HARRY POTTER AND THE SEERS' TRUTH
By Lady Lestrange
The Chamber of Chains
Chapter 57
10 REVIEWS. I really hate blackmailing you into reviewing, but hey, I'm a Slytherin. It's in my nature, so when there are 10 reviews for this chapter, the next one will magically appear. Love my readers and reviewers. Answers to reviews follow the story.
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter characters and previous situations belong to JK Rowlings. No infringement is meant or implied. No money is made from this Fanfic. THANKS JK.
--LADY LESTRANGE
(A/N: I've been reading a number of fanfics in installments like this one myself, and find it is sometimes hard to remember exactly what has happened before-In a fic as complex as this one is, I thought having a reminder may be helpful for you. If you want to skip it, just page down FIVE times. --Lady Lestrange)
UP TO THIS POINT: Parvati has been having dreams and visions about the Dark Lord, Harry and a Prophecy Child. So far, they are not sure who the prophecy child is, and it is important for them to find him/her. The Sorting Hat is not sorting, so the students have "little brothers and sisters" to show around. The dream team thinks that The Sorting Hat failing is a plot to hide the Prophecy child from the teachers and anyone who can help insure that he/she stays on the side of light. No one is sure that the brothers and sisters actually belong to the house they are currently in.
The Hogwarts Express has been attacked. Dark Marks have been in the sky. The floo network is compromised. The Minister of Magic has been turned. Snape is now teaching both Defense and Advanced Defense, but it looks like Advanced Defense is just an excuse to let the Slytherins and Ginny and Edward visit the Dark Lord. Mrs. Figg is teaching potions and we know very little about her so far, except that she was against Dumbledore's suggestion to make Poly Juice Potion.
Beatrice is an animagus, a bunny. Edward's granny looks like she could have given the Dursleys a few pointers on cruelty. Slytherin is a house at war according to Snape, divided between Death Eaters and those who want to stay on the side of light. Harry uses his Invisibility Cloak and finds out when it is ripped, the Invisibility spell ceases. There is an unwelcome addition to Myrtle's bathroom, Olive Hornby. Peeves is his usual annoying self, but the Baron seems to have a little less control over him.
Samara, for some reason, lofts some wicked, powerful curses. She doesn't look like she has total control over them, which isn't really surprising since she's learned magic on her own from a book, that Harry is sure is a dark book. She seems to like Draco, but don't assume this is a romance. It is not. Ginny is still hearing voices in her head. Harry's scar is hurting more, and neither he nor Ginny know what this means. Ginny is closer with Harry this year, but again, not romantically. There is Edward, the new Gryffindor, who seems interested in Ginny, but Ginny really hasn't gotten over Tom.
We find out about Neville's powerful auror parents. We learn that Neville has a memory charm that was put on him as a baby. He's a more powerful wizard than anyone ever thought as evidenced by his yew wand and the way he reacts to Snape's ministrations in trying to remove the memory charm. We might wonder why Snape is trying to do this himself, instead of enlisting the help of Madam Pomfrey. Sirius and Lupin are on "fieldtrips" with the sixth and seventh years.
Of course we can also wonder why Snape is so determined to teach his classes advanced spells like the Patronus, or we can just chalk it up to Snape, being mean. The Fifth year class starts apparition classes and we meet Professor Sinistra. We also visit Hufflepuff, where we see The Wall, and Slytherin house, where we discover, to our amazement, a magic room that Draco shares with Samara, but Samara has a very unslytherin use for the room. Ravenclaw to come next weekend.
The chapter, CHAINED AND CHARMED, takes place at the same time as DANCING IS AN OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCE-when Samara was in Slytherin, dancing. It is Saturday afternoon. Harry and the Gryffindors examine Samara's Dark Book, after they come back from lunch. They find an extreme potion, and decide they need to make a trip to the Chamber of Secrets. Ghastly Ghostly Dinner is when Gryffindor's meet with Samara after her little trip to Slytherin. Samara and Beatrice are persuaded by Edward to help him steal his snake back from his brother Ethan. Things get a little out of hand, and Samara learns more about Slytherin than she ever wanted to know.
Now the Gryffindors are mad at her. Samara wants to make up and be friends with them, but is it possible to befriend both Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy? How far will she go to make up, or will she just find some valuable information to store away for future use? (So, don't you want one of those Tee shirts?)
LIONS AND TIGERS: We see a very stressed out Snap both in Harry's memory of what happened with Snap and Neville and in the actual DADA class. We find out Trelawney doesn't want Samara in her class and Samara decides to take Ancient Runes instead. McGonagall assures Samara that Trelawney has done her a favor. McGonagall further talks to Samara about her experiences in Gryffindor, opening the door to give Samara someone to talk to, if she so chooses. We also learned lots more about animagi in McGonagall's class. Snape dismisses the Gryffifndors and keeps the Slytherins after class. We find out it's because Snape wants them to practice their patronus because the Slytherins are so lousy at the spell. Could it be because there are so few happy memories to chose from?
In DRAGON BREATH AND BLUDGER BATS, Ginny and Edward set the Slytherins up with fire mints, and Samara gets extremely angry at them both because they hurt her friends. In an effort to contain her anger, she goes to the Quiddich pitch where she meets Fred and George. After lobbing a few quaffles at them in her anger, they decide to ask her to be a Beater for Gryffindor. She refuses, but later when she talks to Draco, he is not very nice to her, (hey, who said Draco was a nice guy?) so she wonders whether or not she should take the Beater job.
In WISH IT REAL; WISH IT NOT we see into one of Ginny's dreams. If you don't remember this dream, go and re-read chapter 28. In Chapter 29, THE SPELLING BEE, Samara is feeling homesick and friendless until Draco invites Samara back to Slytherin. Also, includes a short intro into what's coming up in potions class.
In Chapter 30, CHILD OF GRYFFINDOR, Neville and Snape break the Imperio part of the Memory Charm. The trio discusses the Founders' spells, which put their gifts in the Sorting Hat; however they do not have the original parseltongue version of Salazar's spell. Ginny also sees Edward painting and the reader sees a bit of Ginny and Tom's relationship. In SLYTHERIN GAMES—Well, if you don't remember it, you better re-read. Voldemort is finally out and angry—burning and pillaging and we see a little-known inside version of Slytherin through Ginny's eyes. In STICKY SITUATIONS, Samara uses her adhere charm on the Weasley twins, Neville sticks Beatrice's wand to his with bubble gum, and Edward is sticking in Gryffindor.
In OW POST the Slytherins get even for the Dragon Breath Mints, among other things—
In the Ravenclaw chapter—I'm still trying to think of a good name for it—Help me please—we meet a number of Ravenclaws and find out a little more about the characters, in Ravenclaw as well as Edward and Samara. So do you think either of them are really Ravenclaws? Hmmmm? In chapter 35 we meet Sirius again who plans to have a talk with Dumbledore about his keeping Harry safe and of course what that nasty Snape is doing to poor Neville. The Quiddich Game and then more of Neville's awesome Auror parents.
The war is heating up and touching the lives of the children. This story is rapidly approaching –nasty things. Not for the faint of heart. Last chapter, we had a relaxing time at Hogsmeade. Samara bounces from friend to friend and Harry has some nasty dreams, and Harry is shocked to find out that Ron and Hermione are a couple. We knew that already though, right?
In THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS the trio did some exploring, but failed to find the basilisk eggs. They found other things though. Obviously, they have to go back, but first Ginny gives them some instructions.
In THE CHAMBER, THE WALL, THE WAND AND THE WINDOW, Ginny gives the trio some instructions about the Chamber, the Gryffindor boys are having trouble sleeping and Harry's talking to the Snake, Kauket. Parvati has yet another vision, about a muggle and the earlier one about the wand is explored. Trelawney tells Ginny she will open a window to the past—Didn't she already do that? Is Trelawney a little late with this prediction, or does it mean something else?
In NO MORE GAMES we return to ADADA class and Ginny finds out by using the Quick Quotes Quill that the class is more than she planned, but the notes are stolen, so she has no proof to go to Dumbledore with—So she takes matters into her own hands. In PERVIGILO ARMARO, we see part of Ginny's awesome ward. Doors are opened and Tom is out, but he isn't everything we thought he would be. Could it be that he's keeping secrets from us? Puppy Puffs and the Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw Quiddich game offer a little comic relief.
Chapter 44, MORS MORDRE. Ginny gets a dark mark. 'nouf said. BLOOD AND MAGIC MINGLED is Ginny reaction to Voldemort's Imperio curse, and a trip to the Chamber. In THE SEVENTH SUFFERING, We leave Ginny in the Chamber, while we go off with Samara to find out what happened to Ginny in Slytherin this morning, but Samara gets side-tracked, and she learns a personal secret of Draco's—so when is she going to share her secret? Speaking of secrets, Snape has a few, which he unwittingly shares in SNAPE'S SECRET AND SALAZAR'S TREASURE. In SECRETS KEPT AND THOUGHTS SHARED, we at last know what side Snape is on--almost—
And for all those Ginny lovers--awesome Ginny in WHAT IS A DARK WIZARD--where we at last, rejoin the Dark Lord. After that, aren't we all ready for a little fun and games with the Gryffindor/Slytherin Quiddich game? Harry finally confirms Edward's evil intent, although no one believes him, and now, once again Harry is privy to Slytherin secrets in NOTHING HALLOWED, on Halloween night. Halloween continues to the wee hours of the morning with THE BIRTH OF A NIGHTMARE, where Ginny, Voldemort and the Death Eaters free those in Azkaban. The chapter entitled, PORTRAITS, POLYJUICE AND PORTKEYS tells of the aftermath in Hogwarts and then the trio heads to KNOCKTURN ALLEY.
IN INTEGRUM RESISTUERE Restore (him) to his former power. Are the words spoken to the Longbottoms—the reason the Longbottoms are in St. Mongos. This secret is still kept by the Death Eaters who brought Voldemort to life. But now, another secret is shattered, the secret of the Anti-disapparition wards around Hogwarts, and we enter the CHAMBER OF CHAINS.
Non-stop action to the end, and now, on to the chapter,
CHAMBER OF CHAINS.
"Opps." Samara stood staring at the place where Snape had been. Unless he had a portkey on his person, he had just disapparated, but that was impossible within the Hogwarts wards. Either he or she had done something and she didn't know what. The air felt different. It had the freshness of outdoors on a spring day after a rain. She couldn't quite put her finger on the difference, but somehow, if felt lighter. She examined the magic remnants left in the room. The magic of her healing of Snape still hung in the air along with something else, something from Snape's magic. No, that wasn't right. It was not Snape's. As she twisted her wand back into her hair, considering this, the glow of someone apparating flickered beside her, then another and another. . .
"Professor Dumbledore?" she said and he stood glaring at her. His wand was out. Professor McGonagall joined him followed by Professor Flitwick. All had their wands trained on her.
"What is it?" asked Samara.
"Perhaps," said Dumbledore, "You should tell us. Expellarmus!"
Samara's wand flew from her hair and her long tresses fell in disarray around her face.
"What did you do?" Dumbledore asked. His eyes were flashing fire and Samara was suddenly afraid.
She pushed her hair out of her eyes and looked confusedly from one professor to the other. "Snape was so exhausted," she began, "And the Dark Lord—"
Although Dumbledore's eyes returned to their childish twinkle, his aura suddenly darkened and rolled in anger, and. Samara's words ground to a halt. "I only helped him," she whispered.
"Priori Incantum," said Dumbledore as he examined her wand. The last spell she did with this wand was "obliviate." "Who did you obliviate?" asked Dumbledore.
"Professor Snape," said Samara.
"She wouldn't tell us," said Flitwick. "But if she obliviated someone it was obviously to hide what she was doing here."
Samara could see the disbelief in all of their auras. Nothing she could say would make any difference. "Fine. Don't believe me," she snapped.
"I believe the magic done here was wandless," said McGonagall sternly. "And some other Dark Magic."
"Wandless magic is NOT Dark," spat Samara as Dumbledore raised his wand. "Restrictus!"
Bindings wrapped around Samara like snakes of Devil's Snare. As she struggled, they pulled tighter on her arms. "You! Fools!" She spat, dividing her glare between the three of them. "I need to get to Harry Potter."
McGonagall reached out to pat her shoulder, her aura was glistening with her deception. "It's for your own protection, child."
"Liar!" Samara hissed, reading her deception without any doubt. "You're afraid of me. It's for your protection!"
McGonagall withdrew her comforting hand and stood in cold observation. Her aura rolling with controlled rage. Samara realized that she shouldn't have called McGonagall a liar even if it was true. She might have been able to get some sympathy from the woman because she was from her house--
Flitwick leaned in and whispered to Dumbledore. "She may not need her hands," he said. His aura reflected both fear and concern, and as he spoke, Samara realized that he was right, but the spell was frozen on her lips.
"Exceptionis incantum!" said Dumbledore. "My spell will not allow you to speak an incantation," he explained. "You will however, be able to talk to explain yourself."
Samara struggled silently, feeling the fluffy softness of the spell which made her think that she didn't want to use an incantation. That was Dumbledore's idea, not hers. She said nothing. The only thing she wanted to say was a curse and Dumbledore had effectively stopped that idea. She was too tired to fight it.
"Don't you have anything to say in your own defense?" Asked Dumbledore. His twinkling eyes belaying the anger in his aura.
She thought about claiming that being assumed guilty until proven innocent did not sit well with her sense of Gryffindor honor, but decided to hold her tongue. She was too angry to speak. She would probably just get herself in deeper. "What would be the point?" she asked.
"She obviously is aiding He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," said McGonagall. "Who else would want Hogwart's Anti-disapparition wards eliminated. If that's so, it means she has chosen her side, Albus."
"I sense legimency," said Dumbledore. "It may not have been her choice, and the Dark Magic done here was not the Prophecy Child's," added Dumbledore. "It was an enchantment set up earlier."
"Could she have triggered it?" asked McGonagall.
"Perhaps. Or perhaps the person who apparated in triggered it," said Dumbledore. "The person who tore down the wards. The person she helped and perhaps healed. Who's here? I don't see how they could have escaped so quickly unless they were invisible or a small animagus. Is it Wormtail?"
"It could be Voldemort," said McGonagall.
"No one apparated in," said Samara tightly. She hesitated. Should she tell them Snape disapparated? If she did they would know he was a Death Eater. They would know he went to Voldemort, but she could tell by his aura that he wasn't evil. She couldn't turn him in as a Death Eater could she?
"Someone apparated, or disapparated," said Dumbledore, his eyes gentle, but his pure crystalline aura flashing orange. "I will know eventually." He continued softly coaxing. "Why don't you just tell me now?"
"It's Samara's magic that confuses me," interrupted Flitwick. "I think we need Madam Pomfrey down here."
"Poppy?" said McGonagall.
"Yes. It seems to be a string of some sort of strengthening charms, but an enchantment I've never seen done. It's an Old Magic—impossibly complicated, and very powerful. Minerva is right. It could have been Voldemort himself—but a healing charm?" Flitwick whispered his face growing pale. "There's Voldemort's spell—a spell of his own making I think and some ancient dark magic and traces of legimency. It's very hard to get a magical signature with the whisps of students spells from class remaining. I'm sorry. You try Minerva."
"But someone's magic must be here. The wizard who apparated," said Dumbledore. And if he broke the wards he would have needed healing."
"She had to be remarkably fast with that healing spell," said Flitwick shaking his head. Prophecy or not, she's still a child. Such speed would take years of practice--unless she's influenced by legimency."
"There's no other remarkable magic. Just Samara and you-know-who," confirmed McGonagall.
"And the legimency," said Dumbledore., checking the area himself.
"But it's said, He-who-must-not-be named—" began McGonagall
"Is an legimen?" added Dumbledore, nodding. "Yes. I sense Voldemort's magic too, Minerva,"
She frowned and her aura was pulled in and pinched as her face.
"Otherwise, there are just the normal teaching spells," said Flitwick. "From Severus--accio, adhere, a few summoning and banishing from students—Nothing remarkable." Flitwick put away his wand.
"I just have to find Harry," whispered Samara. "Please."
"You are not going anywhere near, Harry Potter, young lady," said Dumbledore sharply. "Veritatis! Are you under Imperious?" he asked with his wand pointed towards her.
"NO!"
"Veritatis! Was Voldemort with you?"
"NO!"
"Veritatis! Was it Voldemort you healed?"
"NO!"
Dumbledore frowned as if he weren't sure if his truth charm worked on her. "Who told you to go to Harry?" Asked Dumbledore, his aura again flashing orange.
Samara didn't answer right away. Instead, she began to fight the truth charm. "If she said Professor Snape, would they know he was the one who ripped the wards? She didn't think he meant to do that. It was the extra power she gave him—It wasn't his fault. But these people were ready to condemn someone on speculation. She wasn't sure she trusted them, especially since McGonagall was so obviously lying.
"Why do you shy from the truth?" Dumbledore demanded.
She tried to read Dumbledore's aura, but it seemed he realized that she could see it, and large portions of it were partially blocked to her. He was still shining, but she could no longer read the variations. But how did he know she could read auras? Had he purposely camouflaged his own? Flitwick's on the other hand, was an open book. He was the least judgmental of the three, but he was still obviously scared of her and likely to err on the side of caution.
Dumbledore hesitated a moment and then moved forward, pushing the binding vines out of the way, he pushed up the left sleeve of her robe.
"I don't have a Dark Mark," she spat, trying to evade his touch.
"And how would you know what I'm looking for," said Dumbledore, his blue eyes flashing fire, and his aura a blazing white, like an avenging angel's.
Samara bit her lip. She couldn't say without getting Draco in trouble, either for having the Mark or for telling her about Snape checking arms in Slytherin to find out who had Dark Marks. She shrugged. "People talk," she said. "Look, I don't want to hurt anyone. I just need to get to Harry Potter."
"Why do you wish to get to Harry Potter?" asked Dumbledore, his total distrust of her was evident in the way he held his aura close to himself.
Samara didn't answer.
"Perhaps you should have some quiet time to think," said Dumbledore, "Until you are ready to answer our questions truthfully, young lady, you will have to be confined." His aura rippled uncertainly.
"Where?" whispered Samara, struggling again against the bindings and wondering if she would dare to call a simple incendio charm with intent only. She knew she could have done it, if only she hadn't given so much to Snape so recently.
"Your office should still have some wards," suggested McGonagall.
Dumbedore shook his head. "No. There are too many magical objects that she could get into in my office, I need somewhere empty of aids for her—I hesitate to think it—But I believe Snape has a place that would work.--A place where magic will be of no use to her--"
" The dungeon!" said Flitwick horrified.
"It's only temporary," said Dumbledore. "And we have to remember it is imperative that Voldemort cannot reach her—as much--if not more than preventing her from reaching him. With the wards down, no where is safe." Dumbledore sighed, his aura again flashing orange. "You need to tell us the truth," he said to Samara.
She said nothing.
"Minerva, I believe Severus will be in his chambers. Please get him, and have him bring veritaserium."
"She began to walk away, when Dumbledore said "Disapparate, Minerva!" and in a blink she was gone. A few minutes later, she returned. "He's not there Albus. I can't find him anywhere, and his veritaserium is not in plain sight"
"That's strange," said Dumbledore. "He always tells me when— Well, never mind. I know where the room is, and we can get the veritaserium after we find the wizard who apparated here. Let's go," he said. "Stay alert."
Samara walked silently in front of him at wandpoint. She was seething. How could they do this to her. She didn't do anything wrong and if she wasn't mistaken they were going to need her power very shortly. It's no wonder so many Slytherins went over to the dark side. If they were treated like prisoners and evil Dark Wizards just on speculation, why not make it the real thing? Why not indeed?" she asked herself. Just from the rush of power she got when she healed Snape, she was pretty sure that she and Snape could have taken Dumbledore down if she wanted to. Did she want to? Another thought occurred to her. She once did magic without words or wand. Of course she had Ethan's power to draw from when she had done the wandless crucio curse on him so long ago. It was a mistake then, but she was pretty sure she could do it again and purposefully. Snape said it was one of her gifts. She knew she wouldn't be able to control it—the magic would probably spatter everywhere, and what about the other two wizards? The next time Dumbledore drew power for a spell, dared she try to intercept it? Her timing would have to be impeccable. She licked her lips. It was intent that mattered.
But there was no time. As she walked along the corridor, Dumbledore motioned the other two wizards back and suddenly, she was alone in a completely blank room. There was no window and no door. She had no idea of how she had walked into it.
She screamed in fear and frustration. She felt the cloying fear of past inhabitants of this room.
"Don't leave me here!" she shouted, uncertain of whether or not they could hear her. "Please!"
No one answered her.
The magic here was all very old. Regardless of what Dumbledore said, Snape had not used this room. Filch had though. And someone called Apollyon Pringle before him. And Dippit And Doogle. And Nigellus. The screams of people being hung from the ceiling were very real to her. The floor was spotless. There was no blood—no cobwebs—no bones of little rodents. Samara swallowed. She realized that the room itself was alive, like the room in which she danced, but there was nothing even remotely pleasant about the things that took place in this room, and remnants of them remained. It was a torture chamber. She could see no other purpose for the room. She covered her eyes and began to cry. She made the mistake of touching the wall. A flood of memories filled her, sucking away her strength and her magic.
"Just a little harmless gossip—Sobbing--I didn't mean to—Sir—" It was a voice Samara knew. The moaning ghost, Myrtle.
The memory switched.
"Yeh I knew it was after curfew, Sir, but Aragog needed—"
and switched again, to another student. She was hysterical--
"They won't find me! Carman, Please don't! "You don't understand. Carman!" She seemed to realize that pleading wouldn't work, and switched to threats: "I'm connected to him like you could never be—He'll find me—when he finds out what you did to me—" Then hysteria took over again. "Oh Gawd! Tom! Find me! TOM!"
Samara yanked her hand away, and clasped them together. That last was a powerful memory that touched her deeply. It sapped her magic and strength and will accordingly. Sobbing shook her and trembling, she tried to contain herself. She searched her robes for a handkerchief, but there was none, and she couldn't conjure one in this room. When she raised a hand to see if she could do magic to escape, it was sucked into the room itself, and it took her several moments to detach herself from the room's vociferous appetite. She already felt drained and exhausted. She walked what appeared to be the perimeter of the room with her hands clasped in front of her because she didn't want to touch anything. She tried to make her mind blank, but she couldn't shut out the whispers even when she didn't touch the wall.
She was becoming very tired, but the thought of lying down and sleeping on this floor was so abhorrent that she knew she would remain standing for days instead of lying down. What nightmares would come? She ventured to ask herself, and immediately regretted it, as the room provided the terrors of her thoughts.
It was a long while before she realized that there might be a way to escape. The person calling to the person called Tom obviously thought Tom could hear her. Why? The answer came suddenly to Samara--because they had shared magic. Although she had healed Snape and Harry, there was only one person with whom she had shared magic. Only one person Samara had shared that intimately with, and that was Draco. Would he come? She wasn't sure. She only knew that he had taken bits of her magic and she had taken bits of his. She hoped it would make some kind of link. She worked on it in her mind for a while, concentrating on intent. It would work better she realized if it had been planned, if either he or she had made some sort of commitment or a sacrifice for one another—something physical—but that wasn't there. She had to rely on what she had, and hope it was enough. She called to him, gently at first and then more intensely, as she became more frightened.
Suddenly, she realized that she wasn't alone. A ghost was with her—a very burly, bloody ghost. Her nerves were already shot, but she didn't scream. She just sucked in her breath.
"It's been a very long time since this room was used," the ghost said. "Too long in fact. Your magic isn't much help to you now, is it, witch? With a sinister glare, he flew directly through her. Disoriented, she touched the wall. Memories flowed again. Different ones this time.
"I wasn't cheating! Look! There are no answers on it. It's just a piece of parchment."
For a moment the wizard's confidence comforted her, and she nearly relaxed. Then the fear started.
I don't see why I should be punished—I mean—just parchment—NO DON'T BURN IT! OK, Mr. Filch. It wasn't just parchment. It was --a love note from Lily to James. You know, it was just a little prank. Harmless. Nothing that warrants a detention HERE! At least, let James take the note back to the dorm—OK Let Lupin take it. He didn't do anything wrong.
The wizard began to panic. The fear made all the worse because of his earlier arrogance. She felt like she knew him—the texture of his aura was familiar—and then it hit her. It was the same aura that surrounded the black dog animagus that had accompanied Mr. Lupin—the one that everyone wanted to pretend was really a dog, like they pretended that Mrs. Norris was a cat.
Why can't me and James serve the detention together? Why not? I mean, It would save you the trouble of coming back down here again later. After all we got in trouble together—please—don't—If I showed you the note? No. I can't. Because—Because—it's not a note. It's a joke we got from Zonko's—but it doesn't work. We can't get it to work. I know—I said—but I—I lied—but—please—please—"
And he was reduced to pleading like the rest of them. Samara found herself sobbing as the memory faded directly into another one—a girl this time--
"At least let Lucius and me be here together! Please! You can't leave me here alone!
She pulled herself up to face Dippit, who dismissed her with an absent wave of his hand. He hardly seemed to hear her.
I should tell you—I think—I mean I could be—I'm pregnant—What do you mean it doesn't matter? Of course it matters! Lucius! Lucius! Lucius! Laurel! Valeriana!"
==
"Go ahead and scream, Witch," said the ghost. "No one can hear you. No sonorous spell to enhance your voice." Tsk. Tsk. Poor little witch."
The ghost flew through Samara again and she staggered against the wall.
"DRACO!" Samara hadn't realized she'd been screaming until she felt the rawness of her throat, and finally the one wall flickered and opened. She fell into Draco's arms sobbing.
"What took you so long?" she accused.
"I heard you almost an hour ago," he said, "I apparated to the corridor, but I couldn't find this place until you—you—" He lifted his head and looked at her holding her at arm's length. "What did you do anyway?" he said. "It was almost like—a summons."
"Did I hurt you?" asked Samara.
"No. Well, a little—I could feel—Never mind. I felt almost like I was here before, but I—"
"Just hold me," Samara interrupted. "I did something stupid."
"Humph," said Draco.
"The Hogwarts wards are opened," she said. "It was Snape who did it. Well, Snape and me. I'm —she hesitated. Snape had said to tell no one. Gawd, she wasn't good at secrets.
"The Prophecy Child," said Draco
"You knew," she said amazed. "Since when?"
"Since the Chamber of Forever, for sure," said Draco. "I suspected the first time you cursed me." He was stroking her hair.
"Where's your wand?" he asked suddenly.
"Dumbledore took it," she said. "But I think I can accio it. Snape said that distance doesn't matter. I did it in class from Snape."
"Snape's not Dumbledore," said Draco. "And you're trembling. Get your strength back first. Do you want to go outside to connect to the Elementals? It's cold."
"No," said Samara eyes suddenly sparkling in anticipation. " I want to go to The Room—The Chamber of Forever."
The ghost from inside the torture chamber floated out to them. "She belongs to the Dark Lord," he said.
"Go away Baron," snarled Draco. "She belongs to me." He put a protective arm around Samara's shoulder.
"If you know what is good for you, you will go to the Antechamber now. The others should be there shortly, Young Mr. Malfoy."
Draco nodded. "I will go, Baron, when I get damned good and ready," he said. "But not yet. He won't have her yet."
The ghost chuckled. "Damned you will be, Young Mr. Malfoy. And the girl too. Just like your mother." The ghost swirled around the ceiling and smirked. "Did you know, your father thought he could keep your mother too—"
Draco made an inarticulate sound that was half way between a growl and a snarl. "Did you know that crucio works on ghosts," he said in a cold hard voice. "I just recently discovered that. Do you remember what if feels like?"
The baron disappeared, and Samara was left standing next to Draco. "When you do that," she whispered. "I feel like I don't know you at all."
"You don't know me," Draco said pulling her toward Slytherin common room and the Chamber of Forever. "But you will. First, we have to think of a way to get your wand back."
==
The Gryffindors were all gathered in Hermione's room. Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting cross-legged on the floor around the pensieve. Neville and Beatrice were sitting back a little further. Harry thought they both looked like they would rather be anywhere else rather than here. Parvati, who had already put all of the visions into the pensieve was sitting with her head on Dean's shoulder and Lavender and Seemus were practically ignoring everything that was going on. Harry wondered why they bothered to come.
Why are there are snakes all over the child?" asked Parvati.
"Could it be Tom Riddle as a baby?" asked Harry. "The man looks a lot like him—Could he be Tom Riddle's squib father--"
"So you think the woman is his grandmother?" asked Beatrice.
"Snakes would be expected around the Heir of Slytherin," commented Ron.
"That's it!" said Hermione. "The child is the Heir of Slytherin! The natural heir of Slytherin, not the one that the cult contrived—"
The group looked at her confused.
It's the child of the other boy--the squib's second son. If it were Tom what would be the point of the other visions?" Hermione explained.
"And the Slytherin line is through his father," ventured Harry
"Then the woman is—Lorrissa?" questioned Parvati.
"So she was pregnant," said Tom.
"And you're an uncle," thought Ginny.
"Please—I can't stand that Weasley excitement about babies."
"But Tom—"
"And that's great half-uncle to the child with the snakes—not uncle--and not me. I'm just a Memory."
"If the Prophecy child is the Heir of Slytherin," said Ron. "Trelawney has been right all along. We're all doomed."
There was a long silence and at last Harry said, "Shall we look at the next vision?"
" The prophecy child is on the train," said Beatrice. "He's at the Sorting, remember?"
She," corrected Harry. "Parvati, do you remember what you said when you were Helga?"
Parvati shook her head. "I never remember them after they're over."
"You identified the Prophecy Child as a girl. You said, "A child of our blood combined, a lass."
"I don't understand why the founders are arguing over her," said Dean. "How could they not realize that she was comprised of all the houses?"
"Oh, I think I know that," said Harry. "I read some things about empaths on All Hallow's Eve and I think that the Prophecy Child is not one forth of each house as we supposed. The prophecy child is totally the house she is in, while she chooses to be that house, but she can travel to each of the houses and be comfortable in each of them."
"That's why we couldn't find her!" exclaimed Hermione.
"We really should look at the parseltongue," said Ginny. "That's what we got the pensieve for—"
"You're right," said Harry.
As they reached the part of the vision where the parseltongue abounded, Ginny and Harry moved forward to have a closer look. Parvati was the Prophecy Child.. All of the others were dressed in Death Eater robes. They could recognize no one.
Apparently the Prophecy Child has not chosen her side yet here," said Harry Potter.
As the snakes hissed, Neville asked, "What are the snakes saying?" And Harry began to translate the parseltongue for the others.
In parseltongue: "What are you doing? Are you bowing to this—not snake—not man—" Harry hesitated, listening. "The Prophecy Child is disgusted by him," Harry continued. " Then, I think Voldemort speaks next. He says:, ""Yes, she is, As should you."
So, someone was bowing and You-Know-Who told the Prophecy child to bow?" asked Ron.
Right, said Harry, But still the Prophecy Child doesn't bow to him. Harry felt himself cheering on the prophecy child, even though it wouldn't make any difference to the outcome. He remembered being in that Death Eaters circle and now, he noted the size of the group around and through the train had roughly doubled.
"If she was asking someone—in parseltongue--about bowing—then there has to be another parselmouth among his Death Eaters," said Hermione thoughtfully.
"Oh sweet Merlin, they know," thought Ginny.
"Not yet," coached Tom. "They're Gryffindors—"
"Who?" Harry shivered.
"Does this mean there were Death Eaters on the train?" asked Beatrice.
"Well there had to be at least one," said Hermione. "Who else would send the Dark Mark?"
Ginny breathed again..
"Told you so," said Tom. "You're such an angel, Ginny Love."
"Yeah, me and Gloria," thought Ginny.
A moment later, the Prophecy Child bowed an irreverent hasty bow which seemed to mean nothing to her.
"Well, if she doesn't want to bow, that's a good sign isn't it?" asked Dean.
Parvati nodded hopefully.
Then the Prophecy Child opened the book and the snakes—no not snakes--baby basilisks came crawling out of the diary. It was a small green book
"It's not my diary," said Ginny in relief.
The snakes poured out of the book , and the Prophecy Child took them all into her hands.
She's—not saying words, said Harry she's just—crooning to them—calling them pet names as several slithered around her neck and the ones that fell to the ground, tried to crawl around her ankles. Then the Prophecy Child looked up. "I should tell you," she said.to Voldemort. "I came here because I would like your help."
Harry sucked in his breath.
"What did she say?" questioned Hermione, but Harry didn't answer. He was staring at the pensieve.
Ginny spoke instead, "She said, I came here because I want your help."
"Oh, that can't be good," said Ron.
"And we still don't know who it is!" moaned Ginny. "We've gone through almost all of the visions and dreams and still are no closer to figuring this out! What are we going to do?"
"You have to tell them, Parvati," urged Dean.
"Tell us what?" asked Neville.
"I had another vision," said Parvati, blushing. "It started out as a dream and I thought it was just a dream, but a vision followed it. I never wrote it down."
"What!" exclaimed Lavender. "Why didn't you write it down?"
"I was going to! Snape caught me going to Trelawney and by the time I got back I couldn't remember it very well."
"There are potions to help you remember," suggested Neville.
"I told you part of it. Remember when Beauxbatons was attacked." Parvati said. "I think I'll remember at least some of it."
"Well, let's try," said Ginny.
"It was about the Yule Ball," began Parvati. "You remember I went to the Yule Ball last year with Harry—"
"Yes," said Harry. "I remember—" He did remember—He remembered Dean's jealousy. He remembered not treating her very well—He was a little nervous himself about what this prophecy contained.—"Parvati?" he said. "You know, I—I'm sorry about how the Yule Ball turned out—"
"I'm not," interrupted Dean.
"I just mean, I was—" Harry shrugged.
"Rude?" supplied Parvati.
Harry nodded. "I'm sorry."
Parvati rolled her eyes. She and Lavender giggled as they looked back at the pensieve, and Harry closed his eyes. He was asking her to the Yule ball, and she was giggling. He looked like a stuttering fool, standing in his wrinkled robes and running his hand through his already ruffled hair. Then he asked if she knew anyone for Ron—Ron himself interrupted aghast.
"Harry! You told me Padma wanted to go!"
"Well, she did," said Harry. "She could have said no—"
"I can't believe you did that to me!" shouted Ron. "I'm not that desperate!"
Hermione patted his arm gently, trying to calm him.
Unbeknownst to Ron and Harry, the pensieve switched to Alvin Nott asking Parvati to the Ball. The comparison between him and Harry was ludicrous," thought Ginny. Harry was endearingly nervous, but Alvin was sophisticated, poised, impeccably dressed—"
"Oily, manipulative—" added Tom.
"You don't know that," thought Ginny.
"Of course I do. He's a Slytherin."
Ginny sighed. "With prejudice like yours Tom, the Slytherins don't need the Gryffindors to beat them down."
"I must have gotten it from you, Ginny Love—obviously a Gryffindor trait—beating down Slytherins"
"Yeah. Look at you," thought Ginny.
Ginny was rocked from her revelry when Parvati shouted at Lavender. "You what?"
Parvati in the pensieve was dancing with Alvin Nott, her head intimately on his shoulder.
"I just danced with him," Parvati explained rolling her eyes.
"You went to the ball with Harry. Why were you dancing with Nott?"
" It wasn't like Harry wanted to dance with me," said Parvati.
"But Nott's a Slytherin!" continued Lavender.
"As if I would date a Slytherin. Are you out of your mind?" spat Parvati. "Even when we went back over to Slytherin, we—"
"You went back over to Slytherin!" Interrupted Lavender aghast.
"We were just dancing—" said Parvati.
"Just dancing with Nott. I wasn't born yesterday."
"Then stop acting like you were," snapped Parvati. "I had no reason to tell you. It wasn't your business--" You were perfectly happy with the Beaubaxtons crowd anyway , Lavender, if I remember correctly. At least Nott is our age. I wasn't drooling over the seventh years.
"That isn't the point."
In the pensieve, Death Eaters were starting to arrive. Fire was everywhere.
"And what is your point?" asked Parvati.
"To find out what was going on between you and Alvin."
"Oh, you're calling him Alvin now," said Parvati. "Does Seamus know you're on a first name basis with him?"
"Leave me out of this," said Seamus hastily.
"And nothing is going on," continued Parvati. He just asked me to the ball.
"He didn't. If he had, you wouldn't have gone with Harry Potter.
Harry put his face in his hands and Hermione patted him on the shoulder..
In the penseive, the Beaubaxton's table exploded. "You know, I think that's the main point of this vision," said Ginny. "To warn us about Beaubaxtons, and since it's already over--"
"I don't think anyone's listening to you, Ginny, " said Tom.
"Harry was a champion!" countered Parvati. "Anyway he asked me before Alvin."
"Should we –do anything about them?" asked Hermione gesturing to the arguing girls.
"Oh, no," said Dean. "I'm so glad to see Parvati acting normally for a change. It's OK as long as they don't start cursing each other. Lately Parvait's been so wrapped up in the prophecy she can't even hold a civil conversation. Look how focused she is—"
"I don't think it's really civil—" interrupted Harry. Both Parvati and Lavender had now drawn their wands.
"You take that back!" Lavender shouted brandishing her wand. "I never spent the night. That's Slytherin lies! It's because of that stupid toilet portkey- Anyway, you just said you went back to Slytherin with Nott-"
"I thought you called him Al—vin," said Parvati.
"Expellarmus!" said Harry disarming both of the girls with one spell.
"Impressive," muttered Dean.
"No it wasn't," thought Tom. "Their wands weren't even aimed at him."
"Can we get on to the next vision or dream?" asked Harry as the girls glared at each other.
"When did all this with Nott happen?" asked Ginny.
"Last November," said Lavender.
"Christmas break," said Parvati.
"Well, see," said Ginny gesturing with her hands. "It's all over now. That shouldn't be a problem for either of you. Anyway, from what I've seen in Slytherin, Lauren Avery would curse anyone who smiles at him."
"Well, if she did," muttered Lavender, "She'd have to curse the whole school."
"From what I understand, that's what they were saying about you Lavender," said Parvati.
Luckily, Harry still had their wands. After a few minutes they calmed down.
"I think that's all we're going to get tonight," said Hermione. "Let's make an early start of it tomorrow."
The final moments in the pensieve were playing out. Snape was dancing with Parvati and warning her. "Say nothing. Dance."
"Snape?" said Lavender. "You were dancing with Snape? That's just disgusting."
"It was a dream," said Parvati exasperated.
"You dream of Snape?" she said, her voice going up an octave and catching the attention of one of the Gryffindor passers by.
They must not know who you are" said Snape, eyes intense, even in the murky pensieve. "Tell no one. Do you understand? Do you understand how important you are? Do you understand?"
."Snape was protecting the Prophecy child," said Parvati through gritted teeth.
Suddenly a surge of magic rushed through the room. The glow globes flickered as if a cold wind or a ghost had passed them. A moment later the cold was replaced by a warm summer breeze. A freshness followed it like a clear summer night following a soaking rain.
Everyone was looking at each other in confusion, but Neville leaped to his feet. "The wards are down," he blurted. "The Hogwart's apparition wards just went down."
"What?" The group looked at him in horror.
"You must be joking," said Hermione.
"Mistaken—" added Ron.
"Hey, it's just Neville," thought Ginny, but Tom confirmed his suspicions. The Anti-disapparition wards just dropped, " he assured her.
"Oh please," murmured Neville suddenly looking very much like that little one year old who had watched his parents tortured. "Don't be her—"
"One way to find out if the wards are really down," said Harry. Pulling his wand.
"Harry don't—"
"Itare phantasma!"
"You don't know what the wards might have done to you," admonished Hermione, but her scolding died on her lips as she realized that Harry had just apparated from one end of the room to the other.
Angelina Johnson banged on the door. "Hermione! Count the first years. We're taking a census to see who's still out. Hermione!"
She opened the door and peered in. "Prefect business," Angelina said, and then more quietly to Hermione. "It's an emergency. The appariton wards are down." She raised her voice a little to carry to the hallways. "Everyone stay in your room or the common room.. No one may leave Gryffindor Tower.
Parvati seemed to suddenly realize her mission as she gazed into the pensieve. "I have to protect the prophecy child too," she murmured. "I have to find her." She looked around wildly. "Dean? Dean? Have we found her yet?"
"No," he said sadly. "We're still looking, Parvati."
"You keep looking, alright?" said Hermione from the doorway. "The best thing you could do is find her—before, you-know-who does—"
Wand drawn Hermione turned and followed Angelina into the corridor.
__
NOTES TO REVIEWERS:
XASA: Four days—You're quite a reader. Thanks for being with us. Check out the yahoo group, The_Seers_Truth. Voldemort can't feel Samara's power through Draco, because she hasn't healed him. She shared magic with him.
Reiven What exactly do these holes in their aura's mean? Trauma. In the case of my story, the curcious curse., omoshiroi??? It's not really Ginny's temper showing here. It's Tom's.
.Raven173 Glad you like Tom. And yes, Snape forgot several things. He was a bit distracted with the Dark Mark burning. Major Draco next chapter. Stay riveted to that computer.
hayes1966 Of course Draco knows, and Poor Edward? Remember Ginny still has to find the emerald, so she wasn't a total waste for Eddie.
taju`akiel (dbvhunter@aol.com) Glad you are enjoying. Please keep reading.
Jager Glad you are with us. Check out the groups. Yahoo. Com site.
cubez@Hogwarts Glad you like. Stay with us. More good stuff coming.
Trillium Thanks for your crossed fingers, but my internet is still screwy. Next week they are supposed to check the hardware. They have finally decided it's the dish itself that's messed up SIGH. Hey, everytime I write a new chapter, you say, "it's my favorite chapter!" I LOVE IT. HAPPY DANCE.
Silverfox Gr, ff.net is having 'a communication problem' whenever I try to sign in. And you think you were having problems with fanfic! HA! Thanks for reading and reviewing.
ennui deMorte (I left some of * ennui's comments because those of you who are following the yahoo groups discussion will get a kick out of them) "da wand - Da Wand! lol, can't believe I was even close on that one. The Macarena, anyone? Neville did forget two names and it is pretty good he forgot one or else the Gryffs probably would've been light one Seer. The two names: Doogle and Patil"
So, ennui, it's obvious why he omitted Patil. Question for group: Why did he omit Doogle?
And for your reading pleasure, ennui, more albino ferret to come. Muwawawawa
Samara hasn't shared magic with Harry. She healed him—twice. She hasn't shared magic with or healed Ginny. She thought she could heal Ginny, at the beginning, and Ginny told her not to worry about it when she couldn't do it. St. Mongos couldn't heal her. Then later when Samara saw a major change—Dark Mark—but at the time Samara didn't know what it was, she tried to heal her, but when she saw the mess Ginny was in, in addition to what Samara senses as Tom, she just pulled the covers up over her. She couldn't heal Ginny.
.And what was that line of BULL that she fed Snape about not loving Draco? The Slytherin answer to that is "Humph."
Kemenran oho ... fun in potions. Yes, it was, wasn't it? And poor Harry never had fun in potions with Snape. Bout time don't you think?
==
BE A RESPONSIBLE READER. REVIEW. AT LEAST IT DOESN'T COST YOU ANYTHING TO READ THIS FIC.
AUTHOR WONDERS—WHY DOES IT TAKE BETWEEN 50-60 READERS ON ADVANCED STATS BEFORE 10 REVIEWS SHOW UP?
==
Author's note:
Only 2 more chapters to go till the sequel—
Visit the groups.yahoo site.
That's groups.yahoo.com/The_Seers_Truth
--Lady Lestrange
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