Chapter Four: Face of the Enemy
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And then they were in. Before Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood a castle even more magnificent than Hogwarts itself. Giant towers rose in each direction, adorned with bright flags, each with a glowing phoenix. Fawkes instantly flew from Ron's shoulder, making a sweep of the premises. With a contended trill, he disappeared behind a turret.
"C'mon," beckoned Ron. "He'll catch up with us later. Let's go inside!"
Hermione nodded in agreement, pulling her cloak more tightly around her.
"Hey, are you okay?" asked Harry, as Ron ran ahead through the giant glass double doors.
"Yes," sighed Hermione. "It's just…that unforgivable curse took a lot out of me, I guess."
It was then that Harry remembered she had used the Cruciatus Curse to get them safely aboard the train. He had never used one himself, though he had tried unsuccessfully in his fifth year. "How did you learn to do them anyway?" he asked softly.
Hermione's eyes shifted about for a moment, before she answered. "After Lucius Malfoy killed my parents last summer, I was very angry, so filled with rage! I should have been there, you know…instead of hiding, as Dumbledore had asked. Maybe he wouldn't have escaped then."
Harry patted her back consolingly, remembering that Dumbledore had requested that all Hogwarts students remain at the school over summer holidays for their own protection. He knew how it felt, not to be able to help a loved one. Silently, he was very glad Hermione had not been there, or she too might have been killed. A new wave of anger coursed through him. Voldemort's death eaters had a particular taste for muggleborns. His resolve to assume his new role of headmaster surged.
"As you remember, I stayed at Hogwarts before being reassigned to Lupin's house," continued Hermione. It was before Crabbe and Goyle burned the library down. I put all of my energy into reading, learning new spells. I didn't hold back."
To Harry's surprise, her face was streaked with tears.
"Harry—I, well, one day, when I was studying, Winky came to offer me some butterbeer. I was in the middle of learning the Cruciatus Curse, and I had gathered so much anger, I knew I could do it…I had to do it, to release the anger, perform the curse…" She let out a sob.
"But…I didn't mean to, I liked Winky! B-but she just came in at the wrong moment and I had to let the anger go, I just had to! She died, Harry, she died. The curse won't kill wizards, but a little house elf…she didn't stand a chance."
Harry stared at his friend, at a loss for words. Silently, he grabbed her hand, and walked her into the castle.
"That's all the past now," he said finally, pushing open the great glass doors. "Our job is to save the future."
Hermione said nothing at first, but grabbed his hand tighter, and walked with him into the school. "Harry?" she asked as they stepped inside.
"Can I start a S.P.E.W. branch here?"
Harry let out a small laugh and replied, "Of course, Hermione, of course."
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Words could not describe the hall before them. It was the size of three of the Hogwarts Great Halls. Giant armored knights guarded each corridor, their sharp axes gleaming with light streaking from the stained glass windows. As Harry looked up, he noticed at least five stories, but oddly, no stairs. However, he was distracted by a globe, gleaming in the center of the room. Ron had already noticed, and was turning it about.
"Hey Harry, check this out!" he shouted.
Harry walked over, wondering what the globe did. As he approached, he noticed first the water, which seemed eerily life-like. To his amazement, Ron stuck his finger into the Atlantic Ocean, and when he drew it back, it was wet. But the water wasn't the best feature. To Harry's amazement, the globe seemed to contain thousands of glowing dots, each moving about, and some concentrated in areas more than others. "What could this mean?" he wondered aloud.
Hermione approached the globe and tapped it with her wand. A key appeared before them, hovering in midair. A voice boomed from the sphere. The voice of Albus Dumbledore.
"Welcome to Aurora Borealis University's global tracking system. To view the activity of muggles, please tap the blue dots. To view the activity of Voldemort supporters, please tap the green dots. To view the activity of decent wizards, please tap the white dots. If you would like more detail, please tap your wand on the country of your choice. Thank you, and have a nice day."
"Wow," exclaimed Ron. "Like the Mauraders Map, but better!" Eagerly, he began tapping about.
"Hey, look at this!" shouted Hermione. She was standing at the far wall, looking up. Above her hung the face of a great clock with fourteen snake-shaped hands. Each bore the face of a death eater, with the exception of one. Plastered on the big hand, was the face of Voldemort. This clock, like the Weasley clock Dumbledore had been so fond of, did not have numbers. In their place were locations, such as "Diagon Alley," "Godric's Hollow," "Hogwarts," and "Aurora Borealis." Where the twelfth number usually lie, was "Dead."
The big hand was now on Godric's Hollow, which Voldemort had turned into his headquarters. Harry ignored his churning stomach.
"There's and inscription," said Hermione. "It's in the middle, see? Vulstis Cullcator. Face of the enemy."
Harry shuddered. "So when the clock strikes twelve, it's all over. Here's to hoping time flies."
Hermione gave a nod. "We'd better figure out how to get upstairs. I want to find out where my office is!"
"And I want to find my bedroom!" said Ron eagerly.
Harry agreed, but secretly he had hoped to search for a quidditch pitch. He knew it was ridiculous, but once a seeker, always a seeker.
They decided to split up, and each try a different corridor. Harry took the passageway on the far bottom left, trying the door at the end. It opened easily. As he stepped inside, he found himself outside, staring at the largest, most complex quidditch stadium he'd ever seen.
"Accioaparato Firebolt!" he called, as his Firebolt popped into his hands. Mrs. Weasley had taught him that little trick. He hoped she was still okay. With an excited leap of his heart, he dashed into the air for a better look. Quickly, he realized that the quidditch pitch was actually a magnificent training ground, ridden with obstacle courses, traps, and mazes. He couldn't wait to show Ron. After a few laps, he headed back indoors, eager to report his findings. Hermione and Ron came running at him, both talking at once.
"It's like the room of requirement, they change and-"
"They take you upstairs if you just think it-"
"Stop!" cried Harry, his head ringing.
"You explain, Hermione," said Ron excitedly.
"Oh Harry, it's wonderful!" she cried. "You simply choose a corridor, think of which room you would like to be in, and it takes you there! Upstairs or down, it doesn't matter. Try it!"
And so, for the next three hours, the trio explored the castle. They discovered epic kitchens, (no house elves, much to Hermione's delight) giant classrooms, a greenhouse big enough to house five hippogriffs, a great hall with plush dining chairs--tables with embroidered silk table clothes and a library that would have made Madam Pince feint dead away. But still, best of all, was the headmaster's office. Harry knew where it was right away, because a great stone Phoenix guarded the entrance. As he approached, it turned its head and spoke to him. After all he had been through, Harry wasn't even surprised.
"Welcome Headmaster," she trilled. "What is the password?"
Harry thought hard for a moment, then replied, "midnight."
The Phoenix nodded, once again became inanimate, and sunk into the ground. Harry stepped inside, his heart beating fast, and his inner voice reminding him that he was indeed about to become the leader of an entire school. Once inside, he couldn't believe his eyes. It was an exact replica of Dumbledore's office, with only one small change. There was a portrait of Dumbledore hanging on the wall.
"Welcome," said the portrait.
"Dumbledore….Albus!" said Harry, his voice cracking.
"Welcome to the office. I know this is overwhelming, but you have made it here, and that is the hard part. As for the rest, that is up to you. I have faith in you, as you once did in me. Term begins Sept. 1st. Check your desk for a list of students. Staff members will arrive tomorrow. Oh, and I believe that you'll be wanting to chat with the sorting hat about his new duties. Have a wonderful first term, Harry!" And with that, Dumbledore fell asleep, finally getting a long deserved nap.
After hours of pouring through new student names, wondering how he was going to contact them all without owl post and consorting with the sorting hat on the new houses, Harry heard Ron's voice boom through his office.
"Hey Harry, check out the magical intercom system Hermione's set up, cool huh?"
"Sorry Harry," he heard Hermione's voice say. "It's still a bit loud. Anyway, want to join us in the dining hall for a bit of dinner? I made meatloaf."
Ron's voice whispered, "You'd best stay up there, mate."
He then distinctly heard the sound of someone's arm being punched.
"I'll be right down!" he called, stretching.
"Yes," he thought to himself. It was going to be a very good term.