Chapter 4: The Revelation
Harry did not know what to make of the Archangel Tyrael. He had heard of angels, but Tyrael did not exactly fit the description of effeminate figures in white gowns and halos. Tyrael was huge… not quite as large as Hagrid, but nearly a head taller than Cain or Dumbledore, and far more imposing. And there was something about that sword he carried. Harry thought that it made wizarding weapons look like Muggle ones in comparison. It was nothing like he'd ever seen, with strange runes carved into the blade and a hilt that gleamed like gold. Maybe it was pure gold.
Cain looked at Harry. "You must be great indeed, Harry," he said, "to have the Archangel Tyrael appear to you in person. Angels traditionally avoid interfering with mortal affairs, but Tyrael is as fascinated with mortals as we are with angels."
The gleaming light then re-appeared before Harry and Cain. The archangel spoke. "I have informed Albus Dumbledore of our situation. He has agreed to meet with us immediately. Deckard Cain, he asked if you possessed the knowledge to apparate to the headmaster quarters." "I'm afraid I am not very familiar with the spells from this land, Archangel," Cain replied. "Very well, mortal. Take this parchment and read it aloud. This teleportation scroll will teleport you to the designated meeting point. Please ensure that Master Potter, Master Weasley, and Madam Granger are in very close proximity to you so that they may teleport with you." Tyrael handed rolled-up piece of parchment with a red wax seal to Cain. "Please hurry, we don't have much time to lose."
Harry and Cain walked back to the latter's hut. "Hermione, Ronald, we have to meet with Professor Dumbledore in his quarters without delay. Please get close to me so I can cast this teleportation spell." Hermione cocked her head slightly. "You mean an apparate spell? I've never heard it called teleportation." Cain chuckled. "I can see that your reputation as a bright young witch is well-earned. Unfortunately I have very little familiarity with the spells used at Hogwarts, so I will be casting an equivalent spell from my world." He opened the parchment that contained the spell. "Harry, Hermione, and Ronald. Please gather close to me as I read the incantation. These scrolls are designed to work on only the caster, but if you grab on to my robes, you won't be left behind."
Cain unrolled the paper and started to verbalize the strange words. The spell sounded so foreign to the trio, but they didn't care as long as it worked as it was supposed to. The three clung to his robes tightly, and as Cain finished the spell, a bright white light flashed and they all vanished into thin air.
A blink of an eye later, the four of them found themselves in the middle of Professor Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore was at his desk, with a very concerned expression on his face. The Archangel Tyrael was standing a few feet away. "Thank you for being so prompt, Deckard. I know the Archangel had some reservations, but I insisted that Minerva and Severus join us." Just as Dumbledore finished his sentence, both Professors McGonagall and Snape apparated in his office. Both professors were in night clothes and slippers.
"Tea, anyone?" offered Dumbledore. "I'll have some, thanks," said Snape. "And fifteen points to Gryffindor for Miss Granger, Mister Potter, and Mister Weasley's invaluable services." He looked at Harry, Hermione and Ron. "Fifteen, apiece." Professor McGonagall's mouth dropped at her Slytherin colleague's gesture. "Thank you, Professor," they each said. "And I thank you," Snape replied with sincerity. "Some things are bigger than house pride, and I believe this to be one of them."
The Archangel's wings unfolded and wafted gracefully in the air. "Thank you all for being here this evening. For those who are not familiar with me, I am the Archangel Tyrael. I am one of the sitting members of the Angiris Council, which is the governing body of the High Heavens. Although not actually a part of Sanctuary, the High Heavens are strongly connected to the world of Deckard Cain. He and I have crossed paths in the past, and both of us have aided and advised the heroes who have defeated Diablo, the Lord of Terror."
"As you may already know, the mortal wizard sect known as the Horadrim were tasked with hunting down and defeating Diablo and his two brothers, Mephisto and Baal. Although they defeated the Three and captured their essences in artifacts known as soulstones, we mistakenly believed the soulstones to contain them indefinitely. What we did not know was that the soulstones were unstable from their very inception, and that due to their connection with Sanctuary's Worldstone, the Three could use their prisons against the Light and corrupt large swaths of land, including the inhabitants unfortunate enough to live close to the nexus."
"Diablo was the most ambitious of the Three, which made him the most dangerous. He yearned to find a living host to contain his essence as he gained his strength. His first attempt to possess a mortal body was that of King Leoric of Khanduras. Diablo no doubt selected him due to his status as monarch, but he found the king too difficult to totally control, but his attempts left the king insane and violent. He needed an easier host to control, so he concentrated his efforts on his son Albrecht. The young prince turned out to be a far easier host to manipulate and it was through him that Diablo gained his former strength."
"Eventually, a daring warrior named Aidan – the elder brother of Albrecht – eventually faced Diablo and defeated him, but the price of victory was costly, as he had become corrupted by the Dark Lord. He re-emerged from that cursed labyrinth as the Dark Wanderer, and made his way east to free his brothers. He first freed Baal, and then freed Mephisto. A new group of heroes destroyed Mephisto, then Diablo, and then finally Baal, but after they were defeated, they were merely banished to the Burning Hells.
It is there where Diablo plotted his vengeance. He sought a host not from Sanctuary, but another plane altogether. He wanted to possess someone with power, such as Leoric, but more malleable. Or better still, have the host accept his essence willingly. Diablo's search for the perfect host came to a conclusion when he discovered a young wizard from Hogwarts named Tom Marvolo Riddle. He was a gifted wizard to be sure, but he also had within him a darkness that could be exploited. Using the darkest of arcane magic, he was able to project his spirit between the two dimensions. With promises of untold power, he found Riddle to be both a very powerful and very willing host. Even for a being as powerful as Diablo, he was not able to fully corrupt Riddle immediately, as crossing different worlds and different timelines makes for a very complicated, lengthy process."
Tyrael continued. "The process was agonizing for Riddle. While he certainly gained considerable power, he lost his humanity. He took on a scaly appearance truly befit of the Lord of Terror." "Certainly Diablo could have found a suitable host elsewhere on Sanctuary," Professor McGonagall said. "It's possible," said Cain. "But if there's one thing about demons, the one predictable thing about them is that they are unpredictable." "Deckard Cain is right," said Dumbledore. "I'd wager that that Diablo wanted to do something unexpected to confuse and surprise the High Heavens." "I have seen the capabilities of his followers, the Death Eaters," said Tyrael. "They are not to be underestimated by any fighting for the Light. They are every bit as dangerous as many of Hell's demons."
"So what you're saying is… Diablo is Voldemort? And Voldemort is Diablo?" asked Harry. "That is correct, Master Potter," answered Tyrael solemnly. "He was defeated when he tried to kill me over ten years ago," said Harry. "I know my mother placed a protective charm on me, which destroyed his bodily form. Diablo… Voldemort, whatever, I defeated him again a year and a half ago. He took on the form of our old Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, Professor Quirrell. I don't think he was at full strength then either, as Professor Quirrell was turned to ash when he attacked me. Voldemort's spirit then fled but I don't know where. But my guess is that he won't be so easily defeated the next time he takes on a host."
"I agree, Master Potter," said Tyrael. "He will only get stronger the longer his spirit remains free. I know of but one way that will permanently banish Diablo – your Lord Voldemort – from this world forever, but I cannot predict the ensuing consequences." "And what would that be, Archangel?" asked Dumbledore.
"Harry Potter, you are the Boy That Lived. You have defeated the Dark Lord twice. You have a connection with him that nobody else in this world – or any world – currently possess. It falls on you to face and defeat him for a third and final time. You will use my sword, El'Druin. I will work with Professor Dumbledore – all night if need be – to imbue it with the magic of this world. You use El'Druin to cast your killing curse, followed by a deadly blow. It will not be an easy task, but I have faith in you."
"Archangel, I don't know where to begin to find him," said Harry nervously. "My arrival here has hastened the inevitable," admitted Tyrael. "If I know my old enemy, he's rallying his minions – demons and Death Eaters alike – and he will storm Hogwarts to catch us all off-guard."
"How long would that be, do you think?" asked Hermione. "I'm not sure. They will try and launch an assault when Hogwarts is vulnerable," answered Tyrael. "It may be a few hours, it could be a day. Professor Dumbledore, I'm sure that the castle has many charms and wards protecting it but you may want to add a few more. I will do what I can to augment the castle's defenses in the meantime." "Minerva and Severus, I think we will need your assistance with these additional cautionary measures," said Dumbledore.
"What about us?" asked Ron. "You three, get some rest," said Tyrael. "Deckard Cain, I trust you to watch over these students for the time being." "I will guard them with my life," Cain said. Dumbledore snapped his fingers, and three cots with pillows appeared out of thin air. "You three may stay in here for the night," he instructed.
Dumbledore, Tyrael, and Professor McGonagall left the office to enhance the castle's protective wards and charms. "I'll be right with you," drawled Snape to his colleagues. "I just want a word with these three." "Very well, Severus," said Dumbledore.
"Harry. Hermione. Ronald." The three were somewhat caught off-guard when they heard Snape using their first names alone. The wrinkles on his face indicated genuine concern for them. "I just wanted you to know that the three of you exemplify your house's values. Both the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall have a tremendous amount faith in you. I know we haven't always been on the best of terms, but… I believe in you as well. There is no denying your talent – yes, even you, Ronald." Ron grinned sheepishly. "And Harry, your parents would be extremely proud of you. I had to swallow a lot of pride to get that one out, I'm sure you can imagine." Harry beamed at the professor. "I won't let you down, Professor," said Harry. Snape smiled at Harry. "I know you won't."
"Why the change of heart, Professor?" asked Hermione. "Miss Granger… Hermione… let's just say that I've lived a fair part of my life wallowing in regrets. I won't get into any specifics, but sometimes all it takes is a cataclysmic event to open up a man's eyes. I know I've been wronged, and I know I've done wrong. But I see the future of this school – and the wizarding world as a whole – in front of me. And I may have been wrong about Cain. I still think he's a strange wizard, but he's not a phony. I wish I could bottle up whatever he uses to bend your ears when he lectures, because all the first and second year students do nothing but gush over how great he is."
It was already half past midnight and the three youngsters' eyelids were getting heavy. It did not take long for the three of them to nod off on their surprisingly comfortable cots.
