The Seers' Truth: Beyond the Darkness
By Lady Lestrange
Chapter 20Common Ground
Disclaimer: All Potterverse belongs to JK Rowlings. No infringement is meant or implied. Thanks JK
Thanks to my faithful and hardworking beta, ennui de morte. Go read her fic next.
==
(A/N: I've been reading a number of fanfics in installments like this one myself, and find it is sometimes hard to remember exactly what has happened before-In a fic as complex as this one is, I thought having a reminder may be helpful for you. If you want to skip it, just page down twice.)
Up to this Point: Althernate 5th year book. Voldemort was uncertain which was the prophecy child, Samara or Ginny so he kidnapped them both. Beatrice made a mad dash after them in her animagus form. She has been since crucioed and rescued and returned to Hogwarts still in her bunny animagus form.
Harry, Ron and Hermione struggle to figure out how the prophecy might aid them. The trio travels to Hermione's house, Samara's house, the Riddle house and eventually the Snow Castle in search of the girls.
Ginny, who has a Dark Mark, is torn between the visions of Tom in her head and what to do to stay safe from Voldemort at the Snow Castle. Snape is an unexpected help to her.
Voldemort meanwhile has some unpleasant Christmas surprises in store for Harry and Neville. Neville's grandmother ends up in the hospital and the Dursley's are dead, leaving Snape as Harry's guaradian.
Back at Howwarts, the trio try to ascertain how they will save the girls. They enlist Draco and Lauren's help.
==
COMMON GROUND
Harry took the snake to his room, but before he got even half way from the dungeon, Shesha poked her head out of his sleeve and tasted the air with her tongue.
"{Visha!}" hissed Koschei.
The name made Harry freeze in his tracks. However, a second later, he recovered and hurried to his room, in a long stride that strangely resembled Snape's purposeful walk and caused loitering students to move out of his way. Harry couldn't talk in parseltongue in the corridor even though all the school knew he was a parselmouth. He didn't want to restart the Harry is the heir of Slytherin fiasco from second year. Second year made him think of Ginny and he broke into a run, the moment of power and charisma lost as he rushed pell-mell to his room. When he got to his room, he warded the door and put both serpents on his bed, cautiously telling Shesha not to hurt the weaker snake.
"{Koschei is not weak,}" contradicted the snake.
Why had Koschei called Shesha 'Visha'? He wasn't sure, but he thought Visha must be imprinted to Samara since it was Visha who communicated with Shesha when he was in the cupboard at the Snow Castle. He couldn't figure out how Samara managed to imprint one of the Dark Lord's basilisks, or even if it was a good idea or not, but after conversing repeatedly with Shesha about the incident in the cupboard, he finally understood that Visha had somehow made her understand that under no circumstances was he to leave the cupboard that fateful night Beatrice was saved, and so she had stopped him in the only way she knew how.
"{No,}" Shesha explained to Koschei, "{I am not Visha. I am her bitemate, Shesha. So you know Visha?}" Shesha tasted the air again. "{You are not tsezz. You are not a basilisk, only a snake,}" Shesha surmised haughtily.
"{Only a snake?}" said Koschei, insulted. "{I am a long nosed adder and can kill a man in 24 hours.}"
"{I can kill a man in 24 seconds,}" countered Shesha, "{and more like two seconds when I am old enough to open my eyes.}"
"{Shesha!}" said Harry appalled. "{You have never killed. You will not brag about killing. Killing is for eating. Do you want to be a zis?}"
"{No,}" said Shesha penitently.
"{I have killed,}" said Koschei in a superior tone. "{I have killed when for food and when not for food. I have killed for my mistress and my mistress has killed for her master.}"
Harry sucked in his breath. "{Snape said your mistress was twelve!}" hissed Harry.
"{Yes,}" agreed Koschei. "{My mistress has survived twelve winters and she holds the greatest den in all the cold snow. All the hisssuss come to her and all the Sissshausss. She can make it warm in a flash!}"
"{Magic,}" said Shesha in a bored tone. "{My master has magic too. His magic is the strongest magic I have ever experienced.}"
"{Then you have not experienced much,}" said Koschei. "{You are just a nestling.}" Harry didn't take Koschei's words to heart. After all, she was only a snake and couldn't sense magic like the basilisks could. And if Shesha said his magic was stronger than any—
"{Stonger than Voldemort?}" asked Harry, using Nagini's name for him, Sissshauss-A-Sissshauss, the great-one-always-hungry, and hoping Shesha understood who he was talking about.
"{Yes,}" Shesha agreed. "{Stronger than Sisshauss-A-Sissshauss.}" Harry was suddenly much more interested in what Shesha had to say about his magic than what Koschei had to say about her mistress killing people. The thought made him slightly sick anyway.
Koschei kept talking however, telling Shesha that she wasn't so important. "{You have never been taken to Sissshauss-A-sissshauss. He will teach you great things. You must see him.}"
"{I have seen Him, and Visha says he is not tsezz,}" said Shesha petulantly.
"{Not tsezz? Not a bitemate?}" wondered Harry. "{Tell me about Visha's mistress,}" said Harry, expecting to hear about Samara. "{Tell me about her magic.}"
"{Which of her magics?}" asked Shesha. "{Visha's mistress has two distinct magics.}"
Harry frowned. He wasn't sure what to ask. He assumed that she meant the different gifts of the Prophecy Child, but there were three gifts, not two. "{Her healing,}" said Harry.
"{She does not have healing,}" said Shesha. "{Other mistress has healing,}"
"{Other mistress?}" Harry frowned. What on earth was going on at the Voldemort's lair? Maybe she meant master. After all, it was possible that gender wasn't understood well by the hermaphrodite species, and although he couldn't imagine Voldemort as a healer, He must have some sort of healing magic internally to be able to brew a potion that would give himself eternal life, so Harry had to reserve judgment. "{Tell me about the healer,}" said Harry. "{Does this mistress or master speak parseltongue?}"
"{Of course. A basilisk would not bond with a non-speaker,}" said Shesha haughtily.
"{And she holds a bitemate?}" Harry asked.
"{She holds seven bitemates,}" said Shesha, "{Vasuki, Tisha, Tacita, Tse, Sawa, Salacia, and Zila.}"
Harry listened, thinking these must be Voldemort's basilisks. He counted as Shesha recited the names, growing more concerned as the number increased. Of course, Shesha was not a problem, at this time, but the thought of that many basilisks under Voldemort's control was horrifying. The thought of a single basilisk under Voldemort's control in second year had been awful.Harry was, at the moment very uncertain and very worried. "{Tell me what happened to all the bitemates,}" said Harry.
"{One bitemate did not hatch as I told you before. She was exposed to magic as an egg and chose to remain with the Elementals.
"{The rest are bonded to Sissshauss-A-Sissshauss,}" said Shesha.
Harry's mouth opened in shock. "{The rest? How many basilisks are there?}"
"{Me and eleven other tsezz. Three bonded to Sissshauss-A-Sissshauss, seven bonded to the healer, and Visha is bonded to mistress with double magic.}"
Double magic? What on earth did double magic mean—but that had to be Ginny, thought Harry. She was the only other person he knew of who spoke parseltongue, and Samara—she, of course, was the healer. "{And Sissshauss-A-Sissshaus hasn't killed her for imprinting so many of his precious basilisks?) Harry asked in parseltongue. Seven? He thought. She had seven basilisks and Voldemort had not killed her? Then he remembered Parvati's prophecy: the Prophecy Child sleeping with the snakes—or basilisks.
"{He does not know,}" said Shesha. "{Mistress says bind to each other more firmly. Do not reveal we are bound to her. I must tell Visha and Salacia you agree with their Mistresses.}"
Harry sat silently thinking how he could use this to his advantage, when Koschei spoke.
"{Hisssuss?}" suggested Koschei hesitantly, and Harry realized he had no idea when the snake last ate.
"{Can I trust the two of you together?}" asked Harry. And when they answered in the affirmative, he went to the kitchen for food for the snake. When he returned with several packages of raw meat, the two snakes were curled up entwined together on his bed as if it was their nest. It had only been a day since Snape gave Harry Koschei to speak to, but it was such a long day. Harry put a cooling spell on the meat, levitated the two serpents to the cage together and went to bed himself. He realized he had not asked Koschei anything about the Death Eater incident that got her caught. Tomorrow, he thought as he fell into an exhausted sleep.
Harry debated the wisdom of taking both Shesha and Koschei with him to the library to meet with Draco and Lauren. How did he, a Gryfindor, end up being the keeper of a basilisk and a deadly snake? The same way he ended up being a parselmouth, he supposed, fate. In the end, he decided to take them both because he wasn't sure it was safe to leave them alone in his dorm room. He had fed them both and had urged them to be quiet as he left the room. Ron frowned at him as he pushed Shesha up to his elbow on one arm. Koschei was already on the other. He pulled his robe sleeve down over both of them and hissed once again in parseltongue for them to be quiet.
Harry dreaded having to explain to Ron why he had yet another serpent with him. He didn't think his friends would be much happier that he was holding a deadly long nosed adder than they were when he told them he had imprinted a basilisk. Nonetheless, they were his friends. He was certain he could make them understand but hoped that Koschei could go back to the dungeon with Snape soon. He didn't think she was going to give them that much information anyway. She didn't seem to be as smart as the basilisks.
The meeting of the trio and Draco and Lauren in the school library was a disaster. First of all, everyone at Hogwarts seemed to make it their business to stare at Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy sitting at the same table, by choice. When Hermione and Ron joined them, the Slytherins began to sneer at them. When Lauren joined them, the Gryffindors joined the taunting. Only the Hufflepuffs seemed to leave them alone. Even the Ravenclaws burned amazed stares into their backs. It was so disconcerting to see Ravenclaws whispering in the library instead of studying, that Hermione suggested they should leave.
"Where should we go, Granger," snapped Draco. "Your room? You're the prefect. We could all Apparate there since the wards aren't up yet."
"I've warded it against Apparition," said Hermione in a superior tone.
"It takes at least two to set Apparition wards," said Draco."Ron and I," clarified Hermione and Draco smirked.
The beginnings of a blush colored Hermione's cheeks.
"Let's just get this done," whispered Harry, trying to keep his voice low as if he could be heard by the nearby Ravenclaws even though Hermione had set a silencing ward. "Can we do something to keep them from staring at us?"
"Staring isn't hurting us," said Draco. "Stare back Potter."
"Staring may be a gesture of dominance among apes and other primates," said Hermione. "But I doubt it would work on wizards."
"At least it will work on the Gryffindors," said Malfoy, and Ron pulled his wand, glaring at Draco.
"See," Malfoy intoned, and instead of cursing Malfoy, Ron set a privacy ward around their table.
"Not bad," said Malfoy. "You must be practicing. Helping him with his—work—I see Granger. It's so gauche to have to do the privacy ward yourself," teased Malfoy, causing Hermione's pink cheeks to blaze bright crimson. Leaning close, he continued, "And I certainly wouldn't trust him with a contraceptive spell, after all, neither of his parents have been able to cast it."
Hermione, in the heat of the moment completely forgot that she had a wand. Instead she drew her arm back as if to smack his face with all of her anger.
"Impedimenta!" said Draco, and her open palm collided with the solid wall of his spell.
Both Ron and Harry had their wands out, trained on Malfoy.
"What?" said Draco innocently. "I didn't do a thing to the Mudblood. I was just defending myself."
"This would have been easier if we had done this before we returned to Hogwarts," interrupted Lauren ignoring the taunting and drawn wands, as if this sort of tension was a common occurrence in Slytherin.
'True," agreed Malfoy. "How am I going to find you when my Mark burns? You need to give me a schedule Potter, and then you have to stick to it. I wish we had a definite time and place." Malfoy smoothed back his hair in an uncharacteristic nervous gesture.
After a moment, Harry put away his wand. "We still need Malfoy to help save the girls," he said, laying a hand on Ron's wand arm. "Save it."
Ron nodded once and put his wand away. "Are you alright, Hermione?" he asked.
"Yes, the only thing hurt is my pride," she said.
"What did he say?" asked Ron.
"Never mind," said Hermione.
"You know, Malfoy," said Harry, getting back to the issues at hand. "There's still a problem with that closet you used to portkey to. It's too close to the hall where the Circle meets. How am I supposed to get out of the bloody closet with all the Death Eaters milling around?"
"Who's milling?" asked Malfoy.
"Harry's right," said Lauren. "And what about Samara and Ginny? Aren't they in the Circle too now?"
"Ginny is," agreed Malfoy reluctantly. "I guess we have to wait for one of his inner Circle meetings. Then I won't be in the hall. I will be able to help you."
"Oh yes, we have to have your help," snapped Ron.
"Actually, you do," said Draco sharply.
"If only they had seen the Infirmary at the Snow Castle," said Lauren, "they could Apparate."
"I can't Apparate anyway," said Harry. "He knows when I Apparate—At least when I'm close—or perhaps when he's thinking about me—"
"What?" Draco frowned at Harry.
"You know that Malfoy. You were there when He felt me Apparate against the wards." Harry touched his scar. "We have this little connection."
"Is that what happened?" asked Draco. "I wondered why I was suddenly Crucioed."
"I'm sorry," said Harry sincerely.
"For what?" snapped Draco. "Don't be an ass, Potter. Oh, I forgot. You can't help being an ass, can you?"
Harry reached for his wand again, but Lauren stopped him, laying her hand gently on Harry's shoulder. "Draco means it wasn't your fault he was Crucioed," said Lauren. Harry wasn't sure how she came to that conclusion, but he decided to take her words at face value.
"Draco," suggested Lauren. "You are going to have to give up the Invisibility cloak."
"No," he said.
"It's mine," said Harry. "It was my father's before you stole it."
"Humph."
"Draco," said Lauren again. "You can't expect Harry Potter and a Muggleborn witch to walk around the Snow Castle and not get caught. Be reasonable."
"I am always reasonable," snapped Malfoy.
"And if the Weasley twins are coming with us that will be three additional Weasleys at the Snow Castle. Don't you think someone will get suspicious?" persisted Lauren.
"No, the Weasleys aren't a problem," said Draco.
"What, Malfoy?" said Ron. "I can't believe it. Catch me, I am fainting." Ron threw his hand over his head, and collapsed into Hermione's lap. "Malfoy saying the Weasleys aren't a problem," he muttered.
"Well, in a manner of speaking," Draco corrected himself, with a droll grin. "Some people might be suspicious, but they would assume Virginia convinced some family members to join the Dark Lord. I don't think the Weasleys would get undue attention. They are purebloods. Of course, Potter and Granger are a different story. Maybe Polyjuice. Do you have any left, Lauren, or did you use it all playing Quidditch?"
"I have some left," said Lauren.
"Polyjuice?" questioned Hermione.
"Who would you get?" asked Harry.
Draco shrugged. "Vincent and Gregory would be the easiest and the most likely to be with me."
Hermione cringed.
"The Polyjuice tastes bad enough," said Harry. "You don't taste a difference from one person to another."
Malfoy raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
"Ahh-Harry," began Hermione.
"Ok, so we can have Polyjuice ready," interrupted Lauren, "But that doesn't solve the problem of getting out of the closet or doing this without Draco to lead you to Samara and Ginny."
"Excuse me?" said Hermione.
"We have to do this when he calls the Inner Circle, but not the whole Circle," said Malfoy. "See, if I were home, this wouldn't be a problem. I would know when Mother and Father are going, but at school—"
"What about Snape?" interrupted Ron
"Excuse me," said Hermione, firmly. "But I can't use Polyjuice."
"Why not?" asked Ron.
Hermione licked her lips and looked at the floor. She uttered a single word, "Animagus."
"Hermione!" shouted Ron grabbing her around the waist and twirling her around. "What is it?" He glanced at the Slytherins. "No. Don't answer that," he said, still hugging her. "Tell us later."
"Well, I'm not very good." Said Hermione.
"Right!" said Harry rolling his eyes and then grinning at her. "You're good at everything, Hermione. Congratulations. The first one of us to become an Animagus!"
"You asked about Snape," said Lauren, ignoring the Gryffindor's excitement about Hermione's Animagus. "What do you think, Draco? Would he be called?"
"Yes," said Draco thoughtfully. "Usually—but the Dark Lord is suspicious of him—I think that would work." He said at last. He looked at Lauren. "One of us is going to have to keep a close eye on Snape, and avoid being caught by his Legilimency."
"We could take turns," said Lauren. "Alvin would help."
"No," said Draco. "Alvin has enough to worry about with the box. Anyway, he can't keep a secret from Snape."
"What box?" asked Harry.
"Pandora's box," said Draco, as if Harry was the stupidest git in the world.
"I thought he—I thought. Do you mean Voldemort let him keep it? He's just—what—fifteen?"
"And your point, Potter?" asked Malfoy.
"I just didn't think Voldemort would trust something like that to someone our age."
"You thought wrong, Potter." Draco rolled his eyes. "Just like Dumbledore. It must be a Gryffindor trait."
"What?" asked Harry.
"Wrong thinking," said Draco.
"Underestimating the combination of magic and youth," interrupted Lauren.
"Or no thinking," continued Draco as he stood. "Are we finished here? I have Quidditch practice, and we're losing Ron's privacy shield. Not much staying power, huh Weasel?"
Ron jumped to his feet, but Draco already had his wand out, as if he expected Ron's attack. "Too slow," he said in a bored voice.
"Sometimes, slow is better," said Ron, and Hermione gasped, turning red to the roots of her curly brown hair.
Malfoy smirked at him. "Touche' Weasel."
"There you are," said Fred, coming over to the table with his twin by his side..
"We've been looking all over the library for you," said George.
"Oh, sorry," said Ron. "We set a privacy ward. Everyone was staring, and we thought it was best to avoid attention."
"We're almost finished," said Draco.
"Draco, are you saying, there are dementors in the school?" asked Harry completely ignoring the exchange between Draco and Ron and the twins, and bringing the conversation back to his concern. "Dementors? Here, at Hogwarts?"
"Yeah," agreed Draco. "In my dorm room—thousands of dementors. In fact, all of the dementors. Kind of an incentive to learn the Patronus Charm." His gray eyes sparkled with an unnatural light and Harry wondered for a moment if he was joking, or if it was just the challenge that actually intrigued the Slytherin.
Fred and George exchanged worried glances.
"I guess it would be," said Harry slowly. "And Dumbledore? Did he—say something to you, Draco? —about Samara."
"Not a word," said Draco rolling his eyes. "After all I'm just a child to him."
Harry nodded thoughtfully.
"Let's try to find a different meeting place to meet too," said Hermione. "Maybe we should double check everything we talked about."
"Good," agreed Draco, hesitating. "What if Snape is called between now and tomorrow, and I'm not?"
"Then we should go," said Harry his eyes boring into Draco's. "We'll stay together except for classes. You might have to owl us to find us. Keep your piece of the Invisibility Cloak on you at all times, and I'll keep mine."
Draco shook his head frowning, "There has to be a better way."
"Well, everyone try to think of another way to find each other," said Hermione. "And write out your schedules. We'll continue to study in the library as planned, instead of the common room until this is finished. I guess I have to come to Quidditch practice." She wrinkled her nose.
"Oh, come on, Hermione," said George. "You'll have fun, getting your nose out of those stuffy books for a change."
"We might even put you on a broom and you can play chaser," teased Fred. "She can't be any worse than Creevy, can she?"
"No!" said Hermione emphatically.
"Maybe there's an open classroom somewhere for our meeting tomorrow," said Lauren. "I'll try to find one." She glared at one of the Ravenclaws who was staring again.
"Me too," said Hermione. "I remember Lavender talking about the out dated Muggle studies classroom, but I don't know where it is. I'll ask her."
"Tomorrow, then?" said Draco. "After Defense?"
"We have a Potions project we have to check on," said George, "but we'll be there."
"Late, perhaps, but we will be there," agreed Fred.
"What potion?" asked Ron, eyes narrowed.
"Nothing that need concern you, little brother," said Fred, eyes twinkling.
"Don't worry. We'll show you when it's finished," promised George.
"That's what I'm afraid of," muttered Ron.
Draco and Lauren left the library and the Gryffindors looked at one another. "Do you think this is going to work?" asked Ron.
"It has to," said Harry. "It just has to."
==
Although Ron and Hermione asked to know what Dumbledore wanted with him, earlier, Harry just told them about the Sorting Hat spell. He did not elaborate on the information he got from Rowena Ravenclaw or try to explain the effects of the room. He didn't think he could even if he tried. The entire meeting had played itself over and over in Harry's head and he wasn't sure that he could make enough sense of it to describe it to another person. He did, however, tell them about Koschei. After their initial shock, both Ron and Hermione bowed to Harry's insistence that they talk to the snake about the Death Eaters.
"After all," agreed Hermione, "if Dumbledore thinks it's the right thing to do, we should do it."
Reluctantly, Ron agreed.
"At least we're not trying to talk to giant spiders," said Harry.
"Like basilisks are a lot better," moaned Ron.
"She's not a basilisk, just a snake," said Harry. Harry now sat down with the idea of having that serious talk with Koschei. Ron and Hermione were by his side in Hermione's room. He had told them all of what Snape had said, about the snake and some of what had transpired when he talked to Koschei and Shesha earlier. His suspicion that Ginny had imprinted one of the basilisks he kept to himself. He didn't think Ron was ready for the news. As he spoke, in parseltongue, he translated his own part and Koschei's answers. Hermione took notes.
They discerned that Koschei did indeed belong to a twelve-year-old girl named Maura Rosier. She had been bought for Maura as a protection animal when she came to Durmstrang last year. When Maura was eleven, she snuck out of the school with a few friends to explore the neighboring town. They rode broomsticks, and Harry learned that she had a rather fast broom, that Koschei vigorously disliked riding, but she went because she went everywhere with Maura.
According to Koschei, Maura was approached by sheish, which Harry translated as evil wizards. Harry and Hermione were unable to determine if these wizards were actually Death Eaters or just local brigands. Maura was disarmed of her wand, but slashed at one of the wizards with a knife she carried and then she was knocked unconscious by his spell. Maura's need pushed Koschei into action and she bit the second man, killing him. As far as Harry could tell, when Maura awoke, both men were dead and Maura left the area telling no one of the fact that she had killed until Ginny showed up at Durmstrang and took her home.
Home! The Snow Castle was the home of Maura Rosier! Surely this fact would help the Order to learn where the Death Eaters were secluded. The question was, how soon did Harry want to tell the Order.
"Harry, we have to tell them," said Hermione. "If they know where it is, they can rescue the girls."
"If they know where it is, they can kill the girls," said Harry. "We have to find them first."
"Dumbledore wouldn't do that," insisted Hermione.
"We aren't just talking about Dumbledore here," said Harry. "Remember Snape saying that the Order had a spy? We can't trust the Order."
"I don't know, Harry," said Ron.
"Well, I do," said Harry sharply. "Even if we told the Order, do you think it's easy asking directions from a snake? It would be much simpler if I just gave Dumbledore my portkey. Oh, wait, let me make one to Azkaban too, because that's where they'll be taking the girls! Of course, it shouldn't be that bad, because the dementors are in the Slytherin dorm!"
"What's with you?" asked Ron.
"What's with you?" Harry countered. "We can't tell the Order now. Your sister has a Dark Mark in case you've forgotten! We can do this. We're so close to rescuing the girls without them—"
"Harry!" said Hermione. "We need their help."
"No, we don't," said Harry vehemently. "We didn't need them in first year, or second year, or fourth year and we don't need them now." Harry felt like he couldn't trust anyone. He knew it was paranoid, but he couldn't seem to help himself. The only ones he was sure of were Ron and Hermione. Everyone else was suspect.
The tap of a dark eagle owl on the window brought them all to their feet. Ron reached the window first, and threw it open, but the owl went to Harry. The note had no name, but it was short and scathing, the words on it scrawled: Where the fuck are you?
"Draco's in the library, and wondering where we are," surmised Hermione, reading over his shoulder, and Harry nodded, pulling out the Maurader's Map to double check on Draco's location.
"Using the portkey to the Snow Castle," Harry scribbled saying aloud, "The owl has to find Draco quickly."
"I'll Apparate her to the library," suggested Hermione and Harry nodded. After magicking the note onto the owl, which was faster than tying, he said, "Find Draco, quickly."
The owl shot out of the window, but Hermione pointed her wand at it and said "Itare Phantasma," and the owl disappeared mid-flight.
Harry picked up his wand. "This is it," he said, pulling the portkey to the Snow Castle from his robe pocket.
"What about the twins?" said Ron as he and Hermione put their hands on the portkey.
"No time. His wards are only down long enough for His Inner Circle to Apparate," answered Harry. Actually, Harry was rather glad they wouldn't be able to go. He didn't want to have the twins' deaths on his conscience if some thing went wrong.
"And shouldn't we Apparate to Draco?" asked Hermione, "So that he will know where we are?"
"No time. Anyway, I don't want there to be any chance that Voldemort can figure out where I'm Apparating to right now. The portkey is safer," said Harry as the sudden pull at his navel activated, and with it came a rather sick feeling that was not associated with portkeying. The group found themselves still standing in Hermione's room, the feeling of both pushing and pulling warring around the spot of his navel.
"What happened?" asked Hermione releasing the portkey and rubbing her stomach.
"His wards are back up," answered Ron. "We missed it."
"We have to go to Draco," said Harry pulling the Maurader's Map from his pocket to be sure that Draco was still at the library. "Library," he said. "Itare Phantasma!"
"Where have you been?" demanded Draco in a low snarl. "I've been looking all over for you. You were supposed to be in the library. We've missed it! Snape was just called! If you had done what you said!"
Madam. Pince stalked over to the group, and admonished them to be quiet. "And you are not permitted to Apparate into this library!" she said glaring at the trio.
"Yes, Madam Pince," said Hermione shame-faced. "We won't do it again."
"Since it is you, Miss Granger," said Madam Pince. "I'll let it go this time, but if you Apparate into this library again, you will be serving a detention." Her eyes surveyed the group. "All of you," she said.
"Yes, Ma'am," the group answered and Madam Pince when back to her desk.
"This would have been the perfect time," said Draco in a harsh whisper. "Why weren't you here?"
"Snape gave Harry a snake to talk to," said Ron.
"We couldn't have Harry talking in parseltongue in the library," said Hermione.
"Why not?" sneered Draco. "I thought you could do a privacy shield, Granger"
"Then you wouldn't have seen us," interrupted Ron.
"But you would have seen me, idiot," snapped Draco.
Ron reached into his pocket for his wand, but Harry grabbed his arm. "Let's continue this conversation outside of the library. Madam Pince is looking like she wants to curse the lot of us."
They had no sooner left the library than Draco stopped, hissing through his teeth. "You Gryffindors have all the luck," he said. "It's a good thing we didn't go."
"What?" asked Harry, confused that Draco had just totally changed his mind.
"Conversation's over," said Draco, significantly touching his left forearm. Harry's green eyes met Draco's gray ones. Just for a moment he realized how lucky they were that they hadn't gone to the Snow Castle if Voldemort now decided to call the whole group of Death Eaters. Draco Disapparated to the edge of the Hogwarts grounds and then crossed the boundary, presumably to Disapparate to the Dark Lord from there.
Harry stared after him worriedly.
"Harry," said Hermione, laying a hand on Harry 's shoulder. "Are you alright?"
"Yes," said Harry. "I was just—worried about—Draco."
"You're kidding," snorted Ron. "He made the choice, didn't he?"
"Ron, he's just worried because we need Draco to help us rescue Samara and Ginny," said Hermione.
But Harry said nothing. Neither Ron nor Hermione had heard Draco being tortured by Voldemort. Regrets, thought Harry. Had he done his very best? Then he shouldn't have regrets. Amazingly, he thought, he didn't. Going over the last few minutes he realized there wasn't anything he could have changed. After all, Draco had made his choice.
==
"Harry! Harry!" Harry turned to see Cho Chang hurrying from the library to catch up with them. "I have something I want to show you," she said, opening a muggle paper. It was written in Chinese. "My grandmother sends me this," she said. "She wants me to keep up with reading Chinese. It's yesterday's paper, January 14." As she opened the paper, a black and white photograph stood out against the printing. In it, standing in the crowd behind the Chinese officials was the profile of a wizard who was distinctly familiar, his blonde hair standing out sharply against the dark haired orientals surrounding him.
"Lucius Malfoy," breathed Hermione as she looked over their shoulders.
"Yes," said Cho. "And the question is, what was he doing in China?"
"What's the article about, Cho?" Harry asked.
"It's about a textile plant that is leaking toxins into the drinking water. Several muggles have died and there is evidence that it causes sterility. The company asserts that they are following procedures, and did not leak toxic chemicals, but the evidence is there. The textile plant is to close until further notice."
"Did you show this to Dumbledore?" asked Harry.
"I tried," said Cho, "But Professor McGonagall said that he isn't here. He's in Berlin."
"Berlin?" said Ron. "Berlin, Germany? What's he doing there?"
==
meeting stuff. Still on Jan 14. Sunday. End ch with Narcissa and Gloria and Ethan at Malfoy manor.
Voldemort was pacing his room. Nagini lay coiled on the floor. She was sleeping contentedly, but he was nervously awaiting news from his team of Death Eaters in Israel. At last the fire call from Stergis and Bode confirmed that the Israeli Prime Minister was dead. Voldemort now only had to wait for the peace talks to fall into disarray.
"There is one problem," Stergis told him. "The German Death Eater who did the deed was caught on the muggle video tape."
"That's not a problem," said Voldemort. "It isn't the first time Germany targeted Jews. I expected the German to get caught, how else would Israel blame Germany for the assassination?"
"But sir," Bode protested. "He used the portkey while on the tape. It wouldn't be a problem to obliviate any Muggles who saw him disappear, if there were any, but if it is put on the Muggle television—"
Voldemort hissed his displeasure. "Imbeciles all of you!" he spat. "Why didn't anyone deactivate the portkey?"
"I don't know, Master," said Stergis nervously stepping back from the fire, as if he were expecting Voldemort's wrath. "What would you have us do now?" He asked softly.
Voldemort clamped his hands around the rampant magic that wanted release in the form of a curse. "Bode," he growled. "You take your team and track down that tape and destroy it. Stergis, since Dumbledore trusts you, you'd better go to Berlin and try to head off Dumbledore. No doubt he will be poking his long nose into this. See that he finds nothing to connect to anything but a single disgruntled wizard."
"Did you have a particular wizard in mind to use as a scapegoat?" asked Stergis.
"No," said Voldemort in an offhand way. "Anyone but a Death Eater, it doesn't matter."
Voldemort concluded with fire call with a sigh. He should have had both of them apparate to him. It was supremely unsatisfying to see a mistake go unpunished. Well, there would be time later.
Moments after the fire call concluded, Carman sought admittance. Usually, Carman pleased him, but today, nothing could please him. The mistakes at the U.S. white house and now the mistakes in Israel were disturbing, and his mind was still on the future activities which had not yet run amuck. He left Carman kneeling longer that usual as he thought about what might go wrong, and how to guard against it. At last he turned his attention to her. She wanted some favor from him.
He hardly listened to her as he sneered in impatience and annoyance. It was bad enough that he constantly had to deal with Death Eaters jockeying for position at his right hand. Today, the fact that it was Carman, made him furious.
He hated when Carman thought she could beg for favors from him. It undermined his authority and reminded him of times best forgotten. She should be above this sort of thing.
"Please, Master," she begged on bended knee, the long white curtain of her hair hiding her face from him.
"No," he snapped, pacing away from her. "Don't ask again. Ethan doesn't have the control for the Fire Elemental and you obviously have been remiss in teaching him. Edward's gift is with water and even he has better control over the Fire Elemental, but I can't send one without the other. The whole point of sending them was the shared magic. And shared magic needs control. If they can't do it, I will have to send someone else."
"I tell you, Ethan can do it when he wants to. He just gets sloppy. He's young."
"The Snood girl has it and she's younger than he is. Stop making excuses for him Carman. It's time for him to grow up if we are going to trust him with an adult job. At this point, I'm looking for another to do the task, and that's the end of it. Perhaps Draco and --."
"But Master," begged Carman. "It will demoralize Ethan to take him from the task at this point. There is already a bitter rivalry between Draco and Ethan and since you moved Draco up in the circle he has been waiting for this chance to prove himself. What can I do to persuade you to reconsider?" She brought her hands boldly onto the bottom of his robe, uncertain as to whether or not he would cast her away. When he did not, she crept her hands up his legs, across his torso to his shoulders. Her thoughts were of times gone by—times when he was Tom, and he was easily persuaded.
Tom remembered how carefully he had planned the event, but Dumbledore had been one step ahead of both him and Grindlewald. There was only one thing to do: flee, and leave Grindlewald to his fate. It was earlier than he had wished, but Grindlewald had to fall anyway to make room for the new Dark Lord. Tom had nearly wore the bristles off of his Silver Arrow as it whisked through the air at neck break speed. He was covered with sweat when he finally arrived at Hogwarts. He flew half the length of the underground passage to Slytherin when suddenly his broom was cursed, and he dropped to the ground in a crouch, pulling his wand as he fell.
"They know you were gone. Tom. Aurors arrived 10 minutes ago. They are waiting for you in your dorm," said Carman calmly as she pocketed her wand. He stood looking at her, wondering what he should do, when she clasped his hand, leading him into her room instead. Her fingers seemed to burn his skin as she undid his robe.
"Where are your roommates?" asked Tom.
"They won't be bothering us," replied Carman as she pressed her self against him and kissed him with a ferocity that she had never had before. "But Dippit will. I told Myrtle you were in my room. They should be questioning her now."
"But then, we can't," Tom protested, pulling away from her. "Your reputation…"
"Will grow by your side," Carman whispered as she pulled the pins from her hair and let it fall in a silvery sheet to her waist.
"I won't forget this," said Tom.
"I won't let you forget," promised Carman.
They had divested each other of half of their clothes before the knock came to the door, followed by "Alohomora!" It was the only detention Tom had ever received.
==
Salazar shook off the memory and looked at the woman before him. "But Carman, you are no longer young and beautiful," he said callously,
"But my magic is the same," she replied, her breath hot on his face.
"Your magic doesn't interest me," he replied, "but perhaps—"He smiled thinking that he had never felt the tremors of her Crucioed body against his. The thought intrigued him. "Tell me, Carman," he asked grasping her chin in his hand, and allowing his long fingers to trace a path into her cleavage. "Does your body seize when you are Crucioed?"
"No," objected Tom. "It's me you're angry at, not her. You have no reason to crucio her! None!"
Salazar smirked, thinking, "Still protecting your little girlfriend Tom. When will you learn that it was never you she wanted. It was me." He pulled Carman closer to him with the finger crooked over the top edge of her robe.
"I-I don't know," she said, her eyes growing wide, fear filling her thoughts. "It's been a long time since I was Crucioed. I am always careful. I am faithful—"
"Shall we see?" he asked softly as he loosened the clasp on her robe.
"Wh-whatever you wish, Master. I--I am yours," She laid her hand gently on his, as if to halt his progress. "If only you will give Ethan another chance."
"You are mine whether I give Ethan another chance or not," Voldemort said coldly.
"Crucio!"
Much later, Voldemort called Severus Snape. He had made his decision about Ethan and Edward, but he was not willing to let it be known to Carman yet. If Ethan and Edward could earn their place, he would give it to them. If not, it would go to Draco. Either way, he needed to know exactly how competent all of his young Death Eaters were.
At His call, Severus Apparated before him and prostrated himself on the ground.
"What news?" he asked Severus.
"Dumbledore is still looking for the spy in his ranks," said Severus. "But he is cautious. He lets nothing slip. I have not yet found an exploitable weakness, but I will. All is in readiness."
"If I weren't sure of your loyalty," said Voldemort softly, "I would think you were stalling."
"No, Master, but I have decided the time, if it meets your approval."
"Tell me," said Voldemort, and Severus began to speak in his soft compelling voice. Voldemort nodded, smiling and called the rest of the inner circle. Once they had laid the rest of the plans, he called the children, children he had begun to think of as his new inner circle: Owen Pritchard, Alvin Nott, Maura Rosier, Millicent Bulstrode, Ethan and Edward Lestrange, Draco Malfoy and Gloria Snood.
The first thing Voldemort did when the Circle assembled, was to call Alvin Nott forward. "Alvin," he said. "You have pleased me. I cannot and will not take the burden of Pandora's box from you yet, but I am fulfilling my promise to you."
"Your promise?" asked Alvin confused.
"When you first, gained control of the box, you asked that your father be returned to you. I have done so." Voldemort motioned an adult forward from the Circle.
"But—how? He was dead," Alvin said amazed. "I saw him fall. I saw—" Alvin took several steps forward as if he would run to the man in the Circle and hug him, but then he stopped. and turned towards Voldemort, bowing deeply. "How is this possible?"
"I am more powerful than you know, Alvin." Voldemort's eyes strayed to Draco's "More powerful than any wizard or witch alive."
"You have given me my father's life," said Alvin, dropping to his knees and kissing Voldemort's robes. "I give you mine."
"Silly, boy," laughed Voldemort. "You already did that." Voldemort reached out, stroking Alvin's hair enjoying the utter openness of the boy's thoughts. "I would still be glad to call you son," said Voldemort.
"Thank you, Master," said Alvin.
"Go, visit with your father," said Voldemort waving them away. "You two are dismissed."
"Draco," said Voldemort. "I moved you forward in the Circle because you brought Samara to me, but you will have to earn that place to keep it. I have a task for you. Your father will take you to meet a Death Eater who has offended me greatly: Arvil Folant He has also offended you, Draco. He is a shortsighted fellow who does not believe that children should be in my inner circle. He is in my dungeon.
"Yes, Master," said Draco, expecting the task to become clear in a moment, but Voldemort did not elaborate.
Instead he asked, "Do you know what happens to Death Eaters who displease me?"
"They die," said Draco softly.
"That's correct," said Voldemort. "You have killed Muggles, have you not?"
"Yes Master."
Suddenly Voldemort reached out and gripped Draco's left arm, their magic mingling through the Mark. Draco sucked in his breath.
. "I felt your hatred for Harry Potter," Voldemort said. "I know it is sufficient to fire the Avada spell, but I think you may be ready for something a little more advanced than Muggles: something that perhaps will test your resolve. Shall we see, Draco?"
Draco licked his lips, and Voldemort instantly felt his nervousness through his touch. "Yes Master," he said, bringing his determined eyes up to meet Voldemort's red gaze.
"Good," said Voldemort, pleased with the boy's determination. "Lucius, when this Circle is dismissed, you will take your son to see Arvil in the dungeon. I wish him to know what happens to those who displease me." Voldemort released Draco.
"Yes, Master," said Lucius and Draco together, and they stepped back awaiting their Master's further orders. Voldemort turned to Ethan. "Restrictus!" he said and Ethan froze, eyes open and staring at Voldemort. Panic rose in the boy, and Voldemort reveled in it.
"You like Gloria Snood," he said. "I've seen you two together."
"Yes," said Ethan, still paralyzed, but internally shaking with fear. "She's Ok."
"She likes fire too," said Voldemort pulling from the Fire Elemental. "Did you know that? And she has much more control than you, a benefit of working with Narcissa," Voldemort said. "I think your grandmother coddles you too much, Ethan. What do you think?" Absently he rubbed his thumb along Ethan's chin. Normally the boy didn't flinch from him, but the paralysis spell had him nervous, and he longed to pull away from Voldemort's touch. Bits of flame appeared at Voldemort's fingertips, but they were not yet hot.
"I don't know, Sir," he stuttered. Voldemort held the tiny flame at his fingertips until he felt the heat and then he ran his hand over Ethan's right eye. Although Ethan couldn't move, he could scream and he shrieked so that the echoes reverberated in the hall. Voldemort could feel the disgust rising from somewhere in the Circle. He couldn't tell if the disgust was in response to Ethan's screaming or if it was directed to him and his handling of the situation. Such emotions could not go unnoticed. Voldemort considered Crucioing the offender, but when he realized that it was Draco who was broadcasting the feelings, he decided to explain instead.
"You're getting soft," remarked Tom. "Old. You may have eternal life, but not eternal vigor. How many Crucios can you handle before you start to tire and the spell loses some of its power?"
"More than you," Voldemort snarled at Tom before directing his attention to the Circle again.
"The way he is screaming," Voldemort explained, his eyes meeting Draco's, "you would have thought I am blinding him, but I am not." Ethan's fear was a calming balm to Voldemort as he slowly singed off the boy's eyelashes. The fear was primal and stark and completely consumed him. That was the beauty of children, he thought. They lived so vividly. For a moment Voldemort just let the delicious fear fill him. Then, he examined Ethan's face, one set of eyelashes on, the other off. "Did I burn you?" he asked gently.
"No Master," Ethan stammered, still amazed that he had his eyesight.
Voldemort felt Ethan's heart rate returning to normal, his fear subsiding. "Did I hurt you in any way?" Voldemort asked again.
"No Master." Ethan was still sucking in deep shuddering breaths. "Thank you, Master," Ethan breathed. "I see how important control is now—"
"Oh, I don't think you do. Not yet. I think I will leave the other eyelash for Gloria to do," he said softly. "Right after you do hers—"
Gloria sucked in her breath, her thoughts practically shouted. I didn't do anything wrong!
Immediately, the fear returned to Ethan and it was not less than when Voldemort had held the flames at his face. No! She can't!
Draco, who had originally broadcast the disgust, now had his emotions under control, and Voldemort could sense nothing from him; of the children, he was definitely the most precise.
"You can remove her eyelashes first, Ethan" said Voldemort. "That way, if you hurt her, she can retaliate. Narcissa, you will work with them on this. Use Elemental water only if one or the other is in danger of death."
"Not blindness?" asked Narcissa.
"No," said Voldemort unconcernedly. "Blindness can be fixed."
"The paralysis spell?" asked Narcissa.
"You do that," said Voldemort." You won't want them complaining that the other moved."
"Yes, Master."
Voldemort grasped Ethan's face in his hand. "If you hurt this little girl with your carelessness," he said softly, "she may get careless with you. And worse, Ethan, when you are finished, you will answer to me for any damage you do. Remember she is mine. You wouldn't want to damage what is mine."
"No, Master," Ethan squeaked. "I promise—"
"Bring them to my chamber when you are finished, Narcissa. You three are dismissed from the Circle, and you, Lucius may take Draco to see Arvil in the dungeons."
Immediately Lucius and Draco Disapparated.
"We will go to Malfoy Manor," said Narcissa. She turned to Gloria. "Are you comfortable Apparating yourself there?" she asked.
Gloria nodded. "Yes, Ma'am"
After they arrived at the Manor, Gloria turned, grabbing the collar of Ethan's robe. "One spark on my eye," growled Gloria, "and I will crush every bone in your body, Ethan, with excruciating slowness."
"Now, Dear, we practiced that spell already," said Narcissa. "We'll choose a new one if he hurts you."
Answers to Reviewers:
Voldy's pink teddie: Thanks for the kudos. And it's a blue bunny, not a teddy.
Akiel: Thanks for the review. And I'm not telling who the green eyed squib was. 15 reviews gets the next chapter, so if you want them sooner, you have to recruit some friends to read the story.
Christina: Yes, I was concerned about the way this chapter would be perceived. Of course, I'm not Volde. I have my moments, and I enjoy writing him, but I am not Voldemort. I'm not…I'm not…heheheh
Ammarine: Yes, well it was meant to be ironic. Lucius talking about greedy people. And I can't believe no one realized who the green eyed squib was.
Trillium: Glad this chappie was a fav. More good ones on the way. You will have a new favorite soon.
Ennui: None of the countries attacked anyone yet, US included, so no they weren't waiting for the US or UK or anyone particularly. Volde was just sowing chaos. And the portkeys were a back up plan in case they forgot how to apparate. I was just reminding the reader that they had them, in case they need them later. Yes, the Rosiers were killed by aurors in the time when they were allowed to use the killing curse. Remember in JK's book—I think it was GoF when Dumbledore said that the Aurors were almost as bad as the DE.
Jager: Yes, well my Volde is more evil than most Voldemorts…muwhawhawha!
Silverfox: So glad you are still with me. It's been ages since you've done a new fic. I think it's about time, don't you? And well, no one was conscious who cared about Koschei, but don't worry. We will see Koschei again.
Harpy: Yes, it did jump around a bit. It was all the different countries that Volde is trying to manipulate. Sorry you were confused. If you tell me where exactly where I lost you, maybe I can fix it. Volde grumbles. Stupid muggles.
Kemenran: Typical
Cara the Mord Sith: No this chapter was not shorter. Most are between 5-8 thousand words. This one was over 6 thousand, so just in the middle. I guess you are reading faster.
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To all of those who haven't yet reviewed this chapter, now is the time. Review. Click the little button on the left corner and tell me what you think. Remember 15 reviews equals a new chapter.
Sure beats paying for it, doesn't it?
Lady Lestrange
Good stuff coming. You don't want to miss it.
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