A Well in the DeadLand
By Marz
Chapter 6: Divide and Be Conquered
"There are places upon this earth where reality as we know it has thinned. The world we occupy is only one of innumerable planes of existence and in the thin places it is sometimes possible to cross from one world to the next."
The Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry paused. A few of the forty assembled in the crowded hall suspected it was for dramatic effect, but the rest leaned forward in nervous anticipation. The Headmaster waved his thin, age spotted hand and images bleed into being on the stone behind him. The drawing of a free standing stone arch, draped in a ragged black veil expanded to cover the entire wall.
"The Arch in the Department of Mysteries was formed around one of these thin places. It was created using a form of magic thought lost to us, and it is the only known stable passage between this world and another. Though the exact process of its creation was not recorded, a history of the disastrous aftermath survives to this day; hundreds died, thousands went mad, and terrible beings were allowed access to our world. No human being has passed through the Arch alive. The Arch leads only to death."
"Yesterday morning I dispatched several members of the Order to Number Four Privet Drive, to determine the condition of Harry Potter, who had failed to check in during the preceding week. He was not in residence, and an as yet unidentified being had assumed his form. The being seems capable of penetrating the thoughts and memories of those in its presence, and shows a disturbing ability to disrupt and redirect magical energies. It caused a werewolf to transform in broad daylight."
The room filled with muttering and eyes darted about, searching and realizing that Remus Lupin was not among them. Dumbledore raised his hands for silence. The images on the wall changed again. Most of those assembled understood none of the strange drawings and symbols. Those who did struggled to control their panic.
"It's not possible!" cried Professor Vector dramatically.
Severus Snape rolled his eyes, but said nothing as Headmaster Dumbledore waited for the room to settle. To his left Molly Weasley was twisting a handkerchief into a worried little knot.
"These symbols were found painted and scratched into the walls of Harry's bedroom. From what we were able to interpret, Harry has been shown a way to create another gateway between worlds, another Arch. I believe it is his intention to use that gateway in an attempt to rescue Sirius Black."
"It is also my belief that Harry is more or less completely under the influence of the being discovered in his relative's home. Its intentions can hardly be presumed altruistic. We must stop Harry from opening a gateway. This crisis takes precedence over all other tasks, even the battle against Voldemort. An unstable gateway has the potential to destroy not just the area around which it is formed, but the very fabric of reality."
"Our efforts to locate Harry have so far failed, and it is likely that he has already left England. The spell we found will only work in a place where reality is already unstable. We do not know which of the thin places he is heading for, so we must guard them all. There are one hundred and twenty seven known 'thin places', located around the globe."
Again he waved his hand and again the wall changed. This time a map of the earth appeared. The thin places were each marked with a sickly green pinpoint of light. Next to each green light a name appeared.
"I have assigned a guardian to each thin spot. Those of you given this duty should travel there as fast as is humanly possible. Harry must not be allowed to open a gateway. Do not hesitate to use force. The being orchestrating this disaster has the ability to take the form of people you know. Do not be fooled and do not abandon your post unless Fawkes brings you specific instruction to do so. Send in reports every five hours. Godspeed."
The Order of the Phoenix rose from their seats and dispursed. Most face wore expressions of shock and disbelief. Albus Dumbledore stood at the front of the room, waiting for those whom he knew would have questions. Molly Weasley reached him first.
"Headmaster, what happened to Remus?"
Dumbledore had expected her first question to be about Harry, as he was such a close friend to her youngest son, but he was not overly surprised.
"He went missing from his hospital room at St. Mungo's last night. I ordered him to report to headquarters as soon as he was released, but apparently he felt he should continue searching for Harry on his own. I am a bit disappointed."
Mrs. Weasley nodded and stepped back as Tonks put forth her question.
"Sir, I can't help but notice my territory on the map is rather…huge," the young Auror said, pointing to the large green blob, covering most of the western United States.
Dumbledore nodded. "That area is the most troublesome. The actual location of the thin place in that region is not precisely known. Professor Trelawney will supply you with some divining equipment, to help you locate the exact dimensions of that particular instability. To be honest Nymphadora, I do not believe Harry will venture as far as California, when there are many more easily accessible locations here in Europe and in the Eastern United States. In all likely-hood you will be called to assist Professor Snape in New York, or Mrs. Fenn in Cleveland. We cannot, however, afford to leave any potential gateway unguarded. Besides, a bit of cartography will help to pad your resume, should you ever apply for a promotion."
Tonks nodded and stepped back, her eyes wandering over the map once again. Snape glided into her place.
"Headmaster?" He waited for Dumbledore to nod before he continued to speak. "You know what is required to open such a gateway, what must be sacrificed. Do you really think the boy is capable of that?"
Molly Weasley elbowed her way back into the conversation. "Sacrifices! What does he mean?"
"To create the Arch, according to the spell discovered in Potter's room, a certain amount of life force is needed," Snape answered coldly, watching the woman cringe. "It can be acquired with quantity or quality. Potter will either need to murder a few very powerful people, or hundreds of less useful ones."
"He wouldn't!" Mrs. Weasley shouted, looking very enraged. The few people still occupying the room watched, slightly frightened. "Harry is a good child. He would never murder!"
Snape looked back with cold indifference. "That remains to be seen."
Dumbledore's shoulders sagged. "Severus, do you have anything else to say before you go?"
The sallow faced man nodded, and then glared at Molly Weasley until she stomped out of hearing range.
"The books stolen from my library yesterday afternoon all pertained to human sacrifice as a means of multiplying magical energies. He intends to go through with it. I do not believe the boy can be saved."
"That remains to be seen Severus."