"So now everybody knows about the Chamber?" asked Harry disbelievingly. November was now in full swing; snow suffocated the grounds and packed onto trees. The sight that met the students each morning seemed to brighten their whole day. Harry and Mr. Davis were seated on the steps leading to the Entrance Hall. Harry was wearing his establishing woollen hat while Mr. Davis wore a thick black scarf. He had gone cold turkey on tweed since the beginning of November, opting for knitted woollen jumpers as an alternative. His sapphire eyes were roaming the border of the forest while he spoke at length to Harry, mentioning the number of students who had checked out books concerning legends and myths of Hogwarts.
Harry had indeed been shocked to discover that some of the information could be found in one of Hermione's most acclaimed books, Hogwarts: A History. It seemed that every student that walked the corridors of the castle was aware a ferocious monster could attack at any moment. And then of course there was the palpable question of who was controlling the beast and setting it on students. Unfortunately most students were under the spell of a theory which implied Harry as the foe. Students gave him a wide berth when he was making his way to classes while others walked behind him and casually whispered to their friends about Harry's aggressiveness.
Granted that his outburst with Malfoy didn't alleviate the situation as people were intimidated by his take down of one of Malfoy's minions but Harry was aggravated to find that students suspected him to just erupt at any moment.
"Well Harry, it is a legend. And legends are here to be told, passed down between generations. It is not significant that they know of the Chamber but whether they believe in it," reasoned Davis. Harry sighed and shook his head. It was inevitable that every student would consider anything in a book to be the truth. Harry lifted himself up onto his feet. "I better go. I'm eh…I need to do some homework." Davis also stood and with a quick glance at the darkening grounds he bade Harry goodnight and vanished through the enormous doors. Harry waited in silence for a moment. There wasn't a sound to be heard or any movement on the grounds. He was going to Hogsmeade tonight and he was positive that nobody would notice his absence.
He turned and made his way into the vast castle. He continued through the castle until he reached the door of a girl's bathroom. After ensuring that no one was watching, he surreptitiously crept through the door. "Harry?" Ron's voice inquired. "Yeah, it's me."
Ron was sitting on one of the large marble sinks that adorned the centre of the large bathroom. Hermione had proposed this place to brew the potion as no girls ventured here because of Moaning Myrtle. Myrtle was the most miserable ghost that had crossed the threshold of the castle. She moaned about how terrible her life had been and then wailed about how horrible death was. She despised being viewed as anything but another being, preferring to ignore the blatant signs of ghosthood. She seemed to have just holed up in the girl's bathroom as she was never spotted outside of it. She was the only downside to the wonderful location for the brewing, her shrieking and howling could be somewhat of a distraction.
"Hello Harry," she muttered when he spotted her, floating above a closed cubicle. Her silvery appearance alone would dampen ones spirit. "Hello Myrtle. How's life?" he asked, not thinking. He cringed when he finished and heard Ron turn a bark of laughter into a cough. Myrtle took a deep breath, translucent tears sprung to her eyes, and she gave a cry of resentfulness. She shot down into one of the toilets, sending a wave of water splashing onto the marble floor.
"Way to go, Harry," Hermione remarked from inside the closed cubicle. Ron was now in fits of hilarity. "I swear, she is the most depressing ghost that has ever lived…or died," he finished, confused. Hermione pulled back the latch and Harry entered the cramped space. The potion frothed and bubbled in a medium sized cauldron. "It's all going according to plan, we've just the fluxweed and of course the Boomslang to get. Are you still certain you want to go tonight?"
Harry nodded. "I'm ready. I have a hooded cloak, so he won't see my face."
"He'll probably think you're a death eater if you go dressed like that. Then again, he probably supplies them as well. He's dangerous. You have to be careful and don't let your guard down."
"I won't. You can trust me, Hermione. After all my training, I know how to take care of myself. And don't worry I won't be caught. I have my Invisibility Cloak with me. I'll use that to get out of the castle and cross the grounds. Plus, I'll wait until it gets dark. I've estimated leaving at about eleven."
`Eleven!" she cried incredulously. "But it will be too risky. I mean there are so many muggers and thieves around at that time. And…"
"But tonight I'm playing a risky character, Hermione," he interrupted. "Think about it, if I meet him feeling apprehensive and jumpy, he'd probably refuse to sell me sweets, let alone illegally imported goods."
Hermione bit her lip but seemed resigned to the fact that he was indeed going. "There isn't much else to do with this for today," she said quietly, indicating the cauldron.
"Do you want to train for while?" grinned Harry.
"Are you challenging me to a duel, Potter?!" she replied in mock outrage. "You're on."
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"Is that really the best you can do?!" Harry shouted ecstatically. He dodged another beam of red light, then sent one Hermione's way. Instantly she returned the attack. They had been going on like this for quite a while now as Ron watched in awe at their evasive skills. Harry had decided that there was no point holding back when fighting Hermione, he would only be disappointing her. Not to mention she was quite a proficient witch. They were in an empty classroom on the first floor. Hermione had placed a silencing charm on the door as they seemed to make a lot of noise when enjoying a friendly skirmish. A table exploded beside Harry as Hermione missed by inches. "Jesus, Hermione. Watch the furniture," Ron admonished.
Hermione stared awestruck at the remaining splinters, unable to believe she had mistakenly destroyed Hogwarts property. "Do you know a repairing charm?" she pleaded. Harry shook his head. "Nope. Oh well, I'm sure they're not gonna track us down or anything. I better go," he said checking his watch. It was just reaching half past ten. He decided to leave earlier than he had previously planned, it was already dark enough. This seemed to dampen Ron and Hermione's spirits as they watched him remove his Invisibility Cloak from his bag. "Here…you take this and put it back in the dorm," he said, throwing his bag over to Ron.
Pulling his woollen hat from his pocket he shoved it over his head. His black cloak had a hood which he threw over his head so that it hung over his eyes making his face invisible. Hermione wordlessly helped him don the Invisibility Cloak, making sure his entire body was concealed. "Good luck mate," Ron said encouragingly.
"Don't do anything stupid," Hermione murmured quietly in his direction so only he could hear. She thought she felt something solid brush softly against her cheek. Then the door creaked open and closed, seemingly of its own accord.
Out in the grounds the wind howled in the open air. Harry shivered involuntarily even though he was covered in clothes and had two cloaks. His footsteps crunched in the snow as he continued down a path of tracks that had been made by a carriage. He reached the gates sooner than he had thought he would. They were tall iron barriers and in the centre there was a large black and polished padlock. He would have to climb over them to pass through to the small lighted village. He peered off into the distance at the castle and after ensuring it was at a safe distance away and that he would not be sighted, he shrugged the Invisibility Cloak from his shoulders. After folding it neatly he put it in the large pocket of his cloak. He barely noticed it by his side for the rest of the night. He then slipped on a pair of black gloves. Throwing back his hood he started to climb the towering gateway. Swinging his leg over the top he jumped over the side and landed in the squelching freezing snow.
On the other side of the soaring gates, the snow was colder and deeper than Harry expected. His shoes sank into the grey and the icy damp froze his feet. Gulping Harry continued on, occasionally glancing around for any sight or sound of movement. He soon reached a dark cobbled alley that gave off a stinging smell of old garbage. He hurried through and reached a wider street that was lined with darkened shops boasting bargains. There was raucous laughter and cheerful music emanating from a pub down on Harry's left. Harry guessed this was The Three Broomsticks, of which Hagrid had told him of. Other than the distant shouts and laughter, Hogsmeade stood silent under the blanket of snow which had enveloped it. A tall mountain loomed over it, as if watching for signs of intruders.
Hermione had given him instructions on where to find the mysterious individual's store, so remembering her directions, he continued up the street, draping his hood over his face as he went. He spotted a shop called Zonko's and took the next right into a shadowy narrow alley. Juice from a large garbage bin, oozed through the cobblestones and under Harry's feet. The reek radiating from the alley nearly caused Harry to retch. He stopped at a dark wooden door and, bracing himself, knocked three times. The noise echoed on the other side of the door. Harry heard the scratching of a lock being unbolted and then the door screeched back on its hinges.
The man who stood in the doorway was hunched over slightly. His long black twisting hair hung over his filthy face. He was unshaven and he seemed to be dressed in rags. "Boomslang Skin?" he asked quietly. Harry just nodded and the man seemed to understand him. He moved back so that Harry could enter, then shut the door ominously behind him. The entire building seemed to consist of wood and Harry wondered whether there was a bar situated somewhere as the corridors boasted an alcoholic stench. The man stumbled into another room, Harry following in his wake. The room was long and dimly lit. Groups of muttering wizards stood either side holding glasses and bottles. Harry immediately grew nervous as he realized this was probably some sort of gathering spot for, what Harry assumed, were criminals. Some of the crowd glanced at Harry suspiciously and Harry was relieved he was dressed so mysteriously.
The man, who Harry deduced was the seller, returned carrying a large iron key. He took Harry up a flight of stairs, which zigzagged straight up to the roof. On the second floor he stopped, inserted the key into a door and pushed it open. This was the place he obviously stored his goods. Shelves of strange objects lined the walls and crates of bizarre animal skins and organs lay on the floor. He rooted through his stock for a minute before turning and handing Harry a leather pouch which Harry took silently. He examined it quickly and after guaranteeing it was indeed the Boomslang Skin in it, he placed it in his pocket.
"Twenty Galleons," the man barked with a gratified but commanding tone. Harry gave it to him mutely then turned to leave. "Cat got your tongue, eh?" the man grunted. "I don't usually ask my clients names, but you look so damn secretive…I can't resist. Are you a Death Eater? I had one last month, came in looking like he owned the damn place," he snarled.
This time Harry couldn't resist. Lowering his voice to a whisper and adding a rough hoarseness to it, so that he barely recognized it himself, he asked. "What did he want? This Death Eater."
The man's eyes flickered in the dim light. A smirk crept over his face. "I'm not permitted to tell you, Master Stranger. Suffice to say, whatever he was brewing…it was strong. Powerful dark magic. The kind that has not been witnessed in over a decade." He folded his bony arms, as if proud to serve such customers.
Just as Harry was about to leave, a loud shout was heard from the lower floor. Then the noise of the scraping of chairs and hurried footsteps and suddenly a loud deafening explosion. A magically magnified voice roared over all other sounds. "Magical Law Enforcement! DON'T' MOVE!"
From what Harry could hear the wizards in the temporary bar did move. They seemed to be resisting capture and the law enforcement team were driven back. Harry stood stunned in position. Of all the things that could go amiss, this had to be the worst.
Abruptly he felt himself being thrown against the door. His arm was being twisted into his back and he groaned in agony as he felt his arm breaking. "You Ministry scum!" yelled the seller. Using his training Harry reversed their positions but the man grabbed a long rosewood cane and took aim at Harry. Harry ducked then grabbed the cane so they were both wrestling for possession. "Who are you?" he spat.
"It doesn't matter anymore," Harry responded before elbowing the man in the face, ripping the cane from his grip, and breaking it in two across his head. The door burst open and light flooded into the room. One of the seller's minions stood aghast, staring at the seller's motionless body. Then he lunged at the attacker. Harry removed his wand from his pocket and sent the man soaring through the air. His body smashed the banister into splinters and he fell to the ground floor in a heap. Rushing out the door, Harry immediately started to ascend the stairs, going higher into the building.
When he reached the fourth, he spotted Ministry officers coming through the entrance from the roof. He paused, thinking frantically of his next move. Looking over the timber railing he was clutching, he distinguished the frenzied bustling of a fight, which was rapidly making its way up the staircase. He saw a door at the other side of the landing. If he entered it, he would corner himself. If he remained here, he would be caught anyway. He hurried to the door and was relieved that it was open. As he slammed it back, ready to lock it, he felt hands grab him from behind and throw him roughly to the floor. The lock clicked closed.
"That's the snitch!" a raspy voice yelled. He was surrounded by some of the wizards from the ground floor who had obviously made their way up here. They were all muttering deviously and their faces were as menacing as their voices. Harry's heart was pounding in his chest. It was nearly over; he would be either caught or murdered. Then there was a heavy hammering on the door as the law enforcement demanded they open up. One of the wizards sealed the door with his wand, but everyone in the room, including Harry, knew it wouldn't last. "Well lets get a look at our deceiver, boys. Before we kill the rat." A colossal deep throated man reached down to remove Harry's hood just as Harry regained his senses. He waved a hand across the room, extinguishing all sources of light and dousing the room in absolute darkness.
There was a gasp as Harry knocked three of the wizards off their feet before he got to his own. He removed his hood so he could perceive the darkness better. He wondered whether it had anything to do with his `super power' but he felt he had enhanced night vision. The other wizards had panicked and were now flailing around the room searching for light. Harry tripped some of them up with his foot or stunned them. Then he felt a fist connect with his head and he fell to the ground. He felt dazed as his vision rocked back and forth. The man who had ordered his death picked him up, but from his pawing he guessed the man couldn't see very well. With a roar he threw Harry against the wall then advanced for another attack. Harry rolled out of the way and tried to feel around for his wand which he had let drop. He kept blinking so he wouldn't feel so nauseous. His body kept telling him to just sit down and wait patiently for his world to refocus but he knew he had to figure out a way to escape.
He crawled the length of the room where there was a bluish glow coming from a large bay window. The street outside seemed quiet but Harry couldn't be sure through all the noise from his current position. Just as Harry pondered the window as a way of escape, a number of things happened. He felt his fingers touch his wand and fastened his grip on it, the door exploded off its hinges and a crowd of wizards in formation entered, holding their wands aloft. But as Harry rose off the floor, the man who had attacked him earlier made another dive at him. He lifted Harry off his feet and Harry saw his world upside down. The two bodies went wheeling through the air and he felt his body rupture through glass. The bay window shattered into a million pieces as Harry and his unknown aggressor fell, four floors, to the snow covered street.
Somehow, in what Harry deemed `impossible circumstances', he managed to switch his position so that the gigantic man who attacked him, collided with the ground first and Harry second. The force from the fall still racked his body as he rolled off the man. He was about to pull himself onto his knees when the sight before him sent him into silence. The man lay on his back, his eyes still open in shock. He wasn't breathing nor making any sound. With a shaky hand Harry felt in vain for a non-existent pulse.
Harry moaned slightly while he staggered to his feet. He stumbled over to stone wall of a building so that if anybody looked through the now ruined window, they wouldn't spot him. He walked unsteadily down the street, far from the noises and shouts. He guessed the struggle was over now and tried to take comfort in the fact that he had helped capture a few crooks. He still couldn't get the image of the corpse from his mind though. There were stabbing pains in his knees and the elbow which he had used to knock the seller back. His head was still swimming and soon his body succumbed to the exhaustion and he collapsed in the snow. He just needed a minute or two before continuing. He didn't want to return to the castle, not yet anyway. Too much had happened to go back into confinement. He felt like, through his excursion, he had got a good look at the world.
As he was contemplating pulling himself up, a thrilled voice interrupted his musings. "Hello Harry!" Harry immediately shot up into a sitting position. The man, who was now standing tall at about six foot two above him, had a large grin plastered on his face. He had a head of brown dishevelled and unkempt hair that had fragments of snow in it. He was wearing a very refined and respectable black linen suit which would have made him look very superior had he worn a shirt under it. Instead he had chosen to wear a white cotton tee shirt with the word Imagine written in italics across it. Under the word there was an image of a bearded and bespectacled man. Harry thought the fact that he didn't wear a shirt and tie gave him a welcoming, friendly appearance. Also as an alternative to shoes, he wore a pair of worn down fatigued green sneakers with white lace and soles. The man's face was ecstatic and he seemed to be looking at a long lost friend.
"Do I know you?" asked Harry bewildered yet suspicious.
"Nope, but I know you. Actually you should remember me," he said, his eyes left Harry's and he stared at an unseen spot. They seemed to be troubled with a memory. "But it was a long time ago and I suppose you haven't been allowed to remember," he mumbled to himself. Harry rose to his feet, the strange man didn't seem to even notice as he mumbled on.
"I knew your parents," he announced when Harry was about to excuse himself. Harry revolved on the spot to look at the man again, who was now nodding his head at another memory. "I used to mind you…..when you were younger. I'm a cousin of your father's," he explained. "They never did trust anybody else with you."
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Hope you enjoy this chapter. I thoroughly enjoyed writing it. This is where I'm gonna tell some of Harry's past considering it's never really been told. I'm not going to tell everything just minor things. Anyway thank you for reading and please review as I would love to know what you think.
Take care,
Radagast.
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