Stormseeker: Borrowed Destiny

After seeing her own head of house having been a victim of Lockhart, Gemma goes to rally the older students to defend the common room. They cast some spells over the entryway and the fireplace to make sure no one will be able to slip through undetected, and take up shifts guarding the ways into the room.

"Come, Potter," Snape says. "We must see the Headmaster at once, and the quickest and safest way to get there is through the Floo."

"Alright," I say. "Draco should come along too, so I can show him what really happened last night in Dumbledore's Pensieve."

"Very well," Snape says. The three of us step over to the fireplace, and Floo up to "Hogwarts, Headmaster's office!"

I tumble out of the fireplace as usual and land flat on me face. Draco, following after, almost stumbles on me. "How can you be so bad at that?" Draco mutters.

"Severus?" Dumbledore says, looking up from the parchment he was writing on. "Is there a problem?"

"We need to talk," Snape half-growls. "Have you see Lockhart this evening?"

"Oh, yes," Dumbledore says. "He was in here earlier. I'm just now writing up a paper about his heroic discovery of the Chamber of Secrets."

I groan softly and put my hand on my forehead. "Even you, Headmaster?" I say incredulously.

"That is what I remember as well, but Potter claims that we've been Obliviated," Snape says.

"I find these claims to be dubious," Dumbledore says. "Professor Lockhart has performed a number of wonderful feats throughout the years. It is hardly surprising that it should be he who finally uncovers such long-kept secrets."

Myrtle appears, and says, "Well, he hasn't Obliviated me, and I remember things a little differently. Harry is the hero here! Lockhart has had it out for him all year!"

Dumbledore frowns. "Am I to believe the word of a ghost and a student over that of myself and my own professors?"

"Look," I say. "Don't take my word for it. I'll show you the memory of those events in your Pensieve."

"You are an Occlumens," Dumbledore says. "You could have tampered with it."

"Don't be ridiculous," Snape says. "The boy hasn't nearly the level of skill to pull that off. I don't know if anyone could pull off actually fooling a Pensieve. The worst he could do is show us something from another timeline."

"Very well," Dumbledore says, sighing. "Let us see this memory, then." He gestures toward his Pensieve.

I put my wand to my head and focus on the memory of the Chamber of Secrets, from when Draco and I started trying to destroy the diary until Snape hauled us out of there to take us to the hospital wing. A silvery thread emerges, which I drop into the Pensieve. The four of us then plunge in.

"Those are some awfully dark spells you are casting there," Dumbledore comments. "What is that book?"

"You'll see in a moment," I say. "By the way, you should still have what's left of that book sitting around in your office somewhere, I think. You took it and said you were going to analyze it."

"I do not remember having seen that book at all," Dumbledore says, frowning.

The memory Lexen picks up the book, and starts talking about other ways to destroy it. Then, after a moment, the scene blurs and skips ahead. Lexen rushes up to Draco's wounded form in a panic.

"Was that a bezoar?" Snape says, and I nod. "I'm surprised by your foresight, Potter."

And then the battle with Tom Riddle ensues. I refuse to give Tom what he wants, the basilisk dies, Snape arrives, and the diary is impaled on a basilisk fang.

"You saved my life..." Draco says quietly.

We're expelled from the Pensieve again. Dumbledore frowns thoughtfully and looks around a bit, and after some searching, pulls out Tom Riddle's charred diary with a puncture mark in the middle.

"I think this confirms it," Dumbledore says.

"I do not appreciate being Obliviated," Snape says, looking about ready to kill the man himself.

"Indeed," Dumbledore says. "Who else knows about this that he may target?"

"Lucius Malfoy," I say. "Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood. He probably already hit Madam Pomfrey."

"Are these three students in their dormitories at the moment?" Dumbledore asks.

I shake my head. "They're all in the Slytherin common room. Some of the older students have helped to form a blockade there to make sure they're kept safe."

"I see," Dumbledore says. "I'm surprised that the Slytherins would help a Muggleborn like Miss Granger like that."

"Perhaps not, but they'd help Ravenclaw's secret heir," Draco puts in.

"Who told them such a thing?" Dumbledore wonders.

"I think I started that rumor, sir," I say, smirking.

"Is it true?" Dumbledore says.

"It could be," I say.

Dumbledore shakes his head, and says, "Regardless, I must ensure that the children are safe."

"My friends will be safe," I say. "Lucius should be warned, however. But we need to track down Lockhart. He also has my invisibility cloak."

"That... will be a problem," Dumbledore says. He goes over and writes down a quick message, and hands it to his phoenix. "Fawkes, please take this to Lucius Malfoy at once." The phoenix takes the parchment and vanishes in a puff of flame.

"This is indeed a serious matter," Snape says. "But we can hardly halt classes while an invisible Obliviate-happy madman wanders the castle."

"I don't know how we might be able to locate him with that cloak, however," Dumbledore says. "This castle is expansive, and there are many places that one could hide."

"You're the Headmaster, Dumbledore," Draco says. "Isn't there something you can do? Can't the castle wards track people inside of them, or something?"

"I'm afraid it isn't quite that simple," Dumbledore says.

"I don't know about the wards," I say. "But I know of something that can track everyone in the castle."

"Do you, now?" Snape says, raising an eyebrow at me.

"It's a map," I say. "It's currently in the possession of the Weasley twins, however. And to activate it, you need to tap it with your wand and say 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good.'"

Snape groans softly. "That would certainly explain their proclivity for pranks and ability to avoid trouble. Fine, I will go confiscate this map." He turns for the fireplace.

"Sir, you shouldn't go alone," I say. "There's nothing stopping Lockhart from getting inside the Gryffindor Tower, and he could Obliviate you again."

"I will accompany him," Dumbledore says. "The two of you should return to the Slytherin common room where you will be safe."

I open my mouth to protest, then think better of it and nod to him. "Alright."

Draco and I return through the Floo. There are two older students watching the fireplace when I tumble out, and they point their wands at us warily.

"It's just Malfoy and Potter," says one of them.

"Don't let down your guard so easily," I snap. "Not just because I look like who you think I am. That could be anyone wearing my skin. Confirm identities!"

"Merlin, are you paranoid, or what?" says the boy.

"It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you," I reply.

The girl standing watch at the other side of the fireplace snorts softly and says, "Only Potter could be so crazy as to suggest he isn't really himself."

"That might be what I want you to think!" I say.

"Do you really think Lockhart could be using Polyjuice when he already has an invisibility cloak?" Gemma comes up and asks incredulously.

"I can't assume anything right now," I say.

"Where's Professor Snape?" Gemma asks.

"He went with Dumbledore to the Gryffindor Tower," I say, yawning.

"You really should get some rest," Gemma says. "Weren't you and Draco still supposed to have been in the hospital wing?"

"Yeah," I say. "I'm better, though, but still a little sore."

"Why don't you two head up to our dorm?" Theodore says. "You can use my bed if you want. I'm keeping watch for now."

"Alright," I say, yawning again. I'm not normally this tired after having only been awake for less than a day. I have a dreadful thought wondering if I have already been Obliviated, but I dismiss it. I wouldn't still remember about the Chamber of Secrets or Lockhart being a Mudblood fraud if that were so.

I feel pretty safe here, but I still cast a Revulsion Curse over Theodore's bed before I sleep. Just in case.

By the time I wake, it's already past breakfast. Either I slept through my rooster watch crowing, or it didn't go off this morning. I glance at my watch, and see the image of the rooster twitching around uncomfortably. Poor thing. That Lightning Curse must not have been good for it.

It feels strange waking up in a different dormitory, but at least I know I'm safe here. I head out for the common room. The room is still on high alert, although some of the students look a little weary after their night of vigilance. Dumbledore and Snape are hunched over a table, along with McGonagall and Flitwick, and look as though they're preparing for war.

"Have you found him?" I ask, approaching them.

"We've been tracking his movements all night," Dumbledore says. "He doesn't appear to have slept or stayed in the same place for long. We're waiting for him to rest in order to ambush him. He can't keep going forever."

"What if he leaves the castle?" I ask.

"Then we can track him via the Floo network," Dumbledore says.

"And if he decides to just walk right out of the gates?" I ask.

"We've sealed the gates," Dumbledore says. "Besides, he can't ignore us forever, either. If he gets away, he'll be back, so long as there are still people here who know his secrets."

"So, what, we're just going to wait for him to make his move and play the defensive here?" I say. "I don't like it."

"Mr. Potter, the Headmaster has made his decision," McGonagall admonishes me. "I don't recall him asking for your advice in this, however great you think you might be."

"This is nonsense," I snap. "We need to go on the offensive!"

"And allow Lockhart how many free shots at us because of that cloak?" Dumbledore say

I sigh and rub my temples. "You're right, of course. I'm just stressed from all of this. I apologize."

"You should have some breakfast, Harry," Dumbledore says.

"Yes, sir," I murmur. "So long as you all are here, could I ask someone to look at my watch? I think it's been damaged, but I'm not sure." I take it off and put it on the table with the teachers.

A house-elf brings me some food, and I sit down to eat my late breakfast. At least my aches from yesterday seem to have mostly faded away by now, but I still feel guilty about the whole situation. I make a mental note that if I ever have an enemy in my power again, I should kill them immediately, when I have the chance, and not give them the opportunity to escape and cause further trouble. And definitely not give them a powerful magical artifact to help them cause said trouble.

"The charms still appear to be functioning," Flitwick says. "Although the matrix has destabilized a bit. The rooster, on the other hand, isn't doing so well."

"Can you cancel the transfiguration on it?" I ask.

"I could," Flitwick says. "You wouldn't have a watch anymore, though I suppose you could re-transfigure it again."

"It's alright," I say. "He's served his purpose. He can go back to being a chicken again, if he'll be able to recover that way."

Draco pokes his head over and says, "All of this panic about Lockhart, and you're concerned about a chicken? Just send it to the house-elves to be broiled up for lunch and be done with it."

"He might just be a chicken, but he's the chicken who slew the King of Serpents," I remind him. "No small feat. That deserves special recognition, I think."

McGonagall and Flitwick cancel the spells upon the watch, and a rooster is sitting on the table. He doesn't look very good, but after another couple spells, he starts to perk up a bit.

"The Headmaster told us of your encounter with the basilisk down in the Chamber of Secrets," Flitwick says. "It is quite a stroke of luck that you happened to have a watch made from a real rooster. Most fortunate. You are a very lucky young wizard indeed."

No need to tell him that that was the intention, even if things didn't quite work out exactly the way I'd planned.

Snape scowls at the map. "Lockhart must have raided my potions stores at some point, or at least kept a Wideye Potion on him. The man doesn't seem to rest for a moment."

"Where has he been going?" I ask.

"He's in the Great Hall at the moment," Snape says.

"He went to both the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw common rooms," Dumbledore says. "He stopped by several staff offices. And he spent some time in the Forbidden Lavatory before disappearing off the map for several hours. Presumably he was inside the Chamber of Secrets during that period."

"He was in the Chamber of Secrets?" I say, raising an eyebrow and putting my fork down. "For hours? Why didn't you ambush him while he was in there? And he could have slept while he was there, too!"

"We would not have been able to get in regardless," Dumbledore says.

"Myrtle could have let you in!" I exclaim. "She got Snape inside!"

"Regardless, I doubt he would have slept down there, anyway," Snape says. "Probably spent the entire night poring over Salazar Slytherin's secrets, just like you have been doing. Sadly, he doesn't appear to have run across any fatally cursed books along the way."

I sigh and resume eating. "And I'm sure there's a good explanation for not ambushing him in the Great Hall, either?"

"A number of students have been gathered there, since classes were canceled for the day," Dumbledore says. "I would not wish to put them in danger."

"And who knows what Lockhart might be telling them?" I say.

"The other professors are watching over them closely," Dumbledore says. "I'm sure that Lockhart is not foolish enough to do anything rash with so many witnesses."

I force myself to stay calm, letting my rage fuel the storm around my mind. It won't do to get angry with Dumbledore or start thinking that he's incompetent. I finish up my breakfast. I still don't really trust Dumbledore, but I'm thirteen years old, give or take some time travel confusion. I shouldn't think that I'd do everything better than him. Even if I can't fathom any good reason to allow Lockhart the run of the school under the circumstances.

And then, some while later, Flitwick says, peering at the map, "I do believe he's leaving the castle."

"He must have grabbed a broom and flew right over the walls," McGonagall says.

I stare at Dumbledore. "You didn't consider this outcome?"

"He'll be back, I'm sure," Dumbledore says.

"And what if he's not?" I say. "How long will you keep classes shut down for fear of this fraud?"

"You should not take such a tone with the Headmaster, Mr. Potter," McGonagall says.

"If he isn't back by tomorrow, we will resume classes as normal," Dumbledore says.

"And who will teach Defense Against the Dark Arts for the second half of the year?" Snape wonders.

"We will worry about that situation when things have calmed down a bit," Dumbledore says.

"And if he escapes?" I say.

"Then at least my students are no longer in immediate danger from him," Dumbledore says.

"What's to stop him from just going to their homes when they're on holiday and attacking them then?" I demand.

"Mr. Potter, that is quite enough!" McGonagall says.

"You told me he was harmless, Harry," Dumbledore says.

"I was wrong!" I retort. "I made a mistake! This entire situation is all my fault..."

"You can't blame yourself for everything," Dumbledore says.

Why is it that the more I blame myself, the less anyone else blames me, no matter how much I deserve it? There were any number of things I could have done to prevent this. And failing all else, I could have killed myself after Lockhart got on the loose with my cloak. Now I just have a mess on my hands.

No. That wouldn't do. That line of thinking is unproductive. I promised myself that I would not treat my power carelessly. I will not intentionally abandon my friends unless the alternative is worse.

I shake my head at myself and go over to sit with my friends. It looks like Hermione and Neville dozed on the couches in the common room overnight. Luna is still quietly napping, herself.

"I'm sorry," I tell them.

"Why are you always apologizing for everything?" Draco says, plopping down on a couch next to me. "You saved my life, and nothing you can say is going to make me think that this is all somehow your fault."

"Because I made a damned mistake," I snap. "I let him get away. I should have just killed him then and there."

Hermione looks at me with a touch of shock. "How is not killing someone a mistake?" she wonders. "How can you think like that?"

"Because if I'd killed him, we wouldn't be in this situation, missing class, and afraid that someone is going to swoop in and make us forget what really happened," I say.

"And you could very well be on the way to Azkaban for murder," Neville points out.

"Bah, like I haven't gotten away with murder before," I mutter.

"That was in self-defense," Hermione says. "It was in self-defense, wasn't it?"

"So would this have been," I say. "Lockhart was attacking me! He forced me to take Veratiserum and would have Obliviated me given the chance! He did Obliviate several people in the school already!"

"I'm with the Stormseeker on this one," Draco says darkly. "Lockhart's better off dead."

"You're talking about murdering someone!" Hermione says.

I'd admonish her for talking so loudly about murdering someone, but a quick glance around at the room indicates that any Slytherins within earshot seem to either agree or don't really care. Then my blood goes cold for a moment as I remember what happened in here last night. Oh, crap, what did I tell them when I was under Veratiserum? That I was secretly the child of a Dark Lord or something? I groan inwardly. This is going to come back to haunt me, I just know it.

"Hermione," I say in a strained voice. "I'm trying to protect you here. If you really want, you can just run off and let him Obliviate you. You can forget about everything, and live out the rest of your life never realizing what you might have missed. That little nagging sensation in the back of your mind that something is not quite right, but you can never quite put your finger on what it is. Is that what you really want, Hermione? I'm not forcing you to do anything. You can back out anytime you want."

Hermione looks as though she's just been hit with a sledgehammer, and casts her gaze to the floor. "I didn't mean it like that," she says. "And I appreciate you trying to look out for us. I just... sometimes I wonder about you. And if your father really is--"

"Hermione," I interrupt firmly in a warning tone.

Flint leans over, snickering, and says, "We already know about your little secret. Remember last night?"

I groan softly and cast a glare at him. "What, did that revelation make you change your tune, Flint?"

"Far be it from me to argue with the Dark Lord's heir," Flint says lightly.

I roll my eyes and put my face in my palms with a sigh. "I'm really glad that didn't come out in the Gryffindor common room instead," I mutter.

"How did you ever wind up in Gryffindor, anyway?" Flint asks.

"Would you have prefered that I wind up in Hufflepuff instead?" I retort. "Now, leave me alone already before I cast annoying spells at you."

"But there's four teachers sitting right over there," Flint argues.

"Like they'd do anything to me," I say, snorting softly.

"Try me," Flint dares.

"Pogontrophus," I mutter. Flint spontaneously grows a full beard.

"Hmm," Flint says, stroking at his new beard thoughtfully. He turns toward Gemma, who is approaching us, and asks, "Does this make me look dignified?"

"It makes you look like a bum," Gemma replies dryly.

Flint grumbles a little and wanders off. I smirk at his back as he goes. I have to give him credit, at least, for not flipping out at me over being jinxed.

"You certainly know how to stir things up, don't you, Harry," Gemma says. "I hope things go back to normal soon."

"Dumbledore says classes will resume tomorrow if Lockhart doesn't show up again by then," I say. "I'm thinking I'll take the opportunity to do some reading in the meantime."

"How can you read at a time like this?" Neville asks.

"You are such a Ravenclaw sometimes," Draco comments.

I pull out a book from my bag and open it up, skimming through it a bit. "I was thinking of researching spells to kill Lockhart with, really."

"I take that back," Draco says, snickering.

"I, for one, am not content to sit back and wait for things to get worse before doing something," I say. "Hmm. Incendio is a bit tame. Need something more destructive, and I'm better with curses anyway. Meh, screw it, I can just use a Lightning Curse." I shove the book back into my bag and bring out a knut.

"What are you planning to do?" Gemma asks.

"Kill Lockhart, of course," I answer, starting work on the enchantment.

"How do you intend to do that?" Draco asks. "We don't even know where he is now."

"Through the mail," I answer absently.

"I'm sure there are laws and regulations against that sort of thing..." Hermione says dubiously.

"Like anyone pays any attention to those anyway," Draco says. "Sending curses through the post is a time-honored tradition."

"You're already learning about contingency spells?" Gemma asks. "In second year?"

"I started learning about them in first year, actually," I say. "That's why there's a rooster over there. I made a watch out of a transfigured rooster and a couple charms. But it got damaged in my fight with Salazar Slytherin's basilisk."

"So you really did fight a basilisk?" says a first year, popping his head into the conversation.

"Yes," I reply.

"Isn't that something you should be keeping a secret?" Hermione asks.

I snort softly. "The only one who can benefit from that being a secret anymore is Lockhart," I say. "Personally, I'd rather the truth were known." At least the truth that Lockhart had nothing to do with it. If any of the more incriminating actions of mine come to light, well, I can always claim to have been mind controlled by the Dark Lord. Hey, it worked for Lucius. And it also has the benefit of being pretty accurate, too. Damned Tom Riddle.

Flint comes back, with his face neatly shaven. "I'm out of practice with Shaving Charms," Flint mutters.

"That isn't something I would admit to, if I were you," Gemma comments.

"Hey, it's hardly my fault I can't quite grow a proper beard," Flint says.

"Flint, catch," I say, tossing the knut to him.

"Huh?" Flint says, grabbing it out of the air. "Why are you-- gah, why is my hand hairy?" The Beard-Growing Jinx appears to have grown a beard on the back of his hand, rather than his face.

"Oops," I say. "Well, I suppose it technically worked... sort of. Oh, well, keep the knut for the trouble." I say, snickering.

Flint mutters some more, and goes off again.

I test it a few more times with harmless spells, and then a low-powered Lightning Curse. Then, I bring out a piece of parchment and scribble out a message. "If you're reading this," I write, "then you obviously survived my curse. Congratulations. You've earned the right to live for a little while longer. But be warned that I'm out for your blood, and I will not stop until you are dead."

Then I focus upon the parchment, and pour all of my hatred and rage into the spell, and snarl, "Fulgoris." The parchment practically crackles with power for a moment, but I've set it to only go off when Lockhart touches it. "Alright," I say. "I'm heading for the Owlery to send this off. Who wants to come along and watch my back?"

Neville, Hermione, and Draco immediately volunteer. Gemma says, "I'd best make sure you don't run into any trouble." The five of us head for the entrance to the common room.

Snape intercepts us as we reach the entry. "And where might you be going?" he asks, and snatches the parchment out of my hands. "Interesting spell on this, 'Stormseeker'."

"Is there a problem, sir?" I ask. I wonder if he's going to get me in trouble, give me detention, or anything.

"Five points from Gryffindor for such a crudely cast, easily detectable spell," Snape says. He waves his wand over the parchment. "There. That will mask the curse and make it more difficult to detect, and hence more likely to actually go off." He hands it back to me. "Carry on."

I gape at him for a moment. "You are totally my favorite teacher, sir," I say.

"Don't let it get to your head, Potter," Snape says, stalking back toward the table where the other teachers are seated.