Chapter 17 – Puppeteer of the Damned
Minerva McGonagall had never been one to speak too much when in the face of unquestionable danger. She was always at the forefront, usually accompanying Albus Dumbledore, to whatever troubles threatened the school. She was the steadfast defender of Hogwarts and it's students, and she'd vowed on the day she'd been accepted as a professor at Hogwarts, that she'd uphold that tradition to the end. It only proved so much as to remind herself of the futility that words alone held whilst peace ensued. She never imagined in her wildest dreams that she would be facing a foe that had been scurrying under their very noses for as long as anyone could remember. And that this foe was far more dangerous than had been anticipated, proved a gigantic shock on her part not to mention everyone else.
Who would have thought that muggles had advanced so much, that they were capable of successfully raising Hogwarts without so much as setting foot near it? Not her that's for sure, and the majority of magic folk she'd conversed with as of late seemed just as shocked as she, if not more so that Hogwarts was no longer as safe a place as had been insured… Yes, much had happened to McGonagall's perception of what muggles were. Her own fear had forced her mind to think the subject over quite thoroughly. And the more she thought of it, the more convinced she was that peace had to be brought about as quickly as possible. Hogwarts was lost as she saw it, but the wizard race should not need to suffer for their own ignorance… or should they? It was a horrible thought to entertain, but was it possible wizards deserved this fate?
For centuries the wizarding race existed as an offshoot of the muggle world, and it thrived in it's seclusion. But so as to keep this subtle blend of magic and social stability intact, it was necessary to play on the feelings of superiority that witches and wizards felt over their muggle counterparts, and it was therefore encouraged to look down on the non magical folk and keep their kind segregated from the magical world. Perhaps… just perhaps, it would have been that the muggles would not have reacted so violently if they had remained aware of the wizarding population rather than being cut off from it. The sudden appearance of wizards would have been seen in their eyes as an invasion of a world they thought was solely theirs. And if this were to be believed, then they would have had every right to react in that way. And if leveling Hogwarts was the start, then the rest of the wizarding world would most surely pay for their ignorance in ways they could never imagine.
McGonagall tried as best she could to tie her thoughts down and keep them under control. Looking around herself, rays of warm sunlight had just begun to rise above the horizon, bathing the castle remains in a deep orange that made many stir from their sleep amidst the battered ruins. No one had really slept fitfully of course, but whatever hours could be assured in peace were welcome any day. And the giant blue shield that surrounded them remained holding. Though Dumbledore hadn't been seen since it's conjuring, and this only served to worry the aging witch more, adding to her growing list of concerns that had begun with the first ward failure all those months ago.
Her eyes drooped tiredly, opening and closing in a monotonous fashion as she yawned. She'd remained patrolling the grounds well into the night whilst everyone slept, so as to ensure their safety, shield or not. And for many hours she had lost track of time until the sun first peeked it's head over the forested landscape, snapping her from the half drowsy sentinel she attempted to carry out.
'I should really get some sleep…' she spoke softly to herself, trying as best she could not to drop off there and then. And as though on queue, a hand to her right produced a steaming cup of hot chocolate, it's warming smell filling her nose as she breathed in the cold morning air.
'I thought you could do with a cup Minerva, you've been on watch all night.' Spoke Serverus in reluctant tones, motioning the hot cup towards her, 'It wouldn't be proper of me not to offer any to you.'
McGonagall eyed him suspiciously before taking the cup between her frost bitten hands, the warmth surging through her the moment she touched it.
'Thankyou…' she replied gratefully, taking a small sip before turning her attention to the greasy haired man, 'I wouldn't have thought you were the kind of person to offer a cup of hot chocolate to me, perhaps I've misjudged you Serverus.'
Snape looked to her in his usual sullen manner, before he frowned a little, staring off into the distance.
'I don't know Minerva, I can barely recognize myself anymore, events of late have changed me I think. They've changed all of us. I guess it's all I can do keep on an even plane with everyone, the other teachers look more than capable of murder to me, and the students… well, I had to break up some scuffles through the night. Some weird rumor going about that there were muggles in the ruins even as we patrolled. Got me shaking now, who knows how many muggles could have been on our side of the shield before it was raised?'
McGonagall bowed her head in silent thought, lolling off to the side every now and then from weariness.
'In that case we should be extra careful, or before we know it, students will be taken through the night without so much as a whisper. Without Dumbledore to aid us, I've been hard pressed deciding whether or not to mobilize ourselves. We've no guarantee how long this shield will last.'
Serverus nodded silently, seeming only to become aware that Dumbledore was nowhere in sight. He spoke up, breaking the silence
'If you want my opinion Minerva, I suggest you fortify this place. And not the way we did with the castle, we need physical barriers, just in case the shield does fail, however unlikely that may sound. However, I don't think we have the capability to mobilize a large force. Not now…'
McGonagall stared at him with mixed expression of horror and disbelief.
'What do you mean. There are thousands of Heliopaths here that are still loyal to us, and they've no fear I grant you that. What's to say we can't raise them to fight? I believe that was the original idea behind it. Their loyalty is with us…' Snape interjected all of a sudden.
'The Heliopaths are loyal to Marius, not to us, as much as we'd like it. And Marius has disappeared, taking a large portion of the army with him and hiding how ever many he left behind. Even Dumbledore doesn't know where he is, and there's no saying Marius will ever return. Personally I don't care for his Auror legacy, Morheim is as much a coward as I assumed from the beginning. He's left us here to die Minerva, without a care in his head.'
McGonagall fingered the mug thoughtfully, evidently displeased with Snape's tone. She knew all too well that he'd never raise an argument like that in front of Marius himself. He would just as likely have Harry Potter sign his death warrant. But at the same time she wondered. "Perhaps he has abandoned us. And without he or Dumbledore to help, what are we to do?"
'What is our current strength?' she asked off handedly. Snape closed his eyes, doing sums in his head before he answered with a frown;
'Barely tolerable I'm afraid. As I mentioned before, the majority of the Heliopath army has hidden itself. I only managed to find one of them, and that was Aandrak ironically. You remember him?' Minerva wracked her brains, she had some knowledge of it…
'The Heliopath lord?' she asked grimly, Serverus nodded.
'And he didn't seem particularly pleased to see me either, me being strongly allied with Dumbledore and all. Though he has respect for Albus's power, it's clear where Aandrak's loyalties lie. With Morheim. He says Marius has the right idea, summoning he and his "clansmen", if you can call them that. And he also seems to believe Marius has moved against the muggles in some way or another. That portion of Heliopaths he took with him must have been for that, but on that subject, there's only one place I know that Marius may have gone…'
Stark realization struck Minerva at once.
'Hogsmeade!' she said aloud, mimicking her thoughts. 'He's gone to Hogsmeade! But… the last report said…'
'Nothing credible to go off,' Snape interrupted, getting him a sharp look from the old witch, 'Marius took an unthinkable chance dividing our forces. I'm no tactician, but even I can see what a terrible position he's put us in.'
'But… the dragons, surely we…'
'Don't have enough! When the first attack started they went absolutely mad, the Serbian and Latvian in particular. Their control was severed and four of the ten broke rank, getting themselves killed in the process. It appears that despite being magically imbued, dragons are just as vulnerable to muggle weapons as we. We may not have enough dragons to defend against a prolonged attack. As much as I hate to admit it, we NEED Marius.'
'It appears so…' Minerva said, looked down at her cup, the steady column of smoke coming from it smelt enticing to the senses. She let go a deep sigh of regret.
'Maybe,' she began with a note of hesitation in her voice, looking about to be sure no one else was listening, 'Rescue may be impossible. Scouts have seen long lines of muggle soldiers heading in our direction. We haven't the protection of our wards anymore, and the shield makes this place stick out like a sore thumb.' Serverus gave a grunt in agreement, his eyes fixed on the tree lined horizon.
"Marius!" McGonagall thought to herself, her teeth unwittingly baring into a snarl, "Where are you?!"
Elsewhere, away from the confused masses of shell shocked students, a man stood. His name was Gray… Colonel J.F Gray of the UN eradication forces that stood sentinel over Britain's interests. And those interests were being threatened quite considerably as of late. Overlooking the green country from his hillside vantage point, he eyed with care the comings and goings of uniformed men, who much like himself, had devoted themselves to the great cause. The fools who named themselves wizards had to be eradicated. There could only be one ruling civilization in Britain, and indeed the entire world, and there was no question as to which it would be.
For a moment he strained his mind. "Why is it we cannot co-exist? Surely there's no need for such bloodshed…" and at once a shot of drilling pain surged through his head. A pain not unlike the same he'd experienced whenever he'd considered such things, washing away his thoughts like a flowing river. It left no room for doubt in his mind once the pain stopped, as it always had, that the wizards must be destroyed… his own beliefs fading into the shadow of pain.
Gray eyed the goings on about him with distinct interest. The troops that accompanied him were all in high spirits from the victory they'd achieved at a small town beyond the forest, against what seemed almost unstoppable odds at the time. From that point on it had become apparent that the enemy was very foolish indeed, and hardly tacticians of any sort. Apart from the battle that has ensued in an attempt to recapture the town, the wizards had given little resistance to them at all, something of which seemed to spur on the soldier's efforts on more so since. A small smile twitched at the corners of Gray's mouth as he eyed the forces gathered. Since the last battle it had become necessary to evade the wizards, lest they discover their position and rally themselves when the time came to push on.
The army had over the course of a few hours, transported themselves within a two mile radius of their target behind hills and ridges, remaining poised to strike from the rear should the wizards have another nasty surprise for them. Several wizard scouts had been seen watching the soldiers activities, but they had been of no trouble to their cause. Snipers who'd entrenched themselves beyond prying eyes had made short work of any spying wizard within a quarter mile of the camp. Recon squads disposed of the remains thereafter, or captured any left alive. Though the latter was the least practiced… snipers were well in their element and left little but a rotting corpse on the worst of days. It helped to keep things tidy, as it was in their words.
Running footsteps caught Gray's attention, and as he spun about, he came face to face with a soldier. Dressed in green camouflage, he wouldn't have seemed out of place amongst hundreds of others, except perhaps for the long mass of seemingly untamed hair that hung down to his shoulders. The wearied look in his eyes suggesting he'd been out in the wilderness for far too long for comfort. Eyeing him briefly, Gray tugged at the dog tags slung around the soldier's neck. He mouthed the five digit number to himself as though vainly trying to remember who the disheveled form in front of him was, and occasionally he shot glances to the man, who'd bent over panting.
'26225…' he spoke with an air of familiarity, at last remembering who he was, 'Christ man, what have you done to yourself?'
The soldier remained bent over, his heavy breaths still exhaling.
'I… came… to… report… sir.' He choked out of forced breaths, and he raised himself for a kind of salute. The graying man dismissed it at once, still lost in thought.
'Last I heard marine, your post was at the target area for surveillance. By all rights you should be there right now, you haven't been released yet from your charge.' The soldier looked to Gray with bulging eyes, almost as though it seemed impossible for him not to have left his post.
'I had no choice sir…' he stuttered between breaths, trying as best he could to uphold the Colonel's steady gaze, 'My radio suffered interference, there was no way for me to report in sir… Sir, they've raised a shield around themselves, radio waves can't get through it…' Gray cut him off suddenly.
'And neither do people I should add. I am well aware of the shield Marine, do not presume to lecture me. I ask how you managed to slip through it. Your post is afterall on the other side of it.'
For a second the soldier sat mute, as though straining his mind. Though he clearly remembered getting through it… everything apart from that seemed an odd blur to him.
'I…' he swallowed hard on his words, 'I… don't know sir. I don't remember…'
That was the truth of it, no denying. He hadn't the slightest clue as to how he slipped past the energy barrier, but that concept in itself didn't please Colonel Gray in any degree, who had been hoping for a weakness in it that he could use. He hadn't told the men about this, but a company of soldiers on patrol ahead of the main army encountered the shield and tried their luck walking through it…
Their vaporized bodies became impossible to recover afterwards. A small thought grabbing him at how the UN was to explain to the soldier's families that their boys had been killed through unknown circumstances. But it lasted only a moment. His steel eyed gaze returned once more as he stared down the marine, his temper increasing having been denied an easy access to the enemy base. The infantry advance had been halted because of that. He would have to go back to the drawing board afterall. Much to his dismay.
Slowly he withdrew a cigarette and rolled the loose tobacco in into it, his mind enveloped into the simple act, while his thoughts drifted. There had to be a way in… there just had to be. Eyeing the soldiers around him that moved supplies and ammunition, or were repairing tanks or other vehicles, he had the fleeting impression that perhaps he might be stuck here in this nobodies land for longer than he hoped, and the loss of eating a nicely cooked meal with his family pulled at him so, that it became painful to think of it. Looking to the soldier, he lighted his cigarette and took a relieving puff, blowing smoke ringlets into the air.
'Do something about that hair soldier. Dismissed!' he muttered between puffs, and the soldier saluted and left obediently, Gray still contemplating. Everything as he saw it revolved around his forces not being seen. If they were spotted by the enemy trying to outflank them, their surprise attack would come to nothing and it would give the wizards all the time they needed to prepare some sort of ambush in reply. He was certain in his own mind, that he would not underestimate his enemy. The town that was called Hogsmeade was a lucky victory. Whomever led them into battle were either foolhardy, or were testing their strength. Either way, the wizard forces remained decimated across the ash covered landscape, a testament to the horrors enacted there. The wizards may have been foolish once, though he was certain they would not be made fools of again. He may not have seen it, but beneath the thousands of fiery minions that had been summoned to destroy his army, there was a consciousness far unlike anything he'd experienced, that was somehow… watching him. So sudden, so horrible… so filled with hatred.
Unwittingly he gave a cold shudder, his mind taking him places he didn't want to go. And that meant pain. Whatever it was that would happen, would happen soon enough. He only hoped that it would be in his own favor when it did. He rolled another smoke…
The smell of warm soup met Harry's nose as he sat in Hagrid's enormous hut, the silhouette of the oversized man bent down in concentration over a large cauldron, stirring ceaselessly with a spoon that seemed to be made just for him. It had been many long months since he'd seen inside Hagrid's house, which bordered the forbidden forest just in visual range of Hogwarts, and unsurprisingly, nothing seemed to have changed. It was as if he'd been there only yesterday, talking with his big friend over trivial matters at school.
His dislike of certain teachers, his difficulty with subjects, and even his reluctance to speak openly with his friends at times, just being a few of the many topics he'd covered within these log built walls. But the guilt of it all tugged at him like a noose. He hadn't been to see Hagrid for months now, as though events of late were any kind of excuse at all. He knew of course that Hagrid understood, as he was told when he entered, the half giant had been quite busy with several different tasks that Dumbledore had appointed him before he raised the shield, and he wouldn't have had any time free for socializing anyway. At least knowing that would be some sort of consolation, but he still felt at fault for not even thinking of Hagrid for so long. Inside he made a pledge to redeem himself.
Hagrid rose to his feet and turned about, holding in his hands a boiling hot cauldron. As he'd explained to the teenager, he no longer used it for school potions and such, having been expelled in his early years. But nevertheless it still served it's uses from time to time. The gentle smell of hot soup grew in his nose once more, a distinct aroma of peas, carrots and beef making his mouth water just thinking of it. Quite some time had passed since he'd had a good meal. Cooking was rather slow for the house elves now that Hogwarts was only a scorched shell of it's former self. Harry figured it wasn't any of their fault. But it had to be admitted that Hogwarts without good food just wasn't Hogwarts at all. He licked his lips in anticipation as Hagrid poured large, ladles of soup into a bowl and placed it before him, Harry digging into it before he'd had a word in edgewise.
'Goodness Harry,' the jovial man said in disbelief, eying the boy as he tore face first into the soup, his eyes not wandering from the bowl's contents for a moment, 'You'd think you hadn't had a decent meal for weeks…'
Harry looked up for a brief moment.
'I haven't.' he answered truthfully, before he turned back to the bowl, his first serving almost finished already.
'Spose you'd be wantin' another helping eh Harry?' he held out his ladle in anticipation. Harry eyed it for a moment, feeling eager to have more, but he decided not to, giving Hagrid his most regretful head shake he could muster. He was here to see Hagrid, not eat.
'Err… no, I best not. Nobody really knows I'm here. I don't think Professor McGonagall would enjoy finding me stuffing my face in your cabin. Who knows how much time I have until they've realised I've disappeared?'
The refusal seemed enough for the half giant, who sat himself down onto a stool wearing a satisfied expression.
'You ran off then did ya?' Hagrid asked. Harry half nodded.
'Sort of… I just had to get away from everyone, just for a while. There's too many rumors going around. It's enough to drive any sane person mad!' he lied, thumping his fist on the table. Hagrid passed him a commiserating look.
'I know the feeling. At any rate, I'm happy you came to see me. Since Morheim made the grounds out of bounds, people rarely come anywhere near my cabin anymore. I reckon you'd be in the same boat eh?'
Harry nodded quickly, feeling quite sure Hagrid would feel depressed if he admitted he just plain out forgot to see him.
'Well,' he continued, pouring some soup for himself, 'I guess all that's been thrown out the window now. What with the muggles and all.' And at once his expression darkened, the conversation beginning to turn to Hogwarts itself. He sighed in an angry sort of manner.
'Never in my life did I think I'd live to see Hogwarts burn. NEVER.' Hagrid's fists grew white as he clenched hard. 'They've just got no right!' then he turned to Harry, who sat there mutely, his own eyes not wandering for a second. Hagrid calmed down.
'I spose it'll do no good being bitter. There's no way to undo what's done I guess.'
'Hagrid?' Harry asked, his interest piping up, 'Is this the end for Hogwarts?' It seemed a useless question to ask. Really he already knew the answer. A pile of steaming rubble couldn't teach you magic, though he didn't want to believe it. The end of Hogwarts meant the end full stop. He'd be forced to live with the Dursley's full time again, likely never able to send mail to his friends, let alone see them. He'd literally be cut off from the magical world. Not a pleasant thought, yet much to his surprise, Hagrid smiled a little.
'The end?!' he choked out a harsh sounding laugh, closer to a rumble, 'Heavens no! Hogwarts has outlasted more battles in a thousand years than you can poke a stick at. Sure the castle is ruined, but that is nothing but enchanted stone Harry. Hogwarts has recovered from worse battles than this you mark my words, been rebuilt every time. No Harry it'll never be the end for Hogwarts, not so long as I have breath at least.'
At that Harry let out an audible sigh of relief. At least there was some good afterall, and Hagrid's comforting words made him remember just how much he'd missed him since the start of school. Strangely though, Hagrid looked to Harry in a suspicious kind of way, and he dropped his spoon in surprise.
'What?' he asked curiously. Hagrid arched his eyebrows in a scandalized fashion.
'Now Harry, I'm not a one to presume things that don't concern me, but I think I know you well enough to say that Hogwarts isn't particularly concerning you right now. If I didn't know any better, I'd say your mind lies elsewhere… What's wrong?'
Harry opened and closed his mouth quickly, he'd been taken completely by surprise. Was it really that obvious to him? Despite his worries he planned to keep his mouth shut, perhaps lie his way out of the situation. But one look at Hagrid's caring eyes told him that it would be absolutely useless to hide things from him. He was his friend afterall. So Harry began. He started from the very beginning, from before school when he'd first had his dreams at the Dursley's. From there he recounted in detail every "dream" he'd had since, even when he wasn't supposed to be asleep, like during lessons, or defense training, or just sitting down trying to have a bite to eat. And finally, he spoke of his last dream, explaining to the curious man everything that was said and done, every feeling he experienced, every pain he was subjected to. Word of the dark robed figure he saw drew very arched eyebrows from Hagrid. It seemed to take an eternity to speak it all, but once done and gone, a cool feeling of release passed through him, as though he'd been building up pressure just to let it all escape.
'Have you gone to see Dumbledore about this?' Hagrid asked, his brow furrowed in concern, not realizing his soup had gone cold.
'Yes, but he's so cryptic I can't get a straight answer out of him. I have a feeling he knows what's going on, but I think he's trying to hide the greater part of it from me. Wouldn't be the first time.'
Dim memories resurfaced in his mind of a time the previous year, when he'd been so intensely frustrated with everyone treating him like a piece of meat, that he went on a wrecking rampage around Dumbledore's office. Though it turned out that even destroying his possessions would no easier break his unending calm, than hitting him over the head with a club. Hagrid remained with a small look of acceptance on his face.
'Great minds usually are cryptic Harry, or hard to understand for the most part. But I would say that he's probably doing what he can to keep you safe. Doesn't seem like Dumbledore if he doesn't know what's best for you.'
Harry merely grunted a response. It felt far easier to believe the headmaster was trying to cheat him in some way or another, though Hagrid had known him for far longer than he had. Irritatingly he scratched his back. Hagrid's gaze followed his hand.
'What's wrong with your back Harry?' the boy just eyed him warily.
'Nothing…' he muttered quickly, as he tried to scratch without success, 'It's just sore that's all. Probably from sleeping on that rocky ground outside.'
But that didn't seem good enough for Hagrid. He got to his feet awkwardly.
'Take off your robe.' He started.
'What?!' Harry retorted, looking rather shocked, 'Why on earth should I?'
'Oh come on, I know you've probably got trousers on underneath it anyway, just take off your robe!' that note of irritation in Hagrid's voice didn't seem the kind of thing Harry wanted to stretch, so he did as he was told so he was wearing little more than a pair of shorts. Hagrid wheeled the boy around and gasped in shock.
'What? What is it?'
Hagrid put a finger to a spot on the boy's back, and Harry winced in pain.
'Not right… just not right…' Harry heard the man mutter quietly to himself, as though not for him to hear. The uneasiness of him seemed to aggravate Harry a lot. How he was tired of people not giving him any information.
'What's wrong?! Tell me please!' Hagrid pulled back slightly, as though not realizing Harry was aware of his prodding.
'Err… Harry? Have you seen this?' Harry sent Hagrid a questioning glance, shaking his head.
'No… no I didn't think you did.' And at once Hagrid walked to his oversized bed and knelt down, withdrawing from it a large chest that Harry didn't know he kept. Large could have been an understatement. Harry was sure if given the chance, he could probably fit his entire body into it. Lifting the lid, Hagrid rummaged through and retrieved an old fold out mirror which he set up on the floor.
'Come,' Hagrid gestured when he finished, placing his hands on Harry's shoulders, 'Now, I must warn you Harry. This might not be pleasing to see.' And he turned the teen about. Harry craned his neck in a half circle to get a better view, and his eyes almost bulged out in horror.
His back no longer resembled anything of the sort. Where there had once been smooth, youthful skin, was now a wildly mixed up hash of wounds and lacerations. Cuts were abundant, and stung when he touched them, but they were least of his worries once he noticed the long, violent gashes, some a centimeter wide, gouged deep into his skin, as though he'd been freshly hacked with Godric Gryffindor's sword. Blood still oozed from his wounds in red streams, soaking him, though he'd never have realized it. Only now was it apparent to him that he could feel every cut and gash on his back, the hot liquid flowing from him feeling more like it had drenched his entire body. A feeble minded weaknesses threatening to overcome him.
Feeling light headed, he stumbled over, but was caught in Hagrid's large hands.
'I should've thought something was wrong with you from the beginning,' he spoke with a harshness in his voice, 'The way you'd eaten that soup should have screamed it. That'll teach me. Here… sit down.'
And he guided the boy to a stool, his head still feeling absolutely faint from the shock. Quickly Hagrid fetched a cold, damp rag and started to clean away what had cauterized on his skin, earning a small yelp of pain every time it made contact with him. It made it feel all the worse now Harry knew of it, at first he just thought he had contracted a chill from sleeping outside in the cold air.
'You, dreamed this Harry?' Hagrid asked in a low rumble.
'Yes.' Harry spoke in a quiet voice, disbelief still creeping in on him. Hagrid rinsed the rag in a bucket of water, and began rubbing his back again.
'I'm surprised you hadn't come to see me sooner Harry, though I admit I would've thought your dreams very far fetched. But then again, dreams for you aren't normal dreams are they. This mess where your back should be is proof enough. It's any wonder you haven't already died from blood loss.'
'But… it was just a dream Hagrid. Just a dream.'
Hagrid applied a lot more pressure to his wounds, Harry yelled in anger.
'Dreams on their own are harmless Harry. But when they leave a mark on you, ya can't help but be worried! You practically foresaw Hogwarts being blasted apart at the seams. And in every one you've had, you've seen this "man", or heard his voice. Now honestly boy, this cannot be just coincidence. If Dumbledore was thinking what I be thinking, it's any wonder why he hasn't done something to protect you already.'
Harry's grogginess seemed to fade away in an instant.
'What do you think it is? Please tell me, a straight answer from you would be worth ten from anyone else.'
Hagrid stopped rinsing his back for a moment. He couldn't be sure, but Harry had the distinct feeling that whatever Hagrid knew, he didn't feel like wanting to open his mouth.
'Please Hagrid…' he spoke quietly. The man straightened himself out with a grunt.
'Oh I suppose I should. Wouldn't do well to hold anything from you I guess…' and he dropped the rag into the bucket with a splash and hastily dried his hands on an old shirt.
'Well…' he began, not looking nearly as composed as he was a few minutes ago. 'Trick is where to start I guess… well, let's see… I guess I should start with your dreams Harry. This… dark man you keep explaining about is putting me into real tizzy. It seems too uncomfortable to think about at best. If he is who I think he is Harry, then this situation with the muggles is nothing more than a minor skirmish.'
Hagrid looked to the teen, who seemed thoroughly bemused by what he was saying. He wasn't making much sense at all.
'I'm no historian Harry. Much less was I a good student at school. However there are things I remember from a time before you or even your parents were born that I had sworn I would not speak of again. Tell me Harry, do you know why Dumbledore is considered by many to be the greatest wizard alive?'
Harry shrugged aimlessly, his strength to say much seeming to dwindle.
'I don't know much,' he replied honestly, 'He's powerful, I know that. Err… Voldemort (Hagrid winced) fears him… and… umm,' realization struck him, '…he defeated the dark wizard Grindelwald.'
Hagrid nodded gravely as he spoke it, as though long untouched memories were stirring inside him.
'Yes Harry. Every word of that as true as though Dumbledore spoke them himself. Now I don't mean to be presumptuous Harry, but if my fears are correct, then this dark man in your dreams, IS Grindelwald. With everything happening as it has this year, I've had my suspicions. No real proof of course, but plenty of suspicions… When I was only a boy Harry, not much older than yourself, the world was in chaos. It was wartime to put it shortly. You may have heard of it before, world war two. It was mostly a muggle fought affair but us wizards had our fair share of casualties as well. During this time, wizards proclaiming themselves for the dark arts were ramped. The muggle war seemed just the excuse they needed to start up a conflict of their own, and sure enough, anyone who was able was drafted by the forces of light to combat them.
We knew our place of course. Many of us had just joined up on our own accord cause we knew we felt for the light. Even my dad fought the dark wizards of Galen, and he became a hero because of it. But when you tried to ask him what it was like, or what his job was, the look in his eyes was all you needed. He'd never say a word about it whatsoever. Lasting pain I guess. Who knows what he may have seen when he fought. I for one am not too eager to find out. The war was long you see, lasted five long years, and it seemed almost unreal when it suddenly ended. News came to us that same day that Dumbledore had defeated Grindelwald, who was rumored by some to have started the war on all sides, between wizards and muggles. I remember as though it were yesterday, though I was only a boy…'
Harry listened carefully, before he realized he was gripping his shorts with white knuckles. He didn't know much of Grindelwald, but he knew enough to fear the name… even more than Voldemort.
'How did Dumbledore defeat him?' he asked in anticipation. Hagrid shrugged his shoulders gingerly.
'Nobody knows Harry. When it comes to the subject, old Albus isn't exactly an open book. Besides, I'll not be the one to ask him, I grant you that. You know how they say Dumbledore is the only wizard You Know Who feared? Well, Grindelwald was the only one Dumbledore feared, and that fear went straight to his bones whenever you talked of it in front of him. You could see it in his eyes, just like my dad. You see, Grindelwald was no ordinary wizard.
Since my dad refused to open up to me, I used what time I still had left at Hogwarts to research it, and apparently, he is old. Older than Hogwarts even, so I read. It said in the books that Grindelwald was once a wizard who hated everything about the world that his father created, and in his attempts to change it to how he saw fit, he slowly turned to the dark arts. His father, bless his spirit, was incensed by the idea that his own flesh and blood had betrayed him so, and destroyed his body with powerful magic. No one knows what that magic was of course, all those history books I read were very vague. But one thing they were clear on, was that Grindelwald's spirit survived the spell, and continued to exist by taking the bodies of other powerful wizards as hosts. The very name "Grindelwald", is of an old language that is no longer spoken. Loosely translated it means "Puppeteer of the Damned". He could survive centuries if need be…
Anyway, I heard somewhere that Grindelwald was exorcised out of his host by Dumbledore towards the end of the war, and was imprisoned beneath Hogwarts itself… But then, I dunno. Maybe this is all a load of codswallop. For all you know Harry, these dreams of yours could be more of You Know Who's handiwork. If I remember correctly you told me he had red eyes too when ya saw him last. If that's the case you should be just as careful. However bad as it may sound, it's better it be his doing than Grindelwald's. Cause if Grindelwald ran ramped, he would destroy the world and everyone in it. Of that I am certain.'
Harry stared at him with his jaw dropping open, unable to believe his ears. The pain in his back seemed to have subsided now, or perhaps he'd just forgotten it was there.
'Hagrid…' he began shakily, not certain if saying this was wise, 'Marius told me that he was once Grindelwald's host…' he looked to Hagrid who seemed only to raise his eyebrows in surprise.
'Did he now? Well, he may have been the one who was being used during the war. It'd make sense, he disappeared around then if I remember rightly. I guess it's no wonder he chose him as his host. Marius is as powerful a wizard as I've ever seen, apart from Dumbledore of course… though if what I hear is correct, Grindelwald is still trapped far underground, though it does leave your dreams to question.'
And he watched curiously as Harry's expression changed, and question popped into his mind.
'You think Marius has been taken host again?' he asked curiously. Harry sidled a glance, but it seemed a rough yes to Hagrid. 'I won't deny that Marius may have the taint of the Puppeteer in his blood, but he has grown too much in power to allow Grindelwald into himself again. He may be a shrewd person Harry, but he's saved my life on more than one occasion long before you were born, and I know in my heart that Marius is not under Grindelwald's control. You should abandon that thought as quick as you can, it doesn't do good to live on rumors.'
Harry nodded silently, a small wince of pain starting to return to his back.
'I'm just worried Hagrid. Almost every night I've dreamed of this dark man, and now I know he can hurt me in my sleep, I'm just… worried. I can't really explain it myself.'
'I think no less of you because of it Harry. But however much you must try to block these thoughts from your mind, you must never forget about them. The possibility that Grindelwald is free is too much a risk to merely forget.'
Again Harry nodded, and found himself staring at Hagrid's worried, but otherwise pleased looking face. Perhaps he was happy he said all that afterall. Yet despite it all, fear still stabbed at Harry's heart.
'What do I do Hagrid?' he asked gingerly, trying as best he could not to think on it, 'I can't stay awake forever. If I do sleep again tonight, he could be there again… waiting. What am I supposed to do to protect myself?'
Hagrid bit his lip thoughtfully, but looked to Harry with a determined air about him.
'Honestly Harry? Absolutely nothing as far as I'm concerned. The state of your back is proof enough this man, Grindelwald or no, definitely means trouble to you. So the next time you see him, do as I always suggest you do in a terrible situation…'
'Which is?' and Hagrid's eyes narrowed on him so he felt isolated and alone.
'Run Harry… Run as fast as you can!'
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Now there's a chapter and a half. That was almost 12 pages! My God! I was up until eleven o'clock writing it, so it better be as good as the others. I just knew I had to add more to the Grindelwald topic I had going in a few of the previous chapters, we haven't heard much from him since have we. But I hope you all find it intersting anyway, I'm doing as best I can to keep everything as fresh as possible while putting in teasers so you people read the next chapter. I'm slowly building up the chapters in intensity if you've noticed. There's a big outcome to be had at the end, that's certain. I just hope all my loyal fans read it long enough to see it. Still, I do like to be creative. So I'll start the next chapter soon enough and have that uploaded and ready to go as quick as possible. I know from experience afterall that when you're into a story it's the last thing you want to have to wait for the next update, so I'm trying to be as conscious of my audience as I can. Anyway, happy reading again, I doubt very much that you'll be dissappointed. Oh and by the way, I would've posted this chapter about four days ago but fanfiction hasn't allowed me to access my account. Probably a software glich or something. CYA
Minerva McGonagall had never been one to speak too much when in the face of unquestionable danger. She was always at the forefront, usually accompanying Albus Dumbledore, to whatever troubles threatened the school. She was the steadfast defender of Hogwarts and it's students, and she'd vowed on the day she'd been accepted as a professor at Hogwarts, that she'd uphold that tradition to the end. It only proved so much as to remind herself of the futility that words alone held whilst peace ensued. She never imagined in her wildest dreams that she would be facing a foe that had been scurrying under their very noses for as long as anyone could remember. And that this foe was far more dangerous than had been anticipated, proved a gigantic shock on her part not to mention everyone else.
Who would have thought that muggles had advanced so much, that they were capable of successfully raising Hogwarts without so much as setting foot near it? Not her that's for sure, and the majority of magic folk she'd conversed with as of late seemed just as shocked as she, if not more so that Hogwarts was no longer as safe a place as had been insured… Yes, much had happened to McGonagall's perception of what muggles were. Her own fear had forced her mind to think the subject over quite thoroughly. And the more she thought of it, the more convinced she was that peace had to be brought about as quickly as possible. Hogwarts was lost as she saw it, but the wizard race should not need to suffer for their own ignorance… or should they? It was a horrible thought to entertain, but was it possible wizards deserved this fate?
For centuries the wizarding race existed as an offshoot of the muggle world, and it thrived in it's seclusion. But so as to keep this subtle blend of magic and social stability intact, it was necessary to play on the feelings of superiority that witches and wizards felt over their muggle counterparts, and it was therefore encouraged to look down on the non magical folk and keep their kind segregated from the magical world. Perhaps… just perhaps, it would have been that the muggles would not have reacted so violently if they had remained aware of the wizarding population rather than being cut off from it. The sudden appearance of wizards would have been seen in their eyes as an invasion of a world they thought was solely theirs. And if this were to be believed, then they would have had every right to react in that way. And if leveling Hogwarts was the start, then the rest of the wizarding world would most surely pay for their ignorance in ways they could never imagine.
McGonagall tried as best she could to tie her thoughts down and keep them under control. Looking around herself, rays of warm sunlight had just begun to rise above the horizon, bathing the castle remains in a deep orange that made many stir from their sleep amidst the battered ruins. No one had really slept fitfully of course, but whatever hours could be assured in peace were welcome any day. And the giant blue shield that surrounded them remained holding. Though Dumbledore hadn't been seen since it's conjuring, and this only served to worry the aging witch more, adding to her growing list of concerns that had begun with the first ward failure all those months ago.
Her eyes drooped tiredly, opening and closing in a monotonous fashion as she yawned. She'd remained patrolling the grounds well into the night whilst everyone slept, so as to ensure their safety, shield or not. And for many hours she had lost track of time until the sun first peeked it's head over the forested landscape, snapping her from the half drowsy sentinel she attempted to carry out.
'I should really get some sleep…' she spoke softly to herself, trying as best she could not to drop off there and then. And as though on queue, a hand to her right produced a steaming cup of hot chocolate, it's warming smell filling her nose as she breathed in the cold morning air.
'I thought you could do with a cup Minerva, you've been on watch all night.' Spoke Serverus in reluctant tones, motioning the hot cup towards her, 'It wouldn't be proper of me not to offer any to you.'
McGonagall eyed him suspiciously before taking the cup between her frost bitten hands, the warmth surging through her the moment she touched it.
'Thankyou…' she replied gratefully, taking a small sip before turning her attention to the greasy haired man, 'I wouldn't have thought you were the kind of person to offer a cup of hot chocolate to me, perhaps I've misjudged you Serverus.'
Snape looked to her in his usual sullen manner, before he frowned a little, staring off into the distance.
'I don't know Minerva, I can barely recognize myself anymore, events of late have changed me I think. They've changed all of us. I guess it's all I can do keep on an even plane with everyone, the other teachers look more than capable of murder to me, and the students… well, I had to break up some scuffles through the night. Some weird rumor going about that there were muggles in the ruins even as we patrolled. Got me shaking now, who knows how many muggles could have been on our side of the shield before it was raised?'
McGonagall bowed her head in silent thought, lolling off to the side every now and then from weariness.
'In that case we should be extra careful, or before we know it, students will be taken through the night without so much as a whisper. Without Dumbledore to aid us, I've been hard pressed deciding whether or not to mobilize ourselves. We've no guarantee how long this shield will last.'
Serverus nodded silently, seeming only to become aware that Dumbledore was nowhere in sight. He spoke up, breaking the silence
'If you want my opinion Minerva, I suggest you fortify this place. And not the way we did with the castle, we need physical barriers, just in case the shield does fail, however unlikely that may sound. However, I don't think we have the capability to mobilize a large force. Not now…'
McGonagall stared at him with mixed expression of horror and disbelief.
'What do you mean. There are thousands of Heliopaths here that are still loyal to us, and they've no fear I grant you that. What's to say we can't raise them to fight? I believe that was the original idea behind it. Their loyalty is with us…' Snape interjected all of a sudden.
'The Heliopaths are loyal to Marius, not to us, as much as we'd like it. And Marius has disappeared, taking a large portion of the army with him and hiding how ever many he left behind. Even Dumbledore doesn't know where he is, and there's no saying Marius will ever return. Personally I don't care for his Auror legacy, Morheim is as much a coward as I assumed from the beginning. He's left us here to die Minerva, without a care in his head.'
McGonagall fingered the mug thoughtfully, evidently displeased with Snape's tone. She knew all too well that he'd never raise an argument like that in front of Marius himself. He would just as likely have Harry Potter sign his death warrant. But at the same time she wondered. "Perhaps he has abandoned us. And without he or Dumbledore to help, what are we to do?"
'What is our current strength?' she asked off handedly. Snape closed his eyes, doing sums in his head before he answered with a frown;
'Barely tolerable I'm afraid. As I mentioned before, the majority of the Heliopath army has hidden itself. I only managed to find one of them, and that was Aandrak ironically. You remember him?' Minerva wracked her brains, she had some knowledge of it…
'The Heliopath lord?' she asked grimly, Serverus nodded.
'And he didn't seem particularly pleased to see me either, me being strongly allied with Dumbledore and all. Though he has respect for Albus's power, it's clear where Aandrak's loyalties lie. With Morheim. He says Marius has the right idea, summoning he and his "clansmen", if you can call them that. And he also seems to believe Marius has moved against the muggles in some way or another. That portion of Heliopaths he took with him must have been for that, but on that subject, there's only one place I know that Marius may have gone…'
Stark realization struck Minerva at once.
'Hogsmeade!' she said aloud, mimicking her thoughts. 'He's gone to Hogsmeade! But… the last report said…'
'Nothing credible to go off,' Snape interrupted, getting him a sharp look from the old witch, 'Marius took an unthinkable chance dividing our forces. I'm no tactician, but even I can see what a terrible position he's put us in.'
'But… the dragons, surely we…'
'Don't have enough! When the first attack started they went absolutely mad, the Serbian and Latvian in particular. Their control was severed and four of the ten broke rank, getting themselves killed in the process. It appears that despite being magically imbued, dragons are just as vulnerable to muggle weapons as we. We may not have enough dragons to defend against a prolonged attack. As much as I hate to admit it, we NEED Marius.'
'It appears so…' Minerva said, looked down at her cup, the steady column of smoke coming from it smelt enticing to the senses. She let go a deep sigh of regret.
'Maybe,' she began with a note of hesitation in her voice, looking about to be sure no one else was listening, 'Rescue may be impossible. Scouts have seen long lines of muggle soldiers heading in our direction. We haven't the protection of our wards anymore, and the shield makes this place stick out like a sore thumb.' Serverus gave a grunt in agreement, his eyes fixed on the tree lined horizon.
"Marius!" McGonagall thought to herself, her teeth unwittingly baring into a snarl, "Where are you?!"
Elsewhere, away from the confused masses of shell shocked students, a man stood. His name was Gray… Colonel J.F Gray of the UN eradication forces that stood sentinel over Britain's interests. And those interests were being threatened quite considerably as of late. Overlooking the green country from his hillside vantage point, he eyed with care the comings and goings of uniformed men, who much like himself, had devoted themselves to the great cause. The fools who named themselves wizards had to be eradicated. There could only be one ruling civilization in Britain, and indeed the entire world, and there was no question as to which it would be.
For a moment he strained his mind. "Why is it we cannot co-exist? Surely there's no need for such bloodshed…" and at once a shot of drilling pain surged through his head. A pain not unlike the same he'd experienced whenever he'd considered such things, washing away his thoughts like a flowing river. It left no room for doubt in his mind once the pain stopped, as it always had, that the wizards must be destroyed… his own beliefs fading into the shadow of pain.
Gray eyed the goings on about him with distinct interest. The troops that accompanied him were all in high spirits from the victory they'd achieved at a small town beyond the forest, against what seemed almost unstoppable odds at the time. From that point on it had become apparent that the enemy was very foolish indeed, and hardly tacticians of any sort. Apart from the battle that has ensued in an attempt to recapture the town, the wizards had given little resistance to them at all, something of which seemed to spur on the soldier's efforts on more so since. A small smile twitched at the corners of Gray's mouth as he eyed the forces gathered. Since the last battle it had become necessary to evade the wizards, lest they discover their position and rally themselves when the time came to push on.
The army had over the course of a few hours, transported themselves within a two mile radius of their target behind hills and ridges, remaining poised to strike from the rear should the wizards have another nasty surprise for them. Several wizard scouts had been seen watching the soldiers activities, but they had been of no trouble to their cause. Snipers who'd entrenched themselves beyond prying eyes had made short work of any spying wizard within a quarter mile of the camp. Recon squads disposed of the remains thereafter, or captured any left alive. Though the latter was the least practiced… snipers were well in their element and left little but a rotting corpse on the worst of days. It helped to keep things tidy, as it was in their words.
Running footsteps caught Gray's attention, and as he spun about, he came face to face with a soldier. Dressed in green camouflage, he wouldn't have seemed out of place amongst hundreds of others, except perhaps for the long mass of seemingly untamed hair that hung down to his shoulders. The wearied look in his eyes suggesting he'd been out in the wilderness for far too long for comfort. Eyeing him briefly, Gray tugged at the dog tags slung around the soldier's neck. He mouthed the five digit number to himself as though vainly trying to remember who the disheveled form in front of him was, and occasionally he shot glances to the man, who'd bent over panting.
'26225…' he spoke with an air of familiarity, at last remembering who he was, 'Christ man, what have you done to yourself?'
The soldier remained bent over, his heavy breaths still exhaling.
'I… came… to… report… sir.' He choked out of forced breaths, and he raised himself for a kind of salute. The graying man dismissed it at once, still lost in thought.
'Last I heard marine, your post was at the target area for surveillance. By all rights you should be there right now, you haven't been released yet from your charge.' The soldier looked to Gray with bulging eyes, almost as though it seemed impossible for him not to have left his post.
'I had no choice sir…' he stuttered between breaths, trying as best he could to uphold the Colonel's steady gaze, 'My radio suffered interference, there was no way for me to report in sir… Sir, they've raised a shield around themselves, radio waves can't get through it…' Gray cut him off suddenly.
'And neither do people I should add. I am well aware of the shield Marine, do not presume to lecture me. I ask how you managed to slip through it. Your post is afterall on the other side of it.'
For a second the soldier sat mute, as though straining his mind. Though he clearly remembered getting through it… everything apart from that seemed an odd blur to him.
'I…' he swallowed hard on his words, 'I… don't know sir. I don't remember…'
That was the truth of it, no denying. He hadn't the slightest clue as to how he slipped past the energy barrier, but that concept in itself didn't please Colonel Gray in any degree, who had been hoping for a weakness in it that he could use. He hadn't told the men about this, but a company of soldiers on patrol ahead of the main army encountered the shield and tried their luck walking through it…
Their vaporized bodies became impossible to recover afterwards. A small thought grabbing him at how the UN was to explain to the soldier's families that their boys had been killed through unknown circumstances. But it lasted only a moment. His steel eyed gaze returned once more as he stared down the marine, his temper increasing having been denied an easy access to the enemy base. The infantry advance had been halted because of that. He would have to go back to the drawing board afterall. Much to his dismay.
Slowly he withdrew a cigarette and rolled the loose tobacco in into it, his mind enveloped into the simple act, while his thoughts drifted. There had to be a way in… there just had to be. Eyeing the soldiers around him that moved supplies and ammunition, or were repairing tanks or other vehicles, he had the fleeting impression that perhaps he might be stuck here in this nobodies land for longer than he hoped, and the loss of eating a nicely cooked meal with his family pulled at him so, that it became painful to think of it. Looking to the soldier, he lighted his cigarette and took a relieving puff, blowing smoke ringlets into the air.
'Do something about that hair soldier. Dismissed!' he muttered between puffs, and the soldier saluted and left obediently, Gray still contemplating. Everything as he saw it revolved around his forces not being seen. If they were spotted by the enemy trying to outflank them, their surprise attack would come to nothing and it would give the wizards all the time they needed to prepare some sort of ambush in reply. He was certain in his own mind, that he would not underestimate his enemy. The town that was called Hogsmeade was a lucky victory. Whomever led them into battle were either foolhardy, or were testing their strength. Either way, the wizard forces remained decimated across the ash covered landscape, a testament to the horrors enacted there. The wizards may have been foolish once, though he was certain they would not be made fools of again. He may not have seen it, but beneath the thousands of fiery minions that had been summoned to destroy his army, there was a consciousness far unlike anything he'd experienced, that was somehow… watching him. So sudden, so horrible… so filled with hatred.
Unwittingly he gave a cold shudder, his mind taking him places he didn't want to go. And that meant pain. Whatever it was that would happen, would happen soon enough. He only hoped that it would be in his own favor when it did. He rolled another smoke…
The smell of warm soup met Harry's nose as he sat in Hagrid's enormous hut, the silhouette of the oversized man bent down in concentration over a large cauldron, stirring ceaselessly with a spoon that seemed to be made just for him. It had been many long months since he'd seen inside Hagrid's house, which bordered the forbidden forest just in visual range of Hogwarts, and unsurprisingly, nothing seemed to have changed. It was as if he'd been there only yesterday, talking with his big friend over trivial matters at school.
His dislike of certain teachers, his difficulty with subjects, and even his reluctance to speak openly with his friends at times, just being a few of the many topics he'd covered within these log built walls. But the guilt of it all tugged at him like a noose. He hadn't been to see Hagrid for months now, as though events of late were any kind of excuse at all. He knew of course that Hagrid understood, as he was told when he entered, the half giant had been quite busy with several different tasks that Dumbledore had appointed him before he raised the shield, and he wouldn't have had any time free for socializing anyway. At least knowing that would be some sort of consolation, but he still felt at fault for not even thinking of Hagrid for so long. Inside he made a pledge to redeem himself.
Hagrid rose to his feet and turned about, holding in his hands a boiling hot cauldron. As he'd explained to the teenager, he no longer used it for school potions and such, having been expelled in his early years. But nevertheless it still served it's uses from time to time. The gentle smell of hot soup grew in his nose once more, a distinct aroma of peas, carrots and beef making his mouth water just thinking of it. Quite some time had passed since he'd had a good meal. Cooking was rather slow for the house elves now that Hogwarts was only a scorched shell of it's former self. Harry figured it wasn't any of their fault. But it had to be admitted that Hogwarts without good food just wasn't Hogwarts at all. He licked his lips in anticipation as Hagrid poured large, ladles of soup into a bowl and placed it before him, Harry digging into it before he'd had a word in edgewise.
'Goodness Harry,' the jovial man said in disbelief, eying the boy as he tore face first into the soup, his eyes not wandering from the bowl's contents for a moment, 'You'd think you hadn't had a decent meal for weeks…'
Harry looked up for a brief moment.
'I haven't.' he answered truthfully, before he turned back to the bowl, his first serving almost finished already.
'Spose you'd be wantin' another helping eh Harry?' he held out his ladle in anticipation. Harry eyed it for a moment, feeling eager to have more, but he decided not to, giving Hagrid his most regretful head shake he could muster. He was here to see Hagrid, not eat.
'Err… no, I best not. Nobody really knows I'm here. I don't think Professor McGonagall would enjoy finding me stuffing my face in your cabin. Who knows how much time I have until they've realised I've disappeared?'
The refusal seemed enough for the half giant, who sat himself down onto a stool wearing a satisfied expression.
'You ran off then did ya?' Hagrid asked. Harry half nodded.
'Sort of… I just had to get away from everyone, just for a while. There's too many rumors going around. It's enough to drive any sane person mad!' he lied, thumping his fist on the table. Hagrid passed him a commiserating look.
'I know the feeling. At any rate, I'm happy you came to see me. Since Morheim made the grounds out of bounds, people rarely come anywhere near my cabin anymore. I reckon you'd be in the same boat eh?'
Harry nodded quickly, feeling quite sure Hagrid would feel depressed if he admitted he just plain out forgot to see him.
'Well,' he continued, pouring some soup for himself, 'I guess all that's been thrown out the window now. What with the muggles and all.' And at once his expression darkened, the conversation beginning to turn to Hogwarts itself. He sighed in an angry sort of manner.
'Never in my life did I think I'd live to see Hogwarts burn. NEVER.' Hagrid's fists grew white as he clenched hard. 'They've just got no right!' then he turned to Harry, who sat there mutely, his own eyes not wandering for a second. Hagrid calmed down.
'I spose it'll do no good being bitter. There's no way to undo what's done I guess.'
'Hagrid?' Harry asked, his interest piping up, 'Is this the end for Hogwarts?' It seemed a useless question to ask. Really he already knew the answer. A pile of steaming rubble couldn't teach you magic, though he didn't want to believe it. The end of Hogwarts meant the end full stop. He'd be forced to live with the Dursley's full time again, likely never able to send mail to his friends, let alone see them. He'd literally be cut off from the magical world. Not a pleasant thought, yet much to his surprise, Hagrid smiled a little.
'The end?!' he choked out a harsh sounding laugh, closer to a rumble, 'Heavens no! Hogwarts has outlasted more battles in a thousand years than you can poke a stick at. Sure the castle is ruined, but that is nothing but enchanted stone Harry. Hogwarts has recovered from worse battles than this you mark my words, been rebuilt every time. No Harry it'll never be the end for Hogwarts, not so long as I have breath at least.'
At that Harry let out an audible sigh of relief. At least there was some good afterall, and Hagrid's comforting words made him remember just how much he'd missed him since the start of school. Strangely though, Hagrid looked to Harry in a suspicious kind of way, and he dropped his spoon in surprise.
'What?' he asked curiously. Hagrid arched his eyebrows in a scandalized fashion.
'Now Harry, I'm not a one to presume things that don't concern me, but I think I know you well enough to say that Hogwarts isn't particularly concerning you right now. If I didn't know any better, I'd say your mind lies elsewhere… What's wrong?'
Harry opened and closed his mouth quickly, he'd been taken completely by surprise. Was it really that obvious to him? Despite his worries he planned to keep his mouth shut, perhaps lie his way out of the situation. But one look at Hagrid's caring eyes told him that it would be absolutely useless to hide things from him. He was his friend afterall. So Harry began. He started from the very beginning, from before school when he'd first had his dreams at the Dursley's. From there he recounted in detail every "dream" he'd had since, even when he wasn't supposed to be asleep, like during lessons, or defense training, or just sitting down trying to have a bite to eat. And finally, he spoke of his last dream, explaining to the curious man everything that was said and done, every feeling he experienced, every pain he was subjected to. Word of the dark robed figure he saw drew very arched eyebrows from Hagrid. It seemed to take an eternity to speak it all, but once done and gone, a cool feeling of release passed through him, as though he'd been building up pressure just to let it all escape.
'Have you gone to see Dumbledore about this?' Hagrid asked, his brow furrowed in concern, not realizing his soup had gone cold.
'Yes, but he's so cryptic I can't get a straight answer out of him. I have a feeling he knows what's going on, but I think he's trying to hide the greater part of it from me. Wouldn't be the first time.'
Dim memories resurfaced in his mind of a time the previous year, when he'd been so intensely frustrated with everyone treating him like a piece of meat, that he went on a wrecking rampage around Dumbledore's office. Though it turned out that even destroying his possessions would no easier break his unending calm, than hitting him over the head with a club. Hagrid remained with a small look of acceptance on his face.
'Great minds usually are cryptic Harry, or hard to understand for the most part. But I would say that he's probably doing what he can to keep you safe. Doesn't seem like Dumbledore if he doesn't know what's best for you.'
Harry merely grunted a response. It felt far easier to believe the headmaster was trying to cheat him in some way or another, though Hagrid had known him for far longer than he had. Irritatingly he scratched his back. Hagrid's gaze followed his hand.
'What's wrong with your back Harry?' the boy just eyed him warily.
'Nothing…' he muttered quickly, as he tried to scratch without success, 'It's just sore that's all. Probably from sleeping on that rocky ground outside.'
But that didn't seem good enough for Hagrid. He got to his feet awkwardly.
'Take off your robe.' He started.
'What?!' Harry retorted, looking rather shocked, 'Why on earth should I?'
'Oh come on, I know you've probably got trousers on underneath it anyway, just take off your robe!' that note of irritation in Hagrid's voice didn't seem the kind of thing Harry wanted to stretch, so he did as he was told so he was wearing little more than a pair of shorts. Hagrid wheeled the boy around and gasped in shock.
'What? What is it?'
Hagrid put a finger to a spot on the boy's back, and Harry winced in pain.
'Not right… just not right…' Harry heard the man mutter quietly to himself, as though not for him to hear. The uneasiness of him seemed to aggravate Harry a lot. How he was tired of people not giving him any information.
'What's wrong?! Tell me please!' Hagrid pulled back slightly, as though not realizing Harry was aware of his prodding.
'Err… Harry? Have you seen this?' Harry sent Hagrid a questioning glance, shaking his head.
'No… no I didn't think you did.' And at once Hagrid walked to his oversized bed and knelt down, withdrawing from it a large chest that Harry didn't know he kept. Large could have been an understatement. Harry was sure if given the chance, he could probably fit his entire body into it. Lifting the lid, Hagrid rummaged through and retrieved an old fold out mirror which he set up on the floor.
'Come,' Hagrid gestured when he finished, placing his hands on Harry's shoulders, 'Now, I must warn you Harry. This might not be pleasing to see.' And he turned the teen about. Harry craned his neck in a half circle to get a better view, and his eyes almost bulged out in horror.
His back no longer resembled anything of the sort. Where there had once been smooth, youthful skin, was now a wildly mixed up hash of wounds and lacerations. Cuts were abundant, and stung when he touched them, but they were least of his worries once he noticed the long, violent gashes, some a centimeter wide, gouged deep into his skin, as though he'd been freshly hacked with Godric Gryffindor's sword. Blood still oozed from his wounds in red streams, soaking him, though he'd never have realized it. Only now was it apparent to him that he could feel every cut and gash on his back, the hot liquid flowing from him feeling more like it had drenched his entire body. A feeble minded weaknesses threatening to overcome him.
Feeling light headed, he stumbled over, but was caught in Hagrid's large hands.
'I should've thought something was wrong with you from the beginning,' he spoke with a harshness in his voice, 'The way you'd eaten that soup should have screamed it. That'll teach me. Here… sit down.'
And he guided the boy to a stool, his head still feeling absolutely faint from the shock. Quickly Hagrid fetched a cold, damp rag and started to clean away what had cauterized on his skin, earning a small yelp of pain every time it made contact with him. It made it feel all the worse now Harry knew of it, at first he just thought he had contracted a chill from sleeping outside in the cold air.
'You, dreamed this Harry?' Hagrid asked in a low rumble.
'Yes.' Harry spoke in a quiet voice, disbelief still creeping in on him. Hagrid rinsed the rag in a bucket of water, and began rubbing his back again.
'I'm surprised you hadn't come to see me sooner Harry, though I admit I would've thought your dreams very far fetched. But then again, dreams for you aren't normal dreams are they. This mess where your back should be is proof enough. It's any wonder you haven't already died from blood loss.'
'But… it was just a dream Hagrid. Just a dream.'
Hagrid applied a lot more pressure to his wounds, Harry yelled in anger.
'Dreams on their own are harmless Harry. But when they leave a mark on you, ya can't help but be worried! You practically foresaw Hogwarts being blasted apart at the seams. And in every one you've had, you've seen this "man", or heard his voice. Now honestly boy, this cannot be just coincidence. If Dumbledore was thinking what I be thinking, it's any wonder why he hasn't done something to protect you already.'
Harry's grogginess seemed to fade away in an instant.
'What do you think it is? Please tell me, a straight answer from you would be worth ten from anyone else.'
Hagrid stopped rinsing his back for a moment. He couldn't be sure, but Harry had the distinct feeling that whatever Hagrid knew, he didn't feel like wanting to open his mouth.
'Please Hagrid…' he spoke quietly. The man straightened himself out with a grunt.
'Oh I suppose I should. Wouldn't do well to hold anything from you I guess…' and he dropped the rag into the bucket with a splash and hastily dried his hands on an old shirt.
'Well…' he began, not looking nearly as composed as he was a few minutes ago. 'Trick is where to start I guess… well, let's see… I guess I should start with your dreams Harry. This… dark man you keep explaining about is putting me into real tizzy. It seems too uncomfortable to think about at best. If he is who I think he is Harry, then this situation with the muggles is nothing more than a minor skirmish.'
Hagrid looked to the teen, who seemed thoroughly bemused by what he was saying. He wasn't making much sense at all.
'I'm no historian Harry. Much less was I a good student at school. However there are things I remember from a time before you or even your parents were born that I had sworn I would not speak of again. Tell me Harry, do you know why Dumbledore is considered by many to be the greatest wizard alive?'
Harry shrugged aimlessly, his strength to say much seeming to dwindle.
'I don't know much,' he replied honestly, 'He's powerful, I know that. Err… Voldemort (Hagrid winced) fears him… and… umm,' realization struck him, '…he defeated the dark wizard Grindelwald.'
Hagrid nodded gravely as he spoke it, as though long untouched memories were stirring inside him.
'Yes Harry. Every word of that as true as though Dumbledore spoke them himself. Now I don't mean to be presumptuous Harry, but if my fears are correct, then this dark man in your dreams, IS Grindelwald. With everything happening as it has this year, I've had my suspicions. No real proof of course, but plenty of suspicions… When I was only a boy Harry, not much older than yourself, the world was in chaos. It was wartime to put it shortly. You may have heard of it before, world war two. It was mostly a muggle fought affair but us wizards had our fair share of casualties as well. During this time, wizards proclaiming themselves for the dark arts were ramped. The muggle war seemed just the excuse they needed to start up a conflict of their own, and sure enough, anyone who was able was drafted by the forces of light to combat them.
We knew our place of course. Many of us had just joined up on our own accord cause we knew we felt for the light. Even my dad fought the dark wizards of Galen, and he became a hero because of it. But when you tried to ask him what it was like, or what his job was, the look in his eyes was all you needed. He'd never say a word about it whatsoever. Lasting pain I guess. Who knows what he may have seen when he fought. I for one am not too eager to find out. The war was long you see, lasted five long years, and it seemed almost unreal when it suddenly ended. News came to us that same day that Dumbledore had defeated Grindelwald, who was rumored by some to have started the war on all sides, between wizards and muggles. I remember as though it were yesterday, though I was only a boy…'
Harry listened carefully, before he realized he was gripping his shorts with white knuckles. He didn't know much of Grindelwald, but he knew enough to fear the name… even more than Voldemort.
'How did Dumbledore defeat him?' he asked in anticipation. Hagrid shrugged his shoulders gingerly.
'Nobody knows Harry. When it comes to the subject, old Albus isn't exactly an open book. Besides, I'll not be the one to ask him, I grant you that. You know how they say Dumbledore is the only wizard You Know Who feared? Well, Grindelwald was the only one Dumbledore feared, and that fear went straight to his bones whenever you talked of it in front of him. You could see it in his eyes, just like my dad. You see, Grindelwald was no ordinary wizard.
Since my dad refused to open up to me, I used what time I still had left at Hogwarts to research it, and apparently, he is old. Older than Hogwarts even, so I read. It said in the books that Grindelwald was once a wizard who hated everything about the world that his father created, and in his attempts to change it to how he saw fit, he slowly turned to the dark arts. His father, bless his spirit, was incensed by the idea that his own flesh and blood had betrayed him so, and destroyed his body with powerful magic. No one knows what that magic was of course, all those history books I read were very vague. But one thing they were clear on, was that Grindelwald's spirit survived the spell, and continued to exist by taking the bodies of other powerful wizards as hosts. The very name "Grindelwald", is of an old language that is no longer spoken. Loosely translated it means "Puppeteer of the Damned". He could survive centuries if need be…
Anyway, I heard somewhere that Grindelwald was exorcised out of his host by Dumbledore towards the end of the war, and was imprisoned beneath Hogwarts itself… But then, I dunno. Maybe this is all a load of codswallop. For all you know Harry, these dreams of yours could be more of You Know Who's handiwork. If I remember correctly you told me he had red eyes too when ya saw him last. If that's the case you should be just as careful. However bad as it may sound, it's better it be his doing than Grindelwald's. Cause if Grindelwald ran ramped, he would destroy the world and everyone in it. Of that I am certain.'
Harry stared at him with his jaw dropping open, unable to believe his ears. The pain in his back seemed to have subsided now, or perhaps he'd just forgotten it was there.
'Hagrid…' he began shakily, not certain if saying this was wise, 'Marius told me that he was once Grindelwald's host…' he looked to Hagrid who seemed only to raise his eyebrows in surprise.
'Did he now? Well, he may have been the one who was being used during the war. It'd make sense, he disappeared around then if I remember rightly. I guess it's no wonder he chose him as his host. Marius is as powerful a wizard as I've ever seen, apart from Dumbledore of course… though if what I hear is correct, Grindelwald is still trapped far underground, though it does leave your dreams to question.'
And he watched curiously as Harry's expression changed, and question popped into his mind.
'You think Marius has been taken host again?' he asked curiously. Harry sidled a glance, but it seemed a rough yes to Hagrid. 'I won't deny that Marius may have the taint of the Puppeteer in his blood, but he has grown too much in power to allow Grindelwald into himself again. He may be a shrewd person Harry, but he's saved my life on more than one occasion long before you were born, and I know in my heart that Marius is not under Grindelwald's control. You should abandon that thought as quick as you can, it doesn't do good to live on rumors.'
Harry nodded silently, a small wince of pain starting to return to his back.
'I'm just worried Hagrid. Almost every night I've dreamed of this dark man, and now I know he can hurt me in my sleep, I'm just… worried. I can't really explain it myself.'
'I think no less of you because of it Harry. But however much you must try to block these thoughts from your mind, you must never forget about them. The possibility that Grindelwald is free is too much a risk to merely forget.'
Again Harry nodded, and found himself staring at Hagrid's worried, but otherwise pleased looking face. Perhaps he was happy he said all that afterall. Yet despite it all, fear still stabbed at Harry's heart.
'What do I do Hagrid?' he asked gingerly, trying as best he could not to think on it, 'I can't stay awake forever. If I do sleep again tonight, he could be there again… waiting. What am I supposed to do to protect myself?'
Hagrid bit his lip thoughtfully, but looked to Harry with a determined air about him.
'Honestly Harry? Absolutely nothing as far as I'm concerned. The state of your back is proof enough this man, Grindelwald or no, definitely means trouble to you. So the next time you see him, do as I always suggest you do in a terrible situation…'
'Which is?' and Hagrid's eyes narrowed on him so he felt isolated and alone.
'Run Harry… Run as fast as you can!'
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Now there's a chapter and a half. That was almost 12 pages! My God! I was up until eleven o'clock writing it, so it better be as good as the others. I just knew I had to add more to the Grindelwald topic I had going in a few of the previous chapters, we haven't heard much from him since have we. But I hope you all find it intersting anyway, I'm doing as best I can to keep everything as fresh as possible while putting in teasers so you people read the next chapter. I'm slowly building up the chapters in intensity if you've noticed. There's a big outcome to be had at the end, that's certain. I just hope all my loyal fans read it long enough to see it. Still, I do like to be creative. So I'll start the next chapter soon enough and have that uploaded and ready to go as quick as possible. I know from experience afterall that when you're into a story it's the last thing you want to have to wait for the next update, so I'm trying to be as conscious of my audience as I can. Anyway, happy reading again, I doubt very much that you'll be dissappointed. Oh and by the way, I would've posted this chapter about four days ago but fanfiction hasn't allowed me to access my account. Probably a software glich or something. CYA