Communion
Monday. That morning at breakfast, Albus projected to Sev, "Prince, I'll wait for you in the meeting room of the Training Hall, come as soon as you can. Have yourself escorted only to the door." And immediately he left the Great Hall.
Sev told his escort, "Finish breakfast as soon as possible. Dumbledore has summoned me."
"Sure, Prince, let's go now if you want," Deborah said.
Sev thought, (Since she failed to Bond with any of us, she is even more dedicated and loyal. We have to try again.) "There's no rush, finish."
They finished quickly and they left the Great Hall first, went to the Training Hall and Sev entered alone, the others left. He went to the meeting room, knocked, and the door opened. The Headmaster was waiting for him sitting at the table, to one side of the head. (The map is on the table. Good!)
"What's up Albus?" he joked. "Two days without seeing each other, I already missed you." He sat next to him.
"And I you, my boy. How comfortable we were on Friday."
"Yes, of course. I see you bring me something."
"Yes, I finished it last night. Here's your Marauder's Map," Dumbledore said.
"Marauder's Map?"
"That's what your bullies called it. They call themselves 'The Marauders'."
"Oh, Remus didn't tell me that," Sev said.
"Because he is embarrassed."
"It's a good name."
"Yeah. And the spell they used to protect it is even better," said the old man.
"Oh really?"
"Yes. For the lines to appear, they said, 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.'"
"Oh… so he would be very embarrassed when he showed it to you," the younger man said.
"He was. And in front of Cecile and Lily too."
"Poor boy."
"And to protect it again they said, 'Mischief managed'," said Dumbledore.
Sev laughed. "We have to admit they are ingenious." (Like the spells that are going to suffer shortly. I'm going to end up liking them eventually.)
"I haven't protected it, so you can invent the phrase you want."
"Sure." (Let's see if I can come up with something as ingenious as theirs. I can't be any lower,) Sev thought.
"Mine is not ready yet. I preferred to give you the first one so that you can go out into the Forest safely."
"Thank you Albus."
"I reckon I'll have it by the end of this week. It will cost me less than this one, and we won't have as much work."
(Great. So I can still meet Lauren safely, and also take Audrey to the Mind Arts classroom in the Forest.) "Show me it, come on."
"Of course."
Albus unfolded Sev's Marauder's Map.
"Wow… how awesome…" Sev exclaimed.
"Remus is a true genius."
"Of course. He should dedicate himself to Arithmancy."
"I think so. Too bad there is no specific NEWT," the Headmaster said.
"Yeah, but he's going to continue studying it for Medimagic, I'll encourage him to delve into it. He could become a great scientist, like so many wizards who developed Muggle science."
"Of course."
They looked at the Map.
"Wow… There are all the passageways, some I didn't know about," Sev realized.
"Yes. A good scouting job too, the four of them did that."
(With Potter's Invisibility Cloak and the camouflaged rat.) "I see that you have highlighted the malefics in colors."
"Yes. The Raves have already finished breakfast, they are going up to their house. The blue ones."
"The Gryffs are still at the table, the red ones," Sev said. "And also Lily, Cecile and Remus, the gold ones, and my escort, the green ones, who are already in the dungeons."
"You can't be seen because this room doesn't appear."
"Sure, because it was not part of the castle."
"That is. You are silver," Dumbledore said.
"Excellent."
(Lauren is coming out from the kitchens, she's going home too, and he hasn't colored her. Perfect.) "Thank you very much, Albus. You have solved my life."
"Your friend Remus."
"Yes of course. Alice and Frank are already coming here," Sev noticed.
"Yes. Go out to the Hall, so they don't have to wait for you."
"Of course. We're in touch, Albus."
"Always. When you return at breakfast time, have them escort you home themselves. Make sure the malefics are in the Great Hall before you get within sight of the castle."
"Sure, Albus. See you soon."
Sev refolded the Map and put it in a pocket of his robes. He went out to the Training Hall, Alice and Frank already were going inside.
"How are you?" he asked them.
"Eager to go on a hike," Alice said, and kissed him.
"Yeah. We've never gone too far into the Forest," Frank said, holding out his hand, which Sev shook.
"Neither in the subject of Herbology of NEWT?" Sev asked.
"No, only on roads."
Oh. ..Lauren was hoping to enjoy it. "What a pity, you do not know what you have lost, it is fantastic. I know it inch by inch, I'll take you for a walk whenever you want."
Genevre arrived. "Hi Prince. Give me a hug."
They hugged each other, and then she greeted Alice and Frank with handshakes.
"It's ten to nine. Let's go for it?"
"Come on."
Sev passed the Time Turner's chain around the necks of all four. They went back three hours and the daylight grew dimmer.
"Ten to six, just dawn."
"Fantastic," Alice said.
"Let's go. The castle door is closed, we have to go out through a passage," Sev announced.
They left the Hall, headed for the dungeons and the passage behind the greenhouses. They surrounded the castle and the shore of the Lake to the path they had to enter, chatting animatedly among the four of them. My three new allies. My first Rave.
When they left the path, Sev led them. All three were delighted with the ride. How beautiful the Forest is at this hour. May is the best month of the year. The weather is no longer bad and it is still not hot, especially at dawn. And the day has many hours of light, it is wonderful. They reached the fir tree.
"Wooow… it's awesome," Alice said.
"It is the eldest of the Forest, very powerful," Sev explained. "Take off your shoes to do the individual rituals. Do you want I dry the ground? It is wet with dew."
"No, don't dry it," Alice said. "It will be nice to feel the freshness."
And perhaps the dew from a magical Forest also has some meaning. We didn't looking that up, Sev thought.
"You go first, Genevre," Frank told her.
"Wait, I'm going to ward," Sev told them.
He made a wide circle around the fir tree and its vicinity, conjuring the Disillusioner and the Muffliato while the others removed their shoes.
Genevre moved closer to it and the other three moved away from it, leaving her alone to do her meditation. She came back transfixed. "It's been wonderful, I've never felt anything like this. I was unable to separate myself from it, and it still invades me."
Wonderful. How much good I am doing thanks to a humble second-hand book I bought for a few sickles to spare.
"You go, Alice," Frank said.
The same. "It has completely transformed me," Alice said when she returned. "I know that everything that has been demanded will be fulfilled. You were right Prince, it is a very powerful magic. Thank you very much for the opportunity."
They know full well that I was the one who proposed to Albus. Otherwise, he himself would have brought them to acquire the power. "You go now, Frank."
The same. "It has been indescribable, it still is," Frank said. "In complete communion with the Universe. Never before had I felt so alive."
Wow... I really want to, but first I'm going to show them the shield. "Let's check if it has worked out," Sev said.
"If what has worked out?" Alice asked.
"If you have acquired the power of this magic."
"But... didn't you tell us that you were going to transmit your talent to us?"
"Yes, later, in the joint ritual," Sev replied. "But with what you have just done, you have acquired the magic of the Forest."
"Wow... you didn't tell us that."
"I like to play mysterious. Let's try. Spread out, about five feet from each other."
They did it.
"Put your arms in a cross, with the palms as a sign of stop," Sev asked them.
They did it.
"Conjure a Protego."
They did it. Three spherical shields were created around each of them.
"Wooow… but what is this?" Alice was astonished.
"It's fantastic," that one was Frank.
"How quiet you were, Prince," Genevre said.
"You know, mysterious," said Sev. "Hold on a while, I'm going to try it."
He cast spells on them. Also curses, green, without aiming to hit. With curses we had not tried it. They all bounced.
"Whoa…" Alice exclaimed. "It's hard to keep it, but there's no way to reach you like this."
"And it works against Dark Magic as well," Frank said.
"Yes, it is life insurance to be used in extreme situations," Sev explained. "And that no one should know, that's why you must learn Occlumency." They're going to be amazed when we Bond with the Red Magic shield. Now that's really awesome. "Well, you can leave it. My turn."
Sev went to his fir tree and meditated, Universe. This time I'm not going to demand anything. I just want to thank you for fulfilling everything I asked of you earlier. Now I must be the one to return what was promised. I have jumped the abyss and although at first I thought I had fallen into a worse one, it has not been like that at all.
I know that my life and the lives of those I love are in danger, but that does not make me scared, quite the contrary. I reaffirm the decisions I made months ago, I am still willing to give up my life for the cause that I have taken as the reason for my existence, to defeat Voldemort while keeping all those I love safe, which are becoming more and more.
I swear to dedicate myself completely to it, to give myself without reservation, and now that I know that I have you on my side, I am completely confident that I will be able to carry out my mission.
Thank you, Universe, for every day and every night of my new life. They are a gift to me.
He stayed for a long time feeling the magic invade him, One with Everything. More intense than the other times I have done it. I think it is because now I am much better in tune with the world and with myself. I have finally found goals in life with which I will contribute to improving this Universe that welcomes me in its midst.
He broke up. "Come, let's do the joint ritual."
They entwined their fingers around the fir tree, encompassing it too. Although Alice is very petite, Genevre and Frank are tall, and I too have grown these months. First they did boys and girls facing each other and then Sev and Genevre exchanged places. They alternated looking at each other.
Sev was thinking, The three of them transmit unconditional support, complete dedication and deep admiration to me, and I am pleasantly surprised that none of them feels fear for me, but rather a great confidence that by myself and with the help of everyone around me I will be able to keep myself safe. I, in return, simply love them. The communion between us is optimal.
They separated. It's been comforting, almost as good as the one in the cave with the Gryffs. I have to repeat it with them here before the summer. I will propose to Albus that the five of us come instead of just Lily and I with him.
"It's been wonderful, Prince," Genevre told him. "How nice. How much you love me, and we haven't even known each other for a month."
"And us just over a week," Alice said.
"I think that in extreme situations like the one we find ourselves in, people bring out the worst or the best in ourselves and feelings intensify," Sev replied. "You too have shown me absolute loyalty, you run a serious risk by siding with me in this way. That creates very strong bonds right away. I need hugs."
They all hugged him.
"It's still half past seven, there's time. Alice, Frank, do a joint ritual by yourselves, as a couple. It's worth it," Sev proposed.
Sev and Genevre walked away to leave Frank and Alice alone. When they finished they were speechless. How much they love each other, and they just became fully aware of it.
Sev led them back down the path, Genevre trailing behind, Alice and Frank following, hand in hand, a little way off. All in silence. They are still feeling the magic of each other.
When they reached the road, Sev and Genevre led the way, leaving the Gryffs their privacy. They arrived at half past eight at the edge of the Forest, Alice approached Sev, took him by his hand and hugged him very, very tight, saying, "I will never be able to thank you for what you have given me today. The best experience of my life."
I have to ask Albus to Bond them as a Couple as well, and bring Genevre with Lorenz. The truth is, he could have come today.
Sev took out the Map and waited until the five camouflaged were in the Great Hall. They then made their way at a brisk pace towards the castle, reentered the passage, and the three accompanied him to his dungeon house, before each returning to their own.