Harry Potter and the Blood War Chapter 7: Breakdown
The called and the chosen.
That's what they were calling them around Hogwarts, much to Harry's displeasure. Flint's Called and Harry's Chosen. Harry however, had the utter glowing satisfaction that the Chosen were winning. Flints support had been slashed to just the Slytherins and even there he had only a loyal kernel, a fragment of the support he once had.
As Harry walked silently through the corridors he passed Malfoy once more surrounded by his usual crowd of sycophants, mute evidence that most Slytherins had defected back to their old leader. For all that he hated Malfoy Harry had to admit that it hadn't turned out to be a bad deal, Malfoy got his pride back and Harry had got peace. And it was peace, the chosen (Harry hated that name, it was overdramatic. He preferred to think of them as junior marauders.) had stopped the violence largely without using violence in return. It had just happened that wherever the Called tried to meet each other a teacher or a prefect or a big group of Harry's little soldiers were already there. People were wondering how he always knew.
Harry smirked, between an informant and a ghost it was lucky Flint had any secrets left. Harry rounded a corner and stopped dead. His smile dieing on his lips. In front of him was a bitter tableau, the last thing he ever wanted to see.
TRAITORS!
The chamber is open and the Heir prevails but you betray him!
So each and every one of you will suffer!
Each and every one will die!
This is only the beginning Mudbloods.
The words were scrawled on the wall were nothing to what was under them. Colin Creevy, an irritating but earnest first year, was curled up un the floor with the white sheen of petrifaction on his skin. He was clutching his camera like a lifeline. Standing above him with his wand drawn was Professor Michelson.
The student and the teacher stared at each other for a long moment. In the silence Harry heard his heart racing.
"Good Harry. You're here." Professor Michelson nodded. "Run and get Dumbledore, I'll get this poor chap to the Hospital wing."
Harry didn't move except to grip his wand tighter.
"Are you disobeying your teacher Harry? Get Dumbledore." Markus Michelson bent down and reached for Colin.
"Step away from him." Harry raised his wand and started forward. "Or I swear to god I'll kill you." Professor Michelson stopped but didn't back away.
"Death threats Harry?" Michelson laughed. "Do you really think you'd last five seconds in a duel with me?"
Harry never got to answer as the sound of running feet filled the hallway. A moment later Dumbledore was there, pushing past Harry to examine the petrified child. Harry kept his eyes trained on Markus.
"Albus." Professor Michelson smiled. "I was just trying to send for you. He's been petrified like the others."
Harry felt more jostling bumps and looked around to see other teachers and students crowding into the corridor. Despite the witnesses there was no way he was leaving Colin alone now. He cleared his throat.
"Do you want me to take him to the Hospital wing Professor?"
Harry dropped into a chair near the petrified Gryffindor's bed and tried to marshal his thoughts. The marauders stood around him without speaking. At the other side of the bed the two semi-Gryffindors, Elizabeth and Vanessa, stood silently. They had been visiting Joshua Split but had come over when they saw Colin brought in. They knew him. They took classes with him. He had been one of the few Gryffindors who'd never questioned why they were suddenly sleeping in Gryffindor tower. He had just greeted them cheerfully. They'd liked him. Harry'd liked Colin too, he was one of the few people shorter than him.
Harry shook his head, this was too much. And they had been winning.
"Do you think…" Neville started and then stopped, unsure of himself.
"Go on Neville." Harry tried to smile encouragingly at him, but couldn't find it in himself. "God knows I don't have any bright ideas."
"I was thinking Hogwarts might have to close." He looked at his feet while saying it. Harry didn't answer him, he just glanced around the Hospital wing. Too many of the beds were occupied.
"They've been talking about it." Parvarti spoke quietly. "Our parents have…" Her sister tried to shush her but she kept talking. " Our parents have been trying to get us to leave for a while. They say its not safe anymore."
The crew fell silent again. Parvati was watching Harry, like she was trying to gauge his response.
"Aren't you going to say something Harry." Hermione urged him.
"It's not safe anymore." Harry's own voice felt dead in his ears. They stared at him.
"But…" Ron was looking at him shocked. "Dumbledore's here. Its got to be safe." Harry didn't even have the energy to respond to that but Ron pressed on.
"And you Harry. You're here." Harry felt a dry laugh escape his lips. "No its true. You've helped loads. Right everyone?" Harry heard murmured agreement and felt an arm fall across his shoulders. Ron was uncomfortably hugging him. "Everyone looks up to you Harry. You'll think of a plan." Something snapped in Harry and he slapped Ron's arm away.
"I'll think of a plan! Why?!" Harry glared up at the shocked faces of his friends. "Why?! Why me? Because I'm bloody sick of it do you hear me. Let me tell you straight out. I. Don't. Have. A. Bloody. PLAN!" Harry was yelling but he felt his voice catch in his throat. He stood up and turned away from them all.
"All these people!" Harry waved his hands at the petrified students. "You think I have a clue what to do?" He held his head in his hands.
"Its too much." He couldn't have stopped talking now if he tried. "Malfoy and Flint and Michelson and Snakes and Elves and Bloody Tom Riddle. I have them going round and round in my head but I can't put anything together."
"You do it!" He whirled and pointed at Hermione. "Or You!" He waved at a shocked Padma.
"You could have been Ravenclaw. You work it out because I can't. I don't have a plan. I tried but I can't." He collapsed onto the floor of the Hospital wing, he noticed the tears falling onto his lens' but he couldn't stop.
"I just can't do it. I'm not smart enough, I'm not strong enough. I only beat Malfoy 'cos I used the pain-spear. Had to use it again on the snakes. I ran away from the other snake. I'm a coward and I'm stupid and I'm sorry. But I don't have a plan." Harry's hand snaked into his collar and held fast to the little shell pendent, the edges of it cutting into his palm.
"I'm sorry." He whispered. "You were wrong. I'm not up to this. I don't know what I'm doing."
Harry stayed sitting there on the floor, crying and sobbing. He felt his friends crowding around him, someone was hugging him, he didn't know who. He had screwed up his eyes as hard as he could. Someone (Ginny maybe? She had small hands) kept stroking his hair and making soothing noises. He felt a tissue pushed into his hands and tried vainly to use it on his eyes. He couldn't believe he was doing this. No one spoke, for which he was grateful. Perhaps he could just pretend this hadn't happened? But the silence was broken in the last way he would have ever expected…
"Did you say Tom Riddle?"
Harry's eyes flashed open. Vanessa was staring at him open-mouthed. "Yes." He managed to croak in a voice that didn't sound like him. "Do you know something?"
"My…" Vanessa looked scared and was gripping the side of the bed very hard. "I don't know… I don't…"
"Whatever it is… Please?" Harry heard himself beg. "You can tell me. You just saw me have a breakdown on the floor. Whatever it is it can't be worse than that can it?" Harry saw Elizabeth reach out and close her friends hand in both of hers. "Please…"
"My parents… are in Azkaban." Harry heard the marauders around him gasp and shushed them into silence. "They were arrested three years ago for muggle baiting. I live with my aunt and uncle." Vanessa swallowed hard. "My dad is older than mum. He used to get drunk, talk about what he did in the war. He… they both worked for the Dark Lord." Harry felt another gasp and Vanessa turned away and buried her face in her hands.
"'nessa you don't have to be scared." Harry shook his head. "When the fights started you followed Split not Flint, you're good."
"I chose Slytherin." Vanessa spoke through her hands. "I was scared of my aunt and uncle. I was given a choice and I still went to Slytherin."
"And you ended up in Gryffindor anyway." Harry tried to keep the eagerness from his voice, he needed to know what she did. "Please be brave for me. Be a Gryffindor now." Vanessa nodded and started talking again.
"My fathers name is Tortor Gibbon…" Harry saw Ron's jaw clench and quickly grabbed his arm, he didn't know what was going on but nothing could be allowed to stop Vanessa speaking. "He used to talk about how proud he was. That he was one of the first to pledge his loyalty, one of the first to serve the Dark Lord. How he went to school with him, knew him before he even took his name. While he still had his old name. While he was still Tom Riddle."
No one moved. No one spoke. It felt like no one breathed.
"Tom Marvolo Riddle was Voldemort." Harry could feel the spark. All the pieces in his head seemed to be coming together. "The diary was Voldemort's." Harry heard Ginny let out a cry and saw Hermione move to comfort her but it was background, it was all pushed to the sides of his mind "Markus Michelson has the diary of the Dark Lord. That should be enough for Dumbledore."
Harry looked around him and realised he was still kneeling on the floor, he had a balled up wad of tissues in his hand.
"Help me up." Arms grabbed him. "We've got work to do." He blinked the last remaining tears out of his eyes.
"Neville, Ginny…" Neville looked up but Ginny didn't. "Ginny! You need…" Harry had been about to comfort her but at the last minute decided on a different tack.
"Ginny wake up! I need you here, are you a marauder or not? Up!" She jerked up off Hermione's shoulder and stared at him. "The two of you GET DUMBLEDORE. He's changed his office password by now but don't take no for an answer. Find McGonagall, anyone, make nuisances of yourselves until you get him! GO!" Neville and Ginny bolted for the door.
"Bring him to Michelson's office when you get him. That's where the rest of us are going. Vanessa…" Harry turned to the little girl. "… you are amazing. Never change." With that he whirled to the rest of the marauders and drew his wand. "Michelson's office now. Lets end this!"
Harry grabbed the door handle and yanked at it. Unsurprisingly it didn't move. Harry glanced back at his friends.
"I should be able to break through, did last time. Go up there and keep watch for me." Harry pointed at a stained glass window. "Mico if Markus comes alone." The marauders moved off, except for one.
"Harry." Hermione said. "Shouldn't we just wait for Dumbledore? He should be on his way, do we have to break in?"
"Probably not but I can't just wait here Hermione. Honestly I'd go crazy right now if I wasn't doing something." Harry turned back to the door and heard Hermione move away.
Harry used the revealing charm and removed the fixing charm and temporarily deactivated a sepulcralis curse that hadn't been there before and swung the door open. Moving as fast as he could he scoured the tables that were set around the room, the book wasn't where it had been last time. He began checking the bookshelves when he felt his wand vibrate. He slipped to the door and glanced out quickly. Instead of Markus Michelson he saw only one thing. Green scales and a long muscled body.
"Guys RUN!" Harry yelled at the top of his voice while darting back into the office. "Don't look into its eyes! Coepto incantatem!" Harry reactivated the sepilcralis curse on the door and stepped back in terror. The slithering noise got closer on the other side of the door and Harry raised his wand in fear. As the noise got right up to the door he saw a flash of light around the frame and an inhuman screech. The curse had worked. There was a loud thrashing from beyond the door and the room shook as if something was throwing its weight repeatedly against the wall. Harry heard an almighty crunch and then silence. Then slow slithering sounds as whatever it was moved off.
Harry knew he shouldn't but as soon as the noise had moved off he ran forward and pulled the door open. The hallway was in ruins, paintings smashed and armour thrown everywhere. There were chunks of rock all over the floor, Harry knew what those must have been from. Sepilcralis, the entombing curse. It encased your body in rock, just leaving your head out. The snake must have been strong enough to shake itself free.
Then Harry saw something else that made him stop in horror. The running feet in the distance as someone came to investigate were nothing, all sound was gone. Harry stared up at four frozen figures, pressing up against a stained glass window that was no longer there, it had been smashed by the beasts angry throws. Ron, Hermione and the Patils, all petrified. Hermione had her wand in her hand, she must have sent the mico before she was frozen. Her last act was warning him. She hadn't even wanted to come. Petrified just because he couldn't sit still for five minutes.
Harry dragged his gaze away from them and saw the people who had arrived. Ginny and Neville standing there shocked staring first at their petrified friends then at Harry. Dumbledore standing behind them with all the heads of house flanking him and Markus Michelson standing arrogantly to one side.
"Harry…" Dumbledore's voice was soft and carried nothing of what was going on in his head. "…do you have something to tell me?"
"Yes." Harry turned to him. He tried to imagine how he looked, sweating, his clothes a mess, his eyes still puffy from the breakdown in the hospital wing and standing in the middle of a destroyed corridor with his wand out. "I have something to say."
Dumbledore led them into Markus Michelson's office while Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout began levitating the petrified Marauders down. Harry turned once he was inside and began to speak before anyone else could.
"Headmaster, Professor Michelson is behind the attacks."
"Harry, do not make baseless accusations." Dumbledore said harshly.
"Its not baseless. He's a Parseltongue!"
"That in itself proves noth…"
"He has been at the sight off the last two petrifications!"
"Doing his job as a Hogwarts teacher!"
"The last two times I've broken into his office I've coincidently been attacked by a giant snake! This time it petrified my friends!"
"Broken into his office?" Snape sounded as happy as Harry had ever heard him. "You admit it in front of four Hogwarts teachers."
"Get bent Snivillus. This is important." The shocked look on every teachers face showed Harry exactly how far over the line he was. But he couldn't stop now, he had just seen something in a cabinet behind the potions master. Moving so fast no one had a chance to question him he darted to the cabinet and grabbed the handles. It wouldn't open.
"Where's the key!" Harry whirled and yelled. He pointed at Professor Michelson. "Tell me!"
"Mr Potter you are in quite enough trouble as it is." Professor McGonagall was looking at him with something between anger and sadness. "You will be expelled of course but perhaps if you stop now you can avoid criminal charges."
Harry felt like he had been hit in the gut but he was running on adrenalin now and the chances of him stopping were zero. He turned and grabbed a heavy statue. Ignoring a yell from behind him he smashed the glass of the cabinet and grabbed the diary triumphantly.
He felt himself grabbed from behind and turned to look directly into Dumbledore's eyes. Far from bright and twinkling they looked like burning ice.
"Harry Potter you have…"
"…saved your arse." Harry cut in thrusting the diary at the most powerful wizard in the world. "Read it! You will read it!"
No one in the room breathed as Dumbledore slowly reached out and took the slim book. His long ancient fingers moved over the cover and opened it to its first page. He stopped, for a moment Harry thought he had been petrified as well. Only the old wizards eyes moved, back and forth as if he was reading that one line over and over.
"Markus." When Dumbledore finally spoke it was almost a whisper. Almost a prayer. "You know what this is." It wasn't a question but Professor Michelson answered anyway.
"Yes."
"You know who this is."
"Yes."
"Why did you not tell me?"
"I thought you had enough on your hands." Markus replied evenly. "I am more than capable of dealing with cursed items."
"Albus what is it?" Snape sounded almost interested. Dumbledore wordlessly held the book out for Snape and McGonagall to see. The Deputy Headmistress stared in horror and the potions master recoiled as if he'd been struck. Snape turned on the Defence Professor. "And you did not see fit to tell us about this!" Harry didn't envy Markus Michelson.
"As I told you at the start of the year Mr Snape." Michelson replied evenly. "I am the Defence against the Dark Arts teacher."
"Oh this goes so far beyond you teaching duties." Snape's voice dripped with hatred. "You should have told us the moment this came into your hands."
"I was…"
"Enough." The Headmaster cut them both off. He sounded tired. "How did you find out about this Harry?"
"I've known he had the diary for a while. I saw it in his office. But I didn't know who Tom Riddle was until today." Harry looked Dumbledore in the eye as he spoke. "I broke in here to make sure he wouldn't have chance to hide the diary from you." Harry said, hoping they had forgotten he had broken in twice.
"And you sent Mr Longbottom and Miss Weasley to find me." Dumbledore finished for him. "Once again I find that you have totally reasonable and indeed honourable reasons for your rule breaking. Perhaps it is my judgement that is failing…" Harry said nothing. "Does it have any powers that you know of." Harry opened his mouth to speak then realised that he wasn't supposed to know anything about what was in the diary and shut it again.
"It writes back if you write in it." Markus volunteered. Dumbledore waved his hand and a quill appeared as if from no-where. Opening the book to the first page he wrote…
Hello Tom.
The words faded and were replaced with.
Whatever you do to this book I will reveal nothing to you.
"It said that to me as well. Albus I…" but Dumbledore cut Markus off.
"I will hear your excuses later Mr Michelson. Probably when you give them to the aurors. Until then you are removed from all teaching duty at Hogwarts. Clean out your office."
"But..!" For the first time Harry had ever seen Markus looked flustered.
"Professor Snape will cover your classes."
"No!" Harry couldn't keep that from escaping and the four teachers turned to him. "Um… never mind. Go back to what you were saying."
"I think we had covered everything Harry. I'm sure you have homework to be doing."
"I might…" Homework had never been Harry's priority. Harry walked to the door and slipped out quietly. Neville and Ginny were waiting there for him.
"Dumbledore's calling the aurors." A vast weight seemed to have been taken from his shoulders. "And he's not a teacher here anymore." Harry felt like crying again, he felt so light. It was over. He had done it. And he wasn't expelled or dead or anything. "The mandrake draft won't take that much longer to get ready then we can tell the others." Was he crying? He couldn't tell. The relief was just too much.
"Its really over?" Ginny asked, stepping closer.
"Yes." Harry breathed. "It is… For this year!" Harry grinned and hugged his two friends. "I'm sure next year will be much more interesting!"
Harry somehow reached his bed in Gryffindor tower and crawled in. It was only seven o' clock but he didn't really care, he had lost enough sleep over the past year that he held no embarrassment over going to sleep at this hour. Neville and Ginny were doing the rounds, telling everyone the good news. He could hear people moving around downstairs and above him but he just burrowed further into his blankets. His childhood had taught him to sleep through most anything. How far he'd come from that. Harry drifted off to sleep.
He walked along Tottenham court road in his Hogwarts robes, no one noticed. It was full of people but not one of them moved. Petrified. All of them. Harry walked up the street and ducked into an orchard, apple blossoms fell everywhere. Perhaps he was safe here? No, he had to get back to Hogwarts. He turned back to the entrance to head back to the road.
"You wouldn't last five seconds in a duel with me."
Harry spun at the sound of Markus Michelson's voice but instead of the teacher he saw himself. Looking down at him condescendingly.
"You're not good enough."
Harry blinked and it was Dumbledore looking down at him with eyes full of sorrow.
"I'm so sorry."
Harry blinked again and he was alone with the blossoms. He could hear the river nearby running fast over rocks. Harry turned and hurried out of the orchard. The road was empty like before and Harry hurried towards Hogwarts, ducking through an alleyway and breaking into a run to get there quicker.
The ivy was longer than he remembered but eventually he climbed up to the gate of the castle. He pushed the great doors open and walked into the great hall. It was empty but the walls were covered in murals. Little finger paintings like children would do. He could still hear the river but it sounded closer now. He could even feel the spray on his face. His face was cold. Deathly cold. Wake up. What?
"Wake up!"
Harry opened his eyes and looked straight up at Moaning Myrtle. She was floating over his bed, right over his face.
"Myrtle?" He said, still groggy and disorientated.
"You have to come. Please! He's got Ginny!" Harry jerked upright and fell out of bed.
"What!"
"Flint took Ginny! I saw him, and he has the diary!"
"How? Dumbledore has… No…" Harry staggered over to Neville's bed and jerked the boy out of bed.
"Harry?" The last remaining marauder brushed his hair out of his eyes. "What is it?"
"Its not over Neville." Harry followed the floating form of Myrtle at a run out of the door. "It's not over!"
Myrtle stopped outside Markus Michelson's office and Harry didn't have to be told that something had happened here. A whole new level of carnage had been added over the one that had been present here last night. The door itself had been totally stove in, the frame itself lying in pieces on the floor. Harry stepped in with trepidation.
The smell of blood hit him. Behind him he could hear Neville retching on the floor. The room was unrecognisable, not a thing had escaped the destruction. Harry moved forward towards the forlorn figure in the centre, slumped against the desk. Markus Michelson.
His wand was in one hand and his sword lay discarded on the floor. He was covered in wounds and one of his legs was bent in an odd way. And the handkerchief he usually wore draped around his neck had moved up. He'd tied it around his eyes. Harry stepped closer and pulled it off him. His head lolled to the side lifelessly.
Harry put his fingers to Michelson's neck, not really expecting anything but was rewarded with a weak pulse.
"Myrtle!" He yelled. "Run and get Madam Pomfrey!" He turned back to the teacher. "Markus! Markus Michelson! Markus Maximus Mighty Magesto Michelson!"
"You remembered all of them…" The voice from the teacher was almost beyond hearing. "…people usually don't."
"I didn't remember all of them." Harry smiled wanly. "I forgot Mary and Mucus. Madam Pomfrey will be here in a second. You'll be alright."
"Not alright… basilisk venom… lethal… always…" Markus' voice kept fading in and out. "He took… the girl."
"Did you see where?"
"Tried to protect her… Tried to stop him…" Harry's insides turned to ice. He'd been so very wrong about this man. "Hard to fight… when you can't… Sure I hit it once or twice… Did I ever tell you about… this time I was in Brazil?"
"No. Tell me when you're better."
"Bit me just once… on purpose… wanted me to be awake… give you message."
"Message?" Harry waved Neville in closer so he could hear too.
"Come to the chamber… come or she dies… bring teachers… and she dies."
Harry swallowed. His heart was beating in tune with his terror.
"Where? Where's the chamber?"
"He said… bathroom… girl ghost…"
"Myrtle's bathroom?" Markus nodded. "Is there a password?"
"Password's…" Markus seemed to be fading out. "… open… he said open…"
"That simple?" Harry asked. Markus nodded then slumped.
"… Sword?" Harry frowned, not understanding, then saw the fingers of Markus' hand twitching. He moved the sword into his hand and saw Markus' fingers curl around it limply. "…thanks… pipsque…" but then his eyes closed and he stopped speaking.
A moment later Harry heard running feet and Madam Pomfrey ran in followed by a floating Myrtle.
"What happened here?" She demanded. Harry flapped his hands uncertainly but Neville saved him.
"Basilisk bit him. Conscious when we found him dropped off a second ago. Shallow pulse. Cold." Neville rattled that off in one breath and Madam Pomfrey instantly grimaced and pulled her bag open. Rummaging around in the bottom she pulled out a long red feather.
"Fawkes!" She gripped the feather in both hands. "Help me."
Harry never heard whether her call was answered as he had already darted out the door and was sprinting for the second floor.
Harry smashed through the door at a run and skidded to a stop on the tiles.
"OPEN!" Harry yelled.
"What are you doing in here." A girl pushed out of a cubical. "This is a girls bathroom you know?" Harry drew his wand and blew a sink off the wall. The girl cried and jumped away from him.
"You have three seconds to get the hell out of here!" The girl was gone before he'd counted to two. "Open! Open up!"
"Harry are you alright?" Harry spun and noticed Neville and Myrtle in the doorway.
"Its not working!"
"Maybe that's not the password. Maybe he was delirious." Neville bit his lip in worry.
"Then what do we do!?" Harry threw his hands up. "We don't even know where the entrance is!"
"I think I do." Myrtle volunteered.
"You do!"
"There are some places in Hogwarts that the ghosts can't go. They're warded against us. Dumbledore's office for example." Myrtle pointed to one of the sinks. "There's a pipe behind there, I can do down it below the dungeons but no further. Its blocked."
Harry ran up to where Myrtle floated in the air, threw his arms around her and kissed her floating cheek. "You are a true marauder Myrtle. One of us. You are amazing!" Harry released the startled ghost and ran to the sink. "Open!" But the sink didn't move. "No… But that's got to be the entrance!"
"What do we do?" Neville asked. "Go around?"
"Yes! That's perfect!" Harry turned to the pink glowing ghost nearby. "Myrtle, you know the pipes around Hogwarts. Is there another way to get down to the same place as this pipe goes?"
"I… I think so…" She said dreamily.
"Take us there, please!" The ghost flowed out through a wall and Harry was running again to keep up. They ran passed startled students until Myrtle came to rest in a disused classroom on the third floor.
"Through here." She said and disappeared into the wall.
"Myrtle!" Her head reappeared. "We need a way we can go!"
"There isn't one." Myrtle floated out to stand next to them. "Its all walled up."
"Then what…" Harry began but Neville had already stepped up beside him.
"Reducto!" An almighty crack made Harry cover his ears and chips of stonework flew everywhere.
"Alright!" Harry yelled as soon as the noise died down. "Reducto!" "Reducto!" "Reducto!" "Reducto!" "Reducto!"
"I'll go first." Harry stepped into the dusty pipe and gripped his wand between his teeth as he shimmied down. After he had lost sight of the entrance he heard Neville begin above him.
After a tortuous few minutes Harry dropped into a tiny round passage and got out of the way so that Neville could drop down behind him. It was pitch black but was soon lit with a faint wan light as Myrtle floated through the ceiling. They wordlessly followed her. After many squelching meters they emerged into a larger chamber.
"Here we are." Myrtle announced importantly. "The Via Mortiferus."