Summary: It seems like it has always been there, always haunting. An immortal item, with an immortal purpose. Death. The word has always made me shiver, but no matter what it can’t escape me, despite how hard I run away from it. Yet here I am, standing in front of the very thing that causes it, where everybody goes after their final breath.
What happens when Harry learns the truth about the mysterious veil?
This is witchdragon of Gryffindor originally submitted for the New Year's Challenge: The Deathly Hallows
Categories: General Fics Characters: None
Warnings: None
Challenges: Series: None
Chapters: 1
Completed: Yes
Word count: 1575
Read: 1464
Published: 02/16/07
Updated: 02/19/07
1. Chapter 1 by witchdragon
Author's Notes:
I want to thank my beta, cherbear22, for helping me!
It seems like it has always been there, always haunting. An immortal item, with an immortal purpose. Death. The word has always made me shiver, but no matter what it can’t escape me, despite how hard I run away from it. Yet here I am, standing in front of the very thing that causes it, where everybody goes after their final breath.
But why am I standing here? I could easily do something else, but it draws me towards it, and I can’t stay away. It seems enticing, to just forget my worries and to go through the barrier of life and death; after all, there’s nothing left for me here. No Ginny; no Ron or Hermione. Not even Remus or Luna or Neville. They all died at the hands of Voldemort, the last people holding me back from going insane, the only people who stood by my side, fighting with me until they couldn’t fight anymore. It was because of them and their love for me that I defeated him and every last one of his Death Eaters.
“Harry Potter.” A whisper comes from the archway. It is an ancient voice, one with knowledge and power.
“What do you want?” I inquire, not knowing if it can hear me.
“I want to talk to you,” it whispers.
“I’m not going through the veil,” I say venomously, thoughts of Sirius’s face crossing my mind.
“Then I will come out to you.” And, whoever it is, does. First a leg, silver in the dimly lit room; then half of his body, for it is a man, followed soon by the other half. I gasp at the ghost. It is a face I have never expected to see, a face thousands of years old.
“Godric Gryffindor,” I whisper in wonder. I can’t believe it. The founder of my house, one of the founders of Hogwarts, is standing in front of me. His hair is a light brown, his eyes piercingly black. I look at his clothes; he is wearing the Gryffindor house colors, red and gold, with a red cape billowing behind him. When I look back at his face, I see a sad, tired smile playing on his lips.
“Ah, Harry,” he begins. “For one so young you have gone through more than I have ever done. I am proud you are a Gryffindor.”
He pauses, and I wait with bated breath. Gryffindor turns from me, and stares at the veil, pain written across his face. “I wish this would not be so hard for me.”
“What is, sir?” I ask quizzically.
“To tell you what you needed to learn a long time ago,” he explained. “About the veil.”
“Well, what is it?” I ask, frustrated. “There is nothing else I need to know! Sirius and everyone else are dead! They’re all through there!” I point at the swishing veil angrily.
“You know the purpose of it. Now you need to know the beginning. Let me take you back, Harry.” The room spins, and I find myself in a memory.
“Impossible!” cried Ravenclaw. “We need to remain here for the children. Not…”
“Rowena!” Salazar sharply interrupted. “What is left for us here at Hogwarts, when we have taught everything to everyone we know?”
“Why should you care?” Rowena asked, angry tears forming in her eyes. “You deserted us forty years ago. You only came back because of your proposal!”
“Rowena,” Godric soothed, trying to placate the fuming witch, “I think Salazar is right.”
“Not you too!” she said despairingly. “Helga, put some common sense into these men.”
“I agree with the two of them.” Helga shrugged slightly. “After all, it will be in a secluded area. And…” She paused for a moment. “I don’t think we should stay here when very day we are putting the children more and more at risk. Has it occurred to you that if we remain at Hogwarts, our powers could escape and overwhelm everyone?”
“Well, yes Helga,” Rowena agreed grudgingly. “But, you have to look at the consequences…”
“The consequences would be that the entire wizarding world would be destroyed. We have become too strong for our own good. Who knows, in the future it could help people,” Helga said in a monotone. She looked at Rowena uncertainly, as if it was no longer Rowena Ravenclaw.
“What is the matter with you, Rowena?” Godric spat sharply. “You would have rushed at the occasion to help!”
“I’m thinking that is what I am doing!” she snapped. “I will have nothing to do with it. Go try and do it by yourself, but I will not assist you.”
“So you think an immortal life without powers would not be pleasant?” Salazar asked quietly.
“I don’t want to be immortal! And you should think that way too!” She stomped out angrily. The rest of the founders watched her go.
“I think we should begin,” said Salazar passively. “It is almost All Hallows Eve.” The remaining three got up and disapparated.
When they reappeared, they were on a flat terrain. There was nothing living except for the three founders. Miles away stood the city of London, in its thousand-year glory; muggles and wizards alike sleeping soundly and peacefully on the night of the dead.
Gryffindor, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff grabbed hands, forming a circle, and began the charm. It was complex, and would require all their magic, making them muggles; yet, they would be immortal. But suddenly, everything changed.
“What is happening?” Salazar demanded anxiously as they heard a high-pitched scream. Then, he realized what had developed, and cursed. “We needed Rowena!” he shouted angrily into the air. “It’s all her fault! Rowena and her stupid logic!”
The scream that had appeared grew into several shrieks, until one by one the three founders lost their magic. The combined magic formed into a massive ball of light as a clock in the distance chimed twelve times, announcing the arrival of All Hallows Eve. Dozens of ghosts appeared, examining the great ball of magic. They whispered to each other excitedly, until one by one they entered the magic, and the ex-witch and two ex-wizards screamed in agony, their lives draining from them. Rain began to pour down and an immense wind blew across the terrain.
As they were taking their last breaths, the ghosts took the former magic of some of the most powerful humans to have ever lived and swooped to the ground. Here, a shape began to rise from the earth. It was an archway, with a billowing black veil. Even though it was newly made, its appearance was old and tattered, and whisperings could be heard as the ghosts continued to pour the magic onto the archway. It took only a few more moments until the great ball of magic was gone, and the ghosts’ tasks were complete. With a cry of joy, they entered through the veil, leaving the world of the living behind.
Behind the ghosts were the three former founders, fighting for their lives, but to no avail. The archway slowly pulled them through the dark veil as Rowena watched with teary eyes. “I’m sorry I was too late,” she shouted over the billowing wind, and her three best friends were gone in the blink of an eye. She cried into the wind, rain mixing with tears.
I make my way out of the memory and back into my own time, my own world. “It was you guys…” I stammer out, shocked. “You created the veil for your own gain.”
“Yes,” Godric says. “However, it was not entirely our faults. In our arrogance we were not careful, and didn’t realize that Salazar had placed a potion in our drinks. Only Rowena did not drink the potion.”
“What happened to her?”
Godric sighs heavily. “She continued to teach. And the veil became a shrine. People worshipped it and gave it offerings; as if they were worried it would hurt them. Others used it to get rid of people and some committed suicide with it. Eventually, the ministry built their headquarters around it to study and protect the archway.”
“But why did you tell me this?”
“I thought that from the deaths of friends and families, it was your right to know about the Deathly Hallows.”
“Deathly Hallows?” I ask, surprised.
He nods. “It was what Rowena called it. She meant it to mean that the veil is a deathly object that will draw people into their deaths if their not wary, especially on All Hallows Eve.”
My brain suddenly sparks to life after what has just occurred. “Tonight’s Halloween!” I realize. This must be why I am drawn to it so.
“Yes, as is the anniversary of your parents’ deaths.” Godric smiles. “This is where I leave you. Good luck, Harry Potter.” He disappears and I am once again left alone.
I now realize what I must do. Without another thought, I summon parchment and quill, and write furiously for several minutes. I place the note on the ground, knowing someone will have to stumble across it eventually. Then, I square my shoulders and enter the archway. Today, I will see my parents again, on the very day they were taken from my life so many years ago. Today, the Deathly Hallows will once again sing the song of death “ the immortal song, for the immortal purpose.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.