Note: I would put in more details and filler, but for lack of ideas, it's time to cut to the climax.

Chapter 7: Unravel

Jack dreamed that he was still staring at the mysterious reflection. He was completely frozen. As much as he wanted to move away, he could not move at all. Then the picture shrunk and lost its color. A bubble disturbed the image, and the picture rippled and disappeared. Jack could move again, and he backed away. He wasn't looking at that strange mirror. He was looking at that black magic well.

As the ripples faded, Jack saw a new image in the waters, Undertaker handing something to Professor Snape. Jack stood to challenge Snape, who looked darkly at him. Snape threw whatever Undertaker gave him at Jack's feet. It exploded.

When the smoke cleared, Jack was flying on a broom, a bludger bat in his hand. Another player cut him off, the same way Cho cut Harry off at the game. It wasn't a Slytherin. It was his dark side.

"Where did you come from?" Jack asked.

"Where did you come from?" the dark samurai mimicked.

"Mock me not!"

"Mock me not!" His dark side laughed and flew circles around Jack. He stopped and flew close to Jack's ear. "The good news is I'm not here to attack you. The bad news is . . . " He looked around stealthily, smiled deviously, and whispered, "He knows. There are no more secrets."

Jack had no idea what he meant. "There are no more secrets?"

The dark samurai pointed at him and laughed evilly. From nowhere, Jack could hear Aku laughing as well. He looked down at himself and saw that his robe was now black. He looked all around him, but he could not see Aku. Then he turned back to his dark side, but he had vanished. A Bludger was in his place, and it charged straight at him.

"OW! What the . . .?"

Someone had tripped over Jack. He woke up, tried to focus. It took him a while to realize he still had the cloak on. He took it off and looked closer at the boy.

"Ernie?"

He turned around. It was indeed Ernie McMillan, his friend from Muggle Studies.

"Jack? Where did you come from?"

"Where did you--I mean, I believe I deserve an answer to the same question."

"Took a wrong turn I reckon. Best be getting back to the Great Hall. Quidditch match is in about an hour."

"It's morning already?"

"Yeah! What, have you been sleeping here all night?"

"I don't know. I just looked in that strange mirror and . . . "

"What strange mirror?"

Jack looked behind him. The mirror was gone.

"Perhaps it was a dream."

"Whatever. See you in MS." Ernie ran out.

Bewildered, Jack got to his feet and walked out of the room. (Was this even the same room?) In his attempt to find his way, Jack walked right into a flag. He hadn't seen a flag like this before. "Ernie?" he called.

Jack heard footsteps stop and come back his way. "Yes?" a disgruntled, out- of-breath Ernie McMillan replied.

"What does this mean?"

"'Never tickle a sleeping dragon.' It's the school motto."

"I know that, but what do these symbols mean?"

"That's the school crest, of course! Each animal is the mascot for each house. I thought you knew that. Now let me go. I'm hungry."

"OK. Thank you. I am sorry to trouble you."

Ernie promptly left again, but Jack continued to stare at the banner. The snake, the bird, and the mysterious creature in the woods were all here. Was there really something to these dreams after all? But there was not a lion in this dream. What did it mean?

Jack stomach growled. He needed to go get breakfast as well. He made up his mind to ask Sirius about it later.

The Great Hall really wasn't all that far away. As soon as he found a stairway, he was able to find his way. He sat down next to Ron at the Gryffindor table and silently began to eat.

"So, did you find where that idiot Malfoy's been up to?" Ron asked.

Jack sighed. "To tell the truth, I'm not completely sure if I really followed him."

"What? Then where've you been all night?"

"It's very strange." He described everything that he encountered, except for Peeves and his dream. Ron groaned when he heard about the mirror. "And when I woke it was gone. Could it have been a dream?"

"What was the mirror like?" Harry asked.

"I didn't look at it too closely. It was tall, it reached the ceiling. I saw it had an inscription at the top. I didn't take time to read it, but it looked like it was written in a different language."

"Oh, where was it Samson?"

"Don't answer that!" Ron interjected. "That was no dream. That was the Mirror of Erised. Jack, take my advice, don't go looking for that mirror."

"Why?"

"Harry found it our first year here. It nearly drove the both of us mad!"

"No, I mean why would I go looking for it?"

"Well, you just saw what you most desire. Most normal people would want to see it again."

"It's no good, Ron. I tried to get to the other side, but the mirror would not break. I knew it was no more than an illusion. What good is seeing what I most desire if it cannot give me what I most desire? I don't need to see it again to remember. Memories of my home have long been burned into my memory. They have haunted my dreams for years. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."

Jack finished his breakfast and left the table. "Wow. He has Dumbledore's wisdom already," Ron gasped.

The Quidditch match of Slytherin against Hufflepuff was later that day. It was a great game. Ernie happened to be one of the new Chasers, and he was really good. Hufflepuff was ahead for most of the match because of the many Quaffle goals he made. However, Draco fell asleep on his broom and as he was snoring the Snitch flew into his mouth. So, Slytherin won.

The following week the Gryffindor team started beefing up on their training. They trained every night, and Jack was part of the operation. He was getting better and better.

Luckily, he still had time to see what the sibyl had in store for him. Immediately when he came in, the sibyl immediately closed all the flaps of the tent super-tight. She turned off the lamps and put out the perfume fire. She lit a few candles and spread on the floor a board with huge English letters written on it.

"What is oo-eye-ja?" Jack asked looking at the name at the top of the board.

"It's Ouija," the sibyl replied. Jack had no idea where she would get "wee- jee" out of that word. "It is our direct connection to the spirits themselves. I only use it as a last resort. You never know whom you're talking to. Many a séance has gone awry. Now, all you need to do is to put your fingers on this pointer. I shall speak on your behalf."

Jack nodded and put his fingers on the strange magnifying glass with tiny wheels. "Spirits, we beseech you," the sibyl said in a loud, dramatic voice. "Are you among us?"

There was a brief, uncomfortable pause, and then the pointer slowly started moving toward the word "Yes" at the side of the board.

"How did you do that?" Jack asked.

"Oh, I didn't," the sibyl smiled.

Jack was confused. He certainly didn't do it. Was there truly another force from the great beyond guiding him?

"Answer us truthfully, spirits," the sibyl said. "Are you for us? Are there any troublemakers or dark spirits among you?"

After a few moments, the pointer glided slowly to the word "No." Jack wondered which question it was answering.

But the sibyl seemed very convinced. "They're on our side. That ought to cut back on a lot of problems." She cleared her throat and continued. "Spirits, consider this young man, Jack. He is looking for his home. Where can he find his way back?"

There was a very long pause. The pointer remained stationery for quite some time.

"What advice can you give him?" the sibyl finally asked.

The air felt very eerie. Jack was about to give up and remove his hand when then pointer began to move again. Jack held his breath. The pointer moved to the L, continued to an O, pointed to the O again, and then to a K.

"Look," the sibyl whispered.

Jack bit his lip. The spirits knew where he had to go, and they were going to tell him where to look.

The pointer moved back to the O, then to the U, and finally stopped on the T.

"Look out," the sibyl nodded.

"Look out where?" Jack asked.

"I think the question should be for what."

"Ask them both."

But before the sibyl could, the pointer moved like lightning to the same letters. "L-O-O-K-O-U-T-L-O-O-K-O-U-T."

Jack felt as though his hand might fall off, but the sibyl shook with a great fear. "We are in danger."

But Jack was beginning to see something hovering in the air. "I don't think so." He grabbed a fistful of incense and threw it upward. "MYRTLE!"

The ghost shrank back. "Hi Jack. I was still trying to think--"

"This is not a place to play! This was important to me!"

"But I've never been summoned to a séance before, and I was just saying thank you for what you have done."

"Be gone depressed spirit! BE GONE!"

Myrtle floated out of the classroom crying.

"This isn't going to work, is it?" Jack asked.

"No," the sibyl sighed. "I wouldn't had guessed that our own ghosts would interfere, except for that impish one. I haven't sensed his presence in quite some time, though."

"Is there anything else we can do?"

"I'm afraid not. Forgive me, my dear. I do not know why the fates would close my third eye to you."

"Thank you for trying, sibyl," Jack bowed. But as he left, he began wondering if Hermione was right, that she was nothing but a fraud.

The second floor was flooded for several days afterward. Many times, when Jack waded through, he could hear Myrtle wailing. Jack would often pause and listen, filled with guilt. Then he remembered what she did and passed by in anger.

Jack wasn't getting a lot out of classes because it was about time for finals. Dumbledore told Jack that he was excused. Still, Jack attended just to see what was happening.

"Takes notes on this, because I will only teach it once, and there is a strong chance that it will be on the exam," Snape said. "This is the Duplicos Potion. It is one of most potent potions I will ever teach you. It works on contact. Any substance, save living tissue, touching the potion will create an immediate copy."

"Whoa," Fred said. "I don't think anybody in our family has learned this."

"We ought to try it with money," George whispered.

The potion was very complex, but just like the other potions Jack closely followed the instructions. As he was stirring the potion he stopped. "Professor Snape!" he called.

Snape hesitantly walked over to him. "What is it, Samson?"

"Is this supposed to happen?" He lifted his metal spoon out of the mess. It had two scoops and looked like it was continuing to divide.

Snape sighed. "For goodness sake, Samson, use a wooden spoon."

"Why?"

"Were you even listening? Wood absorbs the potion, unlike other material."

"I listened to every word. You never mentioned anything of the sort. However, it is all right. I will use a wooden spoon."

For some reason, after the lesson Snape asked to keep the potions for final evaluation. Nobody could figure out exactly why. Jack didn't have time to think about it. The next day was their final Quidditch match.

Jack ate his breakfast and didn't pay any attention to everyone's encouragement/criticism. He kept thinking about the last dream, and he knew something terrible was going to happen this match.

But then he felt a hand touch his shoulder that woke him out of his worry. "Hey Jack," Cho said.

"Cho!" Harry's expression brightened up. "Delighted to see you here! Have a seat."

"Hi Harry," Cho muttered. "Jack, could you come with me real quick? I have something to show you."

Jack nodded and joined her. Harry glowered at him as they went into the antechamber.

"This is my good luck charm," Cho said. She reached behind her neck and unlatched a golden chain. The chain had a pendant that looked like a tiny shrine. "Engorgio!" she said tapping the charm with her wand. The charm grew, and Jack saw that was actually a cricket cage.

Jack couldn't stop himself from laughing just a little bit. "I loved catching crickets as a child. I also thought they brought luck."

"Oh, it's not just the cage. Look." She opened the door. "This is a family heirloom. Mother says it is over two thousand years old."

She reached in and pulled out a cricket made of origami! She handed it to Jack and laughed at his stunned silence. "Animate!" she commanded with her wand. The cricket sprung to life and hopped out of Jack's hand. Cho and Jack playfully chased it around the room. It was good for Jack to get out some energy and to laugh. After the cricket was caught, Cho stopped it with a "Finite Incantatem!"

"Where did this come from?" Jack asked her.

"One of my ancestors. I don't know the complete story, but somebody gave it to her. I'm not sure who." Cho placed the cricket back in the cage and shrank it. Then she placed the chain into Jack's hand. "Jack, I want you to have this."

Jack shook his head. "No."

"Just for the Quidditch match. I'm sure it will give you good luck."

"I cannot accept this." He got an idea. "If you want our team to have luck, give it to Harry."

"Harry?"

"He would be upset with me if I accepted this."

Cho laughed rather hard. "Oh, he thought that I . . . oh, I see."

"So, you are not . . .?"

"Jack, he doesn't completely understand. I like Harry, almost as much as I like you." Then Cho turned away and sobbed. "But my heart is in the ground with Cedric."

Cho sat down and began to cry. Jack patted her shoulder. "I am . . . sorry."

He turned to leave her alone, but she said, "No, sit down. You don't know about him. He was never mentioned in the Daily Prophet." She told him about Cedric and what had happened the previous year. "He was doing so well in the tournament. It took us all by surprised what happened. He disappeared and was killed by . . . by . . . by You-Know-Who!"

When Jack heard that "You-Know-Who" was the culprit, his face fused into a cold, determined expression. He picked up the chain and walked out of the room. Silently, he walked out to a secluded place outside and stabbed his sword into the ground. "I will find Aku and make him answer for the terror he has caused this school. I will avenge Cedric's blood. I swear it."

He heard a gasp. Cho was watching him, terrified. Jack quickly hid his sword, but the damage was done. She ran away.

"There you are, Strong Man!" George said. "Come on, we've been looking for you!"

Jack got up and followed him. They went together to the Gryffindor team's tent where they heard another rousing speech. Then Jack picked up his broom and his bat. Something greasy was all over the handle. Jack found a rag and quickly wiped the residue off.

"Please make welcome the Gryffindors: Spinnet, Bell, Johnson, Potter, Weasley, Weasley, and by popular demand, Samson!" The stands erupted into applause. "Remember, the winner of this match wins the coveted Quidditch cup for the year! So may the best team win! And we all know who the best team is."

"Jordan!"

"Sorry Professor."

Jack resigned to keep a close watch on the Slytherins. He feared his dream meant something terrible would happen at the match.

He kicked off and searched for Bludgers. Sure enough, one Slytherin Beater immediately hit one his way. Jack hit it off to the sky. He heard another coming from behind and hit that out of the way as well.

"Whoa! That one came back quick!"

The first one that Jack struck was coming back. He hit it again. Then another one pelted him from the sky. He got it just in time.

But as he continued to look around the field, he wondered if somehow he was hit on the head. He saw five Bludgers on the field and more coming!

Jack flew near George. "Did you not say that there are only two Bludgers?"

"Yeah," George answered. "Where'd you suppose these are coming from?"

"I do not know, but help me keep them out of the way." Jack continued to strike every Bludger he could find, but the problem only seemed to get worse. He searched like a hawk for any Slytherin working hocus-pocus to make this happen.

"Who says Quidditch isn't full of surprises?" Lee asked. "I count no less than twenty Bludgers on the field! Well, I hope whoever is behind this will get his. AND I SAY HIS BECAUSE THERE ARE NO GIRLS ON THE SLYTHERIN TEAM!"

"JORDAN, THAT'S QUITE ENOUGH!"

Jack looked toward the faculty/staff box to see if Professor Snape was up to anything. Instead, he saw a wizard in a black robe standing in the teacher's box with a smile of intrigue on his face. He had a pale face and shocking red hair. Despite the red hair, Jack knew he wasn't one of the Weasleys. He didn't see this man's picture anywhere at the house. This was Undertaker. He glared. "I will play games no longer."

"What is he doing?" Jordan asked. "In the midst of all this chaos, Samson is dropping his bat? Does he have his head on stai--what? Now he's getting out of his robe! What is this, some kind of forfeit?"

The Gryffindors screamed at Jack to stop, but the Slytherins were egging him on. "Samson, what's wrong with you?" Harry yelled from his post. "Are you mad?"

"Yes!" Jack yelled back at him. He tossed off the ripped Quidditch robe to reveal he samurai gi. "Yes I am!"

Jordan practically screamed, "MERLIN'S BEARD, WHAT IS THAT?"

The next Bludger that flew his way, Jack caught with his hand. He sliced the Bludger in half with his sword. From there he charged on his broom and cut every Bludger in his path. One flew toward the stands, and he sliced it right over the Ravenclaw stands. All the spectators screamed, but none looked more horrified than Cho.

Most people in the crowd did not know how to respond. Everybody seemed to be in agreement that Jack was out of his mind. Hermione might have been the only people who held him in esteem. "That has to be the bravest thing I have ever seen."

Madame Hooch kept blowing her whistle, but Jack didn't even hear her. Finally, when he was about to strike one of the last two, she grabbed his wrist. "That will be quite enough of that."

"Let me go! He wants to hurt them!"

"Come with me."

Most people booed as he walked out, though it wasn't completely sure whom they were booing. "So, who wants a spot of tea?" Lee finally managed to say.

Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape were both waiting for him.

"What were you thinking?" Professor McGonagall cried.

"He wants to hurt them! I was trying to protect them!"

"I realize that, but what if a player came up to close, and you cut off his or her ear?"

"That would not happen. I have been trained too well. Go to Undertaker. He is behind this."

"Is he?" Professor Snape spoke up. "Well, I have been investigating your discarded bat, Samson. Madame Hooch, this bat has been saturated with a Duplicos potion. I taught this to Samson's class yesterday, and only one person finished. I'll give you three guesses who."

"I did not go near the Quidditch Equipment, professor. I give you my word."

"What good is the word of a dunderhead?"

Jack looked Snape in the eye. "You can do whatever you wish with me, but you do not revoke my word and take away my honor."

"Jack, calm down," Professor McGonagall said. "I am the head of your house. Your fate rests with me, not with him."

Jack fell at her feet. "Believe me, Professor. I have done nothing."

"Stand up, Jack. You're making a fool of yourself."

"No, first I must--"

"Stand!" Jack was forced to stand, so she must have used her wand. "I believe that you have not tampered with the Quidditch equipment. However, your conduct on the field is inexcusable in my judgment. Therefore, this match is hereby cancelled, and I will take away twenty points from Gryffindor."

"If you see it as just, then so be it."

"I would take your sword from you, but Dumbledore has ordered me to let you keep it. So I must warn you, if I see you draw that weapon, you will be expelled."

"Very well. I will never use it to harm an innocent."

Madame Hooch dismissed him. He walked out of the Quidditch field. The sky had turned strange colors: red, green, blue, and yellow. Wait, he had seen those colors before. Suddenly, a mist surrounded him, and instead of seeing the castle before him he saw the well. Something was coming out of the well. It looked like Harry, but he was black all over, and he had the same green face and flaming eyebrows as Aku. Jack wasn't sure if he should attack or not. Harry had in his arms the snake, the bird, and the woodland creature, which were now all black, and he released them. Wherever they went, they took away color. They spread darkness everywhere, and Jack could not stop it. Harry stared Jack down and the lightning bolt scar began to flash. It beamed some kind of lightning around Jack that trapped him.