Disclaimer: Same as usual.
A/N. Well this chapter solves the cliffy, but adds even more to the boiling cauldron. Hope you like this chapter, please read and review.
and there sat... Gilderoy Lockhart.
Professor McGonagall's shrewd gaze surveyed Lockhart. She seemed to decide and spoke:
"Do you have business here?"
"Why of course I do." Lockhart stated, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Well, let's deal with it so you can get going." replied McGonagall, who had become spokeswoman for the group.
"Well you see once this is settled I will not be leaving alone."
"Explain yourself...now"
"Well I am here as a ... representative of the Dark Lord. As you all remember I was not so good battling the Dark Arts but I assure you I am much better performing them.", Lockhart stood up and pulled his wand out of his black robes.
"Now all I want is you," Gilderoy motioned at Harry with his wand.
"What if I don't want to go?" Harry said defiantly.
"Well you don't have much of a choice now do you?", Lockhart said mimicking Harry's argumentative stance. "On second thought, you do."
"What do you mean?"
"You either go quietly or you endanger all these good people."
"This doesn't involve them. And besides, even if I go quietly, how do I know you won't kill them anyway?"
"You don't, I'm an evil wizard remember. I don't have to make sense or keep my word. Time is running out for you Harry Potter."
Harry gazed into each face, fear written into every worry line. His eyes lingered on Hermione. She was calm. Something about her face gave him strength.
"Harry, do you remember in first year...?" Hermione began.
"Beneath the trapdoor?" Harry finished.
"Yes exactly."
"Do you know?" Harry asked.
"Of course."
"Well which one?"
"The smallest bottle. It's the easiest to swallow."
"That's what I thought. All right Lockhart, where are we going?"
"I knew you'd see it my way Potter." Lockhart said with a malicious grin. Lockhart grabbed Harry and slipped on an azure ring. And they vanished.
"What? A portkey. NO", Hermione shouted in anguish.
" I know how to follow them." McGonagall pointed to the table upon which lay Lockhart's wand. She met eyes with Hermione who nodded.
"Let's go no time to dawdle." McGonagall marched them down familiar corridors to the library that was filled with the musty odor of old books parchment and years of un-swept dust. Minerva exercising her rights as Headmistress scuttled down the aisles of the Restricted Section till she yanked a tome off the shelf and showered the group with grime and cobwebs.
Tucking the book under one arm she proceeded to the back wall of the immense library tapped three times about a foot to the left of a portrait of Gwendolyn the Great and a door appeared from the seemingly smooth wall. The gathering was mesmerized as the door swung open and they entered a room of larger proportions than the one they had left. Awestruck they followed McGonagall.
Hermione spoke up nervously, "Professor McGonagall could you clue us in?"
"Call me Minerva Hermione, you're a grown woman now I am no longer your teacher and if we are to be friends we should be on a first name basis. And once I have gathered all the necessary components I will sit down and explain it all. Each of you take a moment to look around."
Hermione would usually love a look around a libraray filled with exotic and ancient books but her heart and mind yearned for Harry and his tangible courage.
"Everyone please have a seat around this table", Minerva's voice shook Hermione from her reverie.
Each one perched on a firm leather seat.
"Has any of you heard of a Seguir Encanto?" inquired MInerva.
"Well in that case I'll explain. A Seguir Encanto or a Following Enchantment can be used if a magical instrument belonging to the person you wish to find is obtained. This is serious magic and is prohibited by the Ministry except for cases of kidnap." Minerva spoke into a rapt silence.
Arabella seemingly forgotten in all this ruckus glanced up at Minerva tears in her eyes. It had just dawned on her what real danger Harry was in and how much magic it would take to get him out.
"Arabella, I believe you have performed this before if I am not mistaken."
"Yes I have but it has been so long. May I take a look at it?" asked Arabella.
"Why of course, you are far more knowledgeable on the subject than I."
Seguir Encanto
(translated)
Spell to be performed in a room with 2 crimson walls and 2 midnight black with a ceiling and floor of pure white. A small wooden table should be placed in the center with a piece of blank parchment and the magical instrument of the person to be followed. hanging from the ceiling on a piece of Muggle twine should be a red rose and a black rose crossed at the stem. The black rose should have no thorns and the red rose three. Then in the room alone one witch and one wizard should join right hands under the roses but over the table and recite six times:
'Seguir Encanto. Yo llamada en todo magia. Unirse rojo y negro.'
Then the witch should pull down the red rose and the wizard the black. Exit the room and return after five minutes. The parchment will contain a map with the green dot identifying the one being followed. The spell shall last one cycle of the moon.
"Let's get started!", cried Arabella with a renewed sense of hope. "Finally something familiar!", she murmured to herself.
***
After 2 hours of toil the group could settle back and admire the fruits of their labor. One question still hanging above their heads was, who would that witch and wizard be?
"Well I guess it is time to choose our witch and wizard." Minerva spoke up boldly.
"How will we choose?", Ron asked innocently.
"Well we ask who is brave enough to do it, So who is?"
Ironically only two people looked up. Arabella and Ron. The rest stared at the flagged stone floor.
"Well we don't have to decide. It is curious though." said Minerva. "Well the sooner we get started the sooner we'll be able to get to Harry, as long as his portrait is visible on the wall we know that he is still alive."
Every person in that room snapped their eyes to the portrait they had failed to notice. A huge life-size painting of Harry.
"Dumbledore had it enchanted.", McGonagall explained.
"Yes it is time." said Arabella and Ron simultaneously. Both blushed.
"Well if you're both ready...", said Minerva hesitantly. Arabella and Ron glanced awkwardly at one another and nodded. With no further ado they walked hand in hand to the room and shut the door silently. The assembly outside could clearly hear them chanting the spell in old Spanish. Then the two radiant red heads emerged still locked at the right hand. Giggling nervously they pulled apart, glancing shyly at one another. Mr. and Mrs. Weasly nodded their approval.
Everyone nervously gathered around professor McGonagall who held our her pocket watch, keeping track of the five minutes. Hermione reminded herself that with every second ticked off the clock she was one step closer to Harry, her best friend.
"Five, four, three, two, one!!!", McGonagall proclaimed as she snapped the watch case shut.
Slowly they crept to the door somewhat afraid to go in. Arabella stepped forward and whisked the door open, muttering, 'wimps'. Amazed and fascinated the posse inched into the room to find the walls turned to pure gold. McGonagall picked up the map. Holding her breath she unfolded it. Relieved she sighed. The green dot was in Knockturn Alley. They could easily Apparate there.
"All right gang outside everybody. We've got places to go villains to catch." said McGonagall calmly as if telling a class to take out their books and turn to page 136 on Switching Spells.
A/N: Sorry if the Spanish is a bit garbled. I am just an American. Don't hurrt me. Anyway, I hope this was up to your literary standards. Please review!
A/N. Well this chapter solves the cliffy, but adds even more to the boiling cauldron. Hope you like this chapter, please read and review.
and there sat... Gilderoy Lockhart.
Professor McGonagall's shrewd gaze surveyed Lockhart. She seemed to decide and spoke:
"Do you have business here?"
"Why of course I do." Lockhart stated, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Well, let's deal with it so you can get going." replied McGonagall, who had become spokeswoman for the group.
"Well you see once this is settled I will not be leaving alone."
"Explain yourself...now"
"Well I am here as a ... representative of the Dark Lord. As you all remember I was not so good battling the Dark Arts but I assure you I am much better performing them.", Lockhart stood up and pulled his wand out of his black robes.
"Now all I want is you," Gilderoy motioned at Harry with his wand.
"What if I don't want to go?" Harry said defiantly.
"Well you don't have much of a choice now do you?", Lockhart said mimicking Harry's argumentative stance. "On second thought, you do."
"What do you mean?"
"You either go quietly or you endanger all these good people."
"This doesn't involve them. And besides, even if I go quietly, how do I know you won't kill them anyway?"
"You don't, I'm an evil wizard remember. I don't have to make sense or keep my word. Time is running out for you Harry Potter."
Harry gazed into each face, fear written into every worry line. His eyes lingered on Hermione. She was calm. Something about her face gave him strength.
"Harry, do you remember in first year...?" Hermione began.
"Beneath the trapdoor?" Harry finished.
"Yes exactly."
"Do you know?" Harry asked.
"Of course."
"Well which one?"
"The smallest bottle. It's the easiest to swallow."
"That's what I thought. All right Lockhart, where are we going?"
"I knew you'd see it my way Potter." Lockhart said with a malicious grin. Lockhart grabbed Harry and slipped on an azure ring. And they vanished.
"What? A portkey. NO", Hermione shouted in anguish.
" I know how to follow them." McGonagall pointed to the table upon which lay Lockhart's wand. She met eyes with Hermione who nodded.
"Let's go no time to dawdle." McGonagall marched them down familiar corridors to the library that was filled with the musty odor of old books parchment and years of un-swept dust. Minerva exercising her rights as Headmistress scuttled down the aisles of the Restricted Section till she yanked a tome off the shelf and showered the group with grime and cobwebs.
Tucking the book under one arm she proceeded to the back wall of the immense library tapped three times about a foot to the left of a portrait of Gwendolyn the Great and a door appeared from the seemingly smooth wall. The gathering was mesmerized as the door swung open and they entered a room of larger proportions than the one they had left. Awestruck they followed McGonagall.
Hermione spoke up nervously, "Professor McGonagall could you clue us in?"
"Call me Minerva Hermione, you're a grown woman now I am no longer your teacher and if we are to be friends we should be on a first name basis. And once I have gathered all the necessary components I will sit down and explain it all. Each of you take a moment to look around."
Hermione would usually love a look around a libraray filled with exotic and ancient books but her heart and mind yearned for Harry and his tangible courage.
"Everyone please have a seat around this table", Minerva's voice shook Hermione from her reverie.
Each one perched on a firm leather seat.
"Has any of you heard of a Seguir Encanto?" inquired MInerva.
"Well in that case I'll explain. A Seguir Encanto or a Following Enchantment can be used if a magical instrument belonging to the person you wish to find is obtained. This is serious magic and is prohibited by the Ministry except for cases of kidnap." Minerva spoke into a rapt silence.
Arabella seemingly forgotten in all this ruckus glanced up at Minerva tears in her eyes. It had just dawned on her what real danger Harry was in and how much magic it would take to get him out.
"Arabella, I believe you have performed this before if I am not mistaken."
"Yes I have but it has been so long. May I take a look at it?" asked Arabella.
"Why of course, you are far more knowledgeable on the subject than I."
Seguir Encanto
(translated)
Spell to be performed in a room with 2 crimson walls and 2 midnight black with a ceiling and floor of pure white. A small wooden table should be placed in the center with a piece of blank parchment and the magical instrument of the person to be followed. hanging from the ceiling on a piece of Muggle twine should be a red rose and a black rose crossed at the stem. The black rose should have no thorns and the red rose three. Then in the room alone one witch and one wizard should join right hands under the roses but over the table and recite six times:
'Seguir Encanto. Yo llamada en todo magia. Unirse rojo y negro.'
Then the witch should pull down the red rose and the wizard the black. Exit the room and return after five minutes. The parchment will contain a map with the green dot identifying the one being followed. The spell shall last one cycle of the moon.
"Let's get started!", cried Arabella with a renewed sense of hope. "Finally something familiar!", she murmured to herself.
***
After 2 hours of toil the group could settle back and admire the fruits of their labor. One question still hanging above their heads was, who would that witch and wizard be?
"Well I guess it is time to choose our witch and wizard." Minerva spoke up boldly.
"How will we choose?", Ron asked innocently.
"Well we ask who is brave enough to do it, So who is?"
Ironically only two people looked up. Arabella and Ron. The rest stared at the flagged stone floor.
"Well we don't have to decide. It is curious though." said Minerva. "Well the sooner we get started the sooner we'll be able to get to Harry, as long as his portrait is visible on the wall we know that he is still alive."
Every person in that room snapped their eyes to the portrait they had failed to notice. A huge life-size painting of Harry.
"Dumbledore had it enchanted.", McGonagall explained.
"Yes it is time." said Arabella and Ron simultaneously. Both blushed.
"Well if you're both ready...", said Minerva hesitantly. Arabella and Ron glanced awkwardly at one another and nodded. With no further ado they walked hand in hand to the room and shut the door silently. The assembly outside could clearly hear them chanting the spell in old Spanish. Then the two radiant red heads emerged still locked at the right hand. Giggling nervously they pulled apart, glancing shyly at one another. Mr. and Mrs. Weasly nodded their approval.
Everyone nervously gathered around professor McGonagall who held our her pocket watch, keeping track of the five minutes. Hermione reminded herself that with every second ticked off the clock she was one step closer to Harry, her best friend.
"Five, four, three, two, one!!!", McGonagall proclaimed as she snapped the watch case shut.
Slowly they crept to the door somewhat afraid to go in. Arabella stepped forward and whisked the door open, muttering, 'wimps'. Amazed and fascinated the posse inched into the room to find the walls turned to pure gold. McGonagall picked up the map. Holding her breath she unfolded it. Relieved she sighed. The green dot was in Knockturn Alley. They could easily Apparate there.
"All right gang outside everybody. We've got places to go villains to catch." said McGonagall calmly as if telling a class to take out their books and turn to page 136 on Switching Spells.
A/N: Sorry if the Spanish is a bit garbled. I am just an American. Don't hurrt me. Anyway, I hope this was up to your literary standards. Please review!
