Veracity Puzzles
Chapter 3: Firelight
Draco frowned. Julian was leafing through a book in the corner. "I said: What do you mean "We're going out?" We can't be seen out there!" Draco exclaimed.
"Yes we can, so long as it isn't Bellatrix and she's not the flavour of the month anymore. Not since that incident at the Ministry" Julian sighed. He put down the book. "Besides we'll be totally Stealth Worthy – the Death Eaters won't see us in Diagon Alley…unless you do something stupid."
Draco opened his mouth to retort but Julian raised a hand and silenced him. "You need your school books, the Death Eaters can't reach you there – Voldemort is too afraid to do anything. Though you may find it more hostile in Slytherin" Julian gave a sardonic smirk.
"You're enjoying this?"
"Yes. No. Maybe" he shrugged as a reply. Draco gritted his teeth and saved himself from roaring at the teenager in frustration. He settled for stomping into his bedroom and slamming the door. "Childish" Julian called after him.
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"How are you this morning Harry?" Molly chirped as The Boy Who Lived trumped groggily into the kitchen. Ron was sipping coffee and looking suicidal. Hermione was reading a letter. "Hermione just got an owl from that nice Viktor Krum boy".
"He's just said he misses me"
"For the fifth time" muttered Ron. Harry looked at them as he started to eat the cereal laid out for him by the eternally-maternal Mrs Weasley.
"Oh and he's hoping I can come and visit!"
Ron was turning red
"And he says he has a Muggle picture of me in his dorm-" the i-t-o-r-y was drowned out when Ron shot to his feet.
"IF I HEAR ONE MORE WORD ABOUT VIKTOR I WILL PUT A BAT-BUGGER CURSE ON MYSELF" roared Ron across the breakfast table.
Harry dropped his glass of orange juice. Everyone turned to look at him.
"Sorry" Harry said. "Just – uh – don't want Ron to hex himself…" he murmured. Ron frowned and shrugged. Hermione nodded then turned back to Ron to shout at him about how he just had to get over the fact she found Viktor more interesting.
Harry left the room.
He sat in the living room for a while. He opened the book Lupin had been reading – it opened on a page about Sorcerors.
Sorcerers are rare and males have long since died out. The last memorable Sorceress was Morgan LeFay who possessed the ability to cast spells without a wand as all Sorcerers can. She was also an Animagus and Parseltongue. It is a well known fact that Sorcerers place a great deal of strain upon their sanity when using their invocation abilities without a wand. Wands are catalysts that allow the control of magic a Sorcerer or Sorceress will not be able to cast complicated curses and spells but will be able to conjure magical energy so long as they have focus to keep a control on it. Should a sorcerer lose control they put themselves and thos around them at risk. Their great natural skill and talent with magical studies often makes them a naturally feared and loathed breed.
Harry leafed on to another page. Lupin had been reading this book and hadn't felt Harry should know. But it felt, for some reason, very important – he continued to read.
Illurimagi are rare indeed. These are mages who specialize in illusion and deception they are natural born Legilimens and Occlumens who can channel illusions into the minds of beings nearby without speaking illusion enchantments. Illurimagi also possess powers that have commonly confused them with elves. They are able to cast Glamour's, Glamour's change their appearance for a short while. They can also use Beguiling powers to hypnotise people into believing and trusting them or to feel desire towards them.
Harry didn't bother with the rest of the rigmarole he moved on to the next page. It was about The Lost. The illustrations showed a race of cloaked figures with black eyes and tattoos on their foreheads. They had pale bodies and seemed to live in an unusual shadow. There was something sad and yet terrifying about them.
The Lost are a race of magical beings that are immortal, many searched for them - they were said to be able to gift immortality upon one person every few decades. However they were also despised because of their unchanging youth and energy, their ancient magic that let them move between the planes of existence and their natural talent for deception. The Lost could also strengthen the powers of other magical beings and were all shape shifters. The Lost could give the power to shapeshift or the power of Clairvoyance to any being they so desired regardless of bloodlines or magical exposure. However the Lost soon began to fade from our world and are supposedly gone forever.
Harry shut the book. He was feeling very cold suddenly. He hurried upstairs to put on his proper clothing. Pyjamas were only so useful for keeping drafts out. Except he hadn't noticed drafts ever before.
He just had an overwhelming sense of gloom and doom.
When he returned down the stairs again he found that Hermione, Ginny, Ron and Mrs Weasley were gathered in the hall. "Harry" Mrs Weasley smiled. "We're going into town to buy the school books, Kingsley and Nymphadora will be here soon to walk with us. I completely forgot to tell you – anyway the books list came today"
Hermione was already making comments about the books to Ginny.
"Wonder who they tricked into being the new DADA teacher" Ron smiled.
"Professor Dumbledore hasn't said anything" Professor MacGonagall said as she came from the kitchen. "Hello Harry" she added with a short nod.
"Professor" he nodded back with a faint smile. "He hasn't said anything?"
"No" admitted MacGonagall. "But he says he has three candidates lined up – then again, as you know it's rather hard to get a Defence Teacher for Hogwarts…given the past of the job."
"Er. Yeah" Ron nodded. "So how did he get the book list together?"
"Yes I rather suspect he's already selected but has yet to make it official" MacGonagall shrugged. The front door opened and Kinglsey entered, Quincy and Nymphadora entered behind him. Quincy smiled at Harry.
"Hi Harry" Quincy said.
"Hello Quincy" Harry said. Hermione smiled at Quincy and asked his opinion on the Arithmancy curriculum. Harry looked at the book list. "Basis of Arithmancy – Q.Morgaulle" he read. "You wrote the text book?"
"Yeah, it was my best subject and I just felt I might as well make a contribution of some sort" he shrugged. He pushed his blonde-brown wavy lock out of his eyes. "So lets do some shopping!"
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Draco and Julian weaved through the crowds in their long cloaks. Draco's was dark green and Julian's was dark red. The shades were perfectly unimpressive and Draco kept his face down at all times. Julian entered Flourish and Blott's there was a large crowd there – which was best since it provided ample cover.
"Come along Draco" Julian said calmly. "Stay quiet, don't do anything to draw attention and keep your bloody hair covered"
Draco looked sour but he did so at the ground. Julian was picking out the books from the list which he held in his gloved hand… someone bumped into him. Draco stumbled forwards and growled. "Watch-" Julian clapped a hand over Draco's mouth before the boy could turn to face who it was.
"Terribly sorry, all his fault" Julian said in his quiet-but-frightening voice.
"Yeah - okay"
Draco went rigid – it was Potter. "Potter" he growled.
"Malfoy?" exclaimed Harry. Julian froze. "Where's your usual entourage?"
"Not the time brat" Julian snapped at Draco as Draco told Harry to do a certain something with his want to an interesting part of his anatomy.
"There" someone hissed.
Julian shoved Harry into Quincy, Tonks, Ron and Ginny. "Sorry, clumsy me" he sighed as he whipped off his cloak and hurled it at an approaching witch with sallow skin and large lips. "Compelsify!" he exclaimed.
"That's an Animated-Attack Enchantment" Quincy exclaimed as he leapt to his feet.
"Nice use of perception" growled Julian he flourished his wand and levitated Draco up over a railing onto a higher level. "Excuse us" Draco pulled his own wand. "Put that away Draco this is more then a school prank."
Two wizards burst into the store and hurled stunning spells at Draco and Julian. A deflection shield spell protected them. "Draco…run" Julian snapped. "I'll meet you where we agreed!"
Draco bit his lip and nodded before fleeing back into the shelves. Julian stood there in tight black jeans, a tight black t-shirt and heavy boots with an embroidered red waist coat on. "Now then" he flourished the wand from his cane again and gestured. "Carvindoria!" a blast of light hit one of the wizards and sent him crashing to his knees clutching a nose that was spurting out blood. The other hurled a Jinx at Julian who flipped aside.
Molly Weasley cast a Stunning Spell and the wizard fell away. "Much appreciated Madame" Julian said as he vaulted the railings he gestured with his wrist and conjured a bouquet of roses. Molly blushed as she accepted them. "Ciao loves" He said as he hopped out of the shop.
"Wait…this is a Death Eater" Kingsley said as he examined the woman who'd been attacked by the cloak and passed out. "Then…why is Lucius' boy in trouble with them?" there was a shout from the street and a black cloaked figure impacted forcefully with the doorframe.
"Come on, Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione. Stay inside with Molly" Tonks instructed as she rushed out of the store. Diagon Alley was in chaos. Julian was standing opposite a line of robed Death Eaters. One of them cast a furious curse at him. He ducked and raised his wand.
"Condulgidia" Julian exclaimed. The Death Eather buckled as the wave of yellow light hit him in the mouth and visibly made its way down his throat into his stomach. Suddenly he began to shriek. "That's your body digesting itself Thaddeus – I hope you ate a big lunch…"
Tonks, Quincy and Kingsley hurled curses at the Death Eaters behind Julian as they tried a sneak attack. All four Death Eaters collapsed. Julian made a slashing movement with his wand, blood exploded from the chest of one Death Eater – the other one unleashed a blast of crimson light but Julian deflected it into a wall with a shield and pointed his wand. "Garotanger" he called. The woman clutched her throat and crashed down as he walked towards her, he stepped over her. "Right after a curse – man bet you wish YOUR curses didn't make YOU breathless."
He darted down an alley. Harry watched from the shop. "That guys mad" he muttered. Molly wasn't listening she, Ginny and Hermione seemed somewhat enamoured by the young man. Harry blinked…Draco!
He darted up the steps and down the aisle of books the blonde had run down. There was a shattered window…of course – what an interesting way to get out. Harry climbed out the window into a tiny back street. He ran along the only direction that there was and stopped…Nocturne alley was to his right…but if Draco was being hunted by death Eaters that was a bad place to go. Harry rushed down the other passage and stopped. There was a piece of green cloth on a nail jutting from the side of a doorway.
Harry pushed open the door.
"STUPEFY!"
"PROTEGO" Harry shielded himself in record time. Draco made a break for the other door in the dingy old room. "Impedementia!" Draco fell over. Harry quickly cast a body bind spell. Then he felt something pressing into the back of his neck.
"You know, you're about to become The-Boy-Who-Lived-And-Then-Died" the voice was quiet, sultry and enthralling but deadly and cold…it sent shivers up Harry's spine. "Drop the wand Harry" Harry obliged. "Now – I suggest you don't move…or I'll have to get unpleasant…"
"Excuse me. Stupefy" Julian cried out as he was knocked down by Quincy who was standing in the doorway. "You okay Harry?"
"Fine" Harry breathed out. Julian was struggling to his feet. Quincy's mouth formed an O of surprise. "He – Quincy – how did he do that?"
"Some wizards are just…strong" Quincy said. "Petrificus Totallus!" the curse was thrown with such force the windows rattled when it hit Julian. The boy collapsed was bound by the curse. "Let me see…a powerful spell…got it: Parilidius Insipidus" the crackling waves of blue wound around Julian who was trying to break the curse and succeeding…he went limp and shut his eyes. "Okay…now…time to get these goons back to Grimmauld Place"
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Voldemort glared at Pettigrew. "If we revive Black – if we can pull him back from Beyond the veil then its possible to retrieve your original body using a Horcrux in substitute of certain properties" Pettigrew finished his speech on a limper note then he had possessed in the zealous midsection of it.
"Enough Pettigrew" he rasped. "I have heard enough" he said in a quieter voice. "What is required to revive the dead?"
"A great deal of preparation, an adept hand at Potions Making, certain artefacts and ingredients – a book" Pettigrew coughed. "The book is the Grimoire Du Fay…" he shuddered as his master rose.
"That book is lost in the mists of time Pettigrew" hissed Voldemort. "You come to me with a plan that could easily fail and without even finding the BOOK?"
"We believe it is hidden in this country sir" Mulhullard chimed in. "We've dispatched a few of our Death Eaters to search for it in some places but it's widely believed Morgan Le Fay left it in an unplottable place but left keys for her child to search for it with…" he swallowed nervously as the serpent eyes glowed at him.
"Then search…but do not approach me unless you have something more"
Narcissa watched from her seat of white marble. She looked off into the distance at the near future and frowned.
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Draco glared at Ron as best he could. But the Body-Bind Jinx held fast…he was seething. Potter had gotten the drop on him and he'd get even later…right now he had to worry about what was going to happen next.
He was on the couch and Hermione was looking over Julian with someone called Latvinia. "So…the ferrets strewed up coz of you?" smiled Ron.
"Yeah I zapped him" Harry shrugged. "No big deal".
"Couldn't you have busted his nose or something?"
"No Ron I couldn't" Harry sighed. Potter was out of view – suddenly the door opened.
"Professor Dumbledore" Draco cursed as Hermione announced the visitor with awe and reverence. "We're just looking over-"
"I suggest you step away from that young man he is quite dangerous" Dumbledore said. He appeared in front of Draco with his wand drawn. Hermione and the healer backed off quickly. Julian sat straight up.
"Boy I feel like a clockwork orange" he said. "After the brainwashing…anyone got a crossbow? HEY! Albie!"
"Adriojuliani Vincenzo Sammael Dantagion Lazeriander Voltaire Cross"
"Julian is just fine for me" he said quietly as a cold smile formed on his lips. "So Albie" he sneered. "You're doing it again – getting in the way of my survival… what did I ever do to you that you must make my life such a painful, boring, pathetic existence?"
Harry gave an involuntary shudder at the familiarity of that.
"Now Julian" Dumbledore warned. "You should watch your tone, after all the Ministry is quite adamanent you should be captured for past offences"
"I transfigured a few people…what's your point?"
"You turned the Primeminister into a woman"
"It's not my fault he got into a pissy mood"
Albus shook his head. "Why are you assisting Mr Malfoy? Is it possible you truly were mixed up in the Death Eaters after your expulsion?"
"Of course I was, with the Ministry after me I was snapped up by Lucius Malfoy as a recruit…now if you'll excuse me I have a pottery class in half an hour" he jumped backwards over the sofa he'd been on and sprinted to the door, he whipped his cane from the hands of Remus Lupin and pulled on the top, a black wand slipped out he cast some spells through the air, smoke rose, Draco's limbs freed up and Ron's legs went limp.
"Accio Draco's wand!" called Julian as they rushed for the door, he handed the wand back to Draco as they ran for the door.
"Julian! Returnus Resolves Liberty Disolvus!" Albus Dumbledore called.
Julian shouted out and was ripped through the air – he hit a mirror and sank into it, the reflection faded around him into swirling dark purple clouds flashing with white light. "Damn it Dumbledor!" Julian roared, the surface of the mirror bulged like a gel of some sort.
Dumbledor laid a hand of Draco's shoulder. "I think you should go into the kitchen and have something to eat, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher will be joining us soon and I imagine she will want to meet some students"
As shocked as everyone else Draco followed Hermione Granger into the kitchen…
TBC
Yeah weird but explicable…wait and see what's up and next chapter: Dumbledore investigates Harry's visions after he has another set. Also the new DADA teacher arrives and sparks fly