Chapter: Chapter Ten: The Council of the Magi
Author: King Harrison
Category: Action/Adventure
Sub-Category: Romance
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: SS/PS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP,
Summary: Wherein an ancient council is brought to order.
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author Notes: Chapter Ten is here! RR!
"There is no one I'd rather spend it with than you, Hermione."
–Harry J. Potter, Harry Potter and the Council of the Magi
Chapter Ten: The Council of the Magi.
"Hem-hem"Harry and Hermione flew apart. "AAAAH!" They looked in the direction of the voice. At the entrance to the room was a venerated old man in long wizarding robes.
Harry warily pulled his wand out and pointed it at the man. "W-who are you?"
The man smiled kindly. "What, you don't recognize me? I'm very famous, you know."
"What is this guy? An older version of Lockhart?" Hermione asked Harry quietly.
The old man burst into laughter. "Lockhart, indeed!" He laughed for a minute more before he calmed down. "No, Hermione, I actually earned my fame–not that I like being famous, you see. Ugh. Stupid people fawning all over you. No, I have been famous for a very long time, Hermione."
"How do you know my name?" Hermione asked.
"Simple. I have watched you since you were a girl. I knew that you would befriend my grandson here."
"Your grandson? What do you mean, old man?"
The man frowned. "Yes, I am quite old. People always used to wonder how I lived so long, so I told them that I learned how to age backwards in time! Ha! As if!"
Hermione's eyes widened. "Merlin!"
"Yes, Hermione, that is odd." Harry said obliviously.
"No, Harry, I mean HE is MERLIN."
Harry laughed. "There's no way. Merlin, even living backwards…" Harry looked at the old man. "Are you Merlin?"
"Please, call me Emrys. Or rather, Hermione, call me Emrys. You should call me grandfather, Harry."
"But–how are you still alive? And you say I'm related to you?"
"Yes, Harry, you are. Now, come with me. All your questions will be answered momentarily."
The man pulled out a wand and threw it on the ground. It suddenly flashed and turned into a staff. The man waved it, and with a CRACK they all disappeared.
They appeared in a grand room in front of a table. Merlin was seated at its head, and other old witches and wizards sat around the rest of it.
"Now, Hermione, tell us what you know about the Hierarchy of Magic."
Hermione, staring around replied rotely, "The first level is Wicken. That is the level of power that any witch or wizard has before he is trained to control it. The rest of the witch or wizards powers are slowly released over time.
The Ordinary Wizarding Levels, if passed, identify a Wicken as a 'Witch' or a 'Wizard.' Even though the terms witch and wizard are used to describe even those who have not yet passed the levels, it is at this point that they earn the title.
"The third level is Magician. Magician's earn their rank upon passing the N.E.W.T.s. Magicians are not much more powerful that witches or wizards, but they are considered to have a higher rank in society.
"The fourth level is Warlock. It is earned with the T.O.A.D test, or Totally Onerous and Difficult test. All members of the Wizengammot and the International Confederation of Wizards have passed this rank.
"The fifth is Sorcerer. The rank is earned by passing the B.L.A.C.A.T. examination, or Byrimus Laiccrys Aennrieus Chixtrel Acterolkt Tequr examination. The words are of the Old Sorcerer's tongue, and I do not know what they stand for. Albus Dumbledore and Thomas Marvolo Riddle are the only two living people to have ever passed this test. Riddle did better even than Dumbledore.
"The sixth, and final, rank is Paladin. It is earned by passing the P.A.L.A.D.O.S. examination. It is not known what the letters stand for. Albus Dumbledore has passed this test, as has Tom Riddle. There is also a rumor of a seventh level of Magic–the Mage, but Merlin is the only person to have theoretically achieved this rank."
"Very good Hermione."
Harry looked puzzled. "I never heard about all of this."
"It's in the sixth year curriculum, Harry."
"Ah."
"Harry, Hermione, before you is the proof of the existence of Mages. We are the Council of the Magi. And I have brought you here to become Mages yourselves.
"How?"
"You have the potential. There are perhaps two or three, or in an extreme case four, people with the potential to become Mages are born in a millenium. One example is the founders of Hogwarts. Godric, Rowena, Helga, and Salazar are all mages."
"Salazar? As in Salazar Slytherin? He's on your team? There's no way I can join with you if he is part of the council."
"Why not, Harry." A new voice said. "What have I done that makes you hate me so?"
"You betrayed Hogwarts! You put a BASILISK in the school–one that almost killed me, I might add. And worse than all that, your HEIR is my archenemy!"
"Now, Harry, you must understand!" This came from another man near Slytherin at the table. "Salazar did not break from the school. It was a ruse to lull a REAL dark wizard into complacency. That basalisk was placed there by me, not him. I put it there hoping that it would die. I did not count on the rats, however.
"No one that is not in this room knows that I actually can speak Parseltongue as well, Harry. I am a beast-speaker. And Salazar really can't help what his heir is doing. They are not the same person."
"Quite right, Godric." said Salazar.
"Now, all of you, we are pressed for time. Harry, Hermione, come here, quickly now." As Harry and Hermione stepped forward, Merlin pulled out a crystal. "Touch this crystal, both of you."
As soon as Harry touched the crystal, pain rushed through him. A million times as bad as the killing curse. And he began to scream…
Harry woke up groggily. There was weight on top of him.
"Urgh. What a dream." He opened his eyes, and then shut them. He opened them again, and he was shocked with what he saw. On top of him was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had the physique of a Greek goddess, and her beautiful brown hair flowed down her back.
The woman opened her eyes. "Hello, Harry," she said tiredly.
"W-who are y-you?"
Her eyes flew open angrily. "What do you mean–Harry? You look different."
Harry recognized the voice now. It was Hermione's. "Hermione? So do you!"
They both fled to the bathroom and looked in the large mirror. Harry stood taller even than Bill Weasley. Hermione was nearly as tall. Just like Hermione had the physique of a Greek goddess, so Harry had the physique of a Greek god. His hair was no longer purely black, or messy at all. It had red and gold highlights, and went down to his shoulders.
As Harry stared at his image, an echoing voice, a familiar one, echoed through his mind. Come to the training room in your trunk at eight o'clock tonight.
"Did you hear that?"
"Yes."
"Hermione, did you have a weird dream last night–"
"–about Merlin and the Council of the Magi? Yes."
"And the pain?"
Hermione shuddered. "Yes. That must be what the Cruciatus feels like."
"No. That pain makes the Cruciatus Curse feel like a bee sting."
"Well, it seems that we have become Mages."
Hermione frowned. "And I didn't even get to take a test!"
"Yes you did, Hermione. The test of pain."