Elementary, My Dear Potter
Pavel reviewed their current circumstances with John, Oxsana and Harry when they returned.
"So, I guess our next task should be for Harry and me to inquire of Hogwarts together, eh?" John concluded, as he digested all the reported discussion.
"I think so. Harry, do you mind 'riding along with' Ivan as he confers with the sentience of the Castle? I'm not really sure how to explain the process. From our, human, side... it's like conversation. But the Castle's response is more 'intuition'. You'll just 'understand the right thing to do', rather than 'hear concrete instructions'. Does that make sense?" Pavel asked.
"I think so," Harry answered. Sometimes, that sort of thing happens to me unexpectedly. I usually think it's you or John telling me what to do, but it won't be in words. It's just an 'impulse' like. Or like I 'feel' the right thing to do. Like when I ride a broom, sometimes."
"Yes, that's right. That's how it is when Magic 'advises' you. It will feel more like an 'urging' than words of direction. I'm glad you've had that experience. That's what I'm hoping will occur if Ivan can connect you with the sentience of the Castle. Where do you want to try, Ivan?" Pavel asked. "Shouldn't make much difference."
"Well, best we not be observed. Since we're hoping to connect the Castle with Harry, why don't we try from his room first? The Castle knows and helped with creating the room, so it should be very aware that it is 'his' space," John suggested.
"Very well. Minerva?" Pavel turned to Professor McGonagall who was watching the conversation with interest, "Would you do me the honor of taking a walk with me? If the Castle is going to disclose information forbidden to faculty, I want to minimize any hesitation it may have." So saying, Pavel shape-shifted to the form of a slate-gray tom cat, who rubbed his back up against the hem of Professor McGonagall's robes.
"Here noo! Don't you go a shedding on me... Give me a moment!" as she, too, transformed into her gray tabby form. Together, they glided out the door to pad silently down the hallway towards the public areas of the school.
John laughed, shaking his head. "Papa can shift so smoothly from one form to another..." he sighed. "I'm not nearly so smooth and effortless. That takes tremendous practice. You've got a good start on that, Little Brother. Anyway, let's give this a go, shall we?"
Harry led the way into his bedroom, neatly picked up and squared away. John asked Harry to place his hands on a bare section of the wall, as John placed one hand atop Harry's and his other on the wall as well. John opened mind-speak to Harry, as he mentally addressed the wall and both of their hands began to glow.
"Noble Castle of Hogwarts," John addressed the stones with clear thought, "we have need to find the Room of Requirement wherein is hidden a cursed object of great power. We seek to destroy this object for the protection of the school and her students. I understand that you cannot disclose such information to me, since I am a teacher here. But Harry, who is with me now, is a student. Can you help Harry find the Room of Requirement?"
"YES!" was an impression clearly discerned by the two of them.
"Over to you, now, Harry," John said, backing as far away from the conversation as he could, while still maintaining the mental link between the boy and the spirit of the stones.
"Um... hello? Hogwarts?" Harry uttered, tentatively.
In response, he felt a warm gush of welcome, rather like the effusive wave of maternalism that washed over him when Molly Weasley greeted him with a hug. It was a bit strange and very odd, but not at all unpleasant. He'd never imagined being 'loved' by a building before, but clearly Hogwarts felt very protective of her students and personnel.
"Can you guide me to the Room of Requirement? I really need to find this object. I need your help urgently." Harry knew enough about imago and the impulsion of magic through passion to let his feelings impel his question.
In his mind's eye, he could 'see' the diadem. It rested atop a number of objects in a huge chamber just chock a block with antiques, artifacts, lost books, furniture, paintings, old chalkboards, signs, mirrors, balls... just what seemed an endless collection of junk accumulated over the 1000 year history of the school. He became aware that he was seeing the "Room of the Lost and Hidden".
"Is this the Room of Requirement? Is the Room of the Lost and Hidden, the Room of Requirement?"
He came to understand that it was not THE Room of Requirement, but it was A Room of Requirement. That it was, in fact, the Room of Requirement that he required. For some reason, the Castle felt it important that he understand the distinction, and the conversation would not move forward until he clearly acknowledged that fact.
Once he did, he asked, "How do I get there? How do I reach the Room of the Lost and Hidden? Where is the entrance?"
He was met only with peace and silence. Nothing happened. Hogwarts wouldn't answer. He waited... Still no answer.
"Please... it's really very important," and Harry managed to put a bit of whine into his mental tone.
At this, there was a clear sense of "No!" that came, and Harry realized it was because he was still linked with John and John was faculty. Instead, in Harry's mind's eye he could see his own bedroom closet... the right hand wall... the 10th course of stones up from the floor... the 4th stone back from the door... to press that stone. The stone seemed to glow a bit green in his imagination, and as he thought to release his hands from the wall to go try it, the Castle clearly commanded that he "Wait!".
The Castle drew John back to the forefront of the interaction, and made clear that this encounter was concluded. It seems strange to say that the "Castle went back to sleeping stones", but that's what it felt like, as John took the hint, and their hands dimmed back to normal flesh.
John knew that he was dismissed, and that Harry somehow knew the right thing to do, so he tousled his little brother's unkempt locks, and walked out the bedroom door, closing it behind him.
Harry took a moment to catch his breath and recall the exact stone he's to press, for whatever reason. Seeing it clearly in his mind, he opened his closet door, located the stone, and fiddled with it. He tried removing it, wiggling it, pressing it... nothing happened. Then, he remembered how the brick wall behind the Leaky Cauldron made its gateway into Diagon Alley. Harry flicked his wrist, drawing his wand, and thought quietly a moment, wondering how many taps. "Three" came to his mind, and so he did... Gently he tapped the stone three times with his wand, identifying himself as Harry Potter, student at Hogwarts, and the stone recessed into the wall, revealing a small alcove or niche in the rock wall. The hole was large enough to place his hand and arm into, but he could see nothing within. As he reached towards the cavity, he felt suddenly fearful to shove his hand... then wrist and arm... into the inky stone blackness. What if it were a trap, or poisoned, or something closed down and crushed his hand? He could think of all sorts of "bad endings" to this adventure.
Harry decided this was a test of trust between him and Hogwarts. He was simply going to believe, by faith, that Hogwarts meant him no harm. He would reach in however far he needed to, to find what the Castle had here for him.
He reached... and his arm went in nearly up to his elbow before his fingers curled around a scrolled parchment sealed with a scarlet ribbon and wax bearing the Hogwarts crest. As he withdrew his hand, with the scroll, the stones returned to their accustomed place. Harry sat at his desk, opened the scroll, and puzzled over its contents...
It read:
"Great magical help will be given at Hogwarts
To those who but ask for the aid of the school.
'Ere they be faculty bolstering bulwarks,
Or scholar's endeavor at breaking a rule.
If students need something this Castle can give them
The Room of Requirement should hasten to mind.
Just ask for what's needed, petition intensely,
Then pace halls with diligence seeking to find."
The words meant nothing to Harry. He sat pondering them for 10 or 15 minutes, and got nowhere. He put the scroll in his pocket and went out seeking John and Oxsana, or Papa and Professor McGonagall. He found them, but before he could speak, Papa raised a finger for silence before giving instruction...
"Harry? I don't want to risk violating our covenant with Hogwarts. Therefore, please say nothing to me while you work this out. I'd like you to go find Ron and Hermione now, and solve this on your own. Ivan has told me he is assured that the Castle has given you the information you need to find the Room. What's more, apparently, we... faculty adults... are barred from entering there. So... this is a mission for you three alone. When you locate the Room, seek and find the Diadem. But DO NOT TOUCH IT. Come back to here and get the Stasis Box we used to contain the Diary. Then return and retrieve the Diadem, using your wands to levitate it into the Box without touching it. Is all that clear?"
"Yes, sir. I understand. This may take a while." Harry answered.
"Well, do what you can, and then return at Teatime if you like, and plan to eat with all of us in the Great Hall for supper. If it is not found by then, you can either get back to the hunt or pick it up again tomorrow, whichever you prefer. It seems we simply cannot help you with this, without offending the school."
"We can do this, Papa!" Harry said with authority. "You can trust us with this."
"I know we can, son. But Harry?" he said in his 'teacher's voice', be sure you go one step at a time, measure and contain your risks. The three of you are accountable to keep one another safe. You don't want to see your friends hurt, any more than we do... so be cautious as you conduct this mission, eh?"
"Yessir," Harry replied. He hadn't thought of it that way, and found it was both thrilling and terrifying to think of "leading a raid" in this way. Still, they'd be careful. They could do this! Quietly, but with great determination, Harry marched out, parchment in hand, using mind-speak to ask Ron and Hermione to join him in the school Library. They heard him, saying they'd be right there.
Once Hermione joined them in a Library carrel, she cast a silencing spell to maintain their privacy while Harry caught them up on all the news. Briefly, he reviewed his adventures the prior evening in Lockhart's dreams, along with his new ability to transform into animals. But he rather rushed past all that, to explain their current "mission". They were all struck with the combination of excitement and mild trepidation to find they were assigned a "mission" that the adult members of their conspiracy were not allowed to assist with. Harry was very careful to be clear about his only restriction here, that when they locate the Diadem, they not touch it, but rather go get the Stasis Box and levitate it inside without any direct contact.
Both Ron and Hermione clearly understood the important magical reasons for this condition, so Harry knew there would be no conflict over this. He presented the scroll for their examination, and sat back to give them time to think.
They read it over, then sat a moment or two pondering. Harry wondered how he could help. He knew the Castle wanted them to find the Room. He knew there were major clues in the poem. But it would have been so much easier if the Castle had just given him clear instructions. He wondered if, now that John was not networked with them, he could have direct communication with the Castle? Like, could he speak directly to the Castle, and have it draw them a map or something, and put it in that cubbyhole where it gave him the poem? Or... perhaps... the Castle could make a cubbyhole like that anywhere it wanted?
Hermione said, "It seems like the first half of the rhyme just makes the offer of help, and then the second half gives the actual clues. I see three clues, or instructions here. What do you think?" She turned to Ron.
"Yeah, actually just the last two lines. If this were a game, and those the clues... we have to "ask for what's needed", so I guess we need to be specific. Then it says "petition intensely". I don't know what it means by that. Then "pace halls with diligence", so I guess we need to be walking about.
Harry contributed, "I might know what it means by 'petition intensely'. When John and I were 'talking' with the Castle, it didn't say 'words', but it 'nudged'. It used 'intuition' to communicate back, at least to me. I think it's talking about that 'magic passion' thing we need to use when we cast spells. We have to deeply want to find this room, to realize we REALLY NEED it... for the Castle to make it, or open it to us. It's not just 'saying magic words' as we walk by the right place... wherever that is. It's like a 'faith' thing... knowing it's available, knowing the Castle wants to provide it, and waiting expectantly for it to open up. But where do we start?"
"Thinking about that," Hermione answered, "surely, if this is a student secret thing, it won't be where there are classrooms, offices, or a lot of traffic. It's got to be someplace out of the way, some unused corridor or other."
"Yes," Ron agreed. "But it won't be so out of the way that it would set off an alarm on a ward, or get us in trouble in some out-of-bounds place. In fact, it would have to be someplace students wouldn't be questioned. So, not the dungeons, or anywhere outside. That lets out the Owlery Tower, the Astronomy Tower, and all the grounds. If it's for all students, it won't be in any of the House Towers. When we eliminate the floors with classrooms or offices... that only leaves the upper floors of the main castle. There are classes, laboratories, and offices all the way to the fourth floor. So... I suggest we focus from the fifth floor up in the main building."
"That's really good, Ron!" Hermione said, excitedly. "And I've had a weird thought. I wonder if, since faculty are specifically excluded from knowing about the Room, maybe others here aren't. Like, maybe the ghosts might know something... or the House Elves? What about Dobby? You could ask him if he knows anything. At least where we should start looking."
"Those are great ideas. Let's go ask him now. And then maybe you can talk to Myrtle? She gets along better with you, Hermione, than either of us. Wait, this is Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem, right? Isn't the Gray Lady..."
Hermione interrupted him, "Of course! That's brilliant, Harry! The Gray Lady is Rowena's daughter, Helena. Professor Binns discussed her story as part of the history of the Founders in First Year History of Magic, though I daresay most students slept through the lecture. She may know something about how to find it. I've been continuing research on the memories of ghosts that I started at the beginning of the term. I've spoken to Lady Helena a bit. Let me see what information she can share. What else do we want to do?"
"Tell you what, Hermione, go speak with the ghosts while Ron and I go talk to Dobby. Then I want to ask Papa something, and we'll start looking. If we don't find it before supper, we'll try again after. It shouldn't be too far away or that hard to get to, not considering that the Castle wants students to be able to use it. Ron, let's go to our Dorm Room. No one should be there right now, and we can talk to Dobby without being overheard by family. Let me test something out a moment...
"Can you both hear me clearly?" Harry mind-spoke to both Ron and Hermione, as they jumped a bit, startled to hear Harry's voice in their heads when they knew the Professor wasn't with them or networking them. They nodded with a look of surprise. "Try answering me the same way..." And he found he could hear them clearly speaking in his head, just as when Papa was 'running the network' so to speak. "OK," he continued the same way, "now see if you can speak with each other this way, and grant permission for me to overhear..." And it worked! He realized he was really focused making it happen. He tried making it more a "background" or "afterthought" and addressing them "casually" and it didn't work. Aloud he said, "Try speaking to one another and me again now, while I don't focus on that so intently." Again, it didn't work. He thought about this for a moment, then said, "Try mentally 'yelling' something at me. Try to speak into me, as if I weren't paying any attention." That worked. He could hear them.
"All right then. I can't do this like Papa does. I can't just 'hold a network open' while I'm not concentrating on that alone. But, I certainly heard you when you called me. So, I think we can use this, sort of... especially when we're separated. You can call to me, and as long as I can concentrate on our communicating, we can all chat together. But once I'm thinking of something else, we may lose it. Of course, you guys may be able to focus between yourselves and me, and do this same stuff. I don't know much about it yet. For now, I'm thinking, we'll go talk to Dobby and then Hermione, when you finish with the ghosts 'call us' with mind-speak, and we can all meet at the Fourth Floor Up Staircase and get started. Right?"
Everyone agreed, and they headed off to interrogate or interview their potential informants.
Ron and Harry got to their Dorm Room to find, as they expected, that Neville and Seamus were off somewhere doing something else. The boys sat cross-legged on Harry's bed and Harry called for Dobby. The little elf poofed instantly to their bedside, wearing five neckties, a cut down shirt rather like a dickie around his neck for a proper collar, and a cone shaped wizard student's hat on his head. Harry had to wonder how he ever managed to handle or prepare food in such a wardrobe, but knew better than to ask.
"Yes, young masters. How can Dobby be of help for you's today?" he said, bowing deeply as he arrived.
"Dobby, what can you tell us about the Room of Requirement here at Hogwarts?" Harry asked.
"Ah, does Master Harry need something from Dobby? Do you require anything that I can provide?" Dobby looked a bit concerned, as though he had somehow failed in his service.
"No, it's not that, little friend. We need to find something that is hidden in the Room of Requirement, but we don't know how to go there. You always take wonderful care of me," Harry smiled reassuringly.
"Oh, all right then. Well, Dobby has not been there himself, but I overheard some conversations where I used to serve. I heard that the entrance is on the 7th Floor of the Castle, and that one must walk to and fro along the wall that holds the entrance three times thinking very clearly about what one requires."
"Thank you, Dobby. That helps a lot. Do you know anything that can help us find the correct wall?" Harry probed.
"No, Master Harry. Except that the Room can do many different things, and be different sizes. So I would think the entrance must be along a wall big enough for a good sized room behind it. But with magic, it's hard to tell. Space works differently here."
"That's very true, Dobby. Thank you so much for your help. Anything you can think to ask, Ron?"
"No, just that that's a great help, Dobby. You saved us a lot of searching. Thank you." Ron smiled.
"It's my pleasure to serve, young masters. Call if Dobby can do anything more," and he bowed just before disappearing with a finger snap in a puff of smoke.
"Well," Ron nodded, "that narrows things down quite a bit."
"It does indeed. All right, I need to talk to Papa about something. You want to come home with me, or just meet on the 7th floor when I'm finished? I can mind-speak to you when I'm done. Maybe you'd rather find Hermione than just hang about?"
"No, mate," Ron chuckled, "I'll come home with you and wait til you're done. Girl ghosts give me the creeps. Myrtle's too strange, and the Gray Lady always makes me think she's going to burst into tears any minute. Better Hermione than me. I'll see if John's around for a game of chess if you take that long."
"That's fine," Harry laughed, thinking of past encounters between Ron and Myrtle. "I don't expect to be long, but I need some advice, so I can't tell for sure. Let's go then."
So saying the two of them bounded down their spiral staircase, out through the Common Room and Fat Lady's portrait, and just the few meters down to Harry's portal to the Konstantyn's. He and Ron walked into the living room to see Pavel and John engrossed in a chess game, as Oxsana sat comfortably reading on the couch, her feet curled up beneath her, as she snuggled under a brightly patterned afghan before the fire.
"Well, you've not been away too long! Nice to see you, Ron. How go the deliberations... no details, of course," Pavel greeted cheerily, giving a short wave as Ron came over to observe the match.
"Afternoon, sir," Ron answered. "Who's winning? No... wait... I can see for myself," Ron smiled, noting a significantly larger number of John's casualties lined up alongside the board, than Pavel's.
"Ah, but don't be misled by appearances, young sir," Pavel grinned. The only piece that counts is the King, and Ivan could pull this out with but his King and one pawn, should he prevail."
This drew nothing but a snort of derision from John, as both he and Ron just rolled their eyes at one another, with the unspoken unison understanding of... "As if THAT's likely to happen..."
"I wonder if I could interrupt you for a few minutes, sir. Could we speak in your Study?" Harry asked Pavel.
"Certainly," Pavel looked over to John, "would you excuse me for the moment?" John nodded his ready assent as Pavel rose and led the way to the Study. "Is something wrong, Harry?" he asked, as he closed the door and took a seat over by the fire, beckoning Harry to join him.
"No, sir. Not at all. Of course, as much as I'd like to fill you in on our progress..."
Pavel interrupted with a raised palm and a gentle shake of the head, "No, Harry. You are entrusted with this. I do not wish to offend the Castle, who has made it quite clear that we are not to be involved. So, I need no details. How may I help otherwise?"
"Well, it's not giving away any secret you don't already know to say we are going to be searching parts of the Castle," Harry began, as Pavel nodded. "well, Hermione's off doing some research best done by herself, and Ron and I just finished some tasks of our own, and I was thinking that communication - like the mind speaking we do - is always such a big help. So as we sat, I tried to see if I could hold us together to do that, and I could. We were able to talk to one another effectively. But, I had to 'hold focus' to keep it reliable... like when we're steadying a scene through your Staff for a Diorama. If I relaxed my concentration, we couldn't just talk. BUT, even if I was relaxed, if they mentally 'shout' at me, so to speak, I could hear what they said.
"So, I thought it might be useful if for some reason they want silent communication, they can 'shout' at me and I can focus on that. But one reason I thought of trying this was that..." Harry paused, trying to figure out how to express his need for advice without disclosing too much of their content on this mission. "Ugh, this is frustrating. I can't explain why I want to do what I want to do. But here, I can put this another way... You know how there's a 'feel' to different kinds of magic? Like, it may be a tingle, or a buzz, or a hum, or a tightening in the gut? You know what I mean, though I know that's not making sense..."
Pavel smiled, "Yes, Harry. I know exactly what you mean. All magical people share the frustration of trying to describe sensations in words. That's why, so often, the word 'intuition' is not fuzzy and nebulous, but precisely accurate."
"Yes! That's JUST what I mean. Well, I need... or at least I WANT... to communicate some 'magic feel' to Ron and Hermione, for purposes of what we're doing. And I had thought I'd use this link, this networking of mind, to see if we could all share the experience simultaneously. I can band us together for silent communication. I thought I'd try banding us together for some of the intuitive sharing, the sensation of communication, I felt when connected with the Castle. I thought it would help us search for the entrance, if I weren't the only one that could 'feel' the Castle's resonance. I'm convinced the Castle wants to help, and will guide us as best it can, but I don't need to be the only one that can sense the help. Does that make sense?"
"Yes, Harry, very much so. So, your question is?"
"Well, at first, I was just going to try it. I was going to network us, link us together, and then open the experiences I had resonating with the Castle. But... well... I'm not sure how to say this, but... It certainly seems safe enough, and I've experimented with the silent speaking so I know that does no harm, but I got concerned about taking this further step. I mean, it's one thing to 'speak' simple words into a friend's mental hearing. We hear interior voices all the time, memory, imagination, whatnot. But this is something different, something far more visceral and nebulous," Harry smiled as Pavel raised an eyebrow at the vocabulary. "Don't make fun, I've been reading a lot lately." Pavel shook his head in sincere denial that he'd make fun of such a thing.
"Anyway, I wanted to ask you if it would be safe to try what I'm thinking. Not safe for me... I know I'd be all right. But I'd be messing with my friends' minds in a new way, and I don't know if there could be risks there I don't know about. Let me be clear. You know how you 'open memories' or scenes to us sometimes, and we view them through you by either 'leaning in' to your mind, or entering some space between us where you project, you send, the memory or information?"
"Yes. That's a good description of the process, by the way," Pavel answered.
"OK, now, you know how sometimes you 'push' information into the mind of another? Like when you or Oxsana have transferred those large data sets to the rest of us?"
"Yes..."
"Well, there's a big difference between those two processes. The first is almost 'passive'. It's more like 'leaning in towards' the mind of the other, where the data push is far more active. What I want to try is this passive form, just to... like... lay out the experiences in my own mind, with something like an 'invitation' or 'slight vacuum' so that Ron and Hermione can come into the experiences and share them with me. They would come into MY boundaries, and interact however much or little they can or want to, but I would stay out of THEIR minds, their boundaries. Ugh! I'm sorry, my words are so clumsy."
"No, Harry, you're explaining very well. These are difficult concepts to describe, and I'm understanding you perfectly. So, tell me again why you did not try this when you thought of it?"
"I almost did, but then I thought... You guys do this stuff all the time. But you can maintain a mind link network and do a hundred other things at the same moment. I can't. I'm still so new at this, I feel like Neville on a broom. I wasn't going to take the chance of hurting Ron and Hermione. It's like you guys are surgeons, and I've just learned First Aid. It's really exciting and I can't wait to get better and know more. But I didn't want to risk making a mistake in or with their minds, by trying something way over my head, just because I didn't ask you about potential danger. So I decided to talk to you, instead."
"Thank you, Harry. Thank you for trusting to talk to me about this, rather than assume you could do this safely. Ordinarily, I would not want you to attempt this. However, in that you can discern the difference between what you've called the 'passive' and 'active' form of sharing information or experience... and because you are already so deeply bonded with Ron and Hermione, I'm going to encourage you to go ahead with your experiment. I can't say whether it will work or not. That will depend on both your skill and talent, as well as on theirs.
"BUT, I can give you a major guideline for avoiding anyone coming to harm. It's simple. Don't force anything. Don't 'push' past any 'resistance'. The healthy human mind, such as the three of yours, is resilient and will protect itself from any harmful intrusion or extrusion. There would first be a sense of 'pressure', of 'push'. Then there would be distinct tightness and discomfort. Then actual pain, like a headache or dizziness... like the pain you used to experience around your scar. Here is the 'rule', the 'condition' I would put to your attempting this sharing, or any networked sharing you ever do, ready?"
"Yes, sir."
"No 'push', no 'pressure', no 'force', no 'pain'. Simple. If any of those elements enter into the exercise, then you terminate the exercise. Understood?"
"Yes, sir."
"Now... I really liked your phrasing of 'leaning into'. That is a WONDERFUL way to express your function as 'sender'. You are not simply 'neutral', depending on the legilimens ability of the person you are sharing with. You can, indeed, give your contribution - whether that's experience, sensation, or data - a bit of a 'nudge' in their direction. But you stop at their boundary. You do not push it on in to them or their minds. You are right. That task requires skills, feedback primarily, and the ability to pace the transfer that you do not yet have command over. You may not yet 'push' because you don't yet know your own strength, and you could cause hurt. So don't do that. But 'lean' or 'nudge', that's all right. Just no consistent outward pressure. Now... are MY words making sense?" Pavel laughed at the same verbal limitations that frustrated his son moments before.
"Actually, yes, Papa. That all makes perfect sense. So it's ok to try and see if I can share these 'intuitions' or this sensation of 'resonance' with them, as long as I don't force it or apply pressure, right?"
Pavel nodded, "Exactly right. In fact, I'll be quite interested to see how this all works out. I only wish I could monitor and help, but because of the content I am barred."
"I know. Well, we'll let you know. Just wish me luck, and I think we're good to go then. If things work out the way I hope, we should have it before bedtime. Maybe sooner."
"Don't forget, son..."
"I know, Papa. We won't touch it. Just come back and get the Box, then bring it home."
"Thank you," Pavel smiled as he'd risen to open the door for Harry.
Harry gave him a quick hug around the waist, as they headed to the door. "Thanks, Papa. For trusting me."
Pausing a moment with his hand on the knob of the closed door, Pavel laughed and said, "Harry, the next time you earn a paddling, remind me of this conversation, please. Your planning and judgment have been everything I could want, and you've made me very proud. Oh, and by the way, as to your 'communication focus', you are reacting like a good Team Leader, so I expect that your mind will always be partially on Ron and Hermione until you are safely home. I say that because you need not worry about whether you will hear them if they mentally call to you. You will. Their call will cut through almost anything else you could be doing. That's just how this works," and he opened the door.
"Thanks, Papa. That makes me feel better," Harry nodded.
"Are we all set?" Ron asked, tipping his King over to resign his hopeless game with John.
"Yes, we are. And I think I just earned a 'Get out of a paddling Free' Card from Papa to boot! Like a Rain Check or a Detention Pass!" Harry ducked away from Pavel, to avoid a playful cuff.
"I don't recall saying any such thing, you cheeky scamp! We shall see what you have to report by suppertime. I take it you're willing to miss Tea in light of your adventures?"
"Yes, especially if we meet with early success. We'll see," Harry answered, ignoring the slightly crestfallen look on Ron's face at the prospect of missing one of Wilfried's excellent Teas. "I'll make it up to you, mate. I think this is going to be fun. And for once... we WON'T get in trouble for it! Come on!"
"Cheerio," Ron waved as he followed Harry out their door.
Hermione, in the meantime, had gone to the second floor girl's lavatory looking for Myrtle and, after a few minutes of loitering and calling her name, Myrtle appeared.
"Oh, hello, Hermione. I don't see you so much anymore, now that you're not cooking that smelly potion in here," Myrtle whined.
"Oh, yes. Sorry about that. Professor Snape made us move it into the Potions Laboratory to finish. It turned out all right though, in case you were wondering," Hermione ended, a bit lamely.
"That's good. Now, where's that good looking new boy you used to bring with you? He can turn into a ghost, did you know that? Is that a new skill they're teaching here at Hogwarts? Is that something Professor Binns is now training you on? Or has Professor Flitwick worked out a new charm or hex?"
"No, Myrtle. Neither. Master Constantine is just a very talented mage with strong skills in Death magic. He is doing fine, thank you. Now, if you have a moment, I could use your help for just a few minutes on something important. Would that be all right?"
"I suppose so. It's not like I get a lot of visitors here, Hermione. In fact, you are like the only one. I get so lonely."
"I'm sorry, Myrtle. I'll try to stop by more often if you like. But for right now, do you know anything about the Room of Requirement?"
"Ooooo, are you going to do something bad?" Myrtle cooed. "I heard rumors about it sometimes, but I don't know if they were true or not. Some students said they knew a place they could go and drink firewhiskey and hide contraband, but I never saw it. None of the friends I knew and could believe for sure had ever been there. But beyond that, I don't know," she shook her pigtailed head.
"Well, thank you for telling me what you'd heard. Now, do you know where the Gray Lady is? Where Helena Ravenclaw is right now?"
"Not for sure, but she's probably haunting near the Ravenclaw Common Room, or one of her portraits, trying to avoid the Bloody Baron."
"Myrtle, I'd really like to speak with her about something very important. Do you suppose you could find her and ask if she will meet with me for just a few minutes? Would you be kind enough to do me that favor? I would REALLY appreciate it. I'm sure Master Constantine would appreciate it, too," and Hermione felt almost guilty for what she was afraid she might have to do.
"Oh, would he? That would be marvelous! I mean, it's not like I know for SURE where she is. It COULD take me all night to find her! But... well... if Master Constantine needs her found, well... I'm sure I could find her if it would please HIM. Do you suppose you could have him stop by later to thank me, if I found her for you?"
Hermione sighed, knowing John wouldn't let her forget this soon, "Yes, Myrtle, I'm fairly sure if you can get Madame Ravenclaw to meet with me right away, Master Constantine could come by this week sometime to thank you."
"All right then, why don't you wait on that bench outside in the grand corridor near the front doors, and I'll see if she can join you there to talk."
"Thank you, Myrtle. I appreciate this very much."
"Oh, you're welcome, Hermione. But it's Master Constantine's appreciation I more look forward to," and Myrtle disappeared, zipping into the central wall.
"Indeed," Hermione said to herself, as she headed towards the aforementioned stone bench.
Before long, the diaphanous beauty of the Gray Lady drifted along the corridor to join Hermione on her solitary bench. Being late on this cold Saturday afternoon, most students were comfortably settled somewhere warm now snuggling a cup of hot cocoa or tea. Little traffic disturbed the quiet chat between mortal and founder's offspring as Hermione respectfully interviewed her.
"I don't mean to pry, or cause unnecessary grief, my lady. You are, or were, Helena Ravenclaw, no?"
"Yes, so I was. Now, most label me correctly, simply the Gray Lady."
"Your sorrows are heavy, that is plain to see. I seek an artifact that has been made into a most dangerous item of dark magic. I want to protect Hogwarts and those who dwell here. Can you help me with that, even though it may spark painful memories?"
"I will help if I can," the ghost replied.
"The artifact I seek is the Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw. It was placed in the Room of Requirement by a dark wizard named Tom Riddle. Is there anything you can tell me that would help get to the tiara?"
"Unfortunately, Miss..."
"I'm sorry. I'm 'Granger', Hermione Granger..."
"Unfortunately, Miss Granger, I can tell you what I'm sure you already know of the history of the Diadem. I was jealous of my mother's intellect and thought stealing the Diadem, wearing it, would make me smarter than she. 'Twas not so, and in my shame I fled Hogwarts to Albania. There I hid the Diadem, but was hunted down by my mother's emissary as she wanted us reconciled. He loved me, but when I refused to return he stabbed me in his rage. I died, whereupon in his own remorse and despair he turned his blade upon himself committing suicide. The two of us have returned here to care for Hogwarts, for he is the Bloody Baron.
"The only other student with whom I ever spoke and poured out my heart, was this Tom Riddle of whom you speak. He seemed so understanding, so sympathetic. He wanted to know what had happened to the diadem, and I told him where it was hidden. Beyond that I know nothing of its location or how to reach it now in this Room you speak of. I've heard it rumored here at Hogwarts, but I've not been in it nor do I know the means by which to access it."
"Thank you, Lady Ravenclaw. I appreciate your time and your help. We also appreciate your service, as all the ghosts. We know you help keep Hogwarts safe, and if I may ever be a friend to you, please let me do so."
"That's very kind, Miss Granger. Few students ever offer their friendship. I may spend more time with you as the years go by. We shall see. Fare well, and good fortune on your quest," as she drifted away bestowing her blessing with her leave.
"Thank you, milady," and Hermione rose as she left, in courtesy.
She'd finished at just about the same time as Ron and Harry were leaving the Konstantyn's quarters.
"Harry?" she mind spoke with some emphasis.
"Yes, Hermione! How cool, I can hear you fine. Can you please meet us on the 7th Floor of the Main Castle. We've discovered that to be the likely location of the Room of Requirement, and there's just one more little thing to discuss. How did things go with Myrtle and the Gray Lady?"
"Very well," Hermione continued speaking as she made her way up the randomly changing staircases. "We didn't discover anything particularly new, except that Lady Ravenclaw affirmed that she knew Riddle back in the day, and told him the location of the Diadem. If we HAD any doubts about it, she's ended them. But of course..."
"Yeah, we knew that from the Diary. Ah, well. Well done all! Ron and I have gotten to the top of the stairs. We'll wait for you to get here, and then... we're off!"
"Righto, be right there!" she said cheerily.
"Ah yes," Harry thought. "The game is afoot!"
A/N: Reviews make my day! If you enjoy the stories, please let me know if you have a moment! :) Thanks so much! I appreciate the encouragement of the reviews, and the wonderful PM's you send from time to time! I'm so glad you like spending time with Pavel and family! Grace to you, Gentle Reader - Mort