Chapter 4: Death's Mistake
Harry Potter sat at his desk at home reading the Daily Prophet. He still wasn't entirely sure that he had made the correct decision in sending Albus and his friends to Naumkeag. But he didn't feel that he really had much choice in the matter either. He had promised the Americans that the British would help them protect the school so that they could focus their attention on protecting the Ministry, the other location where Travers might attack. After the rise of Voldemort, Percy had ordered that all British Ministry personnel stay and fight the Death Eaters. Harry couldn't fault this decision. The Death Eaters had already begun to cause problems for Percy. The Dark Mark had been seen for the first time in almost twenty years, the last time that someone tried to reignite the Death Eaters. The people were scared and Percy had to actually do something about the problem. To do that, he needed all hands on deck.
But still, Harry had made a promise to the Americans, and he wasn't about to risk the improved relations between the two ministries. So he had sent over his very capable son and a ragtag group of students from Hogwarts. Harry was worried that they would be of no help, but he knew that his son had trained them so they would have some tricks up their sleeve. Plus, Headmistress Canon had said that Naumkeag was a fortress. Maybe they wouldn't be needed at all.
Harry returned to the article he was reading in the Daily Prophet. It had caught his attention because the name Adam Travers was in the headline. Ever since Percy had announced that the American criminal was involved in the Death Eater reformation, the Daily Prophet had become increasingly interested in American news. Harry wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.
Adam Travers Named New Headmaster of Leveau School of Magic
by Rita Skeeter
Just three months after his name was thrust into the public eye by both the British Minster of Magic and the American President of Magic as a criminal and mass murderer, Adam Travers is back in the news in a very different light. He has been named the Headmaster of Leveau School of Magic. The Board of Trustees voted unanimously in the decision.
Your favorite reporter did some digging and discovered that the school does not have good relations with the Ministry in America. It is possible that the accusations by the President actually helped Travers obtain the position. I also discovered that Travers has a very good reputation at the school, where he was already Chair of the Board of Trustees. It is officially unclear if he will retain that position, but my sources suggest that he will.
The American Ministry has responded by criticizing the decision. They have not yet threatened action although I feel it would certainly be called for!
Interestingly, the founder of the school and current voodoo instructor Marie Leveau (dreadfully old and stinky woman who has no fashion sense at all) has resigned in protest. "This appointment is an outrage," she said. "The school has long suffered from a bad reputation. The Board has enhanced this reputation today by naming this criminal Headmaster...We have known Travers much longer than the ministry. We should be able to see his nature better than they do. Apparently this is not the case...I do believe the Ministries beliefs about him. I will be going to Naumkeag to help defend the school. I would encourage all Leveau students and alumni to join me. We need to stand up for our school."
Surprisingly, my tour around the campus listening to different students suggests that many are inclined to take Leveau's advice…
The article continued, but at that moment Harry went to sleep. He was standing in a long white hallway which had several doors lining both walls. Harry looked at the labels, but they appeared to be in some language that he didn't understand.
He began to walk down the hall toward a bright, golden light at the end of the hall. As he walked, a large, golden gateway became visible as the source of the light. As Harry watched, the gate opened and a man emerged from beyond the gate. Harry stopped and the man approached him. Once the man was about 100 yards from him, Harry recognized the features of his friend Jacob Brown. Only now he had hair.
"Secretary Brown, what a surprise," Harry said. "Am I dead?"
"Not 'secretary' anymore, thank God," Jacob said. A roll of thunder sounded beyond the gate but Jacob ignored it. "As to whether or nor your dead, tell me what that sign says."
"How can I, it's in Greek," Harry said.
"Hebrew actually," Jacob said. "But if you can't read it then you're not dead yet. Please," he said, opening the door and motioning for him to enter.
"What did it say?" Harry asked.
"Jacob," he said. "It's my favorite room. Each one is named after an important person in the Jewish/Christian/Muslim faith traditions. Jacob happens to be Hebrew. If you had kept going you would have started to be able to read the names as they transition to other languages."
Jacob sat behind the only thing in the room, a long table. The glow of the gates seemed to permeate the room. "This is not the way I remember death," Harry said taking a seat opposite Jacob.
"It's what you would have seen if you had gone the other way in that train station," Jacob said. "The station is at the other end of that hallway. You were taken past it because we need to talk."
"Ok, what about?" Harry asked.
"Death has made a mistake," Jacob said. The thunder rolled again. "Okay, he has a problem that he needs you to solve which is definitely not a mistake," Jacob corrected. A much softer thunder responded.
"What's the problem?" Harry asked.
"In response to Travers, Death actually forced back the soul of Gellert Grindelwald. Death knew that he would seek out the Hallows to become Master of Death; he had the first time and there was no reason to think he had changed. But Death trusted you to hold onto them. Now Grindelwald has two."
"Two?" Harry asked.
"Yes two, the Wand and the Cloak."
"The Cloak is safely in a magical lockbox under my bed," Harry said.
"Are you sure?" Jacob asked. "Grindelwald can do amazing things with that wand Harry. He stole the cloak while you were at work three days ago. You should check more often."
Harry stood stunned. "What about the stone?"
"Safe, for now, at Naumkeag. But Grindelwald is going there eventually. Death fears for the Stone."
"So I should take it back," Harry said.
"No. Death thinks it is safer in your son's hands. Frankly I agree," Jacob said. "Besides, Albus is taking personal lessons from Dumbledore and he needs the Stone for that."
"Then what do you need me for?" Harry asked a little too strongly.
"Tom Riddle is the problem we need your help with," Jacob said. "Death sent Riddle's soul back too. The idea was to create more problems within Travers's camp. Possibly one of the two would get fed up and kill Travers themselves."
"But he'll just create another horcrux," Harry said in disbelief.
Jacob laughed. "Death is not stupid," he said. "You have to have at least 1/49th of your soul left to be alive, either in the body or a horcrux. Death only sent 1/49th back. If Riddle creates a horcrux, both he and the horcrux will die."
"So what's the problem?" Harry asked.
"Riddle knows his situation," Jacob said. "He is seeking a way to get the rest of his soul back so that he can create a horcrux. And as you have likely put together by now, it will not be so significant and easily found as the last ones were. He learned his mistake.
"Riddle is attempting to get Travers to teach him how to raise the dead. If he succeeds in doing this, he will raise Nicolas Flamel and have the inferus create a new Philosopher's Stone. The Elixir of Life will restore his entire soul to him. Then he will be unstoppable. You must prevent him from getting Flamel."
"Why doesn't Death just send Flamel back like he did with Grindelwald and Snake Face?" Harry asked. Thunder shook the room.
"Careful Harry," Jacob said. "It's not that easy. Travers's spell blocks and traps the soul here. Travers is a smart wizard, but he is limited in his power. He mostly survives on charm. Death can easily overpower him. Death believes it will be much more difficult with Riddle. He does not want to rely on that. As the Hallows represent, Death can be overpowered by mortals who possess both power and knowledge, such as Ignotus Peverell."
"So you want me to stop him getting Flamel," Harry said.
"Yes. Or you'll never stop him again," Jacob answered getting up and walking to the door. "Good morning, Harry," he said when he got to the door and suddenly Harry woke up at his desk, the morning sun floating softly into the room. He got up so suddenly that the chair toppled backward and ran to his room. He pulled his wand and shoved the bed back, Ginny still in it. He pulled up the trapdoor, ignoring Ginny's sudden protest and pulled out the lockbox. He opened it. It was empty.