Chapter 4
Moving right along. This is chapter 4. Some interesting stuff happens in this one, and there's another new student coming, though slightly less creepy then Elani. By the way I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, because if I did I wouldn't be writing fanfics but would be, as of now, on my private jet in Honolulu.
Harry backed away from Elani. Was she having a seizure? Was she dying?! Horrible thoughts raced through Harry's head. But before he could do anything Elani's head shot up and Harry saw that her eyes had…cleared? She stumbled off her chair.
"Paper. Bring me a sheet of paper and a quill. Please." She begged at his feet. Harry hesitated a moment then rushed over to a desk. Someone had left his or her homework out. He grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill and brought it to Elani. She began to scribble madly on the paper. Her eyes rolled in the back of her head and she muttered under her breath. Not once did she look at the paper, but Harry knew she was writing something. But Harry couldn't read it. It was in another language.
"Err, Elani? Do you need help? Do you need something?" He asked. Like a straitjacket Harry added silently to himself.
"Get. Away. From me. Time. Is. Not…. upon us yet. I am cursed to…" Harry listened closer to her muttering. He realized she was not talking to him. "a servant to him. My mind is controlled by…he wants the light…" Her voice was sounding more normal. "I will protect him. He will die. He will die. I will kill him to protect…the light….of…Santorini." She barely whispered the last word. She collapsed onto the floor and began to cry. Harry timidly placed a hand on her head, patting her awkwardly.
"It hurts. Do you know how much it hurts?" She whispered. "Why do you cause me so much pain? You don't know how much. How much." She suddenly was clinging to Harry, burying her face in his chest. He wrapped an arm around her.
"It…it will be okay." Harry did not think it would be okay though. He was seriously wondering about Elani's sanity. She suddenly pushed him away and picked up the parchment with her mad scribbling on it. She ran up to the girls' dormitory. Harry was tired and had a headache. And he had a quidditch match the next day.
"Oh, cheer up Harry. Elani's just nuts. Her mum probably shipped her off to Hogwarts so she didn't have to take care of her." Ron scooped fried eggs on to his plate.
"Ron, shut up ok. I told you about the dream." Harry had changed his mind about not telling about he dream after his strange encounter with Elani. "About Voldemort cursing somebody with the imperious curse. And then she said Lord Voldemort cursed her. She said, "the time is not upon us. I am cursed to be a servant to him." Then she said she'd kill him. And she must protect the Light of…of…what was it?"
"Santorini." Hermione said. Harry looked at her inquisitively. "I hear her muttering in her sleep and I saw her leave the dormitory and I saw her come back in. She had that paper you gave her with her. She took out this little box and put it in there. Then she locked it. Ron's wrong. I really think she's possessed by You-Know-Who. I think she's under the imperious spell, if what you say is true. That fit you saw could've been her trying to fight the control." Ron's jaw dropped and bits of egg fell out of his mouth.
"I don't want to deal with this. I just want to play quidditch and be normal." Harry dropped his head into his hands. "Why does something like this happen every single year!"
"You're not normal Harry. You never will be."
"See Harry. It's ok you're a freak. Elani is not our problem."
"If she's controlled by You-Know-Who then she is our problem Ron! But I can't be sure. I think we should try and open that chest." Hermione glanced at Elani who was sitting by herself.
Ron gave her a horrified look. "Are you crazy Hermione! Maybe you want to die but I don't."
Harry looked at Ron, a furious look on his face. "Look, we have a match in," Harry looked at his watch, "ten damn minutes and a girl in our year might be possessed by Voldemort. Stop making it sound like a small thing because it's not. After we play against Ravenclaw, we're going to open that box and find out what's going on, because I am so sick of Voldemort fucking up every single school year I've had and this one isn't going to be ruined either."
Ron nodded, stunned. "Alright Harry. But you don't have to get angry."
Harry looked at Hermione whose face was contorted in a face of shock. Harry suddenly felt guilty. He breathed out a long sigh.
"I'm sorry Ron. I didn't mean to get mad. Its just Voldemort is back in power and no one seems to take it seriously."
Ron gave weak smile. "S'okay Harry."
Suddenly the hall went quiet. Professor Dumbledore had stood up to make an announcement. "Everyone, a new student has joined Hogwarts! Our new arrival has already been placed in Gryffindor, sixth year."
Ron moaned. "Not another one."
Dumbledoore continued, "Allow me to introduce Jonathan Lands. I hope you will make him feel at home!" A boy stepped out from behind Dumbledoore. He was very tall and extremely handsome. "And good luck to both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw in today's match." A roar rose up from the Gryffindor table as everyone stomped and cheered, challenged only by the Ravenclaw table that was just as loud. Professor McGonagall stood up a led the boy to the Gryffindor table. He found a seat next to Hermione, who began to turn rather red. Ron scowled.
"Hello!" The boy greeted cheerfully. A few people introduced themselves and waved. Dean Thomas leaned over the table and shook his hand.
"Hi. I'm Hermione Granger. And this is Harry Potter, and that's Ron Weasly." As Hermione turned to introduce Harry and Ron, Jonathan appeared to be checking her out. Ron's scowl deepened.
"Lands? Hey I know that name!" Seamus Finnigan said. "Does your mum work for the Ministry of Magic?"
"Hey, yeah! She works in Department of International Magical Cooperation."
Parvati Patil leaned over the table and said in a low, sultry voice, "Hi. I'm Parvati."
Dean scoffed at Parvati then said, "So why've you come to Hogwarts?"
"Oh well," Jonathan lowered his voice, "what with You-Know-Who back in power me mum thought it best to send me here." The others nodded knowingly.
"There isn't any safer place then Hogwarts!" Neville said. "That's what Gram says."
Jonathan turned and began to appraise Hermione some more. Ron jumped in to distract him.
"Do you like quidditch, because we're going to be playing soon."
"Really! Yeah, I love it. Played myself, at my old school actually." Suddenly something caught Jonathan's eye. "Who is that?" He said in an almost dreamy voice. Several heads turned in the direction he was gazing in.
"That is Elani Lucida, and she is absolutely crazy." Parvati said her sexy voice having changed to a scathing tone. Jonathan continued to stare though, and Harry noticed that most of the girls at his end of the table suddenly wore frowns on their faces.
Stop right here, ok! This is Leila speaking. Look, I am not going to write a big long description of the quidditch match okay. I'm going to skip it. Don't complain. : )
Harry was ecstatic. All thoughts of Elani were pushed out of his mind. Deep down he knew he should be worried about her but right then he didn't care. Harry, Ron and the rest of the team had won their first match! After several spectacular saves by Ron and a record time, catch of the snitch by Harry, they had won, 200 to 30. Harry and his teammates stormed up to the dormitory, after shaking hands with the crestfallen Ravenclaw team.
That night, everyone felt a party was in order. While it was quickly being thrown together, several people realized that there was no food. Someone would have to go to the kitchens.
"Well, we'll go!" Ron suddenly burst out, pointing at himself and Harry. Harry really didn't feel like going but he knew Ron would need his invisibility cloak.
"Yeah, we can go." Harry said. They were given several nods and "hurry ups" before they could get the cloak.
"Let's bring the Marauder's Map." Ron said.
Harry brought it out. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." The previously blank service was suddenly covered in a detailed map of Hogwarts and its grounds. Little dots, which represented each teacher at Hogwarts, could be seen in assorted rooms. Harry quickly scanned it and decided the coast was clear. Abruptly there was a knock at the door. Jonathan stood in the threshold.
"Hello, guys. Erm, I was wonderin' if I could maybe come with you?" Ron and Harry looked at each other. He was knew and they didn't entirely trust him, but still…
"Well alright. But you've got to be quiet and no one can find out where the kitchens are except the three of us. Alright?" Harry said.
Jonathan gave fervent nod. The three of them went to the door, avoiding large groups of dancing people. Pulling it open they jumped out then quickly shut it. Harry felt as if the world had been silenced with a mute button. No music or singing people could be heard outside of Gryffindor common room. It was strangely eerie.
Harry threw the cloak over Ron, Jonathan, and himself. He looked at his map.
" Alright, most of the professors are in their classrooms and I think its all clear. Some time later they arrived in front of a portrait of a large bowl of fruit, the entrance to the kitchens. Harry tickled a pear (as he had been told to do several years ago) and it swung open. The three students were suddenly rushed by a large group of house elves, all asking the trio if there was anything, anything at all that they could do for them.
"Er, can we have some food? Like some crisps, or cakes maybe?" Ron asked. The house elves scampered off and soon came back carrying platters and plates spilling over with food. Just as the boys were picking up all of the sweets, Harry felt something run into him, colliding into a hug. It was a house elf by the name of Dobby who was very fond of Harry.
"Oh Harry Potter sir! You have come to visit Dobby. I is been missing Harry Potter, even though we's been busy doing much cleaning and cooking, sir!" Dobby went on to fill Harry in on what he had been doing for the last few weeks until the other house elves grew impatient. Dobby suddenly changed the subject to darker matters. "But Harry Potter now that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back, we's house elves are all very worried. And Dobby must tell you, Harry Potter, something bad is happening; someone is here who's up to no good. I's heard it muttered." Dobby looked over Harry's shoulder and his eyes grew wide. "I's must be going. Visit Dobby again, sir." And with a last hug that left Harry winded, Dobby ran off. Once outside of the kitchens and back in the hallway, holding all of the food they could carry, Ron gave Harry a significant look. "Something bad is happening, someone is here who's up to no good. I hear it muttered", that's what Dobby had said and Harry was feeling very worried. Jonathan on the other hand was having a great time. Every moment he seemed to be asking another question about Hogwarts, or the house elves, or quidditch. Harry tried to quiet him, but Jonathan stopped, suddenly, on his own. All three could hear footsteps echoing through the silence. Harry frantically looked at the Marauder's Map but no one was coming down the hallway. There was a sharp intake of breath and Harry looked up. Elani, was striding towards them.
"Harry, I think you should move." Jonathan whispered. The three of them took several steps back, the cloak still on them. She walked right up to where they were standing. She seemed to be appraising her surroundings. Harry knew she couldn't see them, but still..
She ran a finger in front of her, and Harry knew she felt the cloak material. She reached forward and grabbed the cloak. Harry, Ron, and Jonathan looked stunned. Elani's eyes were cloudy again. Abruptly she pushed Harry onto the ground and pinned him down, her hands holding his wrists. He knew that he was a sixteen-year-old teenager and he should have been able to push her off, but she was too strong. She leaned her head next to his ear. He could feel her breathing into his ear, then she whispered,
"I can protect you. The light is in you, you are safe. Your mother saved mine; I'll save yours. He walks in disguise." Then she looked into his eyes. Harry could feel his scar burning, he could feel her pinning him down, he could feel her eyes boring into his and he felt, knew, that she was seeing everything inside his mind. Then she leaned down and kissed him. All of a sudden, Jonathan pulled her off of Harry. Harry felt as if he was in a daze.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing, you bitch?" Jonathan hissed. Insults and horrible curse words poured out of Jonathan's mouth, and Elani sank down petrified, with Jonathan clenching her wrist. He grabbed a fist full of her hair and threw her against a wall. Ron gave a half shout,
"STOP!" Ron ran over to her. Harry had sat up, but he was still dizzy. He stood up shakily and walked over to Elani. A thin thread of blood had seeped along her forehead.
"Oh man." Jonathan said, horrified at what he had done, "I'm so sorry. I overreacted. But I thought she'd attacked him. I'm really sorry Elani." He shook her.
"Stop! You could mess up her head! Stop shaking her!" Ron said angrily. Harry pulled the cloak over Ron and himself. Jonathan lifted it up and went under with them. Harry picked up the food while Ron held Elani in his arms. She was unconscious. But her eyes were open, and the mist that had clouded them over was gone.
The next morning Ron and Harry told Hermione what had happened. Unlike the rest of the Gryffindors they were wide-awake. They had not done much partying after returning to the common room. Hermione had been the one to fix Elani's head.
"Well that settles it. Today, during lunch we'll go up to the girls dormitory and open that chest of hers." Hermione said in a matter of fact tone.
"Alright." Harry said agreeing. They both turned to Ron. He nodded his head.
At midday while everyone else was marching off to lunch, Harry, Ron, and Hermione hurried off to Gryffindor tower. Harry and Ron waited while Hermione dashed upstairs to get Elani's chest. She carried it over and set it down on the floor. The three gathered around it. It was made of a beautiful, dark wood with intricate carvings and patterns covering all of the sides.
"Alohomora!" Hermione called out. The lock didn't open.
"Dammit. I was afraid this would happen." Hermione muttered.
"Let me try something." Harry said. He had experience with picking locks, when he had to unlock Hedwig's cage when the Dursley's had kept her padlocked. He asked Hermione for a hairpin. She ran back upstairs and got one of Parvati's. Harry picked the lock with some difficulty. Finally he lifted up the lid. Ron and Hermione leaned in. All of them gasped. Inside was not the interior of a box, but a room. And the room was filled with papers. They were piled on tables and chairs and the whole room was dusty. Harry looked into the box and suddenly felt himself being sucked in. He landed with a thud on the floor. Ron and Hermione followed closely behind. Harry looked around the room. He was relieved to see there was a ladder reaching to the rim of the box. Harry looked at the papers. Hermione gasped.
"Harry! They're in these weird languages." Hermione looked as if she were thinking. "Langosa Anglais." The papers appeared in English. "They're prophecies, all of them!" Hermione went to a very dusty pile and sifted through them. "These are really old. They've already happened a long time ago." She dashed over to a fresh, clean pile of papers. "Oh my God. Harry, Ron. These are about us." The boys hurried over to Hermione. "Mainly Harry, but we're in them too, Ron. Here's the most recent one." Hermione read it out loud.
The battle will not be won with the light. For without the light there can be no darkness. The searcher has forgotten that. The searcher will die. But not on a night of the year 6, not for a long time. Harry Potter will be given light, for it protects him. And on phoenix wings the light will live.
Hermione looked at the others. She folded it up and pocketed it.
"Let's go." Ron said. They climbed up the ladder and only after Hermione put away the box did they feel better.
"Harry," Ron said, "I think something's going to happen. Soon." Personally, Harry agreed.
And yes something will happen soon. Like in the next chapter! Keep reading for the explosive events of…the 5th chapter!