A/N: Oh, that last chapter was short, wasn't it? I read the whole thing in the 8minutes and thirty seconds American Pie was playing…. Thanks for the reviews!!! :-D This chapter will be longer (if all goes according to plan) Lol.
Chapter 47:
Harry, Ginny, Lenore, and Draco made their way, unnoticed, to Acacia's common room. When they arrived at their destination, Harry grimaced. "Does anyone else feel really bad about hiding from the battle?" Nobody answered. Finally Ginny spoke.
"I feel bad, but I don't r-really want to face T-tom again, Harry. I'm kind of glad, actually, to be here…" Harry looked at Ginny in disbelief. She had a set look on her face, and wouldn't look Harry in the face. She was brave.
"You-Know-Who still thinks I'll be joining him next time I see him… he would immediately kill me if he saw me fighting alongside you all…"
"Can you imagine what He would do," began Lenore softly, "if he found out that he had two relatives? That I was the Heir of Slytherin he wanted so much to be? That Harry Potter had a cousin? He would kill me the moment he found out, Harry…" Harry nodded.
"I see your points; I mean you all have a thing to lose… that's why people are so afraid. I have nothing to lose."
"Yes you do, Harry James Potter!" said Ginny sharply.
"What?" he asked sullenly.
"Let's start with Lenore? Your cousin! And Ron, and Hermione; your best friends, and Professor Lupin, the only Marauder left! What about me, Harry? The fate of the wizarding world? You have everything to lose, Harry, and that is why you aren't afraid. If you're lost, we're all coming with you! But if any of us is lost, then the world can go on; our families will go on, like nothing even happened! Who knows how long it would be before we were reunited! But, Harry, if you die, you'll see everyone again, the dead and the living. For you, Harry, it's a win-win situation! You are so selfish! You make me sick!" With that, Ginny stormed through the painting.
"Nice job, Potter," muttered Draco, his grey eyes surprised. He followed Ginny in. Lenore patted Harry on the back for a moment. Harry was dumbfounded. Nobody he cared for so much had ever spoken to him the way Ginny had!
"It's all right, Harry; she'll come around. Come on." Harry nodded and looked into Lenore's concerned emerald eyes.
"Yeah," he said quietly, and he followed his cousin inside. Ginny was sitting on a dusty velvet armchair, curled up. Harry walked over to her and tried to say something.
"Go AWAY!" she yelled, looking up at him with her brown eyes flashing dangerously. Harry sighed and sat by the fire, next to Lenore and Draco. Draco was being particularly cynical.
"This is boring. Did you know that the only one who can reach us in here is Voldemort? Funny, huh? I wonder how much time has past in the real world. Do you think anyone reckons we're dead? Who do you think will win the election? I hate Voldemort; my dad doesn't care, though… I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts; here they are a standing in the road, bum, bum, bum, big ones, small ones; some are as-"
"SHUT UP!" yelled Lenore suddenly. "Someone obviously needs his caffeine in the morning…" Draco frowned at his girlfriend. Harry chuckled.
"Speaking of, how exactly are we supposed to get food in here?" he asked curiously. Draco groaned.
"Good one, Dumbledore! Now we're going to starve and nobody will be able to reach us to revive us unless he wants to hire Voldemort, who would be PERFECT for the job! Can you imagine him, carrying us all out tenderly and spoon-feeding us. 'Oh, Harry, don't die! I love you!!! Kiss kiss!' Hey, I bet Voldemort is gay, don't you think? Haha…"
Lenore and Harry exchanged quizzical glances. "D-draco, dearest," said Lenore tenderly. "You aren't, like, drunk, are you?" But Harry couldn't help but laugh. Gay Voldemort wasn't a horribly not funny thought.
"'Course I'm not drunk, 'Nore… but I had quite a bit of butterbeer this morning…"
"That stuff isn't even strong!" exclaimed Harry. Lenore just shrugged.
"So what exactly are we supposed to find in here?" she asked, looking around. "This place gives me the creeps. I don't like it." Harry nodded.
"Same with me. What kind of evidence can we even find?"
"Probably letters, drawings, diaries; anything…"
"What is the point? It's not like we can just take it out with us!" argued Harry. Lenore nodded.
"Just look for anything that catches your eye. Let's start now. GINNY! DRACO! START LOOKING FOR THINGS!" With that, she headed up towards the girls' dormitories. Harry turned and started up the other staircase. Evidently, Draco and Ginny weren't moving, because all of the sudden Lenore screamed-
"DRACO MALFOY AND GINNY WEASLEY GET YOUR FAT ARSES UP HERE THIS SECOND!" Harry chuckled. Lenore was bossy…
Harry entered what looked like the fourth years' dormitory, where he found a letter open. He wouldn't have picked it up, but the name 'Amara' was sticking out at him. It was as if the clues were yearning to be revealed.
Suddenly Draco walked in. "Hey, Malfoy," said Harry, motioning the Slytherin over, "Read this." Draco stepped over and the two read the letter.
Dearest Amara-
I know not how to tell you, but I know I must. I'm going to send this letter before we leave tonight. Our house will be opposing you in the war. Amara, if we don't go, Acacia will kill us. Win the war, Amara, so you and I will be free, and so we might get married one day.
Amara, you mean more to me than I can ever tell. Do you believe in love at first sight? I do. Because the moment I saw you, I loved you. We were opposites and enemies, Amara, and all the time I laughed and taunted you, I was only hoping that I could touch your hand; that I could look into your beautifully deep blue eyes, or pull one of your raven curls. You look so like Acacia, but her look is beautiful and cold, while yours is beautiful and warm. Her eyes are filled with ice, and yours with compassion. She says she has no relation to you, as does Professor Slytherin, your father, but think of the resemblance, Amara.
We were opposites ever since the beginning. You were a Gryffindor, and I was sorted into Acacia's House. I was proud at first, but now, there is nothing I regret more. The sorting hat ruined my life.
Please don't forget me when I go, Amara. Llewellyn Gryffindor loves you. Hell, as does Caradoc and Asher. You are their baby girl, Amara, and they all yearn for your tender words and care, but Llewellyn most of all. Do not fall for him, Amara. I love thee too much. I shall escape from the war, Amara, and I shall come find you. If you were with Llewellyn, I would die. I've a bad premonition about the war, Amara… What if you win? Will Acacia be remembered or forgotten? And what of your descendents? Amara- Oh God… we're setting out now… She's destroying the Tower… This letter will be gone; a phantom. Good-bye, Mara.
Yours forever,
Merlin
"Merlin!" said Draco suddenly. "Was that written by THE Merlin?" Harry shook his head frantically.
"I have no idea…. GINNY! LENORE! HURRY! THIS IS IMPORTANT!" Harry reread the letter. Good Merlin- this had been written by Merlin, who was in Acacia's House! That was why there were no records of him attending Hogwarts! There were no records of anyone who'd been in Acacia's House… Ravenclaw's son, Caradoc, was mentioned in this letter, but in the records he was a sickly child and was home schooled!
A moment later, Ginny and Lenore hurried in. "What is it?' panted Lenore. Harry gave her the letter. She read it, Ginny reading over her shoulder. The girls looked more surprised every second. At the end of the letter, both of their mouths were hanging open.
"That was Merlin?" asked Ginny, awestruck. "I thought he didn't attend Hogwarts!"
"Nobody who was in Acacia's House was recorded to have gone here!" whispered Lenore. At the same moment, Harry and Draco reached out to look at the letter, and when all four heirs touched it, something happened.
Suddenly, things were whirring by incredibly fast. The world was spinning, and when it stopped, the heirs were standing upon charred ruins.
"What on earth?" whispered Ginny, looking around. They were still holding the letter. Draco, Lenore and Ginny let go of it, and Harry tucked it into his pocket. Harry looked around him. It looked as if a fire had raged through years before. All of the curtains were scorched and burnt; there was a thin layer of ash on the floor. Daylight was streaming through the window. Harry exchanged puzzled looks with the others.
"Did we go back in time again?" asked Ginny sadly. Lenore nodded.
"I think so."
Harry suggested finding someone in the castle, and the others agreed. They exited the portrait and Acacia's room, and into a Dungeon hallway, which wasn't nearly as dingy looking as it was nowadays.
"Who should we look for?" asked Draco once they reached the Dungeons. Evidently, class was in session, as the halls were quiet and empty.
"I suppose we should find a Founder, if that's the time we're in, but it's hard to tell anyway in Hogwarts. For all we know, we're in the future."
"Why don't we look at the uniforms?" suggested Lenore rationally. Harry nodded.
"Good idea." So the four students, looking very out of place, mind you, hurried aimlessly until they saw a student walking briskly down the hallway. His robes looked very different and conservative.
"Past," mouthed Harry to the others. Then, Draco approached the boy, who was probably a third year or so.
"Excuse me," he said cautiously.
"Yes?" inquired the boy, gazing strangely at the time travelers.
"Um, do you know who Merlin is?" asked Draco, ignoring the violent gestures of the others. Harry sighed; they needed Amara or a Founder.
The other boy looked shocked and afraid.
"What are you doing? Do you want to be expelled?" he asked incredulously. "We don't speak of Acacia's!" he hissed. He then hurried away, not looking back.
A/N: Okay, chapter done! :-D Review! If I get ten reviews tonight or today, depending on what time zone you're in, I'll update within 24 hours! I promise! Lol!
~*Jinglez*~