IMPORTANT AUTHOR NOTE: I have just finished school for the year (I'm Australian). I am about to start 5-6 weeks of school free time. That goes over Christmas, as you'll be aware. I'm going away for Christmas, and probably won't be able to post again till about the 4th of January. I'll do my best to write a few chapters while I'm away so I'll be able to post a lot once I get back … Sorry about that!
IMPORTANT AUTHOR NOTE2: I have now posted an original fiction on fictionpress.com. The address is on my profile, if you would like to read the story. It is called Tenebrae Evigilo. There is a summary on fictionpres. Thank you! On with the story!
In Every Darkness
Chapter Sixty Four: Into the Chamber
7.10.1996
Ron, Hermione and Lily walked down flights of staircases. "Where's Harry?" Lily wondered. She'd noticed that her first friend in this new castle was never around in the early morning.
"Harry? Oh, he's never in the dorms when we wake up anymore. Usually he goes to the Room of Requirement," Ron replied. "I think that he works on his training with Tatsu."
"Tatsu?" Lily asked, confused.
"Tatsu Kendo. Another one of the most famous
fighters from Voldemorts First Rise," Hermione explained. "He was a friend of
Harry's parents, he's an expert of unarmed fighting. After Harry's aunt, uncle
and cousin were killed on July the thirty first – Harry's birthday – Tatsu
offered to take up the position of Harry's guardian. He'd been living next door
to Harry and training him in his own method of unarmed fighting."
"Ah yes, I think I've heard of him.
Tatsu Kendo? Tatsu means dragon in Japanese, doesn't it? And Kendo is a form of
fighting with bamboo swords," Lily said.
"Yes. That's the name he gives himself. It's not his real name, of course, but one he gave himself. It's the only thing that he'll answer to," Hermione replied.
Lily nodded. "Ok, he's got his secrets, we all do. I'm not going to pry," she said, smiling slightly. "So where's Harry now?"
"He'll be down in the Great Hall, probably, eating an early breakfast," Ron replied. "Come on, this way!" he and Hermione helped guide Lily, who still hadn't quite mastered the halls of Hogwarts, down to the Great Hall.
Sure enough, Harry was sitting at the rapidly filling Gryffindor Table, his plate empty, and a book resting on the table in front of him, as he flicked absently through it.
"You really should wait up at the tower for us," Hermione told him, sitting down with a seat between her and Harry, which Lily quickly took while Ron sat on Harry's other side..
"I was in the Room of Requirement," Harry replied. "It was easier to come down here and wait than walk back up to the tower, since I'd come down here again anyway."
Ron rolled his eyes. "And you've eaten breakfast before we even arrived."
"What are you reading?" Hermione asked with interest.
"A book on seventh year curses," Harry replied. "I know most of them already, and I've taught a few to DA."
"You really are ahead in that subject," Lily remarked. "Not even the Durmstrang students know all of those … Although we do by the time we leave school, of course."
Harry smiled. "It's what'll keep me alive," he replied tiredly. "Knowing as many spells as I can possibly learn."
"Oh, Harry, those reports for Tonks are finally due in on Wednesday. She gave us forever!" Hermione remarked suddenly.
"I know Hermione," Harry replied. "But that's because she gave us other homework to do as well, and she knows how much we get in other classes and she fills the lessons completely."
"Yes, but still …" Hermione muttered.
Tonks was teaching the class loads of defensive and offensive spells, most of which Harry knew already, and the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher switched everyone around to practice against different people.
Harry smiled faintly remembering a week before when he'd been partnered with Malfoy for a revision of the stunning hex … Malfoy had been out cold for three hours.
"Harry, do you remember what's happening today?" Hermione asked excitedly, startling Harry out of his thoughts.
"Yup, we're going down to the Chamber of Secrets," Harry replied, letting himself drift back into his half dreams, still seeing the magnificent silver sword that haunted his dreams.
"I'm glad I got to come, since I was one of the initial finders of the Chamber," Ron put in. "Flictwick's been really hard on us lately."
"Well, you've got to learn everything," Hermione pointed out coolly, completely unsympathetic. "It's just a pity that Malfoy has to come with us …"
"At least I can come too!" Lily put in. She'd been doing Potions at Durmstrang, and Michael had been happy to invite her along as well as his Hogwarts students.
"Attention!" Michael had stood up, and was waving a hand slightly. Everyone gradually become silent. "Could the people coming with me to the Chamber of Secrets today please meet me by the girls bathroom on third floor? As soon as possible, please."
"Come on," Harry urged his friends. Hermione abandoned a solitary piece of toast, Lily finished up the last of a bowl of cereal, and Ron looked mournfully at a plate heaped with various foods, before tiredly heading off after his friends, who didn't seem to understand that people had to eat.
Harry and his three companions were the first to arrive at the bathroom, and they stood waiting patiently for the officials from the ministry, along with the rest of the students who would be accompanying them, to arrive.
"We could have stayed for a little while longer and I could have finished my breakfast," Ron remarked with a hungry sigh.
"Oh stop thinking with your stomach Ron!" Hermione sighed. "It's not the only part of your body you should pay attention to!"
Ron looked at Hermione with an expression that said he'd have liked to argue, but, for some reason, the Weasley ducked his head instead, a blush staining his cheeks.
Harry gave a slight, knowing smile in Lily's direction, who nodded slightly herself, sharing Harry's smile.
"Ah, here they come," Hermione said, nodding.
Michael McGonagall was in the lead, with Fudge a few steps behind, and several Ministry officials behind him, backed up by the students. "Ah! Harry, Ron, Hermione and Lily! Nice to see you here already!" Michael hailed them. Three of the smiled in greeting, but Harry's face was pale and not quite there.
"Hey Potter! D'you need to take your girlfriend for protection down there?" Malfoy sneered, then gave a yelp of pain. Luna had been walked past him, her wand tucked behind her ear, but he'd stepped into her way and the wand prodded him, setting fire to his robes.
Luna, not even seeming to notice that anything had happened, slipped through the students, leaving Malfoy dancing around, trying to put the fire out.
"Oh god you're an idiot," Lily remarked and waved her wand. Malfoy was instantly drenched from head to foot in freezing water. Teeth chattering, he glared hatefully at Lily, who simply smiled at him.
"Really," Michael sighed, waving his wand and restoring Malfoy to a dry state. "Come on then, into the bathroom."
"But that's a girls bathroom!" someone protested.
"It's also the only entrance to the Chamber!" Harry called out, snapping out of his daze. "If you don't want to come into the bathroom, by all means stay out there and don't come at all!"
The protestor remained silent. Everyone crowded into the toilet, and Myrtle suddenly appeared. "Ooh! What are all you lot doing in my toilet? Don't you know it's supposed to be for girls only?"
"Hello Myrtle," Harry greeted tiredly. "Don't worry, we'll be out of here in no time, we won't bother you. We have to get down into the Chamber of Secrets."
"No one ever wants to talk to me," Myrtle sighed. "But that's ok. There's too many boys here anyway. I don't think I want you to stay." She floated graceful upwards, then splashed down into the toilet.
Harry was relieved that she had not started crying or kicking up a fuss.
"Well Potter, I don't see any mysterious entrances to hidden chambers," Fudge remarked scathingly.
"Well that could be because the entrance is supposed to be hidden," Harry replied. "So that no one could find it without a lot of searching." He walked over to one of the sinks and searched out the model of a snake on the tap. "Open," he hissed.
"What did you say?" Fudge demanded, looking shaken.
"I said 'open'," Harry replied. "Nothing particularly scary."
There was a cry of surprise from the students as the sink suddenly slipped down into the enlarged drainpipe. "That's the entrance," Harry remarked unnecessarily. "Who's going down first?"
"Michael, maybe you'd better do the honours," Fudge suggested, looking a little nauseated by the filthy entrance.
Michael waved his wand, cleaning the place out quite easily, then headed towards the hole to get in. "Wait," Harry interupted coolly. "I'll go first. I know the place better than most of you lot would."
He stepped coolly into the pipe, holding himself there easily with his hands. "Like this," he told the watchers, then abruptly let go. He smiled faintly as he raced down the pipe that was very like a slide in a children's playground … but no children's slide would lead to a place like the one this did.
Shooting out of the pipe, Harry managed to land on his feet in a light crouch, using his wand to quickly remove any flecks of grime that had stuck to him.
"Ok, next person come down!" he called up, stepping out of the way. A moment later Michael joined him.
"Wow, this place is nice," the Potions Professor remarked sarcastically, using a spell to clean himself up as Harry called out for the next person. Michael had not managed to land as neatly as Harry had.
"Yup. Real Hilton," Harry agreed as Fudge shot out of the pipe, landing with a thud on the ground, in the muck. The Minister of Magic gave a hiss of disgust, taking a while to get his wand out and complaining the whole time. "Next!" Harry yelled, ignoring the Minister.
Slowly the passage began to fill as the officials arrived, and then the students. "Urgh," Malfoy said in disgust as he landed on his butt.
Ron, Hermione, Harry and Lily laughed quietly as the last of the students came down, most of them Slytherins.
"Which way Potter?" Fudge demanded.
"I would have thought that obvious," Harry replied, leading the group further into the passage. "There is only one way, apart from back the way we came."
Fudge pursed his lips, but knew better than to let himself be goaded by Harry. He was quite out of favour with the magical community at the moment, for being incorrect about Voldemorts return. Harry was, once more, the hero of the hour.
"Just up ahead is where the tunnel collapsed," Harry said coolly, ignoring the scrunching noises as he stepped on the skeletons of rats and other rodents.
"Eww!" a female voice yelled out – Pansy Parkinson had lit up her wand to see what it was it she was stepping on.
"They're dead," Harry pointed out coolly. "They have been for a long time. I wouldn't worry about them."
Everyone lit up there own wands, filling the passage with light. Ahead they could see the rock fall. "What caused this?"
"Lockhart trying to cast a memory charm with a broken wand," Ron replied, instead of Harry. "I was on this side with the Professor, and Harry was on the other side, alone."
"Ooh, Potter. Where you scared?" Malfoy demanded, sneering. "
"Hey look at that!" Harry said suddenly, pointing to the green skin that you could now just see. Malfoy screamed – a high pitched, girlish scream.
"I thought you said it was dead!"
"It is – that's just it's skin. For gods sake Malfoy! Why are you so twitchy?" Harry said, sounding a little disgusted. "Most of the skin was trapped under the rubble."
"Why didn't you just charm it out of your way?" one of the officials said, as they came closer to the obstruction.
"Well, we were only in our second year at the time," Harry stated. "You don't learn charms like that until at least third year."
"Oh," the man sounded a little embarrassed.
"I could probably had done it," Hermione reflected. "But I was in the hospital wing, petrified."
"Nothing to stop us doing that this time though," Harry pointed out. The Ministry officials waved their wands, and the rocks disappeared, returning to their previous homes.
Now Harry could really feel that they were inside the Chamber.
***
Next chapter: The Basilisk
Well! That was a nice little chapter! Hope you all enjoyed it, please tell me what you liked and didn't like so much (please refrain from telling me you hated something) about the chapter, in a REVIEW.
Due to new ff.net rules, I can no longer post review chapters, therefore it looks like we are going back to having them at the bottom of chapters.
Thanks:
Wynjara: Yup – beats me how he ever got the job, really. Glad you like Lily, you'll probably be seeing a bit more of her, at least for awhile. I'm not sure how long she's staying.
Jaded Angel8: Well, now I've gone back to the chamber! You won't be told about the dream for a little while yet, sorry.
Scottpesj1: Glad you like the story! Hope to continue hearing from you in reviews!
Foz: I'm not telling you anything about the dream, as yet. It will prove important later on.
Jbfritz: LoL – yes, Fudge's reaction to the Chamber. I hope you liked it.
Shdurrani: Glad you liked it, here's an update!
Solar: Wait no longer!
TuxedoMac: Well, I'm actually having TWO chapters devoted to the Chamber of Secrets, which, I suppose, is even better! Yes, I use the day/month method of date-writing, as, being Australian, this is what I grew up with.
Chicken Stars: I won't be revealing what the sword dream is for a while yet. I'm just keeping you wondering *grins*
PhoenixPadfoot89: Harry falling in love? He might be … But as to whether or not he'll STAY in love, or Lily returns his feelings, is not for me to say just yet.
HermioneGreen: Harry will remember it, yes, and it will be puzzling him (and the readers) for a long to come!
Maxx77: Well … You'll have to wait until next chapter for that, I'm afraid.
Elvira: Well, I'm not about to stop writing, you can rely on that! I love it far too much. I hope to see your reviews again in the near future.
Skittles-07: Glad you liked the story, and here's another post!
Penny: Sure I will! You've now been added to my update-alert list! I'm glad you like the story so much – it's always great to hear from fans who say things like that. I never get tired of it, not once!
Sailor Sol: Lily will get her faults, and you never know with Harry's crush. Remember that I am not much of a romance person!
Sokrin: I'm glad you've liked the story so far, I hope that you continue to enjoy it, and that you will continue to review and tell me what you think.
Nicoletta: You'll find out about the dream sometime in the near future, but not until I'm ready to tell you! As it would happen, that's exactly what Fudge did! Except that I wrote that before I got your review.
Mr. Happy Java Man:
To the High Lord of Coffeenia,
We are sorry to say that Fudge will not be kicked out of the Minister of Magic position for a little while yet. But he will be, oh yes, he will be. We cannot stand having him there for much longer.
Sincerely,
WolfMoon,
Goddess of Darkness and Evilness,
Queen of Tenebralia.
OhioGrl-HPFan: I'm not saying anything on the Harry/Lily thing. Readers can think what they like until I tell them what happens *grins* Here's the next update, but another one may take awhile, as you will have noticed from the author note at the beginning of the chapter.
OliverLover4life: Well, I've only just put up any original fiction, so there was nothing to get around to reading *grin*
Texasjeanette: I'll just go through the questions/concerns in this response, it'll be shorter. I should have said that nobody lived WITHOUT AID for longer than two hundred years. Nicholas Flammel would not have lived as long as he did without the Philosopher's Stone. I know about the Grypis things, I'm going to go back over to check/change things like that soon. You might find some more about Ron soon, I'm not sure.
Texasjeanette: There will be more with Lily soon, I promise. I'm just getting through the bits about the Chamber at the moment, since everyone was so eager to get to them. I don't know that Harry and Lily will fall in love yet … Might happen, depends on what the story says.
Syvixxe: I'm glad you like the story! There will be more Lily soon! I promise.
Stix-the-Rebel: You'll find out what's with the sword soonish … But I ain't telling anyone until I'm good and ready to!
Sumli: I'm not saying anything about Harry and Lily *nods firmly*. A merry Christmas and a happy new year to you also!
Merry Christmas: I'm sorry, I have other plans for Fudge. He will not be permitted to die such an easy death as by basilisk poison … I have killed some of Harry's companions and friends, but most of them I have brought back. The next will be either final, or a different method of returning – I don't like to do the same thing twice …
Cassandra: Well, here you go, some of the chamber, but I have still not let you see what happens with the basilisk. Mean, aren't I?
Evil Anti-Patriotic Elf Named Cin: I'm afraid I won't be able to tell you what the dream is about for a while yet. It's important later, and I'm just making sure everyone knows it! And nothing you can do or say is going to change my mind *grins* I'm not going to leave a cliffie next chapter, because you'd be waiting two weeks before you found out what happened … Or maybe I will … *evil smile*
Sailor Kat: I'm glad you like the story, and thanks for the review!
X-Woman1: Yes, he is, not to worry!
Hpfunkypunk: It will be awhile before I tell you what's up with the sword *grins* it won't come into the plot for a while yet.
Feira: Glad to hear it!
Obal: Here's a new chapter!
MikiBaby: I know you've been waiting. But your waiting is not completely at an end yet …
Dweem Angel: it will be awhile before I tell anyone what that dream means *grins*
Mimi: I'm not much of a romance writer in any case. I'm not telling anyone what the deal is with Harry and his love life though. I'm glad that you like the story!
Lizmpp05: Glad to hear it!
Serry: I'm not saying anything about Harry/Lily at the moment. You can all find out together *grins*
Firecracker2: Well, you remembered eventually – that's the main thing! I'm glad you like the story so much!
Pennypacker: I'm glad you liked the chapter! I've always thought that Harry's hate against his fame isn't shown well enough in a lot of stories …
Legolas Bowmaster: The dream will be explained later. I'm not saying a word about it until I'm ready to *grins*
Kurbani: Lily and Harry … A lot of people seem to think they are gonna get together. But I'm not saying anything.
Gryffies#1: I'm glad you enjoyed the last few chapters! Here's another one! The sword will come in later, but I'm not saying anything just now …
HoshiHikari4ever: Yes, a bit of depression! Always comes in handy …
HoshiHikari4ever: It was, wasn't it?
Vampire*BloodSuicide: Here's another chapter. D'you know, my brother is called More …
Dreamer43: I'll tell you what the dream is about in my own good time. Getting anything out of me before that will be hopeless.
Fcuking Cathy: I'm not saying a word about the dream as yet … There will be more Tatsu very soon, I promise! More about Lily and her help in DA soon also!
Romm: That would be … odd.
KuruptReader: Well, we'll see, won't we?
Tass: I'm glad that the story has picked up again in your view! That is very good to hear!
ER: I'm glad to hear it! Here's a new chapter!
RilieDeAnnPotter5569: Lily and Harry? Maybe. Who knows? I'm glad you like it!
Dnd4ever: Thank you!
Laughing Cat: Because I forgot *grins* I have to get around to going back and changing it.
ThestralGirl003: I'm glad you like the story so much! No, it won't be Sev/Remus slash. For one thing, I don't writing slash, or any other romance if I can avoid it, for another, Remus IS dead. I'm not sure who Harry's gonna be with, I haven't decided yet. He ain't gonna be with Ginny, I'm not saying anything about Lily at all. I know how you mean about Harry/Ginny – it's so overused now.
W.Kathy: He isn't always kind/pure. Harry is not perfect – he is human. Ron/Hermione? Maybe. I'm glad you like the Sev-Remus friendship so far. Snape doesn't know the location of Voldemort. He has no idea where he is. He can only get to the place by floo powder from the Riddle residence – that is the only entrance, and people are watching the doors constantly to make sure no one who is not a Death Eater manages to pass through.
W.Kathy: Harry and Lily? Maybe. The dream will be explained when I am ready, which I am not quite yet. The Durmstrang students didn't choose their own houses, as such, because they are not Hogwarts students. They just chose places to sleep, their lessons remain separate from Hogwarts ones. They adopted House rivalries because they are surrounded by people from a particular house, and join in with their friends in hating different people. A little … close minded, but this is teenagers we are talking about. They do want to be accepted.
Eloisamuggle: Viktor will not play a large part in this story at all. Only as Lily's second cousin, a distant thought that is rarely brought up.
Hilel:
To the Emperor of the Seven Stars Dynasty, High Priest of Decadence,
We are glad that you are enjoying Our story still. We will work hard to make sure this continues, along with Our people. We are happy to note that you have found a new title for yourself! We will be taking over the temple of the Goddess of Death – a different one to yours, obviously, as yours is a god. When We have done with, We will extend a hand in friendship to your own God.
Sincerely,
WolfMoon,
Goddess of Darkness and Evilness,
Queen of Tenebralia
Soon to be Lady Death.
Dumbledore: Lily is going to be a major character for some time, yes. I'm not saying anything about possibilities of romance between any character and Harry, I have no particular ship, and do not generally write romance.
StupidX: I know my grammar needs work, but I am getting better since I wrote my first story (most of it was corrected by my mother, so it didn't come out in the actual story) I do have a beta-reader, but she is working from the first chapters upwards, and is still not quite half way done.
WhiteFeather: That's ok! At least you reviewed this one! I'm glad you're still liking it!
Ghost: I know it's a lot of reviews – I'm quite proud of what this story has achieved already.
Songbreeze Swifteye: Well yes, I suppose Voldemort being merciful is a bit odd. He did torture them, it was just before the meeting took place.
Well, this time I'm not going to ask you to review for a particular amount. I will update (hopefully) once more before I go away. Please review anyway and tell me what you think – I appreciate it greatly! Thank you!
~WolfMoon~