Chapter 15.
His heart thundered audibly and Harry nervously choked down on the nervous vomit his stomach seemed on throwing up outside. The fact that he was in the girl's washroom further exacerbated the situation; the sight of the toilets triggered another wave of nausea.
Everything had gone to hell in less than an hour.
His cover was exposed. All his secrets lay bare.
One fucking mistake. Harry angrily thought to himself and grabbed a fistful of hair in anguish.
One fucking mistake. I lay my troubles out and they fucking betray me. Angry tears streamed down his face.
Everything was lost. Martin knew who- No, Martin knew what he was.
He had been sitting in the darkness for more than an hour. The ambiance just felt right for his current moods.
You know what must be done, Harry. He whispered to himself. This is war, there are casualties.
Harry was no fool, he knew this day would come eventually, but he didn't expect it to happen so soon. Harry still thought he had time.
You need to finish off, Martin. Harry heard his voice again.
As if an invisible hand guided him, his face turned to that sink. You need not do this alone. Just unleash it.
You will only die if you delay. Harry heard himself again. Harry took another swing of the fire whiskey to numb his veins. There are fates far worse than death.
Considering an auror strike team had torn down his dorm door to drag him away and hooked him to a dozen monitoring devices, Harry safely deduced Martin hadn't told anyone yet.
He looked at the tracking rune he had carved on the talking cylinder.
Good, Martin was not in the dungeons. Probably out on a jaunt with one of the other airheads from Hufflepuff.
He took one last swing from his bottle and tossed it away.
It crashed and broke on the marble floor a few feet away. Harry drunkenly got up and moved towards it. As if by instinct, Harry once again spoke parcel tongue in more than a year.
OPEN
A mechanical grumbling sound occurred as the sink reassembled itself.
You can do it, Harry. You bested the beast once as a kid. You are much stronger now. Harry whispered to himself.
The muscles of his right forearm twitched with phantom pain as he tried to repress the memory of the basilisk's bite.
In place of the sink now stood a slide that the beast used to enter and exit the permit. Harry wondered what the serpent's reaction would be to be awakened after a near thousand years.
He knew from his previous life that his Riddle had not yet entered the chamber. He was still a while off from that timeline.
Taking a deep breath and a prayer sent to Merlin, Harry jumped inside.
Hogwarts
A while back.
Harry paced through the dark hallways, his bracelet lay discarded in his pocket. Now was not the time for stealth.
He still reeled from what he had heard from his snooping around.
It was obvious Martin was reeling Charlus in a sort of trap on behalf of Ashley Redwood. Harry was certain of it.
Damn, Riddle for not tying a noose around that weasel's neck already.
Damn, all the Slytherin politics.
"There you are Petrov" A voice yelled at him and Harry instinctively dodged a red jet of light streaming at him.
"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM!" Harry yelled back as he saw a gang of Slytherins descend on him.
5 souls. Harry counted amongst them.
"The problem is that mudbloods like you are allowed to be in Slytherin and still walk free" A voice amongst them yelled. Harry recognized him as one of the Yaxley family cousins.
One of the voices from behind jeered, "Redwood's the minister now. We don't give a toss who the headmaster is now!"
"Grindelwald will put you people in your place you Dumbledore loving traior." Another one jeered, further inciting the mob.
Another streak of blue light passed thundered towards him as Harry raised his shields in the nick of time. The clash of two spells echoed like a gong in the abandoned dark hallway.
"All right then, you people want a war? You got it!" Harry yelled back.
With an overhead sweep of his wand, all the lights in the hallway went out.
5 against 1, Harry needed the dark to win. A few panicked wizards cast Lumos thus giving away their location in the dark.
Harry smiled as he let out a chuckle. Its showtime.
Aiming down his wand he let loose a bone breaker at the general direction of his attacker's wand arm, now revealed to him. Harry didn't wait to see his handicraft's output as he bailed from his location and looked back to see a slew of curses hit the spot where he previously hid.
A yelling cry and a light glowing dark let Harry know it was a successful hit. He pulled out his bracelet and went invisible as the crowd swept out in search of him.
Another wizard that wandered too close to Harry's location received a stunning spell in the back of his head. This time Harry was not quick enough to dodge.
A haphazard fired lightning spell fired towards him in the general direction and hit his leg and he gasped in pain. Harry rolled over to another tower.
"REVELIO" one of the voices around him called out and even before their jubilant exclamations Harry knew he had been spotted.
Guess the bracelet didn't cover all ends. Harry grimaced.
Compared to the bums Rupert had me fight, these guys might as well be death-eaters. Harry thought.
He didn't have any further room to maneuver. Harry determined to make his own last stand. He will take out as many of these bastards. An itch at the back of his mind urged him to use his parcel tongue and unleash cobras on these fools.
No, can't let anyone in Hogwarts know about that. Harry thought.
He saw a stunner approach him and this time around raised a shield and deflected the spell directly at the caster's general direction.
The startled wizard was too engrossed in the display to dodge. It shattered his forehead.
Harry grunted as he felt his reserves drop low. Damned fucking core.
"Reducto!" A shout came by and obliterated his defensive cover. There were still two opponents.
Harry grunted in exhaustion as he tried getting up.
"Get up you! Restore!" One of the grunts pointed at his stunned mate and the said mate gasped in response.
Great, now they are reviving each other.
"Pathetic" A feminine voice sounded off and the hall fell silent.
The torches once again came to light and Harry's attackers gasped as they saw who it was.
Morrigan Riddle calmly stepped forward with her wand loosely held by her side.
"Absolutely pathetic. 5 against 1 and you boys still haven't been able to secure victory." Morrigan drawled.
"This doesn't concern you, Riddle. Piss off!" Yaxley yelled at her. "You are interfering in the businesses of powerful people!"
"All to the contrary Yaxley." Riddle leaned her left shoulder forward, her badge gleaming brightly, "This does happen to be under my jurisdiction. This is my patrolling area."
She stepped forward as her attackers started to warily back off.
"Now then are you going to be good lads and go back to your dormitories." She cracked her necked, "Or will I have to make you."
"We don't fear you bi-" Yaxley yelled as he aimed his wand but Riddle was faster on the draw and fired a blue bolt that violently threw Yaxley against the walls.
The two remaining boys fired off their dark jinxes at Riddle's back but they harmlessly bounced off her a few feet away.
"Naughty naughty" Riddle chimed wagging her wand at the duo, "Attacking a lady from behind while she is occupied."
The boys exchanged fearful looks and bolted from the area, but Riddle merely laughed in response. She pointed her wand at the ground, "Electro!"
An arc of lightning spread her wand and into the Earth below. The two wizards shivered maniacally as they were electrocuted before Riddle let up the spell. At that point, they fainted & fell to the ground.
Riddle looked over her handiwork in pride before turning her purple gaze on him. Harry couldn't help but shiver as Morrigan suddenly loomed over him, her height dwarfing his.
"Now then, Harry, I am sure this entire incident has an interesting context that covers why they attacked you and why you are not abiding by the curfew," Morrigan said as she eyed his bruised form.
"But I suppose we should get you help," Morrigan said as she levitated him. "Do note that we will not be going to the infirmary. We can't have the other houses hearing about our little civil war, now can we?"
Harry merely groaned.
"Rest assured, Mr. Petrov, you will be adequately healed." She said.
They found themselves in a large classroom that seemed to be for waltz lessons. Merlin only knows how Morrigan seems to find these places.
Morrigan aimed her wand at his nose, "Episkey"
Harry gasped as he felt his nose rearrange itself and the nosebleed start to stop.
"Now then, Harry," Morrigan asked as she worked on his still-smoking, electrocuted leg. "Dare I ask what happened?"
"Redwood became a minister." Harry angrily spat out and then gasped at the exertion.
"Your talent for current affairs is noted." Morrigan said, "But that doesn't answer my question, now does it?"
"I was looking for someone and then I stumbled on them," Harry said.
"Oh dear, an admirer of the fairer sex?" Morrigan coyly asked as her ministrations got harsher. Harry gasped as his leg pain flared.
"Strength, ." Morrigan intoned and Harry grit his teeth to prevent him from screaming.
"All right then all done. Luckily for you, there was no nerve damage." Riddle said as she got up, "Now then you stumbled onto something?"
Lie
"They were talking about something called Basilisk scales," Harry said. "Then they attacked me for being a mud blood, Dumbledore's apprentice, & that a Redwood was a minister."
"Lucky I was there to save Dumbledore's apprentice for getting his head a nice new shoe imprint, wasn't I," Morrigan said.
"I-I suppose so," Harry admitted, not wanting to try his luck.
"Now to make sure I heard you correctly," Morrigan said. "Are you absolutely sure you are talking about basilisk scales?"
"Yes, what about them?" Harry asked.
"Oh nothing much, Harry. Just that Basilisk scales are usually very expensive and potent materials." Morrigan said, "Oh, and also the fact they are usually attached to an XXXXX creature that can kill with its mere sight."
"So why would anyone bother?" Harry asked again. He would be damned again if another Potter ever again fell victim to a dark wizard while he still walked the world.
"What can kill can heal as well" Morrigan smiled as she looked at him. "Pity they have no chance of finding it. It has been a while since the last remaining basilisks were spotted."
"Now then it's off to your dorms," Morrigan said as she shushed him away while she marched off into the night whistling.
Who is hurt Charlus? What happened? Harry thought to himself.
Martin had a lot to answer for.
Hogwarts Morning
Things at Hogwarts had gone to blazes. Many of Redwood's minions from all houses had started to openly slap those lower than themselves.
Apparently, Minister Redwood himself had not hesitated in moving to consolidate his gains. From what whispers Harry had heard from his Slytherin peers, the man had reshuffled bureaucracy and launched a purge at the ministry level.
Furthermore, Lord Potter's absence raised more concerns & a media buzz. With none to openly challenge him in Wizengamot, Lord Greengrass was beginning to find himself increasingly outgunned, out-funded, & outvoted.
Whatever Charlus was doing, it is probably related to great-grandfather, Henri Potter. He is injured and somehow basilisk scalesHarry theorized.
One Redwood openly slaked himself at the ministry. The other was slaking her blood thirst in Hogwarts.
Worse off, a ministry bureaucrat arrived at Hogwarts early in the morning. He declared himself to be the newly appointed quality control officer at Hogwarts. Ashley Redwood had beamed at him like he was her long-lost lover.
The representative, John Connington, had gone around openly irking the faculty. Particular focus was raised on the tutoring of Potions & the Defense Against The Dark Arts. John openly declared that Hogwarts was fostering treasonous sentiment against established ministry writ by promoting vigilantism and mercenary behavior among its student populace.
Various students were pulled off the random to be interrogated for hours on end for their suspected ties. Anyone even an inch of closeness to Dumbledore was pulled in for day-long interrogation sessions.
Naturally, Dumbledore had postponed their sessions together much to Harry's chagrin.
Also, naturally, this meant Harry had to endure 4 hours of morbidly obese slobber and spit all over him in the most creative of ways.
"Tell me, Petrov! Confess to yer mercenary behavior and vigilantism!" John demanded, his face flushed red with effort. His massive girth was on par with an alcoholic muggle Harry knew.
Harry, unfazed, replied, "I have no idea what you're talking about, Mr. Connington."
Undeterred, John leaned even closer to Harry's face, "Yer eardrums workin' fine, boy? Then why ain't you confessin' to Dumbledore's plans?"
"Please speak normally, Mr. Connington," Harry said dryly, "I can hear you just fine. And I have no idea what you are accusing me of."
John once again pounded the table, "Dumbledore's buildin' an army of Hogwarts students, sendin' 'em off as mercenaries to foreign wars, underminin' Minister Redwood!"
Harry shook his head, "I have no clue what war you're talking about."
Bizarrely, John spluttered in indignation, then sat on his desk, struggling to pour water and spilling it all over. He gulped down the water, then demanded, "Quit draggin' me 'round, boy! Tell me 'bout Dumbledore's plans!"
"Ohh that!" Harry says in excitement as John leaned closer like a dog nearing to catch his tail, "He plans to further delve into his research of conjoining of magical spheres with sentient emotions, and how they enhance each other."
John stared at him in utter confusion, and Harry sighed, rubbing his eyes. Dealing with bureaucrats was never an easy task.
Ever the toothless worm, Armando Dippet had bent over backward to accommodate the change.
The heat of the civil war was now openly felt in the common room where once it was fought in the shadows. Redwood now feared neither the head boy nor Prefect Riddle.
Rachel Parkinson led a merry band of Slytherins around the dimly lit common room, their laughter echoing off the stone walls. They arrogantly snatched books and belongings from lower-year students, loudly boasting about their prowess while occupying every available spot for themselves. The atmosphere was tense, for none dared to contest Rachel's authority, knowing the wrath of Ashley Redwood awaited those who crossed her.
As they prowled like wolves on the hunt, Rachel's posse spotted Morrigan Riddle sitting undisturbed at a secluded reading table, her calm demeanor in stark contrast to the chaos around her.
"Hey MORRIGAN!" Parkinson yelled. The students looked on. It had been a while since any of the Redwood gang picked on Riddle since the last hospitalizations.
Morrigan sighed softly, placing a finger delicately on the page she had been reading, and looked up to meet Rachel's gaze. Despite the obvious provocation, she maintained her composure,
"Miss Parkinson, may I help you?"
In a drunken frenzy, Rachel couldn't help but jeer, "My Morrigan. No sarcastic reply. No witty snark. I am insulted!"
Rachel held hands to her forehead in mock horror, "Don't tell me the mighty Morrigan has gone soft!" Rachel let out a dramatic pause play out. "Or is it that you are just scared now?"
"Miss Parkinson, you of all people should know not to forget my talents," Morrigan said. "I do hear kneecaps take a while to heal."
Rachel's face darkened as she winced at remembering Riddle's particularly nasty brand of jelly legs curse.
"Watch your tongue, girl." Parkinson spat out, "We have already won this country. The war will be won by us. A storm is coming for people like you."
If it was possible for the temperature to drop any further, it just did. Riddle now got up from her chair
However, Morrigan's expression turned stern, her tone colder now as she inquired, "People like me? Please, do explain, Miss Parkinson."
Startled by the sudden shift in the atmosphere, some of Rachel's posse glanced nervously at each other, wondering if their leader had gone too far.
They all knew it was suicidal to ever try Riddle in a straight-up fight. Many had learned that the hard way.
Rachel didn't say anything but angrily turned and made to walk away. Rachel found herself unable to move. Her limbs refused to heed her orders as if she was in a manic dream state. Crazed panic reflected in her eyes as she turned to look at Morrigan again. The elder students subtly urged the first and second years away from the common room before things got ugly.
"Let go of me, Morrigan!" She yelled but Morrigan was unfazed.
"I believe I asked you a question, Miss Parkinson," Morrigan said.
Parkinson visibly now struggled against her invisible restraints and harshly spat out, "The war won't only remain in Russia. Your Malfoys sugar daddy won't protect you forever. Sooner or later, Grindelwald will punish you traitorous mudbloods-"
A blue bolt hit Parkinson before she could finish her sentence. She screamed and fell unconscious.
As if on cue, panicked spell fire erupted in the common room with Morrigan in the sole state of calm. Harry bolted from the common room out in the day before he was caught in the middle. Not his monkey. Not his circus.
He had heard the riot had lasted a grand total of 3 minutes before Headboy Malfoy and Morrigan restored order. Due to the sheer number of students involved and the ministry breathing over them, Slughorn had chosen to brush the incident under the rug.
Typical Harry thought.
The only respite was that the mid-terms were over so there were a lot less strung out/neurotic senior years wandering about the common room demanding silence.
But still, the tension was there to the point even Gryfindors could sense cracks in the united front Slytherins displayed outside.
The only respite Harry had from the entire drama was the increasing amount of time he began to spend with Helena. In an earlier life, he hadn't cared much for astronomy. However, Helena's sheer enthusiasm and giddiness for the subject compelled Harry to pay her his full attention.
Helena shared with Harry her knowledge of charms on the telescope and various techniques to increase zoom, record an image, reduce lens flare, and focus correctly. In turn, Harry had begun to share with her the mystical properties of various metals and how transfiguring them can bolster their innate abilities.
Helena had unofficially conscripted Harry into her research-turned-crusade as she took multiple readings and worked on a new telescope embedded with crystals.
The theory is that now that snow had started, crystals can be safely used outside as energy sources without fearing heat backlash.
"R1 sector, no light reflections but the lens distortion is too high." Helena chimed in while looking through the lens. "Please adjust the power levels by a percentage of 0.95, Harry."
Harry complied and focused his senses on the crystals.
Screw dueling, I going to be a research assistant when all this is over. Harry thought. His near-perfect magical control & flow allowed him to fine-tune the crystals without much ceremony or practice.
"Rw sector, I think I see reflections on scan data. Increasing power consumption for better zoom and quality." Helena intoned and Harry diligently made notes.
As the power surge increase Helena rapidly tapped her wand alongside the telescope's master controls adjusting the features.
The telescope rapidly began to glow and soon became hot red.
"Helena!" Harry shouted hoping to draw her attention. This looked bad.
"Shush! I'm almost there, Harry." Helena urgently said.
At that moment massive angry, fiery sparks burst alongside all the telescope's edges. Helena yelped and jumped sideways to avoid being burnt. Harry's reflexes kicked in as he aimed his wand and shouted "Aqua!"
A jet of water washed over the telescope and the flames died down but angry hissing sounds sounded all over the metal surface as the device rapidly cooled down.
Helena morbidly stared at the broken telescope, her anger bubbling over. In a fit of fury, she threw it down and started to stomp on it, angrily yelling about useless defective pieces of garbage.
"Damn it all!" she exclaimed, tears of frustration still streaming down her cheeks. "I can't believe this keeps happening!"
Harry stood back, watching her unleash her emotions. He knew how much this project meant to her and how hard she had worked to make it a reality. He couldn't bear to see her so upset.
"Helena, it's okay," he said gently, approaching her cautiously. "It's just a setback. We'll find a solution, I promise."
But Helena seemed inconsolable. "No, Harry, you don't understand," she said, her voice choked with emotion. "This was the last telescope metal tube that I had."
She shuddered as she took a few deep breaths to calm herself.
"My mother went to Russia as a volunteer, Harry. She didn't want to sit back and watch as a madman set the world on fire." She shuddered as she spoke further, "It has been a year since I spoke to her. I don't know if she is alive or dead."
Harry's heart sank, understanding the weight of her words.
"My cousins are struggling themselves in this bloated mess of an economy. Now that Redwood has imposed massive customs on Chinese imports, it would be wrong to endlessly borrow money from them. This stuff" She pointed at the now wrecked telescope. "is the only thing right now that helps me forget our fucked up world."
She wept once again and Harry embraced her. It was a while before she spoke again,
"You know, I dreamt of leaving this world one day. It's a prison. Just me and my backpack, go trekking on the new planet I saw." Helena said.
"Come now, Helena." Harry said and gently rubbed circles on her back, "You don't mean that, there is a lot of good here. One bad day doesn't mean it's a bad life."
"Doesn't it, Harry?" Helena angrily whispered. "We can't use our magic to our full potential in fear of pissing off the muggles. We have fucking Redwood-like bureaucrats wrapping leashes around us to keep us safe."
She took another breath, "If only you knew how many dreams have died like this in Hogwarts, Harry." A cruel smile engulfed her teary face, "You once said you heard grand tales of Hogwarts in Russia from your mother? How it's a place of dream?"
Harry slowly nodded.
"Guess again, Harry." She got up and gestured with her arms towards the castle, "This is a prison where dreams come to die, Harry under the boots of Redwood, Blacks, and her ilk."
He had always known that the war had far-reaching consequences, but seeing how it affected someone he cared about deeply brought it home in a whole new way.
"I know Helena, trust me I know it can be tough," Harry said.
"With due respect, Harry. You can't. You have never lost someone to the war." Helena sneered and instantly recognized what she had just done.
"Fuck" she angrily whispered. "Look Harry I'm sorry. I really am. But I just need to be alone right now. Christmas week always seems to bring out the troll in me."
She then marched away from the tower.
Harry could only stare in sadness at her disappearing form.
3 days before Christmas
Hogsmeade Day.
Charlus. Henri. Helena. I keep failing them all. Harry morosely thought to himself as he walked alongside the deserted portions
These people were good. They were great. By his time, half of the people of character had been cut down by two wars or their own grief. The muggles had struck the final blow.
These great people struggled for their lives in the system hoping to bring about a change, but it was always turned against them.
The sheer force of entropy was too strong. He even felt a pang of guilt about Martin being forced to serve Ashley Redwood to cover for his grandmother.
It's not right... to want to do good, to be good, and have that turned against you. Harry thought to himself as he angrily kicked at a pile of snow in front of him.
If the system fails them, then I will fight outside the system to help them. They will not fail. Not again. Not on my watch. Harry vowed to himself.
In response to his emotions, his features began to morph. His hair shortened and darkened into black again. Time to pick a page outside of dear Rupert's book again.
He pulled out his wand, summoned the knight bus, and decided to visit an old friend.
First order of business, helping Charlus and Henri.
He stepped out of the knight bus and waited a few minutes to orient himself. He still hadn't gotten used to the knight bus's "bumpy ride".
Diagon Alley was bustling with last-minute shoppers eager to get Christmas gifts on the cheap.
Clearly, the economy hadn't dampened the Christmas spirit Harry thought to himself. It was good that there were so many people, it will hide his presence as he jogged alongside towards the Knockturn Alley.
"Greetings Amanda" The Hag looked up in surprise and made to dodge before a red stunner knocked her into the back shelf.
Harry walked over to where the hag lay stunned her eyes watching him in fear.
The hag's eyes widened in fear as Harry approached, a wicked smile on his face. "Greetings, Amanda," he said mockingly. Before she could react, a red stunner sent her crashing into a back shelf, leaving her stunned and helpless.
As she lay there, Harry spoke with a cruel edge in his voice, "Save your lies. I know you had something to do with Rupert's betrayal." The hag tried to protest, but Harry was having none of it. "I don't want to hear your excuses," he said coldly.
"You were expecting a shipment of basilisk scales, and I want my share," Harry demanded. The hag stammered, denying any knowledge, but Harry wasn't buying it. He let out a few fiery sparks from his wand, making her flinch and rethink her denials.
"I'm in a very bad mood today, and you don't want to push me further," Harry warned. He reminded her of his connections with the Aurors and how he could easily expose her smuggling operations. "The penalties for such crimes are harsh, especially for a hag like you," he taunted. "Life sentence or dementor's kiss, take your pick."
Suddenly, a jet of icy water splashed against the hag, and Harry grinned with sadistic satisfaction. "Remember, Amanda, never work for Martin again," he commanded.
"Now, here's the deal," Harry continued, his voice commanding. "Any business in Eldermoor, Hogsmeade, or Hogwarts is under my control. You'll procure goods when and where I tell you. Understand?"
The hag made to argue about her existing clientele before an electric bolt lashed through her. Harry had taken a page out of Morrigan's book.
"Listen you miserable old fuck, I told you I am not in the mood today." He threw her against the wall and aimed his wand at a collection of potion ingredients.
"Incendio" The ingredients caught fire and the Hag wailed at the loss of her earning.
"Try me wench." He stomped on her hand, "I'm Hades himself right now. I will have my due. Did you think I would simply forget what you and Rupert tried to do?"
The hag couldn't reply and merely groaned in pain.
"Pathetic" Harry spat out at her. Harry turned to leave before a gleaming golden light from her secret compartment caught his attention.
"What's that?" Harry said.
Eager to change the subject, she offered,
"Would young master Petrov be interested in telescope tubes as well? Fresh off from China they are. Yes! Yes!" She said.
Harry smiled back at her, "I believe my dear, we are going to get along swimmingly well."
Hogwarts.
2 days before Christmas.
He wasn't a cruel man. When people pushed him against the wall, he had to act.
Harry needed a soul cleansing after his encounter with Amanda earlier. Whatever happened, happened. He needs to move on now.
Wrapping gifts in peak snow was oddly calming. He left an anonymous note on Helena's package, telling her to never give up on his dreams.
He left a sign on Charlus's package telling him to open the parcel in privacy. He addressed it to the Potter House. And watched the owls fly away. Against his better judgment, Harry had left his name on the letter.
Screw it. Harry thought.
He wanted to develop a better bond with his family. The one he never had previously in his own timeline.
Everything couldn't have worked out better. He didn't have to wrestle a basilisk beneath the girls' toilet and hope for a phoenix to cure him. Amanda had cooperated against her will. Helena will wake up with a dozen more tubes for her research.
All is well. As it should be.
"A little late to be sending gifts out, Harry." A voice said behind him and Harry's annoyance returned in force. It was Martin.
"Hello Martin," Harry said.
"Do I get one?" Martin asked as he gestured towards the flying owls over the horizon, "I mean one of the gifts."
"I never thought we were on that level, Martin. You have been ignoring me." Harry said. "No doubt running your errands."
"Yea, I know both of us have been mighty busy. Running around on our errands." Martin said. "It is like I don't even know who you really are."
"I am not sure I follow, Martin," Harry said as he watched the owls disappear.
"I am sure you don't. I imagine living in alter egos can be confusing, Mr. Potter." Harry whirled and looked at a grinning Martin, "Or is it these days."
"I have no idea what the hell you are talking about, lunatic," Harry said as he made to run away from him.
"No need to deny it," Martin said as he stood in front of him, blocking his exit. "You really ought to hide your love letters better."
Martin pulled out a thick envelope and waved it in front of him. "This is quite the tale, Potter. If I hadn't seen your magical talents up close, I wouldn't have even believed half of this junk."
"Nobody will ever believe you. At best, they will dismiss this as ramblings." Harry spat at him.
"True enough." Martin said, "But with the right word and how much you nail down future events accurately, I imagine somebody like Gellert Grindelwald would pay a pretty penny to have a one-on-one chat with you."
"What do you want?" Harry said.
"Oh, that's simple. I want you to kill the Potters." He said.
"Are you fucking mad?!" Harry moved towards him, eyes blazing with anger.
"Nope, I am just an opportunist. Kill both Potters, the Gringott's magic will recognize you as the next heir." Martin said. "Next, simply transfer all the Potter fortunes to me and we will be even."
Harry couldn't believe what he had just heard.
"So this is it, simply about the money?" Harry said. "You read the damned thing. You know untold millions of magical lives are at stake here! Come to your senses, man!"
"I couldn't give one whit about them." Martin shrugged, "When Grindelwald wins, he will restore the natural order. I will personally ensure it this time around. And then when Grindelwald makes me his right-hand man, I will personally bend over and break both Ahsley and Morrigan."
"Something you should have done the moment you landed here," Martin said and paused as he warmed his hands. "A pity though, Parkinson would never see this. Her little riot allowed me to use heavy-duty magic without alerting you to break into your trunk. Excess magic and all."
"Fascinating" Harry acidly said.
"Yep! Imagine my surprise when instead of a naughty love letter, I find a time traveler. A celebrity, boy-who-lived in our midst." Martin said. "Listen, you have until Christmas day. The Potter wards won't work over you. Simply go in and get the job done."
"Oh and" He tossed the letter to Harry, "feel free to keep this. I have a hot date tonight. Eldermoor villa delights. You should try it sometime in east London. What a beauty."
Harry watched in anger and teary eyes as Martin whistled while he walked away.
The letter turned to ash in his hands with uncontrolled magic.
Present Day.
As Harry ventured deeper into the Chamber of Secrets, a sense of unease enveloped him. Eerie statues of past wizards and creatures adorned the chamber, their eyes seeming to follow his every move.
Gargoyles perched menacingly on the walls, their stone features twisted into menacing snarls. The chamber was bathed in an otherworldly green light that cast ominous shadows across the black marble floor.
Each step Harry took echoed in the vastness of the chamber, amplifying the sense of isolation and foreboding. The air felt heavy, charged with ancient magic and secrets long kept hidden. As he approached certain areas, the chamber would mysteriously light up, revealing intricate carvings and symbols that seemed to tell a tale of forgotten times.
Despite his determination to uncover the truth, Harry couldn't shake the feeling of anxiety that gnawed at him. The weight of responsibility bore heavily on his shoulders as he stood before the gargantuan face statue of Salazar Slytherin. Its cold, lifeless eyes seemed to pierce right through him, and for a moment, he couldn't move.
Focus Harry he thought to himself. Martin brought this on himself. He refused to cooperate. The lives of millions outweigh the life of one greedy soul.
The silence was deafening, the only sound being the beating of his own heart.
He was but a mere mortal standing in a place steeped in wizarding history and dark magic.
The giant face of Salazar loomed over him. He tightened his resolve, creatures like basilisk admired one thing only. Strength and strength alone.
Speak to me Slytherin. Greatest of the Hogwarts Four
For a few tense moments, nothing happened, and Harry's heart sank with disappointment. Maybe the password was incorrect, or perhaps the chamber had changed since his last encounter.
But then, as if in response to his plea, a low and guttural hissing noise began to reverberate throughout the chamber. It started softly, barely a whisper, but it quickly grew in intensity until it filled every corner of the vast space.
The sound was haunting and ethereal, carrying with it an ancient and malevolent presence that sent shivers down Harry's spine.
He closed his eyes tightly, not daring to look at the basilisk that he knew must be slithering out of the statue.
Even with his eyes shut, he could feel its malevolent gaze upon him, its immense size and power radiating through the air like a palpable force.
The chamber felt heavy with its presence, and Harry couldn't help but feel a mix of terror and awe at the creature before him. Its massive size bent time and space around it.
The serpent's movements were slow and deliberate, each motion filled with grace and power. Harry could sense the basilisk lazily rolling around him, its scales brushing against the cold stone floor.
The air seemed to thicken with tension as the massive snake circled him, its lethal gaze penetrating even through closed eyelids.
Another heir approaches me?The serpent said, its voice was oddly human despite being a serpent.
Old one! I am the only heir! Salazar left me this chamber as my inheritance and I have come to claim it! Harry said with eyes clenched tight hoping to come out as powerful as possible but even he could hear the tremors in his voice.
A rolling sound occurred and Harry realized the serpent was amused.
It's quite safe, young one. Heirs are immune to my gaze unless I say otherwise.
Harry expected his instincts to tell him to look away but they strangely guided his head and opened his eyes.
Harry's eyes widened as he looked at the gleaming mass of scales with glowing orange eyes with black slits gazing down at him. A forked tongue the size of his arm whipped about the air around him.
The air around you smells funny. It remarked. Regardless, you speak the tongue. I am Nargulith. Say your piece.
Old One! My life is threatened by a greedy foe and I demand your aid. Just like Salazar ordained. Harry said.
Say their names, they will be dead before the ground takes them. Their blood will cry tears of anguish for daring to raise a hand against those of my master's kin. Nargulith said.
Harry couldn't help but let out a small smile.
Martin held up the device to his face.
"Message to Ashley." He said, "We have to meet urgently. I know who took the basilisk scales from the Hag. Your people loosened the Hag's tongue just like you said they would. It was Charlus Potter. Also, you need to know- wait what's that noise?"
A massive hissing sound echoed behind him and Martin whirled wand in hand to confront whatever it was. And his breath hitched as he saw the sheer size of the face behind him.
Slits meet black eyes. The cylinder rolled out of his hand with a clang and fell below a bench.
I was so close… His last thoughts echoed
Martin's world went dark.
Author's Note: This here is a new chapter. I hope you lot like the new pacing and story development. I wanted to post a new chapter now cuz next week there will be no updates. Please please review what you like, hate, love, or speculate about the story so far.
Ciao!