Far under the North Sea, a block of tortured rock slipped. The pressure from one side had been growing for a thousand years. The other side of the block could not move. The slip pushed a mass of crushed stone up, while another slip far away forced another mass of split rock down. It was a regular, everyday readjustment of the enormous pressures that shaped the whole planet.
On the surface, these movements resulted in a dull thump that briefly shook the pile of stone. That pile of stone was known in Magical Britain as Azkaban Prison.
Gus Rookwood felt the dust and grit that fell from the wall and vaulted stone roof. Azkaban did not have any wooden floors or ceilings. It was all stone with metal bars added to confine the prisoners. One thing was stopping the stone blocks from sliding or moving. The weight of each shaped stone pressed down on the stone below, making any movement almost impossible unless the stone below moved away.
“Did you hear that?”
Rab replied, “Yeah. Is the place falling down?”
Gus looked at the wall. “Maybe.”
“How can Azkaban fall down!” Bella snarled.
“Once again, Bella, you are looking at things from a human point of view. You can’t push Azkaban over, but other forces can.”
Rod joined in, “Is someone going to break the walls down? Can we escape?”
Gus closed his eyes and gave his answer. “If the walls and roof fall, where will you hide?”
Rod answered, “Nowhere.”
Gus said, “We will be a squishy mess stuck between the pieces of rubble.”
The conversation died.
-ooOOoo-
The Slytherin dormitory rooms were gloomy. Some natural light filtered down through portholes in the high walls and ceilings. Every room needed extra lights both day and night.
As Harry woke up, he sensed that something was different. He turned up the magical lights.
“OK. What’s happened?”
He started making a list of what was different. First, the light in the room was lighter than usual. He pushed the bed covers back and sat up. Second, he felt different. Harry rubbed the scar that was different from all his other scars. The scar was different. A quick check in the mirror showed the difference. Yesterday, the scar had been a dark lightning bolt line on his forehead. The skin around it was pink or red, giving the appearance that it had only just healed. Today, the scar was a white line, and the skin around it was pale, like the rest of his face.
“The old scar has gone. The new one doesn’t feel like a scar. I can only just see it.”
He felt different. He was hungry, ready for breakfast. That didn’t always happen. Harry dressed and left his room. Blaise Zabini left his room at the same time.
Blaise looked at Harry, “You’re up! I don’t have to remind you to come to breakfast.”
Harry smiled, “No! Not today, that’s different.”
Blaise said, “Yeah, that’s different. You look different. I don’t know what it is. You do look different, though.”
Daphne and Tracey were not in the Slytherin Common Room. The boys sat and waited. Harry started his occlumency checklist. It was a list of exercises that he could do anywhere. He trained himself to perform the exercises whenever he had a few minutes to focus.
Harry was flying around the boundary of his Potter Manor mindscape. The manor was huge. There were rooms for all his studies and the extra work Tom had set for him. The outside space had fields and forests and enough room for flying practice. Harry could plan and perform flying tricks before he did them on his broom.
Harry flew to the gateway that joined Potter Manor to Hogwarts. The Hogwarts mindscape was Tom’s home.
The gateway was gone. Harry’s fence was solid, with no breaks. Tom was gone.
Harry came back and blurted out, “He’s gone!”
“Who’s gone?” Blaise didn’t look up from his magazine.
Harry gaped for seconds. Then he got his mouth under control. “I was doing an occlumency exercise, and it didn’t work how I expected it to.”
Blaise looked at Harry, “My mother won’t let me do the advanced occlumency you do. She might be right. We are still kids; occlumency might channel our thoughts before we are ready for it.”
“I had some very skilled tutors. But maybe I should change some things.” Harry glanced at Blaise. Blaise had been giving Harry an appraising look.
Harry stared back, “What!”
“You tell me,” Blaise replied. “What is going on? I might be an aloof, insensitive Slytherin, but even I can see that something has happened.”
Harry groaned. “The others will persecute me until I tell them something.”
“Try something that I never try to do,” Blaise said.
“Huh! Did that make sense?”
“I mean, tell the truth. Harry, you almost never lie. Unless the truth is too horrible.”
Harry mumbled and muttered. Then he stood up and walked around.
He came back to Blaise. “Ok. Let me try this. I have been getting private lessons from an expert. He was an expert in most magical arts. He has moved on to do another job, meaning he must drop me as a student.”
“How did you get to see him?” Blaise frowned, “Did he live in Hogsmeade?”
“No! Er! We communicated on another level of consciousness.”
“OK! Too weird! Even for Hogwarts, Luna Lovegood might accept that, but the rest of us need something more solid.”
Harry snapped his fingers. “Journals! We have linked journals. They are just for my tutor and me.”
Blaise smiled, “Can I see it?”
Harry frowned, “Of course not, it’s a secret.”
Daphne arrived, “What’s the secret?”
Tracey was behind her, “Spill Potter! You’ve got too many secrets.”
Harry tried out his slightly faked explanation for whatever had changed in him.
None of the Escort accepted Harry’s story, but they let him go to breakfast without too many questions.
Harry and the Escort were sitting at the Ravenclaw table this morning. Hermione took a seat at the Ravenclaw table opposite Harry.
“You are all acting strangely. What is going on?”
Tracey answered, “Harry has a secret.”
“Harry always has a secret,” Hermione said. She stared at Harry, who managed to stare back without breaking eye contact.
Hermione gasped, “Your scar has changed, and I saw something!”
“You saw something. What did you see, Hermione?” Luna asked.
“It was like I remembered something, but I know I never saw this before.” Hermione was speaking softly and quickly. “It looked like the castle. It looked like Hogwarts, but I know that I have never seen it from high over the lake. I saw it as though I was flying.”
Blaise smiled, “That sounds different, but not that strange.”
Hermione stared at Harry again, “I want to talk to you, Harry. I have questions that I want you to answer.”
The gang responded with a warning signal. “OOOOHAAAAH!”
Harry nodded but did not smile.
-ooOOoo-
Many years ago, Hermione’s mother taught Hermione a simple daily routine. Hermione was to make a special time when she would block out the things demanding her attention. During this special time, Hermione focused on controlling her breathing, then focused on relaxing, and then she quietly contemplated what she had learned that day and what she wanted in the future.
Her mother didn’t tell Hermione that what she was doing was meditation, but that was what it was. She practised her meditation while sitting cross-legged on her bed. It was her most secret time. Hermione had not told anyone what she had found. When she wanted to meditate, she could retreat to a house in her mind.
She had known this place since she was very young and had seen a movie on TV. She didn’t understand the movie. The people in the movie were not happy. She loved the house that they visited in the movie. It was called Howard’s End. Before she started Hogwarts, she found that the real house used to make the movie was named Peppard Cottage. If Hermione ever got the chance to have her own house built for her, it would be just like Peppard Cottage. Hermione made her own version of Peppard Cottage in her mind.
In her imagination, Hermione filled her cottage with hand-made furniture, original paintings and other works of art. The library was enormous. It expanded to accommodate every book that Hermione loved reading. There were sections for movies and TV shows. It had a complete collection of Doctor Who from the first episode. Richard Granger was a fan, and the burden had been passed on to Hermione.
Then, Hermione went to Hogwarts, met Harry Potter and discovered that her private retreat was a mindscape. She had trained herself in some very advanced aspects of occlumency. However, she was not an expert, and Dumbledore could easily influence her. The goblin ring protected her while her control over her occlumency was developed. Today, in her mind, she saw something outside the boundaries of her cottage. It was a memory of Hogwarts, not as it exists, but as it existed in another mind.
-ooOOoo-
“Harry, why do I suddenly have a memory of Hogwarts which I know is not mine?”
“I don’t know. Are you sure the memory is not yours?”
“I am positive. I also have another question. Tell me, Harry, who is Tom?”
“Tom was someone I met in Azkaban. He has gone to his eternal reward.”
“Was he a friend?”
“He was a close friend. I will miss him.”
“I’m sorry that you lost your friend, Harry. I don’t know how, but I am certain that this memory of Hogwarts was a mindscape made by this Tom person. For some strange reason, that mindscape is now in my mind.”
“Do you have a mindscape that you built yourself?”
“Yes, I do. I know what a mindscape is.”
“Why do you think that I can answer your questions?”
“Because I am talking to you, and I am not using my voice.”
“You are right. I am answering you, and I am not using my voice.”
“Harry, what are you doing in my mind?”
“Hermione, what are you doing in my mind.”
There was a long silence.
“Hermione, don’t get angry. Please don’t get upset. Before Tom left, I sort of joked with him about having you talk to me like he used to talk to me.”
“Did he say that he could make that happen?”
“No. He said, ‘No comment’. He didn’t want to discuss it with me.”
“Do you know of anyone else who could have done this?”
“There are powers and authorities who could do this. But they are not mortal.”
“So, we could be stuck with this.”
“I’m sorry, Hermione. We could be.”
-ooOOoo-
“What are you two doing?” Daphne asked.
Harry looked around. “Which two are you talking about?”
Tracey laughed. “You and Hermione, you have been sitting here staring at each other for five minutes. What are you doing?”
Hermione huffed, “Nothing! I’m not doing anything.”
“Liar!” Tracey snarked. “You’re doing it, aren’t you? You two are having a conversation just by looking at each other.”
Susan stared at Harry, “How long has this been going on?”
Harry glanced at Hermione. Hermione chewed on her lip.
Harry nodded.
Hermione said, “Since we sat down at the table. Something supernatural has happened. I don’t have an explanation, but this is a school of magic and strange things do happen. I mean, look at Harry. He shouldn’t be alive, but he is. He shouldn’t have the power that he has, but he performs powerful magic whenever he wants to.”
Lessons continued until the Christmas break was days away. Relations between Harry and Hermione were polite but difficult. They agreed on one thing. Their mind link was not fun. Harry apologised for trying to make a joke which some unknown powerful magical person took far too seriously. Hermione searched the library for any mention of such a thing happening. The only way that this could happen was if both people had powerful mind magic and they lowered their defences only for each other. Harry and Hermione both knew that their barriers were firmly in place. No other explanation could be found.
-ooOOoo-
“You must fix this, Harry!”
“I don’t know how to, Hermione. I don’t know who did it. I’m certain that Tom couldn’t do this. I’m also certain that he would not do it if he could. He might have asked some demi-god to do this, but I heard the tone of his voice. He thought I was stupid to even joke about it.”
“GRRR! I’m getting angry! You never told me about your scar. The lightning bolt one, when did it change.”
“When Tom left. I never found out if that was connected.”
“Oh! Another mystery.”
-ooOOoo-
An unusual event was happening. The Department of Mysteries sent invitations to Harry and a bunch of Hogwarts students to attend this event. Harry knew what was planned. The end of the crazy schemes made for Harry was in sight. All the heavyweights and big hitters would be there. All Harry had to do was not panic.
-ooOOoo-
Officers of the Department of Mysteries had official titles. Those titles were a mystery. Some people knew the titles, but something else came out of their mouths when it came to saying what they were. Writing the title down was equally confusing. It was easier to say Chief Unspeakable or Head Unspeakable when referring to the person in charge of the DOM.
For many years, the Head Unspeakable might have been Saul Croaker. No one was absolutely certain. Perhaps the Minister for Magic knew for sure. However, as the Minister for Magic was Cornelius Fudge, that was also probably wrong.
Saul Croaker was the only unspeakable who made public announcements and released statements to the media. Sometimes, Saul Croaker was named the Head Unspeakable; at other times, he was the Chief Unspeakable. He only ever signed himself as Saul Croaker.
The sudden interest in Unspeakable Croaker was because he announced that several fabulously valuable lost treasures had been discovered. As these treasures were made for three of the founders of Hogwarts, a special unveiling was arranged to be held at Hogwarts. Eric Davis had briefed the Head Unspeakable on the plan to remove Voldemort’s horcruces. As it turned out, Saul Croaker had been waiting for Voldemort’s plan for his resuscitation to unfold. Voldemort had boasted of his plans to live forever far too often to ignore.
Headmaster Dumbledore was delighted to get some good news finally. The return of goblin-made treasures, enchanted by Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff, and Rowena Ravenclaw, would take attention away from the reversals he had been getting in the Wizengamot.
Invitations were sent out. The Minister for Magic would be present with selected department heads and the minister’s senior staff. Representatives from the Wizengamot were invited. The school heads-of-house were invited, and the school board members would be there. Each official invitee was asked to invite one other person who would be privileged to see the treasures returned.
The final resting place for these artefacts became a matter of debate. The Ministry wanted to establish a museum in the Ministry for Magic building. Headmaster Dumbledore was adamant that the Hogwarts founders' treasures belonged at Hogwarts. A third opinion became the overruling one. Cyrus Greengrass, Marquis of Crecy, was revealed as the owner of the latest lease on the three founders' treasures. The goblin-made treasures were leased from the goblins by Cyrus Greengrass, and he said they would be displayed in a new Museum in the Ministry for Magic.
The day of the unveiling arrived. The final academic work for the Hogwarts term was finished, and the Christmas break would start the next day. The headmaster’s office was magically expanded to fit the scores of guests.
Saul Croaker and Eric Davis transported the treasures directly to the office through the floo.
The guests arrived. The Hogwarts residents were first. Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout, and Snape took their places. Each head-of-house had invited one of their students. Hermione Granger, Su Li, Hannah Abbott, and Blaise Zabini were seated in the student seating area. Four of the school Board of Governors were next. This was the first time many students had seen some board members. They were Lucius Malfoy, James Macmillan, Edward Diggory, and James Smith. Lucius Malfoy had invited Draco as his guest. The other board members were elderly and were the grandparents or great-grandparents of school students. Draco took his seat next to Blaise Zabini. The other board members did not bring guests.
The invited Wizengamot members arrived. Percival Parkinson, Maximus Selwyn, Augusta Longbottom, Cyrus Greengrass, and Sirius Black took their places. Their invited guests were Pansy Parkinson, Frances Selwyn, Neville, Daphne, and Harry. Eric Davis invited his daughter, Tracey.
This was the first time that Sirius was in the same room as Severus Snape since Sirius was released from Azkaban. Sirius and Severus stared at each other, plainly feeling their mutual dislike. 'Dislike' was too soft a word. If there were not so many witnesses, an impromptu duel would have taken place.
Two guests arrived in a flurry of comments. Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel stepped from the floo. They greeted Saul Croaker, Eric Davis, and Cyrus Greengrass. The visitors from France ignored Albus Dumbledore as they greeted Harry and took their seats near him.
Finally, the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge and his Senior Undersecretary arrived, accompanied by Rita Skeeter and her photographer.
The presentations began.
Eric Davis gave an introduction and a summary of where the treasures were found.
“Helga Hufflepuff’s cup was hidden in Bellatrix Lestrange’s vault at Gringotts. Salazar Slytherin’s locket was found in a collection of magical objects removed from the old Black family house before it was burnt down. Rowena Ravenclaw’s diadem was found sitting on a pile of junk in a junk room at Hogwarts. There is no explanation about how these treasures had been placed in their hiding places.”
Questions were shouted, but Eric waved them away and continued.
“Unspeakables have examined each treasure and found that the original enchantments are still active. We also found that new extremely dark curses had been placed on them. Extensive rituals were needed to remove these curses, which has been done.”
Eric did not mention that the Gringotts goblins had performed the rituals.
Each treasure was brought out and placed on a table as they were introduced.
Then, another object was brought out. Eric Davis placed a leather-bound book on the table.
Eric spoke to the gathering.
“This book seems to be just an ordinary book. It was used as a diary. A student at this school used it many years ago. He started a chain of events which we are still dealing with today. A curse had been placed on this diary. The same curse had been placed by the same wizard on the three founders' treasures.”
Harry watched Lucius Malfoy while trying to appear fascinated by the treasures. Lucius had given only a few tiny clues to his internal state. He was terrified. Dumbledore was also fascinated by the diary. He looked like he wanted to take charge of the meeting but was somehow restrained.
“Another cursed object was found carrying the same curse. This object is the House of Gaunt signet ring.”
The ring was brought out and placed on the table.
“It has also been subjected to cleansing rituals. The ring and all the objects on the table are now safe.”
Eric picked up the ring. “This ring was found in a very dangerous state. It was sitting in a pool of poison. It had been cursed with a withering curse and compulsion charms which tried to force anyone touching it to put it on. Placing the ring on a finger would trigger the withering curse. That was in addition to the dark curse similar to the curses placed on the other objects.”
The Minister asked, “Can you tell us what this curse is?”
Eric shook his head. “That is the subject of a continuing Department of Mysteries investigation. The important fact to understand now is that the curses have been removed. All these artefacts will be controlled by Department of Mysteries staff and experts invited by the Department of Mysteries to give opinions on the exact nature of each artefact.”
“Excuse me, unspeakable,” Dumbledore said. “Can you give us more information about that curse? It could be anything from eternal itching powder to an instant killing curse.”
Unspeakable Davis looked at the headmaster. “When that investigation is complete, a confidential report will be sent to the Minister for Magic.”
-ooOOoo-
“Who will not read it.”
“Or understand it if he did.”
“Stay out of my head, Hermione!”
“Make me!”
-ooOOoo-
Eric Davis spoke to Dumbledore again. “Headmaster, the Department of Mysteries would welcome your opinion concerning the House of Gaunt signet ring. If you wish to examine it, you may keep it here at Hogwarts for a month, after which it must be returned to our collection.”
Dumbledore stood up and walked to the table to take the ring. He gave it a quick look and put it in a pocket of his robe. “I would be happy to examine this object and give you my considered opinion of it. But I might find that a month will not be enough time. May I extend that time, if needed?”
Eric Davis smiled and replied, “Of course, headmaster.”
Dumbledore returned to his throne. The teachers like McGonagall stared at Dumbledore. He never allowed outsiders to take over like this. They were waiting for him to react; something was holding him back.
Eric produced a small phial which he placed in a stand on the table. “Now for the last item in our presentation. I will call on our honoured guest to tell us about what is in this phial. Monsieur Nicolas Flamel, would you please come forward and give us your thoughts concerning this object.”
Nicolas Flamel stood and walked to the table. He seemed to be no older than fifty-five years of age. The observers struggled to account for the fact that the Flamels were over six hundred years old.
“Headmaster Dumbledore, Minister Fudge, honoured guests and students, I must thank my colleagues in the Department of Mysteries for inviting me here today.”
Nicolas turned and smiled at Perenelle. “Also, I must thank my long-suffering partner in life, Perenelle. When I say long-suffering, I mean long-suffering. Six hundred years is a long time to put up with all of my annoying idiosyncrasies.”
The alchemist led the general applause, to which Perenelle responded with a dismissive wave.
“Now, concerning our little phial, it holds one drop of the Elixir of New Life. This elixir is the first stage in the manufacture of the Elixir of Life which is the elixir which gives Perenelle and me our long life. The process of making this elixir starts with my Philosopher’s Stone, which I happen to have in my pocket.”
Flamel took a dark red stone from his pocket and held it up.
Dumbledore called out, “Nicolas, my friend, is it wise to display such an object so openly? Your stone has been the subject of many evil plots to steal and misuse it.”
Flamel gave a happy laugh. “Headmaster, that is one of the misunderstandings which have always surrounded Philosopher’s Stones. The secret of the stone is in the spells and rituals used to make it work, not the stone itself. Philosopher’s Stones are easy and cheap to make. If you don’t know how to use it, it is just a decorative paperweight. I have many of these stones sitting around in my laboratory. Please, don’t be so alarmed.”
Dumbledore was stunned. He had completely missed the significance of the Philosopher’s Stone and had unwittingly contributed to the confusion around it.
Nicolas looked around. “May I have the help of a student for the next part of my presentation? Young man, will you assist me?” Nicolas gestured to Neville Longbottom.
Neville stood up and moved to stand next to the ancient alchemist.
“Now, would you take that phial and hold it for me.” Neville picked up the phial and held it out in front of him.
Nicolas smiled at Neville.
“Don’t be concerned young man. The Elixir of New Life in that phial has been activated, so it is not dangerous. Let me explain the situation. The Elixir of New Life is the first stage of making the Elixir of Life. The difference between the two is shown in the name. The Elixir of Life restores living things to an earlier healthy state. The Elixir of New Life takes the soul of any living thing that touches it and makes an entirely new life with that soul attached. The body once inhabited by that soul is destroyed in the process. The soul is then attached to a new biological life. It will be the minimum number of cells needed for the new life to survive and eventually grow into an adult.”
Nicolas paused, “That is why this elixir is so dangerous; anyone who touches a drop of the Elixir of New Life will be forced to start over again from the beginning. That is what happened to the person who is currently held in this phial.”
Cornelious Fudge demanded, “Who is that person?”
Nicolas smiled, “Let me show you. A simple enchantment will reveal the name of the new life in the phial. The person is quite safe. The phial has a stasis charm on it which will keep perfect life support conditions until a suitable mother is found. That is if you want this person to be born and grow up again.”
Nicolas cast a name-revealing spell. The name “LORD VOLDEMORT” appeared in red letters over the phial.
Neville dropped the phial, which shattered on the stone floor.
“S-S-Sorry! It jumped out of my hand.”
Nicolas put his hand on Neville's shoulder. “Don’t worry, Neville. There are many here today who would have gladly taken your place. Go back to your seat, and let’s see what happens next.”
The air was filled with puzzled whispers. Lucius Malfoy finally spoke, “Unspeakable Croaker, Monsieur Flamel, what is this show about? If this is a joke, it’s in poor taste, to say the least.”
Nicholas, Saul Croaker, Eric Davis, Cyrus Greengrass, Amelia Bones, and Harry stared at the broken phial.
-ooOOoo-
“What’s happening, Harry? Did you set this up?”
“Lord Greengrass, Unspeakable Davis, and Director Bones arranged this event. Nicolas Flamel told us what would happen when the phial was broken. We are waiting for the inhabitant of that little phial to show himself. Don’t be concerned, Hermione. The thing in that phial can’t hurt anyone. Its only power is in its voice.”
-ooOOoo-
Smoke started to swirl up out of the broken phial. It formed into a cloud from which a nearly human face appeared.
The wraith of Lord Voldemort glared around the room. No one said anything. Eric Davis had asked Saul Croaker to cast a wide area silencing charm.
Once most of the observers had overcome their shock and recognised the thing in front of them, Voldemort moved towards his most hated enemy. Harry watched as the spirit floated towards him.
Saul Croaker lifted the silencing charm.
“Hello, your smokiness; I hope you haven’t been too cramped inside that phial,” Harry said.
The spirit suddenly stopped. It looked around. A translucent blue cord attached it to the remains of the broken phial on the floor.
Harry pointed to the blue cord. “Ah! Yes! The blue cord! It signifies that you are attached to a recently deceased living thing. For a short time, your smokiness, you had a living body. However, that is all over now, thanks to my friend Neville Longbottom.”
The walls and roof of the headmaster’s office melted away to be replaced by a strange night sky and a dark featureless plain. The invited guests were all present and saw what happened next.
A tall figure dressed in a black cloak walked up to the wraith. The newcomer did not have an official invitation. He never needed one.
Death gestured at the wraith, and Voldemort’s voice could be heard.
“You can’t take me! I have anchors in the living realm. I am Lord Voldemort.”
Death spoke, “Your soul anchors are all dead. They are waiting for you. Together, you will go to the place assigned to you in the Underworld. The imps will take you there. The Ruler of the Underworld has prepared the hottest lake of molten sulphur ever brewed just for you.”
Death raised his scythe and swung it down. The blade severed the blue cord. Small black imps appeared. They tied and gagged the spirit. The wraith of Lord Voldemort was dragged away as it let out one last muffled scream.
128Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPcnpV0Hec
