Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the intellectual property associated with Harry Potter.
Hi all,
Here's the next chapter. Harry enters the enemy's lair and comes across a familiar creature, and they become allies.
Chapter 49
The Forbidden Forest at night was full of dangers, one of which stood in a clearing in front of him.
Sirius had shown Harry a photograph of Peter Pettigrew so that he would recognise him if they ever met. Peter appeared even more unappealing than his photo, as he had developed more rat-like characteristics over time. Was this the result of his animagus transformation? The prolonged use of his animagus form may have gradually altered his appearance, giving him the appearance of a rat.
Harry strained his ears and listened to them as they began to speak, wanting to know why the two were meeting here. He didn't want to risk getting any closer, even if he was invisible, so their voices were barely audible.
"Rupert, have you located the unicorn's grove?" Peter inquired, his nose twitching involuntarily.
The mention of that location immediately piqued Harry's interest.
"I found it," Rupert replied, "but accessing it is difficult. The entire grove is encased in a ward that I cannot penetrate. I have tried everything I can to get through it, but I have not been successful."
"Dumbledore isn't going to be pleased. He requires the item found within the grove, and since the unicorns are no longer present, this is an excellent opportunity to obtain it."
Harry instinctively covered his mouth with his paw to keep a sound from escaping. What the hell was happening? How did Peter know Dumbledore?
"I am aware," Rupert stated. "But I'm not a great wizard like Dumbledore. If he wants the item, he must find someone else or go get it himself.
A rustling sound surprised the two people in the clearing. Peter jumped and spun around, pointing his wand at the trees. "Who is there?"
There was no response.
Rupert laughed. "You are as nervous as a little rat. There is nothing to be worried about."
"Don't mock me!" Peter scowled. "This place frightens me. I wish I didn't have to stay in such an awful place."
"I almost forgot you had two masters. I wonder what Voldemort would say if he discovered that you were working for Dumbledore."
"Sshh!" Peter whispered urgently, his eyes wide with panic.
Harry looked around nervously at the mention of Voldemort. He was the last person he wanted to encounter in the forest late at night.
"I don't have time for this," Rupert sighed. "I am on my way to the grove right now to make one final attempt to break the ward. I'm being called back to headquarters soon, so I won't get another opportunity."
Rupert left the clearing, and Peter stood there, watching him go. Harry was confronted with a dilemma. Did he follow Rupert to the grove, or should he follow Peter?
He stared at Peter fiercely. The man who had betrayed his parents was standing in front of him, causing their deaths and leaving him an orphan. He desperately wanted to hurt the man.
It would be so easy, a voice whispered inside him.
He could sneak up behind the man and ambush him in his demiguise form. Jump onto his back and use his sharp claws to dig out his eyeballs. He almost took a step towards Peter before sanity prevailed. Peter shouldn't be underestimated. Despite his cowardice, he was a survivor. If backed into a corner, he could be unpredictable.
Harry needed to go to the grove himself to get the item for the unicorns, but it appeared that he would be up against competition. What made it so special that Dumbledore desired it?
This was his best chance to retrieve it, and he didn't want anyone else to take it. He only had to avoid getting noticed. He knew roughly how to get to the grove thanks to the unicorns, so he didn't need to follow Rupert. Furthermore, it sounded like he didn't need to worry about the knight obtaining the item before he did.
Because Harry was focused on Peter's face, he noticed the exact moment it lost all colour, which was visible even in the low lighting. Peter's eyes widened in fear as he stared into the trees.
Harry was taken aback as he followed the direction of his gaze. Quirrell emerged from the trees, shuffling along at an awkward pace. His sunken eyes were blank, and patches of exposed flesh on his face appeared to be decaying.
Was Quirrell out of the unicorn blood he had stolen? He appeared to be on the verge of death.
"Peter," Quirrell said softly. "What are you doing here?"
"Master!" Peter exclaimed as he dropped to his knees. He whimpered as he crawled across the ground, trying to kiss the hem of Quirrell's robe.
Quirrell kicked at Peter, who scrambled backwards to avoid it.
"I didn't expect you to betray the Master in this way," Quirrell said, raising his wand and pointing it at Peter. "It is a good thing I convinced him that we had to follow you tonight. I always suspected you were up to something."
"Indeed," a voice hissed out of nowhere, taking Harry by surprise. "I listened to everything you said to the knight. You have disappointed me, Peter."
"No, Master, I had no choice," Peter cried.
"What do you mean?" Quirrell asked.
Peter opened his mouth to speak, but it was sealed shut. He tried to force his jaw open, but it remained closed despite his efforts.
"I understand," the voice said. "Dumbledore has some tricks up his sleeve to keep you from talking. Quirrell, I would like to speak to Peter directly."
"Yes, master," Quirrell replied, beginning to unwrap the turban from his head.
After Quirrell finished removing it, Harry was confronted with a terrifying sight. A cruel, red-eyed face had been transplanted to the back of Quirrell's head, its expression twisted with malice. The unsettling juxtaposition of the malevolent presence and Quirrell's frail form sent chills down Harry's spine. It didn't take him but a moment to realise who it was, because Peter had called him master.
"Let me take a look into your mind, Peter," Voldemort hissed.
Peter was clearly unwilling to comply, but he forced himself to stand up, allowing Voldemort to look him in the eyes more easily. They stood there in silence for a few minutes before Voldemort finally let him go. Peter sagged to the ground, his body shaking.
"More tricks from Dumbledore," Voldemort hissed. "I can't read Peter's mind."
"Master, perhaps we should ask him about the grove?" Quirrell suggested.
"I am already aware of it." Voldemort said. "Do you think I am staying here because I enjoy being hunted by those knights? I am still trying to figure out how to get into the grove. Once I find the item hidden within, I will be able to reclaim my body at last."
Given Voldemort's interest in the item, Harry suspected he was searching for the Holy Grail or something equally valuable. The unicorns hadn't told him what the item was, just that he would recognise it when he saw it.
His senses tingled, warning him of impending danger.
Harry instinctively lunged to one side. When he turned around, he saw a snake with its fangs bared on the spot where he had been lying, having unsuccessfully attempted an ambush on him. The snake had seen through his invisibility.
The snake was large, with bright yellow skin and blue bands down its body. Large enough to swallow him whole. Harry squeaked and reached for the branch on the ground beside him. It was a solid piece of wood that could cause some damage if it connected.
The snake lunged at him again. He swung the branch downward, striking the snake on the head. It recoiled and hissed at him angrily. It coiled into a spring, preparing to lunge at him again, but with more force this time. Harry rushed forward and it hit the snake's head again. This time, the blow dazed it, and it shook its head drunkenly.
Harry grabbed the snake's tail and spun it around before slamming it into a nearby tree. He repeated this several times until the snake stopped moving. Because he had been so focused on the snake, he forgot about the two men in the clearing.
"It appears that we have a visitor," Voldemort announced, turning to face Harry. "A demiguise. He killed one of my scouts."
Harry froze and dropped the snake, realising that his invisibility had faded during the fight. He dove into the nearest bush in order to escape Voldemort's calculating gaze.
He squeaked as he felt himself rise from the ground. He wriggled desperately as he was dragged through the air, trying to get away.
Quirrell grabbed Harry by the scruff of his neck, as if he were a typical house pet. "What do you intend to do with him, Master? It's only a demiguise."
"I'm not sure but I have a strange feeling about this fellow," Voldemort replied. "They are known to be extremely sensitive to danger and can even predict certain events ahead of time. Perhaps if I keep him around, and perform some experiments on him."
"Master, are we heading to the grove?" Peter approached him in a subservient manner.
"Not tonight," Voldemort said. "I don't want to run into your little friend. Fighting him will take too much out of this decaying body and I will be forced to find another host. I will try to get around Dumbledore's restrictions and get as much information as I can from you."
Peter cringed and took a few steps back.
"I can hear what you are saying, master," Quirrell complained.
"Why does it matter?"
Quirrell and Peter walked through the woods, with the latter holding Harry. He wasn't completely alarmed. He realised that as long as he did not reveal himself as a human, he would be okay. Maybe his reasoning was naive. He had no idea what Voldemort wanted from a demiguise, but it couldn't be anything good.
Harry assumed they were taking him to their hideout. He planned to flee once they arrived at their destination. He made a point of noting his surroundings and recalling the path they took in order to remember the location of the hideout so he could bring.
After a long journey, the two men arrived at their destination—a tranquil, picturesque pond nestled among the lush greenery. At the far end of the pond, there stood a large boulder that, while not very tall, was exceptionally wide.
Quirrell pointed his wand at the water. The previously undisturbed body of water rifted apart, revealing the pool's bottom. And there, nestled beneath the massive boulder, was a secret entrance leading to an underground lair.
They entered through the doorway and proceeded down a narrow tunnel. A stone staircase appeared in front of them, which they descended. The flickering torches lining the staircase created eerie shadows, and the air became colder.
Harry's eyes widened in surprise when he saw what awaited him at the bottom.
There was an underground lake separate from the one above, with numerous small islands connected by rustic wooden bridges. Each island had a stone structure, with the largest island in the centre holding several.
The location didn't resemble a Dark Lord's lair, but rather a secluded paradise for someone who preferred to live alone. Did Voldemort stumble upon this place?
"Put him with the other creatures," Voldemort hissed. "Give him a lot of space."
"Yes, Master." Peter entered a building after crossing two wooden bridges and arriving on one of the smaller islands.
He was met with a cacophony of noise from the magical creatures confined in their cages. Among them were several acromantula, a hippogriff, dugbogs, and two trolls. There was even a centaur. He was kneeling on the ground with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. When they walked in, he opened his eyes and stood up.
"These are all the creatures on which my master will conduct experiments," Peter said in a cruel tone. He violently shook Harry. "I don't think you're any better. You're destined to become another lab rat, subjected to my master's experiments."
Peter laughed, as if he had said something funny. He led him into a small, caged room about the size of a standard walk-in wardrobe. He threw him inside, slammed the caged door shut, and then locked it with a key.
Harry waited until Peter had left before walking up and grabbing the bars.
"I see the monster has claimed another victim," the centaur said, whose cage was directly across from his own.
Without saying a word, Harry returned to his human form. The centaur released a startled exclamation.
"Wizard, you're a magical animagus?"
"Please do not share the information with my kidnappers," Harry said, pulling his wand from its holster.
When he transformed into his animagus form, any item, such as clothing or a wand holster, stayed with him. His grandmother had explained that when he was in his demiguise form, his magic instinctively knew to retain any objects that were on his person, like clothes and wand holsters.
"Alohomora," Harry said, drawing a 'S' shape in the air before tapping the cage's lock.
The lock clicked open, and Harry exited the cage. Peter didn't use any other method to confine the demiguise because he didn't believe it was capable of escaping the cage. He was correct, but he couldn't have known Harry was actually a wizard. Even Voldemort didn't bother to investigate the demiguise further because he would never have imagined that there was a magical animagus.
"Are you going to escape, wizard?" The centaur asked. "It won't be easy."
The other creatures became more agitated as he moved to the centre of the room. The acromantula thrashed violently against the bars, each of its eight eyes fixed on him with undeniable hunger.
"Human, release us," one of them chittered. "We swear that we will not hurt you. We only want to get out of here and return to our family."
Harry shuddered. He had no intention of releasing them. In addition, the knights had already eradicated the majority of the acromantula, so their families were probably gone. Should he have any sympathy for them? Maybe if they didn't view him as prey.
He moved towards the centaur's cage but noticed that his shoes were sticking to the ground. He looked down and noticed dried blood on the floor. A pungent metallic scent tickled his nostrils. He grimaced as he stepped out of the bloodstains.
"I am Harry," he said, introducing himself to the centaur.
"My name is Orion," the centaur replied, bowing with his forelegs slightly bent.
He bowed in return, assuming it was customary among centaurs.
"You are an unusual wizard," Orion observed. "Your kind don't usually show that much respect to centaurs."
"Maybe you have met the wrong wizards."
"Perhaps. It's a pity that you will not be able to escape from here."
"What do you mean?"
"Did you enter from the pond's entrance?" Harry nodded, and Orion continued. "A specific spell is required to open the way back to the surface. You may be able to force your way through, but this will result in tonnes of water pouring down into the tunnel."
"Is there no other way to reach the surface?"
Orion hesitated. "There is, but it is guarded by a terrifying creature."
"I have some experience with those," Harry muttered.
"Not this one," Orion warned. "The evil wizard who imprisoned me is conducting experiments on the creatures. The abomination that resulted from these experiments is dangerous."
"That doesn't sound good."
There was always the option of calling Fawkes. He was certain that he wouldn't mind flaming here because it was an emergency, no matter how much he disliked causing Fawkes pain. But he wanted to try and escape on his own first.
"Wait here for the time being," Harry instructed Orion. "I will check out the area and figure out how to free you and the other magical beasts."
Orion clamped his hands around the bars. "Don't worry about me. Focus on finding a way out. Once you are free, you can go and get help."
Harry nodded and walked over to the exit. He cracked open the door slightly and looked outside. When he saw that the coast was clear, he slipped out and closed the door behind him. He transformed into his demiguise form and surveyed his surroundings. The main island was located further in, and he assumed that was where Quirrell and Peter resided.
There was another small island between here and the main island, which could be reached via a bridge that diverged from the main one. Harry ran over the bridge towards it.
Harry reached the island. His senses tingled, and he jumped to the side to avoid getting bitten by a snake. He grabbed the snake's tail and slammed it against the building several times, killing it. After applying his invisibility again, he leapt up and pulled on the door handle.
He entered the room cautiously, looking around to take in his surroundings. It was another prison, but this one exuded a sense of luxury and spaciousness. A strong steel gate divided the room in two. There were animal furs scattered across the floor, which was being used as a little nest. Among them was a massive snake that must have been over ten feet long and the width of a man's thigh.
The snake raised its head, its tongue flickering, and looked directly at Harry. He approached the gate with caution, and the snake followed suit, slithering across the floor towards him.
Harry dropped the invisibility since the snake was already aware of his presence.
"A demiguise," the snake hissed, sounding decidedly feminine. "No, you are much more than that. You are a wizard!"
Harry recoiled, surprised that the snake recognised him as a human.
"You can understand me!" The snake hissed, seeing his reaction. "This is incredible. I didn't expect to find another speaker in this place. My name is Nagini."
Harry regarded the snake with caution. Nagini appeared to be just another prisoner, so how much could she be trusted?
"Show me your true self, wizard. You don't have to be afraid that I will tell Voldemort. That conceited wizard thinks he can control me."
Harry hesitated for a moment before transforming back into his human form. "How did you end up here?"
"It's a long story. Voldemort is obsessed with me for some reason, and he is looking for a way to permanently bind me to himself. Fortunately, he hasn't been successful because he is nothing more than a wraith who possesses a wizard."
"Do you have any idea how to get out of here?"
"I can assist you with the creature guarding the second entrance," Nagini offered. "Voldemort has come here several times to brag about his creation, so I know a lot about it."
"Are you suggesting that I release you? We had only just met. Do I think I'm naive?"
"There is nothing I can say to make you trust me. It's up to you to decide whether or not to release me."
Harry frowned. Although he didn't have any uneasy feelings about Nagini, that didn't mean she could be trusted. Should he take the chance? "Do I need to just unlock the gate?"
"No. The gate has a ward. It is nothing special, but it will not be easy to break. You might be able to break it open with a large enough explosion, but that will alert Voldemort."
Harry couldn't risk alerting Voldemort to his presence, so he had to think of another way to free her. He ran his hand through his hair, trying to think of something.
Nagini slapped her tail against the floor. "I have an idea. On the other side of the lake, there is a building where Voldemort keeps his treasures. "I heard that rat talking about how he used a ward breaker to kidnap the artisan from his quarters."
Harry leaned in close, his voice strained. "The artisan's name was Master Karlsson. I cannot help but wonder, did he suffer greatly at the hands of Voldemort?"
"I wish I could lie and claim he died peacefully, but I could hear his screams from here. He didn't go peacefully."
Harry sighed and got to his feet. Dwelling on Master Karlsson's fate would only depress him, so he would try not to think about it. "I will go investigate the building."
He safely made his way across the lake and entered the building Nagini had mentioned. The building's interior was orderly chaos, similar to Lewis' old junk store. Every available surface was covered in various treasures and oddities. The floor was equally cluttered, and he had to carefully navigate his way through it to find the item he was looking for.
A ward breaker was an item that could break through wards and was considered a necessary tool for any curse breaker. They were trained to break wards themselves, but having a few ward breakers on hand made the job much safer. The only problem was that they were difficult to manufacture, varied in quality, and were only marginally effective against more lethal wards.
Harry found the ward breaker after a brief search. He found three more and decided to take them as well. Before leaving, he couldn't help but take a moment to appreciate the fascinating items on display. Because of his trunk workshop, he now had access to a much larger storage space, which he could fill with the contents of this room. He was aware, however, that time was of the essence, and that the longer he remained in this location, the greater the risk of discovery.
Returning to Nagini's prison, he positioned one of the ward breakers in front of the gate. After activating it, he took a step back. A soft whump was followed by a flash of light, indicating that the ward had been successful.
"Hurry and unlock it." Nagini banged her head against the gate. There is a chance that Voldemort has a ward set up to alert him to something wrong here.
Harry used his wand to unlock the gate. When he opened it, Nagini slithered out of her prison.
"You have my gratitude for freeing me. Now, let us hurry and head for the second entrance to confront the creature."
Harry paused as he remembered the other magical creatures still imprisoned in their cages. "What about the other creatures?
"Setting them free will cause a commotion. It is better to leave and seek help before returning to free them."
Harry nodded. He considered storing the creatures in his trunk, but realised that some of them would not be able to navigate the opening. To enter his workshop, you had to descend a ladder. It was a shame, because he could have kept his own menagerie in his trunk. He shook his head and dismissed the ridiculous idea.
He returned to his demiguise form, and they left the building. Nagini led him to the island's edge, promising to protect him if any danger lurked within the lake. They slipped into the water and swam to the far end of the lake. There were no dangerous creatures in the water to impede their progress.
When they emerged from the water, they discovered the tunnel and followed it upward. Harry's heart skipped a beat as a thunderous roar echoed from above, evoking both terror and overwhelming sadness. The creature sounded as if it was in pain.
"We need to put this creature down." Nagini hissed sympathetically. "It's an existence that was never meant to be, and it cries out in its misery. It would be a kindness to put it out of its misery."
Voldemort's depravity infuriated him, but he could not confront the wizard himself. It would be best to inform his grandfather of the situation. His grandfather and the other Runic knights were capable of defeating Voldemort and Peter. Not to mention dealing with Rupert, who worked for Dumbledore.
They climbed to the top of the stairs and entered what appeared to be an excavated cave. Torches mounted on the walls provided some dim illumination, but the majority of the space remained in shadow.
Harry realised that the space was most likely created by hollowing out the boulder he had seen outside.
A loud roar drew his attention, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps approaching him. Harry's jaw dropped when a massive troll emerged from the shadows. However, upon closer examination, he realised that this creature wasn't your typical troll. While it clearly started with a troll, it had undergone some significant and dramatic changes.
It was taller than an average troll, and had an impressively strong and muscular body. Its arm visibly bulged as it tightly gripped the massive club. As the troll approached, it swung the club effortlessly, despite the fact that it appeared to weigh a tonne. The most noticeable difference was that it had two wings protruding from its back. They appeared to have belonged to a hippogriff.
Nagini hissed. "This creature is more resistant to magic than the average troll. Do not try to defeat it using offensive magic. And it's—"
The remainder of Nagini's words were lost on Harry as the troll exploded into action. The creature propelled itself forward at breakneck speed with a sudden snap of its wings, as if they had given him a speed boost.
Harry cursed as he quickly activated his Velocier and turned it up to level five. He leapt to the side just in time to avoid the incoming attack. The troll swung its club, ruthlessly smashing the spot where Harry had been standing mere moments before.
As the impact landed, tremors rippled outward, causing Harry to lose his balance and nearly fall over.
Nagini's body suddenly grew to twenty feet in length and doubled in width in an instant. She wrapped herself around the troll's legs just as he lifted his club off the ground. Raising her head above its shoulder, she lunged down and bit the troll on the neck.
The troll roared and grabbed Nagini's head, ripping her from his shoulder and slamming her to the ground. Raising its club, it brought it smashing down on her.
Harry reacted quickly. He pointed his wand at Nagini and hissed. "Plexu Anguis Clypeus."
A massive glowing snake emerged from his wand and quickly wrapped around Nagini, just as the club crashed down on it. The club rebounded off the snake's glowing body, which quickly faded. It would be unable to withstand another hit like that.
The spell's name roughly translates to "Coiled Snake Shield" in English. It was his first experience with parsel magic, a protective shield that took the form of a massive snake that coiled around its target. Because of its long and sinuous shape, it could cover a larger area than a typical Protego. Furthermore, it only vanished after receiving a certain amount of damage, allowing it to last longer against weaker opponents. The only drawback was that it significantly depleted his magical reserves, costing him approximately six hundred units of magic.
When the troll realised its intended victim had escaped being crushed, it emitted a deafening roar. The creature pivoted towards Harry, its wings unfurling. When Harry sensed impending danger, his instincts kicked in, and he moved quickly to get out of the way. As the troll's powerful wings flapped, a massive gust of wind erupted, causing the rock wall more than twenty feet away to fracture under its sheer power.
The troll staggered drunkenly while clutching the bite wound on its neck. When Harry realised it was unbalanced, he cast another spell on it. "Ventus."
He responded by releasing a gust of wind and pouring a great deal of magic into the spell. It wasn't nearly as powerful as the troll attack, but it was enough to knock it off its feet.
Nagini charged at the downed troll, sinking her fangs into its flesh. She deftly avoided the troll's clumsy swing. She seized the opportunity and attacked again. This time, she wrapped her body around the troll's torso and arms, giving it a tight squeeze.
The troll tried valiantly to break free, but its efforts only seemed to exacerbate the situation. Nagini tightened her grip on the troll, causing its roars to gradually fade into whimpers. Harry averted his gaze, unable to bear witnessing the scene anymore.
"It has passed away," Nagini explained a minute later. "We did the right thing by putting an end to its misery. I believe the wings were constantly hurting it, which was why it was making so much noise all the time."
Harry put his wand back in his holster. "Let us get out of here quickly. I don't want to stay in case the disturbance alerts Quirrel or Peter to our presence."
They passed through the exit and emerged on a small rock shelf a dozen feet above the ground. The entrance was cleverly hidden behind some trees, making it difficult to find from the ground.
Harry and Nagini raced back through the forest to the castle. They made good time and arrived back at the castle an hour later.
"You wait here," Harry said, indicating Hagrid's old hut. "If anyone in the castle sees you, they might attack first. I will explain the situation to my grandparents."
"Very well."
As soon as Harry entered the castle, he assumed his demiguise form and became invisible. He didn't want to be caught by the aurors patrolling the corridors. He made his way up to the second floor, where his grandmother's quarters were located. As soon as he arrived, he transformed back and banged on the door.
When the door swung open, Harry saw both of his grandparents standing there in their dressing gowns. When did they move in together? He grimaced. It was best if he didn't think about it too much because he didn't want to imagine what they did in the privacy of their quarters.
"What are you doing here this late?" Minerva asked, her expression stern. "Is there something wrong?"
"I have found Quirrel and Peter Pettigrew's hideout," Harry exclaimed. "We need to go now and catch them before they leave."
He rendered his grandparents speechless.
So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Harry is going to call in the cavalry and see if they can get rid of Quirrel and Peter for good.
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Thanks for reading.