlfriend!" Malfoy argued, glaring at Pansy.
"Oh don't you give me that, Draco! I saw you making googly-eyes at her!" Pansy said, grinning.
"What the hell are googly-eyes?! I don't make googly-eyes!" Malfoy stated.
"You don't even know what they are! How do you know you don't make them?" Pansy asked.
"I... dammit, that isn't the point here!" Malfoy said.
"Oh? What is the point then, Draco? Hmmmm?" Pansy asked, leaning in as her grin grew wider.
Whatever point Malfoy was going to make was interrupted. A loud CRACK filled the air next to the Slytherins, causing them both to cry out in surprise. Harry was standing there, laughing, next to an equally amused-looking Dobby.
"Potter! What the hell?!" Malfoy asked.
"Don't DO that!" Pansy yelled. "You scared me half to death!"
"Sorry, sorry!" Harry said, letting the Armor fade away. "Mmph... held it a bit long. Gonna be sore tomorrow. ...Anyway, sorry, you two. Dobby was showing me how I should be moving through the school!"
"Oh? And how's that?" Malfoy asked.
"Long story. I'll tell you over a cup o' tea if you want some." Harry said.
"Could do with a bit stronger if you can dredge it up." Malfoy muttered, rubbing his chest.
"Head on in. I'll be there in a second." Harry said, nodding towards the dining room. As the two Slytherins started to walk past, Harry turned and knelt down to face Dobby. "Okay, Dobby. We'll meet again in a week's time, alright? During that time, I'll recover and work on holding the Armor for a bit longer. I'll give myself a full day to rest before our meeting so I can spend as much time as I can muster riding the currents."
Dobby nodded. "Harry Potter is a great wizard, sir. Dobby is sure you will be able to master this quickly!"
"I wish I believed in myself as much as you believe in me. Seeya in a week, Dobby. Malfoy will get cranky if I make him wait in there too long!" Harry said.
Dobby just grinned as Harry turned to join his friends. Before the familiar CRACK filled the air again, Harry could have sworn that he heard the House Elf mutter, "He is liking his tea almost freezing for some reason. Dobby is always telling him that it is best hot, but he is never listening..."
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
The next few weeks rolled by at a surprisingly brisk pace. In that time, Harry had learned to ride the magical currents by himself, though he was quite nervous about his first real trip through them. But Dobby, following closely behind Harry, ensured that he didn't try reappearing inside a wall. After that, Harry had asked to try without Dobby being around. The House Elf had agreed, feeling that Harry seemed more than ready for his first solo attempt. Harry had shifted up to the Gryffindor Common Room, scaring the entire population in the process, to invite Hermione and Ginny for some tea. The girls, both laughing, agreed. Harry bowed, offered a goofy grin, and shifted back down to the Pit.
Dobby had been an amazing teacher, explaining every minute detail Harry could ask about the currents and how to ride them. The only thing limiting his travel was the fatigue still brought on by the use of the Patronus Armor. He could only hold form for a few minutes. It wasn't enough. He had tried forcing the time to extend by simply being relaxed when he invoked it. One time he had sprawled out on the floor of the training room and summoned it up just to see how long he could hold it when he was doing absolutely nothing. He had left the room a few short minutes later feeling monumentally frustrated.
But it was enough. Dobby hadn't been lying. Time passed differently in the other realm. Harry watched as the transparent residents of the castle seemed to almost move in slow motion as he rode the currents. And since Harry could see in all directions once shifted, he could easily and quickly plot out the fastest route to take to any given destination. If he invoked the Armor, shifted, then immediately released the spell after landing, he was left with only a mild headache that went away within the hour. It would do for now.
One night, Harry couldn't sleep. He had wanted to do something ever since he had started to ride the currents by himself. Quietly slipping out of bed one night, miraculously not waking Tonks up, Harry shifted down to the lowest dungeons. In particular, he was riding to Demetra Aethon's 'prison cell.'
He could see the girl as he drew closer. She was shackled by her wrists to the wall. Another pair of shackles on the ground were wrapped around her ankles. She had obviously had her wand confiscated, not that it seemed to matter. She was also wearing what Harry recognized to be a typical Azkaban outfit. From his talks with Dumbledore, he knew that magical limiters as well as energy dampeners were set up through the shackles, effectively making her defenseless.
But the spells on the room didn't stop him. He wasn't coming in through the door. Shifting in, he dropped the Armor and slid his hands into his pockets. A few minutes later, Demetra slowly lifted her head. Her hair was hanging limply down into her her eyes.
"How did you get in here?" She rasped.
"Magic." Harry stated.
Demetra leveled a weak glare at Harry before letting her head slump back down. "Go on then."
"Hm?"
"Do what you came here for." Demetra said. "Kill me."
"Excuse me?"
"Kill me." Demetra repeated. "Free me from this nightmare."
"No." Harry said.
"No?"
Harry smiled, stepping closer and reaching out. Putting his hand under the girl's chin, he raised her head up to look into her eyes. "No."
"Why?"
"Because I'd much rather see you suffer down here. It's much more of a reward. If I killed you, you wouldn't learn anything. Perhaps remaining down here will do something for your despicable attitude. Tell me, in the time you've been here, have you ever seen Leon act in any way other than courteous to people?" Harry asked.
"That isn't the point. Nor is it my concern. My mission was passed down from Archbishop Valentine himself. His word is law to us." Demetra stated.
"You're acting exactly like the creatures you claim to despise." Harry whispered, leaning in closer and kneeling down. "How can you justify that?"
"We are nothing like those beasts." Demetra said, growling.
"You attacked an innocent man." Harry stated. "One who never wished to be a vampire in the first place. Alexis Palinsky attacked him when he was a small boy. His father left Leon and his mother because he was exactly like you. He thought his little boy was tainted and could never grow up to be anything other than a monster. Tell me, is it right to pass judgment on those who have no control over what has happened to them?"
"I do not care why he is a vampire." Demetra stated. "The fact that he is one is enough. It is enough to warrant a bounty on his head. Iscariot will seek out every vampire in existence and render them extinct. Our mission is to cleanse the Earth of the filth that has pushed its way in."
"And in doing so prove yourselves to be just as disgusting as that which you wish to eliminate. Hate mongers get nowhere in life. Tell me, Aethon - what are your thoughts on Lord Voldemort?" Harry asked, leaning in so close that Demetra couldn't look away.
"He is a vile monstrosity that should have never been. His mere presence on this planet is an offense to God." Demetra whispered.
"You realize I'm the only one who can stop him, don't you? Surely even you aren't so blind that you can just ignore that." Harry said.
"What is your point?" Demetra asked, sounding weary again.
"My point is that if I'm going to stop Voldemort and put an end to this war, I need my friends by me. I trust Leon with my life. And if that isn't good enough proof to you or your damned organization, then nothing ever will be. If any more of your people show up to try and finish what I started, I can guarantee you one thing." Harry said.
"And what might that be?" Demetra asked.
"None of them will leave in one piece." Harry murmured.
"Why not exact that vengeance on me?!" Demetra suddenly yelled. "This solitude... this silence... I hate it down here! You can kill me and no one would know, right?! So do it!"
"No." Harry said, getting back up and taking a few steps back as Demetra began to yank at her shackles. "You deserve the loneliness. You deserve the depression. You deserve every terrible thing you get. But you don't deserve death. You deserve a slow and torturous life that drives you insane. You're clearly halfway there already, since you judge a whole race as a group rather than individually. It's a shame, really... if this had happened last year, I might have been more merciful. But now? Now is a different story, Aethon. And this story doesn't have a happy ending. Not for you, not for me, not for anyone else."
Demetra just glared up at Harry as he invoked the Patronus Armor again.
"I'll go. I'll be back, though. We aren't done talking. I just wanted to see how you were holding up." Harry said.
"Why?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe I want to believe I can break through the brainwashing you seem to have undergone. Maybe I just want to torture you. You must be sore by now, stuck in that position for this whole time. I'm going back to my nice, soft bed. A bed where my future wife is happily curled up and dreaming. Tell me, Aethon... do you think you'll ever know what's it like to hold someone and feel their breathing change as they drift off to sleep? Do you think you'll ever be held and have that feeling of safety? That all is right with the world for at least that one moment? No one's going to love such a hate-filled person like you. And the only thing awaiting you is more confinement. We'll see how merciful your God is to those who try executing his supposed orders. Sweet dreams, Demetra Aethon."
Harry shifted, but didn't step onto any of the currents right away. Instead, he walked closer to Demetra and got down on one knee to watch the girl for a moment. Initially, he didn't think the girl had cared about anything he had said, having stared down at the ground ever since Harry had started talking. Then he noticed her shoulders shaking ever so slightly. Then the first sobs came.
Harry stood back up as Demetra broke down into tears. Turning, he jumped onto the nearest current leading back up. Not a few months ago, he had believed that everything could change and that they could always be fixed. He wasn't so sure anymore. But the fact that he had left Demetra sobbing had to mean something. Had his words broken through her tough exterior? Had he found a chink in her armor?
Shifting back into the Pit, Harry dropped the Armor again and yanked off his glasses. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he walked back towards the bedroom. It was hard trying to be the good guy. But damned if he wasn't going to at least try to save the girl. He wasn't going to let the other him have the final word on this matter. Solieyu was attacked, but it was merely the orders of a puppet doing the attack. A girl who had probably been raised from birth to believe the religious zealotry spouted by those around her. It was like Draco being raised to believe that only purebloods should exist, Harry thought. It wasn't to say that he was ever going to trust Demetra like he trusted Draco, but neither did he think that the girl would be able to hold onto her beliefs for long. Not when the glaring truth was staring her in the face. She was stripped of her rights and shackled in an empty room in a part of the castle that was almost deathly silent. That kind of confinement could do strange things to people.
"Where'd ya go?" Tonks asked as he walked in. She was sitting up in bed, a few candles nearby lit, reading a book.
Walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed, Harry chucked his glasses onto his nightstand and sighed. "Downstairs."
"Downstairs?" Tonks repeated, closing the book and setting it aside.
"Shifted down to Aethon's cell." Harry said. He launched into a recount of all that had happened. By the time he had finished, he had laid back, his head resting on Tonks' legs.
"Dunno why you're bothering." Tonks said, idling messing around with Harry's hair. "She's one of those types who'll believe what they're told clear to the end."
"You didn't hear the sobbing." Harry said, closing his eyes. "I think I actually got through to her. I'm not sure what good it's going to do... but I plan to go back a few more times. A few weeks between trips, if she remains here at the school. Enough time for the loneliness to sink in."
"You can't save everyone." Tonks murmured.
"I know." Harry said, sighing again. "I know."
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
Harry opened his eyes, only to find himself in a black hallway. Everything seemed sharp and smooth. Were any light to shine on the place, it might have even been beautiful. As it stood, a sickly dust almost seemed to roll in on its own, covering every surface around him. Not knowing quite what to think, Harry began walking.
There was only one way out of the hallway, and it opened to a small, circular room. In the middle was a low, flat pedestal. There, being held up by three silver prongs, was the missing gemstone. The Soul of Balthazar looked dull and faded, however. Harry stepped closer, reaching out to touch the gem. His hand had almost made it when a weak voice stopped him.
"I am growing weaker."
Harry glanced around, but didn't see anyone. Looking back towards the gemstone, he asked, "How so?"
"I have cycled too much energy without being given a chance to recharge..." Croaked the voice. "And the only way to recharge is to rest. Were the Gauntlet reformed... it would happen at a constant rate. I would feed from the Controller and would assist him in balancing his power. Please... I don't have much time..."
"Do you know where you're being kept now?" Harry asked.
"I have been moved many times. And whether or not the Dark Lord is fully aware of it, I have taken in a lot of information. I may be old and nothing more than the whisper of the person I once was... but I am not yet some feeble old ghost willing to give up without a fight!" Said the voice, a little energy returning to it as it finished.
Harry smirked. "So you can give me the layout of the Citadel?"
"Not the entire thing, mind you... but I know the precise path from my room to the entrance, at the very least. I cannot imagine that you would have need for more, though." Balthazar said.
"Yeah, you're the only thing we're going there for." Harry said. "Lay it on me, then. The sooner we can do this, the better."
"Yes. I am going to hold out for as long as possible. But my gem being stuck to this infernal device is leaving me in a state of permanent exhaustion. It's only through sheer will that we are able to communicate. Now then, I do not mean to be rude... but you must remain quiet and burn what I am about to say into memory. I can already feel myself growing to the point of breaking. I will not put myself into the danger zone, but it will be close."
"Right. You've got the floor then, Balthazar. Tell me how to get to you."
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
Author's Notes: And here we have two major plot points. Harry begins to shift to get around the school and Balthazar, having been moved from his original spot (and indeed, many after that), telling Harry how to locate him in the dark spire itself.
Not much to say, kids. The next chapter will be a fun one to write. October is in the swing and things will be going quite well for Harry. And you know what that means, right? I can't let the poor guy relax.
That's it. I really don't have much to say. WoW's got me by the bits, so chapters may be a slight bit late here and there, depending on how bad the fever is on any given day. But I cranked THIS chapter out during that time. So it's not going to distract me. I still think two chapters a month is a good estimate, even if I go on a writing frenzy and get more done. So there you have it, folks. Look for chapter 12 in the second half of the month or so.
Strangely, I've received a number of emails lately - sorry, kids, I really don't check my email very often, so don't be offended if I never reply - asking if Citadel is part of a series. People, check my profile. Citadel is book 6 in the R-Series! You've got a lot of reading to go catch up on!
And I also would like to apologize to my forums. I've been neglecting to check up on them for months now. I really do need to get into the habit of peeking in there when I stop by FFN. In any case, chapter 12 is already written at the time of this edit. It'll go up later in the month. I'll see you then!