Chapter 6: Uncertain Future

Arthur and Molly Weasley were in the kitchen. They were completely still, suspended in a column of purple and black energy. The couple's faces were full of fear, and it looked as though they were not conscious of the outside world.

The Weasley children stood around the kitchen in disbelief. The three other Weasley boys showed up. They shared the others' shock and comforted each other.

"It's going to be all right," Dumbledore told them. "Now, I need to speak to Jack alone, please."

The others exchanged awkward glances at each other, but they walked out of the room. "Does this look familiar to you?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, but it was not like this. It was a gargoyle who did it, not The One Who You Fear, and the one who was trapped was aware of her surroundings. A secret spell and key opens it. I wouldn't touch it."

But Dumbledore ran his hand over the energy. "Can't get through it. This also happened to Mundungus Fletcher, Remus Lupin, and Arabella Figg. We've tried all the magic we could to break this open. Perhaps you can try with your sword."

"I can try." Jack drew his sword and slammed it down upon Molly's column. Sparks and black lightning flew everywhere, but other than that nothing happened.

"Well, it was worth a try," Dumbledore shrugged. "Tell me, Jack, do you believe this is the work of the Dark Lord?"

Jack was about to comment when a second from his dream flashed before his eyes. He saw the snake binding the two people. "No," he replied.

**************

Dumbledore gave them the option to stay at home for a little while or to come back to school. Ron and the twins agreed to come back. Ron joined his friends at the Great Hall for breakfast. They were very quiet and subdued.

"Ron, won't you cheer up?" Harry said.

"Show your friend some respect!" Jack yelled at last.

"Yeah!" Ron said. "My parents were attacked by You-Know-Who!" He paused. "Hey. We finally have that in common."

"Not you too, Ron," Harry whined. "You have to play along with Samson's game."

"No, Harry, I'm serious! In fact, Jack can tell you more than I can. Dumbledore talked to him."

"You don't want to know, Ron," Jack said softly.

"Yes, I do. Come on, tell us."

"I do not believe it was the power of The One Who You Fear."

"Ha!" Harry yelled.

"Well, what else could it have been?" Ron said.

"It must have been someone who worked for him. Someone who appears harmless but inside is full of deadly poison."

"Why do you say that?" Hermione asked.

"I'm . . . not completely sure." That was actually true. Jack wasn't sure why he trusted his dreams. They were only dreams, after all.

"Then why didn't he attack my parents? And why did he keep them alive?"

Jack opened his mouth to say he didn't know, but instead he said, "Because he needs them."

"For what?"

"They have a powerful magic. The One Who You Fear needs them alive so he can take their power." Where was this coming from? There was no indication in his dream of this at all.

"I reckon that makes sense," Ron nodded. He spotted Malfoy snoozing at the Slytherin table again. He pointed it out to Harry, and they were once again in giggles.

"Wait," Jack said. "Before you judge, I have something to tell you. I saw Malfoy last night. He was roaming the halls, and he was under a mysterious trance."

"So that's why!" Hermione said. "Wonder what's going on? Maybe the Imperious Curse."

"No, it can't be that," Harry answered. "Nobody can tell when someone's under that."

"Well, I saw when you were under it last year. You looked trance-like around the beginning. I reckon a poorly done Imperious Curse would cause a trance and sleep deprivation. But who's doing it?"

"Who cares?" Ron said.

"Ron, for all we know, Malfoy might have been responsible for what happened to your parents."

"Whatever it is, he won't talk," Jack said. "I've tried to get an answer out of him with no luck."

"Maybe we should try using a truth potion," Ron said.

"Well, we can't make a very strong one, can we? Veritaserum is the strongest there is, and it's monitored by the Ministry."

"So, we won't make a strong one! I don't care, I just want to squeeze a confession out of that Slytherin slime ball."

Jack wasn't so sure. "Why don't we first send a message to . . . to . . . ?"

"Snuffles?" Hermione picked up. "Sounds like a good idea to me."

Jack wrote the letter, despite Harry's protests. He wanted to make sure he explained the details of what he saw that night and at the Burrow. Then he asked if Ron's advice to use a truth potion would do any good. He signed it with his family symbol and had the others sign it as well.

While they waited for a response, school got back to normal. Jack was enjoying most of the classes. He decided he liked Care of Magical Creatures the most. For one thing, he was learning how to deal with a dangerous creature should he ever encounter it. For another thing, Hagrid reminded him a lot of his Scottish friend. Defense Against the Dark Arts was also intriguing, even though the teacher was not exactly pleasant. Muggle Studies remained enlightening, yet puzzling. Jack kept reading Hermione's book, but mainly it had more additional features than it did answers. As for Potions, well, Snape was still Snape.

Monday finally came around, the moment Jack was waiting for--the sibyl's reading. She had a cute classroom, but it was rather hot. Jack didn't mind too much. The dry air and the incensed fire made him think of Delphi and what his experience would have been if he had seen the Oracle.

"Tea, my dear?" the sibyl asked.

"Please," Jack said with a bow. She cocked an eyebrow and poured him a cup. "Thank you," Jack said nodding. The tea had leaves floating in it. Jack hadn't seen tea fixed this way in a long time. He often wondered what happened to the tealeaves after it was prepared in Aku's time. The tea was very good, just as he remembered it from the days of his youth. "Thank you for the refreshment" he said upon finishing.

"Wait!" the sibyl said. "Swish the dregs three times and turned the cup upside down on the saucer. Then we shall begin."

Jack wasn't sure about this strange request, but then understood. She probably could read tealeaves. So he did what she asked and handed her the saucer. She sat back down in her seat and lifted the teacup. "Oh no!"

The sibyl went very pale and started backing away. "I, I should have known. You're going to . . . to--oh dear!"

"What is it?"

"The signs are clear. You are an agent of the Dark One!" She handed him the saucer back. Jack was amazed. It was clearly a representation of Aku. The sibyl collapsed into an armchair. "Take me. Do not prolong the inevitable. I am ready."

"You do not understand. I do not work for him. He is my sworn enemy."

The sibyl looked at the tealeaves once again. "Wait. Yes. I remember. The sign of the Dark One means that a powerful enemy is hunting you. I apologize for overreacting. I should have started with the Crystal Orb. We shall do that now."

Jack was looking forward to this. Perhaps this sibyl could see how he will return to his home, and it would make his journey much easier.

Carmen pulled out the crystal ball from under the table. "Now, concentrate. Clear your thoughts. Leave your spirit free."

That wasn't too difficult a task. Jack does that in some way every morning. He closed his eyes and breathed slowly. The sibyl grabbed his hands and started chanting quietly. Suddenly, tambourine and chimes hanging from the ceiling started jingling, but there was not a breath of air in the room.

"Good," the sibyl said quietly.

"What is happening?"

"Shh!" the sibyl hissed. "Concentrate!"

Jack tried to concentrate again, but he had to admit he was a little "creeped out." His eyes kept darting to the jangling charms as he wondered what was going on.

"Good. I'm beginning to see something."

Jack leaned over to get a better look at the crystal, but he couldn't see anything. "What is it?"

"It is a dark cloud, an evil presence, ever changing. It is dominating." She answered his unasked question. "Yes, it is the Dark One. But there is something breaking it, like a ray of light. It is long and narrow, like a blade. The light is growing stronger. It just might win."

The sibyl continued to look intently into the crystal. Jack was at a loss. Why was she seeing in symbols? This was not the prediction he was hoping to hear.

"Things are starting to become clearer now. I'm beginning to see people. They're fighting. The good is winning, but just barely. It is, it is-- what?!?"

Jack nearly jumped out of his chair. "What is it? What do you see?"

"Nothing, that's what. The vision suddenly stopped. It was as though the spirits just pulled the plug. It's never happened before."

"Is it, I mean am I going to, to . . ."

"I don't know. Let me see your palm."

Jack reluctantly stretched out his right hand. She took it and examined it with her fingers. "You do have a long lifeline. It almost desires for more hand so that it may continue to extend. Hmmm, your hands have seen better days. All these cuts, scars, and scorch marks. But no, you won't die, not anytime soon."

"So, what does this mean?"

"It is hard to say. I won't settle for this! I want to know what this means as much as you do. I can see if there is anything wrong with the orb, and we shall meet again in a couple of days."

They tried again and again days afterward. There was nothing wrong with the crystal ball, and it produced the same results. Then she tried other methods. She tried the Tarot cards, but they were very vague to her. She asked for Jack's birthday, but their calendars weren't compatible. So she couldn't consult the stars. But she did not give up.

"I have other means, dear. Come in a few days. There is one option that I use as a last resort. It is very powerful, but also very risky. It is sure to give us an answer."

Soon he had to turn his mind to other things. Sirius answered his note.

Jack,

I'm not really sure if Draco Malfoy is responsible for the Weasleys' attack, but it is suspicious that he was under a trance that evening. A truth potion wouldn't hurt. Hermione is usually sharp about these kinds of ideas. I gathered a few ingredients for a fairly good potion. It's no Veritaserum, and it only lasts five minutes, but it might do just the trick.

Good luck,

Snuffles

Jack met Sirius as a dog along the edge of the forest. Jack and Hermione put the potion together. Then he waited in the antechamber in the Great Hall. Hermione brought in a flask of pumpkin juice and two empty goblets. "I'm going to put a thirst charm on the threshold. That way the first person that comes IN will be very, very thirsty. We'll put the potion in the pumpkin juice. All we got to do is make sure that Malfoy comes in first. Then he'll be so thirsty, he'll want to drink the pumpkin juice." She poured a glass of pumpkin juice and gave it to Jack. "He may want to see you drink it first to insure that this is alright."

"This seems rather dishonest," Jack said warily.

"Let's face it, sometimes you gotta be dishonest to do good," Ron answered.

"I do not think so."

"Well, it's the plan we got, so let's go with it."

Hermione finished getting everything set up. "Alright. Ron and I are leaving. We're going OUT, so the charm won't affect us. But make absolutely sure that the next person to come in is Malfoy. Anybody else will ruin everything."

She and Ron got out of the room, and immediately Ron cried, "Wait, I forgot my--!"

He almost stepped over the threshold, but Hermione pulled him away by his ear. "He'll get it to you later."

So Jack waited in the doorway for Draco to come by. The plan was almost ruined when Cho and her friends walked by. "Hey Cho, there's your angel," one of them said.

"Of course, you know what they say, the Devil disguises himself as an angel of light," another added, and all the girls around her laughed. They started to head toward Jack, probably to mock him.

"Can it. Leave him alone," Cho said.

"Whatever you say, Delilah," another girl giggled.

Cho just waved at Jack and mouthed, "Ignore them."

A few minutes later, Parvati and Lavender found him. "Hey Jack," they shrilled together.

"Hello ladies," he answered bashfully.

"Professor Trelawney told us how hard a time she's having telling your future," Lavender said.

'Maybe we should give it a try," Parvati suggested.

"Good idea. Perhaps another time."

"Oh, we could do it now," Lavender said. "Right here in fact."

"No. Right now, I am concerned with things in the present."

"Homework, right?" Parvati said. "Gotcha."

"We'll meet you in the common room," Lavender said, and they left. Just as they were leaving, Jack saw Draco and his two henchmen heading toward him.

"Malfoy, good evening to you," Jack bowed. "I need to speak with you for a moment, in private."

The two big guys were already stepping back. They remembered how easily he pushed them over last time. Draco rolled his eyes at them. "Alright. I've been meaning to talk to you as well."

Draco stepped into the doorway. He paused and blinked, but then he casually sat in a velvet armchair. Was the charm somehow broken?

"I know you were following me the other night," Draco said.

That came as a surprise. "How did you know?"

Draco looked at him oddly and answered, "Well, I heard you talking about it with Weasley and them."

"Oh." Wait, that couldn't be right.

"Get me a drink. I'm thirsty."

Good, he did go under the charm. Jack poured some pumpkin juice from the flask and gave Draco the goblet. Draco took a long swig, then spit it all out. "What, was this made from rotten pumpkins? The taste is very off- color."

"I have some here from the same flask, and it is fine." Jack sipped from it and showed Draco the glass. "You see?"

"I don't trust you, but I'm so thirsty I could drink a whole bottle of Skele-grow. If I get sick, though, it's your fault."

Draco took a long gulp and suddenly coughed. He dropped the goblet on the floor. Then he looked up at Jack with the straightest face ever. His pupils had become so small, they looked like tiny dots of ink.

The potion worked. Jack only had five minutes, so he spoke quickly. "Who put you under that trance last night?"

"Anteus," Draco answered. He had a small, strained voice, as though it were fighting against something.

"So it is Undertaker. Tell me about him. What do you know?"

"Last summer, after the Dark Lord returned to power, Father wanted me to grow where I lacked so that I would be of service to the Dark Lord one day. Therefore, he circulated a want add around Knockturn Alley among the Death Eaters for a dark arts tutor. Anteus was the first and only applicant. Father did not want him because he did not recognize his surname thus was not sure if he was a Pureblood, but I wanted to keep him from the start. I do not know why. Ever since then, Anteus has put his own power into me. Father does not know that he is not preparing me to work for the Dark Lord but for a new leader. One day soon, the Dark Lord will fall, and Anteus will usher the new leader into power. He has promised me that I will be his chief servant. I will be paid handsomely, for I will ensure that only my kind survives."

"This is why Undertaker is protecting Hogwarts from the One Who You Fear."

"Father was furious when he discovered that Fudge appointed Anteus as a school governor. He felt betrayed. Father does not know the truth. He will not know."

"Why did he summon you in a trance?"

"That is the way he calls me. Every night at midnight, he summons me to his secret chamber. He enchants me so I do not know where I am going, that I would not be tempted to go there in the day. He enchants Mrs. Norris, Filch, and the teachers to sleep so that I would not be caught. I go to him, and we plan for that glorious day that shall come. His spell deprives me of sleep, but the result will be worth it."

"Was he responsible for what happened to the Weasleys?"

But Draco closed his eyes and shook his head. "What happened? Why is pumpkin juice all over my shoes?"

"I will clean it. Thank you, Draco. You have told me what I needed to know."

Draco left confused. Jack made up his mind. He will borrow Harry's cloak again and will find once and for all what Draco is doing.

Wait a minute, Draco couldn't have heard when Jack told Ron about when he saw Draco that night. Draco was asleep at the Slytherin table.

******************

Harry initially would not loan his cloak out again to Jack, but Ron pressured him into it. Jack kept the cloak under his arm and waited for midnight to come.

He didn't mean to, but he dozed off as he was waiting. He had another dream of being out in the mist. The bird remained on his shoulder. The snake was coiled tightly around his arm. Jack still could not clearly see the other creature, but he saw its yellow eyes watching his every move. Then he came to a familiar sight--the enchanted well where he first found those blind guards. He was about to move away when he heard a stern order.

"Put the animals into the cauldron."

Snape glared at him from the mists. He stood along side the well. Jack looked at its bubbling, black waters and shook his head. "No."

"Twenty points from Gryffindor if you do not comply, Samson."

"But if I do it, they will die." The bird cooed softy and buried its head further into his hair. The snake coiled even tighter. Even the mysterious, unseen creature seemed to move closer toward Jack for shelter. "See? They do not want to go."

"Then we will make them!" a cold voice said behind him. Jack turned to see a wizard in a hooded, black robe, Undertaker. He tore the bird off of Jack shoulder and the snake from his arm. He threw them into the well along with the woodland creature. Jack tried to stop him, but for some reason he could not move his hands. "It has begun."

Aku's hand appeared again. It lowered down to the well and opened. Harry fell out of the palm. Screaming, he was dumped into the well.

Jack woke up and realized that time was getting away from him. He put on the cloak and headed out.

He found Draco on the third floor, as though it was just where he had left him last time. Jack followed Draco down a couple of corridors. Right as Draco went into a room, a suit of armor fell in front of Jack. It shook, and Jack heard muffled yells. This is the armor he locked Peeves in, but this wasn't where he left him. Jack pushed the suit of armor back upright and bolted for that room.

Draco was gone. He saw a rather tall and ornate mirror sliding over a hole and closing. Jack ran to the mirror and tried to push it back. It would not move. He even drew his sword and tried to wedge it open. No luck.

Jack tried to look for another way around, when he looked at the mirror in fear and concern. He was still wearing the cloak, but he could see his reflection in the mirror. He tried to tie the cloak tighter to himself, but the image didn't disappear.

Then he saw a blossom fall at his feet. Yet he looked down, and there was nothing. In the mirror, though, he was standing in a rain of lotus and cherry petals.

And then, in the mirror, the room disappeared. Jack saw castles, shrines, and all the places that made his home. Two young people came to him and bowed.

"Mother. Father," Jack whispered.

The reflection of the empress came nearer and hugged his reflection's shoulders.

Jack leaned upon the glass. "Forgive me. Father, I should have heeded your warning. I let Aku--"

But the emperor gestured to a place far on a hill. A dying tree stood there, and Jack knew it was Aku trapped again. The father smiled and put on Jack's reflection an imperial robe.

"Why am I just watching this?" Jack thought. "I should be there!" He hit the glass hard with his fists. He kicked it. He threw his sword at it. None of his efforts even scratched the glass, much less break it. Jack did not know what broke his heart more, the fact that this was merely an illusion, or that none of the reflections mirrored his anguish.

Jack fell on his hands and knees and wept. He wept harder than ever in his adult life. His mirror mother and father did not seem to care. Jack hated this scene, but he could not tear himself away.

The overwhelming sorrow finally brought Jack back to sleep. It might have been his mind playing tricks with him, but before he fell into slumber, he heard a whispering voice. It was his own, and it was a strange whisper. It almost sounded as though it was speaking backwards, but he could still understand what it said.

"I will see you. I will see you soon."