Happy New year everyone, may you folks make the best out of it and take the chances that are given to you. Enjoy the chapter, especially you interestedreader.
I don't own any of the characters and/or exicting Harry Potter scenes that were used in the story that came forth from J.K. Rowlings mind, I do however own the characters Prof. Mehtlik and Prof. Venuta
In the days after the meeting Headmistress McGonagall had tried to make contact with the painting of Dumbledore again but she always found him snoozing in his painting as she confronted it. She had taken Harry Ron and Hermione apart from the other students the day after the late night meeting had taken place and told them all that had happened the evening before. Harry's immediate reaction was to turn around and looking at the late headmasters painting, but even his action had been fruitless since he too found the headmaster snoozing in his frame.
McGonagall had told Harry he could trust Mehtlik and that he ought to pay him a visit in a weekends afternoon around tea some time. His answer was that he would reconsider it but no further promises were made from his side since he still had the feeling that Mehtlik wasn't everything he showed to be.
That night, after the meeting had taken place, and Harry and Ron found themselves alone in the Gryffindor common room and the conversations topic was whether or not to meet Mehtlik and let him get involved into it all.
"He knows that Voldemort has made horcruxes, no doubt about it" Ron said with full confidents in his voice.
"Of course he knows, it wouldn't surprise me if he had helped him reaching his goal with that one" Harry said scornful
"A bit drastic, but not unthinkable no. Might be worth it to listen to the man a minute, learning what he knows about it etcetera."
"Hmmm, it's not that I don't like the man but I feel that he has some tricks up his sleeve, you know what I'm saying? I think I, WE can trust him but Mehtlik does remind me too much of a Deatheater or at least a dark pure-blood wizard. And we both know what the last Deatheater annex Dark Wizard that helped us turned out to be…"
"I feel you Harry, but Mehtlik seems to look down upon Voldemort and his Deatheaters. He called them fancy show-offs last week, mere errand-boys. This man is a show-off himself or he IS incredibly good at what he does."
"True, but he still needs to gain my trust…. again."
"But will you visit him? If not for yourself do it for the Order Harry. McGonagall was really hinting about the two of you meeting for tea some time."
Harry got up together with Ron and both walked off towards the dormitories.
"Alright, Alright I'll go and visit him some time, on a boring Sunday or something like that. But somehow I don't feel like it yet." Harry muttered as they climbed the stairs.
It was the Sunday before last school week since the Christmas Holyday was near and for the second time this school year Harry stood for his DADA-teachers private room. He laid his hand on the doorknob, sighed and turned the knob after he knocked. No budge. He set pressure onto it and pushed his body against the door. Still no budge. He looked around the hallway but there was no sign of any peer what so ever. He whispered "Alohomora" and pointed his wand to the doorknob to try his luck again. Apparently the odds were against him for again the door that lead to the teachers private room gave no budge. The hallways was silent but there was some sort of low buzzing almost swirling sound coming from behind the door, he noticed as he stood still leant against the door. Just to be sure he once more tried "Alohomora" but again he stood there and the door showed no sign that is was about to open for Harry. It was a millisecond that he let his hand hover above the doorknob with his wand pointed to it when suddenly out of the black void of shadows Mehtlik's hand appeared and gently grabbed his wrist.
"I thought you valued me higher than the use of common spells on my door, apparently not." He said with a smirk on his face "Although I have to admit seeing the hoping look on your face each time you gave it another shot was quite the diversion."
"You were here all the time? You saw me trying to gain access to your rooms?" Harry stuttered with a bright red face. "Why didn't you say so"
"Indeed I was Harry, lurking from the same shadows I appeared from. It's a gift I've been blessed with by an African shaman after I had captured his Chimaera ." Mehtlik spoke as if it could happen to everybody any day. "And to answer your third question, it's fun to look at you trying."
"Hmm well, I was hoping I could have a talk with you Professor."
"Certainly Potter. I have already ordered the tea for this rendezvous, I was told by our Headmistress to expect you on a Sunday for tea." He said as he now fully appeared from the shadow that seemed to lift up like black smoke around his body. Mehtlik touched the door with his finger and made some sort cross movement over it for as far as Harry could recognise. The door opened and the DADA teacher stepped inside his private chambers, Harry followed on foot. After he had closed the door behind him he turned around and took a good look at the chamber. Again it had a different interior, one that wouldn't fit too bad in the Malfoy manor Harry thought to himself. There was dark grey wallpaper on the walls with black rune like markings on it which had a metallic sort of shining over them. On one of the various tables there was something that caught Harry's attention. It was a black pyramid shaped stone with fire red markings on it. Mehtlik saw Harry staring at the object and spoke after a few seconds:
"Interesting stone is it not?"
As woken from a nice dream Harry was shocked back to reality and muttered some concurring words.
"It's a Mar'agh Nash portal stone. Made from Romanian Longhorn blood that was boiled to over a thousand degrees and than cooled while adding Manticore stingers every 3 hours for a full moon cycle. Than forged into the shape and drenched in Nundu spit mixed with the secret keepers blood, in this particular case mine." Mehtlik said as if he were leading tourists around.
"Secret keepers blood? What does it do Professor?"
"When touched by its owner, or one authorized to use it, it opens and spawns a portal to the ruins of Mar'agh Nash."
"What is there professor?" Harry said with great eagerness
"One would find a sanctuary there Harry. A sanctuary that lies deep in shadows of the world. A sanctuary impenetrable for one that is unauthorized to enter. A sanctuary unplottable to the outside world, and it even makes its inhabitants unplottable. A sanctuary that offers protection to the ones that are repelled by modern day wizard society for their particular taste of magic."
"Is it a dark wizards sanctuary?" Harry asked while gulping.
Mehtlik nodded and continued: "I am the secret keeper of the sanctuary as much as I am the mentor of the apprentices that live there. I offer them a save haven and practice area where they can study in peace."
"So you ARE a Dark Wizard than. You should tell Headmistress McGonagall, I'd like to know what she thinks of it" Harry said concluding.
"I know a thing or you about the Dark Arts yes." Mehtlik said while taking a small fluff from his robes. "And for your information Headmistress Mcgonagall knows of it and allows me to travel between the two places, even with a certain student.
"So you teach people there?"
"Hmm Hmm" Mehtlik sounded as he stared out into the distance through the window.
"Am I by any chance the certain student that is allowed to accompany you there?" Harry asked after a few seconds of silence
Mehtlik immediately turned around with a wide grin on his face. "Well that took you long enough Potter. I have spoken with Headmistress McGonagall about the option of training you there, she agreed. So I will be teaching you to understand what Voldemort is capable of doing and whilst learning that teaching you some spells for your own use. That is if you really want to of course. The use of the dark arts come with a great responsibility."
Harry thought for a moment. "Will you share your knowledge of horcruxes as well?"
"There are more effective ways to gain what Voldemort seeks. But teaching you that would be wrong, I shall instruct you in the dark path of gaining immortality throughout horcruxes yes. But only because of it's importance to your journey. Now I want you to go to your Dormitories and get your trunk and everything else you think you will need and when you are ready to leave I will see you here again. But remember this is a secret between you, me and Head Mistress McGonagall, do you understand that Harry?"
"I can't tell Hermione and Ron? They will be worried where I'd gone off to especially with me being unplottable and therefore unable to receive mail." After Harry had said this it seeped into his mind that he would have to do this alone. Not only because Professor Mehtlik didn't want to expose any more young wizards to the Dark Arts than necessary. But more over because this was his fate, he felt it somehow that he needed to let go of them. Be it for the moment.
Mehtlik saw the comprehending look in Harry's eyes and slowly placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry nodded and left Mehtlik's room.
Harry ran trough the hallways and in his hurry through St. Nicholas as well, who was highly indignant to say the least when only a "Sorry" was yelled from behind the corned at the end of the hallway. Harry hoped no one would be there when he arrived at the common room. It was the last week and most teachers only gave short lessons with only the most important things explained so that the higher classes had more studying time. As the portrait of the fat lady swung open Harry stormed inside to find it completely empty, a small sigh of relieve escaped his mouth. He ran up to his dormitory to find Dobby there sitting on his bed.
"Harry Potter Sir is leaving with the dark professor isn't he?" His shrieking voice sounded through the room
"What….? How did you…?"
"I was bringing the ordered tea to Dark Professors rooms as he asked of Dobby. But Dobby couldn't help to hear everything that was said." Dobby spoke as if he had committed a crime.
"Dobby you must not speak with no one about this okay? You have to lie to anyone asking! You have to deny everything." Harry said in a firm ordering voice.
"Must Dobby even lie to Harry Potter Sir's best friends?" the house elf asked with hanging ears and a small disgusting expression on his face.
Harry thought for a second "Yes Dobby you must" He said with a sigh after a while. "I have to go with him to learn about Voldemort and.."
Dobby had placed his finger on his lips "Harry Potter doesn't need to explain himself, the least Dobby knows the better. Now Dobby will help Harry Potter by bringing his baggage to Dark Professors Room. And with a Poof both Dobby and Harry's trunk were gone.
"Dobby wait!" Harry had shouted "I haven't even begun packing… oh never mind"
Harry had packed all other things he had needed in a bag and carried it in one hand while carrying Hedwig in her cage in the other. As he knocked on Mehtlik's door and entered he found him accompanied by Headmistress McGonagall.
They broke up their conversation and she turned to Harry. "I had expected to stand here sooner in this situation but apparently you didn't feel like talking to Professor Mehtlik yet. I hope you do now cause the two of you will be spending quite some time now." She sighed "I'm sorry Harry it's just with all the stress these days, it sometimes gets the better of me. You two best be off, don't worry Harry I'll cover you and see to it that you have an alibi when you return one that will even make Hermione and Ron believe in it, I promise. Oh and I'll also take care of Hedwig, underground ruins are not really a place for an owl."
"There are mouse enough and enough halls to fly through, besides Reginald has never complained about it ever so it will do for her as well."
"Well alright, I will see you back when the school begins than, goodbye."
Mehtlik gestured to Harry that he ought to step into the portal. Harry waved and said goodbye to McGonagall and stepped inside the blood red and black swirling portal. A moment he felt like being shaken by Grawp, but the next moment he stood in a dim lighted large hall. There were blood red mural paintings that had a black cross in the centre. The cross pointed to all directions and had runes at the end of each point. A moment later he heard a sort of sucking sound and Mehtlik appeared behind him.
"Welcome to Mar'agh Nash Potter, I take that you've taken a quick look around."
"I have sir. But uhm sir… could you just call me Harry?"
"If that makes you feel comfortable.. Harry."
"Thank you sir."
On that moment a large wooden door opened and a small selection of wizards approached them. Most of them were dressed in black robes with the same cross as on the painting on their chests. They welcomed both Harry and Mehtlik like they were family, and a large wizard –type bodybuilder- took over Harry's baggage. He introduced him as Nikolaj and had a very eastern, Russian like accent, but not less friendly.
"Harry, Nikolaj will guide you to your room and escorts you back to the dining hall for lunch okay?"
"Fine with me." Harry answered without any sarcastic undertone.
"Great, I'll see you in a couple of minutes." And with that he went off down the hallway flanked by the wizards that welcomed them.
"Harry come with me please, I will show you your room." Nikolaj said
Harry followed Nikolaj down the dim lit hallways that reminded him of Hogwarts in a way, they had the same castle like bricks. Here and there hang paintings of proud standing wizards and Harry even saw one of a large metallic grey dragon crushing a village.
"Here we are Harry, Nikolaj spoke. Take your time and settle in I will come back in a few minutes okay?"
"Okay, bye" Harry said and Nikolaj left him in the Grey and green room. It had the same wallpaper that Harry had seen in Mehtlik's Room, be it in different colour settings. There was an enormous double bed with large comfty pillows. Harry couldn't resist to walk over to the door and than ran with full speed towards the bed and leap into the pillow pile. Just as he was wiggling into a good position he heard Hedwigs hooting and sprang up to open her cage. Thankful but seemingly disappointed that it had taken so long she got out and sat upon the cage.
A knocking sound and Nikolajs voice sounded from behind the door. Harry got up and walked with him to the dining hall. Harry tried to remember the way as they walked back.
"From my room left up the stairs down the hall to the right. He spoke in himself." A bit to loud apparently cause Nikolaj said that it wasn't that hard to find your way around the ruins after a few days you know the place like your pants pockets.
They arrived at the large dining hall where there stood a banquet that was as large as Hogwarts'. He took his seat next to Mehtlik and was nudged by him when he spoke loud.
"Better get used to it Harry, the house elves like to cook and to spoil us with it."
Harry and the other wizards and witches laughed and began their meal. Harry listened to the conversations between the other wizards. He counted 24 of them himself and Mehtlik not accounted. He heard them spoke of spells they had performed and of the outcomes of certain potions that had such effects as giving the drinker a permanent derangement varying from obsessive behaviour to homicidal tendencies. Mehtlik noticed Harry listening with awe and comforted him that it was pure for study purposes only. Which Harry happily believed if only to soothe his conscience.
After everyone was done Harry and Mehtlik left to his private rooms. No surprise for Harry that it looked almost exactly the same as his room at Hogwarts, it was way bigger though. There were devices and objects there that Harry hadn't ever seen before let alone what they were for. Mehtlik gestured over to two large black chairs, which sat enormously comfortable, and a small table with… a black marble pensieve standing on it.
"Harry in order to help you I must know about all your experiences with Horcruxes, and what better way than to walk with you through all your memories about them. So if you will." Mehtlik gestured friendly over to the pensieve.
Harry doubted for a second but than placed his wand against the side of his head and pulled out a long silver thread and placed it into the pensieve.
"Right let us begin" Mehtlik said.