When the four of them were assembled in the common room once more
they were all dressed and Renata was mobile once more and eager to start.
They managed to convince her that if they were going to be gone for most of the day they at least needed eat breakfast first. After a quick meal their exit was delayed by the castle poltergeist, Peeves.
Peeves was bouncing around the doorway and throwing things at whoever came near. He had thought it was all fun, but he had never really messed with Renata, at least not when she was mad.
"Peeves, if you do not leave the hall this instant you will immensely regret it."
"Yeah right, noodle head. Stringy, yellow noodle-head, stringy, yellow noodle-head, stringy, yellow noodle-head," he sang.
"Peeves, I'm warning you. You've go until I count to five. I suggest you leave."
He made no response.
"One.two.five!" She whipped out her wand, yelled harsh words and all of them present, not Peeves in the least, were shocked. It was the sinking spell they had all had so much trouble with in charms.
He sank to the floor and couldn't get up. He seemed to be partly stuck in the floor. He was struggling against an unseen force and he couldn't move. Nor could he apparently speak or he would have been shouting ill words at Renata. Because he couldn't speak he had to be content with glaring
As she passed, Renata gave him a look that included no sympathy.
As he passed, Harry shrugged and told Peeves. "She warned you."
Ron agreed. "It was a fair warning. Even if the counting wasn't fair."
True, Renata had skipped three and four.
They proceeded down the stairs and across the grounds. They reached the edge of the forest.
Simultaneously Harry and Renata spoke. "I'm going in first. No you're not. Yes I am! Stop that!"
They were silent for a moment then.
"I'm going first and that's final!"
Ron and Hermione came and each stood in front of one of their friends. Hermione said to Harry, "You better knock this off right now. Neither of you are going in that forest alone."
"Yeah? And how do you plan to stop me?" Harry took a step forward.
"Like this." She pointed her wand at him and he was bound with cords that had appeared from nowhere.
"You can't do this to me!"
"Harry, do you want me to add a gag?"
Renata took this opportunity to edge her way to the forest. Harry saw her. "You know, Renata's running off."
Hermione and Ron turned chasing after her leaving Harry tied up on the ground. "Come back!" He struggled against the bonds but they were secure. He had been tied up like this before but it had always been an enemy: Professor Quirrell and Voldemort, or on another occasion Wormtail and Voldemort. He was thoroughly confused.
He struggled until he could sit up. He saw Draco Malfoy along with Crabbe and Goyle coming toward him. He hoped they hadn't spotted him and he squirmed nearer to the edge of the forest and behind a tree. He looked over his shoulder to see Malfoy shout at his companions. Harry regretted that he couldn't hear the words.
He looked back to see Ron and Hermione emerge from the forest with Renata tied up between them. Harry took pleasure in seeing that she had been gagged.
Unfortunately Malfoy saw them as well. He swaggered over. "Strange birds flock together."
Renata struggled until she had worked her jaw enough and forced the gag from her mouth. She would not be silenced. "So that's why you and those two hang out. I couldn't figure out why. I should have guessed it was the strangeness. Thanks for clearing that up for me, Malfoy."
His cheeks reddened slightly. "Where's Potter?"
Renata looked back to the forest and saw Harry tied behind the tree. "He's around."
"He was probably too terrified to go into that forest."
"And I take it you're not, Malfoy?" asked Renata. "Yeah. I know in your first year you ran away from the forest screaming your puny lungs out. And all because of some dork in a hood showed up. Pathetic." She probably would have marched straight back into the Forest just to spite him but she couldn't move at all.
"Why are you tied up like that? And in the forest?" Malfoy sneered. "I guess even your friends don't want you around, do they?
"What are you talking about?" Renata asked briskly in reply. "This was a dare."
"Must be a big dare if you're going into the forest like that."
She answered casually, "Not really. I just had to spend the night tied up in the forest. I won a Chocolate Frog."
"You spent the night here and all you got was a Chocolate Frog?" He gaped at her.
"Sure. Harry was somewhere in the Forest too."
"Oh then you were being guarded. No big deal, though I can't see how he would be any help."
"He wasn't. Harry was here too, tied up on a dare."
"I bet he left early. Screaming."
"No, he's over there, actually." She gestured in Harry's direction.
Leaning against the tree Harry managed to squirm into a wobbling stand, and, as he was still bound, he managed to hop over.
"Hello, Malfoy. Ron? Hermione? Shouldn't we go back? I promised that Acromantula I'd bring him something to eat." The four of them turned and headed back to the forest, Renata and Harry hopping. Malfoy couldn't see their faces but they both wore wicked grins.
When they were sure they were out of Malfoy's sight Hermione and Ron got rid of the ropes binding the other two. It wasn't long before they came upon Amicari playing a small wooden flute. Amicari was delighted to see them.
"I'm glad you're all here! It's been lonesome. Do you want to go for a walk or listen to the flute here?"
"Actually we wanted you to take us back to that cave you showed me." Harry told him.
Amicari's face saddened. "I'm not supposed to go that far away. I got in trouble for being out so long."
"Couldn't you just show us the way there?" pleaded Renata. "It's important."
"Okay but I can't be gone long or my family will notice again." He started leading them at a brisk pace.
Renata eagerly kept up but Harry and the others had to stop him and remind him that they only had two legs as opposed to his four.
Hermione whispered to Harry and Ron, "He seems different from when the centaurs in class spoke to us."
Harry replied. "He's younger. And the others are just really formal. He-"
"-Is a chatterbox," finished Ron.
"But we can't complain. He is helping us." They continued without incident for a while.
They came upon another centaur as they traveled the path. Her coat was a golden-tan, her hair a bronze-gold. There were pink flowers in her hair. She was humming.
Harry looked at her and saw that she was as young as Amicari. So this is the centaur who doesn't like him, thought Harry.
She was silent when she saw Amicari with Harry and his friends.
Amicari said to her, "Terra, it's good to see you."
"You travel with these humans. Answer me why it is so."
He seemed startled. "Because they are my friends."
"You socialize with others such as humans? I see no reason for this. It is certain to be improper behavior for one such as yourself. Cousin, I am surprised at your actions."
"I'm doing nothing wrong, no law among our kinsfolk states that we may not consort with those from the castle." With each reply Amicari's tone and words became more formal and less friendly.
"It is still unacceptable conduct of one of our stature to mingle with humans. It is unseemly and just not done."
"Your father may feel so but I don't. Your father, has always had a fiery temper."
"At least my father doesn't act as dismal as yours does, Amicari. You interact too often with your Uncle Firenze."
"Firenze is your uncle too and you could learn a lot from him. You and your father both."
"Fine, Amicari. I am leaving." She looked as though she would have liked to storm away but instead she walked slow, deliberate steps, as though daring any of them to say a word.
Harry turned to Renata. "Why didn't she yell or shout? You can tell she wanted too."
"She didn't want to give Amicari the satisfaction of knowing how upset she was. Trust me. She was inviting more insults when she walked away but letting him, and I guess us, know that she was too dignified and sophisticated to respond to such juvenileness."
Ron remarked, "Did you notice how formal he got when he was mad?"
"I hadn't realized that she was his cousin until now," Harry said. He had spent the week remembering his first encounter with the centaurs, four years earlier. He told the others what he remembered. "Ronan, Amicari's father, always seemed gloomy to me. Firenze had been willing to help me even though I was human. Bane had been furious. He called Firenze a pack mule. He was really upset and said I was supposed to be dead. The stars had said so. He was the one this year who couldn't figure out how I was still alive. That one is Terra's father."
"It's interesting. What about the sister? Amicari's aunt.um.what was her name.Aursula?" asked Renata.
"I don't know. It's hard to figure out quite what she's like, I think she kind of reminds me of McGonagall," said Harry.
Amicari looked back, "We're not far now."
They continued on their way. Every now and then Harry could have sworn he heard leaves rustle behind him but each time he looked back, it was nothing.
They reached the cave a short while later. Ron and Harry lifted the boulder and carried it off. Amicari when down the steps and the others followed into the gloom.
Behind him, Harry heard hooves on the stone floor and was shocked when he realized Amicari was in front of him, not behind him. He spun around to see who was there.
It was Terra.
Amicari turned to face his cousin. "Depart at once from this place. If you have something to tell us speak swiftly and then be gone, otherwise simply be gone."
"I come and go as I wish. I speak as I wish. I shall stay for now but whether or no I shall speak will be my own decision." Her head raised high she walked around the whole of the small chamber the six of them were in, inspecting every nook and cranny.
Hermione called Harry over, he came. "Harry, last time you were here did you notice any footprints in the dust?"
"Not really, but we weren't looking for footprints."
Renata came over and Hermione and her studied something on the ground. As they stood up Renata turned to Hermione, "I think you are right."
"What's she right about?" asked Harry.
Renata sighed. "Give me your foot, Harry."
Harry found this command very strange, so surprised by it was he that he immediately lifted his foot and Renata grasped it, studying the shoe.
"Just what I was afraid of," Hermione said.
Renata nodded as Ron came over. Simultaneously Ron and Harry asked, "What?" as Harry said the word he took a step and fell backwards because Renata still had his other foot.
Renata reached out a hand and helped him saying, "We're not the only ones who've been here."
Hermione explained. "There are lots of footprints here in the dust. Harry, you didn't remember all of them being here last time. We know we all walked around a lot today but I checked and some of these prints don't match any of our feet. At least two others were here."
"How come you needed my foot and not Ron's too?"
"Easy. Ron stepped right next to one of the unknown marks and we saw it wasn't him."
"I think we should look at that door you found last week, Harry."
"Right."
Harry found the door and found it was partly opened! "It's open!" he exclaimed. They joined him. Between the four of them they heaved the door open. They coughed with the dust they had raised. The chamber was half the size of the first but it had twice as many things in it.
From the first chamber Harry heard Amicari call his name.
"Amicari! We're in here!" Harry called back. Both centaurs joined them.
"Stop! Everybody freeze!" Renata told them. She walked carefully around the edge of the room, her head near the ground and her robes over her nose and mouth to avoid breathing in the dust. She was obviously checking footprints.
She came back to report her findings. "Alright there were at least four figures. Here, the three of you stand in a line here." She arranged them in a line facing her, except for Harry that is. She turned him backwards between Ron and Hermione. "Grip his arms and don't let him fall to the ground. Walk forward. Harry, kick your legs a bit. That's good. Here's what I think it was. A person was carried in here backwards. His heels were dragging on the ground. Now, I imagine those ruffians were gripping his arms as they held him back. See how here the marks change a bit? They look like the ones from when you were thrashing around Harry. Now it stands to reason that the person who wanted whoever the prisoner was, to be here wouldn't carry the prisoner himself. Villainous folk always like to put up an air of elegance. The muscle work is considered beneath them. But you can be almost certain that whoever it was wouldn't trust ruffians to bring the prisoner down alone."
"Why's that?" asked Harry over his shoulder, Hermione and Ron were so intent on listening to Renata that they had forgotten to release him.
"Because if the thugs were stupid, which is often enough that the henchmen are all muscle no brain, hmm.reminds me of Crabbe and Goyle.anyway if the hooligans were stupid the prisoner might escape. If they weren't stupid they were probably in on the scheme or whatever it was because of revenge. Now if the scoundrel who ordered the person taken prisoner had wanted the prisoner dead or tortured and then killed it would have been done sooner and most probably by him. A scumbag mastermind would never trust his servants. Never completely anyway. So he wouldn't let them come alone. So my guess is that this prisoner was dragged across here by two thugs with the mastermind of it all parading in front.yes, he had to open the door, then about four yards in from the door, after much thrashing the prisoner fell down. Hermione, Ron, started dragging Harry again. Harry, kick your legs a lot. Hermione, Ron, when you've gone a couple feet let Harry fall. Harry, try to fall naturally still lashing out with your legs. I really hope you don't get hurt too much falling."
They did as they were asked. Harry hit his head and was in a daze for a moment or two. "Harry, are you okay?" No answer. "Harry?" Still nothing. "Harry?" She squirted water at him from her wand and called out, "Harry, wake up or I'll send you to the Dursleys!" Renata wasn't sure whether it was the words or the water or both but he sat up and rubbed his head.
"Good. Stand up so I can see the prints. Wait! Hermione, Ron, I think it will be more accurate if you drag him up." They hoisted Harry into a standing position and stepped back. Renata studied the marks. "Yes. Nearly the same ones I saw over there. Now following the prints they lead to the door over there. But only three pairs come back. Not four."
"Then someone is still in that room!" Harry ran over and started shouting and banging on the door.
Terra spoke, she had been so silent they had forgotten she was there. "If that door is anything like this one we came through its at least a foot thick. You'll shatter the bones in your fists before making a noise that goes through that door."
Harry's hands did hurt from the pounding.
"Right. We don't know who's on the other side of the door. We need to look around here first." Indeed there were certainly a number of objects in the room worth giving attention to.
A bench against one wall contained steel manacles; whips, including a nine tails; and a few swords.
A corner near the door showed traces of bloodstains.
Renata nodded grimly. She went back to the table she inspected the nine tails. An ivory handle connected the nine leather thongs, and at the end of each was a large spike. Harry noticed the blood stains at the end of several spikes and was about to say something when Renata shook her head.
Harry moved on to inspect several jars. Almost all had lead stoppers. He knew they were dangerous. A few of the jars had labels, but most didn't. Harry recognized one jar as being filled with feverfew, more with hemlock, one with dogwood bark, and another contained some sort of dark powder substance labeled "Dugweed Spores." Harry looked through the jars also to find liquid silver. In another jar was minced garlic. More jars had beetles' eyes and rattails. A suspicious one even looked as though it contained dragon liver.
Harry called Hermione over, "Hermione, come here."
"What is it?"
"What's Dugweed?"
"Dugweed.let me think.Dugweed! Professor Sprout talked about it a few weeks ago. The spores of a Dugweed plant are poisonous, but the roots have healing powers. Why do you ask?"
"There's a jar of Dugweed spores here."
"That's dangerous! There's a lid on right?"
"A stopper is in it."
"Lead?"
"Yes."
"Good, it's safe. Without a lead stopper its still dangerous. Whatever you do don't drop the bottle."
"I won't, I won't, don't worry, Hermione."
Renata came over. "I think we should check the door now. We need to plan some spells and give it a try or leave."
The four of them discussed spells they might be up against and spells they might use. "Someone's got to be in there and we've got to free them."
"A spell to unlock the door and another to open it. Just in case it's trapped or rigged with spells."
"Ready?"
"Let's do this."
All four of them stood in a line, their wands in hand and at the ready. "On three. One.two.three!"
At the same time all three shouted "Alohamora!"
They weren't sure whether or not it unlocked or not but they proceeded anyway. They used a few well-chosen words to try and open the door. The door did not budge a single inch. The four of them tried spell after spell, they pushed all their weight against the door, Amicari and Terra kicked it with their back legs. The door didn't budge an inch.
Ron pulled Harry aside as they sat down against a wall for rest. "We don't know who built this. Maybe-it might-need someone to speak Parseltongue for it to open."
"I'll try." Harry wiped the sweat from his brow and stood in front of the door once more. As clearly as he could, he pictured a snake in his mind's eye: the patterned scales, the hissing jaw, the evil forked tongue, the malicious eyes a triangular head bobbing rhythmically. He hissed, "Open."
The words came out in Parseltongue as they were supposed to but the door was unaffected. Harry kicked it in frustration, regretting it much afterwards. He tried to keep a calm and unpained expression as he moved off and sat down to rub his sore foot.
Harry heard Renata muttering under her breath. Harry suddenly felt cold. The coldness lasted for several minutes. When it was over Renata came over. "Keeping an ice on your foot for at least a few minutes after hurting it cuts down on the swelling. Sorry I didn't have any ice."
"So you had to make the whole room cold."
"Exactly. Hermione and I have been working we got another spell to try."
"Alright." Harry got to his feet. He moved back to the door with the others.
Renata and Hermione murmured the words they had chosen. Harry couldn't quite hear them but they continued nonstop for nearly half a minute, they ended by swishing their wands down suddenly. Nothing appeared to happen.
After a moment Ron asked, "Did it work?"
"Stop! Just wait," snapped Hermione.
Ever so slowly a dent appeared in the door, it made it begin to fold in on itself. Before it stopped moving a gap had appeared at the top and bottom.
"It'll be hard to squeeze through," Hermione said upon catching her breath.
"We'll make it. The gap for us to squeeze under is about a foot tall. We can do it," Renata said with confidence. She kneeled down and peered under the door. She stayed with her head on the ground and her eyes looking through. She stood up, wiping both her hands and her hair. "You guys won't believe this. Let's go in." Before anyone could reply she was on the ground wriggling her way under the door.
The others followed quickly. What Harry saw left him to amazed to even remember to wipe off the dust on him.
They managed to convince her that if they were going to be gone for most of the day they at least needed eat breakfast first. After a quick meal their exit was delayed by the castle poltergeist, Peeves.
Peeves was bouncing around the doorway and throwing things at whoever came near. He had thought it was all fun, but he had never really messed with Renata, at least not when she was mad.
"Peeves, if you do not leave the hall this instant you will immensely regret it."
"Yeah right, noodle head. Stringy, yellow noodle-head, stringy, yellow noodle-head, stringy, yellow noodle-head," he sang.
"Peeves, I'm warning you. You've go until I count to five. I suggest you leave."
He made no response.
"One.two.five!" She whipped out her wand, yelled harsh words and all of them present, not Peeves in the least, were shocked. It was the sinking spell they had all had so much trouble with in charms.
He sank to the floor and couldn't get up. He seemed to be partly stuck in the floor. He was struggling against an unseen force and he couldn't move. Nor could he apparently speak or he would have been shouting ill words at Renata. Because he couldn't speak he had to be content with glaring
As she passed, Renata gave him a look that included no sympathy.
As he passed, Harry shrugged and told Peeves. "She warned you."
Ron agreed. "It was a fair warning. Even if the counting wasn't fair."
True, Renata had skipped three and four.
They proceeded down the stairs and across the grounds. They reached the edge of the forest.
Simultaneously Harry and Renata spoke. "I'm going in first. No you're not. Yes I am! Stop that!"
They were silent for a moment then.
"I'm going first and that's final!"
Ron and Hermione came and each stood in front of one of their friends. Hermione said to Harry, "You better knock this off right now. Neither of you are going in that forest alone."
"Yeah? And how do you plan to stop me?" Harry took a step forward.
"Like this." She pointed her wand at him and he was bound with cords that had appeared from nowhere.
"You can't do this to me!"
"Harry, do you want me to add a gag?"
Renata took this opportunity to edge her way to the forest. Harry saw her. "You know, Renata's running off."
Hermione and Ron turned chasing after her leaving Harry tied up on the ground. "Come back!" He struggled against the bonds but they were secure. He had been tied up like this before but it had always been an enemy: Professor Quirrell and Voldemort, or on another occasion Wormtail and Voldemort. He was thoroughly confused.
He struggled until he could sit up. He saw Draco Malfoy along with Crabbe and Goyle coming toward him. He hoped they hadn't spotted him and he squirmed nearer to the edge of the forest and behind a tree. He looked over his shoulder to see Malfoy shout at his companions. Harry regretted that he couldn't hear the words.
He looked back to see Ron and Hermione emerge from the forest with Renata tied up between them. Harry took pleasure in seeing that she had been gagged.
Unfortunately Malfoy saw them as well. He swaggered over. "Strange birds flock together."
Renata struggled until she had worked her jaw enough and forced the gag from her mouth. She would not be silenced. "So that's why you and those two hang out. I couldn't figure out why. I should have guessed it was the strangeness. Thanks for clearing that up for me, Malfoy."
His cheeks reddened slightly. "Where's Potter?"
Renata looked back to the forest and saw Harry tied behind the tree. "He's around."
"He was probably too terrified to go into that forest."
"And I take it you're not, Malfoy?" asked Renata. "Yeah. I know in your first year you ran away from the forest screaming your puny lungs out. And all because of some dork in a hood showed up. Pathetic." She probably would have marched straight back into the Forest just to spite him but she couldn't move at all.
"Why are you tied up like that? And in the forest?" Malfoy sneered. "I guess even your friends don't want you around, do they?
"What are you talking about?" Renata asked briskly in reply. "This was a dare."
"Must be a big dare if you're going into the forest like that."
She answered casually, "Not really. I just had to spend the night tied up in the forest. I won a Chocolate Frog."
"You spent the night here and all you got was a Chocolate Frog?" He gaped at her.
"Sure. Harry was somewhere in the Forest too."
"Oh then you were being guarded. No big deal, though I can't see how he would be any help."
"He wasn't. Harry was here too, tied up on a dare."
"I bet he left early. Screaming."
"No, he's over there, actually." She gestured in Harry's direction.
Leaning against the tree Harry managed to squirm into a wobbling stand, and, as he was still bound, he managed to hop over.
"Hello, Malfoy. Ron? Hermione? Shouldn't we go back? I promised that Acromantula I'd bring him something to eat." The four of them turned and headed back to the forest, Renata and Harry hopping. Malfoy couldn't see their faces but they both wore wicked grins.
When they were sure they were out of Malfoy's sight Hermione and Ron got rid of the ropes binding the other two. It wasn't long before they came upon Amicari playing a small wooden flute. Amicari was delighted to see them.
"I'm glad you're all here! It's been lonesome. Do you want to go for a walk or listen to the flute here?"
"Actually we wanted you to take us back to that cave you showed me." Harry told him.
Amicari's face saddened. "I'm not supposed to go that far away. I got in trouble for being out so long."
"Couldn't you just show us the way there?" pleaded Renata. "It's important."
"Okay but I can't be gone long or my family will notice again." He started leading them at a brisk pace.
Renata eagerly kept up but Harry and the others had to stop him and remind him that they only had two legs as opposed to his four.
Hermione whispered to Harry and Ron, "He seems different from when the centaurs in class spoke to us."
Harry replied. "He's younger. And the others are just really formal. He-"
"-Is a chatterbox," finished Ron.
"But we can't complain. He is helping us." They continued without incident for a while.
They came upon another centaur as they traveled the path. Her coat was a golden-tan, her hair a bronze-gold. There were pink flowers in her hair. She was humming.
Harry looked at her and saw that she was as young as Amicari. So this is the centaur who doesn't like him, thought Harry.
She was silent when she saw Amicari with Harry and his friends.
Amicari said to her, "Terra, it's good to see you."
"You travel with these humans. Answer me why it is so."
He seemed startled. "Because they are my friends."
"You socialize with others such as humans? I see no reason for this. It is certain to be improper behavior for one such as yourself. Cousin, I am surprised at your actions."
"I'm doing nothing wrong, no law among our kinsfolk states that we may not consort with those from the castle." With each reply Amicari's tone and words became more formal and less friendly.
"It is still unacceptable conduct of one of our stature to mingle with humans. It is unseemly and just not done."
"Your father may feel so but I don't. Your father, has always had a fiery temper."
"At least my father doesn't act as dismal as yours does, Amicari. You interact too often with your Uncle Firenze."
"Firenze is your uncle too and you could learn a lot from him. You and your father both."
"Fine, Amicari. I am leaving." She looked as though she would have liked to storm away but instead she walked slow, deliberate steps, as though daring any of them to say a word.
Harry turned to Renata. "Why didn't she yell or shout? You can tell she wanted too."
"She didn't want to give Amicari the satisfaction of knowing how upset she was. Trust me. She was inviting more insults when she walked away but letting him, and I guess us, know that she was too dignified and sophisticated to respond to such juvenileness."
Ron remarked, "Did you notice how formal he got when he was mad?"
"I hadn't realized that she was his cousin until now," Harry said. He had spent the week remembering his first encounter with the centaurs, four years earlier. He told the others what he remembered. "Ronan, Amicari's father, always seemed gloomy to me. Firenze had been willing to help me even though I was human. Bane had been furious. He called Firenze a pack mule. He was really upset and said I was supposed to be dead. The stars had said so. He was the one this year who couldn't figure out how I was still alive. That one is Terra's father."
"It's interesting. What about the sister? Amicari's aunt.um.what was her name.Aursula?" asked Renata.
"I don't know. It's hard to figure out quite what she's like, I think she kind of reminds me of McGonagall," said Harry.
Amicari looked back, "We're not far now."
They continued on their way. Every now and then Harry could have sworn he heard leaves rustle behind him but each time he looked back, it was nothing.
They reached the cave a short while later. Ron and Harry lifted the boulder and carried it off. Amicari when down the steps and the others followed into the gloom.
Behind him, Harry heard hooves on the stone floor and was shocked when he realized Amicari was in front of him, not behind him. He spun around to see who was there.
It was Terra.
Amicari turned to face his cousin. "Depart at once from this place. If you have something to tell us speak swiftly and then be gone, otherwise simply be gone."
"I come and go as I wish. I speak as I wish. I shall stay for now but whether or no I shall speak will be my own decision." Her head raised high she walked around the whole of the small chamber the six of them were in, inspecting every nook and cranny.
Hermione called Harry over, he came. "Harry, last time you were here did you notice any footprints in the dust?"
"Not really, but we weren't looking for footprints."
Renata came over and Hermione and her studied something on the ground. As they stood up Renata turned to Hermione, "I think you are right."
"What's she right about?" asked Harry.
Renata sighed. "Give me your foot, Harry."
Harry found this command very strange, so surprised by it was he that he immediately lifted his foot and Renata grasped it, studying the shoe.
"Just what I was afraid of," Hermione said.
Renata nodded as Ron came over. Simultaneously Ron and Harry asked, "What?" as Harry said the word he took a step and fell backwards because Renata still had his other foot.
Renata reached out a hand and helped him saying, "We're not the only ones who've been here."
Hermione explained. "There are lots of footprints here in the dust. Harry, you didn't remember all of them being here last time. We know we all walked around a lot today but I checked and some of these prints don't match any of our feet. At least two others were here."
"How come you needed my foot and not Ron's too?"
"Easy. Ron stepped right next to one of the unknown marks and we saw it wasn't him."
"I think we should look at that door you found last week, Harry."
"Right."
Harry found the door and found it was partly opened! "It's open!" he exclaimed. They joined him. Between the four of them they heaved the door open. They coughed with the dust they had raised. The chamber was half the size of the first but it had twice as many things in it.
From the first chamber Harry heard Amicari call his name.
"Amicari! We're in here!" Harry called back. Both centaurs joined them.
"Stop! Everybody freeze!" Renata told them. She walked carefully around the edge of the room, her head near the ground and her robes over her nose and mouth to avoid breathing in the dust. She was obviously checking footprints.
She came back to report her findings. "Alright there were at least four figures. Here, the three of you stand in a line here." She arranged them in a line facing her, except for Harry that is. She turned him backwards between Ron and Hermione. "Grip his arms and don't let him fall to the ground. Walk forward. Harry, kick your legs a bit. That's good. Here's what I think it was. A person was carried in here backwards. His heels were dragging on the ground. Now, I imagine those ruffians were gripping his arms as they held him back. See how here the marks change a bit? They look like the ones from when you were thrashing around Harry. Now it stands to reason that the person who wanted whoever the prisoner was, to be here wouldn't carry the prisoner himself. Villainous folk always like to put up an air of elegance. The muscle work is considered beneath them. But you can be almost certain that whoever it was wouldn't trust ruffians to bring the prisoner down alone."
"Why's that?" asked Harry over his shoulder, Hermione and Ron were so intent on listening to Renata that they had forgotten to release him.
"Because if the thugs were stupid, which is often enough that the henchmen are all muscle no brain, hmm.reminds me of Crabbe and Goyle.anyway if the hooligans were stupid the prisoner might escape. If they weren't stupid they were probably in on the scheme or whatever it was because of revenge. Now if the scoundrel who ordered the person taken prisoner had wanted the prisoner dead or tortured and then killed it would have been done sooner and most probably by him. A scumbag mastermind would never trust his servants. Never completely anyway. So he wouldn't let them come alone. So my guess is that this prisoner was dragged across here by two thugs with the mastermind of it all parading in front.yes, he had to open the door, then about four yards in from the door, after much thrashing the prisoner fell down. Hermione, Ron, started dragging Harry again. Harry, kick your legs a lot. Hermione, Ron, when you've gone a couple feet let Harry fall. Harry, try to fall naturally still lashing out with your legs. I really hope you don't get hurt too much falling."
They did as they were asked. Harry hit his head and was in a daze for a moment or two. "Harry, are you okay?" No answer. "Harry?" Still nothing. "Harry?" She squirted water at him from her wand and called out, "Harry, wake up or I'll send you to the Dursleys!" Renata wasn't sure whether it was the words or the water or both but he sat up and rubbed his head.
"Good. Stand up so I can see the prints. Wait! Hermione, Ron, I think it will be more accurate if you drag him up." They hoisted Harry into a standing position and stepped back. Renata studied the marks. "Yes. Nearly the same ones I saw over there. Now following the prints they lead to the door over there. But only three pairs come back. Not four."
"Then someone is still in that room!" Harry ran over and started shouting and banging on the door.
Terra spoke, she had been so silent they had forgotten she was there. "If that door is anything like this one we came through its at least a foot thick. You'll shatter the bones in your fists before making a noise that goes through that door."
Harry's hands did hurt from the pounding.
"Right. We don't know who's on the other side of the door. We need to look around here first." Indeed there were certainly a number of objects in the room worth giving attention to.
A bench against one wall contained steel manacles; whips, including a nine tails; and a few swords.
A corner near the door showed traces of bloodstains.
Renata nodded grimly. She went back to the table she inspected the nine tails. An ivory handle connected the nine leather thongs, and at the end of each was a large spike. Harry noticed the blood stains at the end of several spikes and was about to say something when Renata shook her head.
Harry moved on to inspect several jars. Almost all had lead stoppers. He knew they were dangerous. A few of the jars had labels, but most didn't. Harry recognized one jar as being filled with feverfew, more with hemlock, one with dogwood bark, and another contained some sort of dark powder substance labeled "Dugweed Spores." Harry looked through the jars also to find liquid silver. In another jar was minced garlic. More jars had beetles' eyes and rattails. A suspicious one even looked as though it contained dragon liver.
Harry called Hermione over, "Hermione, come here."
"What is it?"
"What's Dugweed?"
"Dugweed.let me think.Dugweed! Professor Sprout talked about it a few weeks ago. The spores of a Dugweed plant are poisonous, but the roots have healing powers. Why do you ask?"
"There's a jar of Dugweed spores here."
"That's dangerous! There's a lid on right?"
"A stopper is in it."
"Lead?"
"Yes."
"Good, it's safe. Without a lead stopper its still dangerous. Whatever you do don't drop the bottle."
"I won't, I won't, don't worry, Hermione."
Renata came over. "I think we should check the door now. We need to plan some spells and give it a try or leave."
The four of them discussed spells they might be up against and spells they might use. "Someone's got to be in there and we've got to free them."
"A spell to unlock the door and another to open it. Just in case it's trapped or rigged with spells."
"Ready?"
"Let's do this."
All four of them stood in a line, their wands in hand and at the ready. "On three. One.two.three!"
At the same time all three shouted "Alohamora!"
They weren't sure whether or not it unlocked or not but they proceeded anyway. They used a few well-chosen words to try and open the door. The door did not budge a single inch. The four of them tried spell after spell, they pushed all their weight against the door, Amicari and Terra kicked it with their back legs. The door didn't budge an inch.
Ron pulled Harry aside as they sat down against a wall for rest. "We don't know who built this. Maybe-it might-need someone to speak Parseltongue for it to open."
"I'll try." Harry wiped the sweat from his brow and stood in front of the door once more. As clearly as he could, he pictured a snake in his mind's eye: the patterned scales, the hissing jaw, the evil forked tongue, the malicious eyes a triangular head bobbing rhythmically. He hissed, "Open."
The words came out in Parseltongue as they were supposed to but the door was unaffected. Harry kicked it in frustration, regretting it much afterwards. He tried to keep a calm and unpained expression as he moved off and sat down to rub his sore foot.
Harry heard Renata muttering under her breath. Harry suddenly felt cold. The coldness lasted for several minutes. When it was over Renata came over. "Keeping an ice on your foot for at least a few minutes after hurting it cuts down on the swelling. Sorry I didn't have any ice."
"So you had to make the whole room cold."
"Exactly. Hermione and I have been working we got another spell to try."
"Alright." Harry got to his feet. He moved back to the door with the others.
Renata and Hermione murmured the words they had chosen. Harry couldn't quite hear them but they continued nonstop for nearly half a minute, they ended by swishing their wands down suddenly. Nothing appeared to happen.
After a moment Ron asked, "Did it work?"
"Stop! Just wait," snapped Hermione.
Ever so slowly a dent appeared in the door, it made it begin to fold in on itself. Before it stopped moving a gap had appeared at the top and bottom.
"It'll be hard to squeeze through," Hermione said upon catching her breath.
"We'll make it. The gap for us to squeeze under is about a foot tall. We can do it," Renata said with confidence. She kneeled down and peered under the door. She stayed with her head on the ground and her eyes looking through. She stood up, wiping both her hands and her hair. "You guys won't believe this. Let's go in." Before anyone could reply she was on the ground wriggling her way under the door.
The others followed quickly. What Harry saw left him to amazed to even remember to wipe off the dust on him.