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Spooky Entanglement | ||||||
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Category: Pre-OotP, Alternate Universe Characters:All Genres: Action/Adventure, Romance Warnings: Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations Rating: R Reviews: 132 Summary: A typical redo with the tiniest of twist. Harry sends 8yrs of memories and knowledge to his 12yr old self Hitcount: Story Total: 60606; Chapter Total: 4681 |
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/N Had some trouble ending this chapter. Wanted to include Halloween. Not sure if that means the next chapter is a double or not :) Sunday after breakfast Harry steeled himself and told his friends he was going for a walk about the castle grounds. Harry left the castle and made his way towards the Whomping Willow. As he neared the tree, ducking into some shrubbery, he put on his father’s cloak so none would see him exiting school grounds. At the tree he levitated a stick to hit the knot again and when the tree was whompless Harry entered the tunnel in it’s roots. Within Harry removed his cloak and lit his wand to travel through the tunnel. Inside the Shrieking Shack Harry had a little trouble exiting the bloody tunnel without Remus’ help. Once standing in the house proper though Harry took a few deep breaths thinking about what he was about to do. Harry really didn’t think a Hogwarts’ student could call a family elf through the school wards. He would think if that was possible some of the lazy old money purebloods would have a family elf waiting on them constantly. He could only assume when Dobby had visited him in his vision that he was in Hogwarts by his own designs and not in answer to the Ponce’s summons. Harry drew one last relaxing breath and called for his very excitable elf. “Dobby!.” Harry called confidently. With a crack the diminutive dynamo popped before him. “Master! Master Harry called Dobby!” Dobby fell silent staring at Harry, his eyes huge and moist, his lips and hands quivering. Then he broke and raced to Harry latching onto one of his legs as he started bawling. “Dobby’s good and great Master Harry gots him from the mean Malfoy’ses.” Dobby wailed so loudly Harry was sure the notoriety of the most haunted structure in Scotland had increased ten fold. Harry reached down and patted the elf's back as he said, chuckling, “Hiya, Dobby. Glad to see you too.” “Oh, Master. Dobby is so glads to be yous’s elf now. Thank you, Master.” Dobby blubbered loudly even with his face buried against Harry’s leg, using his slacks as a handkerchief. “I am glad you are my elf now too, Dobby. Of all the elves I have met your the one I wanted to work for me.” Harry praised the elf, hoping some reassurance would calm him down. Although he was aware of the possibility it could as easily go the other way. “Dobby has such a good Master.” The elf sobbed. His shoulders shaking. Harry patted him comfortingly and said. “Dobby you don’t need to call me Master all the time. Harry is good enough. Or if you must, sir.” Harry smiled down at the elf but Dobby buried his face back in Harry’s leg and yowled about his good and kind ‘Master Harry Sir’. “Has Remus been keeping you busy enough?” Harry decided to try the distraction tack. Dobby abruptly tried to pull himself together as he looked up at Harry and said with a look of uncertainty, “Mister Remus is a werewolf, Master Harry Sir.” Harry snorted before he caught himself and told the elf, “Yes he is. But he is a very good person and a friend. You don’t mind that he is a werewolf do you?” Harry asked curiously. “No Master Harry Sir, Dobby jus’ wished to be sure yous’ knew, Master sir.” “So you and he get along? He keeps you busy?” Harry felt he may have seen the worst of the emotional storm, or at least he had hope. “Mister Remus lets Dobby clean Master Harry’s big house in Godric’s Hallow but not the little one. Dobby also gets to cleans and repairs the Cottage on the river.” Dobby happily explained. “Sounds like fun, Dobby. Perhaps some day you can show the houses to me?” Harry said with a snicker. Dobby’s eyes grew a bit and he grabbed Harry’s hand while saying, “Yes Master.” With obvious relish and snapping his fingers, ‘popped’ them across half the country to a small but elegant entry hall. The only thing worse than side-along apparation was surprise side-along elf apparation, if that was even what an elf did. When Harry got over the effects of the apparating and the surprise he said as he looked about him, “Thank you Dobby. This is my Grandparents house then?” Harry admired the extensive wood work. His aunt’s home was only twenty years old or so but the discernible difference in design made Harry think this was built well, well before that. Dobby pulled him along by his hand as he gave Harry a tour. “This be the Parlor. Most dusty when Dobby first got here.” Off the Parlor Dobby pulled Harry into , “The Formal Dining Room.” The little elf needlessly explained as there was a huge table in the room. Pulled along Dobby showed him the, “Informal Dining Room.” which had a much smaller table. Next was a very quaint old fashioned kitchen. Quaint like turn of the century. Quaint like tear this out and update it. Next Harry was pulled through the laundry room and shown the loo which had a door from the entry hall as well as the master bedroom which was the next high point of the tour. Harry liked the windows in the bedroom but Dobby didn’t really allow him the time to admire. Dobby pulled Harry back through the loo and upstairs where he showed Harry the four bedrooms and single loo. As they were returning down stairs Dobby asked, “Master Harry Potter Sir likeses his house, Sir?” Harry smiled broadly and maybe chuckled a little as he answered, “Yes, Dobby it is very precious. Thank you for showing me, but I should get back to school.” Dobby’s face glowed with pride from having served his kind master while a little crestfallen that he wouldn’t be able to continue doing so when he was at school. Harry held his hand out for Dobby to take asking, “If you would take me back please, Dobby.” “Yes, Master Harry Sir.” the elf took his hand and snapping his fingers apparated them back to the Shrieking Shack. Harry took a moment to straighten himself out from the squeeze and stretch. Turning to Dobby he said, “I am going to ask Goldtooth and Remus if we can update that kitchen Dobby. If they say yes can you do that?” Harry asked. He was pretty sure Dobby would not only love the extra work but might also actually want to do something directly for Harry rather than Remus or Goldtooth. The little elf, almost visibly vibrating with excitement, said, “Yes Master, Dobby knows how. You jus tell Dobby do and Dobby do’s it.” he said with pride. Harry smiled at Dobby and told him, “You go back to what you were doing and if you see Remus tell him I said hiya.” “Yes Master Harry Sir.” Dobby replied happily as he snapped his fingers and disappeared. Harry let loose a great sigh. He liked that little elf but it took some energy to deal with him, particularly now. Having gotten out of a horrible home and almost hysterically delighted to be in his new one. Harry returned through the tunnel and out the tree. He used the same shrubbery to remove his cloak as he trekked back to the castle. The castle clock chimed the time as he entered the Grand Entry. Realizing it was only a quarter hour before lunch Harry took his spot at the Gryffindor table to wait rather than climb seven flights only to return. His friends soon joined him and they chatted away through lunch. After Harry joined the Quidditch team for practice which of course preceded dinner which preceded sleep Monday morning was the start of a routine week with a few exceptions. Harry got up early each day and spent some time shaping pieces of willow wood while his friends were yet abed. First thing Monday morn though was when Harry received a telling missive from Remus. Harry: We have successfully recovered the ‘Hope Amethyst’. Atticus and I will start a records search to gain as many references proving H. S. legally possessed the ‘item’ before her death and any records of family members reporting it missing afterwards. Atticus believes this will be more than a few days worth of work. He says a month would be optimistic. I fear I had assumed if we had a copy of the will in which H. was bequeathed the ‘item’ we would be set. Atticus however thinks it would be best to have a mountain of records so as to bury any questions and I have come round to his way of thinking. On a completely different topic, Halloween is approaching. I do not wish to remind you unnecessarily but I do often visit your Parents then and I believe, if you wanted to, Dumbledore would allow you to accompany me. He would have little reason not to. Your choice, Remus After Harry read it he folded the parchment and placed it in his pocket before telling his inquisitive faced friends. “Remus wanted me to know he got the pendant back.” He said plainly. “Well, he also did invite me to join him for a possible outing on Halloween.” Harry explained. “He visits my parents on that day he says.” Hermione’s confused look lasted only a brief half moment before she hesitantly but sincerely said, “Of course. How... considerate of him to invite you.” Ron and Ginny, the two raised in the magical community wore their confusion a tad longer. Harry understood it was a social-cultural thing. Hard to celebrate a day of deliverance if you consider the loss as well. At days end Harry sent Hedwig off with his reply to Remus. Remus: A delay doesn’t matter right now. I have been thinking there are a couple of things I have not told you of that we may wish to have done first. As there is the slight possibility that our interest in S.’s ‘item’ may become known when we present our claim to the goblins we should make sure we have the other items in hand, so to speak. With that said I think you need to pursue the contracting out of Bill Weasley more aggressively. Also if we have not freed Sirius by then, or if his health prevents his participation we will need a substitute. I realize you have had little dealings with her but I would trust Sirius’ cousin, Miss ‘Pink Haired’ Tonks if some precautions were put in place. I would like to visit my Parents with you. Should I ask Dumbledore or will you? I need three long kneazle whiskers. Maybe Dobby would like to get those and you could send it along? Also Dobby, the excitable elf that he is, showed me my grandparents house and that kitchen needs work. Could I pay to update it? Harry The after dinner meetings of the study group continued and were enjoyable. The Quidditch practice Wednesday afternoon was good if a bit cold. Harry received two owls at breakfast Friday. One From Remus and the other was a delivery owl for the Prophet. Harry rewarded both owls as needed and chose to read the Prophet first. The article by the Puter woman took the Wizengamot to task for obvious Breach of the Public's Trust. She proclaimed the sentencing of Lucius Malfoy to a year in Azkaban when the charges against him had a minimum sentence of eight and a half was blatant malfeasance and indicative of graft and corruption. The article explained that Malfoy had claimed the Dark Objects were his late father's and he had not been fully aware of their nature. Puter pointed out that the Late Elder Malfoy passed in 1979 and that one of the Dark Objects in evidence was an Evilly Enchanted Muggle Magazine published in 1990. She went on to explain the Magazine was a pornographic periodical and had been enchanted to enthrall any muggle reader, enticing them to commit rape and murder. Auror investigators determined the original ritual to create the Malignant Magazine involved the vicious violation of a premenstrual virgin. And yet, she states, ten honorable members of the Wizengamot turned a blind eye and argued for a reduced sentence. Some of the Wizengamot members were at least idiots and at worst corrupt and should be investigated she emphatically demands in closing. Harry seethed as he folded the newspaper and offered it to Hermione. The bastard only got a year. As far as Harry was concerned the bastard was guilty of multiple attempted murders. And although he didn’t know where or how these Dark Objects came into his possession he should have still received more than a year. Perhaps Harry could magically produce some convincing pictures of the towheaded tosser getting all ‘necro’ with an Inferi. Maybe then he would get significant time in prison. He tried to let go of his anger before he opened Remus’ post. When opened he found a folded envelope, similar to the ones Lavender made, which presumably contained the Kneazle whiskers. Harry wondered if everyone knew how to make these origami envelopes but him. Harry read what Remus wrote. Harry: I would ask ‘What Other Items’ but that is something we will talk about mid-morning Saturday in the Shack. Before then you should know I bespoke Goldtooth about contracting Weasley. He directed me to Chief Senior Service Provider Hurstwic who was a little piqued that I requested a particular Curse-Breaker. He is willing to contract him out with a days notice but we will pay a two hundred fifty galleon per day premium as well as his travel expenses. Atticus believes we will have sufficient documentation gathered by the first week of November. When did you think I would need Weasley’s assistance in this new endeavor? Also should I bring Weasley over for a security meeting? Your suggestion of including young Miss Tonks is surprising and I ask what precautions specifically? Kneazle whiskers? You owe me four sickles. Saturday mid-morning, don’t be late! Remus PS: sent a post to Dumbledore about Halloween, not heard back yet. The rest of Friday passed with nothing untoward presenting itself. Saturday morning Harry finished shaping the final piece of willow wood into a semblance of a wand well before his friends joined him for some practical practice before breakfast. Harry helped his young friends try to gain some capability with these third and fourth year spells. However he really was coming around to thinking they needed to focus on improving the spells they showed an ability in before advancing farther. After the group ate breakfast Harry excused himself and traveling through hedge, tree and tunnel made his way to the Shrieking Shack. Remus was there waiting when Harry pushed up the trap door. “Harry!” Remus greeted him happily, extending a hand to pull him up from out the floor. Harry returned the enthusiastic greeting but noticed in doing so that Remus looked a bit more haggard then normal. His attire was circumspect but his visage was rough and worn. Aware of Harry’s obvious inspection Remus shrugged a single shoulder and offered, “Full moon tonight.” Turning Remus gestured to some chairs he had obviously conjured and preceded to cast privacy charms before sitting himself in one. “Now Harry about these other items?” Remus asked with one brow furrowed and the other straining to get to his hair line. Harry had to chuckle a bit but sobered quickly. “There is an item like the cup in an old dilapidated shanty protected by curses and traps. In my vision Dumbledore failed to retrieve it without grievous injury. I think it safe to say one person can’t do it. I don’t know what protections are set around it. I do know it has a strong beguilement charm set on it to get you to touch it and a deadly curse on it if you do.” Harry explained. “So where Dumbledore failed you think a young curse breaker, a younger auror trainee and an old worn out werewolf can get it done?” Remus asked incredulously. “Dumbledore succumbed to the bewitchment because he had a previous knowledge of the item. He had actually spent decades searching for it for other reasons. Recognizing it he lost focus and touched it bare handed.” Harry told his friend. “I say we bring Bill in, swear his silence, and tell him what we have and see what he says. I trust him, Remus. I know he is on the right side in all this.” “Have you physically met him?” Remus asked with a smirk. Harry waved the question aside. “I know who he is.” He stated categorically. “Same for Tonks. I trust her as well.” “Right.” Remus acceded. “I won’t be worth shite tomorrow but I could probably contact Hurstwic Monday. I will ask to meet with Weasley next Saturday and after he signs a privacy contract I could bring him here to meet you. So what did you mean by special precautions and the young auror?” Remus asked. Harry shook his head a little confused . “I think I meant everybody wears dragon hide gloves but I will leave that to Bill.” Harry confessed. “All right then Harry. Final question. What in the bloody hell could you want kneazle whiskers for?” Remus exclaimed smiling. “An experiment. Long before the Romans invaded, the Celtic druids used kneazle whiskers, ground mistletoe or owl feathers as wand cores. I was going to try to make a willow and whisker wand.” Harry explained. Remus chuckled. “Probably a reason they stopped using them Harry.” Harry shrugged in disregard. “If it doesn’t work I can try unicorn hair.” Remus smiled though his eyebrows were lowered in modest bewilderment. Shaking his head he said, “You need to get back on school grounds and I need to get to my cabin and secure for tonight.” When they were both standing Remus vanished the chairs. “Warn me about Saturday then?” Harry asked as he walked to the trap door. “Sure Harry. And you will warn me before you go hunting another Basilisk?” Remus chided him. Harry jumped down the trap door and looking up said, “Already bagged the only one I knew of so no worries there.” Harry smiled. “Next Saturday?” Remus nodded. “I will owl you to confirm and set a time.” Remus said as he gave a wave. Harry returned the gesture and started off down the tunnel. Returning to the castle Harry found lunch was served and his friends already sat to table. Ron and Hermione were sitting across the table from Ginny and Luna. The twins were some places away chatting with Angelina. Neville was close by sitting with Dean and Seamus. Harry sat next to Ginny, on her other side from Luna, which made her blush and Luna giggle. Ron amazingly didn’t react, although he was a bit busy gobbling down a meat pie. The Gryffindor Quidditch team had the pitch after lunch. A couple warming charms during practice and Harry was far from the miserable thin blooded git as he had been. Practice lasted till dinner. And dinner lead to the common room which for Harry was only a waypiont on his journey to bed. Sunday morning Harry was up and about at his rather normal early hour. Before he left his dorm he loaded all the willow wand blanks from his trunk into his book bag . Also the envelopes containing the unicorn hair and kneazle whiskers. In the classroom on the fifth floor Harry locked and “Imperturbed!” the door. Pulling a desk out he sat down and set to test his abilities at inverting a wand and reinverting it again. He rummaged through his book bag and removed the most utilitarian austere wand blank. It looked like a stick. As Harry anticipated the initial inversion was comparatively easy. The piece of wood was turned through ninety degrees in one dimension and one hundred and eighty in another while the wizard spoke the old Druidic incantment, “Wrthdroi’r tu Chwith Allan”. Then in a flash what had been within was out and the out was within. The reinverting was the harder spell and Harry wanted to practice it before he tried to actually install the core. The piece of wood needed to be move back through the one hundred and eighty degrees of the second dimension but through the first dimension it needed to be rotated another four hundred and seventy degrees to return it to it’s zero point, which was problematical. All the movements in the spell needed to be fluid and graceful, dropping the stick while rotating it would do more than simply terminate the spell. Harry practiced the reinverting motion four times before he tried to cast the spell. He then practiced it another eight times before he was willing to try the spell with a magic core in place. When he thought he was ready Harry cast the initial inverting spell and turned the wand inside out. He then extracted a unicorn hair from the little parchment envelope and plucked a hair from his head. Running both hairs over his tongue he twined them together before he set them down to retrieve his silver knife from his potions kit. With the knife edge Harry put a small bloody cut on his index finger. Picking up the twined hairs Harry dragged them through the cut coating them with his blood. He then wrapped the twined hairs about the inverted bit of wood using the blood from his cut finger to ‘stick’ it in place. Taking a deep breath Harry voiced the incantment while moving the wand five hundred and fifty degrees through the two dimensional planes. The flash at the end of the spell was promising, albeit no guarantee. Harry took the wand in hand and waved it. The white sparks that flew from it’s end where extremely satisfying. He didn’t get the warm and welcoming feeling he got from his first wand but this wand was his too. And as this wand didn’t have a trace on it he, in some ways, liked it even better. He certainly had a use for it. Using his newly made willow and unicorn hair wand Harry healed his finger and cleaned his spilt blood. He then policed the room and dispelled the door. When Harry entered the Great Hall to join the rest of his friends for breakfast he found them all waiting for him at mid table, Luna included. As he ate he requested his friends join him on the fifth floor when they all had finished. Before the ninth hour struck on the Great Castle Clock Harry had lead his intrepid group back to the unused class room. For the second time that morning Harry cast “Colloportus!” and “Impertubatus!” on the door which caused a couple raised eyebrows when he turned back to his friends. He managed to get all the eyebrows closer to their respective hair lines when he held up the wand he had used. Only then did his friends see that Harry held a naked blond wood wand rather than his ebony stained holly and phoenix feather wand. “Whose wand is that, Harry?” Hermione asked before any of there others had formulated their own question. “Mine.” Harry stated plainly. He lead his friends towards the beat and scared instructors desk and, with Ron’s help, pulled it away from the wall a bit. He motioned his friends to gather about the desk and started to paw through his book bag. Harry pulled out each of the willow pieces he had carved one at a time. He placed them on the desk top before the friend he thought the design most suited. He placed the long wand with the pommel like ball carved in the handle’s end in front of Neville. In front of Ron he placed a basic albeit robust wand. Before Hermione he set a wand that had something like an ivy vine running up it’s length. The Wand with two opposing spirals he had carved along it’s shaft he placed before Luna. In front of Ginny he put a slender wand shaped very like her Ollivander’s wand. Lastly Harry placed his new willow wand on the desk before him. “I made this wand this morning. It has unicorn hair and my hair twined as a core. Along with some of my spit and blood. It is how wands were made in ancient eras when nobody had the time or materials to have multiple wands that chose the wizard. They made wands for a specific person using hair, blood, spit and even urine to form a symbolic and contagious connection.” Harry explained as he removed the little envelopes containing the unicorn hairs and the whiskers. “Blood?” Neville piped. “The Contagious connection I understand but what is the symbolism involved.” Hermione asked curiously. “Well, hair, spittle and blood are non gender specific while in nature urine is usually expressed for gender specific proposes. So a witch could use urine with a unicorn hair because they prefer females. While a bloke’s urine would symbolically be adversarial.” Harry informed her. “These wands won’t be as powerful as, say, an Ollivander wand. But they will perform better then any wand that hasn’t chosen you.” Harry said looking at Ron and Neville. “Also.” Harry added conspiratorially, “They won’t have the trace on them.” “So?” Harry directed at Neville. Neville hesitated a little, holding his hand atop the pocket Harry assumed his Father’s wand was in. Finally he nodded. “Sure!” Harry inverted the long piece of willow wood and coached Neville through the core creation process. He offered his silver knife to draw the needed blood to finish before he reinverted it. Neville was ecstatic about the gold and silver sparks the wand emitted when he picked it up. Next he did Ron’s wand, who was also very pleased with the easy responsiveness it displayed when done. Turning to Luna next Harry told her, “I got three kneazle whiskers for your core Luna. I figured you would bind them together with your hair.” Luna nodded. However as soon as Harry completed the first inversion she picked up the piece of willow asking, “Kneazle whiskers and urine would certainly be symbolically compatible?” When a very surprised Harry answered with only a nod Luna continued, “Could you unlock the door to let me out, so I can run to the loo?” She asked without the least bit of embarrassment. His surprise grew exponentially when Ginny held her slender piece of willow out to him before he could head towards the door. Her head down but her blush still very apparent. Harry inverted her wand too. And before he turned to let the two girls out he looked to Hermione questionably. The bushy haired thirteen year old blushed furiously and shook her head adamantly. Harry turned Hermione’s willow wood through the dimensional plains and she was not unhappy with the finished wand. She was clearly aware that it wasn’t quite what her vine wood and dragon heartstring wand was. But she may have been looking forward to showing her parents a bit of magic over the hols. When Ginny and Luna returned Harry attempted to work with their willow wood pieces in a detached and disinterested like manner. The two boys however were distracting with their constant chuckling. Hermione, though pink cheeked, also failed to suppress a few giggles. Harry had thought that his biggest problem would be ignoring the part of him that wanted to scream “Ewww!” to finish the two girls wands. He found he also had to ignore a part of himself that wasn’t screaming “Ewww!” as well. Both girls were well pleased with there finished wands. Although they both, like Hermione, realized they were not an Ollivander creation. Any embarrassed or titillated tension was erased when Ron exclaimed, “It will be dead easy to take the piss out of you for your wands, now!” He and Neville found that hilarious while Hermione found it somewhat humorous as well. Ginny and Luna both accepted the teasing with a smile, though it brought the full flush back to Ginny’s face. “If anyone notices you have new wands you could honestly tell them a friend gave them to you. You could, if pressed, say I gave them to you. I would as soon you not tell anyone we made them.” Harry told his friends. “You two may want to practice with them some before class tomorrow. They will work a mite better then your old wands.” He said to Ron and Neville. Looking at the girls, which made him blush a little, he said, “I figure you three will enjoy them the most away from school.” Harry offered a knowing smile. Harry had Quidditch practice through the afternoon. However when he came back in for dinner Ron and Neville both looked a little more beat then usual. As they both seemed rather happy Harry assumed their wands had allowed them to put more into their “Impedimenta!” spells. Tuesday after dinner Harry had Lee and the twins transfigure multiple desks into mattresses and lay them out along and against the wall, just as they had before. It was comical to see the fourteen year old boys trying not to be too obvious about showing the fourteen year old girls their mattress making abilities. Harry addressed the others, “You have all noticed, I’m sure, that we haven’t had good luck with some of these spells. I think we are trying to advance too quickly. So we will step back a little. The fourth years will practice their shield charm or the deflecting charm if they are comfortable with it. While you,” Harry waved his hand in an inclusive motion indicating the younger group, “will be casting the spell you are best at, whatever that is. Petrify, knock back or stunner. “Once we perfect what we already know, then we will start advancing again.” Harry concluded. Ron and Neville were both quiet happy to cast “Impedimenta!”. Ginny and Luna alternated between the petrifying hex and “Impedimenta!” while Hermione and Katie alternated between the third year knock-back hex and “Stupefy!”. The twins continued with the deflecting charm while the other three fourth years returned to “Protego!”. Harry wondered the room offering suggestions for improvement. His advice was mostly that they should pay as much attention to the marshaling of their magic prior to casting rather then simply during the casting. For most, the next hour went fast and at the end everyone was happy with their own performance. When the Gryffindors got back to the common room Hermione pulled them all over to the couples corner. Hermione actually cast the “Mufliato!” charm herself. “I finished the Oclumancy book Harry. Is there any way to test whether I have achieved the correct implementation of the disciplines?” “Well,” Harry said. “I can try to cast Legilimens on you and ask a question. I assume my rudimentary Legilimency would be on a par with Snapes and Dumbledore’s passive truth reading.” He offered hesitantly. “Do it!” Hermione told him. Her desire to be an integral part of her best friends life again pushing her to be a mite reckless. “Well, erm, lie to every other question then.” Harry said. He pulled his wand and pointing it at Hermione’s face whispering “Legilimens!”. He didn’t feel like he dove into her mind but then he didn’t want to do that anyway. Pausing to think of what to question her about he finally asked, “How old are you?” “Thirteen.” She responded. “Are your parents dentists?” “Nope. Well known musicians actually.” “Do you think Cedric Diggery is cute?” “Erm...yes.” Do you want to be a house Perfect?” “Absolutely not!” “Do you want to be Head Girl?” “That would be brilliant!” “Ah, well I couldn’t sense a difference between one answer and the next so I think you got it right. You’re not giving away anything physically or emotionally.” Harry confidently informed her. “So you will tell me what you and Mr. Lupin are up to?” Hermione asked gleefully. “Hermione.” Harry said pleadingly. “It isn’t fair to ask me in front of Ron and Ginny. Can we wait till the weekend and give them a chance to get a handle on the mental art of conscious concealment.” He asked. “Oh, all right.” Hermione conceded begrudgingly. The rest of the week passed with naught remarkable occurring. Unless you were observant enough to notice Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom’s Practical Performance abilities increase drastically. Friday morning saw two owls delivering post to Harry again. The Prophet and a note from Remus confirming an early morning meeting with Bill Weasley and a probable ten o’clock arrival in his neighborhood. The front page article of the Prophet was by Liz Puter demanding the Legal Body get off it’s metaphorical arse and get back to work addressing the Ministries mistakes. She proclaimed if they couldn’t properly convict with seventeen pieces of evidence then they should be unable to warrant the continued imprisonment of someone who had no trial at all. The article on the second page was another by Puter exposing more voting and financial histories of Wizengamot members. She was on a one woman crusade to clean up the corruption so prevalent in the Ministry. Saturday morning practice was a little different. Harry, Hermione and Katie cast only “Protego!” on one side of the room. Ron, Neville, Ginny and Luna stood to the other side casting almost any hex they could think of, Harry did ask Ron and Neville not to use “Impedimenta!” as they had become too good at it. Initially Hermione and Katie would stand their ground and recast their shield. But as they watched Harry dodge as often as cast a shield they started doing the same. By the end of an hour the three were dodging everything they could and laughing all the while. During breakfast Luna sat to table with them. Ron and Neville voiced their willingness to stand to the other side next time and have a go at dodging all the spells. Ginny and Luna certainly didn’t say they were uninterested. Just as the hot foods disappeared from table Harry excused himself saying he wanted to walk around the castle grounds. Leaving his young friends to table Harry made a stealthy journey to the Shrieking Shack. Being rather early Harry used his willow wand to conjure three comfortable chairs and sat down to wait. It was a good wait of more than half an hour. Harry’s mind had wondered off and was designing a powerful ritual using neutral and white magical symbols. When Remus apparated in with Bill Weasley Harry startled and lifted half a foot out of his chair. Remus was almost laughing. Bill, however, seemed more concerned that the person they had come to meet was a kid and the place they were meeting at was a ruin. “Harry this is Bill Weasley. Bill, this is my under age and silent partner, Harry Potter.” Harry knew Remus had introduced him in such a way on propose. Remus had most likely set Bill up to expect something completely different and then brought him to the Shack and Harry Potter. Probably to purposefully put the look that was on Bill’s face now, complete and utter confusion with a healthy side of surprise. Harry stood and stepping to Bill offered his hand. By the time they had performed the perfunctory physical display of an empty wand hand Bill had gotten past his momentary befuddlement and flabbergastedness. Harry noted that Bill’s hair wasn’t as long as he came to normally wear it, nor did he sport an earring. “Nice to meet you Harry. My mum says you are friends with my brother Ron.” Bill said letting go of Harry’s hand. “We are. He and our friend Hermione are my best mates. Well I mean if a girl can be a ‘best mate.” Harry pinked a bit and attempted to extricate himself. “I mean of course girls are the best of mates...opinion. I just meant can a bloke call a girl friend his mate...a friend that is a girl... .” Shaking his head he added, “Why don’t we just sit down.” The two adults were smiling as they all took a seat. Harry dropped the whole girlfriend and mate topic and continued, “I am friends with Ginny and the twins as well. And I think I am as much Percy’s friend as the twins are.” Harry said. He got a snicker out of Bill with the last. “It is why you are here really. Knowing your family I am certain we can trust you.” Harry told him. Bill gave a slightly disparaging chuckle saying, “That is why I had to sign a very detailed and restrictive magical contract?” “Well, there is trust and then there is absolute assurance. And for what we are going to talk about the latter was needed.” Harry stated. He briefly considered alluding to his parent's circumstances but decided that would just open a big can of guilt and remorse. “There is an dark object hidden in a shack. A different shack.” Harry hastily added when Bill started looking around the Shrieking Shack. “It will have evil protective spells about it and it has an Alluring Charm that makes you want to touch it. It also has a curse that will kill you if you do. “The wizard that hid it liked to use Inferi and was very capable of twisting a mans thoughts into knots.” Harry concluded. “Doesn’t sound to bad. I seriously doubt any contemporary wizard could compare to what the ancient Egyptian Magicals set up in their tombs.” Bill told them confidently, maybe even with a little cockiness. Harry didn’t want Bill to continue with any foolish and unwarranted overconfidence. “It is Voldemort’s treasure. He set the defenses you will need to break through.” Bill’s expression became a little pinched and a great deal more sober. He looked to Remus for verification before he spoke. “You want me to go up against defensive curses and traps set by the most powerful dark wizard of our time?” At the two affirmations Bill added, “Wicked!” “Wicked!” Remus shouted. “This isn’t a school boy’s adventure. This is some serious shite we got going here.” He admonished. “Mr. Lupin, I am sorry to have giving you that impression. But the truth is I am a Curse Breaker and I enjoy it. I like the challenge and this will certainly be a challenge.” Bill offered in an attempt to mollify. “I cannot fathom that Voldemort could produce a curse or spell trap that one of the thousands of dark wizards hadn’t already done in the tombs. The curses and traps in the tombs are weakened with age so these fresher ones will be more dangerous only in they will kill me quicker.” Bill explained. “So how do we start this?” Harry asked though he was fairly sure he knew the answer. “I would want to see the site first and identify what defenses I can from a distance.” Bill said. “Do either of you know Little Hangleton?” Harry asked. When both shook their heads Harry snorted saying, “Guess you will be taking the Knight Bus then. “On the north side of the village is the cemetery. North of that is the old Riddle manor and about a mile east of that is the Gaunt family shanty. The last bastion of the descendants of Slytherin.” Harry informed them. “It may have been a quaint farmstead a few hundred years ago. It is now a complete ramshackle.” “Right.” Remus said taking charge. “We will apparate to the outskirts Hogsmeade and summon the Knight Bus.” “Are we near Hogsmeade?” Bill asked. “This is the Shrieking Shack Bill.” Harry told him enjoying the look on his face as he reinspected the interior again. “And Remus, I will stay here so you can send Dobby for me if you can’t find the Gaunt’s shack.” Harry added. “We may be awhile Harry.” Bill told him. Harry shrugged and quipped. “If I get really bored I can always start cleaning.” After the two apparated away Harry returned to his contemplation of a white magic cleansing ritual. Of course it would be easier if he used dark magic. Oh well, he had knowledge and he had time. He would figure something out. It was more than an hour before Remus and Bill apparated back. Remus wore an anxious expression while Bill seemed... committed, excited, maybe zealous. After they were all sat back down Bill disclosed his discoveries. “First there is a very powerful Muggle repellent charm as well as a wizard confondus charm. If we had got to close I am sure we would have found ourselves else where wondering why we were there. Those well be easy to dispel even if they are strong. I cast the most powerful “Percontor Percunctor!” but it only revealed and identified the first two spell traps. “Just inside the door is a trap using something like Garroting Gas and just beyond that is either a hundred arrow or a thousand arrow spell trap. Past that I sensed a curse involving Inferi but my spell failed to identify it’s exact nature.” “When we go in I will take lead and I assume you will be my backup?” Bill directed to Remus. “Harry suggested we take a third with us. A young second year auror trainee.” Remus all but lamented. “Well Auror’s are taught extremely good shielding charms. That could be handy if anything goes awry on the second trap.” Bill speculated. “So I need three each of Ensorcellment shield pendants and fresh air Bubblehead Baubles. Three pair of dragon hide gloves and boots. I would suggest full length dragon hide dusters or trench coats. This won’t be cheap mind you.” He admitted. Remus nodded but Harry asked, “Less then ten thousand galleons?” Bill snorted, “Less then one thousand. We don’t seem to share the same idea of cheap.” he added laughingly. Remus chuckled, “He simply has no idea of expensive.” “So when do we attack this? I think it will take me a few days to get everything together and I should know what size your ‘Trainee’ is.” Bill asked. “We have not even approached Miss Tonks yet so scheduling anything this next week would be optimistic to say the least” Remus reflected. “Miss Don’t Call Me Nymphadora Tonks?” Bill asked. Remus looked a little confused. Harry however chuckled and said, “Yes. She was in your brothers year right?” “Yeah, Charlie knew her. He said she was near the top of her class. But then they tend to try not to let fools join the Aurors.” Bill agreed. “So her given name is Nymphadora?” Remus asked a wee bit bemused. “Yeah, but even with her being two years behind me in school I had heard enough not to call her that. She supposedly holds the record for hexing people and not getting caught. But as she didn’t get caught there isn’t a record so...” Bill apprised them. “I think we should figure on Halloween.” Harry injected. “We can go to Godric’s Hollow in the morning and then go straight on to this. Be kind of fitting in a way.” “There will be no we. You will not be going with us!” Remus stated vehemently. “I won’t go in with you but Dobby and I will be outside in case anyone needs help when you are done.” Harry insisted. “I will be there to tell Dobby what to do so you need not be!” Remus reiterated. “Unless you’re the one who needs help!” Harry argued. “No.” Harry held his tongue at that. Mr. Responsible Remus Lupin was not one to be swayed by a whinging childish argument. Besides Dobby was Harry’s elf so there really was no need to argue anyway. “Still, Halloween would work. Plenty of time to get Tonks on board and Bill to get his supplies. And that clears the way for the first week in November.” Harry offered in a tone he hoped sounded like forlorn acceptance. “What happens in November?” Bill asked. He immediately looked chagrined as he briefly forgot he was here as a hireling and not talking with old friends. Harry was at a loss as to how to respond. However Remus wasn’t. “Let's get this done first and then we can decide if you remain involved if you want.” “Right.” Bill agreed. “I will owl Miss Tonks and ask for a meeting Monday evening. I will explain what we are doing without any details of course. If she is interested I will have her sign the same contract Bill signed this morning.” Remus stated. “Should I offer her payment?’ Remus asked Harry. “I doubt money will affect her decision, but if she accepts we pay her the same as Bill.” Harry confirmed. “Right, well, if we are done I will go have lunch with my parents and have dinner with an old ... friend.” Bill said. Remus shook Bill’s hand and Harry exchanged waves with him before he apparated away. “Little full of himself. I do so hope it isn’t misplaced or unearned.” Remus muttered. “It’s not.” “Good.” Remus flatly stated. “I am going to the Leaky Cauldron for some hot soup. I will owl you about how it goes with the little pink haired girl.” “Tell her hiya for me.” Harry smirked. Remus gave Harry a considering look and asked, “She is a little old for you, isn’t she?” Harry laughed outright. “She is a friend. Er, well I expect her to be a friend anyway.” “Right. Well, I will owl you Harry.” Remus said, clapping Harry on his back just before he apparated away. Harry vanished the chairs and conjured instead a woven reed hoop. Placing it on the floor before him Harry set himself to practice apparation. He thought he may well have a use come Halloween. Sunday morning, after breakfast, Ron, Hermione and Ginny managed to steer Harry into the empty classroom on the fifth floor. Once inside they pulled some desks out to sit at and the two red heads asked Harry to assess their Oclumancy. “Sure.” Harry readily agreed. “If you will get the door Hermione?” Harry positioned a desk opposing the others and sat down. Pulling out his wand he reminded Ron to lie to every other question and cast “Legilimens!” on him. Then of course he only needed to come up with five or six pertinent questions. Harry asked Ron five questions that he answered truthfully or deceitfully. He asked the last question, “What is your favorite food?” Confusion passed across Ron’s face and he finally answered, “I don’t have one.” “You seem to have control but if Snape starts talking about food avert your eyes.” Harry said with a chuckle. Turning to Ginny, Harry stared for a moment thinking what questions to ask before he cast “Legilimens!”. “Favorite team?” “Harpies.” “Best looking boy in school?” “Marcus Flint” She replied after a pause. “Favorite class?” “Charms.” “Where did you get your willow wand?” “Found it.” “Did you pee on it?” “Yes.” She said, blushing. “All right.” Harry informed them, “You three have become very capable liars. Congratulations.” “So?” Hermione asked. “Right but first you all need to swear to keep this a secret.” Harry asserted. After they swore themselves to secrecy Harry started to relate some of his story. “Not going to tell you everything. I have not told Remus everything and he is my co-conspirator. But let's start with my dream.” Harry said. “I went to sleep on a Monday night and woke up the following Wednesday morning. In that thirty six hours I dreamt of years. Often in grueling detail. “This wasn’t a prophetic dream in the sense it is going to come true. I am not a Seer. More a warning to prevent stupid things from happening.” Harry stated. Looking between each of his friends he could see acceptance and belief. Forging on he said, “This year was about the evil book and basilisk but they are done. So this year will certainly be different. Right? “Next year Sirius Black escaped Azkaban. Briefly, in front of us, he captured Peter Petigrew but the traitorous rat got away. As only we had seen Peter, Sirius was forced to stay in hiding. “Although Hermione did hit Malfoy.” Harry added. “Good one Hermione!” Ron praised the shocked girl while his sister laughed. “The next year was a bad one though.” Harry told them. “There was an inter-school tournament and it included a Formal Winter Dance. We boys were expected to asked girls to go with us!” He looked at the two smiling girls and shook his head. “That is a lot of stress, you know, working up the nerve to ask someone out. Some of us were a little slow off the start and were turned down when the girl we asked already had a date.” Harry admitted dramatically. “So?” He leadingly asked turning to Ginny. “Would you go to the ball with me in two years?” Ginny did not blush. Maybe because her heart stopped and rose up into her throat. Hermione’s jaw dropped slack and Ron’s face turned red. “Are you asking my little sister for a date?” Ron blurted. “Yes. Yes I am.” Harry answered very cheekily and with somewhat of a smile. “It is in two years Ron, so she has plenty of time to back out.” Looking to Ginny he said. “Should tell you I can’t dance though, so I’ll need to work on that.” “Yes!” Ginny gulped and added a nod to assure complete understanding of her affirmative answer. “Well good, glad that is out of the way.” Harry said with a sigh. “It really is bothersome to be the bloke you know. With the Ball out of the way, the rest of the year simply had dragons and mermaids. At the end of the tournament though Voldemort subverted the whole thing and managed to get a body again.” Harry lamented. “That is what all this secrecy is about. In my dream I found out why the dark dorkus didn’t die to begin with and how he got recorporaled. So no one can know the details until all the uncontrollable... circumstances are controlled.” He had decided not to say ‘items’ as that had been enough for Remus to guess. Remus of course was a good deal more learned than Hermione but that was no reason not to be careful. “What circumstances Harry?” Hermione asked. Harry did swallow his amusement before he said, “Well that’s the secret. But in general Voldemort performed some rituals to prevent his going on from this life. Rituals that need to be undone and destroyed so the old tosser’s soul can journey on to the Isle of Youth, though my money is on him getting tossed back in the Cauldron. Or mayhap Arawn will just toss him out as pig slop.” His three friends were silent for different reasons. Ron from overload of information, Voldemort returns and Harry asked out Ginny. Ginny was trying to figure out what kind of ‘rituals’ kept you from dying and what being asked out for a date two years in advance meant to the two of them today. Hermione also was probably thinking about the type of Evil you had to delve into so as to not be able to leave this plane. Harry waited patiently while each of them ran the full gamut of their thoughts. Finally Hermione broke the silence though she was more talking to herself rather than the others. “Probably Sacrificial Blood Rituals performed at the old Druidic sites of power. Perhaps in some arcane pattern involving the Belinus and St Michael’s ley lines.” Looking up and noticing her audience she informed them in a very distracted manner, “Hogwarts is exactly the same seventy three miles off the Belinius line as Stonehinge is off St. Michael’s line.” “Blood Sacrifice is pretty much right. Though some will call it murdering an innocent, which is evil shite, it really equates to human sacrifice plane and simple.” Harry said nodding his head. “Extremely Evil Shite!” “So what can we do to help?” Hermione asked. “We went down the trap door with you last year, so you know we are here for you.” “I know you are Hermione. Your my best friends and I know that.” Harry assured her. “What happened next?” Ron the occasional pragmatist asked. “Our fifth year was ruined with a Malevolent Ministry Apple Polisher for a Defense Instructor. She and the Minister were adamantly denying Voldemort’s return. Then at years end Voldemort tricked me and I dragged you three along with Neville and Luna to a trap in the Department of Mysteries. In the Ministry lobby Dumbledore and Voldemort faced off and were seen by lots of Ministry people before the evil bastard escaped. “Then in sixth year things seemed more normal even though we all knew better. Dumbledore and I were again in the good graces of the public and he started teaching me everything he knew about Voldemort’s history. But at years close a small group of Death Eaters got in the school and Professor Dumbledore perished.” Harry paused at the three gasps before he went on, “We didn’t return for our seventh year. We were on the run searching for the ‘circumstances’ Dumbledore taught me of. In May of 1998 there was a huge battle and Voldemort was vanquished. “People we know died. We all lived through it but there was a lot of grief.” Harry summarized. He had promised himself not to relate any individuals fate to anyone. “And because of this dream you are going to take it on yourself to right these wrongs before they happen?” Hermione asked without to much criticism in her tone. “Well.” Harry explained, ignoring the subtle castigation. “If no one knows what I am doing I don’t see this as a problem. Voldemort is haunting Albania and his henchmen are currently clueless. Besides I am not doing that much. Remus is.” “So Mr. Lupin knows everything and agrees with your plans?” Hermione asked. Her disbelief was not unnoticeable but Harry knew it was mostly her idea that there were people whose sole responsibility was to deal with these things. Not her twelve year old friend. “Yes, Hermione.” Harry answered. “Remus knows almost everything and is helping me. We agreed early on that if things got pear shaped we would then go to Dumbledore. But until then he trusts me and my knowledge.” Hermione harrumphed but Harry knew she was done searching for flaws in the plan. “So that is about all I can tell you. Do either of you have a question that Hermione didn’t already ask?” He asked his two redheaded friends with a smirk. When neither of them answered Harry said, with a bit of relief, “Lets go have lunch then.” Sunday afternoon was Quidditch practice so Ron had to wait awhile to corner Harry alone. He followed Harry up to the dorm after he had said his typically early good nights. “You asked out my little sister Harry. Blokes don’t do that. It is in the Blokes Secret Handbook.” Ron asserted. “Why?” Harry asked. He had seen this conversation before though it had involved older versions of the two of them. “Cause if it goes bad with Ginny I will have to kill you and that makes being mates difficult.” Ron all but shouted. “I would never let things go bad between Ginny and I. She and I are friends first and if there is a ball in two years then we will dance. So you and I will never have that problem. Sides, Ron, it is two years away yet.” Harry replied emphatically. Ron grumbled a bit but he did let it drop. Tuesday morn Harry got an owl from Remus telling him that Miss Tonks had expressed an interest in working with them. He explained how her interest was that much greater when he had told her what she would earn for the one day. Remus insured she wouldn’t be told anything until she signed the same contract that Bill had. The rest of the week was quite quiet. The back to basics lesson plan for the study group was building more confidence. Friday’s Daily Prophet was delivered at breakfast. Harry did not immediately open it but when he did he was pleasantly surprised. Liz Puter had the front page again but this was a simple news article about the official trial of Mr. Grimes. He was one of the three men in recent history imprisoned without a trial. He had been found in his home along with the bodies of his wife and two children. After being interrogated he had been shipped to Azkaban sans the whole legal rigmarole. When brought before the Wizengamot Thursday afternoon he willingly submitted to testifying while under the influence of Veritaserum. While under its influence he was questioned by Madam Bones. Mr. Grimes admitted to killing his family. When asked why he explained that the Garden Gnomes next door had told him to do it. They had been telling him to do things for years. Madam Bones commanded Mr. Grimes be sent to St. Mungos to be evaluated before being sentenced to return to Azkaban. Puter ended the article with, for her, a subtle editorial statement about how this was justice at work, smoothly and concisely, as it should be. Saturday started with the first and second years along with Katie practicing away before breakfast. Harry caught himself before he had them again working on the more advanced spells. They were all doing great working on the spells from the curriculum closer to their age. On the way down to the Great Hall Ginny asked if she could have a word with Harry after breakfast. Harry already had plans but Ginny accompanying him wasn’t a horrible idea. So he agreed. With the meal finished Harry lead Ginny up the moving stairs of the west wing. She was properly confused when they passed the fifth floor. She was slightly more perplexed when they turned away from the tower entrance at the seventh floor and headed west. Ginny was surprised when they came upon a tapestry depicting some old wizard teaching trolls to dance and even more surprised when Harry started pacing back and forth across from it. Her confusion, perplexity and surprise were dwarfed by amazement when a door appeared in the wall by Harry. Harry opened the door and held it for Ginny to enter all the while smiling. Once inside he closed the door behind them and asked, “So you wanted to talk to me?” “Well, yes...” Ginny looked around a seemingly cavernous room filled with junk. “Yeah, erm... where are we?” There was a long wall of old school trunks stacked five high. Piles of rickety chairs and broken tables. An ancient looking battle axe with stains was stood in a thread bare stuffed chair. There were two book shelves near the door filled with empty sherry bottles. And beyond all that was an absolute ocean of more stuff. “This is the Room of Requirement or the Come and Go Room. Although this configuration is called the Room of Hidden Things. If you needed to hide something like...” He looked around and pointed at the sherry bottles. “Maybe evidence of your drinking problem. You would walk three times before the door thinking of your need and you get this room.” Harry told her. “You didn’t bring me up here to hide me in a trunk did you?” Ginny quipped. “Nope.” Harry quipped right back. “To far to come to visit. Maybe my trunk in the dorm.” He smiled as she blushed some. “Actually I had already planned to come up here before you asked to talk. Kind of thought this was as good of place as many.” “Why?” She asked. Then clarified, “What were you going to do up here, I mean.” “There is a cabinet I had thought to break to pieces. But thinking about it for the last couple days I will look at it first.” Harry said. And walking off down one of the thoroughfares between the teetering piles he added, “Come on and I will show you it.” Harry lead the way through alleys and tunnels of used, abused and plain worn out things together with some contraband items like Fanged Frisbees and banned books. After a right and then a left and another two rights he stopped in front of a wardrobe. It was a mite plain in design but in descent shape compared to the tosh surrounding it. It was a tad narrower than the norm, and a bit deeper then usual. It was in as good of shape as many of the pieces of furniture she had grown up with in the Burrow. “I had originally figured to blast it into splinters but I have realized it could be useful. It just simply can’t stay in the school.” Harry mused. “Huh?” Ginny asked with as much panache as one could while totally confused. “Think your parents would like this for some storage? Maybe in your dads shed?” Harry inquired. “Maybe.” She offered, obviously mystified by the question. “Or since my closet is tiny it could go in my room.” “That would be interesting.” He said chuckling. “Well, not real sure how I could ask Dumbledore for it though. ‘Oi, Professor sir, there is a magic cabinet up on the seventh floor that Death Eaters could get into the school through. Could I have it please.’ Yeah, that would go over like a garlic burp in a brothel.” Ginny snickered at the ‘brothel burping’ then asked with not completely feigned consternation, “But they can get in my dad’s shed or my room and it is no problem?” “I know where the mate to this cabinet is. If I buy it then I could step through and visit the burrow anytime during the Hols.” Harry stated. “In my room?” Ginny was shaking her head and blushing. “I suggested the shed. You said your room. I just said it was an interesting idea.” He said laughingly. Ginny laughed a little with him before she sobered a bit and said, “That is , well, sort of what I wanted to ask you.” When Harry only looked at her expectantly she set her determination along with her shoulders and pressed on. “What, erm, why did you ask me to this ball?” “Well.” Harry started but paused while he considered the best way to convince her. “Why would you want to invite someone to a dance?” Ginny hesitated before she finally answered in a voice infused with uncertainty. “Because I liked them.” Harry nodded his agreement, “Same reason for me. Budging into you accidentally, on purpose, when I get up from table is nice. Accidentally brushing your leg with mine under the table is too. Although I do believe in a year or so, more purposeful, rather than accidental, contact might be nice.” Ginny was blushing but she didn’t drop her eyes from Harry’s when she asked, “You were doing that on purpose?” “Maybe.” Harry replied smiling. “You don’t mind, do you?” Ginny shook her head and dropping her eyes and turning even redder said, “I liked it and now knowing ...” “You can be more accident prone too, I wouldn’t mind.” Harry professed, almost as pink cheeked. Ginny actually giggled and looking up, smiled at Harry. “There was something else I wanted to do in here, Gin. So can I walk you back to the door?” Harry asked with the typical subtlety of any boy. As they walked side by side back to the door they were so close they often would jostle the shoulder of the other. But neither tried to distance themselves to avoid it and both wore flushed smiles. After Ginny had left Harry returned to the vicinity of the Vanishing Cabinet to start his search for the acid etched cabinet. There may have been one wrong turn but Harry wasn’t completely sure if he had gone round in a circle or if things just happened to look so similar. He did find it though. The four foot tall class room storage cabinet with blistered paint. Next to it was the unknown wizards bust sitting atop the crate. To the other side stood the small table with numerous items cluttering its top. Harry carefully lifted the ratty old Magistrates wig from the table exposing the Diadem that had been under it. Harry decided the thing must have the exact opposite of a bedazzling charm on it to make it look like another bit of tosh in a room of tosh. It was almost black with tarnish and the stones in it looked like the worst costume jewelry Harry had ever seen. Harry wanted to touch this horcrux no more then he had the diary. Looking about he noticed a broken chair across the aisle. Casting “Discerpo!” he cut the four legs free from the seat. Returning he set two of the legs on the floor parallel with each the other and three inches apart and stuck them to the floor with sticking charms. Using the other two legs Harry managed to get the diadem up off the table and down to the floor. Kneeling, Harry nestled the decorative face of the thing in the cradle of the two legs and the floor and cast three sticking charms to assure it stayed in place. He was going to be scratching the metal back of this thing with a poisonous blade. He didn’t want it to move and he bloody well was not going to be holding it. From his ‘magic bag’ Harry extracted the goblin dagger, his silver knife, his wand and a piece of chalk he had pilfered from Snape's class. He was almost certain that because this horcrux was metal it would be slower to succumb to the venomous damage and he had no plans of presenting himself as a target for vengeance. Around the propped up diadem and chair legs he drew a circle approximately twenty four inches in diameter, but he did not empowered it yet. Drawing his silver knife Harry cut his left palm and allowed a fair bit of his blood to fall unto the back of the ornamental front of the horcrux. He wasn’t certain if his blood would quicken the things demise but he knew it couldn’t hurt. Setting his wand on the floor to his right Harry unsheathed the goblin dagger. It crossed his mind how he really needed to name this thing, perhaps he could ask Seamus. With both hands on the dagger, to assert the greatest force, Harry dragged the point through his blood on the diadem’s back, scratching the soft silver beneath as deeply as he could. Immediately Harry could ‘hear’ the inaudible scream. In his haste he almost threw the dagger as he cleared his hand to grab his wand. Touching his wand tip to the chalk circle Harry cast “Orbis Subesisto!” empowering the magic circle. What was within the circle would stay within now that it was empowered. The mental scream lessened dramatically though an opaque mist was rising up from the bejeweled circlet. When the mist was a foot tall it took on a humanoid shape. When it was two feet tall it gained red eyes. When it got to be above four feet tall it’s width started to be restricted by the boundary of the circle. The eyes, though only indistinct orbs, conveyed malevolence while the mist managed to convey a frantic need to escape the confines or to get at Harry. Harry raised both hands with a single finger on each extended vertically. It wasn’t long after his inappropriate and prosaic gesture that the mist started to thin. When the mist seemed to lose all cohesion Harry turned and picked up his things and put everything away in his bag. He waited a bit even after that before he broke the circle, just to be sure. Once Harry physically erased a small bit of the chalk, the circle was broken and the remaining mist quickly dissipated into the air of the expansive room. Unsticking the diadem from the floor Harry picked it up and inspected it. A great majority of the tarnish was gone and the jewels sparkled with their natural beauty. He was not sure if it still had Ravenclaw’s enchantments on it but Harry was certainly not going to try it on. He stuffed it in his book bag. As he made his way back to the door Harry stopped and made a halfhearted attempt to shrink the Vanishing Cabinet. He did not know the magical mechanics of vanishing cabinets, but he was fairly certain that they existed as half of a whole. He wasn’t surprised when his spells failed, he assumed to change their size he would need to effect both cabinets simultaneously. Maybe Remus knew of some kind of furniture moving portkey. He would write and ask about some way to move this cabinet and also check what Borgin and Burkes wanted for its mate. If they wanted to much he could always threaten to blast this one into splinters and owl it to them. Harry crossed the castle and sent Hedwig off with a message to Remus. She looked a little perturbed to be sent off in this weather, as it had been a mite rainy the last couple of days. But she looked even more perturbed when Harry offered to send a school owl in her stead. He did sympathize with her though as he had Quidditch practice later in the day himself. When Harry got back to his dorm he put the diadem and dagger in the bottom of his trunk. The two destroyed horcruxes in his trunk did not seem enough to describe as a collection. But he knew where three others were and when they were as dead and placed in the bottom of his trunk, that would certainly qualify. As Harry closed his trunk he thought of next Saturday. Halloween was always exciting, if in an extremely morbid sense, and this coming Saturday would assuredly be no exception. * ** taken completely or partially from Jo’s work, book 1-7, although ... |
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