As all was happening, two ex-professors had come across something that might prove to be able to turn the tables. Whether this was by chance or some greater force at work, it is unknown and will remain so. Another careless mistake had caused a catastrophe, but for which side? Well, continue…for it shall be revealed.
"Minerva! What are you doing here?" Severus Snape jumped back in surprise as he caught sight of the tabby cat sitting beside the stone gargoyles.
The cat animagus transformed back, "The same as you I presume, another errand from Albus; we're both here for the instructions.
"Yes…" He then spoke the password in a firm voice, "Victoriae!"
"The passwords are getting stranger and stranger these days." Ex-professor McGonagall commented.
The gargoyle leapt aside to reveal the staircase to the office of Albus Dumbledore. Snape cautiously knocked, but received no answer, so he pushed the door open to expose an empty room. The portraits were there no longer; on the table are meticulous plans to his next insidious plot and on top of the designs sat his stone pensive—the very same one that Merlin use to trap his soul for so long. The stone basin was filled to the brim, threatening to overflow and spilling the memories across his black marble desk.
"What is this?!" Minerva said, peering at the papers.
"There are no instructions, but he had told us to come precisely at this time. Perhaps the pensive will explain everything." Severus noted.
"Yes, I think so too, although shouldn't we wait for him to come? We have already entered the forbidden room, looking into the pensive would earn us a title of high treason." She replied with doubt.
It was then that they had stumbled over a bloody sword that lies on the carpet and together, they crashed against the desk and somehow, landed in the pensive.
The landscape was a lush green field, with rolling hills and tall grass, behind them was an open plain. It was breathtaking to behold, and near by, sat a small boy with a fiery auburn hair who was fiddling with his magic, twisting nature to his will. His evil had spread, and the next scene was the same location, except that it lay barren and the repulsive smell of burning carcasses reached them from a pile of bodies. Beside it was the same wizard, now a man robed in black carrying a sinister staff in his hands.
"You have caused enough evil deeds, I have made a mistake in letting you become my apprentice. Now, prepare to meet your doom." At the sound of the voice, the pair turned and saw a wizard in the likeness of Dumbledore but nay, it was Merlin and they knew it.
"So you have finally realized, but you are very much mistaken, one of us shall die today and it will be you. I cannot be killed and you know it. So farewell my teacher or I may decide to keep you alive to watch the world crumble before your very eyes." The boy let his lips curl into a malicious smile.
And so began one of the greatest battles in the history of magic, but much was lost from the old days, this tale was one of them. Merlin fought hard, and was grievously wounded but in the end, he found that no matter how hard he tried, his evil spirit cannot be destroyed. So he took out one of the objects that he always have with him and one of his dearest possessions—his pensive. Merlin was able to force the evil spirit into the pensive and trap it there. The solution was not permanent, but it is the only available option.
Then, the pensive was passed on through the ages to the Dumbledore household. Minerva and Severus watched in horror as the malice within was unleashed when the young Albus Dumbledore accidentally touched the silvery liquid inside. Merlin's magic had been slowly wearing off, before, it could be handled without harm, but not now. The spirit of Merlin's apprentice rose from the pensive in a cloud of dark vapor it entered the boy who gave a small gasp and his eyes clouded over with a dark shadow before clearing again.
They witnessed his evil deeds under the influence of the evil apprentice, each more cruel than the next. From first, maiming his sister, to the manipulation of Grindelwald, then killing both of them with his tool Tom Riddle; then, he confounded Fenrir Greyback into attacking Remus, and much more. By now, Snape was shaking with rage and McGonagall too.
There was still a residue of Merlin's spell and that was enough to wash away the enchantments of his pupil. Though Albus had the pensive in his possession and used it occasionally, he tried to avoid it as much as possible and lock it away when not in use. Tonight, he was so pleased to know that the threat had finally gone that he had been careless and used the pensive to take a load off his mind and therefore, forgetting about the appointment that was made.
"What shall we do Severus?" McGonagall asked worriedly.
He gritted his teeth, "I can't believe that for all this time I was working for the evil tyrant that killed Lily!"
"Severus, calm down, there is got to be a way that we can get in contact with the resistance." Minerva assured him.
By now, footsteps were heard below. They suspected Dumbledore, so they braced themselves for battle, drawing their wands simultaneously. But as the rapid footsteps reached the stairs, it began to try out different candies as the passwords are of old. The two ex-professors opened the door and approached cautiously. There, at the bottom of the stairs was Harry, disheveled and bloodstain.
"Professor McGonagall!" He cried out, "Help!"
"What happened? Where were you all these years?" The potion master inquired.
"No time to explain! Remus needs help!"
"Wha…" Harry dragged them off back to the dungeons without warning.
While running, he explained the situation and they had agreed to help. Along the way, they paid a trip to Snape's potion storage to grab some a wide variety of potions including blood-replenishing, healing, and skele-grow. They maneuvered through the maze and soon, arrived at the lake. Getting across was a problem.
"Can we swim across?" said Severus, although he was unsure at his own suggestion.
"Nothing but the boat will sink if it lands in this stuff. It is the only way to cross." Harry replied gloomily.
"But what if I transform, that will leave more room." The animagus suggested.
"That just may work!"
Severus and the tabby cat climbed onto the boat and headed toward the little island. There, they found Sirius with his torn robe (he had torn it up and used the strips of fabric to bandage the wound), he was having a fruitless attempt at healing the wound but a look of relief crept upon his features as they entered.
"Thank goodness you're here, Severus, did you bring any healing potions?" he asked, standing up and wiped the blood off his hands.
But he did not reply, immediately, he bent over Remus and forced a few potions down his throat. Next, he ripped the bandage apart and checked the wound for any signs of poison. Thankfully, there are none, he cleaned the wound and covered it with some soothing salves. Then, taking out a fresh roll of bandage, wrapped it neatly around Remus.
"He'll live." Said Severus as he finished bandaging the wound.
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They had lingered there for a few more hours, of which during the time, Harry brought reinforcements from the Forbidden Forest, and they await for them in the Chamber. The group didn't dare to travel too far together fearing that they would be noticed.
"Harry, I have to go now, I could feel it. But we will see each other again. I promise." As he said those words, Sirius began to glow, just like he had before, when he entered the cell that Harry was trapped in.
"Why?! Stay a little longer and help us through this situation! I'm sure they will understand." Harry pleaded as he ran forward to hug him, but he was already vanishing.
"Farewell!" Once more, he transformed to the Grim and exploded into a shower of sparks that faded into thin air.
Harry sighed and bowed his head. Just when all seemed to change and fortune is smiling down upon them, Sirius just had to leave. Professor McGonagall placed an arm around Harry's shoulders and said, "He didn't belong in this world, with his help, we have gotten out of that tight spot, now we must do the rest on our own."
Harry nodded and wiped the remaining tears from his eye; he forced himself to smile and then replied determinedly, "Let's go!"
It was with the same procedure, Remus was the last to go because incase there was danger, he would not be caught in the middle of the fray. Fortunately, Sirius had indeed disposed of most of the evil and therefore, there was not too much trouble getting out. The sword given to Harry by Sirius certainly was a big help, the thing was evil's bane and whatever it was made out of sure was sturdy (since it cut through every thing it came in contact so far, of course, the sheath was an exception).
They found their way out the dungeons and headed for Moaning Myrtle's bathroom where the Chamber entrance is, but they were less fortunate this time.
"Well, well, well, what is this?" A masked guard sneered, fingering his wand.
A group sprang from their hiding place and surrounded the small group, "Traitors! Therefore you shall die, for helping the prisoners escape!"
They shot stunners at them but Harry deflected them with his sword, and with a thrust, skewered their leader. Yet Harry alone cannot defend them all against the threat and soon, a cutting hex grazed his arm making him hiss in pain. Snape was knocked out (hopefully by a stunner), and McGonagall was attacking their assailants in her animagus form, biting and clawing at them to create a distraction for Harry to finish them off.
The guards lay on the black marble floor in a bloody mess, there was no way to clean it up, and the blood dripping from their robes will give away their whereabouts. Yet all that mattered is if they can escape this hellish place. Harry carried Remus, while Minerva took care of Severus and with a commanding hiss from Harry, which translates to 'open' the sink opened and the entrance to the chamber was opened.
Mangorian greeted Harry with a bow, "Welcome, we heed your call for assistance, and while you were gone, we have located the portal that leads to Lupercale."
"Thank you!" He gasped, "Remus is injured while Snape is unconscious; I'm sure Bill would allow the forest's inhabitants to stay in Lupercale and provide you with protection."
The centaur smiled grimly, "We appreciate your offer, but our duty is to the forest and we will protect it for as long as we live and will never leave our home. We bid you luck in your battles ahead, the stars have foretold many things. It will end where it all started."
"Farewell!"