So I have been working on these chapters nonstop over the last few days. I feel like they are ready for you so let me know what you think.
This story had a life of its own so feedback or ideas are always welcomed.
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After the echoing, sickening voice faded, no one moved. No one spoke, their heads still ringing from the disgusting, violating sound.
"Well he's right there! Grab him!" a shrill, annoying voice peeled from a black haired, pointy nosed girl with an emerald green serpent on her cloak.
"Thank you, Miss Parkinson. Now out, with the rest of your house," the stern witch Sam had learned was Professor McGonagall barked and the girl shrunk back as she shuffled out after a decrepit old man carrying a mangy looking cat.
Professor McGonagall continued to give commands and organize the remaining fighters, dismissing small groups to defend various parts of the castle. She caught sight of Harry standing, staring at the world spinning around him surrounded by his friends.
"Potter, aren't you supposed to be looking for something?!" she snapped.
Harry whipped his head around, remembering the last option left to him. He spied his prize hovering in the furthest corner of the hall, watching the mayhem around her, looking sad. He made his way through the bodies toward her, Ron and Sam in tow. Turning, he raised a hand to stay them and approached the ghost of the young woman alone.
"The Grey Lady?" he ventured and she nodded in return.
"Please, I need help. I need to know anything you can tell me about the lost diadem," he began.
She prepared to turn to float away, saying, "I am sorry... I cannot help you."
"WAIT!" and she stilled where she was.
"I need to know if it is here and I need to find it!'
"You are hardly the first student to badger about the diadem..." she said pompously.
"I'm not trying to pass an exam - I am trying to defeat Voldemort, or don't you care?" he said, losing his temper.
"Of course I... how dare you suggest?" she sputtered.
"Well, then help me!" and so began an exchange of information in which Harry learned that the Grey Lady was Helena Ravenclaw, daughter of the founder of Hogwarts. She had stolen the diadem from her mother all those years ago and through a series of unfortunate events, left it hidden in a hollow tree in a forest in Albania.
"Albania? Wait," Harry said recalling rumors he had heard so long ago that whatever had been left of Voldemort after that night in Godrics Hollow had been hiding, in a forest in Albania. "I'm not the first person you have told this story to?"
She closed her eyes mournfully. "I had no idea... he was so flattering... he seemed to... understand... to sympathize."
Harry rubbed his temples, frustrated. He had been so sure that the diadem would be here, but maybe he was wrong.
"He returned with it years ago but it was changed... foul. He hid it here in the castle. Where all things are hidden..." she spoke softly before gliding away soundlessly through the stone walls.
Blood flooded to Harry's face and he turned to his friends, who had been listening just feet away.
"What could that mean? Where all things are hidden?"
"Wait... there was something in Hogwarts: A History about a room that changed depending on what you needed it for. Could there be a place where students hide things?" Sam said, recalling the passages of the old book. Like a wave of cold water, it hit Harry. Of course, why had he not thought of it before? Then, like the last gift you find at the very back of the Christmas tree, another memory tumbled into his mind.
On that day when he had run to the room, in a panic about slicing open Draco Malfoy, he had hidden his potions book. He had stuffed it in a box and slammed an old bust, a wig, and a faded looking old crown on top of it, hoping he would be back for his book.
That memory of the old crown on that cracked bust melded with the image he had seen from Voldemorts mind - that was it! Excitement filled him up as he pushed his way toward the door of the hall, sprinting for the room, his friends close behind.
He skidded to a halt not thirty yards out of the Great Hall when a drenched Hermione, Dean, and Cas, who seemed to be holding a grumpy snake, appeared.
"Where have you been?" Harry shouted. Hermione triumphantly held up the crumpled, melted remains of the cup, grinning from ear to ear, her hand still wrapped in the large hand of the angel. Castiel, despite the danger soaking through these walls, looked very happy. Harry hugged her, thrilled.
"We know where the last one is Hermione! We know! Then all we have left is the snake!" Harry shouted. "We need to get to the room of requirement!"
Hermione looked at Castiel and the angel smiled. The witch stuck out her empty hand to Harry who grabbed it confused. Dean understood and grimaced as he grabbed the snake-wrapped arm of his friend. They fluttered in a blur for a moment before the world became solid again, their position unchanged. Castiel furrowed his brows. Again they fluttered but did not move. Looking even more frustrated he released those near him. A thought later he was gone and another thought passed before he returned.
"I seem unable to ferry souls when traveling here... it is strange," he looked frustrated. Hermione smiled.
"Very old anti-apparation charms, deep magic," she said, clinging again to the hand of Castiel.
Harry shrugged and he continued to run, all his friends pursuing him. As they ran through the castle, the battle was under way. It seems that "until midnight" it had been another lie - Death Eaters and all other manner of dark creatures were waging war against the castle. There were sprays of light and the sounds of explosions came from everywhere. Students and other fighters raced around, dueling dark-robed figures and blasting apart vile creatures. Time slowed, as it always does in the best and worst moments. Dean saw that same frail body he had lifted earlier arch into the air, surrounded by bright green light. He looked into her eyes and watched the flicker of life dim and fade. Just as gracefully as she had risen, she crumpled into a small, sad pile on the cold stone.
Something deep in Dean snapped and he let out a carnal yell as he ran, blade in one hand, pistol in the other, toward whatever monster had killed this child. Turning the corner was a vile looking man with yellow skin and dead eyes. He had a sick, sinister smile on his slimy face and he pointed his wand at the wandless Dean, screaming "CRUCIO!"
Dean froze for a moment, feeling like his skin was melting from his body and his insides were exploding. But his vision was filled with the dying eyes of that little girl and he gritted his teeth, pushing past the mind-numbing agony. Jaw set, eyes focused, body fighting against the pain, he pursued the beast. Taking the last few steps between him and his surprised torturer, he sunk his knife hilt deep straight into his chest, watching the last twisted bit of life flee his nearly dead eyes. His body slumped down and Dean held onto his knife as it made a sickening sucking sound pulling out of the body. He breathed hard, relieved to be free of that curse.
Ron tore after Dean and he came up beside him, looking at him shocked. "How did you... that was... he... that was the Cruciatous Curse. I've never seen anyone even stay on their feet under it," Ron sputtered. Dean smiled darkly and looked up at his young friend.
"Man, I have been through worse," and with that he whipped himself around, intent on returning to the pack. Ron took the hint and matched him step for step, guiding him to where he knew they were headed. They came upon the door just as Sam was walking through.
"SAMMY!" Dean shouted and Sam stopped, holding the door open for his brother. They sprinted in and everyone but Harry stood for a moment dumbstruck in the massive room. It was the size of an ancient cathedral with small paths here and there. And it was filled with all manner of items from the hundreds of years students had been in the school. Furniture, books, broomsticks, cages of odd skeletons, and hundreds of other items filled the dimly lit space, looking like a small city of forgotten treasures.
"Spread out," Harry said, "It should be an old silvery crown with blue gems - maybe on a wig on top of a broken old statue bust." Confused but understanding the instructions, the party splintered, pouring through various pathways and crannies in the maze, searching for their prize.
"I've found it!" they all heard Harry yell not far to their left. Following his yell was a crack and a small crash. Thundering feet could be heard and all the bodies in the room headed toward the center where the ceiling was highest. As Hermione and Castiel, Ron and Sam, and Dean came hurtling into the large, somewhat open center, Harry came running toward his friends, three figures far behind him in pursuit. One was a tall, thin boy with white blond hair and sickly pale skin. The two behind him were big with brutish, mean features. Spells were blasting out of their wands as Harry ran, one hand clutching a faded dusty crown and the other firing spells back at his attackers. Coming closer, Hermione and Ron started firing as well and Sam and Dean unloaded their pistols. A bullet took one of the thugs in the leg and as he went down, he shouted.
Suddenly bright red fire sprayed from the end of his wand. But it wasn't fire like any of them had ever seen.