Disclaimer: Ahem... Not Mine! Belongs to J. K. Rowling. Think for a moment. It I were Rowling, why would I be writing fanfiction? I would be slaving away on Half-Blood Prince trying to get it done so my fans could go and read it. I'm writing a Severitus challenge. Okay?
Things Are Looking Up
Chapter Eighteen
Remus was eating dinner in the great hall feeling quite depressed. Christmas was nearly upon them and Harry hadn't returned yet. Not to mention that his transformation fell on the full moon. He wasn't about to let Ron and Hermione join them, or Ginny. They still weren't able to completely hold onto their forms, and would change back unexpectedly. Hermione had nearly drowned, and she wasn't allowed to swim anymore.
Perhaps Harry would come home for the holidays. The Hogwarts students were leaving on the train tomorrow morning. Most of the students were going home to spend the time with their families, unsure of how much time they would have with them. Hermione and Ron were going to stay at the Castle, in hopes that Harry would arrive. Remus noticed Hermione's eyes on him, and smiled encouragingly.
Hermione smiled back and turned back to Ron. "I'm sure that he'll be back soon."
"Hermione, you've been saying that for months." Ron replied.
"Yes, so he should be back any day." Hermione said, rolling her eyes.
Ron nodded, and put a protective arm around Hermione. Something didn't feel right.
Ron was right. A few minutes later, the doors to the great hall banged open, and a cloaked figure strode in, coming to a halt in front of the staff table as the noise in the Great Hall became non-existent. You could have heard the cloaked figure's maille rattle softly, but there were charms on it, both for strength and silence.
Professor Dumbledore rose from his chair and drew his wand, eyeing the figure warily. "Who are you?" He asked.
"Me?" The man asked, for it was a male voice that spoke. "Of course you mean me, unless someone else barged into the Great Hall during dinner." The man laughed, a deep laugh that sent shivers down half of the females spines in the room. "Well, unless I am mistaken, I have come to find someone and Have a word with them."
"And who would that be?" Dumbledore asked.
"Your potions master. I need to speak with him on a delicate matter." The man said, grinning, you could see his gleaming teeth in the shadow of the hood of his black cloak.
Harry grinned. This was fun. Uh-oh. He felt power gathering around Albus. "I'd not do that sir. You would not like the results. After you had left the Hospital Wing, of course." Harry said, his grin widening when Albus' eye's widened in shock. It had apparently been a long time since someone had been able to sense his spells.
"I was not going to do anything, sir." Albus said haughtily.
"It was purely accidental that power was gathering around you in the form of an almost deadly curse?" Harry asked.
"I—You must be mistaken sir. Now, you'll tell me you name." Albus snapped, trying to see into the eyes of the person under the cloak.
"Griffin." Harry said. "That is all you need know."
"Okay, Griffin, why do you need to speak to Professor Snape?" Albus asked, practically glaring at this Griffin.
"That, my dear sir, is none of your business." Harry said. (Who shall now be referred to as Griffin by the masses.)
"Well, I am sure that you will have no problem with me accompanying Professor Snape if he does speak with you." Albus said grinning maniacally.
"Well, I have no problem with that at all sir." Griffin said, grinning to himself. He was now suddenly happy that Hufflepuff had made sure he was well versed in the art of illusions. He hated to do this to his friends... but it had to be done.
Dumbledore smiled and rose. "Good." He said Griffin, and to Severus he said, "Well Severus, come along."
Severus sighed and rose. He hadn't gotten a message from Harry in quite a few days, and was worried about him. Little did he know, he was about to get the shock of his life.
Ron and Hermione stared after the cloaked figure. There was something familiar about him. They just couldn't place it. They decided to take a short walk around the lake to ponder it.
"I wonder who he is." Hermione said thoughtfully, sidestepping a place that she knew a family of otters lived in.
"I don't know either. Maybe Voldemort's decided to make peace, and he's been sent to tell Dumbledore." Ron said.
Hermione sighed. "Honestly Ron, Voldemort would not do that. He's bent on world domination. He just wouldn't suddenly just cede." Hermione said, mulling the thought over. It was possible, but highly unlikely, so it was probably safe to rule it out. Suddenly something, a quite large something, I might add, appeared right in front of Hermione and Ron, and they tripped over the object. Hermione got up first, and looked at it warily. There was a coppery scent emanating from it.
A scent that Hermione had started to know all to well from helping in the hospital wing. Ron reached out a hand to touch it, only to be pushed away from Hermione.
"Don't touch him. He's hurt badly." Hermione whispered, and gently felt in the area of the person's neck. There was a pulse, ever so faint. There wasn't time to get him, or her, to the castle. She would have to treat him, or begin to at least. "Ron, you go and get Madam Pomfrey. Now!" She snapped, and Ron set of running towards the castle. Hermione swallowed nervously, she wasn't sure what to do. Should she flip the person over, or leave him as he was? She decided to flip him over.
She flipped the person over, so he was facing the gray sky, and she opened her eyes. And then she shut them immediately. So much blood... his, she could tell it was a he, face was covered in blood. Hermione looked down at her hands, and saw, that they too, had blood on them from the person. Now was not the time to become squeamish. Well, she should get the person's robes off, so she could tell where he was injured.
She gently unbuttoned the robes, and found that he wore no shirt. He had what looked like medieval breeches on, but that was all. This would make things better. Using a handy spell she had learned, she cleaned the robes of blood, and got the sleeve wet in the lake. Using the damp sleeve, she wiped, or tried to, wipe the blood off, of his chest. Her eyes widened when she realized what she was looking at. He had been whipped. Oh god. Hermione felt queasy. She hurriedly got up and stumbled to the bushes and gave her supper to the bush. Using the lake water to rinse her mouth of the taste of vomit, the boy moved. She rushed to his side, and murmured. "It's all right. You're fine."
"'Mione?" The person asked, in a voice familiar to her.
"Yes, it's 'Mione." Hermione said. "Now you just lay still, Madam Pomfrey is on her way."
"Pomfrey?" The person asked, eyelids fluttering softly, as if he was trying to open his eyes.
"Yes." Hermione said.
"Can't open my eyes. Why?" He asked.
"There's blood that's caked on them." Hermione said. "Do you want me to get it off?" She asked.
"Yes.. Please." The illusion said in a choked voice.
Hermione nodded, and got more of the robe wet, and gently wiped the caked blood from the person's eyes. Her eyes widened as she saw the end of a certain scar, but she refused to believe it. It could be a coincidence.
"Thank you." The person said, opening his eyes to reveal startling green eyes.
Hermione gasped, and tried to get the blood off of his forehead. Sure enough there was a scar shaped like a lightning blot. "Harry?" She asked.
"Yeah. I'm sure in a state aren't I?" Harry asked a hint of laughter in his voice.
"What happened?" Hermione asked, staring at the gaping wounds on Harry's chest. She could see something that looked like bone...
"I—I don't really remember 'Mione." Harry said softly, his eyes fluttering closed before he forced them open.
"Shush. You just rest. The nurse will be here any moment." Hermione said, stroking Harry hair, while taking his pulse with the other, it was slowing down.
"I'm so tired 'Mione. Tell the Dursley's that I'm sorry. Tell Padfoot, I always loved him. You and Ron have my best wishes." Harry said before his eyes fluttered closed.
Hermione sniffed. "Hold on Harry. They are almost here." Hermione said.
"I can't hold on. Good bye 'Mione." Harry said softly, before closing his eyes, an smiling. Hermione felt Harry's pulse slow then stop. Hermione sat, staring down at the battered and broken body of her friend. Tears filled her eyes, as an overwhelming feeling rise in her heart. Harry. Harry was gone. Harry was... She couldn't think it. She couldn't even think it.
Madam Pomfrey came out of the shadows with Ron next to her. "Hermione? Where is this mysterious man that showed up in front of you." She asked cheerfully.
"He'd died." Hermione said in a choked voice, still staring at her friends face waiting for him to sit up and laugh, say it was all a joke. He wouldn't; he never would. That she knew deep down in side of her.
"Well, I'm quite sorry my dear, you know we can't save them all." Madam Pomfrey said, coming up beside her, then gasping as she saw the features.
"Is—is that who I think it is?" She asked in a strange voice.
Hermione sniffed and nodded.
"Merlin. We're doomed." She whispered, before sitting heavily beside Hermione as a few tears began to fall from her eyes.
Ron was standing back and he couldn't see the identity of the body. He took a few steps forward as light from the moon suddenly illuminated the features of Harry's pale face.
"Harry?" He asked, and went and stood by the corpse. Tears began to well up in Harry's eyes. "Harry, mate? Sit up. You're scaring me." Ron said in an unnaturally high voice. "You're not dead. You—You can't be. C'mon, get up. You're faking. Stop it!" Ron was breathing heavily now. "C'mon mate, you have to get up now. You made Hermione cry! Get up!" Ron fell to his knees, and shook Harry's shoulder roughly. "Stop playing. You have to get up. Please." Ron said, before breaking down completely, clutching the hand of his dead friend, rocking back and forth, keening. Occasionally he would say "Harry, c'mon get up. You can stop faking now."
Madam Pomfrey was the first to come to herself. She looked from Hermione to Ron, and realized that she couldn't leave Ron alone, and Hermione wasn't able to deal with this sort of trauma. "Hermione dear? Can you run and get Dumbledore?"
Hermione sniffed, and looked at Ron. She nodded slowly. "Take care of Ron, he's almost all I've got left now." Hermione said, before turning and running as if the hounds of hell were after her.
Griffin and Snape were chatting about potions, when Hermione Granger burst into the Headmaster's office. Severus' eyes widened as he took in the girl's disheveled appearance. There was a smear of what looked like blood across her forehead, and there was a lot of it on her hands, and it was obvious that she had been crying.
"Professor? There's been an accident. Madam Pomfrey needs to see you. She's down by the lake." Hermione said panting, ignoring the other two people in the circular office. The portraits were staring at her in shock.
Dumbledore looked from Hermione to Severus and Griffin, and the sighed heavily. "You two, behave! I will return as soon as possible." Albus said, before turning and leaving.
Griffin sighed happily and watched as Dumbledore left the office.
"Do you have any idea of what's wrong?" Severus asked eyeing the other man warily.
"Yes, I do. The body of a badly whipped Harry Potter has just turned up, and died in the presence of Miss Hermione Granger." Griffin said, and watched as Severus started to leave. "Sit down Severus." Griffin said, watching as Severus sat back down in the chair, with a defiant expression on his face.
Griffin performed a few spells, and Griffin and Severus were encased in a glowing bubble. "Now listen carefully. No one can hear what is said in here, nor can they see in. I said the body. Harry is not dead." Griffin said, and watched as Severus relaxed. "That was an illusion that I created because it gave me some closure." Griffin said. "I was Harry Potter."
"Prove it." Severus said.
"I shall do just that. Harry Potter looked into your Pensive, so you quit teaching him Occulmency, which was written off as Remedial Potions. Harry Potter performed a friendship bond with his friends on the train, and has this as a result." Griffin paused, and a slowly rotating circle of letters appeared in Harry's hand. "Odd. My initials have changed." Griffin said thoughtfully. "Sirius Black is innocent, and is a dog and snake animagi, who is staying with Amy Heller because Harry had run off to the Citadel of Time where you spent a year there." Griffin said. "Anything else?"
"Er... What side is Draco Malfoy on?" Severus asked.
"The light." Griffin replied smoothly.
"Okay. One more. How did Harry's relatives treat him?" Severus asked, an impostor wouldn't know this.
"They treated him like dirt. For the ten years that he lived there before learning about the wizarding world, he slept in a cupboard, and was treated like a house-elf." Griffin replied, remembering his past and shuddering.
"I think I believe you. What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Snape snapped.
"Honestly. I've known that since the first potions lesson." Griffin paused. "A sleeping potion so powerful that it is known as the Draught of Living Death."
"It's really you." Severus said, moving to embrace Griffin.
"Yes, 'tis me." Griffin said, hugging his father back.
"So you're going by Griffin these days?" Severus asked.
"Yes. It's my new middle name." Griffin said sitting back down.
"Pray tell, what is your history?" Severus asked.
"This is what Time and I came up with." Griffin said, and Severus nodded for him to continue. "Okay, you knew a woman by the name of Claire Delacroix. She went missing, I believe fifteen years ago. She had given birth to a child of unknown parentage, and the child was kidnapped. She was devastated, and she left and hasn't been heard of since." Griffin said. "She is my mother, and you are my father. She named me Avery Griffin Delacroix. I prefer to go by Griffin, and she had found me and we were living in a secluded forest most of the time, living off of the land when she grew ill six months ago. Due to the fact that she refused to be treated, she died, leaving me a note to tell me that you are my father. After three months of traveling, I came upon an ill Harry Potter. He had broken his leg and was unable to travel, and I healed him, He stayed with me, and we became great friends. He was convinced that his end was near, and willed all his belongings to me, believing that he would have died on the road had I not found him. He left my care, and I have been following him for the past month, but I lost track of him a week ago, and thought that he might be headed for Hogwarts." Griffin said.
"Very good story." Severus said. "I do see why Harry had to be dead for this to work."
"Well, do you agree to it?" Griffin asked.
"Of course." Severus replied. "I suggest that you don't reveal that you are my son just yet, because it would look rather suspicious."
Griffin nodded. "Dumbledore is approaching." He dissolved the shield, and asked Severus. "So is the Wolfsbane Potion terribly hard to brew?"
"It is rather complicated, but if you follow the directions carefully, you should be able to brew it properly." Severus said as Albus Dumbledore returned to the room. Albus looked at them, his shoulders drooping, and the twinkle in his eyes noticeably absent.
"Ah, Severus. I am glad that you are still here, and in prefect condition too." Albus said, smiling a little. "I must inform you that Harry Potter has passed away this evening. Could you please go and tell your Slytherins?" Albus asked.
Griffin bowed his head to hide his smile. It was working!
"Of course sir." Severus said softly. "I'll leave you to inform the other heads." Severus said before sweeping out of the room.
Albus nodded, and summoned Professor Sprout, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick. When the three heads were sitting in chairs in front of his desk, he sighed, and looked at the tree faces in turn.
Professor Flitwick, head of Ravenclaw house, short, his cheery face creased with wrinkles, and his pale blue eyes bright with some emotion. Professor McGonagall sitting tall and straight in her chair with her eyes fixed on the headmaster, her lips pinched into a thin line with worry for the headmaster. She could tell that something was wrong. Professor Sprout with a smudge of dirt on her face, she had been tending to her plants when she had called. Albus sighed.
"I regret to have to inform that Harry Potter has been found. He was portkeyed to the shore of the Lake where Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley found him. Miss granger sent Mr. Weasley for help, while she stayed with him. At the time she did not realize who it was. She began to tend to him. Harry was severely injured. It appears that he had been held captive and was whipped to the point of death. Miss Granger began to tend his wounds when he began to stir, and he wanted to the blood that had caked his eyes closed to be wiped off. Miss Granger obliged him, and he opened his eyes to reveal the exact set of eyes that Miss Granger did not want to see. Unfortunately Harry died before Poppy could get to him." Albus said, bowing his head. "We have lost a great wizard today." He finished.
The others sat there in shock. Minerva was the first to recover. "Harry Potter is dead?" She asked, her voice nearly breaking.
Albus nodded his head gravely.
"I—I must go and inform my students." She said, hurriedly getting up to go and do so. Once outside of the door, she fumbled in her robes for her handkerchief and pulled out a tartan square, and mopped her eyes with it. She began the trip to Gryffindor Tower dreading it every step of the way.
In the Dungeons
Severus had called all the Slytherins, and they had assembled in the common room. Severus took a quick head count, and realized that they were all there. He took a deep breath, and began. "Harry Potter has been found. Unfortunately he is dead. I ask that you have respect for his friends out of the fact that he is dead." Severus finished. "That will be all."
The Slytherins wait until Severus had left before suggesting having a party.
In Dumbledore's office.
Professor Flitwick sat still for a moment before getting up and leaving. "I must go and tell my Ravenclaws." He said before hurrying out the door.
Gryffindor Tower
Ron and Hermione were sitting right where Madam Pomfrey had left them. She had cleaned up Hermione and Ron considerably, but all she was capable of was staring into the fireplace. They looked up as Professor McGonagall came through the portrait hole, and she came over to them.
"Have you told anyone?" She whispered to them.
Hermione and Ron both shook their heads.
"I am terribly sorry." She said to them. Hermione nodded, and nestled against Ron and he put a protective arm around her.
Professor called all the Gryffindors down from their dorms until all of them were here. She took a quick head count, and they were missing one, but it took her a moment before she realized that it was Harry that they were missing.
"It is my sad duty to inform you that Harry Potter has been found. He was gravely injured, and did not survive. We are without one of our number, and he will not be forgotten. Please respect those who were close to Harry Potter. That is all I ask of you." Professor McGonagall said, and she turned to leave, but a voice stopped her.
"Professor?" Ginny Weasley asked, pushing her way through the crowd, using her elbows. "How was he killed?" She asked.
"He was whipped, and he was unable to survive." Minerva replied before ducking out of the portrait hole and using a nearby secret passage to go to a room that she had found in her own time at Hogwarts. When things weren't going very well, she would come here. She had eventually turned it into a very nice place to be, but she never visited it often. There was a pile of cushions in the corner, with a few blankets among them. It was here Minerva finally allowed herself to cry. Nestled among the cushions Minerva cried for Harry Potter, to die at so young an age, for her parents murdered by Voldemort, for the Longbottoms, stuck in St. Mungo's, for Remus, who had nobody left really, for the innocent muggles murdered by Death Eaters, for all the families affected by Voldemort.
The Ravenclaw Common Room
Professor Flitwick squared his shoulders before walking into the common room. He looked around, and most of them were either studying, or reading. He quickly counted, and realized that they were all there. That made things somewhat easier.
He cleared his throat, and they all looked up at him. "Harry Potter has been found." Flitwick started out and then stopped as eager whispers traveled throughout the common room. Perhaps he shouldn't have started out that way. "He was found by the shore of the lake mortally injured. It is believed that he was whipped." Flitwick paused before delivering the final blow. Unfortunately Miss Chang stopped that from happening.
"Professor, will he make it?" Cho asked, stepping to the front of the group.
Flitwick turned and went to the door. "He did not make it Miss Chang. By the time Madam Pomfrey got there he had already passed to the next realm." The small teacher ducked out to the hall and made for his rooms where he could find some comfort. Curse Voldemort! He had taken his wife and his family, leaving him all alone in the world. At least until he had found Hogwarts. Now Voldemort had taken the school's hope. Flitwick wondered what the school's fate would be. Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger must be devastated. Especially since he had died in front of Miss Granger.
Luna Lovegood left her house and made her way to the Gryffindor Common room; they would be needing her. It felt so nice to be needed. Although it hurt to have it come around this way. Harry had been nice to her. She would honor his memory for that. She reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, the portrait, recognizing her, opened up, and Luna nodded to it, and went it to find Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Neville sitting together looking into the fire.
The Hufflepuff Common Room.
Professor Sprout waited patiently for all of her students to assemble themselves in the common room. "It is my regret to inform you that Lord Voldemort has stolen another life from us. Harry Potter has died today. He was whipped, and portkeyed to Hogwarts. His friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley were the ones to find his body. He was so badly beaten that he was not recognizable. Miss Granger sent Mr. Weasley for help, and before he could return with Madam Pomfrey, Harry Potter passed on." Professor Sprout wiped a tear from her eyes, and left the common room to return to her green house to find some solace in the plants.
Dumbledore's Office
Dumbledore regarded the stranger who sat with Fawkes on his arm, and decided to speak.
"Griffin? Such an odd name." Dumbledore said trying to get more out of the stranger.
"'Tis my middle name, and where I hail from, 'tis not such and odd name. Although Dumbledore would be considered odd there." Griffin said, blinking back a few tears, wondering why he was crying. He hadn't died. It must have been because he was now unable to go back, he concluded.
"Where are you from?" Dumbledore.
"I know not where I was born, but my mother and I lived in a wood by ourselves. My mother recently died, and instructed me to come here." Griffin said.
"What was your mother's name?" Dumbledore asked, hoping to get the mysterious stranger to reveal more about his past.
"A witch by the name of Claire. Her family exiled her when she became pregnant with me." Griffin said.
Claire. The name was familiar, but he couldn't place where he had heard it before. "What a lovely name." Dumbledore commented.
"I always thought it was." Griffin replied. "I miss her dreadfully." It was true, her missed Lily dearly, but he knew that he would see her again. When Time allowed. "I am sorry that Harry Potter has died. It must be a great loss for the wizarding world."
Dumbledore sat up. "I must tell the press. They would have my head if I forgot to mention this to them. I shall have one of the house elves show you to a room." Dumbledore said, summoning an elf. Thankfully it was one that hadn't known Harry, so it didn't recognize him.
"Tindy, this is Griffin. Would you show him to a room? Thank you." Albus said, pulling a jar out of his desk.
Tindy nodded, and looked up at Griffin with wide green eyes.
"Hello Tindy. I'm Griffin and I would appreciate that you call me that. Do you understand?" Harry asked the elf.
Tindy nodded, and said, "If Griffin would follow Tindy, he can be shown his rooms. The castle has found a room for you and you are welcome to it." Tindy said.
Griffin grinned, and said, "Of course I'd love to see the room at least."
The elf brightened, and gripped Griffin's hand. "Come along then."
Griffin laughed and followed her.
Gryffindor Common Room.
Ginny Weasley was sitting off in the corner by herself when she realized that something had never happened. She had never told anyone, but she was an empath, and a Telepath, meaning she could sense emotions and talk mind to mind. The combination of the two had given her a unique ability. She was able to bond herself to people. For practice, in her third year, she had bound herself to the Four Champions. She had felt Cedric die. She hadn't felt Harry die. She smiled to herself, and felt through the bonds she had with her friends and family. They were getting quite confusing, and as she was getting more powerful, she had been catching thoughts from people.
She found the bond with Harry and found that it wasn't thin and stretched as it used to be, but it was thick. She smiled. It meant that Harry was near. It would make things easier for her. She slipped out of the common room. And began wandering the halls following the general direction the tie led in. Eventually she reached the a door that had a small gold plaque on it the said, 'Griffin'. Ginny frowned, and felt for the tie, and sure enough it led through the door. There was one more thing that she could do. She looked at the friendship bond circle and sure enough, Harry's initials had changed. They were now a G, A, and H entwined, and a P, S, D entwined for the second initial. Well, Might as well bother him. She delicately placed her pointer finger on the set of initials and thought to Harry.
'Hem Hem.' Ginny though, grinning when she felt him jump.
'Who is in my head.' Griffin asked.
'Have you been gone so long that you don't know my voice?' Ginny asked innocently.
'I am Griffin and I command you to reveal yourself.' Griffin said out loud, looking through his room. There was no way possible that anyone could get into his head, he had excellent defenses. If what was around his mind could be called a wall, its height could be comparable to the Cliffs of Insanity. (Princess Bride, c'mon people!)
'You don't have wards against the true bond of friendship and telepaths.' Ginny said bluntly.
'Wait. True bond of Friendship. Telepath...' Griffin trailed off thinking. 'Ginny?!' He asked.
'Who else?' She asked, smiling.
'What are you doing here?' Griffin asked.
'Finding out why you faked your own death.' Ginny said. 'I'm right outside of your room, may I come in?'
'Fine.' Griffin replied. 'Door's open. Come in.'
'You leave your door unlocked?' Gunny asked accusingly.
'I do not. I opened it for you.' Griffin replied.
'Harry James Potter! You were no where near that door!' Gunny shouted at him, and he cringed.
'Avery Griffin Delacroix-Snape.' Griffin said.
'What!?' Ginny asked surprised.
'I've killed Harry Potter, don't you see? I'm tired of being the bloody-boy who lived, and I recently found out that James isn't my father Severus is, you know this, I just made you forget it, because it would ruin everything, and you can't tell any body at all of my true identity. So eventually I'll come out as Severus' son, and then, things will be great.' Griffin said contentedly.
'Ah. What's with the last name?' Ginny asked.
'Er.. An old friend of Severus' who had a kid, kid and lady went missing. I am said kid. My fake mum's name is Claire Delacroix.' Griffin said.
'Okay. So what does Snape think of all of this?' Ginny asked, sitting down on the couch that was there.
'I think that he's okay with it. I'm going to talk to him about it soon, and I'll have the holidays to discuss it.' Griffin said.
'Sounds good.' Ginny replied. 'Where are you?' She asked
'Oh! I'm sorry, I'm lying on my bed. I'm used to Lemon Dropping people so I completely forgot that you were in the next room.' Harry said.
'Why don't you come out here?' Ginny asked.
'Okay.' Griffin replied. A few seconds later, the cloaked figure from dinner came out of a door she hadn't noticed before. "Hey Ginny." Griffin said.
"Harry?" Ginny blurted out.
"Griffin." Harry replied gritting his teeth.
"Sorry about that. But could you take the cloak off?" Ginny asked.
"I've been trying to. It's magically tied to me, a gift from the founders and it won't come off." Harry grunted, trying to tug the cloak off, but making no progress.
"Do you want me to try?" Ginny asked before what he'd said hit home. "The founders?!" She asked.
"Er, yeah. Apparently they live in the Citadel Of Time." Griffin said, hoping that she knew that legend.
"Really? So that's where you were. I kept getting glances of you. I couldn't figure out where you were. I saw you standing next to Professor Snape with a little girl who was weaving flowers into your hair. She girl had red hair, and brown eyes. She was so cute. Do you know who she is?"
"Yeah. That's be my half-sister, Rose. She's about four, and she loves to put flowers in people's hair. Did you notice that Severus' hair is less greasy?" Griffin asked.
Ginny thought for a bit. "Yeah. I wondered why."
"Rose accidentally made James' hair greasy." Griffin said, laughing, and the hood slipped off of his head.
Ginny gasped. "Ha—Griffin?" She asked sounding confused.
"Oh, I'm a metamorphmagi, and I've only really changed my eye color." Griffin said.
"Oh. Could I see you with your eyes the normal color?" Ginny asked.
Griffin nodded, and the deep blue of his eyes changed to an emerald green. Griffin pulled his braid out from under his cloak, and Ginny gasped. "It's so long."
"I know. I grew it out at the Citadel. I think I like it long. Besides, if I have to go under cover as a girl, it makes it easier."
Ginny laughed, and Griffin just raised his eyebrows. "I'm sorry!" She said in-between laughs. "It's just the idea of you pretending to be a girl is funny."
Griffin sighed. "Well if you don't mind, I'm going to fix my hair It's had a rather stressful day." Griffin said, trying to get Ginny to laugh harder.
It worked. Griffin shook his head and started unbraiding his hair, and then glared at Ginny.
She stopped laughing. An expression of worry graced her featured, and was soon duplicated by Harry he looked down at his hand and saw that Hermione and Ron's initials were glowing a green that looked a lot like the Killing Curse.
"Shit." Griffin said. "Where are they?" Griffin asked, rushing back to his room. A minute later he emerged wearing his cloak with a sword, and dagger at his side.
"I know where they are, but I don't know where that is." Ginny lamented.
"Grab my arm. I'm going to go into your mind, and use your information to transport us there." Griffin said.
"You can't apparate into and out of Hogwarts." Ginny said.
"I can. Grab on to me." Griffin snapped. Ginny did so, and Griffin entered Ginny's mind. They were at the graveyard, they had decided to crash a Death Eater meeting. "Salazar, Rowena, Godric, Helga, I call on you now. My friends are in danger and I must leave quickly. Help me!" The last two words were shouted, and Ginny could sense something different in the air. Something responded in her timidly, but she pushed that aside.
"Griffin." A woman's voice said.
"As you have asked." A man's voice continued.
"As we have sworn." Another woman's voice continued.
"We will deliver." A second man added.
"We shall help you!" The four said together, and Ginny felt herself being picked up by two sets of hands that seemed to cradle her. Either she had shrunk, or these were very large hands. Ginny realized that they were moving through the air, and looked down to see two women carrying her, and two men carrying Harry. The ground was going by so fast. The feeling was wonderful, once she got used to it. Ginny's grip loosened on Griffin, and Griffin clutched her all the tighter.
"Don't let go of me. They've come to help me and I don't know what they'll do with you if you let go." Griffin shouted to her.
Ginny nodded to show she understood. One of the women began talking in her ear. "Young Gryffindor, Godric has forged you a sword that will work for you until you can come and learn for yourself. Will you accept the gift of the sword, and the knowledge that will help you?" The woman asked.
"What are the consequences?" Ginny asked.
The other woman laughed. "Well, Rowena, Godric finally has an heir who is wise."
"Helga..." Rowena warned.
"You're the founders?" Ginny asked, her eyes wide.
"Yes we are, there'll be time for that later. The consequences is that the knowledge will only last for this one fight. After that you will have to learn it all over, and it will be frustrating, knowing that you have done it before but cannot manage it now."
Ginny thought it over for a moment. "I'll accept." She said.
"A wise choice Ginevra." A shining figure had appeared next to the women. "Had you not chosen it, your time would have soon come to an end. But you have once again flaunted death."
"Who are you?" Ginny asked warily.
"Time. I too, have joined into this fight for your friends lives, I have slowed the Time down where they are." Time said.
Griffin heard this comment. "Thank you Lady." He said bowing his head.
"How many times have I told you not to call me LADY? She asked, nearly shouting. "IT MAKES ME FEEL OLD!!!"
"Well you have been around for a millennia." Griffin replied.
"Remember the time difference? I can make that irrelevant. So unless you wish to age twelve years in an instant, shut up about my age!" Time retorted. Ginny realized that this must be a repeated argument.
"Both of you hush! We best mush!" Salazar said.
"What?" Ginny asked.
"Salazar likes rhymes." Griffin explained.
"I like dimes." Salazar retorted.
"Both of you. Stop. We're nearly there." Godric spoke up. Okay, we'll be all using swords, and curses in-between. Did you give Ginevra power to use her sword as a wand?" Godric asked.
"No, your heir already had enough power and more." Helga retorted.
"Okay then. Let's go!" Time said, leading the attack.
The Death Eaters were in a circle around Hermione and Ron who were tied to a tombstone. There was a cauldron with something bubbling in it, and Griffin felt a sense of deja vu and felt himself looking around for Cedric.
Time screamed her war cry that never failed to scare Griffin, but Griffin echoed her, and Ginny added in her screech, and the founders joined in. Now that their presence was known, they started attacking in full force. Voldemort had trained his Death Eaters in the art of sword play, but they were rusty. Voldemort found himself facing Salazar, and he called for Nagini, but Salazar just grinned.
'Oh my, aren't you a pretty snake?' He asked in parseltongue.
"Who are you. I am the only one who speaks the noble tongue of the snakes!" Voldemort cried out.
'I am Salazar Slytherin, and I do not acknowledge you as my heir!' Salazar hissed something indistinguishable in parseltongue, and Voldemort was hit by the spell, and Voldemort's red eye's widened when he realized what he had been hit with.
The battle paused as every one turned to Voldemort, and they watched as a steam rose off of him to spell out 'I SALAZAR SLYTHERIN DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE (A.K.A VOLDEMORT) AS MY HEIR!' Salazar laughed a little, before staring to duel with Voldemort using both swords and magic.
Griffin winced. That had to hurt. Oh well, Slytherin was having fun pissing Voldemort off, so he would let him. Griffin felt someone enter his aura and he turned, and instinctively attacked and stopped immediately when he saw it was Ginny, thankfully she had blocked it.
"Sorry. Instinct." Griffin said.
Ginny nodded, and replied, "Do you want to go in with me to get Ron and Hermione?"
Griffin looked towards the middle. "Sure. Try not to kill, but just injure them enough to keep them from escaping."
"Okay. Let's go." Ginny said. "Watch my back?" She asked.
"If you watch mine." Griffin replied.
"Of course." Ginny replied, grinning.
"I'd be honored." Griffin replied, keeping an eye on Ginny, Ron and Hermione, and the fight, was going to be hard, but he should be able to pull it off. But just in case, he sent a shield to cover Ron and Hermione. They looked at him gratefully, but Griffin didn't notice as he had just been attacked by a sword wielding Death Eater. Who was actually somewhat decent. Griffin sighed.
"It will be such a pity to kill you." Griffin said.
"And why would that be? I'm just Death Eater scum. Forced to join by my Dad." The Death Eater replied.
"I haven't had such an excellent opponent in years." Griffin said, it was a bit of a lie, as Godric would be able to beat him, But he was still an excellent swordsman.
"Neither have I." The Death Eater said.
"Such a pity." Griffin commented. "I'm Griffin by the way."
"I am Ferum." The Death Eater said.
"Interesting. I think your Dad had your career planned from an early age." Griffin said.
"I like my name. What would you say if I decided to switch sides?" Ferum asked.
"I'd say, I've just performed Legilimency on you and your intentions are honest. Would you mind taking a message to Dumbledore for me?" Griffin asked.
"Not at all." Ferum replied, still dueling with Griffin. "
Okay, tell him Weasley and Granger are in the graveyard in Little Hangleton, and there's a pretty good battle going on." Griffin asked.
"Okay. Is that all?" Ferum asked.
"Well you might want to tell him you just switched sides." Griffin added.
"Yes I suppose that'd be good." Ferum replied and then laughed. "I think we could quit dueling, although I'd love to fight you in a friendly fight."
"I agree." Griffin replied, and stopped dueling, and put a hand on the sword, and said. "Sword's a portkey you're going in three...two...one." And Ferum disappeared, greatly surprising one Albus Dumbledore who was planning Harry's memorial and funeral in his office. Also nearly impaling him with his sword, but he missed, so it doesn't matter. Much.
Griffin realized that Godric was glaring at him. Griffin grinned, and mouthed, 'He switched sides.' Godric nodded, and the mouthed back. "Not because he's a good swordsman?'
Griffin shrugged and began fighting his way towards Hermione and Ron. A Death Eater with a short dagger charged Griffin, and Griffin ran the man through for his trouble. He cringed, this was his first actual battle, so things were a bit stressful. He noticed that the mans blood was running off of his cloak like it was water, so that was a reassuring thing. He was rather attached to it, as it had many magical qualities.
He looked to his left, and Ginny was rather busy fighting a Death Eater who was more experienced than her, so she was slowly losing, she had a clean cut on her cheek, but that was all that Griffin could see.
'A little help here?' Ginny asked.
'Sorry!' Griffin snapped.
Griffin walked over, knocking a Death Eater on the head with his fist that had the weight of his sword in it, and did the same to the Death Eater who Ginny was fighting. Ginny grinned, and they looked around. There was a multitude of black lumps on the ground, and Salazar was still fencing with Voldemort. "Wanna go and bother Moldy-Voldy?" Griffin asked.
Ginny looked appraising at the situation. "Of course my knight in shining armor." Ginny said playfully, extending her hand. Griffin took the cue, and brushed his lips against the back of her hand. Ron seeing what was happening, tried to charge through the barrier, but only succeeded in knocking himself onto his arse.
"Let's go then." Griffin said, walking casually over to Salazar. "Hello my dear friend, mind if my Lady and I join in?"
"No not at all." Salazar replied, lazily blocking Voldemort's curse that was accompanied by a deadly green jet of light. "I think that odds of three against one are just lovely, don't you Tom?"
"Curse you Salazar!" Voldemort replied, sending a nasty yellow blot at Ginny.
Griffin blocked it with his sword, and felt the magic stored in his sword get a little stronger. Griffin stepped forward and began attacking, oblivious to members of the Order appearing. Salazar, having caught his breath, looked over to Ginevra. "My dear, would you like a few temporary sword tricks?"
"Why not?" Ginny asked.
"Okay then." Salazar tapped Ginny gently on the head with his sword and grinned at her. She matched it with one of her own, and her and Salazar began attacking in earnest with Griffin. Arthur Weasley stood petrified at the sight of his precious daughter dueling Voldemort with a sword, along with two strange men. He then looked around and saw that there were three women who he had never seen before dueling a group of Death Eaters using magic and swords. One of them suddenly grinned evilly, and sheathed her sword. The Death Eater she was fighting stopped, and the charged her. The woman who almost seemed to glow snapped her fingers and a staff appeared out of thin air and dropped into her outstretched hand. She swung it at him and clipped him below his left ear. She grinned once more and said, "Your time is up." As she brought the staff down sharply on his head. He swayed once, then dropped like a sack of potatoes.
Another Death Eater took advantage, thinking that she wasn't on guard. As soon as he was in reach, she whirled, bringing the staff down low, he couldn't stop quickly enough and ended up getting hit hard in-between the legs and flying over her head.
Arthur cringed, and was very glad that hadn't been him. There was a high pitched scream, and Arthur turned back to the duel between Voldemort, and his daughter, and her friends. Ginny was smirking at him, a slash across Voldemort's cheek, and him glaring at Ginny.
"What? Upset that a little girl could get a hit on you?" Ginny asked, loud enough for the sound to carry over to Arthur.
Voldemort lunged at Ginny, but ran into Griffin and Salazar's swords.
Salazar felt him getting ready to leave, but waved his hand quickly and the words from before reappeared above his head, and Voldemort felt apparated away.
"Pay up Griffin. I got first hit." Ginny said, extending her hand to Griffin. He grumbled something about how she had learned it the easy way. "You still owe me."
Griffin glared at her, but then smiled, and pulled out a money bag, and dropped ten galleons into Ginny's outstretched hand one by one.
"GINEVRA WEASLEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING!! GOING AGAINST HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED LIKE THAT??" Arthur Weasley shouted at his daughter, walking at her with murder written on his features.
"Simple. I was er... given the knowledge by a friend, and I put it to use." Ginny said.
Salazar tapped her on the shoulder. "And you owe me two galleons." He held his hand out. Ginny grumbled about it. "I'll have you know that you used my trick to get the first hit in. You agreed. So pay up."
Ginny grinned and pulled out two galleons, and dropped them into his hands.
"A kiss my fair Lady?" Salazar asked.
"AHEM." Griffin said loudly. "She's mine."
"I am?" Ginny asked sounding puzzled, although she wasn't. She was playing with their minds.
"You said, and I quote, 'Of course my knight in shining armor' when I asked you if you wanted to go and fight Moldy-Voldy." Griffin said smugly.
"Fine." Ginny said. "Not to mention that you said, to Salazar, 'Hello my dear friend, mind if my Lady and I join in?'" Ginny finished smugly.
"True. But you started it." Griffin replied.
"And I'll finish it." Ginny said. "I'll be your Lady. Now you can't call her—" Ginny said, jerking her thumb in the general direction of Time. "My Lady any more, 'cuz that's me." She said grinning.
Time grinned at this. "Thank you very much Ginevra, if he slips up, I'll be sure to send him to you for punishment."
"Why thank you." Ginny said.
"You're welcome. He can be a pain, but that's out Griffin." Time said.
Ginny raised and eyebrow. "Our Griffin?"
"Yes, our Griffin, because he will end up in my Citadel, so you're mine too." Time finished grinning.
"Why, thank you." Ginny said, curtseying towards Time.
"And that is the end of that. I get curtsied to and My lady'd enough at home, and I'll not have it here." Time said, glaring at Ginny.
"Of course." Ginny said, and muttered "My Lady." under her breath.
"Stop it." Time said.
"Fine." Ginny replied, and then looked at the others who had arrived.
Time caught on and gasped. "Oh, I've been so rude. Let me introduce my friends." She beckoned to them, and the came.
"She beckons and we come like little puppy dogs to our master." Griffin muttered.
Time heard this and patted Griffin on the head. "Of course. Now, this young darling is Griffin, who is known only as Griffin, and his lady is Ginevra, you two make such a cute little couple," she said, moving them closer to each other. "With me are the Four founders, Godric Gryffindor, excellent swordsman, Rowena Ravenclaw, also very good with swords, but prefers to use a staff, Helga Hufflepuff, doesn't like to get involved, but is she has to is very proficient with a sword, and the Salazar Slytherin, also an excellent swordsman, Only person who has ever beaten Godric." Time finished, but Griffin coughed.
"Oh yes, Griffin did beat Godric once, but Godric claims that he tripped." Time added.
"Because I did trip!" Godric said.
"I won fair and square!" Griffin replied.
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Not!"
"Too!"
"How long will they go on for?" Ginny asked.
"Forever." Time replied.
"I can get 'em to shut up." Ginny said.
"I'll bet five galleons that you can't." Time replied, knowing that she was going to lose.
"Watch me." Ginny aid, and then walked up to Griffin and kissed him right smack on the lips. It shall be noted that not only did Griffin stop arguing, but he also stopped breathing for a full five seconds. And remained in a sort of daze for the next minute and a half.
Ginny grinned and walked over to Time who was pulling out five galleons. She got the galleons, but as she was turning caught sight of her brother who was miming killing Griffin. At least that's what it looked like.
"OhshitweforgotRon!" She exclaimed, and Dumbledore turned to her.
"Where are they?" He asked looking around wildly.
"Er, they're in a bubble sort of thing Griffin made to keep them safe. That's why we're here." Ginny explained.
"Oh! I see. That's a very had spell to perform. And you say that Griffin did that?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yeah I did. Do you want them out?" He asked.
"That would be nice. I need to go and strangle Ron." Ginny muttered.
"Can't have you choking your own brother now, can we?" Time said, and took the shield down herself, but before she did that she went over to be close to it. As soon as it was down she began laying into Ron.
"RONALD WEALSELY, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!! DID YOU EVER STOP TO THINK THAT THEY COULD KILL YOU?! DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH? DO YOU WANT TO END UP LIKE HARRY!? HOW WOULD THAT MAKE YOUR MOTHER FEEL?! HARRY WAS LIKE A SON TO HER. LOSING TWO SONS IN THE SAME DAY?! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING. I SWEAR IF YOU WEREN'T IMPORTANT TO THIS TIME PERIOND I WOULD TAKE YOU AND DUMP YOU IN A DIFFERENT TIME PERIOND!! HOW'D YOU LIKE THAT??? AND TAKING HERMIONE WITH YOU! I KNOW THAT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO GO! DO YOU NOT REMEMBER THE DEATH EATER ATTACK ON HER HOUSE THIS SUMMER? SHE ESCAPED WITH HER LIFE THAT TIME!!! HOW WOULD THEY FEEL KNOWING THAT YOU HAD LEAD THEIR ONLY CHILD TO HER DEATH!?!! YOU WOULD HAVE DIED TONIGHT HAD I NOT PLEADED WITH A HIGHER DIETY FOR YOUR LIVES BECAUSE YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE!!! YOU ARE NOT INVINCIBLE!! IT IS NOT YOUR JOB TO GO AND GET YOURSELVES CAPTURED BY DEATH EATERS!!!" Time stopped yelling only because Griffin, Godric, Salazar, Rowena, and Helga had all hit her with silencing charms.
She could still talk through them too. "Take them off of me. Right now."
"If you sill quit yelling at him." Godric said.
"I think he's wet himself." Salazar pointed out.
"Fine." Time said, and they took the charms off of her, and she bodily picked Ron up and handed him to Arthur. "He's yours." She snapped, and gathered the four founders, Griffin, and Ginny, and they faded from sight, and they reappeared in Griffin's chambers.
"Did you have to yell at him like that?" Ginny asked.
"No, but if I hadn't there's the slightest chance that Voldemort could have won." Time said.
Ginny's eyes widened. "Why?"
"Because he would have gone off next week because he had overheard Slytherins talking about an attack, and he would have gotten himself killed. Instead he will tell Dumbledore and he will live, and so will most of the muggles." Time said tiredly.
"Oh." Ginny said softly. "Slytherin? Did he really wet himself?" Ginny asked.
"No." Salazar replied. "You are heir to Gryffindor you know, you can call me Salazar."
"Thank you. How do you know that I am heir to Gryffindor?" Ginny asked.
"I confirmed it." Godric said from where he was floating up in the air. "Actually I choose you, I had a rather nice selection." Godric said.
"I suppose so. Why are you floating?" Ginny asked.
"Makes my back hurt less, and I have enough power to do it." Godric said.
"He's showing off." Helga said, doing some needlepoint that she had brought along.
"Okay." Ginny replied, leaning against Griffin, she realized that she felt at home here. She smiled and shut her eyes.
"What's she smiling about?" Salazar asked.
"She realized that she belongs with us." Griffin said proudly.
"That is excellent." Rowena said.
"Yes, did you guys have fun?" Griffin asked.
"I haven't fought like that in ages." Godric said.
"Neither have I, I'll be hurting in the morning." Rowena said.
"I'm already sore." Helga commented.
"I think I pulled a muscle." Salazar added.
"I've been looking forward to that fight for ages." Time muttered. "It was ever so fun."
The other chuckled, and Griffin decided that it wouldn't hurt much to close his eyes.
A/N: This is very important, so I suggest that you read it. Well, I got a headache on Saturday, and it's now Tuesday, and I still have the heaadache. Occasionally this happens, and I am going to have to quit posting new chapters to this story for a while, at least until my headaches go away. IF I am on the computer past my limits, my head hurts very much, and yesterday I was working on this, I finished it, but my head hurt so badly I couyld barely make it to my room, and I've taken 3 ibuprofen to no avail, so I'm going to have to quit. Here's the address to my xanga, if there's a chance that i'll be posting it will be there first.
www. xanga . com / home . aspx ? user emikae
I'm teribbly sorry that i can't do shout-outs, but all of your reviews were very welcome, and i will try to get the next chapter up as soon as i can, whih right now appears to be mid-November. If the headaches haven't stopped by halloween, i'll be going to the doctors, so next chapter will be up before christmas, i can promise that. I'm sorry for doing this to you guys, i don't want to , but it appears that i have to. please don't be too mad or anything.
-emikae