Harry Potter and the Eye of Isis

Chapter 14 - Return of the Werewolf

Harry seemed to sense his surroundings without yet opening his eyes. He could feel something soft beneath his head, but he was certain no one had provided a pillow for him to lie on. His skin tingled with warmth, and he could hear the soft breathing of another person. His eyes fluttered several times before opening them. From the warmth on his skin he assumed that he was in the sun again, but he was still in the corridor where the identical female statues had assaulted him and Professor Snape. It was then that he thought of Snape and sat up to look for him. He didn't have to look far; it was Professor Snape's thigh that he'd been lying on, and his breathing that Harry heard before.

"Professor Snape," Harry nudged him to try and rouse the man. "Professor Snape."

Snape's eyes shot wide open as he sat up. "What happened? How long have I been unconscious?"

"I don't know," Harry answered. "I was knocked unconscious too." Harry pulled himself up to his feet and looked up and down the corridor. "Where did they go?" he asked upon not finding the women who had rendered the pair unconscious.

"The last thing I remember is running towards you," Snape answered. "They were advancing on you."

Harry nodded slightly, still trying to reorient himself. "I'm not sure which way we ought to be going--" Harry abruptly stopped speaking. A distant footstep echoed through the hall, and as it grew closer the floor began to vibrate ever so slightly. For some reason this sound combined with the sudden vibrations scared Harry, and he reached out and grabbed Snape's arm. "What was that?"

Snape peered down at the death grip Harry held on his forearm with a bit of amusement. "Really, Potter, you're tough enough to face the Dark Lord, why would footsteps startle you?"

Harry removed his hand from Snape's arm and shook his head slowly. He didn't know why but he felt danger approaching, and it grew louder with every step that...that thing, whatever it was, was taking.

"Sorry," he muttered as he reached into his cloak but did not find the item he sought. "Where's my wand?"

Harry and Snape crouched back down to the floor, searching for Harry's wand, assuming he had dropped it while the statues held him, but they didn't find it anywhere. The steps were drawing ever closer, so Snape decided his wand alone would have to do, but it too was absent from any of his pockets.

"They took our wands," Harry realised. "We haven't yet been judged, and those two...the statues took our wands."

Snape nodded quickly. "It would seem so."

Another loud footstep rumbled towards them, this time accompanied by a wave of darkness. As the black rolled by them, then through them, it was Snape who grabbed Harry's arm this time. Although it wasn't out of fear so much as making sure they were not separated. Just as the darkness passed, another wave came towards them, along with the sounds of a footstep that must belong to one very large, or very heavy, person.

After five more waves of darkness, the end of the corridor finally came into sight, but Harry and Snape hadn't moved an inch--the end of the corridor was coming to them. Ten more flashes occurred and both Harry and Snape both felt as if the edge of the earth was coming towards them. The darkness had no boundaries and both feared what would happen if another rolled by them.

Harry looked directly into the Potion master's eyes and took a deep breath. "Don't move, we can't show fear," instructed Harry but Snape seemed to know this already, since he hadn't even tried to take a step backwards.

Harry Potter and Severus Snape stood side-by-side, practically holding hands, when the last wave of darkness enveloped them. Nothing but inky blackness surrounded them, there was no floor beneath them, no ceiling above them, they were surrounded by nothing. They were standing their ground in the face of fear of falling off of the face of the earth. After almost a minute, their surroundings lit up, revealing that they were actually standing before an altar in a large chamber.

The room was torchlit and the beauty of the flames flickered against the golden walls. Red, orange and yellow seemed to be dancing everywhere. Directly in front of them was a table with their wands lying upon it. Just as Harry began to wonder if he should just step forward and get his wand a person appeared.

A woman with the dark skin tones of an Egyptian walked up the steps of the altar, between Harry and Snape, then around the table twice, once in each direction, surveying the men all the while. She stopped on the opposite side of the table and stared at them. Harry felt entranced by her black eyes. His eyes roamed her entire body, taking in the wonderful curves, the scantly covered nether regions and breasts, the gold bracelets snaked up both arms, and the long black hair that looked like silk hanging down her back. Upon her head was a simple golden band.

Without saying a word, she waved her hand over the table to move the wands to the side, and then a second wave produced a scale. She looked at the two men again, and spoke in a deep voice that also had a tremor in it. "You've come forward to be judged. As mortal men, I cannot weigh your heart yet, and so I will weigh your wands coated in your blood." They both nodded at her. "Know this, if your intentions are not true and your wands and blood weigh more than this feather," she placed a feather, that neither man saw her holding before, down on one side of the scale (tipping that side only slightly down), "you will not only have failed, but you will be sent to the underworld. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Harry and Snape answered at the same time.

"Very well, we will begin with youth," she pointed at Harry and he stepped forward.

Harry didn't have to tell her which wand was his; she already knew it and picked it up. She placed it in the palm of her right hand and Harry somehow knew to place his right hand over his wand in her hand. A dagger suddenly appeared in her left hand and before Harry realised what she was going to do with it, she had driven it through their clasped hands. To his surprise, the wound didn't hurt at all, and after she had enough of his blood on the wand to satisfy her, she removed the dagger leaving no mark on Harry and the wound no longer bleeding.

His attention went from his hand back to his wand as she set it opposite the feather on the scale. The scale teetered for a moment but levelled out rather quickly, showing the weight of both objects to be equal.

"Your heart is full of good intentions and nobility," she stated as she removed the wand and handed it back to Harry. "A word of caution to you: Through doors of gold and veils of white, you will seek and fight, to preserve what is right and good, but you are a hero gravely misunderstood. The hero soul resides in you, but not always is the hero true, and while the weight of the world holds you down, an ally can be found...beyond what you know to be true, somebody is waiting for you."

A door appeared behind the woman. "Now you must go."

Harry didn't even look back at Professor Snape, he was confused by the message that the woman had given him, and didn't want to jeopardise his opportunity to leave. While he hoped that Snape would join him, there was nothing he could do to help him pass the test, so he stepped through the door.

On the other side Harry appeared on a rope bridge ten meters above a river of molten lava. He quickly grabbed the tiny rope railing and walked several steps forward hoping that Snape would be joining him soon and got out of the way anticipating it. Harry steadied himself and waited...and waited. Just when he'd given up hope that Snape passed the test, an invisible door opened and he walked through.

He obviously noticed Harry's shock. "Oh just because the scale evened out quickly for you didn't mean it's that quick for everyone else." He smirked as he stuffed his wand back into his pocket.

"Good to see you too, Professor Snape." Harry couldn't help but smile as he realised that Snape's intentions of helping him must be true.

Somehow Harry doubted that woman, whoever she was, would have let Snape pass had he really been there to secure the Eye of Isis for Voldemort, which Harry assumed that Voldemort probably knew too. It explained why he sent only Snape with Harry into the temple. Voldemort was counting on the fact that Harry would refuse to leave Egypt without the Eye of Isis, and Snape, being the only of the Death Eaters that would be able to accompany Harry on this task, would help ensure that Harry emerged from the temple alive and with the priceless artefact.

Harry was certain an ambush awaited them upon exiting the temple...assuming of course, that they did emerge from the temple.

"I think I've given Voldemort too little credit," Harry suddenly said. "He seems to know me and you quite well."

"You've always underestimated the Dark Lord," Snape agreed. "But on that same note, he is always underestimating what you are capable of."

Harry stopped walking and looked back at his professor. "What am I capable of?" he wondered.

"Salvation," answered Snape as he pointed down towards the lava. "Now, let's keep moving, my feet are starting to burn."

*

January 6, 1997

Hermione had been fully aware that Professor Snape had disappeared the same day that Harry did, but the students had not yet learned that Harry and Professor Snape were both missing. It was only the first day of the new term, and while there had been whispers and questions asked at breakfast, no one had really given much stock to Harry not being present.

Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna and Ginny had all been diverted from their planned holiday destination, and taken to Grimmald Place for Christmas. Although Dumbledore wasn't completely convinced that Luna had indeed given a prophecy, he took precautions as if she did, and sequestered the five students so they would not be in any danger of Voldemort wanting to know if and what else Luna might be capable of seeing. Dumbledore's goal was to protect any possibility of further harm to any of his students.

Hermione and Ron had tried to question Dumbledore about Harry several times during their stay at the Order of the Phoenix headquarters, but he would just wave his hand and disappear. One time he simply told them that there was no news. And from what they could gather with the Extendable Ears, there had been no word from Professor Snape as to what might be happening to him or Harry. The only reason anyone knew that Harry was still alive was because the Weasley family clock had been moved to headquarters so that it could be watched. The hand that held Harry's face, looking extremely fatigued, showed Harry mostly in mortal peril, but occasionally travelling.

While it was something of a comfort, it wasn't nearly enough for Ron and Hermione. Mrs. Weasley also found little comfort in her daily routines. She would break down and cry in mid sentence, Ron swore her hair was turning grey faster, and she was often seen standing in front of the family clock trying to figure out if Harry was in pain by the look on his picture's face.

Dobby sulked about too. He obeyed everything any Weasley said to him, but he seemed to take Harry's request of going to Mrs. Weasley quite literally, and there was rarely a time when he could be found anywhere but her side. She had even taken to treating Dobby more like a child than a house-elf.

"Hermione," Parvati whispered quietly to her, interrupting her train of thought, "are you feeling all right?"

"Um," she looked at Parvati. "Yeah, I was just wondering who's going to be teaching Potions."

Parvati looked puzzled. "Why wouldn't it be Professor Snape?"

Hermione suddenly realised that Parvati hadn't yet been told what happened to Harry, or that Professor Snape was with him. She opened her mouth to explain but a quick glimpse of the other students in the room told her not to speak about it in class.

"I'll tell you back in our dorm, there are too many ears in here."

Parvati wanted to know now, but knew it wasn't good news. Harry hadn't written her over the holiday like he said he would, and he'd yet to show up for term, so Parvati's instinct told her that Hermione was going to say the Harry was off fighting Voldemort.

Their eyes, along with everyone else, fell on Remus Lupin as he entered the dungeons through Snape's office. "Good morning class. Welcome to the first day of a new term. Professor Snape is on sabbatical and I will be taking over for the remainder of the year." Grateful sighs filled the dungeon.

"To address your concerns about my condition, we will not be having classes on the day before, the day of and the day after the full moon each month. You will report to Madam Pince in the library on those days during our class time. Now, if you will please turn to page 756."

Hermione flipped her Potions book open, and despite her sullied disposition, couldn't help but smile as she read the title of the page. The Medicinal Unicorn Potion: revives the gravest injured individuals.

"I have been informed that Professor Snape assigned partners last term," several heads nodded at him. "Due to the nature of some of the potions we will be brewing this term, it is best to be paired with a member of the same sex. So, as you are all capable of choosing your own brewing partner, please do so now, and remember, the person must be of the same sex as you."

Hermione and Parvati just smiled at each other and didn't budge from the table they were sharing. Everyone had paired off with the exception of Pansy Parkinson, the only female Slytherin in the class. She sat alone at a table, not caring that she had not been paired up with anyone.

"I see there is an odd number of females in this class, Miss Parkinson, you'll have to join a group." Lupin looked around the room for a moment, his eyes resting on Hermione. "Miss Granger and Miss Patil, would you consent to three in your group?"

Hermione wanted to say no but knew that she really couldn't. "Certainly, Professor." Besides, she had worked with Draco Malfoy last term, and Pansy Parkinson definitely couldn't be any worse.

Potions passed quickly, and working with Pansy Parkinson hadn't seemed to bother anyone. She didn't make snide comments like Draco Malfoy did. She simply did her part, cleaned up and left the two Gryffindors as soon as class was dismissed. Hermione was going to mention something to Parvati about their luck with Parkinson, but Parvati quite clearly had other thoughts on her mind.

"What happened, Hermione?" she asked quietly as they walked through the dungeons. "Where is Harry?"

Hermione glanced around quickly. "We're not absolutely sure, but your guess is the same as mine."

Parvati turned ten shades of white and grabbed her stomach, hoping the knot within wouldn't rise up. "You mean--? You-Know-Who has him?" Hermione nodded. "And Snape--?"

"He went after him."

"Why? Snape hates him."

"This really isn't something we should be talking about in the corridors, and I think it would be best if you didn't tell anyone about your feelings for Harry."

"What feelings?" Parvati asked, trying to sound innocent.

"I know that you two fancy each other, but you really don't want Voldemort to know that do you?"

"No," Parvati's voice was barely audible, "I don't want him to hurt Harry."

Hermione watched the tears forming in Parvati's eyes. She suddenly wished that she and Parvati were friends and not just dorm mates. Parvati needed to be comforted, and Hermione wasn't sure she was the right person to offer that to her, but knowing she needed it, and quite honestly, Hermione did too, she reached out and pulled Parvati into her body, hugging her tightly.

"It's going to be okay," she whispered into Parvati's ear, "Harry's strong, you know that, right?"

She nodded slowly, releasing her grip on Hermione. "Thank you...I'm sorry, he's your best friend, and I've just been standing here thinking about me and my feelings. How are you and Ron doing?"

"It's been tough," Hermione admitted, "but we can only hope for the best. Come on, we better get to class. I don't think drawing attention to ourselves would help Harry at all right now."

The first week of term didn't pass very quickly, and the school took the news of Professor Snape on sabbatical relatively easily, not connecting his absence to the noticeable absence of the Boy-Who-Lived. The students didn't seem to be able to talk about anything but Harry's lack of attendance at school, and Professor Trelawney didn't help when she told a class that she had indeed seen that Harry Potter would leave and never return. That spread through the corridors like wildfire and the talk of You-Know-Who finally killing Harry amplified.

Luna had also come into the habit of sitting with Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table for meals. Ever since her episode at Grimmauld Place over the holiday, she seemed to have taken on some of Harry's personality traits and gravitated towards his best friends. She had taken everyone by complete surprise when she wandered into the kitchen for breakfast a few days after Christmas, and looked at Mrs. Weasley and began screaming, in Harry's voice, about the danger that she was in.

Consequently, Mrs. Weasley had been moved from Headquarters and kept Dobby at her side at all times. She had refused the Fidelus Charm because she wouldn't be left out of the loop about any of her children's affairs, including Harry. She knew that she wouldn't have as much flexablilty with the Fidelius Charm as the children had over the summer. If Voldemort had been able to place third eyes all around her, that meant there was likely a spy within the Order, and not knowing who it could possibly be, Dumbledore wouldn't have let anyone know where she was, not even her husband. Molly Weasley certainly couldn't stand for that. She wasn't going to let Voldemort drive her away from her family.

Hermione had been moping around ever since Harry disappeared. She felt that she was to blame over his disappearance, and with no word from Professor Snape and no Death Eater activities, she could only imagine that Harry was still alive, yet still in danger. She knew that if Voldemort had killed Harry, Voldemort would have gone on a celebration rampage. But she also knew that if Harry was all right, Professor Snape would have found away to communicate that with the Headmaster. And while Luna's episode over Christmas seemed to confirm that Harry was still alive, it also confirmed that he was being manipulated for Voldemort's malicious plans. Luna's outburst haunted Hermione's dreams.

"Mrs. Weasley!" Luna had suddenly stood up and screamed. "You are in danger! Voldemort has third eyes on you! He's threatened to kill you if I don't..." her voice had slacked off and she seemed to regain control of her faculties, and just when Hermione was about to question what had happened, Dobby fell to the floor and began having a seizure.

"Mum," Ron had called out to his mother. "Dobby's have a fit!"

When Mrs. Weasley entered the kitchen, Luna screamed again, this time with Harry's voice. "Mrs. Weasley! He's going to kill you! Please, I can't let him harm you! You're surrounded by third eyes! He knows every move you make, even when you are at Headquarters!"

Hermione had learned that Dobby performed the Master-Servant bond on Harry when he came to work for him. Therefore, Harry could speak with him from any distance if he tried. Dumbledore theorised that Harry was not aware of this connection though, and that was why he tried to communicate with Luna. Harry believed that Luna had some sort of gift for Divination, whether it be telepathy or she was truly a Seer. Dobby had caught part of Harry's message as well, and the strength in the magic it took for Harry to send that message had caused Dobby to have a seizure.

"Hermione?" Ron waved his hand in front of her face, snapping her gaze. "What are you thinking about?" But he didn't have to ask, he knew that she'd been absolutely consumed with Harry for weeks.

"I'm just worried," she answered as she began eating her meal again. "It's been so long, and we haven't heard a word, and Vol...Voldemort hasn't attacked or anything. It's just been too quiet."

"Well, the good thing about that is that we know that Harry must still be alive."

"Yes, but in what condition?" Hermione wondered.

"Pain, yet brave," Luna answered, not really looking at either Ron or Hermione.

"Sounds like our Harry." Ron smiled. He didn't like the thought of Harry in such danger and pain, but he did find comfort in knowing that Harry was still alive. "I worry about him all of the time too, Hermione, but what are we supposed to do?"

"Help him!" She nearly screamed.

"Hey, I'm all for running off to help him," and he meant that too, "but we don't know where he is. If I knew where he was, do you think I'd be sitting here listening to you go on abut your guilt and feelings for Harry?"

"What's that supposed to mean, Ron?"

"It means, deal with it!" He stood up, unable to continue to watch her berate herself. "I didn't kidnap him! And I'd be at his side right now if I knew where he was!" Ron turned and quickly left the Gryffindor table.

Hermione barely had time to digest Ron's ferocity when Draco Malfoy appeared in her line of sight. He was staring at her from the Slytherin table, a smirk of amusement spread across his face.

"What's the matter Mudblood? Can't figure out if you should be shagging Weaselby or Scarhead? I think your choices will be limited soon." He called over to her.

Hermione finally snapped. Her even temperament gave way to the frustration within her and she pointed her wand directly at him. Malfoy's eyes grew wide as she muttered something in his direction but he didn't have enough time to get out of the way. He quickly transformed into a white ferret.

"I've always loved your rodent impression!" Hermione shouted across the Great Hall just before she too departed.

*

Harry leaned over the edge, stretching his hand down towards Professor Snape, who was barely hanging onto the fraying rope that Harry had conjured just in time to keep him and the good professor from plummeting to their doom. Harry had stupidly tried to curse a scarab beetle, thinking it was just a bug, and immediately lost that battle.

He and Professor Snape had learned that no fear could be displayed to any of the Egyptian elements whose paths they were forced to cross. In addition to that they had learned, the hard way, that magic could only be used to aid them. They couldn't use magic against anything...including bugs.

Snape grabbed Harry's hand and began clawing his way up Harry's arm until Harry had a hold of him with both hands and pulled him up over the ledge. Snape sat looking over at the void that now existed where solid land had once been. Then he looked sternly at Harry.

"Don't curse anything," he said in a very low voice that displayed his great displeasure with Harry.

"Yeah, I've already reminded myself of that." Harry stood up and dusted himself off slightly, feeling foolish that he'd been bored enough to try to use magic to entertain himself. "I thought it was just a bug."

"That bug just ate ten meters out of our journey." Snape hoisted himself up and straightened his robes out.

"We've been going for ages." Frustration laced Harry's voice. "I don't know how much longer I can stand this." Harry's stomach gave a loud grumble and he clinched it quickly.

Food had been scarce. They had basically lived on bread since they'd been in the temple. They had been lucky enough that there were some shrines in the many rooms of the temple that had fountains, so they'd been able to drink. Neither had realised how much they had each changed in appearance. All of the climbing, running and lack of eating had thinned them both out while at the same time defining the muscles in their arms, legs and chest.

"I wonder what day it is," Harry said, having lost track of the days without being able to see the sun. "I bet school's started again."

"I'm sure it has. I would imagine we've been down here for a week, or better."

"I wish I could just be in the right room so that I could see the Eye of Isis. I'm done with the rest of this endurance crap."

"I couldn't agree with you more, Harry."

Just as Snape said that a light began to flicker several meters away from where they stood. He pointed at it and Harry turned to look at it. They both took a deep breath and without consulting each other headed towards the soft glow. It didn't grow much brighter as they drew closer, only larger in size. The source of the light led them into a small chamber with two statues in it. Unlike the first two statues that Harry and Snape had encountered, these two did not appear to made of stone, they appeared to be made of gold, and they were not two women. Instead there was a man and a woman.

The woman was wearing a slim dress that fell all of the way down to her ankles. Her hands were resting at her sides and in her right hand she was grasping an ankh. On top of her black hair was a crown that looked like horns with a bright red disk sitting between the horns. Her face was delicately crafted, but held no hints of pleasure or displeasure.

The man was dressed in a white gown that covered all of his body except his hands, feet and his head. His arms were crossed across his chest and he was holding what looked like a whip and a long hook to Harry. On his head was a tall white cap with golden pillars on both sides.

Snape pointed at the whip in the male's hand. "That looks just like the instrument that the Dark Lord had Nott whip you with."

"My back?" Harry questioned, still not remembering how he had come to receive the marks that would become scars. "He had me whipped?"

Snape nodded. "You don't remember?" Harry just shook his head. "Just as well, I'm sure it was excruciating."

Harry just nodded at the obvious and focused his attention back on the statues. Thankfully, they weren't blocking a passageway, but Harry was still tentative as he stepped before them. He instinctively fell to his knees and bowed to show them the great respect he had for all things Egyptian.

He didn't move until the female statue did. Fortunately, she didn't attack as the others had. She simply raised her left hand from her side and held it straight in front of Harry. Harry sat up on his knees and reached out for her hand, clutching it with his own. When he did this her eyes cast down on him and she seemed to smile as she deposited a small item into his hand.

Harry bowed his head once more and backed away from here slowly. When he was standing at Snape's side again he looked down at the stone she had given him. It was dark green and had a symbol carved into it. The symbol looked like an eye with an eyebrow and three lines running diagonally out from the inner corner.

Harry squeezed it within his left hand, and immediately felt it break his skin. He drew in a deep, rigid breath as a sharp pain crawled into his hand, up his arm, his shoulder, his neck, and face. Harry closed his eyes and tipped his head up at the ceiling, tears dripping from the sides of his eyes as the green light that accompanied the pain crawled behind his eyes and rested.

"Harry?" Snape asked cautiously, realising it was quite possible another entity now possessed Harry.

Harry lowered his head and opened his eyes. The green light that Snape watched crawl up Harry's arm had not diminished at all, and was now resting behind Harry's emerald eyes. He removed his glasses, tucking them into his robe. The stone had corrected his vision.

"This is what we were looking for." Harry told his professor, his voice now vibrating slightly just as every other thing that had spoken to them on this journey had.

"Good, let's go." Snape bent his head down in the direction of the two statues, paying homage just to be sure that they didn't find him offensive. "Do you know the way out?"

"Yes," answered Harry in a voice that was his but eerie all the same. "S-ck hwt-ntr m Auset." A door appeared in the same area that he and Snape had entered this room in. "That is the exit."

Snape didn't question this he just led the way to the door. When he pushed it open he could see that they were just within the entrance of the Temple of Isis. The light poured in through the great corridor that led visitors in.

"I feel that we are not alone," Harry told Snape. "They have been waiting for us to emerge."

Harry tightened his grip on the stone, feeling his fingernails digging into his palm, but knowing it was necessary. This stone had quickly become his most prized possession, and he would not give it up easily.

His wand in his right hand, he nodded at Snape, signalling that he was as ready as he'd ever be. They would have to hope that there could be some element of surprise on their side since none of the Death Eaters knew when Harry and Snape would emerge from the temple. Harry sensed the fear coming from Professor Snape. This was his moment of truth. There would be no more spying, no more flipping back and forth, he would stand by Harry's side and fight with him.

"Ready?" Harry asked and received a nod.

Harry Potter and Severus Snape ran through the entrance, side-by-side, fighting for their lives.