When Angels Die
Ch: 19
Disclaimer: Go to chapter 1
After the invasion of the Dragons- as Harry now deemed their arrival- the staff hurried about their business; many setting up for the start of class the next day, others trying to find more room for the new arrivals.
Harry had finally talked to Dumbledore and both agreed that being Draco's assistant would help keep him occupied. Though Harry's schedule was already full, what with trying to talk to all the ambassadors and groups staying at the castle, he found time to help Draco set up the classroom.
"Harry," called Hermione as she rushed towards him as he exited Draco's classroom. Harry didn't hate her anymore but he still couldn't get over the betrayal and that made him hesitate to talk to her. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"
"Sure. What do you need?"
"I was wondering if you could tell me more about the shields covering the castle. You told us you reinforced them but you didn't tell us what is covering them."
"I placed another ward like the one that is already up, in front and behind the original. The Staff boosted my power and amplified the effects so we will know how far Voldemort is before he attacks. Also, I guarded a few of the more noticeable exits- like the one by the lake- and wove a few confusion spells around the ones the Death Eaters don't know about."
"Ok. Are you sure the warding spells will hold?"
Harry shrugged. "Theirs always a chance that they won't. I'm not here to play miracle man and stop Voldemort from entering completely, I'm here to do my best to keep people safe."
"Sorry, Harry. I know that, or I should any way. If they do breach the wards and enter into the castle, where are the children to go? Most of the safe houses like the Shrieking Shack are too noticeable and will probably have Death Eaters stationed there. Where else should they go?"
Harry thought about this as they walked. He had to agree that many of the places are too noticeable and easily breached. That's when he had a sudden brainstorm.
"Come with me," he said and leading the way, they approached Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
Inside the bathroom sat Moaning Myrtle, crying like always in always. Approaching the poor ghost as quietly as possible, and with a quizzical look from Hermione, Harry sat down next to her.
"What do you want?" asked Myrtle rudely. She blinked. Then blinked again. "Is that. Harry?"
"Hello Myrtle. How have you been?"
Ghostly arms threw themselves around- actually through- Harry and smiled.
"Oh Harry! How come you haven't been in to see me?"
"I've been- indisposed these last 10 years. And how have you been?"
"Sad, as usual. What do you need?"
"I'm actually looking for you're help."
"My help?" asked Myrtle with astonishment in her eyes.
A sound from behind him made Harry turn and growl slightly. He didn't need Hermione screwing up his plan.
"Yes, your help. You see, I know there is a false wall in this part of the castle and I'm betting it's in this very room. It is suppose to lead to a secret chamber in the heart of the castle but I've never been able to find it. But you're so smart and I bet you know every thing about the castle, and I was wondering if you would be able to find this secret wall."
Myrtle thought for a moment. The other two sat quietly in hopes of finding this secret wall. If Myrtle knew where it was then there was a chance they would be able to find a way to keep the children safe.
"Well, there is a brick that was always loose. It's not in this bathroom, mind you, it's in the first floor men's room."
"Would you like to show me where it is?"
Myrtle giggled to herself and slowly floated down the hallway. Down the stairs they went, passed many pictures and wondering visitors, down hallways and through corridors hidden by many tapestries.
Hermione had wisely not said anything during the hunting expedition and neither opened her mouth when they entered the men's bathroom. It was set up similar to the women's room with dark wooden stalls and white walled bricks glinting in the white light.
Myrtle floated to the far wall. She stared as she floated to and thru, occasionally touching a brick here and a brick there. Finally, as she disappeared through a cubical wall, she shrieked loudly in triumph.
"This one, Harry, this one!"
Harry and Hermione rushed in, staring at the brick Myrtle had pointed out. It looked like any other brick on the wall and Harry first thought that Myrtle had the wrong one. But closer inspection reviled a small, almost silver lightning bolt etched into the stone.
"Thank you Myrtle. I appreciate the help you have given me," said Harry with a smile. Myrtle giggled to herself.
"No problem at all Harry. I hope you come to see me some time."
"I will try."
Myrtle floated off to her bathroom while Hermione inspected the wall in further detail.
"It looks like any other brick but this one is faintly inscribed with a mark."
She touched the brick gently. It rocked in place for a few seconds before settling back in place.
"Odd."
"Are you ready to check this out? I want to make sure this place is secure before we send anyone down here."
"So you want just us to go by ourselves? Sure that's safe."
The sarcasm was thick enough to cut with a knife but Harry dwindled all protests with a look. Harry removed his wand from his robe pocket. With a swift wave, his wand morphed into his long Staff of Power.
"I didn't know the Staff could do that!"
Hermione had that glint in her eyes that Harry recognized as her "study" mode. Harry backed away slightly and gripped the Staff tighter.
"It's a convenient carry form, I guess. It would be too inconvenient if I walked around with this all day long. In the smaller form I am able to walk and keep my hands free."
"Convenient."
"Push the brick back."
Hermione reached out and pushed on the brick with all her might. It briefly disappeared into the wall and moments later the wall started to change. A shivering and crawling turned the wall into living water way; bricks wiggled and twitched until it revealed a man-sized hole.
Must and an odor of dust and mold reached their noses. An inky darkness met their eyes.
"Lumos," they said in unison.
Holding their wands out in front of them revealed a narrow passage full of cobwebs and dust.
"Are you ready to proceed?"
Hermione glanced at him. "As ready as ever."
"Then let's go."
AN: Sorry about the wait! Life interfered. Thank you for all the reviews and please ignore the 'Do not feed Animals' sign. points to the sign Remember to always feed the writer! Enjoy. ~Ta-ta
After the invasion of the Dragons- as Harry now deemed their arrival- the staff hurried about their business; many setting up for the start of class the next day, others trying to find more room for the new arrivals.
Harry had finally talked to Dumbledore and both agreed that being Draco's assistant would help keep him occupied. Though Harry's schedule was already full, what with trying to talk to all the ambassadors and groups staying at the castle, he found time to help Draco set up the classroom.
"Harry," called Hermione as she rushed towards him as he exited Draco's classroom. Harry didn't hate her anymore but he still couldn't get over the betrayal and that made him hesitate to talk to her. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"
"Sure. What do you need?"
"I was wondering if you could tell me more about the shields covering the castle. You told us you reinforced them but you didn't tell us what is covering them."
"I placed another ward like the one that is already up, in front and behind the original. The Staff boosted my power and amplified the effects so we will know how far Voldemort is before he attacks. Also, I guarded a few of the more noticeable exits- like the one by the lake- and wove a few confusion spells around the ones the Death Eaters don't know about."
"Ok. Are you sure the warding spells will hold?"
Harry shrugged. "Theirs always a chance that they won't. I'm not here to play miracle man and stop Voldemort from entering completely, I'm here to do my best to keep people safe."
"Sorry, Harry. I know that, or I should any way. If they do breach the wards and enter into the castle, where are the children to go? Most of the safe houses like the Shrieking Shack are too noticeable and will probably have Death Eaters stationed there. Where else should they go?"
Harry thought about this as they walked. He had to agree that many of the places are too noticeable and easily breached. That's when he had a sudden brainstorm.
"Come with me," he said and leading the way, they approached Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
Inside the bathroom sat Moaning Myrtle, crying like always in always. Approaching the poor ghost as quietly as possible, and with a quizzical look from Hermione, Harry sat down next to her.
"What do you want?" asked Myrtle rudely. She blinked. Then blinked again. "Is that. Harry?"
"Hello Myrtle. How have you been?"
Ghostly arms threw themselves around- actually through- Harry and smiled.
"Oh Harry! How come you haven't been in to see me?"
"I've been- indisposed these last 10 years. And how have you been?"
"Sad, as usual. What do you need?"
"I'm actually looking for you're help."
"My help?" asked Myrtle with astonishment in her eyes.
A sound from behind him made Harry turn and growl slightly. He didn't need Hermione screwing up his plan.
"Yes, your help. You see, I know there is a false wall in this part of the castle and I'm betting it's in this very room. It is suppose to lead to a secret chamber in the heart of the castle but I've never been able to find it. But you're so smart and I bet you know every thing about the castle, and I was wondering if you would be able to find this secret wall."
Myrtle thought for a moment. The other two sat quietly in hopes of finding this secret wall. If Myrtle knew where it was then there was a chance they would be able to find a way to keep the children safe.
"Well, there is a brick that was always loose. It's not in this bathroom, mind you, it's in the first floor men's room."
"Would you like to show me where it is?"
Myrtle giggled to herself and slowly floated down the hallway. Down the stairs they went, passed many pictures and wondering visitors, down hallways and through corridors hidden by many tapestries.
Hermione had wisely not said anything during the hunting expedition and neither opened her mouth when they entered the men's bathroom. It was set up similar to the women's room with dark wooden stalls and white walled bricks glinting in the white light.
Myrtle floated to the far wall. She stared as she floated to and thru, occasionally touching a brick here and a brick there. Finally, as she disappeared through a cubical wall, she shrieked loudly in triumph.
"This one, Harry, this one!"
Harry and Hermione rushed in, staring at the brick Myrtle had pointed out. It looked like any other brick on the wall and Harry first thought that Myrtle had the wrong one. But closer inspection reviled a small, almost silver lightning bolt etched into the stone.
"Thank you Myrtle. I appreciate the help you have given me," said Harry with a smile. Myrtle giggled to herself.
"No problem at all Harry. I hope you come to see me some time."
"I will try."
Myrtle floated off to her bathroom while Hermione inspected the wall in further detail.
"It looks like any other brick but this one is faintly inscribed with a mark."
She touched the brick gently. It rocked in place for a few seconds before settling back in place.
"Odd."
"Are you ready to check this out? I want to make sure this place is secure before we send anyone down here."
"So you want just us to go by ourselves? Sure that's safe."
The sarcasm was thick enough to cut with a knife but Harry dwindled all protests with a look. Harry removed his wand from his robe pocket. With a swift wave, his wand morphed into his long Staff of Power.
"I didn't know the Staff could do that!"
Hermione had that glint in her eyes that Harry recognized as her "study" mode. Harry backed away slightly and gripped the Staff tighter.
"It's a convenient carry form, I guess. It would be too inconvenient if I walked around with this all day long. In the smaller form I am able to walk and keep my hands free."
"Convenient."
"Push the brick back."
Hermione reached out and pushed on the brick with all her might. It briefly disappeared into the wall and moments later the wall started to change. A shivering and crawling turned the wall into living water way; bricks wiggled and twitched until it revealed a man-sized hole.
Must and an odor of dust and mold reached their noses. An inky darkness met their eyes.
"Lumos," they said in unison.
Holding their wands out in front of them revealed a narrow passage full of cobwebs and dust.
"Are you ready to proceed?"
Hermione glanced at him. "As ready as ever."
"Then let's go."
AN: Sorry about the wait! Life interfered. Thank you for all the reviews and please ignore the 'Do not feed Animals' sign. points to the sign Remember to always feed the writer! Enjoy. ~Ta-ta