Chapter 18
At The Flip of A Coin
(Opening song. Danger Danger by FZMZ feat. icy.)
(December, The Great Hall)
A cold finger of dread crept up Harry's spine as he scanned the latest decrees pinned to the notice board outside the Great Hall. Each one was more draconian than the last, but it was the final edict—ordering the Inquisitorial Squad to search any student's pouches at will—that made his stomach knot. The very thought of Umbridge's lackeys rifling through his things, looking for anything to use against him or his friends, was enough to set his nerves jangling.
Hermione came up from behind him after finishing the Christmas decorations at the Great Hall. Her and Ron's prefect duties also became more and more onerous as Christmas approached. They were called upon to supervise the decoration of the castle ("You try putting up tinsel when Peeves has got the other end and is trying to strangle you with it," said Ron)
"This is bad," she breathed. "Really bad"
Ron soon joined them and folded his arms. "Umbridge's tightening the screws—searches, bans, more power for the Inquisitorial Squad… How much power is Fudge gonna hand to her anyway?"
"As much as she wants," said Harry as he, Ron, and Hermione walked into the Great Hall and took a seat at the Gryffindor table. "Which means we have to lie low for a bit. We can't afford to give her and her lackeys a reason to come after us."
"What about your cloak?" Ron asked, looking at Harry as he got an omelet from the platter in front of him. "It fits the definition of a banned item if they find it."
Harry shrugged. "No one can prove it's mine. But once she confiscates it, it's gone for good."
"And she might give it to a member of the Inquisitorial Squad." Hermione added, "That said, it's early impossible to find since it flew onto the castle grounds. For all we know, it's sitting in an alley in Hogsmeade."
"I guess you're right," said Ron between bits of his omelet. "But ten of Umbridge's goons rifling through our things? That's…extreme. What's she even after?"
"Well, that's obvious," Hermione said nonchalantly.
Harry and Ron gave her a confused look. "Obvious?" they both said in unison.
"Oh, you guys didn't notice?" she said, looking a bit surprised.
"Notice what?" said Ron, looking even more confused.
Hermione glanced around to make sure no one was eavesdropping before leaning in closer to them.
"The Decree about the Inquisitorial Squad searching our belongings," she whispered, "She's searching for the "students" who blew up the hallway where her office is located. She won't find them, given who the culprit is" She finished, glancing over at the Slytherin table.
Harry followed Hermione's gaze and saw Yuno at the end of the table reading a book. Goyle and Blaise stood behind him, clearly trying, and failing to intimidate him. ("That's 15 points from your house for ignoring us, Lovecraft!" Goyle yelled at Yuno. "Would you stop docking points from our house, you idiot!" Blaise yelled at Goyle in respose)
Harry glared at Yuno, starting to put together the boy's reason for attacking Umbridge. "So it wasn't about framing us," he said quietly. "It was to manipulate her next set of decrees—to make it look like a student uprising rather than a solitary attack."
Hermione nodded, "Exactly, it was a way to manipulate Umbridge's reaction to the incident, and it worked. Pains me to say it, but it was brilliantly played," she added, albeit begrudgingly, "Terrible, but brilliant."
Ron was staring at Yuno now, his eyes narrowing. "Bloody hell, it's like we're going against an evil version of you," he said to Hermione
"Excuse me?" Hermione asked, puzzlement written across her face.
"Well-" Ron began, jabbing a thumb in Yuno's direction, "He's like you but... You know..."
"No, I don't know, and frankly, I'm a little offended, Ronald," Hermione hissed, elbowing him in the ribs.
"Hey, ow!- No seriously, think about it." Ron began rubbing his side. "Same smarts, same top marks, same…dedication to advanced magic.. ok well, his magic is just plain creepy, but you get what I'm saying?"
"That's the last time I'm giving Muggle comics for your birthday since they're messing with how you think," Hermione said, shaking her head and pinching her brow.
"What, c'mon! They're not that bad!" protested Ron, a mix of confusion and hurt on his face. Hermione rolled her eyes, clearly unconvinced. Harry found himself laughing at their little argument, the tension of the conversation briefly fading.
"Never mind that. Point is, the Triad must be tracking Umbridge's movements as well as ours; it's the only way Yuno would have known about our meeting with Hagrid on his first day back. If she finds out anything D.A. related, they'll know too." Hermione explained
"You sure?" Harry asked, his smile fading. "But we've been careful, haven't we? I don't think they could have discovered anything yet."
"I thought the same, but the fact that Yuno knew that Umbridge was on her way to her office from Hagrid's hut was almost too much of a coincidence. I think the Triad might be using something similar to the Marauder's Map that lets them track people's movements." Hermione continued to explain.
Harry and Ron paled at the mention of her words. "Are you saying they know where we are at all times?" he asked, feeling an icy chill go down his spine.
Hermione shook her head. "No, not all times," she said, furrowing her brow, "but I think they can whenever they meet together in the restricted section of the library, so it's definitely just during the night."
"Damn it" Harry cursed, "That's still not good though"
Ron looked at Hermione, his eyes still wide with shock. "Why would you think it's because when they gather in the library?" he asked, "How would meeting up there give them information on us?"
"Well, the other two members of the Triad want to remain anonymous. Yuno's the only one we know about. So, logically speaking, they would want as little contact with him as possible. So it stands to reason that they'd meet up in a mostly secluded spot."
"You're suggesting that their meeting up together at night is when they're tracking people," Harry said, saying the words from his own mouth started to make the threat the Triad posed that much more ominous.
"Or discussing plans," Hermione said. "However, we can plan around them due to one flaw...the shooter"
"Wait, why would…oh!" Harry said after he realized, his eyebrows shooting up, and a small smile appeared on his face. "That's right, the other member of the Triad blocks out the tracing abilities of the map. So whenever we see that black spot covering the library, we know they're tracking us."
Hermione nodded. "Exactly. It's our secret defense against them."
"So let's cancel tonight's meeting and see what time that black spot moves into the library," Harry said
"Agreed," Hermione nodded.
"At least we've covered some ground on them, we might even find some answers about who's in The Triad," Ron said as he took a drink out of his mug of pumpkin juice.
"Hey, you three ever hear about the Room of Requirements ?" a voice suddenly said. Harry, Ron, and Hermione rose, recognizing the voice. Harry turned in the voice's direction and saw Galin standing next to them, making the trio feel a bit on edge.
"The Room of Requirements?" Harry repeated, looking at him questioningly. "What about it?"
"I just heard if you need something, the room gets you what you want," Galin said, taking a seat next to Harry.
The trio exchanged a glance, skepticism written on all their faces, their suspicions about Arianna's foster brother rising.
"Where'd you hear that?" Hermione asked with a guarded tone.
"Heard some Ravenclaws talking about it, cutie," Galin said. "So you know where it is?"
The trio's breaths collectively hitched as he asked the question, anxiety rising at the question.
"No, we don't," she replied quickly, "And it's not like you could find it even if you tried."
"D'oh" Galin said with a frown putting his forehead on the table disappointed making the trio flinch at the reaction, not expecting him to give up so easily. "Damn it, I've been trying to find it, I'm hoping it would give me a gym to workout in during free time" he pouted, his head still on the table.
"Huh?" the trio said collectively
"A gym!?" asked Ron, looking at him in disbelief and a bit irritated. "Are you havin' a laugh!? You want to go to the Room of Requirements just to get a personal gym!?"
"Bro, I haven't lifted in weeks!" Galin protested. he looked at Ron. "Speaking of which looks like you could use it. Oh-we should train together sometime!" Galin suggested to Ron excitedly.
"I'm fine, thanks," Ron said through gritted teeth, his face turning beet red, clearly offended at Galin's implication that he could use more exercise.
Galin tilted his head, looking a bit confused. "You sure? I mean, after that Quidditch game, you could benefit from working on your core strength and balance. I got this sick program from my coach and-".
"I do NOT need help on my balance," Ron growled, his voice rising in anger.
"Did I say something?" Galin said, looking confused at why Ron was angry with him. Ron didn't answer, but his fist balled up, turning his knuckles white. Harry could've sworn he saw steam coming out of Ron's ears.
"Well, if you say, dude." Galin shrugged, "I'm gonna go ask Monty how he keeps his size" The hulking Hufflepuff then stood up from the table. "Catch ya later, amber eyes" , he added, winking at Hermione
Hermione blushed a little, caught off guard by Galin's unexpected compliment.
"Uhm - Thanks.. I guess," she said, stumbling over her words.
Ron, however, was still fuming from earlier and let out an annoyed huff as Galin walked away.
"Why does that jerk have to flirt with everything that walks?" he muttered, watching Galin's back as he made his way across the Great Hall.
"Darkwood may be insufferable, but he's harmless, no filter obviously, but harmless." Hermione scolded Ron.
"Harmless, but annoying," Ron grumbled, crossing his arms. "Still can't believe he insinuated that I'm out of shape."
"Well, exercise is good for everyone," Harry said
"I don't need a workout routine, thank you very much. I get enough at Quidditch practice," Ron shot back, still irritated.
Hermione let out a small sigh. "Ignore him, Harry. He's just being stubbor,n" she said, rolling her eyes. As soon as she said this, the bell rang signaling the start of classes. The trio gathered their things and started to head out of the Great Hall.
"Right, better get to Transfiguration. McGonagall will roast us if we're late," said Harry, trying to lighten the mood.
Ron grumbled under his breath, still not happy with Galin's insinuations, and they headed off toward their class.
Harry felt a pang of guilt that McGonagall couldn't come up and talk to him to see how he was feeling, considering he shared Transfiguration with the Slytherins. They wouldn't hesitate to report her to Umbridge if she fell out of line and came to talk to Harry about anything other than Transfiguration. As he left the class, he gave a small nod goodbye to her, which she returned with a sad look in her eyes. In the second class, everyone almost fell asleep as Professor Binns spent almost the whole class talking about a particular goblin in the History of Magic. And of course, Professor Snape's class was dreadful as Harry had barely managed to pass last week's essay. Harry received several markups on his paper, with Snape making some rather rudely implied comments, saying he was "surprised you were able to comprehend a delicate topic, Potter."
As Harry walked out of the dungeon up to the Great Hall, he saw Cho. His heart sank as he saw her standing by the memorial, tears streaming down her face. He was reminded of the pain and grief the Tri-Wizard Tournament had brought upon her and others. He wanted to approach her, to offer comfort, but he also didn't want to intrude on her moment of sorrow. He stood there, torn between wanting to help and wanting to give her space, watching as she paid respects to Cedric.
After a few moments, Cho seemed to become aware of Harry watching her. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand and turned to him. Even through her tears, she managed a small, sad smile.
"Sorry," she said, her voice cracking. "Didn't mean to get emotional. It's just... hard sometimes."
"It's alright, I understand," Harry said. He gave Ron and Hermione asking for some privacy. They nodded and walked towards the end of the hall. Harry could tell Cho was having a particularly bad day.
She wiped the tears from her face with her blue facecloth. "I saw you canceled tonight's D.A. meeting. Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, just a precaution," Harry said, though he couldn't fully suppress his concerns about the potential risks. "Umbridge is really cracking down on the D.A. and we thought it'd be best to lie low for a bit."
Cho nodded understandingly. "That makes sense." They stood in silence for a moment, the memory of Cedric hanging between them. Cho began to sniffle up again a bit.
"I've been meaning to ask you for ages… did Cedric - did he - in - in - mention me at all before he died?" Cho asked him
Harry grimaced at the question. Talking about Cedric was a sore spot with him. "There wasn't really enough time to talk about anything of the Cho, everything just happened so fast."
Cho looked down, frowning. Harry could see that she had been clinging to the hope of some final words or thoughts from Cedric about her.
"I see..." she said quietly, her voice quivering. Harry wanted to offer her some kind of comfort, some reassurance, but there was nothing he could say, and to his horror, he saw that her eyes were swimming with tears again. He reached out, hesitantly putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Hey. Don't cry," he said gently.
Cho looked up at him, her eyes brimming with sadness and unshed tears. But she bit her lip and tried to steady herself, pulling herself together.
"Harry, I get the feeling you're hiding something from me," Cho said through tears. "I-I thought you'd understand."
Harry felt sick to his stomach. He knew she was talking about the Dark Triad. The last thing Harry wanted was for one of them to run into her. , Umbridge was one thing, A Death Eater was dicey, but from Harry's experience with Yuno, anything about them remained off-limits.
"Cho," he started, his voice gentle but firm, "it's not that I don't want to talk about everything. But I can't right now. It's not about not trusting you; it's about protecting everyone."
"You've probably talked about it with Ron or Hermione," she said with a bit of bitterness in her words.
Harry sighed. He wished he could explain everything to Cho, to make her understand the complexity of the situation.
"Look, it's not that I don't want to tell you. It's just-" he stopped himself. He couldn't lie to her, but he couldn't fully tell her the truth either.
"It's for your safety," he said finally. "I can't risk anything happening to you. Not after what happened to Cedric."
"So if you won't talk to me! P - Perhaps it would be best if you went and met up with G - Granger like you obviously want to!" Cho said with a raised voice.
Harry stared at her, utterly bewildered, as she seized her face wipe and dabbed at her shining face with it.
"Look Cho, I get you're having a bad day for you, but-"
"Harry, just leave already," Cho cut him off angrily.
"Cho, stop it," he said, a bit more stern with a hint of anger, "It's not what you think. Hermione's my friend, that's all. I've never hidden tha-AGHHH" Harry grabbed is forehead in pain, and buckled as he saw flashes of a living room and a man sitting in an armchair.
Cho's anger suddenly vanished, quickly turning into panic. "Harry!?"
But Harry was too caught up in the vision to respond, it felt like someone had put molten iron on his forehead
Ron and Hermione, who were watching the scene from a distance, quickly ran over to Harry's side, alarmed by his sudden pain and his collapse.
"What's happening!?" Ron asked urgently, as he and Hermione knelt beside Harry.
"It's...HIM" Harry seethed in pain
Cho completely froze, knowing what Harry meant. Her ears began to ring and tears uncontrollably fell from her face despite not sobbing. She stood there mouth agape from the shock.
Ron and Hermione exchanged frantic looks.
"I'll go get Dumbledore! You two get him to McGonagall!" Hermione said, panicked.
Harry gritted his teeth, the pain. He suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.
"What's happening to him!?" Cho asked, terrified, despite knowing the answer.
The pain in Harry's head was blinding, but he managed to look up at Cho, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and pain. "It's him... Voldemort," he gasped out through gritted teeth. Cho nearly screamed in terror when she saw Harry's eye turn red and serpentine-like.. Cho's face paled as she began to have flashbacks of seeing Cedric from last year.
"NO! NOT AGAIN!" she screamed, but cry was caught in her throat as she stared on in horror.
"Hang in there, Harry," Ron said, his face creased with worry as he was about to pick Harry up.
Just then, McGonagall came running over, alarmed by the commotion. She took one look at the scene and immediately took charge.
"What's going on here!?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.
Ron looked up from Harry, his face pale. "He's having a vision," he said breathlessly, "It's him."
McGonagall's eyes widened in shock and concern, understanding the gravity of the situation.
"We need to get him to Dumbledore," she said, her voice steady despite the panic. "Come on, help me get him up."
With a swiftness that belied her petite frame, McGonagall grabbed hold of Harry's other side and helped him to stand, supported on either side by her and Ron. They quickly made their way up the stairs into the castle, Harry leaning heavily on them both, still in pain.
Cho was left there feeling numb. "No, please no," she breathed.
She then suddenly ran into the nearest bathroom. She felt sick like she was going to puke, but she managed to keep it down. She sat on the cold floor of the bathroom, her back against the wall, her head buried in her arms.
"Not again," she shouted, her voice quivering. "Please don't let me lose someone else because of him."
She then heard something fall onto the floor. It was the gold coin Yuno had given her. She picked it up, looking at it curiously despite the tears.
Cho held the gold coin in her hand, still sobbing on the bathroom floor. She looked at the coin through tears, curious about its purpose. Wiping her tears, she studied the coin more closely. It was strangely beautiful, gleaming softly in the dim light of the bathroom.
The words from Yuno echoed in her mind, bringing a wave of conflicting emotions. "If you ever have a desire to make him pay. Flip that coin."
Revenge. It was something she had wanted for so long. Revenge for Cedric, revenge for Harry, for the pain and suffering Voldemort has caused. She stared at the coin, the golden surface reflecting her tear-stained face. She had never seen Voldemort before, but she could hear his cackling voice as if the mere thought of him was mocking her. Her sadness was quickly replaced by unbridled rage.
"Voldemort," she thought her brow furrowing. "Voldemort," she gritted her teeth. "VOLDEMORT!" her face twisted into a snarl and then took the coin and placed it on the knuckle of her thumb.
"You're never taking anything from anyone! Ever again! I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY TOM RIDDLE!" Cho shouted with fury. She didn't care if it was some stupid prank. None of that mattered; she was desperate, and this coin might be something. She hoped it was something, and with the flip of the coin-
"PING"
The bathroom suddenly turned deafly quiet as Cho had disappeared.
(Sometime later)
Harry's body felt smooth, powerful, and flexible. He was gliding between shining metal bars, across dark, cold stone… he was flat against the floor, sliding along on his belly… it was dark, yet he could see objects around him shimmering in strange, vibrant colors… he was turning his head… at first glance the corridor was empty… but no… a man was sitting on the floor ahead, his chin drooping on to his chest, his outline gleaming in the dark… Harry put out his tongue… he tasted the man's scent on the air… he was alive but drowsy… sitting in front of a door at the end of the corridor
Harry longed to bite the man… but he must master the impulse… he had more important work to do…
But the man was stirring… a silver Cloak fell from his legs as he jumped to his feet; and Harry saw his vibrant, blurred outline towering above him, saw a wand withdrawn from a belt… he had no choice… he reared high from the floor and struck once, twice, three times, plunging his fangs deeply into the man's flesh, feeling his ribs splinter beneath his jaws, feeling the warm gush of blood…
The man was yelling in pain… then he fell silent… he slumped backward against the wall… blood was splattering on to the floor… His forehead hurt terribly… it was aching fit to burst…
"Harry! HARRY!" Ron's voice came through the vision.
He opened his eyes. Every inch of his body was covered in icy sweat. He looked around and saw he was in a room that was in half-darkness; the strange silver instruments standing on tables were silent and still rather than whirring and emitting puffs of smoke as they usually did; the portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses covering the walls were all snoozing in their frames. Behind the door, a magnificent red and gold bird the size of a swan dozed on its perch with its head under its wing.
"Harry, how are you feeling?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling as he looked at Harry with worry. He was sitting in a high-backed chair behind his desk; he leaned forward into the pool of candlelight illuminating the papers laid out before him.
Harry tried to stand up from the chair he had been placed in, grabbing his forehead. Ron was beside him, looking pale and worried, while Professor Dumbledore regarded him quietly from behind the desk. McGonagall stood off to the side, a stoic expression on her face.
"I'm fine," Harry said weakly, though it was an obvious lie. He still felt a lingering sense of dread and horror from what he had seen.
"Can you tell me what happened? Mr. Weasly said you were talking with one of your classmates, and you suddenly collapsed in pain" Dumbledore asked.
Harry took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I had this vision," he said hoarsely, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "Voldemort... he attacked someone."
Dumbledore's eyes narrowed at the mention of Voldemort. He leaned forward in his seat, his expression grave. "Can you describe the scene?" he asked.
"I was attacking someone, but I wasn't Voldemort or the victim...I was that snake of his." Harry said hoarsely. "Ron..it was attacking your dad" he finished.
Ron blanched, his face turning ghostly white. "My dad? What do you mean?" he asked anxiously, grabbing Harry's arm.
Harry shut his eyes tight, trying to recall the details. It was all so hazy and bizarre. "I was seeing through the snake's eyes," he said slowly, "and it wasn't just attacking your dad, it was… biting him."
McGonagall inhaled sharply, horror etched into her usually stern features. Dumbledore, however, remained composed, his eyes still fixed on Harry.
"Can you remember anything else? Anything about the setting or the victim?" Dumbledore probed, his voice soft yet firm.
"Just Voldemort cackling, he was happy. extremely happy." Harry said, his own words making him sick to his stomach. Nobody else spoke for a moment, then Dumbledore, now looking at Ron who was still wheyfaced, asked in a new and sharper voice, "Is Arthur seriously injured?"
"Yes," said Harry emphatically - why were they all so slow on the uptake, did they not realize how much a person bled when fangs that long pierced their side? And why could Dumbledore not do him the courtesy of looking at him?
But Dumbledore stood up, so quickly it made Harry jump, and addressed one of the old portraits hanging very near the ceiling. "Everard?' he said sharply. 'And you too, Dilys!"
A sallow-faced wizard with a short black fringe and an elderly witch with long silver ringlets in the frame beside him, both of whom seemed to have been in the deepest of sleep, opened their eyes immediately.
"You were listening?" said Dumbledore.
The wizard nodded; the witch said, "Naturally."
"Everard, you will need to raise the alarm, make sure the right people find him -" Dumbledore said
Both nodded and moved sideways out of their frames, but instead of emerging in neighboring pictures (a rare ability among portraits) neither reappeared. One frame now contained nothing but a backdrop of dark curtains, the other a handsome leather armchair. Harry noticed that many of the other headmasters and mistresses on the walls, though snoring and drooling most convincingly, kept sneaking peeks at him from under their eyelids, and he suddenly understood who had been talking when they had knocked.
"Everard and Dilys were two of Hogwarts's most celebrated Heads,' Dumbledore said. "Their renown is such that both have portraits hanging in other important wizarding institutions. As they are free to move between their portraits, they can tell us what may be happening elsewhere…"
"But Mr Weasley could be anywhere!" said Harry
Dumbledore didn't answer, he was now stroking the phoenix's plumage: the bird preened and writhed under the caresses of the wand, gradually puffing up its chest feathers as the jetlike fires within it played against its glossy black plumage. The phoenix seemed to be enjoying this feel and kept leaning into Dumbledore's touch. McGonagall and Ron stood silently, watching Dumbledore intently.
Harry couldn't stand the silence. "So is someone going to tell me what's happening to me?" he burst out, feeling frustrated and helpless.
Dumbledore looked at McGonagall, not answering Harry's question. "Minerva, go and tell Umbridge that Harry fainted in the hallway, or at least anything that can excuse him from classes for the rest of the afternoon"
McGonagall nodded and quickly left the room, still looking very grave.
Harry looked at Dumbledore, feeling even more frustrated. He was sick of being left in the dark.
"Professor," he began, but Dumbledore held up a hand to silence him. He was still stroking the phoenix's plumage, his focus entirely on the bird.
Dumbledore marched over and grabbed an old kettle from his desk. "I'm sending you, Harry, and the rest of your family back to Grimmauld Place for a day Mr. Weasley'' Dumbledore said
Harry stared at Dumbledore, confusion and surprise etched across his face. "What? Why?" he asked.
Dumbledore "How're we going?" asked Ron, still looking shaken." Floo powder?"
"'No"' said Dumbledore, "Floo powder is not safe at the moment, the Network is being watched. You will be taking a Portkey." He indicated the old kettle lying innocently on his desk.
"We are just waiting for Phineas Nigellus to report back… I want to be sure that the coast is clear before sending you. Ah speaking of which, there he is. It's safe to go. Mr. Fred, George, and Ms. Ginny will join you there shortly." Dumbledore said as he got the signal from Phineas.
"You have all used a Portkey before?" asked Dumbledore, and they nodded, each reaching out to touch some part of the blackened kettle. "Good. On the count of three, then… one… two…"
It happened in a fraction of a second: in the infinitesimal pause before Dumbledore said 'three', Harry looked up at him - they were very close together - and Dumbledore's clear blue gaze moved from the Portkey to Harry's face.
At once, Harry's scar burned white-hot, as though the old wound had burst open again - and unbidden, unwanted, but terrifyingly strong, there rose within Harry a hatred so powerful he felt, for that instant, he would like nothing better than to strike - to bite - to sink his fangs into the man before him —
"… three."
(Meanwhile, Elsewhere)
A sudden vertigo seized Cho as the coin clicked against her thumb. One blink later, the chilly stone of Hogwarts' bathroom had vanished, replaced by the warm glow of a crackling hearth. She steadied herself against an armchair upholstered in moss-green velvet, the room around her a picture of homely elegance: dark wooden beams crisscrossed above, and an open-plan kitchen gleamed invitingly to one side.
Her heart thudded. One moment she'd been standing beside a sink of dripping taps and cold tiles; the next, she was marooned in what appeared to be a Muggle cottage—yet somehow threaded through with a hint of enchantment.
Feeling disorientated and scared, Cho looked around, trying to get a grasp of her situation. The room was nicely furnished, with a warm, cozy feel. It would have been welcoming if she hadn't just been portkeyed there without her knowing.
"Hello?" Cho called out cautiously, wondering if anyone was around.
A pair of polished sneakers appeared at the threshold, followed by a cascade of copper-red hair. The woman descending the stairs carried herself with an ease both regal and warm. She wore a dark green turtleneck and a pair of faded loose jeans. If Cho hadn't just been portkeyed to wherever here was, she would've confused the woman for a housewife.
She paused halfway, offering Cho a smile that felt as comforting as a snug winter cloak. "Ah, Hello!" she said "You must be Ms. Chang. Yuno had his doubts, but I'm glad you're here."
Cho felt relief wash over her as the woman walked down the stairs. The woman's fiery red hair and warm smile made her feel slightly at ease.
"Uh, yes," she said, trying to return the smile. "And you are...?"
My apologies for my manners. Please, come sit." The woman gestured to a small round table by the hearth. "Coffee? Cream and sugar?"
Cho, still reeling, sank into one of the wooden chairs. "Yes… Thank you. Cream and sugar if you don't mind."
With a gentle snap of her fingers, the woman produced a steaming mug. Cho's jaw dropped. She'd seen conjured cups before at Hogwarts, but never something so effortless.
"Thank you," she managed to say, her voice slightly shaky as she took the mug that was on the table. She took a small sip, the rich aroma of the coffee easing her racing thoughts.
"You're welcome," the woman said warmly as she materialized her own cup of coffee. "Now allow me to introduce myself. My name is Morgana La Fey."
Cho almost choked on her coffee when she heard the woman introduce herself. Her mind went completely blank from the answer as she instinctively leaned back in her chair.
"What!?" she almost shouted. "I-I... you're... Morgana La Fey...? As in THE Morgana La Fey!"
"Please, call me Morgan dear," Morgan said, waving her hand dismissively. "I much perfer that way if I'm being honset. Less etheral sounding"
Cho, still trying to process the revelation that she was having coffee with the legendary witch, could only manage a nod, politely, trying to hide her disbelief. "Ok... Morgan," she said wairly all she could do was look on as Morgan took a long sip of her coffee.
"Um, can I ask you something?" Cho asked, curiosity getting the better of her after Morgan had finished her mug
Morgan snapped her fingers, and her mug instantly refilled with black coffee. "I imagined you would have questions," she said warmly
Cho took another sip, feeling the comfort of the hot liquid rushing through her, as she thought of her first question.
"Well," she began, setting the coffee mug down. "How is it possible that you are here alive, let alone living among muggles? I thought you were supposed to be a legend, a figure from-"
"I took a liking to this lifestyle." she explained taking a sip of her coffee "Muggle science has a certian charm to it—fast trains, wireless messages, vehichles that fly without spells—so much much of it follows the fundemental rules of magic, yet built through gadgertry... It's quite fasinating really,"
Cho eyebrows shot up. "You…find it fascinating!?" she asked, incrduously; her mind couldn't wrap her head around her words.
The idea of a legend like Morgana Le Fay, one of the very founders of the wizarding world, appreciating muggle science was not something she would have imagined. It made the whole situation even more surreal.
"Of course, I could go on and on about how muggles improvised versions of magic, but that's a topic for another day," Morgan said, taking another sip. "I heard you lost someone close to you recently?"
Cho winced at the mention of her loss. "Y-yes," she said quietly, "His name was Cedric." The mere mention of his name, she could start to feel the tears begin to swell up again.
"I'm sorry for your loss, dear," Morgan said, gently placing her hand over Cho's
Cho swallowed hard, trying to compose herself. The touch of Morgan's hand was surprisingly comforting, and it was a small gesture that meant a lot.
"Thank you," Cho managed to say. "It's been hard... I still can't believe he's gone."
"How long has it been?" Morgan asked soothingly.
"Almost half a year..." she replied quietly, the fact still weighing heavily on her heart.
"And you're not just grieving. You hate the one who took him from you," Morgan observed.
"Yes," Cho admitted softly, her voice betraying her emotions. "I do hate the one who took him from me. I hate him more than anything." There was an intense anger and bitterness that came from losing Cedric to someone who had ruthlessly killed him.
"Is that the reason you flipped the coin Yuno gave you?"
Cho fidgeted with the coin in her hand, contemplating her answer. "Yes..." she eventually said, her answer laced with a bit of venom. "I wanted to... I don't know... do something." Cho assumed Yuno had told her about the coin. Given where she ended up and who she was talking to, Cho figured that Yuno was one of Morgan's apprentices.
"Then you've come for the right reason... Faulin," Morgan answered.
Cho looked up in surprise. "Faulin?" she repeated, not sure if she had heard correctly. Despite hearing it for the first time, it felt strangely familiar to her.
"It was your name, in a past life, during my time." Morgan explained "We actually learned Magic alongside each other,".
Cho was shocked by Morgan's revelation. Past life? Was she implying that Cho had been this 'Faulin' person in a previous life? It was a strange and foreign concept to her, but strangely enough, it didn't completely feel unfamiliar to her.
"So, you're telling me... I was this 'Faulin' person in a past life?" Cho said, still trying to wrap her head around this idea.
"and still are in many ways. I see so much of her in you," Morgan replied.
The idea that a part of being a reincarnation of an acient witch was strange, but also strangely reassuring. "Then what was Faulin like, then? How are we similar?" Cho asked skeptically
"Well for starters, the deep care for others is evident, and she always tried to hide her pain from others so they won't worry about her, even if she was terrible at it," Morgan said with an almost nostalgic tone. "You don't quite have her attitude though. She had what the muggles call a "sailor's mouths"
Cho was surprised at how accurately Morgan was describing her. "How…How do you know that about me? We just met?" Cho asked, slightly in awe.
"It's cause Faulin is you," Morgan said softly. "It's why I have a proposal for you," she finished as she put a wooden staff on the table. "This was your medium, like a wand, but more in tune with your natural abilities. If you were to channel your magic through it once again, you'd reclaim your past life."
Cho looked at the staff, the strange power coming from it was so familiar to her, yet it wasn't she sensed the incredible power coming from it. She then reached for the staff eagerly, so fast that Morgan was taken aback by the action
"Cho, wait!" Morgan urgently reached out and grabbed the staff before Cho could touch it. "if you take this path, the bonds of your current life—friends, family, —will fade into distant dreams. You will walk as your old self, not as the person you are now." she warned.
Cho winced at the thought. Losing the deep connections she had formed with people like Potter and her fellow Ravenclaws was a scary thought.
"So, I... I'd basically become a different person?" Cho asked, her voice wavering.
"More or less, it would be like fianlly remebering everything after recoverying from severe amenisa." Morgan explained before letting go of the staff. " The choice, of course, is yours to make. There's no shame in choosing to decline my offer, for I am asking you to leave behind everything, and that of itself, is one of the hardest decisions a person can make. So please dear, give this more thought."
Cho thought back to the fight she had with Harry, and how she acted. She admitted it was wrong of her to make accusations at him when she was really having a bad day. Then she thought about Harry in pain and Cedric's death. All of her pain and suffering stemmed from one person. The one person she hated most of all in this world.
"Voldemort" she hissed mentally as she looked at the staff.
"Yuno told me that if I wanted to make Voldemort pay, then I should flip the coin," Cho growled, as she placed her second hand on the staff again. "And that's exactly what I plan to do!"
Before Morgan could say anything, Cho channeled her magic through the staff, a change came over her. Her ears elongated into points, red markings burned onto the cheeks of her face, and her eyes shifted from brown to rose pink. Cho felt a rush of energy surging through her as if some long-lost part of her had awakened after being dormant for a long time. Anger returned to her as she remembered the one who killed Cedric. She looked over at Morgan, who looked on in apprehension.
"Where's Riddle, Morgie?" Faulin said with fury blazing in her eyes