Chapter 4
The Chariot, The Sisters, And The Number Seven
"I"
I think Dumbledore has a way of knowing things that happen here. I just can't figure out what it is! And I must figure it out. I was first alerted to this possibility today when he approached me and asked if I would like to pursue his private library on Ancient Runes. He then said, I may find some in his collection more interesting than those I could possibly find in the Restricted Section. How does he know I was in the Restricted Section!? I was so careful sneaking in there last night.
My theories as of now are he can turn himself invisible, the paintings snitch to him, or… I don't know. The castle tells him? I will find out one of these days. Maybe I should just ask him…?
Anyways, he told me to come by promptly after dinner this evening and he will let me look through his library at my leisure. It's all I could ever ask for! He probably has the most secretive and rare of texts. I'm already well on my way to becoming a Runic Master (Babbling said I could take the Master test early if my parents allow it… but I can't imagine asking them…) anyways, so I'm sure that his library will be all the more useful.
I'm really looking for other runic alphabets. Babbling only focuses on Furþoc, Elder and Younger, but still, there are so many more to learn!
"III"
March 16, 1998
Her ring glints brightly in the dull light of the open chamber as she steps through the doorway. She moves a cautious few steps into the room, her boots crunching on bits of the door that have fallen into decay, her wand out and ready. She casts a few spells, testing for traps or any hidden curses and relaxes a bit when nothing appears. She can never be too cautious though, she thinks, as she double checks the spells stored in her ring.
She is especially proud of her ring. She made it when she was 14 and just beginning Dumbledore's tutelage. She came up with the idea after learning about the basics of how Rune Stones work. Rune Stones act as an anchor for a runic array, keeping it grounded to a magical link, typically a ley line or a storing crystal, or, often to one's own demise, a human being. Anyways, a Rune Stone is a channel between the reaction the caster is desiring and the magical source of power. But when broken down to basics, it is a vessel that holds coded instructions.
As Dumbledore is teaching her late one afternoon the intricacies of creating a Rune Stone, she is hit with an idea, an inspiration.
She asks, "Sir, typically Rune Stones are used for wards or other such permanent and stationary charms, right?"
He pauses in his explanation of connection sequences, "Yes, that is correct."
"Can you create a moveable Rune Stone?"
"Many a bright wizard has tried to create a moving ward, but no one has ever succeeded," he replies, "You see, a ward requires a significant amount of magical energy and…" he breaks off, "You have that look in your eye again Ginny, what is it?"
"Well sir, what if the Rune Stone isn't for a ward, what if it's for something that requires less energy, that say the caster or wearer would be able to provide?"
"Interesting. I'm assuming you have something in mind then? It sounds as if you've thought this out. What is it then?" he smiles, looking fondly at his student.
"Okay, well I was thinking, what if you create a Rune Stone as a holding stage for a spell. You could use a binding between isaz and thurisaz. We could even add in ehwaz! If we could do a triple binding! Then, then that could mitigate any lost energy from storage. Or if the binding is strong enough, the spells could even gain strength as they're held! It would be like one of those muggle batteries you were telling me about sir."
She is quite excited by the end of her explanation.
Dumbledore looks at her, his eyes twinkling as he takes in her animation.
"I think that might just work. I think that might just work," he muses, "Now, why don't you give it a try."
So yes, she is especially fond of her ring.
And now, it glows with a gentle black light, the sign that all of its spells are held inside correctly, ready to use as she looks around the room.
The chamber is quite empty. It exists in the center of the downward spiral of the library's hall, a circular room that could be easily missed. The curved walls are made of stone and are bare of any decorations save for an empty torch bracket. In the center of the room, standing as the room's only adornment, is a pedestal. And sitting on the pedestal is a book. The book's cover glints in her wand light, rippling like oil across water.
She knows this is the book that she's been looking for. It is exactly where the old texts said it should be.
She first learned of this book while exploring Dumbledore's personal library. She was reading an exhaustive tome called Saxonum Graecorum Traditione Adducti Dispersionis or Saxon Traditions Influenced by the Greek Diaspora. It was written by a frumpy old wizard named Herbanicus Herbanicax. In a small section under the history of a castle in Brittany, was a legend of a hidden library, a lost Roman historian, and a lineage of gods.
She reaches out tentatively, touching the dappled surface of the lustrous book, her fingers brushing gently against the surface of the book. The cover ripples under her touch, as a stone dropped in still water, and with a rush, the book flies open flipping through pages until falling still, open to an entry.
She leans in closer to read it, bringing her wand light closer.
She gasps.
On the left page is a drawing of a constellation, one she would know from anywhere — it matches the birthmark she has on her side — the Pleiades; the seven sisters.
She looks eagerly over to read what is written on the other page, κόρη των πλισέ. She shakes her head, quickly casting a translation charm and the letters and words wriggle on the page, rearranging themselves to read:
Daughter of the Pleiades.
The Daughter of Pleiades, alone among seven,
Born seven of the seventh,
Lost within mortal company she is,
With purpose of own or other.
Once given gift from maze in dark fellowship keep,
then Daughter of Pleiades' power will awaken,
Her power will flow, in glade and grove,
Deep and True,
A Chariot between man and soul.
Her mind reels, spinning with the inscription, all of the old bedtime stories her mum used to tell floating around her thoughts. She had never dreamed to believe that the stories had any purchase in reality, that they were true. But this, this was clearly talking about her. Born seven of the seventh, the seventh child of a seventh child, alone among seven, the only daughter among six brothers, lost within mortal company, she hadn't lived among a magical community since she was sixteen.
This was her.
This was ancient writing about her.
She takes a few deep, calming breaths. Okay, okay. What does this really mean? How does this change her plans? She rereads it. Then again several more times, until she has wrapped her mind around it's meaning.
The only thing that it tells her that is new information is that her "powers" will awaken after she visits Svartalfheim, which she was already planning on doing, as soon as she can find the entrance to the damn place… It hints at what her "powers" might be, flowing deep and true in glade and grove, a chariot between man and soul. No wait, Chariot is capitalized. She can't suppose what that might mean though. A Chariot.
A low rumble rises up through the floor, shaking the pedestal. Several books thump to the ground in the library hall.
Okay, time to go!
She pulls out a tiny digital camera and snaps a quick picture of each page. Then, not wanting to stick around to find out just what is causing the rumbling, she turns and runs out of the room.
She runs up and up, twisting around the library spiral as the rumbling grows louder and louder. Books fall off the shelves all around her as the floor shakes with the noise. A billow of dust flies behind her like a cloud of locusts as she sprints out of the hall, through the castle and out into the daylight. She skids to a stop just past to moat, feeling the edge of the wards release her reluctantly.
And then, all that is left is the fading echo of a crack of apparition, and the deep hollow rumbles drifting slowly away into silence.
A/N: Thank you for the reviews! Scrappy8 always glad to see you enjoying a new chapter! Matecito, I think so too! I look forward to seeing where this Ginny takes us. A.S.-sama, thank you!
All this backstory is getting somewhere I promise! Thanks for reading and always, rate and review :)
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