A/N: Here's another update. I wanted to give a quick and well-deserved thank you to those of you who are still reading our story despite the long absence of updates. Captain Chaos wrote this chapter, and it contains the important history behind the light and mirror of erised. It may be a little confusing, so if you have any questions place them in your reviews and I'll answer them in the next update.
Once again, I would like to remind everyone that neither of us is J. K. Rowling, so be prepared for OOC-ness. Enjoy!
Harry Potter and The Dark Mage
Chapter Eight: Secrets from the past
By: Captain Chaos
Back at Hogwarts:
Harry had returned to find Dumbledore and ask him about the origin of the light.
"Well Harry," Dumbledore began, in his slow, old man's voice, "the light came from where all magic originated, from ancient Egypt about 100,000 years ago. In Egypt, there were slaves, peasants, princes, kings and all that fell in between. But the most powerful of all were the sorcerers. Back then muggles and wizards did not live separately like they do today. Back then wizards ruled over all.
"Wizards would treat muggles like dirt. They would enslave them, force them to battle each other for entertainment and practice using spells on them causing the muggles overwhelming pain, even death.
"Yes Harry, those were the good old days." Dumbledore said as he stopped his story and reminisced. "Have you ever forced muggles to fight each other Harry? It is really quite funny. If you ever try it sometime, don't give them guns. You'd think it would make the fight more interesting, but all it does is make it a lot shorter. Well, anyway, back to my story.
"You see, back in ancient Egypt there were wizards who sympathized with the muggles and thought what the other wizards were doing was wrong. The leader of these sympathizers was Fimight Griffindor, Godric Griffindor's ancestor, but the sympathizers were no mach for the other wizards. So they got together a preformed a ritual to penetrate the dimension of the beasts, to call upon the help of one of the three Egyptian gods."
"What are the three Egyptian gods?" Harry asked, interrupting Dumbledore's story.
Dumbledore gave Harry a piercing look before answering. "The three Egyptian gods were horrible beasts who left pain and destruction wherever they went." Dumbledore explained.
"If the three gods were so terrible why would the wizard sympathizers call on them for help?" Harry blurted out, trying to understand.
"Don't interrupt me again, Harry," Dumbledore's voice was suddenly crisp and sharp. Harry could tell that he was in a very bad mood, and remained silent, listening intently.
"Well," Dumbledore continued, trying to regain his same old, slow and grave voice, "first of all, they were not really gods. They were just called that because their powers were so great it was thought to be of a divine being. And second of all, it was not certain they were evil. Many saw their actions and immediately concluded this. Fimight thought differently.
"Hundreds of years before Fimight, the three gods terrorized Egypt until a group of the most powerful wizards of the time got together to stop them. Combined they conjured a spell so great that even to this day it has never been duplicated, called the spellbinding circle. Whomever or whatever was trapped by this circle would have their power sapped for the time being. The wizards used this to trap the wickedest the Gods; Oblis.
The wizards soon found out that even that was not enough to trap the god. However, they were helped by the two remaining gods, Slifer and Ra, who attacked Oblis. They held him along with themselves inside the circle long enough for the wizards to cast them all to another realm were they could never hurt anyone again."
"Why did Slifer and Ra sacrifice themselves to stop Obils?" Harry questioned, his inquisitive nature overpowering him.
"Damn it, Harry!" Dumbledore shouted, standing up. He reached for something in his pocket, but withdrew nothing. He continued to eye Harry fiercely, breathing heavy, with anger Harry thought couldn't entirely be his fault.
"I forgot I don't have it anymore," Dumbledore said softly to himself, still trying to calm down. He sat back down, obviously deciding that it was best to continue on with his story.
Harry felt that this object's absence must surely be he cause for Dumbledore's stress.
"No one knew for sure," Dumbledore proceeded, "I understand it was Fimight's personal belief that Ra and Slifer were forced by Oblis to terrorize. When Oblis was in the circle he lost his powers and they made the decision to imprison Oblis and themselves in the spellbinding circle.
"Since Fimight believed Slifer and Ra were good, he wanted to bring them back. So he made a ritual spell to do just that, but the other wizards were so scared that even if Ra and Slifer were good trying to bring them back might release Obils. They therefore tried to stop Fimight at all costs.
"Fimight thought that if the old legends I just told you were true, and Slifer and Ra were good. They could have the power needed to help the muggles. Fimight made precautions in case Slifer and Ra were evil; he modified the ritual to be able to communicate with Slifer without actually freeing him. Fimight pleaded with Slifer for any help he could give.
"Slifer could not fully understand what Fimight was asking. So as a show of good faith in hopes that Fimight might one day free him, Slifer gave Fimight a blinding light that would give him whatever he wanted most. Fimight thanked Slifer, and left with a new hope.
"Fimight decided it was best to give the light to the muggles. The muggles immediately started using the light against wizards and witches, and began releasing themselves from enslavement, although this was not the end.
"The muggles used the light to control all the wizards who apposed them. Fimight tried to stop the muggles, but they would not listen they were too consumed with revenge. So Fimight used his friendship with the muggles to persuade them to give him back the light.
"Before agreeing, the muggles used the power of the light to make it so Fimight would have to return it in 24 hours. Fimight once again called on the help of the gods. This he contacted Ra.
"Ra gave Fimight a mirror that would show him a person's desire so Fimight could see what muggles would do with the light. Allowing him to give the light back to a muggle who would not misuse it."
Dumbledore paused, letting the history of the mirror and light to which Harry had used so much sink in.
"Fimight used the mirror to test the muggles and gave the light to the muggle with only good intention for the light. A muggle named Emot. Emot used the light to try to help wizards and muggles to live in harmony, but the wizards would never live with inferior muggles so an organization of wizards got together and used Fimight's ritual to call upon the gods.
"However, the wizards did not know all of the legends of the gods and they contacted Oblis. The wizards asked Oblis for the power to vanquish their enemies. Upon the wizard's request the heavens twisted and thunder roared signaling the coming of the god's wrath.
"Obils then cursed the light to make it so only people, with or without magical powers, could use it as long as their intentions were evil. It was believed that Obils did this to insure war between the two. And war is exactly what they got; a war so powerful it laid Egypt to ruin. Fimight was blamed for the war and put through a most painful death. The light was said to be lost in that war until now." Dumbledore concluded.
There was another pause, then Dumbledore said, "I'm done, Harry."
"How did the light get to Hogwarts professor?" Harry asked immediately.
"I don't now. My guess would be some simpleton who was in Egypt found it and brought it here not knowing what it was."
"RON!" Harry thought to himself as he got up to find his friend.
"Harry wait," Dumbledore cried out, "there is one more thing."
"What is it?' Harry asked eager to get to Ron.
"If you find the light be sure to bring it to me right away. It is very dangerous."
"I know, it is made from evil and only people who want to hurt others can use it." Harry said trying to rush through Dumbledore's warning.
"No Harry, that is not the worst of it." Dumbledore said raising his voice .
"What else is there?" Harry asked concerned, now more preoccupied with this information than with finding Ron.
"First of all, Harry, never let two people touch the light at once." Dumbledore said his voce grave again.
"But why?" Harry asked.
"Never mind, just don't let it happen!" Dumbledore yelled while looking into Harry's eyes.
Harry stood there, not making a move.
Dumbledore continued, "secondly and most importantly, there is someone looking for the light. Someone who has been looking for it for hundreds of years."
"Who?" Harry asked worried.
"No one knows for sure, but wherever the light was suspected of being people turned up dead and only an unreadable signature was left on the bodies. Some believe the killer is Ra because an R in the signature can be made out. However, it seems Oblis would be more likely to do something of that nature
"But as far as anyone knows the gods are still locked away. Which makes it possible that it is the restless soul of Fimight Griffindor. And, because no one knows for sure who this person is, history knows him as 'The Dark Mage'.