Silver Blood
Chapter 20: A Meeting Unintended
The common room was much too quiet, with only the sounds from the crackling fire. Harry stared into the fire as if he didn't see it at all.
I don't understand, nothing connects. What could Voldemort possibly want this time? And where is he? Is he still at the Ministry, or somewhere else in hiding? I don't see what he could gain from this...
Harry jumped as a popping sound interrupted his thoughts. He wheeled around in the big, cushion chair he was sitting in to see Ron and Hermione standing behind him. In a way, it was better that Dumbledore had taken down the charms to prevent people from disapparating in and out. Luckily, he was very clever in devising a strategy where a charm was giving to those inside Hogwarts so they could disapparate in and out, but like Death Eaters or some other intruder, they couldn't.
"What took you two so long?" Harry asked.
"Sorry, there was more there than I thought," Ron said as he walked toward him and dumped out bunches after bunches of Fred and George's most prized possessions: they're infamous candies. Harry leaned over the chair to have a look at them and noticed there were some that looked foreign to him.
"What are those?" Harry asked, pointing to a very small pile of turquoise-colored wrapped pieces in the shape of what looked like letters.
Ron grinned, "Those are Fred and George's most special creations, Harry. That's the main reason why they asked me to go to the Joke Shop. They're called Forget-Me-Do's."
"Forget-Me-Do's?" Harry questioned with a raised eyebrow.
Hermione rolled her eyes and sat down on the couch, "I'm guessing they erase minds."
"Not quite," Ron said, his smile growing. "Actually, that's what you'd think they do. But they have a special, shall we say, ability. Once someone eats it you can convince them that they're forgetting something, but that's not all. That's just amateur stuff."
Ron's grin widened, "Why erase someone of something when you can convince them that you're, say Godric Gryffindor himself?"
Hermione huffed, "Honestly, Ron! That's ridiculous to be thought of as someone else."
"Maybe, but it works great in duels. You can get inside the opponents mind and see what or who they fear most and convince them that they're fighting they're fears. I've seen it in action, it stops the opponent dead cold," Ron shot back.
"I don't see any reason to use one of those," Hermione glared at him.
"You wouldn't," Ron muttered.
Harry shook his head smiling. Even the old arguments between them he had missed in the endless abyss of darkness he had been in. The thoughts of the coldness returned Harry to the present and his smile faded. It was hard to forget about Voldemort seeing as how no matter what he couldn't die. It was definitely becoming redundant, and if Harry didn't find a way to stop him forever, or at least for a good long time, then the nightmares would never end.
Hermione looked up from her glaring contest with Ron to see the same stricken look on Harry's face she had seen before they left.
"Harry, you're not thinking of leaving Hogwarts to find him are you?" Hermione blurted out.
Ron spun around quickly, "What?! Of course not! That's a death wish Harry!"
Harry sighed, "I never said I was just going to run out of here screaming and charging with fury."
"We know that, but we also know that this is too big for you to handle," Hermione said in desperation.
Harry turned, slightly taken aback, and glared at her. It wasn't usual for him to lose his temper or for him to think that Hermione was wrong, but what did she know? Had she been in his place fighting Voldemort all those years? Did she know what it was like to feel ultimate pain and fear for ones life? Had she been hit with the killing curse, not once, but twice even? No, she didn't. And if Harry could survive the killing curse and the mind curse, why couldn't he survive anything else Voldemort threw his way?
"Thanks for the support," Harry replied bitterly.
Hermione shook her head, "Harry, listen, please. That's not what I mean. You know what I mean?"
"No I don't!" Harry snapped. "I have no clue what you mean because I'm not you, which means that you wouldn't know how much I can handle because you aren't me! You didn't fight Voldemort and didn't survive countless times from his wrath, did you?"
Harry saw the shocked looks on his friends faces and slowly sank deep into the chair.
"Sorry," he muttered. "I'm just a little edgy. I actually thought I would die in the last battle with him. I didn't think I'd get to see you two or Sirius and Remus again. I couldn't believe Dumbledore when he told me I had the power to defeat Voldemort because Voldemort put so much fear in my mind."
Hermione gently rose and placed a hand on his.
"Harry, Ron and I know all of that. We know how much you've survived, even just in what you told us without seeing it ourselves. What I meant was that it's more than a fight with V-v...," she sighed exasperated, "Voldemort!"
Ron jumped a foot in the air as she blurted out the name, but she ignored him.
"Harry, the whole world, no worlds are in turmoil! You can't step foot outside any safe building without being attacked by some creature or Death Eater. As we speak Death Eaters are being broken out of Azkaban because the number of creatures and Dementors outnumbers the number of aurors that watch the prison. Not to mention that you, nor Dumbledore, has any idea where Voldemort is," she finished, without stuttering.
"I know," Harry said quietly. "But I can't just sit here, not while Voldemort gets more and more followers and control over everything. I mean, it can't be coincidence that the creatures are setting the Death Eaters free by destroying Azkaban."
"You mean that you think all the creatures of the wizard world are working for Voldemort?" Ron asked wide-eyed.
"That's impossible," Hermione countered. "Not even the whole Ministry and sorcerers put together could control all the creatures. If that were true, why have the creatures also destroyed the Riddle House?"
"What?!" Ron and Harry chorused.
"When? How?" Harry asked.
"I overheard the teachers speaking before we left. I was going to tell you Harry but we had a limited amount of time to get Fred and George's supplies. The creatures are destroying everything! Why else would Voldemort keep himself and his Death Eaters in hiding? Because he can't control the creatures, even with all his Death Eaters helping him," Hermione explained to a now wide-eyed Harry and Ron.
"But...," Harry shook his head, "that doesn't make sense. If the creatures bother Voldemort so much that he would stay in hiding and have his Death Eaters keep low, then why doesn't he try and stop them?"
Ron shrugged, "Maybe he's not powerful enough to keep all of them away."
"Hermione, what do you think?" Harry asked, looking over at her.
Hermione didn't answer, she had suddenly become very quiet. Harry noticed that her eyes were wide and in a daze.
"Hey, what's wrong with her?" Ron asked.
"Hermione?" Harry said loudly.
"I was just thinking...," she answered quietly. "About how there was that myth about some power hidden in the Ministry. Maybe it has something to do with all of this. Maybe Voldemort is waiting for an opportunity to find the secret power and use it."
Ron's eyebrows furrowed, "Wait, but not even my dad knows what that power is even now that he's the Minister. None of the Ministry members know if the myth is true, not even Dumbledore. So how would...you know...er, the Dark Lord think he could find it?"
"Maybe he's got some clue to where it is," Harry suggested. "It wouldn't be the first time he'd be able to figure out something that no one else can. He figured out where the Chamber of Secrets was and Salazar never left a record of where it was."
"Harry's right, we can't rule out that possibility," Hermione nodded, "everything goes this time. I only wish someone knew what was inside the Ministry and what it could do. Then we'd have a chance in trying to retaliate against it if he did find out what it is."
The three fell in silence as they thought about the endless possibilities that could happen. Harry was more confused than ever. He knew Voldemort always planned things carefully. There was a reason why he was in hiding, a reason why he wanted to protect his Death Eaters for the time being by having them stay away from the creatures and not do missions that would set them up in any danger, and there was a reason why he was waiting to show himself. Harry suddenly got the feeling that this time Voldemort was being too careful, careful enough to trick Dumbledore into thinking he was planning one thing, and slick enough to hide his feelings and the truth from Harry (even if he thought he was dead), that maybe...just maybe this time Voldemort would get what he wanted.
XXXXX
"CAW! CAW!"
The sounds of an eagle echoed through the silent, still air as chaos endured. She could feel the hunger raging, the numbers growing...the creatures were becoming stronger as the sky grew blacker. Soon, there would be even no outline of the sun, nor sky, and all the world would fall into darkness, never to be awakened. Melarna stood on a rock floating high above the grounds over a muggle city. No body noticed her, either because it was too dark or because they were screaming and running for their lives as packs of monsters and beasts chased them down, hungry for blood.
Melarna herself was growing hungry for blood, though she didn't eat like a demon she was half demon and that allowed her a very vicious side. She wondered just what her mom would think of her now, high and mighty in a world that was meant for their kind. But she had no time to watch and enjoy the muggles' catastrophe, she had a mission. The eagle swooped down onto her arm and she tied a letter to it.
"Time to get our prey, girl," she smiled sadistically and raised her arm so the eagle could take off with its message.
XXXXX
The common room door opened and closed as Ron, Harry and Hermione entered the common room exhausted and more than unhappy. Ron slumped down onto the nearest chair.
"How come we have to go to bed? You can't even tell morning from night anymore!"
Hermione sighed, "You've been complaining since Sirius sent us out of Dumbledore's office. The teachers have a right to have a meeting together. Besides, they're trying their best to find a way to get in touch with Dumbledore. Apparating is extremely dangerous now, especially to a place so far away where Dumbledore is right now."
"How do we know he's still there?" Harry asked; his tone was bitter as he too slumped in a chair. "If there are no more owls how are they supposed to send him any message? He didn't even come when I was on the brink of death!"
"He probably knew you weren't going to die," Ron suggested gloomily.
"That's not the point," Harry said.
Hermione sat down calmly unlike Harry and Ron and sat back, "Well, he might not have gotten any of the letters. If owls are being attacked consistently then it makes sense."
Before Harry could open his mouth to retort to that, a strange beating sounded on one of the windows to the common room. Ron immediately sat upright with wide eyes, most likely thinking it was some monster ready to eat them. Hermione didn't seem to notice.
"What's wrong with you two," she said.
"Do you hear that?" Harry asked, standing up slowly.
"N-no," Ron stammered.
Harry turned down the fire so there was less light around them and quietly slid up against the wall near the window the sound was coming from. Harry put a finger on his lips to silent Ron and Hermione as they watched in fear. Very carefully, Harry slipped a finger toward the latch of the window and pushed it up.
WHOSH!
Hermione screamed as something flew in at top speed, startling all of them. Ron fumbled with his wand as he tried to point it at the speeding blur.
"Stop!" Harry shouted, closing the window and gesturing for them to put down their wands.
Almost right when they put their wands away, the figure stopped and landed calmly on the nearest chair arm.
"It's a bird," Ron said.
"Not just any bird, an eagle, but what is it doing here?" Hermione wondered, approaching the large, beautiful bird.
"Umm...Hermione, maybe you shouldn't do that, it could be poisonous!" Ron said, backing away.
"Ron, eagles aren't from the wizard world, they're from the muggle world, they have no powers or attacks. And besides, look, it has a letter!" Hermione exclaimed.
Harry noticed its leg tied with a letter and immediately bolted toward it. Hermione yelped as Harry passed her and approached the eagle. Surprisingly, the bird wasn't scared and didn't budge as Harry untied the letter.
"What does it say?" Ron asked impatiently.
Harry tore it open and began to read it aloud.
Dear Hogwarts staff (that includes you three who are reading this),
Unfortunately, we have underestimated the amount of chaos now in both the muggle and wizard world. The people who have been unharmed are safe, but it's only a matter of time. I have heard the news about you, Harry, and am glad to know you're all right. The Ministry and I are currently engaged in trying to discover the source these creatures and beasts get their strength and power from, because once the source is destroyed, the creatures will return to normal. I am terribly sorry for not replying sooner, it is hectic here in the muggle world, I will try my best to return as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Your Headmaster,
Dumbledore
"I don't believe it, he did get the letters!" Harry said, smiling once again in what felt like months.
Ron too seemed to look happier than usual, but Hermione appeared neutral.
"Why would he send an eagle instead of an owl?"
"Because they're in the muggle world, and besides, you said so yourself, Hermione, owls are being attacked constantly so eagles would be much safer," Harry replied, his smile only growing.
"Wow!" Ron grinned, "It's about time. We should go show the teachers, they'll be so glad to hear from him."
"We can't! The meeting is still going on, remember?" Hermione said.
Ron turned and glared at her, "Hermione! This is an emergency, we've got to show them now!"
Harry, however, barely registered their arguing as his eye caught something. At the bottom of the letter was a p.s.
It wasn't there before.
Harry was thinking about telling Ron and Hermione but then he realized that it was addressed to him. It read:
P.S. To Harry: I know you're thinking of standing up against Voldemort again by yourself. Please meet me out on the Quidditch field at ten o'clock.
He wondered why he hadn't seen it before when he was reading it aloud. He shook his head, his smile coming slowly back on his face. He wanted to see Dumbledore so badly and tell him everything that had been going on: how Voldemort was alive and probably using the chaos to his advantage, how he had been trapped in some weird dark dimension, how Fudge had been killed and the Death Eaters were now all lose to run back to their master...
He had so much to tell him. Glancing up at the clock, Harry realized he only had a half hour before he was supposed to go to the Quidditch field. He glanced over at Ron and Hermione who were currently glaring and yelling at each other. Hermione would never for one minute allow him to leave, even for Dumbledore. She would say to wait to show it to Sirius and the others and see what they say, so at least he won't have to walk outside alone, but it was just outside Hogwarts doors. And besides, Dumbledore would protect him from anything.
Harry took a deep breath, he had to try and get them to go to sleep so he could sneak out. Hopefully, their arguing would tire them even more.
"Hey guys, I think we should go to bed," Harry announced loudly.
The two turned abruptly and their arguing ceased.
"What...what about the letter?" Ron asked, open-mouthed.
Thoughts were swirling as Harry thought about a different plan in a matter of fifteen seconds.
"Well...Hermione could do it!" Harry abruptly blurted out. "She could bring the letter up to the office, wait till they're done then show it to them."
"Why does she get to do it?" Ron asked.
"You both could," Harry shrugged nonchalantly.
"What about you, Harry?" Hermione asked, staring at him as if trying to see right through him.
"I'm kind of tired, actually. I don't think I'd be able to stay awake even if I did go with you. Sirius said I should try and get as much sleep as I can since I haven't gained all my energy back yet, you know? Plus, it's not like Dumbledore's coming tonight, or at least it doesn't say it in the letter," Harry said, feeling his stomach twist. It always did that when he had to lie to his friends, but he would come in with Dumbledore and tell them the truth afterward and they would see that he was fine.
Hermione stared at him for a minute, but walked up to him and took the letter gently from his hands.
"You get some rest, okay?"
Harry nodded as she walked toward the common room door. Ron nodded in Harry's direction, smiling, and followed her out. Harry decided to go right away before they changed their minds. Hopefully, Dumbledore wouldn't mind him being a little early.
He ran up the stairs to the seventh year boys' dormitory and grabbed his invisibility cloak from his trunk. Sirius had left for his trunk right after he had woken up before the eclipse had entirely came, which was a good thing. Slipping it around himself, Harry ran out the common room door as quietly as he could and headed toward the door which led out to the Quidditch field. It proved to be a little difficult finding a way around the charms, especially without his wand, but Harry somehow found that they didn't have much effect on him except a zap here and there. He just kept thinking about seeing Dumbledore's face and pushed through.
The air was chilly, not just by feel but by sense too. Harry could almost taste the evil in the atmosphere, it was strong...but luckily not too strong that it was overloading his senses, which meant that they had time to stop whatever was planning to occur, whether it was natural or Voldemort's doing. Harry pulled his cloak closer to his body and stepped out the door, making sure it closed shut so the magical charms once again stood strong against any intruders.
The wind was trying to pull Harry's cloak away from his body, to freeze him but Harry held strong. He couldn't see anything in the pitch blackness, since there was no sun, nor sky...certainly no moon or stars because they were covered by dense fog. If there had been no clock or time around the school, Harry wouldn't know what part of the day or night it was, it would all just be night. He knew he had to hurry, besides the fact that he didn't want to worry or upset his friends, he was tired and needed rest. Harry blinked and narrowed his eyes to try and see better. Since it was Dumbledore, he'd either hear a pop or he'd come in a flash of light. Harry was hoping for the light because he hadn't seen the Quidditch field in ages.
Dumbledore, where are you?
Harry was shivering now, knowing that because of his lack of energy it was easy for him to get sick. It must've been a little past ten by now, so where was he? A huge gust of wind surprised him as it blew him backward off balance. Harry fell to the ground with a soft thud, able to catch himself before most of the fall. He covered his face with his cloak and curled into a ball as the rough winds passed over him. How it had suddenly got so windy was beyond him.
"I see you got my letter."
Harry jumped up from his spot, hearing a voice echo around him. The wind slowly died down so he was able to stand up the rest of the way and look around. He didn't see anyone, but someone was definitely there. It didn't appear to be Dumbledore though...Had he been tricked? Was his energy so low that he actually didn't see the suspicion in the letter? It had sounded like Dumbledore in the letter.
"Dumbledore?" Harry called, just to make sure.
The sound that came next proved that Harry had surely been tricked. A cold, soft, feminine laughter echoed around him as if she were on all sides of him. But who was it? He didn't recognize the voice. Harry yelped as he was suddenly hit in the sides and thrown ten yards across the Quidditch field. He groaned, his muscles all ready sore from not being in use so long, and slowly tried to lift himself from the ground.
"How pathetic. And here I thought you were going to be this great, magnificent wizard, but now you can't even lift your own body weight," the voice sneered.
Harry lifted his head as he saw a shadow come toward him. The only way he could see the shadow was because she happened to be glowing...abnormally. A soft pale red light surrounded her as she came into view. In her left hand she held a small crackling ball, which resembled that of a spell cast from a wand, but that looked a little different. She happened to have cast it from her own hands, which meant that she was neither normal, nor witch. She was something else.
"Pity that was much too easy," she sneered down at him from her spot five feet away.
Harry could almost clearly see her now. She appeared normal since her body looked normal, and she was wearing a silk, black cloak. If it wasn't for her glowing aura or her glowing red eyes, Harry would've thought she'd looked like a sorceress, which he hoped wasn't true because he certainly was in no shape to be battling anyone, especially a sorceress.
The red aura finally lifted and Harry could see that her eye color was a vivid blue-violet eyes staring intensely into his. For a minute, they both were still and silent as they stared into each other's eyes, each not daring to blink. Finally, the woman, moved her hand out in front of her and, smiling, she flung it upward. In a matter of seconds, Harry was on his feet and very much confused.
"Who are you?" he asked, wanting to know what grudge she held against him. She didn't appear to be a Death Eater, mostly because she didn't seem to be a witch.
Her smile widened, "My name is Melarna, Harry, and it's a wonder we've never met in person before."
Harry's emerald eyes pierced into hers, narrowing dangerously. Who was she and what did she want with him?
"There's no need to be rude," she stated softly, in a mocking tone, noticing Harry's changed expression.
Harry's expression only darkened as he realized she was toying with him.
"You don't seem like a Death Eater."
Her high laughter echoed softly throughout the empty field. When she finally stopped she stared at him with an amused look.
"No, I'm not your normal, every day Death Eater. I'm one of Voldemort's top prized followers."
Harry snorted, "Voldemort doesn't have any "top prized" Death Eaters, he only has servants which he makes do impossible tasks just so he can torture them to his twisted, sadistic pleasure."
Melarna's smile soon changed to a dark scowl.
"How dare you, Potter!" she hissed.
"Okay, that sounds more like a Death Eater. How is it you can do magic without a wand?"
Melarna's expression lightened somewhat, but only because of her pride for who and what she was.
"I am half demon, half witch," she answered, "therefore I don't need a wand all the time. If I were truly a full demon I wouldn't need a wand at all and be able to do more than throw people," she said as her eyes lit with amusement. "But then again, I wouldn't look so good if I were a hundred percent demon because then I'd have to look like one, and that's not pretty."
Harry glared at her with hatred that he usually showed to all Voldemort's other Death Eaters. She was definitely no different, just more of a pain in the butt and probably more difficult to defeat since Harry had never fought anyone who had any bit of demon in them. He had learned demons were very rare nowadays, so having a half breed was extremely rare. Where did she come from and why was she working for Voldemort in the first place?
"So you sent me the letter!" Harry snapped.
Melarna smirked, "So I did."
"How did you know about what happened to me and what the Order was doing to protect the people?" Harry asked harshly.
"I have a few abilities that help me to learn such things. Oh, but don't worry, I haven't yet told my master anything, including the fact that you survived his mind curse," she said casually.
Harry froze, he had completely forgotten that Voldemort didn't know he was alive and now one of his top Death Eaters did. He swallowed the lump in his throat, trying his best not to show his concern on his face.
"Why haven't you told him?" Harry asked, making sure to watch her every move in case she tried something again.
"What a good question. Actually, the truth is I wanted to surprise him. I have been failing the missions he's given me, so I decided to give myself my own mission, which was to capture you after I heard you had survived. This should definitely get me back on his good side, wouldn't you say?" she chuckled.
Harry scowled, clenching his fists.
"So why didn't you just kill me a minute ago?" he snapped.
"Oh, because I thought it wouldn't be that hard to kill you, since you're weak from what he did to you, and I don't like taking advantage of weak prey when their backs are turned. But then I realized it would be even better to bring you to him alive," she answered.
Harry didn't know what to think about her. She surely didn't mind telling him her strategy or what she was planning on doing. The semi-good news was she didn't want to kill him...she wanted to let Voldemort get great pleasure in doing that. The bad news was that she was planning on kidnapping him and he was unarmed and certainly not prepared to defend himself. Why hadn't he seen what was really there? He should've run right back inside when Dumbledore didn't show up on time. Also, why would Dumbledore ask to see him outside when it was dangerous to go out, he would've just apparated inside.
It had all been right there in front of him, but Harry was too blind to see. He had let his excitement of wanting to see Dumbledore cloud his vision and senses. Now he was in deeper trouble than he had intended, and unless he could somehow get inside past this demon-witch's powers— which he had no idea what they were or how powerful she was— he would be seeing his arch enemy's face much sooner than planned.
TO BE CONTINUED...