Another violent shake.
Yelling.
A scream.
Silence.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron yelled. Just then Melanie came into view, she was running, but she was alone. She looked terrified.
"Deatheaters! Hundreds!" Melanie yelled as she fell into the Gryffindor common room. Just as she managed to stop, Draco fell to the floor screaming, holding onto his arm, Harry yanked the blonde boys sleeve up, his dark mark was burning.
Then Harry rushed to the window, it was starting to get dark out, but he could see them, flooding the grounds, through the forests. Some looked like they were already hurt, Centaurs most likely. Harry hoped Hagrid was ok. But his hut… that was already burning.
Then he had to ask himself, did they expect this to be the final battle, no this wasn't it. The battle, that was going to be a whole different battle.
Then with a deep sigh Harry was going to do something amazingly stupid. He had his apparition licence now, he was going to put that to use.
"Melanie, I love you right. Stay safe. Don't let them take you. Mum and dad, they're looking out for you," Harry told her, he held Melanie's face in his hands, she looked scared. He kissed her forehead, and then walked towards the fireplace, there was a small store of floo there, he sighed.
"Harry!" Ginny cried out, she ran to him. "What are you doing?"
"I have to go. I love you Ginny..." He kissed her deeply, then shoved her away, Ginny fell onto the couch and watched as Harry disappeared.
"What the hell is he doing?" Draco yelled. "He's meant to stay safe!"
"Where did he go? Ginny! Where did he go?" Blaise asked frantically.
"I-I don-don't know..." Ginny said quietly, but Melanie knew where he was going, though surely he couldn't floo there, surely.
Harry arrived at the leaky cauldron, Tom the barman looked shocked as Harry smiled at him then turned on the spot, picturing his dream.
Harry arrived in a valley, he looked around, it was really dark here, the rain was pouring hard, making the ground very slippery but Harry walked down to the stone tomb, he had his wand out and cast a lumos, so he could see, he wasn't reassured by the picture at all, but still he continued to the tomb, when he finally reached it he circled it a few times.
"What am I meant to do to open you?" He asked out loud and was amazed at what happened next.
A swirl of golden light emitted from the tomb, and then died down, a plaque appeared in the centre of the tomb and Harry had to lean over to read it.
'Vox of Natu Minimus' was inscribed in the plate; it shimmered in gold against silver.
He touched it with his finger tips, but snatched his hand back when another swirl of gold started once more. This time a shadow of a person appeared, like a ghost, silvery, Harry could see right through the person, but then as his body appeared, so did another, then another and another, before he knew it around twenty of these ... things were before him.
"What the hell!" Harry gasped stepping away from them.
"We've been expecting you," One of then said in a soft voice, it was a woman, not much older then Harry, she had long flowing hair, deep eyes, she was slim, and truly beautiful.
"How?" Harry asked.
"We just know these things," Another one said, this one male, he looked to be the oldest of them all, a beard longer then that of Dumbledore's, and a very wrinkled, though kind face.
"What are you?"
"The protectors of the key," Another said, this one also a man, he was older, but not a lot, he had a strong jaw, a mass on unruly, seemingly dark hair. He could pass for an older version of Christopher. "We are the founders of different schools around the world. We come here to protect our legacy."
"I need the Key, if Voldemort finds this place he'll take it, that can't happen," Harry said. The as an after thought asked something else. "Is Salazar Slytherin one of you?"
"No, my dear friend never quite reached the point of adding to the key," The man said sadly.
"Then you're Godric Gryffindor." Harry stated.
"That I am," The man said. "This is my wife Rowena." Godric said, holding the beautiful woman around the waist.
"Well how do I get the Key?" Harry asked impatiently.
"You have to want it not to imperil our students, but to protect them," Rowena said, Harry grumbled.
"How you I prove that?" He asked.
"Hold still, this won't hurt, just feel different," Another of the protectors said, she leant forwards and placed her cold hands on his temples, it felt like a cold breeze to Harry. The images flooded his mind.
His mother, father, Christopher, Melanie, Hermione and Ron, Ginny, Draco and Pansy and Blaise, Sirius, Emma, Remus. Hogwarts, tomb stone, transfiguration classroom, the Gryffindor common room, the quidditch pitch. Everything he ever knew flashed past his eyes. And then it stopped.
"You have a pure mind for someone so tortured, but don't lose hope, one day there'll be something more, and that day is drawing ever closer," The woman said softly.
"Helga, don't give too much away," The older one said, and there was a murmured agreement, but she glared at them.
"Until you've seen what I have, please don't say anything!" She snapped.
"I just need the key," Harry stressed, drawing attention back to himself.
"Do we allow him to have it?" The elderly man asked.
"Yes, you do," Helga said.
A flash of blinding light and Harry saw only Godric, Rowena and Helga before him.
"Harry for you and your family, I ask only that you keep this safe, we will of course be guiding you, and protecting the key," Godric said before holding out a small key, only it wasn't made of gold, or any other metal, it was made from what appeared to be a misty red substance.
"What is it?" Harry asked, the three founders of Hogwarts smiled at him.
"Love, see none of the founders could create the school, and make it last if it wasn't for their love of teaching, magic and their students," Rowena said.
And for a moment Harry was struck by the purity of it, he was holding love, in its simplest form. A mist. And all he could think of was Ginny.
"But Voldemort can't touch something so pure, why do I need to take it, he can't." Harry asked.
"Ah, this is because of your fourth year, when he was reborn into a new body, using your blood; he was given some of your love, the love your parents gave to you, the love your mother blessed you with when she died for you," Godric said, Harry nodded numbly; he closed his fist around the key and heaved a deep sigh. He tucked the key away in his pocket, glad it seemed to be solid.
"I've got to go." Harry said.
"But that's where you are wrong, you have to do nothing, you choose to do the things you do," Rowena said softly.
"Harry, my dear child, before you go, I will give you one more gift," Helga said. "Your family, I know you feel emptiness, as if not complete, hold onto that. Your tale is so far from over, and there are still many secrets to be recovered." Helga said, then she Godric and Rowena smiled at him one last time before disappearing with another flash of blinding light.
Harry was confused by this statement, but let it drift to the back of his mind, as he turned on the spot and disappeared himself with a pop.