What's Said, Is Said
A/N: According to canon, Hogsmeade weekend is at the beginning to mid October. We need it to be at the end just before Halloween.
Disclaimer:See Chapter 1. Reviews are Welcomed, Flames Are Not.
Chapter 41: The Beginning of the End
It was a week before Halloween, Severus and Garion started
to plot what would hopefully be the final week of Tom Riddle's existence.
Draco was brought into Severus' office and, under a bardic truth spell, was questioned. Draco, unable to fight the spell and not realizing what he was doing, told everything. All the details that he had learned from his father and the Dark Lord
spilled in a flood of information from his oblivious lips.
Garion shook his head in disgust. His former rival was an idiot of the first degree! He still had a child-like faith in his fathers teachings and fully believed that the Dark Lord would free his father from Azkaban. . . 'And bring presents to all dark little boys and girls!' Garion mused, smirking mentally. Sad, really. It was like believing in Jack Halloween as Father Christmas.
"At least he wasn't given the Dark Mark yet," Garion said, with a shake of his head. "He has to carry out his task first, which makes it easier."
Severus grunted as he looked into his snifter of brandy. "I tried to steer him away from his father and teach him right from wrong. Unfortunately, it looks like I didn't try hard enough."
"You did what you could Severus, but Draco has never learned there are consequences for his actions, nor will he ever as long as there's an adult around willing to give him a, 'get out of jail free' card," Garion comforted. "I'll try to control the spells effect so it only reacts to those who are of age and took the Mark willingly. If I have a choice, only they will suffer Tom's fate. I just hope the ancient Magic is willing to listen."
"Albus has been after me to find out more about you," Severus said, changing the subject abruptly. "He still feels that you are a 'dark influence' that should not be permitted in the castle."
"Well, tra la la," Garion snorted. "Amazing, isn't it? This's the same man who allowed Tom access to the school in so many ways over the years. " Garion rubbed his eyes in tired resignation. "That's like the pot calling the kettle black! No matter, after Halloween I won't be here, and hopefully neither will Tom. Albus can just wait and suck on those foul smelling, mind rotting lemon drops of his." The boy smiled evilly as he contemplated that last thought.
Severus silently agreed as he smothered a chuckle. Since the disappearance of Harry Potter, Garion was showing more and more of a blend of James and Lily in his attitude and speech, but with an American flair. He found it both refreshing and a bit disconcerting.
"Severus, Albus has made his own mistakes and has tried to play God with people's lives. I'm not saying he's good or evil. All I'm saying is he's a man, a very senile, old man who has drifted into a very firm belief in his own legend as the greatest wizard of his time and the vaunted, 'Leader of the Light.' Truth be told, he's slipped far from the Light in his later years and it's past time for him to pay the piper. Father uses some very choice words and colorful phrases to describe him."
"I know Williams, but he has been a great friend and mentor to me over the years." Severus sighed as he looked into the fire burning merrily in the fireplace.
0o0o0o0
In the basement of a shop in Knockturn Alley called Borgin and Burkes, shadows and darkness held sway. A small goblin scurried across the floor to a tall, black cabinet that looked like a wardrobe. He stared at it for a moment, until the sound of someone's footsteps started down the stairs. The goblin quickly scurried back into the darkness, wrapping the shadows close about his tiny frame.
"Who's there?" came a gruff voice.
A large, hairy man holding up a dirty lantern peered into the darkness before shrugging. Too many dark artifacts were kept down here and he wasn't fool enough to go looking through them! Something foul might be waiting just beyond the faint glow of his lantern. Nope, if there was someone. . Or something. . . down here it was welcome to stay here in the oppressive darkness.
He turned his attention briefly to the cabinet standing close to the stairs and smirked. Draco had been ordered to find and repair the other one at Hogwarts. He couldn't wait! All those fresh, nubile children just waiting for him! He started to drool.
"Greyback! Get your hairy arse up here 'n help me!" called someone at the top of the stairs.
When the light faded back up the stairs a dark figure stepped out of the shadows along with the small goblin by his side.
Garion stepped closer, 'So, this is the mate to the one that Draco is trying to repair.' He smiled malevolently. Placing his hand on the cabinet, he watched as it began to glow. "There that should do it. When it comes time for someone to step through, they'll get a very smelly surprise."
Removing his hand, he turned to the goblin, "'I must be cruel only to be kind; Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind.' Keep an eye out, Nobley, and let me know when they start trying to use the thing."
"Got it, princey!" the little goblin saluted. "Nobley likes this place. Full of fun things to play with and eat."
Garion laughed as he faded into the shadows.
0o0o0o0
The last Hogmeade's weekend fell just before Halloween, much to Garion's delight. He needed to be seen and heard for his scheme to work. Much depended on it.
Walking down main street in Hogsmeade, he spied Ron and Lavender snogging and giggling together. He shook his head as he walked past them. He really didn't want to know what was going through his former best friend's mind, other than the typical teenage hormones. Garion shuddered, turning towards The Three Broomsticks.
He spied Hermione hiding, watching the pair with sad longing. Garion couldn't and wouldn't help her. Sad really, for someone as brilliant as Hermione Granger, she honestly didn't have a clue.
"Hey Williams!"
Garion turned to see Neville and Luna coming his way. "So Snape let you out for good behavior?" Neville asked with a cheeky grin.
Luna smiled. "I told you Neville that the Nargles would see to it that Harry would come."
Garion looked around and was thankful that no one was nearby. His carefully built up reputation as an insane minstrel was working and he wanted to keep it that way.
The trio made their way to the Three Broomsticks. Finding a table in the back, Garion set up a notice-me-not spell. "There, we shouldn't be bothered now," he said.
"What's up Gar, er Har, er Garion?" Neville asked.
"'What's in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet.' Harry Potter is only a memory. I am Garion now and Garion I shall be," he quietly stated, then in a abrupt change of subject, he spoke more loudly. "I thought you might want to know that this little tiff the wizarding world has with the Dark Lord will be over soon."
"Bbbbbbut how?" Neville sputtered.
Garion sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "Both the Dark Lord and Dumbledore are missing the whole point about magic and power. The Wizarding World has forgotten their roots. For that I blame the Ministry and teachers like Binns. But most of all I blame people like Albus Dumbledore and Tom Riddle. They wield the influence and the power to make changes that would return the knowledge of the old magicks. Instead they choose to vie for power and prestige to remake the world over to suit their own ideas of - 'The greater good'. Their own personal agendas come before everything else."
Garion took a deep breath as he wandlessly brought up a privacy spell, thus ensuring they would not be overheard.
"So what do you have planned? Are you going to tell Ron and Hermione who you are? You should at least tell Hermione. She's very worried about Harry," Luna commented quietly.
Garion shook his head. "I don't know, Luna. I have plans of not coming back after Halloween. It's sort of pointless, really. And I really don't trust Dumbledore to not stick his nose somewhere he has no business being. Any confrontation between him and Father over me has disaster written all over it."
"Just who is your Father, Garion?" Neville asked. Luna snickered softly.
0o0o0o0
Lord Voldemort sat on his throne-like chair, surveying an empty room. His loyal followers were busy doing his bidding leaving him to quiet contemplation. His familiar, Nagini, was curled up on a plush green hearth rug laid out in front of a small fireplace, basking in the warmth of the fire's glow.
Since early summer, the Dark Lord had not been able to feel the presence of the dratted Boy-Who-Lived. Something had to be blocking his access to Potter's mind! He knew that the brat hadn't learned Occlumency, so why couldn't he see what Potter was thinking? His claw-like fingers clenched the arm of the chair in frustration. It had been so very delicious to feel the boy's despairing grief over losing his godfather.
News had reached him mid-summer that Potter had disappeared, and no one knew where he had gone.
He'd decided to let Dumbledore's precious Order members wear themselves out looking for the boy. Lucius, and others who work in the Ministry, would let him know if Potter was found. So why should He, the greatest darkest lord of the ages, waste time and energy when the other fools can do it for him?
Summer had given way to Autumn and still no sign of the Brat.
And what was this he heard about an apprentice that Severus had taken on? Why hasn't he brought the boy to Him to be indoctrinated into the ranks of his Death Eaters? Was the boy a pure-blood or muggle-born? Was that perhaps the reason why there was a delay, the purity of the boy's blood? How dare Snape take on an apprentice without his permission!
And now, to make matters worse, he could no longer even sense his precious potions master through the Dark Mark. Someone had a lot of explaining to do and he'd be sure that said explanations would be a most delightfully painful experience!
The soft shuffle of hesitant footsteps drew his attention.
"Master?"
The Dark Lord turned to face a rotund, balding man with sharp, rat-like features. "Yes Wormtail?"
"I have news."
"Come closer." He whispered coldly.
Wormtail stepped closer, shuddering in fear. "Snape's apprentice was seen in Hogsmeade. He was with the squib, Longbottom and the loony Ravenclaw that hung around Potter. He wasn't carrying a wand." He paused to take a gulping breath. " He was talking to them about how your war against that fool Dumbledore is only a 'tiff', and that it would soon be over. It appears the apprentice has no love for the old fool."
"Come closer, and tell me more."
Wormtails terrified eyes followed the bony white finger as it motioned him closer.
0o0o0o0
This is the beginning of the end. We are now in the home stretch of the story.
The quotes are from Hamlet, Act 3,scene 4 and Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, scene 2. Sorry no songs.
Until next time. -GF and The Frau