DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but a week-old TV Guide and some paper clips. Harry Potter and his world are the intellectual property of J. K. Rowling.
Harry Potter and The Lost Library
Prologue: The Battle for Hogwarts
Lord Voldemort didn't attack in the deep recesses of the night as many had expected. The Death Eaters and Dementors slithered out of the Forbidden Forest just as students were settling into their afternoon classes. He had no doubt chosen this time to attack because Professor Dumbledore was often away on Order of the Phoenix business.
Hagrid came running to the aid of his third year Care of Magical Creatures class, but his thick giant skin hadn't been enough to save him. Those students that surrendered their wands were bound and led away into the forest. Those that attempted to fight or flee to the castle were struck down.
The second year Herbology class was also decimated before the first wave of resistance came pouring from the castle. The teachers, led by Professor McGonagall, met the onslaught. Behind them came the willing upper classmen from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. To the surprise of no one, the Slytherins had opted to remain hidden away in their dungeon, waiting to see which way the battle turned. Soon curses and counter curses were crisscrossing the air, creating a web of multicolored light streams. Cries of agony mixed freely with shouts of triumph. The battle lines surged back and forth like waves on the beach.
Even with the teachers, the Hogwarts students were no match for the combination of Death Eaters and Dementors. Steadily they were being forced back towards the castle. It looked as though the battle was going to be very short indeed when the first reinforcements came from nearby Hogsmeade. Fred and George led the other Hogsmeade merchants into battle. They were not trained Aurors, but at least they were full-fledged witches and wizards. Now, fighting was raging on two fronts.
Harry Potter was in the thick of battle surrounded by a close nit circle of his dearest friends. Unbeknownst to him, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Ginny had sworn an oath to stay tight to his side no matter how the battle turned. They worked like a well-oiled machine, expertly deflecting curses and hurling incapacitating ones of their own.
"This isn't right," Hermione uttered before turning to send her Patronus at a group of Dementors that were closing in on a group of Hufflepuffs. "Why is he focusing all his strength on a frontal assault?"
"A DIVERSION!" Ginny and Ron yelled together.
"We need to get back to the castle," Harry shouted. He hurled a jinx that sent three Death Eaters into the waiting embrace of the Whomping Willow.
"We can't leave," Neville cried, "There's too many of them."
Perhaps it was fate or maybe an answer to a prayer, but at that moment a horn sounded in the distance. Centaurs came pouring out of the forbidden forest armed with spears and bows. Almost simultaneously, an army of Aurors appeared on the road that led to Hogsmeade. Much to Harry's relief, he saw a wizard with a long white beard leading them. Dumbledore had arrived.
"Now," Harry shouted.
With determined nods, the five turned their back on the battle. The trek back into the castle was not without resistance. A group of Death Eaters and Dementors had tried to surround their opposition. They now blocked the group's progress. Tripping over their fallen classmates, Harry and the others managed to break through the dark line and dashed towards the entrance.
As Hermione sealed the door behind them, Ginny cried, "Where's Neville?"
"He must have gotten separated from us," Harry said quietly.
"Oh no!" Hermione and Ginny sobbed. Ron looked stricken.
"He can take care of himself," Harry said determinedly, but the whiteness of his face belied his fear. As they would find out much later, their fear was not unfounded. No friendly eye had witnessed Neville Longbottom's last stand. No friendly wands were there to send a Patronus at the Dementor that gave him a worse than fatal kiss.
Compared to the loud roar of the battlefield, the interior of the castle was eerily quiet. "Where are they?" Ron asked.
Harry pulled out a well-worn piece of paper from his pocket. Touching it lightly with his wand, he said, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Harry quickly scanned the Marauder's Map. The front lawn where they had just come from was a quivering jumble. There were so many tiny dots moving about that it was impossible to make out any names. Equally intense activity was occurring on the third floor where lines of dots corresponding to the younger students were fleeing through the secret tunnel to Hogsmeade.
Harry soon found what he wanted. Standing in the second floor corridor was a circle of dots labeled: Tom Riddle, Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, Antonin Dolohov, and Walden Macnair. Harry wiped the map clean and shoved it back into his pocket. He looked resolutely at the stair well. "They're outside Moaning Myrtle's bathroom."
"The Chamber of Secrets!" Ginny squeaked. Her face was so white it was almost translucent.
"I doubt it," Hermione said while putting a comforting arm around Ginny. "There's nothing down there anymore. He must be after something else."
With a great inhale of breath, Ginny straightened and clutched her wand determinedly. She gave a confident nod to Harry, Hermione and Ron followed suit. It was their final promise: it was the last time to screw up their courage before facing Lord Voldemort and his most faithful followers.
"Let's go," Harry said. He took the stairs two at a time as he raced towards the second floor.
When they reached the landing, Harry motioned for the others to be silent. Slowly and anxiously, they crept down the deserted corridors towards the girl's bathroom. As they neared the final corner, voices reached their ears.
"The battle is turning ill, My Lord." Harry immediately recognized the somewhat panicked drawl of Lucius Malfoy. "We must hurry."
"Patients, Malfoy," the high, cold, and sickeningly familiar voice of Lord Voldemort hissed. "What we seek is well hidden, even from my eyes."
Harry saw the horror and panic in his companions' faces. Despite all their bravery, none of his friends had ever come face to face with Lord Voldemort. His expression became as grim as stone. "Leave him to me," Harry hissed.
Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione sprung around the corner with their bodies tense and their wands up.
"MASTER," shrieked Bellatrix, "The boy is here."
"STOP HIM," shouted Voldemort before he disappeared into Myrtle's bathroom.
The four Death Eaters turned and advanced on the students. Hermione fired the first jinx, which sent Macnair hurtling backwards. Ron sent a curse flying at Malfoy with a satisfied smirk on his face. Ginny faced off with Dolohov, leaving Bellatrix Lestrange to Harry.
Three years of constant loss, fear, and struggle had changed Harry Potter. Hatred for Bellatrix had stamped out any thought of mercy. She must have sensed this, because her mocking expression changed to a fearful one. Harry didn't hesitate. "AVEDA KEDAVRA!" He yelled. Bellatrix collapsed like a marionette whose strings had been cut. Justice was finally served for Sirius Black.
Turning his attention back to the ongoing struggle, Harry saw that Hermione had successfully stopped Macnair using a modified Petrificus spell of her own design. A rather ugly stone statue of Macnair now graced the corridor. Harry turned his attention to the others. Ginny had unleashed one of her Bat Bogey hexes on Dolohov, and he was whimpering in pain as she performed an especially tight binding spell. Only Ron seemed to be having a tough time of it.
The mutual loathing between Lucius and Ron had turned their struggle into a duel with each blocking and attacking in turn. Malfoy was so intent on killing at least one Weasley he failed to notice he was now outnumbered four to one. Hermione shot a Stupefy curse at Malfoy that he dodged through sheer luck. His eyes widened as the four advanced on him.
To Harry, what happened next seemed to be in slow motion. With an evil light in his eye, Malfoy suddenly turned towards Ginny, the one he perceived to be the least threat. "Something to remember me by Weasley," he sneered. Then his lips began to move in the words of the killing curse, and a green streak of light shot through the air. Hermione, who had immediately realized what was happening, sent a stream of blue light towards Ginny. At the same time, Dumbledore burst into the hallway leading a small bad of Aurors. He also sent a stream of yellow light in Ginny's direction. The three spells collided with Ginny simultaneously and she vanished.
"Ginny!" Ron screamed. Forgetting Malfoy completely, he raced to the place where his sister had been standing moments before. He grabbed hopelessly at the air.
Dumbledore and the Aurors rushed forward and secured Lucius Malfoy, who was laughing madly by this time.
"Ginny, where are you?" Ron continued to desperately shout. He staggered around wildly calling for his sister. He grabbed a white-faced Hermione and shook her. "What happened? Where is she?"
"She's gone," Hermione said, her voice shaking badly. Her wide eyes filled with fat tears. "She's gone."
Ron froze with a twisted expression on his face. "No," he whimpered, "It can't be." Then Ron released a cry so filled with pain and despair that it would haunt those that had witnessed it. He collapsed sobbing to the floor. No longer able to support her own weight, Hermione sat down hard next to him. Still shaking like a leaf, she wrapped herself around Ron to comfort both herself and him.
Harry felt like he had been stabbed in gut with a hot poker. It was like losing Sirius all over again, only worse. Anger, like bile, rose in his throat. He would kill Lucius Malfoy. He would...
"Harry." The strangely calm voice of Dumbledore interrupted his rage. "Where is Lord Voldemort?"
Harry looked at the wizard as if he had grown another head.
"Where is Voldemort?" Dumbledore repeated, this time more urgently.
Harry suddenly remembered himself. The battle might be won, but the war was not over. "He's gone to the Chamber of Secrets."
"Hurry," Dumbledore ordered, "You must follow him. This may be our only chance. He may never be this vulnerable again." Seeing Harry's hesitation, he added, "I will take care of things out here."
Harry shot one last glance at the tangled mess that was Ron and Hermione before dashing into the girl's bathroom.
In the noise and commotion, Moaning Myrtle had taken refuge in her U-bend. Harry was left alone as he approached the sink. "Open up," he whispered. The words left his tongue in a series of hisses. Just as before, the tap glowed with a brilliant white light and began to spin. As Harry peered determinedly into the large exposed pipe, he thought, "Strange. It began in the Chamber of Secrets. It will end there too." He lowered himself slowly into the pipe and let go.
Harry Potter and The Lost Library
Prologue: The Battle for Hogwarts
Lord Voldemort didn't attack in the deep recesses of the night as many had expected. The Death Eaters and Dementors slithered out of the Forbidden Forest just as students were settling into their afternoon classes. He had no doubt chosen this time to attack because Professor Dumbledore was often away on Order of the Phoenix business.
Hagrid came running to the aid of his third year Care of Magical Creatures class, but his thick giant skin hadn't been enough to save him. Those students that surrendered their wands were bound and led away into the forest. Those that attempted to fight or flee to the castle were struck down.
The second year Herbology class was also decimated before the first wave of resistance came pouring from the castle. The teachers, led by Professor McGonagall, met the onslaught. Behind them came the willing upper classmen from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. To the surprise of no one, the Slytherins had opted to remain hidden away in their dungeon, waiting to see which way the battle turned. Soon curses and counter curses were crisscrossing the air, creating a web of multicolored light streams. Cries of agony mixed freely with shouts of triumph. The battle lines surged back and forth like waves on the beach.
Even with the teachers, the Hogwarts students were no match for the combination of Death Eaters and Dementors. Steadily they were being forced back towards the castle. It looked as though the battle was going to be very short indeed when the first reinforcements came from nearby Hogsmeade. Fred and George led the other Hogsmeade merchants into battle. They were not trained Aurors, but at least they were full-fledged witches and wizards. Now, fighting was raging on two fronts.
Harry Potter was in the thick of battle surrounded by a close nit circle of his dearest friends. Unbeknownst to him, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Ginny had sworn an oath to stay tight to his side no matter how the battle turned. They worked like a well-oiled machine, expertly deflecting curses and hurling incapacitating ones of their own.
"This isn't right," Hermione uttered before turning to send her Patronus at a group of Dementors that were closing in on a group of Hufflepuffs. "Why is he focusing all his strength on a frontal assault?"
"A DIVERSION!" Ginny and Ron yelled together.
"We need to get back to the castle," Harry shouted. He hurled a jinx that sent three Death Eaters into the waiting embrace of the Whomping Willow.
"We can't leave," Neville cried, "There's too many of them."
Perhaps it was fate or maybe an answer to a prayer, but at that moment a horn sounded in the distance. Centaurs came pouring out of the forbidden forest armed with spears and bows. Almost simultaneously, an army of Aurors appeared on the road that led to Hogsmeade. Much to Harry's relief, he saw a wizard with a long white beard leading them. Dumbledore had arrived.
"Now," Harry shouted.
With determined nods, the five turned their back on the battle. The trek back into the castle was not without resistance. A group of Death Eaters and Dementors had tried to surround their opposition. They now blocked the group's progress. Tripping over their fallen classmates, Harry and the others managed to break through the dark line and dashed towards the entrance.
As Hermione sealed the door behind them, Ginny cried, "Where's Neville?"
"He must have gotten separated from us," Harry said quietly.
"Oh no!" Hermione and Ginny sobbed. Ron looked stricken.
"He can take care of himself," Harry said determinedly, but the whiteness of his face belied his fear. As they would find out much later, their fear was not unfounded. No friendly eye had witnessed Neville Longbottom's last stand. No friendly wands were there to send a Patronus at the Dementor that gave him a worse than fatal kiss.
Compared to the loud roar of the battlefield, the interior of the castle was eerily quiet. "Where are they?" Ron asked.
Harry pulled out a well-worn piece of paper from his pocket. Touching it lightly with his wand, he said, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Harry quickly scanned the Marauder's Map. The front lawn where they had just come from was a quivering jumble. There were so many tiny dots moving about that it was impossible to make out any names. Equally intense activity was occurring on the third floor where lines of dots corresponding to the younger students were fleeing through the secret tunnel to Hogsmeade.
Harry soon found what he wanted. Standing in the second floor corridor was a circle of dots labeled: Tom Riddle, Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, Antonin Dolohov, and Walden Macnair. Harry wiped the map clean and shoved it back into his pocket. He looked resolutely at the stair well. "They're outside Moaning Myrtle's bathroom."
"The Chamber of Secrets!" Ginny squeaked. Her face was so white it was almost translucent.
"I doubt it," Hermione said while putting a comforting arm around Ginny. "There's nothing down there anymore. He must be after something else."
With a great inhale of breath, Ginny straightened and clutched her wand determinedly. She gave a confident nod to Harry, Hermione and Ron followed suit. It was their final promise: it was the last time to screw up their courage before facing Lord Voldemort and his most faithful followers.
"Let's go," Harry said. He took the stairs two at a time as he raced towards the second floor.
When they reached the landing, Harry motioned for the others to be silent. Slowly and anxiously, they crept down the deserted corridors towards the girl's bathroom. As they neared the final corner, voices reached their ears.
"The battle is turning ill, My Lord." Harry immediately recognized the somewhat panicked drawl of Lucius Malfoy. "We must hurry."
"Patients, Malfoy," the high, cold, and sickeningly familiar voice of Lord Voldemort hissed. "What we seek is well hidden, even from my eyes."
Harry saw the horror and panic in his companions' faces. Despite all their bravery, none of his friends had ever come face to face with Lord Voldemort. His expression became as grim as stone. "Leave him to me," Harry hissed.
Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione sprung around the corner with their bodies tense and their wands up.
"MASTER," shrieked Bellatrix, "The boy is here."
"STOP HIM," shouted Voldemort before he disappeared into Myrtle's bathroom.
The four Death Eaters turned and advanced on the students. Hermione fired the first jinx, which sent Macnair hurtling backwards. Ron sent a curse flying at Malfoy with a satisfied smirk on his face. Ginny faced off with Dolohov, leaving Bellatrix Lestrange to Harry.
Three years of constant loss, fear, and struggle had changed Harry Potter. Hatred for Bellatrix had stamped out any thought of mercy. She must have sensed this, because her mocking expression changed to a fearful one. Harry didn't hesitate. "AVEDA KEDAVRA!" He yelled. Bellatrix collapsed like a marionette whose strings had been cut. Justice was finally served for Sirius Black.
Turning his attention back to the ongoing struggle, Harry saw that Hermione had successfully stopped Macnair using a modified Petrificus spell of her own design. A rather ugly stone statue of Macnair now graced the corridor. Harry turned his attention to the others. Ginny had unleashed one of her Bat Bogey hexes on Dolohov, and he was whimpering in pain as she performed an especially tight binding spell. Only Ron seemed to be having a tough time of it.
The mutual loathing between Lucius and Ron had turned their struggle into a duel with each blocking and attacking in turn. Malfoy was so intent on killing at least one Weasley he failed to notice he was now outnumbered four to one. Hermione shot a Stupefy curse at Malfoy that he dodged through sheer luck. His eyes widened as the four advanced on him.
To Harry, what happened next seemed to be in slow motion. With an evil light in his eye, Malfoy suddenly turned towards Ginny, the one he perceived to be the least threat. "Something to remember me by Weasley," he sneered. Then his lips began to move in the words of the killing curse, and a green streak of light shot through the air. Hermione, who had immediately realized what was happening, sent a stream of blue light towards Ginny. At the same time, Dumbledore burst into the hallway leading a small bad of Aurors. He also sent a stream of yellow light in Ginny's direction. The three spells collided with Ginny simultaneously and she vanished.
"Ginny!" Ron screamed. Forgetting Malfoy completely, he raced to the place where his sister had been standing moments before. He grabbed hopelessly at the air.
Dumbledore and the Aurors rushed forward and secured Lucius Malfoy, who was laughing madly by this time.
"Ginny, where are you?" Ron continued to desperately shout. He staggered around wildly calling for his sister. He grabbed a white-faced Hermione and shook her. "What happened? Where is she?"
"She's gone," Hermione said, her voice shaking badly. Her wide eyes filled with fat tears. "She's gone."
Ron froze with a twisted expression on his face. "No," he whimpered, "It can't be." Then Ron released a cry so filled with pain and despair that it would haunt those that had witnessed it. He collapsed sobbing to the floor. No longer able to support her own weight, Hermione sat down hard next to him. Still shaking like a leaf, she wrapped herself around Ron to comfort both herself and him.
Harry felt like he had been stabbed in gut with a hot poker. It was like losing Sirius all over again, only worse. Anger, like bile, rose in his throat. He would kill Lucius Malfoy. He would...
"Harry." The strangely calm voice of Dumbledore interrupted his rage. "Where is Lord Voldemort?"
Harry looked at the wizard as if he had grown another head.
"Where is Voldemort?" Dumbledore repeated, this time more urgently.
Harry suddenly remembered himself. The battle might be won, but the war was not over. "He's gone to the Chamber of Secrets."
"Hurry," Dumbledore ordered, "You must follow him. This may be our only chance. He may never be this vulnerable again." Seeing Harry's hesitation, he added, "I will take care of things out here."
Harry shot one last glance at the tangled mess that was Ron and Hermione before dashing into the girl's bathroom.
In the noise and commotion, Moaning Myrtle had taken refuge in her U-bend. Harry was left alone as he approached the sink. "Open up," he whispered. The words left his tongue in a series of hisses. Just as before, the tap glowed with a brilliant white light and began to spin. As Harry peered determinedly into the large exposed pipe, he thought, "Strange. It began in the Chamber of Secrets. It will end there too." He lowered himself slowly into the pipe and let go.