Chapter 11

Above, Between, Around & Below!

Harmony stared thoughtfully at her old enemy.

My, my, my, you've changed! Another possessed wizard?' she said scathingly

Not exactly.' he laughed

'I take it you're responsible for our presence in Wizard's End?'

No, Harmony, for once I'm innocent, I am here at the Ministry of Magic's request - to help you, and your other selves.' He said as he bowed low to her

Harmony exploded with laughter. You? Sent here, by the Ministry, to help me? I never heard such arrant nonsense.'

I happen to be telling the truth, Harmony.' Tom Riddle held out his hand. I carry the Seal of the Ministry.'

Harmony glanced briefly at the Seal. Forged, no doubt.'

Geniune, My Dear. See for yourself.'

Tom Riddle tossed the Seal and Harmony caught. it. She examined the device with a puzzled frown. It was undoubtedly genuine. Harmony's face cleared.

Stolen, then,' she said cheerfully, and slipped the Seal into a pocket of her cloak. 'I'1l return it at the first oppor­tunity.

Harmony, if you will only listen! I'm here to help you.'

You help me? Rubbish! This is some kind of trap.'

I knew this was going to be difficult, Harmony - but I didn't realise that even you would be so stupid as to make it impossible. For the last time, I am here to help you.'

Despite the sneering words, the sincerity in Tom Riddle's voice was unmistakable. Just for a moment, Harmony began to wonder if she was being too hasty. Could it be possible –

A thunderbolt sizzled down from the sky and Tom Riddle's hillock exploded in flames.

I knew it!' yelled Hermes. A trap!'

He threw the little car into a racing start, swinging around Tom Riddle and heading off into the distance. Tom Riddle's despairing voice called out behind them. Harmony, wait! Those thunderbolts are everywhere here ..'

Harmony turned and saw another thunderbolt strike the ground close to Tom Riddle, blowing him off his feet. She saw him roll over, scramble to his feet and run for cover.

Harmony frowned. If the thunderbolts were attacking Tom Riddle as well . . .

Hermes, wait! Suppose we're wrong? We can't just leave him.'

Just watch me!'

Suddenly a thunderbolt struck the rear of the car, exploding one of the back tyre's and the car screeched to a halt.

You see,' said Hermes triumphantly. What did I tell you? A trap! Come on Harmony, run for it!'

They set off towards the mountains.

­­­­­­­­--

Looking at the older Harry's blank parchment, the assembled people gasped as writing started to appear on it. It was a map like the Marauders Map, but instead of it being of Hogwarts it was of Wizards End. Just like Hogwarts it showed the whole of castle they were in and a great propor­tion of the countryside around it leading up to the Founders Tomb.

Mysterious symbols flowed across the map, and it seemed that this map provided the two Harry's with a great deal of useful information.

As far as I can make out,' said Young Harry, there are four possible ways in. From above - climb the mountain and somehow cross to the Tower.' He pointed to the base of the map. From below - there seems to be some kind of cave system.' Harry pointed a little higher. Or there's the main door – here as well as a back passage accessed from the lake here!

The old man nodded. And which approach do you plan to use?'

The maindoor. The nearest and the simplest,' concluded Young Harry

And very possibly the most dangerous! I still think you should wait,' replied his older self

I daren't. Remember - there may be very little time.'

Of course,' said the Old Man thoughtfully, it's always possible that the Founders themselves could have brought us here.'

-

Romulus Lupin-Black came to a halt, and looked disap­provingly down at him. They had been on the move for quite some time. The mountains, and the Tower, were very close - too close for his liking.

Hang on a minute, Uncle. You did say these Founders were dead, didn't you?' He pointed up at the Tower. You said that was their tomb.'

Oh yes, it is,' said the little man innocently. But there are all sorts of legends about them you know. No one knows how extensive their powers really were.'

The Scar lowered his voice Some say they never really died at all!'

"They could still be alive then?'

Watching us - at this very moment.'

Romulus looked round uneasily. Still, didn't you say The Founders were supposed to be rather good?'

'So the official history tells us. But there are many rumours, many legends to the contrary. Some say Salazar Slytherin was really a cruel and bloodthirsty tyrant. Far from banning the Game, it was he who really invented it. In that particular version of the legend, his fellow Founders are supposed to have rebelled against his cruelty and locked him as well as themselves in the Tower bound in eternal sleep.'

'So you think they have been woken up again and getting up to some old tricks?'

'It would certainly explain a great deal.' The Scar looked alarmed. 'Oh dear! We could be playing the Game of Salazar at this very moment!'

Your tone doesn't inspire confidence, Uncle,' said Romulus dryly. I take it we're not expected to win?'

The Scar didn't answer.

Come along, Romy,' he said at last.

They moved on, towards the Dark Tower.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The distorted faces of the Harry and his companions, the Hogwarts Scoobies, swirled and twisted endlessly in the scrying pool in the conference room.

A young Time Technician, an eminent wizard in his own right, was reporting to the Inner Council. Dumbledore nodded at the figures around him.

'You can do nothing to retrieve him?

Nothing, Minister. With the existing energy-drain from Wizards End, it is beyond our resources!'

'We must do something,' protested Headmistress McGonagall. 'As long as he is trapped, all the Harry's an endangered.'

Dumbledore considered for a moment. Use whatever energy you can spare to stabilise that portion of the vortex. At least that will give the remaining Harry's a little more time.'

Minister.' The Time Technician bowed and left the room

Severus Snape joined the conference. 'I take it there is no news from Tom Riddle?'

Dumbledore gave him a scornful glance. 'Did you really think there would be?'

It seemed to Draco, who had a strong streak of caution, that his Harry was proposing to risk his life for no good reason and if anything happened to his Harry, things would look bad for Draco as well. 'Even if you reach the Tower, Harry, what are you going to do?' he protested as he held his partners hand.

"Leave this castle, for a start.'

Old Harry nodded towards the door.

Young Harry said, 'Well, I'd better be off.'

It had already been established that the old man would stay in the castle, following Young Harry's progress on the new and improved Marauder's map.

As Harry headed for the door, Draco cried, 'Wait. I'll come with you.'

Druscilla said, 'I'd like to come too.'

Hermione & Ron said nothing.

Harry looked questioningly at his older self. The old man frowned. 'It would be safer if you both remained here with me.'

'I want to go,' said Draco determinedly.

Druscilla said, 'Me too!'

'Oh, very well,' said Harry.

He looked at the old man. And you'll apparate with Ron & Hermione to the Tower the moment I've manipulated the wards to release us off this Island.'

'Of course, my boy!'

Harry braced himself. 'Then we'd better get started. Time is running out.'

Meanwhile Harmony and Hermes were toiling up mountain path which wound steeply, and apparently endlessly, upwards.

'I thought we were going to the Tower,' protested .Harmony.

Hermes stopped, his cloak blowing in the chill mountain wind. 'We are.'

Then why are we going this way?'

'Because', said Hermes patiently, 'the mountains happen to be between us and the Tower. That's why.' 'Can't we find an easier route?'

'It would take far too long- besides . . .' Harmony pointed.

Harmony looked. At the foot of the mountain, far, far ,below them, a group of ugly figures were moving near them.

'It seems that Tom Riddle has used the Timescoop to bring others here as well as us,' said the Harmony sombrely.

Hermes was still not sure that Harmony's theory about Tom Riddle was correct. But there was no doubt at all about the group of Trolls moving purposefully after them.

Wearily they resumed their climb.

Left with nothing to do but wait, Ron, Hermione and Old Harry were hovering anxiously over the Marauder's Map. Small points of ink represented Young Harry and presumably, his two companions. They seemed to by moving with agonising slowness. Ron kept moving away from the map, and then coming impatiently back to it.

Do you think it will take them very much longer to reach the Tower?' Hermione queried the oldman

Depends on what may try to stop them, my boy. It's not called Wizards End without reason, you know.'

Suddenly the old man leaned forward ex­citedly. 'Great Heavens! Three more traces.'

Three more wizards?' Cried Ron

Three more Harry's to be precise,' said the old man trium­phantly. The map has been charmed to my - our - brain-patterns. Well, well, well, so three of them made it! I wonder what happened to the other one ...'

The Scar and his Godson had reached the very base of the mountains by now. The ground sloped sharply upwards above them. Shading his eyes, Romulus could see nothing ahead but a very nasty, and very dangerous climb.

Then he heard a strange, plaintive sound.

The Scar was singing in a high quavery voice.

'Who unto the Founder's Tomb would go,' he warbled.

'Must choose - Above, Around, Between, and Below!'

Are you in pain, Uncle?' enquired Romulus sarcastically.

The Scar looked offended. I see that age has not mellowed you, young Cub. I was recalling, in point of fact, an old wizarding nursery rhyme - about the Founder's Tomb.'

I see. Does it help?'

Considerably more than you do! It describes four different ways to enter the Tower.'

You mean we're going to be guided by a nursery rhyme? I've never heard anything so ridiculous.'

Nevertheless, Romulus, I propose to put the matter to the test. And I choose - Below! Come along!'

Come along where?'

The Scar led the way to a cave mouth so tiny that Romulus hadn't even registered it.

Down here,' said The Scar, and popped into the tiny opening like a rabbit down a hole.

Groaning, Romulus squeezed through after him.