Author's Notes: I kind of took longer with this one, but here it is! And yeah, Ginny forgot to tell Harry about the bond. Kind of reminds me of how often I've spoken to a person to whom I know I have to say something, the person leaves and afterwards I remember that I didn't say what I had to say. LOL
Song: 'The Power of Smile' by Kokia
Ch. 16: The Biggest Wizarding Library
The Knightbus stopped and the again foursome entered. Severus didn't want to go by Knightbus, but Harry thought it was the safest way to avoid Apparition. The problem was, as they had already found out from before, that Severus got motion sickness in the magical bus. Not that they could blame him with how that bus moved...
All the way to Gales, the teens kept their distance from Snape as he was throwing up in a bag. It took them a bit of time, not because the Knightbus couldn't get there quickly, but because there were many passengers that were to be left in very different destinations.
Harry missed Stan Shunpike. He kept looking at the witch that was obviously replacing the young man and felt anger against Rufus Scrimgeour. Harry couldn't understand why the Minister had to be so stubborn when it was obvious Stan was innocent. Not only had Scrimgeour wanted him to be a poster boy, but also blatantly lied to the wizarding community to hide that their efficiency in capturing Death Eaters had been null. A bitter smile formed in the teen's lips. It seemed that the Ministry was actually managing a better job in trying to track him rather than trying to capture real Death Eaters or Voldemort.
The bus kept going at a very wild pace making the teens stumble from side to side and Hermione fell on Harry's legs. She was about to stand when again she fell and her behind rubbed against Harry's front making both Harry and Ron go nice shades of crimson, the first because of the sensation caused by the sudden rubbing against a particular area and the second because he saw it all. After several turns in which Hermione couldn't get up Ron grabbed her, removing Harry at last from his embarrassing situation. The teen disguised with brown hair managed to mumble a 'thanks' to the one disguised with black hair.
Severus had enjoyed the spectacle before his shaded eyes, but kept emptying his stomach's contents in the bag provided by the witch replacing Stan. The only thing the older wizard managed to think was: 'Insufferable teenagers, and I'm stuck with not one, but three of them.'
XxXxX
After what had definitely been a nightmare trip for Severus, the witch finally announced: "Sir Callahan's Wizarding Library, Newage Town, Gales!"
Feeling relief and relishing in the air outside the Knightbus Severus, Harry, Hermione, and Ron walked toward the Library. The three friends looked in awe at the amazingly large building. Hermione was beaming thinking of the amounts of books they would be able to see, but Severus destroyed her dream: "Miss Granger, I mean, Hermione, we are to limit ourselves to searching for relics associated with the founders of Hogwarts."
Hermione frowned while Ron and Harry snickered. Of course, the girl decided to take some revenge and from her wand, a spray of cold water spurted and got Harry's pants soaked. She smirked before saying: "In case you needed that." Ron started to laugh hysterically while Severus quickly used a drying spell on the gaping Potter.
"We don't need the wizards and witches in the Library to stare at Po, Harry thinking that he wet himself, Miss Granger." Snape was being serious. Anything that would draw attention to them had to be avoided.
"Sorry!" but her expression stated otherwise and Ron shook his head at her with a smile.
In minutes, they had entered the Library and Hermione's eyes were shining as she admired how big the library was. For her it was like a dream come true having the opportunity to see a wizarding library like that. If there was anything worth her seeing during their adventure/quest, it was that library. She was glad Dumbledore's portrait had told them to go there.
Ron was amazed by how big the library was. He had heard of wizarding libraries, but didn't know about the one in Gales. He could admire it in the same way one can admire a museum, but he would never even try to look for a book in a place so big.
Harry didn't waste much time and as his friends were admiring the library he approached the front desk, Snape following behind. "Can I help you?" asked a young bespectacled witch.
"Yes. We are looking for information on Hogwarts' founders."
"School project? I thought Hogwarts was closed," the witch looked disconcerted.
"It is. It's not a project, we are doing this just for fun." Harry thought he had to sound odd saying that they were investigating for fun, but the woman smiled kindly, probably thinking that Harry and his friends were bookworms.
"Take the stairs up to the 5th floor. In the last aisle we have all of the books on Hogwarts and the area is divided by the names of each founder."
"Thank you very much, ma'am." Harry then made a hand gesture for everyone to follow him up the stairs. As they climbed through the staircases Hermione couldn't help looking everywhere. Soon they reached the 5th floor and walked toward the last aisle. Just like the librarian had said there were divisions. "Alright, Hermione and Ron will check books in the Godric Gryffindor area looking for possible Gryffindor relics while Sna-Severus and I check the Rowena Ravenclaw books."
The other two nodded and quickly headed for the Gryffindor area. Harry and Severus started to check the different book titles, but most were about Ravenclaw's biography, her influences as a witch, her involvement in the founding of Hogwarts, etc. Harry and Severus separated looking throughout the whole Ravenclaw area and after hours of searching book by book, Severus called Harry. "I think I found something. Take a look."
Harry gasped as he saw an image of a chest completely made of Sapphires and read aloud: "Rowena Ravenclaw's sapphire chest is the only relic to have been linked for centuries to the witch. The alchemist wizard Bandarbian Casprien made it especially for her. To this day, the whereabouts and use of this relic are completely unknown. Some wizards have concluded that it no longer exists as it has never been found." Harry looked at Severus. "Is it possible that Voldemort could find it?"
"If it exists he might have," Snape replied in a bored tone.
Hermione and Ron came quickly toward Harry and Severus. Ron spoke worried: "Harry, it seems that the only known Gryffindor relic was the sword you used against the basilisk. There is no record of any other relic."
Hermione was quickly checking the chest and the information Harry had just read and frowned: "If no one can confirm that it exists..."
Harry interrupted her: "I have a feeling it does."
Severus looked at the boy curiously before asking: "What makes you have this feeling?"
Harry felt somewhat ashamed, but took courage and replied: "My link with Voldemort. I feel like he has seen it and if he has seen it then chances are he made it into a Horcrux."
"Has your scar hurt?" Ron was honestly concerned, but Harry shook his head.
"Voldemort blocked me since more than a year ago, but I can sense things sometimes... Things he has seen or done. I can sense them."
Severus thought for a minute about the possibility of Harry being one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. Harry's scar for example, but quickly shoved that thought aside as he remembered Lupin's words: "How can a fragment of a soul consume a whole soul? It wouldn't make sense. I don't think you can use a vessel that already contains a soul for a Horcrux. You can use objects and if something that lives, an animal, which has to be a risk too, although animals don't have souls." Severus also considered one other detail. If Harry was a Horcrux then Harry couldn't be Harry, but a Voldemort clone if the baby Harry Potter died and a fragment of Voldemort's soul took the little body when it happened. The thought of Harry Potter being a teenaged Voldemort made no sense. It was obvious the boy was Harry Potter and not another He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.
Harry noticed Severus in deep thought and was concerned: "Something the matter?"
Severus gave the boy what looked like a half smile: "Nothing you should worry about."
XxXxX
After they left the Library, they ate in a small place called The Dragon's Den and after that they went to an Inn right there in Newage Town. Ron had wanted to explore the wizarding village, but Severus advised against it. The less they would walk around the better, even if they were in disguise.
They approached the Inn's front desk and Harry was about to speak when Severus stepped in front of him: "We would like two rooms for the night. My name is Stuart Thyme and this is my son Seth and my daughter Isabella. The other one is my daughter's boyfriend, Reuel O' Dell." Harry still had his mouth open as he had intended to do the talking.
Hermione whispered to her 'brother': "You'll catch flies with your mouth open like that." Harry immediately closed his mouth while Ron had an expression of somehow being left out.
As they walked toward the rooms Ron asked Severus: "Why am I the only one that is not related to you?"
Snape smirked before answering just like Harry had when asked about Kreacher in the Shrieking Shack: "Do I even have to explain that one?"
Harry and Hermione started to laugh, but Ron didn't find it funny at all. Not only had he been unrelated to Snape. The wizard had even given him an Irish name and there was no way Ron could speak with an Irish accent.
Right after they had installed themselves between two rooms the four reunited in one and Harry, making sure there were silencing wards everywhere in the room, asked his friends and Snape: "Why exactly was Renard's mansion attacked? Did Death Eaters know about him having a vial with my blood?"
Hermione and Ron lowered their heads and Severus, instead of answering, looked in his pockets for a letter and handed it to Harry. Harry quickly read the letter, eyes opening wide. It said:
I hope this reaches you. I know I cannot even write your names, but the owls always find people when you tell them whom to find. I sent Muggle money for the imprisoned boy to be bailed out. We cannot afford waiting for any kind of trial or it will be too late.
On the other note I send you details on how to get to the imprisoned boy. You will also encounter someone you've been looking. She will be the one to pick up the boy and get him to you. Please be there.
The mother and son are safe, but I won't say where in case this is intercepted. I am in deep trouble, though. They've come asking questions. Someone at the Ball identified the boy and revealed it. That person is dead now. He was a vampire wannabe, but it's too late for him. They killed him after he gave the information they wanted, but that is the least of my problems.
Some of my servants might be dead as I haven't received any notice from them. Some of them weren't purebreds and weren't old. Practically newborns as vampires, so they were easy to get rid off if they are indeed dead. I don't think they would dare trying to kill purebreds, but I am not sure. One of my servants did find me and gave me great news. She was able to send one that is very important to me away by escaping with him through a secret tunnel right when the attack started. I've been hiding that one very well. She told me he wasn't happy to be sent away, but I had no choice. I love him too much and couldn't bear the thought of losing him. He is still so young...
There is a BIG problem. The bottle I had with a sample of the boy's blood was stolen. I don't know what to make of it, but I'll whatever I can so that at least death won't fall on him.
I am a little worried. Some of the elders have been contacted for agreements, but they refused. We vampires don't ally with anyone, but it seems that now they are hunting us, or at least the less powerful ones, which of course means the ones that have been made.
Avoid the vampire areas if you can. They are constantly being watched. Do take care and do not worry about me. I can take care of myself, and if they get me, be assured that I won't say a word.
Your very old mentor.
Harry snorted at the 'very old mentor' signature, but then looked at Snape curiously: "Who could be so important for Renard to want to hide him and protect him so much?"
Severus gave Harry a strange look before replying: "I'm not sure, but I have a vague idea due to something or someone Weasley, I mean Ron, saw the day we had to chase the cup."
The teens were confused thinking about whom Renard had referred to while Ron remembered how he could had sworn he had seen a child, but Harry interrupted the train of thoughts: "So we have to avoid vampire areas and Death Eaters suspect that we were hidden by Renard. He is screwed. Not that we can do anything to help him... Although he did hide us for a while."
"Renard can take care of himself. If they do get him I can assure you that before that happens he will have sent at least a dozen Death Eaters to their graves," Severus had a bored expression when he said this, but the teens smiled.
Harry then stood up with a serious expression: "Tomorrow we'll go to the orphanage where Voldemort grew up. Are you all ready for this?"
They all nodded with determination. Harry was sure that they would find a clue that would help them get to Rowena Ravenclaw's sapphire chest.
That night Hermione and Ron were acting awkwardly in the room they had to themselves. Ron kept glancing at Hermione, while she kept lowering her eyes so that they wouldn't lock with his.
"So... Er... Should we go to sleep?" Ron asked her.
"Sure!" she replied and lied down on the bed. He lied down beside her and both stared at the ceiling. "Ron?" Hermione suddenly asked.
"Yeah?"
"Do you think we'll survive? I mean, this is dangerous, right? We might--"
"Please, don't say that." Both stared at each other and Ron asked Hermione: "Can I... Can I kiss you?"
She nodded and he soflty pressed his lips against hers. They hadn't kissed in many days and soon the flame of passion was burning wildly within them in the room's slight darkness.
XxXxX
Ginny Weasley arrived with Cassius and Theseus to a place that looked like a wheat field via portkey. They seemed to be in the middle of nowhere and Ginny started to wonder if Renard had made a mistake when Theseus pointed with his finger to a grove. Cassius stared at the grove and said: "Perhaps her house is in there. I can't see any other possible areas where that vampire witch could live. The rest of this place is obviously a wheat field except for that grove. I bet humans without magic can't see that tiny forest." Cassius added the last sentence with a smirk.
"Let's enter it then," Ginny stated and the two boys followed her into the grove.
They walked looking everywhere and there was no sign of a house, but Ginny screamed when a creature suddenly fell in front of her and growled. Ginny's eyes opened to their fullest as she stared at the creature in front of her. It was a black girl with heavily patched black pants, jumper, and a jacket over the jumper that was also full of patches. The girl wore her black hair long and in many braids and stared at Ginny and the two boys before saying with disdain to the two boys: "You two don't smell like humans. You have the scent of a centaur and you..." She studied Theseus and then said: "I've never smelled one like you before."
Theseus smiled and placed himself on all fours and lifted his right hand and placed his index finger above his head as if it were a horn. The strange girl laughed and said: "So you're supposed to be some sort of horned creature? A unicorn?" Theseus nodded and straightened himself. The girl then studied Ginny. "Even though I'm a witch myself I despise witches and wizards alike, but your companions are not human so I guess you are not one of those that hate everything that is different?"
Ginny looked pale while studying the girl with her eyes. The girl didn't look much older than her. She could easily be seventeen or eighteen, but Ginny had a vague idea why that girl had never been in Hogwarts even if she was a witch. "A-Are you a werewolf?" Ginny asked trying not to sound too nervous.
"That's exactly what she is," Cassius said boringly and got a glare from the girl.
Ginny tried to be nice and took a deep breath before speaking: "I'm Ginny Weasley. I'm sixteen years old and until a few months ago I was a regular student in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. What's your name?"
The girl's gaze softened and she looked curiously at Ginny. "My name is Miosotis Crooke. I'm eighteen years old and was never able to study in Hogwarts due to the sickness I obtained when I was only three years old."
Ginny decided to push away the thought of how Miosotis' parents dealt with a toddler suffering from lycanthropy and instead asked: "Miosotis? Never heard that name before..."
The question seemed to take the other girl by surprise, but she smiled. "My mother is from the Caribbean, from the country called Dominican Republic to be exact. She came to live to the UK due to my father, but to this day she almost regrets that decision because of what happened to me. My parents trained me as a witch and as soon as I was seventeen I left them to try my luck. I've ended up as an apprentice to a witch called Sappho."
"That's exactly the witch we are looking for!" Ginny exclaimed and then covered her mouth in embarrassment due to her sudden outburst.
Miosotis laughed and said: "So that's why you're here! Come on!"
Ginny, Cassius, and Theseus followed Miosotis through some trees and soon enough they saw a small house and entered it. There were many strange odors inside that house and Ginny felt herself getting a little dizzy while Cassius started to cough. "You can sit," Miosotis suggested before going through a door.
Ginny sat down on a chair and the two boys imitated her. She looked at the white walls that had non moving paintings and then she looked at strange ornaments that had been made with dried flowers and plants. They only had to wait about five minutes for a woman who looked like she was in her early thirties to emerge from the door Miosotis had gone through. The woman had long wavy black hair and dark brown eyes that seemed to constantly look sad. She wore dark gray robes and several pendants around her neck. Sappho also had long dangling crystalline earrings. "Mio says you're looking for me. It's rare for humans to seek for a woman such as myself so my guess is someone sent you. Ah, you have befriended vampires, haven't you, child?"
Cassius stared at Ginny while Theseus looked at his surroundings seemingly memorizing every detail. Ginny simply wondered if that witch was like Trelawney and started to develop doubts about that woman called Sappho being able to help her. She thought of Renard recommending her to see that witch and almost wanted to go back to the teenaged looking vampire to strangle him for sending her to a Trelawney copycat.
"So it was Renard who sent you? That naughty boy! Hope he didn't try to have a sip of your blood... What do you need help with?" Sappho inclined her body and took Ginny's face between her hands. "You've made a strange bonding ritual. Did you think of the subject and concentrated on him with all your might?" Sappho asked raising an eyebrow.
"There was nothing in my mind but him," Ginny affirmed.
"Very good. It might have worked then, but it's not very strong. Did you feel the magic?" Ginny nodded. "It will give the subject protection, but it won't necessarily save him. Who is the subject?"
"Harry Potter," Ginny blurted.
There was an odd glint in Sappho's eyes. "Who had Harry Potter's blood?" Then she rolled her eyes and muttered: "Renard, your are such a bloody idiot." Sappho's gaze was on Ginny once again. "Who stole it?"
"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."
"Oh! An idiot obtains it and another idiot steals it."
Ginny was surprised to see how easily the vampire witch called Voldemort an idiot, but there was something else on her mind. "Why are you called a witch when all purebred vampires can perform magic and are not called wizards?"
Sappho actually smiled at the question: "Because I am not a purebred, child. I am a witch who was turned into a vampire six hundred years ago. Of course, due to my age I've grown in power compared to other made vampires, but I will never have the power levels of a purebred save for the fact that I can perform magic because I'm a witch."
Ginny understood perfectly and then spoke to Sappho about her dreams about Harry. Sappho listened the whole time without interrupting while Cassius frowned. Theseus looked as if he wanted to say something like in previous occasions and Miosotis spied from the doorframe.
Sappho was thoughtful for several minutes before speaking: "There are many things that you can do with a person's blood through magic, but what you describe is s strange spell. I believe that at this very moment Voldemort has no intention of using that blood. He will want to fight The-Boy-Who-Lived fair and square. Otherwise he would look like a coward in front of his followers. Why use a boy's blood to kill him when he is just a boy and you can show who is the real lord when it comes to power? Oh yes, he will want to duel the young Potter and try to kill him in a fair fight. My prediction, using your dreams as a basis, is that Voldemort will only use a spell that will require the boy's blood if he sees himself losing. Now, in order to use a spell so quickly just as he sees himself losing he will need a foundation for that spell. Something will trigger him to use a particular curse, probably some knowledge... What is young Potter doing?"
"He is currently seeking for--"
"Horcruxes," Sappho completed Ginny's sentence and Ginny gasped. "I'm old, child. I know many things because I've lived for so long and I observe and study. Plus I saw it on your mind. That is the key."
"The key to what?" Ginny asked startled.
"The key to the curse Voldemort will use. The Horcruxes are that key. There must be a curse placed on the Horcruxes so that a part of the person's body may be affected. Have you seen young Potter lately?" Ginny gave a quick nod. "Did you see any marks on him?" Ginny looked confused at the question and Sappho went more specific. "Like a dead or withered hand? Black scars on his arms? Limping? Eyesight loss? Loss of audition?" Ginny gaped as she remembered Dumbledore's hand during 6th year, but then shook her head. Harry looked fine to her. "Nothing?" Sappho developed a worried glance when Ginny shook her head again. "Then the damage is inside of his body. That means that he may indeed die." Ginny looked frightened as those words were spoken, but Sappho quickly assured her. "But you have given him special protection. It might or might not work, though, but you can always hope. There's no sin in hoping." Sappho gave Ginny a slight smile.
"So, what will the curse be? Do you know?"
"I have a vague idea, but I will not tell you. I will only tell you this, child. Protect young Potter's heart or he'll surely die along with Voldemort."
"What do you mean? Then Harry's heart..." Ginny trembled as images of Dumbledore's dead blackened hand came to her mind. She had never known what had really happened to Dumbledore's hand, but she now suspected it had something to do with those things called Horcruxes. She started to cry uncontrollably thinking that there was no hope for Harry after all as she imagined Harry's heart dying and blackening little by little.
Thanks to the people that reviewed, including the person that reviewed for another person! LOL
BTW, if you notice a plot hole or something that I haven't explained tell me ASAP so that I can fix it.