Disclaimer: Yeah, I'm actually J.K. Rowling, and I just decided to write
really mediocre fanfiction to keep you all guessing. Actually, I own
neither Harry, nor King Arthur, and think that it is a good thing that I
don't.
Chapter 11: The Storm
Throughout Christmas morning, the air around the castle Camelot had been warming, and soon the snow began to melt. Not much, but enough to start the flow of water over the many turrets. The sun shone brightly through the morning, adding to a blinding shine over the land. But as the day went on, a cold, hard wind began blowing in from the North, bringing with it dark, boiling clouds. There was a feeling of electricity in the air, as a huge storm slammed into Camelot. A cold rain began to fall, drenching the land in cold and dark. The lightning flashed, and the thunder rumbled. And for the two young wizards in the castle, the tension was just as electric.
The cup, resting on its satin pillow in front of Harry and Hermione still had a strange glow to it, as if it were projecting light instead of merely reflecting it. The pair gazed upon the Grail in wonder. Behind them, Arthur put a hand on each of their shoulders.
"Do you know why they call this a Grail? It comes from the Latin "graduale", meaning "step by step". Such is the path toward it. Knowledge and power, along with a better understanding of self accompany you in the journey towards the cup. That is why I could not tell you all that I shall tell you now. Come with me."
Arthur led them up the stairs, and as Harry exited the stairway, the table suddenly enclosed it again. Only a crack in the Round Table showed where the stairway used to be. Arthur motioned for them to sit.
"You can see now why we have such security around the castle. The Grail is a powerful object, and it requires powerful protection. Sir Galahad found the Grail after a long search throughout many lands. He brought it back to Camelot, where all the knights remaining took a vow to protect the Grail, but never use it. Only one refused the vow. Sir Mordred. He fought for use of the cup, taking on the crown for control of the power. He lost, but he gave me this." Arthur traced his finger along the scar that ran from his chin to his ear.
"After Mordred left, we decided that the castle was not safe for such an object. All the knights who took the vow to protect the Grail decided to give up their powers in the Time of Sanctuary. As you can guess, the spell is not only a nullification; it stops a spell in its tracks. Any magic used without the consent of Merlin would rebound on the performing wizard. I had knights who could withstand any Muggle attack, and I thought that it would be safe."
Harry interrupted him. "But if the Time of Sanctuary stopped all magic in the castle, how is the Grail still able to glow like that? Wouldn't any magic that resides in the Grail cease as well?"
Arthur looked at him seriously. "There is more in the world than magic, Harry. Magic is a bond between nature and those with the power to control it. The Grail, Harry, is more than magic. The power of the cup is not found in the blood that it caught at the Crucifixion, or the fact that it was used at the Last Supper. That is not what gave the cup its holy power. The power of the Grail lies in the faith that people have in it. I have faith in the grace of the cup. Mordred has faith in the power the cup wields."
"But I still don't understand why we are here," said Hermione.
"Since the beginning of time," said Arthur, "the powers of good and the powers of evil have been in constant combat, not only in the physical realm, but in the mental and the moral as well. In this conflict, there are those who are born to be the champions of good and evil. Only two men, once a generation. The champions are always from the same bloodlines, reaching back far into the kings of ancient times. Now, the struggle for control in this battle usually ends in a stalemate, but there are weapons that can, for a time at least, destroy the champion of the other side. This grail is one of those weapons. If Mordred took control of the cup and was able to harness its power, he could destroy all that we have tried to create here. Mordred is the Dark Champion. His blood flows to modern times, in which there is a wizard who Merlin tells me is called Voldemort. I am the Champion of Light in this age. When we heard that there was a wizard who had bested this Voldemort numerous times, we knew that we had found the Champion of Light in yours. Harry, you have been chosen."
A resounding silence filled the room after Arthur's revelation. Harry looked as if he had just been hit with a sledgehammer. His face had gone pale and rigid, as if he were made of marble.
"And only with your help can this evil stopped," said Arthur quietly
Harry stared for a minute, gulped, and whispered softly, "It's bullshit."
"Harry…"began Arthur.
"IT'S BULLSHIT!" cried Harry. "I don't want this!" And with that he ran from the room.
Arthur looked down, and then at Hermione, who had been silent throughout the entire revelation. She suddenly leapt out of her seat and faced Arthur.
"Why me, Arthur? Why did the book carry me here with him?"
"When a champion is chosen, there is always another. A perfect match, a soul mate. For me it was Guenevere. As you can guess by that, you are not bound to your choices as strongly as Harry is. But you are his soul mate, his love. You have felt it since you met him, and have felt the same for him."
Hermione wiped a tear from her eye. "Yes," she said simply," I love him."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Harry had run back into the Common Room, and threw open a window which opened to a balcony. Around him, the thunder raged, the wind howled, and the rain soaked him to the bone. "I don't want this!" Harry cried to the wind. "I wanted nothing more than to be an ordinary wizard! Why does this all happen to me?"
"Because," came a voice from behind him, "it's in your blood."
Harry turned to see Hermione standing on the balcony behind him, her tears mingling with the pouring rain. "Didn't you hear Arthur? The Champions are always chosen from the same lineage. You have the blood of heroes running through your veins, Harry. The blood of kings. But it isn't you. You are not who they were, or who you children will be. You are Harry Potter!"
"But why do I have to be this as well! The Boy who Lived, and the Boy who will Die, just like my father did!"
"Harry, stop looking behind you, and stop trying to see what lies ahead of you! See what's standing in front of you right now!! Me, Harry, me!" Hermione was on the verge of losing control. She had just thrown away any remnants of friendship. Whatever step was taken next, it would change their relationship.
Harry looked thunderstruck. He seemed to have lost the capability for speech.
"Harry, please say something." Hermione whispered.
Harry gulped a few times, wiping the tears from his eyes. "You make me want to be a hero, Hermione." He whispered to her. He opened his arms to her, and she rushed to him, holding him tightly.
"Harry, I…" Hermione began, but found Harry's lips blocking her. She looked up, startled, and saw his emerald green eyes staring back at her. Their arms wrapped around each other, and they both suddenly felt the joy of being with each other.
Outside on the balcony, the rain was whipped around by the wind, causing the two bodies in each other's arms to have goose bumps. The thunder roared and lightning flashed overhead. But in the minds of the two figures in the rain, there was nothing but the other. Harry had Hermione, Hermione had Harry, and the storm had lost its power over them.
Love can do that to you.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Yes!! I loved writing that chapter! Keep reviewing, ladies and gents. Its great to hear from you!
Chapter 11: The Storm
Throughout Christmas morning, the air around the castle Camelot had been warming, and soon the snow began to melt. Not much, but enough to start the flow of water over the many turrets. The sun shone brightly through the morning, adding to a blinding shine over the land. But as the day went on, a cold, hard wind began blowing in from the North, bringing with it dark, boiling clouds. There was a feeling of electricity in the air, as a huge storm slammed into Camelot. A cold rain began to fall, drenching the land in cold and dark. The lightning flashed, and the thunder rumbled. And for the two young wizards in the castle, the tension was just as electric.
The cup, resting on its satin pillow in front of Harry and Hermione still had a strange glow to it, as if it were projecting light instead of merely reflecting it. The pair gazed upon the Grail in wonder. Behind them, Arthur put a hand on each of their shoulders.
"Do you know why they call this a Grail? It comes from the Latin "graduale", meaning "step by step". Such is the path toward it. Knowledge and power, along with a better understanding of self accompany you in the journey towards the cup. That is why I could not tell you all that I shall tell you now. Come with me."
Arthur led them up the stairs, and as Harry exited the stairway, the table suddenly enclosed it again. Only a crack in the Round Table showed where the stairway used to be. Arthur motioned for them to sit.
"You can see now why we have such security around the castle. The Grail is a powerful object, and it requires powerful protection. Sir Galahad found the Grail after a long search throughout many lands. He brought it back to Camelot, where all the knights remaining took a vow to protect the Grail, but never use it. Only one refused the vow. Sir Mordred. He fought for use of the cup, taking on the crown for control of the power. He lost, but he gave me this." Arthur traced his finger along the scar that ran from his chin to his ear.
"After Mordred left, we decided that the castle was not safe for such an object. All the knights who took the vow to protect the Grail decided to give up their powers in the Time of Sanctuary. As you can guess, the spell is not only a nullification; it stops a spell in its tracks. Any magic used without the consent of Merlin would rebound on the performing wizard. I had knights who could withstand any Muggle attack, and I thought that it would be safe."
Harry interrupted him. "But if the Time of Sanctuary stopped all magic in the castle, how is the Grail still able to glow like that? Wouldn't any magic that resides in the Grail cease as well?"
Arthur looked at him seriously. "There is more in the world than magic, Harry. Magic is a bond between nature and those with the power to control it. The Grail, Harry, is more than magic. The power of the cup is not found in the blood that it caught at the Crucifixion, or the fact that it was used at the Last Supper. That is not what gave the cup its holy power. The power of the Grail lies in the faith that people have in it. I have faith in the grace of the cup. Mordred has faith in the power the cup wields."
"But I still don't understand why we are here," said Hermione.
"Since the beginning of time," said Arthur, "the powers of good and the powers of evil have been in constant combat, not only in the physical realm, but in the mental and the moral as well. In this conflict, there are those who are born to be the champions of good and evil. Only two men, once a generation. The champions are always from the same bloodlines, reaching back far into the kings of ancient times. Now, the struggle for control in this battle usually ends in a stalemate, but there are weapons that can, for a time at least, destroy the champion of the other side. This grail is one of those weapons. If Mordred took control of the cup and was able to harness its power, he could destroy all that we have tried to create here. Mordred is the Dark Champion. His blood flows to modern times, in which there is a wizard who Merlin tells me is called Voldemort. I am the Champion of Light in this age. When we heard that there was a wizard who had bested this Voldemort numerous times, we knew that we had found the Champion of Light in yours. Harry, you have been chosen."
A resounding silence filled the room after Arthur's revelation. Harry looked as if he had just been hit with a sledgehammer. His face had gone pale and rigid, as if he were made of marble.
"And only with your help can this evil stopped," said Arthur quietly
Harry stared for a minute, gulped, and whispered softly, "It's bullshit."
"Harry…"began Arthur.
"IT'S BULLSHIT!" cried Harry. "I don't want this!" And with that he ran from the room.
Arthur looked down, and then at Hermione, who had been silent throughout the entire revelation. She suddenly leapt out of her seat and faced Arthur.
"Why me, Arthur? Why did the book carry me here with him?"
"When a champion is chosen, there is always another. A perfect match, a soul mate. For me it was Guenevere. As you can guess by that, you are not bound to your choices as strongly as Harry is. But you are his soul mate, his love. You have felt it since you met him, and have felt the same for him."
Hermione wiped a tear from her eye. "Yes," she said simply," I love him."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Harry had run back into the Common Room, and threw open a window which opened to a balcony. Around him, the thunder raged, the wind howled, and the rain soaked him to the bone. "I don't want this!" Harry cried to the wind. "I wanted nothing more than to be an ordinary wizard! Why does this all happen to me?"
"Because," came a voice from behind him, "it's in your blood."
Harry turned to see Hermione standing on the balcony behind him, her tears mingling with the pouring rain. "Didn't you hear Arthur? The Champions are always chosen from the same lineage. You have the blood of heroes running through your veins, Harry. The blood of kings. But it isn't you. You are not who they were, or who you children will be. You are Harry Potter!"
"But why do I have to be this as well! The Boy who Lived, and the Boy who will Die, just like my father did!"
"Harry, stop looking behind you, and stop trying to see what lies ahead of you! See what's standing in front of you right now!! Me, Harry, me!" Hermione was on the verge of losing control. She had just thrown away any remnants of friendship. Whatever step was taken next, it would change their relationship.
Harry looked thunderstruck. He seemed to have lost the capability for speech.
"Harry, please say something." Hermione whispered.
Harry gulped a few times, wiping the tears from his eyes. "You make me want to be a hero, Hermione." He whispered to her. He opened his arms to her, and she rushed to him, holding him tightly.
"Harry, I…" Hermione began, but found Harry's lips blocking her. She looked up, startled, and saw his emerald green eyes staring back at her. Their arms wrapped around each other, and they both suddenly felt the joy of being with each other.
Outside on the balcony, the rain was whipped around by the wind, causing the two bodies in each other's arms to have goose bumps. The thunder roared and lightning flashed overhead. But in the minds of the two figures in the rain, there was nothing but the other. Harry had Hermione, Hermione had Harry, and the storm had lost its power over them.
Love can do that to you.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Yes!! I loved writing that chapter! Keep reviewing, ladies and gents. Its great to hear from you!