CHAPTER 36
The Hogwarts Infirmary - 6:44PM
Horrified silence was all that could be heard after Harry's impromptu debrief regarding the events that had transpired in the Chamber of Secrets. Thankfully most of the room had been cleared of its revived patients save a select a few.
Sirius stood protectively by his godson's bed, not unlike a guard dog. He had absolutely refused to be parted from the boy's side, much to Harry's amused appreciation. Lily Evans had been cured of her petrification thanks to the Ewer, seated close to her son with an arm wrapped protectively around him as he recounted his troubling tale. From his vantage, Jim stared with no small amount of yearning at the interaction, wishing that his mother could hold him just the same. Unfortunately due to his father's reckless idiocy, he wouldn't be able to do that for the near future. The Potter Heir resisted the urge to glare at the man as he hovered by his bed.
Tom Riddle, Severus Snape, and Sameer Kolumbiko were also present, gathered quietly together in a small counsel of three as they observed the goings on. Severus was fully recovered from the explosion in his lab, currently aghast to discover that so many of the castle's students - along with almost all the faculty - had ended up Petrified! Sameer was content to observe the reactions of the assembled members in the Infirmary, making careful note of whom reacted to what and how.
Tom had arrived back from Shamballa a few hours prior, making his way to Hogwarts in his stead as a member of the Board of Governors. Though certain factions in the Ministry went out of their way to impose petty restrictions on the Youth Liaison Program, it was enough to grant him a seat on the Hogwarts Board. 'Thank Merlin for that small boon.' He was currently occluding heavily, looking as calm and composed as always though his heart raced when Harry shared certain details regarding his encounter. Namely about the Dark Lord (after gaining access to Hogwarts) being the one who'd cast the Fidelius over the Chamber's entrance sometime around Lockhart's graduation, making the poncy peacock his Secret Keeper. The DADA Professor had revealed the Secret to Harry during his confrontation with the Death Eater, right before his dramatic escape from his classroom. As impressed as he'd been by the young wizard's weaving of such a tall tale, Lord Gaunt was even more impressed that Dumbledore and Scrimgeour were buying his story.
The Headmaster, fully revived along with his Deputy, could only stare with varying degrees of deeply troubled expressions as Harry recounted his admittedly very edited tale. Harry hadn't missed Dumbledore's (and Rufus Scrimgeour's) flinch at the mention of 'horcrux'. "...You're certain Mr. Potter, that the Dark Lord indicated that the destroyed quill wasn't…that?" The Headmaster looked entirely too pale, almost as white as his beard.
"If by 'that' you mean horcrux (Harry noted that tell-tale flinch) then yes, that's what he said. I destroyed the quill with the creature's fang, the same one that embedded itself into my shoulder when I stabbed the Basilisk with that." He gestured towards the Sword of Gryffindor laid on the side table next to a sleeping Amy Wilkes. It was sat next to the Sorting Hat, whom had insisted on staying close to the witchling until she awoke, much to the surprise of most in the Infirmary. Everyone (save Jim) had been amazed to hear that the Toymaker's daughter had pulled the fabled sword of Gryffindor from the Hat, a feat only those who were considered true Gryffindors could accomplish. With that fact, Harry had made sure to keep any mention of her father out of his explanation. Amy deserved a fresh start unburdened by her father's odious (and very illegal) actions.
"Anyway, I realized after I destroyed the quill that it would not be enough. The Dark Lord mentioned that he'd forced Ron to use the quill to inscribe… Verbis Diablo into his arms as a means to Weasley as a tool…a puppet whenever he wanted." Harry paused to gauge reactions at his mention of the Dark Wild runic language. Tom, Sameer, and Severus' faces were perfectly smooth, in direct antithesis to those of Dumbledore, Scrimgeour, and (to Harry's shock) Sirius. His godfather's eyes were blown wide, looking more disconcerted than Harry decided the man had any business ever looking. Then, Harry remembered Regulus Black's speech regarding the Anathema Codex after their harrowing foray into the memory of Pandora Lovegood's ritual.
Continuing on with his story, Harry allowed his expression to become tightly contrite when describing the decision he'd had to make regarding Ron Weasley and his possession. He allowed tears to fall down his face, the action made easy by the genuine emotions he was feeling, had felt within that particular moment. Lily pressed him into a firm embrace, oozing maternal worry. "It's alright dear, just let it all out." Harry smiled gratefully at his mother before resuming his tale.
"I was faced with a terrible choice…" his voice broke, startling Jim and even James at the sincerity of his words and expression. "But thankfully…another option presented itself, and I am very glad that it did." Harry described his use of the offensive iteration of the Colovaria Charm that he insisted Lockhart had taught to Team Counterstrike, using the spell to blister the symbols off the Gryffindor's skin. He looked away in shame at that admission, rubbing furiously at his eyes. Dumbledore's expression wrinkled in empathy whilst Lily rubbed his arm in comfort.
Of course, at that exact moment, Ron Weasley chose to scream bloody murder.
It seemed like an eternity that the youngest Weasley son had spent trapped in his own memories and nightmares. He remembered being in Percy's study room with the Other Ron, just as he'd jinxed his older brother with Parseltongue. He'd come to just before the Basilisk had been released in the Staff Room, begging…him… to release him. That hadn't worked, and he'd ultimately surrendered himself to…him…once more. He could recall his pleading screams as the Other Ron had led his best friend into the trap in the abandoned girls' lavatory, before blacking out once more as the Dark Lord resumed control.
When he'd come out of his stupor, he'd been lying in repose in a pine coffin. Utterly covered in spiders. Ron screamed himself hoarse, unable to logically think beyond the crippling fear of his arachnophobia. He'd screamed so loudly that some of the spiders had gotten into his mouth and crawled down his throat, causing him to black out again from terror-induced shock. He'd come to once more as he heard the Other Ron screaming in primordial terror and pain, causing Ron to scream in tandem as he felt the effects of the Colovaria Charm was over him. But then more spiders - who were still crawling all over him - had scuttled their way into his mouth, forcing the boy to stop his screams and just suffer in pained silence.
He had been hopeful when he saw a brilliant flash overhead and he stretched his hand forward trying to reach the light.
But then the spiders increased in their strength and dragged him down…sinking…sinking…sinking…
Ron screamed again.
Immediately, the boy started thrashing in his bed and batting at his clothing, in the throes of a nightmarish seizure of terror. Alarmed, his older brothers tried to hold him down while Madam Pomfrey practically forced a Calming Draught down his throat. She tried to force another before freezing at Tom Riddle's commanding "STOP!", causing the Weasley brothers to stiffen as one. With sharp strides the older wizard made his way over to Ron's and rapidly cast a slew of nonverbal diagnostic and calming spells that caused the boy to go stock still. He grimaced as he read the results of the runic text that sprung from his wand. Casting a series of obscure healing spells, he instructed Madam Pomfrey to fetch her most potent Draught of Living Death. She hesitated for a beat before rushing away to grab the potion.
"WHAT?! Why does he need that?!" Molly was hysterical and blubbering, barely registering Arthur's tight embrace. Mr. Weasley had rushed to Hogwarts when he'd discovered that his youngest son was in a state of 'Mortal Peril' per the Weasley Family Clock. He'd nearly given Tamsin Applebee a heart attack when he'd appeared in the Staff Room Floo (followed by his entire brood) demanding entry to see his son.
"Mrs. Weasley…I'm afraid your son is in the throes of a severe psychic seizure, leftover remnants of his possession at the hands of the Dark Lord. The particular type of dark magic utilized here is a Dark nightmare spell, psychically trapping his mind in a loop of his greatest fear. Which in young Ronald's case, is spiders." Fred and George blanched at that, before looking away guiltily. At that point Madam Pomfrey arrived with the Draught which, under Tom's watchful eye, she gently poured down Ron's throat. The boy's breathing finally evened out and as his anguished expression turned smooth. With gentle twirls of his yew wand Tom created a golden shimmer that enveloped around the young ginger wizard, creating a protective bubble.
"That will keep any residual magic from the symbols from leaking out, and keep him shielded from any external magical influence. The healing orb will remain until I lift it. If he were to be woken, the magic of the runes would go into overdrive and force him to lash out in his fear. Lash out very violently." He grimaced at his next statement: "That is the true dark nature of Verbis Diablo; though Harry succeeded in distorting the symbols with his ingenious use of the Colovaria Charm coupled with the powerful healing magic of phoenix tears, it is the nature of those runes to…imprint themselves on the very being of the individual they're inscribed upon, drawing on the individual's magical core to recharge. If Ronald were to awaken now, it would take mere hours for the rune to charge and be fully functional. That's primarily their function; leech off the magical core, the process initiating and replicating itself every single time its victim uses or performs magic, in any form." Tom carefully hid his revulsion at thought of the entirely backwards-facing runes and their significance. Arthur's lips thinned while Molly began weeping in earnest. The Weasley brothers just looked horrified, fearing that they would never get their sibling back whole again.
"So you mean…every time he cast a spell…every time he released the Basilisk…the petrifications…" Tom nodded tightly at Harry's whispered statement.
Suddenly, a loud cough followed by an icy voice intruded into their efforts. Two new figures had entered the infirmary: Minister Cornelius Fudge ... and Lucius Malfoy, who glared hatefully at the entire Weasley family who gladly returned the expression.
"Forgive me, Mr. Potter," he said in a voice like silk dipped in poison. "But would you mind repeating that? It rather sounded as though you said the Weasley boy played some role in the petrification of my son and heir!"
"Er, yes," said Fudge nervously. "I think I would like to know what's going on as well. Albus?" The Headmaster could only sigh in internal frustration. Now was not the time to deal with one of Lord Malfoy's temperamental little snits. He wasn't the only one; Tom barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Lucius' theatrics.
"Heir Malfoy has been revived Lucius, he's currently in his dorm," Dumbledore said. "As my own mobility attests, we now have access to as much Restoration Potion as we need thanks to the resourcefulness of Harry Potter, Jim Potter, and Amy Wilkes (Lucius' brow quirked at that). As for the details, perhaps it would be best if we continued this discussion in the more comfortable confines of my office."
"We will continue only after my immediate question has been answered, Dumbledore. Was the Weasley boy the one responsible for the petrification of my son?" The look on Malfoy's face, while still a perfect mask of emotional control, nevertheless promised bloody vengeance against the entire Weasley family if that question was answered affirmatively. Everyone in the room tensed in response, and the Weasleys gathered protectively around Ron. Percy actually cast Protego over the healing orb around Ron's comatose form before bodily placing himself in front of the bed, surprising some of his family.
During all this, Harry just studied Lucius Malfoy from his position on his bed. He carefully Dilated slightly so that he could review everything he knew about the man from what he'd gleaned from his conversations with Draco and his own personal genealogical research into House Malfoy. Suddenly, his memory from that fateful day at Flourish and Blotts popped into his mind – when traditionalist pureblood and Prince Emeritus Lord Malfoy and Arthur Weasley got into a public brawl.
And then, the kaleidoscope of his mind whir-clicked, and he finally understood what he needed to do. Clearing his throat to get the Headmaster's attention, Harry dropped all of his Occlumency defenses and stared directly into the older man's eyes when turned to his direction. Then, he thought as clearly as he could: "Please, let me handle this." Dumbledore's face remained impassive, but on the other side of him, Scrimgeour suddenly turned to look towards Harry and then tilted his head slightly. He wasn't the only one; Severus and Sameer turned sharply towards Harry as Tom cocked his head curiously at the ensuing events. Unseen to them all, Arthur's eyes lightly narrowed.
Then, Dumbledore turned back towards Lucius with a genial expression.
"I would be happy to answer your question, Lucius, but I believe young Mr. Potter here can satisfy your curiosity more thoroughly than I."
"Albus?" Lily started in surprise at the thought of her son in a dialogue with a former Death Eater like Malfoy. Sirius was too, but before either could press the issue, Harry firmly squeezed her hand and she relaxed, before nodding firmly at Sirius. As one, both allowed Harry to take the lead.
"Go on, Mr. Potter," Lucius drawled expectantly.
"Well, Mr. Malfoy, Ron was technically responsible, but at the time, he was under the mental control of an ensorcelled dark quill passed on to him. The quill originally belonged to the Dark Lord himself, an object he himself described as a conduit to allow him to possess whatever victim utilized it. An object as powerful and, need I say, priceless as that would only be entrusted to the Dark Lord's truly faithful. A believer. An acolyte of the forces of darkness."
"I understand…please continue." Lucius said. There was the slightest narrowing of his eyes, accompanied by an almost imperceptible tightening of his lips at Harry's subtly suggestive tone. The boy noticed, as did at least three others.
"As the plot that plagued this castle slowly unwound itself, I realized that this acolyte would need some means of breaching the castle undetected, under a guise so infallible that very few, if any, would suspect them. Doing so would allow them to smuggle the quill into the school, allowing it to fall into the unsuspecting hands of a student who could be easily manipulated into using it. And thereby, unleashing the Basilisk and causing the same petrification attacks of 1943 when the creature was first released from the Chamber of Secrets."
Fudge gasped audibly at that, but Harry was more focused on the tiny movement of Lucius's Adam's apple and the way his hand tightened around the grip of his cane (which obviously housed a hold-out wand). Arthur's eyes narrowed some more.
"You-Know-Who's curse upon the quill was so powerful that it could influence and even possess anyone who wrote with it for any period of time. So while Ron played an unwilling role, Lord Malfoy, if you want to blame someone for your son's petrification, I suggest you look to the person who gave Ron the quill in the first place. Luckily, I know when and where that happened, as well as who the real villain was!"
With that, Harry smiled at Malfoy with all his teeth. He internally crowed at Lucius' still tightening expression, as his eyes narrowed and the grip on his cane grew even tighter. Tom hid his amusement at seeing Lord Malfoy sweat behind impenetrable shields.
"You do?!" Jim exclaimed in surprise.
"Of course," Harry replied, glancing over at his brother and the Weasleys. "The quill was slipped into Ron's cauldron last August when we were all getting our books at Flourish & Blotts." He turned back towards Lucius. "I'm sure you remember that afternoon, Lord Malfoy. That was the day you got into that altercation with Mr. Weasley here that turned into a fistfight."
"I remember the incident," Malfoy said coldly.
"As do I," Arthur Weasley added in an equally harsh voice.
"Well, that's all well and good, Mr. Potter," said Minister Fudge. "But who was the one responsible for giving this cursed quill to Mr. Weasley?"
Harry looked at the Minister in feigned surprise. "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought that was obvious from my previous description. Why…it was Gilderoy Lockhart!" With that announcement, Harry actually had to clamp down hard on his own emotions to avoid snickering at the look of visible surprise, relief, and confusion that played across Malfoy's face for almost a full second before he regained control of himself. Beside him he felt his mother's imperceptible shake of laughter even as she delicately cleared her throat. Nearby, Scrimgeour glanced sharply at Harry before turning back to study Lucius impassively, even as Dumbledore's eyes twinkled quite impressed at Harry's flawless manipulation.
"It was Lockhart?" George Weasley asked, with just a hint of sadness in his voice. Fred looked just as disappointed.
"Obviously mate," said Harry. "I mean, he did confess to being responsible for the petrifications when he practically held Luna and I hostage when we confronted him a few days ago. You and your brother should also know that he confessed to Imperiusing you, to convince you to give him his wand so he could cast the explosive runes that blew up Greenhouse 3, the Hospital Wing, and Professor Snape's potions lab." George looked horrified as Fred's expression twisted into a snarl. "If you recall, Mrs. Weasley," continued Harry, "he made a big show of giving you a free set of all his books at the book-signing. The quill was only slightly smaller than the standard textbook; all too easy to slip into one of the pages. And since you'd mentioned that you had five children, he'd have guessed that at least one of them would find the cursed thing and make use of it."
To say Molly was livid was an understatement. "That right fiend bastard used me to pass a cursed objection on to my own children! SIRIUS!" Lord Black jumped at the shrill bark of his name. "When you and the aurors catch that sonofabitch you'd better let me at him!"
"Now, now, Mollywobbles," Arthur said gently. Her children looked shocked at the sight of her swearing.
"But...what was the point of all this?" Fudge asked in confusion.
"Well, I have a small theory," Harry replied respectfully. Fudge perked up expectantly. "Lockhart created the perfect cover as a globetrotting, bon-vivant book writer supposedly well-schooled in Dark Arts Defense. He gets a relatively easy win into Hogwarts by charming both the Headmaster and its Board of Governors, placing himself in the perfect position to ensure that the quill would successfully possess Weasley - or any student really. Said student would then gain access to the Basilisk to petrify the Headmaster and the rest of the staff as prelude to an attack on the school. With its Headmaster and most of the staff incapacitated, Hogwarts would be a sitting duck just ripe for destruction…or a takeover." Several eyes widened at that, and Fudge looked keenly disturbed.
"Lord Malfoy," Harry said as earnestly as possible for a Slytherin, "Ron was just a victim in this. A victim of You-Know-Who's cruel powers of mind control. Just as you were a victim of his Imperius Curse all those years ago and were forced to do terrible things for which you yourself were nearly sent to Azkaban."
Behind Harry, Scrimgeour also fought the urge to smile as the boy continued.
"Honestly, it seems to me that House Malfoy and House Weasley have a mutual enemy here. If you'll forgive my bluntness, maybe this is a sign that your two houses should set aside their differences and end the Oath of Enmity that has kept your families in conflict for these last few centuries."
Lucius raised his chin haughtily. "My son wrote home to me after your…discussion about the Enmity Oath between my House and House Weasley. He mentioned your suggestion that he and young Miss Weasley should, and I quote: 'Act like any responsible young witch and wizard. You know your feelings are unnatural. So even if you can't stop feeling the way you do, you can control how you respond publicly to those feelings. Don't allow yourselves to be overcome by external compulsions. And above all, don't embarrass Slytherin House over some ancient feud that has no relevance for either one of you' end quote." Harry looked impressed that he'd been able to remember that rather long-winded snippet, even more so that Draco had remembered and shared it with his father via mail.
"I too know about the Enmity Oath," Arthur said quietly yet firmly. "It's ... not something we tell our children about until they're grown, but all the adult Weasleys know about it."
The two men who had been enemies for their whole lives stared balefully at one another. Finally, Malfoy spoke.
"I suppose two centuries is long enough to hold a grudge over a petty marital dispute. However, the declaration of enmity was initially made by the House of Weasley. Is the Head of House Weasley willing to be the first to declare our feud at an end?"
Arthur stared in quiet intensity at Lucius, so intensely that quite a few in the room grew uncomfortable at the sight. Tom cocked his head to the side, blinking twice. "I ... am indeed so willing," he said firmly. After a few seconds, the two men walked stiffly towards one another and then, after a brief hesitation, shook hands. Immediately, everyone in the room felt a wave of ... something. The impression was as if somewhere far away a mighty glacier had finally cracked and begun to quickly melt. Arthur and Lucius both exhaled, but Malfoy spoke first.
"Do not think, however, Weasley, that this changes my views on the Muggle Protection Act. I still have legitimate concerns about the Act's breadth." Then, he hesitated for a moment. "That said, I am not…averse to meeting with you later to see if some compromise is possible."
"I ... would be very appreciative," Arthur said quietly.
Lucius nodded and then turned back to Dumbledore. "You mentioned my son is revived?"
"Yes, he should either be in the Slytherin Common Room or his bedroom. You are of course free to attend to him as needed."
"Very well. With your permission, I shall escort the Minister to the nearest Floo. I suppose I ought to send word to my wife as well." He bowed to the group and then turned towards the doors. Fudge followed before stopping and turning back towards the aurors.
"Oh, Scrimgeour? Black? Potter? I'd like to meet with you both tomorrow morning at nine o'clock in my office? I'm glad to see that things are resolved here, but I do have some questions I want answered." The three men nodded their assent, and Fudge quickly followed after Malfoy.
After a few seconds, Fred Weasley finally spoke first. "So does this mean we have to be nice to Draco Malfoy?" he asked.
"No," Harry said while exhaling loudly now that the tension had been broken. "It just means neither you nor anyone else in your family has to hate him."
Sirius moved closer to Harry and Dumbledore. "So what was all that about? Putting Harry in charge of explaining things to Malfoy?"
"It was because I knew he would do so admirably, Sirius. One thing I've learned over the years is that sometimes it takes a Slytherin to handle a Slytherin." Then, Dumbledore moved closer and spoke softly so that none of the Weasley family could hear. "There was a very real possibility that Lucius could have pursued criminal sanctions against Ronald Weasley in spite of his current incapacitation. Perhaps even Azkaban, depending on how the Wizengamot chose to treat a minor who committed such serious crimes while claiming to be possessed. Your godson not only diverted Lucius from pursuing such an option, he actually persuaded Lucius to abandon the Enmity Oath that has kept those two houses at odds for centuries. Said Enmity Oath that would have…motivated Lucius to vehemently pursue criminal sanctions in the first place."
Sirius looked down at Harry with a curious expression, before beaming in pride and clapping his godson on the shoulder. "Well done mate." Harry smiled at the older man while deftly ignoring his eavesdropping father's shocked and concerned reaction in the background. 'Bloody hypocrite.'
"Yes, indeed," said Scrimgeour, "most impressive. However, since we're expected to report on everything that's happened tomorrow morning. I'd like to interview the boys more formally. James!" Lord Potter jumped to attention. "Why don't you get a full written statement from Jim? I'll do the same with Harry. Albus, is your office free?"
A quiet "hem-hem" from Lily Evans brought the formidable man up short. The witch stood and came to stand directly in front of the Chief Auror, causing him to actually take a small step back. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled madly. The witch smiled with all her teeth before speaking: "You won't be getting any statement out of my son until he's once more thoroughly checked over by Madame Pomfrey and receives a clear bill of health. He has, after all, been through a very harrowing physical and mental ordeal for the past few hours. Then, he and I will accompany you to the Headmaster's Office for a debrief. Auror Black will accompany us as well, since he is Harry's godfather. Are we clear?"
Scrimgeour blinked thrice. "Crystal."
8:01PM
As Lily Evans closed the door behind her, Rufus took another sip of his firewhiskey.
"He's a remarkable young man, isn't he, Albus?"
"That he is, Rufus. That he is. As remarkable in his own way as the Boy-Who-Lived. Especially considering he was the one to slay Slytherin's Monster."
"Indeed. Do you…do you believe that is what drew Fawkes to his side?" Dumbledore suddenly looked his age.
"I believe Fawkes came to Harry's aid because in that instant…he had laid down his own life to defeat a great evil. He had accepted the inevitability of his own death, and thus inspired Fawkes to grant him a well-deserved second chance."
Scrimgeour hummed quietly. "As I said, a remarkable young man. And so frightfully intelligent as well."
Dumbledore hesitated. "I don't know if I'd say frightfully intelligent. Though his intellect is prodigious for a child of his years. Even more so than I'd realized at first."
"He's also hiding something. Some secrets that would be revealed by his memories of the Chamber of Secrets other than the two that he willingly revealed. Especially with the presence of his mother and godfather."
"I agree, but I think he's earned a measure of trust given all that's transpired with the Chamber, and so I'm not inclined to press the matter for the time being." Dumbledore took a small sip of his tea. "I would also wager that whatever he's not revealing is to, in some way, protect Lily and Sirius. The latter moreso than the former. His mother is a Slytherin and understands all too well the need for difficult and at times, unsavory decisions. As unconditional as his love is, Sirius is still very much a Gryffindor and may take…umbrage to those kinds of decisions. Especially if he believes his godson should not be in the position to make those choices in the first place."
"Mmm," Scrimgeour nodded and then took another sip of whiskey. "So tell me this at least – do you think the boy has any idea that he's a natural Legilimens?"
Dumbledore coughed delicately. "With Lily Evans as a mother and Tom Riddle as a mentor? Very much so. And that includes Severus as well."
Scrimgeour nodded again but said nothing more.
8:47PM
After a quick repass in his mother's private quarters (which mainly consisted of his her sweetly fussing over him as Severus evaluated his mindscape to check for any lingering damage), the trio made their way over to the Slytherin Common Room.
Upon entering, the trio was confronted with almost the entirety of the House gathered downstairs. The second Professor Snape crossed the threshold he started, not at all expecting the polite applause he received from almost all his students, with some even loudly declaring "Welcome back Professor!". He nodded in polite thanks, secretly quite chuffed at the warm reception. After that unexpectedly warm reception, Severus dismissed all of the students to their dorms, insisting that they'd already had a long enough night and would need to wake up bright and early to resume class in the morning. Though there was a wave of grumbles, most of the students made their way upstairs to their respective rooms.
With the exception of a few.
"HARRY!" In a blink Harry soon found himself with an armful of relieved Luna Lovegood, the witch hugging him fiercely. He was glad to return the favor, holding on tightly to the blonde as though she were a lifeline. Lily and Severus exchanged amused glances.
"I'm so glad you didn't die Harry Potter." He chuckled in spite of himself.
"I promised you that I wouldn't Luna Lovegood." He broke the embrace to check her over. "Are you alright?" She nodded that she was fine before signaling the others to come over. Harry was pleased to see Eurus, giving the girl a firm hug as she sweetly thanked him for saving all their lives. Theo and Blaise made their way over and embraced their best friend in matching one-armed hugs, the three friends amicably chatting for a few moments before the two boys bid their goodbyes, followed by Eurus and Luna. They'd have plenty of time to properly catch-up later.
Ginny was the last approach, desperately gripping Harry's hands as she peppered him with a series of uncomfortable questions about Ron. With a gentle sigh Severus ushed the girl to a private corner and cast a very strong Muffliato. Then, he explained the current situation to her. Harry felt a stab of guilt at her horrified and teary expression as their Head of House calmly shared the details regarding Ron's rather dire condition. Naturally the little firstie was adamant on seeing her brother and the rest of her family, because Severus dispelled the privacy spell before summoning Tweak, kindly asking him to take Ginny to the Hospital Wing. The two quickly disappeared in a soft pop.
Snape could only sigh as he rejoined mother and son, before the three made their way over to Prefects Row. The three stopped short at the sight of Tom and Lucius, who seemed to be having a somewhat amicable conversation regarding Merlin knew-what. The two wizards exchanged polite greetings with the trio, before Tom nodded at Harry to "take the lead".
With determined steps Harry led them to the entrance of the Lair before confidently giving the password: "Obi Hans-Wan Kenobi Solo." Lucius looked quite nonplussed, eyebrows subtly scrunching even as Lily rolled her eyes in amusement.
As one the group of five stepped into the Lair…
…before stopping short. On the far side of the table, the nine heads of the Hydra Throne were active again and even chatting quite animatedly. And sitting on the Throne as if born to it was Gilderoy Lockhart! The presumed fugitive made to speak before frowning as Tom interrupted him:
"Regulus, glad to see you make it on time." The man deflated a bit at having his dramatic entrance ruined, before shaking his head violently in a manner very similar to how Nymphadora Tonks would reset her own appearance back to its default. Lockhart's auburn hair darkened to jet black, and a neatly trimmed black goatee sprouted around his mouth. His adorable button nose sharpened into a noble Aquiline shape as his dreamy hazel eyes turned to a cold gray, flashing a charming smile at them all. In that moment Harry was instantly reminded of an elegantly impish Sirius Black, internally amazed at the similarity between his godfather and his not-so-deceased little brother. He was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of Severus lightly choking, before the wizard smoothed his expression and calmly retreated behind his Occlumency shields. Lily's face was perfectly blank, though her eldritch eyes flashed with something…imperceptible.
"Now that introductions have been completed," said Tom, "I would respectfully request that you remove yourself from my chair."
"Oh come on Riddle," Regulus said irritably. "Are you really going to pull rank on me at a time like – ACK!" The former Prince jumped suddenly as Alecto leaned in close and angrily hiss-snapped at him to "remove his rear from Emeritus Riddle's seat immediately!"
"Alright, alright! Honestly!" he said as he got up and relocated to the chair to the left of the Hydra Throne. He continued to grumble good-naturedly as Tom took his seat on the Throne, the older wizard animatedly chatting with the serpents who were very happy to see him, all nine heads cheerfully and eagerly attempting to engage him in conversation. Even Nidhogg seemed chuffed, a sight Harry thought he'd never see in a million years.
Everyone else approached the table and took their seats, before starting at the runespoor sudden snide remarks:
"Well well well look what the kneazle dragged in!" "More like spat out!" "Ki-ki-ki-ki."
All three heads were glaring balefully at Lily, who rolled her eyes as she gracefully sat in the chair next to Harry and across from Severus. Once comfortably seated, she sneered at the three-headed serpent. "Oh look, it's little six-eyes. Finally figured out your left from your right and your up from your down?" Lucius delicately coughed as Harry gawked at the exchange. Regulus, Rajah, and Severus looked similarly resigned, almost as if they'd heard this exchange several times. "It's a pity you're a stodgy relic past your time." Her eyes narrowed dangerously as Nidhogg openly chortled. "I hear runespoor leather is all the rage." The runespoor looked utterly scandalized before the two parties devolved into a petty hissing squabble, before a firm "Hem-hem!" from Tom stopped the two in their tracks.
"Ladies, please. Now is not the time." Lily lightly blushed in embarrassment as he turned to the runespoor: "My darling Furies, perhaps save that spirit for when our group needs to brainstorm? You always did have a rather unique perspective I've greatly appreciated." And then he smiled rather charmingly, causing the three heads to titter like schoolgirls! Everyone looked amazed, having never seen the notoriously mercurial serpent be so easily…agreeable!
Lucius quietly cleared his throat, wondering out loud if the two had always traded such 'spirited' barbs.
"Hang on a moment; Lord Malfoy, are you a Parselmouth?" asked Harry curiously. "Or did you gain that ability when you each became Prince?"
"The latter," replied Lucius. "When the Hydra approves a Slytherin as Prince, he or she gains a limited amount of Parseltongue. Those of us who are not natural speakers can't converse with real or conjured snakes, but we can communicate with the Hydra or with any other of the artificial snakes of Hogwarts Castle. There is also the added benefit of any member of our respective Administrations gaining a similar ability, but only when their respective Prince holds the mantle and or is seated on the Throne." He nodded politely at Tom. "Case in point."
"Sooo, can we finally get started?" asked Regulus impatiently.
"Not until my guest arrives." At that exact moment the Floo flared green as Tom stood to greet their visitor. A stately and feminine figure emerged, dressed in a chic pantsuit topped with a luxurious mink fur stole and matching jacket. Her face was strikingly beautiful, a throwback to the golden era of film empires past.
Specifically, Lauren Bacall.
In fact, she looked identical to Lauren Bacall, so much so that Harry briefly considered the mad conspiracy of the American film star secretly being a British witch.
That is until Tom affectionately rolled his eyes and chuckled as he embraced the smirking woman. "Cassie dear, so glad you could make it." He gave her a once-over. "Though I still see you're having your fun with the classics." She giggled in a coquettishly Delilah-esque manner before striking a pose.
"As you always said dear, the classics do endure." She winked teasingly, causing Tom to chuckle once more.
"Hang on a mo', Aunt Cassie?! What are you doing here?!" Regulus looked gobsmacked.
"Tom asked for my assistance, so naturally I came." Her gaze turned flinty, causing her nephew to audibly gulp. "And don't think I've forgotten about you not even bothering to send me a letter all this time to let me know you're alright! But I suppose I'll deal with you later." And with that she haughtily sniffed and allowed Tom to escort her to her chair, briefly pausing to greet the assembled guests. She even succeeded in making Snape and Malfoy blush, a feat Harry would've deemed utterly impossible but stood as a testament to the witch's endless charming guile.
A silent pop marked the arrival of Tweak, who bowed deeply to Tom before summoning an impressive tea set and a veritable feast of freshly baked pastries. Cassie clapped her hands in girlish delight at the sight of the raspberry pasties before sweetly thanking the austere elf. "Thank you very much, old friend," said Tom, respectfully nodding in his direction. "It's wonderful to see you."
"And you as well Emeritus Riddle." He bowed once more before quietly disappearing. The room's occupants quickly prepared themselves a serving of tea and pastries before beginning their agenda.
"So Regulus," Tom turned to the wizard's direction, "I assume your mission in the castle was successful?"
Black nodded as he savored the rich taste of his pumpkin pasty. "Indeed; we have all the tools we will require for our upcoming mission, along with critical insight into some questions we'd once deemed… well…unanswerable."
"Mission within Hogwarts?" Harry tilted his head curiously, before the whir-click of his mind granted him the necessary understanding.
"The research teams…Tom is on the Board of Governors, so it would have been all too easy for him to convince the other members to vote for a globetrotting and bon-vivant book writer with zero teaching qualifications to become the new DADA Professor. You come in and put together research teams that target specific branches of magic that both encapsulate the offensive and defensive, mimicking what a DADA curriculum should entail. Teams Chameleon and Backdoor actually succeed in creating tools that you can use; the former batches of altered Polyjuice Potion, the latter some obscure application of explosive runes and chaotic water magic." Black's impish grin let Harry know he was on the right track. "In fact…Team Chameleon succeeded in creating a unique recipe of Polyjuice Potion that not only lasts for a little over 2 hours, but can also overcome Thief's Downfall. A testament to Fred Weasley's enduring Potions talent." Several eyes widened at that as Severus' brow quirked, a sign that he was truly impressed.
Harry pressed on: "Whatever mission you and Tom have planned is one that will involve extensive use of Polyjuice for multiple people, some obscure application of explosive runes, along with rare memory charms. At this point, I can assume Team Counterstrike and Team Protector was just DADA protocol to throw off the Headmaster and the rest of the staff, since those agendas more or less matched the Defense curriculum students should be learning in the first place." The boy looked triumphant at the end of his statement, eagerly biting into his strawberry tart in reward.
A few beats passed as the Lair's occupants absorbed the young wizard's words.
"Well done Harry." Regulus looked genuinely impressed. "Like I said when we last crossed paths; you've only got half of the plot correct. You cannot get the full whole without the proper halves." He paused to take a sip of his honey and vanilla bean tea, before turning his full attention to the Hydra. "I'll allow Tom here to provide the missing piece of the puzzle."
Lord Gaunt amusedly rolled his eyes as he set aside his tea cup. "As Regulus said, you are halfway correct Harry. Our Hogwarts plan was pure happenstance, a most opportune turn of events that had nothing to do with our original plan." He leaned forward and elegantly steepled his fingers. "During the spring of the previous year, I discovered the most curious little oddity with my employer." Everyone knew he was referencing the DoM, the man never outright confirming or denying his affiliation with the clandestine division of the Ministry. "I required critical information that would aid me in my work tasks, but I was startled to discover that my access had been prohibited. Now, I am never one to outright brag, but my…position grants me certain clearances that bestows extensive access to the information I require. You can imagine my alarm upon my discovery that every bit of information my employer possessed was deemed REDACTED, knowable only to Saul Croaker and the highest ranking member of my employer. This information was critical to my work, but all my requests to access it were summarily denied."
"And what exactly is this information you sought?" asked Lucius quietly.
Tom took a small sip of his hyssop and mint tea. "I honestly didn't know the specific name at the time, just that it was the only avenue I had yet to explore for my work projects. Naturally I endeavored on my own to see what I could discover, and was exceedingly frustrated that my covert research was yielding absolutely no results. Once I'd exhausted all feasible avenues on my end I reached out to Regulus, knowing his relation to an Ancient and Noble House as traditionalist and, quite frankly, paranoid as House Black would potentially have access to this information as well. Lo' and behold I was right: Regulus possessed old textbooks and class notes within his Gringotts vault, specifically for CoMC. And in those textbooks were several entries on nargles, wrackspurts, and certain other types of mind-affecting creatures that interact with us by reacting to our emotional state. And as such, can overcome even the most powerful of Occlumency." Save Harry and Regulus the room's occupants were shocked and quite perturbed, considering all were Occlumens.
"What was truly disturbing was that Regulus insisted that he had no recollection of studying these creatures before, even though the notes provided were those written by his own hand! As if that wasn't bad enough, his inquiries to the books' respective authors ended in him being branded a fool, and beyond that, current books that should contain the same knowledge were replaced with completely unrelated factoids! Imagine that…an entire branch of magical knowledge seemingly erased out of existence,as though Reality itself had been rewritten with an unprecedented application of an obscure version of Obliviate." Harry felt a tendril of dread curl around his spine, a feeling unknowingly shared by Lord Malfoy.
"And then finally, mere weeks ago, Regulus informs me that the reason an entire branch of magical knowledge didn't exist was because one witch utilized Imago Dei (Lucius very loudly choked on his tea) in a handmade ritual that completely stripped our Reality's knowledge and understanding of Heliopathy, the prodigious and very rare ability to perceive the Astral Plane and the creatures which exist there, creatures which apparently are superimposed over our very dimension." Another wave of shock went through the Lair.
"Wait a minute." Harry whirled his head around to Lockhart. "How could you tell him about…that? We swore an Unbreakable Vow (it was Lily's turn to loudly choke on her tea) not to reveal that information to anyone, how on earth did you bypass that?!"
"Simple; I asked for express and explicit consent prior to telling Tom. I spoke with the individual in question that I wanted to reach out to a trusted and confidential source to gain more information about Heliopathy, specifically regarding knowledge about the ability beyond the British Isles in an effort to help her - discreetly - have a better grasp of her incredible ability. Granted that was a white lie (Severus snorted), it was enough to be granted full consenting permission to reach out to Tom as needed."
"Indeed. And upon learning that tidbit, other deeply troublesome mysteries suddenly became much clearer to me." Tom looked keenly disturbed, enough for the room's occupants to exchange nervous and tense glances.
This was very bad.
Setting aside her third half-eaten raspberry pasty, Cassie laid a gentle hand on her friend's arm. "Tom dear, what is it?" The man could only sigh before speaking quietly speaking:
"It would seem my dear, that said Heliopathy-erasing ritual was not the first time Anathemagic had been used to alter our very Reality. For very nefarious purposes." Regulus and Lucius blanched, with the latter suddenly wishing for something much stronger than tea. Perhaps a double.
"Tom dear." Cassie's husky voice fluttered like silk, barely masking her trepidation. Her decades-long friend sighed tiredly.
"It is my belief that our Reality was reoriented to implant untrue knowledge, make it so that we would all think and believe, even within the sanctuary of our minds, the so-called truth of this individual's existence and prolonged interaction in our world, even with some of us who sit at this very table!" He slammed his hand down in an uncharacteristic show of emotion, causing the room's occupants to jump in shock and fright. The Hydra was especially concerned, knowing that if Tom Riddle of all people was this rattled, then things were very bad.
"It would seem that the now-deceased Berith Selwyn - the once-Heir of House Selwyn and convicted Imperius Master of the Dark Lord's employ - never existed!"
AN 1: What is with me and these cliffhangers of late? Worry not, it shall all be worth it :)
AN 2: RE: REDACTED and the DoM/Unspeakables - my theory is that instead of complete erasure, the ID spell magically obscured and Obliviated knowledge of Heliopaths/Heliopathy in the DoM, referencing any written record of the ability as REDACTED. Designation of that term is only used when the information is Level 13 Classified (the highest possible), knowable only to the minds of Saul Croaker and Control and only accessible by them if they're to undergo a psychic ritual that accesses an internal memory lockbox that contains the information. It is very time-consuming and can only be done once due to the sensitive nature of the information and the intensity of the ritual. Its classification-level ensures that anyone who doesn't have prior clearance (which would only be Saul Croaker and Control) wouldn't bother to look into it because the only two that can know that information can't know it without taking the aforementioned steps. As the Associate Director of the Mind Division, Tom scoured the library of his division to gain extra-obscure Mind Arts knowledge so he could better access the mind of [REDACTED] (lol).
AN 3: For casting, I'm thinking Michelle Gomez as Cassie Black, specifically during her run as the ever cheeky and temperamental Missy in BBC's Dr. Who. She was the only actress I could envision in PoS during her brief reunion with Reg, though I know TSM cast her as Andromeda. We can also see where Reg gets inspiration from to choose old-time actors when choosing his different faces in future AD chapters.
AN 4: Ron will be in a magically-induced healing coma through the upcoming summer. More on that coming.
AN 5: That scene with Lily and the Runespoor was one of the first I wrote specifically for this chapter. Those two are like frenemies, though erring more on the side of verbal enemies than not.