Chapter Nineteen

Both men swept quickly across the grounds following the point of the wand and both hoping that the salamander had sent them on a fool's errand, the rain was beating down hard on them as they ran across the slippery ground and they were straining to see in front of them with the hopes of spotting the missing teacher.

Unexpectedly a burst of red fire came in front of them and they sprinted towards it ignoring their own soaking bodies.

They saw Anton's back walking slowly towards the lake and looked at each other horrified, he was less than three metres from the deadly water, he was most likely already close to death and a submersion in freezing liquid would most definitely kill him.

'Stupefy!' cried Snape swishing his wand.

The red curse bounced off an invisible shield and faded, Anton kept walking and as they drew next to him they realised his eyes were shut.

Dumbledore quickly penetrated his mind and tried to wake the man up, however when he went inside Anton's mind he was met with a powerful shield that was not Anton's magic.

'Let him go!' Dumbledore commanded and then he called louder 'Anton wake up!'

'He's mine,' a veritable hiss came in reply 'and I will kill him, I am water and I am winning Old Fool, I am taking power from both Anton and the rain I will win.'

Dumbledore withdrew from Anton's mind and pointed his wand at Anton who features were blank.

'Albus?' Snape asked worriedly.

'I hope this doesn't kill you Anton,' Dumbledore muttered under his breath waving the wand.

A blue flash of light penetrated the shield instantly and when it hit Anton it dropped him to the ground, less than half a metre from the dangers of the lake.

Dumbledore bent over the fallen man and conjured a stretcher.

Anton lay in the wet muddy ground, his skin was blue with cold and his face was pale and tinged with death.

'He's not dead?' Snape asked as Dumbledore levitated the man onto the stretcher.

'No but if he doesn't get to the Hospital Wing soon he will be,' Dumbledore said grimly

'What would make him do this?' Snape called warily as they rushed back to the castle with Anton covered by conjured blankets and a wet repellent charm on him.

'Not What,' Dumbledore said gravely 'but Who?'

-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The bed in the Hospital Wing that held Anton was being watched closely by Madam Pomfrey, who was fretting worriedly over what to do. Remus and Sirius were there as well as Tonks and Mylee (she and Sirius had been out together) Professor Dumbledore was talking quietly to Snape. Anyone who looked at the legendary Headmaster would have known in an instant that he was furious, anger radiated off him in waves as he looked from his potions master to Anton lying with ghostly pale skin in the bed.

He looked bad, that was the only thing that was certain. There was no colour in his face or torso except the slight blueness associated with death, his hair looked unnaturally dark against the pale skin and white sheets, his lips were slightly blue as well and when his eye had flickered open briefly the white of his eye had also been blue. The firestone hanging around his neck was nearly completely black.

'What happened?' Sirius asked worriedly 'how did Anton end up outside in the middle of a storm?'

'My own foolishness,' Dumbledore replied his voice biting 'I knew Anton was preoccupied yet I dismissed it, I thought the matter would resolve itself.'

'What Anton did this to himself?' Lupin said in disbelief.

'No,' Dumbledore replied frowning 'when I used Legilimacy on him there was another person in his head.'

'He was POSSESSED!' Tonks practically shrieked.

'Quiet!' Madam Pomfrey scolded her, 'do not forget this is a Hospital Wing!'

'I think there is more to it than that,' Dumbledore responded 'I've had my suspicions for a while that Anton hasn't been sleeping well, I believe it was when he was asleep his assailant would attack.'

'But…' Sirius trailed off 'how?'

'I think we can only truly know when Anton wakes up,' Dumbledore said his face grave.

'How do we know he won't be at risk now?' Mylee asked 'he is after all asleep.'

'Do you honestly believe we would forget something like that,' Snape said scathingly 'we have set up wards to stop mind penetrations from outside.'

'His temperature is 33°C,' Madam Pomfrey said worriedly 'we need his temperature to be higher.'

'I thought the temperature of a person shouldn't really go under 37°C,' Sirius said.

'He's a Fire Elemental,' she added 'he should have a naturally higher temperature around 40°C any lower than about 35°C would be like pneumonia for him.'

They all looked down at Anton who was shivering on the hospital bed with, to the nurse's objections Pyra, who had refused to leave her masters side. Pyra was giving Anton a brilliant source of heat, however the bed had had to be fireproofed to stand both her and Anton as only five minutes earlier he had shivered so much fire had burst through his skin.

'This should never have happened!' Dumbledore said giving the assembled crowd a rare view of his anger.

Madam Pomfrey poured potions down Anton's throat and muttered a spell to make him swallow them.

'When do you think he'll wake up?' Lupin said seriously.

'I'm afraid I can't tell you,' the nurse said looking up from her work 'when he was brought in he was extremely close to death, only time will really say.'

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The next morning people could immediately tell something was wrong, there was a dark atmosphere the moment they sat down for breakfast. At the teachers table Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape and Lukyen were all missing as well as the nurse.

People began whispering up possibilities as to why the teachers were missing.

'I think something really bad has happened,' Hermione said quietly 'if you look at the other teachers faces they're all really worried.'

Before anyone could answer her the doors of the hall opened and Dumbledore and McGonagall hurried in, silence fell instantly. There was something seriously wrong, McGonagall's lips were pursed and Dumbledore was wearing the same clothes he had been in the night before which people assumed to mean he had been up all night.

When they reached the front of the hall Dumbledore turned gravely to the assembled students.

'All Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons are suspended until further notice,' Dumbledore said grimly 'all potion lessons are cancelled for today.'

Whispering's flew through the room as people tried to think of a reason why the lessons were cancelled, many were also looking at the Head in worry.

'I believe it is only right that I should tell you what has happened,' Dumbledore continued 'Professor Lukyen has been taken seriously ill…'

The whispers increased.

'Silence!' Dumbledore commanded before carrying on 'Professor Snape is assisting Madam Pomfrey at this very moment, I would hasten to add that you are not in any danger whatsoever and I urge you to be your most responsible today with so many lessons cancelled…'

It looked like Dumbledore was about to say something else when the doors flew open and Sirius Black stood framed causing many people to gasp in astonishment at seeing the newly innocent previously accused mass murderer.

'Headmaster!' he called 'you are needed in the Hospital Wing, immediately!'

Both Dumbledore and McGonagall rushed to the doors at this pronouncement, leaving behind a shocked set of students just as the bell rang for first lesson.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Harry, Hermione and Ron were supposed to have Anton first but instead had a free period, Ginny was meant to have potions so her lesson was cancelled as well. They wondered around the school aimlessly throwing ideas off each other as to what the matter was with Anton.

'It couldn't just be any illness,' Ginny said knowledgably 'that wouldn't have caused such a panic.'

'The Head did say we weren't at any risk,, which may mean it isn't something you can catch' Harry added feeling bad for the teacher he happened too like and respect a great deal.

'I wonder…' Hermione said quietly.

'What do you wonder?' Ron asked curiously turning to look at her.

'Well I was thinking that this isn't a sudden thing,' Hermione said almost inaudibly 'Lukyen has been distracted for ages now, whatever's happened to him must have been something connected with why he's been preoccupied.'

'I think your right,' Harry nodded his head 'something's definitely going on.'

-=-=-=-=-=-=

The temperature in the Hospital Wing was stifling, and it was lucky that no other students were ill enough to be in there.

Anton was still unconscious, though the blueness had receded leaving just extremely pale skin covered in Goosebumps.

'I've managed to get his temperature up to 35°C,' Madam Pomfrey said the moment Dumbledore swept through the doors 'but it keeps dropping every time I stop with the potions and spells.'

'Headmaster,' Snape cut in 'I think the wards were pointless, there is a foreign magic clouding Lukyen, I believe that the Water Elemental never left his mind.'

'When did you find the other magic still present?' Dumbledore asked sharply coming to stand next to Anton's bed.

'Five minutes ago,' Snape replied 'I didn't want to push anymore in case I caused any damage, I thought it best to wait for you.'

'Quite right Severus,' Dumbledore nodded taking in the worried faces 'if Ofelia is stopping him from wakening then the only solution is for me to go into his mind and get her out.'

'Isn't that dangerous?' Sirius said anxiously.

'If done incorrectly,' Dumbledore agreed 'yet I have no intention of doing this wrong and Severus will be able to pull me out if thinks do indeed go sour.'

'What happens if you need more help?' Tonks asked cautiously.

'That is why Sirius will be accompanying me,' Dumbledore replied making his way to the bed next to Anton's 'you may want to make yourself comfortable Sirius this will possibly take a considerable amount of time.'

Sirius immediately went to the bed next to Dumbledore's. Dumbledore waved his wand and with a spell they slipped their consciousnesses into Anton.

-=-=-=-=-==-

'Albus Dumbledore and Sirius Black,' a woman's voice almost sang the second they arrived 'how nice of you to come and visit.'

Dumbledore and Sirius looked at where they were in surprise, it was a large room with water running across the floor in rivulets, a waterfall in front of them crashed more icy water into a huge pool that was directly in front of them. In the centre of the pool a blue rectangular cage was at least a foot submerged, they could tell this by the figure of Anton who was trapped in the cage with water up his shins, he was dressed in soaking black robes with his hair wet against his face.

His hands were shaking the bars in anger and he was yelling but no sound could be heard.

Next to the cage a woman stood, she was dressed in blue robes, the fabric of her robes was not sodden with water even though she was standing in it, her hair was pulled back and she surveyed the two men with interest as they neared the edge of the pool, her cold blue eyes glittering with anticipation.

'I take it you are Ofelia,' Dumbledore said calmly 'the Water Elemental.'

'Excellent deduction,' Ofelia smirked 'I have missed the brilliant mind of Albus Dumbledore.'

'I want you to release Anton,' Dumbledore continued not rising to her bait.

'Now why would I do that?' she asked sweetly 'we have after all, so much to catch up on.'

Anton was silently pounding the bars of his cage furiously and Ofelia turned to him

'Oh do be quiet,' she snapped 'you're interrupting my concentration.'

'You can hear him?' Sirius said warily.

'Of course,' she smiled coldly at him 'my cage, my rules.'

'Why are you doing this Madam…?' Dumbledore said his voice composed.

'You would be surprised to learn my real surname,' she answered 'but even more surprised to hear what his (she gestured with her finger) real name is.'

'He gave us a fake name!' Sirius said shocked and confused 'why?'

'I think it better I tell you a little story,' she replied smirking 'though I must say I am surprised he didn't find a way to tell you the truth, he liked to make out he could break the rules, but at the end of the day I amazed them all.'

She turned again to Anton 'shush' she whispered putting her finger to her lips with exaggerated care 'you'll like this story, you're the centre person.'

'What…?' Sirius opened his mouth but she cut him off with a shake of her finger.

'Listen if you want answers,' she reprimand 'I wouldn't want to see you die again.'

'Again?' Sirius asked confused.

'We cannot be harmed by you Ofelia,' Dumbledore said frostily 'we are only visitors to this mind.'

'Indeed,' she inclined her head 'now listen, some of this story you may know, and some of it may be a shock.'

'On the 31st October 1981 Voldemort attacked Godric's Hollow killing Lily and James Potter but was destroyed by a small child named Harry Potter, Harry grew up in an unloving home with the Dursleys, he had no friends and when he was eleven he received his Hogwarts letter, he jumped at the chance to attend the school…'

She sneered at the mystified expressions on their faces as they tried to work out how this was relevant to Anton and what was happening.

'Harry made three important friends, Ron, Ginny and Hermione. Fast forward a few years past the Philosopher's Stone, the year the Chamber of Secrets was opened, when you escaped Azkaban and the events of Tri-Wizard tournament and we'll focus instead on the summer afterwards when Mundungus Fletcher left his post early to sell stolen cauldrons leaving little Harry to battle three scary Dementors by himself and then have to face a disciplinary committee while his escaped convict Godfather stayed at home, hidden.'

'That didn't happen,' Sirius interrupted 'Anton stopped them so what are you talking about? And I've been proved innocent!'

'I said listen,' she said frostily 'I am not in the habit of explaining and have you ever given it a thought that it was Anton who both cleared your name and saved Harry?'

Sirius shifted uncomfortably and Dumbledore placed a calming hand on his shoulder. Anton kept silently hammering at his cage bars.

'At the end of that school year Harry went to the Department of Mysteries convinced that your own dear self (she looked at Sirius) had been captured by Voldemort' she paused as Sirius looked at her apprehensively and Dumbledore kept his thoughts and expressions to himself 'while they were there Harry read a prophesy, you know the one don't you Dumbledore, the one about Harry having to kill Voldemort.'

Dumbledore inclined his head slowly in answer.

'The year after, Harry went slightly depressed over the death of his darling Godfather who was almost father-like to him, the war escalated into full out fighting, two years later you, dear headmaster were killed. You see Anton and I aren't from around here, we are in fact from the future.'

Sirius's mouth dropped open and Dumbledore's eyes blinked wildly.

'Anyways,' she continued 'the four friends changed their looks, their scents, they even got gifted with Elemental Magic, is any of this making sense?'

'It's not possible,' Dumbledore said his eyes ablaze.

'No, just highly improbable,' she smirked 'well the light side was losing and Hermione didn't see much chance of winning so she drifted to the dark side,'

'No!' Sirius said aghast.

'Where she proceeded to betray her friends,' Ofelia smiled heartlessly 'leaving only Harry left – though we had all changed our names permanently, at the final battle only Harry was left and Voldemort was so convinced in his victory he got Pettigrew to finish him off.'

'Priori Incantatem,' Dumbledore muttered remembering what Anton had told him.

'Very good Professor,' Ofelia clapped her hands with faked politeness 'so as former Hermione Granger now turned Ofelia Rengrag I present the former Harry Potter.'

She bowed to the cage as if introducing a circus act and Anton silently screamed in outrage.

Sirius stared at Anton in utter astonishment, but Dumbledore had already had time to think.

'Things have already changed,' he said stroking his beard 'Sirius is a free man.'

Ofelia opened her mouth to gloat once more but white light blinded them, when it had cleared Fate stood in the middle of them floating slightly above the pool.

'We warned you,' she said to Ofelia calmly 'we warned both of you, if you told the truth you would be punished.'

'It's true?' Sirius croaked unable to believe Anton was his Godson but realising it explained the pull he had felt to the young man, almost as if it had been his responsibility to look out for him.

'Yes Sirius Black it is true,' Fate answered 'we order this information to be kept secret, he is Anton Lukyen and she is Ofelia Rengrag, they are not to ever be known or thought of as their previous selves.'

'She will be punished then?' Dumbledore asked taking what was happening almost in his stride.

'Most definitely,' she inclined her head 'she was warned.'

'NO!' Ofelia screamed in annoyance 'I am inches away from killing Anton, I will succeed!'

'No you won't,' Fate replied 'you were warned.'

She snapped her fingers and Ofelia became encircled in white magic that bound her arms and stopped her from moving entirely.

'We would suggest you leave quickly,' Fate said to Dumbledore and Sirius 'it is going to get hot in here, though you are bound under the same rules, some secrets must be kept, though he can tell you the vague outline of what the future will bring.'

She clicked her fingers and the cage crumbled instantly, Anton fell into the water gasping for breath.

'Will he be ok?' Sirius demanded.

'Maybe,' she replied her face devoid of emotion, she clicked her fingers for a third time and hot lava began spilling down the waterfall instead of the water, as it crashed into the pool Sirius and Dumbledore pulled themselves quickly from Anton's mind as the magma flowed over the pools side and onto the ground.

-=-=---=-=-=-=-

Dumbledore and Sirius were thrown back into their own minds with considerable force as they fled from Anton's mind.

They flicked their eyes open to find the Hospital Wing dark, Madam Pomfrey was bending over Anton reading his temperature, only Snape and Lupin were still waiting for the two of them to awake.

'She is gone,' Dumbledore said sitting up 'hopefully Anton should be getting better.'

'His temperature is rising,' Madam Pomfrey informed them relieved 'its slow going but it's rising.'

Sirius pushed up from his bed and rubbed his face with his hands, Anton was Harry, Harry from the future, looking so old and experienced.

'Are you okay Sirius?' Dumbledore asked concerned.

'I'll be fine,' Sirius replied smiling slightly 'I just didn't expect that.'

'Expect what?' Lupin asked curiously if a little worried at how grey his friend was looking.

'The amount of power it took to get rid of the Water bitch,' Sirius said quickly remembering the rules.

'Well now that is done,' Snape said silkily 'I need to get some things done, call me if you need any more potions.'

With that he left the Wing.

-=-=-=-=-

He was still cold, Anton noticed that instantly.

Something licked his face with a hot fiery breath, and he shivered as his body juddered he felt flames lick out through his skin as his body tried to adjust to the low temperatures it was feeling as well as the warmth that was flowing from his mind. Anton took a gasping breath and his body shivered again as the air whistled through his cold lungs, this time as he shivered his body started convulsing and fire burst through his skin like an inferno.

When it had finished Anton could hear voices close by, something that could only be Pyra licked him again and Anton thankfully closed his eyes and slept.