Chapter Twelve:
The Elucidation
The party had ended quite smoothly and no one uttered a single word about Hermione and Ron's behavior until they all got back to school. Hermione took this all to shame and spent hours in the library. When she returned she sat working on such a difficult piece of homework that communication with her was impossible. Harry tried to talk to her the next morning but it seemed she took the extra mile to avoid him by getting up earlier than all of Gryffindor Tower and beating them to the Great Hall.
Ron didn't say much either when he and Harry made their way to breakfast and whenever Harry or anyone else tried to bring up the subject he muttered something about wanting to ask someone for help on his homework and left the table.
Harry didn't have time to worry about this. The Quidditch match against Slytherin would take place right after this very breakfast. There was an odd combination of tension and excitement in the air, however that was not all that was troubling him.
Harry had just begun to wonder as to why he had seen that vision of Lupin being attacked later than it had actually taken place. He had never had a delayed vision before. All the previous times events had been happening at the exact moment that Harry was having dreams about it. Maybe this was due to Voldemort's trying to block out Harry, but Harry didn't remember seeing him there…
Harry dwelled upon this all the way to the Quidditch Pitch. He was pulling his Quidditch Robes on and began forming a pre-game talk in his mind while trying to push this latest thought out of his mind.
The rest of the team sat there eagerly awaiting Harry's first official pre-game speech. Instead of acting as encouragement, this made Harry feel extremely uncomfortable. He would have liked it if they weren't listening because his mind was on other things and he felt quite certain he might make a blunder of it. He pushed his hair out of his eyes and began.
"Um… well… we're going to play now. As for those who have played before on this team, we will play as we've always played. And for those who haven't… um… remember to just try your best, that's all I can ask from you."
Everyone nodded and to Harry's extreme amazement they all stood up and placed all their hands upon one another's. Ginny quickly looked around at everyone and yelled,
"Go Gryffindor!"
"Go Gryffindor!" sang the rest of the team, including Harry with a big smile on his face.
As the team made their way upon the brightly colored Quidditch pitch Harry was cheered up slightly at the sight of Hermione sitting in a sea of scarlet and gold with a hat in the shape of a roaring lion on her head amongst Luna, Neville, Seamus, Dean, Parvati, Padma, Hannah, and a very embarrassed looking Lavender. There were also several others whom Harry had never met. The entire group let out a very effective roar at the site of Harry and the team.
However Harry was most displeased to see a second group of people on the other side of the field. These people seemed to be led by Pansy Parkinson and they were made up of what appeared to be every Slytherin that wasn't on the team. Harry looked on the Slytherin section in the stands just to be sure and found that he was almost right.
The Slytherin section was considerably less full than it ordinarily would have been. Harry then noticed that instead of magical hats the Slytherin Pep Squad had emerald-green streamers, bewitched to look like real snakes which would hiss and snap when you whirled them.
Looking away from the crowd, Harry moved his eyes determinedly towards Malfoy in the center of the field, who stood sneering at him. This look faded momentarily as he noticed the moonstone shaft in Harry's hands. Harry quietly chuckled which made Malfoy sneer even more as he saw Harry's shoulders move up and down.
Madam Hooch signaled them to shake hands and they did this as Malfoy whispered, "Your team won't make it through this match alive."
Harry looked at Malfoy in complete amazement at his idiocy. Mistaking this for a look of fear or surprise Malfoy laughed as he mounted his broom. Harry mounted his own just as Madam Hooch blew her whistle.
The two captains set off for higher ground at a furious pace. Malfoy tried to follow Harry but couldn't keep up with the far superior broom. Harry looked back over his shoulder with a grin as he pulled away. The Creevey brothers were doing magnificently for they had just stopped a Slytherin from taking the Quaffle from Ginny.
Harry saw Malfoy make a gesture at Crabbe and Goyle who, looking like their brooms would snap from their weight any second, flew over to Colin and Dennis. Harry cried out and warned them just in time to be saved from an obliterating air tackle by Goyle.
A Slytherin Chaser zipped up to Ron with the Quaffle in tow and was about to throw it when the Pep Squad began singing the now famous congenial rendition of "Weasley is Our King." This seemed to have built up Ron's confidence as he blocked the shot easily.
The game continued on for some time. Surprisingly the two teams appeared well matched. Although the Gryffindors were relatively inexperienced the Slytherins, made up of the likes of Crabbe and Goyle, were unimaginative and slow. To his credit, Ron was defending the goal brilliantly.
Flying around desperately in search of the Snitch, Harry spotted Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle doing the same. The two Creevys were in pursuit. Colin and Dennis were trying to knock Malfoy off his broom but Crabbe and Goyle knocked back whatever the brothers threw at them.
This gave Harry an idea. Mouthing his idea to Colin and Dennis, who both nodded that they understood, Harry flew down as though he had seen the Snitch. With a burst of speed so that Crabbe and Goyle couldn't keep up with him, Malfoy chased Harry.
Colin and Dennis then seized the opportunity to hit the same Bludger simultaneously at Malfoy. The impact knocked Malfoy off his broom. The Slytherin Pep Squad booed and hissed at Harry and the Creevey brothers streamers snapping, but Harry scarcely noticed as he continued his search.
Out of anger Crabbe and Goyle paired up and began whacking at Colin and Dennis who were soon knocked out cold. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and gave Gryffindor a penalty shot. Ginny shot the Quaffle cleanly into the hoop and scored ten points for Gryffindor.
It was just then that something odd happened. For no apparent reason both Crabbe and Goyle fell off their brooms knocked out. Harry looked up and found the Abersum Twins flying mischievously close by.
Harry grinned and grimaced at the same time upon seeing Malfoy get up and mount his broom again. He flew swiftly towards Harry just as Harry saw a glint of gold in the distance. Going as fast as he could go Harry sped past Malfoy chasing the Snitch and it wasn't until about a minute later that Harry realized that the Snitch was struggling against his outstretched hand.
Harry clasped his hand shut and shot it into the air. The Pep Squad and the rest of the non-Slytherin crowd began cheering. Harry landed as the rest of the team (except the Creevey brothers who were still knocked out) headed towards him and began cheering. Malfoy swooped down over Harry and muttered, "This isn't over yet Potter."
The Abersum Twins helped the Creevey brothers up and helped them onto stretchers to be led to the Hospital Wing. Will made his way over and said,
"Couldn't have done it without you."
"Yeah, we wouldn't have lasted anywhere nearly as long if we had anyone else as Captain," added Ginny with a warm smile upon her face.
Harry smiled back and asked to Jack, "What did you do?"
"Oh, well all we did was light an Invisible Weasley Wildfire Whizbang," answered Jack.
"Oh, and guess what? Our Uncle Swooping Stan came to see our match!" added Will, "He would have been very disappointed if we didn't do something to those two."
Harry laughed as Ron dashed to the stands where the Gryffindor lions were cheering their hats off.
Buoyed up by the win, the remainder of the week went spectacularly. Hermione had stopped avoiding Harry and he didn't question her to her immense relief. She was already embarrassed about being seen wearing a roaring lion on her head.
Two teachers seemed to be making sure Hermione didn't forget about her moment at Madam Puddifoot's. Professor McGonagall had said while they were practicing the extremely difficult Conjuring Charm,
"Only those who do their work and practice their spells will make it to the N.E.W.T.'s. And get sidetracked by nothing else."
She had said the last part while staring at Hermione with a frown and thin line for a mouth on her face. This comment had caused Hermione to conjure up a wooden stake instead of the candlestick she was supposed to be conjuring.
Harry had looked apologetically at her before returning to his candlestick which for some reason was always wooden and burned a few seconds after appearing. Apparently the more familiar you were with the spell the better your object was for Professor McGonagall's candlesticks were made of sterling silver.
The other teacher who wasn't letting Hermione forget the incident over the weekend was Snape. He did it in a much less subtle way than McGonagall. They were working on the Benevolent Beverage, the antidote to the Malevolent Mixture, and Snape made his way over to Hermione, peered over her cauldron and said,
"Now pay attention Miss Granger. If you improperly mix this concoction and drink it the consequences could be much more severe than drinking a… let's say… a mild love potion?"
Her ears bright pink, Hermione refused to look at Snape which was something Harry was barely managing to perform. It was after this particular lesson that Malfoy made his way over to Harry and said,
"Tomorrow. Midnight. Quidditch Pitch. We're going to have a rematch. Anything goes. Agreed?"
Harry glared at him and replied, "You're on."
With that Malfoy went in the opposite direction and Hermione caught up with Harry,
"What did Malfoy want?"
"Nothing. Just upset he lost that's all," Harry lied.
Harry and Hermione caught up with Ron as they made their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts. They entered the classroom to find Professor Agapanthus looking at them all with her usual mystic expression that rivaled Professor Trelawney's,
"Today we will learn about the Diablo," stated Agapanthus.
These few words seized the full attention of the students. As he slid into his seat Harry looked up at the professor's long neck, her scarab beetle necklace, swaying in a nonexistent breeze as she continued, "Now, Diablo, who seek to avoid light, ironically live in churches and temples and have the ability to possess other living things. For twenty points who can tell me all three signs that one is being controlled by a Diablo?"
Unsurprisingly Hermione raised her hand and when acknowledged she answered with, "The first sign is that they are abnormally quiet for Diablo are incapable of speech even in another's body. Secondly while in another's body they are impervious to the light that would normally kill them but they are still wary of it. Thirdly if they begin to twitch involuntarily you know that the host is fighting to regain control."
Agapanthus nodded and said, "Very good. Twenty points."
"Now today we will be practicing the way to get a Diablo out a host's body and then to subdue and finally disable it. There are only two ways to destroy a Diablo. Either get them in direct sunlight or use the Slaying Spell," stated Agapanthus.
To everyone's amazement Agapanthus walked over to a cabinet on the far side of the room. She tapped Neville on his shoulder and he nervously made his way into the cabinet under her instruction.
A few moments later Neville came back out trembling slightly,
"As you can see Neville's body is shaking due to the internal struggle," said Agapanthus conversationally.
She then pointed her wand at Neville and muttered, "Puregrae!"
A thick grayish gas poured out from her wand and made a smoggy silhouette of Neville. It fitted itself over him and a black shadow erupted out of Neville's chest.
Neville yelled for a moment as the shadow ran around seeking shelter but Agapanthus expertly pointer her wand at the shadow and exclaimed, "Trucido!"
A jet of white celestial light shot out her wand in the shape of a sword. It pierced the shadow. The shadow froze and slowly vanished on the spot.
The class applauded and Neville returned to his seat clearly on the brink of fainting. The rest of the class time was spent on the Diablo. To his immense relief, Harry was not selected as the few to be possessed by the Diablo but Ron was.
Harry felt like destroying a Diablo was far too easy, even though he was the only one doing it without trouble. Hermione couldn't aim properly making her Slaying Spell hit the desks.
When the class had ended Harry, Ron and Hermione trudged along to the Common Room and began attacking their immense load of homework. After an hour or so Harry and Ron gave up and decided to finish it later. They rose and slipped through the fat lady's portal. It was time to begin their patrol. So Harry, flanked by Ron and Hermione, entered the Great Hall with the rest of the D.A. where everyone split into groups of threes not including the teachers that had to accompany each group.
Harry had assigned himself with Ron and Hermione. Having seen this Snape made his way over to them to be their teacher when from out of the shadows came Professor Agapanthus,
"It is alright. I will take these three."
Snape glared at her with intense dislike and stalked off towards Ernie McMillan's group. Harry looked surprised over at Agapanthus but they moved on without speaking.
All four continued without a sound across the hallways of the castle. All Harry could hear was Hermione's ragged breath. It was ice cold in the corridors, which was strange because it was only the end of September after all.
And that was when he knew.
A cold came over Harry's body as all happiness drained out of him. Harry heard Hermione's sharp intake of breath from far away. He had had no time to put up a defense and he was already hearing the screams of his mother dying and his father's gallant words.
But then he heard something that he had never heard before.
"Move aside you silly girl. I do not intend to kill you. Even though you killed him," rang the voice of Lord Voldemort.
"I didn't do it! He let himself get caught by the Aurors. They thought he was a Dark Wizard just because he was your brother! Take me instead! Not Harry! Please not Harry!" cried Lily Potter, Harry's mother.
It was then that he snapped back to reality. Harry saw the remnants of a Patronus in the shape of a sphinx chase off a gang of three Dementors. There was a warm and exotic tinge to the air. Harry stood up to find hundreds upon hundreds of Dementors everywhere. They were beginning to fill the hallway that Harry stood in.
Ron and Hermione lay heaped on the floor and Agapanthus was making a valiant stand but she couldn't do it alone,
"Expecto Patronum!"
Harry's stag Patronus erupted from his wand and chased off a block of Dementors. Harry could feel the cold and depression ebbing away. Harry and Agapanthus then spoke their incantations at the exact same moments and a stag ran down one end of the hallway as a sphinx ran down the other.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" roared a voice from far away.
A gray owl flew past and chased the remnants of the Dementors away and out came Albus Dumbledore. His owl Patronus vanished after seeing that all the Dementors were gone. Dumbledore looked at Harry to see if he was alright.
"Are you all right, Madame Agapanthus?" asked Dumbledore respectfully.
It was the first time that Harry had ever heard Dumbledore address someone using that tone, as well as a title in front of their name when speaking them. Harry looked at Agapanthus to find that she looked utterly exhausted. Harry wasn't surprised. Who knows how long she had had to ward off the Dementors.
"I am well, Albus," gasped Agapanthus.
"Good. Now Harry, I need you to follow me to my office. Madame Agapanthus will accompany us. We need to elucidate a few things for you," stated Dumbledore.
Eager to hear what was happening and maybe hear why Lupin had been injured Harry was happy to do so and did. Dumbledore levitated Ron and Hermione over to the Hospital Wing before setting off towards his office.
When they reached the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office Dumbledore spoke,
"Skiving Snackbox."
Harry smiled at this as they all three made their way into the circular room that was Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore offered both Harry and Agapanthus seats but the Professor remained standing her golden chains and her beetle necklace glinting in the lamplight while Harry gladly took a seat.
"Now, Harry. There are quite a few things to explain," began Dumbledore after settling his robes about him. "After his miserable failure in procuring the Prophecy, Voldemort has been in search of another ancient and powerful item that is essential for his take over," began Dumbledore looking sternly at Harry while stroking Fawkes.
When he saw Harry's signal to go on he said, "Many years ago in ancient Egypt there was an item called the Moon-Pearl Tear. It is said to be an item of incredible power the knowledge of the use of which is lost to all. Some say it gives eternal life, others say that it gives incredible strength and impenetrable protection, while another group of wizards had even more wild ideas. The fact is no one knows what it can do anymore. It is a great mystery. Except, there remains for those who have studied its history one vital clue.
The Moon-Pearl Tear was discovered by Alexander the Great who was said to have used it to become Pharaoh of all Egypt. After using it once it was written that he could not use it again. So he called upon the aid and knowledge of the priests and guardians of the Egyptian gods and goddesses to help unravel its secret and create another one. So it was that after many years he was said to have discovered a way to create his own Moon-Pearl Tear. Then he hid the instructions in his library in Alexandria before he died. Do you understand me thus far?"
Harry nodded and Dumbledore continued, "We know this Tear is what Voldemort wants regardless of the fact that he doesn't know what it does. We don't know what it is capable of either but we don't want it used at all.
Now, it has become time to tell you one more thing. Long before Alexander or any of this business with Voldemort began, the original wizard known in ancient Egypt as the priest of the temple of the after life, the great Egyptian Wizard Imoethep, created a guardian for the Moon-Pearl Tear. To keep it safe from anyone but himself he created what is called a Ka. He used it to protect the Moon-Pearl Tear whenever the threat of its being used came. Unfortunately, the Ka could not be awakened and invigorated in time when the last threat came during Alexander's reign, but this time it was.
Here Dumbledore paused and looked across the room into dark mysterious eyes who surveyed Harry keenly and nodded back at Dumbledore shortly. "You see Harry," Finished Dumbledore simply, "Professor Agapanthus is the Ka."