Ok, 16:th chapter is up. I've gotten a few reviews on that last chapter, I
know I wrote there wouldn't be a Harry/Hermione coupling, someone wrote
that I had set it up but I wasn't aware that I had.... Well, it wasn't my
intention to mislead anyone... I can inform you that a Harry/Ginny coupling
won't happen, definitely not. I try to stay true to the characters, and
well... Perhaps I will stir things up a little, after all they're 16 years
old now... Oh, well, I shouldn't say anything really, I'm sort of figuring
the story out as I write, though I have a general idea of what's about to
happen, but not in detail. : - ) ... Well, please keep reviewing, I really
appreciate it : - ) you're all very kind
Moonypadfoot: I wasn't offended by your review, I was agreeing with you : - ) I was not very happy with chapter 14, I did feel I kinda rushed things...
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co, I'm just playing around with characters
THE ANCIENT ONES
Harry and Ron were not invited to the meeting. They wished intensely that they had some of those extendible ears that the Weasley twins had invented last year. They were very interested in what had happened, and what they were talking about. Ginny joined them later on; she'd been writing letters to some of her friends (including Dean she informed Ron) in her room. Harry and Ron had thought about going downstairs to listen in, but Harry knew that they would spot them in no time, so there was no use. Instead they decided to play some more wizard's chess. And when the meeting was over they would go downstairs and find out as much as possible. Ginny and Ron were playing now, and Harry was buffing up his firebolt. Then suddenly they heard voices from downstairs, they looked at each other.
"That sure was a short meeting" Ginny said as they got up and walked towards the door.
There were a lot of people downstairs, a few Harry didn't recognize. They were going out the door, some were heading towards the fireplace and others simply disapparated. Harry heard professor Gallagher's voice, coming from the meeting room. He walked towards the door, Ron followed him.
"The important thing is that Voldemort does not have the book yet."
"He's getting closer though, I can feel it. A long time ago, I would have been able to find the book, but... Not anymore. I can't believe he told me he destroyed the book, I just can't..."
"You will find it." He said.
"I know what he could do with it. I know what happened the last time. If he reaches it before us, he will be more powerful than anything in this world, and then we won't be able to stop him. It took all six of us to stop the last evil that had the book. And they are not around anymore... You know, you might as well come join us instead of eaves dropping out there"
She had raised her voice slightly, Harry looked at Ron who shrugged and then they walked into the room. Melinda was still looking into the fire, professor Gallagher got up from his chair.
"Hello Harry, Ron..." he said and then got up and looked at Melinda. "Well, I have to go. See you later"
He walked out of the room, Melinda took another sip of her tea and looked up at Harry and Ron.
"Well, I'm guessing you have a few questions, Harry. Maybe you as well, Ron"
Harry looked at her, frowning.
"What's going on?" Harry asked.
She looked at him for a while.
"Voldemort is searching for the book more intensely than ever. And I just don't know where he gets his information from. He's not found it yet, but right now, it is only a matter of time..." She paused. "I shouldn't be telling you this... But as Dumbledore has told me, you'll find out elsewhere if I don't so... At least that is what has happened before, I was told"
Harry and Ron looked at each other, smiling faintly. They knew exactly what Dumbledore had meant.
"But, you said just now that this has happened before" Harry said.
Melinda was looking into the fire, she seemed very distant.
"Yes... That was a long time ago... I'm guessing professor Gallagher told you about the ancient ones. He did inform me he had told you a bit about me, since the incident in Hogsmeade."
Harry nodded, Ron looked at her, fascinated.
"Well... I learned at quite an early age that I was not like everyone else. As I've told you before, I grew up in what you call a muggle family. The family that took me in was not poor, neither were they rich. Since they never found my parents, I became their daughter ... I stayed with them, for a long time. But years later, as my mother and father grew old, I stayed the same. I realized that I didn't age. That was probably when Proteus found me. He was the first of what the wizard world came to call the ancient ones. He told me that there were more like us out there, and I was curious and there was nothing left for me there after my parents died... During these travels, I met others of my kind. There were four men, and three women. We never called ourselves anything; we were merely seven good friends, with similar gifts when it came to magic. We saw each other as brothers and sisters, and whenever there was trouble we solved it or fought it together. For many years, it was good. But none of us ever found out why we were the way we were and why we there was so few of us. Some say we were the first of the wizard kind, but I don't know about that...
But then... one of us turned. Lycurgis was a brilliant man in many ways, and at first he was the one I trusted the most. He was quite a bit older than me, younger than Proteus though. He discovered the book, we had all heard myths about it, but no one thought it was real. Its keeper back then gave it to him to protect, but he couldn't have made a worse choice. Lycurgis used the book for the good of his own, and slowly we all saw him turn. He became a monster..."
Melinda paused and looked at Harry.
"He was the most powerful one of us all to begin with, and now he was as powerful as Proteus, maybe even more with the book in his possession. We all tried to reason with him, tried to make him realize that he had to get rid of the book, because it was poisoning him. But in the end, we all understood that there was no hope for him. We would have to kill him in order to stop him from hurting any more innocent people... As Lycurgis began to make his plan to rule this world and rule all living things to reality, we fought him, all of us. But we never seemed to get any closer to destroying the book, or him.
That was when we realized that in order to stop him, we had to learn how to join powers. Only together as one could we destroy Lycurgis. And so... One day we succeeded, we destroyed him and Proteus took the book and swore he would find a way to destroy it. We all grieved, although Lycurgis had done so much wrong and terrible things, he was still our brother. Many innocent people, mostly wizards, had been lost because of him, yet we all missed the old Lycurgis. The man he'd been before he turned.
After his death, we split up and sort of lost contact with each other. I travelled around aimlessly in the world, and lived amongst muggles and sometimes wizards. The bond that had once been so strong between us all weakened. The others slowly faded away, and soon I was the only one left. Proteus was the last one to leave this world. Before he decided to leave, he told me he had destroyed the book. Which of course was a lie... Since the book still exists..."
Harry and Ron stared at her, she leaned back and took another sip of her tea.
"So then... The book made him evil?" Ron said a while later.
Melinda looked at him.
"I guess you could say that, but it wasn't that simple really. You see, there is good and evil in us all... What it all depends on is the choices in our lives. The book contains as I've said before both wonderful but also terrible magic. Lycurgis chose to use the book to destroy and conquer, he used it for his own selfish reasons. And so he turned and became evil. I dare not dream of how it would be if Voldemort got that book before us..."
"Would he become worse than Lycurgis?" Harry asked.
She looked at him, her eyes were very serious.
"Voldemort is a powerful wizard. If he were to find the book and use it... He is evil already, and his heart is filled with hatred. With the book his powers would multiply. And no one would be able to stop him. In a way, Voldemort would be stronger than Lycurgis had been... Because Voldemort's hatred and anger with the world is more powerful."
She put down her cup of tea at the table next to her and turned to them again.
"But there's still hope, Voldemort hasn't got the book yet, and everyone in the order is doing everything possible to reach it before he does."
"Why do you think Proteus didn't destroy the book?" Harry asked.
"I'm sure he has his reasons... Though I don't quite understand what that reason would be, he would have to have one." she said sounding tired.
Harry looked at Ron, then at Melinda.
"Can I just ask you... One more question, about professor Gallagher?" Harry asked.
Ron looked at Melinda as well, she smiled faintly.
"Oh, so you know... "
"He's a vampire, isn't he?" Harry said.
Melinda looked at Harry.
"Yes, he is a vampire. But, vampires have a nasty reputation; most of the stories about them are myths. I mean, I'm sure that you two understand that Aidan won't harm innocents, he never has. If he had, Dumbledore would never have let him teach you. Unfortunately, some wizards, parents of the students, do not have the same faith in Dumbledore as I have. So I have to ask you not to tell anyone, I know you wouldn't but well... I mean... He would probably loose this job, and he's needed at Hogwarts right now..."
"No one else knows, except for Ron, Hermione and myself" Harry said.
She nodded.
"How do you know him?" Ron asked fascinated.
"I met him, many years ago, in Ireland, on one of my aimless travels. I lived there for a long time, since I grew up there. He taught me the arts of being an auror, since he was one himself... And as the first war broke out, we fought against the death eaters with Alastor Moody and Frank and Alice Longbottom. That was also when I met your parents, Harry, and Sirius Black and Remus Lupin..."
Melinda paused and looked at them both
"I'm sorry, but... I really need to get some sleep now... I know you have so many more questions, there will be time for more answers."
She got up and laid her hand on Harry's shoulder before she walked out of the room. Harry and Ron looked at each other.
"Bloody hell" Ron said silently.
"Yeah" Harry said and looked into the fire.
End of chapter 16
Well, tell me what you think, please. I'm not too sure, was there too much information in this one? I just felt like there was a need for a little info about the ancient ones and Melinda's past. Please review...
Moonypadfoot: I wasn't offended by your review, I was agreeing with you : - ) I was not very happy with chapter 14, I did feel I kinda rushed things...
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co, I'm just playing around with characters
THE ANCIENT ONES
Harry and Ron were not invited to the meeting. They wished intensely that they had some of those extendible ears that the Weasley twins had invented last year. They were very interested in what had happened, and what they were talking about. Ginny joined them later on; she'd been writing letters to some of her friends (including Dean she informed Ron) in her room. Harry and Ron had thought about going downstairs to listen in, but Harry knew that they would spot them in no time, so there was no use. Instead they decided to play some more wizard's chess. And when the meeting was over they would go downstairs and find out as much as possible. Ginny and Ron were playing now, and Harry was buffing up his firebolt. Then suddenly they heard voices from downstairs, they looked at each other.
"That sure was a short meeting" Ginny said as they got up and walked towards the door.
There were a lot of people downstairs, a few Harry didn't recognize. They were going out the door, some were heading towards the fireplace and others simply disapparated. Harry heard professor Gallagher's voice, coming from the meeting room. He walked towards the door, Ron followed him.
"The important thing is that Voldemort does not have the book yet."
"He's getting closer though, I can feel it. A long time ago, I would have been able to find the book, but... Not anymore. I can't believe he told me he destroyed the book, I just can't..."
"You will find it." He said.
"I know what he could do with it. I know what happened the last time. If he reaches it before us, he will be more powerful than anything in this world, and then we won't be able to stop him. It took all six of us to stop the last evil that had the book. And they are not around anymore... You know, you might as well come join us instead of eaves dropping out there"
She had raised her voice slightly, Harry looked at Ron who shrugged and then they walked into the room. Melinda was still looking into the fire, professor Gallagher got up from his chair.
"Hello Harry, Ron..." he said and then got up and looked at Melinda. "Well, I have to go. See you later"
He walked out of the room, Melinda took another sip of her tea and looked up at Harry and Ron.
"Well, I'm guessing you have a few questions, Harry. Maybe you as well, Ron"
Harry looked at her, frowning.
"What's going on?" Harry asked.
She looked at him for a while.
"Voldemort is searching for the book more intensely than ever. And I just don't know where he gets his information from. He's not found it yet, but right now, it is only a matter of time..." She paused. "I shouldn't be telling you this... But as Dumbledore has told me, you'll find out elsewhere if I don't so... At least that is what has happened before, I was told"
Harry and Ron looked at each other, smiling faintly. They knew exactly what Dumbledore had meant.
"But, you said just now that this has happened before" Harry said.
Melinda was looking into the fire, she seemed very distant.
"Yes... That was a long time ago... I'm guessing professor Gallagher told you about the ancient ones. He did inform me he had told you a bit about me, since the incident in Hogsmeade."
Harry nodded, Ron looked at her, fascinated.
"Well... I learned at quite an early age that I was not like everyone else. As I've told you before, I grew up in what you call a muggle family. The family that took me in was not poor, neither were they rich. Since they never found my parents, I became their daughter ... I stayed with them, for a long time. But years later, as my mother and father grew old, I stayed the same. I realized that I didn't age. That was probably when Proteus found me. He was the first of what the wizard world came to call the ancient ones. He told me that there were more like us out there, and I was curious and there was nothing left for me there after my parents died... During these travels, I met others of my kind. There were four men, and three women. We never called ourselves anything; we were merely seven good friends, with similar gifts when it came to magic. We saw each other as brothers and sisters, and whenever there was trouble we solved it or fought it together. For many years, it was good. But none of us ever found out why we were the way we were and why we there was so few of us. Some say we were the first of the wizard kind, but I don't know about that...
But then... one of us turned. Lycurgis was a brilliant man in many ways, and at first he was the one I trusted the most. He was quite a bit older than me, younger than Proteus though. He discovered the book, we had all heard myths about it, but no one thought it was real. Its keeper back then gave it to him to protect, but he couldn't have made a worse choice. Lycurgis used the book for the good of his own, and slowly we all saw him turn. He became a monster..."
Melinda paused and looked at Harry.
"He was the most powerful one of us all to begin with, and now he was as powerful as Proteus, maybe even more with the book in his possession. We all tried to reason with him, tried to make him realize that he had to get rid of the book, because it was poisoning him. But in the end, we all understood that there was no hope for him. We would have to kill him in order to stop him from hurting any more innocent people... As Lycurgis began to make his plan to rule this world and rule all living things to reality, we fought him, all of us. But we never seemed to get any closer to destroying the book, or him.
That was when we realized that in order to stop him, we had to learn how to join powers. Only together as one could we destroy Lycurgis. And so... One day we succeeded, we destroyed him and Proteus took the book and swore he would find a way to destroy it. We all grieved, although Lycurgis had done so much wrong and terrible things, he was still our brother. Many innocent people, mostly wizards, had been lost because of him, yet we all missed the old Lycurgis. The man he'd been before he turned.
After his death, we split up and sort of lost contact with each other. I travelled around aimlessly in the world, and lived amongst muggles and sometimes wizards. The bond that had once been so strong between us all weakened. The others slowly faded away, and soon I was the only one left. Proteus was the last one to leave this world. Before he decided to leave, he told me he had destroyed the book. Which of course was a lie... Since the book still exists..."
Harry and Ron stared at her, she leaned back and took another sip of her tea.
"So then... The book made him evil?" Ron said a while later.
Melinda looked at him.
"I guess you could say that, but it wasn't that simple really. You see, there is good and evil in us all... What it all depends on is the choices in our lives. The book contains as I've said before both wonderful but also terrible magic. Lycurgis chose to use the book to destroy and conquer, he used it for his own selfish reasons. And so he turned and became evil. I dare not dream of how it would be if Voldemort got that book before us..."
"Would he become worse than Lycurgis?" Harry asked.
She looked at him, her eyes were very serious.
"Voldemort is a powerful wizard. If he were to find the book and use it... He is evil already, and his heart is filled with hatred. With the book his powers would multiply. And no one would be able to stop him. In a way, Voldemort would be stronger than Lycurgis had been... Because Voldemort's hatred and anger with the world is more powerful."
She put down her cup of tea at the table next to her and turned to them again.
"But there's still hope, Voldemort hasn't got the book yet, and everyone in the order is doing everything possible to reach it before he does."
"Why do you think Proteus didn't destroy the book?" Harry asked.
"I'm sure he has his reasons... Though I don't quite understand what that reason would be, he would have to have one." she said sounding tired.
Harry looked at Ron, then at Melinda.
"Can I just ask you... One more question, about professor Gallagher?" Harry asked.
Ron looked at Melinda as well, she smiled faintly.
"Oh, so you know... "
"He's a vampire, isn't he?" Harry said.
Melinda looked at Harry.
"Yes, he is a vampire. But, vampires have a nasty reputation; most of the stories about them are myths. I mean, I'm sure that you two understand that Aidan won't harm innocents, he never has. If he had, Dumbledore would never have let him teach you. Unfortunately, some wizards, parents of the students, do not have the same faith in Dumbledore as I have. So I have to ask you not to tell anyone, I know you wouldn't but well... I mean... He would probably loose this job, and he's needed at Hogwarts right now..."
"No one else knows, except for Ron, Hermione and myself" Harry said.
She nodded.
"How do you know him?" Ron asked fascinated.
"I met him, many years ago, in Ireland, on one of my aimless travels. I lived there for a long time, since I grew up there. He taught me the arts of being an auror, since he was one himself... And as the first war broke out, we fought against the death eaters with Alastor Moody and Frank and Alice Longbottom. That was also when I met your parents, Harry, and Sirius Black and Remus Lupin..."
Melinda paused and looked at them both
"I'm sorry, but... I really need to get some sleep now... I know you have so many more questions, there will be time for more answers."
She got up and laid her hand on Harry's shoulder before she walked out of the room. Harry and Ron looked at each other.
"Bloody hell" Ron said silently.
"Yeah" Harry said and looked into the fire.
End of chapter 16
Well, tell me what you think, please. I'm not too sure, was there too much information in this one? I just felt like there was a need for a little info about the ancient ones and Melinda's past. Please review...