Chapter XVI: Ruthless Reality
"Is he awake yet?"
"No."
"Where did you find him?"
"I didn't. It was Hagrid. In the woods."
"When?"
"About two hours ago."
"How long has been out there?"
"Can't say exactly."
"Wake him."
"Now? Are you sure?"
"Yes, Madame, yes."
"As you wish."
Madame Pomfrey uncorked a vial filled with thin red juice. When she did, a thick stream of smoke floated into a boy's nostrils that were under two blankets. A putrid odor of rotten cabbage filled the air and immediately twitched the nose of the young man. The retched smell awoke the boy who immediately leaped backwards into his pillows. His whole body trembled until he recognized where he was and who was near him.
When he tried to move his arms and legs, the boy realized he was chained down. Four separate cuffs strangled his joints and were connected to heavy bars attached to the bed. Despite all his struggling, the chains did not budge and neither did the boy.
"Harry, will you please calm down," an old voice beckoned.
"Dumbledore? Then I am not dreaming? I am back at Hogwarts! But how? Where's Salazar?"
The elderly wizard's eyebrow arched over his half-moon spectacles. He then peered over at Pomfrey who shook her head and mumbled to herself.
"Are you referring to Salazar Slytherin by any chance?"
Harry nodded his head several times and started to sweat profoundly. "Where did he go? I was just with him… I was… Where's Malicia? Where is she? Where's my pendant?" His voice started to increase with every question asked. Dumbledore, however, placed his wrinkled index finger on top of Harry's quivering lips.
"I am afraid we do not know what you are talking about. It was Hagrid who found you and brought you here. You have been missing for the last five weeks."
He was out there for over a month? That couldn't be right! He would have starved! Even if he were in a coma, he would still need food to survive. Dumbledore was being outlandish.
"You gave us all quite a scare. Especially your friend Ron," Pomfrey explained as she wiped a cold liquid on top of Harry's forehead. It dripped slowly down Harry's nose and into his mouth; it was water.
"Harry, we'd like to question you. But before we do, you must promise us that you will tell us the truth."
After Harry nodded, Dumbledore pointed to a chair that flew toward him. He sat down in it and sighed to himself. Following a few moments of thinking, he looked up and stared into Harry's light blue eyes.
"Firstly… What is this?" Dumbledore opened up a silver chest. As he moved it toward Harry, a green metal glimmered on top of a velvet covering.
"No! Smash it!" Harry's voice screamed in a high pitch as he started to wail and move all the muscles in his face. His eyes dripped tears, and his cheeks dropped in fright.
"Do not worry, Harry. The emerald leaf has no power over you any more."
Harry's eyes lifted. "How did you know it ever did control me?"
"I did not exactly, however," Dumbledore picked up the necklace and turned it on its back. The nine letters were burnt out in green rust. "This necklace is quite ancient. These symbols belong to a language written over a thousand years ago."
"How do you know that?" Harry seemed much calmer now.
A gold book was lifted from underneath Dumbledore's chair. A pyramid was on the cover with dark blue surrounding it. The symbol book! Dumbledore opened it, and when he did, there was no lock that had appeared before.
"This is the only surviving Ancient Chronicle of the Forbidden Lands. In here contains history that dates back beyond any of our years. It was written by some of the first students that ever attended Hogwarts. I believe there are answers in here that may help you. That necklace," Dumbledore paused and looked over at the emerald charm lying on top of the box, "is seen on page three hundred nineteen. Go ahead, open it up."
Harry rolled his eyes. "These chains don't help."
A chuckle emerged from Dumbledore's mouth, and instead of unlocking the devices, he opened the book for him. Finally, a very wrinkled and crisp page turned over on top of the thick, age-abused paper. A worn painting appeared of a lady in a green dress with white ruffles and around her neck was the emerald leaf.
"Malicia! She's so young," Harry sighed looking over the young woman's features. If only she knew she'd die in a few more years…
"Isn't that the name of your Firebolt?" Pomfrey butted in. She must have heard everything from Ron early on… Ron! Where did he go? No one else was around Harry in the beds.
"Yes, well," Harry started. He first explained all the strange behaviors that his Firebolt displayed. Then, the incident when he first fell into the Forest… After that, he talked about the aching cold pains. Everything he described was much clearer than it had been before.
"Salazar Slytherin," Dumbledore mumbled after Harry finished his recollection of the events. "It was always a mystery what happened to him. And now that mystery is solved."
"No! It isn't! I don't know where he went or if I really defeated him!"
Dumbledore picked up the necklace again. "This will be sent to the Ministry… If Salazar is still in there, they will know, and as for your Firebolt... I am afraid Hagrid did not find it in the forest."
But she was there, Harry thought. I know she was. Could she have been destroyed perhaps? Or flew away? As long as she was safe from Salazar…
"Where is everyone?"
"Well, Ron is back in his classes. And your friend Cho has been reversed from your very illegal love charm. I believe Hagrid is teaching right now. As for anyone else, I assume they are where they are supposed to be. I am afraid most of the school believes you are either hiding or dead."
"But I'm not! And how was I out for FIVE weeks?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "I do not have those answers. Perhaps, someone did not want you to die. Again, as I have said before, you are very fortunate. Rest now. You will be getting several visitors."
How could he rest? So many questions were running through his mind that he wished he were still in a coma. He was probably going to be sent to Azkaban for all the illegal things he did. Even if it was Salazar controlling him, he was still responsible for his actions.
"Mister Potter," a deep voice startled him. It was not, however, Salazar. It did belong to a Slytherin though.
"Snape," Harry muttered. Oh, how I do not want to see you right now.
"Yes, well, I am pleased that you are not dead." This was one of the first nice things Snape had said in a while. "As for your miraculous reappearance earlier today, I cannot help but wonder why you are not dead."
"I'm sorry if I disappointed you," Harry said sarcastically. "I'll try harder to die next time."
"Do not laugh at death, Mister Potter! It is not a joke," he paused and looked over at the open page of the symbol book. "So, Malicia was who I thought she was."
"What?"
Snape grabbed a chair and sat down it in, slightly crossing his right leg over the left. He leaned forward toward Harry. "When you first said her name, I hoped it was just a coincidence. Perhaps you heard Granger say it and named your Firebolt after her. However, when she spoke, I realized that coincidences only go so far."
"But—"
"Don't interrupt me, boy. Now, the Ministry was too stupid to figure out the connection between the infamous Malicia Slytherin and your Firebolt. And so, I tried to find other ways of getting rid of her."
"The crystal ball?"
"Yes. If only you had clearer visions, ones that proved that it was Malicia who was turned into your Firebolt… Then, I could have easily replayed them to the Ministry and had her taken away."
"But she was turned into a tree!" Harry yelled back.
"You ignorant boy. You haven't been reading the assignments. In 1307, a small group of dwarf miners decided they could cut down some trees in the Forest. When they were told they could not do it, they tried to explain that they need a way to get to their mines only a short way from Hogwarts. A trail was created underground just for them, but their damage was irreversible."
It made some sense… Broomsticks were made from trees… But that still didn't explain how Harry ended up with her. Coincidence? Unlikely.
"And now she is gone?" Snape asked.
"According to Dumbledore, she wasn't any where near me."
"Then, she is finally at rest."
Did Snape know it was Salazar Slytherin that turned her into a tree? He had to have known.
"Wait, before you called her Malicia Slytherin not Malicia Willeta!"
"She was supposedly married to Salazar Slytherin; although, no records of their marriage survived. It has just been assumed ever since… How do you know her maiden name?"
Perhaps he didn't know… Harry repeated everything he had to Dumbledore from the beginning. It took another hour before he had completed his tale. Snape did not seem too surprised, although, the mentioning of Malicia this time did not make him flinch.
"Interesting, Potter. Very interesting… But, you have left many questions to be answered."
"Ask me."
"Very well. How did you survive out there for five weeks? Did Salazar aid you? Is he alive?"
"I can't answer those questions."
Snape chuckled his evil laugh and got up out of his seat. "Useless as always."
Useless? I defeated yet another evil man! I probably saved all of you from a certain death! Useless? What nerve!
"I expect you to be in detention tomorrow night, Potter."
"Are you kidding?"
"Never," Snape said back as he left the medical wing.
Harry was left there all alone, with the exception of Pomfrey, to ponder what had happened. How did he survive so long? Who helped him? What about Malicia? Is she okay? And who in the first place knew she was a Driveller and gave her to Sirius? Oh, Sirius…