аааааааа"Stay close and try very hard not to think about what you're doing," she said, and James shivered. She didn't sound entirely confident that it would work, but what choice did they have? James hesitated, but then he realized that, for the first time in nearly an hour, the phantom scar on his forehead didn't hurt. He sighed and moved in behind Petra, herding Lily and Albus in front of him.
аааааааа"This is completely insane," Albus commented.
аааааааа"Don't look down," Petra answered. Without a pause, she began to walk. Jerkily, Albus, Lily, and James began to follow her. Against all probability, none of them fell as they moved out over the depths of the chasm. Neither did the swinging, whooshing blades descend on them. James' footsteps landed on rough stone steps, each about the size of a dinner plate, and the moment his heels pulled away from each step, they sank away quickly, falling into darkness. Dimly, James heard the clank and rattle of machinery, and he recognized it. It was the same sound he'd heard in his dreams of this place, only now he knew what it was. Somehow, the stones were raised mechanically, operated by the sheer magic of Petra's passage. Perhaps the mechanism could only be summoned by the Bloodline, or perhaps it merely responded to anyone who knew the proper talisman, as Petra obviously did. Either way, it definitely helped not to think about what one was doing or to look down. As James placed his last footstep on the opposite ledge, collected into the waiting arms of Rose, Ralph, and Zane, he couldn't resist looking back. The last stepping stone fell away into darkness, attached to a complicated rigging of struts and coils. It squeaked and rattled as it retracted, and then it was gone, as if it'd never been there at all.
аааааааа"Petra!" Rose exclaimed, weak with relief. "Lily! Everyone's all right!"
ааааааааZane grinned incredulously. "I thought you both were goners for sure. What happened?"
аааааааа"James crashed us," Albus griped, shaking his head. "About broke my leg off. It's a good thing Petra here is a quick one with a splint."
аааааааа"Yeah, she's a great one to have around in a medical emergency," Ralph agreed, looking at Petra a little worriedly.
аааааааа"Lily, you're soaked!" Rose exclaimed, laughing and wiping a tear from her eye. "Here, let me help you." Rose produced her wand and waved it at Lily in a complicated gesture, pronouncing the proper spell. Hot air suddenly blew from the tip, drying Lily's dress and making her giggle.
аааааааа"And what of the Gatekeeper?" Zane asked James as the group made its way toward the stone stairs and the light beyond.
аааааааа"Gone," James answered. "I felt it leave."
аааааааа"For good?"
ааааааааJames shrugged. "It didn't get Petra as its host. She wouldn't kill for it, not in the end. It doesn't have a foothold here anymore. It's finished."
ааааааааZane nodded, frowning a little. "If you say so, mate. Let's get out of here. This place creeps me out big time."
аааааааа"Yeah. There's a reason they call it the Chamber of Secrets," Albus agreed.
ааааааааJames nodded, glancing back. Fervently, he said, "Let's just hope that was the last of its secrets."
аааааааа"sAnd that's the story as well as I can tell it," James said, sitting back in the single chair across from the Headmaster. It was the next day, and the bright sunlight and birdsong of late morning wafted in through the open window. "We came up through the girls' second-floor bathroom and Ted led Tabitha straight here to your office. The rest of us took Lily to the Great Hall to meet up with Mum. She called Aunt Hermione, Uncle George and Uncle Ron back from the search and everybody decided to go ahead with the wrap party after all, although it was more a celebration of Lily's return by that point."
ааааааааMerlin nodded slowly, his fingers steepled. He shared a look with Harry Potter, who stood nearby, arms folded and staring at the floor.
аааааааа"And Miss Morganstern attended the party?" Merlin asked.
ааааааааJames shook his head. "No, I think she thought it'd be best for her not to be there. I mean, considering everything."
ааааааааHarry spoke without raising his head. "It wasn't her fault. She was being deceived."
аааааааа"It was not entirely her fault," Merlin corrected grimly. "She was being deceived, yes, but she wasallowing the deception to occur. She has admitted so herself. The fact that she was able to throw off the deception in the end is proof that she could have done so all along, had she so chose."
аааааааа"She is cursed with the last ghost of the soul of Voldemort in her very blood," Harry said, finally raising his eyes. "He was a wily liar and a master manipulator. Far greater witches and wizards than Petra Morganstern succumbed to his deceptions."
ааааааааMerlin nodded. "And they were also responsible for the choices they made as a result."
ааааааааJames sat forward in his seat. "What are you saying? You think Petra is evil just because she was unlucky enough to get chosen for that stupid Horcrux dagger?"
аааааааа"No, James," Merlin said gently. "For that, she is truly unfortunate. To the extent that Petra allows herself to be influenced by that accursed soul, however, she may still choose to do that which would make her evil indeed. She has admitted thatshe was the one that cursed Josephina Bartlett with the Vertigo Hex, knowing everyone would blame Miss Corsica, all just to prove to herself that she could do it. She came very close to making the ultimate evil choice last night, and nearly doomed all of mankind in the bargain. Had you not been there at exactly the right moment, revealing the mysterious portrait, all might well have been lost."
аааааааа"You don't know that," James said, but uncertainly.
аааааааа"Oh, but I do, James," Merlin said, looking James in the eye. "And for that, I owe you an apology."
аааааааа"An apology? Why?"
ааааааааMerlin sighed deeply. "I was very wrong about you, James Potter." The big man paused, as if unwilling to elaborate. He was gazing straight ahead, and James realized that he was looking past him, at something on the rear wall. James turned and looked over his shoulder. The portrait of Albus Dumbledore was meeting Merlin's gaze. He smiled slightly and nodded. Then, barely noticeable, Dumbledore winked at James. James frowned and turned back to Merlin.
аааааааа"I've been advised," Merlin said sardonically, "to avoid the temptation to keep secrets or tell halftruths. Your Albus Dumbledore and I have discussed the topic at great length, and I admit that, until recently, I did not much agree with him. Regardless, recent events have shown thevalidity of his argument. James Potter, in the presence of your father, I will tell you the whole of the truth." Merlin sighed again, and then stood. He moved from behind his desk, passing in front of Harry.
аааааааа"It is true," he explained. "I was well aware of the possibility that the entity called the Gatekeeper might follow me back from my long journey outside of time. Salazar Slytherin made it very clear to me. He hoped and planned for it, and my heart was in such a state that I did not much care. 'Damn the world,' I thought. 'If the Doombringer is to come, then fate will save mankind or it will not.' I washed my hands of it. Last year, when I returned to the world of men, I despised this age. I determined that if the Gatekeeper had indeed followed me, I would not even use the small power at my disposal to keep it at bay." Merlin held up a hand, displaying the glinting black ring. "And then I discovered the presence of the Borleys. Nuisances, really, the magical equivalent of cockroaches, and yet it proved to me that things had indeed followed me from the Void. If the Borleyswere here, then surely the Gatekeeper was as well. I determined to capture the Borleys using the best tool for such a task: the Darkbag, which, as you know, contains the last earthly shred of pure darkness from the Void. I imprisoned the Borleys inside it, dozens of them, although at the time I could not say why I chose to do so; it seemed merely right and responsible. The truth is that I was coming to know this age, and while there wasЧand still isЧmuch of it that I find wretched, I discovered I did not hate it as much as I'd thought. More important, I had come to care for some of the people in this age. Chiefly, you, Mr. Potter, and your rambunctious, irreverent friends.
аааааааа"As I realized this, I knew I had but one choice: I must do what I could to rid the world of the Gatekeeper, whose very presence in this sphere was my responsibility. Having decided that, I came to know that there were those in this world who knew of the Gatekeeper, and wished touse it. These were the disciples of Slytherin, who, like him, had fooled themselves into believing the Gatekeeper could be controlled and used as a hand of vengeance. I knew of the other half of the Beacon Stone, and sensed that it was in the possession of these bent individuals. I followed their progress as they sought the Gatekeeper. I watched and waited, using this very Mirror." He indicated the Amsera Certh, which stood hooded nearby. "My devices could sense events of dark magical power, pinpointing their location. When that happened, I watched in the Mirror. Eventually, I became involved, travelling to the place where the agents of Slytherin met the Gatekeeper. I suspect that you witnessed this, Mr. Potter, along with Miss Weasley and Mr. Deedle. I found them in an unplotted forest, at the tomb of Tom Riddle. There, the Gatekeeper had revived the memory of Voldemort, forcing it to speak through the grave statue. The Gatekeeper demanded to be led to the human who would best serve as its host. The statue told of the boy who had defeated Voldemort, and the Gatekeeper assumed that this boy, Harry Potter, would be the logical choice for its host. I sensed it turning toward you, Harry, homing in on youЕ" Merlin looked up at James' father. "It located you without even leaving the grave. It sensed you in the web of humanity, and determined that it could not have you. I felt it turning you over in what passes for its mind, felt it dismiss you, not as unworthy, but as unconquerable. It knew it could never bend you to its purposes."
ааааааааHarry visibly shivered. "I remember that," he said in a low, wondering voice. "I was in the Auror offices at the Ministry, talking to Kirkham Wood. All of a sudden, it was like I was outside myself, looking down on my body as if I'd been shoved aside while something else shuffled through the contents of my brain. It only lasted a few seconds, and then suddenly, it was over. Kirkham hadn't noticed a thing. I decided I'd imagined it, or that I was just a bit overstressed. But it must have been thatЕ thingЕ examining me."
ааааааааMerlin nodded. "It would take a powerful wizard to sense it. The Gatekeeper numbs its prey so that few ever remember its passing. Surely, that fact alone was part of why it knew it could never claim you, Harry. So it moved on. Even as that demented Lucius Malfoy spoke to it, beckoning for it to join them, telling it that they had prepared a Bloodline to be its host, I sensed it moving on, past you, Harry, looking furtherЕ looking for you, James."
аааааааа"Me?" James exclaimed, shocked. "Why?"
аааааааа"It makes perfect sense if you think about it from the Gatekeeper's view. The prophecies all claim that the host of the Gatekeeper would be a child of great loss, or an orphan. It sought out Voldemort, the orphan who most represented the Gatekeeper's aims, and found him a corpse. Thus, it logically sought out the one powerful enough to have bested Voldemort, and found yet another orphan: Harry Potter. He, however, was too strong, and therefore of no more use to the Gatekeeper than the dead Voldemort. So it looked just a bit further, to the first-born son of Harry Potter. And it found, interestingly, that that very boy had recently experienced his own tragedy, the sudden loss of your grandfather. Further, it sensed that you were in attendance on the very night that the Gatekeeper had arrived in the earth, and that you, James Potter, had even helped facilitate its descent."
аааааааа"But I didn't mean to!" James blurted. "I was trying to stop it!"
ааааааааMerlin held up a hand. "It matters not to the Gatekeeper. I sensed it homing in on you, learning of you, all in that moment in the graveyard, even as Lucius Malfoy was speaking to it. I sensed you in its thoughts, James, and that is when I stepped out into the open, to distract it. I called to the Gatekeeper, identifying myself as the bearer of the Beacon Stone. It remembered me from my time in the Void. The first thing it did was ask for you, James. I told it as sternly as I could that you knew nothing of it, that you would never consent to be its host. But it laughed. It told me that you had already sought it out, and that you were watching at that very moment. Lucius Malfoy looked and saw you, reflected in the window of an abandoned shack nearby. He pointed at you, and the Gatekeeper smiled. It had known you'd been watching from the moment it turned its attention to finding you, James. I turned and saw your reflection for myself. I knew I had to get back, to warn you, but you closed the Focusing Book, shutting me out. It took me much of a day to get back to the castle by other methods, and by then, I had determined a rather different opinion of you, I am afraid."
аааааааа"You'd decided I was on the Gatekeeper's side?" James asked, perplexed.
аааааааа"Not consciously," Merlin answered. "No more than Petra Morganstern was on the Gatekeeper's side. I decided you were being manipulated by it, and by your own desires. I regret to admit this, James, but I feared that your desire to be like your father was being exploited, used by theGatekeeper and the forces of chaos. When your mother's Howler went off, telling us all that she believed you'd stolen the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map, it further convinced me that you were, in fact, working toward the Gatekeeper's ends. I decided to watch and to wait, hoping that I was wrong about you. And then, when your own sister went missing on the night of the play, I knew that it was the moment of truth. I could scarcely believe you'd harm her, but those in the thrall of deception have done even worse things than murder their sisters. I planned to take you away from the school, removing you from whatever plan the Gatekeeper had for you. You foiled me, of course, by the simple expedient of being young and quick. Even then, I could have taken you had I truly wished to. In my deepest heart, however, I had decided to trust youЧand fate. It was my own trial of the cord,much like your test, James, in the cave of my cache. You chose to hold onto the golden cord even though letting go would have been far easier. Thus, I chose to hold onto the one thin cord of trust in you as well. If I did so foolishly, then the world would not last long enough to blame me. As it turns out, however, that moment of trust was indeed wise. In fact, I believe it saved us all."
ааааааааJames blew out a sigh. "Wow. So that was why you were so secretive and scary that day in your office."
аааааааа"The portrait told me it was a mistake," Merlin admitted, glancing aside. "Dumbledore did not approve of my attitude toward you, and told me so upon your departure."
ааааааааFrom the wall behind James, Dumbledore's voice spoke. "I was nothing if not respectful, Merlinus. But yes, I did warn you that you doubted the boy at your own peril."
ааааааааMerlin nodded. "Yes, you made your point quite clear, as I recall."
аааааааа"I am cursed with the burden of helping those who've succeeded me to not make the same mistakes I did," Dumbledore said, looking at Merlin, then Harry. "I myself only learned these lessons mere days before my death. Too late to make much of a difference, although I did what little Icould."
ааааааааHarry nodded, unsmiling. "So what is to be done with Petra Morganstern, then?"
ааааааааMerlin shrugged, returning to his desk. "She is guilty of possession of stolen property in the form of the Invisibility Cloak and kidnapping Lily Potter. As Head Auror, the owner of the Cloak,and the girl's father, Harry Potter, I might ask you the same thing."
ааааааааHarry thought seriously for a long moment. Finally, he looked at James. "I won't be pressing any charges," he said. "James, do you agree?"
ааааааааJames nodded. "She didn't know what she was doing, Dad. And when I showed her how she was being deceived, she turned things around really quickly. She doesn't want to hurt anyone."
аааааааа"Be very aware of what you are doing, my friends," Merlin said quietly. "Miss Morganstern is a very complicated young woman."
аааааааа"But she isn't evil," James said emphatically.
аааааааа"No more than you are, James, or your father, or I myself. And yet I, at least, have wrought great evil, all in the name of love. We are all capable of evil, depending on the choices we make and the philosophies we embrace. The greater the potential for good in any of us, the greater the opposite potential for wickedness. Miss Morganstern has, to say the very least, great, great potential. The only question is how she will choose to invest it."
аааааааа"But she did the right thing," Harry said. "In my experience, those who choose to do right usually get addicted to it. The soul of Voldemort has a toe-hold in her, yes; she can't help that. But she has proven that it isn't enough to rule her."
аааааааа"It is enough to divide her," Merlin answered. "And she will never conquer that one small part of her that belongs to him. It will always be there, wheedling, poisoning, tempting, lying. Further, his power is her power. She has shown that she uses that powerЧgranted, for good, so far, such as in healing Albus' legЧbut how long will she be able to control it? Even now, she leaves these walls to return to a loveless and bitter life. She has denied herself the return of her own parents so that Lily and you, James, might live. Meanwhile, she watches you go home to loving parents and a life she can only dream of. Don't think that, despite her actions, she will not lie awake on cold, lonely nights, pining hopelessly for her dead parents, and wondering, wondering, if on that fateful night in the Chamber of Secrets she made the wrong choice."
ааааааааJames shook his head, not wanting to believe it. "She'd never think that. Petra is good."
аааааааа"Shewants to be good," Merlin agreed. "I will grant you that, James. Let us hope that that is enough."
ааааааааHarry approached James and put his hand on his son's shoulder. "Scorpius has agreed to help us locate his Grandfather Lucius. He's actually a little more enthusiastic about it than I'm comfortable with, to tell you the truth, but his grandfather's lies and manipulations have turned the boy into quite a valuable ally for us. Still," he said, turning his attention to Merlin, "what of Tabitha Corsica? She's returned the map. Apart from Stunning Ralph, she hasn't technically done anything wrong whatsoever, despite her best efforts. I have no jurisdiction over her at all."
аааааааа"Leave her to me," Merlin replied, sitting down at his desk again. "She is not so far gone that she cannot be helped. I have known someone like her."
аааааааа"You're kidding!" James said, getting to his feet as his father prepared to leave. "You think Petra's going to go all Dark Lord on us, but you think there's hope for Corsica just because you've 'known someone like her'?"
ааааааааMerlin looked up at James, his brow lowered. "Perhaps I misspoke," he said, his voice rumbling. "What I meant to say was I have been someone like her."
ааааааааJames stared at the Headmaster, frowning in consternation, but Harry steered him away with his hand. "Come on, son," he said, smiling a little. "The Headmaster has a lot to do. I saw your performance on the Omnioculars, by the way. You're quite the little actor. Makes me wonder about the time you told me you had nothing to do with that broken clock in the parlor, eh?"
ааааааааJames changed the subject as quickly as he could. "So are you heading home right away?"
аааааааа"No, actually," Harry answered, closing Merlin's door. "I'm going to check in on Albus down in the Slytherin quarters. And then I, er, owe someone a visit, apparently."
ааааааааJames began to tromp down the spiral staircase. "Who's that?"
аааааааа"Moaning Myrtle," his dad sighed, smiling. "Rose insisted. She said she promised. Just come and get me if I'm in there for more than an hour, all right?"
20.THELONGRIDEHOME
аа а а ааThe last week of school went by as if blown by a hard wind. Zane stayed over, spending a night both with James and Ralph in their dormitories, sleeping on cots provided by the house-elves, and staying the rest of the time in his old house dormitory. The Ravenclaws were happy to see him, and Horace Birch proudly proclaimed him a lifelong Ravenclaw "despite the fact you're a ruddy Yank and a coffee drinker, even though everybody knows all true Ravenclaws live on tea and Butterbeer."
ааааааааTo James' delight, a review of The Triumvirate appeared in the Daily Prophet, carefully glossing over the kidnapping of Lily as 'an unfortunate scare involving a temporarily lost child' since she had turned up later that evening apparently unhurt and perfectly cheerful. The review had called the play a 'surprisingly inventive and entertaining bit of academic theatre' despite the somewhat controversial Muggle production techniques implemented by the director, Muggle Studies professor Tina Grenadine Curry. This was blithely forgiven when the reporter had discovered that the Muggle generators, which were purportedly operating the stage lights, were running rather mysteriously without a drop of petrol in them, therefore rendering the nonmagical claims of the production completely moot.
аааааааа"Here we go," Rose said, pointing at the newspaper at breakfast on the last day of school. "'James Sirius Potter, portraying the part of the beloved Treus, proved that neither youth nor inexperience can prevent a delightful performance in someone so well-trained and obviously inspired. Young Mr. Potter's surprising Thespian talent leads this reporter to muse that, in his case, the apple certainly did not fall far from the tree, even if it did perhaps fall in an entirely different vocational orchard.'"
аааааааа"That's the fifth time you've read that," James said, grinning and red-faced.
аааааааа"Not that you mind," Zane said, nudging his friend.
ааааааааRalph asked, "What's it mean about James falling down in a different orchard?"
аааааааа"It means James is as talented as his father," Rose proclaimed, folding the paper, "Just in some quite different ways. No one could ever imagine Harry Potter performing in a play, could they?"
аааааааа"I suppose not," James agreed, still grinning sheepishly. "But I think that's about enough acting for me."
ааааааааZane shook his head. "You say that now, but you just wait. Pretty soon, you'll start missing the spotlight. You know, my dad works in the Muggle film industry. He could probably hook you up with a part in a movie. There's even talk of remaking the movies based on that magical book series. You'd be perfect for it!"
аааааааа"Not a chance," James insisted, but he was drowned out by the chorus of enthusiastic agreement. He decided not to fight it, and in the end, everyone agreed that, in fact, Albus would probably better fit the part, despite the fact that he couldn't act as well as James.
аааааааа"I'd do it though," Albus said seriously. "I could even do my own spells! Would they allow that, you think?"
ааааааааZane shook his head as everyone laughed.
ааааааааThat night, James enlisted Zane's help in removing the lightning bolt scar from his voodoo doll. Carefully, Zane used his wand to magically scrub the marking from the tiny burlap forehead. Strangely, James could feel the progress of it. It tingled, and the tingle diminished as the scar vanished. Finally, Zane handed James the doll, nodding at a job well done.
аааааааа"Clean as the wind-driven snow," he proclaimed.
ааааааааJames examined it. Sure enough, there was no sign that the scar marking had ever been there. He wrapped the doll in a cloth and put it in the bottom of his trunk. He wasn't sure what he would do with it now that he knew it could be used rather dangerously, but he suspected he would simply give it back to his mum. Now that she knew to keep an eye on it, he felt confident that there was no one who'd take better care of it.
ааааааааAt dinner on the last day of school, Gryffindor was awarded the House Cup, primarily because of late points added to their score by Merlin for James and Petra's performance in the play. James was very happy about the award, and as the Gryffindor table exploded into applause, congratulating James and Petra, he felt, perhaps for the first time, that he was living up to his father's legend as a Gryffindor. At the end of the Gryffindor table, floating uncertainly but with a nervous smile on his face, the ghost of Cedric Diggory waved at him. The Grey Lady wafted next to him, her pale face inscrutable but apparently content.
ааааааааFor the evening's entertainment, the Hufflepuffs put on a very amusing puppet show rendition ofThe Triumvirate, making affectionate fun of everyone involved. James laughed until tears ran from his eyes. When he looked to share the joke with Petra, however, her seat was empty. He didn't see her at all the rest of the night.
ааааааааFinally, the next morning, it was time for the trip home. Zane had his small bag packed, whistling lightly as James lugged his trunk out to the steps.
аааааааа"It'll be great to ride the train again," Zane said, smiling happily. "I miss that old cart lady. She wasn't there when I rode into Hogsmeade with your mum, you know that? Apparently, she only works the official Hogwarts Express runs. Better profit margin, I guess."
аааааааа"Hmph," James said, plopping onto his trunk. "I didn't know that."
аааааааа"I bet she'll be there more often, though, once they open up the new route. I saw the place where they're expanding the track through the mountains. It'll connect with some new wizarding village over on the other side of some gorge. I can't remember the name of the gorge or the village, but your mum said once they finish the track, it'll save travelers loads of commute time and Floo powder. I bet the cart lady'll have a lot more customers then."
аааааааа"I'm sure she'd be glad you were so concerned for her welfare," James said, rolling his eyes.
аааааааа"I can't help it," Zane agreed. "I'm just a caring kind of guy. Oh yeah, that reminds me, I think I figured out the secret of Tabitha's crazy broom."
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