Alex had left Godric's hollow and was walking out of the small wizard village. His thoughts were dwelling on the vision that the shadows had shown him. He could feel Voldemort's soul split when he casted the curses and he felt the split part of Voldemort's soul merge inside of the small boy. His thoughts then started to dwell on something that Seth had found out about Voldemort. That the soul of Voldemort was that of the dark side of the former priest Ahknadin, which meant that Zorc could make an appearance if things turned out bad. As he walked the path another thought came to him, if Voldemort was the dark half of Ahknadin, who held the light half? After leaving the outskirts of the village and out into the open country he opened a shadow portal. He allowed the shadows to set the destination and she walked into the portal.
He stepped out onto a small street in the country side; a small village was ahead of him. He walked down the street and noticed that this village was magical in origin. He noticed a few of the shop names; Honeydukes, The three broomsticks, and Zonko's Joke shop were just a few. A small watering hole was up on a hill on a side road. Alex continued walking toward a large castle up on the cliff side about two miles from the village. He sensed that this castle was important for some reason. He walked along the foot path, trying to listen to the shadows but for some reason they had fallen silent. He continued forward when an older man came walking down the path.
"Halt! What business do you have at the castle?"
"I am here to see someone. Tell me is Severus in his office?"
"Why do you want to see professor Snape?"
"I need to discuss something with him. I would not expect you to know that he gave me a job and I am just reporting in."
"Well I am afraid that he is not in his office at the moment. He is at his personal place of residence at the moment."
"Well thank you. By the way I am sorry but what is your name?"
"I am Argus Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry."
"So this is Hogwarts, Well thank you Mr. Filch, I am Alex Yachira. I thank you for your assistance." Soon the Shadows started to speak to him again.
'One of the greatest wizards of their magic is laid to rest here. Albus Dumbledore has chosen this place to be his place of eternal sleep.'
"Tell me Mr. Filch, could you take me to the grave of Albus Dumbledore I would like to pay my respects and then I will be on my way."
"I have been ordered to keep any one asking to see the grave of the former headmaster away but in this instance I will make an exception. "
"Thank you Mr. Filch. Please lead the way."
Filch turned and lead the way to the edge of the lake were Dumbledore's Tomb was at. It was made of a white marble that seemed to gleam with magical energies. Filch stopped about twenty yards from the tomb. Alex walked to the tomb. He laid a hand on it and sensed that even in death Dumbledore was still powerful. As he was walking away he sensed something else. An energy that was familiar yet foreign at the same time. Soon he remembered how it was like that. Dumbledore held a power that many had only dreamed of.
"You sly devil, Dumbledore, why am I not surprised that you have it!" Alex mumbled and took out his stave. He muttered something and a small white rose was laid upon the tomb. He walked back up the path and soon saw a familiar black cloaked figure walking down the path and he was yelling.
"Filch! What did I tell you to not allow anyone to the tomb without my specific guidance or permission?"
"I am sorry Headmaster!" said Filch, "but this person said he knew you and that you would not mind."
"How said that?"
"I did Severus," Alex replied, "I am sorry but I needed to see the grave of Dumbledore. I needed to see if what I heard was true. But perhaps we should take this to your office."
"Perhaps we should," said Severus. And he walked up the path. Alex nodded curtly at Filch and followed behind.
"Why are you here?" asked Severus as they made their way up to the headmaster's office.
"I came here to pay my respects to the fallen headmaster; rumor has it that you were the one to do him in."
"I may have had something to do with it."
"You're lying," Alex replied, "but that is not the only thing you are hiding form the court. You made a promise to Krista that she does not even know of at this time. She came from the future and told you not to tell anyone. You have many secrets Severus Snape. But I guess that that is what you are best at, keeping secrets. You haven't even told Krista and Kaiba that you have me working for you as a spy on the pharaoh, the queen and the chosen one."
"And that is my prerogative!" Snape declared. They had arrived at the stone gargoyle that leads to the headmaster's office.
"Phoenix feather," Snape said and the gargoyle moved out of the way. The stairway started to move and Snape and Alex got on it. They soon reached the headmaster's office door and snape opened it and went inside with Alex following him.
Snape looked up to the portraits, "I need you all to leave for a while go roam the castle for a while and I will call you back when you are needed."
Most of the portraits left but the one directly behind the chair of the desk remained.
"I am sorry Dumbledore but you must leave as well," snape said turning to the only portrait with an occupant.
"No he can stay, I have a few questions that I want answered from him," Alex said, his voice losing its merriment and charm, becoming one of authority and power and then turning to snape, "he can stay but after I talk with you I want you to step out of the office as the questions I have are not for your ears."
"Very well," snape said sitting in the desk chair and Alex sitting in one opposite his, "well what have you to report?"
"I have been traveling recently and have come across some interesting things in the past few days. Most recently I was in Godric's Hollow visiting the graves of James and Lily Potter. I saw what happened that night but only a shadow of the past. How did the Dark Lord know of their hiding place?"
"They were betrayed by one they thought as a friend, a man by the name of Peter Pettigrew. He was the secret keeper of their home and he was already under the arm of the dark lord by that time. I was never on good terms with Wormtail but he proved useful in that moment. Afterward he went into hiding but the world at large thought he was dead. He was recently killed by Mokuba Kaiba."
"I see. Pettigrew chose the wrong person to take a loved one from when he killed Rebecca Hopkins. She was a good friend to the entire court and she will be and is missed, and like Krista I hold Dumbledore responsible. Things are not as they seem Severus. The dark lord is on the move. He is after something. Even you know that. His and the Chosen one's wands share a Phoenix tail feather core that belonged to Dumbledore's familiar. That Phoenix is gone and now things are even more dangerous than before. Some of the strings that have tied the dark lord to the earth have been severed and he doesn't know it. Try to keep it that way until the time is right."
"You are right that he doesn't know. But for now we can do nothing except watch and wait."
"You are right. I have heard that the three have started their hunt, but Destiny is keeping them from my sight. I wanted to go to where they were hiding but something is keeping me from finding it. Do you know anything?"
"I do but I am unable to tell you."
"I see. Well that is al Severus, I must ask you to leave the office my next remarks are for Dumbledore's ears and his alone."
Snape nodded and got up from the chair and walked out of the room. Alex pulled out his stave and cast a muffling spell on the door.
"So that no one can eavesdrop on us," Alex said, "do you know who I am?"
"I am afraid that I do not young man, so please enlighten me," the portrait responded.
"I am the one of both light and dark, I have seen and done things that many would convict and condemn me to a life of eternal hell. I go by Axlais, the one of the shadows. Next question, the item in your tomb, do you expect him to solve the riddles that belong to it and come and take it?"
"He is a very intelligent man, I expect him to."
"Do you mean for the boy to make the item his should the need arise?"
"I believe that he is the only one who can unite all three the proper way and use them not for any selfish means. He is a kind hearted person and I do not think that he would do anything selfishly if it means that some old wounds could possibly be healed."
"I have visited the grave of the boy's parents. I know what happened that night. Is there another who could have filled his shoes if the dark lord did not act so hastily?"
"When the prophecy was spoken it could have meant two young boys. One a pureblooded boy who is a friend to the one who had the prophecy thrust upon him without another choice in the matter. But he essentially lost his parents all the same by another of the dark lord's followers."
"The third item of the trio was turned into a Horcrux, is it hidden where the boy can only find it should the need arise?"
"Yes it is. He has it on his person if all has gone as it should. However he does not know that it is where it is hidden."
"Lastly, why did you do it? You know that they are more powerful of any one in the wizarding world and that they could handle themselves well in a fight. You interfered in many destinies that day when you offered them a role of a mere student and they showed every way they could that they would not be controlled and yet you still continued. Are you just that stubborn or just plain thick headed?"
"They needed to be taught how to properly control their magic and here was the best place to do it."
"You are wrong old man. They had plenty of control over their magic. They have more knowledge about their own magic than you could ever teach them. Because of this interference you have been held responsible for the death of an innocent that should never have been involved and who would still be alive today. I can see more than you know Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Had you and your kind not interfered many of their friends and family would not have been hurt and they would have lived normal lives," Alex sighed and then turned from the portrait, "thank you for your time Dumbledore. Expect to see more of me over the next few months. You know where I stand on your decisions so do not try anything while I am around. I can do more to you than you could even imagine, even if you are only a picture."
"Very well," was all Dumbledore said. Alex left and undid the charm. Snape was standing against the wall with a phone in his hand. He noticed the door open and Alex step out.
"Well?" Snape asked.
"I have what I need to know. Even in death his hand is still in play. The game with Dumbledore is not over. It will take time to end it and clean up the mess but by the end of the war Dumbledore's mess will never be seen again. I take my leave headmaster and wish you a safe next few weeks as the school year is about to begin again. Give my regards to Krista and Kaiba upon your next meeting," he held out a small slip of parchment, "this is my Number only call me when it is necessary. Give that number to Kaiba and Krista as well; they will know what to do with it. I have a job to do and I do not want it interrupted. Have a nice evening," and Alex walked away. His mind was racing about what he had learned. Even though he was being discreet with his conversation with Dumbledore, the old man's portrait had at least the same knowledge as Alex had. Dumbledore was still an active player in this war. That would mean he could still be held accountable for anything that happened to the court and their allies should something go wrong. It was his fault the court was brought even further into the war than they should be. All shadow wielders had a shared history, code of conduct and a shared suffering. This power was not only a gift but a curse. And they all had their burden to bear.