Disclaimer: Don't own Harry P. Not mine. Never was.
Chapter 6
"Those who have few things to attend to are great babblers;
for the less men think, the more they talk."
- Montesquieu
"Severus Snape," Lord Voldemort's sibilant voice echoed in the chamber, "how goes Dumbledore's plans?"
Snape bowed to his second master. "There have been rumors that he has started calling in his allies, milord. Many people come and go at Hogwarts to confer with him."
Voldemort nodded. Other spies at Hogsmeade and the ministry confirmed that information. But it was not enough. "Give me some names, my snake. And how many there are?"
Severus bowed even lower. "Everybody I asked gave different answers, milord. Dumbledore is said to be the only one who knows for sure. As for names, I saw there Carthwright and Longbottom, and others he has called home from their assignments abroad."
The Dark Lord's eyes glowed red with anger. "We can assume they either brought with them additional allies, or different magics." He stood up from his chair at the dais and addressed his people. "We must prepare for anything, for everything. Lucius, has the deal with the dementors been accepted yet?"
Lucius bowed beside Severus. "Not yet, milord. They are demanding more while the talks continue."
"Promise them everything they want, you fool." Voldemort's features tightened briefly. "Make sure they accept before the week is out. You do not want to displease me, do you Lucius?" His tone became softer and more dangerous.
"No, milord," Lucius murmured.
Lord Voldemort turned to the rest of his cowering minions. Things were coming into fruition at last. He absently stroked the head of his familiar, Nagini while he barked orders at the shadow-cloaked wizards and witches bowing to him.
With the dementors by their side, the prisoners of Azkaban would be released, and their ranks would be swelled. Dumbledore and his foolish Order would be trampled under his feet. Voldemort smiled, imagining himself crushing the skull of his greatest enemy.
At his feet, a small rat crouched inside a cage. Nagini was playing with it, her tail wrapped around the base of the cage. The rat was being punished for giving wrong information as to the whereabouts of James and Lily Potter.
Lily had taken Harry and Ellis with her on her trip, the latest of many. She was getting a bit desperate, because Harry was almost ten and she knew they had to return to Europe for his education next year.
Their home already had a growing collection of books about the great Buddhist temples. From them, she found out that the biggest statue of Buddha was on display in Nara in a Todai temple there, dating from the year 752.
She also read about the Omizutori, a central rite in the Buddhist religious calendar, that was conducted each year in early spring in this temple, just after Ellis' fourth birthday.
So, on a pretext of being tourists, she joined the crowd inside the seven-story pagoda watching as a visiting Indian high priest consecrated the Buddha while other foreign musicians played a slow and solemn tune.
Afterwards, Harry wanted to meet the Indian priest, but Lily wouldn't let him so he sulked while they went through the rooms to see the other artifacts on display. The temple was now apparently used as a museum.
She carried Ellis and dragged Harry by the hand as she examined the paintings, sculptures and jade statues under the glass. While she was distractedly peering into a realistic-looking turtle in another display, Harry saw the Indian priest in front of the giant Buddha. So he wrenched his hand away from his mother and ran past the wandering people down the stairs to where the Brahmin was standing.
Harry was panting by the time he tugged at the Brahmin's faded orange robe. "Excuse me," he said in Hindi.
The Brahmin was surprised to hear his native tongue so he turned and looked down at the tiny English boy.
By the time Lily was able to catch up, Ellis still in her arms, the boy and the priest were deep in conversation, while the rest of the Japanese were just watching them curiously. Lily didn't want to interfere, so she listened and tried to catch the tail-end of the conversation.
"It's very big," Harry commented about the statue.
"Yes," the orange and white-robed man smiled. "It is the biggest bronze statue in the world. Many Buddhists journey from India and Pakistan to see it."
"Does Buddha really look like that?" Harry gazed up at the serene face.
The priest chuckled. "Nobody really knows for sure, young one. Some statues of Buddha show him as a bald and fat man with Chinese features. It depends on the nationality of the believers."
"So that's why it has Japanese-looking eyes? It doesn't look Indian at all."
"Yes, I suppose not." The priest looked thoughtful.
"Like Jesus doesn't look Arabic," Harry supplied.
The priest just laughed. Lily was about to interrupt when Harry asked another question. "Where is Buddha's most powerful point?"
The Brahmin looked surprised once more. But after a second's thought, he merely answered, "The source of Buddha's greatness lies in the middle of his forehead, in that small dot there between his eyes," he pointed it out to Harry. "They say that a point of light blazed right in that spot when Buddha gained enlightenment."
Harry rubbed the same spot on his forehead. "Does enlightenment hurt?"
The man nodded solemnly. "Yes it does. Because it changes you from inside out."
"Mum!" Harry exclaimed, seeing his mother watch them. He dragged Lily to meet the Brahmin, who introduced himself as Vyasa.
"I'm sorry about my son," Lily apologized in rudimentary Hindi.
Vyasa waved it off. "He speaks well and has a quick mind." He bowed to them before turning to leave. "It was a pleasure to meet with you, young Harry Jahan Potter."
Harry bowed, his face flushing with pleasure at the compliment.
After he was gone, Lily was about to scold her son when Harry interrupted. "I think I know where the other horcrux is." He was looking up at the Buddha, right between its eyes.
