Chapter XIV: The Hogwarts Haven
Hagrid's foot got caught in the mud again. It was a horrid journey to Hogwarts, but it was better than taking the road and running into crazed Muggles. Colin Creevy led the way with the Longbottoms walking besides him. Maybe it was the fresh air or just being away from their cell, but the Longbottoms seemed so much calmer and much more normal. Well, they weren't normal by any means.
"I wonder where that nurse went," Hagrid told himself. "Ah, she'll be fine."
"There's the tunnel," Colin said eagerly. "You may have to crawl a bit. I'm afraid its not meant for people like you."
"People like me?" Hagrid lifted his chin. "I've been in rougher spots, thank yeh. I'll be just fine."
Colin smirked and shrugged. He turned around and pushed aside a large bundle of grass and hay twined together with rope. It was bigger than Colin, but fairly light. When Colin pushed it aside, a dark hole against the mossy hill was revealed.
"Follow me then," Colin said and rushed forward.
Hagrid sighed and walked behind him, bending his head downward. As they trekked through the tunnel, twisting and turning every way, Hagrid had to keep bending down more. The roof seemed to fall upon him as he moved. Toward the end, he was practically crawling.
After about fifteen minutes, Colin finally announced,
"We're almost there. Hagrid, would you move this wall for me? It's a bit heavy. Takes me a whole ten minutes to do it myself, it does."
Hagrid spotted the speckles of light fluttering through a small crack. He gripped the side of the rock and heaved it to the side, revealing an opening. After he knocked down the wall completely, he rolled forward onto the mossy hill.
Colin walked behind him, as did the Longbottoms, just walking in a zombie like trance. Hagrid got to his feet and stretched out his limbs. It was amazing. Right below the hill was the lake that Hagrid used to boat the first years across. It was untouched and beautiful.
"Wait, where's your boat?" Colin asked panicked.
"Should be right over there," Hagrid said. "I always keep it there."
"Where?"
"Right over…" Hagrid paused.
The small dock off to the side was empty. A limp rope hung into the water, attached to nothing. Baffled, both Colin and Hagrid walked over to the side of the lake, with the Longbottoms following of course. They would have to walk around the lake without the boat, or swim… But the Longbottoms were in no condition to do that. Suddenly, their answer came.
The trio and Sturgis set the Time Turner for the present time, but the location, Hogwarts. Even though Disapparating was not allowed on Hogwarts' ground, a Time Turner could be used, as Hermione well knew about from her adventures during her 4th year.
"Everybody in one piece?" Sturgis asked.
The group appeared together, and luckily, intact. They stood before grand steps leading straight into the Hogwarts castle. Each of them looked at one another, and smiled, realizing that it had worked.
"Oh my god," Hermione gasped.
"What is it?" Ron asked and clutched her. "Did you hurt yourself?"
"No! Look!" She shouted and pointed toward the edge of the lake. There stood a half giant and Colin Creevy. Behind them were two strangers to her.
"I'm I seeing things," Harry said.
"Then we all must be seeing things."
"Harry!" Hagrid shouted from across the lake.
"Is he really there? Is he really shouting my name?"
"Yes, Harry, he is!" Hermione said with glee.
Harry took a moment to catch his balance and breathe. His eyes dripped with watery tears, his lip quivered and his heart pounced like it never beat before. He wanted to scream back but his throat formed a lump in it.
Ron slapped Harry on the back and pushed him forward. Just as he did, Harry opened his mouth and yelled with a voice only used once before, when calling on his patronus,
"HAGRID!"
Harry fell to his knees, but kept staring at his beloved friend. He wish came true. Hagrid was back.
"I'm comin' Harry, just wait there," Hagrid said.
He jumped into the water. The half-giant sunk his boots into the soaking sands and weeds and dragged himself across the shore. Colin thought about joining him, but instead, turned around to run around the lake. The Longbottoms followed Colin's lead.
But Hagrid kept on swimming. Well, it was more of a walk really. The water reached his chin, and then covered his mouth, but he didn't stop. When he came to the shore near Harry, only the frizzy brown and gray hair on top of his head could be seen. Eventually, he came up from the water, drenched and cold, but he still ran.
Harry and Hagrid embraced each other like long lost friends. Even though it had been less than a year since Hagrid was sent away, it felt like a century had gone by. Perhaps it was because Harry was starting to lose hope that Hagrid would ever return.
That didn't matter now. The two held each other, Harry's eyes just as wet as Hagrid's. Snot poured from Harry's nostrils, yet, he didn't bother to wipe it away. He was too busy clutching onto his friend. It was as if he let go, Hagrid would disappear like a terrible dream.
"That's touching, really, but we have a mission," Sturgis interrupted.
Harry slowly let go when Hagrid's grip was released. He walked side by side with Hagrid toward Ron and Hermione. They walked up the steps together, just like they had done so many years ago.
"Albus, come quickly to the front steps! We have some unexpected, but not unwelcome, guests," Professor McGonagall said.
The trio, Hagrid and Sturgis stood there, waiting for the doors to open. Apparently, they locked down Hogwarts since Harry left. Luckily, someone must have spotted the group and reported it. Slowly, the doors swung open and a white, bearded man stood. Next to him was a woman with half-moon spectacles and a pointy hat.
"Mister Potter, Miss Granger, Mister Weasley, Hagrid, and… Sturgis Podmore?"
They all nodded respectively. Dumbledore perked up his chin, waved his arms toward the inside of Hogwarts and motioned them to come in.
"I'm sure you're here on urgent business," Dumbledore said.
"Yes," said Sturgis. "Very. I'm sure you are well aware of the happenings as of late… What if I told you we were going to stop it?"
"I'd say that you're venturing into risky grounds… But we do that a lot here at Hogwarts. Why exactly are you all here?"
Hermione stepped forward. "We need to get something that one of us forgot. And I'd like to get a book or two from the library."
"I see no harm in that. I'm sure the three of you do not need me as an escort. Sturgis, I'd like to speak to you in private. And Hagrid, I see you're doing well."
"Aye," he said. "I'll be checkin' up on me Fang."
Dumbledore didn't have the heart to tell Hagrid that his beloved pet had passed over while he was locked away. Perhaps it was out of loneliness for his master, or just old age, but Fang was no longer sleeping in comfy bed.
Sturgis turned and walked with Dumbledore off to the side. Hermione jolted forward in the direction of the library. Both Ron and Harry rushed to catch up.
"We don't have time to go research things," Ron said.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Actually, we have all the time in the world. Besides, only Harry remembers where he left his trunk. He doesn't need me to come along. I need to look up some things before we go."
Ron nodded. "I'll come with you then."
Both Hermione and Ron ran off, leaving Harry alone. He had to make it back to the Great Hall, without being noticed by the students and teachers. Even though he did have time to delay, part of him didn't really want to. He wanted this thing over with.
Right on the side of the stage was Harry's trunk, just where he left it. Fortunately, only a few students were eating inside at the time, along with Professor Sprout. Harry stunk it, walked right over to his trunk and dragged it out.
While in the corridor, Harry opened it out and threw out the junk on top. Some old newspapers, a change of clothes, and there, right on the bottom, was something wrapped in tissue paper. Harry clutched it and ran off toward the library.
"Look, Ron," Hermione said as she pointed at a thick book on the shelf. "This is the book I told you about. It's all about Atlantis."
"You actually had time to read that thing?" Ron asked as he stared the two thousand-page book. It was ridiculously thick and old.
"Of course I did, I couldn't put it down. It's brilliantly written, actually. Over fourteen different wizards contributed to this book. Some of most ancient and wisest wizards like Alberic Grunnion, Andros, Herpo and Mopsus. There is even an excerpt from Paracelsus!"
"And I'm sure they all said wonderful things about Atlantis."
"No, Ron, not all of them," Hermione said as she lugged the heavy book onto a table. "Andros the Invincible—"
"Didn't he produce a patronus as big as giant?"
"That's how the legend goes. He states somewhere around here," Hermione paused and searched through the middle of the book. "Right here." She pointed at an article entitled Beware.
"Let me see," Ron said and nudged side by side with Hermione.
Beware
I, Andros of Greece, champion against all, have seen the evil that lives within the walls of the city of Atlantis. Within its power chamber, there is an immortal source. It creates the forever lasting enchantments that will the very foundations of our world. It cannot be destroyed. But the evil is not there merely. Beyond the power chamber, there is place of darkness. Follow the trail of light and you shall find, as I did. But beware, oh, beware. In there you will find the Mirror of Erised's twin sister… The Mirror of Lost Souls."
"I've never heard of it," Ron said.
"I wouldn't be surprised."
Ron looked up. "Hey, what is that s'posed to mean?"
"It means that this is the only mentioning of the Mirror of Lost Souls. When I first read this a few years ago, I tried looking it up in other books. But no luck… I thought that Andros made it up, but what if it were real?"
Ron's eyes lit up. "A mirror that can bring back the dead… No wonder Mrs. Diggory was willing to break the enchantments… She wanted to get Cedric back."
Hermione nodded. "We can't tell Harry about this."
"Why not?"
"Because, he'll try to bring back Sirius."
"So? If he could, that'd be wonderful!"
Hermione grasped Ron and pulled him in close. "Playing with people's lives isn't wonderful, Ron! If Harry could bring back Sirius, do you think he'd stop there? He'd bring back his parents too. He'd be playing god."
"All right, I won't tell him. But he's going to find out once we get there with the Time Turner."
"I know," Hermione said lowly. "Come on, let's find Harry and Sturgis."
Ron kissed her sweet lips. He had never wanted to kiss her more than he did right then. Her plump, glossy lips smoothing over his own… It was incredible. Blood rushed to his cheeks and mouth, creating even more tingling sensations.
"Promise me you won't try anything with that Mirror either," Ron said.
"Of course I wouldn't… I don't really have anyone to bring back."
"If you did, promise me you wouldn't do anything."
"I promise, Ron, I promise."