"Hey, Longbottom! Over here!"
The whispered voice made Neville stumble and almost fall down the stairs. He looked around and saw Blaise Zabini standing behind a pillar.
The Gryffindor fought his way through the crowd towards him.
"Hello Zabini. You want to talk to me?", he asked a bit cautiously. Zabini was his 'nestmate' but he was still a Slytherin and it was always best to be cautious around Slytherins.
Zabini just rolled his eyes and pressed a piece of parchment into his hand. "Your instructions, Longbottom."
Neville started and looked at the parchment. It was addressed to him.
Neville assured himself that nobody was looking before he quickly read the letter. To his astonishment it told him the position and password to a secret passage out of the castle and that he was to follow whoever waited for him on the other side.
"Is something wrong?", Zabini asked when he hesitated. The Slytherin was leaning against the pillar casually with the back to him so that nobody would know at first glance he was talking to Neville.
"No, it's just... I am being sent away... Why now, when the students of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang should arrive any moment...?" He had wondered how they would come and had wanted to see it.
"The whole school assembled in one place?" Blaise snorted. "Then one missing student isn't likely to draw attention, is he?"
Neville felt cold.
"Say, Zabini... Did you... I mean, did Hermione talk to the Raven about... you-know-what?"
The Slytherin was silent for a long time.
"Yes, she did", he finally said. "I'm surprised you don't know yet. I talked to him some time ago and was assured that I will not be forced to take a front line position. I wouldn't be of much use there anyway, my duelling skill isn't that good. I believe he took everyone aside separately. It seems now is your turn."
Neville gulped. "But what if... what if he won't... accept my limit?"
What if Charles was really working with the Death Eaters? What if he thought Neville was too much of a risk and wanted to dispose of him quietly when nobody would miss him?
"Whenever you go or not, it's your choice", Zabini said to his surprise. "But I believe if you don't go, you'll regret it."
Suddenly his throat was very dry. He clutched the letter until it crumbled in his hand. Then without a word he turned around and walked in the opposite direction of all the students who went to greet the other schools.
Following the directions he went through a secret passage. After some time he emerged from a trapdoor that lead him into what seemed to be a cellar. As soon as he was out he caught a movement and turned to come face to face with a bouncy little house elf.
The elf had the biggest eyes he had ever seen and flobby pointed ears. He was smiling at Neville widely and bowed.
"Sir, are you Neville Longbottom, Sir?", he asked excitingly.
"Uh, yeah", He answered. "That's me."
The little elf jumped up and down in joy. "I'm Dobby, Sir, Dobby the house elf! Dobby is very happy to meet a friend of his master. Master told Dobby to bring Mr Longbottom to the farm. Will Mr Longbottom come with Dobby?"
Again Neville felt a terrible sinking feeling. To the farm? The one he had spent his summer at? Why would Charles want him to go there? If he was just about to tell him that he didn't work with Lestrange he could've done that in the school!
In the end he didn't know what drove him but he took the small hand the elf offered him – and then suddenly with a puff of smoke they were gone.
Neville had never travelled via house elf before – indeed he had not been aware it was even possible. As such he had to search for his balance first as he staggered into a room unknown to him. It seemed to be an office with old wooden furniture and a great table in the middle. On the table lay a map with colourful wimples stuck at different places – and behind that table stood a young man, barely out of his teens with dark brown hair and brown eyes that seemed to be cold and piecing besides their warm colour. He bore a great resemblance to Charles but an even greater to Professor Raven.
"Dobby bought Mr Neville Longbottom, Sir!", the elf exclaimed happily.
"Thank you, Dobby. You are dismissed."
The man seemed to just inspect Neville for a few moments.
"Neville Longbottom", he said then, as if tasting the name. "Do you know who I am?"
"Uh, I'm not sure, uh... Sir?" He was growing more and more nervous.
"My name is Lestat Raven", the man introduced himself. "I am leading this farm for as long as my uncle stays at Hogwarts. Him at least you should know."
Neville nodded hurriedly. "Professor Raven is a good teacher. Of course Professor McGonogall was great too but he' s more... easy going, I guess."
Lestat chuckled a bit. "Yes, I believe he is. Do you know why you are here, Neville?"
Neville shifted a bit. "I'm here because... Because I was told to come?"
Lestats eyes lit up for a second. "Good answer! But that's not what I meant. Why do you think you were sent here?"
"Because I..." He swallowed and searched for all his Gryffindor courage. Finally he straightened his back and said: "Because I wouldn't work with Bellatrix Lestrange."
Lestat gave him another piecing stare before he nodded. "You are here because dear Charles thinks you will be a valuable addition to our organization. He said you were still raw but had a lot of potential. I trust his judgement and so I will disclose information about our faction to you that few people know. You should feel honoured, boy. Of course you must never repeat anything of what I'm going to say to anybody."
Lestat motioned for a chair in a corner and Neville hesitantly sat down.
"First I feel I should remove a common misunderstanding from your mind. I believe that you call your leader, Charles Potter, the Raven amongst your friends, yes? Now there is a Professor Raven at your school and me, having the same name. It is true that all three of us are related but 'Raven' is not actually a last name, even though we sometimes use it as one. It is not a code name either. It is a title. A title that is currently only being held by the three of us."
Neville nodded slowly to show he was paying attention but didn't dare to interrupt.
"The Ravens form the so-called Faction, consisting of the three leaders and their nestmates. The number of members in each team varies greatly. Your professor for example only has one, I have three and Charles has a whole bunch. As it stands, the Faction is going to war soon. That is why we have included even more persons and formed a whole organization, which includes the summer camp you were on. While these people are important they are still foot soldier. The nestmates are supposed to be the most capable ones, the strategists and leaders. We invest a lot of time and energy in creating the bond to our nestmates and losing even one must be avoided if at all possible." He paused for a second.
"Bellatrix Lestrange", he said then quietly, "is a foot soldier. You are a nestmate. That is why your are here, Neville. If it were the other way around, you wouldn't be alive anymore."
Neville froze in shock. So it was true then. He was really... They were really...!
Lestat opened the door and turned back to the Gryffindor almost casually.
"Follow me, boy."
He didn't know what to do. Would he kill him? He was working with Death Eaters! He had broken a bunch of mass murdere out of prison! Was he going to dispose of him now to? But he had said he was more important then Lestrange. Surely if he was just to be killed he would've done so already?
Trembling Neville followed the Raven down the stairs. He was lead into the dungeons it seemed. On their way they passed a rigid guard who saluted to them. Neville stared at him, unable to conceal his awe. The man was clad completely in some kind of leathery armour - made out of dragon skin, he realized! The shoes alone must cost a small fortune!
Lestat lead him into a dark room and closed the door behind him. Neville felt nervous again and when the torches at the walls lit up he jumped.
His gaze was soon drawn to the single table in the middle of the room. On it there was a haggard woman strapped to the top, her wrists and ankles tightly bound and a piece of cloth in her mouth. She was only wearing a dirty top and her underpants. Her dark locks were wildly spread around her head. Apparently she was unconscious.
"Wha-What is this?!", Neville exclaimed in shock and fear.
"This, Neville", Lestat whispered, "is your test. It is the Faction's gift to you. If you are really determined to be a true nestmate to your Raven you will pass it."
Neville stared at him in shock. He fumbled for his wand, but Lestat was faster and had a hard piece of wood pointed at his heart within a second.
"Now I want you to turn around", he said quietly, threateningly, "and point that wand of yours at her. And then I want you to kill her."
"Kill her!?", he squeaked in far to high a voice.
"Yes, kill her. The incantation is 'Avada Kedavra'. You have to really mean it for it to work. If you want to, you are free to torture her in any way you'd like first."
"Why would I – I would never do something like that!"
Lestat raised an eyebrow. "You haven't realized it yet, have you?"
"Realized what?", he asked, becoming more and more panicked with every second.
"This woman", he nodded in her direction, "deserves everything you could possibly do to her and more. She was a real nuisance – completely nuts and useless already when we broke her out. Still I had to pay a high price for her. If you won't kill her, then I will. She won't keep quiet after being treated like this. She will die, regardless of how you decide. I will close this door behind me and I will give you one hour to to with her as you please. After that time is over I will come to get what's left of her – to get what's left of the woman who tortured your parents to insanity."
Neville gaped at him.
"This is... This is Lestrange!?"
He hadn't recognized her. He had seen pictures of course – but this woman looked different after a decade in Azkaban.
"That's right. Bellatrix Lestrange was the leading Death Eater at the assault on your family and the one who tortured your parents. If you decide to wake her up, I'm sure she would be happy to gloat about it. You said you could not work with Lestrange. The Faction still has use for the Death Eaters but your Raven made it so you could have your revenge on this one."
"What if I... what if I don't do it?", he managed to ask weakly.
"If you don't do it then you have the choice. You can either free her and doing so, agree to work together with her in the future. Or you will leave her here, in which case I will kill her myself once the hour is over. If you decide that way however, you will be banned from the Faction forever. Your Raven, unfortunately, has commanded that you be not killed in that case but rest assured that we have sufficient means to make sure you can never tell a soul anything you know about us."
Lestat lowered his wand.
"One hour. Let's see if Charles was right to believe in you."
The Raven closed the door behind him, leaving Neville alone with the torturer of his parents.
Slowly and still trembling the boy turned towards Lestrange. He didn't want to do it. He was almost sure he wouldn't. But he had to at least make sure it was really her. He wanted her to admit what she'd done. Maybe... Maybe she regretted it. Maybe she had been forced to do it like he had was now.
Slowly he grabbed the gag and pulled it out before raising a shaking wand at her form.
"Enervate", he whispered.
Sixty minutes later Lestat opened the door again to be met by a ghastly image. Blood and gore was splattered everywhere. It smelled like burned flesh. On the ground next to the table a small, black haired boy sat, his form covered in blood and his face set on a terrible grimace as he stabbed down at the face of an unrecognizable woman with a long knife.
Even the cold-blooded Raven gaped at the scene for a moment before he found his bearings again.
"She's dead, boy", he said, laying a hand on the Gryffindors shoulder but flinching away as the knife was swung in his direction. (Where did he get the knife from anyway?)
Neville stared at him incomprehensibly for some seconds. Finally he looked down at his own hands and then at the bloody face under him in a mix of wonder and disgust.
"She wouldn't beg", he whispered finally as if in defense. "She wouldn't apologize!"
"No, she wouldn't", Lestat said quietly. "She would never. She enjoyed it too much."
"She laughed at me. I was hurting her and she just laughed at me!"
Lestat gave him a wry smile. "Death Eaters get used to the cruciatus after some time. But I assure you, to be killed by the child of her late victims must have really irked her."
"I didn't... I wouldn't... I never thought I could do... something like that..." Neville began trembling again. He tried to wipe his bloody hands clean but his robes weren't in a much better state.
"Oh, there is so much more to you then you could ever begin to see", Lestat whispered. "We have only begun to bring out your true strength. From now on, you are a full member of the Faction. Your parents are avenged and you have proven yourself trustworthy."
The Raven put his hand on the small of his back and lead Neville out of the room. The guard didn't flinch at all when he saw his bloodied form.
"You must of course never tell anyone of what happened today. But you will always remember it. You will always remember what you are capable of. Let this memory fuel your confidence. Fancy spells, knowing duelling stances by heart, such things are meaningless when it comes to real combat. If you cannot stand your opponent being hurt, you're useless as a fighter. If you cannot kill a helpless foe, you will always hesitate a second too much when he tries to kill you. Remember that lesson, Neville Longbottom. You are no longer the prey. You are the predator."
And a predator he was. Slowly the desperate glint was fading from Nevilles eyes and made room for a new, determined light. He was no longer prey. He would no longer be stepped on. Charles believed in him. He had given him the chance to avenge his parents. Neville would not disappoint his trust.
"If you don't mind", he said now with a steady voice, "I would like to return to my Raven."
Lestat looked him over once and nodded. "Of course. However, I would advice you to clean yourself first. Your professors will get a heart attack if they see you like that."
Neville flushed a bit. He had completely forgotten about the blood on his clothes.
"Do you..." He cleared his throat. "Do you happen to have some spare robes?"
"Don't know the scourgify?"
Neville shook his head. "I do. But I would like to keep these clothes as they are."
Lestat looked at him with a hint of surprise.
"My, my" he muttered. "tickled a sleeping dragon, did I? You're even more promising then I had originally thought. Just you wait. We'll make a professional out of you yet."
Yes, Neville thought, he couldn't wait either.
XxX
One day I was staying behind after an exhausting lesson of defense in which I had finally managed to throw off Moodys imperius.
"Yes, Potter, what is it?", the Death Eater in disguise asked with a scowl when I didn't clear his room.
"I was wondering if I could ask you a question", I said.
"Of course you can. Whenever or not I give you an answer is a different matter."
I gave him an innocent smile. "I was wondering about the use of transfiguration in combat."
"Oh?"
"Yes well, it would be incredibly useful if you could just transfigure your opponent into a frog. Or a log. Or even just transfigure his feet into hooves so he'd slip. It would throw him off balance enough to finish a duel and it's a great way to do so without actually harming somebody as long as you reverse the transfiguration."
"That is true... You wanna try that during our next, what was it called again, Outtakes session?"
"Well, I thought about it but I was actually asking because of that essay on human transfiguration for Professor Raven. Before I try it on my duelling partners, I would like to know what such an transfiguration actually does to a human being. After all you are completely reconstructing its body. It might not be so bad when you're only transfiguring a limb, but what if the brain is targeted? If you're transfiguring a person into a log everything, including all the brain cells that hold all your memories and make out your character, get to be turned into wood. Once you reverse the spell, how could you possibly create every detail exactly like it was before?"
Moody had transfigured his own father into a giant bone and buried him. He might not have been too concerned about him dying but I figured short of McGonogall he was the best person to ask. It seemed to work fine with animagi but then again they could be an exception.
"If transfiguration worked that way, it would be a curse worse then any unforgivable", Moody said sharply. "But it does not. Transfiguration is a temporally limited art. After some time everything will return to the way it was before."
"Wait", I said with a gasp, "does that mean if you're really thirsty and you transfigure a rock into a glass of water and drink it, that you'll soon have your blood filled with pieces of rock!?"
"Well... yes?"
"This... kind of sounds like the thing they should tell you in your very first class."
Moody chuckled. "I suppose it does. But why would anyone try to transfigure himself some water? There's plenty around and it's not an easy task to begin with."
"Do tell that a starving man in a desert", I muttered. "Maybe you could teach us human transfiguration during the next Outtakes session."
"Certainly, Potter."
I turned to leave the classroom, cackling madly in my mind. Moody had just given me a great idea for poison gas. Now I just needed to train myself to transfigure solid objects into air and to time the spell to reverse exactly when I wanted it to. It would be a massacre.
XxX
Halloween was getting closer and finally the Goblet of Fire was open for everyone who was suicidal enough to put their names in. I had contemplated for a long time whenever or not I wanted to apply. On the one hand I was pretty sure fake Moody would put my name in anyway and had made plans accordingly. On the other hand I couldn't be sure he actually would so I might want to be rather safe then sorry. However in the end I decided to do nothing. If I did not become a champion I could always kidnap Harry and take his place during the final task. Being a twin does have its upsides.
I did make sure to be present when Fred and George tried though when I heard they were using an age line again. The look of them with beards was hilarious.
Sure enough on the big day the goblet spit out the champions:
"For Durmstrang Institute, Victor Krum!"
The crowd cheered and Fred passed me a galleon with a grumble.
"For Beauxbatons Academy, Fleur Delacour!"
"How did you do that?!", George asked before passing me a galleon as well.
"For Hogwarts School, Cedric Diggory!"
"I don't know why you even bother betting with him", Hermione said with a grin as both twins groaned and passed me another two galleons. "You know he's always right."
Since the house tables were crowed with the Durmstrangs at Slytherin and the Beauxbatons at Ravenclaw Hermione and I had come to sit with the Gryffindors.
"Now that all the champions have been-" McGonogall began but stopped short when the Goblet lit up again. The whole hall went silent.
"And here it comes", I muttered, "the Halloween special of the year."
McGonogall snatched the parchment out of the air and read: "Charles Potter!"
I sighed and stood up. "Figures."
Everyone stared at me as I made my way into the small chamber behind the Great Hall.
About five minutes later Harry followed me.
"Hey, dear brother of mine", I said with a wry smile. "Liked the Halloween special?"
"I didn't put my name into the damn thing!", Harry exclaimed. "I don't know why it came out of it."
I shrugged. "I didn't put mine in either."
"You didn't?"
"Well, of course not. People die in that thing. I'm a fourth year. Competing against seventh years. I'm not a suicidal Gryffindor, you know."
"You knew this would happen", Harry realized.
"I suspected. But don't worry. There's an easy way to handle it."
"What-"
Just in that moment the doors opened again and the judges entered.
"This is outrageous!", Karkaroff called out. "Three champions for Hogwarts!? I don't think so!"
"Zey're not even seventeen", Madame Maxime said. "Shouldn't your age line 'ave prevented zis from 'appening, McGonogall?"
"Harry, Charles, did you put your name into the goblet?", McGonogall asked urgently.
"No Ma'am", Harry answered while I shook my head.
"Did you ask another student to put your name in for you?"
"Wait, we could've done that?", I asked incredulously. "Wait till I tell Fred and George! What the hell was the point of the age line if it was that easy to get around it!?"
"They cannot compete!", the other headmistress complained but I shut them out. Instead I focused on Harry who seemed to be in a daze.
"Maybe someone wants them to die in that tournament", Moody cut into the argument.
"Oh, like you?", I couldn't help but mutter.
"Look, it doesn't matter if they put in their names or not", Bagman said. "The moment their names came out they were bound by a magical contract. They have to compete."
"What if we don't?", I wanted to know.
"In that case", McGonogall said stiffly, "I'm afraid it could have dire consequences for your magic. Especially since you are so young and your magical core is still developing."
"Well, isn't that fantastic."
"For Hogwarts to have three champions is most unfair!"
"Look", I said, "why don't we do it like that: If Krum, Delecour or Diggory win, that's fine and they get the money and the glory. If, by some miracle, my brother or I win, we get a special awards for school services or something and some ministry approved founding for our later carrier choices or something like that. However the tournament goes on until one of the three real champions wins. We're only here because of some fluke. We don't deserve it and we don't want it but apparently we have to fulfil this contract. So let's just get all this animosity out of the way and declare us this years tournaments mascots, alright?"
"It is not just about the money, 'zough", Maxime said, although reluctantly. "What about the glory?"
I sighed and turned towards Crouch and Bagman. "Am I right if I assume that this turn of events could seriously damage the relationships of these schools countries with Britain?"
Bagman started to sweat. "Uh... probably?"
"Well then, could you arrange it that the ministry puts pressure on the newspapers to only write the truth, that we did not apply on our own accord and will not be considered full champions? They should concentrate their articles on the three main champions."
"That is very noble of you", McGonogall mused.
"Hey", I said with a shrug, quoting A Very Potter Musical, "eternal glory? I already got that."
The professor bristled a bit at that but I could see a small smile tug at her lips.
Bagman seemed disappointed but Crouch turned to the other headmasters and asked:" Do these terms seem agreeable to you?"
Reluctantly they nodded.
Hopefully this would make sure I wouldn't have to worry about Skeeter too much.
XxX
"Charles, what are you doing?"
"Psst! Just follow me on this one, alright?"
"But it's after curfew. You're supposed to follow Hagrid and Maxime to see the dragons!"
I gave Luna a look. "How do you know that?"
The blonde girl blushed a little. "Well, you see, since I have to help you and everything and we just change random stuff I thought it couldn't hurt to read the books."
"Yeah, well then you know that I know what's going to be in all of the tasks. I haven't changed enough so that knowledge is still valid. There is no reason for me to follow Hagrid."
He had received a letter from Harry, telling him to follow the half giant into the forest but had ignored it.
"Then why are we out after curfew?"
"What?", I scoffed, "are you worried about getting caught?"
"Well no... We're under your invisibility cloak after all but still."
"We're going to visit my future me to do an experiment. I wanted to do this for quite some time. It would have been a bother having to wait for the first task so I'm glad you could come online earlier."
"At your service, my Lord", Luna said mockingly.
"From your reaction I take it we haven't done this before?"
"Nope. This is the first round."
"The rules are the same as always. If the experiment fails, go back and tell me what went wrong."
"I know that."
"Fine."
I knocked at the door of the transfiguration office. The door was opened to reveal my aged alter ego, Professor Raven.
The Raven grinned and motioned for us to come in.
"Is everything prepared?", I asked.
"Yes. I have no idea what happened in the last five hours – this is worse then the one time I got drunk on whiskey and woke up in a bath tub in some foreign house."
I nodded – the plan said I would obilivate myself after doing the experiment. Through trial and error we had found out that if I created a time paradox while Luna was with me – for example my future me refusing to take part in an experiment because he had already seen it would be painful – we would just start over from Lunas last saving point. That was also the reason why we would perform it on 'Professor Raven' – if the experiment turned out to be lethal, the future me killing the past me would also be a paradox.
Raven sat down on an armchair that I had put in the middle of the room. After casting the usual privacy spells I raised my wand at him. A moment later thick robes shot out of the tip of my wand and bound him tightly.
"Exactly what kind of experiment are you doing here?", Luna asked suspiciously when the Raven tried to break free and nodded in approval when he couldn't free himself.
"You know of course that I have experimented with the Philosophers Stone and basilisk hide in the chamber?", I asked rhetorically.
"Eh... I don't think you mentioned that."
"Well, I did. I found out that while wearing basilisk armor I was pretty much invincible. However my enemy is an immortal and I figured I should even out the field."
"Wait, I thought Voldemort was your ally?`"
"Diary Voldemort is, I'm not sure about snakeface."
"Can we get this over with already?", Raven asked clearly annoyed. "I don't have all night."
"Fine", I huffed and went over to the other side of the room. There I opened the door to a normal looking wardrobe – and out stepped a dementor.
"Whoa! What the hell?", Luna exclaimed. "Where did that come from?"
"Straight from Azkaban", I answered nonchalantly. "The other half of the vanishing cabinet stands there."
"And you don't think somebody will notice?"
"It's in the Dementor's Pit, the underground level of the prison where the dementors stay when they're not patrolling. There are hundreds of them down there. No human ever goes there."
I turned towards the creature. "Alright, now take his soul." I pointed towards my future self.
The dementor hesitated – maybe it could feel who the Raven was and was doubting my sanity. But I just nodded encouragingly. The Raven seemed to look a bit ill as the creature moved towards him. He had the amulet so he shouldn't feel the effect but well, he was going to have his soul sucked out. I would probably freak out a bit later on as well.
The Raven struggled weakly against his restrains. Then his eyes widened in horror as the dementor pulled back its hood. I couldn't see what was underneath but suddenly my future self was a lot less eager to be the guinea pig.
"I changed my mind!", he called out and leaned backwards. "I really don't want to do this!"
"Too late", I muttered.
"No – I mean it! You beast, I swear I'll turn you into solid metal if you come one step further!"
"I'll make sure he can't do that", I reassured the dementor when it hesitated once again. "Just do it."
"No, I-"
"Silencio!"
The Raven shut up and I watched in morbid fascination as the dementor lowered its head to my future self. For a terrible moment his limbs were moving uncontrolled. I was sure the only reason he didn't scream was because of my spell. Then he lay still.
The dementor moved aside and I glanced at the grown man. His eyes were staring ahead lifelessly. His skin was white as a wall and his body was slightly slumped over. If it weren't for the slow rising of his chest I would've thought he was dead.
"That...was seriously disturbing", Luna said. "Why the hell did you do that?"
"Watch and wonder", I muttered.
I began taking out various items like candles, salt and ash and began drawing the ritual circle to trap a soul. When I was finished I brandished my wand at the lifeless figure.
"Avada Kedavra." And Charles Potter was no more.
Luna was just sitting on the desk, shaking her head at my actions. I ignored her and prepared phase three of the experiment – the resurrection of my dead body as an inferi.
"During my experiments with the Stone", I said while working, "I found out some limitations to the elixir of life. For example it only works as long as it's in your system. That means with a small dose you'll me immune to ageing, diseases and, for some reason, most non-magical poisons for one to two days. It also heals all bodily injuries with the exception of lost limps. Interesting is how it reacts when given to a dead body whose blood is still warm. It will spread around and keep the body from decaying. A long as you do not eat or drink, it remains in your system indefinitely."
"Yeah but... you're still dead", Luna pointed out.
"The main problem with inferi", I continued, ignoring her comment, "is that they fall apart so fast. But if we had an inferi infused with elixir of life, it would not decay. Now we only have to glue a soul to the walking dead and voilà... we have an immortal."
I finished the ritual and the dead Raven sat up again. I dispelled the ropes so he could stand up. Then I turned towards the dementor.
"Step into this circle and then let the soul go that you just consumed."
The dementor did as he was told. A silvery white figure seemed to float out of its head. For a moment there were a number of bright lights as the soul cage did its magic. Then the soul was forced back into its body.
The Raven blinked owlishly. Then he looked at me.
"Welcome back amongst the living", I said with a grin.
The Raven scowled. "Who are you?", he asked with a dangerously low voice. "How did I get here?"
I stared at him. "What?"
The man turned around, spotted his wand on the desk next to Luna and lunged for it.
A bit dumbfounded I watched as the Raven threatened me with the wand.
"Tell me where I am!", he demanded.
"Eh... you're at Hogwarts", I said, slowly raising my hands. "You're... the transfiguration teacher... remember?"
The man scowled. "I'm what?"
"Oh dear", I exclaimed. "Tell me, who exactly do you think you are?"
"I..." The Raven looked puzzled for a moment. Then suddenly he clutched his head, moaning in pain. With wide eyes he stared at the ground, his hands trembling. "Who... who am I!?"
"Oh fuck you", I muttered and brandished my own wand. "Legilimens!"
Immediately I was assaulted with an incredible number of thoughts, memories and feelings. There were so many of them, but what was most astonishing was that they all seemed to be from different time periods. I saw memories of knights in shining armor, of golden skinned priests from Egypt, I saw French witches with fake white hair and many more.
Finally Luna must have disrupted my connection for when I fell to the ground exhausted she was holding me, looking at me with worry. The Raven had fallen next to me, still clutching his head, muttering incomprehensible things.
"What happened?", Luna wanted to know.
"The experiment... was a failure", I managed to say.
"Okay... where did you go wrong?"
"Nowhere!", I replied angrily and sat up. "I don't know what happened to my... to the soul when it was swallowed but somehow Raven now has all the memories and thoughts of at least a hundred people – probably as many as the dementor ever ate. If there's anything left of the Raven, it's buried under a dozen of other identities. This means the technique cannot be used to truly revive a human and to make him immortal."
Damn it! It had worked fine when I performed the ritual on the dragon. On the other hand, the dementor probably never ate a dragon before. That might be why the soul didn't take any foreign memories with it. Maybe it had been too good to be true.
"You said it yourself, you are already invincible. If you just take some elixir every day there's very little that could kill you. Being a true immortal... that's kinda like cheating and would ruin the fun, don't you think?"
"You don't understand!", I spat. "This isn't a game for me anymore. It's my life! I refuse to give in to some stupid programme." Of course I was already taking elixir every day. It was how I got rid of the ageing that was inevitable when living every day three times. But that still left the risk of the stone being discovered and stolen from me. After all if I could do that, then so could others. Now if I could just find a way to have the stone, or at least a part of it, with me at all times without arising suspicion... Maybe have it inject some elixir into my bloodstream automatically at certain time intervals...
The figurative light bulb went up over my head.
"I know of a way." I turned to Luna. "Okay, listen. When you restart this scene, tell me not to go through with the experiment. Explain to me what happened. Then you should suggest I should wear jewelry."
"What? Jewelry? Why? Are you speaking about amulets?"
"No, more like a piecing or an earring. A red one. Can you do that?"
"Of course but.. what does it mean?"
"It's a security measure. I will understand it", I assured her. Yes... An earring with a piece of the Stone that was in touch with my skin at all times. Enchanted to pierce it at certain intervals and emit some elixir into my blood. If this worked out it still wouldn't be total immortality but close enough. For now.
XxX
AN: Unfortunately, I will not continue this fanfiction. It has been on ice for some time but I just wanted to let you know, the decision is final. I'm working on other stories that use up all my time and ideas. I hope you enjoyed it so far.
Greetings, Haxong