Chapter XV: City of Atlantis
Hagrid stood closely by as Ron and Hermione talked. He leaned against a wall outside of the library, and heard everything the two had said. After they left, Hagrid fell down to onto his side and began to take heavy breaths.
"I'll bring yeh back, Grawp… I'll bring yeh back," he said to himself.
"Are you sure this is wise, Sturgis?"
"It is the only way."
"Is it really? I don't believe it is," Professor Dumbledore said as he walked around his office desk.
Sitting on top of it was cage and inside was a yellow, small baby bird. It wasn't the usual, red bird he had, but an entirely different one. As Sturgis stared at it, trying to think about how to explain to Albus that his idea would work, he realized it wasn't a bird at all. It had a beak, and feathers, but it also had four legs with hooves on them like horse.
"Is that a hippogriff?"
"Yes, it is," said Dumbledore. "I've been keeping it here as a gift for someone. I do hope he does not take it as a replacement of his last pet."
"Pet? Someone is going to have him as a pet?"
"Her, yes, have her as a pet. She is only one week old actually."
"Remarkable creature… But I don't think you brought me here to show me her… You want to stop me and the others from going back in time."
Dumbledore shook his head. "No, I would not stop you. I merely question your motives… You know as well as I what is hidden on the island of Atlantis. There is only one key to that place and Mister Potter has it."
"He tells me he received it at the Owl Post. A late birthday present from Hagrid."
"I have no doubt that's where it was from, but Hagrid did not give it to him," Dumbledore said and walked up to Sturgis. "I did."
"You did?"
"That's what I just said, wasn't it? Unfortunately, when I sent it to Harry, it was during a time, which the owl delivery was under close watch. Luckily, Hagrid did not use the owls. I switched his package, which was a cake, with my own. The key used to be in James Potter's possession when he was a student here… I never found out where he got it from."
Sturgis nodded his head. "The Potter family holds many secrets."
"Indeed. I have no doubt that you will successfully find out who broke the enchantments. Even if you did stop them, I am concerned with what you would do next."
"I don't follow."
"You'll be this close to the Mirror, Sturgis," Dumbledore said with his finger inched close together. "That temptation… I do not believe even you could resist bringing someone back. That is why no one can get into the chamber unless they own the key… Not just possess it in their hands. The key must belong to them."
"Mister Potter… I will make sure he does not do any wrong."
"You see to it that he doesn't."
Atlantis sat in the ocean snug between two continents, North America and Europe. It was not just an island. Its mass was just as large as England itself, but no Muggle boat could ever set ashore onto it. In fact, only a wizard could see or touch it. Until recently...
On Atlantis, there were many smaller cities and towns along the edges. Most of these were called the Port Cities. There, wizards could use Floo Powder or Disapparate along the edges. Close to twenty buildings, at least one in each Port city, were designated as landing zones. Wizards had to have identification, a written purpose as to why they were on Atlantis, and nothing illegal with them.
Occasionally, the island allowed visitors, providing they could identify whom they were staying with. But this was rare.
A bubble of swirls and silver puddles appeared on the side of a local stone home in the heart of the island, in the city of Atlantis. Winds picked up around the swirling bubble until they finally stopped. Three young wizards and one adult appeared huddled together.
"You're stepping on my foot, Ron," Hermione hissed.
"Sorry!"
"Shh, we mustn't alert others to our presence," Sturgis said in a whispered voice. "Now, we must get to the Power Source immediately."
"All right, Sturgis," Harry said.
"Never say names! How many times do I have to tell you three? Especially you, Hermione. You should know better."
"I'm so sorry," she quickly said. "It won't happen again."
"Good. We can't look too suspicious. We should split up into two groups and casually, very casually, walked toward the Power Source," Sturgis explained. "If someone should notice you, make sure your face is hidden by your hood and go behind the closest building or tree."
"Understood."
Hermione and Ron clutched one another's hand and slowly stepped into the dimly lit streets. It was right before dusk, so the sun was setting but it was still light enough for people to get a good look at their faces.
Behind them were Sturgis and Harry. As they walked, Sturgis stared at young Harry with a very concerned and dreadful look. His eyes would twitch and brows would rise a bit, as if he expected Harry to do something very foolish.
"Stur—" Harry began but paused. He forgot the no name rule. "Once we're inside, if we can get in, where do we go?"
"We'll discuss it when we get there… Behind that building, hurry."
Both Sturgis and Harry ran beside another stone home. Two wizards passed by whom neither of them knew. In their hands were thick books and feather pens. After a few seconds, Harry started to turn back into the street, but Sturgis pulled him back just in time.
Another wizard, a witch actually, came running from behind the other two. She had long, dark brown hair and tan complexion. She wore dragon scaled gloves and boots and deep crimson colored robe.
"Cho," Harry said to himself.
As she ran by, Harry stepped forward again, and Sturgis again had to pull him back. Fortunately, she didn't hear him and caught up with her friends.
"Do not speak to anyone of this time frame," Sturgis reminded him.
"I know. I wasn't going to," Harry said. But Harry knew that if Sturgis hadn't pulled him back, he would have jumped forward and plowed right into her.
"All right, it's safe now.""
Ron and Hermione stood outside the Power Source. Four wizards blocked their path, all of them sitting on the steps with wands in hand. But those weren't ordinary wands. They were very long and thicker, almost like a staff. There was no way that they could get through them.
A shadow flew by. At first, it was huge but then it shrunk. Ron looked up quickly, as did Hermione, to see a small bird, a black one that flew right over the guarding wizards and into the building. As it flew in, it turned its head, letting Ron see its brilliant, green eyes.
"That was Mrs. Diggory," Ron gasped.
"Did you hear that?" one wizard and got up.
Hermione cupped Ron's mouth and pulled him along the stone wall. They turned the corner before the wizard could spot them. Then, Hermione kicked Ron in the knees, causing him to keel over a bit.
Approaching from the opposite side of the building was Harry and Sturgis. Seeing the wizard guards as well, Sturgis knew it would be very hard, near impossible to get by them. They had no identification to show and their purpose, well, the guards wouldn't let them in if they found out where they were going.
"I have an idea," Harry whispered.
"I'm all ears. Literally."
Harry turned and Sturgis had grown nearly one hundred ears all over his body. Harry smiled and laughed, then quickly wiped his smirk away.
"Hilarious. Now listen, when we were here before at night, there were no guards around. Well, the sun's almost set. We just have to wait a few minutes and maybe they'll leave."
Sturgis nodded. "Let's hope your right for the both of us."