Cornerstone of my misery
The Veil of Darkness…
Shuddering Harry tentatively stuck his hand out slowly to the edge and halted.
Scarlet tears ran freely down the tracks of Harry's face…
Standing in front of the Veil Harry ran his hand across the arch. Memorising the ancient inscription. To others it is some unknown dialect, if a dialect at all, but because of the runes Harry could understand enough to make a sentence of the inscription. Harry knew immediately that yes it was a one way doorway and yes it led to the afterlife and no don't pass GO. Harry then not only knew what happened to the closest thing of a father figure he had but he also understood the how and the why as well as some other implications. Harry made some runes in the darkness of the shroud and a list was presented to him.
At the top of the list was his godfathers name and below that a list of names. Some names he recognised and others he did not and simply did not matter.
Too much…
That is what we say when we cannot handle something and in effect that is not too much. The problem is a series of events and seeing that because of the trunk Harry was only a few days past his own ordeal the evidence in front of him was well…
Too much…
Closing his eyes he turned around and saw the brains that attacked Ron…
Too much…
Walking down the isle Harry saw the empty position on a rack where his fate used to be…
Too much…
Life is a mystery… Some prophecy poisoned that definitive and reduced it to a meagre thought kill or be killed, murder or be murdered– wishful thinking…
Too much…
In the corner harry saw a mirror and he walked over. The name of the mirror was indeed none other that the mirror of Erisid.
Standing in front of the mirror Harry looked up and saw Siruis coming our of the shroud…
While he was looking at the scene playing in front of him he thought of the implications of the inscription and simply said
"It cannot be." Followed by a sigh…
Too much…
The mirror changed and he saw once again his parents
"It cannot be." Followed by a sigh…
Too much…
Feeling a twinge in his mind harry felt the mirror grasping for something. It was a strange sensation much like the one he felt when he and Snape practised Occlumency but much more delicate. He closed his eyes and started analyzing the feeling. Harry could feel and see what the mirror was looking for groping in his memories. Opening his mind completely for the mirror he could see what the mirror was seeing. He could feel what the mirror was feeling.
You want to know don't you? I have a lot to give lets see how well you handle it.
He strengthened the connection and forced the mirror to see everything he has ever seen. He once again saw every situation playing with him in it and he remembered since he thought and hoped was lost forever. By the time he was finished he felt slightly light headed but better. You are a very good listener. Thank you, I guess. This time the mirror went black and stayed that way.
Opening his eyes he read the inscriptions on the mirror and recalling what Albus said it meant. Yes he was as right as he could be but there was a message in another far older dialect that Harry could read but you had to read backwards. Thinking to himself Harry translated the message one thought came to mind
Entrapment…
The mirror contained the soul of a girl that was trapped inside the mirror…
"I am sorry" Harry said stroking the mirror and fresh tears started rolling down his face. A young woman no older than twenty-three appeared in the mirror. She had blond hair and blue eyes perfect in everyway sparkling like only a mirror possibly can.
"How did you know?" She asked, seeing the scarlet tears she placed her hand on her side of the mirror. Crying herself she said, "Don't cry it is not your fault. Nothing was ever your fault." Harry shrugged and placed his hand on against her hand. "What can I do for you." "Well I am basically like a ghost but I am trapped." "If you want we can use the Veil." Harry said indicating the Veil to her.
She looked past Harry and saw what he indicated. A smile spread on her face. "Yes I have been looking forever for that. It is the only solution. But before I go there is something I need to give you." Harry felt a strange tickling in his mind. A series of images, feelings, emotions started flowing into his mind reverberating like Occlumency.
He heard her say. "I read and recorded all the memories of everybody that looked at me. You will have all the knowledge I have preserved; only the personal information will be kept from you. The rest is yours."
He could see the people but they were only shapes no faces. He could hear what they said, wrote, and thought everything recorded in her voice. Harry lived through more battles and duels in those few moments than he thought happened.
When the consistent flow stopped Harry could recall everything but he would need a descent occlumency session to sort it all out
"My parents were there as well." Harry said to her not opening his eyes. "Yes, I tried hiding it from you." This time it was she who apologised.
Opening his eyes he looked in her eyes and said, "No apology necessary the gift you have given me is far greater than the misery."
Keeping his hand against hers he saw the crack down the centre of the mirror. He saw the runes keeping her hostage. He knew why she was entrapped and it was enough for him to free her. Bill Weasley was a curse breaker but he would give his hat to Harry if he was taught to do what Harry did. Breaking the curse down piece by piece he changed it into useless things. Refresher charms were his top priority.
He felt her hand take shape inside his. She stepped through the mirror and hugged him. "Now I can finally go home."
"And yes I will take the message to your parents. I will show them your life as well. I will show it to your godfather as well and leave the mothering bits to me. By the way you will see me again." With that she turned and floated into the shroud of the Veil of Darkness. Looking back at the mirror it was still pitch black. Disgusted with wizard that kept her locked up because she would not tell him what he wanted to hear he muttered an incantation that moments ago was foreign to him. Where it landed it started to burn until only smoke was left. The Mirror of Erisid was no more.
Returning to the Veil Harry thought a few precautions were necessary. Runes was by this time a new nature to Harry and the runes he made now was quite easy drawing the runes across the inscriptions in the opposite direction the Veil would from then only accept willing travellers unless he sent them through himself. I may not be self righteous but at least others will not embrace the same fate as Sirius. Harry thought wiping a stray tear.
Too much…
poof
Harry where have you been? Medusa asked Harry as he appeared out of thin air again. Harry stood with his hands in his pockets looking at the ground the tears started burning and soon only a coppery smell polluted the air. Oh Harry Medusa sighed slithering up his leg when she was high enough she became a part of him.
Immediately she saw everything that occurred. Speaking into his mind Medusa said At least one is saved wiping a mental tear. Why don't you visit your friends a bit? You can apparate now after all.
You know to them it would have been only two days. What will they think if suddenly I arrived without some bodyguard for a visit? Can you imagine Mrs Weasley, she will have a field trip contact Albus and then they will surely lock me up until the train is ready to depart… Medusa listened to his tirade and finally had enough of it. Harold James Potter what in the hell has suddenly got into you. It was only a suggestion. Not even finishing her speech she abandoned Harry Please don't take it in the wrong way. she said to herself as she slid to the fire hoping that his mind will not process this move as abandonment. Her silent prayer was answered as Harry started spluttering an apology following her to the fire.
Sitting behind her and crossing his legs around her he stroked her in long and lavish strides. I am sorry for being such a jerk sometimes. It is just that I keep seeing her behind the glass, trapped and ensnared by a man who died long ago not even releasing her upon his death. Why would anyone do that to someone else please try and explain that to me. Harry you cannot save everyone sometimes people has to do things for themselves, shoulder their own responsibility and act according to what the situation dictates. Getting frustrated again Harry answered But how can they if there is none to show teach them. There must be something I can do. Honestly you are more pigheaded than a Dreamless Sleep endowed Panda. It has been a long day why don't we catch some sleep and then try to sort through these things when we wake. She answered raising herself to be eyelevel with him. Then she did something she never did before to him. She knew he would resist her so she started to hypnotise him.
Harry looked straight into her eyes and saw them swimming a kaleidoscope of colour. He could feel his head start to spin as well. He was listening to her words and for some strange reason wanted to obey. He got up and lowered himself to pick her up as if it was expected. He turned slowly and started heading to the bedroom and then he saw the book on the ground and together with himself and Medusa he suddenly remembered something he wanted to see for himself as the question burst forth in his mind. What magic can be performed if you have a snake for a familiar not even to mention companion. Then he voiced the question and headed for the book.
Medusa felt the connection she had break and if snakes could cry tears they would be rolling down her face now like never before. The one rule she made herself she broke and she knew there was no turning back and all her snake logic could not fix what she just did.
Harry for his part was not oblivious to her sudden change of mind frame and he knew something terrible was going through her mind Medusa what is wrong? Harry asked in barely a whisper and never picking the book up from the table.
She could not look him in the eyes averting not only them but her whole head What have I done, how could he ever trust me again? asking without realising she voiced the question. Harry stood absolutely still and pondered the question was she talking about him or perhaps someone else. What do you mean Medusa?
Harry asked slightly raising his level of concern. If possible she was trying to hide further from him but he was holding her. Sitting down on the bed Harry started coaxing her into giving him something more to work with but it was as if she lost her tongue lying back on the bed she was on her way away from him but Harry would have none of it. Please tell me what all wrong with you? He asked as politely and softly as possible forcing her to look into his eyes. Seeing those accusing eyes wrought her out of her stupor and she bit him, the hand that was stroking her was held firmly in her mouth, her teeth buried deep into his flesh. She could feel the pulse throbbing against the teeth buried to the gum into him. Harry felt the teeth sliding into him and the pain flooding his system as the poison mixed with his blood. He knew he would not die from it and he knew that if he tore his hand from her mouth she would hurt as well and that would make her current state even worse.
Plastering a blank look on his face he perfectly masked the pain that was ripping though him and then a new idée struck him.
She looked into his eyes and she saw care and understanding. She knew that he was in a great deal of pain and she knew that he should have been crying out of the pain, even thrashing on the ground but no not he. She felt something touch her and when she turned slightly she saw his other hand starting to stroke her.
She released his hand and looked down at the sheets and she told him what happened she could not keep it from him. She knew that if she did not tell him she would forever be a mere shadow of herself. After she told him she looked into his eyes and apologised again, she never gave him the reason as she could tell he knew them all to well, she felt she became another mother to Harry.
Not even a snarl was on his face, nothing it was as if she did not exist. Only then did she realise the full implication of what she had done and her whole body took the shape of a question mark as she apologised again turning to leave. Her posture never changed as she slowly, yet deliberately slid to the foot end of the bed, never trying to steel a glance at Harry.
Harry sat there looking at her leave. He felt terrible, he knew the reasons and he could see she was reprimanding herself. He knew she could have kept it quiet and he would be none the wiser but yet she chose to tell him. He saw her reach the edge of the bed and he knew if he let her go he would probably never see her again and he would have nothing - again.
Medusa started lowering herself to the ground but she never reached it as she felt two powerful hands wrapping around her, pulling her back and she broke down, and he broke downright after that.
Too much
Embracing her to his chest they both held onto each other for dear life and to top it of…
Voldemort struck again…
In slow motion Harry saw the saw him in a room made of black marble. The roof the floor and the walls were made of black marble. Voldemort sat in his chair one leg draped over the arm rest and swinging his wand listlessly in the other. The room had a lot of death eaters in at least fifty in total. In front of the throne there were two figures bowing on either side of the throne. Harry heard a door open and turned around. What he saw chilled him to the bones…
SNAPE…
Gripping Medusa Harry apparated out of the trunk onto the bed on the outside. His understanding that came from the mirror lessened his pain but it was still very much tangible.
Snape was being dragged in by two death eaters wearing red masks – Inner circle. Harry could not see who they were as their attire covered them completely.
"Ah Severus how nice of you to join us." Voldemort said with malice as the two death eaters dumped Snape unceremoniously on the floor in front of the thrown before throwing themselves to the ground and kissing the hem of the robe worn by a creature they call master.
Snape crawled the five strides to the thrown of Voldemort and kissed the hem of the robe saying "Master you summoned me." Voldemort rose out of the chair in a flash and kicked Snape in the face sending him flying onto his back before answering Snape with a Crucio. Harry saw they spell leaving the Wand and was mentally preparing for what was to come. He saw Snape cringe under the spell. He was doing the same in his room as well. Holding his hands over his face he saw that his hands were visible, ghostly but visible. Taking a tentative step to Snape, Harry walked into the path of the spell. Medusa was ripping against him in the real world trying to stop him but that was a fruitless effort.
Snape was suddenly releaved of the spell but he knew Voldmort never stopped it this fast. Although he never screamed from the pain he always were slashing against it even afterwards. He looked in front of him and saw a set of shoes he knew Voldemort would never wear. Following his gaze he saw
Potter…
He looked at Harry and saw that he was gripping his hands containing the pain ...
"No" Snape screamed.
Harry was standing directly in the path of the spell. Snape was free of the pain. He heard Snape scream no and he opened his eyes looking down at the man he saw that Snape was looking up at him and that he would have to cover them otherwise the opportunity would be lost. He moved out of the way and the curse hit Snape in full force again dumping him into a heap again. Bending over Snape Harry took the curse again but touched Snape to transfer some of the power of the curse to the older man.
Taking the rest of the death eaters into consideration Harry turned around scanning everything for future reference and in the corner right next to the door Harry saw something that chilled him to the bone an effect saved for dementors. And it all fit in one sentence. "Tom Riddle and his stupid Diary."
Too much…
