Chapter 25 - Revelations

Thank goodness Anne Sallow was the mediator in our conversations, otherwise there would've been more than broken noses between us. As we all sat by the fire in our camp, we each took turns of telling our story.

Anne went first telling us how she had buried Solomon, at which point Sebastian reached for her hand and it held it tightly. She went on to say how she had been staying at friends these past few months, some days her curse wasn't that strenuous, the pain still came in unpredictable waves, but she was learning to take each day as it came. She told Sebastian how she wrote to Ominis after Christmas when she hadn't heard from him and that's when her worry had started.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you for so long Sebastian, I needed time to process everything. I forgive you for what happened with Solomon, but it won't be easy to rebuild that trust again, it will take time."

At this point Sebastian and Anne hugged again and then Sebastian began with his story.

"Firstly, I owe all of you an apology. I know that killing Solomon was wrong and I will spend the rest of my life making up for what I did. I'm sorry to you Anne, for taking away our last remaining family member." Anne and Sebastian were still holding hands as he spoke.

"Ominis I'm sorry for not heeding your advice about the dark arts and for pushing you into revealing your family's dark history with Salazar Slytherin. I know the trauma you have with your family and the dark arts. I was blinded by my own selfish goals. You're my oldest mate and I should not have treated you so poorly. I'm also sorry for punching you."

Ominis had managed to clean most of the blood off his face, but I could still see speckles of it on his collar. He was obviously pissed that Sebastian had broken his nose, but nevertheless he nodded his acceptance at the apology.

Sebastian finally turned his head to me.

"Riley I am sorry for taking advantage of you last year, when I learnt of your ancient magic, I only had the idea of curing Anne in my mind, and I didn't comprehend what you were going through. I am sorry for doing that to you."

Anne's eyes were blinking fast at this point.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but what ancient magic?"

I realised then, as did Sebastian and Ominis, that no one had told Anne about my ancient magic. I had honestly thought that both would've told her by now, even though I asked for it to be kept secret. No point in keeping secrets anymore.

"Uh, well Anne just before I joined Hogwarts, I discovered that I possessed an ancient magic that no one else could see. It's what Professor Fig was helping me understand last year before he-before he died." My words shuddered at the mention of his death.

"To make a long story short, Fig was helping me with the trials that the Keepers had prepared. The Keepers were a group of professors from the Tudor period that also possessed this ancient magic. They had magical portraits in a chamber beneath the school that protected a powerful repository of magic of unknown power. I was being tested in the trials to see if I would protect this secret and continue their responsibility. As I progressed through the trials, we learnt that Ranrok was also searching for this power source, and he managed to infiltrate Hogwarts and retrieve it."

Flashbacks of Ranrok in his evil dragon form crept into my mind and sent shivers down my spine, but I continued with my story.

"I managed to defeat Ranrok, but not before he consumed the repository of magic and became something else. It took all my strength to defeat him, but once I did his power erupted and escaped from him. If it wasn't for Fig, I wouldn't have been able to contain it again. He died in arms shortly after." Tears were streaming down Anne's face as I spoke.

"Oh Riley, I am so sorry. I can't imagine you going through that all alone."

I glanced a look up at Sebastian at her words and he returned my look.

"I wasn't alone, Sebastian was there for me, I confided in him last year and he helped me along my journey."

"Do you want to continue your story, Riley?" I looked at Anne, she had such a kind face and gentle eyes just like her brothers, and I knew I could trust her.

"When I returned to Hogwarts this year, I kept having nightmares where I would see myself at the mercy of an old witch casting a spell on me. It's as if she was trying to extract my magic out of me and the pain was unbearable. On top of all that, I could hear a voice calling to me and only I was able to hear it. It kept begging me to free it and it would whisper evil things to me. We didn't know it at this point, but it turns out the voice was coming from the repository of magic beneath the school, it had become corrupted after being embedded with Ranrok's soul. Eventually I confided in Ominis as I wasn't coping with it all. And that's where we started to become … close."

I looked over at Ominis at this point and he gave me a soft smile. Sebastian seemed to clench his fists, but Anne nudged him to stop.

"I eventually started with Occlumency lessons with Professor Sharp to help control the nightmares and keep the voice at bay, and for a while it was working. Until just before Christmas where I first encountered The Blackhand. They were deep in the Forbidden Forest, and they were performing an initiation ceremony which involved the torturing of a muggle woman. Turns out they were the initiation ceremony was for Oliver Wright, a Ravenclaw student at Hogwarts. Their leader was this horrid woman called Towe." Anne gasped at this point, but Sebastian was just staring at the ground as I spoke.

"I intervened to save her, using my ancient magic and as a result The Blackhand learnt of who I was. I managed to scare them off and heal the muggle woman as they had beaten her beforehand. I had no idea of the ripple effects that would stem from that night."

"You can't blame yourself Riley, if you hadn't had been there, that muggle woman would've been killed." Ominis reassured me.

"When Christmas arrived, we stayed at Hogwarts with Natty, her mother and Poppy..."

I couldn't carry on, just mentioning her name now I kept getting images of her body being flung against the boulder after Oliver's killing curse. I just sat there quietly staring into the flames.

"Riley managed to heal my blindness that day, which shows how much her power has grown." Ominis continued my story for me. "But more interesting than that was what happened with Professor Onai." Ominis looked at me for permission to talk about the prophecy and I nodded.

"Professor Onai touched Riley and she said she had a vision, or a prophecy of sorts."

Sebastian was now staring at Ominis intensely. "What did she say?"

Ominis repeated the words for them, "The ancient power corrupted brings forth ash and death. The love of the eagle shall bring balance. Notwithstanding, a dark curse forms with a final breath. The ultimate sacrifice must be borne, which will bring about your final downfall."

I looked up at Ominis, noticing that he left out the part about eyes of hazel that would bring about my final downfall and he gave me a look to say keep quiet. I don't know why he decided to keep that information from Anne and Sebastian, but then I realised that it wasn't just Sebastian with hazel eyes, but Anne had hazel eyes too. Perhaps Ominis was right in not mentioning it at this moment, it would only cause Anne and Sebastian to panic and right now we needed some order amongst all the chaos. Both Sebastian and Anne sat there in silence taking in what Ominis had just told them.

"Prophecies can be complex, we don't know what it all means just yet. After Christmas Anne and I started writing to one another again, which is when both Riley and I started to reach out to you Sebastian. Once we received a letter back from you, we dismissed any idea that you might've been in trouble."

Sebastian was still pondering at the ground, still stuck on the words from the prophecy that I could see him mouthing silently to himself. He noticed that Ominis was now talking to him and responded.

"After I left Hogwarts, I spent the first few months trying to find a cure for Anne. I accidently stumbled upon The Blackhand and followed them to their camp. I overheard their plans and tried to run and warn you Riley. But they managed to capture me, and they tortured me for information about you and the ancient magic, thanks to Oliver Wright who recognised me. They used the Cruciatus curse on my daily." At this point tears had swelled in Ominis' eyes, and I hugged myself tightly.

"The pain was horrific, but in a way, I felt like I deserved it. I deserved to be punished for my sins. It wasn't enough to break me from my silence, so eventually they used Veritaserum as well as Imperio on me to reveal everything I knew. I'm sorry for breaking my promise to keep your secret Riley, and for putting you in harm's way."

Sebastian was now looking at me and I shook my head.

"It wasn't your fault Sebastian, I'm just sorry we dismissed your letter, we should've sensed something wasn't right."

"They forced me to write that letter, they didn't want to alert my absence. I couldn't give anything away about what had happened to me. But you should know, the leader of The Blackhand isn't that Towe woman you mentioned Riley. They call him Master and his name is Ulric. Ulric Rookwood, he's Victor Rookwood's older estranged brother."

My eyes flashed up at the familiar name, I couldn't believe it. Victor had a brother. My eyes glanced over to Anne, and I immediately thought if the Rookwood curse on Anne could be lifted by this Ulric man. Sebastian noticed my glance and immediately interrupted my thoughts.

"He is the vilest man to walk this earth, if we thought Ranrok was bad, he is a million times worse. Even his own people are frightened of him. He lived most of his adult life in Russia, but he was able to return to Britain when Victor died, they had an Unbreakable Vow forced upon them by their father so that they were never to see one another again. That's why we've only encountered The Blackhand now. I heard their entire plan to try and obtain the repository beneath the school, Oliver Wright was at the source of it all. Ulric also wanted you Riley, he said that he had specific plans for you, I don't know what he meant but we need to avoid The Blackhand at all costs. They are dangerous."

Ominis was running a hand through his hair as he took in this information. He spoke with a calm voice, "Oliver used Poppy to get closer to Riley. On our last night at Hogwarts there was a ball and he set off an explosion in the Great Hall to distract the professors and other students. He lured Riley down to the chamber where the repository was hidden. He used Poppy as collateral. Luckily, I noticed Riley's absence and I had a gut feeling as to where she would be, so I followed them down the caverns under a disillusionment charm. Oliver basically revealed his entire plan as I followed them."

Ominis paused at this point in the story and looked over at me with concern on his face. Tears had formed in my eyes now, but I knew I needed to carry on the next part of the story.

"There was a struggle, and I aimed a blast at Oliver when Poppy got free of him, but it ricocheted off of him and straight towards the repository. The power contained within escaped and it attached itself to me and I absorbed it all. The sinister voice I was hearing is now part of me. It's what I think the prophecy meant, the part of about the ancient power corrupted brings forth ash and death."

Sebastian's eyes were wide now as he stared at me.

"And Poppy ..." I started to sob at this point. "He killed her. And I couldn't stop it." I sunk my head into my arms as my body shook as the memories of Poppy's death plagued me. I felt two sets of hands on my shoulders, and it was both Anne and Sebastian that had come to my side. They sat beside me, Anne holding my hand and Sebastian had his arm around my shoulders.

"Oh Riley, I'm so sorry. I know how much Poppy meant to you." Anne's whispered comforting words in my ear.

"We will make that Oliver Wright pay for everything he has done." Sebastian declared. Ominis shifted uncomfortably on the log he sat upon at Sebastian's words.

My sobbing eventually subsided, and I continued, "I killed him right there and then, but not before I tortured him, not before he begged for mercy. I didn't care, I wanted him to suffer as he had made Poppy suffer."

Anne stilled at my words. Sebastian just squeezed his arm around my shoulder even tighter. Nobody said anything for a while.

"You did what you had to do Riley." I was surprised to hear that coming from Ominis.

"I get why you did it, Riley." Sebastian was now speaking softly to me. I looked up into his hazel eyes and we exchanged a look of understanding. He really did understand. He had also killed out of pure emotion, with no remorse, and he too knew of the guilt I was now feeling.

Ominis continued, "After that night Sharp helped us to escape, he told us to run. I actually think Professor Weasley was in on it too, giving us time to escape. Sharp said that the Ministry would detain Riley for her power, blame the explosion and deaths on her. Thereafter we came searching for you Sebastian."

Sebastian interjected at this point, "The Blackhand has moles in the Ministry, I saw it with my own eyes. We can't trust them."

"So, what do we do now?" It was Anne that asked the obvious question. Everyone's stories had been overwhelming, there was a lot of information to take in.

I was the one to speak, "It's me The Blackhand want. They would've learnt through their moles at the Ministry that the power now resides within me. I need to continue with my path and keep this power from those that would abuse it."

Sebastian stood up in front of me now as he spoke, "We will help you, Riley. We'll find a way."

"You have all risked enough as it is. I cannot ask you to keep putting your lives at risk."

Anne placed a hand on my shoulder as she spoke, "You are our friend Riley, we are not going to leave you to carry this burden on your own. I think that we can all agree that separating hasn't done us any good. We need to stick together."

Her words warmed my heart. That warmth quickly churned into fear as a pained expression appeared on Anne's face and she grasped at her stomach.

"Anne!"

Her curse rippled the pain through her body, both Sebastian and Ominis reached down to her with their hands on her shoulders. My hand was gripping her leg and we all just held Anne as she groaned through the pain. After a few minutes the pain subsided and Anne was breathing steadily again, but she had a tired look on her face, and she was shaking.

"Anne let's get you to the tent, you should rest, it's been a long journey for you today."

Ominis held out his hand and led her to the tent. Leaving me and Sebastian standing in front of the fire staring at them as they disappeared into the tent. I could see the hurt in Sebastian's face, after all these months he had not managed to help his sister and I knew what was going through his head.

"Sebastian, I know what you're thinking, and it's dangerous."

He looked at me through pained eyes, "Riley, Ulric Rookwood will not willingly help my sister. You have no idea what he is like, what he is capable of. I wouldn't dare bring my sister within five feet of the man. Even if he is possibly the only answer to curing her curse."

Every inch of me wanted to hold his hand right then and there. My heart felt lighter after we had all spoken, but there was still so much that went unsaid.

"Riley, I am so sorry about Poppy. I'm sorry that I wasn't there to help. I should never have left, for so many reasons." I looked deeply into those hazel eyes, and I believed every word he said.

"You're here now, that's all that matters."