Harry Potter : Another Dark Lord - Chapter 22 : The Past, Present and Future
At morning breakfast owls delivered letters. The ritual adept was sitting with his younger friend at her table. The day before, they didn't meet much so she had a lot to tell him. Her year mates were not nice, but not mean either. They just left her alone. She wanted to show him her painting of Bob. The horse-like creature was fascinating, the way it was, wizards and witches could wee how thestral looked like without witnessing death themselves.
The orphan prepared himself some meat sandwich while checking for poison and keeping an eye on the blond girl. The owl coming their way picked up some bacon on the Ravenclaw sitting a few sit away, before delivering its message. The bird trembled the whole time as black orbs were fixing its wings. The letter was a summon to the headmaster's office after the end of the meal. The student gave his pudding to his friend. Her smile went from one ear to the other. At least, one of them was happy, he thought.
Feeling the mood change, the blond girl proposed to share the dessert in half.
The headmaster's office didn't change since last the time the student visited. The collection of old books decorated some free parts of the room's wall while the most were covered with the portrait of previous headmaster. The sorting hat was silent and almost dead, the magic it radiated beamed with strength compared to the magical painting. The old wizard was opening a sweet.
" Mikhael, my boy, bubblegum ? Honeydukes has a new supply and they are excellent. ", finishing his treat, the wizard invited the student to sit. The violet robe held shining pattern moving across the fabric, alternating between gold and red hue. Closing the sweet box, the older wizard put his elbows on the desk. " I'm surprised, you know. Why would you want to engage in dueling my boy ? I thought better of you, don't be reckless. This activity is quite dangerous. Think about your future, what would happen if you injure yourself. There had been cases of death even for the Junior circuit. I can understand, but please consider it. It's about your life. ", the magic on the office pressured each word, especially on 'dangerous'.
" I'm aware of the risk headmaster. Still, I want to enter, to prove myself. I've worked hard for years, I want to know how far a non pure-blood can reach in this discipline. Please, headmaster help me. ", the green robe stayed straight on his chair, countering the external magic to penetrate his body. The invisible layer of protection kept a firm position despite the room's magic actions.
" My boy, just like me you want to improve yourself. It's remarkable, truly, but can't you wait ? You are young and can better yourself with time, why not waiting until your seven-year ? At that time, you wouldn't be disadvantaged compared to the other concurrent. ", the headmaster waved his wand over a chair. The object exploded and before any pieces hit the duo, the old wizard made them into a smoke of butterflies. The last part was achieved without wand motion nor any words.
" I can't wait. The ministry wishes to stop it. It could be forbidden next year. I don't have a second chance. ", the student magic encased the butterflies into crystal orbs. Each container set of fire. " I'm ready and if I win, wouldn't it prove that us, muggle-born, can also achieve success ? Despite being the majority of the wizard-kind, we and half-blood barely are represented in successful careers even with your effort headmaster. If I win, I can give hope to the next generations. ", the green robe dispelled the magic, letting ashes floated in the air.
" Such an honorable goal in mind Mikhael. I want to believe, I truly want, but many reasons pushed me to doubt you. I shouldn't say that since it is over my boundary. However, I saw how hard you push yourself, how hard life was for you. You deserve some truth Mikhael, you are growing splendidly. Your speed exceeds mine at your age and it frightens myself. ", the headmaster opened the office windows with a wave of his hand and let the cinder escaped the room.
" I know there is some good in you, but I fear for your hunger, what it could cause. I witnessed the rise of two dark lords in the past and your case is... similar, but not certain. ", the elder' shoulder dropped at these memories. Removing his spectacles, the wizard offered his hand. " Let me guide you. I, can help you. ", the frail hand waited for a response. The imploring stare fell into one's abyss.
A tall wardrobe rattled violently as several snake and lion classmates regarded it. The new professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts waited for all of them to enter the classroom and ask if anyone could guess what was inside the furniture. A hushed voice proposed a Boggart which was the good answer, gaining five points for the red and gold house.
Since professor Lupin had the attention of all, he continued with a second question about the creature features. A hand shot up. " Boggarts are shape-shifters. They take the shape of whatever a particular person fears most. That's what makes it so... ", the student couldn't finish her sentence as she was interrupted by the teacher. Terrifying was the end of the phrase before instructing the student to practice the charm that repelled those creatures. 'Riddikulus' was shouted enough times for every student to pronounce it correctly.
" Good. So much for the easy part. You see, the incantation alone is not enough. What really finishes a Boggart off is...laughter. You need to force it to assume a shape you find truly amusing. ", the professor sat down on his desk while pointing a chubby third year. Asking for the lion student what was his greatest fear made everyone laughed at the potion master's mention.
With a smile and a minute of rest for the students to concentrate again, the sitting professor got up and walked toward Neville. Asking questions about Neville's grandma, the older wizard stood behind the student and helped him to picture her clothes in the red and gold robe's mind. When the Griffindore was ready, the wardrobe was hit by sparks from the professor wand, and it burst open.
Neville had to close up the distance with the shapeless creature. The Boggart turned in flash into the familiar potion professor in its black robe and harsh words to Neville's failures. Backing away in fright, the student was stopped by the professor's hands. He had to think about his previous mental image and use the spell against this creature which wasn't the real Snape. The fake professor stumbled after the incantation and in flash, was dressed in a long, lace-trimmed dress, a towering moth-eaten hat and a crimson handbag.
Mikhael didn't laugh nor Draco or any of his following snakes.
The professor Lupin grinned at his success. Moving away from the student line, the older wizard dropped a needle on an old gramophone which activated a scratchy rumba filling the room. Enjoying the music, the professor pointed to another student with a redhead to take the place of Neville. The poor potion professor dissolved into a mad whirling mass to mutate into a giant spider. The spell made the Boggart have roller skates on its hairy feet.
The tension eased up since two cases were successful.
The next one was another teacher representation and Hermione almost cry at her failed exam results. McGonagall severe face changed to a happy one when the spell hit her. Case of common fears of creatures like vampire, giant cobra or grim were the most frequently seen in this class. Two other cases have shown a different fear, fear of deception for Draco as his father was deeply disappointed or fear of a close family death for Daphne.
Three students remained, Jacob, Mikhael and Harry.
The Jack in the box pivoted on its spring. Its face tumbled toward the lion twin, becoming smaller in size, sinister. The shape it took made the room silent. It wasn't something horrifying like previous cases, but a young child with black hair and eyes. " It's your fault. Your FAULT ! THIS IS YOUR FAULT, FREAK !!! ", the crying child was no older than six years and its small hands were tightened his shoulder.
" No, no, no, it can't be... Wrong, you are wrong. It's, it's not my fault... Not my fault... RIDDIKULUS !!! ", the blond student stepped back. The spell hit true, but the creature didn't change a bit.
" You can try to make me disappear, as you did for years, but it won't change that you kill them ! You freak ! ", the Boggart crying stare stayed fixed on the kneeling student. The professor intervened and banished the creature to the wardrobe. Making sure this student was fine, the older wizard asked if the last students wanted to continue or finish the lesson.
Mikhael was fine and wanted to continue, he wanted to see what he feared the most, deep inside. Before facing the Boggart he faced his brother. " Whatever the creature said. I agree, it's all your fault. ", a freezing stare stopped the other from moving. The snake saw the disappointed expression on the professor, but he didn't care. The blond twin fell back on his knees while the other unlocked the wardrobe.
The shape the creature assumed was different from others. Instead of one entity, there was two kneeling humans. A woman in her twenty and a man around the same age. Both were blond with blue eyes, the two of them were clothed in tattered shirts and pants, but it didn't prevent them to be in each other embrace. " Please, forgive us. Please, please, forgive... ", one after the other, the voice roughened by years of smoking and the feminine one implored for pardon.
The sight was strange, it itched the orphan heart. They were exactly like in his memories even if this scene never happened. It was something he never wanted. The imploring voices and the brother's surprise contrasted with the emotionless expression the green robe exposed. With a swing of his wand, the adult duo turned into a single empty bullet. The orphan laughed in silence while his brother cried, arms extended toward the place where memories stood.
When the green robe turned his back, thinking it was finished the students panicked at the sight he left behind. Facing the creature for the second time, the orphan didn't see the bullet but the bleeding corpse of a girl. Her pale skin, ruby color and lilac smell froze him in place. She was dead. He couldn't believe it. It was a fake. Anger warmed his body. He couldn't tolerate such a desecrating. Without words, black flames covered the creature's body, making it melted and screamed. The Boggard didn't die, it was destroyed.
Layers of magic and wards covered heavy tomes of old age. Breaking the protection was easy, bypassing them was not. Any disturbance could trigger an hidden mechanism. Under the cover of the night, a disillusioned student duplicated a full shelve of books with empty content. The doubling charm was something each original copy were protected against, but not the wood container.
Tendrils of magic made bridges between the originals and the copies. Concentrating his magic on the wards, the student exchanged the target to the new furniture. Runes of confusion and disillusionment were engraved in the air around each part of the school library. It created a global illusion that wouldn't be noticed by anyone entering the room. Walking inside for a passerby or devote elf for cleaning would make them forget or confound another shelve for the restricted section.
For nights, the intruder would set up his operation, reading deeper knowledge in this bookcase's part, drinking bottles of Invigoration Draught. The greatest part of his school's resources was this amount of laying books. The Inferius weren't something he expected to find here despite the ritual note about gates to the underworld. Corpses, dead bodies that have been bewitched to do a Dark wizard's bidding seemed really familiar to something the student experimented at a previous time.
Necromancy was the Dark Art of raising the dead. That branch of magic used to create Inferi, Charmed skeletons, as well as Zombies, but none of those creatures were truly alive nor conscious like a living being. The crystal orbs went colder. Under the shadow and light reflect, white bones looked like moving a bit, complaining, howling without any voice. Breathing his calming habit of seconds in and more out, the green robe swiped away some humidity on his face.
Two years of cleaning cleared some parts, but the room was still filled to the brim with lost and broken objects. As it was the consecutive sixth day, the amount of blood reached the prerequisite. As the orphan grew up to 1.63 meter this summer and weight 52 kilos, he took 26 liters of water followed by a lot of other components for his new ritual.
The list also contained 11.2 kg of carbon, 2.225 kg of ammonia, 1.27 kg of lime, 625 g of saltpeter, 605 g of Phosphorous, 200 g of salt, 182 g of sulfur, 157 g of sodium bicarbonate and 14 other elements according to the recipe for a human body from a renew alchemist of the past. The blood circle radiated with a reddish gleam as all elements concentrated around the center.
The creature was breathing, with difficulty. The mutilated mass of organs and body parts somewhat resembling like deformed being, wormed out the red circle. No words could be understood, its black hair dragged itself on the cold stone. The failure dissolved into a puddle of black flames. The agony ended for the unwilling to live let one last noise of somewhat thank.
Hogsmeade Village, was the only all-wizarding village in Britain. It was founded by Hengist of Woodcroft, since before 1714 and it maintained a picturesque image of a little village containing the named specialty shops and pubs such as Zonko's Joke Shop and Honeydukes. Hogwarts third years and above have been permitted weekend trips into the village, some even wandered on to observe the infamous Shrieking Shack.
The green robe visited each shop in the small village, but bought only some sweets in Honeydukes. There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable. Creamy chunks of nougat, shimmering pink squares of coconut ice, fat, honey-coloured toffees and hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows. Many more goods had some special effects for funny occasions, said the shop keeper.
While new, the village was just another distraction for the student. Putting disillusionment on himself, the wizard started working on his flying ability. The magical wings were more advanced than before, the muscles more refined and small runes covered every inch of the structure, either on the feathers, the bones or the fake flesh. Competing with the wraith creatures in speed race, the ritual adept lost at first since his ability was different from the air walking he developed previously.
Moving his new members attached to his back by threads of magic differed from an actual leg or arms. It relied more on his mental image and the feedback he received from the wings. Floating above the village with only the strength from his back effort became less awkward. He could add spell to make it easier, but the consumption would become greater. He wanted to master this aerial with the less magical expenditure possible.
The pair of wings were just a start. He knew he could speed up. With more wings, in theory he could increase the velocity by a good amount. Yet, he had to wait to master the flight with only two before starting his project. As the student passed by the Forbidden Forest, a black animal stared at the castle. Noticing this familiar shape, the ritual adept descended to a tree near the animal.
The massive black dog didn't smell nor see anything unusual, but its instinct was alerted by the presence of a danger closing in. It couldn't sprint deep into the wood before dozen of grass snakes jumped at it. The first wave was evaded, but not the second nor the third and fourth covering all its body except for the head. Hissing didn't lower when the animal struggled on the dirt. In second, the dog couldn't move its body nor neck.
" Sirius, what should I do with you ? ", that voice made the animal shivered.