аааааааа"Yeah, you couldn't blame him for being really angry," James agreed, "but that doesn't mean he'd hate the whole Muggle world. Just because there was one evil Muggle prat, that's hardly reason to go to war against the lot of them."
аааааааа"Well, that's what some people believed," Rose said, shrugging. "But Merlin himself never actually said so. Officially speaking, he never said anything again. He was never again seen in public, and it's right after that that Austramaddux talks about Merlinus 'leaving the society of men until the time was ripe for him'. It's no wonder people have been suspicious all these centuries."
аааааааа"And still are today," James said pointedly.
аааааааа"That doesn't mean I agree with everything people have said about him," Rose replied quietly. "But it certainly makes one understand how Merlin might have developed a bit of a serious grudge. Love makes people do mad things."
ааааааааJames sighed. "I've got a plan, Rose," he admitted in a low voice. "I wasn't sure I was going to go through with it, but I am now. I need to clear Merlin's name if I can. I'm going to find out the truth about whether he is involved with those people we saw, and that horrible, er, thing in the smoky cloak."
ааааааааRose narrowed her eyes at James. "You know something about that thing, don't you?" she asked. "You're hiding something. Does it have to do with that weird pain you get in your forehead sometimes?"
аааааааа"What?" James said, startled. "No! IЕ er, I don't feel that anymore."
аааааааа"Right," Rose nodded. "You smacked your forehead and yelled in pain that day outside the Headmaster's office because you suddenly remembered the extra credit answer on your Arithmancy test."
ааааааааJames deflated. "Look, yeah, I still feel it sometimes. I don't know where it's coming from. But it doesn't have anything to do with Merlin, all right?"
аааааааа"Scorpius says you're having bad dreams," Rose said, looking closely at James.
аааааааа"Bloody hell, Rose! What's he doing, staying up nights taking notes?"
аааааааа"He says you've been talking in your sleep and getting all worked up. He can't hear what you're saying, but it always seems to be the same. And it's happening a couple of times a week."
ааааааааJames glared at Rose, and then looked away. "Yeah, so what? I hardly ever even remember the dreams. And even when I do, they don't make any sense. There's always a voice talking, and flashing blades, and the sound of old machinery. Someone is walking and I'm following them, but I can't see who it is. And then there's water and some weird faces. So what? It's just a dream. It doesn't mean anything."
ааааааааRose rolled her eyes. "I know you well enough to know you don't believe that."
ааааааааJames shook his head. "Look, I don't know what it's all about. Maybe it does have something to do with the weird pain I get on my forehead sometimes. CedricЕ Cedric says he can actually see a scar there. He says it glows green."
аааааааа"No!" Rose exclaimed, as if she thought that was the coolest thing she'd ever heard. She leaned in, studying James' forehead. "Can you see it when you look in the mirror? Does it glow when you turn off the lights?"
аааааааа"This isn't funny, Rose!" James said, backing away. "But at least it means I'm not a nutter. If Cedric sees it, then it isn't in my head."
аааааааа"Yeah," Rose agreed. "Technically, it's on your head."
ааааааааJames grimaced at his cousin. "But the point is that this has nothing to do with how I intend to find out the truth about Merlin."
аааааааа"How, James?" Rose asked seriously. "I mean, Ralph's right about one thing: if Merlin is involved with that evil plot, he's one scary character to go up against. He'd have no qualms about getting you out of the way. Let Ralph and me help you, at least."
ааааааааJames shook his head. "I don't need help, Rose. Sorry. It'd just get you two into trouble too if we got caught."
ааааааааRose had always been very practical. She nodded solemnly. "When are you going to do it?"
ааааааааJames' face grew determined. "Tonight, if I can. If everything goes right, we'll know the truth by tomorrow morning. Wish me luck."
аааааааа"You'll need more than luck, you berk," Rose said. "I certainly hope you know what you're doing."
ааааааааJames thought of the way Merlin had found him in the halls, both when he'd been standing guard for the Gremlins and when he'd gone for the rolling chalkboard. Merlin knew when things were going on around the school, and he'd know what James was up to if James wasn't very careful.
аааааааа"So do I, Rose," James agreed as he and his cousin walked down the corridor toward the Great Hall, "so do I."
ааааааааJames had a simple plan. He'd talked Cedric's ghost into helping, although it had been a close thing. Cedric didn't like going into the Headmaster's office now that Merlin was occupying it, and there was some sort of boundary that prevented ghosts from entering the Headmaster's personal quarters. Still, Cedric could hover outside the windows and see when the lights went off. Presumably, Merlin slept sometime. When the lights in his quarters had been off for an hour, Cedric was to come and wake James.
ааааааааJames went to bed that night certain that he wouldn't sleep a wink. He was nervous about his plan, partly because he thought he might be caught no matter how sneaky he was and partly because he was afraid of what he'd discover if the plan succeeded. Every time he began to drift to sleep, he'd imagine he was hearing Cedric coming to wake him. It was silly because the ghost made no noise whatsoever unless he wanted to, so James would never hear his approach. Still, every bump and creak caught James' attention until, eventually, he drifted into a fitful sleep.
аааааааааHe had the dream again, but it was different this time. As always, it began with the swish and glimmer of metal blades, frighteningly close, and the rumble of ancient machinery. There was the voice, silky and ingratiating, a little maddening. It echoed so that James couldn't understand it, but occasional phrases slipped through. "Time is not yet comeЕ," the voice said, and "The task set before youЕ" and "Е bearer of redemptionЕ" In the dream, James shuddered.
ааааааааThere was a figure walking with him, but all James could see in the darkness was a faceless silhouette. James seemed to float with the figure, as if carried by it somehow. He felt the scar on his head like a weight. Then, for the first time, light bloomed in the strange space. It emanated from the pool, green and flickering, throwing dancing ripples over every surface. The walls were stone, old and slick with moss. James had a sense of being underground, far from the light of day. The voice continued to speak as figures moved in the brightly glimmering water, like reflections from another world. The voice came from a figure in the dark corner, draped in black. As it spoke, the two faces formed in the water again, their expressions both sad and hopeful, pleading. They were clearer this time, rippling just under the water's surface: a man and a woman, younger than James' parents. James' companion gasped and dropped to kneel, crawling to the water's edge, reaching to touch the rippling surface.
аааааааа"Stop," the voice commanded. "The time is not yet come. You would join them in that world, not return them to this one. Their blood calls for payment. Only then can they cross over. But you can extract that payment. You are the one to bring about redemption, not only for them, but for all who've gone over at the will of the oppressors. You are the hand of balance. Your duty is harsh, and your burden heavy, but it is not without its rewards. You will have them back. And you will live to see the day of change. If you wish it."
аааааааа"I wish it," the voice of James' companion whispered, and James whispered it as well, helpless not to. His voice made no sound at all.
ааааааааHe awoke, startled by some noise. The dream remained vivid in his memory so that it almost felt like he was still dreaming. He sat up in his bed and could tell by the moonlight that it was the very dead of night. Nearby, Graham slept with one arm dangling over the bed. The room was full of the silence of deep sleep.
аааааааа"Cedric?" James whispered very quietly, careful not to wake anyone. He threw back his covers and slipped out of bed. There was no sign of the ghost. Perhaps he was down in the common room. James collected his wand and his glasses from his satchel and made his way to the stairs. He stopped near the doorway, noticing something strange. Scorpius' bed was rumpled but empty. James narrowed his eyes. Where was that little viper? He thought about Scorpius telling Rose he'd heard James talking in his sleep. Why had Scorpius been awake those times? He was surely up to something. Reluctantly, James determined to think about it later. He had more important things to do now. He turned and crept down the stairs to the common room.
ааааааааThe room was completely empty and dark except for the dull red glow of the fireplace. There was still no sign of Cedric's ghost. James whispered his name again, a little louder this time, but there was no response. James sighed and walked over to the fireplace. As he plopped into the high-back chair, a voice spoke up brightly, shocking him.
аа а а а"Hey, James!" the voice said. "Where's everybody at?"
аа а а аJames spluttered, looking around. "What? WhoЕ Zane?!"
ааааааааZane stood by the fireplace, apparently leaning on the mantle, although he didn't quite seem to be touching it. He grinned mischievously. "Who else? You got my duck, I see."
аааааааа"YourЧ" James began, still recovering from the shock. "No. What? Your duck? What are you doing here?"
аааааааа"I sent you a message by duck a few minutes ago," Zane said, referring to the Protean rubber ducks they used to send notes to each other. James had completely forgotten about his. "I assumed you got the message. I told you and Ralph to meet me by the fireplace in five minutes. So where's everybody else? This place is dead as a doorknob."
ааааааааJames rolled his eyes. "So that's what woke me up! Zane, it's the middle of the night," he exclaimed, stifling a grin. Zane's utter precociousness always amazed him. "Ralph's in bed down in the Slytherin quarters. You forgot the time difference again!"
аааааааа"Oh yeah," Zane said, grimacing. "It's only eight here. I mean, there. Where I really am. So what do you think of this? Much better than the lunarfly dust. Do I look all right?"
ааааааааJames squinted. "Well, you did a minute ago. You're starting to fade a bit around the edges. How are you doing it?"
аааааааа"It's pretty good, eh?" Zane replied. "Another of Professor Franklyn's brainstorms. The beauty of it is its simplicity. You ever hear of a Doppelganger?"
ааааааааJames frowned. "Er, yeah, actually. It's a mythical double of yourself. It shows up to warn you of your own impending death, right?"
ааааааааZane nodded brightly. "Yeah, exactly. Franklyn figured if we faked the circumstances of untimely death, the Doppelganger might show up. Then, when it did, we could harness it and send it out to relay personal messages, like this one."
аааааааа"So you're in mortal peril over there?" James asked, furrowing his brow.
аааааааа"Yes and no. The Doppelganger has to think so, but Professor Franklyn has it all worked out. There're loads of fail-safes. I'm only technically in mortal peril. When we finish talking, I'll be in the clear again. It's all a little complicated, but the Department has worked out most of the bugs. You have your wand with you?"
аааааааа"Er, yeah," James answered.
аааааааа"Shoot me with it, will you? It doesn't matter how. A Stinging Hex or something. I'm starting to fade out."
аааааааа"What? I mean, are you sure?"
аааааааа"Totally. Make it quick. See, the problem with this method of communicating is maintaining the magic over long distances. We need a boost from your end to keep it up; otherwise, I'll just fade out."
ааааааааJames produced his wand and, reluctantly, pointed it at the fading figure of Zane. "Acervespa," he pronounced. A thin, needlelike bolt shot out of his wand. Zane's figure seemed to absorb the bolt. It grew suddenly solid again.
аааааааа"That hit the spot," Zane said. "So how're things across the pond?"
аааааааа"Ugh," James said, slouching in his chair. "Complicated. Albus is a Slytherin, I'm getting phantom broadcasts through some kind of ghost scar, the son of Dad's mortal enemy stole my bed, and everybody is worried Merlin has gone evil."
ааааааааZane grimaced. "Whoa. That's a mouthful. One thing at a time. You don't think the big guy's gone evil, do you?"
ааааааааJames shook his head tiredly. "No, but some people do. Even Rose does. Especially after the other night."
ааааааааJames told Zane about the scene in the Amsera Certh Mirror. Zane listened critically, one corner of his mouth cinched up in his unique expression of thoughtfulness.
аааааааа"So what happened then?" Zane asked once James had finished.
аааааааа"What do you mean? That's it. Isn't that enough?"
аааааааа"I mean, how'd Merlin get back if you shut the Focusing Book on him?"
аааааааа"I don't know," James mused. He hadn't really thought about it. "But he did get back. I guess he has other means of getting around. If that was really him."
аааааааа"It was him," Zane said, nodding. "You just don't want to admit it."
ааааааааJames frowned, but before he could object, Zane went on. "But the good news is he must have been there for all the right reasons. Otherwise, you'd be toast, wouldn't you?"
аааааааа"What do you mean?" James asked warily.
аааааааа"I mean, he saw you, didn't he? You said that the pale dude pointed out of the Mirror right at you, and everyone turned to look. That means Merlin saw you. If he was in league with these guys, he'd have come for you three the moment he got back. You'd all be banished to the Netherworld, or whatever it is guys like Merlin do to their enemies."
ааааааааJames furrowed his brow. "I hadn't thought of it that way."
аааааааа"Of course you hadn't," Zane shrugged. "I was always the brains of the outfit."
ааааааааJames grimaced. "Well, either way, I'll know more after tonight. In fact, I thought you were my wakeup call. I've got some sneaking around to do and I'm a little nervous about it. I don't even have the Invisibility Cloak this time. So anyway, what about you? How are things at Alma Aleron?"
аааааааа"You wouldn't believe it," Zane said, shaking his head. "Classes are positively huge, and the wizarding community over here is way different. There are actual Sasquatches in some of my classes. Bigfeet! And let me tell you, they're a lot smarter than they look, even if they do only talk in grunts. Also, the Progressive Element is all over the place around here, only they don't call themselves that. They just talk a lot about how the old ruling elite have always halted change and stifled progress, stuff that sounds all great until you remember that change and progress are the same things that make milk go sour. Anyway, a lot of them give me the evil eye because they think they know what happened there at Hogwarts last year. Madame Delacroix's in prison, you know. A lot of people talk like she's a hero, like some kind of political exile. It's completely quantum to me."
аааааааа"The voodoo queen's in prison?" James asked, his eyes going wide. "They have wizarding prisons there?"
аааааааа"Well, it's more of a mental hospital, but it's under total lockdown. She was never really the same after that night in the Grotto Keep. She got a little cracked, if you know what I mean. Technically, she's just under observation. In fact, she's right here on campus, in the medical building. Hey, Cedric. How's the ghosting going?"
ааааааааJames looked up and saw Cedric moving across the room, smiling halfheartedly.
аааааааа"It's time," the ghost said, addressing James.
аааааааа"That's right," Zane said, "you have your big plans to spy out the Headmaster. Look, are you certain that's a good idea? That guy must have anti-spy traps all over the place. You can't just waltz into his office even if you did have the Invisibility Cloak."
аааааааа"I've got a plan," James said, firming his jaw.
аааааааа"Oh," Zane replied, rolling his eyes. "Well, if it's as solid as the plans we came up with last year, then I feel loads better."
аааааааа"You're fading out again, mate," James said, climbing out of the chair and turning to join Cedric. "Pop up anytime you want."
аааааааа"You can count on it. Good luck. And James?"
ааааааааJames stopped and turned. Zane was fading almost to nothing. He looked even ghostlier than Cedric.
аааааааа"Keep me in the loop, you know? I was there when Merlin showed up. If he has gone to the dark side, I want to know about it. Maybe I can help."
аааааааа"He hasn't," James said. "Don't worry about it."
ааааааааZane grinned. "I didn't say I was worried."
ааааааааA moment later, the figure of Zane evaporated like a puff of smoke.
ааааааааAs they slipped through the portrait hole, Cedric asked, "What was that all about?"
ааааааааJames shook his head. "Just Zane being Zane. Come on, let's get this over with."
аааааааа"So what do you need me to do?"
ааааааааJames took a deep breath and looked down the very dark, very silent corridor. "Just get me into the Headmaster's office," he whispered. "After that, as Zane would say, it's all quantum."
James had hoped that the password to the Headmaster's staircase hadn't changed since he, Ralph, and Rose had gone to ask permission to start the Defence Club. By the time he got to the gargoyle guarding the entrance, he'd nearly forgotten the old Welsh phrase, but when he remembered it and said it aloud, the gargoyle stepped tiredly aside.
аа а а а"Nothing good comes from such a late visit," the gargoyle muttered as James and Cedric passed. "But then again, what do I know? My head's made of marble."
ааааааааAt the top of the staircase, Cedric walked silently through the office door. A few moments later, the bolt shot back from the inside and the door creaked slowly open.
аааааааа"They're all asleep," Cedric whispered, indicating the headmasters' portraits. "Even Dumbledore and Snape."
ааааааааJames nodded and crept into the room. The office was quite dark and foreboding despite the sound of mingled snores from the portraits. A single beam of moonlight laid a stripe across the floor, up the front of the massive desk, and across Merlin's Focusing Book. James crept across the floor toward the desk, not wishing to look at the Amsera Certh but unable to avoid it. The surface of the Mirror was thick with rolling, silvery smoke, casting its own pale light on the nearby furnishings.
аааааааа"I only n-need a few m-minutes," James whispered, his teeth chattering. The Headmaster's office was unusually cold. James could see his breath puffing as he spoke. "I just need you t-to lock the door afterwardsЕ"
ааааааааThere was no answer. Cedric had already gone out to the hallway to wait. He'd told James that he hated being in Merlin's office. "Too many traps," he'd explained simply, "even for a ghost."
ааааааааSomething white and flitting reached lazily out toward James. He jumped, and his heart lurched up into his throat, pounding wildly. It was only the linen curtains hung over the window, billowing in a sudden breeze. It was no wonder the office was so cold. Merlin had left his window open, leaving the cold night wind to play in the curtains. Through the window, James could just see the arc of the moon. It hung in the sky like a bone-colored scythe. He shivered and willed his heart to stop pounding. Trembling, he turned back to the desk.
ааааааааThe Focusing Book seemed to glow in the beam of moonlight. The closed cover was very thick, bound with polished wood and brass hinges. There was a lock, but it was unlatched. James touched the book, and then quickly opened it, wanting to get the task over as soon as possible. The pages were heavy, made of a rich, creamy paper that slid easily under James' fingertips. Every page was almost entirely blank except for a single line handwritten in ink: a place and a date. James flipped through them as quickly and carefully as possible, reading each one. After a minute, an idea struck him. He flipped to the end of the book and found blank pages. Quickly, he paged backwards, riffling through the heavy, blank pages until he got to the last one with writing on it. He stopped, jabbed a finger at it and read: 'THE GRAVE OF THE SOUGHT HOST, OCTOBER'.
ааааааааThis was it. He hoped it would work, and yet, even now, part of him also hoped it wouldn't. He backed away from the book, his eyes wide and his heart still hammering. He could tell by the change in the lighting of the room that the Mirror had focused. There was the sound of wind creaking in trees and rustling leaves. Slowly, James produced his glasses from the pocket of his pyjamas and put them on. He didn't want to miss anything this time. Finally, he turned around.
ааааааааThe scene was exactly as he'd remembered. There was the grave of Tom Riddle, choked with vines and topped with the smiling, handsome statue. Daylight filtered through the trees, grey and misty. Now that James knew what to look for, he could see the creature of smoke and ash standingin front of the grave. As before, the ragged bottom of the cloak blew in the wind with no feet coming out of it. Something about the figure defied the eye, forced it away, but James made himself look at it. Was this the Gatekeeper of whom Farrigan had spoken? James felt a sinking certainty that it was. As before, it looked less like a cloaked figure and more like a hole cut in space, showing some awful infinity of swirling blackness and swarming cinders.
ааааааааJames waited and watched, shivering in the cold of the Headmaster's office. Outside, the wind seemed to be increasing. It pushed restlessly through the window, flapping the curtains. Finally, as James watched, the Gatekeeper raised its arm, letting the sleeve fall back. The hand wasthin and pale, as it had been the first time James had seen it, and James thought he could tell that it wasn't really a human hand at all, but simply a shape meant to look like one. This time, the hand didn't beckon. It remained upraised for a long moment. And then the figure turned its head. The cloak's hood was empty, but it was obviously looking at James through the Mirror. James gasped and stepped back.
ааааааааSeveral things happened at once: a gust of wind roared in through the window, streaming the curtains and riffling the pages of the Focusing Book, the door to the Headmaster's office was thrown wide open, slamming against the inside wall, and light poured in from the hall, revealing a large, stalking silhouette. James plunged forward, trying to hide in the shadow of the Magic Mirror.
ааааааааBefore James' face, the mirror glass altered as the pages of the Focusing Book riffled. Scenes flickered past, rising and falling out of the silvery smoke. Elsewhere in the office, the portraits of the former headmasters were now awake, although none spoke. The silhouetted figure stalked through the room, searching it. James had been discovered. Whoever it was would see him at any moment. James huddled, pressing his hands to the glass, panting and terrified. He wished he could be anywhere else at that very moment.
ааааааааAnd then, suddenly, he was.
ааааааааThere was a horrid, disorienting sense of flipping, as if James' entire body had been turned inside out. It was over almost before he knew what was happening. Suddenly, the scene in the Mirror wasn't the silvery smoke; it was the Headmaster's office, but backwards, somehow. James could clearly see the shadow of a large man moving over the floor on the other side of the Mirror, and then the man himself walked into view, very close. It was Merlin, his eyes wide and searching.
ааааааааWithout thinking James ducked below the surface of the Mirror. Desperately, he peered up, craning his neck to see if he'd been discovered. From this new angle, the scene in the Mirror looked different. In fact, the mirror itself was different. It was rather smaller, framed in silver, and hung on a stone wall rather than in a wooden frame. James frowned, confused and frightened. Now that he looked around, he could see he was in an entirely different place. Somehow, he'd comethrough the Mirror. When he'd wished to be somewhere else, he'd been touching the Amsera Certh, and the Mirror had apparently made his wish come true. How could he have been so careless? The Focusing Book's pages had been riffling in the wind, so there was no way to tell what page of the Book he had been sent to.
ааааааааJames tried to take stock of his surroundings. He was still huddled below the new mirror, hunkered in a narrow space between the wall and a sort of huge stone block. There were voices nearby. Very carefully, James raised his head. The block was about three feet high with an enormous, complicated shape rising out of it. With a start, James realized it was a statue. It looked vaguely familiar, although it was hard to tell from this angle. James peered around a monstrous carved foot, trying very hard not to breathe. The voices were very close by, and as James peered, he finally saw the owners of the voices. There were four people, all dressed in robes and cloaks of various colors. They were facing away from James, forming a rough line. Suddenly, there was a blinding flash and a puff of acrid smoke.
аааааааа"One for the ages, methinks," a hearty voice cried. "A pity it won't be in color."
аааааааа"Color will come soon enough, Godric," a woman's voice trilled happily. "And perhaps even movement, like little living paintings."
аааааааа"We already have moving paintings," a second man's voice said with a hint of a sneer. "I fail to see how this process is in any way superior."
аааааааа"Always the skeptic, Salazar," a different woman's voice commented. "Rowena's inventiveness should be lauded, not criticized. Leave that to the apprentices whose work it is to refine her technique."
ааааааааJames' eyes nearly bulged out of his head. Now that the photo had been taken, the four individuals were gravitating toward the rotunda exit. Nearby, a small, grizzled goblin was extinguishing the flash mechanism while another goblin disassembled a gigantic, ancient camera. As the two women and two men walked out into the sunlit hall, James looked up at the high archway. There, carved carefully in the stone at the peak of the arch, each letter as sharp as the chisel that had cut it, were the words: 'SCHOLA HOGVARTENSIS ARTIUM MAGICARUM ET FASCINATIONUS'.
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