Chapter 16: Warnings and Promises
Medea
I fell and fell and fell. Well, actually slided, I guess. There was only darkness around me and the air smelled of decay.
I couldn't see anything. Startled by the sudden touch, I realised that Tom had caught me. He helped me to get up and my eyes started to adjust to the dark.
"Lumos," I said and we examined our surroundings.
We were standing between bones and what must have been snake skin. My nose was quite right, this place had obviously been abondened, for what seemed like a long time.
Tom started to make his way through the morbid scene, carelessly kicking aside bones and patches of skin. I followed him without comment, freezing slightly in the damp air. Glancing over at him, I saw that whatever had been in his eyes before had completely vanished and been replaced by a stern look on his pale face.
I was expecting something to happen, something dangerous, but we reached a dark corridor without any interruptions. Both of us were clearly drawn to the end of it, even though I could sense that something very unpleasent was awaiting us. Our steps were echoing from the walls and the sound of running water in the distance could be heard. This corridor seemed to go on forever, but after a little eternity we reached a stone wall with two entwined snakes on it.
Tom and I shared a brief glance, before hissing sounds left his mouth, ordering the snakes to show us the way. They obeyed and a passageway appeared. A wave of icy air was coming out of it, but neither of us cared. The excitement was filling us with a rush of adrenalin.
We climbed through the hole in the wall and torches suddenly flared. The fire was green and revealed the place in front of us.
There was a statue at the far end with a pillar on either side of it. Each pillar was surrounded by black water. And right before it was a huddled figure, dressed in an old gown. Exchanging measuring looks we walked slowly up to the person. As we came closer it became obvious that this was a women. Thick, very long black hair was covering her face. The dress she was wearing had been white once, even though it was a dirty grey now it was still quite a contrast to her skin. She had an olive skin tone and seemed to be young, it was hard to tell without seeing her face. She was leaning against the statue behind her, barefoot and in what looked like a very uncomfortable postion.
We stopped around two metres from her, our wands raised. She didn't move.
Tom took a deep breath before he spoke: "Who are you?"
His voice got carried through the entire chamber, it was impossible to miss.
No answer.
I stepped towards her, because I couldn't even tell if she was breathing. After all, this place was below zero and she was only wearing a thin linen dress.
I froze in motion as I heard laughter.
It was not joyous, but bitter and cold.
Tom reached for my arm dragging me back to him.
She lifted her head up at the ceiling and the hair fell back from her face. I was right, she was young. Her beauty was striking, even with this odd expression on her face.
Her head turned slowly towards us and her dark eyes seemed unseeing.
"Daughter of Herpo, you shouldn't be here."
Her voice sounded like she had not used it in quiet some time.
A thousand thoughts were crossing my mind and yet I kept silent, not knowing how to respond.
"How do you know this about her ?" Tom's tone was commanding and relentless.
"I see it. I would always recognise this stsurrounding her. Just like him," she said dreamily.
Tom was speechless, as was I.
"Son of Slytherin, there is something you need to know. Great power fell into your hands, you should use it wisely."
Tom's eyes narrowed and his expression darkened.
"Eyes cannot deceive, they are the gates to the soul. Sometimes it is better not to know one's true self. Sometimes you should not see into the eyes of creatures or men. It could be the last thing you will ever remember."
She sounded stiff and drained of life.
"Who are you ?" I asked softly.
"No one. I was someone, a long time ago. Now I am little more than a shell, bound to one purpose. To warn the unbelieving."
"What was your name ?" I lowered my wand, realising that no danger would come from her.
"I was called many things throughout my short life. Daughter, sister and Priestess were some of them. Nothing is left, no one to whisper my name. Your ancestor made sure of this, girl."
"Did you really know him ?"
"I knew him. He was our downfall. Our hangman. Ridding us of our identities and loved ones. He kept me and later on I was passed to wizards and witches that tried to overtake him. None succeeded, until now."
Tom eventually regained his speech and a sneer appeared on his face.
"Herpo the Foul lived in ancient Greece, how can you be still alive ?"
"She is not," I said quietly.
He focused on me with knitted eyebrows.
"You look, but you can't see, boy. She is correct, my lifetime had ended when I was 24 years old. I am only a mere shadow of who I once was. Damned."
"She must be something like an Inferius," I whispered under my breath.
"What do you remember from your life ?" He continued with the interrogation in a softer tone.
"I don't remember faces. I don't remember how their laughter sounded like. The strongest memory that has stayed with me all this time is an emotion. Despair, for no one believed my words."
She looked down to the ground, and a heavy weight seemed to be on her shoulders.
"Are you...were you Cassandra of Troy ?"
She nodded and fixed her gaze on me.
"Now that I have warned the next generation I can go back to sleep. Until another heir of Slytherin comes to Hogwarts and finds us."
"Us? So you are not the monster inside the chamber? What is it then ?" Tom started to speak quickly, barely able to conceal his excitement.
"No, I am a messenger. I can tell you that it all started with Herpo. He was the beginning. And you," she spoke softly to me ," should be ready. It will soon be the time to decide your fate. To defeat whoever stands in your way. I am certain that the Moirai are looking forward to it."
A heavy silence fell over the chamber, only disturbed by the sound of Cassandra standing up.
We could now see that she wore a thin golden necklace, at its end was a little pendant. A translucent gemstone was sparkling at me when Cassansdra took the necklace off. Her hand reached out for mine and gave it to me.
"This belongs to your family, I was meant to keep it safe. Son of Slytherin, be carefull with your newly found power or you might lose what you hold most dear."
With these words on her lips she turned around and walked towards the water at the edge of the chamber and within seconds she had vanished in it.
Tom
We stood in silence for a while after this strange encounter.
Finally, I regained my composure and turned to Medea.
"Show me the necklace."
My voice was low and yet it appeared too loud in the pressing silence of the chamber.
She looked at me with her green eyes that were almost black in this light.
The necklace was sitting in her palm, looking not remarkable at all. Something had to be special about it, or else her ancestor wouldn't have wanted to keep it safe. Or hidden, I thought.
"Does it make any sense to you, this whole 'don't look into eyes' thing ?"
I sighed, "Not really, what about you ?"
"I...I have a suspicion. She said Herpo was the first, well, he created the first Horcrux obviously. But he also bred the first basilisk. And you die if you look into its eyes."
"Yes... of course. That would mean that..."
A gleam came into her eyes, showing her excitement. I felt the same way. If the legend was true and it could only be controlled by the heir of Slytherin...
"It has to stay a secret." She said, looking into the distance wide-eyed.
"What are you thinking about ?" I asked, worried, while I was brushing her cheek with my hand. Enjoying the softness of it.
"Most people know that I am a Parselmouth, if someone would see the basilisk, well...they would think I have something to do with it. And you."
I didn't like to hear her speak like this, almost afraid. She should know that nothing would ever happen to her as long as I could prevent it, I thought.
"Don't worry, no one will find out. I promise."
Lifting her chin up, I touched her lips softly with mine.
No harm would come her way. This, I promised to myself.
