IMPORTANT: I'M GOING ON HOLIDAY TO ITALY FOR TWO WEEKS SO I WON'T BE ABLE TO UPDATE AS QUICKLY AS I USUALLY DO! SORRY!
Chapter Nineteen:
"Something's happening," Moody growled. "Something bad is happening and I don't like it."
Kingsley sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, studying the notes on the parchment with a fierce intensity.
"It doesn't make sense!" Tonks said suddenly, slamming down her fist. "Voldemort was gaining power… and followers, but suddenly everything just… blows up in our faces! I've never seen any one with as much power as Shadow and Nightmare… so why don't they just go and kill Voldemort right off? They seem to work for the light."
"We can't be sure they work for the light," said McGonagall gravely, "But if they do… then there is another force, with equal or more power then themselves working against them. Voldemort has a distinct advantage, though. This ring that he has obtained, I have looked into it. I've never seen anything like it…"
McGonagall paused here, as if afraid to speak her next words.
"We were wrong. We feared that ring would double Voldemort's powers. It's worse. The ring… I-it can create an army of the dead."
"Dead?! Dead?! As in… actually dead?"
"Yes! Dead!" snapped McGonagall. "They come back emotionless. As warriors. As an army."
Kingsley slowly raised his head.
"That's not all we have to worry about," he whispered. "A man… Mysterious deaths of wizards and muggles alike have been traced back to one man… He is believed to work for Voldemort. He is nicknamed The Hammer."
"Any idea why he's nicknamed after a muggle tool?"
Kingsley gave Severus a wry smile.
"He has a… unique way of murdering his victims," said Kingsley darkly. "He… erm… smashes their faces in with a hammer."
Tonks blanched.
"Oh… not nice."
"Now, our biggest problem, is that we can't find any connections between the deaths. If they were all related or working at the ministry, it would be much easier to predict his next moves. But we don't know how the deaths a linked, so it's a hell lot harder."
"Wait! Does it say where The Hammer was last seen?" said Lupin quickly.
Kingsley frowned at him, and then checked the parchment.
"Yes. Erm… Goult, a little village in the South of France."
"Wait a second isn't that where-"
"Where the Death Eaters last attacked. Exactly," said Lupin, nodding. "Which means, Voldemort hasn't recruited The Hammer yet. Key word, yet."
"So, you're saying that we should recruit The Hammer before Voldemort does?"
Lupin shook his head. "I'm saying we shouldn't let Voldemort get The Hammer. And it was a close call, if Shadow and Nightmare hadn't turned up, Voldemort would probably have another blood thirsty Death Eater in his ranks."
Pull back. Rosie whispered in Harry's head.
Harry nodded slightly, and teleported back to the empty Gryffindor Common Room with Rosie.
"That ring…" said Rosie slowly, "It… it rings a bell but I just can't place it…"
She started to pace back and forth.
"An army of the dead. I've heard of it somewhere… I know I have… SORA!"
Harry suppressed a jump as a tall man with purple eyes and silver hair appeared in the room.
"You called?"
"Yes. A ring. Creates an army of the dead. Silver. Ring any bells?"
Sora frowned for a moment.
"Yes… It has been kept in the Underworld ever since The Devil created it. Why?"
Rosie bit her lip. "The Underworld? But… that doesn't make sense! How would Voldemort-"
"Voldemort?" said Sora sharply.
Rosie nodded. "He's got it. He hasn't used it yet… But how did he get it?"
Slowly, Sora turned to Harry. Sora placed his hands on either side of Harry face.
"Relax, child. I won't hurt you…"
His eyes glowed a brilliant purple, and Harry felt his memories surface. As soon as one memory popped up, another replaced it. It was a continuous cycle of thoughts, ideas, and memories, all mixed into one chaotic dream. It was almost like tuning a radio - you know that you're searching for something particular, and each station passes too fast for you to understand it.
Eventually one thought overcame all others, as if Harry's mind had finally found the right station.
Harry was horrified to find himself back at the Graveyard. He struggled to bring up his defenses, but Sora just gently forced them back down.
Just as Wormtail took Harry's blood, Sora stopped the advance, and it ended just as quickly as it had started.
Sora gently lowered him into a chair as Harry's knees buckled.
"Voldemort took Harry's blood," Sora whispered. "It gave Voldemort the random power to enter the Underworld. Voldemort obviously claimed the ring."
Sora gave Harry a grim look.
"He hasn't used it yet because he can't. He hasn't got enough power yet. But it's only a matter of time."
Sora inclined his head at Rosie.
"You should get to bed. It's been a long night. You know, with turning Lockhart into a girl and everything."
Sora smiled at Rosie.
"Good night."
And he was gone.
"When Sora entered your mind it took a lot out of you," Rosie whispered. "You should head back to Professor Snape's rooms. I'll tell your father that you just had a headache."
As the pair disappeared, neither noticed a lone bushy haired figure watching the scene with mounting shock.
"His father?"
.
That night Harry had a restless sleep. Nightmares plagued with Cedric and Sirius roamed his mind, taunting him… hurting him…
"Harry!"
Harry sat bolt upright, breathing heavily.
"Jesus, you're shaking," whispered Severus. "What's wrong, angel?"
Harry wrapped his arms around his torso and brought his knees up to his chest. He swallowed the sob that threatened to burst from his chest.
Slowly, Harry leveled his emotions and arranged his face into an emotionless mask.
Harry shook his head and gave his father a false smile.
"Nothing. Just a bad dream."
Severus gave Harry a sad look.
"You shouldn't bury you're emotions like that-"
"I'm not burying my emotions!"
Severus sighed.
There was an uncomfortable silence.
"It's just…" The thought of The Hammer and the ring popped into Harry's mind once again. "I never wanted this war."
Severus sighed again.
"None of us did."
Harry once again started shaking as his mask slipped away.
"I don't want to lose you, dad."
Harry suddenly reached out and gripped Severus' hand, as if he might disappear if Harry didn't hold onto him.
Sev gathered Harry into a gentle hug.
"I'm not going anywhere, little angel," said Severus soothingly. "I'm not going anywhere."
.
The next morning, Harry's grief was forgotten.
"It's sunny!" Fred cried happily. "No more rain! Woo!"
The grounds were beautiful. The lake seemed to stretch on for miles as it sparkled in the light… and Harry had never felt more energetic.
Rosie grinned at him, sensing his mood.
"Guess it's pretty reassuring to have a giant fireball looming over head when you're a fire elemental, huh?"
Harry returned the grin and nodded, stretching out on the ground.
The only one who didn't seem to share the bright mood was Hermione. Something seemed to be troubling her, but when anyone asked her what was wrong, she just said she was 'fine'.
When Rosie suggested reading her mind to find out what was wrong, Harry blatantly refused.
"She's my friend," he'd said. "I'm not going to go and invade her privacy like that. She'll tell us what's wrong when she's ready."
But Hermione didn't say a word. And she didn't seem to be any closer to telling them then she was at first.
"Harry… I-I want to talk to you…"
Hermione led him into an empty classroom and put a silencing charm on the door.
"H-Harry… I know."
Harry, unfazed, blinked.
"Erm… know what, exactly?"
Hermione gave him a slightly frightened look, as if afraid he might attack her.
"About you… and Snape."
Harry gripped the back of the chair so hard some of the wood was crushed under his fingers.
"What about me and Snape?"
Hermione sighed and gave him a pleading look.
"I know that he's your father."
Harry blanched.
"No he's not!"
"Harry, I know! I heard you and Rosie talking last night – it was an accident! And… I'm sorry…"
Harry shook his head.
"Have you told anyone else?"
Hermione shook her head.
Harry sighed.
"Okay… Thanks for telling me. But… can you keep this secret? For now? I'm just… a little worried about Ron's reaction."
Hermione smiled genuinely and hugged him.
As they left the room, Ron spotted Hermione's now cheerful look.
"What did you talk about?" asked Ron quickly.
"Oh, nothing much," said Hermione, grinning. "Bit of this, bit of that. Nothing important."
And a much more cheerful Hermione walked off, leaving a rather baffled Ron in her wake.
AN: Done! Please Review!
Aalikane: Thanks!
Alana: There will be Harry/Rosie romance eventually, yes. It usually takes me one week to update, two at the most. I won't be able to update for about three weeks, though. I'M GOING TO ITALY!!!
Volleypickle16: Cheers!
Xessive: Yeah, I've kinda toyed with the idea that Lily will be Harry's familiar, now I'm pretty certain that she will be.
Lady Lily3: School will start in chapter 21 (Two chapters from now). Thanks for the review!
DarkLights: Thanks!
ESP: A Severitus Challenge is when Snape is Harry's biological father.
Athenakitty:
Why is Tonks going out with Lockhart? Because she THOUGHT she liked him.
They really don't like Lockhart? Nope.
Will Severus get the potion from Fred and George and tweak it a bit? Nah.
Will Lockhart get more of the pranks? Maybe Later.
Theauthorthatwrites2: Wow! 8/10! I'm so pleased! ! Yeah, I know it was a little unbelievable that Harry automatically trusted her (you do mean Rosie, right?) but… it's hard to explain. Because they were sort of linked, it was just an instinctive feeling. Also, you'll find out something else about Rosie that may have helped her with Harry. . You'll just have to wait and see!
Heala: Thanks!
Mjk306: Cheers!
Mokona-chan: I don't want Harry and Rosie to have too much power. I'm bringing in some more characters with powers like them to make it seem a little more believable. Thanks!
Alaranth-88: Thanks!
SmellyCat-190: I'm flattered that you're flattered that I'm flattered that you're flattered that I'm flattered that you're flattered! Heh. Do you think were ever going to get tired of this?
…
Nope! Anyway, thanks a lot for the review! And here's more of Sora for you.
Jeangab057: Thanks!
Alainea04: I'm so glad you like it!
Wolflady: Cheers!
KloverP: Thanks!
BlackHuntress: Glad you like Harry's powers. Lockhart is gone for now. And you WILL get to know Sora. Thanks!
Dan-rad: Hermione found out! Thanks for the review!
Lady34: Glad you like it!
Mdemanatee: Harry and Rosie are gonna hook up eventually. I like the inner demon, too. The completely good-and-light-and-pure Harrys are starting to get on my nerves. Glad you like the prank! Oh, and don't worry, I LOVE long reviews! Glad you think naming the tiger Lily was a good idea. Thanks!