|
Darkness Within | ||||||
|
Category: Pre-OotP, Alternate Universe Characters:Albus Dumbledore, Draco Malfoy, Dumbledore, Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Minerva McGonagall, Neville Longbottom, Other, Remus Lupin, Ron Weasley, Severus Snape, Sirius Black Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, General Warnings: Dark Fiction, Death, Disturbing Imagery, Intimate Sexual Situations, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations, Negative Alcohol Use, Rape, Sexual Situations, Violence Story is Complete Rating: R Reviews: 144 Summary: Tom Riddle opened the Chamber of Secrets while he was a student at Hogwarts. He committed another horrific act that same year. Now decades later, the students of Hogwarts continue to be impacted by his crimes. How will Ginny and her friends handle the darkness within? Hitcount: Story Total: 149004; Chapter Total: 6332 |
Previous Next |
|
||||
|
Chapter 17 Triwizard Champions “Neville! Anna!” Hermione hurried towards them. “I didn’t see you at breakfast this morning.” “We grabbed an early breakfast and went for a long walk around the lake,” Anna explained. “It’s a beautiful Saturday morning!” “Oh, well, that sounds great!” she said brightly, as they all sat down together in the common room. “I wanted to let you know, I’ve created a society to address the appalling conditions of house-elf enslavement. It’s called the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare. Harry and Ron have already joined.” Neville and Anna followed her eyes as she looked up fondly at Harry and Ron, who were busy playing a game of wizards’ chess. “And, I knew you would want to join as well after the terrible way Mr. Crouch treated his house-elf, Winky, at the World Cup.” “Um, what are the goals of this society?” Anna asked cautiously. Hermione pulled out a parchment from her bag to show them. “The short term goals are to improve the working conditions of house-elves and ensure that they are paid for their work,” she explained. “The long term goals include changing the law on wand use for elves and getting an elf into the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. They desperately need a representative to speak for them!” Neville glanced at Anna, who nodded slightly in encouragement. He then turned to face Hermione. “How did you come up with those goals?” “Well, I did a lot of research in the library and those goals seemed like a reasonable place to start,” Hermione said. “Why? Do you have suggestions for more goals?” “No, it’s just…” Neville paused and took a deep breath. “Hermione, have you ever actually met a house-elf and spent any time talking with them?” “Uh,” she stammered for a moment. “No, I haven’t ever had the opportunity to talk with a house-elf, but I’m sure they would greatly appreciate these changes.” “But you don’t really know that,” Neville argued. “If you’ve never spent any time with a house-elf, you don’t know what they might need or want. You don’t understand what is important to them.” “Surely wages would be important to them!” Hermione exclaimed. “And, some of them live and work in appalling conditions!” Neville nodded slowly. “Some house-elves are not treated as well as they should be. Elves deserve kindness and appreciation from their masters.” He paused, thinking of how best to explain. “The relationship between wizarding families and house-elves is complicated. When elves are treated well and spoken to kindly, they obey their masters completely in everything. But, did you know that if a master is consistently harsh or unappreciative, over time an elf can find ways to disobey the master, possibly even betray the master?” “No, I didn’t know that,” Hermione said slowly. “How do you know so much about house-elves?” Neville took a deep breath and pressed his hands together, preparing himself for her reaction. “We have two house-elves at Longbottom Manor. Gran taught me from an early age to always be kind to Bitty and Litty.” Her scowl was not unexpected. “You own two house-elves! Do you pay them for their work? I mean kindness is all well and good, but they deserve wages!” “Hermione, you don’t understand! They don’t want wages. They would be insulted if you tried to pay them for their work!” he exclaimed. “This is why you need to actually spend time getting to know house-elves before you decide what they need and what will make them happy.” “Well, how am I supposed to do that?” she demanded, shrugging her shoulders in an agitated gesture. “You could sneak into the kitchens,” Ginny suggested as she sat down next to Neville. “Fred and George do it all the time. If you asked them, I’m sure they’d tell you how to get in.” Hermione’s lips were pressed together in a hard line, but she seemed to be considering Ginny’s suggestion. She glanced over to where the Weasley twins were sitting. “Hermione,” Anna said calmly. “Ask the house-elves what they like about their work. Ask them what would make their work easier or better for them. Ask them what makes them happy, and how witches and wizards can help them be happier and more fulfilled in their work. If you ask them the right questions, you’ll find out what they really need and want, what is actually important to them.” Hermione sighed and looked down at her list of goals. “I’m not saying your idea of an Elfish Welfare Society is a bad one, but you need to have goals that the house-elves themselves would actually support and appreciate,” Neville asserted. “You’re correct that not all house-elves are treated well. Gran has told me some cautionary stories over the years, but Bitty and Litty are very happy being members of our household.” Pulling out a fresh parchment and a quill from her bag, Hermione assessed him thoughtfully for a moment. “Will you tell me more about Bitty and Litty? I’d like to understand the situation better.” Neville nodded and told her stories about growing up with Bitty and Litty. Many of the stories were from when Neville was about six or seven and going through a ‘difficult stage,’ as he put it. Anna and Ginny giggled at a few of the stories. Even Hermione cracked a smile when Neville described being physically and magically scrubbed in the bathtub, until his skin was red and raw, by a very irate Bitty after she caught him eating all of the cake batter she had left out on the kitchen counter. “What did Aunt Augusta do when she found out?” Anna inquired smirking. “Backed up Bitty, of course! Gran told me to stay in my room the rest of the day, and all I was allowed to have for dinner was an enormous plate of vegetables and a glass of milk,” Neville chuckled quietly. “From that day on, I knew to ask first if I wanted some cake batter.” “Do house-elves routinely help raise and discipline children?” Hermione asked, her quill scratching on the parchment, as she continued to take notes. “Yeah, that’s pretty normal in old, pureblood families,” he nodded. “Bitty is technically the head house-elf at the manor because she’s a few years older than her sister, but they divide the work pretty equally. Bitty takes care of Gran, of course, and when we’re home, Litty takes care of Anna.” Hermione immediately shifted her focus. “How exactly does Litty take care of you?” Anna considered how best to explain the situation. “You know how wealthy muggle ladies a century ago used to have personal maids taking care of them?” She waited for Hermione’s nod. “It’s a lot like that.” “But neither one of them takes care of you?” Hermione inquired glancing back at Neville. “Well, no,” he said. “I didn’t mean it like that. They both take care of me, but it’s different…. I’m a boy, so I’m not really all that interesting. I’ve seen Litty spend twenty minutes in Anna’s closet picking out just the right clothes for her to wear. She’ll draw a bath for Anna and put in scented bubbles for her. Whereas, I’m just told to take a shower and get dressed. Also, Litty is endlessly brushing Anna’s hair, morning and night!” Ginny giggled and turned to Anna. “Is that why you like to play dress up and fix my hair?” Anna nodded and smiled. “I like the way Litty fusses over me. It reminds me of my grandmother. When I was little, she would dress me up like I was a porcelain doll or something.” She quickly wiped away a tear as it started to slide down her cheek. “Litty and I really became close after my father died. She was just quietly there for me, and she still is.” Hermione twisted her quill thoughtfully. “Thank you for talking to me about this. I guess I do need to learn more about house-elves before I can promote change. The relationships you’re describing are more complicated than I realized.” ******************************** **************************************** ************* “Good evening, Alastor,” the Headmaster said, as he moved to stand beside Mad-Eye Moody at the top of the empty Astronomy Tower. They were facing west, watching the last bit of sunlight disappear far in the distance. The fiery red-orange sky was quickly giving way to a deep blue. The cloudless night would be perfect for stargazing. “Albus,” the old auror greeted him gruffly as he took a sip from his ever present flask. “How are your classes going?” “Well enough,” Moody answered. “Harry Potter can completely throw off the Imperius Curse now. He fought it pretty successfully the first time I put it on him. I could see it in his eyes!” He rubbed the stubble on his chin thoughtfully. “The lad fell over of course, but I kept working with him. By that last time, he resisted perfectly.” Dumbledore nodded in satisfaction. “How are the other students coming along?” “A few of the older kids have it, or are very close. People would at least definitely notice from their awkward speech or actions, if they were under the Imperius Curse!” he announced. “Glad to hear it,” the Headmaster murmured. “You’ve got another fourth year who can completely resist the Imperius Curse, as well,” Moody said, his face contorting into a grim smile. “Girl by the name of Anna Henry.” Dumbledore sighed quietly. “What was her reaction to the curse?” “Just stood there. Eyes so blank, I was sure she’d start dancing around the room any moment, like I was telling her to,” he grunted. “She just stood there, didn’t move, didn’t struggle, nothing. I cast it twice more to make sure. Each time in between I would ask her a simple question, you know. Who her Potions teacher is? Who her Head of House is? She had no difficulty answering me. But, under the Imperius Curse, she was just blank.” “That’s very interesting,” Albus observed softly. “Odd is what it is!” Moody declared. “Anyways, best be off and prepare my next lessons.” “Thank you, Alastor,” he said as the old auror clumped away down the stairs of the tower. The Headmaster stood quietly looking out over the dark grounds of Hogwarts. He had been surprised when his Potions master, Severus Snape, mentioned not being able to get a read on Anna last year. Severus was a master Legilimens, and he had not been able to glean anything from the girl’s mind. Granted it had been a brief attempt, and Albus had strongly disapproved of his actions, but Severus’s failure weighed heavily upon him. Now to learn that the girl had been able to throw off the Imperius Curse, as well, was concerning -- impressive certainly -- but concerning nonetheless. Could she possibly be an Occlumens? It seemed highly unlikely, and yet? He tried to recall what he knew about the girl’s past. She was related to the Longbottom family in some way. Her father had been an American and had died the previous year. Sighing, he decided to look into her family and past history when he had time. Once the champions had been chosen for the Triwizard Tournament, he would have more time to look into her situation. Satisfied with his decision, he swept down the stairs. ********************* **************************************** ************************ Classes were dismissed early on the Friday before Halloween so the students of Hogwarts could prepare themselves to welcome the visiting schools’ delegations. The castle had endured the most thorough cleaning they had ever seen, and the student body had been warned to be on their best behavior. As they lined up according to house in the entrance hall, Anna carefully straightened Neville’s tie. “Do I look alright?” she asked quietly. “Pretty as always,” he whispered with a smile. Professor McGonagall led them outside and lined them up in front of the castle by year. Anna listened to the speculation of her fellow Gryffindors as they wondered how the other schools’ students would arrive. They didn’t have to wait long before a dozen enormous flying horses, pulling a massive carriage, was suddenly spotted on the horizon. It landed with a ground shaking thump and rolled to a quick stop. Exiting the carriage was a large woman dressed entirely in black satin and several students wearing pale blue robes of silk. Madame Maxime, the Headmistress of Beauxbatons, led her students into the castle moments before the students from Durmstrang magically arrived by boat to the lake. The large skeletal vessel literally ascended in the middle of the lake before gliding to shore. Professor Karkaroff led his students down the plank and up to the castle. Anna heard the excited murmurs of “That’s Viktor Krum!” and looked closely at the student nearest the Headmaster of Durmstrang. He did appear to be the Bulgarian Seeker they had watched at the Quidditch World Cup. Following the rest of her House into the Great Hall, she sat and waited for Professor Dumbledore to announce dinner. Glancing over at Ron, she was slightly amused to see that he was trying to make a space for the Durmstrang students at the Gryffindor table. As it turned out, the students from Beauxbatons had joined the Ravenclaws, and the Durmstrang students were seated at the Slytherin table. The welcoming feast was even more impressive than the usual Hogwarts feasts and contained a few dishes which were unknown to many of the students. Anna happily served herself some of the bouillabaisse and encouraged Neville to try it. “What is it?” he murmured. “It’s a stew with fish and shellfish,” she whispered. “I think you’ll like it.” Neville looked at it skeptically, but took a bite and grinned. “It’s really good!” “What kind of a dish is it?” Ginny asked as she served herself a portion. “I mean, it’s obviously not British.” “It’s a French dish,” Hermione explained. “I had some on holiday one summer.” Along with the typical puddings, the meal ended with a cold, sweet cream dish that Hermione identified as being blancmange. Anna’s curiosity led to several others at their end of the Gryffindor table trying the new sweet as well. Finally, the Headmaster rose, introduced Mr. Crouch, the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, and Mr. Bagman, the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, and explained how the three champions would be selected by a magical Goblet of Fire. Any student, aged seventeen or above, could submit their name on parchment along with the name of their school. The three champions would be chosen the following evening during the Halloween celebration. He informed the students that an Age Line would be drawn to prevent underage witches and wizards from entering the competition. As the Headmaster wished them all a good night, the students slowly left the Great Hall, speculating loudly about who the champions would be and what kinds of tasks they would face. *********************** **************************************** ********************** “Happy Halloween! Happy Birthday!” Ginny squealed as she jumped on Anna’s bed, holding out a small package. “Thanks, Ginny,” she laughed setting the book she had been reading aside and opening the gift, as the other girls in the dorm called out birthday greetings. The present was an intricately braided thread bracelet containing three small stones. “It’s beautiful, Ginny. Will you help me put it on?” She held out her wrist, and Ginny secured the bracelet. “So, how does it feel to be fifteen?” Ginny asked. “Oddly enough, the same as it felt to be fourteen,” Anna replied. “Well, at least now, I’m not the only one who’s fifteen in our room,” Hermione grinned. “Here. I have a present for you.” She handed a neatly wrapped package to Anna and waited expectantly. Anna tore open the paper to reveal two small paperback novels. Ginny looked at them curiously, noting the name Jane Austen on the front of each. “They’re British muggle classics written by a woman in the early 1800s,” Hermione explained. “This one is a complicated love story, but it’s one of my favorites. The other seems more like a Gothic mystery, but isn’t really. I thought you might enjoy some light reading.” Anna gave her friend a hug. “Thank you, Hermione. They sound wonderful!” “You’re welcome,” she said. “We can discuss them if you want after you’ve read them. I need to get downstairs now. I promised Harry and Ron I’d meet them early this morning so we can see who’s putting their name in the Goblet of Fire.” Anna nodded and smiled as Hermione made her way quickly out of the room. The other girls rapidly got ready for breakfast as well. No one wanted to miss seeing who would be putting their names in for the tournament. As it turned out, they made it down to the entrance hall just in time to see first Fred and then George cross over the Age Line protecting the goblet from allowing underage wizards to enter the tournament. Ginny cringed waiting to see what would happen and then burst out laughing as long white beards suddenly appeared on their faces. The Headmaster was nearby and thankfully looked more amused than anything by the twins attempt to outwit the Age Line. He sent them off to the hospital wing so that Madam Pomfrey could set them to rights. Rumors were spreading fast in the Great Hall about which Hogwarts students had submitted their names for the competition. Ginny was not pleased to hear that a Slytherin seventh year had put his name in, but was glad that Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor and Cedric Diggory of Hufflepuff had placed their names in the cup. After breakfast, Hermione, Ron, and Harry went to visit Hagrid, while Neville and Anna went for a walk around the lake. They had invited Ginny to come along, but she was determined to finish her potions essay. By evening, Ginny was relieved to get away from her school work and join the others at the Gryffindor table. Everyone was eating the Halloween feast with a sense of nervous speculation as they wondered who the champion would be for each school. “I hope it’s Angelina,” Fred said. “So do I!” agreed Hermione. All of the Gryffindors around them were nodding and staring at the Goblet of Fire expectantly. Professor Dumbledore began explaining the procedure for the champions to follow as they were called. Quite simply, they were to go into another room where they would be receiving instructions for the first task. Soft gasps could be heard throughout the hall as a slip of parchment, with the name of the first champion, emerged from the cup. “The Durmstrang champion is Viktor Krum!” the Headmaster loudly announced. Cheers erupted around the hall, as Viktor Krum rose from his seat and went into the chamber Dumbledore had indicated. Soon another name came out of the cup. “The Beauxbatons champion is Fleur Delacour!” Again clapping and cheering sounded throughout the large room, as she too walked away to the chamber for the champions. By the time the third name floated down from the flames, the students of Hogwarts were collectively holding their breaths, knowing that their champion was about to be announced. Ginny grabbed Anna’s hand excitedly as she stared at the Headmaster. “The champion for Hogwarts is Cedric Diggory!” The noise in the hall reached levels that were almost painful to hear as the student body cheered, clapped, and celebrated the moment. Every Hufflepuff was positively beaming with pride and excitement as he left the room to join the other champions. The Headmaster waited for the students to become quiet, and then began to talk about the importance of supporting the champions and cheering them on as they began their tasks. Suddenly, he fell silent, as another scrap of parchment exited the cup. Professor Dumbledore grabbed it and stared for so long that people began to look nervously at one another. “Harry Potter.” |
| Reviews 144 |
Previous Next
|
