Same Disclaimer
Ch. 18 The Idea
Harry awoke the next morning feeling quite well, although the force in his bladder was comparable to the force of the curse that rebounded on Voldermort 15 years ago. Ron felt much the same, but the girls had not fared so well. Hermione did not hold her liquor as well as Harry did thus had not remembered to cast the spell. There was a sobering spell, but there was no anti-hangover spell that Harry knew. Ron however, for the first time in his life, provided the answer to the tough question.
"Its not a matter of them being sick with a cold or something. I read a muggle text book that said they are just dehydrated. I remember the re-hydration charm we learned last week. I didn't think I would need it this soon."
The girls picked up noticeably when they had been administered the correct charm. Ron was on the receiving end of a gracious look from Ginny and a very wet kiss from Hermione. It was odd going back to classes after the dinner party last night. At least they didn't have to worry about George or Fred splitting about them coming home blitzed.
"Very good Neville, you will gain 15% extra on your next exam for that potion."
Professor Williams was obviously very impressed with the work. Neville's potions grades had skyrocketed once they had started the theoretical work. He was almost encyclopedic about herbology and he brought that knowledge into potions. I couldn't make anything he wrote, he had Nancy Xi, a 5th year Slytherin who fancied him help him. They split the points and went right on working. So far, Neville had produced 3 potions, one which cured warts, one that allowed one to not need oxygen for an hour, and his most recent work was to be used as a permanent deodorant. Harry heard Neville and Nancy talking. "I just don't know how we can get a dementor to try it on?" Harry had no clue what they were talking about but hoped the best for them. It was time for Neville to have a good life.
Sunday afternoon came very quickly and the group found themselves at the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.
"I guess this means that we are supposed to keep this a secret" joked Ginny "I haven't seen this place for quite a while. It was supposed to be my home, I guess I'll get a reunion. I wonder if they baked me a cake?"
Harry shrugged and decided that if he could shake off as much as he's seen he shouldn't expect Ginny to be at the mercy of a bad memory or two. Granted they'd been really bad, but she seemed normal enough, unless you counted her odd desire to lick Harry's nipples when she was aroused. He didn't mind and was glad that he could alleviate some of the suffering.
Dumbledore greeted them. "It took a bit to clean this place up. I have fashioned you each a talisman that will allow you to enter the chamber with out speaking Parsletongue. Each of you will wear a necklace with a smaller basilisk fang on it. Just touch the fang to the sink and it will allow you to pass. This brings me to point two. At no time can you tell anybody that we are doing this. These spells are not allowed to be taught to underage wizards. Because you are all in the Order we feel you need to trained. This is our secret. Finally, I depend on each of you to work as hard as you can. Education is what you get out of it. If properly motivated when you end this course you will be very powerful and could work much good. If you think of undressing Harry as Miss Weasley is doing then you will learn enough to be a hazard to yourself and others—be forewarned."
"Professor," asked Harry "I was wondering if I might put you to the test. As you know I can turn into a Firecorn. I am immortal when I am in this form. I would like to research blocking it. You can hit me with it as much as you like and I will always live thru it so I think we need to take this opportunity to research as much as we can. First, if this is going to work, I need to make sure the Avada Kadarva will kill my Firecorn."
"Harry, are you serious about this? If you are wrong about this, which you aren't, then you will be dead. Secondly, it could be painful. Thirdly, we know that no blocking charm we have can repel it. I am not sure where to begin."
"I am sure where to begin. You may know that the Imperious Curse is useless against the eros storge counter. I suggest we start there."
"Harry, I need your written permission to do this first. I cannot have this on my conscience or on my record. You know how bad it would look for me to have killed you."
Harry conjured a parchment and wrote on it:
I, Harry Potter, being of sound mind and body
Do give Albus Dumbledore permission to use the
Avada Kadarva curse on me while I am in my
Animagus form. This permission is given with the
understanding that important information will be gained.
Harry Potter
"Will that do" asked Harry.
"That seems sufficient" said Dumbledore. "This is a difficult idea for me to understand but the possibility for life saving is too great to refuse. Are you ready Harry?"
Harry was already a giant Firecorn which nodded its head on the prompting of Dumbledore.
"Avada Kadarva" bellowed Dumbledore.
A jet of green light shot from his wand and hit Harry. The Firecorn staggered and fell, then regained it's composure.
"I don't think you are strong enough to kill me Sir" Harry said with a grin. Harry knew that was saying something because he suspected that Dumbledore was the most powerful wizard on the face of the planet. "I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't that strong with the curse because, as I assume, you don't use it often."
"No Harry, I do not."
"Let me suggest two things. First of all, Voldermort is probably going to be better at this curse than anybody else. To approximate this I would like to have two other researchers, of your choosing join us so the three of you can curse me. That should be far more killing than Voldermort can do on his own. I would like to see if you can kill me with out my counter first though to make sure it isn't just that my animagus is that strong."
"Agreed Harry" Dumbledore was starting to take to this as the spirit of original research took him and he saw the possibilities laying ahead.
The process was repeated and the Firecorn disappeared leaving Harry standing in its place looking tired and in a small amount of pain.
"I guess that means a yes" joked Harry. "I am done for today, but make the arrangements for next time if you would please. Now, lets move on to the rest of our lesson."
The afternoon passed enjoyably with the group learning how to re-grow a skeleton with out the potion. By the end of the afternoon there were several more skeletons in the Chamber. It had been a good day Harry mused as he thought happily about climbing out. He hoped that his efforts were not in vain. He hoped he was living up to Cedric's standards. Maybe he would have to talk to Cho about that as she surely knew more about that than he did. But for now all he wanted to do was to eat with his friends.
"Harry, your attention please" said Dumbledore.
"I'm hungry, we have mastered this spell, and done some research. Don't you think its about time to knock off for some dinner?"
"I would love dinner as much as you would Harry, but there are two spell here which do not require any preparatory knowledge, only force of will. I would like to make you practice them when you are tired and hungry. Only when you can do these in all circumstances will you be truly powerful. The first spell is apperation. Because we are below the school the wards do not work down here. We can move from place to place as we will" said Dumbledore eerily as he popped around the cavern first in front of them then in a corner then in the shadows then behind them.
"Ok, but what's the other one" asked Hermione who was still having far too much fun learning to be worried about food.
"The other one is a foresight charm. I always seem to be on top of things don't I? It isn't that I've been taking divination. This charm is only known to Order members. It does not tell the future exactly, but it lets you know what is happening in the close to present in other places."
They all stood there stunned. Dumbledore had given them two very powerful spells.
"The trick to apperation is being able to do three things. First you must picture your destination. This is why it is very difficult to apperate to some place new. I would then suggest that you go on a number of holidays to see as many places as possible. The second task is picturing yourself in that place. The trick becomes both seeing your new surroundings and seeing yourself in the exact position you wish to journey. The final part is willing your body there. Space-time is not as the muggle physicists think it is. You try it now. Harry and the rest tried in vain. Finally Hermione flickered out of existence and over to Ron's side.
"How did you do that?" Harry yelled.
"I just thought about it and it happened."
"Oh, gee, thanks, that's ever so much help there Mione" quipped Ron.
"Its easy once you fully understand what you are to do."
Harry finally flickered over to Dumbledore. Ginny then popped up next to Ron and Ron finally got the hang of it.
"Very good children" said Dumbledore. "You are learning fast, as most Order members do. It will take increasing amounts of mental force to go increasing distances. It will take constant practice. Next time, we will apperate from here to Harry's house then back. It is a long way so I suggest you practice down here this week. Let us now turn our attentions to the foresight charm. Swish and flick your wand at your head while saying Fiat gnosis. The spell is mixed because it was an international wizard counsel that discovered it. If it is fully transferred to one language then it does not work. Magic, at times can be very odd and very picky. This charm lasts for as long as you can sustain it."
The group swished and flicked saying the odd words. For those that were able to immediately do it a far off look appeared in their eyes. Harry looked around and noticed that he was the only one that hadn't been able to immediately do the spell. He tried again and again but to no avail.
"As I said, this is not an easy charm, despite your classmates' fast mastery of the spell. We will work more on it if you would like to come up to my office later in the week. For now, I suggest we get some dinner."