Attention Readers! Thank you for the wonderful comments, and/or concerns, relating to the previous chapter. I am personally very happy to present the next chapter ahead of schedual, due to my amazing beta, who i am greatly thankful for. Enjoy! and please keep the reviews comming, even if they are less than positive.
Chapter Eleven
Dark Visions
It looked like the end of Ron and Hermione's friendship. Each was so angry with the other that Harry couldn't see how they'd ever make up.
Ron was enraged that Hermione had never taken Crookshanks' attempts to eat Scabbers seriously, hadn't bothered to keep a close enough watch on him, and was still trying to pretend that Crookshanks was innocent by suggesting that Ron look for Scabbers under all the boys' beds. Hermione, meanwhile, maintained fiercely that Ron had no proof that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, that the ginger hairs might have been there since Christmas, and that Ron had been prejudiced against her cat ever since Crookshanks had landed on Ron's head in the Magical Menagerie.
Personally, Harry was sure that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, and when he tried to point out to Hermione that the evidence all pointed that way, she lost her temper with Harry too.
"Okay, side with Ron, I knew you would!" she said shrilly. "First the Firebolt, now Scabbers, everything's my fault, isn't it! Just leave me alone, Harry, I've got a lot of work to do!"
Harry shook his head and returned to Ron and Faykan, who were sitting around the fireplace, and took a seat next to Faykan. Faykan moved over slightly to make extra room, and sent another glace at Hermione, sighing slightly. "What," Ron snapped, "Are you agreeing with her now Faykan? I thought we all agreed that Crookshanks ATE Scabbers?"
Faykan frowned at Ron, "I don't agree with either you or Hermione, Ron. You are both acting like children about this. It is true," he added loudly, "that Hermione should have paid more attention to Crookshanks' behavior," Ron smiled gloatingly at Hermione, but scowled at Faykan's next words, "but, if you really cared about Scabbers, Ron, you would have done something more permanent to protect him, like transfigure a cage."
Ron snatched up his homework and stormed out of the room, leaving Harry and Faykan alone. "Git," Faykan said to himself, and he stood to leave also, "want to come learn some more stuff Harry? I need to blow off some steam." Harry smiled slightly, the only plus to having Ron and Hermione angry at them and each other, was that he and Draco got Faykan to themselves in the Room of Requirement. Their pace had quickened since Faykan did not need to help Ron or explain everything four different ways for Hermione to copy, and Harry was enjoying it immensely.
Both he and Draco were now learning their second year spells wandlessly, fourth year transfiguration and minor healing spells. Faykan had also stepped up their magic and martial dueling training. They now had to fight each other with wand and sword simultaneously, and were studying fifth and sixth year defensive spells. Harry now had a new meaning for the word exhausted. As they entered the Room of Requirement, Harry saw Draco, who was reading a book entitled "Mastering Spells Without Sound," but he looked up as they entered. Faykan brushed past them and summoned targets around the room, and incinerating, demolishing, and shredding each in turn with wandless magic. Draco shut the book, glancing at Harry with at look that clearly said 'this workout is going to be painful.'
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It had taken about a month for Albus to sort through the memories that Severus had given him, analyzing every possible detail with the information he had already on Mr. Undol. He thought he might have found a few direct similarities, but he needed to recheck one particular memory to confirm them.
Bending over the pensieve again, Albus cleared his mind except for the thought of the memory he wanted to see.
Images flowed around him as he sank into the silvery depths, landing in one of the dungeon passages of Hogwarts. Albus spent a moment to orient himself, judging that he was near the Slytherin common rooms, when the eleven year old form of Severus Snape came around a corner, his nose deep in a Potions journal. So focused on his reading was the young Severus, that he never noticed the shadowy forms that approached him from the corridor ahead.
Albus had been mildly aware about the rivalry between Severus and James Potter, but he had been too caught up with the beginnings of the First war with Voldemort to take much notice. Clearly with how Severus treated young Harry, he had put such childish feelings behind him. James stood in the middle of the corridor with his friends, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew, waiting for Severus to run right into them.
"Well, well, if it isn't Snivellus…" Black said sarcastically when Severus was about five feet away. Pettigrew laughed, while Lupin whispered something to James, who shook his head and stepped forward. "You think you're so smart don't you Snivellus, putting that porcupine quill in my potion when I wasn't looking."
Severus smirked at James, who scowled in return. "James I really think we shouldn't do this." Lupin said hesitantly, looking around. James ignored him, and lifted his wand, pointing it at Severus, "You humiliated me in front of the whole class, now I'm going to make you pay." James started to cast, but Severus was faster. He lunged sideways, pulling his wand from his robes and dodging James spell, spinning to face him, "Speculum," [1] Severus cried, but James blocked the stinging hex with ease, and Sirius retaliated with the tickling charm, which hit Severus, and he doubled over with angry giggles.
Albus watched the impromptu two-on-one duel for several moments, until finally, James tried to use tarantallegra, but a new voice roared, "Tinechor!" [2] A shining blue bubble appeared around Severus, deflecting the jinx, and the four Gryffindors whipped around to see two Slytherin fifth years.
One was Undol, Albus presumed, and the other was a tall blond haired boy with a pale pointed face, and cold grey eyes. Albus recognized him as a fifteen year old Lucius Malfoy. Lucius' prefect badge gleaming on his left breast, and his wand was in his hand, pointed directly at James. Undol had cast the protection charm over Severus, and was now spinning his ebony wand lazily in his hand, watching the four Gryffindors with his piercing blue eyes.
"Oh ho! Look at this Lucius! Little cubs wandering around in the snake pit!" Undol laughed, "And they dare to attack one of us! Careful little cubbies, you never know what'll happen when you poke a snake."
"I... don't need your help!" Severus yelled hoarsely. Lucius raised his eyebrows at the first year, while Faykan grinned at him, "You need to learn Snape, your one of us, which means… we protect you. Accept it."
His blue eyes flashed as he raised his wand, stepping into a dueling position, Lucius standing behind him, almost looking bored. "Let us see if they can hold their own against a mature viper." Undol sneered, and attacked James with a flash of blue light. James dodged out of the way, stumbled and fell as Undol shot a tripping hex at him. Sirius tried to disarm Undol, but it was blocked with a casual flick of the older boy's wand. "I thought that the heirs of the noble houses of Black and Potter could do better. I'm disappointed." Undol taunted them. Both boys glared at Undol
"Fay…" Lucius drawled, "Don't play around with them; we have Arithmancy in five minutes…"
Faykan frowned, then grinned as an idea struck him, "Just enough time for this…" another spin of his wand, a flash, and James, Sirius, and Peter were floating in the air upside down. Their wands clattered to the floor as their robes fell over their faces. Both Lucius and Severus grinned while Faykan laughed loudly at the three hanging boys. Lupin look fearfully at Faykan, who tilted his head as he studied the Gryffindor, "You… you didn't mock one of us, or try to attack him. So I'll let you go, for now." Lucius walked over and helped Severus to his feet, and together the three Slytherins walked away, leaving Lupin to try and figure a counter to the spell Faykan had used on his friends.
Albus followed the three boys up to the entrance hall, listening in as they chatted about classes and other non-important subjects. Faykan had put one hand on Severus' shoulder, guiding him through several secret passages. "What spell did you use to string them up like that?" Severus asked quietly, as if the need for asking was appalling to him. Faykan grinned, quietly explaining the spell to him as they walked, Lucius shaking his head at the erratic gestures his friend was using in his descriptions.
Albus pulled out of the memory, thinking hard. The Slytherin Faykan had spoken what sounded like elvish, was an exceptional duelist, and was physically identical to his present-day self. The clues were there, but either Albus was grasping at straws, or Mr. Undol had been careful his entire life to guard his secrets. But Albus wasn't the most powerful wizard in Britain for nothing. He would find out who he was, and bend the boy to his will.
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Draco rolled his eyes as he watched Harry come into the Great Hall for breakfast, Firebolt on his shoulder and surrounded by the Gryffindor third year boys like a guard of honor. Harry, Faykan, and Ron glanced at the Slytherin table, noting with satisfaction, that the rest of the Slytherin team were all thunderstruck.
Draco felt a twinge of worry and jealousy; he had difficulty beating Harry when he had an inferior broom. With a Firebolt, it would be near impossible for him to win at Quidditch. But he quickly smothered the emotion, allowing himself for feel happy for Harry. With all Harry had to live through, he deserved nice things. If that meant that Draco would continue to be second best, he could live with that, Malfoy pride aside.
Ignoring the mutterings and glares of the other Slytherins, Draco made his way across the Great Hall to congratulate Harry on his new broom. Let the fools talk, none of them had so far attempted to harm him, the son of Lucius Malfoy. As he approached, Draco noticed that only Faykan and Ron were sitting next to Harry; Hermione was down the table with the second and first year Gryffindors, occasionally glaring in the three boy's direction. 'Still fighting,' Draco surmised. Draco smiled inwardly, he would be glad to have Harry and Faykan to himself for a while. Not that he didn't like Ron or Hermione, true Hermione was a bit of a know-it-all and Ron was a hot headed git a lot, and that they had both been really unfriendly for the most of first year, they had all grown closer after the adventure on the third floor and even more so after the Chamber of Secrets fiasco. Ron was still a git occasionally, but he was a Weasley; it was to be expected that they were tactless gits a lot of the time.
Draco slid into a group of Hufflepuffs that were admiring the Firebolt just in time to hear Percy Weasley talk about a small wager he had made with his girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater, on the outcome of the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw match. Draco slid into a seat next to Faykan, who nodded at his appearance.
"Hey Potter!" Nott called from across the Hall, "I hope that broom has a sticking charm on it, so you can stay on this time when the dementors come for you!" many of the Slytherins laughed, but Draco saw Faykan shake his head in amusement. Harry had a small smile on his face, and Draco lifted his eyebrows. They were up to something…
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Hermione had never been over enthusiastic about Quidditch. But her friendship with Harry pulled at her to be here, in his support, especially when the dementors were close by and had attacked once before. She could see Faykan several rows in front of her, next to Ron, fingering his wand as he watched Harry speed around the field on his Firebolt.
The announcer, Lee Jordan, kept being distracted from the match to comment about this or that detail on the Firebolt, and Professor McGonagall had to remind him to return to the score over and over. Hermione settled to just watch Harry and the female seeker from Ravenclaw, Cho Chang. She kept tailing Harry closely, which Hermione thought was odd. Wasn't it the point for them to both be looking for the Snitch? Hermione saw the tactic immediately, as Harry dived and Chang moved to block him. She was just trying to prevent Harry from getting the Snitch himself.
Harry seemed to recognize it as well, as he started to weave up and down at full speed, which Chang could not hope to keep up to. Suddenly, Harry changed direction again, pelting toward the Ravenclaw side of the field, Chang following his movement from below. They had seen the Snitch. Suddenly, Chang screamed, pointing down. Hermione looked, and saw three tall, black, hooded dementors on the field, looking up at the seekers. Harry didn't even pause as he drew his wand, roared, "Expecto Patronum!" and continued speeding after the tiny winged ball. An enormous four legged animal erupted from his wand, bearing down at the three "dementors" and they fell back, trying to run away. Madam Hooch's whistle sounded, and Hermione saw the Gryffindor team swarming over Harry, who had the Snitch in his hand along with his wand. Hermione followed the rest of Gryffindor House down to the pitch to congratulate Harry.
"That's my boy!" Wood was yelling. Alicia, Angelina, and Katie had all kissed Harry; Fred had him in a grip so tight it looked like Harry was going to suffocate.
"Yes!" Ron yelled as he and Faykan ran up, and he yanked Harry's arm into the air. "Yes! Yes!" Faykan lifted Harry into the air by the waist and spun him around once, beaming the entire time. Hermione smiled again, seeing Faykan and Harry interact was rather entertaining, given what she suspected about them.
"Well done, Harry!" said Percy, looking delighted. "Ten Galleons to me! Must find Penelope, excuse me…"
"Good for you, Harry!" roared Seamus Finnigan.
"Ruddy brilliant!" boomed Hagrid over the heads of the milling Gryffindors.
Professor Lupin came up behind Harry and said something in his ear. Harry responded excitedly, but Hermione couldn't hear because of the crowd. He began to lead Harry away, followed by Faykan, and Hermione felt it safe to return to Gryffindor Tower. She would congratulate Harry herself in private later, and she had some Muggle Studies reading to finish by Monday.
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Sirius' patience had run out. He had waited to watch Harry's match against Ravenclaw, which he was delighted to see Harry riding the broom he had bought with Undol's help. But he had to get at Peter before he could hurt Harry. Getting into the castle was as simple as last time, having the knowledge of all Hogwarts' secrets from his school years. Sirius climbed the stairs to the Gryffindor common room, and stopped when he was encountered the by insane picture of Sir Cadogan.
"Stand and deliver you cur!" the knight shouted when he saw Sirius approach. Frowning, Sirius pulled the parchment that Faykan had given him. Scanning it quickly, Sirius found the password for that day, the person who wrote it had marked the days of each one.
"Chivalrous rogue." He read flatly.
"Indeed!" the knight said, swinging the portrait open.
Sirius paused for a moment, then changed into the grim and cautiously padded inside. Checking that no one was around, he trotted up the boy's staircase, stopping at the very top where the sign read: "Third Years." Nudging the door open, Sirius crept inside, changing back into himself. The six beds gave him a rush of memories about James, Remus, and Peter. He spotted Harry at once, as his curtains were open and a gleam of moonlight glistened on his face. Sirius watched his best friend's son sleep for several moments, tears sliding down his face at all the pain they had lived through. A small cough startled him, and he turned to the bed next to Harry's. The Undol boy was sitting there, peering at Sirius through the curtains. Sirius leaned down to be right next to the boys face, "Which one is Weasley?" he asked softly. The boy's eyes widened in understanding, and Sirius then followed his pointed finger to a bed in which a red haired boy slept; the same boy he had seen in the Daily Prophet.
Sirius searched quietly around the bed for several minutes, but could find no trace of the rat. He pulled out a large knife he had found on his way from Azkaban, and began slicing the canopy and curtains carefully to see into the bed without pulling them apart and disturbing the boy. But even the soft tearing noises were too much; the boy stirred and slowly opened his eyes. Sirius froze as the redhead locked gazes with him. The boy opened his mouth wide, and Sirius bolted at the same time that the Weasley boy screamed. He was out of the common room before anyone else even saw him.
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No one in Gryffindor Tower slept that night. They knew that the castle was being searched again, and the whole House stayed awake in the common room, waiting to hear whether Black had been caught. Professor McGonagall came back at dawn, to tell them that he had again escaped. The next day, the students found several drastic tightening of security, such as Professor Flitwick warding the front doors from admitting Sirius Black, to Filch boarding up cracks and crevasses with boards. Sir Cadogan had been fired. His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back. She had been expertly restored, but was still extremely nervous, and had agreed to return to her job only on condition that she was given extra protection. A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to guard her. They paced the corridor in a menacing group, talking in grunts and comparing the size of their clubs.
Ron had become an instant celebrity. For the first time in his life, people were paying more attention to him than to Harry, and it was clear that Ron was rather enjoying the experience. Though still severely shaken by the night's events, he was happy to tell anyone who asked what had happened, with a wealth of detail. One thing had been bothering Harry about it however. Why had Black ran when Ron had woken? If the Ministry was to be trusted, Black should have simply silenced Ron and proceeded to Harry. The only possible threat to him in the room had been Faykan, and he was sound asleep like the rest of them. On the other hand, if he wasn't trying to kill Harry, then the question was why he was trying to get into the Tower at all. It was so confusing to Harry that he couldn't think about it for long without getting a headache.
Neville was in total disgrace. Professor McGonagall was so furious with him when she found out he had written the list of passwords that Black had used, she had banned him from all future Hogsmeade visits, given him a detention, and forbidden anyone to give him the password into the tower. Poor Neville was forced to wait outside the common room every night for somebody to let him in, while the security trolls leered unpleasantly at him. At least Faykan was kind enough to wait up every night for him. None of these punishments, however, came close to matching the one his grandmother had in store for him. Two days after Black's break in, she sent Neville the very worst thing a Hogwarts student could receive over breakfast… a Howler.
Harry was too busy feeling sorry for Neville in the midst of his grandmother's roars to notice immediately that he had a letter too. Hedwig got his attention by nipping him sharply on the wrist.
"Ouch! Oh… thanks, Hedwig."
Harry tore open the envelope while Hedwig helped herself to some of Neville's cornflakes. The note inside said:
'Dear Harry, Faykan, and Ron, How abut having tea with me this afternoon 'round six? I'll come collect you from the castle. WAIT FOR ME IN THE ENTRANCE HALL; YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED OUT ON YOUR OWN. Cheers, Hagrid'
"He probably wants to hear all about Black!" said Ron, brightening immediately. Harry saw Faykan shaking his head behind Ron, but he was letting his instant fame go to his head after all.
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Hermione was rather thankful that Hagrid had sent her a note to inform her that he would be having Harry, Ron, and Faykan at his hut that evening. Not only did she have the Room of Requirement to herself for once, but she could finally investigate the Palantír for signs of dark magic. Whenever she had tried to take a look at it before, someone would always be in the room and ask her what she was doing. But then she and Ron had had their fight and she hadn't been able to get in the room for weeks. So she had been helping Hagrid during that time, preparing him for the case against the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that was meant for that Friday.
But now the boys were gone, and she had full reign of the room for an hour. Walking into the room, she glanced immediately toward the circle of chairs. The orb was still there, settled in the center of the table with the black cloth draped over it. Hermione checked her watch as she approached the table; it was just past time for the meeting with Hagrid. Nodding, Hermione reached forward to pull the cloth away, and she hesitated. Would it really be right to do this behind Faykan's back? Yes, she convinced herself, it was right to make sure that the object that had allowed her friend access to her and her friend's minds was safe.
The cloth came away with ease, revealing the swirling blackness of the stone. Trembling, Hermione reached her hands forward to lift the stone into the air. Her fingers inches away from the surface of the orb, she froze. The mist inside the stone had started to unfurl, and the lights around the room dimmed. 'Oh no!' Hermione thought in desperation, trying to figure a way to stop herself from gazing into the stone, but her hands wouldn't move, frozen in their position on either side of the orb. Her eyes locked onto the swirling depths of the Palantír, and she gasped at the visions that swarmed over the surface of her mind.
A myriad of faces swam past her eyes, Harry, Ron, Hagrid, Professor Flitwick, and many others she knew mixed in with hundreds that she could not place or recognize. Then the Palantír glowed from within, and Hermione saw Harry lying on the bank on the black lake, screaming in pain as hundreds of dementors glided down upon him. Another man lay near him, and the dementors seemed eager to attack the man. Their black robes swirled as they set upon both of them, and Hermione cried in terror. The vision shifted, and she saw Faykan and Dumbledore in a darkened house, pulling a golden locket out of a dusty closet. Dumbledore eyed it, and gave it to Faykan, who resisted until the older wizard forced the chain over his neck. And the orb darkened, changing the scene again.
It was of Faykan, but he was not the same. His face was drawn, and full of malice. Even his eyes were different, no longer the bright blue that seemed to see through people, but they were crimson, glowing with dark power. He stood in the middle of a huge gathering of the foulest, most ugly creatures Hermione had ever seen. They were tall, armored, with black skin and large fanged mouths. They carried spears, swords, and massive shields emblazoned with a clawed white hand. They were roaring, stamping their feet, pounding their shields and spears and making tons of noise, celebrating. Around them was a large wasteland on the boarders of a burning forest. Hermione stood in shock as Faykan raised once hand, and the creatures fell silent immediately.
Faykan spoke, his voice magically magnified, and Hermione heard harsh cruel words, but could understand. "A new power is rising! Its victory is at hand!" Faykan paused as the creatures around him cheered once, high and cold. "This night, the age of men will fall! We march on London! Leave none alive! To War!" he roared, and the army of monsters roared with him, forming into long lines to march through the burning forest. Faykan smiled as the creature passed around him, and the light of the flames reflected the locket around his neck, illuminating the ornate letter 'S' cut into the metal.
Fire plumed as the orb shifted once more, revealing a sight that made Hermione want to scream. London was in flames. The hideous creatures ran through the streets, cutting down wizard and muggle alike with impunity. Groups of people were trying to fight them off, but there were simply too many. For every creature they slaughtered, more appeared in their place. Hermione gasped as she saw Dumbledore fighting alongside the Weasleys and a band of muggles. Casting stunners and entrapments, Dumbledore felled creature after creature, standing like a monument of stone before a storm, immovable, unstoppable. Then a high pitch shriek sounded from above, and the defenders looked up in terror. A large dragon was swooping at Dumbledore. Black scales glistened on its hide, and cruel horns curved off its head. But the shriek came not from the dragon, but the rider. Faykan laughed, a high cold sound, as his mount landed before Dumbledore, who raised his wand at the much younger wizard.
"Hello Faykan." Dumbledore said solemnly, wearily. Faykan continued to laugh, pulling the reins of his dragon to the side to present himself before Dumbledore. He was clad in black battle armor, draped over with a dark cloak, and upon his head was a tarnished silver crown. The locket bounced off his chest as he settled on the dragon's back. His eyes glowed with hatred as he looked down at the Headmaster. "Dumbledore…" he said, and the people around Dumbledore shielded their ears at the screech of his voice. "Do you not know death when you see it, old man!" he said drawing a black wand from his belt. "This is my hour!" Faykan cried, fire spiraling off the end of his wand.
"My boy," Dumbledore said calmly, as the battle raged around them both, "I am sorry for what you have become, but I must stop you."
Faykan laughed again, "What I have become?" he mocked, "I have taken my place in the realm of this world. The world of men will fall; the Age of the Orc has come! Die now, and curse in vain! Avada Kadavera!" The green jet of light launched from the end of the wand, striking Dumbledore before he could even retaliate. The aged wizard fell, and Hermione fell with him, spiraling into blackness as the orb and its horrible visions fell silent.
The torches around the room relit as Hermione dropped the Palantír back onto the table with a heavy thump. She sat in pure shock at what she had seen. Faykan become as evil as You-Know-Who? It couldn't be true, could it? But he was so nice, especially to Harry. Harry! His death at the hands of dementors caused new tears to burst down her cheeks. No, it couldn't be true, and even if it was, Hermione would do all in her power to stop it. This terrible future she had seen will not come to pass if she had anything to say about it. And the stone? She looked toward the black orb again, lying there on the table tame and quiet. Should she tell a teacher? Dumbledore? No, if she told and someone took it away, Faykan would find out, and what then? No, she would leave it here, and keep the information to herself for now. Slowly Hermione staggered to her feet and checked her watch, fifteen minutes to seven, the boys would be coming back from Hagrid's very soon. She should get back to the common room. With that she covered the black ball once again and dashed out the door.
[1] Speculum : Sting (Latin)
[2] Tinechor : Shield
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