The Dark Lord paced back and forth in front of the fireplace,
scowling at the state of Dolohov's shoulder. Out of the twenty Death
Eaters he had sent to London, he had been the only one to return.
"Vampires?" Voldemort questioned.
Dolohov nodded, groaning as Severus tended to the deep wound.
"It was them," Antonin growled, grimacing as the Potions Master
poured a smoking liquid into the deep slash he had sustained.
Voldemort's jaw tightened.
He had sent Pettigrew to liaise with the creatures on his behalf, and
the rat had never returned.
"Potter," he muttered irritably. "He has been seen in the company of
one of them. She acts as Black's guard."
"And now they seem to have sided with him," Severus murmured.
"But why?"
"It doesn't matter!" Bellatrix snapped. "I will ring the bitch's neck."
"We have discussed this," the Dark Lord reminded the woman.
"Black is too well protected. That means that vampire is too. It would
be foolish to attempt to kill either directly. No, my mind is set on a
more important matter," he added, his gaze shifting to Nagini.
He no longer let her out of his sight and had taken the precaution of
placing her into an enchanted tank of his design.
She did not like it, but she would comply.
As things were, she was all that stood before him and potential
death.
With his plan all but set out, he could not risk anything befalling
Nagini.
"Important matter?" Dolohov asked.
Voldemort nodded.
"Severus, leave us," he instructed.
Snape merely offered a bow before doing so.
"As much as I wish I can trust him, I cannot with what I am to discuss
with you," Voldemort explained. "Antonin, I would have you scout
Hogwarts. You can enter through the forest."
"The bloody forest?" Dolohov scoffed. "It's madness to go in there."
Voldemort nodded.
"It is the only way," he sighed. "I need you to find a route through to
the castle."
"My Lord, that could take weeks."
"Take as much time as you need. Choose twenty of our best, but do
not get caught," he instructed firmly. "The damned gatekeeper knows
the place like the back of his hand."
Antonin was undoubtedly reluctant to accept the task, but he would.
Dolohov was among his most loyal followers and had not let him
down yet.
With a nod, the man stood.
"I will begin at once, My Lord."
"No," Voldemort decided. "Not until you are healed. You are no good
to me injured, Antonin."
Nodding his understanding, Dolohov left the room.
"What do you need from me, My Lord?" Bellatrix questioned.
"I need the others prepared," Voldemort replied. "They must be
ready to combat the castle defences. There will be no more
ambushing the aurors. With the vampires out there, it is too
dangerous. We must preserve our numbers and add to them if we
can."
"Of course, My Lord," Bellatrix returned obediently.
She was displeased that there would be no more attacks on the
aurors, but it was for the best.
"Now, leave me. There is much I need to consider."
When he was alone, the Dark Lord took a seat by the fire, ignoring
the permeating cold and irritating whispers.
Everything he had ever worked for depended on this undertaking.
His Death Eaters needed to be ready, as did he.
Getting into Hogwarts was a monumental task in itself, but that
would only be the beginning.
The castle defences were something of legend, and even if they
could be breached, the Hogwarts staff were amongst the best in their
fields.
They wouldn't simply bow down to his demands.
No, it would be an all-out battle, and the Dark Lord needed to ensure
that every possible thing that could go wrong was mitigated
accordingly.
It would take careful planning, and even then, it was likely he would
find himself facing the unexpected.
The thought filled him with dread.
Taking such a risk was one thing but being unprepared was
something the Dark Lord had never been comfortable with.
Nevertheless, with how everything had developed so unfavourably,
he was left with little choice.
It was imperative that he made it into the castle to retrieve the
diadem, and with a little luck, he could be rid of Dumbledore in the
process.
Having the vampires join the war was not something Harry had
anticipated until Draikon had all but insisted on them doing so. He
was grateful for the much-needed assistance, but housing fifty of the
creatures in a country that would likely be hostile towards them,
despite their reasons for being here, had not been easy.
Still, the sudden and violent passing of Lord Nott seemed to have
provided Harry with the perfect place. The vacated building of his
illicit empire was perfect for Svetlana and her soldiers.
They were within Knockturn Alley where they could keep an eye on
the less savoury elements of society, and only a stone's throw from
Diagon Alley, which had seen its fair share of trouble over the past
months.
It would be best if the vampire involvement was able to be kept out
of the public sphere, though were it to become known, there was
always the option of having Rita spin a yarn of how they had a
personal vendetta against Voldemort.
Harry shook his head.
That was a bridge they would cross if they came to it.
Entering the kitchen, he paused as he spotted Cain seated at the
table nursing a glass of Firewhiskey.
The werewolf wasn't one to take to drink.
He'd spent enough time around a hungover Sirius reeking of stale
booze to find any enjoyment in it.
"What's happened?" Harry asked as he took the seat opposite.
Cain deflated as he shook his head and slid a piece of parchment
towards him.
"I wrote to my parents," he explained.
Harry frowned as he unfolded the missive and began reading the
short response.
Cain,
After what you have done, you are no son of ours!
You are not welcome amongst any of the packs. You are to be killed
on sight.
Never contact us again!
The letter hadn't even been signed, but Harry recognised the writing
from the other letters Cain had shown him the night he'd revealed
that Greyback had asked him to spy on Harry.
This one, as were the others, came courtesy of his mother.
Harry released a deep sigh and circled the table to take the seat next
to Cain.
"I'm sorry," he offered sincerely.
Despite his own feelings towards the woman, Harry understood the
importance of the pack to a wolf, even if things weren't always
desirable.
A pack was supposed to be for life, and a lone wolf was a weak wolf.
Cain waved him off.
"I didn't expect anything less," he murmured, "but I thought…"
"That they may have seen sense."
"It's stupid, isn't it?"
"No," Harry denied. "There is nothing stupid about hope."
Cain offered him a weak smile.
"Well, that's that then," he sighed before balling up the piece of
parchment and throwing it into the fire, pushing the glass of liquor
away. "I can't see how they drink that piss. My guts are on fire."
Harry snorted amusedly and clapped his friend on the shoulder.
"You'll always have a home here," he assured him.
"You and Lucinda will want your own space soon enough."
"True, but there are other houses belonging to me I can make use of.
For how much Sirius despises this place, he hasn't asked to leave
yet. I don't think he will. I suppose that means I will be stuck with him
and Remus for the foreseeable future."
"That doesn't bother you?"
Harry shook his head.
"You're all family to me," he replied. "There will always be a place
here for all of you."
Cain seemed to take some comfort from that, but he evidently did
not wish to discuss anything pertaining to his parents and his
confirmed expulsion from the pack.
"What about the vampires?" he asked curiously. "Will they patrol the
areas we secure?"
"To begin with," Harry decided, "but it probably won't come to
anything. Voldemort won't risk many more attacks like that if he
thinks the results will be the same. He'll have to come up with
something else."
"What do you think he will do?"
Harry shrugged in response.
"There's no telling what goes through his mind. I don't suppose the
curse is helping his sanity."
"Curse?"
Harry grinned mischievously.
"I placed a curse near his home," he explained. "I couldn't do much,
but there are voices that whisper to him in parseltongue and it drops
the temperature of the area significantly at random times. I imagine it
is irritating him quite a bit."
Cain shook his head.
"He must know it's you," he chuckled. "Bloody hell, only you would
provoke a psycho more than he needs to be."
"It gives him something to think about," Harry pointed out. "It reminds
him that I am there and that even within his own walls, he cannot
escape me."
"Well, I think the world should be grateful that you don't have the
same aspirations as Voldemort," Cain replied.
Harry shook his head with conviction.
"I don't even like the power I have now," he admitted. "If I had my
way, I'd have a much simpler life where I wouldn't have to worry
about politics or any of that kind of stuff."
"Then why do you?"
"Because it is my responsibility," Harry answered simply. "I might not
be a strong traditionalist like most of the former Lords of the Black
family, nor do I care so much about being a protector of the people,
but generations have and I would be doing them a disservice if I did
not continue their work. I will not be the reason that the Potters and
Blacks fall from grace, or become just other names in history."
"That's some dedication," Cain murmured. "I sometimes forget just
how much pressure is on you. You carry it so well."
Harry shook his head.
"Not always," he disagreed, "but even when things get tough, you
have to appear as though you have everything in hand. People will
try to take advantage if they see what they perceive to be
weakness."
"More political ramblings?"
Harry laughed heartily.
"Something like that."
"And what about when everyone finds out you married a vampire?"
"Then they can take it up with me if they have a problem."
"Like they would do that," Cain returned.
"That's what I'm hoping. When the war is done, I will fulfil my duties,
but I still want to live. I want to be able to see my children off to
school, spend the holidays with them, and just be a good husband
and friend."
"That's it?"
Harry nodded.
"It probably sounds boring to you, but that really is it."
"There's nothing wrong with that. It's quite admirable really, but will
the rest of the world allow it?"
"Of course they will," Harry replied with a grin. "I have a vampire for
a wife, and a werewolf for a best friend. Who's going to argue with
that?"
"Why am I being dragged into this?"
"You're here, aren't you?"
"Maybe I should have stayed at Durmstrang," Cain grumbled.
"Maybe," Harry agreed.
Cain smirked.
"No. I don't have any regrets, not even with what happened to the
pack. I may be a lone wolf now, but I can cope."
"I suppose having Summerbee warming your bed helps."
Cain flushed quite the brilliant shade of red.
"So much for rutting like a wolf," he sighed. "She got me good,
Harry."
"She did but you're not the only one," Harry pointed out. "If you
would have told me that I would be married to Lucinda the first day
we met, I would have gotten a healer to check your head."
"But you don't regret any of it?"
"Not a thing," Harry answered sincerely. "I don't know what I would
do without her."
"Who knew that boys spoke in such a flattering way," Lucinda's voice
sounded from the door.
Harry turned to see the grinning vampire leaning against the
woodwork.
"You knew she was there," Harry accused the amused werewolf.
"I did," Cain said unashamedly. "That'll teach you for bringing up
personal things."
"Personal?" Lucinda choked. "You might want to learn how to use
silencing charms if you want to keep that part of your life that way."
Cain blushed again, and it was Harry that got the last laugh in the
exchange.
"Come on, Potter," Lucinda urged. "Even you have to sleep
sometimes."
"Sleep? Pull the other one," Cain interjected.
"You can shut up," Harry huffed, "and your name is Potter now too,"
he added to Lucinda.
"I hadn't thought of that," the vampire murmured.
"Come on, Potter, bedtime," Harry teased.
Lucinda narrowed her eyes at him and Harry took off in a sprint.
He knew that look well enough now, and though running only
seemed to provoke the vampire's predatorial instincts, it never
stopped him instigating things between them.
"I must say, I had not considered the possibility of the vampires
involving themselves," Albus murmured. "Tom has found himself with
some undesirable enemies."
"How did Potter convince them?" Severus asked.
Albus shook his head.
"Vampires are not beholden to humans," he explained. "You cannot
convince a vampire to do something they do not wish to. They are
stubborn and unfriendly creatures, and they certainly do not answer
to humans willingly. I expect that Harry's relationship with Miss
Tarasov has somehow inspired this odd alliance. Lord Draikon was
once quite a prolific advocate for being allowed to hunt for his food.
His early efforts of uprising were quashed, and he has lived in
relative obscurity since."
"Should we be concerned?"
Albus frowned at the question.
"I do not believe so. Harry would not allow the vampires to be here if
there was the risk they would do anything untoward. No. Although I
cannot profess to understand this development in its entirety, I have
no cause for concern, as yet."
Severus did not appear to be convinced.
"He no longer trusts me as he once did," he murmured. "He
dismissed me to hold a meeting with Bellatrix and Dolohov."
Albus nodded.
"Then we must assume that he is finally turning his attention to
Hogwarts."
"It would be foolish to attempt to attack the castle."
"For most," Albus agreed, "but Tom is not the average wizard. The
defences of Hogwarts are indeed exceptional, but they are not
infallible. He will find a way in."
"What will we do?"
"We will prepare accordingly," Albus answered tiredly. "When he
inevitably comes, we must be ready."
Severus released an irritable breath.
"I do not understand why he would take such a risk."
"Because he believes there is something here he wishes to be
returned to him," Albus answered vaguely. "To him, the reward
outweighs the risk."
"I don't suppose you are going to be more forthcoming?"
Albus offered the man a smile.
"It is for your own sake that I will say no more."
Severus scowled unhappily.
He did not like being kept in the dark, but it was for the best.
"I do not like it," the Potions Master declared. "The thought of him
here is unsettling. It could take weeks or months, and with your
condition… The castle is at its strongest with you here. Have you
even told Minerva?"
"I have," Albus confirmed. "She took the news as well as expected."
"Do you not think it would be apt to tell her of this?"
"I will," Albus assured the younger man. "If the worst is to happen
and my time runs out before he arrives, I will ensure the castle is
ready. I am but one man, Severus, and an old one at that. Tom no
longer fears me as he once did. You need to let go of the notion that
it will be my efforts that will put a stop to him."
"Potter," Severus grumbled.
"Harry," Albus concurred. "He is our best hope, our only hope. You
may not like him but it is him that will set you free. He will win
Severus. Of that, I have no doubt."
"I wish I could share your confidence, Headmaster. The Dark Lord is
a monster…"
"And there is always one that comes to slay them."
Severus's lip curled in distaste.
"The snake," he sighed after a moment. "He has become oddly
preoccupied with protecting it. He has even placed it into an
enchanted tank and never lets it out of his sight."
Albus nodded his understanding.
"The final piece of the puzzle. It will need to be destroyed."
"Impossible," Severus declared. "Every protection imaginable will be
around it. No one will get to it whilst he lives."
"Then it may have to wait until after Tom is gone," Albus mused
aloud. "I will need to ponder our options. Leave it with me, Severus. I
apologise for the rudeness, but I am feeling rather fatigued."
"Of course," Severus replied as he stood, eying Albus worriedly as
he made his way towards the door and took his leave of the office.
When he was alone, Albus released a deep breath.
It seemed with each passing day now the curse took its toll on him
more and more.
When he'd first been exposed to it, weeks would go by without
feeling any negative effect from it, but now it was reaching ever
closer towards his heart, there was no ignoring the symptoms.
Nausea, fatigue, and tiredness.
Albus had never been one to sleep much, but now, it seemed he did
so more than he was awake.
His days truly were numbered, but now was not the time to rest.
The castle needed to be prepared, and he would use his very last
breath to ensure that it was.
"Is all of this really necessary?" Lucinda groaned.
Cassiopeia was not even halfway through explaining what a
wizarding wedding would entail and the vampire was already losing
patience. Still, she had decided to accept Harry's proposal, and there
were expectations to be fulfilled.
She smirked in response as she placed another pile of brochures on
the desk, eliciting a bout of laughter from Ana and Eleanor.
"Don't worry," the latter comforted. "We will help you with all of this."
"And what will Harry be doing?" Lucinda grumbled.
"Attending," Cassiopeia answered simply. "Believe me, the last thing
you want is for him to be involved in any of this. The finer details of
magical ceremonies has never been his strong point. It was difficult
enough getting him to put any effort in learning to dance. Wedding
talk would see him hide under his bed for days."
"He hid under his bed?" Lucinda asked amusedly.
"And would have stayed there had I not caught Elgar sneaking him
food and put a stop to it. Trust me, this is better handled by us, and
you have Dobby too."
Lucinda's nostrils flared at the mention of the elf, and a grin tugged
at Cassiopeia's lips.
"Don't tell me he is causing you problems?"
"No," Lucinda denied. "I'm just not used to having everything done
for me. It's strange. I know he means well, and he is growing on me,
even if he can be more annoying than Harry. It's just taking some
adjusting."
"A house-elf is an invaluable asset," Cassiopeia assured her. "They
not only keep your household running smoothly, but they are
excellent additions to your security. You'd be surprised at how deep
their loyalty goes," she added, her mind drifting towards what
Kreacher had done on behalf of Regulus.
"I am grateful for him," Lucinda explained. "It's not really the
punishment you intended."
"Punishment?" Cassie asked airily.
Lucinda offered her a pointed look.
"I know that you're a little put out that we got married already, but it
was a spur of the moment thing. I didn't expect Draikon to insist on a
vampire ceremony, and not there and then."
Cassiopeia hummed.
"What's done is done, I suppose," she sighed. "Even if it was a
vampire ceremony, I still would have liked to have been there," she
admitted. "I raised that boy as though he was my own…"
"And you did a fine job," Lucinda cut her off. "For all of his mischief,
and his ability to irritate me more than anyone else, everything else
is because of you. How do you think he would have turned out if he
was raised by the muggles?"
Cassiopeia's jaw tightened at the mention of Lily Evans' sister and
her fat oaf of a husband.
Harry would have had a terrible life with them. One that did not bear
thinking about.
"Flattery will not get you far with me."
"If you call honesty flattery, that's your choice."
Cassiopeia's lips quirked in amusement.
Harry had indeed chosen his bride wisely.
Forgetting that she was a vampire, Lucinda was a strong woman
who was not afraid to trade barbs with any, and it filled Cassiopeia
with relief to know it.
She would need to be strong, now, and throughout their marriage
when it came to dealing with other purebloods that would seek to
earn her and Harry's favour.
Yes, Harry had chosen well indeed.
"What about dresses?" she pressed as she pulled a brochure from
the middle of the pile. "You must have an interest in those at least."
"As long as it isn't white and frilly."
"It doesn't have to be," Cassiopeia returned. "Any dressmaker worth
their craft will make it in whatever style you prefer and with any
material."
Lucinda grinned at the thought, and Cassie felt a sense of dread fill
her.
Judging by the woman's usual attire, she certainly would not be
choosing a traditional dress.
"It's spreading at a much quicker rate now," Harry said with a frown
as he inspected the blackened lines creeping towards Dumbledore's
heart. "I'd say you have around a month at most."
"Severus is hopeful for two."
Harry shook his head.
"A month," he reiterated, touching the tip of his wand at the point the
curse ended.
It retreated a few inches and Dumbledore gasped in pain.
"Six weeks," Harry corrected. "I wouldn't push my luck by trying
more. It will fight back."
Dumbledore's breathing had become laboured, but he felt
considerably better after Harry's manipulation of the magic.
"Thank you, Harry," the old man said sincerely. "Two more weeks
should be enough. Perhaps Severus was being a little optimistic."
Harry snorted derisively.
"The git probably doesn't know what optimism is."
Dumbledore offered Harry a sad smile.
"Severus is…"
"A bitter man," Harry interjected. "You may trust him, but I don't. He
despises me for a grudge he had with my father that he never grew
out of. James Potter has been dead for more than fifteen years now
and Snape still can't let go of whatever animosity there was between
them. He will die a lonely, miserable tosser, and I can't say he
deserves anything more. I would bet my life there is a small part of
him that wants to see Voldemort kill me, and at best, he is hoping
that we finish each other off."
"I think you are being unfair, Harry."
"I think you are too sentimental," Harry returned. "It doesn't take an
expert in the Mind Arts to know what Snape thinks of me and my
father. He reeks of envy. He couldn't have my mother so the next
best thing is to see me dead, just like my father is. I imagine he
celebrated at hearing the news of James Potter's demise."
"I will not say he mourned for him, but he did for your mother. He still
does."
Harry chuckled humourlessly.
"Then I hope he lives a long life where he is reminded daily that he is
partly to blame for what happened to her," Harry replied. "Despite
everything, I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt only
because of how loyal he has been to you, but if he gives me even an
inkling of treachery, I will kill him without hesitation."
Albus deflated in his chair as he nodded his understanding.
"I often forget who it was that raised you," he sighed. "We are alike in
many ways with our appreciation of magic and our dedication to it."
"But we are different in many more," Harry pointed out. "You are a
born scholar and just about the most impressive wizard I have met.
You have no understanding or desire of being a warrior."
"Is that so wrong?"
"No," Harry replied gently. "Sometimes I wish I had that option, but I
learned long ago that it is better to be a warrior in a garden than a
gardener on a battlefield. I never had the choice."
"You did not," Albus replied sympathetically. "When the war is done,
you will."
"Until another Dark Lord comes along as they always do. People will
expect me to face them."
"And you will answer the call," Albus chuckled. "It is in your very
nature, Harry, and try as we may, we cannot deny who we are."
Harry nodded reluctantly.
"You're probably right," he huffed. "Maybe this is who I was always
destined to be."
"But you can always be more," Albus replied with a smile. "You may
be a warrior, but you can also be a scholar and a role model for
others to look up to."
"What about a family?"
Albus's smile widened.
"That is your deepest wish."
It was not a question, but a statement of fact.
"I had Cassie growing up, and given the circumstances, she did all
she could for me, but yes, I would like a family of my own. Mine was
taken from me, and try as I might, I still wonder how things would be
different if Voldemort didn't come to Godric's Hollow."
"The prophecy would still have to be fulfilled," Dumbledore pointed
out.
"I know, but there is nothing wrong with occasionally allowing
ourselves to drift into the things that never were that should have
been, or the things yet to come."
"There is not," Albus agreed wholeheartedly. "So, how many children
would you like?" he asked, leaning back in his chair and popping a
sherbet lemon into his mouth.
Before Harry could answer, there was a loud knock on the door.
"Come in," Albus called.
The enormous man Harry had seen around the grounds during the
Triwizard Tournament entered, blushing bright red as he paused
upon seeing him.
"I'm sorry, Professor Dumbledore. I didn't know you had company."
"It's quite alright, Hagrid," Albus assured the man. "I'm not sure if you
were introduced during his last visit here a few years ago now, but
this is Harry Potter."
"That is never little Harry," Hagrid exclaimed. "I heard you were here
before, but I didn't want to impose. Ah, you were such a tiny little
thing when I came to get you that night. You fit right in the pocket of
my coat."
"Hagrid was the one who retrieved you from Godric's Hollow,"
Dumbledore explained. "There is no other I would have trusted with
such an important task."
Hagrid's cheeks reddened again as Harry stood.
He barely reached past the behemoth's waist, and if he so chose to,
Hagrid could crush his head with his bare hands with little effort,
though that did not seem to be his nature.
Despite his rather intimidating figure, he appeared to be rather
gentle.
"Then I owe you my thanks," Harry said sincerely, offering his hand.
Hagrid only hesitated for a moment before he engulfed it in his own
massive paw.
"It was nothing," he said dismissively. "You slept the whole way. I did
wonder how you were getting on, and now you're out there fighting
against him. Your mum and dad would be proud of you, Harry."
Dumbledore cleared his throat to get their attention, smiling at the
back and forth between them.
"Was there something you needed, Hagrid?"
The man's expression darkened as he nodded.
"I just had a chat with Bane. He told me that there are wizards in the
forest, Headmaster, and that they are not from the school."
Albus released a deep sigh.
"They have begun already," he murmured. "Where were they
spotted?"
"On the border just in front of the mountains," Hagrid explained.
"How long will it take them to reach the castle?"
"If they take the shortest route through the centaur camp, about a
week I'd say," Hagrid answered thoughtfully. "But it is the most
dangerous way to come. Even I am not welcome in that part of the
forest. There are creatures there that should be left alone."
"What kind of creatures?" Harry broke in.
"It's hard to say," Hagrid answered with a frown. "I've not seen them,
but I've found their leavings and some fur and other things that
shouldn't be there. I think there are griffins in there and maybe even
a nundu or two. I definitely found signs of a graphorn in there a few
years ago."
"It would take a fair few of them to get through all of that," Harry
mused aloud.
"Aye, it would," Hagrid said with a shudder. "At least a hundred of
them, unless he is with them."
"What if they take any other route?"
"It'd take longer, and they aren't safe either," Hagrid replied
thoughtfully. "The centaurs are already preparing for war and then
there's Aragog and his children."
"Aragog?" Harry asked curiously.
"He's an Acromantula. I raised him since he was an egg when I was
a lad," the man answered proudly.
"Bloody hell," Harry muttered. "How big has he grown since?"
"Bigger than me," Hagrid answered with a shrug. "I think I'll warn
him. He won't like humans anywhere near the den."
"Hagrid, how many children does Aragog have?"
"A few hundred at least," Hagrid answered with a chuckle. "I lost
count years ago."
Harry could only shake his head, but in that moment, an idea came
to him.
"Would they try to eat me if I was with you?"
Hagrid was taken aback by the question.
"I think they'd treat you well enough," he mused aloud. "I've never
taken a visitor before."
Harry hummed.
"I'd like to come," he decided a moment later, already dreading
Cassie's response to him doing something so seemingly reckless.
"The hut by the edge of your forest, is that your home?"
"It is," Hagrid confirmed. "I've been there since I was eighteen."
"Then I will meet you there shortly."
Hagrid offered him a beaming smile before taking his leave of the
office, and Harry shifted attention towards Dumbledore when the
door closed behind him.
"We don't have much time," he said gravely.
"We do not," Albus agreed. "I have already begun preparations to
secure the castle as best I can in the hope that none will cross the
threshold."
Harry nodded approvingly, frowning as he removed a worn piece of
parchment from within his robes.
It was one of the few items he owned that had belonged to his father
in some way, and he was reluctant to part with it, even temporarily.
" I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he said fondly before
placing the map on the desk. "This came into my possession some
time ago. When I was last here, I took the precaution of sealing all of
the hidden passages shown with this one being the exception," he
explained pointing to the one-eyed witch on the fifth floor. "I expect
this will come in quite handy for you, but I would like it back. It was
my father's."
"What an astounding piece of magic," Dumbledore whispered. "This
is quite the feat, and a very dangerous object in the wrong hands."
"Then we should be grateful that it is in ours," Harry pointed out.
"Use it well," Harry added with a smirk, recounting the very words
Dumbledore had written on the missive he'd included when returning
the invisibility cloak.
"I will," the old man assured him, "but there is one concern I have
regarding Tom. The Chamber of Secrets."
Harry nodded his understanding.
"I already sealed it."
"You know where it is?"
"I do," Harry confirmed. "There was a rather unfriendly basilisk down
there, but it is dead. Tom will not be able to use it to enter the castle."
Albus leaned back in his chair and chuckled amusedly.
"Well, I must say that there are very few people who have managed
to surprise me to the extent you have, Harry. Thank you. When I am
not using the map, I will place it in the book on chamber music on my
shelf. It will be there for you should the worst occur."
"Then I hope that I do not have to retrieve it myself," Harry sighed. "I
will go with Hagrid, and then I will instruct the vampires to make their
way here. We will need them."
"May I ask how it is they came to assist you?"
Harry smiled.
"I married one of them," he revealed before taking his leave of the
office, leaving an amused and dumbfounded headmaster in his
wake.
"What was that?"
Antonin seized the man by the collar of his robes.
"Shut your yap," he hissed irritably. "We don't want to draw attention
to ourselves."
The man nodded.
"Something is watching us, Antonin," he whispered.
Dolohov's gaze swept across the breadth of the trees in front of
them, bringing his wand the bear as he heard the sound of a twig
snapping.
"Bloody hell," he grumbled as he spotted a rabbit. "I don't like this.
The forest is forbidden for a reason."
"I heard that there's giants living here," another of the Death Eaters
commented.
"I think giants are the least of our problems," Antonin whispered as a
large shadow passed in the distance. "Stay alert, and don't wander
off. We're not alone in here."
"How big is the forest?" Harry asked curiously as he and Hagrid
made their way along a trodden path.
"It's big, but it's not the size that's the problem," Hagrid answered.
"There's magic here, and it will trick you. I got lost in here for three
weeks once when I first became the gamekeeper."
"I bet that was fun."
Hagrid nodded, and even by the lamplight, Harry could see the smile
the man wore.
From what little he knew of him Harry would bet being lost in the
forest was one of his fondest memories.
"Look, a unicorn," Hagrid gasped.
Stepping around the considerable width, Harry saw it too.
The whiteness of the creature stood stark against the darkness of
the forest. It was a majestic sight, and though it cantered off a
moment later, Harry knew he had seen something quite rare.
"Do you see them much?"
Hagrid shook his head.
"They're shy creatures," he explained "I find their hairs snagged on
branches often, but they don't come out much. There's a few of them
out there, though."
Harry nodded appreciatively, and the two continued on their way for
some time before Hagrid held out a hand to stop him once more.
"The den is just a little further up," he explained. "Keep your wits
about you, Harry. Aragog sees me as a friend and I don't expect he
will cause us trouble, but it is better to be safe."
"I will," Harry assured the man as his grip tightened around his wand.
He had seen Acromantula before and knew how to defend himself
from them if necessary.
Nonetheless, nothing could prepare him for the sight that greeted
him as Hagrid led him through a nearby descending tunnel.
It wasn't the hundreds of already large spiders that left Harry taken
aback, but what he could only describe as an abomination of a
creature that rested in the very centre of the den.
Surrounded by webs was what many would consider to be a thing of
nightmares.
Harry did not know that Acromantula could grow so big, and yet, he
was looking one in the eyes that could probably tear Hagrid to pieces
if it chose to.
"Hagrid," the spider spoke in a gravelly voice, surprising Harry once
more.
"He can speak?" he choked.
Hagrid merely grinned fondly before he approached the arachnid
and pulled it into an embrace.
Harry had seen some strange sights in his life, but he'd never
imagined he would see someone be so fond of such a creature.
"Aragog. The brood is thriving!" the enormous man declared
delightedly.
"My children have become many," Aragog replied, shifting his many
eyes towards Harry. "You have brought another human."
The spider was certainly not pleased to see Harry, and the children
around him began clicking their pincers hungrily.
"Harry is a friend," Hagrid comforted. "He has come here to ensure I
am safe whilst I brought you the news."
"News?" Aragog pressed, his eyes remaining firmly on Harry.
"There are people in the forest," Hagrid explained. "Bad people that
would harm you and your children."
Aragog clacked his pincers in anger.
"Then they will die!" he declared.
"They will," Harry agreed, taking a tentative step forward, "but it
would be terrible to see you lose any of your children to them. I have
an idea, if you are willing to listen."
"I am listening, friend of Hagrid."
"I think it would be best if you let them pass your den before you
attack them. It will take them by surprise and you will have the
support of the wizards who will be waiting for them."
Aragog stepped forwards, his eyes narrowing at Harry.
"You have the scent of the only one we fear," he whispered. "We flee
from the great monster that once stalked the trees, but it is gone
now."
Harry frowned in confusion before the realisation hit.
The basilisk.
Spiders were known to flee from their presence.
This was something Harry could use to his advantage.
"I slayed the beast," he informed Aragog. "It bit me, but it died. It will
not bother you and your children again."
"Truly?"
Harry nodded and Aragog relaxed.
"Then you have done a great service to me. I will take your advice,
friend of Hagrid, and today, you will be allowed to leave."
The children screeched their displeasure but fell silent when Aragog
clicked his pincers threateningly.
"Well, I'm glad you have chosen not to eat me."
He was.
Harry had no doubt that he could escape, but in the process, he
would lose a valuable ally in what was to come.
It wasn't until he and Hagrid left the den a short while later that Harry
spoke again.
"Would he have really eaten me with you there?"
"I don't know," Hagrid murmured, "But I wouldn't risk visiting again if I
was you, Harry."
"I wasn't planning to," Harry snorted, pleased that he had his limbs
intact and that he hadn't been forced to act against Hagrid's pet