The Seers' Truth: Beyond the Darkness
By Lady Lestrange
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter characters and previous situations belong to JK Rowlings. No infrigement is meant or implied. No money is made from this Fanfic. Thanks JK.
--Lady Lestrange
Special thanks to my beta, ennui de mort who thought of the title and who always does such a good job being my extra muse as well as proofreading, moral support and just plain fun.
15 reviews: I really hate blackmailing you into reviewing, but hey, I'm a Slytherin. It's in my nature, so when there are 15 reviews for this chapter, the next one will magically appear. Love my readers and reviewers. Answers to the reviews follow the story.
(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.)
Up to this Point: Alternate 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 guardian.
Back at Hogwarts, the trio tries to ascertain how they will save the girls. They enlist Draco and Lauren's help.
Voldemort has some trouble within the ranks and sends Ethan to learn with Narcissa and Gloria. Meanwhile, the trio works out some differences with Draco, and miss a chance to save the girls. Now, Snape gives some timely advice and Harry invites Neville to their little planning gatherings, which ends in an altercation between Neville and Draco.
Voldemort sets his plans in motion by giving Samara the Dark Mark, but she is far from defeated by this. Ginny on the other hand is ready to give in to save her family. The plot continues as Volemort sets family members upon family members in a quest to destroy all who might thwart him.
Meanwhile, Harry considers the meaning of curcio and tries to puzzle out what Voldemort is doing by reading his scar pangs.
Ethan and Edward prove their worth to Voldemort and Beatrice is finally released from the bunny animagus.
Ginny, under polyjuice potion, is impersonating Madam Amelia Bones. She is following direct orders from Voldemort who is speaking to her in parseltongue from the small snake animagus she is carrying. She attempts to save both her father and her brother. What will Voldemort do to retaliate if she does?
For further discussion, visit: YAHOO GROUPS, TheSeersTruth
And now, on to the story…
Chapter 25
Innocence among Evil
By Lady Lestrange
Potions class seemed to drag on forever. All Harry could think of was in a few short hours he would go to the Snow Castle to get the girls. He would probably face Voldemort. Potions really seemed entirely useless. By the end of the class, Harry's head was throbbing. He sat for a moment with his head down on the table while Ethan cleaned their work table in record time without even asking for help and dashed for the door.
"Harry?" said Hermione placing her hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"
"Yes," he muttered into his sleeve. "I just have a headache."
"It's Him, isn't it mate?" asked Ron.
Harry lifted his head and looked around the room. Mercifully, Edward had left with his brother. Only Ron, Hermione, Beatrice and Neville were waiting for him as he gathered his books and put away his potion ingredients.
"Maybe the smell of the potion ingredients have given you a headache, Mr. Potter," suggested Mrs. Figg. "Madam Pomfrey will have something for it, or just some fresh air would do you good." She patted his back in a maternal gesture that Harry usually would have appreciated, but today, he was too agitated to be grateful.
"Yes, that will be fine, thank you. I think we will go outside," said Harry as they left the room.
"I feel a little sick myself," said Neville.
"Two and a half hours," said Hermione looking at her watch. "I didn't think Potions would ever be over."
Beatrice gave her a puzzled look.
"That sounds strange coming from you," Ron said. "Wishing a class would be over—"
"I'm just nervous," she replied, and Ron reached out, giving Hermione's hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Let's go get a snack from the house elves," suggested Ron. "In case we miss dinner."
"Oh Ron," said Hermione wrinkling her nose. "I don't want anything to eat."
"I think I will go to Madam Pomfrey," said Harry. "I'll need my wits about me tonight, and I can barely see through this headache. Would you bring me back something from the kitchen?" Shesha hissed on his wrist and Harry added, "Bring some raw meat too that I can transfigure into some thing for Shesha and Koschei."
"Argh, Harry," spat Ron. "Do you have both of them with you again?"
"Yes," said Harry, as he pushed up his sleeves revealing Koschei on his left arm and Shesha on his right. "I wanted to give Koschei back to Snape, but he seemed in a hurry." Harry shrugged. "She isn't any trouble," he added, stroking the adder. Shesha slithered further up his arm as he stroked Koschei.
"You are allowed to have an owl, a rat, a toad or a cat as a pet," said Hermione.
"Right," interrupted Ron. "No one said that a basilisk or a poisonous snake was allowed."
"That's venomous," said Hermione.
"Yes, that's what I said," added Ron.
"No, you said poisonous," corrected Hermione. "The correct term is venomous—"
Ron rolled his eyes, and Harry started towards the Infirmary, ignoring his friends' discussion.
Neville stood uncertainly with Harry and Beatrice. "I have to stop in the dormitory first," he said. "I'll meet you in the kitchen, OK Beatrice, " he said as he shifted his books to the other arm, and looked intently at Beatrice.
Beatrice shuffled from on foot to the other looking at the floor. Harry watched her, and wondered what on earth he was doing. Beatrice and Neville were almost a couple before she had darted after Samara and Ginny and got stuck as a bunny. It struck him as ludicrous that he found himself competing with Neville for a girl. Actually, Neville has spent as much time as he had with her, and truthfully, nothing could come of his attraction to her. Hell, he would probably be dead in a few hours. Neville was better for her. He ran his hand through his hair in exasperation. Nothing ever worked out easily for him. It seemed that it wasn't working out easily for Beatrice either. She was still looking at the floor and blushing. "I—uh—I was going to stay with Harry for a while," she whispered.
Neville's face fell. "Ok," he said softly, and then brightened, a false smile on his face. "Sure. I'll see you later, Beatrice."
"No," Harry urged Beatrice, but Neville was already starting to walk away. "Neville wait!"
Neville didn't hear him, or ignored him.
"You should get a snack, Beatrice," Harry continued. "You haven't eaten right for the past two months. You need your strength."
"But I'm going to be here for supper tonight," she argued. "I am not going back to the Snow Castle. After all," she said, "it's supposed to be a stealth mission. The more people that go, the harder it will be to hide them. Even as a bunny I might be recognized. Don't trust any animals at the Snow Castle, Harry. There are a number of unregistered Animagi there. Are you taking the snakes?"
"Basilisk," said Harry absently as he watched Neville hurry away. "Koschei belongs at the Snow Castle. I should take her. Her mistress probably thinks she's dead, but I don't know what to do with Shesha." Ron seems to think that she will revert back to Voldemort if I take her. " Harry muttered to the serpent in parseltongue, "(Would you do that? Would you betray me to Voldemort?)"
Shesha hissed indignantly, not even gracing that question with an answer.
Ron and Hermione could still be heard arguing in the direction of the kitchen as Harry and Beatrice went towards the infirmary. Harry had only walked a few steps beyond the next corridor when a fresh bout of emotion stopped him in his tracks. Voldemort was extremely pleased. No, that wasn't quite it, thought Harry. He was elated, absolutely ecstatic, which probably meant that something quite bad had happened for the side of the Light. Harry's headache vanished like it had never existed, and Harry hesitated wondering aloud if he should tell Dumbledore.
"Tell Dumbledore what?" asked Beatrice.
"I'm sorry," said Harry. "I shouldn't have said that aloud. It's my decision." He clamped his lips stubbornly over his words.
"Oh pfaw," said Beatrice. "You talked to me all the time when I was a bunny, but you've hardly talked to me at all since I'm a witch again. You know I'm the same person I was as an Animagus." She grinned at him mischievously. "Would you feel better talking to my bunny self?"
"No—I—" Harry wracked his brain trying to remember what he had babbled on about in her presence. "It was so easy to talk to her when she was a bunny."
"So—I presume you had a vision?" she questioned.
Harry nodded and proceeded to explain that he didn't really have visions, but he did have a connection to Voldemort that was unique. Because of it he sometimes felt what Voldemort felt and right now he wasn't sure how much of the feelings he should reveal to Dumbledore. Maybe he shouldn't tell Dumbledore about Voldemort's feelings at all. It wasn't like he could actually explain it. It was only a feeling.
"You shouldn't feel guilty keeping some things from him," said Beatrice. "You aren't sure what He's pleased about, are you?"
"Well, not for sure," agreed Harry. "But I just think I should—"
"When has Headmaster Dumbledore earned such loyalty from you?"
"It's not about loyalty. He is a brilliant and powerful wizard—"
Beatrice just smiled. "Perhaps he is, but he also has exhibited a severe lack of character judgment in the past. What if he tells the wrong person? Didn't you say there was a spy in the Order? And he hired all those Dark Wizards as teachers?"
"He didn't know—" commented Harry.
"Exactly," said Beatrice.
"But I am loyal to Professor Dumbledore," said Harry. "Sure, he's made mistakes, but everyone makes mistakes. I guess, I'm just looking for a bit of security. I think telling a teacher would make me feel better. I don't know if it would help to get the girls back."
"If this were a duel or a challenge of magical powers, I would say, tell the Headmaster. But it's not." Beatrice shook her head. "And he doesn't know the first thing about stealth. If I told anyone, it would be Professor Snape."
"He knows," said Harry. "He gave us the time to go."
"Then it's decided," said Beatrice.
"Yes," Harry said, staring into her soft brown eyes and suddenly thinking of how soft her fur had been beneath his hands. He reached out to touch her hair.
In answer, she brought her hands up to hold Harry's, leaning her cheek against his hand. "Be careful," she said, backing away and holding his hands tightly in her own. "Don't take any stupid chances tonight, OK?" Her voice dropped to a whisper so soft that he could barely hear her and her wide brown eyes misted with unshed tears. "Because you are very special, Harry Potter."
He nodded without even thinking. "Beatrice, I—"
But he found himself talking to the empty air. She had turned into a bunny and scampered away heading for Gryffindor Tower at a run. He hoped she found Neville, and he hoped she didn't.
Samara found the Ministry building intimidating. It wouldn't be hard to play the part of a lost little girl. She felt like a lost little girl. She didn't want to be here. She had thought that she wouldn't have to be, and would have fought Voldemort on the topic, but Ginny needed her, so when He asked her to come and care for the basilisks, she came without a word of dissent. Samara still felt weak and slightly nauseous even after assimilating the magic or the Dark Mark. Her mind was not on her task, because, although Ginny told her Draco was alive, she hadn't seen him.
The Dark Lord had not allowed her to contact him. He barely let Samara out of his sight until today. He had probed her mind until she had a splitting headache and then he had resorted to veritaserium supplied by none other than her dear Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Severus Snape. She found it didn't work as well as she had once thought because she had definitely lied to the Dark Lord when he had said to outline the width and breadth of her powers. She decided that being with all the Slytherins at the Snow Castle must have brought out her Slytherin side because a few weeks ago, she would have just told him the truth. Of course, telling Dumbledore the truth at Hogwarts hadn't worked well. It only got her into the Chamber or Chains. She shivered with the memory.
Samara glanced at her companions: Alvin Nott, who had his Pandora's box held in an ordinary school satchel which was slung over his shoulder. Ethan and Edward, who were bubbling with barely contained excitement and therefore barely contained magic. The cards given to them outside of the door proclaimed that each was a "dangerous intruder". Samara found this ridiculous since no one attempted to stop them. The closest they got to being caught was when one elderly witch in the lobby of the Ministry exclaimed that the twins reminded her of her own dear grandsons who had moved to Australia to avoid the war with the Dark Forces. She sniffed and hugged the boys, much to their dismay before she was called away by a co-worker who was concerned with a memo which had flown to her desk.
Samara set the first Confundus Charm. Then the children moved to the lift and held their breath as they touched the controls with their wands. Immediately the lift began to move. There were no alarms.
"First hurtle past," said Samara.
"Did you think Marshall wouldn't do his job?" asked Alvin as he touched his wand to his Dark Mark.
"Ouch," Samara complained. "That hurt Alvin."
"Sorry."
"Indeed," agreed Edward blowing out his breath. "Onward and upward."
As the lift moved, Samara arranged her basilisks better under her robe and admonished them that they must be quiet and still. Although Voldemort had told her to use their venom as necessary, she wanted nothing to do with ordering them to kill. It wouldn't take much though, she surmised. She had managed to calm the basilisks that Voldemort had for only a day, but those that were imprinted to him were another story altogether. Those three, Cush, Cilicia and Zissi were hissing continuously: "Kill! Bite! Die! Hissusss!"
"Be quiet," Samara demanded and they were finally still and quiet.
By the time the elevator stopped at the top floor, Ethan was dripping elemental fire. "Stop it," said Edward. "Control yourself, or do you really want more lessons with the Dark Lord."
"I think the Dark Lord is preferable to Aunt Narcissa." said Ethan as he sucked the magic back into his hands and Samara noticed that the tips of his fingers blistered with the power of it.
Edward raised an eyebrow.
"I'm serious," Ethan said. "Aunt Narcissa wasn't satisfied with our burning off each others eyelashes once. No. We had to do it twenty times in succession without a mistake. She said she wasn't sending us back to Him incompetent."
"You didn't have time to do that twenty times," argued Edward.
"Have you ever heard of something called a time-turner?" asked Ethan.
"No," said Edward.
"Be glad," said Ethan. "Be very glad."
They moved out onto the floor.
"I'm sorry," said a witch working at the desk. "You can't come up here. It's restricted access. There is an important meeting—" She frowned, obviously wondering how they got by the wards that were supposed to keep unauthorized persons off of the floor.
"I think we're lost," Edward told the witch. "We're looking for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office. Our Mum Apparated ahead of us—"
The witch's demeanor immediately softened when she realized they were children. "Oh, of course, dear," she said
Alvin opened his satchel and spoke quietly to the dementors inside of Pandora's box.
One of the witches came around the desk to talk to them. "You really are lost. Muggle Artifacts is in the basement."
"Oh, she must have said bottom floor and I thought she said top," replied Ethan.
"Sorry to trouble you," added Samara.
"No trouble," the first witch replied returning to the desk. "Your Mum must have had her hands full with all of you. What are you, but a year apart?"
"He's adopted," said Edward, gesturing to Ethan. The witch laughed looking at the identical twins.
"They're both adopted," Samara put in as the witch approached the lift.
"I'll take you down," she volunteered, but a frantic wizard interrupted her before she entered the lift. "Nanette," he said. "You'd better take a look at this."
"One moment," the witch said, going back to her desk.
"I'm sure we can find it," called Samara.
"Should we call the Minister?" asked the wizard, who was examining the memo.
"Oh, dear," Nanette replied. "I don't know. He can't be disturbed. He's in a meeting—They all are—all the upper staff--"
Her voice droned to nothing as the children entered the lift. "Thank you," Samara called.
"Thank you?" Ethan howled. "You just said thank you. I can't believe it. For what?"
"Thank you for dying," Edward giggled. Their hilarity calmed as the lift moved on to the next level.
Alvin leaned against the side of the lift and closed his eyes. "She seemed very nice," he said.
"And stupid," added Ethan.
"No, the Death Eaters who work for the Ministry knew exactly where to hit them, to put them on edge," said Edward. "That memo really had her worried."
"Ha! Did you see her?" asked Ethan, but Samara interrupted him.
"Touch the Mark," Samara reminded Alvin.
"Right."
Samara clenched her teeth and grabbed her arm.
"Sorry," Alvin apologized. "I'm just nervous."
"You really are a baby, Samara" said Edward. "It wasn't that bad."
"I could kiss it and make it better," said Ethan.
"I'll tell Draco," said Edward raising his eyebrow at his brother.
"Alvin could kiss it and make it better. You'd like that, wouldn't you, Alvin?"
"And what about Lauren?" asked Edward.
"Oh he's been with her way too long anyway," said Ethan. "She isn't even a Death Eater."
"She will be," replied Edward.
"No, she won't," snapped Alvin.
"What do you say, Samara?" asked Ethan clasping her hand and placing a warm wet kiss on the palm of her hand.
"I say, you are already drunk on wandless magic and we aren't even half way through the Ministry. Are you still full of it from last night?" snapped Samara. "What were you doing?"
"Get your wand out and levitate something," added Alvin.
"He's already flying," said Edward.
"But my kisses have all the healing power of phoenix tears," protested Ethan as she backed against the wall of the lift and he worked his way up to her elbow, kissing the skin of her inner arm. Sawa and Cilicia both rose up in preparation to attack and Samara hissed anxiously at them to keep them from biting Ethan.
Ethan jumped back in fear.
"Yeah," giggled Edward, "and any minute he might burst into flame!"
"Bloody hell, Samara," swore Ethan. "Keep those things away from me!"
"Don't worry," laughed Edward. "A phoenix is a match for a basilisk."
Cilicia continued to hiss, "(kill, bite, die, hissusss.)" Cush and Zissi joined her litany until Samara demanded silence.
They arrived giggling at the next floor and a tall thin woman that reminded Samara uncomfortably of Ms. Pince stood and walked around a desk above which hung bold letters, Licensure: Apparition, Animagi.
"He wants to register an Animagi," said Edward. "He thinks he's a phoenix." Both the twins burst into laughter.
"We are not in the habit of carrying on bad jokes," the woman said haughtily. "Let me see your cards."
"Oh, they aren't always like this," said Samara while she pretended to look for the card in her robe pockets and Alvin set both the Confundus charms and the dementers. "There was an accident," said Samara. "Mum should be here. She finally learned to apparate—"
"Oh there she is," exclaimed Alvin, shoving the three of them ahead of him into the lift after a woman who looked as poised and decorous as Narcissa Malfoy. She looked down her nose at them as if they were the spawn of the devil himself, and edged away from them.
Her very presence stopped the giggling on the ride to the next floor. Even Ethan managed to contain his Fire Elemental, which told Samara he could have controlled it all along.
Because they were just children, they moved unchallenged from floor to floor setting the dementers and confundus charms until they arrived back at the lobby, but they didn't stop there. "Last floor," said Alvin tiredly. "Basement. And then—" He sighed a soft sad sound. "Then, I release them."
Samara nodded her agreement on the lift, but as soon as the lift stopped she slipped behind them. She had to find the Office of Misuse of Muggle Artifacts, the Office where Arthur Weasley worked, and she had to do it fast.
Samara glanced around the corner to be sure that Alvin and the twins were busy. Then she sprinted down the corridor, muttering to herself. "Think like a Gryffindor. I'm a Gryffindor. I can do this." She didn't have much time. Cautiously she searched the corridor before turning the corner. If she met one of the Death Eaters here—she shuddered. Well, she would just have to make sure she didn't.
She ran with all she had heedless of who she might meet in the corridor. She paused only a moment to catch her breath at the door. It said, Dept. of Misuse of Muggle Artifacts, and below it the sign said, "Come In." The letters were worn, as if the door hadn't been painted in the last remodeling stint at the Ministry.
Samara opened the door and walked in. She looked into the ruddy face of Arthur Weasley, so like her friend Ginny's. He glanced up surprised, and then a frown creased his face. Samara's fear escalated. If he set off any alarms, she was dead. She forced herself to speak.
"Mister—" she began. She almost said Weasley in her nervousness, but caught herself just in time. "I'm a Muggle-born witch," she said carefully. "I have an item—a Muggle artifact." She looked nervously at Perkins who was snoring softly at his desk. His aura was very relaxed, but it wasn't quite the aura of a sleeping person. She glanced back at Arthur as he spoke.
"There are channels, through which the artifacts are supposed to travel," said Arthur Weasley as he stepped forward. "This is rather unusual."
"Ginny told me to speak only to you," Samara said in a soft voice, as she pulled the item from her robe pocket. His face immediately softened as she said Ginny's name and his aura brightened. She felt a pang of sadness, because she had never seen her own parents' aura do that, even when she had been missing for five days, looking for her wand wood.
She held out the item to him. It looked like an ordinary silver hair comb that a girl would wear to hold back her hair. Samara pressed it into his hand. "Take it," she said, realizing that she had already stayed too long. "It's from Ginny. I can't stay." She counted to herself, one, two, …
"Ginny? How? Who are you?" said Arthur Weasley.
eight, nine…" She removed her hand from his just as the portkey activated at the tenth second. Arthur Weasley dissolved from the room with the portkey.
Perkins seemed to be still half asleep, his aura was flowing lazily with magic, wand in his hand, and he began muttering something in his sleep. Samara stared at him for a second before she realized he was saying a spell. She raised her wand to stun him, but the old goat was too quick. Without any outward sign of effort, a ward appeared over him, and he snored loudly, but he was not asleep. His aura said he was definitely not asleep.
Samara stared at him for a moment wondering if it mattered at this point. If she was going to save her own skin, she had to get back to her group soon. Ethan and Edward were so wrapped up in their wandless magic they probably wouldn't miss her, but Alvin would. She turned and sprinted into the hall to find Alvin and the twins.
"Where were you?" Alvin asked immediately.
"Sick," she said. "Sorry."
"I understand," said Alvin, his eyes haunted with what he was about to do. "I'm releasing them," he said. "Stay close." Both Samara and the twins laid their hands on Alvin's shoulders as he chanted the words, which released the dementors.
Evil and shadows arise from whence you came
Pandora's box your darkness unchain
Come from your prison, Oh dark and defiled
You are released by Chaos' child
A child born of hatred does set you free.
The twins, white faced, just stared. Samara clutched her wand. At least she could do a Patronus—well, she hoped she could do her Patronus—she had never tried it against real dementers. She knew neither of the twins could manage the spell. They were completely at Alvin's mercy right now. Alvin touched his wand ever so gently to his Dark Mark and Samara felt the faintest tingle of a burn in her arm. It was no more than the heat of touching a hot teacup against your inner arm, but it was enough. All would know that the dementors had been released. Mentally counting down the sixty seconds, Samara squeezed Alvin's shoulder, and Alvin squeezed the box. "I hear them," he whispered. "I hear the screams when they hunt. I hear their victims dying."
"Almost done," she said, wishing she could bring him some comfort.
Harry's headache was back. After two hours relatively pain free, his headache abruptly smacked him between the eyes like the whack of a Weasley bludger. The accompanying rush of emotion was not joy or pain, but excitement, perhaps anticipation. Truthfully, Quidditch is the only thing he could compare this feeling to. It was the adrenaline rush of the Quidditch cup. It was comparable to the moment he saw the golden snitch and knew that victory was at hand. Considering that these thoughts were coming from Voldemort, Harry decided that he had to tell Dumbledore something. Maybe he wouldn't tell him everything he felt happened with Samara and Ginny, but Dumbledore had a right to know that something monumental had happened.
He turned toward Dumbledore's office, trying to remember what the password was. Fortunately, when he reached the door to the office, Minerva McGonagall was there. "What are you doing here, Mr. Potter?" she asked pleasantly.
"I have to talk to the Headmaster," said Harry. He touched his scar significantly. "Something's happening," he said.
Professor McGonagall nodded and tapping on the stone gargoyle with her wand, she said, the password.
The door opened slightly, and she went up the stairs into the room, followed by Harry. Snape and Dumbledore, both sitting with their heads together, looked up. Snape's dog thumped his tail on the floor, reminding Harry of Sirius.
"Minerva. Harry," Dumbledore greeted them. Snape said nothing.
"I don't know what He kept Snape from telling you, but Sybil seems to think there is some sort of altercation at the Ministry," Minerva said with a disbelieving snort. "She's staring into the flames trying to see more details. It's so blasted hot up there," said Minerva, "I told her she was going to pass out from the heat, but she wouldn't let me put out the fire. She's going on—something about the fire and the snake." Minerva shook her head in disgust. "I don't think she is much help, but Mr. Potter might be."
"Good. Good," said Albus. "What can I do for you Harry?"
"We should get you to Madam Pomfrey, Severus," McGonagall said to Snape.
Snape gestured angrily at her, and she backed away. "Don't get yourself in a fit Severus! We know you can't tell us what is happening. We'll find out soon enough."
"I—uh--What happened to Professor Snape?" wondered Harry noticing the man's distorted hands. This had just happened, Harry realized. Snape had been fine in DADA class earlier today. Had he been called to the Dark Lord just a short while ago, sometime in the past three hours? The thought made Harry's breath clench in his throat.
Dumbledore continued, telling Harry, "Professor Snape saved Madam Bones when she was attacked last night."
"Death Eaters?" surmised Harry.
Dumbledore nodded. "Voldemort had long suspected Snape was leaking information to me. It seems he finally decided to do something about it."
"It appears he wanted to be sure this latest plan was not leaked to the Headmaster," continued McGonagall. "Voldemort bound Professor Snape's hands and cut out his tongue. Of course we can grow it back, but—such barbarism!"
A second later, one of Albus potted plants on the shelf exploded as Snape glared at it.
Fawkes squawked and flew in a frantic loop around the room avoiding the shards of glass, but the Headmaster had his wand up and already warded the others from the glass..
"Severus?" said McGonagall gently, as Snape waved his opposite hand repairing the broken shards and repotting the plant in one motion of his disfigured hand. He hadn't said a word. He hadn't picked up his wand, but his eyes were glassed over as if he was in pain and his mouth was set in a grim line. Blood trickled from the corner of it. Snape summoned a basin to himself and spat blood into it. Harry realized he wasn't holding the basin right. His hands were charmed so that he couldn't close his fingers around a wand or a quill. Harry didn't know what else had been done to him, but he certainly knew who did it, and thought he knew what it meant.
"Voldemort did this to him," surmised Harry. "He knows you're a spy, doesn't he?"
Snape ignored Harry, instead staring into Albus' eyes attempting to communicate through their common talent of legilimency. Obviously exhausted, he let go of Albus' arm.
Snape stomped his foot hard enough to make the dog at his feet jump in annoyance, and he strode forward, and before Harry could move, he grabbed Harry by the hair that usually covered his forehead. He pulled the hair away from his scar, which was now red and angry looking.
McGonagall looked from Harry to Severus.
Although Harry already knew what Severus wanted, the Headmaster voiced the thought. "Oh yes," said Dumbledore. "Mr. Potter did you have a vision?"
"No," Harry answered hesitantly, "just a—sense of Volemort's emotions."
Why don't you tell us about it?" McGonagal asked, "Maybe it will shed some light on this situation. Sybil certainly didn't," she snorted.
Harry frowned. "Why didn't you just use your legilimency to find out what Professor Snape knows? I would think that would be more accurate. You two can communicate in that manner, can't you?" asked Harry, thinking of what he had just seen.
Snape nodded, and began pacing the room, robes billowing, as Dumbledore answered, "I did. I knew Severus would want me to. Voldemort fed us both false information."
"That means Voldemort does know Professor Snape is a spy," said Harry horrified. "And Voldemort did this to you?"
Snape shook his head no, and then shrugged. The gesture looked completely out of character for the formidable teacher.
"Another Death Eater," said Dumbledore. "Valeriana.Lestrange."
Snape nodded. Harry looked at Snape, wondering why the Dark Lord sent him back instead of killing him. The answer came in a moment.
He had a hunch that it was because Voldemort wanted to distract Dumbledore from what was happening right now. He remembered what Edward had said. It is a distraction, but Dumbledore will have to go anyway. The reactions of his scar had been too vivid for it to be unimportant. "I think we should attack—destroy Voldemort before he can complete his task—whatever it is," said Harry, but Snape growled and shook his head no.
Snape's lips curled into a sneer as he pulled a potion vial out of his pocket. He waved at Harry indicating he should proceed, and sat on the edge of a chair to listen, and drank some of the potion.
"I don't want you trying to stay in contact with Voldemort, Harry," said Dumbledore. "I don't think I have to tell you, it's dangerous. But since you have already made the effort and have come to no harm, perhaps it will help us to understand what Voldemort is planning. What is he doing? Why do you think we should attack?"
But Harry wasn't sure he wanted to tell his feelings now. He had come to Dumbledore in a cloud of emotion. Now that the feeling was ebbing, he wasn't sure he wanted the light to know. He and the rest of the rescue party had all agreed not to say anything about Edward reeking of wandless magic. "Last night, Voldemort gave someone the Dark Mark," said Harry, "And ever since then, the pain has been getting worse. It stopped completely for about two hours and then it came back—worse than ever." He stopped speaking before he told about Voldemort's emotions. He wasn't sure what else had happened. What made Voldemort happy?
"Who?" asked Dumbledore, "Do you know who he Marked?" and Harry looked away. He was pretty sure it was Samara who got the Dark Mark, but he didn't know if he wanted to tell them that. What if he was wrong?
Snape took another sip from the potion bottle, and Harry noted it was a rather strong painkiller before he turned back to Dumbledore to answer the question. "I'm not sure," said Harry, twirling his wand absently through his fingers, and looking at the floor. He looked up when he felt Snape's eyes on him, and accidentally met Snape's gaze. Snape knew he was lying. Perhaps he even knew it was Samara. He could absolutely feel the power emanating from Snape. Suddenly, his wand was ripped from his grasp. It landed in Snape's paralyzed hand even though Snape couldn't close his fingers around it. His black eyes were glittering. Snape stomped his foot again and growled at Harry, flinging the wand back at him with the force of a Bludger.
Harry caught it right in front of his nose, thinking he just narrowly missed having a second scar on his face. Thank Merlin for those Quiddich reflexes.
Even injured, Snape was a formidable foe, and Harry got the message. He wasn't attentive enough to his wand or his thoughts.
He glanced at Dumbledore who was looking at him thoughtfully, and Harry looked away quickly, staring at Snape's dog and consciously attempting to think of something else.
The dog moved over to Snape, whining softly, it laid its big head on Snape's knee. Snape patted it once and then pointed to the corner. Obediently, the dog trotted over to the corner by the fireplace and lay down. Snape took another sip of the pain medicine, and waved his hand at Harry indicating he should continue to tell what he had surmised from the connection to Voldemort.
Harry didn't speak at first, and when he did, he didn't tell any of the details that he suspected. "If Voldemort is planning something big," said Harry standing and pacing towards the door. "I have to find him. The Prophecy says, I'm the only one who can defeat him."
"No, Harry," said Dumbledore.
Snape was on him in a moment grabbing the back of his cloak and lifting him off of the ground. Shesha hissed a warning. McGonagall's spell hit him at the same time and he felt the leg locker curse take effect as he fell into Snape's arms.
"(No Shesha! Stay hidden. Be still Koschei!)" demanded Harry as both serpents tensed to strike.
Snape grunted in pain and pushed Harry into one of the chairs in the room while McGonagall shook her head.
"Tsk, tsk. That boy will never learn," she said, ending her spell with. "Finite Incantum."
Snape raised an eyebrow as Harry shoved Shesha back under his robe sleeve and Dumbledore looked over his half moon glasses at him, but he did not explain the presence of the two serpents.
"All Gryffindors are not foolhardy, Severus," McGonagall said, as if she knew what Snape would say if he could speak. She probably did, thought Harry. After all one did not associate with a teacher every day and not learn something about their mannerisms.
"You do not have to defeat Voldemort today, Harry," said Dumbledore. "You can wait until you are older. Wait until you have adult command of your magic. Let the Order deal with him now."
"I was thinking of ways that we could get your tongue back in operation, Severus," McGonagall said to him. "I could transfigure something." She was frowning. "It might be a little tricky—"
Snape shook his head and clamped his lips shut as he dug through his robes for a potion. At last he found it and showed the empty bottle to her.
"Yes, yes, I know you indicated you took the muscle-gro potion, but that will take at least a day, and I could transfigure something in a matter of moments. I'm thinking it would work best if it was something made of muscle in the first place, something which you would not have to concentrate on constantly to control. Why didn't you do this right away, Albus?"
"Because Severus didn't want me to," said the Headmaster simply.
Snape was shaking his head emphatically no.
"Don't be ridiculous. I've got it!" McGonagall's eyes brightened as she surveyed the books on Dumbledore's shelves. "One of your leeches should do nicely, Severus."
Harry choked as he looked at McGonagall in horror, but his look was bland in comparison with Snape's sneer. "Pity I don't have any ton tongue taffies," joked Harry. "That would grow your own tongue quickly." Snape snapped his fingers and grabbing Harry by the collar pushed him out of the room.
"Your're kidding," said Harry. "You want me to get you a ton-tongue taffy?"
Severus nodded.
"Severus, no," called McGonagall following them into the corridor, but stopping on the top of the steps outside of Dumbledore's office and calling to them.. "You can't control the speed at which your tongue will grow!"
Snape ignored her, hurrying toward Gryffindor Tower, pulling Harry with him while his serpents complained at his treatment. Harry hissed to Koschei and Shesha. "(You will not bite Snape. He is--)" Harry hesitated trying to think of a word that Shesha would understand to describe Snape. At last he gave up. "(He is tsez)."
Minerva McGonagall was still standing on the top of the spiral staircase, when Arthur Weasley and Lauren Avery sprinted into the corridor coming from the dungeon.
"Arthur—" said McGonagall in surprise as Arthur Weasley hurried forward. "What are you doing here?"
"I had wondered the same thing," said Arthur.
"Thank you, dear," said Arthur addressing Lauren.
"You may go back to your common room, Miss," McGonagall said, dismissing Lauren Avery. The girl lingered for a moment as they turned back to the Gargoyle, which Dumbledore had opened. "Arthur, come up," he exclaimed as he invited them into his office. "This is a surprise."
"Yes, for me too," said Arthur as he unwrapped his handkerchief from around a silver comb. "A young girl came into my office. She said she was a Muggle-born witch and told me she had a Muggle Artifacts item, although usually they come through channels, she seemed upset, and then she said it was from Ginny, so I took it from her, and ended up in the Slytherin common room. Portkey. It was stupid really. I just didn't expect trickery from a child."
"None of us ever do, Arthur," said Dumbledore shaking his head.
They all examined the comb that belonged to Ginny Weasley. "I didn't know that Ginny could make a portkey," said Arthur mystified, "and why to Slytherin Common Room? Why not to Gryffindor, Albus?" he asked.
As the alarms blared, Moody jumped to his feet, his shield falling about him even as he pulled his wand and strode toward the door. Malfoy fired Avada Kedavra at Moody, but he simply was not there when the spell ricocheted from the wall, dispersing into a green haze. Malfoy swore and cast again at the Ravenclaw, Warren Conlin, who crumpled dead, and then he turned toward Percy.
"No!" screeched Ginny. "Testudo!" The diving leap she made in front of her brother belayed her age as Madam Bones, but the polyjuice was already starting to dissolve from her body. She felt her fourteen-year-old self beginning to grow new life into the old bones she had inhabited for the last two hours. She didn't know how much of the change was visible yet, but everything was happening at once. Lucius hissed in anger as Ginny struck his wand arm, causing his spell to go awry. He immediately turned attacking one of the senior members who had fired at him, but had only connected with Ginny's Testudo shield.
Moody had pushed forward somehow, breaking the enchantments that protected the meeting room door. The ranking senior officers began clustering behind him, still firing spells at Malfoy and Fudge and her!
She blocked frantically, trying to think of a single spell to throw back. Her mind was infuriatingly blank.
Tom began suggesting spells in rapid succession—burning, cutting, and strangulation
Ginny ducked an Auror's spell, and blocked again, trying to decide what spell would get the Aurors to back off and give her some breathing room. She knew she was doing exactly what Snape had told her not to in advance defense. She was warding testudo on spells that would have been held by impedimenta, and she couldn't seem to think of a single spell to through back at them.
"The seniors cannot be allowed to bring order yet," hissed Voldemort in her ear. "They must be detained or killed." Ginny repeated Voldemort's order verbatim and Percy turned, wand drawn, frantically trying to decide if he should fire on Mr. Fudge or his own sister. When she spoke to give orders to the Death Eaters, he decided upon Ginny.
For a brief moment their eyes met, and she saw his fear and confusion that it was she who was ordering the Death Eaters. "Stupefy!" he called.
She blocked and cursed him with her Bat-Bogey Hex which he blocked effortlessly from long practice at the Burrow.
"Percy!" she cried, continuing to block "Please. I don't want to hurt you!"
At that moment, Moody wrenched the door open and stood facing the ominous group of children. Ethan and Edward were in front, of Samara and Alvin. Ethan was dripping fire from his fingertips. "I heard you were looking for us," said Edward in a cool voice.
"Well, here we are," Ethan gestured to himself, flinging flames about the corridor. They caught on the robe of a fallen man in the corner and Ginny realized he was Kingsley Shacklebolt. Blood was running from his nose. The appearance of blood meant that Kingley had not died from Avada. Of course, he might not even be dead. No, Ginny corrected, he was dead. She shivered.
The twins' next movement was calculated. Edward grasped Ethan's hand and Ethan engulfed the entire corridor in flames, forcing Moody back into the room.
Moody lowered his wand, growling a spell at the twins, but one of the officers Robert Fair, grabbed his wrist. "They are children!" he cried. "You can't hurt children!"
That was his mistake. Ethan sent another blast of Elemental fire into the room itself and Ginny immediately tried to shield her fellows with Elemental water. She and Lucius had acted in concert, both shielding with the Elemental water, and she looked at Lucius hand gripping her left wrist. She felt something familiar in his magic and realized with a sick feeling that he too had written in the diary. Something like laughter reached his eyes, but he released her and strode forward, yelling, "Moody! You damned coward! Where are you?" When she looked back at the door, Moody had disappeared. "I thought you were a Gryffindor!" Lucius taunted.
"Bloody hell" muttered the snake in her ear and he slithered off of her shoulder, transforming into his semi-wizard self as a group of adult death eaters burst into the room. just as Ginny felt her Mark burn.
"Master," said another Death Eater who hurried in from the corridor. "The dementers are called back—We are in possession--"
Ginny rubbed her tingling Mark as he spoke. At the same time a flickering of power indicated the disruption of the Ministy shields. Her eyes met Samara's as her friend edged into the room and gave her a barely perceptible nod, indicating her father was safe.
Shit! That old geezer, Perkins had probably dropped the apparition wards, thought Samara. After all, he knew Arthur Weasley disappeared, and it wasn't hard to figure out that she had given him a portkey. It was obvious that the comb was a portkey, but she couldn't be sure that it was Perkins who had set the alarm. Maybe it was someone else's fault. Maybe the Dark Lord wouldn't find out what she had done. Maybe the sun wouldn't rise tomorrow, she thought bitterly. Of course he would know. He would look at her and he would know. She glanced at Him now. He was so fully in the moment, maybe he wouldn't realize—
"Kill! Die! Hissusss!" began the basilisks excitedly and Samara tried to calm their blood lust.
"Fuck! They can apparate," swore Voldemort as he stalked past Samara. "Quickly, as many as you can capture—He whirled on the room which still contained a number of Ministry employees. "Stupefy! The simple spell, spoken with frightening power, rendered several Ministry officials unconscious, including Percy.
"Come!" Voldemort demanded, striding into the corridor, expecting his Death Eaters to immediately follow.
Ginny didn't hesitate. She dropped to her knees beside Percy. "Ennervate!" she whispered, he groaned and opened his eyes.
"Sis?"
"Apparate!" she snapped.
"Ginny, come on," urged Samara, arranging all eleven basilisks under her robe and ordering them to silence.
Percy rubbed his head and looked at them in fear and amazement. "No—Sis—I"
"NOW!" she hissed pressing his wand into his hand, "Go home!" and Percy raised his wand. "Itare Phantasma!" he said as Ginny and Samara ran to join the Death Eaters in the corridor.
Answers to Reviewers
Ammarine: You thought the last chapter was "slow!" Slow! How dare you! It has my favorite line from Lucius Malfoy to Moody. Sigh…
Mistrunner: First time reviewer! Gosh, you have held out quite a while to review. Did you have any particular reason why you didn't? Maybe it will help me to understand the 200 people who read and didn't review for this last chapter. Sigh. And other says must be nerve wracking stuck in Volde's clutches and waiting for something that never comes..Ha! In JK's books we only see Volde once a year at the end of the year, and you are complaining. You guys are so spoiled.
Oreo: Sorry about the long break. It takes 200 readers to get 15 reviews. I don't know why. Maybe you can enlighten me.
FieldofGold: K, Here's the next chapter.
Chernobyl: Your review cut off in the middle and I was really hoping to hear your whole opinion. Oh well. Anyway, glad you liked. I know Samara has quite a bit of power, but mostly only with shared magic and she does have some weaknesses too. As far as having so many basilisks, it only takes one to kill you, so the others are sort of over-kill and actually sort of a liability.
Wormtail: Sorry I killed you off. My writing is fast enough. It is the reviewing that needs to be faster.
Raptors galore: I think you were review number 11 or something. Not close to 15, but keep reviewing and the chapters will keep coming.
SwimminChica14: I never meant for Ginny to "just keep Samara company" They have different views on the Dark Lord and different ways of dealing with him—as do Draco and Harry or some of the others. That is going to come to play shortly. The point being, that a creature like Voldemort is not going to fall with the curse of one boy even if he is the boy who lived. Instead, it will take the cooperation of very different folks as well as Harry and some surprises.
Jen: Maybe, and maybe not. You know Harry. He resists getting involved in relationships. He is such a troubled young man.
Trillium: OK since you seem to leave your review stuff and your computer is possessed, be sure to use control c to copy it before you click send. Then if it goes away, you will still have it to send to me. I really love your long reviews. More Bea to come.
DragonLover: What is happening at 5" Oh gosh you guys need ennui's questions at 5 whatever is when the wards will be down at the Snow Castle so they can go get the girls. Do you believe Snape is helping them? Also, thanks for your vote of confidence about "Indubitably" I never can figure out why people give caustic reviews. I would appreciate constructive criticism, but if I really hate a story, I don't take the time to review at all.
Fire sprite 16: Yes that did have a lot of information and I hope it answered some questions of some of the readers. Will Tom ever get out of Ginny's head and have his own body? She asks. Well, at the risk of discouraging you from reading "this story". I will tell you that Tom's body will not be truly Ginny's until the next book, but that doesn't mean you should desert me. You need to read this one to understand. Lots of stuff to come.
Little Red Rabbit: "What has just begun?" Why Ginny's true "taking part as a Death Eater." After all, at Durmstrang she was just involved in saving people.
Silverfox1; Nope, this wasn't Ginny's big moment. That is yet to come, but I did enjoy writing the Lucius/Moody stuff. Beatrice being back might present some complications but of course that is what fiction is all about. No comment about Snape or Draco this chapter? Hmmmm.
Kemenran: More coming.
Authors Note:
Please read and review soon so I can put up the next chapter ASAP These "Ministry chapters" seem to belong close together and if they are not, you are going to forget what is happening. I would like to see 10 reviews by tomorrow, and I will put up the next chapter then. Can you do that folks? I think you can. I need your support. I'm feeling a little discouraged by the lack of interest in the yahoo group right now, so please review. It doesn't have to be an "ego stroke" review. Be honest. Tell me if you like this better than the first story. Am I getting better as a writer? Or did you like the BROKEN BEGINNING better. That way, I will have a better focus for the next book.
Thanks again. Love you all.
Kisses and curses,
--Lady Lestrange