Harry Potter and the Dark Sigil
Chapter 4: Gryffindor Versus Slytherin
By: Harry's Mum Lily
A/N: Thank you all for your reviews! I will try to answer a couple of your questions: Al~ the reason Dumbledore couldn't use a Time Turner as Hermione did was because there were none available to him at the time. Julie~ The woman in 1926 has an uncanny resemblance to Lily Potter and even has her green eyes. As for the father in 1926~there will be m ore on that later. I own none of the characters here just the plot. Read and enjoy. Reviews are welcome.
"Your not…his?" whispered Crouch, his mouth sagging.
"No," said Harry, without the faintest idea of what Crouch was talking about.
"Dumbledore's?"
"That's right," said Harry.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Chapter 28
But trust me…the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew's life.
Albus Dumbledore
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Chapter 22
Voldemort's Throne Room was a shadowy and cold room devoid of any warmth or light. There were no windows in its walls and darkness seemed to cling to the high vaulted ceiling above. Horrible, disfigured statues stared at the assembled group of Death Eaters, who stood shivering before their Lord. Voldemort sat in his dark throne on the raised dais and waited. He smiled evilly at them and his red eyes glinted steel-like in the half-light. The great thick double doors suddenly opened and two Death Eaters recently released from Azkaban's prison cells swept haughtily up the aisle made by the standing group around Voldemort's throne. A rustling echoed around the room as Death Eaters turned to look at the pair. The two approached the throne and fell to their knees before Voldemort, who rose and stood before them. They both kissed the hem of his velvet robes and backed away from him on their knees before rising to stand before him, their eyes lowered and heads bowed.
"What news, Lestranges?"
"It has been done, my Lord. The object is now ready for your instructions."
Voldemort lipless mouth grinned and he muttered the spell that would create a portkey of the distant object, telling it who to bring and to bring this person alone at a set time.
"Our spy informs us that there is no way this can fail. He will touch this object first and there will be no need of any other spell to insure this." Belladonna Lestranges said, coldly.
Voldemort laughed and looked at them both with a mad gleam in his eye.
"You have done well, Lestranges and shall be rewarded for your service to me. "
"Thank you, my Lord."
The Lastranges bowed and backed away while Voldemort turned his eyes to the waiting group before him.
"Very soon we shall be having our first guest of honor. I want you to make him feel most welcome into our midst."
The group of Death Eaters looked expectantly up at him and a shiver seemed to run through the group. Voldemort could feel their restlessness beginning to wane.
"Yes, our time is at hand and my reign of terror will begin anew. Macnair, prepare a room for our guest. Have I not promised you better victims and soon you shall have them. "
"Yes, Master," Macnair bowed and left the room via a smaller side door that lead to the dungeons below, the face under his Death Eater mask grinning maliciously. The eyes of the Death Eaters followed him as he exited the side door. Voldemort then swept from the room leaving groveling Death Eaters to disperse as they would. He went back to his room and stared out one of the slit-like windows toward Hogwarts and his mortal enemy.
"Soon Potter. Soon you will be mine."
~
The Death Eaters milled about in the Throne Room for several minutes after the Dark Lord's departure, talking among themselves but one of their number stood apart. He was standing, alone and silent, near the door that Macnair had used watching the milling crowd before him. He glared at them from behind his mask as if daring them to say or do anything and they made sure to stay well away from him. Severus Snape made sure to keep his eyes from showing any emotion other than the loathing for the others that they normally held and to make sure nothing of his true thoughts showed. He'd returned to the Death Eaters as a spy for Dumbledore and his position within the group was not as secure as it had been in the past. He had to be very careful of what he felt or even thought while so near the Dark Lord. One wrong move…
"And he will kill me," Snape shivered involuntarily at the thought.
He watched the Death Eaters leaving by ones and twos until the room was nearly empty. He saw another Death Eater huddled in a corner who was also watching the dispersing crowd but he couldn't figure out which one it was. He had never known who all of the Order were although he had learned a fair number of names over time. He shook his head and left the room as well, his heart full of dread and worry. He felt an icy finger of fear creep up his spine and thought of Voldemort's plan. He had to warn them and quickly. He just hoped that he would be in time to save Harry Potter's life.
"If he fell to the Dark Lord…If Harry was taken again so soon…" Snape didn't want to think about the consequences this could have on Harry and on the entire wizarding world.
He passed through the gate of the Fortress of Azkaban and Apparated to the closest point to Hogwarts hoping he would be in time and dreading what could happen if he were not.
~
The Death Eater in the corner watched Snape leave but remained where he was. He's watery eyes darted here and there watching the other Death Eaters around him as they left. Soon he was the only Death Eater still in the Throne Room. His body trembled with fear and for a brief moment his real self emerged from its hiding place within his spell-fogged mind.
"You can't allow this to happen," said the tiny voice insistently.
"How can I stop it? I'm not free to act and I'm no hero."
"You owe him your life. You know this. It is a debt that must be paid," the voice in the back of his mind said seriously.
"I've already paid my debt and I am free of it now," he thought weakly, not really believing himself free of his debt but waiting to be free of it for it would make what he must do easier.
"You think not mortally wounding him at that grave as should have been done is enough to pay the debt you owe the boy. You owe him far more then that and you know it. Their blood is on your hands still. You're only fooling yourself, Peter."
"There is nothing…what can I…What do you want of me?" he said in a panic.
"Nothing can be done now but later…"
"No! Leave me be…I can't…"
"You must! For them, for the boy but most of all for yourself."
"No…you cannot ask me to…He'll know and then…then he'll kill me," he whimpered.
"If that is to be your fate then you will die as you should have before."
An echo of something Sirius had said to him two years ago surfaced in his mind.
"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED! DIED RATHER THEN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!" he'd said then.
"Then your debt would be paid in full and you will be free again," the voice said. "Think of it, Peter. Your mind would be your own again."
Peter Pettigrew thought about this even as the Imperius Curse reasserted itself over his mind and actions. His eyes clouded over as the curse took control of him but he continued to think about this in some deep hidden part of his mind. Somewhere deep in his soul his spirit felt the first stirrings of bravery and hope for his redemption.
~
Harry fell into the chair next to Ron in Gryffindor Common Room and pulled some parchment and a quill from his bag. It was late but Harry knew he had to get his History of Magic essay done before tomorrow's match. Three rolls of parchment were due to Prof. Binns on Monday morning and he hadn't had time to finish it all week owing to the need to train for the match with Slytherin. Harry had never felt so tired in his life but he was reasonable sure that Gryffindor could beat Slytherin this time.
The animosity between the two rival houses had reached the highest levels that any of the professors could ever remember. The tension in the air at the Quidditch final of two years ago was nothing compared to the tension hanging like a thick fog in the corridors now. No one on either team ever went anywhere without an escort of what amounted to almost their entire House, which meant that there were a lot of people who were late to class. The Slytherins jeered at the Gryffindors who swept up and down the halls ignoring the taunts of the Slytherins. Surprisingly there had been no fighting, mostly because the two teams couldn't get near enough to each other to fight. This was a relief to the teachers who had to deal with Gryffindor and Slytherin students at the same time. Even Snape had, of late, been treading lightly in Potions, trying not to do anything to set the Gryffindors off in class while at the same time trying to placate the Slytherins by making rude comments about the Gryffindor's work every chance he got. At the moment Snape was off on some mission for Dumbledore so they'd had potions lessons free, which was fine with Harry because it meant that the Gryffindor team had gotten in an extra practice before the match.
Harry tried to keep his mind on the essay before him (Discuss the effect of the rise of the Dark Lord Grindelwald on the wizarding world of the early 20th century.) but his mind kept wandering to the Quidditch Pitch and the practice he'd just come in from. Things looked really good for Gryffindor and Fred had insisted that the Cup would have their name on it again. Harry really hoped that it would and yet he found that he was distracted. As he has flown around the pitch that evening he kept getting flashbacks to the Triwizard maze. Somehow he couldn't get the images of last year out of his mind. He kept telling himself that it was just pre-game nerves but he couldn't help remembering that he'd not had the same feeling at the first match of the season and that match had been against Cedric's house. Now he found himself jumping at the least rustling sound as if expecting a Death Eater to be hiding in the shadows. No there was something wrong but he couldn't put a finger on it.
Things at the school had been tense lately and not just because of the upcoming match either. The professors seemed to be distracted and some of them seemed to be following Harry around as if keeping an eye on him.
"As if I'd do anything rash now of all times," he thought bitterly.
Harry wondered if it had anything to do with articles in the Prophet about Dumbledore and him. Fudge was still spouting his nonsense to the media but it appeared that more people believed it. Not sensible people according to Sirius's letters. Yet if enough could be swayed by Fudge's attitude and if they were to start believing everything that Fudge said about Harry and Dumbledore, ignoring the warnings they'd given as the prattle of lunatics then Voldemort would gain a greater hold then he would otherwise have done. Harry shuddered to think of what that would mean for the world.
To add to this Harry was starting to doubt his friend's faith in him. Ron and Hermione had been act very odd ever since he'd returned from the Hospital Wing two weeks ago. He'd seen them watching him when they thought he wasn't looking and several times he'd walked in on them having serious discussions that mysteriously stopped when he arrived. They clearly had some secret that they didn't want to share with him and that in and of itself was fine. He had his own secrets too but what bothered him was the furtive attitude of them both. They obviously thought he'd not noticed their changed attitude toward him or maybe they believed that they were acting as they always had. Whatever the reason for it, they were now treating him like the rest of the school had been all term although it was to a lesser degree then the others. He glanced at Ron out of the corner of his eye and saw Ron frowning in concentration over his Astronomy homework.
"They couldn't believe what Fudge was saying. They would never betray me, never turn from me, would they?"
Harry couldn't shake the feeling that he was about to lose them. It was a proven fact in his family that a friend could be capable of betrayal. It was because a friend of his parents had betrayed them that he was an orphan and Wormtail had betrayed him yet again only the previous term. But, Ron and Hermione would never, could never…
"You can't be sure, " a voice whispered to him.
He shook his head to clear it. No, they were his best friends. They would never turn from him because he'd known them for too long and they had shared in too many adventures together for that. He found the words on the parchment before him were beginning to blur and he rubbed his itchy eyes. He tried to shake himself awake but he was too tired. He yawned and Ron turned to him just as George's voice cut through the room.
"I think the team should go to bed now. Big match tomorrow."
The Gryffindor team grumbled but got up from whatever task they were doing and went off to their dormitories muttering to themselves. Angelina, Katie and Alicia gave Harry wide grins and he couldn't help but grin back at them.
"We'll show them who will the Cup!" said Alicia with enthusiasm as she mounted the stairs and the rest of the team cheered.
Harry packed up his things and started to leave the room for his dormitory when, he was stopped by Fred who was blocking the stairs to the boy's dormitories.
"Try and get a good nights sleep, Harry."
"Don't worry about that, Fred. I'm still a better Seeker then Malfoy even half asleep."
Fred smirked at the statement and moved so Harry could pass. He had begun to climb the stairs when Ron's voice stopped him.
"Harry wait! You can copy my essay for Binns on Sunday if you want that is if you can read my handwriting." Ron chuckled and Harry joined in.
"Thanks Ron. I think I might have to. I've only managed to finish one roll of it. That class is so dull that even the homework puts you to sleep." Harry laughed and the laugh turned into another yawn.
"Well, goodnight and good luck tomorrow," said Ron still laughing at Harry's joke.
"Goodnight."
Harry took off his robes and put on his pajamas while stifling another yawn with his hand. No his friends would never turn from him. He got into bed and pulled the curtains around it. Sleep wasn't long in coming but before he'd fallen completely asleep a question popped into his head.
"Why were they acting like everyone else then?"
It was a question he had no answer too.
~
Someone was calling his name and he opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by greenish flames. They were all around him and his lungs were on fire. He'd breathed in too much smoke and he was about to die. He tried to escape but his body wouldn't move. He cried out and thought he could here a calm voice in his head telling him that everything would be all right soon. He saw a bright light around him and then he found himself in the arms of a man with auburn hair and a neatly trimmed beard of the same color. Harry looked into his blue eyes and knew that he'd seen this man before but he wasn't sure where. He breathed in some fresh air and cried out as the fresh air hit his burning lungs. The man whirled around and Harry saw as if through a haze another wizard standing there, who pointed a wand at Harry. There was a woman with red hair that jumped in front of the spell and who told the auburn haired wizard to protect her child. She mentioned something about the future.
Harry moaned in his sleep and turned over. The images swirled around him and he saw bright room and heard a strange song coming from a bird that appeared to be on fire. He held a glowing feather in his hand and heard the man's comforting voice high above him. Then the room became a swirl of color and he was looking into the face of another woman who looked so much like the first one. He smiled and relaxed in this woman's arms, cooing contentedly. The memories of that other time receded and he forgot all about that other red-haired woman except in dreams. Then there was a green flash of light and he was back in his oldest nightmare…the one about the night his parents died. He could hear again their pleading voices and Voldemort's high cruel laughter as he killed them. Voldemort's face loomed over his crib and Harry began to cry.
"Your dead, Harry Potter."
Voldemort pointed his wand at Harry with a smirk on his face.
"Avada Kedavra!"
The green light erupted from Voldemort's wand and this time instead of being deflected it hit him. Harry felt himself beginning to drift away from his body, and then quite suddenly he found himself sitting bolt upright in bed, looking wildly around.
The room was dark and he could hear the snores of everyone around him. He laid back down on his pillow and stared at the canopy over his head trying to calm down enough to go back to sleep. He lay there panting for some moments before his heart stopped hammering in his chest. He knew he should write this dream down too but he found that he was too tired to. Even as he thought that, his eyelids closed and he slipped back into slumber.
~
Harry awoke the next morning feeling strangely refreshed after the restless sleep he'd managed to have. He'd had three dreams in the night and each had been full of death and echoing laughter. There were now two more towns attacked in his dreams and although there wasn't time to note down the entire dream he had written down the names of the towns in the dreams. He did plan to write up the dreams themselves as soon as he could but right now the match awaited him. There would be time enough to write down the details after they'd won the match.
He dressed and joined the rest of the team at an early breakfast even though he normally didn't eat a thing before a match. The rest of the team looked wide-awake and alert. Soon after their arrival the rest of the Gryffindor's joined them at the table and began to eat as well, talking loudly and nonstop about the long awaited match. Harry heard none of it though because Dumbledore was waving him up to the staff table with a look of concern. Seeing the look Dumbledore wore he hurried over to the staff table and Dumbledore ushered him into the room off the Great Hall where he'd gone to receive his instructions for the first task last year. He shivered involuntarily and looked up into Dumbledore's blue eyes. Dumbledore looked older than Harry had ever seen him and there was something like pain in his eyes.
"What is it, Professor?" Harry asked, his heart pounding in his chest.
Dumbledore looked away for a few moments and then looked back at Harry.
"I've been told to leave…" he began but Harry cut him off.
"No! Sir, you can't. What if…" Harry's heart plummeted and the room grew chill.
"I have to leave for to remain would be risking imprisonment. I must have my freedom. I must ask you if you have anything you wish to tell me before I leave," he looked at Harry with a serious look and Harry nodded.
"I've been dreaming of attacks…attacks that haven't happened yet," he said quietly.
"His gifts made manifest…" Dumbledore muttered and Harry could make no sense of the statement.
"I've written them all down. They're up in my dormitory, locked in my trunk. I'll get them for you after the match."
Dumbledore seemed to shake himself out of a stupor and nodded.
"Yes, please bring them to me and only to me. Let no one else see them."
Harry nodded and turned to go clearly thinking Dumbledore was finished with him.
"Harry…there is one other thing."
He turned in the doorway and looked back at Dumbledore.
"Fudge wants to see you tomorrow in Professor McGonagall's office. He wants to question you under Vertiaserum about the night Voldemort was reborn and Cedric's death."
Harry's heart beat faster and his eyes widened.
"Professor…I can't let him question me under the truth potion. Sirius…"
"I've done all I can to protect you from it but that protection ends after I leave. I'm sorry."
Harry looked pleadingly up at Dumbledore but his eyes were shadowed and his face set. Harry knew that there was nothing more he could do.
"No more sorrier then I am, sir." Harry said, in a faint voice showing no hint of emotion.
"Good luck at the match."
Harry smiled a fleeting smile and left the room leaving Dumbledore alone in the room staring after him.
~
Snape walked through the gates of Hogwarts much more tired then he usually was after dealing with his former master.
"I'm getting too old for sparing matches with Voldemort," he thought as he rubbed his head trying to ease the headache that was coming on.
He could hear cheering from the Quidditch pitch and suddenly remembered that this was the Saturday of the Gryffindor/Slytherin match. Lee Jordan's commentary floated over the grounds to him.
"And its Spinnet with the Quaffle heading for goal. This has been the most violent game I've ever…Spinnet drops the Quaffle but Johnson catches it and Gryffindor is still in possession. Go Angelina! She scores!"
A thunderous cheer erupted from the pitch and Lee's voice floated above it.
"Gryffindor 80, Slytherin 70."
The match was so close and Snape wanted to watch it but he headed instead for the castle. He had to report in and then he really wanted to get some rest with the hope that Voldemort wouldn't call for him again soon. He was walking up the path that would take him to the castle thinking longingly of food and warmth when he met the Headmaster on his way to the pitch.
"Severus, if you have a moment."
Snape stopped and looked at Dumbledore, noticing the look of sadness on his face.
"I've been ordered to leave here by the Ministry."
"What does that idiot Fudge think he's doing!" Snape said savagely.
"I need you to watch over the students for me, especially Harry. I think he's in grave danger." Dumbledore continued ignoring Snape's outburst.
"Even greater danger then you know. There is a plan afoot to capture him again. I don't know what the plan is because I am no longer in his inner circle but I do know it involves a portkey.
The cheering for the pitch grew louder still and the commentary floated toward them.
"Slytherin in possession…but wait is that the Snitch!"
The crowd roared as some of them spotted the Snitch glittering in the sun's light near the base of one of the Gryffindor posts. Both Harry and Malfoy went into steep dives for it.
"Look at that Firebolt go…come on Harry!"
The crowd roared its approval and the ground was rushing up to meet the two Seekers who where nothing more then two blurs, one red the other green.
Snape and Dumbledore stopped for a moment outside the entrance to the stadium and Snape continued to speak.
"All I know for sure is that it is something that Potter will touch for certain but it could be anything in his possession, anything."
Dumbledore nodded and was just entering the pitch when there was a tumultuous roar from the crowd above them.
"Come on Harry…Yes! He's got…what the hell!"
The crowd began to scream and there was a blinding flash of green light. Dumbledore and Snape ran onto the pitch and saw two broomsticks on the ground with Malfoy rising from the ground, his nose streaming blood from having hit the Gryffindor goal post. There was no sign of Harry or the Snitch. Before Dumbledore could take this all in the screaming crowd began to point upward and as Snape felt a burning sensation on his left arm he stared up at the Dark Mark that was glowing high above the pitch.
"Voldemort has taken Harry," they both thought at the same time.