Chapter 19 - Right and Wrong
"It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." - Albus Percival Wulfric Dumbledore
"The spell should not be coming from your mouth, the meaning of this class is to surprise the opponent by using a spell that they don't know you would cast. This form is called non-verbal spells. I want you to use a simple disarming charm to take out your opponent without them knowing what you are doing. Pair up." Harry jumped down onto the floor from her seat on the front desk. If she could teach the fifth years this form properly, then it would be a lot easier for them in their sixth year, when they were to do everything nonverbally.
"Do you not have a partner, Jones?" Harry looked down at the small girl peeking nervously form the back.
Heista squeaked, "I'm not very good at this form." She muttered nervously.
"You never know until you try, right?"
"I already did."
Harry signed, "Come on, try again, on me."
The quiet Hufflepuff stood up and raised her shaking hand, and her face took on a concentrated look. "Try again." Unfortunately, the part where she would actually be able to perform the charm never came, and Harry thought that it would be part of the humiliation that the girl got from the Slytherin boys in her year. At the end only a couple of students got the courage to say that they were able to perform the charm, but Harry took off about half knowing and proving that they just wanted the attention.
As the last class of the day filled out, Harry signed and fell down on one of the chairs and pulled out the essays to mark. Looking at the large pile she only wondered how she was going to sleep before one in the morning today. Finally finishing going through the first years parchments, she stood and streched. Looking down, she muttered and walked out heading to the great hall for dinner. She smiled back when Sirius waved, hoping that she wasn't at the head of one of their pranks this time. Looking down, she saw Lily looking down at her nervously, she seemed to be doing that to her and Dumbledore a lot after the break. Walking up to the high table she sat down beside Dumbledore and greeted the rest of the teachers.
Leaning to where Dumbledore ate, she asked, "Where is Hope today, didn't she take over the post of assistant grounds keeper yesterday?"
Dumbledore leaned back, "Hope, Lancelot, Gawain, Merlin and Guinevere are gone to check on the current status at Knockturn Alley."
Harry hooked an eyebrow, "And why didn't they tell me?"
Dumbledore took a piece of parchment out of his pocket and handed it to her, "Because of this. Hope said that you should stay, but I believe that if she doesn't return, you should go too."
Unfolding the parchment, Harry read:
Potter,
Meet me at the entrance to Knockturn Alley at 8:00 am, we have much to discuss.
Riddle
"It's been a couple of hours, as you can tell. I think that you should check it over." Dumbledore started eating again.
"Right now?" Harry was still staring at the parchment, wondering what Riddle could have possibly wanted.
"Yes.
I believe that it is best if you go, as only you can handle such things as the Dark Lord form your future." Dumbledore looked up when a loud bang came form the Ravenclaw table.
Flitwick stood up, "I do believe that I told you to stop practicing such charms, Ms. Zeller." But his squeaky voice was dubbed out by the loud cheering that erupted form the Slytherins.
Harry signed, and got up. "I'll be going now." Stepping down form the Head table, she turned when Dumbledore told her to wait.
"God luck Harry." And passing her he went to the Ravenclaw table.
Harry walked down the middle aisle, and saw Lily looking at her oddly and then back to her plate, as if caught. Harry shook her head, wondering why her day was so odd. Walking down the grounds, she came to the gates and once crossing the barrier she apparited to Diagon Alley. Meeting a bustling crowd, she had to push though them and start down the intersection to Knockturn Alley. Looking around and being distracted, she did not notice the person edging on her. Only when the person pressed a ball into her hand that she whipped around…and disappeared form the alley.
Feeling the ground again, Harry immediately crouched, waiting for any sudden movement again.
"Hello, Potter."
Her emerald eyes came up to meet a set of perfect sea blue, and the rather smug face of Tom Riddle Jr. attached with it. "Long time to see; tea? It's Lipton."
"Er, no thanks. Where are they?" Harry looked around to see only the single table and two chairs the only things in the room, along with the black door of course.
"Right to the point, hmm? It should have been a tiring journey all the way form London to Devon. Portkeys always make you disoriented, I have noticed." He took a sip again.
"Where. Are. They." Harry hissed.
"They're not hurt, if that's what you mean."
"But-"
"They're fine, just confounded. Now on to business."
"I have no business with you."
"Yes you do. Only with you can I achieve what I really wanted to do."
"And that is…"
"Rid the world of magic."
Out of all the outlandish things that Harry expected Riddle to say, that wasn't even on the list. "What?"
"You heard what I said. Rid the people's right to use magic."
"What? Why?"
"You want a reason? Without magic we wouldn't be here right now, where we are do not belong. Without magic, we wouldn't fighting. Without magic, your godfather wouldn't be dead." That really hit a nerve in her. "Without magic, you parents would have lived." That really stared intriguing Harry. "Without magic, your younger sister would not have died." What? "Without magic, my father would not have left my mother."
Harry interrupted, "And without magic you would never have been born, same with me."
Riddle was looking at her as if he was saying: does-it-really-matter. "That is not the point, imagine how happy the world would be if there was no magic to fight over? Think Harry."
How affectionate, he called her by her first name. "We're not on a first name basis here Riddle. And without magic, how do you accept the wizarding world to live?"
"They have to adapt just like all the others without magic, besides they're starting to be lazy."
"Never thought you cared Riddle."
Her arrogance was going to get her, and as a light brightened, showing Hope strapped to a chair and a wand pointed to her neck. "We all must choose what's right, Harry, even me. No magic or she dies, by magic."