Harry Potter
And the
Silver Bullet Faction
When we last left Harry, it looks like a little help had arrived. But time is running out - at any moment, Hermione could be gone forever in the blink of an eye. When who should arrive at Garef's castle but an all-but-dead Ron. Is the hero about to give the prince of darkness a royal butt whooping, or is he biting off more than he can chew?
Chapter 8
Tribute
Harry awoke early the next morning. He knew what a busy day it was going to be, but he was going to have nothing to do with it. Right now, all that was on his mind was getting Ron and Hermione back, somehow.
He walked down the steps to the common room, and when he entered, he noted it was empty.
Almost.
In the corner of the room was Ken, reading a paper by the fire.
"Hello, Harry." Ken looked up.
"Ken, I need to know how the faction is going to get Ron and Hermione back."
Ken sighed. "Harry, as you know, you and Dumbledore are the only ones allowed to see me. These aren't my rules." Harry gave him a confused look. "Th faction thinks they are dead. I spied on them the other night."
"Are they?" Harry asked.
"I'm not allowed to tell you that they are... ooh, I'm gonna get it for that..."
"Well, what do I do?"
Ken thought for a moment. "One, you can go after them yourself. Pbthh." Ken blew a raspberry and gave him a thumbs down. "B, you can convince the faction that they're alive."
"That sounds easier."
"Is that your final answer? Whah-wawww."
"No, huh?"
"No. 5, and probably your best bet, would be to go to Dumbledore. That guy is a genius, you know that? I found a neat spell last night how to transfigure a stone to any metal, and then he reminded me that I was a muggle in life."
"What was the spell?"
"Convertus, and the letters of the metal's atomic symbol. Remember it. You never know when it might come in handy."
"Yeah? Well, I think I'm gonna go talk to Dumbledore now. I..."
"Harry? Who are you talking to?" Dean Thomas came up behind him.
"Huh? Just..." But Harry felt Ken elbow him in the ribs. "I mean..."
"Don't respond to anything I might say." Ken whispered.
"Okay." Harry replied. He heard Ken slap his hand over his forehead.
"Okay what?" Dean asked.
"Nothing, Dean. Sorry I woke you up, or whatever, or, uh... gotta go." Harry hurried out of the common room, passing a furious Argus Filch, who must have been cleaning the walls since last night when Fred and George plastered them with dung. It seemed to Harry that they had lost the spirit since Ron had disappeared, and these feeble attempts to piss off Filch just weren't doing anything for them.
Filch was just about to tell Harry off and try to get him in trouble for nothing, when Ken spotted danger, and picked up Filch's bucket, flipping it over on his head. Harry tore off for dear life.
* * *
Dumbledore was on the other side of the castle, humming quietly to himself. He looked out the window, enjoying the quiet, serene morning...
"PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" A furious echo thundered through the halls, and a moment later, Ken and Harry appeared in front of him.
They stopped.
"I didn't do it." Ken said quickly, despite the twinkle of mild amusement in Dumbledore's eye.
"Now, Mister Hunt, we can't go around driving the staff out of their minds and awaking the entire castle. There are much more important things to be done."
"Yeah, I know. Harry wants to talk to you about convincing the others that his friends are alive."
"Ah, yes. But I'm afraid I've already tried. We need proof. I'm afraid that there is no way we can prove it to them at this time. We'll just have to wait, Harry. I'm sorry."
"What? NO!" Harry burst out, taking Ken and Dumbledore back. "I've waited long enough. You always have a plan, professor! But right now, there's nothing you can do." Dumbledore looked at him meaningfully. "And time doesn't stop for you to take action or think of a plan. I'm... I'm sorry. I'm just worried."
"It's understandable, Harry. But you just can't go into every situation with your head down. Hopefully Ron and Hermione can buy some time. As for Snape, he is going to another convention to try and work on a cure. Schedules will be changed so that Doctor String will be taking care of potions lessons. With a little luck, Harry, I'm sure, more than ever, that Ron and Hermione will be just fine. Now, go along. Breakfast should be almost ready. And Ken..."
"Yes, Professor?" Ken said, with the most deceptively angelic grin on his face, a halo seemingly appearing above his head. Dumbledore saw right through this.
"Stay out of trouble. Please..."
"Yes, sir!" Ken replied. "Come on, Harry, I'm sure the professor is very busy right now, and we've got business of our own..." He grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him down the hall. When they got to the end, Ken pulled him into an empty classroom.
"What's going on?" Harry asked.
"Look." Ken pointed at the wall, which began to magically glow. It depicted Ron, standing before Garef and next to Hermione. He had his wand out, and they were getting ready to fight. Harry watched the scene play out before his eyes.
"Wow. It looks like Ron's holding his own so far." Harry said, impressed.
"I just hope he can hold out for a little while longer." Ken muttered.
* * *
"What? Why you little! You'll pay for that one!" Garef bellowed.
"I don't think so." Then he pulled out his wand. How he had gotten it back was a mystery to Hermione. "This isn't over just yet."
This worked once before...
"Imperius!" Ron shouted.
"Expelliarmus!" Garef roared. Ron's wand flew out of his hand, back into the corner.
Garef made his hands up into fists. Ron gripped his jaw and squeezed, breaking four oversized canines without a wince.
"YOU'RE GONNA GET IT NOW!" Garef yelled, and threw his fist, which Ron caught. He picked him up, and threw him headfirst into the wall, which broke out beneath him. Then he stepped up to the cloud of clearing dust.
Suddenly, a hand shot up and gripped his shirt, and threw him over, plowing him into the floor of the next room. But again, Ron grabbed his wrist, and flipped him again into the floor.
"Master!" The boy who had kidnapped Hermione appeared.
"You couldn't just kill him, huh?" Garef growled with his face in the floor. Ron stood, raised his foot, and brought it down. Right on Garef's head.
"CRUNCH!" He felt Garef's skull collapse beneath his foot.
"Master!" The boy grabbed Ron and put him in a Full Nelson.
"Maybe I should give you a break!" The boy grunted.
"DON'T BOTHER!" Ron threw his arm back, knocking the boy aside, pulled out his wand, and in his rage, bellowed, "CRUCIO!"
"RGHHHHHHH!" The boy growled, rolling on the floor and convulsing.
"Look's like things are wrapped up here." Ron clapped the dust off his hands.
"Don't be so sure." A voice said behind him. Garef gripped a sword taken from a suit of armor from the next room, his head crushed in nastily, the floor spattered with blood. Ron was in shock.
"You can't kill me. I'm already dead." Then he drove it straight through Ron, and lifted him off his feet, throwing him aside.
* * *
"Ron!" Harry stood and shouted.
"Don't worry. He should be fine. Sort of. But he'd better get somewhere in the basement before the sun rises."
"How are you doing this?"
"This is a very special room, Harry. Dumbledore showed me last night. Whenever you want to see something, take a look at it. It doesn't always work, though. You have to concentrate. I have to go now. We've got a busy day ahead of us. All right?"
"Where are you going?"
"Important business. You know."
"Why can't you go stop Garef yourself?"
"Trust me, Harry. The time will come when I do my part. But now is not the time. It's... hard to explain..."
"I'll bet. Never mind. But you can't be killed, can you?"
"No. Not really. But I can be stopped. Now go on, Harry."
"All right." Harry stood and turned out of the room and down the hall. Ken seemed rather cold today. Harry didn't get it.
But then again, the atmosphere was even more tense.
* * *
The classes seemed to get a lot more interesting, though. They began to learn transfiguring large objects into animals. The only flaw Harry's made (a horse from his desk) was that it was coughing up office supplies, such as a box of paper clips, and a book Harry forgot to take out of it.
Care of Magical creatures had somehow by far become the best. The Chimera had been transferred to a special zoo, and now they were learning about griffins, which were much more violent and proud than the hippogriffs they had handled the first year that Hagrid had become the care of magical creatures teacher. Like the hippogriffs, griffins were part eagle, but part lion, instead of horse.
The griffin was also, for some reason, a lot more trusting than the hippogriff. Perhaps it was the fact that it could breath fire and defend itself a lot better. Harry had to snicker when Crabbe ended up stomping out a fire on Goyle, who was rolling on the ground howling in shock. Amidst the confusion, Draco stepped over beside Harry.
"What is it, Malfoy?"
"Not much to you, Potter. But I've lost contact with my parents. My letters aren't getting replied to. I don't even think my parents are home. There's something up."
"Really." Harry thought for a moment. "What did the last letter say?"
"Not much. Father was excited about a planned meeting with the dark lord somewhere in Romania in what was supposed to be a few days ago. "
"Are you really serious?"
Draco gave him a look that, even for him, showed some remote level of worry.
"I heard about your friends. Potter, I don't know about you, but if I just had a plan, and I was as strong as Dumbledore, magically, I mean, I would be out there getting my parents back. I would."
Then it hit harry like a ton of bricks. He could have even shaken Draco's hand! Well, he wouldn't go that far.
"Hagrid!" Harry ran up to Hagrid, who was handling the griffin, which was smoldering at the mouth.
"Yes, Harry?" Hagrid turned to him.
"I'm really enjoying the class, but I need to step out for a moment. It's... very urgent."
"Are you serious, Harry? What for?"
"I, uh..."
"Just a second..." Hagrid put a muzzle on the young animal, and turned back to Harry. "I'd be willing ter let yeh go, Harry, but students must be with a teacher outside of the castle at all times, remember? Do you need me ter come with you?"
"No, no. I wouldn't want to interrupt your class, Hagrid. I'm sorry."
Hagrid just shrugged his shoulder, and continued with the lesson.
* * *
Next they went to potions class, down in one of the dungeons. Doctor String was teaching the class, and even, no, especially Neville was doing well in the lesson. They were making a completely new potion, which could, with one drop, double any object it touched. Neville's was about to be tested, when Dean Thomas, who was in an argument with a Slytherin at the time, was shoved into him, and Neville's whole cauldron spilled on Trevor the toad. Immediately, the entire class was up to their waste in clones of Trevor, and Doctor String, who hadn't stopped the fight between Dean and the Slytherin because he was in the supply room to get more powdered buzzards talon, appeared in the doorway.
"Who let zeh frogs out?" He yelled.
"It wasn't my fault, Professor!" Dean waded through the sea of croaking toads, snickering all the way.
"I, uh..." Neville's head appeared as several Trevors hopped away.
"Not to vorry, Neville." String pulled out his wand, and shouted. "Singulus!"
Suddenly, Trevor was sitting back on the table, in his original position.
"Vell, for being zeh first to make a vorking potion, and demonstrate it so vell, I vill avard Mister Longbottom with a double von-hundred. Zat vill..." String looked at the chart. "Vell vhat do you know? It vill bring you up an entire grade, Neville. Congratulations."
Neville was in shock. He was going to pass this semester, probably this year.
"Outstanding effort, yes." String turned away. "Vell, class, it is time to pack up your materials. I vill see some of you later in Defense Against ze Dark Arts. Class dismissed." Harry hurried outside and tore down the hall. He had a little time, and went back to the viewing room. He concentrated on Ken, and when he looked at the wall, he saw him in a hallway. Ken was being chased be filch, who could only see the magazine Ken was holding floating in midair and undoubtedly thought he was Peeves. Then he realized that they had just turned onto his corridor, and so Harry rushed outside, and just as Ken turned the corner, snatched the magazine and chucked it aside. Just then, Filch appeared.
"Where is he, boy? Where did Peeves go?"
"He dropped the magazine, but I saw him go through the floor, sir." Filch gave him a suspicious look, but turned without a word, hurried down the corridor, and down the stairway.
"Thanks, man. You got me out of a jam. I didn't want him taking my reading material." Harry saw Ken pick up the magazine, which happened to be The New York Times.
"Don't mention it. Say, Ken, can you tell me where I can find that relic, uh, the one that..."
"Multiplies your magical strength? Multus?"
"Yeah, that's it. How'd you know?
"Never mind. Just look at the wall and concentrate, Harry."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, Harry. But mind you didn't go starting trouble looking for that thing, you know. I've done both our share of that in just one morning."
"What happened with Filch now?"
"Actually, it was a joke Peeves played on the house elves. They got a new refrigerator. We almost ended up with Rigor Mortis Norris. Then I save his stupid cat, and he comes chasing me when I try to sit down and read!"
There was a loud crash, and a loud screeching and meowing downstairs.
"Gotta go." Ken ran off. But Harry had an idea. He stepped into the room and stared at the wall. In his mind, he envisioned Multus, an infinity sign that has been split. Then he looked up at the wall.
He saw it, but what else he saw shocked him even more.
It was dead. It did not glow with the greenish, vibrant strength it once did. Instead, it was dull and lifeless.
"No! Someone else must have gotten to it!" He slammed his hand against the wall. It looked as though his plan wouldn't work after all. He turned back to the wall, but this time a different scene met his eyes. There was a different room, and the Multus was glowing. In fact, it was a lot larger than the other. So it was there! It was just a different one he saw before. The one that Voldemort must have used. But this one... with this size, it must behold an incredible magical power!
"We still have a chance." He muttered. Now he slowly envisioned moving out of the room where the Multus was. Maybe he could figure out where it was... He envisioned moving out of the room, down a hall, and...
Out... of... Hogwarts... Castle...
Now he imagined his way back to the room. He caught a glimpse through a doorway. It was full of... chamber pots? Really fancy ones, too. It was hiding behind them. But Harry knew where the room was located. Or at least the hallway, where the room was. But the room was new to him.*
(*Remember in Harry Potter and Chamber Of Secrets, when Dumbledore mentioned that one night he found a room full of Chamber Pots?)
Any which way, he was going to find it. He had to go tonight, before it was too late. He hurried over to the hallway, and looked around.
Nothing. Suddenly, the bell rang, and so he was forced to hurry off to Herbology.
* * *
It was a sunny day as he strolled around Hogwarts. He looked over, at Hagrid's cabin. The Care of Magical Creatures teacher was sitting outside lazily against the wall of his hut, having a drink of ale with Norbert, the Norwegian Ridgeback.
"Hello there, Harry." Norbert smiled and waved to him. Hagrid just drank out of his tankard, but looked up for a second and waved.
"How odd." Harry thought, but waved back. He looked over at the forbidden forest. As usual, it was full of dangerous, hideous, murderous beasts. But this time, something seemed awry. They all stood there, smiling and greeting him. So he decided to stroll in.
They all waved, said "Hi, Harry." or such. Then he saw something else, at his feet. It was a trickle of water, leading further into the woods. As he walked along, it widened into a stream. Then he discovered a waterfall, emptying into the stream. He felt a drip of water on his head. He looked up, and it began to rain. Then it poured. Something was definitely wrong. He heard a rushing from behind him, and turned around.
He was washed away by a solid five-hundred foot wall of water.
"Noooooooooo!" He woke up, sweating. Then he realized something.
"Man, do I gotta take a leak!" He muttered, and jumped out of his four-poster bed. Then he realized what he was supposed to be doing. He rummaged through his foot locker, got dressed into his robes, put on his invisibility cloak, and walked out the door. Down to the common room, out past the portrait of the fat lady, and down the hallway. Until he finally found the other hallway he had been in earlier that day.
The room still wasn't there. How did Dumbledore find it? And he still really had to go to the bathroom. In fact, it was getting wose by the second...
...when he realized he was standing next to an old door he had never seen before. He opened it slowly, and looked in.
It was full of chamber pots... He went in to use one, and there, in the corner, behind the biggest one of all, was hiding Multus.
Now he realized the stakes he was up against. This could be a big waste, especially if he died. But it had to be done.
But how was he going to take in the magical energy?
He suddenly got an idea. He took a deep breath, and grabbed both ends of the break in the Multus.
But nothing happened.
Has our hero Harry hit a dead end? We'll know soon enough, when we present the next chapter of Harry Potter and the Silver Bullet Faction, and the action begins...
Also, a peek at the new idea for the next Harry Potter book, by Silverpen, in which, through your reviews, you decide what happens to Harry next! This will happen in the sixth book, which will succeed the final chapter of Harry Potter and the Silver Bullet Faction!
And the
Silver Bullet Faction
When we last left Harry, it looks like a little help had arrived. But time is running out - at any moment, Hermione could be gone forever in the blink of an eye. When who should arrive at Garef's castle but an all-but-dead Ron. Is the hero about to give the prince of darkness a royal butt whooping, or is he biting off more than he can chew?
Chapter 8
Tribute
Harry awoke early the next morning. He knew what a busy day it was going to be, but he was going to have nothing to do with it. Right now, all that was on his mind was getting Ron and Hermione back, somehow.
He walked down the steps to the common room, and when he entered, he noted it was empty.
Almost.
In the corner of the room was Ken, reading a paper by the fire.
"Hello, Harry." Ken looked up.
"Ken, I need to know how the faction is going to get Ron and Hermione back."
Ken sighed. "Harry, as you know, you and Dumbledore are the only ones allowed to see me. These aren't my rules." Harry gave him a confused look. "Th faction thinks they are dead. I spied on them the other night."
"Are they?" Harry asked.
"I'm not allowed to tell you that they are... ooh, I'm gonna get it for that..."
"Well, what do I do?"
Ken thought for a moment. "One, you can go after them yourself. Pbthh." Ken blew a raspberry and gave him a thumbs down. "B, you can convince the faction that they're alive."
"That sounds easier."
"Is that your final answer? Whah-wawww."
"No, huh?"
"No. 5, and probably your best bet, would be to go to Dumbledore. That guy is a genius, you know that? I found a neat spell last night how to transfigure a stone to any metal, and then he reminded me that I was a muggle in life."
"What was the spell?"
"Convertus, and the letters of the metal's atomic symbol. Remember it. You never know when it might come in handy."
"Yeah? Well, I think I'm gonna go talk to Dumbledore now. I..."
"Harry? Who are you talking to?" Dean Thomas came up behind him.
"Huh? Just..." But Harry felt Ken elbow him in the ribs. "I mean..."
"Don't respond to anything I might say." Ken whispered.
"Okay." Harry replied. He heard Ken slap his hand over his forehead.
"Okay what?" Dean asked.
"Nothing, Dean. Sorry I woke you up, or whatever, or, uh... gotta go." Harry hurried out of the common room, passing a furious Argus Filch, who must have been cleaning the walls since last night when Fred and George plastered them with dung. It seemed to Harry that they had lost the spirit since Ron had disappeared, and these feeble attempts to piss off Filch just weren't doing anything for them.
Filch was just about to tell Harry off and try to get him in trouble for nothing, when Ken spotted danger, and picked up Filch's bucket, flipping it over on his head. Harry tore off for dear life.
* * *
Dumbledore was on the other side of the castle, humming quietly to himself. He looked out the window, enjoying the quiet, serene morning...
"PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" A furious echo thundered through the halls, and a moment later, Ken and Harry appeared in front of him.
They stopped.
"I didn't do it." Ken said quickly, despite the twinkle of mild amusement in Dumbledore's eye.
"Now, Mister Hunt, we can't go around driving the staff out of their minds and awaking the entire castle. There are much more important things to be done."
"Yeah, I know. Harry wants to talk to you about convincing the others that his friends are alive."
"Ah, yes. But I'm afraid I've already tried. We need proof. I'm afraid that there is no way we can prove it to them at this time. We'll just have to wait, Harry. I'm sorry."
"What? NO!" Harry burst out, taking Ken and Dumbledore back. "I've waited long enough. You always have a plan, professor! But right now, there's nothing you can do." Dumbledore looked at him meaningfully. "And time doesn't stop for you to take action or think of a plan. I'm... I'm sorry. I'm just worried."
"It's understandable, Harry. But you just can't go into every situation with your head down. Hopefully Ron and Hermione can buy some time. As for Snape, he is going to another convention to try and work on a cure. Schedules will be changed so that Doctor String will be taking care of potions lessons. With a little luck, Harry, I'm sure, more than ever, that Ron and Hermione will be just fine. Now, go along. Breakfast should be almost ready. And Ken..."
"Yes, Professor?" Ken said, with the most deceptively angelic grin on his face, a halo seemingly appearing above his head. Dumbledore saw right through this.
"Stay out of trouble. Please..."
"Yes, sir!" Ken replied. "Come on, Harry, I'm sure the professor is very busy right now, and we've got business of our own..." He grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him down the hall. When they got to the end, Ken pulled him into an empty classroom.
"What's going on?" Harry asked.
"Look." Ken pointed at the wall, which began to magically glow. It depicted Ron, standing before Garef and next to Hermione. He had his wand out, and they were getting ready to fight. Harry watched the scene play out before his eyes.
"Wow. It looks like Ron's holding his own so far." Harry said, impressed.
"I just hope he can hold out for a little while longer." Ken muttered.
* * *
"What? Why you little! You'll pay for that one!" Garef bellowed.
"I don't think so." Then he pulled out his wand. How he had gotten it back was a mystery to Hermione. "This isn't over just yet."
This worked once before...
"Imperius!" Ron shouted.
"Expelliarmus!" Garef roared. Ron's wand flew out of his hand, back into the corner.
Garef made his hands up into fists. Ron gripped his jaw and squeezed, breaking four oversized canines without a wince.
"YOU'RE GONNA GET IT NOW!" Garef yelled, and threw his fist, which Ron caught. He picked him up, and threw him headfirst into the wall, which broke out beneath him. Then he stepped up to the cloud of clearing dust.
Suddenly, a hand shot up and gripped his shirt, and threw him over, plowing him into the floor of the next room. But again, Ron grabbed his wrist, and flipped him again into the floor.
"Master!" The boy who had kidnapped Hermione appeared.
"You couldn't just kill him, huh?" Garef growled with his face in the floor. Ron stood, raised his foot, and brought it down. Right on Garef's head.
"CRUNCH!" He felt Garef's skull collapse beneath his foot.
"Master!" The boy grabbed Ron and put him in a Full Nelson.
"Maybe I should give you a break!" The boy grunted.
"DON'T BOTHER!" Ron threw his arm back, knocking the boy aside, pulled out his wand, and in his rage, bellowed, "CRUCIO!"
"RGHHHHHHH!" The boy growled, rolling on the floor and convulsing.
"Look's like things are wrapped up here." Ron clapped the dust off his hands.
"Don't be so sure." A voice said behind him. Garef gripped a sword taken from a suit of armor from the next room, his head crushed in nastily, the floor spattered with blood. Ron was in shock.
"You can't kill me. I'm already dead." Then he drove it straight through Ron, and lifted him off his feet, throwing him aside.
* * *
"Ron!" Harry stood and shouted.
"Don't worry. He should be fine. Sort of. But he'd better get somewhere in the basement before the sun rises."
"How are you doing this?"
"This is a very special room, Harry. Dumbledore showed me last night. Whenever you want to see something, take a look at it. It doesn't always work, though. You have to concentrate. I have to go now. We've got a busy day ahead of us. All right?"
"Where are you going?"
"Important business. You know."
"Why can't you go stop Garef yourself?"
"Trust me, Harry. The time will come when I do my part. But now is not the time. It's... hard to explain..."
"I'll bet. Never mind. But you can't be killed, can you?"
"No. Not really. But I can be stopped. Now go on, Harry."
"All right." Harry stood and turned out of the room and down the hall. Ken seemed rather cold today. Harry didn't get it.
But then again, the atmosphere was even more tense.
* * *
The classes seemed to get a lot more interesting, though. They began to learn transfiguring large objects into animals. The only flaw Harry's made (a horse from his desk) was that it was coughing up office supplies, such as a box of paper clips, and a book Harry forgot to take out of it.
Care of Magical creatures had somehow by far become the best. The Chimera had been transferred to a special zoo, and now they were learning about griffins, which were much more violent and proud than the hippogriffs they had handled the first year that Hagrid had become the care of magical creatures teacher. Like the hippogriffs, griffins were part eagle, but part lion, instead of horse.
The griffin was also, for some reason, a lot more trusting than the hippogriff. Perhaps it was the fact that it could breath fire and defend itself a lot better. Harry had to snicker when Crabbe ended up stomping out a fire on Goyle, who was rolling on the ground howling in shock. Amidst the confusion, Draco stepped over beside Harry.
"What is it, Malfoy?"
"Not much to you, Potter. But I've lost contact with my parents. My letters aren't getting replied to. I don't even think my parents are home. There's something up."
"Really." Harry thought for a moment. "What did the last letter say?"
"Not much. Father was excited about a planned meeting with the dark lord somewhere in Romania in what was supposed to be a few days ago. "
"Are you really serious?"
Draco gave him a look that, even for him, showed some remote level of worry.
"I heard about your friends. Potter, I don't know about you, but if I just had a plan, and I was as strong as Dumbledore, magically, I mean, I would be out there getting my parents back. I would."
Then it hit harry like a ton of bricks. He could have even shaken Draco's hand! Well, he wouldn't go that far.
"Hagrid!" Harry ran up to Hagrid, who was handling the griffin, which was smoldering at the mouth.
"Yes, Harry?" Hagrid turned to him.
"I'm really enjoying the class, but I need to step out for a moment. It's... very urgent."
"Are you serious, Harry? What for?"
"I, uh..."
"Just a second..." Hagrid put a muzzle on the young animal, and turned back to Harry. "I'd be willing ter let yeh go, Harry, but students must be with a teacher outside of the castle at all times, remember? Do you need me ter come with you?"
"No, no. I wouldn't want to interrupt your class, Hagrid. I'm sorry."
Hagrid just shrugged his shoulder, and continued with the lesson.
* * *
Next they went to potions class, down in one of the dungeons. Doctor String was teaching the class, and even, no, especially Neville was doing well in the lesson. They were making a completely new potion, which could, with one drop, double any object it touched. Neville's was about to be tested, when Dean Thomas, who was in an argument with a Slytherin at the time, was shoved into him, and Neville's whole cauldron spilled on Trevor the toad. Immediately, the entire class was up to their waste in clones of Trevor, and Doctor String, who hadn't stopped the fight between Dean and the Slytherin because he was in the supply room to get more powdered buzzards talon, appeared in the doorway.
"Who let zeh frogs out?" He yelled.
"It wasn't my fault, Professor!" Dean waded through the sea of croaking toads, snickering all the way.
"I, uh..." Neville's head appeared as several Trevors hopped away.
"Not to vorry, Neville." String pulled out his wand, and shouted. "Singulus!"
Suddenly, Trevor was sitting back on the table, in his original position.
"Vell, for being zeh first to make a vorking potion, and demonstrate it so vell, I vill avard Mister Longbottom with a double von-hundred. Zat vill..." String looked at the chart. "Vell vhat do you know? It vill bring you up an entire grade, Neville. Congratulations."
Neville was in shock. He was going to pass this semester, probably this year.
"Outstanding effort, yes." String turned away. "Vell, class, it is time to pack up your materials. I vill see some of you later in Defense Against ze Dark Arts. Class dismissed." Harry hurried outside and tore down the hall. He had a little time, and went back to the viewing room. He concentrated on Ken, and when he looked at the wall, he saw him in a hallway. Ken was being chased be filch, who could only see the magazine Ken was holding floating in midair and undoubtedly thought he was Peeves. Then he realized that they had just turned onto his corridor, and so Harry rushed outside, and just as Ken turned the corner, snatched the magazine and chucked it aside. Just then, Filch appeared.
"Where is he, boy? Where did Peeves go?"
"He dropped the magazine, but I saw him go through the floor, sir." Filch gave him a suspicious look, but turned without a word, hurried down the corridor, and down the stairway.
"Thanks, man. You got me out of a jam. I didn't want him taking my reading material." Harry saw Ken pick up the magazine, which happened to be The New York Times.
"Don't mention it. Say, Ken, can you tell me where I can find that relic, uh, the one that..."
"Multiplies your magical strength? Multus?"
"Yeah, that's it. How'd you know?
"Never mind. Just look at the wall and concentrate, Harry."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, Harry. But mind you didn't go starting trouble looking for that thing, you know. I've done both our share of that in just one morning."
"What happened with Filch now?"
"Actually, it was a joke Peeves played on the house elves. They got a new refrigerator. We almost ended up with Rigor Mortis Norris. Then I save his stupid cat, and he comes chasing me when I try to sit down and read!"
There was a loud crash, and a loud screeching and meowing downstairs.
"Gotta go." Ken ran off. But Harry had an idea. He stepped into the room and stared at the wall. In his mind, he envisioned Multus, an infinity sign that has been split. Then he looked up at the wall.
He saw it, but what else he saw shocked him even more.
It was dead. It did not glow with the greenish, vibrant strength it once did. Instead, it was dull and lifeless.
"No! Someone else must have gotten to it!" He slammed his hand against the wall. It looked as though his plan wouldn't work after all. He turned back to the wall, but this time a different scene met his eyes. There was a different room, and the Multus was glowing. In fact, it was a lot larger than the other. So it was there! It was just a different one he saw before. The one that Voldemort must have used. But this one... with this size, it must behold an incredible magical power!
"We still have a chance." He muttered. Now he slowly envisioned moving out of the room where the Multus was. Maybe he could figure out where it was... He envisioned moving out of the room, down a hall, and...
Out... of... Hogwarts... Castle...
Now he imagined his way back to the room. He caught a glimpse through a doorway. It was full of... chamber pots? Really fancy ones, too. It was hiding behind them. But Harry knew where the room was located. Or at least the hallway, where the room was. But the room was new to him.*
(*Remember in Harry Potter and Chamber Of Secrets, when Dumbledore mentioned that one night he found a room full of Chamber Pots?)
Any which way, he was going to find it. He had to go tonight, before it was too late. He hurried over to the hallway, and looked around.
Nothing. Suddenly, the bell rang, and so he was forced to hurry off to Herbology.
* * *
It was a sunny day as he strolled around Hogwarts. He looked over, at Hagrid's cabin. The Care of Magical Creatures teacher was sitting outside lazily against the wall of his hut, having a drink of ale with Norbert, the Norwegian Ridgeback.
"Hello there, Harry." Norbert smiled and waved to him. Hagrid just drank out of his tankard, but looked up for a second and waved.
"How odd." Harry thought, but waved back. He looked over at the forbidden forest. As usual, it was full of dangerous, hideous, murderous beasts. But this time, something seemed awry. They all stood there, smiling and greeting him. So he decided to stroll in.
They all waved, said "Hi, Harry." or such. Then he saw something else, at his feet. It was a trickle of water, leading further into the woods. As he walked along, it widened into a stream. Then he discovered a waterfall, emptying into the stream. He felt a drip of water on his head. He looked up, and it began to rain. Then it poured. Something was definitely wrong. He heard a rushing from behind him, and turned around.
He was washed away by a solid five-hundred foot wall of water.
"Noooooooooo!" He woke up, sweating. Then he realized something.
"Man, do I gotta take a leak!" He muttered, and jumped out of his four-poster bed. Then he realized what he was supposed to be doing. He rummaged through his foot locker, got dressed into his robes, put on his invisibility cloak, and walked out the door. Down to the common room, out past the portrait of the fat lady, and down the hallway. Until he finally found the other hallway he had been in earlier that day.
The room still wasn't there. How did Dumbledore find it? And he still really had to go to the bathroom. In fact, it was getting wose by the second...
...when he realized he was standing next to an old door he had never seen before. He opened it slowly, and looked in.
It was full of chamber pots... He went in to use one, and there, in the corner, behind the biggest one of all, was hiding Multus.
Now he realized the stakes he was up against. This could be a big waste, especially if he died. But it had to be done.
But how was he going to take in the magical energy?
He suddenly got an idea. He took a deep breath, and grabbed both ends of the break in the Multus.
But nothing happened.
Has our hero Harry hit a dead end? We'll know soon enough, when we present the next chapter of Harry Potter and the Silver Bullet Faction, and the action begins...
Also, a peek at the new idea for the next Harry Potter book, by Silverpen, in which, through your reviews, you decide what happens to Harry next! This will happen in the sixth book, which will succeed the final chapter of Harry Potter and the Silver Bullet Faction!