Chapter 18. The chamber, the regret and the village of Odeila
The sinks moved apart, and Jakob watched in amazement when a tunnel down was revealed. The Slytherin took a breath, jumped down, and tried to hold his laughter in while he slid down.
When he landed at the bottom, he flicked out his wand and carefully stepped forwards, listening to see if someone or something could be heard.
Jakob looked around in the old cave-like tunnel and noticed the bones of different animals.
"Must be one hungry basilisk, thought the boy as he tried not to make too much noise while he walked forward. When he had stepped a few meters ahead, he came across a shed basilisk skin, and Jakob saw the estimated size of the snake and gulped.
"And here I thought it would be as tall as Saliza," he whispered.
He touched the skin and noted to come down here again with something to help him store it. This find alone was a treasure both in gallons and as an ingredient.
Jakob continued his walk forward and came to a big round door. With snakes locking it in place.
"Open." he hissed, and a snake slithered around, making the other iron snakes move away. The door then unlocked, and Jakob went inside, seeing a grand image before him.
Snakeheads were lining up on the stone floor, and water surrounded it. He began to walk inside and up a large sculpture of what Jake believed was Salazar's head.
He looked around the chamber and, a bit disappointed, noticed that this was it.
"No hidden books or at least some cursed objects?" he questioned and walked to the side walls and started to feel them like he had when he searched the castle. After a while, When the boy started losing hope of finding anything, he noticed something while he dragged his hands over the wall on the right side of the room.
There was a stone piece protruding out a few centimetres, and the Slytherin boy who had absentmindedly touched it turned his eyes to the stone.
With every wish in his body, he leaned in and pushed the stone, which sank into the wall. He heard something behind the wall, and a door became visible and opened.
Jacob wore a smile that even Morgan would giggle at while he almost skipped to the entrance and walked inside.
He saw that a handle was showing on the other side and decided to close the door if the heir would return.
When the wall closed, torches lit up, and Jakob looked around.
There was a lot of spider web and dust covering everything in the room. He saw a bookshelf and a luxurious black desk with a chair that resembled the queen seat in the Slytherin five room.
He walked around and looked through the different books on the bookshelf and could not wait to start reading them all.
He took one out and dragged his hand over, making the dust fall to the floor.
"Darkest of magic vol 14," he whispered and opened the book, looking like a child with wide eyes.
He looked at a rune cluster and had no idea what he was actually supposed to see here.
Jakob turned the page and saw a spell that was named Instrue Focis. The spell would be spoken, and the wand movement was a small flick upwards. The person who received the curse would then puke up his own heart. The small painting under it showed a man bent over with strings from his mouth down to a heart.
"That must be unpleasant," said Jake and closed the book and pocked it inside his robes.
He then searched a little, frowned at a specific one, and took it out.
The book's title read Horrocruxes, the story and how to make them.
Jakob knew that this was an invention by Herpo and opened it.
He skipped the story and landed on a page that showed a triangle ritual.
He read the text.
If one wishes to prolong one life, a Horcrux can be made. The sacrifice requires a victim, a trial Gelum ritual and one item that shall be used as housing the teared-off soul piece.
Jacob saw a man eating another man lying dead on the floor inside the carved triangle and then how a white light was torn off and floating to a vessel.
Jacob closed the book.
"Not going to eat another person and rip my soul apart. That's just idiocy."
He then walked around for a while, looking at the different books and finding two more books in parsel magic before he looked one last time inside the room. Readying himself to leave.
He noticed that the torch was flickering a little more to the right behind the chair than it should, and Jakob walked closer.
He felt with his hand and sensed a small draft coming from the wall but did not see anything except the stone.
"open." the door slid open, and a tunnel was shown.
"I really should not," said Jakob excitedly and walked up.
The tunnel was completely dark, and the Slytherin boy room out his wand.
"Lumos."
He walked and felt the tunnel getting steeper, but just as he thought that he would have to start to climb, a set of stairs appeared, and Jakob thanked Slytherin for his help and understanding. As he saw a wall appearing, he hissed when he stood in front of it.
"Open."
The wall swung open, and he was met with a picture he would never forget.
"Amy?"
"Jakob?"
Jakob saw his queen in a thin blue bathrobe that showed more than Jakob had seen before. Her wet hair dripped, and her wand pointed at him.
"What the hell are you doing, and what is this?"
Jakob raised his hands in surrender, and the girl who had looked surprised and scared recalled having him at wand point. She lowered it and observed the dirty boy in front of her.
"Why are you so dirty, and why do you smell so bad?"
Jakob tried to not focus on Amy's cleavage or legs but could not and said while staring at her body.
"Can you dress so I can focus, please?"
Amy noticed how undressed she was as she looked down and then smirked.
"turn around," she said while spinning her wand. And the now hormone boy turned slowly and cursed himself for taking his eyes off her.
When she told him to turn back, he did and was slightly disappointed to see her in her private clothes.
"Now tell me, why are you here?"
"I found this tunnel, and it opened when I pushed it, so I went I side and got here," said Jakob trying to think up a lie that she would believe, but the only thing coming into mind was her body.
"Really? Where was this tunnel? In the sewers?"
Jakob frowned. How did you know that?
She gestured to all of him. And he understood what she meant.
"Oh. Yeh figures. I should go," said Jakob quickly and headed towards her door.
"wait." he heard her say behind his back, and he closed his eyes. Damned, I was so close, he thought.
"Why were you in the sewers?"
I was talking to Saliza, and she noticed something strange in the forest. I walked with her and saw it was a tunnel, but when I got halfway, I realised it was a sewer, so I kept going hoping it would take me back to the castle."
Amy observed him for a few seconds.
"Jakob, is there something you are hiding from me?"
Jakob smiled at her.
"if I hid something from you, would I go directly to you when I found out about the basilisk?"
"I remember that conversation ending in another way than you would have liked," said Amy taking a step forwards.
Jakob took one step closer too.
"I went to you knowing I could trust you with my secret. How you handled the situation has nothing to do with me trusting you."
Amy stopped and looked Jakob in the eyes. After a few seconds that felt like hours for the Slytherin, she gave him a small smile.
"Let me go out first to clear away the students if there are any left, then you go straight to your room. There has been an attack, and another mudblood has been petrified. It would not look good if people noticed how you look right now. said Amy before passing Jakob."
Jacobs felt a stone in his chest.
"Who?" Asked the boy dreading the answer. Amy turned around before opening her door to the Slytherin five room.
"She is in your year, sally-Anne perks, I think."
The stone lifted, and Jakob focused on not breathing a sigh of relief.
"Yeh, she is in Hufflepuff, I think."
Amy shrugged and disappeared through the door and returned five minutes later.
"Alright, you can go now."
As Jakob was about to walk past her, she stooped him.
"No goodbye kiss?"
Jakob looked a bit surprised.
"Do you really want me to kiss you right now?"
"Oh, I do." and gave him a kiss before he walked out.
The Slytherin boy walked into the common room and headed straight into his dorm, where Pansy was sitting at her desk, annoyed in her pyjamas.
When she noticed him walk inside, she turned.
"Do you have any idea what time it is? I'm so tired, and what is that? Is that smell?"
Jakob walked inside and smirked at her.
"Can I take a shower before I tell you?"
Currently holding her nose, Pansy nodded and gestured for him to get inside their bathroom.
When Jakob was done, he walked out again and told pansy the truth about his visit to the chamber. He did not tell her about the ghost feeling it would be unnecessary.
"You were in the chamber when the mudblood was attacked?"
Jakob, who now started to understand that frowned and nodded.
"Yeh… that's weird. I did not hear anything; if I had walked out, I would probably have been killed."
"Jakob, you must stop with this Gryffindor behaviour you have started to show. Don't you get it that you are not invisible?"
Jakob saw the worry in his roommate's eyes and nodded.
"I will, but I got some books there, and Salazar had a real kink for dark magic. I really want to show you this spell." Jakob said, and pansy noticed his excitement and smiled at his happiness.
That evening and night, they were lying in bed, and Jakob read out loud to her his different books, like a parent reading to their child. Pansy, who was interested at first, soon fell asleep on his shoulder while he talked about the different dark spells.
The next morning after eating breakfast, there was a poster on the notice board put up by Lockhart. When Jakob walked over with his friends, the professor turned to see the boy and smiled broadly.
"Mr Quade, my dearest fan and friend. I hope to see you there."
Lockhart gave him a gentle tap on his shoulder while he strode away, and Jakob rolled his eyes and shrugged to Draco, who looked confused and a bit disgusted after witnessing what just happened.
"Duelling club?" questioned Jakob out loud.
"wicked said Draco and looked over to the golden group that had walked forwards as the rest of the students had noticed it.
"Bet I could take the blood traitor who lived," said Draco and received a high five from Theo and laughed together with Jakob's other friends.
Harry and the rest of the Gryffindor came closer, and with a frown, Harry said.
"Big words for someone who could only catch the snitch when the other seeker couldn't play Malfoy."
Jakob rolled his eyes.
"Like you are the one to talk, Potter. You were in the hospital wing for three days while Jakob got up a few seconds after he rammed you down. Did you cry to your mum and dad after? I heard your sister sat there and cried with you," Snorted pansy. And even some of the Ravenclaw now started to laugh together with the Slytherins.
Harry, searching for his wand, did not have time to react when he saw that Jakob had flicked his into his hand and was now pointing at him.
"Point it at her, and it will be the last thing you do before waking up in the hospital wing Potter."
He said grimly, and Harry glared back at him. He noticed in the corner of his eye that Draco looked slightly surprised but happy at the hard comeback and Pansy standing closer to him.
"Please lower it, Jakob," said Hermione and closed her mouth like she had uttered a curse when she knew what she had done.
Jakob slowly turned his head towards her and looked at her in shock.
She knew that she could not talk to him when they were in public, and she knew that she just had messed everything up and that he had to fix it for both of their sakes.
Ivy had the same expression as him, and then silence followed for what Jakob felt was an eternity.
"You don't have the right to call me by my first name. And you have no right to even speak to me, you filthy mudblood," said Jakob knowing he had doomed their friendship, but what else could he do? He looked into her eyes and saw the same girl he had seen tripping down the night in the grand staircase and who was all alone.
"Flippendo!" Jakob felt a push and got sent backwards, hitting the notice board and falling down on the floor.
When he looked up, he saw that Ron had cast it, and he pointed his wand at the now-shocked redhead while everyone else seemed too shocked to move. Hope you enjoy seeing your own heart, though Jakob before opening his mouth.
"What is going on here?" the students moved, and Snape walked over, seeing that Jakob was standing up calmly and had a neutral look on his face.
"He shot a spell at Mr Quade!" yelled pansy and pointed at a glaring Ron.
"He called Hermione a mudblood!" said Harry pointing at Jakob.
Silence!" hissed Snape at Harry.
"10 points from Gryffindor for uttering that word. And I would suggest that you did not say anything more if you would like to keep the rest."
The professor turned to Jakob, who he noticed had glanced at the muggle-born and adverted his eyes in a way Snape recognised.
"Is this true, Mr Quade. Did Mr Weasley hit you with a spell?"
Jakob looked at Hermione, who met his gaze with teary eyes and then ran away with Ivy behind her. The Slytherin boy looked around and saw that all his friends looked expectantly at him, and he answered.
"He did, professor." Said Jakob and saw the smirks his friends were giving the Gryffindors.
"That will be another 15 points from Gryffindor."
He then took an extra look at Jakob to ensure he was okay, and when Jakob gave him a slight nod, the professor walked away.
Jakob walked over to his friends and locked eyes with Ron.
"Next time you try to cast a spell at me, I will rip your heart out," he said in only a whispered hiss as he passed the now terrified redhead.
They walked to their charm class that they would have with the Ravenclaws, and Draco said in a low voice so his other friends wouldn't hear him.
"Mate, why didn't you dodge that? I've seen you. You should not have been hit by that idiot's spell."
Jakob, who had been focusing on Hermione's face as he crushed everything they had, was unaware of the others around him.
"I don't know. I just could not believe that the mudblood would talk to me like that."
"I know, right! The way you told her off even made me a bit scared." Draco said, giving him a pat on his shoulder.
"And thanks for, you know, about Pansy. I would have done the same, but you were a lot quicker." whispered His best friend.
Jakob gave him a small smile and then was quiet as the others talked about how Jakob had spoken to Hermione.
When class started, Jakob sat silent while they went over the disarming charm, and Jakob, who usually gathered at least 5 points for his house every class, did not say anything to be awarded.
Daphne walked beside him back to the Great hall when class was done.
"Jakob, are you alright?"
Jakob looked at her and gave her a smile.
"Yeh, I'm alright. Why?"
"Nothing. You have been a bit quiet after the incident this morning."
Jakob took her hand and hooked it into his arm.
"It must be that I'm feeling a bit stupid, getting hit by that idiot's spell, that's all."
Daphne nodded, and when they were about to go in, he released her and said he needed to get something. She nodded and walked in with the rest of them, and Jakob walked to the grand staircase.
He got up the stairs looking as normal as anyone else and went to his classroom on the sixth floor.
He opened it and closed it behind him, putting up a silencing charm so that no one would hear him and went over to his chair and sat down.
He felt his heart beating too loudly in his chest, and the picture of Hermione's heartbroken face was playing in his mind over and over again. It would not stop, and He felt like he was going to be sick hearing the words he had told her as loud as he was standing beside himself. Jakob started to breathe faster. He felt like the air he breathed in did not do anything, and it became quicker, and he loosened his tie. Feeling small needle pricks all over his body, he closed his eyes.
The dark mist started pouring out of him, and Jakob took a deep breath, straightened up, and screamed.
The dark mist exploded outwards and hit the walls making deep dents, and pieces of rock fell to the floor.
He regained his breath and felt like he could breathe normally again. He leaned back, dragged his hand through his commend but now damp hair, and slowed down his breathing. Jakob sat there in the darkness listening to absolute nothing and found comfort in being totally alone there.
After dinner, the Great hall was transformed. When Jakob walked in with Pansy and Draco, he saw a long duelling stage in the middle of the hall, and people were standing around it. Jakob had placed himself further away in Infront of a wall close to the gate where there barely were any students.
"Can't we stand a bit closer?" Asked Draco.
"I can go with you," said pansy, and they both looked at Jakob.
"Don't look at me. Go if you want to. I will stand over here," he answered his friends with a smile.
Draco shrugged and walked away, with Pansy following behind him.
Jakob did not want to see Hermione, and he had a few seconds before Draco asked, located Ron near the stage.
As he waited for the duelling to start, he heard a voice beside him.
"Not going to stand beside your friends Mr Quade?"
Jakob turned a bit and gave a small smile, and turned back.
"I'm fine here, Miss Frome," said Jakob seeing Amy leaning on the wall.
"You don't want to stand closer to the action?" he questioned when he saw her still standing beside him.
"I'm perfectly good here, and seeing everyone's eyes are on the stand, I think I can handle having a second year beside me if he behaves."
Jakob chuckled a little and met her gaze.
"The pleasure is all mine miss Frome."
They both turned when they saw that Gilderoy had walked up on stage and started to talk.
"Real tosser, that one said Jakob rolling his eyes."
"oh, my sources say that the professor likes you."
Jakob raised an eyebrow.
"keeping tabs on me, miss Frome?"
Amy stood a bit closer to him and looked out at the other student that was looking at the professor. she discreetly took her pinky and hooked it into his. Behind her back.
"I like to tabs on my interest."
"Amy, stop. Someone might see us?"
Amy let go of him And walked towards the entrance.
She gestures for him to follow her. The boy, who would normally decline this madness, quickly glanced around before walking after.
When he walked out, he felt Amy grabbing him, pulling him towards the side wall behind the doors and placing herself in front of him. She looked
mischievously at him, and Jakob, who really needed this, embraced her and pushed his lips on hers.
They still heard Lockhart going on with his speech, but neither of them listened.
Jakob grabbed her hands, pinned them to the wall and continued to kiss Amy feeling her body as she pressed herself on him.
After a while, when she had teased him too much with her pressing, he released her. His hands wandered around her upper body, feeling every inch of her. She made a sound feeling him touching her harder than he used to, and she loved it.
She did not complain and raised one leg around him, signalling for Jakob to lift her. Jakob took his hand under her skirt, raised her up, and leaned towards the wall beside the gate while feeling her tongue massaging his.
Just as the two Slytherins were about to lose all composure, they heard it.
" Leave him alone."
Jakob stopped and looked at Amy, who looked back in surprise.
He let her go, and they both walked to the entrance and saw Draco on one side of the duelling scene, Harry on another, and a snake slithering towards the crowd.
" leave him alone!" Harry said again, and everyone saw the snake's head lowered down. Jakob looked back at Amy, whose hair was tousled and still had red cheeks and lips. She looked back at him in surprise, and he looked back at the stage, at Harry, with a broad smile.
The boy who lived had just screwed up big, and everyone was there to see it. Hermione was there to see it.
Later that night, the whole common room discussed what had happened and whether Harry was Slytherin's heir.
Jakob was sitting on the couch with his usual people around him, and Draco was doing most of the talking.
" Potter is not the heir of Slytherin. How could a Gryffindor be it?"
" But he spoke to the snake," said Crabbe, and Goyle nodded.
" Do you really think that the boy who lived would start to attack mudbloods? He is a joke," said Blaze to Crabbe.
" But why would he have the ability? Only the heir would be able to speak parseltongue," said Theo confused, looking at Draco.
Jakob pinched his nose bridge, and pansy sat beside him quietly.
" Who the bloody hell cares if he is the heir or not?" said Jakob looking at his friends.
" What do you mean? This is kind of a big deal," frowned Daphne.
" I personally agree with Draco. He is not the heir but would we not want the whole school to think that?" He asked the group looking around.
When no one indicated they understood his meaning, he sighed and continued.
" That idiot has been a thorn in my side for some time. I Imagen he is not a favourite to any of you either, right?"
They all nodded.
" So we have a chance here. We get the whole school to believe it, and then we just wait until the next attack and boom!" Jakob clapped his hands.
" The boy who lives becomes the boy who goes home."
" Mate, that's brilliant!" said Zabini.
" I know, but the best would be if we could make sure that he was alone when an attack was happening. That way, we could make sure he got the blame.
" That would be impossible. He is always surrounded by people," said Draco.
Jakob nodded and smiled.
"But will they all still stand behind him now that he has revealed that he has Salazar's great gift? We should start to be nicer to him. Showing his friends that Potter has been recognised as a Slytherin. I know one redhead that it would mess with."
The people around the coach frowned, but they understood this would be the best choice of action.
"Start slowly by greeting him when you pass him but make sure you only look at him. Do this, and we will see how it has been going in a few days.
Autumn turned to winter, and the first snow had fallen, making a thin white sheet on the grounds and the castle. Last year Jakob had played snowball fights with his friends, but this year he didn't feel like it. Instead, while many of the students, including his friends, were Out playing, Jakob sat in the Great hall and read a book while he worked on a potion professor Snape had told him could give him an extra score.
"Haven't I told you that distraction is the most dangerous thing when handling a potion, Mr Quade?"
Jakob, who knew exactly who it was, closed his book and stood up, taking a slight bow.
" Apologies, Professor Snape. I'm just waiting for the potion to get ready for the next step, which should be in about five seconds.
Snape raised an eyebrow and stared at Jakob. When five seconds passed, Jakob's wand lying on the table started to vibrate.
" Sorry, professor, one second, " said the boy and lowered the heat, stirred the position anticlockwise four times, and poured down the chopped fairy wings. He then put the lid on after seeing the potion turning a shade greener, signalling that it was now perfect and should wait for about fifteen minutes before the next step.
Jakob turned around to his professor again.
" Impressive, Mr Quade, but don't get too cocky. You will learn harder potions, and they will not forgive you if your mind wanders."
Jakob nodded.
" About that," said Snape, gesturing for Jakob to sit down and looking at the seat beside Jakob before he, too, sat down.
" I've noticed that you have seemed a bit quieter recently. I do not wish to listen to your problems, so I will only give you some advice."
Jakob frowned for a second, not understanding what Snape could possibly tell him that would make him feel better.
" When I was young. I once said something to a friend I wished I had never uttered. I never said I was sorry, and I regretted that decision for the rest of my time. If you by any means feel something similar, don't wait too long. The longer you wait. The harder it will be when you shall decide."
Jakob's eyes widened, and a worry Seattle in him.
Snape saw his worry and rose up.
" I usually don't speak with my student, and I would appreciate the discretion about this little talk." he then walked away, and Jakob felt his concern slip away.
Maybe the professor had a point. I should take to her after Christmas about this.
Jakob thanked the professor in his mind and started to continue with his brew, and after a few minutes, he heard the flapping of wings, and an owl came soaring down into the Great hall.
Jakob knew that owl. It was his father's, and Jakob frowned.
He has not sent me letters since I started here. Why would he do it now?
The owl swooped down and released a letter with the family crest on it.
Jakob petted the own, and it flew away.
The Slytherin opened the letter and read.
"To Jakob Quade, Heir of the ancient and noble house of Quade.
My son. This would have been a surprise, but since plans have changed, I will tell you this beforehand.
You are together with Ella and Susie going to Sweden to witness a winter solstice that only happens once every 150 years. The darkest night will be darker when the moon is not showing, and this is a time were the old Druids of Sweden are doing their sacred rite, and if you are lucky, you will witness something that you will forever remember.
I will not say anything more, and I only told you this because I was going to take you there myself. Emma and I are going on business this winter to France and will not be home.
/ Thomas Quade.
Jakob sighed, pointed his wand towards the paper, and let it burn.
"I was hoping to spend it at home at least and be with friends. But it's nice to get some time with Ella," he whispered and continued with his brew.
When he finished the potion, he got up and made his way out of the great hall. With his cauldron in his right hand and bag in his other, he saw that the Potter twins were walking together towards the great entrance.
As they saw Jakob walking towards them, they made themself ready if he were to try anything.
"Heir Potter." Said Jakob giving him a slight nod.
Harry, who was at first glaring at him, halted with a stunned expression and, together with Ivy and stared at Jakob while he walked away.
"What the hell?" Asked Harry, his sister.
"Did you just see that, or did the Quade snake just greet me as Heir potter and leave?"
Ivy thought for a moment and then turned to see Jakob turn a corner.
She wore a slightly sad smile on her lips.
"Who knows, Harry, when people have done stupid things, they might see their errors and change."
"Are you having a laugh?" chuckled Harry.
"Why would he change? He has not done anything out of the ordinary. Just a few days ago, he made Hermione cry. he has not changed."
Ivy nodded and turned around to enter the great hall with her brother.
As the days continued, Jakob continued to be polite to the Potter boy, who almost looked like he wanted to scream at them, and that made Jakob feel a lot better.
The holiday came, and Jakob sat together with his friends on the train ride home, discussing the different things they were going to do.
"How can you not come to the Malfoy Party this year? You have always been there with me," said Draco with a frown, not letting it go that Jakob had betrayed him like that.
"I told you My father had other plans for me this winter, but I will write, okay?"
Pansy, who was choosing to sit beside Jakob this time, was so close that they almost touched, and he knew that she was dreading the separation they would soon have. Jakob had to leave his friends, and even Saliza had wanted to stay in the castle. She had come back inside one day and told him that she had a new enemy on her hunting ground, but she had never been able to catch it. Jakob had talked with Amy, and the girl had promised to take care of his snake, for the time being, seeing as she was staying for a reason she would not tell him about.
When the train stopped, everyone got off except Pansy and Jakob, who had to look for a piece of jewellery she had dropped. Daphne had said that she could help, but as luck had it, her little sister had seen her on the platform and called for her. Jakob closed the door and dragged down the curtains when their friends had walked out. He turned around and felt Pansy embrace him hard.
"I really hate this, Jakob. Cant I come with you?"
Jakob shook his head.
"Father did not say I was allowed to bring anyone, so I can't. I'm sorry."
He hugged her back for a while, and they reluctantly broke it after a minute had passed.
"I promise I will write to you alright and the holiday isn't so long, so we will see each other soon."
Pansy nodded, and a tear rolled down her cheek.
"Jakob dried it and hugged her again, feeling the same feeling she was but keeping it inside, knowing it would make her feel better if she knew.
They walked out, and Pansy thanked him for finding the jewellery and waved goodbye to him.
He looked around and saw that the Potter stood a bit further away with their parents and Hermione.
"Jakob met the bushy-haired girl's eyes, and she looked away."
Shit... I need to talk with her soon. He thought and walked over to Susie, who was in the middle of hugging her daughter, and when she saw Jakob, she looked surprised.
"You have grown, Mr Quade. How have school been?"
Jakob nodded.
"It's been fine, Susie, but I wish to return now."
Susie noticed the fake smile the boy could take on that fooled even his father but having taken care of the boy his whole life, there was almost nothing Susie could not see on the boy she cared so much about.
"Of course." She said. Ella and Jakob grabbed her hand, and they apparated away home to their mansion.
When they arrived, Jakob hugged her, and she could feel that his hug was something more than it used to. She could not put her finger on it but knew that he needed her to give him a hug back, so she embraced her boy and hugged him back for a short while.
When he broke it, she saw that his normal smile was back, and they discussed everything that had happened during their time at Hogwarts.
Jakob could only tell them so much, having a lot of secrets, so instead, they sat in the dining room and listened to Ella, who told them both about her new friend and best friend, Luna Lovegood.
Feemey had been with them during the evening as they were in the living room sitting by a fire, and Jakob helping Ella with homework.
"You must go to bed early today. The portkey to Sweden is leaving at 9 o'clock in the morning, so you must be ready at 8 at the latest.
Ella and Jakob nodded and soon went up to their rooms and said goodnight.
When Jakob opened his door and stepped inside his room, he felt a silence that was not easily achieved at Hogwarts. He looked at his bed and felt an emptiness, not seeing Pansy sit on it or gesturing for him to come over so they could sleep.
He sighed and walked inside the bathroom, and got ready for bed.
When he lay in bed, he looked up at the ceeling, and a thought hit him.
He took out the shard of the broken mirror that he had taken his first year from his nightstand and took out his wand.
"Lumos." He looked at the shard, thinking he could see the picture of his friends there once again but what he saw made him smile sadly.
Hermione was looking back at him, smiling her usual smile, and he smiled back. She said something to him he could not hear, but he could read her lips.
"It's alright."
Jakob woke up hearing someone knocking on his door.
"Jakob, get ready. We need to leave in an hour, so get dressed and come down for breakfast."
The Slytherin boy took on his clothes and got ready. He walked downstairs to see a tired Ella who was eating porridge. The door to the kitchen opened, and Feemey came out holding a bowl of fruits.
"Godmorning master Jakob. Has you been sleeping well?"
Asked the house-elf as Jakob sat down and began to eat.
"Yes, thank you, Feemey." said the boy and continued to eat. In silence, while the other occupants talked about the journey.
When breakfast was over, Jakob, with Susie and Ella, took the floo over to the ministry and then got their portkey, which was a sweater they all grabbed onto.
Jakob felt a tug on his navel, and they were all spinning away to Sweden.
When they landed, they stood in a forest with snow that reached their kneecaps, and Jakob looked around, seeing big green fir trees and heard the different birds chirping.
"Let's see here," said Susie taking out her wand.
"Point me." The wand started to spin in her hand and pointed towards a direction.
They began to walk. Jakob looked around as they walked. He did not see or hear anything suggesting a Rite or even people were being gathered in these woods.
"Susie, we are we?" Aked Jakob as he helped Ella over a rouble that had been concealed by the white snow.
"We are in a place called the great woods in an old place called Uppsala where a lot of history has been made under the millenniums it has existed."
Jakob looked a bit surprised and thought that it might not be such a bad place.
"Are we there yet?" asked Ella impatiently and a bit annoyed over the struggles she had been through.
"Yes, almost, dear. I think it should be right around here. We continue until we see..."
Jakob and Ella Whitnessed Susie disappearing midsentence, and they looked at each other in surprise.
They hurried over to where Susie had been, and Jakob felt like he had passed through a magical wall. Suddenly they weren't in the woods anymore but in a small village.
Small old wooden houses and tents were everywhere, melting in beside the Giant trees and vegetation. Different Gravel paths were going around the houses and to places the boy's eyes could not see. Jakob was amazed that this could be hidden away from the world.
There were a lot of wizards and witches, some of whom were dressed like he used to see, but some were dressed in what Jakob thought looked more nature friendly. Not having too much on their bodies.
He saw a woman passing him. When she glanced at him, she gave him a wink and Jakob, who was stunned at the outfit she wore, stared at her. She had a wolf pelt around her back and bones as a necklace and earrings. Her blond hair was let down and looked a bit dirty, and she wore a skirt and bra made of leather. Jakob saw that her stomach looked fit, and he noticed that She carried a staff with both runes and other details. Jakob could not tell what they described as she walked away, swaying her hips slightly, knowing he was still looking at her. So this must be a Druid, he thought.
When she had disappeared in the crowd, Jakob looked around in amazement and followed Susie with Ella close to him as she guided them towards the almost small little forest village that was in front of them.
"This is Odeila. It's similar to Diagon Alley but much older and has been transformed for their sacred rites. So you will be able to walk around and explore after we have unpacked." Said Susie as she saw both Jakob and Ella Looking at the different things in amazement.
They walked over to a read small house that Jakob thought was usually a store but had been rented out to house them instead during the festival.
He saw that Susie and Ella had walked inside carrying their bags, and Jakob was about to go up the stone steps to join them when he heard a voice to his left.
"Mr Quade?
Jakob, who could not put his finger on who the voice belonged to, turned and saw Mrs Potter standing on her own stone steppes that led up to a similar red house beside his, looking at him in confusion.
"Mum, I can't find it where..."
Ivy, who had noticed that her mother was staring at something, walked out to see what it was. When she came out, she saw Jakob staring at them both in surprise.
" Quade?"
Ella got out and looked at the both of them with a smile on her lips.
" Hello, my name is Ella. What is yours? Do you know Jakob?"
Authors note: I know that I made some changes in the Timeline but seeing as Jakob was not going to stay at the castle, I needed to get some things rolling to when he gets back to school. The next chapter will focus on the holiday, what Jakob witnessed in the magical land of Sweden, and what he might see on the darkest day. I think that it will only be one chapter. Otherwise, I will write a longer one so we can return to school.