Chapter 20: The Green Flame Torch
"Why am I here?" Harry asked, looking at Zalrot with the exact same look that Snape gave to him, "and why shouldn't I break your face right now?"
"Because breaking my face, while impossible for you at the moment, would not solve anything, and would make you as dead as the whore lying below."
"I'll show you 'impossible'"
"You will sit down and listen. You will sit down and listen because what you hear will make or break your destiny." Harry reluctantly sat down, looking at Zalrot with scorn, "Good, now we begin. Had you been trained correctly, you would know all that I am about to tell you. Her 'love' for you got in the way. It was either that or her orders from Voldemort."
"But we'll never know now."
"Correct, but that's beside the point. Mistakes that happened, happened for a reason. All we can do is find out and understand the reason. So, what's done is done. One chapter has ended, and another set to begin."
"Get on with it."
"Right. What you should now by now, is that all you know, has already been discovered. The text that have been hidden from the world are known by me and few others. You were supposed to be told this when your training started, but that wasn't the case.
The Green Flame Torch. It is the item that holds the magical world together, and is what will keep the entire world free, if the right person activates it."
"What do you mean?"
"When Merlin, Morgana, Ursulane, and Abendale met, and created this torch, they made sure that only purebloods could activate it. That was it's soul purpose. It was like a kingdom. One pureblood activated it in the beginning, and he assumed the mantle of a king. It was then passed down, from father to son, and when the father died, the son would become king.
Now with all bloodlines that hold power, sooner or later, seeds of darkness and hatred took root. One of these kings, which was the heir of Salazar Slytherin, decided that he had the right to control the wizarding world with an iron fist, and was using his own army to kill whomever resisted.
And that is why all most of the purebloods died. It is because Slytherin's heir killed all who resisted, which was nearly all of the wizarding community. He even killed your ancestor, but not before he was able to have a child of Gryffindor blood. What he didn't know about the torch is its real power. Mass killings, absolute control with no fighting back, that sort of thing."
"What are you talking about?"
"The torch's power runs deeper then what I have just told you. Not even the four creators knew of this until the end. The torch can do anything the user wants, as long as the person who has activated it has ascertained complete control over the flame's powers. The kings weren't given complete power over the torch. Just partial power."
"I thought you said that the four didn't know?"
"That's right, they didn't know, but that doesn't mean that the torch didn't have a mind of its own. It can sense the entire world around itself, and how much pure blood is left in the world. But, since the four creators have died, it's mind has grown weak, and will give full power to the first person that activates it."
"Which has to be me."
"Exactly. If you don't get there before Voldemort does, the entire Wizarding World will bow at his feet. We cannot let that happen."
"What exactly can the torch do?"
"Well, we don't have all of the answers to that question, but there are a few that we know. The torch with half control can help a person out in the middle of a battle by speaking into their mind, giving them strategic advice by sensing the world around them. When a person has full control, it can give advice when ever the user asks for it, and on any subject available.
With full control of the flames, you can control enormous amounts of people with magic stronger than the Imperious Curse. It was nearly used by Salazar's heir back when he was alive and king of the magical world. Only the fact that he was not in full control of the Green Flame Torch was the one thing that stopped him.
Also, a person can basically do anything they desire, with no limit to the power it uses. If they have a grudge against someone and wanted them dead, then they would die within seconds. The torch could do that with a single person, or large masses of people. It was another form of control that the four didn't know was put in there."
"So are you saying, that this enhances your mind to a point where anything can be done?"
"If your will is strong enough, then yes, anything can and will probably done with very little thought. That's why we cannot let it get into Voldemort's hands."
"Well, get me there. I'll get it, and then destroy it."
"We destroy it, we destroy the entire world."
"What are you talking about?"
"Not only did the torch link the Muggle-borns to the survival of the torch-bearer, should there be one, but it linked the pureblood survival as well. The true love of the user, if Muggle-born, would automatically become a pureblood. But, if the user has a son or daughter, then the power of the flame is passed down for them to claim the mantle of a king or queen.
If you and Voldemort were to die at this very moment, then the entire human race would become extinct, all because of one man's sacrifice to give the Muggles somewhat of a momentary freedom from our kind. Seeing what freedom can do, personally, I can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing."
"Well, at least I know you're on our side."
"Are you sure you want to get cute with me?"
"Before we came here you said something like, 'funny, that was quicker then the others.' What does that mean?"
"You're entire bloodline has come to this place, to train to take the Green Flame Torch's power from the temple. Your father among them. Oh, and just so you know, your father is not dead, yet, he isn't alive."
"What do you mean? What happened to him?"
"He is trapped in a place between this world and the real world. Kind of like you are right now, but he is trapped for good."
"What are you talking about?"
"Now, to explain this, I have to explain what you must do to go to the torch."
"Fine, tell me."
"There are two ways to get to the torch's resting place, which is called the Temple of Green Fire. The first way is An Island in the real world, called Bikanel Island. It is about two-hundred miles off of the coast of Great Britain. You can either get there by boat or Apparate inside the Island's shores. Voldemort will take this route, when he finds the last piece of the map to get there. He won't risk himself to Ministry exposure just yet.
The other way is going to the execution chamber inside the Department of Mysteries, and stepping through the veil. Entering the land of the dead manually."
"Wouldn't I die?"
"Not if your mind is a bridge to our world which. If a mind is a bridge to our world, then entering our world in anyway will not kill the physical form. You could in fact see your parents again, and then walk out as if nothing happened. But you would be here, to face the Seven Challenges of the Dead."
"What do those involve?"
"That is for the torch to decide. But you must be ready to face them. That was what I brought your father here to do that night he died. His mind was here, but his body was there. Voldemort destroyed your father's body while here, trapping his mind in this place. His ghost still walks the earth."
"Didn't you know what was going on? Didn't you know that-"
"The technology disadvantage we had back then didn't allow us to look in on the physical world at the time. Now we have that luxury, and only pull people whose minds act as bridges to our world, which is only you, to this place, and only if we need to pull them."
"I see."
"Now, you need to know how to activate the torch. The torch itself can tell anything that is inside the Temple of Green Fire. If a pureblood enters the temple, the torch will ignite, and will let that pureblood activate the torch, and take its power and use it to his discretion.
Now, to activate the torch, there are two places where your hands would go, one for each hand. By placing them in the correct areas, the torch will then send the flames through you, giving you the power of the Green Flame Torch. It will be the only weapon you really have against Voldemort."
"How do you know all of this? It doesn't seem like you-"
"Yes, given my heritage and the time that the torch was created, you would think that I shouldn't know about this. Well, I know all the stuff about the Green Flame Torch because I must know. It is my purpose. It is my purpose to help you in this task any my choice to help you. For I know the consequence of you not knowing what to do. You will fail."
"And what happens if I fail?"
"Then everything will fall. Not only your world but this one as well. Once this world goes, there is no hope for any type of resistance, and no challenge for him to go to any other world and conquer them."
"What do you mean 'any other world'?"
"There are more worlds then the three you know about. There are worlds that Voldemort has visited, trying to gain allies in his Ministry of Darkness. There are probably many more worlds than we even know about. But those worlds, have been sealed by their respective governments, or wise men from their world, thankfully for our cause."
"How will I know when I will be able to get the torch?"
"All you will know is that when the time is right, you will get a sense of power that will flow through your body, and you will then know it is time for you to retrieve you destiny, and get the torch into your powers. Just remember, one way or another, this war is going to end."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that either way, one person will win, the other will fall. You've heard the prophecy pertaining to you, the one that your quack Divination teacher said."
"Yes, now getting on to the subject of prophecies, what prophecy was Cho talking about?"
"What?"
"Before Cho died, she said, 'the prophecy' and then she died."
"You are not yet ready to know those answers."
"I think I am."
"Well I know you are not! The answer to the question you have asked does not pertain to the goal at this present time. Do not ask again."
"I will ask however many times I want to, in order to get the information I want. Cho died trying to tell me something, and I want to know what the hell it is!"
"If I tell you, it could throw this entire operation out of alignment, and jeopardize this entire goal of this mission!"
"Why do I have to be the one to complete the mission?"
"Because you are the one!"
"What?"
"You are the one that Voldemort marked as his equal. You're the one that Voldemort said had the power to defeat him. You're the only one that can defeat him now."
"Why did you have to kill Cho?"
"Because it was my duty. If she had contacted Voldemort about our operation after she was thrown out, then everything that we have worked for will be thrown out the window. Voldemort is already searching for the torch, and he suspects that there is a counter-operation already in place to train you to get it as well, but he doesn't know how. If he did, then we would have to evacuate from this part of the land of the dead, and start running from his Death Eaters that have died once."
"How can he contact them though? He's still alive, they're in this world."
"With the right spell, and a Muggle cell phone, a person from your world can contact anyone within this one. All it takes is the power to keep the spell going long enough to get the information that you have to the person in this world. And it works vice versa. Using this." Zalrot said, pointing at a little black box in the corner of the hut, "I don't particularly like using technology, but this little gizmo has helped me keep in contact with one of my kites in the living world. Which reminds me, I have an assignment for you."
"And that is?"
"My kite in the living world, a Detective Jonathan Dubrino, has gone missing as of 0230 hours England time. He missed his scheduled check-in appointment with one of the clerks in a hidden location of this world. We don't know if he's been flipped-"
"Flipped?"
"Turned, a double agent. We don't know if that is what happened, or if he has been captured, or if he is outside any other area and can't get to one of the contact points that we've set up for this to work."
"What is Dubrino, officially?"
"Where did you learn to ask that question?"
"The Order of the Phoenix."
"Ah, yes. The Order Dumbledore spoke of. Very well. Jonathan Dubrino," Zalrot walked over to a little grey box and pulled out a thin file, "ex-marines special forces, ex-CIA black-ops, ex-Unspeakable Infiltration Expert, recruited by me, and until 0230 hours this morning, one of my resident kites in the living world."
"Kite?"
"Someone who does my dirty work without any official connection. If things go south, the string is cut, and he is on his own."
"Then why are you making an exception in Dubrino's case?"
"Because I need him. He's one of my best agents."
"I see."
"Now, your assignment is, to right after you wake up, to go to Albus Dumbledore and inform him of the situation. He needs to be notified of what is going on, and if I try to a connection between him at me at the moment, Voldemort might be watching it, so we can't do that."
"How would he be watching?"
"Voldemort can do a lot of things, and he can spy on people's minds from a very long distance. Yours is a little different, either one of you have to be feeling a very strong emotion at the time."
"I see."
"Now, you'll be waking up any minute, go to Dumbledore, tell him to put some of his men on it, and tell him to tell them this: 'Rule Number One: Do… Not… Get… Caught.' Got it?"
"Got it."
"Go."
****
Harry woke up, looking into the now rising sun inside his room. He rubbed his eyes, and looked out the window. It looked so beautiful and peaceful then, that Harry temporarily forgot about what was really going on. Yeah, such a beautiful place, harmed by such tyranny.
He got dressed quickly, and ran to Professor Dumbledore's office. When he reached the stone Gargoyle, he discovered that the staircase was already up, going to his office. He climbed slowly, and could hear the shouting from being halfway on the first step.
"What the hell is this about some Green Flame Torch? I want some answers right now!"
"Cornelius, I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"Because of the fact that you were not brought in on the operation when it first started with Neil Potter."
"What does Harry Potter's Great, Great Grandfather have to do with anything?"
"He was the first one who tried to get to the Green Flame Torch. All I am asking you, is that when Harry is ready, you let him go to the Ministry of Magic, into the Execution Chamber, and step through the veil."
"It would kill the boy! I will not have that!"
"No it won't. Cornelius, just trust me on this. Let Harry step through the veil."
There was silence for a few minutes, then Fudge spoke again, "Fine, but if dies, it will be on your hands."
"Yes, it will. Now, if you please would take floo powder back to the office, I believe someone else would like to speak with me."
"Yes, yes." There was the roar of a fire, and Harry knew Fudge was gone.
"Come in, Harry." Harry stepped through the door to his office and sat down in one of the chairs, "If you have come to me at this hour, that means Cho Chang has lost her place in training you, and the Mandinka Leader, Zalrot, has taken her place. By force, probably."
"You'd be correct."
"Have you seen the true extent of what a person can do in the land of the dead?"
"Yeah, that doesn't mean I like it."
"Combat is what put those people there. And they will fight until the day they die again. What is the message that Zalrot has told you to tell me?"
"How did you know I had a message for you?"
"Your eyes. They can tell all emotions. Everyone's can, just in a little different way. Your eyes will change color with your mood. Weird yes, but very useful. Now, what does Zalrot want to tell me?"
"That Dubrino has not met his check-in arrangement time, and wants you to send some members of the order to search for him."
"I see."
"And he wanted you to tell them: 'Rule-"
"Number One: Do… Not… Get… Caught."
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Hey Everyone! I would like to say thank you for sticking with me this long, and I hope you enjoyed the Twentieth Chapter of this book. Now for all of you, I have two surprises. No shout-outs today, but I want to show you a preview of the next Chapter, and the lyrics to a song I wrote that will go on the soundtrack of this story. First, those Lyrics. This is a song I wrote called 'Hiding Away':
In this world, there is nothing more then the pain that we face,
Losing our place,
Feeling the hurt inside.
It's like a guide to our lives,
Chaining our pride to the train tracks,
Letting us suffer until we die.
(Chorus)
A world so cold,
A person so bold,
To think that he can hurt me this way.
Inside my head,
A key and a bed,
To hide myself today.
Now and again, Unexpected windfalls.
Gone again by charging at walls.
Deep in my mind,
A pain you will find,
Eating at my insides tonight.
An internal battle,
A struggle,
A war,
Against all the scars that I always bore,
Making me lose my pride until I die.
(Chorus)
A world so cold,
A person so bold,
To think that he can hurt me this way.
Inside my head,
A key and a bed,
To hide myself today.
No matter how hard I try to pull away from my pain,
Step out of the rain,
The tears roll out of my eye.
I see only one choice,
As I won't find my voice,
And that is to lay down and die.
(Chorus)
A world so cold,
A person so bold,
To think that he can hurt me this way.
Inside my head,
A key and a bed,
To hide myself today.
(Chorus)
A world so cold,
A person so bold,
To think that he can hurt me this way.
Inside my head,
A key and a bed,
To hide myself today.
Now the preview:
Dubrino sat in Jack Ryan's office, looking at all the pictures with him and Admiral Greer, then farther down, him and his wife, Cathy Muller-Ryan standing at the altar. The door opened, and Dubrino turned around. Jack Ryan was staring him in the eyes.
"What do you want, Detective?"
Dubrino threw Jack the photos of the Arrsburg massacre that he took, as well as the box that held the Stealth Camouflage.
"That's what is happening over in the U.K. Voldemort is search for an object. An object called-"
"The Green Flame Torch."
"Yes, how did you know?"
"My brother -in-law's brother-in law married Morgana's heir. He alerted the whole family of the immediate danger of his wife position. He's dead, isn't he?"
"How did you guess?"
"The woman he married, Sarah Granger, she would have died before giving up the location of her piece of the map. The only way she would say anything unless Abath was in mortal danger."
"Oh, I see."
Jack Ryan looked over the man. Zalrot told me a man would visit me within a couple weeks. Why does this man look like death? Jack then looked at the man's left arm. He saw the skin change and reform, making the dark mark appear, clear as day. Then it disappeared, just as quickly as it was shown.
Thank you all!