It was the second to last day of school. The rest of the year had passed
quite quietly. The O.W.L.s had come and gone, yet Harry hadn't talked to
Raistlin outside of class since that night. A scorch mark still stained
the beautiful grounds where the final battle had taken place. Try as he
might, Hagrid could not get anything to grow there. Professor Dumbledore
said he didn't think anything ever would. Too much evil had been poured
out on that spot.
Now Harry stood outside of Raistlin's door. There were so many questions that he needed answered to simply go home at the end of the year. Building up his courage, Harry reached out to knock on the door. Before his hand got there, the door swung open. Raistlin stood behind his desk, placing his few belongings into a small bag. Harry noticed the bag was far too small even for Raistlin's meager possessions. "Professor Majere?"
"You seek answers none can give." Raistlin said.
"Don't we all?" Harry loved debating with Raistlin in the classroom. Sadly, he realized this may be his final opportunity to do so.
A rare smile graced Raistlin's face. "We are no longer pupil-teacher. First, call me Raistlin. Second, stop trying to impress me. You won't."
"Prof.Raistlin, nobody knows anything about you. You've given us more questions than answers this year. I just want to know what has happened." Harry watched as Raistlin walked towards the window and looked out. He stared a long time in silence. Harry did not want to disturb his thought.
"Do you believe in a god, Harry?"
This was the last thing Harry expected. "I don't know sir. I guess I've never thought about it."
"Well there is. There is one almighty god. He reigns over all different worlds and existences. When I say existences, I mean there are hundreds of other places, Harry; worlds, spaces, galaxies, rules, laws, everything. These are called Planes of Existence.
"I am from a different Plane, Harry. My world was called Krynn. There, the Almighty appointed dozens of other gods to rule. Each god has specific jobs, powers and domains. For example, we have three gods of magic; one for good magic, one for evil, and one that attempts to remain neutral.
"During my time on Krynn, I became powerful. In fact I became the greatest mage who ever lived. My ego soared with my power. I believed none could defeat me. In fact, I became so powerful I sough to overthrow a god, the Queen of Darkness."
Raistlin seemed to have forgotten Harry was there. He was practically talking to himself. Harry remained though. His mouth was open, he was on the edge of his seat, and he didn't know what to think.
"I entered the Abyss," Raistlin continued, "to fight the Queen. I sacrificed everything and everyone I knew. Only on the brink of victory was I shown the errors of my ways. I sacrificed myself rather than exist in the world that would become.
"The Queen tormented me, killed me, again and again for years. Finally, I was granted rest. Now, I spend eternity running errands for the gods of magic. They feel I owe them!"
Raistlin had worked himself up into a frenzy. He was screaming by this point. Finally, a calm overcame him and he sat back in his chair. "This is why I came here. My gods decreed that this world needed help and there were none here that could.
"Do not think that I am the only person in this building that has traveled to various planes. Of course your own Albus Dumbledore has visited Krynn. He studied under a great mage there for several years. Minus a couple very powerful wizards, our world has been known to send forth the most powerful wizards ever." Another smile, almost sadistic with pleasure crossed Raistlin's face. "Even your potions master spent some time on Krynn."
This brought a response to the still very quiet Harry. "Snape!?!? Snape has traveled across these 'dimensional planes'? How is this possible? He can't even cast a simple spell worth its weight in gold. I'm more advanced than he is! How can he get from here to Kirin?"
"That's Krynn. And you'll soon learn in this life that money can buy anything. Snape comes from a rich family. They noticed their son might not be up to par by their standards. Which were far above that of common school children. Thus, upon his graduation from Hogwarts, his family paid to have him sent.to me.
"Severus studied under me for nearly three years. At the end, I determined much the same as you did. He wasn't worth my time. Also, I was preparing to enter the abyss and my new apprentice, Dalamar, hated him. Thus we sent him back.
"He heard what had happened to me, of course. He was awful smug about it too. That was what happened at Halloween. He approached me during the meal and said, 'I know they won't allow you to have your powers back. You'll destroy this world if they do. So now you have nothing you can do to me!' I merely informed him that the gods were merciful and granted me all of my previous power to combat Voldemort. Thus he left the meal on his backside running for his life!"
Raistlin sighed as his laughter died away. "I don't know why I'm telling you this, Harry. I guess I've lived a long existence. I have traveled from Plane to Plane, world to world, all because the gods demand it. Now my service is up. I have paid my dues. This means that I will travel with all souls to its final resting place. Few know I've lived, beyond my own world. I guess I just wanted someone to know."
Harry looked into Raistlin's eyes. For the first time in the ten months they've spent together, Harry saw emotion within those eyes. He realized that this was a man that had faced death, lost, but was spared. Now he must walk that dark path he has tried for years to avoid. He's scared. He's found he cannot defeat death.
"Sir, I will remember you. I've lost so many in my life that it seems all I have left to do is remember those that have mattered most to me. You defeated Voldemort, you've just taught me more about the world and the worlds beyond than I thought existed. I will never forget."
"Thank you Harry. Now, the gods are waiting to strip me of my power again. I must go." The sadistic smile returned to Raistlin's lips as he walked towards the office door. "Maybe I'll make them earn it."
Now Harry stood outside of Raistlin's door. There were so many questions that he needed answered to simply go home at the end of the year. Building up his courage, Harry reached out to knock on the door. Before his hand got there, the door swung open. Raistlin stood behind his desk, placing his few belongings into a small bag. Harry noticed the bag was far too small even for Raistlin's meager possessions. "Professor Majere?"
"You seek answers none can give." Raistlin said.
"Don't we all?" Harry loved debating with Raistlin in the classroom. Sadly, he realized this may be his final opportunity to do so.
A rare smile graced Raistlin's face. "We are no longer pupil-teacher. First, call me Raistlin. Second, stop trying to impress me. You won't."
"Prof.Raistlin, nobody knows anything about you. You've given us more questions than answers this year. I just want to know what has happened." Harry watched as Raistlin walked towards the window and looked out. He stared a long time in silence. Harry did not want to disturb his thought.
"Do you believe in a god, Harry?"
This was the last thing Harry expected. "I don't know sir. I guess I've never thought about it."
"Well there is. There is one almighty god. He reigns over all different worlds and existences. When I say existences, I mean there are hundreds of other places, Harry; worlds, spaces, galaxies, rules, laws, everything. These are called Planes of Existence.
"I am from a different Plane, Harry. My world was called Krynn. There, the Almighty appointed dozens of other gods to rule. Each god has specific jobs, powers and domains. For example, we have three gods of magic; one for good magic, one for evil, and one that attempts to remain neutral.
"During my time on Krynn, I became powerful. In fact I became the greatest mage who ever lived. My ego soared with my power. I believed none could defeat me. In fact, I became so powerful I sough to overthrow a god, the Queen of Darkness."
Raistlin seemed to have forgotten Harry was there. He was practically talking to himself. Harry remained though. His mouth was open, he was on the edge of his seat, and he didn't know what to think.
"I entered the Abyss," Raistlin continued, "to fight the Queen. I sacrificed everything and everyone I knew. Only on the brink of victory was I shown the errors of my ways. I sacrificed myself rather than exist in the world that would become.
"The Queen tormented me, killed me, again and again for years. Finally, I was granted rest. Now, I spend eternity running errands for the gods of magic. They feel I owe them!"
Raistlin had worked himself up into a frenzy. He was screaming by this point. Finally, a calm overcame him and he sat back in his chair. "This is why I came here. My gods decreed that this world needed help and there were none here that could.
"Do not think that I am the only person in this building that has traveled to various planes. Of course your own Albus Dumbledore has visited Krynn. He studied under a great mage there for several years. Minus a couple very powerful wizards, our world has been known to send forth the most powerful wizards ever." Another smile, almost sadistic with pleasure crossed Raistlin's face. "Even your potions master spent some time on Krynn."
This brought a response to the still very quiet Harry. "Snape!?!? Snape has traveled across these 'dimensional planes'? How is this possible? He can't even cast a simple spell worth its weight in gold. I'm more advanced than he is! How can he get from here to Kirin?"
"That's Krynn. And you'll soon learn in this life that money can buy anything. Snape comes from a rich family. They noticed their son might not be up to par by their standards. Which were far above that of common school children. Thus, upon his graduation from Hogwarts, his family paid to have him sent.to me.
"Severus studied under me for nearly three years. At the end, I determined much the same as you did. He wasn't worth my time. Also, I was preparing to enter the abyss and my new apprentice, Dalamar, hated him. Thus we sent him back.
"He heard what had happened to me, of course. He was awful smug about it too. That was what happened at Halloween. He approached me during the meal and said, 'I know they won't allow you to have your powers back. You'll destroy this world if they do. So now you have nothing you can do to me!' I merely informed him that the gods were merciful and granted me all of my previous power to combat Voldemort. Thus he left the meal on his backside running for his life!"
Raistlin sighed as his laughter died away. "I don't know why I'm telling you this, Harry. I guess I've lived a long existence. I have traveled from Plane to Plane, world to world, all because the gods demand it. Now my service is up. I have paid my dues. This means that I will travel with all souls to its final resting place. Few know I've lived, beyond my own world. I guess I just wanted someone to know."
Harry looked into Raistlin's eyes. For the first time in the ten months they've spent together, Harry saw emotion within those eyes. He realized that this was a man that had faced death, lost, but was spared. Now he must walk that dark path he has tried for years to avoid. He's scared. He's found he cannot defeat death.
"Sir, I will remember you. I've lost so many in my life that it seems all I have left to do is remember those that have mattered most to me. You defeated Voldemort, you've just taught me more about the world and the worlds beyond than I thought existed. I will never forget."
"Thank you Harry. Now, the gods are waiting to strip me of my power again. I must go." The sadistic smile returned to Raistlin's lips as he walked towards the office door. "Maybe I'll make them earn it."