Disclaimer: Muchas gracias to those of you who reviewed. Keep it up!! Sorry
this one took so long, but college and learning and stuff like that impeded
on my time. Oh well, back to Fan Fiction!!
By the way, J.K. Rowling is responsible for the books, all the characters she created, and the new rocking movie. I am but a simple college student.
Chapter 6: The Terror and the Table
Harry and Hermione raced through the now familiar hallways of Camelot Castle. To Harry's surprise, it looked virtually empty for the time being.
"Where is Arthur?" Harry asked in astonishment.
"Check the Throne Room," Hermione offered. The two scampered up a flight of stairs and flew into the Great Hall, which held only one figure: Arthur, looking as if he had just been through a terrible ordeal.
"Your majesty," both of the youths said, dipping into a bow. Arthur looked at them, sighed, and finally muttered "Rise and report." Harry was struck again by how tired the King looked, as if the mere act of sitting still exhausted him. Well, he IS the King of quite a large country.
"Your majesty, we were just down in the dungeons, and heard two people plotting against you." To both Harry and Hermione's vast surprise, Arthur seemed undistracted by this news, almost as if he were expecting it all along.
"Show me," said Arthur, rising from his throne like a man getting out of bed in the morning.
The trip down to the dungeons seemed to take much longer this time, as Arthur was having a hard time keeping up. Every step seemed to cost, every movement to drain him of energy. They reached Snape's office and threw open the door, revealing, as Harry had expected, nothing.
"How did they get out?" Harry asked. "Do any of the passageways still work?" Arthur smiled. Harry realized that this ways the first time he had seen Arthur do that. He had a mischievous sort of grin when he did so, reminding Harry of the Weasley twins. The grin flickered and was gone so quickly that Harry barely had time to register it.
"I have an.intimate knowledge of the passages, and as far as I know, there are no passages leading to this room."
"Great," said Harry. "Then what, magic? Or maybe they just hid or something. I don't know."
Harry looked at Hermione, who was staring at Arthur. "What do think, Herm."
"No idea," Hermione said quickly, giving Harry a look that distinctly said "Ask me later."
Arthur glanced at the two of them. He could tell, Harry thought, that they were not telling all of the truth. This one's not dim. "Your Majesty." Harry began. "Arthur," He replied. "You are my squire, you don't need to call me 'Your Majesty' endlessly." Harry paused.
"Arthur, who would want to sneak into the castle? If everyone was here voluntarily, who would want to end the Time of Sanctuary?"
Arthur paused. "Come with me, Squire. The Girl may come as well." Arthur began to walk out the door, but Harry stayed. This was the second time he had called Hermione The Girl. In fact, he didn't even know her name!! This seemed pretty unmannerly for a King, thought Harry. Although he wasn't sure if he really had the courage to do this, Harry called to Arthur:
"The Girl's name is Hermione, Arthur. Please address her as she deserves to be addressed."
Arthur paused, and slowly turned. Hermione was frozen in a state of shock, looking at Harry as if he had, well, as if he had just defied a King. Arthur's glare fell upon Harry, and then flicked to Hermione.
"Hermione, would you please accompany Harry and I to our destination?"
Hermione blushed. "Of course your majesty. Thank you for asking."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Arthur led Harry and Hermione back into the Throne Room, and through to the chamber behind it. Harry remembered this room. He remembered it containing three Triwizard Champions, the night he had unexpectedly become the fourth. But now, it contained one single object. A table. The table was made of smooth marble, and covered with runes and names. The names were carved elegantly, with murals of dragons, swords, and lances surrounding them. Harry gaped. This was the Round Table!!
Arthur gazed lovingly at the majestic pedestal, caressed the marble as if it were an old friend. He stopped at a certain name, inscribed into a giant cross.
"Sir Bors, the penitent man. He left our company to live out his life in a monastery. Sir Galahad, the pure. Died in France years ago. As did Sir Percival, the brave. Sirs Kay and Bedivere, companions to the end. The died within minutes of each other in the Wars against Rome." Arthur paused, looking at the names. "Honor. Valor. Truth. Justice. Equality. These were the signs of a true Knight of the Round Table. As the original Knights were killed, or left, others have taken their place. But this table is a reminder of what the Kingdom of Camelot is. It is the rights of all humans to be free under one God. And for those who see Camelot as a prize to be won, this table represents all that they desire." Arthur paused, looking intently at the two young wizards.
"With the Time of Sanctuary over this land, every person has an equal chance. And those who want to get in, want the power. That is why someone would want to end the Time of Sanctuary to end. They want to shift the balance."
Arthur looked up. "Now, if you'll excuse me."
Harry and Hermione stared down into the magnificent table before them. This table, Harry thought, is everything I want to be, everything that is good. He came up to Arthur's section of the table. It was no bigger than any of the others. It was equal. Next to Arthur, however, were to sections of table covered with cloth. Harry pulled at the cloth, but it didn't move. "You'll need something a bit more powerful to get those off," a voice said behind him. Harry whirled around to see Merlin approach the table.
"This cloth is held by magic, one of the few magical spells I have allowed on these grounds. They are the names of two knights who committed great offenses." Merlin pulled out his wand, and struck the table. "Expedio!" He cried. The cloth flew off to reveal two names. A Fleur de Luis surrounded the name on the right, the name on the left bore a giant black dragon.
Harry looked down onto the first name. "Sir Lancelot." He continued onto the next seat. "Sir Mordred."
"Powerful knights. Great knights, but both were removed from the eye of the king. Lancelot, Arthur's greatest knight and dearest friend, was found having an affair with our queen, Guenivere. He is now in exile in France, our queen with him. He is the reason the King does not like you, Hermione. You would be amazed how much you look like Her Majesty."
"What did Mordred do?" Harry asked.
"Mordred is Arthur's son with another woman, a powerful knight, with unrivaled ambition. He grew tired of following the old code of Arthur and the other Knights. He deserted Camelot, and has been waging a war against us ever since. He is the one who would most gain from the end of the Time of Sanctuary."
"But why would he gain the most?" Harry asked.
"Harry, I am not the only wizard on this ground. All the other knights were wizards, from all the four houses of Hogwarts. Arthur himself was the Head Boy of Gryffindor. But Mordred was a powerful man. He has powers the king does not, because he is the Knight that had no qualms about using his powers. After Lancelot and Guenivere were banished, Arthur imposed the Time of Sanctuary, and Mordred challenged Arthur for the throne, and lost. He was expelled from Camelot, but since he was a member of the Royal Family, his life was spared. And now he is out there, just biding his time. And that, Harry, is why Mordred would benefit most from the end of the Time of Sanctuary. Now, look at the time. I suggest you two both go off to bed. There are quarters in the old Gryffindor common room, which I think will suit you both. Good evening to the both of you."
Harry and Hermione could both tell that the history lesson was over. "Come on," Harry said, "let's get out of here." He took one last look at Lancelot's mark on the table. The bravest of the knights, going on to betray his master's trust. How awful for the King.
The two reached the former Gryffindor Common Room to find it with one large king-sized bed, and a fireplace with wood piled up inside it. Harry bent down and lit the fire. The warmth soaked them both, and a feeling of great fatigue swept over them. "Well, Harry, good night," Hermione said, taking off her skirt, but keeping on the shirt, making it into a long nightgown. Harry had only his boxers and his t-shirt under his breeches, so he disrobed rather quickly and slipped into the bed. He wasn't sure about sleeping this close to Hermione, but he didn't dare mention his fear. She would probably make him sleep on the floor. "Goodnight Hermione," Harry mumbled, and soon was drifting off to sleep.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Well, I promised this one soon. However, being in a play slowed my progress. That plus a little case of writer's block. But I now have an idea of where I'm going with this.
Thank you's to everybody whose been reviewing, especially to Wondercat Mio- Chan. Fear not, true believers, the next chapters will be out soon. I will also be posting some new Songfics. If you like this, I highly recommend my other FanFics. Please, if you are reading, PLEASE REVIEW!!!!
By the way, J.K. Rowling is responsible for the books, all the characters she created, and the new rocking movie. I am but a simple college student.
Chapter 6: The Terror and the Table
Harry and Hermione raced through the now familiar hallways of Camelot Castle. To Harry's surprise, it looked virtually empty for the time being.
"Where is Arthur?" Harry asked in astonishment.
"Check the Throne Room," Hermione offered. The two scampered up a flight of stairs and flew into the Great Hall, which held only one figure: Arthur, looking as if he had just been through a terrible ordeal.
"Your majesty," both of the youths said, dipping into a bow. Arthur looked at them, sighed, and finally muttered "Rise and report." Harry was struck again by how tired the King looked, as if the mere act of sitting still exhausted him. Well, he IS the King of quite a large country.
"Your majesty, we were just down in the dungeons, and heard two people plotting against you." To both Harry and Hermione's vast surprise, Arthur seemed undistracted by this news, almost as if he were expecting it all along.
"Show me," said Arthur, rising from his throne like a man getting out of bed in the morning.
The trip down to the dungeons seemed to take much longer this time, as Arthur was having a hard time keeping up. Every step seemed to cost, every movement to drain him of energy. They reached Snape's office and threw open the door, revealing, as Harry had expected, nothing.
"How did they get out?" Harry asked. "Do any of the passageways still work?" Arthur smiled. Harry realized that this ways the first time he had seen Arthur do that. He had a mischievous sort of grin when he did so, reminding Harry of the Weasley twins. The grin flickered and was gone so quickly that Harry barely had time to register it.
"I have an.intimate knowledge of the passages, and as far as I know, there are no passages leading to this room."
"Great," said Harry. "Then what, magic? Or maybe they just hid or something. I don't know."
Harry looked at Hermione, who was staring at Arthur. "What do think, Herm."
"No idea," Hermione said quickly, giving Harry a look that distinctly said "Ask me later."
Arthur glanced at the two of them. He could tell, Harry thought, that they were not telling all of the truth. This one's not dim. "Your Majesty." Harry began. "Arthur," He replied. "You are my squire, you don't need to call me 'Your Majesty' endlessly." Harry paused.
"Arthur, who would want to sneak into the castle? If everyone was here voluntarily, who would want to end the Time of Sanctuary?"
Arthur paused. "Come with me, Squire. The Girl may come as well." Arthur began to walk out the door, but Harry stayed. This was the second time he had called Hermione The Girl. In fact, he didn't even know her name!! This seemed pretty unmannerly for a King, thought Harry. Although he wasn't sure if he really had the courage to do this, Harry called to Arthur:
"The Girl's name is Hermione, Arthur. Please address her as she deserves to be addressed."
Arthur paused, and slowly turned. Hermione was frozen in a state of shock, looking at Harry as if he had, well, as if he had just defied a King. Arthur's glare fell upon Harry, and then flicked to Hermione.
"Hermione, would you please accompany Harry and I to our destination?"
Hermione blushed. "Of course your majesty. Thank you for asking."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Arthur led Harry and Hermione back into the Throne Room, and through to the chamber behind it. Harry remembered this room. He remembered it containing three Triwizard Champions, the night he had unexpectedly become the fourth. But now, it contained one single object. A table. The table was made of smooth marble, and covered with runes and names. The names were carved elegantly, with murals of dragons, swords, and lances surrounding them. Harry gaped. This was the Round Table!!
Arthur gazed lovingly at the majestic pedestal, caressed the marble as if it were an old friend. He stopped at a certain name, inscribed into a giant cross.
"Sir Bors, the penitent man. He left our company to live out his life in a monastery. Sir Galahad, the pure. Died in France years ago. As did Sir Percival, the brave. Sirs Kay and Bedivere, companions to the end. The died within minutes of each other in the Wars against Rome." Arthur paused, looking at the names. "Honor. Valor. Truth. Justice. Equality. These were the signs of a true Knight of the Round Table. As the original Knights were killed, or left, others have taken their place. But this table is a reminder of what the Kingdom of Camelot is. It is the rights of all humans to be free under one God. And for those who see Camelot as a prize to be won, this table represents all that they desire." Arthur paused, looking intently at the two young wizards.
"With the Time of Sanctuary over this land, every person has an equal chance. And those who want to get in, want the power. That is why someone would want to end the Time of Sanctuary to end. They want to shift the balance."
Arthur looked up. "Now, if you'll excuse me."
Harry and Hermione stared down into the magnificent table before them. This table, Harry thought, is everything I want to be, everything that is good. He came up to Arthur's section of the table. It was no bigger than any of the others. It was equal. Next to Arthur, however, were to sections of table covered with cloth. Harry pulled at the cloth, but it didn't move. "You'll need something a bit more powerful to get those off," a voice said behind him. Harry whirled around to see Merlin approach the table.
"This cloth is held by magic, one of the few magical spells I have allowed on these grounds. They are the names of two knights who committed great offenses." Merlin pulled out his wand, and struck the table. "Expedio!" He cried. The cloth flew off to reveal two names. A Fleur de Luis surrounded the name on the right, the name on the left bore a giant black dragon.
Harry looked down onto the first name. "Sir Lancelot." He continued onto the next seat. "Sir Mordred."
"Powerful knights. Great knights, but both were removed from the eye of the king. Lancelot, Arthur's greatest knight and dearest friend, was found having an affair with our queen, Guenivere. He is now in exile in France, our queen with him. He is the reason the King does not like you, Hermione. You would be amazed how much you look like Her Majesty."
"What did Mordred do?" Harry asked.
"Mordred is Arthur's son with another woman, a powerful knight, with unrivaled ambition. He grew tired of following the old code of Arthur and the other Knights. He deserted Camelot, and has been waging a war against us ever since. He is the one who would most gain from the end of the Time of Sanctuary."
"But why would he gain the most?" Harry asked.
"Harry, I am not the only wizard on this ground. All the other knights were wizards, from all the four houses of Hogwarts. Arthur himself was the Head Boy of Gryffindor. But Mordred was a powerful man. He has powers the king does not, because he is the Knight that had no qualms about using his powers. After Lancelot and Guenivere were banished, Arthur imposed the Time of Sanctuary, and Mordred challenged Arthur for the throne, and lost. He was expelled from Camelot, but since he was a member of the Royal Family, his life was spared. And now he is out there, just biding his time. And that, Harry, is why Mordred would benefit most from the end of the Time of Sanctuary. Now, look at the time. I suggest you two both go off to bed. There are quarters in the old Gryffindor common room, which I think will suit you both. Good evening to the both of you."
Harry and Hermione could both tell that the history lesson was over. "Come on," Harry said, "let's get out of here." He took one last look at Lancelot's mark on the table. The bravest of the knights, going on to betray his master's trust. How awful for the King.
The two reached the former Gryffindor Common Room to find it with one large king-sized bed, and a fireplace with wood piled up inside it. Harry bent down and lit the fire. The warmth soaked them both, and a feeling of great fatigue swept over them. "Well, Harry, good night," Hermione said, taking off her skirt, but keeping on the shirt, making it into a long nightgown. Harry had only his boxers and his t-shirt under his breeches, so he disrobed rather quickly and slipped into the bed. He wasn't sure about sleeping this close to Hermione, but he didn't dare mention his fear. She would probably make him sleep on the floor. "Goodnight Hermione," Harry mumbled, and soon was drifting off to sleep.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Well, I promised this one soon. However, being in a play slowed my progress. That plus a little case of writer's block. But I now have an idea of where I'm going with this.
Thank you's to everybody whose been reviewing, especially to Wondercat Mio- Chan. Fear not, true believers, the next chapters will be out soon. I will also be posting some new Songfics. If you like this, I highly recommend my other FanFics. Please, if you are reading, PLEASE REVIEW!!!!