Chapter 4; Key To Evanidus

Harry's eyes set upon Lupin. Lupin had seemed older somehow; it was not just because his hair was completely gray, it wasn't even the fact that his face was covered in wrinkles, it was just his stare. It was the stare of a man who had seen too much in his time, a gaze that gave the look of a man lonely, sad and tired.

Harry eyes moved around the room. He was sitting on a bed covered in blankets that were impossible to see, because the only source of light came from dozens of flaming candles that sat on a nightstand.

"What-what was that?" Harry asked breathlessly

"Long story," he replied. "It's OK, you're safe. You're in Grimmauld Place."

"What was with the hoods?"

"We couldn't risk getting identified; the Order is a secret, of course. Come on we'll have some tea, Molly has made some cookies-"

"What's Evanidus?" Harry interrupted coldly.

"It's been a very difficult couple of days, Harry..."

"No sir, really?" Harry asked mockingly.

"Let's go to the kitchen-"

"No!" Harry said, his voice rising and turning stronger.

Harry thought he'd be happy to see Lupin, but suddenly he felt a sudden burst of anger explode in the pit of his stomach. Lupin was intentionally changing the subject, Harry could tell Lupin had no wish to tell him anything about Evanidus, and nothing could anger Harry more.

"What is Evanidus?" Harry questioned him again, even louder than before.

"Dumbledore thought he should be the one to tell you...I agree."

Harry sneered. Dumbledore had kept the Prophesy about Voldemort and Harry for 15 years, the only reason Dumbledore told him the year prior, was because Sirius had died. What were the chances Dumbledore would tell Harry anything about Evanidus? Harry wouldn't have to wait for someone else to die, would he?

"Remember Sirius, sir?" Harry said, grinding his teeth, keeping both his eyes on the nightstand.

Lupin bit his lip and turned slightly pale. He almost looked angry, but he cut off the rage rather quickly.

"Barrack Reckter graduated from Durmstrang Institute, in 1949." Lupin sighed. "He was a gifted young man, an expert at the Dark Arts, he was almost as good as Dumbledore. After graduation he registered for a job in the Ministry, an Unspeakable, working in the department of Mysteries. He grew obsessed with all the dark items found down there. He invented his own curses, a number of other dark items, and other things known to few. One day he started to construct a weapon, judging by the stories, the weapon drove him mad, if he wasn't mad already. Anyway, it took him nearly 30 years, but finally he had constructed it-"

"What kind of weapon?"

"Nobody really knows...he called it Evanidus. He started recruiting young men and women from Ministry to help him 'conquer the world'. I guess his motivations were the same as Voldemort; he called his followers the Rangers, and taught them the Dark Arts. He made them almost as powerful as himself. One of the Rangers was a spy, a Death Eater. I believe his name was Jack Hunter. Anyway, Hunter ran to Voldemort and told him all about Evanidus. Reckter found out about it and searched for a good place to hide his weapon... until he found one, he hid the weapon in that room and locked it forever... And then his followers fled."

"But wait..." Harry interrupted, "Reckter called it 'the room to Evanidus' not the 'room of Evanidus'."

"Yes...yes, I am getting to that! No one knows exactly what the weapon was, or even what it looked like, but somehow, it expanded, it had the power of the veil...only it was a room. So now the room is the weapon, a force. Do you remember that prophesy and Professor Trelawney that one night in the Hog's Head?"

"Kind of hard to forget, sir." Harry grumbled.

"Yes, of course," Lupin said. "There was another prophesy made that night. It predicted you would have the key to open the room to Evanidus. It said all Reckter would have to do is get the key from your mind and use it to open the room-"

"After this he becomes as powerful as Voldemort?"

Lupin nodded solemnly.

"But I am the only one who can-"

"Yes but if you let me explain, you'll notice the problem. The second prophesy got its way toward Reckter, but because Voldemort had risen he was too cowardly to attack you. After Voldemort's fall he started to get more followers in the Ministry, such as Jonathan Patterson and Daniel Walker; the other stayed hidden. Last June, they were found by Voldemort. In exchange for their lives, Reckter promised to work for Voldemort, and get the key from your mind..."

"Why can't Voldemort, or anyone else go inside my head and get it themselves?"

"Reckter is the only one who knows where in the mind he can find the key, he is also the only one who can operate the weapon. Once he gets this weapon, he is as powerful as Voldemort. Now there is one more thing. This weapon can bring on something far worse then death. After all we've been through, I don't know what that could possibly be anymore, but I only know what I have been told."

Harry stood in silence, ready to swallow his tongue in shock.

"Well Reckter isn't to get to you!" Lupin smiled. But It seemed he was trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince Harry. "I have to go to the Order meeting. Ron and Hermione are down the hall to the left. Dinner will be in about an hour so...don't spoil it."

Harry nodded solemnly; it was all he could bear.

"It's good to have you back, Harry."

And turning on his heel, Lupin paced quickly down the hall, and out of sight.