Chapter Forty-Four
Rolling the Dice
When Quintin and Jeremy stepped into the Fluffy Room, Anna, Sirius, Ambrose, and Jack were already there.
"So you're both going now?" Quintin inquired.
"The only thing better than two chaperones is three," Anna replied.
"Three? Oh, you're counting the Hat," Sirius said, then shrugged it off. "Shall we? Truman's already down there, and I installed a stove this morning since we're using it as a research lab."
"Research lab?" Anna repeated.
"Yeah, that's what I called it in my maintenance report, anyway," Sirius said, working his way down the ladder.
Truman greeted them as they came down, sitting on a stool near a small table he transfigured to put his coffee on. Ambrose was there as well, currently warming his hands near the stove.
"Good morning," Truman said. "All set up and ready to go."
"Thanks for helping, Truman. I hope this isn't setting you back on my homework," Anna said.
"Not really. Three out of my six classes while I'm here is with Professor Craw, and you know she's not going to mind," Truman said. "So are you doing the dice today?"
"Yes, as soon as I figure out what to go for," Quintin said, pulling them out. "While I was studying them last night, I noticed that two of the numbers on this die... the one and the three... are colored red instead of black. I was thinking that it reminds me of O'Laren's clue... one black piece and three white."
"But why are they both on the same die then instead of being on one of each?" Jeremy asked.
"Well, maybe it's not just three red pips and one black that's significant. Maybe the other way around is significant too," Jack replied.
"In other words, there might be more than one memory attached to these dice, depending on how you roll them," Ambrose conjectured.
"Do you actually have to roll them to get them to work, or can you just set the numbers the right way?" Jeremy asked.
"I think you have to roll them. I'm sure I set them down with a one and a three at some point last night, and nothing happened," Quintin said.
"Just as well that it didn't, you might have gotten in over your head," Sirius said sternly.
"He can't get in over his head. I'm already there," the Sorting Hat replied calmly.
"Yes, well, good point," Anna said unconcernedly. "Quintin, go ahead and start rolling them on the plate until you get four to show up on the dice."
"Alright," Quintin said, and rolled the dice a few times until finally he rolled a pair of twos.
"That doesn't count," Jeremy said with a sigh when Quintin stopped to ponder it.
"Then how come the mirror is fogging over?" Anna asked.
Everyone looked up curiously and saw the image of someone walking down the back corridors of Hogwarts, looking as if they were going towards where the electives classrooms were now.
"Well, at least it looks tame at the moment," Sirius commented.
"Right, let's go," Anna agreed, and they all stepped in an found themselves following Caprica down the corridor. She was wearing a heavy tan dress and had her hair bound up, so Anna gathered from her simple attire that it was early in her career when she was still teaching.
Just then, a curly-haired, clean shaven man appeared around the corner. Anna felt a strange jolt when she realized it was Cuthbert Wuscfrea, fairly handsome and young in appearance despite his weathered hands. There weren't any paintings of him in the castle and it was her first time seeing him, but Anna knew from the start the she was looking at another Aethermage. He was looking down the corridor anxiously, and after spotting Caprica went over to meet her.
"Wait, you don't want to go that way. They're at it again," Cuthbert warned her.
"What, again? What are they doing up here? They usually fight in the Potion Room," Caprica said, taking his advice and backtracking down a different corridor.
"They ended up in the Dark Arts room this time. Where were you going?" Cuthbert asked.
"To the Dark Arts room to help Janus," Caprica admitted.
"The only way we could possibly help Janus right now is to get one of our mistresses to intervene. Is Mistress Hufflepuff close?"
"Out in the garden with the other apprentices," Caprica replied.
Suddenly they heard a scramble as several panicked children ran in their direction. Wuscfrea quickly opened the nearest classroom door and ushered them in. Caprica followed behind just in time to catch sight of dark robes crossing the corridor. She shut the door and brought out her wand. By the time Salazar opened suspiciously opened the door, all of the students were busy scrubbing the floors while Caprica supervised their progress. Wuscfrea was nowhere in sight.
"And just what are you doing in here on a Sunday?" he asked, squinting at her.
"Carrying out student repentance, Master Slytherin," Caprica replied.
"Well, make sure you sanitize the floor again once they're done! Who knows what sort of germs some of those mongrels carry!" Salazar snapped with distaste.
"Yes, Master Slytherin," Caprica replied solemnly.
"Vile creatures... at least they're on their knees where they belong," he added spitefully before wandering further down the corridor to take his frustration out on someone else.
Cautiously the door to the cabinet opened, and Cuthbert peered out of it.
"It's alright, he's gone," Caprica reported, and there was a sigh around the room as the students sat up and Cuthbert stepped out. "That was quite clever, Professor Wuscfrea."
"I was hoping that he would see no reason to punish students already doing punishment, and it seems to have worked," Cuthbert agreed.
"Thank you, Professor," a teenager in crumpled robes said as he got to his feet, helping another boy who looked like him but a couple of years younger... a brother perhaps.
"I don't understand why Master Slytherin and Sir Gryffindor keep fighting over a cauldron full of pink porridge!" the younger boy said as the rest of the students began to get to their feet.
"And I don't see why Master Slytherin doesn't want to help our neighbors when it's not their fault that there was a border skirmish so near... or that the winter is so harsh. It is our Christian duty to help them," said another boy wearing a tabard with a scar under his eye.
"Mistress Hufflepuff is growing what extra she can in the greenhouse. If you would like to help, I'm sure she could use the extra hands, Seamus. In fact, she's hoping to harvest some grain for storage this very day," Caprica said.
"Won't Master Slytherin be cross if he finds out? I don't want to get punished for helping," the younger brother said.
"What does it matter? He punishes us either way," the older brother said. "I don't think Lady Ravenclaw would mind if we went out there."
"No, not at all. In fact, maybe I'll go with you, just to be safe," Cuthbert said.
"I'll be along. I want to check on Professor Craw," Caprica told Cuthbert.
"Your neck be it," Cuthbert replied evenly.
"Don't worry, we're friends now," Caprica assured him, ignoring his dubious expression. She stepped out into the corridors and slipped over to the Dark Magic room to see Janus righting some desks. "Decided to fight in here for a change, did they? Which way did Sir Gryffindor go?" she asked.
"Up the back stairs, undoubtedly to his office. Thank god those two work on separate ends of the castle so that they don't run into each other too often!" Janus said, taking out his wand to patch up one of the broken desks.
"What started this one? The usual?" Caprica asked.
"Sir Gryffindor and Bedivere took a ride out along the border and through the east farmlands to survey the state of the farmers, hunting some deer and game to bring with him," Janus replied. "Sir Gryffindor said that the few who still have food have nothing but turnips, and Hufflepuff's order to burn the infested grain that had been making them plague-ridden only worsened their hunger. Sir Gryffindor, after reminding Slytherin how Hogwarts depended on the surrounding farms to supplement our own larders, asked again to borrow the Cauldron until the end of winter. As you can imagine, that request did not go well. In fact, Master Slytherin pointed out that if they did starve, it would leave more land for pure blood land holders to move in. As you can guess, that remark did not sit well with Sir Gryffindor. I was wary to get in the middle of it, just I am wary to get in the middle of it behind their backs."
"Tell me you're not trying to get out of the arrangement," Caprica said sternly.
"If we are found, our punishment will be harsh indeed..." Craw warned.
"If anyone else in this castle are caught in that part of the dungeon, they would Disappear," Caprica pointed out.
"You seem to be under the impression that he would not kill us on the grounds that we are his apprentices and students, but you would be wrong. His punishment for us would be far greater," Janus argued.
"A greater punishment than death?" Caprica challenged him.
"Yes, if he has his way," Janus agreed.
"Then you'll go against your promise to help out of fear?" Caprica challenged him. Janus frowned, glancing at the door concernedly before looking back at her.
"I will help you this once, but only to get the bags to the lake tunnel. If my fellow apprentices wish to risk their lives and take the bags through to the other side, so be it. But if you truly want me to carry out my promise to Icarus and pass my knowledge down through my family line, my hands must remain clean. If I am caught, my Master will strike my family down with a single spell. I gave my word to Icarus to preserve my family, so that takes priority. You have other means of getting those sacks there," Janus said.
"If we had other means, we would not be asking any of you. We do understand the risks, but this is the only way we can sneak it out of the castle without his knowing," Caprica argued.
"So you say, but you seem to forget that my Master always has ways of knowing," Janus reminded her.
"He doesn't know our true plan," Caprica pointed out.
"And yet you're willing to risk it all for a bunch of mud-sowing peasants," Janus said.
"Yes. Aren't you?" Caprica inquired.
"Only if we don't get caught," Janus retorted begrudgingly. Caprica nodded with a smile, apparently reassured.
There was a brief moment of fog, and Quintin wondered if it was time to step out of the memory when suddenly it continued.
Caprica was walking down another corridor, but this time she was accompanying Helga Hufflepuff. Rowena Ravenclaw herself was walking in front of them, stepping outside and onto a graveled path that swirled around a birdbath. They were in the back grounds where the Elfwillow was now planted. Rowena glanced sideways with a frown.
"Salazar is coming this way," Rowena warned.
"What, out here? Perhaps I should go cover my Heart's Ease before they shrivel and die," Helga suggested and Caprica had trouble keeping a straight face.
"Come now, we are all friends, even if we have disagreements," Rowena said calmly, ignoring the fact that both Helga and Caprica were gazing at her skeptically. "Such lovely roses, Helga, you do have a way with them... you have learned to cultivate them despite their thorns. One can do much if one only takes great care," Rowena said, pausing to gently sniff one still on the bush before pausing as if she had just noticed Salazar's approach. Helga, on the other hand, glanced at the sky as if expecting the clouds to block out the sun in an effort to protect it from him.
"Good afternoon, Salazar. Is it not warm today?" Rowena offered.
"Do not play games with me. Where is Dagda's Cauldron?" Salazar demanded.
"Is it missing?" Rowena asked, snipping off some roses.
"How could it be missing? Nobody in the castle even knows where you hid it in the first place," Helga said.
"Someone must have found it. Someone clever enough to get through my security," Salazar said.
"Impossible, Salazar. We all know of your power, and your ability to take every precaution and plan for every situation, and none who have tried have lived to tell the tale," Rowena reassured him, snipping another rose.
"Maybe you left it somewhere and forgot where you put it?" Helga suggested.
"Do you think I am a complete imbecile?" Salazar snapped loudly at her. Helga took a step back but stopped short of an apology. "Speaking of imbeciles, where is that apprentice of yours who walks through Hogwarts unimpeded? Where is Wuscfrea?"
"Wuscfrea went home to help with the plowing as he does every spring, Salazar, but I agree that the Cauldron must be found and made safe from anyone who might use its power for the wrong reasons. I shall send my apprentices to help you find it at once," Rowena offered.
"Don't bother! Until I find out who stole my Cauldron, everyone is suspect, including you!" Salazar snarled. "I even questioned my own apprentices to make certain they weren't conspiring against me."
"What about Gryffindor? Aren't you two always arguing over that thing?" Helga asked.
"Despite our argument, his mind is like a sieve to me, just as yours is, Helga," Salazar snapped.
"Do you suppose whoever took it did so to stop the fighting?" Rowena pondered thoughtfully.
Salazar angrily pushed the rosebush out of his view, ignoring the blood that dripped down his arm.
"Tell me at once where it is, Rowena!" Salazar demanded.
"How can I possibly know where it is when I didn't even know where you were keeping it to begin with? It is not within my reach," Rowena said firmly.
Salazar let the bush snap back, but fortunately, Rowena had already anticipated such a reaction and had stepped back ahead of time. The three witches watched as he stormed back inside, and Rowena held a rose in front of her lips.
"I don't trust what he's going to do next," Helga admitted worriedly. "Do you think that the Cauldron was really stolen to stop the fighting between them, Rowena?"
"No," Rowena admitted, finally putting the rose aside. "If anything, I think the fighting will worsen. We must watch our step, and do what we can to insure that our students are not subjected to his wrath."
As the mirror fogged over completely, Jeremy felt more than a little frustrated.
"That was really weird. What did any of that have to do with anything? There were definitely no clues about defeating Voldemort in there," Jeremy complained.
"Well, maybe the rolls that aren't one pip and three pips just have some random memories inside of them," Jack suggested.
"Maybe, but we did learn what Cuthbert Wuscfrea looked like and a bit of his personality," Quintin offered. "Not to mention that we saw first hand how the arguments of Dagda's Cauldron led to its been taken from the castle."
"Did it?" Anna sounded unsure, the others glancing at her. "I know that's what we've always been told, but after what Rowena said, I'm not so sure it's as simple as that," she mused. "Especially since she was the one that had Wuscfrea take Dagda's Cauldron away in the first place."
"But when he asked her if she knew where it was, she answered truthfully that she didn't," Quintin said.
"She was deliberately answering as little as she could but as truthfully as she could to keep from angering him. She was doing everything she could to make sure he only picked up what she wanted him to pick up," Anna said bluntly.
"You're right, she was," Sirius agreed. "She was using the roses as an excuse to turn her back on him and to keep from him during certain points of that conversation, and she asked careful questions to parry his, only answering what she could safely answer. I've seen Severus do something like that with Jennifer, when he didn't want to lie but also didn't want to give anything away."
"Severus typically does it to protect her. In this case, Rowena was attempting to protect Icarus and Wuscfrea," Anna agreed. "Rowena must have had some mental powers of her own; she sensed him before he came."
"We found mentions of that in her books," Jeremy offered. "Rowena was an Augur and a Seer, taught by her parents. She knew all sorts of druidic rituals and used divination as they knew it in those days, and Astrology based on old druidic principles."
"That explains why the common room is filled with sun, moon, and star references," Quintin said.
"Most of the finest Diviners this school has ever had came through Ravenclaw house," the Sorting Hat offered.
"Essie was a Hufflepuff," Quintin reminded him.
"Most isn't all. Hufflepuff has had its fair share as well, Essie and Ambrose being near the top," the Hat said.
"Thanks," Ambrose replied.
"Let's not get off topic any more than we already are," Jeremy said with a sigh, writing in his book. "I've noted that we saw students scrambling away from Slytherin after a fight over the Cauldron, and that Caprica had them scrub the floor while Wuscfrea hid in the closet... why did Wuscfrea hide in the closest?"
"I can answer that," Anna said evenly. "It's because he was an Aethermage. Slytherin would have seen it as a very threatening talent."
"He also implied he was an imbecile during the second half," Sirius pointed out.
"That's because Wuscfrea was dyslexic and could barely read, but orally, he picked up languages quickly and was really very talented at creating spells that everyone could learn," Quintin replied.
"Yeah. We were surprised to learn how many of those are still in first and second year primers," Jeremy agreed.
"He must have had some insane control over his instincts to have done that... trust me, it's not easy," Anna said. "Did you get everything down, Jeremy?"
"Just finishing up, and putting in a note saying that you don't think that their arguing was the real reason it was stolen," Jeremy said.
"No, I don't. Roll them again and let's see what else we can find out," Anna said.
"Getting sucked into this thing as well now?" Sirius inquired.
"I've always had questions about this time period, actually. Besides, my profiler background is starting to kick in," Anna admitted.
"Okay, I'll give it another go," Quintin said, having to roll it several times before finally the red pip and three black pips finally were on top, the mirror fogging over.
"There we go," Truman said, after having worried for a moment that something had broken.
"It's working exactly as specified," Quintin reassured him.
"Look! Where is that?" Jeremy asked in confusion. It was a dark, strange room with floating candles and a series of lines on what appeared to be an obsidian floor.
"Let's go see for ourselves," Ambrose suggested.
They all stepped through and found themselves in a strange room and on a strange surface, staring down at their feet.
"It's sand," Jack commented.
"Where are we?" Jeremy asked.
"Under the castle," Sirius said, glancing at the open pipe that led away from the area before looking up as Janus point towards the ground at the other three apprentices, who had been admiring his handiwork.
"It's this one here," Janus pointed out. "Try not to fall, especially when all of us are using it. I made it so that you can't get out on your own if you're caught."
"Wouldn't it be safer if one of us stayed behind?" Caprica suggested.
"Much safer, yes, but if all four of us need to seal in our own items, we're all going to need to reach the platform, and for some strange reason, I don't want anyone else to know about this considering what just happened," Janus said.
"What about the basilisk?" O'Laren asked.
"Don't worry, Ssashasin already spoke to him; he won't mention this room as long as he's allowed to use it to hide from prying eyes," Janus replied unconcernedly.
They watched as he deftly crossed the line as if he were a tightrope walker, his friends following more slowly behind. When they got to the platform, they paused a moment from relief. A very haggard Icarus looked around blearily.
"This all looks familiar. I remember this," Icarus murmured.
"Good, then we're probably doing the right thing," Janus said.
"I know we are," Caprica reassured them.
"Do not speak your names, in case the enemy finds this room. Use our Quarry positions instead," Icarus insisted, raising his grey hood. The others did the same. "Let us begin."
Janus took out an ornate box that had a small offering dish on the top of it. Then he took out a bejeweled dagger that Quintin instantly recognized as the family dagger and watched as he pricked the finger of each one of them, and they added a drop of blood to the cup. Each time they did, the box glowed with a different color. Janus nodded to them and put away his dagger.
"Now, fellow Quarry players, we must present our items and speak of our current plight, so that those in the future understand how dire things are and that we understand what trials await them," Icarus said.
"I am still uncertain if I chose rightly," Janus admitted. "But I did use it to safeguard the trap if my ancestor does have trouble reaching the center."
"I have faith that whoever gets mine will use it for good, just as you should, Keeper, but I wonder what my master will think when he finds his mirror missing," Bedivere added wryly.
Icarus stepped over and opened the ornate box.
"Does Godric suspect what we have done, Seeker?" Janus asked.
"No, no… we wouldn't have gotten him to understand," Bedivere said carefully. "The price would have been too great even for him. It had to be us."
"Do you think there will ever come a time when this is over?" Caprica asked. "This rivalry… this curse. It'll live long past our own lives, perhaps even our own legacies. What if it never ends?"
"It will end, Chaser," Icarus said wearily. "No one will know in our time who my father was, or that I was the one that killed him. It may perhaps be generations before the entire truth is discovered. If we are lucky, they never will. And if this is all for naught, then let the blame fall on me, and for what this may bring to the future of your families to come."
"Surely, Beater, you do not plan to go ahead and take your own family! You cannot seriously blame them in this!" Bedivere protested.
"Blame them? Of course not. I blame no one but my father for this," Icarus said, putting a red bottle in the box. "I shall do it out of love, for only then can I bear it. As for my brother, with any luck he is dead."
"And if he isn't?" asked Janus. He took out a large, oddly sided clear gem and put it in the box. Caprica then added a scroll, looking at the contents thoughtfully.
"That, Keeper, is why we must do this, as you well know," the Icarus said, looking over at Janus. "I do not envy you your destinies."
"I don't think anyone would envy any of us if they had any idea what we were doing," Bedivere said, setting a mirror in the box. "But what must be, must be, to save the school and the future. I do not regret this pact we have made."
"Nor do I," the other three said, giving each other a weak, private smile.
"Very well, brothers and sister, let's then close the box with our memory and seal it…for all time, or the time of greater evil, whichever lies in our path."
"For Witches and Wizards of any descent," said the Chaser, putting her hand on the box.
"For Knowledge and Wisdom," said the Keeper, adding his hand to her own.
"For the future of all, Magic or Muggle alike," said the Seeker, smiling sadly as he joined them.
"And for the preservation of Hogwarts," said the Beater, adding his hand to seal the box.
The box glowed for a moment more, and then the light faded, prepared for the thousand year wait before it was opened again.
Icarus crumpled to the floor and began to sob. Caprica quickly got down to comfort him.
"It's all right. It's over now," Caprica said firmly, her arm around him. "Slytherin is gone and can never threaten this school or its students again, and only the four of us know for certain what happened."
"They have their suspicions, of course, but they can hardly prove it," Janus said. "You and your family are safe, Icarus, but if you are still concerned about them, I'm certain we can move them out of harm's way. You can build a house on my land if you like."
"I have a cottage nearby you could use," Bedivere offered.
"Don't you think that would only arouse more suspicion?" Icarus snapped.
"That's not the point, Ick. The point is that the three of us will do everything in our power to protect you and your family," Caprica said, then patted the box. "Now that we've insured that our descendants have a way to defeat the enemy in their time period, it's time for us to concentrate on doing what's best for us now, and that includes protecting you, your family, and this school."
"Caprica is right, Icarus. The nightmare is over, but it will take a great deal of hard work by all of us to get things moving towards a brighter future, and you and your family can be a part of it," Bedivere said.
"Perhaps you're right," Icarus said with a wan smile. "Perhaps together we can work through the nightmares and find a better path for this school."
His three friends exchanged looks of relief.
"Come, let me lead you back out. I still a great deal to do to finish my contribution to Salazar's Tomb before the funeral. Follow this path here," Janus instructed. He led them back across the line on the obsidian path once more, the memory fading as they reached the other side.
"Icarus seemed better. I wonder what changed his mind again?" Jack asked as they stepped out of the mirror.
"He wasn't better, his mind was still a garbled mess," Quintin said.
"Quintin's right. Icarus was just telling his friends what they wanted to hear to put them at ease and to get them off his back," Sirius agreed somberly. "In that state of mind, words of encouragement come off as hollow. It takes time and hard work to come back from that, especially after the years of mental anguish like he went through." Anna gazed at him intently and he shrugged and put his arm around her. "But it's worth the work," he added, and she smiled softly.
"I think Ick understands that now," Quintin commented, and they looked over at him. "Just think of how much work he's put in to get to where he is these days... even if it was posthumously."
"You know most people don't get that sort of second chance, right?" Jeremy pointed out.
"Which is why I'm glad he's not wasting it," Quintin said.
"And it's also why my Dad's job is so important!" Jack pointed out enthusiastically.
"Are you going to be a ghost shrink too?" Ambrose asked him curiously.
"It's on my short list," Jack replied.
"Everyone be quiet for a moment. I have an awful lot to write down," Jeremy protested. "But before I do, I have a question... what's Quarry?"
"It's a knight's game, meant to train horsemanship and hunting skills," the Sorting Hat replied when nobody else spoke up. "It's very similar to Quidditch, only it was played on horseback... Bludgers were leather balls that were placed into heavy rope slings so that you can throw them. And in place of a Quaffle, you had a wild game target that was typically made from a large sack and some animal hides, plus a live Snidget, of course. They'd always have to bring a large cage full of the pesky birds any time they played, in case the Snidgets flew out of play. But some of the apprentices at Hogwarts got bored with Quarry and its non-magical roots. They traded horses for brooms, charmed the Bludgers, and created the first version of Quidditch. There were die-hard Quarry players that mocked them for doing it, of course. In fact, they were the ones who began calling it Quidditch as a slight to the game, because of how many times the students fell off their brooms and went face first into the mud."
"Was Sir Godric one of the knights who was making fun of them?" Anna inquired.
"Perhaps," the Sorting Hat said defensively.
"Well, since we had to ask what Quarry was, I guess we know which game won out in the end," Jack replied.
"It was hard on the horses," the Sorting Hat huffed.
"It wasn't so pleasant for the Snidgets either," Anna pointed out, then noticed Jeremy trying to concentrate. "Let's take a short break and get elevensies or something."
"I'll have it brought down," Sirius offered. He went up the ladder to talk to his painting, but it was only a moment or two before he slid back down again, causing Anna to sigh at him in exasperation.
"You're just going to encourage them to do it, sliding down the sides of the ladder like that," Anna scolded him. "You're such a big kid!"
"Yes, I am! Besides, they were already doing it, right Jack?" Sirius asked.
"We learned how to slide down the attic ladder at the mansion years ago," Jack confirmed. Anna rolled her eyes at that.
"Look, there's a table set up now," Truman said, and everyone went over to grab some tea and a pumpkin or raisin scone.
"So where do you think that hidden room is, anyway?" Jeremy asked, taking a break from writing just long enough for a quick bite.
"It's under the castle somewhere, so I think it might be that room hidden behind the Slytherin statue that's all warded up," Quintin replied.
"And it's off limits," Anna said for good measure.
"Considering Mum and Dad both warded it, I think that goes without saying," Quintin replied. "Does that mean the trap is still active?"
"I don't know. You'll have to ask them when they get back," Anna suggested.
"I can ask Janus. I'm sure he'd know," Quintin said.
"Maybe it is still active. Maybe that's why he shooed us out of the Chamber that one day we went looking for him," Jack said.
"Because it couldn't possibly be that he's the Security Assistant and it's his job to keep students out of dangers areas," Anna said sternly.
"The Chamber is baby-proofed. I used to play down there all the time," Quintin said.
"Yes, it was the backdrop of several bad guy reveals when we were playing Cunning Agents," the Sorting Hat confirmed.
"Either way, if you want to know more about that, you'll have to go to a higher authority... in other words, talk to your mother," Anna told him.
"She is definitely the higher authority," Sirius smirked. Anna turned her head and squinted at him. "And so are you," he added for good measure.
"Shall we get back to talking about the memories before my grandparents say something else embarrassing?" Jack suggested. "What do you suppose the point of showing that last memory was? Perhaps to tell us that there was a secret room?"
"More than that... I think it was to show what the right line was to step on to get to the platform and back," Quintin replied. "So that the items could be retrieved... it even showed that the box was blood sealed, to warn the viewer that not just anyone could open it."
"And that it was guarded by that basilisk," Jack added for good measure.
"Right. That last memory contained a lot of practical information," Quintin agreed. "I think there's probably one more memory, though, because there's another roll possible where the one pip and the three pips are the opposite colors."
"I'm all caught up in recording, Quintin, just give me a minute to get my tea down," Jeremy said, drinking it way too fast. As he cringed in pain, and the others winced sympathetically. "Okay, let's go," he rasped.
"You needn't have rushed. It's going to take a while to get the dice to roll the right way anyway," Quintin said, picking up the dice. But it only took a handful of rolls and a couple of repeats before the dice finally landed on the other four. "There we are," he said, glancing up as the mirror fogged over again.
As the memory cleared, it was hard to focus at first, because it seemed to bouncing up and down as Caprica took the spiral staircase at a dizzying speed, thrusting the door open to find Gryffindor at his desk. He was uncharacteristically wearing black robes, his leather hat splotched hat as if it went out in the rain.
"Wait! Don't go inside the mirror," the Sorting Hat snapped so sharply that Anna and Sirius looked in his direction. "If the children are going to watch this one, it's better if they stay out here with supervision," the Hat said firmly.
"You recognize this memory?" Anna asked the Hat.
"There is only one time when Gryffindor would have been wearing those robes. This is just after Slytherin's funeral, and they're about to find out what happened to Icarus," the Hat warned.
Anna and Sirius looked at each speculatively, knowing the other wanted to go in.
"I'll stay out here with them," Sirius offered after a moment. "We can always replay the memory later if I feel the need to go in."
"I think I'll stay out as well," Ambrose decided.
"May I come along?" the Sorting Hat inquired.
"Fine," Anna said, putting the Hat on her head.
"Gryffindor!" the Hat announced. "Sorry, I didn't have the chance to do that yet."
Rolling her eyes at that, Anna turned to Truman.
"Can you start the memory over without Quintin rolling the dice again?" she asked.
"Sure, that part is like a Pensieve," he said, tapping the plate until it glowed, and the mirror fogged over again.
"Thanks," Anna said, taking a deep breath and then timing it so that she stepped in just as Caprica was pushing open the doors and witnessing Godric in his funeral robes.
"Sir Godric! Something terrible has happened!" Caprica shouted.
"Good god, woman, hasn't this day been trying enough?" Godric protested. "What happened now?"
"It's Icarus... he's... he's gone and done it!" Caprica said, finally breaking down into sobs.
"Done what?" Godric asked impatiently, having no idea what she was talking about. "Does this have something to do with him missing the funeral? Did Slytherin's apprentices take issue with it?" he guessed, but Caprica slowly shook her head.
"He didn't give them the chance," Caprica sobbed.
"Here, enough boohooing, that doesn't help in a crisis! Tell me where to go!" Godric scolded her, standing up.
"Potion Room office," Caprica got out.
"Let's go down the Main Staircase, it'll be faster," Godric said.
They raced down the hall, the stairs automatically changing before they got there as they hurried down them as fast as they could. They even went down a level beneath where the staircase currently ended, racing through a dark passage that Anna had never seen before that connected straight to the Potion's office. They threw the door open wide and stopped when they saw Icarus' crumpled form on the ground, and his own poison splashed on his robes. There was also poison splattered across the floor along with bits of broken glass from the phial it had been in.
Hovering just above the corpse was the ghost of Icarus, sobbing hysterically with his hands over his eyes.
"Why did you do this?" Godric demanded. "In the name of Hogwarts, I order you to speak!"
"My family... my poor family..." Icarus sobbed, and Caprica gasped.
"Icarus, tell me you didn't! Tell me you didn't take them too!" Caprica demanded.
"No one will ever hurt them. I will not let anyone hurt them because of me! They can sleep forever in peace," Icarus sobbed angrily. "You can't hurt them now! No one can!"
"Foul, demented wraith! I'll burn you from existence!" Godric swore with a growl, taking out his wand.
"Stop! Don't do it!" Caprica begged, first pulling on Godric's arm and then dropping to cover the corpse when she realized she didn't have the strength.
"Have you lost your senses as well? He has done the unspeakable! He deserves nothing less than eternal oblivion for what he's done!" Godric snarled.
"Please, you don't know everything about this, Sir Godric! It was Icarus who poisoned his father! He's the one who killed him!" Caprica shouted through her tears, still protecting his corpse. Godric blinked and frowned, shaking his ears as if to clear him.
"Then he did us all a favor, but that doesn't excuse his actions now!" Godric snapped.
"He was afraid of Slytherin's followers. He said that he was having nightmares about his family being tortured over killing Master Slytherin. He thought if they found out about what he did, they'd all suffer for it," Caprica blurted out. Godric stared at her, still angry and upset, but obviously having trouble making up his mind on what to do. He glanced up at the wailing ghost and rewarded him with a look of disgust.
"Stop your endless sobbing, you insane coward! Your own sins have condemned you to this eternity, regardless of the reason!" Godric snapped at him. "We must check the witches' quarters, the others are surely there. We must see if any of them are condemned as well. Oh, vault that wretching thing next to his mother, if you wish, but if ever there is a question of anyone taking issue with this ghost causing a disruption, I'll act accordingly!"
"My friends and I will take care of it," Caprica promised.
As Godric turned, he paused in the doorway, looking at the two wizards racing down the corridor towards him.
"He's in there... what's left of him," Godric said with distaste, leaving just as Janus and Bedivere came in.
"Damn him!" Janus cursed angrily.
"The children? Cynuise?" Bedivere asked anxiously. Caprica shook her head.
"Sir Godric went to check to see if they left ghosts too," Caprica murmured.
"Then I shall catch up to him," Bedivere replied and stepped out a second door while Janus walked over, staring at the ghost. Deciding that Icarus was doing enough sobbing for all of them, Janus slumped into a chair.
"I'll guess they'll all know now, who it was that killed him. They'll be after the corpse to try and desecrate it. We should move it before they return," Janus advised somberly.
"But it has to stay near his ghost," Caprica said, rubbing her face. "Sir Godric told me to bury it next to Dame Rachel, but it is the first place they'll look." Janus didn't ponder it for long.
"The secret passage next to the cistern leads under the hill of the castle... I will put a crypt in there and secure his remains myself," Janus said, slowly getting up. "It will help me erase the stain of creating the Tomb for Slytherin for his followers to mourn at. I will create a place of honor for our friend, whose vile deeds were nothing compared to the deeds of that foul beast."
"Wait, Janus... don't put yourself in harm's way... too many of his followers still revere him," Caprica protested.
"Do not use Icarus' words against me. He is dead now, ghost or no ghost," Janus snapped angrily. "Whether I put myself in harms way or not is up to me now. After what Icarus has done, I never want to hear another person ask me to 'take care' or not to be reckless ever again! Now, help me hide this corpse while we still have time!"
"Yes, Janus," Caprica sighed, the memory fogging over.
Anna stepped out of the mirror with a thoughtful look on her face, while all of the others sitting on the ground in front of the mirror wore very solemn expressions.
"Well," Anna said, her voice sounding a bit strange in her ears. "We all knew when we started looking for these memories that the chance of stumbling onto one of these was pretty high," she said, taking off the Sorting Hat and placing it back on Quintin's head. "Now I understand Jennifer's insistence for having you come along on these 'research trips'. Thanks for warning us, Hat."
"I'm glad I was here as well," the Hat said somberly. "Although it is hard to watch Gryffindor's reactions, knowing what we know now. He thought that Caprica was a fool for sticking up for Icarus in that moment. Gryffindor often regretted the decision to allow the ghost to stay in the castle when complaints about him began to pile up or when Ick's moaning got under his own skin. But Caprica's love and loyalty to her friends never wavered, nor did her love and loyalty to the school itself. There was little question who to appoint to the position of Head of Hogwarts when Gryffindor was ready to step down."
Anna smiled at that and nodded.
"I'm glad Caprica changed his mind," Ambrose said.
"So am I," Sirius said.
"Me too," Quintin agreed.
"Yes. Yes, me too," the Sorting Hat agreed solemnly.
And after a few tentative rolls to make certain they had checked the other roll combinations, Jeremy and Quintin finished their notes and everyone went upstairs to take it easy for the rest of the day.