Journey Home by Jardyn39
Chapter Seven: An Old Friend Returns
Harry staggered out of the fire in his office. This time the klaxon had gone off at nine o'clock in the evening, so at least he was awake this time.
He found a rather distraught looking Carmen waiting for him.
"Carmen, are you alright?"
"Um, is Hermione still here?"
"No, sorry," he replied, "she's staying in London tonight. She has an early meeting tomorrow. Carmen, why did you pull the emergency cord?"
Carmen looked at him uncertainly and suddenly Harry was worried about just what Carmen would need to speak to Hermione about.
"Um, do you need to speak to a female member of staff, Carmen?"
"No, it's nothing like that."
"So, what is it?"
Carmen frowned and nervously bit her finger, a most uncharacteristic thing for her to do.
"Please, Carmen. Let me help. Whatever it is, we can sort it out."
"Oh, alright. Come with me up to the fourth floor?"
Harry followed.
They reached the fourth floor corridor and proceeded along it before Carmen was ready to explain herself.
"We were just up here a little while ago. My friend and I were making our way back to the common room when one of the Prefects came along on their patrol. We didn't want to be seen, so we ducked into, er, this cabinet."
Harry looked at it and opened the door.
"I haven't seen this thing for years. It didn't used to be kept here, though."
"No, I don't remember it being here either. I only realised it was a vanishing cabinet after the door closed."
"Where did you come out?"
"The Charms store cupboard."
"Your friend?"
"Missing," she admitted, her voice cracking. A single tear fell down her cheek.
"Alright," Harry said encouragingly. "Let's find him first and have a good cry after, shall we?"
Carmen snorted and wiped her face.
"How did you know it was a he?"
"I guessed. Am I allowed to know who we are looking for?"
Carmen blushed and whispered a name.
"But he's far too old for you," said Harry seriously. "No, I think we should just leave him. He'll turn up in a few months after you've gone off him."
"No, we can't just leave him!"
Harry grinned back at her.
*
"He's in here?" whispered Harry.
"Yes, but I don't see why we need him."
Harry did though. He had checked his old Marauders' Map and that showed nothing at all. They needed someone who knew the castle even better than the Marauders.
"Alohomora," said Harry, pointing his wand at the lock.
Nothing happened.
"Here, let me do it," said Carmen. "I put quite a strong Colloportus spell on this door to keep him in here."
"No, Carmen, I'd like another go."
Harry didn't like the idea of a student being able to seal a door that he, an Auror, was unable to open.
Harry concentrated, and said, "Alohomora."
His charm was much stronger this time. The lock clicked and the door swung open.
Carmen looked impressed and a little of Harry's pride was restored.
As they entered, lanterns lit inside the room.
The large stone room was completely empty, save for a large chest sitting on a small stool in the middle of the floor.
Carmen closed the door behind them.
"Why did you do that?"
"Well, this room is charmed as well as the chest. When you let him out of there you want to keep him here to talk to him, don't you?"
Harry nodded and pointed his wand at the padlock securing the chest.
"Alohomora," said Harry firmly.
The heavy padlock fell to the floor and the lid of the chest flew open.
"Arrrgh!"
Something invisible and furious flew out of the chest and circled them at an enormous speed.
After a short while, everything became still and quiet again.
"I'm sorry," said Harry to the empty room, "but we know you're still here. The room is charmed so you can't escape. You might as well show yourself."
Peeves the Poltergeist appeared before them.
He looked a shadow of his former self.
"Peeves, it's been too long. I wondered why it has been so quiet around here."
Peeves ignored him and was watching Carmen with a very wary look.
"Carmen has something to say to you, Peeves. Don't you Carmen?"
Carmen was frowning slightly, but said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have locked you up, even if you did keep singing that song about me and Hydrus."
"Um," began Harry, "we were hoping to let you out."
"Only hoping?" asked Peeves meekly.
"Well, unfortunately I'm not too sure the Headmistress will allow you to stay. Everyone's got rather used to the quiet life, you see?"
Peeves looked at them both with a quiet desperation in his eyes.
"If only you could do something to help save a student. Then she'll never be allowed to get rid of you or lock you away."
Peeves' expression became hopeful for a moment, and then he grew suspicious.
"Someone needs help now, don't they?"
"Yes," Harry admitted. "Will you help?"
"No, not unless this girl promises never to lock me up again."
*
The negotiation for Peeves' freedom took rather a long time, but eventually they came to terms.
It was now past midnight and Harry and Carmen were following Peeves as he continued his systematic search through the castle.
Harry was sure their search could be done far quicker if Peeves didn't leave such a trail of destruction, but he'd all but given up arguing.
As Peeves sprawled another rude limerick on the chalkboard, Harry again looked at his watch.
"Come on, Peeves," he urged, dodging the piece of chalk that was immediately thrown at him.
They followed to the next classroom, Peeves having gone straight through the connecting wall.
As they were about to enter, Sir Nicholas made an appearance.
"Oh, dear," he sighed mournfully, "I see Peeves is back."
"'Fraid so, Nick, sorry," said Harry. "We're looking for someone who disappeared into the vanishing cabinet on the fourth floor. I don't suppose you'd like to help?"
"Of course, I would be only too happy to render any assistance I can, but isn't there a formula for that cupboard?"
"How do you mean, Nick?"
"Well, the time and date that the person enters determines where and when they will reappear. Or so I thought."
"What if two people entered at the same time?"
"I imagine both people would reappear not too far apart and roughly at the same time."
"Peeves!" both Carmen and Harry shouted into the classroom.
"Come on, we need to look in the Charms department!"
*
The four of them entered the main Charms classroom. Harry and Carmen had run almost the whole way and were panting from the effort.
"Nick?" gasped Harry. "Will you check the rooms above and below where we are now?"
"Delighted," said the ghost as he floated off.
"Peeves, you know the drill. Check all the hidden voids in the walls before you start trashing the pace."
Meanwhile, Carmen was opening all the cupboards. Nothing.
She proceeded to check under all the desks, just in case.
Sir Nicholas reappeared.
"Nothing?"
"Nothing in the classrooms and I checked the floor voids as well."
"Peeves is certainly taking his time," said Carmen shortly.
"Nick, would you mind checking on him. He may have been tempted to sneak off again."
The ghost floated off into the wall.
Harry perched himself on a desk and wiped his face.
"I should really go and tell Professor McGonagall. Perhaps she might have an idea where to search."
Sir Nicholas dashed out of the opposite wall he'd just gone through.
"Peeves has found him!"
"Where is he?"
"He's not exactly anywhere just jet. Peeves is trying to find a passage so you can get to him, but it may take quite a while through all the passages. I must admit I would never have found him. He found him in an area we ghosts never like to go. It has always given me the most peculiar feeling."
"What did you mean, not exactly?" asked Harry but at that point Peeves came dashing in through the classroom door.
"This way! I've found a passage but the entrance is two storeys down!"
They followed Peeves' mad cackling at a run.
*
Before they entered the secret passage hidden behind a suit of armour, Harry sent Sir Nicholas to raise the alert with Professor McGonagall and asked him to return to them in case they needed any help.
Harry had wanted to send Carmen, but she insisted upon coming with them.
Harry and Carmen whispered, "Lumos," and their wand tips flared brightly to reveal a narrow stone passageway. The floor was loose rubble and spider webs crossed everywhere. The air was old and stale.
"Okay, Peeves, take the lead," said Harry. "Try not to get too far ahead, though."
Peeves floated off into the darkness, cackling and singing the very song Carmen had locked him up for.
They stumbled along behind him.
*
Harry secured himself and then leaned over the ledge he had just climbed up to. He grasped Carmen's arm and heaved her up. Fortunately she was fairly light.
Carmen scrambled onto the ledge.
"Where to now?" she asked.
"Through there," Harry replied, pointing to a small opening in the base of the wall they were standing against.
Carmen crouched down and dived through the opening.
Harry followed but found he only just squeezed through.
Ahead he could see Carmen's wand light flickering as she hurried to keep up with Peeves. When Harry had finally got through, he found he was in total darkness again. He lit his wand tip and shone the narrow beam around the high passage.
Harry had no idea how the castle could hold such large secret passages. There hardly seemed room.
He hurried onwards again, hearing Carmen and Peeves' echoing arguments in the distance.
*
By the time Harry caught up with them, Carmen and Peeves had stopped arguing.
"How much further, Peeves," he asked.
For some time Harry had been worried how they could get the boy out once they found him. The route they'd followed had been fairly tortuous, and they hadn't been carrying someone who was injured.
Peeves was floating just above their heads when they came to a shear vertical wall.
"He's in a chamber just up there," he said pointing upwards.
Harry and Carmen pointed their wand lights up.
There was a small opening in the wall about thirty feet above them.
Harry knew at once that they would not be able to climb up unassisted.
"Peeves, will you go and check on him while we think of a way to get up there?"
He nodded and flew up at once, the tiny bells on his hat and shoes ringing.
"What do you think?" asked Harry.
"You could levitate me up there."
"No, it's quite high up and there's nowhere to grab hold of if you slipped or I dropped you."
They thought.
"Let me try something," said Harry. "You may feel a little weird, but Moody once did this on me."
Carmen braced herself as Harry aimed his wand at her.
"Gravitas Suspendo."
"Nothing happened, Harry," Carmen said.
"Jump," he said simply.
Carmen gave a small jump but laughed as she flew feet up into the air.
"You'll need to be careful," Harry warned. "It's only a temporary charm."
"Should I try the same charm on you?" asked Carmen, still floating in the air.
"It might be safer of you check on Stephen first. Then we can decide what to do."
"Okay," she said and then made wild arm and leg movements. "Er, Harry? How do I move?"
"You have to swim through the air. You are weightless, so you can push yourself against the air like it was water."
"But Harry, I'm not a good swimmer."
"Don't worry, you don't need to be stylish!" he replied, shaking his wand and sending her on her way with a blast of air from this wand.
Carmen shot upwards until she was level with the opening. With some effort, she managed to reach the wall and disappeared.
For a few agonising seconds, all Harry could see was flickering shadows.
He was about to shout up when Carmen's head appeared at the opening. Harry could tell she was upset even in the half-light.
"He's here!" she shouted down to him. "But I don't know what to do!"
"Calm down, Carmen," Harry said reassuringly. "Tell me what's wrong."
Carmen wiped her face on the inside lining of her robes. Like Harry, her clothes were filthy now.
"He keeps fading in and out," she explained.
"He may be concussed, Carmen."
"No, that's not what I mean. He's literally fading, just like a ghost!"
"Are Peeves and Sir Nicholas there?"
"Yes, they are both here," she replied and ducked her head back inside.
Peeves and Sir Nicholas appeared and floated down to him.
"Harry, I feel unwell," said Carmen from high above.
"It's probably being weightless, Carmen," said Harry loudly. "Take deep slow breaths."
"It may that room up there," suggested Sir Nicholas. "It certainly gave me the creeps."
"Tell me about Stephen," demanded Harry.
"As Carmen said, he's fading in and out. When he's all there he's solid, but it is almost as if the vanishing cabinet won't let him go."
Harry sighed.
"Can we get him out of there?"
"Carmen tried to move him, but he just fades and reappears in his original position."
"Great," muttered Harry as the unmistakable sound of Carmen retching could be heard from above them.
"Carmen?"
"I was sick," came a weak voice from out of the darkness. "That's strange though."
"What is it, Carmen?"
"It's gone!"
"What?"
"That room up there must be an extension of the vanishing cabinet," concluded Sir Nicholas.
Harry thought.
"What if we smashed the vanishing cabinet?"
"We'd risk losing the boy," said Sir Nicholas.
"Okay, but what if we timed it when he was solid?"
"I still think that destroying the cabinet would mean there is a very good chance of also destroying that room and anything inside it."
"Could we summon him out at the right moment?"
"But how would we time it?"
"How close are we to the vanishing cabinet?"
"It's right through that wall. We are very close here."
"So, you could float through there quickly. Let's do that. Peeves can smash the cabinet when you give the word. Carmen and I will summon the boy out of there at the right moment."
Peeves was looking amazed that they were proposing to smash something so old and valuable. He wasn't angry, just annoyed he hadn't suggested it.
"Carmen?" Harry shouted up.
"Here, Harry!"
"Come right to the edge of the opening. We need you to be able to see Stephen and shout when he's solid.
"Nick, you'll need to come back here so we know it's safe to summon him out of there.
"Carmen, you'll then summon Stephen to you. I'll do the same for you. Hopefully we can pull you both out in time before the cabinet is destroyed."
"But I won't be able to hold him up," protested Carmen. "He'll drop like a stone from up here."
"Ready?"
"Okay," said Carmen uncertainly.
"Good. Peeves? Would you like to get ready? Remember to wait for Sir Nicolas' signal."
Peeves vanished through the wall and they waited.
"Carmen?"
"Wait, he's just fading out again."
At that moment a loud familiar voice echoed around them.
"PEEVES! ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MESS?!"
It was Professor McGonagall, and she wasn't in a good mood.
"He's back," continued Carmen.
"WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?"
"Getting stronger."
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT SLEDGE HAMMER?"
"Almost."
"IF YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT DAMAGING THAT CABINET…"
"Solid!" shouted Carmen.
Sir Nicholas hurtled through the wall and was back almost at once.
"Now!" he shouted, not troubling to straighten his head.
Harry heard Carmen shout, "Accio!"
He took careful aim and said, "Accio!"
Carmen flew out of the opening and Stephen followed.
From the speed of their descent, Harry realised that Carmen was now no longer weightless.
Harry performed a cushioning charm on them both and they landed with a heavy bump but otherwise safe.
Above, Harry could hear the sound of the vanishing cabinet being smashed. The room was being destroyed as Sir Nicholas had predicted.
Harry shot over to check Stephen. He was still unconscious but appeared to be okay. At least he was solid again.
"Well done, both of you," panted Harry.
Carmen reached over and clasped Stephen's hand.
"How thick is that wall, Nick?"
"About three feet," he answered, "but there should be a narrower strip of wall over there."
He pointed deep into the shadows. Harry shone his wand light over at the stone wall. There was a rough alcove there.
Harry walked over, but as he approached there was a loud thumping noise. Dust fell from the stone joints as the noise got louder.
Suddenly, one of the stones became dislodged in front of him. Then another.
Harry ran over to help. Peeves was smashing his way to them from the corridor, accompanied by more of Professor McGonagall's shouting, which ceased as soon as she realised people were trapped inside.
It wasn't long before they all exited the concealed passage and out into the lamp lit corridor. Harry floated the stretcher he'd conjured out into the middle of the corridor and Carmen quickly guided it off towards the Hospital Wing.
Harry looked around. The splintered remains of the vanishing cabinet were all over the floor as were the remains of the wood panelling Peeves had removed making the opening they had exited from.
"Thanks, Peeves. That was good thinking."
Peeves was floating and looking rather sheepishly at Professor McGonagall.
"Peeves found the boy and guided us to him," said Harry dusting himself down. "I told him to smash the cabinet so we could rescue Stephen."
"I see," she replied, pointing her wand into the dark passage. Instantly the stone rubble jumped up and filled the hole. Another wave of her wand and the wood panelling repaired itself.
Harry looked on in wonder. Permanent transfigurations like that were very difficult to perform.
"This cabinet was not supposed to be here," she observed. "I do not recall seeing it here before."
"Neither did we," admitted Harry.
"Peeves, I trust you will have no further use for that sledge hammer this evening," she said firmly.
Peeves looked like he could think of many uses he'd like to put the hammer to that evening.
Harry pointed his wand at the hammer and transfigured it into a bunch of flowers, which Peeves immediately presented to her; flowers being less useful to him than a large hammer.
"Well, in recognition of the service you have provided," she said reluctantly, "you may stay, Peeves."
Peeves gave a cry of delight and sped off down the corridor.
"Oh, dear," said Sir Nicholas miserably, "I'd better go and warn the other ghosts."
"Thank you, Sir Nicholas," said McGonagall, "and thank you for your assistance this evening."
He bowed, skilfully keeping hold of his head, and then floated off through the opposite wall leaving the two of them alone.
"I don't think we should repair this cabinet until we know what happened," she observed.
"No," agreed Harry as she vanished the debris from the floor.
"Why did Peeves come back, though?"
"I don't think he ever left," said Harry. "He upset Carmen and she locked him up for a while."
"Goodness," she said. "I keep forgetting how powerful she can be."
"I'm afraid it was my idea to free him."
"Well, he did find young Stephen. We couldn't do without our Quidditch star player."
"What is the current team like?"
"Not bad," she said as they made their way up to the Hospital Wing. "Mind you, we stand no chance of winning the Cup while Ravenclaw have their current line up."
"Well, maybe we should repair that vanishing cabinet after all!"
"Harry, sometimes I wonder if you wouldn't have done better in Slytherin House."