[dw]

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 19

Part 2

The Truth.... It Can Hurt.

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

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Lupin jumped to the fireplace, flinging a handful of Floo powder as he knelt before the green tinged flames. "Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." he halfway screamed inside the firebox.

There before the crowd in the Lupin Parlor was the back half of Remus Lupin with his head appearing to have been enveloped by the fire within the hearth. His voice now coming from his disjointed body causing a severe chill to run up and down Hermione's spine.

Back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a head appears in the fireplace of Headmaster Dumbledores office. A startled painting of Armondo Dippet stirs as his figure runs to the adjoining painting of an ancient and very crabby looking past Headmasters re pleat with a snood with a bobbed puff ball upon its end.

"Dumbledore, DUMBLEDORE" shouted the bodiless figure of Remus Lupin as it broke out of the burning embers in the fireplace.

Fawkes stretches for a moment, looks at the disembodied head and then tucks his head back once again under his massive wing.

"Professor Dumbledore, I must speak with you, RIGHT NOW! It is of the utmost urgent nature that I give you this information, NOW!"

Professor Dumbledore stood up relatively slowly behind his heavy wooden desk. He walks toward the fireplace with a smooth and relaxed gate. He raises his left hand and lightly runs it through the puffs of smoke that is being expelled by one of the whizzing and puffing shiny instruments that sits upon a very spindly legged table. He finally reaches the fireplace and gazes into the super heated air as it escapes the hearth mixed with a little bit of soot.

"Ah Remus, I was wondering when you would grace us here with your presence. Is there something that you wish to share with me?"

Remus looked into the twinkling eyes of the Headmaster and then spat out a large ember which then landed just on a section of flag stone near the edge of the ancient and scrubbed wooden flooring. "PSSSTTFFFEEEWW!!! I really hate it when that happens, burnt my tongue" Remus stated shortly after he had expelled the the burning bit of wood!

"Professor, please excuse my just barging into your office at this late hour but it appears that you are aware of some very mysterious goings on in the castle of late. You see, I, well we, oh blast it, I was not diligent enough in the task that you had given to me so many years ago when you had asked me to keep an eye on James and Sirius.."

"Yes, go on Remus. I am aware of the difficulty that you had even with the help of Peter Pettigrew to try and reign in those two, oh what did you call yourselves back then?" Dumbledore asked with a bit of a scratch to the side of his crooked nose.

"Marauders, we called ourselves the Marauders, how foolish we were, so arrogant, so self impressed. If only we had the knowledge then which we now have grown so accustomed to." Lupin blurt out.. "Well, enough with a trip down old memory lane, you see Professor, there are most likely invaders in the Castle, members of the death eaters and I am very afraid most likely Fenrir Greyback himself".

A chill went up Lupins spine which could actually be seen back in his parlor by the Gryffindor students and Tonks.

"I believe my poor Remus has just informed Dumbledore that Fenrir may well have entered the Castle". A look of concern covered her face as she looked directly at the students and then promptly tripped over a small footstool which sat silently in front of the well worn sofa.

Dumbledore, on the other side of the Floo call, was grinning benignly. "Yes... I am aware that was distinct possibility if our brave troupe of Gryffindors hadn't discovered that picture inside the Room of Requirement. But as it stands, no one can pass through ANY of the pictures that Peter had made."

Lupin gawked funnily at the Headmaster, his mind reeling and failing to seize what the old wizard was saying. "What? You knew?"

"Of course, Remus. That's what Headmaster's have to know about if they want to successfully protect their charges during a given school year." Albus said before laughing briefly, "your generation had a few brilliant minds that worked exclusively on producing mischief and mayhem. Messieurs Fred and George Weasley are not unique in that field."

"But... but... how did you find out?" Lupin begged to know.

"Ah! That is a mystery that I intend to keep secret." Albus said casually as he winked to Headmaster Dippet. "Let's say that I kept the two of you on a particularly short leash." he ended cryptically.

"Oh, I didn't realize that. I thought our secret was indeed that, a secret." Lupin felt put out. "So what did you do to the paintings?"

"Just an added spell of my own device. It seals the painting in an invisible bubble of sorts. One needs the password to step through." Albus pointed to one of the paintings that was sitting on the floor near his desk. "This is the one that was near the Gryffindor portal. I sealed it yesterday and have been monitoring it for any 'activity'. "

Lupin blinked a few times, staring at the horrid painting, seeing a tiny light twinkling at the end of a very long corridor. "Anything come up since yesterday?"

"Nothing upsetting or remotely dark has been seen or heard from it, quite fortunately. I believe that they now know that these portals have been neutralized... for now." Albus answered seriously, giving the painting another gaze.

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 20

Part 1

There is Murder in the Air

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

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The pounding on the front entrance door of the Manor echoed throughout the halls and bounced off the walls. It was constant and obviously VIOLENT!

Kokay ran down the highly polished floors toward the Hard Wood and Wrought Iron doors that hid the secrets of Malfoy Manor from the outside world. With a mighty tug and much harrumphing, the doors finally gave way. Several early fallen leaves blew their way into the small gap the was created between the Doors and then a filthy hand with nasty yellowed curved fingernails appeared on the edge of the door.

With a smashing sound the door was flung wide open and poor little Kokay was brutally kicked down the same polished hall way that she had just run down.

"Where is he? Where is that rodent faced liar? I am going to rip his fat little head off and chew on his dismembered ears! Get out of my way!" as yet another foot was forced into the side of Kokay.

"Arrrruuummmph! Sorry, so sorry sir, I did not mean to....." Kokay was once again brushed to the side, sliding into a half moon shaped Hall Greeting table. This table had once held the business cards of famous Witches and Wizards who came to Malfoy Manor to make offer their services or to attempt to advance their status in the Wizarding World.. No longer, the receiving card tray sat empty upon that same highly polished Gold Gilded table. Its Snake form legs holding its Green Malachite top. A Candlestick in the form of a serpent rising up holding the candle in its up turned open mouth, reflecting the light it gave in a 20 foot high hall mirror.

From an open doorway, far down the hall a head popped out from the ancient wood entrance way.

"Fenrir, what the heck do you think you are doing barging into this house without being first invited?" came the voice of Narcissa Malfoy.

The filthy beast took a few slow steps at first and then broke into a full run on all fours. He was upon her in seconds. Standing on her chest. The head of Narcissa Malfoy, the present Lady of Malfoy Manor and wife of Lucius Malfoy. Her head banging with a sickening thud upon the highly polished hard wood floor below her. The stench of the breath of the beast known as Fenrir Greyback being hurled into her face while the saliva dripped from his sickeningly yellow/green teeth. His sharp and extremely dangerous fangs merely inches from her throat. Still he was in semi-human form as it was not yet the Full Moon.

"Get the heck off her, RIGHT NOW you filthy beast!” Screamed the equally brutal voice of Bellatrix LeStrange.

She grasped the back of Fenrir's neck, his fur covered flesh being ripped from his bones by the hand that she extended and then a brilliant flash of RED Light and the beast was being thrown through the air as if a paper air plane, only to land in a pile of arms and legs right next to Kokay the poor little House Elf.

Kokay ran as far away from the beast as her tiny legs could take her, skidding inside the small hallway that led to the kitchens. Meanwhile, Greyback was slowly taking his senses back, groaning as he eased up on his legs. Giving his head a final shake, his eyes came to rest upon Bella's face as she smiled cruelly.

"You have a lot of nerve to come here and attack my sister, you stinking brute. I should have killed you on sight for even coming here in the first place." Bellatrix barked, "your Master told you never to come here unless invited. Get it?" she finished idly as she twirled her wand between her nimble fingers.

"Shut up, woman, I'm here to strangle that rat faced fink, Pettigrew! His ruddy paintings have been discovered back at the castle." Fenrir growled dangerously, "after being told that no one knew of their special features, I almost got caught by that Muggle lover, Dumbledore!"

Bella hissed as she heard the name, "Don't you say that name to my face, you flea bitten canine!" She went back inside the room where Narcissa was still inspecting her person for any damage the creature could have inflicted on her.

"Are you ok, Cissy?"

"No!" Narcissa whispered carefully, trying to repair a rip on her silk dress with her wand. "That thing attacked me and you didn't kill it? If Lucius were here, he would have..."

"Forget it, Cissy. I can't kill it unless the Master says so."

Bella dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand. "But retaliation is possible for you though. The Master does allow you the chance to avenge yourself. And Lucius can't do a bleeding thing about it, It's yours to do only. Nobody can do it for you."

Narcissa sniffed, wrinkling her nose at the mere suggestion that should could use force to defend herself. It seemed so UN-ladylike somehow.

"Well, I'll think about it..."

Bella laughed raucously as she tried to imagine Cissy trying to inflict pain on anyone, except for the House elves. "You couldn't do it, even if you were at wand point..."

"Oh, shut up Bella! I could if I had to." Cissy rebelled immediately.

"Yeah, yeah.... tell that to Lucius. I'm sure he'd believe you in an instant." Bellatrix cackled as she sat down on the cushy chaise that was near the window.

Fenrir had been listening and decided to enter the room. His dilated eyes took in the decor and the two women as they sassed each other. He'd had enough talk.

"Where the is he?" He growled ferociously.

Bella slowly looked back toward the door, here eyes skimming over the lowly wretch.

"Pettigrew is out. Had a special mission to do for the Dark Lord." she breathed out, "If you had asked in the first place, we might have bypassed all this unseemly behavior in the first place, werewolf." she sneered at him.

"You now owe my sister a new silk dress, you oaf. And...." she grinned pettily, "Our Lord might even give her a shot at your lousy carcass for having attacked the spouse of one of his...umm.... dedicated followers."

Greyback growled dangerously as he studied Bella's features.

For but a brief moment, Narcissa Malfoy truly considered grabbing her wand and casting the killing curse upon the filthy beast that stood there before her sister and herself.

"NO, I will not befoul my reputations and stain the floors of Malfoy Manor with the blood of that disgusting creature of abomination."

"Did you not hear me? I told you that he is not here. Now get your flea bitten carcass out of this house and never again do you come into this building. NOW, GET OUT!" screamed Bellatrix Lestrange in such a shrill voice that Narcissa actually had to turn her head away and cover hear ears from the reverberations and echoing of the screeching sound.

Fenrir Greyback gave the woman an evil grin, bared his teeth, snarled and turned on his heals and with a stomping of his feet headed toward the entrance doors of Malfoy Manor. As he approached and grabbed the wrought iron handle that would turn the locks to the massive doors, he momentarily turned and stated,

"When that poor excuse for both Rodent and Wizard returns tell him for me, he is a dead Wizard! I will rip him apart and it will not be the life of a pampered house pet for him. No his worst nightmare will have been bestowed upon his miserable self."

With this, the front doors were brutally smashed back against the walls on each side of the entrance as a gust of chilled wind laced with newly fallen leaves came bursting into the hallway of Malfoy Manor..

Bellatrix raised her wand, high over her head and the front doors were suddenly closed with a bang and a clatter and the obvious clicking of locks.

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 20

Part 2

There is Murder in the Air.

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




"Cissy, where is he? Where is Pettigrew right now?" demanded Bellatrix of her sister.

A look of panic was plastered on Narcissa's face but for a brief moment. Then she took her hands and began to run them down the sides of her day coat. Seeming to brush out wrinkles that did not exist. Looking from right to left in an obvious attempt to make believe she had not heard the words of her sister.

"Narcissa BLACK Malfoy!" screamed Bellatrix. "WHERE IS HE? You would not have deceived me and led me to believe that he was not here on the grounds would you?"

Now panic seemingly crawling into the voice of Bellatrix Lestrange. Her eyes suddenly darting from side to side as if Peter Pettigrew might jump out of any corner or shadow at that very moment.

"He is here Bellatrix. They are here, in the basement dungeon. They are interviewing that disgusting Potter loving Dedalus Diggle ."

Bella's face dropped, a look of befuddlement making her eyes shine oddly. "Diggle? That bag of dragon droppings is here? And they're interviewing him?"

Her voice grew shrill again as she tried to wrap her mind around the concept. "Who's interviewing him and why?" she asked as she started walking toward the door leading to the dungeon downstairs.

"Bella! No!" Narcissa ran to her, grabbing the skirts of her black lace robes. "Don't go there, the Master forbade us to go down and assist. You mustn't disobey the Dark Lord..." she pleaded with her sister, knowing how Bella could be headstrong when she felt she had been duped or pushed aside.

Bellatrix turned swiftly around, her features alight with a mix of awe and frenzied love. "The Dark Lord... he's here?" she whispered roughly, "my Master in this house..." she whispered to herself, a feeling of joy spreading over her.

"Yes, he's here dear. And he was in a foul mood if you ask me." her voice thin and whimpering. "I don't know who or what set him off. "

Her eyes darted to the door that led to their dungeon, she paled unconsciously, "But the Dark Lord was obviously not in his right mind."

Bella shrieked, "how dare you say such a thing about my Master!" Her eyes were glowing with hidden madness. "Our Lord is the sanest wizard alive!!" she bellowed at the blond.

Narcissa lowered her gaze to the floor, "I'm sorry, Bella... it's not what I meant to say.... I was just trying to ....."

"Silence!" the raven-haired witch hissed to her sister. "Don't ever insult his intelligence again, do you hear me?"

Narcissa nodded in agreement, still not able to face Bellatrix's rage.

The quiet that surrounded the sisters was suddenly not just broken, it was absolutely SHATTERED!

"YYYYYEEEEEEEEAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSS! YYYYYEEEEEEAAAAASSSSSSSS!" came the shrill voice from the deepest darkest recesses of Malfoy Manor.

Kokay, came running down the highly polished flooring of the entrance hallway, trying to come to a stop but finding that her footing was just not sufficient as she slipped down the open doorway leading to the basement of Malfoy Manor, her own yelps being covered up by the screams of excruciating pain coming from somewhere in the darkened stairway.

Bellatrix began to run towards the staircase, quickly followed by Narcissa. Narcissa attempted to grab at the trail of Bell's robe but came up empty handed.

Just as Bellatrix was to proceed down into the darkened cellar of the Manor, she turned towards her sister.

"You foolish idiot, you bloody foolish idiot! Here you thought YOU were in charge of this Manor. You have no idea who is in charge here. I am the Dark Lords favorite, he confides in me, he LOVES ME!" came the shrill and evil voice of Bellatrix.

"NO, BELLA, you are wrong, you have no idea of what you are heading for.. I beg of you do not go down there. You will not be able to handle it. None of us could deal with what it going on down there." Narcissa's impatient plea came tumbling out of her without fear of the circumstances.

"You filthy jealous Witch. Now I know what you are up to. YOU think you can keep me away from my destiny, from my being number ONE to the left of MY LORD! BLAST YOU Cissy, blast you!" as Bellatrix cast a curse to her sister which struck her in her chest.

The body of Nacissa Malfoy fell as if in slow motion toward the floor. Her arms and legs splayed as if a bird in full flight. Her robes spreading upward as her blond hair covered head lay backward, her eyes rolling up and the whites showing, and the pupils disappearing. He mouth open when she came to a sudden stop, mid air.

There stood Kokay, once again having gained her footing. Standing atop the stairway to the basement below. Her own right hand raised and pointing directly at her Mistress.

The voice of Bellatrix Lestrange now fading as she cackles and laughs her most evil laugh down into the recesses of the underbelly of Malfoy Manor.

Kokay, completely distraught, toddled quickly to her mistress's side. Snapping her fingers quickly, she summons two other elves to the hallway. Both creatures are dumbstruck until Kokay calls them to order.

"Quick! Prepare the mistress's bed and sleeping robe. Ask Ditzy to bring the mistress upstairs, while I fetch the Healer."

First, one elf disappeared with a crack, followed by a quick succession of variably loud cracks as the elves got organized to tend to their mistress. A minute later, Narcissa was whisked upstairs to her private bedroom and all traces of blood were removed from the floor where she had landed. Lucius would soon be advised of the development and would react accordingly.


Bellatrix reached the dungeons beneath Malfoy Manor, huffing and puffing as she ran toward the main door. She stopped before entering, giving her appearance a once over to make sure she was presentable. With a quick pass of her wand, all traces of sweat were removed from her brow and neck. With a coquettish smile, she pushed the door open as another blood curdling scream was heard heard inside the room.

"PLLLlEEEEEAAASE...... HEEEELLLLP MEEEEEE! MOTHER.... FATHER...."

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 21

Part 1

Life, Its a Gas!

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

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Remus Lupin removed his head from the burning embers in the humble fireplace. He backed up very slowly and stood up and began to brush off the soot that had clung to his cloths and hair.

"Professor Lupin, what did Headmaster Dumbledore have to say about that Map? About the painting? About Fenrir Greyback running around the castle?" came Harry's overly excited questions.

"Harry, you really must calm down. This is really going to sound foolish but it seems that Professor Dumbledore has been aware of the goings on with those paintings of the tunnels that Peter Pettigrew created. He even was aware of the multiple Marauders Maps that even I had not realized still existed"

Lupin stood before the Gryffindor students now, his hands on his hips. He had clearly recaptured his composure and was ready to set things right.

He turned to Tonks who was now once again holding Teddy in her arms. She gently stroked the back of his neck as the baby just cooed into her shoulder, drooling a bit all the while.

"I know Remus, I am not so dense that I do not realize that you are going to go after Peter Pettigrew. What I am most worried about is if he is going to be in the company of Voldemort when the two of you finally come face to face once more."

"If he is going, I am going with him, you. Who ever is going after Pettigrew is surely to run across Voldemort and I am beginning to put two and two together.. It never was JUST Draco Malfoy bringing those Dementors into Hogwarts, he was being supplied those creatures through the friends and Death Eater followers of Voldemort himself." Harry stated in an almost winded tone.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Harry," stuttered Ron, "will you stop saying that name already.. As if we do not have enough problems to solve, you have to keep throwing that word around making my hair stand up on end with every letter."

"Yeah Harry, we have to agree" came the voice of Fred as George moved very close to his brother. With Georges head just behind Fred's shoulder then almost appeared to be a two headed Ginger monster!

Hermione walked over to Tonks and asked if she could take Teddy from her allowing her to hug her husband. Tonks begrudgingly passed Teddy on to Hermione. She barely let her hold upon the little one go, her fingers pulling the blanket that surrounded the child up and tucking them under him as Hermione brought him close to her own shoulder.

Fred then turned to George, he began to whisper in his twins ear and the shocked look that lit up Georges face was so blatant that Harry yelped out;

"So, well, what? Do you two have an answer to this problem?" He stood there almost begging for a positive answer from the duo.

"Well, Harry it is like this, when you were in the Room of Requirements and you were floating in that glass jar like a fish at a fair. Well, you see, there was this gas."

Ron snickered and began to laugh out loud. Tonks also amused at this sudden apparent joke suddenly tripped over a low foot stool and landed on the couch.. clutching her side from the stitch that had developed.

"All right, I guess we deserved that one.. But you see, you had this blue gas coming out of your mouth. Professor Dumbledore later told us that it was some sort of very powerful dark magic sleeping gas."

Remus looked at the brothers and walked up to them, clapping them both on their backs with an open handed slap.... "Gentlemen, I believe you have given me an idea. One that may just work perfectly, that is IF everything goes as we plan." With this Remus Lupin quickly drew one of the chairs away from the table where the fake Marauders Map was laid out.

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 21

Part 2

Life, Its a Gas

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Meanwhile, somewhere on Hogwarts grounds, Severus Snape was busy with his own agenda. He busily picked odd looking mushrooms that cried out as they were tugged from the rotting trees that were their hosts. He next collected a variety of leaves and flowers, a few eggs from the nest of a very ugly bird-like creature.

He worked diligently and quickly, showing his experience in gathering the ingredients needed for his potions. A few times he looked over his shoulder, half expecting a student or that oaf Hagrid to come amble through, thus cutting short his little romp in the forest and grounds of the school.

He sniffed the air, trying to detect the foul odor of the last item needed for his deed. He knew he was close to where he had last seen them during the summer months, when they had been too young for picking. He saw the large rock he had passed by the last time he had visited. He squinted as he tried to see the ground depression where they had been; but in the barely lit area, this task was difficult. He dared not bring his wand out and use the lighting spell. It would attract unwanted attention and HE had been formal about not wanting anyone to know about this brewing session.

"Old coot..." he mumbled in a growl, almost tripping as he found the spot. "The things I have to do and endure for that bloody brat..."

He hissed as he took out his dragon hide gloves and got on all fours. He bent low to the ground, pushing fallen leaves away until he found his bounty. He grinned darkly as he took his silver dagger from hip pocket and poked apart an weirdly shaped ball made of mud, animal dung and rotting vegetation. And there they were, lively and gray, wiggling amongst a silvery slime that kept them alive until they could hatch out of their cocoon.

"Come my lovelies, I have a lovely cauldron just waiting for you...." he cajoled softly as he slid the tiny colony of Infusco Serpente Regalis (Royal black serpents) into a specially lined jar.

His last task done, he slid the jar in his breast pocket and made his way back to the dungeons.

An hour had elapsed when he finished preparing his ingredients, ready for brewing. The jar of serpents lay safely in a dark cupboard in the meantime, since light could diminish the serpents potency for the brew. He swore wildly as he heard Dumbledore calling him through the floo at the other end of the room.

"Albus.... please.... don't interrupt me when I'm in the process! You know the rules concerning this type potion."

Albus Dumbledore coughed dryly as he swallowed a bit of soot, but he looked apologetically to his Potions' Master.

"I'm sorry, Severus... an emergency just cropped up."

Snape closed his eyes in annoyance, breathing slowly through his long, crooked nose. His patience was thin enough without the disagreement of being bothered in the middle of preparations. This potion was fiddly enough as it was.

Reigning in his feelings of anger, he asked the Headmaster, "What now? Did your golden boy chip a nail or accidentally stub his toe?" He asked with his familiar voice, dripping with sarcasm.

Albus laughed briefly before answering. "No... but HE knows about the paintings now, and so does Harry and his friends. Unfortunately..."

Snape turned slowly to face the old man, "This is going to complicate the plans, I hope you do understand that?"

Dumbledore nodded, "I do."

"Do I continue with the brewing?" Snape asked briefly, his face completely devoid of any emotions.

"Yes, you do. I'll have to change a few details of the original plan for it to work. But we are keeping on this course for now." Dumbledore stated firmly.

"Very well." Snape nodded before going back to his workbench, "now, go away and let me brew in peace."

"Yes, Severus. I'll see you tomorrow morning after breakfast. You can brief me then about your chances of success with this potion." Dumbledore concluded.

Snape stared coldly from his workbench to where the floating head of the Headmaster could still be seen. His nostrils flared as he felt the doubt in the other man's voice.

"Success is a given on my side... you should be the one to worry about your plan's success, old man."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as his head retreated further until out of sight, but he could still be heard when he chuckled lightly, "Of course it'll work. When have my plans not worked?"

Snape sniffed as he returned his gaze to the slow boiling cauldron.

"Famous last words, I dare say..." Severus mumbled to no one.

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 21

Part 3

Life, Its a Gas

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Fred and George approached Lupin first, then followed closely by Harry, Ron and Tonks.. Hermione stood back just a bit with Teddy cradled in her arms.. Her hearing was tuned into the slightest sounds that were being made.

Professor Lupin suddenly snapped his head up. Gazing at the Gryffindors with a bit of a wry smile on his face..
Remus sat with his hands holding the sides of his head, while he focused upon the map before him. The murmur of voices in the parlor began to buzz as if a hive of honey bees were about ready to explode
.
"All righty then. You want in, well, you are in.. The first thing that we have to do is clear this with your parents... All of them!"

Fred and George both yelled "WHAT?"

Ron, just grumbled "Oh Great"

Harry on the other hand looked at Lupin as if he had just lost his mind!

"Professor, you know better than anyone that my parents are not alive? What are you getting at?" With this Harry turned his back on Lupin and threw himself into the thread worn parlor sofa...

"Harry," came Hermione's voice.. "I believe you are forgetting about Sirius."

"Sirius? What, blasted, there is nothing to worry about then. Sirius will let me go. I am sure that he will insist on coming along himself." Harry stated now with the most smug of smiles on his face.

"Whoa, slow down there Harry, I am not so sure that even Sirius will be so quick to place your life on the line. Not with what everyone is going through just to keep you safe." Tonks stated with just a bit of a bite in her tone as her hair turned from Bubble Gum Pink to a Formidable shade of Violent Lavender.

"Look, I haven't asked ANYONE to protect me.. You know, I am not exactly the slowest ride on a broom! I can take care of myself you know. I have done a pretty good job of it so far you know."

Harry was now crossing his arms over his chest. His dander had clearly been raised once again.

The room grew silent once more. No one made a sound. Only the crackling of the hot embers in the Hearth broke the silence. Then there was a huge "POP." There, standing right in the middle of the table at which Remus Lupin was seated stood Dobby.

"Blasted Dobby, will you please send some advance notice before you go doing that?"

Ron requested of the House Elf.. Dobby bowed low, so low that his long nose and floppy bat like ears touched the Map at his feet.

Hermione jumped back, cradling Teddy tighter to her chest, a small scream escaping her lips. Breathing heavily she turned away from the elf, leaving her charge in his mother's arms.

"Dobby! What are you doing here?", she asked as she came nearer.

The Twins barely moved when the elf appeared, but they were now at full attention. Harry had gotten quickly to his feet,

"Dobby!" he cheered, "What are you doing here?"

"Master Harry Potter, sir!" Dobby squeaked before bowing low at the waist. "Professor Lupin called me and I came immediately." He managed to say from his bent position.

Harry looked quickly to Lupin, "Why call him? What does he have to do with this?"

Remus grinned, "Dobby is going to be our go-between of sorts."

Dobby smiled sheepishly, twisting his fingers nervously as he waited to be spoken to.

All of the Gryffindors turned towards Dobby. Their interest showing plain as day upon their anxious faces.

Hermione finally asked THE QUESTION, "Dobby, What are you going to be doing as a go between?"

Dobby looked first toward Remus Lupin, then at Tonks and then he scanned each of the Gryffindors with his large saucer like eyes... Then he blurt out;

"Dobby is going to be going back to Malfoy Manor.. Dobby is working for his previous family once more.. Dobby is helping Kokay with her mission"

"Mission, what mission and who is this Kokay? " asked Fred.

Harry turned to the rest of the group at this point, "I know who Kokay is and Dobby, you can't go back and work for the Malfoys. They will KILL YOU! You barely made it out of there alive last time. After you cast that spell and hit Mr. Malfoy in the hall outside Professor Dumbledores Office, I would hardly believe that they would let you near them ever again."

"Oh but Harry Potter Sir, my previous Master has welcomed me back with open arms... He believes that I am a spy for him. He believes that I have turned on Harry Potter Sir.. he believes that Dobby has become a follower of You-Know-Who!"

"But Dobby, why would he think that?" came Ron's worried voice... "Don't you realize that he will have you blasted off the planet when he finds out that you really are in cahoots with us?"

"Oh yes, Master Weasley. I understand the risks to my life.. I am use to these risks every day.. The other House Elves at Hogwarts have been trying to plot my demise ever since I came to work there. Theys are not liking Dobby making Money for what theys feels a house elves place in life to be for Free and not to Be Free."

Hermione now in control of her apparent lack of knowledge of the situation, something that seems to have caused some deep rooted frustration within herself.

"Dobby, how exactly did you go about getting the Malfoys to trust you again?"

"Oh, that was very easy Mistress Granger.. You see, Dobby knows of the secret of the Paintings of the Tunnels and the hidden Painting in the Hospital Wing... You see, Harry Potter Sir has been traveling through those paintings. He has been going to my former Masters Home all year! Harry Potter Sir has already met Kokay and he has seen things that should never be seen by those who loves Hogwarts!"

"That's IT! THAT'S IT!!! You see, I was not loosing my marbles.. I was not out of my mind! You see, it was real all along. Those PAINTINGS! I was traveling through them!" Harry almost screamed.

Remus now chimed in with calm and ease.

"Yes Harry, this all makes sense now. You see, Professor Dumbledore and Professor Flitwick have put the strongest STASIS Spells on the paintings. Well at least the ones they know about. That keeps things from coming into Hogwarts through the paintings but it does not keep anyone from leaving through them.. That must mean that there is at least another Painting somewhere in Hogwarts, one that none of us knows about, one that allowed you to return to the Castle Harry."

All eyes suddenly turned toward Dobby once more.. The poor House Elf's eyes staring down at his feet. He pulled on the elastic top of one of his socks until it had risen all the way up to his behind.

"Dobby!" came Lupins voice. "There is another painting other than the one in the Room of Requirements, the one in the Hallway behind the Tapestry, the one in the Hospital Wing, isn't there?"

With this Dobby picked up his head.. His eyes filled with tears.. he was now wringing the sweater that Harry had given him years earlier.. Causing the fabric to stretch and twist into gruesome shapes.

"Oh yes Sir.. There are in fact TWO other Paintings Dobby knows of Sir... Dobbys not proud of this but he knows of one that hangs in his previous Masters Manor. Dobby has overheard discussion of such a painting Sir.. Dobby has heard He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named questioning that RAT... The childhood friend of yourself SIR... Dobby knows that THEY have ONE TOO!!"

Remus stared at the elf, his mind working double time. Scratching his chin absently, he stood up and paced around again. "Very well then.... so where is the other painting that you speak of?"

Dobby breathed heavily for moments, squeezing his fingers together until the room heard them crack under the strain.

"I.... I.... ARRRRGGHHHHH!" The elf cracked under the pressure, running to the front door to fling it open, then closing it brutally back against his head. "Bad Dobby....bad Dobby...." he could be heard screaming.

Harry jumped over the low sofa and ran after the poor elf. He struggled with the elf, trying to stop him from battering his head again and again.

"STOP...IT....Dobbyyyyyyy!" The boy swore vividly as the elf fought strenuously against the boy wizard's attempt.

Hermione screamed, "Stop him! He'll hurt himself!!"

Ron went to help Harry, taking the first thing he could grab onto while on the way. With a flick of his wand, he levitated the umbrella stand into the door opening, jamming any further movement from the elf.

"Thanks Ron..." Harry said, still out of breath from the struggle.

"No problem, mate." Ron answered as he patted Hermione on the back. "He's OK... the elf that is." He gave her a lopsided smile. "Nothing he hasn't probably done a thousand times before... you know?"

"Ronald! That doesn't make it right!" she spat back, slapping his helpful hand away. She looked for any sign of bleeding from Dobby, or obvious swelling and bruising.

"Are you alright, Dobby?" she murmured as she dropped to her knees before the creature.

It's eyes were slightly glazed over and seemed a bit dizzy, but a small smile graced Dobby's face. "You are too kind, Miss. Dobby doesn't deserve your kindness...."

Harry rolled his to the heavens and yanked the elf off the floor, "Come on you, back to the living room and some explanations please!" Harry held Dobby under his arm as he quickly went back to the sofa under the group's surprised glances.

The Twin's knew house-elves were a bit dim in the noggin', but this scene proved it for good. They silently took a bet between each other, estimating the time when Dobby would try to hurt himself again, since he hadn't said where the second painting was.

Tonks came from the kitchen a moment later with a couple of ice packs in hand. "Here you go, put it on either side of his head. that should help with the swelling.... I think?" Not knowing how house-elves should be treated, Tonks used the same method she would use on Teddy.

Hermione took the ice packs and gingerly placed them on either side of the elf's head. Sure, it shivered a little bit, but it seemed to give him some relief from the pain... even if he didn't want it to end.

"Now, about that second painting... where is it?" Remus asked suddenly, hoping to get the information now rather than later.

Dobby tried jumping up again, but Harry held a firm hold on the creature's shoulders. "No, no, no....not again, you don't! Spit it out, Dobby. Or...or..." Harry gulped, hating to use any intimidation on his friend. But they really needed the location of the second painting. "Or I'll order you to show it to us!"

Dobby's eyes grew wide and wild,

"No sir, please... don't make me take you there. You'd be in danger and, and...."

Dobby grabbed his ears and twisted them viciously, trying to keep his secret.

"Please, sir.... don't ask that of me."

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 22

Part 1

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel


By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Professor Dumbledore walked into the Teachers Lounge with a flourish of his Midnight Blue Robes which was covered in tiny gold stars and planets all of which actually moved about as if it were the nights sky cast upon him.

Professor McGonagall stood by the scrubbed wooden table by the Leaded Glass Palladium Windows overlooking the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Albus, Filius has been informing me of your recent findings regarding those hideous paintings. Is it true Albus? Are we truly in danger of being invaded by those murderous followers of You-Know-Who?” came McGonagalls almost strangled voice. One of her trembling hands clutching her throat while the other was firmly placed directly over her heart.

"I am afraid so, Minerva. Unless we can find the passage way that is being used, be it a door, a gate, a painting or even ones mind, I do not feel comfortable with keeping the students here in the Castle." Dumbledore state with little glint of his normal sparkle.

"But Albus, you must not be serious. How could that many followers get into the Castle without anyone seeing them? It just does not make sense to me." Minerva McGonagall sat back down, her expression one of absolute frustration.

A loud "POP" and suddenly Dobby the House Elf was standing on the long table at which Professor McGonagall, Professors Flitwick and Sinistra all sat. Dobby turned his head first to the left then the right causing his ears to flop from side to side in the opposite direction of his face. It created a slapping sound that broke the silence caused by his appearance.

"Professor Dumbledore, Sir, Dobby has come to you from the house of Remus Lupin.. Dobby has barely escaped from the Werewolf and the Gryffindors. Dobby was being forced to divulge the secrets which you made Dobby promise to keep to himself.. Dobby was on the verge of having to pull his own tongue out and sew his lips together."

"Now, now Dobby, there is no need for such extreme behavior. A nice hot cup of tea would have sufficed... Not as a weapon but as a soothing beverage." Professor Dumbledore walked to the Elf, putting his hand on his shoulder and patting him gently.

"You have done well Dobby. Your services are very much appreciated and I am indebted to you for your loyalty and steel. Now I must ask of you to once again put yourself in harms way in order to help us protect Harry Potter and his friends."

Dumbledore tipped his chin toward his chest and looked into the large eyes of the House Elf. Trying to reassure him that everything will be all right.

Professor McGonagall stood up once again, she turned to face the House Elf and took a deep breath before she spoke.

"Elf, where are our students at this very moment? Are they in danger?"

"Dobby knows Madame Professor where her charges are.. Dobby is afraid that they are preparing to go to battle against those who serve He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. They are preparing to use Dobby to find the passage that we house elves know of. Dobby wants not to put Harry Potter Sir in danger, so Dobby left them in the care of the Werewolf and his Changeling Wife and Cub."

Filius snorted in his tea, "Seems the Gryffindors are going to be valiant once again, I say..." Smacking his lips appreciatively, he selected a cookie from the cookie tin that rested on the table next to him. "Not that I wouldn't expect anything else from Mr.Potter and Weasley and the Granger girl."

Minerva's face soured as she turned to Albus. "We have to stop them! We can't let children do a job that only a qualified Order member should be assigned to. Surely you understand that, Albus?"

"Indeed I do, Minerva. Indeed I do..." he agreed with a nod as he fished his wand from one of his pockets. "Seems I need to go to Remus' home and talk a bit of sense into those heads of theirs. But in the meantime, Dobby, you and the other elves are to stay here inside Hogwarts. Under no circumstances are you to leave the school to answer a summons. Is that clear?"

Dobby nodded his head readily, ears flopping to and fro. A direct order from the Headmaster was always taken seriously and adhered to.

"Have the other elves monitor the passage we've spoken of before. No one is to enter or exit through without my knowledge. If a wizard or witch tries to go either way, stop them at all costs... understood?" The Headmaster stated clearly to the elf again. "And send an elf to warn me immediately if anything should occur!"

The elf bowed reverently to the Headmaster and then to all the other teachers assembled in the room before neatly popping out of sight.

"Aurora, can you make an analysis of the present situation? Maybe get Septima to work out an Arithmantic sequence that would work with this... I'll need it for tomorrow morning."

The Arithmancy Professor nodded and gave him a wink and a wicked smile.

"You got it, Albus. Though it is a bit short notice, if you ask me.... but for you, I'll do it ASAP" Rising gracefully out of her chair, she ambled out with a swish of her blood red robe.

Minerva rolled her eyes as she stared at the witch leaving the room, mumbling under her breath, "What a tart!"

Albus Dumbledore hid the smile that was coming to his lips with a cough. "now, now Minny....none of that now."

McGonagall stared back at him, ready to talk his ear off, but suddenly realized that this was neither the time nor place for such personal talk.

"Yes...yes..." She finally uttered tartly, ignoring the muffled laugh coming from Flitwick.

"Fine then!" Dumbledore said firmly, "if there is nothing else you wish to discuss, I'll take my leave and get myself to Remus' abode." He looked to all the teachers, and when none said anything, he clapped his once and called. "Fawkes!"

In a burst of red and orange flame and feathers, the great fiery bird appeared up near the ceiling with a trill piercing the relative calm of the room. With a flew flaps of its mighty wings, he floated down to the Headmaster's extended hand.

"Good of you to come so quickly, my friend... we are off on a mission! Remus Lupin's home, if you would be so kind." The old wizard raised his arm above his head and with another flash, they both disappeared from sight.

Filius was still gazing at the spot where Albus Dumbledore had been standing a moment ago.

"You have to admit one thing," he said to the rest of the room, "that is a rather a stylish way of traveling."

Minerva snorted before taking her seat, "unfortunately, only Albus has that privilege."

Flitwick agreed with a nod and raised his teacup in a silent salute.

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

>Chapter 22

Part 2

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Just as the Remus and Harry and company were about to gather up the Marauders Map that lay upon the scrubbed wood table, there was a knock upon the entrance door to the Lupin home.

Tonks walked very calmly over to Hermione and without a word very gently reached her arms out and took a very quiet but very awake Teddy from her arms.. Hermione released the tot very reluctantly. She had started to develop a wonderful and motherly feeling toward him.. The sensation of Teddy leaving her arms was one that this brilliant minded young lady had never experienced before.. She felt confused and somehow slightly lonely, cold and almost naked. Tonks now holding Teddy close to her own breast leaned in toward Hermione and gave her the most gentle kiss upon her forehead.

"Soon enough, soon enough it will be your turn.. You will see. It just happens when you least expect it and when you truly need it most in your life whether you believe it or not at that moment." Tonks walked toward a lovely and well worn Windsor Rocker that sat in the back corner of the Parlor.

Remus held up his hand in front of the forward moving young Gryffindors.. They stopped in their tracks and with a soft "Shhhhhssshhhh" Remus Lupin placed his hand upon his wand and pointed it at the slightly rusted metal handle and lock assembly of the door.

"CLICK"

The door opened and there stood in all his glory, the long silver haired, velvet robed Headmaster himself Albus Dumbledore.

"PROFESSOR" came Harry's voice with such excitement that he could not contain himself or his composure..

"Good Evening Albus" came Remus. "We can use all the help we can get. Are the rest of the Order coming to assist in our venture?"

With this Albus Dumbledore walked very calmly into the Parlor of the Lupin home... "Thank you very much Remus, Nymphadora for allowing me to come to your lovely home. I trust you have been filling the students here in on the origins of the Map you hold."

Remus stood stock still, clutching in his left hand close to his hip pocket the Marauders Map. His wand now being replaced into his inner pocket of his robe....

"Yes Albus, I have finally realized how careless we were, how foolish a child I was, we all were. Why on earth did you ever let us get so involved with that Bloody Diary?"

"Tut, tut" stated Dumbledore. "It was not YOU who was careless, I believe we must put the blame where blame truly should reside... I have always known that risks being taken in life always come with the good as well as the bad... Remus, what I must ask of you is to allow me to delve into your memories... I must, you see understand WHICH diaries and journals you used in the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library so many years ago.."

Remus stood there just looking at the Headmaster as if he had just been slapped across the face..

"You need to do WHAT? WHY? What does it matter what books we used to help us create the maps? Is it not the Maps and the paintings themselves that are the root of this evil?"

Remus now turning toward the students and wondering if this really were the time and the place to expose all of the horrors that were locked away in his mind..

"Yes, Remus, it is most important and it may well prove to be the key to which we may open up the truth. Or as I may be so bold to point out, the passageway... You see, Miss Granger here had noticed a very small but obviously important and overlooked piece of this Evil little puzzle... The Key Hole upon one of the frames of the Passageway Paintings."

Hermione's eyes opened wide, her jaw dropped open. For but one of the very few times in her life Ron had realized that Hermione was truly at a loss for words!

Harry slapped his forehead, "the keyhole! How could we have overlooked that?"

Ron was a bit confused. "What keyhole? Where?"

Hermione shook her head at him, silently asking him to hush up.

"What?" he started to say, but was rudely shoved into a chair by Fred and George.

"Put a sock in it, little bro." Fred warned.

"We want to hear about this." George added, turning his attention to the Headmaster. "Go ahead, Professor."

Fred and George were truly interested in this part; books that could show them how to make maps! This, they had to know about.

Dumbledore walked further into the room, coming to stand next to Lupin.

"Well? May I intrude into your memories of the searches you did?" the old wizard asked.

Lupin looked beseechingly to his old friend. "Is it that important?"

"Very much so, Remus." Dumbledore nodded, "I have a small theory that I need to verify. It could possibly give me the key that would permit us to lock the paintings up for good."

Remus was visibly upset by this turn of events, nervously rubbing his hands together. He looked to his wife, trying to find solace in her gaze.

Tonks smiled at him, nodding at him, agreeing that this was something to be done. "Go ahead, its nothing that you haven't worried about before..."

"I know, i know... " his shoulders sagged as he nodded to Dumbledore. "Go ahead, it can't be worse than having to remember it for the millionth time." Lupin said sheepishly.

Dumbledore clapped him heartily on the shoulder. "Just what I wanted to hear!" The old man said with a grin, raising his wand with a little flourish. "I'll just ask the rest of you to stay quiet and not intervene in any manner. Specially you, Harry."

"Me? Why would I do anything..." Harry spluttered before Hermione reached across the sofa to plant her hand over his mouth.

"Because you can't help yourself to come to the rescue, that's why!" Hermione said smugly. "Go on ahead please, Professor Dumbledore. I'll use a silencing charm on anyone if I have to."

Dumbledore laughed briefly, "thank you, Miss Granger. I knew I could count on your understanding."

Turning to Remus, Dumbledore cleared his throat and pronounced; "Ready? Here we go.

" Legilimens...."

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 23

Part 1

Don't Mind Us

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"Remus, will you please hold that lantern steady? I am getting a little bit nauseous with that thing swinging back and forth. It is creating all sorts of shadows that make me feel all sick inside."

"Here then, if you hold this, I can get this darned key into the lock." Remus turned toward a short Blond Boy of about 15 and handed him the lantern which he was holding.

Peter, a boy who looked to be very well fed but very nervous stood with his hand out ready to grasp the lantern that was being passed to him. His friend Remus Lupin a very tall but thin boy of maybe 15 or 16 stood there in the glow of the lantern. His face, obviously marked with red streaks or scratches, his somewhat gaunt face almost ashen white in the lanterns light. His hand a bit sweaty, his brow glistening with moisture but his composure was apparent.

Looking first behind himself and then casting his gaze around the rest of the darkened Hogwarts Library that the two were standing in, Peter could hear the soft snoring and grumblings of something. He was not sure what it was or where the sounds were coming from but it unnerved him to no end.

"Remus, don't forget that Professor Dumbledore said you have to cast Alohomora upon the lock just as you insert the key." Peters shaking voice came.

"Yes Peter, remember I was in the Headmasters Office with you when Professor Dumbledore explained all of this scheme to us."

Remus reached his now freed hand into his inner robe pocket. He felt deep down for something. His fingertips finally touching something cold, something long and rough. He wrapped his digits around the object and pulled it out of his robes and held it before his eyes.. Looking at it very carefully. It was obviously an Ancient object and was very worn. Its surface was a mixture of slight rust and a darkened patina which only could have been caused by hundreds of years of existence.

"My, I, I mean OUR futures lay before us Remus. I can see it, I can just barely wrap my mind around this. I can barely grasp that all of those who treated me, I, I mean US so badly all of our lives, it is here, right here in front of us. I can finally be THE COOL guy. The one who everyone looks up to, is afraid to pull the chair out from under for fear of what I would do to them. I can just....."

"Peter! This is not about YOU! It is not even about just US! this is not about You getting revenge against anyone or everyone for all those years that we put up with teasing and torment. This is about US as in Sirius, James you and me and their future here in Hogwarts.. Our futures. Don't you remember what Dumbledore explained to us? How he is trying to head off the disaster that James and Sirius are heading towards. They are on the verge of being expelled or worse, being brought before the Ministry of Magic itself!"

"Yeah, yeah right, I know, sorry, I did not mean to get so carried away. I am just so excited. I just feel like one of those really special kids who has everything that they always wanted for once in my life. I have the world at my fingertips. It is all right here you know Remus. Right here in front of us both."

Remus took the ancient key and inserted it into the large and very heavy looking lock that was embedded into the wrought iron gate that separated the General Section of the Hogwarts School Library from that of the Restricted Section.. THE Restricted Section no less!

Remus spoke the word "Alohomora" and turned his hand to the right. The lock gave a little resistance at first but then with a loud "CLICK" he felt the lock mechanism give way. Suddenly the entire Library was filled with the sounds of Metal clicking and clanking upon Metal. Of Chains being pulled across some other solid surface. Then the gate to the Restricted Section began to move, it opened up with a squeaking sound that caused Peter to turn his head a bit to the side. The sound offending his hearing.

"Come on Peter, will you hold that lantern up higher so we can see where we are doing?" came Remus voice.

"Right, right, No problem Remus."

Now, Remus turned around grabbing the bag that he had brought with him and was filled with the instructions that Professor Dumbledore had quilled down on parchment for them to follow. He grabbed the bag and then began to walk into the area of the library that they had always wished to be but were never before allowed to.

"One thing, Peter, not a word about this, not one tiny word or I swear, if I find out that you have breathed a word of this to anyone, ANYONE I swear, I might just be found walking round in the next light of the full moon looking for a little Rodent Snack"

"NO, no never, not me Remus. Trust me, I am just a worried about James and Sirius as you are.. Trust me. I would never do anything to jeopardize them, us anyone. You are my friends. I would rather die than do anything to hurt any of you."

"I know Peter, I am sorry, I am just nervous. Please accept my apology dear friend. I know we are in this together. Professor Dumbledore has entrusted us both with the future of our friends. We have to get this right that is all."

Remus turned to Peter and placed his hand on the shorter boys shoulder.. Giving it a bit of a squeeze of assurance.

Peter smiled briefly before lifting the lamp at shoulder height, letting its soft rays illuminate their immediate surroundings. Everything looked spooky in the dim light, making the boys shiver with anxiety.

Remus peered into the bag, the light barely helping him. He took his wand out, whispering Lumos as he place its tip above the bag's opening. He finally found the neat stack of parchment and pulled it out swiftly. He wanted it to be done quickly so they wouldn't be caught off guard by professors doing their rounds.

"Here, I got it! Shine the lamp right here, Peter." Remus indicated with a slender finger above the stack. His eyes skimmed over the words until he found the right passage. "OK... we should be seeing an archway to our right from here." He looked into the darkness, trying to decipher the arch from the numerous bookcases.

Peter nervously stood next to him, his eyes scanning the black expanse before them. Since Remus' eyesight was more acute than his, because of his lycantropy, he waited for the other boy's assessment. "So? do you see it?"

Remus shook his head, "I think we need to get further in, come on."

The boys walked slowly, Remus in front with his wand held aloft to illuminate the corridor further ahead. Peter held the lamp close to his face, his heart thumping wildly in his chest as he listened for any noise that might be a teacher or something else. Peeves could come along and really make a racket if he wanted to. This was neither desired, nor recommended in this instance.

"Ah!" Remus finally whispered over his shoulder, "over here, there beyond that large stack of books." He pointed to an opening in the wall. Large blocks of granite formed the arch, its rough surface had been softened in certain places where numerous hands had gradually eroded its surface.

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 23

Part 2

Don't Mind Us

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The boys looked up and saw a small sign above its top. The Runes shone dimly now, but still could be read easily. Peter frowned, he was horrible at reading Runes.

"Remus... um... can you read what's written?"

"Yeah... 'Beyond this point, no students shall cross our threshold.' " Remus said quietly, "Professor Dumbledore had warned us about this sticky problem. Gimme the vial of potion that he gave us. Three drops should be enough to cross through."

Peter wrinkled his nose with disgust, "this is an aging potion?" He couldn't help feeling nauseated by the idea of drinking the stuff. But he gave the vial to Remus.

"Right!" the other boy murmured as took the vial from Peter's outstretched hand. "One...two...three.... here you go Peter, this is your portion." He gave the smaller boy a tiny glass with the three drops of potion inside.

Peter backed away a few steps, "I don't know about... you know... taking a potion in an unmarked vial. Professor..."

"Peter!" Remus hissed, "this is really not the time to have qualms about the potion. You should have voiced your concerns to Dumbledore before we left his office!!" His eyes gleamed dangerously in the soft light of the lamp.

Peter gulped nervously, his eyes running nervously around the room. "But... but..." he stammered.

"No buts this time, Peter. Down it and lets get this done NOW!" the other boy's voice crackled with annoyance.

"I think I'm going to be sick..." Peter countered.

"No, you're not! Take it... you won't feel a thing. Trust me." Remus said with an effort to sound comforting.

Peter finally took the glass, eyed Remus briefly, then drank the liquid. He closed his eyes, almost expecting to drop dead at that very moment. When nothing happened, he popped open one eye to see the other boy drinking the contents of his own glass.

There standing before Peter was his friend Remus Lupin, truly no worse for the wear. Upon closer examination though Peter noticed the hair surrounding Remus' ears were tinged with Grey. His brow was a little furrowed and lines that previously been mere shadows framing his mouth were now deepened. His complexion also had taken on a slightly darker and more weathered tone...

"Remus" Peter exclaimed with some glee, "You have a beard, well not really a beard but you have a full growth of stubble."

With this pronouncement, Remus turned his lit wand toward his friend...

"Peter, if you think that is good, you should see yourself! You now have a Seven Head where you used to have a Fore Head!"

Remus doubled over in a fit of laughter. Peter on the other hand took his wand and placed it down upon a pile of books along side the arch way and proceeded to feel his forehead for signs of recession of his hair line....

"Remus, REMUS! I hate this, Why is it that my hair is gone? What if that idiot Dumbledore gave us some sort of poison that we will not be able to return to our previous appearance?"

"Calm down Peter, I am sure that Professor Dumbledore knows what he is doing and there just is now way that he would have given us something to ingest that is not reversible."

Remus then felt his jaw line, seeking the stubble... Somewhat proud of himself for his masculine growth. A sign of manhood to a teen boy of but 15. To have something that would turn the heads of the girls not only in his class but in the classes above the Marauders.

"Come on Peter, we are just wasting time and we have to get into the Vault before Filch or Mrs Norris happen to stumble upon us. Then what are we going to say? Huh? Professor Dumbledore made it very clear that we are not to be seen or heard and if we are that we are on our own."

"Oh that's nice! Leave us hanging out to dry why doesn't he? Well, why didn't Dumbledore just bring us the material and we could study it in our dorms without worry of being run over by the Night Bus?" came Peters now very anxious tones.

"Enough, just get a hold of yourself Peter, we are going to do this. This is for James and Sirius. We have to put aside our personal fears. What do you think would happen to us if we failed and the two of them were to get into some really serious trouble.. Trouble so deep that they, we or not even Professor Dumbledore could dig them out of? How could you live with that on your conscience? As for me? No, there just is no question about it. They have been there for us all these years, it is now our turn to be there for them, even if they do not even know that we are there."

Remus reached way down into the bottom of the bag that he had placed on a very dusty table piled high with ancient and decaying books. There it was, his finger tip had touched the cold, rough surface of yet another key. Remus wrapped his fingers around the object and proceeded to withdraw it from the bottom of the bag. In one very quick motion, he moved toward the Archway, felt all over the rough surface with his free hand which still had the key held in a few fingers. Then he felt it, there it was at last.. The lock opening...

With very little resistance, the key was almost magnetically pulled into the keyhole... A glow surrounded the doorway within the arch, a click and then dust moved up from the flooring and partially obscured the vision of both the young Griffindors... Then the dust began to settle.

Remus stood firmly in place while Peter had moved behind his taller friend. One hand upon Remus' shoulder and another on his waste. Peter Pettigrew tipped his head almost sideways as he peered around the form of Remus Lupin... His eyes widened as the torch lit room was now revealed to them... A room that had secrets that were Centuries Old....

What lay within this chamber itself were the diaries, the actual writings of the Four Founders.

Here in front of Remus and Peter were the manuscripts of the inner workings and creation of Hogwarts itself. The thoughts, the memories, the reasoning of the founders themselves... Who would have known that there still existed such works, such thoughts, such ideas.. It was as if walking into an Egyptian Pharaoh tomb.. One that had never before been seen by eyes, living eyes since the day it was sealed upon the death of the one who lay deep within its inner chamber.

Though the room was small and cramped, there was still a small square table in the center with two opposing chairs slid in beneath the ancient surface.. The table was absolutely pristine. Not a spot of dust. A large hand wrought iron candelabra in the center of the table.

Once long ago white taper candles which had burnt down to just a few inches long, had trails of dripped and frozen in time wax that hung as if suspended liquid glistening from within.

Remus and Peter both stood with their mouths agape, just in absolute awe. The four sided room was no more than 10 feet by 10 feet but the walls were lined with wooden shelves covered with volumes and volumes of text.

All of the books were in absolute order. Above each section of the shelving were floating names. Gryffindor, Godric. Ravenclaw, Rowena, Hufflepuff, Helga. Slytherin, Salazar.

Each wall had its own ownership. To the right of the entrance was Gryffindors, directly in front was Ravenclaws, along the same wall as the entrance doorway floated the Hufflepuff sign while to the left of the door was the name of Slytherin. The only difference between sides other than the names was the fact that on the Slytherin shelves, only 5 books stood. Held vertical by bookends in the form of undulating serpents on each end of the small lot.

Peter spoke first, his breath coming in a bit broken and in barely more than a whisper.

"RRRrrreeeeemus?, are we supppppoooossed to be doing innnnnnn here?"

"Come on Peter, pull yourself together. We are just in another section of the library. These are just books. Quill to paper and the writers dead so long ago, how could anything or anyone cause us any harm?"

Lupin reached his arm out to the left section and pulled a very worn leather bound book down from the shelf.. The cover was warm to the touch, it seemed to have something alive beneath the cover.. Then he looked down upon the cover and realized that the cover was of HIDE, Dragon Hide he believed. A Dark Green and Gold scale that covered the surface.. Then he felt what moved beneath his fingers.. Almost a pulsating.. Then the realization that this book had a heart beat. It was in fact ALIVE!

"Here Peter, take this, you see it is nothing to be afraid of!" Remus stated with a straight face..

Peter looked first at the book, then at his friend and then back at the book. He moved very slowly and put his hands upon the text. The sudden feeling of Pulsating, the Blood and Guts of the Book running there inside the pages themselves.

"Blood HECK! Remus! That thing is alive! Get it away, get it away from me!" Peter was now kneeling on the floor of the small room, shaking and quivering.

Remus began to laugh as he firmly took the book and slid it back onto the Slytherin Shelf from where it had been taken. He laughed a bit out loud and then laid his right hand upon the shoulder of his fearful friend..

"It's OK Peter, I am sorry, that really was not fair or decent of me was it. I will be more careful of your feelings in the future.. I will be the one to take the risk of taking any books off the shelf if you find you can not. That way if anything should happen, it will happen to me, first that is."

"Rrrreeemus,,,,, you know something" Sometimes I think that you really hate me... That everyone is just pretending to like me... I did not ask to be short, or scared or what ever everyone else see's me as. I was just born this way. Please Remus, if you are truly my friend, you will have to believe that when I tell you that I am scared that I really am scared. All right? And I am perfectly capabable of taking a book down by myself you know."

Remus Lupin now had no way of answering his friend without sounding as if he was a bit of a liar.. He spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Peter, you are right, it is not fair. You did not ask for your lot in life. No more than I did mine. We share a thread that is far stronger than any magic that is produced by even the most powerful of Wizards. I am sorry dear friend.. Here take my hand and we shall do this together.. As equals as Friends."

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 24

Part 1

All that Glitters May Not Be Gold.

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All that Glitters May Not Be Gold.


Albus Dumbledore fell into a large overstuffed chair that sat right next to the humble fireplace in the Lupin Parlor.

With a thud and a sliding and screeching of wood scraping wood broke the silence of the group surrounding Remus Lupin as his body was thrown into a chair at the scrubbed wooden table.. A candle is knocked off the table and is snuffed out as it rolls across the floor towards the chair that the Headmaster occupies.

Dumbledore is breathing very heavily but it is of no match for the outright gasping of air that Remus is performing. He almost appears to be a Grindylow being thrust upon the shores of the Dark Lake with only gills to grasp the frigid night air.

"Remus, are you all right?" came the soothing voice of Tonks as she leaned over his from with their cooing son Teddy clutched to her breast.

Harry, Fred and George all charged toward the Headmaster and a million questions began to flood the air. The mixture of voices causing the awful noise to sound like a flock of crows upon finding a fresh kill.

"NO, not now, not now! Please, you must understand. This process is difficult, it is going to be long and it is not going to be pleasant.. It may well likely even be the undoing of one or both of us you see." Came the weakened voice of Albus Dumbledore.

His eyes still closed tightly shut. His furrowed brow all the more lined and his hands clutching desperately to the ends of the armrests of the chair upon which his body was draped... Looking more like well worn linen and discarded clothing than an actual body.

Hermione walks over to where Remus, Tonks and Teddy where all gathered. She just looked into the large and limpid eyes of Tonks.. Knowing that the pain was so deep, that she wished she could take away the stress that her husband was enduring. But all the while knowing that there really was nothing more than just being there for support for her to do.

Ron finally cleared his voice with a loud harrumph! Everyone turned their attention toward him.. It was not common for Ron to start a conversation let alone demand that he be the one that everyone were to listen to. He much more preferred standing back into the shadows and corners of a room, willing to be part of a situation rather than the center of it.

"Bloody Heck, you two look as if you were something the Giant Squid had just chucked up after bad Plimpie. Now look, give them some room to breath. With all of you standing over them, all you are doing is sucking up all the air in the room and they are likely to faint just from the lack of breath!"

Ron stood there, strong and bold as you please. Hands on his hips, his head raised a little higher than normal.

"Yes, thank you Mr. Weasley, I do appreciate that you wish for Remus and myself not to expire. I must agree that just a little space might be a very nice thing at this moment." With this Albus Dumbledore re-arranged his long frame and sat upright, his eyes opening to their fullest.

The voice of Remus broke into the chatter going on in the parlor...

"I, I, I am not sure Professor, I am not positive that I have the inner strength to go back again.. Blast it, what am I saying? Yes I do!" Remus jumped to his feet, moving Tonks and Hermione back a bit in his wake.

"What the Heck was I ever thinking? I am not going to let Harry and the rest of you risk your lives going after a bunch of filthy Death Eaters. What the heck have I been thinking? All of these years, all of the lives given, loves broken and lost, families, homes destroyed, all to keep you lot safe and sound... NO! There is no way I am going to be weak again. Come Albus, let us get on with it. Get your Blumin arse up and let us get those rotters once and for all!"

The sudden burst of power in the body and voice of Remus Lupin took everyone by surprise. Not a single argument, not ONE! Even Harry who stood along side his mentor, Albus Dumbledore could not put up a good argument at that moment.. Given time he was sure he could come up with something, anything but at this moment, NOTHING!

Dumbledore stood up and walked over to Lupin. Putting his hand on his back and clapping him forcefully..

"Yes my friend, you are truly one of the Marauders. You have found yourself, and now please help assist us all in finding the missing link to this mystery"

"Legilimens!"

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 24

Part 2

All that Glitters May Not Be Gold.

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



His hand reached up toward the top shelf where just a few books stood between a pair of serpent shaped bookends. He barely touched one book, it's cover was very worn, made of some sort of creatures hide. Rough and scaly to the touch, but underneath its cover there was a pulsating. The warmth under his his fingers was unmistakable.. This book surely was ALIVE!

As his fingers closed tightly and removed it from the shelf he felt his own heart skip a beat. A horrid feeling and one that he wished to never experience again as long as he lived.

"Remus, I, I, I, I am not sure why but this is the book that I am going to begin my studies in. Why don't you go over there and see what is in that row of Gold and Ruby covered books. I bet since they are covered in so many jewels that they will have secrets beyond all the treasures from the Tales of Ali Baba!

"OK Peter, I guess it might be just as good a place to start as any." Remus exclaimed as he winked his right eye.

As Remus he turned his back toward his friend and walked the short distance around the table in the center of the chamber to view the books upon the shelves noted to as the section marked for the founder, Godric Gryffindor.

Peter pulled out one of the chairs at the small table in the center of the room and sat down and placed the old text down. The candle on the table cast its glow over the table and across the surface of the book. The surface seemed to be moving, a slight heaving up and down. It was clear that what ever was hidden beneath this book cover that it was alive. What Peter feared most was what it might actually have to say or do to him once he pulled the cover away from its pages.

With great care he put his forefinger and his thumb upon the books cover.. This was it, there was really no turning back in his mind. "Just get it over with or Remus was bound to laugh at him for eternity. Might even become so disgusted with the cowardice[,/i]" ran through Peter's mind.

Knowing how Sirius and James would react if they were to find out that he was too afraid to even open a book, and the fact that Remus would monthly have to face demons that no one ever should be forced to endure he just had to do it, get it over with.

As his hand moved, ever so cautiously, Peter could hear a whisper, a sound that was so low that he was unsure of what he was actually hearing.

The pages now being revealed, lightly soiled and foxed around the edge's framing the brownish red hand writing upon the parchment surface. The words moving ever so gently as his eyes were riveted to them.

The voice grew slightly louder and louder as he began to read the very first words of the hand written contents.

"What? what did you say Remus?" asked Peter.

"Say? say what, I have not said anything Peter. What did it sound like?" Lupin stated with a bit of surprise in his voice.

"Oh, nothing, nothing Remus.. I was just reading out loud. Sorry, I was just thinking out loud. Pardon my bothering you.. Go, go back to what you were doing. We are all relying on your superior mind to discover some secrets hidden in these books that will help our friends from their sure expulsion from school. And then were would I, er I mean we all be?" Peters stated, trying desperately to sound as confident and self assured that his slightly squeaky voice would allow.

Remus laughed at the thought and went back to the loads of books to choose from. He quickly just grabbed one with a shiny surface of gold and sat down upon a chair that he had just moved over to the corner of the room.

Remus sat down, and promptly threw his feet up upon the tables surface. The hole in the sole of one of his shoes becoming visible to Peter, who for once did not find it important to point out to his friend, the tattered state of his clothing.

Remus quickly was engulfed in all sorts of moans of ahs and oh's and ooh's as he settled into his reading.

Peter just put his head down closer to the book before him.. He could still hear the whispers, which sounded more like a clear but low speaking voice now.

As he went back to the words written upon the parchment pages, the words were formed into audible words for him.. He was no longer having to read this book as much as listen to it.. The voice was deliberate, assertive and very much to the point. There was an undertone of arrogance in the voice as well.

Peter could just pick up words here and there that made absolutely no sense to him. They sounded to his mind, to be of a different language all together. Still they were having some sort of relation to the English that he had always known as his native tongue.

Peter looked up toward Remus. He just had to assure himself that he was not being played for a fool. But no, his friend was clearly engulfed in the shiny gold bound book which he held firmly in his hands. His feet propped up upon the table, his lips moving ever so slightly as he read the contents before him.

"All right Peter, get a grip.. This is something that is happening, just keep hold of yourself.. Let go and see where it takes you" came the voice in Peters own head..

He was a bit surprised to find that this was his own voice.. He had not realized that it is very difficult to recognize ones own voice. But, he absolutely knew that this voice belonged to himself.

"The others have no idea of what they are proposing. To allow those filthy Mudbloods and worse yet, thieves of our races knowledge. How dare they forget from where they themselves have come from. How could they have built this school, stone by stone. Our own sweat and blood spilled into the mortar that binds those stones and this school together? Do they not realize that it is our blood that we four have shed together, that it has intermingled, become ONE! Become the true binding substance that keeps the stones of this castle from falling to pieces and keeping our race from falling into ruins?"

The voice was deep, it was caustic but it had such clarity to its intent and purpose that it left not a single Owls feathers width of room for one to misinterpret what was being said.

"Yes, Yes, I agree, how could they have allowed these filthy unwashed, unwarranted, undeserving to come and befoul our school?" Now Peter was shocked! This was his own voice once again joining in with the dialog from the ancient parchment before him.

"What the heck is going on?" Peter thought to himself.

"Let go, just open your mind and allow the truth of this, my daily diary, the ledger that amounts to the only true record of my life, my time, MY THOUGHTS!" came the deep voice once more.

Peter, now fully aware that this was no ordinary book but one that had not a mind of its own, but the mind or its owner held within.

"What kind of darkness within these pages am I going to allow myself to be subjected to? How far is this going to take me and honestly, I do not think I am actually strong enough to go where it may wish to bring me anyway." Peters thoughts formed in his mind.

"Enough! enough, you are a Wizard, if you were not, you would not be capable of hearing my thoughts, understand my words, feel the soul of this book as it is part of my own soul you hold in your hands Peter."

"Peter? He called me Peter! Bloody Heck, how does he know my name?"

"Peter, I live in these walls, I live between each and every stone of this school. I never truly left Hogwarts. I have been here, every single summer, winter, spring and fall. I have seen every one of the blasted Hat of Godrics place student after student into the wrong house.. How dare that putrid piece of wrinkled leather and patches allow my own house to have been disrespected by allowing Mudbloods to cross the threshold of my inner sanctum?"

Peter now realized that this was truly the voice of Salazar Slytherin himself, but HOW, WHY? What did this supposed Monster of a Wizard have in store for him? "After all, I, Peter Pettigrew am not a Slytherin but a Gryffindor. What use would he have with me?"

Peter turned the page.. The words swimming before his eyes.. The voice once again speaking in tongues unknown to him.

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 24

Part 3

All that Glitters May Not Be Gold.

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Remus Lupin now found himself sitting at his own wooden table. His head bowed low and gazing down at his own trembling hands.

Albus Dumbledore stood tall before him. A look of great concern crossed his face. His right hand waving very quickly in the air above his head and in a sudden flash of light what appeared to be a bright white Phoenix patronus was witnessed by everyone in the room and just a quickly as it had appeared, it was now gone.

"Remus, my dear friend. How is it that you have come by these memories.. How is it that I am reliving your memories but am suddenly found wandering around in the thoughts of Peter Pettigrew?" Dumbledore asked with the obvious tone of deep concern but also that of an interested party.

"You see Albus, this is the true dark secret that I have held within myself all of these many years. Peter came to me, spoke to me, explained what was happening. What a fool I was, instead of grasping what was happening, I actually encouraged Peter to continue on reading that book. he allowed me to perform a sort of amateurish Legilimens upon him.. I was not good at it as I am sure you are aware.. After-all I was but a child myself. No A FOOL!"

Harry walked over to Remus. He placed himself between Professor Dumbledore and Lupin. He looked directly into Remus' eyes and asked the question that was on everyone's lips at that moment.

"It was, no it IS Salazar Slytherin doing all of this, isn't it?" came Harry's softened voice.

"Harry, Ron, Fred, George, my dear Hermione, I do not believe that any of you understand. but then how could you?" Lupin stated with his voice quaking ever so slightly.

The booming voice of Albus Dumbledore now broke in and caused everyone to turn their heads in his direction.

"NO, the book is a book. Nothing more, nothing less. Though I am sure that it contains knowledge and secrets that would cause the heart of any decent Witch or Wizard to come to a complete halt, no I believe that what Remus here is trying to tell us is that the book was a tool.. The tool which Peter himself had chosen to use. To help assist Voldemort into trying to bring back to the castle what they believe is the only true master of Hogwarts.."

"Remus, do you believe that Peter had the ability at that time to replicate that key that I provided you with in your endeavor?" Albus Dumbledore asked this question but appeared to already know the answer which was about to come.

Lupin, was now holding his head a bit more firm. Looking directly at the Headmaster, clearly determined to be a man about this and not the child whom he had just revisited, he breathed in deeply, filling his lungs with not only oxygen but with the courage that he desperately searched within himself for. Then the word came to his lips. The answer that was being waited upon with such eager anticipation.

"YES."

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 25

Part 1

Heads or Tails

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



"Minerva, you must come here now!" Yelled Filius Flitwick.

He almost tumbled out of the chair in which he was sitting.. The sudden buzz in the Teachers Lounge had risen to an outright roar. Minerva McGonagall grabbed her black hat, placed it firmly upon her head and closed the book from which she was reading. She moved briskly across the large room toward a very bright white figure of a bird.

This was no ordinary bird Professor McGonangall interpreted, as she hurried to its side. She realized at once that what the staff was witnessing was a Patronus.. The Patronus of none other than Headmaster Albus Dumbledore himself.

As Professor McGonagall approached Professor Flitwick and Professor Vector. The beak of the white bird began to open and close. For a brief moment nothing came out at all and then it suddenly came.

"Minierva, Filius, Professors Vector, Sinestra, Hooch and Sprout, it is imperative that all of you close down the entrances and exits to the castle. Get Argus to block every tunnel and passage and to also utilize the Troll Guards." The clear voice of Albus Dumbledore tumbled out of the white birds beak.

"Minerva, I need you and Hagrid to go to Severus and assist him with the completion of the special project that I have assigned to him.. Inform him that it is now here, it is needed and it WILL WORK!"

Then another flash of white light and the white bird vanished into thin air.

"What does this mean Minerva? What is this project that Severus is working on? Did you know anything about this?" Spat Professor Vector.

"It is not for me to understand, it is for us to follow the Headmasters commands without question. If Albus believes that something will work, I am fully confident that it WILL WORK! Now off with all of you and please for Merlin's sake have the Bloody Baron round up Peeves and keep him out of everyone's hair until things have been secured."

Professor Sprout gave a small gagging sound at this request. She was sure that even the Bloody Baron's control over Peeves went only so far. Without another second passing, the sound of the wooden legs of heavy chairs scrapping the floor filled the room. A mad dash for the closed door of the lounge. Then a burst of long cloak clad figures all holding their pointed Hats and wands held firmly before themselves, took off in every direction imaginable.

"Oh Albus, what is happening? I wish you were here in Hogwarts to assist us.. I am positive that you have a very good reason for what you are commanding of us but why?" Minerva spoke slightly out loud to herself.

Suddenly she too was rushing out into the halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her wand being waived here, there and everywhere. Windows were being suddenly covered with solid wood shutters. Doors were being seen having their keys turning in the locks as she passed. Slamming, banging, the echoing of near chaos throughout the ancient halls sounded bouncing off the high ceiling and walls..

A whispering campaign seemed to have also broken out amongst the paintings and portraits that hung upon the walls of Hogwarts. The words and fears being spread from one group to the next. The rumbles of intruders, of murder, of monsters were spreading like wild fire on a field of Autumn grass.

The repetitive "PoP" of House Elf after House Elf was echoing all over the kitchens. They had obviously been called to assemble in their basement workplace. To abandon their daily duty's to fix, clean and provide for the inhabitants of Hogwarts. It was obvious that unless everything was followed to the letter, there may very possibly be no Hogwarts to tend to. The deepest fears started to become a living nightmare to most every House Elf as they stood sentinel in the Kitchen, waiting, waiting, waiting.

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 25

Part 2

Heads or Tails

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Professor McGonagall stood outside Hagrid's Hut, banging and banging and banging against the heavy wooden door. Her knuckles, beginning to turn dark red and signs of droplets of red liquid breaking the surface of her tightly clenched fist.

From inside the Hut the loud barks of Fang could be heard. He had obviously just overturned a table and a number of objects had smashed upon the wooden floor boards. His full weight could be heard hitting the door as it shuddered and then bounced open.

Fang promptly and instinctively stopped dead in his tracks as the Deputy Head Mistress stood firm in place. No fear upon her face but the look of worry was reinforced by the deepened lines of time that covered her once beautiful face.

"Fang ya bloody doge. Watcha gone on bout?" Hagrid was heard shouting from behind the Hut.

He had obviously been working in the garden as his hands were gloved and covered in remnants of the foulest smelling dung/dirt mixture one could ever have encountered.

"O sorry M'nerva. Did'n see ya standin there. Bloody dog wakes the dead if it waz pozbl. Wah kin ah do fur ya?"

"Hagrid, we have just received an urgent Patronus from Professor Dumbledore.. He has requested that both you and I should get to Professor Snape in his Laboratory and assist him in any way possible to the completion of some secret potion that he had been instructed to make by Dumbledore himself."

Minerva began to turn away from the doorway to Hagrids hut and walked back to the well worn pathway that led back up to the castle..

"C'mon Fang. Don know how long iter gonna be and ya migh juz come in han, yer see?"

With this, Fang loped to Hagrid's side. The massive dog slobbering all over the place. Shakes out his head with his ears flapping up, down, right and left.

"Ya know Fang, ya be er Bloody mess sum timz ya dozy doge!"

Hagrid and Fang both then picked up their pace a bit to catch up with Professor McGonagall. Once they had come along side her on the path Hagrid looked at her very stern and concentrated stare. He dared not say a word to her at the moment. He decided it was best just to follow her orders.

Hagrid had concluded, if this was what Albus Dumbledore needed of them, then that was good enough for him. And as for Fang, the bloody coward he was, was still very good at finding things.. That runny nose of his was a very important tool at times and might just come in handy.

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 25

Part 3

Heads or Tails

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Professors Vector and Sinestra strode as quickly through the halls of Hogwarts as their legs could carry them.. Knocking on each and every door in an attempt to round up each and every student possible.

Hagrid slammed the front doors of the entrance to the castle wide open.. They rebounded and headed back toward Professor McGonagall who had just strode inside the Great Entrance with the determination of a mother trying to save her cubs.

"That will be enough Hagrid. Though I do appreciate your gentleman like opening of the doors for me, it could become a bit dangerous for my life and limb if I were to become slightly distracted."

"Oh, so-ree Professor. Sum timz, I forgets me own strenth. Won happin agin, ah promiz." came Hagrids humbled voice.

"Tut, there is no time for the niceties right now Hagrid, Just do be a little more careful as not to kill me before the Death Eaters do."

"Death Eaters?" Exclaimed Hagrid in his most surprised tone. "Ya did-n say nuffin bout Death Eaters! Howz they spoze ter git inter the Castle? Where is Professor Dumbledore anywayz?"

"That is neither here nor there and to be honest with you, I am not absolutely sure where the Headmaster is. Though one would have thought he would have been responsible enough to have left some word on his where abouts, just in case, just in case. Oh shut it Minerva... Nothing will come of this second guessing. Nothing at all. "

Professor McGonangall was obviously disgusted with her own behavior at the moment, she furrowed her brow, pushed her pointed hat down hard over her ears and re-adjusted her Thistle shaped broach....

Professor Sprouts voice came echoing through the portrait of the fat lady, just as it was about to swing off of its hinges.

"All Gryffindors, All Gryffindors, oh heck this is not going to work... SONOROUS!" she shouted and suddenly her voice was magnified and reverberated throughout the entire castle...

"All STUDENTS are to return to their houses at once.. All Prefects are to report to the Great Hall Immediately... All House Ghosts and Security Trolls are to report to the Dungeons at once. The staff is to report to the Great Hall within 5 minutes with a head count of each and every student under their care.... Madame Pince will be temporary head of Gryffindor house so I expect no one to give her a difficult time.. Professor Slughorn shall be temporarily re-instated as the Head of Slytherin House and I will be in my own house in just a short time so get going. NOW, GO!"

Pomona Sprout stood for a moment, her hair all tussled. Sweat was dripping from her brow and her wand hand was shaking a bit more than she would have liked.

"Open up right now. " came her most forceful voice...

"No," returned the figure of the Fat Lady."I will not, I have been instructed that Madame Pince is the now acting head of Gryffindor, and unless I have gone blind as well as dumb, you are not she!" The fat lady crossed her arms over her ever so large girth and turned sideways with a "HARRUMPH" in her portrait.

"That was ME you blasted COW! I am the one who told everyone that Madame Pince was to stand in for Minerva... Now get your bloomin back side in motion or I am going to set a Venomous Tentacula loose on you!" spat Professor Sprout while she pointed her wand directly at the portrait covering the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room.

The portrait suddenly swung wide open, but even from its back side one could hear the Fat Lady complaining.

"Well, I never, who does she thing she is? After all I hang here day and night and night after day and all she does is come in here with those filthy fingernails of hers and tell me what to do!"

Just as Professor Sprout stepped through the hole in the wall that was once covered by the portrait, she reached her wand back and a small pink blast of light hit the reverse of the canvas.

"OWWWW! Howw,OWWWWW, you filthy,OWWWWWW witch."

Madame Pince had finally arrived and walked into the Gryffindor Common Room on the heals of Madame Sprout.

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 26

Part 1

In The Belly Of The Beast.

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



"Remus, I must ask of both you and Tonks to assist me in a massive side along apparition campaign," Albus Dumbledore stated with a hint of excitement.

Both husband and wife looked to each other and gazed deeply into the eyes of the one which they entrusted their lives to.. To each other... With very slight nods the pact had been sealed.

"Albus, all I have to do is leave Teddy with my mother and father and I will be right back"

Tonks and Teddy were suddenly gone.. The room was still, not a sound was made.. The Gryffindors stood motionless. Not knowing what was going on at that very moment.. They had all heard the request by the Headmaster but who and where but even more so, why.

Professor Dumbledore now turned to the students and made himself very clear to them without much ado.

"Do each of you have your wands on your person?" asked the Headmaster.

Each and every one of the students reached into their pockets or robes and withdrew their wands. One after one they presented them in front of themselves to show that they were prepared and well equipped.

"Good, good. Now as soon as our gracious host has returned, we will set off for our destination."

"POP" Tonks stood in front of the scrubbed wooden table as she looked from one student to the next.. Each still holding their wands out front of the themselves, all now pointing directly at her!

"Wands DOWN," yelped Remus.. "We do not need some curse happy slip of a spell here. Save that for what we will be facing shortly." Remus now walked to blend in with the students and was closely followed by Tonks.

"Yes, indeed Remus, we all must save our very best for what lay ahead. What I am going to tell each of you must stay forever in our confidence. No matter what the outcome, you shall promise to never reveal the true nature of our little, well let's say, expedition," the headmaster stood, looking over his gold half moon glasses. his eyes glancing from student to student.

"You promise then?"

Each and every one of the students affirmed their agreement. With nods and then spoken as a whole, "Yes, I promise."

Hermione finally chirped up, "Professor, where exactly are we going?"

Suddenly every single head upon the Gryffindor students began to bob up and down......

"A great adventure! This will be seriously dangerous but for those of us who will return to our School, this will forever be remembered as one of the great adventures of our lives." Professor Dumbledore stated with a bit of sing song in his voice and a quick wink of his right eye.

"Have any of you ever side along Apparitioned? Oh yes, Harry, we all know that you have but the rest of you. This may be a somewhat uncomfortable first trip for you... Do not be surprised to find yourself on all fours with your head searching for a bucket and barking like a dog."

Fred used his elbow to jab George in his side to get his attention, "Bark like a dog.. Yeah, he would know what that feels like huh?" Fred whispered to his twin.

"Tut, tut, tut, Mister Weasley, oh dear me, Mr. Fred Weasley, I seem to have forgotten for a moment just how many of you are in fact Mr. Weasleys." Albus Dumbledore laughed a bit out loud.

Suddenly there was a rustling and then a loud THUD, as everyone turned toward the back of the pack of students only to find Tonks laying on her back, her right leg draped over a footstool. She had a broad grin on her face and just shrugged her shoulders as Remus and Ron each reached out their hands to assist her back to her feet.

"Sorry bout that Albus.. I seem to have issues with that stool. I am all right. So, lets get it, where are we off to?"

"Well, we really have no more time to waste, everyone gather hands and on my count of three, we will be off."

"Off where though?" came Tonks anxious voice.

"Yes, to Malfoy Manor of course. One, Two, Three"

With an extremely loud "POP" suddenly Hermione, found herself feeling as if she were being compressed into a large tube, the oxygen leaving her lungs, a hand to her right was gripping very tightly but the one to her left felt very sweaty and slipped just the smallest amount.

The ground came up very quickly and the students all felt as if their feet had just been thrust up into their mouths....

Ron was suddenly on all fours, the sound of heaves and a whimper came so quickly that Hermione could not block it out of her mind. She too found herself doubled over and looking directly at a bowing Fred and George who were holding each other up with their respective arms across their twins back..

Only Harry was standing upright.. Still the pale look upon his face told the tale of what was happening inside him at that moment.

"Come, we have no time to waste, we must walk around this stone wall and find the vanishing gate as quickly as we can," stated Albus Dumbledore.

He turned and looked down the street, it was slightly foggy, it had recently rained and the temperature had risen slightly causing the dampened air around them to become saturated. His vision was slightly obscured by the haze of the fog.. He was comforted in the knowledge that even though this may have hidden things from his view, it too would hide all of them from being seen readily as well.

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 26

Part 2

In The Belly Of The Beast.

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The sound of shoes being almost pulled off of their owners feet began to break through the silence and haze. Every once in a while a giggle or outright laugh would punctuate a sound that seemed to be natural but rude at best.

"Oh grow up Ron. Will you never get over such low and adolescent bathroom humor as the sounds made by a Whoopee cushion?" Hermione stated with a bit of barb in her tone.

"A Whoopee what?" Ron came back with.

The sound of shushing filled the air. It was as if in unison an entire nest of snakes had decided to protest the presence of this grouping.

"I must remind all of you that we are not exactly going to be welcomed here with open arms. As a matter of fact, I would assume that the arms that welcome us will be loaded with spells and pointed in our direction." Albus Dumbledore stated in a firm voice.

"Watcher there, you just stomped on my foot!" Tonks tried to stifle her yelp but it still was too hard to suppress.

"Sorry about that Nymphadora," came a very gravely voice.

"Don't call me Nymphadora!" Shouted Tonks.

Then in a moment everyone came to an stop. The voice that had just apologized to Tonks was known to each and every member of the group. It belonged to none other than Alistair (Mad Eye) Moody himself.

"Alistair, my old friend, so good of you to join us. I see that my message was received in time for your joining our little scouting expedition." Dumbledore said with a bit of whimsy in his voice.

"Aye, you could not have kept me home on the ranch once I got wind of what you are up to. Now Albus, why are all of these children here, anyway?"

Mad Eye began to scan the different faces that surrounded him. Faces that had the look of shock etched across each and every one of them.

"Welcome Alistair" came Lupins voice as he clapped his hand across the should of his the weathered but still imposing figure of Moody.

"Ah yes, Lupin, I am not surprised to find you here with this rag tag bunch of wanna be warriors. What did you do wrong to have gotten yourself thrown into the den of the snake anyway? Get into a fight with the little lady there? She has one mean left hook and an even meaner disarming spell up her sleeve you know." Moody laughed out a bit too loudly and once again a round of shushing came out from every direction.

"Yes Alistair, I am well aware of the attributes of my wife. As a matter of fact she has learned a few new spells and tricks since you were her mentor."

Moody responded again with a bit of a laugh mixed in with his graveled voice, "Yeah, I would guess she might have even come close to matching the skills of the Old Dog himself huh?"

Tonks now blushing just a bit, chose to change the subject by placing a misguided foot along side an ancient tree root which must have stuck out of the ground for well over a century. A low and muffled Thud and the sound of slapping against the muddied ground as Tonks disappeared out of sight..

"Where did she go? Hey Tonks, come on, it was just a joke they were having at your expense." came the voices of First Fred and then George Weasley.

"Whoa!, she's GONE!" said a very shocked Ron.

Hermione grabbed hold of Harry's arm and brought herself just a bit closer for a the feeling of protection. Harry's eyes turned directly toward the Headmaster and what he saw surprised him to no end.

There standing with his wand arm stretched out to its fullest length, the wand held in the extended hand being rotate first clockwise and then counter clockwise. Dumbledore's eyes were tightly shut and not a sound escaped his mouth which was barely open. Only the slightest amount of condensation rose from his slightly graying lips.

Harry wondered what was happening. Was Professor Dumbledore under some sort of spell? Had they been attacked without the others realizing what had occurred and then the voice of Mad Eye came through loud and clear.

"Where is it Albus? Is that it? Is that the hidden entrance? The, what do you call it, Portal that links this filthy bunch of slithering creatures to the castle?"

With this Dumbledore's eyes opened wide as if seeing a flash of light before him. A gentle nod of his head, he lowered his wand arm, placed his wand down along side his leg and looked at the group before him.

"Yes, I see it now. If each of you would please look a little more closely at the spot upon which our dear Tonks was last seen. I do ask that you be open minded and look not for a traditional doorway, but one which is thinner than air. It is there. Just reach out your hands, one at a time and touch its surface. I realize that sometimes things must be actually felt as much as seen to be believed. Go ahead Harry, you first."

With this Harry took a few steps toward the large gnarled root which protruded from the muddied ground. He reached out his hand, not sure of what to expect and then he felt it. Sold, rough, but without a doubt solid.

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 26

Part 3

In The Belly Of The Beast.


By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



"Go ahead, don't be a bunch of blithering duds, touch it he said." Boomed Mad Eye."You see Alastor, Harry here has it quite right. Sometimes a little finesse and a little patience is in order, as is in this case."

Moody thumped his staff upon the soft ground and just made a grumble which seemed to float from ear to ear. No one willing to make any judgment call or attempt to speak.

"Go on Harry, please push the door open. I may take the softest of touches and might I suggest that all of you keep your wands at the ready, just in case." The Headmaster seemed to whisper in an assuring way.

"Just in case, JUST IN CASE? What could that mean. I doubt it is anything that I am going to enjoy." Ron complained to Hermione who was already moving forward to assist Harry.

Harry took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment and with a leap of faith, gently, ever so gently pushed his palm against the solid object before him. Even if he could not see it, he knew it was there. So why not listen to the Headmaster. He had never steered him in the wrong direction before so he doubted that anything bad would come of this as well.

A black whole opened up in the middle of the scene before the group. A small gasp was heard to come from Hermione. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand and cast her eyes back and forth to see if anyone had heard her.

There in the back of the group, Fred and George had just high fived each other.

"Wicked!" came their simultaneous voices.

"Go on my boy but be careful." Dumbledore urged Harry on.

"Tonks, Tonks," Lupin called out with the sound of great concern tearing through ever call.

Harry stepped forward. He was suddenly enveloped in a blanket of black. The familiar smell of damp earth, the smell of freshly cut grass, of water. Somewhere ahead, Harry heard another sound. Something that sent shivers up his spine and the hairs on his arms to stand on end. The nape of his neck also tingled and he could tell that his hair was almost standing on up straight from all of the electricity that ran within him.

"LUMOS MAXIMUS" shouted Harry.

The tip of his wand burst into a brilliant light and a ball of light shot out of it and was cast far down what Harry could now see as an earthen tunnel.

Then a moment later, Harry found himself falling, the feeling of something wrapping itself round his ankles. He felt the softened earth being forced into his face. Up his nose and into his mouth. He spit out , blinked. His wand had not extinguished and he turned his head with a snap a blur before his eyes.

"Watcher Harry, what you go and do something like that?" A Purple maned Tonks shouted out.. Her own legs intertwined with those of Harry.

Lupin came bursting into the tunnel and threw himself on the soft earthen floor and pulled Tonks into a deep and loving embrace. His eyes filled with tears which reflected like diamonds in the light cast from Harry's wand.

Not another word was spoken between them as Lupin began to stand, helping his wife to her feet and brushing off large amounts and cakes of dirt and debris that had found itself plastered all over her beautiful form.

Harry felt suddenly hot, as if this was something that he should not be witnessing and so he turned away as quickly as he cold.

"It is all right Harry, we are together. We all love one another, we have each others backs. Nothing is going to happen to us as long as we stay together. Together we build a bond stronger than any spell that may be cast at us." Remus stated.

"Yeah but that does not mean that we let down our guard." Tonks reminded them both as she finally stood up.

Next behind this threesome, Hermione, Ron and Moody stepped into the Tunnel. It was beginning to become a very crowded space and Harry decided that he must begin the forward motion of the others and get this party going.

Again as in the Tunnels back at Hogwarts, Harry could smell those familiar smells. but this time there was a slightly downward grade to the tunnel itself.

"So are we all here," Harry asked.

Each of the group affirmed their presence and were punctuated by the affirmation from Professor Dumbledore and his command, "Onward!"

Harry walked for a great deal of time. Leading the group. The sounds of trudging feet and deep breathing echoed behind him. Then Harry came to a stop. He raised his wand high over his head, touching the earthen ceiling above him.

"SSSHHHHHHH," came his hiss.

Not another word, barely a panting gasp for air was heard. Every soul had stopped at Harry's command.

Harry turned his head sideways. Straining to hear something that caught his attention.

There it was again. It was not a mistake. He had heard something but what? Harry proceeded to walk forward, he adjusted his glasses which had slipped slightly down his nose. His free arm stretched out behind himself waiving the others on to follow him.

Mad Eye moved forward in the group and came up just behind Harry.

"What is it boy? What did you hear?"

Then the unmistakable sound of a voice. No not a voice but a scream.

"NOooooooo! Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! PPpplllleeeeassseee NNNOOOOOOOO!"

Harry broke into a full sprint, leaving the group behind to gather themselves and follow him as quickly as they could.

Then Harry was faced by a solid Granite wall. Rough, wet, cold to the touch. Harry threw himself against the solid mass of Grey. He could feel the cold generating from it. It chilled his skin to the touch.

A cold spread through his body through his veins into his lungs. A flare of light burst in front of his eyes and the searing pain tore through his head as if he had just been struck with an ax. His scar, it was splitting his head in two. The burning, all Harry could see right now. It was pain beyond all pain. There was nothing else. There was no tunnel, no Moody, Tonk or Lupin. They were not even close to the place where Harry stood at that moment. The pain was a place all of its own. It possessed him, it controlled him, it ripped through him like a heated sword. time after time.

[Duddahs]

Darkness Within

Chapter 27

Part 1

Coloring Within the Lines.

By Madame Snape and Duddahs the Great Barn Owl


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"Severus, SEVERUS," the voice of Minerva McGonogall broke through the silence in the dank and dark Dungeon Office of the Potions Master.

Behind the hurried Witch stormed in the hulking giant form of Hagrid. His breath coming in huge gulps as he looked quickly around the bottle lined walls of the room. One could see all sorts of disgusting eyeballs, fingers, toes, blobs and leaves. A brain here an intestine there. A bottle of insects still alive kept in a cheese cloth covered ball jar, way up near the ceiling of the gothic arched walls of the room.

"Snape, didn' you hear the lady? If yuz in hear sez so now!" Boomed the hairy faced Hagrid.

"Be Quiet, you foolish oaf! I am just now at the critical point of introducing a very explosive and poisonous substance to this potion." Snape hissed at the two intruders to his domain.

"I am sorry Severus but we have been instructed by Albus himself to come and assist you in your endeavor. What may we do to help?" Minerva stated with as much compassion as she could muster.

"Just be quiet for a moment. This will work, it must work, I am sure that it will work..." As Professor Severus Snape stood over a large solid Gold Cauldron.

The fire beneath the cauldron was low, but a large amount of what appeared to be Grey gas was rising in spirals of opalescent puffs from the liquid within its walls.

Slowly, very slowly the Black cloaked figure of Snape inserted one, then two, then three tiny glowing white objects. They wriggled within his fingers as he plucked them from the large basket that they were kept in. As they touched the surface of the bubbling liquid, their screams of protest were unmistakable. Their cries, the sudden splash and then silence. One could come to only one conclusion.

These creatures were being killed for the sake of this potion. Normally one did not witness such a horrific violent end to any creature in the Wizarding world but alas these little White Opalescent almost formless wriggle THINGS were surely being sacrificed for some very important reason. But for what?

"There, it is done. Now, what is so important that the two of you find yourselves compelled to break into my inner chambers unannounced?" Drawled on Snape.

The liquid inside the cauldron had turned a limpid blue and the gas that rose once in Grey clouds was turned to Azure Blue spirals of Gas. Small sparkles were infused in the gas as if a tiny galaxy and thousands of tiny stars floated in the space it occupied.

Snape turned to face Minerva and Hagrid. His lip curled up on the right and clearly curled down on the left side of his face. His hands now forced into his robes as he spread it away from his body, a triangular form being silhouetted but he light cast from the fire under the Cauldron and its bubbling contents.

"Severus, Albus has just sent us a Patronus. He has warned us that something or someone is going to be attempting to enter the Castle. He has instructed that all students be returned to their houses and locked in behind their protective guardians." Minerva informed the Potions Master with a tone of great concern.

"Yes, I see, and you wish me to gather the Slytherins and," but before he could finish, Hagrid had broken in.

"No you bloody doltz. You think you are so smart do yuz? Dumbledore has put Slughorn in charge of securin' tha Slythrins. He sayz we wuz to assist you wif your doinz. Now yuz sez itz all dun! Soz wah now?"

"Thank you Hagrid, that will do." McGonogall stated. "You see, It appears that Albus is somewhere with several of the students of my house and." now it was time for Minerva to be interupted.

"Potter! No wonder. Will it never come to the attention of Dumbledore that were ever that Potter goes, so goes trouble? What is it that he has done this time?" Snape spit out with so much venom that he almost sounded as if he wished Harry Potter dead!

"No, Severus, it is not Potters doing this time, though I do realize that it is always the same students mixed up in something that is way beyond their understanding. No this is Albus and apparently Remus Lupin is involved and that Pettigrew too." Minerva explained.

"Pettigrew? What are you trying to say Minerva? I am aware that Peter Pettigrew has been holed up with a Wizarding Family outside London. Not that I could verify it myself but it has been suggested in my presence as such." Now it was time for Sevrus to look uncomfortable as he shifted from foot to foot.

"Well, enough about that bit of trouble, Severus, is this potion that you have just completed the same thing that Albus has asked us to assist you with? Is it ready and for Merlins sake, is it safe for us to transport?"

Minerva sounded very worried at the response that might come her way. so she moved ever so carefully toward the Gold Cauldron and its contents.

"Yes, Minerva. It is now safe to transport but to where?" asked Snape.

"Don' know right now, do we?" Boomed Hagrid.

Severus raised his right hand from the cloak pocket in which it had been hidden. His wand raised, his lips moving ever so slightly and then a burst of Hot White light shot out. The echoing of an oddly timed clapping against solid stone resonated throughout the Dungeon and then as quickly as the light had appeared, it dimmed and disappeared.

Hagrid stood rubbing his eyes. The sparkles of tiny white and blue lights dancing in front of them.