YEAR Six at Hogwarts
Harry Potter and the Power of the Blood
Disclaimer: Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
Ch. 6: Founders, the Pillars of Hogwarts Four
Harry sat up, feeling as if he had just been run over by a herd of centaurs. Then he remembered the bondings and looked around for Cho. She was lying right next to him. He gently shook her awake.
"Harry where are we?" They appeared to be in the great hall, but there were far fewer paintings on the walls and everything seemed… newer.
"Hah! I told you they'd make it!" said a voice behind them. Harry and Cho whirled around to see four people behind them.
"Harry, they're four of the people from my dream!" whispered Cho. She spoke in a whisper because they were in awe. Standing before them were the four founders of Hogwarts. It appeared that Godric Gryffindor had spoken. Grumbling, the man next to them handed Godric a handful of galleons. He had to be Salazar Slytherin. Rowenna Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff stood with them.
"What do you mean we 'made it'? You knew we were coming? And where are we?" Harry asked, the questions all spilling out at once.
"Calm down young one." said Godric in his booming voice. "Yes, we knew you were coming. At least, Rowenna did. As your friend probably has guessed by now, Rowenna and her decedents are or will be, seers of a sort. Ah! I'm no good at explaining that, you do it." Rowenna picked up where Godric left off.
"Well, we aren't really seers. They see the future through patchy 'visions', and often do not remember what they prophecy. And it always comes out like a bloody rhyme." Harry smirked, both at remembering Professor Trelawny and at hearing language of that sort from a lady. "What we do is called Oracaling. We See the future in dreams and in trances and can recall it from memory instead of counting one someone else's memory." While Rowenna was going over the fine points of Oracaling, Helga occasionally pointing out things she skipped, to Cho, Godric pulled Harry aside with Salazar.
"Harry, we need to talk to you. Salazar and I have some very important things to tell you. And I'm afraid you aren't going to like some of it. I'm afraid we need to heap more responsibilities on you. First of all, I'm afraid that you do have to kill the one you call Voldemort." Harry sighed and looked downwards. Then he received a shock greater than he would from Snape giving him a Christmas present. Salazar came over and put an arm around Harrys' shoulder.
"I know, boy, that it isn't something you will enjoy doing. That's good. Keeps you from turning out like him. But what he has done cannot be let to happen again. Muggle born and half-bloods alike need your protection."
"But don't you… aren't you… don't you hate everyone except pure-bloods?" At this both Godric and Salazar smiled and began to chuckle. Godric actually fielded this question.
"While Salazar did once think that way, you don't anymore, do you Sala."
"Gods above and below, don't call me that. But no I don't."
"Salazar made that comment after a week without sleep when a muggle born wizard blew up a cauldron in his face. He left for a month, and just when we finally gave up hope on ever seeing him again, he came walking back through the doors. With a new wife." Godric shot Salazar a sly glance. When he saw Harrys' inquisitive look, Salazar picked up the explanation with a sigh.
"While I was out cooling off, I fell in the forest and broke my ankle. And I had been so furious when I left I had completely forgotten my wand! I might have died there, if a muggle woman hadn't been out collecting herbs. She took me back to her cottage, and healed me with her own knowledge. Her name is Ruth. Once I was better, I asked her to marry me, and she accepted. So then I returned to the castle. The whole bit about me hating anyone but 'pure-bloods' is a complete load of bung."
"Thanks for telling me. But back to Voldemort. Do I have to kill him? Won't that wipe out your bloodline too?" Salazar gave another sigh.
"Yes, it will. But it's worth it if it means he's not around to taint it anymore. I don't want anymore death coming from my family lines."
"Harry, I'm afraid I have something else I must have you do. You know what dementors are and what they do, specifically to you correct?" Harry nodded. "But do you know why they do what they do? No, I didn't think so. Harry, there are, were in our time three other great powerful witches and wizards. Two were Merlin and Morgana. They fought for the light side of magic. But there was another, one whose powers in the dark arts would make Voldemort look like a trembling little first year. He wanted to take over our school. At the time, there were six houses in the school. Merlin and Morgana were two of six founders, the other four being us. Well, this evil one went by the name of Muerte, and he decided he wanted to turn our school into a school for the dark arts. We were furious. But we knew that even standing together as we did it would be a close fight. Then Merlin got an idea. He and Morgana brought spirits back from the afterlife. They all came to be known as 'shines'. 'Souls of the dead to fight darkness with light', he said. It was a brilliant idea. Only, just before we banished Muerte through an infinite gate, he cast a last spell. All of the shines were turned into the dementors. They were doomed to become what they hated most, just because they tried to help. Merlin and Morgana were utterly devastated. They used all their power to seal the infinite gate permanently, and in doing so, died. That is the only gate in existence that cannot ever be opened again. Anyway, the dementors were doomed to roam the earth knowing what they once were and hating what they are now. But their legends speak of one who will free them from their curse. They say that they 'will hurt most the one who will save them'. And all signs point to you."
"If they were souls of people themselves, why do they take the souls from other people?" Harry asked.
" It is part of the curse." Godric said. "Now Harry, as we are just memories worn into the walls of our castle, we have seen all that has happened through the ages. We have found a way for you to break the curse on the dementors. Your simply telling them what it is will command their allegiance. And no, it's not a ring, Harry." Godric said, seeing the look on Harrys' face. He held up a small, gray crystal. "The leading dementor wears a robe similar to this color, instead of black. Since you are especially sensitive to their power, we added a charm to protect you from them while you are within five feet of the crystal. Now, to free the dementors, all you need to do is shatter the crystal underneath the robes of the leading dementor. Then they will be free." As Godric handed the crystal to Harry, Salazar came back over to Harry.
"Harry, you don't have too much time left, so I shall speak quickly. I saw you slay my basilisk before. Another sad moment, but it had to be done. Basilisks are normally at the beck and call of their master. Before you, I was the only 'good' wizard who had the parsletoung trait. Without any human contact, my inherently 'good' basilisk went insane. So what do you think would happen if another arose? Another basilisk on the side of the light? And a final tip: a normal basilisk is pure white. Mine was green because I used my own energies to expediate the hatching process. My powers gave it some extra powers of its' own, as will yours, if you birth one. Use my advice wisely." As Salazar said the last few words, the world around Harry began to blur. He was heading home.
Harry sat up on the gurney in the great hall, again feeling the centaurs. Holding his head he looked over and saw Professor Dumbledore looking back at him.
"Welcome back, Harry." he said.
A/N: Somewhere some deity must be laughing at me. As soon as I promise a chapter a week, I get hit with writers block. The irony gods must be so pleased. Then, when the block goes away, I'm at the beach with no internet access or my diskette of story material! Well, now that I have rejoined civilization, you all have my deepest, most sincere apologies. I'll try to get back to that 'chapter a week' thing, but finals are coming up soon. And I might as well warn you all now, over the summer updates will be sporadic. I have a job at a summer camp (no internet access!) and am only home at weird intervals. It could take longer too if my 'office' there looses its' basic computer too. Then I'll have to write and type when I get home. All I can ask is that you keep reviewing and bear with me. Thanks.
General Note: While the whole werewolf/ vampire thing seems a bit like underworld, I assure you I only drew the 'common ancestor' part from that. The origins of the two are completely different and I had the idea a long time.
Thebravegodric: I got the info. It helps. And I like the idea of a lightning power underwater. That could be nasty.
Dragon Sword Master: The wait will be worth it. And you take all the fun out of cliff -hangers. Of course the bondings went fine, but I might have scared some people. The explanation will be at the beginning of chapter 7. And once again, about Blaise. That's not really how the bonds work, but I'll stick to the original promise of trying to work her in.
J or the Blind: Another one sucking the fun out of cliff -hangers. But you're wrong about the prophecy. It states that neither can live while the other survives, or something like that, not that only one can kill the other. I could pull an Oz and drop a house on one of them. The prophecy doesn't mean outside forces can't intervene and cause harm to Harry or Voldemort, it just condemns one to death in the end.
Sirius009: Don't worry. The training will start in the next couple of chapters once school starts up again (next chapter: School Daze probably). But there is minimal staff there over the summer, and only the most powerful would be able to help Harry and Cho learn about their powers.
The Phoenix King: No problem, I know what it's like doing schoolwork while trying to keep up some semblance of a life. Conventional school is for the jocks and other brainless idiots anyway. And I can tell you, if you're writing or reading here, you don't fit in either of those categories. If you're doing you best and are still bored with school, then you should seek help: take a weekend off and just have fun. About Harry having Cho do the Pactes: He refused both unless the offer was extend to her. It's not like he told her to take them or anything. Besides, with both of them being descended from two of the only four to ever be successfully double-bonded, the risk was actually fairly low. And no, they don't become actual vampires or werewolves, they get some special traits. I listed those in the chapter, so you can go back and see them. But I've got some more surprises in store as a result of the double-bonding.
To everyone else, I'm glad you enjoyed my work, and I'll do my best at the once a week updates. See-ya!
