A/N - OK folks, I must point out that I have lost lots of sleep over trying to finish this. And believe me, I feel utterly terrible for having such a long wait for the update, I really do. Classes just overwhelmed me this past month, and I had no time to write HPOL. Add to that writers block with a certain section of this chapter, and it did not help.

But, I took it upon myself to get this new chapter done and up. I wanted it finished by today, so I could post it, and hopefully start on chapter 30 very soon. It's crazy, I'm actually going to be writing chapter 30! Only 4 - 5 chapters left folks, it's so sad!

Anyways, this chapter, I hope you enjoy it. The ending I'm a bit iffy about, and you may notice while in the DOM, the group neglects to enter a certain room (take your guesses which one). I originally planned for them to enter that room and have a scene there, but I was stumped for like a week on how to write the scene here, so it's been moved to a later chapter.

But again, enjoy the chapter folks, and please review. I will warn you all that I have exams coming in a few weeks, but I will desperately try to get the next chapter up before I start my exams. Again folks, I feel terrible for the wait, so I hope you can forgive me.

Oh, and a warning: There is a character death in this chapter.

- CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE-

Through the Locked Door

Landing on the lawn of Number Twelve and One Third Grimmauld Place, the group quickly dashed into the house. Hermione hastily gave Aberforth the new address to Grimmauld, and once he was inside, the door closed behind them quickly.

'They're probably in the kitchen' Remus remarked, panting from the sprint. Aberforth was looking about the hallway, no doubt to look at any changes that had occurred to the house in the last while.

The group moved down into the kitchen, and found the two people they were looking for, sitting across from the two now permanent residence of the house.

'Harry, Remus—what are you guys all doing here?' Baldric asked as he and Kingsley stood up. Snape and Draco remained seated, and continued to look as if they both just ate something foul tasting—which Harry knew, was Snape's normal expression.

'We needed your information on the Ministry, it's urgent' Remus explained. Baldric and Kingsley both glanced at Snape and Draco, then back to the group.

'Oh bloody hell, they're on our side! Tell us about the Ministry' Harry ranted. He knew it would be hard for the Order to accept Snape and Malfoy—since even he found it hard, and he knew about the Cup—but now was not the time to be debating their allegiance. Harry saw the memory, and talked to Dumbledore and understood that Snape, destroying a Horcrux, clearly showed he was on their side, even if he was a pretentious git. Draco was more of a question, but with both parents killed by Voldemort, it could be inferred that he was wanting a bit of revenge, at least in his own cowardly way.

The group sat around the table, and Baldric explained how they found the Ministry. To put in one word, they found it empty, just as their note said before. Both Baldric and Kingsley went through the Atrium, and through the first few levels and found no one.

'It was eerie, like everyone had Apparated away and left everything they were doing' Baldric explained, Kingsley nodding his head.

'It was strange for sure. When we left, the place was a mess, but it's like the Ministry just called in a cleaning crew. All the files were away in the cabinets, chairs were tucked in, even my desk was clean. Now believe me, that's a feat!'

'So what should we do?' Ron asked nervously, looking at Harry and the others.

'We need to get to the Department of Mysteries' Topher insisted.

'And the Dark Lord knows' Snape spoke from his side of the table.

'He knows?' Harry asked, Snape rolling his eyes upwards, and Draco sighing in frustration.

'Honestly Potter, how you survived until now baffles me. Even I can tell that's a trap. The Dark Lord attacked the Ministry, and all of a sudden it's empty, just when you need to go to the Department of Mysteries? You Gryffindors can't be that dimwitted' Draco sneered.

'Oh, and what would you suggest Ferret?' Ron smirked, Draco standing up and his eyes growing wide at the name.

'Enough!' Tonks interrupted. Draco sat down, with Snape's hand pushing on his forearm, and Ron huffed. 'Draco's right, it has to be a trap. What are we going to do?'

'Couldn't we just Apparate into the Department of Mysteries?' Hermione asked, Aberforth shaking his old, grey head.

'No my dear, you cannot. You can only Apparate in the Atrium, it's part of the security' Aberforth voiced roughly.

'Wait a second' Harry said, looking at Topher and the others. 'How could Voldemort know about us needing to get into the Department of Mysteries?'

'Who knows Harry. Perhaps we were overheard sometime during our trip to Egypt' Topher offered.

'Or there's a spy in Hogwarts' Ron added grimly.

'Well, Percy was under an Imperious Curse. He could have eavesdropped on any number of conversations, and found out we were planning to go there' Hermione offered, Topher shaking his head.

'No, he couldn't have heard. We kept it quiet, and he was never even close to us when we were discussing it.'

'Right now it doesn't matter how Voldemort found out, just that he knows' Aberforth maintained, wiping his glasses.

Everyone stayed silent for a few moments, until Topher finally spoke up. 'Well, we need to get there, and time is of the essence. We'll have to Apparate into the Atrium, and make a run for it.'

'You realize you'll all be dead before you even make it to the lifts?' Snape asserted dolefully. Harry could understand even more-so the rest of the Order's reluctance to accepting Snape. He could at least act like he wanted to help them.

'It doesn't matter Snape, they need to get to the Department of Mysteries. If You-Know-Who knows they are coming, there's going to be an attack either way' Baldric declared.

'Potter, if you had any smarts, you would wait a week before barging into the Ministry. Even then you'd still get killed, although I wouldn't mind that much' Draco professed with a smirk.

'Well Malfoy, we can't wait a week, Hogwarts is surrounded. Voldemort's hide out was just outside Hogsmeade, and he's destroyed the town already. That's why we have to be quick, and that's why you two are coming with us' Harry explained evilly to Snape and Draco.

'I'm not coming with you Potter!' Draco laughed, looking at Snape for reassurance.

'You're under protection of the Order right now, and we can easily rescind that protection and give you over to You-Know-Who' Tonks informed them.

'Severus, we need your help if we are to pull this off. If you are indeed a member of the Order, then you will do us the pleasure of helping us. We will be returning to Hogwarts afterwards, and we need all Order members there to help with the coming attack' Remus put forward. Harry was a caught slightly off guard by Remus' politeness, but remembered that he was always like that, except with people he really hated, like Pettigrew.

Snape surveyed the group for a moment as Draco continued to look for support in not going, but Snape slowly nodded his head.

'I deplore situations such as these, but we must. If Hogwarts falls, then we wouldn't be safe here anyways' he added. Internally Harry rolled his eyes at Snape, still thinking of his own safety before anyone else like a true Slytherin.

Draco on the other hand was not willing to go so easily. 'No! I am not some house elf you order to do work! I am staying here, even if this place is a cesspool!'

Snape turned his head to say something, when Draco suddenly stood up and took out his wand. Topher, Remus, and Tonks all had their wands pointing at Draco almost instantly, and his silver eyes darted between the three wands pointed at his chest.

'Don't do this Draco, we're not making you come' Remus explained, Draco laughing.

'What a load of rubbish!'

'Draco' Topher stated, taking a step forward, 'you are either on our side helping us, or on his side. If you desert or betray us, believe me, you'll wish you were dead.' He moved his one hand slowly, and pulled out the parchment that he and Snape had signed earlier when they first arrived at Grimmauld.

'What, you think a piece of parchment will scare me?' Draco asked. Topher lowered his wand, and read the parchment aloud.

'I, Draco Malfoy, hereby assert my allegiance to the Order of the Phoenix. If by my own cause, I abandon, betray, desert, or leave any member or post of the Order of the Phoenix that contradicts orders that I have received, I will immediately be banished to Azkaban Prison without my wand, charged and convicted of treason. I will be locked in a high security cell, and await Dementors to come and carry out my sentence of death by means of a Dementor's Kiss. These acts will be enacted magically, and cannot be stopped once they have begun.

'This contract is binding, and will dissolve when the orders I have been given from the Order of the Phoenix are fulfilled, the Order of the Phoenix ceases to exist, or I die due to carrying out my orders. Signed, Draco Malfoy.' Topher looked up from the parchment, and smiled at Draco as he looked wide-eyed at him.

'I never signed that!' he argued.

'No, you did Draco. Now you are being ordered to come with us to aid Harry to get into the Department of Mysteries, and help us return to Hogwarts and defend the castle from the oncoming attack' Topher declared.

Malfoy looked around the room, his wand still held up, and he continued to look very angry, which Harry expected.

'Draco, you don't want to get your soul sucked out; it's not a pleasant experience' Aberforth put in, Draco looking at the old man with squinted eyes.

'Who is this old codger?' he asked rudely.

'I am Aberforth Dumbledore you whiny little twerp' Aberforth answered sternly, not pleased with Draco's tone. Harry was a bit shocked to see Aberforth get so upset, but then again, he was never that grand with the younger folk, let alone being called names by them to his face.

Draco continued to looked about, and Snape glanced down at the table for a moment, speaking tiredly. 'You stupid boy, you must choose a side. Those who try to play both sides wind up dead before anyone else; as even a poor Slytherin I'd expect you to know that. If you wish to face death, then go back to the Dark Lord. If you wish to live, you must come with Potter and the others to the Ministry, and back to Hogwarts. There is no middle road for your cowardly mind to travel.'

'I'd rather be a living coward than a dead idiot!' Malfoy boasted.

'Spoken like a true Malfoy. Just look where it landed your father' Snape retorted, the anger in Draco's eyes increasing tenfold with the mentioning of his father.

'Don't you speak of my father in such a foul tongue you half-blood slime!'

'Oh shut-up!' Harry shouted. It was getting to be too much to him. 'Here it is Malfoy: either you come with us and come back to Hogwarts and fight, or you stay here, and we burn down this house with you inside of it. Believe me, we'll make it so you can't get out, you'll burn to death, and this "cesspool" will be the last thing you ever know, along with Mrs. Black's annoying screams.'

Even Harry had to admit, he was stunned with his threat. He was threatening to kill Malfoy, and even though he had threatened him before, this time he was actually serious about it. If Malfoy would not help, then Harry would not just let him sit and do nothing while they fought a war.

Plus, Harry had a bit of a laugh at the fact that he had-in the course of less than one year-threatened to burn down the house twice. Sirius would be very proud he thought.

Everyone of course was shocked at Harry's threat, and looked to Draco, who still had his wand up—Remus, Tonks, and Topher all having their wands up still too. He looked about for a moment, somehow still contemplating, before dropping his hand to his side, and slumping back onto his chair.

'You're doing the right thing Draco' Remus assured, getting only a huff from Malfoy. Harry loved every moment of seeing Draco totally defeated, and surrounded by people who just wanted to point and laugh at him. He looked over at Ron, and smiled; Ron actually was laughing, and pointing, if only slightly. Harry imagined this was going into his memory bank, right next to seeing Draco as a ferret.

'Let's get going. We do have the invisibility cloaks, as well as a few other tricks they may not know about. But speed is a necessity' Kingsley told the group. They all nodded, and everyone stood up.

Everyone quietly made their way out of the kitchen, Malfoy getting pushed by Snape and Baldric. No one was really looking at each other as they moved forward in the empty house. Everyone knew the chances of this endeavor were low, but they had to try. Harry was more concerned with Ron and Hermione's well being over any of the others, but he realized the chances of everyone coming back alive was slim, let alone actually getting the Book—if indeed it was there.

Too many questions, doubts, and worries began swarming in Harry's mind about the whole trip now. Should they go, knowing it is a trap? What happens if they are attacked? What happens if the Book is not even there? What happens if someone is killed . . .

'Harry?' a voice called distantly. Harry turned to his right, and found Hermione looking up at him carefully.

'It'll be alright Harry, we'll all be alright. We'll find the door, you'll go in, find the Book, and we'll get out. Besides, we can all fight, thanks to you' she assured calmly. Harry had to admit, the way Hermione could read his mind like that made him question if she did know Legilimency, and just kept it from him for moments like this.

Harry let go of that thought however, and smiled briefly back. Hermione gave him a peck on the cheek as they exited the house, and the group made their way onto the lawn. The cool air moved through Harry's lungs as a shiver went down his spine, and as he exhaled, the mist of his breath hung in the air for a few moments before escaping upwards.

'So you two have your cloaks right?' Topher asked Harry and Ron. They both nodded, and showed them to the group.

'Alright. Harry, you and Hermione under your cloak, Ron under yours. Draco, you'll stand in the middle of us. We'll take it slow, but we need to get to the Department of Mysteries together' Remus explained. Everyone agreed—except Draco of course—and they took their places. Harry and Hermione moved close together, and Ron moved next to them. Topher, Baldric, Tonks, Remus, Kingsley, Aberforth and Snape all took positions around the students.

'So we will Apparate to the Atrium. Put the cloaks on now, and be careful' Kingsley advised to the group.

Harry and Hermione looked at Ron, who looked back with a worried smile, and they draped themselves under the cloaks. Hermione held on to Harry's hand tightly, and she leaned up and whispered in his ear as Kingsley talked to the other members quickly.

'We're going to make it through this Harry' she whispered, her breath circling into Harry's ear and making him tremble. Hermione pulled back so her nose grazed Harry's cheek, and Harry observed at her soft face, and kissed her. She returned the exchange heatedly, and he forgot the people surrounding them. It had been some time since they could loose themselves with each other. He wrapped his arms around her, and their fiery kiss pushed forward. That is, until both of them got a nudge from the side. They broke their longing kiss, and looked to see no one there.

'Honestly guys, do you have to do that now?' Ron's voice sounded. Harry and Hermione chuckled, and Harry gave Hermione a quick kiss, cupping her cheeks in his hands.

'Alright, is everyone ready?' Baldric asked.

'Yes' Harry answered, leaning back and looking at the group.

'On three' Kingsley instructed. Harry looked at Hermione, and she smiled up at him. 'One . . . two . . . three!' and with a squeeze of his hand, Harry turned—as did Hermione and the others—and the siphoning and tube-like experience enveloped Harry.

His feet landed on the hard floor, and he looked around. He could not tell if anyone but Hermione was there—since she was still holding onto his hand. He wondered for a moment if they Apparated into a cupboard or wardrobe, when suddenly eight points of light appeared around them in the darkness.

Everyone made it there safe and sound, and the group took some moments to looked around the hall. They had, as they moved their wandlight around, Apparated just next to the Fountain of Magical Brethren. The statues shone dully in the white light from the wands, and as Kingsley and Baldric looked about, the others moved closer together.

'Was it dark like this when you came last?' Remus whispered as Kingsley returned, Baldric shortly afterwards.

'No, this is strange. All the lamps were still lit. Perhaps when we get to the levels, the lights will be on there' Kingsley suggested, his deep voicing echoing in the taciturn hall.

'Well, let's get going. Which way is it to the gates?' Topher asked, looking about into the darkness. It was like they were set on a plateau, surrounded by a dark, and infinitely deep expanse. Their wandlight died quickly in the darkness, as if something was wrapping around the group, and the air was bitter and cool.

'The gates should be this way, let's go' Baldric informed, starting to walking into the darkness. Everyone followed quickly, and Harry found out Ron was indeed there also under his cloak, since he bumped into Hermione as they walked. All their footsteps reverberated in the dark and empty chasm, and Harry had the distinct feeling like the group was in a vast cavern, with dark and menacing creatures watching them from the depths, waiting for someone to go astray from the group so they could snatch them up.

Pushing on the gates, the metal on metal of the hinges screamed against each other, and sounded through the hall. Harry knew already that if Death Eaters did not know before they were there, they did now. The group moved through quickly, and left them open for when they needed to leave.

Baldric lead the way as the group hastily walked towards the staircases. The lifts would make too much noise, and even if they were working, it would be too easy to attack the group as they came out.

The staircase, as Harry expected, was also black in its lighting. Everyone moved slowly down the stairs, and Harry and Hermione had to lift up the cloak in order not to trip over it.

All the walking by wandlight, somehow reminded Harry of times when the power would go out at Privet Drive. He remembered times when, at night, the power would go out, and Dudley would cry until millions of candles were lit. Harry always got one stubby candle at those times, but he remembered walking through the house with his one candle, much like tonight with his wand.

Coming out next to the lifts, Baldric, Kingsley, and Tonks moved forwards and kept watch of the dark, obsidian hallways as the group made their way to the door across from the lifts. It was still dark everywhere, and the group continued with their lit wands. Harry wondered why the Death Eaters were waiting, but he realized that pulling them deeper into the Ministry would make their escape harder.

Looking at the door, Remus glanced at the group—who looked at each other. 'Perhaps you should lead the way, I've never been here before' he admitted, looking at Topher.

'I think perhaps I should lead the way, along with our invisible friends who have been here before' Aberforth put forward. Remus nodded, and Harry and Hermione moved forward—feeling Ron was moving forward too when he bumped into Harry—or Harry bumped into him. Being under two different cloaks brought about numerous problems compared to just being under the same one.

Aberforth opened the door, and shone his wandlight down the plain stone corridor towards the end where another door stood. Once Harry, Hermione, and Ron moved in, Remus soon followed.

Tonks went next, but just as she passed the doorway, a purple bolt of light emanated from the darkness surrounding the guards outside, and slammed into the wall.

'RUN!' Kingsley yelled, as the hallway outside the lifts was suddenly thrown into darkness. Kingsley, Baldric, Snape, and Topher had to put out their Lumos spells out in order to defend themselves, and so doing, pushed their surroundings into shadows.

The commotion rendered with Aberforth and the others in the corridor, and they all turned—pushing Draco, who had followed them closely inside, out of the way. They heard a loud thud of a door being shut, and when Aberforth and the other's lights reached the end, they found their four companions panting, but present.

'What happened?' Harry asked, taking the cloak off and raising his wand to cast the light better. Remus and Tonks were helping them all stand up, and it seemed Kingsley had a terrible looking gash on his hand.

'Death Eaters were waiting in the shadows. Probably hoping to split us apart and confuse us. Weird thing is that they only shot one spell' Kingsley pointed out, trying to fix his hand with a spell. It worked well enough, though he still winced when he moved his thumb.

'Great, so we're going to die on the way out, unless we die in here' Draco voiced, everyone looking over at him malevolently.

'Can't we just send him to Azkaban anyways? I mean, who would mind that?' Ron inquired to Harry and Hermione, loud enough so everyone could hear.

'We have to keep going. Who knows what we'll meet in the next section' Topher stated. Baldric put a Locking Spell on the door to keep the Death Eaters on the outside, indeed, outside, and the group made their way towards the plain black door at the end or the corridor. The sight of the door reminded Harry of what happened two years prior to this visit, and the realization that the room where the Veil was, was close at hand.

'Let us hope there aren't too many surprises behind this door' Aberforth commented, reaching up with his wand and waving it in from the door. A blue V appeared on the black door, right about where a peep hole would go, and he went ahead and opened the door. Harry had never seen the V on the door before, he just remembered it being plain black.

Moving forward, Harry found the circular room as it was two years prior. It was lit by blue-flamed candles, which were bracketed along the walls between the doors, went completely around the room. Everything in the room was black, from the black marble floor which was reflective as the surface of the Black Lake, to the walls, and all the doors. There were twelve doors in total, black and without handles, and it seemed Hermione was also reminded of another problem they faced.

'Now we need to find which door is which' she declared, as the group moved in. Draco was coming in last, and just as he moved to close the door, Harry, Hermione, and Ron lunged forward to stop it before it closed fully.

'What are you—are you trying to kill me?!' Draco ranted as Harry and the others were getting up.

'Whenever you close one of the doors, the room revolves, and you can't figure which door is which. We have to mark the door before we close it, so we don't loose track' Hermione explained, taking her wand and putting a red X on the door.

'I'll be honest, I was trying to kill Malfoy' Ron admitted, getting a smirk from Draco.

'OK, let's do this' Harry asserted, taking the door, and closing it. It shut with a loud thud, and the room began to rumble. Being new to the experience, Tonks took hold of Remus' arm forcefully, as the others looked around worriedly. Draco was panicking beyond words, and Harry could see out of the corner of his eye Ron's smirk.

Then the candles on the walls began to move sideways, and the room started to revolve around quickly. The red X whipped around the group, clashing against the blue of the candles which imprinted a blue line in Harry's vision, before the room finally came to rest—the red X now next to Topher on the right side of the room.

'Well, that was dizzying' Tonks remarked. Everyone recovered their balance and eyesight, and looked about.

'So which one should we try?' Baldric questioned.

'Well, we need to eliminate the wrong ones, so it's just a matter of trying all of them until one doesn't open' Aberforth explained. He moved over to the door closest to him, and placing his wand on the door, it opened to reveal a dark room.

'There's one do-' Baldric said, before turning quickly.

All at once, numerous doors opened in the circular chamber, and black cloaked Death Eaters stormed the room and began shouting spells at the group members.

'STUPEFY!' Topher, Baldric, Remus, and Tonks yelled as the Death Eaters turned towards them.

'AVADA KEDAVRA!' came from some of the Death Eaters not stunned, several bangs coming as the spells hitting the walls.

Harry dove to the ground with Hermione, thankful that she was still alive, but horror struck his mind as he saw what looked like a timbering tree falling to the ground. It was the lifeless form of one of their companions. The man's body crashed to the floor with a sickening thud—his hazel eyes still open, looking up at the ceiling. Harry had no time to fully understand what happened, as the Death Eaters continued to flood into the room.

Everyone in the group lunged for the nearest door as they continued to fire spells at the Death Eaters, and the Death Eaters pursued. Harry and Hermione dove through a door that Remus held open, and the situation was plunged into chaos. Remus quickly closed the door as a spell smashed into the doorframe, and the three of them turned to check if any Death Eaters were present in whatever room they were in. It appeared to be empty of other people, and Remus glanced at Harry.

'Did you . . . did you see . . .?' Remus tried to ask.

'Baldric is dead' Hermione said in a hushed voice, holding onto Harry's arm tightly, her other hand with her wand raised. Harry lost track of everyone else in the chaos, and he did not know whether anyone else was dead. Ron had gone out of view as he dove for the door, and Remus closed it before he could look back.

Remus looked down to the stone floor, and sniffed quietly. 'He was a good man.'

Harry had watched Baldric fall to the floor. He remembered the day they went strolling through Hogsmeade when he got the locket reinscribed, and when during the summer when they talked about Quidditch. Baldric was always talking about how great the Falmouth Falcons were, and Harry would miss that fun and energetic voice, even though he only knew the man for a short while. Harry would never forget how he saved Hermione from the imposter twin just after Christmas.

A pounding on the door brought the three of them back to the present, and they all moved farther into the room.

'Did either of you see anyone else fall?' Harry asked quietly.

'Aberforth and Kingsley made it through a door, and I think Kingsley was pulling Draco with him. I saw Topher stun some of the Death Eaters as Snape jumped through one of the doors' Remus told Harry and Hermione.

'What about Ron?' Harry asked worriedly. Please Merlin, let Ron be alright. Let Ron be alive.

'Topher pushed him into a room before we jumped' Hermione reassured, Harry breathing a sigh of relief.

His relief was short lived however, as the pounding on the door increased, and the shouts of many Death Eaters resounded from the walls around the room. Looking ahead, Harry found they were in what Luna called two years before, the Planet Room. The dark room was—as they moved farther in—full of planets of different sizes, just floating in space.

The three of them kept to the edge, and just grazed past a beach-ball size Jupiter. They were trying to get to a side door that lead into another room, when the door blasted open, and Death Eaters came through, and looked about.

Remus and the others turned around quickly, and ran along the edge of the room towards the door on the other side. Several of the Death Eaters tried to fire spells at Harry and the others, but the spells would not fly through the groupings of planets. Hermione opened the door quickly, and Harry turned just as they moved into the next room to see some Death Eaters actually flipping upside down and floating as they tried to cut across the Planet Room—no doubt mixed up in the weightlessness.

'Harry, Hermione, Remus! Are you guys alright?' Topher asked as they shut the door. Harry—even in the worry and sadness of what happened already—smiled at Topher, seeing he was alright.

'We're fine. Some Death Eaters are in the last room. Where's-'

'Harry, Hermione!' Ron yelled from the other side of the room. Harry had never seen this room before, and it looked different than the others. Then again, all the rooms looked different.

It was a stone room, dark, but tinged in an blue glow that radiated from the ceiling, which was speckled with stars like the night sky. The room itself seemed to hum with a low tone, which calmed Harry even in the situation he and his friends were in.

'This room is beautiful' Hermione commented, as she stepped forward, and looked up at the stars above. Blue clouds moved slowly across the expanse, though they were transparent enough to let the starlight shine through.

'Are you alright Ron?' Harry asked as Ron approached, a gash visible on his chin.

'I'm alright. Took a bit of fall on the stone down there' he explained, pointing to a stone pillar that stood alone in what appeared to be the centre of the room. Remus, Topher, and Snape where securing the doorways into the room.

The mellowness of the room seemed to ease Harry's thoughts, pushing away the sadness for Baldric's death, and he became intrigued by the pillar in the centre. Walking towards it, Harry did not even take notice that the stone of the floor turned to green, dew soaked grass.

The pillar, which stood more like an obelisk, was made of a charcoal coloured stone, which was inlaid with strange symbols, some looking to Harry like stars and constellations.

Harry was finding himself even more fascinated by the obelisk, and found Ron and Hermione equally interested in it. Hermione was on the verge of running towards it, her eyes bright in the blue hue from the sky.

'What do you think it is?' she asked as they came closer, again not noticing the transition from grass to stone. The obelisk stood over ten feet high, and its tip, as Harry looked up at the majestic sky above, pointed directly at what appeared to be the brightest star.

'Who knows? It's so amazing though' Ron commented, looking up at it as well.

'Harry! Ron, Hermione! Get away from that!' a shout came from behind them. None of them turned around, but rather looked on reverently at the pillar. Harry glanced farther down towards the base of it, and found what appeared to be a hand-pad. The outline of a hand was imprinted into the stone, and Harry—the other two following—knelt down and looked at it curiously.

'Wonder if my hand is meant to fit on it?' Ron wondered. Harry looked at his friend with surprise.

'What do you mean your hand? If anything, my hand would fit in it' he asserted, Hermione snickering.

'That is clearly meant for a woman's hand. Here, let's see' she insisted, reaching her hand over. She was about to place it in the handprint, when Ron swatted her hand away.

'What do you think you're doing? Who said you could go first? I get to go first' he declared. Hermione looked infuriated with him, as did Harry.

'Who said you should go first? I'm the one who found the pillar!' Harry ranted, Ron extending his hand, but Harry swatting it away.

'What are you all about? You're just up in a knot because you know my hand will fit and yours won't. Upset that for once you'll be second best' Ron argued.

'Oh yeah, we'll see about that!' Harry barked, reaching his hand out towards the imprint. Just as his fingers grazed the edge, Ron jumped him, and Harry struggled to place his hand on the imprint. He had to prove he was the one meant for the pillar, and as he struggled with Ron, Hermione joined in; all three trying desperately to both fight off the others, and get their own hand into the imprint.

Just as the three of them seemed utterly tangled, they suddenly became frozen—their arms snapping to their sides, and their legs snapping together. They lay next to each other, and watched as Topher, Remus, and Snape walked over, and quickly levitated the three of them away from the pillar. Harry was screaming inside for the act, and conjured his non-verbal charm, and escaped the binding, falling to the ground with a dull thud.

'What was all that about?!' he yelled at the three men, getting up and wiping off some of the dew.

'Harry, that is the Imperium Pillar. It makes people think that it belongs to them, and they try to place their hand on the base. Instead of showing to be theirs, it sucks their life-force out, and kills them' Topher explained, Remus and Snape finally stopping with their levitation, and releasing the other two from the body-binds. They were just as upset as Harry was.

'I was about to show them-' Ron was shouting at the others.

'That pillar-' Hermione started.

'Would have killed you! We need to get back to the circle chamber, now!' Topher stated. Remus agreed, and the group started off towards another door, when a door behind them blew open, and spells began raining down on them.

'RUN!' Remus yelled, as Harry, Ron, and Hermione glanced back at the pillar hopefully, and ran forward after a helpful push from Topher and Snape.

'CRUCIO!' came from one of the Death Eaters—a male—and it hit Remus right in the chest. Harry turned as he heard his father's friend's yells of agony, and he stopped running. He took his wand, and focused on the Death Eater who was holding the curse.

Thinking hard for a moment on the memory of the shack Uncle Vernon made the family go to when Hagrid came and delivered his first Hogwarts letter, he pointed his wand.

'Expello Per Sentia!' Harry yelled, and will a strange feeling—like a brain freeze from eating something like ice cream too quickly—the Death Eater vanished from his spot, and Remus recovered enough to get up and run.

'Good job Harry!' Topher exclaimed as Harry moved back with the others towards the door that Hermione and Ron reached. It was one that lead back to the circle chamber. Harry and the others ran through it quickly, and when they shut it, the circular chamber again rumbled, and revolved rapidly. The blue from the candles barreled around them, until finally the room settled, and locked back into place.

Turning around, Harry found Baldric's body had been vanished. Perhaps someone from the other group did it, or Death Eaters did, but the room was clear again, like it was when they first entered.

'Harry needs to get in the room, and we need to find the others. Here Harry, take my wand' Topher said, offering his wand. Harry was affronted with the suddenness of it all, but Topher was insistent.

'Harry, you must get into the room, and Mr. Follit was clear about it. I shall take great care of your wand, trust me' he insisted. Harry handed his own wand to Topher, and Harry took hold of Topher's bright tinted wand. It was lighter than his, but longer.

'Put your cloak on, and we will all leave the chamber. Aberforth told me that the room could only be opened when the opener was alone' Topher informed. Harry hated the idea of being alone in the chamber, since a group of Death Eaters could easily storm in on him. Plus, he still did not know which door was which. The X Hermione placed on the first door had long since vanished, and all the doors looked identical in their blackness.

'Go on Harry, it's why we came here' Hermione voiced. Harry looked at the others—even Snape—and nodded determinately. This moment was the one he had been waiting for, and he had to face it with his head held high.

'Alright, let's go. We'll find the others and fight off the Death Eaters as long as we can, so be quick Harry, but safe. Remember, you're looking for an old scroll, probably with a gold band around it' Topher reminded Harry. Harry nodded, and Remus smiled at him brightly.

'James, Lily, and Sirius would be proud Harry, I know I am. Be safe.'

Harry smiled at Remus, and Ron came over and gave a quick—but strong—hug, not saying any words. Finally, Hermione came up and kissed Harry quickly.

'I expect to see you back at Hogwarts Mr. Potter' she claimed, with a cute smile afterwards. Harry laughed, and pulled the cloak over himself.

Topher opened one of the doors, and looked inside to find a dark corridor. No spells came flying at him, so he ushered the others forward. Snape never said a word to Harry, but the look on his face was less of that than the usual smug grimace. Hermione waned in the doorway for a moment, looking into the room where Harry was still standing, before she disappeared behind view, and Topher was the last to leave.

'If you find the Book of Thoth Harry, do not use any magic from it, not yet. And do not lie about the wand, tell them who it belongs to.'

'Tell who?' Harry asked, but received no reply as Topher turned and closed the door. The room thundered again as the continuous wall began to move, and soon enough was swirling past Harry. The blue candles finally stopped moving, and the doors found their place again.

The quietness of the room was much like Harry's mind. He did not know what he was supposed to do. Should he randomly start checking doors?

Thinking that would have to be the solution, Harry took a step forward, but accidentally stood on the edge of his cloak. He retained his balance, but in the dance that followed, Topher's wand fell to the floor. It clattered loudly against the shimmering surface, and just as Harry picked it up—the tip dragged across the smooth surface, and drew a blue line that glimmered on the surface.

Wonder filled Harry, and he looked at the line questioningly. He had not seen a blue line on the floor before, though he never dropped his wand on the floor either.

Remembering back to when they first entered the circle chamber, Harry understood a connection, and took the wand, and drew another line to make a V on the floor.

The blue V sat for a moment, before the candles in the room flickered. Harry pondered what would happen next, but what occurred indeed surprised him.

A large, shimmering blue V appeared on the floor, and without any cracks, pops, or sounds whatsoever, twelve wizards appeared in the room, each standing in front of a door. Each one was wearing the same dark blue robes with the silver "V" on the right side of the chest like Harry remembered in Dumbledore's memory from the night his parents died.

'We know you are here' a man with a calm, but aged voice pronounced. Harry took off the invisibility cloak, and he looked at the wizards. Their faces were hard to make out in the dim blue light, but it was apparent that most—if not all of them—were much older than Harry; perhaps older than Aberforth.

'Your name boy, and what you're doing here' another voice said, this one not nearly as calm or content as the other that preceded it.

'My name is Harry Potter, and I am here to enter Room Number Nine to retrieve the Book of Thoth' Harry professed. One or two of the blue cloaked figures whispered to another, but most stayed routed in place.

'Your wand Mr. Potter' one ordered. Harry held Topher's wand in front of him, and it suddenly flew out of his hands to the wizard standing in front of the door directly ahead of Harry. A few tense moments passed, until the man in front of Harry finally spoke again.

'This is not your wand Mr. Potter.'

'I know, it belongs to Topher Terrwynebas' Harry explained. Harry was beginning to understand Topher's last remark.

'Torrin and Eleanor's son' a new voice said, Harry turning to see its originator.

Harry could see the wizards whispering to each other, however they did so at such a quiet level that Harry could not hear. Just as Harry was going to ask, the wizard in front who stood ahead of him took a step forward, and his face fell into the blue light.

He was indeed an old man, very old. The wrinkles on his face were numerous, and his cheeks were pot marked and worn like a man who has been through many battles--both physical and otherwise. His old and faded brown eyes protruded slightly, and his nose was prominent, and had a strange dent in the middle of it, like someone took a hammer and broke its normal straightness.

'Secure the chamber' the man ordered. The other wizards turned, took their wands, and pushed the tips into the doors. Nothing seemed to happen to Harry, but they turned back towards the chamber again after a moment.

'Harry Potter, we are the Chamber Members of the Veneforbis Guard. We have safeguarded this chamber and its rooms for centuries; protecting the wondrous and dangerous magic held within.

'As we have known, you are the Heir of Godric Gryffindor, and have come to fulfill your purpose. Know that your fate rests in your hands alone, and what you find in the Locked Room does not control you, but rather you control it.'

The Guards standing in front of the doors moved forward, and one by one came in front of Harry, and bowed their heads to him with their hands in front of their chests, and their wands between their hands. Each filed back in front of the doors they guarded, and waited for the old man to speak again.

He walked forward slowly—and with a limp as Harry noticed—and looked at Harry carefully. 'Be strong son. The world rests on what you find in that room, and how you use it. Be brave with your actions, and smart with your intentions.'

The old man stood to the side, and pointed his wand at the door he was at first guarding. A symbol in blue appeared on the door—that of a triangle superimposed by a circle—and he looked back at Harry, giving back Topher's wand.

'Go forth and meet your destiny Harry Potter. Please tell Topher his mother would be proud that he walked in this chamber, and aided you by his wand. Your friend who perished in this chamber, Baldric; his body has been returned to Hogwarts, so that he may receive the proper respects. Good luck to you Harry, and the wizarding world. Post Tenebras, Lux.'

'Post Tenebras, Lux' the other Guards voiced solemnly in the blue lit chamber. The old Guard moved around so he was behind Harry, and Harry—with Topher's wand in his hand—stepped forward towards the door with the markings. Just as the other Guards had done, he placed the tip of Topher's wand on the door, and a loud and hollow thud occurred behind the door. It slowly opened to reveal a dark passage way, lit with more blue candles.

Harry looked back to the Guards, and found them standing their posts, looking at Harry. Harry turned, and with his head held high, and looked determinately down the corridor. He took his first step over the threshold, through the Locked Door, and into the passage way.

Mere steps in, the door closed with a deafening boom, and Harry looked forward to find the trickle of blue candles continue down a stone corridor. His shoes echoed on the stone floor, and his breathing seemed loud in the silent passage.

Continuing for a minute or so, Harry came upon a chamber at the end of the passage way. It was as dark as dark could be, but the moment he set a foot into the room, large pyres of flame erupted from cauldron-like pedestals, to reveal a small, stone chamber.

The four pyres were set in the corners, illuminating the entire room. The walls were covered in large slabs of sandstone, on which hieroglyphs, and other paintings and caricatures were imprinted. The pictures fascinated Harry as he looked about, and as he came to the middle of one of the walls, he stopped, and his eyes grew wide.

Here, a painting of snake eating its own tale in the form of a circle—an Oroborus—was portrayed. Harry looked over the painting carefully, but the runes, or whatever they were, he could not read. Inside the Oroborus was, what appeared to Harry, the symbol for a tablet or book.

Harry's interest was peaked, and he looked again to the walls to find out anything. As he looked about the room, he found something that escaped his vision at first.

In the middle of the chamber, a stone pedestal stood. No markings were present on the pedestal except for the same triangle with the circle, imprinted on each side near the top.

Moving towards it, he found the pedestal itself was on a raised platform. Taking a step on to the platform, a bright white light shone down from some unknown source onto the pedestal, showing what lay on top of it.

Harry's eyes grew wide, and he was absolutely amazed by the sight. Placed on top of the ancient pedestal was a scroll. The scroll was long, at least a foot wide, and was wrapped and held by a gold band. Moving closer, Harry examined the scroll carefully, however not touching it.

The scroll was made of parchment, or something close to it. It looked more like cloth than paper though. No writing was visible on it, although it seemed to be very worn.

The gold band, as Harry inspected it, was in fact a snake. Like the Oroborus, the snake was eating its own tail, tightly wound around the parchment, and keeping it in a roll. The snake itself was small, only about the width of Harry's middle finger. The skin was made of tiny scales, and its fangs were long and sharp.

Harry agreed with himself that this had to be the Book of Thoth. Topher said it would be a scroll, and this was the only scroll in the room.

He had to be careful though. This was stuff he knew nothing about, and problems could easily arise. Not having Topher or Hermione there did not help the situation.

He decided to take it slow. He took Topher's wand, and very carefully touched the tip to the scroll. The parchment simply depressed and came back up, like any regular paper. He wondered if it would have snapped in half since it was so old, but it was alright.

Harry then looked to the gold snake. He touched the end of the wand on the snake, and at first nothing happened.

Suddenly however, the gold snake unraveled itself, and it reared its head, and slithered at Harry. Harry tried to remove the wand, but the snake took hold of the wand, began coiling around the wand, moving closer to his hand. Harry panicked, and tried to let go of the wand, but the snake moved with such speed, its cold metalic body was already fully wound around the want, and was beginning to wind around his hand. The metal felt ice cold against Harry's skin, and while the snake began wrapping itself around his wrist, Harry was desperately trying to push the snake off his hand. His attempts were not working however, and soon the heavy, gold tube-like snake was coiling around his wrist, wrapping itself closer and closer together.

Harry's wrist was now covered by the snake and its many turns next to itself, and at the last moment, the snake's head reached across its own body, and devoured its own tail, ceasing to move. The snake solidified around his wrist like a bracelet, and Harry felt lightheaded all of a sudden. His mind flashed with images of Hermione, Ron, and other people, before slowing down, and relaxing.

Harry looked at the bracelet which was now bound to his wrist and lower forearm. The snake was wrapped tight around, enough to make it impossible to remove or squeeze his hand through. It was heavy, but not so much that it hindered his movement. Looking back at the pedestal, his eyes caught black scratches on the parchment scroll that only now appeared. Slowly picking it up, Harry unraveled a tiny amount or the scroll to see that writing, in English, had appeared on the parchment.

Numerous spells were written down, with their pronunciation, their effects, and even diagrams. It seemed as if the parchment itself read Harry's mind, and gave him spells he would need right away. One, Concedo Apparecum, would allow him and the others to Apparate from anywhere, to anywhere, regardless of security or boundaries, like the ones that do not allow Apparition in Hogwarts, or here in the Ministry.

Reading on, Harry found others that would be beneficial, and he picked up the scroll. The spotlight on the pedestal died instantly when Harry lifted it, and after he read one or two more spells, he rolled up the scroll, gave one last look at the chamber, and began running back up the corridor to get back to his companions--the gold Oroborus bracelet weighing down slightly on his right arm.

Meanwhile, as the snake was slithering up Harry's hand and forming the bracelet, outside the Locked Room Hermione suddenly became dizzy, and fell over while she and the others were walking through one of the rooms. Ron helped her up, and asked if she was alright, and she was, though she had a feeling something magical had enacted on her.

Little did she know a spell over four thousand years old had only just begun to take its effects.

A/N - So, thoughts? We finally have Harry with the Book of Thoth, and the Oroborus Circlet. Things will, as you can see, lead to the inevitable in the next two or three chapters. Oh, I'm excited, aren't you? The BIG showdown that everyone's been waiting for:)

Please review though folks, and let me know your thoughts on this chapter! Thanks!

Spell / Name Meanings:
Post Tenebras, Lux - Latin: "After the darkness, light"
Concedo Apparecum - Latin: concedo - to allow, grant, apparecum - a play on Apparate (Concedo Apparecum to allow or grant Apparition)