Part 5: Salvation ( Full Chapter)
Time is endless. It is black and blue. It covers your body and steals life.
Time is eternal and in the fathomless depths of the mind, time is the
enemy.
We drink from the chalice of life and are poisoned by the sweet
taste of liquid time flowing endlessly from its golden rim. To live for
eternity is to become time itself. Devour what you can.
To Harry, trapped in the maze of his subconscious was brutal and loving.
There were ghosts of an unknown past, memories of an infant. There were
ghosts of his relatives and memories of his family. There was blood and
pain. Anguish and hope. Mixing together, colliding and dissipating. All the
information stored in his mind gave him comfort and he had accepted his
scars long ago. Accepted his problems and flaws. However, even though he
accepted them, he made no progress in overcoming them. Harry was stained
and tainted by emotional scars running along his core. His soul.
Life had a way of evening things out. With Time, of course, as its partner.
While Harry would love, falling into its embrace, Time would befall our
hero and ruin what his heart so desperately desires.
Fate is fickle and usually very annoying. It had a tendency to thwart the
plans of Time and change what Destiny dictated for all. Blessed by the Gods
and Goddesses, Destiny would forever be challenged and proven wrong. Which
was a lot of paper work.
Along with all that, Life has a way of banning all together to ensure total
chaos on one being or total harmony. And for now, Life was pooling its
energy together with Time, Fate and Destiny to ensure Harry's survival.
Unbelievable things always happened for the Boy-Who-Lived. And sometimes,
sometimes he was granted salvation.
{ To all those people doin' lines,
Don't do it, don't do it. }
Harry did not awake from his sleep for a month. School continued without
the young seventh year, whispers of the incident led to several out breaks
of violence within and out of Houses. No one knew what to believe and
Hermione stayed silent to the continuous inquisitions until the rumors died
down and people continued with life.
Assignments turned in. Tests taken. Food eaten. School was now the
embodiment of life.
There were many visitors to the Slytherin's bedside, Hermione, Draco and
surprisingly enough Minerva McGonnagal were the top three, while Headmaster
Dumbledore and Severus came once every 4 days.
Hermione was by far the most affected by her brother's "sleep." But even
she knew of the dangers before hand, she simply waited for her other half.
Her brother. Her life to awaken. Guilt ridden, and crushed with sorrow her
heart silently begged for a savior. For hope. For salvation. And after four
weeks, her wish was granted.
{ Inject your soul with liberty,
It's free, it's free. }
To the outside world, numbers in Death Eater membership continued to rise.
With their Savior fallen, doubt arose in the younger generations. Wizards
and Witches began to decide where their support lied.
Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Lived. Tom Marvolo Riddle, Lord Voldemort.
A 17 year old child. A supposed dead man, who returned to power.
Albus Dumbledore. Lucius Malfoy.
The Light side. The Dark side.
The Order. Death Eaters.
Families began to lean more towards that of Lord Voldemort, for though he
was merciless, he was gaining continuously in support and power with each
passing day and his nemesis slept and still had to finish school. Even with
stories of Harry's exploits and rumored power and the prophecy, to the
masses he was but a child with a mysterious and tarnished past.
{ To all the kids with heroin eyes,
Don't do it, don't do it. }
Children from first to seventh year viewed the frail body in the Hospital
Wing with different degrees of support and trust.
Some put their hope in their fallen leader while others, made the decision.
Chose the drug. Bared their flesh to the Dark Lord and writhed in pain to
take the dark mark. They knew no better and fell into the Widow's Web. They
would be taught and devoured.
To the Dark Lord, new recruits were nourishment.
{ Because it's not not what it seems,
No no it's not not what it seems. }
The people called for reform. The people called for help. The people called
for hope and bandages. They called for dreams and wine. They called for
cotton candy clouds and an absence of mass death. They called for an end to
the impending war. They called for surrender and defense. They called for
love, compassion, treachery, power, magic, defeat, time. They called for
life and the rebirth of life. They crawled to protection and made their
choice.
They called for...
{ Salvation, salvation, salvation is free. }
They wanted to believe...
Harry opened his eyes to a changed world.
Houses were split by open Dark Lord or Light support. The atmosphere was
tense and dreary. Heavy with emotion and darkness.
He moved silently from his bed to the Towers. Bypassing all other living
beings. Sticking to shadows. His mind in turmoil, emotions conflicted. His
body stiff and aching.
A soldier of sorrow. Marching to a last battle. Waiting for death.
Harry knew the truth. Knew how miracles worked. Knew how war was fought.
Knew what he would lose.
To the Towers he marched, with the endless stone of Hogwarts his only
witness.
To the Towers, he arrived.
In the Towers he planned.
In the Towers he invoked.
In the Towers he cast his magic.
In the Towers, he chose.
{ Salvation, salvation, salvation is free. }
They wanted to believe...
Tom watched his recruits and ordered them about in preparation for the
outbreak soon to come.
He watched as children began to form his armies and platoons.
Gryffindor.
Slytherin.
Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. It did not matter.
He moved his pawns into place, knowing they could be replaced. He knew what
he needed. Knew what it would cost. Knew how to acquire more power and
bodies. Knew where to gather support. Knew how much he could loose.
Into his private chambers, Tom moved. Planning attacks and gaining support.
Making strategies for defensive and offensive positions. He chose.
In the Tower, Harry spoke to his enemy.
In his private room, Tom replied to his nemesis.
"Tom Riddle..."
"Harry Potter."
"I challenge you, with one second to a duel."
"The stakes dear boy? The rules? The official?"
"In order of questions asked, the wager is conceding of the loser's side of
the war. Merlin's rules, which entail no use of outside sources and no use
of the Death Curse, or Imperious Curse. The official, if agreed upon, will
be Severus Snape, your Potions Master, and my Head of House."
"Indeed. The place and date of this most interesting duel?"
"You may choose the place. The date will be December 26. Boxing Day."
"The place will be that of Salazar Slytherin's Garden."
A pause in their conversation. Harry nods to the open space, while Riddle
viciously grins to his empty room.
"Do you agree to Magic's Duel Bond?"
"I did not think you had it in you, dear child."
"I, Harry James Potter-Evans-Granger, do here by agree to a wizard's duel
under Merlin's rule, with Hermione Granger as my Second and Severus Snape
as Official on December 26 of this year at Salazar Slytherin's Garden. The
wager is conceding the Light side of the war to Tom Marvolo Riddle. With my
magic, do I swear."
"Well done, Potter. Bit of a mouthful, though. I, Tom Marvolo Riddle, do
here by agree to a wizard's duel under Merlin's rule, with... Albus
Dumbledore as my Second and Severus Snape as Official on December 26 of
this year at Salazar Slytherin's Garden. The wager is conceding the Dark
side of this war to Harry James Potter-Evans-Granger. With my magic, do I
swear."
"Riddle."
"Potter, before you leave... I wish you luck. For as you know, life has a way
of altering destiny."
"Indeed."
And no one but the two leaders witnessed the binding oath. No one but their
Seconds heard the oath. No one but the Official felt the power they created
through the bond.
{ To all the parents with sleepless nights,
Sleepless nights.
Tie your kids home to their beds,
Clean their heads. }
The stage was set.
The players called.
The costumes made.
And in Destinies hands, the script lay, waiting to be completed.
Harry sat on the ledge of the window in the Towers overlooking the lake,
his legs swinging soundlessly in the late night air.
He was hunted and knew it. Three people, a witch and two wizards were
searching for him. Scouring the halls and endless rooms.
He sat, however, idly on the edge, in peace. Jaded eyes drinking every
sight to be seen of the outside world. Of the school grounds, of the lake.
Of nature and the sky. Of space. Savoring each detail, memorizing what he
could.
This was life at a standstill. Life in a few fleeting moments. This was
every emotion and experience wrapped into the vast dark night's embrace. It
was chaos and harmony. The epitome of perfection and filth. And Harry
smiled, knowing he was fighting for more moments like this. For quiet, for
calm, for harmony.
Below him, Hermione, Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Snape searched
floor by floor together for the missing boy. Each with wavering degrees of
concern, shock, and anger.
Once they finally made it to the Towers, they stood immobile in the door
way, staring at the sight before them. Harry leaned against the window,
feet dangling over the edge, facing outward oozing calm and reassurance in
his position while pulling off total innocence.
"Harry?" Hermione called, breaking away from the professors to stand a
breath away from her brother.
"I've missed you, beloved Raven." Harry whispered, staring at the stars
above head. His sister's sharp intake was the only indication he had before
being clasped tightly in her strong thin arms. Her head dug deeply into the
junction between his neck and right shoulder while her arms clung to his
chest and waist. He raised his lower arms as much as he could to offer her
some comfort.
He would miss this. This affection. This warmth. This love, if Hermione was
to ever parish. He would fight every dark lord and their army to ensure
moments like this continued.
He closed his eyes, leaning back into her embrace. Guilt etching over his
heart.
"I am sorry to have pulled you into the duel, but you are the only one I
trust. The only one I know who will help in his defeat." Harry spoke, guilt
weaving into his soft tone.
"For you, my dear brother, I would do anything. I am glad to be your
second."
"Excuse me for interrupting this... moment, however there are many things
about this duel," Snape spat the word, "that need to be discussed.
Preferably soon." The Potions Master sneered, not wanting to be the
official, at all in this duel.
{ To all the kids with heroin eyes,
Don't do it, don't do it.
Because it's not not what it seems,
No no it's not not what it seems. }
Harry sighed, knowing his professor was correct but not wanting to ruin the
peace that had so briefly settled around him, peace that fluttered like a
butterfly in spring, here in breath taking beauty one moment, vanishing
with the wind the next.
"Of course Professor. Do take a seat. Make yourselves comfortable, I doubt
this will be a short discussion." Harry maneuvered himself and Hermione
into the Towers and over to the loveseat directly across from Snape and
Dumbledore without breaking the embrace.
The Towers where of unknown origin but beautiful none the less. Two towers
were connected by a large room like hall way that formed a room in the
shape of a dumbbell. There was one massive window with a two foot ledge on
both sides of the room.
The cobble stone floor was covered with layers of rugs and pillows
depicting famous battles and important, powerful wizards along with their
familiars. In the center of each tower lay a pit for fire or cooking, while
the walls were littered with maps and spells. Legends and myths.
Strategies were written in chalk along blanks in the stone walls, along
with the strengths and weaknesses of each strategy. Oak tables were
littered randomly around the room, large enough to fit at least eight
people, while broken-in armchairs, loveseats and couches were placed in
circles and around the fire pits. The room was filled with mostly neutral
blues and greens with splashed of red and orange here and there.
"This," Harry gestured to the room, "is the Towers. Known by most as the
War Room."
"Minster Potter?" Albus began, blue eyes clouded, voice grave, "may I ask
how this... duel idea came about? And the full affects it might have?"
"Yes, by all means, Potter. Explain how we were chosen for this... activity."
Snape scowled, rage brewing in the pit of his onyx eyes.
"You see sir... I challenged Riddle to a duel." Harry started, staring at the
fire blazing between them, ignoring Snape's snort. "It had come to my
attention that I have no way of knowing what I am up against if I don't
first face my opponent.
"So, with the conceding of the Light side to Riddle if I lose, I am
motivated to do all that is in my power to defeat him or at least
incapacitated him enough to end the duel in my favor. Then according to
Merlin's rules, I chose Hermione as my Second and offered Professor Snape
as Official. Riddle chose you as his Second, even though you are not on the
same side. It is legal within Merlin's rules to do so.
"As such, if I do defeat Riddle I must also defeat, you, Headmaster in
order for the duel to be officially over. The same goes for Riddle. If he
defeats me, then he must also defeat Hermione in order to win the duel. If
you choose not to fight me Headmaster, your magic will be stripped from
your body like that of Riddles, and it is entirely as painful as it
sounds." Harry concluded locking eyes with the Headmaster.
"Hrm." Dumbledore sighed, stroking his beard, lost in thought.
{ Salvation, salvation, salvation is free. }
"Do I have no say in this matter?" Snape growled, angry at the world in
general for this war and the two brats in front of him.
"No, sir. You are obligated now to Officiate. No matter what, you will be
the judging force and will be granted the power on the day of the duel to
fulfill any penalties that any of us make."
"Figures. Headmaster, I will be resigning after this bloody war is
finished. These brats you call school children, over the years, have taken
enough of my life. And I have a feeling my master will be calling soon.
Good Night." With that stated, Severus stalked out of the Towers, robes
billowing behind him.
"Yes, well, it is late. I will escort you to the dormitories where you two
will go to bed." Dumbledore shot both a look that said, if you don't your
lives will be forfeit. "We will have a meeting tomorrow morning and finish
this discussion and plan for training. After breakfast sounds wonderful.
You will come to my office?"
"Yes, Headmaster." The two teens sighed in frustration. "Tomorrow after
breakfast in your office."
"Wonderful!" Dumbledore smiled, "Lemon drop?"
The brother and sister were safely escorted to the dungeon dormitories
without mishap and fell asleep curled together, protecting and comforting
each other.
For tonight, the war would wait.
For tonight, the young warriors were loved and safe.
For tonight, Life granted salvation.
{ Salvation, salvation, salvation is free. }
{ Salvation, salvation, salvation is free. }
{ Salvation, salvation, salvation is free. }