This story is the prequel to the Shadow of the Dark Fortress (SOTDF) series, which can also be found in Portkey.org. I'm posting this story in its entirety in response to the request of the readers. For those who have read SOTDF part 1 before this, the mystery element of this prequel would already be gone (I'm sorry about that).
I thank you wholeheartedly for your interest in this story and the "Shadow" series.
Sincerely,
Triggy
December 2004
P.S., This was my very first fiction when I was still learning the craft so some entries might be a little crude. I hope the writing is all right for you. Thanks! (You can finish reading this fic in less than an hour, I'm sure! *grin*.)
The Auror and the Oarling
(A Harry Potter Adventure)
Second Edition
January 2002
This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Prologue
It was blue and sunny day in the Durmstrang School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the middle of summer. Few students who chose not to go home for vacation were leisurely strolling around the campus, talking to friends, playing games, doing pranks, reading books, and doing things to spend an ordinary day like this one. From the outset Durmstrang looked harmless and enchanting in its appearance. But to those who were not aware, something diabolical has been living within the students of Durmstrang for generations.
"What took you so long?" asked the janitor, speaking in his native tongue, to two burly-looking wizards who approached him one late afternoon just as they planned. "I'm not sure if it's still there where I found it. I was so afraid to face whoever left it there."
"Do not fear, my friend," said Ramius, one of the wizards. "Nikolai and I promise to protect you. Please, show us what you have found."
The janitor led the two wizards through the silent corridors of the school, to a very remote spot that is apparently the least visited by anyone, judging from how they have gotten there. The two wizards thought if the janitor left them alone it would take them years to find their way out, though they have with them a magical parchment that drew a map of the directions they took. They stopped in front of a very old stone statue of a famous wizard beside the wall. The janitor pulled down one of the statue's outstretched arms. A couple of seconds later, the statue moved horizontally a few feet from the wall and a passageway was revealed leading underground.
"I have never thought there was a secret passage here in my 45 years as janitor," the janitor said as they entered the passageway. "This only came as a terrible surprise when I was cleaning the statue for the first time." He lit a torch and held it in front of him.
The three men walked down the stone steps and found a large dark room with an altar in the middle. There were mounds of melted wax from hundreds of used candles around the room. "Good. I am happy it's still there the way I found it," said the janitor, his voice echoing around the walls. "It looks like it has not been touched by anyone."
"Lumos!" Nikolai said and the tip of his wand illuminated. Ramius and Nikolai examined the altar very carefully. "It's undoubtedly the work of what we are searching for," Ramius told his colleague. "And this is interesting…" Ramius murmured as he picked up from the altar a picture of a girl. She was young and pretty, had bushy brown hair, and was wearing a black robe over a uniform he knew was of Hogwarts. "I wonder who she is."
Nikolai took a look at the picture and showed it to the janitor. "By any chance, have you seen this girl before?" he asked at the janitor. The janitor pulled out his spectacles and looked at the picture very carefully.
"Yes…yes. I've seen her before," said the janitor. "I recognize her. She was here for a few days in Durmstrang. A guest of one of our students who was graduated recently."
"Thank you, sir," said Ramius. "You have a splendid memory. Who was the graduate student may I ask?"
"Viktor Krum," said the janitor. "A very good Quidditch Seeker. My favorite player."
"Ah, yes, I know his father," said Nikolai. He looked around for other clues. After a few minutes he said, "There is nothing else here other than the typical things it comes with when we find one of these. But nevertheless, we shall take everything with us, except the heavy altar for obvious reasons." They gathered every object found connected to the altar and its purpose until it was clean of any clues.
"So, may I know what this altar is here for?" asked the janitor curiously.
Ramius smiled at him and said, "Certainly, sir, you deserve to know about your very important discovery," he said. Ramius pointed the tip of his wand to the janitor's head. "But I'm afraid you do not need to know."
The janitor was subjected to the memory charm that wiped his memory about the discovery. He just stood there frozen for a few seconds and when he came back to his senses Ramius said to him, "This was a good tour you have given us, sir! We appreciate it. Shall we now return above ground?"
"Why, of course, er… sirs," said the flustered janitor to Ramius and Nikolai. "This way please."
Outside the castle after thanking the janitor for the "tour", the two wizards were now walking briskly away from the school to their wooden ship at the dock. "We have to report this to the Ministry immediately," said Ramius.
"What do you think is it planning to do now?" asked Nikolai anxiously.
"I'm afraid it is transferring to Hogwarts, Nikolai."
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