AN: I know it has been an excessively long time, but as I said at the beginning of chapter two; Inspiration right now is in short supply. Besides, I just graduated from high school and most of my time is devoted to other projects. However, I have finally come across some free time and willingness to continue. So here it is, the looong awaited Chapter Three. Again, I apologize for the wait.
The Dark Lord's Nightmare
Chapter Three
Jack thought it would never end. The pain was relentless. It ripped through his skull like a dozen serrated blades. He remembered. He remembered everything. How could he have forgotten it all? How?! His legs crumpled and he fell to his knees, hands clutching at his head as though trying to keep the memories at bay. He knew this spell now; he knew it from his time at Hogwarts as a human child. It was most definitely illegal and considered just barely at the border between light and dark magic. The Lost Memory Charm they called it, designed to drag out memories dwelling deep in the crevices of the soul. Everyone knew that the dead could not remember life. Only once before in all of wizarding history was the charm used, and it had driven the recipient mad. The Pumpkin King could feel his heart break as he thought of Dumbledore. Why was he doing this to him? He knew the consequences! He knew the reason it was a forbidden spell! Did he even know on whom he was using the charm? Jack could feel the anger bubbling up from the deepest, darkest pits of his soul. How could Albus do this to him? Why? Was he the one who had needlessly brought him back to the living world? His screams reached a new height, fueled by his growing rage and contorting into an unholy roar of fury. Dumbledore would never hear the end of this if he had anything to say about it!
Albus watched in rising dismay and horror as he forced Jack's entire life out of the far reaches of his soul and back into the forefront of his mind. It was all he could do to concentrate on the spell. It would not be much longer now. He knew very well the charm was forbidden and why, but he never expected anything like this. If this really were Jack Skellington, he would have a lot of explaining to do when this was all over. Oh, how he hoped his old friend would find it in his heart to forgive him. If it were anyone else, Dumbledore would not have been quite as concerned. To him, The Order members were merely pawns to reach an end. However, Jack was utterly different. They experienced everything together, through thick and thin. Then Jack had sacrificed himself, had abandoned him for the rest of the world. How had he, Albus, repaid him? He had taken the credit as the sole survivor of that dreadful battle. Nevertheless, Jack did not need to know that, now did he?
"Don't worry old friend. It will all be over soon. I swear to you." The aged wizard whispered softly.
A certain potions master knelt outside the dungeon door covering his ears in pain from the sheer volume of the cries issuing from the room beyond. What in the hell was Dumbledore doing?! He needed to report this to Voldemort immediately! Was this what the Dark Lord had expected to happen? It had to be! Right now, he needed to get away from that dreadful sound. Whatever that old coot was up to, it was taking its toll on Severus Snape's abused eardrums.
--
Elsewhere in Hogwarts castle, a familiar sixteen-year-old boy curled up in bed in a vain attempt to drown out the horrid howls of the tortured soul. Harry Potter whimpered pathetically, body quivering. What was this? He could almost feel the pain of the person in their screams. His head felt like a split watermelon. Beyond the agonized roar, he could hear laughing. It was a sinister sound, like a horde of hissing snakes. The sound slithered through his mind and back out again, Voldemort's laugh. It had to be. Was the link getting stronger, or was the Dark Lord just that deliriously happy? Whatever the reason, it was in his head. Even so, the screams were definitely real. The Boy Who Lived tried desperately not to add to the cacophony of suffering assaulting every pair of ears within Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Then, as suddenly as it begun, it stopped. Dumbledore lowered his wand to his side; tears trailing silently down his wrinkled face. Jack lay motionless on the stone dungeon floor, empty sockets staring blankly out the small barred cell window at the full moon in a starlit sky. His arms were spread out on either side of his body, making a perfect -if not terrifying- crucifix. Albus did not move to kneel beside his fallen comrade, too shaken to believe what he had done. Severus watched through the window in the door, determined not miss anything. He needed to know if the skeleton man was in his right mind after the ordeal, no matter how much he did not want to stick around to find out.
When the noise ceased, Harry bolted up from bed and snatched up his invisibility cloak. There was no way he was not going to investigate. He did not pause to wake Ron. He was amazed the other youth had slept through the ruckus. Hermione was not waiting for him in the common room. 'Must be too scared to stop me, for once.' he thought to himself. Harry was by himself in this one. Not that he minded. It meant less risk of detection. The three of them were growing too big to all hide under the safety of his father's cloak. He still felt a twinge of fear. What if there was a murder? No. No one like that could get into the castle so easily. It had to be something else. Maybe the Order had been interrogating a death eater for information. 'But they wouldn't do that, most certainly not at Hogwarts. Would they?' thought Harry.
Well, he would just have to go down to the dungeons and find out. How did he know it was in the dungeons? He shook his head. That was irrelevant. He had to figure out what was going on. The journey to the dungeons felt shorter than usual. Luckily, by then Snape had left after determining that the skeleton was not waking up anytime soon. Dumbledore would be soon to follow. Harry nearly died of a heart attack when he heard the cell door open. Quickly, he darted behind a corner. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Dumbledore. What was that old bastard doing there? Good thing he had hidden or the old man would have seen him, invisibility or no. What was the old goat hiding in that musty room? Dumbledore paused and looked around a moment, as though sensing his presence, but soon shook it off and left. As soon as he had gone, Harry made his move and scurried from his hiding place to the cell door. Murmuring a quick Alohamora, he dashed inside.
"Hello? Is someone there?" he whispered into the dank darkness.
--
Dumbledore took one last look at Jack before exiting the cell, closing the door behind him. He was about to leave the dungeons entirely when he felt someone watching him. When he examined the area there was no one there. He frowned, but did not dally further. He was tired and in great need of proper rest. Perhaps some fire whiskey would help him to nod off. After that, it would be difficult for him to sleep. Little did he know, it would be even more difficult than he thought. The night was young and Harry Potter was on the move.
Jack floated blissfully in thoughtless space, for however briefly it might be. There was no past, no present, just peaceful nothing. All too soon, his mind started to think once more, dredging everything back like so much extra baggage. Why could he not have a normal death? He could have been a poltergeist, or reincarnated. Oh no, he needed to become the Merlin be damned Pumpkin King. The only reason he could think of that anyone living would want him around was power. Considering his theory, where would Dumbledore fit into the equation? Very little was making sense to Jack's poor battered brain. He would have pondered further, perhaps even attempted to stand, if the sound of the door opening had not reached him first. Jack froze.
"Hello? Is someone there?" whispered an unfamiliar voice.
AN: Well, this is it for now. I am tired and require sleep. sighs When I started this, I had no idea where to go with the plot. I still do not. Maybe I will figure it out evenutally. Who knows? I hope to be able to think of somewhere for this to go before I start on chapter four. However, if anyone wants to drop in suggestions, it would be more than welcome. Until next time, good night.