(A/N: Dear friends, I'm sorry for the delay in publishing, but I can assure you that you'll enjoy the new chapter very much. I wish to thank all of you who have left a review to the previous chapter: Mrs. Black, Yankeechick, Sandra, Wolf 101. To Old Chuck I wish to reply saying that… No, I haven't abandoned this story! Besides, in Italian language I've published "Secrets from the Future" until chapter 26 and I'm going to write the last chapters soon. In fact, I've already planned to end the story with chapter n. 30. You don't have to forget, that I'm Italian mother tongue and that I'm writing the story in Italian language first and then I've to translate each chapter into English before publishing it on Portkey. I also need to thank my wonderful BETA reader IronChefOr, who has edited the chapter perfectly, as he always does. Hope to get your reviews soon, to know what you think about the story so far. Thanks a lot!)
Chapter 18. THE END OF THE GAMES.
In a grim room, a large fire crackled lively inside the stone fireplace. On the wall, the tall, dark shadow of a frightful figure stood out. The man's head was bald, and pale like death; his ten long, twisted fingers protruded from the sleeves of a long, black robe. A huge grey snake lie curled at his feet, its slit-like eyes watching its master in obedience.
"Did you take care of the Muggle, as I asked?" Lord Voldemort spoke with a firm and self-controlled voice tone that didn't carry any trace of emotion.
"Yes, my Lord. As you ordered," the hooded Death Eater replied, bowing in front of him.
The Dark Lord brought his hands together and smiled, looking pleased. "Well done, McNair." He then addressed himself toward a little fellow, who stood aloof in a corner of the room. "Wormtail!"
The little man jumped on the spot then rushed in front of his master, bowing deeply.
"Add some more wood to the fireplace. You know perfectly well I don't like the fire to burn down so low."
"Y-yes, my Lord. At once," Wormtail stuttered. He scurried over to a corner of the room were he had previously set a pile of wood; he took ten and threw them in the fire.
Lord Voldemort turned again to the Death Eater. "And the woman?"
McNair shivered slightly, afraid to disappoint his master. "Well… my Lord, we didn't touch her, as you asked. But, I can assure you we could have easily killed her, if you'd asked. The Minister's Aurors were all inexperienced. It was all too easy for us."
"I can imagine," Lord Voldemort commented, satisfied. "But it's all right. Everything is following my plans. Now go, McNair, and be ready for the next step."
The Death Eater nodded then stood up and hastened out of the room. Voldemort stretched out his skeleton-like arm and stroked his pet snake, Nagini, on its clammy head. In reply, the reptile closed its eyes and hissed in appreciation, enjoying the rare sign of affection.
"You see, Wormtail, I always keep my promises."
At hearing his name, Wormtail shivered, still standing by the fireplace.
The Dark Lord spoke again. "Harry Potter didn't take my generous offer. I shall remain steadfast in my plans to destroy him, until the very end. But I won't just kill him. No, that would be too merciful. That boy has caused me too many troubles these past years."
Silence fell up the room. In the minutes that followed, only the crackling of the fire in the fireplace could be heard. Finally, Wormtail turned toward his master and dared to question him. "M-may I ask you, my Lord, w-what your next move will be?"
Voldemort smirked. "It's simple, my incompetent yet useful servant. I'll let him suffer, slowly, like you might with a dirty, crawling worm. And when he's in my presence, he'll beg me to spare his life…" He raised the palm of his hand and slowly closed his fingers into a fist. "I'll crush him like a bug."
Wormtail's eyes widened and he swallowed hard. Many times he'd seen his master planning his revenge against his enemies, but this time, the Dark Lord looked more merciless than ever.
***O***
At Hogwarts, life was going on quietly, but the calm was only skin-deep. Both teachers and students appeared more tense than usual, as if they were waiting for something horrible to happen soon.
In the days that followed the kidnapping of Mr. Granger, news of Hermione's sudden departure and of the bad accident Ron suffered spread around the entire school. Every student was talking about it.
If even Harry Potter's best friends are in such trouble, what's going to happen to the rest of us? This thought and many others were the questions that most of the students whispered to each other in the corridors, in the common rooms, and in the Great Hall, helping to feed the fear and the uncertainty amongst them.
Even the story about Ron's accident had grown unbelievably in telling after retelling. Now, it seemed as though the mysterious attacker had hexed Ron behind his back, hit him with the Cruciatus repeatedly, and finally, that he had thrown Ron off the Astronomy Tower, down onto the precipice below. Someone also said that Madam Pomfrey had to put him back together from the pieces that were scattered everywhere.
In spite of the restlessness, not once had anybody thought to cancel the House Tournament. The Defence Against the Dark Arts task was fast approaching; the date was the following Saturday.
As soon as he was released from the hospital wing, Ron had started to tell everyone that Harry was going to take his place during the competition, despite the fact that Harry had not yet confirmed it to his best friend. Ron seemed obsessed with thought of losing the tournament; he felt the only student able to replace him was Harry.
For his part, Harry neither confirmed nor denied the whispers. He simply did everything possible to avoid the other students and teachers, spending the whole day closed up in his room or taking long walks in the snowy gardens. He had also taken to skipping classes, simply because he had had enough of everyone and everything.
I won't step foot inside a classroom again until I can talk to Dumbledore, he promised to himself. But unfortunately, the Headmaster was still far away from school.
Friday morning, the day before the task, Harry was lying in his bed, wearing his Muggle clothes. It was almost lunchtime and the bell would soon ring, tolling the end of morning classes. He had no desire to meet up with his roommates. As with all of the previous days, he would soon go out for another one of his long walks outside the castle.
Harry turned to the window. It had just stopped snowing and the sun was starting to peek through the clouds, causing the snowy landscape to sparkle and gleam. He sighed deeply and lazily turned to stare at the ceiling again.
Ever since Hermione had left, he felt weak, sapped of strength. Not only had he abandoned his lessons, he was also now avoiding his best friends: Ron, Luna, and Ginny. He hadn't spoken with them in what felt like ages. So that he wouldn't have to meet them in the Great Hall, Harry had taken the habit to ask his trusted friend Dobby to bring him food from the kitchens up to his bedroom.
He felt as though everybody had done their best to betray him. He'd had enough of it and all he wanted now was to just take his life into his own hands. The first thing he needed to do was to talk to Dumbledore. He had to ask him for an explanation about what had happened to Hermione's family.
If the headmaster had not returned by the end of that evening, he decided that he would leave Hogwarts and look for Hermione himself. He knew full well that she had asked him not to do anything foolish or irresponsible, but the situation had become unbearable for him. He needed to do something.
He didn't know where she was hiding, but he was sure he could find her using his Seer powers. He'd already tried to use telepathy, but it seemed as though his heart was too distracted during the last few days, impeding his inner sight.
That morning, Harry wanted to try again. Lying in his bed, he exhaled deeply, then forced himself to clear his mind, pushing out all of his restless thoughts.
He tried to visualize Hermione's face. After a few seconds, his girlfriend's sweet smile finally appeared in the darkness behind his closed eyes. She was exactly like the last time he had seen her: wearing her school uniform, smiling, with her long bushy hair falling over her shoulders, and her deep, brilliant brown eyes.
Where are you Hermione? As he thought the question, the image suddenly changed. Harry had the impression he was seeing her face was reflected in water, as it started to ripple lightly as if someone had disturbed the water with their fingers. When the vision returned clearly, the image was very different from the previous one.
It was still Hermione, but this time her face was pale and thin. Her hair was tied up in a loose ponytail; instead of her school uniform, she was wearing a simple grey robe.
Harry's heart was invaded by a deep worry, mixed with sadness and discouragement. Were these Hermione's feelings at that moment?
It looked as though she was looking at herself in a mirror. She then lowered her head and rinsed her face with some water. She dried her face with a white, clean towel and turned around, looking at the place in which she found herself in that moment.
Through Hermione's eyes, Harry was able to see that it was like a small, round room. The walls appeared to be made of thatched straw and the floor was covered with dust. There were no tables or wardrobes, or other furniture of any sort. All there was was a small single bed in a corner of the room; in the bed lay a woman, her face half-covered with bandages. Harry instinctively knew that the woman was Mrs. Granger, Hermione's mum. She looked extremely weak and fragile.
Hermione moved closer, and, sighing deeply, sat on a nearby stool. "How do you feel, Mum?" she asked, kindly brushing her mother's hand.
Mrs. Granger slowly opened her eyes and tried to force herself to say a few words, but she couldn't mange.
"Shhh, it's all right, don't force yourself. Everything will be fine. I'm sure they'll find Dad soon. We have to trust Dumbledore and the rest of the Order," Hermione whispered, smiling slightly. Mrs. Granger nodded and then closed her eyes again, trying to sleep.
Harry could clearly feel that Hermione wanted to cry and release her discouragement, but she held back her tears, not wanting worrying her mother.
He desperately wanted to talk to her, to let her know that he was with her in that moment, but he couldn't. "Hermione!" Harry called, but she wasn't able to hear him, or realize that he was near. "Hermione, it's me, Harry!"
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Suddenly, she turned toward the door, her eyes widening in surprise. She just heard a voice, she was sure of it. She stood up and went over to the door, and then put her ear up next to it and listened.
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Harry quickly realized that his attempt to communicate with her had obviously suceeded. Excited, he decided to try again.
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"Hermione… I… I just wanted to tell you that …" He was so nervous that he couldn't find the right words.
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"Harry?" whispered Hermione, feeling her heart beating faster and faster. Her legs trembling, she stretched her arm toward the wall, looking for support. "Oh, no. Am I going crazy, or what?"
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"No! No, you're not going crazy," he replied, doing his best to reassure her. "You know that I'd always be with you… everywhere."
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Hermione nodded. She closed her eyes and warm tears fell down her cheeks.
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"I need to know how to get to you. As soon as I get there, together, we'll…"
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"No! I can't tell you, Harry," Hermione replied resolutely. "I promised. Please, try to understand…"
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Upon hearing those words, Harry felt a sharp pain in his chest... and then felt and saw something weird. It was as if his soul was going to be sucked out of him in a multi-coloured whirlwind. "Hermione, Hermione!"
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Despite his desperate calls, he knew that he was now too far from her. Sadly, the vision ended without any further warning. He didn't even have the time to tell her how much he loved her. When he finally opened his eyes, he found himself lying on his bed again. Feeling confused and helpless, he punched his pillow in anger.
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After a while, he was able to think clearly again. For the first time, he had been able to reach Hermione telepathically. Finally, he knew that she was okay and that she was hiding somewhere safe, even if it was far from him.
This new vision had been more detailed than the others, but he still wasn't able to figure out exactly where to go to find her.
Next time I'll do better, he promised himself, determined.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs.
Oh no! They're coming already, he thought, afraid to face his roommates. He jumped out of bed, took his winter cloak and his Firebolt out of his wardrobe, then rushed to the door to get out before anyone came in, but… it was too late.
The door opened and Ron was there. His arm was bandaged and in a sling tied around his neck. His face still bore the signs of his horrible adventure on the Astronomy Tower a few days before. His red hair was more ruffled than usual.
Both boys frowned at each other for a few seconds without saying a single word. Then, Harry put his cloak on and headed for the door.
"You don't even say hello to your best friend?" Ron scolded him.
"Hello," Harry whispered, avoiding his gaze.
Without warning, Ron closed the door in Harry's face, blocking the passageway.
Harry sighed deeply and unwillingly turned toward him. "I'm in a hurry."
"Yeah, I've noticed," Ron commented sarcastically. "That's why I used an excuse to get out of McGonagall's class earlier. I couldn't let you slip out again. You can't avoid me forever, Harry."
"Are you sure?"
"Oh, come on! What happened to Hermione's parents is horrible, but it's not my fault. Just tell me what's wrong with you and why you won't talk to me."
Harry felt his blood boiling in his veins. How was it possible for Ron not to realize the seriousness of the situation? He was acting like a stupid, selfish little boy who only cared about himself.
"Do you really want to know what you've done?" shouted Harry, staring at Ron furiously. There was so much anger inside he felt he needed to release it all and blame Ron for everything that was happening to him, even if it was the most childish way to react.
"Well, for starters, you've filled the school with a bunch of stupid lies. You've told everyone that I'm taking your place during tomorrow's task, without telling me first."
Ron looked very surprised about that. "B-but, I thought we agreed about that. We talked in the hospital wing, remember?"
"Wrong! You were talking while I just sat and listened to you without giving a reply. It's different!"
Ron rolled his eyes and shook his head as if to underline the absurdity of the entire situation. "All right, all right. But I'm sure you won't just stand aside and not take my place during the task. You don't want to help your best friend in need? And please, don't tell me that you're afraid to face the stupid Defence task, because I wouldn't believe you."
"You're right, you know? It's just a stupid task, and I won't face it," Harry replied, determined.
Stunned, Ron's eyes widened while Harry added, "I won't waste my time in some useless school tournament. I've got more important things to do!"
"You mean like wandering around in the gardens or closing yourself up in your room for hours, wallowing in your own pitying?" Ron showed his disdain for his friend's behaviour. "If you want to do something useful, why don't you just leave the school and go look for Hermione? After all, you're the only hero between the two of us, right?"
"That's exactly what I should do," Harry replied, seriously. He then pushed Ron to the side and left the room, slamming the door.
He couldn't tell his friend that the only reason he hadn't gone out to look for Hermione was because he didn't want to leave Ron and Ginny alone.
"I don't know you anymore, Harry Potter! You're like a stranger to me anymore!" Ron's voice filled the common room after he threw the door open again as Harry descended the last few stairs. It drew the attentions of the few students who were sitting nearby.
Harry turned abruptly and raised his head to the landing, from where Ron was frowning down at him. "I could say the same about you!" he shouted, forcing himself to not add anything worse.
He the returned to his retreat and rushed to the passageway, doing his best to not look at the other students who were watching at him as if he was a rare, wild beast. Harry passed through the Fat Lady's portrait and ran off down the corridors.
***O***
The bell had finally rung, announcing the end of morning lessons. Theo Mustle left Professor McGonagall's class and rushed through the corridors, looking around warily. He seemed more nervous than usual that day. His school uniform disheveled, his tie was almost completely unknotted. He'd even forgotten to slick back his black hair, which was now extremely ruffled and falling over his forehead.
He mixed into the crowd of students and headed for the stairs, hoping they would stop changing directions, as they tended to do.
Finally, he reached the Charms classroom and found a few sixth years still inside after the end of the lesson.
I absolutely have to talk to Lily Jane, he said to himself nervously. We need to straighten this out, once and for all.
He peeked into the room and saw professor Flitwick talking to Lily Jane and Amanda Fawcett. He assumed the teacher was discussing something related to the last lesson.
Theo sighed, annoyed, and slowly leaned against the stone wall. He then took a book out from his school bag and opened it, pretending to read.
When I decided to follow her on this... adventure, I promised myself... he thought.
Suddenly, his mind started to drift back into his memories. As if he was jumping into a Pensieve, images of the past appeared in front of his eyes.
*** FLASHBACK***
The sun had just set behind the low buildings, worn down by time. Night, lit only by a full moon had finally swallowed the sad landscape. Theo hastened along the road, the shadow of his cloak fluttering on the walls. Shortly, he found himself in front of a house that was also dirty and run down, like the others. He stopped and knocked on the door, looking around to be sure that nobody had followed him.
"Who's there?" asked the voice of a woman, coming from the inside.
"It's Theo."
The door slowly opened. In front of the boy stood a middle-aged woman. Actually, she only looked as though she'd crossed the half-century mark; she was actually much younger than she appeared. She was not tall, and her brown hair was streaked with grey, gathered back in a low ponytail. Her face was pale and thin, crisscrossed by deep wrinkles under her eyes and around the corners of her mouth. Her black robe, devoid of any decoration or ornamentation of sort, looked tired and crumpled; it matched the air the woman emanated.
She stared at him for a few seconds, not saying a single word or hinting of a smile. Suddenly, she grabbed the boy by the arm and dragged him inside the house. Finally, she peeked out and looked around the dark, deserted street.
"Did anyone follow you?" she asked, worriedly.
Theo cleared his voice, and assumed the most formal voice tone he could manage. He wasn't a careless little boy anymore! "I was careful! Don't worry."
The woman closed the door and sealed it with a magical spell. She then turned to the boy. "Your father has gone mad!" she exclaimed sternly. "I expressly told him to come here in person. Instead, he sends you! Doesn't he know that it's extremely dangerous walking around after the sunset? Doesn't he know there's a curfew in this bloody town?"
Theo lowered his gaze, slightly embarrassed. "Well, actually… Mum's had another accident…"
The woman rolled her eyes. "What did she blow up this time?"
"The kitchen," replied Theo promptly. He then quickly added, "but not the whole thing. Just the wall with the fireplace... the dining table... and two chairs."
"Well! We can say goodbye to our only connection to the Floo network, then... thanks to your mother's stupid experiments."
The woman's words caused Theo feel rather bad, but he forced himself to not show it. "Yeah, just stupid experiments…" he only commented. "But don't worry about the Floo network. Dad is trying to fix it. He says we'll be able to connect again tomorrow."
The woman sighed deeply. "I hope so." Without adding anything else, she hurried over to a small desk full of sheets of parchment. She took out a small, greasy piece of paper and scribbled a few sentences on it. "This is a top secret message," she explained while writing. "I need you to give it to your father as soon as possible."
Theo nodded. Waiting for her to finish writing, he raised his eyes and looked around the room. The inside of the house was rather old and ramshackle. The walls had long since lost their original colour, and mold was trying to take advantage of the situation, spreading along the corners of the ceiling. In the middle of the room was a square table, four chairs around it, each different from the other. The wall bookcase was almost empty; instead of books there were a few cups and some chipped dishes on the shelves. The complete absence of pictures or portraits gave the room a final touch of bleakness.
"Here you go." The woman closed the parchment and sealed it. She then turned to the boy and handed him the roll. "Take care of it."
"I will," Theo replied, hiding the parchment under his cloak.
The woman rushed to the window and peered through the dirty curtains. "You should be careful on your way home. Last night, Martin McRory was attacked by a group of Dementors. They could still be hiding around in the dark." She then turned to the boy and stared at him for a moment.
"What are you waiting for?"
"W-well, I… I was wondering if I could…" Theo stuttered, betraying his embarrassment.
"Yes?" the woman asked, frowning at him.
He then gathered all his courage before speaking. "I'd like to ask… if it isn't an inconvenience, I'd like to…"
A brief smile lit the woman's face, for a very short instant. "All right, you can go say hello to her. She's upstairs in her room."
Theo smiled widely, his eyes shining in happiness.
"But no more than ten minutes. It's becoming late and you should be home already," the woman scolded him.
"No more than ten minutes, I promise." Theo hurried over to the wooden staircase and climbed the first three stairs before he stopped. He turned toward the woman one last time.
She looked like such a fragile and small thing, he thought, with that old black robe wrapped around her. But at the same time, her eyes wore a strong and determined expression, like a true warrior ready to fight.
"Thank you, Aunt Hermione."
"Go on!" she exhorted him. He smiled and turned to continue on up from the ground floor to the corridor on the first floor.
There were only three doors. One was the bathroom while the other two were bedrooms. Theo knocked on the first one on his left.
"Lily, it's me. May I come in?"
"Theo? Is it really you?" the girl replied from inside the room.
Theo waited a few moments then knocked again. "I haven't got much time. Are you going to open the door or not?"
He heard a few muffled noises... hurried steps and wardrobe shutters opening and closing frantically. "I'm coming!"
The latch made a loud click and the door slowly opened. Lily Jane peeked out, keeping the door only half open.
Theo's heart jumped in his chest. In his opinion, Lily Jane was the most beautiful, the funnies and smartest girl in the world. She had just turned sixteen and was tall and slim, and had thick black hair that fell freely upon her shoulders. Her deep, shiny eyes were emerald green. They were her father's eyes.
"Theo! It's been ages. What brings you to this lost part of town?"
Theo made a funny grimace before replying. "Don't be silly! Come on, let me in! I need to talk to you."
Lily looked uneasy, and stared worriedly at the stairs. "Well, I'm not sure if Mum would give you permission…"
"Don't worry, she just said it was okay," Theo explained. "No more than ten minutes, but then I'll have to go home for a top secret delivery."
The girl couldn't think of any other objections, and, almost unwillingly, let him in. "All right, then. I apologize in advance for the mess, but the housekeeper left a few weeks ago, stealing all of our Galleons, and my brand new broomstick as well."
The boy smiled and entered, closing the door behind him. Lily Jane was obviously joking, since they've never had a housekeeper in their lives, nor any Galleons to spend, or even a new broomstick to ride. And the bedroom was proof of that. Lily Jane's room could be better described as a narrow closet than a real bedroom. There was only the essential furniture in there: a single bed under the small window, an old corner wardrobe, and a small desk full covered in sheets of parchment and quills. There weren't books or pictures in this room either.
But Theo didn't care about any of it. Even though his own house was much more comfortable, and his family better off than hers, he was accustomed to the bleakness of Lily's home. "Hey, your mum seemed a little more odd than usual. I was even lucky enough to get her permission to come in and say hello. Still, I was sure she'd give her permission, seeing as since she can't resist my charm," Theo explained grinning, passing his fingers through his curly, carrot-coloured hair.
He moved forward and sat down on the bed. As he did, he kicked a traveling suitcase with his left foot, which was half-hidden under the bed.
"Are you going somewhere?" he asked lightly, not suspecting anything odd.
Lily Jane was standing in front of him. At his question, she started wringing her hands nervously. "Going somewhere? Not at all, why are you asking?"
"What's this for?" Theo pointed at the suitcase under his feet.
"Oh, that. Well, I just wanted to give away a few of my old clothes, that's all." Lily moved closer and gave the suitcase a hard kick; it slid completely under the bed. "So then, tell me, Theo. How are your parents? I'm sure they're worried about you now. Don't you think it's time to go back home?"
Theo frowned at her. "Do you really want me to leave?"
"Oh, no! No, no, I'm happy to see you after such a long time. It's just that, well, you know how parents can get worried sometimes…"
Theo kept staring at Lily, his eyes narrowing. "You've planning something, aren't you?"
The girl sighed, annoyed, folding her arms across her chest. "Why do you always ask me the same question every time you come to visit?"
"Because you're still capable of running away again, never worrying about all the people who love you," Theo explained, feeling his temper rising. "Do you remember what happened only a month ago? Your mother risked her life to come looking for you. She could have been sent to Azkaban for what she did!"
"Shhh! Will you lower your voice, please?" Lily warned him, staring at the door worriedly.
"No, I won't!"
Theo looked furious, and Lily feared that he could ruin her plans by telling her mother.
"All right, Mr. Know-it-all!" She sat by his side, on the bed, and started to explain what she had got in mind. "You want to know what I'm planning this time? The same thing as last time. I'm going out, looking for Dad. I'm going to do what Mum should have done ages ago, instead of giving up her research and closing herself up inside this horrible house. I bet she's already forgotten about Dad. She won't even allow me to keep a picture of him. Mum hates pictures!"
Theo shook his head, disappointed by her words. "I really can't understand you. You seem to enjoy yourself, tormenting your mum. Don't you see the state she's in? How desperate and sad she is already? She doesn't smile anymore, she doesn't sleep, she doesn't eat. And it's all your fault."
"Well, she always exaggerates everything in her life anyway. By the way, this time, it won't be the same. This time, I know where to go and what to do."
Theo stared at his friend disbelievingly. "Have you discovered where your Dad's hiding?"
Lily Jane didn't reply and turned her gaze away from him. She wasn't sure if she could tell him everything.
"You're worrying me," the boy said, trying to encourage her to talk.
"You don't need to be. Besides, I won't be alone."
That reply didn't help Theo calm down. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Lily Jane moved closer to him and lowered her voice even more. "Yesterday evening, while walking home, I met a warlock… a real warlock. He said he was from… from the past."
"Where?"
"Shhh! From the past, you heard me! And, exactly from the time when my parents were young and still going to school."
For an instant, Theo was tempted to grab Lily Jane by her shoulders and shake her vigorously, to make her come to her senses. But instead, he forced himself to remain calm. "What exactly did this warlock want from you?" he asked, more and more worried.
"He told me that he had a plan, but that he needed my help. He also said that he knew how to change our time, the present. I only need to go back with him to the past and…"
"That warlock is crazy," Theo argued.
"No, he's not! I thought about it the whole night and I realized that it could work."
"What could work? This is probably some trap set up by Death Eaters. You know they would love to catch us by surprise, unarmed."
Lily Jane pretended to not hear a single word and started to daydream. "Could you imagine it? I'd be able to visit Hogwarts, the famous school of Witchcraft and Wizardry... walking around inside, seeing it as it was before it was destroyed during the war. I could change the course of events. I could… meet my father."
"I was wrong, Lily Jane. Now I'm sure of it: you're crazy too."
"Can't you try to understand, Theo?" The girl desperately wanted her friend to realize how important this was for her.
"We've tried everything these past years. We've been united despite all the difficulties we faced. We've battled, we've maintained the Order of the Phoenix, even though we've lost many of our dearest friends." Lily Jane felt tears welling up in her eyes, but she held them back for not showing her fragility. "Voldemort has…"
"Don't say that name!" Theo cut her off, upset, but she went on, speaking the name again with more strength.
"Voldemort… Voldemort's now too strong for any of us. We can't defeat him alone. We need help from a real hero. We need help from… Harry Potter."
When Lord Voldemort won the wizarding war, before the birth of Lily Jane, all of the half-bloods and Muggle-borns were confined into numerous ghettoes spread all around Europe. Hermione Granger-Potter, a Muggle-born, and wife of Harry Potter, had been condemned to live in the Hogsmeade ghetto, along with her daughter, Lily Jane. Her husband's entire fortune had been confiscated and she had been forced to live in extreme poverty.
Her only real means of support came from the charity and help offered by nearby families that had been luckier than her. Families like Theo's, who was the son of Ron Weasley and Luna Lovegood. Although they were pureblood wizards and had not had their possessions seized, they had decided to live in the half-blood ghetto, sharing the sad and humiliating destiny of Hermione and Lily Jane.
As soon as Lord Voldemort rose to power, he forbade all children living in the ghettos from attending any kind of wizarding school. None of them, he felt, was worthy enough to learn magic. Only the children of purebloods were allowed to attend Hogwarts... or at least, what remained of it. The ruins of the ancient castle stood out against Hogsmeade sky for years, a warning to all enemies of the Dark Lord.
Non-pureblood families weren't allowed to own any magical books, or even to read them. The magical knowledge that remained was handed down from parent to child.
Lily Jane spoke again, feeling a painful knot in her throat. "That monster has taken everything away from us. Our freedom, our honour, our dignity! He's closed us up in this prison disguised as a town. He took away the opportunity to attend school, to even own books! My decision is made. I don't have anything to lose!"
"You do have something to lose... your life."
A tense silence fell between them. Lily Jane averted her gaze. She had already made her decision and nobody would stop her. Theo was realizing this more and more as every second passed. He knew how stubborn his friend could be. "When are you going to leave?" he asked, resigned.
"Tonight," she replied, not looking at him.
"Where are you going to meet the warlock?"
Lily frowned at him. "I'm not telling you. I know you, you won't let me go."
Theo sighed deeply. "Just shut it! I'm coming with you."
"What?"
"I said that I'm going with you," the boy replied, emphasizing each word. "You're far too reckless to go through the doors of time all by yourself. You need someone calm, with his feet planted firmly on the ground. In short, you need someone like me."
Lily Jane raised an eyebrow and smiled at him. It had been a long time since Theo had seen her smile like that. He always felt she was so cute when she smiled. Her deep, emerald green eyes shone with a special light.
Theo wouldn't change his mind. He swore to himself that he would protect her, even if it cost him his own life.
That night, Theo and Lily Jane faced their destiny, and they did it together.
*** END OF FLASHBACK***
"Theo? What're you doing here?"
Lily Jane's voice brought him back to reality. She had just walked out of the classroom and was surprised to see him there.
Theo suddenly woke up from his daydream. He grabbed his best friend's arm, forcing her to follow him. "We need to talk."
"All right, all right. Calm down, why don't you?"
They found an empty classroom nearby and entered. He sealed the door with magic to prevent anyone from hearing them.
Lily Jane rolled her eyes. "I know already what you're going to say."
"I don't think you do," Theo replied sharply. "Listen to me. I thought about the whole thing all night and I think that you were right. Yes, we've ruined everything, and the situation is out of control now. We did our best, but we failed. That's why I've made my decision: we need to go back home."
Theo had spoken so quickly that it took Lily a few seconds to understand what he was saying.
"No we don't!" she exclaimed, disappointed. "Don't you remember what Erudio told me last time we met? He doesn't think that everything is lost. Besides, you didn't take into count the dreams. Harry has been dreaming of me ever since he returned to school in September. Erudio said that a strong connection has been created between Harry and I. I think that this is a good sign and I know we can still make it."
Theo frowned. "I'm still having serious doubts about Erudio's wisdom," he replied, starting to lose his temper. "The truth is that Magnus Erudio brought us here without any real plan in mind. He's just a foolish old warlock."
Lily Jane felt the need to reassure him. "Theo, please. Trust me. Everything will be all right. I'm planning on talking to Harry today."
"What do you mean you're planning to talk to Harry today?" he asked, suspiciously.
"I'm going to convince him to not take part in tomorrow's task. You'll see, everything will settle down," she replied calmly.
Theo sighed. "How will you convince him? I'm sure he won't listen to you."
"Well, I'm going to force him, if necessary!"
Theo stared at her, resigned. "You're the most stubborn girl I've ever met in my life. You're just like your father."
Lily smiled, proud for the comparison. "Meanwhile, you're careless, just like your father. If I were you, I'd work on my Metamorphus Charm." She stretched out a hand and ran her fingers through Theo's ruffled hair. His ruffled locks were changing their colour very fast, from dark black into a carrot orange, as bright as any other Weasley.
Theo felt his head nervously. "Damn! It happens when I'm overly worried." He performed the spell wordlessly, and his hair became black again.
He then turned to Lily Jane once more. "Let's make a agreement. If you can talk to your father and change his mind without telling him our true identity, or about what's going to happen in the future, well, I'll apologize to you and Erudio. But if anything goes wrong, we return home tomorrow morning."
Lily thought about it for a moment. "Um… all right, then. I can assure you though that all of the puzzle pieces will fall into place, in the end.
They both shook hands, and then rushed out of the classroom, closing the door behind them.
Unfortunately for them, that classroom wasn't at all empty. During their little chat, someone had been hidden in the dark, listening to it.
A brown haired girl with cat-like eyes grinned in satisfaction. She moved out of her hideaway, reached the door, and when she was sure that the corridor was empty, ran as fast as she could to the Slytherin common room in the dungeons. She needed to pass on to Draco Malfoy all of the precious information she had learned. She needed to regain the attentions of the boy she was in love with. The fact was that, since the beginning of the school term, Draco seemed totally focused on the Dark Lord's plans He was hardly able to spend any time with her.
Pansy Parkinson felt that if Draco could deliver Harry Potter into the Dark Lord's hands, then she and he would be free to resume their love affair.
In her mind and heart, their two names were united for life. Nothing and nobody would come between them, not even Lord Voldemort himself.
***O***
Harry walked quickly through the main gate of Hogwarts castle. Looking for a little bit of peace and quiet, he headed out to the gardens, climbed up onto his Firebolt, and kicked off the ground. In a few seconds, he found himself flying in the air. Finally, he was free, in the sky.
The icy wind stung his face, but he didn't care. The entire world lay below. High, snowy hills surrounded him like a crown full of white jewels, the large Forbidden Forest moved in the wind as though it were breathing. The castle of Hogwarts now in the distance looked like an old man, sitting tiredly upon a rock, leaning toward the lake.
After a few dangerous turns, Harry pointed his broomstick toward one of the higher hills. It was his secret corner, a quiet place where he could think.
He landed lightly on the snowy ground and stood there, enjoying the beautiful landscape. The sky was filled with grey clouds and the wind was becoming more and more icy. Harry tightened his cloak around himself and sank his face into his woolen scarf.
Despite making it to his secret retreat, he was unable to find the peace he was desperately looking for. He closed his eyes and in his mind Hermione's suffering face appeared. He felt a sharp pain in his heart and the desire to be with her became even stronger, almost unbearable. His fists tightened in anger.
Oddly, he started to feel someone's presence. He didn't know why, but he was sure that someone had followed him to this otherwise lonely place.
"Harry!" Lily Jane's voice didn't surprise him. In her right hand she was still holding the broomstick that had brought her up here. Her clothes, along with her black hair, had obviously been assailed by the fierce wind.
The young wizard didn't hide his disappointment, nor did he turn to her while speaking. "How did you find me?"
At first, Lily Jane didn't know what to say. She'd used the Marauder's Map of course, but she couldn't tell him that. "I've been looking for you everywhere," she said, choosing her words carefully. "I couldn't find you in the castle, nor in the gardens. There was just the sky left. I need to talk to you."
"I don't want to talk to anybody. Go away, leave me alone." Harry's words didn't allow her a chance to reply, but Jane wasn't going to give up.
"Please, just listen to me, Harry." Lily Jane moved a few steps toward him, getting closer. The wind was blowing furiously, making it difficult to even keep her eyes open. "Tomorrow, you'll compete in the Tournament. The whole school is talking about it."
Harry didn't reply, and didn't turn to look at her. His eyes were still fixed on the castle, while his cloak waved in the wind like a dark flag.
"I know some things about the Tournament, and I think that you should be aware of them." Lily stopped for a few moments, waiting a reaction from Harry, which didn't come. Gathering all of her Gryffindor courage, she brought up the subject that was most important. "Please, don't take part in the task tomorrow."
Harry smiled, finding the situation extremely odd. While his best friend Ron was doing the impossible to convince him to participate in the tournament, Jane Porter was doing her best to convince him otherwise.
On the one side there was his loyal mate, while on the other there was Jane, a complete stranger who was pretending to be his friend, probably just because she wanted to be closer to the famous Harry Potter... or because of any number of other unknown reasons. Who was he to trust?
Then, Hermione's words came to mind:
"We can't forget that Jane hasn't been completely sincere with us. Why didn't she tell us that her father was an Auror working for the Ministry? From the moment she set foot in this school, she's done the near-impossible to draw everyone's attention onto her. And when she really does have something to be proud of, her father being an Auror, she doesn't say anything about that.
"What about her eyes, as well? Why did she change her eye colour from green to brown? What is it that she's desperately trying to hide? I'm sorry, but I still can't trust Jane Porter, and I beg you to pay very close attention when you're with her."
Hermione was right. There were still just too many shadows lurking about Jane's situation to be able to trust her.
"Why do you care so much about me?" Harry asked, without showing the dilemma he was facing inside himself at that moment.
"Well…" Lily Jane wasn't sure what to say. How could she be able to warn him without revealing the truth, and what was waiting for him in the future? Finally, she decided to be direct. "Someone is plotting against you."
Harry slowly turned and they were now both face to face.
Jane stood motionless, despite that the wind was blowing furiously against her skirt and her thick hair, as though she were on a stormy sea. Her face was fiercely determined, her brown eyes shone with a special light.
"I want you to speak plainly. I don't like all of this mystery." Harry had every intention to try to prove what she was after, and maybe make her confess whatever secret it was she was hiding, once and for all.
"I'm sure you've already realized that all of the accidents that occurred during the last few months weren't just coincidences," Jane explained. "The killing of all the school owls, Mrs. Norris turned into a gargoyle, the break-in to McGonagall's office, the attack against Ronald Weasley... even the kidnapping of Hermione's father.
"Everything has been planned in great detail. I think that the first accidents were used as a diversion, so that everybody would think that were just silly student pranks. But recently, the situation has become more serious. I'm sure that your participation in tomorrow's challenge, taking Weasley's place, is all part of the plan."
"I congratulate you on your keen observational skills," Harry commented with a bit of sarcasm in his voice. He had reached the same conclusions as well; he wasn't stupid. But he wanted to provoke her just the same, maybe push her to disclose her secrets.
Lily Jane wasn't intimidated by Harry's attitude and continued with her explanation. "Theo and I have been investigating since the beginning of the school year. Even that night of the Halloween feast, do you remember? When we met in the common room?" It was time for Lily Jane to make some confessions. She couldn't say the whole truth, but she knew she had to give Harry some good explanations, something that made sense.
"I left the Great Hall with Theo, before the end of the feast, because we were following the tracks of a certain person. This person wasn't at the banquet that night since he was about to implement his sinister plan and…"
"And break in McGonagall's office unseen, to steal some confidential documents," Harry finished the sentence for her.
"Exactly." Lily Jane smiled. It looked like Harry was starting to understand. "As Theo and I expected, this person didn't find in McGonagall's office what he was looking for. That's why he started to change his plans afterwards. He wanted to get at you directly, and so he thought to hit your best friends. That could possibly explain the attack against Ronald and Hermione's parents. They want you to be completely alone."
Harry didn't reply immediately. He was still thinking over Jane's words. The situation was starting to make sense. But there was something still missing: the name of the guilty person.
"Why should I believe you?" asked Harry, abruptly.
"W-what are you talking about?" The smile on Jane's face faded away.
The sky was becoming darker and snow was starting to fall on the ground again.
"Why should I believe that it isn't you and Theo who are culprits?" Harry wanted to give his version of the facts. "Let's start from the beginning, shall we? First, you killed all of the school owls and transfigured Mrs. Norris, as a diversion. Then, during the Halloween feast, you secretly left the Great Hall to put into action your `sinister' plan. When I caught up with you in the common room, you were alone, as you remember. At the same time we were talking, Theo was probably forcing the door on McGonagall's office in order to search through her documents. Then he stupefied Pansy Parkinson, lest he be caught with his hands in the cookie jar…"
Lily Jane had to admit that Harry's version did make sense, if seen from his point of view. How could she ever be able to make him change his mind? How could she explain that she and Theo weren't guilty?
"Since Theo didn't find anything useful, he decided to get closer to Hermione and try to trick her with his flirting and flattery," said Harry in a more accusatory tone. "By doing so, he was hoping to discover Albus Dumbledore's secrets and then finally pass this information to Voldemort." He had been careful not to mention the Arcane Path or the Rebirth Flame, so that he didn't betray the secrecy of that information.
Lily Jane shuddered. "It's not true! We aren't Death Eaters!" she shouted, doing her best to protect her honour. How was it possible that Harry actually thought that she was one of Lord Voldemort's servants?
Ignoring her objections, Harry went on. "Not happy, you planned to attack Ron and make him tell you as much information as possible." Harry recalled Ron's odd behavior after the accident and realized that maybe there was a reasonable explanation for it. "Since he didn't know anything, you cast an Unforgivable Curse, the Imperius. You brainwashed him. You forced him to step down from the tournament… to make me compete."
"No, you're wrong! It doesn't make any sense. Besides, Theo was lying in the hospital wing when Ron was attacked. I'm trying to convince you not to take part in the tournament, not the opposite. Please, believe me."
"What's going to happen during the challenge? What horrible things have you planned for tomorrow? Why are you asking me not to go? Maybe you're having second thoughts? What's happening? The guilt isn't letting you sleep at night?"
Lily Jane was shaking her head. Why wasn't he able to understand?
"Why should I trust you?" asked Harry, frowning at her. "Who are you really and what are you really doing here? Since your arrival at Hogwarts, you and Theo have done nothing but cause us trouble. Now you're asking me to trust you? What is it that you're hiding, Jane Porter?"
The girl sighed deeply, doing her best to remain calm even though she was tempted to shout the truth. "Harry, please, you've got to trust me. I'm on your side. I thought that you were going to understand, after all the dreams you've having during the last few months."
Harry jumped in shock. "What do you know about my dreams?"
Lily Jane raised a hand to her mouth. Accidentally, she let slip something dangerous; had she spoiled everything?
Suddenly, Harry saw the whole thing clearly in his mind. "You… you tormented me night after night. It's your fault that I almost went crazy with all those odd dreams."
"It's not what you think. Please believe me, it's just been a … I never wanted to…"
Harry had had enough and needed to know the truth. He took out his wand and pointed it at the girl. "It's time to drop your mask, Jane Porter. Your little games are over."
Reveal your secrets! Harry thought the magical words, casting the spell.
"Ahhh!" Jane covered her face with her hands, shouting from the pain.
"I'm sorry, but I needed to know the truth." Harry lowered his wand and slowly moved toward her.
Lily Jane felt her heart beating faster. The moment she had feared the most had arrived. She lowered her trembling hands, revealing her beautiful, green eyes. So similar to her father's.
Harry stared at her, entranced. All of his anger, all his doubts simply disappeared. He lost himself in those deep, green eyes, and was certain that they could never lie to him.
"I'm… I'm so sorry," cried Lily Jane. She then picked up her broomstick and ran away in the snow.
"Wait!" shouted Harry, running behind her. He didn't know why, but he needed to reach her. He felt that there still were too many things that needed to be cleared up between them.
Lily Jane kept running, tears streaming down her face. She was certain she'd spoiled everything this time. Her change the future had been destroyed. Harry now hated her. He thought that she was a Death Eater. How could she change his mind now?
Her vision obscured by her tears, she didn't realize that there was a hole in the snowy ground, and suddenly fell down.
Harry finally caught up with her. Hearing her crying, he knelt down at her side, not knowing what to say. Meanwhile, the snow was starting to become heavier. The furious wind was whipping the snowflakes into odd whirlwinds in the air.
Jane looked so fragile and helpless, Harry thought. Sitting in the snow, she was rubbing her ankle with one hand and wiping the tears from her face with the other. Oddly, he was almost feeling guilty for what he had just done.
Lily Jane lowered her eyes, avoiding his gaze. "You don't need to pretend to be worried about me."
Harry felt embarrassed. After everything he had said to her, he didn't know how to behave now. He was feeling confused.
Lily Jane gathered her strength and slowly stood up, feeling a sharp pain in her sprained ankle. Before leaving him, she wanted to try to warn him one last time. "About tomorrow's challenge, you know that it's going to be a trap. Draco Malfoy and his cronies have already planned it. Please be careful."
With these words, Jane climbed on her broomstick and took off from the ground and into the air. Harry stood there in silence, fighting with his conflicting feelings.
***O***
The following day, after breakfast, everything was ready for the second challenge in the School Tournament. This time it was the Defence Against the Dark Arts challenge, and it was going to take place down in the castle's dungeons. For the occasion, Professor McGonagall had transfigured the place into a long maze of rooms and corridors. Completely surrounding it, the walls had been magically pushed out and turned into seating, making it like a big, indoor stadium.
All of the students appeared eager for the event and were already filing into their seats. The teachers were already sitting on the main podium. Professor McGonagall was wearing her best robe, Severus Snape was wearing his usual frown, and Hagrid had even brushed his hair for the occasion.
All amongst the students, an excited buzz could be heard. They were waiting for the entrance of the four champions, one for each House.
When all of the seats were full, Albus Dumbledore himself took his place in the middle of the main podium, much to the surprise of those present.
"Good morning to you all, and welcome to the second task of this year's Hogwarts House Tournament," the headmaster's voice thundered throughout the wide dungeon. His face was more serious than usual.
Nobody had known that Dumbledore had returned to the castle that the previous night. The reason for his long absence from Hogwarts was still a mystery to most of them.
"I'm proud to introduce to you the four champions, who are to face the Defence Against the Dark Arts task today. For the House of Ravenclaw, please come forward… Mr. Terry Boot."
A roar of applause welcomed the champion, who slowly climbed the stairs of the podium and went over to the right side of the headmaster. Terry Boot was a short, strong boy. Even though he had been sorted into Ravenclaw, people who knew him well often said he was more brawn than brain.
When the applause ended, Dumbledore spoke again. "For the house of Hufflepuff, please come forward… Mr Justin Finch-Fletchley."
Again, all of the spectators greeted the second champion with applause. Justin was a good boy, as well as Muggle-born. The others seventh year students recalled his bad experience five years earlier when the Tom Riddle's basilisk had turned him into a statue.
"For the House of Slytherin, please come forward… Mr. Draco Malfoy."
Draco too was greeted by applause, even if less than the others, considering it only came mostly from the Slytherins. Tall and fierce, with his blonde locks slicked back, he entered with determined footsteps and joined the headmaster on his left side, showing his usual arrogant grin.
A few more seconds of silence, and Dumbledore announced the name of the last and most awaited champion.
"Finally, for the House of Gryffindor, please come forward… Mr. Harry Potter."
A great roar of applause greeted his name. Despite this though, the Gryffindor champion had not showed up yet.
Dumbledore called him a second time. "Please, Mr. Harry Potter, come forward."
This time, Harry made his entry. He climbed up the few steps that separated him from the podium and again, a roar of applause filled the dungeon. Harry lifted his gaze up into the crowd. In his eyes wasn't any shadow of doubt or fear. His hand was firm and settled. At his side, Draco was frowning at him.
"Now, I'm going to explain briefly a few rules of today's task. The four champions are going to…"
While Dumbledore was talking, Draco moved closer to Harry and whispered in his direction. "It's the beginning of the end for you, Potter."
Harry kept looking at the crowd. "I suggest you not overestimate yourself, Malfoy. Or you could get a very bad surprise."
More than a normal school tournament, this was starting to look like something far more important. The games were over now. It was a personal contest between the two of them, who had been enemies from the day they met.
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