Hey everyone,
So we are not going back to the reading just yet. Instead, we are going to continue where the last chapter left off. As some of you probably noticed has the poll indeed been taken off the site and I decided to heck with it, Harry is not going to give the other kingdoms ALL of the details, but he's not going to let them go in unprepared either.
Let's do this,
Venquine1990
Shout-outs to:
V.L. Crawford
29th of December 1976
Royal Throne Room, Valivial
Hendros' POV
Hari stayed quiet and deep in thought the entire ride back from the tower to the castle and once inside, he told Jaurion he and I would meet him and the others later. Jaurion looked concerned, but Hari said: "Just tell Ron and Hermione what Narcissa told me, about Voldemort meeting her sister, but not her. They'll understand." And his father had nodded.
Yet he had also put a hand on his son's shoulder and said: "You let me know if it bothers you too much, alright?" And Hari had nodded in acceptance before my son had left for the reading room. Hari had, after this, only needed to look at me and I said: "I'll go get the other leaders." And ten minutes later we all met in the royal throne room.
Hari has apologized that it took this long for them to meet, but Upole had proven that the others shared his sense of understanding for the circumstances being what they had been. Hari thanked the man and then instantly got down to business. And everyone saw this as a royal, determined look settled over my grandson's visage as this happened.
"I'm not going to lie or mollycoddle this for any of you. Voldemort is immortal. He has, as far as I'm sure, currently five objects through which he is keeping his soul to this plane, though it may be six. In my time it was seven, but I know and am willing to vow on my magic that the last of them has been destroyed and will not be a threat no more. However, the other five – perhaps six – all come with a few issues of their own as well."
The young man had told us and the way that he spoke of this, of the one thing that, in the Elven world is normally enough to make Elves declare war on the humans, proves me one thing; he's the one who destroyed them. In his own time, it was my grandson who took Voldemort his immortality. And this fills me with both an immense sense of pride and a horrible sense of concern.
"What are these objects, Your Highness?" My good friend, Orbis, King of the Earth Elves asks and Hari answers: "If you are okay with it, I will name each of them in order of how I encountered them." The other royals nod and Hari says: "The first is a diary. It, in my time, was in hands of Lucius Malfoy. However, Lucius is currently here with us.
That and Narcissa Black, his supposed future wife, already confirmed to me that she has not been given anything to protect from Voldemort. Now I do believe that there is a chance of Voldemort having given this to Abraxas Malfoy, Lucius' father, but if he didn't, he still has it in his possession. And if we try to take it from him, he will instantly know that we are onto his secret."
The royals grimace, but don't interrupt and Hari goes on: "The next one is both easier and yet also challenging. It's a ring that is hidden within the Gaunt Shack, a shack that once belonged to Voldemort's grandfather from his mother's side. However, the ring also has the Resurrection Stone on it as well as a Compulsion charm to make the wearer want to use it.
Now, I don't think Voldemort actually knows that the stone is what it is as he didn't start researching this until my own Seventh in 1997. I actually think he believed the stone to have powers similar to the Mirror of Erised and that that is why he put this charm on the ring. However, please know that even Dumbledore, while under influence of Destiny, was not able to resist it."
"Then Queen Lympha and I will search for that one. We both only lost family to old age and know it will be a crime upon their lives and afterlives if we try to bring them back. We got to say goodbye, so we will have less of a chance of being influenced." King Upole says, yet Hari grimaces until I whisper: "No Elf controls his emotions better than an Empathy elf."
Hari nods and apologizes, but Upole smiles and says: "I find it noteworthy and admirable to know that we have a royal among us who is as close to his emotions as one of my own." And the two share a smile while I think: "Empathy Elves, they always bond the best and closest with Wind, Water and Music elves." And I bless the fact that my grandson just happened to be the latter.
"Onto the next. This one is also a problem as it, according to my research, is still in possession of Voldemort as well. Though I believe that sometime between next summer and the one after, it will be moved. Regulus Black, Sirius' brother, is going to be forced to join him and will then offer Voldemort his elf, Kreacher. However, he will also order Kreacher to come home after.
And only better as Voldemort will take Kreacher to a cave that is hidden within a cliff somewhere by the shore. I'm afraid I don't know the exact location as I was Apparated there on the day I found out about it myself. However, within this cave there is a huge lake with one small island in the center. And it is there Voldemort will hide his locket.
He will try to protect it through Inferi hidden within the lake and a poison that he will place within a bowl that will also hold the locket. He will then test the poison on Kreacher and afterwards leave him to die. But because Kreacher was ordered to come home, he will do so and this will be when Regulus will learn the truth, deflect from Voldemort's service and try to make him mortal.
It – it pains me to say this, but – he will fail. He will go there, order Kreacher to force him the draught and then order the poor thing to take and try to destroy the locket. But while Regulus will die within that cave – or perhaps join the Inferi and become one of them – will Kreacher fail to destroy the Locket all the way from somewhere next year to 1997."
The other royals all look at Hari, horrified and awed at how he tells his tale and while I hate how detailed this story is, as it further proves just how much work Hari put into getting Voldemort mortal and killed in his own timeline, do I also think: "Thank goodness that Amyna is here. She might be able to convince Regulus not to join that monster."
"The next one is also horrible, but in a different way. It's at Hogwarts. It's at the Seventh Floor corridor, opposite of the portrait of Barnabas the Barmy. There is a large blank space of wall there, but if you walk past this three times, thinking of how badly you need to hide something, a huge arch like room will appear and that is where you will find it, a diadem to be exact."
The royals nod and I say: "Leave that one to Amyna and myself. I think if Amyna and I go, she can convince Regulus not to join Voldemort and we can find another House Elf to replace Kreacher. That way, we can make sure that Voldemort will still try to do as Hari remembers he will, but Regulus will be spared the death he didn't deserve to die, will be spared until it's his time."
The other royals nod, but suddenly Hari turns sternly and looks up at one of the doors that is often used by the servants. "Dobby! I know you're listening in. Come here, now!" He orders loudly and the changed Elf does also actually step out of the doorway he was using to hide. Hari glares at him and then me and says: "He is not to leave the kingdom.
No, Dobby, I know you and I know you will want to be that House Elf. But you have changed and I can't even bare to imagine what you will have to go through to change back. Not to mention that my friends were willing to let me pick the majority of the seven souls that were saved and if you were to do that, you would disgrace the sacrifice they made for you."
Yet then the little changed being proves that he actually has a good mind in his head as he tentatively asks: "What – what about past Dobby? The – the Dobby working for – for master Abraxas?" At this Hari looks at him with wide eyes, but then he calms down and says: "I will get back to you on that after I've talked with Lucius. However, even if we go that route, you won't be the one going there. No, Dobby, I'm sticking to my guns here."
The elf nods and I gently tell it to return to its duties. And after it has left and King Caelum has used his power to close the door, does Queen Cantatina ask: "How did you know he was there?" And Hari simply answers: "I know that elf. He has a tendency of wanting to help, though it's only sometimes wanted." And because of what we just read, do I agree with the boy.
He then turns back to the other royals and says: "And now onto the last two. First of, the seventh. I have two reasons to believe that this one is safe. One, it wasn't made until 1981 and even then it was only by accident. Two, it was the last one I managed to destroy before Voldemort met his end, so I know that it's no longer a threat."
The royals nod, yet my gut clenches as the way that Hari speaks of this makes it sound as if he has a more personal connection to this one than he does the others and that is a thought that absolutely terrifies me.
"The last one. A snake. Nagini. It's a snake that Voldemort will take on as a familiar, or perhaps he has already done so. I truly cannot say, because, even in my time it was unclear as to whether Voldemort has merely cursed her before his disappearance and changed her into one after his resurrection or if she was one even before he vanished. And I'm really sorry, but my knowledge on this war isn't extensive enough that I know when he gained her."
The royals nod, but then I lie a hand on his shoulder and say: "I need to head for Hogwarts anyway. Once I do so, to talk with Albus about the diadem and Regulus, I will ask him about this. Albus' knowledge on Voldemort and what he does in battle should be able to help us here." And Hari smiles at me gratefully before we thank the other royals and agree to meet later for a trip to earth.
We then watch them out and head up the tower ourselves, but once we are high up enough that I am sure others won't be able to hear us, do I ask: "What was it? The seventh one? Why did you speak of it as if it was part of you?" And Hari, his voice cold as ice, states: "Because it was." And with a single finger he taps onto the lightning bolt scar on his brow. My heart stops and my face whitens as I listen to my grandson talk:
"Ron and Hermione are the only ones who know. I – I want to tell others, but –." And instantly I say: "Do it. Tell Jaurion, Lindilwen, Snuffles and Lupin. They are your guardians, each in their own way, and they deserve to know this. And tell Draco as well. As your mate, he deserves to know this." Hari nods, his eyes still distant and proving he's lost in memories as he says:
"That's one of the reasons we hate the other Dumbledore so much. Ever since Voldemort returned at the end of my Fourth, the bastard did all kinds of things that, in the end, when the three of us replaced our Seventh year for a journey to search these monsters out, he had gotten us so far we didn't trust anyone, not even Lupin. We kept believing it would endanger them to know, just like he wanted."
"He wanted you distanced from everyone, to feel excluded and alone, just to make sure you'd be more willing to do everything and anything to get rid of your scar and what it actually contained." I growl, hating what my old friend would one day become and Hari nods as he says: "And we didn't even find out about this until the very end, until we were one step away from his destruction.
He kept it from me, even when he knew he was dying, and used someone he knew hated my very existence, but who he manipulated to feel as indebted to him as I did, to let me know. And even then the man was nearly dead before he could let me know. He didn't even get the chance to tell me, he just left memories for me to see. And the only place where I could view them –."
"Was Dumbledore's own office, where that old bastard could gleefully watch as his plans unfolded even from across the grave and where he could watch your emotional and mental suffering. That man was beyond gone.""And yet – he was the one I met – when the whole thing came to a head. When I took the Killing Curse willingly and ended up in Limbo."
Hari sounds confused and lost at this point, but I smile and say: "That's because that's his punishment, kiddo. To never reunite with the ones he once loved, but never have to actually suffer for his crimes either. He will forever be stuck in between, watching those that he used to others be punished and yet missing out on joining with the ones that will be rewarded for their efforts."
Hari smiles at me and says: "That is the perfect punishment. Sooner or later, he'll start to actually desire the punishment down below, but he'll never get it. And he'll also start to long for the love and acceptance he believes he deserves to get from people like my parents and Lupin, but he'll never get that either." I nod at him and he nods back before he says:
"I'll go talk with them. After that we can continue reading. Can you in the mean time explain what happened in the tower, give Lucius his warning and whatnot?" I nod and then quickly step up and give the boy a warm hug, hating how his eyes are still quite distant looking and wanting to bring the light back to the young man that is such a vital part of my family.
The boy wraps his own arms around me and then I hear what I need to. "It's behind me grandpa. I have you, grandma, my parents, Snuffles and Lupin, Draco and the others. I may need some more time to get closure and stop having nightmares of what happened, but – being here is exactly what'll help me do that. I know it." And I nod at him, agreeing wholeheartedly.
Nicely said, Hari.
And yet I also feel for him. He works so hard to make sure that this war doesn't go the same way that the last one, for him, did, but it's so obvious that he has yet to fully put the demons of that war to rest. And now we're reading about an adventure that is, in a way, just a preview to what he has just gone through. He really is going to need his family and hard.
And personally, I do think that this book is going to focus on him just as much as it's going to focus on Lucius. However, I am not going down the same route with Ginny. She has, as proven by a vital chapter in OotP, moved on from what happened to her and only has the memories to deal with, but not the trauma. So don't expect her to be as burdened as Hari was this chapter.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Venquine1990
PS. Inspiration comes from Leonette, check out their stories. And yes, I know that I haven't been shouting her out in a while, but it's still true.