HARRY POTTER AND THE SEERS' TRUTH
By Lady Lestrange
Chapter 59
On Magic Alone
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 because they will never know how much of Voldemort is Tom Riddle and how much is Salazar Slytherin.. But now, another secret is shattered, the secret of the Anti-disapparition wards around Hogwarts, and Samara escapes from CHAMBER OF CHAINS. Will she find her wand? Will the Gryffindors be able to help her?
Non-stop action to the end, and now, on to the last chapter,
On Magic Alone
"If we'd have looked at this one first," said Parvati. "We might have known—"
"No," said Neville. "We would have given up hope, if we saw this first."
"So she's the Heir of Slytherin," said Harry. He ran a hand through his hair, which rearranged the spikes and curls that repeated hands through it had made. "But we did find her."
Hermione poked her head into her room. "Ginny?"
"She's not here," answered Ron. "She went to her room to get Samara. I think she just needed a little breather—This is rough for her." He brightened. "But we found the Prophecy Child."
"Ginny's not in her room," said Hermione. "I just was looking there for Samara. I thought maybe she knew where Edward was—He's not here either."
"Samara's not in her room?" said Harry, alarmed.
"Well, they have to be in Gryffindor tower," said Ron. "Haven't the prefects been guarding the portrait hole since the wards went down?"
"Yes," said Hermione. "But she's not here—none of them are. Harry. Can we use the Map?"
"Oh of course. It's right here." Harry pulled the Maurader's Map out of his pocket and opened it on the desk. Although they were looking for the missing three students, their eyes were drawn immediately to the lower level bathroom where a small group of Slytherins stood. Among them was a dot labeled Samara (Riddle) Donnally.
"Riddle," breathed Hermione.
"You were right," said Ron. "Her Grandma Lori was Lorrissa."
"Harry?" said Neville in a small voice. "Do you know if any of the Slytherins are named for Valeriana?"
"No. I don't think so," said Harry. "Why?"
"Because she's here.
Harry tore the Map off of Neville and looked at it, mentally counting, not Slytherin students, but Death Eaters. Hermione and Ron crowded close to see for themselves. Valeriana, the Malfoys, Carman Doogle, Snape, Nott and a whole group of students, including Draco Malfoy and Samara—"
"We have to tell Dumbledore," said Hermione. "There are Death Eaters in the Castle."
"Mischief managed," said Harry, stuffing the map into his pocket and heading towards the door.
He almost ran into Hermione as she stopped abruptly. "Oh, how are we going to get out of Gryffindor Tower? We don't have the Invisibility Cloak."
"But you're a prefect," Ron argued.
"I still can't leave the Tower. Rules are rules."
"The twins will do it," said Ron. "Create a diversion or something and we can sneak out—"
"Angelina put up a ward," said Hermione.
"I can get through it," said Beatrice. "I got through Snape's ward. People forget about animagi."
"Good," said Hermione. "You go straight to Dumbledore, as soon as you get the chance. Come on, the twins are in the Common Room."
"Ron pulled Fred aside.
"So does anyone know why we have to stay cooped up in the common room?" complained Fred.
"The apparition wards are down," whispered Ron. "There are Death Eaters in the castle."
Fred went ghost white, and then laughed. Good joke, Ron. You had me there for a minute." He looked at Ron's unsmiling face and softly said, "George. Come here."
"We saw them on the Map," continued Ron. "Harry, show them."
"No. No. Not here," said Fred hastily putting his hand over the folded Map. "We believe you."
"We don't think Dumbledore knows where they are," said Hermione. "Bea Bunny was going to warn him, but we need a diversion to get Angelina away from the door. Beatrice thinks she can go through the ward."
"OK," said George "What about Fillibuster Fireworks?"
Fred shook his head. "Dung bombs."
"Dung bombs! You're kidding." Said Ron.
"Fastest way to clear a room," said Fred.
"Why argue with success," added George.
"Oh and one other thing," said Harry gripping George's shoulder. "Ginny is missing from Gryffindor Tower. In fact, we can't find her or Edward on the Map at all. We need to hurry."
Fred and George looked at each other. "With the wards down, someone could have apparated her out by now," said Fred worriedly.
"Or she could be in one of those little secret pockets in the Slytherin Dungeon that isn't reliable on the map. Said George.
"Let's hope," said Fred. Reaching into his robe pocket, he pulled out a tiny shrunken case which contained numerous magical items. He touched his wand to a round object and then to the dung bombs. Several popped out into his hand. The bombs themselves were only the size of a snitch, but they were still bigger than the case they came out of. "Here," said Fred handing Harry, Ron, and Neville a handful of small round devices with a string attached to each of them.
"We should have poisoned that git when we had the chance," said George pulling a similar case from his robe pocket., and dropping the dung bombs unobtrusively through the common room.
"What are these?" asked Harry looking at the round devices.
"Extendable ears," said Fred. "They might help if you need to hear what's going on without being seen. You put this end in your ear. Be careful with them. They're fragile."
"Where are the Death Eaters?" asked George.
"Lower level bathroom between Slytheirn and Hufflepuff," said Harry.
I didn't know there was a bathroom there," said Fred.
"It's on the map," said Harry.
"It doesn't make sense. Why would Death Eaters come and then hide in a bathroom?" wondered George. Wouldn't they be in the Great Halls shooting off Avada Kadavra?"
"It's an entrance to the Chamber of Secrets," said Harry.
"Oh God, not again," whispered George.
"We think they came for the prophecy child," added Ron. "We know who it is. It's Samara."
"Ready?" asked Fred. "You'll need the respirare charm. We've added a sleeping draught to these."
"Or you can do the bubble head," said George.
Harry nodded, wand ready.
With a quick flip of his wand, Fred set off all of the dung bombs simultaneously.
"Respirare!" said Harry, and Hermione, Ron and Neville also said the charm. Beatrice turned into a bunny and disappeared under the thick smoke of the dung bombs.
Fred and George," called Angelina through the smoke. "I know your work."
"Did you tell her the counter was respirare?" asked George.
"No," said Fred.
"Yes, you did," accused George.
"Maybe I did. I don't remember." Fred said as all the prefects except for Hermione advanced on them enmass.
"Shit! I guess I did tell her," Said Fred. Adhere! "Sorry Angelina, but this is important. I have to go save my baby sister. I promise I'll unstick you from these morons as soon as I get back.
"Adhere?" questioned Harry.
"You have no idea how hard it is to maneuver when you are stuck to one other person. Four together should be literally impossible." Said Fred.
Harry raised his wand above his head, ""Itare phantasma!"
He said and disapparated.
Hermione looked at Ron. "Sorry," she said "Itare phantasma!"
Ron and Neville headed toward the portrait hole, but the group of prefects tried to intercept them. As soon as they took a step, they overbalanced and landed in a heap on the floor. "Ok," said Angelina taking charge. "Who can get their foot under us? How about a hand? Can anyone reach the table?"
Ron and Neville walked around them intent upon getting the ward down, but they were stopped, by an awful sight. Lying panting just inside the door was a little brown bunny.
"Bea!" said Neville picking her up. "She mustn't have been able to get through the ward. Respirare!"
She took several deep breaths, and changed back into a witch. "She spelled it to repel animagi," said Beatrice amazedly. "I couldn't get through—"
"And then you couldn't breathe," supplied Neville. "Do you need your puffer?"
"No," said Beatrice taking another breath. "I'm OK now. I just got several breaths of the stink before I realized I needed to stop breathing it. The bunny brain got a little confused with that—"
"I could see why," said Neville going to the doorway and raising his wand as the prefects managed to roll themselves to the bottom of the dormitory steps. "Let's see---Adflictum est!"
The ward shattered.
Ron's mouth hung open in surprise. "Where did you learn that spell?"
"Oh," said Neville. "I've known it since I was a baby."
==
.
"I don't want to leave," said Samara as they stood on the threshold of the Chamber of Forever, the Earth beneath her feet still undulating softly. It was in Samara's eyes the most beautiful place in the world. "I'll probably never see it again," she said brushing her wet and wildly blowing hair out of her face.
"Sure you will," said Draco, the aura of fire shimmering with real sparks of fire. His usually neatly combed hair was blowing with the Air Elemental.
"Do you think Dumbledore will let me come back?" she asked incredulously. You weren't in that torture room—"
"Dumbledore won't be here," said Draco. He closed his hands over the abundance of fire magic in his hands, but did not draw his wand to siphon it off.
"Do you really think He can defeat Dumbledore?" Samara didn't even try to contain the excess of Elemental magic. She just reveled in it.
"He defeated Death!" Draco showered Elemental sparks down the corridor. "How difficult can it be to take down that old coot? I could probably do it myself."
"You think your Dark Lord is so powerful?"
"More—" said Draco.
"Are you sure about this, Draco? "You just said you wouldn't let him have me, and now, we are planning on going to him. If he's so powerful--."
"You just said this binding was permanent," countered Draco.
"It is."
"Then we have nothing to worry about," said Draco.
So why was his aura smothered in fear, thought Samara.
"And you'd better call him Lord Voldemort,. "He doesn't like to be called The Dark Lord, and remember--"
"I'll remember," said Samara exasperated with Draco's constant instructions.. "Don't say anything about Tom Riddle or my parentage. We should go. Dumbledore will be looking for me soon." Samara shivered. "I don't want him to find me."
"Let's go then," said Draco, as at last they left the room. He was showering sparks with each step. "But first, Samara, we have to get your wand."
"Draco," said Samara, pushing back her wild wet hair "I have an excuse. I don't have a wand, but you're starting to remind me of Ethan."
"Curse off your tongue, woman." He snapped playfully, pulling his wand from his pocket and performing drying charms on both of them.
"My wand's probably in Dumbledore's office," said Samara, "If not in his pocket."
Draco grimaced, pocketing his wand. "Let's hope it's not in his pocket. One of the house elves could get it from his office.."
But first we'd have to tell a house elf," said Samara.
Not necessarily," said Draco. "Pansy would help—"
When they walked through the Slytherin Common Room they looked for Pansy. Draco asked a few first years who were playing exploding snap if they had seen her.
"She went down to the kitchen to see if the house elves could pop us up something to eat," answered one of them. "The wards went down and they haven't let anyone come into the Great Hall for supper."
"I don't see why we couldn't eat," said another disgustedly. "Everyone in the castle is freakin out—even you Draco. Why are you trailing fire elemental?"
"Come on," said Draco, ignoring the sparks and hurrying to the exit of Slytherin Common Room.
Alvin Nott was sitting by the door reading a magazine. "Wards are down," he said without looking up from his magazine. "You aren't supposed to leave the common room."
"Humph!" muttered Draco as he stepped over Nott' s outstretched legs.
"Where are we going?" asked Samara.
"To find Pansy--," Draco answered, getting quiet and staring straight ahead as if deep in thought.. "or a house elf—"
He frowned. "Let's go to the kitchen and see," he said.
"See what?" asked Samara.
"If Pansy could help—" He didn't wait for an answer. He began hurrying along the corridor, Samara following at a jog.
They heard voices and Draco abruptly pulled Samara behind a suit of armor as Flitwick and Sinistra passed. How they didn't see the sparks the couple were emitting was more than Samara and Draco knew.
"It won't take too much more to reset the temporary wards," said Flitwick.. Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall have the grounds done. Sprout and Vector have started the North Tower.
"They won't be as strong," said Sinistra, ."doing them in pieces. We should be all together."
"It would take too long. It will only be weak at the corners. As soon as we're finished, you can be sure no one can apparate through
"It won't stop apparaition inside of the ward," said Professor Sinistra.
"No, " said Flitwick, "I know it will only prohibit apparition across it, But I don't think that matters too much right now. Students apparating to cheat is the least thing we need to worry about," said Flitwick.
"Their voices faded in the distance.
"Come on," said Draco, hurrying out into the main corridor only to be halted by another sound, Mrs. Norris. It sounded like she caught something.
"Filch's cat," whispered Draco. "We have to wait."
"Her aura is not a cat's," said Samara. "She's a witch."
"I know. My parents said Filch has had her since they were here. Rather long time for a cat to live." He put a finger to his lips signifying silence as they listened to Mrs. Norris.
A moment later, he sucked in his breath, pulled Samara to her feet and was hurrying her forward again.
"Mrs. Norris is still there," protested Samara, a wild wind blowing around her and stirring the sparks.. "I thought you wanted to stay hidden.
"You're going to meet Him sooner than I thought," said Draco. "He calls."
Samara halted in her tracks remembering Snape's pain as he tried to tell her about the Prophecy child's gifts. "What are we going to do?" she asked.
"We are going to go to Him," said Draco simply. "It's better if we go to him sooner rather than later anyway," said Draco. "At least he can protect you from Dumbledore. Now, hurry."
"Wait," said Samara "I just remembered a shortcut The couple crept along the wall to the dungeon suit of armor, but they were not alone.
"Do you hear voices?" asked Samara, consciously trying to halt the continuous flow of elemental magic which was blowing and sparking and seemed to want to be involved in their lives forever.
Silently Draco nodded, but he didn't slow his steady pace along the wall. "It's dark," he said. "They won't see us—"
"What do you mean they won't see us," muttered Samara. "We're both spouting mini fireworks."
"Where's this tunnel?" asked Draco.
"I don't' remember for sure, and in the dark—" a little shower of sparks lit her way for a moment.
Suddenly, they were blinded by the flash of wandlight issuing from three other students. There was a moment of panic, and then a familiar voice—Edward's. "Bloody hell," he whispered. "You are so-o-o dead, Draco. You better hope the prophecy child is Ginny." Edward put his arm around Ginny.
"It's not," said Draco. "Sorry, Weasley."
"You know," said Ethan. "I'll miss playing Quit with you. You were a prat, but at least you were a challenge—Oh wicked!" exclaimed Ethan as Draco lost several handfuls of fire and it exploded into flame on the floor. "That was just—"
Samara and Ginny both doused the flames with Elemental water.
"Is it that noticeable?" Interrupted Draco, sparks issuing from his fingertips.
"Is Avada green," said Edward.
"Do I get that unbalanced with wandless magic?" asked Ethan frowning.
"Worse," said Edward, drowning Draco's response with another deluge of elemental water.
"Here's the tunnel," said Samara. She opened the dark passageway with a rush of wind and "Alohomora!"
"Where are you going?" asked Ethan snidely. "Isn't your Mark burning, Draco?"
"Like hell," answered Draco, lighting his wand and entering the tunnel with Samara. "We just have some business we have to take care of first."
Before the tunnel closed, they heard Ethan call, "He'll make it a summons!"
"So we'll run," replied Draco.
They passed through the dark tunnel lit only by wandlight. When they emerged, they were in a deserted corridor. Undoubtedly, they were the only ones who would venture into the dark Slytherin dungeon passages at night. When they emerged, they were only a short jog to the pear and the kitchen. They tickled the pear and went in.
The kitchen, laden with the delayed supper, smelled wonderful. Samara took a deep breath.
"Oh-h, Miss Samara is hungry?" cooed one of the house elves.
"Yes, but we don't have time—" Samara looked worriedly at Draco. "I don't see Pansy—"
"Where's Tully?" demanded Draco.
"OH-h Tully is not here," said the house elf worriedly. "Myna will fetch her."
"No!" shouted Draco.
"Miss Samara is hungry?" asked the house elf forcing a glass of pumpkin juice into her hand. "Miss Samara likes?" said another elf, smiling anxiously. Samara took a sip out of politeness.
"Is Tully doing my errand?"
Several of the elves looked at each other in confusion.
"Myna does not know," answered one of them. "Tully has gone away --with Maximus and –"
Draco breathed a sigh of relief. "Good."
"Draco, Sir is hungry?" asked the elf.
"No—I'm not—" said Draco turning to leave.
"Draco, Sir will take something with him?" said the elf, hastily pushing an apple into Draco's hand. Draco looked at it for a moment as if confused, but Samara bit into hers right away. She had eaten nothing since lunch and the apple tasted wonderful.
"It still has its seeds," said Draco. He frowned at Samara. "You don't eat them?" he said.
"No," she replied around a bite of apple.
"Remove the seeds," he demanded of the house elf. "From both of them." And in a flash both apples were cored by the house elf's magic. Draco grabbed Samara by the arm, and pulled her from the kitchen. "Let's go."
"I'm coming," she said picking up the pace. "Where are we going now?"
"Draco?" she said worriedly.
He had stopped at the end of the corridor, and stood shivering with the pain of his Dark Mark and taking slow deep breaths.
"Draco, are you alright? Do you know where you need to go?" asked Samara. She hesitated. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking—Thank you, Aislinn." He took her arm in his, closed his eyes imagining and without warning, apparated both of them to the Dark Lord.
Samara found her footing back on solid ground, but she felt as if her head hadn't quite caught up with her body. Certain that the floor was moving under her feet, she snatched at the lapels of Draco's robe as much to catch her balance as because she was angry.
"Give me a heart attack, why don't ya!"
"A what?"
She practically shook him as she shouted. "Don't you ever do that again you son of a bitch!" She ended her diatribe with a shower of hot sparks of Elemental magic
"Apparate you?" asked Draco with a wry smile. "Would you rather I had left you for Dumbledore?"
There was the sound of someone clearing their throat.
"Well, warn a person!" said Samara, still showering sparks and wind.
Draco pulled his wand and began to try to siphon off some the wandless magic.
Another shuffle of robes caught Samara's attention and she turned, pushing windblown hair out of her face to see a couple of older students and several adult death eaters in black robes with white masks staring in their direction. One of them was quite close, and moving closer.
"Who are you?" Samara demanded, letting the fire in her body collect in her hands. The abundance of magic at her disposal was making her bold.
"The bitch," the woman answered shortly. She didn't even look at Samara, but as she reached Draco, she pulled her wand. "Pergo," she said cleaning and straightening his wrinkled robe. Her face was pinched with anger, and her aura was a study in rage and disbelief. "How dare you come to the Dark Lord in such a state, Draco! I didn't raise you to—"
"But mother," drawled Draco, while showering sparks of his own, "You didn't raise me at all. House elves did."
"Don't be insolent," she snapped. "You are lucky that he frowns on others doing curses without his leave. He will think you have had no upbringing at all—"
"How much can a half-blood, who was raised by muggles know about etiquette?" Draco asked.
"Watch your tongue, or I'll remove it for you," snapped Narcissa looking cautiously over her shoulder at the sinks.
"Don't worry, Narcissa. I'm sure the Lord Voldemort remembers what it was like to be fifteen—or sixteen at least--" said Lucius clapping Draco on the shoulder, his red aura, silky with rose tones throughout it. "New girlfriend?" asked Lucius with an oily smirk that made Samara uncomfortable.
"Oh yes," drawled Draco. "Introductions are in order. Samara, My mother and father, Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy. Mother. Father, may I present, the Prophecy Child.
There was a moment of stunned silence, before Narcissa reacted. "Are you mad?" she hissed. "You must have a death wish, Draco, because you won't survive this. You could have just told us you wanted to die and saved the family name."
"You're right. You are a bitch," Samara blurted, the remnants of wandless magic removing whatever small amount of restraint that she had.
"You stay out of this!" snapped Narcissa, brandishing her wand.
"You can't keep her," said Lucius, his aura going from teasing red, to death white.
"I'm not a puppy," said Samara, but Draco spoke at the same time. "I'm not you, Father."
"Draco! You have some respect for your father," said Narcissa, whose hair was starting to blow with suppressed magic.
"Why? You don't," countered Draco, showering his mother with sparks.
Samara sucked in her breath as she saw the change in Narcissia's aura which began a spell.
"Draco, I don't know when you became so difficult—" began Lucius, but Draco's eyes never left his mother as he blocked wandlessly with the fire in his hands. "Testudo!" The clash of the two spells shattered over the bathroom, showering them all with a hurricane of sparks.
Samara doused them with the water elemental.
"He should be thanking me," said Draco. "She chose His side. She wouldn't have done that without me.
"I don't think he'll see it that way," said Narcissa.
"She'd never have agreed to the Dark Mark on her own. Now the choice is made, and in his favor.
"No, the choice is fouled," said one of the Death Eaters across the room. You have meddled in things that do not concern you, Draco.
"Well, Carman," said Draco. "I'm not the only one am I? Meddling must run in the family.
Carman raised her hand with a curse, but Narcissa stepped forward and clasped Carman's hand. "Mother. I'm dealing with it," she said tightly.
"Not very well you're not," Carman answered. "You don't hear Ethan and Edward talking to their elders with disrespect. If they spoke to me, like Draco speaks to you the next thing out of their mouth would be a scream."
"Not in the Lord Voldemort's domain," said Narcissa through gritted teeth. "Not without his permission—Although I can't see that we'll be waiting long for permission. Of course, he may just want to kill Draco himself. Of all the stupid stunts you've pulled—"
If there was a way we could get out of range of his summons—delay--" began Lucius, but Narcissa cut him off. "There isn't. Not anymore. We've discussed this already and this isn't the time or the place--"
"Excuse me," said Samara, finally interrupting. "But we're at Hogwarts. Hardly Voldemort's domain.
"Lord Voldemort," they all corrected her loudly. '
Samara shrugged. "Nonetheless, Dumbledore—"
"The Chamber of Secrets is His," hissed Carman. "Has always been His—"
Glancing around, Samara grimaced. "We are in a Hogwarts' bathroom—a boy's bathroom."
"Mutus!" said Narcissa, throwing the spell carelessly at Samara.,
Samara blocked, the excess magic in her body reacting strongly to the spell. She again showered Narcissa with sparks and the muting spell died in the flames.
"Draco!" she accused, showering the bystanders with more sparks. "We're still at Hogwarts. We need to get out of here before they fix the wards."
"I'm flattered that you trust me to apparate you again, but we have to wait on Lord Voldemort. He hiked his hip up against one of the sinks, and leaned back as if he didn't have a care in the world. "He'll be here shortly."
Edward, Ethan and Ginny fell into the bathroom panting from exertion. "How did you get here before us?" Ethan asked Draco as Alvin joined them.
"I'm just good," said Draco smugly as he pulled his apple out of his robe pocket and tossed it to Samara. "We even had time to stop for a snack."
==
The corridor into which Harry apparated, was completely dark. His eyes searched the darkness, but saw nothing. He dared not light his wand. The brush with Voldemort through the apparition brought him two thoughts, first an emotion that seemed remarkably like joy. It was strange. He had never felt anything but pain through the scar. He had never thought of Voldemort being happy. It was a disturbing thought—very disturbing. Anything that Voldemort was happy about, could not be good. The other sense he received was a certainty that Voldemort was--expecting him. The silent silvery light of an apparition beside him caused him to turn. "Hermione."
She reached out for him in the darkness, her warm hand clasping his. "Which way?" she whispered.
Harry started edging along the corridor toward the bathroom, when something brushed along the intersection directly in front of them. Hermione startled and gripped his hand, but she made no sound. Then she whispered, "Rat."
Harry shook his head even though she couldn't see him. "Ferret," he corrected. "This way." He turned and followed the ferret towards the bathroom. Once outside, Harry relaxed a little. The Death Eaters were already inside of the bathroom, having apparated there when the wards went down. A flurry of robes as a latecomer rushed unseeing past him, caused Harry to shrink within himself. More were coming! He wished desperately for the Invisibility cloak, but it was lost to him.
Hermione was muttering a spell. Leave it to Hermione, thought Harry, as the wall became soft and cushy. She pulled him into the niche she had made and with a whispered spell closed the wall over them hiding them from view.
It was extremely tight quarters, apparently made for one person, not two, but it effectively hid them.
"They can still hear us," whispered Hermione. "And it's a timed spell. In about 10 minutes the wall goes back to solid—"
Harry turned towards her, brushing against her and blushing. "It's awesome," he whispered. Shifting again to figure out where to put his arm. "You always know—"
"Not mine," interrupted Hermione. "Ron's.".
Neither spoke for a moment.
Harry reached in his pocket, and pulled out the twins extendable ear devices. He explained, "It should help us to hear—"
When they got the devices into their ears, the first thing they heard was a sizzle and a splash, and then Edward's voice. "I can't believe he tried to steal her right out from under Lord Voldemort's wand. There's a point where boldness and stupidity overlap."
"You should know," said Ethan. "Living with all those Gryffindor's—"
"Shut up, Ethan," teased a feminine voice. "Next time you drop fire on your robe, we'll let you fry."
Hermione suddenly gripped Harry's hand. That was Ginny's voice! Ginny! Harry moved forward, but the wall in front of him stopped his rash action, and Hermione whispered frantically in his ear. "Dumbledore is coming. We'll get her out!"
"She must be under imperio," said Harry.
"How did you get here before us?" Ethan asked.
"I'm just good," said Draco. "We even had time to stop for a snack."
"Last meal?" said Ethan.
"If we weren't in the anteroom to his chamber, you know that comment warrants a hex," replied Draco.
"Draco, you can't think you can steal his prophecy child and live?" said Edward.
==
"That remains to be seen," said Draco, when a hissing came from behind the sinks and one of them slid aside to reveal a skeletally thin wizard, dressed in black robes. When he came into the light, Samara gasped.
Two tiny serpents were wrapped around his wrists. Others were held in a magical basket. So this was the Dark Lord, thought Samara. She was unimpressed. His aura was a shredded mass of fibers reminding Samara of a muddy gray dryrotted rag. The holes were uncountable and the murkiness so thick that she couldn't even discern the original color of the aura. In fact the only color that could be seen was the deep blood red of the overlay which lay clotted over the whole mess. She searched for some evidence of wandless magic, her vision blurring from exhaustion and lack of food.
Draco had said the Dark Lord used wandless magic almost exclusively, so she should see an abundance of sparkles, but there were none. There was only a essence of gray and black particles which looked more like dirt than like magic. Of one thing she was certain—this was not the aura of human being.
"You have brought a new recruit?" the Dark Lord questioned Draco. His strange snake like face creased into what Samara assumed was a smile as he looked at her. "Someone special to you, young Malfoy?"
"I have brought the Prophecy Child," said Draco calmly, as he knelt at the Dark Lord's feet and kissed his robes, but Samara could tell that Draco was anything but calm.
The smile disappeared from the Dark Lord's face his aura changing from mud and holes to liquid fire as he looked at Draco. Samara could almost feel the heat emanating from him..
"Another one?" said Voldemort glancing at Ginny. He took a deep breath, the rage in his aura simmering, but his voice was a soft hiss, almost a caress. Áre you the Prophecy Child?"
"I am. What are you?" Samara blurted.
He took a step toward her, his aura exploding with anger, and hesitated, allowing the fire in his hands to fizzle to nothingness.
Ethan and Ed drew identical imaginary lines across their necks.
"You are too full of magic," the Dark Lord said reaching out to place a long white finger on her face. "It speaks without thought."
She flinched, and he said, "You have nothing to fear. You are of value to me." His aura flashed orange.
"And Draco is of value to me," she retorted shifting imperceptibly away from his touch and the control of his orange aura.
Rage again flared like fire in his aura, but his strange face showed no sign of his feelings. "I see," he muttered. "If you are the prophecy child, you are an empath and a healer. Is that correct?"
"Yes," said Samara.
"Prove it to me."
"I know who I am," said Samara raising her head a little and pushing the windblown mess of her hair out of her face. "I need prove it to no one—" she felt Draco suck in his breath beside her. "However," she continued. "One of your basilisks is dying—" she pointed to his basket. "It is being crushed by the others. Surely you know they will devour each other if left in the basket."
"I know many things," Voldemort said enigmatically. Samara wasn't sure he was talking about the basilisks.
Samara took a step forward, opened the basket, and ordered the basilisks to "be still!" She thrust her hand inside and pulled out one of the basilisks which was bitten and bleeding, the butt of the others fury. Immediately the little creature wrapped itself around Samara's wrist and attempted to thrust its needle like fangs into her arm.
"Stop,' she hissed in parseltongue as she jerked its head away from her wrist and looked at it carefully. "I know you can't see me and you're frightened, but you needn't bite me. I'm trying to help you."
"Hississus!"
"I am not hisssissus," said Samara. "I am a friend. Sissahauss. Be still and quiet. You are safe for the moment. Which is more than I can say about me or my companion—" The basilisk continued to slither wildly up her arm. "Be still sweetling," Samara hissed again allowing her healing power to enter the little serpent.
Ginny stepped forward beside her. "Samara!" she blurted. "You speak parseltongue!"
"What?" said Samara.
"You talked to the basilisks!—the basilisks," Ginny repeated in parseltongue. "Oh. It's hurt," she hissed at the baby Samara was holding.
"Oh, yes. I know. I've always been able to talk to snakes. My brothers quit trying to scare me with them when I was about five. If I'd have know you spoke it--"
"Have you found my emerald, Virginia?" Voldemort interrupted.
"Not yet. I'm sorry," said Ginny dropping immediately to her knees and kissing Voldemort's robe as if suddenly realizing that she addressed Samara before she addressed Voldemort. She was instantly contrite, whether of her own accord, or because of Tom's influence it was hard to guess. "I'm sorry, Master." Ginny murmured. "I will look harder."
Samara looked askance and reached out to Ginny, grasping her shoulder. "What are you doing Ginny?" she asked in parseltongue. "Are you bowing to this ---?"
"Yes, she is," said Voldemort in parseltongue. "As should you."
Samara blanched as she realized he understood her. She had thought, from her reading, that she was probably alone in her gift of parseltongue. She just didn't think of Voldemort –and certainly not Ginny. Glancing from Draco to Ginny. Ginny gave her a barely imperceptible nod as the basilisk slithered off of her wrist and onto Ginny's shoulder, curling around Ginny's neck. Ginny did not touch it. She was utterly still on her knees, awaiting Voldemort's order.
'I suppose I should tell you that I came here because Draco thought you would help me," Samara told Voldemort. "And perhaps I can help you, but I really don't know you. I'm not promising anything—"
"Bow to me," said Voldemort again in parseltongue, this time, his rage bubbling forth. Samara had the distinct feeling that he wouldn't ask again.
"If it means that much to you," Samara replied bending down on her knees and kissing his robe as she had seen the others do. "I'm really not one of your little group though," said Samara switching to English. "You see, Dumbledore was being a complete ass. He took my wand. He locked me in this torture closet—"
"Dumbledore?" whispered Valeriana. "Used the Chamber of Chains?" Samara watched the auras of the Death Eaters go from disbelief to confusion to anxiety. She realized that most, if not all of them, had intimate knowledge of the room of which she spoke. She wished she could read Voldemort's aura.
Valeriana cracked her thumbs and then her wrists.
"Go on," ordered Voldemort and the Death Eaters were silenced.
Dumbledore blamed me for the wards going down—well that was kind of my fault—but I didn't do it on purpose and Draco seemed to think you would help—"
Voldemort burst into laughter. "You took the Hogwarts' wards down by accident!"
"It wasn't all my magic," said Samara uncertainly looking at Snape, who gave no sign that he remembered anything, so she revealed nothing about him.
"Nonetheless, she is the Prophecy Child you seek," said Draco. "and now she is pledged to you."
"What!" Interrupted Samara, still dripping hot magic.
"Hush," said Voldemort gently, lifting a hand in her direction, and she felt the fire in her ease. A soft floating feeling filled her, like clouds on a lazy summer day, and she decided that she wanted to hear what Draco had to say.
"Explain yourself, Draco." Said Voldemort.
Draco looked at Samara, his aura glowing rose for a moment and then orange.
Samara frowned wondering if he was trying to purposefully manipulate his aura for her benefit or was he just trying to manipulate Voldemort..
He turned back to Voldemort and spoke, his aura growing more orange by the moment. Samara clamped her hands over fists full of wandless magic.
"She is pledged to me," said Draco. "and I am pledged to you, so she is loyal to our cause. The prophecy says she will choose her side—She has chosen." Draco took a deep breath and continued. "She sees auras, and she's powerful. I believe she has healing tendencies because she admitted to me that she often sees her own aura as green. You've seen for yourself what she has done with the basilisks. She was sorted into Gryffindor, can unlock the Ravenclaw puzzles, and although the magic I have felt is mostly Slytherin, I have tested her Hufflepuff traits. She has Hufflepuff friends, but more than that, she has also repeatedly relinquished her advantage when she felt she would hurt me—"
"You tested—" hissed Samara, flinging both hands full of fire at Draco.
"Testudo!"
"Cru—"
"Exceptionis incantum!" said Voldemort. Voldemort paced around the two of them thoughtfully, his aura clearing to a pale orange. "Continue Draco." He said laying his hand on Draco's shoulder.
Samara studied Voldemort's aura intently, trying to decide what had just happened. Had he held her under Imperio? Was he so powerful? So subtle?
Draco's aura trembled with barely contained fear. "I was attracted to her magic before I realized her importance to you. Then—then Dumbledore took her captive. He believes she is the prophecy child. He had her locked in the Chamber of Chains.. I rescued her and brought her here." Draco took a brreath and abruptly pulled his aura in close to himself, wrapping himself in it like a shield. "I would have--of course, deferred to you, Master, if –if I had realized—sooner--"
Voldemort's aura changed too, becoming positively murderous as he looked at Draco. Then he turned to her.. "So, you are the prophecy child?" said the Dark Lord. Rage that made Ethan's crucio look like an embrace still flaring in his aura and Samara retreated as step involuntarily
Voldemort struck out toward her with his right hand and she noted one of the basilisks was wrapped tightly around his wrist. The tiny creature looked lost in the bloody overlay of his aura. "Finite Incantum." You may continue your spell, he said.
"My spell?" She looked at him in confusion.
"The crucio," he said, stepping back and allowing her open access to Draco.
Draco paled.
She and Draco had discussed this possibility in the glowing embers of their passion. He had even welcomed it. "If he lets you do the crucio," Draco had said between kisses. "Promise me, you will do it. It will be easier than his."
"You don't know that he will subject you to crucio," Samara had argued and Draco had said nothing except, "Use the fire. It's easiest for me to handle."
Samara hesitated studying the auras of those around her. Draco had pulled his aura in close to himself, steeling himself for the spell. He seemed to think it was inevitable. Ginny, went so far as to whisper, "Just do it, Samara."
"Why does everyone's aura look like if I don't do this, the world will cave in?" asked Samara. She turned to Voldemort. "Would you put me under imperio again?"
"No," said Voldemort. But if you don't do it, I will. He has taken what is mine. He has used you. He must be punished."
Samara again sized up Voldemort's aura, thinking that whatever she did, it would be better than his crucio. "One thing," Samara told Voldemort. "I don't belong to you." She watched his muddy mess of an aura darken.
She turned to Draco, whose aura had lightened to a pale rose color, and looked directly into Draco's cool gray eyes. She gathered the fire, hot in her hands. "I don't belong to you either," she said, trying to find the intent to hurt him. "Crucio."
Before she had finished the spell , a house elf popped into their midst. "Master," it said to Draco, and squeaked in fear. "Tully is sorry to disturb, but Miss Pansy said to come immediately." The small cedar wand it was holding was intimately familiar to Samara. And her crucious curse fizzled out.
"Accio," she said, and her wand flew from the house elf's hand to her own.
"You shall not hurt, master," said the elf.
"Tully!" Croaked Draco. "What took you so long?"
Dumbledore was keeping it," said the elf. "I had to wait for him to put it down."
"Go back to the kitchen," the Dark Lord said harshly and the house elf disappeared with a pop!
Samara was never so happy to feel the warm wood in her hands and she held it for a moment before trying to put it back in her tangled wet hair. It was hopeless. A thousand mundane thoughts rushed through her head. She decided to do a drying charm to try to get the wandless magic under control, but she and Draco were just too overloaded with it. The Chamber of Chains had exhausted her and although her dance with Draco had renewed her magic, she still felt like her body had not quite assimilated the magic yet. Truthfully she needed to release the rest of the magic, but she was also afraid to. It felt like the magic was the only thing that was holding her upright. She dried her tangled hair again and pulled her fingers through it, trying to remember the spell Lavender had taught her to untangle her hair. It completely eluded her at the moment. She started to put her wand into her pocket instead, when Voldemort spoke.
"That was not exactly a powerful spell. I would expect the Prophecy Child to be more powerful. You have to say it like you mean it. "Crucio!"
Draco collapsed in gasping agony.
Samara didn't think at all.. She raised her hands not calling the elementals, but reaching for a talent deep within herself. Consciously calling what she had only used intuitively before. A shimmering wall of blue mist began to form behind her hands, but she was too weak to control it, and it escaped like water through her fingers. Voldemort ended Draco's crucious curse before she could gain control of the shielding spell.
"I told you, he is of value to me," she snapped, magic dripping haphazardly from her fingertips.
"You may indeed have brought me the prophecy child," said Voldemort, blandly. "Child, Child. Put your magic away. We are on the same side, are we not?"
"Draco?" questioned Samara.
Shuddering, he pulled himself to his feet beside her. "We are on the same side," he said softly.
"That little stick is your wand?" questioned Voldemort.
"Basilisk infused into cedar," she said. She hesitated before reversing the wand and handing it to Voldemort for his examination. "Speaking of basilisks—They're really uncomfortable in there. Do you mind if I take them out?"
Voldemort, rather preoccupied with examining Samara's wand nodded.
And Samara took the moment to whisper worriedly to Draco. "Are you alright?"
He nodded and put his finger to her lips.
Voldemort's face creased into what could only be described, as a rapturous smile, which Samara thought, looked hideous on his lipless snake face. "Rena," he muttered, as he rubbed a long finger down the length of her wand. "My Rena."
Then Voldemort looked at Samara and added as an afterthought. The basilisks are all partially imprinted to me. All except the smallest—have begun the process-- so they are bound to obey me. Even though their eyes are not open yet, they have a dangerous bite."
Both Voldemort and Ginny's aura flickered. Samara frowned. "Was he lying to her? She wasn't sure, but Ginny seemed perfectly content with the little fellow wrapped around her neck like a collar. Obviously she wasn't afraid of getting bitten.
"Thanks," said Samara as she released two of the basilisks and allowed them to slither up her arms. She was going to stop at two, but the others were anxious to get out of the crowded basket and she didn't want any of them to feel left out. "Poor babies," she crooned to them in parseltongue. "As long as you get along with each other you can come out. Come on. It's warm next to my body and you can curl around my arms like you curl in the sand and the trees, but you must remember you are brothers and sisters. You cannot attack each other while you are on my body, or I will put you back in the cold place."
"They are not pets," said Voldemort. "They eat one another. You are not going to get them to treat each other like brothers and sisters. They are vicious, mindless, warriors and you are in danger from so many of them," he said as Samara allowed the seventh basilisk to slither onto her.
She looked at him. His red eyes were intense and for a moment she thought his aura was tinged with rose.
"Do you care about my being in danger?" Samara smirked. "I'm so glad. Dumbledore didn't seem to care." The eighth basilisk crawled onto her shoulder, edging one of the others away. It hissed in her ear
"But if you don't mind, I'd really like to get out of here before Dumbledore comes looking for me—"
"Oh, he won't come so soon—" said Voldemort.
"Master," said Lucius Malfoy. "Someone is in the corridor—Potter."
"Oh well, bring him in—Don't go sulking in shadows Potter, someone might think you like the Darkness." Voldemort chuckled.
Lucius turned to do his master's bidding, but before he could bring them in, the two students pounced from behind the doorjamb. Lucius' wand was out in a moment blocking Hermione's spell and attempting to disarm her with Expellarmus! When that didn't work he fired a binding spell before Hermione could speak again, and physically took her wand from her bound hands.
"Oh if it isn't the little lion cub," said Voldemort blocking Harry's stupefy spell effortlessly with Samara's wand. He glanced at it in amazement that such a small wand could channel so much power.
"Hello Harry. Did you come to meet the new arrivals? Lucius tells me you met their mother—" Voldemort gestured to the basilisks draped all over Samara's body.
"I killed their mother," said Harry coldly.
"Yes, I know," said Voldemort "And left her body to rot. Wasteful child. By the time I got a chance to check the Chamber most of it was ruined. We did get some of the basilisk skin for potions, though, so it wasn't a total loss--
So unlike this trip which has been immensely profitable. I've collected my basilisks and my prophecy child and Dumbledore can collect the bodies of Harry Potter and the Mudblood.
Hermione struggled momentarily in Lucius binding spell and Harry raised his wand, but Voldemort's shield charm crackled against his spell.
Voldemort's face creased into a grin. "I have a new wand Harry. Basilisk and Cedar."
"No!" Samara cried.
Harry glanced at Samara a look of horror on his face, and Samara took a step forward, placing herself between Harry and Voldemort. "Wait!" she said reaching out and touching the sleeve of Voldemort's robe. "Don't kill him. Let's just go. Dumbledore will be here any minute, and Harry's part in the prophecy is over now. You have what you came for--there's no reason for you to kill him."
"I don't need a reason," said Voldemort coolly, his eyes resting on Samara's fingers, clenching his robe.
"Then perhaps you need a reason to spare him," said Samara releasing his robe. "Do you know the gifts of the prophecy child?
"All too well." Voldemort's eyes glittered malevolently at her. "But I don't know that you are the prophecy child. It might be Virginia."
"I am the Prophecy Child," she said. "My talent has not been seen in a thousand years, and yet those who love deeply enough have called a portion of this ancient magic, the magic to reflect a curse—any curse."
She thought briefly of Harry Potter and a smirk crossed her lips, but her threat was an empty one and
Voldemort's aura darkened dangerously. She wondered if she had pushed too far. She switched to parseltongue, allowing him to save face with his Death Eaters.
"Unless I misinterpret my History, you have encountered this magic before—" she hissed softly, her eyes holding Harry's for a moment and then turning back to Voldemort. "You've encountered a portion of this magic," she continued. "And you have what you came for. What benefit could possibly be gained by your killing him? There is only risk," she said reasonably, "and no benefit."
For just a second, Voldemort's aura contracted, and then he recovered, the murky grayness gaining a tint of orange before it faded into an unreadable mess again.
When Voldemort spoke, it was also in parseltongue. "Risk?" he said caressing the wand in his hand, and looking pointedly at Draco. "If you set yourself against me . . . Draco will die."
Samara what are you doing?" Draco called worriedly. "You've chosen your side—"
"But this is not Dumbledore. These are my friends. I don't want them dead!" Of course she didn't want Draco dead either--
"They're my friends too," said Ginny and she stepped forward, grasping Samara's hand.
With effort Samara brought up the shield magic, she was infinitely thankful that Voldemort did not choose to test it, because she doubted that she would have had the strength to reflect an adhere charm at this point. She was so tired and even with Ginny's help the ward was exhausting.
"Let them go," said Harry.
This was the first moment that Samara realized Harry Potter and Hermione Granger were not here by accident. They were trying to save her! The thought was sweet, but ludicrous. "Harry, go back," called Samara, but Harry didn't go back and Voldemort, with murder in his eyes and his aura, raised his wand—no her wand—Cold fear filled her and the shield flickered with her lack of concentration.
"This is real touching and all," Samara blurted in English, "but we really didn't want to be rescued, Harry. I'm leaving with Lord Voldemort and if you die before I go it's really going to screw up my day. This is my choice and I have made it—
Voldemort lowered the wand, looking at her in amazement as the door burst open, and the Weasley twins brandishing their wands leaped into the room.
"Aucuo auditus!" shouted Fred and George together and when their spell hit Samara's shield it was reflected. Fred and George fell to the floor, clutching their ears. Although neither realized it, the shield did not totally reflect the spell due to Samara's exhaustion. The ringing in Samara's ears caused by the twins' spell made her feel sick and disoriented.
The pain had not even begun to ease by the time the door opened again, this time revealing Dumbledore. At his side was Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom and at his feet was a small brown bunny—Beatrice.
"Hello Albus," said Voldemort. "Late as usual. It's good to know there are some things that never change."
"Hiding behind children now, are you Tom."
"I learned from the best," he taunted Dumbledore. "It's kept you alive all these years didn't it?"
Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes were flashing fire. As he raised his wand.
"Ah-ah—"said Voldemort. "I'd choose my spell very carefully, Albus, since my prophecy child will be giving you a taste of it."
"Pervigilo Armaro," said Ginny softly and Samara felt new power flow into the weakening shield.
'You're at a stalemate too, Tom. You can't win. Her shield prevents us from hurting one another The prophecy says do not sacrifice children. Do you think you can escape your fate?"
"The children may leave," said Voldemort. "Go on, and your precious Potter too." None of the children seemed to be in any hurry to run away. Voldemort smirked at Dumbledore. "It was quite nice to be able to have this little chat after all these years—Pro-fessor Dumbledore. As you can see, your tutelage has been invaluable. I've done quite well so far," he said, but it's not a stalemate as you might think." His voice lowered into a command. . "Nott! Release the dementers."
The old man shuffled forward a few steps, his bright eyes belaying the feebleness of his body. He twitched when he touched Pandora's box. Samara didn't know if that was because of the dementers inside or because he had endured one too many crucio curses. He flipped open the box and recited:
A Child born of hatred to set you free
To chase the souls of dreams that will never be--
He had no sooner finished reciting than the dementers poured out of the box. They went right through Samara's shield, but their eternal cold disrupted her weakened shield, and Dumbledore fired a spell through it. Hot and focused, it hit Nott and he crumpled, dropping the box. The dementers immediately reversed track, heading for the fallen box.. Alvin scrambled forward to pick it up, narrowly missing the opened maw of a dementer who also wanted the box. Alvin's father was not so lucky.
Alvin's scream of rage and pain echoed through the room as he stumbled forward to his father's fallen body, holding Pandora's Box in front of him like a shield.
"Master," whispered Ginny. "Please. We're tired, and the shield is weakening—the dementers--
"Get to the portkeys," he told his Death Eaters as Harry's patronus blossomed on the other side of the shield.
"The mudblood?" said Lucius, but Voldemort didn't answer him.
"Ah Harry Potter," called Voldemort as he saw Harry's stag patronus, do you think that since your mother's magic has run thin, you can call upon your fathers? I think not. Do you know what his last words were Harry?" Voldemort's voice was a harsh whisper. "He said, 'Lily, give him the baby.'"
"You're a liar!" screamed Harry, but the stag patronus flickered, and Voldemort smiled as his dementers sensed his hesitation and moved in--
"Dumbldedore never told you the rest of the prophecy did he—" Voldemort continued. "The parts about me and you?" Harry's scar exploded with pain, as Voldemort reached a hand towards him—He didn't even touch him this time, Harry thought frantically. " Tsk, tsk." Continued Voldemrot. " That's the trouble with being a Light Wizard, Albus. One little lie, and everything falls apart."
"Dumbledore didn't lie!" shrieked Harry, but some part of him believed Voldemort. "Don't sacrifice children or truth" and Harry swayed dizzily as the dementers clustered around him for a moment before a lion patronus leaped forward to protect him.
Voldemort glanced at Lucius. "Kill the mudblood," he said, and laid his hand on top of Ginny and Samara's clasped hands.
Lucius shoved Hermione away from him. "Avada-" he began, but something small and brown ran under his feet, and he stumbled, his spell going wide.
"Accio!" shouted Hermione and her wand flew from Lucius pocket to her still bound hands. "Expecto patronum!" and a silvery white unicorn joined the lion patronus.
"Virginia," Voldemort said softly. "Use your portkey."
Ginny reached into her hair to remove a silver comb that she wore. She held it in front of her to say the word—fidissime and Samara again felt the flickering of the shield as something passed through it—not a spell? And then she knew who came through the ward as she felt the soft fur of a bunny brush her leg beneath her robe, and then the familiar tug behind her navel as the portkey activated.
==
"Ginny!" Harry leaped forward missing the portkey by seconds and falling flat into the empty air where Samara's shield had been a moment ago.
The stinking cold breath of a dementer at his neck brought him back to the present. But Voldemort's words caused Harry to doubt. His father's voice, came to him through the dementers, "Give him the baby," he begged. "Just give him the baby, Lily."
"Not Harry," called his mother and Harry was drawn into the midst of their death. Avada flashing green and the cold of the dementers seeping into his very soul, as the thing pushed back its hood.. He shoved away the thoughts, screaming, "LIES!"
"Expecto Patronus!" And his stag patronus joined the tawny white lion and Hermione's pure shining unicorn, dispelling the cold of the dementers. A bottle brush tailed cat patronus, spitting and hissing, joined the unicorn, running beneath the sparkling white wings of a Griffin. Suddenly, they were all gone. The light of a Death Eater apparating, flashing silver and the pain in his scar so severe he felt as if his head were split open.
Ron rushed from the fallen twins to his side. "Harry? Are you alright?" Ron's worried face swam in and out of focus as the pain in Harry's scar throbbed.
"A cat?" muttered Harry. "Your patronus is a cat?"
"Not a cat," said Ron. "A keisel—A Death Eater killing, dementer eating, keisel." His voice caught in a sob as Hermione put her arm around him, and he turned, hugging her fiercely. "Ginny—Did you see Ginny, Hermione? I couldn't help her—or you--with Fred and George unconscious—and the dementers—"
"I know," soothed Hermione.
"She used a portkey, Hermione." His voice broke. "She did it herself—Why?"
Images of Ginny's kiss on Halloween night came to Harry. The pain in his scar. Ginny's rush to get away from him. He had thought it was because of the diary. "She has a Dark Mark," said Harry.
"She does not!" snapped Ron incensed, but Harry said nothing. His eyes on Dumbledore, who did not seem surprised at all.
"You knew," Harry accused. "You knew she had the Dark Mark and you did nothing! What did you do, send her to him to save your precious prophecy child?"
"Harry—" said Dumbledore. "You don't understand."
"I understand perfectly! You were so focused on the Prophecy child, you could give a damn about the rest of us!"
"Harry, we need to focus on the Prophecy Child," said Dumbledore. "If she has indeed gone to Voldemort of her own free will—"
"And what about this lie?" snapped Harry. "Voldemort was right, wasn't he?"
"I'll explain," promised Dumbledore, suddenly looking very, very old. "I'll tell you what I should have told you, long ago."
"Help me get the twins," Ron whispered to Hermione, and they started to move away from Harry and Dumbledore, but Neville's hand on Ron's shoulder stopped him.
"Where's Beatrice?" asked Neville. "Did anyone see Beatrice?"
They all looked around worriedly for their friend, but she was no where in sight.
There was a sudden cold and a flash of green.
"The Dark Mark," whispered Ron looking out of the window at the cloud-filled twilight. "The Dark Mark above Hogwarts."
"The moment of truth will come in a flash
The night sky will glow with gloom
"A friend's flight. A friends mad dash,
May halt the moment of doom." Intoned Hermione.
"Oh Beatrice. What have you done?" she whispered, as Neville started to cry.
==
The soft green carpet of Slytherin common room was never so welcome as it was now, as Ginny sunk to her knees in it. Samara collapsed beside her.
Already Voldemort was moving, directing, giving orders to the Slytherin children. The non-death eaters in the common room had scattered like spiders before a basilisk.
"Severus, has Edgecombe altered the floo?"
"Yes, Master."
"As soon as we are through, you will close this floo. I have no need of it now that I have my basilisks. The next time I enter this cursed building will be to light Dumbledore's funeral pire."
Draco apparated into the room and started toward Samara..
Alvin Nott apparated next with Pandora's box clutched in his arms. Shaking from head to foot, he muttered. "I did it. Oh Merlin! I did it!"
"Was that the first time you apparated?" asked Draco.
"Yeah," breathed Alvin, rubbing a hand over his tear-streaked face. "I thought if I splinch, Dumbledore gets the box and then the Ministry can put me back together again so that Lord Voldemort can rip me apart again. I can't splinch. I can't—Professor Sinistra has no idea what the incentive of fear does—"
Draco chuckled. "Samara?"
"I don't know what happened to her," Ginny reported to Draco in a worried whisper. "I let go of her, and she just collapsed. I thought I was helping her with the ward, but I think I was helping her to stand —"
"She's just passed out," said Draco, hopefully, gathering Samara in his arms. "It's overload of magic—like quit—"
"Are you sure?" muttered.Ginny, as she shifted her robe to cover Beatrice and wondered what on earth she was going to do with the bunny. Millicent edged closer, purring.
"No," said Draco worriedly. "Professor Snape will know—"
"Alvin!" said Voldemort jubilantly. "You recovered Pandora's box with an adult's finesse." He passed his hand over Alvin's Dark Mark and a smile creased Alvin's face. "I am pleased," Voldemeort said. "You may choose your reward. Think about it."
"My father," said Alvin, the pleasure of the Dark Mark fading as soon as Voldemort removed his hand. "The dementers—" Alvin closed his eyes and tears escaped them as he thought of the dementers swarming over his father—kissing him--such an incongruous word to describe sucking out a man's soul.
"Yes, well, he wasn't much of a parent to you, was he?" Voldemort ran one of his long fingers down the tear streaked side of Alvin face. "You may think of me as your father," said Voldemort graciously. "I am so proud of you!"
"Come!" said Voldemort turning to the center of the room. "Virginia! Samara! Bring my basilisks. We are off to the Snow Castle. Severus, you may bring who you wish, when you are finished with Dumbledore.
Neither Virginia nor Samara moved, and Voldemort hesitated stepping from the hearth.
"She's hurt, Master," said Ginny.
Voldemort took two long steps to them and bent to examine Samara's face. His snake tongue flickering and tasting. "Severus!"
"Too much wandless magic," said Snape. "I don't know if it--damaged her."
"This was your fault!" Voldemort roared, turning on Draco. "CRUCIO!"
While Draco was writhing on the ground, Voldemort went to him and put a foot on his twitching body. "If she dies," he said viciously. "You will die. Very slowly." He released the crucious spell, and Draco lay gasping for breath. "Do you understand?"
"Yes." The single syllable was an effort for Draco.
"If she lives and is no use to me because of this—" Voldemort ground his teeth. "CRUCIO!" When he released the spell, Draco did not get up. Voldemort turned to Snape. "Severus! Get what potions you think you need and come with us," He had already gathered up Samara, still covered in his basilisks, into his arms, when he looked around –"Pritch, do you know how to close this floo behind us?"
"No master," said Pritch worriedly.
"Find someone who does. Virginia!" He nodded toward the floo in front of him. "Go!" he said. "Snow castle. The word is ----"
Ginny stumbled forward, and with the bunny still at her feet stepped into the fireplace.
"Master," said Snape. "If I go with you, now, Dumbledore will know—He expects me to be here with the children--" He glanced at the prone Draco.
"At some point," said Voldemort. "We all have to make choices." And then he stepped into the floo, "Send my Mark," he told Snape.
Severus Snape raised his wand and closed his eyes. "Mors Mordre!" he said sending the Dark Mark into the sky above Hogwarts.
==
END
==
Author's Note: Thank you all for reading and reviewing so faithfully. You really have been my inspiration throughout this epic story. If you haven't visited the yahoo groups site The_Seers_Truth please take the time to do so. It's an awesome site put together by "ennui" . She's worked hard on it and we would appreciate your input. As far as the sequel, it isn't far enough along for me to post the next chapter day after tomorrow, but I hope to have it up shortly. …
…any ideas on how to get the girls back?????
Just kidding.
No you weren't. You're lying now. Is that my influence?
Shut up, Tom.
Speaking of Tom. There is a new Tom/Ginny episode at the beginning of this story on Fiction Alley. Please check out the new stuff and leave a review.
THANKS FOR STICKING WITH ME—must have been that adhere charm. I finally got it! Yeah!
NOTES TO THE REVIEWERS.
billy
I decided not to fit into JK's mold of making each book last exactly a year. There were several reasons for
this. The timeline I need with Tom and the basilisks as well as the use of Ginny and Winky during the previous
years meant that the basilisks couldn't hatch at the end of the year. Secondly, I think Voldemort is being
mighty accommodatating to Harry Potter to neatly plan his big plots to coincide with the end of the school year.
I didnt want Volde to be that predictable.
Hope you will continue reading my other fics until the sequel is up.
The Elemental Sorceress
Glad you are able to get the site now. Thanks for reading.
~Joda~
My story is all you can think about? Oh my.
Trillium
Whew! It is hot. Author fans herself vigorously. Blows out fingernails. The emerald is important later and
as you see, Ginny isn't there to help the trio now, she had to tell them before she left. You already know
Draco was called. Hope you keep reading my other fics until the sequel is up.
XASA
Did I say Draco was nice? Did I ever say Draco was nice?
On the other hand, he's not a monster either.
bbs
You wrote: "I still think what I said before: Neville is the prophesy child. (hey, stop laughing!)"
HMMMM. Yes, I remember you. Weren't you the other child my sister and I did that memory curse on?
More awesome Neville in the sequel. Stay tuned.
About English class--I'll trade you English for Algebra.
All of you can take bbs advice now " and immediately go back and re-read the entire thing!"
Raven173
I can't increase the rating because what you got is about as hot as I can go. Partnership rune is for Tom and Ginny.
About Dumbledore, he's either a demon or an idiot. Read my *Twas the Order of the Phoenix.* "A stupid Dumbledore
just doesn't seem real--"but it's cannon.
Ilwinterhofal
It's all here. Uncut and complete. Ready for the sequel?
Sky
Glad you're having fun. Please stick with me and read the sequel or some of my other fics.
Pia2
Yes, I felt somewhat the same way about JK's OOP. I guess that's the problem with writing about 14-15 year olds
when your readers are nine. I don't have the restriction JK has. Of course, I wonder how she's going to get
through the next few years. No Draco/Samara and Fire elemental--at least nothing is planned right now. Of course
Draco/Samara wasn't supposed to happen at all in the beginning of this book. I thought it would be Samara/Harry
but Draco just took her. I feel a little like the Dark Lord. How did that happen?
Reiven
HMMMM 15 reviews to get the sequel. I don't know. I'd like to be about ten chapters ahead of the readers so I have some room to change things if I need to. I'm not sure 15 reviews will be enough to get the sequel, because I don't know if I'll have time to get that many chapters written. Right now, I have 3 solid and about 5 in various forms of repair. I know where it it going and am more confident than I was with this one in the beginning, but I had 40 chapters written before I posted any with this story. I don't anticipate the sequel will be as long as this though.
Advanced stats tells the word count and number of hits on every chapter and lists the reviews separately for each chapter too as well as the total amount of reviews.
Tiamat Warcraft
No. I made a mistake when I called this Harry Potter and... because on fanfic if you search for Harry Potter and anything, you get so much you can't find anything. The next story will be called: Beyond the Darkness. email me and we'll talk about homeschool. ladylestrange@hotmail.com
Quote: In the end, everything tastes like chicken, and chicken tastes good.
Jager
Why does Samara bug you? I should ask this on the Yahoo group. People either love Samara or hate her. Glad you like the Draco/Samara bit though.
Silverfox1
You wrote:So was Draco summoned with all the rest? And if so, did they have enough time to complete the
fire elemental? lol. Worried that Samara and Draco had to cut things short? Ahhh.
I like Gloria too. She never was meant to be much of a character, but she's been fun.
ennui deMorte
You SKIMMED? SKIMMED! SKIMMED! GASPS! Falls on the floor twitching. And I thought I was immune to Crucio!
Ah--poor Draco, so misunderstood. Oh and just for your information, Draco is a dragon. Drake is a duck. And never should the two be confused. We will assume that little mistake was from an over active spell checker. I had one of those once. Changed Hermione's name to Herman for two chapters. What a mess.
And as far as Scary Red Eyes taking Samara and "she's his niece, gross!" First of all, let's remember who we are talking about. He is pretty gross. And the correct relationship is actually, half great niece. Secondly, didn't Binns warn you about that Slytherin inbreeding. Remember the nine year old married to—well-- you'll be reading the chapter again before it's up on Fiction alley so I won't belabor the point.
Yeah well, Killing Draco could be a possibility, but he's counting on Samara's power. Let's just hope it's
enough--hehehe.
You have the rune stuff right on.
I guess you probably see why Alvin got invited now. No doubt Snape talked to Volde and told him to have a little patience with Alvin. It was hard for him to leave the girls. Baby basilisks are less than a foot long.
Don't think they could swallow a human unless Volde, ummmm--chopped up the food into bite sized pieces. Ok. Did we say gross?
Everyone else review and then come back to group. We have things to discuss...
Kemenran
So sorry Kemnran. There's no more....
Reiven
You wrote: "I think I might just take you up on that cookie challenge, it would be a blast." So there you go
all of you who are waiting for more fire elemental, Reiven's volunteered. And she's a great writer too!
author's notes:
Anyone else wanting to see more fire elemental or other deleted scenes written, come to the yahoo group.
There will be a scene from the opening of Azkaban from Valeriana's point of view up shortly on my story,
WE WILL WAIT: A STORY OF BELLATRIX LESTRANGE.
The sequel will also be started shortly. The title of the story will be BEYOND THE DARKNESS.
In the meantime, might I suggest you go read DRACO MALFOY AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE. It's a little lighter than SEERS TRUTH, but there are lots of smile lines.
THANK YOU FOR STICKING WITH ME THROUGH IT ALL!
And stick around for the sequel. Adhere!
LADY LESTRANGE