Chapter 9- The Ring of The Ancients
Two weeks went by, and Dumbledore had not yet returned. The Spell Invention class was on the honor system; the students filed in and they were expected to read out of their books all period. Though Hermione and a few others did this, the rest of the class took the time to practice playing Wizard Duel. Hermione was right: the news of Harry's magnificent victory over Ak had spread like wildfire around the school and now almost everyone was into the game.
Each day after Quidditch practice, Harry, Ron and Hermione made it a habit to head to the library, to see if they could find anything about Harry's ring, or any link it had to the Sorcerer's Stone. Even though the three of them had looked through practically every book last year to study for the O.W.L.s, they were surprised to find a few that they had never gone at before. However, each day they came no closer to finding any connection or any information at all.
It was during the trips to one of these such sessions that Harry heard a most peculiar noise coming from the bathroom.
"What was that?" he asked Ron and Hermione.
"Oh no," said Ron. "It came from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom."
The noise came again. It sounding like an insane donkey yelling as it tried to swim in an acid bath… not the most pleasant thing in the world.
"Should we investigate?" asked Harry, leaning on the door to the room.
"I don't know…" said Hermione. "Who knows what could be going on."
"All the more reason to look," grinned Harry, pushing the door open and walking in.
"No no!" scolded Myrtle to a group of ghosts. She pointed to her forehead. "Sing up here! In your head voice!" Her voice's frequency went off the charts as she sang, creating that horrible noise he heard before.
"Myrtle," said Harry, covering his ears and looking at the groups of ghosts. Each one that resided inside Hogwarts was there: Nearly Headless Nick, The Fat Friar, The Grey Lady, The Bloody Baron, and even Peeves! What was going on? "What are you doing here?"
"Just teaching these ingrates how to sing," smiled Myrtle.
Smiled?
"Whatever for?" asked Hermione.
"To help them on their journey towards becoming spirits," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Singing brings out the inner life!"
"You're all trying to become spirits?" asked Harry.
"Why else would we be caught here?" asked Peeves, floating all around the room.
"Well, you may want to learn how to sing before you teach others," said Ron, still covering his ears from the last fortissimo of sound.
"Oh… I think I do just fine!" said Myrtle, turning back towards her small crowd of ghosts. She 'sang' again, and then the group tried to copy what she did. It was horrible, far worse than any torture, Harry could imagine; even worse than the Cruciatus Curse.
"Well then, we'll be on our way," said Harry, covering his ears again and backing up slowly towards the exit.
"Wait Harry!" cried Hermione, tugging at his shirt. "Look over there."
Harry looked over where she was pointing and saw a small pile of books laid on top of a sink. "Maybe what we need is in there." The three of them walked over and Harry picked up a book.
"The Afterlife: A Ghost's Guide," read Harry. "Hey Myrtle! What are these?"
"Those are some books I got out of the library about sprits, the afterlife and such," she said, not looking at him. Harry returned it to the small pile, and looked at book after book, hoping to find something of interest.
Suddenly, one caught his eye. It was an old and tattered black book with no title, only a large picture on the front: and it looked just like Harry's skull ring! He quickly opened it up to see if there was anything inside. But, all that there was were words… and they were definitely not English. The characters looked more like odd combinations of squares, triangles, small dots and curvy lines.
"Hey!" called Hermione, seeing the book in Harry's hands. "That's Ptomruv, one of the ancient runes! Let me see that!" She snatched the book out of Harry's hands and opened to the first page.
"Hey, I thought you said you dropped that class," said Ron.
"No I didn't," said Hermione, looking at the first page. "I only said I dropped Divination and Muggle Studies. I never said anything about Ancient-" Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Hey! There's a description of your ring here, Harry!"
"What does it say about it?" asked Harry, leaning over.
"It says that that it is called the Ring of the Ancients," read Hermione, moving her fingers under the odd words. "It says the Ring shows the locations of the four ingredients of the Immortal Potion when it touches one of them."
"Don't you mean the Almost Immortal Potion?" asked Harry.
"No, this is a different one," said Hermione, still reading. "According to this, the Immortal Potion would allow the drinker to become someone capable of not only living forever, but also having the power to control space and time."
"So… basically a god?" asked Ron.
"Yes, someone who would be able to change the universe to anything they desire," read Hermione. "It says that the Ancients concealed the four ingredients inside everyday objects to stop so many people from becoming gods. They also made the Ring they created a mandatory ingredient in the potion by changing its code."
"Hah, so that's why there's so many polytheistic religions," commented Ron.
"However," continued Hermione, still reading. "The magnificence of the ingredients couldn't be hidden perfectly inside the objects. All four of them made the things they were hidden in glow brightly when brought close to each other and look especially beautiful."
"Does it say what the ingredients are hidden in?" asked Harry.
"Um… yes!" exclaimed Hermione. "The Gomotornice is hidden inside the Glove, the Havomotornice is hidden inside the Watch, the Bomotornice is hidden inside the Bracelet, the Sorcerer's Stone was hidden inside the Necklace, and the Ring was… well, the Ring."
"Does it say anything else?" questioned Harry, wanting to know as much as he could about this magnificent item that not more than ten minutes ago he thought was just a cool piece of jewelry.
"Well… yes," groaned Hermione, looking like she was struggling to read some words. "But this book is so old that most of the rest is smudged out. Sorry."
"So let me see here," said Ron, trying to bring everything together. "Harry has a ring, that, when it touches a Legendary Ingredient brings up a map that shows the location of the other three that, when brought together, allow someone to practically become a god?"
"Uh, yes," said Hermione.
"Wow, that seems a little… much."
"So that Watch in Dumbledore's drawer was really the Havomotornice," said Harry, finally understanding. "But why would he have one?"
"Probably to hide it from Voldemort," said Hermione, closing the book. "As long as he has even one of the ingredients, Voldemort wouldn't be able to make the potion."
"So why don't we find out where the rest of the ingredients are and give them to Dumbledore too?" asked Ron. "Harry, all you have to do is touch the Stone again, we can look at the map for where the dots are and then see if we can get them."
"We will," said Harry, "after the Quidditch game tomorrow."
The three of them left the bathroom, thanking Myrtle for her help. Even though she didn't know what she had helped them with, she said, "You're welcome," and waved them out of the room.
"Harry!" called Ron. "Get up! Our match is starting soon!"
"Yeah yeah, I'm going," Harry yawned back. He heard Ron sigh and close the door behind him as he left the dorm. Harry groaned again. For the first time in a while, he had gotten a good night's rest and didn't really feel like getting up at the moment. Knowing what the Ring was and what it could do made him feel a little better… though not too much. With this new power came a new responsibility.
Harry yawned again and decided it was now really time to get up. He tried to throw the covers off of himself, but to his surprise, he found that his arms and legs were strapped to the bed with magical rope!
"What the?" asked Harry, struggling to get out. Suddenly, the blankets were pulled off of his bed, as if by an invisible force. What was going on? If only he could reach his wand on the table next to him….
"Is you ready to go?" asked Dobby, who abruptly appeared out of thin air right next to Harry.
"Dobby! Is this your doing?"
"I is so sorry sir," he squeaked, sounding very guilty. "But I is having to do it. It is for your own good Mr. Harry Potter."
"What are you trying to protect me from?" demanded Harry, struggling to free himself. "What could possibly be so dangerous?"
"I cannot say," gasped Dobby.
"But," said Harry, stopping his struggling for a moment and deciding to play along for a while, "if you're going to take me now anyways, why can't you tell me?" Dobby looked at him for a second, and tilted his head to the side.
"Fine, I is able to say now," he squealed. "Harry Potter is in danger of… the field trip!"
"The one to the pyramid?" asked Harry.
"Yes," he squealed.
"What's so bad about? Why was I in danger of it?"
"There is no time!" said Dobby, looking as though he were charging another one of his blue orbs that he used back at the Dursley's . "We is having to leave now!"
"But wait!" gasped Harry, getting an idea. "I need my… owl pellet collection!" Dobby stopped charging his spell.
"Where is it?" he asked.
"Right there," Harry said, nodding in the direction of the bottom drawer of his night stand. "Inside the drawer." Dobby walked over to the drawer, put his hand on the knob and pulled it open, causing a fantastic explosion that blew Dobby over on his back. It was a good thing he set that trap!
Harry's wand flew into the air, landing right next to his hand. He grabbed it, performed the counter curse on the ropes and then jumped out of bed. He quickly fixed his nightstand, that was now no more than a pile of ash, and put the trap back on the drawer containing the Stone. After slipping his Quidditch robes on over his everyday clothes, Harry left the room, laving Dobby there. He didn't dare to wake him right now, in case he tried to take him away again. Hopefully he would just wake up on his own and leave… hopefully.
Harry ran downstairs and to the Gryffindor Quidditch room, where everyone was waiting for him.
"Where have you been?" demanded Ron.
"Dobby trouble," responded Harry with a sigh, still buttoning up the top of his robe. Ron nodded in agreement, understanding perfectly.
"Alright team," said Harry rubbing his hands together, a few minutes before their first game of the year. Though he and Ron were veterans, the other five were looking a little scared. Even Ak was showing a few signs of nervousness. "I know you're all a little anxious about the game, but we've practiced long and hard and we're ready to go! You with me?"
"Yeah!" they all said through their shaking voices.
"Alright! Let's go!" yelled Harry, throwing his arm into the air. He swung open the doors that lead to the field, the sun flew right into the room, and the team charged outside. The stands were filled with people, excited to see the first match of the year.
"And let's welcome the Gryffindor team now… even though they are late," came a new voice over the speaker. Lee Jordan had graduated last year and now Blaise Zabini, a Slytherin Sixth Year, was the new commentator.
"Alright Harry, get on over there and shake the captain's hand," said Madam Hooch, flying over on her broom. Harry ran over to the middle of the field, anxious to see who the Ravenclaw captain was.
"Hello Harry," she said when Harry arrived in the center of the field. Harry didn't even have to look up to see who it was.
"Hello Cho," he said, grabbing her hand. Harry had only talked to her a few times this year and she had never said anything about becoming captain. "You're the captain now?"
"Certainly am," she said, letting go and smiling. "But just because I'm your girlfriend, that doesn't mean I'll go easy on you!"
"Heh, don't expect anything less than my best against you," said Harry.
"I would certainly be disappointed if you did any less," she said, walking away.
"How about we do something later?" called Harry.
"Only if you win!" yelled Cho back.
Harry ran back to his team with a new reason to do well. The six of them mounted their brooms and got ready to go. Madam Hooch flew over with the chest of balls, opened it, and let the Bludgers and Snitch fly away.
"Teams ready?" called Zabini. "On your marks… get set… go!"
Madam Hooch let the Quaffle out of the box and let it fly right up into the air. Before Harry even blinked, Joe already had the red ball in his hand. Ron flew backwards to the goals to begin defending, and Harry started scouting for the Snitch.
This is where things all started going wrong.
All of a sudden, Harry was feeling incredibly warm, as if he were in the middle of a massive inferno. He looked down, and saw that his guess was almost dead on. It appeared as though the entire ground was no longer sand, but a giant blaze. Harry almost fell off his broom from looking at it, and tried to see how the rest of the team, and everyone in the stands, was reacting to it. To his surprise, though, no one else except for him seemed to had noticed that the entire ground was on fire!
"Hey Ron!" yelled Harry, sweating like a pig.
"Yeah?" he asked, not having much to do. The Ravenclaws were lucky if they could ever get their hands on the Quaffle, much less get it all the way to the goal.
"Don't you see… the fire?"
"Fire?" he asked. Harry saw a massive fiery blast of ash, dust and fire go off below him that he didn't even seem to notice. It bellowed up into the sky, creating a small, black cloud. "What fire?"
"That- you know the… that one right- oh…. Never mind," mumbled Harry. What was going on? Why was he the only one seeing all Hell opening up right below them?
"And Gryffindor scored again!" called Zabini, trying to sound excited, even though he was a Slytherin. "Making it now thirty to zero!" Harry shook his head. He must have missed a few scores while he was trying to make sense of the fire. Now he looked over at the Ravenclaw goals and nearly fainted at what he saw. Every member of the Ravenclaw team was no longer riding a broom… but a dragon! Each beast was massive with red and black scales all over, spikes protruding every few feet, and breathing fire all over the place.
"AAAHHH!" yelled Harry, falling off of his broom for a second, but grabbing back on with one arm. "DRAGONS!" Harry heard screams come from the crowd as everyone turned their heads in every direction, trying to see where the dragons were.
"And Harry Potter has just made an interesting announcement, saying that there are dragons somewhere," said Zabini. "But, there is not one in sight."
"What are you talking about?" screamed Harry, pulling himself back onto his broom. "They're right over there!" Harry pointed at the Ravenclaw team that was getting closer and closer every second. Wasn't someone going to do something about it? The dragons could destroy the entire stadium! The entire school even! "The entire team… they're… riding them…."
"Harry," asked Akshay, riding over to him. "Are you feeling alright?"
"Yeah, you're seeing dragons," said Chris.
"I'm okay," gasped Harry, seeing them breathing fire all over the stands and his teammates, but they weren't bursting into flames. What was going on? He had to end this match quickly… he had to find the Snitch.
And he didn't have to look long. There, right below Harry, and near the fiery ground was the golden Snitch. He pointed his broom towards it and shot down right towards it. He put out his hand, ready to grab it… then crashed right into the fiery ground. The Snitch wasn't really there! It had been an illusion!
Harry's broom stuck into the sandy surface and he went flying. He did a roll in the air and landed on his back, right inside the flames. Harry started running around, putting water spells on himself, hearing laughs from the stands and comments from Zabini. But he didn't care! He was on fire!
Suddenly, there was a sound like thunder above, and Harry looked up, hoping it was rain. It was rain… only not the kind Harry was accustomed to. This time, it was raining flaming stones. Millions of them were quickly falling from the sky, all ready to fall right on the field. It was as if there was a fiery meteor shower, and all of them were aimed right at Harry.
"AAAHHH! STONES!" he yelled, curling up and preparing for the impact. He could feel his body on fire, the dragons beating above, and the rocks about to land on him. Then, all of it came down at once, and an instant later, everything went black.
"Good! You is waking up!" came a voice, from not too far away. Harry felt the world slowly but surely coming back into focus and saw the all too familiar little elf
standing on the bed right in front of him. "Go away Dobby!" Harry put on his glasses, and found that he was in a bed in the hospital wing.
"Is you ready to go now?" he asked with a smile on.
"Why would I be any more ready to leave now than this morning?" asked Harry. Then, he remembered why he was in this room. Harry quickly put two and two together and figured out who was responsible for what happened. "You did all that at the Quidditch match! You made me see all those things that weren't really there! The fire, the dragons, the Snitch and the stones! You made all that!"
"I is so sorry," squeaked Dobby. "But now you is having to be ready to go, what with all the embarrassment you is must be having now."
"Dobby," said Harry seriously, "when will you understand? I am NEVER leaving! Got it?"
There was a knock at the door.
"I is having to go now!" said Dobby quickly, disappearing. The door opened and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team walked up to Harry's bed. He gave a groan. They had to have lost the game; without a Seeker, how could they have possibly won?
"What happened?" asked all six of them together.
"Dobby happened," sighed Harry, lying back down on his pillow.
"What did Dobby do?" asked Ron.
"What didn't he do?" said Harry. "He made me see all these things that weren't there… making me fall and collapse."
"Oh well," said Ak. "You shouldn't feel too bad. I mean, we won anyways."
"Wha- what?" asked Harry, amazed at what he just heard. How could they possibly win without a Seeker? It was impossible… wasn't it? "How did you win?"
"I made a Snitch Slip," said Ak.
"You did a what?" asked Harry.
"A Snitch Slip," repeated Ak. "I caught the Snitch even though I was a Beater. Whenever a player catches the Snitch that's not the Seeker, it gives the opposing team one hundred and fifty points."
"So how did that let us win?"
"We got one hundred sixty points," explained Chris, "and then Ak caught the Snitch. The final score was one hundred and sixty to one hundred fifty in our favor."
"Ravenclaw didn't get any points?" gasped Harry.
"Not a one," said Mike.
"And you got one hundred and sixty?"
"Sure did," said Akshay.
Harry was amazed. His team of second years and a sixth year got one hundred and sixty points like it was nothing. Harry hoped he wasn't becoming obsolete.
"You really know the game well, Ak," commented Harry. "I didn't know anything about Snitch Slips."
"Not many people do. I think this is only the second or third time its ever been done."
"But what we all want to know," said Joe, "is what happened to you out there, Harry. What made you fall like that?" Harry was about to respond, when madam Pomfrey came over in her usual manner.
"Now's not the time for Mr. Potter to be reliving that event," she said. "Out with you all for now! Once he is released, you can ask him all the questions you want." She pushed them all out the door. Ron quickly ran out ahead of them all and everyone else waved bye to Harry as they parted
"Ah! A mouse!" squeaked Joe, jumping into Mike's arms.
"Oof! Get out!" yelled Mike, dropping Joe on the floor.
"What's going on?" demanded Madam Pomfrey. "I cannot have my hospital infested with rats!"
"It couldn't have been a mouse," said Akshay, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I didn't see anything."
"Well, something ran by my foot!" pouted Joe. Harry looked at him. How could a kid be so good at Quidditch and yet be so… Joe?
"Well if it wasn't a rodent than it was probably just your imagination or something. Now, get out!" yelled Pomfrey again. The five of them quickly left the room, not wanting to summon her wrath.
"Well, who knows what it could be," she sighed. "I'd better go get some Rodent-Catching Potion from Professor Snape just to be safe. You'll be alright while I'm gone, won't you Harry?"
"Yeah."
"Alright then, I'll be right back."
She left the room, shut the door and walked away, leaving Harry quite alone.
"Hey Harry!" came a whisper. "I've got some bad news."
"What?" called Harry, turning his head in every direction. "Dobby, get out of here!"
"No, this is Ron," he laughed.
"Ron! So it was you who walked by Joe's foot. Where are you?"
"I didn't meant to do that," laughed Ron. "But, it was funny anyways. I'm right here, against the wall." Harry looked over to try and see him, but Ron was totally camouflaged. It was as if he was wearing an Invisibility Cloak. "Not the first time being an Animagus has helped me! Chameleons rock!"
"You've got that right," said Harry, feeling awkward talking to no one. "But, what's the bad news?"
Harry heard Ron swallow hard.
"Harry," he said, not sounding too happy. "The Sorcerer's Stone… its been stolen."