HARRY POTTER AND THE PROPHECY TRUE

Chapter four

Harry awoke earlier than usual, hearing the sounds of excited voices outside. For a moment he thought the spell concealing his campsite had somehow worn off, but having heard the conversations he knew he was still safe. The group was on the way up to the temple's alter to meditate and welcome in the sunrise, all in hopes of seeing the spirit that made himself known the day before. Harry groaned, rolled over in his bed and pulled the pillow across his head. He still couldn't believe he had been so careless. He could just imagine what Hermione would say if she knew.

The voices soon faded into the distance, leaving only the echoed promise for a very warm day. The tent's roof was already pulling in the heat, forcing Harry to reluctantly kick the covers off and crawl out of bed. He was eager to get moving on his quest, but it was so relaxing here he was having a difficult time convincing himself to leave. The sounds of animals playing in the forest beyond echoed through the open flap, as Harry stepped out still damp from his shower, a bottle of Butterbeer in hand.

With a heavy sigh, Harry drew in the warmth of the morning, smiling at the sounds of the birds in the trees above his head. He could hear the thoughts of snakes nearby, waiting for their unsuspecting prey. The chatter of monkeys echoed through the stillness and Harry frowned. He could even make out their language. Something really weird was happening to him since he left Hogwart's, but he needed to get back to find out what it was.

"Why are you hiding?" a voice asked, causing Harry to turn on his heel, wand clenched in his tight grip, his heart pounding viciously within his chest.

"Who said that?" he demanded, peering through the thick trees and overgrowth of bushes and grasses.

"I did," the voice said again. Harry turned his eyes toward the sound, seeing the small brown body of an animal about the size of a large cat, sneaking out from between the tall trees. In a way it looked like a pig, but much more dangerous.

"What are you? A wizard? An Animagus?"

"What are those? Humans, like yourself?"

"Sort of. Who are you?"

"I'm a Peccary, or so Parker says. Who are you and why are you hiding? Don't you like those other humans?"

"It's complicated. Who's Parker?"

"A very nosy Parrot," the Peccary said with disgust. "He sits above the forest and listens to the people below. He thinks he's smarter than he actually is."

"How is it I can talk to you?"

"Don't know," the Peccary answered, routing around the base of the trees. "Never talked with your kind before. So why are you hiding?"

"I don't want the Muggles to see me."

"What are Muggles?"

"That's what we call non-magical people. Do you have a name?"

"Parker calls me Cary, but I don't know that anyone else cares much for names. We're not like your kind, we don't give names to our cubs."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you Cary, even if it is really weird talking to you. I feel like Dr. Doolittle."

"Is that a friend of yours?" Harry chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, it doesn't matter much. I'm sure you'll be gone before the day turns dark."

"Why do you say that?"

"Your kind never stays long. Sometimes we have to hide from your fire sticks, but mostly you come and visit the ancients then leave."

"The ancients? You mean the temples?"

"Yes. There are stories of the ancients who lived there once. Parker says they were horrible, killing their own kind, hurting others who refused to join. There were some here, like them, not so long ago. They came when I was young and killed others like themselves."

"Here? Who were they?"

"Don't know, but Parker would. He knows everything, or thinks he does." Cary came closer toward Harry and looked up into his eyes. Harry could see him clearly for the first time. His snout was short with crushing molars, his hair was long and wiry, his eyes small and black.

"Why would anyone come here to kill?"

"They were not nice, even the snakes hid from them. Except for one, a large female. She was very evil, even as a young one. She killed without wanting food. One of the humans found her and took her away. He could speak to her and called her 'pet'. He wasn't much like your kind, small and cub-like, but the others treated him like an elder. It was a good day when they took the snake. It became much safer, even with humans around."

"He spoke to her, are you sure?"

"Yes. Just like you are speaking to me."

"Who were these humans? What did they look like?" Harry felt the hair on his neck stand on end, his senses coming alive as he thought of what the Peccary was telling him.

"Never heard names, never saw them either, just the small one. The elders. He crawled like a snake. His eyes were red and his voice was high. He scared even Parker. The others were like you in away. They had sticks like yours."

"Sticks? Wands? When was this? Where did they go?"

"Ask Parker. If anyone knows he would. I remember hearing the elders speaking of them when I was young. They said the humans were dark and hid their faces. They appeared without the nosy machines all the others bring with them. Then one night they disappeared, nobody ever saw them leave."

"Where is Parker?" Harry asked. "I need to ask him about these humans."

"He'll be around soon. He goes to the ancients and watches the humans. He finds it amusing. Annoying, if you ask me. There's talk from the humans about an ancient who appeared the last day. Stupid nonsense, if you ask me."

"Will you tell Parker I'm looking for him? I need to speak with him."

"I'll tell him," Cary said turning to leave the small clearing. "Why are you wanting to know about those humans? Friends of yours?"

"Not if they are who I think they are." Harry watched the pig-like animal leave and turned back to the silence of the forest. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing, this new gift of his. It could prove useful to know what they knew.

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Harry paced the room of his tent in silence. It had been hours since the little Peccary had left and still there was no sign of the parrot named Parker. He was beginning to think himself mental for having not only spoken to a wild animal, but actually believed what he had been told. He was frustrated and anxious to leave, but more so, he wanted to find out if Voldemort had been here as he suspected and when.

A soft tapping on the roof of the tent caused Harry to glance up as though he expected to see through the ceiling to the culprit beyond. He frowned as the tapping continued then sighed heavily and stepped outside. Sitting on top of the tent was a large green and yellow parrot, nearly half a size bigger then Hedwig, his little black eyes shining at Harry as he looked up at him.

"About time," the parrot said. "I've been sitting up here knocking for so long, I was beginning to think I would start molting."

"Are you Parker?" Harry asked with a frown.

"The Peccary said you wanted to speak with me. I've never spoken to your kind before. Mind if I ask you some questions?" Harry's frown deepened. He never thought he would have to answer questions; after all he was the one who wanted the answers.

"No, I suppose not."

"Why do your kind insist on traveling in those nosy machines? Don't your paws work well inside those coverings?"

"They are called feet, not paws and they work fine. We just get tired and can't go long distances on them, or at least Muggles can't. That's why they drive cars."

"You came here on a different kind of car. I saw you arrive. But your car was not nosy and didn't smell like the others."

"It wasn't a car, it was a broomstick. I'm a wizard. Muggles - non-magical folk - use cars."

"But you look like the others."

"Yes, we're both human, but we come from different worlds. It's rather complicated."

"You use magic, like the ancients?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've heard the others talking about the ancients who believed in the magic of the Gods. Do you believe the same? Do your kind kill your own in tribute to your Gods?"

"No we don't. Killing is murder no matter how you look at it."

"But the ancients considered it an honor, I've heard the other humans speaking of it."

"I suppose that is how they believed," Harry said, feeling a little short on temper. "There are those even in my world, who kill in order to gain power. Cary said you would know about some of them. Dark ones, who came a long time ago and hid their faces. One spoke snake language and took a large female snake away with him when they left. Do you know who I am speaking of?"

"I do," Parker said, flying down to Harry and sitting on a low branch just above his head. "Evil they were. They brought many here to kill. Two were brought here and asked many questions, but they didn't kill them like the others. They would have been better off dead then left with no mind. Sad the things your kind do to each other."

"Do you know how long ago that was?"

"Many, many seasons. I was younger then. My elders tried to hide us from the sights, but I found a hole in our nest and was able to watch for awhile."

"Was the small one who took the snake away, with them? Did you hear anyone call him the Dark Lord?" Parker flapped his wings and clicked his beak as if suspensefully thinking.

"No, there was no one like that. There was a female of your kind though, evil, mean. She took the two to the dead spot and asked them questions, using strange sticks that glowed with fire. She asked her questions and pointed her stick at them for many days. Our nest was far above the ground, so I could see what she did. When she was done with the two, she left with the others, but the two remained. They didn't know anything after that. Their minds were like rotten fruit, empty and of no use."

"Were these two a man and a woman?" Harry asked, a lump in his throat.

"Yes."

"The Longbottoms," Harry whispered.

"That was what the female called them. Friends of yours?"

"In a way. I know their son."

"Sad what she did to them. The man said they had no idea where the master was, but the female didn't believe him. He said they were looking for a torch, but she just laughed. They may have died here, if the other man hadn't come to help them."

"What other man?" Harry asked, frowning at the bird's story.

"Strange man, long white fur from his head and his face. He seemed very kind. I remember him speaking with my male elder. He seemed very sad when he spoke with the two, but took them away and promised to take care of them."

"Dumbledore," Harry surmised. He fell silent for several seconds, going over everything the bird had told him. "Did Mr. Longbottom, or rather the man, happen to say if they found the torch?"

"No, but he did say they found the key to the third step. The female didn't listen though. It sounded important but she didn't care."

"The key? What key?"

"Don't know. Not sure what a key is, so I couldn't help you there."

"What about the small one? Were you here when he came?"

"Yes. That was not as long ago, maybe half the time."

"Do you remember him? What did he look like?"

"I remember him. He was very small and crawled on his belly like a snake. He found Nagini and spoke with her and then they left." Harry gasped audibly.

"Nagini? The snake's name was Nagini, are you sure?"

"Of course I am," Parker flapped his wings again as if insulted. "She would slither through the forest hissing her name, 'Nagini I am, daughter of the gods. Beware or I will kill you'. I nearly found myself her dinner once, if not for the Proghorn."

"The what?"

"The Proghorn. He saved me by kicking me out of Nagini's way, but she got him instead. I have never stopped thinking of that day, or him. I pity any who come in the path of that snake."

"You don't have to worry about it, she's dead." Parker crooked his head oddly, his dark eyes staring straight at Harry.

"Dead? Are you sure?"

"Positive. I'm the one who killed her."

"Dead!" shouted Parker. "Did you hear that everyone? The great powerful Nagini is dead!" The forest came alive with the chips and chatter of many voices. Harry hadn't noticed before that there were so many animals around, staring and listening to him speaking with the parrot. Somehow this thought made him feel very self-conscious.

"Can you show me where this dead spot is?" Harry asked after a moment to collect his thoughts and allow the forest to return to a peaceful silence.

"I can, but you have to be careful. The moon is full and soon will rise above the forest. It would be best if you use that covering that hides you."

"How do you know about that?" Harry frowned at the bird as he flapped back to the top of the tent.

"I saw you arrive during the last day. I saw you use it when you went to the stones. It hid you even from the sights of the forest." Harry nodded with understanding, slipped inside his tent and grabbed his father's old cloak. He hurried back out to find Parker preening on his stoop at the top of the tent. "Ready?" he asked, watching as Harry flung the cloak around his shoulders and pulled it across his head, hiding him from the world around him.

"All set."

Harry followed the bird for over fifteen minutes, pushing limbs aside, tying to avoid stepping on insects and praying he wouldn't fall into one of the many animal burrows scattered across the ground. After a very hot walk, Harry came into a clearing, finding Parker sitting on a low branch near the edge of the forest.

"What happened here? It looks...dead," Harry asked, stepping cautiously into the center of a large round, blackened and dry spot among the many tall trees and lush green surroundings.

"That is why it is called the dead spot. Nothing has ever grown here, as long as I know. My elders said the ancients had secret meetings here with their snake god and the lands were cursed because of it."

"You don't believe all of that, do you?" Harry asked. Having seen all that he had over the past 6 years, he could pretty well believe anything, but cursed grounds because of a god? That seemed a little far-fetched even for his world.

"My elders never told untruths. It is not for our kind to do such."

"I'm sorry, Parker, I didn't mean anything by it."

"So tell me now, what is a key? Maybe I can help you look for it."

"A key can be anything, but it's used to open things or to point in a certain direction. Sometimes it's note in a song."

"I have songs. My elders had songs as well."

"This would be a different kind of song, probably only tunes and notes, no words. Did the man say anything else, anything that might indicate what the key could have been?"

"I am sorry."

"What kind of key could he have found?"

"I am sorry I can not help you more. I must go. The humans will be coming back for the nightly visits. They are very excited about seeing an ancient on the last day. Silly humans. Don't they know, this is the only place the ancients ever visit."

"What? They come here? When?"

"When the moon is full, like now. They appear and carry out special rituals. I've seen them, though many of the others hide for fear of being killed. The ancients would use the monkeys as sacrifices when they could not find one of their own, or when their snake god was hungry."

"A hungry god? Doesn't sound much like any god I've ever heard of. Does their snake god come with them?"

"No. He has never appeared since the time of the leaving, many, many seasons ago, even before my elders hatchings."

"The moon is full tonight. Will they come again?"

"Yes, they always do, but they never return to the place of stone. There is a curse that forbids them to enter the grounds. A curse that sent them away."

"What kind of curse? Where do they go? Where do they live?"

"I don't know, but I know they are afraid of the stones. It took their snake god away from them and they were forced to leave or perish." Harry frowned from beneath the cloak."

"Parker, do you see them when they come?"

"I do. I hide in the treetops, far above. They never see me, because I remain silent."

"How do they come?"

"I'm not sure, they just sort of...are there."

"Will you come and get me when they come again? I have to know who they are. Where they come from."

"I will come for you this moon, but you must not le them see you. Many seasons ago, when I was but a young bird, a group of visitors to the stones got lost and came here. The ancients were here then too. The visitors were scared, but could not hide before the ancients caught them. They did not die easily."

"They killed them? Tourists?"

"Yes. It was horrible, worse then even that of the dark hooded ones you know. Even those who live in the busy places nearby do not come here on the full moon. It is very dangerous for all."

"Well don't worry Parker, I'll stay out of the way and I won't let them see me. But I have to know what kind of magic they use."

"I will come for you. Too bad you can't sit in the treetops. They would never find you there."

"Maybe I can," Harry said under his breath.

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The moon was full as Harry paced the small clearing of his campsite. He had been waiting for three hours and was now experiencing the anxiety usually reserved for Quidditch. His heart was pounding and his palms were sweating, but his senses were alert and his mind registering every whisper from every creature patiently waiting and fearfully hiding, from the night of the full moon. Harry glanced back to the sky and smiled. Closing his eyes, he thought of Ginny, his dreams and wishes silently whispered for the moon's rays to carry back to England, where he knew she would soon be looking up at the same moon he now smiled at.

"Soon," he said to the silence of the night. "We'll be together soon."

"Who are you talking to?" a squawking voice asked from above his head, causing Harry to jump in alarm.

"You scared me, Parker."

"I'm sorry. Who were you promising to go back to?"

"Someone very special, I left behind. I haven't seen her for awhile now."

"A mate?" Harry sighed, struggling with his embarrassment as he fidgeted with his cloak.

"We don't call our loved ones mates," he corrected. "We call them loved ones, or sweethearts, lovers, spouses, better halves. Stuff like that."

"So many words to mean mate. You come from a very complicated world." Harry chuckled softly.

"I suppose I do. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes. But I am worried about you. You must not be seen."

"Don't worry, I have it all worked out." Harry pulled his broom from the inside of his tent and then slipped his father's cloak across him as he straddled his Firebolt.

"Incredible," Parker said in astonishment. "I can not see you. Are you still here?"

"I'm right beside you," Harry said having flown up next to the bird unseen.

"This may work," Parker squawked excitedly. "Just remember, you must remain unseen. The ancients are very evil. If they see you..."

"Don't worry. I've managed worse than a few ancients in my life." The two flew into the dead spot, hiding securely among the thick branches of the trees. Harry stared down through the thick leaves to the dry, black spot below. The moon cast an eerie shadow across the forest, the stillness of the night playing on his senses. There was no noise anywhere around them. The inhabitants of the Mexican forest were securely hidden in their nests, burrows and trees. Nobody wanted to be anywhere around on a night like this.

Harry was growing weary, his legs feeling slightly numb from hanging off the thick branch he was perched on. The night was hot, the wind dry and humid. Even the light from the moon seemed to be heating up the surroundings. Just as he was about to complain and odd light began to glow in the dead spot. Harry watched closely as five very decorated men appeared through the darkness. Harry frowned as he watched them circle the black spot, their hands pointing into the center of the circle. Instantly a large flat stone appeared, similar to that he had seen in the temple the day before. He watched with mounting interest as an object appeared on it, steaming and boiling. This was all very familiar and Harry was growing suspicious. He had to get a better look. Without saying a word to Parker, he silently slipped back on his broom, drifting down to the edge of the clearing. What he saw surprised even him.

The ancients as Parker called them were wizards. Wands held tightly in their hands, the elaborately decorated caldron sitting on the stone table bubbled and steamed with a potion he couldn't identify, but the smell was one he was certain he would never forget. They chanted a spell Harry couldn't make out and watched as they pulled out the severed head of monkey, tossing it in the caldron. The aroma was nauseating and Harry had to fight to keep his stomach from lurching with the putrid stench. There was one wizard who appeared to be the leader. He issued orders in a language Harry couldn't identify and the others obeyed, summonsing ingredients Harry had never seen before. He watched with mounting interest as the steam from the ornamented caldron began to rise and take form. At first the image of a man appeared, tall in stature with broad shoulders, a long straight nose, which pointed slightly toward the sky, his long wavy hair and beard, floated in the steam around him like a hallo. The five circling the stone looked frightened and backed away from the table slowly as the image of the man began to melt into the image of a large snake.

The appearance of the snake, large and threatening, resembled a basilisk. Harry watched as the five bowed down and began chanting, arms waving in the air as they fell to their knees, patting the ground in worship. The snake continued to grow and as it was about to form into what appeared to be a solid form, but disappeared before it could reach that final state. The five looked on in disappointment, the surrounding area silently taking on a thick air of loss. Slowly the men rose and stepped to the stone table. The one Harry assumed was in charge, waved his wand and the caldron and the table disappeared. The five stepped toward a statue of a Mayan snake god and disappeared into the stillness of night. Harry slipped off his broom, removing his cloak from his head and walked silently toward the middle of the circle.

"You should not have come so close," Parker said in a squawking, scolding tone. "It was dangerous. I warned you to stay away."

"They weren't ancients," Harry told him as though he hadn't heard a word the bird had said. "They were wizards."

"They were what? You mean like you? But they have come for many seasons."

"Perhaps they are descendants from the ancients, but I assure you, they are wizards. I didn't recognize their language and I couldn't understand the spell they cast, but I recognized the image they conjured. It was a basilisk."

"A what?"

"A basilisk, a giant snake. I encountered one a few years ago. I'll bet that's what their snake god was and if I'm not mistaken, the man in the steam was Salazar Slytherin."

"But how could this be? The ancients were before your time, long before. They have come to this spot since the time of the leaving."

"I don't understand it myself Parker, but I can assure you, it's true. I saw their wands and I know the use of the caldron. They were wizards, but who are they? And where did they come from?"

"If you wait until the next moon, you may be able to find out."

"I can't," Harry said shaking his head. "I have a mission to get through before my school starts up again and I desperately have someone I want to get back to."

"Your mate?"

"Please don't call her that. Her name is Ginny."

"So, this Ginny waits for you? Will she not wait one more moon?"

"She'll wait a thousand moons, a million if needed. But I can't. There are a lot of things I have to do before school starts and I have to find a way to stop Voldemort."

"Who?"

"The small wizard who took Nagini away with him. He killed my parents."

"So you want revenge? Your kind has never changed, in all these seasons. Even the ancients sought revenge. It is a powerful emotion you humans possess."

"It's not just that, Parker. Voldemort is mad. He wants to take over the world and destroy all Muggles. I can't let that happen."

"You plan on stopping him alone?" Harry signed, running a hand through his hair and realizing for the first time just how tired he was.

"It's complicated, Parker. I have been chosen to confront Voldemort. Anyway, I can't stay; I have to leave first thing in the morning. I have to find a man and answer a riddle."

"What man? Where is he?"

"I don't know. I just know I have to find him in the land where time begins."

"The ones who come here and teach, say this is the land where true life began. Perhaps it is here."

"I doubt it, besides, science has already proven life started in Africa."

"Where is that?" Harry chuckled, steering his broom toward his tent.

"You really are curious, aren't you? I don't think I've ever answered so many questions from a bird before. But then I don't think I've ever talked to a bird before."

"You should try it more often," Parker said in a tone that resembled amusement. "We are really quite intelligent you know?"

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"Why haven't you sent anyone after the boy?" Phineas asked from his perch inside the elegantly sculptured frame. Dumbledore glanced up from his parchment, looking at the painted image of Hogwart's former Headmaster.

"Lupin and Tonks have gone after him, to make certain he does not get distracted."

"That's not what I asked. If The Dark Lord is after him, then it is extremely dangerous for him to be on his own. Perhaps if it was anyone other than Potter, he may be safe, but the boy is a not what I would call rational. Remember what he did to your office, just two short years ago."

"Harry was upset at your grandson's death, as he should have been," Dumbledore said, returning his attention to the desk and what was spread out across it. "Sirius was very important to Harry. He was the closest link he had to James and Lily."

"Regardless, the boy should not be on his own."

"He is never alone, so long as he has his task in hand. Harry's path has already been mapped out and he is proceeding as expected."

"You knew he was going, didn't you?" the old witch asked, frowning from beneath her weathered old hat. Dumbledore didn't answer, but raised a gray eyebrow to the portrait.

"What is that you have there?" asked the image of Headmaster Dippet. Dumbledore passed his hand across the parchment, watching as its contents disappeared, returning the paper to a clean state.

"I took a lesson from the senior Potter and his friends and did a little creating of my own," Dumbledore said, slipping the now rolled parchment into his desk. "I now have a way of detecting every student who attends this school, even when they are not here."

"As Headmaster, you have that ability already," Phineas grumbled, shifting in his seat. "The only way you can loose that talent is to be removed permanently from office, or else..." Phineas stopped speaking, looking down at Dumbledore with a concerned look on his face. The other portrait occupants also became silent, staring down at the aged wizard.

"The Terra Auxilium Ducere, what has happened?" Dippet asked, deep concern etching his tone.

"Nothing that needs concern anyone," Dumbledore explained briefly, then stood and began walking up the steps to his tower.

"Albus, what has happened?" the old witch asked. Dumbledore stopped on the stairs and turned to inspect each face that stared back at him.

"The Terra Auxilium Ducere has been moved to a safer location," he explained, causing the eyes of the portraits to turn upward. They had not even noticed the telescope's absence before now and would have remembered had they seen it being moved down the stairs.

"The Terra Auxilium Ducere is the only thing left to keep harmony in the world. If anyone finds it..." Phineas began.

"They won't," assured Dumbledore. "I am the only one who knows where it has gone and I will take the secret to my grave."

"But what of Potter? Without the Terra Auxilium Ducere to keep the Dark Lord away, he is in more danger than originally anticipated."

"I wouldn't say that," Dumbledore said with a sly smile. "I have a feeling he has all the protection he could possibly ever need."