Hey, it's me! Enjoying this? Well, I want more reviews! Anyway, let's keep reading and reviewing! Plus, a deeper look at President Griffin and his past.
Chapter 81
Shell Cottage…
Harry moaned as he rolled in his sleep. He could feel red hot rage coarse through him as he found himself standing next to Cell. In front of him was General Morbius, several Imperial guards, and a trembling goblin.
"So… care to explain why Gringotts is now a pile of rubble, Morbius?" Cell smirked as he sat on a dark throne, created by his own dark magic. He was still in his human form.
"Ahhh… my 1800 vodka." Cell chuckled as Pansy came into the room and handed him the bottle. Harry felt disgust at the silk robes that she was wearing, which showed off a significant portion of her skin.
"Just as you requested. Do you require anything, my Emperor?" Pansy purred.
"No… go prepare my chambers, I'll be up there as soon as I deal with this little matter." Cell smiled, flashing his brilliant white teeth. Pansy smiled as she walked past Harry and the others, disappearing through the doorway. Harry hissed with rage at what the pureblood had degraded herself to.
"I see that you are adjusting your human form quite well. You know, the Imperial Guard was fabulous. Took a beating and still kept going!" Morbius laughed nervously.
"Cut it, Morbius. Now tell me… was it Potter?" Cell smiled.
"No, it wasn't. It was the boy again, and he had his little brat with him, and the American. She got past the guards by posing as Lestrange. We stopped them the minute they left the vault. Not my fault that they flew out on a dragon and smashed the support beams. At least I got the Sword of Gryffindor from them." Morbius chuckled.
"Oh really? Then, where is it?" Cell smirked.
"Ummmm… it vanished." Morbius gulped.
"Vanished. You're telling me that the sword just… vanished? I wanted a item from each of the Hogwarts Founders!" Cell snarled.
"Enough! What did they take?" Harry hissed, making Cell frown.
"Actually, not much, believe it or not. I mean really, all they took was some stupid gold cup!" Morbius laughed nervously. A scream of rage and denial erupted from Harry's throat as a green light erupted from his wand, smashing into the goblin, causing him to collapse.
"WHOA! Hey!" Morbius gaped as he staggered back. But, before Harry could kill anyone else, his wand flew out of his hand. He whirled to see it land in Cell's hand.
"Control yourself, you idiot. We lose enough soldiers already! Now, care to explain the meltdown over such an insignificant object?" Cell asked.
"Yeah, listen up to the guy! He's so bad that he beat up mall Santas in front of little children!" Morbius grinned. He shut up after a glare from Cell.
"None… just an old and valuable object." Harry said as he strode out.
"Curses… how did he learn of my secret?" Harry thought with rage. No one knew about his Horcruxes. And if the monkey knew, then Potter probably knew as well. Was this Dumbledore's work? He who had been his bane all his life. Now, the saiyan had stolen that role. He would enjoy taking that brat down himself. But, for now, he had to collect the other ones before the boy or his female whores got them first. Surely, they were all safe. Though, he hadn't felt the destruction of the diary, although he had assumed that that had been because he hadn't had a body back then. But, surely the ring was safe. After all, he had hidden his connection to the Guants. And the locket was surely safe as well, none knew about his childhood. And the one at Hogwarts was safe as well. After all, he alone had plunged into it's deepest secrets. He would go check on the ring first, since it was the least secure.
Wren he heh!" A Cell Junior squealed as it floated above Cell.
"Follow him. See where he goes." Cell smirked. The Cell Junior chuckled as he nodded, and then leaped into the air and turned into a bird, flying out the window.
"GAHHHH!" Harry gasped as he sat up, sweat rolling off him while his scar burned.
"Oh, hi Harry!" Harry turned to see…
"Luna?" Harry asked with surprise.
"Hi! You look better, Harry, and with less nargles too! Bill and Fleur are sure gonna be happy!" the young girl smiled in her chair next to Harry's bed.
"What happened? How long was I out?" Harry frowned.
"A while. Gohan and those Americans saved us and brought us here. Although, Dean and the goblin, Griphook, left with Gohan a while ago. Haven't seen him since." Luna frowned.
"Gohan… I owe you another one." Harry chuckled.
Hogsmeade…
CRACK! Gohan, Pan, and Jenny reappeared in an alley close to the street. Gohan felt a sense of familiarity as he looked around at the shops, the mountains, and the street. For a second, everything was quiet. Then, a loud shriek cut through the air, causing Gohan, Jenny, and Pan to cover their ears with their hands. It was so bad that Gohan's ears were killing him, even worse due to his sensitive hearing. He knew, without a doubt, that it had been caused by their appearance. Then, as he peeked out, a dozen Death Eaters rushed out of the Three Broomsticks.
"You didn't exactly think this through, did you?" Jenny hissed,.
" I did, for the most part. Ladies, the cloak, if you please." Gohan asked.
"Why?" Pan frowned as she pulled it out.
"Just do it." Gohan smirked as he leaped onto the roof of the store next to them.
"What's he up to?" Jenny frowned as Pan draped the cloak over them. A second later, the Death Eaters looked into the alley.
"Under your cloak, are ya, Potter!" one of the Death Eaters yelled.
"Accio!" another one yelled. Pan held onto the edge of the cloak, but it didn't move.
"Not hiding under your cloak, eh, Potter?" another one yelled.
"Split up! Find him!" another Death Eater yelled
"Twelve? Cell, you're slipping." Gohan smirked as he leaped over the roof towards two Death Eaters that ducked into a nearby alley.
"So, you here, Potter?" one of the Death Eaters yelled.
"Wrong." Gohan smirked behind the Death Eater, causing him to whirl with shock.
"GAHHH!" he was quickly cut off. His partner whirled with shock.
"Simmons? You there?" the Death Eater called out as he walked forward slowly.
"Sorry, Simmons has left the general vicinity." Gohan smirked. The Death Eater whirled with shock. A blade went through the man's chest a second later. He gasped and fell to the ground.
"What the hell was that?" a Death Eater frowned in a nearby alley. His partner frowned. Then, they whirled in shock. A scream quickly cut out with a few punches.
"Jerks." Pan sniffed as she cracked her hands. Then, they whirled to see Gohan land in front of them.
"Now what?" Pan hissed.
"Come on, follow me." Gohan hissed back as he led them down the street. After making it down the street, they ducked into another alley.
"Where the hell is he?" a Death Eater yelled as he ran out.
"Send out the Dementors, they'll find him!" someone else yelled.
"Aw crap." All three of them said at the same time as a cold feeling crept over them. Gohan turned to see Dementors floating towards them. Pan gasped as tears started pouring out of her eyes, while Jenny started shivering and wimpering. Gohan gritted his teeth as horrible memories started coming into his mind. With his full strength and determination, he pointed his wand at the Dementors.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Gohan roared. To Gohan's surprise, instead of his father, a lion flew from his wand and smashed into the dementors with a roar, driving the Dementors back.
"What the?"
"I thought Potter's Patronus was a stag!"
"It must not be him!"
"If it's not him, who is it?"
"Are the Americans here?"
"Great, now they know we're here!" Pan hissed.
"No, they knew that we were here the second we landed. We walked straight into a trap, but for the wrong person. Jenny, where's your gun?" Gohan asked.
"You want to start a shootout?" Jenny hissed. Then, a creaking sound made them turn to see a door open.
"In here, quick!" a voice hissed. Pan and Jenny looked at each other, and quickly ducked inside. Gohan frowned, and then ducked in behind them. They found themselves in a dark pub.
"Hide, quick!" the same man from earlier ordered.
"Dumbledore?" Gohan thought with confusion as he did what the man ordered, running up the stairs and into the closet room. Then, they heard banging on the door, followed by the sound of the door opening.
"If I want to let my cat out, that's my own damn buisness." Gohan heard the man curse at the Death Eaters.
"You? You set off the Cauterwauling Charm?" one of them asked with a hint of disbelief.
"You know anything about why four of our soldiers haven't came back?" one of them asked.
"Why should I be blamed if they got snuck off to get drunk again and wandered off? They'll probably turn up in the morning with hangovers." The man snarled.
"And the Dementors, you attacked them?" another man asked.
"We saw a lion." Another one added.
"Lion? Lion? Expecto Patronum!" Then, a huge figure leaped from the man's wand and trotted down the street.
"It looked like a lion." The same man repeated, although not with certainty.
"A lion? That's a goat, you idiot!" the man snarled.
"Are you threatening me?" the man snarled.
"What are you going to do, shut me down? Then where are you going to trade your poisons and weapons? I'm sure that your Russian and Cuban friends will be pleased to hear that. Trust me, Russians don't like to be pissed off. I remember what they used to do to Germans during the Second World War…" the man chuckled, making the Death Eaters squeaked.
"Enough! Just, don't go out during afterhours again. You're lucky we don't tell Hammer about this. Next time, we won't be so lenient!" Gohan felt Pan's hand tighten on his arm. Then, the door slammed shut. Jenny moaned with relief as she staggered back, and Pan sighed with relief as she wiped her eyes. Gohan simply let out a soft sigh as he sat down on a chair and took his helmet off. Jenny and Pan blinked in surprise at the condition of Gohan's face. He looked like he hadn't shaved in weeks, and his skin was pale. His face also bore the scars of his past battles.
"Dad, it's not healthy to wear that all the time. Your skin's going to go pale, and you'll suffer from a Vitamin D deficiency." Pan frowned.
"You're one to talk." Gohan smirked. Then, they turned at the sound of the man coming up the stairs, and then through the door. Gohan blinked at the man in front of him.
"You're all insane, coming here. Especially you, saiyan. You should have stayed in the States." The man said as he looked at Gohan.
"Well, it wasn't exactly safe there." Pan frowned as she looked at a portrait on the wall of a young girl.
"You're Abeforth. Dumbledore's brother." Gohan frowned.
"So, you know who I am. And I know who you are. I remember you, always coming around with a different girl." Abeforth said, making Gohan sputter. Jenny frowned as she looked at a mirror.
"Hey, I can see Harry's room in this!" Jenny frowned. Gohan looked at the mirror. Jenny was right.
"You're the face I saw in the mirror! You're the one who sent Dobby!" Gohan said with realization.
"Where have you left him?" Abeforth asked.
"He's dead." Gohan said softly.
"That's a shame. I liked that elf." Abeforth sighed. Then, he left the room, and returned moments later with butterbeer and bread. The three young wizards ate for what seemed like hours, finally getting a good meal after all the recent chaos.
"Thank you! That was a lot better than army chow!" Jenny smiled. Abeforth frowned as Gohan drank a firewhiskey.
"Wooo! I needed that." Gohan smirked as he wiped his lips.
"I recognize you. You're Warren Griffin's daughter. You look like your mother." Abeforth said as he flicked his wand, cleaning the table.
"You knew my parents?" Jenny asked.
"Yes, both of them. I've owned this pub for a long time. I remember your father. He was one of the first Americans ever to go to Hogwarts. He was arrogant and stubborn, reckless. I remember him coming into my pub when he was fourteen and demanding firewhiskey. He liked to start fights, and usually let his temper get the best of him. Used to be the womanizer of Hogwarts. Girls adored him." Jenny gaped at this description of her father.
"And… my mother?" Jenny asked.
"Hah! Was the only girl to ignore your father, and completely tell him off. This drove him nuts. Nothing he did seemed to impress her. Eventually, your father matured and got his act together, and the two fell in love at the end of their last year. I wonder if you've figured out what the truth behind all this is." Abeforth chuckled.
"And what's that?" Gohan frowned.
"Don't be stupid, boy, don't you see that Griffin's using you, to get revenge on you-know-who? He couldn't do it before, so he's using you now to smash you-know-who's empire apart." Abeforth replied.
"You're wrong, my father's a good man!" Jenny snarled.
"He's an American politician, they all lie. It's just a matter of who's the better liar. That's why I've never been to the States, it's pathetic compared to what it used to be." Abeforth muttered.
"Anyway… thank you for saving our lives." Gohan said. Abeforth gave a small grunt.
"You know, they call you a terrorist now. The Pureblood Butcher. They also say that you drink the blood of the purebloods that you kill." Abeforth said.
"It's criminal propaganda." Gohan frowned.
"Did you kill Severus Snape?" Abeforth frowned.
"No, Cell did." Gohan frowned.
"Hey, that reminds me. Who's the new headmaster?" Pan frowned.
"Apparently, the Ministry hired back that hag who replaced my brother a few years back." Abeforth answered, making Pan gasp and Gohan choke on his drink.
"Great… just great…" Gohan groaned.
"Anyway, you should be able to get out of here in the morning. Sneak out of here and go up to the mountains, you can disssperate from there." Abeforth said.
"I can't do that. We need to get in the castle. I'm trying to finish a job that your brother gave me." Gohan frowned.
"Oh really? My brother wanted many things, boy, and people tended to get hurt while he was carrying out his grand plans. You get away from this school, boy, before you become him." Abeforth frowned.
"What do you want me to do, go form a superhero team and live in a big tower, fighting crime, playing video games, and eating the occasional pizza?" Gohan smirked.
"You're joking at a time like this?"
"If you haven't noticed, you-know-who's empire is falling apart, thanks to me!" Gohan smirked.
"All you did was start the Third World War." Abeforth frowned.
"Hey, I'm saving this world! And I'm not running! I'm going to fight Cell and kill him, once and for all!" Gohan snarled as the bottle in his hand cracked, and then exploded.
"Oh really? I remember my brother tell me about how you go so obsessed with the android that you thought you saw him everywhere?" Abeforth said. Gohan snarled. Then, he took a deep breath.
"Those days are done. Besides, I'm a man of honor, and I'm going to finish the job that your brother left me." He said.
"Ha ha hah… keep telling yourself that." A voice chuckled inside Gohan's head. Gohan ignored him.
"Honor… hah. My brother lost his honor long ago. But, how would you know? You probably thought the world of him." Abeforth chuckled.
"No, I didn't." Gohan frowned, making Jenny and Pan blink.
"Oh really?" Abeforth asked.
"Yeah. I don't know if I'll ever forgive him for what he did to my father and half-sister. I had a sibling, and he never told me the whole time! When I found out, I wanted to snap his neck!" Gohan snarled.
"Hmph. You're not as blind as I thought. It's not so great when your brother isn't all you thought he was, isn't it?" Abeforth asked. Pan frowned as she looked down.
"That's Ariana, isn't it?" Gohan frowned as he looked at the portrait.
"So, you read Rita Skeeter. There's more to that than you understand." Abeforth said.
"Grindewald? You mind telling us the tale?" Gohan frowned. Abeforth sighed, and then slowly told the tale of his childhood. When he finished, Gohan frowned, while Pan and Jenny wiped their eyes.
"I see… if someone had done that to my sister, I would have done the same thing. I would have killed the person responsible, actually." Gohan frowned.
"Is he talking about Victoria or Kiara?" Pan frowned mentally.
"Both of them." Gohan answered, making Pan blink.
""And Albus was free, wasn't he? Free of the burden of his sister, free to become the greatest wizard of the—"
"He was never free... Never. The night that your brother died, he drank a potion that drove him out of his mind. He started screaming, pleading with someone who wasn't there. 'Don't hurt them, please... hurt me instead.' He thought he was back there with you and Grindelwald, I know he did. He thought he was watching Grindelwald hurting you and Ariana... It was torture to him, if you'd seen him then, you wouldn't say he was free." Gohan frowned.
"I see…" Abeforth frowned.
"Look… I'm not fighting for myself. I'm fighting for my baby sister, Victoria, so she can grow up in a better world." Gohan said, making Abeforth blink. Gohan sighed as he stood up.
"Look, if you don't help us, we'll find our own way in, even if we have to smash the front door in." Gohan said.
"Enough. That in itself is suicide." Then, Abeforth turned look at the portrait of Ariana.
"You know what to do." He said. Ariana nodded and turned, walking away until she disappeared.
"Where did you send her?" Pan blinked.
"You'll see, soon enough." Abeforth said as he turned.
"Thank you." Pan said. She glanced at Jenny and Gohan.
"Well… he did save our lives twice." The young saiyan frowned.
"I don't know what you'll say, but… watching us through the mirror like that… that doesn't seem like someone who's given up." Jenny frowned.
"Sigh… I remember chatting with Bulla and Marron about what we would do if we finally got peace. It feels so good to be so close!" Pan grinned
"Where is Marron, anyway?" Gohan blinked.
"London, I think." Pan frowned.
"Hey, she's coming back!" Jenny said.A tiny white dot had reappeared at the end of the painted tunnel, and now Ariana was walking back towards them, growing bigger and bigger as she came. But there was somebody else with her now, someone taller than she was, who was limping along looking excited.
"Who's that behind her?" Jenny frowned.
"I don't know…" Pan frowned as Gohan's hand inched towards the sword on his belt. Then, the portrait swung , and out climbed Neville Longbottom, with his face bruised, his robes ripped, and his hair overgrown.
"I knew you'd come back, I knew it Gohan! Ever since we heard that you beat you-know-who in the States!" Neville grinned as he hugged his old friend.
"I missed you, buddy!" Gohan grinned back as he almost crushed Neville, releasing him only when the boy needed to take a breath. It felt really good to see another old classmate.
"What happened to you?" Pan blinked.
"Hey, you're that girl from the tournament! I remember you. What's your name?" Neville frowned.
"It's Pan." Pan answered.
"Remember me?" Jenny smirked as she tapped her foot, causing Neville to turn towards her.
"Ummmm… you look really familiar. Where have we met before?" Neville frowned.
BAM! Gohan and Pan gaped as Neville rubbed his head.
"What was that for?" Neville gaped
"I was your date to the Yule Ball during the Triwizard Tournament! You stepped on my toes the whole time! My feet were sore for a week!" Jenny snarled. Neville's eyes widened with realization.
"Oh! You're that American from Beaubaxtons, Jenny Griffin! It's good to see you again!" Neville grinned.
"Ha ha." Jenny frowned. Neville frowned as he looked from Jenny to Gohan.
"Oh! Are you two dating?" Neville frowned, making Pan sputter, Gohan blink, and Jenny blush.
"No, we're not. It's not exactly a dating climate, is it?" Gohan laughed.
"I know what you mean." Neville chuckled.
"What happened to you?" Pan frowned.
"What, this? Shamus is worse. You'll see. Shall we get going, then?" Neville chuckled. Then, he turned to Abeforth.
"Abe, there might be a few more people on the way." Neville said.
"I have a few people to call too, actually."
"A couple more? Longbottom, there's a Cauterwauling charm on the damn village!" Abeforth said.
"I know. That's why they'll be directly apparating into the bar." Neville said. He then helped Jenny into the portrait hole, followed by Pan, and then Gohan.
"I thank you for your help, Abeforth. I owe you one." Gohan chuckled.
"Take care. I might not be able to save you a third time." Abeforth said. Gohan smirked as he leapt through.
Shell Cottage…
"Oh!" Luna frowned as she pulled out a gold coin.
"Luna, is that the coin from Dumbledore's Army?" Harry frowned as he sat up.
"Uh huh! Neville sent me something! I think it's a meeting!" Luna said with surprise.
"Really?" Harry frowned as he took the coin from Luna.
"This has Gohan's tracks all over it. He's back at Hogwarts! He's going after it! I have to go after him!" Harry snarled as he sat up and pulled himself out of the bed. He stumbled into a vase, causing it to crack. A minute later, Fleur and Bill rushed in.
"Vot is going on?" Fleur asked.
"It's Gohan! He's at Hogwarts! I've got to help him!" Harry said as he grabbed a shirt.
"You're hurt, Harry." Bill said.
"No, I'm not! I'm fine! I can take much more than this!" Harry said as he pulled his pants on and grabbed his wand. He then rushed to the door.
"This is the time when you decide if you're going to cower or fight." Harry snarled. Then, he rushed out the door.
Hogsmeade Tunnel…
"I take it you have communications, Neville." Gohan asked as he followed him through the tunnel.
"Sure. Aren't the Americans right behind you?" Neville asked.
"Well… most of them are still in London… you see, we kinda came here quickly." Gohan frowned.
"Why's the air so bad?" Jenny asked.
"Yeah… throughout the whole year, those bastards drained the Black Lake and cut down the Forbidden Forest to make weapons for you-know-who's army." Neville said.
"Déjà vu…" Pan muttered.
"So, what was it like with Snape as headmaster?" Gohan frowned.
"We never saw him that much, the Carrows were the ones we needed to watch out for." Neville said.
"Carrows?" Jenny frowned.
"Brother and sister, in charge of discipline. They turned Defense of the Dark Arts into Dark Arts, and they took over the Muggle Studies class. Alecta Carrow's the one in charge. All she talks about it how filthy muggles are. She talks about you a lot." Neville said as he looked at Gohan.
"Really? What's she say?" Gohan smirked.
"That you're a perfect example of pure filth, being a muggle born and half human, that you hate purebloods, which is why you want purebloods extinct. They call you the Pureblood Butcher." Neville chuckled.
"Ouch. Ironic, since they call Morbius the Mudblood Butcher. Dean learned that the hard way." Gohan frowned.
"What? Dean? Is he alive? His family's worried sick about him!" Neville said with shock.
"Don't worry, he's alive. Just a little scarred." Gohan smirked.
"Thank god. Hey… where's Harry, Ron, and Hermione? We all thought that they were with you!" Neville frowned.
"Huh… you haven't heard anything?" Gohan frowned.
"No, the Daily Prophet's been really quiet since New York and London. Did you really kill Professor Snape?" Neville asked.
"No… he got shot in the retreat. He bled to death." Gohan said, leaving out the part where Cell shot the headmaster.
"So… where are Harry, Ron, and Hermione?" Neville asked.
"Well… Harry's alive and well… but… Ron and Hermione… died." Gohan said softly.
"What? Dead? How?" Neville asked with shock.
"They went down fighting, very bravely. I wish I could have saved them." Gohan said softly.
"They'll be remembered, old friend." Neville sighed.
"So… what's it like, with Umbridge back in charge?" Gohan asked.
"Just like fifth year all over again. She started the Inquisitorial Squad again, but, we started Dumbledore's Army again. When Snape was headmaster, we used to run around and spray grafetti, Dumbledore's Army, still recruiting. Snape hated it, and it drives Umbridge nuts." Neville chuckled.
"Wait a minute… how come this tunnel doesn't show up on the Maurader's Map? And doesn't Umbridge know where The Room of Requirement is?" Gohan frowned.
"Wait a minute, I didn't say anything about the Room of Requirement!" Neville frowned.
"You didn't have to. Where else would you hide Dumbledore's Army? Did you break into my grandfather's lab?" Gohan asked.
"Your grandfather's lab?" Neville frowned.
"Never mind. So, you were saying?" Gohan muttered.
"Right. It used to be me, Ginny, and Luna in charge. Then, Ginny vanished one day without a trace, and Luna got grabbed off the Hogwarts Express. So, your old friend thought that since threatening kids had worked so well, doing the same thing in reverse would work as well. So, he sent Aurors and a Russian squad to her house." Neville said.
"He did what?" Pan blinked.
"That sounds like him." Gohan frowned.
Thing was they bit off a bit more than they can chew with Gran. Little old witch living alone, they probably thought they didn't need to send anyone particularly powerful. Anyway, Dawlish and five russians are still in St. Mungo's and Gran's on the run." Neville said.
"Nice job. Does he ever come around, Cell?" Gohan frowned.
"If he does, we never know. He always takes the form of a different person. But, we've heard rumors that, at the beginning of the year, he put four of his kids in Hogwarts, posing as first years, one in each house. Anyway, I guess that your friend thought that I was expendable. He's planning something, something huge." Neville frowned.
"He always is." Gohan frowned.
"Looks like we're here." Neville said as they came around the corner, coming upon the end of the passage.
"Shall we have a bit of fun?" Neville chuckled.
"Lets." Gohan smirked as he placed his helmet back on. Neville walked out first.
"You proved me right, Shamus, it wasn't Harry." Neville said.
"Told ya!" Seamus's voice laughed.
"Hi!" Pan grinned as she appeared behind Neville. Pan looked around
"Hello!" Seamus grinned. Neville was right. Seamus did look worse.
"Hi!" Jenny grinned as she climbed out next. She blinked as she looked around. The room was full of hammocks and had three banners hanging off the ceiling, one for Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. The room was also full of sleeping bags and teenagers. Jenny recognized a few of them.
"Wow, the old place sure has changed since last time." Jenny chuckled. Then, she frowned.
"What, no one remembers me?" Jenny asked.
"Guys, it's Jenny, from the Triwizard Tournament! The American!" Neville laughed. Several people gasped, and then gave Jenny a hug, including Lavander, Patrivi, Cho Chang, and Seamus.
"It's great to see you again!" Lavander squealed.
"Oh, I've got one more person you guys gotta see. I didn't find Harry… but I found someone else." Neville smirked as Gohan stepped out.
"I've been gone for over seven months, and you all forget me? I'm hurt." Gohan smirked as he pulled his helmet off. Sceams instantly followed , followed by hugs, claps on the back, and getting his hair ruffed. It was like winning the Quidditch final again. Once everyone let go, Gohan got a better look. He could also see how gigantic the room was now was now gigantic. There were also bulging bookcases, broomsticks, and a wireless radio.
"Did we get forgotten?" Pan frowned.
"Hey, they love him, let it be. He's as big a symbol of freedom as Harry is." Jenny chuckled.
"Wow guys, it's great to see you all again. I've missed you!" Gohan grinned as he clapped Seamus on the back.
"Amen to that, buddy!" Seamus grinned.
"Ladies, a pleasure as always." Gohan smiled as he kissed Lavander's hand, causing the girls to giggle.
"Still as charming as ever, I see." Neville chuckled.
"Tell me about it." Pan chuckled.
"I love what you've done with the place while I've been gone! It's definitely a lot better than the places I've been recently." Gohan chuckled
"Hey! That's my house you're talking about!" Jenny snapped.
"Besides that, of course." Gohan muttered.
"You look like you haven't shaved in a month."
"So… how'd you all get here?" Gohan frowned as he looked around.
"Well, Neville started it all!" Seamus smiled.
"Did you now…" Gohan smiled as he looked at Neville.
"Well, once my grandmother put those idiots in the hospital, they decided that I was expendable. I think that they were going to shoot me with muggle guns and dump my body. Anyway, I was running through the hallways, and the door opened up, so I leaped in." Nevilel said.
"Nice to see that you don't have Seamus's luck." Gohan smirked, getting roars of laughter in response.
"Just like old times!" Gohan chuckled.
"Anyway, once I came in, there was just a hammock and the Gryffindor banner, but it grew more and more as more members of the DA showed up." Neville said.
"So we've been hiding out here for nearly two weeks, and it just makes more hammocks every time we need room, and it even sprouted a pretty good bathroom once girls started turning up –" Michael smirked.
"—and thought they'd quite like to wash, yes." Susan glared at him.
"Say… where is that bathroom?" Pan asked.
"Ummmm… to your left." Katie blinked.
"Thanks. I haven't exactly had time to go." Pan smirked before rushing into the bathroom, making everyone sweat drop.
"Hey, that reminds me. Umbridge knows where this place is! How did she not find it?" Gohan frowned.
"Interesting question. We figured out how to avoid that problem. All we have to do is think that we don't want any Umbridge or Carrows supporters to find this place, and it works. We can get anything we want, except food. All the other sealed passages were sealed off at the start of the year, so we ended up creating one that led to the Hog's Head." Neville smirked.
"Boy, I wish we had thought of that during fifth year, that would have saved us a lot of trouble. I trust that there are no rats this time?" Cho frowned when Gohan said that.
"Nope!" Neville smirked.
"Nice… Now, I need to get into Ravenclaw Tower." Gohan said, making everyone, especially, the small group of Ravenclaws, frown.
"Why?" Michael asked.
"Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem. We believe that Cell is looking for it so he can become more powerful." Gohan said.
"What? That diadem has been lost for centuries!" a sixth year Ravenclaw that Gohan didn't recognize spoke up.
"That didn't stop Cell. I think he's trying to collect items from the Hogwarts Founders that belonged to them, probably as prizes. He stole the locket of Salazar Slytherin, but we managed to take beat General Morbius and his Imperial Guard to this. The Cup of Hufflepuff!" The hufflepuffs gasped as Gohan held up the cup.
"Unfortunately… in the process, we lost the Sword of Gryffindor." Gohan gulped, getting shocked gasps.
"It wasn;t my fault! A goblin stole it, then Morbius killed him. Unfortunately, now he and the Sword are lying under thousands of pounds of rubble." Gohan laughed nervously.
"You mean, you really did do it? You broke into Gringotts and destroyed it?" Susan asked.
"Did you really escape on a dragon? I got punished for yelling about it at dinner, but it's nothing compared to what you've got!" Terry Boot boasted.
"Well… it was kinda…" Gohan frowned.
"He didn't think it through, which is why billions of dollars is now destroyed!" Jenny snapped.
"Let it go!" Gohan snarled.
"Well… at least Cedric's killer is finally gone." Cho said softly.
"Yeah!" Susan and a few Hufflepuffs cheered.
"I wouldn't be too sure of that." Gohan said, making the cheering stop.
"Why?" Cho frowned.
"If there's one thing I've learned from all my years of fighting, it's that guys like Cell and Morbius keep coming back. Besides, there's no way collapsing rubble would kill him." Gohan sighed.
"So, are you going to help us liberate Hogwarts?" Neville frowned.
"Yeah, but I've got to do this thing first. I've got to get get that diadem! Cell is extremely powerful, and is making a new Axis Powers. If he's not stopped now, the world will rip itself apart in war. Thousands continue to die every day. Cell is building an army greater than any in history." Gohan frowned.
"But you can beat him! We'll help you!" a third year Gryffindor protested. Gohan sighed as he turned around.
"Think your words wisely. Cell has transformed, into a monster, worse than anything you have ever seen, even worse than that of a Dementor. He can take any form his wishes, use any spell he wants, even without a wand. He is very convincing, having already joined with North Korea, Russian Separatists, and Cuban military. Not to mention… the Galactic Empire from the future. Cell rules the Death Eaters as well. You really want to fight that?" Gohan asked.
"Hey, we're not soldiers, but, we've been with you, and continue to be." Neville said.
"Really, like the time that you thought that me and Harry were the Heir of Slytherin? Or, how about how you mocked me and Harry during the Triwizard Tournament, or, how about how you thought that me and Harry were crazy for saying that you-know-who was back! Oh, and what about the time that you thought that I was going insane?" Gohan snapped. Neville and the others looked down in guilt.
"We're sorry, Gohan, really! It's just… the circumstances at the time…" Susan stammered.
"Enough… I'm sorry, the stress is getting to my head." Gohan sighed.
"So… Gohan, got a plan?" Jenny frowned.
"I just wish I knew what that fucking diadem looks like!" Gohan cursed.
"If you'd like to see what the diadem's supposed to look like, I could take you up to our common room and show you, Gohan. Ravenclaw's wearing it in her statue." Cho suggested. Gohan's face lit up.
"Cho! I could kiss you!" He grinned as he hugged her, causing her to blush.
"Really?" Cho stammered.
"Forget romance!" Pan barked.
"Right… Jenny, you good on the wireless?" Gohan asked.
"Well, my electronic skill is a little rusty, but I'll try my best." Jenny frowned as she sat at the radio and fiddled with it.
"We'll help her." Neville said.
"Thanks. Pan?" Gohan smirked as Pan threw him the invisibility cloak.
"Isn't that Harry's?" Neville frowned.
"Not exactly." Gohan frowned.
"And what about me?" Pan asked. Gohan simply stared at her.
"OH! I got it." Pan blinked. Gohan smirked as he draped the cloak over himself and Cho, before walking out the door. Pan followed a minute later, although she went in the opposite direction.
"Where's she going?" Cho whispered to Gohan.
"Other business." Gohan answered back. Cho frowned.
"Okay…" Pan frowned as she looked around the corner of the corridor she was in. The portraits around her were sleeping. Then, Pan's eyes widened as she heard someone singing.
"Slytherin idiots, Slytherin fools, Gohan Son will slice you open and eat you for dinner!" Peeves sang as he floated through the corridor.
"Get back here, you fool!" Filch roared as he chased the poltergeist. Once they were gone, Pan dropped down from the ceiling.
"Those two haven't changed." Pan giggled, before continuing her quiet trek.
"So, you sure it's this way?" Gohan whispered as he and Cho continued through a corridor.
"Yes. The staircase is close by. So this is what it's like under the Invisibility Cloak! Wow…" Cho said softly. Then, Gohan stopped cold.
"Quiet! Someone's coming!" he hissed as he and Cho backed against the wall.
"I mean, what does the Headmistress expect us to find? Those idiots from Dumbledore's Army hide like roaches!" a fifth year Slytherin muttered as he walked down the corridor with a 6th year Slytherin, both who had Inquisitorial Squad badges on their chest.
"I remember back in 95, when the Headmistress started the Inquisitorial Squad. Dumbledore's Army was started by Gohan Son and Harry Potter. I think that they were teaching magic to the punks." The girl muttered. The boy whirled with rage.
"Don't talk to me about that murderer!" he snarled.
"Oh… that's right… I forgot. I'm sorry about your brother." The girl frowned
"He was serving his country when he went to New York! Yet, that saiyan killed him like he did to Professor Snape and so many others!" he snarled before stomping off down the corridor. The girl frowned before following him. Gohan waited several minutes until they were gone.
"Did you…" Cho frowned.
"New York was chaos. Many people died on both sides." Gohan answered, making Cho frown.
"So… who was that girl? You know, the one from before?" Cho asked.
"Let's just say that she's a friend. This it?" Gohan asked as they walked into a giant staircase that went around upward in a spiral.
"So, just upwards?" Gohan frowned. Cho nodded.
"Wow, much higher than Gryffindor." Gohan frowned as he glanced out a window.
"I know. You can see the Forbidden Forest and Black Lake from our common room… or… you used to. How come you're not a Ravenclaw? You're really smart, more than Hermione." Cho frowned as they kept walking up.
"Cho, let me tell you exactly what the Sorting Hat told me when I got sorted. The Hat said that I had the Brains of a Ravenclaw, the Bravery of A Gryffindor, the Cunning of a Slytherin, and loyalty like a Hufflepuff." Gohan smirked.
"Wow… what made you choose Gryffindor?" Cho asked softly.
"I didn't, the hat did." Gohan answered.
"Oh… you would have made a great Ravenclaw. It's too bad our relationship didn't work out." Cho frowned.
"Yeah, me too… why are you here, Cho?" Gohan asked as they got even higher. By now, Gohan could see the smoke rising from the former Black Lake.
"Excuse me?" Cho asked.
"You graduated last year. I should know, I was there." Gohan smirked.
"Oh… well…" Cho stammered. Gohan simply glanced back at her. With a sigh, Cho began her tale.
"Look, after I graduated, the world basically went to hell. I got a job at the Ministry, in the Department of International Cooperation in the two months before it fell. Next thing I knew, muggle-borns were getting rounded up… including my father. He escaped, but… he was killed by General Morbius three months afterwards." Cho said softly as a tear went down her face.
"Oh…" Gohan frowned.
"First her boyfriend, then her father. No wonder she wants him dead." Gohan frowned.
"Anyway…I kept working at the Ministry. Then, one day, I got a letter from the American Ministry informing us that America and Britain were now at war, as declared by the American Congress. The whole department went insane after that. Next thing I knew, everyone of age and higher was getting recruited for the Emperor's Army." Cho continued.
"Let me guess… you thought that meant you-know-who, until Cell did that little announcement of his." Gohan frowned.
"How come you didn't get sent?" Gohan asked.
"Because, I knew that I'd die. I've read my history. America beat Britain twice in the past. They've never lost a fight. So… I ran. Just packed up all my stuff and all my money and ran." Cho answered.
"Smart." Gohan frowned.
"Yeah. I read in the Daily Prophet about the loss. Fifty thousand dead. And you led the Americans. They had a picture of you, Commander." Cho smirked.
"It's General now, actually." Gohan smirked.
"Before I continue, I have to ask. Is help going to come?" Cho asked.
"Hopefully, if Jenny can reach someone." Gohan frowned.
"Oh… so, I just ran for three months afterwards. I… saw what the killing squads were doing. Dead families, children…" Cho said softly.
"Like the Nazis." Gohan frowned.
"I got caught once. I managed to get away because they thought that I was Korean. Not to mention the Snatchers and the bounty hunters." Cho smiled.
"Racist ignorant idiots. And I've met a few of those guys." Gohan smirked.
"Their ignorance saved my life. Other times, it was pure luck. I saw what they were doing to other women…" Cho trailed off.
"I prefer to think that we make our own luck. How'd you get to Hogwarts?" Gohan asked.
"About two and a half weeks ago, I wandered into Hogsmeade. My clothes were almost rags, and I had very little money left. I used the last of my money to get a room at the Hog's Head and some food." Cho answered.
"Where you met Abeforth." Gohan chuckled.
"Uh huh. I'm lucky that it wasn't a Hogwarts weekend day, or someone might have recognized me. Anyway, Abeforth recognized me. He asked if I was on the run, and I told him was. Next thing I knew, Neville crawled out of a portrait, and the rest is history." Cho said.
"Brilliant. It'd take me a week to tell you all my tales. Not to mention all" Gohan chuckled.
"We're here." Cho said. Gohan frowned as he looked in front of him. In front of him was not a portrait, but a door with an eagle knocker on it, no doorknob or keyhole.
"This? Where's the portrait?" Gohan frowned as he ran his hands over the door.
"Portrait?" Cho frowned.
"The Gryffindor and Slytherin common rooms have portraits that guard the entrance." Gohan explained.
"Oh. Wait… how do you know how to get to the Slytherin common rooms?" Cho asked.
"Don't ask. I'm not all that sure about Hufflepuff either. So, what's the password, Cho?" Gohan asked.
"Password? We don't have a password." Cho frowned as she looked at Gohan curiously.
"Gahh…" Gohan gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Gohan?" Cho frowned curiosly. Gohan took a deep breath, regaining his composure.
"So… how does someone gain access?" Gohan asked.
"You have to answer a riddle." Cho said. Then, she knocked on the door. To Gohan's surprise, the eagle opened it's mouth.
"Which came first, the pheonix, or the flame?" the knocker asked.
"Ummm… what do you think, Cho?" Gohan asked. Cho frowned for a minute, before smiling.
"A circle has no beginning." Cho smirked.
"Well answered." The knocker said. Then, the door swung open.
"Ni ni nice!" Gohan grinned as they slowly walked inside.
"Sheesh, gotta be around here somewhere. I've been gone too long." Pan frowned as she continued to sneak through the hallways. Then, she smirked as she leaped down a staircase, landing softly on the ground.
"Here we go…" Pan smirked as she reached a wooden door.
"A little late to be out, isn't it, Pan?" someone chuckled, causing Pan to whirl with shock.
"YOU!" she gaped.
"We seem to keep running into each other, don't we?" the figure chuckled. Pan instantly whipped her hand to her back, but cursed when she felt nothing but air.
"Without your toy, huh?" the figure chuckled.
"I'm not afraid of you. I kicked your ass before, and I'll do it again." Pan smirked. Then, a punch sent her flying through the door.
"Nice one." Pan smirked as she wiped her face.
"Consider that payback…" the figure snarled.
"So, might I ask what you are doing here?" Pan smirked.
"I might ask you the same thing." The figure chuckled. Then, before Pan could do anything, a red spell hit her, sending her flying into a toilet.
"Crap…" Pan groaned as she tried to get recollected. Then, she gaped at her current situation.
"Ewww!" Pan squealed
"This time… you're not getting away." The figure smirked, before grabbing Pan's head and slamming it into another toilet. The figure then grabbed Pan and threw her into the sink. Pan smirked as she wiped blood from her mouth.
"You still haven't changed… Bardock." She smirked at her brother.
"Oh yes I have… in more ways than one." Tyranus smirked. Then, Pan watched as he raised his helmet, and gasped as it clattered to the ground.
Ravenclaw Common Room…
"Wow…" Gohan said as he looked around. It was a wide, circular room with a midnight blue carpet, arched windows hung with blue and bronze silks, and a domed ceiling painted with stars. The room was also furnished with tables, chairs, and bookcases, and by the door that looked like it lead up to the dormitories stood a tall statue of Rowena Ravenclaw made of white marble.
"So… is it better than the Gryffindor Common Room?" Cho asked with a smile.
"I will only admit that the height is better. Besides, I bet there's no passage to a laboratory in this one." Gohan smirked.
"Wait, what?" Cho frowned.
"Never mind. I'm gonna get a closer look at that statue." Gohan frowned as he pulled the cloak off himself and Cho, before he leaped onto the statue and read the words on the crown.
"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure." Gohan read.
"Which makes you pretty skint, mudblood." Gohan and Cho whirled to see Alecto Carrow smile as she pressed the Dark Mark on her arm.
Uh oh… now, the fight really begins! Can Pan defeat her brother? Will help arrive in time? Review!