Related Info:

"The Mind's Gate, or Canalis Psychia, is a wondrous and incredibly dangerous ritual which allows the user(s) to see anything and everything the other is consciously aware of. For example, if someone had a secret that was sealed away even to him or her, and therefore was oblivious of his/her own secret, the other user of the Mind's Gate would be unable to detect that secret, as well. However, if someone knew their own secret and was trying to hide it, the secret would be as clear as day for others. The Gate is usually only cancelled when the users simultaneously draw back into their own minds, but any spell cast with enough power may be able to break the delicate link between the two individuals."

-Translated edition of Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charms (For people who don't have the time to read Olde English)

The Mutated Amagi Chronicles

Chapter Seven: Betrayal

"This can't be!" Harry Potter gasped, his spiritual embodiment wavering. "What are you, you ... monster?"
"You tell, me, Harry Potter... I woke with only the image of you branded in my mind... I've spent my life tracking you... AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHO I AM?!" Shadow roared, rage disguising his astonishment.

However, much to Harry's relief, they were suddenly interrupted before Shadow could say anymore.
"You bloody freak! What are you doing with Potter?!" Harry vaguely heard Ron's voice in the physical plane. So he had finally come out of his coma...
"Finite Incantatum!" Ron roared. Harry was suddenly violently jerked back into his body, and he suspected that that... creature had been subjected to the same painful treatment.
"Potter! Are you alright?" Ron dashed to Harry's side. "I saw you and that freak suspended in midair... What was that spell?"
Still nauseated from the spell's backlash, Harry tried to explain to Ron. "That, was the Mind's Gate, Ron... Don't you know how dangerous it is when you don't terminate that spell properly?" Harry gasped, wondering if all his organs were functioning.
"I'm sorry, but that... thing reminds me of a scorpion, and... well, you know how much I hate scorpions!" Ron shuddered uncontrollably. "And by the way, what is that thing doing?"

Shadow was devastated. He didn't expect that nitwit to stir as fast as he did... Being torn from the Mind's Gate had hurt him bad... He felt a strange, yet familiar tingling feeling all around his body...
Oh shit...
He had to warn Harry Potter while he could...

Potter... Get out of here!
The thought exploded in Harry's mind. Leaving him with a huge migraine and causing him to almost collapse again.
"Pott-Harry, what's wrong?" Ron drew his wand, watching intently at the creature, who had begun convulsing and shifting.
Potter, you saw this in my mind... I lose control of myself after I metamorphose!
With every fiber of his body, Harry forced himself to fight against the current that was dragging him deeper into unconsciousness. Shaking, he stood up.
"Ron... Ron! We have to ... get out of here..." Harry could barely speak. "That being... Shadow... he's transforming into his 2nd form! We... have to... go!"
"Dang... that thing's bloody monstrous, ne? Come on, Harry, I'll support you." Ron tucked his wand away, took a swig out of his drinking pouch, and slung Harry's arm over his shoulder. In this fashion, they hobbled out of the keep.

After he sensed them leaving the keep, Shadow breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't sure how long he could've kept his transformation at bay... A red glaze fell over his eyes, and he prepared for the savage mind that he would be forced to share his body with...
But something still lingered on his mind... That friend of Harry's... Ron, was it? Something wasn't right about him...

Meanwhile, Harry and Ron had descended to the ground floor of the fort. Harry had recovered enough be now running independent of Ron, who once again had his wand out.
Potter... Careful... Your friend... Argh! Isn't... Aaah! All... that he... seems to be...
Huh? How can Ron not be all he seems to be? That can't be right... Is Shadow's mind deteriorating because of the transformation? But on the other hand...
Ron has been acting strangely lately... His strange habit of calling me Potter... His disappeared fear of the Dark Lord... His drinking pouch... Wait... His drinking pouch?

Harry suddenly realized the possible danger he was in.
But what if he is Ron? Sigh... so many possiblities... only one way to find out...

Acting on his suspicions, Harry pulled out his wand and muttered "Diffindo!" at Ron's dragon-skin drinking pouch.
Instantly, the pouch split open, releasing a thick, gelatin-like crimson liquid.
The liquid, spilling on the floor, patched up the cracks in the aged limestone rather nicely.
"Ron" turned around, wand raised and in a killing mood. Harry's heart sank. He had so hoped it wouldn't come to this...
"Well congrats, Potter. Looks like you saw through my act." "Ron" smirked.
"Enough with the stalling, imposter. Who are you and what have you done with the real Ronald Weasley?" Harry readied himself, knowing the odds were against him. Clutching his wand with his right hand, he unsheathed the Sword of Godric with his left, calling upon his reserved power.

They felt the sudden increase of magic infused in the fort, as well as the fort giving way due to the overload of magic, yet they each held their respective ground. Surrounded by the collapsing fort, Harry Potter faced this mysterious spy, readying himself for what possibly could be the fight for his life.

On the other side of the fort, the rest of Padfoot's Hunters were hopelessly lost. They had been going in circles, they realized sadly, as they came to the same fork in the passageways that they had passed for the fourteenth time.
"That's it... Does anyone have any bright ideas about which way to go now?" Sirius fumed. "Seymour, you're the cyborg built with a GMPS built inside of ya, get us out of here!"
"Unfortunately, captain, I cannot... There is too much magic in this vicinity, and I am currently cut off from the GMPS. I wish I could be of more assistance." 5tR4N63r attempted to calm Sirius down.
"We've wandered these passages over ten times already. I say we try something new." Madam Yi commented. "Can't we Apparate ourselves out?"
"Madam Yi, we cannot leave two of our team members here! Who knows what might happen to them!" Sirius rebutted.

Suddenly, they all felt a wave of nausea wash over them, and struggled to stay upright.

"What was that?!" Hermirone sputtered, clutching the wall.
"That would be... that was..." 5tR4N63r's attempt to communicate was hindered by the fact that parts of him were short-circuiting.
"Seymour!" Sirius clutched at his friend, dragging him upright. "Speak to me!"
"Magic... content... too high..." Was all 5tR4N63r could utter before he went rigid.
Poor Seymour... He never asked to be like this... Madam Yi thought.
He was born in a muggle family... fixed with mechanical replacements to help him live with his deformities... Not able to contact magic... The best of medical mages can't even remove the parts now, since they've infused with his flesh... New, improved armor allowed him to use magic... but now...
"Come on, Hilary, we need to get Seymour out of here!" Sirius shook Madam Yi out of her trance. Nodding, she supported 5tR4N63r's left side, while Sirius carried his right side. Hermirone was looking around frantically, trying to find a way out.
Sparks were coming out of 5tR4N63r's mechanical parts... If they didn't get him out of the abnormally high concentration of magic soon, he would shut down completely...

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