аааааааа"Stay your wands," Slytherin called to his associates, unperturbed. "I can manage the boy. None of you need bother yourselves."
ааааааааJames wished desperately that he still had his wand. An idea occurred to him and he called out. "Hey! You call yourself a gentleman? Not much nobility in cursing a kid, is there? At least give me my wand!"
ааааааааSlytherin laughed in delight. "Finally, the boy shows some spirit," he cried. "As you wish, Master Potter. Let us duel. Come forth and collect your wand."
ааааааааJames peered cautiously around the side of the throne. Slytherin saw him and his grin widened. He produced James' wand from his robes and held it out. James steeled himself and climbed to his feet again. He began to cross the wooden floor toward Slytherin, carefully and quickly, hisheart pounding.
ааааааааSuddenly, surprisingly, there was a loud thump from directly beneath James' feet. He jumped, startled, and looked down. He was standing on the trapdoor.
аааааааа"They come, Salazar," one of the cloaked wizards said. "They have sensed our summit. We must depart. Deal with the boy elsewhere."
аааааааа"No," Slytherin said, still grinning. "They cannot reach us. The tower cannot be breached from outside by any means until the summit is ended. It is the magical law of the Sylvven Tower. Let us finish our work first, and then deal with my fellow founders. It is high time they realized the error they have made in plotting against me."
ааааааааVoices emanated from below and there was another thump on the thick wood of the trapdoor. The magical lock rattled but held firm.
аааааааа"Take your wand, James Potter," Slytherin said. "Let us finish this as wizards."
ааааааааJames firmed his resolve and stepped off the trapdoor. He'd heard the stories of how his father had faced off against Voldemort in very similar fashion. But as James had thought so many times before, he was not his father. James had no chance against the sheer malevolent power of Salazar Slytherin. Worse, there was no place to run or hide. The tower was too high to escape from. James didn't even know how to Disapparate. Shakily, he reached up for his wand. Slytherin released it, still smiling.
ааааааааJames cleared his throat as he backed away, holding his wand in front of him. "Do we bow first?" he asked.
аааааааа"I bow to equals," Slytherin said, baring his teeth. "You may bow when you're dead." He swept his arm forward. "Avada Kedavra!"
ааааааааJames leapt again and the spell struck the throne with a blast of green sparks. A small, detached part of James' mind realized that he was making very good use of the physical techniques he'd learned in Professor Debellows' Defence Against the Dark Arts class. He almost groaned aloud.
аааааааа"Use magic, not acrobatics, boy!" Slytherin taunted, shaking his sleeve back. "Let your corpse be the first thing my fellow founders see when they join us here! Face me and die with a shred of honor!"
ааааааааJames was terrified. He rolled on the wooden floor and scrambled up, waving his wand wildly. He pointed it, desperately trying to remember the incantation. It was one of the first he'd ever learned, but his mind was a complete blank.
аааааааа"That's more like it!" Slytherin rasped, striding forward, coming to meet James. He held his wand casually before him, teasing James with it. "Do your worst, boy! Show me what they teach you in this fantasy time of yours! Do it now!"
ааааааааJames blurted the spell the moment it came into his head. Slytherin spoke his curse at exactly the same time. Both bolts exploded over the wooden floor, lighting it. Slytherin's green bolt pierced James' oversized robe, passing right through it and under James' outstretched arm, barely missing his body. James' yellow bolt struck the lock on the trapdoor. It unlocked with a burst of sparks and the door flew open, releasing a beam of light and the sound of voices.
аааааааа"It's open!" someone cried. "Someone unlocked it from above! Beware a trap! Protego!"
ааааааааSlytherin roared in fury. He pointed his own wand at the door, but it was too late. Figures ran up the stairs from below, wands at the ready. Spells exploded in all directions, illuminating the tower's peak like fireworks. James took the opportunity to dive behind the marble throne again. The air was suddenly full of the hiss and swirl of Slytherin's circle of nine Disapparating from the top of the tower. One of them remained long enough to approach James, flourishing his wand. He had a black goatee, which bristled as the man grinned.
аааааааа"Nice trick, boy," he growled, "but we detest unfinished business."
ааааааааJames' reflexes had been sharpened by his duel with Slytherin. Even as the man finished speaking, James whipped his wand around and shouted, "Expelliarmus!"
ааааааааThere was a sharp crack and the man's wand shot from his hand, spinning into the darkness beyond the tower wall. The force of the spell pushed the man backwards. He stumbled and tripped on one of the terraces. With a roar of anger, he spun to see where his wand had gone. Realizing it was lost, he turned back, his hands hooked into claws and his face contorted with rage.
аааааааа"Stupefy!" James cried, scrambling backwards, but his aim was off. The spell struck the stone floor to the man's right.
аааааааа"You'll die for that, boy!" the man roared, pouncing like a beast.
ааааааааThere was a flash of purple light and the man screamed in mid-pounce. He landed hard in front of James' feet, bringing his face down hard enough to break his nose. James heard the crunch and grimaced. He scrambled to his feet, eyes wild, waving his wand crazily.
аааааааа"Halt, boy!" a voice commanded. A hand suddenly grabbed James' wrist, bringing it up. James struggled against it for a moment, and then looked to see whose hand it was. Godric Gryffindor's stern, narrow features looked down at him.
аааааааа"The battle is over, my friend," he said, releasing James' wrist. "Whoever you are, you are one extremely fortunate young wizard."
аааааааа"He's not just a wizard," a woman's voice said, and there was a hint of an amused smile in it. James looked and saw Rowena Ravenclaw throw back the hood of her blue cloak. "He's the youngest cleric in the realm. And he's tussled with Salazar before."
аааааааа"Where's he gone?" James suddenly asked, looking around the top of the tower.
аааааааа"Vanished," Ravenclaw answered gravely. "Escaped. Assumed his true form and flown off."
аааааааа"What's his true form?" James asked, shuddering as his adrenaline wore off.
аааааааа"Rowena speaks facetiously," Helga Hufflepuff replied, approaching the tower's low wall and peering out into the darkness beyond. "Slytherin is an Animagus. She speaks of his animal self as his true form since she believes him unworthy of the title of human."
аааааааа"Is he a snake?" James asked, joining Hufflepuff by the wall and peering down.
аааааааа"Curiously, no," Gryffindor answered. "Salazar's true form is perhaps even more fitting, for he has proven himself to be similarly blind, nocturnal, and bloodthirsty. Salazar's Animagus is, in fact, a bat."
ааааааааA groan reminded the assembly of the stricken man with the goatee. He rolled onto his back and struggled to sit up, one hand clapped over his nose.
аааааааа"This man is no danger without his wand," Gryffindor said, "thanks to our quick-thinking friend here." To the man, he said, "I'd not attempt to Disapparate if I were you, Lord Morcant. That was more than a Bonelock Hex I cast on you. It was also a Lanyard Charm. You'd get no furtherthan a stone's throw before being leashed, and I am told it can be rather painful."
аааааааа"You broke my nose!" Morcant cried, showing them the palm of his hand. It was slick with blood. "I'll kill the lot of you! Return me my wand this instant!"
аааааааа"I think not, my lord," Ravenclaw replied. "I suspect you won't hold a wand for quite some time. We have many questions for you, and it'd be best if you answered them."
аааааааа"You'll torture me, will you?" Morcant spat, climbing to his feet. "I'm not afraid of what you'll do to me! I'll never speak. Do your worst!"
аааааааа"We won't need to torture you," Hufflepuff said reasonably. "If you choose not to answer our interrogations, we shall simply let you go."
ааааааааMorcant narrowed his eyes. "How dare you mock me? I know your kind! Your lies do not deceive me!"
аааааааа"You know your kind, Morcant," Ravenclaw corrected politely, "and you assume everyone else is of like mind. We shall indeed release you if you refuse our questions, and we shall not harm a single hair on that fetching beard of yours. You should beware however; your release might result in some people getting the wrong impression. Some observers might interpret your unscathed release as a sign that you told us absolutely everything you know."
ааааааааGryffindor arched an eyebrow meaningfully. "Your associate, Salazar Slytherin, would not appreciate that, would he? He has been known to deal rather harshly with those who betray him."
аааааааа"He would not believe such lies," Morcant scoffed. "He knows I am trustworthy. Besides, I am not afraid of him."
ааааааааGryffindor approached Morcant and leaned toward him. In a conspiratorial tone of voice he said, "I hear rumours that Salazar's been developing a curse that turns his enemies inside out. Technically, I'd say that was impossible, but Salazar is quite the genius when it comes to such things. Knowing him, he'll simply continue practicing it until he gets it right. He's probably hoping you'll betray him, just so he has an excuse to use you as another test subject."
аааааааа"He'll trust me!" Morcant insisted again. "He knows I would never betray him!"
ааааааааRavenclaw shrugged. "Salazar never struck me as the trusting type," she said, "but perhaps you know him better than we do."
аааааааа"On the other hand," Hufflepuff mused, "if you do decide to assist us, we could protect you from any potential reprisals."
ааааааааMorcant scoffed, and James heard desperation in the man's voice. "You? Slytherin has twice the power of the rest of you combined!"
ааааааааGryffindor smiled. "I'm certain he has convinced even himself of that. But why, then, did he transform into a flying rodent the moment he witnessed our approach? Why did he flee rather than face us wand to wand? Slytherin does not ask himself such questions, but it behooves you, Lord Morcant, to think about it very carefully."
ааааааааMorcant scowled furiously. Finally, through gritted teeth he said, "He means to overthrow the lot of you. He wishes to control the school entirely, and use it as the seed of a magical empire. He knows you have been plotting against him. His intent is to strike first."
аааааааа"How instructive," Gryffindor said grimly. "He believes we have been plotting against him. But do let us continue this elsewhere. Rowena, Helga, perhaps you might escort our mysterious young friend back down to the main castle? I will accompany Lord Morcant to a safe place. We can palaver there at our leisure."
ааааааааHufflepuff and Ravenclaw agreed. A moment later, there was a loud crack as Gryffindor Disapparated from the tower with Lord Morcant in tow.
аааааааа"Let us retire to the Great Hall," Ravenclaw said, turning to James and Hufflepuff. "It should be deserted at this time of night. Perhaps our friend would like something to eat as we discuss?"
ааааааааHufflepuff nodded. "Indeed. We must determine who you are, young man. And how to return you from whence you came."
аааааааа"I can't imagine how we'll do that," James replied, remembering the shattered portal mirror. "My only way home was smashed to bits by Slytherin. I'm stuck here."
аааааааа"Surely this is not the case," Ravenclaw said cheerfully. "It may not be immediately apparent, but the solution shall present itself."
ааааааааHufflepuff smiled at James. "The answer is almost always simple, young man, but rarely is it easy."
ааааааааJames had begun to walk toward the open trapdoor, but he stopped when Hufflepuff said that. Where had he heard that before? A moment later, he remembered. Merlin had said something like it in the cave when they'd gone to get his cache. Doing what is right is nearly always simple, Merlin had said, but it isnever easy. And then, connected to that, James remembered something else the big wizard had said, later, when they'd all been in the Headmaster's office, examining his unpacked devices and curiosities.
ааааааааJames turned on the spot, his eyes wide, wondering. It couldn't be that simple, could it? He had to find out, and quickly.
аааааааа"No," James said excitedly, "not the Great Hall. We have to go back to Slytherin's quarters! Right away, before he comes back!"
ааааааааRavenclaw furrowed her brow. "Why in the earth should we go there?"
аааааааа"And what makes you think he shall return?" Hufflepuff added, studying James' face.
аааааааа"Because he'd never leave all his stuff," James answered quickly. "His 'dark trinkets'. They're too important to him. He'll come back for them, probably right away, before anyone moves any of it. We have to get there first. If I'm right, he has something really important. It may be my only chance of getting back to my own time!"
ааааааааRavenclaw merely studied James, her eyes serious and thoughtful. Helga Hufflepuff, however, nodded curtly. She stepped forward, and held out her hand.
аааааааа"In that case, dear boy, let us forego the stairs. Rowena, wand at the ready. If we intend to hurry, then let us hurry like witches, and hope that Salazar has not already outwitted us this night. On the count of three. OneЕ twoЕ"
"Three!"
ааааааааJames felt the disorienting jolt of Disapparition again as Hufflepuff took him away from the Sylvven Tower. A moment later, a dim hallway appeared around him and his feet hit the stone floor. Almost instantly, there was a second loud crack and Rowena Ravenclaw appeared next to Jamesand Hufflepuff. Both women had their wands out. They scanned the hall in both directions. Without a word, Hufflepuff pointed. James looked. He recognized this hall as the one that led to Slytherin's quarters. Now, with a shiver, he saw that the door to the wizard's office was ajar. Light spilled from it, and there was the clunk of stealthy movement.
аааааааа"What is your name, young man?" Hufflepuff whispered, not taking her eyes from the door.
аааааааа"James Potter," James replied as quietly as he could.
ааааааааHufflepuff whispered, "You were right, James. Salazar is here, returned for his cache, as bold as brass. He knows his time is ended here. Rowena and I will face him and attempt to reason with him. If we prevail, we will help you seek what you need. If we are bested, then I am glad to die knowing the name of our mysterious benefactor."
аааааааа"You may reason with him if you wish, Helga," Ravenclaw said quietly, obviously anxious for a fight. "But I will be negotiating with my wand alone. The sheer bravado of his returning this night, beneath our very noses!"
аааааааа"I want to come with you," James whispered, raising his wand. "This is my fight too. He tried to kill me!"
ааааааааRavenclaw narrowed her eyes at James, smiling thinly. "He may well finish what he started if you accompany us, James Potter. But it is your choice."
ааааааааJames had expected a bit more resistance than that. He smiled a little nervously. Honestly, he thought, what was the worst that could happen? History proved that all four founders survived this night. Of course, as Slytherin had implied earlier, history didn't say anything whatsoever about a dark-haired boy who might have been along for the ride.
аааааааа"I'll lead," Hufflepuff whispered, pointing toward Slytherin's door. "Rowena, to my left. James, you follow.Stupefy Salazar if necessary, but no more. Remember that he is still one of the founders of this college, and deserving of respect."
аааааааа"Respect be damned the moment he raises his wand," Ravenclaw muttered as they inched down the hall.
аааааааа"He sure wasn't using Stunning Spells on the tower," James whispered. "Just watch forЧ"
ааааааааA bolt of green seared the floor next to Ravenclaw's foot.
аааааааа"Stupefy!" Hufflepuff shouted, aiming her wand at the open door. A shadow leapt aside as her spell struck the lintel, exploding into red sparks. "He's wary of us! We must charge him! We're too vulnerable here!"
ааааааааJames struggled to catch up as Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff ran toward Slytherin's doorway, heads down and wands firing. Red bolts peppered the doorway, forcing Slytherin back.
аааааааа"Cease this, Salazar!" Hufflepuff shouted. "It is not yet too late to abandon this course of action!"
ааааааааJames still had seen nothing of his former captor. As they drove through the door of his office, ducking for cover behind chairs and a bookcase, a shadow escaped into a dark doorway, hissing angrily.
аааааааа"Ware his form!" Ravenclaw cried. "He can be small and winged. He may hide!"
ааааааааHufflepuff peered from around the bookcase, her wand ahead of her.
аааааааа"He is not in sight. To the inner chamber."
ааааааааJames followed the witches as they moved across the room. He was amazed at their movement. It was graceful and flitting, remarkably quick but utterly controlled. Their wand hands preceded them, steady as stone. James' heart slammed in his chest, making his own wand shake in his hand. He glanced aside as he passed the double doors of the laboratory. They were still slightly open, but the space beyond was dark.
аааааааа"Sweep the room," Ravenclaw said as she moved into Slytherin's inner sanctum. "Ravaelio!"
ааааааааA beam of soft lavender light spread from the tip of Ravenclaw's wand, lighting the wall. Slowly, she moved it all around the room, letting the light touch every surface. Finally, she lowered her wand, extinguishing the lavender light.
аааааааа"He is not hidden here," she said, obviously disappointed. "He has fled once again, methinks."
ааааааааJames finally took a moment to look around. This was obviously Slytherin's sleeping quarters. It was surprisingly small and cluttered, with gothic pillars and buttresses all round it. A single window was securely closed and locked.
аааааааа"Let us take advantage of the moment, then," Hufflepuff said, turning to James. "What is it that you believe Salazar might have in his possession? What tool might prove helpful to you?"
ааааааааJames tried to explain the age he'd come from, and how he'd arrived in this century by accidentally wishing himself through the Magic Mirror in the Headmaster's office. He described appearing through the smaller silver-framed mirror hung behind the rotunda statue and its subsequent destruction by Slytherin.
аааааааа"I assumed thatthat had been a Magic Mirror as well," James said. "But now I don't think so. Slytherin loves things like that; he'd never destroy something really magical just to keep me here. I think the Amsera Certh Mirror can see through any mirror, maybe even anything that reflects! So the mirror behind the statue was just a normal mirror after all."
аааааааа"That mirror was a remnant from Hadyn's occupation," Ravenclaw nodded. "There'd be nothing magical about it."
аааааааа"But Slytherin knew all about travelling through Mirrors," James went on. "He said that he thought he was only one of two men on earth who knew about that. And then, just now, when we were up on the Sylvven Tower, I remembered the Headmaster saying something like that. He said that his Magic Mirror was one of only two ever made, and that the other one had belonged to somebody he knew. But now I know who that person must have been! Slytherin has the other Magic Mirror! The twin of the one that brought me here!"
ааааааааRavenclaw's eyes had grown very sharp and wary. She glanced meaningfully aside at Hufflepuff.
аааааааа"Let us search," Hufflepuff said quietly. "Then we shall know for sure."
ааааааааRavenclaw raised her wand and said the same incantation as before. The lavender light appeared at the end of her wand again. She turned slowly.
аааааааа"In my last pass," she muttered, "I was merely searching for sign of Salazar, either as man or bat. NowЕ"
ааааааааHufflepuff paced around the room, watching the lavender light play on the walls.
аааааааа"There," she announced, pointing.
ааааааааRavenclaw paused, resting the beam on a very large painting. It was a full-length portrait of a narrow-faced wizard in burgundy robes, and it was very nearly life-sized. The portrait slit its eyes at them and scowled. James saw that as the beam passed over the portrait, it illuminated the faint outline of a hidden doorway.
ааааааааRavenclaw pocketed her wand and stalked across the floor. She grasped the frame of the painting and pulled, but it was stuck tight to the wall. Hufflepuff joined her, but they could not move the painting even with all three of them pulling it.
аааааааа"No more kid gloves," Ravenclaw said angrily. She stood back, motioning the others away. She pointed her wand at the portrait.
аааааааа"Rowena Ravenclaw," the portrait sneered, "you know not what you are doingЧ"
аааааааа"Convulsus!" Rowena cried, interrupting the portrait. There was a blinding burst of white light and the portrait seemed to vaporize. A moment later, once James' eyes had readjusted to the relative dimness of the room, he saw that the portrait had not, in fact, been completely obliterated. The frame had been destroyed, and the painting had been slashed straight down the middle leaving a gaping hole. The wooden back of the painting had been entirely blasted away, lost in the dark space beyond.
ааааааааJames, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw approached the slashed portrait carefully. James, between the two women, could see a sliver of light winking back at him from the depths beyond the torn canvas. In the dimness of the hidden chamber, James' own face looked back at him.
аааааааа"It's there," James breathed, both elated and frightened. "I can see my reflection. It's the Magic Mirror!"
ааааааааHufflepuff illuminated her wand and held it out. Very carefully, she crept through the shredded painting into the dimness of the chamber behind it. Her wand lit the space and shone on the mirror's frame. As James entered the chamber and peered around Hufflepuff, he could see that this mirror was nearly identical to the one in Merlin's office, except that it stood upright rather than on its side. Also, there were words engraved on the golden frame of Slytherin's mirror. The inscription didn't make any sense to James, but the first word, carved in beautiful, flowing script, was 'Erised'.
аааааааа"The Mirror," Hufflepuff said simply, her voice awed. "It wasn't destroyed after all. He had it this whole time."
ааааааааRavenclaw's face was flushed with anger. "We should have known. But what of its Focusing Book? Without it, the Mirror's power is uncontrollable and capricious, reduced only to its most basic and illusory functions. We must search for the book."
аааааааа"Indeed, and search for it we shall, once we have told Godric of this discovery," Hufflepuff said. "For now, other matters demand our attention. James has done us a second great service. I suspect he'd prefer to take his leave if he can."
аааааааа"I would, if you don't mind," James agreed. "It's been really cool to meet all of you. Well, most of you. But I'm really anxious to see if I can get back."
аааааааа"James Potter," Hufflepuff said, smiling. "We'd have a myriad of questions for you, not the least of which would be what becomes of us, and what is this school like in your time. But I strongly suspect that the less we know of such things, the better."
аааааааа"There is one question we should ask though, Helga," Ravenclaw said. She turned to James, her face grim and thoughtful. "If this tale you have told us is true, and I have no reason to doubt that it is, then the Headmaster of this college, some thousand years hence, has had collusionin this time with Salazar Slytherin. James, answer me this one question as truly as you can. Do you know the real name of this Headmaster of yours?"
аааааааа"Sure," James said, frowning quizzically. "I thought I'd mentioned him already. It's Merlin. You'd probably know him as Merlinus Ambrosius. He came to our time last year, on the night of the alignment of the planets. I guess you'd call it the Hall of Elders' Crossing. I saw him justthis evening. Well, heard him, actually, when I was trapped in the laboratory. He was right out there, in Slytherin's office."
ааааааааRavenclaw's face had gone very pale. She studied James, and then turned to look at Hufflepuff.
аааааааа"He was here this very night," she said quietly. "It is all true. We scarce believed it."
аааааааа"And this boy is proof that he succeeded. It is far worse than we expected. The legendЧ"
аааааааа"Hush, Helga," Rowena said gravely. "James needn't hear of the details of that."
ааааааааThe two women looked at James. In the wandlight, their faces were very pale and deadly serious.
аааааааа"Hear me now, James Potter: beware Merlinus," Ravenclaw said, speaking with great emphasis. "The sorcerer has a glamour that bewitches those who wish to trust him. If he has achieved the position of Headmaster, then he has already fooled many. It may even now be too late for your world. But you may have been sent here this night for a great purpose. Perhaps you go back to serve as a warning. That which Merlinus bodes upon your world is an evil like nothing the earth has ever known. The Gatekeeper of the Void may even now be unleashed, and Merlinus is its Ambassador. There is no battling the Gatekeeper, but if you can find a way to destroy the Ambassador, James Potter, you must take it. Do not let him put his glamour upon you. If the moment comes, it will not be the time for discourse or hesitation. It will be the time for action. Do you understand?"
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