Disclaimer: I do not own the intellectual property to either the Harry Potter or Diablo franchises. The plot is original and is mine.
Chapter 1: The Rift
A faint, white glow appeared over the horizon in Sanctuary. A rather elderly-looking man with a crooked wooden staff and bluish-grey robes approached the glow with simultaneous curiosity and trepidation. He hastened his pace slightly, and the glow gradually intensified. As he stood before the nexus, the man covered his brow with his sleeve to partially shield his face from the blinding, pulsing light.
In all his years as a scholar and sage, Deckard Cain had never seen such a rift before, let alone enter one. He knew he had to enter it, consequences be damned. He had to protect Sanctuary, and consequently, the world he was about to step foot into. He thrust his staff into the portal, and the low hum of the rift suddenly shifted to a higher whirr. He felt a slight tingling sensation as he took his first step forward into the strange object, but knew he had to press on. He needed answers, and would stop at nothing to get them.
The tingling sensation suddenly ceased. Cain took in his new surroundings, completely awestruck. It was most certainly unfamiliar to him, but the landscape was at least somewhat reminiscent of Sanctuary. This land, he thought, appeared to be untainted by Lord Diablo's demonic influence. And he prayed to keep it that way. He was at the edge of a very large and ancient forest, and his sagely sense beckoned him to not enter it. At least not yet.
The sky had a faint glow as the sun hung low in the horizon, but as he was in a strange land, Cain could not tell if it was sunrise or sunset. He felt completely disoriented. Vulnerable. He was at the mercy of the elements, any lurking creatures, and whatever strange magic this land had. He needed to find some answers, and soon.
He started making his way downhill, and to his relief, in the distance, he saw a hut with an orange glow in the window. Someone had to be home. Whoever lived there may or may not know anything, but at the very least, he or she could point Cain in the right direction. Several minutes later, he reached the hut's doorstep, and rapped on the door with his staff.
"Be right there," said a gruff yet friendly-sounding voice. A few seconds later, the door opened, and the largest man Cain had ever seen greeted him warmly. "Well good mornin' to yeh, Albus," the huge man said in a particularly strong West Country accent. Then he squinted. "It's a bit early for visitors, but I'm always here ter help yeh out whenever yer need me," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "Albus?" Cain said in a timid, confused tone. The giant man squinted. "Wait, yer not Professor Dumbledore. But yer kinda look like him though. Who are yeh, then?"
"My name is Deckard Cain. I am the last of an ancient order of wizards called the Horadrim. I have come to this land in search of answers, and I fear that an ancient enemy of mine may have manifested itself here. I will offer what aid I can, but regrettably, I'm not nearly as gifted in the magical arts as my forebears," replied Cain. The gigantic man stared at Cain, but nodded as if it all made sense to him. "I can't say that I've heard of yeh, or your wizarding order, but I can sense the truth in yer words, so that means that yer not a crazy old git," he said with a grin. "Rubeus Hagrid, at yer service. Come on in, I can make yer some tea if you'd like."
Cain gratefully accepted Hagrid's offer and found a seat by the table. Hagrid asked, "So, Deckard Cain, how did you make yer way to Hogwarts?" "I… I'm not sure," muttered Cain. "I followed a glowing light back in my homeland and entered a rift, which eventually brought me to you. I must forewarn you, sir. Sanctuary – my homeworld– has been tainted by the three Prime Evils and their minions. And I fear that this… Hogwarts is ripe for the plucking by Lord Diablo and his brothers." Hagrid stared at Cain for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "Master Cain, I'm not the one yer should be speaking to about this. I'll try ter get you in touch with Professor Dumbledore – he's the wisest wizard Hogwarts has ter offer. He should be able ter give yer the answers yer looking fer." Cain nodded. "I would be most grateful, Master Hagrid." Hagrid laughed. "Please, just Hagrid." "And you may simply call me Cain," replied Cain.
Hagrid quickly scrawled a note on a piece of parchment. "In our wizarding world, we send our notes using owls," he explained to Cain. "The Professor should be gettin' his letter faster than yeh can say "butterbeer"," he said rather cheerily. "Butterbeer?" asked Cain, thoroughly confused. "Aww, yeh'll find out fer yerself soon enough," replied Hagrid.
"So Cain, while we're waitin' fer Professor Dumbledoor to owl us back, tell me a bit about yerself," Hagrid said. "I'm the gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys 'round here. Basically that means, I take care of the critters that live 'round here, and make sure folks get to where they're s'posed ter go, and turn 'em away from the places they're not s'posed ter go."
"I see," muttered Cain. "Despite my wizard heritage, I was never the best with spells. My calling never truly lied with using a wand or a staff, but rather imparting knowledge and wisdom on others. In my younger days I was a school headmaster in Tristram, but I found that dreadfully boring and unfulfilling. It was never about the children – I truly adore children – but the rigid, bureaucratic board of trustees forced our hands and we had to stick to this positively dreadful curriculum."
Hagrid nodded. "Heh. That sounds rather familiar." Cain continued. "The opportunities were few, but whenever I could, I spun a fantastic story. That's when the children clung on to my every word. I believe that gift came from my mother, she always could tell a wonderful story. She would insist they were true, but I never believed them, until well into my adulthood."
Hagrid smiled at Cain. "Y'know, we have a lot of children here at Hogwarts. They're all aspiring witches and wizards, and I'm sure they would all love to hear one of your stories sometime. Maybe Albus could make yer an honorary professor one of these days." Cain cocked an eyebrow at Hagrid. "That's all well and good, Hagrid, but the safety of Hogwarts and its pupils are of greater importance right now. The heroes that I have trained and advised in my homeworld found Diablo and his followers to be the most tenacious of adversaries. I pray this Professor Dumbledore friend of yours is a powerful wizard, because only the strongest of spells can defeat the evil that has plagued Sanctuary."
Hagrid's eyes lit up, as if he were waiting for this opportunity to boast about his friend. "Albus Dumbledore is the finest wizard Hogwarts has produced in generations. Some of the wizards and witches that he's taught over the years are quite formidable in their own right." Cain gave Hagrid a look of skepticism. "I hope you're right, Hagrid. Diablo is one of the three Prime Evils, along with his brothers Mephisto and Baal, and if even one of the three is set loose upon Hogwarts, there will be truly much to fear. I hope Hogwarts has a hero strong enough to face them."
Hagrid again beamed. "Let me tell yeh about the Boy Who Lived. It's a long story, so I'll get to the point. When he was a just a wee boy, a powerful sorcerer called Lord Voldemort – he's right wicked, let me tell yeh. Most of us don't even call him by his name, we usually refer ter him as He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, or the Dark Lord, or other such varieties. Anyway, several years ago, some friends of the boy's parents were betrayed by a former friend of theirs, and the Dark One killed the boy's father without a thought of remorse. He bought his wife just a few precious seconds ter place a very special protective charm on the boy, just before she sacrificed herself. When the Dark One advanced ter destroy the boy, not only did the boy survive, but the spell utterly annihilated him. It did not kill him, but it did destroy his tangible form and weaken his magical abilities. But all this time he's been plotting vengeance, and he still has some loyal followers ter this day."
Cain nodded at Hagrid. "Tell me more about this boy." Hagrid laughed. "Be my pleasure. His name is Harry Potter, and he's rarin' ter be a third year student at Hogwarts," he said matter-of-factly. "Yeh'll know him when yeh meet him, as the attempted attack by You-Know-Who left a scar on his forehead in the shape of a lightning bolt. He'll be a right powerful wizard, Cain. I can tell yer that much."
Cain furrowed his eyebrows. "And this… Voldemort. Even in a weakened state he sounds… dangerous. If this Dark One joins forces with Diablo and his brothers – even if it's a temporary, uneasy alliance, as even the Three have lost many a battle due to the brothers' tendency to bicker and establish a power hierarchy of sorts - this world… and all who live in it… may be doomed."
Back at Hogwarts, an owl tapped at the window of the headmaster's office. Professor Dumbledore opened the window to let the owl in, who immediately dropped the parchment into the professor's open hand. Dumbledore opened the letter, and was immediately able to tell that it was written by Hagrid due to the numerous misspellings.
"Deckard Cain?" Dumbledore wondered to himself. "This can't be possible." The professor was one of the most learned men of his day, and was fully aware of the story of the age-old war between angels and demons. The unlikely union of renegade angels and demons ultimately planted the seeds for the creation of the world known as Sanctuary, and the mortals that lived in that world were the descendants of those unions. Both the forces of the Light and Darkness vied for the loyalty of humanity, in an event known as the Sin War. Neither side prevailed, and every individual was left to make their own choice as to whether they served the Light or Darkness.
Deckard Cain was one of the most pivotal and influential mortals to have ever lived on Sanctuary. Although not a powerful wizard, he still commanded tremendous respect not only as the last of the mighty Horadrim order, but he had trained, advised, and accompanied multiple heroes to defeat Lord Diablo twice. But as learned as Dumbledore was, even he thought this to have all been nothing more than mythology. Something truly sinister was at play here, and Lord Voldemort was a terrifying enemy by himself. If Diablo were to set foot in Hogwarts, the sheer havoc he would create would be unfathomable. And if the unthinkable were to occur – Diablo and Voldemort joining forces, even if only briefly – any resistance against the combined might of the two Dark Lords would be utterly futile.
Dumbledore sent an urgent reply to Hagrid by owl, requesting both his and Cain's immediate presence. He also needed Professor McGonagall's counsel, and Professor Snape's as well. He sent urgent owls to his two trusted associates, to meet him in his office as soon as possible. Within several minutes, both Professors McGonagall and Snape appeared via the Floo Network. "Good morning, Minerva and Severus," Dumbledore said with a look of genuine concern on his face. Professor McGonagall picked up that something was amiss right away. "Albus, something seems to be troubling you. How can we help you?"
The headmaster closed his eyes for a moment and nodded. "Yes, Minerva, something is indeed troubling me. Are either of you familiar with the Sin War legend?" Professor Snape shook his head, with a slightly confused expression on his face. Professor McGonagall wrinkled her nose. "I vaguely remember something like that from my advanced mythology studies. Angels and demons fighting an eternal war, and a few rebellious individuals from each side decided to get intimate and these ill-advised unions created a new world," she recollected.
"What if I told you that legend… is real?" Dumbledore continued. "Don't you toy with me, Albus Dumbledore," Professor McGonagall said with a note of sternness in her voice. "I know better than to question your honesty or your wisdom, but at times I think you need a screw or two tightened." Snape tried to hide a snicker.
"I thought it was just that… a legend, myself," said Dumbledore. "But just before I owled the both of you, I received an urgent message from Hagrid. Deckard Cain himself is here on the Hogwarts grounds and the two of them are making their way to my office as we speak. They bear some urgent news. All will be made clear soon."
Hagrid and Cain had received Dumbledore's reply and made their way to the headmaster's office, post-haste. When they entered the castle, they made their way to the second floor and to the Gargoyle Corridor. When they approached the Stairwell Gargoyle, which password-protected the Headmaster's Office, Hagrid searched several pockets in his overcoat to try and find the parchment that Dumbledore had sent them, as the temporary password was written on it. "Ah, here it is," he declared. "Tristram." The gargoyle shifted for the pair by, though Hagrid muttered something under his breath about the stairwell being a little more accommodating to larger folks the next time as it was a rather tight squeeze for him.
Deckard Cain then used his staff to knock on the large wooden door. "Please, come in," said a gentle, wizened voice from inside the office. Hagrid then opened the door and Cain walked underneath his outstretched arm. Professor McGonagall jumped slightly at the sight of Cain, and Professor Snape did a double-take. It never occurred to either of them that he resembled Professor Dumbledore so strongly, from his weathered features, his blue-grey robes and silver beard.
"I have heard of you, Deckard Cain of Tristram. Welcome to Hogwarts Castle," Professor Dumbledore said. "My name is Albus Dumbledore – professor and headmaster of Hogwarts." He stood up and bowed respectfully. "It is an honor to meet you, Professor," said Cain gratefully in his light Scottish burr. "How do you do. Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts and Head of Gryffindor House," Professor McGonagall said. She offered her hand to Cain, who surprisingly took it and kissed it gently. The professor blushed slightly, somewhat shocked. "Pleasure to meet you, Professor," said Cain. "I am Severus Snape, Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House," said Professor Snape. Not wanting to take the chance of Cain kissing his hand instead of taking it for a handshake, as he wasn't quite sure what to make of the stranger, he stood up and bowed. "Well met, Professor," said Cain.
"Pleasantries aside, I'm afraid I'm the bearer of some grave news. A rift had recently opened in my homeland. Who created it, and why, I cannot say. I decided to enter the portal and find some answers. Answers that perhaps you already have, or can help me discover."
"I have not seen any strange activity on Hogwarts premises recently," said Dumbledore. "But we cannot rule out the possibility of something sinister happening without our knowledge. Cain nodded in agreement. "Hagrid has told me of a wicked sorcerer called Voldemort," he said, noticing Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and Hagrid all wincing as he verbalized the forbidden name, "I'm afraid I do not know much about him or the extent of his powers, but he sounds like a dangerous foe. If he were to team up with Lord Diablo and his legions – maybe striking a deal to augment his own power for instance – the consequences would be apocalyptic."
"Fortunately, He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named has not taken physical form just yet, so he's still in a vulnerable state," said Professor McGonagall. "He had been defeated twice by a promising young pupil named Harry Potter." "Yet even in his current state, the Dark One is extremely dangerous," said Professor Snape. "If this… Diablo fiend is as powerful as you claim him to be, I have no doubt that he has the capability of making the Dark Lord far more powerful."
"Which is precisely my fear. If this… Boy Who Lived is as promising as you say, we may have a chance of banishing the Lord of Terror from Hogwarts forever. But we must stop them before they have a chance to join forces because I'm afraid a strengthened Vol… Dark Lord, AND a potentially strengthened Diablo would be impossible to defeat."
"Deckard Cain, are you a wizard of some sort?" asked Professor McGonagall. "You have the wisdom and composure of Professor Dumbledore, which is very rare indeed, but I don't sense much magic about you. You don't seem to be a Muggle or a Squib – those are terms we use for folks that are not blessed with magical gifts. Muggles are 'ordinary' people, they cannot use magic, and they either deny or don't believe in its use. The poor squibs though, bless them, magic runs in their family and they can't touch it. Imagine not being able smell a sweet spring lily, but everyone else in your family can."
"I am the last member of an ancient, elite order of wizards called the Horadrim. These wizards were personally selected by the Archangel Tyrael over two hundred years ago to combat the three Prime Evils – Diablo, whom you already know of, Baal – the Lord of Destruction, and Mephisto – the Lord of Hatred. The Horadrim were incredibly successful in their hunt for the Three Prime Evils, and after defeating each of them, they contained their essences in individual soulstones to be imprisoned for all time. One of our finest wizards, Tal Rasha, willingly sacrificed himself to contain the essence of Baal for eternity as the soulstone meant to contain him shattered. However, the arrogance of the Horadrim led to their undoing. While formidable, they incorrectly assumed that their task was done once they had defeated Diablo and imprisoned his essence in the Soulstone. The brotherhood eventually dissipated, and Mephisto and Diablo were able to ultimately exert their influence through the stones and corrupt the lands near their respective nexuses. And to throw salt on the wound, it was discovered that the soulstones were designed to fail us from their very inception, as the soulstones were connected to the larger Worldstone, a site of unfathomable power. I'm sure I needn't elaborate on the implications of that."
"As for myself, I never had the fortitude nor the aptitude to face the Prime Evils head-on. My own magical abilities never developed beyond some of the most basic spells and charms, but I devoured every book and scroll I could find as I had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and lore. I did spend a few fruitless years serving as a school headmaster but short-sighted and short-tempered trustees and I never saw eye-to-eye, I did not personally agree with the curriculum they wanted us to teach with… those dear children, I felt so sorry for them. They loved it whenever I told a story as every head was perked up, absorbing every detail. These stories aren't "education" in the strictest sense, but they are stories of hope, compassion, and teamwork. Facts and formulae have their purposes, but they don't teach students fortitude."
"And I couldn't agree more, Deckard Cain." Professor Dumbledore nodded toward Cain, with a look of conviction and understanding. "Truth be told, there is far more to being a wizard than the ability to wave a wand and whispering a few magic words. You are as much of a wizard as any of us in here, and if you need our aid, you need only ask. I would be honored to help you find the answers you seek. I would be honored to help you combat this evil. If the legends are true, and I have no reason to doubt you now, you possess a level of knowledge and wisdom that would rival the entire collection of Hogwarts Library. Even if indirect, you were still vital to Diablo's defeat – not once, but twice. And I believe you would be a tremendous asset for our struggle with Lord Voldemort. Will you help us?"
"I would be honored, Professor Dumbledore," Cain said with sincerity. Dumbledore nodded in appreciation. "Very well then. At this point, I see no reason to discuss this situation with anyone outside of my office. Until I say otherwise, we will not utter a word to any students or any other faculty, as I wish to avoid creating a scene that would draw more attention to us than absolutely necessary. Agreed?" "I agree," said Professor McGonagall. "As do I," said Professor Snape. Hagrid jumped slightly. "Oh! Yes, of course. Just between us."
"Now, Deckard Cain, I have a proposition for you," Dumbledore said. "I would like to have you serve undercover as a new faculty member for the time being. How does, Professor Deckard Cain – Master of Lore and Mythology sound to you? You can tell your stories of courage and hope and teamwork to my first and second year students, for starters." "Well Professor, it has been a while since I did any actual teaching, but if you believe it will help keep things under wraps, I'll do it."
"Very good. And the fall term starts in just a few days. If you would like, we can formally induct you into Hogwarts – you'll officially be sorted into one of our four houses. That will happen on the evening of the beginning-of-term feast, and our friend, the Sorting Hat, will figure out which house you'll be forever associated with. In the meantime, if you would like to enhance your magical abilities, Minerva, Severus and myself will help you if you would like some private lessons."
"That is agreeable. Thank you all, Professors. Until the feast, where should I stay? I would have to imagine you know a place I can stay out of sight until then." "I will arrange for personal quarters for you, Deckard Cain," said Dumbledore. "In the meantime, you may stay in Gryffindor Tower. Professor McGonagall can show you the way."
