--Beyond the Grave--
Disclaimer: Anything you recognise isn't mine – god bless JK!!!
Beta Reader: Sir Darlon – big thanks I couldn't do this without you!
Chapter 20 – Beyond the Grave
Reminder: I let my imagination run riot, fuelled by hatred, hatred he had brought about with my murder.-- All in the Eyes --
After two weeks of following Harry it seemed like I had been doing it for an eternity, and even now it seemed like nothing was happening, he was my murderer the weak link in the order, the spy at Hogwarts and he did nothing.
It's almost like he knew I was watching him. But that of course was impossible, and surely after my reaction to him in the common room he would know that I knew his dirty little secret. Because he did know what had happened didn't he?
It still didn't explain why he could see me, and why nobody else could, it also didn't explain why he stopped seeing me the moment I discovered the truth. Had he heard me? Did he only pretend not to see me? There was a lot going on with Harry Potter and I was determined to get to the bottom of it all.
And for now getting to the bottom of it involved sitting in the Library listening to whatever hair brained scheme my brother had come up with, while Hermione studied and old volume and Harry sat drawing snitches and broomsticks all over a piece of parchment.
"That's it" exclaimed Hermione, and she propped up the old book in front of her, a book I recognized as the one she and Ron had checked out on Professor Dumbledores advice.
"Huh?" Ron replied breaking his chatter,
"Dumbledore was right about page 342" she continued, "I couldn't see it until now, but if you cross reference it with the history of magic book and page 23 it makes perfect sense"
"Whoa Hermione, What?" interrupted Ron, I think he must have sensed what was coming next because he recoiled slightly and Harry grinned, a smile that shed rainbows, but now my heart was hardened against anything he had to offer, wasn't it?
"Honestly Ron, I sometimes wonder how you ever passed any of your OWLs" began Hermione taking on what I liked to think of as her McGonagall stance,
Ron blushed crimson and ducked his head, all the while trying to hide a mischievous grin "I know exactly how babe, you helped me" he said flippantly interrupting what had been about to develop into a full blown lecture.
Hermione looked slightly gobsmacked for a moment, then kissed Ron's cheek, and smiled at him indulgently, "you win this once" and while Ron's grin spread even wider than I thought physically possible, she flicked the pages of the book looking for a reference point.
"Here listen to this" she said hefting the book into the middle of the table so they could read it with her
"Magic performed without a wand is a very rare and somewhat obscure branch of magic often scoffed at by modern day magicians because it is almost impossible to control.
A Magic wand is used as a conductor and focuser for wizard's powers, and while it is said that we do not actually need wands to perform magic, it is also observed that the results can be catastrophic without one.
The difficulty when performing wandless magic is coming up with some sort of other conductor for power, and this is where many wizards are at a loss, choosing usually to use a hand or to point.
Both of these methods are ineffective because the wizard has too often released power whist in a rage or pointing at someone they didn't wish to harm and to this day many wizards still search for a conductor that is part of the wizard, so that they are not hampered by the requirement of a wand."
"What's that got to do with anything?" huffed Ron sitting back and spreading his long legs in front of him.
"Well listen to page 92" Hermione insisted flicking through the ancient pages to find the correct passage. "Here it is"
"Wandless magic is thought to be possible, witches in medieval times left no record of use of wands, and while potions and cauldrons have always been an essential part of witch craft it is thought that our ancestors found a way to direct magic without any visible assistance.
It is also thought that this process was hereditary and rather than passed through lesson and discipline it was a natural talent from birth."
"Ok so wandless magic needs a conductor, and it's hereditary? Hermione sometimes I think you've flipped completely, its not real, its just something they made up to sell books, besides that doesn't have anything to do with anything, and why are you making me sit here and look through all this when its tea time and I'm starving" Ron let it all out in one go barely pausing for air, and as if to back up his words his stomach could be heard rumbling only moments later.
"Ron sometimes I wonder what I see in you, are you always so dense? I swear if you added one and one together you'd make eleven the way you go on" she chastised standing with her hands on her hips.
"Harry can you pass the history of magic book please" she turned using a slightly more pleasant tone.
"As you both know not all history is that told by wizards, and whilst the majority is, there are also accounts from muggles in that book, Bathilda Bagshot really knew what she was doing when she wrote that book."
She continued flicking the pages scanning quickly over the contents and let out a little whoop of victory when she found what she was looking for…
"Here you go… right here" she turned the book and pointed to the page of the book now spread in front of her…. Taking a deep breath she began to read,
"There is also evidence that many years ago wizards performed magic without wands, one sort is old muggle stories and testimony, they're history often speaks of 'wise women' indeed it was not uncommon for each village to have one. These women are thought to have been early witches, and were respected by the villages for their abilities to heal and cure ailments.
Muggle history has also been a great help, and this extract letter discovered in the early 19th century shows evidence of one such woman.
Dear Marie,
I have spent much time recently traveling the Scottish highlands, and found them to be a highly suspicious people. Among the tales of loch ness monsters and banshee, I have also discovered an old tale of a wise woman, reputed for her healing powers.
The tales do not tell too much but talk of a woman with appearance not common to this area. Instead of the usual fiery red and auburns of the celts this woman had hair black as ebony that fell to her waist, and eyes that have been described as the colour of emeralds and deep as pools.
Not only was her skin the palest shade of alabaster but the townsfolk believed her eyes held magical properties, possibly even the source of her power.
It is said she lived in a castle secreted away in the highlands but my searching has proved fruitless, and it is almost like a hidden force is trying to interrupt me and prevent me from discovering anything else.
The end of the story just talks of how the townspeople lived in fear and killed this so called witch, but as far as I can see it was ignorance and nothing more. People today are uncertain of her origins or even if she was real and her story has become a myth amongst villagers around here so it us unlikely that I will discover anything else.
The letter went on for a further two pages but there was no further mention of this mysterious witch. She also does not crop up in our own histories leading us to believe that she led a simple life away from everyday wizards and the ministry. What is relevant however is that the villagers thought the source of her power was her eyes, there is no mention of a wand?
It is feasible that the eyes could indeed focus magic for is their initial task not focusing in itself. And while the debate goes on that there is or isn't wandless magic it is certainly probable that such testimony adds fuel to the debate."
Hermione looked up her eyes showing the same sort of triumph that she had whenever she passed an exam, a cat with the cream that has just licked the whole lot down without being caught.
"I still don't get it Hermione" said Harry slowly, "what's that got to do with anything?"
Hermione sighed and threw up her hands in exasperation/
"Harry do you have to have everything explained" said Ron rather smugly in fact using exactly the same tone that he used to use on me whenever he thought he was right and I was wrong, the superior I know something you don't sort of tone, but usually when he used that tone he was wrong."
Hermione spun to face him, "well Ron you can explain it then"
His ears turned red and a blush slowly made its way down his neck as he bent his head and mumbled something.
"Sorry what was that Ron?" said Harry with a grin, "I didn't quite hear you"
His eyes twinkled as if he knew perfectly well what Ron was going to say, and bearing in mind he had been Ron's best friend for close on seven years he was probably right as well.
"I said I haven't got a clue"
Hermione giggled and Harry let out a loud guffaw instantly stifled as he drew 'the look' from Madam Pince.
"Honestly, you pair, I don't know what I'm supposed to do with you, here I am working over this all day and I bet the pair of you weren't even listening"
Probably too busy making plans to kill you both I thought briefly shooting a glance at Harry.
"The gravestone, the epitaph"
Ron and Harry looked at her blankly; boys could be so thick sometimes.
"She will leave her imprint on this world
Through the eyes of another"
Hermione quoted the last sentence
"What about it?" replied Harry still looking at her blankly
"It was a message don't you see, eyes of another,
Harry everyone always tells you how you have your mother's eyes, and while people often say it about babies it certainly doesn't continue as they grow up, and it definitely doesn't come up as often as it does with you!"
She took another breath and I could see her about to go off into another lengthy diatribe. Ron obviously recognized the signs as well because he interrupted,
"get to the point Hermione what is it?"
She glared in his direction.
"You have your mother's eyes Harry, eyes that are bright green like emeralds and deep as pools"
Recognition slowly began to pass over the boys faces
"Eyes that are capable of performing wandless magic" Ron whispered
"The focuser" she continued slowly.
I had also realized what she was saying but instead of the happiness and even awe that they displayed I felt another feeling, one not so nice, because an evil wizard who could perform wandless magic on top of everything else was the last thing I needed.