Chapter Twenty-eight: In-Between
A few days later, when Edwin knocked upon Raven's door—she didn't answer. Frowning, he tried the doorknob and was relieved to find it unlocked. He opened the door just a crack and peered inside.
Raven was there, sitting on her bed, eyes closed. There was an emptiness to her expression—as though she was not quite there.
Edwin entered the room as quietly as he could, closing the door behind him. He walked over to the window seat and sat down, quite willing to wait. He had an idea of what Raven was doing anyway and he didn't want to interrupt.
It was several minutes later that Raven suddenly let out a long sigh, like a breath she had been holding. Her eyes fluttered open slowly. "I was right."
"Right about what?"
Raven let out an atypical yelp and jumped to her feet. When she saw Edwin sitting at the window, grinning like a cheshire cat, she cursed under her breath and crossed her arms. "Merlin's beard, Edwin, you scared me."
"I'm sorry," he said, standing and walking over to her. He kissed her forehead. "I really am. Now, what were you right about?" He sat down on the bed and gestured for her to do the same. "You were trying to reach the In-Between, weren't you?"
"I was," Raven replied, sitting beside him. "Edwin—I've seen it before."
"What?" Edwin exclaimed. "When?"
"The moment that I died."
Edwin was silent a moment. "Your death as Jesalis…you saw the In-Between….but why?"
Raven closed her eyes, "—There was blackness, just after the pain ended—I was standing on a black field…with Slytherin…and there was a line between us—connecting us." She opened her eyes and looked at Edwin. "The In-Between is where my link to Voldemort manifests itself. On that plane, I can see it."
"Can you break it?" Edwin asked quickly, taking her hand in his.
"I don't know yet—I couldn't hold my concentration long enough—I only caught a glimpse…but I can see it—and I can try to break it."
Raven got to her feet, reaching for her cloak. As she threw it over her shoulder and brought the hood up to cover her face, she glanced at Edwin. "I need to tell Dumbledore and Severus about this—walk with me?"
Edwin smiled, shaking his head. But he took the hand she offered to him and they stole into the hallway.
When they reached the Headmaster's office, they were surprised and grateful to see that Snape was there as well. "What is it?" Snape asked as they entered. "Is everything alright?"
"Everything's fine, Sev," Raven said, lowing the hood of her cloak. "I needed to speak with you and Albus." She looked to Dumbledore. "I've discovered something in the journals that may be my answer."
"What did you find?"
"There is a place, a dimension if you will, called the In-Between, set between this world and the next."
"A limbo between worlds," Edwin interjected.
Raven gave him a grateful look and then continued. "Tobiah wrote that through meditation, concentration, one could spiritually reach the In-Between, and there a Mage can pull a great amount of power without doing as much harm as we would otherwise." She hesitated and then added. "It is also a plane where the link between Voldemort and I manifests itself. In the In-Between…I can see it."
"Can you reach the In-Between then?" Snape asked. "Could you hold it?"
"Barely. I caught a glimpse just a while ago, but it was only that—a glimpse. It takes practice," Raven replied. "A lot of practice. According to the journals, it took Tobiah the better part of three years to master it." The downcast look on their faces prompted a response. "But I wouldn't need to hold it indefinitely—just long enough to see the link and find out if I can break it."
Dumbledore was quiet for a long moment. "Raven—how is it that Tobiah discovered the In-Between in the first place?"
Raven hesitated. "In one of his experiments with the mirrors, he poured too much power into the mirror. He fell into the power like one falls into water—and for an instant found himself standing on the black field of the In-Between."
"A black field," Dumbledore repeated. "You say it with such certainty."
"That's because I've seen it too," Raven said, a little irritated. "That's all it is—blackness, nothingness." Her voice trailed off, caught by the memory. Edwin gave her a worried look and reached to touch her hand, but then she shook her head and continued. "I saw it for but a moment—the moment I died. I also saw Salazar standing with me, the link between us visible, just as my link to Voldemort is."
Dumbledore shared a quick look with Snape. "You and Tobiah stood at the edge of death to see this plane. How did he survive it—that first time?"
"He was always smarter than me," she told them with a slight smile. "He did what I didn't—he called upon more power. There in the In-Between, he was able to hold the power and keep himself from the edge of death."
"How old was he?"
"Eighteen," Raven replied. "He had just turned eighteen." She still smiled, but her eyes were sad. "He was a prodigy, as I've said before. There is a reason I needed his journals above all others."
Edwin cleared his throat, drawing attention to himself. "I just, ah, had a thought. Raven, you've nearly finished the journals at this point, right?"
Raven nodded, "I have, yes. I'm on the last journal now."
"Then why don't you focus your efforts on reaching the In-Between," he suggested. "And Professor Snape and I will keep combing through the journals for anything else that might help."
Dumbledore smiled at the boy. "I think that is a sound course of action," he said, looking between Raven and Snape. "Raven? Severus?"
Snape nodded shortly. Raven looked at Edwin a moment and then nodded as well. She stepped back and took Edwin's hand again, clasping it tight. Snape glanced at her, a slight frown upon his face. "Child, you look rather tired—perhaps you should rest today."
Raven shook her head. "No, I want to try and reach the In-Between again. I almost had it earlier—and that was only my first try."
"Meditation can be a form of relaxation," Edwin said. "You can do both—I'm sure a lucid mind will help you reach and hold sight of the In-Between, Raven."
Again, Raven looked at Edwin. Dumbledore caught the flash of question in her eyes and wondered what the girl was thinking. "Edwin is right, Raven," Dumbledore said. "You can certainly do both. Go and rest, focus your mind on the In-Between and see what you can accomplish."
"We have a better chance now, Raven," Snape reminded her. "I don't want you pushing yourself too hard. We have a little more time now."
"I know," Raven said with a small sigh.
"Come on," Edwin said gently. "I'll walk you back to your room."
Raven allowed him to pull her towards the door, her eyes clouded with thought. Edwin paused at the door and nodded respectfully to Snape and Dumbledore, before he and Raven slipped out of the office.
Edwin closed the door behind him and Raven as they entered her little room again. She went to the window and sat, where the last journal rested, waiting for her. Edwin hesitated by the door.
"It bothers you."
Raven looked over at him, puzzled. "What does?"
Edwin sighed, running a hand over his hair. "Speaking of your death—speaking of Slytherin. I can tell from the tone of your voice—or rather, the lack of it."
Raven was silent, but there was turmoil behind her broken eyes that Edwin read clearly. He went to the window and simply held out his hand. She glanced down at the hand and then back up at his face.
"It's alright, Raven," Edwin said softly. "Just talk to me."
Slowly, Raven set down the journal and took Edwin's hand, letting him pull her to her feet. He wrapped his arms around her; she clung to his robes and buried her face in his shoulder. "Whenever I think about it…I mean, really think about it—I can't but think also that I shouldn't be here."
"Raven—"
"Edwin, I died," Raven told him, pulling back to look into his eyes. "I died…I remember what it felt like. And I didn't have a gentle journey into the abyss. Salazar tortured for months to keep my power at bay and keep me tame." Her eyes closed. "I remember that pain—so clearly I can almost feel it now."
Edwin let out a shaky breath and held her tighter. "You belong here, Raven. You are here for a reason." When she gave him a look, he shook his head. "And I don't mean the purpose that…Voldemort brought you here for."
"What else then?"
"You are more that what Voldemort intended you to be," Edwin told her. "You're a friend to Clara and Aly, you're more than that to me, and—Raven, come on, you're like a daughter to Snape. All those connections mean something, don't they?"
Raven sighed and then nodded. "They do."
"Then shut up about not belonging here," Edwin said firmly. "Because that's rubbish."
Raven laughed, though it was weak. She kissed Edwin's cheek and then hid her face in his shoulder once more. But Edwin felt the tension in her shoulders. He kissed her hair and held her tight a moment more before pulling away. "You need to rest," he reminded her. "I'll come back later—"
"Will you stay?"
Edwin paused and then smiled softly. "Course I will," he said, kissing her lightly.
A few minutes later, Raven was lying under the covers of her bed, breathing deeply. Edwin sat at the window and watched her slip into sleep with apparent ease. I wonder if she sleeps better when I'm around. Maybe that's why she wanted me to stay. He sighed and reached the journal he had left off on, deciding to read something useful to pass the time.
Gavin entered the dark room where Voldemort sat by the fire. The heavy curtains were drawn over the windows, hiding the bright afternoon light behind them. Gavin felt his pulse quicken in fear as he knelt before the Dark Lord.
"You called for me, my lord?"
"We must draw her out of hiding," Voldemort murmured, eyes locked on the fire.
The next night, Raven hurried from her room to Dumbledore's office once more, Snape by her side.
"How bad is it?" she asked as they hurried down the halls.
"It's bad," Snape told her. "We don't have a definite count on the casualties yet."
Raven cursed, but then held her tongue until the reached the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore was standing behind his desk, conversing with one of the portraits. He turned when Snape and Raven entered, his face was grim. Raven took it as a very bad sign. "How bad?" she asked him at once.
Dumbledore cleared his throat and his eyes looked watery. "Over a hundred—so far. The earthquake was massive—the damage is considerable and…they're not sure that they've found everyone."
"It's just a little village," Snape murmured. "Only a country village… Why would the Dark Lord do this?"
"To prove he still can," Raven said. "Though I'm certain he had help from his Death Eaters this time. He didn't use my power for this—he can't take enough from me to pull something like this alone."
"You're correct," Dumbledore said, nodding. "Death Eaters were present from what witness reports we have. But we are still waiting for more information—"
"Albus," one of the portraits suddenly cried. "The Minister is coming—he'll be here any minute!"
Snape and Raven shared a quick look, neither particularly wanting to be in the presence of the Minister of Magic.
"You two go ahead," Dumbledore told them quickly. "If you leave now, you'll miss him."
Snape went to the door, but Raven hesitated. With a snap of her fingers, a plain black mask appeared in her hand. "I'm going to stay," she said, fitting the mask over her face. She pulled the hood of her cloak over her head, giving her a certain ambiguous appearance.
"Good luck," Snape said dryly, before he disappeared through the door.
"Are you sure about this, child?" Dumbledore asked her a moment later.
Raven nodded shortly. "I'm sure."
A sharp knock came to the office door a few minutes later. "Enter," Dumbledore called briskly, still standing.
Scrimgeour entered the office, Umbridge and Percy Weasley close behind him. As soon as he entered, the Minister's eyes locked upon Raven, standing near the window. "You!"
Raven raised an eyebrow, though Scrimgeour couldn't see. "Good evening, Minister."
"This is your doing," Scrimgeour spit the words out.
A little tremor came to Raven's voice. "How do you figure that?"
"He's after you," Scrimgeour told her sharply. "He's trying to flush you out—" He turned quickly to Dumbledore. "A message was left at the Ministry, taking credit for the earthquake and the deaths involved. The message was quite plain—He will do this again…unless his 'Blackbird' returns home to him."
Raven's head snapped around, her eyes locking onto Dumbledore's. He saw the feeling in them and quickly shook his head at her. "She will not return to him—she can't."
"People are dying, Dumbledore!"
"I am painfully aware of that, Rufus," Dumbledore replied and his bright blue eyes were sharp. Raven could almost feel the power rolling off of him in warning. "But we cannot give into such threats. You know that."
Raven took a shaking breath, which no one noticed save for Percy. He glanced at her, more than a touch of fear in his face. She looked at him briefly, not liking the fear she saw there. "Minister," she said, turning her attention to Scrimgeour. "I've been blocking the link between Voldemort and I—made it near impossible for him to pull power from me. That's why he wants me back—so he can figure out why." She shrugged. "Or perhaps he'll just kill me and start all over again, who knows?"
"But—the earthquake tonight…"
"He didn't use my power for it," Raven told him. "He had help from his Death Eaters this time around."
Scrimgeour contemplated her. "You can block him?"
"Just barely," Raven replied. "It seems to take a great deal of energy out of his both, which is an advantage to us."
"Rufus," Dumbledore said. "We cannot let him have her."
Raven hesitated and then said, "We have more information than we did before. I am working on breaking the link. One way or another we will end this, Minister."
Dumbledore glanced out the window of his office and the deepening night outside. "Raven, it is late."
"I know," she said, nodding shortly. "Come, Minister," she said, looking to Scrimgeour. "We can walk out together."
"Just a moment," Scrimgeour began to argue, but Dumbledore but him off with a wave of his hand.
"What else can we discuss, Rufus? All we can do now is wait and hope."
Scrimgeour hesitated and then gestured to his two escorts. He moved past them and out of the door, a step behind Raven. He waited until they were halfway down the spiral stairs before he caught up with her. "Where exactly are you going? Where do you stay? Is it here at Hogwarts?"
"No," Raven lied blandly. "I'd rather keep my location a secret, Minister—for security."
The Minister opened his mouth to argue, but as they reached the bottom of the staircase, they were both surprised to find someone waiting there. He was cloaked and hooded like Raven, even wore a mask similar to hers. It was his eyes behind the mask that Raven recognized. Edwin…but what is he doing here? He did not look at all surprised at the presence of the Minister of Magic and his entourage. That left only one person who might have told him—Severus sent him. For what purpose I wonder?
Edwin bowed low to Raven, who bowed her head to him in turn. From the amusement in his eyes, Raven knew they were both enjoying the show.
"Who is this?" Scrimgeour demanded.
"No one of consequence," Raven replied. "Shall we?" She gestured down the hall and started off without waiting for a reply. Edwin followed a step behind and to the side of her, silent as a shadow. Raven heard Scrimgeour and his followers a few more steps behind her and smiled to herself.
They reached the entrance hall and front doors. Raven walked, with no hesitation, towards the Forbidden Forest, rather than down towards the front gates. Scrimgeour and the two others paused, watching her and Edwin's path. Raven grinned underneath her mask and murmured to Edwin. "Ready?"
"For what?" he murmured back.
"Shadows."
Raven pulled upon her power, taking the shadows around them and enveloping them in sudden darkness, hiding them both from sight. Raven stopped and turned back to look at the Minister. He, Umbridge, and Percy were staring at the point where they had suddenly 'vanished' with something akin to shock and awe.
"M-Minister?" Percy said, blinking. "Isn't it i-impossible to Apparate on Hogwarts' grounds?"
"It is," Scrimgeour said, a bite to his tone. "But the 'Blackbird' is an oddity, not affected by our magic."
"And that makes her dangerous," Umbridge said, her own voice light.
"Very," Scrimgeour agreed, starting down the steps.
"Old bat," Edwin muttered under his breath, watching them go.
"I think she's charming," Raven said. "…for a snake, anyhow. Besides, she's right."
Edwin snorted. "They're gone," he said then. "Should we head back in?"
"Let's."
Raven dropped the shadows and she and Edwin went back inside the castle. Raven immediately set a beeline for Dumbledore's office, and Edwin followed without comment.
Dumbledore smiled at her when she and Edwin entered. "He is gone?"
"He is," Raven replied, taking off her mask. She smirked. "And we've made him wonder—seeing as I had an escort dressed similarly waiting at the bottom of the stairs. And I made us both 'vanish' from sight, walking towards the forest."
"Nice touch," Snape said, entering the office behind her and Edwin. "Good work, Rowle."
Edwin shrugged, taking off his mask as well. "It didn't take much."
"And now," Snape said, "Scrimgeour will take that little tidbit back to the Ministry, where it will undoubtedly be leaked to the Dark Lord."
"Making him wonder as well," Raven realized. She smiled at Snape. "Marvelous idea, Sev."
"You really do need to rest, Raven." Dumbledore reminded her gently.
"I know, I know," Raven said with a falsely exasperated sigh. "Come on, Edwin," she added, taking Edwin's hand in hers.
They walked together to her little room. When they reached it, Raven gestured for Edwin to enter with her.
"Care to accept a— rather morbid gift, Edwin?" she asked him as he closed the door behind them.
"What do you mean?"
Raven smiled and pulled out a reddish-black cloak from under the covers of her bed. She tossed the cloak over Edwin—and he vanished from sight.
Edwin pulled off the cloak and stared at it. "An invisibility cloak?"
"One that is immune to wizard magic—so under it, you have protection."
"Why is this a morbid gift?"
"The cloak's immunity comes from being imbibed with my blood."
Edwin stared blankly at her.
Raven sighed and sat on the edge of her bed. "Dumbledore came up with the idea—You see, a while back, I hit my head when Voldemort was taking power from me. I lost a great deal of blood—Dumbledore saved it."
"He saved your blood?"
"My blood is a precious commodity," Raven said with a small smile. "It cannot be affected by magic, because it comes from me. Dumbledore saved it, bottled it, and I asked him to tuck it aside until I found a use for it."
"And then he came up with the idea for a cloak?"
Raven nodded. "He thought I'd feel better if you were protected. Besides," she added. "Now you can sneak through the halls much easier than before."
Edwin folded the cloak in his arms. "Thank you," he said. "Do you want me to stay a while?"
"Would you?"
He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Of course. You sleep better when I'm here, don't you?"
"I do," she replied.
"Then get some rest," he told her. "I'll stay near you."
